A deadline was set for Columbia Gas of Massachusetts to restore service by Nov. 19 but is that a deadline the company can meet?

In days following gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley some families were left without homes, thousands more without gas service. 

A deadline was set for Columbia Gas of Massachusetts to restore service by Nov. 19 but is that a deadline the company can meet? 

As of Wednesday, 842 residential and business meters have been relit. Nearly two thousand families - 6,863 individuals - remain living in hotel rooms, trailers and apartments as alternative housing while their homes are without full utilities. 

Less than three weeks out from their deadline, and with temperatures continuing to cool daily, less than 10 percent of the approximately 8,600 meters have been relit. Additionally, appliances needs to be installed in the homes; new water heaters, boilers, ranges, furnaces and dryers impacted by the gas line explosions. 

"Unless the company significantly increases the resources applied to the block-by-block repair process, thousands of homes will be left with no heat amidst winter temperatures," Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's office said in a letter to Columbia Gas officials. "Without mitigation, the damage from frozen pipes will be enormous."

A company spokesperson attributed the delays to unexpected code violations - the need for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, inspectors finding asbestos and lead in homes. Columbia says its adding more contractors to their team to restore service.

In an analysis of restoration efforts, the Eagle Tribune found that if Columbia were to double its current daily restoration rate, full residential restoration wouldn't be completed until after Christmas Day. 

"Unless something changes drastically, the date is in jeopardy," Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera told the Eagle Tribune. "The frustration and anger people have about this process is about information."

Explosions in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover caused upwards of 70 fires, injured more than two dozen people and resulted in the death of an 18-year-old from Lawrence, who died after a chimney fell on his vehicle. 

Preliminary investigative reports show over-pressurized gas lines as the believed cause of the disaster, that the work crews "did not account for the location of the sensing lines or require their relocation to ensure the regulators were sensing actual system pressure," according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Valves controlling the flow of gas were not shut off for more than three hours after issues were detected at a monitoring center in Ohio. The company did not have a way to remotely modify the flow of gas, NTSB said. 

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Columbia Gas on behalf of residents and business owners in the community accusing Columbia of operating with a "comprised" distribution method. 

"The Columbia Gas distribution system is comprised, to a large degree, of antiquated materials highly susceptible to corrosion and leaking, such as cast iron, wrought iron, and non-cathodically protected steel," the lawsuit states. "Despite the known risks associated with cast and wrought iron piping, these materials continue to comprise a large portion of the Columbia Gas distribution system."

Cast iron and wrought iron mains are employed in just over 471 miles of Columbia Gas' distribution system, as of the end of 2017. 

Crews were working to replace a cast iron main with a new plastic distribution main line on the day of the explosions. 

More than 21,000 claims have been filed to date with the company and nearly $26 million has been paid out so far. 

A significant coastal storm is predicted to sweep across New England late Friday through Sunday.

Up to two inches of precipitation is expected to hit Massachusetts this weekend. 

A significant coastal storm is predicted to sweep across New England late Friday through Sunday. 

Winds with gusts as strong as 55 miles per hour are expected to hit the state, with the strongest winds along the coastline. Wind gusts between 35 to 40 miles per hour are likely in the Greater Boston area, 25 to 35 miles per hour in Central Massachusetts and between 25 to 40 miles per hour in Western Massachusetts. 

Heavy rainfall is expected overnight into Saturday. Communities along the Massachusetts coastline are expected to see the most rainfall by Saturday evening, with up to two inches expected from north of Boston to Cape Cod and the islands. One to one and a half inches is expected in Central and Western Massachusetts, though some may see a mix of rain and snow. 

Snow is expected to fall in the Berkshires overnight into Saturday before transitioning to rain late Saturday morning as the temperatures rise. 

Temperatures will drop into the 30s Friday evening in Central and Western Massachusetts, 40s in Eastern Massachusetts, before rising into the 40s on Saturday for much of the state, higher on Cape Cod. 

A New York City police bomb squad has recovered a suspicious package addressed to Robert DeNiro, and investigators say it may contain a device similar to others sent to Democratic figures, a law enforcement official tells The Associated Press. Watch video

A New York City police bomb squad has recovered a suspicious package addressed to Robert DeNiro, and investigators say it may contain a device similar to others sent to Democratic figures, a law enforcement official tells The Associated Press.

Security personnel at Tribeca Productions summoned police at around 5 a.m. on Thursday.

The bomb squad removed the package and took it to a police facility in the Bronx at around 6:30 a.m.

Investigators say it appears to be from the same sender.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly.

Pipe bombs packed with shards of glass were intercepted en route to several prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, in an unnerving wave that deepened political tensions and fears two weeks before national midterm elections.

Pipe bombs packed with shards of glass were intercepted en route to several prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, in an unnerving wave that deepened political tensions and fears two weeks before national midterm elections.

On Thursday, a New York City police bomb squad recovered a suspicious package addressed to actor Robert DeNiro, who has been critical of President Donald Trump. Investigators told The Associated Press that it contains a similar device, according to an X-ray, as those sent to Democratic figures and CNN.

None of the seven bombs detonated and no one was hurt as authorities in New York, Washington, D.C., Florida and California seized the suspicious packages.

The targets of the bombs were some of the figures most frequently criticized Trump, who still assails Clinton at rallies while supporters chant "lock her up" -- two years after he defeated her. Trump also often singles out cable news network CNN and other news media whose reporting he does not like, terming them "fake news."

