At least $2.5 million was spent on a practice banned in some states – moving money "sideways" to other candidates.

Associated PressMassachusetts Republican gubernatorial candidate Charles D. Baker, left, independent Timothy Cahill, second left, moderator and political analyst Jon Keller, center, Gov. Deval Patrick, second right, and Green-Rainbow Party candidate Jill Stein, right, pose for photo prior to the start of the first televised debate at the WBZ-TV studios, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010, in Boston.(AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye)

By Maggie Mulvihill, Sarah Favot and Matt Porter | New England Center for Investigative Reporting

From political action committees to gubernatorial candidates to county prosecutors, Massachusetts campaign cash spent in 2010 topped $77 million, paying for everything from a county club membership, tuxedo rentals, expensive car leases, makeup artists, cigars, hundreds of floral arrangements and much more, newly released financial reports obtained by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting show.

At least $2.5 million was spent on a practice banned in some states – moving money “sideways” to other candidates, according to NECIR’s analysis of tens of thousands of expenditures.

Ed Bender, the executive director of the National Institute on Money in State Politics, said states like Washington have prohibited that tactic because it serves as a form of political insurance for candidates. It can also be a strategy for getting a less favorable candidate into office, he said.

“Whenever you have a party in power and they’re able to move money sideways to other candidates, it’s a way for them to ensure they maintain their power and foster cronyism,” Bender said. “The person elected in a particular district is elected by people there. If they’re not able to raise enough money in that district and if, instead, the money comes to them sideways, from another powerful candidate who bails them out, the question in voters’ minds should be who will that candidate be listening to—the voters or a powerful legislative leader,” Bender said.

Massachusetts filers also contributed generously to favored causes and charities, the never before released reports from the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance show. Candidates and other filers raised about $107 million in 2010, the reports show. Campaign finance experts said that is also a concern because contributors, when giving, feel they are supporting a particular candidate – not filling the coffers of politicians or causes they wouldn’t necessarily support.

“Most citizen donors expect their campaign money to be used for campaigning — advertising, bumper stickers, campaign staff, etc., and would be shocked at some of the kind of spending that actually occurs,” said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Massachusetts Common Cause, a non-profit government watchdog group that tracks campaign spending.

While the bulk of last year’s spending appears to be for traditional campaign costs like advertising, printing and postage, other surprises lurk in the reports.

Significant cash was spent by former politicians who haven’t held elected office in years or those who ran unopposed last year.

Filers also spent hefty amounts on legal fees, gifts, meals at tony restaurants and international travel and hundreds of pricey floral arrangements.

“The campaign finance law is very loose regarding what campaign funds can be spent on. The standard is anything that furthers a candidate’s political future so long as it isn’t primarily for personal use. That covers a lot of things and we think it should be stricter,” Wilmot said.

More than a dozen candidates spent over $1 million, including election night losers like Guy W. Glodis, who voters rejected for state auditor in the primary.

Another million dollar loser was Republican Karyn Polito, who lost the race for state Treasurer to Democrat Steve Grossman. Among Grossman’s expenses was nearly $800 for a makeup artist last summer, the records show.

Glodis said he has no regrets.

“No. At the end of the day I want to know I gave it everything I could to win the race—that includes spending as much as I can raise,” Glodis, the former Worcester County sheriff, said.

Glodis’s outlay pales in comparison to the top individual spender overall - failed gubernatorial candidate Charles D. Baker. Baker, a Republican, outspent his rivals by at least $1.5 million.

Baker spent $6.2 million compared to winning Democratic Governor Deval Patrick’s $4.4 million and losing independent, former state Treasurer Timothy Cahill’s $4.7 million, the records show. The millions needed to run for statewide office grows each year, Wilmot said.

“Without either vast personal wealth or relying on special interest campaign donations, it is difficult if not impossible to be competitive for governor or other top offices. That doesn’t serve the citizens of the Commonwealth,” Wilmot said.

The more than 1200 filers, which include political action committee and ballot question supporters, had until Jan. 20 to file their year-end finance reports, said OCPF spokesman Jason Tait.

While most did, a precise accounting of annual campaign spending is still difficult to pin down. Many candidates leave required information blank, like who was paid or why the expense was made. Among the biggest offenders last year was aspiring state Auditor Republican Mary Z. Connaughton, who accounted for about 15 percent of records lacking information about the purpose of the expense. Connaughton lost to Democrat Suzanne Bump.

“Campaigns are required to provide purpose information, which is why if it is left blank we would ask a campaign to clarify,” said Tait.

Other filers give vague explanations for spending like “miscellaneous” or “political expense,” making it hard to discern what the payment was actually for without checking with every filer.

Just four percent of House and Senate candidates did not file by the Jan. 20 deadline, Tait said.

Candidates are fined $25 a day up to $5,000 for filing late, he said.

Among filers who did not meet the deadline are Suffolk County’s Register of Deeds Francis M. “Mickey” Roache, failed gubernatorial candidate Grace Ross and the Hillary Rodham Clinton Legacy Political Action Committee, the records show.

Still the OCPF reports give the clearest available picture to-date of campaign cash collected and spent last year.

Politicians who have been out of public life for years spent tens of thousands in 2010 on everything from restaurants meals to their favorite charities.

Former Suffolk County Superior Court Criminal Clerk John A. Nucci, who now works for Suffolk University, spent over $16,000 last year. His single biggest expense was to Suffolk University – a $10,000 donation to the John Nucci Family Scholarship fund, the records show.

Nucci left elected office in 2005, according to the Suffolk University website.

Nucci also gave generously to other candidates and charities and used a campaign credit card to pay for Christmas and constituent gifts, flowers, a Cape Cod package store and restaurants like the Ruth Chris Steak House.

“John’s not retired. John is a politician and is trying to keep his name alive for any future campaigns,” said Al Caldarelli, Nucci’s campaign treasurer. “It’s nothing for a politician who picks up the tab [at dinner] every once and a while.”

“Campaign funds should not be used to enhance the lifestyle of the candidate — especially long after their career is over. That’s wrong, and we’d like to see it stopped,” Wilmot said. Nucci’s spending also struck a nerve with Bender.

