Some people who suffered during the June 1 tornado want to give something back to the community that helped them.

Photo by Michael S. Gordon / The RepublicanYouths take part in line dancing to reggaeton music following Thanksgiving dinner served by the Open Pantry at High School of Commerce in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD – Seeing everyone eating during the Thanksgiving dinner put on Thursday by the Open Pantry at High School of Commerce warmed the heart of 16-year-old Ziomara J. Jourdan.

“I know how they feel, not having any place to live,” Jourdan said, taking a break from volunteering at the dinner.

Ziomara was among the many volunteers and diners at the dinner for the needy and the lonely who are grateful they survived the June 1 tornado that devastated Springfield and the surrounding area. A tree fell on her apartment building on Avon Place, destroying it and much of her belongings.

“I hardly had any clothes because all my clothes were damaged a little bit,” she said.

Friends helped her out and for that Ziomara is grateful.

“I believe because I was in that predicament I should help other people out,” Ziomara said.

Another volunteer at the dinner, 17-year-old Gillary M. Rodriguez had a similar story.

After a tree destroyed the roof of her Springfield apartment building, Gillary had to live in a motel for four weeks while her home was rebuilt. For the first two days after the tornado, her family had nothing to eat. Later, they got food through church pantries.

“I know how it feels to be homeless. It’s really hard not to have anything to eat,” Gillary said. “I feel thankful I have a life. People helped us to get through all that. Sometimes I wake up crying because I remember all that.”

“I thank God I am living today,” 67-year-old Jamal Kelley said before dining on turkey and mashed potatoes with all the fixings.

He went without electrical service for a week following the tornado and lost most of his food. Kelley said he is grateful he survived that experience and was able to make it to the Open Pantry dinner.

Kelley described himself as a low-income person who comes to the dinner every year because he doesn’t have the money to fix a big dinner at home.

“I thank God I can come someplace I can eat,” Kelley said.

Seventy-one-year-old Mary M. Cobb of Longmeadow, a volunteer at the dinner, said she, too, was grateful she was spared during the June 1 tornado. She was safe in the White Hut eatery in West Springfield when the June 1 tornado whipped by.

“I thankful it didn’t take the building,” Cobb said. “I have a great deal to be thankful for. My health, to be able to be with friends and relatives on Thanksgiving is a great thrill. At my age, every day is something to be thankful for.”

S. Paul Reville, state secretary of education, said he is concerned about the pace of the search to find a leader for the largest school district in Western Massachusetts.

S. Paul Reville

SPRINGFIELD – The School Committee will meet Monday to establish a process for finding a new superintendent of schools, armed with advice from a state education leader that there is no time to dally.

S. Paul Reville, state secretary of education, said during a recent meeting with the editorial board at The Republican, that he is concerned about the pace of the search to find a leader for the largest school district in Western Massachusetts.

“I have expressed concern that it was not moving forward rapidly enough,” Reville said. “It ought to be a public process, it ought to be an inclusive process and it ought to be a national search.”

Current Superintendent Alan J. Ingram announced in August that he will complete his four-year contract on June 30, 2012, and not seek re-appointment.

School Committee Vice Chairwoman Denise M. Hurst said the search process is moving forward and “we are not sitting on our hands.”

“It is something the School Committee is taking very seriously,” Hurst said. “We understand this is a decision that is going to affect the lives of all the children in the city. This is probably one of the most important decisions that will be made for the city.”

Reville said the state does not plan to have a formal role in the superintendent search as it did when the underperforming district of Holyoke was searching for a new leader two years ago, but is watching the process closely in Springfield.

There are superintendent searches also going on in many other communities in the state, including South Hadley, Palmer and Ludlow.

Springfield is by far the biggest district, with a $330 million budget and more than 25,000 students and 2,000 teachers.

Massachusetts Association of School Committees Executive Director Glenn Koocher said the Springfield School Committee must be cautious to ensure it gets the best leader to replace Ingram.

Hurst said she agrees with Reville and Koocher.

“Yes, we need to proceed cautiously, but at the same time we need to move expeditiously,” Hurst said.

At Monday’s meeting, the School Committee will hear again from the state association, will confer by telephone conference call with the Center for Reform of School Systems, and will consider if the committee should hire a consultant to assist with the search, Hurst said. It must also consider establishing a community-based search board.

The committee meeting is at 5 p.m., at the School Department, 1550 Main St.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, chairman of the School Committee, joined Hurst in saying the committee needs to move forward quickly with the search process.

The new superintendent, whether the person is local or found in a national search, must be a “change agent,” and have the ability to address such issues as improving the attendance and graduation rates and student achievement, Sarno said.

Hurst said it is important to have a new leader in place in time for the start of school next year, to provide stability for the students, faculty and staff.

The School Committee is also consulting with local business leaders on the search.

Hurst said recruiting candidates will be a challenge, given such factors as the city having 10 underperforming (Level 4) schools and due to Massachusetts having some of the most stringent education requirements in the nation.

Koocher said any superintendent would face a “rancid regulatory environment” and bureaucratic red tape in Massachusetts that can dissuade some potential candidates. In addition, Springfield, like other urban cities, has a school system that is diverse in race, culture and language, he said.

“Springfield, like many other Massachusetts cities, faces challenges that are formidable but surmountable, given that there are a lot of people who love Springfield and want it to succeed and are committed to its success from inside and outside the school system,” Koocher said.

The expectations for the new superintendent “will be enormous,” Koocher said.

An assessor said the transfers must be resolved by Dec. 16 for the new tax bills to get mailed on time.

