Vermont State Police are searching for a Maine woman who was last seen on the 4th of July.

MT. TABOR, VT — Vermont State Police are searching for a woman who was last heard from on Monday.

Police say that Erica G. Lavoie, 28, of Scarborough, Maine, was last heard from on July 4th, and that the person who contacted police about Lavoie claims the last conversation they'd had with her made them concerned for her welfare.

Police say that on Monday Lavoie was reportedly visiting the Rainbow Gathering on Forest Rd in Mt. Tabor – an annual event in the Green Mountain National Forest that usually sees thousands of visitors during the 4th of July weekend.

The person who complained to police also claims they last spoke with Lavoie on the telephone during the late evening on Monday, and that Lavoie had been scheduled to return to Scarborough today, but that they have not been able to contact her, according to police.

Lavoie is a Caucasian woman with black hair, brown eyes, who stands approximately 5'5" tall, and weighs roughly 145 pounds. Police say she also has tattoos on her shoulders, arms, and hands.

Anyone who believes they may have any information on Lavoie's whereabouts can contact the Vermont State Police Rutland Barracks at 802-773-9101.

Thursday is expected to be "oppressively hot and humid" with a chance of heavy rain, hail and lightening during the afternoon.

SPRINGFIELD -- Tomorrow is expected to be "oppressively hot and humid" with a chance of heavy rain, hail and lightening during the afternoon. 

Thursday morning will get off to a foggy start in Western Massachusetts. The National Weather Service reports patchy fog may be visible early Thursday morning - after 5 a.m. - around Springfield. 

The high will be around 92 degrees in Springfield Thursday, 89 in Worcester, 84 in Boston, though it will feel hotter. 

"The humidity will start to increase overnight, keeping temperatures well up into the 60s for lows," Western Mass News Meteorologist Jacob Wycoff said Wednesday. "Temperatures will be just as hot tomorrow with more 90 degree readings. Unlike today, dew points reach into upper 60s and low 70s, making it oppressively hot and humid."

In addition to being muggy, it could also storm. 

The National Weather Service is currently predicting a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. in Springfield, 40 percent chance in Worcester and a slight chance in Boston. 

Some of the storms could produce heavy rain - up to a quarter of an inch is expected - and possibly hail and lightening.  

"At the moment, the main threat appears to be downpours, moderate-sized hail, and lightning," Wycoff said. "Not everyone will see rain tomorrow, but a few of these storms could be strong."

Western Massachusetts forecast

Tonight: A few clouds, warm and muggy. Lows: 64-68.

Thursday: Hazy sun, hot and humid. A few afternoon showers and storms likely.  Highs: 90-94. Winds: W 5-10 mph. (Dew points: 64-70)

Friday: Hazy sun, hot and humid. Afternoon storms.  Highs: 85-92. Winds: W 5-10 mph. (Dew points: 63-68)

 

A single vehicle crash in Georgia, Vermont, has left one person dead, and one seriously injured, according to Vermont State Police.

GEORGIA, VT — A single vehicle car crash near the vicinity of 7444 Ethan Allen Highway in Georgia, Vermont, killed one person and left another seriously injured on Tuesday, according to Vermont State Police.

Police say Leonard Delage, 32, of Georgia, Vermont, was killed in the crash after being ejected from the vehicle.

The driver, Justin Hemond, 28, also of Georgia, was ejected from the vehicle and suffered serious injuries. Hemond was considered to be in "critical condition" when investigators found him at the site of the crash, according to police.

Authorities have so far determined that the car was headed south on Rt 7 near the town of St. Albans when it suddenly left the southbound shoulder of the road, struck a culvert, and proceeded to roll over several times before coming to rest a number of yards off of the roadway.

Police say that investigation so far has suggested that the crash was the product of drunken driving at high speeds.

While Delage was pronounced dead at the scene, Hemond was taken to Northwestern Medical Center, before being transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center because of the severity of his injuries, according to police.

Police say they are still looking into the circumstances that caused the crash, and that anyone with any information regarding the incident should get in touch with the Vermont State Police St. Albans Barracks at 802-524-5993.

The forum is scheduled for Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. in Town Hall.

AMHERST -- Town committees will join next week to talk about how to help address homelessness.

The Housing and Sheltering Committee, along with the Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust and town officials, will host a forum Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. at Town Hall.

