The accident, just before 4:30 p.m., slowed traffic in both directions until the scene was cleared, police said.

Patrick Johnson | pjohnson@repub.com 

This is an update of a story posted at 4:55 p.m.

WEST SPRINGFIELD - A Connecticut woman was taken by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center followiing a collision with a tractor-trailer Thursday evening on Interstate 91 in West Springfield.

The woman, whose name was not disclosed to the press, is considered to have a non-incapacitating injury, according to Trooper Paul Sullivan of the state Police Media Relations Bureau.

The accident was reported just before 4:30 p.m. just south of the Holyoke Mall. Until police cleared the scene about 30 minutes later, southbound traffic was reducted to just one of three lanes.

There was a backlog of traffic in both the northbound and southbound lanes.

Traffic is now flowing normally.

The specialized water rescue teams were able to tow the boat to shore.

CHICOPEE -- The Police Department's Underwater Rescue Team and boat team responded to a report of a partially submerged boat in the Chicopee River Thursday.

Police on the specialized teams were able to row a canoe out to the area off Taylor Street, where the boat was seen, and recover it, said Michael Wilk, the Chicopee Police Department's public information officer.

"They were able to canoe out to it, hook a tow rope on and get it out of the water," he said.

The small motor boat was discovered at about 11:30 a.m. and it was badly damaged. Based on the hull information it was last registered 30 years ago, he said.

Officers are now trying to locate the previous owner of the boat. Anyone who can identify the boat or has any information about it is asked to call the police department at 594-1600 or send a message through the department's Facebook page.

Ignoring Gov. Charlie Baker's warning that a pay hikes proposal is "fiscally irresponsible," members of the Massachusetts Senate on Thursday overrode his veto.

Ignoring Gov. Charlie Baker's warning that a pay hikes proposal is "fiscally irresponsible," members of the Massachusetts Senate on Thursday overrode his veto just after 6 p.m.

The vote was 31-9. A roll call is available below.

Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, as did some Democrats. But the numbers were not enough to sustain the governor's veto. The proposal could end up costing the state $18 million.

Here's what the pay raise proposal does

The Massachusetts House of Representatives overrode Baker's veto earlier in the day, by a 116-43 margin.

Supporters of the pay hikes proposal say the pay hikes are overdue, citing two reports from independent commissions in 2008 and 2014 that determined current pay levels are inadequate.

Opponents say the proposal was rushed, and the process lacked transparency.

The proposal adds to the paychecks of high-ranking lawmakers, statewide elected officials and judges.

Earlier this year, lawmakers received a slight bump in their base salary through a mechanism in the state constitution. The base salary is $62,500.

The pay raise proposal overridden on Thursday changes the structure of stipends for their leadership positions.

Critics of the lawmakers included not just Republicans, but their fellow Democrats.

Newton Mayor Setti Warren, who is considering a run for governor in 2018, said lawmakers should be focused on stabilizing the state's budget.

"At a time when the public's faith in government and the good intentions of elected officials is already strained, I fear that the decision by the legislature to force through their own pay raise will further shake the Commonwealth's confidence that Beacon Hill is working in their best interest," he said in a statement after the Senate's vote.

Here are the senators who voted for the bill and overrode the governor's veto:

• Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst
• Sen. Michael Barrett, D-Lexington
• Sen. Joseph Boncore, D-Winthrop
• Sen. Michael Brady, D-Brockton
• Sen. William Brownsberger, D-Belmont
• Sen. Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester
• Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, D-Boston
• Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem, D-Newton
• Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Cape and Islands
• Sen. Sal DiDomenico, D-Everett
• Sen. Ken Donnelly, D-Arlington
• Sen. Eileen Donoghue, D-Lowell
• Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton
• Sen. Jennifer Flanagan, D-Leominster
• Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, D-Boston
• Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield
• Sen. Patricia Jehlen, D-Somerville
• Sen. John Keenan, D-Quincy
• Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow
• Sen. Jason Lewis, D-Winchester
• Sen. Barbara L'Italien, D-Andover
• Sen. Joan Lovely, D-Salem
• Sen. Thomas McGee, D-Lynn
• Sen. Mark Montigny, D-New Bedford
• Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives, D-Newburyport
• Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton
• Sen. Michael Rodrigues, D-Wesport
• Sen. Michael Rush, D-Boston
• Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland
• Sen. James Timilty, D-Walpole
• Sen. James Welch, D-West Springfield

Senators who voted against the bill, and attempted to support the governor's veto included: 

• Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester
• Sen. Vinny deMacedo, R-Plymouth
• Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Webster
• Sen. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer
• Sen. Don Humason, R-Westfield
• Sen. Michael Moore, D-Millbury
• Sen. Patrick O'Connor, R-Weymouth
• Sen. Richard Ross, R-Wrentham
• Sen. Walter Timilty, D-Milton

Did your state representative override Gov. Baker's veto of a pay hikes package?

Jackie Ligon, one of four victims of an assault after bar argument, says he doesn't trust police, the city or Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni's office.

SPRINGFIELD -- A lawyer for three of the four men who were assaulted by people they claim were off-duty city police officers said the men have not gotten justice.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said Thursday his office will not bring charges against four officers identified in connection with the assaults in April 2015 outside Nathan Bill's bar.

