Frigid-cold safety tips from the Holyoke Fire Department include keeping space heaters away from items that can catch fire, using flashlights instead of candles and keeping water trickling to stop pipes from freezing.

HOLYOKE -- The Fire Department issued tips to deal with the extreme cold that gripped the region earlier this month and here they are again, given that frigid winds are slapping the area Friday afternoon.

"One of the simplest steps for safety you can take is to make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working. They will give you the earliest possible warning that something is wrong so you can escape safely," Fire Chief John A. Pond said.

"Keep thermostats set at the lowest comfortable temperature as furnaces may struggle to keep the house warm; wear warm clothes and put an extra blanket on the bed," he said.

"If you run out of oil, or lose power, consider going to the home of a friend or relative who has heat rather than relying on alternative heating sources," he said.

Other tips:

The hospital cares for 4-year-old Harper Connor, who suffers from Poland Syndrome.

An Easthampton pre-schooler has a rare medical condition, and her mother and business partner, who own a hair salon, are hosting a "cut-a-thon" Sunday to benefit the Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield -- an institution that provides the little girl with specialized care.

Harper Connor suffers from a condition called Poland Syndrome. She is missing the large pectoral muscle on the right side of her chest, and also has a related chest wall deformity, said her mother Meghan Brzezinski. Starting at around first grade, Harper will have to spend several years in a body brace.

Brzezenski and her business partner Alicia Duprey own To Dye For at 66 Northampton Street, a full-service beauty salon with a loyal following.

Four-year-old Harper Connor has a rare condition, and is receiving care at the Shriner's Pediatric Hospital in Springfield.Meghan Brzezinski 

"I'm so grateful to the Shriners," said Brzezenski. "So it's a way for me to give thanks. Harper will spend plenty of time at the hospital in the coming years, and they've been very good to her."

Harper's father, Craig Connor, a barber, will also be on hand Sunday to give haircuts. "Plus, we'll have four Shriners clowns. It's an opportunity for the whole family to get haircuts, and support a good cause."

In addition to ten-dollar haircuts, raffle prizes donated by the local business community will be awarded.

Harper is currently in preschool at Young World daycare, and plans to attend the Easthampton public schools. She will start kindergarten not this fall, but next.

"Part of my goal is to educate the community," said Brzezenski. "Haley's going to be part of the public school system, so I want to be open with people about her condition, and answer any questions."

Brzezenski said she and Harper's dad plan to participate in the 2016 Leprechaun Plunge at Brunelle's Marina in South Hadley, which is a major fundraiser every year for the Shriners and other charities. The plunge into the Connecticut River is set for March 13 this year.

The Shriner's hospital in Springfield offers specialized pediatric orthopaedic, rheumatology, and cleft lip and palate care. A surgical team also offers specialized care for children like Harper with chest wall deformities.

 There are more than two-dozen Shriner's hospitals around the country. All children receive care regardless of the families' ability to pay. The hospital is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

If you go:

What: Ms. Harper's Cut-a-Thon: $10 haircuts to benefit the Shriners Hospital
When: Sunday, Feb. 28, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: To Dye For, 66 Northampton St., Easthampton
More Information: (413) 529-0001

For safety in the cold, put a coat on a pet when walking and clean pets' paws with a towel later to remove road salt and other debris.

HOLYOKE -- The National Weather Service said the temperature with wind chill will drop to the teens or lower Friday night -- it was 17 degrees with wind chill at 4:30 p.m. -- so here are tips to keep pets safe.

"Exposure to winter's dry, cold air and chilly rain, sleet and snow can cause chapped paws and itchy, flaking skin, but these aren't the only discomforts pets can suffer," said the website of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). "Winter walks can become downright dangerous if chemicals from ice-melting agents are licked off of bare paws."

Remember that while this season has dumped little snow, pets still can come in contact with salt and other de-icing agents that remain on the ground.

Here are some ASPCA tips to help pets through the cold:

Federal prosecutors called former Lee Police Chief Joseph Buffis a "brazen liar" in a recent court filings. Buffis' March 3 sentencing has been canceled, according to the case docket in U.S. District Court.

SPRINGFIELD — Even by federal court standards, former Lee Police Chief Joseph Buffis' criminal case has progressed glacially.

Buffis' March 3 sentencing has been canceled, according to the case docket in U.S. District Court. It was one in a string of postponements since Buffis was convicted of extortion nine months ago. Typically, defendants in federal court are sentenced within three months of a conviction or guilty plea. By comparison, criminal defendants are routinely sentenced the same day in state court.

The sentencing will be rescheduled at a future hearing, but no timetable has been established.

