Multiple departments are fighting the fire in cold and icy conditions.

GRANBY - One person was taken to the hospital Monday night after a house fire on Chicopee Street, according to reports.

Western Mass News, media partner of The Republican/MassLive, reports the fire started at around 9 p.m. at 48 Chicopee St. Responding crews have blocked the road between Route 202 and School Street.

Multiple departments are fighting the fire in cold and icy conditions.

This is a developing story. Stay with The Republican/MassLive for more information as it becomes available.

Rescue workers on Tuesday found a flight recorder from the Russian plane that crashed into the Black Sea over the weekend, the defense ministry said.

SOCHI, Russia -- Rescue workers on Tuesday found a flight recorder from the Russian plane that crashed into the Black Sea over the weekend, the defense ministry said.

All 92 people aboard the Russian military's Tu-154 plane are believed to have died Sunday morning when it crashed two minutes after taking off from the southern Russian city of Sochi. The 84 passengers included dozens of singers from Russia's world-famous military choir who were going to the Russian Air Force base in Syria to perform at a New Year's concert.

The defense ministry said in a statement that one of the flight recorders was found early Tuesday morning about a mile away from the shore.

State television showed footage of rescue workers on an inflatable boat carrying a container with a bright orange object submerged in water. The ministry said the "black box" would be immediately flown to Moscow. It did not mention whether any damage had been done to the flight recorder.

About 3,500 people, 45 ships and 192 divers have been sweeping a vast crash site for bodies of the victims and debris, and dozens of drones and several submersibles also have been involved in the search. Rescue teams so far have recovered 12 bodies and numerous body fragments, which have been flown to Moscow for identification.

Divers found fragments of the fuselage, parts of the engine and various mechanical parts at night, the defense ministry said.

Officials still have not announced the cause of the plane crash, but they have been anxious to squelch speculation that it might have been caused by a bomb planted on board or a portable air defense missile.

But some aviation experts have noted that the crew's failure to communicate any technical problem and a large area over which fragments of the plane were scattered point at a possible explosion on board.

With President-elect Donald Trump set to take office next month and Republicans retaining control on Capitol Hill, Western Massachusetts Democrats are optimistic about finding areas of common ground, but bracing for continued partisan fights.

Dave Roback's shots from opening day at the Blandford Ski Area made up Monday's top photo gallery at MassLive.com. Below are Monday's most-read local news stories. If you missed any of them, click on the links to read them now.

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They do not live in Chicopee or North Adams, and only a small number reside in Springfield.

There will be many hot contests on the 2018 ballot, when voters will select their next governor and other statewide officeholders. But one battle is already generating a significant amount of attention: the fight for a constitutional amendment to raise taxes on income over $1 million.

For voters in Chicopee, however, the consequences of the tax increase may feel far away: fewer than four of the city's 55,000-plus residents reported earning over $1 million in 2014. 

According to Department of Revenue data released this fall, there were 17,230 Massachusetts tax filers in tax year 2014 who reported an adjusted gross income of at least $1 million. The filers paid an average of $175,000 in taxes each. The 2014 figures are the most recent available.

But those millionaires are not spread evenly across the state. According to the data, there are 129 cities or towns, out of Massachusetts' 351 municipalities, with fewer than four residents reporting an annual income of over $1 million. (The state report excludes exact figures for communities with zero to three such filers.) 

Many of these are very small towns, particularly in rural Western Massachusetts. These are towns like Becket (population 1,700 in 2010), Charlemont (population 1,200), Cummington (population 800) Florida (population 750), Hancock (population 700), and Plainfield (population 650).

The Berkshire tourist hub of North Adams -- the least populous city in Massachusetts, with 13,700 residents -- also had fewer than four residents earning more than $1 million a year.

Several cities with zero to three millionaires were larger cities that tend to be poorer: places like Lynn, Fitchburg, Chelsea and Chicopee.

Western Massachusetts generally has cheaper housing and a lower cost of living than eastern Massachusetts, so salaries do not need to be as high.

By far, the area where income most frequently topped $1 million was Boston and the surrounding suburbs. Boston, the state's most populous city, had just over 2,000 tax filers who earned more than $1 million in 2014, and the average adjusted gross income of those filers was $5.1 million.

Trailing Boston were the wealthy Boston suburbs, led by Newton (just under 1,300 tax filers reporting over $1 million in income), Wellesley (850 filers), Weston (550 filers), Cambridge and Brookline (470 filers each), and Lexington (400 filers).

