Students provided 1,000 pounds of food to UMass dining services this year.

Photo by Diane Lederman / The RepublicanNathan Aldrich, a permaculture designer and a sustainability specialist with UMass Auxiliary Services, losens rocks at the garden.

AMHERST - A year ago, dozens of University of Massachusetts student volunteers transformed a green lawn outside the Franklin Dining Commons into a garden that this spring produced 1,000 pounds of vegetables for dining services.

Now, as students are putting the garden to bed for the winter, their work has been recognized. A group called the Real Food Challenge recognized those creating the garden as the National Student Group of the 
Year.

The Real Food Challenge, according to its Web site “leverages the power of youth and universities to create a healthy, fair and green food system.

“Our primary campaign is to shift $1 billion of existing university food budgets away from industrial farms and junk food and towards local/community-based, fair, ecologically sound and humane food sources—what we call “real food”—by 2020. Awards also went to individuals carrying out the mission.

The permaculture garden group was also chosen as the recipient of the Class of 2012 gift, said Nathan Aldrich, a permaculture designer and a sustainability specialist with UMass Auxiliary Services. 


The two awards will bring the garden about $25,000, money that will be used to buy trees, some of which were lost in the Halloween weekend snowstorm, compost and other supplies.

“I think it was awesome,” said Lilly Israel who was out painting signposts with Jaime Trudel on the last workday before the semester ended.

“Now we have money,” said Israel who has been involved with the garden since last year. They’ll be able to buy “everything we need to make the garden (flourish.)”

Trudel, a first year student, was also pleased. “I think they really deserve it (the award) because they worked so hard.”

“I’m really excited the work of so many students is recognized,” Aldrich said. “The campus has shown us a lot of support, it’s nice see that support coming from elsewhere.”

Dining services supports the garden financially but he said finding from other sources “is going to be crucial going forward.”

Students have launched a smaller permaculture garden near Berkshire Dining Commons in Southwest. That garden will be dedicated to the Class of 2012, Aldrich said.

Although some people have been craving the white stuff, a wintry mix could make driving a dicey affair. State police, who handled dozens of weather-related accidents, are urging motorists to slow down.

SPRINGFIELD – It's here. Finally!

We're talking about snow – roughly two inches in some parts of the Pioneer Valley – which hasn't been around much at all this winter, except for some isolated accumulations and a freak late-autumn nor'easter that pummeled the region with heavy, wet snow. But the Oct. 29 snowstorm happened well over two months ago, and since then most of western Massachusetts hasn't seen a single flake.

For much of this winter, which officially began on Dec. 22, local streets and sidewalks have been clear and dry as warmer-than-normal temperatures prevailed through December into January. Beginning this week, however, a cold front moved into the region, bringing bone-numbing temperatures, high winds and, as of Monday night into early Tuesday, snow.

There won't likely be any more snowfall accumulation on Tuesday, but motorists can expect slippery roads and a wintry mix with temperatures hovering around freezing for their morning commute, according to abc40/Fox6 meteorologist Dan Brown.

"Take it slow. Allow for some extra time," he said, urging drivers to use caution and common sense when they head out on area roadways this morning.

State police were busy in central and eastern portions of the state, where a fatal accident and dozens of accidents tied up resources Monday night into Tuesday morning. But only a handful of accidents had been reported in the western part of the state as of 5 a.m., including a 3:30 a.m. crash on Interstate 91 in Greenfield involving a snow plow and delivery truck. No one was injured, police said.

Staff photo by Conor BerryMattoon Street didn't get any snow for Christmas, but the historic block looked postcard-quaint as snow blanketed Springfield and other areas of the Pioneer Valley late Monday into early Tuesday. Some areas got up to two inches of wet snow, according to Dan Brown, meteorologist with abc40/Fox6.

Brown said driving conditions should improve as temperatures rise to around 40 degrees this afternoon and the snow melts. By the time the evening commute rolls around, motorists will be facing wet roads with no ice or snow, he said. Wednesday's forecast calls for drier, sunnier weather and a high of about 35 degrees, according to Brown.

State police officials in Framingham said the "the rapidly developing snow that spread across much of Massachusetts" caused numerous accidents, particularly in the Boston and MetroWest areas.

Many primary and secondary roadways have been cleared and treated, but some "paved surfaces that appear to be wet may, in fact, contain black ice," said a state police release issued at 4:21 a.m. today. "Drivers should reduce their speeds in less than ideal conditions, allow for extra total travel time, leave extra distance for stopping and always remember to buckle up."

A trooper stationed at the Westfield barracks along the Massachusetts Turnpike said the speed limit for Route 90 has been lowered to 40 mph due to the wintry weather, but no accidents had been reported as of 5 a.m.

In Greenfield, however, the driver of a FedEx delivery truck unsuccessfully attempted to pass a pair of state snowplow trucks in the northbound lane of I-91 around 3:30 a.m. today. The delivery truck ended up rear-ending one of the plows just south of Exit 27, according to a trooper at the Shelburne barracks, which covers Greenfield. "No one was hurt," he said, urging drivers to slow down and be patient.

Staff photo by Conor BerryThe former Hotel Kimball, a centerpiece in the Apremont Triangle section of Metro Center, is pictured here around 2 a.m. Tuesday. Snowfall was expected to give way to a wintry mix by Tuesday's morning commute, according to weather officials.

In Worcester County, a 65-year-old female driver from Framingham was killed in a Route 2 crash in Gardner late Monday night. The woman, who wasn't immediately publicly identified, crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, said state police, who responded to numerous weather-related motor vehicle mishaps.

