All six who face charges live in Lawrence and at least four have criminal histories.

LAWRENCE - Six people accused of stealing identities from citizens of Puerto Rico and using them to obtain benefits or to apply for driver's license or other documentation were charged in federal court on Thursday.

At least four of the people charged have a criminal history and at least four are Dominican nationals. Two identities were stolen from people who have died and one was stolen from a Puerto Rican resident who has never been in Massachusetts.

"These were targeted investigations, aimed specifically at identifying people who have stolen the identities of others," said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. "And the continued emphasis on the City of Lawrence is no coincidence: With the help of state and local partners, we will continue targeting drug, gun, and immigration-related crime in that city until the crime rate there drops substantially. This has been, and will continue to be, a top priority of my office."

All six are Lawrence residents and each was charged with one count of misuse of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft in federal court in Boston, he said.

Those arrested include two men whose identities are unknown. One was in jail on drug charges when he requested a replacement Social Security card in the name of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico who had died. That man later applied for Medicaid benefits using the identity but was rejected because the system showed him as deceased.

The second unknown man was using the identity of a citizen from Puerto Rico when convicted of possession with intent to distribute heroin. A comparison of booking photos with license photos here and in Puerto Rico showed he was using someone else's identification, he said.

Also arrested were:

• Lenin Alfredo Amparo, 44, a Dominican national with Lawful Permanent Residency status. Amparo, who has an extensive criminal history including convictions for drug conspiracies and assault and battery, was discovered when he applied for a Massachusetts driver's license in the name of a citizen from Puerto Rico, he said.
• Julissa Ranee Acosta Estevez, 45, a Dominican national, is accused of using the identity of a citizen of Puerto Rico who had died to receive $6,500 in unemployment benefits. She also used the identity to apply for a Massachusetts driver's license, Lelling said.
• Andres Aridio Contrera Diaz, 30, a Dominican national, is accused of using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a Puerto Rican citizen who had never been in Massachusetts to receive $6,117 in unemployment money, he said.
• Raul Alexander Guerrero-Sanchez, 35, a Dominican national, gave police the identification of a resident of Puerto Rico as his own when arrested for drug offenses, including distribution of heroin and distribution of cocaine, he said.

"Today's arrests demonstrate our commitment to stopping the real threats and devastating financial impacts that American taxpayers and citizens face from the danger of identity theft crimes," said Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in Boston. "Along with our local and federal partners, we look forward to the successful prosecution of these individuals who have literally robbed the identities and stolen directly out of the pockets of American taxpayers."   

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigation's Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, and included various local, state and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring and disrupting those involved with document, identity and benefit fraud schemes. 

The task force is currently focusing investigations on suspected undocumented immigrants mainly from the Dominican Republic, who are believed to have obtained stolen identities of United States citizens living in Puerto Rico and used them to apply for benefits they would not be eligible to receive including Registry of Motor Vehicles identity documents and public housing subsidies.

The cause of death was a suspected heart attack. Watch video

Pete Shelley, singer and guitarist for the British punk band the Buzzcocks, died Thursday in Estonia, where he had been living. He was 63.

"It's with great sadness that we confirm the death of Pete Shelley, one of the UK's most influential and prolific songwriters and co-founder of the seminal original punk band Buzzcocks," the band stated in posts on Twitter. "Pete's music has inspired generations of musicians over a career that spanned five decades and with his band and as a solo artist, he was held in the highest regard by the music industry and by his fans around the world."

The cause of death was a suspected heart attack, according to the BBC.

Shelley, born Peter Campbell McNeish, formed the Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto in 1976. A year later, Devoto left the band and Shelley became the principal singer-songwriter as the band released is first EP, "Spiral Scratch."

The Buzzcocks were best known for the UK hits "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)," "Promises" and "Love You More."

The band released three albums before Shelley left in 1981 to pursue a solo career, but he reunited the band eight year later. The Buzzcocks released their ninth studio album, "The Way," in 2014.

Pete's music has inspired generations of musicians over a career that spanned five decades and with his band and as a solo artist, he was held in the highest regard by the music industry and by his fans around the world.

A more detailed statement will follow.

-- Buzzcocks (@Buzzcocks) December 6, 2018

John Kerry, who unsuccessfully ran as the Democratic nominee against Republican President George W. Bush in 2004, spoke Thursday night at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Dorchester.

Former presidential candidate and diplomat John Kerry voiced doubts that he would ever mount another White House run, wistfully remembered searching out Friendly's restaurants while on the Massachusetts campaign trail, and said he still considers himself an "activist."

Kerry, who unsuccessfully ran as the Democratic nominee against Republican President George W. Bush in 2004, spoke Thursday night at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Dorchester. The talk was moderated by WGBH contributor David Bernstein.

Asked by an audience member if he will be involved in 2020, Kerry said,  "Well, I'm certainly going to do my part as a citizen."

He then added: "Is that a 2020 question that's subtly being put to me?"

