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Massachusetts SJC needs regional diversity, says retired Judge John M. Greaney

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Massachusetts' highest court benefits greatly from having a diverse panel of judges, including members representing all regions of the state, says John M. Greaney, a retired Supreme Judicial Court judge from Westfield.

SPRINGFIELD - Massachusetts' highest court benefits greatly from having a diverse panel of judges, including members representing all regions of the state, says John M. Greaney, a retired Supreme Judicial Court judge from Westfield.

"I think it's very important to have as much diversity on the SJC as possible," said Greaney in an interview on Thursday. "That includes regional diversity."

Greaney, who retired in 2008 and now works as senior counsel at the Springfield law firm of Bulkley,Richardson & Gelinas, joins a chorus of legislators and legal representatives who have been voicing the need to ensure at least one member of the seven-member high court comes from the state's four western counties.

The bar associations of Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties have been lobbying Gov. Charlie Baker to nominate a Western Massachusetts candidate to the Supreme Judicial Court.

Baker this summer will have the unprecedented opportunity to nominate a fifth judge to the SJC with the upcoming retirement of Judge Geraldine Hines when she reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70. Over the past two years, the governor has appointed four judges to the high court, one of whom took the seat held by Judge Francis X. Spina, of Pittsfield, who retired last year. Typically, governors have had one or perhaps two SJC appointments to make during their time in office.

While Greaney stressed he would not personally ask the governor to nominate a judge from Western Massachusetts, he said he believes regional diversity should be considered as Baker weighs his nominees.

"I think there are several reasons why this region should have judge," Greaney said."It is a distinct region and, whether you call it WestMass or Western Massachusetts, it has been recognized as such for a long period of time."

He pointed out the existence of Western Massachusetts offices operated by both the governor and attorney general as demonstrative of how the region is regarded as a distinct area of the state with its own issues and concerns.

"Secondly, there has been a tradition of having judges (from Western Massachusetts on the high court)," said Greaney, referencing one of his predecessors, Francis Quirico, himself and Spina, with whom he served.

In addition to serving as the highest appellate court for the state, the SJC also has administrative and other duties in which regional concerns are routinely addressed, said Greaney.

"The SJC has a supervisory role in the administration of power over the entire court system of our state," he aid. "We used the to meet very frequently to discuss issues together with the chief judge of administrative management, who runs day to day administration of courts. From time to time, we would agree to do something either in operation of the courts, staffing or technology abilities, and (Judge) Spina and I would have to say that what we were proposing (didn't) fit parts of western Massachusetts or that we would have to make certain adjustments to get it done so all courts have what we are proposing to do."

"The present composition of the court is all Boston centric, except for (the most recent appointee) Judge Elspeth Cypher who is from the New Bedford region," Greaney said. "The citizens here in Western Massachusetts and their confidence in government would be strengthened a bit when they see a voice from here on the third branch of government."

In its role as an appellate court, Greaney added, the SJC has, on occasion, decided cases in which geographical issues have come into play. He noted a case involving school equity that dealt with how children in poorer public school districts were getting inadequate education and what needed to be done to raise them to a higher standard. "In addition to Lawrence (schools), the name Holyoke came up, and that factored into the equation," Greaney said. "Regional issues from time to time do assert themselves into actual cases."

Of Baker, Greaney said, "He's a very competent guy who's done a very good job in not basing any selections to court on political factors or party affiliation. He has recognized diversity in minority representation and other factors. It is just unfortunate there's only seven positions."

Baker's other three appointees to the high court include Kimberly Budd, Frank Gaziano and David Lowy, all of whom are from Greater Boston. Budd is the daughter of Springfield native and former U.S. attorney Wayne Budd but grew up in eastern Massachusetts.

In April, the presidents of the four bar associations sent a letter to Baker urging him for a second time to put someone from western Massachusetts on the high court.

"We cannot ignore that your four recent nominations to the Supreme Judicial Court hail from the eastern part of the commonwealth. In the upcoming months, there will be one more vacancy to fill on the court. We urge you to consider nominating a highly qualified candidate from Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire or Franklin County," the letter said.

"No one would dispute that different regions of the commonwealth represent different sectors in our society, with differing and rich cultures, values and points of view. In short, one size does not fit all," it added.

The letter was signed by Hampden County Bar Association president Kevin V. Maltby, Hampshire County Bar Association president John E. Garber, Franklin County Bar Association president Timothy J. Flynn and Berkshire County Bar Association president Richard M. Dohoney.


