U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton is expected to decide Friday whether to extend a temporary restraining order barring the U.S. government from enforcing parts of President Donald Trump's order on immigrants and refugees.

BOSTON - U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton is expected to decide Friday whether to extend a temporary restraining order barring the U.S. government from enforcing parts of President Donald Trump's order on immigrants and refugees.

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 suspends the admission of all refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees indefinitely.

Carol Rose, executive director of the Massachusetts ACLU, which filed the lawsuit along with private attorneys, said the plaintiffs will be asking the judge to keep in place the current stay to "stop Trump's executive order and Muslim ban in its tracks."

Last Sunday morning, a federal judge in Boston issued an emergency seven-day stay delaying Trump's order from going into effect. However, the stay has been unevenly enforced, with most airlines continuing to bar travel from these countries since the U.S. government revoked the visas of travelers before the court order was issued.

Rose said airlines are experiencing a "tremendous amount of confusion," and the ACLU will be asking the court to take steps to make sure its order is enforced and travelers are let into the U.S.

Attorneys for the U.S. government argued in a court brief that since all the plaintiffs are already in the United States, the judge should let the emergency seven-day injunction expire and consider whether to issue a broader preliminary injunction on a slower time frame.

The U.S. attorneys cite "longstanding judicial doctrines granting the political branches broad power to control the admission of aliens into the United States."

Rose responded, "The government has broad power over immigration. They don't have power to violate the Constitution." The plaintiffs argue that the order was voted by religious animus against Muslims and violates the freedom of religion, due process and equal protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution.

Attorney General Maura Healey has also intervened in the case on behalf of the state of Massachusetts and the University of Massachusetts.

Carol Starkey, president of the Boston Bar Association, said her organization has filed a brief supporting Healey's intervention.

Starkey attended the court hearing to support Healey and "to support the demonstration of harm to our permanent residents - our neighbors, our scientists...some of the biggest companies in technology and industry... who have scientists, colleagues, professors, academics friends who are restricted in their travel because of those order."

President Donald Trump's administration imposed sanctions Friday on more than a dozen officials and companies in response to the Iran's recent ballistic missile test.

President Donald Trump's administration imposed sanctions Friday on more than a dozen officials and companies in response to the Iran's recent ballistic missile test.

The sanctions, announced by the U.S. Treasury Department, target 13 individuals and 12 entities involved in the procurement of material for Iran's missile testing, and in "acting for or on behalf of, or providing support to, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force."

The action came just days after National Security Adviser Michael Flynn announced that the Trump administration was putting Iran "on notice."

John Smith, acting director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, contended that Iran's continued development of its ballistic missile program and continued support for terrorism "poses a threat to the region, to our partners worldwide, and to the United States."

"Today's action is part of Treasury's ongoing efforts to counter Iranian malign activity abroad that is outside the scope of the (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,)" he said in a statement. "We will continue to actively apply all available tools, including financial sanctions, to address this behavior."

As a result of the sanctions, which officials said are consistent with the nuclear deal's guidelines, "all property and interests in property of those designated today subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them," CBS News reported.

Trump tweeted early Friday that "Iran is playing with fire," contending he will not be as "kind" to the country as President Barack Obama.

Iran is playing with fire - they don't appreciate how "kind" President Obama was to them. Not me!

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017

Flynn, in a statement issued by the White House this week, took issue with Iran's ballistic missile launch, contending that it was in defiance of a UN Security Council Resolution that calls on the country "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology."

He further condemned an Iran-supported Houthi militants attack against an Saudi naval vessel.

"The Trump Administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place American lives at risk," Flynn said. "President Trump has severely criticized the various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama Administration, as well as the United Nations - as being weak and ineffective. Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened."

"As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," he added.

Iran, however, has stressed that it is not violating the nuclear agreement by conducting missile tests, claiming that they are strictly for defensive purposes, the Washington Post reported.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, further told Reuters Thursday that "Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself."

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

New unemployment numbers cover end of President Barack Obama's term.

SPRINGFIELD -- The nation's economy gained 227,000 jobs in January, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 4.8 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, Feb. 3.

The national unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in December.

New unemployment numbers cover the end of President Barack Obama's 8-year term.

The retail trade, construction, and financial activities industries gained jobs.

New jobless numbers for local communities won't be out for another few weeks. But in December, the unemployment rate in Springfield was 5.2 percent.

