Selectmen are expected to adopt a no BYOB town policy shortly.

SOUTHWICK - The Board of Selectmen Monday night unanimously adopted revised town liquor regulations that take effect Jan. 1, 2015.

Selectmen noted a Nov. 17 public hearing on the revised and updated regulations drew little if any opposition and that the session had only lasted 11 minutes. Selectwoman Tracy L. Cesan did not attend the Nov. 17 hearing but she did participate in the review and updating of regulations during the past two years.

In a related matter, selectmen made it clear they will not support any Bring Your Own Bottles to Southwick establishments and voted unanimously to ask Town Counsel Benjamin Coyle to review the matter. Coyle is expected to submit the necessary resolution or by law to selectmen prohibiting BYOB practices for a formal vote of approval.

The Nov. 17 hearing drew between 20 and 25 residents and liquor establishment owners. During that hearing Coyle told those present the revised and updated regulations were very similar to those currently in effect.

He said the biggest change is a focus on all licensed establishments to participate in the Training and Intervention Procedures for Servers or TIPS.

The director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, said the most important message he can give parents is to make children wear helmets when using ride-on toys.

If you're thinking of getting your child a scooter for Christmas, you might want to make sure you buy a helmet and other safety gear, too.

According to a new study by Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, toy-related injuries have increased over recent years, and scooters are being blamed for a large number of those injuries, USA Today reported.

Citing a study published Monday by the Journal of Clinical Pediatrics, the newspaper reported that the type of scooter identified is a collapsible, lightweight, foot-powered scooter. It is the kind popularized by Razor and other manufacturers starting around 2000.

"Those 'kick' scooters appear largely responsible for a 40 percent increase in injury rates between 1990 and 2011, according to the study," the newspaper reports.

While injuries associated with other toys, from toy food to toy guns, continued at a steady pace, falls by boys and young children were common type of accidents.

But scooters were not the only ride-on toy the researchers indicated concern about. They also identified wagons, tricycles and powered play cars, according to Today.com.

“I tell parents that if you have three things that you could do to prevent an injury to a child on a scooter, or other ride-on toy, those three things would be: wear a helmet, wear a helmet, wear a helmet,” Dr. Gary Smith, lead author and director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the hospital, was quoted by Today.com as saying.

The Razor website also recommends elbow and knee pads, and offers other safety measures, KDVR-TV, Fox31 in Denver points out.

During the 22-year span explored, researchers noted no significant increases in injury rates linked to toy weapons or in “early exploratory/practice play toys” that babies might put into their mouths and swallow, Today.com reported.

There were 256,700 toy-related injuries last year, The Coloradoan reported, citing figures identified in the study. Of those 256,700 injuries, 61,000 involved scooters, the newspaper said.

Another section of the report says that a child is treated in an emergency department for a toy-related injury every three minutes, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

While Smith says the study is not meant to be alarmist, it is intended to offer guidance for improvements.

“The frequency and increasing rate of injuries to children associated with toys, especially those associated with foot-powered scooters, is concerning,” the newspaper quoted Smith as saying. “Clearly, there’s more work to be done.”

Campagnari is investing $237,000 into the redevelopment project at the former fire station including the $20,000 purchase price.

SPRINGFIELD - The City Council on Monday voted to authorize the sale of the former Page Boulevard fire station in East Springfield to a private developer who plans to use it for its own office space and for two market-rate apartments.

The council accepted the proposal by unanimous vote from Campagnari Construction and its owner, Matthew Campagnari, to purchase the closed station for $20,000, and to redevelop the site for a total estimated investment of $237,000 including the purchase price. The station is at the intersection of Page Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue.

A city review committee recommended the sale, and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno gave his support.

Campagnari Construction plans to relocate to the former station from the company's current site at 128 Federal St., according to its submitted plans. With the move, another tenant at the Federal Street site will be able to expand, the plans stated.

The Page Boulevard fire station is among several closed fire stations in Springfield that are in the process of being sold or marketed for sale and redevelopment by the city.

The basement of the Page Boulevard station will be fully renovated for the office use and the first floor will be rebuilt to store light-construction equipment, with both of those floors used by Campagnari Construction, according to the plans. The second floor will be converted to the two apartments.

"It will be a building we will be proud to call home, achieving the city's desire for owner occupancy," Campagnari said, in a letter submitted to the city's review committee. "The restoration will be conducted with historic preservation at the forefront."

There was one other bid received from Lazy Valley Wintery Inc./Copper Moon Distillery, to buy the property for $1,000, that was rejected for not meeting city guidelines.

The Campagnari proposal also received support from the East Springfield Neighborhood Council, city officials said.

Despite the strong odor of alcohol on his breath, the defendant denied he had been drinking, then acknowledged having a couple of beers, Benoit said, summarizing the trooper's arrest report.

SPRINGFIELD - Six weeks before his scheduled trial on a drunk driving charge, a Palmer motorist was arrested Monday after allegedly passing a state trooper at 85 mph while intoxicated with an open beer bottle next to his seat.

