PHILADELPHIA

Mid-Atlantic states receive light covering of snow

A few inches of snow coated the Northeast on Saturday in a storm so rare this season in the East that some welcomed it.

“We’ve been very lucky, so we can’t complain,” said Gloria Fernandez of New York City, as she shoveled the sidewalk outside her workplace. “It’s nice, it’s fluffy and it’s on the weekend,” she said of the snow, which hadn’t fallen in the city since a rare October storm that dumped more than 2 feet of snow in parts and knocked out power to nearly 3 million homes and businesses in the region.

By midafternoon, 4.3 inches of snow had fallen in Central Park and 3.4 inches at LaGuardia Airport in New York. Most of eastern Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, and central New Jersey saw about 4 inches of snow, with a few places reporting up to 6 inches. Flurries and freezing rain fell around Washington, D.C.

Up to 10 inches was predicted for southeastern Massachusetts, noteworthy in a season marked by a lack of snow throughout the Northeast. The quick-moving storm was expected to move out to sea overnight.

DANBURY, Conn.

Dalai Lama to speak this fall at state university campus

The Dalai Lama has accepted an invitation to visit Western Connecticut State University this fall.

The Tibetan spiritual leader is scheduled to speak at forums Oct. 18 and 19 at the university’s Danbury campus. The events will be open to the public, and tickets will go on sale at an unannounced future date.

The Hartford Courant reported that the visit is the culmination of efforts that started in 2010 with discussions between two faculty members and officials at the Tibetan Buddhist Center for Universal Peace in Redding.

University President James Schmotter attended a contract-signing ceremony recently at the Office of Tibet in New York City to confirm arrangements for the visit.

The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, but has lived in exile from Tibet since 1959.

BOSTON

Court upholds FBI’s liability in alleged Bulger murders

A federal appeals court has upheld multimillion-dollar judgments that found the government liable for the deaths of three people allegedly murdered by James “Whitey” Bulger.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld awards Friday that ranged from $350,000 to $1.3 million for the families of Debra Davis, Deborah Hussey and Louis Litif.

The court affirms a trial judge’s decision that the FBI showed “wildly reckless behavior” in using Bulger and his associate, Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi, as informants and shielding them from prosecution.

Steve Davis, the brother of Debra Davis, told The Boston Globe that the appeals court’s decision shows his sister mattered.

Bulger was arrested last year after 16 years on the run. He awaits trial on accusations of participating in 19 murders.

— From news service report