Mayor Domenic Sarno, Ward 7 City Councilor Tim Allen and other officials will update residents.
SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Domenic Sarno, Ward 7 City Councilor Tim Allen and other city officials will hold a community meeting for Springfield residents affected by Wednesday's tornado tonight (Saturday) at 6 p.m. at the Holy Cross Church Gymnasium, 221 Plumtree Road.
Storm-related information and updates will be provided to residents. Officials have scheduled an hour for the meeting.
52 graduates earned Silver F Awards for their scholastic achievement, service and extracurricular activities.
SOUTH DEERFIELD - The young men and young women of the Class of 2011 on Friday processed into their Frontier Regional School graduation on the football field wearing caps and gowns - blue for the boys and white for the girls.
Fifty-two of the 106 graduates earned Silver F Awards for their scholastic achievement, service and extracurricular activities.
“This class is multi-talented and so diverse,” said Principal Martha H. Barrett. “Academically, they are very strong, but they have also excelled in the arts and athletics while engaging in community service. They march to the beat of their own drummer, but they are very accepting of each other. They’re very unique in that way.”
More than 90 percent of the class will pursue higher education.
Barrett hopes that as adults, the members of the Class of 2011 will “ask the questions that need to be asked” so they can participate in a global society.
“The world is a much smaller place,” she said. “They have to be aware of each other’s cultures and situations and norms so they can live in a society not constantly battling each other.”
The guest speaker at the Friday graduation was Timothy P. Merritt, principal of Sunderland Elementary School and a former English teacher at Frontier Regional School.
The graduates will continue to grow at their own pace, he said, encouraging them all - regardless of what they do next - to take the time to celebrate their success thus far and to then move forward.
He encourages young people to learn “sooner rather than later how fleeting life can be and that they need to enjoy as many moments as they can.”
"The Pioneer class of 2011 as a group and as individuals has faced many challenges," Principal William Wehrli said.
NORTHFIELD – The word that comes to mind when William M. Wehrli, principal of Pioneer Valley Regional School, thinks about this year’s graduates is perseverance.
“The Pioneer class of 2011 as a group and as individuals has faced many challenges,” he said. “Many of our students have faced life challenges beyond their years and each one has persevered.”
The Northfield school graduated 63 students Friday. “I am proud of the effort each student has made to become a successful graduate,” Wehrli said.
He hopes each student will build on his or her successes in high school and have a bright future.
“My experience tells me that their ability to stand tall in the face of adversity, to work hard and to stay positive will serve them well and will be an example for all of us,” he said.
Class valedictorian was Katelyn M. Gilbert; salutatorian was Kelsey A. Finnell.
Eighty-one percent of the Pioneer Valley Regional School Class of 2011 is headed to college.
According to the school’s website, the Pioneer community is committed to creating a learning environment that fosters universal respect, personal responsibility and academic excellence.
“Pioneer recognizes that to meet the challenges of the 21st century we must critically and creatively engage in real world tasks, adapt to new situations and technologies and collaboratively problem solve,” it notes.
“By designing equal opportunities and multiple approaches to growth in a heterogeneous setting, we will facilitate the success of our students in a rapidly evolving, diverse global society.”
Alda, famous for his role as Hawkeye Pierce on TV's "Mash," had a personal reason for attending Saturday's ceremony: His granddaughter was among the 121 graduating seniors at the Easthampton prep school.
EASTHAMPTON -- He's perhaps best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H, one of television's longest-running TV shows. But Alan Alda was playing the role of "grandfather" Saturday, when he gave the commencement address at The Williston Northampton School.
Alda, the five-time Emmy Award-winning actor, best-selling author and all-around nice guy, turned in a heartfelt performance during his address to students, their families and faculty members of the prestigious Easthampton prep school, eliciting strong laughter and applause from the appreciative audience.
However, Alda wasn't acting like an adoring grandfather, he was an adoring grandfather: His granddaughter, Emilia Alda Caligiuri, was among the 121 seniors who graduated from Williston Northampton on a picture-perfect Saturday morning.
The commencement, which began at 9:30 a.m., was held on the school's spacious quadrangle in front of Reed Campus Center and marked the school's 170th graduation ceremony.
Alda urged the Class of 2011 to be dreamers, but he emphasized the importance of dreaming with a purpose and having viable plans to make dreams a reality.
"If all you have is a dream, you're in trouble," he said, adding that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the slain civil rights leader, had a plan of action to go along with his dream of a more tolerant world.
"You gotta have a dream, but you gotta keep working on it. If you don't work on it, its' just a badge you wear and it doesn't mean anything," he said.
And it's important to not just dream for yourself, he said, but to dream for others as well.
"Do it for other people, too, and with other people," Alda said. "Solitary dreams are not only less fun, but less successful."
At one point during his address, Alda was interrupted by an airplane buzzing high above in the cloudless sky. Alda didn't miss the chance for an allusion to his TV days as Hawkeye, the wise-cracking Army doctor in a mobile army surgical hospital -- or MASH -- unit stationed in Korea during that Cold War conflict.
"Wait, there's wounded coming in," he said, looking skyward as the audience erupted with applause and laughter.
Toward the end of his address, Alda took stock of his own life and the still-emerging lives of the young students in the crowd.
"You'll accomplish things I'll never see. ...I don't know where you'll go, but I hope you go there with courage and a lightness of being," he said.
Alda also reminded graduates to bring their long johns along for the journey, and to always remember "that all of you are loved."
Besides Alda's address, the commencement program included the announcement of senior prizes, the induction of new Cum Laude Society members, the presentation of diplomas, and words from Caligiuri, the senior class speaker, who hails from Sag Harbor, N.Y.
Several graduates were honored with Senior Prizes, which are presented each year at commencement as voted by the faculty.
