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GPS devices to be installed in Wilbraham DPW vehicles to track worker productivity and increase fuel efficiency

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The devices should result in cost savings, DPW Director Edmond Miga told the Finance Committee.

WILBRAHAM - Department of Public Works Director Edmond Miga told the Finance Committee he plans to install GPS devices in all 26 DPW trucks to track the time, location and speed of the vehicles.

"This will help us manage the snow plow routes," Miga said.

"We will know where our trucks are and where they are heading," Miga said. "We will be alerted if the truck has a breakdown."

"This will help us create efficiencies in our snowplow budget," Miga said. He said employees "will be less likely to take the long way back."

The department will be able to better manage employees to "increase productivity, while reducing fuel costs," Miga said.

"We will know where everybody is and what they are doing," he said.

"This will help us increase worker productivity and decrease maintenance costs," Miga said. He said the DPW will be given alerts on when maintenance is needed on the vehicles such as routine oil changes.

The DPW plans to contract with a company which will manage a web-based GPS system for the vehicles, which a DPW supervisor will monitor from a computer, laptop or smart phone.

There are systems which are very easy to use, Miga said.

He said that if a worker is called in on overtime during a storm to sand or salt the roads, the device will report whether the vehicle is on the road and plowing.

"We will be able to get a report every week on every vehicle," Miga said.

The cost of the GPS devices will be $32 per month for the department's 26 vehicles, Miga said.

The total cost comes out to just about $10,000 per year, he said.

He said the cost should result in efficiencies and cost savings for fuel and maintenance while allowing the department to monitor employee hours worked.

The Finance Committee on Wednesday approved an appropriation of $7,000 from a town Technology and Efficiency Fund to help with the purchase of the GPS system.


Mitt Romney says leaders in both parties failing the nation

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The 2012 Republican presidential nominee's appearance was his second public address since privately telling potential donors earlier in the month that he's considering a 2016 presidential campaign.

MICHELLE L. PRICE, Associated Press
STEVE PEOPLES, Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Outlining his possible rationale for a third presidential bid, Mitt Romney said Wednesday night that political leaders in both parties are failing to address the nation's most pressing problems — climate change, poverty and education reform, among them — as he acknowledged lessons learned from his failed 2012 presidential campaign.

"Why run for office in the first place?" Romney asked aloud as he addressed a sold-out crowd of about 3,000 at an investment management conference in Utah. "The major challenges that this country faces are not being dealt with by leaders in Washington."

He continued: "On both sides of the aisle, we just haven't been able to take on and try and make progress on the major issues of our day."

The 2012 Republican presidential nominee's appearance was his second public address since privately telling potential donors earlier in the month that he's considering a 2016 presidential campaign. He used his remarks to broaden a populist platform he first touched on last week that marks a sharp shift from the rhetoric of his first two campaigns.

While hitting familiar Republican points criticizing the size of the federal debt, Romney at times sounded like a Democrat, calling for President Barack Obama and other leaders in Washington to act on common liberal priorities such as climate change, poverty and education.

"I'm one of those Republicans who thinks we are getting warmer and that we contribute to that," he said of climate change, charging that federal leaders have failed to enact global agreements needed to tackle the problem.

His evolving platform comes as he works to reshape his image after consecutive presidential defeats. Romney spent little time talking about poverty, the middle class or climate change in a 2012 campaign in which opponents cast him as an out-of-touch millionaire. But in public and private conversations in recent weeks he has focused on poverty, perhaps above all, a dramatic shift for the former private-equity executive.

"Let's deal with poverty," he said Wednesday night. "Have we done it? No. Let's do it."

Romney acknowledged his past political struggles with a touch of humor, citing a remark from former Vice President Walter Mondale who was defeated by former President Ronald Reagan in the 1984 presidential contest.

"He said, 'You know, I always wanted to run for president in the worst way. And that's just what I did,'" Romney said with a chuckle. "I learned some lessons, too."

Romney had previously acknowledged that climate change is real, noting in his 2010 book that "human activity is a contributing factor." But he questioned the extent to which man was contributing to the warming of the planet and said throughout his 2012 campaign that America shouldn't spend significant resources combatting the problem — particularly with major polluters like China doing little.

The former Massachusetts governor also criticized Obama's State of the Union address, saying the president had minimized the threat of radical, violent jihadism and terror attacks in Paris.

"This is a very serious threat the world faces," he said. "And to minimize that, and sort of brush it aside with a few minutes of discussion, I thought was disappointing."

Romney said a growing education gap is one of the country's biggest challenges and suggested that teacher pay should be raised.

At times during the speech, he appeared equal parts candidate and economics professor, gesturing from behind a podium to a projected slideshow of graphs and pie charts of the federal debt and poverty rates.

Before the speech — tickets were sold to the public — Romney spoke to a private dinner of about 130 clients of Diversify Inc., the investment firm that sponsored the event. Tyler Fagergren, a manager with the firm, said people asked Romney questions about the economy and investment but were not allowed to ask about a possible 2016 campaign.

Romney told the larger audience that he's honored to be a Utah resident now. He's built a home in an upscale Salt Lake City suburb and registered late last year as a Utah voter.

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Peoples reported in Washington.

Agawam Relay for Life kickoff event to be held at YMCA, features speech from local survivor

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The two-hour event begins at 6 p.m. in the Agawam YMCA Wellness Center at 65 Springfield Street. The event is an opportunity to register for the relay and to learn how to join or form teams.

AGAWAM -- The American Cancer Society's 2015 Relay For Life of Agawam will launch its official fundraising activities with a kickoff event Thursday night.

The two-hour event begins at 6 p.m. in the Agawam YMCA Wellness Center at 65 Springfield Street, which opened in September. The event is an opportunity to register for the relay and to learn how to join or form teams, according to Agawam Relay for Life Chair Janine Iacolo.

