A driver formerly employed by a Springfield-based transportation company reportedly behaved in a sexually manner in front of a woman on multiple occasions, police say.

The driver of a Springfield-based transportation company reportedly behaved in a sexually explicit manner in front of a woman on multiple occasions, police say. 

Mark C. Abare, 58, of Chicopee, worked for Sonic Velocity Transportation at the time of the crimes, the latter half of 2016.

The woman told police Abare was initially rude but progressed into increasingly aggressive, unwanted sexual provocation while he drove her to and from doctor's visits in 2016. The visits were paid for through Medicaid and offered through transportation companies contracted by Massachusetts. 

The woman told police Abare began by offering off-color jokes and soon started making lewd propositions.

Another time, the victim continued, Abare told her he liked "the way you wear your seatbelt," while blatantly staring at her chest. 

Abare soon amped up his harassment to outright exposure before the victim confided in someone, who advised she lodge a complaint with the transportation agency, Montachusett Regional Transit Authority, one of the state's 15 RTAs.

The victim said he beckoned her back to the car one day and "had his penis out holding it across both of his open hands and asked her, 'Do you like what you see?,'" a police report on the incident says. "(The victim) described herself as shaking and crying as she told her mother what Mr. Abare had done."

On two later occasions, the victim said, Abare touched himself in a sexual manner while driving and demanded she pay attention. 

SVT fired Abare shortly after the victim lodged a complaint.

As part of the investigation, police dug up concurrent charges against Abare in Chicopee, where police arrested him for allegedly exposing himself to an 11-year-old relative under "very similar" circumstances.

On Thursday, Abare pled guilty in Northampton District Court to charges of two counts open and gross lewdness, two counts lewd, wanton and lascivious conduct.

Judge W. Michael Goggins ruled that Abare must register as a sex offender, sentenced him to a year of probation and forbid him contact with the victim.

The Hall of Fame's mission is to recognize and honor West Side student athletes, coaches and teams for their achievements and contributions to the school's athletic program, according to Brian Griffin, chairman of the committee that oversees the Hall.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- City athletes have been making their hometown proud for generations, which is why West Springfield is seeking nominations for a new sports Hall of Fame. 

The West Springfield High School Athletics Hall of Fame Committee was organized earlier this year, with the backing of Mayor William Reichelt and Superintendent of Schools Michael Richard.

The Hall's mission is to recognize and honor West Side student athletes, coaches, teams for their achievements and contributions to the community and the school's athletic program. 

Committee members for the West Springfield High School Athletics Hall of Fame are as follows:

• Brian Griffin, chairman;
• Christopher Thompson, vice chairman;
• Edward Sullivan, former mayor;
• Glenn Doulette, director of physical education and athletics at West Springfield High School;
• Deke Pillsbury, coach;
• Brenda Marti, coach;
• Mary Ruth Kane;
• Robert Collins;
• Julie Karas;
• and a Hall of Fame inductee, following the inaugural class.

"We collaboratively developed the mission, established bylaws, and finalized criteria for the nomination and selection process," Griffin said, adding that the committee is still developing its "inaugural induction strategy."

Griffin said committee members agree that formation of a Hall of Fame for West Side athletes is long overdue, with so many student athletes, teams, and special contributors deserving recognition for their accomplishments. 

Applications for nominations will be available by July 1 and accepted through Aug. 31. Griffin has more information at Allamerica11@gmail.com or 413-234-0848.

Meanwhile, a Terrier Pride Banner Campaign is underway, with a goal of raising around $20,000 to buy banners honoring all of the high school's athletic accomplishments over the years.

Donation checks may be made out to West Springfield High School (memo: WSHS Athletics Banners) and delivered or mailed to the West Springfield High School Athletics Department, 425 Piper Road, West Springfield, MA, 01089.

The campaign has four suggested levels of sponsorship, which will be eligible for recognition on the Terrier Pride Campaign Plaque:

• Hall of Fame, $5,000;
• Gold, $2,500;
• Silver, $1,000;
• and Bronze, $500. 

