Watch police body cam video from Sgt. Christopher Redmond of the Gill Police Department, who has worn a body camera while on the job for about a year. Watch video

GILL — For close to a year, Sgt. Christopher Redmond of the Gill Police Department has worn a body camera while on the job.

This makes Redmond, one of two full-time officers in Gill, ahead of the curve among most police in the state when it comes to the issue of police wearing body cameras. What is theory and conjecture for most cops in Massachusetts is been-there / done-that for Redmond.

The camera, a Pro-Vision BodyCam, is a little smaller than a cell phone and clips onto the front of his uniform in the center of his chest, roughly even with his shirt pocket.

It records a 170-degree field of view with what he described as similar to personal sports video cameras.

He calls it a good tool for police work – but not great. It's by no means foolproof, and its use on the job poses nearly as many questions as it provides solutions.

"It's not a panacea," he said. "The technology is not there yet."

Redmond got his camera shortly after last summer's rioting in Ferguson, Missouri after a police officer fatally shot an unarmed black man following an altercation. The shooting and resulting controversy made body cameras on cops a front-burner issue across the country.

It was at that time that Redmond, a self-proclaimed "techie," saw one at a police trade show. He thought he wanted to try one out and he was able to get one at a reduced rate.

In the aftermath of that incident as well as other similar incidents, including the recent death of a suspect in custody of Baltimore police and the fatal shooting of a black driver by a white University of Cincinnati police officer during a traffic stop, there have been many calls to have police wear body cameras as a way of increasing accountability.

Redmond said everyone – the police, prosecutors and public – speak in favor of the idea of cops with cameras, but once you began to drill down into their uses, several sticking points appear.

Not the least among them is an absence of any guidelines from the state on how to use them for evidence collection, as well as Massachusetts' anti-wiretapping law. As a result, he said he does not use his camera nearly as much as he could.

Mostly he uses it for what he calls "documentary mode," or shooting footage at the scenes of car accidents and fires. Footage from one house fire where he captured the spread of flames was used by the state Fire Marshal's office to help determine the cause.

He turns it off whenever he enters someone's home or when he has to interview someone in the field. And on those occasions when he is filming and someone walks into view, he always cautions them they are being recorded. This is done to comply with the anti-wiretapping law, he said,

He said he restricts his own use because at the moment, there are no written policies, either for the Gill police or statewide, that define how police are to treat body cam video as evidence. Also, if he shoots footage inside someone's house, could someone else file a request for footage under the Freedom of Information act?

"There's no guidelines yet for rolling them out for actual legal use," he said.

If it's going to be used as evidence, it would have to be cataloged and stored someplace secure where no one could tamper with it or even delete it, he said. The department would also have to hold onto it for a long time, until the end of a trial, which would mean new, secure servers with ample memory. And that would mean money.

The Gill Police Department has two full-time officers and six to seven part-time officers.
And whenever the Highway Department in the adjoining building fires up its generator, the police station's lights flicker and all the computers reset.

Rather than devoting time and energy to draft policies for how body cams may be used in Gill, the department is waiting for the Legislature, the Executive Office of Public Safety and the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police to draft guidelines for use in Massachusetts.

"We don't have the resources to "reinvent the wheel," Redmond said. "So we're kind of waiting to see what rules are developed. Everything tends to move slow, even with hot-button issues like this."

The body camera used by Gill Police Sgt. Christopher Redmond. Patrick Johnson / The Republican 

Aside from the legal and ethical ramifications, Redmond said the technology also has its limitations. The camera is simple to use but not exactly foolproof, he said.

There have been times when he thought he has had it on, but it wasn't. There are times when he wanted to turn it on but forgot to. And there have been times when he thought he captured some great video only to find out later on that the lens had been covered over by his raincoat.

"The thing you got to realize is, one, it's equipment which can be prone to failure, and, two, you have operator error," he said.

When cops respond to an emergency, a lot of things go through their minds, he said. "Being a videographer is last on the list," he said.

The camera is clipped onto his shirt in the center of his chest even with his shirt pocket. If he clipped it any lower, like on his belt, there's a chance it would be too low to see into a car in a traffic stop. But because the camera is inches below his nose, often the only sounds he picks up, particularly in stressful situation, are his own breathing noises.

And it goes without saying that the camera is fixed onto his shirt to look straight ahead, while Redmond's neck allows him to look from side to side.

"Just because you're wearing a camera, it doesn't mean it sees what you see," he said.

He supposes one solution would be to walk like a robot.

"You may try, but in reality, you forget you're wearing it," he said.

Also, the battery on his camera is not capable of going a full eight-hour shift, which means he has to turn it on and off repeatedly. He says if he turned it on and left it on, it would be dead in about two hours. But even if it were able to do a full shift, then what?

"Are you going to store all that data even though it's useless, just because you recorded it?" he asked. "Are you going to run 30 gigabytes a day whether nothing happens or not, but still be responsible for maintaining all of that?"

While body cameras have won the support of people both inside and outside of law enforcement from President Obama on down, he said the cameras will do little to restore a community's trust in police if that trust is already gone.

"They are not a magic bullet to fix everything," he said.

"I worry that if you have a camera malfunction, or the camera is not pointing in the right direction, or you have operator area," he said. "What do you do if you turn it on and the battery is dead? You don't have the option of waiting to charge it and you don't have the option of not addressing the call."

In the event that happens, he envisions that someone is sure to charge that the officer purposely did not turn the camera on, he said.

Redmond said that if someone has so little trust in what the police are doing, a little camera clipped on his chest is not going to change anything.

"I think the expectations needs to be reasonable," he said. " Unfortunately in our instantaneous society, there's always a rush to judgment on things."

The McKnight Neighborhood Council had complaints after the election including some people challenging if the new president is a resident.

SPRINGFIELD - The McKnight Neighborhood Council conducted a volatile meeting Wednesday, including its newly elected president defending his residency and the board saying it will review its bylaws and election procedures following allegations of election irregularities.

