A union lawyer for two health inspectors who issued a permit for the murky Massachusetts public swimming pool says they had no authority to close the state-operated facility.

Associated PressIn this Monday, June 27, 2011 photo, children rinse off at one of the new shower stanchions alongside the public swimming pool at Lafayette Park in Fall River, Mass. The body of Marie Joseph, 36, was found floating in the pool.

FALL RIVER — A union lawyer for two health inspectors who issued a permit for a murky Massachusetts public swimming pool where a woman's body lay unnoticed for days says they had no authority to close the state-operated facility.

Jaime DiPaolo-Kenny spoke Tuesday after a closed fact-finding hearing on the inspectors' role at the pool in Fall River, 50 miles south of Boston.

City lawyer Steven Torres says he'll submit a recommendation to Mayor William Flanagan within days. Torres says the critical questions are what the inspectors' responsibilities were and what their legal authority was.

The inspectors are on paid administrative leave.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Pool at Lafayette Park was closed after Marie Joseph's body surfaced June 28, perhaps two days after she drowned. The death of the Newport, R.I., hotel housekeeper from Haiti was ruled an accident.

If a European country fails to pay its debts, it could cause widespread disruptions in financial markets and lead to a slowdown in lending.

Associated PressA trader works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

By FRANCESCA LEVY
AP Business Writer

NEW YORK — Hope that the Federal Reserve might consider more economic stimulus wasn't enough to keep bad news about Ireland from sinking stocks.

Ireland's government bonds were downgraded by ratings agency Moody's to junk status shortly before U.S. markets closed Tuesday, sending stocks sharply lower and erasing the day's gains. Ireland joins Greece and Portugal, whose debt was also recently graded as junk.

The move puts Ireland back on the list of heavily-indebted European countries in danger of default. The country has already received a financial rescue package from other countries. If a European country fails to pay its debts, it could cause widespread disruptions in financial markets and lead to a slowdown in lending. Worries about debt problems in Europe sent stocks down through the first half of June and appear to be having the same effect in July.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 5.85, or 0.4 percent, to close at 1,313.64. The S&P is now down 0.5 percent for the month and 2.2 percent for the week. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 58.88, or 0.5 percent, to close at 12,446.88. The Nasdaq composite fell 20.71, or 0.7 percent, to close at 2,781. Both the Dow and Nasdaq are still up about 0.3 percent for the month.

Earlier Tuesday, minutes from the Federal Reserve's last meeting on June 21-22 were released. In those minutes, several Fed officials said that the government would have to consider new monetary policy to stimulate the economy, especially if growth remains too slow to reduce the unemployment rate.

That raised hopes that more economic stimulus might be on the way. The Dow rose about 60 points after the minutes were released, but retreated not long after.

Stocks bounced between small gains and losses for most of the day amid worries that Italy would need help managing its debts. A successful auction of new Italian government bonds and a promise to fast-track that country's austerity measures helped ease those fears. The news sent Milan's main stock index up 1.2 percent. A default by Italy, the third-largest economy in Europe, would cause far more damage to the global financial system than one by Greece, which is a much smaller economy.

Investors also felt some relief after a meeting of 17 European finance ministers Monday resulted in a statement that implied they were open to buying distressed Greek bonds.

"They are trying to staunch the bleeding," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist for Prudential Financial. "That has reassured investors that there are, in essence, buyers of last resort."

U.S. financial stocks rose as tensions eased about Europe's financial crisis. MBIA Inc. rose 6.9 percent after the company agreed to dismiss a lawsuit against Merrill Lynch.

Technology stocks fell following poor results from chip makers. Microchip Technology Inc. fell 4.5 percent, the most of any stock in the S&P 500 index, after the chip maker said it expected lower quarterly revenue and income because of waning demand from car makers. That pushed the stocks of other chip makers lower too. Novellus Systems Inc. fell 11.2 percent after lowering its own profit forecast, and Texas Instruments Inc. fell 3.7 percent.

Radiant Systems Inc. soared 30.5 percent after saying ATM maker NCR Corp. would buy the company, which makes equipment and software for the hospitality and retail industries, for $1.2 billion. But Central Vermont Public Service Corp. fell 2.6 percent after it announced Canada's Gaz Metro would buy the utility for $472.4 million. Rival bidder Fortis cancelled its offer.

International Game Technology rose 3.3 percent after a Sterne Agee analyst raised its rating on the company, saying it would likely sell more casino games.

The standards in question do not specifically ban the old bulbs but require a higher level of efficiency than the classics can produce.

Associated PressHaving to buy a squiggly fluorescent light bulb is an affront to personal freedom, some lawmakers say.

WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Tuesday failed to stop the enactment of new energy-saving standards for light bulbs they portrayed as yet another example of big government interfering in people's lives.

The GOP bill to overturn the standards set to go into effect next year fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage. The vote was 233-193.

For many Republicans, those newfangled curly fluorescent light bulbs were the last straw, pushed by an overreaching government that's forcing people to buy health insurance, prodding them to get more fuel-efficient cars and sticking its nose into too many places.

Their legislation would have kept the marketplace clear for the cheap, energy-wasting bulbs that have changed little since Thomas Edison invented them in 1879.

For most Democrats, it's an exasperating debate that, just like the old incandescent bulbs being crowded out of the market, produces more heat than light.

The standards in question do not specifically ban the old bulbs but require a higher level of efficiency than the classics can produce, essentially nudging them off store shelves over the next few years. Four of Edison's descendants said the great inventor would be mortified to see politicians trying to get the nation to hang on to an outdated technology when better bulbs are available.