The crowd, gathered in a replica of the US Senate chamber, laughed.

"I think I said very, very clearly, and I mean this, I said a few months ago that I don't have any plans to run for office," said Kerry, who on Dec. 11 turns 75.

Kerry's comments came the same day former Gov. Deval Patrick said he would not be among the candidates seeking to take on President Donald Trump.

"I doubt I'll run for office again, I said that very clearly," Kerry continued. "I once responded to a question by saying... I haven't taken it off the table which is very, very different from actively working, pursuing, which I am not doing. And I mean that."

Likely referring to 2020 contenders, Kerry said, "I think we've got a lot of good people around, personally."

Kerry, who has frequently criticized President Trump, also took aim at the lack of bipartisanship within the US Senate. He represented Massachusetts in the upper chamber from 1985 to 2013.

"It's not the rules that have changed, it's the people that have changed, it's an attitude that has changed," he said.

The author of the new book "Every Day Is Extra," which details his life as a Vietnam veteran, diplomat and lawmaker, Kerry said he is still an "activist" and urged people to get involved in politics.

President Donald Trump on possible John Kerry 2020 run: 'I should only be so lucky'

Kerry pointed to the high turnout in the 2018 midterm election. But more young people need to vote, he said, noting 31 percent of people under 30 turned out to vote in that election.

"That is not sufficient to win back the future of our country," Kerry said.

Kerry also recalled opening a cookie shop in Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The store, named Kilvert and Forbes, is still there.

"I'm still a cookie monster, actually," he said.

But he gave up dreams of an empire to become lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, he quipped.

Kerry also touched on an early addiction of his: Fribble shakes at Friendly's restaurants.

"That was one of my mainstays, campaigning through the state," Kerry said. "We always looked for Friendly's. We found a Friendly and I had a Fribble, a coffee Fribble."

The statewide out-of-school suspension rate is about 3 percent, 13 times lower than the rate at Libertas Academy Charter School in Springfield.

This summer, Libertas Academy Charter School founder Modesto Montero experienced a wake-up call. 

In the school's first year of operation, the charter had a 41 percent out-of-school suspension rate. 

The school opened in downtown Springfield the fall of 2017 with its first class of 95 sixth-grade students. The school intends to expand to serve 630 students in grades 6-12, adding a new class each year. 

A college preparatory academy, the school was founded with a mission to educate students through "an achievement-oriented culture in which expectations are clear and routines are consistent," as stated in the school's application to open submitted to state education officials in 2016. 

Such expectations were a significant shift for students in their first year, Montero said in an interview this week. 

"One of the things that was challenging for us is that our students were coming from all over the city," he said. "Our bar for excellence was significantly higher than they were used to." 

Libertas educators took a strict approach from the start, issuing suspensions for use of profanity and disrespect shown to fellow students and teachers. 

The charter chose to only issue out-of-school suspensions instead of a mix of in-school and out-of-school disciplinary tools. "If our students are in school, we want them learning," Montero said of the decision. 

Following the end of the school's first year, officials looked at their behavioral data. Of their 95 sixth-grade students, 39 received out-of-school suspensions. 

The school had the highest suspension rate in Massachusetts, more than 13 times the state average.  

Less than 3 percent of students statewide received an out-of-school suspension during the 2017-2018 school year and just under 2 percent received an in-school suspension, according to data from the Massachusetts Department of Early and Secondary Education. 

Springfield Public Schools - the district from which Libertas students are coming - reported a 7 percent out-of-school suspension rate and 2.6 percent in-school suspension rate. 

The department is working with districts reporting high rates of discipline to find alternatives that keep students in the classroom while limiting disruptions. 

Charter schools were more likely than traditional public schools to utilize out-of-school suspensions. Of the top 10 schools with the highest out-of-school suspension rate last year, all were charters. 

"It hit home for us," Montero said. "We needed to make a shift." 

School officials recognized the need to expand their focus beyond academics, and engage students on social and behavioral issues. 

The school added several members to their team to focus on student supports and implemented a new system that looks at suspension as a last resort, an escalation following detentions and calls and letters home to families. 

In the charter's second year of operation, Montero said the school is seeing positive results. "We're tracking at about 16 percent," he said, of the suspension rate, "and we're trying to be intentional about it." 

Read more: Which Massachusetts school districts reported the highest discipline rates?

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently released its 2017-2018 student discipline data report showing the total number of students disciplined, rates of in-school and out-of-school suspensions, expulsions and emergency removals.

Educators in Massachusetts' largest school districts are working under a new disciplinary philosophy in recent years, seeking to reach students before punishment is needed as a means to reducing the suspension rate. 

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently released its 2017-2018 student discipline data report showing the total number of students disciplined, rates of in-school and out-of-school suspensions, expulsions and emergency removals. 

