Police identified a 19-year-old man as a suspect in the shooting of nearly 20 people during a Mother's Day parade in New Orleans, saying several people had identified him as the gunman.

A New Orleans Police department patch is shown as NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas discusses the Mother's Day shooting during a news conference in front of police headquarters in New Orleans, Monday, May 13, 2013. Gunmen opened fire on dozens of people marching in a Mother's Day neighborhood parade wounding at least 17. 

By CHEVEL JOHNSON

NEW ORLEANS — Police identified a 19-year-old man as a suspect in the shooting of nearly 20 people during a Mother's Day parade in New Orleans, saying several people had identified him as the gunman.

Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas said they were looking for Akein Scott. He said it was too early to say whether he was the only shooter.

"The important thing for Akein Scott now is to turn himself in," Serpas said, standing outside of police headquarters. A photo of Scott hung from a podium in front of the police chief.

The mass shooting showed again how far the city has to go to shake a persistent culture of violence that belies the city's festive image. Earlier, police announced a $10,000 reward and released blurry surveillance camera images.

Investigators said they got several tips from the community.

"The people chose to be on the side of the young innocent children shot instead of on the side of a coward who shot into the crowd," he said.

Angry residents said gun violence — which has flared at two other city celebrations this year — goes hand-in-hand with the city's other deeply rooted problems such as poverty and urban blight. The investigators tasked with solving Sunday's shooting work within an agency that's had its own troubles rebounding from years of corruption while trying to halt violent crime.

"The old people are scared to walk the streets. The children can't even play outside," Ronald Lewis, 61, said Monday as he sat on the front stoop of his house, about a half a block from the shooting site. His window sill has a hole from a bullet that hit it last year. Across the street sits a house marked by bullets he said were fired two weeks ago.

"The youngsters are doing all this," said Jones, who was away from home when the latest shooting broke out.

Video released early Monday shows a crowd gathered for a boisterous second-line parade suddenly scattering in all directions, with some falling to the ground. They appear to be running from a man in a white T-shirt and dark pants who turns and runs out of the picture. The image isn't clear, but police said they hoped someone would recognize him and notify investigators.

Police were working to determine whether there was more than one gunman, though they initially said three people were spotted fleeing from the scene. Whoever was responsible escaped despite the presence of officers who were interspersed through the crowd as part of routine precautions for such an event.

Serpas said ballistic evidence gathered at the scene was giving them "very good leads to work on," he said.

"I can assure whoever did this we know a lot more about you than you think we do. And my recommendation to you is to collect yourself and turn yourself in," he said.

Witness Jarrat Pytell said he was walking with friends near the parade route when the crowd suddenly began to break up.

"I saw the guy on the corner, his arm extended, firing into the crowd," said Pytell, a medical student.

"He was obviously pointing in a specific direction; he wasn't swinging the gun wildly," Pytell said.

Pytell said he tended to one woman with a severe arm fracture — he wasn't sure if it was from a bullet or a fall — and to others including an apparent shooting victim who was bleeding badly.

Three gunshot victims remained in critical condition Monday, though their wounds didn't appear to be life-threatening. Most of the wounded had been released from the hospital.

It's not the first time gunfire has shattered a festive mood in the city this year. Five people were wounded in a drive-by shooting in January after a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade, and four were wounded in a shooting after an argument in the French Quarter in the days leading up to Mardi Gras. Two teens were arrested in connection with the MLK shootings; three men were arrested and charged in the Mardi Gras shootings.

The shootings are bloody reminders of the persistence of violence in the city, despite some recent progress.

Last week, law enforcement officials touted the indictment of 15 people in gang-related crimes, including the death of a 5-year-old girl killed by stray gunfire at a birthday party a year ago.

The city's 193 homicides in 2012 are seven fewer than the previous year, while the first three months of 2013 represented an even slower pace of killing.

Leading efforts to lower the homicide rate is a police force that's faced its own internal problems and staffing issues. At about 1,200 members, the department is 300 short of its peak level.

Serpas, chief since 2010, has been working to overcome the effects of decades of scandal and community mistrust arising from what the U.S. Justice Department says has been questionable use of force and biased policing. Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Serpas have instituted numerous reforms, but the city is at odds with the Justice Department over the cost and scope of more extensive changes.

Landrieu's administration initially agreed to a reform plan expected to cost tens of millions over the next several years. But Landrieu says he wants out now because Justice lawyers entered a separate agreement with Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman over the violent and unsanitary New Orleans jail — funded by the city but operated by Gusman.

The site of the Sunday shooting — about 1.5 miles from the heart of the French Quarter — showcases other problems facing the city. Stubborn poverty and blight are evident in the area of middle-class and low-income homes. Like other areas hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the area has been slower to repopulate than wealthier areas. And Landrieu's stepped up efforts to demolish or renovate blighted properties — a pre-Katrina problem made worse by the storm — remain too slow for some.

Frank Jones, 71, whose house is a few doors down from the shooting site, said the house across from him has been abandoned since Katrina. Squatters and drug dealers sometimes take shelter there, he said.

A city code inspector, who declined to be interviewed, was there Monday

"It's too late," Jones said. "Should have fixed it from the very beginning. A lot of people are getting fed up with the system."

Associated Press reporter Stacey Plaisance contributed to this story.

An additional $43,000 was approved for a new patrolman in the Police Department.

Michael S. Gordon / The Republican 

LUDLOW - Voters at Monday’s annual Town Meeting approved the creation of two new positions for the Police Department and a new deputy fire chief in the Fire Department.

In the Police Department voters approved by a majority show of hands the creation of a new police lieutenant and a new patrolman position.

Police Chief James J. McGowan who is retiring at the end of the month said he would like to leave the Police Department with a second police lieutenant and an additional patrolman.

That will bring the Police Department up to 29 patrolmen, he said.

“As it is, management goes home at 5 p.m.,” McGowan said.

He said the 4 p.m. to midnight shift is very busy.

“I would urge your support on this,” McGowan said.

McGowan said there is increased police activity in town. Somebody was recently arrested who is a Ludlow resident with 90 bags of heroine, he said.

The addition of a second lieutenant will allow the department to split the administrations and operations work now done by one lieutenant, Police Lt. Paul Madera said. Madera will take over as acting chief when McGowan retires later this month.

Also at the Town Meeting voters by a show of hands approved the creation of a deputy fire chief position to manage the ambulance service and serve as the fire chief in the fire chief’s absence.

The position will not be funded until the second half of fiscal 2015, Fire Chief Mark Babineau said.

Selectman Brian Mannix, a retired police sergeant, said he is opposed to the creation of a deputy fire chief.

“Why a deputy?” he asked. He said it sounds as if the department needs another firefighter and clerk, not a deputy.

“I will not support this,” Mannix said.

Voters at the Town Meeting approved $43,000 to fund the new patrolman position for the Police Department.

The second lieutenant position for the Police Department will not be funded until fiscal 2015, McGowan said.