Chicopee sewer rates will not increase for 2 years as city receives EPA extension on sewer projects

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The city is under a federal mandate to separate all sewer lines from storm drain mains under a $300 million project.

CHICOPEE - The city has received federal approvals to push back the sewer separation project schedule, after officials have spent years asking for money or extra time to complete the more than $300 million project.

There are many benefits to delaying the work, Mayor Richard J. Kos said. Construction projects will be more manageable if there are fewer happening at the same time, it will give the city time to take advantage of emerging technology, and it will allow the Department of Public Works to pay off long-term bonds -- which are paid through residents' sewer fees -- before taking on new debt to fund more projects.

"What this is saying is we will not have to increase (sewer) rates for the next two to three years. We have sufficient revenues," Kos said. "It is a first step but it is an important step."

The city is one of many across the country that is under EPA orders to stop dumping raw sewage into rivers. Because the city's stormwater and sewer pipes are combined, they are overwhelmed by heavy rains and raw sewage is dumped into the rivers instead of first being treated. Sewage also backs up into city homes because of the combined pipes.

Under an EPA consent decree, officials agreed to separate all pipes in the city, a project expected to cost more than $300 million. Already more than $153 million has been spent on the work.

"We have solved about 75 percent of the problem by doing half the work," said Department of Public Works Superintendent Jeffrey Neece.

Because of the progress, the EPA has given the city permission to scale back the aggressive schedule for the remaining phases, labeled 5 through 12, Neece said.

"We are still doing projects to reduce effluent but they will be smaller projects," he said.

The city is in the process of separating sewer and storm drain lines along Hampden and West streets. That project, called Phase 5A, is expected to be finished by early 2018. But phases 5B and 5C -- which will separate pipes along Springfield Street and the downtown area of Center, Exchange and Springfield streets -- will be pushed back by five and seven years, so the required completion dates will be 2024 and 2026 instead of the original 2019, Kos said in writing.

The city will also continue with plans to do scheduled sewer separation work in the area of Baystate Road and Clarendon Avenue, he said.

Construction crews recently completed Phase 3 of the project, which was along Chicopee and Meadow streets in Willimansett, and are now doing restoration work on those streets. Paving is scheduled to be finished in June, he said.

At the same time the city will also work with residents to deal with the long-term problems of sewer backups into homes since it is a health issue and homeowners won't get relief with the sewer separation projects as soon as expected. A survey showed there are still about 200 streets or 800 homes in the city that have the problem during rainstorms, said Thomas Hamel, the retired special projects coordinator who works as a consultant to help with the EPA mandate.

In the end about 400 homeowners are likely to need relief, and it is expected to cost between $3 million and $4 million to help them, Hamel said.

"It allows us to extend the time before we incur new debt, focus on immediate sewer (and) health issues and do a manageable number of projects at any one time in our city," Kos said.

The city will look at each problem individually to find the best and lowest-cost solution. In some cases it will install shut-off valves, which allow homeowners to close the connection to sewer pipes to their homes during rainstorms. In other cases there will be small sewer separation projects or sewer pipes will be cleaned, Hamel said.

Since 2014, the EPA has allowed five modifications of schedule to the combined sewer overflow control plan. They have changed the timelines for phases 3 through 8 of the project to allow for preliminary construction work to be completed and additional funding to become available, Kos said.

Springfield man arrested on gun, drug charges has extensive record; bail set at $25,000

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A search of Edgardo Fernandez's car yielded a Smith & Wesson 9-mm semi-automatic handgun with 12 rounds in the 15-round clip, plus a bag of cocaine, a prosecutor said.

SPRINGFIELD - A Springfield man arrested on cocaine charges last year is being held on $25,000 bail following an arrest on new cocaine and firearms charges.

Edgardo Fernandez, 30, pleaded not guilty Thursday in Springfield District Court to five charges, including cocaine possession (subsequent offense), carrying a firearm without a permit and carrying a firearm with three prior violent and drug offenses.

Springfield police arrested Fernandez after receiving a report of gunshots on Leyfred Terrace around 11:45 Wednesday night, Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski said.

When officers reached the scene, they spotted a black Acura leaving the area and stopped it, the prosecutor said. A search yielded a Smith & Wesson 9-mm semi-automatic handgun with 12 rounds in the 15-round clip, plus a bag of cocaine, Szafranski said.

She requested $25,000 bail in the new case, noting that Fernandez faces a lengthy prison sentence if convicted. Citing the defendant's extensive criminal record, the prosecutor also asked Judge Michele Ouimet-Rooke to revoke his release in the earlier case.

