Printers at Boston University spat out anti-Semitic fliers last month, in what appears to be a wave of anti-Semitic hacking incidents at universities across the country.

Printers at Boston University spat out anti-Semitic fliers last month, in what appears to be a wave of anti-Semitic hacking incidents at universities across the country.

Boston University police received eight reports of anti-Jewish printouts appearing on campus Jan. 17 and 18, according to the Daily Free Press student newspaper.

The printouts included Nazi symbology and references to Jews killing Jesus Christ, according to a Boston University police log reviewed by the Free Press.

"The letter head on the print outs 'samiz.dat' was bracketed by two swastikas," the log said.

The incidents occurred around the same time that printers at Vanderbilt University began producing anti-Semitic fliers in what the university said was likely a hacking of the school's printer network. Similar attacks also took place at the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University in January.

And the possible hacking mirrors a large-scale attack last March, in which the hacker Weev hijacked 29,000 printers to send racist and anti-Semitic fliers to dozens of colleges.

Boston University officials did not immediately return a request for comment.

But officials told the Free Press that the hacking appeared to be a broad-based attack on unsecured printer networks, and that the university is working to increase its network security.

"It's going on throughout the country," BUPD Acting Chief Scott Pare told the Free Press. "There was no real direct threat to any particular BU employee."

With Senate Democrats boycotting scheduled committee votes, chamber Republicans used a rule change Wednesday to confirm two of President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, sending them to the floor for full consideration.

With Senate Democrats boycotting scheduled committee votes, chamber Republicans used a rule change Wednesday to confirm two of President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, sending them to the floor for full consideration.

GOP members of the Senate Finance Committee advanced Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin and Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Tom Price to the full Senate after suspending quorum rules, which require at least one member of the minority party to participate in the confirmation vote.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, reportedly contended that Democrats, who failed to show up for the confirmation votes on Tuesday and for Wednesday's hearing, "have nobody to blame but themselves."

"Republicans on this committee showed up to do our jobs," he said in a statement. "Yesterday, rather than accept anything less than their desired outcome, our Democrat colleagues chose to cower in the hallway and hold a press conference."

Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, who spoke out against moving forward with Mnuchin and Price's confirmation votes in a Tuesday statement, continued to argue that Trump's nominees "misled the committee."

"Today, for the first time in history, Senate Finance (Committee) broke the rules to push through, on a partisan basis, two nominees who misled the (committee). Price's stock trades and the (questions) we still don't have answers to undermine the belief he can work on behalf of the public interest and not his own," he wrote in a series of tweets. "Mnuchin also misled the committee on his shady foreclosure practices that forced many Americans, sometimes illegally, out of their homes."

Today, for the 1st time in history, Senate Finance Cmte broke the rules to push through, on a partisan basis, 2 nominees who misled the Cmte

— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) February 1, 2017

Price's stock trades & the Qs we STILL don't have answers to undermine the belief he can work on behalf of the public interest & not his own

— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) February 1, 2017

Mnuchin also misled the Committee on his shady foreclosure practices that forced many Americans, sometimes illegally, out of their homes.

— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) February 1, 2017

Wyden further said he hopes Senate Republicans "will put partisanship aside and join us in pressing for the answers."

Hatch, however, dismissed the suggestion that Mnuchin and Price "misled" the panel, contending that such "allegations proved to be misleading and dramatically overstated."

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, criticized Senate Republicans for moving ahead with the confirmations without Democrats present.

"@SenateGOP just broke the rules to let #Mnuchin and #Price slide on insider trading and lying to Congress. So much for #DrainTheSwamp," he tweeted.

.@SenateGOP just broke the rules to let #Mnuchin and #Price slide on insider trading and lying to Congress. So much for #DrainTheSwamp. https://t.co/hpusQZ7d6p

— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) February 1, 2017

Despite pushback from Democrats, both Price and Mnuchin are expected to be confirmed by the full Senate due to broad Republican support.

The Colleen Coronation Ball is scheduled for Feb. 25.

CHICOPEE - The Chicopee St. Patrick's Parade Committee is announcing a variety of upcoming events to prepare for the 66th Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade which will be held on March 19.

The contestants for the Chicopee Colleen Pageant will gather on Feb. 5 for a traditional Irish tea where they will be able to meet in an informal setting and learn more about the upcoming contest and other events. The guest speaker for the event is Anna Ni Choirbin from Corr na Mona Co., of Galway, Ireland.