Voters also approved the elimination of a $50 civil fine that could have been levied against the selectmen chairman for refusing to recognize someone that wanted to speak during a board meeting.

WARE – An effort to reduce from 100 to 0 the quorum needed to conduct business at town meetings came up short at Monday’s annual town meeting in Ware. The body also approved a 0.75 percent meals tax by a 58 to 39 vote.

Although a majority said yes to the idea – 56 in favor to 48 opposed – a 2/3 vote was needed to strike down the quorum bylaw requiring 100 residents, and the measure was defeated.

Voters also approved the elimination of a $50 civil fine that could have been levied against the selectmen chairman for refusing to recognize someone that wanted to speak during a board meeting.

Town meeting approved a fiscal 2014 budget of $25,949,056.76, a 4.9 percent increase. School spending $12,999,915 of the total, an 8 percent jump.

The body took no action on articles to exempt Ware for the provisions of state civil service law for the fire chief and police chief appointments.

BELCHERTOWN – Town meeting approved a $46,511,402 budget for the year that begins July 1, an increase of 2.5 percent during Monday’s annual town meeting attended by 184 residents. The meeting appropriated $25,764,363 of it for the school department Several requests to use money from the town’s Community Preservation fund were approved, including -$40,000 for Jessica’s Boundless Playground that...

Jim Russell 

BELCHERTOWN – Town meeting approved a $46,511,402 budget for the year that begins July 1, an increase of 2.5 percent during Monday’s annual town meeting attended by 184 residents.

The meeting appropriated $25,764,363 of it for the school department

Several requests to use money from the town’s Community Preservation fund were approved, including
-$40,000 for Jessica’s Boundless Playground that is planned across from Chestnut Hill school
$45,000 to build a new skate park
-$75,000 to rehab Hope United Methodist Church
$10,000 to create an inventory of properties outside the town’s historic district.

Town meeting appropriated $60,000 to repair the aging municipal telephone system.

In other business, the town's finance committee chairman Paul Silva warned that the Belchertown budget is premised on financial data provided by the state that may not be reliable.

He said that town meeting might have to reconvene if state aid amounts come in different than what is currently projected.

"We are using estimated state aid amounts," Silva said.

Town meeting approved $30,000 for the finance committee's reserve account, that is used for emergency spending and does not require town meeting approval.

The Agawam Dog Owners Group is sponsoring a trip to the Bronx Zoo.

Proposed budget available online

AGAWAM – Mayor Richard A. Cohen announced Monday that his $79.3 million proposed fiscal 2014 budget is now available to be viewed on line at http://agawam.ma.us. For more information, call the mayor’s office at (413) 786-4520.

West Siide class of 1968 plans reunion

WEST SPRINGFIELD – The Class of 1968 of West Springfield will hold its 45th class reunion on June 1 from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Storrowtown Tavern Carriage House at the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds. Members of the class who have not received invitations should contact Dorrie Distefano at (413) 821-7998.

Those classmates who have received invitations please RSVP to her. Checks should be made out to her and mailed to Dorrie Distefano at 67 Chapin St. in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam.

Dog owners sponsor trip to Bronx Zoo

AGAWAM – The Agawam Dog Owners Group will sponsor a trip to the Bronx Zoo in New York City on June 2.

Tickets include round-trip motor coach transportation on King Ward bus, and the Bronx Zoo Total Experience pass with free admission to the Monorail, Skyfari, Congo Gorilla, Exhibit, Children’s Zoo, Butterfly Garden and other attractions.

Tickets are $55 for adults, $45 for children ages 3-12, and $25 for children younger than 3. The bus departs from Dave’s Soda and Pet City at 7 a.m. and returns at 8:30 p.m. For tickets or more information, contact Debbi Sanchez at (413) 374-4684. 

Ronald McDonald charities accepting applications

GLASTONBURY, Conn. – Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts is accepting applications for grants to be awarded in the fall of 2013. The deadline to apply is June 14.

To qualify for funding, projects must address and have a measurable impact on children in Connecticut or Western Massachusetts.

Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations that provide a brighter future for children by opening doors, creating opportunities, and offering on-going support that will have lasting effects on their lives. RMHC makes grants to programs which help children and their families in three main areas: education; health care; and civic and social services.

For more information about RMHC or to apply for a grant, call (860) 659-0514, visit www.rmhc-ctma.org, or connect on facebook.com/rmhc.ctma.

A periodic roundup of crimes committed in the Pioneer Valley and beyond.

 

 

HOLYOKE — A Hampden woman was arrested on drug charges in connection with a Friday night traffic stop in Holyoke.

Jennifer D'Agostino, 26, of 316 Wilbraham Road, was charged with possession of Class A and B drugs and possession of mace without a firearms identification card following a 9:32 p.m. motor vehicle stop near Western Mass Elder Care, 4 Valley Mill Road, according to Holyoke Police Department records.

Class A drugs include Heroin, morphine and other opiates.

D'Agostino was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Holyoke resident Matthew Edward Aranjo, 95 Beech St., Apt. 2, who was charged with driving with a suspended license, according to police records, which do not indicate what prompted the traffic stop.

The Holyoke incident wasn't D'Agostino's first brush with the law. In 2007, she was arrested after a car crash on State Street in Springfield, where city police charged her with speeding and driving with a revoked license. She also was cited in connection with a trespassing incident last year on Main Street in Hampden, according to police records in that town.

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Police arrested a local woman following a Sunday evening car crash on Piper Road.

Jenea Lynn Rios, 27, of 55 Burford Ave., Apt. 2, West Springfield, was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident following a 8:32 p.m. report of motor vehicle crash, according to West Springfield Police Department records.

Additional information was not immediately available.

 

EAST LONGMEADOW — Police responding to an assault report at 5:55 p.m. Sunday ended up arresting a town resident.

Vincent E. Govine, 50, of 42 Holland Drive, was charged with assault and battery and assault with a dangerous weapon, according to East Longmeadow Police Department records. Additional details were not immediately available.

In 2004, Springfield police charged Govine with engaging in sex for a fee.

There were no apparent injuries in a fire reported at 92 Draper St., though city police were called to the scene for a follow-up investigation.

 

SPRINGFIELD — Firefighters quickly extinguished a basement fire reported at 2:50 a.m. Tuesday at 92 Draper St., a wood-frame home in the city's Forest Park neighborhood.

There were no reported injuries in the fire, whose cause remains under investigation. Springfield Fire Department officials indicated the blaze seemed to start in the cellar of the 2½-story residence near the corner of Draper and Fountain streets.

Springfield police were called to the scene to investigate, though details were not immediately available.

Residents of the address were safely evacuated, according to reports from the fire scene.

This story will be updated on MassLive.com as details become available.

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What they thought would be a quick trip to the store for toothpaste turned into a real-life nightmare for Yvette Martinez and her husband, Roger Sabora-Martinez.

