An $11 million fountain in a coastal Connecticut city has been shut down after several city residents reportedly turned it into a very public toilet.
Photo courtesy of The Custom House Maritime MuseumThe Whale Tail Fountain in New London, Conn., which began pumping water last month, is now shut down after several complaints of people urinating, defecating and washing themselves in it.
NEW LONDON, Conn. – An $11 million fountain in a coastal Connecticut city has been shut down after several city residents reportedly turned it into a very public toilet.
The Whale Tail Fountain, located in Parade Plaza in New London, Conn. was only turned on last month. Created as a showpiece and point of pride in the “Whailing City,” residents and political figures are sickened and dismayed that so many people have been urinating, defecating and washing themselves in the water.
Last Thursday, the fire department was called to the plaza after a man fell down a set of stairs and suffered a head wound, bleeding into the fountain. On Friday, police had to stop a man from using it as a shower.
New London’s local newspaper, The Day, reported that City Councilor Michael Buscetto III is concerned about the water quality after so many reports of human waste entering the water stream.
By day, the fountain is used by city children to beat the heat, with a steady stream of water flowing from the bronze tail, which was created by sculptor Alan Cottrill. The Day reported that Buscetto attributes the fountain’s misuse to “frequent flyers,” an allusion to the city’s homeless population.
"It's two steps forward and three steps backward,” Buscetto said in a city council meeting this week. “There are people in the city who don't care, and they need to be dealt with.”
The city has pledged to test the water quality once a day when it is turned back on. Police are also planning on increasing patrols near the fountain and the adjacent Custom House Maritime Museum.
The agreement will result in a $180,000 savings to the school district.
WILBRAHAM - Teachers from the Hampden-Wilbraham Education Association have agreed to accept an offer from the Regional School Committee that they forego two of five professional development days during the 2011-2012 school year.
Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee Chairman Scott R. Chapman said the agreement will result in a savings of $180,000 to the school district.
This will allow the district to restore approximately three teaching positions, Chapman said.
Without the professional development days, substitute teachers will not be needed to replace the teachers in the classrooms, resulting in the savings, Chapman said.
The School Committee has already voted to apply $490,000 in contingency funds to restore some popular programs which were slated to be cut next year.
Programs the committee already voted to restore include fifth and sixth grade band at Wilbraham Middle School, a science and engineering program at Wilbraham Middle School which will be expanded to Thornton Burgess Middle School in Hampden and an information technology program at Wilbraham Middle School which will be added to Thornton Burgess Middle School in Hampden.
So far no decision has been made to restore seventh grade French at Wilbraham Middle School.
Chapman said no decision has been made yet on which teaching positions will be restored.
The School Committee is expected to discuss this issue at Tuesday’s School Committee meeting, Chapman said.
The Hampden-Wilbraham Education Association represents 262 teachers in the school district.
Chapman said School Committee member Peter T. Salerno and Hampden-Wilbraham Education Association President Gary Manuel negotiated the give-backs by the teachers’ union.
Manuel could not be reached for comment.
After the current French students complete high school, the school district is considering replacing French with Mandarin Chinese and continuing to offer Spanish and Latin. There is increasing interest in Latin by students in the region, Regional School Superintendent M. Martin O’Shea said.
O’Shea said the school district feels it should offer a non-Western foreign language such as Chinese instead of French.
The teachers are due to get a 2.75 percent raise for the next school year.
A massive, eight-alarm fire tore through a 112-year-old mill in northern Rhode Island on Tuesday, leaving one firefighter injured, forcing some residents to be evacuated and leaving hundreds without power, officials said late Tuesday.
A fireball explodes during multi-alarm fire at a Woonsocket, R.I., mill complex Tuesday June 7, 2011. The fire at a four-story mill injured at least one firefighter and sent nearby residents looking for temporary shelter. (AP Photo//The Providence Journal/Bob Thayer)
WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) — A massive, eight-alarm fire tore through a 112-year-old mill in northern Rhode Island on Tuesday, leaving one firefighter injured, forcing some residents to be evacuated and leaving hundreds without power, officials said late Tuesday.
Firefighters were called to a blaze at the former Alice Mills Rubber Manufacturing Plant in Woonsocket, just miles from the Massachusetts state line at about 7:30 p.m. Alice Mills was once considered the largest rubber goods factory in the world.
Woonsocket Mayor Leo Fontaine told WLNE-TV that one firefighter was injured and taken to Rhode Island Hospital where he was treated for what he believes was dehydration. No other details were released, and no other injuries were reported.
