First offenses would be violations punishable by a $250 fine and the second would be $500.

(AP File Photo)If New Hampshire passes the bill, first offenses would be violations punishable by a $250 fine and the second would be $500.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A bill to decriminalize marijuana possession under one-half ounce is flying high into the New Hampshire House with an endorsement by the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.

First offenses would be violations punishable by a $250 fine and the second would be $500. Subsequent offenses would be subject to a year of jail time and a $1,000 fine. Offenders under 21 could also be ordered to take a drug awareness program.

Possession of that amount is currently a misdemeanor punishable by a $2,000 fine and up to a year in jail.

Fourteen other states have decriminalized marijuana, according to the National Organization for the reform of Marijuana Laws, including Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut.

The committee recommended the House kill another bill to legalize marijuana use and purchase by adults.

The awards occur as the biomass plant developer, Palmer Renewable Energy, and the opponents prepare for hearings scheduled March 22 and 23.

File photos | The RepublicanMichaelann Bewsee of Stop Toxic Incineration in Springfield, left, an opponent of the proposed Palmer Renewable Energy biomass plant, and Frank Fitzgerald, right, a lawyer representing Palmer Renewable Energy.

SPRINGFIELD – A statewide environmental organization has issued awards to two grassroots groups who were recognized for their efforts to fight a proposed wood-burning plant in East Springfield.

The Toxics Action Center presented its “25 Years of Victories” awards on Saturday to Arise for Social Justice and Stop Toxic Incineration in Springfield during the center’s annual Environmental Action conference in Boston. The awards recognize outstanding environmental leadership, the group stated in a prepared release.

The awards occur as the biomass plant developer, Palmer Renewable Energy, and the opponents prepare for hearings scheduled March 22 and 23, to determine if the $150 million wood-burning project at Page Boulevard and Cadwell Drive should receive an air permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The hearings are before a state hearing officer in Springfield.

The local groups being honored and their leaders were recognized for their efforts to “protect the environment and the health of people in Springfield and the Pioneer Valley,” a prepared release stated.

Sylvia Broude, the center’s organizing director, said leaders in local efforts include Michaelann Bewsee, Jesse Lederman, LeeAnn and Stuart Warner, Patti McCauley, Bill Gibson and Ruben Santiago.

The local leaders “sprang into action and worked tirelessly to get the word out about the associated hazards (of the biomass plant),” Broude said.

The Toxics Action Center is an environmental community organizing group that describes its mission as helping communities to prevent or clean up pollution.

The City Council had granted a special permit for the biomass project in 2008, but revoked it last May, as urged by opponents. The developer obtained two local building permits for the first phase of the plant construction last year, but the Zoning Board of Appeals overturned the permits in January.

Frank P. Fitzgerald, a lawyer representing Palmer Renewable Energy has stated the company will file a court appeal seeking to uphold its building permits.

Opponents of the wood-to-energy plant say it would worsen pollution and harm public safety. Supporters say the plant would be built with state-of-the-art technology, meets state and federal environmental regulations and would not harm public health.

Springfield firefighters fight fire at 128 Orleans St.

The Republican | Mark M. Murray

SPRINGFIELD- A fire at a vacant home in the city's Mason Square area caused several thousand dollars in damage, said fire department spokesman Dennis G. Leger.

Leger said firefighters responded to the home at 128 Orleans St. at 12:37 a.m. Sunday.

He said the fire started in the first floor rear porch of the home. The fire is still under investigation.

High school students from across Western Massachusetts competed in the annual Poetry Out Loud

Staff photo by David MolnarRebekah Dowdell a student at Central High School competiting in the Poetry Out Loud competition at the Community Music School. The event is a national recitation competition.

SPRINGFIELD –High school students from across Western Massachusetts competed in the annual Poetry Out Loud reciting poetry written by greats like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allen Poe, William Shakespeare and others.

“ Students get 600 poems to choose from and 20,000 students across Massachusetts compete,” said Donna Glik, director of education for Huntington Theatre Company, which organizes the event along with the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

On March 3 and 4 72 students from across the state competed at four regional semi-final competitions as part of the seventh annual Poetry Out Loud. Competitions occurred in Boston, Framingham, Springfield, and Cape Cod.

Judges for the local competition held at the Community Music School of Springfield included poet Regie Gibson, Regina Cox, a youth coordinator and consultant, Noel McCoy, an overseer at the Huntington Theatre Company and Amanda Torres the school coordinator and for the Mass Poetry Festival.

Gibson said students are rated on categories that include physical presence, voice and articulation and overall performance.

Gibson said he looks at the complexity of a poem when judging.

“I know the difficulty of a poem and how long a it took a student to memorize it. So if it’s an easier poem I am looking for things like delivery and emotion and expression when they recite it,” he said.

He said he also is interested to see if a student can evoke the emotions of a poem that was written centuries ago.

“When you take a poem from the 19th or 18th century and you can relate to it and evoke those emotions that the writer had back then that’s a great thing to watch,” he said.

Students from 19 schools including The High School of Science and Technology and Springfield Central High School, South Hadley High School, Minnechaug Regional High School and others participated.

Gabrielle Bouyea, a student at South Hadley High School, was the first to recite a poem. She chose “The More Loving One,” by W. H. Auden.

Noelani Gabriel, a student at the High School of Science and Technology, read a poem called Double Dutch,” by Gregory Pardlo.

“Poetry is just such a great form of expression,” she said.

Eileen McCaffrey, president of the board of directors of the Community Music School said this is the first year the event has been held at the school.

“We are just so excited to have the students here,” she said. “It’s a fantastic event and we fully support it.”

Seven students from Sunday’s competition will move on to the finals in Boston on March.

The lawsuit against Springfield was filed about 4 months after a federal Appeals Court ruled in a Boston case that people can record police officers while they are performing their duties, as long as it doesn't interfere and is done in the open.

File photo | The RepublicanThe Springfield Police Department headquarters on Pearl Street.

A married couple is suing five current and former Springfield police officers and the city of Springfield in U.S. District Court, contending officers violated their constitutional rights by illegally arresting the husband and allegedly beating him after he used his cell phone to record an arrest of a motorist about three years ago.

The 19-page federal lawsuit, filed on Jan. 23 in U.S. District Court in Springfield, potentially represents more trouble for city police with incidents involving the use of amateur video.

The department’s image was tarnished last week when a Chicopee District Court jury found former Springfield patrolman Jeffrey M. Asher guilty of a violent assault on Melvin Jones III during a traffic stop that was caught on video by a citizen. Parts of the video were later played for the jury. Jones also filed a federal civil rights lawsuit that is pending.

Also last week, a Springfield District Court judge heard a 24-year-old Connecticut man’s bid to throw out assault and other charges against him on the basis that police deleted a video of his arrest – considered key evidence – after confiscating a cell phone used by a witness.

The man, Michael Ververis, said the video could help exonerate him. A prosecutor said the man failed to prove the cellphone would provide much information about the arrest. The prosecutor questioned whether the video existed since neither the witness nor the Connecticut man ever saw the tape. The cell phone last April was returned to its owner, who said she disposed of it after finding the video had been erased.