He said the four men were unquestionably victims of an assault, but a lack of positive identification that will hold up in court prevented prosecution of anyone as their attackers.

Joe A. Smith III is the lawyer for Jackie Ligon, Jozelle Ligon and Michael Cintron, three of the men who were victims of the assault. Paul Cumby, the most seriously injured, is represented by a different lawyer.

Smith was informed by Gulluni today about the decision not to prosecute the off-duty officers.

Jackie Ligon, hearing about Gulluni's decision, told Smith he was not surprised at the decision, but that didn't stop him from being upset. Smith said Ligon told him what he was feeling: "He doesn't trust police, he doesn't trust the city, he doesn't trust the DA's office."

The statement by Gulluni reads just like reports from the Springfield Police Department in its handling of the issue before Gulluni's office looked into it, Smith said.

"There doesn't appear to be any independent investigation," he said.

The four off-duty officers who asserted their Fifth Amendment right not to testify in the internal affairs investigation were identified as being at Nathan Bill's Bar and Restaurant when on-duty officers separated arguing parties at the bar at about 1:15 a.m., according to Gulluni.

The first incident involved the same four men who were later beaten at about 2:04 a.m.

On-duty officers who dealt with the 1:15 a.m. argument at the bar said the off-duty officers they saw there were Daniel Billingsley, Melissa Rodriguez, Anthony Cicero and Christian Cicero.

When police arrived in response to the 2:04 a.m. call, the assailants had fled the scene and only the victims were there, Gulluni said.

Smith believes Billingsley was positively identified by more than one of the victims.

If the assault had been by average citizens, not off-duty police, Smith said, "I have no doubt an arrest would have already been made. The report (Gulluni's statement) doesn't address what was a clear cover-up."

He said he anticipates the three men he represents will now apply for criminal complaints against some of the off-duty officers. In that process, a show cause hearing is normally held by the district court court clerk's office to determine whether charges should be filed.

In October Smith said the district attorney's office asked to meet with his clients and that Jackie Ligon and Cintron went with him to the meeting. The two men, interviewed separately by a prosecutor, gave statements about what happened.

Ligon said he got very emotional in the interview. Smith, who sat in while Ligon talked to the prosecutor, said Ligon "essentially begged them for justice."

Dynamic merge is a computerized system of traffic sensors and electronic signs that help tell drivers when is the most optimal time to merge at a lane closure.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Department of Transportation will close the left lane of Interstate 91 South from the Interstate 391 South Merge to the I-91/I-291 interchange on Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

MassDOT needs to clear the lane so crews can prepare for the "dynamic merge" pilot project.

There are no detours.

Dynamic merge is part of the $183.3 million I-91 project. The rehab is ahead of schedule and under budget. The work will rehabilitate about 2 miles of elevated highway that opened in 1970.

MassDOT expects the highway reconstruction project to reach "full beneficial use" in May 2018. Full beneficial use is a highway term of art meaning work is effectively done, although punch list items will remain.

Dynamic merge is a computerized system of traffic sensors and electronic signs that help tell drivers when is the most optimal time to merge at a lane closure.

Some merge too early, leaving a lane unoccupied when it could be used. Others merge too late, zooming past traffic in the still-open lanes and trying and force their way back into the merged lane at the last possible moment as drivers who politely waited their turn look on in anger.

When to merge depends on traffic. Merging immediately is good when traffic is light, like late at night and early in the morning, MassDOT has said in the past. Merging quickly reduces speed, gets cars away from lanes nearest to highway workers and keeps traffic flowing.

Merging later works best when traffic is flowing in a high volume, but slowly. Traffic is slow enough that it can be nearer to highway workers and people will, at least in theory, leave gaps at the merge point so the lanes can merge smoothly.

The dynamic merge system will be the first of its kind in Massachusetts, although it is available elsewhere.

An alleged serial bank robber is said to be a former sheriff's deputy.

BOSTON -- An alleged serial bank robber that was arrested on Wednesday evening is a former North Carolina sheriff's deputy, according to The Boston Globe.

41-year-old Chaka Meredith, of Laconia, New Hampshire, is accused of robbing banks in towns across the Northeast and, for a number of weeks, was the target of an investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies--including the FBI.

Authorities in Warren County, N.C. say that Meredith worked as a sheriff's deputy there starting in 2008 but that his tenure ended in 2009 after being involved in a single-vehicle on-duty crash.

Meredith's defense attorney said in Lawrence District court on Thursday that the former law enforcement official had became addicted to heroin after taking prescription medication to treat the injuries he suffered in the 2009 accident.

Meredith is accused of committing six bank robberies from Jan. 3 to Jan. 30.

* 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

He is scheduled to reappear in court on March 2.

Obituaries from The Republican.

The department released a video public service annoucement to discourage fans from drinking during the game and then driving home. Watch video

EASTHAMPTON - Bill Belichick famously instructs his New England Patriots players to "do your job."

Easthampton police are reminding drivers that come Super Bowl Sunday they will be out doing their's.

The police department on Thursday unveiled a public service annoucement warning people that while celebrating the Patriots appearance in the Super Bowl is OK, driving home drunk afterward is not.

Those who fail lto heed that simple advise risk getting arrested.