The standards have not been particularly contentious before now. They were crafted in 2007 with Republican participation and signed into law by President George W. Bush. People seem to like the new choices and the energy savings they bring, polling finds.

But now they have become a symbol of a much larger divide in Washington over the size and reach of government itself. The new bulbs suggest to some conservatives that big government is running amok.

"Now the government wants to tell consumers what type of light bulb they use to read, cook, watch television or light their garage," said Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas.

"I'm not opposed to the squiggly tailed CFLs," said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, a driving force behind the effort to save the old incandescents and the sponsor of the bill to overturn the standards. But making the old bulbs go away "seems to me to be overkill by the federal government."

Republicans said people who now buy a bulb for 30 or 40 cents shouldn't be forced to pay $6 for a fluorescent bulb or more for LED (light-emitting diode) lighting.

"If you are Al Gore and want to spend $10 for a light bulb, more power to you," Barton said. He exaggerated the cost of most energy-efficient bulbs and neglected to mention that they last years longer than old incandescent bulbs, which convert about 90 percent of the energy they consume as electricity into heat, and only 10 percent into light.

Republican presidential contender Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota complained earlier this year that, under President Barack Obama, "we bought a bureaucracy that now tells us which light bulbs to buy."

The Obama administration, which opposes Barton's bill, says the lighting standards that are being phased in will save nearly $6 billion in 2015 alone. The Energy Department says upgrading 15 inefficient incandescent bulbs in a home could save a homeowner $50 a year. Lighting accounts for about 10 percent of home electricity use.

The White House says the standards drive U.S. innovation, create manufacturing jobs and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Incandescent bulbs are not disappearing. Today's energy-savings choices include incandescent lighting that is more efficient, and more expensive to purchase, than the old standbys.

Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., held up a new Sylvania incandescent that meets the efficiency standards and costs $1.69. "You don't have to buy one of those funny-looking new light bulbs," he said.

Under existing rules, new bulbs will have to be 25 to 30 percent more efficient than traditional incandescent models. As of Jan. 1, 2012, inefficient 100-watt bulbs will no longer be available at most stores. Also on the way out are traditional 75-watt bulbs in 2013 and 40-watt and 60-watt versions in 2014.

The National Resources Defense Council said that when the law is fully implemented in 2020, energy costs will be reduced by 7 percent or about $85 a household every year. It said the more efficient bulbs will eliminate the need for 33 large power plants.

The advocacy group presented statements from Edison's kin in support of the new standards. "Edison would certainly have recognized that the wave of the future — profits — is to make it better, cheaper and, yes, cleaner and more efficient," said Barry Edison Sloane, a great-grandson.

Said Robert Wheeler, a great-nephew: "The technology changes. Embrace it."

Public adjusters promise to get an insured property owner more money for a claim in exchange for a percentage of the insurance settlement.

SPRINGFIELD – People trying to settle insurance claims arising from the June 1 tornadoes should use caution before retaining a public adjuster, said Barbara T. Anthony, state undersecretary of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.

“People should know that they can negotiate with their insurance carrier themselves,” Anthony said this week in a meeting with The Republican’s editorial board.

Public adjusters don’t work for insurance companies. Instead they offer their services to people who suffered an insured loss, promising to get the insured property owner more money for the claim in exchange for a percentage of the insurance settlement.

According to the state, that fee should never exceed 10 percent. Public adjusters have been advertising in tornado-ravaged neighborhoods since the storms hit June 1. So far, state estimates show a total of $175 million in insured losses from 9,500 separate claims, Anthony said.

But consumers who feel they are not being correctly compensated can always show their contractor’s estimates to the insurance company’s adjuster or to their agent, Anthony said.

“They might tell you to try another contractor and get more estimates, but you can work with them and avoid paying that percentage,” she said.

But Bryan E. Thomas, president of United States Adjusters which is based in Boca Raton, Fla., said his staff can help homeowners navigate the confusing world of insurance claims.

He’s advertised in the tornado zone and said his company already represents homeowners in Monson.

“If you are going to court, you would hire an attorney,” Thomas said by phone this week. “We are licensed by the state Division of Insurance.”

He said people can inadvertently do things that harm their ability to get what they deserve from insurance companies, like failing to seal a building from the weather following wind damage, or throwing away damaged items before properly documenting the loss.

Anthony urges home and business owners to make sure that any public adjuster they are thinking of hiring is properly licensed; the list is available at www.mass.gov/doi.

People may also contact the Division of Insurance Consumer Hotline at (617) 521-7794 to verify licensing.

Consumers with insurance problems can also call the Division of insurance helpline at (617) 521-7777.

Anthony said the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation as a whole has not yet received a large number of complaints about building contractors.

“But we know they are coming,;’ she said. “The construction work hasn’t begun yet.”

The state has been getting a lot of calls from people verifying that the contractors they are thinking of hiring are properly registered. Consumers can check registrations at www.mass.gov/consumer or by calling (888) 283-3757 for contractors. For electricians and plumbers, go to www.mass.gov/dpl or (617) 727-1794.

Anthony said consumers who hire unregistered contractors don’t have access to the state’s arbitration process or to a fund that could get them a partial refund.

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

The four remaining Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster recovery centers in Massachusetts have reduced their hours.

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 federal Small Business Administration also has disaster recovery loans available but the filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Aug. 15. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 15, 2012, according to a news release.

Additional assistance may be obtained by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955(800-877-8339 for people with speech or hearing disabilities) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Those affected by this disaster may fill out a loan application online by visiting SBA’s website athttps://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

A Southern California woman was in custody Tuesday after authorities said she drugged her estranged husband, tied him to a bed, cut off his penis and put it through a garbage disposal.