More information about the Terrier Pride Banner Campaign is available at 413-263-3475 for more information. West Springfield High School and West Side athletics are on Twitter at @WSPS_WSHS and @wshsterriers, respectively, and will provide updates on the campaign to followers.

Hampshire College is expecting more than 2,500 to attend graduation ceremonies featuring a keynote talk by Princeton professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor.

AMHERST -- Hampshire College is expecting more than 2,500 to attend graduation ceremonies Saturday featuring a keynote talk by scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, assistant professor of African American studies at Princeton University.

Taylor was one of the organizers of the March 8 International Women's March.

The author of "From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation" told the Nation in March that "the metric of success in the next couple of years is going to be our ability to collectively confront the Trump agenda.

"Our ability to affect politics is not going to be through campaigns, but through protests and demonstrations," she said.  "We've already seen the ways that that can be effective. The Women's March on January 21 brought an unprecedented number of people out." 

Both The Nation and the Los Angeles Review of Books called Taylor's book essential reading.

Hampshire College spokesman John Courtmanche said when announcing the selection that college students, employees and trustees are invited to submit speaker nominations to the commencement committee. He said 26 names were submitted this year, which were then put to the graduating class for a vote.

Taylor's research examines race and public policy, including American housing policies.

She is working on a manuscript titled "Race for Profit: Black Housing and the Urban Crisis of the 1970s," which looks at the federal government's promotion of single-family home ownership in black communities after the urban rebellions of the 1960s, according to her biography.

Ceremonies for the 306 graduates begin at 11 a.m. on the library lawn and are open to all.

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner reportedly faces federal jail time and must register as a sex offender after pleading guilty Friday to sending illicit text messages to a 15-year-old North Carolina girl.

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner reportedly faces federal jail time and must register as a sex offender after pleading guilty Friday to sending illicit text messages to a 15-year-old North Carolina girl.

Weiner, who resigned from Congress in 2011 and became the subject of a 2016 FBI investigation, apologized to the teenager and others hurt by his actions in his admission to the court, according to the New York Daily News.

The 52-year-old former congressman added that while he has "a sickness," he does not have an excuse for his explicit communications with the high schooler, the news outlet reported.

"I have a sickness, but I do not have an excuse. I apologize to everyone I have hurt. I apologize to the teenage girl, whom I mistreated so badly," he said, reading from a statement in which he reportedly discussed his compulsive sexual behavior.

Weiner admitted to engaging in "obscene communications with this teenager, including sharing explicit images and encouraging her to engage in sexually explicit conduct," according to the newspaper.

He added that he knew the communications were "morally wrong" and unlawful.

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

Prosecutors have said they will ask for Weiner to be sentenced to 21 to 27 months in prison under a plea agreement, which the newspaper said was finalized on May 10. He must register as a sex offender under the deal, as well, the Daily News reported.

Weiner's charge of transferring obscene material to a minor carried a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

He will be released on $150,000 bond, according to ABC News. His sentencing has been set for Sept. 8.

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.

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. 

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. 

"The new police station is the result of a tremendous amount of work by the Police Station Building Committee, town departments and many others. We are grateful for their work and the outstanding support from the taxpayers and residents of Wilbraham," said Sue Bunnell, head of the town's select board.

WILBRAHAM -- The Wilbraham Board of Selectmen is inviting the public to attend an open house at the town's new police station from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 20.

The $7.7 million, 15,800-square-foot space station at 2780 Boston Road officially opened last month, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Thursday. Tomorrow, though, it's a chance for town residents to stop by and tour the state-of-the-art-facility they supported financially.

"The new police station is the result of a tremendous amount of work by the Police Station Building Committee, town departments, and many others," Susan C. Bunnell, chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen, said in a statement.

"We are grateful for their work and the outstanding support from the taxpayers and residents of Wilbraham," she said. "This center will be a source of civic pride for many years to come."

