Firefighters responded within three minutes, but they couldn't save the historic home on Bowdoin Street.

Springfield Fire Department photo by Dennis G. LegerSpringfield firefighters extinguished a blaze reported at 2:52 a.m. Sunday at 62 Bowdoin St. in the historic McKnight neighborhood. No one was injured, but the house was a total loss, according to Springfield Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger.

SPRINGFIELD -- City firefighters extinguished a blaze reported at 2:52 a.m. Sunday at 62 Bowdoin St. in the historic McKnight neighborhood.

There were no reported injuries in the fire, but the large, three-story home was a total loss, according to Dennis G. Leger, spokesman for the Springfield Fire Department.
"It's suspicious and under investigation," he said of the fire, which caused an estimated $180,000 in damage.

Leger said the residents "escaped unharmed.”

He said the fire started in the exterior front porch of the house and quickly spread.

The owner of the building was identified as Giselle Dudley, who could not immediately be reached for comment. It was unclear if the house was a single-family home, or if the nearly 4,400-square-foot dwelling contained multiple units.

Firefighters arrived within three minutes of receiving the report, but they were unable to spare the stately, 100-year-old structure, which is located in the heart of a neighborhood renowned for its elegant homes.

The house was built in 1910, according to the website Realtor.com.

THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of a Bowdoin Street home destroyed in a predawn blaze Sunday:

View Larger Map

Listings for summer concerts, theater, dance and special events.

Hot fun and cool times are on tap this summer in Western Massachusetts. (The Republican photo).

Listening to soft sounds under a summer sky at Stanley Park - uh huh.

Riding the Bizarro roller coaster at Six Flags New England and screaming your lungs out - yep.

Dancing in the aisles to Rihanna or Katy Perry at the Mohegan Sun - sure.

Enthralled by the poetic motion of Ballet Genève at Jacob's Pillow - check.

Amazed by fine performance of "As You Like It" at Shakespeare & Co. - yes.

Think of it as a summer bucket list and the clock is ticking away to Labor Day.

The 2011 Summer Entertainment Guide provides listings of things to do this summer.
Among the offerings:

Special events

Rock, country and hip hop concerts

Summer theater productions

Top dance performers at Jacob's Pillow

Outdoor pop concerts

Daily attractions, museums and destinations

Classical concerts

Springfield Museums at the Quadrangle

Alaskans react to the Sarah Palin email flap; a short history of political suicide, and more headlines.

Connecticut State PoliceA mountain lion was TK

• Springfield family uprooted by tornado vows to resettle [Boston.com]


• Kevin Cullen: South Hadley school officials missing the point -- again [Boston.com]


• The vagaries of public life and living publicly: A short history of political suicide [WSJ.com]


• First post-hospital-release photos of Gabrielle Giffords show smiling congresswoman with short, dark hair [NPR.org]


• Missing Iditarod musher Melanie Gould found alive [ABCNews.Go.com]


• Government says 2 common materials pose cancer risks [NYTimes.com]


• Berkshire man denies machete assault [BerkshireEagle.com]


• Mountain lion struck and killed on Connecticut Highway [Courant.com]




VIDEO of Alaskans reacting to the great Palin email debate:

• Twitter posts tagged #westernma in Western Mass. [MassLive.com]


• Read more News Links »


• Do you have News Links? Send them our way or tweet them to @masslivenews

NOTE: Users of modern browsers can open each link in a new tab by holding 'control' ('command' on a Mac) and clicking each link.

Justin Rodriguez, 17, of Hungry Hill, claimed he didn't see barriers, police and soldiers blocking off a section of Main Street in the South End early Sunday morning, but authorities arrested him anyway for refusing to stop for police.

Republican file photo

Staff Photo by MICHAEL S. GORDONBusinesses along heavily tornado-damaged Main Street in Springfield's South End.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Hungry Hill man drove his car through armed police barriers blocking off a section of Main Street in the heavily tornado-damaged South End early Sunday morning, according to authorities.

"He plowed them down," said Springfield Police Lt. John K. Slepchuk, referring to the barriers Justin Rodriguez, 21, of 7 Worthy St., allegedly drove through around 2:05 a.m. Sunday.

Slepchuk said Rodriguez, who wasn't intoxicated, claimed he didn't see the barrels, barricades and plastic cones blocking off Main Street in the vicinity of Union Street. And, Slepchuk added, Rodriguez, apparently didn't see the Springfield police officers, their flashing cruiser lights, or the Massachusetts National Guardsmen who were posted at the closed road when the mishap occurred.

"He put the National Guard and our guys (Springfield police) in harm's way," the lieutenant said.

Soldiers and law enforcement officials quickly chased down Rodriguez and took him into custody. He will be arraigned Monday in Springfield District Court on charges of failing to stop for police, but nothing more serious, according to Slepchuk.

A several-hundred-yard stretch of Main Street was closed to motorists in the South End after a June 1 tornado tore through the city's traditional Italian quarter before heading eastward into Six Corners, where the storm also wreaked havoc.

The South End and Six Corners neighborhoods were among the hardest-hit sections of Springfield, along with the southern tip of Old Hill, a vast swath of East Forest Park, and a narrow band of Sixteeen Acres.

Sections of Main Street in the South End reopened Wednesday for the first time since the area was devastated by the tornado.

Main Street, from State to Park streets, was reopened to allow affected businesses to continue making repairs and, in some cases, to reopen for the first time since the storm hit.

A portion of Main Street south of Park Street remains closed while cleanup operations continue. The city is temporarily making Park Street a two-way street to allow traffic to flow into and out of the area.

Police said Rodriguez was southbound on Main Street when he crashed through the barriers placed at Union Street.

"He just plowed right through them," Slepchuk said. "He's claiming he didn't see it."

It remains unclear how fast Rodriguez was driving at the time of the incident.

An eastbound driver on I-291 apparently slammed into a car parked along the shoulder of the highway, injuring one or more people. State police had little information about the incident early Sunday, and an agency spokesperson did not immediately return a phone message.

Republican file photoA two-car crash on Interstate 291 around 11 p.m. Saturday remains under investigation. People were reportedly injured in the incident, and Springfield firefighters had to extricate one or more victims from a vehicle. Authorities were unable to immediately verify how many people were injured, and where they were taken for treatment.

SPRINGFIELD -- City firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to pry one or more accident victims injured in a serious car crash on Interstate 291 around 11 p.m. Saturday.

Preliminary reports indicated an eastbound motorist slammed into a car parked in the breakdown lane of I-291, but that information could not immediately be verified with Massachusetts State Police in Springfield.

A public safety official indicated that a baby or young child may have been a passenger in one of the vehicles.

A trooper reached at the Springfield barracks early Sunday said he had "no idea" what happened, and a sate police spokesperson in Framingham did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

More information will be posted on MassLive.com as it becomes available.

