Romney's allies, meanwhile, continued to aggressively criticize Newt Gingrich, his chief rival for the Republican presidential nomination.

Associated PressRepublican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney reads from a tele-prompter as he makes a campaign speech in Bedford, N.H. Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

By KASIE HUNT

BEDFORD, N.H. – Sharpening his message ahead of voting in Iowa and New Hampshire, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Tuesday accused President Barack Obama of deepening the economic crisis and backing policies that will redistribute wealth instead of creating equal opportunity for people to do well.

Romney's allies, meanwhile, continued to aggressively criticize Newt Gingrich, his chief rival for the nomination. In Iowa, Gingrich lashed out and accused Romney of a "negative smear campaign."

Romney, a former businessman, told voters in an evening speech that his policies would turn the U.S. into an "opportunity society" while Obama's vision for an "entitlement society" would make more people dependent on government welfare.

"We will not surrender our dreams to the failures of this president. We are bigger than the misguided policies and weak leadership of one man. America is bigger than President Obama's failures," Romney said. "This America of long unemployment lines and small dreams is not the America you and I love. ... These troubled years are President Obama's legacy, but they are not our future."

Romney said that Obama "believes that government should create equal outcomes. In an entitlement society, everyone receives the same or similar rewards, regardless of education, effort and willingness to take risk."

Romney's message contrasts with the argument the Democratic president has begun to articulate for his re-election, in which he calls for a society that offers "fair play, a fair shot and a fair share." Obama argues that Republicans put the interests of the wealthy above the middle class.

"Giving more handouts to millionaires, billionaires and large corporations and making the middle class foot the bill are the same flawed policies that led to the economic crisis in the first place," Obama campaign manager Jim Messina told New Hampshire reporters.

Romney planned to remain focused on his effort in New Hampshire as his allies criticized Gingrich on Iowa's airwaves.

Restore Our Future, a special political action committee, or "super PAC," that backs Romney, launched a caustic ad tying Gingrich to Freddie Mac, the quasi-government mortgage company, and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. The spot also hits Gingrich for ethics violations and criticizes his record on abortion.

Campaigning in Iowa, Gingrich accused Romney of allowing a "negative smear campaign" fueled by a super PAC. He called on Romney to demand that ads run on his behalf by such groups be positive. Gingrich said Romney's comments aimed at distancing himself from the anti-Gingrich PAC ads were misleading and false.

Romney had refused earlier Tuesday to disavow the group's ads, saying it would be illegal for him to coordinate with the super PAC. He did say that such groups are a "disaster" and have made a "mockery" of the presidential campaign.

"Campaign finance law has made a mockery of our political campaign season," Romney said on MSNBC. "We really ought to let campaigns raise the money they need and just get rid of these super PACs."

A 2010 Supreme Court decision paved the way for such groups to accept unlimited amounts of money from donors. The political campaigns are limited to accepting $2,500 per donor.

Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, was using Tuesday's speech to open four straight days of campaigning in New Hampshire, which holds the nation's first primary on Jan. 10. It's a must-win contest in the campaign strategy designed by the Romney team.

Two weeks remain until voting begins Jan. 3 with the leadoff caucuses in Iowa, though Romney will campaign in New Hampshire through Christmas, a sign of the state's importance to his political strategy.

Associated Press writer Shannon McCaffrey in Ottumwa, Iowa, contributed to this report.

The marks Toy for joy's 89th season.

Michael Gordon / The RepublicanDecember 19, 2011 - Springfield - Students at the Marcus Kiley Middle School collected toys and cash for the Toy for Joy campaign. Four of the students in front are from left: Vincent Manning, Gilles Laterreur, Lindsay Pepe and Davion Hale, all 12. Grownups behind them from left: Maj. Thomas D. Perks and Linda-Jo Perks, co-commanders of the Greater Springfield Salvation Army Citadel on Pearl Street, Kiley co-principals Alyson J. Lingsch and Kenneth R. Luce, para professional Austria Gonzalez and teachers Cheri Drapeau and Paula Donais.

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SPRINGFIELD - The seventh-graders at Kiley Middle School dug deep this season and helped bolster the Toy for Joy campaign with a donation of $200.

English teacher Paula Donais says her students brought in money, and in some cases, toys, to support the holiday toy campaign. Some of the money was also raised in a raffle, she said.

“They love getting involved in the community,” Donais said.

Donais and her students presented their donation to Toy for Joy via Maj. Thomas E. Perks, co-commander of the Salvation Army’s Greater Springfield Citadel. Perks said he was impressed with the students’ willingness to give of themselves.

“Several of them said (they donated to Toy for Joy) so they could help out people who didn’t have any hope, “ Perks said. “They personally wanted to make a difference.”

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.

Today’s list of donations include $500 contributions from the Butler Corp, of Ludlow, and from the membership of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1459, $300 from the employees of Heatbath in Indian Orchard and $350 from the Connecticut Valley Artesian Well Co. Donations to date tally $71,152, leaving $78,848 to be raised by Friday’s deadline.


Perks stressed that money raised in the campaign pays for the costs of the toys distributed this season.

“If we don’t get the money that’s a big bill we are sitting on,” Perks said. “If folks just give what they can, that will make a huge difference and I believe we can make it.”

Hasbro, Inc. is joining Toy for Joy as a partner, donating some of the toys which were 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 also been among the volunteers who have aided the Salvation Army with registration of families and with distribution of the toys and gifts.