In an email, sheltering committee member John Hornik wrote, "Homelessness continues to be a very significant concern in Amherst. Recent news reports, as well as informal conversations, indicate that individuals who are homeless have difficulty finding a safe and appropriate place to be at night now that Craig's Place has closed."

The seasonal shelter is open from Nov. 1 through April 30 every year. Since since it closed this year, homeless people have been sleeping at the West Street Cemetery and on church lawns.

The number of homeless people in town varies, but Tracey Levy at the Amherst Survival Center said there are likely 30 to 40 people who are homeless who might come in for a meal at the center.

Amherst police, with a mental health grant, have been trying to reach out and Craig's Doors has an outreach worker trying to connect people to services, as do programs at the survival center.

"While there is discussion among small groups and among individuals, there is no place to discuss what persons who are homeless need and how best to assure that appropriate resources are available within our community," Hornik wrote.

He wrote that the goals of the forum are to "develop a broadly shared understanding of the scope of homelessness in our community right now and then develop a sound and coordinated strategy on how to address current issues. 

"Part of this discussion includes how Amherst fits into the region and neighboring communities to better understand context and available resources and opportunities."

The forum will be divided into two parts. The first will look at the issues and concerns and current available services and supports. The second will be a discussion about how the community can address the issues and problems raised in the first part of the program.

The sheltering committee hopes that people who are homeless will join with the larger Amherst community for the discussion.

Chris Canning of Lanesborough, a Republican and career educator, will face the Democratic candidate who wins that party's three-candidate primary in September.

LANESBOROUGH — Christine Canning, a Republican and career educator, is making education a cornerstone of her campaign to represent Berkshire County and parts of Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden counties in the Massachusetts Senate.

"I am a strong supporter of education, business and public security," Canning, who goes by Chris, said this week in an email to The Republican / MassLive.com.

The Lanesborough resident is a former Springfield teacher.

Canning is running unopposed in her party and will face the winner of the September Democratic primary. The candidates in that race are Richmond resident Andrea C. Harrington and Pittsfield residents Adam G. Hinds and Rinaldo Del Gallo.

Incumbent Sen. Ben Downing, a Democrat from a well-known Pittsfield family, has announced that he's not seeking another term. Downing was first elected to the Senate in 2006.

The winner of the November general election will end up making over $60,000 a year as a state senator, plus a $10- to $100-a-day travel stipend. Most Western Massachusetts lawmakers are eligible for daily per diem payments of $50 to $90 for each day they drive to the Statehouse, based on how far they live from Boston.

More importantly, though, whoever wins this Senate race will earn the right to serve the roughly 155,000 residents of the 52 Western Massachusetts communities within the sprawling district, the largest in the state.

The district includes all 32 Berkshire County municipalities, two Hampden County towns (Blandford and Chester), nine Hampshire County towns (Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington), and nine Franklin County communities (Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont, Conway, Hawley, Heath, Monroe, Rowe and Shelburne).

"As a person finishing a doctorate in policy and research, I grasp that the politics of policy dictate what is needed, wanted and desired," Canning said. "If elected, I want to work towards vertical integration practices that repurpose agriculture, reinvent our infrastructures and renew our economic growth."

Canning, who hails from a family of teachers, completed her superintendent license training under Alan Ingram, a former superintendent of Springfield public schools. Canning also taught at two Springfield schools: the High School of Commerce and Gerena Elementary School.

Canning graduated from the University of Massachusetts, earned a master's degree in foreign language and linguistics from West Virginia University, and is pursuing her doctorate at UMass. She's currently CEO of New England Global Network LLC, an education consulting firm, and develops curriculum and educational training manuals, books and other materials, often under state or federal contracts, according to The Berkshire Eagle.

"I am running for a multitude of reasons," she told the Pittsfield newspaper. "No. 1, I see a need for the counties I am representing to improve their educational systems. ... I see what taxpayers are paying, and I don't feel they are getting value for their money."

In her statement to The Republican, Canning cited the famous "Where's the Beef?" TV commercial for Wendy's, which featured a crotchety old woman who questioned the quality of other fast-food restaurants' burgers. "I am going to directly mirror the phrase to posit, 'Where are the real jobs?'" Canning said.

Canning, a widow who's raising two high school-age kids, said she wants to woo the federal government to the district she hopes to represent on Beacon Hill.

"Point blank: We need stability in our job markets," she said. "I want their financial resources, and in return, I want our four counties to work with the Fed."