The PSA, which was posted on the department's Facebook page, Thursday features town police officers Dennis Scribbner and Andrew Beaulieu playing themselves.

Officer Chad Alexander goes against type by playing the part of an inebriated driver / Giants fan / Otis the town drunk for comic effect.

Not that there is any thing funny about drunken driving. That is the whole point.

"The Easthampton police would like everyone to have a great time during Super Bowl LI this weekend. But unlike our friend here, make sure you have a ride home or make sure you have other plans if you've been drinking," Beaulieu notes.

"We know the Patriots will do their job this weekend, and we'd like to remind you that - as always - we will be out doing ours this weekend. If you drive drunk or drugged, you will be arrested."

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said Thursday she isn't taking the pay raise that comes as part of a package state lawmakers approved earlier in the day.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's office said Thursday she isn't taking the pay raise that comes as part of a package state lawmakers approved earlier in the day.

Lawmakers voted to override Gov. Charlie Baker's veto of the pay package, which hikes the compensation of high-ranking legislators, statewide elected officials, and judges. Baker called the proposal "fiscally irresponsible."

"The Attorney General's salary is set by the Legislature and the AG respects their authority," a Healey spokeswoman, Jillian Fennimore, said in an email. "However, she was opposed to this increase when it was first proposed two years ago, and will not accept the increase for the remainder of her term."

The law hikes the pay for attorney general to $175,000 a year, up from $130,582.

Healey won a four-year term in 2014.

Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito also aren't taking the pay increase and will reject any stipends that come with the new law. In a statement, Baker said he is "disappointed" with the Legislature's override due to the "current fiscal outlook for the state."

"One of the key roles of elected officials is to protect the people's hard earned tax dollars," he said. "Authorizing this drastic salary increase with limited debate defies this obligation and places an undue financial burden on the people of Massachusetts."

State Treasurer Deb Goldberg told the Boston Herald she also plans to reject the pay increase. The proposal hikes the state treasurer's pay to $175,000, from $133,277.

Supporters of the pay package say the current pay levels for legislators and others is outdated, but opponents slammed lawmakers for rushing the pay package to the governor's desk, and then quickly overriding Baker's veto.

Did your state senator override Gov. Baker's pay raise veto?

Did your state rep override Gov. Baker's pay raise veto?

Springfield's mayor and police commissioner said there is cooperation with federal immigration officials, but acknowledged the focus is on criminal cases -- not civil cases -- involving immigrants living here illegally.

SPRINGFIELD -- Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Police Commissioner John R. Barbieri on Thursday described the city as having a cooperative relationship with federal immigration officials -- and Sarno flatly rejected a request from activists to issue an executive order against cooperating with federal immigration officials in non-criminal matters. 

"Commissioner Barbieri and I will continue to cooperate with federal law enforcement authorities upon their request," Sarno said in a statement.

In some regards, police policies regarding immigrants living illegally in Springfield -- which Sarno said emphatically last week is not a so-called "sanctuary city" -- are similar to police policies in Northampton, a city that proudly wears the label. 

But, there are also differences.

Northampton's "sanctuary" status -- an unofficial and loosely defined designation -- dates to a 2014 executive policy order Mayor David J. Narkewicz issued to then-Police Chief Russell Sienkiewicz. That order outlined four directives, the last of which required the police department to maintain records on its policies that could be made available to the mayor upon request.

The text below offers information about the first three items in Narkewicz's order -- on detainer requests, traffic stops and police services -- with information about Springfield police policies on those subjects.  

Detainer requests

A key difference between policies in Northampton and Springfield involves federal requests to hold individuals who've been arrested beyond the time they'd typically be released.

Northampton: Under Narkewicz's order, the Northampton Police Department does not honor or enforce detainer requests from U.S. Immigration Customs enforcement that are "non-criminal and not subject to a judicially issued warrant."

Narkewicz has publicly stated that police in his city do honor criminal detainer requests issued by federal agencies and courts.

In a Jan. 31 interview with the David Pakman Show, Narkewicz expanded on the detainer issue: "We've basically opted not to enforce what the Department of Homeland Security itself has said is an optional order, which is an administrative detainer request. We'll accept a court order, we'll accept a warrant -- but we will not hold people for up to 48 hours without charging them with anything at the behest of a bureaucrat in Washington."

That 48-hour window is outlined in the Department of Homeland Security's Priority Enforcement Program, a successor to the Secure Communities Program. Under the Priority Enforcement Program, federal officials may issue a "Request for Voluntary Action" asking a local law enforcement agency to hold an individual who has been arrested for up to 48 hours beyond the time he or she would have otherwise been released from custody.

Springfield: Sarno and Barbieri said that if a person is found in Springfield who is wanted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Police Department will contact the case agent.

"If the case agent requested that the subject be detained we would honor that request," Sarno and Barbieri said. "The database is for wanted felons not civil immigration violations. If there is no state charge -- the subject is sent to court and the court would determine if they are held."

According to a draft Springfield police policy document reviewed by The Republican, if an officer in charge receives a federal detainer request, that officer must immediately inform the bailing clerk or assistant clerk magistrate. The policy states: "If the Clerk orders the arrestee to be held to be held at Police Headquarters pending the transfer to federal custody, federal law provides that the individual cannot be held on a Detainer for longer than 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays."  