“He’s living large at the expense of his campaign donors,” Bender said.

Campaign committees should end after they file their year-end reports and give the remaining funds to a constituency fund or to charity, he said.

Richard P. Iannella, who resigned abruptly last month from elected office, spent about $33,000 in his bid to retain a six-year term as Suffolk County Register of Probate. His largest expense was $4000 for Red Sox tickets for “poll and supporters,” but he also paid federal taxes and bought over $2000 in flowers, the OCPF records show.

One report shows he purchased $1144 worth of flowers from Winston Flowers on Jan. 26, 2010. Iannella said that could not have been for a single arrangement.

“I’ve never spent that kind of money in my life [for flowers] unless my daughter was getting married,” said Iannella in a phone interview “And she ain’t getting married.”

Filers in 2010 spent close to $100,000 on flowers, mostly for funeral arrangements, but also on congratulatory and thank you pieces, the records show.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino ranks as one of the most generous flower givers, spending at least $7000 on flowers in 2010, most from his favorite florist, Exotic Flowers, in Boston.

A spokesperson for the Menino campaign could not be reached and the mayor’s office declined comment.

Flowers are such a powerful political tool and are so common that OCPF has even created specific regulations for them. Candidates cannot buy flowers for people they or their treasurer has a personal relationship with, the flowers must be appropriate for the occasion, and an “important political relationship” must exist, the regulations state.

Filers also spent tens of thousands on gifts and other festive items – St. Patrick’s Day and Christmas being among the most popular spending occasions, the records show.

Spending millions on items the average person sees as a gift is a serious concern that has unfortunately become a campaign finance norm, particularly with special interest donors, Wilmot said.

“They want to maximize the personal impact of the donation and are happy to pay for dinner. That I think is a problem. As campaign funds become closer and closer to personal use, they also become closer to illegal gifts” Wilmot said.

Former high-profile politicians now working in much less prominent elected positions were also big spenders last year, like former Senate Minority Leader President P. Brian Lees, a Republican from Longmeadow.

Lees, who left the state Senate in 2007, is now the Hampden County Clerk of Courts. He spent nearly $500 a month last year to lease a car with campaign funds, OCPF records show.

Pricey cars were a typical 2010 expense for Massachusetts politicians.

Current House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop) spent close to $1000 per month for his 2010 Ford Explorer, OCPF records show. DeLeo spent about $383,000 getting reelected to the House in 2010, the records show.

His campaign treasurer, David N. Martin, said DeLeo pays 25 percent of the monthly costs for the vehicle, which DeLeo also uses for personal transportation, while the campaign pays the rest. “He selected the Ford Explorer because he wanted to lease a vehicle produced by an American manufacturer that can handle local weather conditions,” Martin said.

DeLeo’s Senate counterpart, Therese Murray (D-Plymouth), used over $800 in campaign funds each month to lease a 2009 Jeep Cherokee, though a spokesman said she has another car for personal use.

Paying for lawyers was another typical expense, the records show.

Former Middlesex County Sheriff Jim DiPaola, who committed suicide in November, used at least $12,000 in campaign funds for legal fees, including paying the law firm formerly run by former House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran. But DiPaola’s spending was far less than the legal bills racked up by other politicians, among them Cahill, Essex County sheriff Frank Cousins and state Rep. Thomas M. Petrolati (D-Ludlow).

Filers spent at least $1.8 million on food, beverages, catering expenses, liquor and coffee. Vendors ran the gamut from upscale restaurants like Top of the Hub in Boston to Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, the records show.

The gubernatorial candidates spent the most, more than double of nearly any other candidate in 2010. The Patrick campaign spent a little over $100,000 dollars for events that included fundraisers at the Ritz Carlton, Omni Parker House, and the Top of the Hub, the records show.

A campaign spokesman said the spending is business as usual in the race for governor.

“The Governor’s campaign enjoyed unprecedented grassroots support,” said Patrick spokesperson Stephen Crawford in a statement.

“Many individuals and families chose to contribute their time and money to our effort and we believe that the least we could do is provide them with food and refreshments. It was just one small way to show our gratitude for their continued support.”

Bender said reestablishing voter trust in politicians – currently at an “all-time low” – would be helped if campaigns spent money judiciously.

“The way a campaign spends money is a reflection of how a candidate is going to govern. A campaign should reflect the value of spending wisely,” Bender said. “Spending lavishly on gifts or flowers or cars . . . for most people that’s not something they can do.”

The New England Center for Investigative Reporting (NECIR) is a nonprofit newsroom based at Boston University. Center co-director Joe Bergantino and student reporter Patrick Gallagher contributed to this report.

Joel Echols, 45, of Springfield was killed by his partner on Feb. 19. Watch video

An updated version of this story is now available at MassLive.

Springfield, 2/20/11, Staff Photo by David Molnar -- 26 Vinton, the scene of a weekend murder.

SPRINGFIELD – What started out as a domestic dispute has become the fourth murder of the year in the city.

Joel Echols, 45, of Springfield was allegedly stabbed in the chest by his wife or girlfriend Beverly Caldwell, of Springfield, late Saturday evening, said Lt. Robert Moynihan.

Police responded to 26 Vinton St. at 11:40 p.m. Saturday for a domestic dispute. Echols was found with a stab wound to the chest. He was taken to Baystate Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, Moynihan said.

Caldwell is being charged with Echols murder. She is scheduled to be arraigned in Springfield District Court on Tuesday because of the Presidents Day holiday Monday.

Lt. Robert Moynihan said police were called to Kenyon Street for a domestic disturbance around 2:30 a.m.

The Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD – Police arrested a Springfield man and his niece after they allegedly assaulted police officers Sunday morning, officials said.

Lt. Robert Moynihan said police were called to Kenyon Street for a domestic disturbance around 2:30 a.m. When police tried to arrest Andre Terry, 46, for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend he began fighting with the officers.

Moynihan said Terry’s niece Dyeisha Terry, 20, began fighting with officers as well.