These were the most read stories on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now. The most viewed item overall was Heather Rush's Westfield High School prom photo gallery, at right.

1) Agawam police arrest Stephanie Gay and Jason Cote, wanted on warrants, after search near South End Bridge [George Graham]

2) Guilty pleas reached in Anthony Baye Northampton arson trial [The Republican Newsroom]

3) With deportation pending, Yvette Martinez of Springfield fights to keep Honduran husband Roger in United States [Elizabeth Roman]

4) Driver in fatal Canton crash that killed Agawam woman to be arraigned at hospital [Associated Press]

5) Springfield police chase ends with armed robbery suspects bailing from car in city's Old Hill neighborhood [Conor Berry]

Stefan, the funeral director of Graham, Putnam & Mahoney Funeral Parlors, takes his job seriously, which is why when he was asked to help bury suspect Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev he didn't turn away the request. He took on the challenge and didn't shy away from criticism or the protestors who chanted "U.S.A., U.S.A.," and "feed him to the sharks" from across the street.

WORCESTER — Peter Stefan likes working and helping people. His mother passed on that desire. And it's one of the reasons he started working in the funeral business. He knows how to help people and families at their most vulnerable time, when they're burying and remembering a friend or family member who has passed away.

"You have to probably be someone who helps people at their worst time," said Stefan. "If you're the type of person (who) does that, you'll fit into this well. It's not a 40-hour a week job; not a big money job. By the time you figure out all the hours (you put) in, you're working for small money."

Stefan, the funeral director of Graham, Putnam & Mahoney Funeral Parlors, takes his job seriously, which is why, when he was asked to help bury suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, he didn't turn away the request. He took on the challenge and didn't shy away from criticism or the protesters who chanted "USA, USA!" and "feed him to the sharks" from across the street.

"I've had protesters before," said Stefan. "You can protest all you want, but I'd prefer to think instead of protesting, come and say to me, 'I think your idea is lousy, but here's a different one. Try this…' To protest for the sake of protest is nothing."

Stefan's job is to bury the dead. That's what he has been doing since he finished high school. It's what funeral directors sign up for. And he acknowledges he can't decide which people he can and can't bury. He needs to do his job and he needs to give dead bodies a place to rest no matter what the person may have done in their life.

"If I had not done it, what would have happened?" said Stefan. "Forget about what I did because what would have happened if I had not done it?

"I can't separate the sins from the sinners; can't pick and choose," Stefan said.

And, to Stefan's credit, he hasn't ever shied away from anyone or any deceased person. Instead, he handled those who passed away during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. He hasn't shied away from the poor, or from murders, in the past, either. He's always done his job.

And finding a burial place for Tsarnaev's body was just another time he had to do his job.

Tsarnaev's body was supposed to be brought to Stefan's funeral home in the South Main section of Worcester quietly and quickly so as not to arouse suspicion, but that changed after a mix-up when Tsarnaev's body ended up at a funeral home in North Attleboro, where protesters took a hardline on the body being in their town.

"The original plan was (Tsarnaev) was going to be buried quietly," said Stefan. "The uncle and I were going to do something with the mosque and he was going to be buried quietly and then it would have come out in the public."

Instead, the world knew Tsarnaev's body was in Worcester. News crews swarmed the funeral home. Police set up details. And people came to watch, shout, show support. Cars drove by, and anyone with an opinion and a loud voice made their views known.

And Stefan, for his part, spoke with the media every day that he was allowed to. He invited media members into the funeral parlor on May 4, when the body arrived, and held daily updates. But on May 9, he went quiet and the body was buried. There were no answers. Reporters were left scrambling, waiting on his front porch for a press conference that never happened. It wasn't the way Stefan wanted it, but he was bound by confidentiality.

"When we turned the funeral and burial over to the uncle and he said, 'I don't want anybody knowing anything,' now it becomes a confidentiality situation," said Stefan. "I can't tell anybody (about the arrangements) ethically, and that meant I couldn't talk to the press. I couldn't say a word until they issued the death certificate to the general public.

"The press had a right to know and I couldn't tell them," Stefan continued.

Stefan was so upset by the secrecy of the burial of Tsarnaev's body in Virginia that neither his name nor the funeral parlor's name are listed on the death certificate.

"I had to pass on this because I could not tolerate that they were going to bury the guy without telling anybody," said Stefan. "You have to tell people and not sneak it in the dark. They find out later. You can't operate that way."

Stefan knows about operating a funeral home. He's been working in funerals since graduating from high school. He's owned his own funeral home since the early 1970s. He's operated on fine margins for a lot of that time as Graham, Putnam & Mahoney is not the kind of funeral home that routinely does expensive funerals. Instead, Stefan often helps families bury their deceased relatives by taking on some of the costs.

That generosity doesn't stop at helping people in need to funeral services, either. Stefan even says he will pay some of the police detail bill – even if he thinks the federal government should pay for it – that was racked up while Tsarnaev's body was at the funeral parlor.

"Do I really have to (pay)? No. It was an issue of public safety, but I offered to if I have to," said Stefan. "That's not a problem, but I say this being a federal problem that FEMA should pay for this, and that's what we've applied for.

"I think the federal government should pay for it, and if not then we'll fight for it," he said.

The police details outside of Stefan's funeral home cost the city a reported $47,171.48, The detail began midday on May 3 and concluded on the evening of May 9. Stefan and the Worcester Police Department have put in a request to have the federal government reimburse the cost.

"We had been notified by the federal government that with any cost outside of normal expenses there is a process in place for compensation," Police Chief Gary J. Gemme told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette* on Monday. "We are going to follow that process in order to be reimbursed for the officers on detail at Graham Putnam & Mahoney."

Requests to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren to confirm the request were not returned before this story was published.

Even amid the turmoil and controversy surrounding his funeral home, Stefan and his crew went about their business and did close to 16 funerals and cremations last week. And business has picked up again this week. It's Stefan's job to bury the dead and console those in need, and last week was just another week for him. It was just a little bit louder outside.

*Worcester Telegram & Gazette articles may require a subscription.

Lawyers for Simpson are claiming that his trial lawyer, Yale Galanter, gave such bad legal advice and had such conflicted interests that Simpson deserves a new trial.

O.J. Simpson listens to testimony at an evidentiary hearing in Clark County District Court, Monday, May 13, 2013 in Las Vegas. Simpson, who is currently serving a nine-to-33-year sentence in state prison as a result of his October 2008 conviction on armed robbery and kidnapping charges, is seeking a new trial, claiming that trial lawyer Yale Galanter had conflicted interests and shouldn't have handled Simpson's armed case.Associated Press 

By LINDA DEUTSCH and KEN RITTER
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — O.J. Simpson won a small victory on Tuesday when he returned to court for Day 2 of his attempt to win a new trial in his robbery case: A judge said he could have one hand unshackled to drink water and take notes.

Simpson managed a smile and a waist-high wave with his shackled hand as he entered the courtroom and found friends and family members in the audience.