This undated handout photo provided by the Garden Grove Police Dept., shows a police booking photo of Catherine Kieu Becker, 48, who police say drugged her estranged husband, tied him to a bed, cut off his penis with a knife and threw it down a garbage disposal in her home in Garden Grove, Calif. Becker is due in court Wednesday, July 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Garden Grove Police Dept.)

By JOHN MONE, The Associated Press

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California woman was taken into custody Tuesday after authorities said she drugged her estranged husband, tied him to a bed, cut off his penis and put it through a garbage disposal.

Garden Grove police Lt. Jeff Nightengale said that Catherine Kieu Becker drugged a meal and served it to the victim, whose name was not released, shortly before the attack Monday night.

Nightengale said the 51-year-old man felt sick, went to lie down and lost consciousness. The 48-year-old Becker then tied the victim's arms and legs to the bed with rope, removed his clothes and attacked him with a 10-inch kitchen knife as he awoke, Nightengale said.

"He was conscious when his penis was removed," Nightengale said.

Nightengale said Becker put the penis in the garbage disposal and turned it on.

Nightengale said Becker called 911 and indicated to arriving officers that the victim was in the next room. Paramedics found him tied to the bed, bleeding profusely.

Bail for Becker was set at $1 million after she was booked at the Orange County Jail for investigation of aggravated mayhem, false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon, administering a drug with intent to commit a felony, poisoning and spousal abuse.

The victim underwent surgery and was in serious condition at the University of California at Irvine Medical Center in Orange. Nightengale said the man is expected to survive.

A call to a hospital spokeswoman was not immediately returned.

Becker was taken into custody without incident, although she would not talk to officers, Nightengale said.

Becker is due in court Wednesday. A telephone listing for her residence could not be located and no one was home in the apartment.

Neighbor Lourdes Painter told The Associated Press the couple had been married since December, did not have any children and seemed very quiet. Becker and her husband lived in a second-story condo in the working class complex. Painter lives in the unit below them.

The couple was reportedly in the process of a divorce.

Nightengale said a database search showed no previous calls to the house for any past problems. He didn't know what kind of food the couple ate for dinner.

No private attorney was listed on booking documents. If Becker seeks a public defender, one could be appointed at her first court appearance.

Some residents who live near the landfill filed a lawsuit claiming town officials violated an agreement with the state restricting the use of the landfill to active or passive recreation.

The Republican file photo | Diane LedermanThis capped landfill is the site of the proposed solar project in Amherst.

AMHERST – Town counsel Joel B. Bard has filed papers seeking dismissal of a lawsuit filed against the town to stop a solar project from being built on a closed town landfill.

A group of 13 residents who live in the Amherst Wood Community near the town’s capped landfill filed suit in June in Hampshire Superior Court claiming town officials violated an agreement with the state restricting the use of the landfill to active or passive recreation.

The town is entering into a long-term lease with Boston-based BlueWave Capital Inc. to bring a solar array to that capped landfill. Neighbors have been critical of the project, claiming that it poses health and safety issues.

“Our attorneys believe this lawsuit has no legal merit. This is a strong project that received overwhelming support from the Select Board and from Town Meeting and it has widespread support from the community at large,” said Town Manager John P. Musante in a statement.

The town must seek permitting approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection and from the Zoning Board of Appeals. “Discussions with the Department of Environmental Protection are ongoing, and the project will proceed only if the town has fully satisfied all DEP requirements,” Musante stated.

In the late 1980s, the town received a state grant to help pay costs associated with capping the landfill.

According to the lawsuit, the town was supposed to have filed a deed restriction with the state within six months of signing the agreement “and prior to submitting a request for final payment” in 1989.

The suit claims that the construction and operation of a solar array is not an active or passive recreational use, and the defendants “are attempting to take advantage of their own lack of compliance with the grant agreement by taking the position that use of the landfill is not restricted” because the deed restriction was not filed.

School officials said the appointments should help bring stability to the school district.

LUDLOW – Interim School Superintendent Kenneth J. Grew has announced the appointment of two new principals.

The first is Lisa Nemeth, who will serve as principal of Ludlow High School. She has been an assistant principal at Chicopee High School.

School Committee member James P. “Chip” Harrington said Nemeth was the choice for the high school principal position a year ago, but former School Superintendent Theresa M. Kane appointed Gina Flanagan to the position. Flanagan left to take a position as principal of East Longmeadow High School.

Harrington said he feels Nemeth will be a good choice for Ludlow High School.

“She lives in Ludlow and she has two children in the Ludlow school system,” Harrington said. “I am excited for the fall. I feel we have brought some good people on board.”

The other appointment announced by Grew is Susan Pease as principal of Chapin Street Elementary School.

Pease, a third grade teacher at Chapin, has previously served as Chapin's interim principal, Grew said.

Nemeth and Pease join other new administrative appointments announced by Grew. The other new appointments are: Diana Roy, curriculum director; Eva Tillotson, director of student support services; Thomas Welch, principal of East Street Elementary School; and Melissa Knowles, principal of Veterans Park Elementary School.

All the appointments are for one year, with the exception of Nemeth, who has been appointed for three years.

Grew said that if all the new appointees perform well this year, he will consider extending their contracts to three-year contracts.

Both Grew and School Committee Chairman Michael J. Kelliher said their goal in making the new appointments is to bring “stability” to the school district.

The Town Council reorganized, naming Paul Burns as president, Philip Hebert as vice president and Norman Blais as clerk.

