Steven Hoffman, the chairman of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, is still staying away from giving a specific date for the opening of retail pot shops.

Steven Hoffman, the chairman of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, is still staying away from giving a specific date for the opening of retail pot shops.

After a meeting of the five-member commission Thursday, Hoffman said regulators are continuing to work with the marijuana companies that received final licenses.

There are still a couple of steps that need to be taken: The inventory needs to be put into the seed-to-sale tracking system, the licensing for the marijuana testing labs needs to be fully in place and regulators must inspect a retail pot shop.

"We're getting really close but those are the steps that have to happen before the 'commence operation' certificates are issued," Hoffman said.

He added: "Everything's happening as quickly as we can."

The first retail store could open in the "next week or two," according to Hoffman, who added an additional caveat.

See inside the marijuana facility growing some of Massachusetts' first legal recreational cannabis

"Frankly, we issue a certificate of 'commence operations,' it's not our decision when the store opens," Hoffman said. "It's the licensees' decision. But we're going to have these certificates of 'commence operations' done in the next week or two."

The first two businesses to receive final licenses for retail are ones that are looking to co-locate their recreational shop with their medical marijuana dispensary: Cultivate in Leicester and New England Treatment Access in Northampton.

Dias Muratovich Kadyrbayev, a 24-year-old former Massachusetts resident sentenced for concealing criminal evidence connected to the Boston Marathon bombing, has been deported, federal immigration officials say.

Dias Muratovich Kadyrbayev, a 24-year-old former Massachusetts resident sentenced for concealing criminal evidence connected to the Boston Marathon bombing, has been deported, federal immigration officials say. 

He was transported to his native Kazakhstan last month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said this week. 

Kadyrbayev was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice for removing and disposing of incriminatory items from Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's dorm after recognizing him in FBI photos shown on the news. Both were students at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. 

He removed Tsarnaev's laptop and a backpack that contained explosive powder from fireworks. Both were later recovered by law enforcement. 

He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to six years in federal prison in 2015. ICE officials announced in August that he faced deportation. 

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh are all planning to attend events to honor the victims of last Saturday's synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh.

Massachusetts' top politicians will be going to synagogue for services this week celebrating the Jewish Sabbath.

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh are all planning to attend events to honor the victims of last Saturday's synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh.

The Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown Friday night and continues through Saturday evening, and many Jews attend synagogue services both Friday night and Saturday morning.

Last Saturday, as prayers were beginning at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, a man who had expressed anti-Semitic views online has been charged with entering the synagogue with a gun and murdering 11 worshippers.

In response, Jews around the country are participating in a "Show up for Shabbat" effort this week, encouraging Jews and non-Jewish supporters to attend synagogue services.

Baker, Markey and Walsh plan to attend Friday night services at Temple Israel of Boston as part ofa "Shabbat of Comfort, Community and Courage."

Warren will speak at a #ShowUpForShabbat service on Saturday morning at Temple Emanuel in Newton. 

The state representative race in the 12th Hampden district features six-term incumbent Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo Jr., and Wilbraham resident Donald Flannery.

SPRINGFIELD -- The state representative race in the 12th Hampden District will feature six-term incumbent Angelo J. Puppolo Jr. and Wilbraham resident Donald J. Flannery, a long-time real estate broker and Realtor.

Puppolo, a Democrat, who is seeking election to his seventh two-year term in Tuesday's election, cited his experience and accomplishments in the Statehouse.

The district includes Wilbraham; East Longmeadow's Precinct 1; and in Springfield, Ward 6, Precincts C, D, G and H, and Ward 7, Precincts B, C, D, E and G.

"The biggest factor is the experience," Puppolo said. "I think my experience certainly is needed now more than ever doing the job on legislative issues as well as constituent services."

He also cited the importance of "bringing resources and funding to the district," as well as working on and co-sponsoring key legislation "relative to economic development, green energy, veterans and seniors, public safety and fighting the opioid epidemic."

Flannery, who is on the ballot as an independent candidate, and who has not held elective office, said that people want a change, and he believes he brings "accountability and transparency" to the legislative seat.

"The reason I'm running is I want to give representation back to the people," Flannery said. "I want more transparency and accountability. I want the people to know what's going on and become more involved."

Both candidates said they have been actively campaigning and participated in a forum in East Forest Park, part of the district.

Puppolo, 49, of 44 South Ave., Springfield, was first elected to the seat in 2006, and previously served as a city councilor in Springfield. He is chairman of the House Committee on Technology and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Flannery, 78, of 3 Springfield St., Wilbraham, said he has been a real estate broker and Realtor for more than 50 years.

Flannery has accused Puppolo of voting for a pay raise for legislators including himself.

Puppolo disputed Flannery's accusation, saying that a raise came by way of an established cost-of-living adjustment determined by the governor, along with increased stipends for chairmanships and leadership positions, some going many years without raises.

"Most importantly, I have been doing the job," Puppolo said. "I love my job, I work every day and do as much as I can to help my constituents."

Flannery said he is optimistic.

"People say they want a change," Flannery said. "If they don't get out and vote, Angelo's loyal followers will sweep him back into office."

A second suspect has been identified in the murder of Whitey Bulger at a West Virginia penitentiary.

Authorities have identified Lowell man Paul J. DeCologero as a second suspect in the murder of Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger, reports indicate.

The Boston Globe said two unidentified law enforcement officials confirmed they believe DeCologero is a second suspect alongside Fotios "Freddy" Geas in the murder of Bulger Tuesday morning at a penitentiary in West Virginia. The suspects' reported weapon of choice was a padlock stuffed into a sock.

