Beginning with a bridge replacement in 2007, the stretch of I-91 from Northampton to Holyoke has been under repair at various points almost continually for 4 years. Watch video

Republican file photoIn this file photo from 2009, traffic on I-91 backs up as it approaches the scene of construction on the highway over East Street in Easthampton. The stretch between Holyoke and Northampton has seen numerous road repair projects since 2007.

HOLYOKE – Someday, John Torrone tells himself when he is stuck in traffic on Interstate 91, he’ll be able to accelerate along the highway at a normal speed.

Someday.

“I know in the back of my mind someday it’s going to get better, but it’s been going on for so long,” said Torrone, of Westfield.

But, with construction on different projects between Exit 17 in Holyoke and Exit 18 in Northampton now ongoing for four straight years, it is only natural to wonder if someday will ever come.

Torrone works as a lawyer in Holyoke, and part of his job is to stop in regularly at the probate courts in Springfield, Northampton and Greenfield. The most direct route between those three cities is I-91, but thanks to construction and traffic tie-ups associated with it, the shortest distance between two points is not necessarily the fastest.

“It’s hit or miss,” he said.

Sometimes the traffic flows normally, he said. “And, other times it’s a parking lot.”

Torrone said he often takes alternative routes, such as Route 5 through Holyoke to Northampton, just to avoid the interstate.

“I’ve added 5 to 10 miles to my commute,” he said.

Work is under way this summer at multiple points on I-91 in both directions along a 5.8 mile stretch between Holyoke and Northampton, said Michael Verseckes, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

The $9.7 million project, awarded to Lane Construction Corp., of Cheshire, Conn., calls for resurfacing sections of the roadway and performing maintenance on several bridges in both directions, including those over Route 141, Bemis, Country Club and Reservation roads.

The project is scheduled to be completed in the spring.

Work will be ongoing during the daytime behind barriers throughout the summer and into
the fall, Verseckes said.

Workers have begun doing milling of road surfaces and paving between 7 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday.

“This should go on all summer long, starting northbound along the long stretch between Bemis and Country Club roads, and then turning southbound along the same stretch,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of rain this May and June, but nevertheless we’re progressing along.”

The ongoing project is not as extensive as one along the same stretch of highway that wrapped up last summer. The replacement of two bridges spanning East Street in Easthampton affected travel in both directions from 2007 until last summer.

State Police Sgt. Matthew Murray said the construction is not an issue for troopers from the barracks in Northampton, who are responsible for patrolling that stretch of highway.

He said he is not aware of any problems related to the barriers or construction. There has been no dramatic increase or uptick in the number of accidents, nor have there been any problems with traffic tie-ups, he said.

“It’s going as smooth as construction projects can in the summer time,” the sergeant said.

Alfonso Santaniello, who runs a marketing firm in Holyoke located at Open Square, said he has to drive to Easthampton and Northampton three to four times a week on business.

The construction particularly in the last month, causes traffic to gum up each afternoon at spots where the road narrows, he said.

“The slimming down of the road causes people to go real slow,” Santaniello said.

And, even after cars pass through the construction zone, some tend to continue driving slow, he said.

Santaniello said he has no problem with upkeep on the highway because he wants roads that are smooth and bridges to be safe. It is just that the resulting slowdown of traffic plays havoc has a spill-over on to how he does his job.

“I have such a hectic schedule. I’m always rushing from point A to point B,” he said.

Like Torrone, Santaniello said he often gets off the highway to take back roads because of the traffic. Other times, he makes accommodations for the extra time in transit and takes the highway anyway.

“It doesn’t make me crazy because I know it’s there,” he said.

But, Santaniello says he’s sat stopped in traffic on I-91 and watched drivers in cars beside him pounding on the steering wheel, screaming and gesturing every which way.

“You can’t do anything but laugh,” he said.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Carmine Sarno

Carmine Sarno, 58, of West Haven, Conn., passed away Thursday. Born in Bracigliano, Italy, he was a longtime Springfield area resident. He worked for Carando Foods in Springfield for 28 years, and worked for Hummell Brothers in New Haven for nine years. Sarno was a longtime member and acting president of the Eastern Meatpackers Association. He was a member of the Mt. Carmel Society in Springfield and the Italian American Club in West Haven. He enjoyed golf, playing bocce, homemade wine and his garden.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• Demers, Ida M. (Micheli)
  




• 
  Hrybyk, Julia F.
  



• 
  Kousch, AnnMarie




• 
  Looney, Viven K.
  



• 
  Murphy, Verna A. (Kilfoy)
  




• Nelson, Patricia L. (Cloran)
  




• 
  Sarno, Carmine
  



• 
  Senko Jr., Edward W.




• 
  St. John, Dorothy V. (Vogel)
  



• 
  Williams, Raymond K.
  

A deal is in the works for Lafrance Hospitality of Westport to build a restaurant and hotel at Shearer and Thorndike streets.

PALMER – Five lots on Shearer Street may soon be zoned highway business, which would allow the development of a 100- to 140-room hotel and restaurant on the property, according to a Northeast Resorts Group representative.

The Planning Board recently approved the zone change from suburban residential to highway business for the lots as proposed by the Northeast Group, which has options to buy properties at 315, 357, 401, and 403 Shearer St. A .33-acre property on Shearer Street included in the rezoning is the only one without a structure on it, according to the Planning Board.

The Town Council still has to approve the zone change.

James L. St. Amand, Northeast's community liaison, said the company has a deal in the works with Lafrance Hospitality of Westport to build a restaurant and hotel at Shearer and Thorndike streets, across from the spot where Mohegan Sun wants to construct a resort casino off Thorndike Street (Route 32).