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump this week continued to defend a recent tweet featuring a controversial image that some have accused of being anti-semitic, comparing it to a Disney book.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump this week continued to defend a recent tweet featuring a controversial image that some have accused of being anti-Semitic, comparing it to a Disney book.

Trump, who faced pushback after posting a graphic of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on a backdrop of money with a shape similar to the Star of David, took to Twitter late Wednesday to ask why a "Frozen" book featuring a similar symbol hasn't drawn criticism.

The tweet -- which drew a Disney-themed response from Clinton -- came just days after the billionaire businessman accused the presumptive Democratic nominee of false attacks for "trying to link the Star of David with a basic star, often used by sheriffs who deal with criminals and criminal behavior."

Where is the outrage for this Disney book? Is this the 'Star of David' also?
Dishonest media! #Frozen pic.twitter.com/4LJBpSm8xa

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 7, 2016

Clinton, referencing the Disney movie featured in Trump's tweet, fired back at her GOP rival late Wednesday.

Do you want to build a strawman? https://t.co/AoeNTJOGpo

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 7, 2016

Trump, whose campaign took down the original image and tweeted out a modified version of it, said during a Wednesday campaign rally in Cincinnati that the graphic should have remained, the Washington Post reported.

The image, according to the news outlet, had been posted weeks earlier on a white supremacist website.

Clinton's campaign blasted the original tweet as a "blatantly anti-Semitic image," Politico reported.

It is unclear when the dispensary might open.

AMHERST -- The Zoning Board of Appeals agreed to grant a special permit to a Springfield company to open a medical marijuana dispensary on University Drive.

It is unclear if or when Mass Alternative Care Inc. would open. It could take up to 90 days for the permit to be signed, said ZBA Chairman Mark Parent.

He said planning staff has to write up the permit, then the board needs to sign it. There is a 20-day appeal period to follow.

This is the first special permit granted to a medical marijuana company in town. Three other companies have submitted requests to open in town.

Mass Alternative Care is the first Amherst applicant to receive a provisional certificate of registration from the state Department of Public Health. The company still needs a final certificate of registration from the state, as well as building and occupancy permits from the town before it can open.

No one from Mass Alternative Care could be reached for comment Thursday. Parent said he did not know the timetable for the company.

Mass Alternative Care plans to open its dispensary in the former Hangar restaurant. That restaurant moved across the street into the Amherst Brewing Co. site last year. Harold Tramazzo, owner of the Hangar, bought the brewing company.

In April, Mass Alternative Care received preliminary approval from the Chicopee Planning Board to open a grow-dispensary facility near the Springfield line in that city.

Temporary Amherst Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner said that based on estimates, medical marijuana could generate about $10 million in annual sales in total, no matter how many facilities were located in town. Based on that, the town would earn about $250,000 in revenue.

Currently, New England Treatment Access in Northampton, which opened last fall, is the only treatment facility in Hampshire County.

Despite pledging to take his campaign to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia later this month, presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders is expected to throw his support behind rival Hillary Clinton during a campaign event in New Hampshire next week.

Despite having pledged to take his campaign to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia later this month, presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders is expected to throw his support behind rival Hillary Clinton during a campaign event in New Hampshire next week.

The New York Times reported Thursday that Democrats involved in the planning offered that the endorsement could come Tuesday as Clinton campaigns in the Granite State.

Details regarding the event have yet to be announced.

The decision to hold the possible endorsement in the state would be reminiscent of 2008 when Clinton and then-Sen. Barack Obama traveled to Unity, New Hampshire for their first big joint rally following a hard-fought primary.

According to the Times, sources said the endorsement comes in part from daily talks between Clinton's Campaign Manager Robby Mook and Sanders' Campaign Manager Jeff Weaver about bringing the two together and advancing the Vermont senator's policy priorities.

It is also expected to ensure Sanders has a prominent speaking slot at the upcoming convention, the newspaper reported. It's unclear whether he would speak or if the DNC would include a full roll-call vote on the two for the party's nomination.

News of the potential endorsement came shortly after Sanders fell short of endorsing Clinton during a Thursday interview with Bloomberg View's Al Hunt.

"We have got to do everything that we can to defeat Donald Trump and elect Hillary Clinton," he said during the interview. "I don't honestly know how we would survive four years of a Donald Trump as president."

