The Springfield Election Office is urging residents to fill out and return the newly mailed, annual census forms.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Election Commission has mailed the 2017 Annual City Census form to all Springfield households.

Residents are urged to comply by completing the census form and returning it to the Election Commission Office at City Hall.

The city is required to conduct the Annual Census under state law. The census provides residents with their only official proof of city residency.

All residents, regardless of citizenship or voter registration status, are required to respond to the annual city census.

State law dictates that voters who do not answer the Census be removed from the Active Voting List and be placed on the Inactive Voter List, according to the Election Commission. Prolonged non-response to the census may result in complete removal from the Voter Registration Rolls.

The census mailing includes a census form that is printed in two languages and a dog licensing application. This year's Census form also has a section for residents to sign-up to receive information on serving as a poll worker.

Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola is urging all residents to respond electronically or by mail.

"We request that Springfield residents respond promptly in returning the census. The information we receive is key to providing essential services and assistance to residents," Oyola said. "It is vital that the City of Springfield's census data is accurate during these challenging fiscal times. Included in the Annual City Census is dog licensing form that allows all dog owners to register their canines with the City Clerk's office and receive a city issued dog tag."

For additional information, the public can call the Election Commission office at 787-6190 during office hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In addition, the public nay visit the office web site and submit an electronic version of the annual city census, seen here.

Completed census forms may be returned by mail to City of Springfield, Board of Elections, Room 8, 36 Court Street, Springfield, MA 01103

President Donald Trump took action Friday to begin rolling back financial industry regulations created in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis, signing executive orders calling for a review of the Dodd-Frank Act and delaying a Department of Labor retirement advice rule.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday to begin rolling back financial industry regulations created in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis.

Trump, after meeting with business leaders at the White House, reportedly issued the directive for the Treasury secretary to review and report back on rules supporting or inhibiting the administration's priorities.

The order does not mention the controversial 2010 Dodd Frank Act, a financial overhaul law which the Republican pledged to dismantle throughout his campaign, the Washington Post reported.

The president also used a memorandum Friday to delay a contentious Department of Labor retirement advice rule requiring brokers to act in their clients' best interests, which was set to take effect in April.

The department, the memorandum reportedly stated, should consider whether the rule could hurt investors or disrupt the retirement services industry, the Post reported.

The actions drew criticism from Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, who accused the president on being on the side of Wall Street, not the American people.

US Sen. Elizabeth Warren blasts President Donald Trump's expected actions on Dodd-Frank, DOL rule

White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn told Fox Business Network Friday that the administration planned to attack regulation and over-regulation.

"So today you're going to start seeing the beginning of some of our executive actions to roll back regulation in the financial services market," he said.

Trump echoed those sentiments during his meeting with business leaders.

"We expect to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank," he said, adding that several of his business friends have had trouble borrowing money under the law.

Democrats blasted Trump's actions, arguing that if the president is successful in dismantling Dodd-Frank protections "it will only be a matter of time before the next economic crisis wreaks havoc on their lives."

"After taking this step today, never again can Trump pretend to be on the side of working Americans," said Democratic National Committee Interim Chair Donna Brazile in a statement.

Selectmen have decided to use two sets of eligibility criteria for police chief applicants, saying that is the right thing to do as it would allow more internal candidates to apply.

WARE -- Selectmen have decided to use two sets of eligibility criteria for police chief applicants, saying that is the right thing to do as it would allow more internal candidates to apply.

According to the board, five Ware officers are eligible to apply for chief of police, using a benchmark of at least one year of service on the job.

The minimum entrance requirement to apply for chief of police here for external candidates is five years of managerial experience in police operations.

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The board had recently opted for the external process, with the five-year managerial experience requirement, but selectmen unanimously approved the two-criteria process at last week's meeting.

Town Manager Stuart Beckley told selectmen, "It will run in parallel." Ultimately, all candidates, internal and external, will be considered in one pool.

The board also said yes to an assessment process approved by the state civil service commission that the town would administer to vet candidates for chief.

The estimated cost to the municipality is $6,300 to evaluate the first five candidates, and $2,000 for each additional applicant. The town can charge each applicant up to $250 to participate.

At their preview meeting, when selectmen asked Beckley how many might apply for chief, he said if there are many candidates, the board could then decide if it would be cost prohibitive to test them all.

Acting Ware Police Chief Kenneth Kovitch retired last year, but selectmen negotiated a temporary contract with him to stay on until June 30, at which time the board hopes a permanent chief is in place.