Springfield, which had 28,167 students enrolled during the 2017-2018 school year, reported 2,485 students disciplined - about 9 percent of the student body. The second-largest district in the state reported a 7 percent out-of-school suspension rate and 2.6 percent in-school suspension rate. In less than 1 percent of instances, an emergency removal - a last-resort step in which a student is deemed a danger or substantially disruptive - was reported by the district. 

Students faced disciplinary measures for a spectrum of issues, from being out of uniform to assaults on fellow students and educators. 

Five years earlier, student discipline rates were significantly higher. Springfield reported 3,884 students disciplined during the 2012-2013 school year, an out-of-school suspension rate of 10.5 percent and in-school suspension rate of 7.1 percent. 

While in previous years, disciplinary measures would escalate to suspension earlier, district officials have shifted to a focus on intervention: reaching students before they've entered a pattern of negative behavior and connected students who have with services both in and out of school, from counseling to fuel or food services for their family. 

Seeking to encourage positive behavior - especially among their youngest students - the district employs an method known as positive behavior intervention supports (PBIS) - which rewards and encourages actions that previously had gone unrecognized. From a group of students walking quietly and orderly to a cafeteria for lunch to a student deescalating an altercation before a staff member needed to intervene. 

"We've been working very, very hard on this," Springfield Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick, who said the district is seeing positive results. 

In addition to lower suspension rates, Warwick said reported bullying in city schools is down by half. 

PBIS was piloted in a few Springfield Public Schools and spread throughout most the district following positive results. 

Discipline rates varied greatly district-by-district across Massachusetts.

Which Massachusetts school districts reported the highest discipline rates?

Less than 3 percent of students statewide received an out-of-school suspension during the 2017-2018 school year and just under 2 percent received an in-school suspension, according to data from the Massachusetts Department of Early and Secondary Education. 

The department is working with districts reporting high rates of discipline to find alternatives that keep students in the classroom while limiting disruptions. 

Charter schools were more likely than traditional public schools to utilize out-of-school suspensions. Of the top 10 schools with the highest out-of-school suspension rate last year, all were charters. 

Libertas Academy Charter School, a new charter in Springfield, topped the list on suspensions. 

Of the 95 students in Libertas' class of sixth-grade students, 41.1 percent received an out-of-school suspension. 

The school welcomed its first class of sixth grade students last year and intends to serve 630 middle and high school students, adding a new grade of students with each year. 

School founder Modesto Montero said the data "hit home" for educators and led to a series of cultural changes in the school. 

In Worcester, the second-largest city in Massachusetts with a slightly smaller student body than Springfield, officials are also working to reduce the discipline rate. Of Worcester Public Schools' 27,586 total student body last year, 2,345 were disciplined. The district had an in-school suspension rate of 3.3 percent, out-of-school suspension rate of 5.5 percent and 1.8 percent emergency removal rate. 

The district's out-of-school suspension rate is down significantly compared to five years ago - 10.5 percent during the 2012-2013 school year - and school officials say they're actively working to reach students before disciplinary measures must be enforced. 

Worcester Public Schools has formed support teams to including counselors and nurses to identify the cause behind behavioral concerns. 

Deputy Superintendent Susan O'Neil said the district is focused on reaching their youngest students early. 

"We've seen an increase in kids experiencing trauma, especially in grades K through 3," O'Neil said.

She added that support teams are working to identify such issues early and equip their students with calming strategies. "With a kindergartener, it's very hard for them to self settle, take a time out when they're in such a space."

With older students, Worcester officials are focused on providing alternatives to suspension that both limit disruptions during learning and keep students in the classroom. 

Boston, by far the largest school district in the state, has seen a significant reduction in the number of students disciplined. 

Between the 2017-2018 school year and five years prior, the number of students disciplined dropped from 3,836 to 1,293. Out-of-school suspensions fell from 6.2 percent to just over 2 percent last year. 

Boston Public Schools credits the drop to a focus on interventions and "increased documentation of progressive discipline before an out-of-school suspension is implemented," the district said in a statement. 

The district announced earlier this year it will no longer suspend students in grades kindergarten, first or second. This announcement followed a legal threat from Greater Boston Legal Services, which represented low-income families. 

In a complaint filed in 2017, Greater Boston Legal Services alleged Boston Public Schools staff would "routinely call parents and instruct them to pick students up early," the complaint states. "If parents refuse, school leaders attempt to persuade, intimidate, or bully parents into compliance."

The district said "it is committed to being proactive in preventing disciplinary issues and to provide students with supports that are grounded in positive behavior interventions that address their social-emotional and learning needs. BPS continues to provide support to school staff to ensure full implementation of disciplinary protocols that are consistent with established best practices, legal obligations, and the best interests of all BPS students."

Local and state police are investigating after a burned body was found midday in a Massachusetts public park.

Local and state police are investigating after a burned body was found midday in a Massachusetts public park. 

Authorities were called to Frey Park in Lynn when a man walking his dog reported finding a body in the park near a playground. 

The death is considered suspicious and under investigation, the Essex district attorney's office. The gender of the body is unclear due to the condition of the body. 

