Two teenage girls were barred by a gate agent from boarding a United Airlines flight from Denver to Minneapolis because they were wearing leggings.

DENVER -- Two teenage girls were barred by a gate agent from boarding a United Airlines flight from Denver to Minneapolis because they were wearing leggings.

The girls were not allowed onto the Sunday morning flight because they were traveling under an United Airlines employee travel pass that includes a dress code, United spokesman Jonathan Guerin said.

That dress code bars pass travelers from wearing spandex or lycra pants such as leggings. Guerin said the teenagers agreed to change their clothing and take a later flight.

The airline's actions sparked a backlash on Twitter. Activist Shannon Watts of Denver tweeted that she witnessed Sunday's events and questioned United's decision to police women's clothing.

"She's forcing them to change or put dresses on over leggings or they can't board," said Watts, who was at a gate. "Since when does @united police women's clothing?"

She later sent out several other tweets questioning the airline's decision.

1) 3 girls inspected for wearing perfectly acceptable leggings. 2 not allowed to board. I don't care what kind of passengers they were. https://t.co/9VwGKgvWys

-- Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017

2) This behavior is sexist and sexualizes young girls. Not to mention that the families were mortified and inconveninced.

-- Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017

3) As the mother of 4 daughters who live and travel in yoga pants, I'd like to know how many boys @United has penalized for the same reason.

-- Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017

Guerin says ticketed passengers are not subject to the same dress code and can wear leggings.

"Our regular passengers are not going to be denied boarding because they are wearing leggings or yoga pants," he told The Washington Post. "But when flying as a pass traveler, we require this pass travelers to follow rules, and that is one of those rules.

"They were not compliant with the dress policy with the benefit," Guerin said, adding that the girls were aware of the internal rule. "This morning, the attire of the pass travelers on this flight didn't meet the dress code policy."

Travelers familiar with the airline employee travel pass say it has long been a requirement for those using the benefit to dress up more than paying passengers.

@united Leggings are business attire for 10 year olds. Their business is being children.

-- Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) March 26, 2017

Rules for dress that disproportionately affect girls and women are outdated and need to be changed immediately, @United.

-- Girls Really Rule. (@girlsreallyrule) March 26, 2017

@PattyArquette @Shananigans @united @shannonrwatts See? [?] [?] I've done it before! [?] [?] pic.twitter.com/MC6P144kjL

-- William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) March 26, 2017

@united Dear @United social team: can you post link to your dress code for "pass riders" so we can all see if it's fair to both genders?

-- Walt Mossberg (@waltmossberg) March 26, 2017

Proceeds from the amateur talent show held at Amherst College will benefit the Amherst Senior Center.

AMHERST — Anita Shumway's has been a model, a long haul trucker, a handbag designer and a writer, but one of her greatest loves is tap dancing.

"Over 75 years ago my mother took me to see Eleanor Powell. I don't know how many of you know that she was born and grew up in Springfield. Well I became hooked on tap dancing and I have been ever since," she said before delighting the audience with a tap routine.

Shumway was one of the performers in "The Valley's Got Talent," an amateur talent show held at Amherst College Sunday afternoon to benefit the Amherst Senior Center.

From 9-year-old Kylie Benoit who performed "Castle on a Cloud," from "Les Miserables" to Eric Phelps and his seven member band performing an original song, there were 17 acts selected from nearly 60 auditions.

"We have talent from age 9 to 82," said Donna Lee Honeywell who directed and organized the show.

The Friends of the Amherst Senior Center came up with the idea as a way to raise funds for the center which receives minimal town funding.

"We wanted to do something different and celebrate the talent within this community because it's amazing. how many talented people there are in this area," Honeywell said.

The participants competed for cash prizes— $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third place.

Winners:

First place: Kailynn Kingsley (vocal); Will Consolati (electric guitar); Peter Putnam (acoustic guitar); Will McKeon (bongos) performing "Flashlight," by Jesse

Second place: Maraide McClure(vocals) and Colin McClure (piano), performing "For Good," from "Wicked"

Third place: Kyla Anik, performing a jazz dance routine

The motel handyman told police he might have tripped over his tools before falling onto the the bed with the maid, the arrest report said.

These were the top stories out of Springfield District Court last week. If you missed any, click on the links below to read them now.

Springfield high school teacher and wife charged with cruelty to animals following deaths of 2 dogs

Baystate Medical Center patient arrested after pulling off heart monitor, calling 911 for ambulance to another hospital

Springfield woman dodges contempt ruling after throwing court documents at judge

West Side motel handyman denies groping, sexually assaulting coworker during first week on the job

Springfield arson suspect 'shaking, hearing voices' before first court appearance

Lawyer challenges traffic stop in Longmeadow leading to heroin trafficking charges

A single-payer national health care system should be at the "top of the list" if there's talk of re-jiggering the nation's health care, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Monday. Watch video

A single-payer national health care system should be at the "top of the list" if there's talk of re-jiggering the nation's health care, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Monday.

Appearing in front of the pro-business group New England Council, Warren said President Donald Trump is "rooting" for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, to fail, after support for a bill he backed with House Speaker Paul Ryan to repeal Obamacare fell apart amid an intraparty battle over legislative details.

Afterwards, a reporter asked Warren if she supporters switching to a national system, sometimes called single payer or "Medicare for All."

"It depends on where we want to go next. And what we can do next," Warren said. "If the question is can we make the Affordable Care Act better or we can find some Republican colleagues to do that, absolutely, we should do what we can to improve it."

Obamacare is laden with Republican ideas, according to Warren, who noted the legislation is based on the health care reform bill passed in Massachusetts under Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican.

"How much Republican support did we get for that? Uh, none," Warren said.

"So if we're talking about tearing down the health care system and starting over, then I think every option needs to be on the table, and single payer sure ought to be at the top of the list," she added.

Warren is appearing in Boston on Friday with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has proposed a single payer plan.

Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren to rally in Boston on Friday

The reporter then asked about the medical device tax, which would affect companies in Massachusetts. Warren had previously backed a repeal of the medical device tax embedded inside Obamacare.

"It all ought to be on the table," Warren said. "All of it ought to be on the table. I think everything goes on the table."

The Massachusetts Republican Party has called Warren's stance on single payer a "flip-flop-flip," and accused her previously supporting it, then opposing it, before coming back to her original position in an attempt to pander to the far-left wing of the Democratic Party.