The latest lawsuit, filed by John A. Sein and his wife, Mary K. Brooks, formerly of 33 Greenwich St. in Springfield, says that Sein was standing in his yard and using a cell phone to record the arrest of a driver who had been stopped by police in front of Sein’s home on May 27, 2009. One officer shouted that Sein was violating wiretap laws, the suit said.

The Republican photo by John SuchockiFormer Springfield Police Officer Jeffrey Asher is pictured on the witness stand as he listens to audio from the video used as evidence in his trial.

The lawsuit said police were using excessive force in the arrest of the driver. The driver’s father was on the scene and Sein told the father to remain calm since he was recording the incident and would be willing to appear in court on his son’s behalf, the suit said.

When officers began closing in on him, Sein tossed the cell phone to his wife, the suit said. She later relinquished the device after she was threatened with arrest, the suit said.

Sein said police officers tackled, punched him and forced him into a cruiser, the suit said. Police held him for 15 hours on several charges including assault and battery on a police officer and unlawful secret recording, the suit said. When he appeared for a jury trial, the charges were dismissed, the suit said.

Edward M. Pikula, city solicitor in Springfield, said the city will deal with the facts and attempt to resolve the lawsuit as expeditiously as possible.

Sgt . John M. Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said a decision last year by the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston changed how police react to people who are taping them while they are performing their duties. The court decision was made more than two years after the arrest that prompted the federal lawsuit by Sein and Brooks.

The Appeals court, ruling in a lawsuit against the city of Boston, said that people can record police officers while they are doing their job, as long as it doesn't hinder police work and is done in the open, not in secret.

“We have no right to arrest any more,” Delaney said.

Delaney said the police will respond to the charges in the civil lawsuit and take it from there. “That’s why there are judges and lawyers,” he said.

The Republican photo by Greg SaulmonSpringfield Police commissioner William J. Fitchet, shown during a meeting last year with a Springfield city councilor, is denying charges in a federal lawsuit alleging police violated a man's civil rights when he was arrested after he began videotaping officers during an arrest of a motorist.

Lawyers for Fitchet, the city of Springfield and Lt. John K. Slepchuk, who are defendants in the federal civil rights suit, filed responses last week with the court, denying many charges in the lawsuit including those that Sein was beaten, illegally arrested and deprived of his constitutional rights.

“Force, if any, used by the defendants was privileged, reasonable and necessary to effect lawful purposes,” said the response filed for the city and Fitchet by John T. Liebel, chief of litigation for the city.

Sein and Brooks, who have moved out of Springfield but remain in the area, could not be reached for comment through their lawyer, Thomas E. Robinson of Springfield. Robinson said he could not comment on the merits of the case.

“Our position would be ... if people are prevented from videotaping in public, that would be a violation of First Amendment rights,” Robinson said.

The 12-count lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and names as defendants former officer Danilo O. Feliciano, officers Clayton L. Roberson and Raymond Gonzalez, Slepchuk, Fitchet and the city.

Magistrate Judge Kenneth P. Neiman was assigned to the case.

Feliciano was fired in 2010 for violating department standards after he was charged with assaulting a man while arresting the man after he was involved in a domestic dispute with Feliciano’s niece. A jury last year found Feliciano innocent of assault.

Feliciano has submitted a response to the federal suit, also denying the allegations by Brooks and Sein including those that he was beaten, illegally arrested and that his civil rights were violated.

The suit by Brooks and Sein asks for compensatory and punitive damages.

Delaney said the arrest of Sein occurred after police conducted a surveillance of a man who later drove away and stopped near Sein’s house. Delaney said the man – whose arrest was being taped by Sein – was arrested on eight charges including resisting arrest, speeding, driving an unregistered motor vehicle and outstanding warrants.

Delaney said police officers are aware of the Appeals Court decision on videotaping them while they are on the job. He said police have been trained on how to respond and the implications of the Appeals Court decision.

Even though police may be following the law, it can still feel uncomfortable and uneasy when bystanders are taping them, he said. When people gawk and gather, it’s another worry for police, he said. If people get in their way, it could be a problem, he said.

“I would hope people would stay back and not approach police when they are doing their job,” he said.

The lawsuit underscores that police are facing new territory with technologies such as cell phone cameras and YouTube. “The technology has changed the field,” said Pikula, the city solicitor.

The lawsuit by Brooks and Sein was filed about four months after the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston ruled that people have the right to record police officers as they carry out their duties, as long as it doesn't hinder police work and is done in the open, not in secret. A “secret recording” could be a violation of wiretap laws, the decision said.

"Such peaceful recording of an arrest in a public space that does not interfere with the police officers' performance of their duties is not reasonably subject to limitation," the Appeals court wrote in upholding a lower court decision. "In our society, police officers are expected to endure significant burdens caused by citizens' exercise of their First Amendment rights."

Bruce K. Miller, professor of law at Western New England University School of Law in Springfield, said the decision is a ringing endorsement of First Amendment values.

“It provides a substantial measure of protection for people who wish to videotape what police officers do in public,” Miller said.

The Appeals Court ruled in favor of Boston lawyer Simon Glik, who filed a federal civil rights suit against the city of Boston after he was arrested for violating the state's wiretap laws by using his cell phone camera to record Boston police in October 2007 as they arrested a man on the Boston Common.

Glik’s lawsuit still is pending. The Appeals Court upheld a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young denying the city’s move to dismiss on certain grounds.

Robinson, the lawyer for Brooks and Sein, said the Appeals Court decision didn’t change law. “They are recognizing a First Amendment right that has always been there,” he said.

Vega is retired from being executive director of Nueva Esperanza Inc., a nonprofit social services group.

HOLYOKE – The first grant recipients from the Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice will be announced Monday.

“Carlos Vega has been a force for social justice, housing, community building and equal rights in Holyoke for over 40 years,” said City Councilor Aaron M. Vega, his son.

Vega said his father is battling brain cancer and has had five surgeries in the past 15 years.

Carlos A. Vega

The fund, which is managed by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, began in 2010 to promote groups that work for social justice, he said.

Carlos A. Vega, a city resident and social worker by training, formerly was executive director of Nueva Esperanza Inc., a nonprofit social services group.

Five organizations will get “micro-grants” of $200 to $500 each at 11 a.m. at El Mercado, 413 Main St., Vega said.

“It feels like all the hard work that he’s done for about 40 years is finally being recognized,” Vega said.

He said recipients are:

• Holyoke Equal Rights Association, which focuses on working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.

• Homework House, whose “One Child at a Time” program tutors nearly 200 young people here and in Springfield.

• The South Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative will get a grant for its monthly family night at Morgan School that brings families together for activities, information sharing and community building.

• ARISE for Social justice will get a grant for its work in restoring rental housing in Springfield’s post-tornado rebuilding efforts.

