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Gov. Deval Patrick's budget proposal to include $10 million for education in 24 cities

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Springfield, Holyoke, Westfield and Chicopee are four of the 24 cities targeted .

Poorer urban school districts could get a $10 million boost to help children who do not speak English well, students with family problems and teachers who want to try new ideas in the classroom.

One item in Gov. Deval L. Patrick’s proposed budget for next year is $9.9 million set aside to help the 24 so-called Gateway Cities improve education.

Patrick plans to unveil Wednesday the state budget for the 2013 fiscal year that begins in July. It includes level funding of unrestricted local aid, or $834 million, plus another $65 million if allowed from an expected surplus in this year’s budget.

Patrick is proposing to raise $260 million in new revenues to balance next year’s budget, including $62.5 million by increasing the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 50 cents to $3.01 to help pay for court-mandated subsidized health care for legal immigrants who qualify. Patrick also wants to raise $61.5 million for public health services by imposing the 6.25 percent sales tax on candy and soda.

The budget includes $4.1 billion for general education aid, an increase of $145 million from this year. The funding for the gateway school districts is additional, Patrick said.

101309_paul_reville.jpgS. Paul Reville

The $9.9 million is tied to an initiative announced in November that would help close the achievement gap between suburban students, who typically score high on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Systems, and their urban counterparts who struggle to reach proficiency, said S. Paul Reville, the state’s secretary of education.

It targets 24 communities, including Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and Westfield, which are mostly former mill cities with a large number of poor children who do not attend quality pre-school, have less educated parents and speak little English.

The five initiatives include plans to improve access to quality pre-school, offer summer and after-school programs to help children learn English, create better career awareness earlier so students are prepared when they graduate, and develop an innovative center to make it easier for educators to try new teaching methods, he said.

Patrick’s budget will be sent to the state House of Representatives, which will craft its own budget. The state Senate will also produce a budget. A House-Senate compromise would be sent to Patrick, probably in late June or early July.

If the nearly $10 million remains, Reville said his office would be immediately accepting grant applications from communities in the summer and hope to distribute the money in December.

“I think you could make some fairly substantial grants,” he said. “I think we can make progress on all of them (the five initiatives) in the first year.”

Because the money will not be available until half-way through the school year, Reville said there are some initiatives such as offering summer school English classes will not be able to be done this year.

Holyoke School Superintendent David L. Dupont said he was excited the extra money will be available even though the grants will be competitive.

“Anything will help,” he said.

Holyoke already has a full-service community school that links children and their families with needed social services and he is encouraged some of the money will be available to continue that. There are already plans in the work to replicate the program in two schools, but it is difficult to find funding for it.

“What I like about this is here you have a person who is acknowledging the challenging situations that these kids have and they are not excuses, but explanations, of why it is difficult to educate some of these poor kids,” he said.

Reville said his proposal is to use some of the money to place counselors in schools who would serve as liaisons to help parents find services for housing, health care and other things.

“We know there are problems that get in the way of children learning,” Reville said.


Staff writer Dan Ring contributed to this report.


Stolen car found at Red Carpet Inn in West Springfield leads to arrests of Amanda Slate, 26, and Jonathan Hall, 30

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Police arrested the suspects shortly after 1 a.m. on Monday.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

– A stolen car discovered at the Red Carpet Inn on Riverdale Street early Monday led to the arrest of a city man and woman on heroin, cocaine and other charges.

Amanda M. Slate, 26, of 59 Sprague St., Apt. 1, and Jonathan P. Hall, 30, of 30 Plateau Circle, were charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle, possession of heroin and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, police documents state.

Hall had three outstanding warrants and Slate, two, according to documents.

Police arrested the suspects shortly after 1 a.m.

Both suspects denied the charges in Springfield District Court. Slate was ordered held in lieu of $1,000 cash bail and Hall, $2,500, court documents state. Both were ordered to return to court on Feb. 23 for pre-trial hearings.

Police, responding to a disturbance at the Red Carpet last Monday, required pepper spray to subdue a 47-year-old Ludlow man after he threatened them with a box cutter.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords receives applause, hug on eve of resignation

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President Barack Obama greets Rep. Gabrielle Giffords with a hug before the State of the Union address.

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Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) received applause and a hug from President Barack Obama on the night before she turned in her resignation from the U.S. House.

In a touching moment before the State of the Union Tuesday, Giffords received a standing ovation as she entered the U.S. House chamber and later received a tight hug from Obama that lasted several seconds.

Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) sat next to her and helped her stand up to applaud throughout the speech Tuesday, according to CNN.

Giffords, who announced her resignation on Sunday, is leaving Congress to focus on her recovery after she was shot in the head during a shooting rampage that left six dead and injured 13 on Jan. 8, 2011.

Obama mentioned Giffords during his 2011 State of the Union speech and an empty seat was left in honor of Giffords. At the time, Giffords was in a coma. However, some Democrats said they wished Obama had mentioned Giffords during his speech Tuesday.

After a tearful Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) read Giffords' resignation letter on the House floor Wednesday, Giffords handed the letter to a crying House Speaker John Boehner.

See the video of Giffords entering the U.S. House chamber below, courtesy of the Associated Press.

Jury selection in child rape trial of David Oppenheim to continue Thursday

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At least one juror was excused because he said he could not listen to a transgender person's testimony with objectivity.

010412 david oppenheim.JPGJury selection in the child rape trial of David Oppenheim, shown in Hampshire Superior Court earlier this month during a pre-trial conference.

NORTHAMPTON - Jury selection will continue Thursday in the trail of Easthampton resident David Fried Oppenheim, charged with five counts of raping a child who performed at a theater he founded.

On Wednesday, one juror was impaneled from a pool of more than 20. Assistant District Attorney Linda Pisano, the prosecutor in the case, used a peremptory challenge to eliminate two prospective jurors without explanation.

Hampshire Superior Court Judge Mary-Lou Rup said selection will continue Thursday to find two more jurors and four alternates. The trial is expected to run through Feb. 3, but if selection continues on Monday, it could take longer, she added.

Hampshire County courts do not call jurors on Friday.

Oppenheim, founder of Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, is accused of having sexual encounters, including intercourse, with an intern and performer at the theater who was between the ages of 14 and 15.

The prosecution does not allege Oppenheim used force, Rup said, but the alleged victim was under the legal age of consenting to sex at the time.

One of the prosecution's witnesses claims to have had conversations in which Oppenheim detailed the alleged abuse. That witness was born a female but identifies as a male.

At least one juror was excused because he said he could not listen to that person's testimony with objectivity solely based on the fact he is transgender.

The abuse is alleged to have occurred between October 2005 and June 2007.

Rup instructed all jurors to avoid media coverage and social discussions of the case, including on Facebook.

A hearing on admissibility of other alleged similar behaviors was scheduled to begin around 11:30 a.m.

An update of this story can be found here.

