Greater Springfield lost 500 jobs in June, but has gained 4,000 jobs in the first half of the year.

SPRINGFIELD – The city’s unemployment rate rose to 12 percent in June from 11 .7 percent in May.

That was lower than the 12.2 percent unemployment rate Springfield recorded a year ago in June 2010, according to figures released Tuesday by the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Springfield has the fifth-highest unemployment rate of any city in the state. Lawrence is first at 16.8 percent. After Springfield, Holyoke is ninth-highest in the state and the next-highest in Western Massachusetts at 11.1 percent, up from 11 percent in May, but down from 11.7 percent in June 2010.

As a region, Springfield and its surrounding communities had an unemployment rate of 8.9 percent in June, up from 8.4 percent in May but down from 9.3 percent a year ago.

Statewide, the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate was 7.8 percent in June, up from 7.4 percent in May, but down from 8.5 percent in June.

Adjusted for seasonal changes in the economy, June’s statewide unemployment was 7.6 percent. The national average, which is also seasonally-adjusted, was 9.2 percent for June.

Greater Springfield lost 500 jobs last month, according the state. That makes Springfield and Greater New Bedford the only regions of the state to loose jobs in a month when summer tourism pumps up economies on Cape Cod and in the Berkshires.

For the first half of the year, however, Springfield and its surrounding towns have added 4,000 jobs.

The state as a whole added 41,600 jobs last month, a 1.3 percent rate of growth. Robert A. Nakosteen, a professor of economics and statistics at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst said the state’s overall job market is one of the more robust in the country.

“What we are seeing is more evidence of uneven growth,” Nakosteen said. “The action is in the East. That’s where the jobs are growing. That’s where salaries are growing.”

He said all that growth is being driven by burgeoning high-tech industries that Springfield doesn’t have.

Rena Kottcamp, director of research for the state Division of Unemployment Insurance, said some parts of the economy gained jobs in Greater Springfield in June.

Leisure and hospitality was up 1,200 in what is probably a seasonal fluctuation, Kottcamp said. The 500-job gain in construction outpaced normal seasonal growth, she said. Professional and scientific industries gained 400 jobs and manufacturing, long the backbone of the local economy, gained 300 jobs.

Kevin E. Lynn, manager of business services at FutureWorks one-stop job center in Springfield, said temporary staffing agencies accounted for 662 job opening s out of the 5,394 job openings posted at FutureWorks in the he fiscal year that ended July 1.

“That’s reflecting continued uncertainty on the part of employers,” Lynn said. “They are risk averse. They just don’t want to bring someone on full-time.”

Those 5,394 job openings were a 3 percent drop from the 5,560 openings posted in the previous fiscal year which ended July 1 2010.

Lynn said health care is still a growing industry, despite Baystate Health’s announcement last week that it will eliminate 354 jobs.

Lynn said the average wage for a job found through FutureWorks was $12.96 for the fiscal year that just ended. That’s compared with $12.57 on average last year.

Manufacturing still has a demand for highly-skilled machinists.

“Like every industry it is all about education, skills and training,” Lynn said. “If you don’t have those things, you will be hurting.”

Nakosteen said he doesn’t think that the federal debt crisis is stopping companies from hiring despite the trouble the controversy is causing in the financial markets.

Fusco fought extradition from Italy after the charges were brought; he is scheduled to be tried in U.S. District Court in March.

Emilio Fusco

NEW YORK – A federal judge emphatically denied a motion by mobster Emilio Fusco to be released on bail as he awaits trial on racketeering charges that include the 2003 murders of mob boss Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno and another organized crime associate in Western Massachusetts.

Emilio Fusco, 42, of Longmeadow, Mass., moved to be released from prison and placed on house arrest while he also is appealing an extradition order by a judge in his native Italy that saw him transferred to the United States in May. Fusco was arrested in Italy in July 2009 after being indicted in a Manhattan court along with other local gangsters and the onetime acting boss of the Genovese crime family.

Mob enforcers Fotios and Ty Geas, of West Springfield, Mass., and Westfield, Mass., respectively, and then-capo Arthur “Artie” Nigro, of Bronx, N.Y., went to trial on essentially the same charges in March, were convicted by a jury and face mandatory life sentences. Fusco, on the other hand, fought extradition from Italy after the charges were brought, was excluded from that trial and is now scheduled to be tried alone in U.S. District Court in March.

U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel told the attorneys the bail argument wasn’t even a close call.

“While on bail and on electronic monitoring, Mr. Fusco participated in two murders,” Castel said, drawing from the evidence and testimony in the March trial. Fusco had been released on bail on a 2000 racketeering charge.

Castel said he wasn’t going to let Fusco “learn from past mistakes” and get out on bail simply to flee to another country with no extradition treaty with the United States.

Prosecutors successfully argued to Castel that Fusco fled after news reports began circulating that former mob soldier Anthony J. Arillotta, of Springfield, had joined ranks with the government shortly after his arrest last year and led them to the body of Gary Westerman, a Bruno associate who disappeared three weeks after Bruno was murdered.

The FBI and Massachusetts State Police descended on a wooded lot in Agawam, Mass., in April 2010, recovering Westerman’s remains. Arillotta testified at the Geases’ trial that he, the Geases and Fusco teamed up to shoot and bludgeon Westerman, Arillotta’s brother-in-law, and then bury him in the woods.

They correctly believed Westerman was a police informant and Fusco allegedly was recruited to aid in the killing just three weeks after Bruno was gunned down outside his regular Sunday night card game at an Italian social club. Witnesses said Bruno was killed because Fusco began circulating a court record from a loan-sharking case (to which he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison) confirming Bruno had spoken to an FBI agent about Fusco’s status in the Mafia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas McQuaid told Castel that the theoretical arguments prosecutors usually make urging pretrial detainment of organized crime figures who could pose a threat to witnesses against them is a foregone conclusion in Fusco’s case.

“There’s no need to go there. He’s guilty. He’s killed people for these things,” McQuaid said during a lengthy hearing on Tuesday.

Fusco has denied all allegations; his lawyer argued that he had traveled to Italy to attend his sister’s 50th birthday party and to other family and business matters.

Defense lawyer William I. Aronwald told Castel that Fusco flew out on April 13, 2010, three days before his sister’s birthday but admittedly amid widespread media reports of the Westerman dig. Aronwald contended his return was delayed by his mother’s poor health, an Icelandic volcanic eruption and buisiness negotiations over a tire recycling contract back in the states.

“(The government) has not presented one witness who said Emilio Fusco said he was leaving the country because he knows the jig was up and he was about to be indicted,” Aronwald argued, adding that he routinely traveled to see his mother and siblings in Italy but has a wife, three children, a home and had a Dumpster business in Western Massachusetts.

