Traders focused on remarks from German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggesting that the second bailout package for Greece might have to be renegotiated.

Associated Press photoGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and the Prime Minister of Greece, Georgios Papandreou, left, adress the media prior to a dinner at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday. On Wall Street Wednesday, traders focused on remarks from Merkel suggesting that the second bailout package for Greece might have to be renegotiated.

NEW YORK – A three-day winning streak in the stock market came to an end Wednesday as investors worried about Europe’s ability to contain its debt crisis. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 180 points. Raw materials companies had the biggest declines after prices for commodities like copper and oil fell sharply.

Traders focused on remarks from German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggesting that the second bailout package for Greece might have to be renegotiated. Several European leaders want banks to take bigger losses on Greek bonds. France and the European Central Bank oppose the idea.

Germany’s parliament is set to vote Thursday on a measure that would give a European rescue fund more powers to fight the region’s debt crisis. Finland’s parliament approved the proposal Wednesday, lifting some uncertainty over the debt crisis issue which has been dogging financial markets since late July.

“This is a market that has been fluctuating and is thoroughly susceptible to any news, any rumors, any innuendos,” about Europe, said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 179.79 points, or 1.6 percent, to close at 11,010.90. It had gained 413 points over the past two days.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 fell 24.32, or 2.1 percent, to 1,151.06.

The Nasdaq composite index fell 55.25, or 2.2 percent, to 2,491.58

The declines were broad. Five stocks fell for one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. Only 17 of the 500 stocks in the S&P 500 rose.

Raw materials stocks fell the most of any industry group in the S&P 500, 4.5 percent. Investors fear that Europe’s problems could cause the global economy to slip into another recession, weakening demand for basic materials such as copper. The price of copper plunged 5.6 percent; crude oil fell 3.8 percent to $81.21 barrel.

Miner Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. fell 7.2 percent, and Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. fell 8.4 percent. Coal producer Alpha Natural Resources fell 11 percent, the most of any company in the S&P.

Trading varied widely throughout the day. The Dow jumped 126 points minutes after the opening bell on a government report that orders for manufactured goods fell just 0.1 percent in August, a smaller decline than economists predicted.

Those gains were gone within an hour, leaving the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq mixed through the rest of the morning. Stocks started to fall in the afternoon, and the selling intensified in the last half-hour of trading.

The decline followed three days of gains. Stocks rose earlier this week on hopes that Europe was moving closer to resolving its debt problems. The Dow soared 272 points on Monday, its fourth-largest increase this year, and another 147 points on Tuesday.

“The market got ahead of itself,” said Joseph Saluzzi, co-head of stock trading at Themis Trading. Investors “assumed some kind of deal would be structured, and that was so far away from happening.”

Technology companies fared better than the overall market. Amazon.com shot up 2.5 percent after the online retailer unveiled a new tablet device called the Kindle Fire. It will cost $199 and will rival Apple Inc.’s hugely successful iPad.

Jabil Circuit Inc. rose 8.9 percent, the most of any company in the S&P 500. The electronic parts maker reported strong earnings and a fourth-quarter earnings forecast that was better than analysts had anticipated.

But federal immigration insisted that the would be rolled out nationally according to a schedule that would not be influenced by the support from individual states.

This is an updated version of a story posted at 2:17 this afternoon.

Associated Press photoBristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson gestures during a news conference in regard to the "Secure Communities" program, or "S Comm", held by Massachusetts county sheriffs at the Statehouse in Boston, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011. The program is designed to immediately check the immigration status of those arrested for crimes. Opponents say it will lead to profiling.

BOSTON – Several Massachusetts sheriffs and U.S. Sen. Scott P. Brown said Wednesday that Gov. Deval L. Patrick’s opposition to Secure Communities could push the state to the bottom of the list for implementation of the federal program aimed at identifying illegal immigrants who are arrested for crimes.

But federal immigration officials countered that the program, which is slated to be fully activated by the end of 2013, would be rolled out nationally according to a schedule that would not be influenced by the support – or lack thereof – from individual states or officials.

The issue has become increasingly contentious in Massachusetts, where critics of Patrick’s position have pointed to several recent crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants and contended that the crimes may have been prevented had Secure Communities been in effect.

Three Massachusetts sheriffs, accompanied by several lawmakers, held a news conference at the Statehouse on Wednesday to announce that they would seek to immediately implement elements of the federal program in their counties. The news conference was cut short after a group of immigrant advocates holding signs denouncing Secure Communities entered the room where it was being held and some attempted to shout their own questions at the sheriffs.

Under the program, fingerprints taken from a crime suspect by local law enforcement officials would be turned over to the FBI, who would then share the information with the Department of Homeland Security. If it appeared that a person was in the U.S. illegally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement could initiate deportation proceedings.

Critics say it could lead to profiling and increase tensions between police and immigrant communities.

Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson declared that Massachusetts was becoming a “magnet” for illegal immigrants who believe they will not be discovered in the state.

“We need to get Secure Communities faster than any other state,” Hodgson said. “It’s no secret that based on the kind of benefits that people are able to access here that, much like terrorists, they are looking for the place to go where no one will notice them.”

Hodgson speculated that Massachusetts would be considered for speedier implementation of the program if Patrick were supportive of it.

“That would move us up the chain as far as Washington is concerned, if they heard from this governor. But if they’re hearing that this governor doesn’t want it, they are obviously going to the states that do want it first,” said Hodgson, who was joined by two fellow Republicans, Worcester Sheriff Lewis Evangelidis and Joseph McDonald, sheriff of Plymouth County.

Brown, who did not attend the Statehouse event, on Wednesday released a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, in which the Republican senator asked that Secure Communities be activated “swiftly and expeditiously” in Massachusetts.

Brown also expressed concern in his letter that Patrick’s opposition would make Massachusetts a “low priority” for implementation by ICE.

But federal officials say arguments offered for or against the program won’t impact the timing of its rollout.

“Because Secure Communities is fundamentally an information sharing program between two federal partners, the federal government makes the determination on when and where to activate it, based on the availability of federal resources,” Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for ICE, said in an e-mailed statement.

Patrick, a Democrat, has made a similar argument, saying that Secure Communities is a federal program that the state cannot opt in to or opt out of. In June, however, he instructed his public safety secretary to send a letter to Homeland Security stating that Patrick wouldn’t sign any memorandum of understanding for the state to join the program.

Patrick says police already turn fingerprints over to the FBI and he’s expressed concern that the federal program would lead to profiling and create distrust between immigrants and law enforcement.

Activists who crashed the sheriffs’ news conference on Wednesday agreed.

“Secure Communities is a program that is criminalizing people just because they don’t have the proper documentation to live and work in the United States,” said Patricia Montes, head of Centro Presente, a Latino immigrant rights organization.

The sheriffs declined to engage the protesters, saying the event was a news conference intended for reporters only. State police and park rangers arrived and asked the activists to leave the room, but they responded with the chant: “We have every right to speak.”