The community in Western Massachusetts with the most taxpayers earning more than $1 million was the town of Longmeadow, which had 108 tax filers reporting more than $1 million in annual income, or the 27^th-most millionaire tax filers statewide. The city of Springfield was toward the bottom of the list, with just 16 tax filers reporting income of over $1 million. 

The town with the highest average adjusted gross income for filers earning over $1 million was Norwood, which had just 15 tax filers declaring incomes of over $1 million -- but, the average adjusted gross income among for those filers was $13 million. This could indicate that a few very wealthy people are skewing that number.

Below, explore a full map where people who reported incomes over $1 million live in Massachusetts. The map is shaded according to the number of million-dollar filers per 1,000 residents. Click on a city or town to see the total number of residents who earned $1 million or more, as well as the average adjusted gross income per filer.

President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has selected Thomas P. Bossert, George W. Bush's former deputy homeland security adviser, to serve as his assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism.

President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has selected Thomas P. Bossert, George W. Bush's former deputy homeland security adviser, to serve as his assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism.

The incoming president, who made national security a major tenet of his 2016 campaign, contended that Bossert will bring an "enormous depth and breadth of knowledge and experience" to the job, which was previously performed by a deputy national security adviser, according to transition team officials.

"He has a handle on the complexity of homeland security, counterterrorism and cybersecurity challenges," Trump said in a statement. "He will be an invaluable asset to our administration."

Transition officials stressed that the president-elect's efforts to elevate and restore the position to its independent status alongside the national security adviser reflects Trump's commitment to "the safety and security of the nation, its people and territory."

Bossert will be charged with advising the incoming president on homeland security, counterterrorism and cybersecurity-related issues, as well as coordinating the cabinet's process for formulating and executing policy in these areas, according to Trump's transition team. 

He will also focus on domestic and trans-national security priorities, while Gen. Michael Flynn -- Trump's pick for national security adviser -- is tasked with focusing on international security challenges.

Who's in Donald Trump's cabinet? Meet the president-elect's nominees

Bossert, who has run his own homeland and national security consulting business and served as a senior cybersecurity fellow at the U.S. Atlantic Council, said he looks forward to working with Flynn to help Trump advance the country's interests.

Pointing to cybersecurity, he further stressed that the U.S. "must work toward cyber doctrine that reflects the wisdom of free markets, private competition and the important but limited role of government in establishing and enforcing the rule of law, honoring the rights of personal property, the benefits of free and fair trade and the fundamental principles of liberty."

As a member of the Bush administration, Bossert advised the president on national security, counterterrorism, cybersecurity and continuity of operation. He also led efforts to improve civil government operations and co-authored the National Strategy for Homeland Security of 2007, according to transition team officials.

Aside from time in the White House, Bossert has worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration, the Office of the Independent Counsel and the U.S. House of Representatives.

He received a law degree from George Washington University Law School and a bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

A discussion about the meaning of Christmas and the airing of grievances outside of Antonio's pizza early Saturday morning got a little too heated and police had to step in to help.

AMHERST - When your 'airing of grievances' for Festivus attracts the attention of the police, you're doing Festivus wrong.

Amherst police report that they were called to the area of Antonio's Pizza on North Pleasant Street early Saturday to settle a verbal dispute. Several patrons, who earlier had been to area bars, began discussing Christmas and Festivus.

When the discussion evolved into the airing of grievances, things became too heated and police had to step in to cool things down, according to the Amherst police log.

Festivus was inspired by a Dec. 18, 1997 episode of "Seinfeld." The holiday, invented by the father of one of the characters, touted Festivus as an alternative to Christmas. Since the original airing of that episode, some people have taken the TV plotline and run with it, observing Festivus each Dec. 23.

 The slogan of Festivus is "A Festivus for the rest of us!" and part of the tradition is the Airing of Grievances, which is an opportunity to tell others how they have disappointed you, according to the Festivus website.

Police reported that the parties involved in the disturbance "were sent on their way with some advice on how to handle the season of Festivus."

Peace was restored.

Judge F. Dennis Saylor issued an injunction order last week prohibiting Richard Cody and his company Boston Investment Partners from withdrawing funds or altering any of their investment holdings.

A federal judge in Boston has granted the Security and Exchange Commission's petition to freeze the assets of Richard Cody, a former Boston financial advisor accused of losing his clients' retirement funds and lying to them about their accounts.

Judge F. Dennis Saylor issued an injunction order last week prohibiting Cody and his company Boston Investment Partners from withdrawing funds or altering any of their investment holdings.

Cody is also required to provide the SEC with details of his financial accounts and the investment accounts of his alleged victims, who the SEC claims were kept in the dark for years as their retirement accounts dwindled to almost nothing.

