Aug. 15 is the deadline to apply for a Small Business Administration loan, and to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for those who had tornado-related damage.

The Republican/John SuchockiAn aerial shot of damage to the former Monson Academy buildings at 96 Main St. from the June 1 tornado.

MONSON - A Federal Emergency Management Agency representative told selectmen Tuesday that residents who are having difficulty with their FEMA application can go to the temporary center set up at the middle school for help, and reminded them that Aug. 15 is the deadline for applications.

While the tornado help center in Granite Valley Middle School's cafeteria has transitioned from a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center to a Small Business Administration Loan Outreach Center, there is still a FEMA representative there to assist residents, according to Oscar V. Joseph, FEMA's human services group supervisor.

Joseph said the maximum FEMA grant is for $30,200. Those who need assistance with the application also can call FEMA at 1-800-621-3362.

Joseph explained that residents who have had tornado damage to their homes cannot apply for low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration until they register with FEMA. Aug. 15 also is the deadline to apply for a Small Business Administration loan.

Selectmen and Town Administrator Gretchen E. Neggers peppered Joseph with questions about the process, including what to do if someone hasn't settled with their insurance company.

Joseph said residents should send in their insurance paperwork if they have it, but said they can still apply for a SBA loan even if the insurance settlement is in dispute.

In other business, Neggers updated the board about tornado recovery efforts, and said expenses associated with the June 1 twister are continuing to rise. Costs not covered by insurance now total nearly $6 million, with $4.5 million from clearing vegetative debris alone, she said.

"The debris removal is ongoing," Neggers said.

In comparison, tornado expenses that have been covered by insurance total $150,000.

The man was traveling west when the accident happened.

Republican file photo

RUSSELL – State police attached to the Russell barracks said that a man is in critical condition at Baystate Medical Center after he crashed his car on Route 20 in Russell at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

The man was traveling west when the accident happened, state police said.

No other details were available.

President Barack Obama sought to distance himself from the bad news of the nation's 1st-ever credit-rating downgrade, but lawmakers and presidential candidates showed no such reticence – trading salvos over who's at fault and why.

Associated PressAn electronic board displays trading activity on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York. Anger at the nation's leaders for taking so long to strike a debt-ceiling deal has turned into high anxiety over jobs and the economy and fears of a new recession. Standard & Poor's downgrading of the nation's credit rating a notch for the first time ever only added to the tension. (AP Photo/Jin Lee, File)

By MARK S. SMITH

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama sought to distance himself Saturday from the bad news of the nation's first-ever credit-rating downgrade, but lawmakers and presidential candidates showed no such reticence — trading salvos over who's at fault and why.

The president, spending the weekend at Camp David, left it to press secretary Jay Carney to say it's clear Washington "must do better" in tackling soaring deficits and other economic woes.

A statement from Carney said talks that produced Tuesday's $2 trillion compromise on raising the U.S. borrowing limit had been too drawn-out and "divisive."

But the statement didn't directly address Friday's move by Standard & Poor's to drop U.S. government debt from AAA to AA+, the next level down.

While telegraphed by S&P last month, the downgrade still delivered a potentially serious blow to the nation's struggling recovery — raising the prospect of higher interest rates and fresh falls in stocks after the big selloff of the last two weeks.

S&P told investors the deficit accord "falls short of what, in our view, would be necessary to stabilize the government's medium-term debt dynamics."

However, administration officials sharply disputed S&P's judgment and challenged its numbers, saying the deal's deficit-cutting value had been drastically understated. They charged the company's analysis was rushed and faulty.

Gene Sperling, head of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, was sharply critical of the S&P decision.

"The magnitude of their error combined with their willingness to simply change on the spot their lead rationale in their press release once the error was pointed out was breathtaking," he said. "It smacked of an institution starting with a conclusion and shaping any arguments to fit it."

But S&P stood by its finding. In a conference call with reporters on Saturday, S&P officials said the company's carefully reasoned conclusion is that political gridlock in Washington has made the nation increasingly unable to control its debt.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, asserted the downgrade "is the latest consequence of the out-of-control spending that has taken place in Washington for decades."

But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said it "reaffirms the need for a balanced approach to deficit reduction" including not just spending cuts but higher revenues from ending tax breaks for big corporations and the rich.

Another Democrat, California Rep. George Miller, vented his anger at a "reckless extortionist legislative strategy" by the GOP. Making deep cuts a condition of paying the nation's bills "has clearly done more to sow deep anxiety and uncertainty over the economy than nearly any other set of events," he said.

At least one senator, Republican Mark Kirk of Illinois, called for the president to bring Congress back from its August recess to try to address the issues raised by S&P's report.

Outside Washington, presidential hopefuls found fresh ammunition in the ratings setback.

Former Massachusetts governor and GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney wrote, "America's creditworthiness just became the latest casualty in President Obama's failed record of leadership."

Said former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty: "What we should be talking about is downgrading Barack Obama from president of the United States." Campaigning Saturday in Grinnell, Iowa, Pawlenty said, "We need to have a president who understands what it means to put our full faith and credit in the American people."

Also in Iowa, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., called for Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's ouster. Bachman, who voted against the debt deal, told a Fox News interviewer, "This president has destroyed the credit rating of the United States through ... his inability to control government spending."

By contrast, Obama was conspicuously silent. And administration officials who were scathing in private about the S&P move declined to be quoted on the record — the White House apparently not wishing to elevate the decision with presidential and other attention.

Aides also noted that two other ratings agencies — Moody's and Fitch — are for now keeping the AAA rating for U.S. debt.

Meantime, they noted Obama had tried but failed to broker a much bigger deficit deal.

In his statement, Carney focused on the months of bitter partisan wrangling that led to the 11th-hour compromise announced Sunday — a bare two days before the Treasury Department's deadline for a threatened government default.

"We must do better to make clear our nation's will, capacity and commitment to work together to tackle our major fiscal and economic challenges," Carney said.

The debt-limit deal called for a nearly $1 trillion down payment on deficit cutting, and instructed a special congressional committee to draw up a blueprint for another $1 trillion-plus by November.

Carney said the president will urge committee members and other lawmakers "to put our common commitment to a stronger recovery and a sounder long-term fiscal path above our political and ideological differences."

Associated Press writers Martin Crutsinger, Henry C. Jackson, Liz Sidoti and Tom Raum contributed to this report.

