Members of the U.S. House and Senate solidified President-elect Donald Trump's 2016 presidential election victory Friday, despite challenges from Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, and other Democrats.

Members of the U.S. House and Senate solidified President-elect Donald Trump's 2016 presidential election victory Friday, despite attempted challenges from Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, and other Democrats.

Lawmakers, who met for a joint session of Congress, officially recorded the president-elect's 304 to 227 vote Electoral College victory over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. The certification came despite objections from House Democrats, who have vocally opposed the incoming president.

McGovern, an outspoken critic of Trump, raised the first Democratic objection, citing reports of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act and contending that Electoral College electors were improperly certified.

Vice President Joe Biden, who presided over the joint session, rejected the Worcester Democrat's objection for failing to obtain support from at least one member of the U.S. Senate.

Members have the right challenge the Electoral College votes, but need at least one senator to join the effort for it to have any effect on proceedings.

Despite the rejection, McGovern tweeted Friday that he refuses "to sit quietly while our democratic institutions are under attack."

American democracy was compromised in 2016 by #RussianHacking. I refuse to sit quietly while our democratic institutions are under attack. pic.twitter.com/prmDKfIewV

-- Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) January 6, 2017

Fellow Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland; Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington; Barbara Lee, D-Calif.; Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas; and Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., also attempted to protest the Electoral College results.

Biden, who cut off several of the objections, told Democrats "it is over," drawing cheers and laughter from Republicans.

House and Senate members have jointly backed Electoral College challenges just twice since the 19th century, including in 2005 when Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, joined Ohio Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones to challenge Ohio's electoral votes in George W. Bush's reelection win, according to Politico.

The attempted challenges marked the latest effort to undermine Trump's 2016 presidential win.

Reports: Congressional Democrats weigh challenge to Donald Trump's Electoral College win

Groups unsuccessfully sought to sway Electoral College members against voting for the Republican when electors met in late December.

In total, seven electors cast so-called "faithless" votes against the candidates to whom they were bound, including three from Washington who voted for former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican, over Clinton in a failed attempt to block Trump's election.

Trump will be sworn-in as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, Jan. 20, before participating in the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.

The president-elect will kick off his official inaugural events on Thursday, Jan. 19 with a wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery followed by a "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration" concert at the Lincoln Memorial.

Springfield State Rep. Bud Williams said he will consult with constituents this weekend before deciding if he will continue to serve on the City Council, with one year remaining on his two-year term.

SPRINGFIELD -- State Rep. Bud L. Williams, D-Springfield, said Friday he will take another weekend to decide if he will keep or give up his City Council seat.

"I have just been tied up (on other matters)," Williams said.

Williams, a retired probation officer, said his first three days as the new state representative of the 11th Hampden District have been very busy and he has not yet made up his mind if he will serve the final year of his two-year term as an at-large member of the 13-member council.

Williams said he will be speaking with voters in the district about his decision and make the announcement Monday.

Williams was elected Nov. 8 to the Legislature after winning the September primary. In September, he said he would wait until after the election to decide if he would hold both seats or give up the council seat.

According to a spokesman for the Secretary of the Commonwealth, a legislator rarely continues to hold local elective office if the term is unexpired, but it does occur on occasion.

If Williams gives up the council seat, it will go to the next highest vote-getter in the 2015 election, Jesse Lederman.

Soknang Chham, the man charged with fatally shooting Jose "Joselito" Rodriguez in October in Amherst, denied murder and related charges Friday at his arraignment in Hampshire Superior Court.

NORTHAMPTON -- Soknang Chham, the man charged with fatally shooting Jose "Joselito" Rodriguez in Amherst, denied murder and related charges Friday at his arraignment in Hampshire Superior Court.

The arraignment lasted just minutes, and the courtroom was packed with police. Members of a police task force stood outside the courthouse with rifles.

Chham is charged in connection with the Oct. 15 shooting death of Rodriguez, 31, at Southpoint Apartments in Amherst. A second man was shot but survived.