"With this latest flip-flop on single-payer, Sen. Warren is demonstrating more clearly than ever that she's more focused on appeasing national liberal activists than advancing the interests of the Commonwealth," MassGOP chair Kirsten Hughes said in a statement.

"As she continues to adjust her positions based on which way the political winds are blowing, it will be increasingly obvious to Massachusetts voters that she's simply not interested in serving them," Hughes added.

Here's how Obamacare replacement would affect Massachusetts, according to Sen. Elizabeth Warren

One of Springfield Technical Community College's student organization is set to host a drag show event on campus this Friday night.

One of Springfield Technical Community College's student organizations is set to host a drag show on campus this Friday night.

STCC's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Alliance Club will host its eighth annual drag show, titled "Once Upon," at 7 p.m. in the Scibelli Hall theater, with doors opening at 6 p.m.

The drag show serves as an annual fundraiser for the GLBTA Club, which the students use to attend conferences and host other events to raise awareness and educate individuals about the LGBT community and the various legal and social issues that they face.

Friday's event will be a two-act show and will feature drag performers from throughout Western Massachusetts, some of whom are STCC alum.

Local drag queen, Tytannia Lockhart, will serve as the event emcee for the second year in a row and will to be joined by a troupe of performers who will get the crowd involved in the festivities.   

Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 per person and the event is open to the public.

Baker said Monday that he will consider talking to federal officials about letting Massachusetts reinstate a policy that anyone offered health insurance by their employer will not qualify for MassHealth.

Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday he will consider talking to federal officials about letting Massachusetts reinstate a policy under which anyone offered health insurance by their employer will not qualify for MassHealth.

"One of the things we'd probably pursue would be some effort to try to re-engage the federal government around the original structure we had here in Massachusetts, which is if you had access to coverage through your employer you didn't automatically qualify for MassHealth," Baker said. "That worked quite well here for seven or eight years."

The Baker administration has recently been negotiating with businesses about a proposal Baker made to reinstate a fee on employers who do not offer their workers adequate health insurance.

The problem, according to Baker, is that there are at least 300,000 people working full time in Massachusetts who are enrolled in MassHealth, costing more than $1 billion. In general, Medicaid costs are taking up an increasingly large portion of the state budget.

Under Massachusetts' 2006 health care reforms, anyone offered employer-based health insurance could not purchase state-subsidized insurance, but that changed under the national Affordable Care Act.

Businesses objected to the form of Baker's proposed employer fee. The governor said there are "half a dozen ideas" that state officials are discussing to adjust Baker's proposal, which he made in his fiscal 2018 budget proposal.

There has been significant federal uncertainty over health care, with Republicans in Congress last week pulling a proposed bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, after they were unable to get enough votes to pass it. Baker warned that the House Republican plan would cost Massachusetts $1 billion.

Now, Baker said he is hopeful that the state will be able to continue implementing a federal waiver that it got under former President Barack Obama's administration to make reforms to MassHealth.

"There's a lot of important reforms in there that were agreed to, including making it possible for us to create additional supports for people dealing with addiction and additional support for people dealing with behavioral and mental health issues," Baker said.

Baker said he hopes to meet with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Seema Verma about potential other adjustments that could help Massachusetts comply with the federal health care law.

State Rep. Jim Lyons, R-Andover, recently introduced a bill to make several changes to make MassHealth cheaper for the state. Lyons wants to require recipients earning above the poverty level to pay for more of their MassHealth costs, with contributions based on an income-based sliding scale. He also wants to require able-bodied adults on MassHealth to work, look for work or get job training.

"This legislation takes modest steps to manage and slow down the costs to our state taxpayers," Lyons said in a statement.

Asked about Lyons' proposals, Baker declined to endorse them. Baker said the federal government has rules for how much states can require MassHealth patients to pay, and Massachusetts already requires some copays. He declined to weigh in on the work requirement, saying the bigger problem is that people who are working are still taking MassHealth coverage, not employer-sponsored plans.

Alisha Santana was released on $250 bail and her case was continued until May 17.

CHICOPEE - A 27-year-old woman was released on $250 bail Monday after police arrested her on heroin distribution charges following an investigation by narcotics detectives.

Officers received a warrant to search the 17 Wildermere St. home of Alisha Maria Santana based on evidence they received in the investigation. Before going to her home, however they stopped Santana in her car at about 11:15 a.m. Friday, Michael Wilk, public information officer for Chicopee Police.

Santana was driving with her three children who are 5, 3 and 1. When officers searched her and her vehicle, they allegedly found 29 bags of heroin in her purse.

The children were placed in the temporary custody of the state Department of Children and Families when she was arrested, Wilk said.

Police then brought Santana to the home on Wildermere Street and searched the residence, he said.

"Narcotics detectives discovered empty heroin baggies throughout the home and bedrooms. Further there was heroin residue on a wall were the children slept," Wilk said.

Santana was charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute and operating on a revoked license.

Not guilty pleas were entered on her behalf at her arraignment in Chicopee District Court and her case was continued to May 17, court officials said.

Anthony Casiano, 29, of Springfield, is charged with 2nd degree murder in the fatal stabbing of Benjamin Lariviere of Wilbraham on Nov. 19, 2016.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Hampden Superior Court judge on Monday set bail at $300,000 cash or $1 million surety for a city man accused in a fatal stabbing at a downtown parking garage.

Hampden Superior Court Judge Mary-Lou Rup set the cash bail at 30 times the amount requested by an attorney for second-degree murder defendant Anthonia Casiano -- but, the judge turned down a prosecutor's request to hold Casiano without right to bail.

Casiano, 29, was indicted on a count of second-degree murder in the Nov. 19 death of Benjamin Lariviere, 26, of Wilbraham, in a downtown Springfield parking garage.

Casiano was arrested around 10 p.m. Nov. 19 by Springfield police responding to a disturbance on the top floor of a parking garage at 70 Hillman St., police said. Officers stopped Casiano walking down the stairs, and then found the victim on the top floor.

Defense lawyer Marissa L. Elkins -- who asked the judge for a bail of $10,000 cash or $100,000 surety -- pointed out the 31 people who were in the courtroom in support of Casiano.

Casiano has little in the way of a criminal record, Elkins said -- a 2006 conviction for possession of marijuana, Elkins said. He was working and going to school before the arrest for the stabbing, she said.

