After a short pursuit, Diouane reportedly jumped from the bike path and into a wooded area, tumbled down a decline and ran into a swampy area between Stoddard Street and the bike path. Police followed, and an officer tackled the man to the ground and arrested him.

NORTHAMPTON -- Northampton police arrested a man Tuesday who had allegedly stolen $430 in frozen shrimp from the King Street Stop & Shop on three separate occasions, according to court documents.

The arrest occurred after officers chased the suspect -- identified as 24-year-old Adnane Diouane -- onto the bike path behind the shopping center and into a swampy area, police reports said.

Diouane, who was listed as homeless in court documents, was arraigned in Northampton District Court Wednesday on charges of larceny over $250, larceny under $250 and resisting arrest.

Once officers apprehended Diouane, they found that he had five active warrants against him out of Northampton and Holyoke district courts. In those cases, Diouane has been accused of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, distributing drugs, and drug possession, among other charges.

A loss prevention officer at the 228 King St. grocery store called Northampton police at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, and reported that of a man who had shoplifted $109 in frozen shrimp earlier in the day was back in the store, court documents said.

The suspect returned to Stop & Shop around 3 p.m, police said. As Diouane tried to leave the store -- once again pushing a shopping cart toward the exit -- an officer attempted to grab the man's left arm, police said. Diouane proceeded to run out of the store, police said.

Officers ended up chasing Diouane north onto the bike path, according to court documents. Police yelled for him to stop, reports said, but he allegedly continued to flee.

After a short pursuit, Diouane reportedly jumped from the bike path and into a wooded area, tumbled down a decline and ran into a swampy area between Stoddard Street and the bike path. Police followed, and an officer tackled the man to the ground and arrested him, police reports said.

Stop & Shop security footage from around 11:30 a.m. the same day shows the suspect select five bags of frozen shrimp from a freezer, and place them into a shopping cart that he pushed out of the store, past registers and into the parking lot, court documents said. He is then seen putting bags of shrimp into a black backpack and walking toward the Norwottuck Rail Trail, according to court reports.

Security video shows that much of the same occurred in the afternoon. But this time a 17-year-old woman aided in the theft and eight bags of shrimp -- valued at around $180 -- were stolen, police said.

An additional theft captured by Stop & Shop security cameras shows a man, who police identified as Diouane, stealing $143 in shrimp on May 20.

Diouane was held on $1,000 bail.

Granby Police Capt. William Tyler, said Evan Jackson from Windsor, was taken to the hospital for serious injuries.

Granby, Conn. Police photo 

This is an update of a story posted originally at 10:03 a.m. Wednesday and updated at 2:21 p.m.

GRANBY, Conn. - Granby police say a 23-year-old landscaper was seriously injured when struck by a car as he walked across Route 189 Wednesday morning, police said.

Granby Police Capt. William Tyler, said the pedestrian, identified as Evan Jackson from Windsor, was taken to the hospital for serious injuries. He did not specify the injuries, but said they are not believed to be life-threatening.

The accident happened at around 9 a.m.

Jackson was performing landscaping work at a house on Route 189, also known as Granville Road, when he was hit as he crossed the street, he said.

The driver of the car was identified as Michelle Allen, 19, of Granby.

The accident remains under investigation and no charges have been filed, Tyler said.

The North Central Municipal Accident Reconstruction Team assisted Granby Police with processing the scene.

The Springfield City Hall Memorial Day observance scheduled Friday, May 27, includes a wreath laying and the reading of a 2012 proclamation from President Barack Obama that commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.

SPRINGFIELD - The city's annual Memorial Day observance on Friday, May 27, on the steps of City Hall will include a wreath laying at the Veterans' Monuments and a reading of a 2012 proclamation from President Barack Obama that commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.

The public is invited to the ceremony that begins at noon with a short speaking program and will be followed by a wreath laying ceremony at Court Square.

"Though for many, Memorial Day is celebrated for picnics and retail sales, we should always remember and never forget the ultimate sacrifice our Veterans put forth so we can lead the lives we lead," Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said, in the prepared release. "Also, though Vietnam Veterans did not receive the proper respect when they returned home, I'm so appreciative now that they are so respected for their brave service to our country. They have led the way to make sure all our Vets continue to be properly honored."

