A day before Democrats were set to pick US House leaders, Rep. Richard Neal launched into a defense of Nancy Pelosi.

A day before Democrats were set to pick US House leaders, Rep. Richard Neal launched into a defense of Nancy Pelosi.

Neal, the Springfield Democrat in line to chair the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, said he has worked the phones in support of Pelosi, who is looking to return to the House speakership.

"You've probably heard there's a bit of dispute in our family," Neal joked while speaking with business leaders in Boston.

"You should know, I've been picking them off one after another," he told the New England Council during a breakfast event inside the Boston Harbor Hotel.

"We're working hard to bring them into the tent," Neal added. "And I think that we're going to hold on."

Reps. Seth Moulton, a Salem Democrat, and Steve Lynch, a South Boston Democrat, are two members of the Massachusetts House delegation who have voiced concerns about Pelosi again taking the gavel. Moulton has pushed for newer and younger leaders to receive top positions.

Democrats are currently eyeing a majority in the House of Representatives through the Nov. 6 election that resulted in 39 flipped seats. Many of the seats were won by center-left Democrats who either unseated Republicans or won seats held by retiring Republicans, according to Neal.

"The losing party is generally the one that has to do the reset, not the winning party," Neal said.

Neal, McGovern poised for powerful roles in Democrat-led US House of Representatives

Asked if the members who haven't supported Pelosi will face a backlash from House leaders, Neal said, "There'll be a reconciliation."

"Tomorrow is going to be the first dust-up," Neal added. "I think that obviously she's going to overwhelmingly win the caucus. But there'll be a chance to find out how many real hard no's there are. And then you'll see us continue to go to work on this. I think the emphasis right now ought to be on governing."

Massachusetts Democrats will have "somebody on every key committee," according to Neal.

Rep. Jim McGovern, a Worcester Democrat, is slated to take over the Rules Committee.

Rep. Katherine Clark of Melrose is on the Appropriations Committee, while Joe Kennedy of Newton is on the Commerce Committee and Moulton is on the Armed Services Committee.

Neal said he has spoken with incoming Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Dorchester and Lori Trahan of Westford. Trahan succeeds Niki Tsongas, who did not run for reelection, and Pressley, who ousted longtime Rep. Mike Capuano of Somerville.

Gov. Charlie Baker: Ascent of Reps. Richard Neal, Jim McGovern 'a good development'

Neal noted that Capuano sat on transportation committees that could wield significant influence if House Democrats move ahead on a massive infrastructure spending bill. 

"That's where you make your mark," Neal said of committees. "Because your committee assignment is your destiny in Congress."

Mercedes Diaz-Wright, 22, of Northampton, broke down in tears after Judge Richard Carey set the bail amount. Watch video

NORTHAMPTON -- The alleged "ringleader" of the cover-up of a Northampton man's murder was given $10,000 bail at her arraignment in Hampshire Superior Court on Tuesday.

Mercedes Diaz-Wright, 22, of Northampton, broke down in tears after Judge Richard Carey set the bail amount. It is an amount she is unlikely to be able to post, her attorney, Alfred P. Chamberland, said.

Diaz-Wright, who was arrested Tuesday morning, is alleged to have played a pivotal role in hiding the murder of 44-year-old Daniel Cruz. Cruz was shot to death on March 10, allegedly by another Northampton man, 22-year-old Nerkin Morales. Cruz's body was found burning in a field in Hatfield later that night. 

Diaz-Wright and Morales were among eight people indicted Monday in connection with Cruz's murder. There are 51 indictments in connection to the case overall. 

In court Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Suhl called Diaz-Wright the "ringleader" of the cover-up, alleging she had gone to greater lengths than others to "conceal the crime." 

Suhl said the cover-up included "cleaning blood out of the apartment" where Cruz was murdered, hiding the murder weapon in a storage unit Diaz-Wright had owned at the time and speaking to other witnesses in the case to "try to get them on the same page."

Diaz-Wright also helped smuggle Cruz's body out of the apartment complex where he had been killed to a remote stretch of farmland in Hatfield, where she and others set it on fire, Suhl said. 

Suhl said Diaz-Wright continually lied to and misled authorities about the circumstances surrounding Cruz's death. "There are many individuals involved here as far as the concealment of the crime, but Ms. Diaz-Wright is identified as the ringleader of this group," Suhl said. "Someone who assisted others, who took control of the situation to get people to lie and to conceal the murder."

Diaz-Wright was originally arrested and indicted in May for lying to a police officer in the case. Her bail was set at $10,000, but was later decreased to $3,500, which allowed her to post it and be released.