Andre Terry is being charged with assault and battery as well as two counts of assault and battery on a police officer.

Dyeisha Terry is being charged with three counts of assault and battery on a police officer. Both will be arraigned in Springfield District Court on Tuesday.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Elmore Felton Sr.

Elmore John Felton, Sr., 93, of Springfield, died Friday. He worked as an industrial engineer after having received degrees in business administration and mechanical engineering. He played football at American International College and he was active in politics. He worked at the Springfield Armory, American Bosch, the Space & Life Plant at Hamilton Standard and Chapman Valve until he returned to the Bosch, where he worked until he retired in 1985. Felton enjoyed music and played the organ, and served as a Mason for many years.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• 
  Bihler, Shirley T. (Demers)
  




• 
  Breault, Marcel J.
  



• 
  Brown, Yvonne M.
  



• 
  Carr, Helen P.




• 
  Carrier, Reverend J. Victor
  



• 
  Champagne, Ellen M. (Bolger)
  




• Courniotes, Dr. Harry J.
  




• 
  Cybulski, Louise (Kapinos)
  



• 
  Felton Sr., Elmore John




• 
  Fisher, Beatrice Ida (Schoolnick)
  



• 
  Goebel-Cormier, Claire D. (Rodgers)
  




• Kienzler Sr., Thomas E.
  




• 
  Kneeskern, Steven M.
  



• 
  Lamas, Nelson




• 
  Landerfin, Denise "Tootie" (Houle)
  



• 
  Melbourne, Earl Robert
  




• Noffke, Howard Thurston
  




• 
  Palermo, Travis Michael
  



• 
  Patrie Sr., Alfred W. "Al"




• 
  Rivera, Isaura
  



• 
  Signorelli, Joseph F.
  




• Washburn, Mary A. (Wingate)
  




• 
  Wilson, Rose "Rud" (Stockser)
  



• 
  Zahorsky, Frank J.

“People have cabin fever,” said Robert Constant, who co-chairs the 49th annual event at the Big E fairgrounds. “They get the bug to buy at the beginning of the (spring) season.”

Photo by David Molnar / The RepublicanPhil Gooljar, of Bethel, Conn., holds his niece Kristina Guillet at the steering wheel of a 36 foot, $142,000 Winnebago "Sightseer" Recreational Vehicle at the Springfield RV Camping & Outdoor Show at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield Sunday.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – “It’s probably the best show we’ve had in five years,” said Marc LaBrecque, owner of Diamond R.V. Centre, Inc., in Hatfield. “The economy’s turning around, people are buying.”

LaBrecque spoke Sunday from inside a 2011 Earthbound Copper Mountain 29 travel trailer, which he said is completely “green.” Made of composite materials and aluminum, the trailer boasts two flat-screen TVs, stereo with surround sound and thermal panel windows for better insulation, all standard, and can be solar-powered.

The Earthbound is one of countless exhibits at the 49th annual Springfield R.V. Camping & Outdoor Show. About 240 dealers, campgrounds, resorts, clubs and more converged on the Better Living Center at the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds this weekend, drawing huge crowds.

And it’s not over yet. The show began Friday and ends its four-day run Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Robert Constant and his wife, Judith Constant, of Westfield, chair the event. They said 19,000 people came to the show Saturday.

Robert Constant said 34,000 people attended last year in total. Organizers had expected 30,000 this year, and he said the final number may end up higher.

LaBrecque said he’d sold 14 R.V.’s as of Sunday, each of which cost more than $40,000.

Generally, shoppers at Diamond R.V. Centre pay 20% down and about $325 a month, he said. But this year, customers are giving larger down payments or even buying the units outright, he said.

One shopper gave a $15,000 down payment on a unit that costs $326,000 and said he’d pay off the rest in two weeks, said LaBrecque.

“If you use an R.V. 10 times a year, it’ll pay for itself,” said LaBrecque.

Todd Emerson, general manager of Longview R.V. Superstores in Windsor Lock, Conn., said the company sold 13 units at the show, each worth between $15,000 and $70,000.

“It’s been awesome,” said Emerson. “It’s a pretty good day when you sell 13 units in the middle of the winter.”

“People have cabin fever,” said Robert Constant. “They get the bug to buy at the beginning of the (spring) season.”

Kathy and Marilyn Daniels, sisters-in-law from Belchertown, said they were tired of winter and attended Sunday to look for new campgrounds and check out recent upgrades to camping tech.

“There’s something nice about being in a camper,” said Kathy Daniels, who said she camped in a tent for years when her children were younger. Now she has a hybrid RV, which is a hard-side trailer with ends that pop out to create tents.

She and Marilyn Daniels said they were going to Pennsylvania in August, but will start taking their respective trailers on the road when the weather permits.

“People are looking for alternative ways to have vacations,” said Judith Constant. “Camping is cost effective.”

The show is put on by volunteers from Pioneer Valley Chapter 8 of the North American Family Campers Association.

Admission is $9 for adults (there is a $2 discount coupon available here that can be used for all adults in one family); $5 for seniors and disabled American veterans; and free for children 12 and under.

They are all part of a Howes Brothers photographic collection now housed at the Greenfield Public Library on microfilm that captures a range of life and work in New England from 1882 through 1907.

Cori Urban photoSean B. Flynn, head of information services for the Greenfield Public Library, shows a paper copy of a photograph of a house produced by the Howes Brothers. The microfilm machine behind him at the library can be used to see thousands of photographs the men took.

GREENFIELD – Loggers, painters, quarry workers and children.

Bridge builders, nuns, raccoon hunters and merchants.

They are all part of a Howes Brothers photographic collection now housed at the Greenfield Public Library on microfilm that captures a range of life and work in New England from 1882 through 1907.

The 20,000-item collection of 19th- and early 20th-century photographs focuses on life in rural New England; it is the surviving product of a family firm of itinerant, commercial photographers whose headquarters were in Ashfield and the Turners Falls section of Montague.

“The fact that they (the images) are here is absolutely incredible,” said Paul R. Grzybowski, of Orange. “This is fantastic.”

