Ferrera repaid $4,405 to his campaign in August, which was an overpayment on past loans to his own committee.

Left to right, Springfield city councilors James Ferrera III and John Lysak

SPRINGFIELD – Ward 8 City Councilor John A. Lysak said his many campaign expenses at area restaurants and convenience stores this year is his way of thanking and conferring with his volunteers and workers, ranging from meals and snacks to one case of paying one worker $20 for gasoline.

The expenses, however, have drawn criticism from Orlando Ramos, Lysak’s opponent on the November ballot. Ramos said that Lysak’s meal tabs are excessive and he is “not buying” Lysak’s explanation.

“There’s nothing illegal being done,” Lysak said. “This kid (Ramos) has nothing on me. I take them out to eat.”

Orlando Ramos

Another elected official, at-large City Councilor James J. Ferrera III, has a different issue – Ferrera repaid $4,405 to his campaign coffers after being notified by the state that he was reimbursed too much for past loans.

Specifically, he loaned his campaign $21,990 since 2005, and was repaid a total of $26,395 since 2007 — an overpayment of $4,405, according to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

Ferrera blamed the mistake on his treasurer, Catherine Cocchi, his grandmother.

Ferrera said he immediately resolved the matter and advised Cocchi to be more careful. His account was down to $31.35 on Aug. 16, before being reimbursed by Ferrera on Aug. 24. No fines are pending, a state office spokesman said.

“It was really not a huge issue,” Ferrera said. “It was paid back.”

Regarding Lysak’s campaign, his expenses this year have included nine purchases at Osaka Japanese restaurant, ranging from $35 to $85 each sitting, and five purchases at Sianos Pizzeria, ranging from $10 to $20, according to campaign reports.

The restaurant stops were gatherings with campaign workers and volunteers, as campaign funds were used to pay their meals and often his, he said.

He also listed single-trip expenses at McDonald’s ($12.62), Dunkin’ Donuts ($16.04), Famous Dave’s restaurant ($57.73), Pazzo Ristorante ($88.51), Pintu's Indian Palace ($30.71), and Country Trading Post in Chicopee ($45).

He has also had expenses at Cumberland Farms four times, ranging from $1.89 to $6.43.

Among the expenses, Lysak said he might buy soft drinks and snacks for one or more workers, such as drinks purchased for volunteers who took part in three clothing drives for victims of the June 1 tornado. In the case of Siano’s, he would buy pizza for his workers.

In July, he recalled spending $20 for gasoline for one of his volunteers who was dropping off campaign materials.

A $38.59 expense at Market Liquors was for beverages including wine for volunteers preparing for a festival at Immaculate Conception Church, also legal under state campaign laws, Lysak said.

Jason Tait, a spokesman for the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance, declined comment on Lysak, but offered a general comment.

“A candidate can make expenditures to enhance his or her political future, so long as the expenditures are not primarily personal,” Tait said. “Meals are allowed if they fall within that statute. For instance, campaign funds can be used to purchase food for a campaign event, or to meet with constituents to discuss government services.”

Lysak said he uses a debit card for many of his expenses, and has discussed the matter with the state campaign office.

Tate said the agency recommends candidates not use debit cards, but the use is legal for purchases under $50.

In August, Lysak was assessed three overdraft fees, according to his reports. Lysak said the overdrafts were accidental.

He has not had a treasurer in approximately three months. His last treasurer was his grandmother, who at age 85, “did not want to do it anymore,” he said

Lysak said he is trying to find a new treasurer.

Lysak said Ramos has unions and other groups who pay for people to knock on doors. Ramos said there are unions that support him who provide volunteers to knock on doors, and he could not verify payments.

Ramos said as a state employee himself working for state Sen. James T. Welch, he has nothing to do with political fundraising matters.

Aug. 11, 2011 Letter to Ferrera Campaign

Aug. 22, 2011 Letter to Office of Campaign and Political Finance

Among his recommendations, Erdmann recommended that all contracts should be written as clearly as possible, and that payroll officers should have copies on file for reference.

Republican file photoSpringfield School Superintendent Alan Ingram

SPRINGFIELD – Ambiguous language in School Superintendent Alan Ingram’s contract led the School Department’s payroll office to short the superintendent out of nearly $12,000 in retroactive pay increases, according to the city’s chief financial officer.

Lee C. Erdmann, chief financial and administrative officer, announced his findings Tuesday after being directed last week by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno to review school payroll procedures. 

The review was ordered after the city auditor found the School Department owed Ingram $13,106.55 in a combination of back pay and work-related expenses.

The largest chunk of that was $11,881.40 in retroactive pay raises over three years that never made it into his paycheck, Erdmann said.

Among the findings, Erdmann discovered the School Department business office “interpreted” what Ingram’s retroactive increases should have been “based on the ambiguity” of wording in Ingram’s contact and the school committee’s May 5 vote to give him a pay raise.

He also found the business office had no copy of Ingram’s contract on file.
Ingram, Alan - CAFO Review of Procedures (09!06!11)

Among his recommendations, Erdmann recommended that all contracts should be written as clearly as possible, and that payroll officers should have copies on file for reference.

He also recommends the for future pay raises, the payroll office double check formulas used to pay raises prior to the school committee vote, that it employ a standard compensation form that has in writing the procedures used for calculating pay raises and retroactive payments, and officials with the business office and human resources and the employee sign off on the form before any raises kick in.

Sarno in a statement said he was forwarding Erdmann’s review to the School Committee in order for the recommendations to be taken under consideration.

The review of payroll procedures is the third separate review by city agencies of school
operations directed Sarno in recent weeks, each springing from a controversial $30,000 housing bonus given Ingram when he was hired in 2008.

The city Law Department ruled that Ingram’s contract stipulated he was to receive the $30,000 payment and he was not obligated to repay the money.

Sarno said he is directing that the recommendations be implemented as soon as possible to avoid a similar situation in the future.

“I am looking forward to this matter reaching finality so that it will no longer serve as a distraction to the Springfield Public Schools.”
Statement of Mayor Sarno RE (Dr Ingram Audit by Lee Erdmann) (09!06!11

There also will be a townwide tag sale, church rededication and massive volunteer cleanup.

MONSON – This weekend will feature a remembrance ceremony for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the reopening of the Unitarian Universalist Parish of Monson, another massive tornado clean-up effort, a benefit 5k run for tornado relief, and the townwide tag sale.

* On Saturday, the 12th annual townwide tag sale will be held. Tag sale maps, featuring locations of various tag sales around town, can be purchased for $2 starting at 8 a.m.at the gazebo on Main Street downtown.

This year, Boy Scout Troop 168 is sponsoring the tag sale. The deadline to buy a spot in the map is Sept. 7; single family sites are $12; email monsontroop168@gmail.com or call (413) 267-9771 for information; forms also are available at Monson Free Library and Monson Savings Bank. There are usually 100 sites on the map.

