U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, will address students graduating from colleges in Worcester and Boston this weekend, her office has confirmed.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, will address students graduating from colleges in Worcester and Boston this weekend, her office has confirmed.

The senator is set to deliver commencement remarks to Quinsigamond Community College and Lesley University's respective 2018 graduating classes. 

Warren will address Quinsigamond Community College graduates during Friday's afternoon commencement ceremony at the DCU Center in Worcester, according to officials. 

The Massachusetts Democrat will then receive an honorary degree and deliver a speech at Lesley University's Saturday afternoon commencement ceremony, which is set to take place a the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in Boston. 

Quinsigamond Community College President Luis G. Pedraja said he expected that the senator would "serve as a strong foundation" for the event.

"Sen. Warren has a clear vision of the roles that community colleges play in the economic prosperity of our students and our communities. ... We are sure her words will inspire and motivate our graduates to continue achieving great heights as they leave QCC and fulfill their dreams," he said in an April statement.

Lesley University President Jeff A. Weiss, meanwhile, offered that Warren -- along with other commencement speakers -- "embody the Lesley mission of addressing core societal problems with action, creativity and dedication."

Warren, who taught at Harvard University before entering politics, is no stranger to speaking at college commencements.

'America needs your commitment,' Sen. Elizabeth Warren tells UMass Amherst graduates (photos & video)

The senator previously delivered Wheelock College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst's 2017 commencement addresses.

She also addressed Suffolk University graduates in 2016.

The Springfield Park Department will once again host a series of free concerts at the Forest Park Amphitheater, scheduled to occur the first four Thursdays of June.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Park Department will once again host a series of free concerts at the Forest Park Amphitheater, scheduled to occur every Thursday in June.

The outdoor concerts, all scheduled for 6:30 p.m., are open to the public and free of charge. 

"I am thrilled to have concerts returning to Forest Park," Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said. "This year's line-up will bring a lot of enjoyment to family and friends and the Concert Series provides our residents with programs that enhance our quality of life."

Sarno said he personally looks forward to enjoying the concerts on tap at Forest Park, and is part of his goal of increasing arts and performances in park programming.

Patrick Sullivan, the city's director of parks, buildings and recreation management, said the department is proud to have the concert series.

"We encourage everyone to pack a picnic Supper and enjoy the music in a beautiful setting," Sullivan said.

The concert committee consisted of Denise Jordan, Daryl Moss, Paula Thayer and Sydney Pasini.

"We had a lot of great applicants and they have put together a great line up for 2018," said Sullivan, who also praised the Barney Estate trustees for helping to provide resources for the concert series.

The Republican and local NBC affiliate WWLP 22 News are sponsoring the concert series.

Wayne Phaneuf, executive editor of the Republican, said the Forest Park Amphitheater will provide a wonderful backdrop for this series.

"Everett Barney would be thrilled that his estate is once again the site for concerts in this wonderful park," Phaneuf said. "Kudos to Mayor Sarno, the Barney Trustees and the Springfield Park Department for their efforts."

Bill Pepin, President and General Manager of WWLP, said he is excited to be part of the Summer Concert Series here in Forest Park.

"It so important to have concerts in the parks," Pepin said. "My wife and I are lifelong residents of the Forest Park neighborhood and having music concerts in the amphitheater is a great way to bring family and friends together on a summer night. Channel 22 looks forward to spreading the news of this concert series for everyone to come to Forest Park and enjoy." 

The line-up of concerts is as follows, with all scheduled for Thursday evenings: 

June 7
Floyd Patterson Band
Top 40 Rhythms and Blues

June 14
The Manzi Family Band
Folk Rock and Rock Originals

June 21
The Diamond Collection - Kenny LeBelle
Neil Diamond Tribute

June 28
Leon Spradley
Jazz and R&B

Attendees may enter Forest Park through the Sumner Avenue or Route 5 entrances for free after 5:30 p.m. on the nights of concerts.

For complete details, please visit the Park Department website here, or call 413-787-6435.

Gerry Izzo, a retired Army chief warrant officer, will deliver a presentation at Longmeadow High School about his experience in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu.

LONGMEADOW - A retired Army official will speak about his experiences at the Battle of Mogadishu, the day-long fight in Somalia's capitol city upon which the film "Black Hawk Down" is based.

Gerry Izzo, a retired Army chief warrant officer, will deliver a presentation on his involvement in the 1993 battle -part of Operation Gothic Serpent during the Somali civil war- at Longmeadow High School on 95 Grassy Gutter Road Friday beginning at 5 p.m., a statement from Longmeadow Veterans Services said.

A reception at Nathan Bill's TJS Banquet Hall on 110 Island Pond Road in Springfield will immediately follow the presentation, according to the group. The reception will include appetizers and a meet and greet with Izzo.

