The identity of the victim will not be released until her family can be notified.

This is an update of a story filed at 10:05 a.m.

SPRINGFIELD - Speed is believed to have been one cause of a fatal accident that left one woman dead this weekend.

Investigators have not confirmed the identity of the victim yet, but believe she was a 37-year-old woman from Ludlow, Police Capt. Cheryl Clapprood said.

The car involved in the crash was discovered at about 9:10 a.m., Sunday after a passerby reported debris in the road on Worcester Street. When police responded to the call, they found a car had crashed far into the woods off the road and was not visible from the street, she said.

The woman had been ejected from the car and was found dead nearby, Clapprood said.

The car had flipped on its side. There were no skid marks, she said.

Police have not released the victim's name until her identity can be confirmed and her family can be notified, she said.

Investigators are still working to find out the cause but one factor is believed to have been speed. They are also unsure exactly when the accident happened, she said.

Contrary to a recent posting on Craigslist, the Springfield Jewish Community Center is not looking for a new executive director, much less one with a GED and "incompetent decision-making skills."

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.

Police: West Springfield man beat daughter for staying too long at robotics team meeting

Janitor denies posting fake Craigslist ad seeking 'incompetent' new executive director at JCC

4-women fight leads to 'pile of combatants' outside Hampden County Hall of Justice

West Springfield woman finds stranger sleeping at her kitchen table; arrest, criminal charges ensue

No bail for Springfield man charged with stealing car, crashing it, breaking into another car and pulling blade on police

Lawyer denounces 'vicious allegations' against Springfield teacher charged in 2 dog deaths

Martin sisters to be tried together in assault case; charges against Danielle Martin dropped in 2nd case

Springfield man charged with lewd behavior after video chat allegedly gets out of hand

For Springfield motorist, wrong turn leads to $10,000 bail

Springfield man denies OUI, child endangerment charges

The 39th annual Vietnam War Commemoration ceremony was held at the war memorial in Springfield. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Retired Marine Richard J. Tyrell was only 18-years-old when he lost many of his friends in an attack during the Vietnam War.

"It was March 12, 1968. That was a big event for me... I had just lost people that meant the world to me. From that point on I never developed a close relationship in Vietnam. After the first group I knew I could not endure losing friends, so I stopped making friends," said Tyrlell, the keynote speaker at the 39th annual Vietnam Veterans Commemoration ceremony held at the Vietnam Veteran's Monument in Court Square Sunday.

Tyrell served in Vietnam as a Marine rifleman from October of 1967 to June of 1969. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion 4th Marines and was awarded the Navy Commendation for Valor, two Purple Hearts and a Combat Action Ribbon. He has been chairman of the Springfield Veterans Activities Committee for 12 years and has also served on the city's Commission on Disabilities since 2003.

He said returning home after the war was an incredibly difficult process.

"I'm sure a lot of people thought that many of us Vietnam veterans were angry and bitter, but we weren't angry or bitter, we were hurt and alone," he said.

Over the years Tyrell has worked with many veterans from different wars and it has helped him cope with the loss of his friends.

"Getting together with other veterans we find love and support," he said.

U.S. State Rep. Richard Neal and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno spoke at the event along with several veterans.

Sarno thanked Vietnam veterans for helping younger veterans even though they faced many struggles when they returned home from Vietnam decades ago.

"You did not come back to a hero's welcome. You came back being disrespected," Sarno said. "These were young men and women who sacrificed to make sure that we can lead the lives we lead and many of them did not come back at all."

Sarno added, "Who led the way to make sure that our young veterans were not only respected, but were honored? It was the Vietnam veterans. I commend your for what you continue to do."

The event also included a reading of the names of those who died in the war, a rifle salute, a laying of the wreath on the monument as well as a tribute to Jeannette Hurst the mother of Army Spc. Ronald Charles Hurst, who was killed in Vietnam. Jeannette Hurst attended every memorial service. She died last August at age 92.

Springfield City Councilor Justin Hurst and his wife School Committee member Denise Hurst were present to accept flowers in honor of her family. A white seat cover was placed on a chair and will be placed there ever year in remembrance of Hurst.

"She has always inspired us. We have grown to love her over the years and her presence will be missed," Tyrell said.

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second human to walk on the moon, today became the oldest person to ever fly with the U.S. Thunderbirds.

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second human to walk on the moon, today became the oldest person to ever fly with the U.S. Thunderbirds.

Aldrin, 87, joined the U.S. Air Force's aerial demonstration team at its Melbourne, Florida Air and Space Show Sunday morning as they flew in the diamond formation over the Kennedy Space Center. Aldrin is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel.

