Mayor Domenic Sarno had recommended a 50 cent tax rate increase for homeowners and a 56 cent increase for businesses.

Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD – After 90 minutes of debate and at the brink of a stalemate, the Springfield City Council Friday voted to approve a 34 cent increase in the property tax rate for homeowners and raised the business tax rate by $1.02 for the fiscal year that starts July 1, after rejecting both higher and lower numbers.

The final vote was 9-2 in favor of a $19.83 per $1,000 tax rate for homeowners, as compared to a $19.49 rate in fiscal 2011. The average annual tax bill for a single-family home would rise by $16.26, but it would widely vary for homeowners citywide depending on their newly certified property values.

The new business rate was set at $39.99, as compared to a fiscal 2011 rate of $38.97.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno had proposed a higher rate for homeowners, $19.99 and a lower rate for business of $39.53.

“I just felt it was a good compromise,” said At-Large Councilor Thomas M. Ashe, who proposed the rates that were approved by the council. “It represents a lower residential rate than the administration proposed and it raised the commercial rate slightily but it still stayed under the $40 threshhold.”

“The saying that government isn’t always pretty was certainly proven by the City Council, but in the end the council did its job.”

The rates are retroactive to July 1, 2011. Taxpayers have received two estimated bills since July, and the third quarter bill will be mailed by the end of December, amended to reflect the new rates.

More details coming in The Republican.

The weapon was recovered on Crystal Avenue, which runs between Belmont Avenue and Dickinson Street.

Republican file photo

This story was updated at 7:15 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17.

SPRINGFIELD — Authorities recovered a firearm early Saturday morning in the city's Forest Park neighborhood.

Springfield police officers responded to a 1:35 a.m. report of a handgun that was found near 45 Crystal Ave.

The weapon was seized, and detectives were called to the scene to photograph the gun.

Further information, including whether the weapon was used in commission of a crime, was not immediately available.

THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of the Crystal Avenue address were Springfield police recovered a firearm early Saturday morning:

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Authorities said they recovered around five pounds of pot, two handguns and $1,500 cash during a raid of a Malden Street home.

SPRINGFIELD — Police arrested several people after a Friday night raid at a Forest Park home turned up drugs, guns and money, according to press reports.

Around five pounds of marijuana, two handguns and $1,500 cash were seized from a Malden Street home, according to abc40, media partner of The Republican and MassLive.

Information on the suspects was not immediately available, but a total of five people were taken into custody, abc40 reports.

The raid was conducted by detectives from the Springfield Police Department's Strategic Impact Unit, formerly known as the Narcotics Bureau and Vice Control Squad.

According to a report by 22News, the house was located in the 100 block of Malden Street.

The suspects were being booked Friday night.

More information will be posted on MassLive as it becomes available.

Malden Street has been the scene of past criminal activity.

In March 2007, a city police officer was shot and injured while attempting to take a wanted man into custody at 126 Malden St. The suspect, 28-year-old Aaron Brevoort, who had an outstanding New York state warrant at the time, was killed during the shootout with police.

The latest incident occurred Friday, when 50-year-old Effrain Montanez, a veteran state trooper, was charged with soliciting a prostitute in Lynn. His arrest follows that of Thomas McCarthy in Saugus last month.

Republican file photo

LYNN — A Massachusetts State Police trooper arrested for allegedly soliciting a suspected prostitute in Lynn early Friday morning was released on personal recognizance after denying the allegations at his court arraignment later that day.

The arrest marks the second time in less than four weeks that a state trooper has been charged with a crime in Massachusetts, according to state police officials.

Efrain Montanez, 50, of Salem, pleaded not guilty Friday in Lynn District Court to charges of engaging in unnatural acts, failure to stop for police and assault with a dangerous weapon, according to state police spokesman David Procopio.

Montanez, a member of the department's gang unit, was immediately suspended without pay following allegations that he picked up a prostitute around 12:45 a.m. Friday, then fled the scene in an unmarked, state-issued pickup truck after Lynn police officers confronted him.

The woman who was with Montanez has been identified as 23-year-old Katelyn Pumphret, who was charged with prostitution and unnatural acts.

Lynn Police Lt. Christopher Kelly told the Boston Globe that officers in the North Shore city were conducting a crackdown on prostitution when they encountered Montanez and the woman inside the pickup truck.

Montanez, a 27-year state police veteran, is a decorated trooper who once was awarded the state’s highest honor for bravery, according to the Globe.

When Lynn officers approached the pickup truck, Montanez nearly struck an officer as he sped away from the scene, police said. Montanez put the truck in reverse, then accelerated forward, forcing one of the officers to push off the truck to avoid getting hit, police said.

That triggered a high-speed pursuit that eventually ended in Nahant, police said.

The pickup truck that almost hit the Lynn officer was the so-called "dangerous weapon" that triggered the assault charge against Montanez, police said.

Montanez was stripped of his badge and gun and suspended without pay for an indefinite period, Procopio said.

Col. Marian J. McGovern, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, issued a department-wide email that condemned Montanez's alleged actions and reminded all state police personnel that they are prohibited from using department-issued vehicles while off duty. She also reminded troopers that they must adhere to the department's personal-conduct rules, even when off duty.

McGovern's email referenced another recent black eye for state police – last month's arrest and suspension of a veteran state police captain for allegedly driving erratically in unmarked state car in Saugus.

Thomas McCarthy, 47, who is due in court next week, allegedly led Saugus police on a chase down Route 1 after an argument at a woman’s house. He was charged with failing to stop for officers and failing to stay within marked lanes, according to police, who also were probing if McCarthy was intoxicated at the time. Open and unopened beer bottles were found in his car, according to Saugus police.

"Plainly speaking, the allegations in each case are disturbing," McGovern said in a statement Friday. "These cases will be handled externally in the judicial system and internally with the state police."

McGovern acknowledged that the back-to-back incidents have blemished the statewide police agency's reputation, vowing to address the issues and to "restore the public trust."

The colonel also reminded state police supervisors that they will be held accountable for violations of the policy that prohibits the use of police vehicles for anything other than official business.

State police officials said they would take appropriate actions against Montanez and McCarthy following the completion of their criminal cases.

Procopio said the allegations against Montanez, as detailed in a Lynn police report, were "an outrageous breach of duty and a violation of the public trust" and an "utter embarrassment to the department and the overwhelming majority of troopers who wear the badge with integrity and honor."

Procopio said the Massachusetts State Police Internal Affairs Section will open its own investigation into Montanez’s behavior.

According to the Globe, Montanez shared the George L. Hanna Award with Trooper Francis P. Hughes for their bravery in connection with a 1996 drug investigation in Haverhill.