The fire quickly spread through the multi-story building and rose to eight alarms. Television images showed the intense fire burning throughout the building, and the entire roof had collapsed into the 217,000 square-foot structure.
"The structure is actually helping us by collapsing inside itself," Fire Chief Gary Lataille told WJAR-TV.
A firefighter watches as mill burns in Woonsocket, R.I. Tuesday night, June 7, 2011. The fire reached eight alarms, forcing evacuations and leaving hundreds without power. (AP Photo/Providence Journal, Bob Thayer)
Residents of about 10 houses on two streets surrounding the mill were evacuated, Woonsocket police said.
National Grid spokeswoman Deborah Drew told the Associated Press early Wednesday that power had been cut to 800 customers at the fire department's request. She said fire officials wanted to ensure that firefighters had safe access to the area around the mill building.
At its peak, Alice Mills employed 2,000, and during World War II manufactured barrage balloons and rubber attack boats. The mill was later the home to plastic manufacturer Tech Industries, later known as Portola Tech, which left the building in 2009.
"It's enormous; the entire building is engulfed," Fontaine told WPRI. "It's a very significant building historically for us."
Firefighters work at the scene of the former Alice Mills Rubber Manufacturing Plant which burns in Woonsocket, R.I. Tuesday, June 7, 2011. The massive, eight-alarm fire at the historic mill forced evacuations and left hundreds without power, officials said. (AP Photo/John Cetrino)
The mayor said the building, built in 1889 on a seven-acre site, had recently been acquired by the American Wood Pellet Corp.
Smoke from the blaze could be seen 10 miles away in Lincoln, R.I., and was being carried by the light wind into parts of Massachusetts.
Authorities said all of Woonsocket's 125 firefighters were on the scene, along with the city's police department. Nearby fire departments in Rhode Island and Massachusetts also sent firefighters.
Lataille told The Providence Journal that the plan was to keep the fire from spreading and to let the structure burn to the ground.
Woonsocket is located 14 miles north of Providence and is two miles from the Massachusetts state line.
Associated Industries of Massachusetts' Business Confidence Index was still in positive territory, but lower than a month ago.
File photo | The Republican
Employers lost confidence last month in their own business’ ability to prosper over the next six months, according to results from an Associated Industries of Massachusetts survey released this week.
“That makes them reluctant to hire and the most important thing we need now is jobs,” said Andre Mayer, senior vice president for research at Associated Industries, a Boston-based business lobbying group.
“They just think conditions are not as good as they had thought,” Mayer said. “People are saying ‘Maybe our sales are not going to go up as much as we thought. Maybe we are not going to hire.’”
The Associated Industries of Massachusetts Confidence Index was 51.7 points in May. The index is on a 100-point scale, where anything over 50 is considered positive. But May’s number was down 4.4 points from 56.1 points in April.
The Business Confidence Index historical high was 68.5, attained in 1997 and 1998; its all-time low was 33.3 in February 2009.
Mayer said the survey revealed a general downward trend in hiring. Thirteen percent of the executives who responded to Associated Industries survey in April reported that they cut staff in the last six months. In May, that jumped to 25 percent.
Looking forward, in April 33 percent of employers said they would add staff in the next six months, which fell to 27 percent in the May survey.
Also looking forward, in April 6 percent said they would cut staff in the next six months. In May, 13 percent said they would likely cut staff over the next six months.
Mayer pointed out that there is still a two-to-one ratio of hiring to firing according to the May survey, with 13 percent of respondents predicting staff cuts and 27 percent predicting that they would hire.
“But it still doesn’t give you a good feeling about the number of new jobs that will be created,” Mayer said.
Michael D. Goodman, chairman of the department of public policy of the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, said the negative sentiment is a reflection of high gas and oil prices, poor employment numbers and credit trouble in Europe.
The survey was taken in the middle of May, weeks before tornadoes devastated portions of Western Massachusetts.
Peggy Arlene Williams, 33, of Springfield was arrested by the Massachusetts State Police on Tuesday after she allegedly fled from a Holyoke grocery store after an elevated fight with her boyfriend.
Republican file photo
HOLYOKE - Peggy Arlene Williams, 33, of Springfield was arrested by the Massachusetts State Police on Tuesday after she allegedly fled from a Holyoke grocery store following an elevated fight with her boyfriend.
According to Holyoke Sgt. Stephen Loftus, Williams was in the C-Town Supermarket on Cabot Street around 10:20 a.m. when an argument with her boyfriend became heated.
"Apparently she became enraged and pulled out a box cutter and started taking swings at him," Loftus said. "He ran but she chased after him through the grocery store. At one point, she threw a can of soup at him, striking him in the back."