Chham previously denied charges in Eastern Hampshire District Court. At that hearing some in the crowd shouted; there were no such outbursts at Friday's arraignment.

Wearing a jacket and jeans, Chham pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. His attorney, William J. O'Neil of Springfield, entered not guilty pleas on his behalf for the remaining charges.

Chham was indicted by a Hampshire County grand jury in December on charges including murder, armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a firearm, assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm), illegal possession of a firearm (subsequent offense) and illegal possession of a firearm with two prior convictions for violent crimes.

Chham will return to court May 3 for an off-site pretrial conference and May 24 for a hearing. He is being held at the Hampshire County Jail and House of Corrections without the right to bail.

Chham's brother Soksot Chham, 35, faces a charge in Eastern Hampshire District Court of being an accessory after the fact to the killing. Held in lieu of $250,000 cash or $500,000 surety, he is due back in that court Jan. 25.

No motive has been provided in the killing of Rodriguez. According to friends of Rodriguez, the Chhams used to hang out with Rodriguez and his friends.

Soknang Chham was one of several people charged in connection with the pistol-whipping of a man in Lowell in March 2010 and he spent five years in state prison before being released in June of 2015.

Donald J. Trump's violation of norms when he made racist and sexist remarks throughout his campaign helped rather than hurt his presidential campaign, according to University of Massachusetts researchers.

AMHERST -- Donald J. Trump's racist and sexist remarks helped rather than hurt his presidential campaign, according to University of Massachusetts researchers.

Political scientist Brian F. Schaffner, Matthew MacWilliams of MacWilliams Sanders Communication and Tatishe Teat of UMass recently published "Explaining White Polarization in the 2016 Vote for President: The Sobering Role of Racism and Sexism."

"Trump's willingness to make explicitly racist and sexist appeals during the campaign, coupled with the presence of an African-American president and the first major-party female nominee, made racism and sexism a dividing line in the vote in this election," the authors wrote in their study.

"This led less educated whites, who tend to exhibit higher levels of sexism and racism, to support Trump, while more educated whites were more supportive of (Hillary) Clinton," the authors wrote.

Traditionally, "candidates can't make explicit racist statements during a campaign. It is a violation of norms," Schaffner said. "But clearly (this election) didn't follow the pattern."

"A lot of whites out there feel they're getting the short shaft," Schaffner said. "A candidate like Trump really resonates. As whites, they feel disadvantaged."

According to the study, Trump won more than 70 percent of the two-party vote among whites without a college degree -- more than any Republican going back to at least 1980.

"His success with this group was particularly important in the three states that ultimately decided the election -- Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania," the authors wrote in their study.

In those three states, whites without a college degree made up 40 to 47 percent of the electorate. In each state, they favored Trump by about 30 points over Clinton, the researchers said.

Schaffner said he was surprised by the findings.

"I expected racism and sexism would be important. I did not expect they would be that important," he said.

He said racism and sexism were more powerful than partisanship, and more powerful that Trump's populist appeal.

"Economic dissatisfaction was part of the story; racism and sexism were much more important," the researchers wrote.

Schaffner knew sexism was an issue he wanted to look at once Clinton became the Democratic nominee. Sexism became even more prevalent once Trump became the Republican nominee, he said, and his focus expanded to racism in light of the comments Trump was making.

Even during the primaries, Schaffner said, "there were some indications that the more xenophobic (someone was) the more likely you were to support him."

Schaffner and his team reached their conclusions using a national survey of 2,000 people conducted during the last week of October by the market research company YouGov. Based on their findings and the large early voter turnout of predominantly white voters, Schaffner said, it became apparent that Trump had a chance to win despite polls favoring Clinton.

Schaffner said it's sobering that a candidate can make racists and sexist remarks and still win. He thinks candidates could see that as a path to victory and employ similar strategies in future election cycles.

"This strategy doesn't work in the long term," he said. "The demographics are changing." He said more people are getting college educations and the country is becoming more ethnically diverse.

Schaffner will present his team's findings this weekend at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian research university in Israel. 

