The relic, welcomed at a prayer service at St. Michael's Cathedral, begins visit, Sept. 6 through 14, at St. Anthony Catholic Church. Watch video

Springfield resident Brenda Madison was among the first area residents to venerate the relic of St. Anthony of Padua, and the physical experience of putting her lips to the glass reliquary containing the bone fragment of the saint, born in Portugual in 1195, left her in an emotional state.

"I teared up. I was just so happy. All of these years I have prayed to Anthony, and now I got that close to a part of the saint," said Madison, who attended a brief prayer service, Sept. 6, marking the reception of the relic into the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, at St. Michael's Cathedral.

Springfield resident Brenda Madison has prayed to St. Anthony for years, and was one of the first area residents to venerate his relic during a prayer service at St. Michael's Cathedral on Sept. 6.ANNE-GERARD FLYNN PHOTO 

The relic, from the Franciscan basilica in Padua, arrived for a nine-day presentation at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Maronite rite, 375 Island Pond Road. Anthony, one of the Catholic Church's most universally popular saints and a Franciscan friar, is prayed to by many for health, children and general navigation in a world where loss of all types is common. He was particularly known, in Italy, where he died, for his skills as a preacher.

The relic was accompanied here by Friars Enzo M. Poiana, and Alessandro Ratti, who were present for the prayer service, along with the Rev. George Zina, pastor of St. Anthony's Parish, who helped organize the relic's visit here. The Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski, diocesan bishop, presided at the service, saying the relic "reminds us of our ties with each other, but also our ties with the saints."

"The saints still look out for us who are on our earthly journey," Rozanski told the several dozen people in attendance.

Worshipers line up to venerate a relic of St. Anthony of Padua, during a prayer service on Sept. 6 at St. Michael's Cathedral.Anne-Gerard Flynn 

The words could have been directly spoken to Madison, who grew up in the Central American country of Belize, where her family have been Catholics for generation. A mother of five, she continues the tradition of praying to saints with her own children.

"It's more than one saint. As a Catholic you need all the saints," Madison said. But, she added, Anthony was the saint that her mother made a novena, or prayer to, every Tuesday.

"I have been praying to St. Anthony for 35 years, and, through his intercession, all my intentions for my family and children have been answered," Madison said.

Madison said she prays to Anthony "for strength."

"I am a caregiver, and I ask him to help me to have compassion and empathy and to be present to the goodness and greatness of God."

As the service ended, Madison said she had plans to venerate the relic when it is at St. Anthony Parish. Her immediate intention, however, was to place a call, first to her 92-year-old mother in Belize, and then to a sister in Florida. 

"She will cry," said Madison, when asked what she thought her mother's reaction would be to Madison having kissed the reliquary. "She raised eight of us, and my father was an altar boy. We were a home of faith."

The relic departed St. Michael's Cathedral, in a black SUV, with police escort, at 9:30 a.m., for the parking lot of Bethesda Evangelical Lutheran Church, 455 Island Pond Road, where it will then be carried, by representatives of diocesan parishes, in a 10:30 a.m. procession to the Maronite parish, from Overlook Drive, which is one block north of the parish.

Rozanski, and the Most Rev. Gregory J. Mansour, bishop of the Epachy (diocese) of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, which oversees the Maronite Church in 16 states, are scheduled to say a Maronite liturgy at 11 a.m.

The relic will be at the parish from Sept. 6 through 14, with a number of daily events planned. Rozanski will celebrate Mass on Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Anthony Parish, as part of the Springfield diocesan celebration.

For more information about the visit, call the Rev. George Zina, pastor of the Springfield parish, or Maryann at (413) 732-0589.

This story was updated Sept. 6 at 11 p.m., to reflect the fact Bishop Mitchell Rozanski will celebrate Mass on Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m., at St. Anthony Parish, as part of the Springfield diocesan celebration.

Several communities in Massachusetts sustained damage Saturday afternoon as a slow-moving series of thunderstorms moved through the commonwealth prompting a tornado warning and a prolonged severe weather watch.

This updates weather alert stories posted at 3:30 p.m. and 4:29 p.m. Saturday.

Several communities in Massachusetts sustained damage Saturday afternoon as a slow-moving series of thunderstorms moved through the commonwealth prompting a tornado warning and a prolonged severe weather watch.

As the National Weather Service in Taunton lifted a tornado warning while maintaining its severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m., more than 8,000 people were without power.

According to the Western Massachusetts Electric Company, which services part of the affected area, more than 1,500 of its customers in the cities of Greenfield and Pittsfield and towns of Windsor, Colrain, Leyden, Bernardston, Northfield, Gill and Montague were without power. No estimate was available as to when customers could expect service to be restored in those areas.

National Grid, which also services the affected areas in Massachusetts, reported that more than 6,500 customers were without power with the majority being located in Essex county, where more than 5,700 of those customers were located. The situation in that county, which encompasses places like Lynn, Lawrence and Gloucester, is still being assessed.

But National Grid expected to have power back on for customers across the commonwealth by times ranging from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

NStar, which services parts of the greater Boston area, initially reported that 78 customers were without power, and offered no estimate for restoration. That number later climbed to more than 5,000, with just over 3,000 of those outages coming from Cambridge.