Saylor's order said that the SEC had shown preliminary evidence that Cody had "directly or indirectly engaged in the violations alleged in the complaint," that "there is a reasonable likelihood that these violations will be repeated," and that Cody's alleged victims were retirees on fixed incomes who had suffered emotional and financial harm.

Cody could not be reached for comment; he has not yet named an attorney, according to court filings, and the phone line listed on Boston Investment Partners' website is disconnected.

Cody, the founder of Boston Investment Partners, allegedly forged signatures, fabricated financial documents and told his clients their accounts were healthy, while their funds lost almost all their value.

The SEC filed its civil suit on behalf of three sets of victims, all of which began a financial relationship with Cody in 2001 or 2002. The last names of the victims are not identified in the suit.

According to Boston Investment Partners' website, Cody started his investment career with Merrill Lynch in Baltimore in 1996. He moved to Boston in 2000, and began acquiring individual clients.

The next year, he delivered a presentation to Verizon workers and drew the attention of Paul M., who hired Cody as his broker. He entrusted his entire retirement savings -- $377,000 -- to Cody, who invested them in retirement accounts with Smith Barney, where he worked at the time.

Cody told the couple that their monthly checks were coming from interest earned on their investments, while he was actually draining the account's principal, Maureen said in an affidavit. And when Paul confronted Cody about a statement showing a major drop in funds, Cody allegedly lied and said he had invested in "corporate bonds" that were not accounted for on the statement.

After Paul died in 2011, Maureen took possession of the retirement fund and kept the money with Cody. She was not aware that her account had declined to the point where it could no longer pay out her monthly withdrawal, and Cody had begun secretly paying her from a separate account while claiming she had hundreds of thousands of dollars remaining, the SEC alleged.

Cody also allegedly fabricated financial documents, including an inaccurate 1099 and a fake annuity account used to convince her not to withdraw $10,000 from the depleted account.

The pattern was the same for Kenneth E. and Carol and Ray B., fellow Verizon retirees who were referred to Cody by friends and family in 2002. Each had more than $400,000 in retirement funds when they began their relationship with Cody; each had their accounts lose their value while Cody claimed all was well.

The SEC's claim is not Cody's first brush with financial regulators. In 2008, the Department of Enforcement of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority filed a complaint against him, alleging that he had engaged in "unsuitable and excessive trading" of his clients' funds and overstated account values. He was suspended from working as a broker for a year in 2013, after a lengthy appeals process.

In a letter to the court, Cody, who now lives in New Jersey, said that he would not be able to attend a scheduled hearing on Dec. 22 due to holiday travel. He was allowed to participate by phone.

"I am not, and have not for several months, managing any investment accounts or working for any investment company/broker/dealer and that is not going to change," Cody wrote. "I will answer any questions asked of me at the appropriate time. I am here to cooperate fully in order to resolve this matter in a satisfactory manner."

Retail gas price averages have increased 28 of the past 30 days, according to AAA.

SPRINGFIELD -- A gallon of regular gasoline averaged $2.24 across Greater Springfield this week, according to AAA and its website.

That price is up from $2.20 a gallon a week ago and from $2.08 a month ago. The price averaged an even $2 a year ago.

The lowest price locally Tuesday was $2.09 a gallon at the FL Roberts at 1313 Boston Road in Springfield, according to Gasbuddy.com.

Higher prices in this region mirror trends around the country, where the average price has risen in 28 of the last 30 days, according to AAA.

The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is now $2.29, AAA said. That is five cents more than one week ago, 16 cents more than one month ago and 29 cents more than it was a year ago.

While gas is more expensive now than it was a year ago, prices are still comparatively low. AAA said most U.S. drivers can expected to pay the second-cheapest New Year's Day gas prices since 2009, when the national average was $1.62.

But worldwide gas prices have been on the rise ahead of promised OPEC production cuts.

Also, demand is expected to fall in January as folks wrap up holiday travel and start sticking a little closer to home.

The statewide Massachusetts average price is $2.28 a gallon, making gas elsewhere more expensive than it is in Springfield. By region, Pittsfield averages $2.26 a gallon, Boston $2.29 and Cape Cod $2.28 a gallon.

Elsewhere along the East Coast: New York and Pennsylvania both average $2.47 a gallon, Connecticut $2.41, Rhode Island $2.30, Vermont $2.34 and New Hampshire $2.25.

Nationally, Hawaii had the most expensive gas at $2.97 a gallon followed by California at $2.70 a gallon.

South Carolina had the cheapest gas at $2.04 a gallon followed by Mississippi and Texas, which were both at $2.07 a gallon.

