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Area mental health therapists work to engage young

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Sarah Rigney is an independently licensed clinical social worker. Alice Barber is a licensed mental health counselor. Both women work at Behavioral Health Network's Child Guidance Clinic at 110 Maple St.

SPRINGFIELD - Early intervention can make a life-time of difference for children with behavioral health issues, something area therapists stressed when asked about their work with the young and their families.

Sarah Rigney is an independently licensed clinical social worker. Alice Barber is a licensed mental health counselor, as well as a registered art therapist. Both women work at Behavioral Health Network's Child Guidance Clinic at 110 Maple St., and hold master's degrees in their field.

Rigney is a graduate of the Smith College School of Social Work in Northampton, and Barber, author of "Blue Butterfly Open: Moments from a Child's Psychotherapy Practice," Springfield College.

Rigney works with adolescents.

Barber's focus is mostly young children.

"I tend to work with kids from 2 to 6 or 7, primarily, though I do see some adults, and what that looks like is that a parent would bring their child in to see me and what I want them to know immediately is that the parent and I are forming a team. We are forming a partnership in order to help this child," said Barber when asked what she would like to convey about her work.

"Many parents feel like if I have a three-year-old who needs therapy, there is something wrong with my child or me as the parent. That is absolutely not the case."

She adds, "Part of the therapy is helping the parent understand what their child might be experiencing in the environment. If your child does this, it may mean this."

For the young child, she said, therapy should be a place where what they are experiencing can be recognized and addressed.

"Young children are a very marginalized group. People who are not listened to a lot of the time. We tell them what to do when we take them here and there, but lot of the therapy looks like I am 'just playing' with the child,'" Barber said.

"Typically, children should like coming to therapy. It should be relatively fun for them. It should not feel like a punishment or chore for them. This is a place where they are able to express what they are feeling and be met with validation and positive regard. There is a person there with them who will play and understand what they are playing about and be able to help them make sense of their world."

She adds, "When kids are stressed, the primary goal is to make sense of their world."

alicebarberbook.JPGAlice Barber's "Blue Butterfly Open: Moments from a Child's Psychotherapy Practice" 

"It is really hard when you are four to make sense of a chaotic world, or make sense of stress. When we sit with them and play, or do art or talk, we are helping them make sense of things. When you are feeling like this, this is what you can do. And then we help translate how they are doing back to their parents," Barber said.

"A child therapist enters into this system of parent, guardian and child and acts like an advocate, translator. They play, they do art. We really try to strengthen any system that is around this child."

She adds that mental health intervention in early childhood can really make a difference as it is "one of the periods of greatest brain growth in a child's life."

"What is exciting about early childhood work is that it absolutely works. You can see the impact of making some very subtle changes because the child's brain is very malleable at this time. It goes to the changes like it wants to feel stable, healthy. It behooves us to start treating as early as possible when there has been stress," Barber said.

In her work with teens and young adults, Rigney adds, "Adolescence is the other period outside of early childhood when a person's brain is really growing at an exponential rate."

"The challenge with adolescents is that they start to look like adults," she said.

"Their bodies have gone through puberty. They are looking more fully formed, and they are taking on the trappings of being an adult. They are looking around and seeing all this stuff is being model for me and I am going to act like I see how people are acting. Yet, inside they are still children in a lot of ways. Their rate of growth is happening so quickly, but it can't quite integrate all the pieces simultaneously."

In working with an adolescent, Rigney said she doesn't "set expectations or go in with an agenda."

" I think a lot of times when teenagers are coming to me, part of what they are coming in with is how much people have put on them in terms of agendas and expectations. Especially around being adults before they are ready to be adults," she said.

"My favorite illustration of that is when I was a teacher at an alternative boarding school and I was a dorm parent. These same kids, whom I would see over the course of a day in an English classroom and who had makeup and grown-up clothes, were the same kids who were showing up at my dorm at 10 at night wearing pink fuzzy slippers and feeling kind of sad, or missing home or being in this vulnerable more child-like space. This is an illustration of how all that is packed into one person and is reminder of how complicated this stage of development is."

The following are some other excerpts from an extended interview in which the two women talked about what they do as therapists and how the process is designed to help those with behavioral health issues.

Barber: We recognize here that children can experience stress from the moment they are born onward, and because they can experience this stress, they can also experience some sort of help from that period onward.

A parent may not really know what to do if a child is stressed, anxious about something or dealing with a change, trauma. Parenting is hard enough when those things aren't there.

I learn as much from the parent as the parent learns from me. Most of the time more, actually, because the parent - mom, dad, guardian, foster parent, whoever it is - they are with this child, they know the patterns of how this child behaves, what this child likes, doesn't like, they are the ones with the information and I am like a partner or guide or consultant to them in helping their child feel better in the world.

A lot of the work is helping parents feel better as parents and trusting their instincts to be able to help this child. It is not something that is taught to people in school - how to be a parent. It is not something like you have a child and there is a book that can teach you what to do.

Many, probably the majority of the kids I see, are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. This means their nervous system has gotten so activated, so fired up because there has been stuff going on in their life that is hard. They don't know what to do with themselves.

Little children, when they are feeling they don't know what to do with themselves, may do things like hit, yell, kick, scream, push, not be compliant if asked to go do something. Some of these are really normal behaviors in a certain amount. If they spill over what the normal amount is, that is when it becomes much harder for parents to know what to do.

This is where the parent partnership comes in. We try to figure out what the function of the behavior is. We know there is anxiety. What are they trying to manage by kicking? What are they trying to get from the environment by hitting? This is where we listen to what the child is saying because the child saying is with their words and with their behavior. Do they want attention from us, do they want something from us, do they want to avoid something? What do they want from us? We try to give it to them in a way that is healthier and not so destructive to the child.

For some kids, it might be that the child may be doing something because they need a certain level of attention from the parent. If a parent is in a stressful situation, it is harder for them to give that. So, I may say, three times a week this week, I want you to play for 20 minutes with your child. Put your phone down. This sounds very basic but in a context of a family that is in stress, it is not. It can be very challenging and just being a busy parent, this could be a challenging thing to implement.

I may say I want you to play for 20 minutes - and you can set a timer - doing whatever your child wants to give him or her that attention, so they don't have to ask for it in other ways.

Every child is so different. I may choose interventions with the parent from the same family of interventions but they are always different, depending on what this child likes, what is being communicated by the behaviors, but it is always in conversation with parents.

Rigney: In my first session with an adolescent, I ask a handful of questions and one of them is like, Have you ever done this before? Do you even know what this is? What do you think it is?

I get a variety of responses. If it is someone without an experience, or has had a really negative therapy experience, part of what I say is that my job is just to kind of hear what is happening for you. Hear the story of what you are experiencing right now. And see if there is any way for me to support you through this period. I am not here to tell you what to do. I am not here to be another adult in your life saying you are doing this wrong. You need to do it better, or whatever. I am really here to just walk with you through this process.

That is often how I frame it with them. I am also clear that I am going to be really honest with you, and direct. I am also going to hold everything that you have to tell me, with the exception of the bounds of confidentiality. Everything you say in here, stays in here. It is not going anywhere else.

Most of the people I have met with relate positively to that being said because a lot of teens come in with a level of distrust around adults. What their parents are going to find out or what is going to be told to their parents. They think, if I say what I am really thinking or feeling, you are going to tell them. It is really important for them to understand that that is not going to happen with the exceptions of what I am mandated to report which is that they are going to hurt themselves, by that I mean kill themselves, or seriously injure another person or if someone is hurting them.