Lafrance operates seven hotels, three in Massachusetts, three in New Hampshire and one in Maine, under the names Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn and Comfort Inn, along with three restaurants, and a catering company.

"Northeast is looking forward to working with the newly elected Town Council as we strive to economically develop the Palmer turnpike exit," St. Amand said.

Northeast is leasing 152 acres to Mohegan Sun, whose efforts to open a resort casino have been stymied as casino gaming is not legal in Massachusetts.

Gov. Deval L. Patrick, House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray are attempting to agree on a new casino bill, after one stalled last summer over disagreements about slots at racetracks.

Timothy D. Burkhardt, vice president of hotels for Lafrance, said they are in the process of working out purchase details with Leon H. Dragone, president of Northeast.

File photo/The RepublicanLeon H. Dragone

This would be the company's first foray into Western Massachusetts, and is the only site being considered.

"We've done preliminary studies. We like the site and we like the concept," Burkhardt said. "The location off the MassPike exit is certainly appealing . . . We see the need for economic development and we'd love to be a part of it."

This site, if developed, would likely carry the Hilton or Marriott name. Burkhardt said he is not sure the project would go forward if a casino doesn't happen.

"We are looking to evaluate what the hotel scenario would be without the casino," Burkhardt said.

Building would occur on at least five acres, but that is being researched as well, he said.

Northeast has 16 properties under option around town that total 365 acres. Near the casino site it has options on 21 acres owned by the Berthiaumes in the area of 280 Breckenridge St. and 90 acres owned by Kenneth Sherman to the southeast of the casino property behind homes on Breckenridge, High and Pinney streets.

The parcel being eyed for a hotel and restaurant is part of 20 acres along the Thorndike and Shearer Street corridor, which includes the former icehouse property, that Northeast has under option with various owners.

Nomination papers for all election contests are available until Aug. 5.

WESTFIELD – Nomination papers are now available for a special election to a two-year seat on the School Committee, in the Nov. 8 city’s general election.

The special election will fill the remaining two years of a four-year term held by Laura K. Maloney, who has announced she is resigning effective July 29.

A decision handed down by the city’s Law Department earlier this week prompted City Clerk Karen M. Fanion to provide nomination papers now for Maloney’s seat.

Currently there are four candidates circulating nomination papers for three four-year terms on the School Committee in the general election.

Once Maloney’s resignation becomes official, Mayor Daniel M. Knapik is expected to call a joint meeting of the School Committee and City Council to appoint someone to fill the vacant seat until January’s inaugural of elected officials.

Fanion said papers for the two-year seat are available in her office and must be returned, with 60 signatures of registered voters, by Aug. 9. Those papers, like all nomination papers for the general election, are available until Aug. 5.

Maloney submitted her letter of resignation last week as she prepared to join her husband Barry M. Maloney, who has been appointed president at Worcester State University.

Maloney was first elected in a special election, held in conjunction with the city’s 2007 general election. She was elected to fill the remaining two years of a four-year term of the late Sharon A. Merlo-Gosselin.

Gosselin’s son Jeffrey L. Gosselin was appointed, for four months, to succeed his mother by a joint convention of the School Committee and City Council in September, 2007. Maloney defeated Gosselin in the 2007 city election.

Maloney then won a four-year term for the seat, defeating Gosselin, in the 2009 municipal election.

Gosselin is currently seeking a four-year term on the School Committee in the fall elections.

Maloney’s current term does not expire until 2013.

School Committee veteran members Mary Ann Cleland and Mary Beth Ogulewicz Sacco have already announced they are not candidates for re-election in the scheduled Nov. 8 election. They along with Kevin J. Sullivan, who has not yet announced his intentions, are up for new four-year terms on the school board.

In addition to Gosselin, other potential candidates circulating nomination papers for the School Committee Ramon Diaz Jr. of 242 West Rd.; Michelle P. Lesieur, 101 Hubbard St.; and Melissa Alvarado of 66 East Glen Dr.

The next 250th event will be a parade in September.

BELCHERTOWN – The town of Belchertown celebrated its 250th birthday on Saturday under perfect skies with an anniversary picnic on the town common featuring a little something for everyone – music, classic cars, antique carriages, tractors, face-painting, wagon rides and even a “Bushy Boys” beard growing contest.

“I think it’s great. This is wonderful weather for it,” Lois A. Smith said as she walked to Town Hall to view the quilt exhibit.

Selectman and Town Clerk William R. Barnett explained some of the town’s history, noting it was originally known as Cold Spring for the spring that attracted travelers from Worcester, Springfield and Northampton. It was named after Jonathan Belcher (Belchers Town), a prominent politician at the time who had served as governor of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Jersey. The town was incorporated on June 30, 1761 by the Colonial legislature.

There were a dozen carriages and sleighs from the 1800s, most from the collection of 67-year-old James W. Chevalier, who brought 10 for the event but has more than 80 at his Summer Street home. He specializes in restoring horse-drawn vehicles for a living.

“I started collecting them 40 years ago. They’re all original,” Chevalier said.

It was fitting that antique carriages were on display. According to information on the town website, Belchertown enjoyed an active carriage trade up until the Civil War.

Chevalier’s carriages ranged from a few ornately painted with flowers, to one with a canopy and little trunk attached to the back. Another one carried the advertising message “Use Bowman’s Cough Syrup” from Dutchess Co. with the address of Pine Plains, N.Y.

“I’m sure it was snake oil,” Chevalier said.