In Quincy, a person was seriously injured in a nine-car crash on Interstate 93 at about 11:30 p.m. Monday. A 25-year-old Stoneham man was struck and injured by a 42-year-old driver from Sudbury in crash reported around 4 a.m. today. A preliminary state police investigation indicates the Stoneham man was outside his disabled vehicle when he was hit by the passing motorist.

Due to deteriorating road conditions and a high volume of crashes, troopers in the Boston and Metrowest areas were held over from their Monday night shift to assist troopers working the Tuesday morning shift, according to David Procopio, a state police spokesman.

Some schools have issued delays in response to Tuesday's winter storm.

A winter storm left most of Western Massachusetts with an inch or two of snow, and a slippery morning commute Tuesday.

As a result, some schools have issued delays.

Click here for the full list of closings and delays from WGGB.com.

A lifelong city residents, owner Salvatore Circosta runs the emerging business with his two friends Nunzio Bruno, who is the business manager, and Santino Bruno, who is the operations manager.

Michael S. GordonSalvatore S. Cricosta, owner of Sal's Bakery and Cafe at 513 Belmont Ave., is seen with with a tray of chocolate ganache.

SPRINGFIELD - In an industry that has increasingly become dominated by corporate chains, Sal's Bakery & Cafe is attempting to bring back the family atmosphere.

Sal's opened in early November at 513 Belmont Ave., right next to Typical Sicilian Ristorante. Though the cafe is still in its infancy, owner Salvatore Circosta says it is already beginning to develop a loyal customer base.

"Surprisingly we already have about 15 to 20 regular customers; a lot of the time customers who have just left Typical Sicilian will stop by for a coffee, or some dessert," Circosta said.

A lifelong city residents, he runs the emerging business with his two friends Nunzio Bruno, who is the business manager, and Santino Bruno, who is the operations manager.

Circosta is also assisted by his mother, Luanne Circosta, in the kitchen by sharing their delicious family recipes with their customers.

"We have a lot of family recipes. Our canolis are our own recipe, and the macaroni pie that we make is a recipe from Santino's mother," Salvatore Circosta said.

Michael S. GordonSal's Bakery and Cafe is seen at 513 Belmont Ave., Springfield.

In a time of fiscal austerity, Sal's Bakery and Cafe hopes to be able to attract customers with reasonable prices. Customers will have a full Italian coffee bar open to them along with a variety of southern Italian pastries and cookies, stuffed breads, and panini sandwiches.

Like its much bigger competition Starbucks, Sal's has free wifi. The cafe is suited for college students, or for anybody who enjoys to sit down and have a coffee while online.

The authentic Italian pastries and family atmosphere is what really makes Sal's Bakery stand out from the typical coffee shop, according to Circosta.

"I always tell everyone to try and get to know a new customer's name everyday. I think that people really appreciate that and feel welcome when they come into a restaurant or a cafe and they hear their name called out. It helps build loyal customers and also helps us meet new people," Circosta said.

Though Sals previously started out as just serving coffee and pastries in the morning, the cafe is now going to be serving breakfast sandwiches for its customers.

"Italians, we're not big breakfast people," he said. "We usually just have a cup of coffee and a pastry or something. But the customer's always right as they say, so we are now going to begin to have breakfast sandwiches on our menu."

Sal's will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., It plans to offer outdoor seating on a seasonal basis and will also do catering.

Clear Channel has not announced what will replace the Dan and Kim morning show.

Dan Williams and Kim Zachary seen here in a 1997 Republican file photo.

Dan Williams and his wife, Kim Zachary, are out as hosts of the morning show on WHYN-FM, 93.1.

The couple will end their run with the Springfield station on Friday. Mix 93.1 chose not to renew their contract, the co-hosts said on Tuesday morning's broadcast.

"We knew this was coming," Williams told listeners, asking them to remain loyal to the Clear Channel station.

Zachary said she had moved from denial to acceptance over the station's decision.

Williams is the station's longest running on-air personality. He has been with WHYN since the mid 1970s.

The Dan and Kim morning show originally began on WHYN-AM in 1995 before switching over to the FM band in 1997.

Clear Channel has not announced what will replace the Dan and Kim morning show.

In many markets, Clear Channel runs syndicated morning programs with personalities like Ryan Seacrest.

The couple said they were still considering their future career options with Williams quipping he was looking forward to sleeping later.

An employee spotted the spill shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Greg SaulmonA section of Albany Street was closed early Tuesday morning after a gasoline spill.

SPRINGFIELD – A gasoline spill at the ExxonMobil terminal on Albany Street has prompted emergency personnel to close off the roadway and the railway that runs by the property.

Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said an employee spotted the leak, which appears to be coming from a valve on a one-inch section of pipe, while he was plowing the facility’s parking lot shortly after 6 a.m. The plant is located at 145 Albany St.

Most of the spilled gasoline appears to have been contained by a concrete spill barrier. “I don’t think any spilled into the sewer,” Leger said.

An overnight storm dumped an inch or two of snow in Western Massachusetts

SPRINGFIELD - State police from Springfield to Shelburne Falls reported major roadways were in good condition Tuesday as the morning commute got underway.

An overnight storm dumped an inch or two of snow in Western Massachusetts and prompted some school districts to delay the start of school.

Sgt. Richard Cadran of the Shelburne Falls barracks, speaking about 8:15 a.m., said no injuries were reported when a Fed-Ex tractor trailer unit rear-ended a contractor’s sander truck about 3:30 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 91 just south of Exit 27 in Deerfield.

The sander truck had to be towed from the scene and the driver of the tractor trailer unit was cited for following too closely, Cadran said.

No other accidents were reported, Cadran said.

“The roads are wet, they have been treated - salted and sanded,” Cadran said.

State police attached to the Westfield barracks on the Massachusetts Turnpike reported no major problems. Although speed was reduced to 40 mph earlier in the morning, that restriction has since been lifted.