Proceeds from the event will be donated to Knights of Hero's Camp, a charity for children of fallen US soldiers, the statement said. The money will be donated under the name of Lt. Colonel Morris (Moose) Fontenot, an Airforce pilot and Longmeadow resident who was killed in a plane crash near Deerfield Valley, Virginia in 2014.

Those seeking more information about the event may contact Longmeadow's Director of Veterans Services Lena Vellturo by phone at 413-565-4100 ext. 1403, or via email at lvellturo@longmeadow.org. Information is also available on Longmeadow Veterans Services Facebook page.

The mobile lab will help small towns test new water treatment technology.

A new mobile water treatment lab run by UMass Amherst will help small towns test new water treatment technology. 

"Some of our smaller towns are risk-averse to testing new technologies on their water treatment," said Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, D-Lenox. "This would allow them to kick the tires and test it on a much smaller basis."

Pignatelli said making a mistake with a new technology can cost towns tens of thousands of dollars, so this is an opportunity for small systems to test out new technologies and see if they will work on a larger scale.

The mobile lab was developed at UMass Amherst with a $100,000 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and other state, federal and corporate money. It will be able to travel around the state to treat and monitor water quality. It will be operated by UMass with grant money.

The mobile lab was on display at the Statehouse Thursday.

David Reckhow, an engineering professor at UMass Amherst and one of the leaders of the project, said the mobile lab will be a tool that smaller communities can use to test technologies and see if they are right for that community to invest in. It will also provide a way to accelerate the development of new technologies, by moving them out of the lab and into practice in community water systems.

"We're still mired in the 100-year-old conventional treatment model that we've been using since the end of World War I," Reckhow said. "We want to update this."

For its first project, the lab will go to Gloucester and Plainville to test an environmentally-friendly chemical that can be added to water to disinfect it. If the testing works over several months, Reckhow said, he hopes to get it approved for use in municipal water systems.

Rep. John Scibak, D-South Hadley, said in addition to benefitting small communities, the mobile lab can save the state money, since the state will no longer have to provide separate grants for different communities to test new technologies. 

The mobile lab could also be helpful in emergency cases, such as when a water system goes down.

"One of the things about drinking water systems is you want to be safety first," said Michael Malone, vice chancellor for research and engagement at UMass Amherst. "You want to be very careful about putting in new technologies, to make sure they work in the field, on the actual water that's being treated."

Possible explosives have been found at Texas high school after a school shooting Friday.

Possible explosives have been found at Texas high school after a school shooting Friday.

School officials said police are working to render them safe. 

Houston-area media citing unnamed law enforcement officials are reporting that there are fatalities following a shooting at a local high school Friday morning.

Television station KHOU and the Houston Chronicle are citing unnamed federal, county and police officials following the shooting at Santa Fe High School, which went on lockdown around 8 a.m. The Associated Press has not been able to confirm the reports.

The school district has confirmed an unspecified number of injuries but said it wouldn't immediately release further details. Assistant Principal Cris Richardson said a suspect "has been arrested and secured."

"We hope the worst is over and I really can't say any more about that because it would be pure speculation," Richardson told media outlets at the scene.

School officials said law enforcement officers were working to secure the building "and initiate all emergency management protocols to release and move students to another location." Students from the high school were being transported to another location to reunite with their parents.

One student told Houston television station KTRK in a telephone interview that a gunman came into her first-period art class and started shooting. The student said she saw one girl with blood on her leg as the class evacuated the room.

"We thought it was a fire drill at first but really, the teacher said, 'Start running,'" the student told the television station.

The student said she didn't get a good look at the shooter because she was running away. She said students escaped through a door at the back of the classroom.

Authorities have not yet confirmed that report.

Aerial footage from the scene showed students standing in a grassy field and three life-flight helicopters landing at the school in Santa Fe, a city of about 13,000 residents roughly 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it was responding to a shooting at the school.

There was a large law enforcement response to the same school in February when it was placed on lockdown after students and teachers said they heard "popping sounds." Santa Fe police swept the campus but found no threat.

A car became engulfed in flames Friday on the side of the Massachusetts Turnpike, causing traffic delays. Watch video

Update: 1:23 p.m.: All lane have reopened. 

A car became engulfed in flames Friday on the side of the Massachusetts Turnpike, causing traffic delays. 

The Massachusetts State Police said the car was heading east when it pulled over near the 101.4 mile market in Westborough. 

The fire caused no injuries but police closed the right lane of traffic to put the fire out

Suspended Springfield Police Officer Daniel J. Cintron, charged in 2017 with assault, was arrested late Thursday and charged with sexual assault of a child. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- A suspended Springfield police officer with a criminal assault case already pending was arrested and charged with sexual assault on a child.

