The sale of the former school administration building for development as downtown apartments needs approval from the City Council

File photo | The RepublicanSpringfield School Department building on State Street.

SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Domenic J. Sarno has selected a New Haven, Conn., company as the “preferred developer” of the former School Department administration building on State Street to convert the building to market rate apartments.

College Street Management (CSM North) of New Haven is proposing 30 to 35 apartments in the century-old building at 195 State St., which was vacated a year ago. The School Department moved to the old federal courthouse at 1550 Main St. last summer.

Sarno said he is “very excited” about the housing project, adding that it fits with the city’s goal of bringing in more market rate housing to the downtown area.

Under its proposal, CSM North would pay $1 for the property. The transfer needs approval from the City Council.

The price is “due to the immense investment required to redevelop the property,” said Brian M. Connors, deputy director of the city’s Office of Planning and Economic Development.

Connors estimated the developer will invest $3.5 million to $4 million in private funds, with no taxpayer subsidies.

One other proposal was received, submitted by GLC Development of Boston, offering $25,000 for the city property. However, GLC’s proposal required $500,000 in city funding commitments through its Neighborhood Stabilization Program and Community Development Block Grant program. The proposal would have also triggered low income restrictions, and was conditional on receiving a number of tax credits, Connors said in a project summary.

Domenic Sarno

Sarno said the $1 price offered by CSM North is offset by the city’s gains.

The city benefits from the major private investment, the restored use of the State Street building, new annual tax revenues estimated at between $40,000 to $60,000, and by the addition of market rate housing, Sarno said.

Groups that have supported the CSM North’s proposal include the State Street Alliance, the Armory Quadrangle Civic Association, the Business Improvement District, the Springfield Preservation Trust, and neighbors such as the Springfield Museums and Classical Condominiums, Connors said. A city review committee recommended selection of CSM North.

The School Department vacated the building due to concerns about building’s age, interior conditions, lack of air conditioning and poor ventilation.

Renovations will include a new heating and air conditioning system, an all new elevator core, and significant asbestos cleanup, Connors said. Parking will be available at an adjacent lot, under a planned agreement with the Springfield Museums.

The company has completed market rate housing projects in New Haven, Hartford, Lowell and Lawrence, and owns 22 properties in 10 cities in four states, Connors said.

The review committee consisted of Carol A. Costa, Glenn Davis, Samalid Hogan, Robert McCarroll and Holly Smith-Bove.

The City Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee has a meeting scheduled Tuesday at 1 p.m., at City Hall to discuss the project.

Rescuers are looking for a 14-year-old boy who disappeared in the Chicopee River behind the Front Street Library.

View full sizeThe Republican | Dave RobackAt the scene behind Ames Road on the banks of the Chicopee River, where a 14-year-old boy is missing Monday night in the Chicopee River. Emergency personnel from Chicopee police and fire along with the Massachusetts State Police look over the banks of the river.

The Republican | Dave RobackStanding on the banks of the river, from left, are Emilio Santana, 19, Kevin Sanchez, 20, and Orlando Roseo, 23, all of Springfield.

CHICOPEE – Chicopee and state police are searching a section of the Chicopee River for a 14-year-old boy who disappeared while swimming, state police said.

The search is concentrating on a section of the river behind the new Front Street Library, according to the state police office of media relations. The boy, whose name was not released by police, is presumed drowned.

The state police Air Wing helicopter is assisting with the search, he said.

As the search continued, people who live in the area said it is not uncommon to see people swimming in the river frequently especially on hot days.

One man at the scene, Orlando Rosario, 23, of Chicopee, said he and two of his friends jumped into the river one after another. The boy who is missing jumped in second, just before he did, and disappeared.

When he never resurfaced, those in the river initially searched for him before calling for help, he said.

"We were swimming and swimming and we couldn't see him," he said.

Rosario said he's know the boy for about two weeks and has come swimming with him at the river nearly ever day since.

Another man, Emilio Santana, 19, said he saw the boy slip into the water and then get caught under the waterfall in the river.

More information will be posted as it develops.

Republican reporter Jeanette Deforge contributed to this report.

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An FBI spokesman said it did not appear the device was intended to be used in an attack.

NEWARK, N.J. — Authorities say a stun gun found aboard a JetBlue plane that landed in Newark last week resembled a cellphone.

Bryan Travers, a spokesman for the FBI's Newark office, said it did not appear the device was intended to be used in an attack. Travers also said no law enforcement official was seated where the stun gun was found.

The FBI's office in Boston is leading the investigation into how the stun gun got onto the plane.

Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman says a police report indicates cleaning crews found a black stun gun in a black case resembling a cellphone. There were no indications it had been fired.

The crew was cleaning Flight 1179 from Boston on Friday night after the flight had landed and all 96 passengers were off the plane.

The auctions are intended to return properties to the tax rolls and reduce blight in neighborhoods.

SPRINGFIELD – The city has scheduled an auction on July 19 to sell 26 tax-foreclosed properties, an event that was postponed from a month ago due to the June 1 tornado.

The auction begins at 6 p.m., at City Hall, and features nine houses, one commercial property and 16 lots. Registration begins at 5 p.m.

Open houses are scheduled July 18.

It is the second city auction of the year and is being conducted by Daniel J. Flynn & Co. of Quincy.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the sale of the properties leads to renovations and reuse having a “a tremendous impact on the abutting property owners’ quality of life and adds to the overall aesthetics of our city’s neighborhoods.”

The city has been very aggressive in its tax taking process, “and getting these properties back on the tax rolls is a huge benefit to the city,” Sarno said.

A 5 percent buyer’s premium covers the auction fee, so the cost is added to each high bid, which represents the final sale price.

Auction participation requires bidders to come prepared with a certified or bank check, made out to themselves, in the amount of $5,000 per property.

The auctioneer, Daniel J. Flynn, has praised the Springfield auctions as being well-attended and as providing great values for buyers looking to invest in and purchase real estate.

Additional details, including specific open house schedules and property information, are available in the photo gallery accompanying this story or on the map below, on the city’s website at www.springfieldcityhall.com, or from Daniel J. Flynn & Co., Inc., at www.flynnauctions.com.

View Springfield Municipal Auction scheduled July 19, 2011 in a larger map
Click on markers for more information
Legend:
Blue markers: Houses
Purple markers: Lots
Green marker: Commercial property

The deaths of Rosario and Wheeler are the 10th and 11th homicides in Springfield since the start of the year, and each is blamed on gang activity.