The second man arrested in connection with the Oct. 30 home invasion on South East Street is being held without the right to bail at the Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction in Northampton pending a dangerousness hearing next week.

BELCHERTOWN -- The second suspect arrested in connection with an alleged home invasion in Amherst is being held without the right to bail pending a dangerousness hearing next week.

John Niemiec III, 29, of Sunderland, pleaded not guilty in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown to charges of conspiracy to commit home invasion and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, in connection with an incident at 943 South East St. in Amherst on Oct. 30.

Niemiec is due back in court for the dangerousness hearing Feb. 8.

No further information about the case was available as court records have been impounded.

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

Bemben was arrested shortly after the incident and was released on $35,000 cash bail Jan. 23. He must abide by a number of bail conditions, including taking part in a 90-day drug treatment program in Westminster.

Amherst police said 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, police 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 suffered when he was 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 he suffered as residents defended themselves, according to the police report.

A report by the Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Foundation found that transgender people faced hostile medical environments and difficulty finding basic primary healthcare in the Greater Boston area.

Transgender people lack adequate medical services in the Greater Boston area, according to a new study by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation. The report, conducted by the foundation's "Health Equity Roundtable Initiative," found that transgender people faced threatening medical environments and difficulty finding primary healthcare.

Authored by psychiatry clinician and Health Equity Roundtable Director Shani Dowd, the report details findings from a roundtable group discussion that took place in Roxbury last March between "trans" and "gender queer" people and parents of transgender people. 

Transgender health in New England:

Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut mandate health insurers to cover medical services for transgender people. Such coverage includes hormone therapies and gender affirming surgery - procedures that conforms someone to a particular gender identity. 

But finding doctors to conduct such gender affirming surgeries are not easy: only two surgeons in New England who work at Boston Medical Center offer male-to-female "bottom" reassigning procedures. Those who seek female-to-male "bottom" surgery must travel to Pennsylvania, California, Texas, Florida or Illinois. BMC became the first to offer such services in Massachusetts last May when it opened a Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery.

Boston Medical Center becomes first Massachusetts hospital to offer gender reassignment surgery

Partakers in the study reported the Fenway Health Center in Boston as the safest and most knowledgeable place to receive healthcare.

Few providers, high costs:

The study reports high costs for the few competent providers available, and that these professionals were often not included in their insurance networks. Few specialists also means longer wait times, a time period the study says is crucial for transgender youth going through puberty. 

Also scarce are specialized therapists, who must send approval to insurers in cases of gender-affirming surgery. Transgender patients have higher rates of anxiety and depression as well, according to the study.

Some participants also said a lack of specialized knowledge meant they had to educate their own doctors about trans-health issues.

Hostile attitudes:

Participants depicted an intensely negative attitude toward the transgender community within the healthcare environment. Reports of poor treatment by workers - including non-medical staff like receptionists - were common, including "name calling, refusal of care and inappropriate curiosity."

The report quotes one participant saying if he had not moved two states over to receive emergency asthma treatment, he would have died. Emergency waiting rooms are described in the report as anxiety-provoking and risky environments. 

Massachusetts Senate passes transgender anti-discrimination law

The Health Equity Roundtable Initiative is a program of the New England-based Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Foundation and uses direct input from particular communities to uncover health inequalities and improve healthcare.

Former narcotics Detective Steven Vigneault is poised to testify against his former partner in a federal investigation, court records show.

This is an update to a story posted at 10:24 a.m.

SPRINGFIELD -- Former narcotics Detective Steven Vigneault is poised to testify against his former partner in a federal investigation, court records show.

Vigneault, who resigned from the Springfield Police Department in August, is now suing the city, Police Commissioner John Barbieri, the patrolman's union president, the longtime union attorney and Officer Gregg A. Bigda in Hampden Superior Court. A hearing in the case took place before Judge Michael Callan on Friday morning.

Plaintiff's attorney Shawn Allyn was arguing for his client's immediate reinstatement under the state's whistleblower statute. A lawyer for Barbieri argued Vigneault is not a whistleblower but rather a disgruntled ex-employee who is now retrofitting his resignation to claim he was forced out.

Vigneault and Bidga are central to a messy night for the police department in February 2016 that has prompted suspensions, a criminal investigation and a civil rights probe by the U.S. Department of Justice.