Obituaries from The Republican.

William P. Igoe

William P. Igoe, 74, of East Longmeadow, died Thursday. He was born in New York, was raised in Chicopee and moved to Springfield in 1949, where he graduated from Springfield Technical High School. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1955, attaining the rank of AT 3. He graduated with a B.S. in education in 1963 from American International College, received a masters in administration from Westfield State College and a 6th level in curriculum development from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Igoe worked for the Springfield School Department, serving as a teacher, director of the Title 1 summer program, assistant principal at Talmadge School, principal at Washington School and acting principal at Glickman School. He was a member of the Springfield Teachers Federation, the National Education Association and Retired Teachers Association.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• 
  Carnemolla, Irene (Foster)




• 
  Cavanaugh, Bernard T. "Bernie"
  



• 
  Dempsey Jr., Donald R. "Don"
  




• Finnerty, John F. "Jack"
  




• 
  Fisher, Tyrone
  



• 
  Hook, Michael A.




• 
  Igoe, William P.
  



• 
  Illig, Robert J.
  




• Jester, Michael
  




• 
  Karas, Mary T. (Bobala)
  



• 
  Lafrenaye, Harvey N.




• 
  Lanctot, Marie Y. (Audet)
  



• 
  Lazarz, Albert W.
  




• MacRae, Russell A.
  




• 
  Martin, Joseph D.
  



• 
  Maxfield, John C.




• 
  Nunes, Domingos N.
  



• 
  Overton, Nellie Rosette
  




• Partyka, Geraldine M. "Gerry" (Cormier)
  




• 
  Ryan, John F.
  



• 
  Sagan, Dennis Albert




• 
  Slattery, Jane M. (Malek)
  



• 
  Weissman, Donald R.
  

Mayor Richard A. Cohen told the graduates to express gratitude to everyone who helped them reach this milestone.

Manon Mirabelli photoAgawam High School graduates Andrew S. Walles, left, and Douglas B. Vye, at their commencement held Sunday at Symphony Hall in Springfield.

AGAWAM – Valedictorian Nicholas R. Cormier told his classmates to “take matters into your own hands” at Agawam High School’s graduation on Sunday.

At Symphony Hall in Springfield, 293 graduates out of more than 300 in the class of 2011 cheered and reflected as officials and peers told stories of the past four years of their lives together. Cormier laid out the skills necessary to have a productive future.

“Learning to take matters into your own hands, finding a routine that works and being creative; these are the three life skills that we all learned before we even cracked a textbook in first period,” he said. “Get ready for what’s coming because the schedule is yours, the tests are every day.”

Salutatorian Robert E. Carrier took a different tone, quoting heavily from Dr. Seuss’s iconic book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” and weaving his classmates’ experiences into the story.

“You’ll be on your way up, you’ll be seeing great sights, you’ll join the high fliers who soar the high heights,” he quoted. “And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! Ninety-eight and 3/4 percent guaranteed.”

Cormier and Carrier will be classmates at Worcester’s College of the Holy Cross in the fall.

Principal Steven P. Lemanski stressed the importance of strong friendships while Mayor Richard A. Cohen told the graduates to express gratitude to everyone who helped them reach this milestone.

“They have all remained committed to your education, but more importantly, they have remained committed to you,” said Cohen.

Class president Kelsey Venne asked three of her friends to stand and be recognized while she heaped praise on them. Venne will attend New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in the fall.

This was Superintendent Mary A. Czajkowski’s final graduation. She will depart after nine years in the position to become superintendent in Barnstable.

“Your diploma may gather dust on a shelf in a drawer, but you will always be remembered,” she said. She completed her remarks with the chorus of the Beatles song “Hello Goodbye” played over the facility’s speaker system.

“Dream on, dream on, dream on,” said Lemanski, quoting the Aerosmith song of the same name. “Dream until your dreams come true.”

A week later, “Monson Tornado Watch 2011” on Facebook has 2,000 members and is a whirlwind of activity. Volunteers are offering their services, and others are advertising what’s needed to help the community recover.

The Republican / Dave RobackMonson graduate Laura Sauriol, center, created a Facebook page to keep people informed after a June 1 tornado struck the town.

Laura Sauriol was crouched in her Bunyan Road basement, waiting for the tornado to pass, when she started a Facebook group that would become the go-to website for the relief effort in Monson.

Never mind that she is only 17, and that parts of her town were pummeled by the tornadoes that raced through Western and Central Massachusetts in the late afternoon of June 1.

With no access to telephones, the Internet became a resource, and her friends began posting tornado updates – where it struck, the hardest-hit areas, if loved ones were OK.

A week later, “Monson Tornado Watch 2011” on Facebook has 2,000 members and is a whirlwind of activity. Volunteers are offering their services, and others are advertising what’s needed to help the community recover.

Sauriol isn’t the only person who has seized the power of social media to help in tornado-relief efforts.

The United Way of the Pioneer Valley has been using a Facebook page and its own website – www.uwpv.org – to line up volunteers with ways they can help across the region.

The Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross is using its Facebook page, which it had long before the tornadoes struck, to provide regular daily updates on its relief efforts, and the Realtor Association of the Pioneer Valley (“West Springfield: RAPV Tornado Relief” and “16 acres: RAPV Tornado Relief”) launched a humanitarian effort to rebuild and find housing for tornado victims across the region.

Karen King, of the Karen King Group at ReMax Prestige, lives in Monson, and began the Facebook page, “Monson Homes available for Tornado Victims,” to help connect her neighbors who lost their homes with new housing. She has helped 11 families find new places to live.

Then, additional Realtors’ association Facebook pages were added, she said. “All the Realtors are getting together to do what they can for the affected families,” King said.

Even a mother in Chicopee has tapped into the popularity of social media to draw attention to her children’s neighborhood lemonade stand that’s raising funds for the tornado relief effort.

Scott Niejadlik, 30, of Boston, created “Central Mass Tornado Recovery” on Facebook. He is a Brimfield native, whose parents Eileen and Paul, still live there. The tornado missed their home, but passed less than an eighth of a mile away.

He started his Facebook page right after the June 1 storm.

“Basically, I said, ‘My parents are fine, but so many of my friends and their families have been devastated,’” Niejadlik said. “It’s kind of heartbreaking, even from the standpoint of not having anything lost personally.”

Niejadlik, a Web developer, drove to his hometown on June 2 to help with cleanup efforts. His mother was on Haynes Hill Road earlier this week, helping residents of that road, which was right in the tornado’s path.

She said people need storage bins and boxes so they could pack their belongings out of their ravaged homes. The need for storage bins was echoed on the Facebook page.

Niejadlik has been trying to balance his work demands with the need in Brimfield, and has been driving back and forth frequently. The site is catching on with approximately 350 members.