Board members said that an allegation that three people voted in the July neighborhood election giving addresses that did not exist in the district was unfortunate, but did not alter the outcome of any race.

In addition, an allegation of "ballot stuffing" by an anonymous phone caller has not been substantiated, board members said.

Approximately 50 neighborhood residents including the 15-member McKnight board of directors met at St. Peter's Church on Buckingham Street, for an emotional 90-minute meeting.

A key issue was the new board president, Lamont Clemons, vehemently defending his residency in the McKnight neighborhood, which came under challenge after the election. Some people had said they had not seen him in the neighborhood or at meetings.

Clemons said his driver's license shows he is a resident of 64 Thompson St., as does his voting record. He said where he chooses to sleep is no one's business.

Clemons said he returned to the neighborhood, and is committed to doing positive things for the neighborhood. He said he grew up in McKnight and has "good intentions and integrity." Success will depend on being united for the good of the neighborhood, he said.

"I know this has been a rough start," Clemons said. "I understand the neighborhood is what it's all about."

At-large City Councilor Bud L. Williams, in attendance, said he did pass on information to former McKnight President Walter Kroll about an anonymous allegation of "ballot stuffing," but made it clear to Kroll that it was "rumor, innuendo."

One resident, Damian Philips, said he believes the election results should be voided. Several board members said the election stands and that any irregularities did not affect the outcome.

Benjamin Swan Jr. a past neighborhood president and active in the organization for about 15 years, proposed a review of the neighborhood council bylaws and for an effort to "clearly define" the neighborhood's election process to avoid future issues.

The board approved Swan's motion without objection.

One resident who said has come to meetings a long time, urged the board to stop bickering and to focus on the needs of the neighborhood.

Swan agreed, saying the focus of himself and others has been to change the turmoil of the past.

The Massachusetts Opioid Drug Formulary Commission will seek safer substitutes.

BOSTON - A state commission mandated to create a list of opioid drugs whose formulations may better deter their use for abuse and that may be substituted for some of the more potent currently prescribed opioid painkillers that lack such deterrents will meet for the first time Thursday, with 15 of its 16 members announced Tuesday by Gov. Charlie Baker.

The list of substitutes will be submitted for adoption by the Department of Public Health. The recommended substitutes will be covered as "abuse deterrent opioid drug products" under group insurance offered, as reviewed by the commission, to active or retired commonwealth employees, according to legislation that governs the commission.

Baker called the list a "road map" that medical providers may consider for use with their patients.

"When completed, this new formulary will provide clinicians a road map for prescribing these medications, including the best options to manage pain in patients at risk for misuse or addiction," said Baker in announcing his appointments to the Massachusetts Opioid Drug Formulary Commission.

The commission will be chaired by Eric Sheehan, interim director of the DPH's Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality, and former assistant chief financial officer with the VA Boston Healthcare System.

Members include Dr. Douglas E. Brandoff, a board-certified oncologist and palliative medicine physician at Boston's Dana-Faber Cancer Institute; Paul L. Jeffrey, director of pharmacy for MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program, and Cindy Steinberg, a member of Baker's Opioid Working Group and national director of policy and advocacy for the U.S. Pain Foundation.

Created by a legislative act in 2014, commission members will review prescribed opiates for accessibility, cost, effectiveness and abuse-deterrent properties, according to the release from the Department of Health and Human Services.

According to their legislative mandate, members will "prepare a drug formulary of chemically equivalent substitutions" for these drugs and this "formulary shall include formulations of drugs that the commission has determined may be appropriately substituted."

The legislation adds the formularies will "incorporate such deterrents as a physical or chemical barrier that prevents chewing, crushing, cutting, grating, grinding, melting or other physical manipulations that enable abuse or resists extraction of the opioid by common solvents such as water, alcohol or other organic solvent."

The push to better treat chronic pain through new formulations of medications based on compounds found in, or derived from, opium led to them becoming more commonly prescribed in the 1990s, but their misuse and the fact they can be addictive eventually spawned a national epidemic that has resulted in the deaths of thousands from overdosing on prescription opioids or on their heroin substitute.

Drug manufactures, including Purdue Pharma that manufacturers OxyContin, have reformulated painkillers to make them more resistant to abuse. The Food and Drug Administration approved at least three painkillers to be marketed as having abuse-deterrent properties in 2014.

According to a recent New York Times story, these include Embeda, from Pfizer, and Targiniq, from Purdue, that, when crushed, "release naloxone to counteract the euphoria experienced through snorting or injection," and Purdue's Hysingla that is said to be difficult to chew and liquefy.

"Given the deadly toll of the opioid epidemic, it is imperative the formulary reflects the safest choices. If two drugs are chemically the same, it makes sense to take a hard look at the one that is harder to abuse, " Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders noted in the release about the new commission.

Sudder's department this week revised to 1,256 the number of overdose deaths in the commonwealth in 2014 from prescription painkillers and heroin. There have been some 312 such deaths so far this year.

Abuse-deterrent drugs are often more expensive than those without barriers and don't negate research that says most people who abuse prescription opiods are said to do so by swallowing them whole.

The legislation that established the commission notes that in its consideration of "whether a drug is a chemically equivalent substitution the commission shall consider: the accessibility of the drug and its proposed substitute; whether the drug's substitute is cost prohibitive; the effectiveness of the substitution; and whether, based upon the current patterns of abuse and misuse, the drug's substitute incorporates abuse deterrent technology that will be an effective deterrent to such abuse and misuse."

The section also notes that some opioid prescription drugs, such as those used as extended release, "may have no chemically equivalent substitute." In these cases, the commission's mandate is to determine whether they need to inform the "commissioner of public health that such drugs pose a threat to the public's health."

Who is on the commission and their fields of expertise are outlined in the legislation that gives the governor the right to appoint 10 members.