Submitted by Jenna RolandiniTyrel Wheeler

SPRINGFIELD – A 16-year-old boy who Thursday was found shot multiple times in a Forest Park intersection died of his injuries Sunday night, becoming the city’s third homicide in less than a week and the second involving a teen in as many days.

Tyrel Wheeler of Porter Street, Springfield, who had been in critical condition since Thursday died at Baystate Medical Center shortly after being taken off life-support systems, said Springfield police Sgt. John Delaney, aide to Commissioner William J. Fitchet.

His death comes one day after 18-year-old James Rosario was shot to death early Saturday during a house party at his parent’s home at 85 Edgeland St.

Police said Rosario was shot multiple times when a minor altercation got out of hand, and some pushing and shoving quickly escalated to gunfire. His parents were not home at the time.

On July 3, Raul E. Vera, 38, was found shot to death on Lincoln Street.

The deaths of Rosario and Wheeler are the 10th and 11th homicides in Springfield since the start of the year, and each, Delaney said, is being called gang related.

Both Wheeler and Rosario were active members in city street gangs, he said. Neither shooting, however, is directly related to the other, he said.

The only common denominator is that the victims were actively involved in city street gangs, he said.

“The pattern is gang members shooting other gang members. That’s the pattern” he said.

At this point, no one has been arrested in connection with either shooting, although Delaney said he is confident there will be arrests.

Wheeler was found lying in the road at Washington and Meredith streets in the Forest Park neighborhood Thursday afternoon. His mother’s silver Honda was found crashed into a parked car nearby.

Wheeler did not have a driver’s license.

View full sizeRepublican staff photo by Patrick JohnsonA Springfield police office walks back to his cruiser on Washington Street. Behind him is the scene where a 16-year-old shooting victim had been found in the road.

Police believe he was shot somewhere else and drove the car for an unknown distance before either falling or jumping out at Washington and Meredith. The amount of blood inside the car indicated he had been in it for some time.

Police are working to determine where the shooting occurred. No one in the vicinity reported hearing gunshots, and the city’s Shot Spotter gunshot detection system did not record any gunfire, Delaney said.

At this point last year, the Springfield had nine homicides and was en route to a year-end total of 16.

This is only the third time since 2000 that Springfield has had as many homicides this late into the year.

The other years were 2004 and 2007. The final tally for 2004 was 17 homicides, while in 2007 it climbed to 20, which ties a 20-year high.

Since 2005, Springfield has averaged 16.4 homicides per year.

Of the 27 people killed in Springfield in the since Jan. 1, 2000, 17 were 25 years old or younger.

The Republican | Dave RobackMassachusetts State Police and Springfield Police investigate the scene of the killing Saturday morning of 18-year-old James Rosario on Edgeland Street during a house party.

“It’s absolutely frustrating for me and all my staff,” he said. “I wish I could be an optimist or say some inspirational stuff but I am down a little bit.”

Brown said he knew Wheeler for a couple of years after his mother enrolled him in AWAKE programs.

“He was a good kid,” he said.

Delaney said the level of violence involving rival gangs hurts the city’s reputation by leading people to believe the city is more violent than it is.

“The gang problem we have in Springfield is not unlike any other city in New England,” he said. “We are dealing with it.”

He said “Citizens who are not in a gang or do not deal drugs do not have anything to worry about.” He said Fitchet intends to use grant money to put more officers on the street in high-visibility patrols in neighborhoods that have high gang activity. The increased presence has a goal of suppressing the level of violence, he said.

“Police are not clairvoyant. We can’t predict when the next murder will be,” he said. “That would be like predicting when the next fatal car accident will be.”

Rather than predicting accidents, police try to prevent them by having police on the street to enforcing traffic laws and stopping speeders.

Republican reporter George Graham contributed to this report.

As the stalemate continues, the pressure increases; a government default could trigger another enormous economic swoon.

Associated PressPresident Barack Obama meets with Republican and Democratic leaders regarding the debt ceiling, Monday, July 11, 2011, in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington. From left are, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, the president, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

By ANDREW TAYLOR
and BEN FELLER

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and congressional leaders on Monday emerged still deeply divided over how to slash the nation's debt, with reality sinking in that even a middle-ground proposal was not big enough to succeed and would not get through Congress anyway.

As time runs perilously short for action, Obama challenged top lawmakers to return to the White House on Tuesday with fresh ideas for a debt-reduction plan that could pass the House and Senate. All sides are scrambling to reach a deal as part of a tradeoff in which Congress would agree to extend the nation's debt limit by Aug. 2 to prevent a catastrophic government default on its bills.

Turning up the pressure, Obama declared that he would reject any stopgap extension of the nation's borrowing limit, imploring lawmakers once again to reach one of the most sizable debt-reduction deals in years.

He refused to even entertain a backup plan if that doesn't happen.

"We are going to get this done," Obama insisted in a news conference.

In a 90-minute closed meeting, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor spelled out potential spending cuts that had been identified in talks led for weeks by Vice President Joe Biden. But Democratic lawmakers in the room made clear such a cutting-only approach without tax hikes on wealthier Americans would never pass the Democratic-led Senate or the House, where Democratic votes would be needed, too.

It did not appear, either, that such a plan would meet the House Republicans' own standard of a debt-cutting package. They want cuts that would exceed the size of the increase in the debt limit, which could be about $2.4 trillion to get the country through 2012 and next year's elections.

Republicans won't support a package that raises any taxes.

As the stalemate continues, the pressure increases. A government default could trigger another enormous economic swoon.

Democratic officials familiar with the White House position in the private talks insist that leaders of the House and Senate will not let that happen, and that Republicans ultimately would vote to raise the debt limit even if a deficit-cutting package does not come together in time.

Yet Republicans say otherwise. House Speaker John Boehner insists the House can't pass such a bill.

"I agree with the president that the national debt limit must be raised, and I'm glad that he made the case for it today," Boehner told reporters. "But the American people will not accept - and the House cannot pass - a bill that raises taxes on job creators."

Obama renewed his case for a package that would put a historic dent in the country's deficits by blending politically poisonous elements for both parties: tax hikes for the wealthy and big corporations opposed by Republicans and social service cuts that Democrats decry

He implored both political parties to give ground and show the American people that Washington can actually work.

"If not now, when?" Obama said.

By all accounts, Obama's third meeting with House and Senate leaders in under a week produced little movement.