The news conference was then abruptly ended.

Among the events that reignited the Secure Communities controversy in Massachusetts was the death in August of a 23-year-old motorcyclist in Milford. Authorities said an illegal immigrant from Ecuador, who was driving a pickup truck drunk and without a license, struck Matthew Denice, dragged his body a quarter of a mile and then backed up over him.

On Monday, a Brazilian native who officials said may be in the U.S. illegally was arrested and charged with the fatal stabbing of his ex-girlfriend in Marshfield.

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers has unveiled a bill that among other things would crack down on illegal immigrants caught driving without a license and make it more difficult for them to live in public housing.

“It was an unbelievable experience. You really felt the togetherness of the community.”

File photo by John Suchocki / The RepublicanLibrary Director Jennifer R. Grant and Vice Chairman of the library trustee's and building committee member Virginia Snopek look at an artist's rendering of the proposed new Granby Public Library earlier this year.

GRANBY – The town has scheduled a special Town Meeting for Oct. 24 at the Junior-Senior High School.

So far, the only article on the warrant asks voters to approve using $861,000 to help pay for a new public library.

They will not be asked at this point to decide where the money should come from. It could come from a debt exclusion, from the town’s Building Stabilization Fund or from other sources, said Christopher Martin, Town Administrator for Granby.

“I think all the various departments (of town government) and many of the residents support the concept of a new library,” said Martin.

The current library was built in 1917, when the population of the town was dramatically smaller.

The new library has a $4.6 million price tag.

A major break came in July when the town received a Massachusetts Public Library Construction Grant of $2 million.

Virginia Snopek, chairwoman of the library’s Board of Trustees has led an epic effort to raise as much of the rest as possible before turning to voters.

She has had help from the 200-plus members of “Friends of the Library,” some major donors, organizations like the Lions Club, and many others.

In September, for example, 100 tickets to a fund-raising “Farm-to-Table” dinner in Granby quickly sold out at $50 a head.

“It was an unbelievable experience,” said Snopek. “You really felt the togetherness of the community.”

Local farmers donated produce for the dinner, a Mount Holyoke College chef whose wife grew up in Granby volunteered his talents, and sponsorships for the dinner came from as far away as Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut.

Other fund-raisers have included a knit-a-thon, a raffle, the town’s first-ever Garden Tour and a Spa Night organized by youth librarian Janice McCardle.

Coming up: A “Mom-to-Mom” multi-family tag sale on Oct. 15 at Granby Junior-Senior High School and a Holiday House Tour on Dec. 10.

Snopek said the town has been trying to get a new library since 1973. “A library is one of the great public institutions in a democracy,” she said.

Time for the special Town Meeting has not yet been announced.

In Franklin County, 65 percent of primary-care doctors are accepting new patients, according to the Physician Workforce Study.

Mark A. Keroack, left, president of Baystate Medical Practices, is seen with Kevin P. Moriarty, president of the Hampden Medical Society in this composite photo.

SPRINGFIELD – Western Massachusetts is suffering a critical shortage of primary-care doctors that is forcing patients to search harder for doctors accepting new clients then wait too long for that first appointment.

In Franklin County, 65 percent of primary-care doctors are accepting new patients, according to the Physician Workforce Study released Wednesday by the Massachusetts Medical Society. In Hampshire County 74 percent are accepting new patients and in Hampden County 75 percent are. The statewide average is 75 percent, but Norfolk County in suburban Boston boasts that 83 percent of primary care doctors are seeing new patients.

Wait times for that first appointment vary according to the survey of more than 1,000 doctors from around the state. In Hampshire County a new patients are waiting an average of 55 days to see a doctor in family practice. That’s 19 days longer than the statewide average of 36 days for new patients.

The wait time to see an internist in Hampden County is 51 days compared with 48 days statewide.

Across all the primary care specialties – cardiology, internal medicine, gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedic surgery, family medicine and pediatrics – Franklin county had an average wait time of 53 days, Hampden 36 days and Hampshire 33. The statewide average is 35 days.

“Our goal across all our physician practice dates is a two-week wait time,” said Dr. Mark A. Keroack, chief physician executive and president, Baystate Medical Practices which is part of Baystate Health. “About half our practices are at that standard.”

He said waiting to see a doctor is a dangerous thing. Dramatic weight loss might mean anxiety or depression or it could signal a hidden cancer. Intermittent chest pain could be a pulled muscle or it could be a serious cardiac condition.

“The whole business of medical practice is sorting out the more trivial condition from the serious disease,” Keroack said.

Dr. Kevin P. Moriarty , president of the Hampden Medical Society, said high wait times end up sending folks to emergency rooms for things that should be handled in a doctor’s office. Moriarty is chief pediatric surgery at Baystate Medical Center.

But Moriarty said it can be tough to attract doctors to Western Massachusetts. For one thing, there is more money in Boston.

“The costs of living are lower. Here, a young doctor can buy a home to raise a family in,” he said.

But many doctors have $250,000 or more in student debt, payments that do not change when they live in a lower-cost community, Moriarty said.

But a higher percentage of patients in Western Massachusetts are on Medicaid or MassHealth-related products instead of higher-paying private insurance. that’s why Moriarty and his partners closed their practice and moved to Baystate Medical Center. Sixty percent of his practice’s patients were on Medicaid.

“We couldn’t pay the bills,” he said.

Keroack, who grew up in Springfield and returned to Baystate in June from Chicago, said recruiting is easier if the doctor has personal or family ties to the area. That’s why it’s important that Baystate has medical school and residency programs and undergrads from area colleges and universities go to medical school.

He said Baystate has a staff of 450 doctors and hired 60 doctors last year, 13 of them in primary care specialties. “We’re big enough so that we can have full-time recruiters posting on the Web and even doing Facebook,” he said.

The Citizens Police Academy gives ordinary city residents an opportunity to learn how the police department works from a view along the front lines.

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Police Department has openings for city residents who wish to take part in the 31st Citizens Police Academy, beginning Oct. 5.

The Citizens Police Academy gives ordinary city residents an opportunity to learn how the police department works from a view along the front lines. The free 10-week program offers an insider view on the department with sessions focused on the nine city patrol sectors, K-9 Unit, Narcotics and Vice, Gang Task Force, the Detective Bureau, and Internal Investigations.

There is also instruction on the department’s nine policing sectors, evidence gathering, crime analysis and problem solving, and the use of force.

Police community liaison Kathleen Brown said the program has been successful for a long time and “many people have had a great time taking part. Past attendees have had an opportunity to learn the role of the Springfield Police Department in their community along with what tasks they perform.”

Sessions are Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. at the police station at 130 Pearl St. It is free and open to Springfield residents, age 18 and older.

The application can be found online at www.springfieldpolice.net or by contacting Brown at Kbrown@springfieldpolice.net or by phone at (413) 787-6359.

