Union Public Safety Department Chief Sam White said the student, who is being charged as a juvenile, was taken into custody at Union High School without incident.

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- A high school student who went through his teacher's cellphone, found a nude picture of her and posted it online has been charged with a computer crime and voyeurism, authorities said Friday.

Union Public Safety Department Chief Sam White said the student, who is being charged as a juvenile, was taken into custody at Union High School without incident.

The 16-year-old is charged with a count of violating the state's computer crime act in the second degree and a count of aggravated voyeurism.

He is being held in juvenile detention for a hearing in family court. There have been no other arrests, but the investigation is continuing, the chief said.

Officials say it's not clear how many people may have seen the social media postings of the photo.

The teacher, Leigh Anne Arthur, has quit her job teaching mechanical and electrical engineering and computer programming at the school's vocational center.

Arthur, 33, told police on Feb. 18 that while she stepped out of her classroom, a boy took her unlocked smartphone from her desk, opened the photos application and found a nude selfie she had taken for her husband as a Valentine's Day present.

An online petition has been started, urging school district officials in the community in northwestern South Carolina to give Arthur her job back. The superintendent has said it was the teacher's fault for leaving students unattended during a four-minute break between classes.

Teacher loses job after student steals her phone, shares nude selfie

The Associated Press left a phone message with Arthur on Friday seeking comment on the arrest.

The voyeurism charge makes it illegal, for the purpose of sexual gratification, to record or make a digital file of another person without his or her consent. The computer crimes charge makes it illegal to take possession or deprive the owner of a computer of computer data.

Both charges are misdemeanors for a first offense. But if the teen is convicted on both counts he could be sentenced to a maximum fine of $10,500 and four years in prison.

Conroy, who announced last month that he had pancreatic cancer, died at home among family and loved ones in Beaufort, South Carolina, according to his publisher.

Pat Conroy, the beloved author of "The Great Santini" and "The Prince of Tides" and other best-sellers who drew upon his bruising childhood and the vistas of South Carolina and became one of the country's most compelling and popular storytellers, died Friday evening. He was 70.

Conroy, who announced last month that he had pancreatic cancer, died at home among family and loved ones in Beaufort, South Carolina, according to his publisher. The heavy-set author had battled other health problems in recent years, including diabetes, high blood pressure and a failing liver.

"The water is wide and he has now passed over," his wife, novelist Cassandra Conroy, said in a statement from publisher Doubleday.

Funeral arrangements were still being made.

Few contemporary authors seemed more knowable to their readers over than Conroy. An openly personal writer, he candidly and expansively shared details of growing up as a "military brat" and his anguished relationship with his abusive father, Marine aviator and military hero Donald Conroy. He also wrote of his time in military school and his struggles with his health and depression.

"The reason I write is to explain my life to myself," Conroy said in a 1986 interview. "I've also discovered that when I do, I'm explaining other people's lives to them."

His books sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, but for much of his youth he crouched in the shadow of Donald Conroy, who "thundered out of the sky in black-winged fighter planes, every inch of him a god of war," as Pat Conroy would remember. The author was the eldest of seven children in a family constantly moving from base to base, a life readers and moviegoers would learn well from "The Great Santini" as a novel and film, which starred Robert Duvall as the relentless and violent patriarch.

The 1976 novel initially enraged Conroy's family, but the movie three years later made such an impression on his father that he claimed credit for boosting Duvall's career (The actor had already appeared in two "Godfather" films), saying, "The poor guy got a role with some meat on it."

But the book also helped achieve peace between father and son.

"I grew up hating my father," Conroy said after his father died in 1998. "It was the great surprise of my life, after the book came out, what an extraordinary man had raised me." The author would reflect at length on his relationship with his father in the 2013 memoir "The Death of Santini."

"The Prince of Tides," published in 1986, secured Conroy a wide audience, selling more than 5 million copies despite uneven reviews for its story of a former football player from South Carolina with a traumatic past and the New York psychiatrist who attempts to help him.

"Inflation is the order of the day. The characters do too much, feel too much, suffer too much, eat too much, signify too much and, above all, talk too much," said The Los Angeles Times Book Review.

But Conroy focused on the advice he once got from "the finest writer I ever encountered," novelist James Dickey, who taught him at the University of South Carolina.

"He told me to write everything I did with all the passion and all the power you could muster," Conroyrecalled. "Don't worry about how long it takes or how long it is when you're done. You know, he was right."