At issue are the arrests of a group of Hispanic juveniles suspected of stealing Vigneault's car when he left it idling outside a city pizza shop. A police pursuit ended up in Palmer, so the boys were initially booked there. Narcotics detectives showed up uninvited, according to other police officials.

Vigneault is accused of kicking one youth in the face while the youth was handcuffed and on the ground, and Bigda was captured on video from police holding cells shouting profanities, racially charged insults and death threats.

Email exchanges between Allyn and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Wagner filed in connection with Vigneault's lawsuit confirm he is scheduled next week to meet with a trial attorney with the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

An affidavit filed with the court by Allyn to enter the documents under seal backfired when Callan denied the motion to impound and the motion to continue Friday's hearing for 60 days.

One email dated Jan. 27 from Wagner reads:

"As you know, our office is conducting an investigation into the events surrounding the arrest of three juveniles in Palmer, MA on February 27, 2016. We would like to speak with your client, Steven Vigneault, regarding the investigation."

A later email confirmed that Vigneault was willing to cooperate with their investigation and set a tentative meeting date of Feb. 8 with trial attorney Chris Perras.

Allyn's affidavit states that his client denies kicking any of the suspects in the face. The defense lawyer claims that, according to Wagner, Vigneault is not a target of the federal investigation, but rather "Gregory Bigda is the focus of the criminal charges."

The attorney also flagged the nature of Vigneault's cooperation.

"Mr. Vigneault is anticipated to provide details and testimony surrounding the events which lead up to the Palmer interrogations of juveniles and conduct which occurred at the Springfield Police Department," his statement reads.

Allyn's sworn statement also makes a pitch for discretion in the face of the federal probe.

"My client recognizes that it is a crime to interfere with a Federal investigation or impede an investigation by speaking about it or revealing information to the public that would impede such investigation (including placing facts in pleadings which could be accessed by members of the media or public)."

"Mr. Vigneault does not want the Defendants to know he is cooperating with the United States Justice Department and fears for his own safety," the affidavit adds.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin O'Regan, head of the Springfield office, declined to comment on the investigation or the exchange between Wagner and Allyn.

At Friday's hearing, Allyn argued that Barbieri and union officials spooked Vigneault into resigning by threatening termination and loss of his pension, while Bigda received a 60-day suspension.

"Why is Bigda still there and this plaintiff is not?" Callan asked defense attorney Maurice Cahillane.

Cahillane responded that it was Vigneault's own choice to resign and it was "a deal."

Cahillane also said Vigneault's allegations that Bigda and other members of the unit routinely drank on the job were untrue.

"That's preposterous," Cahillane said. "It's just not something that's plausible."

He also chided Vigneault for leaving his car running outside the Worthington Street pizza shop.

"He took a police vehicle and left it running in a high-crime district," Cahillane said.

Callan took Allyn's motion to reinstate Vigneault under advisement.

Benham Partopour was in Tehran when President Donald Trump's immigration and refugee order went into effect. An Iranian national, Partopour immediately ran into a problem. Watch video

BOSTON - Benham Partopour was in Tehran when President Donald Trump's immigration and refugee order went into effect.

An Iranian national, Partopour immediately ran into a problem: He had a visa, but nobody was selling plane tickets that would allow him to return to Massachusetts, where he is a chemical engineering student going for his PhD at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Days later, after two attempts to get a flight back to the U.S. and a trip to Turkey, he got on a Lufthansa flight to Logan International Airport, and arrived at Terminal E on Friday afternoon. The experience was "very stressful," he said.

"I've waited for such a long time to come back here," he told a crush of reporters, as volunteer lawyers, Worcester Polytechnic Institute President Laurie Leshin and Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, buzzed around him.

"I have friends, I have my sister here and I have to finish my PhD," Partopour said. "I've worked very hard for it."

Is President Donald Trump's immigration order a 'Muslim ban?' Boston federal judge's ruling may decide

He is the last student WPI is aware of being impacted by Trump's executive action. WPI has 35 students who hail from the seven countries that Trump's order focuses on.

The order, which attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations are battling in court, prevents travel into the U.S. for 90 days by non-U.S. citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia.

The order also suspends a federal refugee program for 120 days.

Leshin said Partopour had been working on research overseas. He is focusing on a computer simulation for petroleum processing.

"This level of support is important to show," she said.