For more information, call (413) 733-1518. To make a contribution to the Toy for Joy fund, write: Toy for Joy, P.O. Box 3007, Springfield 01102. Contributions may also be dropped off with the coupon to The Republican, 1860 Main St., Springfield, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. through noon on Friday.
Here’s a list of the latest contributors:
Merry Christmas from Jack, Ricky, Caroline, Tommy, Katie and Emily, $100
For the miracle of my granddaughter Taylor Wellesley Ascione. Love, Rose, $10
In honor of Dad F, Gram and Aunts Elsie, Grace and Erna, $50
Anonymous, $25
In loving memory of my husband Michael J. Lewison from Lillian, $25
For Miss Bailey and Mr. Checkers, $25
In thanksgiving for prayers answered and blessings received, LAC, $10
Naveen and Rekha, $40
In loving memory of Henrietta Ungewitter. Love, Linda and Joe, $10
In loving memory of Alice King. Love, Linda and Anthony, $10
In loving memory of Grace Pashko. Love, Joe and Linda, $10
In memory of our beloved son Toby, $100
In memory of Big H and John, $25
In memory of Coach Ken, $25
Thank you St. Jude for favors granted, Honey, $30
Merry Christmas from Skywalker, $25
Judy and Gene, $25
In memory of our brother Raymond Derminio from Janet and David, $20
Truly grateful for good friends from Evelyn, $10
In loving memory of W. Robert McDonald, $50
Lad and Bernie, $20
Merry Christmas Brian, Ann Marie and Sammie, $250
Merry Christmas Stephanie from Pittsfield and Jessica from Turrance, CA, $25
Walter, $10
In loving memory of our parents from Jean and Bill, $25
In loving memory of Dot, Lettuce and Baby Alex, $100
In honor of the dedicated staff of D’Amour Library, $100
In memory of Grandpa Dale, love Sarah, $20
Muriel, $100
Merry Christmas Mackenzie, Alexa, Kyle ,Kaylyn, Christopher, Colby and Ronan, $25
Anonymous, $100
In memory of Rick. Love, Cindy Stephen, Kevin and Sharon, $20
Joyous holiday wished, Reina, Nikki, Emmy Louise and Beeger, $50
Merry Christmas, St. Therese of the Little Flower Prayer Group, $25
For the children from Lily, Julia and Gram, $25
In loving memory of the Kenyon family, past and present, Marylou, $10
Hey Santa, hope you’re watching. Erin and Finnola, $25
In memory of the deceased members of the Bouchard and Johnson families from Bill and Jackie Johnson, $25
Helen, $5
Merry Christmas Grandma and Grandpa. Love, Mary, Ron, Mike and Kat, $50
In memory of Charles Dusek and Kenneth Brown, $25
Happy holidays, in memory of the O’Neills and the Patons, $100
Merry Christmas Kelsey, Kendra, Cecilia and Tom, $25
Merry Christmas Mom and Dad from Aidan, $20
In memory of Philip R and John P Dion, $200
Merry Christmas from Barbara and John, $200
In loving memory of Mary Stilwell and Louise Beachell, $10
In loving memory of Samuel and Caroline Gledhill who loved all children and Christmas, $10
Deb and George Skovera, $25
In loving memory of Michael Schiavina and his parents, Anne and Caesar Schiavina. Loved and missed by Kathy, Mark and Maura, $100
In memory of Meme, Mom and Dad. Love, Barbara, $40
Welcome home to all our soldiers. Merry Christmas to all, Dick and Darlene, $50
In loving memory of Mom and Dad, Becky and Ernie, from son, $25
In loving memory of my husband Don. Love, Lois, $25
Anonymous, $50
Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia, Bernie, $50
Merry Christmas from Chris, Jimmy, Sarah, Jenny and Rowan, $100
David and Carter, $10
Merry Christmas from Patricia and Bambi the wonder dog, $25
Merry Christmas from Gerry and Elodia, $10
Merry Christmas to the children of Springfield, $50
In memory of my loving husband, Roger Coulombe, from Pauline, $20
In loving memory of both my Daddy and brother David who loved children and Christmas. Love, Nancy, $50
Merry Christmas Mike, Cindy, Holly and Matt, $100
How blessed are we for Shea, Kal, Sierra and Riley, $100
In loving memory for Alice McCleary and Douglas Reney, $20
I love my shelter dogs, $10
In loving memory of Fred and Margaret Harkens, $50
In loving memory of Helba and George Belhumeur, $50
In loving memory of Mike Rinehart, $25
In honor of deceased Candaras-Wolf family members, $100
Instead of Christmas cards, Denise and Dave Douglas, $25
In memory of Fred and Lil Provencher and Bill and Ruth French, $50
In memory of Charles (Buddy) Stagnaro, $100
In memory of Ray Haluch, $100
From my grandson Aiden James LaPierre, $10
Carol and Harold, $50
In memory of Armand and Winifred Beaulieu, $100
Happy 85th birthday to Joe Cote, $25
Love should make the world go round, Aaron and Mom, $25
In memory of Dolly and Nancy, $300
Buon Natale to all the little children, $5
In memory of my dad and godmother from Nancy, $50
With thanks to Mia. You lift our heavy hearts, $50
In lieu of Christmas cards and in memory of deceased loved ones, Jack and Rita, $25
To all the wonderful children, Merry Christmas from George and Doris, $15
In loving memory of Tom, Ellen and Marjory Miller, $20
In memory of a dear friend Joyce Kreiling from Jo-ann S., $10
The Pavlica family, $25
In loving memory of Mom and Dad, Sandy, Shirley and Janasia (JJ), $25
The Werenski family, $25
Love to the children from Vic and Carolyn, $25
In loving memory of Brenda Lee Nichols, $10
In loving memory of David, Kathleen and Baby Henry, U Joe and A Marion, $25
Happy holidays from Grace and Brian, $20
In memory of Allen H St. Onge, $150
In memory of Gramps C, Dad K and Dad C who loved all children, $25
In Mae’s honor, love Cherrie, Lynne and Laurie, $30
In honor of Zoe, Max and Luna Hemingway, $30
Jane and John, $100
In loving memory of my parents, Stanley and Stella Borowik. Love, Marilyn, $25
In loving memory of my father, Walter Haryasz. Love, Edward, $25
In memory of my sister Gale Mange, $25
Merry Christmas from Melissa and Rick, $500
In memory of Alice and Joe Haggerty, $25
Merry Christmas to all MacLeod clan, $20
Anonymous, $200
In memory of our parents, Bill and Peg, Frank and Helen, $20
Merry Christmas with love to our eight adult children. Amen, $10
On behalf of Suzanne Cawley, $25
In loving memory of Gram and Dad, Emmie, Heather, Kelly and David, $100
Merry Christmas from Dan and Elisa, $100
Cynthia, $100
In memory of Blakesley and McDonough family members from Mary and Don, $100
In memory of Dory Lynch McKenna from Mare, $50
In memory of Mom, Dad and brother John. Love, Dottie and Eddie, $25
In loving memory of Algot V. Olson and Raymond, Edith and Donald Blakesley, $15
In loving memory of my loving husband, William Fenton, from Florence, $20
In memory of Fiore “Butch” Grimaldi, $10
In memory of Frances A. Demaio, $10
In memory of James A. Grimaldi Jr., $10
In memory of Norman Beaulieu Sr. from his wife and sons and family, $25
In memory of Frank and Mildred Meaulieu from their daughter-in-law Jean, $25
In memory of John and Ethel Saunders from their daughter and grandsons, $25
In memory of John Saunders Jr. from his sister Jean, $25
In memory of Dorothy Cooper from her friend Jean, $25
In loving memory of John D. O’Neil Sr., Mary R. O’Neil and Lucy M. O’Neil. Merry Christmas, $25
In loving memory of Sheila O’Neil-Ryan and Kevin C. O’Neil. Merry Christmas, $25
Happy holidays from the employees at Heatbath, $300
In memory of George Speliopoulos, $25
Merry Christmas Sheiba and Callie, $50
Mill Valley Snowmobile Club, $50
Connecticut Valley Artesian Well Co., $350
In memory of Wanda Powers from husband Bill, $25
In memory of Mr. Nimms, $135
Priscilla and Vincent, $100
Donald and Patricia, $50
Paula, $25
In memory of James A. Fletcher and Joseph E Marinello, $100
As long as we care and share, there will be a Santa Claus from United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1459, $500
Merry Christmas from the Butler Corp., $500
Happy holidays from Kiley Middle School, $200