"This is the perfect event for those who may be new to our Relay to get a better understanding of how it works, what happens at the Relay, and how they can become a part of it," Iacolo said.

Patti Phillips, a 43-year cancer survivor and Southwick resident, will be the event's keynote speaker. Phillips has survived Hodgkin's disease and a serious illness doctors feared was pancreatic cancer.

The main goal of the annual event, held in towns and cities across the country, is to build hope for those fighting cancer by raising money for medical services and research.

The official relay is set for Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16 at School Street Park in Agawam.

The Relay was set to be held at Agawam High School where it's been since 2012, its inaugural year in the town, but the event was relocated due to scheduled renovations of the track and sports field.

During the Relay, teams set up campsites and take turns walking or running around a designated route starting in the evening and ending the next day. At least one person from each team walks at all times, a metaphor for the fact that "cancer never sleeps," Iacolo said.

The Relay's fundraising goal for 2015 is $85,000, according to Iacolo. Last year's goal was $70,000, but the town raised nearly $100,000 for the American Cancer Society.

To register for the Jan. 22 kickoff, contact Iacolo at 413-478-9491 or jiacolo@aol.com, or call the American Cancer Society office at 413-493-2150. For more information on the Relay, visit www.relayforlife.org/agawamma.

Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse meets with state education review team, says progress in city has been noticed

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During day two of the state education department's on-site review of Holyoke Public Schools, city leaders met with the review team.

HOLYOKE -- During day two of the state education department's on-site review of Holyoke Public Schools, city leaders met with the review team.

Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse and City Treasurer Jon D. Lumbra met with the review team to discuss city finances in regards to public education.

After the meeting, Morse released the following statement:

I just got out of a meeting with the DESE review team, and I wanted to provide you with an update. The meeting was productive -- and I was especially happy to have the chance to tell them about the great experience I had as a student of the Holyoke Schools, and to discuss the excellent work our teachers do each and every day. I know a lot of folks have questions and concerns about this process. Our teachers, especially, are worried about what a state takeover could mean for our students. It's important to note that the people doing this week's review are independent of the state's Board of Education, and that they have no pre-determined outcome in mind. No decisions have been made. As such, this is really an opportunity for us all to demonstrate the great work of our teachers. And based on the feedback I've received from DESE so far, I can tell you that the strides we are making here in Holyoke have not gone unnoticed.

While no one can be certain what the state's findings will be, I can tell you unequivocally that I will be an advocate for our teachers and students alike. When the review is completed, I will work alongside our state delegation to ensure our local voices are heard, and to ensure a bright future for our students. If anyone has questions or concerns about this process, please know that my door is open.


 

East Longmeadow police: Armed robbery suspects brandished guns, chased store clerk

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The clerk was not injured in the incident.

EAST LONGMEADOW — Two men armed with handguns who tried to rob a North Main Street convenience store chased a clerk before fleeing the scene early Thursday morning, according to police and media reports.

WWLP, citing information provided by East Longmeadow Police Sgt. Daniel Bruno, reports that the robbery suspects confronted a clerk at the 668 North Main St. C Mart as the employee locked up the store early Thursday morning.

When the clerk ran from the suspects, the two men chased him and grabbed his arm — but, the suspects then fled the area, according to the clerk's account. The clerk was not injured in the incident.

Police have not released a detailed description of the suspects; the WWLP report states only that the clerk described the men as possible teenagers. One wore a black hooded sweatshirt.

A post to the East Longmeadow Police Department's Facebook page reads: "Our Department is currently investigating an attempted robbery at the C Mart in the North End. If you have any information please contact our Department at (413) 525-5440."

$1.18 billion spent in real estate in Hampden County last year; boosted by MGM purchases

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Without MGM, the total amount spent on real estate in 2014 would have only increased by 3 percent. MGM alone accounted for a quarter of the growth.

SPRINGFIELD - Boosted by MGM Springfield purchases, the total amount of money spent on real estate in all of Hampden County in calendar year 2014 was $1.177 billion, up 4 percent  from the $11.34 billion spent  the year before in 2013.

Donald E. Ashe, registrar of deeds for Hampden County, released his year-end statistics Wednesday.

That $1.177 billion  total includes $28.7 million spent by MGM Springfield in 2014 on South End properties needed for its $800 million casino project. That $28.7 million was just in 2014. MGM spent $1 million in 2012, $2.22 million in 2013 and $12.26 million thus far in the first few weeks of 2015. In total MGM, though its real estate arm named Blue Tarp Redevelopment, has spent $44.23 million on South End Real Estate  as of Jan. 20, 2015, Ashe said.

Without MGM, the total amount spent on real estate in 2014 would have increased by 3 percent. MGM alone accounted for a quarter of the growth.

"I think we may be in a new normal," Ashe said. "Unemployment is better. But people who are going back to work make less money than they made before."

He said young families, burdened by college student loan debt, are not as quick to buy homes as their counterparts in the past were.

"Things are changing," he said. "People's attitudes are changing"

In other news from the report:

  • The total number of deeds registered fell 3 percent from 9,306 in 2013 to 9,022 in 2014.
  • The number of new mortgages registered fell 29 percent from 15,451 to 10,913, a sign  that the refinancing market is drying up.
  • The number of foreclosures in Hampden County rose 5 percent from 351 in 2013 to 369 in 2014.

In neighboring Hampshire County:

  • The total amount spent on real estate fell by 1 percent from $557.3 million in 2014 to $551.9 million in 2014.
  • The number of deeds in Hampshire County fell 3.68 percent from 3,618 to 3,487 in 2014.