That was up from the 4.8 percent unemployment recorded in November but lower than the 8.7 percent unemployment rate recorded a year ago in December 2015.

The statewide average in Massachusetts was 2.8 percent, its lowest point since 2000.

If statisticians take into account those who have stopped looking for work and those who are working part-time but would rather work full-time, the Massachusetts unemployment rate is higher at 8.8 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But even that number has fallen steadily over the past few years.

Nationally, the number of long-term unemployed meaning those jobless for 27 weeks or more was unchanged at 1.9 million and accounted for 24.4 percent of the unemployed, according to number released Friday. Over the year, the number of long-term unemployed has declined by 244,000.

Other numbers from Friday's report:

• More workers: The civilian labor force increased by 584,000 in January and the labor force participation rate rose by two-tenths of a percentage point to 62.9 percent.
• But full-time work may be hard to find: The number of people employed part-time but who would like a full-time job  was little changed in January at 5.8 million.
• No change in key industries: Employment in other major industries, including mining and logging, manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information, and government, showed little change over the month.
• Not much overtime: The average workweek for all employees on private non farm payrolls was unchanged at 34.4 hours in January. In manufacturing, the workweek edged up by 0.1 hour to 40.8 hours, while overtime edged down by 0.1 hour to 3.2 hours. 
• Earnings: January, average hourly earnings for all employees on private non-farm payrolls rose by 3 cents to $26.00, following a 6-cent increase in December. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.5 percent. 

Robert Hughes, a senior research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research wrote in a blog post Friday that that this report held both pleasant surprises and disappointment.

To the positive, job creation was stronger than expected and the private sector led the way with 237,000 jobs, a number partially offset by losses in government work.

Revised data says the overall U.S. economy added an average of 195,000 jobs a month over the past year, a record Hughes calls impressive.

Agawam homeowners who fail to shovel sidewalks in front of their properties face possible fines, according to the Agawam Police Department.

AGAWAM -- With snow-and-ice season making its presence felt, the Agawam Police Department is reminding city homeowners to clear snowy sidewalks in front of their properties.

"Please know that it is the responsibility of the homeowner to shovel any sidewalk in front of your property within 24 hours after the snow has stopped falling," the Police Department said in a Facebook post Friday.

The department receives numerous complaints about unshoveled sidewalks, but it's the property owners who are responsible for clearing public footpaths outside their homes, police said.

"Warnings and fines may be issued for failing to comply," the Facebook post said.

Homeowners in violation of the city's snow-and-ice-removal policy may receive a warning or a $25 fine.

Property owners who continue to fail to clear sidewalks will be fined $25 for each additional 24-hour period they remain in violation.

The incident occurred about 8 a.m. when a large piece of concrete fell of a truck near a ramp leading from the South End Bridge to Interstate 91 north, state police said.

George Graham | ggraham@repub.com 

SPRINGFIELD -- No injuries were reported Friday morning after a large piece of concrete fell off a truck near a ramp leading from the South End Bridge to Interstate 91 north.

Lt. Thomas Ryan said the incident occurred about 8 a.m. Although the concrete has since been removed, Massachusetts Department of Transportation personnel remained at the scene as of about 11 a.m. assessing damage.

The ramp is open, however, may be slow in the area due to the assessment work, state police said.

Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, the Archbishop of Boston, called an 'impromptu meeting' with the state's most powerful religious and political figures this week to show his support to Muslim leaders.

Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley called an 'impromptu meeting' with the state's most powerful religious and political figures this week to show his support to Muslim leaders.

"We come here today to express our commitment to solidarity," said the archbishop of Boston, according to the archdiocese's official publication, The Pilot. "It is just very important that our people see us sit down at the table as friends."

Gov. Charlie Baker, Mayor Marty Walsh, Boston Police Commissioner William Evans, Director of the Islamic Council of New England Nabeel Khudairi and a number of other faith leaders were present, according to the publication.

During the meeting, Baker and Walsh defended the rights of Muslims.

"We're here to stand with you, and beside you, and behind you if we have to. And we have to right now," Walsh said.

The president's executive order temporarily banned refugees and immigrants from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen from entering the U.S. for 90 days. 

What does the federal lawsuit in Boston against President Donald Trump's immigration order say?

Exit polling indicates Trump won Catholics by 52 to 45 percent. This marked a shift from 2012 and 2008 presidential elections when former President Barack Obama received the majority of votes from Catholics. 

