Ringside seats are $20 and general admission $10 at the 5th Annual Nick Cosmos Memorial Boxing Event set for Dec. 17, 2016 at 6 pm. at the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club, 70 Nick Cosmos Way.

HOLYOKE -- The 5th Annual Nick Cosmos Memorial Boxing Event will be held Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club, 70 Nick Cosmos Way.

Ticket prices run from $10 for general admission to $20 for ringside seats, said a Facebook posting about the event.

The Nick Cosmos tournament is hosted by the Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative, a program of the Hampden County Sheriff's Department.

The annual event honors Cosmos, who died in 2003 at 84 and who was responsible for bringing the Golden Gloves Tournament to Holyoke in 1957 where it spent nearly 50 years. That's why the Boys and Girls Club is known by some as "The House that Nick Built" and stands on the street named after him, according to a posting on the Western New England Amateur Boxing website, wneboxing.com

A flier submitted by the Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative said to visit wneboxing.com for ticket information.

A Lawrence Police sergeant "bears no criminal responsibility" for killing a man who leveled a firearm at police and others after stabbing his girlfriend in April.

A Lawrence police sergeant "bears no criminal responsibility" for killing a man who leveled a firearm at police and others after stabbing his girlfriend in April.

Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office released the finding in a five-page report, exonerating Sergeant Maurice Aguilar, a 12-year-veteran, according to a Boston Globe report.

On April 26, Aguilar killed Antonio Gonzalez, 34, on Melrose Street. 

Gonzalez appeared to be armed with a gun, "was holding his small child hostage" and "had already gravely injured [his girlfriend] Yenny Santos," the DA's report stated, according to The Globe. 

Gonzalez's gun turned out to be inoperable, but responding officers "reasonably believed Gonzalez posed an immediate threat of killing or seriously injuring them or others," the report said. 

The four-year-old boy escaped unharmed while Santos continues to recover from stab wounds to the head, The Globe reported.

Gonzalez died of a gunshot wound to the head. A toxicology report performed after his death revealed he was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine at the time of his death. 

Police found Dennis J. Guyette asleep behind the wheel of his heavily damaged Dodge pickup, with the keys in his hands and a half-empty bottle of whiskey in the passenger door pocket, a prosecutor said.

SPRINGFIELD -- Dennis J. Guyette won't be driving to court Friday for his probation violation hearing.

Not after getting arrested Thursday on another drunken driving charge after another alleged collision with another utility pole, according to the arrest report.

For the second time in four months, Guyette, 34, of Springfield, pleaded not guilty Thursday in Springfield District Court to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (second offense) and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.

Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski said police responding to a hit-and-run in Indian Orchard found Guyette asleep behind the wheel of his damaged Dodge pickup, with the keys in his hands and a half-empty bottle of whiskey in the passenger door pocket.

The front grill of the truck had been ripped off, the engine was leaking fluid and the windshield and roof had sustained damage, according to Szafranski, who said the vehicle had collided with a utility pole around 2 a.m. Officers found the truck's grill in the street and the truck itself in a nearby parking lot, the prosecutor said.

Guyette refused to give his name to police officers and refused to take a Breathalyzer test at police headquarters. In the arrest report, police cited Guyette's "obvious signs of intoxication ... and the fact that he nearly fell over on several occasions" as reasons for not giving him sobriety tests at the scene.

At the prosecutor's request, Guyette's bail was revoked in a drunken driving case from August, effectively jailing him for 90 days. Bail on the new charges was set at $2,000.

Guyette, a funeral home employee, was already scheduled for a probation violation hearing Friday in a 2014 case in which he admitted to using a hearse to run his estranged wife off the road.

After spotting her Mustang driving on Sumner Avenue, Guyette began following and then chasing it, leading to what was likely the city's first "hearse rage" arrest. "The driver shouted, 'Help, help, help,'" a police officer who saw the chase wrote in his report. "She stated that the person in the hearse was trying to kill her."

For violating his wife's restraining order, Guyette was given an 18-month suspended sentence, ordered to remain drug- and alcohol-free, and required to attend a 40-week battering treatment program.

He was still on probation in August when he was charged with operating under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident after allegedly losing control of his car on Boston Road, crashing into two telephone poles and then fleeing into St. Michael's Cemetery.

He was found an hour later, around 3 a.m., covered in blood and claiming he had been carjacked. Tests showed his blood alcohol content was 0.16 percent, or twice the legal limit, police records show.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released with orders to avoid drugs and alcohol while the charges were pending.