America is stronger because we welcome all who seek a brighter future. Proud to help @WPI's Behnam Partopour continue pursuing his dream. pic.twitter.com/JAMgSvGhFl

-- Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) February 3, 2017

Our other student (postdoc actually) is a green card holder. He made it back a couple of days ago. https://t.co/n5h7Tk9lGA

-- Laurie Leshin (@LaurieofMars) February 3, 2017

Two WPI students stuck outside U.S. following President Donald Trump's immigration ban

What you need to know about the alleged off-duty police beating near Nathan Bill's Bar and Restaurant.

The facility would be built at 200 Park St., the current site of White Brook Middle School.

EASTHAMPTON -- Local officials eyeing new school construction have narrowed their focus, and will now pursue state support for a facility that serves pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade learners.

The decision was made by the Easthampton School Building Committee in collaboration with the Massachusetts School Building Authority, or MSBA, said Superintendent Nancy Follansbee. Members of the two groups spoke during a Jan. 27 conference call.

The decision eliminates other options, which included renovating or expanding Maple Elementary School or building a single citywide elementary school.

Follansbee said it was agreed that a new, consolidated school would best serve the city's educational needs. There is no guarantee the state will agree to finance the project, but the city is moving through the process, and recently completed a 1,459-page feasibility report.

The feasibility report was funded from a $1 million in borrowing authorized by the City Council in 2015. The school building committee, led by Easthampton Savings Bank Executive Vice President Thomas Brown, met for the first time in November of that year. 

In the coming months, Caolo & Bieniek Associated Inc. will produce a set of preliminary architectural designs centered around a comprehensive educational plan. Budget numbers will be developed as well. 

The consolidated facility would be located at the site of the current White Brook Middle School at 200 Park St. The older structure, built on 45 acres in 1974, could be torn down, although other options on paper still show a potential renovation of the troubled building.

The school as envisioned would serve up to 1,010 students ages 3-14. It was one of five earlier alternatives.

Two previous choices would have repaired or expanded the 100-year-old Maple school at 7 Chapel St. to house 195 students. A third would have built a new school to replace Maple. A fourth would have built a pre-K to Grade 4 school for 535 children, replacing the downtown Maple, Center and Pepin schools.

The building committee outlined the advantages of a pre-K to eighth-grade school in its feasibility report. A consolidated facility would "eliminate potential inequities" in resources across the city's schools, and do so "without creating a gap" between 21st-century learning opportunities at the elementary school and high school levels, the report states.

The report also noted that such a facility would allow for financial and operational efficiencies.

In 2015, the MSBA invited Easthampton to start exploring the idea of new school construction. The invitation was based upon the poor condition of the Maple school and came after Follansbee submitted a "statement of interest." State officials revealed during a site visit that they would be open to a consolidated option. 

Ultimately, no construction will move forward without a citywide debt exclusion vote. Such a vote could take place in early 2018, according to a project timeline.

Around a year ago, the building committee chose Caolo & Bieniek as its preferred design team, and Colliers International as project manager. It's the same partnership that designed and coordinated the construction of the new Easthampton High School.

Any design must support 21st-century learning goals. The goals were developed during a set of visioning workshops in October involving 35 participants, including school leaders, teachers, students, parents and community members.

Follansbee said the design must also support her comprehensive educational plan for integrated learning through the grade levels.

The city's three downtown elementary schools are each over 100 years old and are crowded and outdated. The White Brook Middle School suffers from a number of problems, including poor indoor air quality.

An April 2016 report from the Massachusetts Department of Health showed the ventilation system at White Brook does not provide enough fresh air. Mechanical systems in some areas are nonfunctional. A former swimming pool was closed a decade ago by a health inspector. The building also contains asbestos and lead paint, records included in the feasibility report show.

If the MSBA does choose to finance the project, the city would see partial reimbursement. The new Easthampton High School, which opened in 2013, was built at a cost of $39.2 million and reimbursed by the state at 63 percent.

All documents related to the school building project have been posted online on the school department's website. A community forum on the project has been set for Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at the city's 50 Payson Ave. municipal building. 

UMass' Ken Toong and UGA's Robert Holden have faith in their respective Super Bowl teams, the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons.

AMHERST -- Ken Toong, executive director of auxiliary enterprises at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has issued a friendly food wager to his counterpart at the University of Georgia in Athens ahead of the New England Patriots taking on the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI on Sunday.

Toong is 4-2 in his wagers -- the same record the Patriots have in Super Bowls in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era -- according to a UMass press release.

Toong says he is looking forward to receiving some regional delicacies from his counterpart at UGA.