A powerful typhoon arrived in southern China on Thursday after skirting Hong Kong and bringing death and widespread flooding to the Philippines earlier this week.

By KELVIN CHAN, Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — A powerful typhoon arrived in southern China on Thursday after skirting Hong Kong and bringing death and widespread flooding to the Philippines earlier this week.

Typhoon Nesat made landfall on the eastern tip of China's Hainan island at 2:30 p.m., the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Hainan authorities closed schools, suspended ferry services and recalled fishing boats as the storm made its way across the South China Sea from the Philippines, where it killed 35 people and left another 45 missing.

Some 67 flights were canceled at the island's two airports, Xinhua said.

The storm swept past Hong Kong earlier in the day, forcing the stock market to suspend trading and shops and businesses to close but causing little damage. The Asian financial center's normally bustling streets were eerily quiet, with few people venturing outside to brave the rain and fierce winds.

Two people were injured when bamboo scaffolding was blown over and collapsed onto a taxi, while a man was injured by a falling tree, local broadcaster RTHK said. A barge ripped free from its moorings in the rough seas slammed into a seawall on Hong Kong Island, forcing some nearby apartments to be evacuated, news reports said.

Local broadcaster Cable TV showed footage of tour groups from mainland China who were stranded after cross-border ferry services were suspended. At Hong Kong's airport, 245 flights were delayed, 20 were canceled and 22 diverted to other airports.

The storm came within 220 miles (350 kilometers) of Hong Kong in the morning before moving away, the Hong Kong Observatory said. It lowered its gale-force wind warning by late afternoon.

The National Meteorological Center reported that fishing boats were in port and schools along the coast had been shut in advance of the typhoon, which is the 17th and likely the strongest to hit Hainan this year.

Nesat left devastation in the Philippines, triggering some of the worst flooding in downtown Manila in decades.

Floodwaters were receding in most places, but many low-lying communities in the north remained in crisis.

Mayor Santiago Austria of the rice-farming town of Jaen in Nueva Ecija province appealed to the government for help, saying many people in his community of 63,000 needed to be rescued but that officials there had only four rescue boats.

"Many people here are still on top of their houses. We don't have enough boats to reach them and hand them food," Austria said.

In all, nearly 500,000 people were affected by the typhoon in the northern Philippines, of which about 170,000 were forced to flee their homes and were in various evacuation centers. The government estimated damage to farms and infrastructure at 1.15 billion pesos ($26 million).

Meanwhile, a new tropical storm was brewing in the Pacific, Philippine government forecaster Bobby Javier said, adding that it already had sustained winds of 52 mph (85 kph) and gusts up to 62 mph (100 kph) and was expected to strengthen significantly before hitting major parts of the country in the next few days.

___

Associated Press writer Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.

Dupre, who has spent a combined 23 years for the Hampden County sheriff’s office and the Department of Correction, told councilors that she would handle each parole eligible offender on a case-by-case basis.

Photo by Michael DeehanSheila Dupre of East Longmeadow, nominee for the state Parole Board, is shown at her confirmation hearing at the Statehouse.

By Matt Murphy, STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

BOSTON -- Sheila Dupre, Gov. Deval Patrick’s pick for a seat on the Parole Board, told the Governor’s Council on Wednesday that her knowledge of the corrections system and experience with re-entry programs would benefit the board.

Dupre, who has spent a combined 23 years for the Hampden County sheriff’s office and the Department of Correction, told councilors that she would handle each parole eligible offender on a case-by-case basis, rejecting the idea that parole rates, citizenship status or other outside pressures should influence decisions.

“It’s a delicate balance between public safety and re-entry. Does the community have the resources necessary to provide the services and treatment necessary to assist the offender with the adjustment to the community?” Dupre said.

If confirmed, Dupre will fill the position currently held by John Bocon. Despite the Council’s vote to reject his re-nomination earlier this year, Bocon has remained on the board pending the confirmation of his successor.

Parole Board Chairman Joshua Wall, who has been forced to defend a recent decline in parole rates before the council, attended a portion of Dupre’s hearing.

Dupre, an East Longmeadow resident, started her career working for Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe and worked for 16 years in that office, overseeing department training and standards. She has worked for the Department of Correction for the past seven years, conducting audits of state and county facilities.

Members of the Governor’s Council largely heaped compliments on Dupre, citing her solid experience and recommendations that have poured in from sheriffs and other officials that have worked with her over the years.

Critics of her nomination, however, argued that Dupre lacked experience in working with inmates.

“I’m very pleased this nominee has experience working inside and is aware of the many factors that affect parole. That is the huge skill set Sheila would bring to the parole board. On paper things look great, but I would strongly prefer a nominee with experience who has worked with prisoners getting to know people who were incarcerated, their lives families, how they live and what motivates them to re-enter society,” said Leslie Walker, the director of Prisoners Legal Services.

Patricia Garin, a criminal defense attorney and co-director of the Northeastern University Law School Prisoners Assistance Program, joined Walker in advocating for a criminal defense attorney to be appointed to the Parole Board.

Both said the current makeup of the board, reconstituted by Gov. Deval Patrick after the murder of a Woburn police officer by paroled convict Dominic Cinelli, was dominated by people with backgrounds in law enforcement jeopardizing public safety and contributing to prison overcrowding.

“Recidivism rates go down when parole rate go up. This is happening around the country, but not in Massachusetts. It’s the Cinelli after-effect,” Garin said, telling councilors that declining parole rates have led to dangerously low morale among prisoners. She also said parolees are increasingly being recommitted for minor violations about of fear among parole officers that they might make a mistake.

“I have never in 27 years seen the spirit of the people serving time so low, so despondent, so hopeless, and you know what that means about safety in our prison. It’s no exaggeration. This is a nightmare,” Garin said.

While several councilors have expressed concern about declining parole rates, Councilor Jennie Cassie said she found Garin’s testimony “biased.”

Councilor Marilyn Devaney also said she found it unfair to pin the state of the current parole system on Dupre. “She can’t answer for that, and I don’t like to stereotype people,” Devaney said.

Asked what she would add to the Parole Board, Dupre cited her experience with the prison system, her knowledge of how the different sheriffs run their departments, and her involvement and familiarity with the various substance abuse, education, work training and other re-entry programs that prepare inmates for release.

“One of the things that would be most valuable for the parole board is to have someone with a working knowledge of what actually goes on in the institutions,” Dupre said, addressing the concerns of her critics by pointing out her frequent interactions with prisoners while conducting audits of prison facilities.

Dupre also highlighted her strong belief in making sure offenders are given the tools to succeed outside of prison when they are released, and said the availability of services should be a key factor in deciding parole cases.

“Without continuing to address their criminogenic needs with post release supervision, then we are failing ourselves and we are failing that inmate because without addressing those needs, it’s next to impossible for that inmate to succeed,” Dupre said.

