They came with eco-glue and Lego launchers. Their tag board displays were filled with charts, graphs and research on pollution. There were no little kids with plaster volcanoes in this crowd. But there was a trash-eating robot.

WASHINGTON -- They came with eco-glue and Lego launchers. Their tag board displays were filled with charts, graphs and research on pollution. There were no little kids with plaster volcanoes in this crowd. But there was a trash-eating robot.

This was the White House Science Fair, an annual opportunity to show off the nation's budding inventors, engineers, astronauts and researchers -- and to impress the nation's science fan-in-chief.

"You remind us that together through science we can tackle some of the biggest challenges we face," President Barack Obama told the more than 130 students gathered at the White House on Wednesday. "You are sharing in this essential spirit of discovery that America is built on."

The fair is a favorite within the White House, in part because of the president's clear delight in the often impressive displays of young brains and creativity. As he has since he began the fair in 2010, Obama toured the sampling of exhibits, asking questions, pressing start buttons, smiling with approval and, at times, ribbing the earnest presenters.

"My only concern is that, you know, you may have trouble getting into college," Obama joked with 18-year-old Sanjana Rane from Prospect, KY, after listening to her detailed explanation of how she helped figure out a particular protein could be used to detect and treat renal fibrosis.

Olivia Hallisey, 17, of Greenwich, Connecticut, created a diagnostic test for the detection of the Ebola virus. Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna, 17, of Elmont, New York, found a way to improve undersea cement seals to keep offshore oil wells from leaking. And Hannah Herbst, 15, of Boca Raton, Florida, created a device to tap energy from ocean currents.

As he toured the exhibits, Obama admired the sticky "GlOo" (patent pending) a St. Louis Girl Scout Troop made out from Styrofoam, and a group of New York City teens' robot vacuum designed to pick up trash on the subway. He marveled at the "Loki Lego Launcher," a homemade spacecraft that shot up 78,000 feet in the air before it landed in a field next to a cow pie, according to its inventors, sisters Kimberly and Rebecca Yeung, 9 and 11.

"But cow poop didn't get on this?" the president said as he looked at the launcher. "You're sure?"

Obama, who is something of a frustrated science geek, noted this was not his path as a student.

"First of all, I didn't have a 'field,'" he said. "I don't know exactly what my field of study was at that time but it wasn't that."

The administration is also using the event to cite progress on improving education in science and math, noting $1 billion in private investment as part of a White House campaign and that the nation is more than halfway toward reaching Obama's goal of preparing 100,000 new math and science teachers by 2021.

Obama personally sent out a Twitter invitation to Cedrick Argueta after reading how the Los Angeles teen got a perfect score on his Advanced Placement Calculus exam.

"I couldn't believe it. But of course, I said yes," Argueta wrote on the White House blog. "I can't wait to meet other students who are also passionate about science and math -- students who I'm sure will change the face of technology and help solve some of society's biggest problems, like fighting climate change and treating cancer."

As Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse prepares to issue a proclamation for Parkinson's Awareness Month, the Parkinson's Disease Foundation said 60,000 Americans are diagnosed each year.

Updated at 9:25 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, 2016 to change the time of Mayor Alex Morse's Parkinson's Awareness Month proclamation on Friday to 10 a.m.

HOLYOKE -- Perhaps a million Americans live with Parkinson's disease with thousands more diagnosed each year, leading to the declaration of April as Parkinson's Awareness Month and a proclamation to be issued Friday by Mayor Alex B. Morse.

Morse will make the proclamation about Parkinson's disease, which is a movement disorder, Friday at 10 a.m. at City Hall.

Chad Moir of Chicopee, whose mother died of Parksin's disease in 2011, according to The Republican archives, will speak at the event. Moir is a member of the American Parkinson Disease Association, Massachusetts Chapter, and a representative of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Parkinson's Action Network.

John Thompson, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's at 34, and Dr. Zubair Karrem, a neurologist from Holyoke Medical Center, also are scheduled to make remarks, the press release said.

This image is from Chad Moir's Facebook page. 

The Parkinson's Disease Foundation said:

It seems rain has gone away for the time being.

SPRINGFIELD -- It seems rain has gone away for the time being.

Sunny days are in the forecast on Thursday through the weekend.

Wednesday evening will offer cloudy skies, with a low around 33 degrees in Springfield and Worcester, 37 in Boston.

Clear skies and dry conditions are expected on Thursday. Temperatures in the mid-to-high 50s are expected in Springfield, low-50s in Worcester and Boston. 

"Tomorrow and Friday will be very seasonable with highs reaching into the middle and upper 50s and overnight lows down into the 20s," Western Mass News Meteorologist Jacob Wycoff said. "As this area of high pressure shifts slightly to the south, the air mass will warm up as we head into the weekend. Temperatures will reach into the 60s on Saturday and lower 70s by Sunday! All the while we hang onto sunshine."

Due to dry weather, those with pollen allergies may be affected through the weekend. 

Thursday: Sunny and pleasant. Highs: 56-60. 

Friday: Sunny and pleasant.  Highs: 56-60.

Saturday: Sunny and warmer. Highs: 60-64.

Sunday: Sunny and warm. Highs: 68-72

President Barack Obama claimed progress Wednesday in the U.S.-led fight against the Islamic State group, even as political turmoil in Iraq and renewed violence in Syria threatened to jeopardize hard-fought gains.

