The new studio is in a 7,000-square-foot space on the ground floor of 1200 Main St.

The Focus Springfield Community Television studios will be on the ground floor of the building at 1200 Main St. Grand opening is MondayCourtesy of Springfield BID 

SPRINGFIELD – The city’s community access channel will conduct a grand opening for its new studios and programming space in downtown Springfield on Monday, officials said.

Focus Springfield Community Television, which was formerly known as the Springfield Media and Television Group, has leased 7,000 square feet at 1200 Main St. The new location at Main and State streets is an 8-story building that was the original home of Massachusetts Mutual.

Mayor Domenic Sarno and other city officials are scheduled to be on hand for the 10 a.m. ceremony.

Focus Springfield Community Television’s roots go back to the Springfield Cable Endowment, which was formed as a condition for the city granting the first cable television contract to Continental Cablevision in 1983. The cable provider was required to contribute to the endowment annually and the money would be used to finance community-based programming.

The community television studios used to be located in Van Sickle Middle School.

The new studio has the latest technology that will allow local producers and city residents to learn the skills needed to develop and air programming on the city’s three public access channels: Public Channel 12, Education Channel 15 and Government Channel 17,

Services will be rendered at no cost to Springfield residents, and video shooting and editing classes and mentoring will be available.

Without conducting a single interview, Probation Commissioner John O'Brien gave 10 jobs to candidates recommended by the office of Rep. Robert DeLeo.

BOSTON - When the Massachusetts court system opened a new electronic monitoring facility in Clinton, then-Probation Commissioner John O'Brien's office turned to the state Legislature to fill those newly created jobs, prosecutors say.

Without conducting a single interview, O'Brien gave 10 jobs to candidates recommended by the office of Rep. Robert DeLeo, a Winthrop Democrat who was then chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and is now the House speaker. Other slots were filled with candidates recommended by then-House Speaker Sal DiMasi and then-Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Wyshak.

O'Brien's legislative liaison Ed Ryan is expected to testify in O'Brien's federal court trial that he was instructed to give jobs to DeLeo's office to fill. DeLeo asked other legislators for recommendations of candidates.

"(Ryan) will also testify he was instructed to notify the speaker's office about the availability of jobs, the Senate president's office and one or two other senators, which he did," Wyshak told U.S. District Court Judge William Young on Wednesday.

Prosecutors say former probation commissioner John O'Brien and his deputies, William Burke and Elizabeth Tavares, hired politically sponsored job candidates in order to receive legislative benefits for the Probation Department, then lied on forms certifying the hiring was done correctly. The ex-probation officials are charged in U.S. District Court with mail fraud and racketeering counts.

The trial moved into a new phase Wednesday, as prosecutors turned their attention to the filling of jobs at the electronic monitoring facility.

The facility opened in November 2007 in response to a legislative mandate requiring the state to monitor sex offenders. Employees at the facility work around the clock to watch computer screens that monitor the positions of sex offenders and anyone ordered to wear a GPS device and to follow up when someone appears to violate a court order.

According to the indictment, O'Brien received permission to staff the facility with temporary hires in order to circumvent requirements that the jobs be posted publicly. In 2007 and 2008, the indictment charges O'Brien hired around 20 out of 40 staffers by soliciting names from state legislators, then hiring those people without any interview or vetting process. O'Brien did that to curry favor with state legislators so they would help the Probation Department with its budget and other legislative priorities, prosecutors say.

Prosecutors charge that O'Brien violated the state's bribery and gratuity laws by giving the jobs to lawmakers in exchange for legislative favors. Though O'Brien is not being charged with crimes related to these hires in state court, the bribery charges can be used to try to prove that O'Brien engaged in the federal crime of racketeering, which requires someone to be found guilty of a pattern of crimes in order to further a criminal enterprise. Tavares and Burke do not appear to be implicated in these particular hires.

Former state Rep. Robert Rice, a Gardner Democrat, and current state Rep. Anne Gobi, a Spencer Democrat, both testified Wednesday. Both representatives served on the House Ways and Means Committee, which prepares the House budget.

Rice said he received a phone call from DeLeo, then the committee chairman, asking if Rice was interested in recommending anyone for a job at the electronic monitoring center. Rice recommended David Fournier, a friend whom he had known for 40 years. Fournier worked for 16 years at the public library in Gardner where Rice was the director and had also worked as a school librarian and for the U.S. post office.

"I thought him to be very qualified individual," Rice said.

(On cross-examination, Rice said he also recommended another candidate but was told that person was not qualified.)

Fournier said he called the Probation Department, at a number provided to him by Rice, and was told to come to the Clinton facility to fill out paperwork. He filled out an application, and the next day, O'Brien wrote a letter to Chief Justice for Administration and Management Robert Mulligan recommending Fournier's appointment to the position. Fournier said he was never interviewed. He simply got a call telling him to show up for orientation in Boston.

Though the position was classified as temporary, Fournier remained a "temporary" employee for six years. He was informed in January that his job would be made permanent.