Until 9 p.m., citizens across Massachusetts as well as all other New England states should be prepared for a potentially severe storm system moving through the area and bringing with it torrential rain and damaging winds, according to the National Weather Service. In Massachusetts, the severe thunderstorm watch is in place for Berkshire County, Hampshire County, Hampden County, Worcester County, Middlesex County, Essex County, Bristol County, Norfolk County, Plymouth County and Suffolk County.

Town in Franklin, Worcester counties report tree damage, power outages following severe thunderstorm which prompted tornado warning

The storm watch also extends to several counties in other states, including Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine, and New Hampshire.

"Once the front presses through, any leftover showers will end by midnight, with clouds decreasing late overnight as well," said Mike Skurko, a meteorologist with CBS-3 Springfield. "A cooler, drier air mass will also be settling in, dropping the humidity levels and setting us up for an excellent, comfortable finish to the weekend."

Although foul play isn't suspected, an investigation is underway to determine what led to the death of an infant female in Vermont Saturday morning.

BRADFORD, Vermont — Although foul play isn't suspected, an investigation is underway to determine what led to the death of an infant in Vermont Saturday morning.

Robert Rizzuto | rrizzuto@repub.com

Vermont State Police reported that around 7 a.m. Saturday, a 911 call from the child's parents reported that the infant, who was just two-and-a-half months old, was unresponsive and not breathing in her crib inside their Bradford home.

First responders rushed to the residence and despite their efforts and those of the parents conducting CPR, the child was not able to be revived.

The infant was taken to the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center by Upper Valley Ambulance services where she was later pronounced deceased. Vermont State Police say nothing indicates foul play was a factor, but according to protocol, an official investigation is underway.

An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday at the New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Dean Latulippe’s vehicle was found on its roof on West Warren Rd. near Shady Ln. in Ware; he was found 60 feet away down a steep embankment

The Northwestern District Attorney's Office reports that Latulippe failed to stop for a Ware police office while turning from West Street onto Main Street, kicking off a short pursuit that the police officer reportedly terminated when Latulippe accelerated his Honda Civic near Club 12 on South Street, which becomes West Warren Road.

Authorities say the police officer found Latulippe’s vehicle on its roof on West Warren Road near Shady Lane. Latulippe, who police said was traveling at a high rate of speed, was found on a steep embankment about 60 feet away from the Honda Civic he was driving.

The district attorney's office said Latulippe, who was alone in the vehicle, died “from significant injuries.” Ware Police listed his address as 261 Valley Rd., Barre.

In January, Barre police criminally charged Latulippe with lying to police and obstruction of justice following an incident in which his father, Dean Latulippe, Sr., nearly froze to death.

The Jan. 2 incident involved the father wading into a river, apparently under the influence of alcohol, according to police – following an automobile accident that occurred during a snowstorm.

The younger Latulippe, who had walked away and was spotted on foot several hundred feet from the accident, initially told Barre police he knew nothing about the accident involving his father.

Ware police, Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Northwestern District Attorney's Office, the MSP Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, and Ware Fire and Ambulance responded the Sept. 6 incident.

According to the district attorney's office, the crash that claimed the life of the younger Latulippe remains under investigation.

MGM Resorts International is selling a Henderson casino that was built before the Hoover Dam and contains a vault that once guarded wages for the project’s construction workers.

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — MGM Resorts International is selling a Henderson casino that was built before the Hoover Dam and contains a vault that once guarded wages for the project’s construction workers.

The casino company announced Friday that it would sell the 83-year-old Railroad Pass Hotel and Casino to Henderson-based First Federal Realty.

The new owners say they plan to keep all current employees.

Railroad Pass is located near Boulder City and opened in 1931 as a casino and dance hall. Its operator received the fourth gambling license in U.S. history to run the casino, and the mayor of Las Vegas granted Railroad Pass permission to operate a single roulette wheel.

MGM and First Federal Realty did not disclose the sale price for the 120-room hotel. The deal is contingent upon regulatory approvals.

Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield is holding a memorial service for the fighter pilot killed in a crash in Virginia last month.

WESTFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield is holding a memorial service for the fighter pilot killed in a crash in Virginia last month.

The service for Lt. Col. Morris "Moose" Fontenot Jr. is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday in the main hangar at Barnes.

Base officials say it will be open to military members, their families and invited guests.

Fontenot, a member of the 104th Fighter Wing based at Barnes, died Aug. 27 when his jet went down near Deerfield Valley, Virginia. He was flying to New Orleans for a radar upgrade.

The Longmeadow resident is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Fontenot will be buried in early October at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he graduated in 1996.

SPRINGFIELD - The 2014 Glendi festival was held on the grounds of the Greek Cultural Center on Saturday, Sept. 6. The annual event, which features Greek foods, music and entertainment runs through Sunday.

SPRINGFIELD - The 2014 Glendi festival was held on the grounds of the Greek Cultural Center on Saturday, Sept. 6.

The annual event, which features Greek foods, music and entertainment runs through Sunday.

Democrats Leahy and Hopewell discussed issues including casino gambling, the Quinn Bill, heroin and military bases.

HOLYOKE -- Voters in Tuesday's (Sept. 9) primary election for the 2nd Hampden-Hampshire state Senate seat will choose between Democrats Patrick T. Leahy and Christopher Hopewell.

Incumbent state Sen. Donald R. Humason, R-Westfield, is unopposed on the ballot.