Toong pitched his idea for the wager to Robert Holden, associate vice president for auxiliary services at the University of Georgia's Athens campus.

If the Falcons win, Toong will send a New England clambake for six, plus Boston cream pie and a cranberry spinach salad. The food will be prepared by Robert Bankert and Anthony Jung, chefs de cuisine at UMass Dining Services. Performance Food Group, of Springfield, will sponsor the meal at an estimated cost of $500.

New England Patriots Super Bowl LI coverage

If the Patriots win, Holden will send Toong a Southern feast for six that will include shrimp and grits, Georgia pecan pie and boiled peanuts.

Toong plans to enjoy the meal with six lucky students at the University Club and Restaurant on the Amherst campus.

"It's going to be a tight game between two great teams. I think we have an edge because of the playoff experience of Tom Brady and Coach Bill Belichick," Toong said in a press release.

"In terms of a friendly wager, the University of Georgia has an excellent dining program and we know each other well. We look forward to sampling shrimp and grits and Georgia pecan pie. Bring it on!"

The dining commons this weekend at UMass is serving a special menu featuring New England clam chowder and lobster sliders. 

The schools argue the order is hurting their students and faculty.

BOSTON -- In a brief filed Friday in connection with a federal court case that seeks to overturn President Donald J. Trump's executive order on immigrants and refugees, eight Massachusetts colleges and universities outlined their opposition to the policy.

The eight institutions have filed an amicus, or friend-of-the-court, brief with the U.S. District Court in Boston, which is considering whether to extend a temporary stay preventing the federal government from complying with parts of Trump's directive.

"Over the course of the past week, amici institutions have seen their students stranded abroad and their faculty members prevented from traveling to and from foreign countries," attorneys for the schools wrote. "Scholars based abroad have expressed a determination to boycott academic conferences in the United States, and potential faculty recruits have expressed serious doubts about teaching at amici's schools."

The eight schools are: Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis, Harvard, MIT, Northeastern, Tufts and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Separately, the University of Massachusetts was already allowed to join the case, represented by Attorney General Maura Healey.

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.

The schools argue Trump's order undermines their ability to maintain a consistent pipeline of top students and scholars from around the world. "It is essential that our commitments to national security not unduly stifle the free flow of ideas and people that are critical to progress in a democratic society," the schools wrote.

For example, the schools argue that the five Syrian students enrolled at MIT this semester "were able to contribute to their peers' understanding of the wide-ranging consequences of the war in Syria in a way no textbook or lecture ever could."

The brief also notes the number of leaders of other countries who were educated in the U.S. According to Harvard, at least 20 heads of foreign countries studied at Harvard, including Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto.

The school with the most students from the countries included in Trump's travel ban is Northeastern, with 250 students from those countries, followed by Boston University with 97 students. The school with the most scholars is MIT, with 67 scholars from affected countries, followed by Harvard, with 62.

Specific faculty members at these schools who could be affected include:

• a Syrian professor who received a MacArthur "genius grant" who founded a company that develops systems to monitor vital signs and detect the onset of illness in the elderly;
• a Syrian trauma surgeon who is studying the quality of trauma care at Syrian hospitals;
• and an Iranian professor who worked with NASA in Earth exploration.

The brief notes that several students and faculty have already been stranded overseas or been unable to travel due to the ban, in many cases missing academic, professional or personal opportunities.

Others that have filed amicus briefs in support of the plaintiffs include: the Westwood-based chemical research and development company Nano-C; the Boston Bar Association; the City of Boston; The Boston Architectural College; the biomedical research institute, The Broad Institute; TripAdvisor; the University of Massachusetts Medical School; and the Massachusetts Bar Association.

A driver escaped serious injury after rolling his vehicle several times on Wayside Avenue Friday afternoon, according to police.

WEST SPRINGFIELD - A driver escaped serious injury after rolling his vehicle several times on Wayside Avenue Friday afternoon, according to police.

The driver, whose name was not released to the press, crashed in the area of Tri-County Contractors Supply at 154 Wayside Ave. at around 3 p.m. He was being treated at the scene but is not considered seriously hurt, police said.

The vehicle, a white Jeep, ended up on the business' lawn.

The accident remains under investigation.

Wayside Avenue is off Route 5.

MassDOT is reconstructing more than 2 miles of Interstate 91 that cuts through downtown Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced Friday that there will be overnight road closures on West Columbus Avenue, East Columbus Avenue and Boland Way the week of Feb. 6 through Feb. 9.

