The alleged break-in occurred May 26 and police arrested the suspect on Tuesday.
GRANBY – Fingerprints, found at the scene of a May break-in to an Amherst Street home, yielded the arrest of a 20-year-old Springfield man on Tuesday.
A female resident called police shortly after 9:45 a.m. on May 26 to report that she encountered a man in her kitchen and that he fled, according to a released
Detective Barbara Fenn processed the home for fingerprints and forwarded them to the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab in Springfield to compare then with prints on file.
A positive match was made and Fenn subsequently requested a warrant for Jeremi Thibeault, of 115 Dubois St.
Members of the state police violent fugitive apprehension unit took Thibeault into custody at his home on Tuesday. He was booked by Granby police on a charge of breaking and entering in the daytime - placing a victim in fear.
Thibeault was slated to be arraigned Wednesday in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown. Information on his arraignment was not immediately available.
Reddington argues that Greig did not directly harm the family members of the people Bulger is accused of killing.
Associated PressThis courtroom sketch depicts Catherine Greig, second from right, longtime girlfriend of former crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger, during a hearing before Magistrate Judge Jennifer Boal, right, in a federal courtroom in Boston Monday, July 11, 2011. Her attorney, Kevin Reddington, second from left, and her sister Margaret McCusker, left, also are depicted. Greig is charged with harboring a fugitive.
BOSTON — The longtime girlfriend of James "Whitey" Bulger left Boston with him at a time when many people saw him as a "hero-like figure," her lawyer said in a court filing ahead of her bail hearing Wednesday.
Catherine Greig's attorney makes the argument in a written objection to a proposal to allow family members of people allegedly killed by Bulger to speak at the hearing.
When Greig fled with Bulger in 1995, he was only facing racketeering charges, attorney Kevin Reddington said. A second indictment in 1999 charged him in connection with 19 murders.
"It is noteworthy that James Bulger, at that time and era, was considered to be a hero-like figure in the city of Boston. He was alleged to have kept drugs off the street, helped the elderly and the poor. He was a man of almost mythic proportion," Reddington wrote.
Reddington argues that Greig did not directly harm the family members of the people Bulger is accused of killing and they should not be allowed to offer testimony at Greig's bail hearing.
Magistrate Judge Jennifer Boal indicated Monday that she would allow family members to speak at Greig's hearing.
Bulger and Greig were captured in Santa Monica, Calif., last month after 16 years on the run. Greig is charged with harboring a fugitive.
Prosecutors have asked that the family members be allowed to speak at Greig's hearing to talk about how her release on bail would affect them. They argued in court documents that Greig's assistance to Bulger during his time as a fugitive has harmed the families, thus entitling them to make victim impact statements.
"Not only have those family members suffered the emotional trauma from the violence that was done to the victims as alleged in the case against Bulger, but for 16 years they lived with the anguish that Bulger might never be found and never have to answer to those allegations," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Pirozzolo argued in documents filed in court Tuesday.
Pirozzolo said three family members have expressed interest in speaking during the hearing.
Victims typically make statements during the later stages of criminal cases, most often during sentencing hearings. But the federal Crime Victims' Rights Act says victims have "the right to be reasonably heard at any public proceeding in the district court involving release, plea, sentencing or any parole proceeding."
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently said Michele Bachmann's "record of accomplishment in Congress is nonexistent."
Associated PressIn this July 5, 2011, file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, meets with local business owners during a town hall meeting in Hampton, N.H.
WASHINGTON — It was all going so pleasantly.
A month ago, the Republicans who would be president gathered for a debate in New Hampshire and had nothing but nice things to say about one another.
"Any one of the people on this stage would be a better president than Barack Obama," said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
"A great, great field of candidates," said former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
"I respect my fellow Republican candidates," former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman said a week later as he joined the race.
Well, summer's heating up and — inevitably — so is the sniping among GOP candidates.
“[Michele Bachmann's] record of accomplishment in Congress is nonexistent”
- former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty
With Romney leading polls everywhere and Rep. Michele Bachmann suddenly a threat in leadoff caucus state Iowa, Republicans who'd been working to introduce themselves to the nation now are feeling the need to take their GOP competitors down a notch.
The tone is nowhere near that of the mosh pit that will be the campaign come next winter.
But it's getting sharper by the day, even if the jabs sometimes have a passive-aggressive feel to them.
Take this weekend stroke-and-poke by former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty at Bachmann, a fellow Minnesotan.
"I like Congresswoman Bachmann," Pawlenty said on NBC. "I've campaigned for her. I respect her. But her record of accomplishment in Congress is nonexistent. It's nonexistent."
He went on: "And so we're not looking for folks who, you know, just have speech capabilities. We're looking for people who can lead a large enterprise in a public setting and drive it to conclusion. I've done that. She hasn't."
