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War crimes suspect found in Everett

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Inocente Orlando Montano, a former El Salvadoran military officer, allegedly played a role in the 1989 massacre of six Jesuit priests.

EVERETT — A human rights organization says a former El Salvadoran military officer who allegedly played a role in the 1989 massacre of six Jesuit priests has been tracked down to a Boston suburb.

San Francisco-based center for Justice and Accountability says Inocente Orlando Montano has been living in Everett under his own name.

A United Nations commission in 1993 named Montano, a former government vice minister of public safety and army colonel, as a participant in a meeting to plot the assassination of a priest suspected of supporting leftist rebels.

The Boston Globe reports Wednesday that it made several unsuccessful attempts to contact Montano. A listed number for Montano located by The Associated Press was not in service Wednesday.

Montano has previously denied any involvement in the slayings.


Police require Taser to subdue 42-year-old South Deerfield resident Lawrence Harnois following alleged domestic assault over burned grilled cheese sandwich

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The victim was treated at Baystate Franklin Medical Center and released.

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DEERFIELD – Police required the use of a Taser to subdue a 42-year-old South Deerfield man early Saturday after he allegedly assaulted his 17-year-old son during a dispute over a burned grilled cheese sandwich.

Police Chief Michael Wozniakewicz said police were summoned to the suspect’s Sugarloaf Street home shortly after 4:30 a.m. for a domestic disturbance.

Police, met at the scene by the victim, called for additional units after being informed that the suspect, had a knife. “He was in the house and he wouldn’t respond,” Wozniakewicz said.

Police then forced their way into the home and, with the aid of a University of Massachusetts K-9 unit, found the suspect, Lawrence Harnois, in a bedroom.

Wozniakewicz said Harnois resisted arrest and had to be subdued with a Taser. He was charged with four counts of assault and battery, four counts of intimidating a witness, resisting arrest and three counts of threatening to commit a crime (murder), the police chief said.

The victim was treated at Baystate Franklin Medical Center and released, Wozniakewski said.

Police from Montague and Sunderland and state police also responded to the call.

Harnois denied the charges Monday in Greenfield District Court and was released on his own recognizance, Woziakewski said.

Chicopee School Committee approves teacher, vice principal contracts

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The educators and School Committee agreed to a one-year contract retroactive to 2010 that gives union members no raises in the pact.

CHICOPEE – Teachers, vice principals and department heads will return to school with new contracts that will give an about 2 percent raise to educators over a four-year period.

The School Committee adopted the new teachers’ contract in a 9-0 vote and the administrators’ contract in a 10-0 vote. Early in the summer, members of the Chicopee Education Association had ratified the contract.

“I think we did the best that we could under the circumstances,” said William D. Howe, president of the association and a Chicopee High School teacher. “When you look at the general Western Mass. area it is not a bad settlement.”

The educators and School Committee agreed to a one-year contract retroactive to 2010 that gives union members no raises in the pact.

The first year of a three-year contract, which began July 1, also gives employees no raises. But the two sides agreed to freeze all required step raises, given to the most junior members of the staff, and use the money that would have gone to the raises and divide it among all staff members.

That will allow each of the about 750 teachers to receive a $1,294 bonus and each of the about 50 vice principals and department heads a $1,008 bonus this year, according to Stephen N. Nembirkow, the director of finance and human resources for the schools.

Teachers and administrators will get a 1 percent raise in the 2013 fiscal year and a 1 percent raise in the third year of the contract, which will end in July 2014, Nembirkow said.

Currently the lowest-paid teacher earns $41,218 and the highest, who holds two masters degrees or a doctorate, earns $69,394 annually. In the administrators’ unit, the lowest-paid employees earns $70,927 and the highest earns $87,209, he said.

The contract also includes a number of minor changes in working conditions that teachers and administrators wanted to see, Howe said.

School Committee members, who struggled this year to balance the budget without laying off staff, said they were happy with the outcome of the negotiations.

“It took a long time to get this but it got done right. Everyone seems to be happy about this,” David G. Barsalou, a committee member said.

Negotiations between the unions began more than 18 months ago.

The School Committee is continuing to work with a number of other unions including those for teaching assistants, secretarial staff and cafeteria workers.

Contracts for all city employees, including police, firefighters and Department of Public Works employees, also expired a year ago. Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said earlier he is hoping all contracts will be resolved before the end of the summer.

US stocks rise after more strong earnings reports

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Stocks were up for the fourth day out of five. The market fell Tuesday on concerns about Europe's ability to contain its debt problems.

Wall StreetIn this Aug. 15, 2011 photo, traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Global stocks fell Wednesday, Aug. 17, in a downbeat appraisal of a Franco-German summit that failed to persuade investors that a convincing fix to the eurozone's spiraling debt crisis was imminent. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks resumed their rally Wednesday after a series of earnings reports came in better than expected.

Target Corp., Staples Inc. and Dell Inc. all reported earnings for last quarter that were above analysts' forecasts. Companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 are on track to report higher profits for a ninth straight quarter. But economic growth is weak around the world, and some economists worry that a second recession may be coming. That could pull down future results.

Target and Staples both gave profit forecasts that were above Wall Street's expectations, but Dell cut its prediction for revenue growth this year.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 95 points, or 0.8 percent, to 11,501 about 30 minutes after the opening of trading. The S&P 500 rose 14, or 1.2 percent, to 1,207. The Nasdaq composite rose 24, or 1 percent, to 2,548.

Stocks were up for the fourth day out of five. The market fell Tuesday on concerns about Europe's ability to contain its debt problems.

Computer maker Dell said late Tuesday its profit rose 63 percent last quarter after businesses and government agencies bought more machines. But it also cited "a more uncertain demand environment" when it cut its forecast for annual revenue growth to a range of 1 percent to 5 percent. That's down from an earlier growth forecast for 5 percent to 9 percent. Dell stock fell 6.4 percent Wednesday.