Jitendra Changela, 49, was charged with speeding, having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle and operating under the influence of liquor, second offense, after being stopped on Interstate 291 in Springfield by state Trooper Alfred Burgos.

The defendant kept driving after the trooper activated his emergency flashers, leading to a brief chase, according to the arrest report. At the Springfield state police barracks, Changela refused to take a blood alcohol test, the report said.

The defendant denied the charges during his arraignment Monday in Springfield District Court. At the request of the Hampden District Attorney's office, Judge William Boyle set bail at $1,000.

Changela, listed in state records as president of Quaboag Hearing Centers Inc., is scheduled for trial on Jan. 15 in Palmer District Court on an operating under the influence of alcohol charge, Cindy Benoit, an intern with the Hampden District Attorney's office, told the judge.

Changela also had a previous operating under the influence charge continued without a finding, she added.

Early Monday morning, Changela was pulled over after passing Burgos' vehicle at 85 mph, Benoit said. Despite an open beer bottle in the car and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, the defendant said he had not been drinking, then acknowledged having a couple of beers, Benoit said, summarizing the trooper's arrest report.

He performed poorly on the field sobriety tests, quitting halfway through one test, Benoit said.

Defense lawyer David A. Keller said his client was tired and driving home from Connecticut at the time of his arrest. He opposed a prosecution request to revoke bail in the Palmer case, explaining that Changela is the sole caretaker for his disabled wife.

Boyle refused the bail revocation request, and scheduled a pre-trial hearing for Dec. 22.

Actions were held at five different colleges in Amherst, Northampton and South Hadley Monday afternoon.

This is a breaking story. Masslive will update as more information becomes available.

SPRINGFIELD - A crowd of protesters are marching across the Memorial Bridge Monday night as part of a Ferguson National Call to Action.

The group marched through parts of Springfield but were diverted from State Street where police are investigating a serious motor vehicle accident. A female driver hit an adult and two children when they were crossing the street near the library.

"We directed them away from the area," Police Sgt. Lawrence Murphy said.

Some police are on the bridge and more are heading there to ensure the protest remains peaceful. Springfield Police are also working with West Springfield Police.

The demonstration is the latest one in Western Massachusetts held to protest last week's decision by a Missouri grand jury not to indict Darren Wilson, a white police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown Jr., an unarmed black teen in Ferguson.

The death sparked protests for months, some of which resulted in rioting and burning.

Following the decision more protests were held, including some that damaged property in Ferguson and resulted in mall shutdowns on Black Friday. After the decision, Wilson resigned from his job.

Sunday night one person was arrested for disorderly conduct during a Holyoke protest on High Street.

Monday afternoon hundreds of University of Massachusetts at Amherst students, faculty and staff gathered outside the Student Union as part the Ferguson National Call to Action just after 1 p.m. Monday calling attention to Michael Brown's death and racial injustice.

Actions were also held at Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College and Smith College.

A woman was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police SUV after submitting to a series of apparent field-sobriety tests at the scene of the crash.

Updates story posted at 7:15 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1.

As of 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, a mobile incident command truck was at the scene of the crash.JOE DEBURRO / THE REPUBLICAN 

The woman, who appeared to be wearing the type of scrubs used by hospital or medical personnel, was taken away by police after performing a series of apparent field-sobriety tests administered by officers. She was first observed walking a line, then blowing into a device resembling a Breathalyzer, which can detect alcohol on a person's breath.

A woman and two children were struck by a westbound motorist as they attempted to cross State Street in front of the library at about 5:30 p.m. Monday, according to witnesses at the scene. The nearest crosswalk is at the corner of Chestnut and State streets, about half a block west of where the incident happened.

A man named Justice, a local barber, said there should be a crosswalk outside a major public building such as the city's main library branch on State Street. He also complained about the dim lighting in the area, which makes it difficult for drivers to spot people crossing the street, he said.

A 38-year-old woman, her 7-year-old daughter and her 8-year-old niece were seriously injured there by a drunk driver Monday night, police said.

Updates stories posted at 8:01 a.m. and 11:48 a.m.

Related: Driver denies operating under the influence

SPRINGFIELD - Mayor Domenic Sarno, weighing in on an accident that seriously injured a woman and two young girls as they crossed State Street near the Springfield Public Library Monday night, said he has asked Department of Public Works Director Christopher Cignoli to look into ways to improve safety there.

"I am awaiting the police department's full investigation review and have asked Chris Cignoli to take a look at what can be done," Sarno said.

A 7-year-old girl remained in critical condition at a city hospital late Tuesday morning, Sgt. John Delaney said.

The girl's mother and 8-year-old cousin, initially listed in serious condition following the accident, are improving and in stable condition, Delaney, public information officer for the department, said.

The driver, Sandra S. Zemtsova , 48, of Russell Street, West Springfield, was arrested and charged with three counts of operating under the influence of liquor resulting in serious bodily injury and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

The accident occurred about 5:30 p.m. as the woman, her daughter and her niece came out of the library and attempted to cross directly across the street to the parking where their car was parked, Delaney, public information officer for the department, said.