Like the Monson Facebook page, his page lets volunteers sign up to help, informs about where to donate and gives recommendations for credible tree removal companies.

Niejadlik says his effort was even amazingly able to reunite a family photograph, found all the way in Southbridge, with a Brimfield family who lost nearly everything.

“So far it seems to be working out pretty well,” he said. “I’m going to keep (the site) up as long as it keeps being needed.”

One post on “Monson Tornado Watch 2011” last week featured a request for help to spruce up a vacant home at 51 Stafford Road to make room for a family who lost everything.

Another asked where the drop-off point was for donations. (It’s at the First Church of Monson). Yet another made a plea to help the people of Springfield – new underwear was especially needed.

Still one more post came from someone who volunteered to house-sit an empty home to scare off looters.

There are sections devoted to “give away” items, for things like cribs and appliances which people no longer need and are willing to donate. There also is a list where people can add their names to a volunteer index.

Sauriol, who graduated from Monson High School on Wednesday night, said the social network quickly grew among her friends. She added her mother, Jo, to the group, and it grew even more, showing the power of social networking.

Her mother also helps with updating the site as it gets hundreds of posts a day.

“At this point, it’s growing from word-of-mouth,” Sauriol said.

She said she wasn’t thinking about the potential of the Facebook group when she created it, and was just trying to find out information.

“Everyone was concerned about everyone else,” Sauriol said. “We’re a small community and everyone helps each other.”

Soon, the First Church, which lost its steeple to the tornado, became the central meeting place for volunteers, meals and information. Sauriol said a little girl from Palmer brought all her toys to help the people in Monson.

“I plan on at least doing it for the rest of the month,” said Sauriol, adding if there is a need for the site, she will continue it past that date.

She thinks it caught on so quickly because she responded to questions immediately after the tornado disaster. She wasn’t expecting such a response.

“I guess you could say I was surprised,” Sauriol said.

Sauriol said a lot of people ask her questions directly through the site about the recovery efforts; others call her house. They say they are surprised when they find out her age.

She plans to attend Westfield State University in the fall, and while she was thinking about studying physical therapy and business, this experience has caused her to now consider management.

Her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed by her Facebook followers.

Group member Teri Sullivan Galica wrote to President Barack Obama about Sauriol, and the letter is posted on the Facebook page.

“I am writing to you today to bring to your attention an amazing young lady, Laura Sauriol,” Galica wrote. “After a tornado hit our hometown of Monson, Massachusetts, Laura immediately created a Facebook page initially so that people could check and see if others were okay. Her Facebook page over the last week, Monson Tornado Watch 2011, has turned into the page where all town residents and residents of other towns can go to see what is needed and where volunteers are necessary.”

“We say so many negative things about our young people today; you need to know about the citizens of this age that give back without any expectations of anything in return,” the letter added. “With people like Laura Sauriol in our world, it is going to be an amazing ‘next generation’ of young people.”

The 10-week day camp is open to teenagers and children as young as 5 years old.

View full sizeWilbraham, 6/12/11, Staff Photo by David Molnar -- Volunteer Ryan Quimby, of East Longmeadow, cuts up downed trees, cleaning up the debris left by the June 1 tornado at Stony Brook Acres, getting the YMCA camp ready for the summer.

WILBRAHAM – Stony Brook Acres summer camp will open on time thanks to the efforts of local companies who have donated thousands of dollars in manpower to clear the property of tornado damage.

Tree Corp., Suburban Forestry and Ervin & Harris Landscaping have been working since shortly after June 1 to take away more than 50 fallen trees, cut down weak trees and clear away roots. Kelley Construction is set to rebuild two sheds that were damaged.

The Nature shed, where outdoor educational materials were stored, was destroyed and blown away. The shed that houses the pool filtering equipment was moved off its foundation, said Bill Dierken, YMCA of Greater Springfield facilities director. The YMCA owns the camp.

“Everybody’s just pulling together,” said Tree Corp. co-owner Wayne Ottani, who estimated the cost of his company’s work at around $4,000. “The dollar amount doesn’t mean so much as, you know what? We’re helping out.”

The camp is set to open June 27. YMCA CEO Kirk Smith said all the money saved on the work will be used to fund camp scholarships for the children of families in emergency shelters.

YMCA development director Andrea M. Luppi said the total is around $15,000.

The 10-week day camp is open to teenagers and children as young as 5 years old. It serves 200 kids from 14 communities, Smith said.

“(We will) make sure they have a place to come for the summer to break the monotony and the stress of going back home,” he said. “The YMCA will be kind of a common denominator for a lot of these organizations and families.”

Smith said companies like Tree Corp. “just by the nature of their business” do not have much opportunity to touch the lives of inner city children, but the work they are doing at Stony Brook Acres makes a major difference.

One of the Tree Corp. volunteers is Ryan Quimby, management information systems director for the town of East Longmeadow. Ottani said Quimby took a week’s vacation from work to join in the effort. On Sunday, Quimby came to the camp after volunteering elsewhere.

Tree Corp. has also helped remove trees from yards around Springfield’s Island Pond, where Ottani said many police officers and single mothers live.

“If Tree Corp. wants to really give back, what a great way to do it!” said Smith.

Dierken said the tree stumps need to be ground down and the camp is looking for volunteers for that project.

This is the 14th annual Northeast Regional Junior Solar Sprint model solar car competition

Springfield, 6/12/11, Staff Photo by David Molnar -- William Lalikos, of Springfield, with the STEM Middle Academy watches the starter as he readies his solar car at the 14th aanual Northeast Regional Junior Solar Sprint model car compeitition at Commerce High School.

SPRINGFIELD – Tristan Cain, Hannah Sitler and Tyler Houle, of Southwick, wanted to make their solar-powered car fast and interesting to look at.

“Last year we did really well, but our car was not very interesting. This year we went for design too,” Cain said.

The Powder Mill Middle School students made up just one of 100 teams from across the northeast to participate in the 14th annual Northeast Regional Junior Solar Sprint model solar car competition. The competition was held indoors at Commerce High School since there was the threat of rain Sunday.

“The students make their cars to run on solar panels, but they also have two double AA batteries they can use if the sun is not shining,” said Arianna Grindrod, education director for the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association in Greenfield, which hosts the event every year.

Students created hundreds of cars including one shaped like a banana split, another shaped like a hot pink octopus and more.

Cain’s team entered their car “The Bad Apple” into the race. Sitler’s father helped the students come up with the concept for their car. The team created a black and lime green car with a lime green flame pained on the back. They put about 20 hours of work into the car.

“We wanted to make something that was well made,” Sitler said.

“We noticed a lot of kids used super glue to make their cars, but we used rivets and screws and solid materials,” Cain said.