The latest delay in the Buffis case was triggered by a dispute between lawyers in the case over arguments prosecutors are attempting to introduce at the former chief's sentencing – whenever it finally occurs.

Buffis was accused of fleecing a police-sponsored Christmas toy charity for needy children of $55,000 between 2007 and 2012. He was indicted in 2012 and fired shortly after.

During a three-week trial last spring, prosecutors put on additional evidence that the figure was actually upwards of $120,000 over a decade, but the balance fell outside the statute of limitations.

Furthermore, prosecutors argued that while in dire financial straits, Buffis siphoned $8,000 from another Lee police charity and $30,000 from his own church's Bingo fund. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni did not allow prosecutors to present evidence related to the alleged church theft as that also fell outside the statute of limitations.

However, so-called "uncharged conduct" and even acquitted conduct can be presented to drive up defendants' sentences in some instances. Federal prosecutors have filed a motion to bolster their sentencing arguments with all the allegations against Buffis, acquitted by a jury of 10 additional counts of fraud and money-laundering.

They characterized the former chief as a "longtime thief and brazen liar" in their 23-page motion.

Defense lawyer Lori H. Levinson – who argued to jurors that her client was actually a "real-life Santa Claus" but a sloppy record-keeper – has yet to file a response. She has said she will oppose prosecutors' efforts to introduce uncharged and acquitted conduct during previous court proceedings.

A juggernaut of a federal criminal investigation into Buffis' finances began rolling when two former innkeepers in Lee were scrutinized for running a suspected prostitution ring in 2011. State and local police raided the Inn at Laurel Lake. The couple running it confessed to offering "happy ending massages" for extra money.

Buffis leaked the story to the Berkshire Eagle, much to the chagrin and humiliation of Thomas Fusco and Tara Viola, the targets of the investigation. During an interview with police, a tearful Viola offered to donate all the "dirty money" to charity. An officer and state trooper declined.

But, Buffis took them up on the offer and accepted $4,000 in exchange for shelving the case. He told the couple he intended to funnel the money to the Christmas toy charity and an animal shelter but it ended up in his bank account, according to testimony. That resulted in the guilty verdict on the extortion charge. Levinson tried unsuccessfully to get the conviction thrown out.

Witnesses for the prosecution testified that Buffis spent the money intended for the poor children of Lee instead to pay off his own credit card bills, trips to grocery and liquor stores and to finance his son's pricey motocross hobby.

Buffis testified in his own defense, countering that he purchased toys all year round with his own money, paid cash and didn't keep receipts. He told jurors once donations began pouring in around the holidays, he reimbursed himself.

"I'm very glad that the jury got that Joe Buffis didn't fleece the toy fund, and that it wasn't a sham ... that he did provide toys for the children of Lee, and that he did spend money out of his own pocket," Levinson said after the jury delivered its verdicts.

The maximum sentence for extortion is 20 years in prison, but Buffis will likely receive a far lesser penalty under federal sentencing guidelines.

During a search of the car, customs officials reported discovering more than 22 pounds of marijuana edibles and other unspecified "depressants, stimulants and narcotics."

ST. ALBANS, Vt. — A Waltham, Massachusetts, man was arrested Friday at a customs checkpoint at the Canadian border with a stash of "marijuana edibles" and other drugs, according to Vermont State Police.

Timothy Maslow, 31, was stopped at the Highgate Springs Port of Entry in a vehicle attempting to gain entry to the U.S., police said in a statement. During a search of the car, customs officials reported discovering more than 22 pounds of marijuana edibles and other unspecified "depressants, stimulants and narcotics."

Marijuana edibles come in the form of Gummi Bears, chocolates, breath mints, lollipops and more. The state police statement was not specific about the product they allegedly seized.

Maslow was charged with felony possession of marijuana and possession of the other drugs, according to police. He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment and was released on $5,000 bail.

League was alive when she called the Wales Fire Department, but she had succumbed to smoke and gases by the time firefighters arrived at her Lake George Drive home, according to Jim Leydon, spokesman for Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni.

Updates story published at 3:10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26.

"Sadly, Ms. League had been alive when she called the fire department to report the fire, but was overcome by smoke and poisonous gases by the time they arrived," Leydon said in a statement Friday.

Investigators determined that the fire at 21 Lake George Drive began in a greenhouse attached to the single-family home that had no working smoke detectors. The source of the fire was an electrical outlet with an extension cord powering a fan and portable space heater. But investigators said they were unable to determine if either device suffered an electrical failure, or if the space heater ignited nearby combustibles.