In Franklin County

  • The total amount spent on real state went up 19 percent from from $177.08 million to $210.7 million.

Pet Project: Pets available for adoption in WMass shelters Jan. 23

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Dakin Humane Society is seeking pet videos for the PAWSCARS & Red Carpet Fashion Parade on Feb. 28.

Each week, MassLive showcases dogs and cats available for adoption at shelters at rescue organizations in Western Massachusetts.

With the participation of the shelters listed below, many animals should be able to find a permanent home.

In addition, we'll include on occasion pet news and animal videos in this weekly feature.

The following are press releases from Dakin Humane Society, which has shelters in Springfield and Leverett:

pawscars.JPG 

Pet videos sought

SPRINGFIELD — Dakin Humane Society is reminding pet owners it is seeking videos to show at it big fundraiser, The PAWSCARS & Red Carpet Fashion Parade, on Feb. 28 at the MassMutual Center.

If your pet has star potential (and what pets don't?), shoot a video of them in a scene that reenacts an iconic moment in cinema. The video needs to be no longer than 45 seconds.

Click here for more info about the PAWSCARS, including how you can get your tickets.


Dakin sponsors 'Beat the Heat' campaign

SPRINGFIELD — Warmer weather may still be months away, but Dakin Humane Society wants cat owners to "Beat the Heat" by spaying pets in advance of her heat cycle and preventing unwanted litters from being born this spring. Animal shelters commonly refer to spring time as "kitten season" because that is when they receive the largest influx numbers of unwanted litters.

That's why Dakin is offering a special "Beat the Heat" campaign sponsored by PetSmart Charities, the largest funder of animal welfare efforts in North America. Through the "Beat the Heat" campaign, Dakin will provide $20 spay and neuter surgeries for female cats during the month of February.

Spaying and neutering is one of the most effective ways to reduce the homeless pet population and is safe for kittens as young as 8 to 10 weeks old, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Spaying a female cat before the first heat cycle can be beneficial, improving the health of the pet by reducing the risk of certain reproductive cancers and infections.

"Female cats can have as many as three litters a year, and kittens can breed as young as 4 months old," says Leslie Harris, Executive Director at Dakin. "Most people don't want to see their cat get pregnant over and over again, so hopefully our 'Beat the Heat' campaign will serve as a gentle reminder to cat lovers to sterilize their cats before they go into heat this year."

This special $20 rate is even less than the organization's normal low-cost price and is available to those who mention the "Beat the Heat" campaign when they schedule their appointment. This campaign is based on availability.

Thanks to the PetSmart Charities grant, Dakin will provide 200 female cat "Beat the Heat" sterilizations for $20 in February. Call (413) 781-4019 for more information or to schedule an appointment. Due to the high volume of calls requesting appointments, it is recommended that people visit the Dakin Community Spay/Neuter Clinic at 171 Union St. in Springfield in person to book their appointment. Clinic hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.


WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS SHELTERS:

Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society
Address: 163 Montague Road, Leverett
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12:30 -5:30 p.m.
Telephone: (413) 548-9898
Website: www.dpvhs.org

Address: 171 Union St., Springfield
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12:30-5:30 p.m.
Telephone: (413) 781-4000
Website: www.dpvhs.org

Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center
Address: 627 Cottage St., Springfield
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, noon-4 p.m.; Thursday, noon-7 p.m.
Telephone: (413) 781-1484
Website: tjoconnoradoptioncenter.com

Westfield Homeless Cat Project
Address: 1124 East Mountain Road, Westfield
Hours: Adoption clinics, Thursday, 5-7 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Website: http://www.whcp.petfinder.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westfieldhomelesscatprojectadoptions

Westfield Regional Animal Shelter
Address: 178 Apremont Way, Westfield
Hours: Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Telephone: (413) 564-3129
Website: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/ma70.html

Franklin County Sheriff's Office Regional Dog Shelter and Adoption Center
Address: 10 Sandy Lane, Turners Falls
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Telephone: (413) 676-9182
Website: http://fcrdogkennel.org/contact.html

Polverari/Southwick Animal Control Facility
Address: 11 Depot St., Southwick
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Telephon: (413) 569-5348, ext. 649
Website: http://southwickpolice.com/chief-david-a-ricardis-welcome/animal-control/

Holyoke Historical Commission Chairwoman Olivia Mausel reappointed to 3-year term

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Some councilors said they often disagree with Olivia Mausel but respect her hard work.

HOLYOKE -- The Historical Commission chairwoman who has rallied some people in the community with a plan for a Polish historic district that has caused others to rail against her has been reappointed to a new term.

The City Council Tuesday (Jan. 20) unanimously confirmed Mayor Alex B. Morse's appointment of Olivia Mausel to another three-year term on the Historical Commission.

"I thank them for their support and vote. Former Mayor Skostkiewicz initially appointed me and I believe I have voluntarily served the city of Holyoke honorably and honestly to the best of my ability," Mausel said Thursday.

Mausel's term expires Jan. 1, 2018.

Mausel has led the nearly four-year drive to establish a Polish Heritage Historic District in a proposal that draws hundreds of supporters and opponents to public hearings. A plan the City Council Ordinance Committee is considering would endow 21 residential and commercial properties on the southern side of Lyman Street with such a designation. Most prominent among such properties is the closed Mater Dolorosa Church at Lyman and Maple streets.

The importance of the historic designation is two-fold, Mausel has said. It will mark an area of the city that celebrates the immigration and prosperity of people who came here from Poland to work in the mills between the 1890's and the outbreak of World War I in 1914, she said.

The designation also will protect the 114-year-old church, which Polish people paid for and built, from being demolished by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, she said.

But some parishioners and the Diocese object to the church being included in the district because they said maintaining features on the building to comply with historically accurate regulations would be too costly.