That wasn't exactly Minnesota nice.
Bachmann, who polls show is leading Pawlenty in his seemingly must-win state of Iowa, countered that "instead of negativity, I want to focus on my accomplishments" and gave some details about her actions in Congress.
And then there's Huntsman, who began his campaign with a pledge to stay on the high road, saying, "I don't think you need to run down someone's reputation in order to run for the office of president." He stressed the importance of civility and avoided criticizing fellow Republicans at first.
But this week, he played coy with a jab at Romney's track record as Massachusetts governor vs. his own record in Utah.
"When you look at absolute increases in job creation, Utah led the way in the United States in terms of job creation," Huntsman said during an appearance Monday in South Carolina. "Compare it and contrast it with certain other states like, we'll say, Massachusetts, that I'll just pull out randomly. Not first; but 47th."
Random. Sure.
When Romney's campaign countered that he had created nearly 50,000 jobs in Massachusetts, Huntsman's aides came back with even more pointed criticism, saying only Ohio, Michigan and Louisiana had a worse track record.
"You know your job creation record is bad when you brag about going from last to 47th, leapfrogging a state ravaged by Hurricane Katrina," said Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller. "In order to turn the economy around, the GOP needs a candidate with a track record of job creation, not one with a failed record similar to President Obama's."
Santorum, meanwhile, took a jab recently at Huntsman, who's made much of his love of riding motorcycles. A Santorum Web ad shows a motorcyclist soaring through the air and then crashing in the dirt, and flashes these words on the screen: "Hasn't signed the anti-abortion pledge. Just like Mitt Romney."
Sarah Palin, the GOP vice presidential candidate in 2008, hasn't said if she'll join the race but has managed to keep herself in the mix as well.
She took some swipes at Romney during a May bus tour, criticizing his health care plan in Massachusetts and questioning his appeal to tea party members.
Pawlenty, who's faced questions about whether he's tough enough for the campaign, sometimes has struggled with the art of the snipe.
At one point, he derided Romney's health care plan as "Obamneycare" but then declined to make the same criticism when he stood on the same stage with Romney at the New Hampshire debate.
Then, after he caught criticism for pulling his punch, Pawlenty tweeted: "On seizing debate opportunity re: healthcare: Me 0, Mitt 1. On doing healthcare reform the right way as governor: Me 1, Mitt 0."
Todd Harris, a Republican consultant who has worked on a number of GOP campaigns, said it's all playing out according to the script that candidates of both parties follow every four years.
"In the beginning, everyone goes out of their way to talk about how they are all such close friends," he said. "About midway through the campaign, the relationships begin to fray. And by the time the voting begins, many of them can't stand each other."
Farmington, N.H., resident Peter Barnum was cited twice for unsafe operation of a commercial vehicle in 2002 and 2003.
The New Hampshire Department of Public Safety says Barnum also had six speeding tickets and one seat belt violation in New Hampshire and Massachusetts from 1992 to 2009. Maine officials say he was cited twice for speeding.
Barnum was killed in Monday's fiery collision in North Berwick. Six people on the train were hurt.
New Hampshire public safety spokesman Jim Van Dongen says Barnum had only one accident and no license suspensions.
Barnum's record over the past two years was clean. A spokesman for his employer, Triumvirate Environmental Inc., says that's more important than infractions that happened long ago.
The regulations apply to all food sold or provided at school a la carte lines, vending machines, school stores, events and fundraisers during the school day.
BOSTON — Massachusetts health officials have approved new school nutrition standards that supporters say could be among the toughest in the country and will help combat childhood obesity.
The state's Public Health Council adopted guidelines Wednesday that will limit foods students can buy during school hours.
The regulations ban sugared drinks and foods made with artificial sweeteners and require schools to provide nutritional information. They also limit the amount of fats and salt allowed in foods.
The regulations apply to all food sold or provided at school a la carte lines, vending machines, school stores, events and fundraisers during the school day.
Schools must begin enforcing some guidelines as early as August 2012.
A recent study ranked Massachusetts the fourth least obese state with an adult obesity rate of 22.3 percent.
India's home minister says three explosions that killed at least 17 in the financial hub of Mumbai appear to be a coordinated terror attack.
Policemen inspect the site of a bomb explosion at Zaveri bazar in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, July 13, 2011. Three explosions rocked India's busy financial capital at rush-hour Wednesday, killing at least eight people and injuring 70 in what officials described as another terror strike on the city hit by militants nearly three years ago. (AP Photo) INDIA OUT
MUMBAI, India — Near-simultaneous bomb blasts rocked three busy neighborhoods during evening rush hour in India's busy financial capital Wednesday, killing 17 people in what the government called an apparent terrorist attack on the city besieged by militants nearly three years ago.