Patrick unveils $32.3 billion Mass. spending plan

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Gov. Deval Patrick has unveiled a $32.3 billion state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 that calls for an increase of about 3 percent in spending from the current year.

patrick.jpgMassachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick speaks with reporters from The Associated Press in this file photo.

BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick has unveiled a $32.3 billion state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 that calls for an increase of about 3 percent in spending from the current year.

In a statement accompanying the budget, Patrick called the spending blueprint balanced and fiscally responsible. He added that Massachusetts continues to face major fiscal challenges.

While revenues are projected to increase 4.5 percent, the gain is expected to be offset by higher costs for health care and other programs.

The governor is seeking $260 million in new revenues, including a hike of 50 cents-per-pack in the cigarette tax.

The plan also calls for a $400 million withdrawal from the state's so-called rainy day fund.

Patrick says the budget continues the state's investment in areas such as education and jobs creation.

Obama pitches economic message in swing states

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President Barack Obama embarked Wednesday on a three-day tour of politically crucial states in a post-State of the Union journey to sell his 2012 economic policy goals while pitching his presidency to a divided public.

ObamaPresident Barack Obama steps off Marine One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — President Barack Obama embarked Wednesday on a three-day tour of politically crucial states in a post-State of the Union journey to sell his 2012 economic policy goals while pitching his presidency to a divided public.

Fresh from his address to a joint session of Congress, Obama was promoting his agenda to attract more manufacturing to American soil by showcasing a conveyor belt maker in Iowa and an Intel plant in Arizona.

Obama will highlight energy security Thursday in Nevada and Colorado and wrap up Friday by pushing education and training proposals at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Presidential travel following the State of the Union is commonplace, allowing presidents to temporarily bask in the afterglow of their prime-time performances, milking their message before key constituencies.

Obama was touring Conveyor Engineering & Manufacturing, a small family-owned Cedar Rapids company that builds conveyor belts, working primarily with the ethanol and food industries. The president planned to discuss a series of tax incentives to help manufacturers, including ways of reducing tax rates for manufacturing companies and a proposal to double the tax deduction for high-tech manufacturers to spur more jobs in the U.S.

Obama's trip comes amid signs of economic improvements even as battling Republican presidential contenders appeal to conservatives by sounding increasingly hostile to his policies.

Underlying the president's specific policy proposals will be the election-year economic fairness argument that he has been refining since he spelled it out in Osawatomie, Kan., last month, including higher taxes on the wealthy. Reinforcing the political subtext of the trip is the fact that four of the five states he will visit will hold Republican presidential caucuses or primaries within the next month. The two caucuses — in Nevada and Colorado — come within two weeks of his visit.

Obama has made a point of grabbing headlines in states in the midst of Republican presidential contests, eager not to cede the political message to his rivals.

What's more, of five paths that Obama campaign manager Jim Messina has charted to win re-election in November, all foresee winning Michigan, three require winning Iowa, two require Colorado and Nevada, and one has Arizona in the Obama win column. In 2008, of the five states he's visiting, Obama only lost Arizona, the home state of then rival John McCain.

Obama will also use his trip to grant two high-profile interviews, one to the Spanish-language television network Univision and the other to ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer. With Univision, the White House hopes to reach an important Latino voting bloc, a constituency that could be important in states such as Arizona and Nevada. The White House also likes the reach ABC gives the president because the interview will be spread among three news shows — the evening news, "Nightline" and "Good Morning America."

As part of his focus on manufacturing on Wednesday, Obama's trip to Arizona marks his second visit to an Intel plant. He traveled to the firm's Oregon campus in 2011, when Intel announced it would spend $5 billion on a new computer chip manufacturing facility. Intel's CEO, Paul Otellini, is a member of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.

Looking to increase domestic manufacturing, Obama on Tuesday reiterated his proposal to eliminate tax incentives that make it more attractive for companies to ship jobs overseas. The proposal would require American companies to pay a minimum tax on their overseas profits in order to prevent other countries from attracting U.S. businesses with unusually low tax rates.

Obama also wants to eliminate tax deductions companies receive for the cost of shutting down factories and moving production overseas. He wants to create a new tax credit to cover moving expenses for companies that close production overseas and bring jobs back to the U.S. He also wants to reduce tax rates for manufacturers and double the tax deduction for high-tech manufacturers in order to create more manufacturing jobs in the U.S.

East Haven, Connecticut mayor blasted for 'taco' quip about Latinos

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The comment came as Mayor Joseph Maturo was being interviewed about alleged anti-Hispanic bias in the shoreline town bordering New Haven.

east haven connecticutIn this Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 file photo, East Haven police vehicles are seen outside the police department in East Haven, Conn. The FBI on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, arrested four East Haven police officers on conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges following an investigation into possible civil rights violations.

HARTFORD, Conn. — The mayor of a Connecticut community roiled by allegations of police discrimination against Hispanics is under fire for saying he "might have tacos" as a way to do something for those minorities.

East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo initially defended his response Tuesday to a reporter's question and said it was being unfairly twisted. He later apologized, saying he'd had a long day of interviews after the FBI arrested four of his town's police officers on charges of depriving Latinos of their constitutional rights.

The "taco" comment came as Maturo was being interviewed by New York's WPIX-TV about alleged anti-Hispanic bias in East Haven, a shoreline town bordering New Haven and the subject of a federal civil rights probe that was launched in 2009.

The four officers arrested Tuesday are charged with depriving the civil rights of Latinos and their supporters, including by unlawfully searching Latino businesses and intimidating people who tried to investigate or report alleged misconduct.

Maturo was interviewed on video Tuesday by WPIX reporter Mario Diaz, who asked, "What are you doing for the Latino community today?"

Maturo's response: "I might have tacos when I go home; I'm not quite sure yet."

Diaz then said: "You realize that's not really the comment to say right now, you 'might have tacos tonight'?"

Maturo, who is of Italian heritage, then said he might have spaghetti or any other kind of ethnic food.

Growing increasingly angry, he added he does not believe the anti-Latino bias allegations are "a systemic problem within our police department or within our community" and told Diaz to "go for it, take your best shot" to make the "taco" comment seem to imply something he did not intend.

He released a statement Wednesday to express his "sincerest apologies" to East Haven and its Latino residents and business owners, asking residents to "have faith in me and our community as we address the challenges arising out of the past days' events."

"Unfortunately, I let the stress of the situation get the best of me and inflamed what is already a serious and unfortunate situation," he said in his written statement. "I regret my insensitive comment and realize that it is my job to lead by example."

Maturo, a Republican, has been drawing fire for his comments from several high-ranking Connecticut Democratic officials, including Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who called the comments "repugnant."

"They represent either a horrible lack of judgment or worse, an underlying insensitivity to our Latino community that is unacceptable," Malloy said Wednesday. "Being tired is no excuse. He owes an apology to the community, and more importantly, he needs to show what he's going to do to repair the damage he's done. And he needs to do it today."