Guyette is identified as a funeral director in court records, but no place of employment is listed. In 2015, while on probation in the hearse case, he suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach.

In 2009, Guyette pleaded guilty to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for attacking his wife' car with a long-handled ax and crowbar, court records show.

Laclair, 40, of Springfield, was arrested Wednesday morning, minutes after rising to the top of Springfield police's most wanted list.

SPRINGFIELD -- Scott B. Laclair had his day in court Thursday -- and he'll have another one Friday, his health permitting.

Laclair, charged with stealing $400 from an elderly man and then knocking him down, was scheduled for arraignment in Springfield District Court on unarmed robbery and shoplifting charges.

Handcuffed and shackled, he shuffled into the courtroom before noon and took a seat on the defendant's bench. As he waited for his case to be called, Laclair appeared increasingly uncomfortable. Accompanied by court officers, he made two trips back to the lockup and never returned after the second one.

Later, Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski said the defendant became ill and his arraignment was postponed to Friday.

Laclair, 40, of Springfield, was arrested late Wednesday morning, minutes after rising to the top of the Springfield Police Department's most wanted list. Two booking photos of Laclair were posted on the department's Facebook page, along with a note from Springfield police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney.

"Let's get this guy before he robs again," Delaney wrote.

Last week, Laclair allegedly approached the elderly victim outside a Sumner Avenue gas station and asked for change. When the victim pulled out his wallet, Laclair allegedly grabbed it and shoved the man to the ground, police said.

On Wednesday, shortly after Laclair's photos appeared online, he was arrested for allegedly shoplifting $130 worth of clothing from Kohl's department store in West Springfield.

Recognizing the suspect from the Facebook post, West Springfield police turned Laclair over to Springfield police, Delaney said.

An 80-year-old Connecticut barber is accused of trying to sabotage a barbershop that opened a few doors down.

WILTON, Conn. (AP) -- An 80-year-old Connecticut barber is accused of trying to sabotage a barbershop that opened a few doors down.

The Connecticut Post reports that Agron Komoni, owner of Agron's Barbershop in Wilton, began having problems in August.

He says he found a key intentionally broken off inside the lock of his shop. A few weeks later, a toothpick was jammed inside. The same thing happened again four more times, so Komoni installed a video surveillance system and notified police.

Police say the system caught Frank DiMarino in the act Dec. 4. DiMarino co-owns Razor's Edge, a barbershop about 100 yards from Agron's Barbershop.

DiMarino turned himself in Sunday on a charge of third-degree criminal mischief for the incident this month.

He did not immediately return a message seeking comment. 

A water main break near the intersection of Springfield and South Westfield streets closed two city public schools and some area businesses Friday morning.

AGAWAM — A water main break in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam forced two city schools to close Friday as crews worked to repair the damaged line during the coldest weather of the season so far.

The water main break was discovered early Friday morning, prompting officials to close both Agawam Junior High School and Clifford M. Granger Elementary School, according to Allison LeClair, assistant superintendent of Agawam Public Schools.

LeClair said she hopes the schools will reopen by Monday, but at this point it's too early to tell. "It's affecting both schools, which are side by side," she said.

Crews were working to repair the break in the area of Springfield and South Westfield streets, a busy commercial district that's home to banks, restaurants and a Super Stop & Shop supermarket.

It's unclear how many businesses are being affected by the break. DPW officials were not immediately available for comment this morning.

Mama Galloni's Authentic Gourmet, located in the Community Shops near both schools, has running water this morning and is open for business, according to spokeswoman for the business. "We're fine," she said.

This developing story will be updated as reporting continues throughout the day./em>

MAP showing area of water main break:

he brutal cold and bitter winds made fighting the blaze very difficult, Deputy Fire Chief David Bourcier said. Watch video

WILBRAHAM -- The cause of a fire that destroyed a duplex on Verge Street Thursday night and displaced six people, while still under investigation, is not considered suspicious, a fire official said.

Deputy Chief David Bourcier said the fire at 2-4 Verge St. started in a kitchen on the first floor shortly before 9 p.m.

The brutal cold and bitter winds made fighting the blaze very difficult, Bourcier said. "It was bitter cold and the wind really impeded our progress. We had hydrants freeze up, lines freeze up."

