President Donald Trump is expected to lay out his 2018 policy priorities and vision for the United States in his first State of the Union Address Tuesday.

President Donald Trump is expected to lay out his policy priorities and set his 2018 legislative agenda Tuesday, as he delivers his first State of the Union Address.

Trump, who gave an informal version of the annual address before a joint session of Congress in February 2017, is expected to discuss his plan for tackling hot button issues, like immigration, and to announce a $1.7 trillion infrastructure investment.

He is also expected to tout his successes in office, as well as the state of the U.S. economy during the prime time event. 

Who did Massachusetts lawmakers invite as their guests to President Donald Trump's 1st State of the Union Address?

Prosecutors allege the man married at least six women from sub-Sahara African countries between 2003 and 2013, and that he didn't necessarily obtain a divorce from each before marrying the next.

WORCESTER -- A Worcester man faces accusations that he married six women and accepted money from some to allow them to gain U.S. immigration benefits.

An indictment charging Peter Hicks, 57, of Worcester, with immigration fraud was unsealed in U.S. District Court in Worcester yesterday. He was released following a brief hearing. 

Prosecutors allege that Hicks married at least six women from sub-Sahara African countries between 2003 and 2013, and that he didn't necessarily obtain a divorce from each before marrying the next.

Leading up to his indictment, federal law enforcement investigators said, Hicks admitted arranging still more marriages of undocumented African women to other American citizens for pay.

During an interview with immigration officials to obtain benefits for one woman he had married, Hicks said he married three woman solely to obtain immigration benefits for them, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.

In an interview with federal agents on Jan. 8, 2015, Hicks said he had been involved in the scheme for approximately 13 years, prosecutors allege. 

Hick also lied to immigration officials about the number of women he married and how many he had sought benefits for, prosecutors said. 

Hicks was charged with a single count of marriage fraud, which carries a potential sentence of up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Two people were arrested and 265 bags of heroin seized Tuesday afternoon in the McKnight neighborhood, police said.

SPRINGFIELD -- Two people were arrested and 265 bags of heroin seized Tuesday afternoon in the McKnight neighborhood, police said.

Springfield police spokesman Ryan Walsh said Ovysidioel Ortiz, 19, and Farie Valentin, 25, were arrested at about 1 p.m. near the 100 block of St. James Avenue. Officers found 265 bags of heroin in their possession.

Each was charged with possession of a Class A substance with the intent to distribute and a drug offense in a school zone. 

President Donald Trump used his first State of the Union Address Tuesday to tout his administration's accomplishments, unveil his policy agenda for 2018 and call for a bipartisan approach to high-profile issues, like immigration and trade.

President Donald Trump used his first State of the Union Address Tuesday to unveil his $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan, call for a bipartisan approach on immigration and tout his administration's accomplishments. 

Trump, who centered his joint congressional address around the theme of "building a safe, strong and proud America," offered an optimistic and unified vision for the country as he laid out his legislative priorities for 2018.

Who did Massachusetts lawmakers invite as their guests to President Donald Trump's 1st State of the Union Address?

Chief among those priorities was the president's long-awaited plan to rebuild America's infrastructure and to address regulations that impact those efforts -- issues he repeatedly pledged to address on the campaign trail.

Pointing to America's history as "a nation of builders," the president contended that bureaucratic policies have dramatically slowed construction and other projects.

Trump asked Republicans and Democrats "to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve."

"I'm calling on the Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment that our country so desperately needs," he said. "Every federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with state and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment -- to permanently fix the infrastructure deficit."

The president stressed that any bill must streamline the permitting and approval process so it take no longer than two years.

"Together, we can reclaim our building heritage. We will build gleaming new roads, bridges, highways, railways and waterways across our land," he said. "And we will do it with American heart, American hands and American grit."

Ahead of unveiling the president's plan, White House officials met with state and local leaders from across the country -- including those from Springfield -- to shape an infrastructure policy that includes statutory changes, regulatory changes, policy changes and bureaucratic, cultural changes.

Springfield Water and Sewer, DPW officials attend 2nd White House meeting on infrastructure

In addition to urging lawmakers to work on a bipartisan infrastructure package, Trump said he hopes to work with members of both parties on immigration policies "that focus on the best interests of American workers and American families."

The president called for legislation that: offers a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million immigrants, who were brought to the United States illegally as children; fully secures the border with a wall; terminates the visa lottery and ends so-called "chain migration" for legal immigrants.

"These four pillars represent a down-the-middle compromise, and one that will create a safe, modern and lawful immigration system," he said. "For over 30 years, Washington has tried and failed to solve this problem. This Congress can be the one that finally makes it happen."

Congress faces a March 5 deadline to act on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and ensure immigrants who came to the country illegally as children continue to receive legal protections. 

Trump administration moves to end DACA after 6-month congressional delay

The debate around how to address DACA recipients, known as "dreamers" has sparked tensions between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill and was blamed, at least by some for the recent government shutdown. 

Turning to his vision for America's trade policies, the president stressed that "America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals."

"From now on, we expect trading relationships to be fair and to be reciprocal. We will work to fix bad trade deals and negotiate new ones," Trump said. "And we will protect American workers and American intellectual property, through strong enforcement of our trade rules."

Aside from announcing his legislative priorities, Trump highlighted his efforts to end what he called "the war on American energy," address opioid adiction, strengthen the U.S. military and wage a "campaign of maximum pressure" on North Korea.

He also directed his administration to make lowering the cost of prescription drugs at top priority, as well as asked Congress to fully fund the military and ensure the the U.S. has all the power needed to detain terrorists "wherever we chase them down." 

The president further touted his success in passing a major overhaul of the American tax code, as well as how the policy is impacting U.S. businesses and workers. 

President Donald Trump signs sweeping $1.5 trillion tax overhaul bill

The president's remarks came nearly one year after he first addressed a joint session of Congress in an informal version of the State of the Union address. 

"I felt like we were able to express many of the concerns that have been the same in this community for 40 years," said Holyoke City Councilor Gladys Lebron-Martinez. "Now we have to see if these sessions will bring about real change."

HOLYOKE -- Residents, political leaders and social activists left Holyoke Community Charter School on Tuesday night with a sense of hope that things will change for the better for the Latino community.

They voiced the concerns of the Latino community at a listening session of the Latino Advisory Commission formed last year by Gov. Charlie Baker. The meeting was one of six statewide listening sessions the commission has scheduled. 