Fusco became a naturalized citizen in 1996 after immigrating to this country in 1991 and later marrying. At issue in Italy was whether Fusco would face the death penalty and whether he was technically charged with murder. That country opposes extradition of its citizens under those circumstances, according to Aronwald. Because the structure of Fusco’s indictment on the murder counts is murky, Fusco is appealing the extradition order, his lawyer said.

Secretary of Administration and Finance said Massachusetts will help Springfield with expenses not covered by federal reimbursements.

View full sizeThe Republican | Michael S. GordonJay Gonzalez, left, Massachusetts Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, and Carole J. Cornelison, Commissioner of the Division of Capital Asset Management, help serve lunch Tuesday at the Open Pantry Loaves and Fishes Kitchen in the basement of Christ Church Cathedral in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD – State Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez Tuesday showered praise on the city’s campaign to recover from the widespread damage left by the June 1 tornadoes.

Visiting Springfield to get a closer look at local rebuilding efforts, Gonzalez met with Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and leaders of Rebuild Springfield, the public-private group orchestrating the city’s long-term recovery.

“I’m very impressed with the genuine commitment to both rebuilding the city, and also to the needs of the people,” Gonzalez said following the meeting at Gov. Deval L. Patrick’s regional office on Dwight Street.

Gonzalez said the city is calculating the costs of storm recovery to submit to the Federal Emergency Management Administration, which will provide the largest share of reimbursements for tornado relief costs.

The state will also help the city with expenses not covered by federal reimbursements, though it is too early to say how much and for what specific costs, Gonzalez said.

Funding for the tornado recovery was one of the subjects discussed by Gonzalez during his meeting with the mayor and two leaders of Rebuild Springfield, Gerald W. Hayes and Nick Fyntrilakis.

Sarno appointed the pair to oversee the long-range recovery effort; Hayes is a vice president at Westfield State University and Fyntrilakis is an assistant vice president at MassMutual Financial Group.

The group, which includes a 15-member advisory committee, is currently seeking consultants with expertise in urban renewal to draft a master plan for the rebuilding effort.

Mayor Pluta is being challenged by Daniel Boyle, Alex Morse and Daniel Burns.

Vote being counted in the tabulation machine in recent Holyoke election.

HOLYOKE – A preliminary election will be required on Sept. 20 to narrow the field to the two top vote-getters in races for mayor and Ward 7 City Council.

The deadline passed Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. for incumbents and challengers for mayor, City Council and School Committee to file nomination papers bearing signatures of registered voters.

Election day is Nov. 8.

Incumbent Mayor Elaine A. Pluta is seeking reelection to her second, two-year term.

Pluta has three challengers: Alex B. Morse, youth counselor and job developer at CareerPoint here; business consultant Daniel C. Boyle, whom Pluta defeated in the 2009 election; and former city councilor Daniel C. Burns.

The mayor’s yearly salary is $85,000.

Perhaps the biggest surprise at the filing deadline was that Police Capt. Alan G. Fletcher, a 43-year veteran who is retiring in October, is running for Ward 7 City Council.

John J. O’Neill, the incumbent Ward 7 councilor, didn’t take out nomination papers to seek reelection.

Competing with Fletcher for the Ward 7 council seat are Gordon Paul Alexander, of 1450 Northampton St., chairman of the Conservation Commission, and Christopher Kulig, of 63 Jarvis Ave., who was on the charter review commission.

On Monday, Ward 3 Councilor Anthony M. Keane told The Republican and MassLive.com he wouldn’t seek reelection.

Seeking the Ward 3 council seat are Richard P. Purcell, of 99 Martin St., and David K. Bartley, of 25 Hillcrest Ave., son of David M. Bartley, former speaker of the state House of Representatives and former president of Holyoke Community College.

Gladys Lebron-Martinez will vacate her Ward 1 School Committee post to try to unseat Ward 1 City Councilor Donald R. Welch.

Vying for the Ward 1 School Committee seat will be Joshua A. Garcia, of 76 North East St., and John C. Pietrzykowski Sr., of 28 North Bridge St.

In other School Committee races, Ward 5 member Devin M. Sheehan seeks reelection against Reynaldo Martinez Jr., of 14 Sterling Road, and Ward 6 member William R. Collamore faces a challenge from Jaime Cotto, of 6 Shawmut Ave.

Unopposed School Committee members are Howard B. Greaney Jr., at large; Yvonne Garcia, Ward 2; Dennis W. Birks Jr., Ward 3; Cesar A. Lopez, Ward 4; and Margaret M. Boulais, Ward 7.

In other City Council races, with Ward 2 incumbent Diosdado Lopez having announced he won’t seek reelection, the seat is up for grabs between Anthony Soto, of 10 James St., a former Fire Commission member, and Gloria I. Rosado, of 164 Sargeant St.

Ward 4 Councilor Timothy W. Purington also announced he wouldn’t run again. Seeking that seat are Libby Hernandez, of 245 Walnut St., and Jason P. Ferreira, of 13 School St.

Ward 5 Councilor Linda L. Vacon and Ward 6 Councilor Todd A. McGee are unopposed.

Eleven candidates, including all the incumbents, are running for the eight City Council at large seats.

The incumbents are Patricia C. Devine, Joseph M. McGiverin, Kevin A. Jourdain, Peter R. Tallman, Rebecca Lisi, James M. Leahy, Brenna E. Murphy and Aaron M. Vega.

Also running for council at large are John G. Whelihan, a former city councilor who was on the charter review commission, Daniel B. Bresnahan, who was city health director until leaving June 24 for a job with the Springfield Housing Authority, and Yasser Menwer, of 61 Beacon Ave., who was the 2004 Massachusetts Air National Guard Airman of the Year.

The Tornado Relief Fund for Western Mass. has $145,000.

SPRINGFIELD – Square One and the YMCA of Greater Springfield are the first non-profit agencies to be the recipients of grants as part of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts tornado-relief and recovery effort.

The grants, $20,000 to Square One and $5,000 to the Y, were announced on Tuesday by foundation president Ronald Ancrum.

Ancrum said in total they received donations from 60 donors including People’s United Bank, which donated $30,000, and PeoplesBank, which donated $25,000. The foundation also donated $50,000. The initial total in the fund was $145,000.

The Tornado Relief Fund for Western Mass. offers grants that go to non-profit organizations that were directly impacted by the tornado either through an increase in service needs or damage to their facilities, Ancrum said.

He said Square One not only lost several of their buildings on Main Street, but also a vehicle to transport children. The organization will use the $20,000 to purchase a new vehicle.