Traffic stops

Northampton: Narkewicz's 2014 order directed the police department to allow drivers stopped for a violation who don't have a valid license "a reasonable opportunity to arrange for a properly licensed operator to drive the vehicle" -- regardless of their immigration status. The policy does not apply to violations that otherwise trigger a mandatory impoundment of the vehicle.

Springfield: Immigration status is not checked during routine traffic stops, Sarno and Barbieri said. Though no specific written policy exists, the police department will allow a vehicle to be driven away by a licensed driver if the motorist is unlicensed. Vehicles are towed if they are determined to be unsafe to operate, evidence in a crime, or if they are impeding traffic.

Police services

Northampton: Narkewicz ordered his city's police department to continue and enhance existing programs and procedures that allow immigrants access to police services in their native languages.

In a 2016 interview with the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper said her department will assist federal officials in arresting wanted criminals. But, she said, "I want immigrants to feel they can safely report crimes. I want them to feel they can walk in our front door and we will help them. To me, that's why sanctuary cities are important places."

Springfield: Asked if the Police Department has any programs would offer an immigrant access to police services in his or her native tongue, Sarno and Barbieri said there is a written policy, in place since June of 2016, regarding a "limited English proficiency and language access plan."

The policy is geared to assist such individuals to ensure there is "maximum communication ability between law enforcement and all segments of the community," it states. For example, it calls for the department to provide help from bilingual officers and staff -- in person or by telephone -- and gives supervisors "liberal authority to approve the use of interpretation services" to assist them.

Policies reviewed by The Republican state that a person's right to file a police report, participate in neighborhood watches and other police-community activities, or "otherwise benefit from general police services" is not contingent on the individual's immigration status.

Additional Springfield policies

The draft Springfield Police Department policy document specifically states that enforcement of immigration laws are the primary responsibility of the federal government.

"Accordingly the Springfield Police Department shall not undertake immigration-related investigations and shall not routinely inquire into the specific immigration status of any person(s) encountered during normal police operations," the draft policy states. "The prohibition does not preclude the Springfield Police Department from cooperating and assisting federal immigration officials ... when formally requested as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, or from notifying those federal officials in serious situations where a potential threat to public safety or national security is perceived."

The policy then outlines the handling of federal detainer requests.

Regarding police procedures, the document directs police to detain individuals in response to a federal request for assistance only in the case of "reasonable belief" that the individual is either involved in criminal activity -- beyond a civil violation of federal immigration laws -- or wanted on an active warrant.

While Sarno has stated he will not sign any local executive order sought by activists opposed to President Donald J. Trump's policies on illegal immigration and stance on sanctuary cities, the mayor also said he did not fully support the handling of a presidential executive order on immigrants and refugees.

"On President Trump's executive order -- rollout was lacking and too broad based," Sarno said. "Better if it was more fine-tuned and methodical in order to dispel any misinterpretations."

But, Sarno said, he will continue cooperation with federal authorities and will not jeopardize federal funding by opposing orders issued by Trump, who has threatened to cut funding to so-called "sanctuary cities."

Northampton City Council passed a resolution condemning President Donald Trump's recent executive order concerning immigrants. Watch video

NORTHAMPTON -- Northampton City Council members unanimously passed a resolution Thursday night condemning Donald Trump's recent executive order barring nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entry into the U.S.

Trump's "Protection of the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States" order, signed January 27th, has banned nationals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Sudan from entering the country for a period of 90 days, regardless of whether they have proper identification or not.

The order suspends entry of Syrians into the U.S. "indefinitely," or until "significant changes" are made.

The order has caused confusion and anger in many communities across the country, with many activist organizations and immigrant rights groups protesting the new President's legislation.

The order has hit home particularly hard in Northampton, a community that has largely considered itself a Sanctuary City since 2011, when the City Council and then police chief Russell Sienkiewicz agreed to protect the rights of residents without citizenship.

Since that time the city has often reaffirmed its commitment to the rights of documented and undocumented immigrants alike.

Officials had plans to see 51 refugees relocated to the city during the course of 2017 through the Catholic Charities organization--a non-profit dedicated to numerous civil rights causes. Those plans were snarled, however, after Trump's recent order.

Kathryn Buckley-Brawner, the Executive Director of Catholic Charities, was present Thursday night and gave a brief presentation during which she asked the community to actively fight against Trump's recent legislation.

"We have got to make sure that we are the voice for the voiceless," Buckley-Brawner said. "The refugees are truly the voiceless--they cannot stand here tonight, nor can they tell you the incredible anguish that they will experience when they realize that they were close, but that ultimately it's not going to happen," she continued.

The resolution adopted Thursday evening by the Council states that the city is "committed to maintaining its status as a Sanctuary City, meaning we will not honor or enforce any detainer request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that is non-criminal, and will continue to protect our residents from unfair targeting."

The resolution is also highly critical of President Trump--calling his order an "unprecedented and unconstitutional religious test for immigration into the country."

The Council's resolution also affirmed the Council's commitment to "channeling the grief and outrage felt by many in the City into defending and protecting refugees and immigrants, challenging the dangerous policy proposals of the Trump administration, and working to build a United States and a community that is welcoming and accepting of all people."