Cantor did most of the talking for Republicans, aides said, outlining up to $2.3 trillion in spending cuts over the upcoming decade, with $1.3 trillion coming from squeezing the day-to-day budgets of Cabinet agencies including the Pentagon.

Cantor erred on the high end of the savings range in virtually every instance. The White House countered that the cuts really added up to more like $1.7 trillion, which would leave negotiators $700 billion short of the $2.4 trillion being sought and no bipartisan way to make up the gap.

Democrats suggested that most spending cuts be concentrated in the later years of a deal, but a Republican aide said GOP lawmakers took issue with that suggestion and want the cuts to begin right away.

Obama spent most of his time encouraging lawmakers to reconsider a bigger deal, on the order of some $4 trillion in spending cuts and tax hikes over 10 years. Democrats familiar with the talks said the meeting produced a clearer recognition that the leaders were going to have to go back and think again about how to find a compromise.

Obama has offered to entertain raising the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67 years if Republicans make compromises, including letting tax cuts for wealthy Americans expire at the end of 2012, according to a Democratic congressional aide.

Yet the path to an accord remained hard to see. Cantor told reporters earlier in the day: "We are not going to raise taxes. That's all."

All the officials familiar with the talks spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose details of the private discussions.

Obama told reporters he would meet with the lawmakers every day until an agreement is reached. They have two weeks or less to do so in order to get any deal through Congress in time. He asked lawmakers to return to the White House on Tuesday at 3:45 p.m. EDT.

Obama tried to alter the debate by saying in his news conference that any potential tax increases on wealthier people would not take effect until 2013. Notably, that would fall after the next election.

The president said he would refuse to accept stopgap legislation of a few months to keep the nation from defaulting. "It's not going to get easier; it's going to get harder," Obama said. "So we might as well do it now. Pull off the Band-Aid. Eat our peas."

More broadly, Obama sought to position himself as the pragmatist seeking a compromise in a divided town.

To Republicans, he said they have long pushed deficit reduction as the way to create desperately needed jobs and now won't take yes for an answer. "Where are they?" he said.

And to Democrats eager to protect entitlements, Obama said doing nothing is not tenable.

"So, yeah, we're going to have a sales job," he conceded. "This is not pleasant."

Obama made clear Monday that any changes to Social Security would be designed to ensure money is available for beneficiaries years from now — as opposed to trimming costs to reduce the deficit. One possibility would lower cost-of-living increases for recipients.

Many Democrats deeply oppose that idea. As to why that would be included in debt talks, Obama said it all came back to politics.

"If you're going to take a bunch of tough votes," he said, "You might as well do it now."

Associated Press writers Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Erica Werner, Julie Pace contributed to this story.

A 19-year-old Westfield man and a 14-year-old Chicopee boy is missing.

The Republican | Dave RobackAt the scene behind Ames Road on the banks of the Chicopee River, where a 14-year-old boy is missing Monday night in the Chicopee River. Emergency personnel from Chicopee police and fire along with the Massachusetts State Police look over the banks of the river.

Updates stories on water rescue operations in Chicopee and in Southwick:

Two teenagers in separate communities were presumed to have drowned after they jumped into water to cool off from the 90 degree heat and failed to surface Monday.

Emergency personnel in Southwick started searching for a 19-year-old Westfield man who disappeared in the Congamond Lakes around 4:30 p.m. Monday. Less than three hours later, Chicopee Police started searching for a 14-year-old who was believed to have drowned in the Chicopee River.

The Southwick police dive team assisted by the fire department searched for nearly five hours on the Connecticut side of the lakes. They called off the search just before 9 p.m. when it make it too difficult in the dark. At that point the man was presumed dead, said Southwick Police Lt. David A. Ricardi.

“The rescue operation ceased at dark, and at that point, it became a recovery,” he said.

The man, whose name was not released, was on a pontoon boat with a group of friends when he jumped off and disappeared in the water, Ricardi said.

“One of the individuals on the boat said they saw him go down, come back up, go down again, and he stayed down,” he said.

Manon Mirabelli photoA diver comes out of Middle Pond of Congamond Lakes in Southwick as rescue personnel continue search and rescue operations for a 19-year-man who was last seen in the water after jumping from a boat on Monday.

In Chicopee, the police department dive team, assisted by the fire department searched an area of the Chicopee River near the dam. Helicopters from the Massachusetts State police searched the river from above.

Chicopee police were notified at about 6:55 p.m. that a 14-year-old boy from Chicopee had gone into the water and not surfaced. He was last seen in an area behind the Chicopee Public on 449 Front St., Capt. Lonny Dankin said.

The search was still continuing at 11 p.m., according to state police. His name was not released.

The swift current created by the dam made it difficult for the dive team to navigate the water and find the boy, Dankin said.

One man at the scene, Orlando Rosario, 23, of Chicopee, said he, another man and the 14-year-old jumped into the river one after another.

When the teenager never resurfaced, those in the river initially searched for him before calling for help, he said.

“We were swimming and swimming and we couldn’t see him,” he said.

The boy disappeared at about 6:45 p.m., he said.

Elvin Diaz said he jumped in first and he said saw his friend slip or jump off the waterfall of the dam.

“He wasn’t coming up,” he said.

The Republican | Dave RobackStanding on the banks of the river, from left, are Emilio Santana, 19, Kevin Sanchez, 20, and Orlando Roseo, 23, all of Springfield.

Another man, Emilio Santana, 19, said he saw the boy slip into the water and then get caught under the waterfall in the river.

As the search continued, people who live in the area said it is not uncommon to see teenagers swimming in the river frequently especially on hot days. Many adults said they are constantly telling their children and other neighborhood children to stay out of the river.

“They are swimming here every day. I just said to my girlfriend something was going to happen,” said Laura Goodroe, who lives nearby.

She said she had called police in the past but had never seen them kick the kids out of the river.

Raymond Lablanc said he caught his son swimming there three weeks ago and yelled at him and told him to never come back.

Afterward he flagged down a police officer and told him about the kids swimming, but the officer did not chase the kids out of the area, Lablanc said.

Dankin said he has never heard a complaint about kids swimming in the river, but referred the issue to the Police Chief John R. Ferraro Jr., who was not available last night.

Yesterday’s drowning is the second on Congamond Lakes Middle Pond in less than a month. On June 19, 22-year-old Larry Cauley also disappeared in the water after jumping or falling from a pontoon boat at about 12:30 a.m. His body was discovered 36 hours later.