Abc40 / Fox 6 meteorologist Dan Brown said the accumulating snow has come to an end and that temperatures will climb into the 40s.

Rain showers are expected Tuesday afternoon, Brown said.

A Dutch shipwreck salvage firm said it would take its engineers and divers two to four weeks to extract the 500,000 gallons of fuel aboard the Costa Concordia, which ran aground Friday.

The Associated PressThe cruise ship Costa Concordia lays on its side after running aground off the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012. Italian naval divers on Tuesday exploded holes in the hull of a cruise ship that grounded near a Tuscan island to speed the search for 29 missing passengers and crew while the seas remain relatively calm. The search intensified as prosecutors prepared to question the captain, who is accused of causing the wreck that left at least six dead by making a maneuver that the Italian cruise operator said was "unapproved and unauthorized."

ROME — Italian naval divers on Tuesday exploded holes in the hull of a cruise ship grounded off a Tuscan island to speed the search for 29 missing people while seas were still calm. One official said there was still a "glimmer of hope" that survivors could be found.

A Dutch shipwreck salvage firm, meanwhile, said it would take its engineers and divers two to four weeks to extract the 500,000 gallons of fuel aboard the Costa Concordia, which ran aground Friday. The safe removal of the fuel has become a priority second only to the location of the missing, as the wreckage site lies in a maritime sanctuary for dolphins, porpoises and whales.

As the search intensified, prosecutors were questioning the captain, who is accused of causing the wreck that left at least six dead and abandoning the Concordia before all 4,200 people onboard were safely evacuated after the vessel capsized.

Navy spokesman Alessandro Busonero told Sky TV 24 the holes will help divers enter the wreck more easily. "We are rushing against time," he said.

The divers set four microcharges above and below the surface of the water, Busonero said. Television footage showed one hole above the waterline to be less than two meters (6 feet) in diameter.

"The hope is that the ship is empty and that the people are somewhere else, or if they are inside that they found a safe place to await rescue," Coast Guard spokesman Filippo Marini told Sky TV 24

Waters were relatively calm Tuesday with waves of just 30 centimeters, but they were expected to reach 1.8 meters Wednesday, according to meteorological forecasts.

Smit, the Dutch fuel extraction firm, said there had been no leaks from any of the liner's fuel tanks and that that the tanks appeared intact. While there is a risk that the ship could shift, to date it has been relatively stable perched on top of rocks near Giglio's port.

Smit's operations manager, Kees van Essen, said the company was confident that the fuel could safely be extracted through a system of pumps and valves that vacuum the oil out to waiting tanks. "But there are always environmental risks in these types of operations," he told reporters.

Preliminary phases of the fuel extraction could begin as early as Wednesday if approved by Italian officials, said the Rotterdam, Netherlands-based firm.

The company, which is experienced in both fuel extraction and sunken ship removal, said any discussion about the future fate of the ship — whether it is removed in one piece or broken up — would be decided by Italian ship operator Costa Crociere and its insurance companies.

The Italian Coast Guard on Monday raised the number of missing to 25 passengers and four crew. Italian officials gave the breakdown as: 14 Germans, six Italians, four French, two Americans, one Hungarian, one Indian and one Peruvian.

Family members have identified the Americans as Jerry Heil, 69, and his wife Barbara, 70, from White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

Italian Coast Guard official Marco Brusco said Tuesday there was still "a glimmer of hope" survivors could still be found on parts of the vast cruise liner not yet searched. The last survivor, a crewman who had broken his leg, was rescued Sunday.

The ship is carrying some 500,000 gallons (1.9 million liters) of fuel on board. To date there's been no word of any leaks, but choppy waters that slightly shifted the wreckage on Monday escalated fears of one and suspended rescue operations for several hours.

The cruise operator has said Capt. Francesco Schettino strayed from the ship's authorized course into waters too close to the perilous reef. The navigational version of a "fly by" was apparently a favor to the chief waiter who is from Giglio and whose parents live on the island, local media reported.

A judge is to decide Tuesday if Schettino should stay jailed.

Miami-based Carnival Corp., which owns the Italian operator, estimated that preliminary losses from having the Concordia out of operation at least through 2012 would be between $85 million and $95 million, along with other costs. The company's share price slumped more than 16 percent Monday.

Costa Crociere chairman and CEO Pier Luigi Foschi said the company would provide Schettino with legal assistance, but he disassociated Costa from his behavior, saying it broke rules. "Capt. Schettino took an initiative of his own will which is contrary to our written rules of conduct," Foschi said.

Foschi didn't respond directly to prosecutors' and passengers' accusations that Schettino abandoned ship before all passengers had been evacuated, but he suggested his conduct wasn't as bad in the hours of the evacuation as has been portrayed. He didn't elaborate.

The Coast Guard said Schettino defied their entreaties to return to his ship as the chaotic evacuation of some 4,200 people was in progress. After the ship's tilt put many life rafts out of service, helicopters plucked to safety dozens of people still aboard, hours after Schettino was seen leaving the vessel.

The captain has insisted in an interview before his jailing that he stayed with the vessel to the end.

He noted that 4,200 people managed to evacuate a listing ship at night within two hours. In addition, the ship's evacuation procedures had been reviewed last November by an outside firm and port authorities and no faults were found, he said.

Romney seemed hesitant when confronted with the tax issue during a South Carolina debate.

Associated PressRepublican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Mitt Romney's four remaining challengers are keeping the spotlight on the Republican front-runner's wealth and business dealings by pressing him to release his income tax returns. Romney says he might make them public in April. By then, he hopes to have the presidential nomination in the bag.