The Colleen Pageant and Coronation Ball will be held at 5 p.m., Feb. 25 at the Chicopee Castle of Knights on Memorial Drive.

The Parade Committee will also hold a Family Irish night at 6 p.m., March 3 at the Portuguese American Club, 149 Exchange St.

More information about the events is available on the Chicopee St. Patrick's committee website at http://chicopeespc.com/

Joseph Velez turned himself in to police following numerous tips, many of them generated when mugshot was displayed on the department's Facebook last week, Sgt. John Delaney said.

SPRINGFIELD - A man suspected of stealing ATVs and motorcycles from unsuspecting Craigslist sellers in Indian Orchard has turned himself in to police.

Joseph Velez turned himself in following numerous tips, many of them generated when his mugshot was displayed on the department's Facebook page last week, Sgt. John Delaney said.

Velez -- described by Delaney as one of the department's "most wanted" -- is also a suspect in numerous vehicle break-ins in Indian Orchard.

Velez would contact sellers of ATV's and motorcycles and set up a meeting in the parking lots around the Indian Orchard area, Delaney said. He would ask to take the vehicle for a "test ride" and he would never return.

Police, over the course of the investigation, recovered two of the stolen vehicles and returned them to their owners. Delaney did not known how many motorcycles and ATVs have been stolen.

Delaney, on Facebook, said the suspect's "picture was everywhere in the media. The Major Crime Unit received numerous tips on Velez and the Indian Orchard - Sector "D" neighborhood council had plastered his picture all over the Indian Orchard businesses and homes. Mr. Velez felt the pressure and turned himself in."

Delaney, public information officer for the department, said the Indian Orchard area has not had a single vehicle break-in since Velez turned himself in on Monday.

Velez, 18, whose last known address was 13 Cedar St., was arrested on a warrant that included three counts of larceny of a motor vehicle and larceny over $250.

The case remains under investigation and additional charges will likely be filed.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest of Chaka J. Meredith, who is wanted for a string of bank robberies from Jamaica Plain up to Laconia, New Hampshire.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest of Chaka J. Meredith, who is wanted for a string of bank robberies from Jamaica Plain up to Laconia, New Hampshire.

Meredith, 41, is of 461 Elm St., Laconia, New Hampshire. The FBI described him as an African-American man with brown eyes and short black hair. He is about 5-feet-8-inches tall with a stocky build and about 200 pounds.

The FBI, as well as police from Boston, Lawrence, Pepperell, Laconia and Plaistow, N.H. ask the public to help them find Meredith.

Meredith is accused of the following bank robberies:

* Jan. 3, at 8:54 a.m., East Boston Savings Bank, 515 Centre St., Jamaica Plain
* Jan. 11, at 10:01 a.m., Meredith Village Savings Bank, 379 South Main St., Laconia
* Jan.17, at 12:51 p.m., Santander Bank, 555 Broadway, Lawrence
* Jan. 24, at 5:44 p.m., TD Bank, 450 Essex St., Lawrence
* Jan. 25, at 11:15 a.m., Lowell Five, 65 Groton St., Pepperell
* Jan. 30, at 12:12 p.m., Santander Bank, 58 Plaistow Road, Plaistow

Meredith threatened to use a weapon during the alleged robbery at East Boston Savings Bank, the FBI said in a statement. He is believed to have access to weapons and be accompanied by his girlfriend, who was not identified.

"We're asking the public for its assistance in helping us locate Mr. Meredith," Supervisory Special Agent Daniel R. Romanzo, who supervises the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, said. "While we are grateful that nobody has been injured in any of these robberies, we'd like to put an end to his alleged crime spree before someone does get hurt."

For information leading to the location, arrest and prosecution of Meredith, the FBI is offering up to $5,000, the statement said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI Boston Division's Bank Robbery Task Force at 1-857-386-2000. Tips can also be electronically submitted here.

The hearing will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Pittsfield City Hall.

Governor's Councilor Mary Hurley will hold a public hearing in Pittsfield on the nomination of Mark Pasquariello to be a Pittsfield District Court judge.

The hearing continues a practice that former Governor's Councilor Michael Albano had of holding hearings in Western Massachusetts to give people locally a chance to weigh in on nominees for their courts.

The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 7 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Pittsfield City Hall.

Pasquariello's formal hearing, which is required by law, will be held at the State House on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 10 a.m.

Pasquariello, of Windsor, has had his own law practice in Adams since 1997, specializing in criminal defense, guardianship and conservatorship matters, mental health litigation, real estate and probate of estates.