Perry, who is contemplating a run for the Republican presidential nomination, asked Christians to turn to God for answers to the nation's troubles, and asked the audience to pray for President Barack Obama

Associated PressTexas Gov. Rick Perry bows his head as he leads a prayer at The Response, a call to prayer for a nation in crisis, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, in Houston. Perry attended the daylong prayer rally despite criticism that the event inappropriately mixes religion and politics. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

By APRIL CASTRO
and THOMAS BEAUMONT

HOUSTON — Texas Gov. Rick Perry sent a strong message to the nation's evangelicals Saturday: he is a member of the important constituency for Republicans that he soon may call upon to help him secure the GOP presidential nomination.

The state's longest serving governor hosted what he called a national day of prayer, an event at Reliant Arena that drew roughly 30,000 people and that was broadcast on cable Christian channels and the Internet nationwide, including in at least 1,000 churches.

"Father, our heart breaks for America," Perry said in 12 minutes of remarks that included prayer and Bible passages — but no direct mention of politics or his presidential plans. "We see discord at home. We see fear in the marketplace. We see anger in the halls of government and, as a nation, we have forgotten who made us, who protects us, who blesses us."

He asked Christians to turn to God for answers to the nation's troubles, and asked the audience to pray for President Barack Obama — though he did not use the Democratic incumbent's name — as well as for the American troops killed in the weekend attack on a U.S. helicopter in Afghanistan.

The moment gave Perry a national spotlight before a pivotal voting group in the GOP nomination fight — in the early voting states of Iowa and South Carolina in particular — as he nears a decision on whether to run for president. His entrance into the field could shake up the contest because Perry could attract both social and economic conservatives at a time when the GOP electorate is unsettled with the current slate of candidates. Many have been campaigning for months and are trying to break out of the pack.

As Perry held court in Houston, for instance, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann were holding multiple campaign events each day in Iowa ahead of next weekend's test vote, a straw poll that is a barometer for a campaign's organizational strength five months before the state's leadoff caucuses. Both have a lot riding on the outcome.

Perry has been talking with potential donors, GOP operatives and party leaders about a possible run. But he has been tightlipped about just when he would announce a decision, though he plans to visit at least one early-voting state — South Carolina — over the next week.

He plans to keep what aides say is a long-held commitment to headline a conservative conference in Charleston, S.C., on Aug. 13, as well as meet with activists in the state scheduled to host the South's first primary. The trip will put Perry in touch with voters and activists who would be influential to a Republican primary campaign, much like the Houston event Saturday did.

Ministers long have been a valuable constituency in the early nominating campaign, especially in Iowa, where they formed an influential network for 2008 candidate Mike Huckabee's caucus victory, and this year's candidates are trying to make inroads. Bachmann, for one, announced the endorsement of her by 100 Iowa clergy Friday; the tea party favorite meets regularly with pastors when she campaigns in Iowa.

Perry's audience Saturday was filled with people who sang with arms outstretched in prayer — and wept — as Christian groups played music on stage. And Perry, himself, huddled on the stage in a prayer circle with several ministers who helped lead the event. It was Perry's idea and was financed by the American Family Association, a Tupelo, Miss.-based group that opposes abortion and gay rights and believes that the First Amendment freedom of religion applies only to Christians.

"We feel that God moved on him to do this. It will be read by the enemy, the political enemy, as a tool to win votes," said Gwen Courkamp of Houston, who plans to vote for Perry if he runs for president.

The governor also earned high marks from attendee Justine Schaefer, who said: "He'd get my vote ... Today really impressed me. He showed that he's sensitive to the Lord's leading to have this."

Critics argued the event — called The Response — inappropriately blended politics and religion.

Perry insisted that the event had no political motivation, though he did say during his remarks: "We pray for our nation's leaders, Lord, for parents, for pastors, for the generals, for governors, that you would inspire them in these difficult times."

The other speakers focused primarily on prayer and redemption, though politics seeped in at times, tied to social issue policy. Dozens of people throughout the daylong event decried legalized abortion, while some also condemned gay marriage, although far fewer.

Protesters gathered outside the arena to condemn the event.

"The brand of Christianity being offered today is one of fear, and we want to let people know that God loves everyone, not to be afraid," said Dan DeLeon, a pastor from the United Church of Christ in College Station, who wore his robe in near-100-degree heat.

Rodney Hinds, who drove to Houston from Amarillo, waved a sign at traffic demanding "Pastor Perry Must Resign" and said: "He abused the power of his office by calling this event from his office as governor."

Whether that's true or not, this much is clear: Perry may have laid down a marker on Saturday with social conservatives that would allow him to enter the race as a candidate focused on jobs, but with credibility with values voters.

"He has the best record in the field on jobs, and doesn't have to get off message beefing up bona fides on social issues, since they are firmly established," said Mary Matalin, a former adviser during both Bush presidencies.

Given Texas' recent uptick in jobs, that combination could make Perry a potentially strong challenger to Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who leads in national polls, has business credentials but leaves cultural conservatives questioning his sincerity on their issues.

A woman claimed she was stabbed by a man on Belmont Avenue around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Her condition was not immediately known.

SPRINGFIELD -- Police were at the scene of a stabbing that was reported early Sunday in the city's Forest Park neighborhood.

Details were sketchy, but preliminary Springfield police reports indicated a woman called 911 just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday to report being stabbed in the hand and foot.

The incident occurred in the vicinity of 364 Belmont Ave., which is an apartment building located across from the Foodzone International Supermarket at the corner of Belmont and Oakland Street. But police did not indicate if the assault happened inside or outside the apartment building.

The assailant was described as a black male wearing a black, hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans, and he was last seen walking northwest on Belmont Avenue toward the Tedeschi Food Shops at the corner of Belmont and Forest Street.

Minutes after the call was received, officers patrolling the area reportedly spotted a man matching that description in front of the Belmont Laundry. Further information was not immediately available from authorities.

The woman's condition was not immediately known.

Check MassLive.com for periodic updates on this and other breaking stories.

THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of a stabbing reported early Sunday on Belmont Avenue in Springfield's Forest Park neighborhood:

View Larger Map

New DA Mark Mastroianni and assistant district attorney Donna Donato, his chief of litigation, talked recently about what makes murder cases more complex and why the road to resolution is often long.