The Valedictory Prize, given to the senior whom faculty members deem to be "pre-eminent in academic achievement," was awarded to Sarah Claire Fay of South Hadley, who will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall.
Fay also received the The Sarah B. Whitaker Prize -- also known as White Blazer Award -- which honors the co-founder of the Northampton School for Girls, who was co-principal from 1924 to 1962. The White Blazer is "given to the young woman who has distinguished herself with the greatest contributions to the academic, athletic and community life of the school while exhibiting exemplary leadership and integrity."
The Archibald V. Galbraith Prize, given in honor of the school's eighth headmaster, is awarded to a male student deemed to be an exemplary representative of the school when it comes to "academics, athletics and citizenship." This year's award was presented to Jose Antonio Alvarez of Chicago, Ill., who will attend Northwestern University.
The Henry E. Donais Jr. Award, given to the senior "who has manifested a love of the natural world and who has taken an active interest in the protection and preservation of the world's environmental resources," was awarded to Dongyang Cheng of Houston, who will attend Harvard University.
Numerous other prizes were awarded to Williston Northampton students, many of whom are bound for some of the nation's top colleges and universities.
Alda was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1994. He hosted the award-winning series, "Scientific American Frontiers," and was presented with the National Science Board's Public Service Award for his efforts to broaden the public's understanding of science.
Some of Alda's many film roles include "The Aviator," which earned him an Academy Award nomination, "Crimes and Misdemeanors," "Everyone Says I Love You," "Manhattan Murder Mystery" and "Paper Lion." He also wrote and directed "The Four Seasons," "Sweet Liberty," "A New Life" and "Betsy's Wedding."
His first memoir, "Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, and Other Things I've Learned," was a New York Times bestseller, as was his second offering,"Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself."
Life is good co-founder Bert Jacobs brought his message of optimism as the featured speaker.
MONTAGUE - “Life is Good” could have been the theme of the 2011 Franklin County Technical School graduation Friday in the Turners Falls section of Montague where the completion of high school was celebrated and Life is good co-founder Bert Jacobs was the featured speaker.
He brought the message of optimism that characterizes the Life is good company, a $100-million privately held business based in Boston that sells colorful apparel and accessories. Its mission is to spread the message of the power of optimism and how it can change lives.
In 1994, with $78 in the bank, Bert and his brother, John, officially launched Life is good; now its products are sold by more than 4,500 retailers nationwide and in some 30 countries.
Optimism is not only enjoyable, it is powerful, Jacobs said. “The power of optimism can make things happen.”
Optimism is self-fulfilling; “If you believe in yourself and believe you can make things happen, it opens opportunities,” he said.
He encourages people to celebrate the moment and to be grateful for what they have. “As soon as you are grateful, it puts a bounce in your step.”
“You have to learn how to be happy today in order to be happy tomorrow,” he said.
Christopher N. Jennison, of Greenfield, was the Franklin County Technical School Class of 2011 valedictorian. Salutatorian was Calvin J. McKemmie, of Sunderland.
Half of the 117 graduates are going on to college.
Principal Richard Martin was quick to point out the accomplishments of some of the class members: All eight of the graduates in the health technology program passed an EMT exam; all four cosmetology graduates passed a licensure exam; carpentry graduates worked on a Habitat for Humanity house in Greenfield; and plumbing and electrical graduates worked on an addition to the Peace Pagoda in Leverett.
Martin noted that Tyler F. Jarvenpaa, of Orange, a member of the Class of 2011, is a stock car racer and brought his car to school for his capstone project. “It looked amazing,” he said.
“It’s fascinating to know that when I give them their diplomas, they are going to go out and make an immediate difference” in the world, Martin said of the graduates.
Class valedictorian Samuel Hanson said Hampshire is a very safe school that offers "kind of a sense of unity."
Samuel Hanson, the Hampshire Regional High School class valedictorian, said if he had to describe the Class of 2011 in one word, it would be “involved.”
He said they’re not only involved in sports, but in music programs and the arts. He said there are 12 seniors in the jazz band alone and seven in chorus.
The Hampshire Regional 2011 class of 133 graduated Friday night at John M. Greene Hall in Northampton.
Hanson, of Williamsburg, said Hampshire Regional, in Westhampton, is a very safe school that offers “kind of a sense of unity.”
He will be heading to Northeastern University in Boston where he’ll be studying engineering with a minor in music.
According to the guidance office, 90 percent of the class is heading to either two- or four-year colleges.
“This class is amazing,” said principal Patricia A. Clem. “The have excelled in academics, athletics and the performing arts. In addition, they led the creation of a school-wide bullying assembly that has fundamentally changed our entire school climate and has become a model across the state.”
Class salutatorian Cailee Dean agreed that program was “extremely successful,” and is a reflection of how respectful the class is.
She describes her class as “really respectful.” She said even the senior prank was respectful; the class filled assistant principal Mark A. Folta’s office with balloons. She will attend Holy Cross, with biology as her major.
Her message to her fellow graduates - to continue what they have begun.
Principal Vito Perrone: "They’re very confident, self-assured and extremely persistent."
EASTHAMPTON - Easthampton High School’s class of 2011 graduated Friday, receiving 103 diplomas in all.
Forty-six percent of the class will go on to two-year colleges while 28 percent are seeking four-year degrees. Three students are entering certificate programs or apprenticeships, while two will join the armed forces, said principal Vito Perrone.
Athletic director Jeff Sealander delivered the commencement address. He was the principal when the class of 2011 were freshmen.
Sealander’s address focused on the value of a positive attitude, appreciation of one’s roots and the speed with which life can change in unexpected ways.
Life will have its pitfalls and tragedies, but you must have perseverance and faith to get through them, he said.
Chairman Peter Gunn delivered a message from the school committee and Superintendent Nancy Follansbee gave congratulatory remarks.
This year’s valedictorian was Caitlin Weir. Allyson Yarra was the salutatorian.