Gobi said DeLeo approached her as they were walking into a hearing and asked if she knew anyone who would be interested in an electronic monitoring job. Gobi recommended Matt Cipriani, someone she met at his graduation from a citizen police academy in her district.

Prosecutors brought out that Rice and Gobi both supported DeLeo in his election as House speaker. But defense attorneys pointed out that DeLeo was not elected as speaker until 2009, so Rice and Gobi did not know when they made the recommendations that DeLeo would run.

No lawmakers have been charged with wrongdoing. Rice and Gobi said making recommendations was a routine part of their jobs, and they never based their votes on the success of a job candidate. Gobi testified on cross-examination that no representative is familiar with every part of the budget, which is an immense document.

Defense attorneys also noted that both representatives represent central Massachusetts, the same area where the facility is located.

After the jury was dismissed for the day, Young asked prosecutors what additional evidence they plan to bring. Wyshak said Deputy Probation Commissioner Paul Lucci plans to testify that he was excluded from the hiring process for the electronic monitoring facility, even though he was in charge of the program. Janet Mucci, who oversaw human resources for O'Brien, will testify that she got calls from state representatives and job candidates and received names of hires from O'Brien, but no one was interviewed for the electronic monitoring jobs.

Legislators who recommended candidates and are likely to testify include Democratic state Reps. James O'Day, of West Boylston; Harold Naughton, of Clinton; Kevin Honan, of Brighton; Byron Rushing, of Boston; Michael Moran, of Brighton, David Linsky, of Natick, and former Rep. Vincent Pedone, of Worcester.

Wyshak plans to call DeLeo's legal counsel and budget analyst as witnesses to talk about the relationship between the legislature and the Probation Department.

Former Rep. Charles Murphy, a Burlington Democrat, will testify that DeLeo told him during a budget conversation, "Hands off the Probation Department," Wyshak said.

The Officials Club boxing, youth building program rebounded from the tornado of 2011.

SPRINGFIELD – The Officials Club, which is a free youth boxing program that is designed to support the participants and build character, was being celebrated Wednesday night after rebounding from the tornado of 2011.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno was scheduled to present certificates of achievement to participants Wednesday and discuss the fifth season of The Officials Club during a ceremony at City Hall.

The club is a volunteer-based initiative established by the Mayor’s Citywide Violence Prevention Task Force. The program had operated out of the South End Community Center, but was derailed when the 2011 tornado severely damaged the center, closed and partially demolished since the disaster.

The program, including training, was moved to various Springfield and Holyoke locations, aided by the those cities, the South End Community Center, the Elias Brookings Elementary School, the High School of Commerce, First Student Transportation, the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club, the Holyoke Public Schools and others.

According to a city summary, The Officials Club, the program in part “teaches discipline, fosters teamwork, and instills character, focus and strategic-thinking, all of which are critical elements in supporting academic and personal successes.”

Douglas Odolecki, 43, warned motorists with the sign Friday night in Parma that said: "Check point ahead! Turn now!"

CLEVELAND -- A suburban Cleveland man says police violated his First Amendment rights to free speech when they cited him for holding a sign warning motorists to turn if they wanted to avoid a drunken-driving checkpoint.

Douglas Odolecki, 43, of Parma warned motorists with the sign Friday night in Parma that said: "Check point ahead! Turn now!"

Parma police spokesman Kevin Riley said officers cited Odolecki after he refused to remove the "Turn now!" portion of the sign. Officers had previously consulted with city attorneys to determine if Odolecki violated any laws by displaying the sign, Riley said.

Odolecki plans to fight the citation for obstructing official business.

It's not the first time Odolecki has used the sign or has gotten into trouble because of it. Parma police arrested him in September 2012 for having a knife in his pocket while holding the same sign. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to community service. Charges of carrying a concealed weapon and obstructing official business were dismissed.

Odolecki has made warning motorists of drunken-driving checkpoints his mission. He says he'll go "anywhere I'm called, anywhere I'm needed, anywhere I see injustice happening."

He said he was a "hell-raiser" as a young man, but has stayed out of trouble the last 24 years. He conceded he has animosity toward police officers because they have hassled him numerous times he says for no reason.

Odolecki said he has used the sign to warn motorists about the checkpoints in his hometown of Parma on at least five occasions, in Columbus and several Cleveland suburbs. He said that since his arrest in 2012, he carries a video camera to record any interactions with police. A video of Friday's incident showed that the officers were polite to him when they issued the citation.

"I bet if I wasn't filming, I would have been in handcuffs," Odolecki said.

Attorney John Gold is representing Odolecki for free. Gold said police must alert the public in advance of setting up a drunken-driving checkpoint and that motorists are permitted to drive around them, which means Odolecki did nothing wrong when he held up the sign.

After years of trying to strike a compromise, the House voted unanimously on Wednesday to extend the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual assault to bring civil claims against their abusers.

BOSTON — After years of trying to strike a compromise, the House voted unanimously on Wednesday to extend the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual assault to bring civil claims against their abusers.

