Susan Ford and Anthony Maggi each was charged with 2 counts of assault and battery on a child with injury after an investigation into bruises on the body of Ford's 20-month-old son.

PALMER – A Monson couple on Wednesday denied charges of assault and battery on a child with injury, and will return to district court in February for pretrial conferences.

Susan K. Ford, 22, and Anthony R. Maggi, 25, of 31 Elm St., apt. 2, each was charged by state police with two counts of assault and battery on a child with injury after an investigation into bruises on the body of Ford's 20-month-old son.

The bruising was reported in July, and was observed all over the child's body, according to court documents.

According to Trooper Laurie Gillis's report included in the court file, Ford said the bruising must be from the child pinching himself.

The state Department of Children and Families took temporary custody of Ford's two children in late July, according to the report. The child involved in the investigation then was placed in the custody of a family member, and no more bruising was observed, Gillis wrote.

Judge Patricia T. Poehler released Ford and Maggi on their own recognizance and ordered them to cooperate with the state Department of Children and Families. They will return to court Feb. 24.

The storm was one of the strongest ever recorded in Massachusetts, with wind speeds estimated at 136 to 165 mph.

As 2011 winds down, The Republican and MassLive.com recap some of the Top 10 news stories each day this week leading up to Jan. 1 when the complete list will appear with photos in The Sunday Republican.

No. 1: In two hours on June 1, three tornadoes rolled across Western Massachusetts, pummeling hundreds of homes and businesses along their paths

Touching down in Westfield at 4:15 p.m., the first storm carved a half-mile-wide track for 39 miles to Charlton and wreaked the majority of the damage; two smaller twisters touched down later in Wilbraham and Brimfield.

Two days later, the National Weather Service confirmed what many suspected: The storm was one of the strongest ever recorded in Massachusetts, with wind speeds estimated at 136 to 165 mph.

Now, nearly seven months later, the region continues its slow and steady recovery.

Of 577 structures that were damaged by the tornado in Springfield, 513 have been repaired, cleared or are in progress. A master plan is being prepared in conjunction with Concordia LLC, of New Orleans, the lead consultant for the Rebuild Springfield effort. Officials estimate it could take several years to fully rebuild.

State officials this month announced the release of $14 million in state relief funds to Springfield and several surrounding communities to assist with rebuilding efforts. Springfield is due to receive $8.7 million; Monson $1.8 million, and Wilbraham $1.7 million. An additional $3.9 million in grant funds was provided this month from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, which will help reimburse eight communities for emergency road repairs, new sidewalks and debris removal.

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials say the federal reimbursement process takes time, but they have said Springfield will get the largest share of the $58 million in storm relief funds distributed by FEMA. Springfield expects the final cost to exceed $100 million, including replacing three elementary schools and the South End Community Center.

If he wins re-election, McGovern will also become a new congressman for part of the Pioneer Valley.

File photo by David Molnar / The RepublicanU.S. Rep. James McGovern, left, talks with Northampton mayor-elect David Narkieiz at the 8th Annual Hot Chocolate Run earlier this month. Under a recently approved redistricting plan, McGovern's district will now include Northampton.

BOSTON - U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern said he will never forget a tip he received from an old boss about the way things work on Capitol Hill.

Until he was elected, the Worcester Democrat worked as an aide for 15 years for U.S. Rep. J. Joseph Moakley of Boston.

“Moakley’s advice was, ‘Get to know everybody,’ “ McGovern said during an interview at the Sorelle Bakery & Café in the Charlestown section of Boston. “Get to know their spouses and kids and find out if they have dogs and cats. Build relationships with everybody. In order to get things done, you need people to help you.”

McGovern, 52, said he has made good use of that advice over nearly 16 years as an elected member of Congress.

After toppling a Republican incumbent in 1996, he is serving his eighth term in the U.S. House, currently as the No. 2 ranking minority member of the powerful House Committee on Rules, which screens bills and sets conditions for debate. McGovern spends a lot of time on the House floor, acting as traffic cop for legislation.

If he wins re-election on Nov. 6, McGovern will also become a new congressman for the upper Pioneer Valley.

Under a congressional redistricting law , approved in November by the state Legislature, McGovern’s district picked up seven Hampshire communities, including Amherst and Northampton, plus Greenfield and 13 other Franklin communities and one precinct in Palmer in Hampden.

Redistricting was needed after the state lost one of its 10 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives because of slow population growth during the past decade.

McGovern gained a portion of the district of U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, an Amherst Democrat who is retiring. The great majority of the rest of Olver’s district - including all of Berkshire County - was folded into the district of U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield.

Voters will elect people to the new districts this year.

McGovern comes from middle-class roots in Worcester.

The oldest of three, McGovern was raised in a bungalow in Worcester located about a half mile from his current home on Burncoat Street. He’s lived in the same ward and precinct all his life.

In his youth, he stocked shelves and did other work in “McGovern’s Package Store,” a business owned by family members since 1937. His father, Walter, took ownership in the early 1960's, and still works there, as does McGovern’s mother, Mindy.

His two sisters, Wendy Talcott of Sutton and Kelly Tuttle of Sterling, are teachers in the Worcester public schools.

McGovern said he was not a good student in elementary school in Worcester. His parents believed he needed a little more discipline and attention and sent him to the private Worcester Academy, where he had “great history teachers” and he fell in love with history and current events.