Springfield Bishop Mitchell Rozanski calls on President Trump to end refugee and travel ban

Other religious groups, including evangelical leaders, have been protesting the travel ban.

"We oppose any religions test that would place the suffering of one people over another," Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, told the Guardian.

An estimated 80 percent of white evangelicals voted for Trump but Arbeiter said that doesn't mean they'll support this ban.

"It would be a mistake [to think that] because an evangelical voted for Donald Trump, they will support all of his positions," Arbeiter told the Guardian.

This opposition is not universal among evangelicals, however.

"I believe that all people coming from other countries need to be completely vetted," The Rev Franklin Graham, son of the influential evangelist Billy Graham, told the Guardian. "We need to be sure their philosophies related to freedom and liberty are in line with ours."

The travel ban continues to spark protests, religious and not, across the country, including a strike by New York City's bodegas.

Massachusetts attorney general calls Donald Trump's travel ban 'un-American'

 

Police arrested a second man in connection with the Oct. 30 home invasion on South East Street.

AMHERST -  Police have arrested a second man in connection with the Oct. 30 home invasion on South East Street.

John Niemiec III, 29, of Sunderland, is facing charges including conspiracy to commit home invasion and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, in connection with an incident that occurred at 943 South East St. in Amherst on Oct. 30.

Niemiec was expected to be arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown sometime Friday morning.

Niemiec is the second person to be charged in connection with the home invasion. Patrick Bemben, 25, of Hadley, faces 11 indictments in Hampshire Superior Court for his alleged role in the home invasion.

Earlier this month, Bemben was released on $35,000 cash bail but must abide by a number of conditions, including a 90-day drug treatment program in Westminster.

Several people were believed to be involved in the home invasion, according to police.

According to Amherst police, they were called to a residence on South East Street for reports of an armed home invasion. The first officers arriving on scene spotted several people in masks running into the woods.

Bemben was the only one apprehended, and at the time of his arrest, he was wearing a ski mask, goggles, a headlamp, and a tactical bullet-proof vest, poliec said. He also had binoculars and a two-way radio.

One resident of the house was treated at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield for injuries sustained when hit in the arm by a hatchet, and another man suffered lacerations to his scalp after being hit with a handgun.

Bemben was treated at Cooley Dickinson from injuries sustained as residents defended themselves, according to the police report.

Following President Donald Trump's high-profile clashes with various national news organizations, more than a third of Americans say they believe media coverage of his administration has been "too tough," while just over a quarter argue it hasn't been tough enough, a new poll has found.

Following President Donald Trump's high-profile clashes with various national news organizations, more than a third of Americans say they believe media coverage of his administration has been "too tough," while just over a quarter argue it hasn't been tough enough, a new poll has found.

Gallup survey results released Friday offer a largely split view among Americans on White House coverage, with 36 percent -- including three-quarters of Republicans -- saying they believe news outlets have been too harsh on the president.

By comparison, 28 percent of Americans, including about half of Democrats surveyed, contended that news coverage of the new president has not been tough enough, the poll found.

Three in 10 Americans surveyed, meanwhile, offered that the media's treatment of Trump and his administration has been "about right," according to the results.

"Americans as a whole are split in their assessments of whether the news media is covering the Trump administration fairly. However, this masks broad disapproval among Republicans, who mostly believe the media -- which Trump has declared 'the opposition party' -- is being too hard on the new Republican president," Gallup stated. "Meanwhile, about half of Democrats think the media should be tougher on Trump."

The poll's findings, which come in the wake of feuds between the president and certain news outlets, differ from a late-January 2009 survey that found just 11 percent of Americans believed coverage of President Barack Obama's administration was "too tough."

Thirty-eight percent of Americans surveyed then, including 65 percent of Republicans, believed early coverage of Obama's administration was "not tough enough."

Since taking office, Trump publicly clashed with news outlets, accusing them of underreporting the size of his inauguration crowds, blasting a White House pool report that erroneously claimed he removed the bust Martin Luther King Jr. from the Oval Office and likening CNN to "fake news."

President Donald Trump goes off on media at Black History Month listening session

The Gallup Poll, which surveyed more than 1,000 adults via telephone from Jan. 30 to 31, has a margin or error of plus or minus 4 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

The last remaining fugitive on the Massachusetts State Police's six most wanted sex offenders list has finally been captured, the department announced Friday.

The last remaining fugitive on the Massachusetts State Police's six most wanted sex offenders list has finally been captured, the department announced Friday.