"I felt like we were able to express many of the concerns that have been the same in this community for 40 years," said Holyoke City Councilor Gladys Lebron-Martinez. "Now we have to see if these sessions will bring about real change."

Lebron-Martinez spoke with a reporter from The Republican outside the school after the meeting because the commission barred members of the press from the listening session.

"I think it's important to get the message out to as many people as possible," she said. "A lot of times, concerns for the needs of the people of Western Massachusetts are not a priority. The funding and the concern stops somewhere around the Worcester line."

A sign on the front door of the school read, "To promote authentic sharing all of the Governor's Latino Advisory Commission statewide listening sessions are CLOSED TO THE PRESS."

Anthony W. Richards II, director of community affairs for the state, would not comment on the commission's decision, but informed reporters they would not be able to attend the session.

Michael Knapik, director of the governor's Western Massachusetts office, attended the meeting but said he would not comment on the decision to bar the press.

State Rep. Aaron Vega, D-Holyoke, said he felt the meeting was productive and he was puzzled as to why the media was not allowed to attend.

"If anything, this is a good thing for the Baker administration," Vega said. "It shows that there is an interest in hearing the needs of the Latino community in Western Massachusetts."

During the meeting, Vega said, the public expressed their frustration with many of the social and economic issues facing the Latino community and the region, which have been compounded with the arrival of hundreds of Puerto Rican evacuees since Hurricane Maria decimated the island last fall.

"The issues of transportation, education, housing, employment were all talked about," the legislator said. "There were times when people were critical of things the state has done or not done, and maybe that's why the  press was not allowed, but I think that's an important message to get out to a larger audience."

Longtime social activists and Latino leaders Orlando Isaza and Miguel Arce said they read a formal statement to the commission touching on issues of poverty, racism, education and more.

"As individuals, as families and as a community, Latinos face extremely distressing life circumstances and events," they wrote in the statement. "Being born Latino in Hampden County creates a life trajectory with a profound and detrimental effect on overall quality of life."

Isaza said while he is grateful the commission has been created, he hopes it will bring about real policy change.

"The demographics demand that Latinos become intimately included in all political processes and be represented everywhere in the most significant organizations and institutions, and that of course is still a problem that we face today," he said.

Isaza said having the media present would have expanded the message to a larger audience.

"I think it would just provide more awareness and a better understanding of the problems facing the Latino community here in Holyoke," he said.

Community member, mother and lifelong Holyoke resident Gloria Urbina said she was proud to see a council made up of Latinos from across the state listening to the concerns of Latinos in Holyoke.

"There were people here tonight who have been fighting for this community and dealing with issues of injustice, poverty, food insecurity, transportation -- all of it -- for 40 years, and oftentimes they feel defeated," she said. "It's great to take notes and listen to our ideas, but if we are not allowed to see what's being made into reality through policy, then it will be like us looking in from the outside once again, so I hope we will be part of that process going forward."

As for the media being barred, she said sometimes people are more comfortable when they feel they are among family.

"You speak your mind more freely, I think, knowing that your words aren't going to be changed or omitted or for lack of time in a newsreel, the message is skewed a certain way," she said.

President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union Address before a joint session of Congress Tuesday. Read the president's remarks, as prepared for delivery:

President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union Address before a joint session of Congress Tuesday. 

Trump, who centered his joint congressional address around the theme of "building a safe, strong and proud America," used the speech to unveil his long-awaited infrastructure plan, call for a bipartisan approach on immigration and tout his administration's accomplishments. 

Read the president's remarks, as prepared for delivery:

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and my fellow Americans:

Less than 1 year has passed since I first stood at this podium, in this majestic chamber, to speak on behalf of the American People -- and to address their concerns, their hopes, and their dreams.  That night, our new Administration had already taken swift action.  A new tide of optimism was already sweeping across our land.

Each day since, we have gone forward with a clear vision and a righteous mission -- to make America great again for all Americans.

Over the last year, we have made incredible progress and achieved extraordinary success.  We have faced challenges we expected, and others we could never have imagined.  We have shared in the heights of victory and the pains of hardship.  We endured floods and fires and storms.  But through it all, we have seen the beauty of America's soul, and the steel in America's spine.

Each test has forged new American heroes to remind us who we are, and show us what we can be.

We saw the volunteers of the "Cajun Navy," racing to the rescue with their fishing boats to save people in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane.

We saw strangers shielding strangers from a hail of gunfire on the Las Vegas strip.

We heard tales of Americans like Coast Guard Petty Officer Ashlee Leppert, who is here tonight in the gallery with Melania. Ashlee was aboard one of the first helicopters on the scene in Houston during Hurricane Harvey.  Through 18 hours of wind and rain, Ashlee braved live power lines and deep water, to help save more than 40 lives.  Thank you, Ashlee.

We heard about Americans like firefighter David Dahlberg. He is here with us too.  David faced down walls of flame to rescue almost 60 children trapped at a California summer camp threatened by wildfires.

To everyone still recovering in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, California, and everywhere else -- we are with you, we love you, and we will pull through together.

Some trials over the past year touched this chamber very personally.  With us tonight is one of the toughest people ever to serve in this House -- a guy who took a bullet, almost died, and was back to work three and a half months later:  the legend from Louisiana, Congressman Steve Scalise.

We are incredibly grateful for the heroic efforts of the Capitol Police Officers, the Alexandria Police, and the doctors, nurses, and paramedics who saved his life, and the lives of many others in this room.

In the aftermath of that terrible shooting, we came together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as representatives of the people.  But it is not enough to come together only in times of tragedy.  Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people we were elected to serve. 

Over the last year, the world has seen what we always knew:  that no people on Earth are so fearless, or daring, or determined as Americans.  If there is a mountain, we climb it.  If there is a frontier, we cross it.  If there is a challenge, we tame it.  If there is an opportunity, we seize it.

So let us begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong.

And together, we are building a safe, strong, and proud America.

Since the election, we have created 2.4 million new jobs, including 200,000 new jobs in manufacturing alone.  After years of wage stagnation, we are finally seeing rising wages.

Unemployment claims have hit a 45-year low.  African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded, and Hispanic American unemployment has also reached the lowest levels in history.