While in grade 7 at the academy in 1972, he volunteered for U.S. Sen. George S. McGovern of South Dakota, an outspoken foe of the Vietnam War and the Democratic nominee for president against Richard Nixon. He handed out literature, held signs and did other campaign work for McGovern, who is not related.

“I felt this great sense of satisfaction when he won Massachusetts comfortably,” he said. “The bad news is .. we lost 49 other states.”

Finding his calling, McGovern attended American University in Washington and worked as an intern for George McGovern from 1977 to 1980. He became a good friend of George McGovern and stays in close contact to this day with the former senator.

He said he was an activist and “involved in every protest you could think of” while obtaining his bachelor’s degree at the university.

When Sen. McGovern lost re-election in the GOP landslide of 1980, the younger McGovern joined the staff of Moakley.

“Moakley let me do anything I wanted,” he said. “I did press. I was his legislative director.”

In 1983, Moakley became alarmed by the reports of refugees from El Salvador who had fled to Boston to escape violence and political persecution in their nation. He sent McGovern on dozens of trips to El Salvador, where the Army, backed by the U.S., was involved in a bloody war against leftist rebels that lasted until the early 1990's.

In 1989, six Jesuit priests, including three who were friends of McGovern, were murdered by the Salvadoran Army. Moakley appointed McGovern to help lead a House task force investigating the murders and he spent a good portion of two years on the case. The task force, chaired by Moakley, recommended cutting military aid to El Salvador, setting the stage for a peace agreement.

While in Washington, he met his wife, Lisa, then an aide to U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds of Cohasset, at a party at Stetson's Famous Bar & Restaurant and they married in 1989. They now have two children, Patrick, 13, and Molly, 10.

On the House Rules Committee, McGovern is the only Democrat behind U.S. Rep. Louise M. Slaughter of New York, who at 82 is the oldest woman in Congress.

McGovern said his goal is to one day be chairman of the Rules Committee, which used to be chaired by Moakley, who died in 2001.

“It’s the traffic cop of Congress,” said McGovern, who is often the House floor in his committee role. “Every bill comes through Rules.”

His politics should play well in Amherst and Northampton, two of the more liberal communities in the state.

He opposed the war in Iraq from the start, voting against authorizing the president to use military force in Iraq in October 2002. Following the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2011, he voted for the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 in order to dislodge Al Qaeda, but eventually opposed the war after the terrorist group left the country.

“I feel sad that our country paid such a high price for two wars that got out of control,” he said. “My heart aches for the men and women and their families who paid such a high price.”

McGovern said he is “a bread and butter” politician who likes to bring home money for his district. He said he is also an “idealist,” who has been arrested twice for disorderly conduct with a handful of other congress members outside the embassy for Sudan, including once with Olver in 2006, for protests of atrocities in Darfur.

“I’ve had a lot of good teachers,” said McGovern, also co-chair of the House Caucus on Hunger. “I'm a mixture of a lot of different things.”

Nothing could have prepared McGovern for the shocking news he received in the month before the 2010 election. During a routine physical, a doctor discovered a nodule in his neck and later tests showed he had papillary thyroid cancer. A week after the election, McGovern had surgery to remove his thyroid.

Looking ahead, McGovern said he is optimistic that Democrats can retake control of the US House in the Nov. 6 elections. Republicans now hold 242 of 435 seats, following the success of Tea Party candidates in the 2010 elections.

McGovern said he currently does not have a Republican opponent but he expects one.

“George McGovern’s advice was, ‘If you want to be a good member of Congress, get over the fear of losing an election, or you won't give good judgments. You will be held hostage to public opinion polls,’ ” he said. “I’ve got to admit that I'm not quite over the fear of losing an election. But I always remember McGovern’s words and I try to do what is right.”

Temporary signs have repeatedly disappeared.

7/3/03- Chicopee- Thomas J. O'Connor Regional Animal Center-- For Chic Plus- Volunteer dog walker David P. Michalak of Chicopee takes "Neely", a male Terrier mix, for a walk. He's been walking dogs at the center for the past 11 years. Treeger staff photo CUTLINE: 07/10/03 - This male pug mix is available for adoption at the Thomas J. O'Connor Regional Animal Center in Chicopee. In top photo, volunteer dog walker David P. Michalak of Chicopee takes Neel, a male terrier mix for a walk.

AMHERST - The town's new dog policy went into effect Nov. 21, however, there has been an on-going issue with signage notifying dog walkers of the policy change.

Temporary signs posting the hours dogs can be off leash went up and have been repeatedly taken down. Permanent signs have been ordered and are expected next week, said Beth Willson, the town’s wetland’s administrator.

The Conservation Commission, meanwhile, is slated to talk about fines for those who violate the policy as well as who has the authority to enforce it, Willson said.

In November, the Conservation Commission voted to allow dogs off leash from dawn until 10 a.m. at Mill River and Amethyst Brook instead of all the time as had been allowed in the past.

That was an attempt to satisfy those who wanted to walk their dogs off leash and those who wanted them leashed at all times. 


For a decade, dogs were allowed dogs to run off leash at these two areas year-round. That policy was considered a trial when it was adopted but has remained in effect ever since.


The policy also stipulates that dogs must be leashed or under control at all times.

At Amethyst Brook, that policy is still posted so on recent day, dog owners had their dog off leash after 11 a.m.

But even when signs were in place, Matthew Cornell, who had been tracking the number of leashed and unleashed dogs, found that 77 percent of the time dogs were off leash when he was there in the afternoons.