East Haven's Democratic Town Committee chairman is calling on Maturo to resign. The local Republican Party chairman told the New Haven Register on Wednesday that he might address the situation publicly later in the day, but had no immediate comment.

Also Wednesday morning, Maturo told WLPR radio's "Chaz & AJ in the Morning" show that the quip was "stupid" and provided ammunition to "people who want to make matters worse."

"This is going to be the first and only interview I give today. I think I had enough yesterday, and I got myself in enough hot water yesterday," said Maturo, a lifelong East Haven resident and Republican who was mayor from 1997 to 2007 and re-elected again last fall.

He told the radio hosts Wednesday that he realized Tuesday night that the quip was a "dumb, off the cuff, stupid remark" and that he had given more than a dozen interviews in the preceding hours.

"I gave them a reason to make matters worse with a 'gotcha,' and an insensitive and stupid answer to something I should have never said," Maturo said, adding he had done more than a dozen interviews in the previous hours.

"In all that time, I made one mistake — and it's gone viral," he said.

The four East Haven officers are each charged with conspiracy against rights, which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years. Some also face charges including deprivation of rights, obstruction of justice and use of unreasonable force.

All four defendants pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport, and three were released on bond.

David Oppenheim child rape jurors may hear evidence of sexual encounters with other girls

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The Pioneer Arts Center founder is charged with five counts of child rape stemming from a sexual relationship he allegedly had with a 14- to 15-year-old girl.

David Oppenheim 1412.jpgView full sizeDavid Fried Oppenheim

NORTHAMPTON - Jurors in the child rape trial of David Fried Oppenheim, founder of Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, could hear evidence he had sexual contact with other young girls at or over 16, the age of consent.

Oppenheim, 38, is charged with five counts of child rape stemming from a sexual relationship he allegedly had with a 14 to 15-year-old girl who interned at the theater between 2005 and 2007. He denies the charges.

There were 10 jurors impaneled as of Wednesday. Hampshire Superior Court Judge Mary-Lou Rup said selection of two more and four alternates will continue Thursday and the trial is expected to last until Feb. 3.

Rup said she will rule soon on a request by the prosecution to establish "a pattern of conduct or modus operandi" that Oppenheim allegedly shows. Assistant District Attorney Linda Pisano described allegations from five former students, volunteers, actors and interns at PACE and another theater.

Pisano said Oppenheim used an acting technique he developed called "Primitives" which requires a student to describe physical sensations in a journal. Pisano claims Oppenheim told the young women they would become better actors if they did it and used "Primitives" as a segue to sex acts.

The legal age to consent to sex in Massachusetts is 16. Four of the witnesses claim they had encounters with Oppenheim or that he came onto them when they were 16 or 17. One witness said he suggested sexual favors as payment for acting lessons, but the witness spurned his advances.

Another witness was Oppenheim's student before college. When she was 17, she visited Oppenheim and claims they had sex. She moved into a room above his office, where the liaisons continued, the prosecution contends.

Rup excluded testimony from a woman who claims she saw Oppenheim cuddling with a 13 or 14-year-old girl, who soon after accused him of making sexual advances, in 1996 at another theater.

Many of the encounters allegedly took place in the sound booth at PACE or at Oppenheim's office next door.

"This does not establish a pattern of conduct," said defense attorney David P. Hoose. Even if Oppenheim were to admit to the incidents, "None of these young women were touched when they were under the age of 16."

"In almost every case, they (would) testify they were around Mr. Oppenheim for years when they were under 16 and were never touched," said Hoose, who added that dozens of young women worked with Oppenheim and never complained of sexual advances. "At what point do I get to bring in all these people who say, 'David never did anything to me'?"

Pisano took issue with Hoose's argument.

"The defense is arguing, 'Look at all the banks I didn't rob! Look at all the women I didn't abuse!'"

Rup said the witness statements were "within the sphere of admissibility," except the 1996 incident, which she said was too far removed from the circumstances of the trial.

Rup has also allowed into evidence instant message exchanges allegedly between Oppenheim and a prosecution witness in which Oppenheim allegedly details the abuse.

The defense maintains that anyone could have used Oppenheim's computer to pose as him and send the messages. Pisano said several points of the conversation identify Oppenheim as the author, including the detail that his wife does not shave her legs and descriptions of his own facial hair maintenance.

The conversations also include references to matters he and the witness discussed in person, Pisano said.

Oppenheim is alleged to have used the online handle "David L. Fried," but changed it to "Ally" at the witness' suggestion so his parents would not be suspicious about the exchanges. Pisano said the conversations included sexual video chats.

Hoose objected again on Wednesday, saying the exchanges have not been authenticated, the material "is more prejudicial and less probative" and testimony about on-camera sex acts should be excluded, if nothing else.

"I don't think it's integral to the conversation," said Hoose, explaining the videos were one-way and the witness could not see Oppenheim. "I guess I would extend that to anything that indicates there is a video component to this."

Pisano said testimony about the video is important because it shows Oppenheim "gave up his deep, dark secret" in exchange for watching the witness perform sex acts.

Rup ruled the prosecution can admit references to the witness' boyfriend, Oppenheim's wife not shaving her legs, his own facial hair and workout routine, and his then-17-month-old son, all in an effort to identify Oppenheim as the author.

Rup added that the jury cannot hear references to a request by Oppenheim to have a threesome with the witness and his boyfriend, but the fact there was a video will be allowed, for now, without descriptions of on-camera sex acts.

She said she would allow Pisano, preliminarily, to explain simply that Oppenheim allegedly requested the witness touch himself.


Belchertown School Committee reaffirms votes after error in posting notice for Jan. 10 meeting

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The state's Open Meeting Law requires that public bodies send the Town Clerk an agenda of every meeting in time for the clerk to post it 48 hours in advance.

030911 Belchertown Town HallBelchertown Town Hall.

BELCHERTOWN – All actions taken by the School Committee at the Jan. 10 meeting had to be reaffirmed on Tuesday because the original meeting notice wasn't posted in time under state law.

The Open Meeting Law requires that public bodies send the Town Clerk an agenda of every meeting in time for the clerk to post it 48 hours in advance. The law mandates that notices are posted in a place "conspicuously visible to the public at all hours in or on the municipal building in which the clerk’s office is located," according to the Attorney General's office.

Town Clerk William R. Barnett's office is in Town Hall at 2 Jabish St. Meeting notices were posted in all schools, said School Committee Chairwoman Linda J. Tsoumas, but not at Town Hall.

At the Jan. 10 meeting, the committee voted to ask the Board of Selectmen to form a subcommittee that would explore taking the Lake Wallace and Foley Field area out of the School Department's jurisdiction.

The selectmen did not take up the issue at their Jan. 23 meeting because of the posting error.

The School Committee also approved the 2012-2013 academic year schedule and entered into executive session to discuss personnel matters, along with various other votes.