"Good to get back in the cockpit," Aldrin tweeted Sunday. "I could get used to this."

In its statement, the Air Force said it was an honor to have Aldrin join the team.

"He is a true American hero and pioneer. We are proud of his accomplishments and the legacy he represents every day," the Air Force said.

In 1969, Aldrin piloted the Apollo 11 and followed Neil Armstrong onto the moon's surface. Aldrin's flight comes as the Air Force celebrated its 70^th year.

Now a safety briefing with a bunch of hotshots. @AFThunderbirds pic.twitter.com/gm3Bp0azov

-- Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) April 2, 2017

Good to get back in the cockpit! @AFThunderbirds pic.twitter.com/yjAc7VUkOB

-- Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) April 2, 2017

I could get used to this. @AFThunderbirds pic.twitter.com/Mvc8W5kgnj

-- Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) April 2, 2017

Calling hours for Spano will be held Tuesday and the funeral services will be on Wednesday.

CHICOPEE - The funeral for a city firefighter who collapsed and died while exercising last week is scheduled for Wednesday.

Anthony J. Spano, 47, of Ludlow, had worked as a firefighter and EMT for 14 years when he collapsed on Thursday. He leaves a son, Anthony Joseph Spano, his father Stephen Spano, of Chicopee, two sisters and his former wife, according to his funeral notice.

Calling hours for Spano will be held on on Tuesday from the Cierpiel Memorial Funeral Home and his funeral will be held on Wednesday at Holy Name of Jesus Church at Assumption on Wednesday.

People reacted with sadness and shock after learning of Spano's death. The cause is not considered suspicious.

Firefighters and city officials from across Western Massachusetts offered their condolences in memory of Spano.

Foul play is not suspected in his death, according to the office of Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless.

PITTSFIELD - The body of a man from Pittsfield was found inside a dumpster on Tyler Street late Saturday afternoon.

Police identified the man as Louis E. Ely, 22, of Briggs Avenue. Investigators believe Ely climbed into the trash container behind 771 Tyler St. on his own.

Foul play is not suspected in his death, according to the office of Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless.

The Chief Medical Examiner's office conducted an autopsy on Sunday, but his cause of death is unknown, pending toxicology and other tests.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield gathered at St. Joseph Chapel on the grounds of what was once their mother house, in Holyoke, this weekend to elected a new leadership team that will be formally installed June 25.

HOLYOKE - Sister Joan Ryzewicz, a Springfield native who entered the Sisters of St. Joseph at age 17, has been elected president of the congregation.

The community of 199 women religious who educated thousands of area residents through their teaching ministry in schools of the Springfield diocese, gathered at St. Joseph Chapel on the grounds of what was once their mother house to elected a new leadership team this weekend that will be formally installed June 25.

Other members elected April 2 for a six-year term include Sister Angela Deady, vice-president, and Sisters Patricia Smith and Shirley Anne Campbell.

Ryzewicz, an Elms College graduate who celebrated 50 years with the community in September, is currently director of resident programs at Providence Place Retirement Community.

In an interview at the time of her Golden Jubilee, Ryzewicz said her decision to enter religious life was a result "of the spirit of the Sisters of St. Joseph I had at Cathedral High School."

"They were amazing women. I always wanted to be a teacher and I thought this was a great way to be a teacher," Ryzewicz said.

She added in the interview that though her family thought it was a "fad" she was going through as a teen-ager, she elected to remain with the community when many members left with the changes of Vatican II as she found those changes that urged members to go out into the community "as allowing me to become more myself."

Early in religious life she taught in Easthampton and Milford. Later, she served as a consultant for the Springfield Diocese's Office of Religious Education and the Office of Pastoral Ministry, and then as pastoral minster at St. Jerome Parish for 20 years.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield gathered at St. Joseph Chapel on the grounds of what was once their mother house, in Holyoke, this weekend to elected a new leadership team that will be formally installed June 25.Anne-Gerard Flynn photo 

Deady, incoming vice president, is a native of Chicopee and taught at Holyoke Catholic High School before becoming a pastoral minister at All Saints Parish in Ware.

Smith, a native of West Springfield, taught at Cathedral High School and ministered in Africa for 42 years before beginning her current job ministering at Genesis Retreat Center in Westfield.

Campbell, born in Montreal, is currently employed as a case manager at Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield. She worked for many years in the mental health field and was co-founder and co-director of Weston Rehabilitation Associates for 20 years.

