Despite the Trump administration ending federal protection for transgender students, students in the Amherst Regional school system will not see any changes.

AMHERST -- Despite the Trump administration ending federal protection for transgender students, students in the Amherst Regional school system will not see any changes, according to a memo from interim School Superintendent Michael Morris.

The protection issued by former President Barack Obama required schools to allow students to use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identities.

But the administration of President Donald Trump lifted the federal guidelines on Wednesday, leaving it up to states and school districts to interpret federal anti-discrimination law and determine whether students should have access to restrooms in accordance with their expressed gender identity and not just their biological sex.

In a statement issued Thursday, Morris wrote: "Transgender students in the Amherst-Regional Public School Districts will not see any change in their protected rights based on the revocation of a federal directive regarding locker rooms and restrooms.

"Massachusetts law, guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, established District practices, and local bylaws permit pupils to use facilities consistent with one's gender identity.

"Our schools will remain welcoming and inclusive places for all students," Morris wrote. 

Amherst College President Carolyn "Biddy" Martin also issued a statement expressing her dismay at "yet another action at the federal level that is diametrically at odds with the values of the College: the decision by the Trump administration to withdraw a mandate that transgender students be treated by their schools in ways consistent with their gender identity. 

"I condemn the rescinding of guidance that helped provide protection for some of our most vulnerable youth," Martin said.

She said she agrees with civil rights experts "who argue that transgender and other LGBTQ rights are fundamental civil rights that ought to be protected at the federal level."

Hours after President Donald Trump doubled down on his criticism of certain media entities, the White House reportedly blocked a number of news outlets Friday from covering an afternoon press briefing.

Hours after President Donald Trump doubled down on his criticism of certain media entities, the White House reportedly blocked a number of news outlets Friday from covering an afternoon press briefing.

According to Politico, the White House invited pool reporters from Hearst Newspapers and CBS, as well as those from NBC, Fox, ABC, One America News Network, The Wall Street Journal, McClatchy, Breitbart and the Washington Times into Press Secretary Sean Spicer's office for the off-camera "gaggle."

CNN, the New York Times, The Hill, Politico, Buzzfeed, the Daily Mail, BBC, the Los Angeles Times and the New York Daily News, however, were among those not permitted to attend the briefing, the Hill reported.

The move, which drew boycotts from The Associated Press and Time magazine, came amidst reports that Trump's chief of staff Reince Priebus pressured the FBI to reject reports of contact between campaign and Russian intelligence officials, Politico noted. 

Top Trump adviser reportedly asked FBI official to dispute media story about Russia

It further sparked pushback from the White House Correspondents' Association, according to the Hill.

"The WHCA board is protesting strongly against how today's gaggle is being handled by the White House," President Jeff Mason reportedly in a statement. "We encourage the organizations that were allowed in to share the material with others in the press corps who were not. The board will be discussing this further with White House staff."

Trump cast the New York Times, NBC News, ABC, CBS and CNN as "the fake news media" and the the "enemy of the American people" in tweets posted earlier this month.

The president reiterated his claim that fake news "is the enemy of the people" and accused news outlets of making up anonymous sources in Friday remarks at The Conservative Political Action Conference.

President Donald Trump says fake news 'enemy of the people,' criticizes anonymous sources

The Springfield Parking Authority paid a $35,720 bill owed to the city, ending the License Commission's threat to take away the liquor license of the authority's tenant, CityStage.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Parking Authority paid the city $35,720 in overdue bills on Friday afternoon, ending the threat that its tenant, CityStage, would lose its liquor license.

The bill, which was owed for the past fiscal year, was paid in full. It covered the cost of added police patrols in downtown Springfield.

On Thursday night, the five-member city License Commission voted unanimously to suspend the liquor license of CityStage, a performing arts center and long-term tenant of the Parking Authority, until the amount owed by the authority was paid in full or abated. Friday's payment ended the suspension.

"I was confident the outstanding obligation would be paid promptly following the suspension," License Commission Chairman Peter Sygnator said Friday. "I am very happy for CityStage to see this issue resolved."

The funds were not owed by CityStage, but the commission had to follow its policy that no entity can have a liquor license if there are outstanding city taxes or fees owed by the landlord. CityStage hosts performances at the Columbus Center complex downtown, which is owned by the Parking Authority.