Superintendent Judith C. Houle admitted Barnett, who is also Vice Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, notified her "barely" before the Jan. 10 meeting that there was a problem.

Tsoumas read aloud each vote on Tuesday and the board reaffirmed them.

"This could happen again in the future," said member Paul Anziano. "I'm not saying anything was intentionally done. I'm not saying that's the case. I just want to make sure that doesn't happen again."

Vice Chairman Eric Weiss said, "These things happen once in a while. It's not that big a deal. ... There was a simple oversight on certain people's part and we're correcting the oversight."

Tsoumas blamed the error on Barnett's office and said the committee was following legal advice from town counsel by reaffirming the votes. She added that multiple electronic methods were used to give the public notice.

Barnett said that on the Friday before the meeting, his office was swamped with dog license applicants and his assistant was not in. He said the agenda was sent in an email, one of 50 or 60 he received that day, and he didn't see it until the following Monday, Jan. 10.

He said he notified Houle, who chose to hold the meeting anyway.

"They're responsible for coming in and giving it to us," Barnett said. "Technically, (the committee) is in violation. ... I'm not going even to accept emails unless" the sender is automatically notified when Barnett has read it, he said.

"We've taken safeguards at central office to make sure that doesn't happen again," said Houle.

Boards and public officials who knowingly violate the law can be fined $1,000. An unintentional violation is not punishable. The Attorney General's Division of Open Government is responsible for investigating complaints.

PM News Links: Feds to hold interest rates steady for 2 years, Latino vote could save Romney in Florida and more

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Gisele Bundchen, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's wife, is set to become the world's first billionaire supermodel.

Gisele BundchenSupermodel and United Nations Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador Gisele Bundchen pours water on a newly planted tree during a tree-planting ceremony at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan 13. Click on the link, above left, for report from WFXT-TV in Boston about Bundchen set to become the world's first supermodel billionaire.

NOTE: Users of modern browsers can open each link in a new tab by holding 'control' ('command' on a Mac) and clicking each link.

Cocaine packed in can of beans yields Massachusetts prison sentence for Reggie DeJesus of Westfield

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Prosecutors said Reggie DeJesus was clearly a middle man in accepting $500 from someone to receive a package from Puerto Rico.

SPRINGFIELD – The package mailed from Puerto Rico to a Westfield apartment contained a Goya brand bean can.

But the sealed bean can didn’t contain beans; instead it held 196 grams of cocaine.

On Wednesday, 31-year-old Reggie DeJesus was sentenced to 3½ to four years in state prison after admitting to accepting $500 from someone to receive a package from Puerto Rico.

Hampden Superior Court Judge Richard J. Carey accepted the plea.

Under the plea agreement between both sides, DeJesus was allowed to plead guilty to cocaine trafficking in the amount of 14-28 grams, avoiding a 10-year minimum mandatory sentence for the 196 grams.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew J. Shea said it is clear that DeJesus, who lived at 50 Southampton Road with his father, was the middle man. He said DeJesus has no criminal convictions on his record.

He said Westfield police and a U.S. Postal Inspector were notified on Jan. 26, 2011, of a suspicious package coming from Puerto Rico to Westfield. The next day, officials went to the apartment.

When, with permission from DeJesus, they opened the can, they found the cocaine, Shea said. DeJesus gave a written and videotaped statement saying he was promised the money to accept the delivery.

Defense lawyer Mickey E. Harris said DeJesus “is indeed a victim of the narcotics scourge you see in this country.”

Harris said DeJesus was approached by a person who knew he had a drinking problem. DeJesus went along with the plan, but admitted his role as soon as confronted by police, Harris said.

DeJesus was not jailed awaiting trial, so he has no credit for time served and was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs while his father sat in the courtroom.

Obituaries today: Crete Kochanek, 69, of Westfield; music teacher, soloist for Western Massachusetts orchestras, churches

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Obituaries from The Republican.

Crete Kochanek 12512.jpgCrete M. Kochanek

WESTFIELD - Crete M. Kochanek, 69, died Thursday. She was born on Oct. 2, 1942 in Philadelphia, Pa., to the late Emmanuel and Florence (Vipoulu) Liadrakis. She had been a resident of Westfield for the past 40 years. She was a music teacher for East Granby, Conn., public schools. She was a former soloist for Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, Springfield Symphony Orchestra and the First Congregational Church in Westfield. She taught voice at Westfield State College, was a former choral director at Elms College in Chicopee and was a former organist and choir director at Church of the Atonement in Westfield. She was also a music teacher at the MacDuffie School, formerly in Springfield, and taught private voice lessons in the community. She was a former soloist for Project Opera in Northampton and was a member of the Bicentennial Committee of Westfield. She was a member of the Connecticut Music Educators Association and a former LaLeche League leader.

Obituaries from The Republican:



  • Bergeron, Jennie (Kuzontkoski)



  • Campbell, Dorothy (Fountain)



  • Cote, Joan T. (LaPierre)




  • Dagenais, Cora A.



  • Danek, Steven C. "Steve"


  • Danio, Irving DeWitt




  • Eastman, Ruth Ann (Bray)



  • Francisco, Antonio




  • Hastings, David W.



  • Kelley, Douglas A.


  • Kittredge, Lois (Weil)




  • Kochanek, Crete M.



  • Lemay, Joseph L.




  • Leonard, Joseph G.



  • LeVan, June M. (Mayer)


  • Mastey, Robert A.




  • Mazeralle, Louis R.



  • Meunier, Claire V.




  • Palmer, Kenneth S.



  • Porter, Wesley R.


  • Purcell, Dorothy A.




  • Sergel, Catherine A.



  • Shephard, Anna Belle




  • Shimel, Morgan G.



  • Silva, Thomas


  • Socha, Helen R. "Pam" (Malec)




  • Stoops, Joseph T. "Joe"



  • Theriault Jr., Alfred J. "Al"




  • Tracy, Roland F.



  • Weston, John E.



  • Photos: Solar storm sparks dazzling northern lights

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    Even experienced stargazers were stunned by the intensity of the aurora borealis that swept across the night sky in northern Scandinavia this week.

    Gallery preview

    STOCKHOLM — A storm from the broiling sun turned the chilly northernmost skies of Earth into an ever-changing and awe-provoking art show of northern lights on Tuesday.

    Even experienced stargazers were stunned by the intensity of the aurora borealis that swept across the night sky in northern Scandinavia after the biggest solar flare in six years.

    "It has been absolutely incredible," British astronomer John Mason cried from the deck of the MS Midnatsol, a cruise ship plying the fjord-fringed coast of northern Norway.

    "I saw my first aurora 40 years ago, and this is one of the best," Mason told The Associated Press, his voice nearly drowning in the cheers of awe-struck fellow passengers.

    U.S. space weather experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday evening that so far they had heard of no problems from the storm that triggered the auroras, which made it as far south as Wales, where the weather often doesn't cooperate with good viewing.