Holyoke Councilor James M. Leahy questions timing of some proposed transfers.

HOLYOKE – Questions about timing and other matters related to nearly $2 million in proposed transfers could pose problems for taxpayers if unresolved by Dec. 16.

The City Council must deal with the transfers to balance the budget before voting in a few weeks to set a new tax rate. The city budget is more than $120 million.

But councilors referred three of the proposed transfers to the Finance Committee at a Nov. 22 meeting at City Hall because they said they had insufficient information to resolve them that night. The fourth proposal was withdrawn.

Assessor Deborah Brunelle told councilors the hope was the transfers could be dealt with that night to allow time for the annual tax classification public hearing followed by the City Council vote on a new tax rate early next month.

Brunelle said after the meeting that Dec. 16 was the latest the process can go. If the council fails to resolve the financial transfers and vote a tax rate by then, it was unlikely the city could get state approval of the tax rate and the 10,000 bills mailed by Dec. 31, she said.

That could lead to home and business owners getting only estimated bills, she said.

One transfer was for $1.3 million from free cash. That total consisted of $835,000 to cover estimated shortfalls in various accounts, as well as $465,000 from free cash to cover employee-retirement expenses that the Holyoke Geriatric Authority has failed to pay going back to 2008.

The $835,000 was basic accounting steps, officials said. But the Geriatric Authority cost revisited objections among councilors about the authority’s inability to pay its bills and resulted in committee referral.

The council also was asked to approve a $457,000 transfer from the $623,000 free cash account within the wastewater treatment plant budget to cover a shortfall based on expenses exceeding revenue.

After Brunelle discussed the time crunch, Councilor at Large James M. Leahy asked why the wastewater treatment plant item was submitted only now when it clearly had been known for a while.

“When did we know this account was short?” Leahy said.

Councilors raised similar questions about a transfer request for $3,491 from free cash for an outstanding invoice for a consultant used in the police chief search this year.

City Clerk Susan M. Egan said the proposed transfers should have gone before the council sooner and blamed herself.

“My office did not put this in the right place. It’s my fault,” Egan said.

A proposed transfer of $214,712 to balance a shortfall in city debt payment was withdrawn because officials said it was unclear whether it was necessary.

The Fire Commission made John Pond permanent chief Oct. 18.

Staff photo by Michael BeswickJohn A. Pond is congratulated by Mayor Elaine A. Pluta after being appointed Holyoke Fire Chief Oct. 18.

HOLYOKE – The Fire Commission recently made 10 promotions in addition to appointing John A. Pond the permanent chief.

The elevations affect four deputy chiefs, three captains and three lieutenants.

The commission voted 3-0 Oct. 18 to appoint Pond the Fire Department’s first permanent chief in nearly two year. He was chosen from a field of five candidates.

The department had had acting chiefs since the retirement of David A. LaFond as chief in January 2010.

Pond’s yearly salary is $95,874, City Treasurer Jon D. Lumbra said.

Pond, a U.S. Army veteran, joined the department in 1995. He was appointed captain March 13, 2010 and lieutenant Dec. 30, 2001, said Lt. Thomas G. Paquin, department spokesman.

Salaries of deputy chiefs are $74,555 to $86,788, captains $65,978 to $76,803, lieutenants $58,909 to $68,574 and privates $43,825 to $57,145, Lumbra said.

Some captains had been provisional deputy chiefs for varying periods. Jeffrey Przekopowski, David O’Connor, Thomas Shea and Christopher Reynolds were appointed permanent deputy chiefs, Paquin said.

John Kadlewicz, Mark Fortin and Matthew Ernst were promoted to captain, he said.

Francisco Rivera, Kirk Krause and Stefan Matusko were promoted to lieutenant, he said.

Massachusetts State Police say Mirissa Medeiros was driving northbound on Route 24 in Freetown when her car crashed and rolled over.

Associated Press

FREETOWN – Police are investigating an early Thanksgiving crash in southern Massachusetts that killed a 22-year-old Fall River woman and injured two others.

Massachusetts State Police say Mirissa Medeiros was driving northbound on Route 24 in Freetown when her car crashed and rolled over. The accident caused three other vehicles to crash. Police say Medeiros was ejected from her car and may have been struck by another vehicle involved in the pileup.

Two passengers in other vehicles sustained minor injuries.

Traffic was tied up on Route 24 for nearly three hours following the accident.

Spectators cheered and sang at annual Thanksgiving Day parades from New York to Philadelphia to Detroit and friends enjoyed feasts with strangers at Occupy protest gatherings, reminding each other there is much to be grateful for despite the country's hard economic times.

By CHRIS HAWLEY, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Spectators cheered and sang at annual Thanksgiving Day parades from New York to Philadelphia to Detroit and friends enjoyed feasts with strangers at Occupy protest gatherings, reminding each other there is much to be grateful for despite the country's hard economic times.

Delighted crowds gathered Thursday for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the streets of Manhattan under brilliant sunshine. Millions more viewed the live broadcast of the annual holiday production on television from the comfort of their homes.

"Here comes Snoopy!" said an excited Regan Lynch, 5, nudging her grandfather, Nick Pagnozzi.

Pagnozzi, 59, of Saddle River, N.J., drove into the city at 6 a.m. to get a seat on the bleachers along Central Park West. He said Regan wanted to make sure he took pictures of every balloon.

With winds gusting to 22 miles per hour and temperatures in the mid-30s, parade-goers in Detroit bundled up. Before the celebration, 21,000 runners followed the course for the Turkey Trot races. A cluster of Ford Model T cars in the parade testified to the city's status as America's battered but rebounding auto capital.

