Ponsor turns 65 this month, at which time he assumes the special status of senior judge.

File photo by Dave Roback / The RepublicanJudge C. Jeffrey Kinder is seen during Law Day ceremonies at Hampden Superior Court in in May.

U.S. Senators John F. Kerry and Scott Brown submitted a letter to President Barack Obama on Friday recommending that he appoint Judge Jeffrey Kinder as a successor to U.S. District Court Judge Michael A. Ponsor in Springfield.

Ponsor will turn 65 in August, at which time he will assume the special status of senior judge. In that capacity, he will remain at federal court with a reduced caseload, freeing up a position on the bench.

Since he was appointed by then-president Bill Clinton in 1994, Ponsor has been a stalwart at U.S. District Court in Springfield, presiding over a vast array of highly charged cases, from the Kristen Gilbert murder trial to local mob matters to the recent Macedonia Church of God in Christ arson trial.

In the letter to Obama, Kerry and Brown also recommended Judge Timothy S. Hillman for a vacancy to the federal court in Worcester.

“Judge Hillman has had an outstanding career, from serving in private practice, as counsel to several municipalities in Massachusetts, and finally as a Magistrate Judge in Worcester. His reputation as a thoughtful, fair and honest jurist is widely known,” the senators wrote in the letter.

“Judge Kinder has also dedicated his life to public service, as a prosecutor and as a Superior Court Judge. In addition, his time in private practice provided Judge Kinder with a wealth of experience in civil and criminal cases as well as a highly tuned sense of justice. It is an honor to recommend Judge Timothy S. Hillman and Judge Jeffrey Kinder for your consideration for the Worcester and Springfield posts on the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts.”

More details coming in The Republican.

Shortly after noon, the Dow started to rise following news that Italy had agreed to fiscal reform.

Associated Press photoSeven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong rides in The Des Moines Register's annual bike ride across Iowa last month. Click on the link, above left, for a report from the Telegram & Gazette of Worcester about his plans to ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge, which starts in Sturbridge, Saturday.

• Nathaniel Fujita indicted for murder in death of former girlfriend Lauren Astley of Wayland [Boston Globe]


• 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong to ride in Pan-Mass Challenge [Telegram & Gazette of Worcester]


• Dow Jones industrial average jumps all over the place following more positive jobs report than expected [Christian Science Monitor]


• President Obama says more must be done to boost economy [Los Angeles Times]


• Disabled crash victim Corey Edmondson wants New England Patriots player Albert Haynesworth III to hear his story [Boston Herald]


• Police seek hit-and-run driver who killed teenage skateboarder in Taunton [WBZ-TV, Channel 4, Boston]


• William Rosen of Northampton nominated for Hampshire County Register of Probate [Daily Hampshire Gazette]


• Western Massachusetts microbreweries concerned by new state regulations [Berkshire Eagle]


• Paralyzed bride-to-be weds year after tragic accident (video) [MSNBC.com]



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Rosen was appointed to the License Commission by Mayor Mary Clare Higgins, who hired him as a consultant on the Hospital Hill development and again to lobby for funding for the city’s water filtration plant.

William R. Rosen

NORTHAMPTON – Gov. Deval Patrick has nominated lobbyist and political consultant William R. Rosen to be the new Hampshire County Register of Probate.

Rosen, a Northampton resident, owns Cardinal Strategies, a consulting company that has lobbied for the city of Northampton, among other clients. He has also served as chairman of the Northampton Democratic Committee and was the campaign manager for former Northampton Mayor Mary L. Ford. In 2007, Rosen was a delegate to the Democratic State Convention. He currently sits on the Northampton License Commission.

In nominating Rosen, Patrick touted his three decades of experience in legislative and public policy formulation. Among his past positions, Rosen was Vice President of Government Relations at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center. He also worked for a time in the office of U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, D-Amherst.

Rosen was chosen over several candidates who let it be known they were interested in the $110,000 a year post. They include Wendy M. Berg, an attorney with Western Massachusetts Legal Service who has handled many cases in Probate Court, and Mark S. Ames, who has worked at Hampshire Probate Court since 1997, much of that time as the head administrative assistant. In January, Judge Gail Perlman appointed Ames interim register of probate, filling the vacancy left by David E. Sullivan, who left the job when he was elected Northwestern District Attorney.

Although Rosen does not have a law degree, he said Friday that the register of probate is more like the head of a human services agency, dealing with people going through divorce, adoption, estate settlement and other emotional issues

“They need all the help they can get getting through the system,” he said.

Rosen focused on human services in his role with Olver’s office. He noted that other registers of probate in the state also lack law degrees.

Rosen still faces approval by the Governor’s Council but said Friday that he is excited about the job.

“I’m glad the governor has the trust and confidence in me to do this,” he said.

Rosen worked on Patrick’s gubernatorial campaign but has not served as a consultant for the governor since he has been in office. He said he is confident his performance will speak for itself when the register of probate position comes up for election in 2012.

“You want to tell the voters you can do the job,” he said.

Rosen was appointed to the License Commission by Mayor Mary Clare Higgins, who hired him as a consultant on the Hospital Hill development and again to lobby for funding for the city’s water filtration plant.

Obituaries from The Republican.

George W. Fox, Sr.