Square One president Joan Kagan said the foundation has always been a supporter of the organization.

“The grant process is usually long and we appreciate that the Community Foundation expedited the process understanding the immediate needs of the community,” she said.

Ancrum said the foundation developed a system to process any application in three weeks.

Kirk Smith, the president of the YMCA of Greater Springfield, said the $5,040 grant will be used to send about 20 children who were affected by the tornado and lived in emergency shelters to summer camp.

“Camp is about exposing young people to different aspects of life and to give these kids a chance to have good time and get away,” he said.

While they did not suffer physical damage, the organization opened their doors to more than 500 people after the tornado.

“We provided a space for them to take showers, play basketball, work out and get their mind off things,” he said.

Smith said they are grateful for the grant and it will be put to good use.

The foundation is still accepting applications from non-profit organizations. They are also accepting donations for the fund. For more information visit www.communityfoundation.org

Stung by revelations that his plan would cut spending less than advertised, House Speaker John Boehner postponed a vote on his legislation.

Associated PressHouse Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, right, and Republican Conference Chairman Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas , center, listen as House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Va., left, speaks during a news conference at The Republican National Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 26, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

By CHARLES BABINGTON

WASHINGTON — Stung by revelations that his plan would cut spending less than advertised, House Speaker John Boehner on Tuesday postponed a vote on a debt-ceiling measure that was already running into opposition from tea party conservatives. The move came just a week before an Aug. 2 deadline for staving off the potential financial chaos of the nation's first-ever default.

With time running short, the speaker promised to quickly rewrite his debt-ceiling legislation after budget officials said it would cut spending by less than $1 trillion over the coming decade instead of the promised $1.2 trillion. The vote originally scheduled for Wednesday is now set for Thursday. That may give Boehner more time to hunt for votes, but it gives Congress and the White House even less time for maneuvering.

Meanwhile, public head-butting between Democratic President Barack Obama and the Republicans showed no sign of easing. The White House declared Obama would veto the Boehner bill, even if it somehow got through the House and the Democratic-controlled Senate.

For all that, it was the tea party-backed members of Boehner's own party who continued to vex him and heavily influence the debt and deficit negotiating terms — not to mention his chances of holding on to the speakership.

Their adamant opposition to any tax increases forced Boehner to back away from a "grand bargain" with Obama that might have made dramatic cuts in government spending. Yet when Boehner turned this week to a more modest cost-cutting plan, with no tax increases, many conservatives balked again. They said the proposal lacked the more potent tools they seek, such as a constitutional mandate for balanced budgets.

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, chairman of a large group of conservative Republicans, sent a tremor through the Capitol Tuesday when he said he doubted Boehner had enough support to pass his plan. The Boehner bill would provide an immediate debt ceiling increase but would require further action before the 2012 elections.

Obama strongly opposes that last requirement, arguing that it would reopen the delicate and crucial debt discussions to unending political pressure during next year's campaigns.

The president supports a separate bill, pushed by Majority Leader Harry Reid in the Democratic-controlled Senate, that would raise the debt ceiling enough to tide the government over through next year — and the elections.

Boehner wasn't helped when presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty and the groups Tea Party Patriots and Tea Party Express criticized his plan. A worse blow came when in an official congressional analysis late Tuesday, which said his plan would produce smaller savings than originally promised. Of particular embarrassment was a Congressional Budget office finding that Boehner's measure would cut the deficit by just $1 billion next year.

Boehner's office said it would rewrite the legislation to make sure the spending cuts exceed the amount the debt limit would be raised. Adding a political touch, it accused the Democrats of declining to put forward specifics subject to the same sort of review.

Earlier, responding to the conservative Republican opposition, Boehner quickly went on Rush Limbaugh's radio show, then he began one-on-one chats with wavering Republicans on the House floor during midday roll call votes.

"He has to convince a few people," Rep. Tom Petri, R-Wis., observed dryly from a doorway.

A serious, almost dire urgency ran through Boehner's efforts. The clock was ticking down to next Tuesday's deadline to continue the government's borrowing powers and avert possible defaults on U.S. loans.

Congressional veterans say a final-hour bargain can't be reached until both parties irrefutably prove to themselves and the public that neither the Democrats' top goals nor the Republicans' can be reached in the divided Congress.

Moreover, Boehner's grasp on the speakership could be weakened if he fails to pass the debt-ceiling plan that bears his name. Assuming no more than five Democrats support the measure — the same number that backed a GOP balanced-budget bill last week — Boehner can afford to lose no more than 28 of the House's 240 Republicans.

His allies predicted he'll make it, and Boehner got a vocal endorsement from his sometimes rival, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va. But holdouts were not limited to the much-discussed freshman class, elected in the tea party-fueled 2010 elections.

"He can't get my vote because I felt like that, for long-term solutions to this problem, all these promises we make in cutting spending never seem to occur," said Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga. " I've been here nine years and I've never seen it happen yet."

Six-term Rep. Jeff Flake of Arizona, a long-time critic of deficit spending, said he also was leaning against Boehner's bill even though he knows a tougher measure cannot be enacted. "Obviously you have to weigh that against passing something that just doesn't solve the problem," Flake said.

Major business groups weighed in. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce urged support of Boehner's bill, while the conservative Club for Growth denounced it as too weak.

While Boehner searched for votes, some Americans seemed to edge closer to notion that the Aug. 2 deadline might pass without a solution. The stock market fell again, although not dramatically. California planned to borrow about $5 billion from private investors as a hedge against a possible federal government default.

The White House spoke with veterans groups about what might happen to vets' benefits if a deal isn't reached. Obama has said he can't guarantee Social Security checks and payments to veterans and the disabled would go out on schedule.

The Senate worked on other issues, waiting to see if Boehner's bill would pass the House and come its way. Reid, D-Nev., said the Boehner bill could not pass his chamber.

Reid has his own plan. Like Boehner's, it would identify about $1.2 trillion in spending cuts to the day-to-day operating budgets of government agencies. Reid's proposal, however, would require only one congressional vote to raise the debt ceiling before the 2012 elections. And it counts an extra $1 trillion in savings from winding down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Both proposals would create a bipartisan congressional commission to identify further deficit reductions, especially in major health care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

For seven months, tea party-backed House members — freshmen and veterans alike —have rewritten congressional traditions. Speakers typically can twist arms, offer favors and issue veiled threats to round up the needed support on tough votes. It's possible Boehner will be able to do so on the debt-ceiling matter.

But many tea party activists abhor political compromise. They insist that their elected officials stand on principle, regardless of the consequences.

"A lot of the tea party guys owe certain support groups," said Rep. Walter Jones Jr., R-N.C. He said he had not decided how to vote on Boehner's bill.