Multiple Council members became obviously emotional during the proceedings, often commentating on how disturbing they found the new President's order and how it betrayed distinctly American ideals.

"This is essentially an expression of shame," said City Council President William H. Dwight, of the resolution. "Whether we like it or not, the President speaks for us--he was duly elected, he speaks for us and represents us," he said. "It is our responsibility to call him out, and address his administration's crimes and cruelty as we see them," he said.

"If we are silent we are complicit," Dwight said.

The resolution takes aim at wage theft, worker misclassification, and poor job conditions.

NORTHAMPTON -- The nine-member City Council took a public stand against wage theft, worker misclassification, and poor working conditions as it unanimously approved a resolution declaring Northampton a "fair employment city."

It was one of several labor-related actions taken before a roomful of advocates packed into Council Chambers at 212 Main Street on Thursday night. The crowd broke into applause at the conclusion of the roll-call vote.

"This has been a long, complicated, and nuanced process, unifying lots of varying agendas and priorities," said City Council president Bill Dwight.

The policy resolution -- which is not in and of itself enforceable  -- was joined with other measures that have some teeth.

The resolution declares in part that "decent working conditions and fair wages for workers is an essential part of investment in local economies and sustainable employment practices."

It takes aim at the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, saying the practice denies workers critical benefits and protections to which they are entitled.

Wage theft -- the practice of improperly withholding payment from employees and failing to comply with state and federal wage and hour laws -- harms families, communities, and employer reputations, the resolution states.

The measure notes that low-income and immigrant workers, and those who are non-native English speakers, are most vulnerable to wage theft, as are those who work in the construction, hospitality and service industries.

The resolution calls upon the city's representatives on Beacon Hill to "vigorously support pending legislation" to provide the Massachusetts Attorney General with stronger enforcement powers regarding wage theft.

Several labor advocates spoke in support of the measure at a public comment session.

"Police do not generally investigate wage theft," said Billy Peard, a labor lawyer active with the Pioneer Valley Workers Center. "By contrast, if you steal more than $250 via check or home invasion, it's a felony."

"How can we call ourselves a sanctuary city, let alone a progressive city, if we do not provide basic protections for low-wage, contingent, undocumented workers?" queried Adam Garfield of the United Auto Workers Local 2322.

One young woman told councilors if they did not pass the measure, "we will be coming for your jobs." Dwight later remarked that he would be pleased if more people ran for public office, and suggested that interested parties attend upcoming discussions about the annual city budget.

Various speakers made reference to President Donald Trump, said they feared that protections for workers will erode under his administration, and implored local officials to take a stand.

Also Thursday, the City Council adopted an ordinance requiring that any business seeking a city license certify their compliance with state and federal labor laws. The council has jurisdiction over business and professional licenses, such as those issued to taxi companies.

Mayor David Narkewicz stepped to the dais to announce two executive orders requiring that any business contracting with the city -- or getting a tax break from the city -- certify their compliance as well. The mayor's office has power over bidding and procurement.

Specifically, firms doing business with the city will need a "wage compliance certificate" showing they are not subject to any criminal or civil judgment issued by the courts, or subject to any administrative citation resulting from a violation of state and federal labor law.

Businesses that can't prove compliance may be required to post a wage bond or insurance. Those debarred from pursuing state or federal contracts because of labor violations may not hold local licenses until the matter is cleared up.

The council asked the city's License Commission to require labor law certification when it issues liquor licenses, and asked the Community Preservation Committee to require compliance in awarding CPA grants.

"This is a comprehensive package, with rules and consequences," said Dwight, noting that various branches of local government have their own "silos" where they can take action.

Dwight read into the record a letter from Suzanne Beck, director of the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce. Beck's letter stated in part that only a small percentage of the city's businesses fail to comply with labor laws.

The resolution, as amended by councilor Dennis Bidwell, recognizes that local businesses "provide essential employment opportunities and contribute to the character and unique identity of our community."

The Fair Employment City resolution was sponsored by councilors Alisa Klein and Maureen Carney.

"All people deserve a living wage," Klein told The Republican. "In addition to supporting workers, it also supports our local economy." She said while all employers are bound by state and federal law, "it is important to reinforce that on the local level."

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

Kellyanne Conway, an adviser to President Donald Trump, drew pushback Friday after accusing two Iraqi refugees of carrying out a massacre that never occurred.

Kellyanne Conway, an adviser to President Donald Trump, drew pushback Friday after accusing two Iraqi refugees of carrying out a massacre that never occurred.

Conway, in an interview defending Trump's executive order barring refugees and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries, told MSNBC that the ban is similar to what President Barack Obama's administration implemented following the "Bowling Green Massacre" -- an attack which did not occur.

"I bet it's brand new information to people that President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre," she said in the Thursday night interview. "Most people don't know that because it didn't get covered."

Facing criticism on social media, Conway tweeted Friday that she meant to say "Bowling Green terrorists."

She pointed to a November 2013 news report suggesting that dozens of suspected terrorist bombmakers may have mistakenly been allowed into the U.S. as refugees, including two al-Qaeda-Iraq terrorists who were found living as refugees in Bowling Green.