The bill (H 4126) would allow victims of child sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits up until the time they turn 53 years old, an extra 35 years on top of what is currently allowed.

Rep. John Lawn, a Watertown Democrat who worked with victims, advocates and groups like the Catholic Church to reach the compromise, said the bill struck a balance between allowing victims the time to come to terms with their abuse while also respecting the rights of institutions that might become involved in lawsuits stemming from decades-old incidents.

Lawn got involved with the issue after a constituent came to him seeking assistance after she was raped, drugged and impregnated as a young teenager by her uncle, Lawn said the woman was in her 40s before she was fully ready to confront her abuser, but it was too late to seek justice.

The new statute of limitations would be applied retroactively to cases against the alleged perpetrator of the abuse, but not for institutions who may have "negligently supervised" the abuser. The bill would also extend from three years to seven years the limit for a civil lawsuit to be brought against either class of defendant from the time the victim "discovered or reasonably should have discovered that an emotional or psychological injury or condition was caused" by the sexual abuse.

Both the House and Senate advanced bills late in 2012 to a conference committee, but lawmakers were unable to reach a compromise that year.

“We believe this is as close to perfect as you could possibly get in striking a balance,” said Rep. Chris Markey, the ranking House Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. The bill now moves to the Senate.

uveniles convicted of first-degree felony murder would be eligible for parole after serving prison sentences of 20 to 25 years, and those convicted of premeditated murder, with malice or “extreme cruelty,” would serve sentences between 25 to 30 years before they are parole eligible, under a bill that passed 127-16 in the House Wednesday.

BOSTON — Juveniles convicted of first-degree felony murder would be eligible for parole after serving prison sentences of 20 to 25 years, and those convicted of premeditated murder, with malice or “extreme cruelty,” would serve sentences between 25 to 30 years before they are parole eligible, under a bill that passed 127-16 in the House Wednesday.

The state Supreme Judicial Court ruled in December, in Diatchenko v. District Attorney for Suffolk County, that life sentences without the possibility for parole for juveniles were unconstitutional. Since the ruling, lawmakers have been crafting legislation to respond to the court.

“When there is felony murder when there is no intent to kill, we have come up with a number of 20 to 25 in the highest range. Where there is extreme cruelty and atrocity, 25 years is the low-end,” said Rep. Christopher Markey, who is acting as chair of the Judiciary Committee since former Rep. Eugene O’Flaherty left the Legislature.

Lawmakers rejected Republican-led attempts to increase the ceiling to 25 years for first degree murder and 35 years for those convicted of premeditated murder with malice.

Out of 10 amendments filed to the bill, only two were adopted, including one filed by Markey to and another filed by Rep. Shelia Harrington for a study commission to determine the usefulness and practicality of creating a developmental evaluation process in all cases of juvenile first degree murder.

Holyoke Community College successfully solicited the 1,000 donations needed to secure a $1 million grant from professor emerita and alumna Elaine Marieb.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College successfully solicited the 1,000 donations needed to secure a $1 million grant from professor emerita and alumna Elaine Marieb.

The fund drive, Mission Marieb, is part of a $5.3 million capital campaign Building Healthy Communities.

Marieb, also a best-selling textbook author, vowed in March to donate $1 million to the campaign if 1,000 donors contributed any amount to the fund-raising effort by Dec. 31. The challenge was met in early June, according to a press release from the college.

The success will be celebrated with a June 24 barbeque in honor of Marieb at noon on the campus patio above the HCC courtyard.

Marieb, a Northampton native who lives in Sarasota, Fla., said her challenge was a product of her love for HCC and the students and presented an opportunity for the college community to work toward a common goal.

“The students of today are the leaders of tomorrow,” she said following the announcement of the drive.

“Thanks to Elaine Marieb’s $1 million donation, HCC students will benefit for years to come,” said Keith McKittrick, director of Development for HCC, in a press statement Wednesday.

The Building Healthy Communities Campaign was initiated to raise money to support two building projects: the new Center for Health Education on Jarvis Avenue, future home of HCC’s nursing and radiologic technology programs; and the Center for Life Sciences, which will be located on the first floor of the school’s main science building, which already bears Elaine Marieb’s name.

Marieb taught anatomy and physiology at HCC for more than 25 years, retiring in 1995. She is also the author of more than a dozen textbooks on anatomy and physiology, many of them international best-sellers.

The barbecue is open to all. Anyone who wants to come is asked to contact Sue Doyle at (413) 552-2546 or sdoyle@hcc.edu.

Quinn Bill extra pay given to police escaped the budget knife again.

HOLYOKE -- Of the $457,000 that the City Council cut in a marathon budget session, $45,000 was carved from a Law Department line item in response to a controversial exit agreement paid to a former solicitor.

"To make it up to the taxpayers, we cut the solicitor's salary by $45,000," council President Kevin A. Jourdain said Wednesday.