"The Prince of Tides" was made into a hit 1991 film starring Nick Nolte and Barbra Streisand, who also produced and directed it. Conroy worked on the screenplay and shared an Oscar nomination, one of seven Oscar nominations it earned, including best picture.

Conroy's much-anticipated "Beach Music," published in 1995, was a best-seller that took nine years to complete. Conroy had been working on "The Prince of Tides" screenplay, but he also endured a divorce, depression, back surgery and the suicide of his youngest brother.

Conroy had other demons. After attending (at his father's insistence) The Citadel, South Carolina's state military college, he avoided the draft and went into teaching. In 2013, he wrote on his blog www.patconroy.com/wp that he had begun his life as "a draft dodger and anti-war activist" while his classmates "walked off that stage and stepped directly into the Vietnam War."

"When I talk to Ivy Leaguers or war resisters of that era, I always tell them that Vietnam was not theoretical to me, but deeply and agonizingly painful. Eight of my Citadel classmates died in that war," he wrote.

For years, he was alienated from The Citadel, which he renamed the Carolina Military Institute in his 1980 novel "The Lords of Discipline." A harsh tale of the integration of a Southern military school, the book was adapted into a film in 1983, but had to be made elsewhere because The Citadel's governing board refused to allow any crews on campus.

While "The Lords of Discipline" had made him unpopular with Citadel officials, reconciliation came in 2000 when he was awarded an honorary degree. In 2002, he visited during homecoming weekend and fans lined up to get him to autograph copies of his books.

"I never thought this would happen," Conroy said. "This is my first signing at the Citadel. That's amazing." He had recently published "My Losing Season," about his final year of college basketball at The Citadel.

Pat Conroy recounts to Alabama students how literature, great teachers saved him from abusive childhood

The good feelings deepened when Conroy's cousin Ed Conroy, a 1989 Citadel grad, became the Citadel's basketball coach in 2006 -- and within a couple of years brought about a remarkable improvement in the team's fortunes.

Pat Conroy's other books included "South of Broad," set in Charleston's historic district, and "My Reading Life", a collection of essays that chronicled his lifelong passion for literature.

He was born Donald Patrick Conroy on Oct. 26, 1945. The Conroy children attended 11 schools in 12 years before the family eventually settled in Beaufort, about an hour from Charleston. He read obsessively as a child and called fellow Southerner Thomas Wolfe his inspiration to become a writer.

"Thomas Wolfe was the first writer I felt was writing for me," Conroy said. "He was articulating a vision of the world that seemed ready for me."

Following graduation in 1967, he worked as a high school teacher in Beaufort. While there, he borrowed $1,500 to have a vanity press publish "The Boo," an affectionate portrait of Col. Thomas Courvoisie, an assistant commandant at The Citadel.

For a year he taught poor children on isolated Daufuskie Island, not far from the resort of Hilton Head. The experience was the basis for his 1972 book, "The Water Is Wide," which brought him a National Endowment for the Arts award and was made into the movie "Conrack."

Conroy was married three times and had two daughters. Although he lived around the world, he always considered South Carolina his home and lived since the late 1990s on Fripp Island, a gated community near Beaufort.

"Make this university, this state, yourself and your family proud," Conroy told University of South Carolina graduates in a 1997 commencement speech.

"If you have a little luck, any luck at all, if you do it right, there's a great possibility you can teach the whole world how to dance."

A roll-over car crash on Main Street Saturday morning saw a vehicle destroyed, but the driver escaped the wreckage and ran from the scene.

SPRINGFIELD— Springfield police are investigating a one-car crash on Main Street Saturday morning that demolished a late model Honda Fit subcompact car but apparently did not injure the driver. Witnesses said he climbed out of the wreckage and ran toward Liberty Street telling bystanders he had no license. .

The car, bearing Texas license plates, was traveling southbound on Main Street just after 3 a.m. at an apparent high rate of speed, Springfield Republican employee Hosbaldo Adorno said. Adorno was just leaving work when he heard the sound to sliding tires and saw the car spinning as it careened along Main Street.

"I heard it spinning, but I didn't hear any brakes," he said.

The car hit the curb just in front of the Republican building at 1860 Main Street, flipped over then smashed a large planter with a small tree and a decorative street lamp. A street sign was also knocked over.

Springfield police and detectives surveyed the scene, but, without a driver, there is little to do but sweep up debris and have the car towed from the scene. So far, there has been no word yet whether or not the car was reported stolen.