He previously worked for Grinnell & Dubendorf in Williamstown handling family, criminal and civil litigation. Before that, he clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Frank Freedman in Springfield and Penobscot County Superior Court Judge Eugene Beaulieu in Maine, and worked as an Assistant Berkshire County District Attorney.

Trump's controversial order puts Massachusetts Republicans in a difficult position -- caught between their party's national standard-bearer, the president, and their party's state standard-bearer, Gov. Charlie Baker.

Massachusetts Republicans have little interest in talking about President Donald Trump's order on immigrants and refugees.

"I haven't really given it a lot of thought. I've been focused on other things," said State Sen. Don Humason, R-Westfield, on Monday, after two days of protests in Massachusetts over Trump's order.

Trump's order bars travel into the U.S. for 90 days by non-U.S. citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia. It also suspends the admission of all refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees indefinitely.

The order became effective immediately on Friday, and some travelers with green cards or other visas who were already in transit were detained at U.S. airports. The order has resulted in protests nationwide, including in Massachusetts. Federal judges, including one in Boston, have put temporary stays on parts of Trump's order.

Trump's controversial order puts Massachusetts Republicans in a difficult position: caught between their party's national standard-bearer, the president, and their party's state standard-bearer, Gov. Charlie Baker.

Baker, who did not support Trump's election but has said he is willing to work with the administration to protect Massachusetts' interests, has spoken out against the way the order was implemented.

In an interview with WGBH radio, Baker did not oppose a temporary travel ban. But, he said Trump was wrong in not providing any warning or process.

Baker also opposed the initial application of the ban to green card holders and travelers with other visas, saying Massachusetts benefits from business and academic relationships with people from all over the world. The Trump administration on Sunday began letting green card holders in.

"I talked to people who had gotten on a plane, legal residents who had green cards, had been here years and years and were part of our communities," Baker said. "Their families were worried about whether they would be able to get off the plane when they got to Logan."

The top two Republicans in the state Legislature -- State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, of Gloucester, and State House Minority Leader Brad Jones, of North Reading -- did not return calls left with their spokesmen. Tarr's spokesman said the senator was at his mother's memorial service on Sunday so he may not have had time to examine Trump's policy.

A call left with Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Kirsten Hughes' spokesman Terry MacCormack was not returned. Neither was a message left with a staffer for National Republican Committeewoman and State Rep. Keiko Orrall.

Interviews with some Massachusetts Republicans reflect a split in the party.

State Rep. Geoff Diehl of Whitman, who co-chaired Trump's Massachusetts campaign, defended the president's order. "Like previous presidents, Republican or Democrat, this is a temporary travel ban while we revisit the vetting process," Diehl said. "It's a smart first step to ensure we do a better job of protecting citizens in our country."

Asked about the chaotic and immediate implementation, Diehl said Trump is simply fulfilling promises he made on the campaign trail. "The sooner he does it, the safer the country is," Diehl said.

Diehl said while he recognizes that there are Massachusetts Republicans who disagree with Trump's agenda, Trump won 49 percent of the vote in Massachusetts' Republican primary. "Republicans in the primary process in Massachusetts knew very well what he stood for, none of this is secret, and gave him an overwhelming win," Diehl said.

Other Republicans were more critical. Republican National Committeeman Ron Kaufman, who worked in President George H.W. Bush's administration and at the Republican National Committee under President Ronald Reagan, said his main critique of the policy is with the implementation and lack of communication from the White House. "There's so much misinformation and misunderstanding because of a lack of good communication," Kaufman said.

On the policy's substance, Kaufman called the balance between national security and human rights "a tough one" that is "sometimes not pretty," and said he agrees that vetting is important and something must be done to make America safe from terrorism.

But Kaufman said, "implementation was not as it should have been." He said he is hopeful that with the administration at the very beginning of its term, communication will be improved in the future, and misunderstandings on the order will be cleared up regarding things like who the policy applies to and whether Christians will get preference.

Other Republican activists went further in opposing Trump. Reed Hillman, a Republican State Committee member from Sturbridge, said he was "very, very upset" about the travel ban applying to all residents from the seven countries.

"God knows the majority of people in those seven countries are not terrorists and never will be," Hillman said. "To use that broad brush and eliminate all immigration, to include needy refugees, is the wrong cause of action."

