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Noam Chomsky gave a talk on the threats to human existence at UMass Amherst on Thursday evening.

AMHERST - Renowned intellectual Noam Chomsky gave a sprawling, often grim, but ultimately hopeful speech at UMass Amherst's Mullins Center on Thursday night, outlining his vision for what he believes are humanity's "prospects for survival." 

Noam Chomsky.Donna Coveney 

Though his talk was often bleak, Chomsky's appearance Thursday night was actually part celebration. Organized and sponsored by the UMass Amherst Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), his talk was meant to help commemorate the inaugural opening of the newly constructed Crotty Hall, the new home of the UMass Amherst Department of Economics.

Chomsky, who is professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT), has, since the 1960s, been a vociferous social and political critic, and was one of the first and most well-known opponents of the Vietnam War--penning the essay collection American Power and the New Mandarins in 1969 that criticized what he described as the U.S.'s "brutal" foreign policy in East Asia.

Since then, Chomsky has written hundreds of books and essays on a range of issues including U.S. foreign policy, the Israeli occupation of Palestine, American interventionism in the Third World, the abuses of corporate power, the effects of environmental degradation, and many other topics. 

At 88-years-old, Chomsky has become one of the most well-known left intellectuals and activists in the world. 

Sagan versus Mayr

That renown may have explained the full auditorium Thursday night. Mullins, usually reserved for sporting and musical events, was packed with hundreds of people--all of whom broke into a roar of applause as Chomsky took the stage.

Chomsky's speech turned on an anecdote involving a decades old debate between popular scientific figure Carl Sagan and biologist Ernst Mayr concerning the likelihood of finding intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. 

Sagan believed that, due to the size of the universe, it was very likely that planets amenable to intelligent life existed elsewhere in the cosmos, Chomsky explained. Therefore, Sagan argued, it was likely that humans might, at some point, encounter other intelligent life. 

Mayr, however, disagreed. By using life on Earth as an example, Mayr argued that the most successful species over long periods of time are those that mutate quickly like bacteria, or those that stay in a fixed ecological niche, such as beetles. The long-term survival rate drops off as you go up the scale of intelligence, he said.

Because of this, Mayr ultimately asserted that the history of life on Earth disputes the belief that it is better to be smart than stupid.

Chomsky's lecture, in turn, centered around this central question--whether, in terms of survival, it is better to be smart or stupid. Destructive human behavior over the past century has perhaps proven Ernst more correct than Sagan, Chomsky said. 

Threats to survival: climate change and nuclear war 

Two threats--that of global annihilation through direct nuclear conflict, and the potentially species-killing challenges posed by climate change--were the primary concerns of Chomsky's discussion Thursday night. 

"As we all should be well aware, these are the two existential challenges that overshadow everything else," Chomsky said.

Chomsky's talk was peppered with historical examples of nearly catastrophic nuclear confrontation between Russia and the U.S., most of which were drawn from the Cold War period.

However, Chomsky mentioned he was well aware of the contemporary relevance of these examples--drawing parallels between Cold War conflicts and the present, tenuous relationship between the world's two nuclear superpowers.

The conflict in Syria--which some have called a "proxy war" between the U.S. and Russia--and the resultant diplomatic troubles between the two superpowers has posed a serious problem, Chomsky argued. Conflict between the two countries would likely result in the annihilation of all life on earth, he said.   

Dominance Over Security  

The discussion of the U.S.'s relationship with Russia was part of a larger point Chomsky sought to make Thursday night, which was that while the U.S. has consistently justified its aggressive foreign policy as a means of keeping Americans safe, these policies often, ironically, have the opposite effect.

Chomsky argued that the real goal of U.S. foreign policy is the maintenance of global power, even at the risk of the annihilation of its own population. 

As evidence, Chomsky cited multiple historical examples in which American officials ignored diplomatic means of conflict resolution, turning instead to more risky and aggressive avenues of engagement with the Soviet Union. 

The Cuban missile crisis--infamously remembered as one of the most dangerous moments in human history--was partially the result of President Kennedy's refusal to use diplomatic means when dealing with Russia rather than outright aggression, Chomsky argued.   

"For planners, the security of the population is a very marginal concern," he said. "Even security from utter destruction," he said.  

Hope for the future 

Though Chomsky's talk was often grim and full of examples of brutal historical violence, he ultimately ended on a hopeful note--directing his audience's attention to the shift in political attitudes in the U.S. 

Chomsky pointed to the popularity of Bernie Sanders as a political candidate in the U.S. as a sign that new generations were becoming more aware of the various economic, ecological, and international crises and struggles that lay ahead.  