Fernandez's defense lawyer asked for $25,000 personal surety, and questioned the legality of the traffic stop.

Ouimet-Rooke set bail at $25,000 and revoked the defendant's release in the open case, effectively jailing him for 90 days.

Fernandez is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on June 9.

I-91: MassDOT to close highway in Springfield Friday night

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The shutdown is part of the ongoing $183.3 million effort to rebuild and resurface Interstate 91 and its viaduct through downtown Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- MassDOT will close Interstate 91 South at Temporary Exit 7-6 from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.

The closure is required for the contractor to perform barrier work as it shifts traffic from the outer lanes to the inner lanes. It's part of the the ongoing $183.3 million effort to rebuild and resurface I-91 and its viaduct through downtown Springfield.

Detour
  • To continue to I-91 South: Take Temporary Exit 7-6 and merge onto West Columbus Avenue. Continue south onto East Columbus Avenue through the rail underpass. Bear right onto West Columbus Avenue behind the I-91 North Garage. Continue onto Hall of Fame Avenue. After passing Union Street, use the left lane to merge onto the on-ramp to I-91 South. 
  • For downtown destinations: Take Temporary Exit 7-6 and merge onto West Columbus Avenue. Follow the detour signage to destinations in the downtown area.

MassDOT advises drivers to plan for additional travel time through this area.

Feds invoke 'Classified Information Procedures Act' to withhold evidence in case of Adams man accused of hatching terror plots

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Assistant U.S. attorneys in Springfield and Washington have invoked the "Classified Information Procedures Act" to shield classified information in the case of an Adams man accused of planning terror plots inspired by the Islamic State group.

SPRINGFIELD -- Six months before his arrest, the FBI affixed a surveillance camera to a utility pole outside the home of an Adams man accused of hatching terror plots, recent filings show.

Alexander Ciccolo, 25, was arrested July 4, 2015, during an FBI sting when Ciccolo allegedly collected a duffel bag full of weapons from a cooperating witness outside his apartment.

An FBI affidavit states Ciccolo, who had adopted the Muslim alias Ali Al Amriki, became enamored with the Islamic State group and was radicalized online. He began collecting explosives and arms for terror attacks he told an unnamed witness he planned to carry out at a college campus, a police station and other public sites, according to court records. He bought a pressure cooker at Wal-Mart, investigators have said, which was among the makeshift weapons of choice in the Boston Marathon bombings. Ciccolo's father is a Boston Police captain and was a first responder at the bombings.

Ciccolo was first charged with illegal weapons possession and assault on a prison nurse. He was indicted in 2016 on charges of attempted provision of material support to a foreign terrorist organization and attempted use of weapons of mass destruction.

He pleaded not guilty to those charges in July wearing a taqiyah, traditional Muslim headwear, and refusing to rise to answer the charges in U.S. District Court in Springfield.

Following his arrest, the U.S. attorney's office released a video clip of Ciccolo's voluntary interview with an FBI agent during which he asserts that "ISIS is good" and their public beheadings were "just."

When federal agents searched his apartment, they found several partially constructed Molotov cocktails, or incendiary devices filled with shredded foam packing material soaked in motor oil. Law enforcement officials contend Ciccolo said he hoped the mixture would ignite and stick to people's skin.

As the case inches toward a potential trial date, prosecutors recently invoked the Classified Information Procedures Act, passed by Congress in 1980 and designed to avoid or delay disclosing sensitive government secrets to criminal defendants in the normal course of discovery.

A public filing in the case docket on May 11 states that two assistant U.S. attorneys and a trial lawyer with the U.S. Justice Department's Counterterrorism Section and National Security Division filed a memo under seal with the court for an order sanctioning the move.

A previous filing by Ciccolo's attorney, David P. Hoose, states prosecutors have attempted to block the defense from receiving certain evidence they regard as classified, including the names of cooperating government witnesses and certain portions of the "pole camera" surveillance video.

However, the government later agreed to provide the defense with an unredacted version of the video, according to filings.

An April 18 letter filed with the court by Hoose argues that getting what would otherwise be standard disclosures from the government during a criminal prosecution has been more of an uphill battle given the national security element of Ciccolo's case.

"We continue to insist that the Government provide us with monikers, and the true names used by the 'confidential human sources' and the undercover agents that have previously only been named by number," Hoose said, after noting that the pole camera had been installed outside his client's home for six months.

Hoose also asked for the name of any prospective expert witnesses on the Islamic State. In addition, the defense attorney wrote that he believes Ciccolo never had any contact with "any actual person known to be connected with the Islamic State" and requested evidence to the contrary.