On @hardball @NBCNews @MSNBC I meant to say "Bowling Green terrorists" as reported here:
https://t.co/nB5SwIEoYI

— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) February 3, 2017

The two were arrested in 2011 and sentenced for attempting to send weapons and money to al-Qaeda with the intent of killing U.S. soldiers. Neither were charged with plotting attacks within the U.S., according to the Justice Department.

Following the incident, the Obama Administration started a review of Iraq refugee vetting procedures, but no ban was put into place, the Washington Post reported.

The 2017 Westfield City-Wide Spelling Bee is officially history. The 14 fifth-grade students who participated pounded out a 2-hour match that consisted of more than 30 regulation rounds of questions and six overtimes, before a winner finally emerged.

WESTFIELD - The 2017 Westfield City-Wide Spelling Bee is officially history. The 14 fifth grade students who participated pounded out a 2-hour match that consisted of more than 30 regulation rounds of questions and six overtimes, before a winner finally emerged.

The final 14 contestants were the top two spelling students from Abner Gibbs School, Franklin Avenue School, Highland School, Russell Elementary School, Munger Hill School, Paper Mill School and Southampton Road School.

Claiming the First Place position was Christina Marini, a student at Munger Hill Elementary School followed by Andre Arkoette, of Southampton Road School, and third place going to Ashish Sharma, of Paper Mill School. Each student had 20-seconds to complete their answer or an automatic disqualifying penalty was declared by the four judges.

Other competing students included Erin Popp, Serena Nicole, Noah Gilbert, Wunnyuriti Ziblim, Madison Koziol, Reeha Rizaan, Grace Duffy, Caroline Arbuzov, Jimmy Salzer, Aria Sotolongo, and Jaden Dekastrozza.

Each student was presented a word from the "Words with Friends" study guide which was based on their grade level. Each student could request the host Adam Wright to re-pronounce the word, define the word, and /or use it in a sentence.

The city-wide finals were an oral competition with elimination on a 'miss-and-out' basis similar to the traditional Spelling Bee manner.

The two-hour event was held at Dever Stage Auditorium at Westfield State University and coordinated by the Westfield State University Circle K Westfield Kiwanis Club with assistance from Volunteers of Public Schools. Sponsorship of the Thursday night event was provided by MedExpress Urgent Care.

Paul Cumby is disappointed but not surprised the off-duty police officers he says attacked him will not face criminal charges for their alleged actions.

Paul Cumby is disappointed but not surprised the off-duty police officers he says attacked him will not face criminal charges for their alleged actions.

"I kind of expected it," Cumby said in an interview, minutes after reading Hampden County District Attorney's decision not to file charges in the April 2015 assault against him and his cousins. 'I didn't want to hear it but I expected it."

Cumby suffered a fractured ankle, loosened teeth and a concussion in the April 2015 attack, which took place in a parking lot after his cousin got into a verbal argument at Nathan Bill's bar with a group of men identified by bar staff as Springfield police officers.

Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni announced Thursday that no charges will be filed in the case due to a lack of clear identification of the assailants, while confirming that Cumby and his three companions were the victims of an assault.

In an October interview about the beating, Cumby said he attempted to de-escalate the dispute up until the moment someone struck him from behind, knocking him unconscious.

He was initially kept waiting for hours when he attempted to register a complaint at the Springfield Police Department in April, before successfully filing a complaint in May that sparked lengthy investigations by the department's Major Crimes Unit and Internal Investigations Unit.

Gulluni's decision confirmed much of Cumby's story, describing him and the men with him that night -- Jackie Ligon, Jozelle Ligon and Michael Cintron -- as clear victims of an assault. But Gulluni concluded that he could not legally or ethically bring charges, due in part to a lack of physical evidence, video recordings and clear identifications by the victims.

Reading through Gulluni's decision at his attorney Michelle Cruz's Chicopee office Thursday afternoon, Cumby learned of another challenge that faced investigators -- one that he found shocking.

All of the off-duty police officers identified at the bar in the hour prior to the fight refused to speak to investigators, asserting their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

"It's kind of scary they can get away with it," Cumby said of the officers' lack of cooperation with the investigation. "I thought they'd at least hear their stories, what they have to say to defend or justify themselves."

The officers' refusal to speak could not be held against them in the criminal investigation, but could be used as evidence against them in upcoming disciplinary hearings that Police Commissioner John Barbieri has said will be held as soon as possible.

Cruz slammed Gulluni's decision not to prosecute, saying that he should have insisted on an independent investigation rather than relying on police inquiries.

"It's incredible to believe that the matter would not be prosecuted. There was a lack of any investigation," Cruz said. "There should have been a special prosecutor and an independent law enforcement agency investigating this matter."

In an interview Thursday, Gulluni said he had sympathy for the victims and hoped they would gain restitution through a civil suit or the police department's disciplinary process. But he said he could not justify bringing charges given the evidence before him.

"I don't have a good faith basis to believe I have probable cause, and it would be unethical for me to bring charges," Gulluni said. "Let me be absolutely clear to you. I am frustrated."

Cruz also questioned why Gulluni did not seek charges against responding police officers who her client has accused of filing a police report that omitted key information and downplayed his injuries.

"At minimum, the DA's office should be prosecuting the police for filing a false police report and perjury," Cruz said.