At a separate awards night, class treasurer Samantha Duda won the Clark-Donovan Prize, which goes to “the senior who has done the most for the school during the entire four-year enrollment,” and an award for her theater work, among others.
Weir also won a bevy of awards, including the Academic Excellence Prize and an award for having the highest math average in the class.
Yarra also took home a leadership pin, several awards and other accolades.
“It’s kind of an exuberant bunch,” said Perrone. “They’re very confident, self-assured and extremely persistent.”
“Watch out, world!” he said. “Here they come!”
Advisor Lisa York said the class "is amazing. They’re responsible, dedicated, hard-working."
HADLEY - The Hopkins Academy Class of 2011 is extremely close, said class valedictorian Nathan Bombardier.
In part that closeness comes from being just a class of 46, with most students knowing each other all of their lives.
At the same time, he said, “We’re all different. We’re like siblings” which means disagreements at times.
But, he said, “We all like each other because of that.”
The closeness and familiarity fosters a sense of safety. His message to his classmates at the Friday night graduation at Hopkins is “coming from a small school environment, not to be afraid to step out into the world.”
Bombardier will be a pre-med major at the University of Notre Dame.
Of the graduates, 94 percent are heading to two- or four-year colleges.
Advisor Lisa York said the class “is amazing. They’re responsible, dedicated, hard-working.”
She said, “they put forth the effort to make the school successful.” That comes through the math team, sports and other areas, she said. “They get along very well.”
Co-advisor Nick Simmons echoed her sentiment. “They care a lot about each other ... When there’s a lot of tasks to do, there’s a lot of leaders in the class (willing to take them on). They’re very selfless.”
He said they don’t worry about getting paid or earning class credit.
And, he said, “they have a lot of pride for their school and the town.”
The top two students both were part of the programming and Web development shops.
PALMER – Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School’s valedictorian, AJ Czuprynski, told his fellow graduates at Saturday’s commencement that “graduation is not the end for us but rather the beginning of a new chapter of our lives.”
“As we close one door and open another, new opportunities and adventures await us,” Czuprynski, of Ludlow, said.
“While you’ll probably lose touch with more than half of the people that you’re sitting with today, they’ll forever be a part of your life. If not for them, you would not be the person you are today and for that you should thank your fellow classmates,” he said.
Salutatorian Joshua W. DeLand, of Monson, said, “let us not live for ourselves, but for everyone, and to make a lasting impact on our world.”
“During the last few years of high school, we’ve changed. We’ve become smarter, more independent and more aware of what our future holds,” DeLand continued.
The top two students both were part of the programming and Web development shops. Czuprynski will attend Fitchburg State College, and DeLand will attend Springfield Technical Community College. They also are members of the National Technical Honor Society.
Of the 138 graduates, 72 of them plan to attend two-or four-year schools or colleges, and seven plan to enter military service, according to information from the school.
“This year’s class is remarkable for the number and quality of individual students, but also for how the class has come together over their four years here. They are an extraordinary group of young people. We will miss them and wish them well,” Superintendent Gerald L. Paist said.
The regional school district’s member towns are Palmer, Belchertown, Granby, Ware, Warren, Monson, Oakham, Hardwick and New Braintree, but also has students from other area communities.
The valedictorian is Rachael Bassett and salutatorian is Taylor Custer.
WARREN - Quaboag Regional High School’s class of 2011 graduated Saturday, and 85 percent of its 87 members will go on to two- and four-year colleges, according to Superintendent Brett Kustigian.
The valedictorian is Rachael Bassett and salutatorian is Taylor Custer.
“They’re terrific,” Kustigian said about the class.
“This is the first year that the superintendent’s office is in the school building rather than town hall, and they made me feel at home from the first day,” Kustigian said.
Kustigian said 53 percent of the senior class was enrolled in at least one advanced placement class this school year. He said while the majority of the class is continuing their education, one will enter the military and the remainder will go straight into the workforce.
As Springfield residents work to pick up the pieces of their lives following Wednesday's tornadoes, city officials are stepping-up efforts to help them out.
SPRINGFIELD- As utility crews worked alongside local, state and federal agencies on the streets of Springfield on Saturday to deal with the aftermath of the tornadoes, the people trying to enter the shattered neighborhoods complicated things for the police and the residents trying to salvage their homes and possessions.
"This is not Disney World- it's a disaster site," said Mayor Domenic Sarno. "The people who are coming into the city to see the destruction are making it harder for everyone that is working to clean it up for the people who live here. We are asking them to please, stay away."
In the heavily damaged East Forest Park neighborhood, homeowners picked up the pieces as Sarno and Communications Director Tom Walsh walked the streets talking with residents.
"We had a complete stranger come and cut a tree off of our house and random people stopping by to see if we were alright," said Carol LaValley, who lives on Surrey Road with her husband Jeffery in a house which sustained heavy damage in the tornadoes. "And we can't thank the city enough. The people here really appreciate everything you guys are doing."
LaValley wasn't the only person thanking Sarno for the collective efforts of the city's employees. As he and Walsh walked down Island Pond Road, several drivers stopped to express their appreciation while many people cleaning up their properties followed suit.
Some residents expressed frustration that their houses were condemned, or questioned the mayor about other pressing issues, such as neighborhood security and debris removal.
"These people have been through so much and its important that they know we are here with them," Sarno said. "The good or the bad, I want them to let me know what's on their minds."
The city has joined with state and federal forces to attack the various aftermath issues. At a news conference Saturday, Sarno said that the recovery effort has moved from the triage stage to one focusing on stabilization.
"Starting on Monday, there will be two teams from MEMA and FEMA moving through the affected areas of the city," Sarno said. "One will be a public assistance team that is focusing on businesses and schools and the other will focus on individual assistance on the worst hit streets."