Elkins said the case will be about self defense. She said the victim ambushed Casiano, who went to the garage from his adjacent apartment after he and others from the apartment building saw Lariviere damaging cars in the garage.

The incident took place almost "on a stage," Elkins said, since people watched what happened from the apartment building where Casiano lived. Numerous people will corroborate Casiano's account, Elkins said.

She said the victim was a much larger man who ran at Casiano with a weapon and fell on the knife Casiano had taken from his kitchen when he went to the garage.

Casiano was not trying to escape after the stabbing but was going down to let the police in a door to the garage that is supposed to be locked, she said.

Elkins said the prosecution "presented its best case" to the grand jury but the grand jury did not indict Casiano for murder -- instead, jurors indicted him for second degree murder.

Casiano had reason to fear for his life, she said.

"It's clear in hindsight someone was going to be a victim that night," Elkins said.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew W. Green said the victim's father was in the Hampden District Attorney's Office but did not want to come into the courtroom and hear details of what happened to his son.

Green said when police found Casiano running down from the garage Casiano told them, "I'm not the one. The other guy is doing it and I stabbed him."

Lariviere had nine stab wounds with one of the wounds deep in the chest which perforated his heart and a section of lung, Green said.

He said some witnesses said the victim was the first aggressor but others contradicted that account.

Green said a video sent anonymously to The Republican / MassLive shows Casiano standing over Lariviere making thrusting movements. Due to the graphic nature of the video, the news organization published only still images from the video.

Elkins said the video shows the aftermath but not Lariviere's attack on Casiano.

If Casiano makes bail he must be outfitted with a GPS device, Rup ruled.

After a homeless Northampton man crashed a stolen vehicle head-on into a dump truck, Hatfield Police found heroin and a crack pipe in his possession.

After a homeless Northampton man crashed a stolen vehicle head-on into a dump truck, Hatfield Police say they found heroin and a crack pipe in his possession.

Lt. Michael O. Dekoschak responded to North Hatfield Road, near the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Friday night following reports of a crash. 

According to his report, Dekoschak came upon a red Volkswagon Jetta with a totaled front end, which had apparently veered into the southbound lane and driven straight into an Allied Waste Services dump truck.

The truck was undamaged and the driver was speaking to a Conway police officer.

Running the plates on the Jetta, Dekoschak learned the vehicle had been reported stolen out Springfield two days earlier.

He found a prescription bottle containing a packet of heroin during a subsequent search of the Jetta.

Then, Dekoschak located a crack pipe was hidden away in a shoe of the driver, identified as Michael D. Olmstead, 36. 

Dekoschak learned from Olmstead that Chicopee Police had arrested him several days earlier for possession of another crack pipe.

The Springfield owner of the stolen Jetta told Dekoschak that Olmstead had allegedly faked interest in buying the car then made off with it during a supposed test drive, never returning. 

On Monday, Olmstead appeared in Northampton District Court, where he was charged with possession of a class A drug, possession of a class B drug, receiving a stolen motor vehicle and a number plate violation. 

A pretrial hearing was scheduled for April 12. 

The U.S. Department of Justice will require communities applying for its grants to "certify compliance" with federal immigration law and "claw-back" funds awarded to those who are not complying, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday.

By KATIE LANNAN

The U.S. Department of Justice will require communities applying for its grants to "certify compliance" with federal immigration law and "claw-back" funds awarded to those who are not complying, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday.

Sessions urged municipalities and states to end so-called sanctuary policies, through which local governments do not enforce federal immigration laws.

"The American people are justifiably angry," he said in a press conference. "They know that when cities and states refuse to help enforce immigration laws, our nation is less safe. Failure to deport aliens who are convicted for criminal offenses puts whole communities at risk - especially immigrant communities in the very sanctuary jurisdictions that seek to protect the perpetrators."

Sessions focused his remarks on a federal law known as Section 1373, which says a federal, state or local government may not prohibit or restrict any government entity from "sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual."

All jurisdictions seeking or applying for Department of Justice grants will be required to certify compliance with Section 1373 to receive awards, he said.

"The Department of Justice will also take all lawful steps to claw-back any funds awarded to a jurisdiction that willfully violates Section 1373," he said.

This fiscal year, the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs and Community Oriented Policing Services expect to award more than $4.1 billion in grants, Sessions said.

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

Massachusetts Democratic Party Chairman Gus Bickford blasted Sessions' announcement.

"The President is trying to force our cities to join him in his bullying of immigrants and their families," Bickford said in a statement. "Massachusetts Democrats stand with our sanctuary cities and immigrants across our Commonwealth, and we will help them fight this unconstitutional threat."

Several Massachusetts municipalities -- including Cambridge, Somerville, Chelsea and Northampton -- consider themselves sanctuary cities.

Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone, in a Herald Radio interview that aired before Sessions spoke, called for people on both sides of the sanctuary city issue look "beyond ideology" and "open up our hearts and minds to the facts."

"We don't have a violent people," Curtatone said. "You don't get a free pass in our community. Crime is down."

Some cities have adopted policies that feature refusal to detain known felons under federal detainer requests, Sessions said, citing a Department of Homeland Security report showing that in one week there were more than 200 instances of jurisdictions refusing to honor detainer requests concerning individuals charged or convicted of a serious crime. Eighty percent of Americans believe that cities that arrest illegal immigrants for crimes should be required to turn them over to immigration authorities, Sessions said, citing polling data.

Warren calls President Donald Trump's sanctuary city executive order 'unconstitutional'

Sessions' remarks come after a Jan. 25 executive order in which President Donald Trump directed federal agencies "to employ all lawful means to ensure the faithful execution of the immigration laws of the United States against all removable aliens," and instructed the attorney general to ensure that municipalities that do not comply with federal immigration law do not receive any federal funding other that what is required by law.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Monday called the executive order "just clearly unconstitutional."

"There's no place else to go with this," Warren said at a New England Council lunch. "You can go straight to the Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act that said the federal government cannot use the threat of withholding assets or access to federal money in one area in order to coerce behavior in another area."

Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons said her city would not change its stance as an "inclusive, diverse and welcoming community to all whom have come here to make a better life for themselves."

"Given that Donald Trump has been stating for months that he would seek to punish sanctuary cities like Cambridge by withholding federal funding, today's statement by the Attorney General does not come as a surprise," she said in a statement. "That does not make it any less irresponsible or disgraceful that the federal government would continue to push for punitive and heartless actions like this one."