His rivals did their best to knock the former Massachusetts governor off stride in a contentious debate Monday night, going after him on several fronts. Romney didn't bend under heavy pressure on the issue of his job-creation record at his former private equity firm Bain Capital, nor did he apologize for his evolving views on abortion. Blamed for negative commercials flooding South Carolina's airwaves, he stressed the independence of the super PACs that have been running ads in his behalf against former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and other rivals, including former Sen. Rick Santorum.

Romney said that while he might be willing to release his tax returns, he wouldn't do so until tax filing time. The multimillionaire former businessman didn't get much gratitude from his rivals, who want him to release the information in time to influence South Carolina voters going to the polls on Saturday.

Gingrich was quick to suggest Romney wouldn't delay for months if he had nothing to hide and that his hesitation wouldn't sit well with voters. "Last night weakened him," Gingrich told "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday.

Romney seemed hesitant when confronted with the tax issue on stage. He at first sidestepped calls from his rivals to release his returns, then said later that he'd follow the lead of previous presidential candidates.

"I have nothing in them that suggests there's any problem and I'm happy to do so," he said. "I sort of feel like we're showing a lot of exposure at this point," he added.

Monday's night's debate was as fiery as any of the more than dozen that preceded it. Romney, the clear front-runner for the GOP nomination after back-to-back wins in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, was under fire not only from Gingrich and Santorum, but also from Rick Perry and Ron Paul.

The five will meet again in debate in Charleston Thursday night, the last time they will share a stage before the primary two days later.

The first Southern primary could prove decisive in the volatile contest. Gingrich has virtually conceded that a victory for Romney in South Carolina would assure his nomination as Democratic President Barack Obama's Republican rival in the fall, and none of the other remaining contenders has challenged that conclusion.

That only elevated the stakes for Monday night's debate, where the attacks on Romney often were couched in anti-Obama rhetoric.

"We need to satisfy the country that whoever we nominate has a record that can stand up to Barack Obama in a very effective way," said Gingrich.

The five men on stage also sought to outdo one another in calling for lower taxes. Texas Rep. Ron Paul won that competition handily, saying he thought the top personal tax rate should be zero.

In South Carolina, a state with a heavy military presence, the tone turned muscular at times.

Gingrich drew strong applause when he said: "Andrew Jackson had a pretty clear idea about America's enemies. Kill them."

Perry also won favor from the crowd when he said the Obama administration had overreacted in its criticism of the Marines who were videotaped urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

Gingrich and Perry led the assault against Romney's record at Bain Capital, a private equity firm that bought companies and sought to remake them into more competitive enterprises, with uneven results.

"There was a pattern in some companies ... of leaving them with enormous debt and then within a year or two or three having them go broke," Gingrich said. "I think that's something he ought to answer."

Perry referred to a steel mill in Georgetown, S.C. where, he said, "Bain swept in, they picked that company over and a lot of people lost jobs there."

Romney said the steel industry was battered by unfair competition from China. As for other firms, he said, "Four of the companies that we invested in ... ended up today having some 120,000 jobs." And he acknowledged, "Some of the businesses we invested in were not successful and lost jobs."

It was Perry who challenged Romney to release his income tax returns. The Texas governor said he has already done so, and Gingrich has said he will do likewise later in the week.

"Mitt, we need for you to release your income tax so the people of this country can see how you made your money. ... We cannot fire our nominee in September. We need to know now," Perry said.

Later, a debate moderator pressed Romney on releasing his tax returns. His response meandered.

"If that's been the tradition I'm not opposed to doing that," Romney said. "Time will tell. But I anticipate that most likely I'm going to get asked to do that in the April time period and I'll keep that open."

Prodded again, he said, "If I become our nominee ... what's happened in history is people have released them in about April of the coming year, and that's probably what I'd do."

April is long after the South Carolina primary and the Republican nomination could easily be all but decided by then, following Super Tuesday contests around the country in March.

Santorum stayed away from the clash over taxes, instead launching a dispute of his own. He said a campaign group supporting Romney has been attacking him for supporting voter rights for convicted felons, and asked Romney what his position was on the issue.

Romney initially ducked a direct answer, preferring to ask Santorum if the ad was accurate.

He then said he doesn't believe convicted violent felons should have the right to vote, even after serving their terms. Santorum instantly said that as governor of Massachusetts, Romney hadn't made any attempt to change a law that permitted convicted felons to vote while still on parole, a law the former Pennsylvania senator said was more liberal than the one he has been assailed for supporting.

Romney replied that as a Republican governor, he was confronted with a legislature that was heavily Democratic and held a different position.

He also reminded Santorum that candidates have no control over the campaign groups that have played a pivotal role in the race to date.

"It is inaccurate," Santorum said of the ad assailing him. "I would go out and say: 'Stop it. That you're representing me and you're representing my campaign. Stop it.'"

That issue returned more than an hour later, when Gingrich said he too has faced false attacks from the same group that is criticizing Santorum. He noted that Romney says he lacks sway over the group, "which makes you wonder how much influence he would have if he were president."

Romney said he hoped no group would run inaccurate ads, and he said the organization backing Gingrich was airing a commercial that is so false that "it's probably the biggest hoax since Bigfoot."

He called for scuttling the current system of campaign finance laws to permit individuals to donate as much money as they want to the candidates of their choice.

Noting that the debate was occurring on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, one moderator asked Gingrich if his previous statements about poor children lacking a work ethic were "insulting to all Americans, but particularly to black Americans."

"No," Gingrich said emphatically, adding his aim was to break dependence on government programs. "I'm going to continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn to get a better job and learn someday to own the job," he said.

Romney is the leader in the public opinion polls in South Carolina, although his rivals hope the state's 9.9 percent unemployment rate and the presence of large numbers of socially conservative evangelical voters will allow one of them to slip by him.

Springfield's office vacancies fell to below 13 percent, slightly lower than 2010.