Incoming White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer this week appeared to confirm Donald Trump's plans to continue using social media as president, contending that such direct communication with the American people will be a "really exciting part of the job."

Incoming White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer this week appeared to confirm Donald Trump's plans to continue using social media as president, contending that such direct communication with the American people will be a "really exciting part of the job."

Spicer, in a Monday interview with Rhode Island news channel WPRI, suggested that the incoming president will continue his high-profile and politically unorthodox use of Twitter and other social media platforms when he takes over the Oval Office.

"His use of social media in particular ... is going to be something that's never been seen before," he said. "He has this direct pipeline to the American people, where he can talk back and forth."

Such communications, Spicer argued, will give Trump "an element of a conversation that's never occurred," as he can put his thoughts out for direct feedback from the American people.

"He does communicate in a much bigger way than there's ever been before, and I think that's gonna be just a really exciting part of the job," he told the news outlet.

Trump, who has repeatedly turned to Twitter to rally supporters, attack rivals and draw media attention, has drawn criticism from some over his continued social media use in the wake of the election -- including over his recent tweets on Russian President Vladimir Putin, defense contracts, the Broadway musical "Hamilton" and the United States' nuclear capability.

US Sen. Ed Markey urges President-elect Donald Trump against expanding nuclear capabilities

The incoming president told "60 Minutes" following his White House win that he would be "very restrained" in using social media, if he uses it at all as president. 

"I'm going to do very restrained, if I use it at all, I'm going to do very restrained," he said. "I find it tremendous. It's a modern form of communication. There should be nothing you should be ashamed of."

Trump added that social media gives him a platform to "fight back" against inaccurate news reports.

Although President Barack Obama is the first U.S. president to have a Twitter account and go live on Facebook, his social media use has paled in comparison to his successor. 

Obama's @POTUS Twitter handle will be passed on to Trump when he takes office on Jan. 20, 2017, according to the White House. It will retain its followers, but start with no tweets on its timeline. 

Other White House Twitter accounts, including @WhiteHouse, @FLOTUS, @PressSec and @VP will also be transferred to the incoming administration. 

The Obama Administration's accounts on other social media websites will also change hands under the transition, White House officials said.

The lessons are $60 for children and adults can pay $5 at the pool for each session.

CHICOPEE - The Parks and Recreation Department is offering beginning level 1 swim classes for children ages 5 and adult lap swim and water walking in January.

Swim classes will be start on Jan. 4 and be held from 6 to 6:45 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays through Feb. 1.

The adult swim and water walking will begin at 7 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Those classes will run from Jan. 4 through Feb. 15.

Both programs will be held at Comprehensive High School.

The cost for the children's lessons is $60 for residents and $70 for non-residents. People must register their children before the classes begin in person at the Chicopee Parks and Recreation office, 687 Front St.

The lap swim or water walking is $5 a resident or $6 for non-residents for each session and participants can pay at the pool.

A family statement said the actress died Tuesday morning.

Carrie Fisher, who starred in four blockbuster "Star Wars" films, has died less than a week after being stricken by a heart attack in an transatlantic flight, according to reports.

People Magazine citing a statement from family spokesman, said Fisher, 60, died Tuesday morning in Los Angeles

According to the statement from Simon Halls, issued on behalf of Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd:

Fisher was flying from London to Los Angeles on Friday when she suffered a major heart attack midflight.

She had been undergoing treatment at the UCLA Medical Center.

The actress has completed filming on "Star Wars: Episode VIII," the fifth film in which she played the heroic Princess Leia.

Fisher, the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, recently published "Princess Diarist," her eighth book.

Married briefly to singer Paul Simon, Fisher has a daughter, Billie Lourd, from a relationship with talent agent Bryan Lourd. She has a brother and two half-sisters.

U.S. Marine Sgt. Joshua Bouchard, injured in Afghanistan, safely escaped the blaze with his two dogs, Trubiosa and Coconut,

Updates story posted at 9:18 a.m.

GRANBY -- Fundraising efforts have already started to aid wounded U.S. Marine Sgt. Joshua Bouchard who lost his Chicopee Street home to fire Monday night.

Bouchard, who lost his leg and suffered a crushed spine in a bomb explosion in Afghanistan in 2009, safely escaped the blaze with his two dogs Trubiosa and Coconut, his sister, Suzanna Sullivan said.

"It's just absolutely devastating," Sullivan said of the fire that essentially destroyed her brother's home, adaptive car, wheelchair, prosthetics and numerous household items.

The home, which sustained heavy damage to its roof trusses, will likely have to be completely rebuilt, she said.