They were hit in one of the westbound lanes as they attempted to cross near the front steps of the library, some distance away from the nearest crosswalk at the signalized intersection of State and Chestnut Streets.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to the family for a speedy recovery and good health," Sarno said.

Carol Costa, president of the Armoury-Quadrangle Association, said the lack of a safe crossing in front of the library has long been a great concern to the association.

"There have been many accidents and near-accidents there over the years," Costa said. "It's a terrible thing, last night's accident was just awful, but I have to say that it's not surprising given the circumstances."

Costa said there used to be a crosswalk there some years ago, marked by an orange traffic barrel. Even then, however, the association lobbied for something even more visible, she said.

The crosswalk was removed, however, and a hedge and chain fence were installed directly in front of the library to encourage those seeking walk across State Street to do so at the Chestnut Street intersection, Costa said.

The angle of the stairs that led from the sidewalk across the street up to the parking lot itself were angled at about the same time to encourage pedestrians to cross at the intersection, Costa said.

Costa said that most people, herself included, cross over towards the library from the driveway that is shared by the parking lot and the Classical High Condominiums where she lives.

That section, she said, would be a logical place to install a crosswalk.

"I don't see any reason why they cannot have flashing lights for a pedestrian crossing," Costa said. "There has been one at Western New England University for years so I know that it can be done."

Cignoli said he plans to work with the state Department of Transportation to see what can be done to improve the situation.

"We are definitely concerned about it, but we want to do it right and get the people across safely," he said.

One complication, he said, is state regulations that prohibit controlled crosswalks from being installed within a certain distance of signalized intersections.

Perhaps, he said, it would be possible to get a waiver to that prohibition or find some other way make it safer to cross there.

Cignoli said he often uses the library and like Costa, sometimes takes his chances and crosses State Street directly instead of walking the longer distance to the intersection.

"I have done it a million times," he said.

Cignoli said that in wake of the accident he reviewed the city's aerial photographs of that area, going back as far as 1995, and found no evidence of striped crosswalk there.

Sarno said he has a recollection of a crosswalk being there many years ago. He stressed, however, that crosswalks provide no guarantee of safety for the people that use them.
"You have to be vigilant because there are some that don't pay attention and some that don't obey the laws," he said.

Jose "Big" Claudio, 23, of 25 Judson St., Liberty Heights, Springfield, was charged with crack distribution, heroin possession with intent to distribute, and committing a violation in a drug-free school zone, according to Springfield police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney.

SPRINGFIELD — A lengthy police investigation ended with the arrest Monday of a Springfield man accused of running a citywide drug distribution operation from his Liberty Heights home.

Jose "Big" Claudio, 23, of 25 Judson St. was expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Springfield District Court on charges of crack distribution, heroin possession with intent to distribute, and committing a violation in a drug-free school zone. The outcome of that hearing wasn't immediately known.

City narcotics investigators swooped in to arrest Claudio as he left his home to make a heroin sale at about 11 a.m. Monday, Springfield police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney said.

Claudio, who went by the street name "Big," used his Judson Street home as the base of operation for his illicit enterprise, according to Delaney. A subsequent search of his residence turned up 50 bags of "Blackjack" heroin, $400 cash and drug paraphernalia, Delaney said.

The event is free to everyone and sponsored by a number of businesses.

CHICOPEE - Santa will be making a pre-Christmas visit to the city Friday and there will be plenty of cookies, hot chocolate and soup to keep him well-fed.

The city's annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m. in front of City Hall and is expected to attract between 700 and 800 adults and their children.

"We are building this up every year. The goal is to make it a little better this year," said Joel McAuliffe, communications director.

The biggest addition for the event is a full line-up of holiday music from Sarah the Fiddler, Jack Dwyer, a local performer, The Varlets, a Chicopee band, and the St. Anne's Choir, McAuliffe said.

"I like Christmas and I'm looking forward to this. We have such a group of businesses that are involved and the planning committee was extremely helpful," he said.

The event will begin with a gathering outside City Hall. Starting at 4:30 p.m. City Councilors will be serving turkey soup prepared by the Knights of Columbus Council 4044 and their wives will be pouring out hot chocolate and egg nog, McAuliffe said.

Comprehensive High School culinary students will be running a cookie decorating booth, which they have done, for years and the Veterans' Department will have a booth where children can decorate cards to be mailed to veterans and those serving in the active duty military. The Chamber of Commerce will also have a holiday craft table, he said.

The highlight of the event will happen shortly before 6 p.m. when Santa and Mayor Richard J. Kos will arrive on a fire truck to flip the switch to light up the tree, located in the middle of the traffic island across from City Hall. Following that, the music will begin, McAuliffe said.

The tree will specifically be called a Christmas tree following a controversy in 2012 over the term "holiday tree." The City Council actually passed an ordinance demanding it be called a Christmas tree.

"There is a benefit to bringing people downtown to remind them what we have to offer," he said.