The commission granted the Parking Authority and Police Department nearly two months to resolve the late payment issue, but could not ignore the fact the bill was unpaid, Sygnator said.

"The Board of License Commissioners holds every one of our licensees to the same high standard that all financial obligations to the city must be current before their license is renewed for the new year," Sygnator said.

The Parking Authority is a subdivision of the state, established by the mayor and City Council to oversee off-street parking including downtown garages, and to manage on-street parking for the city. Its operations are funded by parking revenues.

"I'm glad it's resolved," License Commission member Bob Casey said. "It really didn't have to happen. We have to treat everybody equally and families need tough love."

Timothy J. Plante, the city's chief administrative and financial officer, said that Friday's payment is in line with a newly signed three-year contract between the city and the Parking Authority related to downtown police patrols. The agreement had been reached some time ago, but the payment was on hold pending the contract being signed by all parties, which culminated on Friday, he said.

Under the three-year agreement, the Parking Authority is paying $150,000 for extra police details downtown this fiscal year, with the amount lowered to $100,000 in fiscal 2018 and to $50,000 in fiscal 2019, Plante said. With the city already planning to deploy more officers downtown as the MGM Springfield casino nears completion, the reliance on extra-duty officers will lessen, reflecting the decrease in funding needed from the Parking Authority, he said.

The parking authority's commitment last fiscal year was up to $200,000 and the year before that it was up to $300,000, officials said.

Attorney James A. McMahon of Healthwise Foundation Inc. of Pittsfield met with Ware Selectmen on Tuesday to request a letter of "non-opposition" for the facility.

WARE -- Townspeople will have a chance to weigh in on a proposed marijuana dispensary at a public forum March 7.

The facility has been proposed by Healthwise Foundation Inc. of Pittsfield for the property at 39-41 West Main St. in Ware, near the Debbie Wong restaurant.

Attorney James A. McMahon of Healthwise Foundation Inc. of Pittsfield met with Ware selectmen on Feb. 21, 2017. (JIM RUSSELL PHOTO)Jim Russell | Special to The Republican 

Healthwise attorney James A. McMahon met with Ware selectmen on Tuesday to request a letter of "non-opposition" for the facility. McMahon said the letter is needed for the company's licensing application with the state Department of Public Health.

Selectmen said they would convene a public forum and act on the request March 7.

McMahon told selectmen the dispensary, if approved, would obtain the drug from a cultivation facility Healthwise is building in North Brookfield. The lawyer said his company would make it a priority to hire Ware residents to work at the dispensary.

"We really like this site," McMahon told selectmen. He said it would not "interfere" with "the fabric of the town," adding: "We feel we have a lot to offer the town of Ware."

"Cannabis industry roiled by White House comments on enforcement," USA Today's headline said. NPR: "White House Spokesman Predicts More Federal Action Against Marijuana." But Foley Hoag attorney Jesse Alderman says don't panic just yet.

"Cannabis industry roiled by White House comments on enforcement," USA Today's headline said.

NPR: "White House Spokesman Predicts More Federal Action Against Marijuana."

"The Cannabis Industry Is On High Alert After Sean Spicer's Comments," added Forbes.

Jim Borghesani, who worked on the successful 2016 campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in Massachusetts, called the comments "disconcerting."

"Voters have made clear that they do not want federal intervention and their opinions should be respected," he said in an email.

But advocates and the cannabis industry should not necessarily hit the panic button after Spicer's comments, according to an attorney with Foley Hoag, LLP, a law firm that just set up a marijuana practice.

The comments can be read two ways, Jesse Alderman, the attorney, told MassLive.com.

"The most alarmist way would be to read it as a signal that the Trump administration will selectively prosecute criminally lawful operators in their states or take some sort of action, judicial action, against states themselves," he said.

That would have a "chilling effect" on the burgeoning marijuana marketplace and spook state regulators and others, even if all that happens is a few selective criminal prosecutions that would disrupt and disincentive businesses from jumping into the market, Alderman said.

Trump White House suggests crackdown on legal pot

The other way: Similar to the Obama administration, the Trump administration could be looking to keep the target on individuals and businesses that sell cannabis to minors or have connections to criminal enterprises like drug cartels, while leaving alone industry operators that are compliant with state laws.