Freshman Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., bristles at the notion that tea party-influenced newcomers are sheep-like ideologues willing to risk default. "We're not a bunch of knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing Neanderthals," Gowdy said. "We're interested in answering what we perceive to be the mandate, which is to stop the spending and change the way Washington handles money."

Gowdy said he was leaning against Boehner's proposal.

But freshman Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., a tea party favorite, felt otherwise.

"This Boehner plan, does it have everything that I want in it?" West said. "Absolutely not. It is the 70-75 percent plan that we can go forward with."

Petri, a 33-year House veteran, said Boehner may need the votes of 35 to 40 Democrats, which Democratic leaders say is impossible.

Asked how Boehner will get out of his predicament, Petri paused and said: "When I think of it, I'll give him a call."

Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman, Jim Abrams, Steven Ohlemacher, Alan Fram, Donna Cassata and Larry Margasak contributed to this report.

The accident claimed the lives of Kathleen and Martin Tessier, of 15 Lawson Drive, Easthampton.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE – Police are still investigating a head-on collision traffic accident that killed a man and woman on Route 202 on July 7, Police Chief James M. Neiswanger said Tuesday.

The accident took the lives of Kathleen and Martin Tessier, of 15 Lawson Drive, Easthampton. Kathleen Tessier was driving a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu, police said.

The driver of the second vehicle, Andrea Waldo, 23, of 25 Russell Road, Huntington, was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield with injuries that weren’t life-threatening, police said. She was driving a 1994 Ford Explorer.

Neiswanger said no details would be released until the investigation was done and it was unclear when that would be.

The late-afternoon accident occurred as Waldo drove west on Route 202. A witness told investigators that Waldo’s vehicle swerved to the right and then to the left where it crossed the double line and crashed into the Tessiers’ vehicle, police said.

The accident occured west of Homestead Avenue on the stretch of Route 202 between the Ashley and McLean reservoirs, police said.

The move paves the way for the dilapidated buildings to be razed and a new senior center to be built on the land.

Republican file photoThis is one of the former Facemate buildings that will be razed to make way for a new senior center in Chicopee.

CHICOPEE – The federal government has withdrawn a lien placed on the former Facemate property in 2004, paving the way for the dilapidated buildings to be razed and a new senior center to be built on the land.

Six years ago, after Facemate Corp. was abandoned when owner Walter F. Mrozinski declared bankruptcy, vats and tanks of hazardous waste including ammonia, acids, hydrogen peroxide and other substances was found in three of seven buildings. The Environmental Protection Agency cleaned up the waste and placed a $1.39 million lien on the property.

When the city took the property about two years ago for back taxes, it also inherited the lien, which was the cost of the cleanup of the waste, Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said.

That lien prevented the city from using a planned $5 million federal Community Development Block Grant to tear down the Facemate buildings off West Main Street and build a senior center, he said.

“That is why this is so important,” he said. “This is the largest legal and environmental quagmire in the history of the city. It has been a cancer on the city.”

It also prevented the city from seeking a number of available federal grants to clean up the property, he said.

With negotiations stalled and the building committee pushing to start construction on the Senior Center, Bissonnette said he recently requested assistance from U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry this spring.

“It gives us full site control and it clears the way for the senior center,” he said.

In the settlement, the Environmental Protection Agency agreed to dismiss the lawsuit if Chicopee promised to share the proceeds of any sale of the property.

About six acres is set aside for the senior center, and the city hopes to market the remaining property, about 10 acres. Possible uses discussed are elderly housing and small stores.

Because of the enormous costs of cleaning the site, tearing down the buildings and security, Bissonnette said he cannot believe there will be any profits from marketing the property.

Estimates show it will cost at least $20 million to clean up both the Facemate and neighboring Uniroyal properties, which were also owned by Mrozinski.

Stipulation for Settlement Agreement as Filed in Registry of Deeds

Despite the storm damage, which included downed power lines, police said no injuries were reported.

Staff Photo by Dave RobackDamage to the Curran Construction building in Holyoke from Tuesday's storm as seen on Tuesday evening.

HOLYOKE – Juan Lugo was at home at 45 Meadow St. when he heard a loud crack Tuesday afternoon, and everything got dark.

All Lugo could see outside his windows were leaves and branches.

The mighty winds from a late-afternoon rain storm that burst into the area apparently uprooted a tree and dumped it onto the home of Lugo and his neighbor. It also crushed a car in Lugo’s driveway.

“I was on my way to pick up my sister at the hospital, Holyoke hospital, and I was bringing the dog inside and I heard this cracking noise,” Lugo said. “I looked outside and I couldn’t see anything outside the windows because of all the leaves.”

The gushing rain and fierce winds also appeared to slice a giant U-shape through an industrial building on Gatehouse Road.

“I like storms. I like watching lightning and stuff, but this was pretty crazy,” said Kristen L. Garvulenski, of Chicopee.

She works at Garvulenski Service Center, 32 Canal St., across the first-level canal from a now-damaged, four-story, red-brick building that houses the James A. Curran General Contractors Inc. on Gatehouse Road.

“That was a whole building, fully intact,” said Garvulenski.

She pointed across the canal to the U-shaped area that showed the sky where minutes earlier she said was just the four-story Curran building.

Police and Garvulenski said apparently heavy winds tore a hole in the upper three floors of the building.

“We were in the bays near the tools and I heard this train noise, it sounded like the trains sound when they go by on that trestle over there,” Garvulenski said, pointing to nearby tracks. “I looked outside and part of the building was gone. It was pretty scary.”

At 45 Meadow St., a tree was smothering two houses and a car. The dirt and asphalt base of the tree was yanked, roots and all, out of the ground, and lay 7 feet high and perpendicular to the street.

Lugo was assessing the damage to his home. From the street, the tree appeared to have rested on his roof but it was difficult to tell if the house was damaged.

A blue Oldsmobile Alero belonging to Lugo’s son was parked in the driveway and appeared to be crushed beneath the tree.

The house next door to the Lugos’ appeared to sustain heavier damage. The tree appeared to have fallen on the roof, bowing it in.

Bethzaida Lugo said her husband called her at work about 4 p.m. to tell her what happened. She arrived and couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Oh my God, I was shocked,” she said.

The Lugos have lived at 45 Meadow St. for four years and have never seen anything like Tuesday’s storm, Mrs. Lugo said.

“You just have to trust God. Trust God all the way,” Mrs. Lugo said.

No injuries were reported in any of the storm-related problems, police said.