On Thursday, without directly referencing the explosive devices, Trump again blamed the media for the "anger" in society.

"A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News," he said in a morning Tweet. "It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!"

Hours earlier, he took a softer tone at a rally in Wisconsin Wednesday night.

"Let's get along," he said. "By the way, do you see how nice I'm behaving tonight? Have you ever seen this?"

The attacks overtook other news in an already-tense political season that could reshape Congress and serve as a referendum on the first two years of Trump's presidency. The actions, which caused panicked building evacuations and reports of additional explosives that later proved unfounded, are bound to add to fears that overheated rhetoric could lead to deadly violence as the parties engage in bitter fights over immigration, the Supreme Court and the treatment of women.

The bombs, each with a small battery, were about six inches long and packed with powder and broken glass, said a law enforcement official who viewed X-ray images and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

The official said the devices were made from PVC pipe and covered with black tape.

The first crude bomb to be discovered had been delivered Monday to the suburban New York compound of George Soros, a liberal billionaire and major contributor to Democratic causes.

The FBI said an additional package was intended for former Attorney General Eric Holder, but that one ended up at a Florida office of Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whose return address was on it.

Later Wednesday, the FBI said two additional packages addressed for Rep. Maxine Waters had been intercepted that were similar in appearance to five others.

The White House condemned the attacks aimed at Democrats and other perceived foes of the administration.

"Acts or threats of political violence have no place in the United States," Trump said. "This egregious conduct is abhorrent."

Other Republican leaders said the same. But Democratic Senate and House leaders Chuck Schumer of New York and Nancy Pelosi of California said such words "ring hollow" when coming from Trump. They noted the president's recent praise of a GOP congressman who body-slammed a reporter, among other Trump statements.

Law enforcement officials said all the packages were similar: manila envelopes with bubble-wrap interior bearing six stamps and the return address of Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. She is the former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee who was accused by Clinton rivals of secretly helping the party's eventual presidential nominee.

The package intended for Holder had the wrong address and was forwarded to Wasserman Schultz.

The devices all were sent to an FBI lab in Virginia to be studied. Officials provided no details on a possible suspect or motive.

"Suffice it to say, it appears an individual or individuals sent out multiple, similar packages," said John Miller, the New York Police Department's head of intelligence and counterterrorism, who briefed reporters.

The U.S. Secret Service intercepted the bomb that was addressed to Hillary Clinton at the Chappaqua, New York, home she shares with former President Bill Clinton, and another that was sent to Obama at his home in Washington.

A police bomb squad removed still another from CNN's New York office, which was evacuated. The CNN package was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, who has publicly clashed with Trump and is a regular television contributor.

Speaking at an event in Austin, Texas, Brennan called the spate of pipe bombs "a very unfortunate turn of events," particularly if he and others are being targeted for their public comments.

"Unfortunately, I think Donald Trump, too often, has helped to incite some of these feelings of anger, if not violence, when he points to acts of violence or also talks about swinging at somebody from the press, the media," Brennan said.

The package sent to CNN contained a live explosive, with wires and a black pipe, and an envelope with white powder, officials said. The powder was tested and determined to have been harmless, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

New York City Police Commissioner James O'Neill says investigators are reviewing security video to see if they can identify a courier believed to have delivered the pipe bomb package to CNN's office. O'Neill said in an appearance on CNN that he was "pretty sure those images will be caught on video, and we'll be able to find out where that person came from before they entered the building and where they went to after."

Waters, whom the president has denigrated as a "low-IQ individual," reported Wednesday afternoon that she was the target of a suspicious package. Though the FBI did not initially include her on a list of targeted individuals, the bureau later said two packages addressed to her and similar to the five others had been found. One was intercepted at a Los Angeles mail facility.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement, "These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

But while stopping short of blaming Trump's rhetoric for inspiring the attacks, Jeff Zucker, the president of CNN Worldwide, contended there was a "total and complete lack of understanding at the White House about the seriousness of their continued attacks on the media."

"The president, and especially the White House press secretary, should understand their words matter. Thus far, they have shown no comprehension of that," he said.

Dunkin' says U.S. customers will be able to buy upgraded lattes, cappuccinos and other espresso-based hot and cold drinks.

First, Dunkin' dropped the "Donuts" from its name. Now it's adding fancy espresso drinks to its menu.

Dunkin' says U.S. customers will be able to buy upgraded lattes, cappuccinos and other espresso-based hot and cold drinks at most of its 9,200 U.S. stores by the holiday season.

It's part of an effort by Canton, Massachusetts-based Dunkin' to increase beverage sales -- already 60 percent of its revenue -- and compete more directly with Starbucks Corp. Both companies reported lower U.S. store traffic in their most recent quarters and are looking for a jolt from new products.

Still, Dunkin' has a long way to go. Starbucks controlled 56 percent of U.S. coffee cafe sales in 2017, while Dunkin's share was 27 percent, according to Technomic, a food industry research company. Starbucks has 14,443 U.S. stores, or nearly 40 percent of all coffee cafes in the U.S.

Pricing is determined by franchisees, but Dunkin' will likely undercut Starbucks. Its recommended price for the new, 16-ounce hot cappuccino is $3.39; Starbucks charges $3.85 for the same drink. Starbucks also charges more for regular brewed coffee.