* Also on Saturday will be the "Run to Rebuild Monson," a 5k organized by Shannon J. Byrnes with the help of Sean Dimitropolis.

Byrnes, 26, said she wanted to do something to help Monson, where her family lives, after the tornado caused such widespread damage three months ago. She joined forces with her friend Dimitropolis, who previously held a successful fundraiser at his store, This & That Thrift Shop in Palmer. His mother's shop, Tibbetts Optical on Main Street, was damaged by the tornado.

"A few family and friends of mine were affected by the tornado and I wanted to do something more to help," Byrnes said.

Both runners and walkers are welcome. All proceeds are being donated to the Monson Tornado Relief Fund at Monson Savings Bank.

Byrnes said she started running in charity 5ks this spring, and thought it would be a good idea to bring one to Monson. The run begins at 9:30 a.m. at Monson High School on Margaret Street; walkers will step off 10 minutes later. The run will loop around Macomber Road, Margaret Street and Thompson Street, and end at the high school, where there will be raffles and prizes awarded for the four different age groups. One of the prizes is an overnight stay at the Onyx Hotel in Boston.

Pre-registration costs $20 for the run and $15 for the walk; pre-registration ends Sept. 9. Online registration also is available on the "Run to Rebuild Monson" Facebook page. Registration forms also can be found at Totally Tan downtown, as well as the Monson Post Office, and Apollo Pizza in Palmer.

Participants also can register the day of the event - the cost for the run will be $25, and the walk, $20. Checks can be made payable to the "Run to Rebuild Monson." Registration will begin at 8 a.m.

Byrnes said those who are not running or walking can still take part in the raffle, but they must be there in person. The event is expected to be over by 1 p.m.

She said state Rep. Brian M. Ashe, D-Longmeadow, will open the race, and the father-son racing team, Team Hoyt, also will be attending. They compete in marathons together, with Dick pushing his wheelchair-bound son Rick.

"We're hoping to raise at least a few thousand dollars. It should be a good day. We're really looking forward to it. It will be nice to see how our hard work pays off," Byrnes said.

Those who preregister will get a free T-shirt and other items. A non-profit organization, Back of the Pack Productions, is providing water, Byrnes said. They are also seeking volunteers to help at the event; those interested can email theruntorebuildmonson@gmail.com; Byrnes also can be contacted at shannonjb21@yahoo.com

* On Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a special service will be held at the United Methodist Church at 162 Main St. from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. for police and firefighters.

United Methodist Rev. Carol A. Stine said the church wanted to do something special to recognize the public safety personnel, especially after the June 1 tornado struck Monson.

"The theme for the service is 'Answering the Call,'" Stine said.

The police, firefighters and boy scouts will then proceed to the gazebo for an 11 a.m. ceremony, which will feature bagpipers, and remarks by U.S. Marshall John Gibbons, state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, and Ashe. There also will be a 21-gun salute and the playing of "taps," according to Veterans Agent John Comerford.

* Also on Sunday, the Unitarian Universalist Parish of Monson will hold a 10 a.m. worship service and building rededication, led by Rev. Darrick Jackson, as the restoration of the east wall and rose window has been completed.

The church, which is at 177 Main St., lost its tower to the tornado. There will be a catered reception at 2 p.m.

* All weekend, volunteers will be out in full force to continue to clean tornado-damaged properties, in conjunction with a regional cleanup by two Brimfield men. Those interested in helping can go to the gazebo, call (413) 258-0207.

The grants are the first time in recent memory that the state campuses have received tax dollars through a competitive, performance-based funding process.

Republican file photo by Don Treeger STCC President Ira H. Rubenzahl

BOSTON – Community colleges in Greenfield, Holyoke and Springfield on Tuesday won awards from a new state grant program designed to encourage innovation at state campuses of higher education.

Gov. Deval L. Patrick unveiled awards from the $2.5 million grant program included for the first time in this fiscal year's state budget. Of the 29 public higher education campuses, 18 won grants.

Springfield Technical Community College received $144,125; Greenfield Community College, $122,004 and Holyoke Community College, $70,000.

Ira H. Rubenzahl, president of Springfield Technical Community College, said the grant will be used to expand an existing program that involves intensive counseling for 125 high-risk new students. Under the program, the students are assigned advisers who meet with them, track their progress and are available for any possible problems throughout the year, he said.

"We're very pleased that the Board of Higher Education is supporting some initiatives on campus for student success," Rubenzahl said.

Matthew Reed, vice president for academic affairs at Holyoke Community College, said the grant will allow four faculty members, two in English and two in math, to research ways community colleges across the nation have improved the rates at which students complete remedial courses. The goal is to generate ideas to help students at the Holyoke campus, he said.

The grant will also be used to hire a nationally recognized enrollment-management company to research and identify obstacles at the Holyoke campus that prevent minority students, including the school's rapidly-growing Hispanic student body, from graduating at the same rate as other students. The idea is to reduce the disparities in graduation rates among the groups of students, he said.

The $2.5 million grant program is a cornerstone of the "Vision Project," the state’s master plan for establishing the state's system of public higher education as a national leader in educating students.

The grants, a top priority of the governor, are the first time in recent memory that the state campuses have received tax dollars through a competitive, performance-based funding process. The lion’s share of state funding for each campus is currently determined by enrollment.

The proposals for grants, one from each of the 29 campuses, were reviewed by a panel that included several prominent people in higher education circles. A goal was to create an impartial review based on the merits of the applications.

Robert Pura, president of Greenfield Community College, said the grant will be used partly for a comprehensive review of the school's general-education curriculum. Students, faculty, people from the community and administrators will all be involved in the review. "What does the college want students to learn and how do we know they are learning it?" Pura said, summing up the planned review.

The grant will also finance professional development for faculty who work with students with learning disabilities. It will also be used for implementing "study studios" at the college, or extra sessions held outside the regular classroom for faculty and students focused on a particular discipline such as science or business.

Emerson said he would increase communication between residents and government and “will not be afraid to be a leader who looks to others for ideas and support.”

The Republican | Michael BeswickDonald Emerson formally announces his intention to run for the Mayor of Easthampton Tuesday at the Main Street Park.

EASTHAMPTON – Mayoral candidate Donald C. Emerson, who is challenging seven-term incumbent Michael A. Tautznik in the Nov. 8 election, laid out his vision for the city’s future Tuesday at his campaign’s kickoff event.

The formal announcement of his candidacy drew about 75 cheering supporters to the Route 10 rotary.

“I will work with a passion and with a new set of eyes that see into the future of this city,” he said. “I will foster a better relationship with the business community. ... I will support education, honor the veterans for their services, I will work hand-in-hand with our city councilors and all department heads.”

Emerson, 64, is an Air Force veteran and served on the police force for 41 years. He retired as captain in November when Tautznik, 57, did not renew his contract due to budget constraints and ostensibly to prevent officer layoffs.