"We'll be going from the 18th century to the 21st century," Wilbraham Police Chief Roger W. Tucker joked recently to The Republican, referring to the former rundown police station at 16 Main St. -- a one-time schoolhouse that was built in the early 20th century.

"It was never designed to be a police station," Tucker said of the building, which dates to 1904.

The $8 million project -- $4.2 million of which was financed by a voter-approved debt exclusion override -- came in under budget at around $7.65 million, according to Tucker. A debt exclusion raises additional tax revenue to pay debt service costs to finance a capital project.

The veteran law enforcement officer won't be spending too much time at the new headquarters. The chief plans to retire in December, he told The Republican in April.

Joel Dorval has not been seen since leaving his apartment in the at 467 Memorial Drive on May 11.

CHICOPEE - Police are seeking the public's help finding a Memorial Drive man who has been missing for over a week.

Joel Dorval has not been seen since leaving his apartment in the at 467 Memorial Drive on May 11.

 "Due to medical issues, his family is extremely concerned for his welfare, Michael Wilk, public information officer for the department, said.

 Dorval is approximately 6 feet, 2 inches tall with salt and pepper hair and was wearing a brown coat. He is known to frequent the Peter Pan Bus Terminal in Springfield.

Those with information are asked to call the detective bureau at 413-594-1730.

Westfield Education to Business Alliance began in November as a way of linking the business community with the schools.

WESTFIELD -- There are five elements to the handshake: eye contact, smile, extend arm, grip, timing.

That bit of information might not sound like high school-level work compared to algebra II, English lit and the advanced manufacturing shop. But students need to learn it somewhere, and Westfield's public schools are doing it.

"People call them 'soft skills,'" said Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski. "I call them survival skills."

Skills, which ones to get and and how to get them is the topic when the Westfield Education to Business Alliance gets together once a month.

The group, a partnership between the schools and the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, is meant to align the needs of students, employers and the school district. The first meeting was in November. About 50 people attended Friday morning's session at Westfield State University.

"I'm excited by how much progress we have made just since November," Czaporowski said. 

Soft skills training began at Westfield Technical Academy and will be rolled out in Westfield High School over the next school year. The group is also starting a mentoring program that gets business leaders into the primary schools.

There will be a series of career fairs, first with high schoolers next month at Westfield State. The younger students will get fairs as well. There will also be one for middle school teachers so they can learn what employers are looking for.

"I'm especially excited about that opportunity," Czaporowski said.

Teachers at that level are educated and skilled, he said. But they live and work in a bit of a bubble and might not know what job opportunities and skills needs are out there. With that knowledge, teachers will be able to tailor lessons and offer better guidance to students.

Paula Ceglowski, the human resources director for the schools, described a recent visit by MGM Springfield personnel to the Technical Academy. The students, she said, were amazed to learn that the No. 1 reason MGM dismisses employees is due to them being late or not showing up at all.

Some students asked what happens when it snows. "Which seems silly to us," she said, "but if you have spent years in a  school system where you get a two-hour delay..."

Czaporowski said the school district enforces attendance policies, but there is a limit to the consequences.

"We can't fire them," he said. "But we know that will happen in the working world."

John Hoime is owner of Alternative Health in Southwick, Easthampton and West Hartford, Connecticut, a health food store that also offers wellness classes and spa services. He talked about the need to train students to present themselves well. He said customer service and appearance are important. Visible tattoos and facial piercings are big no-nos, he said.

After students wearing braids featuring extensions faced detention, suspension and were prohibited from attending prom at a charter school in Massachusetts, the top legal office in the state has opened an investigation into the school.

After students wearing braids featuring extensions faced detention, suspension and were prohibited from attending prom at a charter school in Massachusetts, the top legal office in the state has opened an investigation into the school. 

"The Office of the Attorney General has significant concerns about, and is investigating, the substance and application of Mystic Valley Regional Charter Schools's 'Hair/Make-Up' policy, particularly as it has recently been applied to prohibit students of color from wearing certain hair styles - and to punish them for doing so," Genevieve C. Nadeau, chief of the office's civil rights division, wrote in a letter to the school's interim director. 