She fled from the store after the attack but troopers caught up with her on her way home. She was taken into custody and charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and once count of domestic assault.
It was unclear what injuries if any the man sustained in the incident, according to Loftus, as the police report didn't mention any..
She was taken into custody and held awaiting arraignment.
The state attorney general's office has reached a $1 million agreement with National Grid to settle allegations that the utility responded poorly to a snowstorm the day after Christmas.
BOSTON (AP) — The state attorney general's office has reached a $1 million agreement with National Grid to settle allegations that the utility responded poorly to a snowstorm the day after Christmas.
The storm on Dec. 26 left more than 113,000 of the utility's customers without power.
The settlement includes payments of $50,000 each to the United Way and Red Cross for their assistance in responding to the outages; reimbursement to communities for storm-related costs; and $150,000 over three years to train public safety responders to deal with electric outages and downed wires.
None of the costs will be passed on to ratepayers.
Attorney general Martha Coakley says the agreement ensures the mistakes made during the storm do not happen again.
A National Grid spokeswoman says the utility is committed to reliable service.
Transgender advocates are preparing to gather at the Massachusetts Statehouse to lobby state legislators to pass a bill designed to grant increased legal protections to transgender people.
BOSTON (AP) — Transgender advocates are preparing to gather at the Massachusetts Statehouse to lobby state legislators to pass a bill designed to grant increased legal protections to transgender people.
The Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled a public hearing Wednesday afternoon to hear testimony on a bill that would add the words "gender identity and expression" to the state's nondiscrimination laws.
Supporters say the legislation will help shield transgender people from being discriminated against when seeking a job or housing.
Critics say the bill will lead to a breakdown in privacy in rest rooms, locker rooms and other single-gender facilities. They have labeled the legislation the "bathroom bill."
Among the supporters of expanded legal protections for transgender people is Gov. Deval Patrick who said last year he would sign the bill.
The University of Massachusetts trustees are scheduled to meet to consider a 7.5 percent increase in student fees for the next academic year.
BOSTON (AP) — The University of Massachusetts trustees are scheduled to meet to consider a 7.5 percent increase in student fees for the next academic year.
The increase if approved at the full board's meeting on Wednesday would hike the average in-state undergraduate's bill by more than $800 annually.
The fee hikes have already been endorsed by the trustees Committee on Administration and Finance.
University officials say the increased fees are needed to maintain academic standards and services in light of a $54 million budget shortfall brought in in part by the loss of nearly $38 million in federal stimulus money.
The fee hike is expected to close nearly half that gap.
Nearly 30 percent of the money generated by the fee increase would go toward financial aid.
Facebook's controversial decision to use facial recognition software has some nervous, More fraud questions raised for Mass. probation department, and more.
So, you think traffic on I-91 is bad?The Mulholland Drive bridge over Interstate 405, which crosses the Santa Monica Mountains connecting the San Fernando Valley and the Westside of Los Angeles, is seen Monday, June 6, 2011. Los Angeles authorities are bracing for a full-blown traffic nightmare when a section of vital route undergoes a weekend closure this summer. Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said motorists should stay away from the area to prevent what he terms "car-mageddon." A 10-mile stretch of the 405 through Sepulveda Pass will be closed for 53 hours for demolition of half of the bridge in mid-July. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
The Council of Churches of Greater Springfield has set up a tornado relief page listing donation and distribution sites
Below is a list of announcements regarding resources and tornado relief efforts we've received in the newsroom so far on Wednesday, June 8. We'll be updating the list as information comes in.
If you know of a resource that should be added to this list -- or to the map at the bottom of this post -- please post a comment or email online@repub.com.
The United Way is coordinating volunteer efforts. Call 2-1-1 for information.
Call ahead before heading out to a donation center, to make sure that location is still accepting donations.
EVENTS / ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8
Interfaith service set for 6 p.m. Christ Church Cathedral in Springfield The Republican's Anne Gerard Flynn reports:
An interfaith service of prayer, hope and healing for all the victims and responders of the three tornadoes that struck the area on June 1 will be held on June 8 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral, Episcopal, 35 Chestnut St., Springfield. Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to attend and speak during the service along with Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.
Find the full list of expected attendees, as well as a program for the service, at the link above.