As to the original conceit surrounding the debate between Sagan and Mayr, Chomsky left that to his audience to decide whether being the most intelligent creatures on earth would end up being a blessing or a curse. 

"It's a question for you to ponder, and like it or not, for you to answer," Chomsky said, in conclusion. "And not without too much of a delay."

A fire at a garbage collection company may take hours to put out, said a spokesman for the Springfield Fire Department.

SPRINGFIELD - A fire inside the trash facility of the Republic Services McNamara Transfer Station on Rose Street will likely take hours to totally extinguish, said Springfield Fire Department spokesman Dennis Leger.

Leger said firefighters were called to the building at 44 Rose Street in East Springfield at approximately 6:15 p.m. on Friday, after reports of the fire came in.

"This is a stubborn smokey fire," Leger said, saying it would likely take hours to extinguish.  

Leger didn't report any injuries as a result of the fire and did not provide an estimate on damages to the building. 

Airlines are scrambling to respond to a public-relations nightmare after a video showed airport officers violently yanking and dragging 69-year-old David Dao from his seat on a sold-out United Express flight.

By DAVID KOENIG and DAMIAN TROISE | AP Business Writers

Delta is letting employees offer customers nearly $10,000 in compensation to give up seats on overbooked flights, hoping to avoid an uproar like the one that erupted at United after a passenger was dragged off a jet.

United is taking steps too. It will require employees seeking a seat on a plane to book it at least an hour before departure, a policy that might have prevented last Sunday's confrontation.

Those and other changes show airlines are scrambling to respond to a public-relations nightmare -- the video showing airport officers violently yanking and dragging 69-year-old David Dao from his seat on a sold-out United Express flight.

Dao and three others were ordered off the plane after four airline employees showed up at the last minute and demanded seats so they could be in place to operate a flight the next day in Louisville, Kentucky.

On Friday, a United spokeswoman said the airline changed its policy to require traveling employees to book a flight at least 60 minutes before departure. Had the rule been in place last Sunday, United Express Flight 3411 still would have been overbooked by four seats, but United employees could have dealt with the situation in the gate area instead of on the plane.

Delta Air Lines is moving to make it easier to find customers willing to give up their seats. In an internal memo obtained Friday by The Associated Press, Delta said gate agents can offer up to $2,000, up from a previous maximum of $800, and supervisors can offer up to $9,950, up from $1,350.

United said it is reviewing its compensation policies. The airline would not disclose its current payment limit.

Other airlines said they were examining their policies. American Airlines updated its rules to say that no passenger who has boarded the plane will be removed to give the seat to someone else.

None would describe their limits on paying passengers.

When there aren't enough seats, airlines usually ask for volunteers by offering travel vouchers, gift cards or cash.

Last year Delta got more passengers to give up their seats than any other U.S. airline, partly by paying more than most of the others.

As a result, it had the lowest rate among the largest U.S. airlines of bumping people off flights against their will -- something that is legal but alienates customers and requires the airline to pay compensation of up to $1,350 per person.

Overselling flights is a fact of life in the airline business. Industry officials say that it is necessary because some passengers don't show up, and that overbooking keeps fares down by reducing the number of empty seats.

The practice has been questioned, however, since video of the United Express incident went viral. United Continental CEO Oscar Munoz's initial attempts to apologize were roundly criticized. On Friday, company Chairman Robert Milton said the board supported Munoz.

"We need to use this regrettable event as a defining moment and pivot off it to craft friendly policies," Milton said in a note to employees.

The dragging has turned into a public-relations nightmare for the entire industry, not just United, and led to calls from politicians and consumer advocates to suspend or ban overbooking.

Ben Schlappig, a travel blogger who first wrote about the Delta compensation increase, said it shows Delta is trying to reduce forced bumping. He said he couldn't imagine many situations in which people wouldn't jump at nearly $10,000.

Delta no doubt hopes that gate agents and their supervisors won't need to make maximum offers, and the financial cost to the airline is likely to be limited. If Delta paid $9,950 to every person it bumped involuntarily last year, that would total $12 million. Delta earned nearly $4.4 billion.

Raising the limits "lets them solve some PR problems" and might head off U.S. Transportation Department regulations to curb overbooking, said another travel blogger, Gary Leff. "They can say, 'Look, we're already solving the problem.'"

An AP analysis of government data shows that in 2015 and 2016, Delta paid an average of $1,118 in compensation for every passenger that it denied a seat. Southwest Airlines paid $758, United $565, and American Airlines $554.

After the incident in Chicago, critics questioned why United didn't offer more when no passengers accepted the airline's $800 offer for volunteers to give up their seats.

"If you offer enough money, even the guy going to a funeral will sell his seat," said Ross Aimer, a retired United pilot.