Emerson said he would increase communication between residents and government and “will not be afraid to be a leader who looks to others for ideas and support.” He said he wants to bolster the arts, which have seen a renaissance during Tautznik’s tenure.

Emerson was a partner in a property development company that built subdivisions in the city and donated land for preservation, he said. He sits on the board of directors of Freedom Credit Union and was president of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local 367 union for six years.

He originally sought a city councilor at-large seat and said during his speech that he didn’t consider running for mayor until residents urged him. A spokeswoman has told The Republican that Emerson intended to use the City Council as a springboard to mayor, but talks with voters led him to take the plunge this year.

Emerson confirmed the spokeswoman's version after his speech.

Emerson, a lifelong resident, was a Town Meeting representative before Easthampton became a city in 1996. He has attended only one City Council meeting this year, after he took out nomination papers for the at-large seat.

“I’ve been at City Council meetings many times over the years,” he said. “Granted, I haven’t been going, but I’m well experienced” and often addressed the council.

The mayor’s salary is $67,340. Emerson draws a pension from the city and said he would donate a portion of his income.

Emerson welcomed a policy debate with Tautznik.

The Republican | Michael BeswickDonald Emerson formally announces his intention to run for the Mayor of Easthampton Tuesday at the Main Street Park.

At the Brimfield flea markets, jewelry dealer Kathy Zinc found that Tuesday's rain slowed down customer traffic.

The Republican | Don TreegerAt opening day of the last of the 2011 Brimfield Antique Shows, Jason Burns of Holyoke looks over some colorful metal sculptures.

BRIMFIELD – Kathy Zinc, of Ashby, likes her spot backing up to the brook in Shelton’s field at the Brimfield Antiques Shows, but Tuesday’s steady rain made the place too wet and kept the crowds down.

“We usually get a big initial rush, but it was raining pretty hard at daybreak,’’ Zinc said from behind a counter displaying jewelry.

“Some of our customers said they heard the rain at 5 a.m. and went back to sleep,’’ Zinc said.

Regardless or the weather, the antiques shows along Route 20 will continue through Sunday.

Zinc said she is used to the flow of shoppers fluctuating at the Brimfield shows.

Pat McGoldrick, of Worcester, said there were shoppers waiting when the furniture and collectibles tent she was working in opened early Tuesday morning.

“We have been selling well today,’’ McGoldrick said.

Garden ornaments were the top sellers at her spot.

Deb Gott traveled from Utah with textiles and other goods from her business, Interiors with Provenance, which she said means that there is a story for each item for sale.

Gott said her client base is largely made up of designers who are more interested in the visual appearance than the history or pedigree for items, but she said they do like to know the background of what they are buying.

The Republican | Don TreegerShawn Tibbs, of Rochester, N.H., checks out old fans for sale.

She also finds an interesting mix of retail shoppers at the Brimfield shows, which are held for a week every May, July and September.

Gott said she can do better in terms of sales at other shows where there is less wholesale selling, but she said she makes it to the Brimfield shows at least twice a year because she likes the people she encounters.

Barbara Hegedus brings her antique jewelry from Harrisburg, Pa., because she gets so much more traffic walking by her goods at the Brimfield shows than she does anywhere else.

Hegedus finds sales to other dealers are big when the show opens but there are a lot of people who live near Brimfield who come Saturdays and Sundays.

“Costume jewelry is selling better than gold right now because the price of gold is so high,’’ Hegedus said. “Diamonds are selling well too. I did very well with diamonds here in May.’’

The governor and lawmakers said they will discuss legalizing casino gambling after Labor Day, which was Monday.

Associated PressA slot machine room at the MGM Grand Hotel stands ready in Mashantucket, Ct., at the Foxwoods Resort Casino.

HOLYOKE – The issue of casino gambling was in the air at City Hall Tuesday, including an announcement that a public hearing will be held late this month on a proposal related to a golf course eyed as a potential gambling resort.

The City Council also referred to committee a proposal from Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain that a nonbinding question be put on the Nov. 8 election ballot: “Do you support the placing of a casino at the Wyckoff Country Club property located at 233 Easthampton Road?”

The council also referred to committee a plan from Councilor Todd A. McGee that a process be established to receive and review casino proposals.

The steps came as Gov. Deval L. Patrick and the Legislature have said they will consider legalizing casino gambling in the state after Labor Day, which was Monday.

Paper City Development, a limited liability company, wants to buy Wyckoff Country Club and make it a gaming resort if the state legalizes casino gambling.

Wyckoff is in Ward 7, and about 20 residents of the ward attended the meeting. Several said they believe most people in Ward 7 oppose putting a casino there.

Also in the audience at the City Council meeting was Eric S. Suher, who owns the Mountain Park music venue here and the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, among other properties. Speculation that Suher might be a player if a casino is built here increased in July when he bought the 109-acre Holyoke Country Club on Country Club Road for $850,000.

Suher said he wasn’t at the City Council meeting for a particular item and asked if he planned to build a casino here, he shook his head no and said with a smile, “I’m running a music venue.”

In order for Paper City Development’s Wyckoff purchase to proceed, the city would have to certify at the Registry of Deeds that it releases right to title and interest in 4.5 acres at the northern end of the property, lawyer John J. Ferriter, who represents Paper City Development, has said.

The property was transferred to the country club owner decades ago as part of transaction related to the construction of Interstate 91, which took part of the golf course, Ferriter said.

For the city to release its title to the Wyckoff land, the City Council must approve, and that proposal remains in the council Redevelopment Committee of which Jourdain is chairman. A public hearing will be held on that sometime this month, he said during the meeting.

“That’s a major issue,” Jourdain said before the meeting.

Wyckoff owner Diane L. Wojtowicz, of Holyoke, has said a casino would fit the vision that her late husband Clarky Wojtowicz had for the site.

The 5-year decline was much slower than a drop seen over the previous 40 years.

File photo | The Republican

By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer

CHICAGO — Fewer U.S. adults are smoking and those who do light up are smoking fewer cigarettes each day, but the trend is weaker than the government had hoped.

According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Tuesday, 19.3 percent of adults said they smoked last year, down from about 21 percent in 2005. The rate for smoking 30 or more cigarettes daily dropped to about 8 percent from almost 13 percent during the same time period.

The report only compared last year with 2005 and says the decline means 3 million fewer adults were smoking. The CDC earlier reported that the 2009 rate was 20.6 percent and rates fluctuated during the five-year period.

The five-year decline was much slower than a drop seen over the previous 40 years, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Atlanta-based agency. He said any decline is a good step, but also said tobacco use remains a significant health burden.

"About half of all smokers will be killed by tobacco if they don't quit," Frieden said during a news briefing.