Blood-covered bodies lay on the streets and people hugged and wept. Others carried the wounded to taxis. Crowds gathered in the blast areas as police questioned witnesses, and bomb squads inspected the undercarriages of vehicles searching for clues and other explosives.
Motorcycles were charred, shopfronts shattered and a bus stop ripped apart. A photograph showed victims crowding into the back of a cargo truck to be taken to a hospital.
The first blast struck the Jhaveri Bazaar at 6.54 p.m., tearing through the famed jewelry market. A minute later, a second blast hit the busy business district of Opera House, several miles (kilometers) away in southern Mumbai. At 7:05 p.m., the third bomb exploded in the crowded neighborhood of Dadar in central Mumbai, according to police.
Because of the close timing of the bomb blasts, "we infer that this was a coordinated attack by terrorists," Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said.
Indian officials refused to speculate on who might be behind the blasts. Past attacks have been blamed on Pakistan-based militants, and Indian officials have accused Pakistan's powerful spy agency of helping coordinate and fund some of those strikes, including the Mumbai siege.
A U.S. official says there are no claims of responsibility, or firm indication of which terrorist group might be behind the attack at this time. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters of intelligence.
"The entire city of Mumbai has been put on high alert," Chidambaram said. "I would appeal to the people of Mumbai and people all over the country to remain calm and to maintain peace."
An eyewitness at Jhaveri Bazaar described two motorcycles exploding in flames and saw at least six bodies.
"People were shouting 'Help me, help me,'" the man told Headlines Today television.
Another witness showed cell phone clips of several bodies sprawled across the street to the NDTV news station.
Prithviraj Chavan, the top official in the state of Maharashtra, where Mumbai was located, said the blasts killed 17 people and wounded 81 others. Chidambaram said the toll was likely to rise.
The blasts marked the first major attack on Mumbai since 10 militants laid siege to India's financial capital for 60 hours in November 2008.
That attack, which targeted two luxury hotels, a Jewish center and a busy train station, killed 166 people and escalated tensions between India and Pakistan. Peace talks were suspended and resumed only recently.
Pakistan's government expressed distress on the loss of lives and injuries soon after Wednesday's blasts were reported.
Some media incorrectly reported the blasts happened on the birthday of Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving gunmen from the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Kasab, who was sentenced to death in Mumbai, was born on Sept. 13.
Mumbai has been on edge since the 2008 attack. In December, authorities deployed extra police on city streets after receiving intelligence that a Pakistan-based militant group was planning an attack over New Year's weekend. Police conducted house-to-house searches in some neighborhoods for four men who authorities believe entered the city to carry out a terrorist attack, and computer-aided photographs of the four suspects were released.
In March 2010, Mumbai police said they prevented a major terrorist strike after they arrested two Indian men, who, police said, were preparing to hit several targets in the city. In September, police issued a terror alert for the city during a popular Hindu festival.
Nelson C. Bushey, 84, of Springfield, died Tuesday. He was born and raised in Springfield, and graduated from Springfield Technical High School in 1945. Upon his graduation from high school, he enlisted with the United States Navy and served during World War II. Bushey was a retired self-employed licensed master finish carpenter for many years, and he also worked for several local contractors. A lifelong resident of Springfield, he was an active charter member of Church in the Acres, serving as a deacon and on the church's board of trustees.
Greig is charged with harboring a fugitive. Her lawyer argues Greig didn't directly harm the family members. Prosecutors say Greig's assistance to Bulger while he was a fugitive did harm them.
Associated PressThis courtroom sketch depicts Catherine Greig, second from right, longtime girlfriend of former crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger, during a hearing before Magistrate Judge Jennifer Boal, right, in a federal courtroom in Boston Monday, July 11, 2011. Her attorney, Kevin Reddington, second from left, and her sister Margaret McCusker, left, also are depicted. Greig is charged with harboring a fugitive.
BOSTON — People who say they're victims of former Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger will be allowed to speak at a bail hearing for Bulger's longtime girlfriend.
Catherine Greig's attorney had opposed allowing the statements by family members of people Bulger is accused of killing.
The judge said Wednesday that four people will be allowed to speak.
Greig is charged with harboring a fugitive. Her lawyer argues Greig didn't directly harm the family members. Prosecutors say Greig's assistance to Bulger while he was a fugitive did harm them.
Victims most often make statements on sentencing, but may speak at other federal court proceedings.
The president, who visited Mumbai last fall, says the attacks were "outrageous" and his thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and those who lost loved ones. He said in a statement the U.S. government continues to monitor the situation, including the safety and security of U.S. citizens, and will support India's efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.