The troopers were attacked by a group of people who repeatedly stabbed Hughes, leaving him with life-threatening injuries. The troopers fought off their attackers and Hughes eventually recovered, the newspaper reported.

Montanez is due back in court for a Jan. 30 pretrial hearing.

Naerly $110,000 is needed to meet the $150,000 goal by Dec. 23.

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SPRINGFIELD – Proceeds from Chicopee’s Selser Memorial School’s dress-down days on Fridays will help provide toys, games and books to needy children this holiday season through Toy for Joy.

The school’s $100 contribution is among the latest listed for the 89th annual Toy for Joy campaign. Today’s list of donations also includes $100 contributions from M.L. Schmitt Inc., of Springfield and Stephen Phifer Contractors, of Brimfield. School and workplace groups are among some of the leading community organizations which help drive the Toy for Joy fund each year.

“Without the good work of school children across the region and the efforts by businesses and workplace groups, Toy for Joy would not be the success it is,” said Cynthia G. Simison, managing editor of The Republican.

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. Donations to date stand at $40,507, leaving $109,493 to be raised in the next week.

Toy distribution at the Greater Springfield Citadel on Pearl Street ended on Friday. Toy for Joy last year brought smiles to the faces of nearly 20,000 children in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties.

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.

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 have been among the volunteers who have aided the Salvation Army with registration of families and 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.

Here’s a list of the latest contributors:
In loving memory of our parents Eunice and George Ross and Barbara and Jim Fitzgibbon, $50
In loving memory of Joe, Betty and Ronnie Boyer and Joe Orlando from Marie and Dennis, $10
In memory of our deceased friends, Vickie, Linda, Tony, Nancy, Heidi, Maureen, Claudia, Carl, Roger, Sully, Jim and Donna from Marie and Dennis, $10
In appreciation of our two beautiful and healthy grandchildren, Madeleine and Benjamin from Grammy Marie and Grampa Dennis, $10
In loving memory of my husband Don and my mother “Babe”, $100
In memory of deceased family members, $25
Happy birthday to Rose Clark from Chris and Claude Ward-Horner, $25
In memory of Janice Ward-Horner and Osmond Ward-Horner, $25
Happy birthday to Rolande from Chris and Claude Ward-Horner, $25
Happy Birthday to Florinda Peck from Chris and Claude Ward-Horner, $25
In memory of Papa Jim Tierney honoring his 13 grandchildren, $100
In memory of those not with us, but not forgotten, $25
In memory of Mom, $25
Thank you holy spirit for prayers answered. Merry Christmas to all, MZ and DJZ, $25
To give thanks for my seven beautiful grandchildren, $10
In honor of my greatest gift, my mother. I love you so much, Dana, $10
In memory of deceased family members, $20
Deceased members of Casey and Noel families, $20
In memory of Philip Mirarchi, Hugo and Rose Sedran and Roger Sedran, $50
In memory of Richard E. Mastey. Love, Craig, Darlene, Matt and Brett Staples, $25
In memory of Leo, $25
In memory of Grandma and Grandpa Fusco from the Cirellis, $20
The JCC Girls with grandmother faces, $70
For some child, $20
With love Benjamin, Jillian, Michael and Gianna, $50
Merry Christmas from Jim, Judy, Jeff, Chris, Kim and Nick, $150
In loving memory of Alexander and Joan Pannetti, $25
In memory of Mom, Dad and Bob, $25
In memory of Dave, Lois, Sou Ling and Barney, $25
In loving memory of Beverly S. Krok, $50
Peace, hope and joy this Christmas and New Year’s season, $20
Linnea and Rich, $25
In memory of Duncan, he loved Christmas morning the best, $100
In memory of deceased family and friends, love MaryJo and Tommy, $50
In loving memory of the Hassapelis and Lyman families, $50
Ken and Barb, $25
Merry Christmas and peace to all from Bob and Maryellen, $50
In loving memory of Joe Amaral and Theresa Borsari, $50
In celebration of our grandson David’s 6th birthday, Dec. 15. Love, Grandma and Grandpa, $50
Peace and love to all, $25
In memory of my husband Ernie. Miss you always, Lou, $10
In memory of husband Buddy Blum from Sheila, $25
Merry Christmas to all from Richard and Maryann, $50
In memory of our parents, Sue and Pierre, $25
Remembering our little boys, Kristofer and Andrew, with love from Mom, Dad, Jen and our new little Kristofer, $100
Merry Christmas Alexa, Evan and Ben, $100
Anonymous, $50
Ron and Barbara, $50
In loving memory of Nana and Pop from all your family, $15
Thank you St. Jude for all your help, Helen O’C, $10
Anonymous, $20
Merry Christmas from David, Theresa, Patrick and Liam, $25
Thomas, $25
In memory of Frank, Bruce and Scott, $10
In honor of Cassie and Cailee from Ama and Papa, $25
Gail, $20
In loving memory of my John, $10
For Daddy, who loved all animals and rescued many from Pat, $50
In memory of Malcom, Missy and Mindy, $200
In loving memory of Dad, Niles, Aunt Dot, Reggie and Shar-dei, love Liz, $15
In loving memory of Ann Marie Martin, Dec. 17, 1966-Aug. 22, 1979. Mom, Dad, Terry, Eileen and John Jr., $25
Anonymous, $30
Sandy and I wish all children happiness in their lives, from Phil and Sandy, $100
In memory of Nonzel and Happer, $25
Merry Christmas from Robert and Sandra, $15
In memory of Jennie Rubis and Paul R. Page, $200
In loving memory of my husband Joseph Wostena Jr from wife Blanche, $20
In memory of our dogs, Oliver, Ricky, Bebe and Lucy from Maryann Wostena, $20
In loving memory of Sophie and Michael Piswczyk, Helen and Joseph Wostena Sr. from grandson Michael, $30
In memory of Emile and Ginny Grenier, missing you much at Christmastime, love Sheila and Phil, Meaghan, Dominic and Gino, $20
In loving memory of Noni and Ben, Merry Christmas in heaven. Love, Sheila, Phil, Meaghan, Dominic and Gino, $20
In loving memory of all family and friends that we have lost. Love, Sheila and Phil Serra, $20
Happy Holidays to our little friends from your big friends at “Grace’s Places”, $250
Merry Christmas in memory of Fluffy Ruffles, $100
In memory of Tom and Agnes Kelly from Bob and Pat, $100
In memory of Frank and Rosalie Pouliot from Bob and Pat, $100
A safer 2012 for everybody from Accu Finish Orthodontic Lab, $25
George and Denise, $25
Stephen Phifer Contractors Inc., $100
Merry Christmas from Selser Memorial School, Chicopee, $100
M.L. Schmitt, Inc., $100

RECEIVED, $3,780
TOTAL TO DATE, $40,507
STILL NEEDED, $109,493

The girls, ages 17 and 18, will be arraigned on numerous counts of receiving stolen merchandise in connection with an incident at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, police said.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE — Another sign that the holiday season is here: shoplifters.