The storm included rain heavy enough to make visibility almost nonexistent for drivers on Interstate 391, hail and a tornado warning from the National Weather Service, which expired at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Incidents here included power lines down on Gatehouse Road and Meadow Street, trees down in the downtown areas of at 454 Dwight Road, 32 West court St. and 27 Lawler St. and manhole covers overflowed on Appleton and Cabot streets, police said.

For many, the storm was an eerie reminder of the June 1 tornadoes that caused severe damage in Westfield, West Springfield, Springfield, Wilbraham, Monson and Brimfield.

Updates live coverage of the storm.
» Read the transcript

A strong thunderstorm that brought 50-mile-an-hour winds, hail and drenching rains late Tuesday afternoon damaged buildings, downed trees and flooded underpasses in communities just beginning to recover from the June 1 tornadoes.

A motorcyclist was killed the Berkshire County town of Hinsdale, a tree fell through a house in Hampden, part of an industrial building collapsed in Holyoke and streets were made impassable by flooding and downed trees in Chicopee.

No other injuries were reported.

For many, the storm was an eerie reminder of the June 1 tornadoes that caused severe damage in Westfield, West Springfield, Springfield, Wilbraham, Monson and Brimfield. No tornado was confirmed Tuesday.

The storm struck at about 4:30 p.m., nearly the same time the first tornado hit Springfield on June 1, and left rush-hour drivers idling as traffic signals failed and tree limbs blocked roadways. In the hardest-hit neighborhoods, some abandoned their cars and walked home with stunned expressions. In the worst spots, even that wasn’t possible as police wouldn’t allow pedestrians access because of downed electrical wires.

Such was the case in Wilbraham, where downed trees and live wires blocked multiple roads and 100 percent of the town was without power immediately after the storm after the transmission lines for the East Longmeadow Shaker Road substation were knocked down. The tornado-damaged substation had just been repaired, said David D. Graves, spokesman for National Grid.

“It appears that ground zero for the event was between Springfield Street and Tinkham Road” in Wilbraham, town Selectman Patrick J. Brady said. Tinkham Road was also seriously damaged eight weeks ago.

Residents said tornado-like winds sheered the tops off trees behind the Minnechaug Regional High School football field. The metal scoreboard on the football field was ripped off its poles and moved by wind halfway down the field.

The high winds also damaged the roof over the pool at the school.

Residents said some of the hardest hit spots appeared to be Brewer, Ripley and Orlando streets and Bittersweet Lane. Flooding was also a problem and residents had to push a car out of the driveway at the high school.

“This has been a crazy year with weather,” said Jo-Ann Carlisle, of Springfield Street. “Nothing makes any sense.

The storm started in the Berkshires at about 2 p.m. and hit Holyoke and Chicopee around 4:15 p.m. and passed east at Interstate 84 around 5:30 p.m. It brought gusting winds, heavy rains and hail, said abc40/FOX 6 meteorologist Ed Carroll.

Among the communities hit were Holyoke, Chicopee, South Hadley, Ludlow, Hampden, Wilbraham, Monson and Indian Orchard in Springfield.

Trained weather spotters for the National Weather Service reported funnel clouds over Easthampton, Chicopee and West Springfield between 4:15 and 4:30 p.m., but it is unknown if they touched down. It will be investigated by the service, Carroll said.

About 5,500 customers in Wilbraham, 500 in Hampden, 300 in East Longmeadow and 220 in Monson all lost power. Additional help was sought to repair lines, Graves said.

Western Massachusetts Electric Company reported 14,597 customers without power in the area.

Susan Walbridge said her husband called her at work and told her part of an 80-foot pine tree had fallen through their house at 18 Wehr Road in Hampden. It took her about an hour to get home from Ware.

The Republican | Michael BeswickDave Walbridge stands in a second floor bedroom of his home at 18 Wehr Rd, Hampden where a tree literally cut his house in half.

“I had to pick up my grandson in Wilbraham and you couldn’t get through. It is a mess,” she said. “Hampden doesn’t seem too bad except for our house.”

Her husband, David Walbridge, was at home when the tree fell. He was not injured but the house is badly damaged.

“I heard a big crack, it must have been when the tree broke, and I heard a bang and then parts of the ceiling and walls exploded around my head,” he said.

“It went through the upstairs bedroom and the room directly below it. You can stand on the first floor, see the second floor and look through the roof,” Walbridge said.

In Holyoke, James Lugo had just arrived home from work and was bringing in his dog when he heard a loud crack when a massive tree fell, crushing his son’s Oldsmobile that was parked in the driveway on 45 Meadow St.

“I heard this cracking noise,” Lugo said. “I looked outside and I couldn’t see anything outside the windows because of all the leaves.”

At first it was hard to tell if the tree damaged the house. His neighbor’s house seemed to sustain heavier damage as the tree landed on the roof, bowing it in.

On the other side of Holyoke, part of a four-story brick building collapsed. The roof of the building, owned by James A. Curran General Contractors Inc., blew off and some of the top three floors collapsed into a pile of rubble below.

Kristen L. Garvulenski, of Chicopee, working at Garvulenski Service Center on Canal Street when she heard a high pitched noise she thought was a train.

“We were in the bays near the tools and I heard this train noise, it sounded like the train sound when they go by on that trestle (nearby),” she said. “I looked outside and part of the building was gone. It was pretty scary.”

The South Hadley Fire Department had to launch a boat to rescue a father and son stranded on the rocks in the middle of the Connecticut River near when they were caught by surprise by the storm, said Robert R. Authier, chief of Fire District 1.

07.26.2011 | Staff Photo by Dave Roback | SOUTH HADLEY – Rescue crews from the South Hadley Fire Department reach boaters which overturned during the storm Tuesday afternoon below the Holyoke Dam .

“They were fishing and saw the storm and took cover and put the boat over their head,” he said. “The boat blew away and they were stranded.”

Ludlow Police reported trees down, wires down, flooding and pockets of town without power. No injuries were reported.

In Chicopee, the storm tore down trees and power lines along Memorial Drive.

Thomas Abbott pulled into his driveway at 752 Memorial Drive about 4:15 p.m., just in time for the winds to blow down a tree in his front yard.

The tree missed Abbott’s minivan, but pulled telephone lines down on its roof; in the backyard, Abbott’s metal shed took flight and slammed into his neighbors house.

“I was racing the storm home,” said Abbott, who left work at Stop & Shop in West Springfield as the skies were darkening.

“It won,” he added.

There were reports of trees and wires down all up and down Pendleton and Irene Streets and flooding was reported on Prospect Street.

On nearby Beauregard Terrace, Jennifer Hall felt her the floor shaking and she huddled in her two-story brick home.

Outside, the winds took down a tree in her backyard and shattered, Shaquille O’Neal-style, the glass backboard on the basketball hoop in the front yard.