Leon P. Demers of Demers & Sons, another carriage and sleigh restoration business in town, had an 1890 carriage with a parasol attached on display. Demers has 70 of the carriages and sleighs, and called Chevalier “his mentor.”

There were numerous vendors selling toys, perennials, clothing and food. The Belchertown Equine Organization was offering rides on Char-lee, a miniature horse; Bob, a “gentle giant;” and Jenna, an Appaloosa pony.

Enjoying the sounds of the Belchertown Community Band was Cheryl Theureau of France, who was visiting family in the area.

“This is very nice. It’s a village celebration,” Theureau said.

Cliff McCarthy, who chaired the anniversary picnic committee, said they brought back some of the events that marked the 200th anniversary, such as the “Bushy Beard” contest. They also planned to honor the queen from the 1961 ball, Martha Mathras Berger.

Face-painting was popular with the children. Katherine South, 17, was doing the face-painting for Belchertown Community Aid Network (CAN) to benefit Red Cross tornado relief efforts. She painted a tiger face on Maelin Pearl Manning, 6 ½, of Greenfield.

“This is great for the kids,’ said Maelin’s grandmother, Darcy A. Jurczyk, of Belchertown.

State Representatives Thomas M. Petrolati and Stephen Kulik, along with Senators Gale D. Candaras and Stanley C. Rosenberg, presented the town with a framed replica of its Articles of Incorporation. They, along with Congressman John W. Olver, gave a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” to Belchertown from the stage.

The next 250th event will be a parade in September.

One of the main jobs of the School Committee is to evaluate the superintendent.

Richard Rege

CHICOPEE – The School Committee is reviewing the way it grades the superintendent, hoping to make the evaluation more effective and user-friendly.

At the same time, it also hopes to upgrade the goals set for the school system on which the superintendent is largely judged, saying they have become outdated.

One of the main jobs of the committee is to evaluate the job of Richard W. Rege Jr. His evaluation is also usually tied to any salary increases.

Over the past few years, Rege’s scores have averaged 4 out of a possible 5.

“We are looking at the instrument to see how we can make it more productive,” School Committee member Donald J. Lamothe said.

The evaluation tool now has at least 35 questions that each committee member answers. They range from asking about Rege’s relationship with the School Committee and his overall ability to communicate to initiatives he started and his work on curriculum.

Lamothe, who has been in charge of compiling several evaluations in the past, said committee members often bring up concerns about questions they find difficult to answer on the evaluation form.

“I do think we need a change. I think there are too many repetitive questions ... and there was a lot of confusion on the questions,” he said.

Any changes made will have to be approved by Rege, since his contract calls for the School Committee and him to agree on his evaluation tool, Lamothe said.

Committee Vice Chairwoman Marjorie A. Wojcik agreed it is time to modify the tool.

“Someone always has questions about how to answer different parts. We may change some questions around,” she said.

Committee member John F. Mruk said he would also like to update the superintendent’s and district’s goals, especially since part of the annual evaluation focuses in part on how Rege is making progress on the goals.

“I think the goals should focus on local concepts or issues, and they should be realistic and attainable,” Mruk said.

One goal, for example, mirrors the No Child Left Behind law that calls for all children to be proficient in English and math by 2014.

Mruk said he believes Rege should have goals that are separate from the school district goals.

Teams are showing their care about the public as more than just customers.

The Republican | Mark M. MurrayPatriots defensive lineman Ron Brace, a Springfield native, has begun fundraising efforts for tornado relief. In addition, the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation said it was teaming up with the United Way to match up to $ 100,000 in public gifts that will be put toward relief for tornado victims in Massachusetts.Brace spoke at Stagg Field on the Springfield College campus.

SPRINGFIELD - In normal times, fans turn to their sports teams for entertainment, enjoying an escape from the pressures of the real world/.

But these are not normal times in Western Massachusetts, where a June 1 tornado ripped apart homes and neighborhoods, and inflicted emotional damage that cannot be tabulated.

Their teams are coming to the rescue as best they can. The recovery effort is underway - the biggest comeback rally in the history of a proud region.

"When our owner, Charlie Pompea, heard about the tornado, the first thing he did was to write a personal check for $5,000, and instruct us to donate from the team account as well,'' Springfield Falcons president Bruce Landon said..

"We put in $2,500, for a total of $7,500, but more is coming. We are running an online auction of NHL and American Hockey League jerseys, many of them actually worn in games.

"In five business days, our friends around hockey donated 24 jerseys. I think that was a remarkable response.''

From Amherst to Springfield to Boston, teams are responding to the need. The New England Patriots have pledged a goal of $200,000 in tornado aid, half coming through fundraising and charitable donations.

Entitled "Winning Drive,'' The campaign is being coordinated through the Patriots Charitable Foundation. The family of Patriots owner Robert Kraft will match the first $100,000 in donations.

Spokesman Stacey James said Thursday that $80,000 had already been raised. He said the team hope to reach its goal by Wednesday, when a public event entitled "Drive Chart,'' will provide an update

Patriots defensive end Ron Brace is taking a personal approach. The Springfield native has launched a series of charity events, including a fashion show to aid the drive.

"That's where I was born and raised,'' Brace told media last week.

He has a Springfied tattoo on his back, he said.

"(The city) made me the person I am today. I can't forget where I came from; everybody I love lives there,'' Brace said.

Other Boston teams have joined the efforts as well.

The Red Sox raised $10,000 in the aftermath of the tornado, and media relations spokesman Pam Ganley said other relief efforts are being developed.