"I know that for many of you, this Thanksgiving is more difficult than most," President Barack Obama said in his weekly radio address. "But no matter how tough things are right now, we still give thanks for that most American of blessings, the chance to determine our own destiny."

The president later telephoned 10 U.S. service members stationed abroad to wish them a happy Thanksgiving and praise their military service.

Dishing up Thanksgiving meals, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords appeared at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in her hometown of Tucson, Ariz. She used only her left hand as she served, a sign that physical damage remains from the injuries she suffered when she was shot in the head Jan. 8 as she met with constituents. Eighteen others were injured and six people died in the assault.

Giffords donned a ball cap and an apron with her nickname of "Gabby" sewn on the front. Her retired astronaut husband, Mark Kelly, supported her from her left side as she worked the turkey station on the serving line.

"Happy Thanksgiving, thank you for your service," she told Airman 1st Class Millie Gray of Kansas City, Mo.

Others in San Francisco, Oakland, Calif., and New York celebrated the holiday, serving turkey or donating their time in solidarity with the anti-Wall Street movement triggered by frustration with the slow pace of the economic recovery.

Some 3,000 meals were served in New York City. In Las Vegas, Occupy organizer Sebring Frehner said protesters had a potluck Thanksgiving meal at their campsite near the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He said he was happy to skip the traditional meal at home.

"Instead of hunkering down with five or six close individuals in your home, people you probably see all of the time anyway, you are celebrating Thanksgiving with many different families — kind of like the original Thanksgiving," Frehner said.

The thousands lining the parade route in Detroit for the 9 a.m. start, watched dozens of floats and hundreds of marching musicians, including the 170-person Viking Marching Bad from Walled Lake Central High School.

Forty dancers from Deborah's State Door dressed as hot dogs, and a 41st costumed as a bottle of mustard, made up a contingent sponsored by the National Coney Island restaurant group.

Philadelphia's Thanksgiving parade, which began in 1920 and considers itself the nation's oldest, went off with one hitch. Before the parade, in a preparation area, a balloon of the lasagna-loving comics feline Garfield burst while being inflated.

Organizers weren't sure if it popped from over-inflation, a problem with the strings, or some other issue. Maybe it was too much lasagna?

In all, the Macy's parade featured more than 40 balloon creations, 27 floats, 800 clowns and 1,600 cheerleaders. Star appearances included Mary J. Blige, Cee Lo Green, Avril Lavigne and the Muppets of Sesame Street. Some performances were at a stage at the end of the route in Herald Square; others were on floats.

"I feel like a kid all over, man, you know?" said Green, who rode a float featuring young hockey players.

Giant balloon versions of a jetpack-wearing monkey and a freakish creation from filmmaker Tim Burton made inaugural appearances. Paul Frank's Julius and Burton's B. joined fan favorites like Snoopy and Spider-Man. The parade also featured an elf balloon designed by Queens resident Keith Lapinig, who won a nationwide contest.

In the crowd along Manhattan's Seventh Avenue, tourist Wilfred Denk of Munich, Germany, said he was most impressed by the high school marching bands. The procession featured bands from as far away as Hawaii.

Suddenly, a float bearing a replica of Mount Rushmore came into view. "Look, Neil Diamond!" said Bethina Denk.

The crowd started singing "Sweet Caroline! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" as Diamond waved from a platform in front of the Mount Rushmore heads.

Near the beginning of the route, Conor Jones, 5, of the Bronx, ducked as a troupe of clowns dressed as firefighters doused the crowd with multicolored confetti. He and his twin brother, Nolan, have attended the parade three years in a row.

"I like the bands best," he said. His brother preferred the Spider-Man balloon.

Dozens of handlers got revved up with a cheer heralding their cartoon balloon character: "Buzz! Lightyear! Buzz! Lightyear!"

Nearby, balloon handler Joe Sullivan, a retired banker, held one of six nylon lines securing a huge floating pumpkin. He's been volunteering in the parade for more than 15 years.

"When it's windy it's a struggle," he said. "But today is great weather."

Macy's predicted 3.5 million people could crowd the parade route, while an additional 50 million watched from home.

All the balloons are created at Macy's Parade Studio in New Jersey, and each undergoes testing for flight patterns, aerodynamics, buoyancy and lift. The floats are driven into New York through the Lincoln Tunnel before the parade.

___

Associated Press Writers Julie Walker in New York, Julie Pace in Washington, David N. Goodman in Detroit, and Matt York in Tucson contributed to this report.

"This is a very good example of how the ramifications of the foreclosure crisis have burdened the city of Springfield and tenants who, by and large, are poor people," associate city solicitor Lisa DeSousa said.

Springfield Fire Department | Dennis G. LegerSpringfield firefighters rescued five children from a Mooreland Street apartment after the residents succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning on Nov. 1.

SPRINGFIELD – The city has stopped the rental of two houses on Mooreland Street, saying one was being used as an illegal rooming house and the second site was being used by two families who became ill from carbon monoxide.

Tenants of the houses at 24 Mooreland St. and 15-17 Mooreland St., in Liberty Heights, were ordered out of the buildings this month, and both sites were boarded up by court order, said Lisa C. DeSousa, associate city solicitor.

“They are both highly dangerous,” DeSousa said. “This is a very good example of how the ramifications of the foreclosure crisis have burdened the city of Springfield and tenants who, by and large, are poor people.”

Beginning in August, rooms at 24 Mooreland St. were being rented to eight people who were homeless or living in shelters, DeSousa said. The rental occurred without required approvals from the city and without meeting guidelines for a rooming house, she said.