Sweeping up branches and tree limbs in her front yard, Hall said she was lucky to escape with property damage.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Hall said, recalling the storm’s impact. “Everything was shaking. It was like we lived next to a railroad track and a train was going by,” she said.

In Springfield, winds toppled trees along Worcester Street, Berkshire Avenue, Pasco Road and elsewhere in Indian Orchard. Side streets, blocked by fallen trees, were also closed by police.

Traffic was blocked on parts of many major roads including Pasco Road and Boston Road in Springfield, Pendleton Avenue in Chicopee, and Springfield Street in Wilbraham while backups hit others such as Interstate 291.

The storm came just hours after Springfield representatives met with top state officials to discuss efforts to rebuild houses and businesses damaged in the June 1 tornado.

“People were scared,” said Robert J. Hassett, the city’s emergency preparedness director.

Hassett said the storm left its mark.

“The (Indian) Orchard is looking like it took the biggest hit (in Springfield,)” he said.

In Monson, many residents said they felt anxious as news spread of another tornado warning, especially given the widespread destruction that the June 1 tornado left in town.

“I didn’t believe it. This couldn’t be happening again,” Mary Swierad said. “It turned my stomach.”

Downed trees and power outages were reported on Upper Hampden, Beebe, Bennett and Stafford roads, as well as Bumstead, Bogan and Robbins roads.

A tornado recovery information meeting went on as planned Tuesday night at Granite Valley Middle School, even though representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency canceled due to the storm. Disaster Recovery Assistant Hope Bodwell coordinated the meeting so residents would be able to talk with FEMA representatives.

At Village Green Family Campground in Brimfield, where a woman was killed in the June 1 tornado and 95 of the 97 campers and trailers were destroyed, the small number of campers and staff gathered in the basement of a house on the grounds.

“We were all huddled in the cellar again, scared,” campground owner Lester Twarowski said. “We had a lot of rain but did not have any wind. We could see the wind moving to the south.”

People also heeded storm warnings and headed to the basement at the Brimfield Congregational Church and the senior housing complex behind Brimfield Town Hall, but did not see damage there in the center of town.

“Every time there is a storm now, people take cover. We are till pretty shell shocked,” said Gina Lynch, the director of the Senior Center at the church and organizer of the church’s volunteers who have been helping residents whose properties were damaged June 1.

Staff writers Suzanne McLaughlin, Mike Plaisance, Jack Flynn, John Appleton, Lori Stabile and Peter Goonan contributed to this report.

Utility crews worked into the early morning Wednesday to restore service to thousands of customers who lost service following the freak storm that stretched from Albany, New York to Boston on Tuesday.

We've created an updated post with data from 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Utility crews worked into the early morning Wednesday to restore service to thousands of customers who lost service following the freak storm that stretched from Albany, New York to Boston on Tuesday.

In Western Massachusetts, where residents are still weary of severe weather since the June 1 tornadoes, the storm was a scary reminder that things can change in an instant. A relatively calm and typical summer day turned dark with strong winds and heavy rain pounding the area, including many communities which are still struggling to rebuild from the tornadoes.

As of 3 a.m., Western Mass. Electric Company reported that 8,655 customers were still without power, down from around 14,500 immediately following the storms. National Grid reported that 10,518 customers were also without power across the Bay State.

To the south, Connecticut Light & Power reported that 2,931 customers were without electricity, down from a peak of 13,000. Mitch Gross, a spokesman for that utility company told the Associated Press that trees and power lines were knocked down in the storm, causing outages across the state.

To see pictures of the damage done to Connecticut communities by the storm Tuesday, click here.

Trained weather spotters for the National Weather Service reported funnel clouds over Easthampton, Chicopee and West Springfield between 4:15 and 4:30 p.m., but an official investigation will take place before they are confirmed tornadoes.

Patrick announced two years ago the plan to close Glavin Regional Center, Monson Developmental Center and the Templeton Development Center.

View full sizeA Monson Developmental Center building that may be slated for demolition following its closing. (Staff Photo By John Suchocki)

MONSON - State Rep. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer, is seeking legislative support for an independent study into the impacts of closing Monson Developmental Center and similar centers that the administration of Gov. Deval L. Patrick wants to close.

Gobi said Friday she does not believe that community centers the residents of the developmental center would move to are set up to deal with some of the complex medical issues that some of these people have.

Monson Developmental Center is a residential facility that serves people with intellectual disabilities.

"I don't think it is fair or responsible that we even discuss closing these facilities before first understanding the impact that closure will have on patients, their families, and the communities hosting these centers," Gobi said

Patrick announced two years ago the plan to close Glavin Regional Center, Monson Developmental Center and the Templeton Development Center.

A cost-benefit analysis study conducted by the state projected annual savings of between $20 million and $40 million from closing these three centers and the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center in Waltham.

The state Legislature enacted a law that authorized the Executive Office of Administration and Finance to conduct that cost-benefit study.

Gobi has now filed legislation that would require the state inspector general to appoint a non-governmental commission to study the costs and benefits of closing Glavin Regional Center, Monson Developmental Center and Templeton Development Center and the costs and benefits of alternative methods of providing the services now provided at those institutions.

The state operates group homes for people with intellectual disabilities and also has contracts with private agencies that operate such group homes.

Gobi has also voiced support for additional legislation requiring that, in the event that Templeton Developmental Center is closed, the land it occupies would continue to be used for services for citizens with developmental disabilities.

The Monson facility is scheduled to close in 2012, and the Glavin and Templeton centers are scheduled to close in 2013.

The Coalition of Families and Advocates, a statewide group that works for high-quality care for people with intellectual disabilities, has been critical of the decision to close these facilities and of the cost-benefit analysis study conducted by the state.

Work is also well under way to study future uses of the property that has served the Monson Developmental Center.

The Monson center has a campus of 600 acres, 200 of which are in permanent conservation restriction.

There are 50 buildings on the Monson property, and the state has plans to demolish 23 of them.

Some of the plants on the floor of the pond are growing all the way up to the surface.

File photo | The RepublicanChildren participate in a fishing derby at Dufresne Park in Granby.

GRANBY – What would Dufresne Park be without its pond?

The Conservation Commission in Granby doesn’t want to find out, and it’s taking the initial steps to make sure the little oasis stays around for a long time.

Members are worried that vegetation in and around the water is so dense that, left to its own devices, nature would eventually fill up the pond and turn it into something else.

Some of the plants on the floor of the pond are growing all the way up to the surface, said William Shaheen, chair of the Conservation Commission.

Eventually the scum on top “forms a mat of decaying plant matter, and every year it goes up and up and up until you don’t have any pond left. It would turn into a wetlands,” said Shaheen.