Springfield police are continuing to investigate the incident.

Retired Senior Capt. Joseph Wilk served as acting chief of the Chicopee Police Department in 1982 and 1990.

CHICOPEE — The Chicopee Police Department is mourning the loss of one of its own Friday with the passing of retired Senior Capt. Joseph Wilk Jr.

Wilk died early Friday after a long illness at the Holyoke Soldiers Home.

"It is with great sadness, not just to me but to the department, that we learned of his passing," Police Chief William Jebb said.

Wilk, who started his career as a reserve officer with the department in July 1965, advanced steadily through the ranks and was selected as acting chief in 1982 and 1990. He returned to the position of senior captain in 1995 and retired in 1997.

"His commitment to law enforcement will be missed," Mayor Richard Kos said.

Wilk was the father of Michael Wilk, the department's public information officer.

"Today the world lost an amazing man," the younger Wilk said in a post on his Facebook page. "My mentor. My best friend."

When the younger Wilk graduated from the Western Massachusetts Police Training Academy in 1992, he was pinned by his father.

Jebb said he too considered the elder Wilk to be a mentor. "I was blessed to have known him since I was a young teenager," Jeb said. "I considered him my mentor and tried to emulate him. He was a great adviser."

The elder Wilk was made a full-time officer in August 1968. He was promoted to sergeant in 1974, detective lieutenant in 1977 and captain in 1981.

A federal jury has convicted a 53-year-old Chelmsford man of attempting to hire someone to murder a Massachusetts State Police trooper and another person who were witnesses at his state trial, U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz announced this week.

BOSTON ‒ A federal jury has convicted a 53-year-old Chelmsford man of attempting to hire a person to murder a Massachusetts State Police trooper and another man, U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz announced this week.

Andrew S. Gordon, a financial planner, was convicted of five counts of using the mail or the telephone with the intent that a murder-for-hire be committed, according to Ortiz's office. He will be sentenced on May 20.

Gordon was awaiting trial in 2014 at the Middlesex County House of Correction on state charges of attempting to hire an undercover Massachusetts State Police trooper to kill his estranged wife, the U.S. attorney's office said. After learning the "hit man" was an undercover officer, Gordon reportedly sought to have the trooper and another witness against him killed.

Gordon reportedly hired a man he believed to be a gang member to kill the two witnesses and agreed to pay $10,000 for the trooper and $5,000 for the other man, Ortiz's office said. He instructed the "gang member," who was a second undercover law enforcement officer, via mail and phone calls, that the deaths should appear as accidents.

The charges in the case provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 on each count.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Tobin and Rachel Hemani, of Ortiz's Major Criminal Division, prosecuted the case.

Just about 3,200 attended the Mullins Live! concert Saturday afternoon.

AMHERST - Four people have been arrested Saturday in connection with the Blarney Blowout and six others will be summonsed to court, according to the latest press release from town and UMass officials.

Four of those were arrested for liquor law violations and one for disorderly conduct, according to the release.

Dozens of police, meanwhile, from various Western Massachusetts departments continue to remain on scene in North Amherst complexes, Hobart Lane,  throughout the Fearing Street area and other pockets of the town to guard against gatherings of hundreds.

House parties, meanwhile, throughout town have drawn crowds of varying sizes including on Meadow and South Whitney streets and Sunset Avenue.

There were two reported fights, one on Main Street and one on Salem Place, but were gone on police arrival, according to the release.

The Mullins Live! concert Saturday afternoon featuring Jason Derulo, however, has drawn only about 3,200 as of about 2 p.m.

Last year 5,200 attended a show featuring Kesha. UMass reported that more than 4,200 were awarded tickets.

The concert was staged to provide an alternative to raucous gatherings.

Popular bars such as Stackers and McMurphy's Uptown tavern are delaying opening downtown until 4 p.m. today.

Fire Chief Tim Nelson reported rescue transported just one person from the Mullins Center and two from campus for alcohol-related issues as of 2:30 p.m.

With University of Massachusetts students taking part in Blarney Blowout activities, Amherst Police and its regional law enforcement partners reported some increased activity in town Saturday.

AMHERST ‒ With University of Massachusetts students taking part in Blarney Blowout activities, Amherst Police and its regional law enforcement partners reported some increased activity in town Saturday.