Other companies are more optimistic. Retailer Target said it expects to earn between $4.15 per share and $4.30 per share this year. Analysts had expected $4.14 per share, according to FactSet. Target also said its earnings last quarter rose 3.7 percent on grocery sales.

Office products retailer Staples raised its profit forecast for the year after saying strong international sales pushed earnings up 36 percent last quarter. Staples shares rose 1 percent.

Deere also raised its forecast for full-year earnings. It now expects to earn $2.7 billion this fiscal year, up from a May forecast of $2.65 billion. The maker of tractors and other heavy equipment said its profit rose 15 percent last quarter on strong demand for farm equipment. Deere, though, fell 1.9 percent.

Crude oil rose $2.02 per barrel to $88.67. Energy stocks in the S&P 500 rose 1.5 percent, the most among the 10 industries that make up the index.

Companies are making more money, but many have done so by raising prices to offset higher costs. Higher food prices helped push inflation at the wholesale level to 0.2 percent in July, according to a government report Wednesday. But that is still well below inflation levels earlier this year when oil prices were spiking because of violence in the Middle East. In February, wholesale inflation was 1.4 percent.

Stocks have been particularly volatile in August. Worries rose as the U.S. government said it may default on its debt unless it was allowed to borrow more. The government just beat the deadline to avoid a default, but the partisanship in the debate came at a cost — Standard & Poor's downgraded the U.S. credit rating on Aug. 5 by one notch to AA+ from the top AAA rating. That triggered one of Wall Street's wildest weeks: The Dow rose or fell by at least 400 points in each of the first four days of last week, the first time that has happened.

Markets appear to have calmed somewhat since then. Tuesday marked the first time since the Aug. 5 downgrade that the Dow rose or fell by less than 100 points. It fell 76 points after being down as many as 190 points earlier in the day.

Accident between car and motorcycle on Boston Road in Wilbraham sends 53-year-old Springfield resident Michael Critelli to Baystate

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The 83-year-old motorist told police that she did not see the motorcycle.


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This updates a story originally filed at 8:24 a.m.

WILBRAHAM - Police continue to probe a Wednesday morning accident involving a car and motorcycle on Boston Road that sent a 53-year-old Springfield man to Baystate Medical Center for treatment of internal injuries.

The victim, Michael V. Critelli, of 41 Dubois St., Springfield, was conscious and able to answer questions following the crash, Officer John Siniscalchi said.

Critelli’s condition at Baystate was not immediately available.

The accident occurred shortly before 8 a.m. near Woodcrest Condominiums at 2205 Boston Road. Critelli was riding east on Boston Road when he was struck by Mildred Colapietro, 82, who was making a left turn out of the condominiums.

“It appears that the car hit the motorcycle,” Siniscalchi said, adding that Colapietro’s car, a 2010 Honda Civic, sustained front-end damage and had to be towed from the scene.

Colapietro, who lives at Woodcrest, told police that she did not see the motorcycle, Siniscalchi said. The crash remains under investigation, he said.

Siniscalchi said Critelli had been wearing what he described as a “half-helmet” and that it is not yet known whether it was U.S. Department of Transportation-certified. Some helmets of that style are certified and others are not, Siniscalchi said, adding that he does not know in this case because the helmet went with Critelli to Baystate.

Your stories: Remembering Westinghouse Electric

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Did you work at Westinghouse, or have a relative who did? We'd like to hear from you.

westinghouse_1944.jpgThe Westinghouse plant on Page Boulevard, November 2010.

The twin antennas have stories to tell.

The Westinghouse Electric plant on Page Boulevard in east Springfield opened in 1915, and its workforce swelled to 4,500 by 1930. It remained one of the city's major employers through the 1950s.

The two antennas atop the long building flanking Stevens Street at the western end of the Westinghouse complex are the oldest remaining radio towers in the country. WBZ won its license on September 15, 1921, becoming America's first licensed commercial radio station.

The antennas have stories to tell, and we know you do, too. With the Westinghouse buildings disappearing from the city's industrial landscape -- Holyoke's O’Connell Development Group purchased the property in November and is planning a mixed-use retail and office project -- we want to hear from people with personal connections to the plant.

Did you work there, or do you have a relative or friend who did? Post a comment below describing your Westinghouse memories, or send an email to online@repub.com.

Mass. man accused of stealing $200,000 from dates

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Albert Lovering was indicted on 23 counts of larceny for allegedly stealing the money from four women.

BOSTON — A Massachusetts man is facing charges of wooing women he met online, then stealing more than $200,000 from them.

Albert Lovering, of Weston, was indicted Tuesday on 23 counts of larceny for allegedly stealing the money from four women.

Lovering allegedly met the women through various dating websites, including Plentyoffish.com and the personal ads on Craigslist.

Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone says the 54-year-old Lovering deceived the women into believing he was romantically attached to them and "in need of financial assistance." Leone says the women loaned Lovering thousands of dollars, with the expectation he would repay them, but he never did.

Lovering is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn. It could not immediately be determined if he had hired an attorney.

Kalem Daniels denies involvement in death of Kelly DeMarco of Belchertown

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Prosecutor Matthew Thomas told the judge that Daniels was ready to jump in when Williams struck DeMarco, taking off his rings and warning DeMarco to stop.

NORTHAMPTON – Kalem Daniels, the third defendant in the Kelly DeMarco beating death, denied the charges against him Wednesday in what his lawyer called a “one-punch manslaughter.”

DeMarco, 44, a Springfield native, died from his injuries at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield on June 17 of last year after he was found bleeding in the parking lot of the Lord Jeffrey Apartments in Belchertown.