The death of League was announced late Friday afternoon by Gulluni, State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, Wales Fire Chief John S. Croke and Wales Police Chief Jeffrey Hastings.

The joint investigation was conducted by the Wales Fire and Police departments and State Police troopers assigned to both Gulluni and Ostroskey's offices.

Croke said the fire was a tragedy for both the woman's family and the town of Wales. "It underscores how important it is not only to have early warning of danger from working smoke alarms, but to get out immediately and call the fire department from outside the house," he said.

Ostroskey said the death was the 13th fire fatality in Massachusetts this year, and the ninth involving no working smoke alarms.

A children's workshop for a Habitat for Humanity house build will be held in Longmeadow on Saturday.

LONGMEADOW — St. Andrew's Episcopal Church will hold a Habitat for Humanity workshop for children on Saturday, in preparation of an interfaith home build this spring.

The workshop for the "Circle of Faith" house build with the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity will include children from the area's Christian, Jewish and Muslim congregations who have donated money and/or will help build the Habitat home, a statement from St. Andrew's says.

"Saturday's workshop will introduce children to the Habitat project through hands-on activities related to home and building," the statement says.

Activity stations children at the workshop in which will engage include, painting, assembling play house furniture, stuffing pillows, decorating house-shaped cookies and other building-related exercises.

The workshop will take place in the basement of St. Andrews on 335 Longmeadow Street at 3 p.m.

Roberto Hernandez, 50, of 59 Maynard St., was charged with wanton destruction of property and daytime breaking and entering while putting a person in fear, Alberti said.

EASTHAMPTON — A city resident interrupted an attempted burglary on Friday morning, prompting the suspect to flee in a pickup truck with a heavy oil leak. But the would-be burglar didn't get very far, according to police, who arrested him on a highway ramp in Holyoke.

Officers responded to a 9:18 a.m. report of an attempted break-in at a Stone Path Lane residence. "The homeowner called police after interrupting the intruder as he broke down the front door to the residence," Easthampton Police Capt. Robert J. Alberti said. "The terrified resident then provided a description of the vehicle as it sped away: an older model white pickup truck, leaking significant oil."

The suspect vehicle was spotted in Holyoke in the area of Easthampton Road. Holyoke officers and state troopers stopped the pickup, which was still leaking oil, on the on-ramp to I-91 south, Alberti said.

Easthampton police responded to the scene and continued their investigation. The driver was identified as Springfield resident Roberto W. Hernandez, 50, of 59 Maynard St., who was previously arrested in October 2015 in Springfield for larceny, heroin possession and daytime breaking and entering, according to Alberti.

After Friday's arrest, however, Hernandez is now facing additional charges of wanton destruction of property and daytime breaking and entering while putting a person in fear, Alberti said.

It was not immediately known if Hernandez has a lawyer.

Colleen Ritzer's parents said Philip Chism should never have a chance to leave prison on parole.

SALEM, Mass. -- A teenager who raped and killed his high school math teacher was sentenced Friday to life in prison with eligibility for parole in 40 years -- a possibility of freedom that drew angry criticism from the victim's parents.

The 2013 slaying of Danvers High School teacher Colleen Ritzer by Philip Chism in Massachusetts was "brutal and senseless," Salem Superior Court Judge David Lowy said as he pronounced the sentence.

"Colleen Ritzer lived a life of quiet heroism," the judge said. "The crashing waves of this tragedy will never wane."

Chism was 14 when he followed Ritzer, who was 24, into a school bathroom, strangled her, stabbed her at least 16 times and raped her. His lawyers acknowledged he killed her but argued he was mentally ill, a contention rejected by the jury.

He will serve life in prison with the possibility of parole in 25 years on a murder charge, but he received 40-year concurrent sentences on rape and robbery charges. The net result will leave him eligible to be paroled in 40 years, when he would be in his 50s.

Ritzer's parents said Chism should never have a chance to leave prison on parole.

Her mother, Peggy Ritzer, called the sentence unacceptable. She blamed the state Supreme Judicial Court, which ruled in December 2013 that juveniles could not be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Prosecutors had asked that Chism stay in prison for at least 50 years. Defense attorney Susan Oker asked for a sentence that would make Chism eligible for parole no later than age 40. She cited scientific studies that said a juvenile brain is not fully developed.

During the earlier sentencing hearing, Ritzer's parents, siblings, colleagues and lifelong friends on Friday described a young woman who loved her job, her students and her life and who never had a negative word to say. Many of them wore pink, her favorite color.

Peggie Ritzer said her daughter's death had left her "so very broken."

"Now I isolate myself from people I love because pretending to be happy is so difficult," she said. "He is pure evil, and evil can never be rehabilitated."

