The majority of people who attended spoke in favor of building a new library.

Republican file photoThis is a graphic rendering of the proposed new South Hadley Public Library.

SOUTH HADLEY– Town meeting members voted overwhelmingly to borrow up to $4.2 million to build a new library Wednesday night.

During the meeting, most people spoke in favor of the project. A group of supporters sat in the back showing signs pushing for a yes vote.

A two-thirds majority was needed to pass the proposal. The 67-17 vote meant it easily passed. When the vote was announced, the hall erupted in applause.

“This is the time to have a new library,” said Robert Robertson, a town meeting member. “I have never had the volume of support from people coming to me.”

In lobbying for the project, Mitchell Resnick, chairman of the Public Library Board of Trustees, argued that the circulation of books and use of computers and other materials has been increasing.

“To build a new library is a popular initiative,” he said, citing numerous letters to the editor and the support of voters in the Nov. 8 election.

But others said the project is not something that the town can afford.

Town Meeting Member Larry Dubois argued for converting the Plains School into a library and said he was opposed to locating the library as close to the Connecticut River where the humidity is higher.

“They are not doing anything to reduce costs,” he said. “We need to have a townwide plan for what we are going to do.”

 The full cost of the library is $10.1 million. The town has received a $4.8 million grant from the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program, but taxpayers had to agree to borrow $4.2 million for the construction.

Private donors are to raise the remaining about $1.1 million. Already the community has raised $400,000.

The town had to secure the finances to build the library by a Jan. 31 deadline or risk losing the grant.

“We should stand up and claim our grant. We use it or we lose it forever,” Resnick, said.

Town officials have been debating replacing the aging, cramped library for at least three years. The existing library is not accessible to the disabled and repairs needed to the roof and carpeting and others would cost about $230,000, said Joseph Rodio, the library director.

Already the location, a brownfield formerly owned by Northeast Utilities at Main and Canal streets, has been selected for the new building by Town Meeting. Architect Philip O’Brien of Johnson Roberts Associates, has been hired to design the building and completed a rendering of the proposed library.

In November, voters passed a referendum asking them if they supported the debt exclusion which would raise taxes for the 20-years of the bond. The vote was close with 1,751 residents voting yes, 1,412 voting no. Voter turnout was 25 percent.

Despite the referendum vote, Town Meeting still had to vote to bond for the money because it it the financing authority of the town.

 Library trustees have said the average homeowner would see an increase of $38 a year in their tax bill.

Over $117,000 still needs to be raised by Dec. 23.

12/13/11 Springfield - Volunteers Angela Banton, left from Bethel AME Church in Springfield, and Kris Vazquez, right from Hasbro Company, fill a toy order at the Greater Springfield Salvation Army citadel on Pearl Street tuesday as part of the annual Toy For Joy program.

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SPRINGFIELD – A small army of volunteers kept toy distribution for the Toy for Joy holiday campaign running smoothly this week at the Salvation Army’s Greater Springfield Citadel.

The volunteers, including about 25 from Hasbro Inc., scurried about like elves Tuesday inside the citadel’s gymnasium as they gathered toys for participating families at the rate of some 200 an hour.

“We are doing really well,” said Maj. Mary-Jo Perks, co-commander of the Greater Springfield Citadel.

Toy distribution here, which follows a pre-arranged schedule, continues through Friday.

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 Dec. 23 to bring toys and gifts to children in need this holiday season.

Hasbro 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.

Many of the volunteers, including those in blue T-shirts proclaiming them to be members of Team Hasbro, have helped with toy distribution in the past.

“Everybody knows what they are doing,” said Hasbro employee Shawn Jones.

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

Other volunteers included of Lolitta Lowe and Angela Banton, of Bethel AME Church in Springfield.

Banton said she once relied on Toy for Joy to obtain toys, books and games for her foster children. “Ever since then I have always wanted to volunteer,” she said.

“It’s fun giving back to the community,” said Lowe. “You get to see all the smiling faces.”

Recent donations to Toy for Joy include $400 from Environmental Compliance Services and $330 from Ludlow Family Dentisty. Their donations are part of the largest single batch of donations to date which tally to $4,032.

Donations to date stand at $32,932, leaving $117,068 to be raised.

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.
Here’s a list of the latest contributors:

