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Tiba Faraj, Iraqi refugee, is Sen. Elizabeth Warren's guest for President Trump's address to Congress

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Tiba Faraj, an Iraqi refugee who came to the United States in 2010, is attending President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday as a guest of US Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Tiba Faraj, an Iraqi refugee who came to the United States in 2010, is attending President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday as a guest of US Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Warren's office said Faraj landed in Lynn with parents and siblings, and the family now lives in Boston. She became a US citizen in 2016.

Trump's address is slated to start at 9 p.m. He is expected to talk about the economy, his first month in office, and the federal budget.

"Like many before her, Tiba came to America seeking a better life. Since arriving in Massachusetts, she has become a valued member of her community, through her commitment to volunteer work and academic excellence," Warren said in a statement.

"Tiba's courage, resilience and optimism embody the very best of the American spirit. Our strength as a country is rooted in our diversity, and Tiba's many contributions have made us that much stronger," she added.

Her family underwent "extensive screening" after they fled to Jordan from Iraq. Her father had been shot while working for a development organization in Iraq.

Faraj has worked as an intern for state Representative Brendan Crighton, D-Lynn. She is currently a junior at UMass Dartmouth, majoring in accounting with a minor in international relations.

Trump's address in the House Chamber is his first. Presidents deliver an address to a joint session of Congress during the inaugural year. The first State of the Union address is slated for 2018.

Warren, Markey ask feds for details on cutting off funding for Mass. sanctuary cities


In tornado-ravaged Conway, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito says it's 'a miracle' no one was hurt or killed

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Polito had high praise for local departments, state agencies and Eversource for opening roads and restoring power in just 36 hours. Watch video

CONWAY - Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, seeing up close the damage from Saturday's tornado, said it was a miracle that no one was injured or killed.

"We are very fortunate that no one was injured by this force of nature," she said.

The tornado, which tore through town Saturday evening, was not predicted, and residents had no time to seek shelter from the destructive winds, she said.

Polito said she spoke to one man who said he and his wife had settled down to relax over a beer in their home Saturday night when they heard what sounded like a freight train going down the road.  When he went to the door to check, he felt as if he was going to be pulled outside, she said.

"It's just a miracle that these individuals who were in their homes were not injured by the storm," she said.

Polito, joined by local and state officials and members of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, toured areas of the town that were hit hard by the EF-1 tornado.

The tour was of a half-mile section of Whately Road and Old Cricket Hill road that was hit hard by the tornado. Trees were missing their tops, and had evidence of missing limbs. One tree had several long pieces of aluminum roof sheeting wrapped around it like a ribbon.

Several houses along the route were heavily damaged, an old barn that had been the home of J&J Maggs Antiques was literally flattened, and the United Congregation Church had a hole in its roof and structural damage to its steeple.

The steeple appears undamaged, but Conway Fire Chief Robert Baker said it was twisted off its foundation by two or so inches. The hole in the roof was caused by a 4 inch by 4 inch beam that punched its way through and planted itself several inches into the floor of the church.

He said the beam is believed to have been ripped off the barn at J&J Maggs Antiques, a quarter mile down the road.

The church and many of the buildings on the street are uninhabitable until they can be inspected.

Polito said all electrical power has been restored, to which she gave thanks to Eversource. Roughly 30 roads that were closed due to falling trees have also been reopened.

She gave credit to town departments, and six state agencies that assisted them in restoring vital infrastructure in such a short time.

"The emergency response was rapid, collaborative and worked to restore the community," she said.

Efforts are now underway to assess damaged buildings and to try to come up with an estimated cost of damages.

The scope of the damage was far too limited for Conway to see any federal assistance, said MEMA director Kurt N. Schwartz.

To qualify for federal disaster assistance under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, damage to public infrastructure and buildings needs to be in the millions, and the number of damaged privately owned buildings needs to be in the hundreds, he said.

"It's a whole other scale," he said.

He said he expects Conway officials to meet with their state legislators, who will then seek state assistance in disaster relief. Any relief would have to come in supplemental funding from the legislature.

"And those conversations have already started," he said.

Polito said whatever the final cost is, the state will likely have to step in to assist with paying for it in emergency relief.

"Being a small town with a $5 million budget and around 2,000 people, they obviously have limited resources to restore this community," she said.

Benjamin Rivera sentenced in fatal shooting of Angel Llorens

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Benjamin Rivera, 25, of Springfield, was found guilty of second degree murder for fatally shooting 22-year-old Llorens at about 10:30 p.m. on May 22, 2013, in Springfield. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Benjamin Rivera on Monday was sentenced to life in state prison for the fatal shooting of Angel Llorens in Springfield in 2013.

A Hampden Superior Court jury on Friday found Rivera guilty of second degree murder.

Second-degree murder carries a sentence of life in state prison, but includes the chance to apply for parole. A first degree murder conviction provides no possibility of parole. 

Judge Daniel Ford set the earliest time Rivera can apply for parole as 20 years.

The law says the soonest number of years is 15 and the most is 25. There is no guarantee of parole.

Rivera, 25, of Springfield, was accused of fatally shooting 22-year-old Llorens at about 10:30 p.m. on May 22, 2013, in Springfield in a dispute about the removal from a car of a sticker for a rival illegal street racing club.