View full sizeThe Republican | Lori StabilePalmer Town Clerk Patricia C. Donovan swears in new town councilor Blake E. Lamothe, who is representing District 3, at Monday's Town Council meeting.

PALMER – District 2 Town Councilor Barbara A. Barry defended herself against online postings about her role in the hiring of the interim town manager, calling them "upsetting" and "not true."

Barry made the remarks at the end of the Town Council meeting on Monday.

The council, at its June 20 meeting, appointed Charles T. Blanchard, of Sturbridge, as interim town manager, and Barry disclosed then that she knew Blanchard and that he was a selectman when she was hired as Sturbridge's finance director. Barry, who participated in the unanimous vote to appoint him, also said she did not have a conflict of interest.

Recent online postings have criticized Barry, saying she does have a conflict of interest and cannot be impartial because Blanchard's wife, Mary, is a Sturbridge selectwoman, and refer to Mary Blanchard as Barry's boss.

Barry said "numerous lies" have been circulating about her on MassLive.com, and said it is true that she received a raise, as approved recently by Town Meeting in Sturbridge, but she said she answers to the town administrator, not the selectmen.

She said the town administrator has hiring and firing powers, and any salary increases are generated by the town administrator.

"It's upsetting to me to read comments that are not true," Barry said.

Barry said that those who have concerns about Blanchard's appointment should call her directly. She said there is "no relationship" between them, and the appointment has nothing to do with his wife's position in Sturbridge.

MassLive.com provides links to alert forum and comment moderators to inappropriate posts. Such posts are removed if deemed inappropriate or in violation of the Community Rules.

Barry said she had a comment removed in the Palmer forum this past weekend that she said was "slanderous" about the Blanchard issue.

Other councilors also weighed in. At-large Councilor Karl S. Williams, who runs the Day & Night Diner downtown, added, "There was never a fly in someone's milk."

District 3 Councilor Blake E. Lamothe told Barry she shouldn't let the comments bother her, and said Blanchard has the right credentials for the job. He added that she has helped move the town forward as a councilor.

"If people have issues, they need to come here," District 4 Councilor Donald Blais Jr. said.

Blanchard submitted his name for the town manager job last summer, but withdrew his application. Barry did not serve on the search committee last summer.

Charles T. Blanchard

Blanchard then was interviewed in June by a council subcommittee composed of Barry, Paul E. Burns and former council president Eric A. Duda; their recommendation led to the unanimous vote. Blanchard has said he is not interested in serving as town manager permanently.

In other news, the council reorganized, naming Burns as president, Philip J. Hebert as vice president and Blais as clerk. It also discussed the town manager search.

A council subcommittee of Burns, Blais and Lamothe was appointed to sort through the 36 resumes that have been received for the position so far. The subcommittee will meet Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Building.

Hebert spoke in favor of acting "as quickly as we can" so that the town does not lose out on qualified candidates.

"I think it's very important that we have a strong town manager that can lead this town in a forward direction," Lamothe said.

A council meeting may be scheduled the week of July 25 to discuss the next steps in the search.

The council also was updated on the searches for a new public works department director and recreation director, which is a new position. Richard P. Kaczmarczyk, who was the acting public works department director, retired last month and lacked the civil engineering degree that the job requires as outlined in the charter. For fiscal 2012, $66,000 was budgeted as the salary for the position.

Blanchard provided the council with a list of 25-plus communities with populations between 10,000 to 15,000 that have public works directors or engineers, showing an average salary of $86,895. Burns asked for a breakdown of salaries for communities west of Worcester.

While the revised charter gives applicants two years to obtain the required degree,
Burns said he thinks an effort should be made to hire someone with the qualifications, as voters approved the charter and its requirements by a 2 to 1 margin.

"I think we have an obligation to implement the provisions of this charter," Burns said.

Two Connecticut residents were arrested last week following the reinstatement of the joint Hartford Shooting Task Force.

Kahari Martin

HARTFORD, Conn. - Two Connecticut residents were arrested last week following the reinstatement of the joint Hartford Shooting Task Force.

Tyrone Washington, 20, of Manchester, and Kahari Martin, 21, of Hartford, were arrested and charged with attempted murder, attempting to commit murder and conspiracy to commit murder, following an investigation by the task force.

According to police, the team was called to the intersection of Love Lane and Westland Street around 1:48 p.m. on July 7 to investigate a report of shots fired. An investigation ensued and the team obtained search and seizure warrants for homes in Hartford and Manchester, leading to the arrest of Washington and Martin on July 8.

Tyrone Washington

As part of the investigation, Hartford police also seized a tan Nissan Maxima believed to have been used in multiple shootings throughout the city, including the incident in question on July 7.

According to a report in the Hartford Courant, witnesses at the scene in the city's north end said Washington was the shooter and Martin was the driver when the Maxima pulled up to the scene when shots were fired at an unnamed man.

Hartford Mayor Pedro E. Segarra, who reinstated the team on July 1, praised the work of the task force, crediting "their quick response and thorough investigation" for removing "two dangerous individuals" from the community.

Police Chief Daryl K. Roberts also praised the work of the Task Force, "This is just the beginning of the work of the Shooting Task Force, and it is a great beginning. I commend all law enforcement and judicial agencies involved for their quick action that helped in the apprehension of these dangerous individuals."

Both men were arraigned in Hartford Superior Court and remain in custody on $750,000 bond, with a court date of July 26th, 2011.