Several students and parents at the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden spoke out earlier this month, criticizing a policy that banned certain hairstyles, makeup and nail polish.

Colleen Cook, the mother of 15-year-old twin sisters enrolled at the school, said her daughters have received multiple detentions for wearing their hair in a style known as box braids. The hairstyle - typically one sported by black women - often requires extensions so braids are long enough to be put in a ponytail or other type of updo. 

Other black students reported having their hair checked for extensions in between classes and disciplined if school officials believed their hair featured extensions.

The school dress code also bans unnatural hair colors, makeup and nail polish. While school officials were strict regarding hairstyles featuring extensions, students claim classmates were not disciplined for dying their hair. 

Following public criticism, the school has defended the policy saying it promotes equity "by focusing on what unites our students and reducing visible gaps between those of different means," reads a statement released by the school.

"Our policies, including those governing student appearance and attire, foster a culture that emphasizes education rather than style, fashion, or materialism," the school said in a statement. "Our policy on hair extensions, which tend to be very expensive, is consistent with, and a part of, the educational environment that we believe is so important to our students' success."

Nadeau said that while the investigation is still ongoing, the attorney general's office has found photos of students "in clear violation of the Hair/Make-Up policy" who were not punished and that the school has "applied the policy unequally to punish students of color more frequently or more harshly than other students." 

In light of the concerns, the attorney general's office is calling for Mystic Valley officials to "immediately cease enforcing or imposing discipline for violations" of the policy. The letter to school director notes by name the Cook family who spoke out publicly against the policy as the twins were facing suspension for wearing their hair in box braids. 

The search for Michael Doherty has reached its sixth day, but photos provided by the Franklin Police Department show that investigators are not ready to give up on the search.

The search for Michael Doherty has reached its sixth day, but photos provided by the Franklin Police Department show that investigators are not ready to give up on the search. 

Doherty was reported missing Sunday afternoon after he failed to return home from a party in Franklin. Friends and authorities said Doherty was coherent when he left the party, which was at about 1:30 a.m. in the early hours of Sunday.

On the day he was reported missing, authorities discovered a shirt and shoe near within a mile of Phyllis Lane. On Monday, a matching shoe was discovered near the Maplegate Country Club in Bellingham, prompting authorities to expand the search area.

Hampering search efforts are the several ponds and marshes that dot the landscape around Phyllis Lane. Franklin police are collaborating with several law enforcement groups to help comb the difficult terrain. 

"We are continuing with utilizing K9 and water assets from the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (MetroLEC), Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Environmental Police, and several area community police and fire departments to reach into those identified areas which have been difficult to access, and attempt to locate Michael," a press release from Franklin police read.

Police say Doherty was wearing a blue t-shirt with a Nike symbol, black pants and sneakers.

He is a white male, about 5 feet 10 inches tall with brown hair and blue eyes.

Doherty is a student at Duke University. According to Fox25, he is an engineering student and just finished his sophomore year. Doherty is also a member of a fraternity at Duke. He graduated from Xaverian Brothers High School in 2015.

Although police have not announced any big breaks in the case since Monday, the investigation is continuing to move ahead aggressively, authorities said.

"Over the last several days ground, air, and water assets and personnel have covered approximately a 1+ mile radius from the last known location where Michael was seen. There are still areas within that radius that need further scrutiny," the Franklin police read. 

The male, who is not named in a post about him on the department's Facebook page, was last seen on Tuesday, when he was on his way from Hadley to Northampton.

NORTHAMPTON - Police are seeking the public's help finding a missing city male.

The male, who is not named in a post about him on the department's Facebook page, was last seen on Tuesday, when he was on his way from Hadley to Northampton.

 The male, who is 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 125 pounds, may be in the downtown area.

Police were not immediately available to comment Friday.

 Those with information are asked to call 413-587-1100.

Supporters started a Facebook page, Ware Dog Park, to inform the community about their plans.

WARE -- Selectmen will hear a request for a dog park on town land at former church property on Pleasant Street at Tuesday's meeting.