Scott Beauchamp, a local resident who discovered the body, told The Daily Item he at first believed it was fake. "I don't think I wanted to believe it was a body, but I guess it is. I wasn't too happy when I saw it."

Parish members and city officials have been fighting to save the 117-year-old Catholic church for nearly eight years.

HOLYOKE -- Ornate stained glass windows have been removed, a cross that once sat atop the controversial steeple is gone and construction workers are now in the process of removing asbestos from the former Mater Dolorosa Church to prepare for its likely demolition.

Church officials have not confirmed that the church will be torn down and have not yet filed for a permit to do so, but former members of the long-closed parish and city officials who fought to save the historic church said they believe the demolition is imminent.

"The scope of work which has been underway for many weeks at the former Mater Dolorosa Church has involved preserving significant items so that they might be repurposed, allowing the legacy of the former parish to live on through new use in active worshipping sites," said Mark E. Dupont, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield.

Dupont also said the diocese has "undertaken asbestos abatement consistent with our obligations and with full consent of city officials." 

In other cases where churches have been closed and demolished the stained glass windows, religious artifacts and other items of sentimental value have been removed first.

The battle began in the spring of 2011 when then Bishop Timothy McDonnell announced the church would close and the parish would merge with Holy Cross on Appleton Street and worship there. Members named the new parish Our Lady of the Cross.

But Mater Dolorosa members protested the closing and went to extraordinary lengths to keep it open. They occupied the church around-the-clock for a year, appealed the decision to the Vatican, applied to turn the church and surrounding neighborhood into a historic district and negotiated to buy the building. Several times their battles with the diocese ended in court.

"I guess we are holding out on a miracle the Bishop will meet with us," said John Fydenkevez, president of the Mater Dolorosa Preservation Society of Holyoke. "We didn't want to fight the diocese; we wanted to work with the diocese."

For several years the preservation society, mostly made up of former parish members, tried to negotiate to save the building, arguing it was valuable to preserve the heritage of the Polish people who built the church 117 years ago. But Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski never met with the group.

"Every time we tried to negotiate they wanted something else. It was never enough," Fydenkevez said.

Now the organ, the alter, crosses that stood on top of the steeples and other art work that was in the church has been removed. Still Fydenkevez said the building has value until it is razed.

"This is not the way the church should evangelize. It is drawing people away from the church and it is very disheartening," he said.

In October 2017, as the diocese applied to the city for a permit to demolish the church, Mayor Alex B. Morse began to negotiate to save the building. They reached an agreement for the city to buy the building for $50,000, with a preservation society helping to maintain it.

But the City Council balked at the agreement, which called for the diocese to retain ownership of the church's stained glass windows, wall paintings, murals and lamps, and did not include the church parking lot. The council rejected the deal in July, with one councilor calling it "the most one-sided, hard-nosed, vicious contract" he had ever seen.

While that demolition permit expired in April, Morse said he expects the diocese to submit a new application. This time the city will have no reason to reject it, he said, adding the city has exhausted all options to save the church.

"It has been a seven- to eight-year process and unfortunately the building will come down," he said. "It is always unfortunate to lose a piece of history and that is why we fought so hard to keep it."

But Morse said he respects the decision of the City Council and members' concerns about the deal, and ultimately the church is owned by Our Lady of the Cross Parish and the diocese.

Victor Anop, one of the original leaders of the Friends of Mater Dolorosa who organized the occupation of the church, said he sent a letter to the Vatican asking for an Apostolic Visitation to study the Springfield Diocese and urge Rozanski to preserve the church.

In a strongly worded press release he accused the diocese of "plundering, pillaging and intentional destruction of Polish cultural religious heritage" and said he has reported his concerns to the Vatican.

He said workers have failed to secure the building properly, leaving windows open, and questioned why the building was never put up for sale on the open market as many closed churches have.

The diocese long argued one of the problems with the building is its unstable steeple, which it said could collapse. That has been disputed by other building experts.

"What kind of devilish Grinches would cast aside people's heritage by destroying a church piece by piece just before Christmas?" Anop asked in the press release.

Move over, Facebook: A Boston-based company has leapfrogged the social media giant on Glassdoor's annual ranking of the best places to work.

Move over, Facebook: A Boston-based company has leapfrogged the social media giant on Glassdoor's annual ranking of the best places to work.

Boston-based Bain & Co. is ranked No. 1 on Glassdoor's 2019 Employees' Choice Awards, a ranking of 100 companies across North America and parts of Europe. Bain was ranked as the No. 1 company two years ago by the California-based career website, but moved down the list to No. 2 last year, with Facebook taking the top spot.

It's the fourth time that Bain has been ranked No. 1 on Glassdoor's list. The management consulting giant also took home top honors in 2012 and 2014.

Facebook dropped to No. 7 on the list this year.

The ranking is based on the input of employees who voluntarily provide anonymous feedback, by completing a company review about their job, work environment and employer over the past year.