Earlier this month, Lennox C. Williams, 19, and Julie McKenzie, 23, both of Amherst, were arraigned in Hampshire Superior Court in connection with DeMarco’s death. Williams pleaded innocent to manslaughter, McKenzie to intimidating a witness and being an accessory after the fact.

Lord Jeff crime scene 2010.jpgPolice investigate the scene of Kelly DeMarco's death at the Lord Jeffrey Apartments in Belchertown in June of 2010.

Daniels, 27, of Milford, was at large until last week when a joint fugitive task force arrested him in Northwood, N.H. He was arraigned Wednesday on manslaughter and intimidation of a witness. His lawyer, David Rountree, told Judge Cornelius J. Moriarty that his client was charged under the “joint venture” theory, and that he allegedly participated in the crime but did not personally commit it. Rountree said it was Williams who punched DeMarco while defending a woman as Daniels stood by, and that that single punch resulted in his death.

Prosecutor Matthew Thomas told the judge he does not agree with Rountree’s version of the facts. He later told reporters, “That has yet to be fleshed out by a fact-finder.”

Thomas asked the judge to set bail at $50,000 cash, noting that Daniels has a history of defaults. He also said police had a difficult time tracking the defendant down, failing to locate him at the homes of several relatives before Daniels was found by law enforcement in New Hampshire. Rountree said Daniels was on vacation with his girlfriend and was not trying to avoid the police.

Moriarty set bail at $15,000, but not before questioning the strength of the case against Daniels.

“Your case is not extremely strong,” he told Thomas.

Thomas told the judge that Daniels was ready to jump in when Williams struck DeMarco, taking off his rings and warning DeMarco to stop. After DeMarco fell to the ground, Daniels told onlookers, “If anybody finds out about this, they’re going to be taken care of,” Thomas said.

Moriarty scheduled a pretrial conference for Nov. 11 and a pretrial hearing for Dec. 11. Daniels must appear at the latter.


Springfield police charge Melissa Lemelin, 20, and John Hollister, 28, with breaking into fellow officer's home

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The officer's wife, sleeping at the time, heard somebody in the house and thought it was her husband.

johnandmelissa.jpgFrom left, John Hollister and Melissa Lemelin as seen Springfield Police Department photos.

SPRINGFIELD – An alert police officer, who last week saw a woman unsuccessfully attempt to extract money from an ATM machine in the Sixteen Acres neighborhood four times in a row, uncovered a burglary that had just occurred at a fellow officer’s home.

The officer’s wife, sleeping at the time, heard somebody in their home but thought it was her husband returning for his cell phone, Sgt. John M. Delaney said.

The incident began shortly before 2 a.m. last Thursday when Officer Daniel McKay, parked in his cruiser in the rear lot of the Pride gasoline station at Wilbraham Road and Parker Street, saw the woman standing in a PeoplesBank ATM and repeatedly pushing buttons, Delaney, aide to Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said.

McKay then saw the woman’s boyfriend walk into the ATM and point out the cruiser parked a short distance away.

“Both suspects exited the ATM like it was about to blow up,” Delaney said.

When the suspects walked to their pick-up truck, McKay, who drove closer, saw a purse on the ground under the passenger door of the truck.

Other officers came to assist and determined that the purse and an ATM card recovered from the scene belonged to a fellow police officer’s wife. That officer, who was working that same shift, positively identified the purse and the card.

Officers, immediately responding to the officer’s home, discovered that it had indeed been broken into.

Other items allegedly stolen included an iPod, credit cards and sunglasses. Delaney said detectives are attempting to determine if the two suspects are responsible for several vehicle break-ins in the same neighborhood.

Melissa Lemelin, 20, and John Hollister, 28, both of 132 Vincent St., were charged with unarmed burglary, receiving stolen property over $250 and attempted larceny, Delaney said.

Both suspects denied the charges last week in District Court. Lemelin was ordered held in lieu of $150 cash, $1,500 personal surety and Hollister, $100 cash, $1,000 personal surety. Both were ordered to return to court on Sept. 9 for pre-trial hearings.

"Celebrate Monson" on tap to make up for lost Summerfest

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One of the event organizers said he expects a good crowd for "Celebrate Monson."

Annual Monson Summerfest Parade 07.05.2010 | MONSON - Main Street in Monson starts to fill up with people prior to the start of the 2010 parade and summerfest.

MONSON - The tornado took away Summerfest this year, but in its place will be "Celebrate Monson."

Summerfest Chairman Stephen P. Slozak said "Celebrate Monson" will be held Sept. 3 - on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend at Quarry Hill Community School on Margaret Street.

It will incorporate elements of the traditional fireworks event, as well as a few new attractions, such as a vintage baseball game that will kick off the festivities at 1 p.m.

The tornado on June 1 forced the cancellation of the fireworks that were originally supposed to be held June 25, and Summerfest, the town's signature celebration, which always is held around July 4.

Slozak said the Summerfest Committee wanted to do something for the town.
"Everyone's saying the town needs to be pulled together, but the tornado pulled the town together, so we're calling this 'Celebrate Monson,'" Slozak said, referring to the way residents and community groups rallied to help each other in the days after the tornado.

That effort is still continuing, with volunteers manning the gazebo downtown on weekends to coordinate relief efforts.

Slozak said three key members of the Summerfest Committee lost homes to the tornado, and planning the large-scale event proved to be daunting a task. He said Summerfest will return next year, and be better than ever, for its 33rd year.

In the meantime, the committee is working on making the Sept. 3 event special. The rain date will be Sept. 4. Information will be posted soon regarding attractions for the event at monsonsummerfestinc.com, he said.

There will be three bands - confirmed so far are Tuff Enuff, a rock band, and Exit 8, specializing in 1980s music. An area for a "block dance" will be set up in the school parking lot, which also will feature a beer garden - a staple of the Summerfest.