RECEIVED, $8,760
TOTAL TO DATE, $71,152
STILL NEEDED, $78,848

A proposal to move Springfield's closing time for alcohol-serving establishments from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. has raised some hackles -- and eyebrows -- as city officials consider implementing a new late-night entertainment permit.

Staff photo by Conor BerrySpringfield police officers guard the door to Club Illusion, where a city man was shot dead in October. The Worthington Street nightclub closed just days after the shooting. City officials have not publicly stated why they are considering moving closing time for alcohol-serving establishments from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m., but violence in the entertainment district could be an impetus.

SPRINGFIELD — The horse is barely out of the starting gate, and already some people are saying it should be put down.

That was the immediate reaction of some MassLive posters to a proposal to move Springfield's closing time for bars and other alcohol-serving establishments from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. City officials are floating the idea, but they have yet to publicly state how such a move would be in the city's best interest.

Critics claim requiring business owners to apply for a proposed late-night entertainment permit is tantamount to a shakedown that could prompt some bar owners to close shop and move out of town.

"This is simply going to draw businesses away from downtown and force business owners to move their businesses elsewhere," wrote DontTreadOnMe, who, like many of the online opponents, uses an anonymous screen name.

A poster using the handle OMG_SMH decried, "This is legal extortion," while somedude1971 warned that such a policy shift would "drive business out of Springfield and into the surrounding cities and towns."

A press release announcing a public hearing on the matter, which will be held Friday at 5:30 p.m. in Room 220 of City Hall, did not specifically state what generated the proposal. But ostensibly issues surrounding Springfield's current 2 a.m. closing time – including numerous shootings, stabbings and at least one homicide this year – was a motivating factor, as city officials attempt to balance business interests with public safety concerns.

The October shooting death of 23-year-old Devada Wannamaker at the now-defunct Club Illusion happened while police officers assigned to the closing-time detail in the entertainment district were outside the Worthington Street club.

One Longmeadow resident told The Republican that he enjoys dining at a notable Worthington Street establishment, but added that he hustles out of the club quarter before a late-night crowd of mostly younger revelers arrives.

Others have voiced similar concerns, noting that clubgoers and bar patrons can be unruly and even violent at times, as evidenced by the many shooting and stabbing incidents that have accompanied the closing-time ritual.

And the violence is nothing new, but rather a phenomenon city officials have been dealing with for some time. This year alone, city police have responded to multiple crimes in the entertainment district, including reports of random gunfire and shootings that led to serious injuries.

City officials said Friday's hearing is aimed at gauging public reaction to the proposal, which would require bars and other liquor establishments to obtain a special permit from Mayor Domenic J. Sarno if they wish to remain open past 1 a.m.

Sarno has appointed city attorney Alesia Days to serve as the hearing officer. Days will present the proposed regulations, solicit public input, then forward her findings to the mayor.

City officials are encouraging interested parties to offer public testimony, although the timing of the hearing – the Friday before Christmas – could affect attendance. There's no mention of the meeting in the press release or calendar sections of the city's website.

In his power to grant so-called entertainment licenses – not liquor licenses – the mayor can place restrictions on business establishments. Entertainment can range from live or recorded music to billiards, video game machines and TV sets. The Springfield License Commission considers all applications for liquor and food licenses.

The assailants were armed when they robbed a patron at the drive-up window of the Westfield Road branch, according to police, who didn't indicate what types of weapons were used.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE — Police have arrested three city men accused of robbing a customer at the drive-up ATM machine at the Holyoke Credit Union, 490 Westfield Road, around 9:30 p.m. Monday.

All three suspects were charged with armed robbery, according to Holyoke Police Department records, which did not indicate the types of weapons allegedly used in the incident.

Ranking on-duty officers said any information about the case must come from either Capt. Arthur Monfette or Lt. Matthew Moriarty, neither of whom was working or available for comment early Wednesday morning.

The defendants – Jonathan Moquin, 19, of 163 Locust St., Sacoy Spells, 20, of 70 Beacon Ave., and Henry J. Wigfall, 19, of 5 Washington Ave. – will each face single counts of armed robbery (masked armed robbery, in Moquin's case), trespassing, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest when they are arraigned Wednesday in Holyoke District Court.

An armed robbery conviction comes with a minimum mandatory sentence of five years in prison, according to the state's criminal code.

Further information was not immediately available.

By mid-December Walter J. Williams began his annual project, making 1,500 to 3,000 candy canes in at least 20 flavors including root beer, strawberry, pina colada, grape, eggnog and chocolate.

Walter L. Williams, owner of Equi's Candy Store, holds of tray of handmade candy canes that are for sale at the store that opened in 1897 in the same Turners Falls building where it is located today. (Photo by Cori Urban)

Photos by Cori UrbanEqui's Candy Store has been a fixture on Avenue A for generations of Turners Falls residents. Available there now are Equi's traditional handmade candy canes.

MONTAGUE – While many people were pleased with the unseasonably warm weather in early December, candy maker Walter J. Williams wanted colder temperatures, much colder.

After all, it was time to make the candy canes.

He needs a cold kitchen so the sweet, hot mixture he forms into the traditional Christmas treats don’t flatten as they cool.