The Boston-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice is representing Chelsea and Lawrence in a federal lawsuit that it says is "designed to stop this federal overreach that tramples on local autonomy, harms immigrant families and children, and makes our communities less safe."

Colin A. Young contributed reporting.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno: 'We are not a sanctuary city'

Raymond Collazo is accused of murder in the 2010 death of his 5-month-old son Davian in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- The jury in the Raymond Collazo murder trial in Hampden Superior Court deliberated all day Monday without reaching a verdict or sending a note to the judge.

Jurors will resume deliberations Tuesday.

On Friday afternoon jurors reported for the second day they could not reach a verdict. A note to Judge Mary-Lou Rup said jurors were debating the same issues "again and again with zero resolution."

Rup gave jurors the standard instruction and sent them back to deliberate. The instruction tells jurors that absolute certainty cannot be expected from them and that there is no reason to believe any other jury can do a better job of arriving at a verdict.

The prosecution argues Collazo shook his 5-month-old son Davian Collazo violently, then left him alone with a fatal brain injury for hours.

The defense contends Davian died of natural causes, specifically pneumonia. Even if jurors believe Davian died of inflicted trauma, Collazo did nothing to him, according to the defense.

The social media site is launching a new alert this week to inform users about local city and town elections. The alert is debuting in a handful of states, including Massachusetts.

Do you have trouble remembering to vote in your town election? Facebook can help.

The popular social media site is launching a new alert this week to inform users about local city and town elections. The alert is debuting in a handful of states, including Massachusetts.

A new Facebook alert tells people to vote in municipal elections.Courtesy Facebook 

The alerts started running Saturday in towns with weekend elections and will continue on Monday and Tuesday, targeting voters who will have an opportunity to cast ballots in Amherst, Ludlow, Andover, Acton, Concord, Duxbury, Medfield, Lincoln, North Andover, Winchester, Wayland, Sudbury and Natick.

The first reminders went out in Louisiana this weekend.

The reminder will include a button, "see election info," where people can find out more about their local election, and a button for people to share that they have voted.

Facebook has run election reminders for national elections since 2008. Last year, it began running alerts to remind people to register to vote. Those alerts ran in Massachusetts ahead of the presidential primary and general election.

Voter turnout tends to be low in municipal elections. A Facebook spokesman said internal research and a study in the journal Nature have shown that social media reminders can spur people to vote.

Facebook is also rolling out a "town hall" feature, which a user can click on to find out who their representatives are in state and local government and how to contact them.

Verbal collisions continue between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield and the city of Holyoke: Holyoke Building Commission Damian J. Cote has issued a notification of violations regarding hazardous condition at a former parish at 94 Ely St. to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, which said it alerted the city about the hall's problems in November.

HOLYOKE -- The building commissioner has issued a notification of violations to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield and ordered that it remove, repair or make safe a former church hall at 94 Ely St. that he said is hazardous.

Diocese spokesman Mark E. Dupont responded by saying that Building Commissioner Damian J. Cote was being disingenuous since the Diocese requested permission from the city to take action on the building in November. Cote was getting to the hall only now after criticism for failing to grant the Diocese's request for an emergency permit to demolish the closed Mater Dolorosa Church at Maple and Lyman streets, he said.

This post also includes below:

Salvos between Dupont and Cote continued Monday. Dupont said: Diocese consultants made clear to Cote at a Jan. 26 meeting the need in terms of public safety to take down 94 Ely St., along with the need to raze Mater Dolorosa Church; Cote denied a request to install safety fencing around 94 Ely St.; the Diocese was prevented from removing hazardous materials, primarily asbestos, from 94 Ely St. due to Cote's referral of the demolition permit request to the Holyoke Historical Commission for review instead of granting the permit.

Cote replied to Dupont's statement on Monday by saying that, having not heard from the Diocese regarding a notice of violations he issued about 94 Ely St. on March 20, a survey board consisting of the fire chief, city engineer and "one disinterested party" has been scheduled to inspect 94 Ely St. at 10 a.m. Thursday. That information was included in an email Cote sent Monday to Diocese lawyer Robert Quinn. The survey board also is scheduled to inspect Mater Dolorosa Church, but it was unclear if that inspection also would happen on Thursday. The city has fined the Diocese $300 regarding conditions at 94 Ely St. Lastly, Cote said it is the city engineer or the Planning Board who can grant permits for fencing and not the building commissioner, despite Dupont's assertions.

"Reprehensible" neglect of property to the point of endangering children or "overzealous" targeting of the Catholic community make up the latest verbal dispute between the city and the Diocese, this time over the former Immaculate Conception Social Hall at 94 Ely St.

Unsafe conditions at the site include roof damage from fallen trees leading to water infiltration, broken glass, the hazardous material of asbestos siding strewn on the lot and damaged brick masonry, Cote said in an email to Diocese lawyer Robert Quinn and in the notification of violations.

"It is reprehensible that the owner of the property allowed this building to become and continues to ignore such a threat to public safety. It is not only a physical danger to life and limb it is further a clear and known public safety hazard by way of the damaged exterior asbestos siding, lead paint, and other toxic materials that were found to be all over the lot and neighborhood," Cote said.

When Diocese consultants visited Cote's office Jan. 26, their focus was on the need to demolish the 116-year-old Mater Dolorosa Church, he said. They said the hazard was so great, with pieces breaking off the steeple and falling to the ground, that they wanted the city to issue an emergency demolition permit.

But Cote disagreed that the church posed an imminent danger and referred the matter to the Holyoke Historical Commission. As part of its review, the commission is conducting a public hearing that began March 7 with four hours of testimony and is scheduled to resume at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the City Hall auditorium.

Diocese consultants at the Jan. 26 meeting didn't emphasize that 94 Ely St. needed attention, Cote said.

"Based on this I was not left with the impression that this structure was an issue to the level that it was found to be. It was not until reports of the condition of the building from the public came in that I was made aware of the situation," Cote said.

The structure at 94 Ely St. is a dormitory style building built of brick about 1916. It sits on less than acre and the property is valued at $545,300, according to city records.

But the Diocese alerted Cote about the "rapidly deteriorating conditions" at 94 Ely St. and the need to begin demolition in November, Dupont said.

"It's increasingly clear that in exchange for making the tough but necessary public safety decision to seek demolition of a building, the Catholic community has now been singled out and targeted by Holyoke city officials with overzealous, and in some instances unsupported by city ordinance, enforcement activity," Dupont said.