In loving memory of my Dad, Victor Nystrom who loved Christmas. Happy birthday. Love, VNL, $25
For the children, Merry Christmas, $100
In memory of Mitchell Bender, $250
In memory of Maurice W. Dickey and Marion M. Dickey, $25
In memory of Chrissy Bradway, $10
In loving memory of our sons Richard and Ray, you are missed, $25
Flip and Shirley, $10
From our grandchildren, $25
In memory of Marian, Bill and Sadie who made Christmas fun, $50
Danny and Kathleen, $10
In memory of Grandma Desautels and Popie Galvin. Love, Jolene and Jennifer, $20
In loving memory of Jeannine Reutt with love from husband Dan and family, $40
Pearl, $20
In lieu of holiday cards, wishing holiday joy and peace to all from Tom and Kathy, $50
For our grandson Hunter. Love, Nana, Pop and Aunt Ali, $25
Anonymous, $25
In memory of my two special angels. Love, Peg, $25
In honor of the memory of our grandfather Frank J. Orszulak. Love, Chris, Matt, Justin and Lindsey, $20
In memory of Rita A. Maruca. Love, Karen and George Shea, $100
In loving memory of Jim Kennedy and Annemarie Bredenbeck Kennedy from your family, $25
Raymond, $35
Never stop believing in Santa, $200
In loving memory of Colleen, Tara and Todd, $100
Anonymous, $25
In honor of the memory of our grandfather Russell Trombly. Love, Chris Matt, Justin and Lindsey, $20
In loving memory of my dear sisters Arline, Dorothy and Roberta, $10
God bless everyone for all they do for the children, $10
In memory of Jill Stefanik from CJB, $10
For Evelyn and Helge, $25
In loving memory of my husband Harold, $25
Merry Christmas Matt, Alyssa and Nico. Love, Noni and Grandpa, $5
In memory of deceased members of Mezzetti and DiLullo family and Moe Malanson, $5
In memory of Barbara and John Welch. Miss your smile, Barb. Dolly and Hugo, $5
In memory of Mary Shean, from Dolly and Hugo, $5
For my great, great grandson, $15
William, $200
Merry Christmas from Tiger, $15
In memory of Paul DeRaleau and Vivian Young, $50
In loving memory of Janice, Al, Jim and Whity Boudreau from Ma and the family, $10
Diane, Paul and Albert Verones, $20
In memory of Dick and Ray, $25
In loving memory of Dad, Sonny and Jeffery, $50
Please join us with a gift to help reach the very important $150,000 goal, from Parker and Betty Lou, $35
Merry Christmas from Dave and Marcia, $75
Loving memory of Victor and Jennie Paluck and Stephanie Collins, from Carly, Kevin and Dillon, $75
In memory of loved ones, $100
In memory of Bailey, the best dog in heaven, $25
Memory of family and friends from Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Sands, $25
Anonymous, $75
In memory of Edward Brine, husband and father, $50
Merry Christmas from Max, Evan and Elsa, $25
Merry Christmas kids, $10
In loving memory of Eleanor, Margaret and George Reilly, $25
Our seniors wishing needy children a warm and happy holiday from Foxes and Belles Seniors, $50
In memory of Mildred Winsel from her daughters, $20
In memory of my wonderful mother, Helen Turner, $50
Bondi Island survivors, the most loveable cats in the world, $20
John and Debbie, $25
Merry Christmas from Katherine, $20
Mary, $20
Believe in the magic of Christmas, $50
In loving memory of Art and Janet Kehoe from Kathy and Gary, $25
In loving memory of my cousin Margaret Claire Kehoe, $25
In thanksgiving for our grandchildren Gabby, Ryan, Leah and Ashlyn from Nana and Papa, $20
In memory of Dorothy Leisure, who loved Christmas, $15
In honor of my colleagues at Easthampton High School, $25
Andrews-Rankin, $50
In memory of Grandpa Dave and Nana Bridie, $100
In loving memory of Georgianna Marshall. Love, Carol, Molly and Lacy, $25
In memory of Natala Keefe from Picky, Patti, Bob, Collin and Jenna, $25
In memory of Harry and Claire Broderick. Love, your family, $10
Rachel, a cat who loved Christmas, $2
In memory of Maggie, our beautiful girl. We miss you, $5
Thanks for our beautiful grandkids, Abby, Kate, Quinn and Jack, $50
Keep Christ in Christmas, $100
In memory of my husband Michael and grandson Kenny. Love, Genia, $10
In memory of Mary and Benjamin Bartnicki, my parents. Love, Genia, $10
Sue and Bill Monks, a caring Longmeadow couple, $150
In loving memory of our daughter Allison. Love, Bud and Nancy, $10
Merry Christmas to all from Indian Orchard Masonic Lodge, $100
Merry Christmas from Owen and Nate, $25
Merry Christmas to all from Drs. Szarlan, Wegiel and Mitera, Ludlow Family Dentistry, $330
For a brighter holiday season from Environmental Compliance Services, $400

RECEIVED, $4,032
TOTAL TO DATE, $32,932
STILL NEEDED, $117,068

Such an action would require a permit from the Department of Public Works.

Photo by Michael S. Gordon / The RepublicanTrash containers such as these between Fort and Worthington streets in downtown Springfield do not require permits because they are located in an alleyway, not a public sidewalk, DPW officials say.

Question: Why are private businesses, like restaurants and bars, allowed to place Dumpsters on public sidewalks?

The walkway from Worthington Street to Fort Street is blocked by two of the containers at all times and makes navigating from the School Department building to parking lots on Fort and Hampden streets very difficult and unsafe. Also, with the money being spent to fix up the area these bins are very unsightly.

– Anonymous,
Springfield

Answer: Placing trash bins on a public way requires a permit from the Department of Public Works, according

to Public Works Director Allan R. Chwalek. If the bins have to block the sidewalk they must instruct walkers to use the sidewalk across the street or provide a temporary sidewalk.

The large trash bin inquired about, however, is not on public property, Chwalek said. The location is an alleyway and the bin has been there for years.

Due to the ongoing work at the old Asylum Nightclub building, an area has been set aside for the bin because there is not another location that can be accessed until the construction is complete.

Part of Anderson’s salary is paid with federal Community Development Block Grant money.

Teri A. Anderson

NORTHAMPTON - Teri A. Anderson, the only Community and Economic Development Coordinator the city has had, is leaving her post for the private sector.

Mayor-elect David J. Narkewicz announced Tuesday that Anderson will assume the newly created position of business development director at Common Capital, a Holyoke-based organization that provides assistance to expanding businesses in the four western counties. Anderson said she expects to leave City hall by Feb. 1 of next year.

Anderson became Northampton’s first economic development director 11 years ago after Mayor Mary Clare Higgins created the post. In her role with the city, Anderson has had a hand in virtually every major economic development project. Among the most important of these that she cited are the redevelopment of the former Northampton State Hospital into Village Hill, the ongoing redevelopment of the Three County Fairground and the conversion of James House on Gothic Street into an adult learning center.