Obama had issued the proclamation on May 25, 2012, that called for a 13-year show of respect, from May 28, 2012, through November 11, 2025. Obama had stated in the proclamation that the 13-year period was intended "to honor and give thanks to a generation of proud Americans who saw our country through one of the most challenging missions we have ever faced" related to the 50th anniversary of the war's start and end.

The full proclamation can be seen here:

Real estate agents are getting multiple offers on homes, which was unheard of during the recession. An agent recently sold a Wilbraham condominium within hours of listing it.

Single family home sales in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties rose 15 percent last month compared to the same month a year ago, according to data released this week by The Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley.

Sales rose from 341 homes sold in April 2015 to 392 in April 2016. The median price paid for those homes rose 4 percent, from $187,000 to $194,450.

The numbers show a strong housing market despite being a bit down from March 2016, when single-family sales were  up 38.2 percent across the Pioneer Valley, from 280 homes sold in March 2015 to 387 sold in March 2016.

March's spike was due to the mild winter weather that had buyers out looking at homes in January and February, said Lou Mayo, the president of the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley and a real estate agent at Real Living Realty Professionals in Wilbraham.

"These are more realistic numbers," Mayo said in an interview. "But they are still very strong."

Real estate agents are getting multiple offers on homes, which was unheard of during the recession. An agent in Mayo's office recently sold a Wilbraham condominium within hours of listing it.

"Multiple offers are happening in all the markets we cover," Mayo said.

A lack of salable homes on the market is the one thing holding back buyers, Mayo said. But new housing starts are up, meaning brand-new housing stock will soon go on the market.

"That's great for our economy," he said.

County-by-county numbers:

Overall statistics:

Nationally, total existing home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 1.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.45 million in April from an upwardly revised 5.36 million in March, according too the National Association of Realtors.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said in a news release that April's sales increase signals slowly building momentum for the housing market this spring:

"Primarily driven by a convincing jump in the Midwest, where home prices are most affordable, sales activity overall was at a healthy pace last month as very low mortgage rates and modest seasonal inventory gains encouraged more households to search for and close on a home," he said. "Except for in the West -- where supply shortages and stark price growth are hampering buyers the most -- sales are meaningfully higher than a year ago in much of the country."

The dinner will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at West Springfield High School and will be followed by a 7 p.m. performance of "DIRT: A one-man show of substance abuse and choices" by John Morello, an actor, author, comedian and public speaker.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The West Springfield CARE Coalition and the Lions Club are hosting a free spaghetti supper to raise awareness about the opioid epidemic on Thursday evening, May 26, at West Springfield High School, 425 Piper Road.

The 6 p.m. dinner, prepared compliments of the Lions Club, will be followed by a presentation of "DIRT: A one-man show of substance abuse and choices" by John Morello, a Worcester-based actor, author, comedian and public speaker.

The event also includes raffle prizes, a book-signing by Morello, and an opportunity to record a message for a future Channel 15 public service announcement about "good decision-making," according to the CARE Coalition.

The Boys and Girls Club of West Springfield will provide free childcare at the event for kids ages 5 to 13.

Event organizers are encouraging parents and guardians to attend Thursday evening's performance to spark conversations with their kids about the importance of making healthy choices in life.

More information about the nonprofit CARE Coalition is available on Facebook, Twitter, and the group's website.

Mark your calendar! Join us 5/26 for a great dinner, great show, in support of a great cause! @CBerry413 @WSPS_WSHS pic.twitter.com/mxPFGKx1UI

— 01089cares (@01089cares) May 11, 2016

The application was withdrawn after residents turned out for a hearing on the proposal, opposing it. More opponents were expected at a public hearing on May 31, which has not been cancelled.

LUDLOW - Happy Valley Ventures of Newton has withdrawn its application with the state Department of Public Health to locate a marijuana cultivation and production facility at 84 Westover Road here, a spokesman in the selectmen's office said.

As a result, a public hearing which had been scheduled for May 31 at 6 p.m. at Ludlow High School to hear residents' opinions on the proposal has been cancelled.