MassLive.com staff photoAs of the summer of 2011, 1350 Main Street in Springfield had 50,000 square feet of available in office spaces of all sizes and configurations.

HARTFORD, Conn. — A report says office vacancies continue to sap the commercial real estate market in Hartford, though landlords are filling vacancies in Providence, Springfield and other New England cities.

The Hartford Courant reports that real estate services firm CBRE-New England says office vacancy rates in downtown Hartford remained at more than 30 percent in 2011 for the second year in a row. Nearly one-third — or 2.4 million square feet —was empty.

In contrast, CBRE says the office vacancy rate in Providence dropped to 16 percent, from about 19 percent a year earlier. Springfield's office vacancies fell to below 13 percent, slightly lower than 2010.

Observers say Hartford-based corporations such as Aetna, Cigna and Travelers, which own the buildings they occupy, will take time returning to their own available space before leasing offices.

Critics say the legislation could hurt the technology industry and infringe on free-speech rights.

WikipediaA screen capture of the Wikipedia main page on Tuesday, January 17, 2012.

Wikipedia will black out the English language version of its website Wednesday to protest anti-piracy legislation under consideration in Congress, the foundation behind the popular community-based online encyclopedia said in a statement Monday night.

The website will go dark for 24 hours in an unprecedented move that brings added muscle to a growing base of critics of the legislation. Wikipedia is considered one of the Internet's most popular websites, with millions of visitors daily.

"If passed, this legislation will harm the free and open Internet and bring about new tools for censorship of international websites inside the United States," the Wikimedia foundation said.

The Stop Online Piracy Act in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Protect Intellectual Property Act under consideration in the Senate are designed to crack down on sales of pirated U.S. products overseas.

Supporters include the film and music industry, which often sees its products sold illegally. They say the legislation is needed to protect intellectual property and jobs.

Critics say the legislation could hurt the technology industry and infringe on free-speech rights. Among their concerns are provisions that would weaken cyber-security for companies and hinder domain access rights.

The most controversial provision is in the House bill, which would have enabled federal authorities to "blacklist" sites that are alleged to distribute pirated content. That would essentially cut off portions of the Internet to all U.S. users. But congressional leaders appear to be backing off this provision.

Tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter, eBay, AOL and others have spoken out against the legislation and said it threatens the industry's livelihood. Several online communities such as Reddit, Boing Boing and others have announced plans to go dark in protest as well.

The Obama administration also raised concerns about the legislation over the weekend and said it will work with Congress on legislation to help battle piracy and counterfeiting while defending free expression, privacy, security and innovation in the Internet.

Wikipedia's decision to go dark brings the issue into a much brighter spotlight. A group of Wikipedia users have discussed for more than a month whether it should react to the legislation.

Over the past few days, a group of more than 1,800 volunteers who work on the site and other users considered several forms of online protest, including banner ads and a global blackout of the site, the foundation said. Ultimately, the group supported the decision to black out the English version of the site.

Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia who first announced the move on his Twitter account Monday, said the bills are a threat to the free, open, and secure web.

"The whole thing is just a poorly designed mess," Wales said in an email to The Associated Press.

Wikipedia is also requesting that readers contact members of Congress about the bill during the blackout.

"I am personally asking everyone who cares about freedom and openness on the Internet to contact their Senators and Representative," Wales said. "One of the things we have learned recently during the Arab spring events is that the Internet is a powerfully effective tool for the public to organize and have their voices heard."

Wikipedia will shut down access from midnight Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday night until midnight Wednesday.

This is the first time Wikipedia's English version has gone dark. Its Italian site came down once briefly in protest to an Internet censorship bill put forward by the Berlusconi government; the bill did not advance.

"Wikipedia is about being open," said Jay Walsh, spokesman for the Wikimedia foundation. "We are not about shutting down and protesting. It's not a muscle that is normally flexed."

Announcing his congressional run today, Attleboro businessman Paul Heroux is the latest to place his bid for outgoing Democratic representative Barney Frank's seat.

AP Boston sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy says he's holding out for a possible Patriots-Giants Superbowl rematch following each team's divisional round playoff victories over the weekend. In this 2010 file photo New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady throws the football en route to a early-season double-digit win over Cincinatti. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

• Attleboro man announces congressional run [Berkshire Eagle]
• Mass. resident writes history of how railroad changed Vermont [Brattleboro Reformer]
• Young U.S. citizens in Mexico trek across border to attend American schools [New York Times]
• Dan Shaughnessy wishing for a Patriots-Giants Superbowl rematch [Boston.com]
• Northampton special committee proposes mayoral term increase to four years [Daily Hampshire Gazette]
• Extreme Home Makeover contractor charged in Connecticut fire [Hartford Courant]
• Gingrich attacks continue in South Carolina [National Review Online]
• 8 Takeaways from Monday night's Myrtle Beach debate[Politico.com]
• Scientist digests electoral data ahead of President Obama's 2012 run [Slate.com]


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David Ettlinger, of Brighton, a 2nd-grade teach at a Newton elementary school, is being held without bail after he was arrested at his home.

NEWTON – A second-grade teacher at a Newton elementary school is set to appear in court in Boston to face a second set of child pornography charges after pleading not guilty to the first set of charges in Brighton.

David Ettlinger, of Brighton, is being held without bail after he was arrested at his home Tuesday morning and arraigned in the afternoon in Brighton district Court on two counts of possessing child pornography.

A judge ordered the 34-year-old Underwood Elementary School teacher held without bail on a related warrant out of the West Roxbury District Court.

Massachusetts state police officers executing a search warrant issued during a federal investigation arrested Ettlinger. They recovered numerous images showing children under 18 in sexualized contexts, including a 12-year-old family friend.