According to the agency, as of 2 p.m., four individuals had been placed into custody, including three for liquor law violations and one for disorderly conduct. Six other individuals are being summonsed to court for liquor law violations, police said.

Since 11 a.m., police added, several gatherings and two fights have been reported. There had been no reports of injuries or property damage.

Police, who stressed that the community is safe, will continue to monitor groups of pedestrians.

The Amherst Fire Department triage unit, in conjunction with UMass Emergency Medical Services, meanwhile, reported having two patient contacts at the Mullins Center, including a person who was transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for intoxication. Amherst Fire reported another transport from a UMass residence hall for intoxication.

Despite the transports, the agency said it had not seen an increase in calls for service compared to a normal winter Saturday.

More than 3,000 students gathered at the Mullins Center on Saturday afternoon for a concert featuring Jason Derulo.

Ecologist Christian Marks and arborist James McSweeney staged a dramatic branch-collection effort on a bitterly cold morning in Northampton.

Decades ago, the streets of New England were lined with majestic American elm trees. By the 1970s, most of the trees had died and were cut down as a result of Dutch elm disease, a fungus spread by the elm bark beetle.

Now scientists are working to develop disease-resistant strains of the iconic and once-common tree species, and the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts is one locus of that effort.

Last week on a bitterly cold morning, Nature Conservancy ecologist Christian Marks and arborist James McSweeney of Hilltown Tree and Garden in Chesterfield set out to collect branches from a large American elm in Northampton that had survived successive waves of Dutch elm disease.

The tree near the Connecticut River is one of about 20 such specimens across New England that Marks will collect samples from this year.

McSweeney, bundled up in a fur hat and insulated jumpsuit, used tree-climbing gear to hoist himself into the air. He positioned himself within an upper fork of the tree, where he cut budding branches and dropped them to the ground for Marks to retrieve, wrap, and carefully package for delivery.

Marks said the branches would be rushed to a U.S. Forest Service research station in Ohio. There, a team will cross the pollen with other disease-tolerant trees to create offspring. The process aims for genetic strength and diversity, he said. The young saplings at a certain point will be injected with the disease. Those that don't succumb will then be planted at floodplain forest restoration sites across New England.

Elwell Island, located in the Connecticut River near the Norwottuck Rail Trail bridge in Northampton, is one of those restoration sites. "It's a perfect location, because elms love floodplain forest habitat," said Marks. "They were once prevalent here, and served an important ecological function."

Marks said that many people still fondly remember the majestic elm trees lining city streets and forming tall canopies along river banks.

The disease, thought to be of Asian origin, was first introduced into the United States in the 1930s. The fungus, spread by the beetles and through root systems, leads to a clogging of the vascular system of the tree. The first signs are withering and yellowed leaves. The wholesale loss of American elms not only changed urban streetscapes, but changed the ecology of the floodplain forest in New England, Marks said.

American elm trees still sprout in the New England forest, but they generally die after only a few years, said Kim Lutz, director of the Connecticut River Program for the Nature Conservancy.

Marks said he has learned about the presence of large, disease-resistant elms throughout New England partly through his own explorations, and partly through tips submitted by members of the public.

"These older trees may hold the key to reestablishing the American elm," he said.

McSweeney, who said he's worked with Marks for several years, brought his pet goat Luna to the job. Luna protested loudly while McSweeney was in the air, and only quieted down when he landed safely on the ground. "She likes to come along," he said.

Marks will discuss the Nature Conservancy's work in the area of floodplain forests and the American elm at a March 12 symposium at Mass. Audubon's Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Easthampton. The symposium will focus on the ecology of the Pioneer Valley.

The Old Deerfield Spring Sampler came to town Saturday, signaling the end of winter.

WEST SPRINGFIELD ‒ The Old Deerfield Spring Sampler came to town Saturday, signaling the end of winter.

The two-day craft fair, which opened its doors at Eastern States Exposition's Young building, featured handmade crafts from more than 150 juried artisans in all types of media, including garden and Easter-themed items.

The 18th annual fair also offered workshops and demonstrations, as well as provided visitors with a selection of specialty foods to purchase, such as jams, jellies, pickles, pies, tarts and fudge.

The event will continue on Sunday with "family day," when children can attend for free.

Families can visit the Children's Corner, which offers free arts and crafts activities, a visit from the Easter Bunny and Sleeping Beauty from the Pioneer Valley Ballet. Music will be provided by cello and fiddle duo, Annika Amstutz and Daniel Plane, followed in the afternoon by an interactive kids rock concert from New York-based Annie and the Natural Wonder Band.