Small business confidence is at an all-time high.  The stock market has smashed one record after another, gaining $8 trillion in value.  That is great news for Americans' 401k, retirement, pension, and college savings accounts.

And just as I promised the American people from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history.

Our massive tax cuts provide tremendous relief for the middle class and small businesses.

To lower tax rates for hardworking Americans, we nearly doubled the standard deduction for everyone.  Now, the first $24,000 earned by a married couple is completely tax-free.  We also doubled the child tax credit.

A typical family of four making $75,000 will see their tax bill reduced by $2,000 -- slashing their tax bill in half.

This April will be the last time you ever file under the old broken system -- and millions of Americans will have more take-home pay starting next month.

We eliminated an especially cruel tax that fell mostly on Americans making less than $50,000 a year -- forcing them to pay tremendous penalties simply because they could not afford government-ordered health plans.  We repealed the core of disastrous Obamacare -- the individual mandate is now gone.

We slashed the business tax rate from 35 percent all the way down to 21 percent, so American companies can compete and win against anyone in the world.  These changes alone are estimated to increase average family income by more than $4,000.

Small businesses have also received a massive tax cut, and can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.

Here tonight are Steve Staub and Sandy Keplinger of Staub Manufacturing -- a small business in Ohio.  They have just finished the best year in their 20-year history.  Because of tax reform, they are handing out raises, hiring an additional 14 people, and expanding into the building next door.

One of Staub's employees, Corey Adams, is also with us tonight.  Corey is an all-American worker.  He supported himself through high school, lost his job during the 2008 recession, and was later hired by Staub, where he trained to become a welder.  Like many hardworking Americans, Corey plans to invest his tax-cut raise into his new home and his two daughters' education.  Please join me in congratulating Corey.

Since we passed tax cuts, roughly 3 million workers have already gotten tax cut bonuses -- many of them thousands of dollars per worker.  Apple has just announced it plans to invest a total of $350 billion in America, and hire another 20,000 workers.

This is our new American moment.  There has never been a better time to start living the American Dream.

So to every citizen watching at home tonight -- no matter where you have been, or where you come from, this is your time.  If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve anything.

Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of Nation we are going to be.  All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family.

We all share the same home, the same heart, the same destiny, and the same great American flag.

Together, we are rediscovering the American way.

In America, we know that faith and family, not government and bureaucracy, are the center of the American life.  Our motto is "in God we trust." 

And we celebrate our police, our military, and our amazing veterans as heroes who deserve our total and unwavering support.

Here tonight is Preston Sharp, a 12-year-old boy from Redding, California, who noticed that veterans' graves were not marked with flags on Veterans Day.  He decided to change that, and started a movement that has now placed 40,000 flags at the graves of our great heroes.  Preston:  a job well done.

Young patriots like Preston teach all of us about our civic duty as Americans.  Preston's reverence for those who have served our Nation reminds us why we salute our flag, why we put our hands on our hearts for the pledge of allegiance, and why we proudly stand for the national anthem. 

Americans love their country.  And they deserve a Government that shows them the same love and loyalty in return.

For the last year we have sought to restore the bonds of trust between our citizens and their Government.

Working with the Senate, we are appointing judges who will interpret the Constitution as written, including a great new Supreme Court Justice, and more circuit court judges than any new administration in the history of our country.

We are defending our Second Amendment, and have taken historic actions to protect religious liberty.

And we are serving our brave veterans, including giving our veterans choice in their healthcare decisions.  Last year, the Congress passed, and I signed, the landmark VA Accountability Act.  Since its passage, my Administration has already removed more than 1,500 VA employees who failed to give our veterans the care they deserve -- and we are hiring talented people who love our vets as much as we do.

I will not stop until our veterans are properly taken care of, which has been my promise to them from the very beginning of this great journey.

All Americans deserve accountability and respect -- and that is what we are giving them.  So tonight, I call on the Congress to empower every Cabinet Secretary with the authority to reward good workers -- and to remove Federal employees who undermine the public trust or fail the American people.

In our drive to make Washington accountable, we have eliminated more regulations in our first year than any administration in history.

We have ended the war on American Energy -- and we have ended the war on clean coal.  We are now an exporter of energy to the world.

In Detroit, I halted Government mandates that crippled America's autoworkers -- so we can get the Motor City revving its engines once again.

 Many car companies are now building and expanding plants in the United States -- something we have not seen for decades.    Chrysler is moving a major plant from Mexico to Michigan; Toyota and Mazda are opening up a plant in Alabama.  Soon, plants will be opening up all over the country.  This is all news Americans are unaccustomed to hearing -- for many years, companies and jobs were only leaving us.  But now they are coming back.

Exciting progress is happening every day.

To speed access to breakthrough cures and affordable generic drugs, last year the FDA approved more new and generic drugs and medical devices than ever before in our history.

We also believe that patients with terminal conditions should have access to experimental treatments that could potentially save their lives.

People who are terminally ill should not have to go from country to country to seek a cure -- I want to give them a chance right here at home.  It is time for the Congress to give these wonderful Americans the "right to try."

One of my greatest priorities is to reduce the price of prescription drugs. In many other countries, these drugs cost far less than what we pay in the United States.  That is why I have directed my Administration to make fixing the injustice of high drug prices one of our top priorities.  Prices will come down. 

America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals that sacrificed our prosperity and shipped away our companies, our jobs, and our Nation's wealth.

The era of economic surrender is over.

From now on, we expect trading relationships to be fair and to be reciprocal.

We will work to fix bad trade deals and negotiate new ones.

And we will protect American workers and American intellectual property, through strong enforcement of our trade rules.

As we rebuild our industries, it is also time to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. 

America is a nation of builders. We built the Empire State Building in just 1 year -- is it not a disgrace that it can now take 10 years just to get a permit approved for a simple road?

I am asking both parties to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve.

Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment we need.

Every Federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with State and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment -- to permanently fix the infrastructure deficit.

Any bill must also streamline the permitting and approval process -- getting it down to no more than two years, and perhaps even one.

Together, we can reclaim our building heritage.  We will build gleaming new roads, bridges, highways, railways, and waterways across our land.  And we will do it with American heart, American hands, and American grit.

We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day's work. We want every child to be safe in their home at night.  And we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love.

We can lift our citizens from welfare to work, from dependence to independence, and from poverty to prosperity.