By mid December he began his annual project, making 1,500 to 3,000 6- to 7-inch candy canes in at least 20 flavors like peppermint, root beer, cotton candy, strawberry, raspberry, pina colada, spearmint, grape, eggnog and chocolate (his favorite, made with real chocolate).

Candy canes are believed to date back some 350 years; the first were white, straight and only flavored with sugar. One legend indicates that in 1670, a choirmaster at the Cologne cathedral in Germany bent the sugar sticks into canes to appear as shepherd’s crooks, introducing the cane-shaped candy. The all-white candy canes were given to children who attended church services.

Patricia L. Smith of Greenfield stirs a mixture of sugar, corn syrup and water as it boils, on its way to becoming Equi's homemade candy canes.

The first red-and-white-striped candy canes were made at the turn of the 19th century. At the same time, candy makers added the peppermint flavor that became a tradition.

Some people maintain that the cane was shaped like a “J” for Jesus and that the original red-and-white stripes represented his blood and purity.

On one recent candy-making evening, the kitchen – filled with vintage equipment – at the rear of Williams’ Equi’s Candy Store at 125 Avenue A in the village of Turners Falls was 50 degrees, though he would have preferred it 30 degrees colder. Williams wore tan trousers, a black polo shirt and a black cap, seeming not to mind the temperature. “It gets really warm in here,” he said.

Walter L. Williams, owner of Equi's Candy Store in the Turners Falls section of Montague, pours a candy cane sugar mixture onto a cooling tank before adding coloring to it.

He had been making his best candy canes at 2 a.m. when the temperature outside was coldest. “I want to see my breath (inside) when I am making them,” he explained.

On this night, his helpers, Patricia L. Smith and Tia A. Teschke, of Greenfield, wore jeans, sweatshirts and caps. Smith gladly took her spot next to the heat of the one-burner, low, gas stove where she used an antique, large wooden paddle to stir a mixture of sugar, corn syrup and water as it climbed to 290 degrees in a copper pot.

“This is the Equi recipe. It’s old,” Williams said, referring to the Equi brothers who opened the business in the same location in 1897. (Williams is the sixth owner of the business.)

The kitchen began to warm, so Williams opened an outside door and had the large exhaust fan in an adjoining wall switched on.

Patricia L. Smith of Greenfield finishes curling a candy cane in the kitchen at Equi's Candy Store while owner Walter L. Williams cuts a segment for another candy cane.

A splash of cream of tartar in the sugar mixture roiled it, and when it was hot enough, Williams poured it onto a stainless steel cooling tank, one of the few newer pieces of equipment in the kitchen. He reserved a small amount to be colored green for the stripe in the red, strawberry candy canes he was making.

After the mixture cooled somewhat, Smith, wearing gloves coated with cooking spray, put the handful of green onto a large hook on the wall to “pull” it like taffy; Williams followed with the red. The pulling action gives the mixture a sheen, finishes the mixing of colors and high quality flavored oils and helps it to cool.

After mixing the accent color into the ball of candy cane “dough,” Williams placed it on a counter next to a vintage gas heater to keep the mixture soft so he could pull out a cord about an inch in diameter, using a piece of wood as a measure for cutting.

Working quickly, he and his team formed a production line: He pulled and cut the candy mixture from the bottle shape he had formed, Smith rolled it and smoothed the edges before curving it into cane form – each a bit different – and placing it on a cooling tray, while Teschke lined the trays onto a nearby old, cold, 7-foot marble-topped table.

Tia A. Teschke of Greenfield places trays of candy canes to cool on a table with a cold marble top.

Each batch of candy canes takes about an hour to make and yields 50 to 70 canes that sell in Equi’s for $1.75 each.

“They’re awesome,” Williams said. “They’re handmade. The taste is excellent; whatever the flavor is, you’ll love it.”

Teschke favors the wintergreen flavor. “It doesn’t taste like a cheap (discount store) candy cane. It’s real,” she said.

Smith, who is Williams’ girlfriend, likes the spearmint candy canes, but as she was making the strawberry ones, she said she had “a feeling strawberry is going to rule.”

There’s an old-fashioned feel to Equi’s, where many local people remember buying penny-candy as children. The left side of the long, rectangular business contains antique glass cases and glass jars with homemade candy tastefully displayed; lottery tickets, cigars, cigarettes and mass-produced, packaged candy are available on the other side, with a variety of beverages in the back.

Photos by Cori UrbanWalter L. Williams, owner of Equi's Candy Store, holds of tray of handmade candy canes that are for sale at the store that opened in 1897 in the same Turners Falls building where it is located today.

Williams, 49, the owner of rental properties and a used-car lot in Greenfield, remembers growing up in Turners Falls and buying penny-candy at Equi’s; it was his favorite store.

“It still is,” he said with a laugh.

Williams learned how to make the candy canes from the previous owner; “I learn a lot as I go,” he added.

He is proud of the old-fashioned process he maintains to make the candy canes that he also sells to school groups for fund-raisers and to other retail outlets like Wilson’s department store in Greenfield.

In addition to the candy canes, Williams makes peanut brittle, fudge, candy bark, popcorn balls and candy apples; he doesn’t make the ribbon candy which the store’s previous owners made, but he stocks it.

The candy canes are a favorite among customers; for some they are part of their Christmas tradition.

“Some people come in once a year – for candy canes,” Williams said, inviting them to come in more often for the other treats. “People appreciate the handmade candy.”

Boston police are investigating a possible dog fighting ring after 11 live pit bulls and one dead pit bull were found caged or chained in the basement of a Dorchester home.

BOSTON — Boston police are investigating a possible dog fighting ring after 11 live pit bulls and one dead pit bull were found caged or chained in the basement of a Dorchester home.

Police said they received an anonymous tip about the dogs, many of which were injured and malnourished.

Police executed a search warrant on the home on Monday and found the animals in a basement that smelled of dog waste. Police said the animals had no access to food or water and many appeared to be injured.

One dog was so weak it had to be carried from the basement, officials said.

Police said they had a phone conversation with the resident of the home, who admitted to owning the dogs. There have been no arrests because the man is out of state.

A new Western Massachusetts Electric Co. solar facility is expected to generate about 2.3-megawatts of energy, or enough electricity to power up to 400 homes.

The Republican / File photoSpringfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, seen at a press conference last month, has proposed a $4.3 million in the city's tax levy.