The top-100 list is for large companies, or those with at least 1,000 employees. Glassdoor also compiles an annual ranking of the 50 best places to work among small and medium companies, or those with fewer than 1,000 employees.

This year, five Massachusetts-based companies made the latter list: staffing agency Digital Prospectors (No. 5), real estate firm Peabody Properties (No. 10), workforce software firm The Predictive Index (No. 22), marketing agency Acceleration Partners (No. 23), and ag-tech firm Indigo (No. 47).

See here for the full results.

The School Committee has granted a 2 percent annual pay raise to Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick after a committee evaluation rated his performance as "exemplary."

SPRINGFIELD -- The School Committee has given Superintendent of Schools Daniel J. Warwick a 2 percent annual pay raise after a committee evaluation rated his performance as "exemplary."

The pay raise granted Wednesday increases Warwick's annual salary to $256,631.88, retroactive to July 1, an increase of $5,032. The committee conducts an annual evaluation of the superintendent after getting statewide test results.

"The numbers speak for themselves," said School Committee Vice-Chairman Christopher Collins. "Our growth in student achievement exceeds the growth rate in the state. Dan has the strongest effect on day-to-day learning than any superintendent in my recollection."

Warwick is the highest paid city or school employee in Springfield.

Collins, in comments listed with other committee members in the evaluation report, said that Warwick has created a professional culture in the Springfield public schools "that is the envy of districts throughout the state."

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who serves as chairman of the School Committee, said that even with the challenges faced by urban schools, Warwick's accomplishments "have been noteworthy and remarkable."

"He works well with and motivates the staff, teachers and our School Committee, all for the common good of the children," Sarno said Thursday.

The vote was 6-1 in favor of the exemplary rating and pay raise, with Barbara Gresham opposed.

In February, the state released statistics on graduation and dropout rates in Massachusetts, including that Springfield's graduation rate rose 8.1 percentage points in one year, going from 68.8 percent to 76.9 percent. The graduation rate increased 20.3 percentage points since 2012, compared with a statewide increase of 3.6 points during that time.

The dropout rate in Springfield increased from 4.9 percent in 2016 to 5.1 percent in 2017, but the district's dropout rate has been cut in half since Warwick became superintendent in 2012, according to the state data.

Gresham said that more must be done to improve the graduation rates and to improve student attendance. She said the superintendent should focus more on strengthening parent and community involvement.

"We still have work to do," Gresham said. "Even though the graduation rate is up, we are still lagging behind that of the state."

Both Collins and Sarno said the superintendent knows there is more work to be done.

"My feeling is Superintendent Warwick's efforts continue to move our public school system forward," Sarno said.

In September, Warwick praised the results of the newly released MCAS scores for students in Springfield that showed slight increases, while citing the need for stronger efforts as the scores remained below state averages.

Collins said that while the MCAS results for English Language Learner students were slightly less than hoped, the results are "exceptional" when evaluating the six-year tenure of Warwick as superintendent.

Collins, in another evaluation comment, said: "The superintendent's exceptional leadership has resulted in balancing each year's budget while increasing services to the students, staff, parents, and the entire community."

In the last evaluation completed in December 2017, Warwick also received a 2 percent raise, and committee members said he met or exceeded goals in every category. In the prior year, he received a 3 percent raise.

Evaluation criteria included graduation rates, dropout rates, student performance, management of teachers and management of facilities among others.

After watching the trooper search his car, Alexander Davila asked, "I'm just under arrest for booze, right? No drug stuff, right?" the arrest report said.

CHICOPEE - A Springfield man pulled over on suspicion of drunken driving was arrested instead on his third cocaine possession charge.

Alexander Davila, 51, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Chicopee District Court to cocaine possession (subsequent offense), speeding, driving without a license and a marked lanes violation.

The charges were filed after Trooper Patrick Dolan pulled Davila over on Interstate 391 around 2 a.m. Monday. In addition to driving 15 mph over the speed limit, Davila was drifting from lane to lane, Dolan wrote in the arrest report.

Davila acknowledged drinking alcohol several hours before, but repeatedly assured the trooper he was "OK to drive," the report said. Davila's speech was slurred, his eyes were watery and bloodshot and he performed poorly on the field sobriety test, the report said.

Before stepping from his car, Davila took a small box of what he described as candy and placed it on the center cup holder. A search later found four baggies of cocaine in the container, the report said.

After watching the trooper search his car, Davila asked, "I'm just under arrest for booze, right? No drug stuff, right? I didn't know about any drugs," according to the report.

At the state police barracks in Springfield, Davila took a Breathalyzer test, which showed his blood alcohol content was below the legal limit for intoxication, the report said.

Following his arraignment, Davila was released on personal recognizance and ordered to return for a pretrial hearing on Feb. 14.

Davila was found guilty of possession of cocaine in 2000, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in 2009, court records show.

The goal is to raise $150,000 by Christmas eve.

For close to a century residents of Western Massachusetts have taken time out of their busy holiday schedules to donate to the Toy for Joy campaign, making sure that families in need have a great Christmas. 