Assistant District Attorney Max Bennett asked Ford to sentence Rivera to life, with parole eligibility at 25 years, plus a consecutive sentence on the illegal gun charge in the case.

He said the killing was a callous and uncalled for act done in the street over a most trifling matter.

"It's nothing that has any kind of rhyme or reason," Bennett said.

Rivera has a past conviction in Connecticut for conspiracy for armed robbery and received a 10 years sentence with three years to serve and seven suspended with probation, Bennett said.

Defense lawyer Edward Forgarty asked Ford to set the minimum sentence for parole eligibility at the low end of what the law permits.

He said Rivera will still face the situation in Connecticut where he must answer for the probation violation on that sentence caused by this conviction. 

Bennett told jurors they should convict Rivera of first-degree murder under the theories of premeditation and extreme atrocity and cruelty.

Fogarty told jurors in his closing argument they should decide Rivera shot Llorens in self-defense.

Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Winter Basketball Championships coming to Boys-Girls Club

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The Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Winter Basketball Championships for students in grades 5 to 12 will be held beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 3, 2017 at the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club, 70 Nick Cosmos Way.

HOLYOKE -- The Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Winter Basketball Championships for students in grades 5 to 12 will be held beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday at the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club, 70 Nick Cosmos Way.

"This league is a character development league and we are working with some of the most high risk youth in Holyoke," said Ed Caisse, program supervisor with the Hampden County Sheriff's Department.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony Anthony D. Gulluni is sponsoring the league and said he will attend the tournament.

"It's something that's very consistent with my message and the work that we try to do in education and prevention," Gulluni said in a phone interview.

Gulluni sponsors the winter and summer basketball leagues here. The leagues provide outlets for young people, places for them to spend time on Friday nights instead of on the streets and relationships with adult coaches that can grow into mentorships, he said.

Making such activities available raises the question, he said, "Where would these kids be otherwise?"

About 60 volunteers from the agencies that are partners in the Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative work on the basketball league. The Boston-based Mass Mentoring Partnership provided training to help them identify youth that have experienced trauma and the ways to work with them, Caisse said.

"We ran a 10-week character development curriculum in addition to all the mentoring the league does through the coaches and volunteers," he said.

The schedule of games for the championships on Friday is 5:30 p.m., fifth and sixth graders; 6:30 p.m., seventh and eighth graders; and 7:30 p.m., ninth to 12th graders, he said.

Donations are a suggested $2 and free for all winter league players, he said.

Center for Human Development offers free call-ins for mental health check

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The Center for Human Development is offering a call-in program, "How Are You? We Want to Know," on March 9, from 5 to 9 p.m., and March 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- How's your mental health? It is estimated to be less than optimal for most adults in this country, meaning conditions like anxiety or depression may be impacting their behavior and health in negative ways.

The Center for Human Development is offering help in this area with a call-in program, "How Are You? We Want to Know," on March 9, from 5 to 9 p.m., and March 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, during which CHD's licensed clinical professionals will be available to listen and to offer direction for what Kimberley A. Lee calls "either long-term or situational emotional distress."

kimlee2.jpgKimberley Lee 


"Individuals can call for themselves, a friend or loved one and receive guidance, a helping hand to help them make an appointment or to make a connection with someone who can help. It's free and could be absolutely life changing for those who call," said Lee, CHD vice-president of development.

One of the participants who will be standing by to take phone calls is Janice L. Mitchell, senior clinical director who oversees all of the outpatient clinics in CHD's clinical division.

A clinical social worker for two decades, Mitchell said, "What we will try to do for people who call in is - first and foremost - create a sense of safety."

"When a person actually picks up the phone and calls for help we need to make them feel safe in doing so," Mitchell said.

"Once that connection is made during the call-in, we will work to assess each situation and make viable recommendations from that point."

She added someone should consider therapy "when the weight of a person's concerns becomes too much for them to bear alone." She also acknowledged that seeking help for mental health issues is not always an easy decision.

"Therapy is an act of great courage," Mitchell said.

"To seek therapy is to seek change but to change requires a huge commitment to self. That requires bravery."

She noted that therapists "do not tell their clients what to do," but are there to listen.

"The art of therapy is to listen and find a place to begin the work," Mitchell said.

"The work of a therapist is very subtle and that is where the change for the client will begin - in the subtlety of the intervention. It is a very gentle and slowly paced process. During this process the connection between the therapist and the client will be created and the work will begin."

She added, "People are struggling to survive situations which may seem overwhelming."

"We live in a very fast-paced world and everyone has a piece of that to deal with," said Mitchell who runs CHD's outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic in West Springfield, which serves surrounding areas.

"Whether we are looking at a family ravaged by addictions or by domestic violence or a myriad of other issues, such as gang violence, deaths due to that violence, unemployment or poverty, or just not being able to care for their families, it all comes down to getting the help needed to create change."

She added that "the situations we see in the clinic are responses to those struggles and the courage to ask for help."

Mitchell said she feels society, often through the media, allows for more open discussion of personal issues today and, as a result, people have come to "understand that others suffer and there is no real need to carry that burden alone."