Tom Ritzer said he felt as though he had failed his daughter.

"I didn't protect Colleen," he said. "A dad's job is to fix things. I would do anything I could if I could fix this for Colleen."

Chism's mother, Diane Chism, cried quietly as he was sentenced. Earlier Friday, she released a statement expressing her condolences to Ritzer's family.

"Words can't express the amount of pain and sorrow these past 2 1/2 years have been," she said. "However, there is no one who has suffered more than the Ritzer family. My utmost esteem, prayers and humble respect is with them today as they continue their journey to heal."

Philip Chism gets life for murder of Colleen Ritzer, will spend at least 40 years in prison

At trial, the defense said Chism wasn't criminally responsible for his actions. A psychiatrist who testified for the defense said Chism, who had just moved to Massachusetts from Clarksville, Tennessee, was hearing voices and was in the throes of a psychotic episode when he killed Ritzer.

Chism was convicted of raping Ritzer inside the bathroom but was acquitted of a second rape, committed with a tree branch in woods near the school where he put her body. He also was convicted of armed robbery for stealing Ritzer's credit cards and underwear.

Kirk Kelly, 24, of Tampa, Florida, has been charged with falsification and tampering with evidence after Tallmadge police say he chewed the skin off his fingertips to avoid being identified by fingerprints.

TALLMADGE, Ohio - A Florida man chewed off the skin on all his fingertips during a traffic stop in an effort avoid being identified by fingerprints, Tallmadge police said Friday.

Kirk Kelly, 24, now faces charges of falsification and tampering with evidence.

Police stopped Kelly about 3 a.m. Sunday on North Thomas Road, Tallmadge Chief Ronald Williams said. Kelly initially gave officers two false IDs, including his younger brother's name and information, Williams said.

Kelly told police he was from Tampa. Officers then called Tampa police and the Hillsboro County Sheriff's Office to try to confirm Kelly's identity, Williams said. Florida police sent back photos of Kelly and his distinctive tattoos.

When Kelly overheard officers talking about using their handheld fingerprint identifier for a positive identification, he chewed off the skin on all of his fingertips to avoid a proper ID, Williams said.

Because the photos from Florida officers properly identified Kelly, he was arrested, Williams said. He is charged with falsification and tampering with evidence in Stow Municipal Court.

He is scheduled to appear March 1 in Stow Municipal Court, court records show.

Kelly also has several warrants out for his arrest in Florida, including ones for racketeering, drug trafficking and illegally selling handguns, Williams said.

Williams said handguns sold by Kelly have been linked to 15 Florida homicides.

Vermont State Police have arrested four suspects and are searching for a fifth in connection with an armed robbery at Champlain Beverage in Leicester, Vt.

LEICESTER, Vt. — Multiple suspects have been arrested for a convenience store robbery in Addison County, but Vermont authorities continue to search for the suspected gunman.

The motive for the armed robbery: to obtain money to fund their drug habits, according to State Police, who took four of the suspects into custody on Thursday and Friday.

The crime happened early last month at Champlain Beverage in the town of Leicester. Police have requested an arrest warrant for the fifth suspect, who's known to authorities and also wanted on unrelated warrants.

Troopers responded to Champlain Beverage, a gas, food and beer store on U.S. Route 7, on the evening of Jan. 9. Three men entered the store, displayed a handgun, and ordered the clerk to lie face down on the floor. The assailants then raided the cash register and stole several cartons of cigarettes before fleeing the business, police said.

Taken into custody this week were 26-year-old Tanya Brace, 35-year-old Dawn Doviak, 36-year-old William Manfredi, and 29-year-old Robert Johnston, all of Rutland. An arrest warrant has been sought for 42-year-old Shawn Ritchie, the alleged gunman. Ritchie, who's also from Rutland, is already wanted on multiple other warrants, police said.

Johnston, Manfredi and Ritchie are facing assault and robbery charges, while Brace and Doviak are facing charges of aiding in the commission of a felony. Brace and Doviak were parked in a nearby getaway car while the men entered Champlain Beverage to rob the store, according to investigators.

As the group drove back to Rutland, they discarded clothing that was worn during the robbery, which police recovered and sent to the Vermont Forensic Laboratory in Waterbury for processing.

Police said they believe Ritchie is still in the area of Addison and Rutland counties.

MAP showing approximate location of armed robbery:

Race fans young and old steered their way to Frank Maratta's 57th annual Auto & Race-A-Rama Show at the Big E on Friday.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Race fans young and old steered their way to Frank Maratta's 57th annual Auto & Race-A-Rama Show at the Big E on Friday.