He has used the collection “again and again” for historical research for himself and others, he said, and is pleased it is now easily accessible in the library’s Greenfield Room, where local history materials are kept.

The collection – one of only four of its kind – had been stored at the Greenfield Community College library.

“We hope it will be more accessible here (at the Main Street library) and that more people will be able to get into them,” said Sean B. Flynn, head of information services for the Greenfield Public Library.

The library acquired the 29 reels of microfilm in mid-January.

The other three sets are held by the Ashfield Historical Society, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the Boston Public Library.

The historical society has the original glass plates that once had been stored in apple boxes in the attic of a tavern, Flynn said. “They didn’t know what they had,” he said.

The plates were discovered in the 1960s and given to the historical society which secured a grant in the 1970s to preserve the photographs on microfilm.

Calling the microfilm reels “a wonderful historical resource,” Flynn said the library is the perfect place to store them and make them available for public viewing. “We’re the main historical repository for Franklin County,” he said.

The photographs provide a visual record of what life was like at the time Alvah, Walter and George Howes were taking the photographs.

Viewers can learn about architecture by looking at the mansions, storefronts, farmhouses, homes in towns and one-room schoolhouses; the photographs show in intricate detail how people dressed, how they traveled and how they farmed.

The brothers recorded life with an eye for detail.

Several years ago some of the photos were compiled into a book, “New England Reflections 1882-1907 Photographs by the Howes Brothers,” edited by Alan B. Newman.

An index to the collection is available at the library, and paper copies are 10 cents each.

The South Hadley Selectboard asked the tax people for a Financial Management Review of their town government.

SOUTH HADLEY – Most people don’t consider the Department of Revenue a good buddy, especially at this time of year.

But the Massachusetts Department of Revenue does offer towns a free gift, and South Hadley recently benefited from it.

The South Hadley Selectboard asked the tax people for a Financial Management Review of their town government.

This is a free consulting service of the Department of Revenue through its Division of Local Services.

The process involves sending a team to a town to comb through records, interview employees and make recommendations for cutting waste and increasing efficiency.

It’s not an audit, said Robert Bliss, spokesman for the Division of Local Services. There’s no scoring system, and nobody checks back to see if the town followed the recommendations. “It’s a very collegial enterprise,” said Bliss.

The program was established in 1984 as a “post-Proposition 2½ program,” Bliss said, referring to the law that limits how much Massachusetts towns can get from property taxes.

At a recent meeting of the South Hadley Selectboard, members seemed taken aback at what they deemed the good sense and clarity of the 30-page review, which the public can read at the South Hadley Public Library and online.

After praising the town for its conservative approach to spending, the review offers recommendations to “enhance financial operations.”

Among them: Give the Town Administrator more authority, update bylaws, convert some positions from elected to appointed, create financial guidelines, fix the personnel pay-for-performance program and look for ways to regionalize.

“I was very impressed,” said Selectboard member Robert Judge. His colleague Bruce McCulloch praised the “common sense” of the document.

“I think we should go forward with as many of these recommendations as we can,” said member Frank DeToma, though, like the others, he said he had a few caveats.

DeToma was pleased that the review was consistent with a report the Selectboard had commissioned by Municipal Services, Inc. “Together they make a nice guidebook,” he said.

The Selectboard is planning more study of the review.

Said Town Administrator Paul Beecher: “I’m charging departments to look at these recommendations, and have asked department heads to come back with a timetable.”

For more information go to www.mass.gov/dls , email tacontact@dor.state.ma.us or phone (717) 626-2321

The City Council Ordinance Committee and the Planning Board will hold a public hearing Tuesday to discuss whether the parking lot could be permitted in the form of granting a special permit.

The Republican / Dave MolnarA crowd attends a Willie Nelson concert at Moutain Park in Holyoke in August 2010.

HOLYOKE – Eric S. Suher withdrew one proposal to install another parking lot beside his Mountain Park concert site, and an a second plan was rejected.

However, the proposal is far from dead.

The City Council Ordinance Committee and the Planning Board will hold a public hearing Tuesday to discuss whether the parking lot could be permitted in the form of granting a special permit.

The hearing is at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.

The advantage for the city in granting uses by special permit is it allows imposition of conditions to reduce a use’s intrusiveness, Ordinance Committee Chairman Diosdado Lopez said Friday.

In contrast, he said, conditions are prohibited on a use that is allowed by right in a particular zone.

Another option for Suher to get the parking lot is to resubmit a proposal for a zone change, Lopez said.

Suher has said he wants to add a lot with 200 to 300 parking spaces for the seasonal Mountain Park performance venue.

On Feb. 8, after multiple hearings since September dominated by residents and others opposing the plan, it was announced that Suher withdrew the request for a zone change he needed to install a parking lot.

Suher in a phone interview Feb. 15 declined to say why he withdrew the request, and wouldn’t discuss his plans for Mountain Park.

“I’m not going to comment on anything before the city right now,” he said.

Rulings about zone changes and special permits lie with the City Council, which considers recommendations from the Planning Board.

Suher’s plan involved two parcels. One is nearly 12 acres, zoned Residential Agricultural and east of Interstate 91.

The other parcel is nearly 48 acres, has two different zoning designations, Residential Agricultural and Business Highway, and is west of I-91.

Suher had sought to change the zone of the smaller parcel to Business Highway to build the parking lot. His plan involved using only part of the parcel and keeping most of it undeveloped, he said.

Despite withdrawing the zone-change request for the smaller parcel, Suher kept active a request for a zone change to make the larger parcel uniformly Business Highway.

Suher’s lawyer, Burton S. Resnic, said he wanted the zone change to make the larger parcel uniform and to allow for expansion of the seating area.

But the Planning Board Feb. 8 voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council reject Suher’s zone-change request for the larger parcel.

The board’s reasons were that current zoning rules didn’t restrict use of the property and making the entire parcel Business Highway would be detrimental to the neighborhood and environment, said Kathleen G. Anderson, director of the city Office of Planning and Development.

In the city zoning code, besides commercial parking, various uses are allowed in Business Highway areas, but not in Residential Agricultural areas, that some residents consider intrusive to live near.