A bright spot in all that loss, however, is that the community is starting to pull together even as investigators sift through the blackened ruins in an attempt to determine what happened.

"One of the things we know is that the community has come together, just like that horrible time from before," Sullivan said.

Sullivan has set up a GoFundMe account to help cover her brother's losses. As of early Tuesday afternoon it has raised some $2.775 towards its $10,000 goal.

Sullivan credits the home, located at 48 Chicopee St., with speeding her brother's recovery

"One of the more amazing things is that with his home, he has been able to concentrate on his rehab," Sullivan said, adding over the last few years her brother has been able to stand and walk short distances with his prosthetic and a cane,

"It's probably thanks to the house," Sullivan said. "He has a safe place to do that."

The home was built four years ago by hundreds of volunteers and Homes for Our
Troops, a Taunton-based nonprofit organization that builds homes across the country for severely injured veterans.

Granby Fire Capt. George Randall said the blaze was reported was reported shortly after 9:30 p.m. and that the garage was fully-involved when firefighters arrived.

Investigators, including troopers with the state Fire Marshal's office, believe the fire may have started in the car, Randall said. The fire is still under investigation, however.

Sullivan said her brother told her that he had been using the car and parked it in the garage before the fire broke out. She said he noticed what appeared to be steam rising from the hood when he pulled into the garage but attributed it to the precipitation that had been falling .

Bouchard went inside. About a half-hour later he smelled smoke, checked the garage and saw the car was fully-involved. He called 911, got his dogs and safely exited the home, Sulllivan said.

Sullivan said her brother was busy all morning at the scene of the fire, meeting with investigators and others.

"I think he is shocked," Sullivan said. "But, I think he knows with the reassurances from our family and his community that he will be OK."

Sullivan said her brother will stay with their parents, who also live in Granby, while he works to get his home rebuilt.

Springfield City Councilor Orlando Ramos, who is slated to become council president for 2017, has selected state Sen. James Welch to give him the oath of office during the council's annual organizational meeting on Jan. 2.

Springfield City Councilor Orlando Ramos, seen here, is slated to become council president in 2017, and has selected Sen. James Welch to give the oath of office.File Photo / The Republican 

SPRINGFIELD -- City Councilor Orlando Ramos, slated to become the new council president in 2017, has selected Sen. James Welch to give the oath of office at the annual organizational meeting next Monday.

Ramos, who serves as the Ward 8 councilor, was unanimously elected to the presidency by his colleagues by way of an informal caucus vote on Dec. 19. The formal vote is slated at the Jan. 2, with Ramos set to replace current President Michael Fenton, who served the past three years.

The organizational meeting begins 10 a.m. Monday in the council chambers at City Hall. Ramos, in a prepared release, welcomed all to attend the public meeting.

"Senator Welch has not only been a good friend, but a mentor to me over these last few years," Ramos said, in announcing his choice for the oath of office duties. "I could not think of a better person to administer the oath of office."

Ramos has worked for Welch, D-West Springfield, since 2011, and currently serves as his District Director.

James WelchFile Photo / The Republican 

"Ariana is the most intelligent, polite and ambitious 12-year-old you'll ever meet" Ramos said. "I'm proud of the young lady she's becoming, and I'm looking forward to sharing this special moment with her. She is the reason I do what I do."

The program also includes Vanessa Ford who will perform a musical selection.

Pastor Eli Serrano of Restoration Worship Center will lead the opening prayer, and Pastor Mark A. Baymon of Deliverance Center Church of God In Christ will close with prayer.

The organizational meeting is open to the public, and all are welcome to attend. -

During the meeting, the 13-member council will also select the vice-president, with At-large Councilor Justin Hurst selected by caucus vote on Dec. 19.

The council will also adopt rules for the New Year, and will draw seats to determine the order of voting on council business in 2017. The council president votes last.

Donald Trump's first major speech as president of the United States is expected to revolve around the theme of "dreaming big," the Republican's inaugural committee announced Tuesday.

Donald Trump's first major speech as president of the United States is expected to revolve around the theme of "dreaming big," the Republican's inaugural committee announced Tuesday.

Presidential Inaugural Committee spokesman Boris Epshteyn told CNN he expects the president-elect's Jan. 20 remarks to strike a positive tone that communicates with all Americans.

"I am expecting a great address, one that, again, talks to Americans about dreaming big, about making sure that we are a city on the hill one more time, and I am looking forward to it -- a strong address that talks to all Americans," he told the news outlet.

Ephsteyn's comments came after reports surfaced that Trump had tapped Stephen Miller, the author of his Republican National Convention speech, to pen his inaugural remarks.