Sanders, who for weeks has shifted his message away from winning the White House to focus more on advancing his policy platform, told MSNBC in June that he would vote for Clinton over the presumptive Republican presidential nominee in a possible general election matchup.

CRRC MA has already started building its $95 million rail car plant in East Springfield.

CRRC, the Chinese company building a Springfield factory to supply cars to the MBTA, and its business partner faces quality questions in Singapore, according to news reports out of Asia.

Channel NewsAsia reported that 26 of 35 trains delivered to Singapore transportation officials in 2013 were found to have cracks in the bogies, a railroad term for the frame that attaches the wheels to the carriage.

The Singapore Land Transport Authority also told Channel NewsAsia that the cracks "are not safety-critical and do not affect the train's systems or performance." 

FactWire, a Hong Kong-based investigative news outlet, reported that 35 trains were shipped back from Singapore to the factory of CSR, a unit of CRRC, in China. FactWire, which crowd-sourced photos of the trains wrapped in green covers, said problems with the trains were kept secret both in Singapore and in China.

Factwire also reported that CSR-made trains have experienced a series of problems in Singapore including exploding batteries and cracked passenger windows.

The Singapore project was a joint effort with Japanese conglomerate Kawasaki, which was responsible for overseeing and designing the trains and making the train bogies. CSR Sifang, which is part of CRRC, was responsible for the cars, according to Factwire.

The site said CSR also was responsible for assembling the trains and conducting factory tests.

CRRC is moving into the North American market in both Boston and Chicago. According to the Chicago Tribune, CSR Sifang America won a $1.3 billion contract in March to build 846 cars for the Chicago Transit Authority at a factory to be built on the city's Southeast Side.

In Massachusetts, CRRC MA received a $566-million state contract in 2014 to manufacture 284 subway cars for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the Boston area's mass transit system, at a factory to be built in Springfield. Of those 284 cars, 152 are for the Orange Line and 132 for the Red Line. It is expected that it will take five years for CRRC to deliver the cars.

Massachusetts went without federal funds on the project in order to require that the cars be assembled in the state.

CRRC chose the former Westinghouse plant property on Page Boulevard for its factory. Once up and running, the plant will need 150 employees, and CRRC officials have said they plan to make Springfield a hub for their North American expansion.

A CRRC spokeswoman did not immediately respond to questions from The Republican about the problems with the Singapore cars and CRRC's plans in North America.

A State Police Cruiser was struck by a drunken driver in Malden on Thursday morning, according to police.

MALDEN — A State Police cruiser was struck by a drunken driver on Rt 1 in Malden on Thursday, causing minor injury to the officer inside the vehicle, according to the Massachusetts State Police.

Denny D. Miller, 43, of Newburyport, was taken into custody early Thursday morning.

Police say he ignored signs and arrow boards meant to warn drivers about a pothole repair detail occurring on the road, and subsequently rammed into the back of a police cruiser that was on detail at the site.

The Revere officer involved in the crash was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, according to police.

State Police determined that the driver who struck the cruiser was OUI, and subsequently arrested him and brought him to the State Police barracks in Revere.

This is Miller's second OUI offense, according to police.

Additionally, Miller has been charged with failure to move over for emergency vehicle and failure to take care in stopping/starting.

The two raids at 30 Allen St. and 284 Roosevelt Ave. came following a lengthy investigation into drug operations at each address, said a police spokesman.

SPRINGFIELD -- Narcotics detectives arrested five people in two simultaneous drug raids Thursday morning in the Forest Park and East Forest Park neighborhoods that led to the seizure of nearly 1,300 packets of heroin, $1,500 in cash and two unlawful handguns, police said.

The two raids at 30 Allen St. and 284 Roosevelt Ave. came following a lengthy investigation into drug operations at each address, said police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney.

Following the investigation, police obtained district court search warrants for each address, and executed them shortly after 10:30 a.m., Delaney said. The raids were led by Lt. Steven Ken, Lt. Alberto Ayala and Sgt. Larry Murphy of the Narcotics Unit.

"This was an outstanding investigation and arrest by the narcotics detectives getting this large amount of heroin off the streets of Springfield along with two weapons and five drug dealers," Delaney said.

Arrested were Emanuel Montano, 32, and Nataly Dejesus, 30, both of 284 Roosevelt Ave., Edgardo Lopez, 21, and Jennifer Torres, 29, both of 30 Allen St., and Steven G. Labonte, 36, of East Granby, Connecticut.