Simpson's lawyers then convinced Clark County District Court Judge Linda Marie Bell to let the former football star and TV pitchman have his right hand free. His left hand was still cuffed to the arm of his chair.

Lawyers for Simpson are claiming that his trial lawyer, Yale Galanter, gave such bad legal advice and had such conflicted interests that Simpson deserves a new trial.

The 65-year-old Simpson is serving nine to 33 years in prison for leading five men in the armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2007.

Galanter's former friend and co-counsel, Gabriel Grasso, returned to the stand on Tuesday with criticism about Galanter's promises and performance during the 2008 trial and conviction and later appeal.

Galanter needed Grasso as local counsel, because Galanter wasn't licensed to practice law in Nevada. But Galanter was in charge of the defense, Grasso said.

"I could advise O.J. all day long, and he was very respectful of me," Grasso testified. "But if I advised him of something different from what Yale said, he would do what Yale said."

It was Galanter's decision not to have Simpson testify, Grasso said.

Under questioning by H. Leon Simon, an attorney for the state, Grasso acknowledged the trial judge, Jackie Glass, specifically asked Simpson if he wanted to testify.

"O.J. did say he did not want to testify," Simon said.

"Mr. Galanter told him, 'This is the way it's going to be,'" Grasso said

"That was his right. It's up to the defendant to choose not to testify, isn't it?" Simon said.

Under additional questioning by Palm minutes later, Grasso said, "I didn't think him not testifying was sound advice."

Galanter has declined to comment before his expected testimony on Friday.

Grasso testified that he and Galanter decided to focus their defense on Simpson's insistence that he didn't know any of the men with him the night of the confrontation had guns; that Simpson never saw a gun; and that Simpson only wanted to retrieve property that he believed had been stolen from him after his acquittal in 1995 in the slayings of his ex-wife and her friend in Los Angeles.

Grasso said he and Galanter considered other strategies, including that Simpson was drunk during the incident. But Grasso said he didn't think jurors would be convinced due to all the "baggage" Simpson brought to the trial.

He also said he thought Simpson sounded "very focused and direct" in an audio recording of words shouted during the confrontation.

"He didn't sound like a drunk person," Grasso testified.

The anticipated week-long hearing was taking place absent the fanfare that surrounded Simpson's "trial of the century" in Los Angeles and his 2008 trial in Las Vegas.

Seats went unfilled in the 45-seat courtroom gallery.

Grasso testified Monday that Galanter took money for himself, didn't pay him and refused to pay for experts to analyze crucial audio recordings that helped convict Simpson.

"Hey Gabe. Wanna be famous?" Grasso recalled Galanter asking as the two embarked on a relationship that later deteriorated into lawsuits over a handshake agreement to represent Simpson and split an expected $750,000 in legal fees — a third for Grasso and two-thirds for Galanter.

Grasso said he was only paid $15,000, even though the weight of pretrial work fell to him.

He said Galanter kept telling him that he didn't have money to hire investigators or an expert to analyze the crucial audio recordings that were later played for the Simpson jury.

Grasso said he reviewed the recordings himself while watching his son's soccer games.

Simpson was scheduled to testify for the first time in the case on Wednesday.

Simpson, who will be 70 before he is eligible for parole, maintains that he wasn't.

After his acquittal on the murder charges, Simpson was found liable for damages in a civil wrongful death lawsuit and ordered to pay $33.5 million to the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.

_____

Ineffective management at the IRS allowed agents to improperly target tea party groups for more than 18 months

Attorney General Eric Holder pauses during a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, Tuesday, May 14, 2013. Holder said he's ordered a Justice Department investigation into the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups for extra tax scrutiny.Associated Press 

By HENRY C. JACKSON and STEPHEN OHLEMACHER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is investigating the Internal Revenue Service for targeting tea party groups for extra scrutiny when they applied for tax exempt status, Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday, widening a probe that includes investigations by three committees in Congress.

Ineffective management at the IRS allowed agents to improperly target tea party groups for more than 18 months, concluded one investigation, by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration. The inspector general's report, released Tuesday, lays much of the blame on IRS supervisors in Washington who oversaw a group of specialists in Cincinnati who screened applications for tax exempt status.

The report does not indicate that Washington initiated the targeting of conservative groups. But it does say a top supervisor in Washington did not adequately supervise agents in the field even after she learned the agents were acting improperly.

"The report's findings are intolerable and inexcusable," President Barack Obama said in a statement. "The federal government must conduct itself in a way that's worthy of the public's trust, and that's especially true for the IRS. The IRS must apply the law in a fair and impartial way, and its employees must act with utmost integrity. This report shows that some of its employees failed that test."

Holder said he ordered the FBI to investigate Friday — the day the IRS publicly acknowledged that it had singled out conservative groups.

"Those (actions) were, I think, as everyone can agree, if not criminal, they were certainly outrageous and unacceptable," Holder said. "But we are examining the facts to see if there were criminal violations."

Three congressional committees already are investigating the IRS for singling out tea party and other conservative groups during the 2010 congressional elections and the 2012 presidential election. But Holder's announcement takes the matter to another level, if investigators are able to prove that laws were broken.

Holder said he wasn't sure which laws may have been broken.

The agency started targeting groups with "Tea Party," ''Patriots" or "9/12 Project" in their applications for tax exempt status in March 2010, the inspector general's report said. By August 2010, it was part of the written criteria used to flag groups for additional scrutiny.

Lois Lerner, who heads the IRS division that oversees tax exempt organizations, had been briefed on the matter in June 2011. She ordered the initial tea party criteria to be scrapped but it later evolved to include groups that promoted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

IRS agents were trying to determine whether the political activities of such groups disqualified them for tax-exempt status. These groups were claiming tax-exempt status as organizations promoting social welfare. Unlike other charitable groups, they can engage in political activity. But politics cannot be their primary mission.

It is up to the IRS to make the determination.

But by using improper criteria, the IRS targeted some groups, even though there were no indications that they engaged in significant political activities, the report said. Other non-tea party groups that had significant political activities were not screened, the report said.

"The criteria developed by the Determinations Unit gives the appearance that the IRS is not impartial in conducting its mission," the report said.

In all, IRS agents identified 296 applications for additional, sometimes burdensome scrutiny. Ninety-one of them should not have been targeted because they did not indicate they were engaged in significant political activities, investigators concluded.

Of the groups that were not engaged in significant political activities, 17 were tea party, patriot or 9/12 groups, the report said.

The additional screening resulted in long delays as IRS agents asked intrusive, sometimes inappropriate questions, or merely let applications languish, the report said. Inappropriate questions included requests for lists of donors and the political affiliation of officers.

As of December, the delays averaged 574 days, which probably made donors reluctant to contribute, the report said. No group has had their application denied, though about half are still waiting, the IRS said.