Jourdain and others have protested the lack of answers from Mayor Alex B. Morse and the Springfield law firm of Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn about why ex-solicitor Heather G. Egan received a $45,000 exit agreement upon resigning April 29.

Egan, who had headed the Law Department just over a year, hasn't returned calls seeking comment. Morse has said she quit for personal reasons.

Morse and lawyers have said they were unable to say whey Egan was paid $45,000 because the former employee's privacy rights must be protected.

The council in scouring the budget Tuesday cut the city solicitor's salary from $70,000 to $25,000. The solicitor post has been vacant since Egan quit and Kara Lamb Cunha, second assistant city solicitor, and staff attorney Sara Carroll have headed the department.

The council met until 1 a.m. Wednesday in a meeting that began the previous night at 7:15 in a line-item-by-item trek to trim Morse's proposed budget of $125.5 million.

The city is facing a deficit in the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 of $4.5 million.

The proposed budget is 1.5 percent, or $1.9 million higher than the bottom line Morse submitted a year ago for the current year of $123.6 million.

The council is in a 45-day period in which the city charter authorizes it to review and cut, but not add to, the budget.

The council is far from done. Councilors got through only a third of the 65-page budget. Members decided to recess and will resume budget work Monday at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.

After finishing the budget, the council still has the 40-plus-item agenda of its regular meeting to do on Monday.

Besides cutting the solicitor's salary, the council slashed the line item to hire outside lawyers from $150,000 to $50,000. The city contract with Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn pays the firm $3,800 a month.

Morse said he was less concerned about the cuts made to the Law Department budget than he was about cuts the council made elsewhere.

"The Law Department has been running very smoothly as of late, and I have full confidence in the four attorneys as well as the administrative assistant we currently have in the office. I am not concerned by the reduction, as our attorneys will continue working hard on behalf of the city," Morse said.

In contrast, he said, cuts the council made to line items that make longevity payments to city employees in various departments merely hurt those workers.

"Such a vote is a smack in the face to the hardworking men and women who have worked tirelessly for the city, some for as long as 40 years," Morse said.

Morse thanked Councilor at Large Joseph M. McGiverin " for passionately standing up" in opposition each time the longevity payments were voted on.

But Ward 3 Councilor David K. Bartley, who proposed the longevity cuts, and other councilors said some cuts were necessary given the $4.5 million deficit. Money paid out because employees have been on the job for a long time falls in that category, they said.

"We thank you...I would just say at some point this has to stop," Bartley said.

After Bartley moved to cut the longevity line item by $2,875 to zero in the Deptartment of Procurement, McGiverin said: ""Giving somebody an extra $29 in a paycheck isn't exorbitant."

Questions also were raised about whether longevity payments to employees can be cut if such payments are outlined in collective bargaining contracts or ordinances.

In any case,said councilors, such as Ward 2 Councilor Anthony Soto, while there's obviously many good employees working for the city the council must cut the budget.

"We don't have money. We need to make cuts," Soto said.

A line item that escaped cuts again this year was the Quinn Bill. Named after the state legislator who filed the bill into law in 1970, the measure gives police officers extra pay for having college degrees. That line item in the proposed budget is $1,011,312.

The problem, some councilors argued, is for years the state has ignored its responsibility under that law -- M.G.L. Chapter 41, Section 108L -- to reimburse cities and towns for half the Quinn Bill costs. That means Holyoke is paying more than $1 million for a cost that should be half that.

But the arguments of councilors and others, including Police Chief James M. Neiswanger, against cutting any Quinn Bill funding prevailed. They said that the city owes such payments to officers because officers worked to keep that benefit over the years instead of other benefits such as larger pay raises, that officers work hard for the city and that eliminating the incentive pay would likely prompt a lawsuit from police unions.

A motion by Ward 5 Councilor Linda L. Vacon to cut Quinn Bill funding in half failed as did a second attempt offered by Ward 7 Councilor Gordon P. Alexander to cut Quinn Bill funding by $250,000, City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee said.

Jourdain and others have said for years the city is past the point of being able to afford to give such extra pay to police, though some argue backing Quinn Bill pay is being pro-police.

"That's not pro-police. That's exorbitant public spending....How can we expect to have any sacred cows at this point?" Jourdain said, according to the live broadcast of the council meeting on cable television.

A contested Quinn Bill cut would settle the matter, he said.

"Let's have our day in court," said Jourdain, a lawyer.

Neiswanger stepped to the microphone and urged councilors to avoid a Quinn Bill cut for police officers.

"They've given up benefits in the past to maintain this benefit," Neiswanger said.

Officers work hard such as jumping into the canals to arrest or save someone or exchanging gunfire with street gang members, he said.

"My officers are working hard every day," Neiswanger said.

"I know that, we know that," said Jourdain, who said other departments nevertheless get by on less police spending.

Neiswanger said other departments don't make as many arrests as Holyoke's.

Vacon said that if the council fails to cut nonjob items in the budget like the Quinn Bill, eventually it will be jobs that must be cut, to deal with the $4.5 million deficit.