LANGLEY, Va. -- President Barack Obama claimed progress Wednesday in the U.S.-led fight against the Islamic State group, even as political turmoil in Iraq and renewed violence in Syria threatened to jeopardize hard-fought gains.

During a rare presidential visit to CIA headquarters, Obama said it had been "a bad few months" for the Islamic State and gave a detailed account of areas where U.S.-backed forces have wrested territory back from the extremist group. Though he acknowledged the fight remains difficult and complex, he said IS was on the defensive and that the U.S. intends to "keep that momentum."

"Every day, ISIL leaders wake up and understand that it could be their last," Obama said, using an acronym for the extremist group.

Obama offered no new steps or specifics about how the U.S. will beef up the fight against IS, although U.S. officials have suggested those steps are in the works. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has said the Pentagon is seeking ways to increase military support for the fight, including a likely increase in U.S. forces, along with the possible use of Apache helicopters for Iraqi-led combat missions.

The visit to the CIA's campus in suburban Virginia was designed to assure Americans that the U.S. is fully engaged in the fight, despite persistent complaints from Obama's critics that his strategy isn't aggressive enough. Indeed, in recent months Obama has made similar field trips to the Pentagon and the State Department to illustrate how all facets of the U.S. government are on the case.

"They are working around the clock to keep us safe," Obama said, adding that CIA operatives had thwarted terrorists repeatedly without being able to acknowledge it publicly. "They don't get a lot of attention."

Though Obama gave an optimistic portrayal of progress in both Iraq and Syria, the picture on the ground remains muddled at best.

In Syria, escalating fighting between the government and militants has threatened to jeopardize a fragile cease-fire the U.S. and Russia brokered earlier this year. Peace talks resumed Wednesday in Geneva aimed at resolving Syria's civil war, though deep disagreements about who should participate have continued to plague that process.

Syrians living in parts of the country still under government control also voted Wednesday in parliamentary elections that Syrian President Bashar Assad's opponents dismissed as a sham intended to lend an air of legitimacy to his beleaguered government, in yet another worrying sign for the peace talks.

The uptick in violence in Syria has raised difficult questions about how to proceed if the truce falls apart and frees Assad and his Russian backers to resume attacks on U.S.-supported opposition groups. Russia, which had been bolstering Assad with an air campaign against his opponents, recently ordered a drawdown in warplanes, but said strikes would continue against IS and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front. Both of those groups are excluded from the cease-fire.

In Iraq, Obama pointed to the Iraqi military's preparations to retake the IS stronghold of Mosul as an example of increased momentum in the fight. Yet modest signs of progress have been tempered by ongoing sectarian challenges and a political crisis in Baghdad that have threatened to further destabilize the country.

Obama's remarks at the CIA came the week before he travels to Saudi Arabia for a summit with Persian Gulf leaders focused largely on the threat from the Islamic State. Previewing his request to countries attending that summit, Obama said "the entire world" must step up to help Iraq restore stability "so that ISIL cannot return."

Two of the bills would remove a driver's license suspension as a penalty for vandalism and "tagging," which is spray painting or putting stickers on signs, gravestones, buildings or other public or private property.

BOSTON - Several measures aimed at reforming the way the criminal justice system treats relatively minor offenses, were passed by the Massachusetts Senate on Wednesday.

"Today, with the passage of these four criminal-justice reform related bills, the Senate continues our mission to review and revise Massachusetts laws to align with national best practices," Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, said in a prepared statement. "Each piece of criminal justice reform - from pretrial diversion to sentencing reform - ties into a broader strategy of enhancing public safety, reducing recidivism rates, and saving taxpayer money."

Two of the bills would remove a driver's license suspension as a penalty for vandalism and "tagging," which is spray painting or putting stickers on signs, gravestones, buildings or other public or private property.

Currently, someone found guilty of tagging can be punished with a one-year license suspension, up to two years in county jail and fines. The bill, S.727, keeps the other penalties but removes the license suspension. A similar bill, S.728, would remove the license suspension penalty for vandalism while keeping other penalties in place.

Both bills passed by a vote of 28 to seven, over the opposition of Senate Republicans.

Supporters of the bill say the Registry of Motor Vehicles should not be involved in areas other than regulating motor vehicles.

These bills are in line with other steps that state policymakers have recently taken to move away from the use of a license suspension for crimes that are not directly related to operating a motor vehicle. Last month, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a new law eliminating an automatic license suspension for most drug offenses that are unrelated to driving.

Advocates for the offenders say removing someone's license makes it harder for them to hold down a job and support their family without returning to crime. They are also likely to drive without a license and wrack up new fines and convictions.

Research released this week by the Council of State Governments' Justice Center found that people with motor vehicle offenses, which includes driving after a suspension, are frequently ending up in county jails and costing taxpayers money. In 2013, the report found, there were 819 people sentenced to a Massachusetts county jail for driving with a suspended license.

Another bill passed by the Senate relates to jail time and fines. A person now can be incarcerated for failing to pay fines that are mandated by the courts. The Senate passed a bill, S.795, by a voice vote that would increase the credit someone is given for spending a day in jail from $30 to $60. The size of the credit has not been updated since 1987. The change would allow offenders to spend less time in jail and pay off their fines more quickly.