As tax cuts create new jobs, let us invest in workforce development and job training. Let us open great vocational schools so our future workers can learn a craft and realize their full potential.  And let us support working families by supporting paid family leave.

As America regains its strength, this opportunity must be extended to all citizens.  That is why this year we will embark on reforming our prisons to help former inmates who have served their time get a second chance.

Struggling communities, especially immigrant communities, will also be helped by immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American workers and American families.

 For decades, open borders have allowed drugs and gangs to pour into our most vulnerable communities.  They have allowed millions of low-wage workers to compete for jobs and wages against the poorest Americans. Most tragically, they have caused the loss of many innocent lives.

Here tonight are two fathers and two mothers: Evelyn Rodriguez, Freddy Cuevas, Elizabeth Alvarado, and Robert Mickens. Their two teenage daughters -- Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens -- were close friends on Long Island.  But in September 2016, on the eve of Nisa's 16th Birthday, neither of them came home.  These two precious girls were brutally murdered while walking together in their hometown.  Six members of the savage gang MS-13 have been charged with Kayla and Nisa's murders.  Many of these gang members took advantage of glaring loopholes in our laws to enter the country as unaccompanied alien minors -- and wound up in Kayla and Nisa's high school.

Evelyn, Elizabeth, Freddy, and Robert:  Tonight, everyone in this chamber is praying for you.  Everyone in America is grieving for you.  And 320 million hearts are breaking for you.  We cannot imagine the depth of your sorrow, but we can make sure that other families never have to endure this pain.

Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to finally close the deadly loopholes that have allowed MS-13, and other criminals, to break into our country.  We have proposed new legislation that will fix our immigration laws, and support our ICE and Border Patrol Agents, so that this cannot ever happen again.

The United States is a compassionate nation. We are proud that we do more than any other country to help the needy, the struggling, and the underprivileged all over the world.  But as President of the United States, my highest loyalty, my greatest compassion, and my constant concern is for America's children, America's struggling workers, and America's forgotten communities.  I want our youth to grow up to achieve great things.  I want our poor to have their chance to rise.

So tonight, I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties -- Democrats and Republicans -- to protect our citizens of every background, color, religion, and creed.  My duty, and the sacred duty of every elected official in this chamber, is to defend Americans -- to protect their safety, their families, their communities, and their right to the American Dream. Because Americans are dreamers too.

Here tonight is one leader in the effort to defend our country: Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Celestino Martinez -- he goes by CJ. CJ served 15 years in the Air Force before becoming an ICE agent and spending the last 15 years fighting gang violence and getting dangerous criminals off our streets.  At one point, MS-13 leaders ordered CJ's murder. But he did not cave to threats or fear.  Last May, he commanded an operation to track down gang members on Long Island. His team has arrested nearly 400, including more than 220 from MS-13.

CJ:  Great work.  Now let us get the Congress to send you some reinforcements.

Over the next few weeks, the House and Senate will be voting on an immigration reform package.

In recent months, my Administration has met extensively with both Democrats and Republicans to craft a bipartisan approach to immigration reform.  Based on these discussions, we presented the Congress with a detailed proposal that should be supported by both parties as a fair compromise -- one where nobody gets everything they want, but where our country gets the critical reforms it needs.

Here are the four pillars of our plan: 

The first pillar of our framework generously offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age -- that covers almost three times more people than the previous administration.  Under our plan, those who meet education and work requirements, and show good moral character, will be able to become full citizens of the United States.

The second pillar fully secures the border.  That means building a wall on the Southern border, and it means hiring more heroes like CJ to keep our communities safe.  Crucially, our plan closes the terrible loopholes exploited by criminals and terrorists to enter our country -- and it finally ends the dangerous practice of "catch and release."

The third pillar ends the visa lottery -- a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of our people.  It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system -- one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country. 

The fourth and final pillar protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration.  Under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives.  Under our plan, we focus on the immediate family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children.  This vital reform is necessary, not just for our economy, but for our security, and our future. 

In recent weeks, two terrorist attacks in New York were made possible by the visa lottery and chain migration. In the age of terrorism, these programs present risks we can no longer afford.

It is time to reform these outdated immigration rules, and finally bring our immigration system into the 21st century.

These four pillars represent a down-the-middle compromise, and one that will create a safe, modern, and lawful immigration system.

For over 30 years, Washington has tried and failed to solve this problem.  This Congress can be the one that finally makes it happen.

Most importantly, these four pillars will produce legislation that fulfills my ironclad pledge to only sign a bill that puts America first. So let us come together, set politics aside, and finally get the job done.

These reforms will also support our response to the terrible crisis of opioid and drug addiction.

In 2016, we lost 64,000 Americans to drug overdoses: 174 deaths per day.  Seven per hour.  We must get much tougher on drug dealers and pushers if we are going to succeed in stopping this scourge.

My Administration is committed to fighting the drug epidemic and helping get treatment for those in need.  The struggle will be long and difficult -- but, as Americans always do, we will prevail.

As we have seen tonight, the most difficult challenges bring out the best in America.

 We see a vivid expression of this truth in the story of the Holets family of New Mexico.  Ryan Holets is 27 years old, and an officer with the Albuquerque Police Department.  He is here tonight with his wife Rebecca.  Last year, Ryan was on duty when he saw a pregnant, homeless woman preparing to inject heroin.  When Ryan told her she was going to harm her unborn child, she began to weep.  She told him she did not know where to turn, but badly wanted a safe home for her baby.

In that moment, Ryan said he felt God speak to him: "You will do it -- because you can."  He took out a picture of his wife and their four kids.  Then, he went home to tell his wife Rebecca.  In an instant, she agreed to adopt.  The Holets named their new daughter Hope.

Ryan and Rebecca: You embody the goodness of our Nation.  Thank you, and congratulations.

As we rebuild America's strength and confidence at home, we are also restoring our strength and standing abroad.

Around the world, we face rogue regimes, terrorist groups, and rivals like China and Russia that challenge our interests, our economy, and our values.  In confronting these dangers, we know that weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unmatched power is the surest means of our defense. 

For this reason, I am asking the Congress to end the dangerous defense sequester and fully fund our great military.

As part of our defense, we must modernize and rebuild our nuclear arsenal, hopefully never having to use it, but making it so strong and powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression.  Perhaps someday in the future there will be a magical moment when the countries of the world will get together to eliminate their nuclear weapons.  Unfortunately, we are not there yet.