The three-day event, featuring custom cars, hot rods, motorcycles and trucks – both American and imported – drew crowds to the Better Living Center to see the longest running, family-owned custom car show in the country.

Race cars and racing-related exhibits were a big draw, along with vendors selling everything from die cast cars to auto memorabilia, T-shirts and more.

As a special treat for kids, more than a dozen live Star Wars characters will be on hand to help them channel their inner wookie on Sunday.

The show continues on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $7.50 for children ages 8 to 12; and free for children 7 and under. Children get in for free on Sunday.

For more information, visit the Race-A-Rama website here.

The woman is suspected of swiping 2 money orders, valued at $586 right off the counter of a State Street convenience store.

SPRINGFIELD - Police are seeking the public's help in identifying a suspect who is believed to have swiped two money orders valued at more than $500 from the counter of a State Street convenience store.

Sgt John Delaney, police spokesman, said police were contacted on Feb. 8 by a 51-year old woman who reported being the victim of a theft.

The woman told police she had just purchased two money orders from Wheeler's Convenience Store, 954 State St., and they were sitting on the counter before she could put them away.

She told police that an unknown woman then walked up from behind and brushed up against her and leaned on the counter. The unknown woman then quickly left the store, and it was then that the victim realized the two money orders were gone also, Delaney said.

The suspect is described as a heavy Hispanic woman with blond hair.

Anyone who recognizes her is asked to call Det. Mark Bacon of the Springfield Police Major Crimes Unit at (413) 787-6355.

People who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to "CRIMES," or "274637," and then beginning the body of the message with the word "SOLVE."

Over 1,000 people from 29 states registered to remove pythons from South Florida's wetlands.

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -- The 106 Burmese pythons captured over a monthlong hunt won't help control Florida's invasive snake population, but wildlife officials said Saturday that doesn't matter as much as the awareness they bring to the state's environmental concerns.

Thousands of pythons, far from their natural habitat in Southeast Asia, are believed to be stalking Florida wildlife in the beleaguered Everglades. The tan, splotchy snakes can be elusive in the wetlands, but Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials say volunteer python removal programs and two state-sanctioned hunts since 2009 are focusing more eyes to the problem.

"Whether they're fishermen or they're hunters or they're hikers or they're birdwatchers -- they're all looking for the python," said wildlife commissioner Ron Bergeron. "The success of the 'Python Challenge' has broadened out to thousands of people now."

PYTHON CHALLENGE

The longest python caught during the hunt that ran between Jan. 16 and Feb. 14 was 15 feet long. It was caught by a team led by Bill Booth of Sarasota.

Booth's team also took home a prize for largest haul of snakes: 33 pythons.

Over 1,000 people from 29 states registered to remove pythons from South Florida's wetlands.

Daniel Moniz of Bricktown, New Jersey, suffered bites to the face, neck and arm from the 13-foot-8.7-inch python that won him a prize for the longest python caught by an individual.

Faced with a winter layoff from his landscaping job, he completed the wildlife commission's online training and spent a month biking over 40 miles a day over levees through the wetlands, eventually bagging a total of 13 pythons.

The longest one tried to swim away, until he dove on top of it. "I got it under control and stuffed it in a pillow case," he said.

Frank Mazzotti of the University of Florida said the stomach contents of the captured pythons are still being analyzed, but so far the prey has included a fawn and a wood stork and other large wading birds.

CUSTOM TROPHIES

Once the necropsies are complete, the hunters can reclaim their dead snakes. About a third of have been turned over to Brian Wood of All American Gator in Hollywood.

Half the hunters want him to make something from the pythons they caught -- a wall hanging, a pair of boots, or a purse for the wife at a fraction of the cost of a python clutch bearing a luxury designer logo.

The other half are selling him their dead snakes for up to $150 apiece -- about the same price Wood pays for fully processed, tanned and dyed python skins imported from Asia. (In Wood's store, swatches show python skins dyed teal, rose pink, pale yellow and metallic gold, among other hues.)

Colored python skin samples are displayed at All American Gator Products in in Hollywood, Fla. AP Photo/Alan Diaz 

Wood also turned about 20 pythons caught during the 2013 Python Challenge into accessories. Pythons that once slithered through the Everglades now slide out of pockets as black-and-white billfolds or hang off arms as roomy purses. A couple now stride down sidewalks, transformed into pairs of Chuck Taylor sneakers.

"It's kind of cool to be able to get something that's invasive, not something that's endangered," Wood said.

He says he regularly supplies European luxury brands with alligator skins, but they aren't interested in Florida's pythons. The state's invasive snakes aren't tracked by international trade conventions, and the volume can't compare with the hundreds of thousands of python skins supplied each by about 10 countries in Southeast Asia.