Schaffner Et Al IDC Conference by ledermand on Scribd

Florida Senator Bill Nelson told media that police have taken Esteban Santiago into custody.

Authorities have arrested a man they believe shot at people at the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, international airport, multiple media outlets are reporting.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson told media that police have taken Esteban Santiago into custody. Nelson told MSNBC that they believe Santiago is the shooter and that he was carrying military identification.

The shooting has left five people dead and seriously injured eight others, according to the Broward County Sheriff's office.

Update: 5 ppl dead; 8 injured were taken to an area hospital.

-- Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) January 6, 2017

Operations at the airport have been suspended.

The TSA also announced a shelter in place order for the airport.

Update, 3:30 p.m.: Sheriff: There was no second shooter, the only shots fired were in Terminal 2.

The Transportation Security Administration tweeted about a possible second active shooter situation at the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, international airport.

The TSA also announced a shelter in place order for the airport. 

Earlier today, a shooter, who authorities believe to be a man named Esteban Santiago, shot and killed 5 people and injured eight others, according to MSNBC.

Update: Active shooter at #FLL. Shelter in place. Airport closed.

-- TSA (@TSA) January 6, 2017

The Broward County Sheriff's Department tweeted that the second active shooter reports are currently unconfirmed, but there is an active search ongoing. 

Active search: Unconfirmed reports of addt'l shots fired on airport property.

-- Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) January 6, 2017

The airport announced that they will be closed for an extended period of time. 

The controversy is not new, but has been on the front burner in recent months.

MONTAGUE -- Emotions ran high at Thursday's public forum on whether Turners Falls High School should keep its "Indian" mascot name, reports the Greenfield Recorder.

The Gill-Montague Regional School Committee is poised to take a vote on the sports team label. However, some are calling for a town-wide referendum instead.

The issue has divided the community, with some calling the moniker "racist" and others saying the name represents generations of tradition and should stay.

At one point, a testy exchange arose between Montague Police Chief Charles "Chip" Dodge and School Committee Chairman Mike Langknecht, according to the Recorder. Dodge, a Turners Falls alumnus, said the School Committee should not be making the decision and questioned members' standing in the matter.

"I don't know your backgrounds. I don't know if you grew up in this town," Dodge said.

Langknecht said he may not have "four generations buried in town," but has lived in Montague for 25 years and put three children through the schools. "Don't tell me I'm not part of this community," he said.

The controversy is not new, but has been on the front burner in recent months.

During a recent Thanksgiving Day football game where the Indians capped a winning season by obliterating Greenfield High School, players did the so-called "Tomahawk Chop" on the field, violating a 2009 order from the district superintendent. That, and the fact that children were seen wearing a feathered headdress on the sidelines, drew criticism on social media and prompted an investigation by the school district.

Centuries ago, the area around modern-day Turners Falls was the epicenter of King Philips War. In 1676, English settlers killed nearly 200 Native Americans at a fishing encampment. The tribes rallied and launched their own attacks against settlers. The Wampanoag and Pocasset Indian chiefs were captured and brutally killed.

A group of New England tribes previously released a statement deeming the "Indians" team name and mascot offensive. But an online petition claims the name actually pays homage to the the Native Americans who died as a result of King Philip's War.

Debates have occurred around the country about similar mascots of professional, college, and high school sports teams. Frontier Regional High School in South Deerfield, for example, changed its nickname from Redskins to Red Hawks during the 1999-2000 academic year.

Hundreds of police officers from throughout region attended the Friday morning funeral mass for Holyoke Police Sgt. David O'Connell.

HOLYOKE -- It was standing room only inside Our Lady of the Cross Church Friday as mourners, including hundreds of police officers from across the region, bade farewell to Sgt. David M. O'Connell.

"I have never seen a church this big with standing room only," said funeral director Barry Farrell, addressing the mourners. "I can't think of anyone who deserves it more than David O'Connell."

O'Connell's love of family and the community he served as a police officer for 31 years was touched upon a number of times throughout the hour-long funeral mass.