    It was part of the strongest solar storm in years, but the sun is likely to get even more active in the next few months and years, said physicist Doug Biesecker at the U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.

    "To me this was a wake up call. The sun is reminding us that solar max is approaching," Biesecker said. "A lot worse is in store for us. We hope that you guys are paying attention. I would say we passed with flying colors."

    Even before particles from the solar storm reached the Earth on Tuesday, a different aurora Monday night was dancing across the sky as far south as Ireland and England, where people rarely get a chance to catch the stunning light show.

    Those northern lights were likely just variations in normal background solar wind, not the solar storm that erupted Sunday, Biesecker said.

    Tuesday's colorful display may not have moved that far south, limiting its audience, but those who got to see it got brilliance in the sky that had not been around for years.

    "It was the biggest northern lights I've seen in the five-six years that I've worked here," said Andreas Hermansson, a tour guide at the Ice Hotel in the Swedish town of Jukkasjarvi, above the Arctic Circle.

    He was leading a group of tourists on a bus tour in the area when a green glow that had lingered in the sky for much of the evening virtually exploded into a spectacle of colors around 10:15 p.m.

    "We stopped the bus. And suddenly it was just this gigantic display of dancing lights and Technicolor," said Michele Cahill, an Irish psychologist, who was on the tour. "It was an absolutely awesome display. It went on for over an hour. Literally one would have to lie on the ground to capture it all."

    But in -30 degrees F (-35 C), that didn't seem like a good idea.

    An aurora appears when a magnetic solar wind slams into the Earth's magnetic field, exciting electrons of oxygen and nitrogen.

    The northern lights are sometimes seen from northern Scotland, but they were also visible Monday night from northeast England and Ireland, where such sightings are a rarity.

    "The lights appear as green and red mist. It's been mostly green the past few nights. I don't know if that's just special for Ireland," said Gerard O'Kane, a 41-year-old taxi driver and vice chairman of the Buncrana Camera Club in County Donegal in Ireland's northwest corner.

    He and at least two dozen amateur photographers were meeting after dark at a local beach for an all-night stakeout. They've been shooting the horizon from dozens of locations since Friday night.

    Scientists have been expecting solar eruptions to become more intense as the sun enters a more active phase of its 11-year cycle, with an expected peak in 2013.

    But in recent years the sun appeared quieter than normal, leading scientists to speculate that it was going into an unusually quiet cycle that seems to happen once a century or so.

    While the geomagnetic part of the solar eruption — which happened around 11 p.m. EST Sunday — was more of a fizzle, another earlier part of the sun's outburst was more powerful.

    On Monday and Tuesday, the proton radiation from the eruption reached strong levels, the most powerful since October 2003. That mostly affects astronauts and satellites, but NASA said the crew on the International Space Station was not harmed and only a few minor problems with satellites were reported, Biesecker said.

    However, some airplane flights over the North Pole have been rerouted because of expected communication problems from the radiation.

    Geomagnetic storms cause awesome sights, but they can also bring trouble. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, problems can include current surges in power lines, and interference in the broadcast of radio, TV and telephone signals. No such problems were reported Tuesday.

    Peter Richardson, a 49-year-old bar manager and part-time poet at the 17th-century Tan Hill Inn in northern England, said the pub — normally dead on a Monday night in January — was thronged until the wee hours of the morning with people who came to look at the lights.

    "I just thought: 'Oh my God, this is just absolutely amazing,'" he said. "You do get a lot of spectacular skylines out here, but that was just something out of the ordinary. Very different."

    Ken Kennedy, director of the Aurora section of the British Astronomical Association, said the northern lights may be visible for a few more days.

    The Canadian Space Agency posted a geomagnetic storm warning Tuesday after residents were also treated to a spectacular show in the night sky.

    John Manuel, a scientist with the Canadian Space Agency, said there's an increased chance of seeing northern lights over northern Canada on Tuesday night.

    "It's not likely people in the major Canadian cities further south will see a significant aurora tonight," he said. "There's always a possibility but the current forecast is for a good show for people who live further north. It should be a particularly good night tonight."

    Republicans blast President Obama on employment statistics in rebuttal

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    One in five men between 25 to 54 are unemployed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Mitch Daniels.jpgIn this image from video, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels delivers the Republican response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. (AP Photo)

    The economy was at the heart of President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech Tuesday. But the Republicans took issue with his employment statistics.

    "The percentage of Americans with a job is at the lowest in decades. One in five men of primary working age, and nearly half of all persons under 30, did not go to work today," Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said in the Republican rebuttal to the State of the Union.

    Daniels' statement is true, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    However, The Tampa Bay Times' PolitiFact notes that Obama's statement is true that businesses have created more than 3 million jobs in the last 22 months. When considering only private-sector job growth, 3.16 million jobs were added, according to PolitiFact.

    The civilian labor force participation rate, based on how many people older than 16 are working or looking for work, is 63.8 percent in December, according to the bureau. CNN points out that the rate in December hasn't been that low since it was at 63.7 percent in April 1984.

    The percentage of unemployed adult men was at 8 percent and unemployed adult women was at 7.9 percent in December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    People who have been jobless for more than 27 weeks accounted for 42 percent - or 5.6 million people - of all unemployed.

    About 2.5 million people were available for work and had looked at some time in the past 12 months, but hadn't looked in the past four weeks, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of those 2.5 million, about 945,000 people were considered "discouraged workers" by the bureau, meaning they are no longer looking for work because they believe there aren't any jobs available.

    Of men ages 25 to 54, about 88 percent are employed in the civilian labor force as of December 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In that same age group, 69.2 percent of women are employed in the civilian labor force.


    No casino money in Mass. Gov. Patrick's new budget

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    State budget writers are scrambling for every dime, but Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed spending plan is taking a pass on one potential pot of gold.

    deval patrickMassachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, left, takes questions from reporters as Mass. Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray, right, looks on during a news conference at the Statehouse, in Boston, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Patrick sent lawmakers a proposed $32.3 billion state budget for the next fiscal year on Wednesday.

    BOSTON — State budget writers are scrambling for every dime, but Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed spending plan is taking a pass on one potential pot of gold.

    Patrick's proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 doesn't assume any new revenue from casinos or slots parlors.

    Patrick last year signed a bill licensing a single slots parlor and up to three casinos.

    Supporters say the gambling outlets could generate hundreds of millions in new taxes while creating tens of thousands of jobs.

    But Massachusetts Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez said there's no guarantee the state will see gambling revenues during the upcoming fiscal year.

    Gonzalez says there's a possibility revenues from the slots parlor could be trickling in by the fiscal year's end, but it's far from certain.


    Springfield Parking Authority clears hundreds of cars from city storage yard

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    The city authority took over management of Springfield's towing and storage contract in 2010 when the city yard was packed with 575 cars.

    chandler street springfield tow yard before and after.jpgView full sizeHal King, Executive Director of the Springfield Parking Authority, announced Wednesday that the authority has finalized clearing vehicles from the City of Springfield-owned tow yard at 29 Chandler St. In the top photo, the yard is seen in November 2009; the bottom photo was taken on Tuesday.