Members include clinical and retail pharmacists, biochemists, physicians, addiction and chronic pain specialists, researchers, and insurers.

According to the release, the formulary is expected to be completed by early winter, and then will be adopted as regulation by the Department of Public Health. Commission members will serve a three-year term during which they will assess the potential benefit of newer opioids that come on the market.

Members of the commission include:

Dr. Daniel P. Alford - Associate Professor of Medicine, Assistant Dean, Director, Safe and Competent Opioid Prescribing Education Program, Boston University School of Medicine; Director, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Medical Director, Office-Based Opioid Treatment, Boston Medical Center

Dr. Douglas E. Brandoff - Co-Director, Palliative Care Clinic, and Physician Leader, Schwartz Center Rounds, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Cheryl Campbell - Associate at Goodwin Procter within Life Sciences practice group; Previously In-House Counsel at New England Research Institutes; Former Program Manager, Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality, Department of Public Health; and Former Associate Scientist, AstraZeneca

Ray A. Campbell III - Attorney/Consultant on matters related to healthcare data and analytics. Appointed to Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission. Former Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Data Consortium

Dr. Daniel Barry Carr - Professor of Public Health and Community Medicine (primary appointment), Anesthesiology and Medicine (secondary appointments); Director, Pain Research, Education and Policy Program, Tufts University School of Medicine. President-elect, American Academy of Pain Medicine; member, Committee on Pain Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiologists

Stephen Feldman - Former Director of the Psychotropic Drug Intervention Program at Beacon Health Strategies; Founder, CEO and President of the ICPS Group; Served as Chairman of the Board and President of the American Society of Consultant Services;

Dr. Ken Freedman - Chief Medical Officer, Lemuel Shattuck Hospital; Clinical Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine; Physician Leadership Council, Massachusetts Hospital Association; DPH & DMH Pharmacy Advisory Committee; New England Regional Director, American Society of Addiction Medicine

Pharmacist Virginia Lemay - Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy, Post Graduate Year One (PGY1) Community Residency Program Director, and Community Pharmacist, Rite Aid Pharmacy

Pharmacist Joanne Doyle Petrongolo - Ambulatory Care Pharmacist for the Integrated Care Management Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Past President and current Secretary for Massachusetts Pharmacists Association

Eric Sheehan - Interim Director, Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality, Department of Public Health; Former Chief Administrative Officer and Assistant Chief Financial Officer, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and served active duty in the United States Marine Corps

Cindy Steinberg - National Director of Policy and Advocacy, U.S. Pain Foundation; Policy Council Chair, Massachusetts Pain Initiative; Founder, Boston Area Chapter, American Chronic Pain Association; Member, Governor Baker's Opioid Working Group

Jeffrey Supko - Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Director, Cancer Pharmacology Core, Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital

Theoharis Theoharides - Director, Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Tufts University; Professor of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts Medical Center

Tammy C. Thomas - Health Care Access Bureau, Massachusetts Division of Insurance; Former Management Analyst, Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality/Bureau of Substance Abuse and Services, Department of Public Health

Paul L. Jeffrey - Director of Pharmacy, MassHealth, Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Office of Medicaid. Director of Pharmacy, Office of Clinical Affairs, Center for Health Policy and Research and Clinical Associate Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Police arrested a Ludlow man on Sewall Street after he allegedly broke into his girlfriend's apartment.

LUDLOW — Police last weekend arrested a Ludlow man on Sewall Street after he allegedly broke into his girlfriend's apartment.

Ludlow Police Sgt. Daniel Valadas said Adam B. Kulas, 33, of Ludlow was charged with breaking and entering in the nighttime, a felony, and criminal trespassing on Aug. 1.

His girlfriend had a no trespassing order against him, Valadas said.

Patrolman Melissa Dion responded to the scene, and she was assisted by Patrolmen Ryan Churchill and Sean Auclair and Detective Stephen Ricardi.

Local officials spoke about Kinder Morgan's proposed natural gas pipeline.

GREENFIELD -- A board tasked with representing Massachusetts and its citizens in matters related to interstate natural gas pipelines took four hours of testimony Wednesday night on the proposed Kinder Morgan-Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. project known as Northeast Energy Direct.

The state's Energy Facilities Siting Board will package the testimony it hears around the state this week and include it in formal comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in time for FERC's August 31 deadline, said siting board director Andy Greene to a crowd of about 200 at Greenfield Community College.

The mood was relatively calm, and many thanked the board for making the trip from Boston. In contrast, recent hearings conducted by the Dept. of Public Utilities and FERC featured energetic protests by environmentalists and counter-demonstrations by union construction workers, who support the project.

FERC is currently determining the scope of issues to include in its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the 412-mile pipeline, and has imposed the August 31 deadline to receive input from the public.

Greene said when Kinder Morgan files its formal application with FERC this fall for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, Kinder Morgan must address the issues raised by the public.

Four representatives from the siting board listened as 14 public officials and dozens of ordinary citizens stepped to the microphone to share their concerns about the project.

Many complained about the lack of detailed environmental data released so far by Kinder Morgan. "Absent detailed plans, we cannot comment on the project," said Meg Burch, a member of the Conway Board of Health.

Kinder Morgan released a new round of environmental resource reports on July 24, just four days before FERC began its Massachusetts scoping sessions on the environmental impact of the pipeline. Key parts of the massive, multi-volume resource reports were left blank, said Burch and others, including a section on planned horizontal drilling beneath the Deerfield and Connecticut rivers.

Many who spoke charged that most of the gas would be headed for export. Only a portion of the pipeline's capacity has been spoken for by local gas companies, said Northfield selectman Jay Proujansky.

"The rest will be leaving the country," Proujansky said. "The stated need for more gas in New England is being used as an excuse to access Canadian and European export markets."

Export would lead to higher prices for American consumers because they would be competing with international buyers for the resource, said Proujansky.