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire or firefighting efforts. A female resident was taken to a hospital due to a non-fire related issue, Bourier said.

Firefighting efforts were complicated by other factors as well, including downed power lines, propane tanks in the rear of the property and, early on, fears of potential exposure to a neighboring property, Condon Manufacturing.

"A lot of high grass caught fire on that side," Bourcier said. "Pretty much everything was thrown at us," he said.

Firefighters from Springfield and Ludlow provided mutual aid and Palmer firefighters provided backup at the Wilbraham fire station.

The state Fire Marshal's office provided a warming truck and firefighters shuttled in and out of it all night as they fought the blaze.

Fire crews left the scene at about 8 a.m. State troopers from the State Fire Marshal's office are assisting in the investigation.

Ellen Patashnick, a disaster team volunteer for the Western Massachusetts Chapter of the American Red Cross, said a team of four volunteers responded to the fire scene and provided hot beverages to the firefighters and fire victims.

The latter were kept warm in a American Red Cross vehicle and were provided with socks and blankets. They were also provided with financial assistance for emergency housing.

The chapter is looking for disaster volunteers. "It's really important work for people's communities," Patashnick said. "We need local people to step up to the plate and help."

Those seeking to volunteer can contact the Springfield office at 413-737-4306 or go to the American Red Cross website.

Dakota Access Pipeline opponent have shut on the TD Band North by chaining themselves to the doors. Watch video

AMHERST - Dakota Access Pipeline opponents chained themselves to the TD Bank branch doors on Triangle Street Friday morning in a showing of solidarity with the protesters on the ground in North Dakota. 

As of 9 a.m. Friday, police had given them 30 minutes to leave or potentially face arrest.

Protesters say the bank is responsible because it is funding the pipeline. Similar demonstrations are occurring nationwide, and in Massachusetts where Northampton and Worcester have seen similar protests. 

The DAPL is an oil pipeline being constructed by Dakota Access, a subsidiary of the natural gas company Energy Transfer Partners. The pipeline is projected to reach across four separate states and, once operational, would transport 470,000 barrels of crude oil per day from North Dakota to Illinois.

The pipeline gained notoriety in early 2016, however, after the Sioux tribe from the Standing Rock reservation in North Dakota filed a legal complaint against the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, protesting the government's grants allowing the project's construction.

The tribe has expressed myriad concerns with the pipeline--claiming that the pipeline threatens to destroy sacred Native burial grounds, and also poses an ecological risk, should there ever be a spill.

After protests catalyzed by the tribe began in January, the pipeline quickly became a rallying cry for many progressives who feel that the project should be halted for both ecological and cultural reasons.

Dozens are currently on the scene in Amherst, and it is unclear whether they will remain on site and face arrest or disperse. 

This is a developing story which will be updated.

Following a bone chilling cold night, arctic air remains in Massachusetts Friday morning.

Following a bone chilling cold night, arctic air remains in Massachusetts Friday morning.

The National Weather Service said shortly after 9 a.m. that bitterly cold temperatures and wind chills as low as 15 below-zero are expected through the day. Berkshire County may experience wind chills as low as 25 below-zero through the morning.

Snow is expected to hit the state late Friday into Saturday morning. The National Weather Service reports one to three inches are expected in southeastern Massachusetts, four to six inches over north, central and the Pioneer Valley. The Berkshires could see up to eight inches of snow this weekend. 

Just how cold and windy did it get overnight in Massachusetts?

One Pittsfield man is under arrest and another suspect is at large following the abduction and robbery of a women on Wednesday morning.

One Pittsfield man is under arrest and another suspect is at large following the abduction and robbery of a women on Wednesday morning.

Joseph Loftus, 36, is facing charges of kidnapping, armed and masked robbery and larceny over $250, the Berkshire Eagle reports.

Loftus and another suspect, who police did not identify, allegedly abducted a 52-year-old woman from the city's Coltsville shopping district, brought her to a park and robbed her.

The woman told investigators she was released after the robbery and was uninjured, the Eagle reports.

Western Mass. towns and cities have begun announcing parking bans, with four to six inches of snow expected tonight into Saturday morning and eight inches possible in the Berkshires.

Western Mass. towns and cities have begun announcing parking bans, with four to six inches of snow expected tonight into Saturday morning and eight inches possible in the Berkshires.

This post will be updated as more parking bans are declared.

LUDLOW: No on-street parking from 2 a.m. through 10 p.m. on Saturday.