The current team, headed by Sister Maxyne Schneider, has been in place for six years and faced one of the most financially challenging chapters, including the sale of the Mont Marie Mother House, in the history of the congregation that began its teaching ministry in the Springfield diocese in 1880.

Schneider has served with Sister Elizabeth Sullivan, vice president, and team members Sisters Carol Hebert, Virginia Maitland and Lillian Reilly.

Massachusetts state Sen. Ken Donnelly, an Arlington Democrat and former Lexington firefighter, died Sunday. He was 66.

Massachusetts state Sen. Ken Donnelly, an Arlington Democrat and former Lexington firefighter, died Sunday. He was 66.

He passed away surrounded by his family, his office said in an emailed statement on Sunday night. "The cause of death was a brain tumor he gallantly battled for 8 months," the statement said.

Donnelly was hospitalized in July 2016, underwent brain surgery, and returned to work months later. He did not have an opponent in November 2016.

"Ken was known to all who knew him first and foremost for his devotion to his family and as a fighter for those without a voice," said the Sunday night statement from his office.

A Cambridge native, Donnelly served as a firefighter for 37 years in Lexington before he was elected to the Senate in 2008. He was also a former secretary treasurer for the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, a union.

Donnelly's district includes Arlington, Burlington, Billerica, Woburn and parts of Lexington.

He leaves Judy, his wife; his children Ryan, Keith and Brenna; and five grandchildren, according to his office.

Colleagues on both sides of the aisle and others in Massachusetts politics took to social media on Sunday night to offer tributes to Donnelly.

Sen Donnelly & I go back 20 years. He was a firefighter & elected official, but loved most of all being a dad & husband. He will be missed. https://t.co/qxUdKwMLXA

-- Charlie Baker (@CharlieBakerMA) April 3, 2017

Ken was a wonderful colleague, mentor, and friend. He represented the absolute best of what public service should be. A great loss. https://t.co/lXG6ffCFna

-- Eric Lesser (@EricLesser) April 3, 2017

Absolutely devestated to hear about the passing of my friend Ken. He was a great man, a great friend, and he will be missed. #Billerica https://t.co/aFNmOTOsi1

-- Marc Lombardo (@MarcTLombardo) April 3, 2017

Not sure I ever served with a better man. What a horrible loss. https://t.co/ifdFxG6NDk

-- Benjamin Downing (@BenjaminDowning) April 3, 2017

A quality human being who worked hard with a genuine passion to serve. https://t.co/sYr584ghqn

-- Tim Murray (@TimMurray_MA) April 3, 2017

We lost a good man tonight. https://t.co/bZQPibut4g

-- Tracy Novick (@TracyNovick) April 3, 2017

I didn't know @SenKenDonnelly well, but he always took time to ask me how me and my family were doing. 1/n @gintautasd https://t.co/UY8SX1tTMe

-- Dic Donohue (@DicDonohue) April 3, 2017

Awful news, Kenny was one of the great guys at Beacon Hill, he will be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. https://t.co/SB4sdDg8mt

-- Aaron Michlewitz (@RepMichlewitz) April 3, 2017

Just awful. Thinking of his family, friends, and staff. He leaves a big hole in the State House. #mapoli https://t.co/TwcpzyJ6fj

-- Jesse Mermell (@jessemermell) April 3, 2017

Heartbroken that my friend, fighter for labor, gentle soul, & progressive ally @SenKenDonnelly passed away. Thoughts go out to his family https://t.co/UfGMfHX4us

-- Jamie Eldridge (@JamieEldridgeMA) April 3, 2017

Saddened to hear of the loss of Senator Donnelly, a true champion for working families & advocate for equality. He will be missed by many.

-- Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) April 3, 2017

The full statement from his office, sent by chief of staff Cindy Friedman, is available below.

It is with enormous sadness that we must report that State Senator Ken Donnelly (D-Arlington) has passed away today surrounded by family.

At the time of his passing, Senator Donnelly was 66. The cause of death was a brain tumor he gallantly battled for 8 months.

Senator Donnelly represented the 4th Middlesex district including Arlington, Burlington, Billerica, Woburn and Lexington, precincts 1, 2, and 4 thru 7.

Prior to serving in the Massachusetts Senate, Senator Donnelly was a firefighter for 37 years in the Town of Lexington, and legislative agent and the secretary treasurer of the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts.

Ken was known to all who knew him first and foremost for his devotion to his family and as a fighter for those without a voice. Throughout his career, he fought to save others, protect the most vulnerable in our society, and give voice to working men and women across the Commonwealth. He was a staunch believer in the role of unions and government to protect workers, and he was well known for his efforts to advance justice and equality for all people no matter their race, religion, national origin, or sexual identification.