SPRINGFIELD - George W. "Skippy" Fox, Sr., 68, of Springfield, died on Saturday at home. He was born in Northampton on November 19, 1942, a son of the late Robert Fox and Lorraine (Myette) Vogel, and was a graduate of Northampton High School. He was a lifelong mechanic and race car driver. He was the former owner of Fox Foreign Auto in Northampton and had worked for the past 26 years at the former Daigle Steer-O-Master, Inc. in Springfield. He was a longtime dirt modified race car driver at Lebanon Valley Speedway in Lebanon, N.Y.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• Blackbird, Frances MacDonald
  




• 
  Bledsoe Sr., Donald L.
  



• 
  Cardinal, Lillian (Mercure)




• 
  Cooke, Jean Marie (Battige)
  



• 
  Drefus, Barbara Joan (Ryan)
  




• Egan, Mary G.
  




• 
  Fleury, Clayton C.
  



• 
  Fox Sr., George W. "Skippy"




• 
  Hayes, William K. "Bill"
  



• 
  Johnson, Arthur E.
  




• Lantz Jr., George H.
  




• 
  Line, Joyce Lindsay
  



• 
  Marsh, John J.




• 
  Paré, Jerome W. "Jerry"
  



• 
  Parent, Grace G.
  




• Rucki, S. Evelyn (Wojtowicz)
  




• 
  Sherman, Timothy William
  



• 
  Smith, Lucy (Onigian)




• 
  Vezina, Heather Hollingworth (Whittle)
  



• 
  Voehringer, J. Arnold "Arnie"
  




• Willcutt, D. Jean (Colvin)
  

Westover is the largest reserve base in the country and provides more than $266 million annually to the region's economy.

The Republican | Don TreegerCol. Steven Vautrain on Saturday will become the new commander of the 439th Airlift Wing at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee.

CHICOPEE – Winchester native Steven D. Vautrain got his first military identification card at Westover Air Reserve Base 28 years ago.

On Saturday, Col. Vautrain becomes commander of Westover, the nation's largest reserve base.

Vautrain, 49, will take command of the Air Force Reserve's 439th Airlift Wing from Col Robert R. Swain Jr., who is being promoted to brigadier general and transferred to duty with the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon.

"Its great to be back home," said Vautrain, whose grandparents were residents of South Hadley.

As an Air Force second lieutenant and recent ROTC graduate, Vautrain's first Westover experience included a flight in a C-130 cargo transport in 1983 with members of Westover's 337th Airlift Squadron.

"It is great to be here. The 439th is a great unit, the best in the Air Force Reserve," the new commander said Friday. He is the 12th wing commander here since 1974.

Vautrain is a veteran pilot and instructor with experience in several aircraft. But he has yet to qualify as a pilot of the C-5 Galaxy jets, the largest transport in the world, which are flown at Westover. "I am following through on that but not yet qualified," he said.

His C-5 flight training and "getting an understanding" of all Westover operations are first on his agenda as commander. Second is getting back to Fenway Park and the Red Sox.
"I expect things to be a little hectic for awhile so the Red Sox may have to wait a bit," he said.

Vautrain's most recent assignment was with the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois as chief of deployment and distribution operations center since April 2009.

As Westover commander, he will be responsible for supervising the military transport operations by the 16 C-5B Galaxy aircraft, which are used for transportation of troops, equipment and supplies for peacetime and combat support as well as humanitarian operations worldwide.

In addition to being the nation's largest reserve base, Westover is the sixth-largest employer in Western Massachusetts with more than 4,000 military and civilian employees. The base pumps $266 million annually into the local economy.

Vautrain said a major concern is the economy and federal funding for continued modernization of Westover in light of action earlier this week by Congress to cut $2 in trillion federal spending with future additional cuts of $1.5 trillion.

"Continued modernization of the base also provides support to the community," the commander said. "It not only affects us on the base but the region's economy as well," he said.

Westover is scheduled to receive $23.3 million in federal funding to replace its fuel system beginning next next year. Last year, more than $40 million in federal funding was spent to upgrade Westover's flight line and runways, underground utilities and communications and to build a playground for employee families.

Belchertown firefighters are at the scene of a house fire on Mountain View Drive.

BELCHERTOWN - Belchertown firefighters are at the scene of a house fire on Mountain View Drive.

The Fire Department had little information about the fire, except to say it is a house and the fire is fully involved.

The town has also put out a call to surrounding communities for assistance under mutual aid.

More information will be posted as it become available.

The Dow Jones industrial average traded in a huge range of 400 points.

Associated PressPedestrians walk past a Wall Street sign near the New York Stock Exchange on Friday, Aug. 5, 2011 in New York. Fears that the economy might dip back into recession helped send the Dow Jones industrial average down 513 points on Thursday. European leaders are struggling to contain that region's debt problems, prompting comparisons to the 2008 financial crisis. Markets tumbled from Tokyo to London Friday as overseas traders reacted to the selloff. (AP Photo/Jin Lee)

By DANIEL WAGNER
AP Business Writer

Stocks are closing mostly lower after a day of whipsaw trading. The Dow Jones industrial average traded in a huge range of 400 points.

Investors are fearful that the debt crisis in Europe might infect banks there, roiling financial markets worldwide.

Stocks opened higher Friday after the government said hiring picked up in July, but the gains were erased within 25 minutes.

The Dow closed up 61 points, or 0.5 percent, at 11,445. The S&P 500 closed down a point, or 0.1 percent, at 1,199. The Nasdaq composite index closed down 24, or 0.9 percent, at 2,532.