They're also looking for sustainable sources of python skins, while Florida just wants to be rid of its python supply.

Unfortunately, pythons are not Wood's only supply of invasive species leathers.

"I'm trying to promote this lizard we have that's taken over," he says, meaning iguanas, which his sons are hired to hunt in South Florida's urban and suburban environments.

The pilot of a plane that crashed at the Plymouth Airport Saturday sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, Massachusetts State Police have reported.

SPRINGFIELD ‒ The pilot of a plane that crashed at the Plymouth Airport Saturday sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, Massachusetts State Police have reported.

The State Police Air Wing, which was the first to respond to reports of the crash just after 2:30 p.m., found the small, fixed-wing plane on its roof.

The pilot and sole occupant was transported via medical helicopter to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, state police said. The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening at the time of transport.

Troopers from the state police barracks in Bourne, State Police Troop D headquarters, State Police Crime Scene Services Section, State Police Air Wing, Carver Police and Plymouth Police, Fire and EMS all responded to the scene.

The Federal Aviation Administration and Mass Aeronautics will investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. State police will assist with emergency response and evidence documentation, officials said.

A 30-year-old South Hadley man has been arrested after allegedly robbing a Holyoke bank, police reported Saturday.

HOLYOKE ‒ A 30-year-old South Hadley man has been arrested after allegedly robbing a Holyoke bank, police reported Saturday.

Joseph Dziadek, of Granby Road, has been taken into custody in connection with an 11:40 a.m. robbery of a People's Bank branch on Hampden Street, according to Holyoke Police.

The alleged incident, police said, reportedly came after Dziadek unsuccessfully attempted to rob a bank in Chicopee.

The 30-year-old suspect was arrested around 2 p.m. after police say he was caught in a reportedly stolen vehicle. Holyoke Police, who said Dziadek confessed to the alleged crimes, charged him with armed robbery, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, possession of heroin and threatening to commit a crime.

Dziadek is being held on $10,000 bail and will be arraigned Monday in Holyoke District Court. He will likely face other charges from Chicopee Police.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will hold a last-minute campaign event at Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History Monday, officials have announced.

SPRINGFIELD ‒ Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will hold a last-minute campaign event at Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History on Monday, officials have announced.

The former secretary of state will host a 9:15 a.m. get-out-the-vote event to rally support for her Democratic White House run at the Edwards Street museum. Doors will open at 8 a.m., according to Clinton's campaign.

Following the Springfield stop, Clinton will travel to Boston for a 12:45 p.m. campaign rally at the Old South Meeting House. Doors for the event will open at 10:45 a.m.

In addition to hitting the campaign trail in the Bay State, the former first lady will also deploy surrogates across the state to help build momentum for her campaign heading into Tuesday's presidential primary election.

Former President Bill Clinton is expected to hold a midnight, election eve rally in Worcester, according to U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern. Details for the event have yet to be finalized.

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, meanwhile, will join McGovern on Monday for a 10 a.m. event at Cafe Reyes on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester.

The get-out-the-vote push comes just one day before so-called "Super Tuesday," when voters in nearly a dozen other states -- including Massachusetts -- will head to the polls to cast ballots in the presidential primaries.

Clinton drew overwhelming support from the state's black Democrats and putting her in strong position as the race barrels toward Super Tuesday's crucial contests.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Hillary Clinton sailed to a commanding victory over Bernie Sanders in Saturday's South Carolina primary, drawing overwhelming support from the state's black Democrats and putting her in strong position as the race barrels toward Super Tuesday's crucial contests.

Clinton's win provided an important boost for her campaign -- and a moment to wipe away bitter memories of her loss to Barack Obama in South Carolina eight years ago. As she makes her second White House run, Clinton has warmly embraced Obama, who remains widely popular with Democrats and particularly African-Americans.

Eight in 10 black voters went for Clinton, according to early surveys from polling places. Black voters were more likely to say they trust Clinton than Sanders to handle race relations, 45 percent to 6 percent. An additional 44 percent said they trust both.

Among all Democratic primary voters Saturday, 8 in 10 said race relations were important to their vote. Among black primary voters, a third said it was the most important issue to them.

To South Carolina, to the volunteers at the heart of our campaign, to the supporters who power it: thank you. -H pic.twitter.com/JFTUZ2yBxf

-- Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 28, 2016

Sanders, expecting defeat on Saturday, left South Carolina even before voting finished and turned his attention to some of the states that vote in next Tuesday's delegate-rich contests. He drew 10,000 people to a rally in Austin, a liberal bastion in conservative Texas, the biggest March 1 prize.