"Cote had and continues to have the authority to override the 'demo delay' ordinance and issue an emergency demolition permit, so virtually all of his statements in his email to you are inaccurate, make no sense and indeed are disingenuous," Dupont said.

The appeals process constitutes another issue, Dupont said. The notice of violations that Cote issued on March 20 notes that decisions about zoning ordinances can be brought to the Holyoke Board of Appeals. Building code decisions can be appealed to the board of building regulations and standards.

The city has a Board of Appeals. But a local building code appeals board is optional under state law and in such cases, such appeals are referred to the state building code appeals board, Assistant City Solicitor Sara J. Carroll said.

"Again, I want to point out optional is nowhere mentioned in the notice (regarding notification of violations)," Dupont said. "Which is then misleading."

Statement to The Republican on Monday, March 27, 2017 from Mark E. Dupont, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield:

Having now had the benefit of speaking with those in direct contact with Mr. Cote I want to double down on my Thursday evening response and subsequent information I provided Friday.

I feel it important to again assert the facts in the face of Mr Cote's clearly egregious misrepresentation.

First, Cote's email to you does not accurately report what was communicated to him by Bob Kirchherr and Bernie Hunt at their 1/26/17 meeting, where Bob and Bernie clearly made him aware of dangerous conditions at the IC Center and requested an emergency demo permit for that building (as well as for the MD Church) and permission to erect an 8 foot safety/construction fence. Cote refused to issue the requested demo permit for the Social Center or allow the fence, instead sending on 1/30/17 the demo application to the Historical Commission for its review, and prohibiting the Diocese from conducting any abatement of hazardous materials (primarily asbestos) or shutting off utilities until a demo permit had been obtained (which could take 6 months if the Commission imposes the demo delay).

AGAIN Cote did this without inspecting the interior of the IC Social Center. He only requested such an inspection in his 3/13/17 email(previously provided), more than 6 weeks after he was informed of the safety hazards, and after he had referred the demo application to the Commission, instead of using his authority to avoid the demo delay ordinance due to public safety and allow immediate commencement of demolition.

What is most egregious about Cote's email to you is the final paragraph, where Cote neglects to inform you that
(i) Cote stopped the demolition in January by referring the matter to the Commission;
(ii) Cote prevented us from submitting a "complete demolition permit application" by forbidding us from abating hazardous materials and cutting off utilities until a demo permit issues (i.e., after Commission review, and potentially after a 6 month delay);
(iii) Cote refused to allow us to put up an 8 foot safety/construction fence to keep the public away from the building, and
(iv) Cote had and continues to have the authority to override the demo delay ordinance and issue an emergency demolition permit, so virtually all of his statements in his email to you are inaccurate, make no sense, and indeed are disingenuous.

Finally you will note his most recent order, although dated March 20 and conveniently provided to you last week only just arrived in today's mail. Curious in that we also received correspondence from another Holyoke city hall department dated Friday also arrived today so he apparently didn't mail this notice March 20. And yet again this notice refers to the city appeal board which the city solicitor concurs is invalidly constituted.

In short Cote wants to fine us for buildings being in disrepair that he himself is standing in the way of resolving.

Response from Holyoke Building Commissioner Damian J. Cote to the March 27 statement from Diocese spokesman Mark E. Dupont:

Being as we have not heard from the owner of the property the survey board has been ordered for 94 Ely Street. In terms of the fencing it was made load and clear what the necessary steps were to legally install a fence in the City of Holyoke. It has been confirmed by various City officials that to this day they have yet to apply to the City Engineer or the Planning Board for such fencing. No matter how many times Mr Dupont tells anyone it is I who can grant them that permit it will never be the truth.

It is standard procedure that we issue fines as necessary to ensure the public's safety. Further if the owner does not comply with orders from our office we will take action to remedy the situation at the owners expense.

Emails in March from Holyoke Building Commissioner Damian J. Cote to lawyer Robert Quinn, representing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield:

Mr. Quinn,

I am writing you as the representative of the owner of the above referenced property.
It has recently come to our attention that the structure may have issues related to safety. An exterior inspection was completed last week of the building and with those findings we would like to schedule an interior inspection to evaluate the condition further.

With the pending snow storm it would be best to schedule for Friday March 17th. The time available is 1030am-12. The only thing we will need is someone to open the building for access for evaluation.

Please confirm if this is not possible.

Thank you

Damian J. Cote
Holyoke Building Commissioner

Mr. Quinn,

When the owners representatives come to our office on January 26th, 2017 they brought with them information and requested an emergency order to demolish 71 Maple Street (Church). Of the hour of time that I listened to the 2 representatives including the engineer, Mr. Hunt and Mr. Kirchherr, there may have been 2 minutes dedicated to the structure located at 94 Ely Street (former bingo hall). According to my meeting notes the representatives simply mentioned that they were also looking to take down a building in the flats (94 Ely). They did not provide any details as to why, any report, or any finding about 94 Ely.

Based on this I was not left with the impression that this structure was an issue to the level that it was found to be. It was not until reports of the condition of the building from the public came in that I was made aware of the situation.

Upon inspection of the building at 94 Ely a number of issues were found. Most are in the letter that was sent to the owner. What is unbelievable is that this building shares a lot of land with the NEARI School where not only the public but specifically young children are constantly exposed to the known safety and health hazards of the structure. It is reprehensible that the owner of the property allowed this building to become and continues to ignore such a threat to public safety. It is not only a physical danger to life and limb it is further a clear and known public safety hazard to by way of the damaged exterior asbestos siding, lead paint, and other toxic materials that were found to be all over the lot and neighborhood. During the the exterior inspection which had heavy winds I personally witnessed large pieces of the asphalt roofing and asbestos siding get carried all around the property and abutting lot. All the while there are cars parked right up against the building and a adolescent walking though asbestos.

It is very difficult to think that the owner these innocent children have been exposed to this situation for years. If it were my child in this school I would immediately remove them to a safe and healthy environment and file suit against the owner. Frankly I am shocked that the owner of these buildings (through their representatives) would place such claim about how unsafe 71 Maple Street is relying on a speculative opinion of danger vs what is an indisputable and known danger to public safety. I am also very confounded. It really does not make any sense.