Hillman, who did not support Trump in the primary, said he agrees there needs to be vetting to ensure terrorists do not enter the country. But he also thinks the U.S. has a humanitarian responsibility to accept refugees. He worries about "the optics" of telling the Muslim world that the United States does not trust Muslims, which could provide more ammunition to terrorist groups.

John Andrulis, a Republican State Committeeman from Leeds, called Trump's order "impulsive" and "overkill." Andrulis said more terrorist incidents in the U.S. have been the product of homegrown terrorism than immigrants. "He's really in a sense throwing out the baby with the bathwater. ... Banning basically all immigrants from certain countries, most of whom have proven very law-abiding," Andrulis said.

Andrulis, who voted for Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson in the general election as a protest against the two major party candidates, said he believes Trump is "going too far" and "using an ax where a scalpel might do" by banning all immigration, including families with children, rather than vetting particular individuals.

The Republican / MassLive.com left messages for seven other Republican State Committee members and a state representative in Western Massachusetts. None returned the calls.

Agawam Mayor Richard Cohen is asking state lawmakers to file legislation to require cities that host power plants to receive compensation from any future legal or financial settlements with facilities that violate emission standards or other environmental regulations.

AGAWAM -- Mayor Richard A. Cohen is asking state lawmakers to file legislation to require cities that host power plants to receive compensation from any future legal settlements with facilities that violate emission standards or other environmental regulations.

Cohen said host cities should receive 25 percent of any financial rewards collected by the state through lawsuits or criminal penalties.

Agawam is home to the Berkshire Power Plant, whose owner, manager and operator last year paid a total of $8.5 million in civil and criminal fines for violating the federal Clean Air Act. The plant's monitoring system was tampered with to conceal the actual emission rate, which was higher than allowable standards, according to authorities.

Both the federal and state governments benefited from the financial settlement, but not a dime went to the City of Agawam, according to Cohen. 

"It is only fair and just that Agawam receives compensation for power plant violations, and I ask that you remedy this injustice with the filing of this legislation," Cohen stated in a letter to Sen. Don Humason and Rep. Nick Boldyga.

Some Agawam officials knew nothing about the violations at the power plant and the subsequent state and federal investigations until reading about the issue in The Republican and MassLive.com.

"This happened in our community and we knew nothing about it," Agawam City Councilor Richard Theroux said in April 2016, shortly after federal and state authorities concluded their joint investigation and announced the settlement.

As part of the agreement, the offenders donated $250,000 to the American Lung Association and $200,000 toward the installation of electric vehicle-charging stations in Massachusetts.

The legislation Cohen is pushing for would ensure that Agawam benefits from any future payouts related to environmental violations at the plant. "If such a law was already in place, Agawam would have received $325,000," the mayor estimated.

In March 2016, Berkshire Power Plant's owner and management company agreed to plead guilty to tampering with emissions equipment and submitting false information to both environmental and energy regulators. The former plant operation and maintenance company also agreed to pay a state civil penalty.

Greylock membership is open to anyone who lives, works, attends school, worships or regularly conducts business in Berkshire County or in Westfield, Southwick, Granville, Montgomery and Russell.

PITTSFIELD -- Greylock Federal Credit Union of Pittsfield and Landmark Credit Union of North Adams are merging, pending approval of the Landmark membership and of state and federal regulators.

Greylock, with $1 billion in assets,  also is considering opening a branch office in Westfield, President and CEO John L. Bissell said Tuesday. But the credit union hasn't identified a spot.

Greylock membership is open to anyone who lives, works, attends school, worships or regularly conducts business in Berkshire County or in Westfield, Southwick, Granville, Montgomery and Russell.

"We are in no hurry. Berkshire County will always be our home," Bissell said. "We have a good auto loan capability and we've had interest from dealers who would like us to expand that."

With final approval, Landmark's nearly $25 million in assets will be assumed by Greylock. Landmark has approximately 2,600 members and operates one branch at its main office in North Adams.

Greylock Federal  has 75,000 members and offices in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, Lee, Adams, North Adams, Williamstown, Lanesborough and Lenox.

In North Adams, Greylock will move into Landmark's building. The expanded space and staff will let Greylock expand its work with business and community groups and do more financial education and credit counseling.

It's hard, Bissell said, for small credit unions to stay sound as the costs of regulatory compliance, technology and even employee health insurance continue to rise.

"They have done a great job at Landmark keeping their credit union sound," he said. "But it gets harder and harder when you are small."