Slozak received approval from the selectmen and School Committee to hold the event.
Costumed characters from Six Flags New England are expected to make appearances around 4:30 or 5 p.m. The local churches and Boy and Girl Scouts are some of the vendors, he said.

Slozak said the fireworks are scheduled to go off around 9:30 p.m. The band Exit 8 will take the stage at 8:30, and play until the fireworks begin. The band will resume after the fireworks and play until 11 p.m.

It will cost $5 to park. Parking will be available at Quarry Hill and the high school, also at Margaret Street.

He said people understood the reasons for canceling Summerfest. He expects a good crowd for "Celebrate Monson," adding it will be a good distraction for the residents.

"A lot of people are in the rebuilding process and this will be a chance to relax, and step away from it for a day," Slozak said.

Monson was one of the communities that was hit hard by the tornado, with approximately 250 homes totally damaged.

UMass' growing cost of debt making it difficult to invest in faculty, projects, new president Robert Caret says

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At its Amherst campus, he said, the school is spending 8 percent of its operating budget on debt service.

robert caret towson small.jpgRobert L. Caret

By KYLE CHENEY

BOSTON - The growing cost of covering debt is crowding out the ability of the University of Massachusetts’ five campuses to invest in faculty, staff and other projects and is driving up tuition and fees for students, UMass president Robert Caret said Wednesday.

“It’s just untenable,” Caret said during a Statehouse hearing attended by two of the 10 members of the House Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets.

Caret said the UMass system – with five campuses, 16,000 employees, 68,200 students and a $2.7 billion operating budget – shoulders 85 percent of costs associated with borrowing to support construction and renovation of buildings and facilities. At its Amherst campus, he said, the school is spending 8 percent of its operating budget on debt service. Each campus, he noted, is responsible for its own debt costs.

Rep. Antonio Cabral , D-New Bedford, chair of the committee, said he has concerns that the UMass system has become nearly as costly as private universities around the state.

“Certainly in my area, some kids are priced out. I really hate to see that,” he said.

Cabral, who was joined by Rep. James Cantwell, D-Marshfield, said he sympathizes with university officials’ concerns about borrowing costs, although he noted that whether the university shoulders its debt burden or the state takes on more of the load, “In essence, it’s all the Commonwealth.”

“I’m hearing you and I understand that adds tremendous pressure on your operating budget. That translates to fees, tuition,” Cabral said. “It’s an ongoing discussion with you and UMass as a whole in terms of how we strike a better balance.”

Caret took the helm of the UMass system this summer, succeeding Jack Wilson. He described a growing demand for access to UMass schools –17 percent enrollment growth over the last five years – and a long backlog of maintenance projects. Caret said university officials hope to reduce that backlog over the next five to 15 years, and he intends to push for access to capital funds authorized in state life sciences and higher education borrowing legislation enacted in 2008.

“Education really is the cornerstone of our democracy,” he said. “If you want that in Massachusetts, if you want Massachusetts to be one of the bellwether states, then you need educational institutions that help you do that.”

Caret noted that the UMass system has a $550 million research and development budget, and he called for legislation that would use state bond funds to leverage millions of dollars in private or federal matching investments. He noted that he expects to meet with Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez next week and recently met with other state budget officials to discuss the university’s priorities.

Richard Freeland, Gov. Deval L. Patrick’s commissioner of higher education, said all but five of the state higher education institutions outside of the UMass system have been granted funds from the 2008 higher education borrowing bill, a 10-year, $2 billion plan. Freeland, who also offered testimony to the committee, said that of the $891 million in that bill committed to state and community institutions, $700 million “has been programmed” and is in some stage of study, design, construction or completion.

Stephen Lenhardt, deputy higher education commissioner, told the committee that state higher education institutions outside of the UMass system each carry less than $10 million in debt service

“There is a fair amount of capacity there for some of the institutions to assume more debt,” he said.

Freeland also noted that state colleges and universities have, in recent years, spent about 5 percent of their operating budgets on capital and infrastructure needs to address long backlogs of deferred maintenance.

“It has been a pattern, but it is not a pattern we necessarily want to continue,” he said, adding, “We’re behind the curve. We shouldn’t kid ourselves about where we are as a state.”

Freeland said Massachusetts is part of a long-term national trend of state governments decreasing their support for their public colleges and universities.

“When I started at UMass Boston 40 years ago, the state provided 85 percent of the operating budget at that institution. Today it provides 40 percent of the operating budget,” he said. “Our state universities are getting only about 45 percent of their funding from the state budget. Scholarship dollars have not kept up with this cost shift.”

He said student costs at public institutions are split at about 80 percent in fees and 20 percent from tuition. Fees are retained by the universities while tuition revenues are sent to the state, Freeland said.

“What has happened, the basic dynamic has been, as costs have shifted from the state appropriation to students, that has not been reflected in tuition increases, which have stayed pretty level,” he said. “It has been reflected in fees.”

Freeland noted that the department hopes to use some of the funds available in the higher education bond bill to address deferred maintenance projects. Leonhart added that he expected the full $891 million contained in the higher education bond bill for state colleges to be spent over the next four or five years – all on new construction. An additional $130 million that hasn’t been earmarked, he said, may be spent on a deferred maintenance program.

Obituaries today: Thomas McNamara, 84, former West Springfield police chief

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Obituaries from The Republican.

Thomas McNamara 81711.jpegThomas P. McNamara Jr.