A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child enticement and child pornography in Boston federal court on Friday.

BOSTON - 40-year-old Joseph Debrum, of Taunton, pleaded guilty to numerous child enticement and child pornography charges in federal court in Boston on Friday, admitting to an illegal, multi-state scheme in which he assumed fake online identities to coerce underage girls into sending him sexually explicit pictures.

Debrum's crimes took place over a one-year period, from May 2014 to March 2015, during which time he would alternately pretend to be a 21-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl--using these fake online personas to encourage seven underage girls living in six different states to engage in sexual acts and to send him pictures of the acts.

The girls, which ranged in age from 14 to 16-years-old, sent Debrum pictures of their sexual activity, or let him view their activities through a live online feed, which he would photograph with his cell phone.  

Later, Debrum coerced them by threatening to show the pictures to people. He also shared the pictures, sending pictures of one victim to the victim's parent.  

In April 2015, Debrum was interviewed by authorities and admitted to them that he had used fake online identities to speak to his victims, as well as to asking them to engage in sexual acts and take take sexual pictures.

In court Friday, Debrum pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual exploitation of children, seven counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, and two counts of distribution of child pornography. 

Debrum could be looking at significant prison time, with all of his crimes having attached mandatory minimum sentences. Sexual exploitation charges ask for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, while coercion and enticement of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. Child pornography distribution charges ask for a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years. 

He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18.

A 19-year-old from Holyoke is facing a number of charges after being arrested on Walnut Street on Friday morning.

HOLYOKE - A 19-year-old Holyoke man was taken into custody during a tumultuous arrest on Friday morning and is now facing a lengthy list of charges, according to a statement released by Lt. Jim Albert of the Holyoke Police Department. 

Joe Anthony Montaner-Vazquez. Holyoke Police Department 

Joe Anthony Montaner-Vazquez was taken into custody after police were called to a residence at 123 Walnut Street, after a report came in for a disturbance involving a man with a gun. 

When police arrived, they found Montaner-Vazquez armed with a Ruger 9MM semi-automatic handgun, and in possession of a bottle of Hennessy Cognac, according to Albert.  

Police engaged in a brief struggle with Montaner-Vazquez, during which police were forced to deploy a taser, Albert said.

The firearm was later found to have been stolen out of Pittsfield in November, 2016, Albert said. 

Montaner-Vazquez now faces the following charges:

• Disorderly conduct
• Resisting arrest
• Carrying/Possession of a firearm without an FID card
• Carrying/Possession of a loaded firearm
• Receiving stolen property over $250
• Minor transporting/carrying alcohol
   

He was arraigned in Holyoke District Court on Friday.

BOSTON - The 104th Fighter Wing will support Boston marathon runners on land and in air during next week's race, announced U.S. Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Brenda Hendricksen in a statement Friday.  Hendricksen said that the Massachusetts Air National Guard F-15 Eagles will fly in formation along the marathon 's route as a "symbol of patriotism," while members of the 104th...

BOSTON - The 104th Fighter Wing will support Boston marathon runners on land and in air during next week's race, announced U.S. Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Brenda Hendricksen in a statement Friday. 

Hendricksen said that the Massachusetts Air National Guard F-15 Eagles will fly in formation along the marathon 's route as a "symbol of patriotism," while members of the 104th Security Forces Squadron and Explosive Ordinance Disposal team will work together with local authorities to ensure safety during the race.

"The 104th Security Forces Squadron is a critical part of the Massachusetts National Guard Reaction Force and will be partnered with state and local law enforcement during the 121st Boston Marathon on Monday, 17 April 2017," said Lt. Col. Vincent M. Heitman, Commander 104th Security Forces Squadron, in a statement. "This event is expected to draw over one million spectators along the route and the 104 SFS will be there to ensure all participants and spectators have a safe and memorable experience," Heitman said. 

The "patriotic flyover" will occur at approximately 9:50 a.m. on the morning of the race. 

Cape Cod boaters have been asked to proceed with "extreme caution" to avoid hitting an unusually high number of endangered whales.

CAPE COD - Boaters have been urged by officials with the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to use extreme caution when enjoying the waters of Cape Cod.  

According to a statement released by the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game on Friday, an unusually large amount of endangered North Atlantic right whales have been observed in the bay area. 

The right whale, which is known to congregate and feed near the bay on an annual basis, is a species of whale so endangered that their entire population is only about 500 animals, the statement says. 

An aerial survey conducted on April 12 by the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies showed that roughly 163 of those whales were present in the Cape Cod Bay, meaning that some 30 percent of the known population of the species was sighted in the same bay on a single day. 

"Aggregations of this magnitude have never been observed in Cape Cod Bay before," said Gronendyke. 