Others criticized the Pittsfield-based Berkshire Gas Co., which seeks capacity on the line. Berkshire's parent company, UIL Holdings of New Haven, recently announced an $800 million investment in the pipeline project.

Meanwhile, the Spanish energy giant Iberdrola is seeking to acquire UIL in a $3 billion deal. Connecticut regulators scuttled the merger earlier this year, saying they had concerns about Iberdrola, but on July 31 UIL and Iberdrola said they would try again with a new petition.

Iberdrola is building natural gas import facilities in Europe, a "less than subtle action," said Ted Cady, chairman of the Warwick Planning Board. "The international price will be the price we pay," he said, adding that pipeline proponents are like "pushers getting people hooked on cheap drugs."

Berkshire has imposed a moratorium on new natural gas service which it says will stay in place until the Kinder Morgan pipeline is built. Atty. General Maura Healey is challenging Berkshire's bid to buy capacity on the Kinder Morgan line.

Sandra Sobek of Conway said that Governor Charlie Baker seems "disrespectful and dismissive" toward western Massachusetts residents pushing for alternatives to the pipeline. "Governor, to whom do you hold your allegiance?" she asked. "How can you even consider contaminating our natural resources? They are no less valuable than gold."

Sobek was one of several to call for increased liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage in New England to provide for capacity during the winter's coldest days.

Berkshire Gas Co. has permits for five LNG tanks in the Franklin County town of Whately, but has built only two, according to a recent filing by Healey with the Dept. of Public Utilities.

Others spoke of the state's Global Warming Solutions Act, which calls for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over time, and asked the siting board to make sure FERC considers Massachusetts' clean energy goals in its deliberations.

Franklin Regional Council of Governments director Margaret Sloan addressed the issue of missing environmental data, and said the FRCOG would submit a formal request for more information from Kinder Morgan when it submits its formal comments to the siting board.

Sloan, delivering perhaps her strongest commentary on the pipeline to date, said it would have a "profound impact" upon Franklin County, the biggest since the construction of Interstate 91 in the 1960s. Only 38 percent of the pipeline's capacity has been spoken for, said Sloan, calling into question its necessity. "We will be asking for a detailed analysis of alternatives" in the FERC Environmental Impact Statement, said Sloan, a regional planner.

The council of governments will formally request more information on the pipeline's impacts upon water, air, noise, existing infrastructure, public and private property, open space, archaeological resources, socioeconomic resources, and town budgets, Sloan said.

Chris Myers, Shelburne's emergency management director, said he had been asked by town officials to do some research on the pipeline. He said he spent the last couple of weeks "downloading huge documents" from the FERC website.

"It's like throwing dust in my eyes," Myers said. "It seems like they're trying to make it very difficult for people like me to understand."

Myers said he originally had no opinion on the pipeline, but has come to be against it. "There is no guarantee it will cause our rates to decrease," he said.

Many asked the siting board to push for a suspension of the FERC permitting process until Healey completes a study of energy capacity needs in New England. The report is due in October. Six Massachusetts lawmakers, including Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, have written to FERC asking them to restart the process from scratch; U.S. Rep. James McGovern has also called for a suspension of the process.

Stephen Crawford, a Boston-based public relations specialist working for Kinder Morgan, issued the following statement:

"The ongoing state and federal hearings are just the beginning of a comprehensive and transparent review of the Northeast Energy Direct proposal. We understand there are many questions about the project, and we remain committed to collaborating with communities and landowners as we move forward. The input we have already received has led to numerous adjustments, resulting in nearly 91 percent of the pipeline path in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire running along already established energy corridors to minimize possible impacts on nearby towns. We are ready to continue the discussion after the hearings conclude and step forwardl to address the concerns of stakeholders."

The 412-mile interstate pipeline would transport hyrofractured natural gas from the Marcellus region of Pennsylvania to markets in the Northeast, crossing western Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire before hooking in to a gas transmission hub in Dracut. Major compression stations and related facilities are planned, as well as lateral spurs in the Fitchburg and North Shore areas.

The Kinder Morgan pipeline is one of several competing proposals to bring more natural gas into New England.

The nine-member Energy Facilities Siting Board is charged with ensuring a reliable energy supply for the Commonwealth with a minimum impact on the environment at the lowest possible cost, according to the board's website. It generally licenses large energy infrastructure projects in Massachusetts, but has no jurisdiction over interstate natural gas pipelines. 

"The board will continue to stay involved in the FERC permitting process," said Greene.

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

With 130 animals at the zoo comprising two-dozen species, the zoo is filled with some faces that only a mother could love.

SPRINGFIELD — They go by names such as Gizmo, Digit, Loki and Justice. The names could easily pass for a new troupe of superheroes, but they are simply animals at the Zoo in Forest Park.

Since the late 1800s, animals have been a prime attraction of Forest Park. Over the years, park patrons have been able to view elephants, polar bears and lions. There aren't any of those animals anymore, but you can feast your eyes on a Patagonian cavy or a Bennet's wallaby.

John Lewis is the executive director and curator of the zoo. Lewis started coming to the zoo in 1964 at the age of 8, helping his mother Barbara run the attraction.

Having raised many of the zoo animals from birth at his house, Lewis calls the creatures his family. He likens the zoo to his home, and when he walks through the winding trails of the zoo he stops, hops over the fence and gives some special loving to his favorites.

Zoe the black-handed spider monkey sucks on his finger. Katunga the spotted leopard gets a huge greeting and some serious petting through his enclosure.

With 130 animals at the zoo comprising two dozen species, the zoo is filled with some faces that only a mother could love. Others you just want to cuddle and take home with you. Click through the gallery above and let us know your favorites!

Massachusetts scored six "doing wells," one "some progress," two "falling shorts" and one highlight for new policy in the American Cancer Society's "How Do You Measure up?: A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality." The report by the Cancer Action Network, the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, looks at what states are...