SPRINGFIELD – Waiting for the man accused of killing his sister to go to trial is is like “waiting to know when you are dying from cancer and never knowing when it will happen,” says Victor Cruz.

Benjamin Sanchez is accused of stabbing Anna Cruz, his estranged wife, and burning her Bay Street home with her in it. She was found dead from stab wounds and smoke inhalation on July 12, 2009.

The trial, delayed because there has been an issue about whether Sanchez is competent to stand trial, is now scheduled for October. The case is among dozens of murder cases awaiting prosecution in Hampden County.

There are 51 people now charged with murder in the county, and the office of district attorney Mark G. Mastroianni has a pending caseload of 33 murder cases dating back to September 2008. Some of the cases involve multiple defendants.

In the timeline above, cases are arranged chronologically by the date of the victim's death. Click on a window to see case information and links to additional coverage. Click on a "+" symbol to reveal additional cases.

“We are making every effort to move cases, to get them to trial,” Mastroianni said. “It’s a priority for me to move some of these older cases that have been sitting there.”

By comparison, the Northwestern district attorney’s office for Hampshire and Franklin counties has only one pending murder case which involves Anthony Baye, who faces trial on two counts of first-degree murder and many other charges stemming from the December 2009 arson fires in Northampton. His trial is set to begin on Sept. 29.

In Worcester County, the district attorney’s office has 40 pending murder cases which involve 46 defendants.

In Springfield, for Vanessa Garcia, Anna Cruz’s daughter, the wait and the process has been mentally draining, exhausting.

“I just want it to be over,” Garcia said, explained that the family wants closure for themselves and her late mother who “fought so hard” through her struggle, including getting restraining orders against Sanchez.

Erica Cruz, sister to Anna Cruz, said waiting for the trial “takes a toll on you, the anxiety.” The victim’s mother, Iris Malave, said she prays every day that the case will come to court and be over.

When former district attorney William M. Bennett left office in January after two decades, so, too, did several of his top prosecutors who handled the prosecution of murder cases. The change in administration meant new prosecutors had to be assigned and a review of the evidence conducted. Requests were made to continue some trial dates.

Some of the pending murder cases involve recent homicides; the oldest case involves the death of George R. Roy in September 2008. Peter Bruneau, Roy’s roommate, is accused of murder in the killing.

That case has been suspended without a trial date because of issues related to Bruneau’s mental health and competence to stand trial.

The district attorney’s office also has one manslaughter case pending, as well one murder case which must be tried for a second time.

Mastroianni and assistant district attorney Donna S. Donato, his chief of litigation, talked recently about what makes murder cases more complex and why the road to resolution is often long.

Governing everything is the desire not to have to try a murder case a second time, Mastroianni said.

The district attorney’s office is facing a retrial in the case of Joann Sliech-Brodeur. Sliech-Brodeur, convicted of first-degree murder for the July 2004 death of her husband, Joseph Brodeur, in West Springfield, had her conviction overturned by the state Supreme Judicial Court.

The high court concluded the defense should not have been required to give prosecutors, prior to the trial, detailed notes and statements which Sliech-Brodeur made to her own psychiatric expert.

The desire not to have a murder case returned by a higher court for a second trial leads the prosecution to want every defense argument to be argued before and during trial, Mastroianni said.

The potential penalty of life without the possibility of parole is so severe, “you can leave no stone unturned,” added defense lawyer Donald W. Frank.

Murder cases can be complex because they often have “many witnesses with differing versions of what happened and sometimes subsequent and multiple versions of what happened,” said defense lawyer William J. O’Neil.

Having more than one person charged in a murder case can further complicate things, the lawyers say. Among the pending cases are two which have four defendants, one case with three people charged and five cases in which there are two defendants.

“Multi-defendant cases are difficult to try just from a practical point of view,” Mastroianni said.

It’s also more difficult to seat a jury in such cases because each defendant is allowed to challenge 16 prospective jurors for cause during the trial preparation process.

The prosecution of murder cases can also be prolonged by DNA and other forensic testing which can take “a very long time,” said Mastroianni.

As a case is prepared, even more tests can be required, he added. “So now you get at the back of the line for the testing,” Mastroianni said.

Just agreeing on a date for trial can be a complicated process, as the schedules of lawyers, witnesses and experts must be coordinated.

Mastroianni said he is working to balance his prosecutors’ caseloads so the number of murder cases can be addressed. “If you’re carrying a caseload of murder cases, how many drug cases can you handle, how many victim intensive cases can you handle?” he said.

The defense lawyer in a murder case needs to start from scratch, hiring investigators and experts to do interviews and review the prosecution’s evidence, a process that is also time-consuming, said Frank.

The motivations to exaggerate or fabricate “are much more intense” in a murder case, Frank said. “People may fear they will be implicated,” he said. “They may take extra steps to thwart law enforcement and defense investigators.”

Frank said everyone who is charged with a serious crime wants to be acquitted as soon as possible, but most of his clients would rather have him adequately prepared than rush to trial.

He is among defense counsel who have said they were frustrated by the retirements of murder prosecutors in Hampden County and the effects it had on cases. Some cases, Frank said, could and should have been resolved before Bennett left office.

“It was not just that we now had to wait three or four months while new prosecutors got on board with new cases,” Frank said. “It’s that there may have been cases which could have been resolved.”

The murder defendants, just as the victims of the homicides, run the gamut of age, race, ethnicity and circumstance. What the cases also share is terrible tragedy, the loss of lives in senseless violence.

Angel Pantoja was 16 years old last August when he was arrested on a murder charge for the killing of 25-year-old Adan Perez. Police said Perez was robbed and killed as he walked home Aug. 26 on Orange Street carrying Chinese food.

Brittany Perez was 18 years old and a mother of a 14-month-old son in October 2009 when several rounds from a .22-caliber rifle were fired through the window of her Forest Park home. She died some 14 hours later, and a neighbor, Daniel Horne, awaits trial for her death.

Two Springfield women, Rosa Ramsey and Beverly Caldwell, face murder charges of the killings of their partners, Ramsey in March 2010 and Caldwell this spring.

James R. Kenyon is accused of murder in the death of his girlfriend, Alice M. Connors, in Westfield in 2010. The case had been set for trial in May, but is now postponed as the defense says it plans to argue a case of mental impairment.