SPRINGFIELD: A parking ban will be in effect starting at 7 p.m. on Friday until further notice. There will be no parking on the even side of the street from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and no parking on the odd side from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"No businesses are affected, but unfortunately the schools are impacted," John Decker, the DPW's deputy superintendent for water and sewer, said Friday.

AGAWAM -- A water main break in Feeding Hills forced two city schools to close Friday morning, but businesses along a nearby commercial strip were not affected by the damaged pipe, which was expected to be repaired today, according to officials with the Agawam Department of Public Works.

"No businesses are affected, but unfortunately the schools are impacted," John Decker, the DPW's deputy superintendent for water and sewer, told The Republican Friday morning.

The break was reported around 6 a.m. DPW officials immediately contacted school officials, who canceled classes at Agawam Junior High School and Clifford M. Granger Elementary School, both of which are located off Springfield Street.

The break occurred to a pipe buried under the long driveway leading to the junior high, or roughly 150 feet in from busy Springfield Street. No area streets were closed and businesses remained open.

"It should be repaired in a few hours if conditions permit," Decker said around 9:30 a.m., referring to the bitterly cold weather.

As water main breaks go, this one was "manageable," he said.

Allison LeClair, assistant superintendent of Agawam Public Schools, said she was optimistic classes would resume by Monday morning.

The break site is near a commercial district that's home to various businesses, including banks, restaurants and a Super Stop & Shop supermarket.

MAP showing area of water main break:

President Barack Obama this week pledged to "take action" in response to reported Russian cyberattacks, which U.S. intelligence officials believe sought to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

President Barack Obama this week pledged to "take action" in response to reported Russian cyberattacks, which U.S. intelligence officials believe sought to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

Although the president, who has ordered a full intelligence review of the cyberattacks before he leaves office next month, did not say when or how such retaliation would be carried out, he told NPR late Thursday that the United States will not let such hacks go unpunished.

"I think there is no doubt that when any foreign government tries to impact the integrity of our elections that we need to take action. And we will -- at a time and place of our own choosing," he said. "Some of it may be explicit and publicized; some of it may not be."

Obama said he has spoken directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom the White House has suggested played a personal role in the hack, about his feelings on the matter.

The president further acknowledged that while there has been a traditional understanding regarding intelligence gathering conducted by the "big powers," there's a difference between that and what he called "the malicious cyberattacks that steal trade secrets or engage in industrial espionage...and activating intelligence in a way that's designed to influence elections."

"We have been working hard to make sure that what we do is proportional, that what we do is meaningful," he said of America's response to the attacks.

The outgoing president's pledge to take action against Russia came in stark contrast to his successor, who continued to raise questions about the cyberattacks on Friday.

President-elect Donald Trump, whom the attacks allegedly sought to help, argued that the hacks of Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign emails found that the Democratic nominee was given preferential treatment.

"Are we talking about the same cyberattack where it was revealed that head of the DNC illegally gave Hillary the questions to the debate?" he tweeted.

Are we talking about the same cyberattack where it was revealed that head of the DNC illegally gave Hillary the questions to the debate?

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 16, 2016

Reportedly hacked Clinton campaign emails published on WikiLeaks in late October suggested that DNC official and CNN Contributor Donna Brazile shared details about an upcoming Democratic debate question and promised more information ahead of another town hall.

Trump's tweet came one day after the incoming president questioned the White House's response to the reported hacking.

"If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hillary lost?" he tweeted.

If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hillary lost?

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016

The CIA, in a recent secret assessment, concluded that Russia intervened in the U.S. presidential election to help Trump win the White House instead of just influencing confidence in America's electoral system, the Washington Post reported.

Individuals with connections to the Russian government allegedly provided WikiLeaks with hacked emails from the DNC and Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta as part of an operation to boost Trump, according to the newspaper.

The Obama administration suggested Thursday that Putin personally authorized the hacking and that Trump must have known of the interference, the Associated Press reported.

US Rep. Richard Neal seeks bipartisan probe of Russia's involvement in 2016 presidential election

Trump's transition team dismissed such reports and pointed to the margin of the GOP nominee's Electoral College victory.

Russian officials, meanwhile, have cast the allegations as "absolute nonsense," the Post reported.

The owner of a spa in Agawam is facing several charges following allegations she was trafficking women for sexual services within his business.