Last year, I also pledged that we would work with our allies to extinguish ISIS from the face of the Earth.  One year later, I am proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated almost 100 percent of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria.  But there is much more work to be done.  We will continue our fight until ISIS is defeated.

Army Staff Sergeant Justin Peck is here tonight. Near Raqqa last November, Justin and his comrade, Chief Petty Officer Kenton Stacy, were on a mission to clear buildings that ISIS had rigged with explosives so that civilians could return to the city.

Clearing the second floor of a vital hospital, Kenton Stacy was severely wounded by an explosion.  Immediately, Justin bounded into the booby-trapped building and found Kenton in bad shape.  He applied pressure to the wound and inserted a tube to reopen an airway.  He then performed CPR for 20 straight minutes during the ground transport and maintained artificial respiration through 2 hours of emergency surgery.

Kenton Stacy would have died if not for Justin's selfless love for a fellow warrior.  Tonight, Kenton is recovering in Texas.  Raqqa is liberated.  And Justin is wearing his new Bronze Star, with a "V" for "Valor."  Staff Sergeant Peck:  All of America salutes you.

Terrorists who do things like place bombs in civilian hospitals are evil.  When possible, we annihilate them.  When necessary, we must be able to detain and question them.  But we must be clear:  Terrorists are not merely criminals.  They are unlawful enemy combatants.  And when captured overseas, they should be treated like the terrorists they are.

In the past, we have foolishly released hundreds of dangerous terrorists, only to meet them again on the battlefield -- including the ISIS leader, al-Baghdadi.

So today, I am keeping another promise. I just signed an order directing Secretary Mattis to reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay.

I am also asking the Congress to ensure that, in the fight against ISIS and al-Qa'ida, we continue to have all necessary power to detain terrorists -- wherever we chase them down.

Our warriors in Afghanistan also have new rules of engagement. Along with their heroic Afghan partners, our military is no longer undermined by artificial timelines, and we no longer tell our enemies our plans. 

Last month, I also took an action endorsed unanimously by the Senate just months before:  I recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Shortly afterwards, dozens of countries voted in the United Nations General Assembly against America's sovereign right to make this recognition.  American taxpayers generously send those same countries billions of dollars in aid every year.

That is why, tonight, I am asking the Congress to pass legislation to help ensure American foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests, and only go to America's friends.

As we strengthen friendships around the world, we are also restoring clarity about our adversaries.

When the people of Iran rose up against the crimes of their corrupt dictatorship, I did not stay silent.  America stands with the people of Iran in their courageous struggle for freedom.

I am asking the Congress to address the fundamental flaws in the terrible Iran nuclear deal.

My Administration has also imposed tough sanctions on the communist and socialist dictatorships in Cuba and Venezuela.

But no regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.

North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland. 

We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening.

Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation.  I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this dangerous position.

We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and our allies.

Otto Warmbier was a hardworking student at the University of Virginia.  On his way to study abroad in Asia, Otto joined a tour to North Korea.  At its conclusion, this wonderful young man was arrested and charged with crimes against the state.  After a shameful trial, the dictatorship sentenced Otto to 15 years of hard labor, before returning him to America last June -- horribly injured and on the verge of death. He passed away just days after his return.

Otto's Parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, are with us tonight -- along with Otto's brother and sister, Austin and Greta.  You are powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world, and your strength inspires us all.  Tonight, we pledge to honor Otto's memory with American resolve.

Finally, we are joined by one more witness to the ominous nature of this regime.  His name is Mr. Ji Seong-ho.

In 1996, Seong-ho was a starving boy in North Korea. One day, he tried to steal coal from a railroad car to barter for a few scraps of food.  In the process, he passed out on the train tracks, exhausted from hunger.  He woke up as a train ran over his limbs.  He then endured multiple amputations without anything to dull the pain.  His brother and sister gave what little food they had to help him recover and ate dirt themselves -- permanently stunting their own growth.  Later, he was tortured by North Korean authorities after returning from a brief visit to China.  His tormentors wanted to know if he had met any Christians.  He had -- and he resolved to be free.

Seong-ho traveled thousands of miles on crutches across China and Southeast Asia to freedom.  Most of his family followed.  His father was caught trying to escape, and was tortured to death.

Today he lives in Seoul, where he rescues other defectors, and broadcasts into North Korea what the regime fears the most -- the truth.

Today he has a new leg, but Seong-ho, I understand you still keep those crutches as a reminder of how far you have come.  Your great sacrifice is an inspiration to us all.

Seong-ho's story is a testament to the yearning of every human soul to live in freedom. 

It was that same yearning for freedom that nearly 250 years ago gave birth to a special place called America. It was a small cluster of colonies caught between a great ocean and a vast wilderness.  But it was home to an incredible people with a revolutionary idea:  that they could rule themselves.  That they could chart their own destiny.  And that, together, they could light up the world.

That is what our country has always been about.  That is what Americans have always stood for, always strived for, and always done.

Atop the dome of this Capitol stands the Statue of Freedom. She stands tall and dignified among the monuments to our ancestors who fought and lived and died to protect her.

Monuments to Washington and Jefferson -- to Lincoln and King.

Memorials to the heroes of Yorktown and Saratoga -- to young Americans who shed their blood on the shores of Normandy, and the fields beyond.  And others, who went down in the waters of the Pacific and the skies over Asia.

And freedom stands tall over one more monument: this one. This Capitol. This living monument to the American people.

A people whose heroes live not only in the past, but all around us -- defending hope, pride, and the American way.

They work in every trade.  They sacrifice to raise a family.  They care for our children at home.  They defend our flag abroad.  They are strong moms and brave kids.  They are firefighters, police officers, border agents, medics, and Marines.

But above all else, they are Americans.  And this Capitol, this city, and this Nation, belong to them.

Our task is to respect them, to listen to them, to serve them, to protect them, and to always be worthy of them.

Americans fill the world with art and music. They push the bounds of science and discovery.  And they forever remind us of what we should never forget:  The people dreamed this country. The people built this country.  And it is the people who are making America great again.

As long as we are proud of who we are, and what we are fighting for, there is nothing we cannot achieve.

As long as we have confidence in our values, faith in our citizens, and trust in our God, we will not fail.

Our families will thrive.

Our people will prosper.