The closures are part of the the $183.3 million I-91 viaduct project. MassDOT is reconstructing more than 2 miles of the highway that cuts through downtown Springfield.

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 a few details will remain.

• West Columbus Avenue: West Columbus Avenue will be closed from I-291 (near Temporary Exit 7-6) to Gridiron Street from 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 6, to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
• East Columbus Avenue: East Columbus Avenue will be closed north of Liberty Street from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Feb.  6, and again Tuesday, Feb. 7.
• Boland Way: Boland Way will be closed under the I-91 Viaduct between East Columbus Avenue and Hall of Fame Avenue/the Memorial Bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, and again Thursday, Feb. 9.

Detours

A woman attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst was punched from behind early Thursday morning in a parking lot, police said Friday.

A woman attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst was punched from behind early Thursday morning in a parking lot, university police said Friday.

At about 2 a.m. on Thursday, an unidentified person approached the student from behind and punched her on the side of the head in university parking lot 22, police said.

The student was knocked down and could not provide a description of her attacker.

Police are reviewing security camera footage and the investigation is ongoing.

Police are asking anyone with information to call UMPD Officer Chris Stechmann (413) 545-2121. Anonymous tips can be left on the UMPD tip line at (413) 577-8477 or through an online witness form.

Fernando Rosado, 53, of Springfield, was found guilty Friday of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

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

SPRINGFIELD -- One of the defendants in the drug case that helped bring to light a scandal involving city police officer Gregg A. Bigda was convicted Friday in Hampden Superior Court.

Fernando Rosado, 53, was found guilty of possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Sentencing is set for Monday morning.

Fernando RosadoSpringfield Police Department 

A September hearing in the case, which involves Rosado and two co-defendants, involved a discussion of videos that showed Bigda threatening two juveniles with beatings and false drug charges. In the wake of that revelation, cases against other drug defendants collapsed or ended in plea deals as prosecutors sought to avoid calling Bigda as a witness. 

Bigda was a detective with the Springfield Police Department's Narcotics Unit until being reassigned to the records division after serving a 60-day suspension.

Because he played a role in Rosado's arrest, defense attorney Jeanne A. Liddy wanted to show the footage to a jury to impeach Bigda's credibility when it came time for her client to face trial.

But Assistant District Attorney Mary A. Sandstrom contended in pretrial hearings that Bigda's testimony would not be necessary to prove her case, saying he had a minimal role as part of the team that executed the search warrant on Rosado's 41 Belmont St. apartment.

She did not call him as a witness at trial. 

The footage, recorded at the Palmer police station, shows Bigda threatening the teens as he questioned them about the theft of an unmarked Springfield police vehicle.

Bigda's his credibility as a witness in drug cases has been called into question in a number of recent court hearings. In fact, prosecutors have for months said he would not be available to testify at trials.

Cases have been dropped or generous pleas offered in cases where Bigda had a pivotal role.

In this case, he did not handle any of the drugs or packaging materials seized, Sandstrom has said.

In closing arguments Friday, Liddy said Rosado is a heroin addict who had 48 bags of heroin in his wallet for his personal use when police entered his home in January 2015.

Sandstrom told the jury Rosado intended to sell the heroin, and was part of a drug-selling operation with his son Jotsan Rosado and the other co-defendant, David Jordan.

The jury got the case for deliberations about 1 p.m. Friday and had its verdict in about an hour.

Fernando Rosado took the stand in his own defense Friday, telling jurors he was a heroin addict, using 20 to 25 bags a day. He said he began getting sick from withdrawal the evening of his arrest.

Police officers testified Rosado showed no evidence of being sick while locked up after his arrest.

Sandstrom argued there were no syringes or other evidence showing consumption of heroin in the apartment. Rosado said he snorted the drug.

Sandstrom asked Rosado what signs of withdrawal would be.

"You don't want to know," he said, then answering he would sweat, cry, vomit, have diarrhea and not be able to eat.

Sandstrom told jurors among evidence proving Rosado sold drugs was a paper bag full of many smaller unused wax envelopes in the apartment's kitchen.

Rosado said he had never seen that item.

In a September hearing for the three defendants, Judge Tina S. Page called the handling of the Bigda videos "borderline prosecutorial misconduct." Page also said reasons cited by the district attorney's office for restricting access to the footage were "disturbing" and threatened to turn the videos over to higher authorities for review.