Boat owners have been urged to "proceed with extreme caution" and to reduce speed to less than 10 knots.

The statement also reminded boaters that both state and federal law bars vessels from coming within 500 yards of a right whale, and that Massachusetts Environmental Police and the U.S. Coast Guard are known to enforce that law. 

A man who reportedly crashed his pickup truck into a McKinstry Avenue garage overnight did not sustain any injuries in the incident, police said Saturday.

CHICOPEE -- A man who reportedly crashed his pickup truck into a McKinstry Avenue garage overnight did not sustain any injuries in the incident, police said Saturday. 

Chicopee Police responded to reports of a crash at the corner of Baystate Road and York Street around 12:20 a.m.

Officer Matt Naglieri found a pickup truck had crashed into a garage located at nearby 805 McKinstry Ave., police reported. He pried the vehicle's door open to allow the operator to safely exit.

The driver, an unidentified man, was not injured in the crash, according to Chicopee Police. No one was in the garage at the time of the incident. 

Officers cited the man for failing to stop for a stop sign and failing to use care when slowing or stopping, police reported. 

The building inspector was called to assess the damage to the garage. 

North Korea paraded its intercontinental ballistic missiles in a massive military display in central Pyongyang on Saturday, with ruler Kim Jong Un looking on with delight as his nation flaunted its increasingly sophisticated military hardware amid rising regional tensions.

PYONGYANG, North Korea -- North Korea paraded its intercontinental ballistic missiles in a massive military display in central Pyongyang on Saturday, with ruler Kim Jong Un looking on with delight as his nation flaunted its increasingly sophisticated military hardware amid rising regional tensions.

Kim did not speak during the annual parade, which celebrates the 1912 birthday of his late grandfather Kim Il Sung, North Korea's founding ruler, but a top official warned that the North would stand up to any threat posed by the United States.

Choe Ryong Hae said President Donald Trump was guilty of "creating a war situation" on the Korean Peninsula by dispatching U.S. forces to the region.

"We will respond to an all-out war with an all-out war and a nuclear war with our style of a nuclear attack," said Choe, widely seen by analysts as North Korea's No. 2 official.

The parade, the annual highlight of North Korea's most important holiday, came amid growing international worries that North Korea may be preparing for its sixth nuclear test or a major missile launch, such as its first flight test of an ICBM capable of reaching U.S. shores.

But if the parade signaled a readiness for war, North Korea has long insisted that its goal is peace -- and survival -- with the growing arsenal a way to ensure that the government in Pyongyang is not easily overthrown.

North Korea saw the toppling of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Moammar Gadhafi in Libya -- neither of whom had nuclear weapons -- as proof of the weapons' power.

"It will be the largest of miscalculations if the United States treats us like Iraq and Libya, which are living out miserable fates as victims of aggression, and Syria, which didn't respond immediately even after it was attacked," said a Friday statement by the general staff of the North Korean army, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

Also Friday, North Korea's vice foreign minister told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview that Trump's tweets -- he recently tweeted, for example, that the North is "looking for trouble" -- have inflamed tensions.

"Trump is always making provocations with his aggressive words," Han Song Ryol said.

U.S. retaliatory strikes earlier this month against Syria over a chemical weapons attack on civilians, coupled with Trump's dispatching of what he called an "armada" of ships to the region, touched off fears in South Korea that the United States was preparing for military action against the North.

Pyongyang has also expressed anger over the ongoing annual spring military exercises the U.S. holds with South Korea, which it considers a rehearsal for invasion.

But U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Friday that the Trump administration had settled on a policy that will emphasize increasing pressure on Pyongyang with the help of China, North Korea's only major ally, instead of military options or trying to overthrow Kim's regime.

A U.S. military official, who requested anonymity to discuss planning, said the United States doesn't intend to use military force against North Korea in response to either a nuclear test or a missile launch.

Kim, wearing a suit and tie, was greeted Saturday with thunderous -- and extensively practiced -- applause as he stepped into view on a large podium, clapping to acknowledge the thousands of soldiers and civilians taking part in the parade at Kim Il Sung Square.

The parade, an elaborate display of the state's immense power, involves tens of thousands of participants, from goose-stepping soldiers to crowds of civilians who have spent weeks perfecting their ability to wave plastic flowers in unison.

For outside military analysts, though, the highlight is the weaponry that the North puts on display.

A series of what appeared to be KN-08 missiles were among the weapons rolled out on trucks. Analysts say the missiles could one day be capable of hitting targets as far as the continental United States, although North Korea has yet to flight test them.

The parade also included large rockets covered by canisters in two different types of transporter erector launcher trucks, or TELs. An official from South Korea's Defense Ministry couldn't immediately confirm whether any of the rockets represented a new type of ICBM.