A trial date has yet to be set in the case. Ciccolo faces 25 years in prison if convicted.

Police: Springfield man attacks tow truck after his car was hauled away twice in one week

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By the time the officers arrived, Rodney Jones had fled. He was arrested later in the day after calling police to demand that his car be returned, the report said.

SPRINGFIELD -- The way Rodney L. Jones saw it, he was doing the driver a favor by only smashing bottles against his tow truck and slashing its tires.

It could have been much worse, Jones explained minutes after his car had been towed from Colonial Estates Apartments for the second time in a week, according to the arrest report.

"I spared your life," he told the driver.

rod.JPGRodney L. Jones 

Arrested later in the day, Jones, 27, of Springfield, pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court to malicious damage to a motor vehicle and threatening to commit a crime.

The events leading to his arrest began around 5 a.m. on April 29 when someone called police to report that "an unidentified male was threatening to shoot someone and commit murder because someone stole his car," the report said.

The caller was Jones himself, who lives with his mother at the Beacon Circle apartment complex. But his car wasn't stolen -- it had been towed by CJ's Towing for not having a required parking sticker, the report said.

CJ's has a towing contract for the complex and had towed Jones car for the same reason earlier in the week, the report said.

When another CJ's truck showed up a few minutes later on April 29, Jones demanded his car back, then began yelling and threatening to kill the driver, the report said.

After his mother tried to defuse the situation, Jones went back into his apartment and returned armed with two glass bottles. The first one smashed against the cab, leaving a dent; the second landed on the flatbed and shattered, the report said.

Next, he took out a knife and slashed two of the tow truck's tires; both were damaged but neither went flat, the report said.

By the time police arrived, Jones had fled. He was arrested later in the day after calling police to complain that CJ's had not released his car, the report said.

At his arraignment, Judge Patrick Sabbs set bail at $100 cash and ordered Jones to return for a pretrial hearing on May 30.

Driver in Times Square crash charged with murder

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The man who drove on the sidewalk for multiple blocks through New York City's Times Square on Thursday, killing one and injuring nearly two dozen, has been arrested on murder charges.

The man who drove on the sidewalk for multiple blocks through New York City's Times Square on Thursday, killing one and injuring nearly two dozen, has been arrested on murder charges. 

Police say Richard Rojas, of the Bronx, made a U-turn on the busy street then veered the car towards a packed sidewalk. 

Rojas, who appeared intoxicated, tested positive for PCP and told arresting officers that God made him do it, reports CNN

Alyssa Elsman, a 18-year-old visiting the city with her family from Portage, Michigan. 

An additional 22 people were injured, including four left in critical condition. 

Rojas faces one count of murder, 20 counts of attempted murder and five counts of aggravated vehicular homicide. The five counts of aggravated vehicular homicide are for the death of Elsman and condition of four victims with critical injuries. 

Springfield police searching for armed robbery suspect in Forest Park neighborhood

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The armed robbery was reported shortly before 8 a.m. in the area of 127 Orange St. A firearm was shown, police said. He was last seen in the area of Hancock and Noel streets

SPD.jpg 

SPRINGFIELD - Police are searching for an armed robbery suspect in the Forest Park neighborhood, according to scanner reports.

The armed robbery was reported shortly before 8 a.m. in the area of 127 Orange St. A firearm was shown, police said.

Police spotted a suspect fleeing towards the Noel Street area a short time later. He is described as a black male with dreadlocks wearing a black hoodie and orange or tan work pants.

This is a developing story. Additional information will be posted as soon as it is available.


Drugs and alcohol factors in unrelated crashes on I-91 in Springfield and Longmeadow

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Two people were injured in one of the Thursday night crashes, state police said. One occurred in Longmeadow and the other in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD - Drugs and alcohol were factors in a pair of unrelated overnight crashes in construction zones on Interstate 91, state police said.

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Two people were injured in the first crash, which was reported about 9:25 p.m., state police spokesman David Procopio said.

It occurred in Longmeadow when a northbound vehicle rear-ended another vehicle. The driver of the striking vehicle was deemed to be impaired by drugs and duly charged.

Two people in the vehicle that was hit suffered what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries and taken to a hospital for treatment.

The second crash, which involved three vehicles, occurred at approximately 10:12 p.m. in the southbound lanes near Exit 8.

The driver of one of the vehicle was determined to be impaired by alcohol and charged with drunken driving.

No injuries were initially reported.

State police have not yet released the names of those arrested.