A separate bill, S.2216, which passed unanimously, would allow for the increased use of supervised release programs, rather than jail time, for criminal offenders who are awaiting trial.

The bills are now scheduled to go to the House.

Nineteen University of Massachusetts students agreed to be arrested Wednesday night, capping the third day of the Whitmore Administration Building sit-in by students demanding the university divest from fossil fuels.

AMHERST — Nineteen University of Massachusetts students agreed to be arrested Wednesday night, capping the third day of the Whitmore Administration Building sit-in by students demanding the university divest from fossil fuels.

More than 230 students occupied Whitmore halls before campus officials ordered them to leave just ahead of the building's scheduled 6 p.m. closing. Students from Divest UMass, the organizing group, say they will continue the protest until the five-campus UMass system agrees to complete fossil fuel divestment.

The students were quiet until staff and faculty left the building at 5 p.m., at which point the students erupted into chanting and singing. They sang things such as "Stand up, fight back" and "If we don't get it, shut it down."

All except the 19 volunteers peacefully left the building just after 6 p.m. once police issued the dispersal order, then continued the rally outside, chanting "Fossil fuels have got to go, hey, hey, ho, ho." More than 150 students were gathered on the knoll and grass outside of Whitmore.

Fifteen were arrested Tuesday and arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown on Wednesday.

A speaker announced that Jill Stein, the Green Party presidential candidate, issued her support for the initiative.

Students from Divest UMass say the will not back down until the administration agrees to commit to divesting from all fossil fuels. They say their power is growing every day.

But it doesn't appear that UMass Board of Trustees Chairman Victor Woolridge will agree to student demands.

Woolridge, in addressing the Board of Trustees on Wednesday and updating them on what's happening on the campus, wrote that "UMass has a long, deep and documented commitment to the environment and the use of its resources in a manner that's compatible with being a socially responsible and sustainable citizen.

"All five campuses have signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment and in the years since, the university has reduced its carbon emissions by 17%," Woolridge wrote.

He pointed to the myriad initiatives the system is involved to reduce its dependency on fossil fuels including its solar project.

"When all of these are fully operational we expect to generate 1.123 billion kWh over the first 20- years of their life which will help to avoid 28,532 metric tons of CO2 in the first full year of operation, or approximately 544,300 metric tons of CO2 through the project supported by UMass, and virtually every new building has been constructed in a manner sensitive to environment concerns," Woolridge wrote

But that's not enough for students who said they appreciate the commitment to reduce dependency on fossil fuel, but want more. "We would like to work with the chairman," said Filipe Carvalho from UMass Divest.

UMass issued this statement Wednesday night:

For a second night, student protesters chose to occupy the Whitmore Administration Building despite a pledge from University of Massachusetts system leaders that they will support a policy that divests and prohibits direct investment in fossil fuel companies.

The decision-making authority regarding management of the university's five-campus endowment ultimately rests with the Board of Directors of the University of Massachusetts Foundation, which is guided in such matters by an investment committee and professional investment advisors.

Victor Woolridge, chairman of the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees, and UMass President Marty Meehan have said divesting direct investments in fossil fuel companies represents "a logical next step" to the action UMass took last year when it divested its direct investments in coal companies. Woolridge and Meehan announced their support for the new step as UMass trustees met at UMass Dartmouth.

The two UMass system leaders said the relevant UMass bodies - the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees, the University of Massachusetts Foundation, and the University of Massachusetts Foundation Socially Responsible Investing Advisory Committee - would address the proposal at their upcoming meetings, gatherings that would occur over the next three months.

Students continued their occupation of the building after it closed for business and following warnings by UMass Police that they would be arrested if they did not voluntarily leave. University buildings have regular public operating hours. When buildings are closed for business and are no longer staffed, standard protocols require that members of the public depart to ensure public safety and the protection of property within the building.

Following the students' insistence to remain in the building, UMass Police arrested 19 protesters and charged them with trespassing starting around 6 p.m.

The request was made four years ago, they said, and resubmitted to Woolridge and UMass President Martin Meehan earlier this week with the latest deadline.

Divest UMass spokeswoman Mica Reel doesn't think making the commitment is unreasonable. She said Divest UMass wants a plan in two months, divestment over five years - and a promise from Meehan and Woolridge that they will do it.

Victor Woolridge Fossil Fuel Comments

Paul Federici, who was elected chairman Wednesday, less than a month after being ousted from the position, proposed giving Interim Town Administrator Gregory Neffinger his 10-days' notice after the board returned from a discussion in executive session.

EAST LONGMEADOW — Applause rang out at the end of the selectmen's meeting Wednesday, after the board voted to terminate the interim town administrator's employment.

Paul Federici, who was elected chairman Wednesday, less than a month after being ousted from the position, proposed giving Interim Town Administrator Gregory Neffinger his 10-days' notice after the board returned from a discussion in executive session.

"It's been a long road for everybody, it's been a struggle," Federici said before making his motion, which passed with his support and the support of recently-elected Selectman Kevin M. Manley. Selectman William Gorman voted against the measure.

The decision came after the board rescinded an offer for the position of permanent town administrator made to Neffinger during a March 16 selectmen's meeting. Federici and Manley voted to rescind the offer after Town Attorney James Donahue told the board that, in his legal opinion, the offer was made improperly, because discussion of a permanent town administrator contract did not appear on an agenda prior to the meeting.