Lenny Santiago, 35, was convicted in 2002 on two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older and three counts of open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior, police said.

Santiago is alleged to have assaulted three women in Methuen. Two of them were joggers, and one of them was pushing a baby stroller.

He ended up on the state police's most wanted list with five other men in July after failing to register as a sex offender. Santiago is classified as a high-risk level 3 sex offender. 

Troopers from the State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section first tracked down Santiago's location to somewhere in Pennsylvania. However, the team received new information indicating that Santiago may have been hiding out in Puerto Rico. 

With assistance from the United States Marshal Service in Puerto Rico, state troopers located Santiago at a homeless shelter in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

He was arrested and charged as a fugitive of justice on Tuesday. 

He is awaiting extradition to Massachusetts.

While the five other men were captured soon after state police released their most wanted list, Santiago managed to evade capture for over six months.

The last man to be captured was Caled Donatiu, who was found in Attleboro just 11 days after authorities released the list.

Attorney General Maura Healey filed a brief on behalf of the state of Massachusetts and UMass supporting the plaintiffs in a case that seeks to overturn Trump's executive order on refugees and immigrants. Watch video

BOSTON-- Attorney General Maura Healey filed a brief on behalf of the state of Massachusetts and UMass supporting the plaintiffs in a case that seeks to overturn Trump's executive order on refugees and immigrants.

Marcellette Williams, senior vice president for academic affairs, student affairs, and international relations and UMass, filed a brief in the case Thursday night.

Here is Williams' explanation of UMass' interests, based on the brief:
UMass has approximately 160 employees and 300 students from the seven countries from which Trump has barred nationals from traveling for 90 days: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan Libya and Yemen.

Williams wrote that already, many faculty who are legal permanent U.S. residents have cancelled trips abroad, including trips for academic purposes.

"The Administration's statements over the past few days have been unclear and often conflicting regarding impact to (legal permanent residents), contributing to an atmosphere of uncertainty and concern," Williams wrote.

Williams wrote that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service has stopped adjudicating work permits from these countries, and 42 UMass employees have visas that will need to be renewed in the next year. Students preparing to graduate also need to apply for work authorization.

Williams wrote that the order "has a significant negative impact on the ability to UMass to operate its core business: education and research," with financial and reputational impacts. He wrote that uncertainty regarding whether UMass can offer jobs to new faculty and whether current faculty will be able to work "will likely translate into thousands of additional dollars for each campus."

"Uncertainty in the process under the (executive order) will delay and may prevent the University from pursuing prospects, resulting in delays in research efforts and potential delay or loss of federal funding for new research," Williams wrote.

He wrote that the order will harm the university's ability to attract students from the seven countries, who could instead choose to study in other countries. UMass is currently in the process of sending out its admissions letters, and students have a limited time in which to accept.

Already, he wrote, employees' inability to travel has affected the university - including one employee who needed to attend an international conference as part of the tenure process but no longer can.

U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton is expected to decide Friday whether to extend a temporary restraining order barring the U.S. government from enforcing parts of Trump's order on immigrants and refugees.

This is a developing story which will be updated.

U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel Gorton warned both the U.S. government and the ACLU not to turn Friday's hearing into a debate over the merits of President Donald Trump's immigration policy.

BOSTON - U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel Gorton warned both the U.S. government and the ACLU not to turn Friday's hearing into a debate over the merits of President Donald Trump's immigration policy.

"It is not a hearing on the merits to the demerits of the new administration's immigration policy," beyond whether it violates specific provisions of law, Gorton said at the start of the hearing. Gorton said it also not a hearing on the rights of all immigrants or non-immigrants currently in the U.S.

Rather, Gorton said he will narrowly focus on the question at hand: "This is a hearing about whether a temporary restraining order imposed by this court earlier this week on behalf of two of the plaintiffs (and six others that have since been added to the complaint) should or should not be allowed to expire."

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 suspends the admission of all refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees indefinitely. Last Sunday morning, a federal judge in Boston issued an emergency seven-day stay delaying parts of Trump's order from going into effect. With that say set to expire this weekend, Gorton will have to decide whether to keep it in place.

Whether or not Gorton keeps the temporary stay in place, lawyers for the ACLU and the State of Massachusetts are next expected to ask for a preliminary injunction, which would delay implementation of Trump's executive order until a final ruling is made on its constitutionality.

This is a developing story which will be updated.