The winner between Leahy and Hopewell in the primary election will try to unseat Humason on Election Day Nov. 4.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The district consists of, in Hampden County, Holyoke, Westfield, Agawam, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Tolland and Chicopee's Ward 7, Ward 8A and Ward 9A, and in Hampshire County, Easthampton and Southampton.

Humason, 47, has held the seat since winning a special election in November. He was a state representative for 11 years before that.

Before last year's special election, the seat was held for 18 years by Michael R. Knapik, Republican from Westfield.

Leahy, 36, is a Holyoke police officer and a Realtor.

Hopewell, 55, is coordinator of emergency medical services at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton and chairman of the Holyoke Fire Commission.

Leahy and Hopewell, both of Holyoke, have discussed positions on the extra pay for police who have college degrees known as the Quinn Bill, heroin, proposed expansion of a gas pipeline, casino gambling, medical marijuana, the fate of Morgan School in Holyoke and military bases in Chicopee and Westfield.

For local officials, the problem with the Quinn Bill is the state has stopped paying its 50 percent share of such extra pay for police officers. That forces cities and towns to pay the whole cost, or twice what they had been paying.

The community improves from having police who have college degrees, Leahy and Hopewell said.

"I am for the Quinn Bill. I am for the fully funding of the Quinn Bill, and I'm disappointed in the state Legislature for not fulfilling its promises to the towns," Leahy said.

He would support a bill to require that the state resume paying its share of the Quinn Bill to help cities and towns instead of leaving them in a financial bind, he said.

"We need to make sure the promises that were made are kept," Leahy said.

Hopewell, pressed to clarify his position, said the state should help cities and towns by reinstating funding of its share of the incentive that gives police extra pay for having college degrees.

Either that, said Hopewell, or the state should do a study and find another way that is fair to cities and towns of carrying out the educational incentive law for police known as the Quinn Bill.

"Our legislature passed the bill and should stand by it. The state should resume funding or seek alternatives to create other initiatives," Hopewell said.

In discussing heroin, both Democrats said treatment must lead over arrest and prison for those addicted to the drug.

Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal drug that leads to problems in many areas, including urban settings such as Holyoke, where police are kept busy dealing with the sales of the drug and the ensuing violence.

Gov. Deval L. Patrick March 27 declared a public health emergency in a series of steps -- including permission for emergency first-responders to carry Narcan -- for the state to address addiction and its related problems to opioids. According to News-Medical.Net, "Opioids have similar properties to the opium from which they are derived. One of the main functions of opioids is to produce sedation and pain relief and they have been used for pain relief over thousands of years."

"Clearly, we need to change the way we're treating addictions. We have to stop treating addiction as merely a crime and start recognizing it for the medical condition that it is," Hopewell said.

"We're not going to arrest our way out of this," Leahy said. "We've arrested thousands of people...We need to be able to give these people a second chance."

A Texas company is proposing expansion of a natural gas pipeline. The Tennessee Gas Pipeline is part of the Kinder-Morgan company of Houston, Texas, The proposed mainline route of the company's Northeast Expansion Project is between Wright, New York, and Dracut, Mass., cutting across about 180 miles through the northern half of Massachusetts, including Franklin, Worcester and Berkshire counties.

Additional lateral lines to towns and other customers bring the total pipeline proposal to about 250 miles.

Kinder-Morgan spokesman Allen Fore told an audience at Greenfield Community College July 24 the route for a proposed expansion of the natural gas pipeline has yet to be finalized. But he said installing the pipeline along an existing infrastructure route like the Massachusetts Turnpike or Route 2 is an option.

Leahy said while the area needs a boost in energy supply, too much is unknown about the Tennessee Gas Pipeline proposal at this point like where the pipeline would run and its effects on the environment for him to declare he is for or against it.

"I'm not going to say I'm for or against it right now. I want to learn more about the specific plan, I want to know about the gas line, the volume of it, the size of it, where it's going to go exactly," Leahy said.

Hopewell said he opposes such an investment in fossil-fuel infrastructure and favors more spending on wind, solar and hydroelectric power.

"I certainly don't support long-term investment in new fossil-fuel infrastructure," Hopewell said.

Leahy and Hopewell both support repeal of the law that legalized casino gambling.

The state Supreme Judicial Court voted 7-0 June 24 that a statewide question should be on the Nov. 4 ballot asking voters if they want to overturn the 2011 law that legalized casino gambling in Massachusetts.

The stakes are high for the region and especially Springfield. MGM has received a license from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to build an $800 million casino in the South End of the City of Homes.

Also, communities in the state Senate district such as Holyoke, Agawam and Chicopee would benefit from a Springfield casino based on agreements struck as part of the casino law.

"I am not for the casino," Leahy said. "I don't think they're the panacea that will fix all the social ills or the economic ills of the region."

"Casino corporations as a whole, I believe, prey on the most vulnerable....I don't believe they're in the best interest of this district and I don't believe they're in the best interest of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," Hopewell said.

Hopewell and Leahy also both support medical marijuana facilities.

Massachusetts voters in 2012 permitted medical marijuana facilities by approving a statewide ballot question, 63 percent to 37 percent.

Marijuana is prescribed as pain relief for nausea, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and other conditions.

Hopewell said clinical trials have shown marijuana as prescribed by a doctor can help people suffering from glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, cancer and seizures.

"I believe we can do a lot of good for the folks that are suffering," Hopewell said.

Leahy said, "We shouldn't stand in the way of what a doctor can prescribe for their patients."