Chamberland asked that his client be released on her own recognizance with GPS-monitoring, arguing that Diaz-Wright had not so far attempted to flee and had no intention to do so. He also said that Diaz-Wright had worked hard since her release, acquiring a job at a local Taco Bell to support herself. 

Diaz-Wright was ordered to adhere to a number of conditions if released, including that she be subject to GPS-monitoring, maintain a curfew of 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., stay away from and have no contact with her alleged co-conspirators or potential witnesses and have no contact with Cruz's family. 

A status hearing was set for Dec. 14.

Diaz-Wright faces 10 charges, including being an accessory after the fact, burning personal property, withholding evidence from criminal proceeding (two counts), conspiracy (two counts), improper disposition of a human body, intimidation of a witness, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition without a identification card, misleading a police officer and subornation of perjury. 

The Republican / MassLive has a reporter in Hampshire Superior Court for the scheduled arraignments Tuesday afternoon of Kimberly Perez and Matthew Ross. A new story will be posted following the proceedings.

With the works purchased at auction in November, a total of 22 works were sold raising $53.25 million.

PITTSFIELD -- Berkshire Museum has halted future sales of select art work and begun improvements to its century-old building.

An agreement between the museum and the Office of the Attorney General and approved by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, allowed for the sale of up to 40 works to raise up to $55 million for the museum's endowment and needed repairs and improvements.

"We are moving forward having secured the future of this museum for generations to come," said Elizabeth McGraw, president of the Berkshire Museum Board of Trustees in a prepared statement. "Our work ahead is focused on making this museum ever more interesting, inspiring and engaging to the broad community in the region it serves and consistent with our unchanged mission."

McGraw added, "Our goal is to transform a more than 100-year-old building in need of repairs and upgrades to function as a 21^st century museum ... Objects from our collection will be presented in a new way that allows these three areas to combine in exhibits that provide new interpretations and relevance to historical objects."

A traffic advisory is issued for two roadway projects in Springfield at Carew and Cass Street and on Roosevelt Avenue at Gaucher Street.

SPRINGFIELD -- The city's Department of Public Works has announced two roadway projects that could have an impact on traffic in coming days and weeks.

A line painting project is scheduled to occur on Wednesday at the intersection of Carew Street and Cass Street. The work is scheduled after the morning commute and school bus traffic.

In addition, a drainage reconstruction project is scheduled next week on Roosevelt Avenue at Gaucher Street, continuing through Dec. 21.

Walsh said he worries about the "human toll" of legal marijuana sales.

BOSTON -- As legal sales of marijuana begin in Massachusetts, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said he continues to be worried about the "human toll" of marijuana addiction.

"We talk about taxation like it's this great infusion of money that we're getting into the commonwealth because of selling marijuana, and I just, I hope the human toll of it is OK," Walsh told reporters after an unrelated event in Boston on Tuesday.

Walsh opposed marijuana legalization on the 2016 ballot. Boston does not yet have any open marijuana stores, although some are in the planning stages. The only marijuana companies in Boston to have signed host agreements with the city and submitted complete applications to the Cannabis Control Commission are retailer JOF Enterprise and research and retail facility Leah, according to the commission.

Walsh told the Boston Herald last week  that he was worried about the "human toll" of marijuana sales.

Asked to clarify his comments by reporters Tuesday at the Suffolk County House of Corrections, Walsh said he is worried about drug addiction. Walsh has frequently talked about his own past addiction to alcohol.

"Some people can drink alcohol and not get addicted to alcohol. I can't," Walsh said. "Some people can smoke weed and not get addicted to drugs. Some people can't."

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, up to 30 percent of marijuana users have some degree of dependence on marijuana, which means they will experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop using. Studies cited by the institute suggest that 9 percent of marijuana users become addicted, meaning they cannot quit despite marijuana interfering with their daily life.

Walsh also cited studies out of Denver showing an increased number of emergency room visits after marijuana legalization. He said Massachusetts has to figure out how to measure impaired driving and how to discourage people from smoking marijuana in parks, which is a violation punishable only by a fine.

"There's going to be unintended consequences, whether smell or traffic," Walsh said. "There's going to be plenty of things that are going come up, and people are going to be looking for answers."

Walsh said one thing Boston learned from the opening of the Cultivate marijuana store in Leicester is the need to address crowd control and traffic. Leicester called an emergency meeting Monday to address traffic problems stemming from the opening of the marijuana store, one of the first two legal stores in Massachusetts.

Walsh said there may be some advantage to having a few stores opening at the same time "so not all the attention is focused on one area."

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare announced the recall Monday.