The pond is not used for swimming, but there are many other reasons why Granby residents care about it. For example, it’s the site of a “fishing derby” during the town’s “Charter Days” festival in June.

Also, said Shaheen, Dufresne Park is rented out for private occasions, and not having a pond there would lessen the desirability of the place.

“It’s a very well-kept park,” said Town Administrator Christopher Martin.

The town will eventually dredge the pond to clear out the vegetation, but not anytime soon. “We have to do a lot of research to see what’s going on,” said Conservation Commission member Patricia Kasulinous.

“We have to get permits first,” said Shaheen, “and find out what engineering and surveying and chemical tests are necessary.”

June Hart, a graduate student in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, is helping the Conservation Commission work on the project this summer.

“She’s doing administrative work,” said Shaheen, “finding out what permits are needed from the Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps of Engineers.”

Once the lengthy preliminaries are done, the draining and re-filling process only takes a few weeks, said Shaheen.

Dufresne Recreation and Conservation Area is off Route 202 between Taylor and Kendall Streets in Granby. It’s open 7 a.m. to dusk. Admission is free. For more information, call (413) 467-7177.

Ware Town Manager Mary T. Tzambazakis said the town is talking with property owners about the possibility of re-routing Doane Road rather than rebuilding the bridge there.

WARE – Town Manager Mary T. Tzambazakis said the town is in discussions with owners of property where Doane Road meets Route 9 in hopes of agreeing to an alternative routing that would eliminate the need for replacing the bridge there.

But Tzambazakis said that even if that option is chosen instead of bridge replacement, it is unlikely that the work could be done this year.

Either course of action would probably be dealt with in a capital improvements plan the town hopes to put together in a comprehensive way in the coming weeks.

The bridge that connected Doane Road with Route 9 was closed in July 2009 when state engineers found it to have structural problems.

Town officials have expressed concern about the situation because of the inconvenience this causes residents who live there and because of the additional time this would add when emergency vehicles need to get to Doane Road.

But finding money for a solution has not been easy.

Original estimates for rebuilding a bridge there came in at $154,000, but Public Works Director Thomas J. Martens said those estimates turned out to be low and would only provide for a temporary bridge.

“We are looking at re-routing the road right now. We put a preliminary layout together,’’ Martens said.

Details have been discussed with owners of property the road would have to cross, Martens said, and there are no plans for any land taking by eminent domain.

A consultant is working for the town on this issue, which involves such features as wetlands issues and a curb cut for a state highway, as well as costs.

“We will need to see if that alternative really makes sense compared to the bridge,’’ Martens said.

In March, the Board of Selectmen encouraged Martens to continue investigating details about re-routing the road at this intersection.

More than 40 Americans have been recruited and radicalized by al-Qaida-linked terrorists in Somalia and have gone to the war-torn country to fight, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee says.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., plans to outline the findings of his committee's own investigation Wednesday during the third hearing in a series on Muslim radicalization in the U.S. (AP File Photo)

By EILEEN SULLIVAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 40 Americans have been recruited and radicalized by al-Qaida-linked terrorists in Somalia and have gone to the war-torn country to fight, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee says.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., plans to outline the findings of his committee's own investigation Wednesday during the third hearing in a series on Muslim radicalization in the U.S.

U.S. counterterrorism officials have not confirmed the high numbers of Americans joining the Somali terror organization, al-Shabab. The government has said at least 21 Americans are believed to have traveled to Somalia to join the terror group, which began as a push to expel Ethiopian soldiers, and some of those young men have died in the fight. Al-Shabab has expanded its focus over the years, and it has aligned itself with other anti-Western terror groups.

Republican staff on the Homeland Security Committee also found that more than 20 Canadians had also been recruited and radicalized and joined the fight in Somalia. Canadian police have said several Somali youths from the Toronto area are suspected to have traveled to Somalia to join al-Shabab.

In his prepared opening remarks, obtained by The Associated Press, King said al-Shabab is "engaged in an ongoing, successful effort to recruit and radicalize dozens of Muslim-American jihadis, who pose a direct threat to the U.S."

King said al-Shabab is not just a Somali problem — the organization has a large cadre of American jihadis and ties to al-Qaida, particularly the terror group's Yemen branch.

"We must face the reality that al-Shabab is a growing threat to our homeland," King said.

King has been criticized for unfairly singling out Muslims in his series of hearings over the past few months on Islamic radicalization in the U.S. Some of those who oppose these inquisitions have said the committee should also focus on the threat other types of extremism, including right-wing extremism in the U.S., particularly as that ideology appeared to motivate the man accused in the recent deadly attacks in Norway.

A grandmother with a baseball bat and strong family values protected her sleeping grandson this past Sunday when she found a naked man in her home eating her food.

The bat-swing grandmother, identified only as Bonnie, chased off a naked intruder in her Manchester, N.H. home this past Sunday. (Photo courtesy of thestir.cafemom.com)

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire - A grandmother with a baseball bat and strong family values protected her sleeping grandson this past Sunday when she found a naked man in her home eating her food.

At 70-years-young, the woman, only identified as "Bonnie," told various news outlets that there is nothing she wouldn't do to protect her family.

“Nobody hurts my family. I don't care who you are. I will go after you,” Bonnie told NECN following the incident.

Around 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning, the man apparently entered the Manchester home through a kitchen window. He went to the refrigerator, made himself a snack, and made his way to the bathroom to take off all of his clothes.

Bonnie said she woke up when she heard someone walking up her stairs to the second floor, where her grandson was sleeping.

“When I got into the hallway, this man is standing there butt naked and I’m saying, ‘Who are you? How did you get here? Get out of my house! Get out of my house!’ He wouldn’t leave. He just stood there,” Bonnie told WHDH-TV. "When I got the bat, he turned and he ran. Then I got downstairs and he sort of launched at me and I was like, ‘Oh no you don’t! Not in my home!’ and that’s when I hit him with the bat."

Bonnie said she aimed at "vital areas" and apparently connected with a solid impact, as the man was last seen crawling toward the first-floor bathroom to get some of his clothes before fleeing the house.

The suspect, described as a Hispanic man in his mid-to-late 20s with long dark hair, did leave his pants behind, which, of course, had his wallet inside them.

Police said they are working to identify and arrest the man, although no arrests have been made yet.

Anyone with information is asked to call Manchester, N.H. police at 603-668-8711. Anonymous tips for cash rewards can be made by calling the Manchester Crimeline at 603-624-4040 or online at www.manchestercrimeline.org.

There are 10 congressional districts now in Massachusetts. Two of them are in Western Massachusetts.