Officials with the Diocese, which owns the church, also have said they have no plans to raze the church.

Mausel was a lead voice on another controversial property issue. She was among those who argued unsuccessfully for the Greater Holyoke YMCA to spare the 134-year-old Farr Mansion at Appleton and Pine streets from demolition in the hope of converting it into a coffee house or other use.

But the YMCA, which owns the property, said such a conversion would have been too expensve, and demolished the building a year ago. The YMCA has requested a zone change from the city to turn the vacant lot into parking spaces.

When Morse's reappointment of Mausel came up during Tuesday's meeting, Councilor at Large Joseph M. McGiverin asked that the proposal be sent to committee because he had some questions.

But other councilors argued it was City Council practice to approve such reappointments unless something unusual precluded that. Ward 4 Councilor Jossie M. Valentin said if questions need to be asked they should be asked before a reappointment vote instead of holding up such a vote.

Ward 3 Councilor David K. Bartley said he has clashed with Mausel over proposals but said she deserved reappointment to the volunteer board.

"I disagree with her 75 percent of the time, but I think she's one of the hardest-working people we have ...," Councilor at Large James M. Leahy said.

McGiverin rescinded his motion and the council approved another term for Mausel by voice vote.


Lawyers: Boston 'has to be ready' for lawsuits over deal requiring employees to support Olympics bid

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The first problem, according to Lawrence Walters, who practices in the Orlando area, is censorship, and the second is "compelled speech," both of which are grounds for federal lawsuits that the city must be prepared for.

BOSTON - Mayor Marty Walsh has said he will not enforce an agreement with the U.S. Olympic Committee that not only bans all city employees from criticizing the Boston bid, but also orders them to actively promote it.

Despite his assurances, the ACLU of Massachusetts is concerned. Deputy legal director Sarah Wunsch said Walsh's promise might not be good enough and the agreement is "troubling" and "ridiculous."

"I actually am concerned about the kind of legal advice the mayor is getting," said Wunsch, adding that the city has "no right" to make such an agreement. Walsh signed the deal as part of the effort to secure Boston as the host city for the Summer Games in 2024. You can read the relevant text below.

The first problem with the "joinder agreement," according to Lawrence Walters, who practices First Amendment law in the Orlando area, is censorship, and the second is "compelled speech," both of which are grounds for federal lawsuits that the city must be prepared for.

An employer, even a government agency, can censor speech if it's "reasonably related to the employment relationship and if the speech will cause a negative impact on the employer," said Walters. Compelled speech is tough to fight if the speaker's job is to actively promote the city's political or business efforts.

"The Boston Olympics is clearly a matter of public concern," said Walters, but a press secretary would "certainly have a higher obligation to speak positively of these issues than ... a low-level garbage collector."

He said the city needs to be ready for lawsuits if the order is enforced, or an employee claims to experience retaliation because of it.

"Federal court litigation is some of the most complex and expensive legal work you can do. In many ways, it's the brain surgery of the legal system," he said, and the city could be ordered to pay legal fees if it loses.

But that issue may never arise. MassLive.com asked Walsh's office if any employee would be fired or otherwise punished if they did not abide by the order.

"There will be no consequences for any city employee," said Laura Ogerri, the mayor's chief communications officer.

The mayor's office said the language in question is standard for all potential Olympic host cities, and Walsh is committed to open dialogue and freedom of speech.

MassLive has reached out to the U.S. Olympic Committee, asking if Walsh is allowed to ignore Section 2.05 of the joinder agreement, and if there will be any consequences if he does.

Wunsch said she's "glad" that Walsh said no one would be punished, but the very idea of the order could make people afraid to speak their minds anyway.

"It's hard to undo a chilling effect (on free speech). People in workplaces know there are all kinds of ways employers can punish them or put them in an undesirable category," she said. "Who wants to go against the mayor?"

She said unions should fight and the city bears a heavy burden for proving this is legal.

But Richard Stutman, president of the Boston Teachers Union, dismissed that idea.

"It's not even a story. No one is worried about that," said Stutman. "Everyone knows the mayor supports free speech."

Some courts have found that the right for public employees to speak as citizens is crucial because they have information that is not available to the public, according to Wunsch.

"What if they have a neighborhood meeting and the Olympics could affect their neighborhood or their ability to get to work?" said Wunsch. "What is this mayor thinking?"

She said it's one thing if promoting the Olympics is part of your job duties, but it's another if the bid does not involve you.

Bruce Miller, a professor at the Western New England University School of Law, said he doesn't think it's that simple, and that Walsh has broad and legitimate authority to restrict the speech of city employees. But in order to do it properly, he would have to punish everyone who violated the agreement, rather than singling out individuals.

It would be difficult for an employee to win a First Amendment challenge because courts often side with government agencies when weighing the interests of the parties involved, said Miller, citing a legal tool called the Pickering balance test. A more promising way to fight enforcement would be through labor channels with union backing.

Many courts have upheld limits on free speech for public employees.

On Jan. 9, a judge ruled that it was acceptable for the city of Greenville, Mississippi, to fire a police sergeant who posted comments critical of her boss on the mayor's public Facebook page. The court agreed that the posts violated three department policies.

The U.S. Supreme Court has said the Constitution protects public employees' speech on matters of "public concern," meaning it can "be fairly considered as relating to any matter of political, social, or other concern to the community." Miller said courts often chip away at that and side with government employers.

"The courts are always available for civil rights violations," said Walters, the Orlando attorney.

Each agency has procedures for filing grievances or appealing punishments. An employee could sue to invalidate the entire section dealing with speech, but it would be challenging because it would need to be shown that every possible enforcement is unconstitutional. The other option would be to challenge it as applied to a particular situation.