At Common Capital, which was previously known as the Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund, Anderson will be responsible for creating programs aimed at helping businesses expand beyond the start-up phase. Her role is in keeping with the organization’s expanded mission.

“They’re looking to go beyond being a lender of last resort,” Anderson said. “My job will be to see what the needs are of these businesses and help them achieve their expansion roles.”

Narkewicz said it will be tough seeing Anderson go.

“Obviously, she’s been working on a lot of important projects for us,” he said, “so it will definitely be a loss for the city.”

Part of Anderson’s salary is paid with federal Community Development Block Grant money. Noting that the federal government expects to cut funding for that program, Narkewicz said he will take the opportunity to reexamine Anderson’s post.

“I’m not going to hurry to refill it,” he said. “I intend to reach out to the business community for input.”

In his campaign for mayor, Narkewicz proposed creating an Economic Development Advisory Commission. He suggested that Anderson’s duties could be somehow connected with such a body.

Searches for "pragmatic" jumped in the weeks before Congress voted in August to increase the nation's debt ceiling.

AP Photo | Charles KrupaA pencil points out "Pragmatic", Merriam-Webster's annual word of the year for 2011. The adjective, which means practical and locgical, was looked up so often on the company's online dictionary site that the publisher said "Pragmatic" was the pragmatic choice.

STEPHANIE REITZ, Associated Press

When the time came for Merriam-Webster to pick its top word of 2011, its editors decided they needed to be pragmatic.

So they chose ... pragmatic.

The word, an adjective that means practical and logical, was looked up so often on Merriam-Webster's online dictionary that the publisher says "pragmatic" was the pragmatic choice for its 2011 Word of the Year.

Though it wasn't traced to a specific news event or quote from a famous person, searches for "pragmatic" jumped in the weeks before Congress voted in August to increase the nation's debt ceiling, and again as its supercommittee tried to craft deficit-cutting measures this fall.

"Pragmatic" may have sparked dictionary users' interest both because they'd heard it in conversations, and because it captures the current American mood of encouraging practicality over frivolity, said John Morse, president and publisher of Springfield-based Merriam-Webster.

"'Pragmatic' is a word that describes a kind of quality that people value in themselves but also look for in others, and look for in policymakers and the activities of people around them," Morse said.

A new feature on Merriam-Webster's site allows users to tell the dictionary publisher why they sought that specific word, and the feedback from those who looked up "pragmatic" was that they wanted to reaffirm that the connotation was positive.

"People have a general sense of what the word meant and in fact had even been using it, but then they had a moment when they thought to themselves, 'Perhaps I ought to look up that word and make sure it means what I think it means,'" Morse said.

Merriam-Webster has been picking its annual top choice since 2003. Previous winners include: austerity (2010), admonish (2009) and bailout (2008).

"Austerity" also made the top 10 list in 2011 along with ambivalence, insidious, didactic, diversity, capitalism, socialism, vitriol and "après moi le deluge."

That quote, attributed to King Louis XV of France, translates to, "After me, the flood," and was used by columnist David Gergen in a piece about the Congressional supercommittee's failure to reach a deficit-cutting deal.

Merriam-Webster says it's generally used to allude to people who behave as if they don't care about the future, since "the flood" will happen after they're gone.

Morse and Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster's editor at large, said they would not have been surprised if some people had expected "occupy" to be the 2011 Word of the Year because of the interest raised by Occupy Wall Street protests and similar encampments.

Though it was used a lot in conversation, "occupy" did not prompt an unusual number of searches.

"It's like the dog that doesn't bark. 'Occupy' or 'recession' or 'entitlement' are words you see pop up occasionally in the daily log of lookups, but not in the yearly log," Sokolowski said.

"Occupy" still has a chance to grab a spot in the linguistic limelight, though, because it's being considered among the front-runners for the American Dialect Society's 2011 Word of the Year.

That group's annual choice isn't driven by dictionary lookups, but is a word or phrase that members consider widely used, demonstrably new or popular and reflects the year's popular discourse — similar, in a sense, to Time's selection of Person of the Year. The magazine chose "the protester" as its person of the year for 2011.

The American Dialect Society will announce its selection Jan. 6 after a vote at its annual convention in Portland, Ore., and the group's executive secretary, Allan Metcalf, says "occupy" is getting a lot of buzz.

But so is "Tebow time," a concept that alludes to Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow's ability to rally late-game comebacks — and, in a broader sense, applied to any success or comeback at crunch time.

"Maybe 'Tebow time' might win the Word of the Year in the crunch, but we have two weeks left to go, so who knows what other words might pop up," said Metcalf, who is also an English professor at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill., and author of "OK: The Improbable Story of America's Greatest Word."

Another outlet, the London-based Oxford English Dictionary, also named its 2011 word choice in November: "squeezed middle," a primarily term credited to British Labour Party leader Ed Miliband to describe the financial pinch felt by the middle class in Great Britain.

A local dog owners club is working to raise money to create a dog park at Shea Field, where their animals could roam freely.

Richard Cohen

AGAWAM – Canines may get a place to cavort and roam freely if the city is successful in developing a privately funded dog park at Shea Field.

To that end, the Office of Planning and Community Development is conducting a survey of residents to determine what they would like in a park. The questionnaire is also geared toward gleaning other information such as how much people might be willing to donate to create such a facility.

Mayor Richard A. Cohen, who is a dog owner, said Wednesday the city is in full support of developing a dog park.

“They are common throughout the country,” he said. “They are very popular in the South and West.”

The nearest one to Agawam is in Granby, Conn., and there are also some in the eastern part of the state, according to Cohen.