The owner of a spa in Agawam is facing several charges following allegations she was trafficking women for sexual services within his business.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni announced the arrest Friday of 50-year-old Chun Nu Li, of Agawam, on two counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude. 

Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the DA's office - along with officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Agawam Police Department - executed a search warrant of the Springfield Street business and a home nearby on Springfield Street Tuesday as a part of the ongoing investigation.

Li was apprehended by New York State Police in Flushing, Queens and is expected to be returned to Massachusetts soon. 

"Human trafficking is an especially detestable crime, which preys on vulnerable people for the financial profit of the perpetrator," Gulluni said. "The Hampden District Attorney's Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to stopping this form of exploitation and firmly applying the law to these offenders." District Attorney Gulluni went on to say, "I would like to thank the Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to my office, particularly Trooper Matthew Simpson, who spent many hours on this complicated investigation. Additionally, I would like to express my gratitude to the Agawam Police Department for bringing this activity to our attention and for their partnership in the investigation. I also thank the Department of Homeland Security for its partnership and support."

'Sex sells anywhere' says human trafficking expert after Massachusetts businesses shutdown

The execution of search warrants by the DA's office was conducted in concert with a months-long investigation into two trafficking rings by the Massachusetts Attorney General's office. 

Owners of Central and Western Massachusetts 'massage parlors' arrested on human trafficking charges 

FBI Director James Comey and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Jr. have reportedly supported a CIA assessment, which concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 presidential election in an effort to help President-elect Donald Trump, U.S. officials said Friday.

FBI Director James Comey and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Jr. have reportedly supported a CIA assessment, which concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 presidential election in an effort to help President-elect Donald Trump, U.S. officials said Friday.

CIA Director John Brennan, in a message to the agency's workforce, confirmed the "strong consensus" on Russia's intentions among the three agencies, the Washington Post reported.

"Earlier this week, I met separately with (Director) FBI James Comey and DNI Jim Clapper, and there is strong consensus among us on the scope, nature, and intent of Russian interference in our presidential election," Brennan reportedly wrote, according to U.S. officials familiar with the message.

"The three of us also agree that our organizations, along with others, need to focus on completing the thorough review of this issue that has been directed by President Obama and which is being led by the DNI," it further stated.

News of the consensus came shortly after Obama told NPR that the United States will take action against Russian in response to cyberattacks, which intelligence officials believe the country conducted to undermine the 2016 White House race.

President Barack Obama on Russian cyberattacks: 'We will' take action

The outgoing president's pledge to take action against Russia came in stark contrast to his successor, who continued to raise questions about the cyberattacks on Friday.

Trump, whom the attacks allegedly sought to help, argued that the hacks of Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign emails found that the Democratic nominee was given preferential treatment.

Obama told reporters in his final news conference of 2016 that he hopes Trump will uphold his administration's efforts to combat cyberattacks and ensure there is no foreign influence in American elections.

The CIA, in a recent secret assessment, concluded that Russia intervened in the U.S. presidential election to help Trump win the White House instead of just influencing confidence in America's electoral system, the Washington Post reported.

Individuals with connections to the Russian government allegedly provided WikiLeaks with hacked emails from the DNC and Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta as part of an operation to boost Trump, according to the newspaper.

The Obama administration suggested Thursday that Putin personally authorized the hacking and that Trump must have known of the interference, the Associated Press reported.

Russian officials, meanwhile, have cast the allegations as "absolute nonsense."

The two men charged in connection with the shooting death of 31-year-old Jose "Joselito" Rodriguez in Amherst last October denied charges and were held after arraignment in Eastern Hampshire District Court on Friday.

BELCHERTOWN -- The two men charged in connection with the shooting death of 31-year-old Jose "Joselito" Rodriguez in Amherst last October denied charges and were held after arraignment in Eastern Hampshire District Court on Friday.

Soknang Chham, 33, of New Salem, was held without the right to bail as he is facing murder charges.

Soksot Chham, 35, who is charged with being an accessory after the murder, was ordered held in lieu of $250,000 cash or $500,000 surety. Pretrial for both was set for Jan. 25.

The courtroom was packed with onlookers and at the start of the hearing, Judge David Ross asked for silence, while adding "I know this is an emotional time for all sides."

During Soknang Chham's arraignment, one woman shouted out expletives and was escorted from the court room. Court security included six uniformed state troopers who stood in the courtroom facing those in attendance.

The two men were extradited from Flagstaff, Arizona, where they had been held after their arrest there Oct. 25.