The designation is not merely titular; it comes with a nearly $208,000 grant to further clean energy initiatives in Agawam.

AGAWAM -- The City of Agawam has been named a "Green Community," an honor that's not merely titular but an official designation that comes with a $208,000 grant to spend on clean-energy initiatives.

"This designation is quite an achievement and reflects the hard work and tireless efforts your community has exhibited in meeting the Green Communities Designation and Grant Program's five criteria," Joanne Bissetta, deputy director of the state's Green Communities Division, said in a Feb. 1 letter to Agawam Mayor Richard A. Cohen.

The goal of the Green Communities Division, which is under the auspices of the state Department of Energy Resources, is to help the commonwealth's cities and towns find clean-energy solutions that reduce long-term energy costs and strengthen local economies.

A condition of the $207,970 grant requires Agawam to submit a proposal on how the city plans to spend the money, which may be used for energy efficiency or renewable energy projects. Each Green Community receives a certificate confirming the designation and four 12-by-18-inch aluminum signs to display publicly.

On Thursday, Gov. Charlie Baker announced that Agawam and 29 other Massachusetts cities and towns had received the state designation by committing to an ambitious renewable energy agenda to reduce energy consumption and emissions.

Over half of the commonwealth's municipalities have now earned the Green Communities designation, according to Baker, saying the program is "an excellent example of how state and local governments can work together to save taxpayer money and promote responsible energy policies."

 "The thirty new Green Communities named today will now have additional resources to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy, locking in energy savings for residents and reducing their carbon footprints," the Republican governor said Thursday.

The Green Communities Division provides technical assistance and financial support for municipal initiatives to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy in public buildings, facilities and schools.

While one Amherst Town Meeting member is collecting signatures for a third Town Meeting to consider funding for a new elementary school, others are collecting signatures to bring the funding question to voters.

AMHERST -- While one Town Meeting member is collecting signatures for a third Town Meeting to consider funding for a new elementary school, others are collecting signatures to bring the funding question to voters.

The request would be the exact request presented to Town Meeting to borrow $32.8 million to build the approximately $67 million second through sixth grade twin elementary school.

Proponents of the town-wide ballot referendum have until Monday at 4:30 p.m. to present the signatures of at least 829 voters to call for the referendum. The number of required signatures is based on the number of active voters at the time the meeting dissolved Monday night, said Town Clerk Sandra Burgess. 

The Town Government Act stipulates that 5 percent of the town's active voters sign for the election question to be sent to a town ballot. Burgess said the recommendation is always for 20 percent more (995 signatures) to account for potentially unaccepted signatures.

"It's definitely a huge task, but there is a large group of really angry parents who want to push forward," said resident Clare Bertrand, who is helping with the referendum signatures collection.

Meanwhile, Town Meeting member Kevin Collins is collecting signatures to bring the project back to Town Meeting for a third time. At least 200 registered voters must sign such a petition.

Town Meeting on Monday voted 123-92 to support building a new twin-school building on the site of the Wildwood Elementary School, but failed the required two-thirds margin needed because the spending requires borrowing.

It was the second Town Meeting on the funding, called after residents petitioned for the meeting. On Nov. 14, Town Meeting rejected the proposal 108-106.

In November, voters in the town election approved spending on the project by 126 votes, 6,825 in favor and 6,699 opposed.

Burgess said if enough signatures are collected, the Select Board would call a special town election "as soon as practicable," in accordance with the Town Government Act.

At least 18 percent of the town's voters have to cast ballots to reverse Town Meeting action, and the vote would also require two-thirds approving the funding for the measure to pass.  

The Massachusetts School Building Authority agreed to pay about $34.4 million of the construction cost, leaving Amherst to pay the rest.  The state agency has given the town an extension to March 31 to demonstrate town funding support.

But the town must withdraw its funding request by Tuesday to be able to reapply for state funding in time for the MSBA meeting Feb. 15. The School Committee will discuss whether to withdraw its funding request at its meeting Monday night.

Voters last considered a referendum in 2005 when asked to rescind funding for the Plum Brook Soccer fields. Town Meeting opposed rescinding. The town-wide voted did not reverse that vote.

In 1997, Town Meeting approved approve funding for the Boltwood Walk Parking Garage funding and a subsequent referendum failed to reverse that approval.