Besides the credit union, Greylock runs Greylock Insurance Agency, with seven locations in Berkshire County, Greylock Investment Group, Greylock Marketing Group and Greylock Employee Benefits Services, which offers consultation and brokerage for group medical, dental, life and disability insurance.

The Landmark merger is expected to be completed in April.

This is the seventh time Greylock has merged with a neighboring credit union.

Investigating a reported theft, city police found more than an ounce of cocaine in a Stoddard Street home in January.

Investigating a reported theft, Northampton police found more than an ounce of cocaine in a Stoddard Street home in January.

The homeowner, Sarah Rivera, 25, reported the alleged theft of a bottle of prescription Tramadol on Jan. 14.

Police visited the home, 42 Stoddard St., on Jan. 20, to investigate the alleged theft.

Searching a kitchen cabinet for the missing Tramadol, an opiate prescribed for moderate pain, police instead turned up 42 grams of cocaine packaged in two bags "consistent with the packaging for distribution of illegal narcotics."

According to a police report by Northampton Police Det. Andrew S. Carney, Rivera responded to the find by saying the thieves "must have left" the cocaine in the cabinet when they stole the Tramadol.

"A box of pancake batter was located next to the cocaine," Carney's report notes, a "known cutting agent for cocaine."

During an interview at Northampton Police Department 10 days later, Rivera became "highly agitated and visibly upset," refusing to speak with police and invoking her right to an attorney, according to Carney.

On Tuesday, Rivera faced a charge of trafficking cocaine in Northampton District Court. Rivera's case was bound over to Hampshire County Superior Court, where she will appear on March 7.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, stood behind chamber Democrats' decision to boycott a Wednesday committee vote on Environmental Protection Agency administrator nominee Scott Pruitt, contending that lawmakers and Americans have a right to "basic information" before advancing President Donald Trump's cabinet pick.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, stood behind chamber Democrats' decision to boycott a Wednesday committee vote on Environmental Protection Agency administrator nominee Scott Pruitt, contending that lawmakers and Americans have a right to "basic information" before advancing President Donald Trump's cabinet pick.

Markey, who sits on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, contended that Pruitt, Oklahoma's attorney general, has failed to fully respond to inquiries and requests for information, as well as refused to recuse himself from pending cases he has brought against the EPA.

Calling for more information on Trump's choice to head the federal agency, Markey joined other Democratic panel members in skipping Wednesday's planned hearing and vote on Pruitt.

"For more than a month, Mr. Pruitt has not fully responded to inquiries, questions for the record, or requests for information on his record and views on clean air, clean water, and climate change," he said in a statement. "Senate Democrats and the American public have a right to basic information from all of Donald Trump's nominees, including Scott Pruitt, before taking votes on them in committee or on the Senate floor."

The Massachusetts Democrat, who contended that "Go FOIA yourself" is not a sufficient response to the Democrats seeking information on Pruitt's environmental record, added that unless the nominee recuses himself from pending lawsuits he's brought against agency, "he will be serving as plaintiff, defendant, judge and jury on some of the most important matters at the EPA."

"We cannot fully judge Mr. Pruitt's positions nor assess potential conflicts of interests that would impact his service at the EPA without responses to our questions for the record," Markey said.

Unless #Pruitt recuses himself from cases he brought against @EPA, he'll be serving as plaintiff, defendant, judge & jury on matters at EPA pic.twitter.com/Po7vD9DDq2

-- Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) February 1, 2017

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Ranking Member U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, D-Delaware, on Tuesday asked that consideration of Pruitt's nomination be postponed until senators received more complete answers.

Chairman U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, denied the request, contending that "the committee's review of Attorney General Pruitt's nomination has been unparalleled in its scrutiny, thoroughness and respect for minority rights."

Panel Democrats' decision to boycott Wednesday's confirmation vote came shortly after Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee skipped planned votes on Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin and Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Tom Price.

Despite the boycott, GOP Finance Committee members advanced the nominees to the full Senate after suspending quorum rules, which require at least one member of the minority party to participate in the confirmation vote.

Senate Panel Republicans sidestep Democrats' boycott, push through President Donald Trump's nominees

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, reportedly contended that Democrats, who failed to show up for the confirmation votes on Tuesday and for Wednesday's hearing, "have nobody to blame but themselves."

The community recently gathered at Springfield's Huyen Quang Buddhist Temple to celebrate Tet, also known as the Vietnamese New Year.

The community recently gathered at Springfield's Huyen Quang Buddhist Temple to celebrate Tet, also known as the Vietnamese New Year.