"There is nothing better than guiding someone through the therapeutic process and witnessing positive change," said Mitchell of the work of her staff and the feedback received.

"The feedback is not as clear as a thank you, although that sometimes happens. Seeing confidence where there was none, seeing an affect where there was none, feeling the trust that builds between the people engaged in the therapeutic process is beyond words."

She added, "Being a witness to the bravery inherent in change is humbling."

"In my career, I have felt honored to have been a part of so many lives and to have been trusted in so many ways, I think, for me, all of that is feedback," said Mitchell whose career included many years in private practice.

The number to call during CHD's phone-in sessions to talk with a staff member is (844) CHD-HELP. Interested individuals may also call that number outside that time period to set up an appointment at one of CHD's outpatient clinics which offer comprehensive mental health and addiction services.

Help Holyoke police identify this alleged Sunglass Hut shoplifter (photos)

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Holyoke Police Lt. Jim Albert said the man in the photos allegedly stole several pairs of high-end sunglasses.

HOLYOKE - Detectives are asking for the public's help identifying a man wanted in connection with three shoplifting incidents at the Holyoke Mall.

Police released surveillance images from Sunglass Hut on Monday.

Lt. Jim Albert said the man in the photos allegedly stole several pairs of high-end sunglasses in three separate incidents.

Anyone with information is asked to call Holyoke Police Detectives at 413-322-6940.

21st century job search workshops offered free at Holyoke Public Library

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Registration to the free job-search workshops is required because of capacity limitations with the workshops set for 6 p.m. on March 23 and 30 and April 6, 2017 at the Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut St.

HOLYOKE -- Tips for the "21st century job search process" will be offered for free at workshops on March 23 and 30 and April 6 at the Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut St.

"You'll learn new ways of locating job openings, applying for jobs and explore a variety of helpful online resources," a press release from the library said.

Resume writing and handling job interviews with confidence also will be addressed in the three, two-hour workshops, the press release said.

"You'll practice how to handle those difficult interview questions and learn how to deal with various types of interviews, including telephone and Skype interviews," the press release said.

All of the workshops will begin at 6 p.m.

Registration is required because each workshop is limited to 12 participants, the press release said.

Parking is available on the street in front of the library and in lots adjacent to and across the street from it.

For more information call 413-420-8101.

Obituaries from The Republican, Feb. 27, 2017

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Obituaries from The Republican.


Low natural gas prices meant low electricity prices in New England in 2016, grid operator says

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The average wholesale electricity price in New England was 30 percent lower in 2016 than in 2015 and 40 percent lower in 2016 than in 2004.

HOLYOKE -- Wholesale electricity prices in New England during 2016 were the lowest in 13 years, ISO New England, the operator of the region's electricity grid, said Monday.

The 2016 average prices were $28.94 per megawatt hour. The previous record low since the electricity market in 2003 took its current structure (power companies do not own their own power generation) was $36.09 a megawatt hour in 2012, according to ISO New England.

Mild winters and lower energy demand due to more efficient homes and businesses are also keeping prices low, ISO New England said. Preliminary figures indicate demand for electricity fell in New England in 2016, dropping 2.1 percent  to about 124,323 gigawatt-hours.

Mild winters also mean less natural gas is being used for home heating, which relieves capacity problems on pipelines headed into New England.

"When New England's natural gas power plants can access low-cost fuel, wholesale power prices tend to remain low," Gordon van Welie, president and CEO of ISO New England, said in a press release. "By comparison, extremely cold temperatures three winters ago resulted in pipeline constraints and caused natural gas--and wholesale electricity--prices to hit record highs. January and February 2014 still stand as the two highest-priced months for wholesale power in New England."

Utility customers are unlikely to see much of the savings in their monthly power bills, said Dan Dolan, president of the New England Power Generators Association, in reaction to ISO New England's news. He pointed out that the wholesale cost of power is the price as it leaves the plant. Utilities add in the cost of transmission networks and the cost of energy-efficiency and green and renewable energy programs.

In the last 10 years, energy supply costs are down more than 25 percent, but the final bills are up more than 15 percent because of the cost of transmission and of renewable and efficiency programs.

Transmission costs alone are up five-fold in the last decade, Dolan said.

The Massachusetts utility rate system allows utilities to only pass the wholesale cost of power on -- they don't make money there. But the system does let utilities make money on transmission fees with state approval. So utilities have invested in their transmission  systems.

"I worry that we have a gold-plated system," Dolan said. "But we are getting exactly what we asked for. This is the way the utility system is designed."

ISO New England said the end of congestion in New England's grid, such as with the Springfield Reliability project, which added infrastructure improvements along a 39-mile right of way from Ludlow to Bloomfield, Connecticut, helps keep prices low because it allows utilities to access the cheapest power without constraint.

The total value of New England's wholesale electric energy market in 2016 was $4.1 billion, $1.1 billion less than the $5.2 billion value for wholesale electricity in 2012, the previous year with the lowest market value, ISO New England said.

The average wholesale price of electricity at $28.94 per megawatt hour was down 29.4 percent from the $41 per megawatt hour recorded in 2015 and 40.4 percent down from $52.13 a megawatt hour in 2004.