Still, he said, a concern is that the medical marijuana law as written adds more bureaucracy to a process that could be simpler, such as by letting patients get it at pharmacies like other prescriptions.

Leahy and Hopewell both said they oppose the January decision by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to appoint a receiver to run Morgan School, a kindergarten-to-grade-eight school in Holyoke.

The extraordinary turnaround effort was required because most Morgan students are unable to read, write and do math well despite the state giving Morgan staff and the city three years to improve, DESE Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester has said.

"I'm concerned with the state involvement with the Morgan ... School....We locally in Holyoke know our students know how we can best meet their needs," Hopewell said.

"I just think that doesn't meld well with our philosophy," Leahy said.

Leahy and Hopewell both said the district's state senator must realize the importance to the nation's security and to the local economy of Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee and Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield.

That comes amid ongoing concerns about long-discussed budget cuts stripping the bases.

"They are the economic engine of our region....Every cut that is felt at Westover reverberates throughout the district," Leahy said.

"Those two facilities are key and vital to in our defense but we have to be prepared to deal with the negative downsizing of both Chicopee and Westfield," Hopewell said.

If the bases' budgets are cut, both Democrats said, elected officials must be ready help military employees get training for other jobs and the bases with innovations to keep operating.

Westover is the largest employer in Chicopee. It has about 5,500 employees, including civilians and those who work for other branches of the military such as the Marines and Army.

Brig. Gen. Steven Vautrain, commander of the 439th Airlift Wing at Westover, has said the budget cuts will become reality. Half of the base’s 16 Galaxy jets will be transferred to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, in Texas, and a total of 59 full-time and 275 part-time Reservist positions are to be eliminated around October 2015, he said.

The state has approved borrowing up to $177 million to help Westover, Barnes and the four other military bases in Massachusetts make improvements, especially through partnerships with non-military entities.

Barnes has more than 1,300 employees. Cuts to the base and its 104th Fighter Wing would cost the city of Westfield round-the-clock fire protection and snow clearance at the airport, as well as the air traffic controllers, Westfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik has said.

Deb Goldberg and Barry Finegold both said they would work with public schools to incorporate financial literacy programs into the curriculum and Tom Conroy said he would appoint someone in the treasurer's office to help constituents make good financial decisions for themselves and their families.

SPRINGFIELD — The three Democrats seeking to become the next state treasurer treasurer – Deb Goldberg, Tom Conroy and Barry Feingold – said they would use the office to promote financial literacy, starting with the youngest residents of the commonwealth.

The candidates outlined their ideas to push for greater financial literacy and offered their views on a number of other issues during a roundtable forum on Sept.4 at the downtown Springfield studio of CBS 3 Springfield. The event was conducted jointly by The Republican, MassLive, CBS 3 Springfield and New England Public Radio.

Their discussion of the financial literacy issue can be viewed in its entirety beginning at the 6-minute, 8-second mark of the video embedded at the top of this story.

Goldberg, a former Brookline selectman and one-time candidate for lieutenant governor, and Finegold, a state senator from Andover, both said they would work with public schools to incorporate financial literacy programs into the curriculum. Conroy, a state representative from Wayland, said he would appoint someone in the treasurer's office to help constituents make good financial decisions for themselves and their families.

In addition to being in charge of financial education programs for children and families, the treasurer sets the state's investment policies and oversees the budgets of state agencies, administers the state lottery and is chairman of the board of directors of the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

If elected, Finegold, 42, said he would seek to establish a pilot program that would integrate financial literacy into the high school curriculum.

Goldberg, 59, envisions creating several financial literacy programs in the state, including one that would teach the youngest children in the commonwealth the basics like starting a savings account or how to calculate a mortgage payment.

Conroy, 51, who has worked as a volunteer math tutor at Dorchester public schools, said his office would make more information available to the consumer including a program that would highlight the ABCs of financial literacy from how to take out a mortgage and how to work with a bank.

Goldberg, whose family founded Stop & Shop supermarkets, worked for the company until it was sold in 1988. She graduated from Boston College Law School and Harvard Business School.

Finegold, an attorney, served as a representative from 1997 to 2011, then was elected to the state Senate. He chairs the Joint Committee on Election Laws and is vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

Conroy, who holds a master's degree in business administration from Boston University, spent most of his career in business consulting. He has been a legislator since 2007, where he is now chairman of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development.

Steven Grossman, who has led the office for the last four years, chose not to seek a second term in order to run in the Democratic primary for governor.

All of the Democratic candidates had high praise for Grossman, saying they will build on the programs and record he established.

The winner of the Sept. 9 primary for treasurer will face Republican Mike Heffernan, a financial services executive.

The candidates debated issues ranging from one candidate's eligibility for office to levels of fund raising in the campaign, also tackling issues ranging from public safety to education.

SPRINGFIELD — Voters on Tuesday will choose between five Democrats running for state Senate in the 1st Hampden and Hampshire District, the culmination of a race that might be described as a series of “challenges.”

The campaign season has been marked by issues ranging from a challenge of one candidate’s eligibility to be on the ballot, a challenge of how funds were raised and spent, and a challenge calling on all candidates to reveal their income tax forms.

There was a also a challenge issued by a candidate for multiple debates, and there were several debates and forums conducted by the media and community groups.