And our Nation will forever be safe and strong and proud and mighty and free.

Thank you, and God bless America.

President Donald Trump used his first State of the Union Address Tuesday to tout his administration's accomplishments, unveil his policy agenda for 2018 and call for a bipartisan approach to high-profile issues, like immigration and trade.

U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, offered a drastically different take of Donald Trump's first year in the Oval Office Tuesday, as delivered the Democratic Party's response to the president's first State of the Union address.

U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, offered a drastically different take of Donald Trump's first year in the Oval Office Tuesday, as delivered the Democratic Party's response to the president's first State of the Union address. 

Kennedy, who led Massachusetts Democrats in questioning points raised in Trump's prime time address to Congress, argued that while the president painted a rosy picture of the United States, "many have spent the past year anxious, angry, afraid." 

President Donald Trump pitches $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan, calls for bipartisanship in 1st State of the Union Address

Contending that the Trump administration is "turning American life into a zero-sum game," the congressman raised concerns about the impact such an approach could have on things like, health care, immigration, taxes and other policies.

"We are bombarded with one false choice after another: Coal miners or single moms. Rural communities or inner cities. The coast or the heartland," he said in a televised speech from Fall River. "As if the mechanic in Pittsburgh and the teacher in Tulsa and the daycare worker in Birmingham are somehow bitter rivals, rather than mutual casualties of a system forcefully rigged for those at the top."

Kennedy stressed that Democrats, unlike their GOP counterparts, are committed to fighting for all Americans "because the strongest, richest, greatest nation in the world shouldn't leave any one behind."     

"We choose a health care system that offers mercy, whether you suffer from cancer or depression or addiction. We choose an economy strong enough to boast record stock prices and brave enough to admit that top CEOs making 300 times the average worker is not right," he said. " We choose Fall River."

"We choose the thousands of American communities whose roads aren't paved with power or privilege, but with honest effort, good faith, and the resolve to build something better for their kids," the congressman continued, adding that "the state of our union is hopeful, resilient, enduring."

This is a breaking news story and will be updated when more information is available.

The Jan. 21 spill affected Great Harbor at Woods Hole and killed dozens of birds.

FALMOUTH -- Following an investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard has identified the vessel responsible for a Jan. 21 Cape Cod oil spill that killed 29 seabirds.

The Ocean King, a tugboat owned by the Boston-based Patriot Marine, was deemed the responsible party for the incident that left a large petroleum sheen in Great Harbor near the Woods Hole Aquarium, officials said Tuesday.

Patriot Marine was ordered to pay the cost of the cleanup and response, and may be responsible for additional penalties. At a Jan. 25 community forum, members of the public suggested the Ocean King was behind the spill, according to the Falmouth Enterprise.

The spill, determined to be equal parts diesel and engine oil, was contained with booms and absorbent materials. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection responded to the scene. 

The marine assistance provider Sea Tow, hired for the cleanup, will be paid from the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which is funded by a tax on crude oil imports, according to the Martha's Vineyard Times. The money will be recouped from Patriot Marine.

The Ocean King, with its home port of Boston, is a 95-foot tugboat built in 1950, and was not towing anything around the time of the spill, reports the Cape Cod Times. 

Officials said they did not believe the spill would cause long-term damage.

As a state police helicopter circled overhead, officers with a K9 swept through yards on Claren and Robert drives.

HOLYOKE -- State and local police searched for several hours Tuesday night for a man who ran from a traffic stop on Interstate 91. 

The stop was about a mile north of exit 17B. 

As a state police helicopter circled overhead, officers with a K9 swept through yards on Claren and Robert drives. A wooded area in the neighborhood runs from the highway to Route 5. 

Police were in the neighborhood from about 9:30 p.m. to around 11:15 p.m.

Posts to a city Facebook group described the suspect as a white male wearing a red, hooded sweatshirt.

Holyoke police referred questions to state police. The Northampton state police barracks referred questions to the agency's Office of Media Relations.

Representatives in that office -- which operates from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. -- were not immediately available.

This is a developing story that will be updated after further reporting. 

View obituaries from The Republican newspaper in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Gambling investigators plan to speak with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission after a Wall Street Journal report on sexual misconduct allegations against Steve Wynn, the man behind a $2.4 billion casino being built just outside of Boston.

Gambling investigators plan to speak with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission after a Wall Street Journal report on sexual misconduct allegations against Steve Wynn, the man behind a $2.4 billion casino being built just outside of Boston.

The meeting is set to start at 2 p.m.

A livestream is available below.

According to a commission spokeswoman, members of the commission's Investigations and Enforcement Bureau will provide an update on their ongoing regulatory review. 

The Wall Street Journal, citing dozens of people who they interviewed, said they alleged a "decades-long pattern of sexual misconduct by Mr. Wynn." In a statement to the newspaper, Wynn said allegations that he assaulted someone were "preposterous."

But if the allegations are true, he fails the suitability standards laid out as a condition of a Massachusetts casino license, according to Gov. Charlie Baker.

Baker said earlier this week that decisions and actions, such as revoking the casino license, are up to the independent Gaming Commission, but the governor added he hopes the agency moves quickly.

If sexual misconduct allegations against Steve Wynn are true, he fails Massachusetts casino standards, Gov. Charlie Baker says

So, you're a die-hard fan of the New England Patriots fan with a $20,000 budget to see Super Bowl LII.

The president of a professional association said that ongoing learning for municipal clerks is necessary to keep pace with changes and ensure government is helping residents.

HOLYOKE -- City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee has achieved the designation of master municipal clerk from an international professional association.

The International Institute of Municipal Clerks Inc. grants the designation "only to those municipal clerks who complete demanding education requirements,  and who have a record of significant contributions to their local government, their community and state," association president Mary J. Kayser said in an email Monday.

Such ongoing learning is necessary for clerks to keep pace with changes that affect residents such as with technology and changing statutes, she and other officials have said.

"Your city can take immense pride in Brenna's educational accomplishments and achievement of this milestone," Kayser said.

Murphy McGee began her second, four-year term in January as city clerk, an elected position here. She is a former city councilor.

She earned the designation certified municipal clerk in 2016 after taking courses for months that included a week at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. She followed a similar course of work in pursuing the master municipal clerk certification, she said.