Sen. Stanley Rosenberg will discuss redistricting at South Hadley Town Hall on July 28 at 7:30 p.m. (Photo by Jeff Brown)

SOUTH HADLEY - State Senator Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst, will discuss the redistricting of Massachusetts, on July 28 at 7:30 p.m. at South Hadley Town Hall, 116 Main St.

The number of congressmen who represent any state depends on the population of that state. There are 10 congressional districts now in Massachusetts. Two of them are in Western Massachusetts.

But, according to the last U.S. Census, the population of Massachusetts isn't that strong.

"It grew," said Rosenberg, "but not as much as the rest of the country."

That means fewer congressmen to look out for the interests of the commonwealth.

And, since Western Massachusetts was more sluggish in population growth than the rest of the state - it actually lost residents in the Berkshires and in Franklin County - that spells trouble.

Rosenberg, who co-chaired the Joint Committee on Redistricting, is among those who have been fighting for Western Massachusetts to keep its two congressional districts.

U.S. Rep. John Olver, D-Amherst, and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, have long represented the two districts of Western Massachusetts. Now it's looking like one of them will go.

There are many reasons why that will hurt Western Massachusetts, said Sarah Etelman, chairwoman of the Democratic Town Committee in South Hadley.

"Geographically, we're half the state," said Etelman of Western Massachusetts. "To have one person covering half the state would be a huge detriment to our part of the state.

"Congressmen need to travel when they talk to their constituents. It's a ridiculous amount of territory for one person," she said.

"There are a lot of implications," said Rosenberg. "Other communities might trump their requests."

It would also present the surviving congressman with a vast variety of people to represent. Usually districts are formed on the basis of what the people in them have in common.

It's not a good balance when small communities are lumped in with larger communities, said Rosenberg.

Since both Olver and Neal are senior members of the House, the loss is even greater, said Etelman. "Their seniority also impacts our voice and our strength," she said.

Even though it's late in the process, the talk by Rosenberg will help answer questions about what's ahead, said Etelman.

"It's an important issue," she said, "and it's important for people in Western Massachusetts to understand what it means."

The event is sponsored by the South Hadley Democratic Town Committee.

The Sept. 20 preliminary election is expected to feature a three-candidate battle for mayor and 12 candidates for five at-large seats.

Staff Photo by Dave Roback- Antonette Pepe announced her candidacy for Springfield mayor at the John Boyle O'Reilly Club in Springfield in April. Here she greets Jose Tosado, who is also running for Springfield mayor.

SPRINGFIELD - Just one ward member of the City Council faces a challenger in the fall election as early signs of interest "fizzled out," according to the city's election commissioner.

The deadline for returning nomination papers passed Tuesday at 5 p.m., with just one ward councilor, incumbent John A. Lysak, facing a challenger.

Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola said she expected much more interest in the ward seats. The council was changed and expanded in the 2009 election from nine at-large seats to a mix of eight ward seats and five at-large seats.

Those interested in running needed to take out papers and collect at least 100 signatures of registered voters to be certified for the ballot.

"There was a lot of interest in the ward seats at the beginning of the election year, and it just fizzled out," Oyola said. "I am not sure why."

07/25/11 Springfield - Republican Photo by Mark M.Murray- Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno speaks at the podium during a press conference in front of Cathedral High School Monday morning.

Lysak is opposed by his 2009 opponent, Orlando Ramos. In the 2009 election, Lysak won by 82 votes, verified in a recount.

Just 10 people returned nomination papers for the eight ward seats on the council this year. Those running are seven incumbents and three newcomers.

"That's a big surprise," Oyola said.

In contrast, there appears to be lively races shaping up for mayor and for the five at-large council seats, Oyola said.

Three candidates are certified for the mayor's race, and at least 11 are certified for the ballot for the five at-large seats. A 12th person, Miguel Soto, appeared to have enough signatures to qualify as well, Oyola said.

A preliminary election is expected Sept. 20, to reduce the candidates for mayor to two finalists, and to reduce the field of at-large council candidates to 10 finalists on the November ballot.

Ward 6 Councilor Amaad I. Rivera is among candidates for the at-large seats, choosing not to seek re-election in the ward. The sole candidate certified for the Ward 6 seat is Kenneth E. Shea, a former member of the School Committee.

Four of the five at-large councilors are seeking re-election. The fifth, Jose F. Tosado, chose instead to run for mayor. Incumbent Mayor Domenic J. Sarno is seeking re-election, and the third candidate is Antonette E. Pepe.

Oyola said she thought the number of candidates for ward seat might be even be higher than in 2009, as people saw the results of the new system.

"It still seems to swing back to interest in the at-large seats," Oyola said.

GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann draws criticism over silence in wake of 9 suicides related to perceived sexuality; Suicides climb in Japan following Fukushima nuclear disaster; and more of the morning's headlines.

The surf crashes on the rocks around Sima Simic, of Portland, Maine, while fishing for striped bass below Portland Head Light at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Monday, July 25, 2011. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

• Credit hit worries Obama, Congress more than default [Politico.com]


• Whitey Bulger's girlfriend Catherine Grieg moves to protect her properties [Boston.com]


• ''Swingers'' trial in Florida details threesomes and S&M [WTSP.com]


• Bachmann Stays Silent On String of Teen Suicides in District [Slate.com]


• Norway suspect's claim of allies in doubt [CBS.com)]


• Could Rehab Have Saved Amy Winehouse? [Time.com]




Suicide Plague: Japan swept by Fukushima depression





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


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Authorities in New Hampshire are still searching for 11-year-old Celina Cass who was missing when her parents went to her bedroom to wake her on Tuesday morning.

Celina Cass, 11, was last seen in her Stewartstown, N.H. home on Monday around 9 p.m.

STEWARTSTOWN, New Hampshire - Authorities in New Hampshire are still searching for 11-year-old Celina Cass who was missing when her parents went to her bedroom to wake her on Tuesday morning.

Cass was last seen by her parents on Monday around 9 p.m. as she used the computer in her room, according to a report by the Union Leader.

Her stepfather Wendell Noyes told reporters that the child rarely left the house in northern New Hampshire near the Canadian border and that everything seemed fine when he spoke with her on Monday.

State police reported that they are exploring every angle but no signs of a struggle were evident at the home. Reverse 911 calls were reportedly made to every home within a 75-mile radius of the house.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department along with the border patrol is assisting with the search.

Cass is described as being 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing about 95 pounds, with hazel eyes and waste-length brown hair. She was last seen wearing a pink shirt, a pink pullover, blue shorts and shoes.

Anyone with information about the case or who has seen Cass is asked to call the New Hampshire State Police at 603-846-3333.