Obituaries from The Republican.

Peter E. Pappas

LUDLOW - Peter E. Pappas, 87, a longtime veterans' agent in Palmer and Ludlow, died at the Soldiers' Home of Holyoke on Wednesday. Born and educated in Springfield, he was a longtime resident of Palmer. He was retired from American International Travel Service and the United States Postal Service. He was Veteran of the Year in Ludlow in 2010 and was a life member of the American Legion and past commander of Post 130 in Palmer. He held positions as Hampden County commander, state adjutant, state historian and vice-commander. He served on numerous district, state, and national committees including public relations, Boy's State, and oratorical contests. National committees included economics, security and resolutions. He was a life member of VFW Post 7352 in Springfield, DAV Post 1 in Boston, Amvets Post 74, and CBI Veteran's Association and a life member of the 7th Bomb Group (H) Association. Peter served in the CBI Theater during World War II from 1943-1945 as a B24 Gunner in the 436th Bomb Squadron. He was awarded the DFC air medal with clusters, the Asiatic Pacific ribbon with battle stars, the WW II victory medal and the presidential citation. As a resident of Palmer, he was known for his generosity to local youth, as well as for his participation in town politics.

Obituaries from The Republican:

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  Agnew, Therese W. (Welch)




• 
  Champagne, Mary Blanche (Dumontier)
  



• 
  Chapman, Marie B. (O'Connell)
  




• Cleary, James V. "Jimmy"
  




• 
  Judd, Brian R.
  



• 
  Kelly, Beatrice I. (Johnson)




• 
  Lambert, Florence M. (Houle)
  



• 
  MacFarlane Jr., Edwin Robert "Bob"
  




• Mapes, Lester R.
  




• 
  McCombe, Richard Allen
  



• 
  Pappas, Peter E.




• 
  Samson, Anne Ferrero
  



• 
  Suty, Stacia (Socha)
  




• Waller, Dianne M.
  

Organizers say the Michigan State-North Carolina basketball game on Veterans Day will likely be played aboard the USS Carl Vinson.

Associated PressA sailor who declined to give his name waves to a friend as he disembarks from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson Wednesday, June 15, 2011, in San Diego. The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier from which the body of Osama bin Laden was buried at sea has returned to its home port in San Diego Bay.

SAN DIEGO — Organizers say it's all but certain that the Michigan State-North Carolina basketball game on Veterans Day will be played aboard the USS Carl Vinson, the aircraft carrier that carried Osama bin Laden's body to a burial at sea.

The Carl Vinson returned from its deployment Wednesday to Coronado, across the bay from downtown San Diego.

Mike Whalen of the Morale Entertainment Foundation told The Associated Press that 40 to 50 people from his group, ESPN, the Navy and vendors will be at the ship on Monday and Tuesday for a site survey. A briefing for civic leaders and the media is planned for Monday evening at the San Diego Hall of Champions.

An Iowa boy died when his head and neck became entrapped and the weight of the futon's metal frame prevented him from breathing.

WASHINGTON — About 30,000 bunk beds have been recalled because of the threat of children becoming entrapped in the bed, a federal consumer agency said Thursday. A 3-year-old Iowa boy died after such a mishap in March 2010.

Big Lots of Columbus, Ohio, issued the voluntary recall of the metal futon bunk beds, which can entrap a child when the futon and its metal frame are lowered to a flat position. The recall was issued in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The Burlington, Iowa, boy died when his head and neck became entrapped and the weight of the futon's metal frame prevented him from breathing.

The bunk beds have an additional hazard. The space between the last rung on the bunk bed's ladder and the futon mattress is too small, which can allow a child's body to pass through but not the head, posing a head and neck entrapment hazard.

The metal futon bunk beds have an upper bunk designed to hold a twin mattress. The bottom bunk has a convertible futon bed.

The recalled metal futon bunk beds were sold exclusively by Big Lots stores nationwide from January 2009 through April 2010 for about $200. They were sold unassembled, and were manufactured in China.

Consumers should immediately stop using the bunk beds and contact Big Lots for a free repair kit that contains new ladders and other parts that consumers can install at home.

For additional information, contact Big Lots toll-free at 1-866-244-5687 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.biglots.com.

RECALLS THIS WEEK:

Here are the recalled items this week:

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BOOSTER SEATS

DETAILS: Target Corp. expanded a recall from 2009 to include a much larger number of Circo child booster seats. The blue plastic seats were sold beginning in January 2005 through June 2009 at stores nationwide.

WHY: The seat's buckle can open unexpectedly, allowing a child to fall.

INCIDENTS: There have been 10 additional reports, including three involving minor injuries to children.

HOW MANY: About 375,000, in addition to the 43,000 recalled in August 2009.

FOR MORE: Call 800-440-0680; visit www.target.com .

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FUTON BUNK BEDS

DETAILS: Big Lots metal futon bunk beds, which feature a double-sized futon on the bottom and space for a twin mattress on top. Sold by Big Lots of Columbus, Ohio, at the chain's stores nationwide from January 2009 to April 2010.

WHY: Children can get trapped behind the futon or in the bottom rung of the ladder when the futon and frame are lowered to the flat position.

INCIDENTS: A 3-year-old boy in Burlington, Iowa, died after becoming trapped in March 2010.

HOW MANY: About 30,000.

FOR MORE: Call 866-244-5687; visit www.biglots.com .

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GIRL'S DRESSES

DETAILS: Emma's Garden polka-dot girls' dresses in sizes 12 months to 5T, which were sold in pink and white, and black and white. Sold by TJX Cos. of Framingham, Mass., in the U.S. and Canada from March 2011 through April 2011.

WHY: The decorative buttons on the front of the dress pose a choking hazard for children.

INCIDENTS: None reported.

HOW MANY: About 21,000 in the U.S. and 2,600 in Canada.

FOR MORE: U.S. call 800-926-6299, visit www.tjmaxx.com or www.marhsallsonline.com . Canada call 800-646-9466; visit www.winners.ca .