Ettlinger's attorney did not immediately return a call for comment.

Paul says he would trim $1 trillion from the federal budget in his first year as president and has called for steep cuts to military and overseas spending.

Photo by David Goldman / Associated PressRepublican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks during the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate Monday in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

By BETH FOUHY

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Republican Ron Paul is stepping off the presidential campaign trail to vote against raising the federal debt ceiling.

The Texas congressman plans to fly to Washington early Wednesday. He planned to return to South Carolina on Thursday morning, two days before the state’s first-in-the-South primary.

Paul has made concern over the federal debt and government spending the central tenet of his candidacy. He says he would trim $1 trillion from the federal budget in his first year as president and has called for steep cuts to military and overseas spending.

His message has found traction in the presidential contest. He placed second in the New Hampshire primary last week.

Paul’s campaign says his vote against the debt ceiling increase would signal what it called “displeasure at the spendthrift habits of the administration.”

The infection is caused by a fungus that prompts bats to wake from their winter hibernation and die when they fly into the frigid, insect-less winter landscape.

File photo by Ryan von Linden / New York Department of Environmental ConservationA brown bat with white nose fungus is seen in New York in 2008. Scientists trying to stem the spread of the bat-killing disease known as white nose syndrome say it has now been definitely proven that the fungus that causes the disease came from Europe and is the latest of a long line of invasive species disrupting the environment in North America.

BOSTON – The federal government says biologists estimate between 5.7 million and 6.7 million bats have died in a mysterious epidemic that is spreading across North America, including Massachusetts.

Authorities previously estimated that white-nose syndrome has killed about a million bats.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe says the startling mortality information released Tuesday illustrates the severity of the threat that white-nose syndrome poses for bats, who provide tremendous value to the U.S. economy as natural pest control for American farms, forests and people.

The infection is caused by a fungus that prompts bats to wake from their winter hibernation and die when they fly into the frigid, insect-less winter landscape.

It was first detected in New York’s Adirondack Mountains in 2006 and has since spread quickly into 16 states and four Canadian provinces.

Some officials in Chicopee, Palmer and Springfield, also being considered for casinos, say Morse's opposition could help the odds for their community.

Photo by Mark M. Murray / The RepublicanHolyoke Mayor Alex Morse has made clear his opposition to a casino locating in the Paper City.

HOLYOKE – The unequivocal opposition of Mayor Alex B. Morse to a casino gambling resort locating in Holyoke has prompted ire among one Paper City city councilor concerned about sacrificing millions in potential gaming revenue.

Morse’s casino opposition also prompted lukewarm optimism Tuesday among officials in nearby – and competing – cities who say Holyoke’s closed door could open the way for them to reap gaming’s jobs and revenue.

The state recently legalized casino gambling. A gaming commission is being formed that will award three licenses statewide, including one in Western Massachusetts.

Jockeying is underway for a casino here and in Palmer, Springfield and Chicopee, among other places.

Holyoke Councilor at Large Daniel B. Bresnahan said Monday he spoke by phone with representatives of a group that wants to build a casino at Wyckoff Country Club after they met with Morse on Jan. 9.

Morse said he listened to the presentation from representatives of Hard Rock International and Paper City Development and told them he remained opposed to a casino in Holyoke.

“I just think the mayor could have handled the meeting a little better, a little more professionally,” Bresnahan said. “He could have negotiated a few things, you know? What’s in it for the taxpayer?”

Daniel Bresnahan

The city could negotiate with a developer to build a new fire station or provide a site for a School Department headquarters, he said.

Another advantage would be for the city to require that the developer renovate one of the many vacant buildings downtown into a casino office, he said, on top of the millions of dollars in revenue a casino could deliver.

Proponents of a Holyoke casino say it would bring jobs at salaries from minimum wage with tips to six-figure paychecks and a $500 million investment.

Morse said the responses to the story in The Republican and MassLive.com about the position he took with casino representatives has been positive.

“Dan Bresnahan is entitled to his opinion. I’ve gotten good feedback on the meeting I had. I won the election and I ran as an anti-casino candidate,” Morse said.

Morse defeated former Mayor Elaine A. Pluta, a casino supporter, in his first run for elected office Nov. 8.

His economic development pitch in the campaign was that the city’s future should be based not on an enterprise like gaming that depends on people losing money, but on high-technology.

The city should ride the wave of the under-construction high performance computing center, Morse said, a $165 million academic research center with partners that include Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Massachusetts.

Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, of Uncasville, Conn., has had a presence in Palmer for more than a year. It wants to build a $500 million to $600 million casino resort off Exit 8 of the Massachusetts Turnpike.

Paul Burns

Of Morse’s position, Palmer Town Council President Paul E. Burns said, “He ran on that platform and good for him to stand by what he believed in.”

But, yes, Burns said, Morse’s anti-casino position could help Palmer.

“At the end of the day, I think it helps solidify the others that are looking for a casino,” Burns said.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said that of course he will target a casino for his city, but he said it wasn’t his place to say whether Morse’s position was good or bad.

“If it’s a viable option for the city of Springfield? Damn right I’m going to pursue it. It’s a half a billion in revenue and jobs,” Sarno said.

Officials with Ameristar Casinos Inc., of Nevada, say the company will buy the old Westinghouse plant property on Page Boulevard in Springfield to build a hotel and casino. Ameristar officials say their $500 million project will bring 2,800 permanent jobs and another 2,000 construction jobs to the area.

Michael Bissonnette

Chicopee Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said too much is unknown at this point to declare that Morse’s anti-casino position would help a neighboring city.

“I think the real question is what does the casino developer think?” Bissonnette said.

A casino developer could still zero in on Holyoke and try to get voter approval of the binding referendum that the casino legalization law will require in a host community, he said.