WEST SPRINGFIELD - Chief Thomas P. McNamara, Jr., 84, died on Tuesday at Holyoke Health Care Center. Born in Springfield on May 20, 1927, he was the son of the late Thomas and Margaret (Cummins) McNamara. A graduate of Cathedral High School and St. Anselm College, he served in the United States Navy during World War II. Upon his return home, he took the Civil Service exam and in July 1952 became a police officer for the West Springfield Police Department. In 1960 he was promoted to sergeant and attained the rank of captain in 1966. He attended the FBI National Academy in Washington D.C. in 1968 and completed his Associates of Arts Degree in Law Enforcement at Holyoke Community College in 1970, where he also taught criminal justice part time for 10 years. On February 25, 1975 he was appointed Chief of Police, and served the town until his retirement in 1992. He served on the board of directors for the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association and was a member of the Gold Badge Association. A longtime communicant of St. Thomas Church, he was also a charter member of the West Springfield and Agawam Elks lodge, a member of the American Legion Post 207, Knights of Columbus, Sons of Erin, the West Springfield Rotary Club, the West Springfield Parade Committee and was a former member of Springfield Country Club. He was the first person to be named Irish Elk of the Year by the West Springfield - Agawam Elks in 1966 and was named parade marshal for the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade in 1985.

Obituaries from The Republican:

Rick Perry says he doesn't believe in global warming

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The GOP presidential candidate called global warming a scientific theory that has not been proven.

rick perry global warmingRepublican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry speaks in Bedford, N.H., Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2011.

BEDFORD, N.H. — GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry told New Hampshire voters Wednesday that he does not believe in manmade global warming, calling it a scientific theory that has not been proven.

"I think we're seeing almost weekly, or even daily, scientists that are coming forward and questioning the original idea that manmade global warming is what is causing the climate to change," the Texas governor said on the first stop of a two-day trip to the first-in-the-nation primary state.

He said some want billions or trillions of taxpayer dollars spent to address the issue, but he added: "I don't think from my perspective that I want to be engaged in spending that much money on still a scientific theory that has not been proven and from my perspective is more and more being put into question."

His comments came at a packed breakfast meeting with local business leaders in a region known for its strong environmental policies. And he made his global warming comment in response to a question by an audience member who cited evidence from the National Academy of Sciences.

But Perry's opinion runs counter to the view held by an overwhelming majority of scientists that pollution released from the burning of fossil fuels is heating up the planet. Perry's home state of Texas releases more heat-trapping pollution carbon dioxide — the chief greenhouse gas — than any other state in the country, according to government data.

Global warming has become an issue for contenders for the Republican nomination to run away from, since many conservatives question overwhelming evidence showing climate change is happening and the big government solutions to stem it.

Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney — who all at one point supported steps to curb global warming pollution — have since tempered their stances. But unlike Perry, both Romney and Huntsman acknowledge the scientific evidence.

On Wednesday, Perry promised to return regularly to a state that was not kind to a past Texas governor; Arizona Sen. John McCain upset GOP frontrunner and former Texas Gov. George W. Bush here in the 2000 presidential primary.

For many New Hampshire voters, Wednesday offered their first close look at the longtime Texas politician, who formally launched his White House bid over the weekend.

At the breakfast, Perry also questioned the loyalty of the Federal Reserve, just days after saying that if the Federal Reserve puts more money in the U.S. system, it could be considered a treasonous act that would be treated "pretty ugly" back home.

He noted the criticism he took for the comment, but did not back away from them. And he called on the institution to open its books.

"It would go a long way toward either finding out whether or not there is some activities that are improper of that they've been handling themselves quite well," he said. "But until they do that, I think there will continue to be questions about their activity and what their true goal is for the United States."

Perry also said he would not have signed the debt-ceiling compromise brokered by congressional leaders and the White House to avoid a national default.

"No I would not have signed it," he said. "We got to quit spending money."

Perry was meeting with more business leaders Wednesday before touring the seacoast region Thursday.

Fine issued for Williamsburg range as shooting continues

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The zoning board ordered that activity on the range not exceed 2003 levels.

Hodgkins gestures 2010.jpgWilliamsburg shooting range owner Robert C. Hodgkins III gestures during an appearance in Northampton District Court last year.

WILLIAMSBURG – The zoning enforcement officer has fined the owners of a shooting range at 74 Village Hill Road after neighbors reported hearing explosions and automatic weapons fire only hours after a cease and desist order was issued. The owners, meanwhile, insist that people heard wrong and are appealing the fine.

Louis Hasbrouck, the town’s building inspector, wrote to Robert C. Hodgkins IIII Tuesday that he is imposing a $100 fine for the violation and warned that criminal action could be taken against him if he fails to respond to the notice. In his letter, Hasbrouck said he received a number of complaints alleging that the explosions and weapons fire could be heard between 7 and 8 p.m. Tuesday. Hasbrouck issued the cease and desist order at about noon that same day.

Several abutters confirmed the activity at the shooting range. In a letter to Hasbrouck, Keith Harmon Snow, who lives at 6 Hyde Hill Road, said the shooting began with rapid single shot discharges from multiple weapons at about 7 p.m. Hasbrouck has determined that kind of activity is legal and does not violate the Feb. 18 Zoning Board of Appeals ruling that shooting on the property must revert to 2003 levels. However, Snow told Hasbrouck, automatic fire began some 40 minutes later and lasted for a little more than half an hour. In that time, Snow said he heard at least six explosions.

Robert Hodgkins said Wednesday that he and some others shot at the range from about 6 p.m. to sunset but did not use automatic weapons or explosives.

“I shot a 9 millimeter handgun,” he said “I’m real good so I can make it sound like a machine gun.”

The explosions people heard, Hodgkins said, were 10 gauge shotgun blanks.

As for the cease and desist order, Hodgkins said he plans to contest Hasbrouck’s conclusions. He said he and his friends have shot automatic weapons on the property prior to 2003 and, therefore, have not violated the zoning board’s order. Moreoever, Hodgkins said the automatic weapons they presently used were made before 1986 and can be owned and used recreationally. Hasbrouck determined that such weapons made after that year can only be owned by federally licensed manufacturers and that firing them constitues commercial use, which was banned by the zoning board.