Paper City police have been busy during the buildup to Christmas, making numerous shoplifting arrests over the past few weeks.

The most recent arrests came Friday afternoon, when two Springfield teenagers were taken into custody at the Holyoke Mall for allegedly shoplifting and possessing stolen merchandise.

Elizabeth Rivera, 18, of 1294 Worcester St., Apt. 2, and Thalysha Besaw, 17, of 59 Knox St., were each charged with single counts of shoplifting and with four counts apiece of receiving stolen property.

The arrests stem from a 4:43 p.m. Friday incident at Old Navy, according to Holyoke Police Department records.

In Massachusetts, the value of the property and the number of convictions for this particular crime determines the severity of the punishment and whether a felony or misdemeanor charge is lodged against a defendant.

The charge, punishable by a maximum five-year prison sentence, is triggered when someone acquires merchandise with the knowledge that the items were stolen or unlawfully taken.

Nick Norris, 23, of Springfield, will face weapons charges when he's arraigned in Springfield District Court.

Updates a story originally published at 2:39 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17.

SPRINGFIELD — Officers on routine patrol early Saturday in the city's Forest Park neighborhood broke up a house party on Crystal Avenue, where they arrested a local man found hiding in the cellar with a loaded handgun, according to Springfield Police Lt. John Slepchuk.

Police made a total of five arrests, mostly for disorderly conduct and other charges. But Springfield resident Nicholas Norris, 23, of 37 Halsey St., was charged with multiple weapons offenses after he was found hiding in the basement with a loaded .38-caliber gun, Slepchuk said.

Norris will face single counts of possession of a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without a license, and receiving stolen property at his arraignment Monday in Springfield District Court.

Police said the weapon was reported stolen from another jurisdiction.

"I believe that the officers have determined that the firearm was stolen," Slepchuk said, praising them for being in the right place at the right time.

Slepchuk said the party at 45 Crystal Ave. was attended by a large number of young people, including teenagers and minors.

Past house parties in the Forest Park neighborhood have ended with violence, according to police.

A teenager was shot to death at an Edgeland Street party in July, and a man was shot and seriously wounded in late May outside a house party at the corner of Belmont Avenue and Hall Street.

House parties that attract teenagers and young adults were among the activities targeted earlier this year by law enforcement officials, who blamed such gatherings for a surge in youth violence in Springfield.

The rapper, whose real name is Mario Hamilton, was fatally shot in the chest after getting into an argument,

OHOR The cover of the Slim Dunkin album, "Dunkin the Competition," released on the OHOR label in June 2010.

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta police say the rapper Slim Dunkin was gunned down Friday evening in a city music studio as he was preparing to record a video.

Police Maj. Keith Meadows said the rapper, whose real name is Mario Hamilton, was fatally shot in the chest after getting into an argument with another individual.

He was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Meadows told The Associated Press late Friday that police have not been able to identify the shooter. He said investigators have been interviewing those who were inside the studio. He said as many as 20 people were inside the small office-type building at the time of the shooting, which took place around 5:30 p.m., but they were in different places.

Police have not recovered the handgun that was used. Investigators remained at the scene late Friday evening.

"Right now we're just trying to....identify who may have seen what, really just trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together," Meadows said. "It seems everybody witnessed something very different. We're just trying to go back and make sense of everything."

Slim Dunkin had appeared on a number of songs with the rapper Waka Flocka Flame. The website Mtv.com reported that the Brick Squad Monopoly rapper was on a solo track and had recently released a 20-track mix tape that featured Gucci Mane, Roscoe Dash and Pastor Troy.

"It appears the victim was scheduled to do a photo shoot," Meadows said of Friday's events. "Before the video shoot took place, it appears the victim and suspect got involved in a verbal altercation. We don't know what that altercation was about."

"The suspect produced a weapon, discharged that handgun one time, striking the victim in the chest," Meadows said.

Meadows said the victim was in his early 20s and resided in the Atlanta area.

Many fans were posting messages late Friday night on a Facebook page for the rapper.

The website AllHipHop.com last February described Slim Dunkin, a Detroit native, as an up-and-coming talent with "a unique lyrical ability and style all his own."

In an interview with the website, he described himself as someone "trying to provide for his family by making something out of nothing just trying to beat the odds."

"I don't have amazing lyrical ability I just know how to speak on what I been through and where I came from," he said.

Asked what to expect from him in 2011, he responded: "Music, music, music!"

UMass released minutes chronicling the state university system's search for a new president, but state Attorney General Martha Coakley's office has expressed concerns about the sufficiency of the minutes.

Republican file photoMassachusetts Attorney General Martha M. Coakley

AMHERST — The Massachusetts attorney general's office has expressed concern over the revelation that the University of Massachusetts discarded records from its closed-door search for a new president, prompting scrutiny by the Bay State's top prosecutor for the second time since August, when UMass was ordered to release full and accurate records.

UMass spokesman Robert P. Connolly on Thursday acknowledged that a secretary threw out meeting notes related to the search process that ultimately led to the hiring of Robert L. Caret, who took over as president of the five-school, 69,000-student public university system in July.

Connolly told the Boston Globe that the university's general counsel, Deirdre Heatwole, said the practice didn't violate the state's Open Meeting Law because the notes had already been used to draft official minutes.

In August, Attorney General Martha Coakley's office found that UMass had committed "wide-ranging and serious" violations of public records laws by selecting Caret to replace Jack Wilson, who stepped down in June yet continues to collect his full salary.

Coakley's office ordered UMass to release "full and accurate" minutes from several search committee meetings that were held privately but should have been public. UMass officials on Thursday released 17 pages of minutes, representing hours of meetings, but a Coakley spokesman told the Globe that his boss has "concerns about the sufficiency of the minutes."

Prosecutors said the violations culminated in January, when UMass conducted an “unlawful executive session” to interview three finalists for the top job.

Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Sclarsic, in a 17-page letter to the university's general counsel, detailed the violations and ordered several remedies, including requiring all UMass trustees to undergo training in the state's Open Meeting Law before appointing a new chancellor to the UMass-Amherst post.

Chancellor Robert C. Holub is stepping down as leader of the flagship Amherst university on July 31, 2012, and has agreed to leave sooner if UMass officials find a replacement before his term expires. The university has hired an executive search firm to help with that process.

Republican file photoUMass President Robert L. Caret

Coakley has said that the trustees' separate Jan. 13 interviews with each of the three finalists for president should have been open to the public, but were wrongly held behind closed doors.