Melannie Barnes, a proponent of the idea, is scheduled to make a presentation to the board.

Supporters started a Facebook page, Ware Dog Park, to inform the community about their plans.

"We are a group of volunteers working together to give our furry friends a safe environment to run off leash, socialize with humans and others canine & to exercise," one of their posts says.

The proposed site is where Mount Carmel Church once stood. 

The group says it also plans to meet with the town's park and recreation department next month to discuss the idea.

The May 23 Ware Selectmen's meeting at Town Hall, 126 Main St., begins at 7 p.m.

A car fire on Interstate 91 in Holyoke near exit 17 caused a traffic back up on the highway, according to the Massachusetts State Police.

HOLYOKE - A car fire on Interstate 91 South in Holyoke near exit 17 caused a traffic back up on the highway, according to the Massachusetts State Police.

The Holyoke Fire Department was dispatched to the scene to extinguish the fire shortly after 3 p.m.

There were no reports of any injuries.

Traffic was backed up for several miles into Northampton for a while. The scene is now clear and traffic, though heavy,  appears to be moving. 

Area scholars are refuting President Donald Trump's claim that the inquiry into possible contacts between his campaign and Russia is the "single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history."

AMHERST - Area scholars are refuting President Donald Trump's claim that the inquiry into possible contacts between his campaign and Russia is the "single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history."

Trump tweeted that after Robert S. Mueller III, a former FBI director, was named special counsel to look into the matter. The appointment followed Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey, who had been leading an investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

"The idea that the accusations are groundless and part of hysteria" is not true, said Austin Sarat, professor of jurisprudence and political science at Amherst College.

"On the basis of what we know now, the accusations do not seem to be groundless. I don't think they're motivated by any kind of hysteria," he said.

"Reasonable people might conclude that we need to move carefully about (investigating) the accusations of collusion in the campaign and possible obstruction of justice," he said.

University of Massachusetts political scientist Paul Musgrave said by definition a witch hunt entails "hunting for something that doesn't exist."

There are two famous examples. In Salem in the 1690s, "we actually had witch hunts; there were no witches," Musgrave said. And when U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy in 1950 alleged communist spies had infiltrated the State Department, there were none there.

Musgrave said it's ironic that the late Roy Cohn, a lawyer and prominent McCarthy ally, was also an associate of Trump's. Cohn represented the young real estate developer in a housing discrimination case in the 1970s.

Today's concerns about collusion and obstruction of justice in the Trump administration are worth investigating, Musgrave said. There's been "so much smoke," he said, there could be fire.

"What is remarkable is the White House's refusal to (offer) a spirited and plausible defense" to the charges, he said.

"By pointing at the people who are making allegations in some sort of alleged partisan (way), this seems to be beyond partisan score settling," he said of the investigation. Special counsels "aren't appointed to be part of a witch hunt," he said.

Trump's recent claim that "no politician in history ... has been treated worse or more unfairly" demonstrates that Trump "seems to be blinded to history and its lessons," Sarat said.

"American politics in some eras is blood sport," he said. "Trump needs to look at the way in which one of his alleged heroes, Andy Jackson, was treated."

Jackson, who was president from 1829-37, "was an outsider, someone who was regarded as uncouth," Sarat said. "The press at this time was not kind to him."

Harry S. Truman was not treated well either, Sarat said. "He was regarded as a comedown after Franklin Delano Roosevelt." Truman became president after Roosevelt died in office. Some people "didn't think he was up to the job of being president of the United States," Sarat said.

Sarat also pointed to Richard Nixon, who ended up resigning amid the Watergate scandal, and the impeachment Bill Clinton. He said Trump's complaints about his treatment "tells us more about Trump's narcissism and his extraordinarily thin skin than it does about American history."

The shells had sat for years in a truck from the 1930s that recently brought to the recycling center for scrapping.

GREENFIELD - The reported explosives emergency response this week at WTE Recycling Center on Southern Avenue was due to the discovery of artillery shells found on the property that dated back 100 years to around the time of World War I, according Greenfield Fire officials.