    SPRINGFIELD – The Springfield Parking Authority, aided by CJ’s Towing, has completed the task of clearing hundreds of stored cars from a city yard on Chandler Street.

    The parking authority took over management of the city’s police-ordered towing and storage contract in March 2010, when the city lot at 29 Chandler St. was filled with approximately 575 vehicles.

    Notices were sent this past spring to the last registered owners, but just four cars were claimed. The majority of the unclaimed cars have been scrapped for parts in the past year by CJ’s, working with other companies, and revenues were turned over to the city, officials said.

    Just two cars remain to be auctioned off in February, both stored in the Chandler Street garage, authority Executive Director Harold G. “Hal” King said.

    CJ’s Towing, hired by the authority for towing and storage duties, rents the Chandler Street lot from the city as an overflow lot.

    The city lot was left filled with cars after the city terminated its contract with its prior towing contractor, CF Inc., doing business as the Springfield Towing Alliance, in 2008, followed by litigation.

    More details will be posted later on MassLive.com

    Islamists, liberals square off in Egypt's Tahrir

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    Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians thronged major squares across Egypt on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak, in rallies that turned into a show of strength by secular groups in their competition with the country's powerful Islamists over demands for an end to military rule.

    TahrirEgyptians set up an obelisk with the names of people who were killed during the 18-day uprising a year ago in Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of the popular uprising that unseated President Hosni Mubarak for in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012.

    CAIRO — Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians thronged major squares across Egypt on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak, in rallies that turned into a show of strength by secular groups in their competition with the country's powerful Islamists over demands for an end to military rule.

    Cairo's Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the 18 days of protests against Mubarak, was transformed into the focal point of the rivalry between revolutionary activists who want to show they can still mobilize the street and the Muslim Brotherhood, who emerged as Egypt's dominant political force after a landslide victory in parliament elections.

    The secular activists urge continued protests to force the immediate ouster of the generals who took power after Mubarak's fall, saying they are just as dictatorial as the former president. The activists touted their powerful turnout as a sign they can pressure the Brotherhood, who they fear will accommodate the military in order to ensure their own political dominance.

    "I have hope that these marches will be a message to the Brotherhood as much as the military council," said Sahar Abdel-Mohsen, who walked 3½ miles (5 kilometers) in a giant march across Cairo to Tahrir.

    "We all know even if the Brotherhood are strong, the military council is still stronger. ... What we all want is an end to military rule," she said.

    Both sides were intent on bringing out as many supporters as possible to show their weight in a nation still reeling from the aftershocks of Mubarak's ouster.

    The Islamists got off to a strong start, taking up positions in Tahrir in the morning and claiming the right to police it, with Brotherhood volunteers checking the bags of those entering.

    From a large stage with 10 loudspeakers, they blared religious songs and chants of "Allahu akbar" and set a tone of celebration for what they called the successes of the revolution — particularly the newly elected parliament.

    But around a dozen large marches organized by secular groups converged on Tahrir from various parts of the city, chanting "Down, down with military rule!" and filling large boulevards as passers-by joined in along the way. The "non-Islamists" swarmed into the downtown plaza before sunset, jam-packing it to outnumber the Islamists.

    Some marched to the sober beat of drums to pay tribute to the hundreds of protesters killed over the past year — by Mubarak's regime and the military — and to emphasize that this was not a joyous anniversary, with so many demands for democratic reform left unachieved. Many wore masks with pictures of the faces of slain protesters. Once in the square they erected a pharaonic-style wooden obelisk with the names of the "martyrs."

    "I am not here to celebrate. I am here for a second revolution," said Attiya Mohammed Attiya, a 35-year-old father of four who is unemployed. "The military council is made of remnants of the Mubarak regime. We will only succeed when we remove them from power."

    Together the two sides packed Tahrir in one of the biggest gatherings since the height of the protests against Mubarak and the frenzied celebrations on the night he fell on Feb. 11. There were no army troops or police in Tahrir or at the marches, a sign the military was looking to avoid an eruption of new clashes after deadly violence in October, November and December.

    The competition for influence between the secular forces and the Brotherhood centers on the issue of the ruling military, led by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Mubarak's defense minister for 20 years.

    The revolutionaries say the generals must surrender power to civilians immediately, accusing them of perpetuating their former mentor's authoritarian system, bungling the transition and committing large-scale human rights violations. The Brotherhood says the generals should go, but are willing to accept their promise to step down by the end of June.

    The revolutionaries, however, have been unable to agree on an alternative plan for the handover.

    The Brotherhood and other Islamists have been the biggest beneficiaries of the military's handling of the transition. Elections held over the past two months gave the Brotherhood just under half the seats in the new parliament that convened Monday, and the ultraconservative Salafis snapped up another quarter. Liberals and left-leaning groups credited with leading the protests that ousted Mubarak garnered less than 10 percent.

    In the eyes of the secularists, the Islamists' triumph underlined their obsession with power after decades of persecution by successive governments, as well as their waning interest in pressing the demands of the "revolution" for real change to dismantle the legacy of 60 years of autocratic rule. Many fear the Brotherhood will compromise with the military, ceding it future political power to seal their dominant status.

    "A message to the Brotherhood: The revolutionaries love the square more than they love parliament," read one poster in Tahrir. In one march, a protester shouted: "For those who won in the elections, now is time to mete out justice for those killed."

    After the arrival of the secular-led marches, the tone of the Brotherhood speakers slightly changed, trying to cleave closer to the revolutionaries. Earlier in the day, Brotherhood speeches were strongly religious — one speaker proclaimed the need to face Egypt's "enemies" who aim to strike against Islam. But later, several speakers underlined the need for justice for slain protesters and for the military to hand over power to civilians — issues closer to those of the secular-led marches.

    Many of the secular youth groups called for a sit-in in Tahrir for the next days to press their demands. Such overnight sit-ins in the past have been hit by violent security crackdowns. Islamists said they would hold "celebrations" in the square until Friday, though not a sit-in.

    Khaled Abol-Naga, a movie actor and protester, said despite the differences, the square was united Wednesday in the desire for an end to military rule. Even the Islamists want this because they don't want to lose their credibility, he said.

    "The pact between the Islamists and the military won't survive this pressure," he added.

    Ismail Badawi, a 55-year-old Brotherhood backer, said he was determined to see the military leave power, but that must be achieved through parliament, not the street.

    "Parliament is the voice of the nation," he said. "We are here to support parliament."

    "A confrontation will come, when the military tries to determine who will be president," he added, referring to fears the ruling generals will try to push through their own candidate in presidential elections due by the end of June.

    "The Brotherhood will go down (to the street) when it is time."