Cornell, who mountain bikes in the area, opposes the policy and wants them leashed at all times.

The commission, which has jurisdiction over town-owned conservation land, took up the policy because of the increasing number of calls and letters about the issue the town received.


Both W. David Ziomek, director of conservation and development, and animal welfare officer Carol A. Hepburn had recommended that commission require that dogs be leashed at all times. Ziomek had said the town is growing and the town has more dogs.

Earlier in December, he said the commission was committed to giving the policy time. The commission is slated to review it in about six months.

Shrimp fishermen have been given a catch limit of 4.4 million pounds for the upcoming season, down from the 13 million pounds they caught last season.

FILE - This Feb. 15, 2011 file photo shows freshly-caught shrimp at the Port Clyde Fresh Catch facility in Port Clyde, Maine. Gulf of Maine shrimp fishermen will have a catch limit of 4.4 million pounds in the 2012 season, down from 13 million pounds in 2011. The new season begins Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, and ends when the catch limit is reached. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach, File)

By CLARKE CANFIELD, Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Gulf of Maine shrimp fishing season could be a short one with the 2012 catch limited to a third of the 2011 harvest.

Shrimp fishermen have been given a catch limit of 4.4 million pounds for the upcoming season, down from the 13 million pounds they caught last season. The new season begins Monday and will end when the catch limit is reached.

Scientists say lower catch limits are needed because shrimp are being overfished, and the supply is declining. But fishermen say their livelihoods are at stake, and processors are worried that markets they've built for the small, sweet shrimp will be put at risk because they won't have enough product to fill orders.

Fishermen are expecting decent prices, but there also will be "dire economic consequences" with so little shrimp to go around, said Maggie Raymond, executive director of Associated Fisheries of Maine.

"I predict it'll be a miracle if they get through the end of January," Raymond said. "I can't see there being anything left in February."

Found in the cold waters of the Gulf of Maine, northern shrimp provide a winter fishery for hundreds of New England fishermen. Boats from Maine typically catch about 90 percent of the annual harvest, with small numbers from New Hampshire and Massachusetts catching the rest.

FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2011 file photo, Nat Winchenbach pours freshly caught shrimp onto a processing table at the Port Clyde Fresh Catch facility in Port Clyde, Maine. Gulf of Maine Shrimp fishermen will have a catch limit of 4.4 million pounds in the 2012 season, down from 13 million pounds in 2011. The new season begins Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, and ends when the catch limit is reached. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach, File)

The shrimp population varies, and regulators each year set limits on how much can be caught. The season was cut short in each of the past two years because fishermen surpassed the target, by 28 percent in 2010 and 48 percent this year.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission based this coming season's lower catch on scientific surveys that showed a decline in the shrimp population. The catch limit was set despite objections by fishermen and processors.

Net fishermen can only fish three days a week — Monday, Wednesday and Friday — while those who use traps to catch shrimp can't do so until February and will be limited to 1,000 pounds per day per boat, said Michael Waine, a fisheries management coordinator with the commission.

"The intent is to slow the shrimp harvest to spread out the landings to extend the season," Waine said.

Fishery managers are also trying to keep closer tabs on the harvest. For the first time, shrimp dealers are being required to report numbers on a weekly basis, rather than monthly, so that regulators will know in a timely manner when the catch limits are being approached.

The ASMFC's shrimp panel is meeting Jan. 19 to evaluate where the harvest stands and possibly modify or adopt new regulations — such as trip limits for net fishermen — to slow down the catch rate even more if deemed necessary.

Not everybody agrees that such a small catch limit is necessary, said John Norton, owner of Cozy Harbor Seafood in Portland.

Fishermen have been seeing a high abundance of shrimp the past couple of years, he said, and a group of processors is petitioning the commission's shrimp panel to consider raising the catch limit when it meets Jan. 19. Another stock assessment formula suggests that fishermen could catch nearly 10 million pounds of shrimp this season without putting the stocks at risk, he said.

The shrimp industry in Maine employs more than 1,500 people, from fishermen and workers who help unload boats to truck drivers and processors, he said. Cozy Harbor alone employs 130 to 140 workers during shrimp season to process and pack shrimp bound for New England, West Coast and European markets.

"I'm just astounded that with the economic conditions we have in this state and this country that we're giving up those jobs and giving up those paychecks," Norton said. "It doesn't make any sense to me."

Many fishermen think now is the time for regulators to institute a "limited entry" system that restricts how many fishermen can get shrimp fishing licenses, based on their history of shrimp fishing.

Supporters say controlling the number of boats in the fishery will help keep the shrimp population at sustainable levels. Opponents say a limited-entry system would shut many lobstermen and others out of the fishery and change the culture of coastal communities by further limiting their ability to patch together a living when pickings are slim.

Regulators are now discussing the possibility of instituting a limited-entry system.

Neffinger will be sworn in twice Tuesday, first for legal reasons and second for ceremonial ones.

Mayor-elect Gregory C. Neffinger, seen outside West Springfield's city office building will be sworn in on Tuesday, becoming the second mayor in the community's history.

NASA is counting down the seconds until its twin spacecraft bound for the moon make back-to-back arrivals over the New Year's weekend.

This undated artist rendering provided by NASA on Dec. 21,2011 shows the twin Grail spacecraft mapping the lunar gravity field. The two probes are scheduled to enter orbit around the moon over New Year's weekend. (AP Photo/NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — NASA is counting down the seconds until its twin spacecraft bound for the moon make back-to-back arrivals over the New Year's weekend.