As such, he treated all with whom he met with dignity and respect, and over the many years he worked as both a union negotiator and state legislator, he earned back in return the respect and admiration of both his allies and his adversaries.

Senator Donnelly championed many causes during his career, from increasing access and quality to mental health services for all; to funding for workforce training for the unemployed and underemployed; to more protections for homeless families and retirees on fixed incomes; to women's' access to healthcare; and to the creation of a criminal justice system that was fair for all.

Through all these diverse efforts, Senator Donnelly never sought the accumulation of personal credit; but rather he was dedicated to the causes he believed in and the people he represented, and he brought his tremendous energy, courage, and passion to changing many lives for the better.

Senator Donnelly's number one priority was his family. He leaves behind his loving wife of 43 years, Judy; his beloved children Ryan, Keith, and Brenna and his 5 grandchildren; and a large extended family and group of friends who loved and admired him.

Details on his wake and funeral arrangements will be announced when they become available.

Ludlow-based Caracas Construction is replacing the underground water main through the intersection of Triangle Street.

AMHERST -- Preliminary work has begun on the East Pleasant and Triangle streets roundabout. From now through May 8, the work consists of water and sewer line work before the intersection is closed for the reconstruction.

Ludlow-based Caracas Construction is replacing the underground water main through the intersection of Triangle Street. The road is open, but motorists could experience some delays.

The intersection will be closed at the end of the academic calendar for about six weeks, Town Engineer Jason Skeels said.

The bulk of the work should be completed this calendar year, and the final pavement will be applied in 2018.

The town began looking at improvements at the intersection in 2011.

In 2014, the town hired the Providence, Rhode Island-based CDM Smith to conduct a feasibility study after settling on a single roundabout over a traffic signal with left turn lanes on all approaches.

The intersection is considered the gateway to the University of Massachusetts.

There is a traffic signal now, but the left lane options are not available on all approaches.

Warner Brothers of Sunderland will do the roadwork, Skeels said.  

This will be the town's fourth roundabout, with two on Route 116 in South Amherst near Atkins Farms Country Market and one at North Pleasant Street and Eastman Lane on the UMass campus.

Mayor Richard A. Cohen is the sponsor of a resolution to appropriate and authorize borrowing $5.28 million for the Walnut Street Extension Streetscape Improvement Project, as the effort is formally known.

UPDATE at 6 p.m. Monday, April 3: Mayor Richard A. Cohen has requested the City Council to table the resolution on the borrowing authorization until the council's meeting on April 18.

AGAWAM -- A request to borrow almost $5.3 million for a construction project to breathe new life into a rundown commercial district is among the items the Agawam City Council will consider when it meets at 7 this evening.

Mayor Richard A. Cohen is the sponsor of a resolution that asks the City Council to appropriate and authorize borrowing $5.28 million for the Walnut Street Extension Streetscape Improvement Project.

Cohen says he envisions a "mini-Northampton" for the stale commercial district, which is only a few hundred feet from the Morgan-Sullivan Bridge and includes the former Games & Lanes property, the site of ongoing environmental cleanup efforts due to groundwater contamination. 

The Morgan-Sullivan Bridge linking Agawam to West Springfield is slated for reconstruction as part of a three-year federal / state project that is expected to get underway by spring 2018. Preliminary work on the bridge project could begin as early as September, however, which is why proponents of the Walnut Street Extension plan are eager to get started.

Work could begin this summer if the City Council approves the resolution to borrow money for the project, which is expected to take around 18 months to complete.

The $5.28 million would fund the cost of construction, construction management, right-of-way acquisitions, inspection services, and other expenses related to transforming Walnut Street Extension into an attractive, pedestrian-friendly commercial district, according to Agawam officials.

Broken down, the costs are as follows:

• Around $4.3 million for construction;
• $829,400 for relocating utilities;
• and $179,250 for property acuisitions.

The goal, project backers say, is to create an improved downtown destination that encourages new private development and also benefits existing businesses.

Highlights of the proposed project, which is roughly bounded by a shopping center and Springfield and Suffield streets, include an outdoor pedestrian plaza, entry arch, parking, landscaping, electric vehicle-charging stations, a bike and walking path, and traffic-calming measures that include raised crosswalks and a roundabout.

Agawam's 2010 Economic Development Plan targeted the area to be redeveloped into the city's "new town center." The City Council adopted a mixed-use development district for the area in 2014, which is also when the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission began working with Agawam on the plan.

Not everyone is tickled with the notion of borrowing millions to pay for the improvements, however.