Massachusetts scored six "doing wells," one "some progress," two "falling shorts" and one highlight for new policy in the American Cancer Society's "How Do You Measure up?: A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality."

The report by the Cancer Action Network, the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, looks at what states are doing to prevent cancer in areas related to tobacco products; regulations on the use of indoor tanning devices by minors; early detection of breast and cervical cancer; and access to pain and palliative care. States are also rated for their initiatives in the area of healthy eating and active living, the area in which the commonwealth was highlighted.

Massachusetts' results were similar to those of last year.

The state did well in areas related to tax on cigarettes. smoke-free laws and access to Medicaid coverage to help smokers quit; was credited with making progress in the area of early detection for breast and cervical cancer, but fell short in funding for tobacco prevention as well as in restrictions on tanning devices.

The Massachusetts law, which requires the use of eye protection and limited time use, reads: "No person 14 years of age to 17 years of age, inclusive, shall use a tanning device without the prior written consent of a parent or legal guardian who shall indicate therein that such parent or guardian has read and understood the warnings required under the provisions of section 209."

The report, however, says the best protection against skin cancer for young people is to not allow them to use indoor tanning devices.

"Laws that prohibit the use of indoor tanning devices for everyone under the age of 18 can go a long way toward reducing skin cancer incidence and mortality rates across the country. Parental consent laws are not sufficient in effectively deterring minors
from using tanning devices, but age restrictions have been shown to be effective," the report states.

"To protect youths from the harmful effects of UV radiation, legislation is needed to restrict youth access, without exceptions, in every state. In addition, states need to ensure oversight mechanisms are in place to guarantee youths are not gaining access to these harmful devices."

The 40-acre site on Page Boulevard was once a Westinghouse Electric plant and home to one of the country's first radio stations.

This story follows: and expands upon: MassDOT chief confident I-91 rehab can be done in 2017

SPRINGFIELD - Expect a groundbreaking soon for the $65 million railroad passenger-car factory Chinese rail giant CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles Co. is planning for East Springfield, said Stephanie Pollack, Massachusetts secretary and CEO of the Department of Transportation.

Pollack was in Springfield Wednesday mostly to talk about the Interstate 91 project. But she also discusses the 220,000-square-foot factory CNR is building  to supply new subway cars to the MBTA. The T falls under Pollack's jurisdiction.

"The T needed the cars decades ago," she said. "Just look at this winter. People ask how the T could get back up and running after the Blizzard of '78 and it didn't get back up and running this winter? In many cases these are the same cars - the same cars that ran all night in 1978 to keep the tracks open. Only they were younger then and didn't fall apart."

But as much as it means for Boston's subways, the CNR project also might mean even more to Springfield. She said CNR executives have reiterated their plans to use the Springfield facility to expand into the American market for railroad rolling stock.

This will be the company's first and only factory in North America.

Stephanie Pollack, secretary and chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Department of TransportationBrian Steele/MassLive 

In fall 2014, CNR Changchun, a unit of the Chinese National Railways, signed a $566 million deal with the the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to design and manufacture 284 Orange and Red Line subway cars. The contract includes the purchase of 152 new Orange Line vehicles and 132 new Red Line cars. The  Red line cars date from 1969 and are the oldest in use in the country, Davey said. The Orange Line cars are from 1979.

Pollack said other railroads and transit services could choose to go without federal money so they can require that equipment be made in state, as the MBTA did in this Red and Orange line contract.

In that case, CNR wouldn't do the work here.

"CNR will go after the contracts it bids on," Pollack said. "But their preference is to work here."

Pollack said the state labor and economic development agencies are also working with CNR to develop a supply chain of local companies and an education and training program to supply CNR with workers.

The plant site is on 40 acres along Page Boulevard that was once home to Westinghouse Electric. The plant will also include a 2,240-foot-long test track and engineering, research and development and administrative offices.

The plant will have 150 employees when up and running. It is expected to be completed in the fall of 2018 and start production in December of that year. Production is expected to last five years.

Holyoke water rates haven't increased since July 2009.

HOLYOKE -- Construction of a $3.2 million drinking water disinfection facility at 600 Westfield Road is about half done, an official said Wednesday (Aug. 5).

The three-member Water Commission has requested a meeting with the City Council to provide an update about that construction, as well as to discuss current and projected capital spending and revenue, water consumption and water rates, Water Works Manager David M. Conti said.

Conti said it was unclear if the Water Commission meeting with the City Council will include a proposal to raise water rates on home and commercial customers. Rates haven't increased since July 2009 (see comparison of communities' average household water bills below).

The City Council Tuesday referred the Water Commission meeting request to its Finance Committee.

The city must build the facility -- which uses ultraviolet light to disinfect water -- to comply with rules of the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Conti said.

The use of ultraviolet light, a form of radiation not visible to the human eye, as a disinfectant leaves the water's taste and odor unaffected, he said.

Calgon Carbon Corp., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvannia will make the ultraviolet disinfection devices, Conti told councilors at a meeting Oct. 27.

Construction began in the spring and is about 50 percent complete, he said.

The city must install the additional treatment plant to comply with the EPA's Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. The rule was established in 2006 to reduce illness in people from contaminants in drinking water, according to the EPA website.

Despite the need for the additional treatment step, Water Works officials have said the city's water supply is naturally pure, drawn from its Tighe-Carmody Reservoir in Southampton and McLean Reservoir here.

The quality of water and the chlorine process that Holyoke Water Works treats it with has secured waivers from the DEP and EPA to avoid the $20 million to $30 million cost of building a more complex water filtration facility, officials have said.

The Holyoke City Council voted 14-0 Oct. 21 to approve borrowing to fund the project.

Conti told the City Council Finance Committee Oct. 15 that the borrowing for the new plant won't increase customers' rates because other debt soon will be paid off. A $19 million bond for water improvements will be paid off by 2016, he said.

The borrowing will be for 20 years and will require annual payments with principal and interest of $250,000 to $300,000. It will cost $17,000 to $37,000 to operate the water disinfectant plant a year, he said.