Miller, Trump's incoming senior White House adviser for policy, worked on several of the president-elect's campaign speeches.

Communications Director for the Trump Inaugural Committee says Trump's speech will be about "dreaming big" https://t.co/leSdBzww6M

-- CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 27, 2016

Trump's lengthy-RNC address, in which he laid out his policy proposals and accused rival Hillary Clinton of having a legacy of "death, destruction and weakness," was criticized by some as being overly dark.

Epshteyn defended the incoming president's convention speech, saying it also contained the themes of "dreaming big" and "not downsizing your dreams."

Massachusetts' RNC delegates, meanwhile, contended that the speech to close out the Republican National Convention was just what the party needed.

Massachusetts delegates praise Donald Trump's Republican National Convention speech, turn focus to November

Trump will be sworn-in as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. 

He will kick off his official inaugural events Thursday, Jan. 19 by laying a wreath at Arlington National cemetery with vice president-elect Mike Pence, according to a schedule released by the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Epshteyn said he expects Trump's family to play a role in the incoming president's inauguration, but did not provide any specifics as to their involvement.

Luis Prosper of Holyoke will serve 18 to 20 years for manslaughter in the death of 19-month-old Jaliyah Silva.

The exterior of the Hampden County Hall of Justice is seen Saturday evening, April 25. (Dwight B. Shepard / The Republican)Dwight B. Shepard / The Republican

SPRINGFIELD — People who were around Luis Prosper and 19-month-old Jaliyah Silva said Prosper exclaimed not long before Silva's August 2011 death, "I hate this f---ing baby," a prosecutor said Tuesday in Hampden Superior Court.

Assistant District Attorney Jane E. Mulqueen said people reported Prosper called Silva a "pussy baby" when he dunked her head under the water in a local pond and she was unhappy. He called her a "pussy baby" other times and said she whined too much.

Prosper, 30, of Holyoke, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and assault and battery on a child with bodily injury for the death of his then-girlfriend's baby. Until Tuesday, Prosper faced a charge of murder, which was reduced as part of a plea agreement.

The formal sentencing is Jan. 6, but Hampden Superior Court Judge Edward J. McDonough said he will accept the agreed-upon sentence recommendation by Mulqeen and defense lawyer Alan J. Black and sentence Prosper to 18 to 20 years for involuntary manslaughter and an additional four to five years for assault and battery on a child with bodily injury.

Mulqueen said the cause of death was shaking injuries of the head and spinal cord.

Jaliyah's mother, Deanne Morrissette, gave a victim impact statement to McDonough. She said her relationship with the father of Jaliyah and her younger daughter ended very badly.

"I was hurt and angry, and Luis was there for me," she said. "I thought I could trust him."

But she said Prosper became violent and aggressive and manipulated her so she didn't have other people in her life.

Jaliyah, Morrissette said, had started to say "bye" and "hi" and other words. "Jaliyah was my first born, my heart and soul. She gave me a reason to do better," the mother said.

"Jaliyah died alone with no one allowed to be with her," she said.

"I can never forgive or forget what Luis has done," she said.

McDonough told Morrissette, "It is difficult to imagine what could be worse that this. Your worst nightmare is every parent's worst fear."

Mulqueen said a 911 call was placed by Prosper at about 6:47 p.m. on Aug. 7, 2011. When emergency personnel arrived at the couple's 93 Jackson St., Holyoke, apartment, the child was unresponsive. She went from Holyoke Hospital to Baystate Medical Center to Boston Children's Hospital, Mulqueen said.

At Boston, tests showed Jaliyah's condition was consistent with brain death, Mulqueen said.

Jaliyah's mother was in the shower, and Jaliyah and her sister were on a mattress in the bedroom while Prosper was doing dishes in another room, Prosper told police. He had given her a sippy cup of juice and animal crackers.

Prosper said he heard a large gargle and patted Jaliyah on the back. He said "red, nasty stuff" was coming out of her mouth.

Prosper brought Jaliyah into the shower so Morrissette could perform CPR on her when she was unresponsive, Mulqueen said.

Mulqueen said people who knew the couple said they had previously seen Prosper shake Jaliyah and tell her to shut up. Some people said Prosper thought the baby looked too much like her father, with whom Prosper did not get along, Mulqueen said.

Black told McDonough he had gone over with Prosper the defenses to a case alleging shaken baby syndrome and detailed the controversy surrounding that cause of death.

Black said Prosper was adamant he wanted to plead guilty.

Prosper was charged with murder in May 2014. He has credit on his sentence for time served in jail awaiting trial. He was charged after an autopsy report determined cause of death.