Councilor Mary Ellen Manning, citing “concerns with the decisions being made at the Parole Board,” urged Dupre, if confirmed, to be independent and make her own decision.

“My concern with you is you’ve been a good foot soldier for the sheriff’s department and the Department of Corrections. You’re not in a foot soldier position now,” Manning said.

Councilor Charles Cipollini, a Fall River Republican who was the only councilor to support Bocon’s renomination, said he would also support Dupre.

“I like your statement that the judgment to release should be made on a case-by-case basis. I don’t like meeting a quota system and I’m going to vote for you,” Cipollini said.

Councilor Thomas Merrigan, who presided over the hearing, also said he was “impressed” by Dupre’s testimony and looked forward to placing her name in nomination for a vote next week.

“I think you offer an awful lot to the parole board that isn’t in the domain of those currently serving,” Merrigan said, noting that just because she comes from with the Department of Corrections doesn’t mean she’s in the “law enforcement bucket.”

Department of Correction Commissioner Luis Spencer was among the witnesses who testified in support of Dupre’s nomination. He said during her seven years in the department she displayed an ability to adapt to new challenges with a “unique blend that contributes to successful reentry into the community.”

“She is considered the leader in the field of corrections with the compassion, insight experience and intelligence to be an outstanding member of the Parole Board,” Spencer said.

Hampden Sheriff Michael Ashe called her a “consummate criminal justice professional with great integrity and a strong work ethic. “She ended up leaving me, which indicated her talent and skills,” Ashe said.

From dusk til' dawn, the work never stops at The Big E. The people behind the scenes are a diverse bunch each offering an old-fashioned work ethic and unique approach that blend to make the Eastern States Exposition the amazing experience it is each year. Watch video

WEST SPRINGFIELD - As the sun sets at the biggest fair in New England on any given night, festival goers are gearing up to enjoy the night life- Big E style.

While some enjoy quiet conversations with a Sam Adams Octoberfest in one of the many beer gardens, others are defying physics with the rides on the midway.

Some throw baseballs at beer bottles while others indulge in many of the culinary crossbreeds the fair has to offer.

Statehouse row glows against the dark sky, with each building showcasing the architectural elements that distinguish them from one another.

But inside and around those buildings, vendors and employees keep hustling well beyond closing time, to make sure the next day is just as eventful for everyone passing through the gates.

Many of them have been on their feet for more than 12 hours, taking only short breaks to grab a snack and use the restroom. Some sleep in nearby hotels or campers on the Big E grounds while others stay in tents or commute several hours just to take a nap and repeat the cycle for more than two weeks.

Despite the physical and emotional exhaustion associated with pulling off another successful Eastern States Exposition, the people that make The Big E what it is say the experience is well worth the hardship.

Jerome Boykin of Philadelphia, Pa. said he earns his money based on tips given out of appreciation for keeping the restroom clean. An average tip is $1 but he said several locals have tipped $10 bills, which are appreciated. (Republican Photo. Robert Rizzuto)

"I'm on my feet from dawn til' dusk keeping this restroom clean, and I mean clean as if it were in my own home," said Jerome Boykin, a Philadelphia, Pa. resident who is contracted to maintain a restroom at The Big E. "But for all the exhaustion and hard work, I'd say I enjoy it. I get to meet some interesting people and the money can be good too."

Boykin, who said he makes his bank off of the tips collected by the donations of those passing through the restroom door, travels to various fairs over the summer to offer his services. He said it is like a vacation from normal life.

"Out of all the places I go, this is the ultimate," Boykin said. "The people here are like nowhere else. They make it feel like a home away from home. That means a lot when you spend so much time on the road."

When asked what he does to wind down after a long day, Boykin's answer was similar to others working at The Big E.

"I rush to relax and just go to bed," he said. "By the time the day is over, I'm ready to take a shower and get some sleep to be ready for the next day."

Michael Holtan and Barry DeVoll made the trek to West Springfield from Iowa as part of Bixby's Rainforest Rescue stage show, which aims to educate and entertain while showcasing many of the marvelous animals native to the rainforest.

"When we're done and put the animals to bed, we might have dinner together and maybe watch some Modern Family, but then we're off to bed," DeVoll said. "We might hit up the Wal-Mart to restock on supplies but when the day is over, we are tired."

Holtan said that they did get to close early one night this week and the duo watched the Extreme Vegas show. Those nights are the exception rather than the rule.

But when they return to their camper exhausted from the day, Holtan said he still makes time to talk to his girlfriend on Skype, as she is in graduate school in China.

Connecticut residents David Platt and Matt Aldieri run The Dinosaur Place in the Connecticut building. After the patrons clear out, they still have their work cut out for them before a pillow and sigh of relief is eminent.

"We clean up this place and restock all the merchandise that sold throughout the day," Aldieri said. "We make it look like it's the first day, even though we know it will be a disaster again within 30 minutes of opening tomorrow."

Michael Holtan and Barry DeVoll of Iowa traveled to West Springfield as part of Bixby's Rainforest Rescue stage show. They said that when the gates close and they put the animals to bed, they usually eat a meal and get some sleep to do it all over again the next day. (Republican Photo/ Robert Rizzuto)

Platt said that once the books are balanced against the register's cash, they would like to enjoy some recreational activities, but it just isn't in the cards.

"When our day is over, nothing is open," Platt said. "Besides, we have to drive home to Connecticut and get a little sleep before doing it all over again. But it's a great break from a normal work week and you meet some cool people."

Platt said he drives almost two hours home while Aldieri has an hour journey to get to bed each night.

Juanita Manley, a Saint Albans Bay, Vt. resident, works for the Vermont Clothing Company in that state's building at The Big E. She said that each year is like a reunion with the regulars, many of whom she has become close with.

Although her day ends with the cleanup and restocking typical to many vendors, she tries to make time to visit with the friends she's made along the way.

As the sun sets at The Big E, the midway rides begin lighting up the sky. (Republican Photo/ Robert Rizzuto)

"A few of us are getting together this week to hang out and have a good time," Manley said. "Hopefully that won't go too late though, because there is always a full day of work to do tomorrow."

Long after the patrons shuffle out of the gates and back to their cars, the cleanup continues for much of the night. Vendors get fresh supplies and the grounds get a face lift, courtesy of a world-class cleaning and maintenance crew.

The animals and their keepers catch a quick bite and then hit the hay to do it all over again the next day.

As the exposition is renewed for another day of chaotic fun for all, it turns out that it isn't so much the machines and the lights, or even the animals and the food that make The Big E what it is.

Instead, it is the people who work tirelessly for 17 days straight and offer their own special brand of "crazy" to the spectacle that draws thousands to the greater Springfield area once a year.

The Big E does offer a little something for everyone, but without the people behind the scenes, it would likely be nothing more than a glorified carousel ride with an extremely disgusting restroom.

The rate freeze would affect customers of NStar gas, NStar electric and Western Massachusetts Electric Co.