The mayor said he is especially please that city resident Scott F. Milliken has stepped forward to help the project and raise money for it through his Agawam Dog Owners Club. Milliken said his group is selling 2012 calendars featuring photographs of local dogs and plans to raise enough money to fund the project.

“We are not just looking for a handout,” Milliken said.

Planning and Community Development Director Deborah S. Dachos said the costs of establishing a dog park vary tremendously with about $20,000 being a ball park estimate. The main expense is putting up fencing and the city would also have to provide a source of water for the animals, according to her. Pet owners would be responsible for cleaning up after their dogs.

“It is for people who want their dogs to socialize with other dogs or maybe for people who live in apartments and don’t have a fenced in yard. It is a place for dogs to run freely,” Dachos said.

The city has a leash law requiring that dogs not be allowed to roam.

Although some residents have suggested School Street Park as a possible location, Dachos said officials have ruled it out in favor of Shea Field because that site has more open space and is centrally located.

Shea Field is approximately 35 acres and has about eight acres of undeveloped land that includes some thinned woods. Dog parks generally take up an acre or more, Dachos said.

Copies of the survey area available at the Agawam Public Library at 750 Cooper St. and the Agawam Senior Center at 954 Main St. They may also be filled out through the city’s Web site www.agawam.ma.us. People who do not have access to the Internet may contact the Planning and Community Development Office at (413) 786-0400, extension 283 to have a copy sent to them. The deadline for completing surveys is Feb. 1.

There were too many elderly residents without telephone service, Saunders said.

LUDLOW - Selectmen told representatives from Charter Communications they were disappointed with the communication between the company and the Police and Fire Departments following the Oct. 29 snowstorm.

Selectmen Chairman Aaron Saunders said the town received no communication from Charter Communications until Nov. 1 following the Oct. 29 snowstorm after which the town lost power.

“This is not just a matter of people being without their HBO,” Saunders said.

He said many residents purchase a package from Charter Communications in which they get their telephone service from Charter as well as their Internet and television service.

There were many elderly residents in town without telephone service, Saunders said. He added that the Police and Fire Departments did hundreds of wellness checks during the week after the Oct. 29 snowstorm.

“People were calling from across the country asking us to check on their elderly mothers and grandmothers,” Saunders said.

He added that the town in the future needs better communication with Charter Communications.

The town cannot afford the overtime to make so many checks because there is no telephone service, he said.

Other selectmen criticized Charter because cable lines were down across the road during the week following the storm.

Thomas Cohen, a spokesman for Charter Communications, said the services provided by Charter could not be restored until power was restored in the town.

“We're getting the message that we have to communicate better,” Cohen said.

Selectman William Rooney said Charter’s customers should not have to apply for a credit for the days they were without service.

Rooney said in his opinion Charter should reach out to its customers and automatically credit customers with a credit for lost service.

Cohen said customers will have to apply for the credit.

He added, “We will work harder on communication next time.”

Melinda Star Guido weighed just 9 1/2 ounces at birth -- among the smallest babies ever born in the world.

AP Photo/Jae C. HongHaydee Ibarra, left, holds her 14-week-old daughter, Melinda Star Guido, at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011. At birth, Melinda Star Guido tipped the scales at only 9 1/2 ounces, a tad less than the weight of two iPhone 4S. Most babies her size don’t survive, but doctors are preparing to send her home as soon as the end of the month. Melinda is believed to be the second smallest baby to survive in the United States and the third smallest in the world.

LOS ANGELES — At birth, Melinda Star Guido was so tiny she could fit into the palm of her doctor's hand. Weighing just 9 1/2 ounces — less than a can of soda — she is among the smallest babies ever born in the world. Most infants her size don't survive, but doctors are preparing to send her home by New Year's.

Melinda was born premature at 24 weeks over the summer and spent the early months cocooned in an incubator in the neonatal intensive care unit in Southern California. Almost every day, her 22-year-old mother sits at her bedside and stays overnight whenever she can.

The day before her Thursday due date, Haydee Ibarra visited Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center where her daughter has been since her birth in late August. Melinda is believed to be the second smallest baby to survive in the U.S. and third in the world.

Ibarra caressed Melinda through the portholes of the incubator where nurses pinned up a homemade sign bearing her name. Now weighing four pounds, Melinda gripped Ibarra's pinky finger and yawned.

"Melinda, Melinda," she cooed at her daughter dressed in a polka dot onesie. "You're awake today."

During her pregnancy, Ibarra suffered from high blood pressure, which can be dangerous for both mother and fetus. She was transferred from a hospital near her San Fernando Valley home to the county's flagship hospital, which was better equipped to handle high-risk pregnancies.

There was a problem with the placenta, the organ that nourishes the developing fetus. The fetus, however, was not getting proper nutrition, blood and oxygen. Doctors knew Melinda would weigh less than a pound, but they were surprised at how small and fragile she was.

"The first few weeks, it was touch and go. None of us thought the baby was going to make it," said Dr. Rangasamy Ramanathan, who oversees premature infants.

Even if she survived, doctors told Ibarra and her husband Yovani Guido, children born this extremely premature can have developmental delays and impairments such as blindness, deafness or cerebral palsy.

Ibarra, who previously had a stillborn, told doctors to do whatever necessary to help her baby.

"They said, 'We'll take the chance. Please try.' So we said. 'OK we'll try,'" Ramanathan recalled.

Melinda was delivered by cesarean section at 24 weeks and was immediately transferred to the NICU where a team of doctors and nurses kept watch around the clock. Infants born before 37 weeks are considered premature.