The celebration at the Berkshire Avenue temple was the second hosted in the city honoring the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, which was on Jan. 28.

See photos from the celebration at the Holy Name Social Center on Alderman Street in Springfield at the link below.

The percentage of consumers expecting their incomes to increase declined from 21.5 percent to 18 percent.

Consumer confidence fell in January as people lost confidence in the job market and their own income prospects, according to survey results released Tuesday by The Conference Board.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index is now at 111.8 points (100 points is neutral), down from 113.3 in December.

The Present Situation Index increased from 123.5 to 129.7, but the Expectations Index decreased from 106.4 to 99.8.

The Conference Board, a New York-based business research organization, bases its consumer confidence scores on a monthly survey by Nielsen. The cutoff date for the preliminary results was January 19.

"Consumer confidence decreased in January, after reaching a 15-year high in December (Aug. 2001, 114.0)," said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at The Conference Board, in a press release. "The decline in confidence was driven solely by a less optimistic outlook for business conditions, jobs, and especially consumers' income prospects.

"Consumers' assessment of current conditions, on the other hand, improved in January. Despite the retreat in confidence, consumers remain confident that the economy will continue to expand in the coming months," Franco said.

Other results:

• Those saying business conditions are "good" increased slightly from 28.6 percent to 29.3 percent.
• Those saying business conditions are "bad" decreased from 17.8 percent to 16.1 percent.
• The percentage of consumers stating jobs are "plentiful" rose from 26 percent to 27.4 percent.
• Those saying jobs are "hard to get" decreased from 22.7 percent to 21.5 percent.
• But, the proportion expecting more jobs in the months ahead decreased from 21.7 percent to 19.8 percent.
• Those anticipating fewer jobs was virtually unchanged at 14 percent.
• The percentage of consumers expecting their incomes to increase declined from 21.5 percent to 18 percent.
• More people expect a decrease in pay. The percentage saying yes to this question rose from 8.6 percent to 9.6 percent.

A proposed redesign of the "high school experience" in Holyoke, Massachusetts would emphasize preparation of students for both college and a career by establishing academies of specific interests for students, according to an information session held on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017 at Enlace de Familias, 329 Main St.

HOLYOKE -- Academies of specific interests aimed at motivating students to value high school would be established in a redesign that would emphasize preparation for both college and a career, parents learned Wednesday at a School Department information session.

"And that motivation and ownership of students is key," said Mickey Buhl, executive director of secondary education and pathways for the Holyoke public schools.

The presentation at Enlace de Familias at 329 Main St. was one of several information meetings scheduled to pitch the redesign plan. Officials said the plan is intended to ensure that the "high school experience" is focused on preparing students for both college and careers, not just one or the other, officials said.

The proposed academies of study for students would be Community and Global Studies Academy, Science, Technology, Engineering Academy, Performing and Media Arts Academy and Business and Management Academy.

"Students would have the opportunity to explore academies before making a choice going into 10th grade. They would choose an academy based on their interests and preferences," according to the proposed redesign plan.

A story with more detail about this information session will be published as reporting continues.

The victim, who suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his thigh, is not cooperating with police

George Graham | ggraham@repub.com 

SPRINGFIELD -- Police are on the lookout for a bullet-pocked car believed to have been involved in a shooting that injured a man on High Street early Wednesday afternoon.

Witnesses reported hearing approximately six shots in the area of 140 High St. shortly after 12:30 p.m., Sgt. John Delaney said. Police found no evidence of a shooting at the scene, said Delaney, public information officer for the department.

A short time later, however, a car, variously described as a silver or gray Honda Accord or Toyota, dropped a 24-year-old male off at the emergency department at Baystate Medical Center.

The car fled the scene. A security guard at Baystate told police he saw bullet holes in the car.

The victim, shot in the calf, is not cooperating with police, Delaney said. His injuries are not life-threatening.

This is a developing story. Additional information will be posted as soon as it is available.

Designating the central business district and surrounding downtown residential areas a "slum" was intended to allow the town greater access to public development grants, proponents said -- but there is growing backlash from residents opposing that label, fearful their property values will fall

WARE -- Designating the central business district and surrounding downtown residential areas a "slum" was intended to allow the town greater access to public development grants, proponents said, but there is growing backlash from residents opposing that label, fearful their property values will fall.

Resident Darlene Sojka told selectmen at last week's meeting the town failed to adequately inform the public about the issue, and voted to approve it without understanding it themselves. She said it did not appear selectmen know how long that designation might last.