The fair will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults and free for children. Visitors can obtain a $1 off discount coupon by visiting the event's website.

Seven students were arrested and 10 will be summonsed to court for mostly alcohol-related issues. Watch video

AMHERST - Police arrested seven in connection with Blarney Blowout activities Saturday, mostly for open container and underaged drinking citations, and another 10 will be summonsed to court.

But police and town officials were pleased with how the day had gone as of early evening.

"It's been an extremely successful day so far," said Police Chief Scott P. Livingstone. "I couldn't be happier with how things went."

Police will continue to be out in full force Saturday night and some local extra officers will remain on patrol.

More than 200 police officers from 15 communities were on hand throughout the day at North Amherst housing complexes and throughout downtown neighborhoods.

Those officers have now left town, Livingstone said.

UMass Chief Tyrone Parham said that he was "pretty pleased with what I saw on campus as well."

"It was a very good day," said interim Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner. "Our partners did an extraordinary job. The goal is to keep the community safe and eliminate property damage. I think we did both today."

Even with the few arrests, both Parham and Livingstone said students were very cooperative.

And while police responded to about a half-dozen large gatherings, police were mainly reminding the renters to keep their parties under control.

Enku Gelaye, vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life, also thanked students for the work they did in planning for the day.

While just about 3,200 attended the Mullins Live! Concert instead of the 5,200 last year, she said the concert was still a success. 

Amherst Fire Chief Tim Nelson said four were transported from campus and the Mullins Center to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton for alcohol-related issues.

At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, this year's Blarney Blowout, which takes place on the first weekend in March, started off quietly, with police presence outnumbering green-clad groups of students. Watch video

At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, this year's Blarney Blowout, which takes place on the first weekend in March, started off quietly, with police presence outnumbering green-clad groups of students.

In North Amherst, police stationed outside of apartment complexes turned away groups who did not live inside. About 3,200 students attended a free, student-only concert at the Mullins Center featuring Jason Derulo.

The university also restricted on-campus parking and overnight guests in preparation for the event that prompted over 70 arrests in 2014. As of 2 p.m., four individuals had been placed into custody.

In the photos above, crowds arrive at the Jason Derulo show, travel through North Amherst and walk through Downtown Amherst. In the video below, crowds of students leave the Mullins Center after Jason Derulo's performance.

Firefighters from multiple departments have responded to a reported structure fire on Mechanic Street in Orange.

ORANGE ‒ Firefighters from multiple departments have responded to a reported structure fire on Mechanic Street in Orange.

The Athol Fire Department confirmed the fire near 34 Mechanic Street in Orange, but did not provide details about the reported blaze.

The Northfield Fire Department said it has an engine on scene to help extinguish the flames. It did not comment further on the fire.

According to Western Mass News, the blaze broke out Saturday afternoon, prompting calls for mutual aid. Crews from New Salem, Warwick and Erving responded to the scene.

It remains unclear whether there are any injuries, the outlet reported.

A 31-year-old Vermont man was pronounced dead Saturday after his snowmobile fell through ice and entered a pond, officials announced.

GROTON, VT ‒ A 31-year-old Vermont man was pronounced dead Saturday after his snowmobile fell through ice and entered a pond, officials announced.

The Vermont State Police Dive Team responded to reports of a snow machine through the ice on Ricker Pond in Groton State Park early Saturday. In conducting a search of the scene, law enforcement located Jordan Smith in the pond, police said.

Smith was pulled from the water and pronounced dead at the scene. He was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in South Burlington for Autopsy, Vermont State Police reported. The cause and manner of death are pending autopsy.

There was no evidence indicating Smith had any passengers or was riding with other snowmobilers, police said. The investigation remains ongoing.

Groton Fire Department and rescue personnel from Woodsville EMS, Danville Fire Department, Peacham Fire Department, Plainfield Fire Department and Upper Valley Rescue assisted in the search and recovery, according to Vermont State Police.

Spokeswoman Cindi Berger said in a statement that the writer and actress who stars on the HBO series "Girls" had been taken to an undisclosed hospital Saturday morning.

NEW YORK -- Lena Dunham will undergo surgery after experiencing an ovarian cyst rupture.

Spokeswoman Cindi Berger said in a statement that the writer and actress who stars on the HBO series "Girls" had been taken to a hospital Saturday morning.