Roughly 85 percent of respondents to an informal online survey, which did not require people to provide names or addresses, said Agawam should not bond for the project, arguing that the city cannot afford the nearly $5.3 million price tag and citing other reasons not to support the effort.

"No matter how much lipstick you put on a pig, it's still a pig," one respondent commented on the survey, which may be viewed by clicking HERE.

A review committee will evaluate each proposal and submit its recommendation to Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.

SPRINGFIELD -- Two developers have offered to purchase the vacant former Elias Brookings Elementary School on Hancock Street either for mixed-income housing or for restoration as a charter or private school.

The proposals were the sole bids received by the city for the tornado-damaged building located at 367 Hancock St. in the Six Corners neighborhood.

A review committee will evaluate each proposal and submit its recommendation to Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. Any sale of the site will need approval from Sarno and the City Council.

Iconic Capital LLC, of Forest Hills, New York, is offering to buy the property for $300,000 to keep it as a school.

"We believe there is significant demand and need for this kind of building facilities from private and charter schools," said Jeremie Lederer, of Iconic Capital, LLC. "We would like to modernize this historic school building and preserve its character to be used once again as a school, the way it was originally intended to be."

Better Homes Inc. submitted the competing proposal, offering to buy the school property for $215,000 to redevelop the property into 45 mixed-income housing units to anchor the residential community, the proposal states. Better Homes, which also does business as Home City Housing, is a nonprofit that owns housing in Northampton and Springfield.

"It is not only feasible, it is desirable," said Thomas P. Kegelman, executive director of Better Homes Inc. "We sincerely believe that the proposal we are presenting is the best possible means to preserve this building and improve the surrounding neighborhood."

The former Brookings School was seriously damaged in the tornado of 2011, and was replaced by a new, state-funded Brookings School at a nearby location on Walnut Street. The old three-story brick school was built in 1925, and is being sold "as is."

The city's mission is to select "the most advantageous" proposal, regardless of the price offered. The city has the right to reject both bids if not deemed acceptable under its guidelines. Officials will consider factors such as the experience of the developer, project feasibility, readiness to proceed, how the project impacts the site and neighborhood, direct financial impact and the developer's experience developing historic properties.

Iconic Capital states that it owns and manages more than $75 million worth of commercial real estate in Massachusetts and New York.

Its most recent project is the Western Mass. Recovery and Wellness Center at 155 Mill St., in Springfield, for the Hampden County Sheriff's Department.

Better Homes said it has redeveloped five historic buildings in Springfield in the last four years, and one in Northampton totaling 95 units and more than $17 million in construction costs.

The Maple High Six Corners Neighborhood Council issued letters of support for both proposals submitted for the old Brookings School.

Six guest rooms in the 26-year-old facility have been renovated during a $1.485 million project that will see work done from top to bottom. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- It's nice to see where your money goes, and a few large donors to Springfield's Ronald McDonald House got to do just that as the home away from home for hundreds of young hospital patients and their families showed off recent renovations to guest rooms.

Six guest rooms in the 26-year-old facility have been renovated during a $1.485 million project that will see work done from top to bottom.

Robert Bolduc, CEO of Pride Stores, Paul Scully, CEO of Country Bank, and Lee Kirk, administrator of Shriners Hospital in Springfield, were on hand to cut a ribbon and view the rooms that their donations made possible.

"The community needs help like this, and local businesses are picking up the need," said Pride's Robert Bolduc. "We were happy to do it 25 years ago, and we are now."

Other donors to the campaign are Shriners Hospitals for Children, Irene E. & George A. Davis Family Foundation, MassMutual Foundation, OMG, Inc., United Bank, Big Y Stores, S. Prestley & Helen Blake, Farmington Bank Community Foundation, Junior League of Greater Springfield, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. , Sue Monks, Pat & Leslie Sheehy and Stuart & Jessica Young.

With 15 guest rooms still to renovate, a new HVAC system to pay for, a new playground and basement repairs to be made, the campaign is still $750,000 short of its goal.  

It's official: Amherst College students and athletes will now be represented by the mammoth.

Amherst College students, faculty and alumni have decided on the school's first official mascot: the Mammoth.

Nearly 9,295 alumni and students participated in a vote on the mascot from March 20 to 31. On Monday, the results were clear: Amherst College now going to represented by the hairy, stampeding beast.

The Mammoth mascot was identified as "impressive" and "stupendous and monumental" by voters. 