"I am proud to join the other 24 master municipal clerks in the state of Massachusetts in achieving this designation not only for the city of Holyoke and the residents that have elected me to my second term but also to the clerk industry. This designation shows the important role that city and town clerks play in local government," Murphy McGee said in a text message.

The institute was founded in 1947. According to its website, "The International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) is a professional, nonprofit association that promotes continuing education and certification through university and college-based institutes and provides networking solutions, services and benefits to its members worldwide."

The organization has 14,000 members in the United States, Canada and 15 other countries, Kayser said.

Municipal clerks are not required to obtain such certification. With the city clerk in Holyoke being elected, the support of voters ultimately is the only condition for attaining the seat. But Murphy McGee has said that such training helps her and the city in the areas of government finance, media relations, municipal procedures, creative thinking, time management, computers and introduction to law.

Courses she has taken dealt with ethics, creating resolutions, ordinances, paperless agendas and government transparency and early voting, she said.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is reviewing Wynn Resorts' suitability as a holder of a casino license.

It was initially called "Wynn Everett." Then they changed its name to "Wynn Boston Harbor."

The planned $2.4 billion casino is not on Boston Harbor - if completed it'll overlook the Mystic River in the city of Everett -- and by the time it's built the massive building may not carry the "Wynn" name at the top, either.

But that depends on multiple things, including what actions the Massachusetts Gaming Commission takes after the bombshell Wall Street Journal report on casino magnate Steve Wynn's alleged sexual misconduct; what the Wynn company's board of directors does as part of its response; and the distance local elected officials seek from the man who has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the economy, the housing market and the remediated site that once had a chemical plant on top.

Wynn has denied the misconduct allegations and his company, which holds the lone casino license for eastern Massachusetts, has said they're committed to cooperating with the commission's review. Its board of directors is also investigating the allegations.

There's been no talk of delaying the opening.

Wynn Boston Harbor: When it opens, what it will offer and just how massive it is

Steve Wynn is closely associated with his casinos and restaurants and he is tightly overseeing the construction of Wynn Boston Harbor. Addressing members of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce last year, he said the design of the Boston area casino, complete with a floral carousel and a $28 million Popeye sculpture, is influenced by the "primordial sources of life."

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission's investigators plan on Wednesday to offer an update on the ongoing regulatory review spurred by the Wall Street Journal report. No votes are expected to take place and the discussion appears limited to agency staffers and its commissioners. 

The five-member Gaming Commission has previously looked into Wynn's suitability, since the state gambling law that authorized up to three Bay State resort casinos calls for license applicants for show integrity, honesty and good character. The commission has the authority to revoke licenses.

"Based upon the comprehensive investigation of Stephen Wynn, the investigation did not reveal any information that would preclude a finding that he possesses the requisite integrity, honesty and good character that are statutorily mandated," its 2013 report said.

The report, totaling about 200 pages, said there should be one condition to granting the license: that Wynn talk about his business practices in Macau. Alleged sexual misconduct did not surface in the report.

The Wall Street Journal story, published Friday, led with a manicurist who was allegedly paid a $7.5 million settlement after allegations that he demanded sex.

The newspaper said that broadly came up in a lawsuit filed by Wynn's ex-wife, Elaine Wynn, over stock sale restrictions.

Steve Wynn told the newspaper he blamed his wife for the surfacing of the allegations and he is in a "terrible and nasty lawsuit" with her.

The Gaming Commission's 2013 report also looked into Elaine Wynn. "Elaine Wynn is described by her references as being incredibly smart, thoughtful and warm hearted," the report said. "She is further characterized as someone who is straight forward and honest with an impeccable reputation."

Wynn Resorts stock prices drop after CEO Steve Wynn accused of sexual misconduct

As for the company, the Wall Street Journal noted that Wynn Resorts, having lost $3 billion in market value after the newspaper's original report, may have to "sell, or to break up, regardless of whether Mr. Wynn stays." 

And the elected officials? Gov. Charlie Baker has said he is appalled by the allegations, and if they are true, Wynn does not meet the suitability standard laid out by the state's gambling law.

Others have been quieter.

In 2016, after Wynn bantered with reporters at a 2016 press conference where he delighted in showing a model of the Wynn Boston Harbor casino, Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria was exuberant.

As Wynn turned to leave and his entourage started to clear the room, DeMaria shouted, "Wynn for president!"

On Tuesday, a day before the Gaming Commission was set to meet, DeMaria's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Gov. Charlie Baker says Republican Governors Association should not accept any more money from Steve Wynn

Bernard J. Calvi is required to complete his bachelor's degree within 3 years, but a spokesman said he is on track to complete it by January

SPRINGFIELD - The city's new Fire Commissioner,  Bernard J. Calvi, begins his tenure at the Springfield Fire Department with a 5-year contract but a 3-year deadline.

Under terms of the contract provided by the city's Department of Human Resources, Calvi has until Jan. 24, 2021 to complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree in fire sciences.

Sworn in last week, Calvi begins with a starting salary of $145,000, which is $15,000 less than what his predecessor Joseph Conant earned in 2017.

Calvi's contract stipulates he gets 30 vacations days a year, a $750 clothing allowance, plus a marked vehicle, and cellphone and laptop.

The contract also notes that he must live in Springfield, any raises will be based on an annual performance review conducted by the mayor, and he is not allowed to engage in "outside employment," with the exceptions of teaching, writing or consulting.

And while the contract notes he may communicate, either in writing or in person, with other city officials, it is clear that he reports directly to the mayor. He is required to meet regularly with the mayor "to review status reports, discuss issues and obtain direction."

When the post was advertised last summer, it stipulated several requirements in suitable candidates.

Among them were 10 years experience as a firefighters, including 5 years at the rank of district chief or higher, be a resident of Springfield, and either have completed a bachelor's degree in fire science or be enrolled in an undergraduate program and able to earn a degree within 3 years of appointment.

Calvi qualifies for most of criteria -- he's been a firefighter since 1992,  a deputy chief in Agawam since 2012, and a resident of Springfield. The only part lacking is the education requirement, and he's working on that, officials said.

He earned an associate's degree with Springfield Technical Community College in Fire Services Administration in 1998. For the last year, he has been enrolled in Waldorf University majoring in fire services administration.

Waldorf University, based in Forest City, Iowa, offers its fire sciences program online. The program is a 4-year, 120-credit undergraduate program .