Now, giving to the campaign has never been easier, thanks to a site for online donations.

Currently in its 96th year, the Toy for Joy campaign annually seeks to raise money to purchase Christmas gifts for families throughout Western Massachusetts. It is a collaborative effort between the Salvation Army, The Republican and MassLive.

"For people who would like to support Toy for Joy, but would rather not have to mail a check, the online donation option is a simple and convenient way to make a contribution," said Danielle LaTaille, social services director for  the Salvation Army in Springfield.

This year's goal of raising $150,000 by Christmas Eve may be made easier by the online donation option, as it gives donors a quick and easy way to contribute.

"We have had positive feedback about the online option in the past and are excited to be able to offer it to our donors again this year," LaTaille said. 

To date, the campaign has raised $14,538 towards the goal, leaving $135,462 still needed.

If you're feeling more traditional, you can always still make a contribution to the Toy for Joy fund by writing: 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. 

The Toy for Joy campaign each year brings toys to thousands of families. Last year the campaign served 2,700 families in Springfield, around 800 families in Holyoke, and some 200 families in Greenfield.

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 this year 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:

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).

Nonprofit organizations providing social services have until Jan. 4 to submit applications for inclusion in the FY2019 Small Cities Community Block Grant.

WEST SPRINGFIELD - Nonprofit organizations providing social services have until Jan. 4 to submit applications to the town for inclusion in the FY2019 Small Cities Community Block Grant.

The town is eligible annually to apply for up to $825,000 in such funding for proposals that provide benefit to low- and moderate-income households in West Springfield.

In June, the Baker administration awarded that amount to West Springfield for housing rehabilitation assistance for seven units, Gardner Street infrastructure improvements, code enforcement, creating a master plan for Merrick Neighborhood, support for family self-sufficiency and home-buyer programs, English for Speakers of Other Languages, camp scholarships and Head Start.

The projects were among 41 in 59 different communities to receive a total of $32 million in Community Development Block Grants this year.

West Springfield's Office of Community Development manages the federal Housing and Urban Development grant allocated through the state's Department of Housing and Community Development.

This is the first time in many years the town is soliciting proposals from any agency interested in providing services for grant funds. In prior years, public hearings were held to solicit priorities from the community, and then decisions were made internally as to which services were funded.

Community priorities for social services, as defined by past priorities and a public meeting held on Oct. 30, range from support services for refugee as well as homeless families to youth development to economic self-sufficiency programs.

Completed proposals are due by noon on Friday, Jan. 4.

Applications can be picked up in the Office of Community Development on the 2nd floor of Town Hall or accessed online.

No late applications will be accepted. No incomplete applications will be considered. Applicants are encouraged to contact town staff prior to requesting funds, according to a release from the town.

For more information contact Morgan Drewniany, director of community development, via email at mdrewniany@tows.org or call (413) 263-3044.

Both the U.S. Senate and House fought efforts by the Trump administration to eliminate Community Block Grants from its 2019 budget proposal.

The fire was reported on St. James Avenue shortly after 8 a.m. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - Firefighters were summoned to a house fire in the McKnight neighborhood Friday morning.

The fire was reported at 59 St. James Ave. shortly after 8 a.m. No injuries were reported

No fire was showing as of about 8:30 a.m.  Firefighters could be seen, however, working inside the third floor or attic area.

Dennis Leger, aide to Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi, said the fire appears to have started in the attic and damage is estimated at approximately $50,000.

The fire was limited to the attic, but the lower floors sustained water damage, he said.

The city Arson and Bomb Squad is investigating to determine how it started.

According to the Springfield Assessor's Office, the property is owned by the Behavioral Health Network, and has a total valuation of $174,000.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been chosen to give Harvard University's commencement speech May 30.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been chosen to give Harvard University's commencement speech May 30.

Harvard officials announced the selection Friday, calling Merkel "one of the world's most influential leaders" since she was elected her country's first female chancellor in 2005.

Merkel was elected to her fourth term in 2017 but has said she won't seek re-election when it expires in 2021.

Harvard President Larry Bacow described Merkel as "one of the most widely admired and broadly influential statespeople of our time," adding that she "continues to play a central role in confronting some of the great challenges of our era."

Merkel has received numerous awards, including the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. Harvard's past commencement speakers include U.S. Rep. John Lewis and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The fire caused an estimated $50,000 damage and left the building uninhabitable. Watch video

 SPRINGFIELD - A fire that started in the top floor of a St. James Avenue property operated by the Behavioral Health Network has displaced 24 residents, according to the Springfield Fire Department.

Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi, said the fire at 59 St. James Ave. caused around $50,000 in damage. Fire was limited to the third floor of the 2 1/2 story building, but the lower floors sustained water damage, he said.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames quickly, which prevented additional damage.

The property is owned by Behavioral Health Network, a private behavioral health organization that aids children, adults and families in the areas of mental health, disabilities and addiction services.