A wide variety of local business owners are contributing to the event. The Chicopee Savings Bank is providing the stage for the tree lighting and the musicians; Munich Haus will carve an ice sculpture; McKinstry Farms will offer tractor rides; the Chicopee Public Library is providing gift bags and Joe Dziok, of Dziok Audio Productions, will be doing all the sound production, McAuliffe said.

Others sponsoring the event include the Collegian Court and Rumble Seat, Polish National Credit Union, J. Polep Distribution Services, Chicken Queen, H.P. Hood, BJ's Wholesale Club and Sign Techniques, he said.

The event will be held completely outside but there will be warming areas. Parts of several downtown streets, including Center and Front streets and Market Square will be closed until the event ends shortly after 7 p.m., McAuliffe said.

"It is a wonderful community event to celebrate the holiday season together," he said.

The board overseeing the $60.2 billion state pension fund on Tuesday voted 7-2 to boost the salary of its executive director by $65,000 to $360,000, as its incoming chair expressed discomfort with the move. The director, Michael Trotsky, is also receiving a $118,000 bonus.

By GINTAUTAS DUMCIUS

BOSTON — The board overseeing the $60.2 billion state pension fund on Tuesday voted 7-2 to boost the salary of its executive director by $65,000 to $360,000, as its incoming chair expressed discomfort with the move. The director, Michael Trotsky, is also receiving a $118,000 bonus.

Outgoing state Treasurer Steve Grossman, seen in this file photo, voted against the pay raise.Mark M. Murray / The Republican file 

Trotsky, a Belmont resident who previously served as executive director of the Massachusetts Health Care Security Trust Fund and worked for Par Capital Management Inc., first took the job of executive director in 2010 and made $77,000 less than his predecessor, Michael Travaglini.

His last base salary increase came in 2012, after the fund's chief investment officer left for another job. Trotsky, who is receiving an annual 40 percent performance-based bonus this year, took on the role in addition to his duties as executive director, and his salary increased by $50,000 to $295,000.

Treasurer-elect Deb Goldberg, who takes over as chair of the Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) board in January, said the fund has seen "higher than expected investment gains" while under Trotsky's oversight, which has helped reduce the unfunded pension liability.

"When appropriate, it is critical that any compensation increases be implemented prudently and incrementally," she said in a statement. "At a time when we are facing 9C cuts and funding to local communities is being threatened, public servants need to also tighten their belts. In that context, a significant raise, albeit well-deserved, is uncomfortable and not necessarily appropriate at this time."

Goldberg did not attend Tuesday's PRIM board meeting. She was scheduled to be in New York City for a meeting of treasurers-elect, she told the News Service last week.

Asked whether Goldberg would seek to rescind the raise after she takes over as treasurer in January, a Goldberg spokesman said that was unlikely. "But going forward the Treasurer-Elect strongly prefers that compensation increases be implemented more smoothly, prudently and incrementally," said the spokesman, Chris Keohan.

Outgoing Treasurer Steve Grossman and Janet Fogel, the designee from Gov. Deval Patrick's budget secretariat, voted against the increase for Trotsky.

While he commended Trotsky's performance, Grossman said he was concerned about an immediate pay increase and he prefers raising Trotsky's salary over a period of time, which would be "more appropriate."

Grossman cited "challenging budgetary times," and pointed to the Patrick administration identifying the $329 million shortfall in the state budget.

Fogel said she shared the treasurer's concerns.

But Robert Brousseau, who chairs the board's administration committee, called a comparison of state budget woes to the PRIT fund "apples and oranges."

The fiscal 2015 budget has a revenue problem, Brousseau said, and "that's not our problem here."

"He works at the pleasure of the board, he's not elected," Brousseau said of Trotsky, adding that the pension fund chief did not request the pay raise. "It's a different situation."

Brousseau also pointed to compensation of an official working for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, totaling $900,752.

The PRIM board voted for the pay increase to retroactively take effect on Dec. 1, 2014.

Trotsky was not available for comment after the meeting.

Trotsky's pay increase comes a day after a special commission tasked with reviewing public officials' compensation recommended sizeable raises for eight top officials, including the governor and the House speaker and Senate president. The commission recommended that the governor's salary be increased to $185,000 from $151,800, and the treasurer's salary to be increased to $175,000 from $127,917.

Grossman said he would prefer for the commission's recommendations to be implemented "piecemeal."

The Pension Reserves Investment Trust (PRIT) includes pension assets that fund current and future retirement benefit obligations for state retirement systems that include public employees, teachers and municipalities.

The PRIT fund ended the fiscal year in June with "its highest net asset value since its inception in 1985," according to its annual financial report.

During an October PRIM board meeting, members issued an annual job review and praised Trotsky's efforts, saying he stabilized the organization and reduced staff turnover.

The board's compensation committee in November voted 4-1, with Grossman as the lone no vote, to recommend the pay increase. The committee said Trotsky taking the combined role of executive director and chief investment officer saved PRIM over $300,000 a year.