Daniel J. Cintron, 28, was arrested late Thursday at his home in Monson. He is facing eight counts of rape of a child with force, five counts of indecent assault and battery on a child and five counts of witness intimidation. 

The alleged offenses occurred in 2015, according to court documents.

Police spokesman Ryan Walsh said the department's Major Crimes Unit, under the direction of Capt. Trent Duda, began investigating "serious allegations" against Cintron last week. 

Springfield police applied for an arrest warrant and Monson police took Cintron into custody, Walsh said. 

The arrest comes less than a year after he was charged with assault and witness intimidation in September. That case, which is pending, was brought after Cintron and another man allegedly were involved in a violent confrontation with three teens outside the Eastfield Mall.

Cintron's co-defendant in that case, Matthew Matoon, 31, punched one of the teens and Cintron intervened, flashing his badge, according to witnesses. Cintron has been out on bail and suspended without pay since that incident.

Cintron was arraigned in Springfield District Court Friday and held without bail until a dangerousness hearing, scheduled for May 23. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was led away in handcuffs.

Judge John Payne also granted a one-year restraining order for a woman who appeared in court on behalf of two minors. Cintron's attorney waived the formal reading of the charges, so few details were immediately offered in court.

This is a developing story that will be updated with more details after additional reporting.

Three companies responsible for public construction projects were fined by Attorney General Maura Healey on Friday for failing to properly pay their workers.

BOSTON -- Three companies responsible for public construction projects -- including a bridge rehabilitation project in Springfield and the renovation of a Statehouse auditorium -- were fined by Attorney General Maura Healey on Friday for failing to properly pay their workers.

"Employers working on public projects have a duty to treat workers fairly and pay them what they are due," Healey said in a statement.

Florida-based Gemstone LLC and its manager Cameron Jewell were fined $45,126. The company was hired by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for a bridge rehabilitation project on Interstate 291 in Springfield. Healey alleged that the company missed multiple step increases for its bridge painters. As a result, the painters were paid less than the prevailing wage and paid less in overtime pay.

Massachusetts' prevailing wage law sets a pay level that is different from the minimum wage for workers on public construction projects.

Spencer-based Leveillee Architectural Millwork Inc. and its President and Treasurer Richard Leveillee were fined $50,000. Healey said the company unintentionally failed to pay the prevailing wage and failed to submit required payroll reports. It also misclassified workers as apprentices and paid them too low a wage.

The fines related to four public projects: renovating Gardner Auditorium at the Statehouse, renovating Boylston Public Library and doing work at a Plymouth charter school and at Fitchburg State University.

The largest citation was for $60,841 against the Woburn-based RJ Morello Inc. and its President and Treasurer Roger Morello. Healey found the company failed to pay 12 of its plumbers the total wage rate due, misclassified plumbers and underpaid them as apprentices while working at Everett public schools.

Talk of removing the fire chief position from civil service has sparked debate in West Springfield, where the Town Council is girding for a possible showdown when it meets Monday, May 21, to discuss and vote on the matter.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Talk of removing the fire chief position from civil service -- the system requiring qualified public safety job candidates to submit to standardized testing and other forms of vetting -- has sparked debate in West Springfield, where the Town Council is girding for a possible showdown when it meets Monday to discuss and vote on the matter.

"They protect us, civil service protects them," said Councilor Brian Griffin, a firm supporter of keeping the fire chief's job under the civil service system.

"Pulling this out of civil service is not the way to go," he said.

Griffin is not a lone wolf on the nine-member council. Two other councilors have also publicly voiced support for keeping things as they are at the Fire Department, and Mayor Will Reichelt is taking the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" line on the issue.

"We wouldn't have the incredible fire chief currently serving if not for civil service, so I don't see the same perceived problems that may have given rise to the police chief being removed from civil service," Reichelt told The Republican / MassLive.com on Thursday.

"I don't see a need for removal at this time," he said.

The "incredible chief" Reichelt was referring to is Bill Flaherty, who was appointed fire chief in January 2011 after scoring the highest on the civil service exam.

With the retirement of police Chief Ron Campurciani, that position now officially becomes a non-civil service position in West Springfield, where future police chiefs will serve at the mayor's pleasure. The Town Council is now considering whether to make the same change for the fire chief position. 

On May 7, the Town Council's Ordinance & Policy Committee voted to change the fire chief's job from civil service -- a merit-based position requiring applicants to pass a competitive exam -- to a mayoral appointee.

"The idea was, seeing as how the police chief is out of civil service, to match that with the fire chief (also) serving at the pleasure of the mayor," council President George D. Condon III said at the meeting.

"Chief Flaherty's doing a fabulous job and will probably be there another 20 years," Condon said. "It's not political, it's not directed at anybody in particular."

"I'm 100 percent behind it," District 4 Councilor Dan O'Brien, a former West Springfield police captain, said at the meeting, supporting the idea of removing the job from civil service. 