Several residents of the facility waited on the sidewalk across the street after evacuating the home. A Behavioral Health Network van arrived an began shuttling them to a new location.

Steve Winn, the chief operating office for Behavioral Health Network, said all of the residents were brought to other BHN facilities. "All of them are safe and warm, and being fed and being cared for," he said.

The building's fire alarms worked property, and everyone got out safely, he said.

The St. James Avenue site has two buildings. One of them was not damaged, he said. 

It is a residential treatment facility site for men, and all of them work and go out into the community, Winn said.

He said BHN officials were working with the city to assess the damage and determine what repairs need to be made to make it habitable again.

He said he would like to have it declared fit for occupancy by next week, but it is not clear if that is realistic. In the meantime, residents will be put up in other BHN facilities temporarily, he said. 

The property is on a section of St. James Avenue near Magazine Park and State Street. 

President Donald Trump offered Friday that members of his legal team are compiling their own report to counter findings raised through Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

President Donald Trump offered Friday that members of his legal team are compiling their own report to counter findings raised through Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. 

Trump argued that it "has been incorrectly reported" that Rudy Giuliani, a former New York City mayor and lawyer representing him in the special counsel's investigation, will not compile a counter to Mueller's expected report.

"Already 87 pages done," he tweeted. "But obviously cannot complete until we see the final witch hunt report."

It has been incorrectly reported that Rudy Giuliani and others will not be doing a counter to the Mueller Report. That is Fake News. Already 87 pages done, but obviously cannot complete until we see the final Witch Hunt Report.

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

Later, the president added that "we will be doing a major Counter Report to the Mueller Report."

"This should never again be allowed to happen to a future President of the United States!" he tweeted.

We will be doing a major Counter Report to the Mueller Report. This should never again be allowed to happen to a future President of the United States!

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

The announcement came as Trump posted a series of tweets Friday criticizing the special counsel's investigation and other Department of Justice figures tied to the probe. 

The president accused Mueller of having many conflicts on interest, arguing that he's "best friends" with former FBI Director James Comey -- whom Trump fired. 

He further questioned whether the special counsel's report will, among many things, include: "the lying and leaking by the people doing the report and ... all of the many fired people of the FBI," "the corruption within the (Democratic National Committee) and Clinton campaign," and "all of the substantial and many contributions made by the 17 angry Democrats to the campaign of crooked Hillary."

Robert Mueller and Leakin' Lyin' James Comey are Best Friends, just one of many Mueller Conflicts of Interest. And bye the way, wasn't the woman in charge of prosecuting Jerome Corsi (who I do not know) in charge of "legal" at the corrupt Clinton Foundation? A total Witch Hunt...

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

....Will Robert Mueller's big time conflicts of interest be listed at the top of his Republicans only Report. Will Andrew Weissman's horrible and vicious prosecutorial past be listed in the Report. He wrongly destroyed people's lives, took down great companies, only to be........

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

.....overturned, 9-0, in the United States Supreme Court. Doing same thing to people now. Will all of the substantial & many contributions made by the 17 Angry Democrats to the Campaign of Crooked Hillary be listed in top of Report. Will the people that worked for the Clinton....

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

....Foundation be listed at the top of the Report? Will the scathing document written about Lyin' James Comey, by the man in charge of the case, Rod Rosenstein (who also signed the FISA Warrant), be a big part of the Report? Isn't Rod therefore totally conflicted? Will all of....

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

...the lying and leaking by the people doing the Report, & also Bruce Ohr (and his lovely wife Molly), Comey, Brennan, Clapper, & all of the many fired people of the FBI, be listed in the Report? Will the corruption within the DNC & Clinton Campaign be exposed?..And so much more!

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

This will be updated.

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has made his selections for the next U.S. attorney general and ambassador to the United Nations.

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he had decided on his picks for the next U.S. attorney general and ambassador to the United Nations. 

Trump confirmed reports that he intends to nominate William Barr, a Republican lawyer and attorney general under George H.W. Bush, to once again lead the Justice Department. 

The president further said he will name State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert as his choice for the new U.N. ambassador. 

Trump, who vocally criticized his former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, told reporters that Barr was his "first choice since day one" for the position.  

"He will be nominated for the United States Attorney General and hopefully that process will go very quickly," he said, according to White House pool reports. "I've seen very good things about him even over the last day or so when people thought it might be Bill Barr."

Barr served as attorney general from 1991 to 1993 after working as a deputy attorney general from 1990 to 1991. He has since held senior executive positions at GTE Corporation and Verizon Communications, according to reports.

The president, meanwhile, told reporters that he believes Nauert has worked well with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and others at the State Department. 

"She'll be ambassador to the United Nations. She's very talented, very smart, very quick and I think that she will be respected by all," he reportedly said.

The U.S. Senate must confirm both Nauert and Barr's nominations.

Sessions resigned from his post of attorney general one day after the November midterm elections. 