• Friends of the Homeless will get a grant for its program helping homeless people get identification cards so they can obtain benefits, housing and jobs.

For information visit communityfoundation.org or call (413) 552-0268.

"This whole thing is over one person's opinion," Blake Lamothe said.

The Republican/Lori StabileBlake E. Lamothe was given a cease and desist order on Thursday, Feb. 23 by Building Inspector Richard W. Rollet for allegedly burning in this building at 103 Water St. in Palmer without a permit.

PALMER – Blake E. Lamothe will go before the Planning Board on Monday to seek a site plan waiver for the building he owns at 103 Water St., where a neighbor's complaints about burning led to a cease and desist order recently.

Lamothe, who is using the building for warehousing purposes, said that he is burning wood to heat the building, and has applied for the required wood stove permit.

He has his own issues with the neighbors making the complaints against him about the smoke coming from the smokestack, and said he is in the process of having the eight acres surveyed. He is also a town councilor, and business owner.

"This whole thing is over one person's opinion," Lamothe said.

Town Planner Linda G. Leduc, who visited the property recently with Planning Board Chairman Michael S. Marciniec and Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard, said Lamothe is seeking a waiver because the proposed use is "no more detrimental than what was there prior." The building previously housed Churchill Coatings, which specialized in paint.

She said Richard W. Rollet, the building inspector and zoning enforcement officer, signed off on the waiver, which will be discussed at the board meeting at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, Blanchard said because of the type of unit Lamothe is using to burn the wood, it may not fall under town regulations for burning permits for wood stoves. Lamothe said he is using an 1870s steam engine inside the building to burn the wood. He called it a "superior wood stove" and "probably the best wood stove in Palmer."

Blanchard said the state Department of Environmental Protection is evaluating the matter; the state department also got involved because it received a complaint about the burning, and conducted a site visit with Lamothe.

Blanchard said he wants to see what the DEP's view of the unit is, and what has to be done to permit it. Blanchard said he believes the DEP has requested additional information about the make of the unit.

Blanchard said the cease and desist order by Rollet served its purpose as it got Lamothe's attention, noting he has taken steps to come into compliance with town regulations.

Blake Lamothe

Lamothe said this is not a DEP issue, and said he already contacted the state fire marshal's office and was told it is a town issue.

Lori A. Anthony, of Quaboag Street, which is next to 103 Water St., said Lamothe never stopped burning, despite the cease and desist. She has complained to numerous town officials about the smell and smoke coming out of the smokestack, and also took videos of the smoke.

Lamothe said he refuses to "freeze" his building over this issue, and has been in contact with his lawyer.

Lamothe runs several businesses, including the Steaming Tender restaurant and A Call We Haul, a rubbish removal and clean-out service.

Meetings for coming week.

THE WEEK’S AGENDA
Here is a list of major municipal meetings for the coming week:

Amherst

Mon.- Town Meeting Coordinating Committee, 3 p.m., Town Hall.
Select Board, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall.
School Committee, 7 p.m., Town Hall.
Tues.- Disability Access Committee, 11:15 a.m., 210 Old Farms Road.
Historical Commission, 7:15 p.m., Town Hall.
Wed.- Personnel Board, 9 a.m., Town Hall.
Amherst Regional School Committee, 7 p.m., Amherst Regional High School.
Thu.- Zoning Board of Appeals, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall.

Chicopee

Tues.- City Council, 7:15 p.m., Chambers.
Wed.- Zoning Board of Appeals, 6:30 p.m., Chambers.
Housing Authority, 6 p.m., 7 Valley View Court

Easthampton

Wed.- City Council Finance Subcommittee, 6 p.m., Municipal Building.
Thu.- City Council Rules Subcommittee, 6 p.m., Municipal Building.

Granby

Mon.- Selectboard, 6:30 p.m., Senior Center.
Board of Assessors, 7 p.m., 215-B West State St.
Tues.- Library Trustees, 6 p.m., Public Library.
Wed.- Library Building Committee, 5 p.m., Public Safety Complex.
Recreation Commission, 7 p.m., Public Safety Complex.

Hadley

Tues.- Planning Board, 7 p.m., Senior Center.
Board of Health, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Holyoke

Mon.- Board of Public Works, Sewer Commission, Stormwater Authority, 5:30 p.m., Department of Public Works, 63 Canal St.
School Committee, superintendent evaluation committee, 5:54 p.m., Dean Technical High School, 1045 Main St., Fifield Community Room.
School Committee, 6:15 p.m., Dean Technical High School, 1045 Main St., Fifield Community Room.
Water Commission, 6:30 p.m., Holyoke Water Works, 20 Commercial St.
City Council Finance Committee, 6:30 p.m., City Hall, City Council Chambers.
Tues.- School Committee, Finance-Budget Subcommittee, 5 p.m., Dean Technical High School, 1045 Main St., Fifield Community Room.
Planning Board, 6 p.m., City Hall Annex, fourth-floor conference room.
City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall, City Council Chambers.
Soldiers’ Memorial Commission, 7 p.m., War Memorial, 310 Appleton St.
Wed.- Charter School, board of trustees, finance-facilities committee, 5 p.m., 2200 Northampton St.
Thu.- City Council Public Service Committee, 6:30 p.m., City Hall, City Council Chambers.

Monson

Mon.- Finance Committee, 7 p.m., Hillside School.
Tues.- School Committee, 6 p.m., Quarry Hill Community School.
Community Preservation Committee, 7 p.m., Hillside School.
Historical Commission, 3 p.m., Hillside School.
Wed.- Board of Selectmen, 6:15 p.m., Hillside School.
Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Hillside School.
Thu.- Housing Authority, 4 p.m., 31 State St., Col. Village, suite 50.

Palmer

Tues.- Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Town Building.

South Hadley

Mon.- Library Building Committee, 6 p.m., Public Library.
Trustees of Public Library, 7 p.m., Public Library.
Appropriations Committee, 7 p.m., Police Station Conference Room.
Selectboard, 7 p.m., Police Station Conference Room
Tues.- Selectboard, 7 p.m., Town Hall.
Wed.- Falls Design Charette Forum, 7 p.m., Town Hall.
Thu.- Fire District 2 Prudential Committee, 9 a.m., 20 Woodbridge St.

Springfield

Mon.- Springfield Housing Authority, 3 p.m., 18 Saab Court.
Springfield Redevelopment Authority, 5:30 p.m., 70 Tapley St.
City Council Finance Committee, 6 p.m., City Hall
City Council, 7 p.m., Council Chambers, City Hall.
Tues.- Board of Assessors, 3 p.m., assessors room, City Hall.
Wed.- Library Commission, 5:30 p.m., Central Library community room, 220 State St.
Planning Board, 6 p.m., Room 220, City Hall.
Thu.- City Council Committee on Elder Affairs, 2 p.m., Greenleaf Community Center, 1188 Park St.


Warren

Mon.- Parks Department, 6:30 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.
Tues.- Planning Board, 6:30 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.
Wed.- Planning Board, 6 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.
Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.
Thu.- Capital Planning, 7 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.
Board of Health, 7 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.