My goal is to really hear the story that they are experiencing, the story of their life and sometimes work within that. Sometimes pull up the strength and sometimes to really challenge that story if part of what they are presenting, part of what I am observing, shows me that there are strengths that they have not yet realized and to reflect that back to them. This is so that they become empowered and they begin to learn the language of negotiating the world and feeling successful at negotiating it because the next step is adulthood and that is both the parental expectation, whether it is spoken or not, and it is the world's expectation.

It is really making sure that they have the internal tools to know themselves, understand themselves, believe in themselves, and the more concrete tools like, go out into the world and be successful.

There is nothing off limits in terms of what people come in with. You see everything from your really typical adjustment issues that teens go through, problems with friends, different schools, grades slipping, parents bringing the kids in because the kid is suddenly isolating themself in their room a lot more, and the parent saying, I used to be able to talk to my kid a lot more and then they went to high school and I don't know what happened. They are not talking to me anymore and that makes me really nervous and worried.

So some of it is anxiety being generated by the parent, and some of it is that the kid is legitimately struggling and having mood swings and feeling anxious about stuff, like dealing with environmental issues, bullying at school, divorce or separation of the parents, losses, to really traumatic events, like sexual assault, physical abuse.

I tend to work with a pretty eclectic tool box in terms of interventions that I use. I tailor them to what works for the person that I am seeing. So, the first few sessions are about, let's get to know each other. Let me hear how you work, let me understand some things. And then in the process of doing that I may try some specific interventions. Just to see how they respond to them.

Something that consistently works with kids in the cognitive behavior therapy model is the idea of helping young adults and teens understand the relationship between what they are thinking, what they are feeling and where that is coming through in their body, and how they are acting on that.

And the role of choice and decision making, especially between this is how I am feeling in my body, it is really intense and overwhelming, and this is how I react to it. These are then the implications of my actions.

Another psycho-ed piece that I do with both adolescents and their parents is this idea of let's talk about where your brain development is and understand the relationship between that and your growth. We are talking in the moment, your pre-frontal cortex where all your executive decisions-making happens, that is, forward thinking, planning, the ability to discern if I do X what is going to happen. It is in the process of developing.

So, let's understand your brain is not quite there yet which is why you sometimes think first and act later. Let's try and slow that process down and build those executive functioning skills so you can make a decision that feels better to you, feels better to your parents and helps you perform better and builds your self esteem.

This therapy is appropriate for the developmental stage because you are talking about kids beginning to move out of this really connected place with their parents and family and that more nuclear system to one that is much more social. It is all about separation and individuation. I am separating from my family, my parents, the things I typically know because I want to hang out with my friends, I want to experiment, I want to figure things out for myself. The process of doing that often looks like pushing boundaries, breaking rules and testing parents' limits.

So, for kids to understand some of what they are doing and the implications of that fits nicely with a cognitive behavior therapy and identity formation framework.

Communication is a huge issue not only with teens but with every single person I have ever worked with. Communication skills ends up being something that we do because encountering conflict in our interpersonal relationships, particularly in those that are the most meaningful to us, is very stressful.

We as a culture, as a society, really underestimate the importance of being able to communicate clearly and to communicate in a really thoughtful way where you are not only aware of what is happening for you, but when you are trying to communicate, you are using certain skills or techniques to both express yourself in a way that is appropriate and thoughtful and clear and direct, while also not being reactive and attacking, being defensive which are all of the things that further the conflict. They exacerbate it.

I have these conversations every day of the week with teens. How do you think you could say that to your parents? What would that look like? How do you think they would respond if you said it like this? It is a lot of modeling at that level. It is a processing. What is the difference between saying this way versus this way? What do you hear? What do you notice? Why do you think that would be better?

So, I am trying to build in that executive functioning. It is not just parrot what I say. Let us understand not only what I am saying but why I am saying it. This is so that they can really encode that in their brain so that in further conversation with their parent they are now thinking about, if I say it this way, then I think I will have a better chance of getting what I need or want from my parent and that is what executive functioning is about.

Do kids get better? Absolutely. Teenagers are maybe not quite as malleable as a 3 year old but they are incredibly resilient and adaptive. I think they get a little bit of a bad wrap as being difficult to work with because in my experience they see and understand way more than we give them credit for.

Even after 15 years of working with this population, I still love it because I love the kid who comes in and I am like, "Wow, you really have a pretty good bead on the situation here." I just like helping and supporting them to the next stage that they are trying to get to.



Big E traffic backed up to Memorial Bridge Rotary

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Although day two of the Big E has just begun, travelers headed to the Eastern States Exposition grounds are facing heavy traffic.

WEST SPRINGFIELD - Although day two of the Big E has just begun, travelers headed to the Eastern States Exposition grounds are already facing heavy traffic.

As of 10 a.m. -- the opening of most fair attractions -- traffic outside the grounds was slowed from the Memorial Bridge Rotary and Route 5 to Main Street in Agawam.

Despite the backup outside the Big E, traffic along Interstate 91 and Route 5 ahead of the rotary remained largely clear.

More than 1 million people are expected to visit the 17-day-long fair, which features music, rides, livestock, exhibits and food.

Saturday marks Maine Day and 4-H/FFA Day at the 100-year-old fair.

Friday saw a record-breaking crowd at the Big E's opening day, with more than 86,200 people in attendance.

The 2016 Big E 17-day schedule: Eastern States Exposition day-by-day guide

29 injured in New York City explosion, officials say

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Emergency crews were called to reports of an explosion in Manhattan Saturday night, according to the NYPD.

NEW YORK CITY -- At least 29 people were hurt in an explosion in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood Saturday night, according to officials.

The blast occurred around 8:30 p.m. on 23rd Street between 6th and 7th avenues, a police spokesman posted on Twitter. It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion.

Police planned to release further details, spokesman J. Peter Donald tweeted.

Gas has been ruled out as the cause of the blast, CNN reported, citing an unnamed law enforcement official. 

The FDNY said at least 29 people were hurt in the blast. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening, according to fire officials. 

Reports of the blast flooded social media Saturday night. 

"I was on 23rd st #NewYorkcity and a huge explosion just rocked the street," Twitter user Itay Cohai posted.

Another video shared on Twitter captured an official yelling for bystanders to "get off of this street" and a store window that appeared to be shattered

Federal law enforcement officials and NYPD counterterrorism officers were at the scene along with rescue crews. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said on Twitter its arson and explosive task force responded. 

There was no immediate information to suggest the New York incident was at all linked to a small explosion caused by a "pipe-bomb style" device in Seaside Park earlier on Saturday

Minnesota mall stabbing attack injures 8; suspect dead, police say

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Police Sgt. Jason Burke said the Crossroads Mall in St. Cloud remains on lockdown.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- At least eight people were taken to a hospital with injuries after a stabbing attack at a Minnesota shopping mall on Saturday evening, which ended with the suspected attacker dead inside the mall.

St. Cloud Hospital Communications Specialist Chris Nelson said of the eight people brought there, seven had injuries that were not life-threatening, the St. Cloud Times reported. No further details were released.

Police Sgt. Jason Burke said the Crossroads Center mall in St. Cloud remains on lockdown.