The washing machine-size probes have been cruising independently toward their destination since launching in September aboard the same rocket on a mission to measure lunar gravity.

Approaching the moon from the south pole, the Grail spacecraft — short for Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory — won't land on the surface, but will survey from orbit.

On New Year's Eve, Grail-A was poised to fire its engine for more than a half hour to slow itself and get captured into orbit. Grail-B will follow suit on New Year's Day.

Deep space antennas in the California desert and Madrid will track the tricky maneuvers and feed real-time updates to ground controllers.

"The anxiety level is heightened," project manager David Lehman of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory said earlier this week.

Grail is the 110th mission to target the moon since the dawn of the Space Age including the six Apollo moon landings that put 12 astronauts on the surface. Despite the attention the moon has received, scientists don't know everything about Earth's nearest neighbor.

Why the moon is ever so slightly lopsided with the far side more mountainous than the side that always faces Earth remains a mystery. A theory put forth earlier this year suggested that Earth once had two moons that collided early in the solar system's history, producing the hummocky region.

In this undated image provided by NASA on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011, shows two sides of the moon. Twin NASA probes traveling for the past 3 1/2 months are scheduled to arrive at the moon during the New Year's weekend to study lunar gravity. (AP Photo/NASA)

Grail is expected to help researchers better understand why the moon is asymmetrical and how it formed by mapping the uneven lunar gravity field that will indicate what's below the surface.

"It seems that the answer is not on the surface," said chief scientist Maria Zuber of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "We think that the answer is locked in the interior."

Previous lunar missions have attempted to study the moon's gravity — which is about one-sixth Earth's pull — with mixed results. Grail is the first mission devoted to this goal.

Once in orbit, the near-identical spacecraft will spend the next two months refining their positions until they are just 34 miles above the surface and flying in formation. Data collection will begin in March.

The $496 million mission will be closely watched by schoolchildren. An effort by Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, will allow middle school students to use cameras aboard the probes to zoom in and pick out their favorite lunar spots to photograph.

Despite the latest focus on the moon, NASA won't be sending astronauts back anytime soon. The Obama administration last year nixed a lunar return in favor of landing humans on an asteroid and eventually Mars.

A jaunt to the moon — about 250,000 miles away from Earth — is usually speedy. It took the Apollo astronauts three days to zip there aboard the powerful Saturn V rocket. Since NASA wanted to economize by launching on a small rocket, it took Grail a leisurely 3 1/2 months to make the trip covering 2 1/2 million miles.

NASA's last moonshot occurred in 2009 with the launch of a pair of spacecraft — one that circled the moon and another that deliberately crashed into the surface and uncovered frozen water in one of the permanently shadowed lunar craters.

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Online:

Mission: http://grail.nasa.gov

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Follow Alicia Chang's coverage at http://www.twitter.com/SciWriAlicia

The City Council reorganization meeting will be held immediately following inauguration ceremonies.

File photo by Michael S. Gordon / The RepublicanWestfield City Council President Christopher Keefe is seen at Memorial Day ceremonies held in May.

WESTFIELD – Ward 1 City Councilor Christopher Keefe is expected to retain his seat as council president when the full council meets Jan. 3 to reorganize.

Keefe, president for the past year, is in line for a unanimous vote in his re-election bid for the presidency. Fellow councilors say he does an ‘outstanding’ job as president and deserves another term. Keefe is starting his third consecutive two-year term on the council. He previously served in 2003.

Veteran at-Large Councilor Brian P. Sullivan, who has served as president six different times during his 14 years on the council said of Keefe, “he does a good job as president. He does things by the book and I am happy to be on the floor and support him.”

Ward 5 Councilor Richard E. Onofrey Jr. said “it is important that Keefe remain as president.” And, at-Large Councilor Brent B. Bean II, who considered seeking the post himself, said “Keefe is doing a great job. He is fair to everybody. I have confidence in him.”

Ward 4 Councilor Mary L. O’Connell will join colleagues in support of Keefe saying "he is honest and fair and his word is his bond. That works for me."

Newcomer to the council, Agma Maria Sweeney said she will support Keefe while at-Large Councilor Patti A. Andras said “Keefe kept us under control during his first term as president and I love the fact that he knows the rules.”

Ward 3 Councilor Peter J. Miller considered seeking the post as well but he said this week his vote will also go to Keefe. “He does a great job running our meetings,” said Miller.

“Absolutely,” was the response from at-Large Councilor John J. Beltrandi III. “Keefe is a student of his job and he represents the City Council very well,” he said.

Also throwing support to Keefe are Ward 2 Councilor James E. Brown Jr., Ward 6 Councilor Christopher M. Crean and at-Large Councilor David A. Flaherty. “He does a great job,” said Brown.

“He is good at it and know the rules,” added Flaherty.

“I give my support to Chris as well,” said Crean.

James R. Adams did not seek reelection to the City Council in the 2009 election but he is returning effective Jan. 3. “I support Christopher Keefe. He runs a good meeting,” Adams said.

The council president appoints colleagues to various committees and oversees regular meeting of the City Council. The president also serves as acting mayor in the absence of the mayor. The City Council sets the property tax rate, holds public hearings on zone changes and special permits and considers the mayor’s annual municipal operating budget for adoption. All municipal spending must be approved by the City Council.