Manon L. Mirabelli contributed to this story

Mayor Michael Tautznik, 4 incumbent city councilors and former police captain Donald Emerson have taken out papers.

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EASTHAMPTON – Nomination papers are now available for the November election in the City Clerk’s office in the Municipal Building at 50 Payson Ave.

Mayor Michael A. Tautznik, four incumbent city councilors and a former police captain have taken them out so far.

Precinct 1 Councilor Daniel C. Hagan, Precinct 2 Councilor Justin P. Cobb, Councilor At-Large Andrea H. Burns and City Council President Joseph P. McCoy, an at-large councilor, were running for re-election as of Wednesday.

Former Capt. Donald Emerson, a 43-year veteran of the police force, has taken out papers to seek an at-large councilor position. Emerson retired on November 18, 2010.

Precinct 3 Councilor Joy E. Winnie, Precinct 4 Councilor Salem Derby, Precinct 5 Councilor Daniel D. Rist, and at-large councilors Donald L. Cykowski and Ronald D. Chateauneuf had not taken out papers as of Wednesday.

The mayor will serve a two-year term. Tautznik is running for his eighth term as the only mayor the city has ever had.

The City Council has nine seats. There are five district councilors and four councilors at-large. Each position carries a two-year term.

There are six seats up for grabs on the School Committee, each one carrying a two-year term. No one had taken out papers for those seats as of Wednesday.

Candidates for mayor, School Committee and councilor at-large must gather 100 signatures, no more than 25 from each district. Precinct Councilor candidates need 50 signatures, all from the district they want to represent.

Candidates have until Tuesday, September 20, to file their papers with the Board of Registrars. A drawing for ballot position will take place on Thursday, October 6, at 5 p.m. in the City Clerk’s office.

The election is scheduled for Nov. 8.

The 109-year-old library is being renovated because of roof leaks, mold, air quality and other problems.

The Republican | Dave RobackHolyoke Public Library will be undergoing at $14.5 million renovation beginning in October.

HOLYOKE – The search is on for a temporary home for the Holyoke Public Library because a $14.5 million renovation will begin in October.

“It needs to be downtown, we don’t want to lose that,” library board president Stephen H. “Terry” Plum said Thursday.

Among the possible sites to house the library are the city-owned War Memorial building nearby at 310 Appleton St. and Open Square, a privately owned former paper mill off Lyman Street, Plum said.

Mayor Elaine A. Pluta said her preference is that the library relocate to a city-owned facility.

“It’s going to cost money to retrofit wherever they do go and I’d rather have that go into a city building,” Pluta said.

Work on the library at 335 Maple St. will consist of renovating the 109-year-old limestone building and construction of an addition. The exterior has cracks, which forced placement of a safety fence around the perimeter.

Roof leaks have caused mold and other water damage inside. That led to air-quality problems, prompting relocation of most of the paper records, photographs and other archival items from the Holyoke Room upstairs to Holyoke Community College.

In order to meet standards of the state Board of Library Commissioners, additional space is needed for children’s programs and for computer and literacy training, officials have said.

The work will take 18 months to two years. The goal during the temporary housing of the library is to keep as many of the books, DVD’s, other loan materials and public computers available as possible, Plum said.

Space restrictions with the relocation might require that the 21 library staff members keep the books and other materials available for loan only on a request-at-the-counter basis, he said.

“It works fine. You just can’t wander up and down the stacks and serendipitously see a book that catches your attention,” Plum said.

The library board's building committee is scheduled to discuss possible sites on Friday at 9 a.m. at the library, he said.

The city is borrowing $5.5 million to help in funding the project. The rest of the project’s funding consists of $4.6 million from the library board’s endowment, a $4.3 million state grant and fund-raising.

In May, PeoplesBank of Holyoke gave $200,000 for the library project.

Also keeping library staffers busy this summer is the transition to an item-sharing software called “Evergreen.” By mid-October, Holyoke and the other 155 libraries that belong to the Central/Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing system must change to the new electronic system, a library press release said.

The member libraries annually circulate more than nine million books, CD’s, DVD’s and other items to a million borrowers that use the online system.

Evergreen will let patrons establish and update lists of preferred library items and make the lists available to the public. Possible uses for such lists include book clubs, genre and themed lists, and recommendations.

Also, the library’s summer reading program for young people will continue Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. with a 45-minute performance by magician Peter Boie. The show is free.

Police said they found a Vietnam War-era rocket launcher in an Auburn man's home Sunday. The device still works but was unloaded, according to authorities.

AUBURN, Mass. — Police said they found a working rocket launcher in an Auburn man's home Sunday.

The Vietnam War-era weapon could fire but did not contain any ammunition. The owner said his father brought it home from the war.

The rocket launcher was discovered after an 18-year-old man told police he'd been stabbed in the hand with a sword by Michael K. Mara, 38, during an argument.

When police investigated they found that Mara, who is dating the victim's mother, had a sword, two double-edged knives and a rocket launcher in his home.

Police are attempting to determine if the military weapon is illegal.

The 18-year-old's wound was treated at the scene. Mara was freed on bail Monday after being arraigned on charges related to the stabbing.

___

Information from: Telegram & Gazette, http://www.telegram.com

Police responded to gun calls and two shooting reports Monday, but only one of those incidents turned up any evidence -- shell casings from a late-morning shooting near Chestnut and Hampshire streets.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE -- Paper City authorities responded to multiple reports of shootings and gun calls Monday, but only one of those incidents turned up any evidence, according to police.

People scattered as gunshots rang out near the intersection of Chestnut and Hampshire streets around 11:50 a.m. Monday, but it remains unknown if anyone was injured in the incident.

"People were seen running from the area," Holyoke Police Sgt. Stephen Loftus said.

As of early Tuesday morning, however, no victims had showed up for treatment at local hospitals and police had no suspects in the shooting, Loftus said.

"They did find some spent shells on the sidewalk in that area," he said.

Officers responded to another daytime shooting report around 2:26 p.m., after receiving reports of gunfire in the vicinity of 300 Walnut Street. But no shell casings or other evidence was recovered, Loftus said.

Police received other gun calls at 12:04 a.m. and 3:18 p.m., but neither incident produced any suspects or led to any arrests. The incidents either were unfounded or ended with investigating officers being unable to locate any suspects, Loftus said.

In the latter report, Loftus said, police were told a man was seen riding a bicycle in the vicinity of Appleton and Oak streets with a gun tucked into the waistband of his shorts. Officers who searched the area were unable to locate a suspect, Loftus said.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's bureau of forestry staff will present "Trees after the Tornado" for private landowners.