The relevant text of the Boston 2024 agreement is Section 2.05: "The City, including its employees, officers and representatives, shall not make, publish or communicate to any Person, or communicate in any public forum, any comments or statements (written or oral) that reflect unfavorably upon, denigrate or disparage, or are detrimental to the reputation or statute of, the IOC, the IPC, the USOC, the IOC Bid, the Bid Committee or the Olympic or Paralympic movement. The City, including its employees, officers and representatives, shall each promote the Bid Committee, the USOC, the IOC Bid, US Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls and the Olympic and Paralympic movement in a positive manner."

Montague, Leverett raise purchase age for tobacco, Franklin County Fair going 'mostly' smoke free

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Age in these two Franklin County towns will be 21.

Two Franklin County health boards voted Wednesday night to increase to 21 the age for the purchase of tobacco products, and the Franklin County Fair board of directors has "voted unanimously to become a (mostly) smoke free fair starting in 2015."

"I think personally that this is one of the most important regulations that has happened in tobacco regulations in the last 20 years," said Gina McNeely, health director for the Town of Montague, where the three-member health board also voted to ban the sale of flavored cigarettes, except for mint and menthol, that are allowed by the FDA, to those not 21.

Citing government statistics that most smokers start before the age of 18, McNeely said she felt the increased purchase age would "cut down quite a bit" the exposure of students to cigarettes from older students. She noted that she got her first cigarette at age 10, from an older brother and smoked for 18 years.

The Leverett health board also voted to raise the tobacco purchase age to 21 from 18, and banned the sale of alternative produces such as electronic as well as single cigarettes to those under 21. Board chair Fay Zipkowitz said the regulations are being finalized, along with the permit process covering enforcement, and would be in place March 1.

"I feel very good about this," Zipkowitz said. "I am asthmatic and so I am very concerned about the ongoing effects of tobacco products, but this is particularly a serious health issue with young people and that is why the board of health is interested."

Zipkowitz said the only opposition registered prior to the vote was graffiti on advertisements for the meeting, saying, "You can be 18 and die for your country, but you cannot smoke."

"You don't sell alcohol unless someone is 21, and you don't sell someone under 21 tobacco products for the same reasons," Zipkowitz said.

The board of Greenfield's Franklin County Fair announced its decision in an email to media, and cited the "countless visitors who have requested this policy over the past several years."

"After months of discussion and consideration, the Franklin County Fair Board of Directors voted unanimously to become a (mostly) smoke free fair starting in 2015, and thus banning smoking in almost all areas of the fairgrounds," the announcement states. It adds that four areas on the grounds have been designated for smokers. These include the demolition derby staging area, near the midway restrooms and adjacent to the midway, and near the Fish and Game building.

Montague's McNeely noted that she was Holyoke's first tobacco control officer back in 1993 when the legislature's .25 cent tax on cigarettes helped fund anti-tobacco education.

"I have been doing this sort of tobacco work for 20 years," McNeely said. "I can remember going into restaurants and bars and there was no place to sit away from smokers. Now, my nieces and nephews go to bars and restaurants and there is no exposure, so the next huge step is raising the purchase age to 21."

Both board of health votes were prompted by proposals from the Franklin and Hampshire Substance and Tobacco Prevention Partnership.

Montague's regulations take effect July 1, and McNeely said the town is "very happy to be the leader" in Franklin County with such regulation.

"We think it is really important, and we are hoping other communities will follow and think that they will," said McNeely, who has been Montague's health director for 15 years.

More than 100 Massachusetts cities and towns have enacted their own expanded regulations on the age of sale for tobacco products, a trend growing across the country.


War on Poverty: Unemployment rates can underplay joblessness

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While month-to-month variations in the unemployment rate grab headlines, affect business decisions and movements in the stock market, Goodman, said it's best to focus on the trends in the unemployment rate over time.

SPRINGFIELD — The unemployment rate for the city of Springfield was 8.7 percent in November – not bad, compared to 12.2 percent recorded five years ago in November 2010.

The jobless rate for the wider metropolitan statistical area, which includes Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee – and five Connecticut towns – has also fallen over the last five years. The unemployment rate for the statistical region – including East Windsor, Enfield, Somers, Suffield and Windsor Locks – was 6.2 percent in November 2014, compared to 8.6 percent in November 2010.

Given the recent downward trend in the unemployment rate, it's difficult to explain why so many people (nearly 29 percent in 2013) in Springfield live below the poverty rate.

One reason is that – as a measure of the nation and the region's progress in the ongoing War on Poverty – the unemployment rate is an imperfect tool, according to Michael Goodman, executive director for the Public Policy Center at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Still, the monthly unemployment rate, calculated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, remains one of the most widely watched indicators of the nation's economic health and the relative strength of labor market in regions throughout the country, Goodman said.

Goodman said the monthly unemployment rate can be misleading because it only measures the share of workers in the labor force who do not have a job, but are actively looking for work. It does not measure those who have abandoned a job search or are underemployed.

During economic downturns – such as the period of the Great Recession between December 2007 and June 2009 – some workers become discouraged and drop out of the labor force and are are no longer counted as officially unemployed, Goodman said.

The Economic Policy Institute, a Washington-based think tank advocating for low- to moderate-income families, says the nation's "unemployment rate drastically understates the weakness of job opportunities" due to the existence of a large pool of what it calls "missing workers."

Missing workers, the institute says are "potential workers who, because of weak job opportunities, are neither employed nor actively seeking a job."

Based on the most current Census data available, the institute estimates that 6.1 million people could be classified as "missing workers" in December 2014. If those people were included in those "actively looking for work," the national unemployment rate would be about 9.1 percent rather than the relatively rosy 5.6 percent.

spring.unemploy.jpgSpringfield unemployment. Click on image to enlarge.  