The Mammoths were selected by a vote of 9,295 Amherst alumni, students, faculty and staff. https://t.co/P3Z3h4HpXd pic.twitter.com/KTIk29pEx7

-- Amherst College (@AmherstCollege) April 3, 2017

"They are delightfully appropriate for competitive teams," noted one entry. "I could easily see Amherst with a purple mammoth mascot."

Additionally, the school houses a Columbian mammoth skeleton in the Beneski Museum of Natural History. The skeleton was brought to Amherst College by professor Frederick Brewster Loomis in 1925. 

The Amherst College Board of Trustees announced in last January that Lord Jeffery Amherst, the school's unofficial mascot, would no longer come to represent the college. The decision followed a number of student protests against Lord Jeffery Amherst's well-documented endorsement of the use of smallpox blankets against American Indians. 

"Amherst College finds itself in a position where a mascot --which, when you think about it, has only one real job, which is to unify--is driving people apart because of what it symbolizes to many in our community," the board said in a statement.

A mascot committee of students and staff assembled to develop a method and timeline for the search. The college community contributed 2,045 mascot suggestions in the fall, which was narrowed down to 30 semifinalists in December.

Then in February, the committee used input from 441 student and alumni delegates to get the list down to five finalists.

During the process, the mascot committee identified five criteria the finalist had to represent to ensure the school was well represented. The mascot had to be unifying, represent positive qualities, be relevant, work well for male and female sports teams and have the ability to translate well visually. 

"Affection for Amherst and belief in what our College represents motivated our committee during this entire process," the committee wrote, "and we welcome the mammoths as the new mascot for Amherst College."

Michael Rodriguez, of Holyoke, is charged with the fatal shooting of Julian Cartie of New Britain, Connecticut, on Feb. 22, 2009, in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- Opening statements are slated for Tuesday in the murder trial of Michael Rodriguez, charged with murder in the 2009 fatal Springfield shooting of an Iraq-bound Connecticut soldier.

Rodriguez, 32, of Holyoke, has pleaded not guilty in the killing of 25-year-old Julian Cartie, of New Britain, Connecticut.

It took only half a day to select a jury Monday, with the afternoon spent by lawyers and Hampden Superior Court Judge John A. Agostini dealing with pretrial motions.

Rodriguez was arrested by police and federal agents in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in December 2014. The arrest came nearly six years after Cartie was shot to death on Feb. 22, 2009, near Crown Fried Chicken at State and Main streets.

Cartie, a former football star at New Britain High School, was scheduled for deployment with the Connecticut National Guard to Iraq later that year.

David Rountree, lawyer for Rodriguez, said he is seeking to show self defense on the part of his client.

At the time Rodriguez was arrested, police said the break came with information through a message to Text-A-Tip that led them to Jacinda Matias.

Matias, the driver of the car in which Rodriguez was riding, is charged with accessory after the fact of the murder. Assistant District Attorney Melissa Doran said Matias has an agreement with the prosecution and will testify.

On the night he was killed, Cartie, his brother and a friend visited several clubs downtown. Around 2 a.m. they were walking toward Crown Fried Chicken when they got into a dispute with passengers in a car, according to police.

One of the passengers got out and opened fire, police said.

View obituaries from The Republican newspaper in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Massachusetts state Rep. Geoff Diehl, R-Whitman, is taking a step towards a run against US Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Massachusetts state Rep. Geoff Diehl, R-Whitman, is taking a step towards a run against US Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

The Boston Herald reports Diehl is opening a federal campaign account and looking to fundraise while still taking an "exploratory" stance on a 2018 run.

US Senate races aren't cheap: Warren, D-Mass., raised $42 million in 2012, when she ran against then-incumbent Scott Brown. She has nearly $5 million in her campaign account now.

Warren, who is running for a second six-year term, repeatedly clashed with President Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election cycle, and since he took office, they've remained opponents, taking shots at each other through Twitter and in the media.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is up for re-election in 2018 and 46 percent in new WBUR poll say give someone else a chance

Diehl, a top Trump supporter in Massachusetts, has been on a statewide stage. In 2014, he successfully helped in the campaign to repeal automatic gas tax increases. He also sought to block the use of taxpayer dollars for Boston's bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Other Republicans who could run against Warren include Shiva Ayyadurai, who claims to have invented email, Mashpee's Allen Waters, and Winchester businessman John Kingston.

Former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling floated the idea of running for Senate in 2018, but later backed Ayyadurai in a post on Twitter.

Harry Reid urged Sen. Elizabeth Warren to consider running for president in 2020. Here's what she said

Agawam's mayor has asked the City Council to table a resolution that seeks to borrow $5.3 million to transform the rundown Walnut Street Extension business corridor into a vibrant commercial district with landscaping, traffic and other improvements. The matter will be the subject of a future public meeting, Cohen said.