SPRINGFIELD — Mayor Domenic J. Sarno will join state and Western Massachusetts Electric Co. officials at a ceremony Wednesday marking the completion of WMECO's new 2.3-megawatt solar facility in the Indian Orchard neighborhood.

The facility, the largest solar installation in New England, is located at 225 Goodwin St., a formerly contaminated 12-acre site owned by the Springfield Redevelopment Authority.

Barbara Kates-Garnick, undersecretary of the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental affairs, is expected to join Sarno and WMECO officials at today's 10:30 a.m. ceremony.

WMECO, which serves more than 200,000 customers throughout Western Massachusetts, predicts the facility will produce enough electricity to power up to 400 homes. The Indian Orchard facility is the utility company's second large-scale project in this region, following the October 2010 debut of the Silver Lake Solar Facility in Pittsfield.

The Goodwin Street site was formerly home to the contaminated Chapman Valve complex.

Officials have projected the solar energy facility, a grid of 8,200 solar panels about 6½ feet off the ground, will generate roughly $400,000 in annual property tax revenue for the city. Energy produced at the solar facility will feed into Northeast Utilities’ power grid.

Sarno has said the solar project is in line with the city's other “Green Springfield” initiatives.

“This continues to build on my administration’s vision for green economic development," he said in a statement issued before this morning's event.

Sarno said the former brownfield site is now "a tax-generating property" and home to the largest renewable energy facility in New England.

Large solar facilities can be "developed and delivered in a cost-effective manner," Peter J. Clarke, WMECO's president and chief operating officer, said in a release. “These projects represent significant progress toward meeting the commonwealth’s renewable energy goals and diversifying the region’s energy supply with non-carbon-emitting fossil fuels."

State Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. said renewable energy investments can "cut long-term energy costs, create local jobs and bring (Massachusetts) closer to meeting (its) statewide clean energy goals.”

The slugfest between Republican presidential frontrunners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich is escalating, with the two sparring from a distance over attack ads that have come to dominate the volatile contest.

KASIE HUNT and SHANNON McCAFFREY, Associated Press

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — The slugfest between Republican presidential frontrunners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich is escalating, with the two sparring from a distance over attack ads that have come to dominate the volatile contest.

The rift underscores the contrasting campaign styles of the two men as they ready their final pitches to voters in Iowa and New Hampshire. And it left each decrying a new campaign finance system — fueled by deep-pocketed political action committees — that each benefits from.

In Iowa, Gingrich vowed his White House bid would remain positive, while in the next breath he labeled the Romney camp's tactics "disgusting." The former House speaker, known for a bare-knuckles campaign style when he engineered the GOP takeover of the House in the 1990s, suggested at a campaign stop on Tuesday that his opponents "hire consultants who get drunk, sit around and write stupid ads."

Romney protested that he couldn't control the independent PAC expenditures, but pointedly declined to disavow the ads. The former businessman and Massachusetts governor, who's been on the stump in New Hampshire, is seeking to project a tough, pragmatic image, allowing there's "no whining in politics."

"I'm a big boy," he said on MSNBC.

Meanwhile, Ron Paul has emerged as a wild card in the race. The blunt-spoken Texas congressman is set to hit the trail in Iowa again on Wednesday, along with other candidates in the field. With less than two weeks to go until the first-in-the nation Iowa caucuses, the race remains unpredictable, as voters weigh electability against conservative credentials.

Jenny Turner, a 31-year-old wedding videographer from Mount Pleasant, Iowa, summed it up this way: "My heart is with Newt. But Mitt Romney is the back of my mind."

The bickering over negative ads has highlighted the role of so-called super PACs, independent groups which may accept unlimited donations but are not supposed to directly coordinate with candidates. Such groups have sprung up to work on behalf of every serious Republican candidate in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year that allowed people, unions and corporations to donate unlimited sums of money to outfits advocating the election or defeat of candidates.

Romney has labeled the system a "disaster"; Gingrich calls it "a nightmare."

Still, each has PACs leveraging dollars on their behalf.

Among the most visible is the pro-Romney PAC Restore our Future, run by former Romney aides. It has been blanketing the airwaves in Iowa with a series of caustic ads painting Gingrich as an ethically-challenged Washington power broker. The onslaught has chipped away at Gingrich's poll numbers in the state

Gingrich has challenged Romney to demand the ads come down.

However, two pro-Gingrich PACs have also been raking in cash. Gingrich's longtime aide Rick Tyler just signed on with one of them.

Gingrich trails Romney badly in fundraising and his campaign had been deeply in debt following staff upheaval earlier this year. The PAC spending could help him rapidly make up that gap. Gingrich said Wednesday he would disavow any PAC that runs negative ads, but that doesn't mean they could not do so anyway.

Gingrich and Romney were each expected back on the campaign trail Wednesday, one of the last full days before the campaigns go dark for the holidays. Romney had a full day of campaign stops in New Hampshire, a must-win state for him. He was set to pick up the endorsement of a key conservative activist.

Gingrich was collecting the support from state House speakers in Iowa and New Hampshire and was set to hold events in both states. He was then set to rush to Virginia, which the former Georgia congressman now calls home, to help ensure he has the needed signatures to get on the ballot in the state.

Johnson, who served two terms as New Mexico's governor, has barely registered in polls.

Associated PressRepublican presidential candidate, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson speaks during an interview Monday morning, Dec. 12, 2011 in the lobby of a Hampton Inn and Suites in Clearwater, Fla. Johnson was in Clearwater to speak at a public event organized by local Libertarian party members, the Save America Foundation, and the 1787 Network.

EXETER, N.H. — Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, who has drawn little attention with his bid for the Republican nomination for president, is dropping his GOP campaign to run for the Libertarian Party nomination.

Johnson plans to announce his candidacy for the Libertarian nomination next week, spokesman Joe Hunter said Tuesday night.

"He is representing a viewpoint and a viewpoint that needs to be heard and he's going to do whatever it takes to get that done," Hunter told The Associated Press.

Johnson is fiscally conservative but supports such liberal causes as legalizing marijuana and abortion rights.

Johnson, who served two terms as New Mexico's governor, has barely registered in polls. Excluded from all but two of the GOP presidential debates, he has grown frustrated that he hasn't earned more attention, Hunter said.

Republican presidential contender Ron Paul, who was the Libertarian candidate for president in 1988, was supportive of Johnson's decision.