"You don't have to be a heavy smoker or a long-time smoker to get a smoking-related disease or have a heart attack or asthma attack," Frieden said. "The sooner you quit smoking, the sooner your body can begin to heal."

The 2010 numbers are based partly on face-to-face interviews with almost 27,000 Americans aged 18 and older.

Among the reasons for the drop is new clean air laws, said Dr. Tim McAfee, director of the CDC's office on smoking and health.

Positive trends have been offset by efforts from the tobacco industry, including offering discounts to consumers, McAfee said.

If the slowed rate of decline continues, adult smoking rates will reach 17 percent by 2020, far higher than the government's goal of no more than 12 percent, the CDC report said.

Government efforts to further reduce smoking rates include proposed graphic cigarette packaging labels, which are being challenged in court by the tobacco industry.

Frieden said evidence from states with strong anti-smoking programs show that tobacco control can be effective. Rates are far below the national average in states with the strongest tobacco control programs, he noted. States with the lowest rates are Utah, at 9 percent, and California, 12 percent, the CDC report found.

In a statement, American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown said the report shows some successes but also continued disparities. Smoking was most common among low-income, less educated adults and among American Indians and Alaska natives.

Matthew Meyers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a Washington-based advocacy group, said in a statement that it's too soon to declare victory when nearly one in five adults still smokes.

Sarno said his priorities are creating jobs in the city, preventing crime and keeping the city's finances in order.

The Republican | Michael BeswickSpringfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno greets supporters at the Cedars Banquet Hall on Tuesday night after formally announcing his intention to run for re-election.

SPRINGFIELD – Two-term Mayor Domenic J. Sarno kicked off his re-election campaign Tuesday night before a crowd of about 300 at St. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church on Island Pond Road.

In what he described as the worst economic times since the Great Depression, Sarno said his priorities are creating jobs in the city, preventing crime and keeping the city’s finances in order.

Sarno listed as his achievements producing three consecutive balanced budgets.

“We must ensure that we do not return to the practices of the past that put the city of Springfield on the verge of bankruptcy,” he said.

In a time of crisis, such as the June 1 tornado, the city’s character has shone through,” Sarno said.

“I am proud of the acts of kindness I have seen of neighbors helping neighbor,” Sarno said.

He pledged that the city will “do what it takes to recover and will be a stronger city.”

Sarno faces two opponents for mayor on the preliminary election ballot on Sept. 20: School Committee member Antonette E. Pepe and City Council President Jose F. Tosado.

Sarno said he is taking nothing for granted and he urged his supporters to get their family members, friends and co-workers to the polls on Sept. 20.

“No-one will outwork me,” he said. He added that he is still passionate about serving as mayor of the city.

Sarno supporter Heriberto Flores, president of the New England Farm Workers Council, described Sarno as working for the city “24/7.” Flores said he wished to extend a special thank you to Sarno’s wife and daughters “for letting him be a part of us.”

The Republican | Michael Beswick9/6/11 Springfield - Staff photo by Michael Beswick - Mayor Domenic J. Sarno formally announces his intention to run for Springfield Mayor at the Cedars Banquet Hall Tuesday. Here, State Rep. martha Coakley gives thanks to the Sarno family for their dedication and support. Ray Berry stands in the background.

Former School Committee member Marjorie Hurst said the Hurst family again supports Sarno for mayor. “He is exactly who he appears to be,” Hurst said.

State Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera, D-Springfield, said Sarno is the best candidate to build the city’s future. She also said, “Thank you, city workers, for the fastest tornado cleanup ever seen.”

Springfield College President Richard B. Flynn said it is obvious when Sarno walks the neighborhoods of the city that he cares about the city.

Sarno said the devastation caused by the tornado is obvious from the parking lot of St. Anthony’s Church.

“We will help to rebuild your neighborhoods,” Sarno pledged.

Ware selectmen have decided to form a committee of 7 people to search for a new town manager and evaluate candidates.

WARE – Town Manager Mary T. Tzambazakis has announced she will resign at the end of September, so the Board of Selectmen Tuesday started the process of finding an interim replacement and forming a search committee for a new town manager.

Tzambazakis, who has been in the job since July 1, 2009, told the selectmen she was leaving the position because for personal reasons she wants employment which will not require as much nighttime work and that she has found such a position.

Selectman William Braman said Tzambazaskis is leaving on good terms and will be missed.

“When I heard of her decision, I was reminded of the old Boy Scout phrase of leaving the campsite in better shape than you found it,’’ Braman said. “Mary has left the town of Ware in better shape than she found it.’’

Tzambazakis is on vacation this week and was not at the Tuesday meeting of the Board of Selectmen when her resignation and the search for her replacement were discussed.

Braman told the other selectmen Tuesday that the town charter included a detailed description of the job of town manager and that language will be included in advertising for candidates to fill the job.

The board voted 4-0 to form a search committee consisting of no more than seven members.

Selectman Richard Norton made the motion for the search committee vote, which stipulates that the committee will include two department heads, one person representing the Finance Committee and four residents of the town.

Town employees will not be excluded from those four ad hoc positions on the search committee, but members of the Board of Selectmen will be excluded.

The selectmen will accept applications for positions on the search committee until the end of the business day on Sept. 13 and they plan to vote on appointments to the committee at their Sept. 13 meeting.

The board voted 3-1 to try to hire someone as an interim town manager while the search for a permanent person for the job continues.

Norton, the one selectman who voted no, said he would prefer to have a town department head take over the duties of town manager on an acting basis during the search for a permanent town manager.

Norton said having a town employee in this position would mean having someone already familiar with the issues and personnel of the town in place at a time when there are important issues to deal with.

Selectman John A. Desmond said he feels the town should first proceed with efforts to find an interim town manager.

Springfield Police obtained arrest warrants for Bastos and Monteiro and then learned the pair was already in custody in Plymouth County on unrelated gun charges, police said.

Springfield police photoFrom left: Carlos Bastos, of Springfield, and Daniel Monteiro of Brockton

The Republican | Dave RobackMassachusetts State Police and Springfield Police investigate the scene of the July 9 killing of 18-year-old James Rosario on Edgeland Street during a house party.

SPRINGFIELD – A Springfield man and another man from Brockton have been charged with murder in the July 9 shooting death of 18-year-old James Rosario at a house party on Edgeland Street, police said.

In custody are Carlos Bastos, 21, of 27 Coomes St., Springfield, and Daniel M. Monteiro, 21, of 285 Green St., Apt. 1, Brockton, said Springfield police Sgt. John Delaney.

When charged by Springfield police, Bastos and Monteiro were already in custody at the Plymouth County House of Correction in Plymouth, where they were being held on unrelated gun charges, Delaney said.

Both men are reported to have ties to street gangs in Springfield, Delaney said.

Rosario, the city's 10 homicide victim of the year, was shot to death at about 1:30 a.m. on July 9 at his home at 88 Edgeland St.