"The individual we believe to be responsible for the victims' stab wounds is currently deceased inside the mall," Burke said in a statement. He did not say how the suspect died.

Harley and Tama Exsted of Isle, Minnesota, who were in St. Cloud to watch their son play in a college golf tournament, were in the mall when the incident occurred.

There also were reports of some shots fired during the attack.

"All of a sudden I heard pop pop pop," Harley Exsted told the St. Cloud Times. "I thought someone tipped over a shelf. All of a sudden these people started running. I just saw everybody running our way."

The couple were unharmed and said they helped another woman who was running from the scene to her car.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio: Chelsea blast believed to be 'intentional act'

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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the there is no indication the explosion is related to terrorism. The cause of the blast has not been determined.

NEW YORK CITY -- An explosion that injured more than 20 people in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood was an "intentional act" but there was no indication the blast was linked to terrorism, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

"Tonight, New York City experienced a very serious incident," the mayor told reporters at a late Saturday press conference.

"There is no evidence at this point of a terror connection," de Blasio said, citing preliminary information.

Investigators also did not believe the New York City explosion was linked to a pipe-bomb style blast in Seaside Park on Saturday, the mayor added. 

Officers on patrol spotted a large explosion in front of 131 West 23rd Street, said NYPD Commissioner James P. O'Neill. The blast apparently happened outside on the street around 8:30 p.m. 

"The area around the explosion site is being treated as a crime scene," the police commissioner said. 

The exact cause of the blast was not immediately determined, O'Neill told reporters. Police did not disclose the kind of explosive that went off.  

Officials said 29 people were hurt in the blast around 8:30 p.m., including one serious injury. None of the injuries were life-threatening, according to the FDNY.

A "possible secondary device" was discovered on West 27th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues, the NYPD's Special Operations Division said on Twitter late Saturday. 

A law enforcement source told The Associated Press the item on West 27th Street appeared to be a pressure cooker with wires and a cell phone attached inside a plastic bag. It was unclear what led police to the item, four blocks from the explosion scene. 

Reports from witnesses on social media described a large blast that shattered windows in the area. 

"I was on 23rd st #NewYorkcity and a huge explosion just rocked the street," Twitter user Itay Cohai posted.

A video shared on Twitter showed an official yelling for people to clear the street following the explosion. 

"Everybody get off of the street," the shouted in the video as emergency vehicles arrived at the scene. 

The NYPD asked anyone with information to call 1-800-577-TIPS. 

Hours earlier, authorities said a device exploded near a military charity run in Seaside Park. There were no injuries and the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force was investigating that case. 

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahycFind NJ.com on Facebook.

Connecticut lawyer faces federal child porn charges

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A Connecticut lawyer already facing state charges he had sex with a minor has been arraigned in federal court for taking nude photographs of the youth to use as blackmail. Peter Kruzynski was released after posting $250,000.

Peter Kruzynski.jpg 
SHELTON— A Connecticut lawyer was arraigned on federal child pornography charges Friday, alleging that he took nude photographs of a boy he molested over a period of six years. Prosecutors claim that Peter Kruzynski used the sexually explicit photographs to blackmail the victim, saying he would post the pictures on the internet if the boy refused his advances.

Kruzynski entered pleas of not guilty to charges of production and possession of child pornography. He was released after he posted $250,000 bail.

Kruzynski was arrested in August by state authorities and charged with first, second and fourth-degree sexual assault, two counts of risk of injury to a minor, impairing the morals of a minor and coercion. He posted $77,000 in bond at that time.

Authorities alleged that Kruzynski began having sex with the victim in 2009 when the boy was 12 years old and continued right up until he was arrested last month. The victim is now 18 years old .

From pneumonia diagnoses to 'birther' accusations: Everything you need to know about the past week in the 2016 presidential race

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Despite riding high in the weeks following the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Hillary Clinton's campaign stumbled this week as the nominee faced questions over her health following a near collapse at a 9/11 memorial event in New York.

Despite riding high in the weeks following the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Hillary Clinton's campaign stumbled this week as the nominee faced questions over her health following a near collapse at a 9/11 memorial event in New York.

With the focus on his rival, who took time off the campaign trail to recover, Donald Trump's Republican presidential bid began to rebound as the businessman detailed plans to provide affordable child care and put America first.

The tightening of the race between the two White House hopefuls, however, could be impacted by Trump's recent suggestion that Clinton was behind the so-called "birther movement" against President Barack Obama.

Here's what happened in presidential politics this week:

Clinton announced she had pneumonia after abruptly leaving a 9/11 event in New York City.

Hours after the Democratic nominee's near collapse at the event, her doctor announced that Clinton had earlier been diagnosed with pneumonia.

"On Friday, during follow up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule," Dr. Lisa R. Bardack said in the statement. "While at this morning's event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely."

Despite her doctor's assurances, a video of Clinton stumbling, as well as her decision to take time off from campaigning to rest, sparked concerns about her health and ability to serve if elected president.

'Concussion' doctor Bennet Omalu suggested Clinton was poisoned.

Omalu, a forensic pathologist who discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the brains of deceased NFL players, called on the Democratic presidential nominee's campaign late Sunday to check the former first lady for signs of being poisoned.

"It is possible she is being poisoned," he tweeted, urged Clinton's team to perform toxicologic analysis of her blood.

Although Omalu did not explicitly accuse anyone of being behind such an alleged poisoning, he later tweeted that he does not trust Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump suggested holding the upcoming presidential debates without moderators.

Pointing to criticism that Matt Lauer went easy on the GOP nominee during a recent forum, Trump told CNBC's "Squawk Box" Monday that he believes moderators will try to "game the system" to benefit his opponent.

Contending that "the system is being rigged," Trump predicted that the Sept. 26 general election presidential debate at Hofstra University is "going to be a very unfair," with moderators coming down harder on the Republican presidential nominee to avoid criticism similar to Lauer.

"I can see it happening right now because everyone's saying that he 'was soft on Trump.' Well now, the new person's going to try to be really hard on Trump just to show the establishment what he can do," he said in a telephone interview. "I think it's very unfair what they're doing, so I think we should have a debate with no moderators: Just Hillary and I sitting there talking."

Clinton's campaign released a new web ad accusing Trump of engaging in so-called "pay-to-play" practices.

The online video released Tuesday accused the GOP presidential nominee of using his charitable foundation to make an illegal campaign contribution to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who declined to investigate Trump University.

Contending that the reported donation "is part of a pattern of pay-to-play behavior Trump has exhibited throughout his life, which he has bragged about repeatedly," the ad includes video clips of the GOP nominee discussing what he has called the "broken system" of campaign contributions.

Bondi recently acknowledged that she asked Trump for a contribution, but denied claims that he was under investigation by her office at the time, CNN reported.

Ivanka Trump touted her father's child care plan, questioned Clinton's record on issue.

Ivanka Trump, during an interview on Good Morning America, contended that despite Clinton's long political focus on child care, few changes have actually come about to help working families.

"Respectfully, Hillary Clinton has been around for decades and there is no policy benefitting either mothers or fathers in terms of paid leave," she said. "So I think the fact that we are advocating for this and advocating for it so strongly and taking leadership on this issue is testament in itself to our thoughts on this subject."

Ivanka Trump, who stressed that her father has not been in public office for decades, added that "certainly (Clinton) had opportunity to have a concept like that passed" and failed to institute such policies while serving as a first lady, New York senator and secretary of state.