Kim Dong-yub, a North Korea expert at Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said the canisters and trucks suggested that the North was developing technology to "cold launch" ICBMs, ejecting them from the canisters before they ignite. This would allow North Korea to prevent its limited number of ICBM-capable launcher trucks from being damaged during launches and also make the missiles harder to detect after they're fired, he said. Cold launches would also allow the missiles to be fired from silos.

Kim, the analyst, said it's likely that North Korea is also developing solid-fuel ICBMs, and that some of the rockets inside the canisters on Saturday might have been prototypes.

Other military hardware at the parade included tanks, multiple rocket launchers and artillery, as well as a solid-fuel missile designed to be fired from submarines. Also on display was a powerful midrange missile that can potentially reach U.S. air bases in Guam, which outside analysts call a "Musudan," as well as a new solid-fuel midrange missile that can be fired from land mobile launchers, making them harder to detect before launch.

Kim Jong Un, a 30-something leader who took power in late 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, emphasizes nuclear weapons as the foundation of his national defense strategy. Under his watch, North Korea has aggressively pursued a goal of putting a nuclear warhead on an ICBM capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

In his annual New Year's address, Kim said North Korea's preparations for an ICBM launch had "reached the final stage." Recent satellite imagery suggests the country could conduct another underground nuclear test at any time.

North Korea conducted two nuclear tests last year alone, advancing its goal to make nuclear weapons small enough to fit on long-range missiles. The North also last year launched a long-range rocket that put a satellite into orbit, which Washington, Seoul and others saw as a banned test of missile technology.

Other senior officials joining Kim at the parade podium included Kim Won Hong, who the South Korean government had said earlier this year was fired from his job as state security minister, presumably over corruption. South Korea has a spotty record of tracking developments in North Korea, as information about the secretive, authoritarian state is often impossible to confirm.

Law enforcement sources confirm that an arrest has been made in Vanessa Marcotte case. Watch video

Law enforcement sources confirm that an arrest has been made in Vanessa Marcotte case.

Vanessa Marcotte was brutally slain while taking a jog near her mother's home in Princeton in August.

A DNA match played a part in the arrest, sources said. 

Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. announced in February that DNA was sent to Parabon NanoLabs, Inc. a DNA technology company, coming back with a description of a person of interest in her slaying. Early also said Marcotte's killer was a man who likely suffered injuries in a struggle with Marcotte.

Worcester County District Attorney office to discuss arrest in Vanessa Marcotte case

Marcotte's body was found on Brooks Station Road on Aug. 7. She was less than a mile from her mother's home, where she was visiting for the weekend.

Authorities believe she was attacked and killed between 1 and 3 p.m. Her body was found around 8:30 p.m.

Marcotte was a 27-year-old Google accounts manager who lived in New York.

The suspect is being held in at the Millbury State Police Barracks on a $10 million bail. Police have not released a name at this time. 

Timeline: The investigation of Vanessa Marcotte's murder

Related video: Description of Vanessa Marcotte's suspected killer released 

Worcester County District Attorney office will discuss the recent arrest made in the Vanessa Marcotte case at 2:30 p.m in Princeton. Watch video

Update at 2:27 p.m.: The press conference has been delayed to 2:55 p.m.

-------------------------

Worcester County District Attorney office will discuss the recent arrest made in the Vanessa Marcotte case at 2 p.m in Princeton.

Saturday morning law enforcement sources confirmed that an arrest had been made in the case.

Vanessa Marcotte was brutally slain while taking a jog near her mother's home in Princeton in August.

A DNA match played a part in the arrest, sources said. 

Law enforcement sources confirm an arrest has been made in Vanessa Marcotte case

Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. announced in February that DNA was sent to Parabon NanoLabs, Inc. a DNA technology company, coming back with a description of a person of interest in her slaying. Early also said Marcotte's killer was a man who likely suffered injuries in a struggle with Marcotte.

Marcotte's body was found on Brooks Station Road on Aug. 7. She was less than a mile from her mother's home, where she was visiting for the weekend.

Authorities believe she was attacked and killed between 1 and 3 p.m. Her body was found around 8:30 p.m.

Marcotte was a 27-year-old Google accounts manager who lived in New York.

The suspect is being held in at the Millbury State Police Barracks. Police have not released a name at this time. 

Timeline: The investigation of Vanessa Marcotte's murder

Related video: Description of Vanessa Marcotte's suspected killer released 

After months of anticipation for one pregnant giraffe and hundreds of thousands of obsessed viewers, April just made good. Watch video

After months of anticipation for one pregnant giraffe and hundreds of thousands of obsessed viewers, April just made good.