Multiple lots of ThermaCare HeatWraps have been recalled over the potential that the wraps could leak chemicals that could burn skin and cause blisters, according to the FDA.

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare announced the recall Monday.

The wraps, which provide heat relief for aches and pains around the body, were distributed across the country from September 2017 through August 2018.

A full list of the affected products can be found on the FDA website.

Those who have the product are advised to throw it out and contact the Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Information Line at 1-800-323-3383 for replacement or reimbursement.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said he is negotiating an extended contract for Police Commissioner John Barbieri before the current five-year agreement expires at the end of May.

SPRINGFIELD -- Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said Tuesday he is negotiating an extended contract for Police Commissioner John Barbieri before his five-year agreement expires at the end of May.

"Yes, that is my intention," Sarno said. "We are currently in negotiations."

Sarno said he plans to veto a proposal by the City Council to resurrect a five-member citizen Police Commission to oversee the police department's hiring, promotions, firing and disciplinary action now handled by Barbieri.

The council gave first-step approval this month to an ordinance that would bring back the Police Commission that existed for decades.

Sarno announced his selection of Barbieri as police commissioner in March 2014 after closed-door interviews with him and two other deputy chiefs.

Barbieri's five-year contract contained a clause allowing the mayor to extend the contract for up to five more years.

Sarno praised Barbieri's leadership and role in crime-fighting efforts amid criticism raised by some councilors and community activists against the commissioner in response to multiple police misconduct cases, costly legal settlements and a federal civil rights investigation targeting police.

If the mayor did not intend to extend Barbieri's contract, he had until this Friday, six months ahead of the expiration date, to give Barbieri official notice of non-renewal under terms of the contract. If notice was not received, Barbieri was entitled to an automatic six-month extension.

Sarno had high praise of Barbieri in confirming the intent to keep him at the helm.

"From a 45 percent drop in crime in the last five years to C3 Policing, a real-time crime analysis division, enhancing community relationships, numerous police academies, to negotiating with my administration to move to body-worn cameras, to name a few, Commissioner Barbieri's innovative and progressive leadership and our brave 'men and women in blue' have done a good job in a most difficult time in our country to be a police officer," Sarno said in a statement.

City Councilor Timothy J. Ryan, the lead sponsor of the ordinance to resurrect the civilian Police Commission, said there is nothing stopping the mayor from negotiating a contract extension for Barbieri while the council continues efforts to bring back the Police Commission to take over some of the commissioner's duties.

The proposal would have the five commission members appointed by the mayor, but it removes a 2016 clause that called for council confirmation of those members.

In 2016, the council approved a Police Commission and overrode Sarno's veto, but Sarno took no action to appoint members, leaving the commission in limbo and all administrative functions, including discipline, with Barbieri.

The two Massachusetts marijuana retail stores pulled in $2.2 million in gross sales, according to data released by the state Cannabis Control Commission.

The two Massachusetts marijuana retail stores pulled in $2.2 million in gross sales, according to data released by the state Cannabis Control Commission.

The commission released five days' worth of data, based on sales at Cultivate in Leicester and New England Treatment Access (NETA) in Northampton, the first marijuana retail stores to open east of the Mississippi.

Customers purchased 56,380 "units" of marijuana or marijuana-related products, the commission said. The available products range from a package of edibles like a chocolate bar to measured-out marijuana and bottles of lotion.

The commission previously released data for the first day the recreational marijuana stores were open, Tuesday, Nov. 20, with gross sales coming to $440,011. Numbers for Wednesday were similar at $441,540.

Marijuana in Massachusetts: Here's where the next retail shops will likely open

State coffers see 17 percent of the money pulled in by the shops: The regular state sales tax of 6.25 percent and a 10.75 percent excise tax.

Northampton and Leicester both have an additional 3 percent local tax that is available to cities and towns.

Sales at the two stores surged on Friday, Nov. 23, rising to $479,748 and 12,199 units purchased.

Sales dipped over the weekend, falling to $468,325 on Saturday, Nov. 24, and $387,996 on Sunday, Nov. 25.

The stores were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.

'We're in hell;' Leicester residents raise traffic concerns after first week of recreational marijuana sales

The former White House press secretary spoke to more than 1,000 people at the University of Massachusetts Tuesday night.

AMHERST - On his first day as press secretary for President Donald Trump, Sean Spicer decided to follow his boss' practices of ignoring tradition and called on reporters of the local media, the Hispanic media and others who were rarely acknowledged during the daily White House press briefing.

"I think my biggest contribution was to bring more voices and more people into the conversation," Spicer said Tuesday night in a speech at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. "I believe everyone has a right to ask a question."