A poll found Clinton's lead over Trump had been cut in half.

Clinton, who held a 51 to 41 percent advantage over the businessman late last month, now leads Trump by just a 48 to 43 percent margin, according to a Quinnipiac University national survey released Wednesday.

The Democratic nominee's lead, meanwhile, is largely erased when including third party candidates Gary Johnson, of the Libertarian Party, and Jill Stein, of the Green Party, with 41 percent of likely voters saying they would back Clinton compared to 39 percent who would support Trump, according to poll results.

Quinnipiac University Poll Assistant Director Tim Malloy contended that while Clinton's health should rebound, the Trump campaign's resiliency will still present challenges for the Democratic nominee.

Clinton released updated medical information, her doctor said she has 'remained healthy.'

The Democratic presidential nominee released updated medical information from her personal doctor Wednesday as she looked to put to rest questions over her health.

Bardack in a new letter released by the campaign, contended that although Clinton raised concerns following her near collapse, she "has remained healthy and has not developed new medical conditions" aside from the pneumonia she was recently diagnosed with and a sinus and ear infection.

"She is recovering well with antibiotics and rest," Bardack wrote. "She continues to remain healthy and fit to serve as president of the United States."

Trump drew criticism after blasting a Flint, Michigan pastor who interrupted his remarks.

The GOP nominee drew pushback Thursday after calling the pastor who interrupted his speech at an African-American church, "a nervous mess" when she introduced him and contending that "something was up" with her.

Rev. Faith Green Timmons stopped Trump's Wednesday remarks at Bethel United Methodist Church to ask him to refrain from making a "political speech."

The businessman suggested to Fox News that Timmons had a political agenda.

Clinton jumped on Trump's comments, calling them insulting and "dead wrong," the New York Times reported.

"She's a rock for her community in trying times. She deserves better, and Flint deserves better -- in fact, so does America," the Democrat said.

Tim Kaine touted the Clinton campaign's 'positive' vision' during a New Hampshire rally.

The Democratic vice presidential nominee contrasted his and Clinton's "stronger together" vision to that of Trump and his running mate Mike Pence, which he described as "crippled America."

Contending that the 2016 presidential race represents a "self-definition election," Kaine said the stakes are very high in November.

While a Clinton-Kaine administration would promote inclusiveness, maintaining alliances and building an economy that works for all Americans, he argued, a Trump-Pence White House would "build walls and tear up alliances" -- something he argued would hurt the country.

"If we divide against one another, if we push some aside or are afraid of some or blaming others, then suddenly we find that the challenges we have are challenges we can't solve," he told the crowd in Exeter, New Hampshire. "We are stronger together. When we work together, worship together, learn together, we're stronger together as a country. That is what this campaign is about. That is our vision."

Trump promoted 'America-first' policies, approach in New Hampshire.

The Republican presidential nominee pledged to take an America-first approach to governing Thursday, contending that "globalism" has failed U.S. workers.

Stressing that it's time to take care of the American people, the businessman painted a prosperous picture of the country's future under his leadership while rallying supporters at Laconia Middle School.

"It's time to break from the bitter failures of the past and to embrace a new, inclusive and truly prosperous American future," he said. "Jobs will return, incomes will rise and new factories will come back -- and they will come back rushing to our shores."

Trump attributed poverty in America, infrastructure issues -- including the water crisis in Flint, Michigan -- and jobs losses to U.S. leaders focusing on issues abroad instead of at home.

That, the GOP nominee said, will not be the case if he is elected president.

Clinton and Trump sparred over the so-called "birther" movement.

The former secretary of state accused the GOP nominee Thursday of promoting bigotry by refusing to acknowledge that Obama was born in the United States, as she urged Hispanic leaders to turn out in November's election, the Associated Press reported.

Clinton's criticism came after Trump, who helped lead the so-called "birther movement," refused to say whether he believes Obama was born in Hawaii during an interview with the The Washington Post.

The GOP nominee's campaign later released a statement saying Trump "believes that President Obama was born in the United States."

It, however, further accused Clinton's 2008 presidential run of first raising questions over Obama's birth.

UMass breaks ground on business school innovation hub, new Ciro's restaurant angers family: five business stories you might have missed

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The new Ciro's is not open.

SPRINGFIELD -- UMass is expanding the Isenberg School of Management and the possibility of a new Ciro's restaurant in Springfield's Italian South End neighborhood caught people's interest.

Here are five business stories you might have missed:

1) UMass Amherst to break ground on $62M Business Innovation Hub

The project will add 70,000 square feet of classrooms, labs, an expanded career center, advising spaces and a learning commons. There will be more faculty offices as well, according to a news release.

2) Ciro's reborn! Name from Springfield's restaurant past reappears at Blackjack Steakhouse

But the place isn't open yet and the new owner isn't responding to efforts to reach out to him. And the Scibelli family behind the legendary Ciro's is not happy.

New Ciro's in Springfield not a continuation of earlier restaurant, says Scibelli family

3) Massachusetts unemployment drops to lowest rate since 2001; 5,900 jobs added

Massachusetts added fewer jobs over the month in July than the Bureau of Labor Statistics originally estimated, gaining 5,800 jobs compared to the previously published 7,300 job gain estimate.

4) MassDOT details 'dynamic merge' at I-91 update meeting

The dynamic merge system should be in place by November. It'll use sensor to analyze traffic flows and tell drivers to merge now, or to hold their lanes until later.

5) Westfield, Chicopee projects named finalists for MassEcon awards

The award winners, selected from five regions within Massachusetts, will be announced in October and recognized on November 22 at the Boston Renaissance Waterfront Hotel.


Revised early voting calendar adds time at Holyoke Soldiers' Home, other minor location changes

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The city of Holyoke, Massachusetts will offer early voting for Election Day Nov. 8 from Oct. 24 to Nov. 4 at different times at City Hall, the Senior Center and the Holyoke Soldiers' Home.

HOLYOKE -- Early voting will be available here from Oct. 24 to Nov. 4 for Election Day on Nov. 8, but City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee on Friday released a revised calendar for the process.

This will be the first time early voting is offered in Holyoke and other cities and towns in Massachusetts under a law established in 2014 by former Gov. Deval L. Patrick.

The goal of early voting is to increase participation in the election process by making voting as easy as possible, officials have said.

Early voting will be available at different times at four locations: Registrar of Voters office at City Hall in Room 9 at High and Dwight streets, City Hall auditorium on the second floor, Holyoke Senior Center at 291 Pine St. and Holyoke Soldiers' Home at 110 Cherry St., Murphy McGee said. The proposed calendar compared to the one released late last month contains the addition of early voting at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home and numerous times for early voting available in Room 9.

Voting by mail during the early-voting period of Oct. 24 to Nov. 4 also is permitted.

On Election Day, American voters will choose a president from among Republican Donald Trump, Democrat Hillary Clinton and minor party candidates.

Massachusetts voters that day also will decide ballot questions on:

  • whether to legalize, regulate and tax recreational marijuana;

  • whether to allow a second slot machines gambling parlor in Massachusetts, most likely at Suffolk Downs in Boston;

  • whether to ban the confinement of egg-laying hens, calves raised for veal and breeding pigs and to ban the sale of eggs or meat from confined animals;

  • whether to expand access to charter schools by allowing the state to approve 12 new charter schools a year.
  • After the early voting is conducted, those ballots then must be kept in an envelope that bears an affidavit from the voter confirming his or her identity. Such early voting ballots will be kept in a safe until Election Day, when city clerk staff will enter those ballots into voting machines of each voters' ward and precinct.