Federici told the public that the decisions nullify an employment contract signed on Tuesday by Neffinger, Gorman and former Selectman Angela Thorpe, which put him in the permanent position.

"They just voted to nullify something that wasn't on the agenda," Neffinger said in an interview after the meeting. "So they just violated the law, which they supposedly just corrected in the vote before."

In an interview, Donahue said that the decision to terminate Neffinger's employment with the town is also an open meeting law violation, for the same reason as the decision to offer him the permanent town administrator job was.

At some point, he said, selectmen will have to vote on the matter again.

Neffinger's apparent dismissal comes amid controversy and corruption allegations surrounding the search for a new police chief, and selectmen's offering him a permanent position.

Manley said he believes that based on Neffinger's contract with the town, the 10-days notice is a legal action. However, Neffinger said he will begin looking into the possibility that his contract was violated.

"I'll be discussing my options with various people tomorrow," Neffinger said.

News broke in late March that a teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy was forced to resign in 2011 after admitting to two past instances of sexual misconduct with students — information that was not disclosed publicly under the tenure of candidate Maggie Hassan's husband, Thomas Hassan.

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE

CONCORD, N.H. -- Investigations into sexual misconduct by faculty at a renowned New Hampshire prep school have found their way into the state's high-profile U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Kelly Ayotte and Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan, whose husband is a former principal of the school.

News broke in late March that a teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy was forced to resign in 2011 and later stripped of his emeritus status after admitting to two past instances of sexual misconduct with students -- information that was not disclosed publicly under the tenure of Hassan's husband, Thomas Hassan.

Maggie Hassan accepted money from Rick Schubart and listed him as a public supporter of her 2012 gubernatorial campaign even after he left the school, a fact Republicans immediately seized on as evidence of poor judgment.

She's since apologized and donated $1,000 to a local organization dealing with domestic and sexual violence, but the story hasn't stopped there. Police are now looking into four additional allegations of abuse by other faculty, including a current teacher, and Phillips Exeter is conducting its own investigation into how Schubart's case was handled.

On Wednesday, the school said a second teacher had been fired after admitting having sexual encounters with a student more than two decades ago.

Hassan's husband, Thomas Hassan, has been formally censured by an international boarding school association for not disclosing Schubart's wrongdoing before the former teacher was given an award in 2012.

Republicans are hoping the issue will stick to Maggie Hassan, who's had no major missteps in her campaign so far, as more information trickles out.

"The people of New Hampshire, especially the victims and their families, deserve to know what Maggie Hassan knew about Schubart's actions, and when," said National Republican Senatorial Committee spokeswoman Alleigh Marre.

Democrats, meanwhile, say Republican attempts to tie Hassan to the scandal are misguided.

"This isn't something that's going to be a huge watershed moment in the race, much to the Republicans' dismay," said Lauren Passalacqua, national press secretary for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Linda Fowler, a professor of government at Dartmouth College, said that with what's come out so far, the issue is unlikely to hurt Hassan in November.

"It's hard for me to imagine come fall that this story is going to have any legs," she said.

Ayotte, a former prosecutor, must walk a fine line between highlighting the issue without appearing to exploit it. She continues to say questions need to be answered about how the school handled the case, but in an interview with New Hampshire Public Radio, she did not clarify what specific questions are outstanding.

So far in the Senate race, it's been Ayotte on the defensive. Democrats are whacking her for her opposition to holding hearings on President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee and she's taking hits in her own party, facing a primary challenge from the right and bracing for the possibility that Donald Trump will be the GOP's presidential nominee.

"Everything has been breaking against the Republicans in terms of the overall environment," said Fergus Cullen, a former chairman of the state Republican party.

But longtime political observers doubt whether the Phillips Exeter case will hurt Hassan, despite her husband's involvement.

Judy Reardon, a former top aide to Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, said voters are able to separate a candidate from the actions of his or her spouse.

"It's hard for me to imagine the person who would otherwise vote for Maggie Hassan saying, 'Well, I don't know, her husband didn't exercise good judgment, I think I'll vote for Kelly Ayotte,'" she said.

The free event is for kids 15 and younger who love to fish or just want to give it a try, according to the West Springfield Park and Recreation Department, which hosts the annual event.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — It's almost time for the West Springfield Fishing Derby, which turns 30 this year.

The annual derby will be held Saturday, April 16, from 7:30 to 11 a.m. at the Upper Reservoir, which is located at the intersection of Amostown Road and Smyrna Street.

The free event is for kids 15 and younger who love to fish or just want to give it a try, according to the West Springfield Park and Recreation Department, which hosts the annual event.

Contestants must bring their own bait, fishing pole and gear to the derby, which is sponsored by Sullivan Paper Company and Donut Dip Inc.

Trophies will be awarded by category and age group, and participants can register for a prize drawing that includes fishing rods, reels and tackle boxes.

West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt is even getting in on the fun. On Wednesday, the town posted a Twitter video of the mayor and others stocking the Upper Reservoir with trout in advance of Saturday's derby.

The Parks and Recreation Department has more information at 413-263-3284.