He was shot as a large house party at his house was breaking up.

Delaney said police identified Bastos and Monteiro as suspects in the case, and obtained murder warrants for their arrest.

Shortly after the warrants were issued, city detectives learned that the pair were being held in Plymouth.

"Detectives under the command of Captain Peter Dillon have been working on this case since the murder and their dedication and hard work led to the arrest of two suspects in the Rosario murder," Delaney said. "The investigating officers broke the case through hard police work and dedication to solving this crime."

Bastos and Monteiro will be brought to Springfield for arraignment in Springfield District Court on the murder charge, although the exact date has not yet been determined, Delaney said.

Efforts to negotiate the peaceful handover of one of Gadhafi's most crucial last bastions, the city of Bani Walid, proved difficult.

Associated PressA building is set in fire inside ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi compound in Bab Al-Aziziya, Tripoli, Libya, Tuesday, Sept.6, 2011. The reason for the blaze is unclear. Negotiations over the surrender of one of Moammar Gadhafi's remaining strongholds have collapsed, and Libyan rebels are waiting for orders to launch their final attack on the besieged town of Bani Walid, a spokesman said. (AP Photo/Abdel Magid Al Fergany)

By HADEEL AL-SHALCHI
and MAGGIE MICHAEL

TARHOUNA, Libya — Convoys of Moammar Gadhafi loyalists, including his security chief, fled across the Sahara into Niger in a move that Libya's former rebels hoped could help lead to the surrender of his last strongholds.

Still, efforts to negotiate the peaceful handover of one of the most crucial of those bastions, the city of Bani Walid, proved difficult.

Tribal elders from Bani Walid who met Tuesday with former rebels were confronted by angry residents of the city, including Gadhafi supporters, who fired in the air and sent them fleeing, mediators said. Many in Bani Walid remain deeply mistrustful of the forces that have seized power in Libya and are reluctant to accept their rule.

Some former rebels depicted the flight to Niger as a major exodus of Gadhafi's most hardcore backers. But confirmed information on the number and identity of those leaving was scarce given the vast swath of desert — over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) — between populated areas on the two sides of the border.

In Niger's capital, Niamey, Massoudou Hassoumi, a spokesman for the president of the landlocked African nation which shares a border with Libya, said that Gadhafi's security chief had crossed the desert into Niger on Monday accompanied by a major Tuareg rebel.

The government of Niger dispatched a military convoy to escort Mansour Dao, the former commander of Libya's Revolutionary Guards who is a cousin of Gadhafi as well as a member of his inner circle, to Niamey.

Dao is the only senior Libyan figure to have crossed into Niger, said Hassoumi, who denied reports that Gadhafi or any member of his immediate family were in the convoy.

Hassoumi said the group of nine people also included several pro-Gadhafi businessmen, as well as Agaly ag Alambo, a Tuareg rebel leader from Niger who led a failed uprising in the country's north before crossing into Libya, where he was believed to be fighting for Gadhafi.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters, "We don't have any evidence that Gadhafi is anywhere but in Libya at the moment."

Since Tripoli's fall last month to Libyan rebels, there has been a movement of Gadhafi loyalists across the porous desert border that separates Libya from Niger. They include Tuareg fighters who are nationals of Niger and next-door neighbor Mali who fought on Gadhafi's behalf in the recent civil war.

There has been intense speculation regarding the whereabouts of Gadhafi's inner circle and last week, Algeria, which like NIger shares a border with Libya — confirmed that the ousted leader's wife, his daughter, two of his sons, and several grandchildren had crossed onto Algerian soil.

Hassoumi spoke of "waves" of returnees crossing over from Libya that preceded the arrival Monday of Gadhafi's security chief, but he said they were mostly Tauregs and not Libyan soldiers or civilians. Tuareg fighters have long been enlisted as mercenaries for Gadhafi's regime.

Customs official Harouna Ide told the AP that in addition to the convoy with Dao, other convoys from Libya were south of Agadez in central Niger.

Nuland said the U.S. has urged Niger to detain anyone who might be subject to prosecution in Libya, confiscate weapons and impound any state property such as money or jewels that were illegally taken out of the country.

The West African nation of Burkina Faso, which borders Niger, offered Gadhafi asylum last month, raising speculation the convoys were part of plan to arrange passage there for the ousted leader. But on Tuesday, Burkina Faso distanced itself from Gadhafi, indicating he would be arrested if he came there.

A significant move to escape by the top echelons of Gadhafi's military and security services could bring an important shift in Libya.

The Gadhafi opponents who toppled his regime by sweeping into Tripoli last month have been struggling to uproot the last bastions of his support, particularly in Bani Walid, Sirte and the southern city of Sabha. They say residents in those cities have been prevented from surrendering to the new post-Gadhafi rule because of former regime figures in their midst.

Hassan Droua, a representative of Sirte in the rebel's National Transitional Council, said he had reports from witnesses that a convoy of cars belonging to Gadhafi's son, Muatassim, was headed for the Niger border loaded with cash and gold from the city's Central Bank branch.

Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, the head of the NTC — the closest thing to a government in Libya now — warned that Bani Walid had until Friday to surrender or else the former rebel forces would move in.

"We know that the decision for Bani Walid is not in the hands of its leaders and notables. It is a besieged town and (Gadhafi's) brigades have barricaded themselves in all parts of the town," he told Al-Jazeera television Tuesday.

But residents of the holdout cities have a complex mix of motives.

Bani Walid is the homeland of Libya's largest tribe, the Warfala. In 1993, some Warfala attempted a coup against Gadhafi but were brutally crushed. The masterminds were executed, their homes demolished and their clans shunned while Gadhafi brought other members of the tribe to dominance, giving them powerful government jobs and lucrative posts.

That history gives the tribe a strong pride in an oddly contradictory legacy, as both early opponents of the regime and an entitled part of Libya's leadership.

The dusty city of 100,000, strung along the low ridges overlooking a dried up desert river valley, lies on the road connecting Sirte and Sabha.

Mohammed bin Masoud, a Bani Walid resident who was asked by the former rebels to help arrange talks with city leaders, dismissed the idea that pro-Gadhafi sentiment was strong. Instead, many just don't like the former rebels, seeing them as upstarts who opened the door to NATO intervention.

"This revolution began with Libyans asking for a better chance at life, then it took a military turn and NATO was brought in," he said. "I know kids who are willing to fight the rebels inside Bani Walid because they don't want to be forced into accepting them."

Former rebel forces have been on the outskirts of Bani Walid for days, effectively sealing it off. But they have been reluctant to storm it, saying they don't want to fuel a cycle of violence and would rather see a peaceful resolution — though some in their ranks are threatening to attack.

On Tuesday, at a mosque on a desert highway outside Bani Walid, envoys from the new leadership met with tribal elders, trying to negotiate a peaceful entry by their forces. The elders said residents were refusing to surrender because of widespread fears that entering fighters will retaliate for past Gadhafi support, raping women and killing men.