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AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS

DETAILS: GE Zoneline air conditioners and heat pumps, distributed by GE Appliances and Lighting unit based in Louisville, Ky., and sold between March 2010 and March 2011. The units are mostly used in apartment buildings and commercial spaces.

WHY: An electrical component in the heating system can fail and pose a fire hazard.

INCIDENTS: There are four reports of smoke and/or fire, including two fires that spread beyond the units.

HOW MANY: About 90,600.

FOR MORE: Call 866-918-8771; visit www.geappliances.com/products/recall .

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CALPHALON KNIFE SETS

DETAILS: Calphalon Contemporary Cutlery knife sets, both 17- and 21-pieces, sold at major department and home furnishing stores nationwide, catalogs and online, from 2007 through May 2011.

WHY: The tips of the 8-inch slicing knife and 8-inch bread knife can protrude through the bottom of the wooden block holder, posing the danger of cutting.

INCIDENTS: One report of a cut finger.

HOW MANY: About 217,000.

FOR MORE: Call 800-809-7267 or visit www.calphalon.com .

Fusco was arrested in Italy last year, but only extradited to the United States to face the charges last month.

File photo / The RepublicanEmilio Fusco takes a smoke break during proceedings in 2001 at U. S. District Court in Springfield.

NEW YORK - A federal judge on Friday set a March trial date for accused mob murderer Emilio Fusco, the last of four defendants set to be tried for the 2003 murders of crime boss Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno and low-level associate Gary D. Westerman.

Fusco, 42, of Longmeadow, had been fighting extradition in Italy since he and three others were charged in a federal court in Manhattan last year. Former Genovese acting boss Arthur "Artie" Nigro, 66, of Bronx, N.Y., and onetime mob enforcers Fotios and Ty Geas of West Springfield, were convicted of Bruno's murder by a jury on April 1. The Geases also were convicted of Westerman's murder.

According to government witnesses at trial, Bruno was killed in classic Mafia rub-out fashion - in part to make way for a new power structure and in part because Fusco circulated a court record stating Bruno had talked to an FBI agent, thus branding him an informant. Fusco is alleged to have conspired with the Geases and other mob associates to gain approval from Nigro and other New York higher-ups to kill a Bruno, a longtime "made man."

Fusco's pretrial hearing included a lengthy argument over whether Fusco was fit to be released on pretrial bail. Fusco's defense lawyer argued his client had been falsely portrayed by the government as a fugitive after traveling to Italy on family business. A prosecutor countered that Fusco is alleged to have committed two murders while out on bail in a 2000 racketeering case that yielded loan-sharking and money-laundering convictions for Fusco and a slew of other gangsters.

"Two murders. On bail. He is an off-the-charts danger," Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Honig said.

Fusco has denied the charges.

Bruno was shot six times in a dark parking lot outside his regular Sunday night card game on Nov. 27, 2003 by admitted shooter Frankie A. Roche, who has since turned government witness.

Witnesses said Westerman died after being shot by the Geases, bludgeoned with shovels by Fusco and mob soldier-turned-informant Anthony J. Arillotta and dumped in a makeshift grave in a wooded area in Agawam. Westerman disappeared three weeks before Bruno's murder. His remains were not recovered until April 2010, after Arillotta was arrested in the case and began cooperating with the government.

Prosecutors said Fusco bought a one-way ticket to Italy amid media reports of the Westerman dig and Arillotta's turning government witness. Fusco was arrested in Italy in July and was only extradited to the United States to face the charges last month.

Through his defense lawyer, William Aronwald, Fusco has repeatedly denied flying to Italy to avoid prosecution. Prosecutors argued to U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel that Fusco purchased a one-way ticket to his native country on April 8, 2010, three days after news reports began running about the Westerman dig. However, Aronwald on Friday told Castel that his client had long planned an April trip to Italy to attend his sister's 50th birthday party and assist his ailing mother.

His return was delayed by his mother's frail state, a volcanic eruption in Iceland and business matters, Aronwald argued. Further, two FBI agents had knocked on his door in February while Fusco and his wife were vacationing in St. Kitt's and informed Fusco's son his father was under investigation and they wanted to speak to him; Fusco later learned the probe included murder allegations, according to Aronwald.

"Mr. Fusco was already on notice that he was being actively investigated by the FBI for charges including murder," Aronwald told Castel.

"But he didn't know (then) that the FBI knew where a body was and were digging for it," Castel shot back.

Castel told the lawyers to reduce their arguments to writing and scheduled an additional hearing on the bail issue for July 23 in U.S. District Court.

The House this spring voted to pass a budget amendment repealing the ban on gifts over $50 from pharmaceutical and medical device companies to doctors.

File photo by Dave Roback / The RepublicanSpeaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo said today that the 2008 ban on gifts from pharmaceutical companies to doctors is a hindrance to job creation.

By KYLE CHENEY

BOSTON - A ban on gifts from pharmaceutical companies to doctors, enacted in 2008 to control health-care costs and guard against conflicts of interest, has proven to be a “hindrance” to job creation, scaring off companies who would otherwise do business in Massachusetts, according to House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo.

“I look at the lifting of the gift ban here in the commonwealth as a means that we can create more business. I’ve been talking to many folks who own restaurants, [executive director] Jim Rooney from the convention center, some of the folks who do catering and what not,” DeLeo said in an interview on Needham-based WCVB-TV's show "On The Record." “I feel that we are losing business here in Massachusetts as a result of companies that aren’t willing to come to Massachusetts because of this ban.”

DeLeo said he isconcerned that the gift ban runs against his “biggest goal,” job creation. “I look at this as a hindrance,” he said.

Backers of the gift ban, passed a part of a 2008 bill driven by the Senate intended to address soaring health care costs, argue that gifts from pharmaceutical companies and medical device makers to doctors interfere with the doctor-patient relationship, often swaying doctors to prescribe costlier medications or recommend costlier courses of treatment rather than what is medically necessary.