The baseball team collected $5,000 in profts from the June 3 raffle at Fenway Park, when the Red Sox played the Oakland Athletics.
.
They Red Sox will match that total from their own coffers.

The Celtics Shamrock Foundation will match $10,000 in donations from the public. They are soliciting fans to text Celtics to 20222 and pledge a $5.00 donation.

The Celtics are working in conjunction with the Massachusetts Disaster Relief Fund and the United Way. Some other teams are working with the American Red Cross

Landon said the Falcons' commitment is multi-faceted. The hockey jersey auction ongoing.

One item drew a $1,500 bid, Landon said. The fhe final tally will be "significant.'' and will represent the major portion of the team's contribution, he said.

The Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks, who played the Stanley Cup final, were among the jerseys contributors.

The Bruins did not let a Stanley Cup championship run distract them from helping in other ways. The team donated $10,000 of their 50-50 raffle, held during Game 3 of the Cup finals on June 6, to tornado relief.

That contribution doubled to $20,000 when the winning couple in the raffle, Joyce and Steve Eby of Braintree, donated their $10,000 share to the cause.

American Red Cross executive director Rick Lee said the generosity of the team and its couple were remarkable and inspiring. The Eby couple had put down the final $10 they were carrying to enter the raffle, according to reports in Boston media.

The 50-50 winner gets half the pot. The Ebys did not hesitate to divert it to the relief effort.

"We had Red Cross volunteers on the concourse that night, selling tickets for the raffle. The Bruins and the couple really stepped up, and not only that, the Bruins brought home the Cup,'' Lee aid.

Landon said the Falcons reached out on a personal level, contacting season ticket holders in areas affected by the tornado.

The team also staged a drive for food, clothing and supplies in the wake of the tornado.

"In one day, we filled up a locker room and a huge Salvation Army truck. It was a remarkable response by our fans and the public,'' Landon said.

The tornado is personal to the Falcons. The teams' home arena, the MassMutual Center, was barely spared the wrath of the storm, which ravaged Springfield's South End.

University of Massachusetts men's basketball coach Derek Kellogg was affected personally as well. Kellogg grew up in Springfield and is a 1991 graduate of Cathedral High School, which absorbed severe damage.

Kellogg first reacted by bringing players from his team to the Red Cross shelter at the MassMutual Center, where residents left homeless by the tornado were housed.

"We tried to bring some happiness to people who had been suffering,'' he said.

The UMass basketball program is still exploring ways to help in fundraising and other ways. Kellogg expects his team will stage a series of basketball clinics in cooperation with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

"There is a ton of stuff on the table. We're talking about raising money from one of our games next season,'' he said.

Before UMass could become financially involved, even for a charitable effort, Kellogg said he had to make sure NCAA rules were not violated.

Most of his team's help iis still forthcoming, but Kellogg thinks there is value to making contributions down the road.

"Once the initial interest dies down, there will still be a lot that needs to be done. That's where I think we'll be able to (sustain) the help,'' he said.

On Thursday, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference presented a $5,000 check to the relief efforts. The MAAC will be holding its basketball championships at the MassMutual Center, beginning in 2012.

Siena basketball coach Mitch Buonaguro came to Springfield to present the check.

The Springfield Armor pro basketball team, which also plays at the MassMutual Center, has enlisted the support of the NBA and the New Jersey Nets, who serve as NBA's parent club to the Armor.

Armor general manager Alex Schwerin said a total contribution of about $25,000 has been targeted. Similar to the Falcons, the Armor has conducted an online auction of signed basketball items and memorabilia, which has already raised more than $2,500.

"The full proceeds, 100 percent, will be donated to the Red Cross,'' said Schwerin, who said the team expects to present a check during the week of July 11.

The cost of the tornado is staggering in financial and human terms. Four lives were lost, and the state Division of Insurance reports that 9,500 claims have been filed, totaling about $175 million.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said one third of the city was hit. More than 1,200 buildings were demolished, condemned or damaged.

In Monson, costs have been estimated at up to $5 million.

The sports teams are trying to help with fundraising, while also trying to let the affected residents know they look at their public not just as customers, but as friends.

Kellogg said he does not know of any UMass players who have lived through a comparable natural disaster.

"When I took them to Springfield, we walked through the decimated neighborhoods,'' the coach said.

"They saw what had happened, and they talked to the people there. It was very moving. We want people to know we care about them,'' he said.

As the stalemate between Mater Dolorosa parishioners and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield continues, both sides expressed hope for resolution, while standing firm to their respective positions.

(Republican Photo/ Robert Rizzuto)Victor Anop, left, and Frank Galat, parishioners of the now closed Mater Dolorosa Parish Church in Holyoke, said that family history and a lack of transparency in the process to close the church are what led them along with several others to take over the building as they demand answers from and a conversation with Springfield Bishop Timothy McDonnell.

HOLYOKE – Some Mater Dolorosa parishioners plan to spend their first Sunday in church today without permission from the diocese as they hold a continuous vigil until they get a meeting with the bishop and a chance to talk him out of his decision to close their historic church.

Mark Dupont, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, said Saturday Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell will not meet with the group until members leave the church.

“We are trying to be gentle and give them time to wrestle with their feelings, but we have been clear that we will not reward their illegal occupation by meeting a demand,” Dupont said. “If they leave the church, a meeting with the pastor and one of their representatives will be arranged with the bishop.”

The church has been officially closed since Thursday when the last Mass was held. Since then, parishioners have taken over the building, and according to many of those inside, they will stay as long as it takes.

The diocese cited the declining number of Catholics in the city, the location of Mater Dolorosa and structural damage as reasons for closing the church. A structural analysis, performed by Engineering Design Associates, Inc., of West Springfield, estimated the cost of repairs at $475,535.