About 200 residents packed a selectmen's meeting on May 17 to express their opposition to the proposal.

Because of the large numbers, selectmen postponed the meeting until May 31 because a larger venue was needed so residents could hear the proposal and to abide by fire code regulations.

Selectman William Rooney said he was pleased to hear that Happy Valley has withdrawn its application for the Ludlow location.

"They seemed to have listened to the will of the people," Rooney said, adding that many residents in town were strongly opposed to the project.

Rooney said that after the Board of Selectmen on April 19 agreed to send a letter of non-opposition to the project on a 3 to 2 vote, he felt that more "due diligence" was needed in terms of the impact on public safety, for example.

Rooney said the town has worked strongly to combat some deaths from its young people as a result of opioid use.

Two non-profits in town, the Ludlow Cares Coalition and the Michael J. Dias Foundation, have been out front in educating the town's young people on the dangers of drug use, Rooney said.

The location of a marijuana cultivation facility in town "seemed to fly in the face of this message," Rooney said.

School Committee member Michael Kelliher who was opposed to the proposed marijuana facility, said he is "very proud of how the community came together on this issue."

"By voicing our concerns, we prevented the Board of Selectmen from making a grave error," Kelliher said.

In April the Chicopee City Council voted 9 to 0 to grant a special permit for Mass Alternative Care Inc. to open a dispensary and cultivation facility at 1247 East Main Street.

In addition to receiving real estate taxes on the property, Chicopee also will receive a host payment that will be a minimum of $50,000 a year and will increase depending on the earnings of the company.

In Springfield, Hampden Care Facility Inc. of Chicopee is seeking to open and operate a medical marijuana dispensary at 506 Cottage Street in East Springfield.

The proposed site for the marijuana dispensary would be one section of a building that also houses Fontaine Bros. Inc. and is within an industrial A zone. The facility needs a special permit from the City Council.

Residents, family and staff at Leavitt Family Jewish Home in Longmeadow celebrated the 100th birthdays of Cyril Goldenberg, Annette Chernick and Amelia Mazzoli.

LONGMEADOW — Sitting in front of her birthday cake, Cyril Goldenberg smiled and waved as staff at the Leavitt Family Jewish Home took photos.

"I'm overwhelmed," she said in an interview after the photo-op.

In order to get to Wednesday's birthday party, Goldenberg had to first live through everything from two world wars and the Great Depression to the advent of the Internet and the rise of Justin Bieber.

Wednesday afternoon's party at the JGS Lifecare facility celebrated the 100th birthdays of Goldenberg and fellow residents Annette Chernick and Amelia Mazzoli.

Staff members brought residents to their seats at tables adorned with multi-colored balloons in the nursing home's auditorium, as Center Stage, an East Longmeadow/Westfield-based musical duo, encouraged residents and family to clap and sing along with "Under the Boardwalk," "Not Unusual" and other tunes.

Goldenberg, who will turn 100 on June 1, was born in Philadelphia, and married her husband Cyril, "Cy," after meeting him through a mutual friend who introduced them because they shared the same first name, according to a bio from JGS Lifecare. They hit it off, indeed, and were married for 52 years until he died. Goldenberg, who has four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, moved to Leavitt Family Jewish Home in 2010, and says the secret to longevity is living a good life.

Chernick was born May 12, 1916 in Hartford, Connecticut. After running a hair salon in downtown Hartford for years, she married her husband, Sidney "Chet" Chernick in 1948. The two moved to Springfield and had two children. Chernick now has four grandchildren, and chocks much of her long lifespan to a loving family and good genes.

Born in Springfield's Indian Orchard neighborhood May 20, 1916, Mazzoli moved to East Longmeadow when she was 8 years old. She was married to her husband, Gilbert, for 65 years until he died at age 94. Mazzoli has two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren in addition to an 18-year-old cat, who she says "will live to be 100, like me."

As Center Stage continued playing classic hits, seniors smiled and clapped in their seats. Staff members put a birthday tiara on Goldenberg's head as she watched the performance.

With cake on the way, Goldenberg had one word to describe her 100th birthday.

"Delicious."