Springfield’s STEM Middle Academy student Angel Diaz, 11 and William Lalikos, 14, entered their car “Street Racer” into the competition. This was Diaz’ first time participating in the race.

“It was a fun experience. I learned how to make a solar car and I learned about solar energy,” he said.

Grindrod said many students spend weeks preparing their cars.

“The kids worked really hard on their cars. It’s a great learning experience for them,” she said.

The event is currently sponsored by the U.S. Army educational outreach program and hosted by the association. Grindrod said this is the last year the association will host the event.

“We will be doing more specialization with practitioners in the field, so we felt it was the right time to give the event over to the Army,” she said.

The U.S. Army hopes to make it a national event, Grindrod said.

They will call Romney the intellectual godfather of the Democrats' national health care law.

View full sizeAssociated Press photoFormer Massachusetts Gov. W. Mitt Romney, accompanied by his wife Ann, arrives to announce his 2012 candidacy for president, Thursday.

By PHILIP ELLIOTT

STRATHAM, N.H. (AP) — Mitt Romney's political backyard is the most promising terrain in his second bid for the Republican presidential nomination. It's also the most perilous.

The former governor from neighboring Massachusetts has a vacation place in New Hampshire, so the state really is his second home. He's well known and well established here, and he's putting more emphasis on the Granite State, which holds the nation's first primary, than he did four years ago. He'll be in Manchester for a seven-candidate debate Monday night.

But the state's proximity to Massachusetts is a two-edged sword.

Voters know a lot about Romney's health care program for Massachusetts, which included mandatory insurance coverage similar to President Barack Obama's federal requirement that many conservatives detest. As a politician in liberal Massachusetts, Romney took stands now at odds with many GOP primary voters.

If his rivals can cripple or weaken Romney in New Hampshire, they might be able to overcome his impressive fundraising and experience in later-voting states such as South Carolina and Florida, their thinking goes.

"Romney is very strong in New Hampshire, and it's his race to lose here and nationally," said Jamie Burnett, a New Hampshire consultant who was Romney's political director in the state four years ago. Burnett isn't backing a presidential contender yet, a sign of the wariness that some former supporters feel about the candidate.

At the debate, it's not hard to guess what line of attack the field will take on the perceived front-runner.

Romney's rivals on Monday night will be U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota; businessman Herman Cain of Georgia; former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia; U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas; former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty; and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.

They will call Romney the intellectual godfather of the Democrats' national health care law. They may note that in transitioning from a Senate candidate and governor of liberal Massachusetts to a pursuer of the GOP presidential nomination, Romney has changed his views on abortion and gay rights.

He has struggled to defend his record and cope with charges that he is inauthentic and opportunistic. His reversals on two contentious issues were true conversions of the heart, Romney says. He has defended his Massachusetts health agenda, somewhat awkwardly, by saying it was right for that state but it's not a good model for the entire nation.

Romney is placing less emphasis this year on Iowa, which holds a caucus before New Hampshire's primary. He announced his exploratory committee at the University of New Hampshire. He entered the race with an announcement in a farm field here last week. He helped bankroll the struggling state party. His advisers have kept in touch with past supporters, hosting regular get-togethers. Last week, Romney sent glossy — and costly — mailers to voters, hoping to reintroduce himself.

He has that vacation home on Lake Winnipesaukee, and many voters know him from his Massachusetts days, an advantage his rivals can't match. The newspaper with the second largest readership in the state is The Boston Globe. The state's population-heavy southern tier is in the Boston television market.

"Romney's the guy to beat. He's laid the groundwork," said Kevin Smith, executive director of the conservative Cornerstone Policy Research. "But we'll see if one of the other candidates can capture lightning in a bottle."

Indeed, with high expectations come high risks. If Romney fares poorly in New Hampshire, it might be tough to recover in the South and West.

Pawlenty "has been running here for a year or more," Burnett noted. If Romney stumbles and Pawlenty "is able to distinguish himself in the race, there's a path," he said. The same might be true for former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, he said.

Pawlenty and others say Romney's New Hampshire advantages easily can be overestimated.

"If the early polls were a good measure of who was going to win, Rudy Giuliani would be president or Howard Dean would be president or Hillary Clinton would be president," Pawlenty dismissively told Fox News Channel in a newly aggressive tone that suggests he's eager to go head to head with Romney as he tries to become the main alternative.

For now, Romney's rivals are training their fire on his health care record, which was a model for Obama's 2010 law. An AP-GfK poll in March found 82 percent of Republicans oppose Obama's health overhaul.

Obama "said that he designed Obamacare after Romneycare and basically made it Obamneycare," Pawlenty told "Fox News Sunday."

"What I don't understand is they both continue to defend it," he said, previewing a line of attack in the debate. "I think it's a dramatic overreach."

Huntsman, who is skipping Monday's debate, said of Romney's health care mandate: "In many minds, it isn't anything about the costs associated with mandates. It's the philosophy whether an individual has the right to make his own decisions."

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin may not run, but she too has criticized Romney for the health care law. "In my opinion, any mandate coming from government is not a good thing," she said, and Romney must explain his position more convincingly.

Democrats are attacking too, possibly helping Pawlenty and the others.

Romney's work in Massachusetts "helped lay the foundation" for last year's health overhaul "and we will strongly defend both plans from attack," said Eddie Vale, a spokesman for Democrats' campaign to promote the law.

Democrats see Romney as the front-runner and the Democratic National Committee attacks him almost daily.

Romney has worked hard in New Hampshire, with mixed results. He had dinner this year with the publisher of The New Hampshire Union Leader, a newspaper that four years ago used regular Page One columns from publisher Joseph McQuaid to eviscerate Romney.

The private dinner with their spouses at the Bedford Village Inn was part of a charm campaign designed to put behind him a relentless campaign from the state's largest newspaper that for decades has held outsized sway in GOP primaries.

It might not have made any difference. The day after Romney declared his candidacy at the farm, the paper's front page was dominated by another political figure: Palin. A small box referenced a story about Romney's announcement inside the paper.

And for all his behind-the-scenes efforts, voters aren't seeing a lot of Romney at the traditional house parties and town halls. Romney has largely turned to columns and web videos to communicate with voters. He's sought to limit his exposure, mainly because front-runners don't struggle to earn attention.

"He's the front-runner," said Juliana Bergeron, the former chairwoman of the Cheshire County Republican Party. "He doesn't need to introduce himself to voters like the others. Why put yourself out there?"

His lesser known rivals lack that luxury. For them, it's their challenge to build up their name recognition — or tear down Romney's here in his backyard.

Monday night will give them their first good chance.

Until Sunday, no clear images had been released.