FEMA, MEMA offer new ways to donate and volunteer
From MEMA public information officer Peter Judge:
Those wishing to make monetary donations to assist the most impacted individuals can contribute to the Massachusetts Statewide Disaster Relief Fund. This effort, hosted by the United Way of Tri-County can be found online at www.unitedwaytri-county.org/disaster. These funds will then be distributed in the form of grants to meet the needs of individuals and families through long-term recovery groups recognized by the Massachusetts Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (MAVOAD). Members of the public interested in volunteering their time/skills or wishing to donate products/ equipment are encouraged to do so by using the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Donation’s Management System at http://www.aidmatrixnetwork.org/FEMA/.
Council of Churches of Greater Springfield lists donation / distribution sites
The Council of Churches of Greater Springfield has set up a tornado relief page listing donation and distribution sites [we'll be adding all of these sites to the map below over the course of this morning]. Basilica of the Holy Apostles at 339 State Street in Springfield is accepting large furniture items, food, clothing and other large donations, and a "show room' will be set up at the church to facilitate pick-up.
Stimulations Learning Center in Monson distributing toys, school supplies and more
Stimulations Learning Center has been collecting and distributing toys, books, outdoor equipment, school and art supplies, baby items, games, puzzles and other items for children and families. Pick-up times are 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.
The center is also seeking donations of large boxes, masking tape and storage space.
Mass.gov launches tornado recovery resource page Mass.gov's tornado recovery page includes information on storm assistance centers, rebuilding resources, consumer information, and how to help.
Holyoke Mall accepting donations on behalf of Springfield Rescue Mission
People may donate the following items at the customer service center, located on the lower level near Sears:
Paper / other kitchen goods: Sandwich baggies, plates, cups, napkins, paper towels, plastic flatware
Clean-up needs: Work gloves, Kitchen gloves (powderless), Heavy duty kitchen bags (40-45 gallon size), Hand sanitizer packets or wipes, Sunblock, Bug spray
Clothing: New underwear (men, women and children), New Socks (men, women and children), New t-shirts (men size large and XL). Note: The Rescue Mission is in "desperate need" of women's new underwear, new socks and gently used clothing - especially sizes small and medium.
Toiletries: Toothbrushes / toothpaste, soap and body wash, deodorant, lip balm, shampoo / conditioner, brushes / combs, tissues, hand / body lotion, baby power, disposable razors, shaving cream.
Gift cards for gas and food: Gift cards will be accepted to distribute to those living in crisis and to assist the Mission.
Salvation Army offers vouchers for clothing purchases
Today, the Salvation Army will be distributing vouchers that tornado victims may use to purchase clothing at Salvation Army retail stores, said Maj. Linda Perks. Victims may claim vouchers at 170 Pearl Street from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday.
Perks said the Salvation Army is accepting clothing donations at 327 Liberty Street. Donations of food, toiletries and water may be made at 170 Pearl Street.
Relief fund established for Monson
The Monson Arts Council reports that a relief fund for Monson has been established at Monson Savings Bank. Checks can be made out to: Make check out to Monson Savings Bank, Monson Tornado Relief, 146 Main St., Monson, MA 01057.
The Arts Council also notes: "Donations and volunteers can help at First Church, 5 Main St; Glendale Methodist Church, Main St; or St Patrick church. All clothing is being taking in at St Patrick's, The First Church and Glendale are providing hot/cold food and drinks. They both have non-perishable items for the tornado victims."
And, debris pick-up information from Kathleen Conley Norbut, Emergency Management Director:
The Board of Selectmen has contracted with Ash Britt Environmental to begin debris collection and removal from the storm beginning on Tuesday, June 7, 2011.
Regular trash pick-up resumes June 6, 2011.
Residents are asked to separate disaster debris and place vegetative debris only in piles at the curb in the public right-of-way, not on private property and NOT IN THE STREET.
Open Pantry offers food and clothing
From the website of the United Way, a list of resources offered by Open Pantry Community Services [main phone: (413) 737-5354]:
Emergency Food Pantry: Our emergency food pantry is open Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday and Friday from 9:00AM-3:00PM. We are waiving the intake process for all tornado survivors. Special boxes will be prepared with ready to eat foods and toiletry items. We are located at 2460 Main Street, Springfield.
People's Center: The People's Center provides free clothing to those in need. We are open Monday through Friday 10:00AM-2:00PM. On Tuesday June 7, the People's Center will be open only to those affected by the tornado. In addition we will distributing ready to eat food and hygiene products out of 287 State Street (3rd Floor) from 9:00AM-5:00PM.
Loaves and Fishes Kitchen: We provide two meals a day at 12:00PM and 5:00PM. We are at Christ Church Cathedral Monday through Friday, South Congregational on Saturday and Sunday at Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist.