The seriousness of this matter is why an unsafe structure letter was issued along with a request of the survey board for the structure. The owner to this day has not submitted a complete demolition permit application that can be approved by law, however, if they submit a complete application it will be approved immediately. If they fail to do so in a timely manner the City will take immediate action by law to remedy the situation and ensure that the structure will no longer be a public safety hazard.

Damian J. Cote
Holyoke Building Commissioner

Notification from Holyoke building commissioner to Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield: by Mike Plaisance on Scribd

Response from Mark E. Dupont, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, to Holyoke Building Commissioner's notifcation of violations regarding Immaculate Conception (IC) Social Hall, 94 Ely St.:

Here's your headline, Cote admits to not visiting the IC site for four months after first being alerted, five weeks after a request for an emergency order and only after he refused an emergency order on the building without benefit of personally inspecting site. Supported by Cote email(above).

In November after a vehicle crashed into the IC structure, our demo contractor Charles Arment met with Damian Cote and separately with Olivia Mausel at their city hall offices alerting them to the rapidly deteriorating condition of the IC hall. The Diocese had directed Arment to begin the demolition process, and he was exploring the fastest way to expedite the work needed. Cote explained the process and that we had to present structural reports to support a request for an emergency order. Despite our contractor's explanation of the condition of the building, Cote didn't visit the site, in fact he told Arment directly he wouldn't inspect the site which would have seemed the most responsible step, but insisted he be presented a report in writing. So, at his direction, we began drawing up plans and an analysis to present to him.

Then came the debris from the MD steeple. So in light of the fact that Cote had been already apprised of the IC situation most of the late January conversation did center around Mater Dolorosa which admittedly Cote was hearing about for the first time. Nonetheless the IC was brought up specifically and certainly discussed and his attempt to minimize that is disingenuous.

Inexplicably, even after this second conversation and most importantly a request for an emergency order Cote didn't even conduct a basic drive by external inspection for another five weeks.(see his email) And then waiting another week to request and schedule an interior inspection which occurred then some seven weeks after he received our request for an emergency order.

Again this facility was just over a mile from Mr Cote's City Hall office.

SO NOTE THE TIME LINE this all means Cote refused the emergency request and issued his determination on the IC WITHOUT EVER EVEN VISITING OR PERSONALLY INSPECTING THE SITE. A matter which we will most certainly bring up with the state building authority.

Now he suddenly wants to forget his past inaction and make accusations against the Diocese when in fact we have been warning him on the IC for more than 4 months. It's hypocrisy at its worse. If he was as concerned as he now wants us to believe perhaps he might have made the mile trip sown to Ward 1 in November, see for himself and then use his authority ordering the site (demolished). Again he has tied us up and still wants to blames us for inaction. It simply cannot be both ways.

It's increasingly clear that in exchange for making the tough but necessary public safety decision to seek demolition of a building, the Catholic community has now been singled out and targeted by Holyoke city officials with overzealous, and in some instances unsupported by city ordinance) enforcement activity. It's no wonder the city has experienced three partial building collapses in recent years, including one- the Armory- owned by the city itself.

It would be curious to know how many health inspections for pigeon droppings the city is currently pursuing and has pursued in recent months given the concerns raised. There are no shortage of either pigeons or taller buildings in Holyoke where they like to perch. Has there been talks about inspecting Veterans Park a well known haven for pigeons?

Letter from Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield to Holyoke Health Department denying access: by Mike Plaisance on Scribd

Appeal of Holyoke actions on Mater Dolorosa Church filed by Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, Part I: by Mike Plaisance on Scribd

Appeal of Holyoke actions on Mater Dolorosa Church filed by Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, Part II:... by Mike Plaisance on Scribd

United Airlines caught flack from the Internet after a flight attendant told a 10 year-old girl to change into something more appropriate--because she had the audacity to wear leggings.

United Airlines caught flack from the Internet after a flight attendant told a 10 year-old girl to change into something more appropriate--because she had the audacity to wear leggings. United defended its decision, saying it enforces a dress code for pass holders and wants to maintain a comfortable environment for all guests. Critics say the dress code is outdated and enforces a double standard against women. What do you think?

PERSPECTIVES

Some people say Americans have become too lax about dressing down for flights. Going into full-comfort mode may make your flight experience better, but to J. Bryan Lowder, it's a sign of disrespect for your fellow traveler. Just like you wouldn't greet a guest in your pajamas or go to work in your pajamas, you shouldn't travel in your pajamas. No one enjoys being stuck in a pressurized tube, thousands of feet in the air, stuck next to some slob wearing sweats and flip flops.

What is possible, though, is embracing travel as a process, one that offers its own pleasures as well as trials. And foremost among the former is an opportunity to share public space. In fact, traveling--especially air travel--may be the occasion when many of us are most in public, most engaged in negotiating the commons. Americans are, of course, fond of their personal space, but public travel requires that we recognize that airplanes, trains, and buses are not extensions of our living rooms. Just because we may be anonymous does not mean we are invisible.

Stop dressing like a slob when you're traveling >>

How a person dresses on a plane has zero bearing on another person's travel experience. Full stop.

Ultimately, what another person wears on an airplane is none of your goddamn bee's wax, unless, of course, the clothing physically enters your space or the soul in question is wearing a t-shirt advertising the Nazi party or -- I dunno -- a Dave Matthews Band tour or something equally offensive. Otherwise, that person's only responsibility to you and the airline staff is to be reasonably polite and try not to wear clothes that smell badly.

Showing up to the airport freshly showered and wearing a clean pair of leggings (and a SMILE) is the farthest I'm willing to go, respectability-wise. Others might want to go farther and wear a three-piece suit and that's up to them. Come the day that we all get stuck at the Detroit airport over night and have to sleep on the floor (it's happened to me), we'll see who's happier with their decision.

However, double standards and inconsistently enforced dress can disrupt a passenger's travel experience. United's #LeggingGate problem shows why dress codes are outdated and oftentimes sexist--they're used to control how women dress, but not men.

I will dress like a slob on an airplane and no one can stop me >>

 

Thank you @united I wouldn't mind all airlines adding a few more dress code rules for paying pax, too. #thisaintwalmart

-- KK (@keithkasarjian) March 27, 2017

This United dress code controversy is a great reminder that most of us dress like slobs when we fly, which should shame us as a nation.