The group Save Amherst's Small Schools, which opposes the project, posted on Facebook, "It would be a shame if town officials became caught up in a rushed ballot referendum effort this weekend, thereby missing a deadline early next week to withdraw the project. If that Massachusetts School Building Authority deadline is missed, Amherst will lose all ability to submit a new Statement of Interest in 2017. Clearly, a fresh process is sorely needed, including input from a broader group of citizens."

Keynote speaker Anthony C. Hill told Springfield students participating in a Black History Flag raising ceremony that they can accomplish anything in their lives.

SPRINGFIELD -- There was an array of music and inspirational messages on Friday as residents, elected officials and children gathered to celebrate the 31st annual Black American Heritage flag raising during a ceremony at City Hall.

Keynote speaker Anthony C. Hill, of Springfield, assistant professor at Springfield College School of Social Work, told dozens of schoolchildren in attendance that they can accomplish anything in their lives if they use their hands, mind, and heart, through hard work, reading and studying and integrity.

By the end of his remarks, he led the children in repeated chants of "I can do anything."

He and other speakers during the program spoke of black history in the nation and the city and of the hard work and sacrifices made over time to allow progress and opportunities for all.

[enhanced link]

"Their sacrifices, their dedication for this country, to treat everyone equally and fairly that we would have hope, that we would have opportunities, access to quality educational experiences, a vibrant career and to treat people not based on the color of their skin but by the content of their character and dedication," Hill said.

Other speakers included Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, state Rep. Bud L. Williams (D-Springfield), City Councilors Marcus Williams, Adam Gomez and Kateri Walsh and School Committee member Barbara Gresham.

The Frank Freedman Elementary School Children's Choir, with students from grades 3 through 5, provided the music with the songs "Like a Mighty Stream," "We All See the Stars" and "Let Freedom Ring." The ceremony coincides with Black History Month.

The event honored the late Ruth B. Loving, and there were representatives from the Peter Brace Brigade (Civil War re-enactors representing the Massachusetts 54th Colored Troops Co. E) and the 3rd Masonic District. Michael Knapik spoke briefly as representative of the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker.

There were also children from Springfield, Chicopee and Holyoke Head Start programs.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, criticized President Donald Trump's reported plans to sign directives to roll back financial overhauls created under Dodd-Frank and delay a Department of Labor conflict of interest rule Friday, contending that "the American people have not forgotten the 2008 financial crisis."

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, criticized President Donald Trump's reported plans to sign directives to review financial overhauls and delay a Department of Labor conflict of interest rule Friday, contending that "the American people have not forgotten the 2008 financial crisis."

Warren, in response to reports that the president will sign an executive order directing the Treasury secretary to review the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial oversight law, argued that while Trump "talked a big game about Wall Street during his campaign," he has not followed through as president.

The senator, who helped set up a federal agency responsible for holding banks and other financial institutions accountable in wake of the economic collapse, also blasted Trump's plans to delay a DOL conflict of interest rule for financial advisers.

"Today, after literally standing alongside big bank and hedge fund CEOs, he announced two new orders - one that will make it easier for investment advisors to cheat you out of your retirement savings, and another that will put two former Goldman Sachs executives in charge of gutting the rules that protect you from financial fraud and another economic meltdown," she said in a statement.

The Massachusetts Democrat stressed that while Wall Street bankers and lobbyists would likely celebrate the president's actions, "the American people have not forgotten the 2008 financial crisis - and they will not forget what happened today."

Sources told the Washington Post that Trump planned to order a rollback on Friday of regulations under the Dodd-Frank law, which was passed as a financial industry safeguard.

The president, when meeting with business leaders Friday, said his administration "(expects) to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank."

Gary Cohn, the White House Economic Council director, meanwhile, told the Wall Street Journal earlier this week that the administration also plans to move against a DOL rule set to take effect in April that aims to eliminate conflicts of interest among those dealing with people enrolled in qualified retirement plans and IRAs.

The event drew attorneys from the ACLU and private firms fighting to free those detained by President Donald Trump's travel ban.

SPRINGFIELD -- Attorneys and advocates for immigrants in Western Massachusetts organized and coordinated their efforts Friday prior to a public presentation on immigration law at the Western New England University School of Law in Springfield.

"Because things are changing," said Harris Freeman, professor of legal research and writing at the school.

Harris is also a coordinating attorney with the ACLU, said local lawyers are in litigation now fighting for the rights of people in detention or having difficulty getting into the country due to President Donald Trump's recent order to block entrance to those from seven majority Muslim countries around the world.

But it's not just people in detention.