Determining which buildings are stable and which ones are entirely unsafe is one of the highest priorities, according to the mayor.
Building Commissioner Steven Desilets said that city residents with condemned houses, designated by an "x" spray-painted on the front of the building, can call the Building Department to request an inspection.
"Our number one goal is safety," Desilets said. "In many cases buildings are marked with an "x" for good reason."
The Building Dept. is open for business from 7 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and can be reached by calling 413-787-6031.
The Springfield Fire Department is urging people in affected areas to turn off the main switch on their electrical breakers or remove the fuses in order to reduce the risk of a fire when the juice is turned back on.
"Turning off the main switch reduces the risk of a surge in your home and if you have a generator hooked up to your house, it reduces the risk if fire from that," said Dennis Leger, public information officer for the city fire department. "We have also had two fires caused by people lighting with candles, so we are reminding everybody that flashlights are much safer."
There are currently 30 crews with National Grid and Western Massachusetts Electrical Company working in the city. As of Saturday afternoon, a majority of the affected households had their electricity restored.
Anyone looking to replace electrical lines in their home is reminded that under city code and for their own safety, a licensed and insured contractor must perform the work and sign off on the job. If a house is only missing the "drop," the line that runs from the house to the utility pole, they can call 311 and get contact information for their electric provider and request a reconnection. Otherwise, a reconnection will take place when crews perform such repairs on the entire street.
Classes will resume on Monday at public schools in Springfield, with the exception of the heavily damaged Mary A. Dryden Veterans Memorial School and Elias Brookings Middle School according to Henry Figueredo, the chief operating officer of the school district.
He said that pre-school for both of those schools is cancelled for the rest of the year and students at Dryden are asked to show up at Frederick Harris School, located at 58 Hartford Terrace.
Students from Brookings are asked to show up to the J.C. Williams center at 116 Florence St. at 8 a.m. where children in kindergarten through second grade will be shuttled to Edward P. Boland School on Armory Street. Brookings students in third, fourth or fifth grade will be shuttled to Rebecca Johnson School on Catharine Street.
The Parochial schools in Springfield are reportedly closed Monday.
In the neighborhoods damaged by the tornadoes, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army have mobile units providing food and water to residents and workers. There are also several student, church and community groups making their way around to make sure the victims have whatever they need.
Additionally, there are three feeding sites set up around the city that are serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to anyone in need.
The gym at Holy Cross Catholic Church at 21 Plumtree Road, Milton Bradley Elementary School at 22 Mulberry St., and the St Anthony Maronite Church at 375 Island Pond Road are the three feeding halls. More information is available by calling 311 from a landline phone or 736-3111 on a cell phone.
City residents with housing needs are being cared for at two locations. families are being housed at Central High School while individuals are being cared for at the new Friends of the Homeless shelter.
Any landlords with vacant apartments can call 787-6500 to register with the city and assist the displaced.
City and state police officers are blocking the entrances to affected areas and checking the identification of anyone trying to enter to ensure they are either recovery workers or residents.
Although there have been scattered reports of looting from Springfield and across the region, Sgt. Paul Browne said that such reports have been the exception rather than the rule.
"We have had some reported break-ins and made some arrests," Browne said. "I'd say overall, there have been less than ten instances. We've seem more neighbors helping neighbors but anywhere you go, there is always that element of society that wants to take advantage of a situation and its victims."
Additionally, Sarno warned residents not to sign contracts or give checks to any contractor before they are sure it is a legitimate operation.
"It's sad but there are people out there trying to pray on the elderly and anyone who they can scam out of money," he said. "People need to check them out first."
Anyone with questions about a contractor's legitimacy can call the Better Business Bureau or the mayor's Office of Consumer Information and report scams to the police as well as the attorney general's office.
Although the cleanup and recovery efforts will continue until the job is done, according to Sarno, the city will begin stepping up its efforts this coming week.
Residents are asked to separate tree debris from building materials and move both to the treebelts in front of their house and along the edge of streets. If possible, residents should place building materials in 35-gallon barrels or trash bags. The City is working with MEMA to have members of the National Guard assist elderly and disabled residents with the clean up in affected areas.
Beginning this week and continuing until the cleanup is complete, city crews will be removing the debris.
The city is also spearheading a number of efforts to assist business owners in reopening and rebuilding if necessary.
"If you have a business that was affected by the tornado, please call us," Sarno said. "We have a number of assistance and incentive programs to get them open and keep them in Springfield."
Business owners are encouraged to visit the city's website at www.springfieldcityhall.com or call (413) 787-6020 to reach the Planning & Economic Development Department.
The U.S. Postal Service's unofficial moniker of delivering in rain, sleet and snow is proving difficult as mail carriers find that several houses on their route ore heavily damaged or destroyed.
Residents who are not receiving their mail in area codes 01103, 01109, 01119, 01129, 01105, 01107 or 01104 can pick up their mail at the city post office.
Anyone temporarily relocating can fill out a temporary change of address form at their local post office.
Superintendent Mary-Elizabeth Beach said that the class is “talented, ambitious and has given lots back to the community.”
WARE – Ware High School salutatorian Sarah O’Regan called graduation a “monumental moment in the game of life” at Saturday’s commencement ceremony for the class of 2011.
“It ends the childhood portion of our lives and opens the doors to independence in the adult world. In high school we are taught how to study hard and to excel in the classroom, but as we grow we learn that the knowledge that we gain from books is only a fraction of the knowledge needed to succeed in the real world.
“Each member of the class of 2011 has something unique to offer. It’s all about combining what your talent us and what brings you joy,” O’Regan said.
“I hope we can all look at ourselves and see things we are good at,” she said.
A total of 60 graduates received diplomas at Saturday’s commencement ceremony. The valedictorian is Amanda Pierce.
Class President Annie O’Brien said one of the reasons that the class shares a close bond is because of its size.