"I am asking you to reverse the vote on slum and blight," she told the board. "I don't understand how we are ever going to get out of it."

Ware Selectman John Desmond publicly apologized for having voted in favor of the designation.

He said the document used to justify the designation was not provided to him ahead of time.

Ware resident Darlene Sojka addressing selectmen at the Jan. 24, 2017 meeting Jim Russell photo 

"I didn't see that document until just before Christmas - I didn't even know it was going to be on the agenda" as an action item, Desmond said.

"That was a huge mistake; I apologize for voting for it," he added.

"Nobody was notified in the area," Sojka said. "That was the shameful part."

Selectman Nancy Talbot said, "It is unfair to put us on the spot," saying the idea was the work of the town's Redevelopment Authority, who asked selectmen to approve it.

"Right now," Talbot said, there is need "for whatever help Ware can get."

Talbot suggested, and the board approved, asking members of the town's Redevelopment Authority to attend a selectmen's meeting Feb. 21 when residents can discuss the matter with those more knowledgeable.

Ware's Redevelopment Authority had commissioned the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to complete a report the town could use to show eligibility for grants.

The report's catchment area encompasses nearly six miles of roadway, almost nine miles of sidewalk and 468 structures.

According to the PVPC report, the bulk of the targeted "slum and blight" area extends southward from Prospect and Dale streets, beyond Main Street to Pulaski and Maple streets and includes sections of Church, West, West Main, East Main and East streets.

Boarded up structures on Main St. are included, with photos, in the report.

The PVPC survey says a third of the 48 commercial structures appear blighted, more than three-fourths of the 17 industrial structures are in fair or poor condition and 146 of the 354 homes -- 41 percent -- appear either substandard or worse.

The report said 46 of the blighted commercial, industrial and home structures, or nearly 10 percent, had been abandoned.

"More than 25 percent of the properties within the Ware Town Center have experienced physical deterioration of buildings and abnormally low property values. In addition, more than 51 percent of the public infrastructure is in poor or fair condition and is in a general state of deterioration based on an infrastructure assessment conducted by PVPC," the report said.

Selectmen voted Dec. 6 [pdf]  to approve the slum and blight designation. When residents complained, they scheduled a second meeting Dec. 20 to further discuss the matter.

The Feb. 21 public forum will be held at Town Hall, 126 Main St.

Rosemary Reyes also threatened to harm the victim's 19-year-old son, who was not in the apartment at the time, a prosecutor said.

SPRINGFIELD -- Before getting arrested last week, Rosemary Reyes threatened to get her boyfriend arrested, police said.

"If you don't hit me, I will start hitting myself and have you arrested," she allegedly said, moments before grabbing a kitchen knife and stabbing him in the shoulder, according to the arrest report.

Rosemary Reyes, 34, of Springfield(Springfield Police Department) 

By the time police and emergency medical workers arrived, the victim was standing outside their White Street apartment. He told police Reyes was "upstairs, throwing things around," the report said. The officers found the apartment "in disarray, with items broken and strewn about" before finding the defendant hiding in a stairwell, the report said.

Reyes, 34, of Springfield, did not deny the stabbing but said she acted in self-defense, the report said.

Held over the weekend, she pleaded not guilty Monday in Springfield District Court to domestic assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and threatening to commit a crime.

Assistant District Attorney Carrie Kenniston asked for $2,500 bail, citing the new charges and the defendant's criminal history.

In addition to convictions for larceny, breaking and entering and other charges, Reyes has a record of probation violations and was named in three restraining orders, the prosecutor said.

During the fight, Reyes also threatened to harm the victim's 19-year-old son, who was not in the apartment at the time, Kenniston said.

Defense lawyer Stephanie Woods said the boyfriend assaulted Reyes and then grabbed her phone when she tried to call police. He began choking her until "she blacked out," the lawyer said.

She asked Judge William Boyle to release Reyes on $2,500 personal recognizance instead of cash bail.

A high school graduate, Reyes held a health care job for years until quitting recently due to a life-threatening illness, the lawyer said. Despite suffering from other medical problems, Reyes has done volunteer work for several local agencies, Woods said.

Boyle released the defendant on $2,500 personal recognizance and told her to return for a pretrial hearing next month.

The city of Springfield will ask the Western District Housing Court to appoint a receiver to take control of a condemned property at 47-49 Draper St. and bring it into code compliance.