AGAWAM -- Mayor Richard A. Cohen has asked the City Council to table a resolution to appropriate and authorize borrowing almost $5.3 million for the proposed Walnut Street Extension project, an initiative the mayor strongly supports.

"I am asking that you please table TR2017-17 until your April 18, 2017, meeting," Cohen, citing the resolution number, said in an email message to the City Council on Monday afternoon.

The mayor was the sponsor of the resolution, which the council was expected to consider at tonight's meeting at 7. 

Cohen said Councilor George Bitzas, the chairman of the Community Relations Committee, is going to call for an "open meeting" on the Walnut Street Extension Streetscape Improvement Project, as the effort is formally known.

The community meeting will give Cohen and Michelle Chase, the town engineer, an opportunity to update residents on cost reductions and other changes to the plan. It's also a chance to get feedback from the "public and stakeholders on this infrastructure project," Cohen said.

"I appreciate your consideration, as this project is an investment in our infrastructure to invite and entice economic development," he said in his email to the council.

The project calls for transforming the rundown Walnut Street Extension area into a vibrant downtown district with an outdoor pedestrian plaza, new landscaping, traffic-calming measures, and more.

If the city project is greenlighted, it would overlap with a state project to rebuild the Morgan-Sullivan Bridge linking Agawam to West Springfield. That plan calls for traffic improvements on both sides of the bridge.

South Hadley's Tower Theaters will show the movie "1984" for free at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, 2017 and any proceeds from a suggested donation of $5 will be given to the Holyoke Creative Arts Center.

HOLYOKE -- South Hadley's Tower Theaters will show the movie "1984" for free at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and any proceeds from a suggested donation of $5 will be given to the Holyoke Creative Arts Center.

"Do not miss this easy (and entertaining) way to support your local arts organizations here in the Pioneer Valley," said Jeffrey C. Bianchine, president and interim director of the Holyoke Creative Arts Center (HCAC).

The movie "1984" came out in 1984 and was based on the landmark book of the same title by George Orwell. The book branded into the popular culture the phrase "Big Brother" to connote the totalitarian control -- including listening and viewing devices -- a government imposes to tame its citizens.

Orwell's story is about bureaucrat Winston Smith (played in the movie by John Hurt) whose job in one of the departments is to rewrite history all day but who violates government controls by falling in love with Julia (played by Suzanna Hamilton). Richard Burton also stars.

HCAC is a nonprofit facility at 384A Dwight St. where people can take art classes. Classes cover oil, watercolor and acrylic painting, knitting, quilting, upholstery, wood carving, chair caning, photography, rug hooking and sewing, design and printing, including 3-D, among others. Courses last six to eight weeks at two to three hours per session and cost $25 to $255, according to the HCAC website.

South Hadley's Tower Theaters is at The Village Commons, 19 College St.

Khmery Som is 15 years old, Cambodian, 5 feet 3 inches, and around 150 pounds.

GREENFIELD -- Police continue to search for a missing 15-year-old girl who went missing from a residential program in Greenfield on March 25.

Khmery Som was last seen in Turners Falls on March 26. She was with a group of older men who are considered "very dangerous people," Som's stepmother, Jamie Guerin, told The Greenfield Recorder.

Som is  Cambodian, 5 feet 3 inches, 150 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Guerin said Som may be in Greenfield, Turners Falls, Amherst, Holyoke, Pittsfield, Lowell or Northampton, and that she looks older than 15. 

She may be in the company of an adult male, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"Her siblings miss her very much and are worried," Guerin said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Greenfield Police Department at (413) 773-5411 or police in the town where she's seen. Guerin said people can also call or text her anonymously at (413) 404-6577.

Trump recently failed to fulfill his pledge to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but he has had better outcomes in other areas.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Amid the turmoil over staff shake-ups, blocked travel bans and the Russia cloud hanging overhead, President Donald Trump is steadily plugging away at a major piece of his agenda: Undoing Obama.

From abortion to energy to climate change and personal investments, Trump is keeping his promises in methodically overturning regulations and policies adopted when Barack Obama was president.

It hasn't all been smooth sailing.

Trump recently failed to fulfill his pledge to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which continues to stand as Obama's most recognizable domestic policy achievement. Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan couldn't persuade enough fellow Republicans to back new health care legislation last month. Ryan pulled the measure just before a scheduled House vote.