"I don't know if I'm the only one in the room who sees the train hitting the wall, but the train is hitting the wall," Vacon said.

McGiverin said perhaps the council instead of cutting items like Quinn Bill funding should ask Morse to impose a hiring freeze. That ways cuts can be made in the form attrition, by not filling posts when vacancies occur, he said.

Councilor at Large Daniel B. Bresnahan opposed leaving the issue up to Morse. The council a few years ago was assured by Morse that dealing with Quinn Bill spending would be dealt with in collective bargaining with police unions and that didn't happen, he said.

As for how hard police work, such as jumping into canals, Bresnahan said, "When you go to the Police Academy, you know what you're getting into....That's what they sign up for

The Quinn Bill pays officers with an associate’s degree get an increase of 10 percent of their base pay, those with a bachelor’s get 20 percent and those with a master’s get 25 percent.

An officer making $50,000 a year, depending on the college degree, would get annual bonuses of $5,000, $10,000 or $12,500.

Fiscal year 2015 budget proposal for Holyoke, Ma uploaded by Patrick Johnson

The purchase price of ABC40 and FOX 6, of WGGB-TV, was announced Thursday afternoon: 53.8 million.

SPRINGFIELD -- The purchase price of ABC40 and FOX 6, of WGGB-TV, was announced Thursday afternoon: $53.8 million.

ABC40 and FOX 6, of WGGB-TV, announced Wednesday afternoon that the station owner, Gormally Broadcasting, entered into a definitive agreement to sell the station to media company Meredith Corporation. Gormally Broadcasting also owns BusinessWest Magazine.

"These acquisitions are consistent with our successful Total Shareholder Return strategy and will be immediately accretive to earnings, excluding upfront transaction costs," Meredith Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Stephen M. Lacy said in a statement. "In Springfield, we will significantly enhance our competitive position as we operate the CBS affiliate in the market as well."

In 2007, John Gormally, president of Gormally Broadcasting, purchased ABC40 for $21.2 million. He invested significant sums into new equipment and facilities for the station. "We really rebuilt it from the ground up," Gormally said in a phone interview on Wednesday.

Soon after, he launched FOX6, the fourth television station in the Springfield market.

When asked about the sale of ABC40 and FOX 6, Gormally said "It’s not uncommon for media properties to exchange hands."

Of this specific purchase, Gormally added, "Sometimes the hunter becomes the hunted."

The media entrepreneur said he was interested in purchasing other media outlets, but found it difficult to compete with large broadcasters, and then talks turned to his own business ventures.

Last summer he was one of three groups that said their bids to purchase the Boston Globe were larger than Boston Red Sox owner John Henry’s winning $70 million bid.

"Business is a lot like sports – there are winners and losers," he said, at the time, of that attempted purchase. "And that's the way it should be."

Of the sale of WGGB-TV properties, Gormally believes both sides are winners. "I think it is a positive. Meredith is a top notch broadcasting company."

Meredith is a 112-year-old media company based in Des Moines, Iowa. The corporation is best known for their print media brands, including Better Homes and Gardens and Fitness Magazine. Though Meredith bought its first station in 1948, in recent months it has been expanding its foothold into broadcast television.

Currently, Meredith owns or operates 14 broadcast stations, located across the nation.

The corporation owns CBS affiliate WFSB-TV in Hartford, Connecticut and sister station WSHM-TV, also known as CBS-3 Springfield, the media partner of The Republican newspaper and MassLive.com.

Locally, if the purchase is approved by the FCC, Meredith will own three of the four broadcasting stations in greater Springfield: ABC, CBS and FOX affiliate stations.

NBC affilate WWLP-DT, 22News, is currently owned by Texas-based LIN Media, and is being acquired by Media General, of Virginia.

As The Republican's Ray Kelly reported Thursday, free press advocates have concerns that this will narrow the amount of local news available.

"The FCC central mandate for decades has been to promote competition, diversity and localism," said Timothy Karr, senior director of strategy for Free Press of Washington and Northampton. "When you look at deals like this, it looks to accomplish none of the above."

The decade-old non-profit, non-partisan Free Press believes free speech is rooted in allowing contrary views, he said.

"You need a diversity of owners in order to have a diversity of perspective in the news," Karr said.

It is quite possible the purchase will mean a combination of local news staffs, he said. "Synergy is often cited, but it means pink slips and a reduced workforce."

Meredith Corp. Vice President and Chief Communication Officer Art Slusark said of such concerns that if the FCC approved the purchase "our market share will still be less than fifty percent."

Though LIN Media only owns one station, Slusark said they control most of the marketplace.

If the FCC approves the agreement, Slusark said there will be "a true competitor for both advertisers and viewers."

On Wednesday, Gormally said he expects no changes to take place at the station "other than the continued pursuit of excellence in local broadcasting under new ownership."

Of potential changes to either the ABC or FOX affiliates, Slusark said "it would be premature for us to speculate what changes would be made yet."

While the sale agreement has been signed by both parties, the sale is subject to FCC approval, which Gormally expects to be approved this summer.