At least 17 people were killed in the near-simultaneous bomb blasts that rocked three busy neighborhoods during the evening rush hour Wednesday in Mumbai – the same city besieged by militants nearly three years ago.
Obama said he's seen the strength and resilience of India's people firsthand, and they will overcome the bombing.
Obama's fundraising totals outpace Republicans, who have collectively raised about $35 million so far, although some candidates have yet to release their results.
Associated PressPresident Barack Obama speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 12, 2011.
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama collected $86 million combined for his re-election campaign and the Democratic party during the past three months, giving him a large fundraising advantage over the Republican field seeking to challenge him in 2012.
Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in a video posted early Wednesday that it raised more than $47 million and the Democratic National Committee brought in more than $38 million through the end of June, building a foundation for advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts in next year's election. Obama's team had set a public goal of $60 million combined.
As expected, the fundraising totals outpace Republicans, who have collectively raised about $35 million so far, although some candidates have yet to release their results. At the same time in 2007, 10 GOP presidential hopefuls had raised more than $118 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leads the GOP field in fundraising, pulling in more than $18 million during the past three months. An independent fundraising group supporting Romney's presidential bid has raised $12 million this year.
Following Romney, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty collected $4.2 million and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman brought in $4.1 million, with about half coming from his personal wealth. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, a tea party favorite, has not yet released her fundraising totals.
Obama's advisers have told donors privately they hope to match or exceed the $750 million they raised in 2008, anticipating a stiff challenge from Republicans amid rocky economic conditions. Obama has acknowledged he will need to re-energize supporters who were inspired by his message of hope and change three years ago but may be discouraged by the economy and the pace of change.
"We have reason to be proud of what we've built so far but it's going to get tougher from here," Messina said in the video, estimating outside spending by GOP groups could exceed $500 million.
American Crossroads, founded by Karl Rove, a former adviser to President George W. Bush, and Americans For Prosperity, founded by billionaire oil brothers David and Charles Koch, spent heavily in the 2010 elections and have pledged to invest millions in 2012 to defeat Obama. Several Democratic groups have formed to compete with the conservative groups, including Priorities USA, which was founded by former Obama White House aides Sean Sweeney and Bill Burton. Their group has set a goal of raising $100 million for the campaign.
Messina said more than 550,000 people donated money to the campaign during the first three months, a large increase from about 180,000 donors to Obama during the first half of 2007. The campaign has actively courted small donors, hoping to show that the president is in a good position for the 2012 campaign and capable of generating broad financial support.
About 98 percent of the donors gave $250 or less. Messina said the average donation was about $69.
Obama broke his previous fundraising record of $33.1 million during the same quarter in 2007 and surpassed finance efforts by his predecessors. President George W. Bush launched his re-election bid in mid-May 2003 and raised $34.4 million through June 2003. In his first complete fundraising quarter, Bush raised another $50 million, bringing his total to nearly $85 million by the end of September 2003.
Republicans vowed to compete with Obama next year and said economic conditions would outweigh any fundraising edge.
"With the economy in the tank, the president can't win re-election," said Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Obama's team had said it hoped to collect a combined $60 million for the campaign and the DNC for the three-month fundraising period that ended June 30. Obama opened his re-election campaign in early April and his advisers said the initial fundraising efforts were crucial to building a strong campaign.
Messina said the money is building the campaign's ground game more than a year before Election Day, saying the campaign has "more grassroots support at this point in the process than any campaign in political history." Obama's team has opened 60 field offices across the nation and held more than 31,000 face-to-face meetings with volunteers.
Campaign finance reports are due Friday, and Messina estimated the Obama campaign's report would exceed 15,000 pages.
Obama has held dozens of fundraisers for his campaign and the Obama Victory Fund, a joint fundraising account set up by the DNC and Obama's campaign. At Victory Fund events, the first $5,000 of a donor's contribution goes to the presidential campaign and the remainder goes to the DNC, up to a maximum of $30,800 a year.
The "no toking" signs were part of a crackdown on marijuana-smoking youth.
Associated Pressa sign prohibiting the smoking of marijuana on the street is seen in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch government's top legal advisor has stubbed out so-called "no toking zones" in Amsterdam aimed at reining in public nuisance caused by dope-smoking youths.
AMSTERDAM — After an only-in-the-Netherlands legal reverse, the city of Amsterdam said Wednesday it will likely have to stub out the "no toking" signs it introduced in a crackdown on marijuana-smoking youth.
The Dutch government's top legal adviser ruled that the city had no right to establish official zones where smoking weed is banned, since it's already theoretically illegal in the Netherlands.
In practice, possession of small amounts of the drug is allowed, and it is sold openly in designated shops.