"His love of family and friends has no bounds," said Brian Burns, a longtime friend.

"When he was talking to you, he was truly interested in what you had to say," said Ernie Girard, another longtime friend.

The 54-year-old O'Connell was found dead at his home early Saturday morning, Dec. 31, 2016, his fellow officers reported. He was off-duty at the time and his death is not considered suspicious, Holyoke Chief of Police James M. Neiswanger said in a statement Saturday. 

Upwards of 90 Holyoke police officers and about half as many retired city officers, along with auxiliary officers and cadets, lined the walkway to the church as O'Connell's casket was brought inside Friday morning.

That long blue line of Holyoke's finest filed out first at the close of the mass to once again honor their fellow officer.

Police departments from Easthampton, South Hadley, Monson, Springfield and Enfield were among those sending contingents and representatives to the service, as did the Massachusetts and Connecticut state police and the Hampden and Hampshire county sheriff's departments.

O'Connell -- whose nickname was "Oakie" -- was a standout basketball player at Holyoke High School and his love of the sport and his drive to share it with others was also touched upon during the service.

Reports from the archives of The Morning Union, predecessor to The Republican, show that O'Connell's high school career highlights include playing on teams that twice faced off in against future NBA Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing, who played for the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.

The Purple Knights lost the 1979 state championship game to Cambridge, when O'Connell and Ewing were both sophomores. A year later, Ewing and the Cambridge team knocked Holyoke out of the state tournament in a semifinal game. O'Connell led the Purple Knights in the 1980 game, scoring 16 points.

The future police officer and future NBA star crossed paths again in March 1981, playing on a high school all-star team in a charity game held in Springfield, against high school players from New York.

Mourners at Friday's service included Mayor Alex Morse, who said after the mass that O'Connell "exemplified the meaning of community policing."

"Young people in particular looked up to him," Morse said. "He was a model police officer."

Another longtime friend, Jim Hart, said O'Connell will be deeply missed. "He was just a great guy, just a great guy. He treated the poor guy just like he treated the rich guy. The outpouring today was just a minor reflection of him."

Hart said he and others will do their best to be there for O'Connell's wife, Mary, and his son, Joey, in the months ahead.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family," Neiswanger said in his earlier statement. "The Holyoke Police Department lost a dear brother and loved one today. All of us are grieving his loss."

Lucas Allain, 34, of Chicopee, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography.

SPRINGFIELD -- Lucas Allain, 33, of Chicopee, has pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography.

Hampden Superior Court Judge Richard J. Carey on Thursday sentenced Allain to 21/2 years in the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow with a year to be served and the rest suspended with five years probation.

Allain has 350 days credit on the sentence for time spent in jail awaiting trial.

Carey set conditions for the probationary term including: no unsupervised contact with children under 16 years old, sex offender treatment, and staying away from Lambert School in Chicopee.

Allain cannot own or use a computer, cannot go on the internet and can't own a camera or other device for taking photos.

Police and federal agents raided Allain's 60 Larchmont St. home on Jan. 11, 2016. They seized computer equipment and determined the suspect downloaded hundreds of images and videos depicting child pornography, Michael Wilk, public information officer for the Chicopee Police Department, said at the time of Allain's arrest.

Allain was represented by Shawn Allyn in the case prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jane Mulqueen.

The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination ruled that Springfield Fire Capt. Marc Savage failed to provide sufficient evidence that he was discriminated against in promotions and harassed due to color and religion.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination has dismissed a complaint filed by Fire Capt. Marc A. Savage, ruling that he failed to show sufficient evidence that he was harassed and discriminated against because of color and religion.

Savage, who is black and Muslin and has worked for the fire department for 38 years, had accused the fire department and Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant of discrimination in not promoting him to district fire chief nor to deputy fire chief in recent years.

The MCAD found there was a "lack of probable cause" that the department and Conant engaged in discrimination.