The Hartford Shooting Team is a partnership between the Hartford Police Department, Office of the Hartford State's Attorney, Office of the Chief State's Attorney, the Connecticut State Police, the Department of Corrections, and the East Hartford, West Hartford and Manchester police departments. It is charged with investigating gun violence and bring those responsible for such violence to prosecution.

Agawam has joined most of the surrounding cities and towns that have adopted a section of state law forcing Medicare eligible retirees to switch to that program.

Photo by Julian Feller-Cohen03.09.11 | Photo by Julian Feller-Cohen – Agawam Town Hall.

AGAWAM – The City Council has adopted a section of state law expected to eventually save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on health insurance costs covering the city’s retirees.

The council adopted section 18a of Chapter 32b of Massachusetts General Laws last week. The law allows for the city to force retirees 65 and older who are Medicare eligible to switch from a city insurance plan to the federal government program.

If the law had been adopted earlier and affected all the retirees 65 and older and Medicare eligible, the city would have been able to save about $350,000 a year, according to City Treasurer-Collector Laurel A. Placzek. Savings should increase gradually as more people enter the pool of eligible retirees as there is a grandfather clause.

The law took effect when it was adopted by the council and will apply to every employee who retires as of that date.

Mayor Richard E. Cohen proposed the change as a cost-saving move.

Many of the surrounding cities and towns, such as Chicopee and West Springfield, have already adopted this section of Massachusetts General Laws.

City Councilor Robert A. Magovern, who was among the councilors approving the measure, said Monday it will save the city “a substantial amount of money.” It will also probably be a state requirement in a few years, Magovern said.

As of January 2008, the city had 493 retirees, consisting of 87 retired police officers and firefighters, 225 teachers and 187 other employees. Of those, a total of 170 at that time were younger than 65 and therefore ineligible to take part in Medicare. Another 164 were also ineligible because they did not contribute to Medicare prior to April 1, 1986.

In fiscal 2011, which ended June 30, the city paid out approximately $2,331,000 in health insurance benefits for its retirees. Despite expected cost savings, that figure is projected to grow to $2,709,000 this year.

At a Finance Committee meeting, some city councilors objected to a proposed increase in the city's hotel tax, raising concerns on how it would impact tourism.

Domenic Sarno

SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who initially imposed a 12-day unpaid furlough this fiscal year for all non-bargaining city employees, has agreed to a City Council proposal to reduce the number of days for lower paid employees.

A tiered system will be created, in which the number of unpaid furlough days will range from six days for the lowest paid employees up to a maximum of 12 days for the highest paid, said Lee C. Erdmann, the city’s chief administrative and financial officer, speaking on behalf of Sarno. There are approximately 330 non-bargaining employees.

The council learned of the mayor’s agreement during a council Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday, with several councilors praising the move.

Kateri B. Walsh

“I’m very happy,” Councilor Kateri B. Walsh said. “It’s definitely a step in the right direction.”

In other business, some councilors said they will oppose Sarno’s proposal to raise the city’s hotel/motel room occupancy tax from 4 percent to 6 percent, which was expected to generate approximately $400,000 in new revenues for the city and help balance the budget.

Several tourism and hotel officials at Tuesday’s meeting urged the council not to approve the tax increase, saying it will hurt tourism and conventions, putting Springfield at a competitive disadvantage to other cities. There is also a state tax and convention center tax for hotel rooms.

Finance Committee Chairman Michael A. Fenton said he opposes the tax increase, and favors letting it die in committee. Councilor Timothy J. Rooke, also on the Finance Committee, and Walsh said they too oppose the room tax increase.

Lee C. Erdmann

Erdmann warned councilors that the new city budget that took effect July 1, was based in part on the full 12-day furlough savings and on the increase in the hotel tax. The mayor would seek the use of the city’s stabilization reserve funds to offset lost revenues from either the furloughs or the hotel tax, he said.

Several councilors have raised concerns about too much reliance on the reserve “rainy day” fund. The mayor initially sought to use $10.5 million from the reserve account, but was denied that amount by the council.

Sarno will submit a new proposal on the use of reserves before the council sets the tax rate in November or December, when a balanced budget is required, Erdmann said. The reserve fund now totals more than $40 million.

The tiered furlough program was proposed by the City Council in June, but the number of days was not specified. Walsh, the lead sponsor, said a tiered program was a matter of fairness, so that employees making less pay would take less unpaid days.

One idea was to increase the number of days for the highest-paid city employees, but Sarno has set the limit at 12 days.

Erdmann said that changing the program from 12 furlough days to a range of six to 12 days, will create a greater expense for the budget, estimated at $169,000.

In addition, the building tradesmen union, which reluctantly agreed to a 24-day furlough to avoid layoffs of some of its members in June, will be offered a 12-day furlough instead in light of the furlough changes for the non-bargaining employees, Erdmann said. That will result in a greater expense for the budget of $89,000, Erdman said.

Rooke said that before he favors any greater reliance on reserve funds, he will want all other avenues for revenues and cuts considered, including going out for new bids on health insurance.

Long known as a haven for lesbians, Northampton has attracted more and more transgender people in recent years because of its reputation for tolerance.

Grand Marshall Gunner Scott waves to the crowd at Northampton's 2011 Pride March.

NORTHAMPTON – They are a minority within a minority, but the transgender community won another battle in a long war last Thursday when the City Council voted unanimously to support state legislation affirming transgender rights.

The resolution puts the city on record as favoring “An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights,” which is currently being discussed in committees by the state Legislature. The transgender community was dropped from a federal bill ensuring gay rights several years ago, but new legislature has been introduced to protect transgender people on the national level.