When the policy was introduced in 2007, the city put up signs to declare the "no toking" zones. The signs portrayed cone-shaped cigarette being rolled, with little marijuana leaves in the background — inside a bold red circle. They were stolen so often as collectors' items the city opened its own merchandise line and began offering them itself for euro90 ($125) apiece.
City spokeswoman Iris Reshef acknowledged Wednesday's ruling likely means the signs must go, but she noted it specified the city can still issue fines to young smokers who cause problems.
"The measures we have taken can remain in place," Reshef said. "Just the signs cannot be there."
The signs were originally hung up around an area of one of the city's poorest neighborhoods, called "De Baarsjes," but residents in a wealthier part of the city also wanted to use the signs, leading to the case being sent to the Council of State.
Since the Amsterdam policy was introduced, other towns and cities have also introduced "no toking" zones.
Amsterdam has long had an image as a freewheeling haven for pot smokers because of its numerous "coffee shops" where marijuana is sold and smoked by locals and tourists alike.
While the shops are a lucrative tourist draw, the city has in recent years also attempted to tackle problems associated with them, including criminality and public disorder.
The national government also is chipping away at the Netherlands' longstanding tolerance toward cannabis with measures including a plan to make coffee shops members-only clubs only open to Dutch residents.
Guy Wilson,168 East St.was charged with assault and battery - causing serious b
Guy Wilson
SPRINGFIELD – A man who attempted to intervene in a dispute over a found dog Tuesday night - and was punched in the head for his trouble - is fighting for his life at Baystate Medical Center.
Paul Bagge, 45, of Roosevelt Ave., suffered a head injury when he fell and was listed in critical condition at Baystate Wednesday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The incident started shortly before 6 p.m. when a female went to 168 East St. to pick up a beagle that had been advertised as found, Sgt. John M. Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said.
The female retrieved the dog and brought it out to her car which had been parked in front of the house, Delaney said. She was about to drive away when the suspect, Guy Wilson, of that address, accused her of being from the MSPCA, reached into her car and attempted to remove her keys from the ignition,
Delaney said that Bagge came over in an attempt to reason with Wilson and tapped him on the shoulder. Wilson then turned and punched Bagge in the head, causing the victim to fall and suffer serious head trauma, Delaney said.
Police found Wilson inside his home and charged him with assault and battery (serious bodily harm).
A son of a man allegedly killed by former Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger says Bulger's longtime girlfriend is Bulger's "partner in crime."
Associated PressThis courtroom sketch depicts Catherine Greig, second from right, longtime girlfriend of former crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger, during a hearing before Magistrate Judge Jennifer Boal, right, in a federal courtroom in Boston Monday, July 11, 2011. Her attorney, Kevin Reddington, second from left, and her sister Margaret McCusker, left, also are depicted. Greig is charged with harboring a fugitive.
BOSTON — A son of a man allegedly killed by former Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger says Bulger's longtime girlfriend is a "creep" and Bulger's "partner in crime."
A judge delayed a ruling on whether to release Greig. She is charged with harboring a fugitive after allegedly helping Bulger avoid capture during their 16 years on the run.
Greig's attorney argues she had nothing to do with the acts of violence Bulger is accused of. He has asked a judge for more time to show Greig is not a threat to flee.
Bernanke's remarks to Congress were far from a promise for more economic stimulus, but markets reacted immediately nonetheless.
Associated PressFederal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's news conference is seen on a television screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, June 22, 2011. Bernanke said some of the problems that are slowing the U.S. economy could persist into next year.
NEW YORK — With a few unexpected words, Ben Bernanke caused stocks to jump.
Stock indexes rose sharply Wednesday as the Federal Reserve chairman spelled out ways the central bank might stimulate the economy if weakness persists and if the threat of deflation, or falling prices, reemerges. The rally came after three days of losses.
Bernanke's remarks to Congress were far from a promise for more economic stimulus, but markets reacted immediately nonetheless. The Dow Jones industrial average nearly doubled its morning gains in ten minutes, and the dollar fell as investors shed lower-risk assets. Some of the stock market's gains fizzled in afternoon trading.
"It's a complete overreaction," said Barry Knapp, head of U.S. equity strategy at Barclay's Capital. Knapp said Bernanke's remarks indicated the economy would have to deteriorate substantially for the Fed to step in.
The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 11 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,325 in afternoon trading. The Dow rose 85 points, or 0.7 percent, to 12,532. Both indexes had been up as much as 1.4 percent earlier.
The Nasdaq composite index, which focuses on technology shares, rose 29 points, or 1.1 percent, to 2,811.
Energy and materials stocks rose more than the overall market as investors bought companies that would benefit most from an upturn in the economy. All 30 of the stocks in the Dow average rose, led by heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. with a 2.2 percent gain.