Starbucks' response, so far, has been to move even further upmarket. It has opened high-end roasteries featuring rare coffees and drinks -- like a whiskey barrel-aged cold brew -- in Seattle, Milan and Shanghai, and will open one in New York soon. It also recently opened Princi artisanal bakeries in Seattle and Chicago.

Dunkin' has been offering espresso-based drinks since 2003. But the company felt it needed bolder flavors and improved recipes to appeal to young customers. It's spending more than $50 million to buy new espresso equipment and train its U.S. employees to make hand-crafted drinks. Many international stores already had higher-quality espresso drinks, the company said.

It's also introducing special orange cups to distinguish espresso drinks from its other beverages.

"Espresso is one of the fastest growing coffee categories, particularly among younger consumers, and with our coffee credentials we believe we have a tremendous opportunity to improve our awareness and credibility among espresso drinkers," Dunkin's Chief Marketing Officer Tony Weisman said in a company statement.

There are reports that two of WWE's biggest names had refused to take part.

Despite pressure from fans and some government officials after the killing of a Washington Post contributor and U.S. resident inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey, WWE announced Thursday morning that its Crown Jewel event will go on as scheduled in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 2.

WWE made the announcement as part of its third quarter earnings release published on its corporate website.

The Stamford-Conn.-based sports entertainment giant pinned its decision to "contractual obligations" and an effort to ensure "2018 guidance" stays on schedule financially.

Ring Side News had reported that WWE had entered a decade-long agreement with the Saudi kingdom and would likely face stiff financial penalties if it scrapped Crown Jewel.

The WWE stated:

"WWE has operated in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and has developed a sizable and dedicated fan base. Considering the heinous crime committed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the Company faced a very difficult decision as it relates to its event scheduled for November 2 in Riyadh. Similar to other U.S.-based companies who plan to continue operations in Saudi Arabia, the Company has decided to uphold its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority and stage the event. Full year 2018 guidance is predicated on the staging of the Riyadh event as scheduled."

In its financial release, WWE reported revenues reached $188.4 million for the third quarter 2018 and a record $657.7 million for the nine months ended Sept. 30, representing 12 percent growth over the prior year period. 

Crown Jewel has lost some of its star power with the serious illness of wrestler Roman Reigns.

There have been numerous calls on social media for WWE to pull out of Saudi Arabia.

Further, there are reports that two of WWE's biggest names have refused to take part.

Barstool Sports reported Monday that both John Cena and Daniel Bryan were refusing to work Crown Jewel. Wrestling Observer Radio also reported that Cena had notified his bosses he would not travel to Saudi Arabia.

Neither WWE wrestler has issued a public comment.

In light of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi embassy, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., had called on WWE to "review and relook their relationship with the Saudi Kingdom."

"I would hope that WWE will recognize on its own a conscience and conviction if there is proof that Saudi officials approved and ordered this kind of killing, and I would lean first on the United States government to do its duty so that it can lead private interests like WWE," Blumenthal told WCBS News Radio 820.

After returning from the hospital, McLeod allegedly used his handgun to discourage smoking in the apartment, "He threatened to shoot anyone he caught smoking," a witness told police.

WESTFIELD - A reputed gang member recovering from lung surgery allegedly threatened to shoot a woman for smoking cigarettes in his presence last week.

Raekwon D. McLeod, 22, pulled a loaded 9mm pistol from his sweatpants and pointed it at his girlfriend's mother during a cigarette-related dispute in Westfield on Oct. 15, according to the arrest report.

"Are you going to let him point his gun at your mother?" a relative allegedly asked McLeod's girlfriend during the confrontation, which took place in an apartment about 100 feet from the Westfield police station.

When McLeod walked from the room, his girlfriend's mother walked to the police station and reported the alleged threat; minutes later, several officers arrested McLeod in an upstairs bedroom, and found a loaded 9mm Sig Sauer pistol in an open drawer, the report said.

Held in custody overnight, he pleaded not guilty in Westfield District Court the next day to assault with a dangerous weapon, assault on a family or household member, improper storage of a firearm accessible to a minor, and two counts of threatening to commit a crime.

At a prosecutor's request, McLeod was held for a dangerousness hearing and later released without cash bail with several conditions, including staying away from the victim and witnesses and surrendering all weapons and his license to carry a firearm.

McLeod, his girlfriend and her mother lived in the two-story Green Avenue apartment, along with several other adults and young children, court records show. McLeod had recently undergone surgery to repair a hole in his lung, and was warned by his surgeon to avoid cigarette smoke, the report said. 

The cause of his lung injury is not mentioned in the report, which describes McLeod as a member of Springfield's Knox Street gang, although he has no criminal record as an adult.

After returning from the hospital, McLeod allegedly used his handgun to discourage smoking in the apartment. "He threatened to shoot anyone he caught smoking," a witness told police.

When officers arrived at the apartment, McLeod said he had a license to carry the pistol and said they could find it his bedroom drawer. The gun - which had a round in the chamber and nine more in the magazine - had no trigger lock and was not secured, the report said.

"It was laying loaded in the open dresser drawer ... easily accessible to any child or adult within the residence," a police officer wrote in the report.

Following the arrest, Westfield police filed a report of alleged child abuse or neglect with the state Department of Children and Families.

McLeod is due back in court for a pretrial hearing in November.