The shells were safely removed by members of a U.S. Navy explosive ordinance and demolition team. They were brought to an undisclosed location and disposed of, according to the fire department.

The discovery of the shells on Wednesday resulted in an emergency response by police, state police and the fire department. The state police bomb squad determined the shells were not an immediate threat.

An investigation by the police determined the shells had sat for years in an old 1930s truck that had sat unused for decades. It had recently been brought to the WTE facility for scrapping.

According to the fire department, the truck had deteriorated over the years preventing anyone from going inside of it. No one was aware the shells were inside until they were found.

Police have arrested two more suspects in connection with an October home invasion on South East Street bringing the total to seven charged.

AMHERST -- Police have arrested two more people in connection with an alleged October home invasion on South East Street, bringing the number of suspects in the case to seven.

Police charged Tivon LaValley, 26, of Hadley, with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, three counts of armed robbery while masked, felony nighttime breaking and entering, larceny over $250 and assault and battery.

Police issued a warrant for LaValley March 2, according to a press release, and he was arrested by U.S. marshals in San Francisco April 29. He is being held on $25,000 bail at the Hampshire Jail and House of Corrections in Northampton.

Police charged Warrens Gelin, 22, of Springfield, with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and armed robbery. He was arrested May 5 by Springfield police on a warrant issued March 20. He is being held on $50,000 bail.

One resident of the South East Street house was treated at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield for injuries suffered when he was hit in the arm by a hatchet, and another man suffered lacerations to his scalp after being hit with a handgun, according to police.

Patrick Bemben, 25, of Hadley, the first suspect in the case to be arrested, was treated at Cooley Dickinson from injuries he suffered as residents defended themselves, according to the police report.

Also charged in connection with the incident are Joseph Barcelos, 20, of Belchertown, Brittany Buckowski , 25, of Sunderland, Stephanos Georgiadis of Hadley, and John Niemiec III, 29, of Sunderland.

The search for a Massachusetts man who is accused of strangling the mother of his 4-year-old son in front of their child in September now includes the U.S. Marshals Service.

The search for a Massachusetts man who is accused of strangling the mother of his 4-year-old son in front of the child in September now includes the U.S. Marshals Service.

Emilio Delarosa, 32, is wanted for the killing of Wanda Rosa at her Tudor Street home in Methuen on Sept. 12, 2016.

Delarosa, of Lawrence, has been on the Massachusetts State Police Most Wanted List since February. The search for him expanded to include the U.S. Marshals Service, a spokesman said on Friday.

Rosa, 29, had an active restraining order against DeLarosa. It has been reported that their 4-year-old son watched as DeLarosa strangled his mother.

"Delarosa had a prior history of domestic violence against Rosa, including a 2014 conviction in Essex County for attempted murder, kidnapping, assault and battery on a pregnant victim, and aggravated assault and battery," State Police said in February.

He has previously been convicted of of assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest. Authorities said Delarosa has ties to Lawrence, Methuen, New Hampshire and the Dominican Republic.

Delarosa is Hispanic, 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. He has a muscular build, brown hair and brown eyes. He has two tattoos: A large cross on his back extending up to the base of his neck and he has the name "Wanda" on the inside of his left bicep.

Anyone with information is asked to call Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section immediately at 1-800-KAPTURE (1-800-527-8873).

Every Friday from 11:30 to 3:30 through October 27th, vendors will be offering local produce and products in Tower Square Park.

SPRINGFIELD -- It's local, it's fresh, and it's right in downtown Springfield. 

Springfield's Central Downtown Farmers Market has opened for the season, offering items such as local honey, vegetable plants, bread and more. 

Every Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through Oct. 27, vendors will be under their tents ready to serve the public, although high winds on opening day caused some of those canopies to be taken down. 

Stop by and see Jennifer Cruz, who will be happy to tell you about her Springfield Macarons, the little French cookies that she makes in her city kitchen.