Students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who remember Bill Cosby as the fatherly Dr. Huxtable and creator of "Little Bill" are disappointed in the allegations against the comedian, and proud of their university's decision to cut its ties with him.

A digest of news stories from around New England and beyond.

Do you have news or a news tip to submit to MassLive.com for consideration? Send an email to online@repub.com.

The City Council meeting will begin at 7:15 p.m.

CHICOPEE - The City Council is expected to finalize a plan to purchase a six-family home two buildings from City Hall in the hopes of enhancing parking for visitors and employees in its meeting Tuesday.

The Council two weeks ago approved a proposal to take the property at 296 Front St. by eminent domain. It is now being asked to approve $140,000 in funding to go ahead with the purchase of the building.

The meeting will begin at 7:15 p.m. Masslive will report on the meeting live in the comments section below.

There are a total of 54 items on the agenda, including a request for $961,000 to enhance street paving plans on streets in north Willimansett and west Aldenville where sewer separation projects are occurring.

Members may submit questions to be discussed by the mayor.

CHICOPEE - The MassMutual Learning and Conference Center will host "Mornings with the Mayor" from 8 to 9 a.m., Dec. 18 at the center on 350 Memorial Drive.

During the event, which is sponsored by the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Richard J. Kos will provide information about what is being planned for the city and discuss issues that will impact businesses and residents. Those planning to attend and have a discussion topic or question for the mayor are asked to submit the information to Chamber President Eileen Drumm at eileendrumm@chicopeechamber.org by Dec. 15.

The event is open to all chamber members at no cost but those who want to attend should register on the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce's website or call 413-594-2101. Coffee and a light breakfast will be served during the event.

The Chamber is also asking other business owners to consider hosting a Mornings with the Mayor.

The gift from Gormally, former owner of WGGB-TV (ABC40/Fox 6 Springfield), comes as the Springfield Diocese is reviewing the future of the school three years after a tornado destroyed the Surrey Road building.

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest Magazine owner John Gormally, a 1978 alumnus of Cathedral High School, has donated $500,000 to the school for tuition assistance and faculty support while challenging other business leaders to donate to the cause, the school announced on Tuesday.

The gift from Gormally, former owner of WGGB-TV (ABC40/Fox 6 Springfield), comes as the Springfield Diocese is reviewing the future of the school three years after a tornado severely damaged the Surrey Road building. The uncertainty surrounding the fate of the school has sparked increased pledges and donations to a tuition endowment fund.

In presenting a personal check to Cathedral High School President Ann Southworth, Gormally challenged the business community join him in support of rebuilding the school on Surrey Road.

Gormally said he believes in the viability of Cathedral and its academic program, not only for the students of Western Massachusetts, but ultimately for the business community.

The school said Gormally's donation will be used to provide "immediate tuition assistance to students desiring a Cathedral High School education as well as support faculty."

"I have confidence in Catholic education," Gormally said in the school's press release. "It is my hope and desire that the Springfield Diocese finds a way to rebuild Cathedral on Surrey Road in Springfield,"

Gormally said. "I would also hope that the business community steps up to recognize Cathedral as the important resource it is in the community and financially support it."

Last week, the independent, nonprofit group, the Committee for Cathedral Action embarked on a "Save Cathedral" campaign to raise money to promote the rebuilding of the school in the East Forest Park neighborhood where it stood since 1959.

On Nov. 20, 400 people attended a Committee for Cathedral Action rally to show their support for the rebuilding of the school.

Since the rally, nearly 1,800 pledges have been made by Cathedral backers, bringing the fund to about $4.9 million, according to the Committee for Cathedral Action. The endowment has a $10 million goal.

The diocese has said finances and enrollment at the school are among concerns it has about rebuilding the school. It has disputed the committee's figure for pledges.

The school was designed for 3,000 students; enrollment for the current year is 217, or 555 fewer students than a decade ago, according to the diocese.

The Surrey Road School, originally built for 3,000 students, had about 400 students when the June 1, 2011 tornado seriously damaged the building.

Since then the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield has rented the vacant Memorial School in Wilbraham and enrollment has declined to 217 this year.

John McDaid, an ex-con from Granville, testified in Hartford Superior Court that 39-year-old Tiffany Stevens paid him cash to kill her ex-husband.

HARTFORD — A Western Massachusetts man is a key witness in a Connecticut murder-for-hire trial involving allegations of a woman who paid to have her ex-husband killed during a bitter custody battle and dispute over a roughly $50 million fortune.

Granville resident John McDaid, the hired hit man who didn't go through with the 2012 plot, testified Tuesday in Hartford Superior Court that 39-year-old Tiffany Stevens slapped an envelope with $5,000 on his chest and said "Get it done," Eyewitness News 3 reports.

Stevens allegedly paid McDaid to kill Eric Stevens while the couple was fighting for custody of their young daughter and the millions in assets destined for the winner of the dispute, the Hartford Courant reports.

Tiffany Stevens has denied attempted murder charges in the case involving McDaid, an ex-convict with a lengthy rap sheet including more than 20 felony convictions, according to testimony in the trial, which continues Wednesday and is expected to run through next week.