After polls closed, Sanders congratulated Clinton on her victory. But he says the campaign is just beginning.

Sanders noted that he won a "decisive victory" in New Hampshire and she did the same in South Carolina.

Now it's on to Super Tuesday, he said. Sanders said his "grassroots political revolution is growing state by state," and he "won't stop now."

Clinton's will pick up most of South Carolina's delegates, widening her overall lead in AP's count. With 53 delegates at stake, Clinton will receive at least 31. Sanders picked up at least 12.

Going into South Carolina, Clinton had just a one-delegate edge over Sanders. However, she also has a massive lead among superdelegates, the Democratic Party leaders who can vote for the candidate of their choice at this summer's national convention, regardless of how their states vote.

While Sanders spent the end of the week outside of South Carolina, his campaign did invest heavily in the state. He had 200 paid staff on the ground and an aggressive television advertising campaign.

A self-described democratic socialist, Sanders has energized young people and liberals with his impassioned calls for breaking up Wall Street banks and making tuition free at public colleges and universities. But the senator from Vermont, a state where about 1 percent of the population is black, lacks Clinton's deep ties to the African-American community.

Exit polls showed 6 in 10 voters in Saturday's South Carolina primary were black. About 7 in 10 said they wanted the next president to continue Obama's policies, and only about 20 percent wanted a more liberal course of action, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks.

Some other results from the exit polling:

-- Six in 10 South Carolina primary voters were women, and three-quarters of them said they voted for Clinton. She was also supported by about 6 in 10 men.

White women were evenly divided between the candidates, while 7 in 10 white men said they voted for Sanders.

Clinton ate into Sanders' advantage among young voters. Although he was supported by about two-thirds of primary voters under 30, she was supported by about two-thirds of those between the ages of 30 and 44, as well as three-quarters of those over age 45.

-- Clinton was supported by 9 in 10 voters saying experience was the most important quality in choosing a candidate, and 8 in 10 of those saying it was most important to choose a candidate who can win in November. She was also supported by 6 in 10 voters saying they want a candidate who cares about people like them.

Sanders held only a slight lead among those looking for a candidate who is honest and trustworthy, after Democrats looking for those two qualities overwhelmingly supported Sanders in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. He was supported by large majorities of white voters who cared most about a candidate being honest or caring about people like them.

Questions about Clinton's honesty have dogged her throughout the campaign and appeared to be a weakness in earlier contests. But in South Carolina, 7 in 10 voters said Clinton is honest, slightly more than the two-thirds who said the same of Sanders

-- Half of voters said they trust only Clinton -- not Sanders -- to handle an international crisis, while another third of voters said they trust both of them. Only 1 in 10 said they trust Sanders over Clinton.

Clinton won majorities of voters saying they think the economy, health care or terrorism are the most important issue facing the country, and she even appeared to lead among those saying income inequality is most important.

Four in 10 South Carolina primary voters said the economy is the most important issue, more than in any other state so far.

Clinton's sweeping victory suggested South Carolina voters had put aside any lingering tensions from her heated 2008 contest with Obama. Former President Bill Clinton made statements during that campaign that were seen by some, including influential South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, as questioning the legitimacy of the black presidential contender.

This time around, Clyburn endorsed Clinton, and her husband was well-received as he traveled around the state on her behalf. She also focused extensively on issues with particular resonance in the black community, including gun violence. She held an emotional event in South Carolina with black mothers whose children died in shootings.

Clinton's second White House bid lurched to an uneven start, with a narrow victory over Sanders in Iowa and a crushing loss to the senator in New Hampshire. She pulled off a 5-point win over Sanders in last week's Nevada caucus, a crucial victory that helped stem Sanders' momentum.

Clinton's campaign hopes her strong showing with black voters in South Carolina foreshadows similar outcomes in states like Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Virginia that vote Tuesday and have large minority populations.

Taken together, 865 Democratic delegates are up for grabs in the Super Tuesday contests in 11 states and American Samoa.

Because Democrats apportion delegates proportionally, Sanders is simply hoping to stay close to Clinton in the South. But he's focusing most of his attention on states in the Midwest and Northeast, including his home state of Vermont.

Sanders, a fierce opponent of super PACs and high-dollar campaign fundraising, has built a massive network of small donors and has the money to stay in the race deep into the spring. Still, Clinton's campaign sees a chance to build enough of a delegate lead to put the race out of reach during the sprint through March.

With Massachusetts' presidential primary just days away, U.S. Reps. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, hit the campaign trail Saturday to rally support for Hillary Clinton's Democratic White House run.