Montano and Dejesus were each charged with trafficking heroin, possession of class A and class B substances with intent to distribute, improper storage of a firearm, two counts of possession of a firearm without a firearm identification card, three counts of possession of a high-capacity magazine, possession of ammunition without an FID card, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and receiving stolen property over $250.

Lopez and Torres were each charged with distribution of a class A substance, possession of a class A substance with intent to distribute, and violation of a drug-free school zone.
Torres was also charged with conspiracy to violation drug laws.

Labonte was charged with possession of a class A substance.

The two raids resulted in the seizure of 1,292 packets of heroin, 4 grams of pure heroin, seven oxycodone tablets and three bags of cocaine. Police also found two loaded guns, a .38-caliber revolver and a 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

The handgun and two 30-round magazines were reported stolen previously in Windsor, Vermont, Delaney said.

Police also found a loaded 50-round magazine, and nearly 200 rounds of loose ammunition. They also found stamps, scales and packaging materials that are commonly used in the processing of drugs for street sales, Delaney said.

Police Commissioner John Barbieri issued a statement praising the work of narcotics detectives leading to the investigation, seizure of drugs and guns, and arrests.

Nearly a year after being charged with illegal possession of weapons and assaulting a nurse in a Franklin County jail, Alexander Ciccolo, 24, of Adams, was indicted on charges of attempted provision of material support to a foreign terrorist organization and attempted use of weapons of mass destruction.

SPRINGFIELD -- Adams resident Alexander Ciccolo, also known as Ali Al Amriki, pleaded not guilty Thursday in federal court to charges related to allegations that he plotted a domestic terror attack and supported ISIS.

Nearly a year after being charged with illegal possession of weapons and assaulting a nurse in a Franklin County jail, Ciccolo was indicted on June 30 on charges of attempted provision of material support to a foreign terrorist organization and attempted use of weapons of mass destruction.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine Robertson urged lawyers in the case to set an aggressive schedule to exchange discovery as Ciccolo has been held behind bars since his arrest on July 4, 2015.

"Mr. Ciccolo has been incarcerated for a year now," Robertson said more than once during the arraignment.

Wearing a Taqyiah, traditional Muslim headwear, Ciccolo answered not guilty to four charges, but refused to rise to answer the charges, which is customary for criminal defendants.

Ciccolo was arrested after he accepted a duffel bag containing four weapons from a government informant.

Court records show the unnamed informant recorded conversations with Ciccolo, who shared his plans to collect explosives and guns to wage terror attacks in public places on behalf of ISIS. Those were never carried out.

A pretrial conference was set for Nov. 29.

People who bought tickets ahead of the cancelled Boston Grand Prix race will get a partial refund from IndyCar, under an agreement Attorney General Maura Healey’s office reached with the organization on Thursday.

BOSTON - People who bought tickets ahead of the cancelled Boston Grand Prix race will get a refund from IndyCar, under an agreement Attorney General Maura Healey's office reached with the company on Thursday.

But IndyCar LLC is only the national governing body, providing technical and promotional assistance to Boston Grand Prix, LLC (BGP), the local outfit headed by CEO John Casey, meaning the refund is a partial one.

"Nearly 4,000 individuals purchased tickets in advance of the planned Labor Day race, spending an estimated $2,086,798.67," Healey's office said in a release. "BGP refunded customers approximately $400,000 before they stopped giving refunds. INDYCAR, the race's sanctioning body, has agreed to pay $925,000 of the amount due."

The agreement announced Thursday means that more than half of what's owed was recovered.

The same day she announced the agreement, Healey filed a lawsuit against Casey and Boston Grand Prix, LLC. The lawsuit asks for full refunds to all people who bought tickets. Healey's office is seeking to identify customers who haven't received a refund yet.

BGP filed for bankruptcy earlier this week. A WCVB-TV report said most of the BGP's income came from tickets and "39 percent of the money that came in went to Casey, former CEO Mark Perrone and four other companies for salaries and fees."

The news station added: "Casey and his company, Casey Summit LLC, were paid more than $420,000 for salary, consulting fees and expenses. Perrone was paid $130,000 for salary and consulting fees."

Originally set for Labor Day 2016 in Boston, the proposal for bringing a car race to the city's Seaport District imploded in late April, with Casey blaming Mayor Marty Walsh for the collapse. A city official fired back that BGP was "unwilling or unable to meet the necessary requirements to hold an event of this size."