The Gaming Commission's executive director said the agency's investigations and enforcement bureau is completing its report on whether Wynn Resorts is suitable to hold the eastern Massachusetts casino license after a Wall Street Journal report outlined accusations of sexual misconduct against company founder Steve Wynn.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is expected to schedule a hearing sometime in early December, after investigators complete their look into Wynn Resorts.

Ed Bedrosian, the commission's executive director, said the agency's investigations and enforcement bureau is still finishing its report on whether Wynn Resorts is suitable to hold the eastern Massachusetts casino license in the aftermath of a Wall Street Journal report outlining accusations of sexual misconduct against company founder Steve Wynn.

Steve Wynn denied the allegations but stepped away from the company Feb. 6. Wynn Resorts later changed the name of the $2.5 billion casino under construction in Everett to Encore Boston Harbor.

The hearing on the report will likely take place sometime in the first two weeks of December.

Steve Wynn's lawyer: Gaming Commission chair Stephen Crosby defamed casino mogul with 'predator' comment

Bedrosian said the commissioners and Wynn Resorts will receive a copy of the investigators' report, as well as exhibits. The package is expected to total hundreds of pages of documents.

The commission's legal division will work to schedule the hearing, according to Bedrosian.

A redacted version of the report will be released to the public at the beginning of the hearing.

Here's what Massachusetts investigators are looking into after Steve Wynn hit with allegations of sexual misconduct

Citing a challenging economy and financial pressures spurred by the ever-changing health care industry, the president of Mercy Medical Center notified staff this week of coming layoffs and the closure and reorganization of some departments.

SPRINGFIELD-- Citing a challenging economy and financial pressures spurred by the ever-changing health care industry, the president of Mercy Medical Center notified staff this week of coming layoffs and the closure and reorganization of some departments. 

The letter, sent by President Mark Fulco to staff on Wednesday, said the coming changes were necessary to allow the hospital to continue its mission.

"The decision to make these changes has been difficult and the subject of a thorough discernment process. We deeply regret that the reduction of positions is necessary," Fulco wrote. "We are grateful to all of our colleagues who provide a healing touch as a reflection of their commitment to Mercy's Mission and Values."

The letter didn't cite specifics, and those details have been requested from the hospital by The Republican. 

The hospital, part of Trinity Health of New England, made cuts to its Providence Behavioral Health Hospital in Holyoke over the summer, resulting in the reduction of staff there. 

The cutbacks also come as Massachusetts voters prepare to decide whether to pass ballot question 1, which would mandate nurse staffing levels at medical centers across the state. 

Mercy, in addition to all the other hospitals in the region, have warned that passage of the ballot question would collectively cost $1.31 billion in the first year, and $900 million in subsequent years.

Supporters of the initiative, namely the Massachusetts Nurses Association union, have pegged the cost of compliance much lower at $35 million to $47 million statewide.

On Wednesday, Fulco told staff that the hospital will attempt to reassign some affected employees elsewhere where possible, and utilize job training programs to help current employees facing a layoff maintain a job doing something else for Mercy. 

"Although for some, continued employment may require a different work schedule or additional training or education, we have many open jobs and will provide hiring preference to those seeking to remain with Mercy. If we are unable to place any colleague who is interested in a job in an appropriate role, they will be eligible to participate in the transition program until they find their next opportunity," Fulco wrote. "Mercy will provide Employee Assistance Program resources, Human Resource Department support, Internal Job Placement as well as External Outplacement services to support impacted colleagues."

A request for comment and details from spokeswoman Mary Orr was made Thursday morning, and this story will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Gov. Charlie Baker has a massive fundraising advantage over Gonzalez.

The Democratic candidates for governor and lieutenant governor have received another $84,000 in public financing.

Jay Gonzalez and his running mate Quentin Palfrey have now gotten a total of $626,000 in public money for the general election.

Gonzalez also received $302,000 for the primary.

Under state law, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor get the first crack at any available public financing money. No public money will go to candidates for other offices.

Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, opted out of the state's public financing system, so he has not received any public money.

The public financing system is funded by a checkbox which taxpayers can mark to voluntarily contribute an extra $1 on their income tax returns.

Baker has a massive fundraising advantage over Gonzalez. 

As of Oct. 15, Baker had $4.5 million in the bank compared to Gonzalez's $677,000. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito had $2.8 million in the bank compared to Palfrey's $55,000.

In the public financing system, candidates accept spending limits in exchange for public money. But if one candidate in a race opts out of public financing, that candidate sets the spending limit. Baker set the limit at $20 million for the governor's race.

TGP projects in Agawam and Longmeadow will benefit Columbia Gas of Massachusetts.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline LLC on Friday petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for permission to expand its natural gas infrastructure in Agawam.

The Kinder Morgan subsidiary applied for a "certificate of public convenience and necessity" from the FERC to build a new 2.1-mile pipeline loop, and a more powerful compressor station in that town.

Tennessee Gas also plans a new "city gate," or meter station, in Longmeadow, that will proceed whether or not the Agawam project is approved, the company stated.

Because the Tennessee Gas project is part of an interstate pipeline, it is federally regulated. The company hopes for a FERC certificate by November of 2019, and an in-service date of November 2020.

A related project by Columbia Gas, the Greater Springfield Reliability Project, has been described by the company in filings with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. That project is not yet under state environmental review.