"There is a lot of fear. Immigrants, both those with documents and those without  documents, are afraid that these changes will hurt them where they live, where they work and where they raise their families," Freeman said. "We have been working on sanctuary cities issues. We have seen more enforcement."

Friday's presentation was partially about educating the general public as well as the immigrant community.

Attorney Scott Clark, who maintains law offices in Pittsfield and Philadelphia, said he's working with immigrant families in Western Massachusetts and preparing them for the worst.

"We are getting them to sign paperwork so we can represent them," he said. "We are helping them get their documents in order. There is this fear that you could be living your life, working your job and raising a family and all of the sudden a black van pulls up and arrests you."

Western New England University undergraduate Afshan Rehman, a junior majoring in forensic biology and legal studies, feels that uncertainty all too well.

Originally from Pakistan, she's been in the U.S. for more than four years and lives in Wilbraham. She's not yet a citizen, instead using a student visa to stay in the country. She's afraid she might not be able to stay. And she's worried at changes to the H1 Visa program will make it hard for her to get a job.

"My father came here with a dream," Rehman said. "I came here to study and get a good job. Now it is harder to to have that dream. I have no certainty."

He brother, a citizen, serves in the U.S. Air Force.

All those issues are familiar for Caminer Lavache, a third-year law student who emigrated from Haiti as an 8-year-old.

"I remember everything. I remember the government that was in Haiti at the time and I remember what it was like to come here and live," said Lavache, who lives in Connecticut. "Immigration law is going to be very important."

Attorney Megan E. Kludt of Curran & Berger in Northampton said the Trump ban seems to be a religious test, and that's how it's being fought in court.

She spoke of her firm's Iranian clients, many of them doctors and highly trained professionals, who fear not being able to stay in the country. She also described Iraqi clients who had to flee their home country because they cooperated with American forces.

"When I used to think of the United States, I saw the Statue of Liberty," she said. "Now I see a big wall."

Attorney Marie Angelides of the Angelidies Firm in Longmeadow said Trump put his fist through existing immigration law.

"But in all honesty, the system has been broken for a long time," Angelides said.

The armed robbery was committed at the Subway restaurant at 816 Westfield St, at about 10:30 p.m.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Police are seeking the public's help identifying four armed robbery suspects who hit the Westfield Street Subway Thursday night..

The armed robbery was committed at the Subway restaurant at 816 Westfield St, at about 10:30 p.m.

Police posted information regarding the armed robbery on the department's Facebook page.

Detective Matthew Mattina, citing the ongoing investigation, declined Friday to say what type of weapon or weapons were used. Cash was taken, he said.

Matina said one of the suspects is white and another is black. The race of the other two suspects is not immediately clear, he said. The suspected may have fled in a gold-colored sedan.

Those with information are asked to call the detective bureau at 413-263-3210. Those with information may remain anonymous.

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To be eligible for consideration, a proposal must address open space, historic preservation, community housing or public recreation.

 

MONSON -- The town's Community Preservation committee is accepting applications for project funding, with a deadline of Feb. 28.

To be eligible for consideration, a proposal must address open space, historic preservation, community housing or public recreation. Applicants are asked to explain their "motivation for recommending" a proposal, and are requested to respond to the following:

• What unmet need in the town of Monson will be met if this project is successfully completed?
• Is this project aligned with needs identified in other town plans (i.e. Master Plan)?
• What are the implications for the town if this project is not approved?
• Have other funding alternatives been explored? What has been the result?

Amherst College students said the sit-in at the college is over but they will "remain vigilant" to ensure the college follows through on its promises to students affected by President Donald Trump's immigration order. Watch video

AMHERST -- Amherst College students said the sit-in at the college is over but they will "remain vigilant" to ensure the college follows through on its promises to students affected by President Donald Trump's immigration order.

Students occupied President Carolyn "Biddy" Martin's office, then outside her office on Wednesday and again Thursday, but left Thursday afternoon after she issued a statement. Students met with her later.

Martin said she would not respond to a list of demands presented by the protesters, on the terms they outlined. But student organizer Aubrey Grube said Martin's email "did in fact affirm each of our demands 36 hours after being presented with them."

Following a rally Wednesday, students demanded Martin "explicitly condemn" Trump's order and demanded the college do more for those affected.

On Jan. 27, Trump signed an order barring nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the U.S. for 90 days. The order also banned refugees from entering the country for 120 days, and halted the entry of Syrian refugees indefinitely.  