Bulger was beaten to death within 11 hours of arriving at the high-security US Penitentiary Hazelton, which has a violent reputation, according to reporting by the Globe.

Whitey Bulger death: West Springfield double-murderer Freddy Geas under scrutiny

The newspaper said DeCologero, 44, whose family is associated with extensive violent criminal activity in the Boston area, is serving a life sentence for the 1996 murder of Medford teenager Aislin Silva. Court documents reportedly reveal DeCologero and family members sliced up Silva's body and buried it on the North Shore.

It is unclear what DeCologero's motive may have been in any involvement in Bulger's death.

The first suspect reported was former West Springfield man Geas. The 51-year-old serving a life sentence in West Virginia for two murders "has a great disdain for informants," Springfield attorney Daniel D. Kelly told The Republican. Kelly represented the Geas family for multiple crimes. 

Listen to dispatch call in killing of gangster James 'Whitey' Bulger

Bulger himself is known as one of the most violent and brutal criminals in the country.

He has been associated with more than a dozen murders, and has been a national subject of scrutiny in media, including a documentary and movie "Black Mass" starring Johnny Depp. Bulger was convicted off 11 murders while serving as an informant to the FBI. 

Anthony Gonzalez was found with a gun that had been reported stolen from Connecticut, police said.

SPRINGFIELD - Police arrested an 18-year-old man on gun charges Thursday night, charging him with shooting at a car on Oakwood Terrace.

Anthony Gonzalez, 18, is charged with discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, attempted assault and battery by means of a firearm, malicious damage to a motor vehicle, and receiving stolen property.

The gun, which was recovered by police, had been reported stolen from Newington, Connecticut, according to police spokesman Ryan Walsh.

Police were called to Oakwood Terrace by the city's Shotspotter gunshot detection system. Officers met the owner of the vehicle who reported it was hit by gunfire.

The investigation at the scene led officers to a nearby duplex where Gonzalez was found in the basement with the gun.

Christine Williams was a community activist in Springfield's North End neighborhood. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- As the rain poured down at Calhoun Park on Jefferson Avenue, family and friends of community activist Christine Williams huddled under tents and talked about the impact she had on their lives and the lives of many people in Springfield's North End neighborhood.

"To say that my grandmother was a passionate woman is kind of an understatement, but it was her passion that led her to work for other people, to sit on many boards, to be innovative," said Telleha Howard, Williams' oldest grandchild. "There are things that people in Springfield enjoy now that she sat at a table and helped make happen."

Williams, who died in 1993, spent her life advocating for families in the city. She also served on a number of nonprofit boards including the New North Citizens Council, the former Northern Educational Service and the Johnson Life Center.

She had nine children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Six of her children and several of her grandchildren and other relatives and friends gathered on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Chestnut Street Friday morning for the dedication. Under the Jefferson Avenue street sign is now a sign that reads Christine Williams Way.

"Simply put Christine was all about community. She was not one to look for a pat on the back or accolades, she was about getting the job done," said Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. "Her legacy continues on through family and friends, but now people will see it depicted on the street sign right in the heart of the North End."

Two of Williams children, Roger Williams and Zora Ortiz, spoke about their mother.

"This is truly a very long time coming for our family. The fact that we are standing here is a testament  to the love we have for our mother and the great work that she did," Ortiz said. "My mother was known for her outspokenness and her passion. We are so very proud of all that she was able to accomplish not just for the North End, but for the city of Springfield."

Williams said he owes everything he has and everything he is to his mother.

"There were a lot of kids in this neighborhood, a lot of friends I had that are not  here today, but for my mom I graduated from high school, went into the United States Air Force, had an honorable discharge, and became a police officer at Westfield State University until I retired. All of this, everything I did and everything I achieved, all came from one person who believed in me, who kept me alive and for that I honor my mother," he said.

The short ceremony ended with the Williams family unveiling the new street sign that reads "In Honor of Christine Williams Way," the sign is just across the street from where Williams lived.

"If she didn't show me what it meant to be a good citizen, a true participant I wouldn't be here today," Howard said. "I am so grateful that we are keeping her memory alive."

Darrin Fitzpatrick -- according to stories published by The Republican over the last decade -- has been fired upon at least once, involved in any number of struggles with violent suspects resisting arrest and struck and injured at least three times by suspects fleeing in vehicles.

SPRINGFIELD -- The city police officer who this summer shot and injured a suspect during traffic stop -- after the driver allegedly struck him, sending the cop onto the car's hood -- is no stranger to the dangers of the job.

More so than many, it seems.

According to stories published by The Republican over the last decade, Officer Darrin Fitzpatrick has been fired upon at least once and involved in a number of violent struggles with suspects resisting arrest.

He's also been struck and injured by suspects in vehicles at least three times, including the most recent incident.

Fitzpatrick remains out on injured status related to the incident July 3, a police department spokesman said.

The officer's experiences on the beat underscore the unpredictable and potentially volatile nature of even routine calls.

Brian Rizzo, a former New York City police officer and now an associate professor of criminal justice at Westfield State University, said many of the incidents that have marked Fitzpatrick's career exemplify the dangers of police work.

Loggers and iron-workers may face far more danger on the job than police officers do, Rizzo said, in terms of death and injury rates. But he said there's a difference in the nature of the threats police officers face, since their work is so steeped in the potential for conflict and confrontation.