The projects by Tennessee Gas and Columbia Gas are interdependent.

Columbia Gas hopes to send new pipelines up both sides of the Connecticut River to create a redundant supply to Springfield, lift service moratoriums in Northampton and Easthampton, and in other ways increase natural gas capacity in the Pioneer Valley.

Tennessee Gas says its separate Agawam upgrades will create an additional 72,400 dekatherms per day of "firm transportation capacity," meaning natural gas that is tied up in long-term contracts. Most of the gas will go to Columbia Gas of Massachusetts -- technically known as Bay State Gas -- and a smaller portion to Holyoke Gas & Electric.

As for the new capacity, Columbia Gas has subscribed to 40,400 dekatherms, and Holyoke Gas & Electric 5,000 dekatherms. That leaves around 27,000 dekatherms for Tennessee Gas to sell on the spot market. The new capacity will be sourced from a natural gas hub in Dracut that connects to a greater transmission network.

A dekatherm equals 1 million British BTUs, or 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas. To put things in perspective, Columbia Gas heating customers in Northampton and Easthampton now have contractual access to 12,000 daily dekatherms.

The Northampton City Council has taken a stand against the Greater Springfield Reliability Project, saying the city does not want any more natural gas because it is a fossil fuel that contributes to climate change. The project is also opposed by groups such as Climate Action Now.

It's not known what Tennessee Gas will do if the expansion plans by Columbia are somehow scuttled.

Columbia Gas is under federal investigation after a series of fires and explosions on Sept. 13 devastated the Merrimack Valley communities of Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover. State regulators last week ordered Columbia to cease all of its pipeline work across the state until at least Dec. 1.

Columbia's Springfield service territory includes Northampton, Easthampton, South Hadley, Chicopee, Ludlow, Palmer, West Springfield, Springfield, Wilbraham, Monson, Southwick, Agawam, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow and Hampden.

Agawam's Conservation Commission, when it meets Thursday, will consider a "request for determination of applicability" from Tennessee Gas.

The project would alter 25 acres, widen an existing right-of-way, cross five streams, affect wetlands, convert farmland, and impact habitat for two rare reptiles, according to environmental documents.

A previous version stated that Columbia's Greater Springfield Reliability Project is undergoing state environmental review. That project, in fact, has not been yet been filed for review under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act.

TGP FERC application for Agawam 261 project by Mary Serreze on Scribd

U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, touted a new federal law Thursday that seeks to combat the opioid abuse crisis by ensuring better tracking of Medicare prescriptions and helping treatment providers recruit and retain staff.

U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, touted a new federal law Thursday that seeks to combat the opioid abuse crisis by ensuring better tracking of Medicare prescriptions and helping treatment providers recruit and retain staff.

Clark, who has pushed to address shortages in substance use disorder treatment staff and the oversupply of opioids through electronic prescribing, praised the measures' inclusion in the bipartisan-backed "SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act" that President Donald Trump signed into law Wednesday.

"Both of these bills originated in conversations that I have had throughout my district with families, with health care providers -- whether that's in Arlington, or Framingham or Waltham -- and it is very gratifying to see their concerns that they brought to me end up in a law that is going to be so positive," she said in an interview.

The Massachusetts congresswoman called the wide-ranging bill package a "major step forward in delivering families across the country resources and relief they so badly need."

The workforce measure, which Clark and Kentucky Republican Rep. Hal Rogers introduced as the "Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act" earlier this year, seeks to encourage more people to enter the substance abuse disorder treatment field by offering student loan repayment to those who agree to work in high-need areas -- places with a shortage of mental health professionals or a high rate of drug overdose deaths. 

Massachusetts congresswoman looks to end workforce shortage, encourage people to enter addiction treatment field

To qualify, participants must agree to work in full-time substance use disorder treatment jobs in high-need areas for up to six years. Eligible positions include direct patient care roles such as physicians, registered nurses, social workers and therapists, among others.

The congresswoman said the proposal, which allows eligible participants to seek real-time repayments of up to $250,000, came in direct response to workforce concerns raised by treatment providers and constituents across Massachusetts.

"I have heard from so many families in my district about how difficult and heartbreaking it is not being able to find treatment for their loved one," she said. "The provision that will provide student loan forgiveness for those professionals who go into providing treatment for substance abuse disorder is going to go along way to helping us recruit and retain the workforce that is necessary to provide good access for treatment and recovery for those who are so affected by the opiate crisis."

Clark added that she will be pushing federal officials to ensure the provision is enacted as soon as possible to prevent further workforce issues. 

The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates about 10 percent of Americans with substance use disorders receive treatment. Experts have attributed that low percentage, in part, to the lack of providers.

US House passes Massachusetts congresswoman's bill to end addiction workforce shortage

Despite a 2014 federal push to grow the behavioral health workforce, that gap is expected to grow in the coming years, with SAMHSA projecting significant shortages of psychiatrists, substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors and substance abuse social workers by 2025.

Clark's "Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act," meanwhile, will require all controlled substance prescriptions for Medicare beneficiaries to be transmitted electronically by 2021 so officials can better track and secure opioid distribution. 

The proposal stemmed from a 2016 Health and Human Services Inspector General report, which found one in three beneficiaries had received at least one prescription opioid through Medicare Part D, nearly 70,000 Part D beneficiaries received "extreme amounts" of opioids and 22,000 beneficiaries "appeared to be doctor shopping" to obtain multiple prescription. 