Massachusetts tax officials estimate the average taxpayer will save less than $50 a year.

Accountants advise that owners don't make decisions solely for tax reasons. If you want to buy equipment or start a retirement plan, those actions should be taken because they're good for your business in general.

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts is ringing in the new year with tax cuts, though the savings may not be noticeable to most residents.

As of Sunday, the state's income tax rate will drop slightly from 5.3 percent to 5.25 percent, an automatic cut that was triggered by sustained revenue growth over the past 18 months.

Massachusetts tax officials estimate the average taxpayer will save less than $50 a year. The state will be out about $54 million in revenues in the current fiscal year and $114 million next year.

The state's corporate income tax rate will also fall, to 8 percent from 8.25 percent. The cut ends a phased-in reduction of the corporate tax that began in 2009. Officials say the change will make the state's business tax structure more competitive.

With 2011 winding down, a relatively quiet week in politics was not without its highlights, including those which originated in the Bay State.

Robert Maginn said he has donated to Democrats in the past out of appreciation for their efforts in policy and philanthropy. (Photo courtesy of Maginnforchair.com.

With 2011 winding down, a relatively quiet week in politics was not without its highlights, including those which originated in the Bay State.

Robert Maginn, chairman of the state's Republican Party, defended contributions he previously made to Democratic politicians as a donation to Deval Patricks' campaign recently came to light.

Although Maginn was previously criticized for a contribution to Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., a misspelling in election records hid the fact that he donated $500 to Patrick's campaign as he was running against Republican Charlie Baker.

Maginn told The Boston Globe that the Schumer donation was due to certain positions the New Yorker had taken on trade issues with China and the Patrick donation came after the Governor supported a charity which Maginn's board serves.

Maginn has since said that he will not donate to or raise funds for Democratic candidates while serving as head of the state's Republican Party.

View full size(AP file photos)Clockwise from top-left, Republican Sen. Scott Brown, democratic challengers Elizabeth Warren, Marisa DeFranco and James King.

On Wednesday, Republican Sen. Scott Brown, who is defending his senate seat in 2012, sat down with reporters in a speed-dating style series of interviews at Mul's Diner in South Boston.

Dozens of stories came out of those interviews focusing on Brown's claims that the media was taking it easy on Democratic rival Elizabeth Warren, that top Democrats were conspiring to bury his influence in the Senate and how he doesn't care what the polls say.

Brown, who spent approximately 15 minutes with reporters from each media outlet, told MassLive.com that he sees Warren as an "extreme liberal."

"She wants to basically have more interference in your lives, more regulation and take more money out of your pocketbooks and wallets and give it to Washington," Brown told MassLive.com's Dan Ring.

In an interview with The Boston Herald, Brown said that he is the underdog in the race and claimed that the media has been taking it easy on Warren.

“I just think that if you’re going to find out where people stand, you gotta ask them tough questions like you guys ask me every single day,” Brown told the Herald. “Every single day of my existence I get tough questions from you guys.”

Brown touted his voting record as of late, and cited several instances where he worked across the aisle to push legislation through the U.S. Senate. Among the list mentioned by Brown were several bills which placed him and Democratic President Barack Obama in agreement.

The incumbent legislator, who will be facing either Warren or Democrats Marisa DeFranco of James King, said that when November comes, the voters will have a “clear choice” between his record and the Democratic Senate hopefuls.

“I'm not going to be, as professor Warren would say, leaving blood and teeth in the streets and not compromising,” Brown said. “I'm going to look to find solutions. That's what I've done and that's what I'm going to do next year.”

In addition to the meet the press event at the Boston diner, Brown was spotted at Boston's first Chanukah parade, as the Wrenthem resident helped lite the Shamash.

Brown's Democratic challengers were off the radar for the week, with the exception of King, who was interviewed by AOL's Wrenthem Patch.com website.

King said that his decision to run for U.S. Senate came shortly after Brown was elected in 2010.

"I’m running because a few days after Scott Brown won in the special election I felt that he wasn’t the right person to be Senator," King said in the interview. "I was a friend of the late Senator Kennedy and I think that Massachusetts deserves better."

Warren is slated to hold a New Years Day fundraiser in Salem with admission varying from $50 to $500. The event is scheduled to be held from 5-7 p.m. at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, left, will be facing Pittsfield native Andrea Nuciforo Jr. in a Democratic Primary.

In other political news, U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, toured Pittsfied on Wednesday, speaking to the interests of senior citizens and showing the residents of the state's new first district that he has a presence in their county.

Andrea Nuciforo Jr., a Pittsfield native and former state senator, is expected to face Neal in a Democratic Primary for the incumbents seat in the House of Representatives.

Neal is expected to return to Berkshire County next week to speak and tour the area further.

Cohen is on track to become the longest serving mayor in the city's history.

File photo by Don Treeger / The RepublicanAgawam Mayor Richard Cohen celebrates his reelection at the Casa Di Lisa restaurant Nov, 8 with his twin brother, Alan.

AGAWAM – Mayor Richard A. Cohen will be sworn in to his sixth two-year term as the city’s chief executive officer Tuesday at 10 a.m. in his office in Town Hall.

Town Clerk Richard M. Theroux will administer the oath of office.

Cohen, 53, was first elected mayor in November of 1999. He served four terms until his defeat at the polls by Susan R. Dawson. She served one term from 2008 to 2010, with Cohen returning to office in 2010.