@MayorReichelt sets loose a school for the fishing derby this Sat. 7:30 AM @ the upper reservoir on Amostown! pic.twitter.com/dNGQcFf3nT

— West Springfield, MA (@my01089) April 13, 2016

Federal prosecutors said at a hearing Wednesday in Chicago that someone identified as "Individual D" — one of at least four boys who prosecutors say Hastert sexually abused in the 1970s — would be one of two witnesses seeking to speak at the April 27 sentencing.

By MICHAEL TARM

CHICAGO -- Dennis Hastert's lawyers have suggested that what occurred with a 14-year-old in a motel decades ago may not qualify as sexual abuse, while the judge in the former U.S. House speaker's hush-money case signaled Wednesday that he'll factor in Hastert's lies to investigators when he determines a sentence.

Federal prosecutors said at a hearing Wednesday in Chicago that someone identified as "Individual D" -- one of at least four boys who prosecutors say Hastert sexually abused in the 1970s -- would be one of two witnesses seeking to speak at the April 27 sentencing. The other is a sister of a now-deceased accuser.

The 14-year-old, referred to as "Individual A" in court papers, is at the core of the case.

Hastert pleaded guilty last fall to breaking banking law as he sought to pay $3.5 million to the man not to divulge his misconduct when he taught and coached wrestling from 1965 to 1981 in Yorkville, a Chicago suburb. After first saying he withdrew large sums because he didn't trust banks, Hastert told investigators he was the target of a bogus sexual abuse claim.

Individual A told prosecutors Hastert abused him in the late 1970s in a motel room on the way home from wrestling camp. He said Hastert, the only adult on the trip, touched him inappropriately after suggesting he would massage a groin injury the boy had, prosecutors said.

Defense attorneys called details of Individual A's account of Hastert's behavior "ambiguous."

"We are not so certain that the incident qualifies as sexual misconduct, especially for a coach and trainer 42 years ago," they said in the filing, unsealed Wednesday.

Prosecutors said there is no doubt.

Hastert "used his position of trust as a teacher and coach to touch a child's genitals and then undress and ask the child for a back massage in a hotel room," they said in a Friday filing. "There is no ambiguity; defendant sexually abused Individual A."

Judge Thomas M. Durkin indicated several times Wednesday that he was disturbed by Hastert's claims to agents in 2015 that Individual A was extorting him. Hastert was accusing someone he victimized of "holding him up," Durkin said. Those lies, unlike the abuse allegations, were not distant history, the judge said.

"That's not conduct that's 40 years old," Durkin said. "That conduct is ... a year old." About how Hastert's false allegations against Individual A might affect his sentencing calculations, the judge added: "Among the aggravating factors in this case, that's a big one."

Among other assertions in the 14-page defense filing:

1. Individual A could still sue Hastert if he's not paid the portion of the $3.5 million he hasn't received -- $1.8 million, plus interest.
2. The probation office was wrong to speculate in a sealed report that Hastert could have abused others after getting into politics. "Similarly, there is no basis for the conjecture that Mr. Hastert engaged in any sexual misconduct overseas," it says.
3. When FBI agents first came to speak to Hastert unannounced in December 2014, they wore wires to secretly record his answers.

It all backfired on Hastert, whose political career had taken him to speaker, second in the line of presidential succession.

Investigators said the calls -- recorded without Individual A's knowledge -- showed it was Hastert who was lying. Agents said Individual A even asked Hastert to bring in lawyers to formalize their payment agreement, but Hastert refused to involve anyone else, prosecutors say.

Hastert's conviction isn't for sexual abuse, but for structuring cash withdrawals to avoid detection. Prosecutors have said they would have preferred sex-abuse charges, but the statute of limitations ran out decades ago.

Individual D recalled to prosecutors that Hastert often sat in a recliner in the boys' locker room with a direct view of stalls where they showered. He said he was 17 when Hastert performed a sex act on him after first starting with a massage.

The defense filing says, "Hastert does not contest the allegations of Individual D" but "has no current recollection of the episode."

Hastert's lawyers asked to keep their filing sealed. But Durkin refused, saying the government's account Friday of multiple accusers meant the most explosive allegations are already public.

Prosecutors didn't recommend a specific sentence in their filing, simply noting that guidelines suggest something between probation and six months behind bars. But their reference to sexual abuse on nearly every page of their 26-page filing was likely aimed at giving Durkin grounds for a far stiffer sentence. The judge could even impose the maximum penalty on the bank count -- five years in prison.

Defense lawyers have asked for probation, citing Hastert's health and the steep price -- they say -- he has already paid in public shame.

CHICOPEE — Activists will protest in Chicopee on Thursday, April 14th, as part of a day of "global" protests against income inequality and corporate corruption. Being called one of the "biggest" days of wage protest ever, activists hope to make April 14th a day of global scope and significance for workers everywhere. Hundreds of cities in an estimated 40 countries...

CHICOPEE — Activists will protest in Chicopee on Thursday, April 14th, as part of a day of "global" protests against income inequality and corporate corruption.

Being called one of the "biggest" days of wage protest ever, activists hope to make April 14th a day of global scope and significance for workers everywhere. Hundreds of cities in an estimated 40 countries all over the world will participate in strikes, rallies, and events geared towards driving attention to the plight of low-wage workers, according to the Wage Action Coalition.