Chicopee Police charge woman for drunken driving with a child in the car

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Marie Rivera will be arraigned on charges in Chicopee District Court. The Department of Children and Families was also notified.

CHICOPEE - A 37-year-old Springfield woman was arrested for child endangerment after she was stopped for drunken driving and a police officer noticed there was a young child sleeping in the back seat early Friday morning.

Marie Rivera, of 41 Narragansett St., was arrested at about 3 a.m. in downtown Chicopee and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, child endangerment while driving under the influence, marked lines violation and failing to stop for a police officer, Michael Wilk, Chicopee Police public information officer said.

Officer Joe Pieczarka was making routine checks when a bystander flagged him down and said he unsuccessfully tried stop a woman who was with a young child from driving while possible drunk, he said.

Using the information given to him by the witness, Pieczarka was able to locate the vehicle. The car sped down Chicopee and Springfield Street and the officer turned on his lights and siren when she turned onto Center Street, he said.

"The operator was now slowing down, driving half in the breakdown lane, half in the travel lane. The operator finally stopped," Wilk said.

When he walked up to the car, Pieczarka saw the child, who was about 2, sleeping in a car seat. The driver allegedly smelled of alcohol, slurred her words and failed sobriety tests. She admitted she had been drinking "cups of Bacardi" but denied she was too drunk to drive, he said.

She was held at the Chicopee Police Department and will be arraigned in Chicopee District Court Friday. The father picked up the child at the scene but officers also notified the Department of Children and Families, Wilk said.

"We would like to thank the anonymous party for letting our officer know. This situation could have ended in a much worse way," Wilk said.

8th grade student hit by van in Acton, police say

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An eighth grade student was hit by a van and airlifted to a Boston hospital on Friday morning, according to multiple news reports.

 

An eighth grade student was hit by a van and airlifted to a Boston hospital on Friday morning, according to multiple news reports.

The girl was hit by a van that was driving south on Main Street at Hayward Road at 7:20 a.m., according to NBC Boston.

Police told NBC that the girl was crossing Main Street in the crosswalk.

She was airlifted to Boston Children's Hospital with serious injuries.

Acton police did not immediately return a call seeking more information.

NBC said the van is a school bus van. WBZ-TV posted a photo from the scene that showed the van.

The crash is still under investigation.

Man accused of killing Bella Bond researched satanic rituals, demons before infant's death

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Murdered infant Bella Bond's mother can testify about the supernatural powers she allegedly feared her boyfriend -- who she accuses of killing the girl -- possessed, a judge ruled this week.

Rachelle Dee Bond, the mother of an infant known as "Baby Doe" for months after washing ashore, can testify about the supernatural powers she allegedly feared her boyfriend -- who she accuses of killing the 2-year-old -- possessed, a judge ruled this week, according to The Boston Herald

After admitting to being an accessory after the fact in the girl's September 2015 murder, Rachelle Dee Bond, 41, plans to argue fear was the key reason she did not turn in Michael P. McCarthy, 36, for the murder. 

The body of Bella Bond washed up on Deer Island in Winthrop two years ago. For months she was known as "Baby Doe," before a tipster pointed police to Bond and McCarthy.

Bond plans to point to alleged violent outbursts by McCarthy to bolster the deterrent argument at McCarthy's murder trial, which gets underway May 22, with jury impanelment. Shortly after the girl's death, Bond says, McCarthy beat her. 

At a hearing on the case Wednesday, Suffolk Superior Court Judge Janet L. Sanders also determined which of Michael P. McCarthy's internet searches may be introduced as evidence in the trial and which may not. 

McCarthy's searches on satanic rituals, demons and aliens are fair game, while his searches on right-wing conspiracy theories and murderer and cult leader Charles Manson are not, Sanders decided.

"Charles Manson is a very well-known name that would set off alarm bells," Sanders said, explaining why the inclusion might unfairly influence a jury, according to The Herald. 

McCarthy's attorney, Jonathan Shapiro, objected to the line of argument, according to The Herald, saying, "The prosecution is trying to paint (McCarthy) as some kind of nutcase."

In June 2015, the body of Bella Bond washed up on Deer Island in Winthrop.

The media referred to the infant as "Baby Doe" for months before the truth came out and a tipster led police to McCarthy, 36, as the person responsible for her death, leading to the present murder charges against him.

They are being tried separately. 

Prior to Bond's relationship with McCarthy, state Department of Children and Families records show the mother mistreated Bella. She had had two other children taken away by the agency. 

"(McCarthy's) defense at trial will be that Bond was solely responsible for Bella's death, and that she falsely implicated him to escape blame," Shapiro wrote in an earlier court filing. 