"That could certainly read to be a greater emphasis on enforcement that wouldn't have a disruptive effect on the state marketplaces," Alderman said.

"If I'm in this business, I'm certainly dispirited by the statements yesterday but I'm not in a position to say this represents anything more than an ambiguity," he added.

Industry operators also know what they're doing remains illegal under federal law.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who is an opponent of legal marijuana, is juggling a number of different issues that are drawing intense heat across the country.

For example, immigration remains a divisive and partisan issue, while the regulated sale and decriminalization of marijuana is largely popular across party lines.

Here's what law enforcement officials are being told about handling legal pot

Spicer, in his comments during Thursday's White House briefing, also stated there's a difference between medical marijuana and recreational marijuana.

Massachusetts voters approved medical use of marijuana in 2012, and the industry is regulated through the state's Department of Public Health.

Alderman noted that medical marijuana is legal in almost half of US states. Republican and Democratic governors are benefiting from the revenue brought in by medical marijuana, Alderman said, adding that medical marijuana appears to be a "settled issue" at this point.

Regulations around recreational marijuana are still months away from coming into focus. Massachusetts lawmakers quickly passed a bill delaying key parts of the new law - dealing with retail pot shops - by six months while personal usage and home-growing of marijuana is broadly legal.

Spicer's comments to the White House press corps come as Beacon Hill lawmakers look at further changes to the law passed by Massachusetts voters in November, including raising proposed taxes on retail marijuana. They recently created a special marijuana committee to deal with the various issues at play.

"I anticipate no impact on the legislative process in Massachusetts," Borghesani said of Spicer's comments. "Even opponents have indicated that they will respect the will [of] voters."

Mass. activists express dismay with new law delaying legal pot implementation

Wes Doughty, the second suspect in the Peabody double homicide, has been captured, police said Friday.

Wes Doughty, the second suspect in the Peabody double homicide, has been captured, Massachusetts State Police said Friday. 

The 39-year-old was taken into custody in Spartanburg, South Carolina around 3:30 p.m. Friday. Doughty was panhandling when members of the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office approached him. 

Doughty is believed to have conspired with Michael Hebb, 45, to kill Mark Greenlaw, 37, and 39-year-old Jennifer O'Connor. Hebb was taken into custody without incident Monday and arraigned in Peabody District Court on Tuesday on two counts of first-degree murder.

The couple were involved in a romantic relationship, according to Essex D.A. spokeswoman Carrie Kimball-Monahan.

The bodies of the couple were found in the basement of a Peabody home over the weekend. 

District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said the crime scene was "messy and cluttered," and initial responders could not at first determine the number of dead bodies. Police say dismembered body parts were found in the home's basement. 

Doughty was identified as a suspect on Tuesday and believed by the Essex District Attorney's Office to be armed and dangerous. 

Wielding a pen knife, Doughty is believed to stolen a car in Middleton Wednesday evening and driven the vehicle to Boston, forcing the victim to stay in the passenger seat throughout. 

Carjacking victim escaped from Peabody double murder suspect Wes Doughty outside liquor store

During the dangerous ride in which Doughty is believed to have stopped at multiple liquor stores and been drinking while he drove, Kenneth Metz alleges Doughty spoke of the killings. 

"He said he killed them because they gave heroin to his godfather. He didn't want his godfather to be addicted to heroin," Metz told reporters on Thursday.

In confession to carjacking victim, Peabody murder suspect Wes Doughty reportedly said he killed couple over heroin

Jonathan Hernandez of Springfield pleaded guilty to heroin distribution and was sentenced to probation by Hampden Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Ford.

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 

Hernandez was sentenced to probation for one year by Judge Daniel A. Ford.

Other charges against Hernandez were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Hernandez was arrested Aug. 4, 2015, during a raid at 746 Carew St. home where police said 676 bags of heroin and other contraband were found.

Also arrested was Kareem Nesbeth, 25. Last month Nesbeth pleaded guilty to a single count of heroin distribution and was sentenced to two years in the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow. Fifteen other charges against him were dismissed by the prosecution.

Lanes will close in order to allow for overnight deliveries of supplies to the work site and for deck demolition on the viaduct that cuts through downtown Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Department of Transportation plans to shut down Exit 8 from Interstate 91 north and part of State Street overnight from Feb. 27 through March 3.

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

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

Next week's shutdowns are for delivery of materials to the work zone and deck demolition on the viaduct.