In addition, Savage claimed, within a letter to the city from his lawyer in 2016, that he faced retaliation and a hostile work environment in which he was "subjected to offensive conduct" on social media. The letter referred to social media postings, ranging from one that said everyone would have to pray five times a day if he was promoted to deputy chief and another one referring to Muslims as "towel heads."

The MCAD, within its 12-page ruling, stated the city, by way of the fire department and Conant, "has provided legitimate nondiscriminatory reasons for the actions taken" in not promoting Savage, adding that Savage provided "insufficient evidence" to counter those reasons.

While Savage did pass the deputy chief exam in 2014, there were only two candidates taking the exam, less than the requirement for four, according to the city and echoed in the MCAD ruling. The exam was rescheduled by the state to 2015 when only current Deputy Chief Glenn Guyer passed, according to the ruling.

Guyer was promoted to the position a year ago as the lone candidate who passed the second exam.

Savage also claimed the department and commissioner were failing to uphold the city's residency requirement in not requiring Guyer to live in Springfield. Savage was among 10 residents who filed a lawsuit in Hampden Superior Court in May, accusing the city of failing to enforce the residency requirement for new and promoted employees. The suit is pending.

Guyer lives in Wilbraham, and his lawyer claims he is under no legal requirement to move to Springfield, which city officials contest. Conant recently chose not to discipline Guyer for failing to move to Springfield, which was followed by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announcing on New Year's Day that he will not renew Conant's contract next January.

Regarding the district chief exam, there were five applicants for two open positions in 2014, and "the evidence supports that the candidates who were promoted had the highest positions on the effective civil service eligibility list" and that Savage was at the bottom of that list, the MCAD ruled.

Regarding the social media comments, the commission ruled that Savage "failed to establish that his supervisors were involved" and failed to take remedial action, or that any of the activity occurred during work time or using work resources.

Regarding an allegation by Savage that he was a victim of retaliation due to his appellate efforts or his support of the City Council's efforts to enforce the residency ordinance, the MCAD sided with the city, ruling that Savage had not provided sufficient evidence that he received any warnings or discipline following his MCAD complaint and that his supervisors did respond to his report of inappropriate social media postings. The MCAD further stated that Savage's own subsequent "unresponsiveness" prevented further city investigation.

MCAD Decision, Marc Savage vs. Springfield Fire Dept. by The Republican/MassLive.com on Scribd

Clifford Ahern is charged with slashing an East Longmeadow police officer with a knife on Nov. 4.

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 -- Clifford P. Ahern couldn't come to court Friday, so court went to him.

Hampden Superior Court Judge Constance M. Sweeney, court staff, the prosecutor and the defense lawyer gathered at Vibra Hospital in Springfield Friday afternoon to arraign Ahern.

Ahern, 59, is in the hospital because of injuries from being shot by an East Longmeadow police officer Nov. 4.

He is charged with slashing another officer with a knife. The officer who was attacked suffered minor injuries.

Ahern pleaded not guilty to armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest and failure to stop for police. He is held without right to bail. A status date of Feb. 8 was set to discuss future dates in the case.

The incident occurred as police attempted to arrest Ahern on a warrant related to an assault and battery charge out of Palmer District Court.

Police said Ahern has a "history of confrontations with police and prior violent criminal offenses."

Police pulled Ahern over but he sped away after a brief interaction with the officer, police said. Ahern drove directly to his home, where three officers were already waiting.

Police said Ahern charged at one of the officers and slashed his shirt with a knife. That's when another officer shot Ahern.

Police Chief Jeffrey Dalessio said in mid-November the officers involved in the shooting have since been removed from administrative leave and are back on duty. The police chief, citing the ongoing investigation, declined to release their names.

The investigation is being conducted by state police and the district attorney's office.

President-elect Donald Trump continued to push back Friday against U.S. intelligence officials' allegations that Russian hackings sought to influence the 2016 White House race, contending that cyber attacks had "absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election."

President-elect Donald Trump continued to push back Friday against U.S. intelligence officials' allegations that Russian hackings sought to influence the 2016 White House race, contending that cyber attacks had "absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election."