Edwin Goitia and Amanda Arsenault are accused of murder in the death of their 6-month-old baby in Chicopee in 2009. Their case is set for trial Sept. 12.

One of the cases Mastroianni will prosecute himself is the case against Eric Denson, accused of murder for the fatal stabbing in March 2010 of Cathedral High School athlete Conor W. Reynolds. Denson, 20, of 1026 Carew St., has denied a charge of murder for Reynolds’ death on March 13, 2010, during a private party at a St. James Avenue nightclub. It is a case in which the defense is questioning the identification process used by police, and the trial is set for Oct. 3.

The Republican | Mark M. Murray01/27/11 Springfield- Republican Photo by Mark M. Murray Defense Attorney Greg Shubert, left and Hampden County District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni , listen as District Court Judge William Boyle make a rulng on their motion to not allow the Republican to photograph murder defendent Jerel L. Brunson 18, who is charged with the shooting of David Acevedo III, who died after being shot in the back .

Forty-five thousand unionized Verizon Communications Inc. workers from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., went on strike Sunday after negotiations with the telecommunications company over a new labor contract broke down.

AP file photoMore than 35,000 unionized Verizon Communications workers from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., went on strike early Sunday after failing to reach an agreement on a new labor contract.

CRISTIAN SALAZAR, Associated Press

NEW YORK — Forty-five thousand unionized Verizon Communications Inc. workers from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., went on strike Sunday after negotiations with the telecommunications company over a new labor contract fizzled.

The Communications Workers of America said negotiations in Philadelphia and New York stalled Saturday night after Verizon continued to demand more than 100 concessions from workers regarding health care, pensions and work rules.

Mark C. Reed, Verizon's executive vice president of human resources, called the outcome of the unions' actions "regrettable" for customers and employees.

"We will continue to do our part to reach a new contract that reflects today's economic realities in our wireline business and addresses the needs of all parties," he said in a statement.

The contract that expired midnight Saturday covers 45,000 workers, including 10,000 represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, who serve as telephone and repair technicians, customer service representatives, operators and more. Contract negotiations began June 22.

"Even at the 11th hour, as contracts were set to expire, Verizon continued to seek to strip away 50 years of collective bargaining gains for middle class workers and their families," CWA said in a statement Sunday.

New York-based Verizon, the nation's largest wireless carrier, has 196,000 workers; 135,000 are non-union.

The CWA said the concessions are unjustified and harsh, given that Verizon is highly profitable — the company's revenue rose 2.8 percent to $27.5 billion in the second quarter. Its growth was largely attributed to its wireless business.

But Verizon said its wireline business has been in decline for more than a decade, and that it is asking for changes in the contract to strengthen the unit. The company said union employees contribute nothing to their health care premiums.

Verizon activated a contingency plan to ensure customers experienced "limited disruption in service" for the length of the strike.

"Tens of thousands of Verizon managers and other personnel have been trained to step in and perform emergency work assignments," Verizon spokesman Rich Young said.

A customer satisfaction survey released in May showed Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. ranked highest among the Big 4 wireless carriers. The survey polled 8,000 households in the first quarter of this year.

Verizon added 1.26 million wireless subscribers under contract in the April to June period this year, a result that flies in the face of the slowdown in new subscribers across the industry in the last two years. A year ago, Verizon added just 665,000 subscribers under contract.

Verizon ended the last quarter with 106.3 million devices connected to its wireless network. No. 2 and chief rival AT&T is trying to leapfrog Verizon in size by buying No. 4 T-Mobile USA for $39 billion.

Lowell McAdam, the former head of Verizon Wireless, became CEO of Verizon Communications Inc. on Aug. 1, replacing Ivan Seidenberg. Seidenberg, the longtime CEO, remains chairman of the company.

A once-mysterious donor who gave $1 million to a pro-Mitt Romney political action committee in April contributed the maximum amount to Romney's presidential campaign three weeks later, an Associated Press review found.

AP file photoFormer Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is among the Republicans hoping to become the party's candidate for president.

JACK GILLUM, Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A once-mysterious donor who gave $1 million to a pro-Mitt Romney political action committee in April contributed the maximum amount to Romney's presidential campaign three weeks later, an Associated Press review found.

Edward Conard came forward this weekend as the man behind the donation from New York firm W Spann LLC, founded shortly before giving the $1 million check to Romney-leaning Restore Our Future PAC. W Spann dissolved three months later, business records show, prompting outrage from campaign-finance watchdogs who said the secret contribution violated the law.

Conard is a former executive at Boston-based Bain Capital, which was co-founded by Romney in 1984. Conard could not be immediately reached for comment Saturday.

Federal Election Commission records show that in May, Conard and his wife, Jill, gave $2,500 each to Romney's presidential committee — the maximum allowed under federal regulations by individuals to presidential candidates. Edward Conard also gave $2,300 toward Romney's 2008 White House run, records show.

The new developments surrounding Restore Our Future's contributions show how political donors — bound by dollar limits during each election cycle — can now give much more cash to outside groups that favor certain candidates.

Created by former aides to Romney, Restore Our Future raised $12.2 million during the first six months of 2011. The outside group is not officially connected to Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, and can receive endless funds from individuals and corporations, thanks in part to the 2010 Supreme Court ruling known as "Citizens United."

"They're raising unlimited money from donors who can only give limited contributions to the candidate himself, and then are spending money directly to support the candidate," said Fred Wertheimer, president of watchdog Democracy 21, which called on the Justice Department and FEC this week to investigate the contribution.

"The whole operation is a sham," he said, "and the sooner we figure out how to do something about this, the better."

In a prepared statement, Restore Our Future spokeswoman Brittany Gross said: "We're glad Mr. Conard has chosen to come forward, putting an end to this supposed controversy. Restore Our Future will amend our report per Mr. Conard's request to reflect him as the donor."

Mark Duggan was shot to death by London Metropolitan Police on Thursday. By Saturday evening, a peaceful demonstration held outside the Tottenham police station turned into a full-scale riot as angry crowds began pelting police with bricks and bottles.

AP PhotoA riot police officer looks on as fire rages through a building in the North London neighborhood of Tottenham early Sunday. A demonstration against the death of a local man at the hands of the police turned violent as cars and shops were set ablaze.

LONDON — Rioting continued into Sunday morning in the North London neighborhood of Tottenham, where protesters angry over the shooting death of 29-year-old Mark Duggan took to the streets to vent their fury on British law enforcement officials.