View full sizeThis, most recent photo of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords since she was shot, was posted to her public Facebook page by her aides Sunday morning June 12, 2011. The woman in the background is her mother Gloria Giffords. The photo was taken May 17, 2011 at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, the day after the launch of Endeavour and the day before she had her cranioplasty.Giffords could be released from a rehabilitation hospital in Houston sometime this month, a top aide says, offering the latest indication that the Arizona congresswoman is making progress in recovering from a gunshot wound to the head. (AP Photo/Giffords Campaign - P.K. Weis)

By AMANDA LEE MYERS and RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MAST

HOUSTON (AP) — Images of a smiling Rep. Gabrielle Giffords were posted Sunday on her Facebook page, two photos that show her with shorter, darker hair but few signs that she suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

The photos were taken May 17 outside the Houston rehabilitation facility where Giffords has been undergoing treatment since she was wounded five months ago at a meet-and-greet event with constituents. Six people died and a dozen others were hurt in the Jan. 8 attack in Tucson, Ariz.

Since then, access to the Arizona congresswoman has been tightly controlled. Until Sunday, no clear images had been released.

The only recent sign of Giffords came in late April, when grainy television footage showed her slowly ascending a flight of steps to a NASA plane that took her to Florida to watch her astronaut husband rocket into space. The image was so blurry that it was impossible to confirm it was Giffords until doctors did so at a news conference in mid-May.

Giffords spokesman C.J. Karamargin said staff members released the photos Sunday to help satisfy "intense interest in the congresswoman's appearance."

The timing coincides with plans to release Giffords from the hospital later this month or in early July. Her staff hopes the images will help curb unwanted photography when she begins visiting an outpatient clinic in a more public setting.

"What we wanted to avoid was a paparazzi-like frenzy," Karamargin said.

The professionally shot pictures were taken before Giffords underwent surgery to replace a piece of her skull that had been removed shortly after the shooting to allow her brain to swell. The images suggest the congresswoman is returning to her former appearance — though she still looks slightly different than before.

View full sizeThis photo combo shows U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. At left, Giffords takes part in a reenactment of her swearing-in on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Jan. 5, 2011, three days before she was shot as she met with constituents in Tucson, Ariz. At right, Giffords is seen May 17, 2011, at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, the day after the launch of space shuttle Endeavour and the day before she had her cranioplasty. Giffords could be released from a rehabilitation hospital in Houston sometime in June 2011, a top aide says, offering the latest indication that the Arizona congresswoman is making progress in recovering from a gunshot wound to the head. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh/P.K. Weis)

But the photos give little indication of Giffords' cognitive abilities — what, for example, her speech is like after being shot in the left side of the head, which controls communication. The images also provide no hints as to when, or if, she will be able to resume her job.

"There's nothing that unique about the outer presentation," said Jordan Grafman, director of the Traumatic Brain Injury Research Laboratory at the Kessler Foundation Research Center in West Orange, N.J., explaining that many brain injury patients look good within months of being hurt.

"But the image doesn't tell us the inner mental state or the brain itself, how it's functioning," said Grafman, who has not treated Giffords. "What's their social skills? Do they have a nuanced sense of humor? Can they participate in activities? All that is what's important."

Pia Carusone, Giffords' chief of staff, has indicated that while the congresswoman is able to speak and walk, she remains a shadow of her former self.

Karamargin said Giffords' left eye appears smaller in one of the photos because part of her skull was missing when it was taken. That has since been repaired. He also said her hair is shorter now because it was shaved for the surgery that repaired her skull.

The photos capture Giffords' ecstatic mood following her husband's space shuttle launch.

"She got to see her husband successfully ride a rocket into space," Karamargin said. "So who wouldn't be pleased?"

He added: "I think this photo speaks volumes about the congresswoman's resilience and recovery. It shows someone in very good spirits, someone who is happy, someone who has a very positive attitude."

Of the two pictures, one is more clearly posed, that of a smiling Giffords looking directly at the camera. The left side of her head appears slightly distorted and swollen. A second photo shows Giffords in a more casual light — smiling while sitting alongside her mother, Gloria Giffords, with the hospital's greenery evident behind them.

The pictures were taken by Tucson photographer P.K. Weis.

Carusone told the Associated Press late Saturday that doctors and family were considering "many factors" while weighing when to release Giffords from the hospital. She did not elaborate.

"We're looking at before the end of the month. We're looking at early July," Carusone said. "We don't have a date."

In an interview published Thursday in the Arizona Republic, Carusone said Giffords can express her basic wants and needs, but has difficulty stringing together sentences to verbalize more complex thoughts and feelings. Giffords, she said, relies on hand gestures and facial expressions.

"She is borrowing upon other ways of communicating. Her words are back more and more now, but she's still using facial expressions as a way to express. Pointing. Gesturing," Carusone said.

The description matches what experts expect from someone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury. Often, they can be easily disoriented, have trouble prioritizing, suffer from some memory loss and could have difficulty recognizing people. Some have difficulty doing several tasks at the same time.

Most cognitive recovery occurs in the first six months to a year after an injury, though it becomes less noticeable as time progresses. In the second year, progress sharply drops.

Carusone said if Giffords' recovery were to plateau now, "it would not be nearly the quality of life she had before."

"All that we can hope for is that she won't plateau today and that she'll keep going and that when she does plateau, it will be at a place far away from here," she said.

While Giffords' release from the hospital will mark a crucial step in her recovery, she still must undergo months of outpatient rehabilitation that will include speech, occupational and physical therapy.

The release of the photos seemed to please the public and her admirers.

On Facebook, the photos immediately generated conversations and comments, with dozens blessing Giffords and her family, complimenting her for her perseverance and courage and her ability to overcome the odds.

Some mentioned Jared Lee Loughner, 22, the shooting suspect who has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the shooting and is being held at a Missouri facility. A judge declared him incompetent to stand trial, but prosecutors hope his competency can be restored so he can be put on trial.

Still, others wondered about how far Giffords has progressed.

"It would be nice to get a truly honest assessment of her internal cognitive experience," Alex Hakkinen, who told the AP he works with brain injury patients at a rehab center in Lawrenceville, N.J.

Hakkinen said Giffords' staff has an obligation to bring her out in public at some point so constituents can assess her abilities, maybe in a "fireside chat" of sorts. Or they should acknowledge that she's incapable of doing so right now, he said.

State Sen. Linda Lopez said Giffords looks beautiful.

"Wow! I saw her at the very end of March, and even then, Gabby was all there, her smile, her personality," Lopez commented on Facebook. "And she looks even better now."

__

Associated Press Writer Bob Seavey in Phoenix contributed to this report.

This is the second time the bank branch has been robbed since May 28.

SPRINGFIELD – Three people who said they were armed with a bomb robbed the TD Bank on 1800 Boston Road Sunday morning.

The three men wearing sunglasses and hooded sweatshirts entered the bank at about 11:25 a.m. They handed a note demanding money to a teller and fled on foot after she gave them an undisclosed amount of cash, police Sgt. John Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said.