"I think competitiveness is good. And somebody to have ideas that are libertarian, I think that is good," Paul told the AP following a New Hampshire campaign stop Tuesday night. "But I've been through it. There's a lot of frustrations. ... Just getting on ballots — it's a tough job. But some good will come of it."

Johnson's plans were first reported by Politico.

Even though the market remains slow, it was the fifth consecutive year-over-year increase.

In this Nov. 16, 2011 photo, a real estate sign hangs in front of a home, in Milton, Mass. Existing-home sales improved in October while the number of homes on the market continued to decline, according to the National Association of Realtors(R). (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

BOSTON – Two organizations that track the Massachusetts housing market say a slow but steady recovery continues.

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors and The Warren Group announced Wednesday that sales of single-family homes were up in November when compared to the year-ago month, while median prices dropped.

Both organizations, which use slightly different figures to make their calculations, reported about a 13 percent increase in sales when compared to November 2010.

Even though the market remains slow, it was the fifth consecutive year-over-year increase.

The Boston-based Warren Group said the median price was down 8 percent, while the Waltham-based Realtors group reported a 4 percent drop in the median price, although it was up when compared to October.

Both organizations reported a jump in the number of condominium sales year over year.

More details coming in The Republican.

Gov. Deval Patrick says the move will help the state move ahead with plans to overhaul the way it pays for health care coverage.

Associated PressThe Statehouse Christmas tree is illuminated following a ceremony in Boston, Monday Dec. 12, 2011.

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts has struck a multi-billion dollar deal with the federal government that Gov. Deval Patrick says will help the state move ahead with plans to overhaul the way it pays for health care coverage.

Patrick praised the three-year, $26.7 billion Medicaid waiver — a $5.7 billion increase over the previous waiver.

Patrick said the money will help the state preserve existing eligibility and benefit levels in Medicaid and Commonwealth Care programs. Commonwealth Care is the subsidized insurance program established by the state's landmark 2006 health care law.

"Massachusetts has proven itself as a national leader in health care reform, with more than 98 percent of our residents insured," Patrick said Tuesday. "This new federal agreement will help us build on our success and tackle the next phase of our work — cracking the code on health care costs."

State lawmakers are hoping to tackle the health care spending issue in the new year. Ensuring the state can continue to pay for the coverage mandated by the 2006 law is critical to its long-term success, supporters say.

During the three-year period, the state has also agreed to fully implement the federal Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, whose major provisions go into effect on January 1, 2014.

The agreement includes funding for several new health-related programs.

The waiver includes $120 million in new federal dollars to help the state's so-called "safety net hospitals" — those hospitals that treat a disproportionate share of individuals covered by Commonwealth Care and MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program.

The goal of the federal funding is to help those hospitals and similar primary care providers to move away from a fee-for-service model of care — where doctors are paid per operation, for example — and toward a model that rewards hospitals and doctors for helping keep patients healthy.

Another program funded by the deal will let the state try to curb the growing problem of pediatric asthma by covering services not traditionally paid for under insurance plans.

Those services include home visits by community home health workers and paying for the cost of supplies aimed at easing environmental factors in the home that can trigger asthma attacks.

The deal will also help the state create an "express lane eligibility program" to make it easier to renew eligibility for parents with children who are enrolled in the food stamp program. About 140,000 MassHealth members may be eligible for the express lane renewal program.

The agreement also includes more than $500 million annually for Commonwealth Care and the Health Safety Net — the program that helps reimburse hospitals for the cost of caring for the uninsured — and more than $300 million annually in other federal help to pay for services to low income and uninsured populations.

Early intervention programs, including programs aimed at helping children with autism, are also funded by the agreement.

Cindy Mann, deputy administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, also praised the deal, saying it will help Massachusetts continue to make progress on expanding health coverage by testing new ideas.

"The demonstration will support the Commonwealth's delivery and payment reforms while also helping it to move forward on several innovative new programs," Mann said in a statement. "We are pleased to be able to support these important initiatives."

WORCESTER — A man accused of fatally shooting another man in a brawl between two gangs outside Worcester City Hall has been ordered held without bail. Nathaniel Robinson, who was tracked down in New York City following the daytime shooting on Nov. 30, pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges at his arraignment Tuesday in district court. The Telegram...

WORCESTER — A man accused of fatally shooting another man in a brawl between two gangs outside Worcester City Hall has been ordered held without bail.

Nathaniel Robinson, who was tracked down in New York City following the daytime shooting on Nov. 30, pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges at his arraignment Tuesday in district court.

The Telegram & Gazette (http://bit.ly/vQyObV) reports that prosecutors think the 19-year-old Robinson pulled the trigger during the brawl in which 20-year-old Javier Santiago was killed.

Robinson was tracked to the Bronx on Dec. 9.

One other man has been arrested in connection with the shooting that police say stemmed from a dispute between rival gangs.

Robinson's lawyer had no comment.

Police in Medford began trailing delivery vans after getting several reports of missing packages.

**HOLD FOR CHRIS HATCH** A UPS driver loads packages for delivery Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 in Scottsdale, Ariz. UPS will report it's third quarter earnings on Oct. 25, 2011. (AP Photo/Matt York)

SOMERVILLE – Somerville police are playing Santa this week, determined to deliver about 100 packages they say were stolen by a local couple right off the porches and front steps of area homes.

Police began trailing delivery vans after getting several reports of missing packages.

Acting on a tip from Medford police, officers on Tuesday pulled over a car “filled to the brim” with packages bearing addresses from across the city.

Officers arrested 26-year-old Kristen Casey and 27-year-old Manuel Sheehan on charges of receiving stolen property. About 100 parcels were found in a search of Sheehan’s home.

Both are scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Somerville District Court.

Chief Thomas Pasquarello told the Boston Herald the goal now is to get the packages to their rightful owners in time for Christmas morning.

In Western Massachusetts, Longmeadow police reported Monday that someone broke into a residence on Longmeadow Street and Forest Glen Road and stole presents from under a Christmas tree.

Alleged safety violations and drug activity at Easy Street, a Fiske Avenue nightclub, prompted authorities to shutter the club.

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GREENFIELD — The town's Board of License Commissioners has ordered the Easy Street Nightclub to remain closed through this holiday weekend – a traditionally busy time for Western Massachusetts eating and drinking establishments – after a series of recent problems, including the arrest of a co-owner of the nightclub on drug charges last month.

Bar owner Ivan Tristan was arrested in November on cocaine and other charges. The day after his arrest, town officials closed Easy Street for eight days, citing safety-code violations at the Fiske Avenue club, according to a report by the Greenfield Recorder.