The former Republican National Committee communications director and chief strategist who served as Trump's press secretary for six months, spoke to a packed auditorium at the Fine Arts Center. Spicer, who is promoting his new book, "The Briefing: Politics, the Press and the President" was invited by the Republican Club at UMass..

While he talked about campaign strategies and working with the press, Spicer said little about day-to-day working with Trump, except to discuss how unusual he was as a candidate and as a president.

"Trump doesn't care about tradition and protocol," he said, explaining after Trump became the front-runner in the primary elections, the Republican Committee sat down with him and asked what he needed. It turned out the business mogul and entertainer had a small staff and had done almost no fundraising. At that time, committee members offered a partnership to help him win the election.

Spicer spoke about his background, dwelling on his experience attending an expensive prep school as a middle-class child and talking about attaining his first jobs in Washington D.C. He told students about a lesson he learned in his first political job working as field representative for a congressional campaign in Connecticut where the candidate lost by two votes.

"You make sure when you are doing a task you do it until it is over," he said.

He did, however, talk about his concerns about the divisiveness in politics.

"I think the problem with this country right now is we are demonizing both sides," he said. "We all love this country."

At the end of his lecture he took questions submitted in writing from the audience but after the first one was asked, he was interrupted by a group who started singing "Solidarity Forever." At times they were drowned out by members of the Republican Club sitting in the front of the hall who chanted "USA."

The group of protesters declined to speak to reporters after the lecture. The Graduate Employee Organization also demonstrated outside before the lecture but finished more than an hour before Spicer took the stage.

More than 1,000 people attended the event. Members of the Republican Club said 1,300 people reserved the free tickets before the speech.

Spicer took the interruptions, including catcalls from people shouting "sexist, white nationalist, anti-gay fascist," mostly with humor. At one time he pretended to conduct the group while they were singing. When the interruptions and chanting continued he asked them to give him a chance to answer the questions.

"When you are getting booed and I'm not and we are on a college campus that should tell you something," he said.

During the question-and-answer period, students brought up Spicer's antagonistic relationship with the press and his well-known first-day gaff when he inaccurately declared more people attended the inauguration ceremony than had for any past president.

"There is no question that was not my finest day," he said. "Could I have done things differently? Absolutely."

While Spicer battled with reporters constantly before he resigned after six months on the job, he said he does not hate the media. However, he made a number of snide comments about different nationally-known reporters and journalists during his speech.

"I do believe in a fair and free press...We have to protect the press," he said. "I think it is key to a democracy that we have a robust press."

Here are the winning numbers in Tuesday's Mega Millions lottery drawing.

The latest Mega Millions jackpot offers another big chunk of change for someone with the right lottery numbers.

Mega Millions

Here are the winning numbers in Tuesday's drawing:

12-24-37-42-57; Mega Ball: 18; Megaplier: 4X

The estimated jackpot for the drawing is $172 million. The cash option is about $99 million. If no one wins, the Mega Millions jackpot will get bigger for the next drawing.

According to the game's official website, the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.

Players pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers -- five different numbers from 1 to 70 and one number from 1 to 25 -- or select Easy Pick. A player wins the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing.

Jackpot winners choose whether to receive 30 annual payments, each five percent higher than the last, or a lump-sum payment.

Mega Millions drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays and are offered in 44 states, Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets cost $2 each.

Mega Millions and Powerball winners should do these 5 things

Volunteers are a crucial part of the Toy for Joy campaign.

This week, a team of 20 volunteers has been helping the Salvation Army register  families to receive Christmas presents as part of the annual Toy for Joy program. Many of those same volunteers will later help give out the presents to those families, bringing gifts to thousands of children in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties. 

Going strong for 96 years now, the Toy for Joy campaign is a collaborative effort by the Salvation Army, The Republican and MassLive. Every year it seeks to raise money to fund Christmas presents for families throughout Western Massachusetts. This year's goal is to raise $150,000 by Christmas Eve.

"The volunteers are really what makes this happen," said Danielle LaTaille, social services director for the Salvation Army. LaTaille, who has assisted with the campaign for around 11 years, said that it's members of the local community and local businesses that make this happen.   

"Some are just members of the community that have been doing it since I've been here," LaTaille said, of the volunteers. Others come from businesses and community organizations that want to help out, including Eversource, Cigna and Veteran's Inc. Some Eversource employees were at the Salvation Army on Monday when registration opened, she said.

The contribution made by the volunteers to the program really pays off for families, according to LaTaille.

"Just talking to the families and talking to the volunteers that talk to them you hear that, without this program, there wouldn't be a Christmas, there wouldn't be gifts," she said. "That's really what it's all about for us: making those Christmas miracles happen."