SPRINGFIELD -- A city lawyer said Tuesday he will ask the Western Division Housing Court to appoint a receiver to take control of a condemned house in Forest Park and bring the building in full compliance with city codes.

The city condemned the house at 47-49 Draper St. and ordered it vacated earlier this month, alleging there were numerous code violations and fire hazards.

Michael K. Roche, associate city solicitor, said that the mortgage holder did not show up for a court appearance on Tuesday, leading to the city's request to appoint a receiver. The listed owner of the property, Alycia A. Drake, stated again that she believed the property had been foreclosed upon "and was unwilling or unable to bring the property up to code," Roche said.

The occupants of the house remain under an order, issued Jan. 27, that they cannot stay at the property until the condemnation order is lifted, Roche said.

The city anticipates a hearing on the receivership request in late February to give the mortgagee sufficient notice, Roche said.

According to city officials, conditions in the Draper Street house included: "no gas, no electricity, missing/defective smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, nonfunctioning lights, exposed wires, missing/defective outlets, broken windows, temporary wiring, first-floor front and rear blocked egress, maintenance of land violations, missing gutters" and a second-floor porch in need of repairs.

Grants and benefits from being a so-called Green Community have helped West Side make energy efficiency improvements without impacting the city's budget, according to the mayor.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The implementation of energy-saving measures that don't impact the city's bottom line are projected to save West Springfield around $4 million over the next 20 years, according to Mayor Will Reichelt.

This fiscal year alone, West Side saved around $140,000 because of the city's commitment to "go green," Reichelt said. The savings are a result of improved efficiency and net metering credits from the community's investment in solar fields in Southwick and Montague, he said.

"These energy efficiency improvements did not affect the city's operating budget," Reichelt said.

The city, a designated "Green Community," was able to use incentive programs offered by Eversource and grants from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Reichelt said.

"We are seeing a substantial savings in actual dollars spent on electricity," he said.

West Springfield is among 155 commonwealth municipalities to adopt the state's Green Community requirements and guidelines. The designation also comes with a $222,765 grant to further green initiatives.

Scott Moore, coordinator of West Springfield's Green Community program and director of the city's new Central Maintenance Department, is working with Advanced Energy Group, a firm that performs energy audits, to identify projects that will result in the highest return for the city.

Improvements to lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning are helping the city save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to Moore.

"His efforts have brought the building and grounds maintenance of schools, parks, and all other municipal facilities under one management structure," Reichelt said, praising Moore's stewardship of Central Maintenance.

"The combining of departments has resulted in efficient delivery of services, while eliminating duplication of effort," Reichelt said.

Meanwhile, the city is also pursuing municipal aggregation of energy used by all community ratepayers, which results in more savings, rate stability, and greener energy for West Side, according to the mayor. "Doing right by the environment does not have to be costly," he said.

West Springfield, Holyoke and Westfield are currently investigating the possibility of selling carbon credits from the trees that grow on over 2,000 acres of municipally owned watershed and parkland.

President Donald Trump continued to criticize media coverage of his first several days in office Wednesday, taking jabs at CNN and other news outlets as he hosted a Black History Month listening session at the White House.

President Donald Trump continued to criticize media coverage of his first several days in office Wednesday, taking jabs at CNN and other news outlets as he hosted a Black History Month listening session at the White House.

Trump, who joined community leaders and federal workers for the breakfast event, honored what he called "the tremendous history of the African Americans throughout our country -- throughout the world," before shifting his focus on to reporters.

Pointing to January's remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr., Trump blasted a White House pool report that erroneously claimed the new president had removed the bust of the civil rights leader from the Oval Office.

"Last month, we celebrated the life of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., whose incredible example is unique in American history. You read all about Dr. Martin Luther King a week ago when somebody said I took the statue out of my office, and it turned out that that was fake news," he said, according to remarks released by the White House.

"It was fake news ... they said the statue, the bust of Dr. Martin Luther King was taken out of the office. And it was never even touched," he added. "So I think it was a disgrace, but that's the way the press is. Very unfortunate."

The president further praised the new National Museum of African American History and Culture, as well as abolition movement leader Frederick Douglass, whom Trump called "an example of somebody who's done an amazing job."

He, however, took another jab at the media before ending his remarks.

Praising event attendee Paris Dennard's work as a GOP political commentator on CNN, Trump accused the television network of having a "very hostile" community. The president added that he doesn't watch CNN because he doesn't "like watching fake news."

Despite his harsh words for CNN, Trump praised Fox News, saying the television network "has treated (him) very nice."