Republican file photoAttorney General Martha Coakley

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has asked state utility regulators to either impose a five-year rate freeze or credit electricity and natural gas customers more than $300 million in estimated savings as a condition of approving the proposed merger of NStar and Northeast Utilities.

Coakley filed her request with the state Department of Public Utilities on Wednesday. She said a merger between Boston-based NStar and Connecticut-based Northeast Utilities has the potential for savings through increased operating efficiency, and those saving should be passed on to customers.

The rate freeze would affect customers of NStar gas, NStar electric and Western Massachusetts Electric Co.

The $4.7 billion deal announced last year would create the largest utility in New England with 3.5 million customers. Federal regulators have approved of the deal.

Duncan credited Massachusetts with setting “a great example for the country,” despite Reville acknowledging that under No Child Left Behind over 90 percent of Massachusetts schools have been categorized in some way as “underperforming” based on the most recent MCAS scores.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

By Matt Murphy, STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

BOSTON -- Celebrating the one-year anniversary of Massachusetts’s successful pitch for $250 million from the Obama administration’s Race to the Top program, Gov. Deval Patrick, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and state Education Secretary Paul Reville on Wednesday touted the efforts the state has made to improve innovation and student performance in public schools.

The anniversary comes as state education officials indicate they plan to seek a waiver from key provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act that require 100 percent of students to be proficient in English and math by 2014. Obama announced the opportunity for states to apply to opt out of portions of NCLB last Friday.

Duncan credited Massachusetts with setting “a great example for the country,” despite Reville acknowledging that under No Child Left Behind over 90 percent of Massachusetts schools have been categorized in some way as “underperforming” based on the most recent MCAS scores.

“We totally agree with the principle of No Child Left Behind and reaching 100 percent proficiency is the goal. We just want a better instrument for measuring progress, and looking at this waiver we think we have a better opportunity for substituting the Massachusetts model for the flawed federal model,” Reville said.

The waiver would not eliminate MCAS as a graduation requirement, but would allow Massachusetts to set its own criteria for determining which schools are underperforming. Of the 35 schools classified under state standards as Level 4 schools in 2010 in need of intervention, Reville said two thirds of those schools gained at least five points overall on MCAS test scores.

The first deadline for Massachusetts to seek a waiver from NCLB is Nov. 14, and Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester told the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Tuesday he aimed to meet that timeframe.

Over a year ago, Massachusetts lawmakers hurried to pass the Achievement Gap Act of 2010 in January in time to include those reforms on the state’s Race to the Top application, the Obama administration’s competitive grant program. The bill included an expansion in charter schools, the creation of new “innovation schools” and new rules to hold teacher’s accountable for their performance in the classroom.

Patrick also said he was “enthusiastically supporting” Obama’s American Jobs Act, which could include as much as $969 million in funding for Massachusetts to rebuild schools and keep teachers on the job.

“We need those teachers in the classroom and to continue to modernize the facilities so we’re teaching those young people to perform successfully in society,” Patrick said.

Duncan said the president’s jobs plan, which faces an uncertain future in Congress, would include $378 million to support 4,900 educator jobs in Massachusetts, and another $591 million in funding to 3,600 “educator and first responder” jobs.

"We have a lot in motion. The jobs bill would be of huge importance to us in terms of preserving education jobs and the momentum that we've put in place,” Reville said.

Warren, mayor of Newton, has had trouble raising money among Democrats seeking to challenge Republican Scott Brown.

Associated PressIn this May 10, 2011 file photo, Democratic Newton Mayor Setti Warren speaks to supporters during a campaign event in Newton, Mass.

WASHINGTON (AP) — First-term Newton Mayor Setti Warren is preparing to announce he's dropping out of the Massachusetts Senate race.

Warren's campaign says he will speak "on the future of his campaign" at his Newton, Mass., home Thursday morning.

A Democratic official familiar with Warren's decision said Wednesday that Warren will announce he's ending his campaign. The official requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

Warren's spokesman Chuck Gilboy declined to say if Warren was dropping out.

Warren, mayor of Newton, has had trouble raising money among Democrats seeking to challenge Republican Scott Brown. Consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren has had most of the attention since she joined the crowded field this month.

Democrats have worried that a divisive primary could dash their hopes of reclaiming the seat.

The presence of liquid chlorine in the building was a concern, but ultimately not a factor, in the blaze

Michael Gordon / The RepublicanInvestigators continue to probe the early Thursday morning blaze that destroyed a half-dozen or more hot tubs at Jelly Belly Pools & Spas storage building on Mill Street.

WESTFIELD – Investigators continue to probe an early Thursday morning fire that destroyed a half-dozen or more used hot tubs in a Mill Street storage building used by Jelly Belly Pools & Spas.

The presence of liquid chlorine in the building prompted Fire Chief Mary Regan to call in a regional hazardous materials response team to monitor the air at the scene, said Deputy Fire Chief James Kane.

The chlorine, however, several pallets worth, did not prove to be a factor in the blaze and remained safely contained. No injuries were reported.

“It was confined to the hot tubs.” Kane said, adding that there were six or eight of the tubs, also known as spas, stacked three or four high.

Cause of the fire remains undetermined. “There was no electrical ignition source,” Kane said. A state Trooper attached to the state Fire Marshal’s office was on the scene Thursday morning, he said,

The building at 77 Mill St., a former paper mill, is a short distance away from Jelly Belly’s showroom and retail operation at 58 Southwick Road. The business remains in operation, Kane said.

Kane said heavy black smoke could be seen coming from the windows when firefighters first arrived.

Firefighters cleared the scene shortly after 7:15 a.m. A damage estimate was not immediately available.

R.I. tribe sues to block gambling referendum, A Pipeline Divides Along Old Lines: Jobs Versus the Environment, and more

• Ex-preschool coordinator charged with stealing $12,000 from tuitions [Telegram.com]


• R.I. tribe sues to block gambling referendum [Projo.com]


• A Pipeline Divides Along Old Lines: Jobs Versus the Environment[NYTimes.com]


• Amazon Kindle Fire First Impressions: Solid but Limited [PCWorld.com]


• US ambassador Robert Ford pelted with tomatoes in Syria [BBC.co.uk]


• Tainted melons' death toll likely to climb [WSJ.com]


• Cain: Black community 'brainwashed' into voting for Dems [Politicalticker.com]


• Microsoft, Red Cross and UN sucked into global news fixing row [Independent.co.uk]


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


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A man in a disguise demanded and received narcotics from the pharmacist on Sept. 20.

Hampden Police DepartmentDean Christian

PALMER - A 46-year-old Monson man, suspected of robbing a bank in Hampden at gunpoint Monday night, faces charges in unarmed robbery of the Rite Aid on Thorndyke Street last week, Sgt. Scott E. Haley said.

Hampden police arrested Dean Christian outside his 202 Silver St. home in Monson shortly after midnight.