Clark, who noted that states with such technology have seen reductions in "doctor shopping" and in the loss and theft of prescription pads, said the measure will allow providers and prescribers "to better serve their patients."

US Rep. Richard Neal touts new federal legislation to combat opioid crisis

The bill package, which cleared Congress with broad based support, includes several previously-passed House measures that seek to combat opioid abuse through Medicaid and Medicare coverage changes, among other things.

Specifically, the legislation calls for: Expanding Medicare coverage of opioid treatment programs and medication-assisted treatment, allowing more providers to treat opioid use disorder patients with Buprenorphine and mandating Medicaid coverage of all forms of medication-assisted treatment.

It further includes language to: Permanently allow physicians to treat up to 275 patients with Buprenorphine; provide consistent Medicaid coverage for at-risk youth; expand Medicaid coverage for foster youth until age 26; give the Federal Trade Commission stronger enforcement tools when bringing cases against companies that prey on individuals with opioid use disorders; and reauthorize and strengthen the Office of National Drug Control Policy, among other things.

Although Clark lauded the bill's inclusion of funding for her proposed student loan repayment program, the Massachusetts Democrat argued that more money is needed to support other provisions contained in the bill package. 

"More funding is critical as we look at all the provisions in this bill, many of which are very worthy and will go a long way," she said. "But we need a commitment from Congress and from the president to put the funding behind these provisions so we can get money to states, health care providers and programs."

William Winters Leverett entered a plea of innocent in the killing of Millan.

William Winters Leverett, the Connecticut man accused of the 2014 killing of Melissa Millan in a running trail in Simsbury was ordered by the judge in his case to undergo a psychiatric exam, according to reports.

Leverett, 27, appeared in Hartford Superior Court on Wednesday for an arraignment on a murder charge in relation to the Nov. 20, 2014 stabbing death of Millan.

He entered an innocent plea and is being held on $2 million bail.

His next appearance in court is planned for Dec. 6 for a pre-trial conference.

Leverett turned himself in last month to Simsbury Police, and admitted to attacking and killing Millan as she jogged along a bike path near Iron Horse Boulevard in Simsbury.

Millan, a vice president with Massachusetts Mutual, was an avid runner. 

Leverett told police he did not know Millan, and targetted her at random as she jogged. He said he originally wanted to talk to her, but instead "went into a frenzy" and stabbed her."

Leverett is registered in Connecticut as a sex offender as a result as a 2011 conviction for a single charge of sexual assault on a child. 

HOLYOKE -- The Holyoke Salvation Army, 271 Appleton St., will conduct family registration for its Christmas toy distribution Oct. 29 through Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Parents of children from newborn through 12 years old should bring a photo ID, birth certificates for each child and recent proof of address to register....

HOLYOKE -- The Holyoke Salvation Army, 271 Appleton St., will conduct family registration for its Christmas toy distribution Oct. 29 through Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.

Parents of children from newborn through 12 years old should bring a photo ID, birth certificates for each child and recent proof of address to register.

The Salvation Army unit serves families in Holyoke, Chicopee, South Hadley and Granby.

Fewer than 4 out of 10 adults in the United States got flu shots last winter.

Fewer than 4 out of 10 adults in the United States got flu shots last winter, the lowest rate in seven seasons and one likely reason why the 2017-2018 season was the deadliest in decades.

Reports released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide new details outlining the severity of the past flu season during which more people were killed than any seasonal influenza since the 1970s.

Flu vaccination is the main way to prevent sickness and death caused by flu. But last season, vaccination coverage among adults was 37.1 percent, a decrease of 6.2 percentage points from the previous season. That's the lowest rate for adults 18 and older since 2010-2011.

"That's huge. It's a striking inflection down from the previous year," said William Schaffner, an infectious-diseases expert at Vanderbilt University and medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

Data released Thursday also provide a comprehensive picture of the impact of last season's deadly respiratory virus. Some data about deaths and hospitalizations were released last month, but new details show the scope of last season's harshness. The CDC estimates that:

*49 million people were sickened by flu, roughly the combined population of Texas and Florida.

*960,000 people were hospitalized, more than the total number of staffed hospital beds in the United States.

*79,000 people died, the average number of people who attend the Superbowl. The previous high for a regular flu season, based on analyses dating back more than three decades, was 56,000 deaths.

Last winter's flu season was so devastating for several reasons. It was dominated by an especially fierce virus strain. Seasons where H3N2 is dominant typically result in the most complications, especially for the very young and the old, experts say. Vaccines are also less effective against H3N2. The virus changes rapidly, requiring more updates to the seasonal vaccine, and making it that much harder for the body's immune system to generate a good response.

The drop in vaccine coverage could also have contributed to last season's severity, said Alicia Fry, chief of epidemiology and prevention in CDC's influenza division. Flu vaccine, while far from perfect, reduces illness and serious complications, such as hospitalizations and admission to intensive-care units.

Schaffner and CDC officials said the drop in vaccine coverage could be related to preliminary reports about low vaccine effectiveness in Australia. Flu activity in the southern hemisphere can often predict what Americans might expect.

"I think that really discouraged a lot of people from getting vaccinated," said Schaffner, who also noted that the early data was incorrect.

It's too early to know whether people are "still carrying that around in ther minds," he said.