The decrease was driven mostly by the falling price of the natural gas used to generate most electricity in New England. The average price of natural gas was down 33.4 percent from 2015 to 2016 and is down 21.8 percent from 2004, according to ISO New England.

U.S. natural gas prices are at their lowest point since 1999, according to the federal Energy Information Administration. The previous record low since 1999 had been 2015.

Woman who admitted bullying Phoebe Prince faces new criminal harassment charges

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The new reportedly charges stem from social media messages and texts sent by Ashley Koske, formerly known as Ashley Longe.

Ashley Koske AKA Longe.JPGSeptember 23, 2010 - Hadley - Ashley Longe appearing in Hampshire Franklin Juvenile Court. 
BELCHERTOWN - Prosecutors have filed criminal harassment charges against Ashley Koske, one of the teenagers who admitted bullying South Hadley High School student Phoebe Prince before she took her own life in January 2010, in a new and unrelated case.

The new charges stem from social media messages and texts sent by Koske, of South Hadley and formerly known as Ashley Longe, in which she allegedly threatened to slash another woman's "tires and throat," according to The Daily Hampshire Gazette.

The alleged victim reported the messages in November.

On Feb. 22, Koske pleaded not guilty in Eastern Hampshire District Court to threatening to commit murder, threatening to damage a motor vehicle and criminal harassment, the Gazette reported Monday.

She is reportedly free on personal recognizance with special conditions and due back in court on March 20.

In 2011, Koske, then 18, admitted to facts sufficient for a delinquency finding on a misdemeanor criminal harassment charge in connection with Prince's suicide. The case was continued without a finding until she turned 19 in April 2012.

Prince's mother praised Longe's "courage" in a victim impact statement, saying she had shown "accountability and remorse."

'Total surprise' Turlough McConnell says of Ambassador Award from Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade Committee

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Turlough McConnell's production company has done works on the Irish famine of 1845-1849, the building of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and Irish paintings.

HOLYOKE -- Plugged into the Irish-American culture as he is, Turlough McConnell knew of the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade Committee's Ambassador Award, which means he was surprised to learn he would be receiving it.

"The award came as a complete and total surprise. I had heard of the award over the years and had/have many friends who were worthy recipients. Never thought I would be invited to accept it. A huge honor," said McConnell, president and CEO of Turlough McConnell Communications of Brooklyn, New York.

Also a writer and producer, McConnell and his company produce live events and documentaries about Irish America. The company also does marketing and promotions, works with museums and exhibitions on curatorial, production, tour management and marketing, offers production coordination, script development and marketing for film and multi-media presentations and develops print products like books, catalogs and brochures.

The Ambassador Award is presented to a person or organization that has worked to promote the relationship between the people of the Republic of Ireland and the people of the United States.

The Parade Committee announced McConnell was the Ambassador Award's 26th recipient on Thursday and he communicated with The Republican by email on Friday.

Producer writer Turlough McConnell to receive Ambassador Award from Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade Committee

Turlough McConnell Communications works include:

  • "1916 - 2016: Proclaiming the American Story"
  • "How the Nuns of New York Tamed the Gangs of New York:
  • "A Monumental Legacy: Archbishop John J. Hughes and The Building of St. Patrick's Cathedral"
  • "Ireland's Great Hunger Museum, Musaem an Ghorta Mhoir"
  • "The Brian P. Burns Collection of Irish Paintings: Portrait of a People"
  • "Treasures of New York, St. Patrick's Cathedral"
  • "Joker at the Universe: The Family of James Joyce," a play
  • "Eight Works from the Brian P. Burns Collection of Irish Art: Celebrating the Restoration of St. Patrick's Cathedral"
  • "Celebrating 250 Years of the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade."

McConnell will be honored at the Ambassador's Breakfast the morning of the parade here on March 19. To buy tickets contact Brynn Feyre at brynnfeyre@yahoo.com.

McConnell, 68, said he was looking forward to attending the parade events.

"How blessed am I to be able do work that provides such personal satisfaction for so many years. In receiving this award, I am surprised and honored to discover that my work has meaning for others. The Saint Patrick's Committee of Holyoke has my deepest gratitude," McConnell said.

The 66th Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade will be March 19 and the 42nd Holyoke St. Patrick's Road Race will be the day before.

For more information visit holyokestpatricksparade.com

Defense lawyer says Springfield murder defendant will reveal killer of pregnant woman at end of trial

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Caridad Puente was 35 when she was found dead in her apartment at 443 Taylor St. in Springfield on June 9, 2004. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Defense lawyer Mary Anne Stamm told Hampden Superior Court jurors Monday her client, Benjamin Martinez, will take the stand in his own defense at the end of his murder trial for the fatal stabbing of Caridad Puente in 2004 in Springfield.

Stamm said in her opening statement that Martinez will tell jurors he was in Puente's apartment but did not kill her. She said Martinez is going to be able to tell jurors "who it was that killed Caridad Puente."

Jurors heard opening arguments and saw a photo of Puente's body, showing many wounds, in a seated position in a closet.

Martinez, 48, of Chicopee, was arrested in 2014 after his DNA was found to match blood in the apartment as well as DNA recovered from under Puente's fingernails and various places at the scene of her killing a decade earlier.