Holyoke voters actually did that twice, saying yes to a casino by ratifying questions in 1995 and again in 2002. Ward 7, where Wyckoff is located, was the only ward to vote against the 1995 question, but voters there were in favor of the 2002 question.

Morse and Pluta said a key reason Morse won the election was he carried Ward 7, where casino opponents were vocal.

Still, Bissonnette said, having Holyoke say no could possibly help Chicopee if that city says yes to a casino.

“I’ve long been an advocate” of a casino’s jobs and revenue, Bissonnette said.

Bissonnette met a few weeks ago with other Western Massachusetts mayors to begin planning on a regional basis for a casino. He expects Chicopee voters to cast ballots on a casino sometime in the next couple of years, but he said he didn’t believe there is currently a concrete casino plan for Chicopee.

Patience on the casino issue will be key for a while. Most of the new state gaming commission and its staff have yet to be appointed, he said.

“We’re still in the early innings here,” Bissonnette said.

Alex Morse

Glaze admitted that in December 2009, when he renewed his drinking water operator license he falsely stated that he had completed all continuing education requirements for license renewal.

BOSTON - The state Board of Certification of Operators of Drinking Water Facilities announced Tuesday that it has disciplined John Glaze, of Westfield, for filing false statements on a license renewal.

The board has accepted the voluntary surrender of Glaze’s drinking water operator license, effective Oct. 31, 2011.

The state certifies drinking water operators for both distribution and treatment systems.

Glaze admitted that in December 2009 when he renewed his drinking water operator license he falsely stated that he had completed all continuing education requirements for license renewal.

Furthermore, Glaze admitted that while practicing as the primary operator at the Warfield House Inn in Charlemont, he failed to submit two annual statistical reports to the state Department of Environmental Protection and failed to correct deficiencies as identified by DEP within the required time in January 2010.

Glaze may no longer practice as a drinking water operator in the state.

The state police union is suing Malloy, saying that the law requires a minimum of 1,248 troopers but the state currently only has 1,080.

HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's administration plans to go to the Connecticut Supreme Court to fight a judge's ruling in favor of the state police union, which is trying to get officials to adhere to a minimum state trooper staffing level set in a 1998 state law, according to the governor's general counsel.

The union is suing Malloy, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and the agency's commissioner, saying the law requires a minimum of 1,248 troopers but the state currently only has 1,080. Union President Andrew Matthews says troopers are worried that inadequate staffing is causing long response times in some areas and putting the safety of the public and troopers at risk.

Hartford Superior Court Judge James T. Graham on Friday rejected a motion by the state to dismiss the lawsuit. The attorney general's office had argued that the minimum staffing number in the 1998 law was a goal, not a requirement, and that any mandatory staffing level would conflict with the governor's budget powers.

Malloy's general counsel, Andrew McDonald, said Tuesday that the attorney general's office will appeal Graham's ruling to the state Appellate Court by Feb. 2 and ask that the appeal be transferred immediately to the Supreme Court.

"We believe the legislative history supports our position that this statute was an aspirational goal of the legislature, not a minimum threshold," McDonald said.

McDonald added that the legislature has approved enough funding for state police to meet the minimum staffing level only three times since the law was passed in 1998, and that lawmakers' failure to set aside enough money essentially confirms that they believe the minimum staffing figure is not a strict requirement.

"The legislature says it's 1,248, but they don't supply funding for that level of positions," McDonald said. "How is the commissioner supposed to meet that requirement?"

The 1998 law approved by the legislature and then-Gov. John G. Rowland was spurred mostly by the killing of Heather Messenger in her Chaplin home earlier that year and how long it took state police to respond. The nearest trooper was 18 minutes away when she called 911 shortly before she was bludgeoned to death. Her husband, David Messenger, was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed to a state psychiatric hospital.

The wording of the law says the public safety commissioner "shall appoint and maintain" a minimum of 1,248 state troopers. Graham and the state police union say it's clear that the law requires the state to have that many troopers.

The union filed its lawsuit last August to try to stop Malloy from laying off 56 state troopers as part of his package of cuts aimed at balancing the state budget. Graham blocked the union's effort to stop the layoffs, but all the troopers were rehired in October because of budget savings created by retirements.

The union later amended its lawsuit to get the state to adhere to the minimum staffing law.

Matthews, the police union president, said there is still concern among troopers that staffing levels are too low, especially in the wide swaths of rural areas in the state covered by troopers.

He said there are 800 troopers assigned to patrol 81 towns, covering more than 600 square miles and with roughly 600,000 residents. That represents a ratio of less than one trooper per 1,000 residents, when the Department of Justice recommends a ratio of one to four officers per 1,000 residents, he said.

Matthews said the Malloy administration is sending the wrong message to the public and troopers with its planned appeal of Graham's ruling.

"It seems like you're opposed to maintaining the proper staffing levels to protect the public's safety and troopers' safety," he said. "I think the better way to resolve it is to sit down and do a proper study and work with the union and figure out what the best staffing level is."

Reuben Bradford, the commissioner of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, said in October that he has commissioned a study to determine exactly how many people are needed in the state police.

McDonald said state law doesn't address staffing levels for any other state employees. Staffing levels for correctional officers and parole officers, for example, are mandated by labor contracts.

The U.S. senator said that since he defeated Martha Coakley in 2010 to fill the seat left vacant by Edward Kennedy's death, he has voted with his conscience as an "American first."

PRINCETON - Sen. Scott Brown, center, stands with longtime friend Bruce McDonald and State Rep. Kimberly Ferguson, R-Worcester, during a visit to Wachusett Mountain Ski Area. (Staff Photo by Robert Rizzuto)

PRINCETON -- Although he didn't jump on a snowboard like U.S. Sen. John Kerry did when running for president, Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown made a campaign trail appearance surrounded by snow and news cameras on Tuesday as he toured the Wachusett Mountain Ski Area in Princeton.