A committee can screen preliminary candidates in executive session, but once candidates pass that stage and become finalists, those interviews generally must be public, except in the case of narrow discussions regarding the reputation and character of job candidates.

After the illegal January session, trustees immediately – and publicly – voted to select Caret for the position.

The attorney general could have nullified that decision or issued a fine, but she instead ordered UMass to take corrective measures to ensure such mistakes didn't happen again.

Robert J. Ambrogi, a lawyer and member of the state's Open Meeting Law Advisory Commission, said Coakley should have nullified the trustees’ appointment of Caret to drive home the importance of the law and the need for compliance.

Caret, a Maine native, was formally inaugurated Nov. 1 as the 26th president of the University of Massachusetts.

Jesus Figueroa, 22, of Indian Orchard was carrying around $8,000 cash and more than 100 grams of heroin when he was arrested in the city's Forest Park neighborhood, Lt. John Slepchuk said.

Republican file photoSpringfield police charged two men in connection with a shotgun assault early Saturday morning in the Six Corners neighborhood. No one was injured in the incident, which allegedly involved a scorned boyfriend who opened fire on his girlfriend's Cedar Street home.

SPRINGFIELD — Police officers conducting a patrol of the city's Forest Park neighborhood arrested an Indian Orchard man on drug trafficking charges Friday night.

Jesus Figueroa, 22, of 8 Hampden St. was charged with heroin trafficking after officers found more than 100 grams of the opiate and $8,000 cash in a duffel bag he was carrying, Springfield Police Lt. John Slepchuk said.

"They did a nice job," Slepchuk said by way of praising the officers, who spotted Figueroa in the vicinity of 11 Hollywood St. in the Forest Park section.

The lieutenant said Figueroa was "observed fleeing" with a duffel bag that turned out to be full of money and heroin. It was unclear what prompted him to run.

Slepchuk said officers pursued and captured Figueroa, who was subsequently charged with trafficking, heroin possession with intent to distribute, and a school-zone drug violation.

Police said Figueroa was in possession of the drugs within 1,000 feet of Washington Elementary School, the threshold for triggering a school-zone charge.

He's expected to be arraigned Monday in Springfield District Court.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association requires student athletes to take four “recognized courses,” and pass two.

File photo by Michael Beswick / The Republican02/12/11 Springfield Republican Photo by Michael Beswick - Kara Lacoste of Chicopee Comp during her Timed Finals of the Girls 200 Yard IM at the Western Mass. Girls swimming championships at Springfield College.

Photo by John Suchocki / The RepublicanChicopee Comprehensive High school senior Kara A. Lacoste is part of a task force that is reviewing student academic eligibility requirements.

Kara A. Lacoste says even students think it’s too easy to qualify for high-school sports teams in Chicopee.

“I don’t know if they like the idea, but I feel the majority of students here feel the academic eligibility standard should be raised,” says the Chicopee Comprehensive High School senior.

If all student-athletes were like Lacoste, there would be no issue in Chicopee or elsewhere. Not only is she a swimmer who holds most of her school’s records, Lacoste is also an academic honor student and a member of the school’s Student Advisory Council.

Not every teenager falls into those categories, and she understands.

Nonetheless, Lacoste belongs to a task force that is looking at the rules governing eligibility for Chicopee’s high-school athletic teams, and she does not like what she sees.

“Playing sports is a perk, a privilege. It is not a right,” Lacoste said. “School should come first. That’s why we’re here.”

Athletes at Chicopee’s two public high schools must pass at least four classes out of a courseload that can include as many as seven courses per marking period to remain eligible to compete.

The task force of students, faculty and parents had its first meeting on Thursday. It is expected to develop a proposal for the Chicopee School Committee, which has been wrestling with the issue for months without action.

At issue is whether raising the standard would disqualify students whose interest in remaining in school is pinned to playing sports.

Proponents of retaining the current standard say it is all too easy to dismiss that argument on the grounds that academics should come first.

Losing teenagers from the school system will eventually cause problems later for the students – and for society.

Earlier this year, that point was made by Chicopee Ward 5 School Committee member Deborah A. Styckiewicz. She said many students come from disadvantaged personal situations, including broken homes, that are not conducive to learning.

School is often their last hope, Styckiewicz argues, and losing them altogether will ultimately cause more hardship to the student – and the community – than retaining a relatively easily attainable standard.

Even some students are questioning that view.

Photo by John Suchocki / The RepublicanChiccopee High School senior Taylor McAndrew is a member of the eligibility of athletes in high school task force.

“You would think teachers and the School Committee would want to see our students come out with better grades,” said Chicopee High School senior Taylor L. McAndrew, a three-sport athlete. “I definitely think teachers want kids to step up to the plate. It almost boggles my mind (that) they are still debating this (on the School Committee).”

The eligibility debate is being waged in Chicopee, but it applies to every school district.

Chicopee School Committee member John Mruk did a survey of 16 systems throughout the region, and found that Chicopee ranked near the bottom in expectations.

He thinks if students are required to improve their classwork, they will.

“I think they will rise to the occasion. Five (passing grades) out of seven would be a start; I would be comfortable with six,” Mruk said.

Only four of the 16 districts in Mruk’s survey allowed for no failures. Most also allow for an appeal process.

West Springfield requires five passing grades in a seven-class schedule.

“You can make the standards more stringent. We have toyed with that idea, but we are not prepared to make a change at this time,” West Springfield principal Michael J. Richard said.

Ludlow practices an unusual policy which is similar to allowing a “mulligan” in golf. As a rule, no failures are allowed. Ineligible student-athletes can apply for a waiver, but only once during their high school careers.

Ludlow’s policy also applies not only to sports, but to all clubs and activities. That is true in some other systems, but not all.

Holyoke’s policy, like Chicopee’s, requires four of seven courses to be passed. Athletic director Aaron Patterson said he is not opposed to stiffening the rules.

“It is hard to look at a report card with all Ds and Fs, and you still allow the kid to play,” said Patterson, who did a college master’s thesis on the effect of academics on teams.

Teams with stricter rules often have more success on the field because their athletes become more disciplined, says Patterson.

Chicopee’s current standards sent a bad message within the schools, McAndrew said.

“Teachers get upset when kids fail classes and still think they’re ‘all it.’ A lot of kids do sports but take school seriously, and it makes me mad when some don’t,” she said.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association governs high school sports statewide. It sets guidelines for eligibility but does not wish to make the rules for individual communities, a spokesman said.

“Some schools use our guidelines as a benchmark, but if a school wants to maintain a higher standard, they are welcome and encouraged to do it,” Paul Wetzel, spokesman for the association, said.

The MIAA requires students to take four “recognized courses,” and pass two, Wetzel said. This policy is at the basis of formulas used by many communities who require passage of 50 percent of the course load, or slightly more.