The two waived extradition but had been held until their release to U.S. marshals last month.

The U.S. Marshals Service arrested the two men in connection with the killing of Rodriguez in Amherst on Oct. 15.

Soknang Chham faces one count of murder and one count of armed assault with intent to murder in connection with the Oct. 15 shooting death of Rodriguez, 31, at the Southpoint Apartments in Amherst. A second man was also shot but survived.

Police have not yet revealed a motive for the shootings.

The two were arrested by U.S. marshals after investigators learned that they had left Massachusetts on a bus bound for Phoenix.

The Amherst Police Department and the state police detective unit attached to the DA's office continue to investigate.

The wide-ranging conversation included discussion of the department's internal disciplinary process, City Council plans to reinstall a civilian police commission and the ways that churches and police can collaborate to engage residents.

Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri held a one-hour, 15 minute meeting with the Pastors' Council of Greater Springfield on Monday to discuss relations between police and the Springfield community, as the department continues to deal with the public fallout of recent police misconduct controversies.

The wide-ranging conversation, which the department described in a press release as a "very cooperative and important meeting," included discussion of the department's internal disciplinary process, City Council plans to reinstall a civilian police commission and the ways that churches and police can collaborate to engage residents.

"The Commissioner discussed the departments' strategy of working with the community and stressed that the churches would make an ideal partner for neighborhood outreach and police/community communication. The pastors spoke of community conditions and suggested efforts to improve neighborhoods and reach troubled young people," Springfield Police Sgt. John Delaney said in a statement. "The meeting was very productive and both sides were encouraged by the collaborative and the progress going forward."

Barbieri appeared at the invitation of the Pastors' Council of Greater Springfield.

The commissioner has repeatedly engaged in public outreach in recent weeks, including issuing a full-throated defense of his Internal Investigations Unit on Wednesday, meeting with the South End Citizens Council to discuss casino preparations in November and discussing the Community Police Hearing Board with the Old Hill Neighborhood Council in October.

Several pastors in the council did not return requests for comment prior to publication.

But the police news release included statements from The Rev. Dr. Atu White of Mt. Zion Baptist Church and the Rev. Paul Starnes of Morning Star Community Baptist Church thanking Barbieri for his candor.

White said that the pastors asked Barbieri about the department's disciplinary procedures, the potential return of the police commission, the C-3 anti-gang initiative and security plans for the opening of the MGM Springfield casino in late 2018.

"The council believes he spoke honestly regarding the problems in our city and is committed to evaluating and finding solutions," White said in the statement. "We thank Commissioner Barbieri for a wonderful conversation."

Starnes expressed support for Barbieri's "holistic approach" to law enforcement, according to the news release. That approach was a central topic at November's South End Citizens' Council meeting, in which Barbieri said he was determined to focus resources on repeat violent offenders.

"We're not going to arrest people and resolve this issue. It's about arresting the right people. The people who do not want to accept services and be helped," Barbieri said in November. "Zero tolerance is like an occupying army. The goal is to go into these neighborhoods and treat people like residents."

The Springfield Police Department is currently at the center of a number of controversies. The Hampden District Attorney is still reviewing an investigation into claims that a group of off-duty officers beat up several men outside a bar in April 2015. And federal authorities are looking into the case of Det. Gregg Bigda, who was suspended for 60 days after video emerged of him threatening to plant drugs on and kill a juvenile suspect.

The Springfield City Council has voted to re-install a civilian police commission, which would strip Barbieri's position of the final say on disciplinary matters. The measure has been vetoed by Mayor Domenic Sarno, who has warned of a court battle if the council pushes forward with the plan.

And internal emails obtained by MassLive show that a senior police official criticized the IIU over its handling of the Bigda and bar fight investigations. The publication of those emails, among other headlines, prompted Barbieri to issue a lengthy defense of the IIU this week praising the integrity of its members.

"The Internal Investigation Unit is comprised of men and women selected for their demonstrated trustworthiness and commitment to professionalism," Barbieri wrote.

"The water is back on," John Decker, the DPW's deputy superintendent for water and sewer, said in an email early Friday afternoon.

AGAWAM -- A water main break that led to the closure of two city schools on Friday morning has been repaired, according to officials with the Agawam Department of Public Works, who fixed the problem during a brutal cold snap.

"The water is back on," John Decker, the DPW's deputy superintendent for water and sewer, said in an email to The Republican early Friday afternoon.