The armed robbery occurred nearly six hours before when a suspect appeared at the drive-up window of the Monson Savings Bank branch on Somers Road, showed a small black handgun and demanded and received money, Hampden police said.

Christian denied the charges pertaining to Hampden bank robbery in Palmer District Court on Tuesday. He was ordered held in lieu of $25,000 cash bail or a $250,000 personal surety.

The Rite-Aid robbery occurred Sept. 20, shortly before 8 p.m., when a white male, in some sort of disguise that included a floppy cowboy hat and two large Band-Aids on his face, entered the Rite-Aid and demanded drugs from the pharmacist.

The pharmacist handed a small of amount of drugs, described by Haley as “narcotics,” over to the suspect who then fled. The suspect was “forceful” in his demand, however, no weapon was shown, Haley said.

A police dog from Monson tracked the suspect to Pleasant Street, but lost the trail. Haley said police believe he got into a car on that street and left the area.

Haley said that “very good video” of the Rite-Aid suspect led to the recovery of additional evidence that tied Christian to the crime. He faces charges of unarmed robbery and larceny from a building, Haley said.

It was not immediately clear when Christian might be arraigned on the Rite-Aid charges.

Hampden police, shortly after reviewing surveillance footage from the bank, were able to identify Christian as suspect. Hampden police, along with a state police detective, found the suspect’s car with a handgun in the front seat, parked at his home.

Springfield police have seized seven firearms from suspects over last few days.

Miguel Angel-Rios

SPRINGFIELD – Police arrested a 26-year-old Federal Street man on marijuana and cocaine charges in the North End Wednesday night and seized four handguns from his vehicle.

The arrest of Miguel Angel-Rios, of 18 Federal Court, brings the amount of firearms that police have removed from city streets over the last two days to seven, Sgt. John M. Delaney said.

Lt. Alberto Ayala and officers Michael Goggin and Daniel Leon-Resto, surveilling the Plainfield Street area for gang and drug activity at about 9:15 a.m., saw Angel-Rios conduct several drug deals in his car, a 1996 Acura, Delaney, aide to Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said.

Police moved in on the suspect’s car in the Lowell Street area, arrested him, and found a large amounts of cocaine and marijuana, along with a fully-loaded .44 caliber handgun, inside his backpack.

Elsewhere in the vehicle, police found three more handguns; a 9 mm, .380 caliber and .22 caliber, Delaney said. Police also seized $93 in cash.

Police charged Angel-Rios with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, violation of a drug-free school zone (Pynchon Park), four counts of possession of a firearm in felony.

A state-mandated report on global warming and Massachusetts, released Tuesday, predicts more ice storms and droughts and endangered coastal development in the decades to come, but also details ways the state can prevent or adapt to predicted changes.

AP Photo/Brennan LinsleyIn this July 15, 2011 photo, atop roughly two miles of ice, technician Marie McLane launches a data-transmitting weather balloon at Summit Station, a remote research site operated by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), and situated 10,500 feet above sea level, on top of the Greenland ice sheet. Climate scientists overwhelmingly agree that manmade greenhouse gases are warming the planet, accelerating the melt of Greenland's ice, and yet resistance to the idea appears to have hardened among many Americans. Why? "The desire to disbelieve deepens as the scale of the threat grows," concludes one scholar who has studied the phenomenon. Analysts now see climate as another battleground in America's left-right "culture wars."

AP Photo/The Herald-Dispatch, Mark WebbIn this June 25, 2009 file photo, Lynn Cvechko, of Charleston, W.Va., holds a sign during a rally outside the federal building in Huntington, W.Va., protesting a congressional bill to cap U.S. emissions of global-warming gases. The bill ultimately failed. Although scientists overwhelmingly agree that manmade greenhouse gases are warming the planet, causing climate change, resistance to the idea appears to have hardened among many Americans. Analysts now see climate as another battleground in America's left-right "culture wars."

BOSTON (AP) — A state-mandated report on global warming and Massachusetts, released Tuesday, predicts more ice storms and droughts and endangered coastal development in the decades to come, but also details ways the state can prevent or adapt to predicted changes.

The Massachusetts Climate Change Adaptation Report was required under a 2008 law aimed at sharply curbing the state's greenhouse gas emissions, a major factor in global warming. The law requires the state to make an 80 percent reduction in total emissions by 2050, compared to 1990 levels.

The 129-page report sums up how rising temperatures would hit various sectors, including the ecology, business and local infrastructure. A 34-member advisory committee of scientists, environmentalists, local and regional planners, and medical and business groups helped prepare the report.

Read the full story here.

Here's what some of our readers had to say about the possibility of environmental change due to global warming

Mr_Miagi writes:

Isn't it also true that they all in unison reject the rational theory of creationism and advocate blindly a hideous theory that remains to be proven even today as "evolution???" Reputable scientists who do not consider creationism while at the same time refusing to co-sign "evolution" due to the many inconsistencies, outright reject global warming. You list the United Nations as somehow "credible" but they are by far part of the major problems of this world! You do not need to convince me about global warming. You need to question your intentions and those of the people you actively support. Global Warming is a door by which the government hopes to create and carry out their sinister plans of a one world government! You may think, what does one have to do with the other? Well, the age old way of thinking....."In order to create change, you must first create chaos!" Just look at 911....

cityneighbor writes:

To Mr_Miagi: Sir, Thank you for being concerned and participating, but you should examine your arguments and review the several points which do not follow logically.

Of course all competent scientific institutions reject "Creationism", because it is a belief based on faith; It is not science. Anyone who tells you differently is pulling your leg, and you should be sure to have a god grip on your wallet when they are around. It is no more science than belief in the Tooth Fairy. Science as a discipline requires initial doubt and confirmation of provisional theories based on evidence. Both evolution and 'human-caused' climate change are such theories, best apparent answers to the question of what is going on. Creationism is not a comparable theory. There is no more evidence for God creating the world in seven days than there is for the Tooth Fairy rewarding you for putting your tooth under the pillow at night. Comparing these ideas is not useful, and you are not persuading anyone, nor actually working to combat the increasing governmental coercion you appear to be actually concerned about.

If you are really concerned about people potentially using concern about climate change to justify governmental coercion, perhaps you should focus not on the idea that human actions may have consequences, which is obviously true (As in what goes up must come down - We all know that this is true), but instead on the high level of imprecision in climate science, which is illustrated even in the wide ranges of the predictions in the report, not to mention the high level of mistakes in weather reports. If people cannot tell if impacts are 11" or 79", how can they make recommend specific policies?

Another area you may wish to look at is people and firms using climate change to sell "Green" technology and write mandates for their services and products into laws and regulations. Is this a conflict of interest? Are the consequences of using these technologies really known?