Growing up in the small town shaped their lives and experiences, O’Brien said.
O’Brien also shared the secrets of surviving Ware High School – never second guess your answers in Mr. Robidoux’s class, be prepared to gag at the smell when it’s time for dissection in Mrs. Orszulak’s room, always laugh at Mr. Rich’s jokes, and “for Mr. Brook’s classes, well good luck with that.”
Superintendent Mary-Elizabeth Beach said afterward that the class is “talented, ambitious and has given lots back to the community.”
“I think they will be a successful group of graduates,” Beach said.
A selectman said an elderly couple was taken for $1,200 by men who promised to remove fallen trees and failed to do it.
MONSON – Fire Chief George L. Robichaud said the recovery effort is being hampered by people driving into town to glimpse the rampant destruction from Wednesday’s tornado.
“It’s been horrendous. They have hampered our efforts in our response . . . They are purely here just to gawk and see what’s going on,” Robichaud said on Saturday. “It’s a big deterrent to our success.”
Robichaud said they have stopped people to find out where they are from, and why they are in Monson. Many have said they were in town specifically to see the tornado aftermath. He called the number of out-of-state cars “incredible.”
Officials said at a community meeting Friday that those who do not have direct business in town should stay out.
Meanwhile, there have been three looting incidents. One was on Stewart Avenue, a neighborhood obliterated by the twister. An elderly woman on nearby Bethany Road – another hard hit area – died Thursday of an apparent heart attack brought on by the storm, officials said.
Selectman Edward A. Maia said information for residents is being posted on the town website at www.monson-ma.gov. The latest message is about trash pickup, which will resume Monday only on roads that are accessible.
Electronic signboards also are being used, and the damaged First Church of Monson on High Street is being used as a meeting place for people who need food or information. Those interested in volunteering also are encouraged to go there.
Starting on Monday, he said the town offices will operate out of the former Hillside School on Thompson Street. The Town Office Building on Main Street downtown had part of its roof and walls ripped off in the tornado, displacing town offices and the police, who were on the bottom floor.
Maia said Saturday was spent removing critical records from the building.
The Police Department will operate from temporary trailers in the Town Office Building parking lot.
All three schools were not affected and will be open for staff only starting Monday. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., adjustment and grief counselors will be available for residents and students, according to Superintendent Patrice L. Dardenne. Forms will be available for displaced residents to fill out regarding bus pickup for students, if they are staying somewhere else in town.
“It is our hope that come Tuesday, we can start to reestablish a normal schedule for the schools, but it depends entirely on our ability to get around town,” Dardenne said.
By dinnertime Monday, the plan for Tuesday will be known, Dardenne said. The graduation ceremony has been rescheduled to Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at Granite Valley Middle School. It was supposed to be held June 3.
Maia commended the First Church, saying it has “really stepped up to the plate and really defines the word community.” A community meal will be held Sunday night at 5 p.m. there.
While the tornado has brought out the best in some people, others are trying to prey on the victims. Maia said people need to be wary of scam artists. An elderly couple with downed trees on their property paid $1,200 to some men to remove them, but the group left for lunch and never returned. Maia said residents need to check licenses of those who will perform work, get signed contracts, and should hold off on paying until work is completed.
The Building Department will be open Monday at Hillside to help residents with cleanup questions, he said.
Maia said he has heard that people are collecting money to help residents, but said this is not part of a town effort, and people need to be careful. Anyone wishing to make donations can do so at any Monson Savings Bank branch. Monson Savings Bank has set up a fund to help rebuild Monson, and has contributed $5,000.
People can also write a check made out to the Monson Savings Bank Tornado Assistance Fund and mail it to Monson Savings Bank Tornado Assistance Fund, Monson Savings Bank, 107 Main St., Monson, MA, 01057. The bank’s mortgage and commercial customers should contact the Loan Center at (413) 267-4513 if they have short term financial needs as a result of the recent tornado damage, the bank stated in a press release.
More information about what’s happening in Monson can be found on the Facebook page “Monson tornado watch 2011.”
Residents in areas affected by the tornado on June 1 also can turn off the main switch on their electrical breakers or remove the fuses in order to reduce the risk of a fire when electricity is restored.
SPRINGFIELD - A kitchen was gutted by fire after power was restored at 17 Kipling St. Saturday night, according to Fire Department spokesman Dennis Leger.
Leger said the fire broke out when no one was home, about 20 minutes after electricity was restored to the area, and caused approximately $60,000 in damage. He said the home, a two-story Colonial in the east Forest Park section, also had heavy smoke damage.
He said the fire started in the area of an electronic teapot, microwave and another appliance. Leger advises residents to make sure all appliances are off, or unplugged, if they have been without electricity for several days.
Residents in areas affected by the tornado on June 1 also can turn off the main switch on their electrical breakers or remove the fuses in order to reduce the risk of a fire when electricity is restored.
"Turning off the main switch reduces the risk of a surge in your home and if you have a generator hooked up to your house, it reduces the risk if fire from that," said Leger. "We have also had two fires caused by people lighting with candles, so we are reminding everybody that flashlights are much safer."
"Because our school is so small, you have to put yourself out there and welcome people," said Allison Slysz, class valedictorian.
HATFIELD - When the Smith Academy Class of 2011 graduated Friday, every single student in the class received some scholarship or award.
That fact speaks volumes for the cozy school. When there are only 19 of you, everyone is special.
Although the majority of graduates were born and raised in Hatfield, about a third of the class were School Choice students from other communities.
Even the ones who came to Hatfield late in their high school careers were accepted as part of the family, however. That’s also the Smith way.
“Because our school is so small, you have to put yourself out there and welcome people,” said Allison R. Slysz, the class valedictorian.
In fact, the Class of 2011 is even smaller than usual, thanks to the number of Hatfield students who enrolled in private schools. Still, there is a lot of pride among the students and Slysz thanked all the people who got them to graduation night.