Duggan, described by one police source as a "gangster," was shot dead by a special London Metropolitan Police unit after the minicab he was traveling in was stopped Thursday evening.

According to a report in The Daily Mail, there was an apparent "exchange" of gunfire and a bullet was found lodged in a police radio.

The incident remains under investigation by British authorities, who moved quickly to quell the violence that erupted in the streets of Tottenham on Saturday evening. The rioting continued through Sunday morning, according to published reports.

On Saturday evening, about two dozen Duggan supporters, including family members and friends, gathered outside the Tottenham police station to protest his death. About three hours into the demonstration, however, the crowd swelled and things quickly turned violent as protesters hurled projectiles and bottles and started fires, CNN reported.

Patrol cars, a shop and a double-decker bus were torched, followed by reports of looting, London authorities said.

CNN said London police officials didn't anticipate the violent backlash.

AP photoRiot policeman stand guard in Tottenham, north London, Saturday night after two patrol cars were attacked by members of a community where a young man was shot dead by police on Thursday. Officers had been attempting to carry out an arrest under the Trident operational command unit, which deals with gun crime in the predominantly black Tottenham community, according to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

"We did not have warnings that we were going to see the kind of disorder being witnessed tonight," Scotland Yard Police Commander Stephen Watson said. "We are aware of raised tensions in the community, which are understandable following the tragic death of Mark Duggan."

More than 100 officers and specialist riot police faced down crowds of more than 500 people, who turned the heavily Caribbean and immigrant neighborhood into a veritable war zone.

Protesters pelted officers with bottles and bricks as police charged at the crowd and blocked off streets. At least one officer and several others were hospitalized as a result of the rioting, according to The Associated Press,

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating the shooting. The Telegraph reported that IPCC Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne has expressed her sympathy for the concerns voiced by Duggan family members and the community at large, who are demanding answers about what prompted Duggan's death.

"This case was referred to the IPCC immediately and we declared it an independent investigation and sent our investigators straight to the scene in Tottenham, where they took control and remained until late Friday night, supervising the forensic examinations," Cerfontyne said, noting that an independent investigation "means that all aspects are carried out by IPCC investigators."

Meanwhile, others are calling for calm as authorities attempt to sort out the chain of events that led to Duggan's death on Thursday.

The violence exhibited by some neighborhood residents is "not representative of the vast majority of people in Tottenham," said David Lammy, a member of Parliament who represents the North London suburb.

"The Tottenham community and Mark Duggan's family and friends need to understand what happened on Thursday evening when Mark lost his life. To understand those facts, we must have calm," Lammy told the BBC.

Material from CNN, the BBC, The Telegraph, The Daily Mail and The Associated Press was used in this report.

VIDEO of London rioting in the wake of Mark Duggan's shooting death by police:

Around 17 percent of WMECO customers in Longmeadow were affected by a power outage reported around 6:20 a.m. Sunday. Utility crews were addressing the outage, the cause of which was not immediately known.

Republican file photoA WMECO employee works on a power line in this Republican file photo.

LONGMEADOW -- An electrical outage was reported early Sunday morning in Longmeadow, although the cause of the power failure wasn't immediately known and appeared to be confined to the southern section of town.

Crews from Western Massachusetts Eelctric Co.(WMECO) were on scene as of 6:30 a.m., according to the Longmeadow Police Department. A department spokeswoman confirmed that the outage appeared to be centered around the Maple Road section of town, which includes a mix of residential and commercial properties near the Connecticut border.

That section of town includes such well-known Longmeadow staples as Armata's Supermarket, located on the corner of Maple and Shaker roads. No one picked up the phone at Armata's early Sunday morning.

WMECO's online outage map showed that 1,066 of the power company's nearly 6,000 customers -- or around 17 percent -- were still without electricity as of 7 a.m. Sunday.

Police officers placed portable stop signs at intersections where traffic lights went dark because of the outage.

It was unclear when service might return to affected customers, but preliminary police estimates suggested the power could be restored by around 8:30 a.m.

THE MAP BELOW shows a section of Maple Road in Longmeadow that lost power early Sunday morning:

View Larger Map

Amherst is proposing zoning changes for the North Amherst and Atkins Corner sections of town, Boston logs homicide No. 32, and more of today's news.

AP photoLondon Burning: Fire rages through a building in Tottenham, a north London neighborhood besieged by rioters since Saturday night. Trouble erupted in the predominantly African-Caribbean neighborhood of immigrants after community members took to the streets to protest the alleged police shooting of a Tottenham man on Thursday. The riots started with a peaceful street protest Saturday and ended Sunday morning with buildings and vehicles set afire, including police cars, a double-decker London bus, and shops looted as police clashed with protesters.

• Amherst: proposed zoning changes for North Amherst & Atkins Corner [GazetteNet.com]


• Boston records 32nd homicide of the year [Boston.com]


• Celina Cass is remembered at annual New Hampshire town festival [Boston.com]


• Man, woman shot to death in coastal Connecticut city [Courant.com]


• And now for something completely different: Bears are burglarizing Berkshire homes and cars [BerkshireEagle.com]


• Cape Cod National Seashore celebrates its golden anniversary [CapeCodonline.com]


• Navy SEAL from Cape Cod killed in Afghanistan [CapeCodonline.com]


• Israeli prime minister pledges dialogue to address economic protests [Reuters.com]




Under Fire: Video of protesters angry with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Israel's flagging economy:




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


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The car rolled over several times before coming to a rest against a tree.

GRANBY – A 24-year-old Chicopee man was injured in a one-car accident at about 2:20 p.m. Saturday.

Christopher Mayo was first assisted by police and people who witnessed the accident and stopped to help. He was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield by ambulance.

He is listed in fair condition, hospital officials said.

Mayo was traveling near 128 Pleasant St. when he lost control of the car he was driving. The car rolled over several times and came to rest against a tree. He was ejected from the vehicle during the accident, police said.

The accident is being investigated by Sgt. Kevin O’Grady and Patrolman Paul Anderson. Police said speed was a factor in the accident.

"There is lack of medicine, baby formula, food and gasoline. The city is totally paralyzed," said one activist.