The envoys promised their fighters would be peaceful, without a shot fired, and held out the prospect of rebuilding damaged infrastructure in the city, including communications and electricity.

"We are not like the old regime. We don't take revenge and we don't bear grudges," chief negotiator Abdullah Kenshil told the elders.

But when the elders returned to Bani Walid to deliver the pledges, they were met by a gun-firing crowd.

The tribal elders who participated "don't represent all the tribes in Bani Walid," said al-Mubarak al-Saleh, a city representative on the National Transitional Council. "There are still pockets of Gadhafi supporters and allied tribes."

Bin Masoud said a more representative delegation of elders had been due to meet the former rebels on Monday but then felt insulted by what they saw as an arrogant attitude and left the meeting.

Also, many in the city see little weight in promises of a peaceful entry. The former rebel forces can be notoriously undisciplined, and even celebratory firing in the air could potentially spark a gunbattle.

Bin Masoud expressed doubts that a handover can go entirely without friction.

"There will definitely be clashes, many inside are still unconvinced by ... the revolution and are willing to fight against it," he said.

Associated Press writers Dalatou Mamane in Niamey, Niger; Rukmini Callimachi in Bamako, Mali; Rami al-Shaheibi in Benghazi, Libya; and Sarah El Deeb in Cairo contributed to this report.

The colleges will form a consortium aimed at training the next generation of scientists in the rapidly emerging field of biomathematics.

NORTHAMPTON – Four local colleges have received a five-year, $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to form a consortium aimed at training the next generation of scientists in the rapidly emerging field of biomathematics.

Smith, Amherst, Mount Holyoke and Hampshire colleges will form a Four College Biomathematics Consortium to support joint investigations into life research questions, exploring fields such as genome sequences that offer clues to fundamental questions about life on earth.

The Planning Board would like to allow lots as small as 7,500 square feet to be developed provided they have 75 feet of frontage and are owned in conjunction with a neighboring lot that has been developed.

Republican flie photo

WEST SPRINGFIELD – The Town Council Monday referred to its ordinances and policies committee a proposal to grandfather some lots too small to be developed under current zoning regulations.

The council took that action following the continuation of a public hearing on the proposal during which once again no one from the public came forward to speak about the issue.

The committee will take up the proposal Sept. 14 and send its recommendation to the full council for a vote. The Planning Board would like to allow lots as small as 7,500 square feet to be developed provided they have 75 feet of frontage and are owned in conjunction with a neighboring lot that has been developed.

Waleska Martinez was a passenger aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001. Her sister, Lourdes LeBron, is a resident of Northampton. Watch video

Whenever Lourdes LeBron had a bad day, a meltdown, a crazy story to tell, she would call her sister Waleska Martinez.

“She was my rock, the glue that held me and our family together,” says LeBron, a Northampton resident.

Waleska Martinez was a passenger aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001, the airliner aboard which the 40 passengers and crew, realizing the pattern of the terror attacks on America, attempted to seize control of the plane. The aircraft, believed to have been bound for an attack on the nation’s Capitol, crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pa.

“Even though she was the younger sister she was always the more mature one. She was driven and organized and disciplined and I was wild and dramatic. We balanced each other out,” LeBron said.

Ten years may have passed, but the loss of her sister is as fresh as if it happened yesterday.

“For me and for my family every day is Sept. 11. The terrorists did not just kill Waleska that day. They killed my family,” LeBron said.

Martinez was one of four siblings. She was younger than LeBron, but older than their brothers Juan and Reinaldo Martinez.

“She was all about family,” LeBron said. “On her days off from work she would drive to Springfield, where my brother Juan used to live, and we would spend the weekends together.”

Sundays meant long telephone conversations between the two sisters. “We would talk almost everyday, but Sundays were the day we had long talks. Sometimes I still wait for her to call on Sundays,” said LeBron.

Martinez, who lived in New Jersey and worked for the U.S. Department of Commerce in the Census Bureau, often traveled for her job.

“For some reason this time she didn’t want to fly. She actually canceled that trip several times because she felt uneasy about going,” LeBron said.

Martinez’s mother and younger brother Reinaldo Martinez were visiting her the week before the attacks. Their mother helped her pack her bags for the trip and waved to her as she got into the taxi to catch her flight that was bound from Newark to San Francisco.

“My mom said Waleska was uneasy leaving the house that morning,” LeBron recalled. “She didn’t want to leave my mother and brother; she left with a heavy heart.”

LeBron has attended dozens of memorials here, in Pennsylvania where the plane crashed and in Cidra, Puerto Rico where the sisters were born and raised.

“I like to remember her, to talk about her. It helps me cope,” LeBron said.

Throughout her home there are photos of her sister, awards she has been given posthumously and even a small container with dirt from the crash site given to her by former First Lady Laura Bush.

In a cardboard box LeBron keeps letters, greeting cards and photos of her and her sister. The oldest greeting cards are from the 1970s when the sisters were teenagers.

“I adored my sister,” she said. “She gave me strength and hope. She would send me letters and cards all the time telling me she loved me and believed in me. She always knew the right thing to say and the right thing to do.”

A graduate of the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras, Martinez worked as a computer analyst for the Census Bureau.

“I was the first one to move to the United States, and she would always send me letters telling me she was saving to move with me, and as soon as she could she moved and started at the Census Bureau as an office clerk. Slowly, she proved herself and moved up,” LeBron said. “Her family and her work were everything to her.”

The events of Sept. 11, 2001 and Martinez’s death fractured her family, according to LeBron.

“We each retreated into ourselves. We grew apart when she was no longer there to hold us together,” she said.

LeBron has suffered depression and anxiety due to the attacks and just last year her youngest brother committed suicide.

“He had cerebral palsy, and Waleska and I used to spoil him when she was alive. He was our baby. When she died, we all dealt with the grief in our own way. I think because he couldn’t really speak, he didn’t have a chance to deal with her death and the sadness of losing her,” LeBron said.

LeBron is trying to move on with her life and honor her sister’s wishes.

“She wanted me to take care of our mother and our brother,” she said. “It’s one of the last things she told me when we spoke before her trip. She called me and she said, ‘Please take care of them while I’m away.’ My brother is gone, but my mom is still alive and I want to be there for her.”

LeBron recently enrolled at Holyoke Community College where she will be taking courses in communications and graphic design.

“I left college before I got my degree, and Waleska always encouraged me to go back,” she said. “I feel like she would be very proud of me for trying.”

LeBron will be in Pennsylvania on Sunday Sept. 11 for the dedication of the Flight 93 national memorial.

After the events of this anniversary, LeBron will come home, go to school and honor her sister by living her own life, she said.