The Fed's policy of ultra-low interest rates and buying U.S. Treasury bonds on the open market has pushed stocks higher since last August. Many traders were disappointed when the Fed ended its second round of bond purchases in June.
The first sign that Fed governors were considering new stimulus measures came Tuesday afternoon, when the Fed released minutes from its June 21-22 meeting. Those minutes indicated that some Fed officials favored taking more action to prop up the economy if needed.
In his testimony before Congress, Bernanke spelled out specific steps the Fed might consider if the economy gets worse, including another round of bond purchases. He also detailed what the Fed would do should the economy improve.
Bernanke's position remains that the slowdown in the U.S. economy this spring is due largely to temporary factors including high gas prices and parts shortages caused by the earthquake in Japan. He said he still expects economic growth to pick up in the second half of the year.
Remarks from the Fed chairman often have an immediate effect on stocks. During a speech in Jackson Hole, Wyo., last Aug. 27, Bernanke outlined an effort to spur economic growth, put a floor under consumer prices and push markets higher through the purchase of government bonds.
So was Bernanke's talk in front of Congress today akin to his 2010 speech at Jackson Hole?
"The market is treating it that way," said Joe Saluzzi, co-head of equity trading at Themis Trading in Chatham, NJ. "It's just silliness in my opinion. There's nothing new here. But the bulls are taking this as 'This is fantastic.'"
Signs of healthy growth in China also helped push stocks higher. The Chinese government reported that the country's economy grew at a slower but still healthy rate of 9.5 percent last quarter. China is attempting to rein in its speeding expansion and ease inflation, but a sudden drop-off in growth could hurt the U.S. economy by cutting into demand for U.S. exports.
Markets were also higher as fears abated that Italy would default on its debt. The S&P 500 fell 2.9 percent over the past three days as traders worried one or more European countries would fail to pay their debts, causing a global slowdown in lending.
A successful auction of Italian government debt and a pledge by that country's leaders to accelerate cost-cutting plans reassured markets that Europe's third-largest economy was not on the verge of becoming the latest European country to need emergency financial support to avoid a default. Italian stocks rallied 1.8 percent on relief that Italy's fiscal outlook was not as shaky as believed just a few days ago.
State police say 23-year-old Matthew Slocum may be holding his girlfriend and child against their will.
Massachusetts State Police photosFrom left: Matthew Slocum and Loretta Colegrove, subjects of an Amber Alert issued by New York State Police
WHITE CREEK, N.Y. — Authorities in New York and New England have issued Amber alerts for a man wanted for questioning in a deadly house fire, who's believed to be traveling with his girlfriend and their 4-month-old son.
State police say 23-year-old Matthew Slocum is the son of a woman who died in the fire Wednesday. They say Slocum, who has done prison time for grand larceny, may be holding his girlfriend and child against their will.
The alert was issued after Slocum left the fire scene in a black 2003 Ford Mustang. He was last reported near Adams, Mass., at about 5 a.m.
Authorities say the fire in White Creek killed Slocum's mother, Lisa Harrington; her husband, Dan; and Dan Harrington's son Josh. They say it might have been arson.
White Creek is 35 miles northeast of Albany.
Information below is from the Massachusetts State Police:
Suspect MATTHEW SLOCUM, a white male. SLOCUM is wanted for questioning for a homicide that was committed early this morning in New York state. We believe SLOCUM is traveling with his girlfriend, LORETTA COLEGROVE, a white female, and their child, RAYMOND SLOCUM, age 4.
MATTHEW SLOCUM is approximately 5’11’-6’ tall and 195 lbs. with brown hair. SLOCUM is believed to have swatstika tattoos on his forearms.
LORETTA COLEGROVE is approximately 5’9” tall.
They may be traveling in a black 2003 Ford Mustang, with two doors, and bearing N.Y. registration DED1769.
Reports indicate that SLOCUM may be holding the woman and their child against their will. We have further information that SLOCUM may be armed. We believe they were traveling on North Street in the Town of Adams, Massachusetts, at approximately 5 a.m. this morning.
Mayor Domenic Sarno and the Rebuild Springfield chairmen appointed a 15-member advisory committee.
The Republican file photo | Mark M. MurrayNicholas A. Fyntrilakis, at the podium, and Gerald W. Hayes, left, are leading the Rebuild Springfield effort following the June 1 tornado. They and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, right, on Wednesday announced a 15-member advisory to assist them.
SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and the chairmen of the Rebuild Springfield effort announced the appointment of a 15-member advisory committee that will aid with the development and implementation of a master plan for rebuilding the city in the aftermath of a June 1 tornado.
In addition, the city is advertising for firms through a “Request for Qualifications” process to serve as consultants in the rebuilding effort.