While month-to-month variations in the unemployment rate grab headlines, affect business decisions and movements in the stock market, Goodman, said it's best to focus on the trends in the unemployment rate over time.

Rather than comparing the rate from October to November, for example, comparisons from year-to-year or longer offer a better handle of what the numbers mean, he said.

Trends are easier to discern by using actual numbers rather than rates, indexing the data to a common starting point, such as the pre-recession peak.

Some of Springfield's problems stem from its "largely disconnected suburbs" and the perception – real or imagined – that the city isn't a safe and desirable place to live, Goodwin said.

To revitalize the city, investments must be made "in people and and place," Goodman said.

That means investing in education, crime reduction, affordable housing, infrastructure and workforce development, and other amenities, according to community leaders.

While "there is no silver bullet" to fix an economy that was once buoyed by thousands of well-paying manufacturing jobs over the last few decades, Goodman sees some bright spots.

"The loss of manufacturing jobs destroyed the middle class," he said. While the region has big employers like Baystate Medical, MassMutual Financial Group and government services, "no industry has risen to replace manufacturing," he said.

The continued strength of Springfield gun maker Smith & Wesson, is one exception, Goodman said.

The strength of small precision machine shops in Western Massachusetts is another well-paying sector if the industry can find trained workers to fill openings.

The weakness of the Western Massachusetts economy, compared to that of Greater Boston's, is real, Goodman said. "The city doesn't have the critical mass to gain a foothold in the growing innovation economy.

In the meantime, the construction of an $800 million casino in Springfield's South End – and the thousands of construction and post-construction jobs – is a positive development, he said

The opening of the MGM Springfield in 2017 could draw more tourists to Springfield, he said. The project is expected to create at least 2,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent jobs.

On the manufacturing front, Chinese railway company CNR MA has won the state contract to build 284 Red and Orange line subway cars for the MBTA, is planning to build a manufacturing plant at the site of a former Westinghouse plant on Page Boulevard in East Springfield using 150 workers.

Meanwhile, efforts have increased to train students for the manufacturing positions that are available and expected to become available.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno: Environmental center project at Forest Park ready to move forward

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The city received four bids from contractors with a low bid of $3.4 million for the renovation-expansion project.

SPRINGFIELD - Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said this week that a major renovation-expansion project at the Clifford A. Phaneuf Environmental Center at Forest Park is ready to move "full steam ahead," after a New Hampshire company submitted the apparent low bid of $3.4 million.

While the low bid was higher than the estimated cost of $3 million, the project is a priority and can be afforded, Sarno said. The city will borrow for the cost, but with most of the expense being covered by federal disaster aid funds, officials said.

"Of course I'm in full support of that project, not only for the educational value it brings but also the respect for nature and the environment," Sarno said.

The environmental science building was built in the 1930s and served as the skatehouse at Porter Lake. Since 1970, it has housed the Environmental Center of Our Schools program, helping to educate thousands of Springfield students.

The renovation-expansion project is hoped to begin in mid-March, weather permitting, and be completed by early December, said Peter Garvey, the city's director of capital asset construction.

Four bids were received, and were very close in cost. Garvey said. The bids were higher than anticipated due to factors including an improving construction market that allows contractors to be more selective, and costs for materials on the rise, Garvey said.

TCD Construction of Peterborough, N.H., submitted the apparent low bid of $3,399,408, which remains under review by city officials along with three other bids received. TCD Construction is no stranger to Springfield, currently hired for major renovations taking place at Camp Wilder.

Other bids received were: R.A.C. Builders Inc., of Agawam, $3,482,000; Marois Construction Co, Inc., of South Hadley, $3,523,000; and Five Star Building Corp., of Easthampton, $3,550,800.

Under bid guidelines, the city must select the lowest responsible bidder, Garvey said.

The city can reduce the cost, if desired, by eliminating some optional improvements, officials said.

Burt Freedman, an ECOS teacher and long-term advocated for the renovations, said he is "so gratified" that work is set to move forward.

"It's going to mean a lot to the students and the parents, many of whom have gone through the program," Freedman said. "There has been a lot of community support."

When done, it will be a LEED-certified green building, Freedman said.

Sarno said that he went through the ECOS program at Forest Park, as did his daughters.

When taking into consideration all costs, the project could cost approximately $4 million, Sarno said.

The project will both preserve and enhance the center, restoring and protecting its historic features, adding numerous energy conservation measures, and expanding its academic and public uses, according to project architect Stephen Jablonski of Jablonski Devriese Architects of Springfield.

In addition, Jablonski said the project will bring in 21st century features while restoring the look from the 1930s.

The city is using a portion of $25 million federal disaster aid for the project. The funds were received as compensation for damage in the city related to the tornado of 2011.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which awarded the grant, permitted projects both related and unrelated to the tornado, considered on a case-by-case basis.

Timothy J. Plante, the city's chief administrative and financial officer, said the City Council will be asked to approve the additional funds needed for the project. The council has been supportive of the project in the past.

The building is named after the late Clifford Phaneuf, who was a teacher instrumental in creating ECOS, and directed the program for 17 years.

State police in Springfield report all northbound lanes of Interstate 91 now open to traffic following emergency repair

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State police said all three northbound lanes were reopened shortly after 7 a.m.


Updates story posted at 11:25 p.m. on Thursday.

SPRINGFIELD -- State police report all three northbound lanes of Interstate 91 are now open following the emergency closure of two of them Thursday night after several pieces of the elevated highway fell to the ground.

State police in the Springfield barracks reported the lanes were reopened shortly after 7 a.m.