The Dow fell 513 points Thursday, the biggest loss since 2008.

Three stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. Trading volume was heavy at 8.6 billion shares.

The same fears that forced a sell-off on Wall Street also brought down the price of oil.

Associated PressPrices are shown as Jaqueline Henderson pumps gas at a station in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

By CHRIS KAHN
AP Energy Writer

NEW YORK — This week's scary stock market plunge has a silver lining: Gasoline is about to get cheaper.

That's because the same fears that forced a sell-off on Wall Street also brought down the price of oil.

Gas prices usually fall in late summer as families take fewer road trips. But the recent drop in oil should lower them more. Forecasters say the national average of $3.70 per gallon could fall as much as 35 cents per gallon over the next month.

American motorists consume roughly 378 million gallons of gasoline per day, so a 35-cent-per-gallon fall would reduce daily gas spending by about $132.3 million.

Rod Kirgis, 56, of Grandville, Mich., said he can't wait for gas to come down. Prices in his state are above the national average, rising two cents to $3.83 on Friday

"It's been quite a strain on our family," he said. Kirgis, an engineer who pays about $136 per week to commute 50 miles to his office, said he's had to cut back on home repairs and sporting events to help pay his gasoline bill this year.

Prices should come down a bit each day for motorists.

"They'll see a penny or two drop per day next week," said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.com, a consumer Web site that tracks retail gasoline prices around the country.

DeHaan said the decline will likely start at stations along highways and other busy areas. Those stations need to replenish their storage tanks every day or so, and they'll get the cheaper gasoline faster than others.

Of course, an unexpected surge in oil could drive prices higher again. But traders say it would take a calamity like a hurricane in the crude-producing waters of the Gulf of Mexico to really boost oil markets now.

Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude has declined $12.71, about 13 percent, in the last 10 days. On Thursday, while the Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 4 percent, to its worse decline since the 2008 financial crisis, oil dropped even more. It lost nearly 6 percent, to a six month low.

Oil ended the week at $86.88 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, a drop of $8.82 from the week before.

Prices tumbled as a series of weak economic data rolled in, threatening to undermine demand for energy. The U.S. economy grew only 1.3 percent in the second quarter, while manufacturing reports pointed to weaker activity in the U.S. and China. The U.S. debt ceiling debate ended with plans to cut spending by $2.4 trillion over the next decade, while Europe continued to struggles with enormous debt.

Another recession, investors feared, could be right around the corner.

"There's just a lot of pessimism out there now," Andrew Lebow, a senior vice president and oil broker at MF Global.

A decline in the U.S. unemployment rate to 9.1 percent was one bright spot on Friday. Brent crude, which is used to price many international varieties, also climbed $2.12 to settle at $109.37 per barrel on the ICE Futures Exchange in London. That wasn't because of an expectation for increased oil demand, however. An oil pipeline exploded in Iran, potentially impacting oil supplies for the world's third-largest oil exporter. The cause of the blast is still under investigation.

In other Nymex trading for September contracts, heating oil added 4.78 cents to $2.9417 per gallon and gasoline futures rose 6.8 cents to settle at $2.8052 per gallon. Natural gas was unchanged, settling at $3.941 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Two members of the nominating committee said Kinder will make a terrific federal judge.

This is an updated version of a story posted at 1:28 this afternoon.

File photo by Dave Roback / The RepublicanJudge C. Jeffrey Kinder is seen during Law Day ceremonies at Hampden Superior Court in in May.

SPRINGFIELD – The recommendation that Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder be appointed as U.S. District Court judge here was greeted happily by a number of people who have worked with and known him over the years.

U.S. Sens. John F. Kerry and Scott Brown on Friday made their final recommendations for two judicial vacancies in Springfield and Worcester.

In a letter to President Barack Obama, Kerry and Brown recommended Judge Timothy S. Hillman for Worcester and Kinder for Springfield for appointments to the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts.

Kinder, now a state Superior Court judge, is being recommended as a successor to U.S. District Court Judge Michael A. Ponsor.

Ponsor will assume the special status of senior judge. In that capacity, he will remain at federal court with a reduced caseload, freeing up the position on the bench.

Ponsor has said he will be available to his successor as the late Judge Frank E. Freedman was to him as senior judge when Ponsor was named to the bench.

Kinder is a state Superior Court judge, sitting mostly in Hampden Superior Court.

Retired State Supreme Judicial Court Judge John M. Greaney said, “I think he’s an excellent appointment. He’s been a very solid, fair and competent Superior Court judge for a number of years.”

Hampden Superior Court Clerk Brian E. Lees said, “It’s an absolutely wonderful choice. Judge Kinder is fair, always hearing both sides of any case respectfully. It will be a big loss to the (state) trial court.”

Kerry appointed a 10-member committee to recommend a new judge for the U.S. District Court here and in Worcester.

Two local members talked about Kinder and what he will bring to federal court.

Michael O. Jennings, a lawyer in private practice in Springfield who was on the committee, said Kinder will make a terrific federal judge.

“He has all of the right qualities. He’s highly competent, learned in the law, compassionate, humble and I think he has a great sense and feel for the justice we hope to see continuing to come out of that courthouse as it has under Judges Ponsor and Freedman,” he said.

John Pucci, who headed the U.S. attorney’s office in Springfield from 1990 to 1994 and is in private practice in Northampton, said Kinder “represents a perfect blend of legal expertise.”