    Early voting by mail will require that voters complete and return to the city clerk's office an application to vote that way, and such applications have yet to be provided by the state. Murphy McGee said she will make the applications to vote early by mail available online when her office gets them.

    The Board of Registrar of Voters will vote on Sept. 27 whether to make the revised schedule official, but Murphy McGee said she didn't expect problems.

    Here is the proposed revised early voting schedule:
    Oct. 24 -- first day of early voting -- 8 to 9 a.m., Room 9 at City Hall; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., City Hall auditorium; 4 to 4:30 p.m., Room 9.
    Oct. 25: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Room 9; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Senior Center. Early voting open to all voters, not just senior citizens.
    Oct. 26: 8 to 9 a.m., Room 9; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. auditorium; 4 to 4:30 p.m., Room 9; 9 a.m. to noon, Holyoke Soldiers' Home.
    Oct. 27: 7 to 9 a.m., Room 9; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. auditorium; 4 to 7 p.m., Room 9.
    Oct. 28: 8 to 9 a.m., Room 9; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., auditorium; 4 to 4:30 p.m., Room 9.
    Oct. 29: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., auditorium.
    Oct. 31: 8 to 9 a.m., Room 9; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., auditorium; 4 to 4:30 p.m., Room 9.
    Nov. 1: 8 to 4:30 p.m., Room 9; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Senior Center.
    Nov. 2: 8 to 9 a.m., Room 9; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., auditorium; 4 to 4:30 p.m., Room 9.
    Nov. 3: 7 to 9 a.m., Room 9; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., auditorium; 4 to 7 p.m., Room 9.
    Nov. 4: -- last day of early voting -- 8 to 9 a.m., Room 9; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., auditorium; 4 to 4:30 p.m., Room 9.

    While this will be the first time that early voting is permitted without requiring a reason to do so from voters, absentee ballots also will remain available, Murphy McGee said. Absentee ballots are provided to voters who want to vote but will be unable to do so on an election day because of travel or illness, for example.

    For more information contact the Holyoke city clerk's office at 413-322-5520.

    Seen@ Photos from the Springfield Museums 'History on the Move' car show

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    The Springfield Museums hosted the 13th annual History on the Move Car Show Saturday on the Quadrangle green. The show featured a wide variety of classic and antique autos including many pre-1950 classics.

    SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield Museums hosted the 13th annual History on the Move Car Show Saturday on the Quadrangle green. The show featured a wide variety of classic and antique autos including many pre-1950 classics.

    Highlights included a 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom owned by Richard Johnson, of Simsbury, Connecticut. The Rolls-Royce Springfield auto factory was in operation in 1920 and by 1923 had produced 3,000 Silver Ghosts and Phantoms. The factory closed soon after the Great Depression.

    Attendees at Saturday's show could also visit the transportation exhibits at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield. Included in Saturday's auto show was a working replica of the original Duryea, the first successful gasoline-powered car which was built in Springfield in 1893.

    A special presentation from Springfield Museums Docent Jerre Hoffman also provided a look under the hoods of two Rolls-Royces from the museum's collection. Lunches and snacks were available from the Blake House Cafe and DJ entertainment was supplied by Gary Francis of Westfield.

    Video shows impact of explosion in New York City

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    Video captured by a fitness center's security camera in Chelsea shows the severity of the explosion Saturday night.

    Video captured by a fitness center's security camera in Chelsea shows the severity of the explosion Saturday night.

    Security footage from the Orangetheory Fitness Chelsea shows glass shattering and people running after the explosion. It is one of several videos captured from around the area of the explosion.

    There were 29 people injured Saturday when a device exploded in the Chelsea area of Manhattan around 8:30 p.m.

    New York City officials have called the explosion an "intentional act" but said there does not appear to be a link to terrorism. Authorities do not believe the explosion in New York City is linked to the explosion in Seaside Park, New Jersey near the Marine Corps race.

    A second device that appeared to be a pressure cooker bomb was discovered late Saturday as well. It was found on West 27th Street.

    'Like thunder but louder': Police continue to investigate NYC explosion that injured 29

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    "Now, I want to be clear: Whatever the cause, whatever the intention here, New Yorkers will not be intimidated," the mayor said. "We are not going to let anyone change who we are or how we go about our lives."

    NEW YORK -- An explosion rocked a crowded Manhattan neighborhood and injured 29 people, and a suspicious device discovered blocks away was safely removed early Sunday. Mayor Bill de Blasio ruled out any terror connections but called the blast an "intentional act."

    "Tonight, New York City experienced a very bad incident," de Blasio said at a news conference near the scene in Chelsea. "We have no credible and specific threat at this moment."

    De Blasio tried to calm any fears among nervous New Yorkers, saying the explosion had no terrorist connection and wasn't related to a pipe bomb explosion earlier Saturday in New Jersey that forced the cancellation of a charity run.

    "Now, I want to be clear: Whatever the cause, whatever the intention here, New Yorkers will not be intimidated," the mayor said. "We are not going to let anyone change who we are or how we go about our lives."

    It was unclear who was behind the blast and what motivated it.

    A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that a second device that officers investigated four blocks from the scene appeared to be a pressure cooker attached to wiring and a cellphone. The official, who was not authorized to speak about an ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the device was found inside a plastic bag on West 27th Street. The device was removed with a robot and taken to a department firing range in the Bronx.

    The law enforcement official also said that the explosion that rocked a bustling Chelsea neighborhood appeared to have come from a construction toolbox in front of a building. Photos from the scene show a twisted and crumpled black metal box.

    The blast happened on West 23rd Street, in front of a residence for the blind, near a major thoroughfare with many restaurants and a Trader Joe's supermarket. Witnesses said the explosion at about 8:30 p.m. blew out the windows of businesses and scattered debris in the area. Officials said no evacuations were necessary.

    The Fire Department of New York said 24 people were taken to hospitals with injuries. One person received a puncture wound that was considered serious. The other injuries were described as scrapes and bruises.

    New York City subway routes were affected by the explosion, which rattled some New Yorkers and visitors on the heels of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

    Chris Gonzalez, visiting from Dallas, was having dinner with friends at a restaurant in the area.

    "We felt it. We heard it," Gonzalez said. "It wasn't like jolting or anything. Everyone just went quiet."

    Rudy Alcide, a bouncer at Vanity Nightclub at 21st Street and 6th Avenue, said he, at first, thought something large had fallen.

    "It was an extremely loud noise. Everything was shaking, the windows were shaking," he said. "It was extremely loud, almost like thunder but louder."

    The FBI and Homeland Security officials, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arson and explosive task force, were at the scene.

    The White House said President Barack Obama was apprised of the explosion.

    In St. Cloud, Minnesota, police said at least eight people were injured at a shopping mall Saturday evening in a stabbing attack. The suspect was shot dead by an off-duty police officer.

    Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said she had been briefed "about the bombings in New York and New Jersey and the attack in Minnesota."

    She says the nation needs to support its first responders and "pray for the victims."

    "We have to let this investigation unfold," she said.