"Lena Dunham has been very public with her personal bouts with endometriosis. This morning, she suffered from an ovarian cyst rupture and has been taken to the hospital," Berger said in a statement to People magazine. "Lena will be undergoing surgery at an undisclosed hospital. We thank you for you understanding and hope that Lena's privacy will be respected."

No further details were provided.

Endometriosis is a painful disease that occurs when tissue that normally grows inside the uterus grows outside of it.

Dunham, 29, writes, directs and stars in "Girls," which has been controversial for pushing the envelope, especially with its often-raunchy sexual content.

People magazine noted that Dunham has previously been candid with fans on her health struggles, sharing updates on Facebook about her "chronic" condition.

A Florida man who flew a small gyrocopter through protected Washington airspace before landing outside the U.S. Capitol last spring was seconds away from colliding with a Delta flight that had taken off from Reagan National Airport, prosecutors said.

A Florida man who flew a small gyrocopter through protected Washington airspace before landing outside the U.S. Capitol last spring was seconds away from colliding with a Delta flight that had taken off from Reagan National Airport, prosecutors said.

In a court filing Friday, prosecutors said Douglas Hughes flew his one-person aircraft almost directly into the oncoming flight path of the 150-person Airbus turbojet last April. Hughes came within 1,400 yards of Delta Flight 1639, while safety rules require aircraft to remain separated by more than 3,000 yards.

"If the gyrocopter had drifted slightly west, or the airline had taken a slightly more easterly path, a collision could have occurred," prosecutors said. Such a collision could have been "catastrophic," they added.

Hughes, who agreed to a plea deal in November, is set to be sentenced April 13. Prosecutors are asking for 10 months in prison, arguing the former mail carrier from Ruskin, Florida, put countless lives at risk.

Douglas Hughes (AP)
 

Mark Goldstone, an attorney for Hughes, said they will look into the government's claim about the Delta flight. But he questioned why prosecutors are now saying Hughes flew closer to the plane than they previously reported.

"It seems suspicious that on the eve of sentencing, all of a sudden his flight was about to blow up a commercial airliner," Goldstone said Saturday.

Hughes pleaded guilty in November to a felony of operating a gyrocopter without a license. The charge carries a potential three years in prison, but prosecutors agreed not to ask for more than 10 months in prison as part of a plea deal.

Hughes has said he was trying to send a political message about the need for stronger campaign finance restrictions by flying the aircraft to Washington after taking off from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He told investigators during an interview after he was arrested that the only way he potentially put lives in danger was if "authorities overreacted" and tried to shoot him down.

Hughes' attorneys argue that while Hughes broke the law, prosecutors should not respond in a way that discourages Americans from expressing their grievances about their government.

"Suppressing or even discouraging political dissidence is a very dangerous and undemocratic prospect," his attorneys wrote.

Prosecutors said Capitol Police officers were in position to shoot Hughes when he landed and that one of the officers had him in his gunsight with a round in the chamber. They noted that Hughes' flight took him less than a mile from Vice President Joe Biden's home, about 175 feet from the Washington Monument and close to other landmarks.

They say prison time is necessary to deter such action in the future.

"Whether the next airspace violator is an unpopular religious extremist who wants to impact US foreign policy or a popular advocate on any issue of domestic policy, the deterrent message must be clear: If you violate the airspace of our nation's capital -- regardless of your message -- you will be punished because of the substantial risks to safety and national security," prosecutors wrote.

Hughes' attorneys say he has pledged that he will comply with the law from now on as he continues his push for political change. Hughes has said he plans to challenge South Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz for her 23rd Congressional District seat.

Realizing that some 120 out-of-town police officers would be arriving to stay at the Residence Inn in West Springfield on Sunday, March 6, Beverly Battista, director of sales for the hotel, got on the phone to see if she could rustle up some food and sundries for the tired and hungry cops.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Comrades of fallen Virginia police officer Ashley Guindon, a native of Western Massachusetts killed in the line of duty Feb. 27, will get the VIP treatment when they arrive in the Pioneer Valley Sunday afternoon – compliments of local businesses eager to help out officers traveling north for Guindon's funeral.

In a twist of etiquette, dozens of officers from Virginia will get a chance to experience "some Northern hospitality" when they arrive here Sunday, said Beverly Battista, director of sales at the Residence Inn on Border Way in West Springfield, where roughly 120 of them will be staying.