Puente was 35 when she was found dead in her apartment at 443 Taylor St. in Springfield on June 9, 2004. Puente, who was stabbed 30 times, was pregnant at the time of her death.

Puente's 11-month-old child was found screaming and covered in his mother's blood next to her in the closet.

Elizabeth Puente, Caridad Puente's sister, testified that when she gained entrance to the apartment through a window, she found her sister in the closet with the 11-month-old.

"He was at her side. He was covered in blood and he was crying," she said.

Elizabeth Puente had been called by Caridad Puente's 10-year-old son when his mother didn't answer the door when he got home from school.

Assistant District Attorney Karen J. Bell told jurors in her opening statement that Puente was stabbed multiple times in her face and the back and front of her neck. Her carotid artery and jugular were severed, and a knife went into her chest cavity.

There were defensive wounds, Bell said. The fingernail of Puente's index finger on her left hand was almost completely broken off and Martinez's DNA was found under that nail, Bell said.

Bell told jurors they will hear evidence that Puente was a drug dealer, and Martinez was a drug addict.

Stamm said Martinez will explain how his DNA came to be in the apartment. The presence of his DNA there doesn't mean he killed Puente, Stamm said.

She said jurors will hear evidence about DNA and other evidence being improperly handled that will give them reason to question the DNA evidence.

Stamm said there will be testimony on leads not followed by police, such as Puente's cell phone and computer. There will be other testimony about two men who had rented rooms from Puente and about other men connected to Puente.

Judge Richard J. Carey has ruled Stamm cannot present "third-party culprit" evidence.

In Massachusetts, a defendant is sometimes entitled to present evidence that another person committed the crime. To be admissible, the evidence must be relevant, not too remote or speculative and must not confuse the jury by diverting their attention to collateral matters. Judges decide whether third-party culprit evidence can be admitted at trial.

Carey said he would allow Stamm to present evidence trying to show police did not fully investigate other possible suspects in the slaying, which remained a cold case for 10 years.

Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross confirmed as commerce secretary

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The Senate on Monday confirmed billionaire investor Wilbur Ross as commerce secretary as President Donald Trump adds to his economic team.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate on Monday confirmed billionaire investor Wilbur Ross as commerce secretary as President Donald Trump adds to his economic team.

The vote was 72-27.

Breaking with Republican orthodoxy, Ross said the Trump administration will work quickly to re-do the North American Free Trade Agreement. That's the massive trade pact with Canada and Mexico that has boosted trade but still stings laid-off workers across the Midwest.

Senators from both political parties were deferential to Ross at his nearly four-hour confirmation hearing, which was much more subdued than the confirmation hearings of other Trump nominees. Former commerce secretaries have praised him, including one who served under former President Barack Obama.


"Mr. Ross will bring decades of business, entrepreneurial and civic experience to this important position," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Commerce Committee. "I believe his extensive management experience in the private sector, and his understanding of the challenges faced by workers and businesses alike, will equip him well for the job of leading the Department of Commerce."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts criticized Ross' business ties to Russia and the way he ran a mortgage lender during the housing crisis.

"Mr. Ross has extensive ties to Russia. He plans to keep making money from his major oil shipping companies while working as Commerce Secretary. He's made billions off the backs of struggling home owners," Warren said Monday. "He is practically a cartoon stereotype of a Wall Street fat cat."


As part of his ethics agreement, Ross is giving up his position at Diamond S. Shipping, but he will retain a stake in the company, which ships petroleum and other products. As part of the agreement, Ross has promised not to take any action as commerce secretary that would benefit any company in which he has a financial interest.

At his confirmation hearing, Ross was not asked about business ties to Russia or his work as a mortgage lender, and he did not address the issues.

Senators did note that Ross is divesting from much of his business empire.

Worth an estimated $2.9 billion, Ross has extensive business ties around the globe. In 2000, he founded WL Ross & Co., a private equity firm. As part of his ethics agreement, Ross will divest from the firm.

So far, the Senate has confirmed 15 out of 22 Trump Cabinet or Cabinet-level picks requiring confirmation. Senators also were expected to move forward on Trump's nomination of Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke to lead the Interior Department. If Zinke clears a procedural vote set for late Monday a final vote on confirmation could occur on Tuesday or Wednesday.

During the presidential campaign, Trump criticized U.S. trade deals, including NAFTA. Trump's stance on trade is at odds with many Republicans in Congress, but it endeared him to some voters in the Midwest who believe trade deals cost American jobs.

NAFTA was negotiated and signed by President Bill Clinton, with broad support among Republicans in Congress.

Ross said all free trade agreements should be systematically re-opened every few years to make sure they are working in the best interests of the U.S.

Ross said he is pro-free trade but noted his close relationship with the United Steelworkers union as proof that he will fight to protect American jobs. The union has endorsed him.

The commerce secretary has several roles in promoting American business interests in the U.S. and abroad. The department handles trade issues, working to attract foreign investment to the U.S. The department also oversees agencies that manage fisheries, weather forecasting and the Census Bureau, which will conduct a count in 2020.

Ross said he has experience at that agency; he was a census-taker while he attended business school.