"Unfortunately, the report raises more questions than it answers," said House Oversight Committee chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif. "What we do know for sure is that the IRS personnel responsible for granting tax exemptions systematically targeted conservative groups for extra scrutiny, and thatofficials in Washington, D.C. were aware of this practice, even while publically claiming that it never happened."

Obama said he is ordering Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew to implement all of the inspector general's recommendations to improve oversight at the IRS.

"But regardless of how this conduct was allowed to take place, the bottom line is, it was wrong," Obama said.

The practice of targeting conservative groups ended in May 2012, the report said.

"After seeing issues with particular cases, inappropriate shortcuts were used to determine which cases may be engaging in political activities," the IRS said in a statement Tuesday evening. "It is important to note that the vast majority of these cases would still have been centralized based on the general criteria used for other cases."

"It is also important to understand that the group of centralized cases included organizations of all political views," the statement said.

The IRS has said the improper reviews were limited to a Cincinnati office where a special team was assembled to screen them. The inspector general's report does not contradict the agency on this assertion.

However, documents obtained by The Associated Press suggest the targeting of conservative groups could be more widespread. Documents sent from the IRS to tea party groups show that IRS offices in California and Washington, D.C., also sought extensive information from tea party groups who requested tax-exempt status.

In letters provided by the American Center for Law and Justice, which represents 27 tea party groups that have sought tax exempt status, IRS officials from two cities in California — El Monte and Laguna Nigel — as well as officials in Washington, D.C., and Cincinnati contacted groups seeking extensive information.

The law center's chief counsel, Jay Sekulow, said he was astonished the IRS said activity was limited to Cincinnati.

"To me, that was what was mind-boggling, they tried to create a narrative," he said.

On Monday, the IRS said acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller was first informed on May, 3, 2012, that applications for tax-exempt status by tea party groups were inappropriately singled out for extra scrutiny.

At least twice after the briefing, Miller wrote letters to members of Congress to explain the process of reviewing applications for tax-exempt status without disclosing that tea party groups had been targeted. On July 25, 2012, Miller testified before the House Ways and Means oversight subcommittee but again did not mention the additional scrutiny — despite being asked about it.

On Tuesday, the IRS said, "While flaws in our process were corrected last year based on our own review, we only recently discussed this publicly as there had been a concurrent ongoing (inspector general) audit of the situation. There was no intent to hide this issue, but rather we waited until (the inspector general) completed their fact finding, made recommendations, and we reviewed their findings.

Miller was a deputy commissioner at the time. He became acting commissioner in November, after Commissioner Douglas Shulman completed his five-year term. Shulman had been appointed by President George W. Bush.

Miller is scheduled to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee at a hearing Friday.

The man was hit as he crossed Plainfield Street near the rear entrance to McDonald's in the city's North End.

SPRINGFIELD - A pedestrian who was struck by a pickup truck on Plainfield Street in the city's North End just after 8 p.m. Tuesday was pronounced dead of his injuries at Baystate Medical Center, police said.

The 58-year-old man, whose name was being withheld until his family could be notified, was hit as he crossed Plainfield Street near the rear entrance to the McDonald's Restaurant in the city's North End, said police Capt. Cheryl C. Clapprood.

The 60-year-old driver of the truck that hit him stopped at the scene and was cooperating with police, Clapprood said. As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, he had not yet been cited, she said.

His name also was not released.

Member of the police Traffic Bureau are investigating the accident. It has not yet been determined what factors contributed to the accident, she said.

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The Army said a sergeant first class, whose name was not released, is accused of pandering, abusive sexual contact, assault and maltreatment of subordinates.

This image released by the Arlington (Va.) County Police Department shows Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski. Krusinski, an Air Force officer who led the branch's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response unit has been charged with groping a woman in a parking lot. Arlington County Police said Monday, May 6, 2013, that they charged Krusinski of Arlington with misdemeanor sexual battery following an alleged assault about 12:30 a.m. Sunday in the Crystal City section of the county. A police report says that the 41-year-old Krusinski was drunk and grabbed a woman's breast and buttocks. Police say the woman fought him off and called police. (AP Photo/Arlington County Police Department)Associated Press 

By ROBERT BURNS
AP National Security Writer

WASHINGTON — A soldier assigned to coordinate a sexual assault prevention program in Texas is under investigation for "abusive sexual contact" and other alleged misconduct and has been suspended from his duties, the Army announced Tuesday.

Just last week an Air Force officer who headed a sexual assault prevention office was himself arrested on charges of groping a woman in a parking lot.

The Army said a sergeant first class, whose name was not released, is accused of pandering, abusive sexual contact, assault and maltreatment of subordinates. He is being investigated by the Army Criminal Investigation Command. No charges have been filed.

He had been assigned as an equal opportunity adviser and coordinator of a sexual harassment-assault prevention program at the Army's 3rd Corps headquarters at Fort Hood, Texas, when the allegation arose, the Army said.

"To protect the integrity of the investigative process and the rights of all persons involved, no more information will be released at this time," an Army statement said.

The back-to-back Army and Air Force cases highlight a problem that is drawing increased scrutiny in Congress and expressions of frustration from top Pentagon leaders. Pentagon press secretary George Little said after Tuesday's announcement that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is angry and disappointed at "these troubling allegations and the breakdown in discipline and standards they imply."

Little said Hagel met with Army Secretary John McHugh earlier Tuesday and ordered him to "fully investigate this matter rapidly, to discover the extent of these allegations and to ensure that all of those who might be involved are dealt with appropriately."

Hagel also is directing all the services to retrain, recredential, and rescreen all sexual assault prevention and response personnel and military recruiters, Little said.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a statement Tuesday evening saying his panel is considering a number of measures to counter the problem, including changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and will act on them next month.

"Tragically, the depth of the sexual assault problem in our military was already overwhelmingly clear before this latest highly disturbing report," Levin said.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said she intends to present new comprehensive legislation on Thursday to reform the military justice system by removing chain-of-command influence from prosecution of sex abuse crimes.

"To say this report is disturbing would be a gross understatement," Gillibrand said. "For the second time in a week we are seeing someone who is supposed to be preventing sexual assault being investigated for committing that very act."

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., said in a statement he was "outraged and disgusted by the reports out of Fort Hood."

McKeon, noting he has a granddaughter in the Army, said he saw "no meaningful distinction between complacency or complicity in the military's latest failure to uphold their own standards of conduct. Nor do I see a distinction between the service member who orchestrated this offense and the chain of command that was either oblivious to or tolerant of criminal behavior. Both are accountable for this appalling breach of trust with their subordinates."

The Army announcement comes as the Pentagon continues to struggle with what it calls a growing epidemic of sexual assaults across the military. In a report last week, the Defense Department estimated that as many as 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted last year, based on survey results.

Of those, fewer than 3,400 reported the incident, and nearly 800 of them simply sought help but declined to file formal complaints against their alleged attackers.