“It’s a good school and you get a good education,” she said.
Principal Scott Goldman calls the graduating class “incredibly accomplished.”
“In addition to being outstanding academically, the kids have gone above and beyond doing community service,” he said.
As a tribute to the spirit of good sportsmanship fostered at Smith, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association this year bestowed the Sportsman Award upon the school.
Of the 19 graduates, 18 are going on to college, Goldman said. The other is enlisting in the U.S. Air Force.
Giles Hopkins, an English teacher at the school, was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony.
One proposal includes a "Fergburger" family restaurant and bar plus a specialty coffee and dessert tenant.
SPRINGFIELD - The city, after failing to find a business tenant two years ago for the vacant, former Visitor Information Center building on West Columbus Avenue, is now considering two competing proposals for reuse of the site.
The redevelopment plans include a proposal filed by Peter J. Pappas and his company, Alliance Converting Machinery Inc., who is proposing two business tenants for the site: a family restaurant and bar named “Fergburger,” which he said he discovered on a family trip to New Zealand; and a specialty coffee and dessert tenant.
Pappas said he will personally invest $1 million into redevelopment of the site, as stated in his proposal.
A second proposal was submitted by Lustra, LLC, formed in April, listing Jennifer Stefanik as manager, and also involving local developer Raipher Pellegrino.
Stefanik and Pellegrino declined comment on their proposal Friday, saying they did not believe it would be appropriate to comment while the proposals were still under consideration.
The corporate records for Lustra LLC, however, state the general character of the business is for “food and beverage services and all other business associated with operating a restaurant.”
City officials said they could not release specific details about the proposals other than the names of each developer while bids are under review, under bidding laws.
Pappas and a partner, Michael A. Spagnoli, invested $14 million in redeveloping the former Basketball Hall of Fame on West Columbus Avenue, adjacent to the Visitor Information Center site.
The Rivers Landing complex, which opened in 2008 includes the LA Fitness center, a restaurant and a physical therapy clinic. The initial restaurant, Onyx, recently closed and is being replaced by a Mama Iguana’s restaurant.
The William C. Sullivan Tourist Information Center relocated in November 2009 to the nearby Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame building. The move was designed to increase the public use of the center, which is off Interstate 91.
Pappas has offered to pay $2,000 per month base rent for the vacant Visitor Information Center site for the first five years, increasing in future years, and also paying utilities, maintenance, repairs and insurance costs. The building is 4,100 square feet.
The site, once redeveloped, can become a important bridge between the downtown, Basketball Hall of Fame and the riverfront, Pappas said.
In 2009, the city solicited redevelopment proposals, but received no bids for the site.
Pappas had stated an interest at the time, but chose not to bid, saying the lease terms and other factors were unacceptable. At the time, the city was seeking a minimum lease of $5,125 per month, and offered just a three-year lease with two, one-year renewals.
Within Massachusetts, there have been 152 tornadoes recorded since 1950, including three F4s and five F3s.
The legendary “tornado alley” doesn’t run through Massachusetts.
But for one day this week, it took a detour.
Normally found prowling the plains states or swirling through the southern states, tornadoes - a trio of them - hammered Western Massachusetts Wednesday, killing three and destroying or damaging hundreds of homes and businesses in Hampden and Worcester counties along a nearly 50-mile corridor from Westfield to Charlton.
However, as rare as serious tornadoes are in this region, they are not unprecedented.
In fact, in deaths wrought by tornadoes by area, Massachusetts ranks first in the nation. The frequency of tornadoes - three to four a year on average - is lower than many other states, but because of this state’s large population density and relatively small land area, the deaths per square mile are higher.
As evidence of this, the tornado of June 9, 1953, became one of the deadliest in the nation’s history - and the deadliest ever in New England - when it barreled through the city of Worcester, ultimately killing 94 people and leaving 10,000 homeless.
Wednesday’s events were still more evidence for this.
“I think everyone is surprised by the intensity of these tornadoes,” said Michael Rawlins, a climatologist at the University of Massachusetts Climate Research Center.
“What is unusual and rare about this event is the intensity ... combined with the location in which they occurred. Tornadoes in this region are typically short-lived. The fact that several tornadoes struck a highly developed area led to the large amount of damage,” he said.
The heart of tornado territory in the United States, the so-called tornado alley, extends from Texas up to the Dakotas. There, warm air off the Gulf has a chance to confront cold air from Canada amidst the strong winds on the plains, creating the volatile thunderstorms that can spawn tornadoes.
In New England, the same conditions don’t exist, but if the region does have a tornado alley, it is from northwest Connecticut through the Pioneer Valley to Worcester, said Eleanor Vallier-Talbot, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Taunton forecasting office.
“Basically, it’s the way the winds set up. It’s usually a southwest wind with warm air that stays over the area” and sets up a confrontation with colder Canadian air, she said.
“Farther east, the wind comes off the water. It’s just cool enough that thunderstorms will tend to lose power,” she said.
There have been nearly three dozen tornadoes that have touched down in the Pioneer Valley since 1950, according to tornadopaths.org, a website based at University of Michigan that compiles tornado data.
Most of those were F0 and F1 tornadoes, the weakest on the Fujita scale that runs from 0 to 5, and their paths were usually less than a quarter mile in length.
Until Wednesday, the strongest tornado to strike the valley was an F3 that touched down briefly in September 1971 on Landy Street in the Florence section of Northampton. However, its path was shorter than a football field.
Within Massachusetts, there have been 152 tornadoes recorded since 1950, including three F4s and five F3s, according to another online site, the Tornado History Project.
The 1953 Worcester tornado - rated an F4, perhaps reaching F5 at times - began in Petersham. It set down just before dinner time and close enough to Quabbin Reservoir that boaters saw it form from the water.