The four remaining Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster recovery centers are closing earlier during the week.

The remaining centers that are open are in Monson, at Granite Valley Middle School on Thompson Street; in Springfield’s Technology Park at 1 Federal St.; in West Springfield’s J. Edward Christian Municipal Building on 26 Central St., third floor; and in Southbridge, at Jacob Edwards Library on Main Street.

Hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The centers connect disaster survivors with state and federal specialists to help them start their recoveries, and opened shortly after a tornado caused widespread destruction in the region on June 1, affecting communities on a 39-path from Westfield to Charlton.

Residents who have had tornado-related damage are urged to first register with FEMA online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

According to information from FEMA, disaster grants and loans totaling more than $2.7 million have been approved for survivors in Hampden and Worcester counties.

“All expenditures must be disaster-related,” Federal Coordinating Officer Nick Russo said. “If an applicant spends the money on anything other than the intended purpose, additional assistance may not be available.”

06.01.2011 | SPRINGFIELD - Damage in the wake of a tornado that touched down in Springfield.

Housing assistance grants are intended for basic housing repairs for homeowners, short-term rental assistance or reimbursement of hotel/motel expenses. Other needs assistance grants are intended to help replace essential personal property and meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable-aid programs.

FEMA advises disaster survivors to keep all receipts, and to not be tempted to pay household bills with the funds, or use the funds for purchases unrelated to needs created by the disaster. The grants also are subject to an audit.

In other news, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation’s bureau of forestry staff will present “Trees after the Tornado” for private landowners on July 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Monson High School cafeteria.

They will discuss state and federal assistance, how remaining trees can be preserved and how to select replacement trees, as well as hazard mitigation, invasive species, forest regeneration and wildlife impacts.

The former principal told the School Committee in March that the room would be used for students exhibiting violent behavior, such as hitting, kicking or biting.

The Republican | Lori StabileThis is one of three 'cubbies' inside Old Mill Pond Elementary School's pink room where violent students are sent to calm down. The school is in Palmer.

PALMER - Just five months after it opened, the "pink room" at Old Mill Pond Elementary School is closed after an anonymous letter was sent to the state complaining that misbehaving children were being subject to "prison-like conditions" because they were being locked inside its "tiny rooms."

Interim Superintendent Thomas Charko said that the use of the room has been disbanded, and said he has begun an investigation into exactly how it was used during the last school year.

"The pink room is not going to be used as an educational tool ... It is not going to be used for any kind of disciplinary action in any way shape or form," Charko said.

Charko said the new principal, Jacqueline A. Haley, agrees with the decision to disband it.

School Committee Chairwoman Maureen R. Gallagher said as soon as she heard about the allegations, she told Charko to remove the locks and doors on the three "cubbies" inside the room. The removal happened this week.

"I have never been a fan of the so-called pink room," Gallagher said. "I don't feel locking a child in a room is the way to handle discipline issues. If a child is that out of control, call the police."

Gallagher said she feels that sending a disruptive child to the office would be a more effective punishment. Gallagher said she felt Charko made the right decision to get rid of the pink room.

The room, painted a light pink, opened after February vacation, and former principal Susan J. Farrell, now the district's special education director, explained its purpose at a March School Committee meeting, saying it was being used for students exhibiting violent behavior.

Farrell, who could not be reached for comment, said in March that it featured three separate closet-like spaces with doors on them, where students could settle down.

She told the School Committee that students viewed it as a "safe, quiet place" and said it had been used a "handful" of times. The students sent there may have attacked adults, and kicked, hit or bit them, she has said.

At the time, a few School Committee members expressed concerns that students could hurt themselves inside the spaces, as they are built out of plywood and have a back wall made of brick.

Farrell also has said an adult stays with the child the entire time they are in the room, and that there is a window on each closet-like space, so the adult can see what the child is doing.

In addition to the enclosed spaces, the room also featured several desks and an open area, as well as books. Parents were notified if their child was sent to the room, she has said, adding the longest amount of time a student spent inside a stall was 15 minutes.

Darlene Lynch, director of program quality assurance services for the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, said the letter "makes serious allegations about the treatment of students at the Old Mill Pond School."

"While anonymously written allegations such as those included in the letter are always difficult to substantiate, the department believes that any allegations concerning possible safety of students must be taken seriously," Lynch wrote in her June 30 letter to the Palmer schools.

Lynch requested that the investigation results, along with any corrective action taken, be provided to her department no later than July 20.

The anonymous letter states that "we are a group of concerned grandparents" and states that children are frightened of the pink room. It states that they (the grandparents) are "horrified" that "prison-like conditions" are being used for 5- to 9-year-old children.

Farrell has said she was disheartened to hear people describe it as a "jail" and said the room was designed after staff visited places such as the May Institute and New England Center for Children, which provide services for autistic children. May also provides services for behavioral disorders.

"This is no different than sending your child to their bedroom," Farrell said in March.

Two city police officers were assaulted after tussling with an armed suspect early Tuesday in Magazine Park, according to Springfield police.

SPRINGFIELD -- Two city police officers were assaulted after tussling with an armed suspect early Tuesday in Magazine Park, according to a ranking Springfield police officer.

"He assaulted two of my officers, one of (whom) was sent to the hospital," Lt. John Slepchuk said of 29-year-old Jaame Salaam, who was taken into custody around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday for illegally carrying a handgun.

Officers patrolling crime hot spots noticed "suspicious activity" inside Magazine Park, where Salaam and four other men were smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol, said Slepchuk, noting that city parks are closed after dark.

Patrols have been beefed up in the McKnight neighborhood -- the park is located in the southwest corner of the neighborhood -- and other sections of the city "because of recent drug activity and shootings," Slepchuk said. And Lincoln Street, which borders Magazine Park, was the scene of a July 3 homicide, the first of three this month.

Officers, approaching from the Lincoln Street side of the park, performed routine pat-frisks because the men were in violation of various city ordinances, Slepchuk said. During the frisk of Salaam, Slepchuk said, an officer found that he was carrying a handgun.

The make and caliber of the weapon were unavailable.

Slepchuk said Salaam started fighting with the officers, injuring one, as they attempted to take him into custody.

"We think he broke his hand," Slepchuk said, referring to the injured officer.

Salaam, of 21 Wellington St., will be arraigned Tuesday in Springfield District Court on single counts of carrying a gun without a license, possession of ammunition without a license and resisting arrest, and double counts of threatening to commit a crime and assault and battery on a police officer.

