5th District candidates agree to debates

Republican Jim Ogonowski has challenged Democrat Niki Tsongas to three debates in their race to replace Representative Martin T. Meehan in Congress. The former Air Force lieutenant colonel from Dracut said the debates will allow the public to see the differences between their political visions. Some of those differences were outlined Wednesday, when the two primary winners exchanged barbs about whether their Oct. 16 election will be a referendum on President Bush and the war in Iraq. Tsongas, a Lowell college dean and widow of former senator Paul Tsongas, responded by saying she has agreed to two debates being organized by the League of Women voters and "will work out the details of a third debate." (AP)

Tom Freston, an entertainment mogul and Emerson College trustee, and his wife, Kathy, have established a $1 million scholarship to promote diversity at Emerson. The Tom and Kathy Freston Diversity Scholarship will be awarded for the first time next year and will go to students who are economically disadvantaged, first-generation college students, or from racial or ethnic groups underrepresented in the student body. Freston is one of the founders of MTV.

Attorney General Martha Coakley announced a lawsuit yesterday alleging that an unlicensed company offered nursing training. Distance Learning Systems Indiana Inc., Nurse Crews of Woburn, and its principal, Emily J. Cruz of Sturbridge, were listed as defendants in the complaint. The lawsuit contends that the company misrepresented to students that it was affiliated with Excelsior College, an independent, nonprofit education corporation recognized by the Board of Regents of New York state. The company also allegedly used misleading advertising to blur the lines between its program and legitimate educational institutions, the complaint said. The training programs closed abruptly with one day's notice to students in February, leaving students unable to get refunds, Coakley's office said.

Paul MacMillan, deputy police chief of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, has been named acting MBTA police chief effective Sept. 20, officials announced yesterday. MacMillan, 54, will replace Joseph Carter, who has been appointed adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard. MacMillan has served the T police since 1983, and under Carter has managed the StopWatch program, a nationally recognized effort to stop disorderly conduct by youths on the MBTA. MBTA General Manager Daniel A. Grabauskas also announced the formation of a subcommittee to determine the permanent replacement for Carter.

The Plymouth district attorney announced yesterday that seven people have been arrested or charged and several more face charges in a monthslong investigation into Internet related crimes against children. Arrested or summonsed on various charges were Matthew J. Newman, 26, of Newton; Richard F. Dawson, 42, of Westwood; Raymond Hunt, 23, of Weymouth; David Caduto, 31, of Weston; Peter J. McLaughlin Jr., 29, of Beverly; Adam Nickerson, 24, of North Providence; and James Dann, 32, of Middleborough.

State Police were hunting yesterday for a fugitive wanted on a warrant for violation of parole on a life sentence. The search for Charles M. Chaples, 46, was being conducted in the wooded area adjacent to 11 Industrial Drive. Chaples should be considered potentially armed and dangerous, police said. Described as a white male, 6 feet 2 inches tall, approximately 225 to 230 pounds, and balding with gray hair, he was last seen wearing green shorts and a green tank top and carrying a gray sweat shirt. He has three unknown tattoos on his back. His last known address was in Dartmouth.

A Springfield police officer has been charged with threatening to kill his wife and child after a two-hour standoff inside their Hampden home. Thomas Michel surrendered and was arrested and charged with assault and battery and assault with intent to murder. (AP)