Working on these areas would allow you to have an impact on the "Sinister Plan" you are decrying.

kapintb writes:

Lies, lies, lies and more lies. They can't call it global warming anymore because of Manbearpig so they are forced to call it climate change. Everyone should research climate gate, hide the decline, carbon taxes, sea levels decreasing and the fact that trees breath C02 and release oxygen so us humans can live and breath. Without C02 the biosphere would die. We are supposed to believe one of the key building blocks of life is now a toxic gas?!?! Please.....grow up people!!! When breathing becomes a crime, thought and speech will soon follow......WAKE UP!!!!!

Ron Paul 2012!!!! SAVE OUR REPUBLIC!!!!

TMKF writes:

Without water, the planet would die, too, but you don't want every summer to flatten your property with mega storms like Irene.

Too much CO2 in the atmosphere leads to runaway greenhouse effects. The planet Venus is a case study in how too much of the gas traps solar heat and makes the surface completely uninhabitable. (It's hot enough under the clouds of Venus to melt lead).

Not saying that this is Earth's fate, but it wouldn't take too much to upset things enough to produce another mass extinction. Doesn't matter how 'natural' it would be.... Humankind would suffer greatly along with the rest of the planet.

The trends have been that the world is getting warmer. The north polar ice cap gets smaller and more broken up every year. This is measurable and increasing at an alarming rate. To fail to prepare for the consequences of this warming is just daft.

What do you think? Join the conversation below.

Twenty percent of the employees at acute care hospitals in Massachusetts rejected an offer for a flu vaccination last year, even though an annual vaccine is considered the most effective way of preventing people from getting and spreading the flu, according to state public health officials.

Feature Photo Service for CVS/pharmacy Valerie DuBois of Attleboro, right, gets a flu shot from CVS pharmacist Erica Adler Aug. 22 in North Attleboro.

BOSTON -- Twenty percent of the employees at acute care hospitals in Massachusetts rejected an offer for a flu vaccination last year, even though an annual vaccine is considered the most effective way of preventing people from getting and spreading the flu, according to state public health officials.

With this year’s flu season starting, the state Department of Public Health released a report this month that said 71 percent of hospital workers across the state during the 2010-2011 season received the flu vaccine and 20 percent turned it down. Vaccination could protect patients and reduce absenteeism among workers, the report said.

“Patient safety should not be optional and vaccination compliance shouldn't be optional either,” stated Lynn Nicholas, president of the Massachusetts Hospital Association, which supports mandatory flu vaccines for all hospital employees, something that is not currently required.

Read the full story here.

Here's what some of our readers had to say about hospital workers refusing the flu shot

kasmira writes:

Sorry, I know many people that have gotten sick from the flu shot. I myself got my first pneumonia shot last year and ended up with pneumonia. Never again. I don't believe these shots should be mandatory. We should still be able to make our own health care choices.

iowacowboy writes:

I think healthcare workers should be required to get flu shots by their employers or face disciplinary action up to and including termination. Medical exemptions should be granted or denied by a physician of the employer's choosing and the supreme court has ruled in the past that protecting public health supersedes religious freedom. The case I think was Jacobsen vs Massachusetts which ruled that the government could require an individual to receive vaccinations (the one in question was for smallpox) despite religious objections.

soundsbogus writes:

There have been exceptions when yes, the flu shot had the "live" virus within in it and everybody got sick, or died! Yup. When the H1N1 "pandemic" was first launched they tested the vaccine on homeless Polish people, and they All died. Then they tested it on US Navy - set them out to see, gave them the shot, and several soldiers died, the rest got really sick. Then, there was that train crash near Switzerland which was carrying the H1N1 vaccine into Europe. Many broke in the crash so health pros there thought they'd make up their own batches and so analyzed the vaccines that survived the wreck. They were found to contain not only live H1N1, but also live H5N1 as well as "foreign" DNA and other cancer-causing substances. Then, the batch that went to the Ukraine -- people developed a black lung plague and hundreds died. Actually, everyone I have ever know who got the flu shot, got the flu immediately afterwards. It was worse for my little cousins - all under the age of 3. They developed horrible flu symptoms plus gastro problems, the runs ... You won't read about it in mainstream media because they dare not say. So this I say to 3bne -- unless you crack open a vial yourself and take it to a private lab and see for yourself what they put into it, You Can't Know so please don't be holier than thou in telling others the propaganda you were given. Just because a nurse tells you it's safe doesn't mean it is safe. It means she was Told by big pharma that it is, and of course she believed it because the medical profession rarely questions the drug companies. So it bears repeating -- just because someone says it's okay doesn't mean you should let them mainstream junk into your arm.

Question everything!

opsat writes:

What Ploof said--that adverse reaction you think you had to the flu shot was not caused by the flu shot. It was caused by your hyperactive mind. Please read an introductory psych textbook for further information about confirmation bias and other mind tricks. If such things happened in real life, flu shots would not even be offered.

What do you think? Join the conversation below.

Richard A. Cohen, Walter A. Meissner III, and Rosemary Sandlin answer your questions.

Republican file photoThe 2011 candidates for mayor in Agawam are, from left, incumbent Richard A. Cohen, Walter A. Meissner III and former state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin.

With the October 11 preliminary election fast approaching, the candidates for mayor in Agawam — incumbent Mayor Richard A. Cohen, former state representative Rosemary Sandlin and Walter A. Meissner III — are answering your questions.

We put out the call earlier this week for questions to ask the candidates ahead of the preliminary, which will narrow the field down from three to two. MassLive.com user boston352 wanted to hear their plans for economic development:

Question for all the candidates: What is your plan for impoving Agawam's economy? Everyday, riding over to Agawam the shops seem nothing but the same. Six Flags announced adding a new ride.

We reached out to the candidates and got responses in various forms — via e-mail, telephone and in the comments on the original story — so here's a digest of their responses.

Richard A. Cohen

Cohen jumped right in to address boston352's question in the comments on the story. He wrote

I have been working to improve the business economy for small business by increasing the tax exemption from $500 to $10,000. Thus putting more money in the pockets of small business owners. We have had numerous small businesses open in Agawam hiring local people. We meet with developers on a daily basis and work with real estate investors and shopping center owners too. Two new stores opening at the old Food Mart site in October. Also a larger store is in the negotiation stages at this time. We are also working on a new industrial site behind the New DPW annex on Suffield Street. We are also marketing land in Feeding Hills as a site for another Industrial site. The land on Tennis Road is also being discussed with a developer but the owner of the land wants a lot of money for that site. We still have the lowest split tax rate in the area!

Cohen went on to answer other questions posted on that story, which can be read here. While you're at it, give the Mayor a follow.

Walter A. Meissner III

Reached by phone, Meissner said that the town could spur economic development by "being friendly to all businesses, not just ones with billions of dollars or lots of shareholders that seems to be able to get by all the new ordinances."

He said that it can be difficult for small business to navigate the red tape involved in setting up shop in Agawam, citing the example of his father's used car dealership, which he said closed down due to over-regulation in the town.

Meissner also pointed to an economic development strategy that could have statewide implications — one currently being debated in the Senate.