But critics say the industry is already governed by a strict code of ethical conduct, that doctors with years of medical schooling wouldn’t be plied by a free meal from a drug company, and that the Massachusetts ban far exceeds the strictest standards set by the industry. In particular, critics say restaurants have suffered in neighborhoods like the North End, adjacent to major hospital districts, where doctors are often treated to dinner and presentations by the medical companies they work with.

The House in late April voted 128-22 to pass a fiscal 2012 budget amendment repealing the ban on gifts over $50 from pharmaceutical and medical device companies to doctors. The Senate stuck by the ban law, leaving the issue to be resolved by a conference committee eyeing a budget resolution next week.

Last session, the House also voted to lift the gift ban but the Senate did not agree to the move.

Gift ban supporter Sen. Mark Montigny this week blamed the influence of lobbying for the House’s retreat from the 2009 gift ban law, which he described as a compromise that ceded ground by allowing gifts of up to $50 and dropping a Senate proposal that would have required pharmaceutical representatives to be licensed in the state.

"The fact that there is even a discussion that small businesses and restaurants should impact life-saving health policy is the problem in Massachusetts," Montigny said on Wednesday shortly before a legislative committee heard a bill that would exempt restaurants from the ban.

The gift ban was a magnet for lobbyists last session, drawing direct action, hired hands or general monitoring from Health Care For All, the Massachusetts Medical Society, the Massachusetts Dental Society, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, America’s Health Insurance Plans, PhRMA, the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, the AARP, and the Massachusetts High Technology Council.

During his appearance on WCVB, which is Channel 5 in the Boston area, DeLeo described “good progress” on talks with Senate President Therese Murray and Gov. Deval L. Patrick on the contours of expanded gambling legislation, a bill long promoted as a major job creator. Unable to strike a deal on gambling legislation last session, DeLeo said he’d make “no promises” that the leaders would reach resolution on a gambling bill this session.

“I am hopeful that we can get something done,” DeLeo said, reiterating his often-stated position, “I’m willing to compromise even more than I have.”

DeLeo last year shepherded through the House a plan that included two destination resort casinos and four slot licenses for the state’s four racetracks. Eventually, after negotiations with the Senate, the branches agreed on a three-casino, two-racino proposal. But Patrick balked, comparing the racetrack licenses to a no-bid deal for wealthy track owners and although he offered support for a three-casino, one-racino deal – contingent upon legislative action on a number of his other priorities – lawmakers left Patrick’s offer on the table and ended the two-year session by letting the legislation die.

Patrick sent the bill back with an amendment after lawmakers ended formal sessions for the year, and the bill died without action in the Legislature. Lawmakers and Patrick have been slow this year to restart talks on gambling and they’ve indicated they intend to hash out the parameters of a bill behind closed doors, a strategy they hope will avoid a protracted, all-consuming debate that distracts from other issues.

DeLeo said June 6 that he hopes to get a gambling bill through in July.

During the WCVB interview, DeLeo also commented briefly on the brouhaha that followed revelations that Rep. Mark Cusack, a Braintree Democrat, and a Republican aide were discovered in the House chamber during a party in the speaker’s office hours after a House budget session in late April.

“I think he feels terribly about it. I would have to say in the five months he has been in office, he’s a great representative, a great advocate for his district,” DeLeo said. “I think, you know, he’s learned his lesson about being a little more careful now that you’re a state representative and I think he will continue to represent his district very well.”

DeLeo said he was uncertain if House rules should be changed barring after-hours visits to the chamber.

“Sometimes I mat get a dignitary or a visitor or a family at 8 o’clock in the evening who I’ll take into the chamber and say this is where we do our business,” DeLeo said.

The store's co-owner said it was impacted by the likes of Netflix.

File photo by Brian TedderDana Gentes, a co-owner of Pleasant Street Video, is seen inside the store in 2009.

NORTHAMPTON - After 25 years Pleasant Street Video, the place that film aficionados gathered to talk film and life is closing at the end of July.

Manager and co-owner Dana Gentes said that the store’s revenue during the last five years had dropped to about half of what it had been during the late 90s to mid 2000s.

Services such as Netflix “dramatically cut into our customer base,” he said. “Computer culture in general has taken up many of the hours people used to spend watching movies.”

The store is hoping that the 8,000 videotapes and DVDs can find a new home at the Forbes Library. The two are joining to raise $60,000 to make that happen. Money is needed to cover the store’s debt and other costs.

Faith Kaufmann at the Forbes said “it is very sad that they’re not able to stay open,” but she said the plan to donate the movies to the library “is a silver lining to a sad situation.

She said Gentes and former Northampton City Councilor Bill Dwight approached the library with the idea of figuring a way to “to keep the collection in the community.” “The depth of knowledge that went into building (the collection)..They have an amazing collection.. She said the library has about 4,000 titles now and has a budget for only 900 a year. “It’s huge,” she said of how that might grow.

People have asked if they have room for it and she said they will make the space, besides she said, the titles they have are being borrowed so they are never at capacity on the shelves.

The store was started by Richard Pini and John Morrison, who had owned the Pleasant Street Theater next door. The two thought it would be a good companion store to the movie theater. Genetes was hired a year later.

Most of the staff have been there for years including Dwight, again a city councilor hopeful. Pini, who still owns the building put the property up for sale in 2009, according to Gentes. A buyer has been lined up to buy the space.

The movie theater remains unaffected and is operated by the non-profit Amherst Cinema.

For each $8 donated, a film will be added to the library collection. Tax deductible donations can be mada online at http://www.forbeslibrary.org/psv or in person at the Forbes or Pleasant street Video.

Germany softened its conditions for giving Greece more loans.

Associated Press photoGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy shake hands after a press conference after their meeting in Berlin, Germany, Friday. Germany softened its stance Friday for giving debt-plagued Greece more loans.

NEW YORK - Signs that a solution to Greece's debt problems could be near helped the stock market eke out its first week of gains since April.