It's too early to predict what this coming flu season will be like. Flu activity is low, but there has already been one child death reported. Last season, flu killed 183 children, the highest number since federal health authorities began tracking pediatric deaths 14 years ago.

This year, CDC officials are hoping to boost vaccine coverage by helping doctors and nurses make a strong case to their patients for a flu shot. A strong recommendation from a clinician makes a huge difference in whether someone gets the influenza vaccine.

Last season, people may have thought it wasn't worth getting the vaccine, said Cindy Weinbaum, deputy director of CDC's immunization services division.

This year, the CDC has created new tools for clinicians, including videos, on making a strong flu vaccine recommendation, she said. That includes identifying and addressing any questions or concerns in plain and understandable language.

Her remarks on Tuesday drew sharp criticism and she apologized on Wednesday.

NBC is dropping "Megyn Kelly Today" after her controversial remarks about blackface on Tuesday, according to multiple news reports.

During a panel discussion with Jenna Bush Hager, Jacob Soboroff and Melissa Rivers, Kelly said, "You do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface for Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween. Back when I was a kid, that was okay just as long as you were dressing as a character."

Her remarks that it was once acceptable drew sharp criticism from viewers and her colleagues. She publicly apologized at the start of Wednesday's broadcast.

NBC News Chairman Andy Lack condemned Kelly's comments, telling a town hall gathering, "There is no place on our air or in this workplace for them."

It was not the first time Kelly, 47,  has raised eyebrows on the subject of race.

As a a FOX News host, she stated in a December 2013 segment that Santa Claus and Jesus Christ were both white men.

NBC ran a repeat of "Megyn Kelly Today" on Thursday morning and has since decided to let her go, according The New York Post.

She has hired attorney Bryan Freedman, who is scheduled to meet with NBC executives on Friday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Kelly will reportedly be paid the remainder of her $69 million contract, The Daily Mail reported. (Her salary was $20 million a year when she started in 2017.)

NBC gave Kelly the hour-long 9 a.m. slot once hosted by two African-Americans broadcasters, Al Roker and Tamron Hall.

Vanity Fair noted Kelly's salary is more than double what NBC paid Roker and Hall combined, and her show has not delivered impressive ratings.

During Wednesday's "Today" show broadcast, Roker said of Kelly, "The fact is, while she apologized to the staff, she owes a bigger apology to folks of color round the country." 

Wayne E. Phaneuf, historian and executive editor of The Republican, was able to pinpoint Geisel's birthplace using old maps, street directories and the fact that the Howard Street Armory a constant point of reference. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Leagrey Dimond, stepdaughter of Theodor Seuss Geisel -- Dr. Seuss -- fixed her eyes on the horizon Thursday and remembered the first time she saw Springfield's skyline with all its towers, turrets, spires and signs.

"That was his inspiration," she said. "I can see where he got all the ideas."

Her observation was all the more meaningful because Dimond was standing, for the first time, at pretty nearly the exact spot where Geisel was born on March 2, 1904. He died in 1991 in California. 

The experience elicited a long sigh from Dimond. "All of the memories and meaning when it comes to Ted,"  she said.

The birthplace is now the Armory Square outdoor event space at MGM Springfield. Wayne E. Phaneuf, historian and executive editor of The Republican, was able to pinpoint it using old maps, street directories and the fact that the Howard Street Armory -- now also part of the 14-acre MGM complex -- remains a constant point of reference.

The Seuss family lived on Howard Street. His grandparents on his mother's side -- George and Margaretha Seuss -- owned a bakery at the corner of Main and Howard streets, across from where Red Rose Pizzeria is today.

MGM Springfield will mark the spot with a plaque, President & COO Mike Mathis said. The resort presented Dimond with a replica of it during a tour with Phaneuf and a party from the Springfield Museums.

MGM Springfield already has more than a few Seussian touches, including light fixtures with vintage hats in homage to Geisel's "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins."

Mathis said MGM emphasized Springfield history and culture in the facility.

"And people have rewarded us for that by coming out and visiting us," he said. "We are very pleased."

There are nods to the Springfield Armory, Amherst's Emily Dickinson and a store devoted to Indian motorcycles. Geisel drew the original Springfield-built Indian Motocycles in "And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street."

The billion-dollar MGM Springfield opened in August.

On Wednesday, Dimond helped the Springfield Museums announce a $500,000 renovation at Geisel's boyhood home at 74 Fairfield St. The home, where he drew early versions of his fanciful characters on the bedroom walls, will become the Geisel Innovation Center, aimed at attracting educators, students, writers and artists.

Dimond and the Geisel family were also instrumental in helping the Springfield Museums create the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum at the Quadrangle. The museums drew 148,000 ticketed visitors in the first year -- June 2017 to June 2018 -- the new museum was open.

Gino the dog will have be examined by a vet to determine the extent of any injuries.

EASTHAMPTON - An Easthampton police dog and two police officers were injured Wednesday night when a man suspected of drunken driving plowed head-on into their cruiser on Old Springfield Road, according to police. 

The officers were at the time responding to a report of an out-of-control party when the collision occurred just after 10:30 p.m., according to Easthampton Police Chief Robert Alberti.

The driver of the car that hit the cruiser, Nicholas Bilger, 24, of Easthampton, had apparently left the same party moments before, Alberti said.