    The secular-led marches attracted a broad cross-section of society, similar to the biggest days of the anti-Mubarak protests. Young people, university students, middle-class men and women joined the processions.

    "Tantawi, come and kill more revolutionaries, we want your execution," they chanted, alluding to the more than 80 protesters killed by army troops since October. Thousands of civilians have been hauled before military tribunals for trial since Mubarak's ouster.

    "Don't mess with the people," others chanted. "Go, field marshal."

    Pro-reform leader Mohammed ElBaradei participated in prayers at a mosque with one group of marchers before the procession set off toward Tahrir.

    Unlike many of the demonstrators, ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said that the immediate return of the military to the barracks was not the main issue.

    Instead, he told The Associated Press the focus should be on "the revolution's goals" — drafting "a proper constitution," fixing the economy, establishing independent media and courts and prosecuting those who killed protesters.

    Emad el-Hadidi, a 66-year-old pharmacist, watched from the sidewalk as the marchers went by, chanting, "Bread, freedom and social justice."

    El-Hadidi said the activists were too hurried and should give the military time to hand over power. But he also admired the protesters, his eyes tearing up because he felt he was too old join them.

    "We are a generation brought up with fear," he said.

    Longmeadow woman gets trees removed from yard after October snowstorm for free

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    A Minnesota landscaping company, that had been hired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to do storm cleanup, took pity on Andrea Chase and offered to clean up her yard.

    Gallery preview

    LONGMEADOW– After spending weeks driving past a Wolf Swamp Road home full of debris from the October snowstorm, Rodney and Damaris Konkol decided to do something about it.

    “We would be driving past this house 10 times a day and I wasn’t seeing any brush out on the lawn. I knew the person in the house was having a hard time,” said Rodney Konkol, owner of Perfect Landscaping, one of the contractors hired by Federal Emergency Management Agency to clean up the storm damage.

    Konkol went up to the house, knocked on the door and met Andrea Chase, who has owned the home since 1993.

    “I am so grateful that he knocked on my door,” Chase said. “I’ve been out of work for a while and I just can’t afford to do the cleanup.”

    The home is surrounded by dozens of trees, many of which are splintered, and some that fell on the home. Konkol said the job is worth about $3,500.

    Chase said she was surprised that they volunteered to do the cleanup for free.

    “It’s a lot of money and a lot of work. They are good people who do this kind of thing all across the country. They make money when they can, but when they see someone in need they buck up and lend a hand,” she said.

    The husband and wife team started Perfect Landscaping three years ago in Burnsville, Minn., their hometown.

    “My wife has really helped me and we work perfectly together, which is why we called the company Perfect Landscaping,” he said.

    The couple now travels around the country working in towns that have been devastated by tornadoes, storms and hurricanes.

    “It’s awful to see the damage these storms leave behind. We’ve seen so many people who have lost everything,” he said.

    The couple worked for FEMA until December clearing debris off the streets. Then, after some effort, they were licensed by the town to do work in private homes. They will be leaving on Feb. 1.

    “It’s hard to be away from home, but we get to work together and we get to help people, which is important to us,” said Damaris Konkol.

    She said after her husband met with Chase they discussed it and decided to do the job.

    “We are all human beings and we all need help sometimes. We have to take care of each other,” she said.

    Rodney Konkol said he believes what goes around comes around.

    “I’m a firm believer that the good you do for others will always come back to you,” he said.

    Next they are headed to Alabama to clear up damage caused by devastating tornadoes this week.

    Wall Street: Stocks bounce back after Federal Reserve promises to keep interest rates low

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    The Dow Jones industrial average, which down as much as 95 points in the morning, closed up 83 points after the announcement.

    Ben BernankeFederal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke takes part in a news conference at the William McChesney Martin Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington Wednesday following the January Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

    By DANIEL WAGNER

    NEW YORK - The stock market bounced to its highest close since last spring Wednesday after the Federal Reserve pledged to keep interest rates near zero for almost three more years.

    Bond yields dropped sharply, then climbed back later in the day when investors began looking more closely into the Fed’s deliberations. The yield on the five-year Treasury note touched an all-time low.

    The big moves in both markets came at 12:30 p.m. EST, when the Fed’s monetary policy committee said it was unlikely to raise interest rates before late 2014. It had previously promised to keep rates low into the middle of 2013.

    The Fed cut rates to near zero in December 2008, during the financial crisis, and has held them there ever since. The announcement was a sign that the Fed expects the economy, which is improving, to need significant help for three more years.

    The Dow Jones industrial average was down as much as 95 points in the morning and about 60 points before the Fed announcement. It shot to a gain of 103 points during the afternoon.

    The Dow closed up 83.10 points, or 0.7 percent, at 12,758.85. That’s the highest close since May. The Dow peaked for last year in April at 12,810. Before that, it had not been so high since May 2008.

    In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note was at 2.05 percent an hour before the announcement and quickly fell to 1.92, a significant move. It rose to 1.99 percent two hours later.

    The bounce-back happened at about 2 p.m., when the Fed released details of how the committee voted. Six of its 17 members had favored an interest rate increase this year or next – well before late 2014 in either case.

    The yield on the five-year Treasury note hit 0.76 percent, an all-time low. Bond yields fall when their prices rise.

    The Fed’s extension of low rates signaled that it expects inflation to stay low. Low inflation makes Treasurys more attractive by helping to maintain the value of bond owners’ fixed returns. Rising prices would eat into those returns.

    The announcement guaranteed that short-term loans will remain cheap, making it easier for investors to finance longer-term purchases, such as 10- and 30-year Treasurys, said John Canally, investment strategist and economist for LPL Financial.

    Monetary decisions by the Fed can change the market’s momentum in the short term but rarely have a longer-term impact, Canally warned.

    The market changed directions after 22 of the past 24 Fed policy announcements, he said, yet the change evaporates quickly. The market essentially has an equal chance of rising or falling in the five days after Fed meetings, he said.

    “It’s a coin flip, really,” Canally said.

    Keeping rates ultra-low for a longer period increases the likelihood that the Fed will engage in more bond-buying programs to help the economy, a policy known as quantitative easing, said Anthony Chan, chief economist with JPMorgan Private Wealth Management. Those tend to boost bond prices by increasing the overall demand in the market.

    Chan called the Fed’s move insurance against the European debt crisis and a recession across the Atlantic Ocean. Stock buyers, he said, were happy about the prospect of low inflation and a Fed leaning toward promoting economic growth.

    The promise of lower rates pushed the dollar lower against other major currencies. Low interest rates make the dollar less attractive because they reduce the returns traders get on U.S. debt and other bonds priced in dollars.

    Markets had opened mostly lower on fears about Greece’s slow progress in talks with bondholders aimed at reducing that nation’s crushing debt load.

    Technology stocks rose all morning, bucking the wider market, after Apple Inc. reported its best quarter and blew away analyst estimates because of strong holiday sales of the iPhone and iPad.