"This distinction is the 'danger' the police face every day they suit up and go out on patrol," Rizzo said. "Police officers understand this potential threat. Police take an oath to protect. Most incidents are routine, but an officer never knows which traffic stop, domestic violence call or other call may turn into something which makes him or her fear for their life."

For Fitzpatrick, one such traffic stop came in September 2008, when he was dragged down Hall Street by a fleeing suspect's car.

The rookie officer was thrown clear when the car hit another vehicle, but he leaped back into action and grabbed the driver as he attempted to run away.

Fitzpatrick was treated at Baystate Medical Center for sprains, scrapes and bruises.

In April 2010, a driver on Belmont Avenue struck Fitzpatrick, sending him over the hood and onto the ground. Fitzpatrick and another officer, investigating the driver's vehicle, were approaching it on foot when the driver gunned the gas.

Fitzpatrick suffered injuries to his right side, and was treated at Baystate.

On July 3 of this year, in the Forest Park neighborhood, Fitzpatrick once again found himself in the path of a suspect with his foot jammed on the gas pedal, according to police.

This time, he landed on the hood instead of soaring over it. Fitzpatrick fired his service pistol one time, striking the driver as he continued to accelerate, police said. Fitzpatrick ultimately fell off the hood and onto a concrete barrier. He was treated for injuries at Baystate Medical Center.

Police identified the driver at Geovonny Hernandez, 24, of Chester Street. His car, which had been reported stolen, was stopped a half-mile away on Kensington Avenue. Hernandez faces charges in Hampden Superior Court and is being held without right to bail.

All Springfield police officers involved in such shootings are required to hand over their service pistol and duty belt to a supervisor, said department spokesman Ryan Walsh. The department's Major Crimes and Internal Investigations units investigate the shooting and the Hampden district attorney's office then reviews it.

Walsh deferred to the DA's office when asked about the status of the shooting investigation. A spokesman for the DA's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Split-second decisions

Either of the elements of the July 3 incident -- shooting a suspect, or being hit by a car -- would stand as a major milestone, albeit an unwanted one, in any law enforcement officer's career.

"Most people don't draw their weapon in their entire career," said Rizzo, who retired in 2004 after 20 years on the New York police force. 

While some officers put themselves in danger more often than others, Rizzo said, he stressed that it's foolhardy to try to put yourself in the shoes of an officer who is suddenly faced with a life-threatening situation.

"You can't Monday morning quarterback," he said. "It's a split-second decision"

Fitzpatrick faced another split-second decision in February 2011, when he and Officer Clay Canning came under fire while investigating an armed robbery on Melrose Street.

As they approached, two suspects fled. One slipped on ice and was caught. A second suspect shot at the two officers, and Fitzpatrick fired back. Nobody was hit in the exchange of gunfire.

Both suspects were ultimately sentenced to seven to 10 years in state prison.

In the path of danger

A suspect with a gun represents the greatest danger to a police officer, federal data shows.

According to the FBI, 496 law enforcement officers were killed by suspects between 2008 and 2017. In 455 of those cases, the weapon was a gun. 

But vehicles were the second most common weapon used, responsible for 31 deaths.

In addition to the three times he's been hit by suspects in vehicles, Fitzpatrick narrowly escaped in jury in June 2010 on Paramount Street, when a suspect struck his partner, Officer James Kelly. 

Kelly was knocked unconscious, and was treated at Baystate. The officers had been working an undercover detail in response to a spate of break-ins.

A January 2012 incident was notable for a different reason.

Fitzpatrick and another partner, Officer Matthew Longo, pulled a suspect over in the South End for a motor vehicle violation. When Longo approached the car's passenger side, a man pushed the door open with such force that it knocked him to the ground.

The suspect, former Springfield police Sgt. John Delaney said at the time, was the same man who struck and dragged Fitzpatrick down Hall Street in 2008.

Geovonny Hernandez, 24, of Springfield, faces six charges including armed assault with intent to murder.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Hampden Superior Court judge has ruled that Geovonny Hernandez put the lives of a police officer and residents of a city neighborhood in jeopardy when he "engaged in a violent and life threatening chase."

Judge Daniel M. Wrenn ruled Thursday that Hernandez, 24, of Springfield, is too dangerous to be released under any conditions as he awaits trial on armed assault with intent to murder and other charges.

Henandez was shot by a Springfield police officer after allegedly driving into that  officer July 3.

At a hearing Wednesday on whether Hernandez is too dangerous to release, his lawyer said police reports about what happened tell a "totally illogical" version of events.

"It seems rather improbable the incident took place the way police officers said it took place," said Timothy M. Farris, who is representing Hernandez. 

Assistant District Attorney Christopher E. McDonald said Hernandez drove directly at city police officer Darrin Fitzpatrick, who landed on the car's hood. While on the hood of Hernandez's accelerating car, Fitzpatrick fired his gun into Hernandez's chest, according to police reports.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to six charges, including armed assault with intent to murder.

Other charges are illegal possession of a firearm, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, assault and battery on a police officer, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The dangerous weapon is the vehicle Hernandez was driving. No guns or drugs were found on Hernandez or in his car.

Wrenn, in his written decision, said, "I further find, that the Commonwealth has also proven by clear and convincing evidence that there are no conditions of release that will ensure the safety of the community at large if the defendant were released pending trial."

Under state law the prosecution can hold Hernandez without right to bail for 180 days.