No one was seriously injured during the robbery.

SPRINGFIELD – Police said a masked robber fled with a large amount of money Saturday night from the Racing Mart on Boston Road after punching the clerk in the face and pistol whipping a customer.

No one was seriously injured in the robbery at 32 Boston Road shortly before 9 p.m., police said. Both victims were male.

The robber stole cash and cigarettes.

The Detective Bureau was investigating, and there was no arrest as of Sunday night.

No one was injured in the 7:30 p.m. blaze at 30 Central St.

AGAWAM – Four residents were being temporarily lodged in a hotel Sunday night following an attic fire at 30 Central St.

There were no injuries as a result of the 7:30 p.m. blaze, and all residents were outside when the Fire Department arrived, said Fire Lt. B.J. Calvi. He estimated damage at $80,000.

The cause of the blaze remained under investigation by the Fire Department and state Fire Marshal.

The house is less than a block from the firehouse, leading to a very fast response, and preventing further damage, Calvi said.

“Once we got inside, we found heavy smoke and heavy fire in the attic,” Calvi said. “It was a difficult fire but it was knocked down quickly.”

Owner information was not immediately available.

Officials from the two schools say they can train a company's workers in everything from healthcare and Spanish to machining and software.

submitted photoThe staff members of Training and Workforce Options who will be meeting with businesses looking to train their workers are, left to right, sales representatives Larry Grenier, Iraida Delgado, Kate Sullivan and Brooks Fitch. The program is a collaboration between Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College.

HOLYOKE – Two local colleges have fine-tuned their worker-training efforts into a business.

Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College joined efforts in October to establish Training and Workforce Options, or “TWO,” in which the two institutions combine their resources to offer training suited to a company’s needs.

“It’s primarily meant to help existing businesses with their incumbent workers through customized, contract training,” said Jeffrey P. Hayden, HCC vice president for business and community services.

The training-for-hire can include teaching workers Spanish, helping them use a particular kind of software and working with managers on how to supervise difficult employees, he said.

The collaboration makes sense for two schools where budgets, and the competition to provide worker training in the same market, can be tight, said Michael Suzor, STCC assistant to the president.

“We share the experience and we share the net revenue,” Suzor said.

Fees that TWO will charge will vary according to a company’s needs, Hayden said. A company that wants a workshop on how to improve worker productivity for 10 employees might be charged $2,500, or $250 per worker, he said.

TWO has been operating less than four months, so it is hard to tell whether it will be a money-maker or even successful, but Suzor said the response from businesses has been positive.

“They’re saying, ‘We need training, we need workforce training,’” Suzor said.

To businesses that need workers trained, TWO offers the two schools’ faculty and the pledge to hire independent consultants if delivery of a particular kind of training is beyond their resources. Training can deal with healthcare, precision machining, hospitality, technology and other areas, officials said.

TWO is working with the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County Inc. The nonprofit corporation was established in 1980 by federal and state legislation to help the workforce develop.

The board runs the so-called one-stop, worker-helping centers CareerPoint, in Holyoke, and FutureWorks, in Springfield. It makes sense to work with two colleges that have combined their efforts, said J. William Ward, board president and chief executive officer.

“It’s that old saying that the two of us are smarter than one of us and two of us have more resources than one of us,” Ward said.

Hayden, Suzor and Ward said the goal is that the three instutitions working together will be enough to tap into the worker-training needs of Western Massachusetts businesses.

One business intrigued by TWO is Peter Pan Bus Lines of Springfield. It was unclear if Peter Pan would hire TWO, as some worker training for the company is specialized and done in-house, such as for bus drivers and those who maintain the vehicles, said Robert J. Schwarz, Peter Pan executive vice president.

“Any time you can train your employees is a good thing,” Schwarz said. “They really challenged us to think about it.”

Besides Hayden and Suzor, the TWO staff consists of senior account representatives Iraida Delgado, Brooks Fitch and Larry Grenier, and Kate Sullivan, marketing specialist and senior account representative. That’s in addition to oversight from Keith Hensley, HCC executive director of workforce and economic development, and Debbie Bellucci, STCC dean of continuing education, Hayden said.

The colleges are state facilities. The Regional Employment Board receives funding for its $13 million-a-year-budget from the state and federal governments and private foundations, Ward said.

The Training and Workforce Options web page is accessible at hcc.edu by writing “TWO” in the search box.

His eyes brimming with tears, Putin defiantly proclaimed to a sea of supporters that they had triumphed over opponents intent on "destroying Russia's statehood and usurping power."

By LYNN BERRY and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

Associated PressRussian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who claimed victory in Russia's presidential election, speaks at a rally of his supporters at Manezh square outside Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, March 4, 2012. Vladimir Putin has claimed victory in Russia's presidential election, which the opposition and independent observers say has been marred by widespread violations. Putin made the claim at a rally of tens of thousands of his supporters just outside the Kremlin, thanking his supporters for helping foil foreign plots aimed to weaken the country. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Government Press Service)

MOSCOW — Vladimir Putin scored a decisive victory in Russia's presidential election Sunday to return to the Kremlin and extend his hold on power for six more years. His eyes brimming with tears, he defiantly proclaimed to a sea of supporters that they had triumphed over opponents intent on "destroying Russia's statehood and usurping power."

Putin's win was never in doubt as many across the vast country still see him as a guarantor of stability and the defender of a strong Russia against a hostile world, an image he has carefully cultivated during 12 years in power.

Accounts by independent observers of extensive vote-rigging, however, looked set to strengthen the resolve of opposition forces whose unprecedented protests in recent months have posed the first serious challenge to Putin's heavy-handed rule. Another huge demonstration was set for Monday evening in central Moscow.

Putin claimed victory Sunday night when fewer than a quarter of the votes had been counted. He spoke to a rally just outside the Kremlin walls of tens of thousands of supporters, many of them government workers or employees of state-owned companies who had been ordered to attend.

"I promised that we would win and we have won!" Putin shouted to the flag-waving crowd. "We have won in an open and honest struggle."

Putin, 59, said the election showed that "our people can easily distinguish a desire for renewal and revival from political provocations aimed at destroying Russia's statehood and usurping power."

He ended his speech with the triumphant declaration: "Glory to Russia!"

The West can expect Putin to continue the tough policies he has pursued even as prime minister, including opposing U.S. plans to build a missile shield in Europe and resisting international military intervention in Syria.

With 99 percent of precincts counted nationwide, Putin was leading with more than 63 percent, the Central Election Commission said Monday; complete preliminary results were expected later in the day.

Communist Party candidate Gennady Zyuganov was a distant second, followed by Mikhail Prokhorov, the billionaire owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team whose candidacy was approved by the Kremlin in what was seen as an effort to channel some of the protest sentiment. The clownish nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky and socialist Sergei Mironov trailed behind. The leader of the liberal opposition Yabloko party was barred from the race.

"These elections are not free. ... That's why we'll have protests tomorrow. We will not recognize the president as legitimate," said Mikhail Kasyanov, who was Putin's first prime minister before going into opposition.

The wave of protests began after a December parliamentary election in which observers produced evidence of widespread vote fraud. Protest rallies in Moscow drew tens of thousands in the largest outburst of public anger in post-Soviet Russia, demonstrating growing exasperation with the pervasive corruption and tight controls over political life under Putin, who was president from 2000 to 2008 before moving into the prime minister's office due to term limits.

Golos, Russia's leading independent elections watchdog, said it received numerous reports of "carousel voting," in which busloads of voters are driven around to cast ballots multiple times.

After the polls closed, Golos said the number of violations appeared just as high as in December.

"If during the parliamentary elections, we saw a great deal of ballot-box stuffing and carousel voting ... this time we saw the deployment of more subtle technologies," said Andrei Buzin, who heads the monitoring operations at Golos.

Alexei Navalny, one of the opposition's most charismatic leaders, said observers trained by his organization also reported seeing carousel voting and other violations.

A first-round victory was politically important for Putin, serving as proof that he retains majority support.

"They decided that a second round would be bad, unreliable and would show weakness," Navalny said. "That's why they ... falsified the elections."

There was no evidence that the scale of any election fraud was high enough to have pushed Putin over the 50 percent mark and saved him from a runoff.

Putin's campaign chief, Stanislav Govorukhin, rejected the claims of violations, calling them "ridiculous."

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, has become increasingly critical of Putin's rule. "These are not going to be honest elections, but we must not relent," he said after casting his ballot.

Putin has dismissed the protesters' demands, casting them as a coddled minority of urban elites manipulated by leaders working at the behest of the West. His claims that the United States was behind the protests spoke to his base of blue-collar workers, farmers and state employees, who are suspicious of Western intentions after years of state propaganda.

"Putin is a brave and persistent man who can resist the U.S. and EU pressure," said Anastasia Lushnikova, a 20-year-old student who voted for Putin in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don.

Putin played the same polarizing tune on Sunday, thanking the workers at a tank factory in Nizhny Tagil for their support, saying that "a man of labor is a head above any loafer or windbag."

He made generous social promises during his campaign and initiated limited political reforms to try to assuage public anger. His spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Sunday that Putin will push ahead with the reforms, but he firmly ruled out any "Gorbachev-style liberal spasms."

Putin had promised that the vote would be fair, and election officials allowed more observers to monitor the vote. Tens of thousands of Russians, most of them politically active for the first time, volunteered to be election observers, receiving training on how to recognize vote-rigging and record and report violations.

Zyuganov, the Communist candidate, told reporters after the polls closed that he would not recognize the vote, calling it "illegitimate, unfair and non-transparent."

His campaign chief, Ivan Melnikov, claimed that election officials had set up numerous additional polling stations and alleged that hundreds of thousands of voters cast ballots at the ones in Moscow alone.

Prokhorov said on Channel One television after the vote that his observers had been kept away from some polling stations and were beaten on two occasions.

Oksana Dmitriyeva, a parliamentary deputy from Mironov's party, tweeted that they saw "numerous cases of observers being expelled from polling stations" across St. Petersburg just before the vote count.

Web cameras were installed in Russia's more than 90,000 polling stations, a move initiated by Putin in response to complaints of ballot stuffing and falsified vote counts in December's parliamentary elections.

It was unclear to what extent the cameras were effective. The election observation mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe noted skepticism in a report on election preparations.

The OSCE, which fielded about 220 observers, was to present its findings on Monday.

Unlike in Moscow and other big cities, where independent observers showed up en masse, in Russia's North Caucasus and some other regions election officials were largely left to their own devices.

A web camera at a polling station in Dagestan, a Caucasus province near Chechnya, registered unidentified people tossing ballot after ballot into boxes. The Central Election Commission quickly responded to the video, which was posted on the Internet, saying the results from the station will be invalidated.

Putin got more than 90 percent of the vote in several Caucasus provinces, including 99.8 percent in Chechnya.

The police presence was heavy throughout Moscow and other Russian cities Sunday. There were no immediate reports of trouble, although police arrested three young women who stripped to the waist at the polling station where Putin cast his ballot; one of them had the word "thief" written on her bare body.

In Dagestan, where attacks by Islamic militants occur on a daily basis, gunmen raided a polling station, killing three police officers. One of the assailants was also killed, according to police.

Associated Press writers Jim Heintz, Maria Danilova, Nataliya Vasilyeva, Mansur Mirovalev, Peter Leonard and Sofia Javed in Moscow and Sergei Venyavsky in Rostov-on-Don contributed to this report.

Among models rated at 35 miles per gallon on the highway or more, sales of the 10 most popular models increased 13 percent in 2011 compared with 2010 across the state.

View full sizeAP file photoUncertainty with gas prices has resulted in more demand for fuel-efficient autos, like these Toyota hybrid vehicles.

By JOE HALPERN
Boston Business Journal

A three-year rise in gasoline prices at the pump is pushing Massachusetts automobile-buyers toward smaller, more efficient vehicles, Boston Business Journal research shows.

And one of the highest-profile car salesmen in the region said the trend has only accelerated in recent months as prices have pushed toward $4 a gallon.

Among models rated at 35 miles per gallon on the highway or more, sales of the 10 most popular models increased 13 percent in 2011 compared with 2010, a Business Journal analysis of data obtained from Polk indicated. Consumers bought 28,405 of the cars in 2011, the data indicated, compared with 25,227 in 2010.

Four of the top 20 cars sold in Massachusetts in 2011 – the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra and Sonata and Toyota Prius – boasted at least 35 miles per gallon on the highway, according to data obtained from Polk and www.fuelcono
my.gov. The Prius, the lone hybrid model on the state’s top 20 hottest-selling car list last year, easily topped the field with a gas rating of 51 miles per gallon in the city and 48 on the highway.

The Prius is also the most expensive on the top-10 list, with a starting price of $26,400.

The Civic, the sixth most popular new car sold in Massachusetts, with more than 7,000 registered in 2011, gets approximately 25 miles per gallon in the city and 36 on the highway, based on models with automatic transmission, according to www.
fuelconomy.gov

Ernie Boch Jr. of Boch Automotive Group said the trend is obvious in showrooms.

“Practicality is the new buzzword when buying cars,” he said. “Now that the gas prices are rising again, we’re seeing people moving from light trucks (and) SUVs to cars.

“Last year, more people bought light trucks and SUVs than cars. It was something like 55-45. It’s about 50-50 right now .¤.¤. and we expect it to continue moving more so in that direction.”

Boch said sales are on the rise across New England, with inventories healthy – though there are “only so many hybrids out there on the lots.”

Robert O’Koniewski, executive vice president of the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association, said the trend seems poised to continue. “If gas does go over $4 a gallon this year, and it certainly looks that way, you’ll be seeing drivers getting out of their trucks and into more gas-efficient cars,” he said.

Obama leads Romney 60 percent to 36 percent, with each candidate locking in a majority of their respective party support in the Bay State.

The latest Western New England University poll showed that in Massachusetts, President Barack Obama holds a sizable lead over former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. (Republican file photos by Brian Canova)

SPRINGFIELD – President Barack Obama holds a significant lead in Massachusetts while former Republican Governor W. Mitt Romney is a distant second, according to a new poll of 2012 presidential preferences.

The state-wide poll, conducted by the Western New England University Polling Institute in a partnership with The Republican and MassLive.com, surveyed 527 registered voters between Feb. 23 and March 1 and has a 4.3 percent margin of error.

Obama leads Romney 60 percent to 36 percent, with each candidate locking in a majority of their respective party support in the Bay State.

"Obama beats Romney in all regions, although it’s only a two-point margin in central MA (Worcester County), which typically has more conservative voters," said Tim Vercelotti, associate professor of political science and director of the Polling Institute at Western New England University. "Obama also enjoys the usual advantage that Democrats have with female voters, running ahead of Romney 65 to 31 percent. He leads Romney by only 11 points among men."

When placed against Republican candidate Rick Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator also vying for his party's nomination, Obama leads 66 percent to 27 percent. A majority of Santorum's support is based in Central Massachusetts, where 38 percent of the residents polled said they would support him over Obama.

Complete coverage of the Western New England University poll

Methodology of the Western New England University poll

The Western New England University Polling Institute conducted telephone interviews with 576 adults ages 18 and older drawn from across Massachusetts using random-digit-dialing Feb. 23 through March 1, 2012. The sample yielded 527 adults who said they are registered to vote in Massachusetts. Unless otherwise noted, the figures in this release are based on the statewide sample of registered voters.

The Polling Institute dialed household telephone numbers, known as “landline numbers,” and cell phone numbers for the survey. In order to draw a representative sample from the landline numbers, interviewers first asked for the youngest male age 18 or older who was home at the time of the call, and if no adult male was present, the youngest female age 18 or older who was at home at the time of the call. Interviewers dialing cell phone numbers interviewed the respondent who answered the cell phone after confirming three things: (1) that the respondent was in a safe setting to complete the survey; (2) that the respondent was an adult age 18 or older; and (3) that the respondent was a resident of Massachusetts. The landline and cell phone data were combined and weighted to reflect the adult population of Massachusetts by gender, race, age, and county of residence using U.S. Census estimates for Massachusetts. Complete results of the poll are available online at www.wne.edu/news.

All surveys are subject to sampling error, which is the expected probable difference between interviewing everyone in a population versus a scientific sampling drawn from that population. The sampling error for a sample of 527 registered voters is +/- 4.3 percent, at a 95 percent confidence interval. Thus if 55 percent of registered voters said they approved of the job that Scott Brown is doing as U.S. Senator, one would be 95 percent sure that the true figure would be between 50.7 percent and 59.3 percent (55 percent +/- 4.3 percent) had all Massachusetts voters been interviewed, rather than just a sample. Sampling error increases as the sample size decreases, so statements based on various population subgroups are subject to more error than are statements based on the total sample. Sampling error does not take into account other sources of variation inherent in public opinion studies, such as non-response, question wording, or context effects.

Established in 2005, the Western New England University Polling Institute conducts research on issues of importance to Massachusetts and the region. The Institute provides the University’s faculty and students with valuable opportunities to participate in public opinion research. Additional information about the Polling Institute is available at www1.wne.edu/pollinginst.


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In the match-up between Obama and Santorum, the president pulls support from 23 percent of Republicans and 56 percent of independents, compared to the former senator who pulled only 5 percent of Democrats and 34 percent of independents. Obama's support included 94 percent of Democrats while Santorum's included 71 percent of Republicans.

Men favor Obama over Santorum 61 percent to 31 percent, and women favor Obama over Santorum 70 percent to 24 percent.

When placed against either Romney or Santorum, Obama's support increased along with the education level of the participants. In regards to a match-up against Romney, Obama's support ranged from 54 percent among those with a high school diploma or less to 62 percent among college graduates.

When Santorum was placed against Obama, the president's support went from 58 percent among those with a high school diploma or less to 71 percent among college graduates.

Among the Republican candidates remaining in the race, this poll and others suggest that only Romney and Santorum have enough support to potentially receive 15 percent of the primary election vote in Massachusetts on Tuesday, the amount necessary to get delegates from the commonwealth to push for them at the Republican National Convention in August.

Newt Gingrich, a former speaker of the house who is also aiming for his party's nomination, is the most unpopular presidential candidate in Massachusetts as 73 percent of those surveyed said they have an unfavorable opinion of him, including 60 percent of Republicans.

Only 14 percent of poll participants said that they had a favorable opinion of Gingrich.

Santorum's popularity ranked slightly better than Gingrich with 18 percent of those surveyed saying they hold a favorable opinion of him. A majority of voters, 54 percent, said the opposite was true, including 48 percent of Republicans polled.

In terms of popularity, Romney did the best among Republicans, with 74 percent holding a favorable opinion of him compared to only 12 percent who say they hold a negative one.

Among Democrats and independents, the one-term Bay State governor pulled a favorable rating of 21 percent and 48 percent respectively.

Depending on which polls you follow, the president's job approval rating has been just above or below the 50 percent mark nationally as of February. The Western New England University poll concluded that in Massachusetts, 55 percent of voters approve of his performance while 37 percent disapprove, with 8 percent refusing to answer the question or saying that they don't know enough to respond.

A positive opinion of Obama's job performance was the highest in Western Massachusetts and Boston and its suburbs, with 60 percent and 58 percent of those polled saying they approve of what he has been doing. It was lowest in the central part of the state, where 42 percent said they approve and 48 percent said they disapprove of his performance.

"Those numbers are certainly more favorable than his job approval numbers nationally, but they are quite a comedown from his approval ratings in Massachusetts in February 2009," Vercelotti said. "More than two-thirds of adults and voters approved of the job Obama was doing at that time, even though he had only been in office for a few weeks. Needless to say, Massachusetts seems to be safely in Obama’s column for the general election."

Reports indicate that Welker, who led the NFL in receptions this past season, will be applied the unofficial wide receiver franchise amount of $9.4 million.

AP PhotoAccording to reports, the New England Patriots will apply the franchise tag to receiver Wes Welker.

Wes Welker, according to Boston.com, will be franchised Monday by the New England Patriots. With free agency beginning March 13, the franchise tag deadline throughout the NFL is Monday at 4 p.m.

It was reported last week that if the two sides couldn't come to an agreement on a long-term deal, Welker would be franchised.

The league has yet to officially announce the franchise amounts for each position but the wide receiver position is likely to be slotted at $9.4 million.

The deal that recently expired paid Welker $18.5 million.

Welker, who wrapped up a five-year deal with the Patriots, has caught more passes than anyone in the NFL during that span and led the league in receptions this past season.

We'll have more information on this developing story.

Democratic President Barack Obama's job approval rating in Massachusetts is at 56 percent, according to poll data released today.

President Barack Obama is holding a 56 percent job approval rating in Massachusetts, according to a March poll conducted by the Western New England University Polling Institute. (Republican file photo by Brian Canova)

SPRINGFIELD - Democratic President Barack Obama's job approval rating in Massachusetts is at 56 percent, according to data from a poll released today.

The state-wide survey of 527 adults who identified themselves as registered voters was conducted between Feb. 23 and March 1, by the Western New England University Polling Institute through a partnership with The Republican and MassLive.com. The poll has a 4.3 percent margin of error.

Obama's approval came from 87 percent of Democrats, 41 percent of independents and 21 percent of Republicans surveyed.

His approval was higher among women compared to men, at 60 percent and 49 percent approval, respectively.

By comparison, a Western New England University survey conducted in February 2009, a few weeks after Obama’s inauguration, found that 68 percent of voters in Massachusetts approved and only 11 percent disapproved of the job he was doing in the short time he had been in office.

Complete coverage of the Western New England University poll

President Barack Obama's Massachusetts job approval rating by region

Western Massachusetts
• 60 percent approve
• 33 percent disapprove
Central Massachusetts
• 42 percent approve
• 48 percent disapprove
North & South Shores
• 54percent approve
• 36 percent disapprove
Boston & Suburbs
• 58 percent approve
• 35 percent disapprove

This round, the greatest concentration of approval came from Western Massachusetts, where 60 percent of those surveyed said they believe he is doing a good job. Boston and its suburbs were a close second at 58 percent approval, followed by the North/South shores and Central Massachusetts at 54 percent and 42 percent respectively.

In February, Obama's national job approval rating climbed to 49 percent, according to a Gallup Poll, following reports that the economy was improving.

In the current poll, when Obama was placed against potential Republican opponents, he came out on top in the Bay State.

In a hypothetical match-up with former Massachusetts Gov. W. Mitt Romney, Obama received support from 60 percent of registered voters, compared to 36 percent for Romney. The survey also found that former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania trails Obama by a margin of 66 percent to 27 percent.

Newt Gingrich, a former speaker of the house who is also aiming for his party's nomination, is the most unpopular presidential candidate in Massachusetts as 73 percent of those surveyed said they have an unfavorable opinion of him, including 60 percent of Republicans.

Only 14 percent of poll participants said that they had a favorable opinion of Gingrich.

Southwick Police Officer Michael Westcott was injured after his cruiser was struck by a pickup truck driven by Michael Geschwind of Granville. Geschwind was intoxicated and speeding, police said.

SOUTHWICK – An officer was injured and hospitalized after his police cruiser was struck by a truck at about 12:30 a.m. Monday at the intersection of Depot Street and Sheep Pasture Road, according to law enforcement officials.

Authorities said Southwick Police Officer Michael Westcott was traveling east on Depot Street when a Ford pickup truck driven by Michael Geschwind, of Granville, struck the side of Westcott's cruiser. The crash happened in front of Southwick's police and fire stations.

Westcott was extricated from his cruiser and taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, where he was treated and later released. He is expected to recover.

"He's actually home now," a department spokesman said around 7 a.m. Monday.

Geschwind was speeding and drunk when he drove through a stop sign at the intersection and slammed into Westcott's cruiser, according to police. Geschwind was expected to be arraigned Monday in Westfield District Court on drunken-driving and other charges.

The accident remains under investigation.

ProFlowers said Limbaugh's comments "do not reflect our values as a company."

Associated PressIn this Jan. 13, 2009 file photo, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh talks with guests in the East Room of the White House in Washington.

NEW YORK — A flower company is the seventh advertiser to pull its ads from conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh's radio program in reaction to his derogatory comments about a law student who testified about birth control policy.

ProFlowers said Sunday on its Facebook page that it has suspended advertising on Limbaugh's program because his comments about Georgetown University student Sandra Fluke "went beyond political discourse to a personal attack and do not reflect our values as a company."

The six other advertisers that say they have pulled ads from his show are mortgage lender Quicken Loans, mattress retailers Sleep Train and Sleep Number, software maker Citrix Systems Inc., online data backup service provider Carbonite and online legal document services company LegalZoom.

ProFlowers had said on Twitter that posts it received about Limbaugh's remarks affected its advertising strategy. ProFlowers is an online flower delivery service.

Limbaugh called the 30-year-old Fluke a "slut" and "prostitute" last week after she testified to congressional Democrats in support of national health care policies that would compel employers and other organizations, including her university, to offer group health insurance that covers birth control for women.

He apologized to Fluke on Saturday after being criticized by Republican and Democratic politicians and after several advertisers left the show.

Clear Channel's Premiere Radio Networks Inc. hosts Limbaugh's program, one of the country's most popular talk radio shows. The company is supporting Limbaugh, whose on-air contract with Premiere runs through 2016.

"The contraception debate is one that sparks strong emotion and opinions on both sides of the issue," Premiere Networks said in a statement emailed Sunday by spokeswoman Rachel Nelson. "We respect the right of Mr. Limbaugh, as well as the rights of those who disagree with him, to express those opinions."

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment operates more than 850 radio stations in the U.S., and Premiere says it's the largest radio content provider in the country, syndicating programs to more than 5,000 affiliate stations.

When asked which companies or organizations were the largest advertisers on Limbaugh's show, Nelson said that that information was "proprietary." Nelson declined to say how much revenue the company will lose with the advertiser defections or how much revenue Limbaugh's show brings in.

Clear Channel's parent company was taken private in 2008 by private equity firms Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital.

Here, in a region rich with Republicans, GOP voters seem split between two camps. There are those delighted with Rick Santorum's emergence as an alternative to Mitt Romney and others who are struggling over whom to back in the party's volatile nomination fight.

The Associated PressRepublican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at a campaign rally at West Hills Elementary School in Knoxville, Tenn., Sunday, March 4, 2012. (AP Photo/The Knoxville News Sentinel, Michael Patrick)

WEST CHESTER, Ohio — Here, in a region rich with Republicans, GOP voters seem split between two camps. There are those delighted with Rick Santorum's emergence as an alternative to Mitt Romney and others who are struggling over whom to back in the party's volatile nomination fight.

Exasperation with the field of candidates is common. So is a sneaking feeling that Romney may be worth another look.

"Nobody's really stepped forward for me," says Tim Costello, 64. "It's difficult for me to believe that the Republicans couldn't find someone better."

Six months after first being interviewed by The Associated Press, a group of Republicans in this heavily Republican crescent around Cincinnati is still looking for someone who can unseat President Barack Obama while weighing who to vote for in Tuesday's primary. But few are happy with their choices.

As Carrie Burbage, 33, puts it: "I'm not impressed with any of them." And after watching the GOP infighting in a protracted primary contest, she added: "I truly think that Obama's going to win again ... and it's not good."

View full sizeThe Associated PressRepublican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, gestures as he speaks at a rally in Oklahoma City, Sunday, March 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

After watching others like Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich flame out, there's evidence that some are considering Romney anew. Many in this group had spent months seeking what they called "Anybody but Romney" because of skepticism about his conservative bona fides given his previous support of abortion rights and his Massachusetts health care plan that's similar to Obama's national one. But some now suspect Romney might be their safest choice.

"I'm leaning toward Romney, even though I don't like him," says Bill Langdon, co-owner of the Grand Ole Pub, a popular gathering spot for Republicans in this Butler County suburb about 25 miles north of Cincinnati. "Is he the one who can beat Obama? The customers I talk to are just so afraid that Obama will get re-elected."

To be sure, Langdon hasn't ruled out voting for Santorum, but is concerned that the former Pennsylvania senator's outspoken positions on social issues, such as being critical of birth control, would distract from debate over the economy. That may be enough for him to tip his vote Romney's way.

Costello, who lives in neighboring Liberty Township, also seems willing to put aside his concern that "Romney's not in touch with the average working man." He said despite that, "I'd probably have to vote for Romney."

Polls show a close race in the run up to Tuesday's primary, which looms as arguably the most pivotal contest of the 10 held on the same day given the high stakes for both Romney and Santorum. No matter who wins the contest, the eventual nominee will have to gin up support here ahead of November to capture a swing state that has been crucial for Republicans. Obama won the state in 2008.

Santorum emerged as Romney's chief challenger early last month after winning Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri, taking the GOP front-runner by surprise. He has maintained the post of alternative to Romney despite losing the last four contests to the former Massachusetts governor.

Daryl Nelson, 38, of Fairfield Township, is among those thinking that Santorum is the real deal — so much so that he's distributing yard signs for the candidates.

"Different people are coalescing around us," said Nelson. "He hits a wide swath of issues here. I think everything he's talking about will continue to ring true with people."

Cyndi Wilkerson, 40, a stay-at-home mom with six children, is getting back into political activity for the first time in years to volunteer for Santorum. His anti-abortion stance and other conservative positions are important to her.

"It's amazing that we have a candidate like this," said Wilkerson, who embraced Santorum's campaign after his strong showing in the Iowa caucuses. "I was never really satisfied with anyone else, but I wasn't sure he had a shot."

Santorum also has the support of Phil Burress, president of the Citizens for Community Values, an organization that has been active on issues such as opposing gay marriage and pornography.

Sandra Arno of Springdale, who had favored former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, said she is leaning toward Romney. "I think he'd probably be the best against Obama. Anybody but Obama."

Fifteen-month-old Angel Babcock seemed to be the miracle survivor of a deadly tornado that killed her parents and two siblings when she arrived Friday night at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Ky.

The Associated PressBranches and fallen trees surround the remnants of a home on Sunday, March 4, 2012, after a tornado devastated the area in Henryville, Ind. (AP Photo/Lincoln Journal Star, Brynn Anderson)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Fifteen-month-old Angel Babcock seemed to be the miracle survivor of a deadly tornado that killed her parents and two siblings when she arrived Friday night at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Ky. Though critically injured, she was opening her eyes, and hospital workers said that was a hopeful sign.

But the New Pekin, Ind., girl's condition deteriorated Saturday as her brain swelled, chief nursing officer Cis Gruebbel said. As the day went on, Angel's eyes ceased to move, and there was no sign of brain activity. Medical staff told her family there was nothing more they could do.

Angel's death Sunday ended a hopeful tale for survivors in the Midwest and South and brought to 39 the number of people killed by the storms that devastated five states.

As residents picked through the rubble and made plans to bury their dead, they also began trying to find a semblance of normalcy as officials continued to assess the damage.

The National Weather Service in Louisville, Ky., said the tornado that struck New Pekin measured an EF-3 on the enhanced Fujita scale, while another tornado that struck nearby Henryville, Ind., was stronger yet, measuring an EF-4 and packing winds of 175 mph.

Early Monday, a blanket of wet snow covered Henryville and other parts of tornado-stricken Clark County. State homeland security spokeswoman Emily Norcross said the 2 to 4 inches of snow would likely slow the clean-up effort because it covered debris and concealed potential hazards.

"It's slippery and it's hampering visibility on roads, so it's more difficult to see small debris like nails," Norcross said. "It's complicating things."

The Associated PressResidents hold each other during a community worship service Sunday, March 4, 2012 at Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, Ill. Six people were killed and about 100 injured when a tornado touched down in Harrisburg early Wednesday. (AP Photo /Alan Rogers / The Southern)

Theresa McCarty, owner of Pop Top Bar in New Pekin, said her husband was with emergency workers Friday when they found the Babcock family. Their bodies had been scattered, she said.

McCarty, her friends and co-workers talked about establishing the bar as a central refuge for victims of the tornado from the immediate region, including making roughly 1,000 meals Sunday for victims and volunteers.

But when she talked about the Babcock family, she got quiet: "It was the whole family."

Speaking from his bed at the University of Louisville Hospital, Jason Miller told NBC's "Today" show Monday that he saw the Babcock family outside as the storm was bearing down and took them into his home. As the tornado hit, they took shelter in the hallway, grabbed hands and began praying.

Miller said he remembers being sucked up into the air but blacked out soon after. His arm, back and five ribs were broken.

"It's very saddening to hear that the whole family passed away and I was sitting right there holding their hands two seconds before they died," Miller said.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels told CBS' "Face the Nation" that the twister "moved like a lawnmower though some of the most beautiful countryside, and some of the most beautiful towns that we have."

In Henryville, about 20 miles north of Louisville, school was canceled for the week because of heavy damage to the education complex housing elementary through high school students.

Even so, small signs of normalcy slowly began to emerge.

Utility crews replaced downed poles and restrung electrical lines. Portable cell towers went up, and a truck equipped with batteries, cellphone charging stations, computers and even satellite television was headed to Henryville on Monday.

"We're going to keep living," said the Rev. Steve Schaftlein during a Sunday service at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, where about 100 people gathered under a patched-up 6-foot hole in the church's roof to worship and catch up on news of the tornado.

In West Liberty, Ky., about 85 miles east of Lexington, the roar of chain saws filled the air as utility workers battled chilly weather and debris to get electricity restored to the battered town. Almost 19,000 customers were without power in Kentucky, according to the state's Public Service Commission, and a few thousand more from municipal utilities and TVA, which the PSC does not track.

In Indiana, about 2,700 remained without power, down from 8,000 in the hours after the storms. But in some hard-hit areas, like Henryville, a substation and transmission lines need to be rebuilt, and that could take up to a week.

Even with life upended in so many ways, one family got a reminder that a deadly tornado can't uproot everything.

The home that Shalonda Kerr shares with her husband and Jack Russell terrier outside of Chelsea, Ind., was obliterated: The front wall was ripped clean, leaving the home looking eerily like a shaken dollhouse. An upended couch and a tipped-over fish tank lay in the rubble.

The mailbox was untouched. Its front hatch was tipped open, revealing a white piece of paper.

"Inside was a $300 IRS bill," Kerr said, laughing amid the ruins.