The city claims that Adelberto Bernal, described in court papers as the former owner of the property, was renting out rooms.

Kondaur Capital Corp. had taken over control of the property through the foreclosure process, and was aware, or should have been aware, that Bernal was renting it, Housing Court Judge Robert Fields stated in a recent ruling.

Bernal could not be reached for comment.

Fields ordered Kondaur to board and secure the building, and authorized the city to cut power, condemn the site and move out the tenants, which it did, DeSousa said.

Tenants were allowed to remove their belongings, but Fields said Bernal was prohibited from going inside the building and that he would face arrest if he entered the house. Prior to the building being boarded, a dog was found abandoned on the third floor, and was brought to the city’s animal control center.

The tenants received temporary lodging from Bernal and Kondaur Capital, as ordered by the court, and reached cash settlements, DeSousa said.

The next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 6 in Housing Court.

Regarding 15-17 Mooreland St., Bernal had lost the property in foreclosure to Deutsche Bank in 2008, but the foreclosure was struck down and was followed by a discharge of the mortgage back to Bernal last year, DeSousa said.

In July, he was told no one could live in the building, pending code violations being corrected and until he secured a certificate of occupancy, DeSousa said. He was renting it to two families without meeting those requirements, she said.

Two adults and seven children living in the house became ill and were treated at Baystate Medical Center for carbon monoxide poisoning, due to a generator being used in the basement for electricity following the Oct. 29 snowstorm and power outage, DeSousa said.

Bernal claimed someone else had put the generator in the basement, DeSousa said.

The building has been condemned, settlements were reached with the families and temporary lodging was provided by Bernal, she said.

The next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 5 in Housing Court.

The city will ask Fields to appoint a court-ordered receiver to oversee and take over control of the condemned property, DeSousa said.

While the celebration remained peaceful in San Francisco, an amplified version of a family Thanksgiving squabble erupted in New York when police ordered a halt to drumming by protesters at an otherwise traditional holiday meal.

Associated PressOccupy San Francisco protesters are served a turkey dinner provided by Glide Memorial Church at Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

By BETH DUFF-BROWN

SAN FRANCISCO – Most Americans spent Thanksgiving snug inside homes with families and football. Others used the holiday to give thanks alongside strangers at outdoor Occupy encampments, serving turkey or donating their time in solidarity with the anti-Wall Street movement that has gripped a nation consumed by economic despair.

In San Francisco, 400 occupiers at a plaza in the financial district were served traditional Thanksgiving fixings sent by the renowned Glide Memorial Church to volunteers and supporters of the movement fighting social and economic inequality.

"We are thankful that we are, first and foremost, in a country where we can protest," said the Rev. Cecil Williams, the founder of Glide and a fixture in the city's activist community. "And we are thankful that we believe that there are things that could be worked out and that we have a sense of hope. But we know that hope only comes when you make a stand."

While the celebration remained peaceful in San Francisco, an amplified version of a family Thanksgiving squabble erupted in New York when police ordered a halt to drumming by protesters at an otherwise traditional holiday meal.

About 500 protesters were digging into donated turkey and trimmings at lower Manhattan's Zuccotti Park when police told a drummer to drop playing.

About 200 protesters surrounded a group of about 30 officers and began shouting in the park where the Occupy movement was launched Sept. 17.

"Why don't you stop being cops for Thanksgiving?" yelled one protester.

"Why don't you arrest the drummers in the Thanksgiving parade?" hollered another.

A van rolled up with more officers, but they stayed back as protesters eventually decided to call off the drumming and return to their food. Tensions have run high at the park since campers were evicted Nov. 15.

Protester Chris Coon wandered into Zuccotti in a Santa Claus suit with a list of "naughty" people that included former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Dick Cheney and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"Bank of America foreclosed on the North Pole, then I flew here in my sleigh and the NYPD towed my sleigh," Coon said. "So now I'm here in Zuccotti Park protesting the 1 percent."

In San Diego, four Occupy protesters were arrested between midnight and 2 a.m. Thursday at an encampment at the City's Civic Center Plaza, said Officer David Stafford. Three were taken into custody for sleeping overnight in public, while the fourth was arrested for spitting on an officer, Stafford said.

Demonstrators nationwide say they are protesting corporate greed and the concentration of wealth in the upper 1 percent of the American population.

The movement was triggered by the high rate of unemployment and foreclosures, as well as the growing perception that big banks and corporations are not paying their fair share of taxes, yet are taking in huge bonuses while most Americans have seen their incomes drop.

Restaurants and individual donors prepared more than 3,000 meals for the gathering at Zuccotti.

Haywood Carey, 28, of Chapel Hill, N.C., helped serve the meals and said the Thanksgiving celebration was a sign of Americans' shared values.

"The things that divide are much less than the things that bind us together," he said.

In upstate New York, Danny Cashman, 25, an Afghanistan war veteran who works for a company that resells cellphones, said he sleeps at least three nights a week at an encampment in Rochester to show his solidarity with the movement.

"For today, this is my family," Cashman said as he dug into a chicken dinner at the 35-tent encampment in tiny Washington Square Park. "We have a great brotherhood, great friends, a great community."

Pat Mannix, 72, a longtime community activist, dropped off a vegetarian turkey and pies at the camp.

"I give thanks for these young people," she said. "The young people down here are sleeping out in spite of the cold, the wind, the soaking rains, and they are here trying to save democracy."

In Los Angeles, where more than 480 tents have been erected on the lawns of City Hall, activist Teri Adaju, 46, said she typically serves dinner to homeless people on Thanksgiving and knows that many at the Los Angeles encampment were just that.