He said Kinder was a state court prosecutor in Colorado, a federal prosecutor in Springfield for 10 years, and he did federal criminal defense work, as well as state criminal and civil work.

“He’s a well-respected state court judge. From the committee’s perspective we think of it as a three-legged stool. He has civil experience from both sides, criminal experience from both sides, and judicial experience,” Pucci said.

Pucci said Kinder has the qualities of “integrity and decency and patience. He’s patient, he’s well prepared. “

In their letter to Obama Brown and Kerry wrote, “Judge Kinder has also dedicated his life to public service, as a prosecutor and as a Superior Court Judge. In addition, his time in private practice provided Judge Kinder with a wealth of experience in civil and criminal cases as well as a highly tuned sense of justice. Well known throughout the area, Judge Kinder would be a terrific addition to the Court in Springfield.”

“The Committee presented us with many outstanding candidates and it was a difficult decision. We were heartened by the outpouring of enthusiasm to serve but ultimately we had to select two names,” the letter said of Kinder and Hillman.

Greaney said being state Superior Court judge is one of the traditional pathways to an appointment to the federal court, with the other traditional one being a federal magistrate who got promoted.

He said he is happy the senators chose someone from Western Massachusetts for the appointment for federal court here, because they could have selected someone from anywhere in Massachusetts.

Kerry said the committee, “put in a ton of hours of good old fashioned volunteer citizenship because they care about their state. They’ve helped us continue a tradition of non-partisan judicial searches and I enjoyed working in partnership with Scott in this effort.”

Brown said, “Both nominees have strong roots in their communities, and I am confident they will serve Massachusetts well on the federal bench. I look forward to working across party lines to ensure their swift confirmations.”

Kinder will begin presiding over a murder trial Monday at Hampden Superior Court.

Jury selection begins that day in the trial of Daniel Horne for the shooting of Brittany Perez.

When firefighters arrived on scene the home was fully involved with fire, a fire official said. Flames were coming through the roof.

The Republican | Patrick JohnsonFirefighters work on knocking down a fire at 19 Mountain View Road in Belchertown.

BELCHERTOWN - An afternoon fire Friday destroyed a home at 19 Mountain View Drive, officals said.

"I would say it is a total loss," said Belchertown Fire Department Lt Robert Cooke.

No one was injured in the fire, reported shortly after 4 p.m., Cooke said.

When firefighters arrived on scene the home was fully involved with fire, he said. Flames were coming through the roof.

By the time firefighters got the flames under control, the roof had collapsed.

Cooke said it is not clear how the fire started. The state Fire Marshal was expected on scene shortly to aid in the investigation, he said.

He said the fire appeared to have started in the kitchen but that had not been confirmed.

The Belchertown Fire Department, which is staffed with volunteers and full-time firefighters arrived on scen 12 minutes after the call came in to 911.

Granby and Ludlow also dispatched firefighters under mutual aid.

Owners Thomas and Cynthia Downey were not home at the time, said Thomas Downey's brother, Robert Downey.

"He and his wife were out playing golf," he said.
They had to be tracked down at a golf course in Westfield and told their home had been destroyed, Robert Downey said.

He said it was terrible the house was destroyed. His brother built it himself 20-some odd years ago, he said.

"It was a beautiful house," he said.

"This is one of those years where nothing goes right," he said. Their father died just recently, he said.

The Belchertown Assessors Office valued the home at $221,000, according to Belchertown records.

Cooke said once firefighters go through the building extinguishing hot spots, he would go let the family go through to see if there were any valuables that could be retrieved.

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Conditions are not nearly as severe as elsewhere – a historic 10-month drought is persisting from Arizona to North Carolina in the midst of relentless heat.

The Republican | Michael S. GordonShane C. Battles, of Southwick, with dog Cooper, fish with father Gary T. Battles, of Agawam, at Pynchon Point in Agawam along the Connecticut River on Friday.

July produced little rain and lots of heat, meaning it’s resulted in rivers and streams running low in much of the Pioneer Valley.

However, conditions are not nearly as severe as elsewhere, said Charles Foley, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s forecasting office in Taunton. “It’s certainly not like the concern in the South,” he said.

A historic 10-month drought is persisting from Arizona to North Carolina in the midst of relentless heat. As of Thursday, Dallas had experienced 34 days of temperatures reaching 100 degrees.

“Basically, everything in our area is running a little below normal,” Foley said, noting the weekend forecasts for much needed rainfall.

Daytime high temperatures are expected to stay in the low 80s and upper 70s through the weekend. The best opportunity for rain may be Saturday evening, when there is a 70 percent chance of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service. abc40 meteorologist Ed Carroll is forecasting widespread thunderstorm activity on Sunday.

In the Pioneer Valley, rainfall was less than half of normal in many locations in July. In Westfield, 1.54 inches fell, compared to a historic average of 3.8 inches. Water evaporation accelerated in mid-July when temperatures exceeded 90 degrees on six consecutive days in Westfield, reaching 102 degrees on July 22.

On Thursday, the Connecticut River at Holyoke was flowing at 3,770 cubic feet per second, well below the historic median flow there for the date of 10,100 cubic feet per second, according to an automated station maintained there by the U.S. Geological Survey.

At the Montague station on the river, the flow was 2,560 cubic feet per second, compared to the historic median of 5,060 cubic feet per second.