U.S. Army veteran Gumersindo Gomez will be the main speaker on Monday, May 30, 2016 at Holyoke's Memorial Day ceremony, which will wind up at Veterans Park after a brief parade that will begin at 9 a.m. at the War Memorial, 310 Appleton St. Watch video

HOLYOKE -- The Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War will be the theme of the city's Memorial Day ceremony Monday beginning at 8:30 a.m. with a gathering at the War Memorial, 310 Appleton St.

"Memorial Day is the day of the year where we remember and commiserate all our fallen soldiers in America from the various wars," James Mahoney, Holyoke Veterans Services Department director, said in a video (see above).

At 9 a.m. a parade will march from the War Memorial toward Veterans Park at Maple and Dwight streets, stopping along the way to place wreaths at Korean War and Polish American Veterans monuments, said a press release from United Veterans of Holyoke.

At Veterans Park, wreaths will be placed at the monuments to those who died in World War II and the Vietnam War.

The main speaker will be Gumersindo Gomez, a retired U.S. Army 1st sergeant, president of the Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans of America State Council and director of the Bilingual Veterans Outreach Center.

On May 25, 2012, President Barack Obama issued a proclamation that called for a 13-year show of respect, "May 28, 2012, through November 11, 2025, as the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War."

Holyoke has had three recipients of the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor:

If it rains, the Holyoke Memorial Day ceremony will be held in the War Memorial.

The moratorium would delay the plan while a working group looks at best practices for preserving endangered timber rattlesnakes.

BOSTON -- Slow down on the snakes!

The Massachusetts Senate passed a budget amendment Wednesday evening instituting a one-year moratorium on the so-called "Rattlesnake Island" plan.

"We believe there's a lot of questions left about this plan and a lot left to determine about its merits," said state Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, who filed the amendment to the Senate's fiscal 2017 budget.

The amendment passed on a voice vote.

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife crafted a plan to save endangered timber rattlesnakes by breeding them in a zoo, then releasing around 10 snakes a year into Mount Zion, a Quabbin Reservoir island that is closed to the public.

The plan raised significant public concerns because Mount Zion is connected to the mainland by a causeway, and some worried that the venomous snakes could swim or slither off the island and bite hikers and fishermen.

Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matt Beaton, at a recent legislative hearing, apologized for not soliciting input from the public and interested groups before releasing the plan, which was crafted under former Gov. Deval Patrick's administration but will be implemented by Baker.

The amendment, which must still be approved by House-Senate negotiators and signed by Baker, would ensure that for one year no timber rattlesnakes will be introduced into a location where they were not documented as of May 1. Meanwhile, the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife would establish a working group to recommend best practices to protect existing timber rattlesnake populations.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, opposed the amendment. While Tarr said he was sympathetic to the public safety concerns, he said Massachusetts "has a tremendous history of leadership on managing wildlife."

"There are those who make it their life's work to understand wildlife and management of wildlife," Tarr said. "We should resist the temptation in any particular instance to venture upon that which is their providence, because it is their knowledge and understanding that guides us regularly and has given us a great record of success."

State Sen. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer, chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, said she did not sign onto the amendment because she trusts assurances from Beaton that the administration will implement a rattlesnake working group without an amendment. But she voiced concerns about the project.

Gobi said timber rattlesnakes already have five colonies in Massachusetts. "Why not protect them in the five places they already are instead of putting them someplace they've never been?" Gobi asked.

Gobi said the only reason for this plan is because the state got a federal grant. "What's the end game? Who knows?" Gobi asked. "Put them on an island, let's say they stay there, then what?"

Gobi noted that the state has other endangered species, including copperhead snakes. "Perhaps, we'll find an island closer to here to put the copperheads on," Gobi said.

State Sen. Vinny deMacedo, R-Plymouth, said lawmakers should avoid the "slippery slope" of choosing which endangered species to protect and which not to protect. "Some people don't like a lot of creepy crawly things, but we protect them because they have significance in the ecosystem," deMacedo said. "That's why we're doing this."

Police recovered a firearm and several shell casings after shots were reportedly fired in Springfield's McKnight neighborhood.

SPRINGFIELD — Police recovered a gun and several shell casings on Wednesday afternoon after a number of shots were fired in Springfield's McKnight neighborhood.