-- Hans Fiene (@HansFiene) March 26, 2017

I'm trying to understand the outrage towards United Airlines. There's always been a dress code if you're flying on a buddy pass. pic.twitter.com/nuDuzIixNh

-- [?] [?] LL[?] R (@callmedollar) March 27, 2017

I personally don't think leggings are pants. They're tights with the feet cut off. The point here is that the Airline has a dress code for employees, relatives and friends of employees flying on a free pass to dress according to the policy. I mean come on people, you're flying for free, or close to it, put your pants on! GEEZ!!!

 

Flying Delta means comfort. (That means you can wear your leggings. [?] )

-- Delta (@Delta) March 27, 2017

@united wow I had no idea leggings were such a big deal-I'll make sure to wear my formal ball gown next time I fly. #StopShamingGirls

-- gonetotexas5 (@gonetotexas5) March 27, 2017

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If you're curious about the new Orange Line trains that are being manufactured in Springfield, you'll have a chance to check out a model for yourself.

If you're curious about the new Orange Line trains that are being manufactured in Springfield, you'll have a chance to check out a model for yourself.

The MBTA is placing the mock-up on display on Boston City Hall Plaza from April 3 through April 5.

Members of the public will be able to enter it and check out the new features like snap-back seats, wider doors, digital displays and security cameras.

The mock-up came over from China, where the company CRRC is making the frames. The train cars will be finished off at a facility in Springfield, Mass.

The mock-up allows MBTA engineers and other transit agency officials to make changes, if necessary, before the company starts mass-producing the train cars.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker toured the mock-up last week. The model is currently housed next to the Wellington MBTA Station in Medford, northwest of Boston.

The new Orange Line cars are expected to start rolling on Boston tracks in the next two to three years, after a rigorous federal testing process.

CRRC is also manufacturing new Red Line cars at its Springfield facility, and seeking contracts from other transit authorities across the country. The company's Massachusetts contract calls on them to deliver 152 Orange Line cars and 252 Red Line cars.

Take a video tour of the model of the new MBTA Orange Line cars being built in Springfield

The Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy is tasked with considering dozens of bills that would alter the state law passed by voters in November.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- The Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy held its second public hearing on Monday, listening to testimony from several Western Massachusetts mayors, a prominent addiction specialist and citizens concerned about how Beacon Hill will handle the legalization of marijuana.

The committee is tasked with considering dozens of bills that would alter the state law passed by voters in November. Monday's hearing at West Springfield High School was a chance for the 17 state House and Senate members to hear ideas from the general public.

Several members hail from the Pioneer Valley, including Rep. John Velis, R-Westfield, and Sen. James Welch and Rep. Michael Finn, both Democrats from West Springfield. The committee is led by Rep. Mark Cusack, D-Braintree, and Sen. Patricia Jehlen, D-Somerville.

West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt said a majority of the town's voters opposed the ballot initiative, called Question 4, and there is concern that the Town Council cannot stop retail pot shops from opening. The law requires a ballot initiative in each town that wants to opt out.

"I'm not aware of any other zoning that has to go on the ballot to opt out," said Reichelt. "If (retail) is allowed in the community, make sure we have the ability to zone it in a way that's good for our community."

As written, the law allows the state to overrule a local retail marijuana zoning ordinance, a dynamic Reichelt said was not fair. He added that the current tax structure does not provide enough revenue to municipalities.

Right now, a town or city cannot impose a tax higher than 2 percent, while the state can add another 3.75 percent.

"If a community wants ... to increase it, I think that should be in our hands," said Reichelt.

Mayor Alex Morse of Holyoke was a vocal supporter of Question 4. He told the committee that retail marijuana will put a big dent in street sales, but only if taxes are kept low.

"If we raise it too high too soon, it won't have the intended consequence of driving out the black market," Morse said. "If you want to raise the tax at all, just raise the portion that would go directly to the local communities (instead of) an increase in the overall tax."

Morse disagreed with Reichelt about local control of the industry, saying town officials should not have the authority to ban pot shops, framing the issue as a matter of personal choice.

In November's election, 54 percent of Massachusetts voters approved the ballot measure that allows adults to possess, use, grow and gift marijuana, with some restrictions. Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill, passed by just a few legislators in late December, delaying the opening of retail pot shops until July 2018.

"Please don't hold up or delay the process any longer," said Morse, to a round of applause from several dozen people in attendance.

Local officials from Amherst said some of the language in the law is too vague and the committee should clarify certain sections, while residents of Easthampton and other towns said the law should be left alone entirely, considering it was passed by popular vote.

The committee heard detailed testimony from Dr. Ruth Potee, a Greenfield physician and addiction specialist who speaks at local schools about the dangers drugs pose to young people's brains. She said the minimum age to legally purchase marijuana should be 25, the age at which the brain is done developing.

She said people under 25 tend to believe that marijuana is not addictive or harmful, that it alleviates anxiety and insomnia, and is preferable to alcohol and tobacco. There is a vast "chasm of belief" between those ideas and "what we think as scientists," said Potee.

"I actually think alcohol and marijuana are similar substances in the fully adult brain, and I think they need to be regulated in a similar fashion," said Potee.

She called for the committee to limit the psychoactive chemical THC in retail marijuana to 15 percent at most. Some marijuana edibles and concentrates are 90 percent THC.

"How high do you need to get? Honestly," said Potee.

Echoing a representative of the anti-drug West Springfield CARE Coalition, Potee encouraged the committee to ban sugary treats that look like candy, which she argued are specifically designed to entice teenagers.

In written testimony, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno pointed out several "ambiguous" areas of the law and drew the committee's attention to the case of Mary Jane Makes Your Heart Sing, a short-lived business that charged a $20 cover and gave customers "free" marijuana.

Sarno said it will be difficult to allocate "scarce resources to monitor and enforce future attempts to circumvent the law." At this point, it remains impossible to tell if a 2 percent local tax would be enough to cover such costs, he said.

The committee is accepting written testimony from the general public. Two public hearings are scheduled for next month. The first is at 11 a.m. on April 3 at the Statehouse in Boston. The second is April 10 at 4 p.m. at Shrewsbury High School.

Springfield has hired a new golf pro in the wake of a federal investigation of its two municipal golf courses and former pro Kevin Kennedy Jr.

SPRINGFIELD -- An outside audit of the city's former golf pro and his handling of revenues of cash at two municipal golf courses revealed that Kevin Kennedy Jr. withheld proceeds due to city coffers, according to an announcement issued by the mayor's office Monday evening.