Trump, following a briefing with top U.S. officials, stressed that he respects intelligence agencies' work, but continued to question claims that Russia attempted to sway the election in his favor.

"While Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organizations including the Democrat National Committee, there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election, including the fact that there was no tampering whatsoever with voting machines," he said in a statement.

The president-elect added that while there were attempts to hack the Republican National Committee, they were ultimately unsuccessful.

Arguing that the U.S. must aggressively combat and stop such hacks, Trump pledged to appoint a team that will provide him with a plan to do so within 90 days of taking office.

"The methods, tools and tactics we use to keep America safe should not be a public discussion that will benefit those who seek to do us harm," he said. "Two weeks from today I will take the oath of office and America's safety and security will be my number one priority."

DNC Chairwoman Donna Brazile contended that the incoming president's remarks show he, for the first time, "is not disputing the fact that Russia was behind the targeted attack on the DNC and the Clinton campaign."

Trump's statement came hours after reports surfaced suggesting that U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted communications following the 2016 presidential election in which senior Russian government officials appeared to celebrate the Republican's win and congratulate themselves on the outcome.

Although the reportedly captured messages added to intelligence agencies' confidence about alleged Russian efforts to sway the election toward Trump, communications also revealed that top Russian officials anticipated Democrat Hillary Clinton would win, according to the Washington Post.

Russian officials celebrated Donald Trump's win, US intelligence report suggests

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 -- findings supported by FBI Director James Comey and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Jr.

According to reports, 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.

President Barack Obama authorized sanctions against Russian agencies and expelled dozens of the country's government officials from the United States late last month in response to the alleged interference.

Southampton Rite Aid manager Nancy Milne on Friday morning confronted a 28-year-old man she allegedly watched walk out of the store with a basket full of stolen Red Bull.

Southampton Rite Aid manager Nancy Milne around 10 a.m. Friday morning confronted a 28-year-old man she had says she watched walk out of the store with a basket full of stolen Red Bull.

Milne told the man to leave the product behind and go away, but he walked off instead, according to a Southampton Police Department report on the incident.

Moments later, the man returned, remarking to store staff how the car he had come in was locked, asking if anyone knew where his ride went.

Police at that point were already on their way to the store, located on College Highway.

Turns out, the man found his ride, a female, in the store and the pair proceeded to leave, but didn't get far.

Police found the car, a blue Hyundai Tuscan, at the Cumberland Farms nearby on College Highway.

In the car, Southampton Police Lt. Ian Illingsworth recovered 24 stolen Red Bulls and a Rite-Aid shopping basket.

Illingsworth proceeded to arrest the man, whom he identified as Joshua Diaz, of Holyoke, on a charge of shoplifting by asportation.

Diaz was arraigned later Friday in Northampton District Court. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 9.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said on Friday afternoon that the suspect who shot and killed five people likely acted alone and was taken into custody without incident.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said on Friday afternoon that the suspect who shot and killed five people likely acted alone and was taken into custody without incident.

At a press conference outside the Fort Lauderdale Airport, which was streamed live by WHDH, Israel said the shooting happened in the baggage claim.

The suspect, who Israel did not identify but Florida Sen. Bill Nelson named as Esteban Santiago, is believed to have acted alone.

Law enforcement did not fire any shots while apprehending the suspect, who is unharmed, Israel said. He is currently being interviewed by the FBI and detectives.

The airport is being cleared by a SWAT team and will remain closed for some time.

The investigation is in its preliminary stages, Israel said.

.@browardsheriff Scott Israel: Suspect was taken into custody w/o incident. pic.twitter.com/mSeluTPrcK

-- Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) January 6, 2017

Robert Loranger is charged in the Sept. 9 crash that killed Harry Fernandez in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- Motor vehicle homicide defendant Robert Loranger posted $100,000 cash bail Thursday and was released from the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow.

Friday morning he was in Palmer District Court denying a charge of leaving the scene of a property damage accident in a case predating the fatal crash by about three weeks.