The debt that would be taken on with the borrowing would be the responsibility of Holyoke Water Works. Water Works is a municipal entity, but not a city department. It is sustained through fees paid by customers and overseen by the three-member Water Commission, which is appointed by the City Council.

Under the state legislative act that established Holyoke Water Works, it has the right to acquire debt through the city, taking advantage of the strong credit rating and lower interest costs the city has established.

While paying off the $19 million bond is good news in terms of freeing up revenue, water usage has been trending downward for years, which reduces revenue, he said.

Councilors have praised Conti and Water Works, which is based at 20 Commercial St., for running on a tight budget and cutting expenses instead of raising rates over the years.

"It cannot be overstated how well you guys run the department," council President Kevin A. Jourdain said at a Finance Committee meeting in October.

The current water rate is $.4309/100 gallons with a minimum charge of $43.09 per 100
gallons.

As of December 2013, the average household's yearly water bill here was $388, according to the Holyoke Water Works page on the city website.

That page is accessible on the city website of holyoke.org by clicking on "Holyoke Water Works" under City Departments, clicking "Rates and Charges" in the More Info box on the left and then clicking "2014 Water Rates and Regional Community Comparison."

In comparison, here are the average household water bills in other cities and towns, according to the website:

--Chicopee $360,

--Westfield $347

--Springfield $330

--Worcester $421

--Amherst $408

--Northampton $660

--South Hadley Fire District 1 $427

--South Hadley Fire District 2 $484

--Boston $543

--Belchertown $460

--Wilbraham $462

--Hadley $455

--Palmer Fire & Water Department $756.

The state School Building Authority only helps communities fund projects in schools for kindergarten through grade 12.

CHICOPEE - The city will replace the leaking roof at the Szetela Early Childhood Center this summer.

The City Council voted 13-0 Tuesday night to allocate $279,000 from money set aside for capital improvements to replace the roof.

The vote was taken quickly and there was little discussion.

"This project went out to bid on June 24 and bids were open July 1," Superintendent Richard W. Rege Jr. said in a letter requesting the money be allocated so work can begin.

The lowest bidder was J.D. Rivet & Co. Inc., of Springfield, he said.

This fall the City Council agreed to raise taxes by an additional $3 millionand set aside that money to make a variety of capital improvements in the city. The money was deposited in a special account that can only be used with the approval of the City Council and Mayor Richard J. Kos.

About $1.1 million of that money was proposed to be used to replace or repair leaking school roofs at Fairview Elementary, Belcher and Szetela schools.

In the proposal the Szetela roof project was estimated to cost around $300,000.

The city is working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority on the other two roof projects and is expected to be reimbursed about 79 percent of the costs to replace or repair the roofs, Mayor Richard J. Kos said.

The state only provides building funds for schools house children from kindergarten through grade 12. Because Szetela School enrolls about 250 students in pre-school programs the roof replacement has to be done solely with city money, he said.

Bill had been stalled in committee.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Job hunters concerned that their credit history may serve as a deterrent to getting hired may find hope in a bill introduced to the U.S. Senate Wednesday by Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

The Equal Employment for All Act is similar to 2013 legislation introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn. to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Warren, along with seven other lawmakers, introduced their legislation into the Senate that year, but it stalled in committee.

The act would prohibit employers from requiring prospective employees to disclose their credit history as part of the job application process. Credit bureaus issue reports, based on a 300- to 850-point scale, aimed at measuring whether a consumer is likely, on the basis of their credit history, to repay money owed. What such information has to do with whether someone should be hired is a much debated point.

According to a fact sheet distributed when the act was first introduced by Warren, the Senate legislation:

• Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to stop employers from requiring or suggesting that applicants disclose their credit history and from procuring a consumer or investigative report


• Prohibits employers from disqualifying employees based on a poor credit rating, or information on a consumer's creditworthiness, standing or capacity


• Includes exemptions for positions that require national security clearance.

Co-sponsors include Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a Democratic candidate for president, and fellow Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey.

Last fall, U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., introduced the Fair Credit Reporting Improvement Act of 2014 into the House of Representatives. This act would shorten the amount of time adverse credit information remains on a credit report, removes fully paid or settled debt from credit reports, and allowing consumers to verify the accuracy of reports, among other provisions.

Although western Massachusetts is receiving attention from the state Legislature, including focus on the Union Station renovation and Northampton's Norwottuck Rail Trail, these projects and many more have been in the pipeline for years. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - During an Aug. 5 meeting with The Republican editorial board, state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack responded to a question about the perceived inequality in major project funding and the appearance that eastern Massachusetts is given preference over the western part of the state.

Although western Massachusetts is receiving attention from the state Legislature, including focus on the Union Station renovation and Northampton's Norwottuck Rail Trail, these projects and many more have been in the pipeline for years.

The editorial board asked Pollack to explain the frequent delays to readers of The Republican and MassLive, which often lead to emergency repairs and major headaches for drivers on critical thoroughfares.

Click the video above to see selections from her answer. In addition, she said MassDOT worked with the Springfield Redevelopment Authority to find the funding for the viaduct project and, with all transportation undertakings, there must be a great deal of community interaction and input from stakeholders like businesses, universities and hospitals.

"Before we start churning through 'which project in which order,' we've heard from everybody about what their priorities are," said Pollack.

At the meeting, Pollack offered details of the contract that facilitates the reconstruction of the I-91 viaduct, saying it incentives early completion with a $50,000 bonus for each day the work is done ahead of schedule, up to 180 days.

She also said the $65 million MBTA car factory planned for East Springfield will break ground soon, and said CNR Changchun plans to make Springfield its base of North American operations.

An agreement on historic buildings and the schedule for the MGM Springfield casino project are among the items on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission's agenda on Thursday.