A more detailed MIAA policy is impractical because course schedules vary. Districts such as Northampton’s carry as few as four “block” courses, while other systems carry as many as seven.

Northampton requires three passing grades, one more than the MIAA guidelines.

“Athletics are important. Academics are more important,” said Northampton High School athletic director Jim Miller.

If students in any district meet the MIAA standard but fall short of their own district’s requirement, they are not eligible to play, according to Wetzel.

He said many urban communities, including Boston, opt for a higher standard than the MIAA's.

Most local systems seem satisfied with their own rules.

“We do lose a few athletes here and there, but I wouldn’t consider it a problem,” said Agawam athletic director David J. Stratton, whose system demands five of seven passing grades. “Most of our athletes are students first.”

“Our kids have not complained about it,” said Ludlow athletic director Tim Brillo. “We say, this is our standard. Live up to it.”

The policy does come into question “once in a while,” Brillo added. “We had a parent question it, and I asked them, if your kid came home with an F, would that be acceptable to you. The answer was no,” he said.

If educators and even students are lining up to support rigid standards, though, their view is by no means unanimous.

On Friday, Styckiewicz said she was not opposed in principle to raising standards in Chicopee. She was skeptical it could be done without having students fall by the wayside, though.

"If we could do it without hurting the kids ... the most important thing is to keep the kids engaged,'' said Styckiewicz, whose husband, Al, coaches hockey at Chicopee High School.

Springfield Public Schools’ athletic director Michael Martin believes the view that losing athletes to grades could mean losing them altogether has merit.

“I don’t discount it. A lot of kids are not in school for the right reasons, but they have stayed long enough to turn themselves around,” Martin said.

He said he has seen the importance of keeping kids in school first-hand.

“It helped a lot of kids when I coached basketball at (the High School of) Commerce (in the 1970s). Your only chance of getting them (to become productive) is if they’re in school,” Martin said.

Azell Cavaan, chief communications officer for the Springfield Public Schools, said formal discussions have been held within the past two years about whether the rules should be modified. Springfield requires a 1.67 grade-point average and a maximum of one failing grade for eligibility.

One danger in toughening grades, Martin said, is the risk of expecting students to improve their classwork, without providing support systems that help them do it.

A basketball player once lost eligibility by failing typing “because his fingers were too big,” Martin said.

Even Martin acknowledged the dual response such cases provoke. To some, it sounds like the kind of of cop-out tougher guidelines are designed to eliminate. To others, including himself, the episode might seem frivolous, but in fact unnecessarily jeopardized a student’s future.

James P. Blain, athletic director for Chicopee’s two high schools, said the necessary support system for student-athletes exists in his district. Students are allowed and even encouraged to miss practice, for instance, in order to do necessary work on academics or school projects, Blain said.

That sentiment is echoed elsewhere. Northampton students, for example, can miss practice for academics, as long as they bring a note, according to Miller.

In Agawam, parents can track students’ progress by computer on a daily basis, Stratton said.

Such steps don’t entirely answer Styckiewicz’ concern that toughening the rules will shut out kids who don’t always have interested, supportive parents, helping them work through the challenges of high school.

Blain has seen that world, too. A former coach and assistant principal at Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical High School, he serves as chairman of Chicopee’s task force. He tries to take the role of mediator for the group, but said it does not keep him from expressing a strong belief that Chicopee’s rules are too weak.

“At Putnam, we had more stringent rules than Chicopee did, and the students would do exactly what you would tell them,” Blain said. “If all we are about as educators is making kids eligible to play, we’ve failed. And to fail three classes and still be eligible says our system lacks high enough expectations for the student-athletes.”

Those comments, and for that matter those of the other side of the issue, go to the heart of the eligibility debate.

By keeping kids in school through any reasonable means, are systems recognizing the greater good and showing the wisdom or patience, especially with students from disadvantaged backgrounds who just need a chance?

Or, are relatively easy standards not only making a poor statement about the priorities of an academic system, but underselling the talent and potential of the very kids it is serving?

Lacoste, the star student-athlete at Chicopee Comp, knows where she stands.

“(Almost) every other community has higher standards than ours, and they do fine,” she said. “If we raise the bar, kids will raise their grades.”

Staff writers Sandra Constantine, Jeannette DeForge, Jack Flynn, Diane Lederman, Elizabeth Roman and Ted LaBorde contributed to this report.

Under Utah law, people are guilty of bigamy if they have multiple marriage licenses, or if they cohabitate with another consenting adult in a marriage-like relationship.

(AP/ TLC photo)In this publicity file image provided by TLC, Kody Brown, center, poses with his wives, from left, Robyn, Christine, Meri and Janelle in a promotional photo for the reality series, "Sister Wives." The polygamous family made famous on the TLC show is asking a U.S. judge not to block their challenge of Utah's bigamy law.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Attorneys for a polygamous family made famous on a reality television show on Friday asked a Utah federal judge not to block their challenge of the state's bigamy law.

Kody Brown and wives Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn filed a lawsuit in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court in July.

The stars of the TLC show "Sister Wives" contend the law is unconstitutional because it violates their right to privacy — prohibiting them from living together and criminalizing their private sexual relationships.

Under Utah law, people are guilty of bigamy if they have multiple marriage licenses, or if they cohabitate with another consenting adult in a marriage-like relationship. Any couple of any sex living together in an intimate relationship is considered marriage-like under the law, and such a living arrangement would be considered a felony. Any couple of any sex living together in an intimate relationship could be considered guilty of a felony under the law.

Formerly of Lehi, the Browns and their 17 children moved to Nevada in January after police launched a bigamy investigation. The Browns practice polygamy as part of their religious beliefs.

U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups heard oral arguments in the case on Friday in Salt Lake City and took the matter under advisement. It's not clear when he will rule.

For the case to go forward, the judge must decide the Browns have been harmed by the bigamy law.

In court, the Browns' Washington-based attorney, Jonathan Turley, said the family has suffered losses of income and been forced to move out of state because they were under investigation for bigamy.

They've also suffered "reputational harm" because the law labels the Browns' family a "criminal association," and because some Utah County prosecutors have said publicly that it would be easy for authorities bring charges because the Browns have already acknowledged felonies on national TV.

"This family was fearful of arrest ... they still are," Turley said. "It's why they are not here (in court) today."

The Zoning Board of Appeals has granted special permits needed for major expansion at Lattitude Restaurant on Memorial Avenue.

Photo by Mark M. Murray / The RepublicanThe owners of the Lattitude Restaurant at 1336-1344 Memorial Ave., won a permit to expand this week from the West Springfield Zoning Board of Appeals.

“I’m thrilled for them. They’ve got great food, great service,” Mayor Edward J. Gibson said Friday. “To see a West Springfield business thrive and grow is exciting.”