Not being challenged, however, is the incumbent. State Sen. Gale Candaras, D-Wilbraham, chose not to seek re-election, deciding instead to run for Hampden County Register of Probate.

The five Democrats on the ballot are: Tim Allen of Springfield, a member of the City Council; Chip Harrington of Ludlow, a member of the Ludlow School Committee; Tom Lachiusa of Longmeadow, a member of the Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee; Eric Lesser of Longmeadow, a former White House aide; and Aaron Saunders of Ludlow, a member of the Ludlow Board of Selectmen.

The winner of Tuesday’s primary will face Republican candidate Debra Boronski and independent candidate Mike Franco on the November election ballot.

Allen had challenged if Lesser met the state residency requirement needed to be on the ballot for the Senate seat, due to his living and working in Washington. The State Ballot Law Commission ruled in Lesser’s favor, saying he was still an “inhabitant” of Massachusetts during the five years before the election, even though he lived and worked in Washington for part of that time.

Another issue arose when Lesser filed his pre-primary campaign finance report, showing that he had raised $302,898 in campaign contributions, through Aug. 22, and had spent $250,840. In contrast, the next two highest fund raisers, Harrington and Allen, raised $33,234 and $31,280 respectively.

Candidates, beginning with Allen, criticized the Lesser campaign for raising the majority of its funds from outside the Senate district including numerous donations from Washington, Chicago, New York and Boston. They also criticized Lesser for spending large sums of money with an out-of-state firm.

Lesser accused his opponents of “mudslinging” and said his campaign raised more money in the district than any other Senate candidate.

The five candidates took part in many forums to discuss their views on issues ranging from how to improve public safety to how to help youth succeed in school.

Among the issues, Harrington has urged Springfield to hire 50 more officers to help confront murders and other violent crime, and vowed to be a partner with the city to secure the funds for those new officers. “Where is the outrage?” he said, after a recent homicide in the city's Sixteen Acres neighborhood.

Lesser said he will work to enhance public transportation infrastructure to open Greater Springfield to the strong economies outside the area. That includes his support for high-speed rail service between Springfield and Boston.

Allen released what he called his “cradle to career” economic development plan that would include: increasing funds for a universal pre-kindergarten program; expanding funds for literacy programs; focusing on precision manufacturing and health care workforce in state strategies; and expanding worker training to fill employment needs.

Saunders has touted his experience as the former chief of staff for Candaras, saying it allows him to “hit the ground running” if elected to the Senate. He promised to fight for Western Massachusetts for “regional equity” in job creation, economic development and transportation.

Lachiusa said he will bring his diverse experiences, including work as a counselor in the Hampden County House of Corrections, to the job of senator. His expertise in counseling issues of mental illness and domestic violence will help in dealing with human service issues addressed by the Senate, he said.

Allen had asked candidates to release five years of their income tax returns, triggering Harrington to release six years of the returns. Other candidates gave mixed responses, including Saunders saying he would release if asked by voters and Lachiusa saying his state salary was already public record.

Two women were struck by lightning at a beach as a band of slow-moving thunderstorms rolled through Massachusetts, causing some power outages and prompting a short-lived tornado warning.

BOSTON (AP) -- Two women were struck by lightning at a beach as a band of slow-moving thunderstorms rolled through Massachusetts, causing power outages and prompting a short-lived tornado warning.

Boston.com reports two women in their 70s were struck by lightning on Crane Beach in Ipswich. Ipswich Fire Department spokesman John Guilfoil told the news website two people were sent to a hospital and are in critical condition. An ambulance company says the women went into cardiac arrest.

The National Weather Service lifted a tornado warning at 5 p.m.

By late Saturday night, the number of households without power had grown to more than 10,000: NStar reports 2,165 customers are without power; National Grid has 8,035 customers without service; and Western Massachusetts Electric Company has 41 in the dark.

A storm cloud moves toward North Clearwater Beach in Florida from the Gulf of Mexico on Friday morning, Aug. 15, 2014 as intermittent rains washed ashore. (AP Photo/The Tampa Bay Times, Jim Damaske) FLPET103Jim Damaske 

Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call the Detective Bureau at (413) 787-6355.

Updates story posted at 12:45 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7.

SPRINGFIELD — A 38-year-old Connecticut man who was shot in the head early Sunday morning remains in critical condition at Baystate Medical Center.

A passerby found the victim on the ground at the intersection of Overlook Drive and Island Pond Road just before 5 a.m. in the city's East Forest Park neighborhood. The man was next to a parked 2006 Cadillac sedan with Connecticut license plates, said Sgt. John Delaney, Springfield Police Department spokesman.

“At first the witness believed that the victim was pulled over onto Overlook Drive attempting to fix his car,” Delaney said.

The man told police he then realized the victim was seriously hurt and called 911. The victim was brought to the hospital by ambulance and was transferred immediately to the surgical intensive care unit at Baystate Medical Center, Delaney said.

The victim and his car were on Overlook Drive at the end of the driveway leading to the Bethesda Lutheran Church parking lot. Police and the department's Forensics Investigation truck were still at the scene collecting evidence when churchgoers arrived for an 11 a.m. service at the church. Blood still visible in the street.

“It’s a quiet residential area,” said Police Capt. Thomas Trites, head of the Detective Bureau. “We think it randomly happened at that location.”

Trites and a team of detectives have been working the case since the victim was found. Investigators are trying to retrace the victim’s steps before he was shot, Delaney said.

Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting or the victim’s activities prior to the incident to call the Detective Bureau at (413) 787-6355.
Anonymous text-message tips may be sent via Text-a-Tip to CRIMES (274637). Messages should begin with the word SOLVE.

Republican reporter Peter Goonan contributed to this report.

The cost for each workshop is $20 for chamber members and $30 for non-members.

CHICOPEE - The Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Common Capital, Inc., is presenting series of workshops on developing and expanding businesses.

On Sept. 25 a workshop called “Negotiating and Understanding Leases; Before You Sign, Signing, and Renegotiating the Lease.” The workshop, run by lawyer Stanley A. Szlachetka, will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Residence Inn, 500 Memorial Drive.

The next four sessions are: Human Resources; Best Practices for Small Businesses; How to Retain Your Top Talent and Is Your Website Working For You?

The cost is $20 per workshop for Chamber members and $30 for non-members. People can register for all the sessions or just one or two. Register online at www.chicopeechamber.org under Upcoming Events or call 413-594-2101.

Jessica Mathiau, 42, of Brattleboro was arrested Saturday evening and charged with child endangerment.

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. — A Vermont woman has been arrested after police say she had a child drive her car while she was drunk.

 

Mathiau was highly intoxicated, and during her travels, had activated the car's emergency brake numerous times in the middle of traffic, police said.

A phone number for Mathiau could not be located Sunday. The child's age was unavailable.

Twitter enthusiasts are ringing the alarm over proposed changes to its signature way of delivery, saying that if Twitter implements anything like Facebook’s algorithm-driven feed, they’ll go elsewhere to share content.

Twitter threw social media zealots for a loop last week when the company suggested it may soon start filtering feeds.

Speaking at the at the Citi Global Technology Conference in New York, Twitter financial chief Anthony Noto said that Twitter’s current delivery system of spitting out tweets in reverse chronological order “isn’t the most relevant experience for a user.”

Noto hinted in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that Twitter could begin bumping up tweets of particular interest to the user.

That could mean tweets that users may have missed while going about their daily lives suddenly resurface; that is, tweets the algorithm deems most important.

Twitter enthusiasts are already ringing the alarm, saying that if Twitter implements anything like Facebook’s algorithm-driven feed, they’ll go elsewhere to share content.

Holyoke resident Jeremy Saffer, a music and celebrity photographer who’s captured big names like Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Metallica, has more than 28,000 Twitter followers.

Saffer uses Twitter constantly to connect with fans and expand his business. But if the platform meddles too much with its current model, he said, he’ll jump ship.

“The point of this thing is that if someone subscribes to you, they wanna see what you have to say when you said it,” he said. “For that social network to prioritize what you see, it defeats the whole purpose.”

Saffer said he’d funnel his social media efforts through Instagram if Twitter stops working for him.

As the director of journalism sustainability for the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Josh Stearns is another social media heavyweight in the area with nearly 10,000 followers.The Easthampton resident said he also fears the consequences of altering Twitter’s signature feed.

“For me, Twitter is a central part of how I navigate the world both professionally and personally,” Stearns said, adding that a new algorithm could create a bubble in which certain voices don’t reach him; and, on the flip side, his voice might not reach as it once did.

“I worry that such a feed will lean toward homogenous opinions and viewpoints,” he said.

Those in sales and marketing are also concerned that traffic to their sites, much of which is channeled through Twitter, will dwindle.

Stephanie Herbert of Greenfield, known online as “Super Frugal Stephanie,” has amassed more than 11,500 followers through her blog where she posts reviews of family-friendly products.

As a brand ambassador, Herbert said she's lost significant traffic to her site via Facebook ever since the company switched to its current monetized algorithm.

Now Twitter’s her go-to platform. But Herbert said she’s seen changes there, too.

Twitter began tweaking what users see in their feeds last month. The platform updated a support document that reads "… when we identify a Tweet, an account to follow, or other content that’s popular or relevant, we may add it to your timeline. This means you will sometimes see Tweets from accounts you don’t follow." That includes boosting favorited tweets of those you follow.

“If Twitter goes the same route Facebook, little people like me are going to get buried,” Herbert said.

Theresa Grisanti of Holyoke is a well-known holistic energy coach and blogger in the region with just shy of 5,000 followers.

Grisanti said Twitter’s talk of a filtered feed immediately brings to mind Facebook, which she uses often and does like, for what it is. But she said she prefers Twitter for advertising and conversational purposes.

“You can get ideas of people’s opinions on a topic, the good and a bad of it,” she said.

Now when Grisanti tweets, she can be sure that her business-oriented blurbs get fair play. But she sees challenges on the horizon if Twitter's 8-year-old model shifts too close to Facebook's.

“If they determine who gets to see your stuff, that changes everything,” she said.

Citing his experience as a doctor and in government, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Don Berwick said he supports medicinal and recreational legalization of marijuana in Massachusetts.

SPRINGFIELD – Citing his experience as a doctor and in government, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Don Berwick said he supports medicinal and recreational legalization of marijuana in Massachusetts.

"For full legalization, I'm biased towards it. I don't see a lot of difference between marijuana use and alcohol," he said.

Berwick spoke on the issue during a meeting with the editorial board of The Republican/MassLive.com.