For the next hour and a half, the tornado plodded west, reaching Worcester about 5 p.m., just as many businesses were letting out.
In that city alone, 66 people died. It was later determined that there were about 8,000 people in the area of Worcester where the tornado hit, and of those, 800 were either killed or injured enough to be taken to the hospital.
The tornado finally dissipated near Southborough about 5:40 p.m. In places, its path of destruction was a mile wide.
The debris field was phenomenally large. An item from the twister that originated in Holden was found 110 miles away on Cape Cod.
Chunks of a mattress were lifted high enough into the tornado that they were coated with ice and dropped in their frozen state into Boston Harbor.
The Worcester tornado was the costliest in U.S. history to that point, doing an estimated $53 million in damage (nearly $425 million in today’s dollars). Some 10,000 people were left homeless and 4,000 buildings were damaged.
Proving to be more costly was the F4 tornado of Oct. 3, 1979, that touched down in Windsor, Conn., and cut an 11-mile path of destruction to Suffield, near the Massachusetts line. It killed three people and injured nearly 500 others.
The tornado swept through the heart of tobacco growing country, destroying numerous curing barns.
It also came close to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks just as a United Airlines plane was about to land. Seeing it, the pilot quickly aborted the landing.
However, the tornado did strike the New England Air Museum nearby, destroying about two dozen vintage planes.
When it was done, the tornado would go into the record books as one of the 10 most costly in U.S. history, causing an estimated $200 million in damage (nearly $600 million in today’s dollars).
Among the other powerful tornadoes that have struck the state was one that moved into the Berkshires from New York state on May 29, 1995.
An F3 tornado, it moved fast, covering seven miles in just 10 minutes. In Great Barrington, it destroyed much of the town’s fairgrounds and then moved on to level a truck stop in West Stockbridge.
Three people were killed, two students and a staff member from a private school in Great Barrington, the Eagleton School, when their car was picked up and thrown by the tornado.
Some 27 people were injured, more than 100 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed, and thousands of trees were toppled by the twister. Its winds were exceptionally strong, estimated to range from 158 to 260 mph.
It will take weeks, perhaps months, to assess the damage done by Wednesday’s tornadoes, but already, they have found a place in the history books. They were also a reminder that tornadoes are not purely history in this region.
“I never thought I’d see one like this up here in New England,” said Vallier-Talbot.
The tornadoes that pulverized neighborhoods in western and central Massachusetts have been a boon and bane to businesses, wrecking some but boosting others.
STEPHEN SINGER, AP Business Writer
SPRINGFIELD — The tornadoes that pulverized neighborhoods in western and central Massachusetts have been a boon and bane to businesses, wrecking some but boosting others.
The storm that swept through Massachusetts on Wednesday breathed new life into Paul Benoit's tree removal and trimming business, he said Friday.
Benoit said he made thousands of dollars over two days, cutting and removing trees felled by a tornado that sheared tree limbs in seconds and brought down power lines. The work he's getting, mostly from insurance companies, pays more than the $25 an hour he made at a recent job to supplement his Springfield business, American Tree Services.
"We can't even keep up," Benoit said. "It's like a godsend to us."
The storm had the opposite effect on Mexitalia Express, located in a Springfield neighborhood pockmarked by boarded-up buildings and heaps of rubble piled by cleanup crews. Owner Cecy Perry isn't seating customers because a part of a ceiling damaged in the storm is hanging above empty tables. The Mexican-Italian restaurant did about $120 in business on Friday, down more than 75 percent from a typical weekday afternoon before the tornado, she said.
Still, she's pleased she's open.
"We're in good shape compared to others," Perry said.
Just a few blocks away, Gary Bshara, owner of B'Shara's on Main, said business is up 20 percent from before the storm. He credits his downtown location and increased traffic from repair crews, National Guardsmen dispatched to help in the cleanup and other visitors.
Ken Simonson, chief economist at the Associated General Contractors of America in Arlington, Va., said it could take years to fully restore area business. Debris removal is the start of post-storm business activity, but construction takes longer because insurance settlements and building permit approvals take time, he said.
Some owners of businesses that were ruined by a storm may decide against re-opening, he said. Or a monetary loss caused by the storm could prohibit a new startup, Simonson said.
Up to now, the Springfield area's construction industry has been doing well, he said. The U.S. Department of Labor reported mining, logging and construction jobs rose by about 4.5 percent, to 9,400 from April 2010 to last month, he said.
The Massachusetts unemployment rate was 7.8 percent in April, below the national unemployment rate of 9 percent. But the tornado hit areas where joblessness has been particularly high in the state: 9 percent in Hamden County in April and 11.6 percent in Springfield.
Still, state officials don't anticipate businesses will shut down permanently because of the tornadoes, and predict disruptions will be short-term.
"We're not expecting any negative employment effects," said Gregory Bialecki, secretary of the state's Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. "It's probably going to be a wash."
The tourist industry reports that entertainment and visitor business is still strong, Bialecki said.
And the tornadoes may actually give a small boost to the lodging industry, which will host utility workers, construction and clean-up crews and the hundreds of National Guard troops called up by Gov. Deval L. Patrick.
Mark Henshaw, general manager of Comfort Inn and Suites in West Springfield, said business was "a little crazy" in the middle of the week and that all 75 rooms were filled as of Friday. But he said one or two rooms will be available this weekend, which is typical for early June. Many potential visitors want to know if the damage from the tornado makes it worth it to come to western Massachusetts, he said.
"We're getting a lot of calls asking if things are still open," Henshaw said.
The Home Depot in Wilbraham benefited from the tornado as customers sought home repair items, spokeswoman Jennifer King said. It was open 24 hours Thursday, experiencing a brisk trade in items including generators, trash bags, rakes, shovels, extension cords, water, plywood and propane, she said.
Demand is also up for large items manufactured by suppliers to Western Massachusetts Electric Co.