On Tuesday, the Board of License Commissioners again ordered the bar to close, yanking the club's liquor license for 10 days – three of which must be served immediately. The remaining seven days were deferred, The Recorder reported.

It wasn't immediately clear what specifically triggered this week's closure, but club manager and co-owner Ananda Larson last month agreed to correct the safety issues.

William B. Allen, chairman of the Board of License Commissioners, told 22News that even though Tristan is no longer involved with the bar, Larson is still responsible for the violations.

“What we're trying to do is show, I guess, that there was illegal activity going on there. Case law says that she's responsible, she's the manager," Allen told the TV station.

Tristan denied the drug charges at his arraignment last month in Greenfield District Court. Greenfield Police Detective Kevin Rowell said Tristan was the subject of a five-month investigation into illicit drug activity at the club.

Authorities are searching for a suspect in a shooting that left a person seriously wounded.

Republican file photoThe Massachusetts State Police Air Wing helicopter, shown here, is credited with finding a suicidal woman in Deerfield Friday

FITCHBURG — Local and state police are investigating a potentially fatal shooting at at a Fitchburg residence.

As of 8:55 a.m., authorities were actively seeking the shooter, whose identity was not released.

State police said the shooting happened at 46 Crestview Lane, located a few miles south of the city center.

Troopers assigned to the Worcester County detective unit and Special Tactical Operations Team were assisting Fitchburg police with the manhunt, which also includes a state police air wing unit.

The Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise reported that the shooting occurred at the Meadowbrook Village housing project.

Police on Crestview Lane said it was an "active crime scene." Further details were not immediately available.

Santa Claus came early at zoos in California, Oregon and England

How would you like an early Christmas present?

Well, animals at zoos around the world apparently do, so here is a series of pictures showing them enjoying their gifts.

According to the Orange County Register in California, black bears and clever cats clawed and chomped their way through wrapped gifts Saturday as Christmas came early at the Orange County Zoo at Irvine Regional Park.

There, visitors helped celebrate the holidays with children's crafts, face painting, Santa visits and story time with Mrs. Claus.

In Portland, Ore., male orangutans received holiday gifts as part of "Presents for Pirmates."

But perhaps the cutest scene came from across the pond, in London, where Asian Lion cubs took cautious looks at their presents at the London Zoo.

Rain turning into snow is on tap for Thursday night into Friday.

SPRINGFIELD – Western Massachusetts’ best shot for a white Christmas comes Thursday night into Friday with the arrival of rain and then snow.

“For a few hours the snow could come down at a moderate to maybe even briefly heavy clip and a couple of inches isn’t out of the question,” abc40 / Fox 6 meteorologist Mike Masco said.

The potential for snow to fall on Christmas Day, until recently thought to be a distinct possibility, does not appear to be panning out, Masco said.

A website operated by meteorologist Jeff Haby - theweatherprediction.com - states that the “official definition“ of a white Christmas is having at least one inch of snow on the ground that day. The snow, according to the website, does not have to fall on Christmas Day.

According to a map on the website, much of Western Massachusetts typically has a 61 to 75 percent chance of enjoying a white Christmas.

Masco said he abides the inch-on-the-ground definition but added that some believe a white Christmas can only be satisfied by snow falling on Christmas Eve and into Christmas Day.

Rain is on tap for Wednesday and is expected to fall throughout the day, Masco said. The sun returns on Thursday and highs could reach 50.

Oracle Corp. fell almost 13 percent in early trading after the business software maker said it struggled to close deals.

Associated Press photoSteven Marcus, right, works with fellow traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday. European stock markets extended gains Wednesday on a wave of pre-holiday optimism after the European Central Bank loaned a record amount to the continent's banks in an effort to bolster Europe's stressed financial system. (Photo by Richard Drew)

NEW YORK - Stocks opened lower Wednesday after disappointing earnings from Oracle and Walgreens.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 42 points to 12,064 shortly after the opening bell Wednesday. It jumped 337 points the day before.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index was down 4.5 points to 1231.36. The Nasdaq composite fell 34, or 1.3 percent to 2,569

Oracle Corp. fell almost 13 percent, the most in the S&P, after the business software maker said it struggled to close deals. The results seemed to reinforce worries that businesses and the government may cut back technology spending.

European markets gave up early gains. Germany’s DAX was down 0.4 percent.

On Tuesday, encouraging signs out of Europe and a surprisingly strong report on the U.S. housing market drove the Dow Jones industrial average up more than 300 points. It was the best day for stocks this month.

The Spanish government pulled off a successful debt auction and gauges of business and consumer confidence in Germany rose unexpectedly. Both helped ease worries about Europe’s debt crisis. The dollar fell against the euro and U.S. government bond prices dropped as traders shifted money out of the safest assets.

Borrowing costs for the Spanish government plunged at an auction of short-term debt, a sign that bond buyers are more confident in the country’s ability to pay them back.

“Spain has plenty of problems, large debts and budget deficits,” said Sam Stovall, chief equity strategist at S&P Capital IQ. “So when we see debt auctions go much better than expected it’s very encouraging.”

Spain’s government raised (euro) 5.6 billion ($7.3 billion), much more than its goal of (euro) 4.5 billion. Investors demanded an interest rate of only 1.74 percent to lend to Spain for three months, a steep fall from the 5.1 percent at an auction in November.

The Dow gained 337.32 points, or 2.9 percent to close at 12,103.58. It lost 100 points the day before.

Europe’s major stock markets also climbed. Germany’s DAX soared 3.1 percent. France’s CAC-40 jumped 2.7 percent.

The gains held on Tuesday afternoon even after the U.S. House of Representatives rejected a plan to extend a cut in Social Security taxes. Unemployment benefits for 2 million people are also at risk.

A Federal Reserve proposal for stricter rules on larger banks didn’t knock down JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and other big bank stocks. JPMorgan Chase & Co. gained 4.9 percent. Citigroup added 4.6 percent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index gained 35.95 points, or 3 percent, to 1,241.30. Only six stocks in the index fell. The Nasdaq composite index rose 80.59, or 3.2 percent, to 2,603.73.

Analysts cautioned that recent big rallies in the stock market have been quick to fade as traders seize the chance to sell stocks and lock in gains. “If you’re selling into rallies, it means people want out,” said Quincy Krosby, Prudential Financial’s market strategist. “They don’t believe it’s sustainable.”