To make a contribution to the Toy for Joy fund, write: Toy for Joy, 1860 Main St., Springfield, MA 01101. Contributions may also be dropped off with the coupon which accompanies this story to The Republican, 1860 Main St., Springfield, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. through noon on Dec. 21.

For the third year in a row, Pride Stores is partnering with Toy for Joy. Pride locations in Western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut will rally its customers in November and December to help contribute to Toy for Joy. Customers can go into any Pride in the area and purchase a $1, $5 or $10 donation card for Toy for Joy.

Toy for Joy is also partnering with the Reading Success by 4th Grade initiative of the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation for a second year to help ensure each child receives a new book.

TOY FOR JOY REGISTRATION

Here are the times for families to register at Salvation Army sites for the 96th annual Toy for Joy campaign. The Springfield citadel will assist families whose communities are not listed below:

Greater Springfield Citadel: 170 Pearl St., Springfield; Registration: November 26, 27, 28. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., for info, call (413) 733-1518, serves Agawam, East Longmeadow, Easthampton, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Northampton, Palmer, Monson, Springfield, Ware, West Springfield, Wilbraham, Westfield, Southwick, Russell and Belchertown;

Holyoke: 271 Appleton St., Holyoke; Registration: November 27 and 28, 9 a.m.- 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 3 p.m., for info, call (413) 532-6312, serves Holyoke, South Hadley, Granby and Chicopee;

Greenfield: 72 Chapman St., Greenfield; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. until December 8th, for info, call (413) 773-3154, serves all Franklin County communities;

Required documentation: Photo ID for parent/guardian, proof of address dated within last 30 days, birth certificates or passports for each child 16 years and younger and proof of financial need (MassHealth, WIC card, EBT card, current pay stub, or other acceptable documentation). 

The rollout of Massachusetts marijuana retail shops has "mostly according to plan, which is a good thing," Gov. Charlie Baker told MassLive.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker says he's satisfied with the rollout of the state's first recreational marijuana retail stores.

"I think it's gone what I would describe, I guess, as mostly according to plan, which is a good thing," Baker told MassLive.

Two stores, Cultivate in Leicester and New England Treatment Access (NETA) in Northampton, opened on Nov. 20, the first retail pot shops east of the Mississippi.

The Cannabis Control Commission released figures Tuesday showing consumers spent $2.2 million at the two shops over their first five days operation, as Leicester residents complained of traffic problems. The Worcester county town's police chief, James Hurley, told residents at a Monday night emergency meeting that novelty of the new pot shop will eventually fade away.

The five-member commission and the new agency's staffers are processing applications for additional retail shops across the state.

"I think obviously for the commission this is the beginning and I'm anticipating that they'll learn as they go and if they need to make adjustments, they will," Baker said after an unrelated holiday event at Faneuil Hall. "But as I've said before, I thought the fact that they were deliberate in their approach to the rollout was the right way to pursue it."

First Massachusetts shops to sell recreational marijuana pay $39,000 for police detail officers

Baker, who opposed marijuana legalization when the issue was on the 2016 ballot, said drugged driving remains his "biggest concern."

"It's very important that people recognize and appreciate the fact that this is not something they should be doing if they're planning to be driving," Baker said, pointing to ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, as well as public transportation.

"I just hope people take that part seriously," he said.

'Impaired is impaired is impaired,' whether it's alcohol or marijuana, Massachusetts official says

At least three members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation could secure high-profile U.S. House positions in the coming weeks, as Democrats gather to decide the chamber's leadership and chairmen slates for the new Congress.

At least three members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation could secure high-profile U.S. House positions in the coming weeks, as Democrats gather to decide the chamber's leadership and chairmen slates for the new Congress.

Congresswoman Katherine Clark, of Melrose, is hoping to win the House Democratic caucus' vice chair post, the fifth-highest ranking position in leadership, when lawmakers meet behind closed doors Wednesday.

Western Massachusetts Democrats, U.S. Reps. Richard Neal, of Springfield, and Jim McGovern, of Worcester, meanwhile, are expected to pick up powerful committee chairmanships after the caucus' leadership elections.

Neal, McGovern poised for powerful roles in Democrat-led US House of Representatives

Clark, the House Democratic caucus' senior whip and a member of the Steering and Policy Committee, is among the Democrats looking to serve as the party's next vice chair when the new Congress convenes in January.

The Melrose Democrat, who announced her candidacy for the leadership position in a July letter, has said she would focus on growing accessibility and inclusivity within the party, if elected.