McDaid said he spent the $5,000 on household appliances and clothing for his children, then told Eric Stevens about the murder plot. McDaid also testified that Tiffany Stevens threatened to have him and his kids killed if he didn't execute the plan, the Associated Press reports.

Tiffany Stevens met McDaid while he was working as a handyman for a wealthy Simsbury couple, according to testimony.

In addition to the custody fight, at stake is which parent will ultimately control a roughly $50 million trust fund established for their daughter, the AP reports.

General Motors rose after reporting stronger sales, and Biogen soared following news that its drug for Alzheimer's disease showed promise.

By MATTHEW CRAFT

NEW YORK — Energy and health-care companies led major stock indexes higher on Tuesday, even as crude oil resumed its slide. General Motors rose after reporting stronger sales, and Biogen, a biotech company, soared following news that its drug for Alzheimer's disease showed promise.

Reports that fewer people turned out to shop over the Thanksgiving weekend helped knock the market down on Monday. But those concerns were likely overblown, as other evidence suggests that people simply wanted to avoid the crowds at Black Friday sales, said Brad McMillan, the chief investment officer at Commonwealth Financial. IBM Digital Analytics, for instance, said that sales on Cyber Monday jumped 8 percent.

"I think what you're seeing is a little reality settling in," McMillan said. "Look at Cyber Monday numbers. You see that and say hmm, maybe it's not going to be so bad after all."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 13.11 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,066.55.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 102.75 points, or 0.6 percent, to 17,879.55, while the Nasdaq composite rose 28.46 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,755.81. Oil and gas companies led nine of the 10 industries in the S&P 500 higher.

The one economic report out Tuesday gave investors some encouragement. Newly built houses and schools lifted U.S. construction spending in October to the highest level since May, the Commerce Department said. Overall construction spending climbed 1.1 percent, higher than economists' forecasts.

General Motors posted solid sales gains in the U.S. last month, helped by discounts and falling gas prices. GM's sales climbed 6 percent to nearly 226,000 in November. The carmaker's stock gained 32 cents, or 1 percent, to $33.26.

Among other companies making big moves, Avanir Pharmaceuticals soared on news that Otsuka Pharmaceuticals of Japan plans to buy the company for $3.5 billion. Under the terms of the deal, Otsuka would pay Avanir investors $17 per share in cash. Avanir's stock jumped $1.92, or 13 percent, to $16.92.

Crude oil prices resumed their long slide, falling $2.12 to settle at $66.88 a barrel in New York trading. The slump has rippled throughout financial markets in recent weeks, putting stress on oil-exporting countries such as Russia. On Tuesday, Russia's government forecast that the country's economy will shrink next year. That helped send Russia's currency down 5 percent against the dollar and drive its RTS stock index down 3 percent.

"The economic conditions Russia is facing right now are aggressively against its economy," said Jameel Ahmad, Chief Market Analyst for FXTM.

Elsewhere in Europe, Germany's DAX slipped 0.3 percent, while France's CAC 40 inched up 0.3 percent. In the U.K., the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares gained 1.3 percent.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei rose 0.4 percent. In China, the Shanghai Composite Index climbed 3 percent, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 1.2 percent.

Traders will have a batch of economic news to digest over the rest of the week. On Thursday, the European Central Bank meets to discuss whether the region's flagging economy needs more support. On Friday, the U.S. Labor Department releases its look at employment in November, a report that often sends markets swinging.

In other trading on Tuesday, government bond prices fell, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note up to 2.29 percent.

Prices for precious metals sank. Gold dropped $18.70 to settle at $1,199.40 an ounce, while silver slid 24 cents to $16.46 an ounce. Copper dipped a penny to $2.89 a pound.

In other trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange:

1. Wholesale gasoline fell 7 cents to close at $1.812 a gallon.
2. Heating oil fell 6 cents to close at $2.154 a gallon.
3. Natural gas fell 13 cents to close at $3.874 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Councilor Dan Bresnahan wants an ordinance established to require the seasonal tree at City Hall be called a "Christmas tree" and not a "holiday tree."

HOLYOKE -- Follow live coverage posted in the comments section under this story as the City Council Tuesday (Dec. 2) considers more than $5.5 million in proposed transfers to balance the budget.

Councilor at Large Daniel B. Bresnahan also has filed an order "that the City of Holyoke adopt an ordinance in recognizing the term 'Christmas tree' and not 'Holiday tree' for our annual lighting of a tree at City Hall used during the Christmas season, and placed in front of the Holyoke City Hall."

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

Mayor Alex B. Morse filed numerous transfers to balance the budget. The transfers involve the School, Police, Fire, Public Works and other departments.

The budget is $124.4 million and has a deficit of $3.8 million.

State law requires that the budget be balanced before the tax rate is set. The council is scheduled to set the new tax rate later this month, then home and business property owners will get bills bearing the new rate in the mail in early January.