In pretrial hearings Liddy asked for a decision on whether she could show the footage if Bigda testified in Fernando Rosado's trial. Page left that decision to the trial judge, and Judge Edward J. McDonough ruled the video could not be used.

The cases against the three co-defendants were separated. Jotsan Rosado has already gone to trial and a jury found him guilty only of possession of heroin. He had been charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

The case against Jordan is still pending.

As travelers exited U.S Customs and Border Protection at Logan Airport, Congressman Jim McGovern was among the people greeting them. Watch video

As travelers exited U.S Customs and Border Protection at Logan Airport, Congressman Jim McGovern was among the people greeting them.

McGovern said several students affected by President Donald Trump's immigration and refugee executive order were on a Lufthansa flight landing Friday afternoon. Congressman Joe Kennedy, D-Brookline, also made an appearance.

"I want them to know that they're welcome here and I want to be here to apologize for the behavior of my president, who I think issued appalling executive orders and I think betrayed the best values of our country," McGovern, D-Worcester, told reporters.

McGovern said he was seeking to ensure problems didn't arise as students sought to re-enter the U.S.

WPI student lands in Boston after President Trump's immigration order

"One of the realities here is that Trump issued an executive order and didn't really consult with any of the agencies responsible," he said.

"Nobody knew what the hell was going on. So the usual places you would call - the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, State Department - nobody knew anything, and kept on telling us, 'call somebody else, call somebody else,'" McGovern added.

Lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union are fighting the executive order, calling it unconstitutional.

"We're better than this," McGovern said.

Case of 2 detained UMass professors highlights confusion around President Trump's order

The Massachusetts Republican governor urged the U.S. government to reject broad-based bans on immigrants from particular countries.

BOSTON -- As debate rages in Massachusetts and nationally over President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban on certain immigrants and refugees, Gov. Charlie Baker wrote to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly expressing his concerns about the ban.

Baker wrote that while he believes changes to immigration policy are needed to improve national security and border security, changes should be made in a way "to minimize unintended consequences for our economy and the negative effects that more restrictive policies could have on people who have followed the rules, who share our values, and who wish to contribute to our nation's success."

Although Baker is a Republican, he did not support Trump's candidacy and has been critical of Trump's implementation of the travel ban.

In his letter to Kelly, Baker urged the U.S. government to reject broad-based bans on immigrants from particular countries and instead try to identify the small percentage of immigration applicants who present a real danger to the United States. "Objective measures show that the vast majority of foreign nationals who pass current vetting processes are honest people who benefit our nation by making valuable contributions to our businesses, universities, and other institutions," Baker wrote. "Decisions about limiting entry of foreign nationals to the U.S. should be guided by a process that focuses on individuals and specific, identifiable risks."

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. The ban was implemented suddenly last Friday, resulting in travelers with green cards and legal immigration visas being detained at airports.

Baker said he is particularly troubled by the 120-day suspension of all refugees, which he said "perpetuates the notion that all refugees are dangerous people and bad for our country."

"Many of the refugees we have admitted throughout our history have become our nation's most distinguished scientists, government leaders, captains of industry, cultural icons and public servants," Baker wrote.

Attorney General Maura Healey, on behalf of the state of Massachusetts, joined a lawsuit in federal court to overturn the executive order. Baker has said he supports that effort.

In his letter, Baker cites the importance of global companies to Massachusetts. He wrote that the impact of Trump's order on Massachusetts hospitals, universities, businesses and nonprofits "will be significant."

Baker wrote that universities are seeing global academic conferences being rescheduled for locations outside the U.S., and hiring decisions for faculty are being deferred. U.S. companies with foreign interests and employees are worried about being put at a competitive disadvantage with non-U.S. companies who are competing for the same workers. Hospital faculty and patients come from all over the world. Around 10 percent of the community-based health and human service workforce is working with a green card or work permit.

Baker urged the federal government to create a process before implementing any immigration-related orders that talks to interest groups such as businesses, universities and hospitals. He said any immigration policy should consider the positive impact made by international students, professors and physicians.

Baker suggested Trump should consider creating a new class of visas aimed at entrepreneurs.

Baker also said the federal government should ensure that current employment-based visa programs are being used correctly to attract high-skilled workers and are not being manipulated to bring in low-wage workers without special qualifications.

Read Baker's full letter here [pdf].