By GINTAUTAS DUMCIUS and SHIRA SCHOENBERG

BOSTON - An agreement on historic buildings that are part of the MGM Springfield casino project is on the agenda of state gambling regulators on Thursday.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is slated to meet and vote on the agreement, which creates a new trust for the preservation of historic buildings within range of the proposed $800 million casino.

The five-member commission could also vote on the schedule for the casino project.

MGM Springfield officials have asked the commission to okay a year-long delay in opening the casino due to rehabilitation of the I-91 viaduct. The delay would move the opening from late 2017 to Sept. 2018.

The commission also is expected to hear an update on the casino sweepstakes in southeastern Massachusetts, also known as "Region C." A proposal to develop a casino in New Bedford fell apart last month, leaving a proposal for a Brockton casino the only one in contention for a license.

The Wampanoag tribe is on a separate track, seeking federal approval so they can move ahead with plans for a casino in Taunton. The prospect of a tribal casino has lent the "Region C" process an air of uncertainty.

A livestream of the Gaming Commission meeting will be available here.

The meeting is slated to start at 10:30 a.m. For the full agenda, click here.

Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said on Wednesday the decision about whether to allow MGM to delay its opening "is between MGM and the Gaming Commission."

"At the end of the day, the Gaming Commission has to decide what the appropriate schedule is for MGM," Pollack said.

"The highway department is committed to not standing in the way of MGM's opening if at all possible," Pollack said. She said the administration will work with MGM if it wants to open while construction is ongoing or if it wants to wait.

"Our job is to get the job done promptly and safely," Pollack said.

Pollack said the administration has negotiated a deal with the contractor who is doing the construction that provides a significant incentive for finishing the work early.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation said the contract provides $50,000 for each day the contractor completes the work early, before August 2018, for up to 180 days. This means the contractor would be eligible to receive a maximum bonus of $9 million.

"They are optimistic they can do it," Pollack said. "I prefer to under promise and over deliver." She said she is hopeful the work will be done in late 2017 or early 2018.

Pollack said the state has already doing some work on the viaduct project. The contractor has submitted a schedule and the Department of Transportation is now reviewing that schedule.

The Republican reporter Jim Kinney contributed reporting.

Investigators said they found evidence of gunfire at the scene of the shooting at 23 Avon Place.

SPRINGFIELD — Police were investigating a shooting on Avon Place that was reported at about 9:40 p.m. Thursday.

Investigators said they found evidence of gunfire outside 23 Avon Place, including at least one shell casing, but there were no apparent victims or suspects tied to the crime.

The address is home to an apartment building, located about three properties in from the corner of Maple Street, that's well known to police.

A man was fatally shot outside the building in June 2014. Since that killing, police have been called back to the location for shootings and alleged drug crimes.

Anyone with information about this latest incident may text a tip to CRIMES (274637) or call detectives at 413-787-6355.

MAP showing approximate area of shooting:

The break near Hope and Main streets was reported shortly before 6:30 p.m. and forced firefighters from their nearby headquarters, according to Western Mass News, media partner of MassLive / The Republican.

GREENFIELD — Thursday was a busy day for public safety officials in Greenfield, which suffered a one-two punch from a downtown fire followed by a water main break.

Roads reopened after a Conway Street house fire was extinguished, but then a water main break on the east end of Main Street forced the closure of that section of roadway, according to Greenfield police.

(Greenfield Police Department / Facebook) 

The break near Hope and Main streets was reported shortly before 6:30 p.m., forcing firefighters from their nearby headquarters, Western Mass News reports.

Water and gas service was shut off as crews made repairs.

Several families were displaced by the fire, which remains under investigation by state and local fire officials.

MAP showing approximate location of water main break:

The carousel is 48 hand-carved horses built in 1927 and rescued when Mountain Park closed.

HOLYOKE -- Fans of the Holyoke Merry Go Round can help keep that jewel shiny and spinning by participating in a fundraiser Sept. 18.

"The Merry Go Round plays a vital role in the history of Holyoke and our residents should be proud of their efforts to preserve it," said Angela Wright, executive director of the Merry Go Round.

"The Holyoke Merry Go Round is a nonprofit that is totally self-supporting and does not receive city, state or federal funding to maintain its operation. We rely on our annual Preservation Fund, donations and various fundraising events to keep the carousel spinning," she said.

The fundraiser will be from 6 to 10 p.m. at the site of the 48-horse, hand-carved Merry Go Round in Holyoke Heritage State Park, 221 Appleton St.

Tickets are $45 a person or $400 for a table of 10., Wright said.

"Tickets are on sale now for the event, which will support the ongoing maintenance and operation of the Merry Go Round," she said.

The Merry Go Round and the pipe band organ at its center were located at Mountain Park on Mount Tom. When the amusement park closed in 1987, Wright and others here led a drive to save the carousel. The Merry Go Round was moved and opened at its current home Dec. 7, 1993.

The carousel was built in 1927 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company and the pipe band organ by Artizan Factories Inc. of North Tonawanda, New York in 1929.

The fundraiser will feature food and a cash bar prepared by The Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, live music, train rides provided by the Pioneer Valley Railroad and carousel rides, Wright said.

A raffle with $8,000 in prizes also will be held. Raffle tickets are $100 each. Event and raffle tickets are available at the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round or by calling Meghan O'Connor at (413) 427-7629 or Susan Leary at (413) 592-7573.

For more information, call the Merry Go Round at (413) 538-9838 or visit holyokemerrygoround.org

Merry Go Round hours in July and August are Tuesday to Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. The carousel is closed Monday.

Rides are $2 each or six for $10.

The National Weather Service calls for another day in the 80s, but cooler than Friday with a high of 82.

After a little bit of early morning fog lifts from the Greater Springfield area, expect another day of sunny skies.

The fog doesn't appear to be limiting visibility for commuters.

The National Weather Service calls for another day in the 80s, but cooler than Friday with a high of 82.