The following will be closed each night from 9 until 5 the following morning:

* Exit 8 from I-91 north to I-291 east/Route 20 east
* State Street between East Columbus Avenue and Hall of Fame Avenue

Detours

While Exit 8 is closed:

Take Exit 10 for Main Street/Route 116. Take a right onto Main Street/Route 116. Turn left onto Liberty Street, then turn left onto Chestnut Street. Take the ramp on the right to access I-291 East/Route 20 East.

While State Street is closed:

• From Hall of Fame Avenue, continue past State Street and turn left on Union Street. Turn left on East Columbus Avenue to access State Street.
• From State Street, turn right on East Columbus Avenue. Turn left at Boland Way and immediately turn left on Hall of Fame Avenue.
• From East Columbus Avenue, continue past State Street, then turn left at Boland Way and immediately turn left on Hall of Fame Avenue.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, remained firm in his opposition to building a wall along the United States' border with Mexico Friday, contending that President Donald Trump's proposed barrier would be "extraordinarily expensive" and "ill-considered."

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, remained firm in his opposition to building a wall along the United States' border with Mexico Friday, contending that President Donald Trump's proposed barrier would be "extraordinarily expensive" and "ill-considered."

The congressman, who visited Brownsville, Texas to tour an existing fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, told reporters that he believes border security-related issues could be alleviated through comprehensive immigration overhauls instead of constructing a nearly 2,000 mile structure, which at least one estimate suggests could cost up to $40 billion.

"I think what's very clear, based on what I saw today, is that number one: a 1,900 mile fence is going to be extraordinarily expensive and the deterrent factor certainly remains in question," he said.

Neal, who floated the idea of instead establishing a guest worker initiative or a pathway to legal citizenship for immigrants currently living in the country illegally, said his visit reenforced his previous conclusion "that building a wall around the Mexican-American border would be ill-considered."

"Nobody is arguing for less security -- in fact, I would go so far as to argue for careful understanding that providing for security is one of our most important governmental responsibilities," he said. "But, I think the question here is how can that be accomplished, and I think that a wall is unwarranted."

Donald Trump orders construction of US-Mexico border wall

Despite President Trump's Friday claim that construction on the border wall will start soon and be "way ahead of schedule," Neal told reporters that Congress has yet to see any building plans.

"It would be hard to suggest it's ahead of schedule when we have not seen any plans for it nor have there been any sufficient committee hearings to discuss it," he said. "In addition to which I think the cost-benefit ratio would have to be established in Congress, and I think that's going to cause some heartburn for Republican members.

Pointing to discrepancies this week between Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and the president on border security, meanwhile, Neal argued that "it's pretty obvious that there is a lack of organized thought in the administration as it relates to what to do."

Although the congressman said he agrees that the United States must secure its border, vet individuals and know who's in the country, he stressed that there should be a discussion on border security without the suggestion that the country build a 1,900 mile wall.

"I think that reasonable people should be able to develop comprehensive immigration reform as we have done in my time in Congress on at least two separate occasions," he said.

Neal is the latest member of Massachusetts' congressional delegation to visit the U.S.-Mexico border. 

US Sen. Ed Markey slams President Donald Trump's proposed border wall after Mexico visit

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, who traveled to the border and Mexico City with other congressional lawmakers last weekend, also blasted the Trump administration's proposed barrier. 

"Building a wall is not a comprehensive plan to address our nation's opioid crisis, nor does it represent the comprehensive immigration reform that will help put millions on a pathway to citizenship," he said in a Tuesday statement.

The president, who made the border wall and other immigration-related policies the primary focus of his White House run, signed the executive order directing existing federal funds toward the barrier's construction in late January.

Police investigated an unattended death in Northampton on Friday.

NORTHAMPTON - Authorities responded to a residence in Northampton on Friday for an investigation into an "unattended death," according to police. 

Sgt. Brian Letzeisen of the Northampton Police Department said that police were called to a house at 78 Union Street at approximately 1:41 p.m.

The nature of the death was not made public, but it does not appear suspicious at this time, said Letzeisen.

However, a large law enforcement presence could be observed in the area, including multiple police and fire department vehicles. Several men wearing Hazmat suits could be seen walking around the house.  