The city’s Human Rights Commission proposed the local ordinance after some lobbying by the Stonewall Center, a University of Massachusetts-based organization that advocates for gay rights. Amherst will consider an identically worded resolution in the fall, and Boston recently adopted a similar one presented by the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition.

Genny Beemyn, the director of the Stonewall Center, spoke in support of the resolution at the council meeting. In a separate interview, Beemyn said the transgender community is among the last minority sectors to be assured equal rights.

“It used to be that if you were gay it was OK to make fun of you,” Beemyn said. “That’s no longer the case, but it’s still OK to be offensive and hostile to people who are transgender.”

Beemyn, 44, was raised male but identified more as a woman. Beemyn, who used the term “genderqueer,” didn’t come out as transgender until after the age of 30. Instead of choosing a pronoun such as “he” or “she,” Beemyn opts for the gender-neutral pronoun “ze.”

Although transgender people were at the forefront of the Stonewall Riots of 1969 that sparked the gay rights movement, they have lagged behind the mainstream is securing their rights. Beemyn called U.S. Rep. Barney Frank’s decision to sever the transgender community from the federal legislation “short-sighted.” The mainstream gay community, however, has shown increasing support for transgender rights.

Long known as a haven for lesbians, Northampton has attracted more and more transgender people in recent years because of its reputation for tolerance.

“I hate to use the word ‘safe,’” Beemyn said. “People feel comfortable. It’s one of the most inclusive and welcoming communities of its size.”

Ward 1 Councilor Maureen T. Carney, who was among those voting in favor of the resolution, agreed that it is keeping with the city’s tradition of tolerance.

“It makes perfect sense to be passed in Northampton, which is known as welcoming and supportive,” she said.

Police are working to determine what happened to 81-year-old Doris Alzak before she was found dead inside her burning Phillips Avenue home Tuesday.

07/12/11- (Staff Photo by Dave Roback) Springfield police and fire enter 100 Phillips Ave. in Springfield after Doris Alzak, 81, was found dead inside her burning home.

This updates a story posted at 6:21 p.m. Tuesday.

SPRINGFIELD - Police are calling 100 Phillips Ave. a crime scene after finding the homeowner dead in her burning house Tuesday.

Investigators with the Springfield police and fire departments are working with the state fire marshal’s office to determine what happened inside the home where firefighters discovered the body of the 81-year-old homeowner Doris Alzak in a chair in the living room just after 3 p.m. Police said that the cause of death is being determined by the state medical examiner's office.

At 3:05 p.m., trash removal crews with the city were making their rounds in the Boston Road neighborhood when they saw smoke coming from the house and called 911. A second 911 call came from Evelyn Pedraza, who said she has lived across the street from Alzak for the past 19 years.

“I saw the smoke and ran across the street and touched the door,” Pedraza said. “It was very hot and I called 911. Then I tried calling her but she didn’t answer. I saw her car in the driveway and I was afraid she might still be inside.”

City firefighters rushed to the scene and entered the front door, quickly extinguishing the fire, according to Dennis Leger, public information officer for the Springfield Fire Department. He said the fire did about $60,000 in damage to the one-story house.

“Firefighters found her and her cat dead in the living room near the front of the house,” Leger said. “Shortly after, the house became a crime scene.”

Sgt. John Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said Alzak’s death and the fire inside her home are considered suspicious as detectives are trying to piece together the situation.

Pedraza, who was visibly upset following the news that her neighbor and friend had died, said the woman lived in the house for more than 40 years, calling her a “sweet little lady.”

“She lived there with her husband but he passed away a few years ago. Since then, she took over the house and always kept a nice yard and did the best she could to take care of the house. I can’t believe she is gone,” Pedraza said, while choking back tears. “We would have tea together and talk about the flowers we planted. She loved flowers. I know she is in a better place now, but every time I look across the street and don’t see her, I will be sad.”

Leger said Alzak received her last rites by Springfield Fire Department Chaplin Gary M. Daley in accordance with her religious beliefs.

Delaney said there was no signs of forced entry at the home, and that more information will be released as the investigation allows.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Springfield police Detective Bureau at (413) 787-6355. Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to “CRIMES,” or “274637,” and then beginning the body of the message with the word “SOLVE.”

A resident who said he lives in Marengo Park said he feels his neighborhood is very secure.

photo by Dave RobackSpringfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno meets with children on Forest Park neighborhood walk.

SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Domenic J. Sarno did a walk-through of the Forest Park neighborhood Tuesday evening night to hear the concerns of residents and business owners.

Jane Hetzel, president of the Forest Park Civic Association, said crime is the concern uppermost in her mind.

“Last winter my concern was snow removal, then it was the tornado, now it is crime,” she said.

She praised the city of Springfield’s response to the tornado under Sarno.

“The response was amazing,” she said.

“There are a lot of concerns in the city,” Hetzel said. “We need to clean up substandard housing.”

Thomas Walsh, aid to Sarno, said the Tuesday night walk was the first of a series of neighborhood walks which the mayor will take this summer to meet with Springfield residents to help improve the quality of life in the city.

“When you walk through an area, you see things you don’t see when you drive through,” Walsh said. “We are looking for code enforcement issues. If we see children unattended, we will refer the issue to the state Department of Social Services.”

Roland Holstead, who said he lives in Marengo Park, said he feels his neighborhood is very secure.

“There is a high visibility of police,” he said. He added that the increasing gun violence in the city makes him “worried for the young people.”

William Malloy said he has been a member of the Concerned Citizens for Springfield for many years.

He called the increasing gun violence in the city “startling.”

Malloy said the Concerned Citizens for Springfield has bought some properties in the Forest Park neighborhood that were deteriorating, fixed them up and sold them for market value.