Police responded to a Shotspotter activation indicating multiple rounds fired at the corner of Bay St. and Girard Ave at approximately 4:03 p.m.

At the scene, police could be seen marking and collecting at least four shell casings. Police cruisers blocked off sections of Bay St. while officers worked to survey the scene.

At approximately 4:45 p.m. police recovered a firearm near the corner of Berkeley St. and Clifford St., several blocks from where the shell casings were discovered. The weapon appeared to have been discarded in a patch of bushes.

Three suspects were alleged to have been involved in the incident but police would not comment on whether they had anyone in custody.

No apparent victims or property damage were reported in the incident.

The investigation is ongoing.

A preliminary review of court decisions involving Jorge Zambrano, the 35-year-old man suspected of killing Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino, Jr., shows no violation of court rules, laws or procedures, Trial Court Chief Justice Paula Carey said in a statement .

A preliminary review of court decisions involving Jorge Zambrano, the 35-year-old man suspected of killing Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino, Jr., shows no violation of court rules, laws or procedures, Trial Court Chief Justice Paula Carey said.

"The judges who decided Jorge Zambrano's cases are highly competent judges with a combined nearly 50 years of judicial experience," she said in a statement Wednesday evening.

"In response to these tragic circumstances, a preliminary review of their court decisions indicates that no law, court rule or court procedure was violated," Carey continued.

Zambrano was killed after allegedly shooting at police on Sunday in Oxford. He is suspected of murdering Tarentino early Sunday, during a traffic stop.

A "full and thorough" look at all of Zambrano's interactions with the court system is underway, she added. That includes the probation service.

"The materials being collected and reviewed include all court and probation files, records, and hearing tapes dating back to Jorge Zambrano's first involvement with the court system," the statement said. "There are many years of material to be reviewed, and the review is a major priority for the Trial Court."

The Trial Court is aiming to complete the report by mid-June, Carey's statement said.

Audio reveals Judge Andrew Mandell's warning to Jorge Zambrano

Residents of the most densely populated portions of Massachusetts are cautioned regarding the air quality Thursday.

SPRINGFIELD -- Residents of the most densely populated portions of Massachusetts are cautioned regarding the air quality Thursday. 

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued an air quality action alert. The alert will be in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday. 

The air quality may approach or exceed unhealthy standards in the following counties: Bristol, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth and Worcester. 

The temperature will be hot Thursday following an evening with the low in the 60s across the state. The high will be around 88 degrees Thursday in Springfield, 85 in Worcester and 81 in Boston. 

The husband of a woman gunned down at a historic black church in Charleston with eight other people said Wednesday he won't be at peace until the man charged in the slayings is put to death.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The husband of a woman gunned down at a historic black church in Charleston with eight other people said Wednesday he won't be at peace until the man charged in the slayings is put to death.

Arthur Hurd, whose wife, Cynthia, was among those killed June 17 during Bible study, is one of several family members of victims who want to see Dylann Roof die if he is convicted.

"What would give me full closure would be if I were the one who pushed the plunger on the lethal injection, or if I were the one to pull the switch on the electric chair or if I was the one to open the valve on the gas chamber," he told The Associated Press. When "Roof's body is cold, sleeping in the ground -- that's closure."

Federal prosecutors announced Tuesday they were seeking the death penalty against Roof, who is facing hate crimes and other charges. He is also facing a death penalty trial in state court, which is scheduled for next year. No date has been set for the federal trial.

The killings reignited discussions about race relations and led to the removal of a Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina Statehouse. Roof, who is white, had previously posed for photos with a rebel flag.

Roof's federal attorneys have said their client would be willing to plead guilty if the maximum punishment weren't on the table.

Due in part to problems in obtaining lethal injection drugs, no one has been executed in South Carolina since 2011. The federal government hasn't put anyone to death since 2003.

In Columbia, the slain pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, was honored with the unveiling of a new portrait in his beloved Senate chamber.

Pinckney's widow, Jennifer, and his two young daughters were among dozens of family members, fellow senators and friends who filled the Senate chambers. The two girls pulled a purple drape from the picture and stood smiling.