Sandra Ahearn, spokeswoman for the Northeast Utilities subsidiary, said repair crews have so far installed 180 new utility poles, 225 new transformers and 150 new cross arms.
"No one can remember a storm with this intensity," Ahearn said.
Since Friday, Paper City police have arrested eight people in connection with alleged shoplifting incidents at the Holyoke Mall and other city stores.
HOLYOKE -- Police in the Paper City have been busy busting people for allegedly taking five-finger discounts at local stores, including the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside.
Since Friday, authorities have charged more than half a dozen people, ranging from teenagers to 40somethings, in separate retail shoplifting incidents, according to Holyoke Police Department records.
On Friday, 17-year-old Anne-Marie Burgess, 199 Hampden St., Chicopee, was charged with shoplifting in connection with a 12:06 p.m. incident at K-Mart, 2211 Northampton St.
Later, police charged 18-year-old Jordan Rivie, 570 Appleton St., Apt. 2R, Holyoke, with assault and battery and shoplifting stemming from a 4:47 p.m. incident at Macy's in the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, 50 Holyoke St. Police charged Rivie's alleged 16-year-old accomplice with two counts of assault and battery and single counts of disorderly conduct and threatening to commit a crime.
A little more than an hour later, police responded to another shoplifting report at K-Mart. Officers ended up arresting 41-year-old Gilberto Otero Rivera, 1698 Dwight St., Apt. 2R, Springfield, on several outstanding warrants.
At 8:32 p.m., police were back at the mall, this time to charge a 16-year-old accused of stealing from Burlington Coat Factory.
On Saturday, Holyoke police arrested three Springfield residents in connection with an alleged shoplifting report at 3:12 p.m. at Sears in the Holyoke Mall.
Charged with stealing merchandise were 34-year-old Johanna Morales of 691 Carew St. and 23-year-old Jessica Laureano of 246 College St., while their friend, 29-year-old Gamalier Cintron of 90 Edgewood St., was arrested on outstanding warrants.
Bail and court information wasn't immediately available.
Although blue skies and sun shone over the region on Saturday, tornado cleanup efforts persisted along with worries about homes left precarious by Wednesday's storms.
By Republican Staff Writers Robert Rizzuto and Stephanie Barry
Although blue skies and sun shone over the region on Saturday, tornado cleanup efforts persisted along with worries about homes left precarious by Wednesday's storms.
"This HOME was filled with love for 22 years," read a sign on the front of Julie Ives' house at 123 Pennsylvania Avenue in Springfield, the apex of the damage in the city's hard-hit East Forest Park neighborhood.
The end of the note cautioned voyeurs to stay away from the storm-ravaged street -- a sentiment echoed by Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who made it clear that tornado tourists are unhelpful and unwanted in neighborhoods where cleanup efforts continue.
"I wanted people to stay off my property," Ives said, referring to the curious who had
strolled through the post-war, tight-knit street pummeled by the cluster of twisters that
touched down in an unlikely spot three days ago.
Ives' chief worry was that a mysterious demolition crew would mow down her house and its contents without warning, a concern she raised at a city-sponsored neighborhood meeting at Holy Cross school's gymnasium on Saturday evening.
"A buddy of mine was told he had two hours to clear out of his house," she told city officials. "Will you call me?"
A collective of municipal officials organized the part-rally, part-information session at the school in Ward 7, a condensed, residential part of the city that was brutalized by tornadoes that transformed Springfield and other parts of the region.
At the school's gymnasium, Sarno told residents that police and fire were rallying around
them.
"This isn't Disney World, this is a disaster area," Sarno told a few hundred people
gathered in the gym, to resounding applause.
City officials told homeowners to move construction debris and branches separately onto the tree belt. They will provide replacement barrels as needed.
Utility concerns were providing the most angst beyond destruction. A spokeswoman for Western Massachusetts Electric Co. said it employed 150 workers from as far away as Michigan, and used more than 100,000 feet of cable, 180 new utility poles and 225 new transformers.
About 800 homes were without power Saturday evening off Plumtree Road, with most expected to be back on line by Sunday morning.
Elsewhere, while much of Wilbraham was cleared of trees and power was restored by Saturday morning, there were pockets of the town still struggling.
"From the time I wake up until the time I go to bed, I've been clearing my land," Robert L. Matthews, a landowner on Bolles Road, said on Saturday. "Friends made it a lot easier."
Matthews cleared about five acres of land over the past three days.
"Look, there's the patio set," friend Lisa M. Taylor said of a mangled chunk of metal wedged in some trees in Matthews' backyard.
From his back yard, one can spot the path the twister took through Wilbraham mountain.
"I have severe damage throughout the forest, which I recently logged. But now it looks like a bunch of matchsticks," Matthews said.
In the neighborhoods damaged by the tornadoes, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army have mobile units providing food and water to residents and workers. There are also several student, church and community groups making their way around to ensure victims have whatever they need.
Additionally, three food sites have been set up around the city to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to anyone in need. They include the gym at Holy Cross Catholic Church at 21 Plumtree Road, Milton Bradley Elementary School at 22 Mulberry St., and the St. Anthony Maronite Church at 375 Island Pond Road. More information is available by calling 311 from a landline phone or 736-3111 on a cellphone.
City residents with housing needs are being cared for at two locations. families are being housed at Central High School, while individuals are being cared for at the new Friends of the Homeless shelter.
Among other relief efforts, Springfield Partners and The Food Bank of Western Mass.
will continue to distribute food, water and personal care items on Monday to those to tornado victims.
Distribution will be in the rear parking lot of Springfield Partners' 721 State St. offices on Monday, June 6, from 2:30 p.m. until about 5 p.m. The groups are also seeking donations of water and personal hygiene items, which may be dropped off at 721 State St. after 8 a.m. Monday.