Such uses include hotels and motels, retail stores, restaurants, including those with drive-through service, professional offices, testing laboratories, transportation terminals and warehouses.

Residents and officials at hearings also have asked whether Suher sought the zone change to a business use in case the state eventually legalizes casino gambling, but Suher has said he didn’t have casino plans for Mountain Park.

The Republican and its staff members earned five first-place awards and eight second- and third-place awards presented during the conference on Feb. 12 at the Boston Park-Plaza Hotel.

The Republican / Michael S. GordonMeghan Cunningham, left, of the New England Mutiny, collides with Megan Ashforth, of the Connecticut Passion, during a June 2010 game of the Women's Premier Soccer League Action at Chicopee Comprehensive High School. This photo won an award for Michael S. Gordon from the New England Newspaper & Press Association.

BOSTON – The Republican and several members of its editorial team were among the recipients of top honors awarded recently by the New England Newspaper & Press Association at its annual conference.

The Republican and its staff members earned five first-place awards and eight second- and third-place awards presented during the conference on Feb. 12 at the Boston Park-Plaza Hotel.

“We were very pleased at the number of awards and the scope of categories,” said Wayne E. Phaneuf, The Republican’s executive editor. “To be recognized in sports, humor, news, arts and entertainment, business, photos and features really shows the depth of our efforts in what we supply our readers and followers in print and online at MassLive.com every day.”

The competition, involving newspapers in the six New England states, drew some 3,000 entries in a broad range of categories, including writing, design, photography and advertising. The Republican competed in the category for newspapers with daily circulation of more than 30,000.

Two special sections of The Republican, Outlook 2010 and Talented Teens, were recognized as the tops in New England in their categories.

The Outlook section, an annual effort that reviews business and economic development, was honored as the best special section; Talented Teens, which recognizes outstanding young people in music, art and dance, was honored as tops in a category marking community involvement in newspapers.

“The recognition of these two special sections demonstrate the important role that teamwork plays in our newsroom each day,” said managing editor Cynthia G. Simison. “Neither section would be possible were it not for the invaluable work by our dedicated editors, writers and photographers together.”

Simison said business writer Jim Kinney and production editors Patricia Thompson and Kristen DeBurro deserve recognition for the work they did on the Outlook 2010 section, while Newspaper in Education and Lifestyle editor Anne-Gerard Flynn has been the “guiding light” for the development and continuation of Talented Teens.

Two veteran writers, Ray Kelly, who is an assistant managing editor and serves as entertainment editor, and Jack Flynn each received first-place awards.

Kelly was recognized in the “Arts & Entertainment Reporting” category for his July 25 Sunday Republican article, “‘Secret Selves:’ Leonard Nimoy exhibits on display in Northampton and at MASS MoCA,” highlighting the actor-photographer’s work involving some Bay State residents.

Flynn received his recognition in the “Religion Reporting” category for his May 9 Sunday Republican article, “Priest’s effort meets silence,” about the Rev. James Scahill, of East Longmeadow, having been thrust into the international spotlight when he urged Pope Benedict XVI to deal more forcefully with sex abuse cases or resign.

Also among the top award winners was retired city editor-turned-humor columnist Bill Whitney, of West Springfield. He was honored as the top humor columnist by the association for his column, “Just Browsing” which appears regularly in The Republican’s weekly Plus Papers.

The recognition of the Outlook 2010 section came on the eve of publication of this year’s Outlook section; the judges in the newspaper contest called it “a beefy, thorough look at the local economy. Well organized with good design and graphic elements.”

Wrote the judges about the Talented Teens section, “This section spotlights young talent in a way that celebrates not only the skills of young musicians, artists and dancers but also the community support that helped pave the way for them. The section is visually compelling and involves community collaboration and input at multiple steps.”

Sports writer and columnist Ron Chimelis tied to receive second-place honors for two of his columns, one of which addressed the issue of bullying in the wake of suicide last year of South Hadley High School student Phoebe Prince. That column, “Bullying concerns all of us,” drew praise from the judges which cited it as “terrific with thoughtful insight on how to spot the warning signs and how to respond.”

Second-place honors were also captured by photographer Michael Gordon and writers Patrick Johnson and Lori Stabile.

Gordon was recognized for his June 26 photograph of a Women’s Premier Soccer League game between the New England Mutiny and the Connecticut Passion at Chicopee Comprehensive High School.

Johnson was recognized in the spot-news category for his work on reporting the July 12 rescue of a group of teenagers and their adult guide from Mount Tom. Stabile received her award for the April 25 Sunday Republican story, “Heroin making a comeback,” in which police across Western Massachusetts warned of crimes, from bank robberies to housebreaks, that are resulting from abuse of the drug.

Flynn also received a third-place award in the category of history reporting for his story, “ACORN grew from Springfield Riot,” a look back at the Springfield beginnings of Wade Rathke, founder of the scandal-prone Associations of Community Organizations for Reform Now. It was published on Oct. 25, 2009.

Writer Elizabeth Roman was awarded third-place recognition in the category of racial or ethnic issues for her story, “Refugees work hard to fit in,” that was published Nov. 1, 2009, and addressed the settlement of refugees from the Karen tribe, a Burmese people, in Western Massachusetts.

The Republican also received a third-place award for its Weekend section in the category of Arts & Entertainment section.

Prosecutors say Mehanna conspired with two other men to kill American troops in Iraq, assassinate two unnamed U.S. politicians and shoot shoppers in U.S. malls.

Tarek Mehanna

BOSTON – A Massachusetts man accused in a terror plot to kill Americans is asking a judge to release him on bail as he awaits trial.

Tarek Mehanna, of Sudbury, is being held without bail on charges that include conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, al-Qaida. Prosecutors say Mehanna conspired with two other men to kill American troops in Iraq, assassinate two unnamed U.S. politicians and shoot shoppers in U.S. malls.

Authorities say the men never came close to pulling off an attack but did seek training at terrorist camps in the Middle East.