The three are believed to have gotten into a car a short distance away. From there, they may have met up with a second driver, got into his car, and drove away. Police said they do not have a description of either car.

Delaney has released the photographs of the suspected robbers taken from bank surveillance cameras.

This is the second time in two weeks that the bank branch was robbed. On May 28 a man went into the same branch and handed a teller a note demanding all her money.

An annual stick ball game is held in the South End of Springfield.

Springfield, 6/12/11, Staff Photo by David Molnar -- Despite the tornado damage all around them in the South End of Springfield people and local officials got together for a few pitches of the annual stick ball game organized by local businessman Rico Daniele. Here, Daniele, left, Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, center, catching as Joe Sibilia, 71, keeps his eye on the ball during the game.with the damaged the former Alfred G. Zanetti School in the background.

SPRINGFIELD- As he looked at the bricks strewn across the parking lot of the former Alfred G. Zanetti School on Howard Street, Gerald Daniele, of Springfield, remembered the place in its glory days.

“It was a great school. A lot of us grew up here and spent all of our time playing sports in the back lot or at the South End Community Center,” he said.

Daniele was one of 15 or so men and women who came together for an annual stick ball game, normally held in the parking lot of the school. This year due to the tornado damage, which destroyed the school, the game was held in another parking lot near the school.

“I just didn’t want the tradition to stop because of everything that happened with the tornadoes,” said Rico C. Daniele, owner of Mom & Rico Daniele's Specialty Market, 899 Main St.

“I didn’t want to cancel it, so we are doing the best we can,” he said.

The event attracted players who have been coming to the games since the 1950s. Gerald Daniele, 75, served as the pitcher for the first round.

Springfield, 6/12/11, Staff Photo by David Molnar -- Despite the tornado damage all around them in the South End of Springfield people and local officials got together for a few pitches of the annual stick ball game organized by local businessman Rico Daniele. Here, Daniele's cousin Gerald Daniele, 75, pitches to batters with the damaged former Alfred G. Zanetti School in the background. Both Daniele's have played in this tournament for decades.

“I don’t pitch like I used to, that’s for sure,” he said.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and State Rep. Cheryl A. Coakley- Rivera, D-Springfield, stopped by for a quick game.

“It all comes down to the resilience of the human spirit,” Sarno said. “These are people who grew up here and who love this neighborhood and are going to stick together.”

Joseph Sibilia, of Agawam, has been playing for more than 30 years. He said although the South End was devastated by the tornadoes, he thinks the city is doing a good job of cleaning things up.

“The mayor is doing a fantastic job of getting the city back on its feet,” he said.

The parking lot where the game was held offered a clear view of Zanetti, the South End Community Center and other buildings damaged by the tornado.

Sarno said he has teams out doing the necessary clean up every day.

“It‘s amazing that no one in our city was killed and that we kept the number of injuries under 40 people. I’m choosing to look at this as a rebirth for downtown Springfield and we are going to come back stronger,” he said.

Route 2 was closed for about two hours after the accident.

Republican file photo

SHELBURNE – A motorcyclist was killed and the driver of a car was seriously injured in an accident early Sunday morning on Route 2 in Shelburne.

Matthew Smith, 24, of Colrain was killed when his Yamaha motorcycle struck a Subaru Forrester which was stopped on the side of the road, state police said.

The driver of the Subaru, a 23-year-old from North Pownal, Vt., was in the car and seriously injured in the 1:50 a.m. accident. He was brought to Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield and later transferred to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

Police did not release his name.

The accident remains under investigation by different divisions of the Massachusetts State Police. Troopers were assisted by Shelburne Falls Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Route 2 was closed for about two hours while the accident was cleared, police said.

One child was trapped in the car.

Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD – A 27-year-old woman and a 3-year-old child were taken to Baystate Medical Center with serious injuries after their car was struck on Interstate 91 near the interchange of Interstate 291.

The injured woman’s car, a 1991 Buick Century, was pulled over on the side of the road when it was hit at about 10:45 p.m.,Saturday. The operator of the second car, a 2011 Honda, was Elizabeth Ramos, 27, of Springfield, said State Police Trooper Reid Bagley.

There were five people in the Buick, including three children. A 28-year-old passenger was uninjured and two other children were brought to the hospital with minor injuries. The 3-year-old had serious injuries, Bagley said.

Ramos was also uninjured, he said.

Police were assisted by the Springfield Fire Department, who were called to free the 3-year-old who was trapped in the car, Fire Department Spokesman Dennis G. Leger said.

The accident is under investigation by different departments of the Massachusetts State Police, Bagley said.

The children and the other driver were brought to the hospital with minor injuries.

Republican file photo

CHICOPEE – A woman was arrested for drunken driving and child endangerment after she hit another car on Interstate 391 at about 8:10 p.m., Sunday.

A 12-year-old and a 6-year-old and the driver of the second car were taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield with minor injuries. Both cars were totaled, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Paul Kudryk said.

Rebecca Champagne, 31, of 17 Wolcott St., Holyoke, was charged with drunken driving, two counts of child endangerment, speeding, making unsafe lane changes and having a child not in a booster seat, Kudryk said.

Champagne, who was watching the children but is not their mother, is being accused of speeding. She clipped another car when trying to change lanes, causing the accident, he said.

Her car rolled over during the accident. Information was unavailable about seat belt use.

Red Cross volunteers are trying to contact every tornado victim to offer help.

Republican staff photo by Michael BeswickThe Conference areas at the MassMutual Center are partitioned into two areas, one for dining and recreation and the other large area for housing. As of Sunday there are approx. 250 individuals at the Center receiving assistance.

SPRINGFIELD – By the end of the weekend, the American Red Cross officially raised $1 million to help victims of the June 1 tornado.

The money has come from businesses, spaghetti suppers, car washes and many individual donations. While the exact tally was not available Sunday, it has topped the $1 million mark, said Richard A. Lee, executive director of the Pioneer Valley chapter of the American Red Cross.

“So much money is coming in from so many different sources,” he said. “It is wonderful, and it has enabled us to fuel this relief effort, which is very extensive.”

The Red Cross started June 1, the night of the tornado, providing the most basic help of food and shelter, Lee said.

Within 24 hours after the tornado, the American Red Cross deployed eight white vans, including four from the Pioneer Valley Chapter, to drive through damaged neighborhoods distributing food, water, ice, bug spray, shovels and rakes. They have also handed out comfort kits containing toiletries, he said.

On Sunday those vans continued to drive through neighborhoods, and a distribution center was set up in Southbridge where people from areas such as Monson and Brimfield could pick up necessities.

At the same time, the Red Cross has started to have a case worker meet with every victim so they can get more information about their needs, Lee said.

“We focus on basic human needs. We don’t replace their color TV, but we ask do they have something to sleep on. Do they have the things that make them healthy, “ Lee said.