Pinckney is shown standing in his revered church, nicknamed "Mother Emanuel" because of its role sheltering and inspiring slaves, even after white slave owners ordered all black churches closed before the Civil War. His hand sits on a pew, with light coming through one of the church's stained glass windows.

Jennifer Pinckney remembered her husband as "a man that would pray for you and with you."

Authorities said Roof attended most of the hour-long Bible study before he started shooting.

"When we look at the portrait of Sen. Pinckney we need to be reminded of both how he lived and why he was killed in a massacre," Sen. Gerald Malloy said. "He was killed because of ignorance and intolerance."

Jennifer Pinkney said her husband might have been too humble to think he deserved to have his image among alongside Vice President John C. Calhoun and U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond.

"You're well-deserving to be with these great men. Because you were great," she said.

Clementa Pinckney is only the second African-American honored among the roughly 30 portraits in the state Senate.

A compromise announced Wednesday by Gov. Charlie Baker and House and Senate leaders may avert the need for a ballot question to regulate commercial insurance payments to hospitals.

BOSTON -- A compromise announced Wednesday by Gov. Charlie Baker and Massachusetts House and Senate leaders may avert the need for a ballot question to regulate commercial insurance payments to hospitals.

"I am pleased that we were able to reach these solutions together and I look forward to the Legislature taking up this matter," Baker said in a statement.

A union representing health care workers, 1199SEIU, had been lobbying on behalf of a bill and a ballot question that would limit the disparities in the amount commercial insurers can pay different hospitals for the same procedure.

A spokesman for 1199SEIU said if the compromise makes it through the legislative process, the union will pull the ballot question.

The proposal set for the ballot would have created a floor and a ceiling for commercial payment rates, so private insurers could not pay hospitals more than a certain percentage above or below the average amount paid to similar hospitals. The effect would have been to cause Partners Healthcare, the state's largest hospital system, to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance reimbursements. Smaller community hospitals, many of which are now struggling financially, would have gotten more money.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, said in a statement, "It is my hope that this plan will avert a costly and divisive ballot initiative and lend assistance to our community hospitals, which serve our most underserved residents."

Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, said the compromise "establishes a path to a long-term solution on the issue of price variation that will protect consumers, provide stability in the health care marketplace and help put all of our hospitals on solid financial footing."

The compromise would create a new fund with $45 million over five years. The money would come from the budget of the Center for Health Information and Analysis, an independent state agency that does health care policy research, which is paid for by an existing fee on insurers and hospitals. The money would be distributed in a way that hospitals that charge lower prices to insurers would get more money.

In order to be eligible for this money, hospitals would have to be charging less than 120 percent of the statewide median price. The amount of money eligible hospitals get would depend on how many patients they see and the total amount of money they get from their patients.

The state had previously proposed a new $250 million fee on hospitals, which would be redistributed to hospitals in the form of MassHealth reimbursements. The money is part of a redesign of MassHealth to support hospitals that move toward accountable care organizations, which offer more cost-effective ways to provide health care.

As part of the compromise to avert the ballot question, there would be another $15 million raised from the hospitals and added to this pot of money.

The compromise would also establish a Special Commission to Review Variation in Prices among Providers, which would bring together interested groups to develop a long-term solution to the disparity in health care pricing.

State Sen. Jim Welch, D-West Springfield, as co-chair of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, would be one of the co-chairs of the commission.

Welch said the commission would have deadlines to develop recommendations for legislation to address price variation. "(The compromise) is basically saying we're working on it, we're laying the foundation, the first step," Welch said. "The second step would be to bring all the stakeholders together in the price variation commission ... to come up with a potential resolution to deal with the price variation issue by early next year."

Tyrek Lee Sr., executive vice president  of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, praised the deal. "This agreement is the first substantive step toward leveling the Massachusetts healthcare playing field, providing $120 million in new financial relief to hospitals across the Commonwealth," Lee said in a statement. "The Commission established by this agreement will tackle the issue of inequity in healthcare reimbursement with a firm timeline for comprehensive policy solutions to be developed by a broad range of stakeholders - something that advocates for a quality, affordable and fair healthcare system have been pushing for repeatedly during the past decade."