The break was detected around 6 a.m. along a section of pipeline leading to Agawam Junior High School. That prompted officials to close both the junior high and neighboring Granger Elementary School.

Despite Friday's bitterly cold temperatures, DPW crews managed to quickly locate and repair the break. Both schools are located off Springfield Street and expected to reopen Monday morning.

The area where the water main break occurred is within a busy commercial district near the corner of Springfield and South Westfield streets. No area businesses were impacted by the break, DPW officials said.

Organizers of the Dakota Access Pipeline protest that closed the TD Bank on Triangle Street said they were surprised police didn't arrest the people who chained themselves to the doors sooner. Watch video

AMHERST -- Organizers of the Dakota Access Pipeline protest that closed the TD Bank on Triangle Street Friday said they were surprised police didn't act sooner to arrest the people who chained themselves to the doors.

Four of the five were arrested after firefighters cut their chains about 5.5 hours after the occupation of the bank began. Their action closed the bank, although the drive-thru window was open.

They were led away in handcuffs. The arrest was peaceful.

Some bank customers were supportive of the protest, but others were upset. Organizer James Frank said that is "one of the consequences of staging an action. The challenge is to greet people and effectively communicate cordially why we are here."

Protesters want the bank, one of 38 financing the pipeline construction, to pull that financing. They say the pipeline poses a threat to drinking water and violates Native American treaties.

Members of the group talked to customers and explained their purpose. They also handed out flyers naming alternative banks.

Police said they delayed responding until they could call in off-duty officers, according to an email from Capt. Jennifer Gundersen.

The pipeline opponents began their action just after 8 a.m. Friday by chaining themselves to the doors. Police initially gave them 30 minutes to leave. Protesters told police in the morning they would not leave and planned to remain until they arrested.

Police filed trespassing charges against Alyssa Johnson-Kurts, 22, of Worcester, Vermont, Mark Osten, 54, of Amherst, Harrison Greene, 30, of Northampton, and Paxton P. Reed, 19, of Osterville.

Police did not arrest Giovano Castro, who was also chained in the front but left before the arrests.

The four arrested are scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown.

Sarah Jacqz, a member of Divest UMass, said sometimes direct action is necessary to bring about change.

"We are in solidarity with the water protectors in Standing Rock."

One irate customer who said he had to wait 20 minutes for the drive-up window was yelling protesters should get a job. He said they were wasting taxpayer money tying up police.

Customer Kathryn Firth of the United Kingdom needed to get into the bank because she was flying out in two hours. She said these kinds of actions don't work -- something she saw with people protesting Brexit, the U.K.'s decision to leave the European Union.

Randy Kleiner from Belchertown said he wasn't happy he couldn't do his banking but was more sanguine. The action he said, "It's part of this world." He felt there were more important things to get upset with.

According to a press release, the group demand the bank "immediately cease their financial support of the Dakota Access Pipeline, a project that violates indigenous treaty rights, threatens to poison the water supply of millions of people and continues our reliance on dirty energy sources that contribute to climate change."

Bank spokeswoman Judith Smith wrote in response that "as a proponent of responsible energy development, TD works closely with clients, local communities and environmental groups to enhance our understanding of key issues and promote informed dialogue."

"We support efforts to ensure the sustainability and safety of the Dakota Access Pipeline site," Smith wrote. "And we respect the rights of those who wish to voice their opinions in peaceful protest."

The bank has been listening to concerns from the community about the pipeline, Smith wrote, and will "continue to advocate that Energy Transfer Partners engage in constructive dialogue and work toward a resolution with community members, including the Standing Rock Sioux tribe."

She wrote that the bank "played an active role in helping to secure Foley Hoag LLP, an independent human rights expert, to conduct a review on behalf of the lenders and advise on recommended improvements both the Energy Transfer Partners and Sunoco Logistics "can make to their social policies and procedures moving forward."

The pipeline is projected to reach across four states and, once operational, would transport 470,000 barrels of crude oil per day from North Dakota to Illinois.

The tribe has expressed myriad concerns with the pipeline -- claiming that the pipeline threatens to destroy sacred Native American burial grounds, and also poses an ecological risk should there ever be a spill.

The Army Corps of Engineers Dec. 4, however, denied a permit for that easement, which essentially halts the construction on the 1,172-mile oil pipeline.