Trump has had better outcomes in other areas.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Trump signed an executive order last week to deliver on his pledge to unravel Obama's efforts to curb global warming. The order launched a review of the Clean Power Plan, Obama's chief effort to curb carbon emissions by restricting greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants. Trump also lifted a 14-month-old halt on new coal leases on federal lands. The Obama administration had imposed a three-year freeze on such leases in January 2016.

The executive order covers a range of other Obama-era rules, including requirements to factor the "social cost" of carbon emissions into all regulatory actions and to crack down on methane emissions at oil and gas wells. Business groups had complained to Trump, himself a businessman, that the rules were intrusive and expensive.

INTERNET PRIVACY

Trump signed a measure Monday blocking online privacy regulations the Federal Communications Commission issued during Obama's final months in office. It's a first step toward allowing internet providers to sell information about their customers' browsing habits. The FCC rule was designed to give consumers more control over how companies like Comcast, AT&T and Verizon share information. Critics complained that the rule would have increased costs, stifled innovation and picked winners and losers among internet companies.

ABORTION/FAMILY PLANNING

Trump is expected to sign legislation erasing another Obama rule, one that barred states from withholding federal family planning funds from Planned Parenthood affiliates and other clinics that provide abortions. The rule was finalized shortly before Obama left office in January.

The measure cleared the Senate last week with Vice President Mike Pence, who is also president of the Senate, casting the tie-breaking 51st vote in the 100-member chamber.

KEYSTONE XL OIL PIPELINE

Trump greenlighted the long-delayed project on March 24, reversing Obama's decision less than 18 months earlier. After Trump invited TransCanada, the Canadian company building the $8 billion pipeline, to resubmit its application, the State Department approved the project, saying it would advance U.S. national interests. Obama had said the project would not.

Approval came nearly a decade after TransCanada applied to complete the 1,700-mile (2,735 kilometers) pipeline to carry oil from tar sands in Alberta, Canada, to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Trump says the project will reduce costs and reliance on foreign oil, and create thousands of jobs. Obama had said it would undercut U.S. credibility in international efforts to tackle climate change.

DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE

Under Obama, the Army Corps of Engineers had declined in December to allow pipeline construction under South Dakota's Lake Oahe on grounds that alternate routes needed to be considered. Native American tribes had sued to block construction, arguing that the pipeline threatened their water supply and cultural sites.

The project has moved forward again under Trump, who acted shortly after taking office. In February, the Army Corps of Engineers abandoned further study and granted an easement that was needed to complete the pipeline. Energy Transfer Partners immediately began drilling under the lake.

FUEL EFFICIENCY STANDARDS

The Trump administration is re-examining federal requirements governing the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks. In 2012, the Obama administration set fuel economy regulations for model years 2017-2025 and agreed to complete a midterm evaluation by next year. Then, days before Obama left office, the Environmental Protection Agency decided to keep stringent requirements it had set in place for model years 2022-2025.

The auto industry balked. Trump announced in Michigan that he's putting the midterm review back on track. His decision has no immediate effect but requires the EPA to determine no later than April 2018 whether the 2022-2025 standards are appropriate.

TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

Obama was his administration's biggest cheerleader for the sweeping agreement involving the U.S. and 11 other Pacific Rim nations. But the Senate needed to ratify it, and bipartisan opposition basically doomed it before he left office.

As a candidate, Trump railed against the agreement and pledged to withdraw from it, saying he was a better negotiator and could strike better deals. Shortly after taking office, he directed the U.S. trade representative to withdraw and said he would pursue individual deals with the other countries.

ABORTION/MEXICO CITY POLICY

Trump reinstated a ban on providing federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information about them. Obama had lifted the ban when he took office in 2009.

Known as the "Mexico City Policy" or, by critics, as the "global gag rule," the regulation has been a political volleyball, instituted by Republican administrations and rescinded by Democratic ones since 1984. Trump signed it one day after the 44th anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion in the United States. The policy also prohibits taxpayer funding for groups that lobby to legalize abortion or promote it as a family planning method.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Trump has instructed the Department of Labor to delay an Obama-era rule that would require financial professionals who charge commissions to put their clients' best interests first when advising them on retirement investments. The "fiduciary rule" was aimed at blocking consultants from steering clients toward investments with higher commissions and fees that can eat away at retirement savings. The rule was to take effect this month. The financial services industry argued that the rule would limit retirees' investment choices by forcing asset managers to steer them to low-risk options.

Undoing the rule was part of a promised assault by Trump on banking rules enacted after the Great Recession. He has directed the Treasury secretary to review the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial oversight law, which he has said is a disaster. The law's aim was to keep banks from repeating practices that many blamed for the financial meltdown.