The parish is merging with that of Holy Cross to create the newly minted Our Lady of the Cross parish, which will worship in the Sycamore Street church used formerly by Holy Cross. The inaugural Mass will be at 10:30 this morning. The diocese said previously that Mater Dolorosa pastor Father Alex B. Cymerman would move to the new church.

The Franciscan Friars Conventual of St. Anthony Province in the eastern United States have agreed to staff the new church, according to a press release from the friars. “For the past 107 years they have had charge of Mater Dolorosa. They also staff St. Stanislaus Basilica parish and St. Anthony parish, both in Chicopee. For 75 years, the Friars ran St. Hyacinth Seminary in Granby, until its closing in 2002,” the release stated.

The Very Rev. James McCurry, minister provincial of the Franciscan Friars, said in the release, “As we Franciscans lead the Catholics of the former Mater Dolorosa and Holy Cross parishes into a new era, we are emphasizing two themes: charity and unity.”

The historic church was built in 1896 when the many Polish immigrants lived in the neighborhood and worked in the nearby paper mills.

“My family has about 110 years of history with this church,” said parishioner Frank Galat said. “Relatives have been baptized, married, and died here. I was born and raised on Lyman Street and my parents were born and raised here too. This church is a part of our family history.”

Galat said that the group is doing their best to keep their spirits up, but he isn’t sure a meeting with the bishop will materialize.

“We’re hopeful, but we’re not optimistic,” Galat said. “He promised to come and speak with us before he did close the church but he never showed up. The only time he came was to speak at us was the last Mass.”

Fellow parishioner Victor Anop said that church members never had a chance to chime in on the subject, a point which Dupont disputes.

“Let me be clear, this process began in late 2004/early 2005 when the bishop made a public announcement that there would be changes to the diocese and elimination of parishes,” Dupont said.

“We brought in a business group from the University of Massachusetts and their recommendations were brought to a pastoral planning committee which transposed it from business to the church. At that time, there were a series of public meetings where the public and parishioners were encouraged to speak their minds on the mergers and closings. Then in August 2009, the announcement was made to close Mater Dolorosa and since then, they have been working toward the merger with Holy Cross.”

“The closing of this parish and many others just don’t meet the modern expectation of due process,” Anop said. “People used to be content just doing what they were told, but those times are gone. When the church was built, the Polish immigrants were content trusting the word of the church, but now we are Polish-Americans, and we expect to have a process we are comfortable working with; one of transparency.”

Anop and others inside the church said they believe the breakdown of communications between the diocese and the parishioners is something that has happened over time and contributed to the current disagreement.

Dupont said before parishioners ask for a meeting with the bishop they should apologize for the behavior shown at the last Sunday Mass, where someone yelled “Liar” as McDonnell spoke about

Structural Conditions Assessment Report of the Mater Dolorosa Parish Church

the parish’s $750,000 debt. Protesters held signs saying “Thou shalt not kill Mater Dolorosa Church” and “The diocese weakens cultural togetherness.”

“People are upset and at the end of the day, we are just men with emotions,” Anop said. “But shouldn’t the bishop, a man of God, be more forgiving than this? We want resolution as much as he does but we aren’t going anywhere until we can have our representatives speak with the bishop and voice our specific concerns and ideas for saving our church.”

Said Dupont, “They remain our brothers and sisters in faith but this is a family squabble, there is no doubt about it. But as the merged church attempts to move into the future together, I hope these parishioners understand the impact they are having on a future we are attempting to walk together.”

Prince Albert II, son of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III, is the reigning prince of Monaco.

MONACO — Monaco's reigning prince, Albert II, has wed South Africa's Charlene Wittstock in a long-awaited civil ceremony that transformed the one-time Olympic swimmer into the Princess of Monaco.

Charlene succeeds Hollywood beauty Grace Kelly, who wed Albert's father Prince Rainier III in 1956 and died in a car accident nearly three decades ago.

Monegasques swarmed the plaza outside the palace, where Friday's ceremony took place, in the hope of catching a glimpse of the newlyweds. The two held a more elaborate religious ceremony and wedding gala Saturday.

Neither the boy's name nor the driver's have been released by police.

AGAWAM - Police continue to investigate a crash at 907 North Street in the Feeding Hills section late Friday afternoon that left a 12-year-old cyclist injured after he collided with an SUV.

Police say the vehicle was traveling east on North Street but the cause of the crash is still under investigation. They were not releasing the boy's name or details of his condition but said he was taken from the scene by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center with apparent serious injuries.

The Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction unit is assisting local police in the investigation. The driver's name was not released and no criminal charges were brought so far in connection with the incident, according to information made available by police.

The Belchertown Land Trust has become heavily involved in the School Department’s efforts to place conservation restrictions on property at Foley Field and Lake Wallace, which will be used for recreation and as an outdoor learning laboratory for the school system.

Brian Tedder photoJames P. Fox, president of the Belchertown Land Trust, in front of the Bondsville dam.

BELCHERTOWN – The head of the Belchertown Land Trust says his group will now be focusing efforts on trail work and other aspects of their organization’s business because of a lawsuit related to the Upper Bondsville Dam.

“Once the complaint was filed, our attorney advised us that any involvement that had to be done after that point would have to be done within executive sessions,” explained James P. Fox, president of the land trust. “There could be no more public discussions about the dam and how it relates to the complaint.”

The trust has become heavily involved in the School Department’s efforts to place conservation restrictions on property at Foley Field and Lake Wallace, which will be used for recreation and as an outdoor learning laboratory for the school system.