The incident unfolded outside 68 Fort Pleasant St. after police said they saw Hernandez bring a gun there and give it to someone else. An officer said he watched the transaction via binoculars while doing surveillance on that address during a drug investigation.

After Hernandez was shot and drove away, police stopped him again about a half-mile away on Kensington Avenue, near the intersection of Oakland Street. Officers provided first aid until an ambulance arrived. Hernandez was bleeding heavily from his chest, police said.

Fitzpatrick was treated at the hospital and released later that night. Hernandez was released from the hospital July 9, according to police.

Whipps, an Athol resident seeking her third term in the House of Representatives, faces Arena, 23, of Gill, who completed summer internships with U.S. Rep. James McGovern and state Rep. Claire Cronin, a Plymouth Democrat.

Independent incumbent state Rep. Susannah M. Whipps faces Democratic challenger John W. "Johnny" Arena in the 2nd Franklin District election Tuesday.

Whipps, 49, is a seventh-generation Athol resident, a former selectman and co-owner of a family manufacturing business that is now run by her siblings. She is seeking her third term in the House of Representatives.

Arena, 23, of Gill, is an Amherst College graduate who recently moved from his parents' home in Gill. The Northfield Mount Hermon School alumnus completed summer internships with U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester, and state Rep. Claire Cronin, a Plymouth Democrat.

"I'm not part of the old boys club," said Arena. "I'm just a small town guy who believes in the value of hard work and the power of these small communities."

Arena has said he will bring youthful energy to the job, and hopes to present voters "with the option of shaking things up, and electing a new type of representation in the legislature."

Whipps, who left the Republican Party in August 2017, has touted her legislative experience, her knowledge of the region and her willingness to work across party lines.

"If you're in the middle, and you're respectful, and you collaborate with people, you can get things done on Beacon Hill," she said.

In a recent interview, Whipps said despite her GOP roots, she is a "social liberal" who supports the LGBTQ community and women's reproductive rights. "Government should not be telling you what to do with your body," she said.

Nonetheless, "I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment," Whipps said. 

Whipps said the region needs better social supports for families that are dealing with the opioid crisis. "It's something I'm incredibly passionate about," she said. "I can name four friends who have lost children. Good families, educated parents. It can happen to anyone."

Whipps launched into talk of economic development. She said better broadband access would attract and retain young families, and that higher payments in lieu of taxes, or "PILOTS," are needed for communities that host state forest land. She described efforts to revitalize former mills, including pending plans for a large marijuana grow operation in Athol. She praised the Orange Innovation Center, a former mill that's now a hub of activity. She talked about job training, including an existing program that trains adults for precision machining careers.

"There are many brilliant people in the North Quabbin region, and we're seeing a lot of momentum," she said. "We're on the upswing."

Arena had a different take on the local economy, calling it "dismal." At the same time, he said the region has "good bones" and that hope is on the horizon.

"I believe in the potential of this area, and I really think that we're close to something great," he said. "We just need to push a little harder."

He said economic revitalization is needed, "especially in towns like Orange and Athol that used to have these buzzing Main Streets, with all these storefronts that are now closed," he said.

Asked about his plan, Arena pointed to a recent academic study called "Small Towns and Big Ideas."

"One of their points is that community development is economic development," he said, and talked about the importance of "bringing people together." Arena said events such as the Orange Third Thursday Summer Street Fair bring vitality to downtown streets.

Although both Athol and Orange are served by cable, Arena said the lack of high-speed internet in surrounding communities is impeding business growth.

"We can't expect businesses to come to the area if we don't have the basic technological infrastructure," he said.

Arena said he would find state grants to revitalize the region's former mills, but when asked, did not give an example.

"There a few (mills) right in downtown Orange," he said. "I don't have a specific plan for specific buildings because I haven't gotten the opportunity to work with the Legislature."

Arena said he supports the Second Amendment, but does not believe an individual should be allowed to own an assault rifle. He said he fully supports women's reproductive rights.

Both candidates said the region is in need of better school funding, including higher reimbursements for regional school transportation funding.

Whipps said she supports Republican Charlie Baker in the governor's race, and Arena said he is undecided, but leaning toward Democrat Jay Gonzalez.

The largely rural district is composed of Athol, Belchertown's Precinct A, Erving, Gill, New Salem, Orange, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Templeton, Warwick and Wendell. 

Police said they seized 254 bags of heroin, $35,000, and two illegal guns.

SPRINGFIELD -- Narcotics detectives raided a residence in Liberty Heights Thursday, arresting seven and seizing 254 bags of heroin, $35,000 in cash and two firearms, police said.

Police spokesman Ryan Walsh said police executed a search warrant on 22 Webster St., off Liberty Street, at around 2:30 p.m. The raid was executed by the Narcotics Unit under the command of Capt. Brian Keenan and the Tactical Response Unit under the command of Lt. Brian Beliveau.

Walsh said the raid was the result of a month-long investigation by police into drug activity in the area.

As part of the search, police found 180 bags of heroin, five bags of crack cocaine, two firearms, 240 rounds of ammunition and $13,000 in cash. One of the guns was reported stolen from Vermont.

Arrested on Webster Street were residents Angela Santiago, 21, and Jean Carlos Santiago, 18, and David Olivo, 27, of West Springfield, Ricardo Olivera, 23, of Forest Park Avenue, Springfield, and Natasha Lantigua, 21, of Pemaquid Street.