View full sizeA Syrian man holds up a poster bearing an image of Syrian President Bashar Assad during a protest against the Syrian regime, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Aug. 5, 2011. Syrian security forces pounded the city of Hama with tank shelling and opened fire on protesters who streamed into the streets across the country Friday calling for the downfall of President Bashar Assad, killing at least four and wounding more than a dozen. The Arabic on the sign reads "Get out Nazi." (AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill)

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian forces intensified their crackdown on an eastern city Sunday as they try to keep the anti-government uprising from escalating during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The assault and similar operations in at least two other towns killed at least 52 people, according to human rights groups, and the toll looked likely to rise.

The worst violence was in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour, where troops stepped up a siege that had already been going on for days. At least 42 people were killed in a raid on the city that began before dawn, said Abdul-Karim Rihawi, the Damascus-based chief of the Syrian Human Rights League and Ammar Qurabi, who heads the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria.

"Humanitarian conditions in the city are very bad because it has been under siege for nine days," one activist in Deir el-Zour said on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. "There is lack of medicine, baby formula, food and gasoline. The city is totally paralyzed."

The attack on Deir el-Zour is part of the latest phase of the government crackdown that began a week ago, just before the start of Ramadan when many Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, then eat festive meals and gather in mosques for special nightly prayers. The government has been trying to prevent the large mosque gatherings from turning into a new wave of anti-government protests, like those that have been sweeping the country since mid-March.

The central city of Hama had been the focus of the crackdown for most of the week, though Deir el-Zour has also been under siege.

In Hama, an official at Hourani Hospital reported that eight newborns died in their incubators on Wednesday when electricity was cut in the city, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The group had no further details.

Authorities have imposed a media blackout on Hama and the reports could not be immediately confirmed. Electricity, Internet and phone lines have been cut for seven days, and residents have reported dwindling food and medical supplies amid frequent shelling and raids. Rights groups say at least 100 people have been killed, while some estimates put the number as high as 250.

Authoritarian President Bashar Assad has defied a growing chorus of international condemnation and pressed on with lethal military force to suppress mostly peaceful, unarmed demonstrators.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Saturday urged Assad, in a phone conversation, to immediately stop the use of military force against civilians.

Turkey, which borders Syria, said Sunday it would send its foreign minister to Damascus on Tuesday to deliver a strong message against the crackdown on the protesters. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country's patience was running thin and that Turkey could not remain a bystander to the violence.

Syria's reaction was quick. State-run TV quoted Assad's adviser, Buthaina Shaaban, as saying that Turkey's foreign minister "will hear stronger words because of Turkey's stance that did not condemn until now the brutal killings of civilians, members of military and police."

Gulf Arab countries broke their silence Saturday on the bloodshed, calling for an immediate end to the violence and for the implementation of "serious" reforms in Syria. In a statement posted on its website, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council expressed deep concern and regret for "the escalating violence in Syria and use of excess force."

Syria's state-run TV quoted an unnamed official as saying the GCC statement was ignoring the sabotage that armed groups are conducting.

The entire field of Republican candidates planned to participate in Thursday's debate in Iowa.

View full sizeFILE - In this Aug. 6, 2011, file photo Texas Gov. Rick Perry gives a thumbs up as he takes the stage at The Response, a call to prayer for a nation in crisis in Houston. The GOP electorate has made clear in polls that it wants more choices, perhaps a conservative who is strong both on economic and social issues, leading Perry to consider a White House bid. A nationally televised debate, a test vote in Iowa and a candidacy by Perry, should he decide to seek the GOP nomination, could shake up the Republican presidential race in the coming days. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A nationally televised debate, a test vote in Iowa and a candidacy by Texas Gov. Rick Perry — should he decide to seek the GOP nomination as many insiders, activists and party leaders expect — could shake up the Republican presidential race in the coming days.

The entire field of Republican candidates planned to participate in Thursday's debate in Iowa — the first that will include former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman — and most were staying in the leadoff caucus state for a straw poll two days later when GOP activists will indicate their presidential preferences for the first time. Perry planned to be elsewhere, but his likely candidacy was looming large in Iowa and across the nation.

With the first votes of 2012 less than six months away, the week promises to refocus the political world, to a certain extent at least, on the Republican nomination fight after months of debate in Washington over the nation's debt having largely eclipsed it. That issue, coupled with a sour jobs outlook, last week's Wall Street sell-off and the nation's downgraded credit rating, is framing the 2012 campaign, with Republicans using fears of a double-dip recession to criticize President Barack Obama's handling of the economy.

"He's hiding on these issues. He's ducking on these issues. He should be leading," Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor, said in an interview on "Fox News Sunday" while campaigning in Iowa. "We can't find him. ... We shouldn't have to play 'come out, come out, wherever you are' with this president."

Obama, aware that he's been taking a beating for months in this important presidential battleground, planned to counter the criticism by holding a rural economic forum on Aug. 16, on the heels of the straw poll, as part of a Midwestern bus tour. It will mark a new chapter in his re-election efforts; until now, he's been focused on governing and has done little campaigning as Republicans compete for the chance to challenge him in November 2012.

For months, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has led the Republican field in polls and money while no less than a half-dozen — Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, Pawlenty and Huntsman among them — have fought to emerge as his main challenger. All the while, the GOP electorate has made clear in polls that it wants more choices, perhaps a conservative who is strong on both economic and social issues, leading Perry to consider a White House bid. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin also is keeping the door open and plans to headline a tea party rally in Iowa on Sept. 3, though many Republicans consider her far less likely than Perry to run.

"He has the potential to appeal to both the economic conservatives and social conservatives," Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican who is unaligned in the race, said of Perry. "The economic conservatives are somewhat up for grabs. I really think it comes down to what does Perry do. I think there is the potential for him to change the race."

Romney, who is focusing on Iowa far less than he did during his 2008 campaign but is ready to ramp up if he sees an opportunity, returns to the state on Wednesday for a backyard event in Des Moines. He's certain to be the target of criticism during the debate a day later at Iowa State University, as his challengers look to derail him while boosting their fortunes before a national audience.

View full sizeAP PhotoRepublican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney gestures as he watches a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox, Wednesday, June 15, 2011, in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Neither Romney nor Huntsman, a fellow Mormon who is bypassing Iowa altogether because of his moderate stances on some issues, will participate in Saturday's straw poll. But the poll has big implications for those who are, chief among them Bachmann and Pawlenty.