For at-large Councilor Brian Clune, however, it comes down to keeping politics out of the chief selection process, and that means keeping the fire chief under civil service protection. 

"To me it's very clear that we have enough homegrown talent within the West Side Fire Department, and there is absolutely no need for a non-civil service chief," said Clune, who believes changing the status of the job diminishes the quality of candidates who may apply for the position.

"Politics should not play a part in who is chief of the Fire Department," he said.

At-large Councilor Sean Powers worries about the impact on the morale of West Side firefighters if the chief's job is removed from civil service.

"I believe this would result in an overall negative impact on the department, deterring our current men and women from seeking out the ability to rise through our ranks," Powers said.

It's imperative that firefighters "feel that the town fully supports them," he said. "I would like to ensure that they feel this way throughout their careers here in West Springfield."

The tenure of a civil service employee -- someone who is hired based on professional merit, rather than appointed or elected to a public position -- typically survives transitions of political leadership.

It's generally more difficult for municipalities to terminate civil service employees or workers covered by union contracts, who can't be fired without cause or for politically motivated reasons, than it is to terminate at-will or contract employees who serve at the pleasure of mayors or governing boards.

Andrew Shepard, a senior at Westfield State University, has a passion for the outdoors. So his decision to become an environmental science major seemed like a natural fit.

SPRINGFIELD -- Andrew Shepard, a senior at Westfield State University, has a passion for the outdoors. So his decision to become an environmental science major seemed like a natural fit.

"I've always been outdoorsy," he said. "And I like science, too."

Shepard this year's recipient of the Springfield Garden Club's annual $2,000 scholarship, said the award came as a welcome surprise -- one that will ease some of the costs of receiving a degree in his chosen field.

After he graduates in 2019, Shepard, of Springfield, said he plans to look for jobs in the field, adding that there are many opportunities ranging from government positions in fish and wildlife management to pollution control.

Students in environmental science do plenty of field work, including work in the university's greenhouse, which includes a wide variety of plant species including cacti, and banana and olive trees.

"We have some very exotic plants," he said.

Shepard and fellow students also work in the community monitoring water quality in rivers and streams -- and removing invasive species like Japanese knot weed and oriental bittersweet, which pose a danger to other plants.

The biggest challenge facing the environment today is "reducing greenhouse gasses to stop the global temperature from rising and threatening the survival of the planet," he said.

Shepard said he believes he can make a difference by working in environmental protection.

Beate Bolen, a member of the Springfield Garden Club, said Shepard exemplifies the kind of students they hope to help.

"Since 1990, the Springfield Garden Club has awarded $70,800 in scholarships to 42 different recipients," Bolen said.

Most of the funds for the scholarship have been raised with proceeds from the garden club's annual  plant sale, which will be held on Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon.

Club member Janet Dolder said the sale will provide a wide variety of perennials and shrubs from member's gardens.

With the growth of environmental studies programs and a greater understanding of what is at stake if steps aren't undertaken to reverse global warming, the scholarships are more relevant than ever, garden club members say.

Tim Parshall, chairman of the environmental sciences department at Westfield State University, said the school has seen an increase in interest in the field.

"Over the past 10 years we have seen a growth in the number of majors from around 45 to 150, so there has been a lot of interest lately," he said.

The department was established in 2010 with one full-time faculty member and several affiliated faculty, Parshall said. "In the fall, we will welcome our fifth full-time faculty member," he said.

Course work includes biology, chemistry, water resources, wildlife management, soil science, geographic information systems and environmental legislation. The program prepares graduates for careers such as environmental consulting, conservation commission agents, environmental research and working with nonprofit organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, Army Corps of Engineers, he said.

Parshall said Shepard is a worthy recipient of the Garden Club's scholarship, saying he works well in a team and is sharp and well-prepared for class.

"It's been a pleasure to work with Andrew over the past year in our department as a work-study student as well as in the classroom," he said.

A police spokesman said there was an active pursuit from the scene.

 SPRINGFIELD  - Police are on the scene of some type of disturbance on Dwight Street in the city's North End, and police are searching for suspects in the area of the Enfield line, according to police.

Department spokesman Ryan Walsh said police were still working to determine what had occured in the are of 1663 Dwight St.  He said there was an active pursuit from the scene.

This is a developing story and more information will be added as it is known.

Annual Run Westfield 5k starts at 1 p.m.;parts of downtown area closed at 7 a.m.

WESTFIELD - Get ready to Run, Westfield!

The sixth annual Run Westfield Fast Flat 5k is tomorrow starting at 1 p.m. from Westfield State University's South Lot.

The route continues down Western Avenue to Court Street and concludes on Elm Street.