Still, she added, "Everybody's in good cheer."

In Las Vegas, Occupy protesters had a potluck meal at their campsite near the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Organizer Sebring Frehner said he was happy to skip his traditional meal at home.

"Instead of hunkering down with five or six close individuals in your home, people you probably see all of the time anyway, you are celebrating Thanksgiving with many different families — kind of like the original Thanksgiving," Frehner said.

Trisha Carr, 35, spent her holiday at the Occupy encampment at City Hall in Philadelphia. She has been out of work for more than two years and lost her car and home. She's been living in an Occupy tent for two weeks.

"Some days are harder than others," she said.

The sunny, crisp weather Thursday put her in a good mood, and she watched the annual Thanksgiving parade before coming back to the encampment for a plate full of turkey and fixings.

Carr said her job search has been fruitless, and the government needs to do more to help people like her.

"I had the benefits, I had money in my pocket, I had health care — I had it all," Carr said. "There should be no reason why people aren't working."

Associated Press writers Kathy Matheson in Philadelphia; Chris Hawley in New York; Ben Dobbin in Rochester, N.Y; Alicia Chang in Los Angeles; and Cristina Silva in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

Here are the average energy prices in the Pioneer Valley for the week ending today.

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The Holyoke Mall at Ingleside was rocking early Friday morning, with shoppers of all ages looking for the best Black Friday bargains.

11.25.11. (Republican Photo/ Robert Rizzuto) A crowd awaits the 3 a.m. opening of the Aeropostale store inside the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside on Black Friday 2011.

HOLYOKE - With a dense fog hovering over much of the Pioneer Valley early Friday morning, the glow of the lights at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside was visible for miles.

And like moths to a porch light, Black Friday shoppers swarmed the retail complex, drawn to the concept of getting more of the things they want for less cash this holiday season.

As the Christmas Tree Shop's slogan rhetorically asks, "Don't you just love a bargain?"

The answer given in Holyoke was a unanimous "yes," but everyone at the mall wasn't braving the crowds for the same reason.

By 2 a.m., the upper deck of the parking garage was near capacity with more cars coming then leaving.

Best Buy had to temporarily forbid new patrons from entering the store as the fire code's limits were being tested.

Hordes of people inside the electronics superstore waited patiently in lines that seemed to wind through the aisles endlessly.

Some carried new TVs and video game systems while others struggled to hold dozens of DVDs without the aid of a carriage or basket.

The most coveted item at the store this black Friday was the 42-inch Sharp LCD TV which was priced at $199.99.

"Of course we tried to get one of those TVs from Best Buy but they were gone by the time we got inside," said Kelly Famiglietti of Longmeadow. "But we came out for the overall sales to get some Christmas shopping out of the way, and that's what we did."

Famiglietti, who was shopping with her husband Charlie and their children, said they first tried to shop at the Kohl's Department Store in Enfield, Conn., to skirt the Bay State's Blue Laws which prohibit most retail stores from having employees on the clock on Thanksgiving.

"Connecticut was complete chaos," she said. "There were over 500 people waiting in thick lines outside there so we decided to go to West Springfield and that worked out much better."

She said they were in-and-out of the Western Massachusetts Kohl's store within 30 minutes, along with a carriage full of small appliances, winter coats and other clothes destined for loved ones on Christmas.

Springfield resident Daquiri Lowe said he bought a few items "for the ladies," but he also made sure he bought some new clothes for himself.

The young poet said he wants to look good next Wednesday when her performs at the Bing Arts Center in Springfield's Forest Park neighborhood.

"I had a great Thanksgiving with my family and ate four full plates," Lowe said around 4 a.m. in Best Buy. "Now I'm out here shopping with my friends. I've been up since early Thanksgiving day and am starting to get tired."

Hollister employees Cameron Linares and Danielle Jennison said the customer response to the store's 50 percent off sales was overwhelming.

"They lined up early and by the time we opened the doors there were over 100 people waiting," Jennison said. "It was a 20 minute wait to get into the doors and withing a half-hour of opening, we had to stop letting people in for a while because we were at capacity."

Outside of the Aeropostale store, friends A.J. Spirito, Sam McCarthy and Danielle Trueman were the first in line awaiting the 3 a.m. opening.

Spirito said that waiting on Black Friday paled in comparison to the wait in the cold for the recent release of the video game Modern Warfare 3.

Trueman, however, had a different take on things.

"This is my first Black Friday experience, and I don't know if I'll do it again," Trueman said. "There have been some good sales but it has been crazy with all the people."

Despite the thick crowds and the fear of being trampled by sale-hungry consumers, everything went smoothly at the Holyoke Mall.

Bryan McGuire, the general manager of the Best Buy store at the mall, said that everyone he encountered was pleasant and patient- two characteristics many people don't associate with Black Friday shoppers.

"Since we opened everything has been going great," McGuire said. "We sold out of the $200 TVs quickly but we have so many discounts on just about everything in the store that people have not been leaving empty-handed. Our customers have been great and in high spirits. They are already enjoying the holiday season and that's what it's all about."

Hasbro, Inc. has joined Toy for Joy as a partner.

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SPRINGFIELD – Toy for Joy registration begins in earnest next week at Salvation Army units in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties.

This marks the 89th annual Toy for Joy campaign; jointly sponsored by the Salvation Army and The Republican, the campaign is working to raise $150,000 by Christmas eve to bring toys and gifts to children in need this holiday season.

Hasbro, Inc. is joining Toy for Joy as a partner, providing some of the toys which will be distributed. Hasbro has a long history of helping families in Western Massachusetts during the holidays and this year is no different.