State highway crews were called to a section of I-91 near Exit 6 to assess the situation and make emergency repairs.


West Springfield apartment fire damages 2 units, forcing 2 residents out

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The investigation is not complete, but it appears the fire was caused by unattended food cooking on a stove, and the flames spread to the cabinets. Smoke damaged the apartment above.

WEST SPRINGFIELD - A late-night fire at an apartment complex rendered two units uninhabitable and forced out two people.

No one was injured in the blaze at 65 Craig Drive at around 11 p.m. Thursday, but Deputy Fire Chief Dan Borsari said the woman who lives in the unit where the fire started was examined by paramedics. She declined to be taken to the hospital.

The investigation is not complete, but it appears the fire was caused by unattended food cooking on a stove, and the flames spread to the cabinets. Smoke damaged the apartment above.

Borsari said the two units, at this time, are "absolutely not" inhabitable and the fire caused about $30,000 in damage.

Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation quietly fosters business growth

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The QVCDC's direct regional impact fostering economic opportunity in a spectrum of way is being noticed by the state

WARE - The Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation may be a small organization, but its direct regional impact fostering economic opportunity in a spectrum of way is being noticed by the state -- which has substantially increased the amount the agency receives to offer as tax credits for those donating money to them.

Sheila CuddySheila Cuddy 


The $150,000 amount, announced last week, means the agency can provide a 50 percent tax credit for donations - or $300,000 worth of contributions.

That is triple the amount compared to last year. The tax credit was announced by the Massachusetts Community Investment Tax Credit Program, part of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, the QVCDC Executive Director Sheila Cuddy said in an interview.

The donations "go to support our community investment plan," she said.

Among the uses are loans to small businesses unable to secure conventional bank financing, the director said, as well as technical assistance.

And in November the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development provided the group a $157,500 grant.

That is for another kind of business development: software training for employees at firms located in Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester Counties.

"We are happy to be able to offer that training locally," Cuddy said.

The community development corporation recently created a new service.

Called the Harrison and Diane Quirk Financial Fitness Club, and available to Ware residents and employees of companies in town that are income-eligible.

The hybrid service offers help with things like establishing savings goals along with financial planning, vehicle purchase and furthering one's education, Cuddy said.

"We are taking applications now," she said.

Information about the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation is at qvcdc.com.

The agency is located at 23 West Main St., in Ware.


Photos: Jorge Neves, Holyoke lawyer and former city councilor over the years

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Jorge Neves, a Paper City resident who held several city positions over the years, died suddenly on Thursday.

HOLYOKE -- Jorge Neves, a Paper City resident who held several city positions over the years, died suddenly, the Hampden County Bar Association announced on Thursday.

A few months after graduating from Suffolk University Law School in 1993 he ran for city councilor at large. He served two, two-year terms in the position. More recently, he served the city as a member of the Retirement Board.

In addition to holding city positions, Neves worked as an attorney and was known by many for his sense of humor and deep love for his family and friends.

The above photos showcase Neves over two decades.

Read more on Neves' life and how he is remembered by city leaders here.

Woman captured on video stealing TV under her dress in 13 seconds

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Surveillance cameras at an appliance store in Guapiles recorded two women walking into a store, with one woman apparently acting as a lookout.

A video camera caught an image of a Costa Rican woman snatching a boxed TV set from the front of a store in just 13 seconds by hiding it under her skirt.

Surveillance cameras at an appliance store in Guapiles, Costa Rica, recorded two women walking into a store, with one woman apparently acting as a lookout.

According to the New York Daily News, police put the video online in an attempt to solicit the public's help in identifying the woman. One woman is wearing a long dress. The other is wearing pants.

The whole incident happened so fast, if that if you turned your head for, say, 10 seconds, you'd miss it.

After hiking up her skirt, the suspect wanted for lifting the TV walks out with it between her legs. You can hardly tell she is carrying anything under her dress.

Local media are calling her the "swallower of televisions," the Daily News reported.

Upon arrival at the store, the two women look around, and then one woman lifts up her dress faster than you can say, "plasma TV."

"She did it so quickly no one had time to notice or react," shop assistant Jacint Ramirez Callas, told England's Mirror newspaper.

"And having watched the video it is amazing that the TV doesn't fall out from between her legs.

"She must be a pro or have very thick thighs. She left as if she didn't have a care in the world. I've never seen anything like it."

The heist happened back in November, and while police have lots of theories about how the robbery happened, they have identified no suspects, the Huffington Post reported.

"We believe this woman has had a lot of experience of doing this as it only took her 13 seconds from start to finish," a spokesman for the Guapiles Police Department said according to the Mirror. "Either she has been practicing at home or has carried out similar thefts and we appeal to anybody who might know more to get in touch."
 

Death of Saudi King Abdullah unsettles oil market, prices rise

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Oil prices rose on news of the death of Saudi Arabia's powerful King Abdullah, but the increase is likely to be short-lived without a cut in the kingdom's immense crude production.

JONATHAN FAHEY, AP Business Writers
YOUKYUNG LEE, AP Business Writers

NEW YORK (AP) -- Oil prices rose on news of the death of Saudi Arabia's powerful King Abdullah, but the increase is likely to be short-lived without a cut in the kingdom's immense crude production.

The benchmark U.S. crude futures contract was up 71 cents to $47.02 a barrel at 0725 GMT on Friday. Brent crude, an international benchmark, was up 92 cents to $49.42 a barrel.

The small rise reflects added uncertainty about Saudi oil policy because the country's new absolute monarch, Abdullah's 79-year-old half brother Prince Salman, is in poor health.

"It is necessary to stay watchful about Saudi politics," said Oh Jeong-seok, head of commodity markets at state-run Korea Center for International Finance. "As he is nearly 80 years old and his health isn't in good condition, that itself is uncertain. The price of oil goes up when there is an uncertainty."