Germany softened its conditions for giving Greece more loans on Friday, putting Greece closer to getting more financial support and avoiding a default. Global financial markets were rattled earlier this week when a default by Greece seemed imminent.

Traders worry that a default by Greece could trigger another financial crisis, weakening the euro and leading to widespread losses for banks and governments that hold Greek bonds. A default would also push up the value of lower-risk assets like the dollar and U.S. government bonds.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 42.84, or 0.4 percent, at 12,004.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 3.86, or 0.3 percent, to 1,271.50.

The gains weren't widespread. The technology-focused Nasdaq composite index lost 7.22, or 0.3 percent, to 2,616.48 after signs that large companies are faltering.

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. plummeted 21 percent after giving a surprisingly weak forecast for the current quarter and the remainder of the year. The company is struggling to compete with Apple Inc.'s iPhone and Android phones. Other technology companies like Intel Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc. fell 0.3 percent, the biggest drop among the 10 industries that make up the S&P index.

Among other U.S. companies, credit research firm Moody's Corp. dropped 5 percent after analysts downgraded the company. McGraw-Hill Cos., which owns rival rating agency Standard & Poor's, fell nearly 4 percent. And BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. dipped nearly 1 percent after two private equity firms made a bid for the warehouse club chain.

Germany's softer stance toward assisting Greece pulled the price of lower-risk investments like government bonds lower. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.94 percent early Friday from 2.90 percent Thursday. Bond yields rise when prices fall.

The S&P 500 finished the week just 0.04 percent higher than where it started. That tiny gain was enough to break a six-week losing streak that went back to the last week in April. The S&P 500 index hits its high for the year on April 29, and has fallen nearly 7 percent since then.

Nearly two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange Friday. Consolidated volume came to 4.4 billion shares.

The proposed budget for fiscal year 2012 includes $750,000 set aside to fill 18 vacant city jobs

SPRINGFIELD – The city has significantly reduced the number of planned layoffs in Springfield by eliminating more vacant positions and with the help of one labor union agreeing to take 24 unpaid furlough days.

The city is laying off 13.5 employee positions, as compared to 33.5 layoffs planned just a month ago. The reduction was revealed during a meeting of the City Council Finance Committee on Friday at City Hall.

One union, the Springfield Public Building Tradesmen Association, representing 37 tradesmen who work in the schools and other city buildings, agreed to take the 24-day furlough, spread over the next 12 months. The negotiated agreement saves five of its members’ jobs who were threatened with layoffs, association President Daniel Lukasik said Friday.

The tradesmen are the only unionized employees who have agreed to a furlough. In addition, they have agreed to defer a 2 percent pay raise for one year, delaying it from July 1, to June 30, 2012.

Some of the tradesmen are unhappy, but the consensus was to sacrifice pay for the sake of jobs, Lukasik said. The tradesmen are responsible for building maintenance and repairs such as plumbing, electrical, carpentry and sheet metal work.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno previously announced that approximately 350 non-bargaining employees must take 12 unpaid furlough days in fiscal year 2012 along with a wage freeze. Sarno would be among those taking the furloughs and wage freeze.

Michael Fenton

Negotiations occurred with the unions but there was little conceded beyond the major concession from the tradesmen, according to Finance and Collective Bargaining officials.

Finance Committee Chairman Michael A. Fenton said he is concerned that the layoffs and the number of unfilled vacancies among city departments is not fairly distributed.

While some city departments face no layoffs and their unions did not agree to any concessions, others have multiple layoffs and unfilled vacancies, Fenton said.

Fenton said he is also concerned that the proposed city budget still provides full funding, of $785,000 for 18 vacant positions, with the mayor’s intention of allowing those vacancies to be filled.

The layoffs save the city approximately $418,000, suggesting jobs could be saved by cutting funds for more of the vacant positions.

Councilor Kateri B. Walsh also attended the meeting and questioned the decision to fund 18 vacancies.

Funding an additional first grade teacher at every school would cost about $200,000, Higgins said.

Mayor Mary Clare Higgins.

NORTHAMPTON - The City Council gave final approval Thursday to a relatively non-controversial fiscal 2012 budget, appropriating $70.8 million in revenues for the general fund and signing off on three enterprise funds.

Although the total cost of running the city in fiscal 2012 is projected to be $93.5 million, the general fund portion is only $77.3 million, the remainder being self-replenishing enterprise funds for water, sewer and solid waste. Of the $77.3 million general fund, the council voted only on $70.8 million because it does not have oversight over some revenues, such as state aid. Funding from the state for fiscal 2012 is expected to decrease by $268,084, the fourth consecutive year the state has cut aid to Northampton.

The fiscal 2012 budget has been relatively smooth going for Mayor Mary Clare Higgins, who has had to either cut jobs or seek a Proposition 2 ½ override in recent years to achieve an even level of services. Higgins has crafted 12 budgets since she was first elected mayor in 2000, this being her last. She is leaving office in September to become director of Community Action, a human services agency in Greenfield. The council vote Thursday was unanimous and uncontentious.

In compiling her budget, Higgins has asked all city employees to agree to a wage freeze. The city is still in negotiations with the teachers union on that point. To save money on health costs, Higgins has also asked city workers to switch to a different plan with higher co-payments. All but the firefighters’ union agreed to the change.

The issue of the wage freeze came up indirectly Thursday as parents at the Robert K. Finn Ryan Road Elementary School lined up during the public comment session to ask that a first grade teaching position not be eliminated at the school. If that position is cut, as planned, it would leave the school with two first grade classes of 22 and 23 students. Parents feel those class sizes are too big.

Higgins explained that the City Council does not have the authority to add money to the budget or to move around money within the $23.9 million School Department budget. That number is now locked into place with the passage of the city budget, although the School Committee could still transfer funds within its budget when it votes on it next Thursday.

However, Higgins told the Ryan Road parents that all four elementary schools in Northampton anticipate almost identical first grade class sizes and said the city can’t give preferential treatment to their school.