In Massachusetts, Wednesday's events will include a 3:30 p.m. rally outside the State House in Boston, as well as a march on McDonald's and McCormick & Schmick's restaurant chains – two companies that organizers of the events have called some of the "worst purveyors" of "poverty wages" in Massachusetts.

Fight For 15, the activist group behind the event, started originally in New York as a small coalition of fast-food workers, but has since spread into a national and international "movement," composed of workers from all different industries.

A number of states, including California and New York, have recently vowed to raise their minimum wage to $15 per hour.

The march at McDonald's will occur at 350 Burnett Road in Chicopee, at 12:30 p.m., while the Fight for $15 rally and march at the Massachusetts State House will occur at 3:30 p.m.

A 13 year old girl from Ware has been missing since Tuesday afternoon.

WARE — A 13-year-old girl was reported missing to the Ware Police Department on Tuesday afternoon.

Nicole Winn never returned home from school Tuesday and is still missing, police said.

"Everything has led to dead ends, so far," said Detective Scott Lawrence. He called on community members to share any information they might have about Winn's whereabouts.

"This is an active investigation. If anyone has any information, they should come forward," he said.

Anyone with information should call the Ware Police Department at 413-967-3571.

The protest was part of a global day of strikes and protests by low-income workers and their supporters asking for a $15-an-hour wage. Watch video

BOSTON -- Hundreds of people gathered outside the Statehouse on Thursday to ask for a $15-an-hour minimum wage.

Lesbia Vidot, a personal care attendant from Holyoke, is part of the 1199SEIU union that negotiated a contract with the state for a $15 wage by 2018. Today, she earns $13.68 an hour.

"I cannot wait until 2018," Vidot said. "I need it now. I'm a head of my household. I've got to put food on my table. I have an 11-year-old child."

The protest was part of a global day of strikes and protests by low-income workers and their supporters asking for a $15-an-hour wage.

In Massachusetts, the day started with a strike outside McDonald's in Cambridge and continued with lobby events, protests and rallies by early childhood educators, health care workers and Boston University students and faculty, culminating in the afternoon Statehouse rally and march around downtown Boston.

Betsy Ventura, a personal care attendant from Holyoke, said she came to fight for other workers who do not have the contract she has, which includes the gradual raise to $15 an hour.

"We won the $15, but we've got to continue to fight for others here who are not making the $15," Ventura said.

Kyle Moye of Springfield, who works in elder care, said, "Working for a lot of years for $8 an hour for doing hard labor work is not worth my time or anybody else's. We're worth more than that."

Keisha Copeland, a social worker for the Department of Transitional Assistance and a member of SEIU Local 509, said a lot of the families she works with who are on welfare have jobs where they earn $12 or $14 an hour.

"It's not enough to raise a family on," Copeland said. "If they had just a little bit more of a livable wage then their lives would be a lot easier. They could be more self-sufficient and be able to help their families."

Other welfare clients she works with are working two jobs to make ends meet.

"If they have one job that made $15 an hour, it would make a world of difference for them," Copeland said. "They'll have more time for their families, they'll be able to have a little less stress in trying to divide themselves between picking up their children from school, dropping them off at a child care center and also trying to make another job."

New York and California recently passed minimum wage increases to $15 an hour. Massachusetts plans to increase the minimum wage next year to $11 an hour. Both House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, and Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, have said they do not support considering another minimum wage increase until the last one goes fully into effect.

Business groups say raising the minimum wage will hurt businesses and cost the state jobs.

Earlier Thursday, a group of early childhood providers who have contracts with the state to care for low-income children delivered 1,500 petition cards to Baker asking the state to negotiate a contract with them that pays the equivalent of $15 an hour, after expenses.

Currently, the rates vary by age and geographic region, but child care providers are generally paid between $29 and $36 per child per day. Their union says that after expenses -- food for the children, supplies and so on -- this becomes lower than the minimum wage.

One study cited by SEIU Local 509 found that an average early childhood provider caring for four children would need to see their rate increase from $30 to $45 a day per child to earn $15 an hour.

Kathleen Hart, a spokeswoman for the Department of Early Education and Care, said, "The Department of Early Education and Care values the work and commitment of family child care providers and in an effort to support children in care, we will carefully consider all proposals as negotiations continue."

Marites Maclean, a family child care provider from Fitchburg, said she has a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies with a minor in special and early education, and has been caring for children for 20 years. She gets $30 per child per day to care for up to six children at a time, many of whom have developmental delays. She spends 10 hours a day with the children, and additional hours preparing materials and talking to parents. She must use the money she makes to pay for liability insurance, supplies and other expenses.

"It's hard for me to at least make the minimum wage," Maclean said. "It's so sad because the children that I took care of are now 14, 15 and they're starting to get a job at Market Basket. I see them happy with their work, and they're making more than I'm making, which I feel is so unfair for the education that I have and for the work that I do."

Fernando Jayma has denied 22 counts in a case prosecuted by Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni's office.

SPRINGFIELD - Former Ludlow doctor Fernando Jayma was back in Hampden Superior Court Thursday, this time denying 19 counts of filing a false health care claim, two counts of larceny under $250 and one count of larceny over $250 by a single scheme.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney James M. Forsyth from Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni's office.

Jayma has previously denied charges of illegally prescribing opioids in a separate case brought by the state Attorney General's office.