Cohen won his most recent term as mayor by defeating challenger former state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin at the polls in November. He is now on track to become the longest serving mayor in city history. Christopher C. Johnson was at the helm of the city government for five terms.

Tuesday’s swearing-in will be for legal purposes and will be followed up by a ceremonial swearing-in at noon Jan. 7 in the auditorium of Roberta G. Doering School. At that time, members of the City Council and the School Committee will also be sworn in.

However, for legal purposes, members of the City Council will take the oath of office Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Roberta G. Doering School. That will be followed by the council’s first meeting of the new year during which the first order of business is to be election of a new board president.

The current council president, Donald M. Rheault, recently announced his intention to step aside as the head of the board’s to allow for new leadership.

The disco ball was scheduled to drop outside the Visitors Center at 3:30 p.m.

The Republican / David MolnarBoston Childers, center, laughs with his friend Tyler Stratton, both of Springfield as they enjoy the merry-go-round at the 15th annual First Night Jr. event held at Heritage State Park on New Year's Eve.

HOLYOKE - First Night Jr. celebrated 2012 early on Saturday, as young revelers enjoyed rides on the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, as well as music, juggling and magic shows and even an ice carving demonstration outside the Children’s Museum.

This was the 15th year for First Night Jr., according to Marianne Holden, operations manager for the Merry-Go-Round.

“It’s nice because it’s all contained in one area, and it’s during the day, so kids can get to experience the fun of New Year’s,” Holden said. “It’s just so much fun.”

There were lines inside the Merry-Go-Round for face painting and balloons, and the carousel horses were full with riders. Lewis, the costumed mascot of Homewood Suites hotels, greeted children and posed for photographs as his helper passed out rubber ducks.

Balloon maker “Mister K” designed two, oversized jester-style balloon hats for sisters Grace Kimball, 8, and Audrey Kimball, 4, of Longmeadow, who happily showed their parents, Kelly and Garrett Kimball, their new headgear.

Rick Baker, of East Longmeadow, who was with his wife Sharon, and children, Kevin, 2, and Emily, 5, said this was their third time attending First Night Jr.

“It’s just a great thing to do with the children. It makes the new year a bigger deal for them,” he said.

The $7 admission included unlimited Merry-Go-Round rides, events at the Heritage Park Visitors Center, as well as admission to the Children’s Museum and Volleyball Hall of Fame.

Palmer ice carver Michael D. Rondeau carved “2012” out of a block of ice at the entrance to the Children’s Museum. Inside, children were scampering on the playscape, and watching juggler Bill D. juggle objects. The plunger and tennis balls elicited the loudest reaction.

Adalyn Stearley, 6, who was celebrating her birthday, clutched her heart-shaped balloon as she watched the juggler. Her mother, Patricia Stearley, of Chicopee, said they are regulars at the museum, and called First Night Jr. both educational and entertaining.

Sarah L. Sligo, of Belchertown, watched her 2-year-old daughter Hazel dip her hands in soapy foam at the bubble table, as her son Ryan, 5, played at the water table.

“It’s a good activity to wear them out on a rainy day,” Sligo said.

She said they were unaware it was a special day at the museum and were surprised when they arrived.

Around the corner, Scott Szlosek, of Granby, and his son, Stewart, 4, pretended to be news anchors behind a “news desk.” A video camera displayed their images on television screens. Stewart donned a Patriots helmet for his big-screen debut.

Susan A. Kelley, executive director of the Children’s Museum, said she expected 1,000 visitors to First Night Jr.

The highlight of the event, she said, was going to be the 3:30 p.m. “ball drop” outside the Visitor’s Center with Mayor Elaine A. Pluta. Noisemakers would be given to the children so they can help ring in the new year, she said.

The parent company of the Indian-run Mohegan Sun casinos in Connecticut and Pennsylvania says it has failed to reach an agreement to refinance $811 million in debt, but lenders have waived a possible default.

Republican file photoThe exterior of the Mohegan Sun Casino hotel tower in Uncasville, Conn.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. - The parent company of the Indian-run Mohegan Sun casinos in Connecticut and Pennsylvania says it has failed to reach an agreement to refinance $811 million in debt, but lenders have waived a possible default.

The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority said Thursday a delay in refinancing debt was among conditions that "raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern."

Mitchell Etess, chief executive of the authority, which owns and operates the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville and Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Plains Township, told The Associated Press on Friday the dire warning is only a financial requirement of auditors.

"Auditors have no choice," he said. "They must put in that language."

Etess cited the waiver as a vote of confidence by lenders and cited fourth-quarter income of $46.7 million, compared with a $26.3 million loss in the same quarter last year.

Operations at the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs will not be affected by the authority's debt issue, said Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs President Robert Soper. He noted that the organization has had a very successful quarter.

"We are especially proud of the performance here in Pennsylvania as Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs has seen double-digit growth in revenue for the year despite a lethargic economy," he said. "The plan of refinancing the company's debt, which has substantially progressed, has no impact on our day-to-day operation here in Pennsylvania."

Soper said the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs still intends on breaking ground on a planned hotel next year, although a date has not been set.

Etess said refinancing is taking a long time because of the weak recovery following a deep and prolonged recession that has sharply cut into consumers' entertainment spending. He also cited the "status of Native American gaming financing" generally.

"Those impacts that have happened in the outside world have impacted our bondholders' thoughts as we go through the process," Etess said.