Fire Department spokesman Dennis Leger, Calvi's aide, said Calvi has seven courses remaining and expects to be finished with the program by the end of the year.

Leger said he had enrolled in it prior to his candidacy for the fire commissioner post.

Calvi also has numerous professional certifications related to firefighting including arson investigations and hazardous materials cleanup.

The allowance to complete his undergraduate work is not new with Calvi's contract. The same was offered to Conant when he was appointed fire commissioner in 2013.

At the time, Conant, a deputy chief with the Springfield Fire Department was midway through a bachelor's degree program at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

He earned his degree in business administration and management in 2016.

Conant was not reappointed fire commissioner at the end of his 5-year-contract. He has returned to the post of deputy chief.

The city had to modify its requirements for fire commissioner in 2013 prior to Conant's appointment. The post used to require a master's degree.

Other items in the contract:

• As part of his 5-year appointment, Calvi may not be removed from the post except for reasons other than "performance, moral character or any other just cause."
• If he steps down  "following a formal suggestion by the city that he resign," the city must pay him the equivalent of nine months salary. If the formal suggestion were to come in the final year of his contract, the city would pay him the remainder of that year's salary.
• If Calvi were to resign on his own without any formal suggestion by the city, he needs to give 90 days notice and would be entitled to no severance pay.
• If in the 5th year, the city opts not to renew his contract, it needs to give him 6 months notice. Failure to do this, would result in another 6 months added to his contract.

Springfield contract with Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi uploaded by Patrick Johnson on Scribd

Carter, a cab driver, forced the girl into his cab and drove her home, where he ordered her to pack up her belongings. Later, he dropped her off at Union Station.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Springfield man is facing an assault charge after confronting a teenage relative at her school and knocking a piercing from her nostril.

Quaseem Carter, 37, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Springfield District Court to one count of domestic assault and battery.

The charge was filed after Carter drove to the 15-year-old's school on Jan. 16 and confronted her during cheerleading practice. Screaming and cursing, he pushed the girl into a boys restroom and "smacked a nose piercing out of her nostril," according to the arrest report.

Carter, a cab driver, forced the girl into his cab and drove her home, where he ordered her to pack up her belongings. Later, he dropped her off at Union Station with a packed suitcase and no ticket, "telling her there was a 7 p.m. bus," the report said.

Springfield police were dispatched to the bus station and the girl was eventually placed with a relative.

In addition to booking Carter on a domestic assault charge, police submitted a report of suspected child abuse with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.

On Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski said Carter has been arrested on a variety of charges, from assault and battery and illegal firearms possession to violating restraining orders.

He has been named in four restraining orders, and served sentences ranging from 90 days to three years, according to the prosecutor, who requested $2,500 cash bail.

Defense lawyer Erin O'Connor said most of the charges on Carter's record date to 15 or more years ago, and he has avoided new legal trouble since 2011.

Until this week, Carter was a driver for Yellow Cab of Springfield, and is now seeking new employment, O'Connor said.

Judge John Payne set bail at $2,500 personal surety and ordered Carter to not abuse the girl and report once a week to his probation officer.

Carter is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on March 15.

A United Airlines passenger who tried to take her emotional support peacock with her on a cross-country flight has had the bird turned away by the airline because of health and safety concerns.

A murder suspect police believe held a leading role in the Lynn-based Young Bloods gang was arrested in the city on Tuesday after years on the lam, reports Massachusetts State Police.

A murder suspect police believe held a leading role in the Lynn-based Young Bloods gang was arrested in the city on Tuesday after years on the lam, reports Massachusetts State Police. 

Working on concert with Lynn and Revere officers and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, state troopers raided a residence at 108 Empire St. around 7:30 p.m.

Steven C. Touch, 28, of Lynn, wanted in connection with a 2012 fatal home invasion in Lynn, was found inside, "hiding inside a drawer built into a bed frame," according to state police. 

Although Touch remained local despite being a wanted man, he was said to be "moving from address to address fairly frequently," according to intelligence developed by MSP. 

Last July, the FBI offered a $10,000 reward for information if it lead to Touch's arrest.

"Very recently, police developed information that (Touch) was at the Empire Street address, and obtained a warrant," a press statement on the arrest said. "The successful conclusion of the search was the result of dedicated and coordinated work by several law enforcement agencies."

According to the statement, Touch has been transferred into the hands of the Billerica Police Department, and will face murder charges in Middlesex Superior Court on Wednesday. 

Touch had been added to the MSP list of most wanted fugitives in Septembers and was considered armed and dangerous. 

Two others, Sophan Keo and Gabrial Arias, were also suspected to have participated in the 2012 Billerica home invasion, which ended in the death of 22-year-old Quintin Koehler.

According to an earlier press release from Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, "The death of Quintin Koehler in his own home was the result of a plan allegedly put together by six men to force their way into a home, terrorize the residents and enrich themselves with money and marijuana."

Two of Touch's alleged accomplices have already been sentenced to life in prison in connection with the murder, the other two await sentencing. 

The Agawam City Council has accepted a $207,970 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources for efficiency upgrades at city facilities.

AGAWAM -- The Agawam City Council has accepted a $207,970 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources for efficiency upgrades at city facilities.

Because Agawam has been a designated a "green community" by the state, the municipality is eligible for grants under the Green Communities Designation & Grant Program, according to City Councilor Gina M. Letellier, who shared details of the grant at a recent council meeting.

Afterward, the full council unanimously voted to accept the funding, which may be used to upgrade furnace and heating units, replace old lights with new LED lights, and other energy efficiency upgrades at city buildings.

Letellier said any work that is performed is exempt from the state bidding process, although an Eversource-approved contractor must be used. 

Agawam also recently received a $49,000 energy rebate, said Letellier, adding that Mayor William P. Sapelli is expected to come before the City Council to discuss a capital improvement energy stabilization fund.

"Any of the energy rebates that we do receive will get put into that energy stabilization fund so that they can be used for future energy improvements," Letellier said.

The Green Communities Designation & Grant Program provides financial and technical support to municipalities that pledge to cut their municipal energy use by 20 percent over five years and meet four other criteria established in the Green Communities Act.

The act, approved by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2008, aims to improve the state's economy and environment by increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources and technologies.

Since the first round of Green Community designations in July 2010, participation in the state program has grown steadily and now includes over half of all commonwealth cities and towns.