"It's happening!" Animal Adventure Park owner Jordan Patch yelled into a camera from his car about 7:30 Saturday morning. "We are in labor 100 percent!"

There had been false starts before, but not far away in a pen in upstate New York, two hooves were peeking out of April's backside.

Then a head.

Then at 9:55 a.m . . . an apparently healthy giraffe baby hit the floor in a shower of amniotic fluid and catharsis, as more than 1 million people watched live.

Half an hour later, the not-so-tiny infant took its first wobbly steps across a pen that's been live-streamed 24 hours a day for nearly two months.

Then it flopped delightfully back to the floor and submitted to a tongue bath from its mother.

We say "it," not yet knowing if the baby is a he or she, and because it has yet to be named.

If you paid to sign up for Animal Adventure's text alert system, you can expect to find out the calf's sex a few seconds before the rest of the world.

And the park plans to hold a baby-naming contest shortly after birth, according to Hollywood Life.

Then we'll find out if the baby turns out to be more or less popular than its mom - an admittedly tough act to follow.

This is April's fourth pregnancy, and it was not much different from the previous three until February, when someone reported her live feed to YouTube for "sexually explicit" content.

YouTube briefly took the feed down. It became ultra-popular after being restored, with people tuning in for hours at a time to avoid any chance of missing a birth that was expected first in March, then early April.

With the fans came some hand-wringing, as an NPR writer felt compelled to explain why the 24-hour camera wasn't invading a giraffe's privacy.

The phenomenon was a mystery to some, as April spent most of this time doing very little.

And yet, as one viewer wrote on Facebook: "I'm malnourished and dehydrated . . . my dog is turning fat because I just can't stop watching and he's being neglected . . . Please April for my own sanity have this baby soon."

The sensation took a weird turn when park staff prematurely said they expected a birth on the weekend of April 1.

This led first to a rash of April Fools' Day-themed conspiracy theories and jokes.

And then, when the weekend passed with no baby, it led to yet more waiting.

And then it was over. April shook up her routine in her final hours of labor watch - occasionally licking the camera lens that made her famous.

She wandered around her pen with an extra set of hooves for more than an hour. But once the tip of her baby's nose emerged, the birth was over quickly.

Now, for the rest of a life.

(c) 2017, The Washington Post. Avi Selk and Lindsey Bever wrote this story.

Immigration and climate change -- hot button topics in the 2016 presidential campaign -- took center stage again Saturday, as community organization Arise for Social Justice sought to highlight links between the two issues.

SPRINGFIELD -- Immigration and climate change -- hot button topics in the 2016 presidential campaign -- took center stage again Saturday, as community organization Arise for Social Justice sought to highlight links between the two issues.

The group, which is dedicated to addressing housing, environmental and public health issues, among other things, explored the connections between immigrants, refugees and climate change during an afternoon panel discussion and mini-conference at Springfield Technical Community College.

In addition to underscoring the interplay between the high-profile topics, the event featured workshops detailing actions Springfield-area residents can take to speak out against racism, organize for immigrants and address the health impacts of climate change.

Ann Ferguson, coordinator of Arise Springfield's community resource board and an organizer of the event, said she hopes individuals who attended the panel discussion and workshops walked away with a better understanding of how these issues connect, as well as how to get involved with local groups that are already organizing around them.

She noted that the decision to focus on links between climate and immigration issues came partially in response to the 2016 election. 

"Obviously things have taken a turn for the worst in the country when we have a climate denier for president and someone who's really put out this draconian ban against immigrants and visitors even from Muslim communities in the Middle East -- and drastically cut back the number of legal immigrants that can come to this country," she said in an interview. "We're upset with that and we think that needs to be challenged."

Ferguson, a former University of Massachusetts Amherst professor, said she believes that people need to organize "not just against (President Donald) Trump, but against all those tendencies that he represents that will really take us back."

Vijay Prashad, a Trinity College International Studies professor and author who spoke as part of the panel discussion, however, argued that the issues transcend partisan politics and the sitting president.

Contending that Americans need to acknowledge the role "imperialism" has played in U.S. foreign policy, Prashad said Democratic and Republican presidents alike have played a hand in shaping current issues related to climate change and immigration. 

He urged attendees to focus on "doing something about what we're already doing" in terms of foreign policy.

Arise Executive Director Michaelann Bewsee, Philanthropy for Change Founder and Director Ravi Khanna and Martha Nathan, of the local organization Climate Action Now, also spoke as part of the panel discussion.

Joelle Million, 70, of Longmeadow, said she and her husband decided to attend the event to learn more about the connection between immigration and climate-related issues -- a link which she said is often overlooked.