Mehanna’s lawyers have said prosecutors built their case on anti-American statements made by Mehanna when he was in college. His lawyers plan to renew their request for bail during a hearing scheduled for Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

Fill out the Pothole Report and we'll get it to the appropriate agency.

The Republican / John SuchockiBroadway Street traffic in Chicopee is slowed in both directions recently as drivers try to avoid the potholes that flank both sides of the street.

Nine percent.

Potholes owe their life to that seemingly harmless number. It is the approximate amount water expands in volume each time it freezes, turning roadway cracks into tire-swallowing crevices.

“Potholes are a rite of spring,” says William D. Fuqua, public works superintendent for the city of Holyoke.

The recent string of cold nights and warm days started the freeze-and-thaw cycle that inevitably leads to potholes, and, yes, they are already appearing across Western Massachusetts, Fuqua says.

“Unfortunately, they are coming at a time when we’re trying our hardest to catch up with all the snow,” he said. “But, we’re going to get to them when we can.”

In Springfield, where as many as 10,000 cracks and potholes are filled in a year, “the pothole season has started,” said public works director Allan R. Chwalek.

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Springfield’s public works crews were among many across the region who began last week filling holes with cold patch, which is considered a temporary repair until permanent steps can be taken when the weather gets consistently warmer, he said.

Before municipalities can fill potholes, they have to know where they are, and the key to that is reports from residents about their locations.

In most cities and towns, those reports can be telephoned into the public works department. In Springfield, residents should call “311,” the city’s non-emergency call center program.

With the record snowfall in January, most communities have exhausted their snow-removal budgets for the season, but fortunately, most do not combine their pothole and snow removal funds.

“They are not mixed budgets,” said Chicopee public works superintendent Stanley W. Kulig.

“We’ll have enough money to handle whatever pothole issues come up,” said Fuqua.

Kulig says the heavy snows could affect pothole production if not cleared by man or weather.

“It could potentially if we can’t get catch basins opened up to remove the water running off (as the snow melts),” Kulig explained. “Snow and ice could block them and the water would stay in the street,” entering cracks and transforming them into potholes, he said.

When it comes to potholes, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure, according to Fuqua.

“If you have a good maintenance program, then the pavement is in good condition and that minimizes the potholes,” he said. “We’ve had an aggressive crack-filling program (often done in summer) in the last 10 years, and the number of our potholes has gone down year after year.”

Police responded to the couple’s Vinton Street home for a report of a domestic dispute. Watch video

Photo by David Molnar / The RepublicanThis is the 26 Vinton St. home of Beverly Caldwell and the late Joel Echols, who she allegedly stabbed to death.

This is an updated version of a story posted at 9:33 this morning.

SPRINGFIELD – What started out as a domestic dispute Saturday became the fourth murder of the year in the city Sunday.

Joel Echols, 45, of Springfield was allegedly stabbed in the chest by his wife Beverly Caldwell, 41, of Springfield, late Saturday, Police Lt. Robert Moynihan said.

Police responded to 26 Vinton St. at 11:40 p.m. for a domestic dispute. Echols was found with a stab wound to the chest. He was taken to Baystate Medical Center where he was pronounced dead about an hour later, Moynihan said.

Caldwell was charged shortly afterward with murder and is being held without bail in Springfield, Police Capt. William P. Collins said. She is due be arraigned in Springfield District Court on Tuesday due to the fact that courts are closed today because of the Presidents Day holiday.

A woman who identified herself as Echols’ cousin, Giselle Dudley Echols, of Springfield, told a reporter that the couple had dated for a long time before officially marrying a few years ago. While they had been together for a long time, they had their ups and downs, she said.

Echols was raised by his father Willie Echols, who died about two years ago, she said.

“His mother died when he was very young and he and his two brothers were raised by their dad,” she said. “Family was very important to him.”

She called Echols a very gentle person.

“He had a soft spot for his family and his wife,” she said.

This is the city’s fourth murder this year.

On Jan. 26 David Acevedo lll, 24, was fatally shot near 49 Riverton Road in the Pine Point neighborhood. Within 12 hours, police charged 18-year-old city resident Jerel L. Brunson with the murder. A second suspect, 21-year-old Daniel J. Rosa, turned himself in to Capt. Dillon at the rear of police headquarters a short time later.

On Jan. 28, 23-year-old Darin Negron was fatally shot in the city’s Old Hill neighborhood. He was found near the back porch of a home on Melrose St. and was pronounced dead around 1 a.m. at the Baystate Medical Center. No arrests have been made in that case yet.

On Feb. 12 Pedro Osorio, 24, was shot and killed in a van and then his body was left near 40 James St. No arrests have been made in that case.

There were 16 homicides in Springfield last year with an overall 29 homicides reported throughout the Pioneer Valley.

The snow should be over by early afternoon., according to abc40's new meteorologist, Rick Sluben.

Republican file photoSPRINGFIELD - Trucks load up with salt and sand at the State Highway facility on Magaziner Place in Springfield during a previous storm.

A few inches of light, fluffy snow is expected to fall overnight and into the morning, causing some problems with the commute but not with the already-stressed roofs.

The snow is expected to start after midnight and it will be accumulating in the morning when some people are trying to drive to work. The snowfall should be over by early afternoon and there could be some sun by the end of the day, said Rick Sluben, meteorologist for abc40.

The prediction is for between two to five inches of snow, but Sluben said he believes it will be closer to two inches than to five.

Kerry, a Yale alumnus, wrote a letter to the university's president urging the change.

AP file photoU.S. Sen. John F. Kerry

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Sen. John Kerry called on Yale University to follow Harvard's lead Friday and welcome the Reserve Officer Training Corps back to the Ivy League campus.

Kerry, a Yale alumnus, wrote in a letter to the university's president that the breakthrough at Harvard is important in moving past a "difficult era" when many elite schools turned away ROTC to protest the now defunct ban on gays serving openly in the military.

"As an alumnus whose life and values were in part shaped both by Yale, and by my service in the United States Navy, I would like to see Yale join Harvard's lead welcoming ROTC back to campus in New Haven," the Massachusetts Democrat said in the letter released by his office.