A report issued in March said for the first time, revenue fell in 2009 at American Indian gambling casinos nationwide as the recession forced consumers to curtail spending. The report by economist Alan Meister of Nathan Associates Inc. said casinos generated about $26.4 billion in 2009, down 1 percent from 2008.

The council will reorganize at a meeting following the noon swearing-in ceremony Tuesday at the Municipal Building.

Joseph McCoy

EASTHAMPTON – The City Council meets twice the first week of January, one to settle on the next council president and vice president and another for regular council business including a public hearing on some financial matters.

The council will also consider a resolution pertaining to discrimination and intolerance filed by outgoing president Joseph P. McCoy.

The first meeting is Tuesday at 12:45 following the swearing in ceremonies. Former Planning Board member Chester A. Ogulewicz, Jr., and newcomer Nathaniel P. Ziegler will be joining the council. They, along with recently re-elected members McCoy and Donald Cykowski and Mayor Michael A. Tautznik, will be sworn in at noon at the Municipal Building.

The new councilors are replacing at-large councilors Andrea H. Burns and Ronald D. Chateauneuf who did not seek re-election.

The resolution, while being presented Tuesday, is expected to be discussed in greater detail at the regular meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

A public hearing has also been slated for 6:15 p.m. Wednesday on a request for a transfer of $16,704.88 from free cash to the auditor’s personnel budget to cover the auditor’s salary through the end of fiscal year 2012, which ends June 30.

Valerie J. Bernier began work as the city auditor Sept. 1 taking over for Joanne Slattery who retired.

Also, the mayor is seeking a transfer of $200,000 from free cash to the stabilization fund. As of July 1, the city had $526,273 available in free cash.

The council will also consider four mayoral appointments, one for the Agricultural Commission and three for the Board of Assessors.

McCoy’s resolution follows on a comment Cykowski made during an Easthampton City Council meeting Dec. 7 after a discussion about whether the council should name Chateauneuf to the Planning Board. Chateauneuf left the room, and when he was called back, he had trouble opening the door. Cykowski said, "Where's a Puerto Rican when we need one?"

The resolution states, "Now, therefore, be it hereby resolved, that the City of Easthampton and its representatives shall not condone or tolerate any form of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability or veteran status."

At the same time the council meets Wednesday, the Springfield branch of the NAACP will also meet to discuss Cykowski’s comment. Cykowski apologized at Dec. 21 council acmeeting.

he new law gives the president the authority to waive military custody, if it's in the interest of national security, for foreign terrorism suspects who are linked to al-Qaida or who are involved in plotting or attacks the U.S.

A sign at Hickam Air Force Base welcomes President Barack Obama for his holiday vacation in Honolulu, Friday, Dec. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

By JULIE PACE, Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — President Barack Obama says he's signing a $662 billion defense bill despite "serious reservations" over its restrictions about handling suspected terrorists.

A presidential statement accompanying the bill signing says the administration will interpret and implement some parts of the law in way that gives counterterrorism officials flexibility and upholds the nation's values.

The White House initially threatened to veto the legislation, but pulled back after Congress made last-minute revisions.

The new law gives the president the authority to waive military custody, if it's in the interest of national security, for foreign terrorism suspects who are linked to al-Qaida or who are involved in plotting or attacks the U.S.

The military custody requirement also will not apply to U.S. citizens.

Obama signed the bill in Hawaii, where he is vacationing.

DeStefano recently drew attention by announcing he wants to allow illegal immigrants who live in his city to vote in municipal elections.

John DeStefano Jr. as seen on his Twitter profile.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. is set to be sworn in as his city's mayor for an historic 10th term.

The Democrat is scheduled to take the oath of office Sunday at Hill Regional Career High School.

The New Haven Register reports that state Supreme Court Justice Lubbie Harper Jr., a native of New Haven, will administer the oath. Members of the city's Board of Aldermen and the city clerk will also be sworn in.

DeStefano first took office on Jan. 1, 1994 as the Elm City's 49th mayor. He won re-election in November with 55 percent of the vote, defeating an independent candidate.

DeStefano recently drew attention by announcing he wants to allow illegal immigrants who live in his city to vote in municipal elections.

With the passage of a ballot question in 2009, Springfield joined a handfull of cities statewide extending the traditional two-year mayoral term to four years.

Photo by Mark M. Murray / The RepublicanSpringfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, seen here in City Hall last week, is scheduled to become the first mayor in 159 years to serve a four-year term.

SPRINGFIELD – For the third time in five years, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno will be sworn for a new term Monday.

For the first in Springfield’s 159 years as a city, the mayor’s term will be four-years.

With the passage of a ballot question in 2009, Springfield joined a handful of cities statewide extending the traditional two-year mayoral term to four years.

As a practical matter, the change means Sarno and his successors will be freed from the demands of governing while also running for re-election every second year.

“I am appreciative and humbled by the confidence they (voters) have placed in me,” the mayor said last week.

“I remain dedicated to Springfield’s forward momentum so that our city continues to be a great place to live, work and raise a family,” he added.

The inauguration is scheduled for 10 a.m. at City Hall, in the second-floor City Council chambers.

Speakers will include U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield; state senator James T. Welch, D-West Springfield and state representative Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., D-Springfield.

Rev. Robert S. White, pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish, will offer blessings and words of inspiration. Also scheduled are performances by Vanessa Ford who will sing the National Anthem and God Bless America.

A City Council organizational meeting will follow the inauguration.