Gulluni said Thursday that his office was focused on the assault, and that the conduct of responding officers would be better handled by the department's internal disciplinary process.

Cumby said he does not hold a grudge against police officers in general, but believes firmly that the men who attacked him were off-duty officers who have now escaped criminal justice.

"I can't say all the cops involved in this are bad, but a lot of these individuals know they aren't right," Cumby said.

Yesterday, the attorney for Jozelle Ligon, Jackie Ligon and Michael Cintron criticized the initial police response to the fight as a "clear cover-up."

One of the Springfield Museums most popular Culture & Cocktails events returned on Thursday night. "Indulgence: An Evening of Wine and Chocolate" was an epicurean excursion featuring the two popular pairings as well as interpretive dance and, of course, art.

SPRINGFIELD - One of the Springfield Museums most popular Culture & Cocktails events drew a huge crowd on Thursday night. "Indulgence: An Evening of Wine and Chocolate" was an epicurean excursion featuring the two popular pairings as well as interpretive dance and, of course, art.

The evening's venue was the Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts which was packed with visitors from across the region. Guests were able to sample a variety of wines from Horizon Beverage and explore the culinary delights catered by The Log Cabin.

Dancers from the Pioneer Valley Ballet in Easthampton helped to will bring the galleries to life, interpreting the artwork through movement.

Attendees were also able to preview a special new museum exhibition called "Jeweled Objects of Desire." The full exhibition, which opens in late March, will feature a selection of stunning gems from the vaults of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History as well as gold and jewel-encrusted items by artist and jeweler-to-the-stars Sidney Mobell.

The next Culture & Cocktails event is the Festival of Flowers on April 6. More information is available at SpringfieldMuseums.org.

The District Attorney contents Heath Del Ratez and Jessica Kemp failed to take adequate care of a disabled man, leading to his death in 2015.

Patrick Johnson | pjohnson@repub.com 

PITTSFIELD - Two North Adams residents are charged with manslaughter as police and prosecutors contend their failure to provide adequate care to a disabled relative led to the man's death two years ago.

Heath Del Ratez, 41, and Jessica Kemp, 27, each entered not guilty pleas at their arraignments Thursday in Berkshire Superior Court. They are each charged with manslaughter by negligence and caretaker abuse of a disabled person in connection with the death of Lee W. Del Ratez, 40, on Jan. 18, 2015.

According to the office of Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless, Heath Del Ratez and Jessica Kemp failed to take adequate care of Lee Del Ratez, leading to his death.

The charges were filed against the pair following an investigation by North Adams police and state police detectives assigned to Capeless' office.

Heath Del Ratez was identified as the brother of Lee Del Ratez.

The district attorney does not specify the relationship between the deceased and Kemp, who is also known as Jessica Bishop.

According to the obituary for Lee Del Ratez that appeared in the website NorthAdams.com, Jessica Bishop is listed as one of his two sisters.

A lawyer for former Springfield narcotics detective Steven Vigneault will seek Vigneault's immediate reinstatement in Hampden Superior Court under the state's whistle-blower statute.

SPRINGFIELD -- Police Commissioner John R. Barbieri was nearly certain former narcotics detective Steven Vigneault was the cop who allegedly kicked a juvenile in the face while the boy was in custody, according to an affidavit filed in connection with a whistleblower lawsuit in Hampden Superior Court.

Vigneault filed the lawsuit on Jan. 24, six months after he resigned in connection with an allegation of excessive force leveled by a Wilbraham police officer. While the former detective says he was coerced by Barbieri and police union officials to quit, Barbieri disputes Vigneault's claims in a sworn statement.

A hearing is scheduled Friday morning in the case; Vigneault has moved for a judge to order his immediate reinstatement under the state whistleblower statute.

The chain of events leading to Vigneault's resignation was set in motion on Feb. 26, 2016, when he left his undercover car idling outside Primo's Pizza on Worthington Street. A group of teens jumped in the car and took off, according to police reports. Vigneault filed a stolen car report and later received a verbal reprimand, according to Barbieri's affidavit.

Steven Vigneault in October 2016.Greg Saulmon / The Republican 

The car was later spotted in Wilbraham on the night it was stolen. A chase ensued into Palmer and drew in officers from that town's department, reports state.

The juvenile suspects were stopped in Palmer in the early morning hours of Feb. 27. Springfield detectives showed up, uninvited, at the scene after getting a line on the pursuit over the scanner, police said. Four boys were arrested. Weeks after the incident, a Wilbraham patrolman reported that an unidentified plainclothes Springfield detective kicked one boy in the face while handcuffed and on the ground.

Barbieri ordered an internal investigation upon learning of the excessive force allegation, his affidavit states. No one has filed a civilian complaint in connection with the incident, he said.

Months later, in July, Barbieri said he was informed by Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni that Detective Gregg A. Bigda -- one of the Springfield officers who responded to the scene of the boys' arrests in Palmer -- had been captured on Palmer Police Department video spewing profanities and threatening two of the underage suspects.

Bigda was suspended for 60 days after Patrolman's Union President Joseph Gentile asked for a 30-day suspension, according to Barbieri's affidavit.

In his lawsuit, Vigneault argues Bigda was protected by Barbieri and Gentile because he was a well-liked albeit rogue member of the force who routinely drank on the job. However, an internal investigation did not support the drinking allegations, according to Barbieri.