“When she died I thought there was no reason to keep going. Without her here my life became empty and lonely, but I have made it through,” LeBron said. “I made it through one year, then five years and now 10 years. I will continue to make it because that is what she would want me to do.”

Jennifer Gardner Trulson’s memoir, “Where You Left Me,” tells about her life without her husband who died on 9/11.

Jennifer Gardner Trulson had what most people would call a perfect life.

A lawyer in New York City, she had a husband she adored, two beautiful, healthy children, an apartment in Manhattan and a house in the Hamptons.

And, then, one morning her husband went to work at the World Trade Center, and her world crumbled around her.

Gardner Trulson’s husband, Douglas B. Gardner, was the executive managing director of Cantor Fitzgerald, working on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center. He was one of 658 Cantor Fitzgerald employees who died on Sept. 11, 2001.

Gardner Trulson’s recently published memoir, “Where You Left Me,” tells about her life without her husband and finding love and happiness again after his death.

“Doug was my hero, protector and co-conspirator,” says Gardner Trulson, a native of Longmeadow. “After six-and-a-half years of marriage, we were still courting and my heart leapt every time he entered a room. I’ve always described that loving Doug was like breathing. We were effortless with each other. When I was about to go over a cliff, he gently pulled me back, and I never pushed him to the edge because no issue or complaint ever rose to a level that mattered.”

In her book she describes their courtship, special moments they shared as a couple and their life together as parents to Michael, then 4, and Julia, then 2. She details how the loss of her husband crippled her and how she found the idea of raising their children without him unbearable.

Gardner was 39-years-old when he was killed. He was a devoted husband and father, a basketball fanatic and a kind employer. On Cantor Fitzgerald’s memorial website, employees, friends and family described him as a man who loved his family and treated his employees with kindness and respect.

“Doug brought out the best in everyone he ever met, and his humanity set a standard for others to follow,” Gardner Trulson said recently.

In her book she shares the pain felt not only by her own family, but also by Howard W. Lutnick, the chief executive officer of Cantor Fitzgerald, who lost his own brother, along with Gardner, who was his best friend, and many other friends and employees that day a decade ago. Gardner Trulson credits Lutnick with helping her family, especially her son, cope with the death of his father by spending “man time” with him and telling him stories about his dad.

Her book is filled with details of the moments of loneliness and sadness Gardner Trulson encountered after her husband’s death. Small, random moments, like receiving a package of Gardner’s custom made shirts in the mail and knowing he would never open it or being delivered a small bag of mangled credit cards that belonged to him and retrieved from Ground Zero, could destroy her for days, she said.

She also describes the support given to her by her parents, her sister and her fiancee, her in-laws and many friends who helped her take care of her children and get through each day.

In the wake of her husband’s death, Gardner Trulson began writing thoughts about him on legal pads and scraps of paper. She then began to tape record happy memories, anecdotes and everything she could remember. It was never meant to be a book, but more a way for her to keep his memory alive for their children, she explained.

“I just wanted to create a private archive of remembrances for my children,” Gardner Trulson said. “One of my first panicked thoughts immediately after the attacks was how were my children ever going to know their father. My son was nearly 5, and my daughter was two-and-a-half. One day they would eventually ask about their dad, and I was afraid I’d only be able to share abstract, vague stories diluted by the passage of time. I didn’t want Doug to be a ghost to them. I didn’t want to lose his immediacy and the impact his life and loss had on us.”

The book also includes Gardner Trulson’s recounting of her courtship with her current husband, Derek Trulson, a man she met at a restaurant in the Hamptons when he stepped on her foot 10 months after her husband died. The last thing on her mind was dating again.

“I said at his funeral that Doug loved me enough for a lifetime and that would be enough,” Gardner said.

She writes about the experience of being a widow who still feels married, but is attracted to another man. The book details his encounters with her children and her friends and his acceptance of Gardner’s presence in her life. The couple married in 2005, and Trulson adopted her children.

“Derek showed me that my life could still be an adventure despite what my family lost. While others were telling me that I would learn to cope, he helped me understand that I could actually live and feel again,” Gardner Trulson said. “He embraced Doug’s memory with me and talked about him with the kids, ensuring that Doug was never far away. Because I didn’t have to suppress Doug’s memory or get over my loss to engage with Derek, I suddenly found myself opening my heart to him and allowing him to pull me back into the world.”

Gardner Trulson hopes readers can identify with her story of love and loss. No matter how happy she is now and how thankful she is for her life, she says, Gardner will always be with her and that’s really the only way she can move forward.

“I feel Doug’s loss palpably every day,” Gardner Trulson said. “I don’t mind. I want his memory to sting because he deserves to be remembered. I’ve found that one doesn’t have to take down the pictures and put the memories in a sealed box in order to move on. I believe I can carry Doug with me while I embrace the incredible life I have with Derek and the kids. I don’t have to choose. I’ve tried to stay true to both worlds, and somehow joy has found us.”

Approval of the ballot question would replace the 115-year-old city charter with one supporters say is more effective. Watch video

The RepublicanThe 2011 candidates for mayor in Holyoke are, top row from left, Daniel Boyle and Daniel Burns, and bottom row from left, Alex Morse and incumbent Elaine Pluta.

HOLYOKE – The three challengers in the race for mayor will vote yes on a binding question on the Nov. 8 election ballot to establish a new city charter.

Candidates Daniel C. Burns, Alex B. Morse and Daniel C. Boyle said replacing the 115-year-old city charter would make government more efficient and effective.

But Mayor Elaine A. Pluta will vote no on the charter question, even though supporters of the question say it would strengthen the mayor’s office.

Pluta supports some changes, she said, but the question on the ballot would disturb the balance of power in city government.

The charter is a 20-page document established in 1896 that outlines the officials and departments of government and their duties, as well as how elections should be held.

A nine-member commission that voters elected in 2009 spent 18 months studying the charter. The commission’s report is what voters will be asked to approve or reject on Election Day.

The question contains many changes to the charter, but state law requires that the question be approved or rejected as a whole.

Changes include: increasing the mayor’s term from two years to four; reducing the City Council from 15 members to 11, keeping the seven ward councilors and dropping the at large number from eight to four; and establishing a Finance Department under the supervision of a finance director overseeing the assessors, tax collector, treasurer and city auditor.

All of the finance officials would be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the City Council, a major change. Now, the treasurer is elected and the assessors, tax collector and auditor are appointed by the City Council, with the mayor lacking any say over such officials.

The new charter also would require periodic charter reviews and establish steps to recall elected officials and permit increased voter participation in government.

Some charter provisions, such as mayor’s term, would not take effect until the 2013 election.

On Sept. 20, voters in a preliminary election will narrow the field of candidates for mayor to the top two vote-getters who will then compete on Election Day.

Here are the candidates on the city charter question:

Daniel C. Burns

Burns, a former business owner and former city councilor, said the recall and voter participation steps underscore the meaning of democracy.