Healey's complaint alleges that BGP and Casey solicited ticket sales "despite knowing that their business venture was insolvent and that they could not cover the costs of mounting pre-event expenses without using ticket purchasers' deposits, well before they had assurances from the City of Boston that the Race could go forward."

BGP and Casey "drew upon these deposits to pay continuing and mounting pre-event costs, leaving only $400,000 for refunds when the event was ultimately cancelled on or around May 5, 2016," Healey's complaint said.

At the time of purchase, ticket buyers were provided written confirmation that if the event was cancelled "for which there is no rescheduled date, the purchase price shall be refunded."

The civil complaint was filed in Suffolk Superior Court.

The 2024 Olympics bid collapsed and IndyCar was cancelled. Is Boston the City of No?

"Boston Grand Prix and its CEO knew full well when they marketed and sold this event that they didn't have the resources or permits to make it happen," Healey said in a statement. "They failed to protect consumers, and we will do all we can to hold them accountable."

The complaint is available below.

Boston Grand Prix Complaint From AGO by Gintautas Dumcius on Scribd

The next concert is July 14 at Fountain Park when Heritage Orchestra, a 20-piece orchestra that plays big band music, will perform.

WILBRAHAM — Tonight's concert at Fountain Park has been canceled due to the threat of thunderstorms.

Scheduled to perform tonight at 6:30 was the band "Good Acoustics," which plays popular rock such as Crosby, Stills & Nash, Fleetwood Mac or Train.

The next concert is scheduled for July 14 when Heritage Orchestra will perform. Heritage Orchestra is a 20-piece group that plays a variety of big band and jazz style music.

Other concerts scheduled for this summer at Fountain Park are the Tom Ingram Band on July 21 at 6:30 p.m. and The Diamond Collection July 28 at 6:30 p.m.

Between one-third and 40 percent of the amendments are for local earmarks. Others address a huge range of policy proposals, including the annual sales tax holiday.

BOSTON -- The Massachusetts House on Thursday is considering 183 amendments to a $915.5 million economic development bill.

"It's a bond bill. When members feel there's that type of authorization out there, $916 million, they have an interest in trying to attach local priorities to it, and I certainly understand that," said state Rep. Joseph Wagner, D-Chicopee, chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. "We'll look at each and every one of them."

Wagner estimated that between one-third and 40 percent of the amendments are for local earmarks -- for example, $300,000 for renovations at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield or $11.4 million for water and sewer infrastructure improvements along Route 5 in Hatfield.

Other amendments address a huge range of policy proposals. State Rep. Ellen Story, D-Amherst, is trying to incorporate a bill that never made it through the legislative process requiring employers to accommodate the needs of pregnant women. State Rep. Denise Provost, D-Somerville, wants to remove barriers to employment for people with disabilities. An amendment from state Rep. Bradley Jones, R-North Reading, would ban the sale, manufacture and possession of powdered alcohol.

An amendment by state Rep. John Scibak, D-South Hadley, which is supported by retailers and opposed by unions, would phase out a blue law requiring stores to pay time and a half to hourly workers who work on Sunday. Retailers say this makes Massachusetts businesses less able to compete with stores across the border in New Hampshire or with internet sales. Workers see it as a pay cut.

"Jobs are already being shed, and the time has come to repeal this antiquated law," the Retailers Association of Massachusetts said in a statement.

An amendment by state Rep. Paul McMurtry, D-Dedham, would create a Massachusetts sales tax holiday on the weekend of Aug. 20 and 21. Top lawmakers have said they would consider skipping the annual sales tax holiday this year due to lower-than-expected tax revenue projections. The suspension of the state's 6.25 percent sales tax costs the state an estimated $25 million a year -- money saved by residents.

"I've always liked the sales tax holiday, but I've always understood that there were trade-offs when we do something like that," Wagner said. "The trade-off is revenue that will not be available to us to support things that we think are important." Wagner pointed to spending on education, public safety, public health and infrastructure.

"We all enjoy doing it, but the question is does it make sound economic sense and policy to do it when we know that it costs money," Wagner said.

One amendment that was adopted early on in the debate, by state Rep. Nick Collins, D-Boston, would establish a tax credit for pre-Broadway live theater productions.

At 5 p.m. on Thursday, debate on the bill, H.4461, was continuing as lawmakers discussed, primarily behind closed doors, which amendments to withdraw and which to vote on.