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and Partners HealthCare, which had been at odds over the ballot question, also said in a joint statement that they have formed a "strategic alliance that formalizes a commitment to working together in pursuit of our common goals, including promoting consumer access to quality healthcare services."

"As part of our strategic alliance, we will continue to work together to facilitate the delivery of high quality health care, support fair pay, and good jobs," the statement said, noting a commitment to allowing healthcare workers to form unions by secret ballot.

The Republican/MassLive.com has left a message with the Massachusetts Hospital Association, which represents Partners HealthCare, seeking comment.

A Vermont woman was arrested Wednesday on charges of trafficking heroin and crack-cocaine.

UNDERHILL, VT — A Vermont woman was arrested Wednesday morning for allegedly trafficking heroin and crack-cocaine by concealing it in her vagina, according to State Police.

Jennifer Francis, 28, was stopped for speeding and driving with an expired license, according to police.

During the traffic stop, police developed information that led them to believe drugs were present in the vehicle. A State Police K9 was subsequently used to investigate the car, and the dog reacted strongly to Francis.

As a result of the K9 investigation, a search warrant for a body cavity search of Francis was sought and issued by the Addison County Superior Court. The search took place at Porter Hospital.

It was discovered that Francis was hiding approximately 52 grams of crack cocaine and 12 grams of heroin in her vagina, according to police.

Francis is now charged with possession of crack cocaine and heroin, as well as heroin trafficking, and transportation of heroin into Vermont

Her bail stands at $10,000.

A Taunton police officer who rescued a family from their burning house was out searching for armed robbery suspect.

A digest of news stories from around New England.

Town Meeting approved the measure 110-30.

AMHERST - Amherst has become the latest community to ban the use of single-use plastic bags after Town Meeting agreed to the petition request in a 110 to 30 vote.

The ban will take effect Jan. 1, 2017.

In 2012, Town Meeting voted to ban the use of polystyrene containers.

Kevin Hollerbach, a member of the town's Recycling & Refuse Management Committee, brought the article to the meeting.

It was endorsed by Atkins Farms, Farms, the Amherst League of Women Voters, the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, the town Recycling & Refuse Management Committee, the Conservation Commission, Board of Health, Unitarian Green Sanctuary Committee, The Sierra Club, and Sustainability Coordinator Stephanie Ciccarello.

Northampton approved a ban on single-use plastic bags last year.

That ban took effect Jan. 1. 

More than two dozen other Massachusetts communities have also or are in the process of considering a similar ban.

The Amherst bylaw will ban thin-film plastic bags in retail, retail food, and service retail establishments including the Big Y, half of which is in Amherst and half in Hadley, said Building Commissioner Rob Morra.

Giancarlo Zambrano, the brother of Jorge Zambrano, appeared in court on Thursday after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. The warrant was issued after Giancarlo Zambrano didn’t show up on a summons related to a case from 2014, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley’s office.

BOSTON - Giancarlo Zambrano, the brother of Jorge Zambrano, appeared in court on Thursday after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest.

The warrant was issued after Giancarlo Zambrano didn't show up on a summons related to a case from 2014, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley's office.

That year, Zambrano was charged with larceny, taking $7,000 from a Jamaica Plain woman.

Giancarlo Zambrano, 35, was allegedly contracted to perform a $14,000 vinyl siding job and he was given an initial payment of $7,000. But he didn't end up doing the work, leading to the larceny by scheme charge.

In 2015, he was put on pre-trial probation with the condition that he pay the money back in full, with half of the total due by April 28, 2016.

"When he failed to meet that condition, prosecutors put the case back on track for trial and Zambrano was ordered to appear today," said Jake Wark, a Conley spokesman, in an email.

After he appeared in court on Thursday, the warrant for his arrest was withdrawn.

He had with him a check for $4,000, which brought him into compliance with the court order, according to Wark.

"Judge Debra Shopteese reiterated that he is to pay the remaining $3000 before Oct. 28 or the case will remain on track for trial," Wark said.

Zambrano's 35-year-old brother, Jorge Zambrano, was killed after allegedly shooting at police on Sunday in Oxford. Jorge Zambrano is suspected of murdering Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino, Jr.