On Dec. 5, about 200 protesters marched from the Amherst Town Common to the bank calling on customers to take their money out of the bank.

Asked why she didn't turn over records of convicted state drug lab chemist Sonja Farak's drug use to district attorneys, former assistant state AG Anne Kaczmarek said, "I don't know. It was a mistake."

SPRINGFIELD -- Anne Kaczmarek, a former assistant state attorney general, testified Friday she didn't realize papers found in former state lab chemist Sonja Farak's car showed she had been using drugs more than a year before her arrest.

"I totally misjudged the dates," Kaczmarek, now an assistant clerk magistrate in Suffolk Superior Court, said at the fifth day of a hearing before Hampden Superior Court Judge Richard J. Carey dealing with fallout from Farak's criminal wrongdoing at the Amherst state drug lab, where she worked.

The mental health worksheets and Servicenet diary cards found in Farak's car after her January 2013 arrest had notations Farak had used drugs in "late December." Farak wrote down her drug use, including one time where she used drugs at work at the state laboratory in Amherst.

Kaczmarek said she assumed Farak's notations were for December 2012. She said she never realized that although Farak noted that Christmas fell on Sunday, that Christmas fell on a Sunday in 2011, not 2012.

She said "if I realized what it meant" she would have gone before a judge and gotten an order that she could turn over the records despite any concerns about privilege.

Lawyers for 10 drug defendants have said the state's failure to disclose Farak's mental health and drug treatment records is prosecutorial misconduct. They say the records would have thrown light on Farak's drug use, and that information would have affected their clients' drug cases.

The 10 defendants are looking for new trials or to withdraw their guilty pleas because Farak tested drug evidence in their cases.

In January 2014, Farak, then 35, of Northampton, was given an 18-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to four counts of theft of a controlled substance from an authorized dispensary (the drug lab), four counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of possession of cocaine.

Farak began using drugs from the lab as early as 2004, according to court documents released in May. The Amherst lab was closed due to her actions.

Carey has said he wants facts that would show whether state officials were busy with so much going on and there was an oversight about the records or whether state officials intentionally buried evidence that could have been exculpatory for the defendants.

Those records in question came to light in the fall of 2014 after Luke Ryan, lawyer for some of the drug defendants, was allowed to inspect evidence in the case. State police and the attorney general's office had had the records since searching Farak's car shortly after her arrest.

State officials repeatedly fought Ryan's request to look at the evidence.

Ryan asked Kaczmarek a number of questions to which she replied, "I don't remember." He then showed her emails she had written to refresh her memory.

A great deal of testimony has been about the circumstances surrounding multi-day hearings held in September 2013 by then-Hampden Superior Court Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder, who is now a state Appeals Court justice.

Kinder held the hearings to try to determine when Farak's misconduct at the lab began in order to see how far back drug cases might have been affected. Farak's role in the cases was to identify the drug and determine its weight.

Kinder was told at the 2013 hearings by then-Assistant Attorney General Kris Foster all material relating to Farak had been turned over to district attorneys.

Foster, now general counsel at the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, testified Tuesday she had been doing what her superiors ordered in her handling of the 2013 effort to quash subpoenas of a state police supervisor and all the records in the prosecution of Farak. Kinder had ordered those records be turned over.

She said she had no reason to doubt her superiors, who told her that everything from the investigation of Farak had been turned over to local prosecutors. She said she never looked at the Farak case file herself.

Under questioning from the judge Kaczmarek testified she never told Foster the entire file had been turned over to district attorneys. Foster had testified Kaczmarek did tell her that.

Kaczmarek said she didn't know how Foster could have represented to Kinder the whole file had been turned over without even looking at it.

The mental health and substance abuse treatment papers found in Farak's car were not turned over even though Kinder ordered all records be submitted to him.

Jared Olanoff, lawyer for some of the defendants, asked Kaczmarek if she thought she had any obligation to turn over the mental health records to the district attorneys.

"Yes, I suppose I had a certain obligation in terms of public interest," she said.

Asked why she didn't turn them over, Kaczmarek said, "I don't know. It was a mistake."

She said she didn't think it was her specific obligation within the office to see that the records were given to district attorneys.

The hearing ended Friday. The defense lawyers will submit briefs and the state will submit a brief by Feb. 17. Carey said he will hold hearings for each of the defendants to see how Farak's actions affected them.

He said by the end of February he will "hopefully" be in a position to "begin putting something together" in terms of his decisions.