US Rep. Katherine Clark seeks leadership post with House Democratic Caucus

She has argued that Democrats "need accessible, inclusive leadership to help build a collaborative agenda that inspires our constituents and produces results."

Clark is expected to go up against U.S. Rep. Pete Aguilar, a California Democrat who is also running for caucus vice chair. 

Linda T. Sanchez, a California Democrat who currently serves in that position, planned to run for caucus chair, but dropped her bid citing an "unexpected family matter," according to reports.

Although U.S. House Democrats will cast a series of secret ballots for all leadership positions, including House speaker, as they meet behind closed doors Wednesday, the caucus is not expected to vote on committee chairpersons then.

Caucus votes on the next Ways and Means Committee chairman -- a position that is expected to go to Neal -- for example, are not predicted to take place until at least Dec. 5.

Rules Committee officials, meanwhile, said House Democrats are not anticipated to vote on that panel's new chairman -- a post McGovern is expected to secure -- this week. 

That vote will occur before the end of the year after caucus leadership positions are decided, officials said.

If named Ways and Means Committee chairman, Neal, the panel's current top Democrat, would be at the forefront of debate on tax, trade and other high-profile issues in Washington. 

The congressman reiterated Tuesday that he intends to focus on infrastructure spending and maintaining health insurance protections for pre-existing conditions,  if named the new Ways and Means Committee chairman.

Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal's 2019 priorities: Massive infrastructure spending, protecting pre-existing health conditions

He has also pledged to, among other things, convene hearings on tax policies and to press President Donald Trump to release his tax returns. 

US Rep. Richard Neal says Ways and Means Committee will request President Donald Trump's tax returns

McGovern, the House Rules Committee ranking member, meanwhile, will be responsible for determining when and what bills make it to the chamber's floor for full consideration, if named the panel's next chairman.

The congressman, who has cast the current Congress as "the most closed" in history, is expected to pursue a series of rule changes that Democrats say "will take a strong first step in tackling many of the pressing issues facing our nation."

McGovern further told The Republican that, if named chairman, he would not block marijuana amendments or legislation from floor consideration -- something he accused current Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas, of doing. 

US Rep. Jim McGovern says House 'going to have votes on marijuana reform,' pledges to allow debate on pot bills

House Democrats will meet Wednesday morning to elect the positions of caucus chair, speaker of the House nominee, Democratic leader, Democratic whip, assistant Democratic leader, caucus vice chair and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair.

They are also expected to select three Democratic Policy and Communications Committee co-chairs, a caucus leadership representative and a freshman leadership representative.

Such votes could also occur Thursday, if needed. 

The entire U.S. House, meanwhile, will vote on its next speaker on Jan. 3, 2019, when the new Congress convenes. 

Before opening, New Valley Bank & Trust must raise $25 million to $30 million in capital, money it will use to make loans as it begins business, said Jeff Sullivan, New Valley's proposed president and CEO.

SPRINGFIELD -- New Valley Bank & Trust Co., the first new bank to open in Springfield in 11 years, has preliminary OKs from state and federal regulators and plans to open offices in early 2019.

Before opening, New Valley Bank & Trust must raise $25 million to $30 million in capital, money it will use to make loans as it begins business, said Jeff Sullivan, New Valley's proposed president and CEO.

New Valley has contacted about 500 potential investors.

"Now it is a matter of getting people to fill out forms and write checks," Sullivan said.

He expects about 300 local  investors to buy stock in the new bank.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation documents say the bank will sell between 25,000 and 30,000 shares of common stock priced at $1,000 a share.

This process of raising the needed capital could be completed as early as Dec. 14. The bank could open as soon as January, Sullivan said, and he certainly expects New Valley to open in the January to March first quarter.

New Valley received  initial regulatory approval from both the FDIC on Nov. 2. It got a certificate of public convenience and advantage and from the Massachusetts Board of Bank Incorporation Nov. 8.

FDIC is approval is contingent upon New Valley satisfying reporting and accounting requirements, hiring a bank secrecy officer, which it already did, and on raising at least $25 million.

"We've said all along that this is a collaboration with the regulators," Sullivan said.

A group of investors led by attorney Frank Fitzgerald, who founded Bank of Western Massachusetts here in 1986, and including Sullivan, Jim Garvey, president of St. James Check Cashing, and Dennis Murphy, of Ventry Associates, has been working on plans for years and publicly announced them in May.

If successful, New Valley Bank & Trust Co. would be the first new bank in Massachusetts since First Commons Bank in Newton opened in 2009. First Commons Bank merged with Brookline Bank in 2017.