Ahead of the event, portions of downtown will be closed to traffic. Elm Street and all side streets will be closed from Franklin Street to School Street from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. There will be no parking on Elm Street in front of the Westfield Athenaeum or the north side of Court Street until the end of the race.

Western Avenue and all access points will be closed beginning at 12:45 p.m. The road will be open by the end of the race.

Detour signs will alert motorists to alternate routes.

The 5k Kool Down Fest block party is 11 a. m. to 4 p.m. at the Elm Street finish line. Food and drink will be available to purchase from Skyline Trading Co., Two Rivers Burrito, The Tavern and North Elm Butcher Block. A beer tent will also be available. A chidren's tent will offer family-friendly activities by Amelia Park Children's Museum. Vendors and other exhibitors will have tents throughout the area.

Run Westfield is sponsored by Westfield State University, Westfield Bank, The Tierney Group, St. Germain Investment Management and Arbella Insurance.

Also on Saturday is the March of Dimes Spring Carnival at the Westfield Boys & Girls Club from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be carnival games, food, Thomas the Train rides ($5), pony rides ($2) and a painting event with Everyday Painter ($20). All proceeds will benefit the March of Dimes foundation.

With several people reportedly killed Friday in a shooting at a Texas high school, members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation again called on President Donald Trump and Republican leaders to take action to end gun violence.

With several people reportedly killed in a Friday shooting at a Texas high school, members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation again called on President Donald Trump and Republican leaders to take action to end gun violence. 

The Democrats argued that shootings, like the one at Santa Fe High School, are becoming "all to frequent" and underscore the need for universal background checks, increased purchasing ages and other "common sense" firearms policies.

The lawmakers, who have repeatedly urged congressional Republicans to pass various gun control measures in wake of deadly school shootings in Parkland, Florida and Newtown, Connecticut, further offered their prayers to those impacted by Friday's shooting, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least nine people.

At least 8 killed Santa Fe High School shooting

Stressing that schools should be a safe place for learning, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, argued that it's time for Congress to act to prevent similar deaths in the future.

"Today's massacre at Santa Fe High School in Texas is just another reminder of the necessity for Congress to address common sense gun control. ...While I have always been a supporter of the rights of the hunter, the sportsman and the gun collector to bear arms under the Second Amendment, I believe there are sensible proposals that we should all be able to get behind," he said in a statement. "And the time for that is now."

March for Our Lives: Massachusetts lawmakers speak out against gun violence at national rally, sister marches

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, argued that "enough is enough."

"My heart breaks for the students and faculty of Santa Fe High School, and the families of those who lost their lives today," she tweeted. "One young person lost to gun violence is one too many. This cannot continue." 

My heart breaks for the students and faculty of Santa Fe High School, and the families of those who lost their lives today. One young person lost to gun violence is one too many. This cannot continue. #EnoughIsEnough

-- Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May 18, 2018

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, meanwhile, slammed lawmakers' inaction on addressing gun violence, arguing that "Congress failed the victims at Sante Fe High School."

"I am disgusted and angry that we continue to fail our kids. I grieve with the families and friends who have lost loved ones. But thoughts and prayers must be accompanied by real solutions," he tweeted. "Otherwise, it's an empty platitude."

Congress failed the victims at Sante Fe High School. I am disgusted and angry that we continue to fail our kids. I grieve with the families and friends who have lost loved ones.

But thoughts and prayers must be accompanied by real solutions. Otherwise, it's an empty platitude.

-- Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) May 18, 2018

U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, agreed, arguing that "thinking and praying harder won't stop this."

"We need to act," he posted on Twitter.

Congresswoman Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, said she was "horrified" that another set of students, families and teachers have now been impacted by a school shooting. 

"When will Congress stop offering silence and start acting?" she tweeted.

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem, meanwhile, urged lawmakers to look at the human impact of such shootings.

"Kids in Santa Fe went to school this morning and won't ever come home. They won't hug their parents, or fight with their siblings, or procrastinate on homework, or play outside ever again," he posted on Twitter. "They're not statistics - they're our kids. And they're gone. We have to stop this."

Kids in #SantaFe went to school this morning and won't ever come home. They won't hug their parents, or fight with their siblings, or procrastinate on homework, or play outside ever again.

They're not statistics-they're our kids. And they're gone. We have to stop this.

-- Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) May 18, 2018

Congressman Bill Keating, D-Bourne, asked when Republicans will allow lawmakers to take action to protect students and citizens from such mass shootings. 

"Once again, my prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those affected today in Santa Fe at yet another school shooting," he tweeted. "Once again, I continue to pledge my commitment to common sense gun safety laws."

Like Massachusetts Democrats, Trump agreed that school shootings have "been going on too long in our country."

School shooting survivors meet with President Trump to plead for gun control, improved safety

The president stressed that his administration is committed to doing everything possible to protect students, secure schools and keep weapons out of the wrong hands. 