The military is struggling with a variety of sexual assault scandals, including an ongoing investigation into more than 30 Air Force instructors for assaults on trainees at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and the recent arrest of the Air Force's head of sexual assault prevention on charges of groping a woman in a Northern Virginia parking lot.

A police report said that Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski was drunk and grabbed a woman's breast and buttocks. The woman fought him off and called police, the report said. A judge has set a July 18 trial date for Krusinski.

Congressional outrage over these incidents and two recent decisions by officers to overturn juries' guilty verdicts in sexual assault cases has prompted outrage on Capitol Hill.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin reversed the conviction of Lt. Col. James Wilkerson, a former inspector general at Aviano Air Base in Italy, who was found guilty last year of charges of abusive sexual contact, aggravated sexual assault and three instances of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.

And Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., is holding up the nomination of Air Force Lt. Gen. Susan Helms, tapped to serve as vice commander of the U.S. Space Command, until McCaskill gets more information about Helms' decision to overturn a jury conviction in a sexual assault case.

Members of Congress also met at the White House with senior administration officials to talk about measures to encourage more victims to come forward and ensure that perpetrators face justice.

The 7 trespassers were recent college graduates and hailed from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Singapore, police said.

The state Department of Conservation and Recreation is drafting a Quabbin Park Management Plan to ensure future public access to southern sections of the watershed area, including the Enfield Overlook, the Quabbin Overlook Tower and the Quabbin Visitor Center. This view of the reservoir is near the Visitor Center. Conor Berry / The Republican 

WARE - Massachusetts State Police announced Tuesday that it has notified the FBI and state terrorism officials after learning that seven people stopped for trespassing at the Quabbin Reservoir just after midnight Tuesday turned out to be from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.

State Police spokesman David Procopio said there is no evidence that the group of seven who were stopped at the reservoir near the middle entrance were engaged in terrorism or any crime beyond the trespassing charge.

Still, he said, state police have alerted officials with the FBI office in Springfield and the Commonwealth Fusion Center, which is the state’s centralized hub for collecting and analyzing data related to possible terrorism and threats to public safety.

Procopio said the state police would also be increasing patrols at Quabbin and at other water supplies around the state. The Quabbin is the major water supplier for the eastern part of the state, but also supplies water to Chicopee, Wilbraham and part of South Hadley. When full, the Quabbin holds 412 billion gallons of water.

“Further investigation is being undertaken because of the late hour when they were observed, their curious explanation for why they wanted to see the reservoir and the fact that they were in an area marked no trespassing,” Procopio said.

No one is allowed inside Quabbin an hour after sunset.

The seven people will be summonsed to appear in Hampshire District Court on the trespassing complaint, he said.

Their names were not released, he said, citing a state police policy against releasing names of suspects who are summonsed prior to an initial court appearance.

The group of five men and two women were spotted by state police at about 12:30 Tuesday walking away from the reservoir toward two vehicles. A trooper stopped them and cited them for violating a posted no-trespassing zone.

The group told police they were recent college graduates. Some were residing in the Amherst – Northampton area, while others were from Cambridge and New York City. All said they studied chemical engineering and they came out to see the Quabbin because it was in line with their education and career interests, Procopio said.

State police determined there were no warrants, detainers or advisories against any of the seven with Interpol, the FBI’s National Crime Information Center or with any state law enforcement agencies.

It alleged that Fogle was a CIA officer trying to recruit a Russian counterterrorism officer who specializes in the volatile Caucasus region in southern Russia, where the two Boston Marathon bombing suspects had their ethnic roots.

In this handout photo provided by the FSB, acronym for Russian Federal Security Service, a man claimed by FSB to be Ryan Fogle, right, a third secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, with Embassy officials at left, sits in the the FSB offices in Moscow, easrly Tuesday, May 14, 2013. Russia's security services say they have caught a U.S. diplomat who they claim is a CIA agent in a red-handed attempt to recruit a Russian agent. Ryan Fogle, a third secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, was carrying special technical equipment, disguises, written instructions and a large sum of money when he was detained overnight, the FSB said in a statement Tuesday. Fogle was handed over to U.S. embassy officials, the FSB, said.Associated Press 

By LYNN BERRY
Associated Press

MOSCOW — A U.S. diplomat was ordered Tuesday to leave the country after the Kremlin's security services said he tried to recruit a Russian agent, and they displayed tradecraft tools that seemed straight from a cheap spy thriller: wigs, packets of cash, a knife, map and compass, and a letter promising millions for "long-term cooperation."

The FSB, the successor agency to the Soviet-era KGB, identified the diplomat as Ryan Fogle, a third secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, detaining him briefly overnight.

It alleged that Fogle was a CIA officer trying to recruit a Russian counterterrorism officer who specializes in the volatile Caucasus region in southern Russia, where the two Boston Marathon bombing suspects had their ethnic roots.

Fogle was handed over to U.S. Embassy officials, declared persona non grata and ordered to leave Russia immediately. He has diplomatic immunity, which protects him from arrest.

The State Department would only confirm that Fogle worked as an embassy employee, but wouldn't give any details about his employment record or responsibilities in Russia. Some officials also referred inquiries to the CIA, which declined comment.

Fogle was the first American diplomat to be publicly accused of spying in Russia in about a decade. While relations between the two countries have been strained, officials in both Washington and Moscow sought to play down the incident.

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul to appear Wednesday in connection with the case. McFaul said he would not comment on the spying allegation.

Russian officials expressed indignation the U.S. would carry out an espionage operation at a time when the two countries have been working to improve counterterrorism cooperation. "Such provocative actions in the spirit of the Cold War do nothing to strengthen mutual trust," the Foreign Ministry said.

Russia's Caucasus region includes the provinces of Chechnya and Dagestan. The suspects in the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings — Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his elder brother, Tamerlan, who was killed in a manhunt — are ethnic Chechens. Tamerlan spent six months last year in Dagestan, now the center of an Islamic insurgency.

U.S. investigators have been working with the Russians to try to determine whether Tamerlan Tsarnaev had established any contacts with militants in Dagestan.

Despite the end of the Cold War, Russia and the United States still maintain active espionage operations against each other. Last year, several Russians were convicted in separate cases of spying for the U.S. and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences.

But Tuesday's case had espionage elements that seemed more like "Spy vs. Spy" than Ludlum and le Carre.

Russian state TV showed pictures of a man said to be Fogle, wearing a baseball cap and a blond wig, lying face down on the ground. The man, without the wig, was also shown sitting at a desk in the offices of the FSB, the Federal Security Service.

Two wigs, a compass, a map of Moscow, a pocket knife, three pairs of sunglasses and envelopes of 500 euro notes (each bill worth $649) were among the items the FSB displayed on a table.

The FSB also produced a typewritten letter that it described as instructions to the Russian agent who was the target of Fogle's alleged recruitment effort. The letter, in Russian and addressed "Dear friend," offers $100,000 to "discuss your experience, expertise and cooperation" and up to $1 million a year for long-term cooperation. The letter also includes instructions for opening a Gmail account to be used for communication and an address to write. It is signed "Your friends."