Planning Administrator Richard A. Werbiskis said Friday that the board attached the stipulation that the restaurant follow through on its plan to lease room for 44 parking spaces on property owned by the Eastern States Exposition across the street. Those spaces would be in addition to it keeping its lease on land across the street from it on Exposition Terrace that provides 48 off-street parking spaces.

Werbiskis said the board has also required that valet parking be used for parking on the Eastern Exposition property.

“It needs to be a valet service so we don’t have patrons crossing Memorial Avenue,” Werbiskis said of the avenue, which is very heavily traveled.

Plans for the expansion include a banquet room in the adjacent former Memo’s Restaurant space and adding 796 square feet to the rear and side of the existing 2,997-square-foot building. They also call for demolition of a three-family apartment house at 19-23 Exposition Terr.

Earlier this year, Lattitude Realty LLC got permission from the board to increase the eatery’s seating capacity from just under 100 to 206. The board has also approving increasing the total seating capacity to 358 as well as adding 32 seasonal seats on a proposed patio along Memorial Avenue.

The expansion scheme also includes plans for an apartment on the second floor of the building and a retail bakery.

The parcel on which the restaurant is situated is owned by Margaret L. Balestri Real Estate Trust of West Springfield and is in the process of being sold to Lattitude Realty LLC.

Management at the restaurant has declined to comment on the expansion plans until a real estate closing takes place.

“It’s a hard thing to happen a week before Christmas,” Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said.

SPRINGFIELD — A fire caused by a pan left unattended on a stove displaced a mother and her five children on Saturday morning.

Springfield Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said that the call came in at 8:01 a.m. at 95 Mapledell St. He said the fire started on the first floor when a house guest started making food then fell asleep. The fire quickly spread to the cabinets, Leger said, adding that the sleeping family and house guest were alerted when the smoke alarm went off.

He estimated damage at $10,000, and said everything inside the home is covered with soot, from the toys for the children to the Christmas tree.

“It’s a hard thing to happen a week before Christmas,” Leger said.

The family is being assisted by the Pioneer Valley chapter of the American Red Cross. The children range in age from 1 to 10 years old. The owner of the home is David Sims, Leger said.

“Unattended cooking continues to be the No. 1 cause of fires in Springfield,” Leger said.

Planning Director Wayne Feiden said the addition will also be nominated for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, which would give developers tax incentives for rehabilitating the buildings for use as rental properties.

This turn-of-the-century postcard shows the school that was then known as Clarke Institution for the Deaf, showing buildings along Round Hill Road, some of which still stand.

NORTHAMPTON – Citing its unique historical and architectural significance, the Historic District Commission is recommended that the Round Hill Road neighborhood be included in the Elm Street Historic District.

By extending the district to include Round Hill, that neighborhood and its buildings would gain the protections that buildings along Elm Street currently have regarding demolition and renovation. Some Round Hill residents set the plan in motion when Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech put 11 acres of its hilltop campus, including 11 of its buildings, up for sale earlier this year.

OPAL Real Estate Group, a company headed by Peter Picknelly, has an agreement with Clarke to purchase the property. The partners have stated that they plan to convert the buildings into luxury apartments. Demetrios Panteleakis, a Managing Partner with OPAL, said Thursday that the historic district restrictions would not affect their plans and that OPAL welcomes the designation, as long as it is uniformly applied.

“We’re preservationists, first and foremost,” Panteleakis said. “We want to make sure it’s not spot zoning targeted at one group.”

OPAL plans to attend public hearings on the topic, including one on Jan. 9, Panteleakis said.

The report, which was produced by the city’s Planning Department under the auspices of the Historic District Commission, recommends including Round Hill Road from Elm Street to Bancroft as well as a portion of Bancroft in the existing district, which includes properties along Elm Street from downtown to Childs Park. The protections under the Elm Street Historic District pertain only to external architectural features.

The report also recommends that the city adopt zoning that ensures the buildings on Round Hill can be reused and avoids creating incentives for demolishing them.

As recounted in the report, Round Hill is a glacial drumlin with splendid views of the surrounding area that was used by the Nonotuck Indians before European settlement. The first buildings there were constructed in the early 1800s, including the experimental Round Hill School for Boys, which offered an innovative approach to education for those times. The Round Hill Water Cure, a forerunner to hydropathic medicine, occupied much of the hill in the 1830s and 1840s before it was replaced by the Round Hill Hotel, which housed such luminaries as Jenny Lind and Henry James.

Clarke School moved to Round Hill from Gothic Street in 1870 and constructed a series of new buildings in the following decades. Alexander Graham Bell was an early trustee of the school. Grace Goodhue, a teacher there, met her future husband Calvin Coolidge when Coolidge happened to see her through a window at Adams Hall.

Other notable buildings, including some designed by William Fenno Pratt, also grace the hill. In all, the report proposes adding 35 buildings to the Elm Street Historic District.

Planning Director Wayne Feiden said the addition will also be nominated for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, which would give developers tax incentives for rehabilitating the buildings for use as rental properties.

Feiden said that neighbors look favorably on OPAL’s proposed project but are worried about the fate of the buildings if it falls through.

“It absolutely sounds perfect,” he said of OPAL’s plan.

Feiden agreed with Panteleakis that there is always the concern that other property owners will balk at the additional regulations of a historic district. However, he said most owners in this case appear to be on board.

“In this district, it seems that private property owners want it to happen,” he said.

Richard Green, a Round Hill resident who helped organize the neighborhood effort, said most of the property owners in the proposed district have already been polled and most are on board.

“One was opposed and two or three didn’t respond,” he said.

Although the OPAL plan seems amenable to residents of the area, Greene said the historic district designation would provide much needed insurance.

“At this stage the developers can say whatever they think can get them home free,” he said. “But they could come back in a couple of years and say it’s not financially feasible.”

Greene said he is skeptical that luxury apartments will allow the developers to recoup their investment.

As he readies himself for his new job as the state's casino czar, Stephen Crosby can look forward to wading into a fiscal and ethical thicket laden with political minefields.

In this Dec. 13, 2011 file photo, Stephen Crosby, left, speaks as Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick looks on during a news conference at the Statehouse in Boston. Patrick appointed Crosby as chair of a state gambling commission that will oversee the state's new casino law. (AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye, File)

By STEVE LeBLANC, Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — As he readies himself for his new job as the state's casino czar, Stephen Crosby can look forward to wading into a fiscal and ethical thicket laden with political minefields.

Once a critic of expanded gambling in Massachusetts, Crosby, appointed chairman of the new five-member Massachusetts Gaming Commission by Gov. Deval Patrick on Tuesday, instantly becomes the public face of one of Beacon Hill's most contentious policy decision in decades.