“The town felt our organization could act as a good, watchful eye,” Fox said about the School Department property.

The Belchertown Land Trust has placed several properties into conservation restriction status, Fox said, so the organization was asked to be somewhat of a moderator for the school property.

The town’s Conservation Commission will be the enforcement agency for the set of conservation restrictions that were drawn up by the School Department and submitted to the state for approval.

These restrictions basically prohibit building construction or other uses that would violate wetlands laws or the purposes for which the land was given to the School Department by the Belchertown Economic Development Industrial Corp.

Fox said his organization is also focused this summer on trail work for properties it owns in Belchertown, and is staying away from public discussions or decisions about the Upper Bondsville Dam.

The land trust owns the dam and has been ordered by the state to either repair it or take it down because it is in poor condition.

Because demolition of the dam would drastically alter conditions where it has created a lake-like impoundment of the Swift River, many nearby residents and people who use the Swift River for recreation have objected the possibility of taking the dam down.

The Swift River Preservation Association, which was formed to work against the demolition option, has filed suit in state Land Court, seeking to prevent the land trust from demolishing the dam.

Fox said the land trust lawyer has filed a response to the association’s complaint but the land trust representatives will not be discussing the issues in public as they have the past few years.

On Monday at 7:30 p.m. the Springfield Police Departments will begin to close roads in the vicinity of Memorial Bridge. Massachusetts State Police will close Exit 7. Traffic from Exit 6 will be directed east on State Street.

SPRINGFIELD – The Memorial Bridge will be closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic at 11 Sunday night to allow for the set-up of the Star-Spangled Springfield fireworks display.

On Monday at 7:30 p.m. the Springfield Police Departments will begin to close roads in the vicinity of Memorial Bridge. Massachusetts State Police will close Exit 7. Traffic from Exit 6 will be directed east on State Street.

Festivities will begin Monday at 7:30 p.m. in Riverfront Park with a performance by Dan Kane’s Rising Stars, followed by a fireworks display from the Memorial Bridge at 9:30 p.m. WHYN-FM, Channel 93.1, will broadcast a musical simulcast for the 20-minute display.

The bridge will open on Monday around 11 p.m. after the fireworks.

There is no charge for the event, but donations are being accepted, and all will go to Monson tornado relief.

The Republican / John SuchockiKeep Homestead Museum in Monson.

The Keep Homestead Museum will hold an ice cream social Sunday at its museum at 35 Ely Road. The tornado downed numerous trees on the property, but the building is still intact.

The ice cream social will be held from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Hiking trails are now open, thanks to the efforts of cleanup crews.

There is no charge for the event, but donations are being accepted, and all will go to Monson tornado relief. For information, call (413) 267-4137 or visit www.keephomesteadmuseum.org

Two chairs were taken from an Upper Hill home at 456 Wilbraham Road some time before 2 a.m. Sunday, according to city police.

SPRINGFIELD -- If such an honor as The Low Blow Award existed, it might be given to the individuals who swiped two wheelchairs from a Wilbraham Road home early Sunday morning.

A mother of a disabled girl called police around 2:07 a.m. Sunday to report that two men stole her daughter's wheelchairs from their home at 456 Wilbraham Road in the city's Upper Hill neighborhood.

It was not immediately clear where the wheelchairs had been stored, but the men were last seen around 1:50 a.m. pushing them northbound on Roosevelt Avenue, according to Springfield police reports.

Police said the woman's description of the thieves only indicated that both were black males. Officers were canvassing the area in search of the men, but no arrests had been made as of 2:30 a.m.

Wheelchair thefts are not that unusual in Massachusetts, which has strong laws supporting the rights of disabled residents and equally strong penalties for violators.

In Lawrence last month, an 8-year-old boy's wheelchair was stolen from his family's front porch. That case attracted widespread media attention and led to an outpouring of support for the boy, who has cerebral palsy.

THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of where two wheelchairs were stolen from an Upper Hill home early Sunday morning:

View Larger Map

a pair of recent homicides -- the city's first killings of the year -- prompted the march to reclaim city streets from thugs who perpetrate gun violence and other crimes in the Paper City. The event also was intended to show that most of the city's younger residents are not involved in illicit activities.

HOLYOKE -- A protest march to take back city streets from thugs who perpetrate gun violence and other crimes in Holyoke attracted a large crowd of supporters on Saturday, according to police.

Back-to-back June homicides inspired the protest, which took place a hot, sunny afternoon and drew dozens of marchers.

On June 19, 26-year-old Oscar Castro became Holyoke's first murder victim of 2011 when he was shot in the head in an apparent gang-related killing outside the Clover Cafe at 104 High St.

A day later, 23-year-old Reynaldo Fuentes became the city's second homicide victim when he was shot to death behind Las Chicas Market at 341 Appleton St. There have been several shootings and stabbings since then, but no fatalities

Holyoke police have charged three brothers with Fuentes' death. No arrests have been made in the Castro case, which remains under investigation.

On Saturday, peace marchers protested the surging violence by taking their message to the streets, as the procession wended its way through some of Holyoke's most troubled neighborhoods.

Whether or not the bad guys got the message is anybody's guess, but the march didn't trigger any problems, according to Holyoke Police Sgt. Laurence Cournoyer.

"It was a nice event," Cournoyer said Sunday, estimating at least 100 people took part in Saturday's peace parade.

"I was shocked, waking up (June 19) hearing a shooting, and (June 20) I'm walking around and I heard the shot," Holyoke resident Louis Burgos told CBS3 news.