The other men, none of whose names were immediately available, face various charges of violating city ordinances.

"It was a very good arrest," Slepchuk said.

Today's poll: Should legislators convicted of a felony committed while in office lose their right to retirement benefits?

The Republican | John Suchocki07.11.2011 | HOLYOKE - Tyrone Bowie Jr., a Vista Volunteer at Holyoke Rows, teaches his son Nathan kayaking skills on the Connecticut River.

The Forecast

It's a good day to hang out at an ice rink.

The forecast from the National Weather Service predicts a high of 92 today.

Thunderstorms may roll through the region after 1 p.m. this afternoon.

Tomorrow, temperatures are expected to fall back to the low 80s and hang out there through Friday.

Find the full forecast here.

Today's Poll

Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown is co-sponsoring a bill that would strip members of Congress of their retirement benefits if they are convicted of a felony.

MassLive.com's S.P. Sullivan writes:

Called the "Congressional Integrity and Pension Forfeiture Act," the bill is in its early stages, having been introduced in late June and recently referred to committee. According to the text of the bill, "taxpayers should not pay for the congressional retirement benefits of present or former Members of Congress who have been convicted of a felony committed while serving as an elected government official."

What do you think -- should legislators convicted of a felony committed while in office lose their right to retirement benefits? Vote in our poll, and check back tomorrow for the results.

Wednesday's results: Yesterday, we asked "Will Congress reach a deal on raising the debt limit?"

62.5% said "No"; 37.5% said "Yes."

Monday's Top 5:

The top 5 headlines on MassLive.com on July 11 were:

1) 16-year-old Tyrel Wheeler, shot 3 times last week and found in Forest Park neighborhood intersection

2) Motorcycle riders flee after striking state trooper, cruiser in Longmeadow

3) Western Massachusetts Puerto Rican Parade and Family Festival 7/10/11 [photo gallery]

4) Hoop City Jazz and Armory big band celebration 7/9/11 [photo gallery]

5) Police say Springfield's 10th homicide victim, James Rosario, was killed in gang-related shooting over pushing match

Quote of the Day

"I don't feel locking a child in a room is the way to handle discipline issues. If a child is that out of control, call the police."

~Palmer School Committee Chairwoman Maureen R. Gallagher, on the use of the "pink room" at Old Mill Pond Elementary School for disciplinary purposes. Read Lori Stabile's story here.

Casey Anthony case inspires new bill in Boston, Two dancers for rapper Lil Wayne are accused of roughing up a waitress at a West Hartford, Conn., restaurant, and more of today's headlines.

AP Photo/Eric RisbergKatie Konen, 19, of Bradenton, Fla., rides an urban zipline past the Ferry Building as she whisked over Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco on Monday. The zipline, run by Ziptrek Ecotours, costs $29 per person, runs along a line that's 70 feet in the air and travels a distance of 750 feet. The rides will last through the end of August at the plaza by the Embarcadero.

• Easthampton man injured in Williamsburg motorcycle crash [GazetteNet.com]


• Disgraced Schwarzenegger to appear in first post-scandal movie, a western [Guardian.Co.UK]


• Casey Anthony case prompts bill in Massachusetts Legislature [Boston.com]


• Rapper Lil Wayne's dancers are accused of beating up waitress at Westfarms Mall in West Hartford [Courant.com]


• U.S. to require more gun-buyer information in border states [LATimes.com]


• France says Libya's Gaddafi is ready to leave power [Reuters.com]


• Boston Herald: Massachusetts Ethics Commission has failed to collect thousands in fines [BostonHerald.com]


• Northampton ATV accident injures Connecticut man [GazetteNet.com]




More than 100,000 children involved in U.S. child sex trade, according to an Associated Press special report:

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


• Read more News Links »


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

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

The bill would add 20 offenses that could be used to deny pensions.

Associated PressMassachusetts Sen. Scott Brown during an Associated Press interview at his office in Boston, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

WHAT'S IN THE BILL

According to the bill's sponsors, the following offenses would preclude members of Congress from receiving federal pensions:

• Bribery of public officials and witnesses
• Making false or fictitious claims to a government agency
• Offering or accepting expenditures to influence voting
• Promise of appointment by a candidate for office
• Solicitation of political contribution from other officer or employee of the U.S.
• Intimidation to secure political contributions
• Solicitation in a federal building
• Embezzlement and theft of public money, property or records
• Mail and wire fraud
• Witness or jury tampering
• Money laundering
• Perjury and obstruction of justice.

Read the bill »

Sen. Scott Brown is among the co-sponors of a bill that would seek to strip members of Congress of their retirement benefits if they are convicted of a felony.

Called the "Congressional Integrity and Pension Forfeiture Act," the bill is in its early stages, having been introduced in late June and recently referred to committee. According to the text of the bill, "taxpayers should not pay for the congressional retirement benefits of present or former Members of Congress who have been convicted of a felony committed while serving as an elected government official."

Brown, a Republican, is one of four co-sponsors of the bill, including Sen. Mark Kirk, a Republican from Illinois who introduced the legislation, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat.

“Members of Congress who are convicted of corruption offenses should lose their taxpayer-funded pensions; it’s that simple,” Brown said in a statement.

In an interview with The Boston Herald, Brown cited the conviction of former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi as evidence of public corruption that ought not be rewarded through pensions. The bill, however, would only affect federal pensions.

The bill's sponsors pointed to former Republican Connecticut Gov. John Rowland and Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich as former Congressmen who would no longer be eligible for pensions under the proposed rules.

Michelle Obama and three former first ladies were among dignitaries heading to Palm Desert to pay tribute to Betty Ford.

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 1975 file picture, first lady Betty Ford wears an Equal Rights Ammendment button given to her by demonstrators at the hotel where she was staying with her husband, President Gerald Ford, in Hollywood, Fla. Betty Ford, the former first lady whose triumph over drug and alcohol addiction became a beacon of hope for addicts and the inspiration for her Betty Ford Center, has died, a family friend said Friday, July 8, 2011. She was 93. (AP Photo)

PALM DESERT, Calif. (AP) — Michelle Obama and three former first ladies were among dignitaries heading to Palm Desert to pay tribute to Betty Ford at a funeral focusing on her twin passions: politics and her world famous Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and alcohol treatment.

Mrs. Ford, who died at the age of 93 on Friday, had mapped out plans for Tuesday's ceremony including who would deliver her eulogies.