    Apple once again passed Exxon Mobil as the company with the biggest market value. Wall Street was watching the results closely because they were for the company’s first quarter since the death of founder Steve Jobs.

    Apple stock jumped 6.3 percent, helping lift the Nasdaq composite index by 31.67 points, or 1.1 percent, to close at 2,818.31. The Nasdaq is up 8.2 percent this year, nearly twice the gain for the Dow Jones industrial average.

    Netflix Inc., the DVD-by-mail and video streaming provider, jumped 13 percent in after-hours trading after reporting earnings that far exceeded Wall Street’s expectations.

    The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 11.41 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,326.06. The S&P is up 5.4 percent for the year and more than 14 percent from its Nov. 25 low.

    As fears recede about Europe, big-time investors such as hedge funds will be drawn back into the market, fueling more gains, said Joe Bell, senior Equity Strategist at Schaeffer’s Investment Research.

    After such a strong rally, there might be a slight decline, but “overall we’re bullish,” Bell said.

    European markets mostly closed lower. Greece wants the investors, mostly banks and hedge funds, to voluntarily write off about half their debt. Otherwise, Greece will be unable to obtain bailout cash and won’t be able to pay its bills. That could set off a financial crisis similar to what happened when Lehman Brothers investment bank failed in 2008.

    Adding to the gloom was a report that Britain’s economy shrank by 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter.

    Among the other companies making big moves after announcing earnings:

    • US Airways Group Inc. jumped 17.3 percent and Delta Air Lines Inc. rose 6.2 percent. Both airlines reported profits far better than Wall Street analysts expected. The airlines raised fares during the fourth quarter while keeping costs under control. Delta also cut the number of flights it makes to keep pace with demand.

    • WellPoint Inc., the nation’s largest health insurance company based on enrollment, fell 4.8 percent. Its quarterly profit dropped 39 percent, far more than analysts had expected. Its full-year forecast also fell short of forecasts. Medical claims, its largest expense, rose nearly 10 percent in the quarter.

    • Guidewire Software Inc. soared 37 percent on its first day of trading. The company, which makes software for the insurance industry, rose to $17.80 after selling initially at $13. The 11-year-old company raised $115 million in its debut – or about $27 million less than the profit Apple turned in an average day last quarter.

    Sen. Scott Brown touts STOCK Act during visit to Springfield's South End

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    Brown spent time visiting with voters at Milano's Importing, touting his STOCK Act, which was acknowledged by President Obama following the State of the Union address.

    Scott Brown visits Milano Importing in Springfield's South EndView full size01/25/2012 Springfield- Republican Photo by Robert Rizzuto- Republican Sen. Scott Brown discussed the progress made in tornado-ravaged Springfield and the status of the STOCK Act during a visit to Milano Importers on Wednesday.

    SPRINGFIELD – Unlike the last time Republican Sen. Scott Brown walked the streets of Springfield's South End, a visit Wednesday afternoon was complimented by a row of busy independent businesses, bustling urban traffic and electricity.

    "Last time I was here, there was destruction everywhere," Brown said as he entered Milano Importing to a crowd of reporters, voters and patrons. "Taking the tour of Springfield and seeing the devastation in different parts of the state – that is something I'll never forget. The progress is unbelievable and it's really a credit to the mayor and his team, the first responders. They all did a remarkable job."

    Nick Recchia, the businesses owner, said he was pleased Brown wanted to visit his store as Milano continues to bounce back from the June tornado that changed the city's landscape forever.

    "It was a long, rough summer rebuilding but we're back and happy with the way everything turned out," Recchia said. "When some of the senator's supporters said he was coming to the city and interested in coming here for lunch, I said I'd love to have him in."

    Gallery preview

    Brown's visit spanned more than an hour, as he talked with local people, posed for pictures and addressed the gaggle of journalists from local, state and national outlets who were trailing him.

    One issue Brown discussed in Springfield was the revised Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, which would legally require members of Congress to abide by the same rules as ordinary citizens when it comes to buying or selling stocks based on non-public knowledge.

    President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday, he said "Send me a bill that bans insider trading by members of Congress, and I will sign it tomorrow."

    Brown, who helped broker a compromise on the STOCK Act in late 2011, brought up the bill in a brief exchange with the president Tuesday evening.

    "My insider trading bill is on Harry’s (Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid) desk right now," Brown told the president on Tuesday. "Tell him to get it out."

    Obama said "I'm going to tell him. I'm going to tell him to get it done."

    Reid told reporters after the speech that he would support the legislation and didn't see any reason it shouldn't pass this year.

    Brown said that his office followed up with Reid today to get the bill scheduled for a vote on the Senate floor.

    When the initial STOCK Act was introduced as far back as 2006, it only had six co-sponsors and no real chance of passing.

    Since a 60 Minutes report accused politicians from both parties of cashing in on knowledge they learned through their publicly paid positions, several politicians jumped aboard the issue. Among them were Brown and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., whose revisions were merged as a compromise by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in November.

    Since then, the bill has grown to include more than 230 co-sponsors.

    The bill would not, however, bar a member of Congress from voting on an issue where they stand to gain financially from a certain outcome, a criticism by some who charge the law doesn't make enough of an effort to clean up politics in Washington.

    Brown wrote a letter to Reid on Wednesday, asking for a full Senate vote on the bill.



    The unedited text of Brown's letter is below.


    January 25, 2012

    The Honorable Harry Reid
    Majority Leader
    United States Senate

    Dear Majority Leader Reid:

    We need to restore faith in our government, and we need to start right away. In that spirit, I urge you to schedule a vote on the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act as one of our first Senate actions of the second session of the 112th Congress. In the State of the Union speech last night, President Obama said that he would sign this important piece of legislation into law if we can just manage to get it to his desk. Let’s show the public that we can come together in common purpose and do the right thing.

    As you recall, CBS News’ “60 Minutes” aired a story two months ago about instances where members and employees of Congress may be using material nonpublic information for their own personal financial gain. I believe very strongly that Members of Congress must live by the same laws that govern everyone else. We need to make it crystal clear that insider trading, or any other scheme where Members use non-public information to enrich their own bank accounts, is a serious crime.

    To address this problem, I filed the STOCK Act (S. 1871) on November 15, 2011. On December 1, at my request, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on the state of insider trading law as it applies to Congress. Then, on December 14, the revised Chairman’s Mark of the STOCK Act passed out of Committee by an overwhelming margin. Majority Leader Reid, I ask that you work with me to pass this very important piece of legislation and do it as soon as possible. It is clear that Congress needs to act, and the opportunity is now in your hands.

    At a time when our economy is struggling and the average American family has to make hard economic choices, Members of Congress should not be lining their pockets on insider information. Serving our country is a privilege. I believe we must level the playing field and show the American people that the United States Congress does not consider itself to be above laws that apply to everyone else.

    Sincerely,

    Scott P. Brown

    United States Senator

    cc: Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

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