McCarthy allegedly pummeled the girl to death and told Bond, "It was her time to die. She was a demon." He then allegedly stored the body of in a refridgerator and later disposed of it in the water.

Bond awaits sentencing, while the opening statements in McCarthy's case are slated to take place on May 30. 

Report: Anthony Weiner expected to plead guilty in 'sexting' case

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Former Congressman Anthony Weiner is expected to plead guilty in federal court Friday to sending illicit text messages with a 15-year-old North Carolina girl, various news outlets have reported.

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner is expected to plead guilty in federal court Friday to sending illicit text messages with a 15-year-old North Carolina girl, various news outlets have reported. 

Weiner, whose "sexting" scandals led him to resign from Congress and jumpstarted an FBI investigation, will enter a guilty plea to a single charge of transferring obscene material to a minor pursuant, to a plea agreement, according to the New York Times.

The charge carries a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Federal officials began investigating reports that Weiner had exchanged sexually explicit messages with the girl beginning in January 2016 -- a probe that led to further scrutiny of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state. 

FBI allegedly investigating Anthony Weiner for possible explicit texts with 15-year-old girl

The plea, a source told the Times, is expected to cover Weiner's conduct from January to March of 2016. The former congressman will likely need to register as a sex offender under the agreement, but a final determination must still be made, the person said. 

The investigation into Weiner's alleged communications with the girl, which led the FBI to seize a laptop containing emails to his wife and top Clinton aide Huma Abedin, surfaced in September 2016 after the Daily Mail reported on his relationship with the minor. 

Report: Emails under FBI review in Hillary Clinton case came from Anthony Weiner's electronic devices

Weiner began messaging the girl when she was a sophomore in high school, the newspaper reported. Messages indicated the former congressman knew she was underage, according to the Daily Mail. 

Weiner resigned from Congress in June 2011 after a lewd image appeared on his Twitter account. Explicit online messages also surfaced during his 2013 New York City mayoral run, according to reports. 

Abedin announced in March that she and the former congressman were working on their marriage despite their separation.

Springfield armed robbery victim was walking to Noel Street to buy marijuana, police say

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Two suspects, described as black males with guns, remain at large, Sgt. John Delaney said. No injuries were reported.

Updates story posted at 8:18 a.m.

SPRINGFIELD -- A male, robbed at gunpoint by two suspects in the Forest Park neighborhood Friday morning, told police it occurred as he was walking towards Noel Street to buy marijuana.

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Two suspects, described as black males with guns, remain at large, Sgt. John Delaney said. No injuries were reported.

 The armed robbery occurred about 8:45 a.m. in the area of 127 Orange St., Delaney, public information officer for the suspect, said.

"He was going to buy drugs at the end of Noel Street," Delaney said.

 Lt. Robert Tardiff, among those who responded to the scene, met with the victim and took him around in his cruiser to see if they could spot the suspects. They are described as being in their 20s.

Tardiff and the victim spotted one of the suspects, who then fled on foot. He is described as having dreadlocks and wearing a black hoodie and orange Carhartt-style pants.

 A K-9 team found hoodies that were believed to have been discarded by both suspects as they fled, Delaney said.

A state police helicopter was reportedly searching the area.

Granby veteran severely injured in Afghanistan to be honored at Boston's Wounded Veterans Ride

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It will be the seventh annual motorcycle ride in which the thousands of bikers solicit monetary pledges, with the proceeds going to the honorees.

GRANBY -- Joshua Bouchard, of Granby, a U.S. Marine sergeant severely injured while on duty in Afghanistan, will be honored at Boston's Wounded Veterans Run, a charity event taking place Saturday.

It will be the seventh annual motorcycle ride in which the thousands of bikers solicit monetary pledges, with the proceeds going to the honorees.

According to the Boston Wounded Veterans Run founder and organizer, retired Marine Sgt. Andrew Biggio, Bouchard is among six seriously injured veterans who will be honored.

"Almost all of the money goes to the wounded veterans" who are recognized and honored each year, he said.

Bouchard, 34, grew up in Amherst, graduating from Amherst High School in 2000. He joined the service in 2003, worked as a diesel mechanic, was promoted to sergeant, and served a tour of duty in Iraq prior to his 2007 deployment to Afghanistan.

On July 8, 2009, the soldier's left leg was severely injured, resulting in amputation, when the Humvee he was traveling in, part of a four-vehicle convoy, was struck by an improvised explosive device in Helmand Province.