Report: Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigns

The outgoing AG offered, in his un-dated resignation letter, that his departure came at the president's request. 

Trump had repeatedly criticized Sessions' performance as attorney general, particularly his decision to recuse himself from the Department of Justice's investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 campaign. 

The president announced that Session's chief of staff, Matthew G. Whitaker, would take over as the acting attorney general -- an appointment which drew swift criticism and a legal challenge from Democrats. 

President Donald Trump accepts UN Ambassador Nikki Haley's resignation

Weeks earlier, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley joined Trump at the White House to announce that she would step down from her administration post at the end of the year. 

Haley said while it "has been an honor of a lifetime" to serve as U.N. ambassador, she believes it's time for someone else to take over the position.

The president praised Haley's work as his U.N. envoy, offering that she has "done an incredible job."

The fire caused an estimated $50,000 damage and left the building uninhabitable. Watch video

This is an update of a story published at 8:27 a.m. 

SPRINGFIELD - A fire that started in the top floor of a St. James Avenue property operated by the Behavioral Health Network has displaced 24 residents, according to the Springfield Fire Department.

Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi, said the fire at 59 St. James Ave. caused around $50,000 in damage. Fire was limited to the third floor of the 2 1/2 story building, but the lower floors sustained water damage, he said.

The fire was reported just after 8 a.m.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames quickly, which prevented additional damage.

The property is owned by Behavioral Health Network, a private behavioral health organization that aids children, adults and families in the areas of mental health, disabilities and addiction services.

Several residents of the facility waited on the sidewalk across the street after evacuating the home. A Behavioral Health Network van arrived an began shuttling them to a new location.

Steve Winn, the chief operating office for Behavioral Health Network, said all of the residents were brought to other BHN facilities. "All of them are safe and warm, and being fed and being cared for," he said.

The building's fire alarms worked property, and everyone got out safely, he said.

The St. James Avenue site has two buildings. One of them was not damaged, he said. 

It is a residential treatment facility site for men, and all of them work and go out into the community, Winn said.

He said BHN officials were working with the city to assess the damage and determine what repairs need to be made to make it habitable again.

He said he would like to have it declared fit for occupancy by next week, but it is not clear if that is realistic. In the meantime, residents will be put up in other BHN facilities temporarily, he said. 

The property is on a section of St. James Avenue near Magazine Park and State Street. 

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has reportedly interviewed White House Chief of Staff John Kelly as part of his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, sources told new outlets Friday.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has reportedly interviewed White House Chief of Staff John Kelly as part of his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, sources told new outlets Friday.

CNN reported that three people with knowledge of the matter confirmed that Kelly responded to a "narrow set of questions" from Mueller after the White House initially opposed the special counsel's request for an interview. 

The White House chief of staff, who is expected to soon leave his position in the administration, reportedly answered questions on issues related to possible obstruction of justice, according to CNN.

Such questions, the news outlet reported, included Kelly's recollection of an alleged incident that occurred following reports that President Donald Trump had tried to fire Mueller.

Kelly marks the latest high-ranking Trump administration official to provide information to the special counsel.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

Jeremy Caicoya faces eight charges after being accused of running down a man with his car on June 26 in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- A 29-year-old city man has been indicted by a Hampden Superior Court grand jury on eight charges, including armed assault with intent to murder,  with the weapon being a vehicle.

Jeremy Caicoya, a convenience store clerk, is accused of running down a suspected shoplifter with his car June 26 outside the Sunoco gas station and convenience store on East Columbus Avenue.

The victim, a 28-year-old Springfield man, suffered severe injuries and underwent surgery to relieve pressure on his brain, Sgt. David Arroyo testified at a July hearing after Caicoya's arrest.

Caicoya is charged with kidnapping, armed assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to maim, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and driving after his license was suspended.

No date has been set yet for his arraignment. In June he denied similar charges in Springfield District Court, but the indictments move the case to Hampden Superior Court.

Video from the store's security cameras shows Caicoya punching the victim inside the store, and the man later threatening Caicoya with a knife in the parking lot after both men had been locked outside the store, Arroyo said.  

To avoid the knife attack, Caicoya jumped into his car moments before the victim threw a rock through the rear windshield. Caicoya then chased the victim with his car, eventually striking him near the gas station, Arroyo said.

The actual collision is not shown on the video because it took place about 10 to 15 feet off camera, Arroyo said.

The store's manager, Kelly Cruz, said Caicoya never had trouble with customers, much less gotten into a fight with one, during his 11 years working for Sunoco.

The manager said the victim had been causing trouble at the store for several weeks.

He stole 40 cans of Red Bull on June 16 and 70 cans more on June 17. In both cases, he argued with the female clerks and threatened them, Cruz said.

On June 20, he helped himself to snack foods and a drink, then walked to the register and offered to pay $1, Cruz said.

When the male clerk wanted more money, he threw a large cup of soda in his face, drenching the clerk's shirt and getting ice and soda in the register, Cruz said.