“We can’t just put a teacher at Ryan Road,” she said.

Funding an additional first grade teacher at every school would cost about $200,000, Higgins said. She estimated the cost of hiring four aides at $140,000. The School Committee has already said that any additional expenditures would have to be compensated for by cutting jobs. Meanwhile, the teachers union, which is in negotiations over a new contract, is so upset that the school budget does not allow for salary increases that it has demanded the resignation of the entire School Committee. The School Department estimates it would have to cut 7.7 positions to fund those pay increases.

"There won't be another one like him," longtime friend George A. Backus said about former veterans agent Peter E. Pappas.

File photo by Mark M. Murray / The RepublicanFormer Palmer veterans' agent, Peter Pappas, left, is seen with state Rep.Thomas M. Petrolati, D- Ludlow, last year. Pappas died earlier this week.

PALMER - Peter E. Pappas was remembered on Friday for his generous spirit, his ability to organize just about anything, his commitment to fellow veterans, and his love of the town of Palmer.

Pappas, 87, passed away on Wednesday at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home. He had been living there only a week.

On Saturday, which would have been his 88th birthday, family and friends will be at his funeral service at Beers & Story Funeral Home. Calling hours are from 9 to 11 a.m., with a prayer service at 10 a.m. Burial will be at the Veterans Cemetery in Agawam at 9 a.m. on Monday.

"He was always a wonderful guy. I never heard a bad word said about him," Town Clerk Patricia C. Donovan said.

Donovan went to high school with Pappas' oldest daughter, Penny Scott, and had known him since she was a teenager. He loved to have his daughters' friends around, she said.

Later, they worked in the Town Office Building together, where Pappas was the veterans agent for 12 years, before retiring in 2003. He served on the first Palmer Town Council, receiving the highest number of votes out of all the candidates. He left the council in 2007, due to health problems.

Donovan said Pappas was known for his organizational abilities, whether it was ceremonies to remember the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, or Memorial Day, Flag Day and Veterans Day. He was good at getting people to volunteer, and to attend his many events.

Pappas donated American flags, obtained flagpoles, organized concerts, and more for Palmer, his adopted hometown and where he lived most of his life.

A World War II veteran, Pappas spent three years in the Army Air Corps, serving in the China-Burma-India Theater as a B24 gunner in the 436th bomb squadron.

He also served briefly as Ludlow's veterans agent, and was named Ludlow's Veteran of the Year in 2010. At the time, he was living at Keystone Commons assisted living facility, where he continued organizing events. One Veterans Day, he had citations drawn up for all the veterans living there.

He refused to let his age slow him down.

"Pete was kind of proud. None of us like to grow old," Backus said.

Pappas had two daughters, Penny Scott and Anita Pappas-Raposa. Scott said she adored her father, and will miss him.

Her father's many activities caused him to be away from home a lot when they were younger, but he made up for lost time when he got back. Her parents divorced after 27 years together, but she said she has many great childhood memories.

He was proud of his Greek heritage, and loved playing Greek music. And he loved to throw a party, she said.

"He loved to dance Greek. He was a fun guy and fun to be around. It will be hard for me to play Greek records," Scott said.

He was dedicated to the veterans, and to the Merrill L. Simonds American Legion Post 130, where he was a past commander, she said. Last year, he even went to the national American Legion convention in Milwaukee.

Running a diner wasn't enough for her father, who needed a larger arena. She described him as a "political and social animal." He also worked as a travel agent, and at the post office.

"His church was the American Legion," Scott said. "He was always on the move."

The last year was a struggle for him, as his health worsened. He had heart problems, and was exhausted, Scott said.

"He fought the good fight," Scott said.

George A. Backus, who knew Pappas for 65 years, from the days when Pappas ran the diner on Main Street, said, "Pete was always there when we needed him . . . He was very generous to the town of Palmer, and the students, especially. He ran many, many things for the Legion.

"There won't be another one like him . . . He helped an awful lot of people that he didn't have to help. He went out of his way," Backus, the Legion Post 130 chaplain, said.

Besides his work with the veterans, Pappas also was known for his acts of generosity.

He bought hooded pullovers for the Palmer High cheerleaders, after he saw them performing in the rain. He said at the time that he always had a soft spot for cheerleaders, as his two daughters also cheered for Palmer High in the 1960s.

He donated $1,000 to help athletes play sports who could not afford the new athletic fee.

When the Palmer and Ludlow high school football teams meet over the next 20 years for their annual Veterans Memorial Thanksgiving Classic game, the winner will receive a plaque and trophy, thanks to him.

Three years ago, he presented the girls and boys basketball teams with pullover jackets at a pep rally, and also gave plaques to the football players for beating archrival Ware that season.

Perhaps he put his life's mission best when he read a passage to the high school students at the pep rally that day.

He said, "I shall pass through this world but once. Any good things that I can do, or any kindness I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. What I do for myself will die with me. What I do for others will live forever."

Amanda Morisette stated that she returned everything that was taken and is "truly sorry for what happened. I wish I could take it all back."

File photo by Don Treeger / The RepublicanThe steeple of the First Church of Monson lies in ruins on the lawn of the church the day after three devastating tornadoes hit Western and Central Massachusetts.

PALMER - Another Ware resident has been charged in connection with taking items intended for tornado victims at the First Church of Monson.

Court records stated that Amanda Morisette, of 10 Morse Ave., denied charges of larceny over $250 by false pretenses and fraud, at her arraignment Monday in Palmer District Court before Judge Patricia T. Poehler.

Morisette, 24, was with Christine Lajewski, 47, of East Street, Ware, when they allegedly took the items from the church on June 5. Lajewski was arrested and denied the same charges at her arraignment on June 7.

The women brought Morisette's 2-year-old son with them when they went to the First Church, and took $700 to $800 worth of items, including baby products, stuffed animals, food and a freezer.