Red Cross seeks translators
From the website of the Pioneer Valley Chapter: The American Red Cross Pioneer Valley Chapter currently has a need for specialized translators -- if you are trained in the following: Napalese, Arabic, Burmese, Russian or Spanish -- please report to the Pioneer Valley Chapter at 506 Cottage St., Springfield and ask for Paula W.
Donations to the Red Cross Pioneer Valley Chapter may be sent to 506 Cottage St., Springfield, 01104. Phone (413) 737-4306. Donations also can be made online at www.redcrosspioneervalley.org.
Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society offers temporary pet care Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, located at 171 Union Street in Springfield, is offering temporary care for pets owned by residents displaced by the tornado. Dakin will house and provide care for pets for 5 days. Phone: (413) 781-4000.
Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center offers services for stray animals, search and rescue
Residents can contact the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center for "field services" (search and rescue) involving animals, or if they find stray cats and dogs. The center is located at 627 Cottage Street. Phone: (413) 781-1484.
Friendship Baptist Church in Brimfield offers relief for tornado victims
Brimfield's Friendship Baptist Church, located at 9 East Brimfield / Holland Road, is coordinating chainsaw crews to help residents clear downed trees and limbs from their property. To schedule a crew, call (860) 961-0513. Crews are currently operating between Sturbridge and Monson, Pastor Steve Nurger said Monday morning. Nurger said the church also has showers and laundry facilities available to stricken residents. And while the church is not an official meal site, Nurger said, "We always have food."
Clothing, household items available at Hitchock Academy in Brimfield
Sharon Palmer, assistant director of Brimfield's Hitchcock Academy reports this morning that the school's clothing drive was an overwhelming success. Items are now available for pick-up by residents affected by the tornado. The school is located at 2 Brookfield Road, and pick-up hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
"Even more amazing than the force of the storms is the generosity, concern, and good nature of so many people in the area who contributed their time and efforts to help others," Palmer said in a press release. The clothing / item drive is now closed to further donations. "We now have more than enough donations and literally cannot handle more," Palmer said.
O'Brien resigned in December in the midst of a hiring scandal .
Former Probation Commissioner John J. O'Brien.
BOSTON (AP) — The former commissioner of the state Probation Department who resigned in the midst of a hiring scandal is under renewed scrutiny for possible "favoritism, fraud, or improper influence," in the awarding of a contract for electronic monitoring services.
Inspector General Gregory Sullivan says former probation chief John J. O'Brien followed a "deeply flawed" process to award a multimillion dollar contract to a company that provided ankle bracelets for nearly 1,000 criminals and suspects awaiting trial.
Sullivan says crucial bid documents in 2008 were filled out in pencil and appear to have been changed. He also found little documentation that iSECUREtrac was the best choice to provide the technology.
The Boston Globe reports that at least three other companies made lower bids.
O'Brien's lawyer did not return the newspaper's calls.
Dow Jones industrial average futures fell 49 points in pre-market trading.
Associated Press photoFederal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke listens to a question during a speech to a meeting of the International Monetary Committee in Atlanta, Tuesday.
NEW YORK – Stocks futures fell Wednesday, extending a slide fueled Tuesday by Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’s comments that economic growth has slowed.
In a speech late Tuesday afternoon, Bernanke said that the U.S. economy wasn’t growing as fast as had been expected this year, in part because damage to industrial supplies in Japan following its catastrophic tsunami and nuclear disaster has disrupted imports from that country.
Bernanke did not say whether the Fed would offer any new stimulus measures. Investors had hoped the Fed chairman might indicate that the speech would indicate steps such as extending the Fed’s $600 billion bond-buying program, due to end this month.
Dow Jones industrial average futures fell 49 points, or 0.4 percent, to 12,023 in pre-market trading. Standard & Poor’s 500 futures fell 6, or 0.5 percent, to 1,279. Nasdaq 100 futures fell 16, or 0.7 percent, to 2,257.
The Fed is expected to release its so-called “Beige Book” at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time. The report offer anecdotal commentary from business owners across the Fed’s 12 districts, giving investors a detailed illustration of an economic recovery Bernanke called “uneven.”
Oil prices fell to near $98 per barrel on indications that oil ministers at an OPEC meeting will likely decide Wednesday to increase crude output. OPEC controls roughly 40 percent of the global production of oil. An increase in output would ease the pressure on prices, which have been hovering around $100 per barrel since March.
Signs that U.S. supplies were tightening kept oil prices from falling farther. The American Petroleum Institute said late Tuesday that U.S. crude inventories fell more than expected.
On Tuesday, stock indexes slid after Bernanke’s speech.