Easthampton K-9 Officer Andrew Beaulieu and part-time reserve officer Kevin Moskal suffered minor injuries in the crash, and the department's dog, Gino, appeared to have been shaken up. He is due to be taken to the veterinarian on Thursday, Alberti said.

Bilger was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, second offense, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, reckless operation, driving an unregistered, uninsured vehicle, attaching wrong plates and several motor vehicle violations.

According to police, Bilger was given a breath test during booking and it showed his blood-alcohol level to be more than twice the state's .08 legal limit for intoxication.

Alberti said the officers spotting Bilger's vehicle heading toward them at a high rate of speed, and weaving erratically. They stopped the cruiser and activated their overhead emergency lights in an attempt to cause the other vehicle to slow down.

Instead, it slammed into the cruiser, causing major front-end damage, Alberti said.

Upon impact, the cruiser's airbags were triggered. A side-impact air bag in the K-9 compartment in the back seat of the cruiser threw Gino the dog across the compartment into an inner wall.

Bilger's vehicle after impact skidded off the road and crashed into the woods.

He suffered minor injuries. 

Old Springfield Road is a narrow, isolated street off Fort Hill Road behind the Oxbow.

The chancellor for the University of Massachusetts Amherst said Wednesday that the school remains committed to the rights of transgender people.

AMHERST - The chancellor for the University of Massachusetts Amherst said this week that the school will defend the rights of all students--including gender non-conforming ones--in light of a recent controversial announcement by federal officials. 

The NYT reports that the Trump administration's Department of Health and Human Services is leading an initiative to create a legal definition of sex for the purposes of Title IX--the federal program that protects against gender discrimination in schools receiving government funding. 

That definition may adhere to a strict biological definition, which may preclude protections for transgender individuals who identify with genders not identical to their sex. 

UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy said Wednesday that the school remains committed to the rights of all individuals. 

"I want to take this opportunity to state unequivocally that we reject any reinterpretation of Title IX that results in the elimination of protections for transgender individuals," Subbaswamy said.

"We remain committed to fostering a campus climate that acknowledges the dignity of every member of our community," he added.  

Subbaswamy further called the proposal by federal officials "odious." 

Transgender rights have been a frequent subject of discussion and activism at UMass. The school recently announced it had received a permanent variance allowing it to keep two gender-inclusive bathrooms previously installed in a LBTQ-oriented dorm.  

Transgender rights are also on the ballot in Massachusetts this year. Question 3 will decide whether an anti-discrimination law passed by the Baker administration in 2016 is repealed. The law allows for the "protection" of transgender people in "public spaces"--specifically bathrooms. 

The full text of Subbaswamy's statement is below: 

According to a recent New York Times report, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) has proposed a reinterpretation of federal civil rights law that rescinds recognition and protection of transgender people. The Times report, which is based on a leaked internal memo, states that the move would define gender as a "biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth."

Although it appears that this proposed change to the enforcement of federal Title IX civil rights law is only at a preliminary stage, I want to take this opportunity to state unequivocally that we reject any reinterpretation of Title IX that results in the elimination of protections for transgender individuals, and we remain committed to fostering a campus climate that acknowledges the dignity of every member of our community. Furthermore, regardless of the outcome of this odious DHS proposal, we will continue to vigorously enforce our campus non-discrimination policy, which prohibits discrimination of any kind, including on the basis of gender identity and expression.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the visitor center, like previous incarnations of Springfield visitor centers, is named for former Mayor William C. Sullivan. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Even in this day of smartphones and digital marketing, visitors to the city are still looking for an old-fashioned printed pamphlet and, probably more importantly, a friendly face, said Chris Russell, executive director of the Springfield Business Improvement District.

"It's that human connection," he said. "People are still looking for that personal touch."

It's the reason why the BID and the Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau on Thursday opened a new Springfield Regional Visitor Center at 1319 Main St.,  just across Bruce Landon Way from the MassMutual Center and across Main Street from the MassLive Building and Springfield's Court Square.

"What I wanted to develop and what I thought was critically important -- and you see in larger urban centers -- was something in the heart of downtown," he said. "There are so many things happening."

Mary Kay Wydra, Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau president, called the spot a "crossroads" not just for Springfield but for all of Western Massachusetts. MGM Springfield is right down the street.

"There is a lot of foot traffic," she said. "And it's growing. We need to capture more of this foot traffic."

She said visitors to the center can even take a selfie on a sky-ride car that was once used at the Big E.

The visitor center will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and will be staffed by people from the BID and the Convention & Visitors Bureau, Wydra said.

There are eight informational digital displays with headphones, a menu wall promoting local restaurants, ticket sales for local venues and souvenirs for sale. There is a Westfield Bank ATM and a public restroom.

Wydra said the center will be staffed by existing Convention & Visitors Bureau workers and two part-timers. She's paying for it out of money provided by local businesses.

Russell said the new center is neutral to his budget, although he didn't give specifics. The BID has moved its offices to the building and are in the rear of the visitor center space.

The BID soon will begin hosting events in the visitor center space. "We are going to model it after some of our summer events and just bring them inside," he said. BID summer events include the popular White Lion Wednesdays.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the visitor center, like previous incarnations of Springfield visitor centers, is named for former Mayor William C. Sullivan.

The visitor center was once in a stand-alone building on the riverfront, and for a time was in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame building. Most recently, a visitor center was open up at 1441 Main St.