Yale spokeswoman Suzanne Taylor Muzzin said Friday that officials are "actively involved" in discussions with the military about reviving ROTC on campus but are not sure when a decision might be made.

The ROTC program at Yale had about 100 participants when it ended in the early 1970s. Today, a handful of Yale students are involved with ROTC, but they must attend training at either the University of Connecticut or University of New Haven. Because Yale does not fully recognize ROTC, those students do not earn academic credit toward their Yale degrees for courses they take elsewhere as they work toward a military commission.

Yale President Richard Levin has said the school "is eager to open discussions about expanding opportunities for students interested in military service."

Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust and Navy Secretary Ray Mabus were scheduled to sign an agreement Friday establishing the Naval ROTC's formal presence on campus for the first time since the Vietnam War era.

ROTC first exited amid anti-war sentiment, and the school lately kept it off campus and stopped funding the program because of the policy that prevented gays from serving openly. But Faust said she had worked toward ROTC's return after Congress repealed the so-called "don't ask, don't tell" policy in December.

The event will be held at the Barnes & Noble from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

(AP)FILE - In a Jan. 20, 2010 photo, U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., smiles as he addresses reporters during a news conference at the Park Plaza hotel in Boston, days after his stunning Massachusetts Senate victory. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown will be in Holyoke Saturday for a signing event promoting his new book, "Against All Odds."

Brown's book has been described as more of a personal memoir than a political work, focusing on his rough childhood, including physical abuse at the hands of his step fathers and sexual abuse from a camp counselor.

Read a review from The Boston Globe »

In a recent Q&A with Wicked Local, Brown described some of the challenges in telling his story:

It's challenging for anyone to tell their whole life story in a book for the entire world to read. There are some things in there that I am not proud of, and some I would rather forget, but it's my life -- and I wouldn't change a moment of it because it has led me to where I am today. I have a wonderful wife and two exceptional daughters -- and I have the greatest job on the planet representing the people of Massachusetts.

The event will be held at the Barnes & Noble from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The exhibit, featuring Doyle and people like him with brain injuries, coincides with the observance of Brain Injury Awareness Month.

Photo courtesy of Brain Injury Association of MassachusettsChristopher Doyle of Wilbraham

WILBRAHAM - Christopher Doyle, the former town police officer whose career ended in 2006 when he was critically injured by a drunken driver ramming into his police car, will be featured in a State House exhibit calling attention to people with brain injuries.

The exhibit, titled “The Faces of Brain Injury,” opens Monday in the State House’s Doric Hall and will be available for viewing through Friday. It features posters of people such as Doyle who have been afflicted.

It is sponsored by the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts and is timed to coincide with the observance of Brain Injury Awareness Month.

The association is a non-profit organization that supports brain injury survivors and their families, and promotes education and prevention programs.

Doyle said he is happy to be a part of the exhibit.

When he was approached by the association about being part of it, he said he’d do whatever they wanted him to do.

“It’s just another way to get the word out,” he said.

As he has worked to recover from his injury, Doyle has been a frequent volunteer speaker for the association. Often his engagements are before court-ordered programs for people arrested for drunken driving, jails or sobriety programs.

In his talk he typically recounts his story about how his career ended and his life changed with a drunk driver slammed into his parked cruiser at 50 mph in February, 2006. The talk, which he has recorded over two videos, is posted on Youtube.

Doyle suffered several broken bones, a crushed diaphragm, and internal injuries in the crash. While he has recovered from each, he remains disabled because of lasting injuries to his brain.

He had problems with fatigue, anxiety and short-term memory loss.

In an interview with the Republican a year ago, Doyle said he carried a digital tape recorder with him everywhere to record his thoughts before he would forget them.

He said on Friday that he still uses the recorder but not as mush as he used to. He said he has seen some progress but is still affected by his injury and unable to work.

Although excited to be a part of the exhibit, Doyle said he doubts he will be able to make it to Boston to see it.

He and his wife, Kathy, are expecting twins and she is due to deliver this week, he said.

Emily S. Ring with the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts said the exhibit is intended to raise awareness of brain injuries, which she calls “a silent epidemic.”

Brain injuries occur every 23 seconds in the United States, affect people of all ages, and can range from short-term to permanent afflictions, she said. Common causes are sport collisions, accidental falls, car crashes or medical conditions such as stroke.

“The exhibit is about the people who have brain injuries and to try to put faces on it,” she said.

The legislation would abolish the position of a possible political rival for Congress next year.

Republican file photoSen. Stanley Rosenberg plans to file bill to eliminate jobs of registers of deeds

BOSTON -- Sen. Stanley C., Rosenberg is sponsoring a bill that would eliminate the job of a possible political rival for Congress and the jobs of 6 other registers of deeds.

Rosenberg said his bill is intended to save money by creating only one elected register of deeds for each of the state's 14 counties.. He said $600,000 a year could be saved by eliminating elected registers in counties that currently have more than one including Berkshire and Bristol, which each have three, and Essex, Middlesex, Worcester, which each have two.

Rosenberg said his bill has absolutely nothing to do with his possible campaign for the 1st congressional seat in Washington if U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, D-Amherst, decides against running for re-election. Rosenberg said he is keeping his options open, but that he expects Olver to seek re-election and that he will be supporting Olver.

Andrea F. Nuciforo of Pittsfield, the current register for the Berkshire Middle District, said he will definitely run for Congress next year. Nuciforo, a Democrat and former state senator, could square off against Rosenberg depending on the results of redistricting of congressional seats and Olver's decision. Olver has said he will run for re-election.

Andrea Nuciforo is planning to run for Congress next year

Rosenberg said he submitted the bill in reaction to an undercover report by WFXT-TV Channel 25. Robert F. Kelley, the Northern Essex Register of Deeds, usually worked at the Lawrence-based registry for just an hour or two a day during the eight days he was watched by the station over three months, the station reported.

Nuciforo said Rosenberg's bill is a great idea. "We're at a point in government where we have to try to find savings wherever we can find it," said Nuciforo, who makes $90,000 a year as register.

Registries of deeds maintain real-estate records and make them available to the public.