Congresswoman Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, took aim at U.S. House Republican leaders Tuesday for introducing a rules package that would fine and punish lawmakers for recording photos and video from the chamber's floor.

Congresswoman Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, took aim at U.S. House Republican leaders Tuesday for introducing a rules package that would fine and punish lawmakers for recording photos and video from the chamber's floor.

The package, introduced by U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., came in response to Democrats who live-streamed a June sit-in over gun violence prevention measures after Republicans turned off C-SPAN cameras

Clark, who helped lead the protest, chastised Republicans whom she accused of focusing on punishing members over addressing gun violence. There is no penalty, the congresswoman stressed, that could stop her from once again taking her case directly to American voters.

"Rather than take a single vote to prevent gun violence, as their first order of business in the new Congress, House Republican leaders will instead seek to punish those of us who speak up about the need to act," she wrote on Facebook. "They should know this: there is no punishment that will deter me from standing with American families devastated by gun violence."

Under the proposed rules package, members could be fined $500 through paycheck deductions for a first offense of using electronic photography, audio or visual recording or broadcasting from the chamber floor, Bloomberg reported. Lawmakers would face a $2,500 fine for any subsequent offenses.

The new rules further include blocking access to microphones or the front of the chamber as disorderly or disruptive conduct -- actions which could lead to potential referral to the Committee on Ethics and sanctions, the news outlet reported.

Ryan's office told Bloomberg the proposed rule package "will help ensure that order and decorum are preserved in the House of Representatives so lawmakers can do the people's work."

More than two dozen Democrats stayed on the U.S. House floor in late June to force the chamber to debate and vote on legislation that would expand background checks on firearms purchases and bar gun sales to suspected terrorists, despite Republicans adjourning for Independence Day recess.

Rep. Richard Neal, participating in sit-in to force gun vote, says 'we owe that' to Pulse nightclub victims Stanley Almodovar, KJ Morris

Although GOP leaders turned off C-SPAN cameras in the chamber for much of the protest, the channel continued to cover the event through members' Periscope and Facebook Live feeds.

The sit-in ended after 25 hours as lawmakers from both sides took their fight to cable TV channels.

The Springfield License Commission and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno have issued a new, 60-day suspension for the ShowBar strip club in the downtown. The bar is seeking approvals of new ownership and a new manager.

SPRINGFIELD -- The city has suspended the liquor and entertainment licenses of the ShowBar strip club for 60 days due to recent troubles, with the bar already closed in recent months pending new ownership and management.

The License Commission voted last week to suspend the bar's liquor license for 60 days, or longer, if it takes more than 60 days to gain local and state approval of the new ownership and management. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno suspended the bar's entertainment license for the same 60-day period.

License Commission Chairman Peter L. Sygnator said Tuesday that the length of the latest suspension is justified given the "severe management deficiencies" of the current ownership.

It marked the second major license suspensions this year for the ShowBar, located downtown at 240 Chestnut St.

The License Commission is scheduled to meet this Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall to consider approving Paul Ramesh as the new manager, and to consider approving a new name for the club -- "Wonderland."

The plans for new ownership will be considered at a subsequent meeting.

The proposed changes in bar ownership and management need approval from the License Commission and from the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. The bar will remain closed a minimum of 60 days, or pending approvals of the new ownership, whichever is longer, city officials said.

The suspension was issued by the License Commission after the owner admitted to selling alcohol to a minor and to not complying with its formal security plan. Those infractions followed a suspension in July for a March brawl between two strippers in which one of the dancers was stabbed and struck with a chair, according to police reports.

The initial suspension in July was for 15 days, with an additional 45 days held in abeyance unless there was a new infraction within a year. That additional 45 days took effect when the sale to the minor occurred, officials said. The city uses police cadets under the age of 21 to attempt to buy alcohol at businesses licensed to sell alcohol during compliance checks.

There is also a separate allegation that the bar had hired a 17-year-old dancer earlier this year, which ended in June when her mother found out, and intervened, according to police and city officials. The commission has not yet scheduled a hearing on that allegation, as requested by state agencies investigating the matter, said Stephen M. Reilly Jr., a city attorney for the License Commission.

Sygnator said that given the "severe management deficiencies of the current owner, the harshness of the penalty is justified in this case."

"The Board takes a very dim view of service to a minor in the City of Springfield," Sygnator said. "I hope to see no further problems at this location when it eventually reopens."

The ShowBar owner is listed as Michael Brisbois of Buddy's Pub LLC, and the most recent manager is Matt Hubney, pending approval of the proposed changes, said Daniel Kelly, a lawyer representing the bar.

Kelly, who was not immediately available for comment, has not yet revealed the new ownership.