Still, the months-long slump in oil prices that is providing a boost to the stumbling world economy is unlikely to reverse unless Saudi Arabia cuts production or world demand starts strengthening again. Some analysts think Saudi production won't be lowered anytime soon because the country wants to maintain its market share.

Oil prices have plummeted nearly 60 percent since June. Global supplies have soared, thanks partly to a boom in U.S. shale oil production, at a time when growth in global demand for crude has slowed.

Saudi Arabia occupies a unique position in world oil markets. It is one of the world's biggest producers, it has the strongest voice within OPEC as its largest exporter, and it is the only oil producer that has the ability to significantly increase or decrease output in response to changing market conditions.

Despite a big drop in oil revenue, Saudi Arabia has declined to cut production on its own or back a cut by OPEC in an effort to reverse the price decline. The country produced 9.6 million barrels a day in January, according to Platts, the energy information division of McGraw Hill. That's enough to satisfy 11 percent of global demand.

The question now is whether Abdullah's successor Prince Salman will change the kingdom's oil policy.

Saudi oil minister Ali Al-Naimi has expressed a desire to retire, but he is expected to stay on at least through OPEC's next scheduled meeting, in June.

"Naimi is a market-calming voice, and very well-respected," said Frank Verrastro of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Naimi will likely stay on during this period of uncertainty."

Salman's son is the country's deputy oil minister, but Verrastro said it's unlikely he will replace Naimi because Saudi Arabia does not have a history of naming members of the royal family to that position.

Larry Goldstein, a veteran oil adviser at the Energy Policy Research Foundation, said he expects that, if anything, the king's death could delay any decision by Saudi Arabia on whether to cut production or back an OPEC cut. That would help keep oil prices low.

"Continuity and stability is what they will be looking for," he said.

___

Lee reported from Seoul.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno on beating of U.S. mail carrier: 'Such savage attacks cannot be tolerated'

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The attack, which may have left the victim with a broken jaw, occurred about 6 p.m. on Wednesday at Belmont Avenue. and Oakland Street.

SPRINGFIELD -- Mayor Domenic Sarno, decrying the attack on a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier by at least two youths Wednesday evening in the Forest Park neighborhood, said such "savage attacks cannot and will not be tolerated."

Police Sgt. John Delaney said Friday morning that the investigation is ongoing and that arrests have yet to be made.

The 57-year-old man, who may have suffered a broken jaw, was attacked as he waited in his delivery truck for red light at Belmont Avenue and Oakland Street, Delaney, public information officer for the department, said.

An update on his condition was not available Friday morning.

The attack occurred about 6 p.m. as a group of males approached the vehicle and began to hit and rock it, Delaney said.

A witness told police that when the mail carrier got out, two members of the group began to hit him in his back. When the victim attempted to cover himself, he was punched several more times, Delaney said.

Forest Park Post OfficePolice said the victim took refuge in the Forest Park neighborhood post office, at 393 Belmont Ave.

Both suspects were described as Hispanic males, approximately 16 years old.

Sarno, who lives in the Forest Park neighborhood, said he learned of the attack a short time later.

"Whether these are young culprits or a little older, these savage attacks cannot and will not be tolerated," Sarno said. "Once arrests are made, and they will be made, these individuals will face the full brunt of the law."

Sarno said his "thoughts and prayers go out to the mail carrier for good health and a speedy recovery."

One of the suspects has black curly hair and wore a multi-colored jacket, and the other had shorter hair with a light blue hooded sweatshirt, Delaney said.

Delaney said the issue of roving groups of youths in that neighborhood has not been a major problem in recent years. "It was a couple of years ago -- gang problems, kids fighting --but not recently," he said.

"We put a lot of people up there to curb the violence that had been going on," Delaney said.

Those with information are asked to call the Detective Bureau at (413) 787-6355.
Or, they can use the anonymous " Text-a- tip" program. Text "CRIMES" or "274637;" the body of the message should begin with the keyword "SOLVE," followed by the information to police.

Postal service officials could not immediately be reached for comment Friday morning.

Fishing dock proposed for Spec Pond in Wilbraham

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The funding would have to be approved by voters at the May annual town meeting.

WILBRAHAM - The town's Commission on Disabilities told the Community Preservation Committee it plans to apply for $44,000 in Community Preservation Act funds for a fishing dock for Spec Pond which would be accessible to the handicapped.

The dock would be accessible to people in wheelchairs as well as to seniors who might have balance issues, commission member Steve Fratoni said.

Building Inspector Lance Trevallion said the dock would have rails along the edges and an edge which would keep a wheelchair from rolling off the edge of the dock into the water.

It also would be possible to tie boats up to the dock, Jeff Smith, a member of the Community Preservation Committee, said.

Last year the town's Commisson on Disabilities received funding from the Community Preservation Committee for mats which can be pulled over the sand at the beach at Spec Pond so people with wheel chairs and canes can navigate the sand at the beach.

The mats are popular at the beach and allow people to continue to use the beach as they age, Trevallion said.

Spec Pond is open to the public and has a camp and spray park which are very popular, Trevallion said.

Community Preservation Act funds are collected through a surcharge on the tax rate.

This year the town expects to collect $330,509 in Community Preservation Act funds. The state is expected to match the funds by $76,017.

Community Preservation funds are raised locally through the imposition of a surcharge of not more than 3 percent of the property tax levy. Community Preservation Act funds help communities preserve open space and historic sites, create affordable housing and develop outdoor recreational facilities.

The Community Preservation Committee will make a recommendation on whether to fund the fishing dock. Final approval will be by voters at the May annual town meeting.

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