"Everyone must work together at every level of government to keep our children safe," he said, according to White House pool reports. "May God heal the injured and may God comfort the wounded and may God be with the victims and with the victims' families."

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos noted that the Federal Commission on School Safety is working to identify ways to prevent such violence and keep students safe. 

"Our work remains urgent. Our nation must come together and address the underlying issues that lead to such tragic and senseless loss of life," she said in a statement.

At least one gunman opened fire at a Houston-area high school Friday, killing eight to 10 people, most of them students, authorities said. It was the nation's deadliest such attack since the massacre in Florida that gave rise to a campaign by teens for gun control.

At least one gunman opened fire at a Houston-area high school Friday, killing eight to 10 people, most of them students, authorities said. It was the nation's deadliest such attack since the massacre in Florida that gave rise to a campaign by teens for gun control.

The suspected gunman has been identified as 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis. He was a student at Santa Fe High School.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said he could not be precise about the number of deaths at the high school, which went on lockdown around 8 a.m. Pagourtzis is in custody and a second person detained.

An unknown number of possible explosive devices were found at the school and off campus. Authorities were in the process of rendering them safe and asked the public to call 911 if they see anything suspicious.

The district confirmed an unspecified number of injuries but did not release details. A school police officer was shot, officials said, but there was no immediate word on his condition.

One hospital reported treating eight wounded patients. Six were treated and released. One was listed in critical condition, and another in fair condition.

Michael Farina, 17, said he was on the other side of campus when the shooting began and thought it was a fire drill. He was holding a door open for special education students in wheelchairs when a principal came bounding down the hall and telling everyone to run. Another teacher yelled out, "It is real."

Students were led to take cover behind a car shop across the street from the school. Some still did not feel safe and began jumping the fence behind the shop to run even farther away, Farina said.

"I debated doing that myself," he said.

A law enforcement official identified a person in custody in the shooting as 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis.

The official was not authorized to discuss the shooting by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.

A woman who answered the phone at a number associated with the Pagourtzis family declined to speak with the AP.

"Give us our time right now, thank you," she said.

Pagourtzis plays on the Santa Fe High School junior varsity football team, and is a member of a dance squad with a local Greek Orthodox church.

The shooting was all but certain to re-ignite the national debate over gun regulations. While cable news channels carried hours of live coverage, survivors of the Feb. 14 attack in Parkland, Florida, took to social media to express grief and outrage.

"My heart is so heavy for the students of Santa Fe High School. It's an all too familiar feeling no one should have to experience. I am so sorry this epidemic touched your town -- Parkland will stand with you now and forever," Marjory Stoneman Douglas student Jaclyn Corin said in a tweet.

She also directed her frustration at Trump, writing "Our children are being MURDERED and you're treating this like a game. This is the 22nd school shooting just this year. DO SOMETHING."

In Texas, senior Logan Roberds said he was near the school's art room when he heard a fire alarm and left the building with other students. Once outside, Roberds said, he heard two loud bangs. He initially thought somebody was loudly hitting a trash can. Then came three more bangs.

"That's when the teachers told us to run," he said.

At that point, Roberds said, he told himself, "Oh my God, this is not fake. This is actually happening."

Friday's assault was the deadliest in Texas since a man with a semi-automatic rifle attacked a rural church late last year, killing more than two dozen people. The Parkland attack killed 17.

Aerial footage showed students standing in a grassy field and three medical helicopters landing at the school in Santa Fe, a city of about 13,000 people roughly 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

One student told Houston television station KTRK in a telephone interview that a gunman came into her first-period art class and started shooting. The student said she saw one girl with blood on her leg as the class evacuated the room.

"We thought it was a fire drill at first but really, the teacher said, 'Start running,'" the student told the television station.

The student said she did not get a good look at the shooter because she was running away. She said students escaped through a door at the back of the classroom.

Authorities did not immediately confirm that report.

Vice President Mike Pence said he and President Donald Trump were briefed on the shooting. Pence said the students, families, teachers and all those affected should know: "'We're with you. You're in our prayers and I know you are in the prayers of the American people."

Trump added in a tweet that early reports were "not looking good. God bless all!"

First lady Melania Trump also weighed in on Twitter, saying her "heart goes out to Santa Fe and all of Texas today."

In the aftermath of the assault on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, survivors pulled all-nighters, petitioned city councils and state lawmakers, and organized protests in a grass-roots movement.

Within weeks, state lawmakers adopted changes, including new weapons restrictions. The move cemented the gun-friendly state's break with the National Rifle Association. The NRA fought back with a lawsuit.

In late March, the teens spearheaded one of the largest student protest marches since Vietnam in Washington and inspired hundreds of other marches from California to Japan.