Worcester will be slightly cooler at a high of 79, while Boston enjoys an unseasonably mild day at just 76. By comparison, 40 years ago today, the Hub boiled in 107-degree heat.

Nighttime lows across the state are forecast in the low 60s.

The wanton abandonment of cats and kitties has created a 'crisis' situation for the Westfield Homeless Cat Project, a no-kill cat shelter.

Each week, MassLive showcases pets 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.

'Crisis' situation for no-kill cat shelter

WESTFIELD - The wanton abandonment of cats and kittens has created a 'crisis' situation for the Westfield Homeless Cat Project, a no-kill cat shelter.

According to Denise Sinico, shelter founder, abandoned and abused animals are arriving daily at the shelter.

"We are now in a crisis situation," Sinico said in a press release. "We have to adopt out the cats under our care before we make commitments to take more in. All of our adult cats are free to good homes; all we ask is that you make a monetary donation of your choice to our rescue organization."

According to the release, all adult cats are neutered/spayed, vaccinated, deflead, dewormed, tested for FIV/FELV and come with a free vet visit to Blandford Animal Hospital and a bag of Science Diet cat food. Adoption times are Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. 3 at 1124 East Mountain Road in Westfield. Email: westfieldhcp@aol.com.

Couple supports kitten nursery

SPRINGFIELD - Jan and Bernadette Piepul, of Springfield, have provided a challenge pledge to Dakin Humane Society donors. They will match, at a two-to-one ratio, every gift that is made to Nick's Nursery through Sept. 30, up to $6,000. This will essentially cover all the medical expenses that Dakin's kitten nursery is expected to incur during its busy summer and fall months.

Nick's Nursery, which was officially opened in 2014 at Dakin's Adoption and Education Center in Springfield, provides medical attention and nurturing to newborn kittens too young for adoption. It was named for Nicholas, one of the Piepul's pet cats. Last year the Piepuls provided a generous grant to open and support the Nursery in its first year of operation.

"I remember vividly the time Nicholas had been set on fire as a homeless kitten many years ago and we adopted him from the shelter as he was healing," Bernadette Piepul said. "We know how critical it is to provide the proper care to save lives, so we are happy and proud to support Nick's Nursery at Dakin. We hope people will join us in donating to ensure that these helpless kittens thrive and find loving homes."

In addition to encouraging donations for Nick's Nursery, Dakin has also launched its summer appeal campaign.

"The summer season is incredibly hectic here," said Dakin's Executive Director Leslie Harris. "New cats, kittens, dogs and puppies are turning up every day, and our efforts to treat, shelter and feed them stretch our resources. We rely on donations from people in our community to save these lives."

The non-profit organization also offers a Guardian Donor option, which allows supporters to pledge a monthly amount of their choosing via credit card. For the second summer in a row, Dakin is conducting a drive to enlist 50 new Guardian Donors between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Dakin has a shelter in Leverett as well as Springfield. For more information, visit www.dakinhumane.org.

Grumpy looking animals become stars online

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/

Police found the teens to be belligerent and intoxicated, Sergeant Daniel Valadas said.

LUDLOW — Two 14-year-olds, a male and a female, from Ludlow were arrested on Fuller Street after a woman reported that they were having an argument, police said.

Police found the two juveniles to be belligerent and intoxicated, Ludlow Police Sgt. Daniel Valadas said.

Police separated the parties, Valadas said, after the mother of one of them asked police to come to her home on Fuller Street.

The girl was charged with disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace and threatening to commit a crime. The boy was charged with disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, threatening to commit a crime and assault and battery on a police officer.

Patrolman Bradford Tierney and Detective Sean Knox responded to the call on July 27 at 10:40 p.m., Valadas said.

The two will receive a date to appear in Palmer Juvenile Court.

A sloped, zero entry swimming pool is among $1.8 million in improvements at Camp STAR Angelina in Springfield's Forest Park.

SPRINGFIELD - A $1.8 million improvement project at Camp STAR Angelina at Forest Park was in full display this week, including a new handicap accessible swimming pool, but one camper was able to sum up the changes in a word.

"Fun," said Andrew Luis Ortiz of Springfield, as he stepped from the sloped zero-entry pool that provides easy access for special needs and non-special needs campers. Ortiz has been a camper for approximately 10 years.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno agreed with the fun description as he toured the camp off Trafton Road that serves approximately 250 youth each summer. The camp provides recreational programs for campers ages 3 to 22, most with special needs.

"It's a state-of-the-art, first-of-its kind in Western Mass.," Sarno said. "Being able to give back to our kids who are great, great kids, and kids with disabilities..., it warms my heart."

Under the $1.8 million project, the camp has the new in-ground pool, an amphitheater, and a bathhouse, all designed for full handicap accessibility. The amphitheater, for example, has full handicap accessibility to every row and every seat, officials said.

The project was afforded with a $1.2 million state grant and $600,000 in local funds in cash contributions and corporate donations.

Camp Director Jennifer Colglazier said there has been great excitement this summer.

"We have seen kids who have been terrified of the water, and terrified to go into the pool (in the past), and now they are walking in, they are playing and having a good time," Colglazier said. "The little ones don't need their life jackets so they are able to run around and splash and have more fun."

With the sloped zero entry, a camper can "wheel right into the pool," Colglazier said, and there is also a railed entry era.

A proposed future phase of improvements will include construction of a lodge, with a total cost estimated at $1.2 million, said Patrick Sullivan, the city's director of parks, buildings and recreation management. There is a state budget earmark of the $800,000 toward the new phase, that will hopefully be released, he said.

The improvements were greatly needed, as the existing facilities were dated and lacking for the needs of many campers, Sullivan said.

"They love it," Sullivan said. "We are just thrilled we have a complex that can be used for this camp.'

Laura Walsh, a project manager for the city, said there are camps with features that are handicap accessible, but Camp STAR Angelina is the first "universally designed" camp in the region for campers of all abilities.