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Former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis and Sierra Club turn out for Elizabeth Warren

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Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren will be joined by former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis and Sierra Club members on the campaign trail this weekend.

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BOSTON – Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren will be joined by former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis and Sierra Club members on the campaign trail this weekend.

Warren, who is in a heated campaign against Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, will be joined by the former Democratic governor and his wife Kitty at a canvassing event in Brookline, Dukakis' hometown, this Sunday at 1 p.m.

Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th governor of the Bay State and in 1988 was the Democratic presidential nominee who ran unsuccessfully against George H.W. Bush. He currently serves as a distinguished professor of political science at Northeastern University and is a visiting professor of public policy at UCLA.

Prior to the visit with Dukakis, members of the Sierra Club will join Warren at a canvassing event in Somerville, one of 20 such events being held across the commonwealth on as part of the Sierra Club’s Earth Day celebration.

Earlier this month, Warren was endorsed by the Sierra Club, which said that if elected, Warren will be a leader in promoting clean energy investments and environmental protection and "side with middle class families over the big oil and dirty energy companies."saying that she will be a leader in promoting clean energy investments and environmental protection."

The scheduled events are listed below:

10:45 AM Elizabeth Warren attends Sierra Club Canvass in Somerville
Powder House Park
136 College Ave
Somerville, Mass.

1:00 PM Governor Michael and Kitty Dukakis attend Brookline Canvass
The Devotion School
387 Harvard Street
Brookline, Mass.


Yesterday's top stories: Springfield bars would close at 1 a.m. under new proposal, police release list of sex offenders and more

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Barry Kriger, a longtime television personality for WWLP 22News, is scheduled to return to the anchor desk following a long recovery from injuries he suffered in a car accident while vacationing in Mexico.

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These are the most-read stories that appeared on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now.

1) Springfield bars and clubs would close at 1 a.m. under new proposal by Mayor Domenic Sarno [Peter Goonan]

2) Springfield police release list of 33 Level 3 sex offenders residing in city [Patrick Johnson] Photo gallery at right.

3) WWLP anchor Barry Kriger set for television return following car accident in Mexico [The Republican Newsroom]

4) Judge OKs release of Jay DiRico, accused of attacking police officer, into parents' custody [Fred Contrada]

5) Argument over saltines leads to knife fight between uncle and nephew at South Bridge Street home in Holyoke [George Graham]

4th National Prescription Drug Take-Back event planned in Western Massachusetts

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Nearly 200 tons of old, outdated prescription drugs were collected during a November drive.

AE drug 4.jpgSpringfield Police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration collect prescription medications at the third annual "Take Back" initiative at Central High School last fall. Here, Mickey Paul of Springfield, left, brings in her family's medications ang gives them to DEA Intellegence Analyst Jennifer Fafard.

Building on past successes, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will launch the fourth National Prescription Drug Take-Back event on April 28.

The annual event serves to mitigate epidemic prescription drug abuse nationally and provides an outlet for those who may not know the best way to dispose of old and unused drugs.

In the past, the events have raked in countless tons of medications, including 188.5 tons during the most recent national take-back drive which was conducted last fall.

“With the continued support and hard work of our more than 3,945 state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners, these three events have dramatically reduced the risk of prescription drug diversion and abuse, and increased awareness of this critical public health issue,” said DEA administrator Michele M. Leonhart.

The drive also will include take-back sites across Western Massachusetts, including at the Springfield Central High School, city halls in Agawam and West Springfield, the Westfield Police Department headquarters, the parking lot of Greenfield High School and other sites, a list of which is available online at the DEA website, http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html

The collections will be conducted from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The process is as simple as bringing old, unwanted or expired drugs to the designated sites and dropping them off.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick proposes $25 million in new funding to aid homeless families

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The undersecretary for the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development told The Republican his focus is to reduce the number of homeless families living in hotels "to zero."

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Massachusetts is taking aim at reducing the numbers of homeless families housed in hotels and motels with a “housing first” strategy that includes adoption of a targeted emergency shelter system and spending an additional $25 million for permanent housing and support services.

“We think we can dramatically reduce motel-hotel use,” Aaron Gornstein, undersecretary for the state Department of Housing and Community Development, told the editorial board of The Republican recently. “My focus is to reduce it to zero.”

Gornstein visited Springfield to urge support for budget reforms proposed by Gov. Deval L. Patrick to combat high numbers of families being housed at state expense in hotels and motels across the commonwealth while they await placement in more permanent housing.