He said everyone is different. Some immediately needed help replacing items such as eyeglasses and prescription medication and will need long-term assistance finding a home. Others are well insured and need little help, Lee said.

The American Red Cross is not working alone. Many agencies, such as the Salvation Army, the Springfield Council of Churches and a variety of state and city organizations, are coordinating so they do not duplicate efforts, he said.

“This is a team sport,” Lee said. “What we do is spend our day unlocking problems that are unique.”

Some, like Donald B. Whitlock and his girlfriend, lost everything and have been living in the Red Cross run shelter at the MassMutual Center since the disaster.

He was downtown when the tornado destroyed his second-floor apartment at 406 Central St. in Springfield.

“When I got to the house, it was caved in,” he said. “It was down to the ground. I wasn’t able to get in there at all.”

The first case worker he talked to transferred him to another who she believed could help him more. He found success with a Department of Elder Affairs representative, who found him an apartment on Fort Pleasant Street and set him up with first and last month’s rent and a security deposit and will settle his utility bill for $125 that he hadn’t paid when the tornado hit.

The Red Cross also helped him replace his prescription medications.

After clearing up some final details Monday, Whitlock said he hopes to move in Tuesday.

He and his girlfriend will be happy to move to their own place, but Whitlock said he will be doing so without a refrigerator or furniture. He has some clothing and is hoping furniture will come soon.

Although the shelter at the MassMutual Center is not a permanent home, Whitlock said it has been run well.

“They feed you good and they give you clean linen whenever you need it,” he said. “There is hot water for showers.”

As of Sunday, there were 288 people sheltered in the MassMutual Center and in hotels for those with special circumstances, such as health issues. To date the Red Cross has served 16,849 meals and 75,373 snacks and distributed 7,541 kits of basic necessities.

Volunteer registered nurses and social workers are working with those who need medical or medical health consultations. So far, more than 1,400 consultations have been given to victims, said Eunice J. Mommens, of Maine, who is serving as the government liaison chief in Springfield.

Red Cross volunteers, who have come across the country to assist, are not just helping those who live in shelters. They are going door to door in devastated neighbors in Springfield, Monson and West Springfield to reach victims.

At homes where no one is home or that are unhabitable, they leave notes asking victims to contact them, Mommens said.

“We try very hard to reach these people. We tell them what we offer,” she said.

City politicians are also continuing to work to help the recovery effort and push for Federal Emergency Management Assistance funds to help with the rebuilding effort.

Sunday U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, continued to assess tornado damage, visiting the East Forest Park neighborhood. He met with officials for the badly-damaged Cathedral High School and Springfield College.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno praised residents as well as agencies and organizations for coming together.

“We have been trying to handle the situation as best we can having never experienced something like this before,” he said.

The Department of Public Works is continuing to try to clean up the streets and assess and repair damage throughout the city.

“Everyone from agencies, to the water and sewer department, to the electric company and even the media has joined together to help people to get the services they need,” he said.

In West Springfield, case workers were also interviewing victims to find out what they need. Last week the workers extended their hours after they realized that they were not reaching some in shelters because they have been at work, Mayor Edward J. Gibson said.

The city set up a shelter in an Eastern State Exhibition dormitory. The Red Cross is assisting by providing supplies and services, Mommens said.

“We are through the emergency response portion that happened right after the tornado, and now we are focusing on getting individuals in temporary or permanent homes,” Gibson said.

For those whose homes have been condemned, agencies are working to find them permanent housing. It is more difficult for those who are expected to be homeless for a few months while repairs are being made.

“We don’t think putting them up in hotels is the best answer,” he said. “We are looking at what are available in the apartments in town, and after that you go out and rattle the trees and get creative.”

Staff writer Elizabeth Roman contributed to this story.

Here is a list of major municipal meetings for the coming week: Agawam Mon.- Board of Appeals, 6:30 p.m., Agawam Public Library. Tues.- Agawam Cultural Council, 7 p.m., Agawam Public Library. School Committee, 7 p.m., Roberta G. Doering School. Thu.- Agawam Disability Commission, 5:30 p.m., Senior Center. Planning Board, 7 p.m., Agawam Public Library. Amherst Mon.- Town Meeting Coordinating...

Republican file photoHolyoke City Hall

Here is a list of major municipal meetings for the coming week:

Agawam

Mon.- Board of Appeals, 6:30 p.m., Agawam Public Library.

Tues.- Agawam Cultural Council, 7 p.m., Agawam Public Library.

School Committee, 7 p.m., Roberta G. Doering School.

Thu.- Agawam Disability Commission, 5:30 p.m., Senior Center.

Planning Board, 7 p.m., Agawam Public Library.


Amherst

Mon.- Town Meeting Coordinating Committee, 3 p.m., Town Hall

Select Board, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall

District Advisory Board, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall

Personnel Board, 6:45 p.m., Town Hall

Tues.- Disability Access Advisory Committee, 11:15 a.m., 210 Old Farm Rd.

Public Shade Tree Committee, 4 p.m., Town Hall

Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Community Development Committee, 7 p.m., Bangs Community Center

Wed.- Committee on Homelessness, 10 a.m., Jones Library

Zoning Subcommittee Forum, 5 p.m., Town Hall

Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Zoning Board of Appeals, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall

Thu.- Zoning Board of Appeals, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall



Chicopee

Mon.- Board of Library Trustees, 6:15 p.m., 449 Front St.

Tues. - Ordinance Committee, 6:30 p.m., City Hall

Wed. - School Committee, 7 p.m., 180 Broadway

City Council budget hearing, 6:15 p.m., City Hall

Thurs. - City Council budget hearing, 6:15 p.m., City Hall.



Granby

Mon.- Selectboard, 6:30 p.m., High School

Finance Committee, 6:30 p.m., High School

Town Meeting Continued, 7 p.m., High School

Special Town Meeting, 7:15 p.m., High School

Tues.- Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Aldrich Hall

Planning Board, 7 p.m., High School

Wed.- Pathfinder Regional, 7 p.m., Pathfinder High.



Greenfield

Mon.- Council on Aging, 2 p.m., Senior Center

Appointment and Ordinance Committee, 6:30 p.m., Police Department Meeting Room

Four Rivers Charter School Board of Trustees, 7 p.m., 248 Colrain Road

Tues.- Greenfield Public Library Board of Trustees, 5:30 p.m., Greenfield Public Library

Community Relations Committee, 6 p.m., Greenfield High School Library

Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Police Station Meeting Room

Wed.- Ways and Means Committee, 6 p.m., Police Department Meeting Room

Town Council, 7 p.m., 393 Main St.

Thu.- Planning Board, 7 p.m., 114 Main St. Agricultural Commission, 7 p.m., Town Hall.