Nuciforo served in the state Senate with Rosenberg for 10 years. Nuciforo said Rosenberg is attempting to save money. He said he has no reason to believe that Rosenberg is taking a swipe at him because the two might square off in a congressional contest.

Rosenberg is the Senate chair of a redistricting committee. The state lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in this year's census and will need to consolidate the current 10 seats into nine for the 2012 election.

If his bill is approved, Rosenberg said, it would take effect for the 2012 election and would begin saving money in 2013. Rosenberg's bill would not close district buildings where registry records are kept and business is conducted. Berkshire, for example, has offices in Adams, Great Barrington and Pittsfield and one elected register for each office. Hampden has offices in Springfield and Westfield, but only one register.

“The present system is simply inefficient and duplicative,” Rosenberg said. “There is no reason to have a separate registrar for each office. In Hampden County, for example, we have one registrar overseeing two offices, so we know it can be done."

The fire chief supervised fire prevention programs for more than 20 years.

The Republican | Ted LabordeWestfield Fire Chief William E. Phelon is shown on his last day at the main fire station in Westfield on Friday.

WESTFIELD – The last day on the job Friday for Fire Chief William E. Phelon was more social than business.

The chief spent most of the day socializing and reminiscing with firefighters and city officials. He also took time to inspect Engine 5, the fire truck he drove as a private ‘many, many years ago.’

“A lot of knowledge, a lot of experience is going out the door today,” senior Deputy Fire Chief Patrick J. Kane said of Phelon.

Also, Mayor Daniel M. Knapik praised Phelon for a “very distinguished career of 32 years with the Westfield Fire Department.” The mayor also noted that Phelon, during his career, took only two or less sick days a year. “That is remarkable,” said Knapik.

Deputy Fire Chief Mary R. Regan succeeds Phelon as chief effective Saturday.

“I will miss the people,” said Phelon. “This is a great place to work. There are great people to work with here,” he said.

But, retirement will give Phelon a chance to catch up on “a lot of projects at home,” the chief said. Retirement will also allow him and wife Susan to “extend our camping season.”

Phelon, a long-time member of the Westfield Fair Association, will continue his tenure as treasurer of the agricultural group. “We have been involved with the fair forever,” he said.

His passion in the Fire Department was fire prevention, a project he led for more than 20 years.

“I always enjoyed going into our schools promoting fire safety and prevention,” said Phelon. The chief is also considered a leader in smoke detector and other alarm equipment laws.

“Smoke detectors have been a valuable resource. They save lives, keep fires smaller and we get there a lot faster because of alarms,” the chief said.

Phelon joined the Fire Department in 1979 and was promoted to chief of the 84-member department in July 2008.

Phelon said Friday he accomplished his priority as chief to upgrade and increase emergency equipment and manpower within the department.

“We now have a paramedic on every ambulance call,” he noted.

During his career, Phelon also saw an increase in the number of emergency vehicles in the department grow from one ambulance, with a spare, 32 years ago to the current four active ambulances and one spare.

“He will be missed but we know he will stay busy,” Kane said of Phelon’s retirement.

Akin lost everything when her Indian Orchard home burned to the ground the day before Thanksgiving.

Dennis Leger / Springfield Fire DepartmentSpringfield firefighter Jack Russell works to extinguish a stubborn hot spot at the fire that completely destroyed a home at 30 Wing St., in Indian Orchard.

SPRINGFIELD - Friends of community organizer Betty Agin are hosting a fundraiser for her Saturday night at the Bing Arts Center, 716 Sumner Ave., from 6:30-10 p.m.

The event seeks to raise money to help Agin, who had her home and all her possessions destroyed by fire in November on the day before Thanksgiving.

Her home at 30 Wing St. in Indian Orchard burned to the ground, and caused $25,000 damage to the neighboring house.

Agin was not home at the time. She was staying with a friend as she recuperated from surgery.

Tickets are $10 at the door. The event features a raffle. People interested in donating items may bring them to the theater at 5:30 p.m.

Agin is the founding executive director of Universal Community Voices Eliminating Disparities and a member of the Western Massachusetts Jobs with Justice Executive Committee.

Donations may also be made to The Betty Agin Fire Fund, care of PeoplesBank, 1900 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01129, or at any PeoplesBank branch.

For more information contact call Rosemary Tracy Woods (413) 231-4598 or sent an e-mail to artistsquaregroupgallery1@gmail.com.

For most students, the last day will be June 21.

The Republican file photo | Mark M. MurraySnow plows, these on Home Street, in Springfield have been a common sight with so many snowstorms this winter. The School Committee has approved extending the school year to make up for snow cancellations.

SPRINGFIELD – The School Committee has approved extending the school year two more days to make up for snow cancellations, moving the last day of classes to June 21.

The exceptions are three elementary schools – Dryden Memorial, Milton Bradley and Warner – that were forced to shut down for additional days due to snow on roofs.

Under a new schedule approved by the committee Thursday night, Dryden will go two extra days through June 23, while Milton Bradley and Warner will remain open one extra day through June 22.

Superintendent Alan J. Ingram recommended extending the school schedule as the way to guarantee the district complies with the state-mandated 180 day minimum.

Other options included holding classes on Saturdays or during the April vacation, but extending the schedule in June was by far the most popular in a survey of 3,419 people conducted last month on the department’s website, Ingram said.

Noting that some other districts would be required to extend schedules for up a week due to snow days, Ingram praised his staff, including Assistant Superintendent Daniel J. Warwick, for keeping missed days to a minimum.

Heavy snow in January forced seven days of school cancellations, but five bad weather days are built into the schedule, making only two extra days necessary.

Still, Ingram noted that another large storm could prompt further schedule changes, a possibility that made Mayor Domenic J. Sarno groan.

Since January, the city has been forced to spend as much as $1 million to clear snow from numerous school roofs across Springfield. The combination of heavy snow and flat roofs made schools especially vulnerable to structural damage.

School committee member Antonette E. Pepe also asked the School Department to put more pressure on homeowners and merchants who fail to clear sidewalks, forcing students to walk in the street on the way to school.