Each is charged with possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to distribute, distribution of heroin, conspiracy to violate drug laws, larceny of less than $1,200, and two counts each of improper storage of a firearm, possession of a large-capacity firearm, possession of a large-capacity feeding device, possession of ammunition without a license, possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card, and possession of a large-capacity firearm in the commission of a crime.

In Massachusetts, a large-capacity firearm is any weapon fitted with a magazine that can hold more than 10 rounds.

Just before the raid, police stopped a car on Maple Street after seeing it involved in drug activity on Webster. Officers found 10 bags of heroin and $21,000 in cash, police said.

Arrested were Kaseem Lomax, 37, of Kent Road, and Christian Roman, 23, of Freeman Terrace. Each is charged with conspiracy to violate drug laws and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, continued push back Friday against the Trump administration's efforts to define "sex" as a biological condition, urging officials to reject the "brazen, targeted attack" on transgender Americans.

U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, continued push back Friday against the Trump administration's efforts to define "sex" as a biological condition, urging officials to reject the "brazen, targeted attack" on transgender Americans. 

Kennedy, the Congressional LGBT Caucus' Transgender Equality Task Force chairman, led nearly 100 lawmakers in a letter calling on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to oppose efforts to redefine "sex" as being based on biology in the civil rights law that bans gender discrimination in federally funded education programs.

Arguing that "adoption of this cruel and unscientific definition of sex would undermine enforcement of civil rights for millions," the congressman pressed Azar to "stop any attempt by extremists within the Department of Health and Human Services to infringe upon the dignity, rights and lives of transgender people."

Kennedy added that the proposal's "narrow language disregards Supreme Court and circuit court case law precedent and could only be part of a deliberate strategy to eliminate federal protections for transgender people and further marginalize an at-risk minority group."

He further contended that it raises various practical, legal, medical and privacy questions. 

The congressman, for example, offered that transgender individuals could be denied access to medical care or health insurance, as well as be refused access to emergency shelter and public housing under the proposed policy change.

Kennedy and other lawmakers urged Azar to "stand up to these extremists and prevent this dangerous proposal from ever becoming department or administration policy."

"This administration cannot ethically or legally decide to ignore all science and precedent to unilaterally render the promise of civil rights meaningless for transgender Americans," he said in a statement. "Even for a president who traffics in fear and conspiracy, this policy scrapes the deepest depths of bigotry. To every single transgender American, you will not be erased because you are heard, you are seen and you are counted."

.@RepJoeKennedy has a message for all the young trans people out there - you are seen, you are heard, you are loved, and you #WontBeErased. pic.twitter.com/CsjsAGasuX

-- National Center for Transgender Equality (@TransEquality) November 2, 2018

The letter came just weeks after the New York Times reported that HHS was pushing government agencies to adopt a uniform definition of gender based on biology, "that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable."

The agency had proposed defining it as either "male or female, unchangeable and determined by the genitals that a person is born with," according to the newspaper.

US Rep. Joe Kennedy III says Trump administration's 'attacks' on transgender rights emphasize importance of Massachusetts ballot question

Kennedy initially condemned the reported effort as "pure politics and politics at its worst," adding that it's even more important for Massachusetts voters to support a state ballot question to uphold a July 2016 law that added gender identity to the list of prohibited grounds for discrimination in places of public accommodation.

During a planning board meeting on Sept. 19, the Minnesota company estimated the town would received about $112,000 annually, for the next 20 to 30 years, should the municipality approve their proposed 8-megawatt solar facility near Beaver Lake

WARE - Selectmen at Tuesday's meeting questioned Town Manager Stuart Beckely about why the Planning Board -- which rejected a proposal for a solar farm near Beaver Lake -- has scheduled a meeting for Nov. 7 to act on the company's request to reconsider.

Following the Planning Board's Oct. 17 denial, Chairman Richard Starodoj said that, in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, and section 7.2.3.G of Ware's zoning bylaw, the applicant must wait two years before applying again in order to avoid repetitive applications.

Planning Board meeting minutes say Ecos Energy had applied for a special permit. The board voted three in favor, with two against. The minutes say a super-majority of four votes was needed for the special permit to pass.

Selectman Alan Whitney, during Tuesday's meeting, asked Beckley: "Why are they re-doing the vote?"

"I believe for two reasons," Beckley responded.

"The applicant requested it ... to be put back on the agenda. Again: That does not drive it," Beckley said. "It is whether or not a board member that voted against it wants to reconsider it. So, it's on the agenda."

The Planning Board's Oct. 17 draft meeting minutes do not include any mention about the two members who voted against the special permit asking for reconsideration.

"To me, if it was shot down, it should be done and over with, but apparently we are going to revisit the vote," Selectman Keith Kruckas said.

"It seems to me the (Planning Board) is pushing the issue after it failed; that somebody has a personal interest or another reason why they want this thing to pass so bad," he said.

"Every meeting I attended ... I didn't hear much positive from any neighbors or abutters. I thought the reason we're here is to represent the taxpayers that live around here," Kruckas said.

"Apparently on Nov. 7 they are going to revisit it to take a revote, so I suggest anybody that has any kind of interest, land abutters, or any interest ... attend this meeting. And voice your opinion," he said.

Ruben Flores-Marzan, Ware's director of planning and community development, was asked on Thursday about any legal advice the town has sought on the process, given the two-year wait period before the company can reapply. He said there were email communications with the town counsel, and referred any request for those documents to the town manager.

The Republican on Thursday filed a public records request with Beckley seeking those documents, along with any communications, since the Oct. 17 meeting, related to Ecos Energy.