"Right now we've got neighboring towns looking at this casino stuff," he said. "I don't know why Agawam is not trying to look into that at all."

Ultimately, Meissner said, the town council has a lot more power to wield over small businesses than the mayor does, and the best thing either can do sometimes is step aside.

"Economic development comes from allowing things to happen, and not making road blocks for them not to happen," he said.

Rosemary Sandlin

Sandlin submitted her commentary via e-mail. Here it is in full:

Economic Development for local communities in Massachusetts is no longer an option, it is a necessity. With less state aid and federal spending Agawam will have to become more self sustaining and meaningful development is an important key to that process. While some state aid has been restored for FY 2012 few if any believe it will ever return to pre 2009 levels.

According to Michael Widmer, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Association, the federal deficit discussions will lead to cuts in funding for cities and towns over the next decade.” Widmer went on to say: “I think cities and towns are in for a long period of fiscal stress.”

27 percent of Agawam’s annual revenue comes from state aid and 56 percent comes from the Town’s property tax. With less state aid and federal spending the percent of revenue coming from the property tax could increase drastically. Clearly an aggressive economic development strategy could help to attract new businesses thereby expanding the tax base rather than raising the tax rate.

It is unfortunate that Agawam has not as yet initiated a comprehensive planning process to establish a second industrial park. The only industrial park in the Town has been successful and full for some time. If we are going to successfully attract new businesses we must become competitive with the communities in our area and offer “construction ready” sites. Agawam has a great deal to offer potential developers; it is the closest community in Massachusetts to Bradley International Airport which is a real plus for many businesses. And it has great major highway and rail access and reasonably priced land.

While there may be a number of reasons why Agawam’s current growth projections are so anemic not having an Economic Development Director is definitely one of them... The Mayor believes it is being frugal not to fill the position I believe its being a penny wise and a pound foolish.

Thanks for submitted your questions, people of Agawam, and keep 'em coming. We'll be returning to Agawam again before election day. In the meantime, check out our Agawam Election page, which compiles all the coverage of the race from The Republican and MassLive.com.

For comprehensive local and national political coverage visit our Politics section.

Between April and September, the region had 16 days when ozone levels were considered unhealthy.

Photo by Dave Roback/The Republican

HARTFORD, Conn. — New England's air quality improved this summer from 2010 because of fewer sweltering days, the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday.

Between April and September, the six-state region had 16 days when ozone levels were considered unhealthy, according to preliminary data from the EPA. That's down from 28 unhealthy days in 2010.

This year's air quality improvement is directly related to the decrease in the number of hot days, the EPA said. At Bradley Airport near Hartford, Conn., the temperature reached at least 90 degrees 15 days this year; there were 34 days with 90-degree temperatures in 2010.

But over the long term, stricter vehicle emission standards have resulted in cleaner air, EPA officials said. New England has had a steady decline in the number of smoggy days over the past three decades.

"We can all feel proud, and breathe easier, thanks to the progress we have made in reducing air pollution," EPA regional administrator Curt Spalding said in a statement.

Connecticut this year had 14 unhealthy days, compared with 24 last year. Rhode Island had 10, down from 15. New Hampshire had six unhealthy days, the same as last year.

Massachusetts had three unhealthy days, down from six, and Maine had two, down from nine. Vermont — which had none last year — was the only state with an increase, logging one unhealthy day this year.

This year's number of unhealthy days is the second-lowest since 1983, when New England had 113 unhealthy days. The lowest figure was in 2009, when ozone concentrations reached unhealthy levels on 11 days.

Cars, trucks and other vehicles emit most of the pollution that causes smog, but power plants that use fossil fuels can also give off substantial amounts, the EPA said. Gas stations, gasoline-powered lawn equipment, print shops and household products like paints and cleaners also contribute.

Like Narkewicz, Bardsley sat on the Veterans Affairs and Social Services Committee while he was on the City Council.

Michael R. Bardsley, left, and David J. Narkiewicz are candidates to succeed Mary Clare Higgins as mayor of Northampton.

NORTHAMPTON – With a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a homeless shelter created for veterans, Northampton has become a Mecca for those who have served in the military and have since fallen on hard times. Both candidates for mayor pledge to keep the city a veteran-friendly place.

According to the city’s veterans agent, Northampton serves more veterans per capita than any other community in Massachusetts. Although the state reimburses the city 75 percent of the cost of their benefits, the influx of veterans still places an increasing demand on city resources and revenue. Both David J. Narkewicz and Michael R. Bardsley believe it’s a small price to pay for their service to the country.

Narkewicz, an Air Force veteran, has co-sponsored several resolutions as a city councilor aimed at helping veterans. One called on the city to allow veterans to defer property tax payments for soldiers currently deployed. Another offered supplement the pay of city employees on leave in the military. Narkewicz is confident that the community is willing to pick up that added expense.

“We really have a compassionate community that cares about veterans,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a major issue.”

Bardsley did not serve in the military himself, but his father was a World War II veteran and his mother a war bride.

“We were a veteran family,” he said.

Like Narkewicz, Bardsley sat on the Veterans Affairs and Social Services Committee while he was on the City Council. Although he calls Northampton the role model for the rest of the state in its commitment to veterans, Bardsley thinks the city can do better. He cited a benefit held at the World War II Club for some veterans who became ill while serving in Afghanistan and were in danger of losing their homes.

“To me, situations like that are just unacceptable,” he said. “If they go and serve the country, the government needs to step up and take care of them.”

Bardsley also noted the tension created over a temporary dispute between a firefighter and the city over supplemental pay. The firefighter, who had only been on the payroll for a month and was still a probationary employee, asked to be included in the ordinance that promised the city would supplement the military pay of its employees. Although the city first said he did not come under the ordinance because of his probationary status, it ultimately sided with the firefighter and paid him.

“I would have resolved the issue in a timely manner and not strung things out,” said Bardsley. “When someone is serving their country, they shouldn’t be put in that kind of stress.”

Narkewicz, who co-sponsored the ordinance that created the supplementary pay, said he and fellow councilor Eugene C. Tacy got the council to accept state language that clarified the situation and resulted in the firefighter receiving his benefits from the city.

Narkewicz supported the creation of the Central Hampshire Veterans Services District, which extended the oversight of Northampton’s Veterans Services Department to a number of surrounding communities. He also hails the work done by Soldier On, an organization that provide shelter to homeless veterans and has begun building permanent housing for some.

“Veterans services will remain a major focus of mine as mayor,” Narkewicz said. “We have to follow through on that commitment and create a dialogue around these issues,”

Bardsley said that, as mayor, he would build personal rapports with the VA and Soldier On. He would also try to maintain the delicate balance between honoring veterans and protecting the free speech of war protestors.

“People who serve in the military are not the ones who set policy and decide to go to war,” he said. “They shouldn’t have to pay that price. They’ve already paid their price.”