The new Rebuild Springfield Advisory Committee has been charged with providing advice to the Mayor in:
• The formulation of a Tornado Rebuilding Master Plan (TRMP).
• The formation of an implementation strategy for the TRMP.
• Generating input from Neighborhood Councils, residents, business groups and the public at large.
• Emphasizing workable approaches that will achieve rebuilding on a timely basis and capitalize on the capabilities of existing Springfield-based organizations and businesses in executing the strategy.
“As we enter the crucial rebuilding phase, we must move quickly to develop actionable and realistic strategies – a blueprint that will reflect a community-embraced vision for a stronger and even more vibrant Springfield,” Sarno said in a prepared release.
The advisory board members are:
Leo Florian, Alicia Zoeller, Ethel Griffin, Mattie Lacewell, Christopher Caputo, David Jarnes, Shalimar Colon, The Rev. Bruce Shaw, Laura Marino, Jill Russell, Raymond Jordan, Hector Toledo, Carlos Gonzalez, Donald Courtemanche and Peter Gagliardi.
MassLive.com will have more details later today; the full story will be published in The Republican on Thursday.
UMass covers between 90 and 95 percent of insurance costs for the graduate employee organization as part of their contract.
AMHERST – Some University of Massachusetts students are upset by the change in the health plan at UMass that will require out-of-pocket costs for visits to specialists and certain procedures.
Ryan Quinn, a representative of the Graduate Employee Organization UAW Local, said those that would be most affected are women expecting babies after Aug. 1, when the change would take place.
Currently, the health care plan covers the full cost of visits to specialists on the preferred list, the new policy reduces that to 85 percent of the cost and that is with a $250 deductible, up from $200.
Quinn said women having babies could be responsible for delivery costs of up to $5,000 – the cap on out of pocket costs and about a third of what graduate student employees earn.
UMass spokesman Daniel Fitzgibbons said the university “wanted to keep premiums affordable.” He said about 3,000 undergraduates are insured and only about 500 graduate students who are not part of the union.
If UMass had retained its 100 percent coverage, premiums would have needed to have been hiked between 29.3 to 57.3 percent, according to a letter to graduate student employee from Donna J. Yezierski, associate director of University Health Services. This rate of increase is based on three proposals offered by health provider insurers.
“Such increases would have had a significant negative impact on all – undergraduates and non-union graduate students, who are responsible for the full cost of their insurance,” she wrote.
UMass covers between 90 and 95 percent of insurance costs for the graduate employee organization as part of their contract.
But Quinn said that “most would rather pay that additional premium.” He said that is based on calls to the union as well as an informal survey of members.
He said with the new plan “we’re moving toward an almost catastrophic (health-care) coverage.”
Under the change, premiums are rising 17 percent instead of the nearly 30 percent they would have otherwise. For the year, individuals will pay $2,776 up from $2,371. A family plan is rising from $6,288 to $7,374. Plus students have to pay a mandatory $654 health fee.
But most graduate students are members of the union and pay just 5 percent of the costs and will see a hike from $118.55 to $138.80. “That’s pretty good coverage,” Fitzgibbons said.
Quinn said that even if a procedure is done on campus such as a gynecological exam from a specialist who comes to the campus, students have to pay 15 percent of the cost of that as well. This includes unionized graduate students.
The union is staging three rallies Friday and is being joined by members of Mass-Care (the Massachusetts Campaign for SinglePayer Health Care), Jobs with Justice, Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts’s (PHENOM,) and the Student Labor Action Project.
At noon, they will be handing out leaflets at the Aetna Student Health Corporate Headquarters in Cambridge. Aetna is the campus insurer.
Also at noon, people will be at the corner of Amity and South Pleasant streets in Amherst and at 4 p.m. at Main and Pleasant streets in Northampton.
Quinn said this change has implications beyond the campus here and at UMass-Dartmouth, which is also facing coverage changes.
He and others believe that this type of proposal “is going to be a model for cost containment in this state.”
Pintado, a University of Massachusetts student and advocate of immigrants' rights, was arrested on charges stemming from an incident in a Hadley parking lot.
Manuel Pintado.
HADLEY – Manuel E. Pintado, who is on parole for threatening a Florida state representative, was back in court recently on charges stemming from an incident in a Hadley parking lot.
According to Police Chief Dennis Hukowicz, two Hadley police officers arrived at the Walmart parking lot on July 2 in response to a report of a shoplifter to find a car parked in a fire lane. When the officers asked the woman behind the wheel to move the car, Pintado, 47, approached and started yelling at them to arrest her, Hukowicz said.
Although police advised Pintado to go to the station if he wished to file a complaint, he ignored them and continued yelling at the driver, drawing a crowd. He refused to leave the area when ordered to do so by the officers, Hukowicz said, and when the woman attempted to drive away, Pintado reached into the car and yelled, “I’ll kick your ass.”