The Greater Springfield Salvation Army Citadel at 170 Pearl St., will accept registrations weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning on Monday. Registration dates and times elsewhere vary from unit to unit.

At the Westfield Service Center, 12 Arnold St., registration is already underway and will continue on weekdays through Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to noon.

More than 300 Greater Westfield families, representing nearly 740 children, had registered already as of Tuesday, according to Gail P. LaGasse, director of the Westfield service unit.

“We have been going strong,” said LaGasse, adding that the need this year appears to be even stronger than last year. “I think recession always takes a toll but this seems to be hanging in,” she said.

The growing need is underscored by the Westfield unit’s Thanksgiving turkey drive which this year is serving more than 340 families, LaGasse said.

By teaming with the Toy for Joy campaign, Hasbro, The Republican and the Salvation Army bring over 100 combined years of experience managing programs that help families in need give their children a toy or game to unwrap on their holiday.

Hasbro employees will also be among the volunteers who aid the Salvation Army with registration of families and with distribution of the toys and gifts. For more information, call (413) 733-1518. To make a contribution to the Toy for Joy fund, write: Toy for Joy, P.O. Box 3007, Springfield 01102. Contributions may also be dropped off with the coupon to The Republican, 1860 Main St., Springfield, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. through Dec. 23.

Officials with the state Department of Transportation say construction along the highway in the Charlemont-Florida area is expected to be completed Dec. 15.

Route 2 is expected to reopen by mid-December after repairs are completed to the road which was damaged by Tropical Storm Irene back in August. (Republican File Photo/ Jeff Brown)

GREENFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Repairs to a four-mile stretch of Route 2 in western Massachusetts made impassable when the remnants of Hurricane Irene blasted the state in August are nearing completion.

Officials with the state Department of Transportation say construction along the highway in the Charlemont-Florida area is expected to be completed Dec. 15.

The east-west highway was closed because of because of rockslides and erosion around bridges.

A transportation spokesman tells The Recorder of Greenfield that construction on the Florida side, where there were multiple washouts as well as damaged pavement and shifting of roadway, has been going on around the clock seven days a week.

Residents who use the highway have had to take a hilly, winding, detour through rural communities.

The damage also hampered the Mohawk Trail region's fall foliage tourism.

Calls to United Way's help line have doubled since 2008, with nearly 100,000 people so far this year looking for a way to make rent, put food on the table, or keep the power on.

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts charities say they are having trouble meeting demand for their services during the holiday season.

Calls to United Way's help line have doubled since 2008, with nearly 100,000 people so far this year looking for a way to make rent, put food on the table, or keep the power on.

Catholic Charities, which five years ago distributed 5,000 pounds of food each month, is now up to about 48,000 pounds.

Project Bread reports that more than 10 percent of Massachusetts households surveyed over the past three years worried about having enough food, the highest level in Massachusetts since the federal government began collecting the information in 1995.

Director Ellen Parker tells The Boston Globe demand is "overwhelming." She says the problem is particularly acute in city neighborhoods.

The hunter called his mother, who lived nearby, but she also got caught in the current while attempting a rescue.

Like all dogs in the program, Henry gets a bath and medical tests to make sure he won't infect the patients. Illustrates DOGTHERAPY (category l), by Mimi Avins (c) 2002, Los Angeles Times. Moved Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002. (MUST CREDIT: Los Angeles Times photo by Richard Hartog.)

BOLTON, Mass. (AP) — Authorities say a Massachusetts hunter and his mother had to be rescued from the Stow River after the hunter got swept away trying to rescue his dog from the fast-moving water.

Police Chief Vincent Alfano says rescue personnel responded to the Bolton Flats conservation area at 7:50 a.m. on Thursday in response to calls of two people in the river.

He tells The Telegram & Gazette the hunter apparently got into trouble trying to rescue his golden retriever. The hunter walked into the river and unexpectedly got swept away.

The hunter called his mother, who lived nearby, but she also got caught in the current while attempting a rescue.

Other hunters heard cries for help and got the pair.

Their names were not released. The dog was OK.

Amherst considering creating a warming, cooling space to provide comfort and information.

Northampton, 10/30/11, Staff Photo by David Molnar -- Cleaning up from the late Oct. snowstorm, Guy Constantine, a nearby resident, decided to try and help by clearing the sidewalks along West St. of debris. So people wouldn't have to walk in the busy street.

AMHERST – As public works employees continue to pick up town branches and debris, officials are trying to assess its response to the Halloween weekend snowstorm to see how it can do better should such an event recur.

Nearly the whole town was without power and some were without power for a week.

Town Manager John P. Musante praised staff for its response and the communications sent out with emergency notifications to telephones as well as on the Town Web site.

But officials want to do better.

He, Fire Chief Tim Nelson, who is also the emergency response leader, and Health Director Julie Federman are talking about creating citizen emergency response teams so that neighbors can be out checking on their neighbors. They are looking into emergency management funding to help create such a program.

He said there have been discussions about such teams in the past but this “is building upon that.” He said police and others do perform well-being checks but this he said would be “having another network.”

Officials will be requesting money for a back-up generator to use at Town Hall for the capital budget, something they had considered but did not pursue.

He said they will also be talking about whether the town needed to open up a school or some other building for people to gather in. The only shelter was set up in Northampton at the Smith Vocational Agricultural School.

Officials will also be looking at the need and feasibility of creating a warming-cooling space where people can gather in the cold or hot weather and to pick up information.

Town public works crews are continuing to work to pick up the debris scattered throughout town and are posting daily updates on the town’s website.