The Hodgkins family has been using part of their 140-acre property for shooting since the 1930s. However, neighbors have complained that the intensity of the shooting has increased in recent years from rifle and handgun fire to the use of automatic weapons and explosives.

Hodgkins owns the land with two siblings and an uncle. He has consistently maintained that all activity on the range, including the use of the explosive Tannerite for target practice, is legal.

Westfield residents protest proposed $400 million Pioneer Valley Energy Center power plant

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Westfield Concerned Citizens have opposed the plant since it was first proposed in late 2007.

Westfield power plant protest 81711.jpgKathy Dowd of Westfield holds signs on Southampton Road protesting the $400 million power plant proposed off Ampad Road and Servistar Industrial Way.

WESTFIELD – Armed with signs stating “Stick to Wind“ and “Healthy Kids not Smokestacks,“ some 30 members of Westfield Concerned Citizens on Wednesday called for Pioneer Valley Energy Center and its parent company Energy Management to “scrap“ plans for a $400-million, natural gas-fired electric generating plant here.

The demonstration was held on Routes 10 and 202 across from Southampton Road Elementary School, one of four public schools located within 1.5 miles of the proposed plant site on Ampad Road and ServiStar Industrial Way in one of the city’s industrial areas.

The group has opposed the plant since it was first proposed in late 2007, and its leader Mary Ann Babinski said a petition, now signed by more than 500 city residents in opposition, will be sent to Energy Management chief executive officer James Gordon.

The group plans future demonstrations to oppose the plant, and members will attend a federal Environmental Protection Agency hearing on air quality permit requests by the company when that proceeding is held later this year, Babinski said.

Project manager Matthew A. Palmer declined comment about the demonstration. He did note, however, that the state Department of Environmental Protection has issued its air-quality permit and most recently upheld that decision with dismissal of an appeal filed by the concerned citizens’ group.

“This decision demonstrated that (Pioneer Valley Energy) will be the cleanest, most efficient facility of its kind in all of New England,” said Palmer. “Our air quality permit has been thoroughly reviewed and found to be solid. We meet or exceed all environmental requirements.

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Babinski said the concerned citizens’ group disputes that claim and “is concerned about chemicals and toxins that will be included in emissions from the plant.“ She said she bases her opinion on information available through public health agencies like the American Lung Association and Hampden District Medical Society.

“The potential risks posed by emissions are not something to be ignored,“ she said.

Babinski and other group members said they support alternative-energy sources such as wind and solar and note that Energy Management is currently developing the Cape Wind Farm off Nantucket.

Jessica Edgerly, of the Toxics Action Center in Amherst and Boston, said the center supports Westfield Concerned Citizens in its efforts because emissions from such a plant will include “a range of toxic chemicals from arsenic and cyanide to benzene and particulate matter.“

Construction of the plant represents a “step backwards when the state is driving toward a future where energy is produced without smokestacks,” Edgerly said.

The EPA is expected to soon announce the scheduling of its hearing. Babinski said her group has requested the hearing be held at North Middle School, located within a half-mile of the plant site.

Pioneer Valley Energy had hoped to open the plant in 2012, but construction has been delayed because of the permit process and the downturn in the economy.

The state’s dismissal of the citizens’ appeal “helps clear the way to commencing constrtuction of this project,“ Palmer said. Construction could begin next year, he added.

The project has received the municipal permits it needs and will create several hundred construction jobs, 16 permanent jobs and an estimated $40 million in property tax revenue to Westfield over a 20-year period.


Progress made, but Belchertown skate park likely to remain closed until next year

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The skate park was built in 2002 with $40,000 raised in private donations.

BTOWN-SKATE-PARK.JPGA teen enjoys the skate park shortly after it opened in 2002.


BELCHERTOWN
- While some progress is being noted in the cleanup of the Skate Park, at least one selectman recommended the park stay closed until next year so new ramps can be installed then and not sit through the winter weather.

The park was closed in May by building inspector Paul J. Adzima because ramps were in disrepair and considered a safety issue.

Since then, selectmen and town administrator Gary L. Brougham have conducted several inspections of the park that is located behind the police station. They reported that it needed to be cleaned and repaired.

The town Skate Park Committee, which is traditionally made up of parents of youths who use the park with skates, skate boards and bicycles, has taken on the responsibility of cleaning the facility and restoring the ramps.

Selectman George D. Archible conducted the most recent inspection on Aug. 7 and reported to the board he has seen improvement. "They have made substantial gains," Archible said. "They are starting to get it back in order."

He noted that it is late in the season for significant progress but commended the parents and the youths for their recent efforts at the park.

Selectman Ronald E. Aponte said he believes a reasonable goal for this year would be to finish cleaning the park but leave it closed.

Aponte said the Skate Park Committee could then try to do some fund raising and then make improvements to the ramps in the spring, rather than have the refurbished ramps sit through a winter before being used.

The skate park was built in 2002 with $40,000 raised in private donations.

While the park is town property and the committee members are appointed by the selectmen, the park is not run by the Recreation Department and its maintenance is not directly funded through the town budget.

Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville: Springfield's Renaissance School can be "national model in education"

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Attendance was 96.6 percent last year, compared to 85 percent for city high schools.

RENAISSANCE-SCHOOL.JPG08.16.2011 | SPRINGFIELD - Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville, standing, speaks with educators Tuesday at the Springfield Renaissance School. Seated from left: teachers Marilyn Sanchez and Claire Hutlinger, Beverly A. Holmes, member of the Massachusetts Board of Education, teacher Craig Wisniewski and Principal Stephen R. Mahoney.