Chris R. Jernigan, of Brunelle’s Marina in South Hadley, said, “We’ve been seeing some low water levels. We advise people to use extreme caution if they are going into channels with shallow water.”

However, on some days the water level of the river can be nearly normal, depending on whether thunderstorms may have occurred upstream or whether water is being released at dams upstream to generate power, Jernigan said.

Quabbin Reservoir in Belchertown was at about 96 percent of capacity on Aug. 1, down from 99.6 percent on June 1. The massive reservoir, which supplies much of the drinking water to eastern Massachusetts, is both slow to empty and slow to fill. In the past five years, its lowest point was recorded in January of 2008 when it fell to 87.6 percent of capacity.

Brews from locals such as Opa Opa Brewing and Berkshire Brewing will be served to the tunes of Ted Wirt Jazz Quintet.

submitted photo

HOLYOKE – The Wistariahurst Museum Summertime Beer Garden will be Aug. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. on the lawn at 238 Cabot St.

“Bring a lawn chair or blanket and join us for an evening in thegardens,” Events Coordinator Marjorie Latham said.

Advance tickets are $25 a person or $40 a couple and $30 a person and $50 a couple at the door, she said.

Brews will be available from local breweries like Opa Opa Brewing Co., of Southampton, and Berkshire Brewing Co., of South Deerfield, she said.

Among other beers available at the Summertime Beer Garden will be Narragansett, Peak Organic, Shipyard, Harpoon, Peak Organic and Craft Brewers’ Guild, she said.

Ted Wirt and his Jazz Quintet will peform. Besides Wirt, the band consists of Dave Biladeau on woodwinds, Ellen Cogan on trumpet, Gary Jackson on piano and vocals, and Chet Pasek on drums, she said.

“The quintet will play jazz favorites and old standards that will linger inthe air as you sip beer from the best brew masters,” she said.

If it rains, beer tasting will take place in the museum, she said.

For information call (413) 322-5660 or visit wistariahurst.org

Veronica Pickren, of Monson, was told to stay away from the First Church and and Irene Shankweiler, of Three Rivers, was told to stay out of Monson.

PALMER – Two sisters denied larceny charges in Palmer District Court this week after they were accused of taking groceries intended for tornado victims at the First Church of Monson.

Veronica Pickren, 66, of 41 Robbins Road, Monson, and Irene Shankweiler, 55, of 40 Quaboag Valley Co-Op, Three Rivers, were charged by Monson police, who were alerted in June after volunteers at the church suspected something was amiss when they couldn't get a license number from the duo. Those who took donated items from the church were required to provide personal information before leaving.

Detective Kristin M. Marciniec wrote in her report that she knew that Robbins Road had not been affected by the tornado, and confronted Pickren at her home. Marciniec told Pickren that the items are for tornado victims only.

Pickren told Marciniec she had been with her sister and said, "Well I have six people to feed and am on disability," according to Marciniec's statement in the court file.

Marciniec then told her that there are ways the disabled and unemployed can obtain assistance.

"It was obvious that (Pickren) had intentionally defrauded the church as she provided a false name and drove off after being confronted," Marciniec wrote in her statement.

Monson police were notified on June 18 about the issue with the sisters. Marciniec told Pickren the items needed to be returned to the church. Approximately 35 bags of groceries filled with food, bug spray, batteries, toiletries and cleaning products were taken, as well as a large flashlight.

Police estimated the value of the groceries at approximately $400. Shankweiler allegedly took four to five bags of groceries, court documents stated.

At their arraignments Tuesday before Judge Patricia T. Poehler, Pickren was told to stay away from the First Church and Shankweiler was told to stay out of Monson. They were released on their own recognizance and will return to court Sept. 26 for pretrial conferences. They were each charged with larceny over $250 by false pretenses, a felony.

Bachmann said Friday's economic report indicating that 117,000 jobs were created last month showed the economy remained too weak.

Associated PressU.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., addresses the crowd during a campaign event this year. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

By RYAN J. FOLEY

NEWTON, Iowa — Michele Bachmann declared Friday "it won't take that long" for her to start turning the ailing economy around as president as she competed against other GOP presidential rivals to build support ahead of a key GOP straw poll in Iowa next week.

Bachmann told reporters after a campaign event in Newton that the economy would start to improve almost immediately after she becomes president because she would immediately implement conservative economic policies to slash the nation's debt, rule out tax increases and cut regulations.

"It won't take that long if we send signals to the marketplace," she said, standing by an earlier comment that the improvement would begin within the first quarter.

Speaking to a crowd of more than 60 in the parking lot of a Pizza Ranch, Bachmann said Friday's economic report indicating that 117,000 jobs were created last month showed the economy remained too weak. She also said this week's plunge of the stock market was proof that an agreement to raise the nation's debt ceiling and cut spending that she voted against was "a stinky deal."

Other candidates weighed in after the stock market plunged more than 500 points on Thursday.

In New Hampshire, Jon Huntsman said President Barack Obama's had enough time to fix the economy.

"We deserve a whole lot better in this country. The president's had two-and-a-half years to get it right. He has not infused enough confidence in this economy," he said, adding that the economy will remain stalled without tax and regulatory reform

Bachmann predicted the Aug. 13 GOP straw poll in Ames, the first test of candidate support in the state with the first-in-the-nation caucuses, would be a historic day. "That is the day we will make a down payment on taking our country back and making Barack Obama a one-term president," she said.