Like Lajewski, Morisette was released on her own recognizance, and ordered to stay away from Monson.

She and Lajewski, 47, will return to court next month for pretrial conferences. The charges were brought by Monson police, which had assistance from Ware police in the investigation.

According to court documents, Lajewski said she was a Monson tornado victim, so the volunteers there began helping her. Morisette said her son did not have shoes on, and the volunteers helped find him a pair.

Morisette said in her statement to police that was included in the court file that the volunteers "kept offering stuff and there was not really a way out." Morisette stated that she returned everything that was taken and is "truly sorry for what happened. I wish I could take it all back."

Morisette told police, "I kept telling her (Lajewski) that we were going to go to hell for this."

Morisette was summoned to court for the arraignment.

The Monson church is affiliated with the United Church of Christ.

FEMA will open 7 other recovery centers in communities harmed by the June 1 tornado in the next few days, an official said.

Republican file photoA Federal Emergency Management Agency tornado recovery center will open Saturday at STCC Technology Park, 1 Federal St., to assist people who were affected by the June 1 tornado

SPRINGFIELD – Federal disaster recovery centers will open Saturday morning in Springfield and West Springfield, and seven others will open in area communities over the next few days to aid people affected by the June 1 tornado that ripped through Hampden and Worcester counties.

The centers are an offshoot of the federal disaster declaration made this week for the region.

The designation, entered by President Barack Obama, allows for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to respond to the scene and coordinate the relief and rebuilding efforts.

The June 1 tornadoes cut a path from Westfield to Sturbridge, damaging thousands of homes and businesses.

According to the most recent figures provided by the state Division of Insurance, there have been 8,200 insurance claims filed totaling $140 million in damage.

The centers will provide people information from various federal and state agencies about receiving federal assistance, direct aid and other services.

The Springfield center is located in Building 104 of the STCC Technology Park at One Federal Street.

The West Springfield location is on the third floor of the J. Edward Christian Municipal Office Building at 26 Center St.

Each will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

FEMA spokesman Jeb Killion said additional centers are planned for opening Monday and Tuesday in Brimfield, Sturbridge, Wilbraham and Monson.

Locations will be made available sometime over the weekend.

People from tornado-affected communities other than West Springfield or Springfield are not prevented from going the centers in those communities, he said.

“If someone wants to come, we’re not going to turn them away,” he said.

More important for people going to the center than their residence is that they first
register with FEMA. Registering will get a person “into the system,” which will allow case workers to open a file and keep track of each person’s particular needs, he said.

People who come without registering first can get some generic information “but we’ll direct you back to register,” he said.

To register, people should call FEMA’s toll-free number at (800) 621-FEMA, or (800) 621-3362. Those who are hearing or speech impaired can call the TTY number of (800) 462-7585. Both numbers go to a call center that is staffed daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m.

People with access to the Internet may also register through the FEMA website, www.DisasterAssistance.gov

Killion cautioned that there is a misconception among people that if they have registered with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, they are automatically registered with FEMA.

Among the agencies represented at the centers will be the federal Small Business Administration, MEMA, the Internal Revenue Service and social service agencies that fall under the umbrella of the United Way.

Joseph P. Paretti, assistant manager for the West Springfield disaster recovery center, said he has been told that people in the city’s shelter for tornado victims at the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds will be bused to the center. Many of those victims are refugees who were living in West Springfield’s hard-hit Merrick neighborhood.

Paretti was busy Friday night with other FEMA employees setting up tables and chairs in the cavernous space that used to be occupied by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission on the third floor of West Springfield’s municipal building.

Everyone who suffered some loss in the tornado should register, he said.

“Even if you don’t think you will qualify, register, register, register,” he said.

In another program being offered as a result of the federal declaration, the governor’s office announced Friday that residents of areas affected by the tornado can apply for benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the program commonly known as food stamps.

The special Disaster SNAP benefit allows recipients to receive one-time food assistance in the form of an electronic benefits card that can be used for purchases similar to a debit card.

“There are many concerns following a tornado or other disaster, but few are more important than providing food in areas where people may find themselves suddenly and often critically in need,” said Julia Kehoe, commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance.

“We are aggressively pursuing action to institute Disaster SNAP as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Residents in the communities of Agawam, Brimfield, Charlton, Chicopee, Monson, Palmer, Southbridge, Springfield, Sturbridge, West Springfield, Westfield, and Wilbraham are eligible to apply.

The window for applying is today through Friday, and applicants can learn if they qualify within 48 hours.

To determine if they are eligible for the program, people should call (800) 445-6604.

To qualify, people have to live in one of the 12 communities, not already be receiving SNAP benefits, have lost income or suffered tornado-related expenses, and have few or no liquid assets.

People can apply in person between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Department of Transitional Assistance offices in Springfield at 95 Liberty St. or 310 State St., at 1 North St., Southbridge, or between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the West Regional office of the Department of Developmental Services, 171 State Ave., Palmer.

In addition, the federal designation allows homeowners, tenants and businesses in Hampden and Worcester counties that suffered property damage in the tornado to apply for low-interest loans through the Small Business Administration.

Ordinarily the federal agency works with small businesses, but when a federal disaster declaration is made, its scope expands to assist homeowners and tenants as well, officials said.

Businesses are eligible to borrow up to $2 million to replace or repair property, equipment or inventory.

Homeowners can borrow up to $200,000 to repair their homes, and renters can borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property.

More information on loans is available by calling (800) 659-2955 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those who are hearing or speech impaired may call a TTY line at (800) 877-8339.

Information on the program is also available through the Small Business Administration website at www.SBA.gov

The Red Cross of Pioneer Valley reports there are still 235 people staying at the emergency shelter set up in the MassMutual Center as of Friday afternoon.

The number is down from 285 people a week earlier.

The Red Cross has provided more than 23,000 meals, 8,200 comfort kits, 2,200 medical consultations, and 1,100 mental health consultations since it responded to the tornado, according to spokeswoman Lisa Michaud.