Melinda was kept insulated in an incubator and was hooked up to a machine to aid her breathing. She got nutrition through a feeding tube. Her mother said her skin felt like plastic because it was so thin.

"It takes a lot of good care and a lot of good luck. Most of them don't survive," said pediatrician Dr. Edward Bell of the University of Iowa who keeps an online database of the world's smallest surviving babies who were less than a pound at birth.

The list currently contains 126 babies dating back to 1936. Since submission is voluntary, it does not represent all survivors.

Ten babies weighing less than a pound were born last year and survived. Melinda joins three other tiny survivors delivered this year in Berkeley; Seoul, South Korea; and Iowa City, Iowa. All are bigger than Melinda, who is not eligible to be listed until she gets discharged.

Most tiny babies who survive tend to be female. That's because female fetuses mature faster than males of the same gestational age. Having more developed lungs and other vital organs increases odds of survival.

Bell published a study last year that found many survivors struggle with health and learning problems. For those for whom growth data are available, many are short and underweight for their age.

There are some success stories.

The smallest surviving baby born weighing 9.2 ounces is now a healthy 7-year-old and another who weighed 9.9 ounces at birth is an honors college student studying psychology. Their progress was detailed in a study published this week in the journal Pediatrics by doctors at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois where the girls were born.

In the past three years, Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center treated two other babies with extremely low birth weight who survived, but Melinda holds the record at the hospital.

A month after she was born, she was treated for an eye disorder that's common in premature babies. She faced her biggest test last month when she underwent surgery to close an artery that usually seals after birth.

Ybarra held Melinda for the first time after the surgery. Before that, she could only touch her through the incubator. The next challenge is learning to bottle feed before discharge. Ramanathan predicted at least another two-week stay, dashing her parents' hopes of taking her home by Christmas.

Ramanathan said it's too early to know how Melinda will fare when she grows up. Since she did not have major complications such as bleeding in the brain, he held out hope.

Melinda can breathe by herself, but still uses an oxygen tube as a precaution. On Wednesday, an ophthalmologist checked out her eyes and said everything looked good.

After the checkup, Ibarra lifted Melinda out of the incubator and sat in a rocking chair, cradling her.

Residents are asked to complete an online survey that will help in revising the city's open space and recreation plan.

HOLYOKE -- The city Conservation Department wants the public's help in improving open space and recreation areas.

"We want to reach as many people as we possibly can so we provide the services that people want and need," Conservation Director Andrew Smith said last week.

Residents are asked to complete an online survey that will help in revising the city's open space and recreation plan.

The survey is available in English and Spanish by going to the city website, holyoke.org.

A state-approved open space and recreation plan makes the city eligible for federal, state and private grants. Such money can be used to improve parks, preserve open space, redevelop brownfields and provide recreational programs, the city website said.

Survey questions include whether individuals and families are aware of and use city parks and recreation areas, residents' favorite place to show visitors who come to Holyoke and how much things like rivers and ponds matter to residents.

The Conservation Commission enforces state and city wetlands regulations to protect ponds, rivers and streams, as well as wetlands near such areas. The city has 12 miles of riverfront along the Connecticut River.

Greg Saulmon / The Republican04.07.2011 | HOLYOKE - A woman walks her dog early Thursday near the edge of Pulaski Park, off Lyman Street.

The damage led to lengthy, twisting detours through the Berkshires for motorists.

Photo by Jeff BrownA section of Route 2 in Charlemont is seen in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene in this August 29, 2011 file photo.

CHARLEMONT — A six-mile stretch of the Mohawk Trail in western Massachusetts is scheduled to reopen more than three months after the remnants of Hurricane Irene rendered it impassable.

Officials with the state Transportation Department are scheduled to hold a ceremony on Thursday morning near the entrance to the Mohawk State Forest Campground in Charlemont to reopen the section of Route 2.

Rains brought by Irene, which was a tropical storm by the time it hit New England in late August, washed out sections of the road and caused rockslides and erosion around bridges.

The damage led to lengthy, twisting detours through the Berkshires for motorists.

State workers and contractors have been working around the clock through all weather on a $23 million fix to the highway through Charlemont, Savoy and Florida.

"The Artist" led the pack with six nominations, among them best comedy or musical and acting honors for its French star, Jean Dujardin.

APGolden Globe awards will be presented on Jan. 15.

Awards season is underway in full with the Hollywood Foreign Press announcing its nominations on Thursday morning for the best in TV and movies.

Nominees for Golden Globes in 25 film and television categories were announced by actors Sofia Vergara, Rashida Jones, Woody Harrelson and Gerard Butler. The awards will be presented on Jan. 15 at a star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles hosted once again by Ricky Gervais.

"The Artist" led the pack with six nominations, among them best comedy or musical and acting honors for its French star, Jean Dujardin.

George Clooney has three nominations. He is up for best actor (drama) for "The Descendants," and for directing and writing the screenplay for "The Ides of March."

Five-time Academy Award and Globe nominee Morgan Freeman - who won the supporting-actor Oscar for "Million Dollar Baby" and a best-actor Globe for "Driving Miss Daisy" - will receive the group's Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement.