Springfield City Council approves $4.5 million apartment renovation project in Old Hill

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The Springfield City Council considered approving a special permit for a major renovation project for apartment buildings in the Old Hill area.

SPRINGFIELD - The City Council approved a special permit Monday night for a $4.5 million renovation project that will allow a developer to reopen a vacant 26-unit apartment block at the corner of State and Oak streets in the Old Hill neighborhood.

The renovations will target a building at 573 State St., and the owner is also planning to invest another $2 million in renovations to an adjacent, occupied 16-unit apartment building at 7 Lillian St. The council permit approval was just needed for the State Street building due to its vacancy..

The vote was 10 to 1 in favor of the special permit. Councilor Bud Williams voted no, after wanting to table the vote for one week to allow the developer to meet with the Old Hill Neighborhood Council to discuss the plans.

The property owner is listed as St. James Commons Associates Limited Partnership. Its general partner is Paul L. Oldenburg and the property manager is Jeffrey Oldenburg.

The special permit was needed because the building at 573 State St., has been vacant for over two years, officials said.

There was no public opposition to the permit request at Monday's hearing, and it was supported by the Springfield Historical Commission.

The Planning Board also recommended approval of the permit, noting that is located at a prominent intersection along the State Street corridor and has a "great deal of architectural significance."

The owner has historic tax credits and private financing for the renovation project, and was concerned that a delay in approval could be harmful, company representatives said.

The renovation project is hoped to begin in mid-April, officials said.

A motion to table the vote failed by a 5-6 council vote, and was followed by the 10-1 vote to approve the special permit.

House probe into Russia's ties to Trump reveals dispute among committee leaders

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A simmering dispute between leaders of the House intelligence committee spilled into the public Monday over an investigation into whether President Donald Trump has ties to Russia, even as they pledged to conduct a bipartisan probe.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A simmering dispute between leaders of the House intelligence committee spilled into the public Monday over an investigation into whether President Donald Trump has ties to Russia, even as they pledged to conduct a bipartisan probe.

The Republican committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes of California, said he has heard no evidence so far that anyone in Trump's orbit was in contact with Russians during the presidential campaign. The top Democrat on the committee, Adam Schiff, also of California, said the committee's investigation was hardly off the ground and it was premature to make any conclusions.


The nature of ties between Trump's associates and Russia has dogged him throughout his nascent presidency, and Monday brought renewed calls for a special prosecutor to investigate the unusual situation. Federal investigators have been looking into contacts between Trump advisers and Russia for months, along with Russia's role in political hacking during the campaign aimed at Democrats. Trump, on Monday, said he hasn't called Russia in 10 years.

The House and Senate intelligence committees are conducting separate investigations. But revelations last week that the White House enlisted the Republican chairmen of those committees to push back against news reports have intensified concerns over whether the congressional investigations will be tainted by political influence.

Nunes has said the White House asked him to talk with one reporter, but didn't give him any guidance on what to say. He said he told that reporter the same thing he's said to many other reporters in the course of discussions.

Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina said he wasn't taking questions about whether the White House enlisted him to talk to reporters, as reported by The Washington Post. He said he doesn't need to talk about it.

"I'm in a comfortable place. I didn't do anything to jeopardize my investigation." Burr told The Associated Press on his way out of the Capitol after Senate votes Monday night.

The issue was likely to come up at Tuesday's Senate confirmation hearing for former Rep. Dan Coats, Trump's pick to be the next director of intelligence.

Speaking to reporters earlier Monday, Nunes -- a member of Trump's presidential transition team -- said Congress should not begin a McCarthy-style investigation based on news reports that a few Americans with ties to Trump had contacted Russians during the 2016 presidential campaign.

"We can't have McCarthyism back in this place," Nunes said. "We can't have the government, the U.S. government or the Congress, legislative branch of government, chasing down American citizens, hauling them before the Congress as if they're some secret Russian agent."

Former Sen. Joe McCarthy led a hunt for communists in the 1950s that was fueled by anonymous informants. Nunes said if evidence surfaces, the committee will investigate.

Schiff, who worked as an assistant U.S. attorney for six years, said it's not proper to start an investigation by stating your views of the outcome.

"The committee has reached no conclusion on whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia, Russian officials or any Russian contacts -- nor could we," Schiff said. "We have called no witnesses thus far. We have obtained no documents on any counterintelligence investigation and we have yet to receive any testimony from the FBI of potential links between the Trump campaign and Russia."

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Russia's activity with regard to the 2016 election has been "investigated up and down."

"If there's nothing to further investigate, what are you asking people to investigate," Spicer said.

Trump was asked Monday whether he would support a special prosecutor to investigate Russia's influence on the 2016 election. Instead of answering that question, he said, "I haven't called Russia in 10 years." Trump did not say why he called Russia a decade ago.

According to a White House description, the last time Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin was Jan. 28 and the White House said Putin had initiated the call. Trump also traveled to Russia in 2013 for the Miss Universe beauty pageant in Moscow.

Trump has denied knowing that any of his campaign advisers were in contact with Russians during the campaign. He has also said he has no financial ties or other connections to Russia.

Previously, mostly Democrats have requested a special prosecutor, but Republican Rep. Darrell Issa late Friday said Attorney General Jeff Sessions -- who worked on Trump's presidential campaign -- is not in a position to oversee such an investigation and urged the administration to appoint an independent prosecutor.