“Investments in our successful ‘Housing First’ programs and public housing stock, combined with a targeted emergency shelter system, are critical to combating homelessness in the commonwealth,” Gornstein said.

As of April 3, there were 1,463 families housed in motels and hotels, including 393 in Western Massachusetts. That compared to 1,332 families in January, including 342 families with 680 children in hotels in Chicopee, Greenfield, Holyoke, Springfield and West Springfield. In July 2011, the number statewide was 1,741 families.

Patrick’s budget reforms for fiscal 2013 include proposals to shift an additional $25 million for permanent housing and support services, as part of a “rapid rehousing” strategy, Gornstein said. By limiting shelter to families in emergency situations, the goal is to get more families out of shelters and motels with an estimated savings of $25 million and reinvest the savings into housing programs, he said.

gornstein.phot.jpgAaron Gornstein

That will serve to get more homeless families out of emergency shelters and motels, and into apartments, he said.

A prolonged stay in hotels for use as housing is detrimental to the family and a financial burden to the state, Gornstein said.

The proposed changes are being praised by regional advocates for the homeless, who say the changes would provide a stronger, more fiscally responsible and compassionate response to the plight of families housed in emergency shelters and motels.

The reform proposals are “an outgrowth of tried and true practices of the networks across the state,” said Pamela Schwartz, executive director of the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness. In 2009, there were grants issued to networks for the homeless statewide to build on a “housing first” strategy, finding homes for the homeless and helping to stabilize their lives, she said.

“I think the governor’s reforms are vitally important,” Schwartz said. “The reforms are a reflection of the best practices that followed from the state pilot program.”

The House Ways & Means budget “adopts many of the Governor’s proposals and demonstrates their shared commitment to a housing first response for families experiencing instability,” Gornstein said.

The legislative review continues, and Gornstein said he hopes the budget adopted by the Legislature “includes the responsible safety net we’ve outlined and the investments we feel are necessary to reduce homelessness in Massachusetts.”

hotels0422.jpgView full size

Specifically, the reform proposals include:

• Adding $10 million to the rental voucher program to provide vouchers to an additional 800 extremely low income families. The rental voucher budget is $36 million this year;

• Providing an additional $8.5 million to the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program, to provide financial assistance to an additional 2,000 extremely low-income families. The amount would dramatically increase funding compared to this year’s budget of $260,000. It would also include families previously eligible for emergency assistance who are being asked to leave by a host family, overcrowded and evicted for cause;

• Increasing funds by $4 million for public housing, provided directly to housing authorities statewide. The budget is now $62.5 million for operating expenses. Approximately 48,000 households currently live in state-aided public housing and the intent is to help keep them operating and stabilized; and

• Adding $1 million for permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals. The budget is now $1.2 million.

By shifting funds to permanent housing and support services for homeless families, the state should be able to reduce its costs on emergency shelter costs and motels, Gornstein said.

Families are eligible for emergency shelter if they are financially within the limits of 115 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, or if they also are victims of fire or natural disaster, fleeing domestic violence, facing no-fault eviction, or are in situations where children are at substantial health or safety risks, under the guidelines.

Since July 2009, the state has helped to move 10,000 families from shelters into affordable housing, Gornstein said. The reforms will continue and expand upon that effort, Gornstein said.

“The key is to try to prevent homelessness in the first place,” Gornstein said.

Under supportive services and stabilization efforts, there are regional groups which work with families on an ongoing basis with job training, child care, and “a move toward self-sufficiency,” Gornstein said.

In addition to the efforts to assist families, the state will continue to maintain funding for assisting homeless individuals. The number of homeless individuals has dropped by 46 percent since 2005, Gornstein said.

The Western Massachusetts homeless network received a $1 million grant in 2009, for an 18-month pilot program, Schwartz said. Similar grants were received by nine other networks statewide.

In Western Massachusetts, more than 2,000 families were assisted either with rapid re-housing or homeless prevention efforts, Schwartz said.

“What we discovered was just how successful these resources are when allocated for those purposes,” Schwartz said.

111210 william miller friends of the homeless.JPGWilliam J. Miller, Executive Director of the Friends of the Homeless, stands in the women's dorm area at the Rescource Center on Worthington Street in Springfield.

William J. Miller, executive director of Friends of the Homeless in Springfield, and Geraldine McCafferty, Springfield’s director of housing, also praise the governor’s efforts to address the issues related to homeless families.