In Springfield, investors opened Nuvo Bank & Trust in Tower Square in 2008. Nuvo has since been sold twice and is now part of Community Bank, which is headquartered in Syracuse, New York.

New Valley Bank & Trust will focus on small and midsize business lending -- loans of $250,000 to $2.5 million -- and on bringing everyday consumer banking services to those shut out of getting bank accounts.

Sullivan said Tuesday the long application process confirmed for him that there will be demand for business loans. Borrowers are frustrated by ongoing consolidation in the banking industry. Merger after merger has left Springfield with no banks headquartered within the city except for New Valley.

"Folks are looking for alternatives, and rapid solutions form experienced people," he said.

Mergers leave banks looking for bigger customers.

"As we know, this market is full of people who run smaller firms and people who want to start businesses," Sullivan said.

New Valley has nine employees now and plans to grow to about 12. There will be two offices.

The headquarters, with a teller walk-up window, is on the ninth floor of the Monarch Place office tower downtown. Another office, a traditional branch with a drive-thru and Saturday hours, will be at a former United Bank location at 1930 Wilbraham Road in Springfield's Sixteen Acres neighborhood, across from Fresh Acres market.

United Bank built a new building five years ago next door at 1946 Wilbraham Road.

The name New Valley Bank & Trust Co. is a reference to a former bank in the market called Valley Bank and Trust Co. The original Valley Bank and Trust Co.  was the product of a 1957 merger between Springfield National Bank and Union Trust Co. It became BayBank Valley Trust Co. in 1979 and BayBank in 1991.

No one was injured, and no occupants were displaced.

HOLYOKE - City firefighters extinguished a fire on Lyman Street that started in a dumpster and spread to an adjacent retail and residential building, a fire official said.

Capt. Kevin Cavagnac of the Holyoke Fire Department said the fire was reported at around 4 p.m. at 224 Lyman St.

The fire initially started in a metal dumpster in the alley that was up against the building. Police officers initially tried to extinguish it with handheld extinguishers, but the fire continued to spread to the building.

Firefighters quickly put the fire out, but not before it began to spread to 224 Lyman St. and an exterior wall by the first-floor tenant, Easy Pick Convenience.

Some of the exterior siding of the building had to be removed as firefighters checked to see if the fire extended, Cavagnac said.

Smoke from the fire also made it inside the building, reaching to the apartments on the upper floors. 

None of the residents were displaced, he said. There were no injuries.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The suspect, Michael Thibodeau faces several charges, including armed robbery.

SPRINGFIELD - Police arrested a 29-year-old Chicopee man early Wednesday after he allegedly robbed a Boston Road convenience store and threatened to get a gun from his car and kill the clerk.

The incident occurred about 1 a.m. at a store located on the 400 block of Boston Road, Ryan Walsh, spokesman for Springfield police, said. The suspect caused some damage to the store and made off with cigarettes an undisclosed amount of cash.

Police quickly located the car the suspect left in and pulled him over at State and Willard streets. The car had been reported stolen out of Chicopee. The stolen items were recovered and no gun was found.

Police tracked down the owner by the registration number printed on the jet ski.

WEST SPRINGFIELD - Police are seeking information about how a jet ski ran aground on Memorial Avenue Tuesday morning.

The jet ski had been stolen in Springfield, and the rightful owner has been tracked down and has come to claim it, said West Springfield detective Matthew Mattina.

Police are more interested now in finding who was driving the truck when the jet ski fell off trailer, he said. Chances are that person was responsible for stealing it, he said.

The jet ski landed on Memorial Avenue near River Street sometime between 8:20 and 9:15 a.m. The photo by police shows it entangled with a black tarp.

Police are interested in hearing from anyone who may have seen it fall off the trailer, or if they saw anyone attempted to put it back on a trailer or even just milling around it.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 413 263-3210, ext. 272.

First responders were called to a home on Seminole Drive in Yarmouthport around 5:20 p.m. where they found the victim gravely injured.

A Yarmouth woman died Tuesday night after becoming trapped between her SUV and a garage door.

The Yarmouth Police Department said first responders were called to a home on Seminole Drive in Yarmouthport around 5:20 p.m. where they found the victim, Deborah Reade-Kochka, 52, gravely injured.

Authorities said the victim's husband, Donald, arrived home from work to find his wife pinned between her 2017 Honda SUV and the garage door of their house. Reade-Kochka was transported to Cape Cod Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Yarmouth Police Department detectives, the Crash Reconstruction Unit and Massachusetts State Police are conducting a follow-up investigation.