The list of nomineees for the 69th Golden Globes include:

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

“War Horse”
“The Ides of March”
“The Help”
“Moneyball”
“Hugo”

BEST MOTIION PICTURE, COMEDY

“The Artist”
“50/50”
“Bridesmaids”
“My Week With Marilyn”
“Midnight in Paris”

BEST FILM ACTOR, DRAMA

George Clooney, “The Descendants”
Brad Pitt, “Moneyball”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “J.Edgar”
Ryan Gosling, “The Ides of March”
Michael Fassbender, “Shame”

BEST FILM ACTRESS, DRAMA

Viola Davis, “The Help”
Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”
Tilda Swinton, “We Need to Talk About Kevin”
Rooney Mara, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs”

BEST FILM ACTOR, COMEDY

Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”
Brendan Gleeson, “The Guard”
Owen Wilson, “Midnight in Paris”
Joseph Gorden-Levitt, “50/50”
Ryan Goslin, “Crazy, Stupid, Love”

BEST FILM ACTRESS, COMEDY

Michelle Williams, “My Week With Marilyn”
Jodie Foster, “Carnage”
Kristen Wiig, “Bridesmaids”
Charlize Theron, “Young Adult”
Kate Winslet, “Carnage”

BEST SUPPORTING FILM ACTOR

Albert Brooks, “Drive”
Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”
Kenneth Branagh, “My Week With Marilyn”
Jonah Hill, “Moneyball”
Viggo Mortensen, “A Dangerous Method”

BEST SUPPORTING FILM ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo, “The Artist”
Octavia Spencer, “The Help”
Jessica Chastain, “The Help”
Janet McTeer, “Albert Nobbs”
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants”

BEST FILM DIRECTOR

Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”
George Clooney, “The Ides of March”
Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Alexander Payne, “The Descendants”
Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”

BEST FILM SCREENPLAY

“Midnight in Paris”
“The Ides of March”
“The Artist”
“The Descendants”
“Moneyball”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

“Rango”
“The Adventures of Tintin”
“Puss in Boots”
“Arthur Christmas”
“Cars 2”

BEST FOREIGN FILM

“In the Land of Blood and Honey”
“Flowers of War”
“The Skin I Live In”
“The Kid With a Bike”
“A Separation”

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“W.E.”
“The Help”
“Albert Nobbs”
“Machine Gun Preacher”
“Gnomeo and Juliet”

BEST SCORE

“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
“War Horse”
“The Artist”
“W.E.”

BEST DRAMA TV SERIES

“American Horror Story”
“Boardwalk Empire”
“Boss”
“Game of Thrones”
“Homeland”

BEST COMEDY TV SERIES

“New Girl”
“Enlightened”
“Episodes”
“Glee”
“Modern Family”

BEST TV ACTOR, DRAMA

Steve Buscemi, “Boardwalk Empire”
Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
Kelsey Grammer, “Boss”
Jeremy Irons, “The Borgias”
Damian Lewis, “Homeland”

BEST TV ACTRESS, DRAMA

Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Mireille Enos, “The Killing”
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
Madeleine Stowe, “Revenge”
Callie Thorne, Necessary Roughness”

BEST TV ACTOR, COMEDY

Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”
David Duchovny, “Californication”
Johnny Galecki, “The Big Bang Theory”
Thomas Jane, “Hung”
Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes”

BEST TV ACTRESS, COMEDY

Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation”
Laura Dern, “Enlightened”
Zooey Deschanel, “New Girl”
Laura Linney, “The Big C”

BEST TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES
“Mildred Pierce”
“Too Big Too Fail”
“Cinema Verite”
“Downton Abbey”
“The Hour”

BEST ACTOR, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES

William Hurt, “Too Big Too Fail”
Hugh Bonneville, “Downton Abbey”
Idris Elba, “Luther”
Bill Nighy, “Page Eight”
Dominic West, “Appropriate Adult”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES

Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”
Paul Giamatti, “To Big To Fail”
Guy Pearce, “Mildred Pierce”
Tim Robbins, “Cinema Verite”
Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES

Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story”
Kelly Macdonald, “Boardwalk Empire”
Maggie Smith, “Downton Abbey”
Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”
Evan Rachel Wood, “Mildred Pierce”

If elected, Zimmerman said, he would continue the process of modernizing the registry begun by Donohue.

George R. Zimmerman

NORTHAMPTON – City Treasurer George R. Zimmerman is in the running for the post of Hampshire County Register of Deeds.

Zimmerman, 56, said he will seek the $90,000-a-year position vacated in September by long-time register Marianne L. Donohue. Belchertown finance committee member Mary Olberding has also announced that she will run for the job in the 2012 election.

A Northampton resident, Zimmerman has served for eight years as the city’s treasurer. He won two terms at the polls before the city changed his post to an appointed position. He previously worked at Mass Mutual, doing national real estate transactions.

Zimmerman said his work background and education make him uniquely qualified for the post.

“I think I’ve got the right work experience, having been in the private sector,” he said. “I’m also the only (candidate) with a business degree and a law degree.”

Zimmerman is a member of the Massachusetts bar, but has never practiced law. He noted that, as city treasurer, he has made regular use of the registry, recording information for the city.

If elected, Zimmerman said, he would continue the process of modernizing the registry begun by Donohue. Most registry records and transactions are now available on-line.

“The next big step will be electronic recording from the attorneys’ offices,” he said.

Secretary of State William F. Galvin has appointed Patricia A. Plaza, Donohue’s former assistant, to fill the post pending the election of a new register. Her term will end on Jan. 4, 2013. Plaza has said she will not run for the job next year.

The fire also took the life of a dog. Both were found in a rear bedroom.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Investigators continue to probe a Sibley Avenue house fire that took the life of an adult male and a dog early Wednesday.

Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for state Fire Marshal Steven D. Coan, said investigators are waiting for the state Medical Examiner’s office to identify the victim.

“It may require dental records,” Mieth said.

Both the cause and origin of the fire at 332 Sibley Ave. have yet to be determined, Mieth said. One neighbor reported the blaze via a 911 call about 2:20 a.m.