Bachmann has risen quickly in national polls and is near the top in Iowa, although it's unclear whether she has the organization in place there to deliver. The tea party favorite, who has worked in recent weeks to reach GOP voters beyond her base of strong social conservatives, hopes to prove she does have broader appeal and organization with the straw poll, a test of organizational strength as well as popularity.

Pawlenty has spent at least 18 months building a campaign, but he has struggled to gain traction both nationally and in Iowa. He's focused most of his resources on the state over the past few weeks and has essentially camped out in it in hopes that a strong straw poll finish will give him a much-needed boost. He has said he must show traction after poor poll showings despite a heavy organizational footprint in the state.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul is certain to be a factor. The libertarian-leaning Republican is hoping to convert his devout national following into support that suggests he is more than a protest candidate.

Also participating in the poll are Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker whose campaign imploded earlier this summer; Herman Cain, the former pizza company executive; and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, a hero among social conservatives. Poor showings could force some of those candidates from the race.

View full sizeAP file photoRepublican presidential hopeful Herman Cain in an AP file photo. Bolstered by support from his loyal radio talk-show audience and tea partyers, the businessman has revved up mainstream conservatives, rising recently to third place in a poll of voters in Iowa, the leadoff caucus state.

Perry, meanwhile, plans to deliver speeches to the Alabama GOP on Friday and to a convention of conservative bloggers in Charleston, S.C., on Saturday — the same day as the straw poll.

His decision could come at any point now that a national prayer rally he hosted Saturday is behind him; roughly 30,000 evangelicals spent part of the weekend with him in Houston praying, singing and testifying about their faith.

It was an event that sent a strong message to social conservatives that Perry is credible on their issues, and Republicans say that could allow him to pivot to a jobs message and establish himself as a credible alternative to Romney, given Texas' recent job growth.

Romney has emphasized his background as a CEO more than he has his record as governor and is trying to be seen as the candidate most focused on jobs. And although he's focusing less on Iowa, he's watching closely what happens in the state and is ready to compete aggressively if he sees a chance to assert himself early as the preferred pro-jobs candidate.

The Texas governor could interfere with those plans if he runs.

"Perry can come here and legitimately go after the economic message and, if he does, Romney's in trouble," said Iowa Republican Doug Gross, who was a top Romney supporter in 2008 but is unaligned this year. "Perry can build a sense of momentum, starting in Iowa, that he's the jobs candidate. He's got a perfect opportunity."

Many expect him to do just that. Perry has said in private conversations with Iowa GOP leaders that he would likely mount a caucus campaign. His senior political consultant, David Carney, has begun scouting for potential staff in Iowa. And Perry's advisers are busy honing a strategy.

"If he does run, his message will be about the economy, jobs and how messed up Washington is," Carney told The Associated Press. "And he will talk specifically about his philosophy of governance and how to allow the private sector to create jobs and what Texas has done."

Police also arrested the man for possessing a weapon while a warrant was active for his arrest.

Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD – Police arrested a city man for trafficking cocaine and on a variety of other charges following a routine motor vehicle stop early Sunday morning.

Wilfredo Rivera, 25, was arrested at about 2:45 a.m. at the corner of Saratoga and Main streets and charged with trafficking 14.1 grams of cocaine, possessing cocaine in a drug-free school zone, having an invalid inspection sticker and violating the open container law, Springfield Police Lt. John P. Lynch said.

There was also a warrant for Rivera’s arrest for a parole violation. He was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon while an warrant was active for his arrest. Lynch said he did not know what the weapon was.

Former Commerce principal Paul Nycz and former STEM principal Andrea Lewis will be reassigned as assistant principals at Putnam High and Kennedy Middle schools, respectively.

SPRINGFIELD – New principals have been appointed at the High School of Commerce and STEM Middle Academy.

Charles A. Grandson IV, a Washington, D.C., native and administrator in the Boston public school system, took over at Commerce Thursday.

Kathleen R. O’Sullivan, a social studies supervisor for Springfield’s public schools, has been appointed principal of STEM Middle Academy, a magnet school on Margaret Street for science, technology, engineering and math. She began on Monday.

In their new positions, Grandson will earn $105,000 annually, and O’Sullivan will receive $89,250.

Former Commerce principal Paul Nycz and former STEM principal Andrea Lewis will be reassigned as assistant principals at Putnam High and Kennedy Middle schools, respectively.

Charles Grandson IV

In Boston, Grandson served as program director for history in the Boston school system, as well as co-director of the ninth-grade academy at Boston English High School.

He also holds a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in history from Boston College, where he is currently enrolled in the doctoral program in educational leadership and serves as an adjunct professor.

At Boston English, Grandson developed a monitoring system to help students struggling with social, emotional and academic issues and helped implement the school academic turnaround plan. During that period, the school’s graduation rate climbed by 6 percent and its dropout rate fell by nearly 3 percent, according to a School Department release.

Grandson began his career in education in 2005. He worked as a history teacher and teacher leader with Boston Public Schools at Brook Farm Academy until 2010.

O’Sullivan has held the position of social studies supervisor for the district since 2009. Previous to that, she served as the district-wide social studies resources teacher from 2006 to 2009. She began her career with Springfield Public Schools in 1994 as a history teacher.

O’Sullivan holds a master’s degree in education from Westfield State University and a bachelor’s degree in history from North Adams College. She lives in East Longmeadow.

A man wanted for allegedly hitting an elderly Connecticut shop owner in the head with a large wrench before robbing him was arrested in Agawam, ending a two-day manhunt.

Robert Cushard

AGAWAM - Robert Cushard, a 37-year-old Connecticut man, was arrested in Agawam on Thursday after allegedly hitting a man in the head with a wrench during an armed robbery.

On Tuesday, Aug. 2, Cushard allegedly went into Treehouse Art & Antiques on Main Street in New Hartford, Conn., and approached the owner Peter Roth, who was behind the counter. Police said Cushard pulled out a large pipe wrench and hit Roth in the head with it before stealing $600 cash and fleeing.

According to a report from the website newhartfordplus.com, two young people went into the shop around 3:30 p.m. and found Roth bleeding from the head on the floor of his business. They called 911.

Connecticut State Police arrived at the scene and an ambulance wasn't far behind. The shop owner was taken to a local hospital but due to the severe head injury he sustained in the attack he had to be taken by helicopter to Hartford Hospital.