“It’s a similar approach to the Housing First model used with adult individuals,” Miller said, noting that Friends of the Homeless provides emergency shelter, housing and support services for homeless men and women at its new resource center and shelter on Worthington Street.

“We appreciate the governor is doing his best to attempt solutions,” Miller said. “Certainly, the motel crisis has to be addressed.”

A shift in state funds makes sense in McCafferty’s views. The national data “is clear that housing is the best solution to homelessness and this (governor’s) proposal would fund the housing initiative that makes housing the primary response to homelessness,” she said.

The housing of homeless families in motels and hotels has fiscal fallout for municipalities in which they are placed. In February, state auditor Suzanne Bump released a report which projected busing costs for homeless children across Massachusetts will increase almost $1 million this year, nudging up the financial burden for cash-strapped cities and towns under an unfunded mandate.

Bump released a statewide survey that found the estimated price tag to bus transient homeless students within and between school districts will reach $11.3 million this year. The numbers included $563,000 in Springfield, $431,000 in Chicopee and $311,000 in Holyoke, where about 10 percent of the student population is homeless.

The House budget has included a new $11.3 million fund to help Springfield, Holyoke and other communities pay for school transportation for homeless children.

Ludlow schedules community forum on teen drinking, drug use

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Selectman William Rooney said representatives from the Hampden County District Attorney’s office and the Ludlow Police Department will discuss the regional outlook for fighting illegal drug use.

LUDLOW - Selectman William Rooney urged residents to attend a community forum planned for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Ludlow High School to get the community to begin to combat the problem of teen drinking and illegal drug use.

“This is for parents and students in grades 5 and up,” Rooney said. He added that there will be professional free child care on site for those who need it provided by the Ludlow Community Center.

Rooney said representatives from the Hampden County District Attorney’s office and the Ludlow Police Department will discuss the regional outlook for fighting illegal drug use.

Presentations will be made by some recovering drug addicts and by families of drug addicts.

Rooney says the community has a drug problem and it needs to start talking about it.

Parents at a school forum in February said there is a problem with abuse of the prescription drug Oxycontin in the community. There are homes in town where Oxycontin is being sold to teens.

Oxycontin can lead to addiction and increased house and car breaks, Rooney said.

Selectman Carmina Fernandes said it is important for students, parents and grandparents to attend the Tuesday forum.

“We need to nip this in the bud,” Fernandes said.

She said the issue cuts across the entire town.

Increased drug use can lead to increased crime.

Increased crime can result in the need for more police and higher property taxes, Fernandes said.

Increased crime also can result in a reduction in property values, Fernandes said.

WEBS America's Yarn Store in Northampton a major destination for knitters, weavers and spinners

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The National Retail Federation hopes WEBS will compete again in next year’s contest.

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NORTHAMPTON – Steven L. Elkins entered WEBS America’s Yarn Store to win the National Retail Federation’s “This is Retail” video contest, and though it was selected among the Top 20 in the county, it was dropped before making it to the Top 10.

Elkins, one of the owners of what he calls the country’s largest brick-and-mortar yarn store, says his video conveyed the message that the store is customer-focused, about building community and inviting to people to “have a great time here.”

WEBS is a second-generation, family-owned business that has been a destination for knitters, weavers and spinners for more than 30 years.

“People come here to do something they’re passionate about,” Elkins said. “They’re always looking for something new and inspiring,” and they find it at the store that also offers about 175 classes a year.

The 20 finalists in the video contest were determined from scoring by prominent retail executives at National Retail Federation member companies. The scoring was based on multiple categories including visual appeal and effectiveness of the use of the key video contest themes of creating jobs, driving innovation and delivering consumer value.

Ellen R. Davis, senior vice president of the National Retail Federation, said the WEBS video demonstrated how retail can bring a community together.

“It’s not just a place to shop, it’s a place to congregate, to share and to learn,” Davis said.

The federation received nearly 100 video entries for the contest.

Contest finalists ranged from small business owners to vice presidents at national retail chains and from wine shops to sporting goods retailers.

And the judging panel which determined the finalists happened to have a Western Massachusetts connection – Dave Ratner, owner of Dave’s Soda and Pet City, who’s widely recognized for his work in the small business and retailing community nationwide.

“Our customers supported us tremendously during the voting,” Elkins said after learning the WEBS video was not among the Top 10. “There was a lot of excitement to be part of it.”

According to Davis, the Northampton store had an “out-of-this-world” response from the voting perspective. “It was incredible to see how united the yarn and crafts industries were,” she said.