SPRINGFIELD - Two weeks before the start of classes, teachers and staff at Renaissance School assembled Tuesday to hear a few words from the state's top education official.

Five words, actually: Keep up the good work.

Secretary of Education Paul Reville praised the performance of the 1170 Carew St. magnet school, saying it has set high standards while turning out students who are academically and socially accomplished.

"What's developing here can be a national model in education," said Reville following a 75-minute meeting with more than 100 teachers, administrators and staff at the school.
Founded in part with a $450,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the 700-student school has posted remarkable numbers during its first six years.

In the last school year, 100 percent of high school seniors won acceptance into colleges or universities, up from 90 percent in 2010. The average college acceptance rate for Springfield high schools is 30 percent; the national average is 44 percent.

Attendance was 96.6 percent last year, compared to 85 percent for city high schools.
Recognizing the school's accomplishments, Gov. Deval L. Patrick included it among six Western Massachusetts schools designated as so-called innovation schools, which will allow teachers to try creative learning approaches.

Created as a partnership with Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound, a nonprofit school reform organization, the school shares a building with Van Sickle Junior High School.

Reville acknowledged that schools statewide have done a better job instilling academic skills than addressing the overall "physical, emotional and social well-being of students."
He said a greater emphasis will be placed on developing qualities that cannot be measured by testing, but are no less valuable, whether through participation in sports, outside activities or community events.

The goal, Reville said, is to help students become life-time learners, good citizens, active parents who also have good jobs.

Several teachers, including Carol Daigle, a former engineer, said they understood the value of developing well-rounded students, rather than just successful test-takers.
Principal Stephen R. Mahoney also praised the staff for their dedication to the school's mission and students. The staff returned to school Monday, a week earlier than most schools, to begin two weeks of training and preparation for the coming school year.

Hardwick police seeking public's help in search for Ralph 'Chip' Newcomb Jr.

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Hardwick police said Ralph "Chip" Newcomb Jr., 50, of 196 Barre Road, hasn't been seen since July 29.

Ralph Newcomb 81711.jpgView full sizeRalph H. Newcomb Jr.

HARDWICK - Hardwick police continued their search on Wednesday for missing person Ralph "Chip" H. Newcomb Jr. of 196 Barre Road, and are asking for the public's help.

"We feel that Ralph is endangered and are asking the public for assistance. If you have seen him or have any information please contact the Hardwick Police Department at (413) 477-6708," Cpl. Kevin M. Landine said.

State police and environmental police are assisting in the search, according to Landine.

Landine said Newcomb, 50, hasn't been seen since July 29.

Newcomb is described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall, approximately 180 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes and a goatee.

There is no danger to anyone in the public from Newcomb, said Landine, who is investigating along with Police Chief James Ayotte and Officer Robert Toupin.

Wall Street: Stocks rise slightly on better than expected earnings reports

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The Dow Jones industrial average rose 4 points to close above 11,410.

Target earns 81711.jpgCustomers shop at Target Eagle Rock store in Los Angeles last month. Target Corp. reported a 3.7 percent increase in second-quarter profit Wednesday as the discounter's push into groceries and incentives it offers credit cardholders helped to accelerate spending at its stores.

NEW YORK – Stocks rose modestly Wednesday after companies reported higher earnings but gave mixed forecasts about how the fragile economy and rising costs will affect their growth.

Target Corp., Staples Inc. and Dell Inc. reported earnings for last quarter that were above analysts’ forecasts. Companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 are on track to report higher profits for a ninth straight quarter. But economic growth is weak around the world, and some economists worry that a second recession may be coming. That could hurt companies’ earnings in the future – and kept investors from buying with more enthusiasm Wednesday.

Dell’s forecast added to investors’ concerns: It cut its prediction for revenue growth this year. Target and Staples gave profit forecasts that were above Wall Street’s expectations.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 4.28 points to 11,410.21. The S&P 500 rose 1.12, or 0.1 percent, to 1,193.88. The Nasdaq composite fell 11.97, or 0.5 percent, to 2,511.48.

Seven of the 10 sectors that make up the S&P 500 rose. The biggest drops came from technology stocks, which fell 0.8 percent after Dell cut its forecast.

“There are a whole bunch of contradictory signals in the system now, and it’s hard to tell which way to go,” said Charlie Smith, chief investment officer of Fort Pitt Capital Group, which has just over $1 billion in assets under management.

Investors are still worried about Europe. Some countries have borrowed so much that they may not be able to repay their bonds, and economic growth there has slowed. Concerns about a possible default by a European country have dominated the market in recent weeks, along with worries about the slow U.S. economy.

Another concern Wednesday: Companies are contending with rising costs. Higher food prices helped push inflation at the wholesale level to 0.2 percent in July, according to a government report Wednesday. That compares with a 0.4 percent drop in June, but is still well below inflation levels earlier this year when violence in the Middle East forced oil prices higher. In February, wholesale prices rose 1.5 percent.

Economists say rising inflation reduces the chances that the Federal Reserve could announce another round of bond purchases to help the economy, a move called quantitative easing. The Fed just ended its second round of purchases, known as QE2, in June. “QE3 could be a hard sell” given higher inflation, Credit Suisse economists wrote in a report. They expect the government on Thursday to report that consumer prices rose 0.2 percent in July.

Preppy retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. fell 8.7 percent after its CEO warned of challenges ahead – including higher expenses. Cost “pressures will be greater in the second half of the year, and macroeconomic uncertainty has increased,” Mike Jeffries said, after the company reported a 64 percent rise in profit last quarter.

Dell said late Tuesday its profit rose 63 percent last quarter on strong demand from businesses and government agencies. But it also cited “a more uncertain demand environment” when it cut its forecast for annual revenue growth to a range of 1 percent to 5 percent. That’s down from an earlier growth forecast for 5 percent to 9 percent. Dell stock fell 10.1 percent Wednesday.