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The surprise early frontrunner in New Hampshire’s next GOP presidential primary is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who wipes the 2016 field by a more than 2-1 margin, a new Suffolk University-Boston Herald poll reveals.

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Atlantic City's Revel Casino Hotel warned its staff Thursday that it will shut down this summer if a buyer can't be found in bankruptcy court.

By WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Atlantic City's Revel Casino Hotel warned its staff Thursday that it will shut down this summer if a buyer can't be found in bankruptcy court.

In warning letters given to employees and obtained by The Associated Press, Revel said it is seeking a buyer for the struggling $2.4 billion casino, but can't guarantee one will be found. If not, employees could be terminated as soon as Aug. 18, Revel said in the letter.

"If Revel is unable to complete such a sale promptly, Revel expects to close its entire facility," the letters read. The company also said it plans to stay open while it searches for a buyer, operating as usual, honoring player comps and paying employees and vendors.

Shortly after distributing the letters, Revel filed a Chapter 11 petition with the federal bankruptcy court, its second in as many years. Revel said it hopes to find a buyer quickly.

"We will work to reach an agreement with a new owner who will help ensure Revel's long-term financial stability and who shares our commitment to providing Revel's guests and players an exceptional experience," said Scott Kreeger, Revel's president and chief operating officer.

He said the casino has obtained a $125 million loan from one of its existing financiers so it can operate during its stay in bankruptcy court.

It could not be determined how much Revel might sell for in a bankruptcy auction, but it is sure to be a steep discount. Wall Street analysts and some casino executives said last month that $300 million was too high a price for the casino. A union that has been at odds with Revel since before it opened pegged its value in April at $25 million to $73 million, based on public filings.

For much of the past year, Revel has sought a buyer for the property, which has remained eighth out of Atlantic City's 11 casinos in terms of the amount of money won from gamblers. But it also kept the option of a second bankruptcy filing as potential buyers expressed interest but failed to pursue a deal.

The Seminole tribe of Florida, through its Hard Rock International franchise, has indicated an interest "if the price is right."

The casino is owned by investors who gained control of it during bankruptcy last year, swapping debt for equity in the property. The transaction wiped out 82 percent of Revel's $1.5 billion in debt.

But even with that extra breathing room, Revel continued to struggle. It acknowledged mistakes in marketing and operations, launching a massive campaign to try to win back patrons. But that backfired when a "You Can't Lose" promotion offering to refund slot losses angered many customers who thought their losses would be refunded in cash. Instead, they were gradually credited to a Revel account over several months, with restrictions on when the credits could be used.

All this occurred against a backdrop of increasing competition from casinos in neighboring states; four new casinos will soon open in New York. Atlantic City's casino revenue fell from a high of $5.2 billion in 2006 to $2.86 billion last year.

Revel has never been profitable since it opened in 2012.

It posted a gross operating loss of $21.7 million in the first quarter this year. For all of 2013, it lost $130 million, up from the $110 million it lost during the nine months it was open in 2012.

Revel was seen as a potential game-changer when it opened, the first new casino in Atlantic City since 2003.

But its timing was exceedingly bad. The project broke ground just before the Great Recession, and it ran out of money halfway through construction. It was only after the state offered tax credits against future earnings that Revel was able to obtain the last $1 billion or so needed to finish building.

It never really connected with the Atlantic City casino market, presenting itself as a high-end luxury destination and eschewing trademarks of New Jersey casino culture like a buffet or bus trips for gamblers. It also was the only casino in New Jersey to ban smoking throughout, further alienating some gamblers. It dropped the smoking ban last year after emerging from bankruptcy.

Hoose believes federal prosecutors should offer Tsarnaev a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table but guarantee he would spend his life behind bars.

SPRINGFIELD - The typically quiet federal courthouse on State Street could be transformed into a circus of media and stepped-up security measure this city has not seen since the "Ohio Seven" trial of the late 1980s - should the trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, accused of the Boston Marathon bombings, land here in November.

The proposed change of venue by Tsarnaev's defense team has been the subject of rampant speculation, with Springfield repeatedly cropping up as a prospect.

However, his lawyers stated New York City and Washington, D.C., as preferable alternatives. They argued polls they conducted show a overwhelming majority in Massachusetts already believe the defendant is guilty, and he therefore cannot receive a fair trial in this state.

Prosecutors said Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his older brother planted bombs at the finish line of the 2013 race. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed during the manhunt that followed the blasts. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 20, has pleaded not guilty to killing four people and wounding more than 200 in the attacks.

Northampton lawyer David P. Hoose, who has handled many death penalty cases including the 2001 trial of Kristen Gilbert, a U.S. Veterans' Affairs nurse convicted of killing her patients with lethal shots of epinephrine, said he believes other venues in the First Circuit have been discounted as too small.

"I can't say whether they've looked specifically at Springfield, but because of the size of the trial, certain courthouses were not going to be feasible such as Portland, Maine, and Concord, N.H.," Hoose said. "Springfield could be eliminated for the same reason."