Not only must he help launch an entirely new industry in Massachusetts, one that lawmakers hope will generate thousands of jobs and hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, Crosby, 66, must also walk an ethical tightrope designed to ensure every decision he takes is above reproach.

Part of his job will be juggling the sometimes competing demands of reviewing applications for proposed casinos while also acting as top watchdog over the gambling industry and listening to the concerns of local residents in the communities where the casinos may be plunked down.

All the while Crosby and the other, as-yet-unnamed members of the commission will find themselves under a public microscope for any hint that the decisions they make are being fueled by anything less than interest in the greater public good.

Patrick, who named Crosby to head the commission, said he's confident Crosby is the best man for the job.

"For me, the chair needs to be someone who has the proven capacity and the experience to launch a new organization, someone who knows and loves Massachusetts ... and someone who's integrity is beyond reproach," Patrick said in announcing his decision.

"We have found that person in Steve," he added.

Patrick pointed to not only Crosby's current job as dean of the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and his past jobs as Secretary of Administration and Finance under Gov. Paul Cellucci and as chief of staff to acting Gov. Jane Swift, both Republicans, but also to Crosby's willingness to wade into politically difficult tasks.

In 2006, as Patrick was preparing to take the governor's office for the first time, he named Crosby to co-chair a transition committee on budget and finance.

In 2009, when Patrick came under fire for appointing a political ally, then-state Sen. Marian Walsh, to a $175,000 post as assistant executive director that had been vacant for a dozen years, he called on Crosby to launch a review of salaries and benefits for senior managers at the state's quasi-public agencies. Walsh later opted against the job.

The following year Crosby was appointed by the state Supreme Judicial Court to serve as a member of a task force to review hiring practices in the court system and its Probation Department in the wake of revelations about alleged patronage.

Running the gaming commission could be Crosby's toughest task yet.

"My job and eventually the job of the commission is first and foremost to maximize the public good and to minimize the unintended consequences," Crosby said, standing alongside Patrick.

One reason why the job is so daunting is that lawmakers, trying to insulate the commission from political pressures, gave the panel sweeping powers to approve and reject casino licenses and then oversee the gambling facilities once they are up and running.

That oversight includes the commission's creation of its own investigation and enforcement bureau with the power to issue subpoenas and refer cases for civil or criminal prosecution while working with the state police, attorney general's office and state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission.

At the same time the law requires the commission to file its own code of ethics with the state Ethics Commission intended to go above and beyond the state's existing conflict of interest and financial reporting rules.

Crosby has already said that neither he nor his wife hold any stock in the casino industry, one of the ethical hurdles outlined by the law.

The appointment of Crosby was praised as "inspired" by former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, one of the state's most outspoken gambling foes and head of the anti-casino group Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts, said in a statement.

But Harshbarger also said that Crosby and the other members of the commission will have to live up to a high standard by creating "a strict code of ethics" and establishing "a process for decisions which imposes a new level of transparency and civic engagement."

Harshbarger also acted as chairman of the same probation task force that Crosby also served on.

Crosby is the first member to be named to the commission.

Attorney General Martha Coakley and state Treasurer Steven Grossman are each required to name a member with the remaining two members appointed by a majority vote of Patrick, Coakley and Grossman.

Grossman has already named a five-member panel to help vet possible candidates for his selection. Grossman said he will make the names of the finalists public before making his choice.

Crosby said despite all the potential hassles of the job, he simply couldn't turn down the offer, even though the $150,000-a-year post means a pay cut.

"It is a challenge and an opportunity that I cannot resist," he said.

The WSU dining commons served more than 1,000 people daily following the October snowstorm.

Photo by Ted LaBorde / The RepublicanMaria Lees, Westfield State University dining commons manager, left and Sandra Lee Sporbert, center look on Thursday as Westfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik presents a proclamation to the staff of the dining commons in recognition of their community service during the October snowstorm.

WESTFIELD – “Feeding people is our job,” Maria Lees, dinning commons manager at Westfield State University said.

That was her response to Mayor Daniel M. Knapik who stopped by the commons early Thursday to thank Lees and her 168-member staff for their service to the community following the October snowstorm.

“In my 17 years here that was the first extraordinary emergency,” said Lees. “We opened the doors of this dining facility to the community and served well over 1,000 meals each day for that week no one had power,” she said.

“Westfield is blessed to have you here,” Knapik told Lees and the dining crew. “The university and the dinning commons were invaluable during that time of need,” he said.

“I thank you on behalf of the community for your hospitality. You provide outstanding food at a cheap price,” the mayor said.

A proclamation Knapik delivered to Lees recognizes the dining facility, managed by Sodexo Dining Services, for its “contribution of assistance in the city’s emergency situation.”

“ A lot of really, really good people who didn’t realize we were here before came for meals and a warm place,” said Sandra Lee Sporbert who works at the commons. “We were here every day starting at 6 a.m. and they were so grateful. But, we only did what we do. I did enjoy the hugs they gave us,” she said.

Lees called the opening of the dining commons to the public “wonderful. This is something I have been trying to do for many years. We should be connected to the community,” she said.

During the week following the storm, the university also opened two shelters, one at Juniper Park School and the other at Scanlon Hall, serving more than 500 residents.

The dining hall remained open 24-hours that Saturday, Sunday and Monday and then was open to the public from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. the remainder of that week.

The town administrator said the Christmas tree's future could be discussed in the context of the new Replanting Monson Tree Committee.

Photo by Lori Stabile / The RepublicanMonson firefighters Lt. Jeffrey Chaffee, left, and Jeremy Bedson, right, use bucket loaders to decorate the town Christmas tree last Saturday. On the ground is firefighter Darius Taylor. In the red sweatshirt is firefighter Andrew Nothe.

MONSON - The Christmas tree, recently decorated for the holiday season, may be moved because it is outgrowing its current location by the Civil War monument.

Jeremy Bedson, a firefighter in charge of the Holiday Lights Committee, came before the selectmen on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

He recently posted on Facebook.com that while talk about transplanting the blue spruce is still preliminary, it could go to Memorial Hall, to the left of the brick sidewalks, a spot that would give it more room, and make it easier for volunteers to decorate it.

A smaller tree would be planted to replace the one by the monument, which also would be decorated, he said.

The Christmas tree almost wasn't decorated, but through a generous donation from a resident, John Rahknonen, new lights were purchased, allowing it to happen. The 25-foot tree survived the tornado, despite being uprooted, and there was an outcry when it seemed that it wouldn't get lights this year.

Bedson told the selectmen that it is difficult to string lights around the tree because it is so large. Two bucket loaders were used, and numerous volunteers from the Fire Department assisted. Bedson was thanked by the selectmen for putting up the holiday lights downtown each year.