While the actual audit report was not attached to the news release from Mayor Domenic Sarno's office, it summarized the following findings:

• Kennedy improperly kept proceeds from greens tickets, cart rentals, gift certificates and tournaments
• he pocketed certain cash deposits before they reached the courses' cash registers
• Kennedy was overpaid for expenses in 2015 and 2016
• he did not meet contractual reporting requirements for those years

The overview issued by the city did not include any figures attached to the alleged skimming. The Republican has had a public records request pending for the audit report and has renewed that.

Springfield's contract with Kennedy outlined a specific profit-sharing agreement, with the city due greens fees, cart rentals and other revenues while Kennedy was entitled to other proceeds. The city maintains the courses.

The audit was conducted by Powers & Sullivan, LLC, of Wakefield, after federal investigators executed search warrants at Veterans and and Franconia golf courses in July, plus at Kennedy's homes in East Longmeadow and on Cape Cod.

The city extinguished its contract with Kennedy in November. It has since hired a new golf pro, Ryan Hall.

Northampton lawyer David Hoose, who represents Kennedy, sent the following statement to The Republican:

"Kevin Kennedy never diverted a single penny of funds from the City of Springfield to his own personal use.  The City received all revenues including cart rentals, greens tickets, tournament proceeds, and gift certificate revenues to which it was entitle under the contract.

"Mr. Kennedy is being scapegoated by the City for its own poorly written contract, and its failure to properly manage the businesses to which it had contracted out to private entities such as Kennedy Golf Management.  Mr. Kennedy did not make any decisions with regard to the running of tournaments, rates for greens fees, or rental of carts of which the City was not fully aware."

Jeffrey D. Coco, 44, was sentenced in Berkshire Superior Court to 20 months in jail and three years of probation.

PITTSFIELD - A former Pittsfield police officer who denied stealing more than $200,000 from the police union changed his plea to guilty on Monday.

Jeffrey D. Coco, 44, was sentenced in Berkshire Superior Court to 20 months in jail and three years of probation.

Coco admitted to two counts of larceny as an ongoing and continuing offense, and a single count of identity theft, according to Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless.

A state and local police investigation revealed Coco stole $200,000 from the police union between January 2008 and July 2015. During that time, he served in various roles, including union treasurer.

During his probation period, Coco must refrain from illegal drug use, submit to drug testing and undergo counseling.

Coco was fired from the Pittsfield Police Department in November 2015 after an internal investigation accused him of stealing $150,000 over three years. He denied criminal charges in December.

President Donald Trump took executive action Tuesday to roll back much of his predecessor's climate change agenda -- a move which at least one Massachusetts Democrat cast as a "declaration of war."

President Donald Trump took executive action Tuesday to roll back much of his predecessor's climate change agenda -- a move which at least one Massachusetts Democrat cast as a "declaration of war."

Trump, during an afternoon visit to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's headquarters, signed an "Energy Independence" executive order, which directs the EPA to consider repealing former President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan and ends the moratorium on new coal-mining leases on federal land, among other things. 

Although White House officials touted the order as a way to ensure clean air and water "without sacrificing economic growth and job creation,"  U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, offered a much darker take on the action.

"President Trump didn't issue an executive order today, he issued a declaration of war on American leadership on climate change and our clean energy future...this executive order is all about ensuring American energy stagnation," he said in a statement.

The Massachusetts Democrat further contended that the action, which asks agencies to review all regulations and rules that "impede" domestic energy production, is "one massive giveaway to big oil and coal corporations at the expense of taxpayers and decades of progress on climate change, clean energy and public health protections."

U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Lowell, joined Markey in criticizing the executive action, arguing that it "discounts overwhelming scientific and global consensus and undermines American leadership."

"President Trump is once again demonstrating his reckless crusade against fact-based science by signing an executive order that prevents our country from taking necessary steps to safeguard our future...He is not only out of touch with science and society, but he is ignoring this threat's generational and global impact," said Tsongas, a founding member of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition and senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee.

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, who joined Trump for the signing, however, said the executive order represents "a great step in breaking restraints that have become burdens."

"We see coal miners who have been sidelined without a thought given to their future. This executive order will begin the process to unravel the red tape that has been keeping us on the sidelines," he said, according to White House pool reports.

Trump added that the executive action "will eliminate federal overreach and allow our workers to thrive, compete and succeed on a level playing field for first time in a long time."

The bus driver accused of using marijuana before taking students in Chelmsford on a field trip appears to have been under the influence of the drug after he picked up and dropped off students at a school in Tyngsborough, according to a statement issued by police and school officials.

A school bus driver accused of using marijuana while on the job appears to have come under the influence of the drug after he picked up and dropped off students at a school in Tyngsborough and while waiting to drive another group in Chelmsford on a field trip, according to a statement issued by police and school officials.

Tyngsborough Police Chief Richard D. Howe, Tyngsborough Public Schools Superintendent Michael Flanagan, and Greater Lowell Technical High School Superintendent/Director Roger Bourgeois issued a statement Tuesday afternoon after the arrest of 63-year-old bus driver Ali Mahfuz of Nashua, New Hampshire.

"The safety and security of our students is first and foremost on our minds today," the statement reads. "While there is much we cannot say, due to the ongoing police investigation, we are confident, based on information that has been presented to us, that the driver did not come under the influence of marijuana until after the morning run and drop off at GLTHS (Greater Lowell Technical High School)."

Mahfuz was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of marijuana, driving negligently as to endanger and reckless endangerment after students in Chelmsford noticed an odd smell on the bus that police said turned out to be marijuana.

"We have been made aware that a bus driver for North Reading Transportation Inc. was arrested in Chelmsford earlier today for allegedly driving a school bus while under the influence of marijuana," the joint statement said. "The driver was preparing to take Chelmsford High School students on a field trip. We have been notified that the suspect had also driven Greater Lowell Technical High School students to school this morning on a regular bus route."

North Reading Transportation Inc. provides the busing services for the Greater Lowell Technical High School, located in Tyngsborough, but a different company serves the Tyngsborough school system.

Police said students from Chelmsford got on the bus this morning as they prepared to leave for a field trip and noticed a strange odor. School officials checked the bus, driven by Mahfuz, and determine the smell was marijuana.

Officers determined Mahfuz was under the influence of marijuana.

The students were taken off the bus and the bus company sent another driver.