Bachmann said she wanted to do well at the straw poll but also played down expectations, telling reporters she saw herself at a "distinct disadvantage from an organizational standpoint" because she'd only been in the race for two months, less than some rivals such as former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

The Minnesota congresswoman played up her Iowa roots — she grew up in Waterloo — and posed for pictures with Michael McDowell, a popular NASCAR driver who was signing autographs in the parking lot before a race at a local track on Saturday.

Like Bachmann, several of her rivals for the GOP nomination were campaigning across Iowa on Friday trying to find supporters and motivate them to attend the straw poll. Pawlenty was making a stop at the northeastern Iowa farm where the movie "Field of Dreams" was shot as he tries to energize his campaign.

Pawlenty, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Sen. Rick Santorum were all expected to attend a GOP event later Friday in Tiffin in eastern Iowa. Earlier in the day, Pawlenty told a crowd gathered at a motel in Mason City that experience should matter most.

"As we learned with Barack Obama, there's a big difference between giving speeches and spewing out the words. Any bobblehead can stand up here and spew out the words to you," Pawlenty said. "The question is, can they do it and one of the questions is have they done it?"

Pawlenty also dangled out more enticements to supporters to attend the straw poll, promising saucy barbecue and ice cream treats from two well-known restaurant chains. Bachmann promised her fans that her tent would feature live music from country star Randy Travis.

The candidates were fighting to win over Republicans such as Terry Bradley, a 56-year-old Newton man who showed up at Bachmann's event. Bradley said he and his wife had been leaning toward supporting Pawlenty until they heard Bachmann.

"When someone asks Pawlenty a question, he's kind of long-winded. You almost get a mini-speech," Bradley said. "When someone asks her a question, with Michelle you get a clear answer. You may not always agree, but you get an answer."

Other candidates were expected to blitz through the state in the next week. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who drew nice crowds in stops this week, will campaign with his son, Sen. Rand Paul, as he tries to fire up his loyal supporters in hopes of scoring a surprisingly strong finish at the straw poll.

Former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain, who is also hoping to prove his viability in Ames, kicks off a weeklong bus tour across Iowa on Monday. Gingrich was touring a company in Johnston on Friday. Former Sen. Rick Santorum, who has been all over Iowa for weeks, was to appear at three town hall meetings on Friday.

Other politicians who could have an impact on the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses next year aren't competing in the straw poll. That includes the national front-runner, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who won the event four years ago but has decided to skip it this year as he focuses on building a national campaign and plays down the importance of Iowa. Romney is expected to return to the state next week for a GOP debate.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is expected to get into the presidential race in coming weeks but is not competing in the straw poll. Neither is former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who hasn't made a decision on whether to run but has scheduled an appearance in Iowa next month.

Associated Press writer Brian Bakst in St. Paul, Minn., and Holly Ramer in Nashua, N.H. contributed to this report.

It was the first time Standard & Poor's has downgraded the United States' credit rating in the history of the ratings.

Associated PressDisplay boards at the Australian Stock Exchange flicker with news of a falling market in Sydney, Friday, Aug. 5, 2011. The Australian benchmark S&P/ASX-200 index plunged 168.6 points, or 3.94 percent, at 4,107.9 shortly after opening. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER
AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON — Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's on Friday downgraded the United States' credit rating for the first time in the history of the ratings.

The credit rating agency said that it is cutting the country's top AAA rating by one notch to AA-plus. The credit agency said that it is making the move because the deficit reduction plan passed by Congress on Tuesday did not go far enough to stabilize the country's debt situation.

A source familiar with the discussions said that the Obama administration feels the S&P's analysis contained "deep and fundamental flaws."

S&P said that in addition to the downgrade, it is issuing a negative outlook, meaning that there was a chance it will lower the rating further within the next two years. It said such a downgrade to AA would occur if the agency sees less reductions in spending than Congress and the administration have agreed to make, higher interest rates or new fiscal pressures during this period.

S&P first put the government on notice in April that a downgrade was possible unless Congress and the administration came up with a credible long-term deficit reduction plan and avoided a default on the country's debt.

After months of wrangling and negotiations with the administration, Congress passed this week a debt reduction package at the 11th-hour that averted a possible default.

In its statement, S&P said that it had changed its view "of the difficulties of bridging the gulf between the political parties" over a credible deficit reduction plan.

S&P said it was now "pessimistic about the capacity of Congress and the administration to be able to leverage their agreement this week into a broader fiscal consolidation plan that stabilizes the government's debt dynamics anytime soon."

Brown: Businesses will not hire more workers until employers are certain they will not face more regulations and higher taxes in the near future.

Associated PressUnited States Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., left, walks with Thomas Loos, right, construction project engineer at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Friday, Aug. 5, 2011. Brown started a nine-stop statewide tour on Friday to discuss the economy and ways to create jobs with local businesses. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

By JOHANNA KAISER

BOSTON — Businesses will not hire more workers until employers are certain they will not face more regulations and higher taxes in the near future, Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown said Friday.

"Business leaders especially and people who are actually creating jobs are very nervous about what's going to happen," the first-term Republican said after touring a construction project at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood.

Earlier in the day, after speaking at the annual meeting of the Beer Institute, a beer industry lobbying group, Brown said lawmakers should not raise taxes or increase regulations for businesses because employers are already nervous about their footing in the economy.

"They (businesses) just want to be left alone and do their job, and hire and expand," Brown said.