Musante also said the town is seeking proposals from a company to help town crews with that cleanup. Bids are due Tuesday.

Residents, meanwhile, must dispose of their own debris from their property and can bring it to the town transfer station at the rate of $50 per ton. Residents do not need a transfer station access sticker to do so.

The man was standing in a travel lane when he was struck in the southbound lanes of Interstate 93 inside the O’Neill Tunnel near the South Station exit.

(File photo / Associated Press)A police cruiser drives through a Big Dig tunnel towards Logan International Airport in Boston in 2006 following a fatal ceiling collapse. Click on the link, above right, for a report from the Boston Herald that it took state officials 5 weeks to release news of the collapse of a 125 pound ceiling light.

BOSTON – State police reported Friday morning a driver died after being struck by a car when he got out of his disabled vehicle inside a Big Dig tunnel.

The victim was pronounced dead at Boston Medical Center hours after the accident, which happened at just after 8 a.m. Friday.

The man was standing in a travel lane when he was struck in the southbound lanes of Interstate 93 inside the O’Neill Tunnel near the South Station exit.

According to Boston area radio station WBZ-AM, the breakdown lane in that area of the tunnel is not wide enough to accommodate a car, and the victim’s vehicle was partially blocking the right lane.

He had been taken to the hospital with what police called critical injuries.

The driver of the other vehicle stopped and at this point is not expected to face charges.

No names were immediately released and it was not known why the victim pulled over.

Gulf of Maine cod has long been crucial to the small boat fishermen north of Cape Cod, who catch it during day trips out of ports from Provincetown to Port Clyde, Maine.

BOSTON – A new look at the health of one of New England’s most storied fish stocks is troubling the industry, with some saying the findings have got to be wrong.

Just three years ago, a federal study showed the Gulf of Maine cod was healthy and headed toward recovery.

Now preliminary data suggest the valuable species is in dismal shape and won’t rebuild within the time set by federal law. In a worst-case scenario, that could mean a broad fishery shutdown to protect the cod. But that step would be drastic and a long ways away.

The preliminary data will first be reviewed, beginning next week, and fishery managers will have other alternatives before a shutdown. Still, anxiety is high.

“I think it keeps people up at night, honestly,” said Patricia Fiorelli, spokeswoman for the New England Fishery Management Council, which advises federal regulators on local fishing rules.

To Gloucester fisherman Vito Giacalone, it’s another instance of fishery science conflicting with what fishermen see on the water. He said cod isn’t crashing, but is so plentiful fishermen are taking steps to avoid it so they don’t exceed tough catch limits.

“There is a monstrous disconnect between that preliminary assessment result and all the other indicators of common sense,” he said.

The regional importance of codfish is evident on a map of Massachusetts, where the famous cape named after the species hooks into the Atlantic Ocean.

Gulf of Maine cod has long been crucial to the small boat fishermen north of Cape Cod, who catch it during day trips out of ports from Provincetown to Port Clyde, Maine.

In 2010, fishermen caught about 3,700 metric tons of it, pulling in $15.8 million – a figure second-highest behind Georges Bank haddock among the region’s 20 regulated bottom-dwelling fish, known as groundfish.

Frank Mirachi, who fishes out of Scituate with his son, said Gulf of Maine cod makes up more than half the annual gross income for his boat. The 68-year-old worries about the new findings and is weary from uncertainty with the radically changing science affecting his livelihood, he said.

“Codfish is the dominant money stock” in his area, he said.

From a previous assessment, fishing cod should be considered a good bet. In that study of groundfish, released in 2008, the once-battered Gulf of Maine cod was no longer considered overfished and looked to be getting stronger. “Stock projected to rebuild rapidly,” the report said.

But the story changes with the new data. Researchers now say cod has had weak reproduction and the earlier report may have included some bad projections, including a faulty estimate on the amount of spawning Gulf of Maine cod. They now say the estimate was nearly triple the actual amount.

The latest assessment concluded that the stock cannot rebuild by the federally mandated 2014 date. Under that forecast, regulators could end fishing on Gulf of Maine cod as a way to protect the species and meet the deadline. But such a decision could also shut down fishing for other species in the vast areas where cod commonly mix, devastating the local industry.

Fishery laws require regulators to consider the well-being of fishing communities when they pass rules, and one way to avoid a shutdown would be to push back cod’s rebuilding deadline.

“Given the preliminary results, we are already exploring the flexibility in (federal fishery laws) to outline appropriate management responses,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a statement earlier this week.

But the new data could be so wildly off that no desperate measures are needed.

Giacalone said fishermen are now catching more cod in less time, in broader geographic areas and at a wider variety of ages and sizes than ever before. He said many fishermen recently installed net sensors to detect cod because they were worried about catching too much and exceeding strict catch limits.

“How could they possibly have an assessment that says cod is at a historically low level?” said Giacalone, who is also a policy expert at the Northeast Seafood Coalition.

Giacalone and Mirachi both noted the NOAA recently switched to a new boat to collect the fish samples used in its stock assessment, and wondered if that was a factor.

NOAA said the preliminary information may be saying something radically different about cod for a few reasons, including the earlier report’s reliance on data suggesting 2005 was a strong year for cod reproduction. That proved to be false. Also, NOAA blamed recent overfishing.

Independent scientists will start reviewing the new data at a workshop next week.

Steve Cadrin, a University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth scientist who worked with the new data, said substantial changes can occur during a peer review.

“However, I think it’s not likely that a much more positive result will come out of this,” he said.