“Voters and taxpayers need to be heard and this new charter has methods to assure that they will be heard,” Burns said.

The Finance Department and its director could reduce the burden on taxpayers, he said.

“This new charter reconfigures city government to all the needs of all the people of the city of Holyoke,” Burns said.

Alex B. Morse

Morse a former career counselor at CareerPoint, said having a new charter would modernize government and make the mayor more effective.

A four-year term for mayor would increase efficiency, he said, because under the current two-year term it takes months for a new mayor to evaluate the city’s organization, after which a new election cycle begins.

Knowing the mayor will be in office four years instead of just two also could enhance stability, which could lead to better labor relations and a stronger relationship with the business community, he said.

“While the proposals from the charter commission are not perfect, they are a step in the right direction,” Morse said.

Daniel C. Boyle

A business consultant, Boyle said increasing the mayor’s term and installing a finance department would improve planning and responsiveness to taxpayers.

“Serious changes in the form of local government must be made in order for Holyoke to undertake the path to true economic development,” Boyle said.

A smaller City Council that still keeps a representative for each ward will be more effective and aligned with other communities’ legislative boards, he said.

The charter question also would establish a human resources department, which would develop standards for job descriptions, merit principles and compensation – necessary for fairness, he said.

Elaine A. Pluta

Pluta is in her first term and preceded that with 14 years on the City Council.

She thanked commission members for their work, but said the proposed charter would shift too much power from voters and the City Council to the mayor.

“There is a natural strength in the balance of power between the executive, legislative and legal branches of our local government that reflects the voters’ expectations,” Pluta said.

The treasurer should continue to be an elected post, she said, and the council should retain its appointing authorities.

She supports fewer changes than the question proposes, including a four-year term for mayor and having a finance department, changes that the mayor and City Council can establish if they choose, she said.

David Ellis was arrested just after 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE - A 35-year-old South Hadley man was arrested on Tuesday for the alleged armed robbery of a Holyoke liquor store.

Around 9 p.m., police were called to BJ's Liquor at 54 Canal St. after a man showed a gun and made off with money from the register.

"He walked up to the register, pointed a handgun at the clerk's stomach and demanded all the money," said Holyoke police Lt. Manny Febo. "He got away with just over $400 and took off on a bicycle."

Officers swarmed on the area and found David Ellis, 35, of 66 Birch St., South Hadley, on a bicycle and in possession of the cash from the register, Febo said.

Police say he was detained and identified by the clerk, leading to him being charged with armed robbery.

Ellis was taken into custody and held awaiting arraignment in Holyoke District Court.

The police station in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Today's chance of precipitation is 70%, with a tenth to a quarter inch of rain possible.

The Republican | Greg Saulmon09.07.2011 | SPRINGFIELD - At Riverfront Park Thursday morning, steps leading from the promenade to the river were still caked in mud from last week's flooding as the water rose again.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning that covers a number of Western Massachusetts communities.

In effect until 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, the warning covers Franklin County, including Greenfield; Hampden County, including Springfield and Chicopee; and Hampshire County, including Northampton and Amherst.

Sections of the Westfield and Mill rivers reached flood stage as of 7:30 a.m., the warning notes, and will remain at that stage for several hours. Other small streams in the warning area are likely to flood over the course of the day as rain showers continue to soak the area.

In Northampton, the Mill River at the Clement Street bridge was recorded at 10.71 feet at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, data from the National Weather Service's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service show.

Flood stage at the Clement Street gauge is 11 feet, and the river's record crest there was 16.42 feet on Aug. 28, as Hurricane Irene drenched the region. At 11 feet, flooding occurs along the Smith College river walk path. Farm roads in the area of the Oxbow flood when the river reaches 12 feet.

The Connecticut River remained below its 112-foot flood stage in the city Wednesday morning. It was most recently measured at 109.02 feet at 8 a.m.

In Colrain, the North River at Shattuckville was recorded at 6.51 feet at 7:15 a.m. Flood stage there is 9 feet; "action stage", though, is 6 feet. The river reached a record level of 17.66 feet -- over 4 feet above major flood stage -- during Hurricane Irene.

The latest forecast from the National Weather Service calls for rain to continue through Thursday, with a chance of showers again on Friday.

Rainfall totals of a tenth to a quarter of an inch are possible today, when the chance of precipitation is 70%.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe warned that the Postal Service is on "the brink of default" as he battles to keep his agency solvent.

Associated PressPostmaster General Patrick Donahoe appears before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee as the panel examines the economic troubles of the Postal Service, a self-funded federal agency in decline because of the Internet and advertising losses, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011.

WASHINGTON — Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe warned that the Postal Service is on "the brink of default" as he battles to keep his agency solvent.

Without legislation by Sept. 30, the agency "will default on a mandated $5.5 billion payment to the Treasury," Donahoe told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

And with no congressional action, a year from now, next August or September, the post office could run out of money to pay salaries and contractors, hampering its ability to operate, Donahoe said.

"We do not want taxpayer money," Donahoe said, "We have got to get our finances in order."

Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said: "We must act quickly. The U.S. Postal Service is not an 18th century relic, it is a 21st century national asset, but times are changing rapidly now and so, too, must the post office."

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, noted that the post office supports a $1.1 trillion mailing industry employing more than 8 million people in direct mail, periodicals, catalogs, financial services and other businesses.

Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., noted several proposals have been put forward to improve postal operations and said that Congress needs to work on areas where agreement can be found. Both Carper and Collins have introduced bills to reform postal operations, and measures have also been introduced in the House.

Donahoe and his predecessor John Potter have warned for months that without changes in the law governing postal operations the Postal Service will be unable to make advance payments to cover future retiree medical benefits.

Staggered by the economic downturn and the massive shift from first-class mail to email, the post office lost more than $8 billion last year and is facing losses at least that large this year, despite having cut 110,000 jobs over the last four years and making other changes, including closing smaller, local post offices.

The Postal Service, which does not receive tax money for its operations, is not seeking federal funds.

Instead, postal officials want changes in the way they operate, including relief from the requirement that it prefund medical costs. No other federal agency has to prefund retiree health benefits, but because of the way the federal budget is organized the money counts as income to the government, so eliminating it would make the federal deficit appear larger.

When Congress restructured postal operations in 2006 it ordered the agency to establish a separate fund to begin covering those benefits, instead of using money for the post office's general fund, starting in 2017, and to make annual advance payments to that account. The payment due Sept. 30 would be $5.5 billion.

Also, the post office wants to reduce mail delivery to five days-a-week; close 3,700 offices, further cut the workforce by up to 220,000; and to withdraw from federal retirement systems and set up its own. It also seeks the return of $6.9 billion it overpaid into retirement funds.

Contracts with its employee unions currently strictly limit layoffs and closing post offices riles local communities who complain to their members of Congress.