During a Planning Board meeting on Sept. 19, the Minnesota company estimated the town would receive about $112,000 annually, for the next 20 to 30 years, should it approve the 8-megawatt solar facility near Beaver Lake.

At that meeting, Ecos Energy said the solar panels would be constructed on about 140 acres off Coffey Hill and Monson Turnpike roads and that 55 acres of trees would be cut down.

At a recent meeting, selectmen asked Beckely about placing an article on a future Town Meeting warrant that would allow residents to vote on whether to impose a temporary moratorium on the construction of solar farms in the community. The matter was referred to the Planning Board.

The move to distribute with MBA will allow the Artifact team to focus all of its energies on their passion for producing the highest quality ciders, while also developing a direct to consumer experience in 2019.

Artifact Cider Project, which has its origins in Springfield has partnered with the Massachusetts Beverage Alliance (MBA) for statewide distribution of their hard ciders.

The official launch is Monday, Nov. 5. Artifact had been  self-distributed in the state since it was founded in 2014, according to a news release.

"This is a natural evolution of Artifact's growth and (Massachusetts Beverage Alliance) offers a perfect partner for expanding our brand in the state," says Co-founder Jake Mazar. "We're thrilled to have found a distribution partner that shares our passion for craft cider and supports our vision of creating world-class
ciders from apples of the Northeast."

The move to distribute with MBA will allow the Artifact team to focus all of its energies on their passion for producing the highest quality ciders, while
also developing a direct to consumer experience in 2019.

While headquartered in Everett for the past two years, Artifact will be moving by the end of this year  to a brand new facility in the Florence section of Northampton to be closer to the orchards that supply apples.

The teacher, who has not been named, has worked for the district for about 14 years

A teacher at Melrose High School has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into allegations of "inappropriate behavior."

Melrose Public Schools announced the investigation on Friday. Few details have been publicly released.

The teacher, who has not been named, has worked for the district for about 14 years. The conduct does not involve current students and did not take place inside the school, the school said in the statement. And Melrose Police have told administrators that the alleged conduct was not criminal in nature.

"As a public school district focused at all times on providing a safe and secure learning environment for our students, we take any allegations of inappropriate behavior seriously," Superintendent Cindy S. Taymore said in the statement. "We are releasing this information in the interests of transparency, but please understand that there are certain things we legally cannot say publicly at this time."

The question asks voters to approve a set of mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios in hospital settings.

SPRINGFIELD -- A mass mailing Baystate Health sent in the final days of the election asking voters to reject Question 1 alarmed some recipients -- and left lingering questions about how Baystate got their address.

The letter, which bears the facsimile signatures of four Baystate executives, covers the same arguments Baystate and other Massachusetts hospitals have used for months against Question 1, which would establish mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios in hospital settings statewide.

But it came in an otherwise plain envelope with the words "TIME SENSITIVE" in red under Baystate's return address. Nowhere on the outside of the mailing are words or a logo saying "No on 1" or indicating that it is election mail and not a bill or urgent medical information.

That initial sense of alarm -- even if there was subsequent relief at finding the election material inside -- prompted some recipients to complain on social media and MassLive.

MassLive commenter BabyDoomers said it this way:

"Baystate sent out letters with the title "Time Sensitive Material" in red text on basic envelope. Making it look like important related to you , your insurance , or your heath.. Guess what it was a letter about All the boogie men  that will appear if we make them staff correctly."

Candace Clement of Belchertown said she was confused when she saw the mailer.

"Other members of my household received it as well which made me think it was some sort of HIPAA mailer or privacy policy," Clement said in an email to The Republican. "I work in campaigning so I'm no stranger to political advocacy. But this just felt wrong. To have a healthcare facility use their patient data to advocate in this way felt really inappropriate. It would be one thing to have signs up at the hospital. It's another to receive a mailer at home because I went there for care."

Clement said she plans to vote yes on Question 1.

Baysate spokeswoman Shelly Hazlett said Baystate sent the letter to communicate what she described as the devastating impact government-mandated nurse staffing ratios would have on the health care Baystate provides to the region.

Of the appearance of the envelope, she said: "With the significant healthcare impact this initiative would have on our community, and with the election just days away, this is a time sensitive matter."

Other recipients wondered how they ended up on a mailing list and if their medical records were accessed for political reasons.

"We did not access patient medical records," Hazlett said. "We are aware of and take very seriously our confidentiality obligations under HIPAA. As the largest healthcare provider in western Massachusetts, the community is filled with our patients and we maintain lists of community members who engage with Baystate Health in a variety of ways and that was the list used for this mailing."

But not everyone who got the letter was local. And in at least one case, the person's only contact with Baystate was for emergency medical treatment. One recipient of Baystate's Question 1 letter was Stephen J. Dennis, a union carpenter who lives in Los Angeles.

A childhood friend of Northampton City Councilor William H. Dwight, Dennis was helping to build a timber-frame cabin in Hawley this August when he fell off a ladder and broke his leg. He was taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital, and then transferred to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

This week the letter showed up addressed to Dennis at the home of Dwight and his wife, Lida L. Lewis.

"I opened it thinking I'd need to send it to Stephen," Lewis said. "I thought it was a bill, because it said time sensitive."

Since the accident, she said, other bills for Dennis have been sent to her home. Lewis said she believes she gave her home as a local address for Dennis while he was on painkillers and unable to speak with hospital staff.