Say hello to Mark Gurney, of Hampden, who will show you his unique jewelry made from polymer clay.

Springfield native Julie Turner would love to squeeze some lemons for you at JT's, where you can order your lemonade straight up or "Arnold Palmer" style mixed with iced tea. There are berry options as well.

Whether you are looking for a little lunch from Murphy's food truck or vegetable plants for your garden from the Pioneer Valley/New England Growers Co-op in Hadley, chances are you'll find it at the Springfield Central Downtown Farmers Market. 

During his meeting with Russian officials last week, President Donald Trump said recently fired FBI Director James Comey was a "nut job" whose ouster relieved "great pressure" on him, according to a report Friday in The New York Times.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- During his meeting with Russian officials last week, President Donald Trump said recently fired FBI Director James Comey was a "nut job" whose ouster relieved "great pressure" on him, according to a report Friday in The New York Times.

The Times cited notes from a May 10 Oval Office meeting, the day after Trump fired Comey.

Separately, The Washington Post reported Friday that the FBI investigation into possible coordination between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign was moving closer to the White House. Law enforcement officials now consider a senior Trump adviser a "person of interest" in the probe, the Post reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The report did not name the adviser.

The developments were a blow to White House efforts to tamp down interest in the Russia investigation as Trump and his staff boarded Air Force One for Saudi Arabia, first stop on his first foreign trip as president. The details of his comments to the Russians would seem to bolster theories that Trump fired Comey in an effort to choke off the Russia investigation.

Earlier this week, the Justice Department appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller to take over the federal investigation in an effort to re-establish independence from the White House.

Massachusetts lawmakers laud Justice Department for appointing special counsel in Trump-Russia probe

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told Congress Friday he stands by a memo he wrote bluntly criticizing Comey. But he made clear it was not his intention for Trump or other White House officials to use the document to justify firing Comey, which is what they have done.

In closed-door meetings with lawmakers on Thursday and Friday, Rosenstein said he wrote the memo after Trump told him one day before the May 9 firing that he wanted to dismiss Comey. Rosenstein said that though he was personally fond of Comey, "I thought it was appropriate to seek a new leader."

The Justice Department on Friday issued the text of Rosenstein's opening remarks for the briefings on Capitol Hill. That was two days after Rosenstein named Mueller as a special counsel to investigate possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Trump has said he plans to nominate a new FBI director soon, and that had been expected before his departure. However the White House said there would be no announcement Friday.

The appointment of Mueller as special counsel has drawn generally favorable comments from Democrats and from some Republicans as well. But lawmakers at both congressional sessions expressed frustration that Rosenstein would say little in answer to their questions about his actions -- or others' -- before Comey's firing.

"There was considerable frustration in the room," said Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., a member of the Armed Services Committee. "This renewed my confidence that we should not have confidence in this administration. I don't think (Rosenstein) did a lot to bolster our confidence in him today."

Rep. Seth Moulton pulls Salem card in response to Trump's 'witch hunt' claim

The White House has struggled since Comey's firing to explain the chain of events that led to it and who exactly made the decision. Trump has insisted at times that the decision was his alone, but he also has pointed -- as recently as Thursday -- to the "very strong" recommendation from Rosenstein.

Rosenstein made it abundantly clear to the lawmakers that he drafted his memo only after Trump told him of his plans to dismiss the FBI director.

"My memorandum is not a statement of reasons to justify a for-cause termination," he said. But he added, "I wrote it. I believe it. I stand by it."

The memo focuses on Comey's handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, particularly the FBI director's decision to divulge details to the public at various junctures. Rosenstein denounced that as "profoundly wrong and unfair."

House members and senators said Rosenstein in his briefings steered clear of specifics in answering questions about his appointment of Mueller but made clear the former FBI director, will have wide latitude to pursue the investigation, potentially including criminal charges.

Trump has reacted furiously to the appointment. However, at a combative news conference Thursday, he fell short in trying to resolve questions about investigations into his campaign and his first four months in office.