State police in Connecticut released a wanted poster featuring Cushard a day after the incident, and public tips lead them to Agawam. Connecticut troopers contacted their counterparts in Massachusetts and Cushard was taken into custody on Thursday.

Cushard appeared in Westfield District Court on Friday on a fugitive from justice charge where he waived extradition to Connecticut.

Connecticut detectives working the case crossed the state line and picked up Cushard, returning him to the Troop L barracks in Litchfield, Conn. Cushard was charged with violation of probation, first-degree robbery, first-degree assault and fourth-degree robbery.

He was arraigned at 2 p.m. on Friday in Bantam, Conn. and held in lieu of $266,000 bond, awaiting his next court appearance. $16,000 of the bond was for the violation of probation charge and the remaining $250,000 was in relation to the charges stemming from the alleged armed robbery.

The shop owner, Roth, has since been released from the hospital.

In Connecticut, the state has made all publicly releasable court information available online. The state's database shows that Cushard has had several run-ins with the law, including a March 2011 incident where he was charged with interfering with a police officer.

The one-year jail sentence for that charge was suspended in lieu of one year of probation, which led to the violation of probation charge that tacked an additional $16,000 onto Cushard's bond.

To follow Cushard's case or view his past convictions, click here and search the defendant by his name and birth year(1974).

Chipotle plans to open 50 restaurants on the East Coast this year.

The Republican / Michael S. GordonJuly 29, 2011 - Chicopee - Republican staff photo by Michael S. Gordon - A Chipotle Mexican Grill under construction on Memorial Drive.

Here is a list of major municipal meetings for the coming week: Agawam Thu.- Agawam Disability Commission, 5:30 p.m., Senior Center at 954 Main St. Chicopee Tues.- Mobile Home Committee, 10:30 a.m., 449 Front St. Parks Commission, 7 p.m., 687 Front St. Wed.- Housing Authority Board of Commission, 6 p.m., 7 Valley View Court. Granby Mon.- Planning Board, 7...

Republican file photoHolyoke City Hall

Here is a list of major municipal meetings for the coming week:

Agawam

Thu.- Agawam Disability Commission, 5:30 p.m., Senior Center at 954 Main St.

Chicopee

Tues.- Mobile Home Committee, 10:30 a.m., 449 Front St.

Parks Commission, 7 p.m., 687 Front St.

Wed.- Housing Authority Board of Commission, 6 p.m., 7 Valley View Court.

Granby

Mon.- Planning Board, 7 p.m., Aldrich Hall.

Board of Assessors, 7 p.m., Town Hall Annex.

Tues.- Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Aldrich Hall.

Wed.- Board of Commissioners, Housing Authority, 50 Phins Hill Manor.

Greenfield

Mon.- Appointment and Ordinance Committee, 6:30 p.m., Police Station.

Tues.- Town Council Special Meeting, 6 p.m., 321 High St.

Economic Development Committee, 6:30 p.m., 321 High St.

School Building Committee, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall.

Conservation Committee, 7 p.m., 114 Main St.

Wed.- Board of Health, 6:45 p.m., Town Hall.

Hatfield

Tues.- Conservation Committee, 7 p.m., Memorial Town Hall.

Holyoke

Mon.- Board of Health, noon, City Hall, City Council Chambers.

City Council Finance Committee, 6:30 p.m., City Hall, City Council Chambers.

Tues.- Retirement Board, 8:30 a.m., City Hall Annex, Room 207.

Wed.- Board of Appeals, 6 p.m., City Hall Annex, fourth-floor conference room.

Longmeadow

Tues.- Historic District Commission, 7:30 p.m., Fire Department.

Wed.- Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Police Department.

Thu.- School Building Committee, 7 p.m., Fire Department.

Monson

Mon.- Monson Tornado Victims Relief Fund Committee, 6 p.m., Keep Homestead Museum.

Tues.- Board of Selectmen, 7 p.m., Hillside School.

Housing Authority, 3 p.m., Community Building, 31 State St.

Northampton

Mon.- Committee on Elections, Rules, Ordinances, Orders and Claims, 6 p.m., Town Hall.

Committee on Appointments and Evaluations, 11:15 a.m., Council Chambers.

Farmers Market Subcommittee, 7 p.m., City Hall.

Thu.- School Committee, 7:15 p.m., John F. Kennedy Middle School.

Palmer

Mon.- Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Building.

Town Council, 7 p.m., Town Building.

Town Manager Search Committee, 6:30 p.m., Town Building.

Town Council Charter Compliance Subcommittee, 6:30 p.m., Town Building.

Tues.- Board of Health, 6 p.m., Town Building.

South Hadley

Mon.- PVPC Joint Transportation Committee, 9 a.m., 60 Congress St., Springfield.

Council on Aging, 4 p.m., 45 Dayton St.

Planning Board, 5 p.m., Town Hall 204.

Municipal Golf Course Commission, 6 p.m., Police Station Conference Room.

Town Meeting Electronic Communication Advisory Committee, 6:45 p.m. Police Station Conference Room.

Ledges Review Ad Hoc Committee, 7 p.m., Police Station Conference Room.

Wed.- School Building Committee, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall.

Warren

Wed.- Planning Board, 6 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.

Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.

West Springfield

Mon.- Board of Assessors, 4:45 p.m., municipal building.

Town Council, 5:15 p.m., municipal building.

Tues.- Community Preservation Committee, 5:30 p.m., municipal building.

Wed.- Commission on Disabilities, 6 p.m., Senior Center at 128 Park St.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Jean Paul Chouquette

Jean Paul Chouquette, 88, of Westfield, died Wednesday. He was born and educated in St. Hyacinthe, Canada. Chouquette was a longtime employee at Land Construction, retiring in 1985.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• Chouquette, Jean Paul
  




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  Fortini, Frederick J.
  



• 
  Guy, Stephanie Yvonne




• 
  Hellstein, Barbara Ann
  



• 
  Jones, Kenneth J.
  




• Labrie, Eugene E.
  




• 
  Mruk, Walter
  



• 
  Narcisse, Eunice




• 
  O'Keefe, Rena C. (Martin)
  



• 
  Paulo, Mariana
  




• Piscioneri, Maria F.
  




• 
  Rusciano, Joseph
  



• 
  Smith, Jimmie Lee




• 
  Thormeyer, Rita M.
  



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  Traczyk, Irene Julia