No information about bail or conditions of release could be obtained Friday from either the Palmer District Court clerk's office or Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni's office.

Robert A. Loranger 

Fernandez, of Springfield, was struck and killed crossing Page Boulevard near Stewart Glen Drive, according to police. The crash scene was about 400 feet from the nearest crosswalk at Page Boulevard and Pasco Road.

First responders found Fernandez lying in the road and suffering from critical injuries. Officers performed first aid until an ambulance arrived to rush him to Baystate Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

Loranger has denied the charges stemming from the death of Fernandez.

Loranger is also charged with leaving the scene of an accident causing death, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (second offense), possession of cocaine, leaving the scene of a property damage accident and reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

Surveillance video showed Loranger's 2013 white Cadillac leaving the crash scene on Page Boulevard around 10:40 a.m. Minutes later, the car -- with heavy windshield damage -- pulled into a nearby Taco Bell restaurant on Boston Road, according to a report in the District Court file.

"The vehicle used the drive-through lane to place a food order before leaving," Springfield Police Officer George H. Jacques wrote.

Within an hour, police tracked Loranger to his home on Wrentham Road. After finding hair, blood and body tissue embedded in the windshield of his car, officers arrested him and held him over the weekend, the report said.

Following his arrest, Loranger's blood alcohol level was measured at 0.136 percent, well over the 0.08 percent limit for driving, the report said. Speaking to police at Baystate Medical Center, Loranger repeatedly said the damage to his car was caused by items falling from a box truck, not a collision with a pedestrian, the report said.

At the hospital, he gave "long rambling answers before nodding off into a semi sleep-like state," the report said.

For health problems, Loranger takes blood pressure medication, blood thinners, narcotic painkillers and other medications, he told police. Twelve pill bottles were discovered inside the car and crack cocaine was found inside a pill bottle attached to his key chain, police said.

A Lowell native, Loranger is retired and has three listed addresses in addition to his Wrentham Road home.

With fire closing in and no other way out, Brianna Serrano dropped her 2-year-old daughter from the window to people down below with a blanket as a net. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - Until Sunday morning, Brianna Serrano never would have thought she had the strength to do what she had to do to save her daughter's life.

But with fire closing in and no other options available, she tossed her 2-year-old daughter, Aubrey Albarran, from her third-floor window to a group of men on the sidewalk who were holding out a blanket.

"She was screaming, 'Mommy, don't let me go,' and I was saying, 'You're going to be alright, baby,'" Serrano said. "And then I let her go."

Serrano, one of the people injured in Sunday's fire at a North East Street apartment building in Holyoke, spoke briefly with reporters on Friday at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

Accompanied by her husband, Eric Albarran, her father, a cousin and hospital staff, she spoke about waking up from a dead sleep Sunday morning to find deadly smoke and flames beginning to fill her apartment.

She said she is starting to come to grips with the trauma and loss, and Friday was the first time she could recount her tale without breaking down in tears.

The fire killed three and left 29 families without shelter.

She said she was sleeping late on New Year's Day when something -- she doesn't know what -- woke her up at around 9 a.m.

"I wanted to stay sleeping," she said.

But with black smoke coming down from the ceiling, she sprang into action.

"I shouted, 'Get up! Get up! There's a fire!'"

Fire was already outside the bedroom door, blocking the exits, and it quickly dawned on her that they were trapped.

She said she wrapped Aubrey in a blanket and held her while she and Albarran stood at a tiny window trying to breathe. They could see firefighters beginning to bring ladders up to the windows to rescue people but began to feel they would not get to them in time.

It was about this time that she witnessed someone jump from above and land hard on the ground.

"I saw one of my neighbors jump from the fourth floor and land on her face. I could see her bleeding," she said.

"I was screaming for help," she said.

Looking out the window, she could see some men down below holding out a blanket to use as a net. They started yelling at her to toss her child. She said she had no choice but to trust them.

"I shouted, 'Please don't let my baby fall.'"

She called it the hardest decision she ever had to make, but in the moment it was the only choice.

"I did it to save her life," she said.