Asked point-blank if he'd done anything that might merit prosecution or even impeachment, Trump said no -- and then added of the lingering allegations and questions: "I think it's totally ridiculous. Everybody thinks so."

The appointment of the special counsel indicates other believe that's still open to question.

On Capitol Hill, Rosenstein said that he and Attorney General Jeff Sessions had "discussed the need for new leadership at the FBI" in one of their first meetings, and that he believed Comey had damaged the credibility of the bureau and the Justice Department through the Clinton case. Sessions has recused himself from the Trump-Russia probe, citing his close involvement in the Trump campaign last year.

Rosenstein denied media reports from last week that Comey had asked him for additional resources for his investigation before Trump fired him.

___

Associated Press writers Eileen Sullivan, Matthew Daly, Richard Lardner, Stephen Ohlemacher, Andrew Taylor, Kevin Freking and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

The "Great Garbanzo" food truck of the Holyoke Hummus Co. restaurant at 285 High St. in Holyoke, Massachusetts is competing against nine other food trucks nationwide in 2017 Best Food Truck Graphic Contest in online voting.

HOLYOKE -- The Great Garbanzo leads the race, but needs help from Holyoke Hummus Co. fans.

The Great Garbanzo is the name of the food truck of Holyoke Hummus Co. at 285 High St. and is one of 10 food trucks from around the country competing in the 2017 Best Food Truck Graphic Contest in online voting.

Supporters can vote once each per day by clicking here.

As of Friday afternoon, the Great Garbanzo led with 629 votes.

In second place was Souped Up, a Buffalo, New York mobile eatery with 568 votes. In third place was Twisted Catfish out of Houston, Texas with 166 votes, the only other truck in the race with a triple-digit number of votes.

Co-owner John L. Grossman said on Friday he believes that Holyoke Hummus' The Great Garbanzo, a UPS-like vehicle, is distinguished in its design by the craftsmanship of artist Amy Johnquest, "the Banner Queen of Holyoke."

Unlike other food trucks sporting vinyl graphics, Johnquest hand-painted the truck with the "Holyoke Hummus Company" name in gold, red and blue amid gold swirls on a black background, he said.

5/19/17 - HOLYOKE - John L. Grossman,co-owner of Holyoke Hummus Co. at 285 High St. in Holyoke, Massachusetts, poses with the restaurant's food truck on Friday, May 19, 2017.MIKE PLAISANCE / THE REPUBLICAN 

"We think it's a work of art," Grossman said.

Made originally in the Middle East, hummus is a paste or spread made from ground garbanzo beans, also known as chick peas, and other ingredients like sesame seeds, olive oil, lemon and garlic.

Mobile-cuisine.com -- "the complete online resource destination for the mobile food industry" -- is running the contest in which fans nominated nearly 1,000 food trucks and the online site narrowed the field to the Great Garbanzo and nine others from Texas, North Carolina, Illinois and other places.

Voting ends on May 26 at 9:59 p.m., the website said.

Apparently the prize for winning is the benefit of holding the title for 2017.

A body was found floating in the Charles River in Boston on Friday afternoon.

UPDATE: Wark reported at 5:38 p.m. that the body has now been recovered from the water and has been "tentatively" identified. The information is not being made public at this time pending notification of next of kin, Wark said. 

BOSTON - The body of an adult male was found floating in the Charles River Friday, said Jake Wark, spokesman for the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.

"The body is still in the process of being recovered from the river," Wark said Friday.   

Wark said the body, which was found face down, floating in the river, was located in an area of the river near the Esplanade. 

body recovered in the Charles River vicinity of the Mass. Ave. Bridge. H4, Marine unit, detectives, crime scene responding.

-- Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) May 19, 2017

Authorities responded to the area at approximately 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon after a report came in that a person was in the river.

Massachusetts State Police assigned to the DA's office, as well as a State Police marine unit and other law enforcement units are now at the scene investigating, Wark said.  

The body will be taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner so that an autopsy can be conducted. 

No other information has been released at this time, Wark said. 

This story will be updated when more information becomes available.