With the new case, to which Jayma pleaded not guilty Thursday, he now has two active cases in Superior Court.

In the newly indicted case, the two larceny under $250 counts list the victims as Blue Cross / Blue Shield and Aetna. The larceny by a single scheme counts lists the victim as Health New England.

The 22 charges in the newly indicted case list dates of the offense in July and August 2015.

Jayma handed over his license to practice medicine at the Board of Medicine's request. He has been released on his own recognizance. He gave up his passport and was ordered to stay in the state.

In December, Jayma was indicted by a grand jury on 41 charges including illegally prescribing oxycodone and other drugs and making false Medicaid claims in a case being prosecuted by state Attorney General Maura Healey's office.

Jayma has denied the charges in that case.

Gulluni has said his office's case against Jayma is separate from Healey's case because it involves private insurance, not public insurance.

Gulluni said the investigators some time ago were alerted by several insurance companies that Jaymo was not only the second highest prescriber of opioids in the state, but was prescribing opiates at a rate 11 times the average rate.

He said the arrest of Jayma is not insignificant in terms of the flow of prescription medications into the town of Ludlow as well as Hampden County at large.

In the case being prosecuted by the Attorney General's office, the counts alleging illegal prescribing said there was no legitimate medical purpose for the drug.

Of the 22 illegal prescribing charges in that case, eight are for oxycodone, three for morphine, four for fentanyl and seven for methadone. Jayma faces 17 counts of making a false Medicaid claim as a provider and two counts of making a false claim for office visits on days he was out of the country.

The dates of the alleged crimes go back as far as 2011 and are as recent as 2015, but many are for dates in 2013.

The victim in a deadly house fire in Bondsville that occurred on April 8 was finally revealed by the Palmer Fire Department.

PALMER — The identity of the victim of a deadly house fire that occurred in Bondsville on April 8 has finally been revealed by the Palmer Fire Department, according to Western Mass News.

Curtis Penoyer, 69, was tragically killed in the house fire that also injured two other people and a dog.

Penoyer's body was initially found in the house's living room, according to Western Mass News. Up until today, however, he had yet to be publicly identified.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, and is currently under investigation.

Springfield city councilors urged the city's top legal and labor officials to step up enforcement of residency requirements for employees, particularly for one deputy fire chief and five district fire chiefs who do not live in Springfield.

Justin Hurst File Photo / The Republican 

SPRINGFIELD -- City councilors urged the city's top legal and labor relations officials on Thursday to enforce a long-standing residency requirement for municipal employees, with particular objections that six of the top Fire Department supervisors do not live in Springfield.

Both City Solicitor Edward M. Pikula and Human Resources/Labor Relations Director William Mahoney said the residency issue has been a challenge for decades, and urged councilors to let the issue, particularly with fire supervisors, be remedied in ongoing collective bargaining.

Councilor Justin Hurst, chairman of the council's General Government Committee, said he is concerned about the lack of enforcement of residency, and the recent threat of a lawsuit by concerned citizens, including a local fire captain who lives in Springfield.

One deputy fire chief and five district fire chiefs do not live in Springfield.

Under the residency ordinance, employees hired by the city after March 17, 1995, must be residents of the city and those promoted by the city need to be residents within one year after their promotion. However, there are exemptions under state law and under collective bargaining contracts, and the mayor has powers to grant waivers, city officials said.

Hurst said he believes the roadblocks to enforcing the residency requirement "start with the city."

"The unfortunate part is that the consequences if they don't enforce this residency, I think, are going to be very significant for the city of Springfield," Hurst said. "I think we are opening ourselves up to potential litigation that we could otherwise avoid if we would just enforce the residency requirement that the City Council voted on as well as the amendment we voted on. It seems to be that it should be fairly easy."

Councilors Bud Williams and Adam Gomez joined Hurst in urging enforcement of the city's residency ordinance.

At the start of the meeting, Pikula warned the councilors that they should not talk of any dismissal or disciplinary action against any specific employee without giving that employee 48 hours notice and the right to go into executive session -- a meeting closed to the public -- under the Open Meeting Law.

In addition, he and Mahoney said there have been negotiations in the past and present with labor groups regarding the residency issue. If future contracts do not address residency, the council has the right to reject the contract, but faces the risk of a subsequent requirement for interest arbitration, and rulings that could favor either side.

Schilling, now 49, said two years ago his cancer is in remission.

NEW YORK -- After undergoing treatment for oral cancer, former All-Star pitcher Curt Schilling has recorded a public service announcement on the dangers of smokeless tobacco.

The 60-second spot, released Thursday, was produced by Major League Baseball and the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society. It will air on the MLB Network and be shown on scoreboards at big league stadiums.

"I was warned many, many times over the 30 years I dipped," the former Boston Red Sox player said in a prepared statement. "I never listened. Cancer changed that. I found out, through the worst pain you can imagine and hospitalization for two months, that there was no time during my addiction that was worth what I went through. Don't ask yourself if you might get cancer when you dip, just get a calendar out and wait."

Schilling, now 49, said two years ago his cancer is in remission.

Police said alarms sounded at the facility indicating someone broke in.

Laura Newberry 

AGAWAM -- Police were investigating a reported break-in at the WWLP TV22 transmission facility on Provin Mountain Thursday afternoon.