The Dow Jones industrial average had been up as many as 89 points but turned lower in the late afternoon as Bernanke’s speech started. The Dow’s loss of 19 was the fifth straight decline for the index, the longest string of losses since August.
Bernanke said the U.S. economy had not grown as quickly as had been expected so far this year. He said growth has been held back by disruptions of industrial supplies from Japan following the tsunami and nuclear disaster there and higher gas prices.
Bernanke expects the economy to pick up in the second half of the year, but he acknowledged that the pace of the growth remains “frustratingly slow from the perspective of millions of unemployed and underemployed workers.”
Some investors had been hoping Bernanke would announce additional measures to support the economy. Major indexes fell after it became clear that Bernanke was not wavering from his view that the U.S. economy is growing gradually and does not need more stimulus. The Fed’s $600 billion bond-buying program, which is aimed at keeping interest rates low, is ending at the end of June.
“People are getting skittish,” said Brian Wenzinger, a portfolio manager at Aronson Johnson Ortiz in Philadelphia. “Housing is getting worse, and they’re rethinking a possible double-dip recession.” But, Wenzinger added, the relatively small drop in the stock market was a positive sign following several days of steep losses.
The Dow Jones industrial average lost 19.15 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 12,070.81. The Standard and Poor’s 500 dipped 1.23, or 0.1 percent, to 1,284.94. The Nasdaq composite shed 1, or less than 0.1 percent, to 2,701.56.
Stocks have swooned since late April because of concerns that the U.S. economy is stalling from a combination of high gas prices, weaker than expected hiring and a slowdown in manufacturing. The Dow has fallen nearly 500 points over the last five days. The S&P remained below the psychologically important level of 1,300 for the second straight day and closed at its lowest level in two and a half months.
The Labor Department reported that businesses had fewer job openings in April. The government said that employers posted 3 million ads for jobs in April, down from 3.1 million in March. The figure added to the stack of other signs that the U.S. is having an employment crisis. However, the report did little to change the direction of stocks.
In corporate news, a contentious acquisition proposal ratcheted up the stock price of all companies involved. International Paper Co. rose 0.4 percent after smaller rival Temple-Inland fought back against International Paper’s hostile takeover bid for $3.3 billion in cash. Temple-Inland soared 40 percent on the news. Weyerhaeuser Co. rose 5 percent, the most of any company in the S&P 500, on suspicion it was another takeover candidate for International Paper.
Cablevision Systems Corp. rose 4.5 percent after the New York-area cable company set a date when it would spin off its cable networks. The company plans to divest popular television networks including AMC, which broadcasts the popular “Mad Men” show on June 16. Investors prefer the sleeker broadcast networks like WE TV, IFC and the Sundance Channel operating on their own to the current unwieldy corporate structure.
Rising shares narrowly outnumbered falling ones on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was 3.6 billion shares.
Three local men were arrested on drug charges Tuesday after three separate incidents in Holyoke.
Republican file photo
HOLYOKE - Three local men were arrested on drug charges Tuesday after three separate incidents in Holyoke.
Around 12:18 a.m., officers with the city's uniformed division conducted an unrelated traffic stop. While still handling that, someone notified police that there were some men at the corner of Chestnut and Saratoga who looked suspicious, according to Sgt. Stephen Loftus.
As police approached the group, one man, 26-year-old Francisco Javier Figueroa, allegedly ran. He left behind a bag with 38 bags of crack and four bags of heroin.
Figueroa, a Northampton resident, was charged with illegal possession of drugs, possession with intent to distribute drugs and for violating the drug-free school zone. He was held awaiting arraignment.
At about 12:26 p.m., officers with the Holyoke Narcotics Bureau were joined by agents from the FBI's Gang Task Force, the U.S. Marshals and the DEA to execute a search warrant in conjunction with an ongoing narcotics investigation.
They crashed the door at 11 North East St. and inside they allegedly found 49 baggies of heroin and two vials of PCP, along with related paraphernalia, Loftus said. Police arrested 21-year-old Gilbert Rivera of 16 Cabot St., charging him with illegally possessing drugs, selling drugs and for violating the drug-free school zone.
At about 12:29, police arrested Luis A. Cintron of Holyoke after a concerned citizen reported a suspicious situation on St. Kolbe Drive. According to Loftus, 20 bags of heroin were recovered and Cintron was also charged with illegal possession of drugs, possession with the intent to sell drugs and for violating the drug-free school zone.
One dog died and others were taken to veterinary hospitals.