The Gilbert case was among the rare death penalty trials to take place in Massachusetts. It became "death eligible" because the murders took place at a federally run medical facility for veterans in Northampton. Jurors in that case ultimately voted against the death penalty and Gilbert was sentenced to life in prison.

Hoose said he was surprised Tsarnaev's defense team suggested the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan as an alternative because of its proximity to Ground Zero.

He added that he retained the same expert Tsarnaev's lawyers are using to poll prospective jurors in the Gilbert trial, but declined to name the man.

"He advised us to stay put. A lot of people we polled had heard of the case, but that's not the bottom line. The bottom line is: have they already formed an opinion?" Hoose said.

U.S. District Judge George O'Toole has sole discretion over whether to move the trial. He will almost surely continue presiding over the case whether it is moved to a courthouse outside Boston or not.

John Stuckenbruck, who retired in 2012 after 34 years as the U.S. District Court division manager in Springfield, said security was not as much as consideration in the Gilbert trial but jury selection and accommodating a large press presence were.

"We had to set up a press room and we sent out 700 summonses to potential jurors," he said, noting that an average trial would only prompt 80 to 100 at best.

The first day of jury selection in that case was moved to Symphony Hall. The courthouse was located at the former federal building on Main Street at that time. Jury selection took four weeks.

Stuckenbruck also was on staff when the trial of the so-called Ohio Seven was moved to Springfield from Boston in 1989. Raymond Luc Levasseur, his wife, Patricia H. Gros Levasseur, and Richard C. Williams were charged sedition and racketeering with committing bombings in greater New York and Eastern Massachusetts, as well as bank robberies from Maine to Virginia. They considered themselves "revolutionaries" against the government according to reports from the trial.

Stuckenbruck recalled there were armed U.S. marshals outside the courthouse and a layer of additional security inside.

Jury selection took nine months. Jurors heard 100 days of testimony over 10 months. The panel acquitted the three of sedition and deadlocked on additional counts. The trial cost $10 million - the most expensive trial in state history at that time. Millions were spent on courtroom modifications, security and special accommodations for jury selection, according to lawyers in the case.

Hoose, a passionate death penalty opponent, believes federal prosecutors should offer Tsarnaev a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table but guarantee he would spend his life behind bars.

"They'd certainly have to consult the victims before they made that kind of an offer, but I'd like to see the U.S. Attorney's Office take more of a lead on this," Hoose said.

The government has not yet filed its response to the defense motion to change the trial venue.

Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera this week officially endorsed State Treasurer Steve Grossman in his campaign to become the next governor of Massachusetts.

BOSTON — Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera this week officially endorsed State Treasurer Steve Grossman in his campaign to become the next governor of Massachusetts.

Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera

Rivera, a Democrat who was elected in November and sworn in by Sen. Elizabeth Warren in January, said Grossman's "track record of creating jobs and economic opportunity" helped earn his support.

"Steve Grossman brings to the Corner Office a track record of creating jobs and widespread economic opportunity," Rivera said in a statement. "The people of Lawrence will have a bold, confident, and proven leader to fight for economic fairness everyday with Steve as their governor."

Grossman, who won the Democratic Party's gubernatorial endorsement at the annual convention this past weekend, said "Dan is a pioneering leader, and we share a vision for our Commonwealth that levels the playing field for all people, no matter where they come from and how much money they have. We both believe that the zip code in which you are born must not determine the quality of your education or your economic prospects."

Grossman is up against fellow Democrat Don Berwick and Attorney General Martha Coakley in the party's primary to take on the eventual Republican nominee and independents running for governor in the November election.

The council is scheduled to adopt the budget on June 30, the day before the start of the 2015 fiscal year.

CHICOPEE – The City Council will begin reviewing the budget Monday and plans to vote to adopt a new budget on the last day of this fiscal year.

The City Council received Mayor Richard J. Kos’ budget last week. It will hold meetings to review the $171.4 million in spending starting at 6:15 p.m. June 23 and June 26, City Council President George R. Moreau said.

The Council will review spending for a dozen different departments at the first meeting including police, fire, law, city clerk and planning and development.

Kos’ budget proposal is about $3.8 million higher than the 2014 fiscal year budget. Last year’s budget increased about $5.6 million.

The Council can cut and shift spending but it cannot increase the budget.

“This budget reflects my initial efforts in balancing the present and future needs of our city with our ability to pay,” Kos said in a written statement when he released the budget June 13.

One of the biggest increases will be for the Council on Aging, where three staff members are being added because the new senior center, which is to open this summer, is about twice the size of the existing one.

The final meeting to adopt the budget is scheduled for June 30. The city must have a new budget in place for the July 1 start of the 2015 fiscal year.

Chicopee budget proposal for fiscal year 2015

The pool has been closed since June 17.

LUDLOW _ The Ludlow Boys and Birls Club pool will reopen Friday at the 6 a.m. usual time.

The pool has been closed since June 17 for mechanical repairs.