Sgt. Tony Grasso said officers stopped and detained several teens near the site and took down their names and addresses. Police have not determined if any of them broke into the facility, but plan to review surveillance footage to see if they can prove they were inside, he said.

"We've got to do a little more legwork," Grasso said.

He said it was clear the facility had been broken into. Alarms went off and the television station, which is now based in Chicopee, reported it to police.

The facility was the original broadcast home for the television station from the time it started in the early 1950s until the Chicopee location was opened in 2000.

Much of its transmission equipment and a 149-foot broadcast tower are still at Provin Mountain.

Grasso said the amount of electronic equipment on site makes it very dangerous for anyone to enter.

Police said alarms sounded at the facility indicating someone broke in.

Laura Newberry 

AGAWAM - Police are investigating a reported break-in at the WWLP TV22 transmission facility on Provin Mountain Thursday afternoon.

Sgt. Tony Grasso said officers stopped and detained several teens near the site and took down their names and addresses. Police have not determined if any of them broke into the facility, but plan to review surveillance footage to see if they can prove they were inside, he said.

"We've got to do a little more legwork," Grasso said.

He said it was clear the facility had been broken into. Alarms went off and the television station, which is now based in Chicopee, reported it to police.

The facility was the original broadcast home for the television station from the time it started in the early 1950s until more the Chicopee location was opened in 2000.

Much of it's transmission equipment and a 149-foot broadcast tower are still at Provin Mountain.

Grasso said the amount of electronic equipment on site makes it very dangerous for anyone to enter.

Banks and airlines rose on strong first-quarter reports, while consumer products companies struggled.

MARLEY JAY, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks hardly budged Thursday and finished with a mix of small gains and losses. Banks and airlines rose on strong first-quarter reports, while consumer products companies struggled.

The market wavered throughout the day. Stocks are coming off two big gains in a row and are trading at their highest levels of the year.

"People are getting a bit more confident of what's going on in the market," said J.J. Kinahan, chief strategist for TD Ameritrade.

The Dow Jones industrial average added 18.15 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,926.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 index ticked up 0.36 points to 2,082.78. The Nasdaq composite lost 1.53 points to 4,945.89.

The results from banks haven't been great so far, but investors expected even worse because of shaky loans to energy companies and low interest rates that have made lending less profitable. Kinahan said banks are benefiting from lower expenses and more people are seeking mortgage loans.

"If businesses are starting to expand a little bit, if the consumer is out there trying to buy housing, (lending) is a steady source of income for these institutions," he said. Investors feared "this was going to be an absolutely disastrous earnings season," he said.

Bank of America picked up 35 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $14.14, as its results met investor expectations. First Republic Bank jumped $2.38, or 3.5 percent, to $69.88 after the San Francisco bank reported a bigger-than-expected profit. Fifth Third Bank, another regional bank, gained 32 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $17.73.

Wells Fargo's profit fell as it set aside more money to cover its struggling portfolio of oil and gas loans, one of the chief worries investors have about the financial industry. The stock slipped 24 cents to $48.79. Bank stocks jumped Wednesday after JPMorgan Chase, the largest U.S. bank, reported results that beat expectations.

Data storage company Seagate Technology said its third-quarter profit margins and revenue will be lower than expected. The company said it's seeing lower demand for some kinds of hard disk drives. Its stock plunged $6.82, or 20.1 percent, to $27.11, by far the largest loss in the S&P 500. Competitor Western Digital fell $2.98, or 6.7 percent, to $41.82 and NetApp lost $1.06, or 4 percent, to $25.64.

Delta Air Lines' first-quarter profit jumped 27 percent, helped by low fuel costs. Delta's stock gained 45 cents to $48.49, but its competitors had even bigger gains. American Airlines rose $1.23, or 3.1 percent, to $41.17 and United added $1.15, or 2.1 percent, to $56.73. JetBlue and Southwest also rose.

Pier 1 Imports fell after the home decor company gave a shaky outlook for the first half of its fiscal year. Pier 1 said it expects pressure on its profit and sales because of marketing expenses, including a return to TV advertising, as well as price markdowns. The stock gave up 43 cents, or 5.9 percent, to $6.91.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 26 cents to $41.50 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, gave up 34 cents to $43.84 a barrel in London.

Gold fell $21.80, or 1.7 percent, to $1,226.50 an ounce. Silver fell 15 cents to $16.17 an ounce. Copper was unchanged at $2.17 a pound.

Claims for unemployment benefits dropped sharply last week and reached their lowest level since 1973. They've been at low levels for a year, which indicates the job market is healthy and employers aren't letting go of workers. That suggests many companies see the recent slowdown as temporary.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $1.51 a gallon. Heating oil dipped 1 cent to $1.25 a gallon. Natural gas fell 7 cents, or 3 percent, to $1.97 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In Europe, Germany's DAX was up 0.7 percent while the CAC-40 in France rose 0.5 percent. The FTSE 100 index in Britain held steady. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 closed 3.2 percent higher as the yen weakened slightly against the dollar. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.8 percent and the KOSPI in South Korea climbed 1.7 percent.

Bond prices slipped. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 1.79 percent from 1.77 percent. The euro fell to $1.1267 from $1.1283 and the dollar edged up to 109.28 yen from 109.24 yen.