TEWKSBURY – A South Dakota woman is facing animal cruelty charges in Massachusetts for allegedly leaving 15 dogs and two cats in a van outside a motel for nearly six hours on a day when temperatures reached the high 80s.
One dog died.
Tewksbury police say they received a call about the animals just after 1 p.m. on Tuesday. They say the van’s windows were open a crack. They say some of the animals had trouble walking. Some were given oxygen and some were hosed down before being taken to veterinary hospitals.
Police tell The Sun of Lowell that 71-year-old Margot Nickerson of Sioux Falls, S.D., was driving from Maine back to South Dakota. Nickerson told police she “didn’t know” the animals were suffering.
Ayman al-Zawahri, al-Qaida's longtime No. 2 and considered its operational head said bin Laden "terrified America" when he was alive and would continue to do so in death.
FILE - In this Oct. 7, 2001 file photo, Osama bin Laden, left, and his top lieutenant, Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahri, right, are seen at an undisclosed location in this television image broadcast. A week after the death of Osama bin Laden, his longtime deputy is considered to be the front-runner to succeed the iconic al-Qaida founder but uprisings in the Middle East and changing dynamics within the group could point to another scenario: a decision not to appoint anyone at all to replace the world's most-wanted terrorist. (AP Photo/Al-Jazeera, File)
CAIRO (AP) — Osama bin Laden's deputy has issued a eulogy for the slain al-Qaida chief, saying he "terrified America" when he was alive and would continue to do so in death.
Ayman al-Zawahri, al-Qaida's longtime No. 2 and considered its operational head, heaped praise on bin Laden, killed in the May 2 U.S. raid in Pakistan.
Al-Zawahri also blasted the United States for burying bin Laden at sea and urged the Pakistani people to rise against the country's military rulers and politicians, describing them as "traitors."
Likely al-Qaida's next leader, al-Zawahri is believed to be operating from somewhere near the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier.
Al-Zawahri appeared in a white Arab robe and turban, a Kalashnikov at his side, in a 28-minute video posted on militant websites on Wednesday.
Three candidates are running for three at-large town councilor positions.
Inclumbent Palmer Town Councilor Philip Hebert, left, is facing a challenge for his District 1 seat from Carl Bryant in the annual town election.
PALMER - In a rematch of the 2007 race, Philip J. Hebert of Thorndike and Carl F. Bryant of Bondsville will face off for a three-year term to represent district 1 on the Town Council.
Hebert beat Bryant by two votes in 2007, after Bryant requested a recount because Hebert had originally won by four votes.
The annual election is Tuesday, and polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Precincts 1 and 4 will vote at the Sts. Peter & Paul Parish Center at the Church of Divine Mercy on Main Street in Three Rivers, and precincts 2 and 3 will vote at Converse Middle School on Converse Street.
The annual election moved from November to June as a result of charter changes approved by voters last November that also reduced the council from nine to seven members.
Hebert, 50, a truck driver, said he has enjoyed his time on the council, and learned a lot. He said he enjoys giving back to the community, and said people feel comfortable approaching him about their issues.
"People always think that government is not there to help them. I want to represent the people," Hebert said. "This has been quite the learning experience and I totally jumped right out of my comfort zone."
"More people should get off the couch," he said.
Hebert described himself as pro-business. If a casino deal is ever reached to bring a resort-style Mohegan Sun casino across from the turnpike exit, he said the voters will have the final say.
Hebert said he is proud that he, along with Council President Eric A. Duda, and former District 4 Councilor Roger Duguay Jr., pushed to get rid of a proposed tax increase to fund the elementary school roof project and final construction payment for the schools.
At the time the vote was taken back in November, Hebert said getting rid of the tax increase was a way to reward residents who pay their taxes on time.
This will be Bryant's third run for Town Council. A former Bondsville Fire and Water Commissioner, Bryant said he supports the form of government, but thinks some of the decisions the council has made have been wrong.
Bryant, 40, pointed to the firings of the last two town managers, Richard L. Fitzgerald, and Matthew L. Streeter. Bryant said those decisions cost the townspeople a lot of money, as both were terminated before their contracts were over.
"Phil Hebert is a nice guy. He's a regular common man who wants to do good for his town," Bryant said, adding that he feels the Town Council as a whole has not done its job.
"They haven't really done much," Bryant said.
Bryant said he is not a politician, and described himself as "straightforward." He is a landscaper.
Bryant said there are important decisions to be made in the coming months, pointing to a slew of upcoming retirements - acting town manager Patricia A. Kennedy, acting public works director Richard P. Kaczmarczyk and School Superintendent Gerald A. Fournier. Also, a new recreation director will need to be hired.