. On arrival, firefighters found the roof destroyed, and parts of the building were collapsing into the cellar, Fire Chief William E. Flaherty said.

The body of the man and the dog were discovered late Wednesday morning in a back bedroom of the raised ranch.

Earlier Wednesday, neighbors told arriving firefighters they didn’t know if anyone was home at the time of the fire. There are usually three cars associated with the residence and only one was parked in the driveway at the time of the fire.

The state fire marshal and West Springfield police and fire departments are investigating.

According to records from the West Springfield Assessor’s Department, the 1,248-square-foot home was built in 1962 and is owned by Michael R. Stump. The building was valued at $117,500 in 2011.

The 43-year-old Davies' death came days after the anniversary of the Worcester Cold Storage building fire that killed six firefighters on Dec. 3, 1999.

APJon Davies

WORCESTER (AP) — A Worcester firefighter who died after getting trapped while looking for a possible victim in a house fire last week is being laid to rest.

A funeral Mass for Jon Davies is scheduled for Thursday morning at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. Burial will follow at St. John's Cemetery.

Davies died during the Dec. 8 fire after he and his partner went back into the building because they thought a tenant might still be inside. The building collapsed trapping them.

Investigators combed through the rubble for several days before determining there was no body.

The man thought trapped has been arrested on unrelated charges.

The 43-year-old Davies' death came days after the anniversary of the Worcester Cold Storage building fire that killed six firefighters on Dec. 3, 1999.

Howard Stern will join fellow "America's Got Talent" judges Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne.

Associated PressRadio personality Howard Stern smiles during an on-air news conference during his debut show on Sirius Satellite Radio, in a New York file photo from Jan. 9, 2006.

NEW YORK — Howard Stern will be joining the judges' panel on "America's Got Talent," and the NBC summer talent show will uproot itself from Los Angeles to accommodate the New York-based shock jock, the network said Thursday.

NBC confirmed weeks-old rumors of Stern's selection to join fellow "Talent" judges Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne. Nick Cannon remains host.

Stern, whose daily radio show airs on Sirius XM, is replacing Piers Morgan, who departed "Talent" after last season to free up his busy schedule. Last winter Morgan launched a weeknight interview program on CNN.

"Howard Stern's larger-than-life personality will bring a thrilling new dynamic to 'America's Got Talent' starting this summer," said Paul Telegdy, NBC's president of alternative and late night programming. "He's a proven innovator and his track record in broadcasting is truly remarkable."

The show bills itself as TV's only talent competition show that is open to any age and any talent. Auditions for season seven began in October in major cities around the country. But now, with Stern aboard, production of the live broadcast of the show will relocate to New York.

Stern, who in 2005 took his long-running syndicated show from terrestrial radio to Sirius XM, signed a new five-year contract with the satellite-radio company a year ago after months of stormy negotiations.

On his show Thursday morning, he said that he took the offer from NBC because he likes America's Got Talent and felt he "needs to be a judge." He also said that "it wasn't about the money," although he didn't expect anyone to believe him.

A total of 21 educators applied for the three principal openings.

Republican file photoAlan Ingram

SPRINGFIELD – Superintendent of Schools Alan J. Ingram has announced new principals at three schools, with two of the appointments tied to the recent retirement of Margaret C. Ells Elementary School Principal Jose H. Irizarry.

The appointments are as follows:

• Lisa Bakowski, as principal of Margaret C. Ells School. Bakowski has served as principal at Sumner Avenue Elementary School since 2001, and previously was assistant principal at Gerena School and began as a teacher in Springfield in 1992.

• James F. McCann, as principal at Sumner Avenue School. McCann served as assistant principal at Gerena School since 2010, and previously worked as a special education instructional leadership specialist and has worked in the school system since 1990.

• Martha F. Stetkiewicz, as principal of Daniel B. Brunton Elementary School. Stetkiewicz has served as acting principal at Brunton since June and served as assistant principal there since 2007. She began as an adjustment counselor in 1998 at Talmadge School.

McCann and Stetkiewicz have annual salaries of $89,250, and Bakowski’s salary is $92,133. The appointments are effective immediately.

In total, 21 educators applied for the principal positions, and there was a five-part selection process.

A selection committee reviewed applications, checked all references and reviewed applicants’ attendance and evaluation records. A team of administrators, directors and staff interviewed seven candidates who had completed the first stage successfully.

Those candidates who received a favorable recommendation were then assessed on their instructional leadership performance based on their analysis of observations made during a learning walk through a school, and then asked to analyze a case study examining teaching practices. Finally, the superintendent interviewed finalists with a full review of their performance throughout the process.

Davies was killed Dec. 8 while searching for a tenant in a burning 3-story home.

NECN.com is offering a live video feed of the funeral for Worcester firefighter Jon Davies, who was killed Dec. 8 while searching for a tenant in a burning 3-story home.

APJon Davies

It's the latest instance in which lawmakers on Capitol Hill have allowed partisan sniping to hold up action that polls show most Americans support.

Associated PressThe U.S. Capitol building is seen Saturday, Nov., 19, 2011, in Washington.

WASHINGTON — Most Americans want Congress to vote to continue the payroll tax reduction, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll that comes as Democrats and Republicans wrestle over whether to extend the cut through 2012.

It's the latest instance in which lawmakers on Capitol Hill have allowed partisan sniping to hold up action that polls show most Americans support, like ending the Bush tax cuts or adding a surcharge on millionaires.

The dragged-out debate over whether to extend an expiring payroll tax reduction is one of many developments that have kept voters furious with their leaders all year. On the brink of the 2012 presidential and congressional elections, virtually all Americans are disappointed and frustrated with the political scene and nearly 6 in 10 say they are angry, the AP-GfK survey showed.