Other recipients have asked how the letter could have been sent using nonprofit postage rates. Baystate is following Postal Service regulations here, said U.S. Postal Service spokeswoman Maureen Marion.

"This piece was mailed as non-profit and properly prepared as political mail due to the fact that the mail content deals with a referendum question on the ballot related to the core purpose of the permit holder," she wrote. "This information was confirmed by a review of the mail piece by the Postal Service's Pricing and Classification Services Center in New York, again affirming the correct use of both the nonprofit permit and political mail designations."

Mercy Medical Center spokeswoman Mary Orr said Mercy has not sent out a mailer. Holyoke Medical Center expressed its opposition to Question 1 with a cover story in the most recent edition of its quarterly magazine, Valley Health & Life.

Cooley Dickinson Heath Care has not sent out a mailer, said Christina Trinchero, marketing communications director.

The Republican Assistant Managing Editor Greg Saulmon contributed to this report.

A newly created three-member "Compensation Advisory Committee" was appointed by City Council President Orlando Ramos to evaluate if the mayor, city councilors and School Committee members should get pay raises, approximately five years after raises were last granted.

SPRINGFIELD -- City Council President Orlando Ramos said Friday that he has appointed a three-member advisory committee to help determine if the mayor, councilors and School Committee should receive pay raises.

The creation of a "Compensation Advisory Committee" occurs approximately five years after significant raises were received by all elected officials.

"It's always a difficult issue," Ramos said. "It's never an easy conversation, but it is a conversation that is warranted."

The mayor is paid $135,000 annually, City Council members are paid $19,500 (the president is paid $20,000) and School Committee members are paid $12,000.

The council is a 13-member body, and the School Committee has six members plus the mayor as ex-officio chairman. The mayor draws just his $135,000 salary, which is the 26th-highest regular salary in Springfield among municipal and school employees.

According to city data for 2017, the most recent full year available of the municipal and school employees payroll, the mayor's salary drops to 49th-highest in the city when adding in overtime and other compensation that some employees receive.

Ramos appointed the following three people to the Compensation Advisory Committee: Judith Matt, president of Spirit of Springfield; Vanessa Otero, deputy director of Partners for Community of Springfield; and David Cruise, president and CEO of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County.

A fourth appointment from the business sector is possible, Ramos said.

Any report from the committee will be advisory to the council, which has final authority over any raises for elected officials, Ramos said.

The mayor's salary rose by $40,000 to $135,000 on Jan. 1, 2014, approved by unanimous vote by the council in 2013. At that time, it reflected the first pay raise for the mayor's position in 17 years, which followed on-again, off-again discussion and debate over the years.

The council salary rose by $5,000 annually on the same date to $19,500. The council vote for that raise was 8-5, and none of the five opponents continue to serve on the council five years later (Timothy Rooke, John Lysak, Thomas Ashe, Clodovaldo Concepcion and James Ferrera).

The School Committee's current salary was also the result of a raise on Jan. 1, 2014, with the annual pay rising by $3,500.

Ramos said he chose the three people on the advisory committee rather than some other process of selection, because he felt the three appointees are "a good mix of folks that have experience in the public, private and nonprofit areas." His naming of the committee follows the same process used by the Boston City Council last year in considering pay raises, he said.

There is no deadline on a committee report. Whenever ready, the report will be submitted and considered by the council, Ramos said.

All elected municipal positions will be on the city ballot in 2019.

Any pay raise proposed by the advisory committee will need approval from the City Council to take effect, Ramos said.

"There have been several people from the private sector that reached out and asked whether the City Council was going to be addressing this issue," Ramos said. "I felt, in looking back at the length of time gone by, and looking at comparisons across the state, I thought it was time to entertain the conversation."

Dustin O. Rogers, 36, of West Springfield, is accused of setting off three bombs at the house of an Agawam woman in August of 2018.

SPRINGFIELD -- Three years before he allegedly set off homemade bombs outside an Agawam woman's house, Dustin O. Rogers was turned down for a dating relationship by the same woman, a judge wrote in a decision denying Rogers bail.

The defendant, 36, of West Springfield, will remain in jail without right to bail for 180 days after Hampden Superior Court Judge William Ritter ruled he was too dangerous to release.

"The circumstances of the current offenses demonstrate that the defendant poses a significant risk and danger to the public," Ritter wrote.

The judge held a hearing Thursday to determine if there were any conditions under which Rogers could be released safely while awaiting trial.

Ritter wrote, "These circumstances include the planting and detonation of 3 explosive devices specifically directed at the victim, the stealth and planning of the detonations (2 of which occurred while the victim was sleeping), and the timing of the explosions over a three week period."

"Remarkably, no one was physically injured from the three bomb explosions," Ritter said.

The judge said he was "further concerned with the randomness of the defendant's contact with the victim more than three years after the victim refused a dating relationship."

Kathleen A. Cavanaugh, lawyer for Dustin O. Rogers, on Thursday asked for her client to be released with GPS monitoring and provisions to keep him away from the alleged victim.

Assistant District Attorney James M. Forsyth argued Rogers should be held without right to bail. He said even though Rogers doesn't have much of a criminal record, his alleged "pattern of behavior" means he is too dangerous to be released under any conditions.

Rogers has pleaded not guilty to three counts of using explosives, two counts of malicious damage to property, three counts of malicious explosion, six counts of possession of an incendiary device, and a count each of illegal possession of ammunition, sale or possession of explosive substances, and driving after his license was suspended.