PITTSFIELD ‒ With Massachusetts' presidential primary just days away, U.S. Reps. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, hit the campaign trail Saturday to rally support for Hillary Clinton's Democratic White House run.

The congressmen, who previously stumped for the former secretary of state in New Hampshire, made their case for why Clinton should win the party's nomination over Democratic rival Bernie Sanders.

Kicking-off canvassing efforts in Pittsfield, Neal stressed the importance of Clinton winning big on so-called "Super Tuesday," when voters in about a dozen states -- including Massachusetts -- cast ballots in the presidential primaries.

"We need a big victory again in Massachusetts on her behalf," he told volunteers who gathered at campaign's Pittsfield organizing office. "This has been pretty friendly terrain for the Clintons over the years. So 13 -- one caucus -- 12 primaries, and we can conceivably take a long step toward putting this to bed on Tuesday night."

Neal, who called Clinton "one of the most accomplished women in the world," said he believes that following Tuesday's election, the race could largely be tilted in favor of the former first lady.

Although he acknowledged that the outcome in will likely be close between Clinton and Sanders in the Bay State, Neal said he believes "she's going to very well in Western Massachusetts."

McGovern, who partook in get-out-the-vote efforts in Worcester, meanwhile, said he's backing the former first lady because he believes she's the candidate best suited to get things done. He added that he's worked with her on issues ranging from early childhood education to food insecurity.

"She has a lifetime record of accomplishment," he said in an interview. "I want to see things move forward in this country. I want to see us get to universal health care...and end hunger, I think she can do it."

The congressman noted that he isn't against Sanders and has a great deal of admiration for the senator, but believes Clinton is a better choice for president.

"I'm standing with Hillary Clinton because I believe in her. I think we're lucky as Democrats to have two great candidates," he said. "The good people will come to different conclusions as to who is the best nominee. I've made my choice and feel strongly about it."

Acknowledging the closeness of the race between Clinton and Sanders in Massachusetts heading into Super Tuesday, the Worcester Democrat said he believes the competition has been good for the Democratic Party.

"I think both Bernie and Hillary are talking about the issues and they share the same goals, but different ways of getting there," he said. "I think it's been a positive experience for the Democratic Party and been good for voters of all persuasions."

McGovern will join New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker in Worcester Monday morning to rally support for Clinton's campaign. He will later attend a midnight election eve rally with former President Bill Clinton before heading back to Washington D.C.

The violence erupted shortly after noon in Anaheim's Pearson Park, about 3 miles from Disneyland.

LOS ANGELES -- Three people were stabbed Saturday, one critically, after a small group of Ku Klux Klanmembers staging an anti-immigrant rally in Southern California clashed with a larger gathering of counter-protesters, police said.

The violence erupted shortly after noon in Anaheim's Pearson Park, about 3 miles from Disneyland. The KKK had advertised plans for the rally and about 30 anti-Klan protesters showed up beforehand, said Anaheim Police Sgt. Daron Wyatt said. When the Klan members arrived they were attacked as they exited their cars, he said.

One Klansman stabbed a counter-protester with the decorative end of a flag pole, Wyatt said. That stabbing set off a vicious brawl in which Klan members and protesters fought across an entire city block.

One Anaheim police sergeant saw a Klan member with a knife in his hand and a counter-protester bleeding nearby, Wyatt said. The sergeant took the KKK member into custody. Meanwhile, counter-protesters stomped on two KKK members, he said.

Wyatt said police were present when the violence erupted but did not say how many officers were deployed.

Chris Barker, who identified himself as the "imperial wizard" of the Loyal White Knights of the KKK, said his members were holding a peaceful anti-immigration demonstration and acted in self-defense.

"If we're attacked we will attack back," said Barker, who did not attend the rally and spoke by phone from North Carolina. The organization lists Pelham, N.C., as its headquarters.

In total, 13 people were detained; six Klan members in connection with three stabbings and seven counter-protesters suspected of assaulting KKK members. All the injured were male. None was immediately identified.

The KKK has a long history in Anaheim. In the 1920s some Klansmen held elected office in the city, which was overwhelmingly white but now has a majority of Hispanics among its roughly 350,000 residents.

In January 2015, packets containing fliers condemning Martin Luther King Jr. and supporting the Ku Klux Klanwere left in the driveways of about 40 homes in Santa Ana, about 8 miles south of Anaheim. The fliers opened with the heading "On Martin Luther King Day, you are celebrating a communist pervert." The bottom of the fliers stated they came from the "Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan."

Nationwide, the number of active KKK groups increased to 190 in 2015 after falling in 2013 and 2014, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups.