The man was shot near the corner of Taylor and Dwight streets as bars and clubs were closing for the night.

Staff photo by Conor BerryTwo unmarked Springfield police cruisers block the entrance to Taylor Street at Dwight Street after a man was shot in the back just before 2 a.m. Saturday.

Updates a story published at 2:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28.

SPRINGFIELD – A shooting victim injured early Saturday in the city's downtown entertainment district remains in stable condition at Baystate Medical Center, but he isn't helping police with their investigation into finding out who's responsible for the crime.

"He's not cooperating with us. He doesn't want to know anything," Springfield Police Capt. Cheryl Clapprood said.

The shooting, reported just before 2 a.m., happened as bars and clubs were letting out for the night.

A gray-colored SUV was seen fleeing the area after gunfire erupted outside an entertainment district nightclub, but police so far haven't been able to locate that vehicle, which was last seen on East Columbus Avenue heading toward Interstate 91.

The shooting was the third involving an injury in two days, including an incident reported just after midnight Saturday in the city's Six Corners neighborhood. Police said that victim was shot in the leg, and he showed up at Baystate's Emergency Room for treatment around 6:47 a.m. today.

It was a busy Friday night into Saturday morning for police in Springfield, with officers responding to incidents throughout the city, including a North End machete attack.

In that case, a man was struck in the head with a machete around 11:30 p.m. Friday near 16 Grove St., Clapprood said.

"We were straight out," she said.

The sole warrant article requests $115,000 to pay for field lights that would allow night games on the athletic field.

EAST LONGMEADOW– After months of debate voters will finally decide the fate of the East Longmeadow High School athletic field lighting project on Feb. 1.

A special Town Meeting will be held at the high school at 7 p.m. to vote on a single warrant article, a petitioned request made by resident Joseph Cabrera, to pay for lights for the new high school athletic field.

“I feel the complex is a town project and the voters should have the opportunity to have their voice heard after learning all the facts,” said Cabrera, who is a School Committee member, but submitted the petition as an individual.

Currently the field cannot be used at night because the lights are too dim and could cause player injuries, according to Superintendent of Schools Gordon C. Smith who made the decision to eliminate night games.

Joseph Cabrera Jr.

The School Committee considered several options for paying for the lights including leasing the project, fund-raising and asking the Capital Planning Committee to submit it as a project during the regular Town Meeting in May.

Initially, the School Committee placed an article on the May 2011 town warrant requesting $335,000 to pay for several alternate projects on the field including water cannons, plexiglass accelerator, striping on the field, a logo, visitor bleachers, track and field equipment and the lighting retrofit. The article passed at Town Meeting, but failed at the ballot on June 28 by 26 votes.

“We have lost time and money due to confusion and perceived misinformation. This petition will not increase taxes, is limited solely to the lights, not water canons or bleachers, rest rooms and other additions which will be addressed in the future,” Cabrera said.

Cabrera gathered more than 500 signatures from residents in favor of holding the special Town Meeting. Only one oother School Committee member, Richard Freccero, signed the petition. Board of Selectmen members Paul L. Federici and Enrico J. Villamaino are in favor of the article.

Board of Selectmen Chairman James D. Driscoll has publicly opposed the article stating that now is not the time to take money from free cash.

Driscoll said the town will have to use $800,000 of free cash in order to pay for the October snowstorm, which will reduce the town’s reserves. Driscoll proposed a possible partnership with a solar energy company that would allow the school department to lease space on school roofs for solar panels. That project has not moved forward.

“The Appropriations Committee and Capital Planning recommended the article after extensive research. This was done after several meetings over months and a wealth of information including the issues publicly mentioned by Mr. Driscoll. The town bond rating will not be affected and free cash is set aside for items like,” Cabrera said.

If voters do not approve the article the School Committee hopes to include the lights as part of their capital projects request for fiscal year 2013.

The chord was under the leg of a bed in which two children were sleeping, said Dennis Leger, a fire department spokesman.

Republican file photo

Updates a story published at 5:05 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28.

SPRINGFIELD – A faulty extension cord under a bed in which two children were sleeping appears to have caused an Indian Orchard house fire that resulted in extensive damage to 105 Berkshire St. early Saturday morning, according to Springfield Fire Department Public Information Officer Dennis G. Leger.

"Two kids were in the bed when they felt the heat from the cord under the bed," he said, adding that no one was injured in the 4:22 a.m. incident.

Part of the cord was stuck under a bed leg, which apparently caused the wire to fray, Leger said.

In addition to the two kids, two adults and two other children were in the two-story, Cape-style home when the fire broke out. Police and firefighters safely evacuated all six residents as well as people from a neighboring property, officials said.

Leger said the bedroom where the fire started was located on the second floor of the home, which sustained about $50,000 worth of damage.

"People should be careful with extension cords. It looks like this one was under a bed leg," he said.

Friction from the leg caused the wire to split and fray, Leger said. Extension cords shouldn't be placed under carpeting or heavy furniture, he said.

Principal Mark Jackson has asked for $25,000 to help retain the number of sports offered at Amherst Regional High School.

The Republican file photo | David MolnarAmherst Regional High School's Audrey Gould won the 1 Mile run at the indoor track meet at Smith College at a meet in December. The number of sports at the school could be reduced if the budget shortfall is not dealt with.

AMHERST – Efforts to increase funding for high school sports in Amherst reflects the continuing difficulty of supporting athletics in Western Massachusetts.

At Amherst Regional High School, principal Mark Jackson is asking that $25,000 be added to the $184,829 athletics budget, a request supported by the School Committee.

The athletics budget has been sliced in half since 2007, with fund-raising, gifts and fees helping to fill in the gap. Even with the additional money, the athletic budget will be $29,000 in the red, Jackson said.

But even with the additional money, the athletic budget would still have a $29,000 deficit, he said.

Jackson told the committee recently that with the continued deficit, he might have to cut the number of sports offered at the school.

“My intent is to put all my cards on the table,” he said. He said he hopes "it will mobilize people to engage in the conversation" about how to pay for sports.

Amherst offers 26 sports and 54 teams, and 450 students, or 42 percent of the school’s population, participate in at least one sport.

Tom Russo, Executive Secretary of the Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference, said Amherst is not alone in its troubles.

“It’s been a problem ever since Proposition 2½,” he said, referring to the tax limiting measure adopted in 1980. He said schools have had to cut sports and travel and impose user fees. Over time, some schools “have regrouped. Many school systems were able to do away with user fees,” Russo said.

But now on the heels of the most recent recession, schools are bringing back user fees and fees are being increased, Russo said.

Some districts like Holyoke or Chicopee do not have user fees.

At Longmeadow High School, those who play football, soccer, volleyball, and field hockey have to pay $260 in fees.

Fees in Palmer – $200 to play football – could be a contributing factor in the number of students playing football. The town is proposing to form a co-op team with Monson to bring more students to the team.

In Amherst, user fees currently range from $193 to $231 depending on the sport, with the cost to families capped at $1,100 per year. The cap for an individual is $552. Amherst does reduce rates for those who get free or reduced lunch.

But these fees will rise by 7 percent next fall.

Jackson had asked for a 10 percent hike, but Amherst Regional School Committee chairman Richard B. Hood said the committee felt that hike was too high. He pointed out that there hasn’t been an increase in two years.

“We’re too dependent on fundraising, too much variation (in the budget). It doesn’t allow for sustainability,” Jackson said. “We need to say we have the hard revenue.”

Jackson said a more dependable source of revenue than fund-raising is needed to sustain the program. He said he understands that “academics had to take a priority over athletics.” But he said “it’s time to start climbing out of the of the hole."

Hood said the committee understands the need and is hoping to support the $25,000 increase in spending. But there are questions regarding upcoming state aid. Town officials had been expecting a 2 percent hike in state aid, but based on the $32.3 billion budget released by Gov. Deval L. Patrick this week, local aid would be level funded. There is a provision to add another $65 million if there are sufficient surplus funds at the end of this fiscal year.

Amherst has an active athletics booster group. The Hurricane Boosters has been “getting the things for kids the town hasn’t been able (to buy,)” former president Roy Johnson said. The group has purchased scoreboards or safety fences and a softball pitching machine “so our teams can be competitive," Johnson said. "It’s no fun when you go to other towns and they have more than what Amherst has.

“If we have to change funding to (to pay for the sports themselves,) it would be a shame,” he said.

His two sons played school sports at the high school. “It’s tremendous to have that much opportunity,” he said. " “We know kids have a better chance of doing well and being successful in life” when they are involved in any after-school activity.

“The participation is pretty significant," Russo said of varsity athletics. "You’re getting a good bang for your dollar.”

There were no injuries, but the fire displaced the two families who lived there.

Photo by Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. LegerSpringfield firefighters work to extinguish a third floor bedroom fire at 134-136 Johnson st. on Saturday morning.

SPRINGFIELD – A 16-year-old boy set his bed on fire at 134-136 Johnson St. on Saturday morning. The fire displaced eight people, according to the Fire Department.

Fire Department spokesman Dennis Leger said the fire was reported just after 8 a.m. and was out within an hour. It caused approximately $60,000 in damage to the 2 ½ story home, which is in the Forest Park section.

The fire started in an upstairs bedroom, Leger said.

“The third floor basically is gone, and there’s water and smoke damage below,” Leger said.

Leger said there were no injuries, and the two families who lived there are being assisted by the Pioneer Valley chapter of the American Red Cross.

Leger said it was unclear why the boy set his bed on fire.

While Republican Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren have already demonstrated a fundraising pace that's drawn international attention to their campaigns in Massachusetts, the race is on track to become the most expensive Congressional election in history.

Associated PressU.S. Sen. Scott Brown, left, and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren have signed a pledge to curb political attack ads by outside groups, a move which is expected to increase the amount of money each campaign spends through November.

Republican Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren have already demonstrated a fundraising pace that's drawn international attention to their campaigns in Massachusetts.

And as the days pass and the money keeps rolling in, the U.S. Senate race in the Bay State has the potential to be the most expensive Congressional election in history.

Brown, who won a 2010 special election against state Attorney General Martha Coakley following Sen. Edward Kennedy's death, entered the current race with nearly $10 million in his war chest and brought in $3.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to Federal Election Commission data. Warren, a consumer advocate and Harvard Law School professor who helped establish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, raised $5.7 million in that same quarter, the FEC reports, bringing her year-end cash to nearly $6 million, not to mention her recent "money-bomb" that clocked more than $1 million in a short week.

In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned many of the federal campaign finance regulations in the Citizens United decision, which paved the way for third-party groups, such as Super Pacs, to raise unlimited amounts of funds and spend them however they please as long as there is no direct coordination with political candidates about advertising.

Since November, a number of these groups have spent millions attacking the respective candidates in an attempt to sway voter opinions. With third-party influence potentially diminished by the "People's Pledge" pact that Brown suggested and Warren signed, it is likely that the candidates will be seeking cash from donors around the country to make up for the previously "free" attacks. The "People's Pledge" mandates self-imposed financial penalties if an outside group advertises on Brown's or Warren's behalf.

"This race is easily going to crush the previous record and they basically guaranteed that when they signed the agreement to keep Super PACs from advertising on their behalf," said John Baick, professor of history at Western New England University in Springfield. "Without the money being spent by those groups, the candidates will be looking to raise money from Massachusetts and across the country to make up for it. This race has the potential to determine the future of the U.S. Senate and it is already drawing attention from places far from Massachusetts."

In the graphic above, states shown in red indicate that Brown drew a larger total of itemized individual contributions than Warren. States shown in blue indicate that Warren drew a larger total than Brown. Data from California and Washington, DC -- the latter of which isn't shown on the map -- show the impact that some national liberal-aligned groups had on the race's campaign finance figures through the end of September. (Graphic by Greg Saulmon)

A review of data from the FEC in mid-January revealed donations for the senate race in the Bay State have come from 49 states as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The majority of donations for each candidate are from Massachusetts, but New York and Illinois respectively round out Brown's top three list while California and New York do the same for Warren.

The Congressional election that holds the current record of approximately $70 million spent involved Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Rick Lazio in the battle to become the junior senator from New York in 2000.

According to the most recent FEC data and information from the Brown and Warren campaigns, the candidates spent around $2.8 million each by the end of 2011. Although that is far from $70 million, Clinton's prominence in the Democratic Party made her a lightening rod for donations from outside the state in that election, similar to the effect Warren is having on liberals as well as conservatives.

"Warren is the darling of those in her party who see President (Barack) Obama as being too centrist," Baick said. "They see her as the hero of consumer protection and she has the potential as a freshman senator to eclipse more senior senators because of what she represents. She represents a government that will punish corporations and stand on the side of the 'little guy' automatically. That draws attention and reactions from both conservatives and liberals."

In the Bay State, Warren, citing the importance of a grassroots effort to win an election, said more than 23,000 commonwealth residents made small donations to her fourth-quarter haul of $5.7 million. Baick said that although Warren has a "mini-version" of what President Obama had in the 2008 election with a mass of young people rallying for her, it is unclear what Brown's grassroots populace will be.

"When Brown ran in 2010, he had a lot of help from the tea party as that wave was upcoming at the time. After being elected, he distanced himself from them, so as not to be associated with the 'Sarah Palins' and completely risk future reelection in Massachusetts," Baick said. "The tea party members were his ground troops and in a state like this, a ground campaign still matters. But this time, who will be his ground brigade?"

Both candidates continue to make rounds across the state to meet voters and reiterate their respective talking points.

With about 10 months until the general election in November, Warren still could face Middleton immigration lawyer Marisa DeFranco and/or Dover attorney James Conye King in a Democratic primary, depending on which candidates qualify at the state Democratic convention in Springfield on June 2. And Brown must continue to serve in Washington as well as campaign across the state.

"In most states, the people aren't even thinking about the Senate races yet," Baick said. "In the summer after the presidential candidates get sorted out, people typically will take notice. But here, Warren has attracted the attention early on. And Scott Brown has made decisions to split with his party on symbolic votes, drawing his own attention.

"Brown didn't win the first time because of the money he spent but in the coming months, both candidates will be sending out fundraising requests locally and nationally. In Massachusetts, we still practice a 'retail election.' "

Obituaries from The Republican.

Ronald Chateauneuf

Ronald R. Chateauneuf, 75, of South Hadley, passed away on Friday. He was an active parishioner at St. Theresa's Church and member of both the Beavers Club and the Knights of Columbus, where he was a past Grand Knight and Financial Secretary for council 4044. He was an accomplished pianist, and performed for many years as a member of the Bail Brothers and Diplomats Band. Chateauneuf served in the National Guard and worked for National Blank Book for over 30 years, retiring as the Customer Service Manager.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• 
  Asselin, Corinne M. (Gonthier)
  



• 
  Burke, Mary Jane (Deveney)
  




• 
  Callahan, Carl Edward
  



• 
  Casey, Arthur D.
  



• 
  Chateauneuf, Ronald R.




• 
  Daviau, Rose E.
  



• 
  Foster, Zachary Longstreet
  




• Hampton, Audrey J. (Corbett)
  




• 
  Jackson, Gabriel F.
  



• 
  LaFlamme, Claudette H. (Kocor)




• 
  Ligarski, Michael Gene
  



• 
  Minihan, Jean E. (Maxwell)
  




• Moores, Shirley J. (Sanders)
  




• 
  Richardson, Clara L. (Fuller)
  



• 
  Richardson, Ronald G.




• 
  Stolar, Paul
  



• 
  Swinconeck, Sophie S. (Niedzwiecdzinski)
  




• Tracy, Roland F.
  




• 
  Tylunas, Patricia A. (Toomey)
  



• 
  Vachereau, Nelson A.




• 
  Vatrano, Tony
  



• 
  Wescott, Elizabeth Ann (Leavitt)
  




• Wright, Thomas A.
  

Advocates for seniors are taking exception to Gov. Deval Patrick's state spending plan for the next fiscal year.

Massachusetts 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. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

BOSTON (AP) — Advocates for seniors are taking exception to Gov. Deval Patrick's state spending plan for the next fiscal year.

AARP Massachusetts says it will try to reverse a proposed $1.5 million cut in an elder nutrition program that could eliminate 250,000 free meals that are provided for seniors.

The organization warns that the cut could put some needy seniors at risk of going hungry.

While most other programs have been level-funded, AARP says the governor's budget proposal also offers no help to the nearly 1,000 seniors who are on a waiting list for home health care.

Administration officials say they have been forced to make difficult choices because of the continuing financial challenges facing state government.

Construction will be scheduled for completion before June 30.

File photo by Don Treeger / The RepublicanColumbia Greenway Rail Trail volunteer Joseph Giffune, of Westfield, is shown here where part of the trail crosses Shaker Road.

WESTFIELD – As early as two years ago the Westfield section of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail was still just an idea but today construction is expected to start by early spring.

That is the way Jeffrey J. LaValley, chairman of the Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail explained progress on the project this week at a public information session attended by more than 100 bicycle and hiking enthusiasts.

Armed with $1 million in state funding, City Engineer Mark S. Cressotti said construction bids will be requested next month with the intent of beginning construction by April 1 or earlier.

Project manager John J. Bechard said Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., design engineers of Worcester, have completed the final design and the project is ready to move to the bidding stage.

Ground breaking will mark the start of Phase I of the city’s three-phase project that will extend the rail trail, originating in Farmington, Conn. to the northern border of Westfield over the next few years.

Phase I will connect with Southwick’s $4 million, six-mile section of rail trail, and extend it to at least a section of Westfield’s downtown.

Thursday’s information hearing on the trail, held at Shaker Farms Country Club drew advocates like Northampton resident Edward J. Atkinson and Southwick’s Daniel Call who was instrumental in last year’s completion of that town’s trail.

“This has been in the planning for a long time,” said Atkinson. “I am looking for completion of the trail through Westfield and eventually join with our section in Northampton,” Atkinson said.

Call said “continuation of the trail is on the minds of a lot of people. Westfield is another addition.”

Westfield resident William E. Cervanayco added “We want to see this project keep moving all the way to Northampton.”

Once Phase I is under construction, VHB is expected to complete design of Westfield final phase that will extend from the Westfield River near the Great River Bridge to an area south at Orange Street. The project phase which will link the downtown area to the rail will be the final portion of the overall estimated $7 million trail here. Bechard said funding the next phase of construction has been earmarked for 2014.

Mayor Daniel M. Knapik and Cressotti have said the city’s intent is to proceed on an annual schedule until the city’s rail trail is complete.

State Sen. Michael R. Knapik, R-Westfield, said the project represents “something great happening in Westfield.”

State Rep. Donald F. Humason Jr., R-Westfield, likened the project to “reusing remnants of the city’s industrial era.”

The project will included a paved bike path, 10-feet wide, a parking area at the Southwick line and an access road through a portion of Shaker Farms Country Club.

Cressotti, noting a requirement that the state grant be spent by June 30, said the first phase will be completed and available for use this summer.

A Connecticut mom is busted after her toddler brings bags of pot to school' Vermont men are held by police following farm prostitution bust; and more of the day's headlines.

A cargo ship carrying NASA rocket parts pauses in the water after colliding with the Eggner Ferry Bridge that partially collapsed when it was struck Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, near Aurora, Ky. The ship was traveling upriver toward the Kentucky Lock and Dam when it hit the aging steel bridge, which was built in the 1930s and handles about 2,800 vehicles a day. (AP Photo/Tina Carroll)

• Substancially redacted, U.S. Sen. Scott Brown's National Guard records released [Boston Globe]


• Connecticut mother of 4-Year-Old Who Brought Pot To School Arrested [Hartford Courant]


• Erin Brockovich Investigates Bizarre Rash of Student Illness in Upstate New York [The Atlantic]


• GPS units help police bust Fitchburg man for 5 bank robberies across the Bay State [Worcester Telegram & Gazette]


• Mass. town administrator sentenced to 3 years in prison for secretly videotaping females in town hall [Lowell Sun]


• Vermont men held in farm prostitution case [NECN]


• Accused Penn State child molester Jerry Sandusky asks judge to visit grandchildren [PennLive.com]


• British police arrest 5 in tabloid bribery probe [Associated Press]


• Twitter starts country-by-country censorship campaign [Wall Street Journal]


• Twitter posts tagged #westernma in Western Mass. [MassLive.com]


• Read more News Links »


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A 2008 study by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission gave the intersection an “F,” indicating “extreme delays.”

View full sizeFile photo / The RepublicanThe intersection of Jabish, Main and Maple streets in Belchertown is shown in this 2001 photo.

BELCHERTOWN – The intersection at Maple, Main and Jabish streets will undergo an overhaul now that the town has secured $1 million in government funding.

Department of Public Works director Steven J. Williams said the project includes new turning lanes to improve traffic flow and ease wait times for drivers, along with improvements to the signals.

A 2008 study by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission showed drivers approaching the intersection from the east, the direction from Town Hall at 2 Jabish St., and turning left or staying straight could expect to sit at the light for seven minutes at rush hour.

The study gave the intersection an “F,” indicating “extreme delays.”

Work at the intersection in the center of town could begin in late spring, Williams said.

The federal Surface Transportation Program and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program are providing $800,000 and the remaining funds will come from non-federal sources, according to Massachusetts Department of Transportation records.

“The money is available and we are looking at a bid date to get that project constructed toward the end of this month,” Williams said at a recent meeting of the Board of Selectmen.

“If not in January, then in February at some point,” he added. “So we are rolling. We are hitting the ground running and we are going to see some activity there very soon.”

William said he “did suffer a setback recently” when it became clear there was not enough time for the selectmen to sign the necessary new easements for town property and the northwest corner of the nearby Vernon Lodge of Masons.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation requested revisions to the original easements and to make things smoother Williams wants to have someone sign them as soon as they’re ready, rather than waiting for the next selectmen meeting.

“The fiscal properties of the project have remained exactly the same. The only thing that’s changing is the lines of the easements,” said Williams. The signal post outside the Masonic building was not within the lines and the Department of Transportation said, without changes, the project would lack property rights.

Selectman Ronald E. Aponte said “that’s absolutely practical” to allow Williams’ easement proposal and the board approved it.

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Representatives of AWAKE said they have a proven track record of intervening to aid the highest risk youth.

SPRINGFIELD – City officials said that a grassroots group known as AWAKE was omitted from a share of an $800,000 anti-violence grant because it never produced the documentation needed to prove its claim of being a leader in the fight against youth and gang violence.

Representatives of Alive with Awareness, Knowledge, and Empowerment, said it was the city that erred, never conducting an open, fair process when it selected several local organizations to share in the grant and left out AWAKE. The grant targets intervention with young men, ages 14 to 24, and specifically those deemed highest risk victims and perpetrators of violent crime, officials said.

The dispute will come to a forefront Monday when the City Council considers for a third time if it should accept the $800,000 grant. Ten councilors voted a week earlier to delay the vote until they could receive additional answers about the grant process.

A state official, however, warned the council in a two-page letter that the grant could be in jeopardy if delays continue. Her warning has led to the special meeting Monday at 5 p.m. at City Hall.

The grant guidelines called for organizations with proven, documented success, city officials said.

City grants manager said AWAKE, a nonprofit organization, did provide a summary of how many “highest-risk” youth and families it serves, but failed to provide support documentation such as its financial records, payroll data, scheduling information, timeframe of services, tracking of outcomes, and substantiation of case management and programming.

Robert E. McCollum

“AWAKE could not provide any proof of existing programs with substantiated outcomes,” Wojcik said.

The grant application was submitted by the Police Department and Wojcik and approved by state officials.

Robert E. McCollum, chairman, and DeJuan Brown, executive director of AWAKE, said the organization is small, receives little funding assistance, but has a proven record of success in intervention with high-risk youth and their families. Brown said the organization did provide significant details of its programs.

Wojcik said the city, in requesting data, instead was emailed “a barrage of newspaper articles.”

The organization’s budget has declined from $358,000 in grants in 2008 to approximately $20,000 in grant funds in 2011, and a private grant of $3,000, AWAKE officials said.

Despite that decline, AWAKE continues its successful intervention efforts with primarily a volunteer force, McCollum and Brown said.

Brown said he and another worker were getting $200 a week for their outreach efforts and some stipends were given to youth until the limited funding was drained.

Kevin McCaskill, former principal of Putnam Vocational Technical High School, is listed as treasurer of AWAKE on state records, but will be replaced because he now works in Hartford, McCollum said. An audit of Putnam found numerous financial abuses in the school during the time McCaskill served as principal. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

The $800,000 Safe & Successful Youth Initiative grant was awarded by the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

AWAKE was seeking $360,340 from the grant, saying it would provide case management services to 250 proven-risk youth and 500 youth with general outreach/engagement services.

That would include salaries for a project director, four case managers, six outreach workers, and a family support specialist.

Some city councilors said they are concerned that the city did not reach out enough to local grassroots groups such as AWAKE.

The largest amount of the grant, $375,000, was earmarked for Roca, a community organization that develops programs for high-risk youth. The Police Department received $155,000 for two gang unit officers (half-time each), and a civilian grant coordinator. Smaller amounts went to the Salvation Army, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, the Regional Employment Board, the Massachusetts Career Development Institute, and Baystate Medical Center.

City Councilor Timothy J. Rooke said he has reviewed documents on AWAKE and the agencies funded, and believes the city made the right decision.

“After reviewing all the information, AWAKE must have been asleep during the process,” Rooke said. “From the documents I have, I would say they fell miserably short.”

McCollum said the process was flawed and unfair, and there was never an outreach to community organizations.

Wojcik said outreach included a state press release, a visit by Health and Human Services official to the Martin Luther King Center in May, and discussions at Violence Prevention Task Force meetings.

McCollum and Brown said they challenge other agencies to match the on-street intervention efforts of AWAKE, along with their members’ outreach at Baystate Medical Center and the Hampden County Correctional Center.

State and federal agencies have required that conservation restrictions be put on land at the former Agawam Sportsman's Club and part of School Street Park before they will allow the sale of the club property.

File photo by Jessica HillThe Agawam Sportsman's Club is seen in this 2005 photo.

AGAWAM – Mayor Richard A. Cohen and City Councilor Robert A. Magovern want the City Council to put a restriction on the deed of School Street Park to facilitate getting the Agawam Sportsman's Club sold and paying property taxes again.

Magovern has filed a resolution to be taken up by the council at its Feb. 6 meeting that would prohibit the growing of any vegetation that would be consumed on a section of the park abutting the club. The club property is located to the rear of the park and has an address of 358 Corey St.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection have required the city to restrict the deed as condition for them allowing the sale of Agawam Sportsman's Club property.

They have spent about $817,000 remediating damage resulting from part of the park abutting a section of the club property having high lead and arsenic levels because the area had been used for a shooting range. Although there are only faint traces of lead and arsenic contamination left, the government agencies still want to stipulate that food not be grown in the area, Cohen said Friday.

The lack of deed restrictions for both properties has prevented local contractor Thomas Russo from buying the club property to build a condominium complex. The government agencies worked on the site following the closing of the club and its dissolution about eight years ago, according to Cohen.

The mayor said he wants to see the property sold to Russo to get it producing tax revenue for the city again. Currently, about $46,000 in back taxes are owed on the property, not counting an abatement that has yet to be applied, according to the treasurer-collector’s office. The amount of the abatement was not available late Friday.

Cohen has written a letter dated Jan. 25 in support of Magovern’s resolution to the council calling on its members to support the measure.

“The town has no intention to ever grow food on this particular site since it is a wetland,” Cohen wrote. “The use for this purpose would be a violation of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. Also, preliminary plans for the final phase of the School Street Park leave this area undisturbed and separated from public recreational activities by a detention basin.”

The club property consists of a building assessed at $120,900 on 5.2 acres assessed at $125,300.

Gov. Deval Patrick is heading out of state again to help raise money for Democrats.

View full sizeMassachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, right, responds to applause as he steps on the podium as Mass. Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, left, and Mass. Senate President Therese Murray, behind, look on in the House Chamber, at the Statehouse before the start of Patrick's state-of-the-state address, in Boston, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Deval Patrick is heading out of state again to help raise money for Democrats.

Patrick is the keynote speaker at the Sanford Hunt Frye Dinner, an annual event sponsored by the North Carolina Democratic Party.

Tickets for the Saturday night dinner are $40, but are already sold out.

According to the party's website, about 500 people attend the dinner each year. The event is a tribute to former North Carolina Govs. Terry Sanford and Jim Hunt and former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Frye.

Patrick last year formed a political action committee to help pay for trips out of state to campaign on behalf of Democrats across the country.

Patrick is also serving as an occasional political surrogate for President Barack Obama, a fellow Democrat and friend.

President Barack Obama has nominated a U.S. Marine general from Boston to be the next commander of the military's Southern Command.

View full sizeLt. Gen. John Kelly (Photo courtesy of U.S. Marines)

BOSTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has nominated a U.S. Marine general from Boston to be the next commander of the military's Southern Command.

Lt. Gen. John Kelly's appointment to the Miami-based position is subject to Senate confirmation. If promoted to the four-star post, Kelly would succeed Air Force Gen. Douglas Fraser as head of a command responsible for protecting the southern approaches into the United States.

Kelly is currently senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

He is also the most senior military officer to lose a child in the war in Afghanistan. His 29-year-old son, Lt. Robert M. Kelly of Tallahassee, Fla., was killed Nov. 9 in Helmand province.

Kelly is the former commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He led the unit in Iraq beginning in early 2008.

Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown on Saturday released a copy of his military record, after a Freedom of Information request by the Boston Globe was granted, but with a heavily redacted version of the documents.

Boston, MA - Scott Brown returns to Logan International Airport on Sept. 1, 2011, where he was met by his wife Gail Huff, after a 10 day stint in Afghanistan with the Massachusetts National Guard. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, John Wilcox)

BOSTON - Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown on Saturday released a copy of his military record, after a Freedom of Information request by the Boston Globe was honored with a heavily redacted version of the document.

"On January 24, 2012, the senator was informed by the Department of Defense that requests for his military record had been made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and the record would be released on January 27, 2012," Brown's Washington office said in a statement. "In accordance with protocol, DoD shared with the senator a copy of the records that would be released. Upon seeing that the records were heavily redacted, Senator Brown decided to go beyond what was required and release a copy of the record that is open and transparent."

A full copy of the records can be viewed at the bottom of this post.

Brown, who is in the middle of a heated reelection campaign against three Democratic challengers, including consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren, said that he is proud of his military record.

“I am proud of my 32 years of service in the Army National Guard," Brown said in a statement. "The Guard has profoundly impacted my life, and I credit those I have served with for inspiring me to be a better man, and a better servant of my country."

His office said the blacked out portions of the document it released on Saturday referred to his life insurance policy and medical records.

The following is a summary of the records, as provided by Brown's U.S. Senate office in Washington.

• December 28, 1979: Enlisted into the Massachusetts Army National Guard
• June 16, 1984: Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, Infantry Branch from ROTC
• June 17, 1984: Appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Massachusetts Army National Guard (MAARNG), Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC), 26th Infantry Division (26th ID)
• January 15, 1987: Promoted to 1st Lieutenant, Infantry, HHC, 26th ID
• January 6, 1990: Promoted to Captain, Infantry, 26th Division Support Command (DISCOM)
• May 13, 1994: Appointed to Captain in the Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG), HQs State Area Command (STARC)
• January 29, 1998: Promoted to Major, JAG, HQ STARC
• November 25, 2006: Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, JAG, HHC, 26th ID

• Meritorious Service Medal
• Army Commendation Medal, with four oak leaf clusters
• Army Achievement Medal, with one oak leaf cluster
• Army Parachutist Badge
• German Proficiency Badge in Gold
• Overseas Service Ribbon

EXCERPTS FROM BROWN'S MILITARY RECORD

• “LT Brown as a young officer has shown that he uses the most penetrating and objective evaluations to arrive at a decision. LT Brown is a young and aggressive officer. He is self motivated and learns very fast. He has the potential to be promoted to a position with greater responsibilities.” ~ Officer Evaluation Report: June 16, 1984 – February 9, 1985
• “He spends many hours of his own personal time assisting soldiers. His fine performance before Separation Boards has drawn many compliments from members of these boards who have stated to this rater that he is the best perpared [sic] attorney appearing before them.

  CPT Brown maintains himself in excellent physical condition. He is quickly gaining expertise in the many areas of law dealt with by this office.” “CPT Brown has been an excellent addition to the JAG Directorate. He has performed tasks in a very professional manner undertaking all assigned tasks with enthusiasm. He maintains high personal standards, both physically and intellectually. He should be promoted when eligible and assigned greater responsibility.” ~ Officer Evaluation Report: May 13, 1994 – May 12, 1995

• “Major Scott P. Brown is a truly outstanding officer. … Major Brown consistently demonstrates that he is an invaluable asset to the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate. He continues to work on his professional military education and is expected to complete those portions of the Command and General Staff College required for promotion. He continues to be an outstanding officer. … Although not officially part of his duties, the extra time that he devotes to such engagements shows his genuine dedication and commitment to the National Guard and the United States Army. He is an outstanding officer. Must promote.” ~ Officer Evaluation Report: November 11, 2002- October 31, 2003
• “LTC Brown’s performance since being transferred to the IBCT was outstanding…. He always gives prompt, correct and thoughtful advice to the CDR, the Unit CDR’s and the soldiers. He has been credited with helping to retain many soldiers due to his prompt involvement and resolution in legal matters. LTC Brown has organized numerous pre and post mobilization briefings, to include family support events… LTC Brown is a pro-active JAG Office [sic] who goes out of his way to assist soldiers.

  He has been the Commanders [sic] advisor on many legal matters and can be counted upon to give sound legal opinions regardless of the outcome. He has unquestionable military bearing and serves as an example for Soldiers. He has increased his military education by attending various professional development courses, which has resulted in him becoming a better well rounded officer. Scott has the talent and ability to serve in positions of higher responsibility in the Army National Guard. He should be considered for promotion.” ~ Officer Evaluation Report: November 1, 2006 – October 31, 2007

• “In his position as a Senior Defense Counsel for the Massachusetts Army National Guard, LTC Brown consistently achieved the best possible results for his clients through ethical, well-prepared and persuasive advocacy. … “LTC’s [sic] Brown’s thoughtful, experienced and balanced judgments contributed greatly to this effort to overhaul Massachusetts’ antiquated statutory framework. In terms of military appearance, bearing and physical fitness, LTC Brown maintained the highest standards and set an overwhelmingly positive example for his peers and subordinates. … LTC Brown is an exceptional officer and has provided great value to the Massachusetts National Guard. Scott professionally advocated on behalf of his defense clients, and ensured that Guard’s system of military justice and discipline operated in a fair and balanced manner.

  LTC Brown handled the most difficult and sensitive soldier discipline cases within the state; and he did so with diligence and competence. LTC Brown’s management of the state’s trial defense services also contributed greatly to the reduction of a backlog of administrative discharge cases. Scott routinely volunteered to provide legal assistance support at family/soldier readiness events, and supported The Adjutant General’s community initiatives through a variety of public speaking events. An outstanding officer and a true patriot with a strategic view, LTC Brown is a highly valued member of this command team.” ~ Officer Evaluation Report: March 20, 2009 – March 19, 2010

Scott Brown Military Record

Solutia employs 400 in its Springfield, Mass., plant, according to last year’s statistics, down from 525 in 2008, when it was the subject of a $50 million expansion. Solutia was spun off from Monsanto in 1997.

The Solutia Inc. chemical plant in the Indian Orchard neighborhood of Springfield employs several hundred people. The company was acquired by Eastman Chemical this week. (Republican file photo)

By Reuters

Eastman Chemical is buying Solutia Inc., chemicals provider for products from iPads to tires, for about $3.4 billion in cash and stock in a bid to drive its sluggish growth and focus on emerging markets, particularly the Asia-Pacific region.

Solutia employs 400 in its Springfield, Mass., plant, according to last year’s statistics, down from 525 in 2008, when it was the subject of a $50 million expansion. Solutia was spun off from Monsanto in 1997.

A spokeswoman for Solutia in St. Louis, Mo., said she is unaware of any plans to close any of the Solutia plants, including the one in Springfield’s Indian Orchard neighborhood.

The Eastman Chemical deal values Solutia shares at a 42 percent premium over Thursday’s closing price and was viewed as a good deal by Eastman investors, lifting its shares by 6 percent in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Solutia, which emerged from bankruptcy in 2008, generated about 30 percent of its revenue in Asia-Pacific countries last year, and it expects that to grow by a third by 2015.

“I don’t think people expected it,” said Eric Green, senior managing partner at Penn Capital Management, which owns 0.6 percent of Solutia shares.

“The stock is cheap and business is getting better. ... They are leveraged to the Chinese auto market which is continuously getting better,” he added.

After years of modest growth, Eastman is now expanding its lucrative specialty plastics and wood applications businesses, and its shares are up about 15 percent in the past 12 months.

“Solutia has transformed itself into a financially strong, innovative performance materials and specialty chemicals company, with enviable market leading positions in virtually every market it serves,” Eastman Chief Executive Officer Jim Rogers said in a statement announcing the deal.

Jim Rogers, chairman and chief executive officer of Eastman discusses Eastman's acquisition of Solutia Inc. a manufacturer of performance materials and specialty chemicals at a news conference Friday Jan. 27, 2012 at Eastman headquarters in Kingsport, Tenn. (AP Photo/The Kingsport Times-News, David Grace)

The deal calls for Eastman to pay $22.00 in cash and 0.12 of a share for each Solutia share, or about $27.65 based on Thursday’s close.

Solutia has 122 million shares outstanding, according to Thomson Reuters data, which would mean Eastman is paying about $2.69 billion in cash and $690 million in stock for the company.

The merger would add to earnings immediately, Eastman said, and the combined company would save about $100 million a year in costs by the end of 2013. The companies expect the deal to close around midyear.

Eastman said it now expects 2012 earnings to be around $5 a share, excluding acquisition-related costs and charges. It raised its 2013 earnings forecast to more than $6 per share.

Jefferies analyst Laurence Alexander said in a research note that the deal, along with Westlake Chemical’s recent bid for Georgia Gulf Corp, reflects a move toward consolidation among specialty chemical companies.

Including debt, the Solutia deal is valued at about $4.7 billion, Eastman said. It plans to pay for Solutia with cash on hand, shares and debt.

The deal does not include a financing contingency, Eastman said, meaning the company would have to close on the deal even if it is not able to get banks to fund the purchase. Solutia would have to pay a break-up fee of $102 million if it walks away from the deal.

Eastman Chemical was formed in 1994, when Eastman Kodak spun off its chemical business to help pay down debt. Kodak filed for bankruptcy earlier this month.

Shares in Eastman were up 6.1 percent to $50.00, while Solutia shares rallied 40 percent to $27.30.

Republican reporter Stephanie Barry contributed to this report.

Whether they got lost, sick or swam astray chasing food, 77 dolphins that beached on Cape Cod in recent weeks have died, the second time in three months New England has seen a mass of marine mammal deaths.

View full sizePatty Walsh, a volunteer with International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), monitors the breathing of a stranded common dolphin while a team behind her prepares to move anther dolphin to a waiting vehicle at Herring River in Wellfleet, Mass., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. The dolphin is one in the latest batch of dolphins found, bringing a total of over 80 stranded on Cape Cod shores in the last week. (AP Photo/Julia Cumes)

By JAY LINDSAY, Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Whether they got lost, sick or swam astray chasing food, 77 dolphins that beached on Cape Cod in recent weeks have died, the second time in three months New England has seen a mass of marine mammal deaths.

Now, scientists are trying to figure out why.

They're also researching whether there's any connection to a die-off this fall of 162 harbor seals, whose carcasses were found between northern Massachusetts and Maine.

Scientists later determined the seal deaths were linked to an influenza virus similar to one found in birds but never before seen in seals. In a letter earlier this month, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and Rep. William Keating asked Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to investigate "any common cause" between the dolphin and seal deaths.

"That is a big question," said Mendy Garron, regional marine mammal stranding coordinator for the National Marine Fisheries Service, part of NOAA. The initial indications are that there is no link, she said, but it's too early for a definitive answer. Necropsies are under way to determine the causes of death, and that can take a few weeks.

The strandings stretch along 25-mile stretch of Cape Cod from Wellfleet, approaching the tip of the cape, south around the curve of Cape Cod Bay to Dennis.

The first was reported in Wellfleet on Jan. 12. Five more reports followed the next day. On Jan. 14, 30 more animals got stuck on Wellfeet and reports remained steady, then trailed off in the past week.

View full sizeTwo stranded common dolphins wait to be transported to a waiting vehicle by a team from the International Fund for Animal Welfare at Herring River in Wellfleet, Mass., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. The dolphins are two in the latest batch of dolphins found, bringing a total of over 80 stranded on Cape Cod shores in the last week. (AP Photo/Julia Cumes)

As of Saturday, 63 of the dolphins have been found dead and 11 died later, included at least one that was euthanized. Another 24 were released into the ocean, though three of those have died, said A.J. Cady of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. The group is leading the rescue efforts.

The total strandings are unprecedented, and two and half times the annual average of 37 common dolphin strandings over the past 12 years, Cady said.

Wellfleet harbormaster Michael Flanagan said he's seen several pods of more than 100 animals in his 14 years on the job. "But you never really see that many strandings," he said.

The affected dolphins appear to be linked by little besides their species. Their conditions range from healthy to sick, and they aren't all a particular age or sex.

"Nobody really knows for sure yet whether it's one particular thing," Cady said.

View full sizeA mother and calf common dolphin are transported to the beach by a team from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the New England Aquarium before being released back into Cape Cod Bay at Scusset Beach, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012 in Sagamore Beach, Ma. The dolphins are two of at least 28 dolphins that stranded along Cape Cod Bay's shores from Dennis to Wellfleet. 11 dolphins were successfully released back into the bay. (AP Photo/Julia Cumes)

There are several possibilities. For instance, the dolphins are social animals, and some could be following a sick fellow animal to shore, researchers theorize. Changes in water temperature are a possible factor leading them into the bay, but it's unclear how.

Some dolphins could be chasing prey into Cape Cod Bay, and essentially getting lost in the geographic features of Cape Cod's inner coastline. For instance, dolphins headed north along the inner Cape's coastline looking for open ocean can get trapped in Wellfleet, which juts out like a tiny hook. Then, the area's quickly receding tides can beach them in local marshes.

Rescuers try to guide lost animals to open water, either by keeping a boat between them and the coastline, or repelling them from land with unpleasant sounds, Cady said.

Once stranded, a dolphin's own weight can damage its organs. Hypothermia and sunburn are also a danger, and Flanagan said seagulls looking for a meal turn savage and pick at the mammal's eyes and organs.

After rescuers reach a dolphin, often through major muck, they quickly assess whether it's strong enough to be moved. If so, workers slip a stretcher underneath and carry the 8-foot-long, 300-pound animals into rescue trailers for a trip to the Cape's outer coastline for release. On the way, scientists perform tests to better assess the health of the animals.

Just a few years ago, it was commonly believed to be too risky to move the stranded animals, Cady said. But, he said, tracking devices placed on some rescued dolphins have shown them moving far from where they were released.

The effort and expense is considerable — the dolphin strandings have cost between $50,000 and $60,000, Cady said. But it's well worth the cost on several levels, he added. Their health tells us about the health of the ocean, which affects everyone, Cady said. It's also simply the humane things to do, he said.

People don't have to be prodded to assist dolphins. Flanagan said he gets "a million" volunteers every time an animal is stranded.

"People can relate to these mammals, because they go and see them at Sea World. ... They can see how intelligent they are," he said. "They're such gentle animals, you can't help but feel sorry for them when they're stranded and they're out of their element and there's nothing you can really do for them."

With Saturday’s sunny skies and a high temperature of 42 degrees, the weather cooperated with the event as winter swimmers of all shapes, sizes and ages took their turn jumping into the water where firefighters in protective gear floated on standby with the life ring plungers had to touch before making their way out of the water.

WESTFIELD – With the adrenaline pumping and the cheer of the crowd as encouragement, 70 men, women and children took the Penguin Plunge into the icy waters of Hampton Pond Saturday, raising nearly $13,000 for charity.

With Saturday’s sunny skies and a high temperature of 42 degrees, the weather cooperated with the event as winter swimmers of all shapes, sizes and ages took their turn jumping into the water where firefighters in protective gear floated on standby with the life ring plungers had to touch before making their way out of the water.

Despite the mild weather, 13-year-old Lauren A. Lyle, of Holyoke, still got quite a shock upon entering the water for the second year.

“I stopped breathing for a few seconds,” she said. “I wanted to do it again because I did it last year, and it was a lot of fun.”

Saturday’s eighth annual Penguin Plunge to benefit the Amelia Park Children’s Museum was once again a success, and planning is under way for next year’s event, according to museum Executive Director Karen Rubin, who said the plunge is not only about raising money, but about bringing the community together for a common cause.

“This is great for the community, a lot of fun for people of all ages and a meaningful way for us to raise funds and support the museum.”

State Rep. Donald F. Humason Jr., R-Westfield, made his traditional plunge, fully dressed in his signature dark suit with an “I Love Westfield” pin affixed to his lapel.

Two heated changing tents, a fire pit, and hot drinks were on site to help the ice bathers thaw.

Children’s Museum Board of Directors member Diana L. McLean said the event traditionally draws the support of the community in a variety of different roles from the plungers who take leave of conventional wisdom to jump into the icy waters, to local high school and college students who help with registration.

“This is our biggest fund-raising event of the year,” she said. “It’s important that people get out there to support us.”

In what has become a community-wide event, the 104th Air National Guard provided the generators that heated the tents, the Fire Department sold chili, and Westfield State University Circle K service club students were on hand as volunteers. Steaming cups of hot chocolate and coffee were also available for sale.

The ten winners were randomly selected from a pool of 4,000 New England residents who were identified and nominated as "Super People" by their superiors.

Super Bowl XLVI will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana on Feb. 5, 2012 as the New England Patriots take on the New York Giants. The ten winners were randomly selected from a pool of 4,000 New England residents who were identified and nominated as "Super People" by their superiors.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots say 10 residents of Massachusetts, Rhode Island Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine have won the team's "Super Bowl for Super People" online sweepstakes because of their work in the public service sector.

The Kraft family and New England Patriots say the firefighters, soldiers, nurses and police officers will receive an all-expenses paid and one-day trip to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, with each winner accompanied by a guest. The package includes game tickets, round-trip airfare, transportation to and from the game and tickets to the Patriots' postgame party.

The ten winners were randomly selected from a pool of 4,000 New England residents who were identified and nominated as "Super People" by their superiors.

The winners include Jim Taber, a nurse from Tiverton, R.I.; Sherry DeGenova, a police officer from Hartford, Conn.; John Surabian, a firefighter from Stoneham, Mass.; Timothy Sullivan, a police officer from East Walpole, Mass.; Patrick Squires, a soldier from Higham, Mass.; Whitney Hartwell, a teacher from Norfolk, Mass.; and Tara Jean, a nurse from Dracut, Mass.

Other winners include Timothy Wilder, a firefighter from Somersworth, N.H.; Jim Miller, a teacher from Auburn, Maine; and Todd Seymour, a soldier from Lempster, N.H.

"Throughout the season, we celebrated volunteerism in my sweetheart's honor," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said, referring to his wife of 48 years, Myra Hiatt Kraft, who died of cancer in July. "Today, we honor 10 men and women who represent so many others in the field of public service and thank them for their selfless service to our New England communities."

Kraft added, "We have heard countless examples of outstanding service through our 'Celebrate Volunteerism' campaign and we are happy to extend the campaign with the recognition of these deserving individuals."