Other companies are more optimistic. Retailer Target said it expects to earn between $4.15 and $4.30 per share this year. Analysts expected $4.14. Target also said its earnings last quarter rose 3.7 percent on sales of grocery, beauty products and other items. Target stock rose 2.4 percent.

Office products retailer Staples raised its profit forecast for the year after saying strong international sales pushed earnings up 36 percent last quarter.

Deere also raised its forecast for full-year earnings. It now expects to earn $2.7 billion this fiscal year, up from a May forecast of $2.65 billion. The maker of tractors and other heavy equipment said its profit rose 15 percent last quarter on strong demand for farm equipment.

Stocks have been particularly volatile in August. Worries rose as the U.S. government said it may default on its debt unless it was allowed to borrow more. The government just beat the deadline to avoid a default, but the partisanship in the debate came at a cost – Standard & Poor’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating on Aug. 5 by one notch to AA+ from the top AAA rating. That triggered one of Wall Street’s wildest weeks: The Dow rose or fell by at least 400 points in each of the first four days of last week, the first time that has happened.

Markets appear to have calmed somewhat since then. Tuesday marked the first time since the Aug. 5 downgrade that the Dow rose or fell by less than 100 points. It fell 76 points on worries about Europe’s ability to contain its debt problems.

Nearly three stocks rose Wednesday for every two that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated trading volume was relatively light at 3.9 billion shares, the lowest in three weeks.

NH town endures 'creepy' wait after death of 11-year-old Celina Cass

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The lack of an arrest and answers to questions about how she died have cast a pall over Stewartstown.

celina cass, apA memorial for Celina Cass is seen, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2011, in Stewartstown, N.H. Celina Cass, 11, who was reported missing July 26, 2011, was discovered in the Connecticut River less than half a mile from her home. The discovery followed nearly a week of intense searching that attracted more than 100 federal, state and local law enforcement officers to the town of 800 residents a mile from the Canadian border. Authorities said they considered her death suspicious.

CONCORD, N.H. — More than two weeks after searchers pulled the body of 11-year-old Celina Cass from the Connecticut River near her house, the lack of an arrest and answers to questions about how she died have cast a pall over her New Hampshire hometown.

Sad and edgy, residents of Stewartstown are waiting — for answers about the girl, justice for her family, peace of mind for themselves. The police's inability to charge a suspect, an autopsy that couldn't pinpoint what killed her and the lingering fear that a killer is at large are hanging over folks in the one-stoplight burg with 960 residents near the Canadian border.

"Everybody's still uncomfortable, wanting some answers," said Shannon Towle, whose family owns a convenience store and gas station where people gather. "It's just creepy."

Police say the investigation is active, with the results of toxicology tests on the girl's body pending. Experts say that may go a long way toward helping identify or charge a suspect.

Cass, a shy fourth-grader, vanished July 25 or July 26 from her home after being last seen at a computer in her bedroom.

For a week, a small army of investigators, law enforcement agents and volunteers searched. Friends handed out fliers containing the girl's smiling face, clutching a basketball, or looking jaunty in a baseball cap.

The three-story apartment building where she lived with her mother, 13-year-old sister, stepfather and a 23-year-old man — an acquaintance of mother Louisa Noyes — was roped off with crime scene tape and two vehicles linked to it impounded.

On Aug. 1, Celina's body was found. Police, while saying her death was suspicious, still haven't called it homicide.

Now, the mystery is what killed her.

"Unlike a gunshot wound or something like that, with drownings or victims found in water, it's a process of elimination," said Robin Adler, a professor of justice studies at Norwich University.

"When a body is found in water, a lot of things happen that could mimic something that could've happened outside of water, like bruising of the head. They have to start with, 'Was she alive when she entered the water?' And it's not just the body that will tell them."

Police have not said how long the body was in the river, where prolonged exposure to water can erase clues.

"Any subtle skin evidence is gone," said Dr. H. Wayne Carver II, Connecticut's chief medical examiner, who isn't involved in the investigation. "The outer layer of the skin is where you interact with the rest of the world, where we read the interactions. It's gone."

Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane Young, who is heading the investigation, won't comment about that. She says that investigators with the New Hampshire State Police and the FBI are investigating and that the lull in developments shouldn't be taken as a sign.

"This amount of time shouldn't signal to anybody that we've reached the end of the road," Young said. "That's certainly not the way we view it."

So Celina's family waits.

Noyes, who hasn't spoken publicly since her daughter disappeared, remains in seclusion. Jeanine Brady, her boss at a Colebrook consignment shop and a close friend, said Noyes and her family are patient.

"They're willing to wait to have an arrest made that's going to stick," Brady said. "Celina deserves to have the right person arrested and to have finality that way. They want answers, of course, but it's more important at this point that the FBI and state agencies can get the right answers."

Noyes, who was allowed to return to her home last week, is having trouble coping and doesn't want to live there, Brady said.

"That child's perpetrator could be someone she knows," Brady said.

Celina's stepfather, Wendell Noyes, has a history of psychiatric issues and was declared unfit to stand trial in a 2003 case in which he allegedly broke into an ex-girlfriend's home and threatened her. Police have not cited him as a potential suspect in Celina's case.

Noyes, 47, has been in and out of hospitals several times since the girl's disappearance and no longer lives in the house with the mother, Brady said.

"Until he is together, she just can't be part of that right now," she said.

The mother, who has received letters of condolence by the hundreds, recently printed up more than 500 photographs that were on Celina's camera.

"She wishes everyone could see those pictures and know what kind of girl Celina was," Brady said. "They're happy pictures. The girls are playing dress-up and just being girls."

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