    Donald Trump moved ahead of New York City officials when he declared a "bomb went off" before officials had released details. He made the announcement minutes after stepping off his plane in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

    "I must tell you that just before I got off the plane a bomb went off in New York and nobody knows what's going on," Trump said.

    He continued, "But boy we are living in a time -- we better get very tough, folks. We better get very, very tough. It's a terrible thing that's going on in our world, in our country and we are going to get tough and smart and vigilant."

    The Republican presidential nominee made the comments around 9:10 p.m., shortly after the explosion and as emergency officials responded to the blast. A spokeswoman for Trump did not respond to an email asking whether he was briefed about it before taking the stage.

    The Manhattan blast came hours after a pipe bomb exploded in Seaside Park, New Jersey, shortly before thousands of runners were due to participate in a charity 5K race to benefit Marines and sailors. The run was canceled, and no injuries were reported.

    Melrose teen stabbed 6 times; Police search for 3 suspects

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    Police continue to search for three men who they said stabbed a 17-year-old Melrose man six times Friday night.

    MELROSE -- Police continue to search for three men who they said stabbed a 17-year-old Melrose man six times Friday night.

    Police Chief Michael L. Lyle said an officer was sent to the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital Friday around 10 p.m. after receiving a report that someone had been stabbed.

    The 17-year-old Melrose resident was outside a Walgreens in Melrose when a car with three males inside pulled up. The three men got out and stabbed the victim six times, police said.

    The victim was taken to the local hospital and then transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston with non-life threatening injuries.

    "We want to stress that there is no danger to the public," Lyle said in a news release "This was an isolated incident and we believe that these individuals are known to each other."

     

    Chicopee to offer free boys basketball clinic

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    The clinic is limited to Chicopee residents.

    CHICOPEE - The Chicopee Parks and Recreation Department is offering a free pre-season basketball skills program for boys in grades four through eight.

    The program is focused on enhancing skill development rather than conditioning. Local suburban coaches are offering the instructional program to refresh skills in hopes of getting players ready for any level of play for the winter season.

    The program will be at Bellamy Middle School and is limited to Chicopee residents. The clinics will be held Sept. 20 and Oct. 4. Students in grades four to six will practice from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. and those in grades seven and eight will follow at 7:45 to 9:15 p.m. Boys can attend all or just one class.

    Parents/Guardians must sign a waiver form at the location before any student participates. For more information call the Parks Department at 594-3481.

    Southwick Police asking for help to ID person connected to shoplifting

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    The shoplifting happened on Friday at an unnamed business.

    SOUTHWICK - Police are asking for help to identify a woman who is a person of interest in a larceny.

    The shoplifting happened on Friday at a local store. Southwick Police declined to give the name of the business or give more information about the crime.

    The woman was caught on camera at the time of the larceny. Police officials said they are hoping to talk to her about the incident. They did not say she was a suspect in the shoplifting.

    Police requested help in identifying the woman on the department's Facebook page. Anyone who can identify the woman or has any other information about the shoplifting should contact the Southwick Police Department at 413-569-5348.


    Behavioral Health CEO: 'Mental health is something we all have'

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    Katherine B. Wilson, president and chief executive officer of Behavioral Health Network, says we all "have to pay attention to how we are feeling." Last year, the private, non-profit agency provided some 46,000 individuals in Western Massachusetts with mental health, substance abuse and developmental disability services.

    SPRINGFIELD - Katherine B. Wilson does not think of mental illness in terms of good or bad degrees. She thinks in terms of how to address it in communities.

    Wilson is president and chief executive officer of Behavioral Health Network. Last year, the private, non-profit agency provided some 46,000 individuals in Western Massachusetts with mental health, substance abuse and developmental disability services.

    "Mental health is something that we all have. It is about our emotions and our behaviors and the intersection of both," said Wilson when asked to provide a general definition for a term that is often in the news when questions arise about an individual's behavior and its impact on a community.

    "So, in our daily lives we really have to perform/exhibit behaviors that are within a certain range of norms. When you talk about good mental health, it means that we are aware of how we feel about things. Our behaviors are driven by our feelings."

    Wilson no longer practices as a family therapist. Her more than three decades with BHN has been about helping communities better understand mental health and substance abuse issues, expanding access to treatment in those communities and creating environments that encourage individuals to seek treatment.

    She applauds the CEOs Against Stigma campaign of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The campaign is urging business leaders to sign a pledge "encouraging open dialogue among employees about mental illness" in the wake of the chapter's survey that found that only about a quarter of the people surveyed would advise a person with a mental illness to tell a co-worker.

    "One of the barriers to people to get help is the stigma of the label mental illness. It has a negative connotation. We all have mental health. We all have to pay attention to how we are feeling, how our brain works, how our thinking works and how it impacts our behaviors," Wilson said.

    "Some of us continue to manage it well. Others, it starts to get out of control. If you can approach a professional and get some help and get diagnosed and try some interventions, you can bring it right back in."

    The pledge also urges employers to "examine employee health and welfare benefits to ensure availability of effective benefits for mental illness and addiction" and to "consider an Employee Assistance Program" and, if one is in place, ensure that it is "welcoming to all with mental health issues and effective in providing assistance to them."

    "I think you will find in the community of mental health providers many of us who work with people who are in recovery because they got the appropriate diagnosis and treatment, even hospitalization. If they work with their employer about transitioning back and get the support they need from the work environment, they can go back to work and be productive individuals who have meaningful relationships in their families and communities, just like the rest of us whose behavior has not gotten to that extreme," Wilson said.

    BHNLiving.jpgAn entryway sign with tributes from individuals who visited the Living Room, a program of Behavioral Health Network where anyone feeling anxious or depressed is welcomed by others who have gotten help for similar issues. 

    Issues arise for people, Wilson added, when "an individual's behavior starts to be different and a little bit outside the norm."

    "It may be problematic in their relationships with other individuals. You may begin to see issues unfold between children and their parents," Wilson said.

    "Those behaviors exhibited by children are sometimes a reflection of their own mental health, sometimes they can be reactive behaviors to their environment, sometimes it can be reactions to the dynamics between themselves and significant partners, like their siblings and/or their parents. There are lots of things that impact an individual's behavior."

    She added that for "someone who is feeling depressed and is not getting up in the morning, not getting to work on time, is chronically late, their employment is at risk because they are not meeting performance expectations" and that this can be "debilitating and life changing."

    Wilson refers to the web site of the National Alliance on Mental Illness that quotes government statistics that show, while mental health issues are widespread in the population, about 4 percent, or 1 in 25 Americans, experience a serious mental illness in a year that impacts their functioning, and that approximately 18 percent of the population, or 1 in 5 adults, experiences a mental illness in a given year.

    "That mental illness can be very mild," said Wilson of the 18 percent.

    "You have probably known people who have shown signs of being depressed or anxious. They have an anxiety disorder that interferes in their ability to go to work every day or feel comfortable in certain situations or it turns into compulsive behavior disorder. You'll see it all the way through our communities."

    In a reference to the 4 percent of Americans with a severe mental illness, Wilson said, "You have your chronic conditions of mental illness and some real serious behavioral disorders."

    "People having hallucinations. People who talk to themselves because they actually have someone speaking to them in their head," Wilson said.

    "You will have people with thought disorders. Their thinking patterns say, 'Oh, someone is chasing me.' They become paranoid."