Take the Dow’s 490-point jump Nov. 30 after major central banks made a coordinated move to prop up European lenders by freeing up cash. The one-day rally brought the Dow to 12,045, but that gain had evaporated by last week.

The Commerce Department said Tuesday that builders broke ground on 685,000 new homes last month, a 9.3 percent jump from October. That’s the highest level since April 2010. Building permits, a gauge of future construction, increased 5.7 percent, spurred by a jump in apartment permits. Stovall said the surge in housing construction was another piece of evidence that the U.S. will avoid slipping into another recession soon. “It’s great news,” he said.

The report drove housing stocks higher. PulteGroup Inc. jumped 10 percent. D.R. Horton Inc. rose 5.7 percent.

In other corporate news,

General Mills Inc. dropped 1 percent after reporting that its quarterly profit sank 28 percent. The maker of Cheerios and Yoplait yogurt blamed higher costs for ingredients and packaging for pinching profit margins.

AT&T Inc. rose 1.3 percent after the company abandoned its bid late Monday to acquire the wireless provider T-Mobile USA. Sprint Nextel Corp. gained 5 percent. Sprint, the No. 3 wireless carrier, had opposed the deal.

Red Hat Inc. plunged 8.9 percent after the software company forecast revenue that was short of what analysts were expecting. Red Hat provides support to business users for the freely distributed Linux operating system.

Oracle Corp. dropped 8 percent in extended trading after the business software giant’s quarterly earnings and sales missed analysts’ estimates.

Donations to the park continue to grow since the death of Ozzie the duck.

Photo by John Suchocki / The RepublicanOfficials from Mobius Works and Stanley Park in Westfield look at one of the surveillance cameras the company installed at the park in the wake of the brutal killing of "Ozzie" the duck. Seen here, from left, are Edward F. Watson, company CEO, John M. Bowen, company service manager and Robert McKean, executive director of Stanley Park.

WESTFIELD – Mobius Works completed installation Tuesday of a three-camera surveillance system at the duck ponds located at Stanley Park.

The donation of the equipment and installation, designed to allow future expansion to cover the entire Western Avenue park, was an easy one for the Westfield information technology services provider owners Edward F. Watson and David Alger.

“We have a good relationship with Stanley Park and most of our employees live in Westfield, involving a lot of kids. The park is a huge asset to the community and we wanted to help make the park safer,” said Watson.

The surveillance project is the result of the November 11 killing of Stanley Park’s resident Muscovy duck Ozzie. Westfield police have filed charges of cruelty to animals and killing a domesticated animal against a 15-year-old Westfield boy through Holyoke’s Juvenile Court.

Park director Robert C. McKean also announced Tuesday the pending arrival of two new Muscovy ducks, “Ricky and David” who will become Stanley Park residents. They are being donated by Westfield’s Jack General, McKean said. Ricky and David will join a female hooded Merganser duck already named Harriet. “This will complete our Nelson family of ducks,” said McKean.

The killing has prompted donations to the park and to a new scholarship established by Citizens Scholarship Foundation. Cynthia M. Neary, CSF president, said the original anonymous donation of $500 has grown in the last few weeks to $900.

The scholarship will be awarded to a high school graduating senior who is a Westfield resident, who is a humanitarian volunteer or who will pursue a college degree humanitarian services.

Donations may be mailed to Citizens Scholarship Foundation, P.O. 382, Westfield, Ma. 01086.

The cameras installed by Mobius will provide 24-hour day and night coverage of the ponds area that can be viewed through the park’s website: www.stanleypark.org. That viewing capability will be available shortly, McKean and Watson said.

“Our hope is that the surveillance system will provide a measure of safety for both the inhabitants and the guests of the Park,” Watson said.

John M. Bowen, Mobius service manager, said the wireless system transmits images to the Network video Recorder, from which it can be viewed on site or via the Internet.

As for donations made to the park since Ozzie’s death, McKean said “Stanley Park’s success is very much in the hands of the community. Ozzie’s senseless death has mobilized many and we are extremely grateful for the support we have received.

“My priority concern is for the safety of the animals that have made the park their home and for the people who use and enjoy the park,” McKean said.

McKean said he is in the process of budgeting for future expansion of the surveillance network. He said donations made in Ozzie’s name will be used to “memorialize him and to further our services to benefit all of the park community.” Westfield Bank has donated $2,000 to the fund and more than $3,300 has been received from individual donors.

Donations in memory of Ozzie can be made to ‘Friends of Ozzie’, c/o Stanley Park, 400 Western Ave., Westfield, 01085. McKean said donations are tax deductible.

Obituaries from The Republican today.

Bertrand G. Chasse

LUDLOW - Bertrand G. Chasse, 88, of Ludlow died Tuesday at Mercy Medical Center in Springfield. Born in Springfield, he was the son of the late Joseph and Bertha (Talbot) Chasse. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Fordham University and his master of arts degree from St. John's University. He worked as a teacher in the Falls Village, Conn., school system, the East Windsor, Conn., school system, the Ludlow School system and for Cathedral High School. A daily communicant of Christ the King Church, he was a member of its men's guild, and was a faithful and active member of the Adoration Chapel. A member of the Massachusetts Citizens for Life, the Indian Orchard Council Knight of Columbus, the Massachusetts Republican Assembly and the Connecticut teachers Association.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• 
  Buelow, Raymond C.
  



• 
  Carestia, Frances (Iellamo)
  




• 
  Cassidy, William F.
  



• 
  Chasse, Bertrand G.
  



• 
  D'Arcey, Donna (Peltier)




• 
  D'Arcy, Donna M. (Peltier)
  



• 
  Daniele, Giovanni
  




• Ellis, Patricia (Dennis)
  




• 
  Fabrocini, Vincent C.
  



• 
  Gignac, Marie B. (Duval)




• 
  Jones, Melvin
  



• 
  Kocak, John W.
  




• Kolpus, Helene M.
  




• 
  Ludwick III, Franklin J. "Jimmy"
  



• 
  McCabe, Sandra (Ramsey)




• 
  Murray, Geraldine "Jerry" (Taddia)
  



• 
  O'Neil, Arnold Barry
  




• Phetteplace, Madeline R. (Langevin)
  




• 
  Phillips, Laura
  



• 
  Rojcewicz, Theodore F.




• 
  Spenard, Lillian G. (DeBlois)