"If this is genuine, then it'll be seen to be appallingly bad tradecraft — being caught with a 'How-to-be-a-Spy 101' guide and a wig. He would have had to have been pretty stupid," said Mark Galeotti, a professor at New York University who studies the Russian security services.

Samuel Greene, director of the Russia Institute at King's College London, called the evidence bizarre.

"I wouldn't have thought that spies gave each other written instructions," he said in a telephone interview. Greene also noted that the FSB had displayed Fogle's official diplomatic ID, suggesting he was carrying it along with the spy paraphernalia when he was detained.

"Maybe this is what the CIA has come to, maybe the propaganda folks in the Kremlin think we are this stupid, or maybe both," he said.

A five-minute video produced by the FSB and shown on state TV showed a Russian official speaking to what appear to be three U.S. diplomats who had come to pick up Fogle in the FSB office. The official, whose face is blurred, alleged that Fogle called an unidentified FSB counterintelligence officer who specializes in the Caucasus at 11:30 p.m. Monday. He then said that after the officer refused to meet, Fogle called him a second time and offered 100,000 euros if he would provide information to the U.S.

The Russian official said the FSB was flabbergasted. He pointed to high-level efforts to improve counterterrorism cooperation, specifically FBI director Robert Mueller's visit to Moscow last week and phone calls between President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"At a time when the presidents of the two countries are striving to improve the climate of relations between the two countries, this citizen, in the name of the U.S. government, commits a most serious crime here in Moscow," the official said.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki confirmed that an officer at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow was briefly detained and released.

"We have seen the Russian Foreign Ministry announcement and have no further comment at this time," said Psaki, who was in Sweden with Secretary of State John Kerry.

Little was immediately known about Fogle. A third secretary is an entry level position at the State Department, the lowest diplomatic rank in the foreign service.

Putin has stoked anti-American sentiments among Russians in recent years in what is seen as an effort to build support at home. He also appears to have a genuine distrust of Russian nongovernmental organizations that receive American funding, which he has accused of being fronts that allow the U.S. government to meddle in Russia's political affairs. Hundreds of NGOs have been searched this year as part of an ongoing crackdown by the Russian government.

Galeotti said the public exposure of Fogle suggests a political purpose behind the detention. He said these kinds of spying incidents happen with some frequency, but making such a big deal of them is rare.

"More often, the etiquette is that these things get dealt with quite quietly — unless they want to get a message out," Galeotti said. "If you identify an embassy staffer who is a spy for the other side, your natural impulse is to leave them be, because once you identify, you can keep tabs on them, see who they talk to and everything else."

"There's no reason to make a song and dance, detain them, eject them," he said.

Greene said Fogle's detention should be seen as part of Putin's confrontation with the opposition and not as something likely to have a major impact on U.S.-Russia relations.

"I think this is mostly for domestic consumption in Russia so that people say, 'look at these naughty Americans trying to meddle in our internal affairs and spy on us,'" Greene said. "But everybody's got spies everywhere so I don't see this as a major issue."

In Washington, State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell also said the incident was unlikely to hamper U.S.-Russia relations.

"I'm not sure I'd read too much into one incident one way or another," he told reporters, and pointed to Kerry's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sweden on Tuesday evening. "We have a very broad and deep relationship with the Russians across a whole host of issues, and we'll continue to work on our diplomacy with them directly."

Alexei Pushkov, who heads the international affairs committee in Russia's parliament, wrote in a Twitter post that the spy scandal would be short-lived and would not interfere in Kerry and Lavrov's discussions aimed at bridging deep differences over the civil war in Syria.

"But the atmosphere is not improving," Pushkov commented.

___

Associated Press writers Max Seddon in Moscow, Bradley Klapper in Washington and Lara Jakes in Kiruna, Sweden, contributed to this report.

Airlines started charging for a first checked suitcase in 2008 and the fees have climbed since. Airlines typically charge $25 each way for the first checked bag, $35 for the second bag and then various extra amounts for overweight or oversized bags.

FILE - In this March 28, 2012, file photo, luggage waits to be run through the baggage system for testing in the new Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. International Terminal at Atlanta's airport. U.S. airlines collected more than $6 billion in baggage and reservation change fees from passengers in 2012, the highest amount since the fees became common five years ago. These fees along with charges for boarding early or picking prime seats have helped return the industry to profitability. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)Associated Press 

By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
AP Airlines Writer

NEW YORK – U.S. airlines collected more than $6 billion in baggage and reservation change fees from passengers last year – the highest amount since the fees became common five years ago.
Passengers shouldn’t expect a break anytime soon. Those fees – along with extra charges for boarding early or picking prime seats – have helped return the industry to profitability.
Airlines started charging for a first checked suitcase in 2008 and the fees have climbed since. Airlines typically charge $25 each way for the first checked bag, $35 for the second bag and then various extra amounts for overweight or oversized bags.
The nation’s 15 largest carriers collected a combined $3.5 billion in bag fees in 2012, up 3.8 percent from 2011, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Fees for changing a reservation totaled $2.6 billion, up 7.3 percent.
The airlines took in $159.5 billion in revenue last year and had expenses of $153.6 billion, according to the government. That 3.7 percent profit margin comes entirely from the baggage and change fees.
Delta Air Lines once again took in the most fees – $865.9 million from baggage alone – but it also carried more passengers than any other airline.
Delta collected $7.44 per passenger – about average for the industry. Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines collected the most, an average $19.99 per passenger in baggage fees last year.
The government only requires the airlines to report revenue from baggage and change fees.
Passengers can expect to pay even more this summer.
American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines and US Airways all recently raised the fee for changing a domestic flight reservation from $150 to $200.
Even Southwest Airlines, which promotes its lack of change fees and “bags fly free” policy, recently announced a new policy on no-shows. Passengers who buy the cheapest tickets will have to cancel a reservation before departure; otherwise they won’t be able to apply credit from the missed flight toward a later trip.
Many fees were first introduced to allow airlines to offset rising fuel costs. In 2008, jet fuel spiked 46 percent to an average $3.06 per gallon as the price of oil hit an all-time high.
Airfares have climbed in recent years but jet fuel remains costly – in 2012, the airlines paid an average of $2.96 a gallon. Passengers have shown reluctance to book tickets if the base fare is too high, hence the introduction of more fees – collectively referred to in the industry as ancillary revenue.
Besides baggage and change fees, airlines are charging fees for extra legroom, the ability to skip security lines and for premium meals.
But the airlines are being aggressive about expanding those fees. United recently said in an internal newsletter that it hopes to collect $19.29 in average ancillary revenue per passenger by the end of 2013, up 9.1 percent from the amount it collected last year. JetBlue, which doesn’t charge for the first checked bag, took in a record $22 per passenger in other fees in the first quarter, up 3 percent from the year-ago quarter.
Airlines are also increasing certain fees depending on demand.
Thanks to a computer upgrade, United can now charge passengers different prices to upgrade to an Economy Plus seat, which has more legroom, depending on the route, day of the week, time of day and the location of the seat. The airline said it increased the dollar value of those seats 25 percent in 2012.