Non-essential outdoor water use is banned until further notice.

EASTHAMPTON -- The Department of Public Works on Thursday announced restrictions for users of the public water supply, saying an immediate ban on nonessential outdoor water use is required. Limiting water use, especially non-essential outdoor water use, is needed to ensure a sustainable water supply and to protect stream flow for aquatic life, said public works director Joseph Pipczynski.

Until further notice, the following water uses are limited to one day per week, prior to 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m.:

* Irrigation of lawns except by means of handheld hose

* Washing of vehicles, other than by commercial car wash or as necessary for operator safety

* Washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks

The City's water system is regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. MassDEP requires that a water use restriction be implemented when stream-flow in the Connecticut River drops below a certain quantity of flow for a 3-day period, Pipczynski said. The water use restriction can be lifted when flow rises above those levels for 7 consecutive days.

In addition, the city must implement a restriction whenever a Drought Advisory is declared by the Massachusetts Drought Management Task Force.

Any person found violating the water use restriction may be subject to the fines established under Section 12-49 of the City Ordinances, Pipczynski added. He said his office will inform the public when the restriction is lifted.

Ending a years-long campaign filled with rhetoric about civil rights and public safety, the Massachusetts Legislature on Thursday voted to extend anti-discrimination protections to transgender people in public places.

BOSTON -- Ending a years-long campaign filled with rhetoric about civil rights and public safety, the Massachusetts Legislature on Thursday voted to extend anti-discrimination protections to transgender people in public places, sending the bill to Gov. Charlie Baker's desk.

The House vote was 117-36. The Senate passed the bill on a voice vote.

"There are certain times when you serve in the Legislature that you're part of a historical moment, which some people may like, some people may not," said House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop. "I think this is one of those moments, and to be speaker of the House at this particular time, I think is very momentous, is something I'm very appreciative of."

Baker has said he will sign the bill, as long as it contains certain protections, which appear to be included. "Governor Baker believes no one should be discriminated against based on gender identity and looks forward to carefully reviewing the final bill," Baker spokeswoman Lizzy Guyton said Wednesday.

Kasey Suffredini, co-chair of Freedom Massachusetts, the coalition pushing for the bill, said, "It has been nearly a decade since this legislation was first introduced on Beacon Hill, and like many people, the governor has been on a journey towards understanding transgender people and the challenges we experience. ... We are hopeful that the Governor has listened, and that he will sign this bill as soon as possible."

The bill would ensure that transgender people cannot be discriminated against in places of public accommodation, such as restaurants or on public transit. Someone who is transgender would be allowed to use the bathroom or locker room of the gender with which they identify, rather than their biological sex.

The campaign for the bill was spearheaded by Freedom Massachusetts. Over the past couple of years, the group gradually built up support from businesses, unions, educational institutions, religious leaders and some members of law enforcement. The bill had strong support from Attorney General Maura Healey, the first openly gay state attorney general, and Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, Massachusetts's first openly gay senate president. Members of Massachusetts's all-Democratic congressional delegation also came out in support of the bill.

Earlier versions of the bill overwhelmingly passed both the House and the Senate, after passionate debate from both sides of the issue.

Baker, during his campaign, said he opposed changing the law, but his rhetoric softened over time. In June, he said he would sign the bill as long as it directs the attorney general to issue guidance on what legal action can be taken against someone who asserts gender identity for an "improper purpose."

The final version of the bill, released Wednesday, would make the protections effective Oct. 1. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and Healey would be instructed to begin writing regulations immediately, with those guidelines due by Sept. 1.

Under the bill, someone must have a sincerely held gender identity in order to take advantage of the protections, and someone cannot assert their gender identity for an improper purpose.

MCAD would develop guidelines to determine what evidence can be used to show the sincerity of someone's gender identify, and under what conditions evidence should be shown. Healey would be tasked with defining what an improper purpose is and under what circumstances a complaint can be made to law enforcement or to a state agency.

State Rep. John Fernandes, D-Milford, House chairman of the Judiciary Committee and a member of the negotiating committee, said the guidelines are important for businesses that must implement the non-discrimination policies. "Everyone wanted to know the playing field was level, the rules of the game were the same for everyone, and competitors were paying by the same rules," Fernandes said.

Supporters of the bill said it is a civil rights issue and will help transgender people avoid discrimination, such as being denied service in a restaurant because of their gender identity.