Two of his fellow servicemen were killed, and three, including Bouchard, were seriously injured by the blast.

The explosion also caused brain and spinal cord injuries, a broken right arm and shrapnel wounds to Bouchard, in addition to post traumatic stress.

"I don't remember what happened, it was such a traumatic experience, some of my service history is foggy too," Bouchard said in a recent interview.

He was flown to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, then transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center stateside, where he was hospitalized for a year. Following two years of a combination of outpatient services and additional surgeries while he resided on the campus, Bouchard returned to Granby in 2012.

"Considering all the events, I guess I'm doing pretty good," he said.

"From my experience, since my accident, the overwhelming support I've received from the community and the nation makes me honored to have served, and would do it again, if I could," the Marine said.

Bouchard is able to get around in a wheelchair, and despite being partially paralyzed by the spinal injury, can stand with use of a cane, Biggio said.

Bouchard's home in Granby, which was built by hundreds of volunteers four years ago, suffered heavy damage in a fire in December. He said some of the numerous medals and citations he received from his war service were destroyed in the fire.

However, he was able to find the Purple Heart medal bestowed on him while rummaging through the debris.

"I'm still in the process of rebuilding my house," Bouchard said.


Speaker Paul Ryan says re-vote on GOP health care bill likely won't be needed

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Despite reports that the U.S. House may have to vote again on a controversial plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act due to the lack of a Congressional Budget Office score, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, dismissed the likelihood of such a scenario Friday.

Despite reports that the U.S. House may have to vote again on a controversial plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act due to the lack of a Congressional Budget Office score, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, dismissed the likelihood of such a scenario Friday. 

Ryan, who led GOP efforts to pass a revised version of the "American Health Care Act" earlier this month, told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that the House is waiting to send the bill to the Senate out of "an abundance of caution."

"The CBO score basically has to be in deficit compliance, meaning it can't produce a deficit. It has to save. And the last CBO score we had, it saved $150 billion dollars," he said. "The only change that we've made since that CBO score was an $8 billion dollar amendment. So, but we just want to, out of an abundance of caution, wait to send the bill over to the Senate when we get the final score."

Ryan's comments came in response to a Bloomberg report suggesting that parts of the legislation may need to be reworked pending a CBO estimate, which is expected to come next week. 

Aides and procedural experts told the news outlet that if Republicans send the health car ebill to the Senate and the CBO finds that it fails to save at least $2 billion, GOP leaders would need to restart their Obamacare repeal effort with a new budget resolution. 

Republicans, the report noted, would likely be unable to fix the AHCA after its in the Senate due to congressional rules.

The bill must hit another $1 billion deficit reduction target in the Senate, according to Bloomberg. 

The House passed an amended version of the AHCA on a 217 to 213 vote in early May -- just over a month after Ryan canceled the initial vote due to lagging support.

US House approves revised GOP plan to dismantle Affordable Care Act despite pushback from Massachusetts lawmakers

The bill, which some have called "Trumpcare," looks to undo much of President Barack Obama's signature health care law through refundable tax credits, overhauls to Medicaid and an expansion of health savings accounts, among other things.

In an effort to revive the AHCA after its initial failure to gain traction among Republicans, lawmakers amended the bill to allow states to apply for waivers from the federal government to cancel some ACA regulations that would reduce residents' costs -- a move which some critics say could result in people with pre-existing conditions being charged more for insurance.

Lawmakers also added a provision to the bill that would allocate an additional $8 billion over five years for states seeking a waiver.

Following the House's narrow vote, President Donald Trump hosted an impromptu White House news conference to tout the bill's passage.

Watch: President Donald Trump, House GOP tout Obamacare repeal at White House

Erving police investigate sexual assault in Church Street area

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The assault reportedly occurred about 5 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Church Street, near the park.

erving police.jpg

ERVING - Police are seeking the public's help as they investigate a sexual assault that reportedly occurred about 5 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Church Street, near the park.

Those who may have witnessed an altercation between a female and unknown male are asked to call police at 413-625-8200.

 Police posted information about the assault on their Facebook page.

Amherst Garden Club members snipping, cleaning, labeling plants for Saturday's annual sale

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Amherst Garden Club members and volunteers were up and out early Friday morning transporting, snipping and labelling the more than 1,500 plants that will be on sale Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and not a minute sooner. Watch video

AMHERST - Amherst Garden Club members and volunteers were up and out early Friday morning transporting, snipping and labeling the more than 1,500 plants that will be on sale Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and not a minute sooner.

That's when the bell will ring signaling the annual sale has begun.