"It seems like there are parties that only want to get their agenda done," said liquor store owner James Jacobsen, 47, of East Hartford, Conn. "They're catering to special interests and not Americans. They are not representing the individual American."

Nearly 6 in 10 respondents say they want Congress to pass the extension, according to the poll. Letting the Social Security payroll tax break expire would cost a family making $50,000 about $1,000.

Yet, Republicans and Democrats are rejecting each other's proposals and trying to make law from what's left, a tactic they've used all year on debates over the budget and the nation's debt. The stalemates have caused a decline in confidence so severe that 15 percent of all adults and 32 percent of political independents say they don't trust either party to manage the federal budget deficit.

Retired postal worker Larry Collier wishes Congress would get on with what help it can give — an assurance to 160 million American workers that their payroll tax cut will be extended through 2012.

What really galls him is the inequality: The same Congress hesitating to keep taxes low for working Americans also is hesitating to raise them on the wealthy. Congress this year ignored President Barack Obama's proposal to let expire tax cuts on the richest Americans and impose additional taxes on those who make more than $1 million, though polls showed most people supported those policies.

"Those millionaires wouldn't even miss that money," Collier, of Pace, Fla., said, noting that he voted for George W. Bush and is now a Democrat.

Economic discontent has spilled over into the political sphere all year and could influence the 2012 presidential and congressional elections. Occupy Wall Street and other protests against inequality have grabbed some attention from politicians, with Democrats the most supportive. Last week, a group of demonstrators camped out on the National Mall, crashed stately holiday parties and marched on Capitol Hill, demanding that Congress extend the payroll tax and insurance for the long-term unemployed.

On the payroll tax deduction, 58 percent of respondents said they want Congress to extend the break, while 35 percent want it to expire.

Democrats and independents are the strongest supporters of continuing the tax cut, while Republicans were evenly divided. But the difference is more partisan than ideological: Conservatives supported an extension, 54 percent to the 42 percent who prefer to let the reduction expire.

Those with annual incomes below $50,000 more strongly support the extension compared with higher-income respondents, and seniors were more likely than younger adults to back the extension.

On Wednesday, there was little sign Congress was listening.

Democrats who control the Senate rejected a GOP-ruled House plan to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, but only with cuts to spending and sped-up approval of an oil pipeline. The Senate is crafting its own proposal in response.

If an agreement is not reached by the end of the year, payroll taxes will jump on Jan. 1 from this year's 4.2 percent back to their normal level of 6.2 percent.

Americans are virtually out of patience, the polling shows. And their distrust crosses party lines.

"I really don't feel that they are having the best interests of us as a people," said Rogersville, Tenn., resident Andrea Stafford, 38, a single mother of two who has been unemployed since the summer.

"And when I say people," she added, "I don't mean millionaires and government officials. I'm talking about the normal person who gets up and fixes their children's lunch and has to take off work when their child is sick because we don't have nannies."

The AP-GfK poll found congressional approval near its all-time low and nearly all Americans disappointed with politics. Eighty-four percent of the respondents disapproved of the way Congress is doing its job, with at least 8 in 10 Republicans, Democrats and independents feeling that way.

As for how to balance the federal budget, more now favor cutting government services as the best means to bring federal spending into balance. Sixty percent think lawmakers should focus on budget cuts over tax increases. That figure had been as low as 53 percent in August, during the showdown over raising the country's debt limit.

The biggest shift on that question has come from independents. In the August poll, 37 percent said lawmakers should focus on increasing taxes and 42 percent said cutting services. Now, that divide stands at 28 percent for raising taxes and 59 percent for cutting services.

The Associated Press-GfK Poll was conducted Dec. 8-12 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cell phone interviews with 1,000 adults nationwide and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Vote as we determine who cooks up the best burger in the valley.

We now know the Sweet 16, but it's up to you to choose the most Edible 8.

Readers of The Republican, MassLive.com and El Pueblo Latino, after nominating 87 of their favorite burgers in the Valley Food Championship Burger Battle, have determined their 16 favorite burgers as we seek out the best burger around.

Voting continues in burger-to-burger battles until you've narrowed the field to four finalists, at which point the competition goes to our newsroom judges – arts and entertainment editor Ray Kelly, sports reporter Pam McCray and photographer Don Treeger – who will visit each of the final four burger joints and proclaim the 2011 Valley Food Championship Burger champion.

Vote for your favorites in four matchups in the Pickles and Tomatoes brackets and the Bun and Lettuce brackets. The polls close on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 6 p.m.

Click here for the Pickles and Tomatoes brackets >>

Click here for the Bun and Lettuce brackets >>

Davies died during a Dec. 8 fire.

AP photo | Steven Senne Pallbearers carry the casket of fallen Worcester, Mass., firefighter Jon Davies into Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church before a funeral Mass, in Worcester, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. Davies was killed during a Dec. 8, 2011 fire after he and his partner went back into a burning building because they thought a tenant might still be inside.

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — Thousands of firefighters from across Massachusetts and the country lined the streets around a Worcester church during a city firefighter's funeral.

A funeral Mass for Jon Davies began Thursday morning at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.

Burial is scheduled to follow at St. John's Cemetery.

Davies died during the Dec. 8 fire after he and his partner went back into a burning home because they thought a tenant might still be inside. The building collapsed, trapping them.

Investigators combed through the rubble for several days before determining there was no trapped tenant.

The man thought trapped has been arrested on unrelated charges.

The 43-year-old Davies' death came days after the anniversary of the Worcester Cold Storage building fire that killed six firefighters on Dec. 3, 1999.