Regarding the casino, Bryant said he supports it, but if the majority of his constituents were against it, he would vote against it as well.
"I do have the best interest of the town in mind," Bryant said.
Three candidates are running for three at-large town councilor positions, incumbents Karl S. Williams and Paul E. Burns, and Mary A. Salzmann. The highest vote-getter will serve three years, followed by two years and one year.
The six-story, 220,000-square-foot complex will house research, teaching and training laboratories.
File photo by Don Treeger / The RepublicanThis is what the new laboratory science building at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst looked like in March.
The facility is the first new academic building on campus since 1974.
The six-story, 220,000-square-foot integrated sciences complex will house research, teaching and training laboratories. It is expected to open in September 2013.
UMass President Jack Wilson, UMass-Boston Chancellor J. Keith Motley and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino were among the officials scheduled to attend Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
The science building is part of the university’s 25-year master plan that will see a number of new academic, residential and athletic facilities on campus as well as reconfiguration of roadways and walkways.
Chances for severe weather will be strongest Thursday afternoon and evening.
06/07/11-Springfield- Staff Photo by Dave Roback- The game between the Western Mass Dodgers and the Holy Cross red Sox was not called on acount of rain or sprinklers that went on at the wrong time in Blunt park in Springfield on Tuesday evening.
SPRINGFIELD – The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency urges residents to “keep an eye to the sky” Wednesday and Thursday as the potential for record-breaking heat brings the possibility of severe weather.
Abc40 / Fox 6 meteorologist Dan Brown said the record high for both Wednesday and Thursday is 95 degrees. “We have a good chance of breaking one or both of these records, especially on Thursday.” he said.
The chances for severe weather will be strongest Thursday afternoon and evening as a cold front approaches Western Massachusetts later in the day.
The passing front will usher in cooler and drier weather on Friday and into the weekend, Brown said.
“There may be a few showers around on both Saturday and Sunday but overall the weekend is looking decent with highs mainly in the 70s,” Brown said.
Tornado relief and recovery updates from the American Red Cross
As American Red Cross tornado relief efforts continue, new bulk distribution sites have been established in West Springfield and Springfield. The sites contain clean-up kits which include work gloves, tarps, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, and more.
The sites can be found in the vicinity of the following locations:
St. Anthony Church, 375 Island Pond Road, Springfield.
Holy Cross Church, 221 Plumtree Road, Springfield
St. Michael's Church, 254 State Street, Springfield
664 Union Street, West Springfield
The Big E Fairgrounds, 1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield
So far, 287 Red Cross workers have distributed almost 3,000 comfort kits, more than 150 clean-up kits, and have served more 11,000 meals to tornado victims.
GREENFIELD – Although there are 11 seats up for grabs in Tuesday's city election, five have no official candidates, including the one-year Precinct 1 town councilor job. There are two contests on the ballot, for an at-large member of the city council and the School Committee.
The positions of trustee of A.K. Warner Trust, trustee of Jennie L. Bascom, a veteran and non-veteran trustee of Soldier Memorial, and the council slot will be filled by write-in winners, if there are any. If no one wins in a write-in campaign, the boards will make appointments.
Last year, no one took out nominations papers for a three-year term as Precinct 9 town councilor or any of the trustee positions.
“It’s not unusual,” said Town Clerk Maureen T. Winseck. “It’s hard to get candidates to run for these seats.”
When Precinct 1 Councilor Peter Wood resigned last year, the council unanimously appointed Paul R. Bitters to fill the vacancy until June 30.
Steven M. Ronhave is running unopposed for Town Council in Precinct 4, Vice President David Singer is seeking re-election to his Precinct 5 seat, and Hillary H. Hoffman is vying for the Precinct 6 position.
The town councilor at-large seat has two candidates, Cameron R. Ward and Mark P. Wisnewski, who won in the April 19 preliminary election that almost did not come to pass. The incumbent, Daniel J. Guin, did not seek re-election.
On March 7, the Town Council asked the state to allow the city to cancel the preliminary election. A citizen referendum in protest held up the process, and the deadline for purchasing the ballots arrived without a decision. The election was held and Ward and Wisnewski bested Karen T. Renaud for spots on the general election ballot.
The School Committee has the only other contested race. There are three candidates for two three-year positions: Daryl B. Essensa, current Secretary Maryelen Calderwood and Vice Chairman Keith C. McCormic.
The Whale Tail Fountain in New London, Conn., which began pumping water last month, is now shut down after several complaints of people urinating, defecating and washing themselves in it. 