Hot Oven Cookies has grown from a delivery service to a food truck -- and now a store with plans to sell dough by mail. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- When Hot Oven Cookies owner Sheila Coon was in culinary school, none of her seven kids were particularly interested in the fancy desserts she learned to make.

They wanted cookies.

"And being my kids, they didn't want the same cookie twice," she said. "So I started keeping a list of which cookies I made, and how they liked them."

That's how she ended up with a repertoire of more than 100 cookie flavors -- apple moonshine snickerdoodles, anyone? -- and how she started a delivery service in 2016 that brought oven-warm cookies to customers' front doors.

With business education from Valley Venture Mentors and SPARK EforAll in Holyoke, the delivery business grew into Hot Oven Cookies, a cookie-themed food truck.

Now, with the help of a $15,000 Community Development Block Grant and Lease it Local, a MassDevelopment program that will pay half her rent for up to a year, she and husband David Coon have opened their first storefront brick-and-mortar location.

Hot Oven Cookies is open at 1597 Main St., in the city's historic Worthington Building at the SilverBrick Lofts complex.

"We were looking for a production hub," Sheila Coon said.

That means a commercial baking kitchen where Hot Oven can make cookies to sell by delivery, from the food truck and at the storefront -- and also to allow for future expansion.

Coon said she wants to start a wholesale business, selling dough to locations like MGM Springfield and the MassMutual Center.

She also hopes to start selling uncooked frozen dough to bake at home. Customers would order online, and the dough would arrive packed in dry ice.

Other plans include drive-up kiosks.

Sheila and David Coon thought about expanding with a retail spot in Holyoke, but they wanted lots of foot traffic and were drawn to the activity in Springfield's downtown generated by MGM. Sheila Coon said MGM has already had Hot Oven's food truck on site.

Once she decided to invest in more space for baking, it made sense to add walk-up retail to the mix.

"I found out I like people," she said. "It's remarkable how much power cookies have to make people happy. And how addicting they are."

She learned this over the summer after skipping the Holyoke Farmer's Market. Loyal customers started instant messaging her, some at 3 a.m.

"They needed those cookies," she said.

Her personal favorite is the mudslide "brookie" -- a cross between a brownie and a cookie. The mudslide is made with Kahlua liqueur and is rolled in Oreo crumbs.

"A girl and her chocolate," she said.

She keeps four of her most popular cookies -- mudslide, dark chocolate and sea salt, blueberry doughnut chip and guava cheesecake -- on the menu all the time and rotates other flavors each week.

A single cookie is $2, but it's hard to eat just one, she said. She sells three cookies for $5, and says that's the most popular selection. Other options include a half-dozen for $10 and a dozen for $20. There's also a cookie sandwich and a cookie sundae.

The store is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hot Oven also offers catering, with options to have the cookie truck on site. 

The report by NewDEAL is aimed at boosting the U.S. workforce, in light of technological advances and globalization.

A national working group focused on the changing labor economy and co-chaired by state Sen. Eric Lesser released recommendations Wednesday aimed at boosting the U.S. workforce in light of technological advances and globalization. 

The report makes policy suggestions related to workforce training, the social safety net and entrepreneurship. 

Lesser, D-Longmeadow, and working group co-chairwoman Amanda Edwards, a Houston, Texas council member, wrote in an introduction that many of the policies have been implemented around the country.

"The policies outlined in this document seek to move beyond one-off programs to a more comprehensive means of addressing the challenges presented by the evolving economy," Lesser and Edwards wrote.

The report was distributed by the NewDEAL Forum, a progressive organization focused on economic growth. The group recognized Lesser as an "up and coming" state official, and named Lesser as co-chairman of a working group on the "future of work."

Regarding skill development and training, the report notes that an increasing number of jobs require digital skills, more jobs are becoming automated, and many existing skills will be irrelevant in the future job market. 

The report recommends expanding apprenticeships, particularly those targeted at women and low-income workers. It recommends developing ways to connect colleges with employers and ensure that schools are teaching skills relevant to the workplace. It advocates making it easier for students to go to college -- for example, by offering free SAT tests to high schoolers and increasing community college financial aid.

On social safety net issues, the report recommends making benefits more portable, so employees can move between jobs without losing their health insurance, worker's compensation or retirement plans. It proposes offering some form of unemployment benefits to workers ineligible for traditional benefits, and stresses the importance of paid family leave and access to affordable childcare.

On the business front, the report discusses ways to make licensing easier and improve access to loans. It advocates steps to improve the rural business climate like providing access to broadband internet, and offering financial incentives for companies that move to rural areas.

Lesser is presenting the recommendations at a NewDeal policy conference in Washington, D.C., which is being held Wednesday through Friday.