Still, he said, the fishermen’s perceptions of strong cod health can’t be dismissed, especially since NOAA’s science was incorrect three years ago.

“Looking back, the 2008 assessment was clearly wrong,” he said. “So, to me, we shouldn’t be overly defensive of the scientific model because it’s been shown to be wrong before.”

The checkpoint starts Friday night and runs into Saturday morning.

Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD – State police plan to run a sobriety checkpoint somewhere in Hampden County Friday night into Saturday morning.

A similar checkpoint, held on State Street during the first weekend in October, yielded five arrests for drunken driving, state police said. They also made three additional arrests, issued criminal summonses to seven others and wrote 54 motor vehicle citations.

Another checkpoint, conducted this spring on West Columbus Avenue, yielded the arrest of eight people for drunken driving.

The state police conduct periodic checkpoints throughout the state to look for drivers who are impaired by drugs or alcohol.

State police say such checkpoints are operated during varied hours and that the selection of vehicles is arbitrary.

The checkpoints are funded by a grant from the Highway Safety Division of the state Executive Office of Public Security and Safety.

Selectmen voted to have Morrell continue working with Ashbritt and O'Brien's, which is monitoring the clean up, and to re-prioritize the streets, making sure the most critical ones are completed.

File photo by Don | Don Treeger / The RepublicanTornado devastation in Monson takes on a different look under a blanket of snow earlier this month.

MONSON - A senior vice president for Ashbritt, the company hired by the town to perform the October snowstorm debris clean up, warned selectmen at their Tuesday meeting that he had news for them that they wouldn't like, and he was right.

"You're looking at a bill of $2.2 million," said Ashbritt's Robert W. Ray.

Selectman Edward A. Maia audibly gasped.

The news that the clean up will exceed the town's projections - officials estimated it would cost $1 million - concerned selectmen, who said they want to know how they will foot another expensive bill a mere five months after the tornado caused $6.4 million in damage to Monson. To date, the Oct. 29 snowstorm cleanup cost is $588,000.

"The town of Monson is on the hook for $600,000," Selectman John F. Goodrich II said, adding that to continue to run the bill up to $2.2 million would be "reckless."

"You're being just as reckless by not doing anything. Our first duty is public safety," Highway Surveyor John R. Morrell said.

Morrell said the town has to finish the clean up, as there are limbs dangling that could present hazards to drivers and walkers. He added that the debris piled on the roadsides will interfere with snow plowing. He also said that not cleaning it up would jeopardize the FEMA reimbursement, as that could convince the agency that there is no longer an emergency situation.

"I don't think you guys have a lot of choice here," Morrell said. "There is an urgency to get this stuff picked up before the snow comes."

Selectmen Chairman Richard Smith said the board has to balance fiscal responsibility with safety concerns.

"How are we going to pay for it?" Smith asked Morrell.

Morrell told the selectmen to call their legislators. A Proposition 2 1/2 override also was mentioned. Morrell said he was not elected to figure out the town's finances.

"This is public safety," Morrell said.

Selectmen noted that the president has not yet signed a disaster declaration for Western Massachusetts following the snowstorm, even though that has already happened in Connecticut. The declaration would provide Monson with a 75 percent reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for clean up costs.

Monson received a disaster declaration for the tornado, but still has to pay the remaining 25 percent of expenses - $1.4 million. While the state is expected to provide some assistance toward that cost, officials still do not know how much.

Selectmen said if the town is left with another $2.2 million bill, they don't know how they will find the money to pay it, and cautioned a worst-case scenario of a government shutdown for two years if no federal or state assistance comes through.

"There could be a dramatic impact on the quality of life for these residents. There are going to be consequences," Goodrich said.

"It's just a bad situation no matter how you slice it," Maia said.

Ray said since Nov. 15, when the clean-up began, his company has picked up 1,167 cubic yards of debris out of a total 35,000, along with 2,246 "hangers," which are dangling limbs. An additional 195 leaning trees have been removed. There are still approximately 3,000 "hangers" to remove, Morrell said.

Work is 40 percent complete, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 15, Ray said.

"The damage we see here in Monson is typical," Ray said, adding Ashbritt also is working in 17 other towns, including Palmer and Wilbraham.

Morrell said his crews also are helping with clean up. Asked if his department could take over the work to save money, he answered that it would "probably take 10 years."

Selectmen voted to have Morrell continue working with Ashbritt and O'Brien's, which is monitoring the clean up, and to re-prioritize the streets, making sure the most critical ones are completed.

"Just imagine it's your checkbook, John," Maia said.

Long-time Commissioner Bonnie Weeks will be leaving at the end of the year.

AMHERST – Town officials are in the process of interviewing candidates for the newly created housing code enforcement position and hope to hire someone soon.

Town Manager John P. Musante said those interviews are in progress and hopes the group interviewing candidates will offer a recommendation soon.

The town created the position after learning state aid cuts were not as dire as initially predicted earlier this year.

The position is seen as a key tool to helping the town address quality of life issues in neighborhoods where many students live. 


The officer would be able to address housing violations including trash and parking, both of which have been concerns and ensure town bylaws were enforcement.

Officials decided to hire the enforcement officer ahead of a new building commissioner because of the pressing need.

The town, meanwhile, is accepting applications for a new building commissioner until Monday at 4:30 p.m.

Long-time Commissioner Bonnie Weeks will be leaving at the end of the year.

She has worked for the town for more than 16 years and has been the commissioner since 2002. She was considered key in updating and reorganizing the department.

In 2009, the town’s conservation, planning and building inspection offices merged and moved into a single department on the second floor of Town Hall with W. David Ziomek director.