He said his bias for medical use is due to his work as a pediatrician at Boston Children's Hospital and the Harvard Community Health Plan. "I've seen patients in chemotherapy who are nauseous, vomiting and have no other - for some reason - no other treatment beyond marijuana that works."

The candidate for governor said he's glad voters decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana in 2008. "Putting people in jail for small amounts of marijuana is wrong."

Berwick said he sees Massachusetts learning from the experiences in Washington and Colorado and implementing similar legislation in a few years.

Harvest Moon 2014, set for Monday night, completes a celestial triple play of consecutive supermoons over the course of the summer.

A "super moon" rises above a egret nesting area on the west side of Wichita, Kan., Saturday, May 5, 2012. A supermoon, is the coincidence of a full moon (or a new moon) with the closest approach the Moon makes to the Earth on its elliptical orbit, or perigee. (AP Photo/The Wichita Eagle, Bo Rader)The Associated Press 

Harvest Moon 2014, set for Monday night, completes a celestial triple play of consecutive supermoons over the course of the summer.

The full moon tonight, Sept. 8, will for the third straight month coincide with the moon's closest approach to the Earth during the month, or perigee – and when that happens, it's time to trot out the term "supermoon" (some use super moon, and also super full moon).

Here's a rundown of Harvest Moon 2014 facts and figures:

Why is it called the Harvest Moon?

The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox is called the Harvest Moon, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. That means it can happen anywhere from about two weeks before through about two weeks after the start of autumn. This year's autumnal equinox takes place at 10:29 p.m. EDT on Sept. 22 – 14 days from the September full moon. The October full moon is on Oct. 8 – 16 days from the equinox. This year's Harvest Moon is about as early as it gets.

And while it seems like the Harvest Moon should be a kind of autumnal October affair, it occurs more often in September. According to Space.com:

Although on average, an October Harvest Moon happens once about every four years, this figure can be deceptive. The last October Harvest Moon, for example, was in 2009, but the next won't occur until 2017. Conversely, after 2017, we need wait only three years until 2020 for the next October Harvest Moon.

When does Harvest Moon 2014 actually happen?

Tonight's full moon occurs at the same time across the globe, but that time, of course, depends on where you are. Astronomers keeping the official record will record this year's Harvest Moon as Sept. 9. The official time for astronomical events is Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time), and the exact time of this month's full moon is Sept. 9 at 1:38 a.m. UT.

For those of us in Springfield, Massachusetts, the clock strikes Harvest Moon 2014 on Sept. 8, tonight, at 9:38 p.m. EDT.

In Springfield, Illinois, the full moon occurs at 8:38 p.m; in Springfield, Colorado, it'll be at 7:38 p.m., not much after sunset; in Springfield, Oregon, it's at 6:38 p.m., just a bit before sunset; and over on the other side of the planet, in Springfield, Australia, the time of the full moon is 11:08 a.m. on Sept. 9.

Moonrise comes at a pretty advantageous time in Massachusetts and across most of the U.S., ahead of the exact time of the Harvest Moon / supermoon. In the Bay State's Springfield, for example, moonrise Monday is at 6:50 p.m. To find times of moonrise and moonset and phases of the moon in your area, timeanddate.com is an excellent resource.

Where can you see Harvest Moon 2014?

You can't miss it – if you've got a clear sky, the supermoon will appear up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than it usually does, according to Space.com.

Any full moon, but especially supermoons, look their biggest when they rise. The moon always rises in the east. In Springfield, Massachusetts, the sun sets at 7:12 p.m., and with the moonrise only 22 minutes earlier, we should be able to see a fairly super moonrise.

A NASA.gov article titled "Three Supermoons in a Row" explains why the moon seems larger when it rises:

The illusion occurs when the Moon is near the horizon. For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging Moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects. When the Moon illusion amplifies a perigee Moon, the swollen orb rising in the east at sunset can seem super indeed.

And as long as your skies are clear, the next few nights will make for excellent moon watching. EarthSky.org explains why:

No reason to limit the Harvest Moon fun to the nights of September 8-9 or 9-10. At middle and northerly latitudes in the Northern hemisphere, look for the moon to come up at dusk or nightfall for several nights in succession. This procession of moonlit nights is what characterizes the Harvest Moon.

Can we see Harvest Moon 2014?

Mike Skurko, a meteorologist for CBS 3 Springfield, The Republican / MassLive's media partner, says Monday should bring clear skies for supermoon watching. Stick with MassLive for updated weather forecasts throughout the day.

Live coverage

If you're stuck, for example, in a newsroom or some other indoor location, or if the sky is cloudy, The Slooh Community Observatory will have live "The Super Harvest Moon" coverage beginning Monday at 9:30 p.m. EDT here »

Slooh, a consortium of telescopes connected via the Internet, will broadcast live images of the rising Harvest Moon from several locations in North America "with special zoomed in, close-up views of the lunar surface from Slooh's member controlled facilities located at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, off the coast of Africa."

More about supermoons

Here are a couple of informative resources about supermoons:

"What is a supermoon?" from EarthSky.org »

"Supermoon – Super Moon – Super Full Moon" from timeanddate.com »

And here's a handy graphic from Space.com:

Source SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration

When's the next supermoon?

After this summer's bonanza of three straight supermoons, 2015 will bring only one supermoon, on Sept. 28, UT (that'll be Sept. 27 for those of us in the Eastern Time Zone). The lone supermoon of 2015 also happens to be next year's Harvest Moon.