People start lining up well before then, members said, scoping out what's for sale. But they know they can't touch a plant until the bell rings.

The sale offers perennials, herbs, shrubs and woodland plants among them. Lists of what was on sale last year is on the club website. 

The sale is so popular that club members start getting calls about it early in the spring, said club president Meredith Michaels.

It has regional appeal, she said.

The plants are from the gardens of members who also offer advice along with the sale. Some plants are rare offerings, said member Carol Pope, and only from the private gardens.

Michaels said members spend the week prior to the sale digging up the plants and potting them.

On Friday, they are transported to the tent where members spend the day examining, clipping and cleaning up as needed then labeled.

Money from the sale is awarded for a scholarship to a horticultural student at the University of Massachusetts, environmental groups like the Kestrel Trust, the garden at the Strong House and Amherst History Museum among other beneficiaries.

The sale runs from 8:30 to 2:30 p.m. on the Town Common.  

Easthampton police pursuit leads to 3 stolen car investigations

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Officers investigating a hit-and-run accident learned the car had been stolen. And then another. And then a third.

EASTHAMPTON - An investigation into a hit-and-run accident early Friday on Main Street near the town rotary soon became a stolen-car investigation that then grew to include three separate missing vehicles, police said.

According to police, officer Jared Pabis was on patrol shortly after 2:30 a.m. when he spotted a speeding car on Glendale Street. He clocked the car traveling 62 mph, activated his lights and gave pursuit. The car did not pull over but instead sped off toward Main Street.

Officers a short time later found the car abandoned at the rotary where it had crashed into a utility pole, street signs and a tree, police said. The driver could not be found after police searched the area.

Police traced the registration of the vehicle and contacted the owner, who was unaware that the car had been apparently been stolen from the driveway.

Police said that while talking with the car owner, police spotted a strange vehicle nearby that turned out to have been reported stolen on Thursday in Westfield.

A short time later, police were alerted that a third vehicle was reported stolen from the downtown area.

Police ask that anyone with information contact the detective bureau at 413-527-1212.

Poll: Many voters lack confidence in President Donald Trump's ability to handle classified information

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A majority of Americans are concerned about President Donald Trump's ability to handle national security intelligence following reports that he shared highly classified information with Russian government officials during a recent White House meeting, a new poll has found.

A majority of Americans are concerned about President Donald Trump's ability to handle national security intelligence following reports that he shared highly classified information with Russian government officials during a recent White House meeting, a new poll has found.

More than half of voters, or 58 percent, surveyed in a national Morning Consult/Politico poll released Friday said they believe it was inappropriate for the president to have reportedly disclosed such information to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak.

President Trump revealed highly classified information to Russian officials: report

A similar number, 55 percent, further said they lack confidence in Trump's ability to handle national intelligence in the wake of the reported incident, including 41 percent who said they are "not confident at all" and 14 percent who offered that they are "not too confident" in the president, the poll found.

Just 22 percent of American voters, by contrast, said they felt Trump's decision to share information with Russian officials was "appropriate" and 39 percent said they are "very" or "somewhat" confident in his ability to handle classified intelligence.

Voters, however, split 44 to 39 percent over whether U.S. government officials were right to leak Trump's reported information sharing to news outlets, according to survey results.

Forty-four percent of respondents further agreed that "it was necessary to leak the information because government officials needed to alert our international allies and press about major breaches in national security protocol."

Thirty-eight percent, by contrast, said they believe the leak was unnecessary "because it is within a president's right to declassify and share any information he sees fit" and that such leaks undermine the office of the presidency, the poll found.

Trump, in defending himself earlier this week, said he had an "absolute right" to share facts regarding terrorism and airline safety with Russian officials. 

President Donald Trump says he shared 'facts' with Russia for 'humanitarian reasons,' Mass. Democrats criticize move

Contending that he wants Russia to "greatly step up their fight" against the so-called Islamic State and other terror groups, Trump said on Twitter that he felt compelled to divulge the information for "humanitarian reasons." 

"As President I wanted to share with Russia (at an openly scheduled W.H. meeting) which I have the absolute right to do, facts pertaining to terrorism and airline flight safety," he wrote in a pair of tweets. "Humanitarian reasons, plus I want Russia to greatly step up their fight against ISIS and terrorism."

National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, meanwhile, argued that "at no time were any intelligence sources or methods discussed and no military operations were disclosed that were not already known publicly.

As president, Trump has the authority to determine if it's in the nation's interest to declassify information.

The poll, which surveyed nearly 2,000 registered voters from May 16 to 18, has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percent.

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