She chose former first lady Rosalynn Carter and journalist Cokie Roberts as speakers along with a former director of the Betty Ford Center.

Mrs. Obama, Nancy Reagan and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton with her husband, former President Bill Clinton said they would be there. And the former first lady of California, Maria Schriver, also planned to attend.

A spokesman for former President George W. Bush said he will be attending the California service and will convey condolences on behalf of his wife, Laura, who can't attend.

A second funeral will be held Thursday in Grand Rapids, Mich., where Gerald Ford is buried at his presidential museum. Former first lady Barbara Bush is expected to attend that event.

Speakers are expected to discuss politics, the White House and the Mrs. Ford's impact on substance and alcohol abuse treatment.

Roberts said Mrs. Ford asked her to give a eulogy five years ago and specified it should be about the power of friendship to mend political differences even in these hyper-partisan times.

Roberts, a commentator on National Public Radio and member of a noted political family, said Ford asked her to talk about a time in Washington when Democrats and Republicans could be friends and partisan politics did not paralyze government.

It was that way, Roberts said, when her father, Democratic Congressman Hale Boggs, was House majority leader and Republican Gerald R. Ford was House minority leader. She said they could argue about issues but get together as friends afterward. The two families became close as did the Ford and Carter families in spite of Jimmy Carter defeating Ford in the 1976 presidential election.

Carter spoke at Ford's funeral in 2007. The two families were so close that before his death, Ford asked the Carters to join his wife aboard Air Force One, which flew his body to its final resting place in Grand Rapids.

"Mrs. Ford was very clear about what she wanted me to say," Roberts said. "She wanted me to talk about Washington the way it used to be. She knew there were people back then who were wildly partisan, but not as many as today.

"They were friends and that was what made government possible," said Roberts, adding that the topic seems particularly appropriate this week when the two parties are divided over dealing with the national debt ceiling.

Roberts said she expects Mrs. Carter to talk about life in the White House and the important role of first ladies in "greasing the wheels" for their husbands' accomplishments by forging bipartisan friendships.

Former Betty Ford Center official Geoffrey Mason will also speak. Mason, a former member of the center's board of directors, is expected to extoll Mrs. Ford's vision and determination in building a substance abuse and alcohol treatment center after her own recovery.

Ford's funeral will be similar to the final tributes for her husband.

The ceremony, to be held at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, is billed as a private affair but it will be televised.

Many luminaries are due but a full guest list was not immediately available.

Following the funeral, members of the public will be invited to file past her casket and sign a guest book until midnight.

On Wednesday, her body will be flown to Grand Rapids where another church service Thursday will feature remarks by Lynne Cheney, wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney, and historian Richard Norton Smith.

Later Thursday, her body will be interred at the presidential museum along with her husband on the day that would have been Gerald Ford's 98th birthday.

William Cullen Bryant, the famous 19th century poet and journalist, never once Tweeted, and his “crib” at the family homestead here is an actual wooden cradle.

CUMMINGTON -- William Cullen Bryant never once Tweeted, and his “crib” at the family homestead here is an actual wooden cradle.

So what interest would today’s teenagers have in the dignified home and property of a 19th-century poet and journalist, perched above a small, rural town in Western Massachusetts?

The Trustees of Reservations’ Bryant Homestead may be as old as the hills, but the hills surrounding it have attracted and inspired young people, including Bryant himself, for generations.

This summer, three area teens are participating in a new fellowship program that uses the homestead as a backdrop for an introduction to the field of community history. They are helping to preserve and interpret the National Historic Landmark and its grounds.

Emily Larkin, of Williamsburg, a senior at Hampshire Regional High School, Brenna Keogh, of Ashfield, a senior at Mohawk Trail Regional High School, and Ian Prudhomme, of Windsor, a senior at Wahconah Regional High School, are learning how the Trustees of the Reservations, a statewide conservation organization, manages one of its iconic properties, according to Mark Wamsley, programs and outreach coordinator for the trustees’ Highland Communities Initiative.

The teens are being directed in their summer experience by John Morton, a graduate student in the history department at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Trustees’ staff are directing the team as they explore the skills needed for collections management, public engagement and historic site stewardship.

Central to their fellowships will also be learning about the history of the homestead and of Cummington.

The fellows’ first formal engagement with the public will come on Saturday, July 16, when they assist in the presentation of the trustees’ annual Bryant Day celebration.

As a former U.S. poet laureate, Richard Wilbur, gives readings, the teens will be leading a new guided tour of the homestead. They will be giving the same tour on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the remainder of July and August and will be developing a self-guided tour that future visitors will be able to use.

“I don’t know of many other programs like this around the country,” said Morton. “The Bryant Homestead has used teenagers as tour guides in the past, but it is rare to have them also play such a crucial role in developing educational programs, and in protecting the historic property.”

“The teen fellowship program is coming at an opportune time. It gives us an opportunity to inject new and fresh ideas into the interpretation of the landscape and historic buildings of the Bryant Homestead,” added Jim Caffrey, hilltowns’ superintendent for the trustees. “From the teen’s perspective, it is great that we are able to provide an opportunity for local students to explore a possible career area and benefit the Homestead as well.”

While the three teens had all done cross-country skiing at another of the trustees’ properties, Notchview Reservation in Windsor, only one had visited the Bryant homestead, according to Morton. “Just visiting a historic house museum is a novel thing for most teenagers,” he noted.

The homestead was Bryant’s childhood home and later his summer retreat as an adult when he became one of America’s celebrated poets and an influential journalist. Bryan was the editor-in-chief and publisher of the New York Evening Post for more than 50 years and was a founder of the Republican political party. He opposed slavery and was a key supporter of presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln.

A passionate conservationist, he also played a role in creating New York’s Central Park.

The homestead sits on 195 acres and includes an 1840s barn, an old growth forest on the Rivulet Trail and the sugarbush used by Bryant and his brothers.

President Hamid Karzai's half brother, the most powerful man in southern Afghanistan and a lightning rod for criticism of corruption in the government, was assassinated Tuesday by a close associate.

FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010 file photo Afghan President Hamid Karzai, second from right, is met by his half brother Ahmad Wali Karzai, left, in Argandab district of Kandahar province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan. An Afghan official says Afghan President Hamid Karzai's half brother has been killed in southern Afghanistan. Zalmai Ayubi, the spokesman for Kandahar province, says that Ahmad Wali Karzai was shot dead on Tuesday July 12, 2011. Ahmad Wali Karzai, who was head of the Kandahar provincial council, had become a political liability for the Karzai government _ a symbol of cronyism and a lightning rod for criticism of all that is wrong with the Karzai administration. (AP Photo/Allauddin Khan, file)

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) — President Hamid Karzai's half brother, the most powerful man in southern Afghanistan and a lightning rod for criticism of corruption in the government, was assassinated Tuesday by a close associate. His death leaves a dangerous power vacuum in the south just as the government has begun peace talks with insurgents ahead of a U.S. withdrawal.

Ahmed Wali Karzai, the head of the Kandahar provincial council, was shot to death while receiving guests at his home in Kandahar, the capital of the province that was the birthplace of the Taliban movement and was the site of a recent U.S.-led offensive.

Tooryalai Wesa, the provincial governor of Kandahar, identified the assassin as Sardar Mohammad and said he was a close, "trustworthy" person who had gone to Wali Karzai's house to get him to sign some papers.

As Wali Karzai was signing the papers, the assassin "took out a pistol and shot him with two bullets — one in the forehead and one in the chest," Wesa said. "Another patriot to the Afghan nation was martyred by the enemies of Afghanistan."

The killing coincided with a visit to the capital, Kabul, by French President Nicolas Sarzoky.

"This morning my younger brother Ahmed Wali Karzai was murdered in his home," the Afghan president said during a joint news conference with Sarkozy. "Such is the life of Afghanistan's people. In the houses of the people of Afghanistan, each of us is suffering and our hope is, God willing, to remove this suffering from the people of Afghanistan and implement peace and stability."

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assassination at the heavily guarded house, hidden behind 8-foot (2.5 meter) blast walls. The Interior Ministry said an investigation was under way.

Wali Karzai, who was in his 50s and had survived several previous assassination attempts, was seen by many as a political liability for the Karzai government after a series of allegations, including that he was on the CIA payroll and involved in drug trafficking. He denied the charges. The president repeatedly challenged his accusers to show him evidence of his sibling's wrongdoing, but said nobody ever could.

Wali Karzai remained a key power broker in the south, helping shore up his family's interests in the Taliban's southern heartland, which has been the site of numerous offensives by U.S., coalition and Afghan troops to root out insurgents. Militants have retaliated by intimidating and killing local government officials or others against the Taliban.

The United Nations said in a quarterly report issued June 23 that more than half of all assassinations across Afghanistan since March had been in Kandahar. In April, the Kandahar police chief Khan Mohammad Mujahid was killed by a suicide bomber wearing a police uniform who blew himself up beside the official's car.

According to a government official with knowledge of the investigation, Wali Karzai was holding a meeting in his home with five provincial council members and a number of local village elders, including the assassin. The official said Mohammad was a close friend and had represented Wali Karzai many times in their shared home village of Karz, the president's hometown. Mohammad was the village elder of Karz and was his emissary and travel companion throughout Kandahar, the official said.

At about 11:30 a.m. Mohammad asked Wali Karzai to speak with him privately and to sign some papers in an adjoining room, the official said. Three shots rang out, according to the official. Wali Karzai's bodyguards ran into the room and found him on the floor with bullet wounds to his head, hand and leg. The bodyguards shot and killed the assassin.

The government official said that it remains unclear whether the killing was the result of an internal feud or a Taliban plot.

Although tribal rivalries are common in Kandahar, bloodletting within tribes is fairly uncommon, he said.

Agha Lalai, deputy of the provincial council, said he was one of the first to respond to the sounds of shots.

Lalai said that he and several other men picked up Wali Karzai and attempted to carry him out of the house, but he died before they left the grounds.

In Kabul, the political elite reacted to the killing with shock and concern about the future of the country's southern region and beyond. Though Wali Karzai held an elected office in the provincial council, people who knew him said he seemed to float above the various political and tribal spheres dominating the south. Throngs of people came to Karzai's house on a daily basis seeking remedies for everything from family disputes, to tribal battles, to political intrigues.

Members of the international community had urged the president to remove his brother from his powerful provincial position, saying that it was essential if he was to prove to the Afghan people that he was committed to good governance. But despite his alleged forays into narco-trafficking, smuggling, and land theft, many Western officials also relied on him because of his unparalleled reach and understanding of the various players in the area.

Noorolhaq Olomi, a former parliament member from Kandahar, said Wali Karzai was the most powerful man in southern Afghanistan — "more of a governor than the governor" and "everybody's leader in the south, not just Kandahar."

"I cannot say whether this was political or personal or some other matter," Olomi said. "But whoever did it, it shows the weakness of this government. The president needs to change things. He needs to change himself and build a government that is real. Right now, there is no government. It's all a fraud."

Condolences flooded into the president palace throughout the day.

Gen. David Petraeus, the outgoing commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, condemned the murder and said the coalition would support efforts to prosecute anyone who played a role in the killing. "President Karzai is working to create a stronger, more secure Afghanistan, and for such a tragic event to happen to someone within his own family is unfathomable," Petraeus said in a statement.

Both Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called the president to express their sadness at his brother's death.

Abdullah Abdullah, the top opposition leader in Afghanistan who ran against Karzai in the latest presidential election, called it "an act against national personality and the ones who are at the service of the Afghan people."

Mohammad Yusuf Pashtun, a senior adviser to the president for construction, water, energy and mines, said the death will have a big impact on security in southern Afghanistan.

"My first impression is that in spite of all the negative propaganda against him he managed to be a source of stability in that area," he said. "When it comes to bringing people together in the south, this creates a vacuum. I don't know what will happen now, but something must be done by the local leadership."

Rangina Hamidi, a resident of Kandahar and daughter of the city's mayor, said Wali Karzai is survived by five children — two sons and three daughters. She says his youngest son was born about a month ago.

Wali Karzai has been the reported target of multiple assassination attempts.

In May 2009, a bodyguard was killed when his motorcade was ambushed by insurgents but Wali Karzai was not harmed.

That attack came less than two months after four Taliban suicide bombers stormed Kandahar's provincial council office, killing 13 people in an assault that Wali Karzai said was aimed at him, although he had left the building a few minutes beforehand.

Wali Karzai also survived a November 2008 suicide attack on the provincial council offices that killed six other people.

___

Associated Press writers Amir Shah, Rahim Faiez, Solomon Moore, Heidi Vogt and Deb Riechmann in Kabul and Kathy Gannon in Islamabad contributed to this report.