"All of these things go on through people like yourselves who volunteer their time," Selectman John F. Goodrich II said. "It's a big effort and a big undertaking."

Selectman Edward A. Maia and Town Administrator Gretchen E. Neggers both noted that after the tornado forced the cancellation of Summerfest, the town's annual July 4 celebration, and the October nor'easter forced the cancellation of Halloween, the town had to have Christmas.

"I think it looks better than ever. It may just be because everything else looks so lousy," Maia said.

"It's a symbol of our town," Christine Bedson, Jeremy's wife and committee member, said about the tree.

Neggers said the tree's future could be discussed in the context of the new Replanting Monson Tree Committee.

Donations are needed to make the lights happen each year; the money is used to buy new lights and make repairs. Donations can be sent to the Selectmen's office, Town of Monson, 29 Thompson St., Monson, 01057; checks can be made out to "gifts to the town - Monson holiday lights.

In other business, Neggers discussed the tornado-damaged Town Office Building, and how residents are concerned about its future. It has been condemned due to tornado damage, and no decision has been made whether to repair it or build a new structure.

She did say demolishing it would cost $200,000, and that a new building may cost up to $12 million. The building housed the police station, which now operates out of a trailer nearby. The town offices are at the former Hillside School.

Selectmen unanimously approved using $5,000 from the "gifts to the town" account so it can apply for up to $20,000 in funding for technical assistance through the Rebuild Western Mass program.

Neggers explained that to apply, a town match is required. The money would be used to examine potential energy costs for a new building compared to the old building, if the old building is repaired. She described the old building, which was a high school, as "an energy hog" built back when oil was 29 cents a gallon.

The selectmen opted against creating a building committee at this time, saying it is too early.

Maia suggested that first, a town meeting-style forum should be held, to get people's opinions on what to do with the building.

More than 100 children received toys through the event.

The Republican/John SuchockiThe Agawam Senior Center on Main Street was where children and parents connected to the military came to pick out toys for Christmas. Jessica Lopez, of Chicopee, who is with the Westover Air Reserve watches as her two daughters, Emani, 5, and Mya, 7, get their presents wrapped by volunteers. In the background is Fred Andrews of the Gold Star Fathers and on the right is volunteer Samatha Ferreira; they are from the Fall River Military Smiles Project which brought the gifts to the center.

AGAWAM – The Senior Center was transformed into a toy store on Saturday for local military families and veterans.

The “Operation Military Smiles” project was coordinated by several Gold Star mothers from Fall River, whose sons were killed while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, with the help of the Military Friends Foundation. More than 100 children received gifts through the event.

“This is awesome,” said Jessica M. Lopez, of Chicopee, a reservist at Westover Air Reserve Base.

Lopez, who is studying to be a nurse, brought her three daughters - Mya, 7; Emani, 5; and Jalani, 4. Mya and Emani helped wrap their presents so they could put them under their Christmas tree at home. Mya said she picked out a princess coloring pad, a puzzle and markers.

“It gives my kids an opportunity to get gifts I wouldn’t be able to get this year,” Lopez said.

Benjamin Torres, of Springfield, a retired Army sergeant, picked out toys including a Scrabble game and baseball game for his four children.

“Every little bit helps this time of year,” Torres said.

Adam C. and Jessica M. Miner, of Chicopee, were picking out stocking stuffers, including two pairs of eyeglasses with jiggling eyeballs for their 10-year-old son, who likes pranks.

“It’s nice they’re doing this for everyone,” Adam Miner, a member of the Army National Guard in Agawam, said.

The Republican/John SuchockiThe Agawam Senior Center on Main Street was where children and parents connected to the military came to pick out toys for Christmas. Adam C. Miner and his wife Jessica M.Miner of Chicopee look over childrens games. Miner serves with the National Guard Company 181 in Agawam.

The idea for the toy giveaway came from Carlene A. Barrett, of Fall River, whose 20-year-old son Robert was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. He was a sergeant with the Army National Guard, and he had asked her to send toys for children in an orphanage there. But before he got them, he was killed on patrol by a suicide bomber - he had only been there a month.

“My husband wanted to do something and we decided on this,” Barrett said.

“If we can help them one day and put a smile on their face, this is what it’s all about,” she added. “I hope we can keep doing this for years to come.”

Another Gold Star mother, JoAnn Mello, of Fall River, was helping with her husband, Alfred Andrews, and son, Matthew Andrews, 24. Her son, Army Spc. Scott Andrews, 21, was killed in Afghanistan in June 2010 when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Mello said she and Carlene Barrett thought the toy donation would be something they could do in memory of their boys. She wore an Army sweatshirt and pin with a photograph of her late son.

“It’s a sad time for us, to have the holidays, but this eases the pain a little bit,” Mello said.

Sarah Keller-Likins, executive director of Boston-based Military Friends Foundation, said most of the toys were able to be purchased through the donation that taxpayers mark on their state income tax forms (question 32E) to support National Guard, Reserve and Gold Star families in need. The contribution is tax-deductible. More information about the organization can be found at www.militaryfriends.org

Keller-Likins said the families who initiated the idea for “Operation Military Smiles” are unbelievable.

“They’re paying it forward in their sons’ memories,” Keller-Likins said.

The event was attended by Mayor Richard A. Cohen, state Sen. Michael R. Knapik, R-Westfield, and Rep. Nicholas A. Boldyga, R-Southwick.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Ellyn Langlois

Ellyn (English) Langlois, 82, of Westfield passed away on Thursday. Ellyn was born in Westfield, started elementary school at the age of 4 and graduated from Westfield High School at age 16. Always an accomplished musician, she played violin in the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Langlois was a member of the Westfield Woman's Club. In 1967 the Westfield News named her "Woman of the Year" for her civic activities. She worked at Moldcraft Co. as office manager until her retirement at age 76. Langlois also gave piano lessons in her home.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• 
  Aldrich, Frederick C.
  



• 
  Cieslak, Stella (Warrick)
  




• 
  Craft, Alice Ferris (Ferris)
  



• 
  Ferst, Albert F.
  



• 
  Hacker Jr., Donald Keith




• 
  Iorio, Louis F.
  



• 
  Johnson, Diane
  




• Johnson, Mildred Linnea
  




• 
  Klett, Nancy Marie (Accorsi)
  



• 
  Langlois, Ellyn (English)




• 
  Paquette, Irene C. (Brouillette)
  



• 
  Robert, Evelyn R. (Cutler)
  




• Steer, John W.
  




• 
  Stevens, Mary T. (David)
  



• 
  Sullivan III, James Edward




• 
  Sullivan, Pauline J. (Sierodzinski)
  



• 
  Walter, Vanessa M.
  




• Williams, Steven R.
  




• 
  Zamachaj, Edna M. (Fila)