The Red Cross has discontinued the bulk distribution of supplies from fixed locations and mobile units because the needs of people in those areas have been met, she said.

Republican reporter Sandra Contantine contributed to this report

Stanley Park officials hope to schedule a Stanley Cup Day featuring the trophy and some Bruins' players.

Robert C. McKean

WESTFIELD – A friendly wager over the Stanley Cup finals will benefit Stanley Park here with a new park bench but it also resulted in making friends for Stanley Park director Robert C. McKean and his counterpart in Vancouver.

“Stanley Park will reap benefits of the Boston Bruins win over the Vancouver Canucks and during this friendly wager we have made some great friends in the Northwest,” McKean said Friday.

His wager was with Malcolm Bromley, general manager of the Parks and Recreation Vancouver-BC-CA which also has a Stanley Park.

Immediately following Thursday’s Bruins win, Bromley emailed McKean “Terrific game and series, Bob. The Bruins really deserved to win with consistently solid play. thanks for initiating our friendly wager and hope we can do it again next year. We will be sending that well-deserved bench, enjoy it with pride!”

“It was a lot of fun,” McKean said of the electronic communications back and forth during the past several weeks.

“We haven’t decided on where to place the park bench but we will find a nice place for it,” said McKean said. He said he expects delivery within the next two weeks.

McKean said he plans to submit a request to the Boston Bruins to bring the Stanley Cup to Stanley Park. “I’m hoping to convince them to do that and to send one of two players to meet with Westfield area residents,” he said.

In return for the bench, McKean is planning to acquire a “hockey stick, have as many people here sign it as possible and send it to Stanley Park in Vancouver.”

Despite the rioting reported in Vancouver following the Bruins win, McKean said communications between Stanley Park officials here and Bromley and his representatives “was very cordial. There was no sniping between us. The aftermath, what happened in Vancouver, takes away from the game.”

“This was a great experience and staff at both Stanley Parks are to be commended. the wager was made, and accepted, in the spirit of sportsmanship and good will,” McKean said.

McKean noted that Vancouver’s Stanley Park is named for Lord Stanley “as in Stanley Cup while Stanley Park of Westfield is named after Frank Stanley Beveridge who was originally from Nova Scotia, Ca.

Police say Old Hill resident Fernando Bost, 20, of 187 Quincy St., robbed the same State Street convenience store twice in the span of four days -- on Saturday, June 11, and again on Tuesday, June 14.

Springfield Police DepartmentSpringfield resident Fernando Bost is accused of robbing a State Street convenience store earlier this week.

SPRINGFIELD -- Police have apprehended a Springfield man accused of robbing the same State Street convenience store twice in the span of four days, most recently on Tuesday at around 8:30 a.m.

Fernando Bost, 20, of 187 Quincy St. was charged a short while later with two counts of armed robbery while masked and a single count of unarmed robbery in connection with incidents at State Street Gas & Ara Convenience, 560 State St., on Tuesday and last Saturday, June 11.

Bost, who lives in the city's Old Hill neighborhood, also was wanted on a warrant for larceny of a person in connection, according to Sgt. John M. Delaney, a spokesman for Springfield Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet.

A little more than two hours after Tuesday's gunpoint holdup, Sgt. Henry Gagnon and officers Juan Tavares, J.B. Stern and Jamie Collins took Bost into custody near the corner of Hancock and State streets, after spotting a man matching a description provided by the convenience store manager.

Police said the manager claimed a black male entered his store with a small handgun, demanded money, then fled east on State Street. Authorities said the manager's description of the gunman matched that of a man who committed an armed robbery at the same store on June 11.

Delaney said officers approached Bost with caution, finding a gun tucked into his waistband and an unspecified amount of cash. The officers then took Bost back to the alleged crime scene, where the manager positively identified him as the person who robbed him at gunpoint. The gun turned out to be a BB pistol, police said.

Bost denied all charges at his arraignment in Springfield District Court.

Police are investigating a possible armed robbery at T and T Mini Market, 869 Hampden St., around 1:30 p.m. Friday. The assailant possibly had a gun, according to a clerk, who was told to look away while the man fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE -- Police are investigating a daytime robbery at T and T Mini Market, 869 Hampden St., around 1:30 p.m. Friday.

A lone assailant made off with an unspecified amount of cash after going behind the store's counter, telling a female clerk to look away, then taking money from the cash register drawer, Holyoke Police Capt. Alan G. Fletcher said Saturday.

The clerk told investigators she believed the man was armed with a gun, though she didn't see a weapon.

The man covered his face with a "black garment" and "told her not to look at him," Fletcher said, adding that the suspect then fled north on Pearl Street.

City detectives are investigating the incident, which was reported at 1:28 p.m.

THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of a Hampden Street convenience store robbery reported around 1:30 p.m. Friday:


View Larger Map

City firefighters extinguished a blaze reported at 1:06 a.m. Saturday at 110 Lorimer St., Indian Orchard. Three people were treated for smoke inhalation at Baystate Medical Center.

Springfield Fire Department/Dennis G. LegerSpringfield firefighters extinguished a basement fire at 110 Lorimer St. in Indian Orchard early Saturday morning. Three people were injured, one seriously.

SPRINGFIELD -- Firefighters extinguished a blaze reported at 1:06 a.m. Saturday at 110 Lorimer St., Indian Orchard, that sent three people to the hospital with smoke-related injuries, including a man who suffered cardiac arrest, Springfield Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said.

Five of the six people who were inside the 1-story, ranch-style home at the time of the incident managed to escape, but firefighters found a 43-year-old man lying on the living room floor.

Leger identified the victim as Matthew Babin, who went into cardiac arrest after suffering smoke inhalation. Babin was rushed to Baystate Medical Center with potentially life-threatening injuries, Leger said. His condition was not immediately known.

Two teenage girls, believed to be around 14 and 15, also were taken to the hospital for smoke-related injuries, Leger said. Their conditions also were not immediately known.