"The conference, I think, is making a connection that a lot of us don't between what is going to be happening even more so with climate change and the displacement of populations," she said. "I think that's something that the public needs to become more aware of: if we think we've got a refugee problem now, just wait to see what's going to happen."

The event was co-sponsored by the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition, Climate Action Now, the Markham-Nathan Justice Fund, the Pioneer Valley Workers Center, Jobs with Justice and the Springfield Unitarian Universalist Society.

The Pioneer Valley Interfaith Refugee Action Group, Western MA American Friends Service Committee, UMass Social Thought, Rosenberg Fund for Children and Political Economy Program and the UMass Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program also signed on as sponsors.

Eli Serrano, lead pastor of Restoration Worship Center on Plainfield Street, said Easter is "the Super Bowl of our faith."

SPRINGFIELD - Members of a Springfield church surprised drivers on Saturday by giving away more than $2,000 worth of gas.

The giveaway, to mark the Easter holiday, was held at two gas stations: Shell at the intersection of Main and Carew streets, and Mobil at 3111 Main St.

Eli Serrano, lead pastor of Restoration Worship Center on Plainfield Street, said Easter is "the Super Bowl of our faith," and God's sacrifice of his son was "the ultimate act of generosity."

"We could do an Easter egg hunt, but we wanted to really give back to our community," said Serrano. "It's been fun. It's been amazing."

Dozens of church volunteers filled drivers' tanks, handed out coffee and sandwiches, and offered prayer and worship information.

Later Saturday, the Springfield Thunderbirds were set to honor Pastors Eli and Candy Serrano with a "Game Changers" award. The ceremony is planned for halftime of the 7 p.m. home game versus the Hartford Wolfpack.

Serrano said it was an honor to be a part of God's plan for this region.

"We started the church in 2009 with seven families. Fast forward eight years, and to see how it's grown to over 1,100 people ... is very humbling," he said. "For us, it's just the beginning. There's still a lot more work to do."

Restoration Worship Center is located at Chestnut Accelerated Middle School. Worship services are held on Wednesday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. with a Spanish service at 1 p.m.

Firefighters have extinguished an afternoon blaze on the roof of an abandoned mill building, Great Barrington fire officials announced Saturday.

GREAT BARRINGTON -- Firefighters have extinguished an afternoon blaze on the roof of an abandoned mill building, Great Barrington fire officials announced Saturday.

Emergency crews responded to reports of a structure fire behind the Housatonic Fire Department Station just after noon. 

Upon arrival, firefighters found a fire on the roof of a wooden structure, which they quickly extinguished with use of an aerial ladder and water drafted from a nearby river, according to the Great Barrington Fire Department. 

The cause of the fire is not considered suspicious. 

The Forest Park Zoo located in Springfield, Massachusetts held their annual Eggstravaganza held on Saturday, April 15, 2017.

SPRINGFIELD - The Forest Park Zoo's annual Eggstravaganza held on Saturday, April 15, 2017. The event is one of the Springfield zoo's most popular events.

The event featured an Easter Bunny, face-painting, Easter eggs filled with candy and children could pet live rabbits.

The zoo is open for 2017. Spring pricing during weekends in April, Saturdays & Sundays from 10am-4pm.

About 40 locals gathered at the police station to hear the announcement of an arrest in connection with the killing of jogger Vanessa Marcotte. Watch video

As the crowd waited, their numbers grew. They arrived alone and in groups, in jeans, windbreakers and sunglasses, some with dogs and children in tow, to hear an answer to the question that has haunted this quiet town for more than eight months:

Who killed Vanessa Marcotte in Princeton?

When Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said police had arrested a suspect in connection with the Aug. 7, 2016 attack, people applauded outside the Princeton Police Department. They crowded close together, beside the television cameras and media photographers, to hear.  One man asked if officials could set up a speaker system to amplify the announcement, but no equipment was available.

Early announced that Worcester resident Angelo Colon-Ortiz had been matched to DNA found on Marcotte's hands after her death, and that he had been located after a state trooper noticed a dark SUV like the one spotted the day of the killing and scribbled down the license plate number on his hand.

For months, the killing of Marcotte - a Google employee killed while jogging down a wooded street a half mile from her mother's home - had gone unresolved and unexplained, a seemingly random and brutal puncturing of Princeton's sense of safety.

About 40 locals gathered at the police station to hear the announcement of an arrest. And while much is still unknown - Early would not discuss statements Colon-Ortiz made in his interview with police, and an anticipated murder charge has not yet been filed - residents interviewed by MassLive said the arrest of a suspect came as a relief.

The crowd cheered when Early simply stated, "We got him."