The Thomas J. O'Connor shelter is trying to find the owners of these animals found in Springfield and Holyoke

Clay approached the car, pulled out a 9mm firearm and pointed it at the victim. "Give me the stereo," he said, according Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski.

SPRINGFIELD -- The four bullets fired by Nicolas Clay into a car during an attempted robbery Monday night struck more than the windshield, hood, front headlight and rear view mirror, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

One also struck a passenger, shattering her wrist and arm, Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski said.

Nicolas Clay 

"A metal rod was inserted (into her arm) during surgery," Szafranski said.

Clay, 29, of Springfield, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Springfield District Court to seven charges, including two counts of attempted murder.

Clay was arrested Monday night after the victim and her friend allegedly drove to Girard Avenue to sell him stereo equipment. As he approached their car, Clay pulled out a 9mm firearm, aimed it at the victim and said, "Give me the stereo," Szafrasnki said.

The victim's friend, who was driving, immediately took off, but the women returned to Girard Avenue later, the prosecutor said. Clay appeared again, with gun drawn, walking toward the vehicle. The driver tried to get away, but four shots hit the vehicle as its wheels spun on the icy pavement, the prosecutor said.

The victim was taken to Mercy Medical Center, where she underwent surgery for a gunshot to her arm. Based on her description, police arrested Clay near the shooting scene and held him for arraignment Tuesday.

The prosecutor asked Judge William Boyle to set bail at $100,000, citing the new charges and Clay's criminal history, which includes convictions for armed robbery and illegally possessing a firearm.

Defense lawyer Aliki Recklitis asked for $50,000 bail, saying that no firearm was found and that the clothes Clay was wearing when arrested did not match the description given by the defendant.  In addition, Clay has been unemployed for the past year and neither he nor his family can afford $100,000 bail.

Boyle set bail at $100,000 and continued the case for a pretrial hearing on Jan. 27.

The sun was shining and the temperature was unseasonably warm as the Springfield Jewish Community gathered in Court Square to light the menorah on the fourth night of Hanukkah.

SPRINGFIELD — The sun was shining and the temperature was unseasonably warm late Tuesday afternoon as the Greater Springfield Jewish community and others gathered in Court Square to light the menorah on the fourth night of Hanukkah.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and Mayor Domenic Sarno were among the speakers at the event in downtown Springfield who helped celebrate along with Rabbi Chaim Kosofsky and other staff and students of Lubavitcher Yeshiva Academy, of Longmeadow.

Kosofsky said he felt a sense of gratitude to see the crowd of people come out.

"I know a lot of people don't have much occasion to come downtown," he said. "People come to hockey games, which is good, but other than that a lot of people don't. I remember a number of years ago before they re-did Court Square it was a mess, and they worked on it for a year or two, and now, what a huge difference.

"For me to see people here in Court Square in downtown Springfield and to see families here, I am very gratified by that, and I'm very encouraged," Kosofsky said.

As speakers talked about the history of Hanukkah, Rabbi Noach Kosofsky, who serves as principal of Lubavitcher Yeshiva Acadmey, offered a modern analogy that he said put Hanukkah in perspective.

"Imagine if your cellphone is showing that you have 10 percent battery left, and then your cellphone lasts for another eight days. Imagine that. That's basically the miracle of Hanukkah," he said.

He said that living in a city where he can celebrate his religion at such a public forum in the center of the downtown area served as a reminder of "what a great country we live in," and where "this miracle began."

The miracle celebrated on Hanukkah recalls the Maccabees, the small Jewish band of fighters who defeated the Greek army to reclaim the Jewish temple, and the ensuing lasting of a single day's worth of oil to keep a lamp lit for eight days in the rededication of the temple.

Neal said annual celebrations like the lighting of the menorah serve as an opportunity for people of all backgrounds and faiths to come together.

"It's the principle of unity without uniformity, and it is the triumph of the eternal quest in our lives to seek light. That's the miracle that we witnessed today," said Neal. "I think this is an opportunity to celebrate religious pluralism and at the same time it is also a season of reflection for all major religions. It's the chance to look backwards and forward, and I think that is also a part of a challenge we all have."

As part of the event, the gathering took a moment to acknowledge and remember Rabbi David Edelman, who led Lubavitcher Yeshiva as its dean since 1950. Edelman passed away on Jan. 2, 2015, just a day after he turned 90.

Sarno expressed his support and excitement that Springfield continues to honor and celebrate the variety of religions and backgrounds.

"This is important," he said. "This is what America was founded on, and we are honored to have all religions being honored here in Court Square. We've been doing this going on 40 years."