Brown's speech and construction site visit were the first two stops of his nine-stop statewide tour to discuss jobs and the economy with local businesses, and tout ways to create jobs in the state.

While the Massachusetts economy has fared better than many other states, more needs to be done to lower the country's 9.1 percent unemployment rate, Brown said. The state's unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in June, its lowest level since February 2009.

Employers nationally added 117,000 jobs last month, according to the U.S. Labor Department. The economy needs to produce 250,000 new jobs a month to bring down the unemployment rate quickly.

One way Brown hopes to create jobs is through a bill he sponsored that would give tax credits to businesses for hiring unemployed veterans or reserve members, a bill similar to the one proposed Friday by President Barack Obama.

The president's proposal would provide tax credits companies that hire out-of-work military veterans or their spouses. Those tax cuts would increase if the veteran has been unemployed for six months or more, or has service-related disabilities.

Brown said he was encouraged by Obama's proposal and said he hopes to work with the administration to pass the bill, and plans to work with Democrats to craft legislation to create jobs and boost the economy

"It's going to be a methodical, thoughtful approach and it needs to be done on a bipartisan, bicameral basis," he said.

A CBS News/New York Times poll this week shows 82 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Congress is doing its job, but Brown said most lawmakers want work together and "care very deeply about where we're going."

While Brown talked with workers inside the hospital, a handful of protesters gathered outside to criticize his voting record.

"There's a lot of window dressing going on here, there's a lot of lip service being paid to jobs as an issue but when you actually take a look at his record he's voted consistently to cut jobs," said Jason Stephany, spokesman for MassUniting, a coalition of community groups, faith organizations, and labor groups, which organized the demonstration.

Stephany and about five others handed out flyers listing Brown's votes against bills they said would have created jobs, including one that would have increased taxes for U.S. companies that close domestic plants and open new ones overseas.

The group also criticized Brown for not being available to constituents at the day's events.

The two events Friday were not open to the public because the Beer Institute meeting was a private function and the construction tour was in a hard-hat area.

Democrats have also criticized Brown for not a holding public town hall meeting to take questions from Massachusetts residents since he was elected.

But Brown said he has been in the state almost every weekend since we was elected and has attended over 250 events, most of them public, and plans to continue meeting with voters.

"I'm going to go to football games, baseball games; I'm going to do triathlons, hit senior centers, town halls, and meet everybody, everywhere, anyhow I can," said Brown.

Brown's job tour will include talks with three chambers of commerce and employees from Mansfield-based Covidien, a provider of healthcare products. He will also visit the New England Scenic Trail in Amherst, and talk with veterans at Mashpee Public Library and seniors at the Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly in Brighton.

A preliminary election Sept. 27 is required to trim the field of candidates for a two-year School Committee seat.

The Republican file photo | Dave RobackWestfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik making the announcement at East Mountain Country Club he will run re-election.

WESTFIELD – Barring a write-in candidate, Mayor Daniel M. Knapik will face no opposition in his bid for a second consecutive term in the Nov. 8 city elections.

The deadline to obtain nominations papers for the fall election was 5 p.m. Friday, and no one had secured papers for a mayoral run other than Knapik. His papers have already been certified by city election officials.

Candidates for a variety of offices are circulating nomination papers, and while some have already been returned to City Clerk Karen M. Fanion, others have until Aug. 9 to file.

The city is already guaranteed at least one Sept. 27 preliminary contest to trim the field of candidates for a two-year term on the School Committee to fill the remainder of the four-year term held by Laura K. Maloney, who has resigned.

There may also be a preliminary election for City Council at-Large because currently there are 18 candidates for the seven seats up for election.

Candidates for the two-year school seat are Michael D. Tirrell, John D. Leary Jr., Samuel N. Sam and William K. Tatro. A preliminary election will eliminate two.
Candidates for Council at-Large include incumbents John J. Beltrandi III, David A. Flaherty, Gerald E. Tracy, Patti Andras, Brent B. Bean II, Nicholas J. Morganelli Jr abd Brian P. Sullivan. Other candidates include former councilors James R. Adams and David A. Bannish along with Robert Cree, Donna C. Hoering, Agma Maria Sweeney, Michael Burns, Joseph M. Spagnoli, Andrew P. Bannish, Kenneth D. Gustafoson, Richard S. Holcomb and Kevin W. Harraghy.

Ward 1 City Councilor Christopher Keefe will face challenger Kevin P. Medeiros on Nov. 8.

John M. Callahan, appointed to the Ward 3 seat on the Municipal Light Board earlier this year, will face a challenge from Jane C. Wensley.

There are six candidates for three four-year seats on the School Committee. They include incumbent Kevin J. Sullivan. Others are Jeffrey L. Gosselin, Ramon Diaz Jr., Michelle P. Lesieur, Melissa Alvarado and Diane M. Mayhew.

Incumbent City Council members James E. Brown Jr., Ward 2; Peter J. Miller Jr., Ward 3; Mary L. O'Connell, Ward 4; Richard E. Onofrey Jr., Ward 5, and Christopher M. Crean, Ward 6, have no opposition in their re-election bids.

Municipal Light Board members Kevin M. Kelleher Sr., Ward 1; Robert A. Paul St., Ward 2; Francis L. Liptak, Ward 4; Thomas P. Flaherty Sr., Ward 5, and Robert C. Sacco, Ward 6, have no opposition.

Also unopposed in her bid for re-election as a trustee for the Westfield Atheneaum is Alberta Humason.