The first incident was Aug. 3, when an explosive blew out a bedroom window about 3:30 a.m. A second explosion, on Aug. 17, blew out another bedroom window around 5 a.m., the report said.

On both occasions the woman was sleeping and the explosive devices were placed in windows with air conditioners. "The (victim) states that she was covered with glass" after the first explosion, the report said.

A third explosion took place on Aug. 25 in the front yard of the Cooper Street home.

Forsyth said a car registered to Rogers' family member was seen on surveillance video on the street, and six seconds later a bomb went off. He said Rogers was seen driving that car several days later near the woman's house.

Investigators said they seized six explosive devices, 70 fireworks and 47 rounds of 9 mm ammunition from Rogers' apartment, according to the arrest report. Forsyth said distinctive orange paper found in Rogers' bedroom matched paper used in the explosives.

Cavanaugh said the police reports on the incidents show any evidence against her client is "circumstantial at best."

She said in the first two incidents there is no surveillance footage of any car related to Rogers driving by the woman's home. She said Cooper Street is a main thoroughfare and many cars use it.

The surveillance footage does not show who was driving the car and there are no distinctive marks on it, Cavanaugh said.

He was charged with assault and harassment.

Actor Alec Baldwin was arrested and charged for assault and harassment Friday afternoon following a dispute over a parking spot.

A 49-year-old man sustained an injury to his left jaw after being punched and was taken to a local area hospital to be treated, where he is in stable condition, CNN reported.

Baldwin was charged with assault and harassment and was in police custody at the 6th Precinct before departing Friday afternoon, according to People magazine

In addition to portraying President Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live," Baldwin currently hosts a Sunday talk show on ABC, called "The Alec Baldwin Show."

Asked about Baldwin's arrest,  Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, "I wish him luck."

Ashe, a Democrat who was first elected in 2008, and Werder, a Republican and former president of MassLive.com, both live in Longmeadow. Watch video

Voters in the 2nd Hampden District will decide Tuesday whether to send incumbent Democratic state Rep. Brian Ashe to Beacon Hill for a sixth term or choose his Republican challenger, political newcomer Allison Werder. 

The district comprises the towns of Longmeadow, Hampden and Monson and Precincts 2, 3 and 4 in East Longmeadow. 

Ashe was first elected to the seat in 2008, succeeding Republican Mary Rogeness, who retired after nine terms. He defeated Republican Marie Angelides in 2010 and 2012 and was unopposed in 2014 and 2016.

Ashe, who grew up in Springfield, lives in Longmeadow. Before securing the seat, he worked for the Hampden County Sheriff's Department for 16 years and also served on the Longmeadow Select Board.

As state representative, he serves on a number of committees, including serving as a vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs.

Werder, also a Longmeadow resident, has promised change, including added transparency to government and what she calls "responsible spending." 

Originally from Pennsylvania, Werder moved to Western Massachusetts from New Jersey six years ago to serve as president of MassLive.com. She stepped down from the position last year. 

Werder has been connected to a number of business-oriented organizations. She is the co-founder of Women Innovators and Trailblazers (WIT), a mentoring group and Angel Fund that provides community and guidance to female entrepreneurs. She also serves as a trustee for Western New England University and is a board member of the region's largest start-up accelerator, Valley Venture Mentors.

After announcing in April that she would run for Ashe's seat, Werder took aim at a number of government policies that she said needed change -- including what she called the state's "spending problem." 

"Fiscal responsibility and social responsibility don't have to be at odds," Werder said in a previous interview. 

However, Ashe has countered that Werder hasn't spelled out what she would replace current policy with.

"She hasn't been clear on what she would cut," Ashe said by in a phone interview Thursday. "You have to spend. That's how we get our roads and our schools, that's what pays for our fire departments or police."

"That's government -- you have spend money. Spending responsibly is the key," he said. 

Werder has taken aim at Ashe's voting record, claiming repeatedly that the representative had the fifth-worst roll call record.

Ashe has defended his record. "Ten years in the House of Representatives and I've missed three days," Ashe said at a forum in East Longmeadow last month. "Two of those days were when my father passed away. His funeral and his wake. So I apologize for missing that, but to me that was more important."

Werder has criticized measures that would use progressive taxation to fund public goods. In May, she openly criticized the Fair Share Amendment, also dubbed the "Millionaire's Tax," which would have increased taxes on the state's richest to fund education and transportation.

Werder has said that she would like to make sure that tax revenue from the new MGM Springfield casino makes its way back to communities in Western Massachusetts, instead of seeing it put into the state's general tax pool.

Ashe has criticized Werder's goals, saying that her political inexperience and status as a political minority in the Legislature would mean ineffectiveness, not the change she promises.  

"As a new Republican, unfortunately she would be at the bottom of the totem pole," Ashe said. "She would never be in a leadership position for as long as she's there and wouldn't be able to bring home anything for the district."

Ashe said his lifelong residence in Western Massachusetts is also an advantage to doing the job that Werder does not have. "Living here my whole life, having relationships, knowing people in every community inside the district is a huge advantage," he said.

One place where the two candidates have found common ground was the idea of supporting east-west rail to connect the two parts of the state.

Both also said they felt money needed to be better allocated to fund roads and infrastructure in Western Massachusetts.

Ashe has received the endorsements of a large number of local officials, including Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield. He has also been endorsed by a majority of state and regional labor unions.

Werder, meanwhile, has received the endorsements of Gov. Charlie Baker as well as the local chapter of The National Federation of Independent Business. 

Voters will head to the polls Nov. 6.