Letzeisen said that, in accordance with procedure, a State Police detective with the Northwestern District Attorney's Office was also present, as well as members of the Northampton Fire Department, and other investigators. 

Quinlan, who's based in Boston, is the Republic of Ireland's official government representative for the New England states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Consul-General of Ireland Fionnuala Quinlan visited the new Irish Cultural Center of Western New England on Friday, joining Mayor Will Reichelt and other dignitaries for a tour of the renovated facility at 429 Morgan Road in West Springfield.

"I wanted to see it in advance and recognize the great work they've done," said Quinlan, the Republic of Ireland's official representative to the New England states of Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The Irish Cultural Center, or ICC, is expected to officially open in March. But Quinlan joined Reichelt, former Mayor Ed Sullivan, state Sen. Jim Welch, Town Councilman Brian Griffin and others for Friday's sneak peak of the facility, which features a traditional Irish restaurant and pub and playing fields for Gaelic football, soccer and other recreational activities.

Quinlan has visited Springfield, Holyoke and other parts of Western Massachusetts since joining the Irish Consulate in Boston in 2015, but this was her first visit to West Springfield, where roughly one-fifth of the city's population claims Irish heritage.

And Quinlan, a native of County Cork, liked what she saw at the Irish Cultural Center: a spacious bar and dining area with stylish lighting, cozy snugs, old wooden pews donated from area churches, and a fireplace and hearth reminiscent of the type found in old Irish homes and public houses.

Quinlan also had a chance to meet fellow Irish expatriate Mick Corduff, of Delaney House and Log Cabin fame. Corduff will be overseeing the kitchen at the ICC, which will eventually also feature a banquet hall, performance space, library and museum.

"It'll be a gathering place for everybody," said Jim Cannon, the ICC's vice president.

Soon, the cultural center will be brimming with books, mementos and patrons, according to the center's board members. Some will come for the Irish language classes and traditional music. Others will come for the Guinness and outdoor deck, where they can sip a "pint of plain" in the sun and watch local Gaelic sports games.

"We're looking at this as a monument for the Irish of western New England for the next 100 years," said ICC president Sean Cahillane, whose parents immigrated here from County Kerry, the county best represented in the greater Springfield area. Counties Cork, Galway and Mayo also sent sons and daughters to Western Massachusetts, but the region remains a Kerry stronghold.

For the first three months of operation, or roughly March through May, the ICC will be open to the general public. "It's to reassociate the community with the facility," Cahillane said, noting that the center was formerly home to an Elks lodge that closed in 2012.

After the three-month period, the nonprofit organization will rely on tax-deductible contributions from "patrons," who will receive various benefits and levels of access to the facility for one calendar year based on their level of financial support. More information is available online at www.IrishCenterwne.org.

The ICC relocated from Elms College in Chicopee to the Morgan Road site in West Springfield during the summer of 2015. Since then, a tireless crew of volunteers -- many of them ICC board members -- have donated their time and energy to renovate the facility. 

The main players are Dan McGrath, William Carey and Bev Browne, who, collectively, are responsible for the center's woodwork and tile floors.

"I used to work for Cortina Tile," said ICC board member Browne, who is also a member of the West Springfield Planning Board.

Carey described himself as a "dabbler" when it comes to carpentry, but the amateur furnituremaker is being humble. The pub's finely crafted bar, replete with Guinness taps that will soon be flowing, is largely the handiwork of Carey and one of the highlights of the space.

"When Sean approached me two years ago about this place, I said, 'What the hell are you thinking?'" Carey said. Two years on, however, the ICC is poised to open just in time for the St. Patrick's Day season in Western Massachusetts, a busy time of year in these parts.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for the Irish-American population of Western New England," said Cannon, the ICC's vice president, who envisions Irish-Americans from far and wide stopping in to celebrate their heritage or learn more about the Irish contribution to this region.

Quinlan, a former journalist in Ireland and Australia, said she is focused on deepening the historic cultural, business, and political ties between Ireland and New England, a region that absorbed many Irish immigrants beginning in the mid-19th century.

"It's important for me to get out and visit Western Massachusetts," said Quinlan, acknowledging the region's large Irish-American population.

"We're honored to have the likes of Fionnuala Quinlan here to help christen our new place," Cahillane said. "This is the beginning of a longstanding relationship that is sure to grow."