Battista figured that since the officers were taveling by bus, they wouldn't have cars to get around town when they arrive Sunday. To make things easier for them, Battista started calling around to see if any local businesses would be willing to provide food and other amenities to the officers. In short order, several local restaurants agreed – and all in an effort to help make the officers' visit to Western Mass as pleasant and comfortable as possible, considering the reason for their journey north.

"We're trying to help out people who are walking around brokenhearted," Battista said, pointing out that the officers were coming to mourn for Guindon, their colleague and friend.

The 28-year-old rookie was fatally shot while responding to a domestic violence call on her first night on the job as a Prince William County police officer in Woodbridge, Virginia. Her funeral and burial, scheduled for Monday at Sacred Heart Church in Springfield and St. Thomas the Apostle Cemetery in West Springfield, are expected to draw thousands of law enforcement officials from around the nation.

By the end of the work week, Battista had lined up several restaurants that were eager to donate to a good cause, from local pizzerias to such well-known chains as Olive Garden, Pizza Hut, Hooters and On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina. Even Costco jumped at the chance to supply snacks and sundries for the men and women in blue.

So, when the out-of-town cops arrive in West Springfield on Sunday afternoon, after long bus rides from Virginia, there will be a complimentary lunch waiting for them at On the Border, which is next door to the Residence Inn. There will also be pizza galore, compliments of Pizza Hut and Star Pizza in West Side and Nicky's Pizza in Agawam, the town where Guindon spent her early years before moving to New Hampshire.

For Battista, helping out the men and women who protect and serve – and who sometimes sacrifice their lives in the process – was simply the right thing to do. "They're going to be hungry and tired," she said of the Southern officers coming North. "It's the least we could do."

Two people were killed and three others injured when fire swept through a single-family home at 34 Mechanic St., in Orange Saturday afternoon.

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

The two people were reported trapped in the burning home while three others were able to escape. The injured were taken to Athol Hospital.

The fire was first reported just before 5 p.m. Saturday afternoon as 34 Mechanic St. Western Mass. News reported that fire units from Northfield, New Salem, Warwick and Erving responded to the scene to aid Orange firefighters.

Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for the State Fire Marshal, said the investigation into the cause of the blaze and the deaths of the two people is being jointly handled by the Orange Fire and Police departments, the State Police attached to the Fire Marshal and State Police detectives attached to the Northwest District Attorney's Office.

With the GOP race in chaos, establishment figures frantically are looking for any way to derail Trump, perhaps at a contested convention if no candidate can get enough delegates to lock up the nomination in advance.

WICHITA, Kan. -- In a split decision, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump each captured two victories in Saturday's four-state round of voting, fresh evidence that there's no quick end in sight to the fractious GOP race for president. On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders notched wins in Nebraska and Kansas, while front-runner Hillary Clinton snagged Louisiana, another divided verdict from the American people.

As it happened: How Super Saturday unfolded (live updates recap) >>

Cruz claimed Kansas and Maine, and declared it "a manifestation of a real shift in momentum." Trump, still the front-runner in the hunt for delegates, bagged Louisiana and Kentucky. Despite strong support from the GOP establishment, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio had another disappointing night, raising serious questions about his viability in the race.

Trump, at a post-election news conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, declared himself primed for a head-on contest between himself and Cruz, and called for Rubio to drop out.

"I would like to take on Ted one-on-one," he said, ticking off a list of big states where he said Cruz had no chance. "That would be so much fun."

Cruz, a tea party favorite, said the results should send a loud message that the GOP contest for the nomination is far from over, and that the status quo is in trouble.

"The scream you hear, the howl that comes from Washington D.C., is utter terror at what we the people are doing together," he declared during a rally in Idaho, which votes in three days.

With the GOP race in chaos, establishment figures frantically are looking for any way to derail Trump, perhaps at a contested convention if no candidate can get enough delegates to lock up the nomination in advance. Party leaders -- including 2012 nominee Mitt Romney and 2008 nominee Sen. John McCain -- are fearful a Trump victory would lead to a disastrous November election, with losses up and down the GOP ticket.

"Everyone's trying to figure out how to stop Trump," the billionaire marveled at an afternoon rally in Orlando, Florida, where he had supporters raise their hands and swear to vote for him.

Trump prevailed in the home state of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has been critical of the front-runner for incendiary comments on Muslims and a slow disavowal of white supremacist groups.