Councilors might reject some of Morse's measures. The council Finance Committee voted 4-1 Monday (Dec. 1) to recommend that the full council reject Morse's plan to use $700,000 from the stabilization, or rainy day, fund to balance the budget.

The council a year ago reluctantly approved a $790,000 stabilization fund transfer Morse proposed to balance the budget at that time.

Councilors said reserves should be used only for emergencies and not the operating budget.

Morse said tapping the stabilization fund is an unattractive option he has chosen because part of the deficit -- $1.5 million -- is in the sewer fund. That hole would be filled if the council had approved sewer rate increases over the years to generate revenue to cover expenses in that part of government, Morse said.

The last sewer rate increase was in 2008.

The council voted 9-6 against an 11 percent increase in the sewer rate on Dec. 3, 2013.

The current sewer rate is $5.40 per 1,000 gallons of usage for an average 90,000 gallons used, or $486 a year for the average household.

To proposal the council voted against a year ago was to increase the sewer rate to $6. That would increase the average household sewer-use fee to $540 a year.

Among other proposed transfers the City Council will consider:

--$60,000 to settle a lawsuit. Jeanette Berrios filed the suit after Morse fired her as city personnel director the day he took office in his first term as mayor Jan. 3, 2012. Morse has said he stood by his decision to fire Berrios because she lacked a bachelor's degree, as the job requirements specified.

Berrios has been working as a clerk at the Fire Department since the state Civil Service Commission ruled in July 2012 Morse failed to give her proper notice before firing her.

--$689,167 would be sent from free cash to the unemployment compensation fund to pay for loss of wages to recently laid off School Department employees, Morse said.

When the fiscal year began July 1, the unemployment compensation fund was $440,000 and is now down to $60,936, Personnel Administrator Robert G. Judge said in a Sept. 22 letter to Morse.

--$300,000 from free cash to the Department of Public Works to prepare to pay for snow removal and overtime costs

--$264,437 from free cash for six police cruisers with radios and other equipment

--$200,000 from free cash for Fire Department overtime

--$25,000 from free cash for a new Fire Department rescue boat

--$83,580 from free cash to pay for the accrued time of Police Officer John Collamore, who will retire at the end of January. The money "buys back" Collamore's unused sick and vacation days and money owed for longevity and holidays, Police Chief James M. Neiswanger said in a Nov. 5 letter to Morse.

--$82,358 from free cash to pay for accrued time of Police Officer Joey Jones, who will retire in early February, a similar buy back payment to that of Collamore.

The current tax rate is $19.05 per $1,000 valuation for residential property and $39.75 per $1,000 valuation for business property.

The planned work on Memorial Avenue and Riverdale Street is scheduled to start in the spring of 2015.

At a public meeting Tuesday night, officials from MassDOT and the project's design and construction teams described the planned work, which is scheduled to take place from March through August of 2015.

The eastbound bridge will shut down first, scheduled for the three-day weekend after Memorial Day. The westbound work will begin on June 19. There will be detours in place and police officers directing vehicles during the work.

The overpasses were built in 1953 and are considered to be in "fair" condition, although the westbound bridge is structurally deficient.

The existing Route 5 rotary has no marked lanes, but they will be added, along with a shoulder "to formalize and organize vehicular and pedestrian traffic," said Bob Penfield of the project's design team, SPS New England. He said handicapped-accessible ramps and crosswalks will be added.

Penfield said one of the goals of the $15.6 million state-funded project is to make the bridges more aesthetically pleasing. Ornamental railings and lighting, and landscape changes are included in the plan.

Comcast and Verizon services will not be disrupted during construction, he said. Both companies run wires through the area.

Crews will use a faster construction method than some other projects, utilizing prefabricated materials; the same technique will be employed for the upcoming work on the I-91 viaduct in Springfield. The Accelerated Bridge Program has completed more than 100 projects since 2008.

Some residents asked questions about unforeseen problems (the design team said they've studied it extensively and know what they're dealing with), maintenance of the landscaping work (officials were encouraged to keep the design simple and the greenery looking good), and whether the ongoing road repair work in the tunnel will be complete before the overpass project begins (it will).

A "more robust vehicular impact system" will help prevent cars from going through the guardrails, said Penfield, and an electronic sensor will notice any pedestrians approaching a crosswalk and alert drivers with a flashing light.

Even with any possible weather-related delays, the goal is for the work to be done before the opening of The Big E. Right now, utility crews are replacing gas lines at the rotary, and they are expected to be done by the end of the year.

The public comment period does not close, said Alex Murray of MassDOT, and the team "will be happy to look into" any concerns that are raised.

Murray added that the new overpasses are designed to last for 75 years.

The body was discovered when the family was evicted from its home for failure to pay the mortgage.

A Canadian woman lived with her husband's corpse in an upstairs bedroom for six months hoping he would be resurrected if she prayed, a court in Hamilton, Ontario, was told Monday.

The body was discovered on Sept. 17, 2013 when Kaling Wald and her family were evicted for not paying their mortgage, the Reuters news service reported.