Pintado was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, threatening to commit a crime and resisting arrest. He pleaded innocent to the charges on July 5 in Eastern Hampshire District Court and was released on his own recognizance. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Aug. 23.
Northampton police arrested Pintado, a Northampton resident, in January after they were alerted by Florida police that he had sent a threatening email to Florida state representative William D. Snyder. Snyder authored a bill aimed at giving Florida law enforcement greater leeway in cracking down on illegal immigrants. Pintado, a University of Massachusetts student and advocate of immigrants’ rights, warned Snyder to back away from the legislation, according to police.
With financial help from First Churches, where Pintado serves as a deacon, he flew to Florida for arraignment on charges connected with the email. Pintado was released and ordered to serve five years probation in May after pleading no contest and apologizing to the judge.
One of the conditions of his probation is that Pintado seek help for his mental health problems. A veteran of the U.S. military, Pintado reportedly suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Abrams added a shot of warmth and spontaneity to the committee, which had been battered by critics following the tragedy of Phoebe Prince.
Robert Abrams
SOUTH HADLEY – Dr. Robert Abrams, who was elected to the School Committee in April, has resigned from the committee for health reasons.
In a letter to committee chair Dale Carey, Abrams wrote that “due to unexpected medical complications, I will not be able to complete my term as a school committee member for the Town of South Hadley.”
“I’m sure I’ll get better,” said Abrams in a phone interview, “but I’m just not up to doing the job.” He did not describe the nature of his illness.
Abrams, a medical doctor, will continue to serve on the South Hadley School Schedule Committee, which is studying the possibility of adjusting high school starting times so teenagers can sleep later and get to school later.
Abrams has been advocating for this change from his first meeting with the School Committee, backing up his proposal with packets of studies suggesting that adolescent sleep patterns are biologically different from those of children and adults, and that attendance and grades improve when their classes start at a later hour.
Abrams added a shot of warmth and spontaneity to the committee, which had been battered by critics following the tragedy of Phoebe Prince, a high school student who took her life in January 2010.
When asked if he had been forced from the committee for any political reason, Abrams answered, “Absolutely not!”
“I’m really sorry to see him go,” said South Hadley Schools Superintendent Gus Sayer. “He’s a wonderful human being. He’s a strong supporter of the schools, and he has given a lot to the community in his long career.”
The South Hadley Selectboard is now looking for someone to fill the vacancy left by Abrams. The Selectboard will work with the remaining School Committee members on the search.
The person chosen will serve until next year’s town election, and may seek election to a regular seat at that time.
Any South Hadley resident interested in being appointed to the School Committee can submit a letter of interest by July 29 to the Selectboard at 116 Main Street, South Hadley, MA 01075 or by email to Selectboard@southhadley.org.
South Hadley is researching the limited warranty that came with the 6-year-old boilers to see if it can get any money back.
Photo by Julian Feller-CohenSouth Hadley Town Hall.
SOUTH HADLEY – It may seem a tad early to be worrying about broken boilers and drafty windows, but occupants of South Hadley’s Town Hall are acting now to solve those problems before winter.
Two of the four boilers in Town Hall have broken down irretrievably, according to Town Administrator Paul Beecher. They started leaking rusty water in April.
The frustrating part of this is that the boilers were installed only six years ago, said Beecher, who was hired in 2010.
He met with representatives of the supplier and the installer of the heating system, and a number of possible problems were uncovered.
Among them: The contractor converted the existing system from steam to hot water, no strainers were installed, the system may not have been properly flushed and the pumps are too small for the boilers.
In addition, this particular line of LAARS boilers has evidently been discontinued.
Siemens Industry, which was hired to conduct an energy audit and make recommendations for energy efficiency in South Hadley’s municipal buildings, has offered to take charge of replacing the boilers.
But the estimates for boiler purchase and installation have varied so widely – numbers have ranged from $65,000 to $110,000 – that in spite of the time crunch, town officials are examining their options.
South Hadley Town Hall has been shut down twice in the past two years due to problems with heating.
Meanwhile, with the help of the town lawyer, the town is researching the limited warranty that came with the boilers to see if it can get any money back. “We’re not holding out much hope,” said Beecher, “but we’ll see what we can do.”
Another big problem with the Town Hall, which was built in 1913, is its windows. Caulking around the windows is cracked and the top sashes are drifting down, allowing both moisture and cold air to enter.
Occupants of the building also say the windows are hard to open, close and lock. Among other things, this could cause injury to someone trying to operate a window.
The report by Siemens is working its way through town departments and will be presented at Town Meeting in September along with requests to fund energy-saving changes.
The boilers and windows would have been part of that report, said Beecher, but their condition required earlier attention.