Rubio, who finished no better than third anywhere and has only one win so far, insisted the upcoming schedule of primaries is "better for us," and renewed his vow to win his home state of Florida, claiming all 99 delegates there on March 15.

But Cruz suggested it was time for Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich to go.

"As long as the field remains divided, it gives Donald an advantage," he said.

Campaigning in Detroit, Clinton said she was thrilled to add to her delegate count and expected to do well in Michigan's primary on Tuesday.

"No matter who wins this Democratic nomination," she said, "I have not the slightest doubt that on our worst day we will be infinitely better than the Republicans on their best day."

Tara Evans, a 52-year-old quilt maker from Bellevue, Nebraska, said she was caucusing for Clinton, and happy to know that the former first lady could bring her husband back to the White House.

"I like Bernie, but I think Hillary had the best chance of winning," she said.

Sanders won by solid margins in Nebraska and Kansas, giving him seven victories so far in the nominating season, compared to 11 for Clinton, who still maintains a commanding lead in competition for delegates.

Sanders, in an interview with The Associated Press, pointed to his wide margins of victory and called it evidence that his political revolution is coming to pass.

Stressing the important of voter turnout, he said, "when large numbers of people come -- working people, young people who have not been involved in the political process -- we will do well and I think that is bearing out tonight."

Count Wichita's Barb Berry among those who propelled Cruz to victory in Kansas, where GOP officials reported extremely high turnout. Overall, Cruz has won seven states so far, to 12 for Trump.

"I believe that he is a true fighter for conservatives," said Berry, a 67-year-old retired AT&T manager. As for Trump, Berry said, "he is a little too narcissistic."

Clinton picked up at least 55 delegates to Sanders' 47 in Saturday's contests, with seven delegates yet to be allocated.

Overall, Clinton had at least 1,121 delegates to Sanders' 479, including superdelegates -- members of Congress, governors and party officials who can support the candidate of their choice. It takes 2,383 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.

Cruz won at least 64 delegates on Saturday, Trump at least 49, Rubio at least 13 and Kasich nine, with 20 delegates still to be allocated.

In the overall race for GOP delegates, Trump led with at least 378 and Cruz had at least 295. Rubio had 123 delegates and Kasich had 34.

It takes 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination for president.

The 11th annual VINS Dog Show was held on Saturday, March 5, 2016 in Northampton, Massachusetts. The event was held at the city's high school.

NORTHAMPTON - The 11th annual VINS Dog Show was held on Saturday, March 5, 2016 in Northampton, Massachusetts. The event was held at the city's high school.

A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden fuel truck into a security checkpoint south of Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 47 people and wounding dozens, officials said.

HILLAH, Iraq (AP) -- A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden fuel truck into a security checkpoint south of Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 47 people and wounding dozens, officials said.

It was the third massive bombing in and around Baghdad in a little over a week, and although there was no immediate claim of responsibility, it appeared to be part of a campaign by the Islamic State group to stage attacks deep behind front lines in order to wreak havoc and force the government to overextend its forces.

Crowds gathered at the scene, picking through rubble and twisted car parts in search of survivors. Smoke rose from smoldering cars that had been lined up at the main checkpoint at the northern entrance to the city of Hillah, located about 95 kilometers (60 miles) south of Baghdad.

The attack bore the hallmarks of IS, which has carried out scores of suicide bombings against security forces and the country's Shiite majority. Hillah is in the country's mainly Shiite south, far from the front lines of the war against IS.

Among the dead were 39 civilians, while the rest were members of the security forces. The attacker struck shortly after noon when the checkpoint was crowded with dozens of cars, a police officer said. He added that up to 65 other people were wounded.

Iraq has seen a spike in violence in the past month, with suicide attacks claimed by IS killing more than 170 people. The attacks follow a string of advances by Iraqi forces backed by U.S.-led airstrikes, including in the western city of Ramadi, which was declared fully "liberated" by Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition officials last month.

Such attacks "force the government and the militias to look back and reallocate resources and reassess," said Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, referring to the mainly Shiite militias fighting alongside government forces.

IS still controls large swaths of Iraq and neighboring Syria and has declared an Islamic "caliphate" on the territory it holds. The extremist group controls Iraq's second largest city, Mosul, as well as the city of Fallujah, 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Baghdad.

At least 670 Iraqis were killed last month due to ongoing violence, of whom about two-thirds were civilians, according to U.N. figures.