Walsh said the mayor takes the neighborhood walks because his office wants to be “proactive,” instead of just “reactive” to problems in the city.

Evening walks through other neighborhoods in the city will be scheduled for later in the summer, Walsh said.

The Tuesday night walk was not planned as a result of the three murders which have taken place during the last week in the city, Walsh said. There have been no arrests in any of the three murders. Police say all three were gang related.

One of the boys who died Sunday, 16-year-old Tyrel Wheeler, was found at the corner of Meredith and Washington streets in the Forest Park neighborhood. Police said he was shot three times before he got out of a mvoing car he was driving. Investigators have not determined yet where the shooting occurred. Wheeler’s death was the 11th homicide of the year.

An 18-year-old boy, James Rosario, was shot to death Saturday at his home at 88 Edgeland Street in the Forest Park neighborhood. He became the city’s 10th homicide victim this year.

On July 3, 38-year-old Raul E. Vera was shot to death on Lincoln Street in the city’s McKnight neighborhood.

These types of amateur explosives are typically made by sealing caustic chemicals inside a plastic bottle, causing the pressure inside to build up and eventually burst.

SPRINGFIELD - Around 10 p.m. Tuesday, Massachusetts State Police called the city Arson and Bomb Squad for assistance after finding two soda-bottle bombs in the city's north end.

According to Dennis Leger, public information officer for the Springfield Fire Department, the team was called to the area of 47 Lowell St. near Lowell Saint Park by troopers.

"One of the soda bottles did detonate and some of the contents did get on one of the troopers," Leger said. "I'm not sure if he sought treatment or not."

These types of amateur explosives are typically made by sealing caustic chemicals inside a plastic bottle, causing the pressure inside to build up and eventually burst.

Tuesday's finding is the latest of several similar situations across the city. In late June, three similar bottle-bombs were found on Dwight Road in the city's Forest Park neighborhood.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Springfield police Detective Bureau at (413) 787-6355. Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to “CRIMES,” or “274637,” and then beginning the body of the message with the word “SOLVE.”

In Brimfield, the area along Route 20 where the antiques shows are set up was relatively untouched; less than a mile south, there were more than 140 homes seriously damaged or destroyed.

BRIMFIELD – Linda Jackson was at home in London when she heard about the damage the June 1 tornado did to this town she visits three times each year to buy sliver during the Brimfield Antiques Shows.

But Tuesday, as she was packing up recently purchased items to bring back to the London Silver Vaults shop she runs with Peter Cameron, Jackson said news accounts had not prepared her for the level of devastation she has seen in and around Brimfield.

“It’s very sad,” she said. Jackson and Cameron have made friends with residents of Brimfield and surrounding communities in the seven years they have been coming to the antiques shows to buy silver, so they said the damage to people’s homes is something they can feel as well as see.

Suzy Foss and Tom Arida have an even longer connection.

They have been bringing items for sale from Best Antiques in the Buffalo, N.Y., area to the Shelton Field at the Brimfield shows for 30 years.

“We didn’t think it would look like this,” Foss said.

A few tents away, Hunter Foote was selling glass bottles, something he has done at the Brimfield shows for three years now, even though he is only 17.

Foote lives in nearby Wales, so he has been seeing the destroyed houses and thousands of trees uprooted since the damage was done June 1.

As a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Foote was through with his classes by June 1, so he had the time to volunteer to help clean up people’s properties where trees had come down.

Looking around at the tents and the people milling about in the afternoon heat on Tuesday, Foote said, “I am very glad that it wasn’t during the show. A lot of people could have been hurt or lost their lives.”

The June 1 tornado killed three people and left a path of damage and destruction for 39 miles from Westfield to Charlton.

In Brimfield, the area along Route 20 where the antiques shows are set up three times each year was relatively untouched, but less than a mile to the south there were more than 140 homes seriously damaged and nearly 40 destroyed.

Fay Simanski, of Sturbridge, was finding out-of-towners at the antiques shows extremely generous Tuesday as she accepted donations at one of the booths set up for the Harding Fund, a town charitable account established to help the needy of Brimfield.

Simanski got involved through a group of teachers who work for the Tantasqua Regional school system.

Scott Niejadlik, of Boston, and his mother, Eileen Niejadlik, of Brimfield, arranged for the collections for the Harding Fund to go on at the antiques shows and through a website they have established, www.projecthabitat.org.

“People from outside the area who have been coming here to the shows for years are concerned,” Simanski said. “And when they come here they have money.”

For the rest of this week volunteers at the four collection booths at the antiques shows will be accepting cash and checks, and the Niejadliks are hoping to add other methods of payment for donations in time for the September shows.

Wilson, who lives at 168 East St., was charged with aggravated assault.

Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD – A 45-year-old city man, who suffered a head injury during an altercation with an acquaintance Tuesday night at an East Street home, is in critical condition at Baystate Medical Center.

Lt. John K. Slepchuk said the incident occurred about 7 p.m. at 168 East St. Guy Wilson, 52, who lives at that address, has been charged with aggravated assault, he said.

The victim lives elsewhere in the city, Slepchuk said, adding that detectives continue to probe the assault. Wilson is slated to be arraigned Wednesday in District Court.

Caraballo has pleaded not guilty to charges in a five-count indictment that he distributed cocaine in February and March of this year.

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Federal prosecutors in Vermont want a judge to hold without bail a Massachusetts man charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine in the Brattleboro area.

Twenty-seven-year-old Michael Caraballo of Holyoke, Mass., has pleaded not guilty to charges in a five-count indictment that he distributed cocaine in February and March of this year.