The calls for tighter gun controls that have swelled since the February mass shooting at a Florida high school have barely registered in gun-loving Texas -- at least to this point.

Texas has some of the most permissive gun laws in the U.S. and just hosted the NRA's annual conference earlier this month. In the run-up to March primaries, gun control was not a main issue with candidates of either party. Republicans did not soften their views on guns, and Democrats campaigned on a range of issues instead of zeroing in on gun violence.

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Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington, D.C.; David Warren, Jamie Stengle, and Diana Heidgerd in Dallas; Nomaan Merchant in Galveston; and Will Weissert and Paul Weber in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.

A sophomore says it was "chaos" when the fire alarm sounded at Santa Fe High School and people realized it was an active shooter situation. Watch video

It was a chaotic scene at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas as students ran from their classrooms, fleeing a gunman on school grounds. 

"All we heard was 'Run, run! And next thing we hear, 'Boom, boom!' And then everyone just started running" Dakota Shrader, a student at Santa Fe High School, told the Associated Press.

Shrader called her mother after fleeing the school in a state of panic. Susan Davidson said she drove around the area looking for her daughter, finding her in a nearby field. 

Sixteen-year-old John Robinson told the Associated Press he was in English class when the fire alarm went off. 

"Everybody was just trying to get away from the school. They kept saying there was a shooter, people were shot," the sophomore said. 

Robinson believes at least two of his friends were injured. 

At least eight people were killed in the attack, more than a dozen were injured. Authorities remain unsure about the precise number of deaths at this time.

The suspected gunman has been identified as 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis. A second person has been detained. 

The death toll following a school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas has risen to 10, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday.

The death toll following a school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas has risen to 10, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday. 

The governor said an additional 10 were injured. 

Nothing can prepare a parent for the loss of a child," Abbott said during a press conference. 

He asked "every parent out there" to "hold your children close tonight and let them know that you love them."

The suspected gunman has been identified as 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis. He was a student at Santa Fe High School. Pagourtzis is in custody. Two others, including one who was at the scene, remain persons of interest.

Two weapons were used in the attack: a shotgun and a .38 revolver. Both were legally owned by the suspect's father. 

Abbott said "it's time in Texas" to curtail gun violence. The governor said his administration will begin roundtable discussions to hear from people on all sides of the issue. 

He said he will seek laws to "protect Second Amendment rights" but keep guns out of the hands of people with a criminal record or history of mental health. 

Police have recovered the car and some guns that were inside it. The suspects remain on the lam, police said.

SPRINGFIELD - Police have confirmed that a disturbance on Dwight Street Friday afternoon was an armed home invasion robbery that briefly led to a lockdown at a neighborhood school.

Police spokesman Ryan Walsh said suspects from the robbery fled the scene with police in pursuit toward the Connecticut line. The suspects apparently ditched the car, and police have recovered firearms inside of it.

The search is ongoing in the area along the Connecticut line by Enfield and Longmeadow. Springfield is being aided in the search by Longmeadow and Enfield police, and by Massachusetts and Connecticut state police.

Walsh said victims in the robbery did not require a trip to the hospital.

The Lincoln Elementary School was briefly locked down early in the investigation, Walsh said. One of the victims from the home invasion ran to the school to get help.

The lockdown has since been lifted.

In an embarrassment for House Republican leaders, conservatives on Friday scuttled a bill that combines stricter work and job training requirements for food stamp recipients with a renewal of farm subsidies popular in GOP-leaning farm country.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In an embarrassment for House Republican leaders, conservatives on Friday scuttled a bill that combines stricter work and job training requirements for food stamp recipients with a renewal of farm subsidies popular in GOP-leaning farm country.

Hard-right conservatives upset over the party's stalled immigration agenda opposed the measure, which failed by a 213-198 vote. Some 30 Republicans joined with every chamber Democrat in opposition.

The vote was a blow to GOP leaders, who had hoped to tout its new work requirements for recipients of food stamps. The work initiative polls well with voters, especially those in the GOP political base.

More broadly, it exposed fissures within the party in the months before the midterm elections, and the Freedom Caucus tactics rubbed many rank-and-file Republicans the wrong way. A handful of GOP moderates opposed the bill, too, but not enough to sink it on their own.

"You judge each piece of legislation on its own," said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. "You don't hold one thing hostage for something that's totally different and has nothing to do with it. I would say that's a mistake in my view."

Key conservatives in the rebellious House Freedom Caucus opposed the measure, seeking leverage to win procedural advantages to in a debate on immigration next month. Negotiations with GOP leaders Friday morning failed to bear fruit, however, and the unrelated food and farm measure was defeated.

Conservative Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said some members had concerns over the farm bill, but said, "That wasn't my main focus. My main focus was making sure we do immigration policy right" and "actually build a border security wall."