Court records: Jorge Zambrano may have been selling crack cocaine at Oxford home where he was killed

Doerpholz recently filed an action against the SHELD board with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination

SOUTH HADLEY - The town's municipal light department may owe Wayne Doerpholz nearly $800,000, the utility's suspended and outgoing manager claims.

But Anne Awad, chairwoman of the South Hadley Electric Light Department Board of Commissioners, declined to discuss the amount the board believes Doerpholz might be owed, saying that is still under review.

"We plan to pay him what we are legally obligated to pay him," she said.

Doerpholz, who began working for SHELD as a teenager in the 1970s and worked his way up to become the head of the utility, has a contract with the South Hadley Electric Light Department that ends on May 31. In February, the board voted not to renew his contract after putting him on paid administrative leave in October in response to a whistleblower lawsuit that named him among the defendants.

Earlier this year, Doerpholz said SHELD owed him $440,000 in accrued sick and vacation time; he now puts that figure at $586,000.

The agency also said that Doerpholz recently informed them that if he is not allowed to return to work, he would be entitled to an additional year's pay with benefits. His current salary is $143,228 per year.

That would increase the liability -- from accrued sick and vacation time, and the claimed salary that could be owed from June 2016 to May 207 -- to nearly $800,000, according to an estimate provided by Awad.

In an interview, Awad said the board does not agree Doerpholz is owed all that money, and that, to date, an agreement with the manager has not been reached to settle the matter.

Contacted on Thursday, Doerpholz said his attorneys have advised him not to comment.

Doerpholz is one of multiple defendants -- including SHELD engineer Andy Orr and the utility's board of commissioners -- named in a whistleblower lawsuit filed by SHELD employee Robert Blasko, who alleges that Orr bullied and harassed him and that Doerpholz condoned the behavior.

He is seeking $750,000 in damages, according to the complaint filed in federal district court in Springfield.

Orr, who was suspended with Doerpholz, had returned to work in January, but earlier this month was again suspended with pay and ordered to stay off the premises.

Awad said that Orr is facing disciplinary action that could include termination, based on the recommendation of legal counsel.

Awad did not elaborate on what Orr allegedly did, other than to say "there were several incidents."

Orr could not be reached for comment.

Awad also confirmed that Doerpholz recently filed an action against the SHELD board with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

The MCAD complaint alleges the board discriminated against him on account of age, and disability -- and that, by not renewing his contract back in February, SHELD allegedly retaliated against Doerpholz as well.

Awad said the MCAD complaint had "no merit." She said the board plans to respond to the Doerpholz complaint "soon."

A state inspector general's investigation into the workings at SHELD is continuing, although the IG's office will not say why they are investigating the town's municipal light department.

In recent days, lawyers from the IG's office have interviewed several former and current SHELD employees, including Doerpholz.

The IG Office's mission is to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse in the expenditure of public funds.

Todd McGee is the Ward 7 representative on the Holyoke City Council and Nyles Courchesne is the Ward 7 School Committee member.

HOLYOKE -- The elected representatives for Ward 7 will discuss the proposal that the city adopt the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act and other issues at a neighborhood meeting Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at E.N. White School, 1 Jefferson St.

School updates also will be among topics at the meeting with Todd A. McGee of the City Council and Nyles L. Courchesne of the School Committee, McGee said in an email.

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is a law that permits cities and towns that adopt it to establish a fund with money generated from a surcharge of 1 percent to 3 percent placed on property owners' tax bills. Establishing the fund qualifies a city or town to get matching money from the state, with the fund to be used for projects in only three areas: open space, historic restoration and affordable housing.

The City Council is currently considering several CPA orders in its Development and Government Relations Committee.

CPA supporters are trying to persuade the City Council to agree to place a question on the Nov. 8 election ballot asking voters whether they want the city to adopt the CPA.

Among ongoing school issues is that since July 6, the public schools here have been under state receivership because of years of chronically poor academic results by students. That means the School Committee has been stripped of authority, though the committee continues to meet and discuss policies.

The City Council is considering a proposal from Councilor at Large Diosdado Lopez that the city suspend payment of the yearly $5,000 stipends to each School Committee member until receivership ends.