He also said he and Bigda are not close.

"I do not have any particular personal friendship with Officer Bigda," Barbieri wrote in his sworn statement.

For his part, Barbieri has never publicly implicated Vigneault by name in the kicking incident and stated he did not do so behind the scenes, even up to Vigneault's resignation or during a conversation with Gentile the day before Vigneault quit in August.

"At this point we were both aware that while the Wilbraham police officer who had made the claim that a suspect had been kicked by a Springfield police officer had not identified who in particular that officer was, the evidence from the investigation -- including (Vigneault's) own statement -- made clear that the Springfield officer who was present at the arrest of the juvenile was (Vigneault)," Barbieri's affidavit states.

Vigneault has denied kicking any of the boys. Barbieri's sworn statement does not call into question the credibility of the Wilbraham officer, however.

In his statement, Barbieri said he never named Vigneault but told Gentile he would accept the "officer's" resignation -- a message Gentile confirmed he conveyed only to Vigneault.

Vigneault said in a previous interview that he was frightened for his job, his pension and his future employment prospects if he were to be fired, and was spooked into resigning despite his innocence.

In addition to Bigda's troubles over the Palmer video footage, he also was suspended for 10 additional days after drunkenly confronting Vigneault and K-9 officer Gail Gethins at her home in March while he was allegedly armed. Bigda and Gethins dated but had broken up a year earlier, by all accounts, and the confrontation followed Bigda's discovery that Vigneault and Gethins were in a relationship.

Immediately after filing his civil complaint -- which named Gethins as a witness -- Vigneault became the subject of an emergency restraining order filed by Gethins, who has argued in court that Vigneault stalked her.

He has countered that he loves her and was simply trying to sort out their relationship woes by pursuing her and sending her gifts. Vigneault's lawyer, Shawn Allyn, has argued Gethins sought the order -- which a Palmer District Court judge extended by four months earlier this week -- at the behest of the police department.

The Republican will be in the courtroom during Vigneault's hearing in Hampden Superior Court on Friday. This story will be updated.

Police in a small Berkshire town have released an extremely detailed composite of a long-haired, bespectacled man they say attempted to abduct a young girl.

Police in a small Berkshire town have released an extremely detailed composite of a long-haired, bespectacled man they say attempted to abduct a young girl over the weekend.

Lanesborough Police Department posted the composite on Facebook, saying the abduction attempt occurred around 5 p.m. at the Berkshire Mall off Route 8 on Sunday.

The incident occurred at the main entrance of the building near the public restrooms, according to Lanesborough Police.

Lanesborough Police Chief Timothy Sorrell told The Berkshire Eagle the suspect "grabbed" a 9-year-old girl "by the shoulder and the hair" and began dragging her down the hall, only stopping when an adult exiting the restrooms witnessed the abduction-in-process. 

In their Facebook post, Lanesborough police identified the suspect as a white male who stands 5 foot, 7 inches to 6 feet tall, carries extra weight and was wearing a white hooded sweatshirt.

Berkshire Mall General Manager Jim Ruiz told The Eagle plans to enhance security in the building are in the works. 

Anyone with information is asked to call Lanesborough Police Department at 413-443-4107.

The company CEO told the Attorney General's Office he made the same error on two other projects and asked for assistance to correct it.

CHICOPEE - Owners of a city roofing company said their failure to comply with the prevailing wage law on three state projects was an error which they corrected as soon as they knew it had happened.

Supreme Roofing paid back more than $32,000 in restitution to employees and fines after being cited by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's office for failing to pay prevailing wages on three different public roofing jobs at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home, the Jabish Brook Middle School in Belchertown and Snug Harbor Roofing Works in Quincy.

The error happened because this was the first time the company, which specializes in commercial roofing, had done a state construction job in Massachusetts and made an error in the prevailing wage, said Kelly Kirkendoll Haffner, spokeswoman for the company.

"Now they know how to do it right and they won't make the mistake again. They are a little heart-broken because they love the community," she said.

Since arriving in the city five years ago, the company has volunteered in the community to help a variety of causes. Most recently it helped Fairview Elementary School build a new playground, she said.

Tim Rainey, the CEO of the company, and his wife Dee (Betournay) Rainey grew up in Chicopee and met while students at Comprehensive High School. They moved to Texas for a job opportunity. There Rainey started Supreme Roofing.

Decades later they decided to open a branch office in Chicopee at 788 Sheridan St. and now the two, who own a home in South Hadley, divide their time between Texas and Massachusetts, she said.

"This was our mistake, and we make no excuses for it," Tim Rainey, said. "Our workers are the most important asset we have, and we appreciate the Attorney General bringing this to our attention."

In fact when employees for the Attorney General's Office contacted them about the investigation into the job at the Holyoke Soldier's Home, Rainey was the one who told them he believed he made the same mistake on two other jobs, Kirkendoll Haffner said.

They did not try to hide anything. In fact they worked with the Attorney General's investigators to calculate the payments he had to make for workers in the other two jobs, she said.

The relationship between the investigators and Rainey was cordial and both worked to correct the wrong.

Once the investigators approved the amount owed to workers, the difference was paid to their workers, she said.