Beyond the drama and infighting among Republicans, the debacle appears to make it even more likely that Congress will simply extend the current farm bill when it expires in September.

The farm bill, a twice-per-decade rite on Capitol Hill, promises greater job training opportunities for recipients of food stamps, a top priority for House leaders. Democrats are strongly opposed, saying the stricter work and job training rules are poorly designed and would drive 2 million people off of food stamps. They took a victory lap after the vote.

"On a bipartisan basis, the House rejected a bad bill that failed farmers and working families," said Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "Republicans wrote a cruel, destructive Farm Bill that abandoned farmers and producers amid plummeting farm prices and the self-inflicted damage of President Trump's trade brinkmanship."

Currently, adults 18-59 are required to work part-time to receive food stamps, officially called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or agree to accept a job if they're offered one. Stricter rules apply to able-bodied adults 18-49, who are subject to a three-month limit of benefits unless they meet a work or job training requirement of 80 hours per month.

Under the new bill, the tougher requirement would be expanded to apply to all adults on SNAP, with exceptions for of seniors, pregnant women, caretakers of children under the age of 6, or people with disabilities.

"It sets up a system for SNAP recipients where if you are able to work, you should work to get the benefits," said Ryan, R-Wis." And if you can't work, we'll help you get the training you need. We will help you get the skills you need to get an opportunity."

The measure would have greatly expanded funding for state-administered job training programs, but Democrats and outside critics say the funding for the proposed additional job training would require huge new bureaucracies, extensive record-keeping requirements, and that the funding levels would fall far short of what's enough to provide job training to everybody covered by the new job training requirements.

"While I agree that there are changes that need to be made to the SNAP program, this is so clearly not the way to do it," said Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota, top Democrat of the Agriculture Committee. "The bill cuts more than $23 billion in SNAP benefits and will result in an estimated 2 million Americans unable to get the help they need."

He said it "turns around and wastes billions ... cut from SNAP benefits to create a massive, untested workforce training bureaucracy."

In addition to food stamps, the measure would renew farm safety-net programs such as subsidies for crop insurance, farm credit and land conservation. Those subsidies for farm country traditionally form the backbone of support for the measure among Republicans, while urban Democrats support food aid for the poor.

On Thursday, supporters of the agriculture safety net easily defeated an attempt to weaken the government's sugar program, which critics say gouges consumers by propping up sugar prices.

The measure mostly tinkered with farm programs, adding provisions aimed at boosting high-speed internet access in rural areas, assist beginning farmers, and ease regulations on producers. But since the measure makes mostly modest adjustments to farm policy, some lawmakers believe that the most likely course of action this year is a temporary extension of the current measure, which expires at the end of September.

In the Senate, the chamber's filibuster rules require a bipartisan process for a bill to pass. There, Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., promises a competing bill later this month and he's signaling that its changes to food stamps would be far more modest than the House measure.

A sheriff says the 17-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of at least 10 people at his Houston-area high school is being held on a capital murder charge.

The suspect accused of opening fire on classmates at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas has been ordered held without bail. 

Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said in a statement that the student, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, is being held on a capital murder charge. 

He was a student at Santa Fe High School. Two others, including one who was at the scene, remain persons of interest.

At least 10 people were killed in the shooting Friday morning and another 10 were wounded. 

Two weapons were used in the attack: a shotgun and a .38 revolver. Both were legally owned by the suspect's father. 

All Big Y locations, including Fresh Acres and Table & Vine, will have special receptacles for accepting the worn flags.

SPRINGFIELD -- Big Y Foods Inc. is collecting worn, torn, faded, or badly soiled American flags for proper retirement ahead of Flag Day for the seventh year in a row.

Big Y works with local Boy Scouts, American Legion and VFW posts and military organizations to properly retire the collected flags, according to a news release.

People with flags that require disposal can bring them from May 24 to June 13. All Big Y locations, including Fresh Acres and Table & Vine, will have special receptacles for accepting the worn flags.

"As a symbol of our being an American-owned supermarket, Big Y is proud to help our communities by properly retiring their worn, tattered or soiled American flags," said Big Y CEO Donald H. D'Amour.

Since 2012, Big Y has collected over 36,800 American flags for proper retirement.
The collecting organizations will hold a special flag retirement ceremony that conforms to the United States Flag Code:

"United States Federal Law provides that 'The Flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.' (36 U.S.C. 176(k)) The burning symbolizes purification and rebirth when performed during a ceremony. After a final tribute, a flag is cut in 13 strips that represent the original 13 colonies, and the 50 stars to pay homage to the 50 states. The strips are then respectively placed on a fire. The ashes are then collected and buried after the Pledge of Allegiance is recited and a moment of silence is observed.

President Woodrow Wilson establish Flag Day in 1916. It is celebrated every year on June 14 to observe the adoption of the first national flag in 1777.