What other moon phenomena are coming up?

• There's a good one on the horizon, so to speak: A lunar eclipse is set for next month, on Oct. 8, and it'll be a blood moon. The term "blood moon" was used widely for the April lunar eclipse. EarthSky.org gives a comprehensive overview of blood moons and their background her »
• There's a blue moon – a second full moon in the same month – to look forward to next year, on July 31.

Want to know more about the moon and its phases?

Here are some resources for more information about the moon and its monthly orbit around our planet:

"Understanding moon phases" from EarthSky.org »

"Earth's Moon" from NASA.gov »

All of the candidates had praise for Grossman's record as state treasurer.

SPRINGFIELD — During a pre-primary day roundtable discussion at CBS 3 Springfield, Democratic candidates for Massachusetts treasurer outlined individual goals ranging from higher state reimbursement rates for new school buildings to the creation of a state-owned bank to boost economic development.

The three candidates – Barry Finegold, Deb Goldberg and Tom Conroy – shared their ideas and views on a number of issues at the downtown Springfield studio of CBS 3. The event was conducted jointly by The Republican, MassLive, New England Public Radio and the TV station.

During the hour-plus long forum, Finegold, said he would work to increase school building reimbursements to 90 percent from the current 80 percent.

"We've got to find ways to raise reimbursements – especially in Gateway Cities like Springfield and Lowell – back to the 90 percent level, Finegold said.

As treasurer, Goldberg said she'll propose the creation of a state-owned bank – similar to one in North Dakota – to help fund schools, and transportation and infrastructure projects, which she called the most critical investments the commonwealth can make for economic development.

"We need to find new and creative ways to promote economic development," she said, noting that other states have created such banks to fund public projects.

As treasurer, Conroy said he would carry on in the tradition of state Treasurer Steve Grossman, who is leaving the office to run for governor.

Like Grossman, Conroy said he plans to visit the western part of the state regularly to assess the communities' needs. As chairman of the School Building Committee, I'll be out and about here," he said.

All of the candidates had praise for Grossman's record as state treasurer.

Under Grossman, Goldberg noted that Massachusetts pension funds garnered a 17.2 percent return on pension investments – placing it No. 2 in the nation.

Conroy said he would work to identify underperforming pension funds and said he would develop a an investment strategy document that also outlines the values guiding investment decisions. He said he would work to reduce fees associated with investing.

Finegold said at least 10 percent of pension funds should be invested back into the commonwealth, noting that the state compare poorly on that count compared to other states including California and Wisconson. "We have to do a better job investing in the state," he said.

Finegold said he would also work to reduce management fees for pension accounts.

Among other duties, the treasurer sets the state's investment policies, oversees the budgets of state agencies, administers the state lottery and is chairman of the board of directors of the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Goldberg, whose family founded Stop & Shop supermarkets, worked for the company until it was sold in 1988. She graduated from Boston College Law School and Harvard Business School.

Finegold, an attorney, served as a representative from 1997 to 2011, then was elected to the state Senate. He chairs the Joint Committee on Election Laws and is vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

Conroy, who holds a master's degree in business administration from Boston University, spent most of his career in business consulting. He has been a legislator since 2007, where he is now chairman of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development.

The winner of the Sept. 9 primary for treasurer will face Republican Mike Heffernan, a financial services executive.

The Springfield City Council is meeting to consider filing a notice of appeal of a Massachusetts Land Court decision that upheld permits for the biomass project.

SPRINGFIELD — The City Council has scheduled a special meeting Wednesday to consider filing a notice of appeal to try to block construction of a biomass project in East Springfield.

The meeting is scheduled at 5 p.m. Wednesday, at the council chambers at City Hall.

The meeting follows a recent decision by the Massachusetts Land Court, ruling that the Springfield Zoning Board of Appeals overstepped its authority when it revoked permits for the biomass project.

Palmer Renewable Energy is proposing a biomass project on Cadwell Street near Page Boulevard.

Council President Michael Fenton said he polled councilors in recent days if they wished to vote on the issue.

“The majority of members would like a vote on the subject,” Fenton said. Friday. “We will deliberate on whether to file a notice of appeal.”

An appeal, if pursued, would be with the Massachusetts Court of Appeals, Fenton said.

The general public will not speak during the council meeting unless there is a vote by the council to suspend its rules, Fenton said. The meeting is not a hearing, and has the biomass issue as the only topic on the agenda.

James T. Donahue, a lawyer who represented the Zoning Board of Appeals and council in the Land Court case, recently met with councilors in executive session (closed-door), to discuss the case and legal options.

Opponents have argued that the biomass plant would harm public health and worsen pollution.

The developer said the plant would not harm public health and involves state-of-the-art technology.

Police responded to reports of a shooting on Wardman Road in Roxbury just after midnight on Saturday and found Adrian Gonzalez outside suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

BOSTON (AP) Police have identified the victim of a fatal shooting in Boston over the weekend as a 17-year-old city teen.

Police responded to reports of a shooting on Wardman Road in Roxbury just after midnight on Saturday and found Adrian Gonzalez outside suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

He was taken to Boston Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

There was no word on arrests or a motive.

People who gathered at a makeshift memorial of flowers and notes at the site of Gonzalez's slaying called him a "sweet" and "good" kid who helped elderly neighbors carry grocery bags.

Police say the slaying was the city's 38th homicide of the year.