"I hope all this can go down, like the crime and all that, I want to be a cop to make a change here, too," Burgos said.

The march also was intended to dispel the notion that most of the city's younger residents are involved in criminal activities when, in fact, most are not, according to participants.

Holyoke Police Lt. Manuel Febo told CBS3 that the Paper City, like any other urban area, typically experiences a spike in violent crime during the summer months. But, he added, police can't fight crime without help from city residents.

"It's important to get the community involved; it takes everybody," he said.

Military officials are charging three California-based Marine corporals with fraud and larceny for entering in a pair of sham marriages to collect housing funding, officials said.

AP Photo/KGTVThis undated image from video provided by KGTV shows U.S. Marine Cpl. Ashley Vice, left, and Jaime Murphy during an interview near Camp Pendleton, Calif. The same-sex couple are due to face charges of defrauding the government stemming from a sham marriage with a straight male Marine in order to receive an allowance for off-base housing.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Military officials are charging three California-based Marine corporals with fraud and larceny for entering in a pair of sham marriages to collect housing funding, officials said.

The military alleges that a Lesbian couple — one a Marine, the other a civilian — decided to live together off base and wanted to collect the $1,200 housing benefit granted to married Marines.

The female Marine found a male Marine willing to get married, allowing them to collect the housing benefit, and the civilian woman also eventually married a Marine and collected funds, 1st Lt. Maureen Dooley, a spokeswoman at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, said Saturday.

The female Marine, Cpl. Ashley Vice, told San Diego's KGTV-TV that she and her partner, Jaime Murphy, were forced to enter sham marriages because the military does not provide allowances for unmarried couples and they couldn't afford to live off base without the extra money. She and her partner only wanted to "be a family," Vice said.

"It doesn't matter what their sexual preferences are, if they're violating the law and making fraudulent use of government money, they will be held accountable," Dooley said.

The corporals, assigned to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Camp Pendleton, now face fraud and larceny charges, but more could come later, and the three could have to pay back $75,000 to the military.

The military does not have jurisdiction over the civilian woman, Dooley said, and it was not clear if she would face charges.

Even after the military officially drops its ban against openly gay or lesbian members, same-sex couples, even if married, would still not be eligible because of a federal law defining marriage only as between a man and a woman.

Vice told the station she and the other corporals, Jeremiah Griffin and Joseph Garner, could face at least a year in the brig at Miramar, since none of them can afford to pay the government back.

In addition to jail time, Vice said she will likely be demoted in rank from corporal to private.

There were no reported injuries in a two-car collision on Boston Post Road (Route 20) in Wilbraham shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday. One vehicle wound up on its roof, while the other sustained front-end damage.

Staff Photo by JOE DEBURROA two-car collision on Boston Post Road (Route 20) in Wilbraham shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday looked worse than it was, according to Wilbraham Fire Capt. Peter Nothe. Despite one vehicle winding up on its roof, no one was transported to the hospital, Nothe said.

WILBRAHAM -- A two-car collision on Boston Post Road (Route 20) shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday flipped one vehicle onto its roof and left another badly damaged. But there were no reported injuries in the incident, which slowed traffic as rescue personnel tended to the scene.

The crash was reported at 7:50 p.m. and occurred a couple of hundred feet west of Crane Hill Road, according to a Wilbraham emergency dispatch official, who said an ambulance was sent to the scene.

However, no one was taken to the hospital, despite the serious nature of the crash.

"Nobody was transported," Wilbraham Fire Capt. Peter Nothe said early Sunday.

The incident looked worse than it actually was, according to Nothe.

The impact of the collision caused one car to land on its roof near the shoulder of the road, while another with a chewed up front end remained in the roadway.

It was not immediately clear which direction the vehicles were traveling, but one car was facing east immediately after the crash.

THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate site of a two-car collision that flipped one vehicle onto its roof Saturday night in Wilbraham:

View Larger Map

Hundreds of barrels of crude oil spilled into Montana's Yellowstone River after an ExxonMobil pipeline beneath the riverbed ruptured, sending a plume 25 miles downstream and forcing temporary evacuations, officials said.

AP Photo/The Billings GazetteOil swirls in a flooded gravel pit in Lockwood, Mont., after a pipeline break early Saturday, July 2. The ExxonMobil pipeline that runs under the Yellowstone River near Billings in south-central Montana ruptured and dumped an unknown amount of oil into the waterway, prompting temporary evacuations along the river.

MATTHEW BROWN, Associated Press

LAUREL, Mont. (AP) — Hundreds of barrels of crude oil spilled into Montana's Yellowstone River after an ExxonMobil pipeline beneath the riverbed ruptured, sending a plume 25 miles downstream and forcing temporary evacuations, officials said.

The break near Billings in south-central Montana fouled the riverbank and forced municipalities and irrigation districts Saturday to close intakes.

The river has no dams on its way to its confluence with the Missouri River just across the Montana border in North Dakota. It was unclear how far the plume might travel.

Cleanup crews deployed booms and absorbent material as the plume moved downstream at an estimated 5 to 7 mph.

"The parties responsible will restore the Yellowstone River," Mont. Gov. Brian Schweitzer said.

A 600-foot-long black smear of oil coated Jim Swanson's riverfront property just downstream from where the pipe broke.

"Whosever pipeline it is better be knocking on my door soon and explaining how they're going to clean it up," Swanson said as globules of oil bubbled to the surface. "They say they've got it capped off. I'm not so sure."