Later Monday, the festivities will continue from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. when Bright Nights at Forest Park will be open with free admission. Sarno, his family and members of the Springfield City Council will be at the front gate to greet visitors.

Cookies and hot chocolate will be served.

On Friday, an inaugural party will be held at Springfield College from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Richard Flynn Student Union. It will feature light refreshments and music from the High School of Science and Technology’s jazz band.

Starting Sunday, firms with 50 or more employees will be required to abide by the new law.

By SUSAN HAIGH, Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Many Connecticut companies have been preparing for a new state law that will require them to provide certain workers with paid sick leave.

Starting Sunday, firms with 50 or more employees will be required to abide by the new law.

The state Department of Labor has met with dozens of employers in recent months to educate them on the nuances of the legislation. Heidi Lane, a principal attorney with the agency, says many employers already provide plenty of time, but they have to make sure workers accrue that time according to the new law.

Paid sick leave is one of a host of laws taking effect Jan. 1 in Connecticut. Others include a tax credit for businesses that hire new employees. There's also mandatory insurance coverage for certain medical tests.

Local police in suburban Des Moines, Iowa, say the protesters were arrested for trespassing.

Urbandale police arrest an Occupy protestor during a demonstration outside the headquarters of Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann, of Minnesota, on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in Urbandale, Iowa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

By BRIAN BAKST, Associated Press

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — At least 15 protesters connected to the nationwide Occupy movement have been arrested outside the presidential campaign headquarters of Republican candidates Michele Bachmann and Newt Gingrich.

Local police in suburban Des Moines, Iowa, say the protesters were arrested for trespassing.

A few dozen demonstrators massed outside the office Saturday where Bachmann had come to rally staff and make calls to potential Republican caucus-goers. Campaign security told the protesters not to approach the office. Occupy demonstrators say 10 people, including two juveniles, were arrested after they ignored security and police were called.

Bachmann did not come outside of the building.

The congresswoman from Minnesota is far back in public opinion polls as the first vote in the Republican nominating season begins.

The protesters moved on to Texas Gov. Rick Perry's campaign office, where no arrests were reported. From there they went to former House speaker Newt Gingrich's office, where five more trespassing arrests were made.

Hundreds of Occupy activists from at least 10 states were expected to participate in a "People's Caucus" in Des Moines as the Jan. 3 caucuses near. The activists are promising to interrupt candidates at events and camp out at their Iowa campaign offices.

Inauguration day will feature a close race for City Council president between Joseph McGiverin and Kevin Jourdain.

Photos by John Suchocki / The RepublicanThree views of Holyoke mayor-elect Alex B. Morse are seen at a recent editorial board meeting of The Republican.

HOLYOKE – Alex B. Morse will be sworn into office as the youngest mayor in city history Jan. 3 at 10 a.m. at Holyoke High School.

The ceremony at the 500 Beech St. school auditorium will include City Clerk Susan M. Egan giving the oath of office to the City Council and School Committee.

At about 11 a.m., the 15-member City Council, which has six new councilors, will meet at City Hall to elect a president.

The tightest competition for the presidency in years is shaping up between Councilor at Large Joseph M. McGiverin, who has been president for 26 years, and Councilor at Large Kevin A. Jourdain, a councilor since 1993.

Morse, 22, defeated first-term incumbent Mayor Elaine A. Pluta on Nov. 8. It was the first try at elected office for Morse, who graduated from Brown University in May.

His inaugural speech will reflect the themes of his campaign, he said.

“I’ll be outlining my vision for the city over the next two years and beyond. It’ll be a message of unity, a message of perseverance,” Morse said.

The mayor’s salary is $85,000 a year.

The new city councilors are Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Ward 1, Anthony Soto, Ward 2, David K. Bartley, Ward 3, Jason P. Ferreira, Ward 4 and Gordon P. Alexander, Ward 7.

Seven of the eight incumbent at-large councilors are returning: Peter R. Tallman, Aaron M. Vega, Brenna E. Murphy, James M. Leahy, Rebecca Lisi, McGiverin and Jourdain. The new at large member is Daniel B. Bresnahan, formerly city health director.

Also returning are councilors Linda L. Vacon, Ward 5, and Todd A. McGee, Ward 6.

City councilors are paid $10,000 a year each.

The School Committee consists of 10 members, including the mayor as chairman. Joshua A. Garcia is the new Ward 1 School Committee member, filling the seat held by Lebron-Martinez.

Yvonne S. Garcia kept the Ward 2 school board seat with a write-in campaign.

Other returning School Committee members are Dennis W. Birks Jr., Ward 3, Cesar A. Lopez, Ward 4, Devin M. Sheehan, Ward 5, William R. Collamore, Ward 6 and Margaret M. Boulais, Ward 7, and at large member Howard B. Greaney Jr.

The School Committee has two at large members with staggered, four-year terms. At large member Michael J. Moriarty wasn’t up for reelection in November and has two years left in his term.

School Committee members get $5,000 a year.

In other transition and inauguration events, an interfaith service will be held at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 3 at United Congregational Church, 395 High St., Morse said.

Morse’s inaugural ball will be Jan. 14 from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, 500 Easthampton Road. Tickets are $75 each or $500 for a table of eight.

An event Morse is calling “The Mayor’s Inaugural Bash” will be Jan. 15 from 7 p.m. to midnight at Open Square, 1 Open Square Way. Tickets are $20, plus a $2.09 fee if ordering online.

Information is available at www.morseformayor.com/events.html.