Court records show the first mediation session, or alternative dispute resolution session, convened last week

The parties in a $5 million civil rights lawsuit against the Western Massachusetts Police Academy have agreed to mediation to settle the matter.

The plaintiff, Timothy Turley, alleges he was repeatedly subjected to various forms of "hazing" and was dismissed from the academy for objecting to it. He is seeking damages totaling $5 million.

Court records show the first mediation session, or alternative dispute resolution session, convened last week.

The case was filed by Turley in U.S. District Court in Boston in 2014.

Judge Leo T. Sorokin, in a November order, approved the request of both parties to mediation instead of trial.

Defendants include the Municipal Police Training Council, Western Massachusetts Police Academy, former director of the Western Mass. Police Academy Curtis McKenzie, Northampton Police Lt. Robert Powers, who has been an academy instructor, former Holyoke policeman Sean Shattuck, who was terminated as an academy instructor, and academy instructor Delilah Yee.

Judge M. Page Kelley is the mediator.

A Boston Judge announced Friday that a temporary restraining order against President Donald Trump's immigration ban would not be extended.

BOSTON — US District Court Judge Nathaniel Gorton announced Friday that he would not be extending the temporary, seven-day restraining order issued against President Donald Trump's recent immigration ban.

The restraining order was issued Sunday, January 29th, by federal Judge Allison Burroughs and Magistrate Judge Judith Dein, and instituted a seven-day restraining order stating that any immigrants or refugees with valid immigrant and non-immigrant visas as well as lawful permanent residents could not be detained or deported by federal authorities during that period.

Activist groups including the ACLU had argued that the temporary restraining order against President Trump's "Protection of the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States" executive order be extended.

Carol Rose, executive director of the Massachusetts ACLU, had filed a complaint along with private attorneys on Wednesday morning, saying that the plaintiffs were asking the judge to keep in place the current stay to "stop Trump's executive order and Muslim ban in its tracks."

However, Gorton argued Friday that the plaintiffs had not "demonstrated that they are likely to succeed on the merits of any of their claims, an extension of the restraining order at the present time is not warranted."

The ACLU released a statement Thursday expressing the organization's disappointment with the verdict arrived at by Gorton.

"The ACLU of Massachusetts is deeply disappointed that the federal district court did not extend the temporary restraining order on President Trump's illegal and dangerous executive order," reads the statement.

"Today's ruling is not just about laws; it's about lives. The ACLU of Massachusetts is proud that our urgent work last weekend - along with the Attorney General's Office - caused the Trump Administration to halt efforts to apply it to green card holders. But thousands of people holding proper visas, as well as Oxfam America and other social service and advocacy organizations, continue to have their constitutional rights violated by the continuation of this executive order," continues the statement.

An organization addressing the opioid crisis is offering a series of trainings to help people learn how to identify an opioid overdose and to administer nasal Narcan to save lives.

AMHERST -- An organization working to address the opioid crisis is offering a series of trainings to help people learn how to identify an overdose and to administer a potentially life-saving overdose-reversal drug.

The first training is Monday at 6 p.m. at the Bangs Community Center.

Hampshire HOPE -- an opioid abuse prevention coalition operated though the city of Northampton's Health Department, the Northwestern district attorney's office, Tapestry Health and the Quaboag Hills Community Coalition -- is offering the workshop series, called "Saving Lives in Hampshire County."

Each session will teach participants what an opioid overdose is, how to recognize and respond to an overdose, and how to administer Naloxone, commonly referred to by the brand name Narcan.

Other trainings will be held:

• Feb. 9, 5 p.m., South Hadley Town Hall
• Feb. 14, 3 p.m., Easthampton School Department, 50 Payson Ave.
• Feb. 15, 3 p.m. Hilltown Community Health Center, 9 Russell Road, Huntington
• Feb. 21, noon, Granby Public Library, 297 East State St.
• March 1, 9 a.m., Unitarian Universalists Church, 121 North Pleasant St., Amherst.

Additional sessions will be held in Northampton, Florence, Belchertown and Ware, at dates, times and locations to be announced on the Hampshire HOPE webpage.

Some of the training sessions will offer free Narcan doses to participants, while others will offer vouchers that will waive insurance copayments at certain pharmacies.  

All training sessions will provide information about where to get Narcan and how to have insurance cover the cost of the Narcan standing orders at many area pharmacies, according to a press release.

People are strongly encouraged to RSVP if they intend to attend a training session, by calling Cherry Sullivan at (413) 587-1219.