Moments later she had to make another one. She herself jumped from the window onto a mattress that someone had placed on the street below. It broke her fall, barely. It also broke her tailbone, injuring her spine, and shattered her left elbow.

"I fell on my butt, and I don't remember much after that. I was in so much pain," she said. She remembers screaming for someone to save her husband.

He was brought down by a ladder that was brought up to their window. He suffered burns to his back as he stood as a human shield between his family and the flames.

Albarran said he didn't notice he was being burned until after Serrano jumped.

Serrano said the window was small, too small for two people to lean out and get enough air. She said she has asthma and if she waited she would have passed out. With the flames getting closer, she did not believe there was enough time for both of them to get out by ladder.

"One of us would have died," she said.

In the moment of crisis, there was clarity, she said. She climbed out the window to jump. Albarran tried to hold her back, believing they still had time. She felt otherwise.

"I said to him, 'I love you so much. Take care of our baby,'" she said.

And without knowing if the mattress would catch her or if she would even survive the impact, she jumped.

"I love my family. I will do anything for them," she said. "I thank God I'm still here."

When she gets out of the hospital, she intends to stay with her father in Easthampton until she is able to care for herself and can find a new apartment.

Aubrey, she said, does not seem traumatized by the fire or her rescue. She is concerned that her mother is hurt and wants only for her to get better, Serrano said.

"She's really smart. I think she knows what happened," she said.

She said she is grateful for the Baystate staff that have been taking care of her. She is also grateful for all the members of the community who have been making donations of supplies and cash to the people affected by the fire.

Serrano and Albarran had only lived at the North East Street apartment for about a month. Both moved up to Holyoke from New York in order for her to take a GED class. She said she wants to go to college and one day become a doctor.

She also said she thanks God that her family is still alive, and that she will get a chance to see her daughter grow up to be a young lady.

"I'm glad to get a second chance at life," she said.

A car was flipped upside down during a four vehicle collision in Springfield on Friday night.

SPRINGFIELD — A car was somehow flipped upside down during a four vehicle collision in Springfield's Bay neighborhood on Friday night.

Police responded to Roosevelt Avenue near its intersection with Bay Street at approximately 4:45 p.m., after a call came in for an accident involving multiple vehicles.

The crash occurred in the southbound lane of Roosevelt Avenue.

The details of how the accident occurred or how one of the vehicles was flipped upside down during the collision has not been made public at this time.

Capt. Robert Strempek of the Springfield Police Department said that there were injuries as a result of the crash, but a police officer at the scene said that no one had been hospitalized so far.

Multiple police cruisers and an ambulance could be seen at the site of the incident, and traffic was heavily slowed as a result of the congestion.

At approximately 5:30 p.m., a tow truck appeared and police blocked off the traffic in the southbound lane so that workers could remove the vehicle from the road.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Chicopee police are seeking to identify a shoplifting suspect.

CHICOPEE — Chicopee authorities are asking for the public's help in identifying a recent shoplifting suspect.

The man pictured above is believed to have committed a larceny at the Big Y grocery store located on Memorial Drive on Dec. 30, according to Officer Mike Wilk of the Chicopee Police Department.

Wilk said surveillance video shows the man exiting the store while carrying a basket full of items that had not been paid for.

Anyone who believes they may recognize the suspect, or who has any information related to the incident have been encouraged to contact the Chicopee Police Department at 413-594-1730.

Police are searching for the suspect responsible for a home invasion in West Springfield on Friday afternoon.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — A man forced his way into a home on High Meadow Street in West Springfield on Friday afternoon and proceeded to tie up a woman and both of her children, before robbing them, according to police.

The man entered the house at approximately 3 p.m. and bound the family members before stealing money from them and fleeing, said West Springfield Detective Captain Paul Connor.

Connor said that he thinks the family may have been intentionally targeted. "This was not a random event," he said.

None of the family members were injured or had to be hospitalized as a result of the incident, Connor said.

The West Springfield Police are investigating the incident, but do not currently have a suspect.