Ludlow police are searching for a Ludlow man wanted in connection to three separate crimes.

LUDLOW - The Ludlow Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating an armed felon who is wanted for a number of recent crimes. 

21-year-old Bryan Rae Jr. is believed to have stolen four handguns from a Ludlow residence, and may also be in possession of stolen jewelry, prescription medication, and cash, said Sgt. Daniel J. Valadas, of the Ludlow Police Department. 

Rae is facing 19 criminal charges related to three separate incidents, and has three warrants out for his arrest.

Police believe that Rae has remained in the local area and that he may be in the company of several other young adults, said Valadas.

Valadas also said that Rae is a known substance abuser and is considered to be armed.  

He is described as being 6 feet 1 inches tall, weighing approximately 200 pounds, and having dark short hair. Rae is white.

Anyone who believes they have seen Rae or may have information about his whereabouts have been encouraged to contact the Ludlow Police Department at 413-583-8305, dial 911, or contact State Police. 

Local residents of the area have been discouraged from approaching Rae directly, and should instead contact law enforcement. 

Obituaries from The Republican.

The family of Jennifer O'Connor, one of the victims in a Saturday double murder in Peabody, said they now feel "some closure" after the arrest of suspect Wes Doughty Friday afternoon.

The family of Jennifer O'Connor, one of the victims in a Saturday double homicide in Peabody, said they now feel "some closure" after the arrest of suspect Wes Doughty in South Carolina on Friday afternoon.

O'Connor, 39, and Mark Greenlaw, 37, were found dead in the basement of a Peabody home. 

"My family and I are feeling a sense of relief tonight knowing that Wes has been caught," said a statement from Julie Trueira, who is O'Connor's sister, according to NECN. "We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the law enforcement officers who have spent countless hours trying to find him. We now have some closure."

Sister of #Peabody victim Jennifer O'Connor statement on arrests of Wes Doughty: pic.twitter.com/B9en9OXZYz

-- Susan Tran (@susantran) February 24, 2017

Following the discovery of the double homicide, police identified Michael Hebb, 45, and Doughty, 39, as suspects in the killings.

Hebb was arrested Monday and held without bail at his arraignment on Tuesday in Peabody District Court.

Doughty eluded police for days. He was finally arrested on Friday in Spartanburg, South Carolina, around 3:30 p.m., officials said.

Doughty was panhandling when found by officials in Spartanburg, according to Massachusetts State Police.

The Spartanburg Sheriff's office did not immediately return calls and emails seeking more information.

Police in #SouthCarolina thought they were picking up a guy for illegal panhandling.They soon learned Wes Doughty was wanted for murder #WBZ pic.twitter.com/In5laLfSRM

-- Juli McDonald (@julimcdonald) February 25, 2017

The 34th annual event is billed as the largest pure sportsmen's show in the Northeast

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Indoors at the 2017 Springfield Sportsmen's Show is the place to be to experience the great outdoors this weekend.

That's where you could find hunting, fishing and wildlife enthusiasts of all ages at the family-oriented show, presented annually by the Outdoor Sports Expo Group in Granby.

Hundreds of visitors on Friday checked out the exhibits, seminars and action areas in the Better Living Center and Stroh Building at the Eastern States Exposition. Among the features were educational and hunting seminars, a wildlife show, hunting dog demonstrations, a traveling aquarium and the popular casting and retrieving pools.

All kinds of fishing and hunting gear were for sale, along with deals on outfitters, charter boats, hunting and adventure destinations. Special prices were offered as well on fishing boats, all-terrain vehicles and utility task vehicles.

Col. James J. Keefe steps down March 5.

WESTFIELD -- It was a bittersweet event for the 104th Fighter Wing commander Col. James J. Keefe, who celebrated his final military flight Friday at the base. Keefe and three other F-15 Eagle pilots roared off the runway headed to the Atlantic Ocean for the last time with Keefe as their commander.

The four would perform some dogfight maneuvers for the next 90 minutes before returning to Barnes Air National Guard Base, where friends, family and members of the 104th were waiting.

Watching the ceremony was Col. James Suhr, who will be sworn into the top base position March 5, when Keefe will relinquish his command. Suhr said he has performed three of the "fini-flights" due to his changes in military position over the years.

Also in attendance was state Sen. Donald Humason, R-Westfield, who said he was there as a friend and supporter for Keefe rather than a political figure. "I've known him for about 20 years and I respect and admire him," Humason said.