ExxonMobil spokeswoman Pam Malek said the pipe leaked an estimated 750 to 1,000 barrels of oil for about a half-hour before it was shut down. Other Exxon officials had estimated up to 42,000 gallons of crude oil escaped.

AP Photo/The Billings GazetteThe scene from above the Yellowstone River in Montana, where an underground oil pipeline ruptured and spilled oil into the river on Saturday, July 2.

Duane Winslow, Yellowstone County director of disaster and emergency services, said the plume was dissipating as it moved downstream. "We're just kind of waiting for it to move on down while Exxon is trying to figure out how to corral this monster," Winslow said.

"The timing couldn't be worse," said Steve Knecht, chief of operations for Montana Disaster and Emergency Services, who added that the plume was measured at 25 miles near Pompeys Pillar National Monument. "With the Yellowstone running at flood stage and all the debris, it makes it dang tough to get out there to do anything."

Brent Peters, the fire chief for the city of Laurel about 12 miles west of Billings, said the rupture in the 12-inch diameter pipe occurred late Friday about a mile south of Laurel.

He said about 140 people in the Laurel area were evacuated early Saturday due to concerns about possible explosions and the overpowering fumes. He said they were allowed to return at about 4 a.m. after fumes had decreased.

Winslow said hundreds of residents downstream were told to evacuate in the early morning hours as authorities knocked on doors, but it's unclear how many did.

In a statement, ExxonMobil said it was sending a team to help with cleanup, and that state and federal authorities had been alerted to the spill. The ExxonMobil Pipeline Company "deeply regrets this release," it said.

Crews were putting out absorbent material along stretches of the river in Billings and near Laurel, but there were no attempts at capturing oil farther out in the river. In some areas oil flowed underneath booms and continued downstream.

The smell of oil permeated the air for miles downstream and through the city of Billings.

AP Photo/Matthew BrownOil from a ruptured ExxonMobil pipeline is seen in the Yellowstone River and along its banks near Laurel, Mont., on Saturday July 2. The pipeline break was contained early Saturday morning, but the spill stretched over dozens of miles.

"Nobody's been able to lay their eyes on the pipe," Peters said. "Right now, the Yellowstone River is at flood stage. The bank isn't stable enough for anybody to get close."

The cause of the rupture in the pipe carrying crude oil from Belfry, Mont., to the company's refinery in Billings wasn't known. Peters and Malek said speculation involves high water that might have gouged out the river bed and exposed the pipe, which was possibly hit by debris.

"I haven't seen it this high for at least 15 years," Peters said.

Jeb Montgomery of ExxonMobil said the pipe was buried six feet below the riverbed.

The state has received record rainfall in the last month and also has a huge snowpack in the mountains that is melting, which has resulted in widespread flooding in recent weeks.

Three oil refineries are in the Billings area, and Peters said he asked all three to turn off the flow of oil in their pipelines under the river once the leak was reported. He said ExxonMobil and Cenex Harvest Refinery did so, and that Conoco Phillips said its pipe was already shut down.

He said the river where the leak occurred is about 250 yards wide, and that an oil slick appeared to be about 20 feet wide.

"That was the farthest my flashlight would reach," he said.

Laurel, which has about 6,500 residents, is known for a huge Fourth of July fireworks display put on by the fire department. Peters said the town can swell to as many as 50,000 people for the event.

He said the fire department plans to hold the event on Monday.

On Saturday, just hours after peace protesters finished marching for an end to street violence in Holyoke, a city man was seriously injured in a Main Street knife assault.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE -- The same day dozens of city residents paraded for peace and an end to violence in Holyoke, a city man was seriously injured after being stabbed in the back. The incident underscored the protesters' message that more needs to be done to reduce violence in the Paper City, which has experienced two homicides and a surge in other serious felony crimes in recent weeks.

Around 11 p.m. Saturday, 28-year-old Andre McClendon, whose street address wasn't immediately available, was stabbed in the lower right back, or kidney area, according to Holyoke Police Sgt. Laurence Cournoyer.

"We're still investigating and interviewing people," Cournoyer said early Sunday.

The stabbing occurred at an apartment at 859 Main St. and was reported around 11:04 p.m., but Cournoyer said he was unsure if the incident happened inside or outside the residence.

"He's not providing us with any information at this point," Cournoyer said of McClendon, who was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield for treatment.

Cournoyer said McClendon's injury wasn't considered life-threatening.

Police had no suspects as of early Sunday morning.

English royals tour French-speaking Quebec, holiday weekend shootings plague Hartford, and more of this morning's headlines.

AP PhotoMathew McCormack of Bellevue, Wash., drops into the upper bowl at Crystal Mountain Ski Area on Saturday, July 2. The resort is planning to be open for snow skiing through Independence Day, along with at least next weekend.

• Local Buddhist organization helping Springfield tornado victims [WWLP.com]


• Tour of tornado cleanup efforts in East Forest park with abc40, media partner of The Republican/MassLive.com [WGGB.com]


• Drugs, diminishing public safety resources and other factors cited in rise in Pioneer Valley break-ins [GazetteNet.com]


• Holiday weekend shootings in Hartford so far have claimed one life and injured two [Courant.com]


• Connecticut police prepare for marijuana decriminalization [Courant.com]


• Despite notoriety, Bulger no easy case [Boston.com]


• Finding a green lining in slow property sales [Boston.com]


• Casey Anthony trial: prosecution, defense get last chance to make their case [ChicagoTribune.com]


• Gov. Patrick supports controversial Berkshire County court pick [BerkshireEagle.com]



Associated Press video of a bomb squad officer in Thailand who narrowly escaped death when a car bomb exploded on Friday:




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


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