The officers of the 46th Municipal Police Officers Class graduated last week at Holyoke Community College.

File photo | The Republican

Graduates of the 46th Municipal Police Officers’ Class of the Western Massachusetts Police Academy are beginning their tenure in local police departments.

Having three new officers is “just wonderful,” said Longmeadow Police Chief Robert F. Siano. “They are outstanding individuals.

“It’s nice to have new blood. They are young, enthusiastic. If they can keep that up for 30 years ...”

Siano said the new officers have been riding with other officers as training, doing park-and-walks, and talking to shopkeepers.

Most of the new officers “have had this aspiration for a lifetime,” said Sergeant Jeffrey Dalessio of the East Longmeadow Police Department.

East Longmeadow welcomed Officer James E. Gagnon. He has been sworn in and is getting additional in-house training, said Dalessio.

Other graduates now working in local police departments include class president Jeffrey K. Forcier, who is on the job in Holland; vice president Eric R. Alexander, in Easthampton; treasurer Brent P. Noyes in Northampton; and secretary Johanlet Medrano in Amherst.

First squad leader Francisco J. Lopez is in West Springfield; third squad leader Kyle M. Gribi, Agawam; fourth squad leader Kalju V. Lee, Northampton; fifth squad leader Megan E. Gilbert, Montague; and class guide Larry S. Kelly, West Springfield.

Other class members and their departments are: Andrew S. Carney, Northampton; Michael J. Csekovsky, Westfield; Jessica L. Damon, Amherst; Daniel J. Distefano, West Springfield; Daniel P. Fernandes, Southwick; Ricardo G. Funch, Ludlow; Michael J. Gibbons, Westfield; Daniel V. Gryzbowski, Agawam; William I. Lebrun, Northampton.

Also Brandon J. Mahoney, Longmeadow; Michael W. Matroni, West Springfield; Brett T. Morgan, Northampton; John R. Parrish, Westfield; John R. Perry II, Northampton; Danielle Rex, Longmeadow; Rudis R. Rodriguez, Amherst; Timothy S. Rogers Jr., Monson; Robert F. Sheehan III, Palmer; Frank A. Soleimani, Westfield; Anthony C. Sotolotto, Northampton; and Amanda Van Buskirk, Longmeadow.

The officers graduated in a ceremony July 27 at Holyoke Community College.

When last seen, Merlyn was flying around North Maple Street and Lake Road toward the Longmeadow line.

Submitted photoMerlyn, Barbara and Jason Scavotto's Congo African Gray parrot, is missing after flying out of their Enfield condo.

ENFIELD – When their pet parrot Merlyn went out the door as they were loading up the car Wednesday, Barbara I. and Jason A. Scavotto’s White Mountains vacation went with it.

The couple were making their final preparations to leave for a hiking trip to New Hampshire when their Congo African Gray parrot flew the coop about 10 a.m. They had their honeymoon in the White Mountains and try to return there for vacation every summer. Those plans have been canceled.

“I’m brokenhearted. We don’t have any kids. The bird is like our baby,” Barbara Scavotto said Friday. “My husband and I are devastated.”

The couple allows the parrot free rein of their condominium at Ashmead Commons while they are home, confining her to her cage only when they are away.

Merlyn, who is gray with a bright red tail, can say, “Hello,” “Good morning,” “I love you” and “What are you doing?” Scavotto said. She also knows how do a wolf whistle and may answer to that, she said.

When last seen, Merlyn was flying around North Maple Street and Lake Road toward the Longmeadow line.

If anyone sees the parrot, Scavotto has asked that the person call her at (860) 265-2022 or (860) 597-3307. If Merlyn is in a tree, Scavotto said she can camp out and try to retrieve her.

If anyone can lure her indoors, she may be corralled into a pet carrier and is well-mannered. The parrot likes coffee and cheese, according to Scavotto.

View Last known location of Merlyn in a larger map

The victim, who was not identified by police, was taken to Baystate Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

SPRINGFIELD -- City police had two men in custody early Saturday in connection with a Friday night machete attack that sent a local man to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

"He's being treated at the Baystate," Springfield Police Lt. John K. Slepchuk said of the victim, whose identity was not released.

As of 2 a.m. Saturday, Slepchuk said, two men were being booked in connection with the assault, which was reported around 11:30 p.m. Friday at 96 Calhoun St. in the city's North End.

Details of the alleged attack were not immediately available, but authorities said the assault could have been a lot worse.

"He kind of got lucky," Slepchuk said of the victim, who was struck with the lower end of the machete, closer to the handle.

The man was transported to Baystate Medical Center for treatment of lacerations, police said.

Machete assaults are fairly common in Springfield, and Friday's incident marked the second such attack in less than three weeks.

Last month, 43-year-old Dennis T. Maddox was arrested and charged with a July 18 machete attack at the River Inn on State Street. Maddox denied assault and other charges at his arraignment and is due back in court Aug. 19.

In late January, two Springfield brothers were charged in connection with an assault case involving a machete and other weapons.

Other machete arrests include a May 2010 incident involving a 37-year-old Springfield man who allegedly slashed a man in the forehead, shoulder and hand during an altercation in the city's Bay neighborhood, and a November 2009 incident involving a 48-year-old city man accused of inflicting injuries to a man's face and body during a dispute in the South End.

THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of an alleged machete attack in Springfield on Friday night that sent a local man to the hospital:

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