For the retiring commander it was more than just a special flight day, it was a day where his dad, retired Maj. Gen. George W. Keefe, sat on the flight line watching his son work the F-15 Eagle through its paces.

The younger Keefe joined the Air Force in 1987 through the Reserve Officers Training Corps program at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. Keefe, a Southampton resident, has recorded more than 3,400 hours of flight time, including combat missions in Operations Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Noble Eagle.

With certifications in the F-15 A/C/D, the T37B, the T/AT-38A, the F-16A/B/C/D and A/OA-A10 Warthogs, Keefe's next aircraft will be with United Airlines and their Boeing 777s. Asked what aircraft was his favorite, he responded that A-10s don't hurt your neck so much and they feel like you're driving your favorite pickup truck, while the F-15 was like driving a Cadillac.

The 50-something Keefe will remain part time in the military. With another military promotion on the horizon, Keefe will be assigned to Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford.

A former bank teller was sentenced to prison on Friday for her plot to embezzle money from the bank she used to work for.

SPRINGFIELD - A woman from the town of Lee was sentenced to 10 months in prison in U.S. District Court in Springfield on Friday after pleading guilty to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the bank she used to work for.

48-year-old Melissa K. Scolforo was employed as a teller with the Lenox National Bank for 24 years, but, in 2009, conspired to embezzle over $378,000 from it--using false bank records to cover up her theft.

Scolforo also had an accomplice--Bernadine Powers--who was also a teller at the bank, and helped to steal money from the bank tills.

The two entered false information into bank records to keep their theft a secret, but the scheme was discovered in November 2013, during an audit of the bank. 

In May 2016, Scolforo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to embezzle funds from a bank. 

Powers was sentenced to 18 months in prison in December 2016. She will also be subject to a three year period of supervised release and has been ordered to pay $299,793.

Work crews early Friday pulled out the rusted remnants of what John Munsnuff said was once his family's "beach buggy" at the home they've long owned near Ballston Beach in Cape Cod. Watch video

TRURO, Mass. -- A Jeep buried in sand in Massachusetts 40 years ago has finally been dug out.

Work crews early Friday pulled out the rusted remnants of what John Munsnuff said was once his family's "beach buggy" at the home they've long owned near Ballston Beach in Cape Cod.

The Jeep had once been painted white with a green interior. It had been stored in a garage that was long ago buried by shifting sand dunes.

Munsnuff said the family was unable to remove the Jeep or dismantle the now-collapsed garage all these years because of environmental regulations around the dunes, which also have swallowed up parts of a nearby town beach parking lot.

Munsnuff said he snagged a few souvenirs from the barely recognizable wreckage, including the Jeep's hub caps and door handles.

Bryan Rae Jr., an armed felon sought by Ludlow police, was arrested in Chicopee on Friday night.

CHICOPEE - Bryan Rae Jr., the armed felon sought by authorities in Ludlow, was arrested in Chicopee on Friday night, said Officer Mike Wilk of the Chicopee Police Department.   

Rae--who police had described as armed and a known drug abuser--was apprehended at a Chipotle restaurant on Memorial Drive at approximately 7:20 p.m., after a tip was called in to Chicopee police detectives concerning his whereabouts, Wilk said. 

Rae was subsequently arrested without incident and was taken for processing to the Chicopee Police Department. He was then transferred to Ludlow by Ludlow police. 

Rae Jr. is believed to have been involved in a number of recent criminal incidents--including one in which he allegedly stole four handguns from a Ludlow residence.

He faces 19 criminal charges related to three separate incidents, and had three warrants out for his arrest at the time he was taken into custody. 

A two-story detached garage was damaged after fire officials said an electric fault started a fire the caused about $15,000 in damage. No one was injured in the blaze and firefighters were able to extinguish the fire quickly.

SPRINGFIELD— Fire investigators say an electrical fault was the cause of a fire in a Bowdoin Street garage late Friday afternoon.

Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, said investigators were able to trace the cause to an electrical line in the two-story, wood-framed, detached garage at 131 Bowdoin Street.

Firefighters were called to the scene just after 4 p.m. and were able to quickly extinguish the flames. No one was injured in the incident.

Leger estimated fire damage to the structure at about $15,000.