"We're preventing discrimination and promoting a civil right," said State Rep. Sheila Harrington, R-Groton, one of the few House Republicans to support the bill.

Opponents cited concerns related to privacy and public safety if, for example, a transgender woman who is biologically male can use a women's bathroom.

Andrew Beckwith, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, which led the opposition, said Wednesday that the bill "continues to compromise the privacy and safety of the commonwealth's women and children."

While protesters and activists filled the Statehouse on the days the House and Senate passed earlier versions of the bill, the final votes taken Thursday were subdued. There was little discussion and few spectators, and the outcome of the votes was never in question.

"This is terrific news," said Arline Isaacson, co-chair of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, a lobbying group for gay rights. "We are deeply grateful to the Senate and House leaders for making this happen. It will make a world of difference to the trans community in Massachusetts."

The Safe and Healthy Massachusetts Campaign, which opposes legalizing marijuana, is formally kicking off its effort on Friday. Gov. Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and state House Speaker Robert DeLeo, who all support the group, plan to attend the kick-off.

BOSTON - The Safe and Healthy Massachusetts Campaign, which opposes legalizing marijuana, is formally kicking off its effort on Friday.

Gov. Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and state House Speaker Robert DeLeo, who all support the group, plan to attend the kick-off, which is set to take place at the William Ostiguy Recovery High School in Boston.

Recovery high schools were "created in response to the high rates of relapse among adolescents who returned from treatment to traditional high school settings and quickly resumed old patterns of behavior," according to Ostiguy's website.

They'll be joined by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins and anti-addiction advocates. The kick-off is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

The group is a bipartisan effort: Baker and Polito are Republicans, while Walsh, DeLeo and Tompkins are Democrats. Top Baker adviser Jim Conroy and Corey Welford, who worked for former Attorney General Martha Coakley, a Democrat, have signed onto the effort.

Proponents of legalization point to the ballot question creating a Cannabis Control Commission, which would develop strict regulations while looking at other states' best practices for handling legalization. Recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado, Washington state, Alaska and Oregon.

Gov. Baker sends fundraising email for campaign against marijuana

The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol is backing the November 2016 ballot question to legalize marijuana for recreational use. This week they submitted more than 25,000 voter signatures to state officials as part of the process to get on the ballot.

Massachusetts voters voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2012, after decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana through a 2008 ballot initiative.

A second, and final vote, is needed to authorize officials to sell bonds for the project.

WESTFIELD - The City Council has given preliminary approval to a $3 million bond necessary to expand the city's sewer system into the Paper Mill School and Joseph Avenue neighborhood.

The council voted 10 - 0 Thursday night to authorize city financial leaders to seek the sale of bonds for the project that could begin as early as later this year.

City Engineer Mark Cressotti told the council's Legislative and Ordinance Committee Thursday that the project has a installation completion of about 1 1/2 construction seasons.

The project is part of an overall city plan for the next six years to expand municipal sewers to areas where they currently do not exist.

"This is the first stage of a six-year plan," Cressotti said.

Also, it is the first project designed to start following City Council approval of new sewer use fees adopted in December, 2015 and designed to improve finances for maintenance and future expansion of the municipal sewer system.

In addition to sewer use fees, residents connecting to the municipal system will be subject to a $550 sewer entrance fee and between an estimated $3,000 to $5,000 to connect to the system. Homeowners must hire their own contractors to make the sewer connection, officials said Thursday night.

The new sewer use fee structure will gradually increase through the year 2021.

The fee will increase from $37.80 annually in 2015 to $90.30 annually in 2021 for senior citizens age 65 and older who apply for the senior rate.

The fee for all other homeowners will increase from $283 annually as of 2015 to $383 by 2021.

Currently there are 1,196 seniors connected to the sewer system and 6,971 regular residential users.

The council is now scheduled to consider the bond for final approval when its meets Aug. 18

The Red Sox are playing the Arizona Diamondbacks that day.

AMHERST -- The Amherst Survival Center is using the Red Sox as the carrot to help raise money for the center and to mark its 40^th anniversary.

For a $40 donation, donors will be entered in a raffle for two pairs of tickets to the Aug. 14 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

People have until July 31 -- the trading deadline -- to get into the drawing for the game, scheduled now for 1:35 p.m.

The drawing is Aug. 1. Information is available on the center's website.

And as of Friday, the Red Sox are in third place, three games back of the Baltimore Orioles.