Leger said the home, located just a few houses west of Lake Lorraine, sustained about $50,000 worth of damage. Most of the damage was caused by heavy smoke and confined to the basement, where the fire is believed to have started, according to Leger.

The official cause remains under investigation.

Authorities identified the owner of the house as Jimmy Mika of Wilbraham.

THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of a Lorimer Street house fire that hospitalized three people early Saturday morning:

View Larger Map

Police have identified the 34-year-old man who was shot shortly after 2 a.m. Friday in the city's Entertainment District as Gregory Lockhart of Manchester, Conn., who remains in serious condition at Baystate Medical Center. Police are seeking a possible second suspect in the shooting.

Republican file photo

Updates a story published Friday, June 17, at 4:04 a.m.

SPRINGFIELD -- Police have identified the 34-year-old shooting victim injured around 2 a.m. Friday in the city's Entertainment District as Gregory Lockhart of Manchester, Conn., who remains in serious condition at Baystate Medical Center following an altercation near Stearns Square.

Police said Lockhart was rushed to the Springfield hospital shortly after 2 a.m. after being shot in the chest by Donte A. King, 25, a well-known local gang member who lives at 48 Wellington St. in the city's Upper Hill neighborhood.

Meanwhile, police are still searching for a possible second suspect, described as a 6-foot black male who was last seen fleeing the scene near Taylor Street. That suspect, whose possible role in the shooting remains unclear, had not been found as of early Saturday morning, according to Springfield Police Lt. John K. Slepchuk.

The gunfire erupted as swarms of patrons were exiting bars closing for the night in the downtown Entertainment District bordering Stearns Square. The shooting occurred near the hot dog cart stationed near the square, police said.

Slepchuk said he had not received an update on the status of Lockhart's health, who remained at Baystate early Saturday.

Officers patrolling the Entertainment District early Friday gave chase after King was seen running toward Taylor Street after the shooting.

King pitched a loaded gun into some bushes during the foot pursuit, police said. King was apprehended near 1607 Main St. by two off-duty U.S. Marines, who held him until police took him into custody.

Authorities said they recovered a loaded .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun used in the shooting. Three of the weapon's nine rounds had been fired, according to Sgt. John M. Delaney, a spokesman for Springfield Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet.

Delaney said King's lengthy police record includes arrests for assault and drug charges, among other offenses.

Delaney said Lockhart was conscious and breathing after the shooting, but he refused to cooperate with investigators.

Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting, including the whereabouts of the second man seen fleeing the scene, to call them at (413) 787-6355. Anonymous tips also may be sent via text message to CRIMES (or 274637). The body of the message must be addressed with the word SOLVE.

A man who showed up at Baystate Medical Center with a stab wound to the arm early Saturday morning isn't cooperating with police, whose investigations can go belly-up without help from victims and witnesses.

Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD -- City police said they aren't getting much help from a 22-year-old Springfield man who showed up at Baystate Medical Center with a stab wound to the arm around 3:16 a.m. Saturday.

The victim, who wasn't identified by police, would only say that he was "stabbed in the arm" during some sort of incident in the "downtown" area, according to initial police reports.

Those reports indicated the man, a resident of 1529 Dwight St., was "very drunk and very uncooperative."

The man's injuries aren't too serious, according to authorities, whose investigation likely will come to a standstill without further help from the victim.

Springfield Police Lt. John K. Slepchuk said there isn't much police can do in such cases.

Another Northampton business closes its doors; More mountain lions seen in Connecticut; and more headlines.

A smiley face is portrayed with 2,500 candles at a park in the Roppongi shopping district, also known as Midtown, in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, June 18, 2011. People gathered to lay the candles in support of recovery from a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in March that devastated Japan's northeastern coastal towns. To read about the water system being shut down at the damaged nuclear plant on Saturday, click here.(AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

• Another longtime Northampton business closes its doors [GazetteNet.com]


• Boston Police urge revelers to keep lid on Bruins celebration [Boston.com]


• Northampton Funeral Home Pays Back Taxes But Still Faces Investigation [NorthamptonMedia.com]


• Security questioned in case of Salem murderer facing rape charges [LowellSun.com]


• More mountain lions sighted in Connecticut [Courant.com]


• Contaminated gas traced to storage tank in New Haven [NewHavenRegister.com]





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


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The state has collected resources at www.mass.gov/stormrecovery which includes a link to a federal Small Business Administration slide show about available resources stemming from a disaster declaration.

The Republican / Don Treeger6-1-11 - Springfield - Republican staff photo by Don Treeger- Tornado damage on Main St. in the South End.

SPRINGFIELD – For tornado-damaged communities to rebuild, the businesses in those communities must rebound as well.

To that end, there are a number of resources available to impacted businesses.

The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield keeps a list of available temporary office and commercial space or by phone at (413) 787-1555.

The state has collected storm recovery resources at which includes a link to a federal Small Business Administration slide show about available resources stemming from a disaster declaration.

The state also recommends that businesses contact the Springfield Office of Planning & Economic Development by calling (413) 787-6020 or visiting.

As the Small Business Administration slide show points out, federal help might include low-interest business loans of up to $2 million to cover both repair of physical damage and to help a business overcome disaster-related economic injury.

Rates will not exceed 4 percent for businesses with no other credit options and repayment terms of up to 30 years are available, according to the Small Business Administration. Call (800) 659-2955.

Federal disaster unemployment assistance provides unemployment benefits to individuals who have become unemployed as a result of a presidential declared major disaster. Self-employed people who cannot work as a result of the disaster can also apply for benefits. For more information, call (877) 872-5627.

Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance may be available for sole proprietors who have disaster-related damage to vehicles or tools needed for their jobs. For more information, call (800) 632-3362.

There may also be tax implications of the disaster for small business.

The Internal Revenue Service’s disaster relief program may allow owners to deduct disaster-related losses from your prior year’s tax return. Filing an amended return may allow you to receive an immediate tax refund.