The S.A.L.T. Council sponsors a poster contest for elementary school children every year.

CHICOPEE – The Seniors and Law Enforcement Together council announced the winners of its annual poster contest on safety this week in the City Council meeting.

The council joins members of the Council on Aging with the Police Department to work on preventing crime. One of its initiatives is to sponsor a contest for children in grades three, four and five from all local public and parochial schools, said Holly Angelo, program coordinator for the Council on Aging and the staff representative to the S.A.L.T. Council.

The topic of the contest was pet safety and this year a number of children participated, she said.

The first place winner was Jordan Boyington, a fifth grader from Hugh Scott Streiber School. Second place went to Gabrielle Hogan, a fourth grader from Streiber School and Lillian Diaz, a fourth grader at James C. Selser School won third place.

The three winners received gift cards to Barnes and Noble and Toys R Us. The prizes were donated by the Friends of the Chicopee Senior Center and the Chicopee Police Patrolmen’s Union Local 401.

The posters will also be hung in the City Council Chambers for the summer.

The city maintains a Stabilization Fund, which is maintains its reserves from 10 percent of operating expenditures, she said.

WEST SPRINGFIELD- It was announced this week that Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a national financial services company, has upgraded the city’s bond rating from AA-minus to AA.

Sharon Wilcox, chief financial officer and city accountant, said the increase will mean that the city will have more access to financial institutions looking to bid on bonds.

“We’ll look more attractive to the financial institutions and therefore we expect that we’ll get better interest rates when we go out to bid with bonds,” she said. The bonds are used to finance projects.

Standard & Poor’s cited a strong economic outlook, strong management conditions with good financial policies, a very strong budgetary flexibility and budgetary performance, according to press release from the city about the rating upgrade.

“Some of the things that they found particularly favorable this time when they looked at us was our reserve policy, which Mayor Sullivan had just put into effect when he came into office in January,” she said.

The city maintains a Stabilization Fund, which is maintains its reserves from 10 percent of operating expenditures, she said.

“Our cash that’s on hand and is available to pay operating expenses is very strong,” she said. “We keep our cash balance on hand. Our Stabilization Fund also contributes to the liquidity.”

Mayor Edward C. Sullivan said Standard & Poor’s rating upgrade reflects the expectation that the rating will not change within a two-year outlook period.

The play will be performed the first two weekends of August.

LUDLOW – The Exit 7 Players announced the Youth Players show, ‘The Wizard of Oz.”

The cast of children, ages 6 to 18, will entertain the audience.

The play will be Aug. 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 8 p.m. and Aug. 3 and 10 at 2 p.m. at Exit 7 Theater on Chestnut Street.

Come join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion and Toto as they travel the universe of Dorothy’s imagination.

Tickets are $19 for preferred seating, $17 for adult seating and $15 for seniors over 62 and children ages 12 and under. Tickets are available through the Exit 7 Players Theater box office at www.exit7players.org or via phone at 413-583-4301.

The production is directed by Jess Miller. It is musically directed by Dan Monte and choreographed by Amy Meek and Aileen Terzi.

Since 1984, the Exit 7 Players have been dedicated to the production of classical, contemporary and musical works that entertain, educate and delight audiences of all ages.

Tyree Jackson Woods were supposed to board a bus from Springfield to Norfolk, Va on Saturday, but his family down there said he never arrived.

SPRINGFIELD - A Springfield family is seeking help in finding Tyree Jackson Woods, who left Springfield a week ago after visiting relatives but never turned up at his home in Norfolk, Va.

Jackson Woods, 25, was due to leave the city by bus Saturday to go back home to his girlfriend and daughter, but they reported he never arrived.

His mother, Victoria Jackson of Springfield, said she filed a missing persons report with the Springfield police on Wednesday.

Jackson Woods is 6 feet, 1 inch tall, weighs between 190 and 200 pounds, and has light black skin. He also wears glasses and has facial hair.

His mother said he returned to Springfield on June 8th for his sister’s high school graduation. He stayed in town for about a week and then was due to leave by bus on the 14th.

She said they checked with the bus station and could not verify for certain if he ever got on the bus.

Jackson said her son has never, ever gone missing before and the family is afraid something may have happened to him.

If anyone has any information about where he may be, Jackson requests they call the Springfield police at (413) 787-6302. They can also call her at (207) 618-0299.

The council voted unanimously in favor of the budget in its second and final reading Thursday.

NORTHAMPTON - The City Council has given final approval to Mayor David J. Narkewicz' $103.9 million budget for fiscal 2015.

The council voted unanimously in favor of the budget in its second and final reading Thursday. It had given its preliminary approval at the last meeting. The budget includes $85.797 million from the general fund and more than $18 million in enterprise funds. The city has to have its budget in place before the beginning on the next fiscal year, July 1.

The council also authorized Building Commissioner Louis Hasbrouck to spend $81,650 to demolish the former Honda dealership building at 171 King St. The Fire Department doused a fire in the building in March.