"Any review conducted must have the full confidence of the American people, which is why I recommended an independent review," Issa said Monday in a statement.

Issa was the first Republican to break ranks on the subject, although House Speaker Paul Ryan said again Monday there should be no special prosecutor.

"The proper place, in my opinion, is the intelligence committees. They're the ones that have access to methods of intelligence gathering."

Sessions on Monday told reporters the FBI and Justice Department will remain independent.

"I would recuse myself from anything that I should recuse myself on," Sessions said. "That's all I can tell you."

Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin, of Illinois, also said a special prosecutor was needed. Durbin noted on MSNBC that any report the intelligence committees produce as a result of their investigations would likely be initially classified, and the Trump administration would be responsible for declassifying portions and releasing them to the public.

Conducting the investigation in the Republican-controlled Senate intelligence committee "guarantees the American people will not know what is said," Durbin said.


Westfield, Sturbridge charter schools approved by state education board

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The state board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Monday approved three new charter schools, two of which will open in western Massachusetts.

MALDEN - The state board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Monday approved three new charter schools, two of which will open in western Massachusetts.

The board voted to approve Hampden Charter School of Science in Westfield, and the Old Sturbridge Academy Charter Public School.

Hampden Charter School of Science is scheduled to open in 2018 with an initial enrollment of 252 students from Agawam, Holyoke, Westfield and West Springfield. It will serve grades 6 through 9 at first, then expand to 588 students in grades 6 through 12.

The Old Sturbridge Academy Charter Public School is set to enroll 160 students in kindergarten through grade 3 when it opens this fall, and plans to grow to 360 students through grade 8. The school will enroll students from parts of Hampden and Worcester County, including Monson, Palmer and Brimfield.

The education board said the Sturbridge school would "offer project-based learning, an emphasis on character development, and daily access to museum resources at Old Sturbridge Village."

The board also approved a new charter school in Plymouth.

 

Deerfield police seize drugs, fake gun from Greenfield man following vehicle stop

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The starter pistol that the suspect had in his possession resembles a real handgun, police said.

DEERFIELD -- Police seized pills and a starter pistol that resembles a real handgun from a 20-year-old Greenfield man during motor vehicle stop early Tuesday on Greenfield Road.

 A police officer pulled the vehicle over at about 1:20 a.m. because it did not have a valid inspection sticker, according to a post on the department's Facebook page.

 The driver has a suspended license. He told police there was a "blank gun" inside the console. Police found the item, which appeared to be a starter pistol , along with pills and a scale.

 The post did not identify the suspect and police were not immediately available for comment. He was charged with possession of a Class C drug and motor vehicle violations.

He is slated to appear in Greenfield District Court on March 8.

Police will send the starter pistol to the state ballistics lab for further investigation.

Dropout rate down more than 50 percent in Holyoke, Lawrence, Springfield in five-year period

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In a span of five years, the dropout rates in three Massachusetts school districts decreased by more than 50 percent. In a span of five years, the dropout rates in three Massachusetts school districts saw drastic improvements.

In a span of five years, three Massachusetts school districts saw drastic improvements in lowering their dropout rates. 

During the 2015-2016 school year, the dropout rate in Springfield Public Schools was under 5 percent, a 57 percent decrease compared to the 2010-2011 rate, a school year when 791 students dropped out.

In that same time frame, Holyoke Public Schools has seen more than a hundred additional students remain in school annually, a 54 percent reduction in dropouts. 

Across the state, Lawrence has seen a 51 percent decrease in students dropping out of the city's four high schools. 

The reductions in the three of Massachusetts' urban school districts follows a statewide trend of more students graduating from high school in four years. 

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced Tuesday that the four-year graduation rate in high schools across Massachusetts is up to 87.5 percent. 

The rate has improved for the past 10 consecutive years. 

Related: Springfield Public Schools 2016 Commencement Ceremony

Gallery preview 

The state's dropout rate remained unchanged at 1.9 percent during the 2015-2016 school year. 

"The Commonwealth's excellent graduation rate is a testament to the strength of our public schools as we strive to deliver a quality education to every student and prepare our kids with the skills they need for a successful future," Governor Charlie Baker said in a statement. "We are pleased to see the graduation rates continue to strengthen in our urban school districts and that the state's annual dropout rate remains at its lowest point in more than 30 years."

While continuing to rise, Massachusetts does not have the highest graduation rates in the United States. 

Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Texas, Alabama, New Jersey and Iowa have the highest rates of students graduating from high school in four years, with Iowa in the top spot with 90.8 percent graduation rates. 

The District of Columbia has the lowest graduation rate at 68.5 percent. 

State education board rejects Chinese charter expansion request

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The state Department of Secondary Education has rejected the Pioneer Valley Chinese Charter School's expansion request after a lengthy discussion Monday night.

HADLEY -- The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education rejected the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School's request to expand its enrollment after a lengthy discussion Monday night. 

State Education Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester had recommended the board vote in favor of the expansion. And, typically, the board "votes in line with the commissioner's recommendations, as was the case on the other items last night," according to education department spokeswoman Jacqueline Reis.