Brown, accompanied by three staffers, spent about an hour at the ski lodge talking to skiers and snowboarders and posing with pictures from interested patrons.

The positive reception seemed to be as much about the excitement of an elected official stopping by on a sleepy Tuesday afternoon as it was an affirmation of his politics.

"No question, you've got my vote Scott," said one man as he shook Brown's hand on his way through the main lodge.

Voters and those not yet old enough to vote also approached the senator, as he took time to introduce himself and pose for group pictures.

Brown was trailed though the ski lodge by local and national reporters, indicating the interest in the heated senate race is increasing by the day.

The senator was greeted by a friendly face from his past as Bruce McDonald, senior vice president of sales and service at the ski resort, was present.

"We used to model together years ago as Scott was putting himself through college," McDonald said. "He didn't have it easy and he made his own way. We used to pose in ads for departments stores to pay the bills and now he's the senator. I'm very proud of him."

Prior to the visit to Wachusett Mountain, Brown stopped by Aubuchon Hardware in Westminster where he spoke with the owners about issues facing small businesses today.

He said they shared many of the same concerns larger businesses have voiced to him over the past several months, largely centering on "economic uncertainty."

Later in the day Brown went to the Boys and Girls Club of North Central Massachusetts in Leominster which is in the process of a significant expansion of its facilities. At this stop, he spoke with reporters about the campaign and the status of the agreement he and Democratic front-runner Elizabeth Warren are working on to stop negative ads by Super PACs.

"Last time we didn't run any negative ads and five months ago, I called for these ads to go away. I'm glad that professor Warren has agreed and now our people are meeting to see what we can work out," Brown said.

Enforcing any potential agreement the two political camps may reach is complicated as federal campaign law bars candidates from coordinating with outside groups, such as Super PACs, about advertising.

The senator said that since he defeated Martha Coakley in 2010 to fill the seat left vacant by Sen. Edward Kennedy's death, he has voted with his conscience as an "American first."

"In Massachusetts, I've always appreciated the independent spirit that people vote with. They look at each candidate and not just the party," Brown said. "I'm going to do what I've been doing (in Washington). I've been there for two years and I'm not a Washington insider."

When asked by a reporter if his vote against S. 1660, the American Jobs Act, would hurt him with Bay State voters, Brown defended his actions, citing bipartisan dissatisfaction with the legislation.

"The fact is that it had no chance of passing and it was a lot of political theater," Brown said.

In October when Brown cast the vote along with 45 other Republicans and two Democrats to kill the bill, he recommended that the parts of the bill which were agreeable to both parties be pulled out into separate bills so some progress could be made.

At the time, Brown said "We should be working together to immediately pass the sections of the President’s jobs bill where there is bipartisan agreement, such as the payroll tax cut and the incentives to put our veterans back to work. This partisan posturing in the middle of a jobs emergency is absolutely unacceptable."

Brown will hold his official campaign kick-off party at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Thursday, exactly two years after his victory over Coakley.

LEGO recently donated $250,000 toward accessible playground in Enfield.

View full sizePhoto by Michael S. Gordon / The RepublicanJanuary 11, 2012 - Enfield, Ct. - Staff photo by Michael S. Gordon - The LEGO Children's Fund of LEGO Systems, Inc. of Enfield, announced Wednesday a $250,000 grant to the Rotary Club of Enfield, Ct. to support the creation of an accessible playground in the town of Enfield. From left in ceremony at the Holiday Inn: Mary Sutton, head of human relations at LEGO, Brian Specht, LEGO vice president of operations, Soren Torp Laursen, president, LEGO Americas, Michael Helechu, president Enfield Rotary, Edward Palomba, Rotary chair of the playground project, Lindsey Weber, Rotary past president and Enfield Mayor Scott R. Kaupin, also a Rotary member.

ENFIELD– A large contribution from the LEGO Children’s Fund will make it possible for the Rotary Club of Enfield, Conn., to build an accessible playground and park.

LEGO recently donated $250,000 toward the project, which was an idea brought forward by the Rotary Club’s former president, Lindsey Weber, in 2009.

“At the time, I was pregnant with my first child. I now have two young children, and I know many families who go to Somers or Longmeadow to play at these playgrounds because we do not have one in town,” she said.

Weber said the playground and the surrounding park are intended to bring families together in an outdoor, healthy setting.

“So many kids spend their time indoors playing video games, and this will be a way for families to spend time together outside,” she said.

Current Rotary President Michael Helechu said the project will hopefully be completed by this summer.

“We initially thought there would be a three to five year fundraising effort, but thanks to this major corporate donation, we will be able to put the playground in this summer,” he said. “We will raise additional funds to enhance the park area, but this is the bulk of the money we will need.”

Edward Palomba, chairman of the playground committee, said the playground will be built near the Enfield Public Library on Middle Road. It will include ramps for wheelchair accessibility and a rubberized ground. The playground will also include a pavilion with benches and picnic tables. The park will also be near existing softball fields.

“We’re hoping families can take advantage of the library, the playground and the fields,” he said.

Brian Specht, vice president of operations at LEGO, said the company’s Children’s Fund was created to help organizations that serve children.

“We feel we have an obligation as a company to give back to the community,” Specht said. The LEGO headquarters has been in Enfield since 1975.

Specht said this is an exciting opportunity and is the largest visual contribution the company has made.

“We are looking forward to seeing the project move ahead,” he said.

Weber said the playground will also be accessible to grandparents or other relatives who want to play with their children or grandchildren.

“Mostly people think of the children, but this will benefit entire families,” she said.