"I was scared. I'm a runner too, so I was running the same day this happened. I heard the news while I was at work, it was a shock," said 20-year-old Meghan Tessitore, minutes before the announcement. "This is Princeton. Nothing ever happens in Princeton."

The killing has stayed with Tessitore, a Princeton native, who said she continued to follow news of the case while away at college.

"I haven't been running around town," she said. "It's definitely been on my mind."

With news of the arrest, that fear has lifted.

"I think so. Definitely," Tessitore said, when asked if she will begin running in Princeton again.

Joanne Padellaro has lived in Princeton since 1995, and expressed relief at the news as she joined the crowd at the press conference.

"It always felt very safe. I sent my son to school here," she said. "I always let the kids out to play, to ride their bikes and skateboards."

Marcotte's death cast the streets of Princeton in a new and worrying light, Padellaro said. 

"I'm a walker every day, rain or shine, and since this happened I make sure there's somebody with me," Padellaro said. "I've spoken with many, many women who do the same." 

And Donna Brisbois , 55, walked to the police station with her dog Tanner in hopes of learning more details about what took place.

"I'm out with my dog all the time. If I didn't have a dog I wouldn't walk - alone, anyway," Brisbois said. "You always have to be cautious."

The news of an arrest was welcome, Brisbois said, but she plans to remain vigilant.

"It puts me at ease if this is definitely the right person and there's one less person who can hurt people, and the family has closure," she said. "But there's a lot of bad people in the world."

On Saturday afternoon a state trooper stood guard on the driveway of Marcotte's family home, as police vehicles drove to and from the residence. The family has not made a statement on the arrest, and Early said at the press conference that they wished to maintain their privacy.

 

Police in Hadley are searching for the owners of a beagle that was found in town on Saturday afternoon.

HADLEY - Authorities in Hadley are looking for the owners of a beagle mix that was found wandering around the south end of town, according to a statement released Saturday afternoon. 

An on-duty officer with Hadley Police Department said the dog is "older" and "very friendly."

The dog was found in the area of Mitch's Marina on Route 47 at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. 

Anyone who believes they recognize the dog or know the dog's owners have been encouraged to contact the Hadley Police Department at 413-584-0883.

North Korea on Sunday failed in a missile launch from its eastern coast, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, but it wasn't immediately clear what kind of missile was fired.

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea on Sunday failed in a missile launch from its eastern coast, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, but it wasn't immediately clear what kind of missile was fired.

The missile blew up almost immediately, U.S. Pacific Command said, according to The Washington Post.

The report added that the ballistic missile was fired "just minutes after Vice President Pence took off from Alaska" en route to South Korea, where he is expected to issue a warning to the North to stop its provocations.

The explosion was seen as "deep embarrassment" for North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, because the missile apparently was launched as a show of daring as U.S. war ships approached his country to deter provocations, The New York Times reported.

The launch from the city of Sinpo comes a day after one of the biggest North Korean propaganda events of the year -- celebrations of the 105th birthday of late North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, the current leader's grandfather. North Korea regularly launches short-range missiles, but it is also developing mid-range and long-range missiles meant to target U.S. troops in Asia and, eventually, the U.S. mainland.

North Korea launched a long-range rocket and conducted two nuclear tests last year, including its most powerful to date. Its eventual goal is a long-range nuclear missile that can strike the continental United States.

Aside from improving the technology, North Korean missile and nuclear tests are seen by outside analysts partly as efforts to bolster the domestic image of leader Kim Jong Un and apply political pressure on Seoul and Washington.

Kim Jong Un has overseen three nuclear tests and a string of missile and rocket launches since taking over after the death of his father, dictator Kim Jong Il, in late 2011.

North Korea 'ready to go to war' if Trump wants, official says

Another missile test from Sinpo failed earlier this month, when the rocket spun out of control and plunged into the ocean. That launch came shortly before U.S. President Donald Trump's first meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. China is North Korea's only major ally.

The extended-range Scud missile in that earlier launch suffered an in-flight failure and fell into the sea off North Korea's east coast, according to U.S. imagery and assessments.

Despite Sunday's failure, the North's previous claim to have used "standardized" warheads has led to worries that it was making headway in its push to develop small and sophisticated warheads to be topped on long-range missiles. The United States, South Korea and other countries have vowed to apply more pressure on the North, but so far nothing has worked to stop Pyongyang's nuclear program.

North Korea has spent decades trying to develop operational nuclear weapons.

It is thought to have a small arsenal of atomic bombs and an impressive array of short- and medium-range missiles. But it has yet to demonstrate that it can produce nuclear bombs small enough to place on a missile, or missiles that can reliably deliver their bombs to faraway targets.

The National Desk contributed to this report.