The selection process will continue through April as the top 20 videos each week are narrowed down to the Top 10, Top 5 and, finally, the Top 3.

Anyone can vote for favorite videos up to 10 times a day per matchup. The videos with the most votes before the end of each six-day period will move on to the next round.

The contest’s top three finalists will be announced on May 1 and will be flown to the retail federation’s Washington Leadership Conference for the announcement of the contest rankings on May 16. The first-place winner will receive $25,000 with $15,000 for second place and $10,000 for third place.

The contest was designed to promote retail as a career and demonstrate the multitude of career choices available within the retail industry.

“The incredible stories we heard from small business owners and employees through this contest serve as a reminder that retail is at the heart of every community,” said National Retail Federation President and chief executive officer Matthew Shay.

“While each of these finalists has their own story, they collectively demonstrate the opportunities in and power of retail, which supports 42 million U.S. jobs.”

Davis said it is likely the contest will be repeated next year, and she hopes WEBS will enter again. “What a great story (Elkins has to tell),” she said. “The Elkins video demonstrated the fact that retail can provide people with opportunities to share with each other.”

To view the videos and vote for your favorite, go online to retailmeansjobs.com/vote.

Obituaries today: Diana Gilmore worked for Department of Defense, City of Springfield

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Obituaries from The Republican.

04_21_12_Gilmore_D.jpgDiana Gilmore

Diana M. (Mantoni) Gilmore, 80, of Springfield, died Friday. Born in Springfield, she was a lifelong resident and communicant of Holy Cross Church. Gilmore worked as a clerical assistant for many Springfield companies, including Springfield Newspapers, Forbes & Wallace, Peter Pan Bus and Baystate Medical Center. She was also an administrative assistant for the federal Department of Defense, and worked for the City of Springfield in both the School Department and Personnel Department. She returned to school when she was older and obtained her bachelor's degree in business administration from American International College. Gilmore was also a proud member of the Siri Italian Cooking Club.

Obituaries from The Republican:

Pioneer Valley Planning Commission celebrates 50th birthday

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From helping to clean up the Connecticut, Deerfield, Westfield and Chicopee rivers and spearheading creation of the Norwottuck Rail Trail to the helping establish the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, the planning commission has left its mark in 43 cities and towns across the Pioneer Valley.

ae pvpc 3.jpgRetired Judge Edward C. Peck Jr., the first chairman of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, visited the commission's Congress Street headquarters Friday and chatted with current executive director Timothy W. Brennan, right.

SPRINGFIELD – For the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, good news came on a bad day.

On Sept. 11, 1962, the start-up planning group won recognition as a public agency, thus qualifying it for state and federal funding. At a brief ceremony, the state commerce secretary presented the official paperwork to commission chairman, Edward C. Peck, of West Springfield.

But the concept of long-range planning seemed a bit quixotic given the sudden threat of nuclear war. A few hours earlier, Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev set the stage for a superpower showdown by declaring that any American attempts to thwart arm shipments to Cuba would trigger a war.

The Cuban Missile Crisis passed, and the regional planning commission survived – overcoming political opposition and legal battles to emerge as one of the region’s most respected institutions.

On Monday, the commission celebrates its 50th anniversary, a milestone that inspires pride and amazement from its original members.

“It’s remarkable that one group has been able to consolidate the conflicting interests of so many communities,” says Peck, now 95 and retired as a Housing Court judge.

Starting with 10 employees, a $200,000-plus budget and no veto power over projects, the small advisory commission made a big impact on the region.

From helping to clean up the Connecticut, Deerfield, Westfield and Chicopee rivers and spearheading creation of the Norwottuck Rail Trail to the helping establish the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, the planning commission has left its mark in 43 cities and towns across the Pioneer Valley.

Much of the commission’s work is low profile – getting solar bylaws passed, protecting aquifers and wetlands, pushing for funding for infrastructure projects, according to Timothy W. Brennan, the commission’s current executive director.

Other efforts, such as promoting handicap-accessible housing or organizing anti-domestic violence initiatives, also draw scant public attention, Brennan says.

But, larger projects undertaken by the commission have changed life in Pioneer Valley .

Perhaps its most successful campaign was restoring the area’s pollution-choked rivers. Reversing decades of neglect, the Connecticut River is suitable for swimming and boating above the Holyoke Dam, the standard for rivers.