    As "the more non-traditional behaviors unfold," Wilson added, "People become reactive."

    "So you have the normative - anxiety, depression and that hits a lot of people. And then - when it goes untreated for very long or gets exacerbated by things going on in their lifetime - you could have it getting worse," Wilson said.

    "The symptoms become more challenging, the behaviors become more challenging for people. This whole wide range from minimal to extreme has different treatment opportunities."

    Wilson adds that for those individuals willing to seek treatment, sometimes through their primary care provider or through their human resources department where they are employed, and to do the "hard work" involved, the statistics for recovery are good.

    "NAMI and some of its information suggests that up to 80 percent of individuals with mental illness will improve with appropriate diagnosis, treatment and monitoring," said Wilson, averaging the site's information that notes "between 70 and 90 percent of individuals have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with a combination of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments and supports."

    "You can get diagnosed and you can get treatment at different levels of intervention if you can be brave and get beyond the feeling of, I can't tell anybody because if I get labeled or diagnosed with depression or anxiety or bipolar disorder, or go through any of that, it is going to be viewed negatively by my family, by my employer and by community," Wilson said.

    BHN also has crisis services that operate 24/7 in the Southern Pioneer Valley, and Wilson said anyone seeking help for a non life-threatening mental health condition can call that service before going to a hospital emergency room.

    "BHN has a crisis team in the emergency room of Baystate Health's system of hospitals as well as in Holyoke Medical and Mercy Medical centers. We work very hard to get people out of the emergency department because it is not good to have to stay," Wilson said.

    "By calling our crisis department, we can do a preliminary phone screening with either the individual or the family member who might be calling to determine whether they need to go to the hospital immediately or whether they should come here. We actually have a crisis site here where we do evaluations."

    The 1,800 individuals employed by BHN, which has an operating budget of $87 million, six licensed community clinics and corporate offices at 417 Liberty St., include a range of mental health and substance abuse treatment professionals and paraprofessionals.

    Wilson acknowledges that "it can be challenging for communities and the health care system to create enough opportunities for good treatment."

    "That is one of the things that we as providers do when we are advocates for expansion of services," said Wilson whose agency this summer opened two residential treatment centers in the same building, in Greenfield, with a total of 64 beds for people with drug and alcohol addiction.

    It also operates Carlson Recovery Center at 471 Chestnut Street, and the Hope Center "step-down" rehabilitation program at 35 Heywood St. Both of these have 32 beds.

    Providence Behavioral Health Hospital, in Holyoke, part of Trinity Health-New England, offers both inpatient and out patient treatment for acute psychiatric conditions and substance use disorders.

    The Center for Human Development, ServiceNet and Clinical and Support Options are among the other agencies in the area that provide behavioral health treatment among their services.

    There are also dozens of therapists in private practice in the Pioneer Valley, numerous health centers, and physician practices that address mental health and substance abuse issues.

    BHN has been working for several years to place therapists in primary care and community health centers to better serve patients whose medical conditions have a mental health aspect. It is a type of model encouraged by the introduction, in 2014, of MassHealth's One Care program.

    "If you come into your doctor with chronic, untreated diabetes and you are eating and gaining weight and are becoming sedentary and are not as effective in your interventions and interactions with your family or things not going well for you at work, you are going to get depressed. If you don't deal with that depression, you are not going to deal with that diabetes." Wilson said.

    "We need health care and mental health care to work more together in an integrated way to serve the individual."

    Wilson's agency was one of seven recent recipients to share a $3 million grant to promote collaboration through the use of technology among healthcare providers for better patient care.

    Wilson said healthcare systems in Massachusetts are being encouraged to partner with other community providers to help individuals released from treatment programs and in need of housing, employment and other supportive services.

    "Healthcare systems are going to have to find partners so you can look at the whole person and put together a system of care in communities where there is access to whatever the need may be," Wilson said.

    Wilson said other models developed in recent years include having staff who have had first-hand experience with a mental health issue. In BHN's new program, The Living Room, a busy place on a recent Tuesday afternoon in a building behind BHN's corporate offices on Liberty Street, Wilson said "anyone who is feeling anxious and does not know what to do can show up" and be helped by peers in recovery.

    "The use of individuals who have lived experience in mental health has really been an advancement for systems of care like us. There is an individual we can make available to another person who comes here for treatment and who is just like them and they can see what the opportunity might be at the end of a successful engagement in treatment and help them move toward an outcome that would be meaningful to them," Wilson said.

    "People can be valuable contributing members to communities of families with a history of mental illnesses."

    Minnesota mall stabbing: Islamic State claims responsibility

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    An Islamic State-run news agency, Rasd, claimed Sunday that the attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State" who had heeded the group's calls for attacks in countries that are part of a U.S.-led anti-IS coalition.

    ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) -- A man in a private security uniform stabbed eight people at a Minnesota shopping mall, reportedly mentioning Allah and asking at least one victim if they were Muslim before an off-duty police officer shot and killed him, authorities said.

    All eight victims were treated at a hospital for wounds that weren't life-threatening and all but one was later released, St. Cloud police Chief Blair Anderson said at a news conference. The eighth was admitted, but no other details about that person's condition were released.

    The attack happened at around 8 p.m. Saturday at the Crossroads Center in St. Cloud, a city of about 65,000 people 60 miles (95 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis.

    A man in a security uniform and armed with a knife stabbed people in several locations in the mall, including corridors, businesses and common areas, the chief said. He said an off-duty police officer from another jurisdiction shot and killed the suspect, though he didn't say where that officer serves.

    Anderson said the man reportedly made at least one reference to Allah and asked a victim if they were Muslim before attacking them. But he declined to call it an act of terrorism, saying the motive was still unknown.

    "We will be diligent and get to the bottom of this," Anderson said. "Starting tomorrow, things won't be the same here."

    An Islamic State-run news agency, Rasd, claimed Sunday that the attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State" who had heeded the group's calls for attacks in countries that are part of a U.S.-led anti-IS coalition.

    It was not immediately clear if the extremist group had planned the attack or even knew about it beforehand. IS has encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks. It has also claimed past attacks that are not believed to have been planned by its central leadership.

    Anderson didn't identify the attacker, but he said police had had three previous encounters with him, mostly for minor traffic violations. He said authorities have no reason to believe anyone else was involved in the attack, and that the FBI had offered to help with the investigation.

    "The entire mall is an active crime scene," Anderson said.

    The attack began shortly after an explosion in a crowded New York City neighborhood injured 29 people. A suspicious device was found a few blocks away and safely removed. Hours before that, a pipe bomb exploded in Seaside Park, New Jersey, shortly before thousands of runners were due to participate in a charity 5K race. There was no indication that any of the incidents were linked.

    The St. Cloud mall remained on lockdown following the attack, but authorities expected those remaining inside to be released early Sunday. Photos and video of the mall taken hours after the incident showed groups of shoppers waiting to be released, including some huddled together near a food court entrance.

    Harley and Tama Exsted, of Isle, were in St. Cloud to watch their son play in a college golf tournament and were in the mall when the attack happened.

    "All of a sudden I heard pop, pop, pop," Harley Exsted told the St. Cloud Times. "I thought someone tipped over a shelf. All of a sudden these people started running. I just saw everybody running our way."

    The couple were unharmed and said they helped another woman who was running from the scene to her car.

    Adonis Samuels, 42, of St. Cloud, was outside the mall where his wife Roxanne works as a manager at Clinique at Macy's.