According to the Reuters report, which was published by the Hartford Courant, Wald, 50, pleaded guilty for failing to notify police that her husband, Peter Wald, 52, had died, apparently from natural causes in March 2013 following a foot infection linked to diabetes, Weld's lawyer, Peter Boushy said.

Wald left him in bed and sealed up the bedroom in their home to prevent the smell of his decomposing body from disturb other members of the family which included five of the couple's six children, Reuters reported.

"Just as Jesus raised Lazarus after the fourth day, so, too, did she believe God would resurrect her husband in due time," Reuters quoted Boushy as saying. "There clearly was an over-exuberance of one's faith."

The family was active in Christian street ministry and outreach in Hamilton, an industrial city southwest of Toronto.

The case first came to light in January, when Wald was arrested and charged with neglect of duty regarding a dead body and indignity to a body. The two charges were withdrawn and replaced with the single charge, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Company, CBC.

The coroner Dr. Jack Stanborough told CBC news in a previous interview that Wald's body was found in an "advanced state of decomposition."

Neighbors told CBC that they had seen Peter Wald hobbling around for some time before he stopped being seen in public.

"When neighbors asked his wife about him, all she would say was he 'was in God's hands now.' Wald refused to go to hospital, court heard Monday. 'He believed God would cure him,' Crown Counsel Janet Booy said."

The discovery baffled neighbors, who were used to seeing the family's van, painted with phrases like "repent" and "you must make a choice between heaven or hell," outside the family's house, according to the National Post.

Kaling Wald pleaded guilty to failing to notify authorities of death from disease. The original charges could have carried a sentence of up to five years in jail. Those charges were withdrawn in the "11th hour," Boushy said. She was sentenced to 18 months probation with counseling from a Christian counselor, he said.

"Her eyes welled up after the sentencing proceedings," the Post quoted Boushy as saying, adding that he does not believe his client is still expecting her husband to come back to life.

According to the Hamilton Spectator, observers agreed Kaling Wald had no criminal intent.

The newspaper quoted prosecutor Booy as saying that the devout Christian woman's faith had "tainted and warped her better judgment."

"We were trusting God . . . we thought, 'OK, Lord, you know better,' " Kaling Wald told the newspaper after court.

Peter Wald, 52, died "probably around March 20th" last year, according to the agreed statement of facts read in court Monday. He'd suffered from diabetes and his left foot had become infected. But he had refused to go to the hospital and believed God would cure him. The Spectator's account continues:

"He went into a coma, she says, and days later she noticed his stomach bloating and signs of rigor mortis on his forehead.

"She then left him - his body covered with two blankets, his head with a toque (hat) - in the bed and padlocked the bedroom door.

"Kaling sealed in the door and the vents with duct tape to protect her family from the smell of the cadaver. And then for six months, life went on and they prayed for their dead husband and father in the bed upstairs as they awaited his return.'

The city is sitting on $1.68 million in free cash following fiscal 2014.

EASTHAMPTON -- The city of Easthampton approaches the end of the calendar year with $1.68 million in free cash, city financial director Mellisa Zawadzki said Tuesday. The cash balance from fiscal 2014, which ended July 1, was certified by the Mass. Dept. of Revenue on Sept 19.

Zawadzki credited careful spending by department heads, permit fees for two major building projects, and a one-time tax title payoff for the former mill at 15 Cottage Street, now being developed into housing, for the healthy cash balance.

Free cash represents unspent money from various departmental budgets, unexpected one-time revenues, and any unspent cash rolled over from the year before, said Zawadzki. Free cash may not be spent until it is certified by the Dept. of Revenue.

A public hearing and expected vote by the City Council Wednesday (Dec. 3) will consider taking about half of that cash and placing it into two stabilization funds.

One measure would put $161,797 into an existing General Stabilization Fund, which already has a balance of $1.175 million. Another would place $520,000 into a new Capital Stabilization Fund.

The City Council will first be asked by the Finance Committee to create that fund.

Zawadzki said setting up a reserve fund specifically for capital projects will bring more transparency and intentionality to the budget process.

A building permit pulled by Arch Street Development in fiscal 2014 for the $18 million rental housing development underway at 15 Cottage St. yielded around $100,000 for the city, said Zawadzki. Permit fees for the 38-unit, $12 million Parsons Village development also represented a significant one-time infusion, she said.

In addition, said Zawadzki, Arch Street paid off more than $600,000 in back taxes owed by former owner Jefferson Development Partners when it closed on 15 Cottage Street in December.

"Those are one-time revenues we can't count on every year," said Zawadzki. "We try to be conservative in our estimates."

Another financial measure before the council would authorize the city to refinance $1.05 million in outstanding debt from a $3.45 million bond issued March 15, 2001.

The council will consider spending $18,845 to replace an equipment trailer in the Water and Sewer division, $6,162 to upgrade the gas meter for the Highway Dept. generator, and $9,255 for a vehicle lift.

A requested interdepartmental transfer of $1,360 would update the city's zoning map.

The City Council meets Wed. Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. at the city's Municipal Building at 50 Payson Ave.