Hadley

Tues.- Council on Aging, 10:30 a.m., Senior Center

Board of Health, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Wed.- Long Range Planing Implementation Committee, 7 p.m., Senior Center



Holyoke

Mon.- Water Commission, 6:30 p.m., 20 Commercial St.

Tues.- Planning Board, 6 p.m., City Hall Annex, fourth-floor conference room

City Council Ordinance Committee, 6:30 p.m., City Hall, City Council Chambers

Wed.- City Council, 6 p.m., City Hall, City Council Chambers

Thu.- Council on Aging, board of directors, 10 a.m., War Memorial, 310 Appleton St.

School Committee Finance-Budget Subcommittee, 5:30 p.m., Dean Technical High School, 1045 Main St., Fifield Community Room.



Huntington

Wed.- Board of Selectmen, 7 p.m., Town Hall



Northampton

Mon.- Committee on Elections, Rules, Orders, Ordinances and Claims, 6 p.m., Council Chambers

Elm Street Historic District Committee, 3:30 p.m., City Hall

Thu.- City Council, 7:15 p.m., Council Chambers



South Hadley

Mon. – Board of Assessors, 9 a.m., Town Hall

Council on Aging, 4 p.m. 45 Dayton St.

Planning Board and Public Hearing, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall 204

Tues.- Community and Economic Development Commission, 3:30 p.m., Town Hall 109

Sustainability and Energy Commission, Town Hall 204

Wed.- South Hadley High School Council, 4 p.m., High School Library

Open Space Committee, 6 p.m., Town Hall 204

School Building Committee, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall

Thu.- Fire District 1, Prudential Committee, 6 p.m., 144 Newton St. Meeting- Fire District 1 Board of Water Commissioners, 6:30 p.m., Water Department Office, 438 Granby Road



Southwick

Mon.- Board of Selectmen, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Board of Appeals, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Economic Development Commission, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Tues.- Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Sewer Committee, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Thu.- Water Commission, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Board of Health, 7 p.m., Town Hall.



Springfield

Mon.- City Council, 4:30 p.m., special meeting, council chambers, City Hall.

Tues.- School Committee’s Buildings and Maintenance Subcommittee, 1 p.m., School Department, 1550 Main St.

City Council Committee of the Whole, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., budget hearings, council chambers, City Hall.

Conservation Commission, 5 p.m., Public Works building, 70 Tapley St.

Springfield Redevelopment Authority, 5:30 p.m., Public Works conference room, 70 Tapley St.

Wed.- School Building Commission, 1 p.m., Putnam Vocational Technical High School, State Street.

School Committee’s Parent/Student Concerns Subcommittee, 5 p.m., School Department, 1550 Main St.

Planning Board, 6 p.m., Room 220, City Hall.

Public Health Council, 6 p.m., 95 State St., Room 201.

Thu.- City Council Finance Committee, noon, Room 200, City Hall.

City Council General Government Committee, 5:30 p.m., Room 200, City Hall.

Historical Commission, 6:30 p.m., Room 220, City Hall.



West Springfield

Tues. - Community Preservation Committee, 5:30 p.m., municipal building

School Committee, 7 p.m., West Springfield Middle School.

Wed. - Planning Board, 7 p.m., municipal building.



Westfield

Mon.- School Building Committee, 6:30 p.m., 22 Ashley St.

Council on Aging, 3 p.m., City Hall

Police Commission, 7 p.m., City Hall

Tues.- City Council, 6:30 p.m., City Hall

Board of Public Works, 7 p.m., City Hall

Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., City Hall

Thu.- City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall.

In this week's Business Monday: New plans for Ludlow mills, suspicious handwritten letters sent to homeowners impacted by tornadoes and more.

View full sizeStaff photo by Michael S. GordonAn exterior at the Ludlow Mills, including the signature clock tower.

This week's Business Monday from The Republican:

Westmass Area Development Corp. to buy Ludlow mills, has long-term goal of revitalizing, creating 2,500 jobs

Westmass Area Development Corp. plans to embark on a 15-20 year revitalization project at the old Ludlow mills. If the project goes through, it would be the largest mill redevelopment project in New England and could host 2,000 to 2,500 jobs at completion. Read more »

Springfield area tornado victims question timing of letters offering to buy their properties

Handwritten letters offering to buy houses in tornado-ravaged East Forest Park arrived in several mailboxes last week, prompting some residents to wonder whether it's a scam. The Republican got in touch with the man sending the letters, who says he sent them before the storms hit, a fact some residents dispute. Read more »

Noble and Cooley Center for Historic Preservation in Granville seeks historic preservation grant

The Noble & Cooley Center for Historic Preservation is hoping to get enough votes to win a $25,000 grant from the National Trust For Historic Preservation.

The Granville-based museum, which grew from the Noble & Cooley Co., is hoping to use the money to improve handicap accessibility and fund some programs for artists. Read more »

Commentary: Sen. Joe Lieberman says Republicans and Democrats must put partisan politics aside to fix Medicare now

This issue includes a column by Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, outlining his proposal to improve Medicare.

"We can and must work together to fix Medicare now," Lieberman writes. "Doing so would send a powerful and necessary signal to financial markets that we are addressing our long-term fiscal challenges. It would prove to our constituents that we can still come together to fix a program that they want and need." Read more »

The Republican file photoAn Ocean State Job Lot eighteen wheeler tractor trailer truck delivered a donation of 20,000 lbs of food to the Western Massachusetts Food Bank.

The Republican file photoKate Albrecht, Quintin Vigo and Cheo Ramos of the Western Massachusetts Food Bank accept major food donation from Ocean State Job Lot.

More Business Monday:

• Voices of the Valley: Voices of the Valley: Raphael Elison, Portabella Fine Foods & Catering, Amherst

• There's some interest in proposed Massachusetts-owned bank but required $2.5 billion investment could cause early withdrawal

• State gives OK to design of 'moderately priced' housing for Village Hill Northampton

• Connecticut Center of Advanced Technology looks to build manufacturing ties in region

• Massachusetts eying sales tax on Internet purchases to make up for millions in lost revenue from declining retail sales

• Small Business Innovation Research program given 4 month reprieve by Congress

• Hamilton Sundstrand finalizes contract with Chinese firm AVIC Electromechanical Systems to build air management system

• Oxford Performance Materials acquires PEKK medical business

• Job market for new law school graduates is worst in 15 years

• Massachusetts health care providers tap into federal stimulus money to upgrade electronic medical recordkeeping

Notebooks:

• Business calendar for June 15 - June 29

• Business Bits: Borders to close more stores, Reebook founder Paul Fireman has a new favorite shoe, Williams College tuition tops in Massachusetts, and more

• Business etc: Berkshire Bank employees volunteer, Jo-Ann Fabrics signs Centro lease, Minority Corporate Counsel Association awards MassMutual, and more