At a Tuesday hearing in federal court in Burlington, U.S. Magistrate Judge John Conroy ordered that Caraballo should be held without bail, pending a detention hearing.

Federal court documents say Caraballo is facing charges in Vermont state court that he fired multiple shots in March at a vehicle carrying two people after a drug meeting. There were no injuries.

If convicted of the federal charges, Caraballo could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Today's poll: Do you support legislation requiring more efficient light bulbs?

The Republican | Michael Beswick07.12.2011 | BRIMFIELD - Keith Curry from Virginia takes a break from the sun Tuesday, the first day of the Brimfield Flea Market and Antique Show.

The Forecast

There's a threat of thunderstorms today, but also a promise of more comfortable weather. ABC 40 / FOX 6 meteorologist Dan Brown writes:

A mainly, dry, cold front will bring drier and cooler conditions [Wednesday]. There may be a few clouds mixed in with the sunshine and there could even be an afternoon shower or thunder storm but overall tomorrow is looking nice. It certainly will feel a lot more comfortable by the afternoon and evening.

The cooler, drier weather will stick around to finish out the work week with highs on Thursday only in the upper 70s despite lots of strong, July sunshine. In fact, temperatures by Thursday morning could dip into the upper 40s! A fall feel will be in the air for a couple of hours.

Find the full forecast here.

Today's Poll

Republicans in Congress Tuesday failed to muster enough votes to block legislation setting new energy-saving standards for light bulbs. Opponents of the standards argue that they essentially ban incandescent bulbs, in favor of fluorescent bulbs.

The Associated Press reports:

The standards in question do not specifically ban the old bulbs but require a higher level of efficiency than the classics can produce, essentially nudging them off store shelves over the next few years. Four of Edison's descendants said the great inventor would be mortified to see politicians trying to get the nation to hang on to an outdated technology when better bulbs are available.

The standards have not been particularly contentious before now. They were crafted in 2007 with Republican participation and signed into law by President George W. Bush. People seem to like the new choices and the energy savings they bring, polling finds.

What do you think -- do you support legislation requiring more efficient light bulbs? Vote in our poll, and check back tomorrow for the results.

Tuesday's results: Yesterday, we asked "Should legislators convicted of a felony committed while in office lose their right to retirement benefits?"

13 people voted. 92.31% said "Yes"; 7.69% said "No."

Tuesday's Top 5:

The top 5 headlines on MassLive.com on July 12 were:

1) Springfield tax foreclosure property auction (07.19.2011) [photo gallery]

2) Red Sox 2011 Midseason Report Card

3) Chicopee, Southwick police dive teams searching for teenagers presumed drowned

4) Developing: Kevin Major identified as victim in Congamond Lake drowning

5) Fellow priests remember Father Paul Archambault as a "wounded healer"

Quote of the Day

"Last winter my concern was snow removal, then it was the tornado, now it is crime."

~Jane Hetzel, president of the Forest Park Civic Association, during a neighborhood walk with Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. Read Suzanne McLaughlin's story here.

The Red Cross Massachusetts Blood Services Region provides blood to 73 hospitals.

07.12.2011 | The Republican photo by Dave Roback | CHICOPEE – Rachel Mercier a collection specaliist for the American Red Cross, right, collects blood from Darlene Fanos of Chicopee at the blood drive at the Castle of Knights on Tuesday.

CHICOPEE – Kelly Kiltonic, of Westfield, chose to bring her three daughters along with her when she gave blood Tuesday, to show them the importance of giving to back to their community.

“My husband and I give blood every year,” she said. “We wanted the girls to come so they could understand the importance of donating blood. Hopefully when they are older and eligible to donate they will.”

Kiltonic was just one of hundreds of people who donated blood during a community blood drive held by the American Red Cross at the Knights of Columbus on Memorial Drive.

“We are currently critically low on all blood types,” said Nancy Russ, recruitment manager for the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross. “We are trying to grow the blood drive to make it the largest in Western Massachusetts. This is the third year we do it, and it keeps growing every year.”

The agency partnered with Six Flags New England to offer a free one-day pass to anyone who donated on July 12.

“Six Flags has graciously sponsored the blood drive, and Friendly’s is sponsoring the state division and giving coupons out for one free carton of ice cream for anyone who donates in July,” she said. “ It’s a wonderful thank you to our donors for coming in and rolling up their sleeves. The need is great right now.”

The Red Cross Massachusetts Blood Services Region provides blood to 73 hospitals and must have 650 people give blood each weekday to meet hospital demand. Accident victims, as well as patients with cancer, sickle cell disease, blood disorders and other illnesses, receive lifesaving transfusions every day. There is no substitute for blood and volunteer donors are the only source.

“This is our third year partnering with the Red Cross and it’s a very important partnership for us,” said Melissa Pinkerton, communications manager for Six Flags New England. “The pass is worth $46.99, but the pint of blood donated by each person can save three lives, so it’s a great value for everyone involved.”

Russ said she was expecting about 900 people to participate Tuesday.

Teresa and Jonathan Lee, of Belchertown, donate blood every year. The Six Flags tickets were an added incentive this year.

“We figured we would come down and do something for the community and also get some tickets to Six Flags for our grandchildren,” she said.

The event included 80 Red Cross staff members drawing and processing blood, as well as a dozen volunteers.

Upcoming community donation events will be held across Western Massachusetts, including Wednesday at the North Adams American Legion, 91 American Legion Drive, and on Thursday at Tower Square, 1500 Main St. in Springfield. For a full listing, call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org.