The vote was seven against the expansion request and two in favor. The board Monday night approved adding three new charter schools and the expansion of two others, which the commissioner had supported.

In an email, the school's executive director, Richard C. Alcorn, said the board's decision "came as a surprise." He echoed Reis, writing that the board "typically supports the Commissioner."

Alcorn said he will be meeting the school trustees later this week "to discuss how to move forward. I remain optimistic we will be able to make more seats available for students who wish to come" to the Chinese charter school.

The Chinese charter school had asked to increase its enrollment limit by 452 students.

The current enrollment is 471, with up to 584 students allowed to attend.

But the fact that the school is not full was in part responsible for the board rejecting the request. 

Paul Sagan, chairman of the state education board in a statement said, the board voted against the expansion "was in large part a response to a concern that the school did not demonstrate to us a demand by students and their families for more capacity at the school.

He wrote that the school has more than 100 open seats available, "and the Board was looking for more evidence of demand for those spots." 

Alcorn said school officials asked for the expansion now because it wants to build a new high school and needed to be able to expand to apply for and secure a mortgage.

Alcorn said the school's trustees want to offer a high school that's similar in size to others that offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, which the Chinese charter school began offering in 2015. He expects an expansion would be phased in over about 13 years.

Amherst officials were among those who were concerned about the proposed expansion and were pleased with the education board's vote.

Interim Amherst School Superintendent said in an email he believes the board "saw the merit of the arguments (against expansion) made by many individuals and elected officials and boards from many communities."

The charter school serves students from more than 30 area communities.

He said board members voting against the expansion included "multiple pro-charter school Board members who voted for all other new charter schools and charter expansions last night except this one, which indicated that the concerns raised in this particular case were compelling to the Board." 

Some area officials worried the Chinese school's expansion would hurt the budgets of area schools, and argued the school was not meeting its mandate to serve an ethnically diverse student body, or to serve students with disabilities or from low-income families. Alcorn has disputed those arguments, and says the school does serve those students. 

Amherst School Committee chairwoman Katherine Appy, who attended the meeting, said in an email that she thinks the state board was concerned about "the impact the expansion would have on small school districts."

She said some were concerned the Chinese charter school's student population "does not reflect the diversity of sending districts."

Also she said with about 100 additional seats currently unfilled at the school, "the need for the expansion was questioned." 

Appy also claimed the board was concerned about a report on exit surveys conducted with some parents of special education students who withdrew their children from the school an who expressed issues with the school.

Amherst officials sent the report -- produced by a former co-chair of the Chinese school's family association, and presented to the school's board of trustees in May 2016 -- to the state education board within the last few days.

Alcorn Monday was upset with what he called an 11th-hour campaign against expansion. He believed the state board already had the report after it was presented last May.

Appy said the report was sent "as soon as it was sent to some of us in the district and once we could verify that the sender wanted the Board to have this information."

"Perhaps it was the 11th hour, but I'm glad that the Board of Education was able take this important vote with full information," Appy wrote. "I think that's how important decisions should be made."

In regard to addressing concerns raised, Alcorn wrote: "I believe a lot of our work will focus on correcting misconception(s) by presenting additional facts."

Despite the rejection, he wrote he thinks the school "made real progress securing the support of the board for the expansion."

State officials granted the charter to the school in 2007 to teach 300 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. In 2012, the state allowed the school to add a ninth grade, then in 2013 allowed the school to add grades 10 through 12 with the cap at 584 students.

Chinese charter officials have been seeking the higher numbers for the last several years.

Marc Kenen, executive director of the Massachusetts Charter Public Schools Association, wasn't surprised by the vote. The board "praised the performance of the school." But, he said, it wasn't "satisfied with the proposal itself. It wanted to the school to do more work."  

He said his group does not consider the vote a rejection, but a postponement.

Here's what Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker talked about with Ivanka Trump at the Governors Ball

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Eyebrows were up after an Associated Press report said Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker sat next to Ivanka Trump during the black-tie gala at the White House over the weekend: What did they talk about?

Eyebrows were up after an Associated Press report said Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker sat next to Ivanka Trump during the black-tie gala at the White House over the weekend. What did they talk about?

Baker, appearing on CBS This Morning to highlight US News & World Report naming Massachusetts the "Best State," said he and President Trump's daughter discussed the opioid epidemic.

"It's not just an issue in Massachusetts but an issue around the country," Baker said.

Baker, a Republican, noted he worked with a Democrat-dominated state Legislature to pass opioid legislation, which sought to cover prevention, education, and in particular better training for prescribers.

The law also calls for an opioid prescription limit of a 7-day supply for adults.

Amid tears, Gov. Charlie Baker signs landmark opioid bill into law

When one of the CBS hosts noted that Baker did not vote for either Trump or Hillary Clinton in 2016, the governor said many states are well-versed in bipartisanship.

"I would like to see Washington move in that direction as well," he said.

Baker appeared on CBS with Brian Kelly, editor and chief content officer for US News & World Report.

The top ranking for Massachusetts is a result of ecosystems centered on technology, healthcare, finance and education, according to Baker. "It's a terrific mix."

Gov. Charlie Baker sat next to Ivanka Trump at Governors Ball

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