Martin in her statement Thursday wrote that the order "violates the principles of open-mindedness, tolerance, and human decency on which this nation and Amherst itself were founded."  

She also outlined the steps the college was undertaking to help those affected.

In a statement, Grube said, "whether or not one believes her (Martin's) most recent claims that the administration had already committed to pursuing the goals sought in our demands before Wednesday, the sit-in nevertheless achieved its sole aim: namely, to make sure that the College will protect our vulnerable peers to the fullest of its abilities and that those commitments be public to ensure accountability."   

She wrote that students "stand firmly behind our decision to hold a sit-in, which led to the quickest affirmation of student demands in the college's recent history."

She also wrote that at the private meeting, Martin promised students that the administration will be "more proactive in providing support to those students who will be affected by future discriminatory actions taken by the federal government."

In her statement, Martin wrote that the college has been arranging for students to obtain the legal counsel of attorney Dan Berger, an immigration specialist, and will continue to do so.

The college set up a phone bank in the Alumni House for students to make calls and write emails to senators.

"We are in this for the long haul. We will continue to provide these services, regardless of developments elsewhere, and we will constantly reassess what we are doing so as to determine what else is necessary to meet the changing needs of our students and others at Amherst," Martin's statement read.

The two associate professors at UMass Dartmouth are from Iran but are legal permanent residents of the U.S. They were detained at Logan International Airport, but released after a federal judge placed a temporary stay on Trump's executive order.

BOSTON -- Last weekend, two Iranian associate professors from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Mazdak Pourabdollah Tootkaboni and Arghavan Louhghalam, who are U.S. legal permanent residents, were detained at Logan International Airport under an executive order issued Friday by President Donald Trump.

After a federal judge in Boston issued an emergency seven-day stay on Trump's order temporarily detaining and deporting people traveling from seven predominantly Muslim countries, the two professors were released.

However, if they travel outside the U.S., they will not be able to return, despite the judge's order, U.S. Department of Justice attorney Joshua Press said Friday. Press said he believes the two men's visas have been revoked, according to a State Department order issued last Friday, the day Trump issued his executive order and before the judge's ruling.

"We believe they have been revoked," Press said.

"Is it the intention to have them removed?" asked U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel Gorton.

"Not that I know of," Press said, adding that the men would be entitled to due process if they ever are deported.

The exchange regarding the two green card holders, during a Friday hearing in a federal lawsuit in Boston seeking to overturn Trump's executive order, illustrates the confusion and complexity around the order and the resulting judicial stays, and around how the order has been implemented.

Gorton said he will rule before the temporary stay expires early Sunday whether to continue the stay pending further litigation.

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 suspends the admission of all refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees indefinitely.

Federal judges in several states have overturned parts of Trump's order and ordered detainees released. Yet despite the judicial orders, most airlines have refused to let nationals from these seven countries board flights to the U.S. because federal agencies already revoked their visas last Friday, before the judges ruled.

One exception is Lufthansa, which just began boarding passengers traveling from the seven countries to Boston, in accordance with the federal court decision. A group of volunteer lawyers is planning a rally at Logan Airport Friday afternoon to welcome the first Lufthansa flight with immigrants and refugees, including some international MIT students who had been stranded overseas after going home for winter break.

"What we're seeing among airlines is a tremendous amount of confusion," said Carol Rose, executive director of the Massachusetts ACLU.

There has also been confusion about to what extent the order even applies to green card holders like the two professors, who are legal permanent residents of the U.S. Initially, federal officials said it did bar green card holders from these countries from traveling. Then, federal officials said it did not.

"We now know, given clarification from the White House, that legal permanent residents are no longer subject in any way and were never intended to be subject to the executive order," Press said during the court hearing.

But attorneys for the ACLU say this is not clear from the language of the executive order.

Matthew Segal, an attorney for the ACLU of Massachusetts, argued in court that one reason a judge needs to keep a temporary restraining order in place is because the executive order has generated "confusion and uncertainty" regarding green card holders.

"We don't know what position the government will take about this language tomorrow or even today," Segal said.

Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Dewar, who is representing the state of Massachusetts, which supports overturning the ban, said there have been continued detentions of green card holders, despite the White House assertions and the temporary restraining order.

Additionally, she said, "People in other countries who hold green cards or were issued visas are not permitted to get on planes, despite the fact the temporary restraining order instructs the government to instruct the airlines to tell them to let people get on planes and come."