In all, Deedy, running on the Republican ticket, received 751 votes to Phelps’ 522 votes in an election that drew just 1,272 of the town’s 6,393 registered voters. In fulfilling the three-year term, Deedy will replace board Chairman Arthur G. Pinell who chose not to run for reelection.

SOUTHWICK – Joseph J. Deedy won the vacant seat on the Board of Selectmen Tuesday night after garnering 229 more votes than his opponent, former Town Planner and independent contender Marcus G. Phelps.

“This is very exciting,” Deedy said during a victory celebration at his Feeding Hills Road business, Moolicious Ice Cream. “At no point did I think I was winning. It was a complete surprise.”

In all, Deedy, running on the Republican ticket, received 751 votes to Phelps’ 522 votes in an election that drew just 1,272 of the town’s 6,393 registered voters.

In fulfilling the three-year term, Deedy will replace board Chairman Arthur G. Pinell who chose not to run for reelection.

Deedy, a member of the Planning Board, said he will resign from that post, but not before following through on three significant projects including the Pride Gas Station, Rite Aid Drug and the Family Dollar store.

“I just have to finish voting on those, then I will resign,” he said.

In another contested race for two Library Trustee seats to fill three-year terms, Republican challenger Christopher J. Grabowski, who received 605 votes, bested incumbent Democrat Nancy M. Zdun by 120 votes with the 485 nods she received. Carol A. Geryk, also a Democrat, was reelected to the post with 622 ballots cast for her.

In all other races, incumbents running unopposed retained their seats.

George A. LeBlanc Jr. and James E. Vincent will return to the School Committee for another three years; Republican Robert K. Johnson has retained his position as assessor for a three-year term, while Republican Sharon M. Horacek will continue for another three-year term on the Cemetery Commission.

Democrat Kenneth R. Haar will also continue for three years as the Dickinson School Trustee, and Republican Edward C. Johnson will retain his three-year post on the Water Commission.

Republican incumbent Michelle Ackerman will return for another three-year term to the Parks and Recreation Commission, while Douglas A. Moglin, also a Republican, will continue on the Planning Board for another five-year term.

Unenrolled incumbent Casimir M. Tryba will return to the Board of Health for another three years and Brian P. Houlihan, a Republican, has retained his seat on the Southwick Housing Commission for a five-year term.

Democrat Kelly Magni and Republican Terrence J. Welch will once again fulfill five-year terms as constables.

Town Clerk Michelle L. Hill said she was disappointed in the 19.99 percent voter turnout and called it a “poor” showing, despite the fact that more townspeople cast votes Tuesday night than they did two years ago.

“We spend $5,000 to $7,000 for an election, and people can’t come out and vote when there is a contested Board of Selectmen race,” she asked rhetorically.

Paula S. Fitzgerald, 51, will lead Chestnut Hill Community School, a grades 4 through 6 school located at 59 State St. in Belchertown.

Paula Fitzgerald is leaving her position as principal of Monson's Quarry Hill Community School to assume the same position at Belchertown's Chestnut Hill Community School.Monson Public Schools 

BELCHERTOWN — A Holyoke resident who's currently principal of Monson's Quarry Hill Community School will start a new job as an elementary school principal in Belchertown on July 1, Superintendent Judith Houle announced on Tuesday.

Paula S. Fitzgerald, 51, will lead Chestnut Hill Community School, a grades 4 through 6 school located at 59 State St. in Belchertown. Contract details with the new principal are being ironed out, Houle said.

Fitzgerald worked in the Holyoke school system prior to becoming principal of Quarry Hill in 2011. She earned a bachelor's degree in education at the College of Our Lady of the Elms in Chicopee. Fitzgerald has a certificate of advanced graduate studies in administration from the University of Massachusetts.

Jose H. Irizarry has been the interim principal at Chestnut Hill. He is officially retired from Springfield public schools, where he was principal at Margaret C. Ells Elementary School.

Chestnut Hill's former principal, Brian Cameron, was promoted earlier this year to assistant superintendent in charge of curriculum development.

There were 27 applicants for the Chestnut Hill position, according to Houle.

The arts organization holds a public forum on Thursday, May 16, 7 p.m. at Ware Senior Center on Robbins Rd. to elicit community inputwa

Jim Russell 

WARE – Ware Cultural Council is seeking community input to guide its grant disbursement effort.

The organization holds a public forum on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Ware Senior Center on Robbins Road.

This year the arts council awarded $4,500 in state grants; there were $18,000 in requests received, according to council chairman Jane Sterndale.

New York lawyer Joshua Dratel, who has represented several terrorism suspects, joined Katherine Russell's legal team last week.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A new criminal defense lawyer for the widow of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev says his client will continue to cooperate with investigators but says he plans to keep quiet about the details of her case publicly because that could hurt the investigation.

View full size This June 26, 2007, booking photo released by the Warwick, R.I., Police Department on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, shows Katherine Russell, after her arrest on shoplifting charges in Warwick. A new lawyer for the widow of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev says his client will continue to cooperate with investigators.AP Photo/Warwick Police Department, File 

Russell hasn't been charged with any wrongdoing, but she is under intense scrutiny by the FBI as it investigates the deadly April 15 bombing, which killed three people and injured more than 260. Authorities say the attack was carried out by her husband and his brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Dratel told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he joined Russell's legal team because Russell needed someone who could navigate the criminal justice system and to protect her interests.He said she had spoken with investigators and planned to keep cooperating.

"I don't see that changing in the foreseeable future," he said. "There's no inconsistency between that and her interests at this point."

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, is in a prison hospital facing charges that could bring the death penalty. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, died April 19 after a shootout with police.

Russell, 24, had been living in Cambridge, Mass., with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, but has been staying with her parents in North Kingstown, R.I., since the day her husband was killed. She has reverted to using her maiden name, switching from her married name of Tsarnaeva.

Among the questions about Russell is what she knew or saw in the weeks leading up to the bombing, and in the days after it. Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have told the AP that Dzhokhar told investigators the bombs were assembled in the small apartment Russell shared with her husband. One of her Rhode Island lawyers has previously said she was working long hours and was frequently away from the apartment.

Dratel would not discuss details of Russell's life or relationship with her husband, and would not be specific when asked about her contact with federal investigators, such as when she had spoken with them. He said in his experience, investigators do not want people speaking to the media and publicizing what they are focusing on.

"It would be counterproductive for the investigation and for Katherine's interests for us to be more forthcoming at this time with any of the details," he said. "We wouldn't want to impair the investigation in any way."

The sole focus of Russell and her legal team, he said, was on the investigation.

"It's a fluid situation," Dratel said. "We're not at the end of it."