    "She called me on the phone and told me she was hiding under the counter with a customer," Samuels said. She later called and said she was safe in a secured area.

    Samuels remained outside, watching for her. He said he'd seen her through the glass doors at one point so he knew she was safe.

    Springfield traffic advisory for week of Sept. 19: Sewer, water projects proceed

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    The Springfield traffic advisory for the week of Sept. 19 includes a continuation of water and sewer projects.

    road.photo.jpg 

    SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission and Department of Public Works have released their traffic advisories for the week of Sept. 19, that include a continuation of a sewer interceptor project along the Mill River.

    The projects include the following:

    Springfield Water and Sewer Commission.

    Long-term projects

    Main Interceptor Rehabilitation Project

  • There will be intermittent lane shifts and lane closures within the project area, which runs along the Mill River extending from the intersection of Mill Street and Main Street to the intersection of Rifle Street and Chester Street. Click here for a map of the area.

  • This work requires the opening of sewer lines which increases the potential for sewer odors in the area. Odor issues may be reported to the Odor Hotline at 413-537-6429.

  • Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway - The Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway is closed from Liberty Street to Riverfront Park for work to repair three Combined Sewer Outfalls along the Connecticut River.
  • Water Pipe Replacement Project - Worthington Street from Spring Street to Chestnut Street: Worthington Street will be reduced to a single lane with alternating traffic flow.

    Water Pipe Improvement Project - Hancock Street: During some phases of construction, Hancock Street from State Street to Lebanon Street will be reduced to a single lane with alternating traffic flow.

    Sewer Pipe Rehabilitation Project - Alden Street: Sections of Alden Street from the intersection of Northumberland Street to 672 Alden Street will be reduced to a single lane with alternating traffic flow.

    Short Term Projects

    Sewer Pipe Rehabilitation Project - Union Street from East Columbus Avenue to West Columbus Avenue: lane shifts on Union Street, East Columbus Ave., and West Columbus Ave.

    Water Pipe Improvement Projects:

  • Tuesday, Sept. 20: Union Street from Hancock Street to Eastern Ave. will be closed to through traffic. Traffic will be detoured onto Monroe Street.

  • Wednesday, Sept. 21: Tyler Street from Hancock Street to Eastern Ave. will be closed to through traffic. Westbound traffic will be detoured onto Quincy Street. Eastbound traffic will be detoured onto Pendleton Ave.

  • Thursday, Sept. 22: Union Street from Terrence Street to Hancock Street will be closed to through traffic. Westbound traffic will be detoured onto Quincy Street and Stebbins Street. Eastbound traffic will be detoured onto Terrence Street and State Street.

  • Friday, Sept. 23: Tyler Street from Orleans Street to Hancock Street will be closed to through traffic. Westbound traffic will be detoured onto Quincy Street. Eastbound traffic will be detoured onto Pendleton Avenue

  • Department of Public Works

    Boston Rd. - From State St. to Bay St. Milling and Utility work. Expect delays and possible lane reductions.

    Calhoun St. - From Main St. to Chestnut St. Utility work

    Dayton St. - From Plumtree Rd. to Sumner Ave. Ext. Utility work

    Dickinson St. - From Locust St. to Belmont Ave. Milling

    Feltham Rd. - From Louis St. to Newhouse St. Utility work

    Road Closures

    Union St. - From Main St. to East Columbus Ave. Road closure extended to 10/14/16.

    Medical examiner back on the stand at murder trial of Cara Rintala, accused of strangling wife to death; follow updates on Twitter

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    Cara Rintala, 49, is accused of strangling Cochrane Rintala on March 29, 2010, at their Granby home.

    NORTHAMPTON -- Retired Massachusetts Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Joann Richmond said Monday that when she completed on Annemarie Cochrane Rintala's death certificate she entered "unknown" as the time of death.

    Richmond is on the stand on the third day of testimony in the third murder trial of Cara Rintala.

    Rintala, 49, is accused of strangling Cochrane Rintala on March 29, 2010, at their Granby home. This is her third trial, following mistrials in 2013 and 2014 resulting from deadlocked juries. She has been free on $150,000 bail since March 2014.

    Richmond said the window of death for Cochrane Rintala is 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. since Cochrane Rintala spoke to her father at 11 a.m. that day. Her body was found at 7 p.m.

    She said the Registry of Vital Records does not want a range entered under time of death on a death certificate -- so, she entered "unknown."

    In her opening statement Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Suhl told jurors that Rintala staged an elaborate cover-up after killing her wife. Steps she allegedly took to create an alibi included going on a number of errands using her debit card, calling her wife's phone incessantly and contaminating the crime scene with paint. She also dumped cleaning rags in a McDonald's parking lot, the prosecutor said.

    Defense lawyer David Hoose told jurors that investigators quickly began building a case against his client, as opposed to probing who actually killed Cochrane Rintala and attempting to identify other potential suspects. The 911 call placed by a neighbor at Rintala's request was recorded by a dispatcher as "a domestic disturbance" because the couple had a history of shoving matches, the defense argued, though the caller never used the phrase.

    "It started with that first 911 call ... that set the mindset that just grew through the rest of this investigation," Hoose told the jury Wednesday.

    A full day of testimony is slated for Monday.


    Follow Buffy Spencer's updates from the trial on Twitter:

    Law enforcement in Massachusetts tighten security, share intelligence following NYC bombing

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    Law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts are sharing information and tightening security following this weekend's string of threats across the country.

    Law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts are sharing information and tightening security following this weekend's string of threats across the country, including the explosion of a bomb in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood.

    29 people were injured in the New York City blast, and another unexploded device was found blocks away. A garbage can exploded near the starting line of a Marine Corps. charity run in New Jersey, and a pipe bomb exploded near the Elizabeth, N.J. train station as a bomb disposal robot attempted to disarm it. No one was injured in the New Jersey explosions.

    ISIS also claimed responsibility for the stabbing of nine people at a mall in Minnesota on Saturday, though local authorities say there were no clear links between the attacker and any organized group.

    The Boston Globe reports that the incidents led to tighter security at public events on Sunday. The FBI communicated with security staff at Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium before yesterday's Red Sox and Patriots games. The Massachusetts State Police dedicated extra troopers, K-9 units, and Explosive Ordinance Disposal Units to the Patriots game and the Hell's Angels fall picnic in Lee, the Globe reported.

    State police said that the Commonwealth Fusion Center -- a statewide information and intelligence clearinghouse for public safety agencies -- was monitoring the situation. No specific threat has been identified in Massachusetts.

    "As with the NJ and Philadelphia incidents, Massachusetts State Police and our CFC partners are gathering all available information from the FBI and state and local law enforcement in the attack jurisdictions. As well, our MSP Bomb Squad has been in touch with its counterparts in NY and NJ to share information," state police said in a statement. "We will continue to analyze that information to determine if it has any connection to Massachusetts. As of this point, no nexus to Massachusetts has been found."

    The Springfield Police Department has not received any specific alerts from state or federal law enforcement, Sgt. John Delaney told MassLive, while urging residents to stay aware of their surroundings.

    "In this day and age we're always on alert and we tell the citizens that if you see something, say something," Delaney said.

    Police have released the identity of Ahmad Khan Rahami, describing him as a person of interest in the Chelsea bombing. No arrests have been made in the case.

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