Work remains on the lower stretches, where sewer pipes in older, urban communities still pose problems, Brennan said.

“But, it’s 50 percent cleaner in Springfield, and it will continue to improve,” he said.

The Westfield River, meanwhile, has won the federal “wild and scenic” designation for rivers with exceptional natural, recreational and historical attractions.

Establishing a regional transit authority was another priority for the commission when it was created; currently, the PVTA is the state’s largest transit agency, with more than 300 buses and vans running in 24 participating communities.

Not every project has been a triumph, though.

For a decade, the Norwottuck Rail Trail, the scenic, 10-mile link from Northampton to Belchertown, was the jewel of the state’s bike path network.

No longer. Since the mid-2000s, tree roots, glass shards in the pavement and year-after-year of repaving delays have led to the nickname the “Norwottuck Nail Trail.”

The commission has also come under fire for opposing some projects – most notably the Route 57 extension in Agawam and Southwick.

While many residents and municipal officials favored pushing the divided highway from where it now ends in Feeding Hills on to the center of Southwick, the commission opposed the project, citing its environmental impact and potential for rapid suburban growth along the highway corridor.

In several years of meetings and public hearings, the commission – Brennan, in particular – drew the wrath of the pro-highway faction, particularly former Agawam state Rep. Edward W. Connelly.

“There were some verbal assaults. People would follow you out to your car after the meetings,” said Brennan, adding that many other residents and officials were respectful. In terms of community opposition, “that was the Big Kahuna for us,” he added.

Connelly, an influential Republican lawmaker who made the Route 57 extension a perennial campaign issue, retired in 1983. He was found guilty in 1990 of reaping $9,000 for no-show consulting contracts at the Agawam-based regional criminal justice training center named in his honor.

For its part, the commission had been scandal-free as its staff has grown from 10 to 50, with a budget of $6.7 million ($2.4 million of which is passed on to other agencies or contractors.) for the next fiscal year.

Despite tangling Connelly and thwarting projects backed by other politicians, the commission has never had to bow to political pressure, Brennan says.

Both supporters and critics are invited to the commission’s open house Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its headquarters at 60 Congress St. in downtown Springfield. Retro music from the early 1960s will be provided, and Peck will be on hand to cut the 50-year birthday cake.

Looking back over 50 years of fighting pollution, sprawl, economic disparities and social dysfunction, Peck said the commission has reason to celebrate.

“I think they’ve done wonders. I really think they have,” he said.


Easthampton Mayor Michael Tautznik may restore municipal employee hours

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In March of 2009, the Municipal Building closed on Fridays and employees saw their hours cut from 35 to 32.

michael tautznik easthampton mayor.JPGMichael A. Tautznik

EASTHAMPTON - Four years ago with money dwindling, city officials had to reduce the hours of non-union personnel in the Municipal Building.

Now with what could be additional revenue, Mayor Michael A. Tautznik said they could add one or two hours back to an employee’s day and he wants hear from residents about what added hours would be helpful.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to find some money to do this and come up with the right plan,” he said.

In March of 2009, the Municipal Building closed on Fridays and employees saw their hours cut from 35 to 32. Hours were extended Monday through Thursday so the building is open from 8 to 5 p.m. those four days.

While he hasn’t finished pulling together the fiscal 2013 budget, Tautznik said between the allowed 2.5 percent property tax increase and new growth there could be about $500,000 available to restore some hours. Only a portion of the money would be available to the city side of the budget, he said, schools would see more than $300,000 of that.

He said options for the one or two hour restoration could be to open earlier Municipal Building earlier or stay open later one night or open for a short day on Friday.

Tautznik he’s met with employees to look at what they might want.

Now he said, “What are the changes we make that provides value to the taxpayers.”

While some residents pay bills on-line, many residents come into the building to pay bills, get death certificates or pick up a fishing license, for example, he said.

Even if there is some money available to restore some hours, he said there isn’t enough to hire anyone new. Police and fire are each down one supervisor. Police department is down one officer and the fire department one firefighting position, he said.

There were also reductions at the Department of Public Works that won’t be filled either, Tautznik said.

Residents who have a suggestion or a preference are asked to email the mayor right away at miket@easthampton.org.

Springfield firefighters at fire on Saratoga Street

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The report of smoke and fire came in at approximately 3:20 p.m. Saturday.

Springfield Fire Dept Patch.jpg

This story has been updated.

SPRINGFIELD - The Fire Department has been called to a fire at 24 Saratoga St. The report of smoke and fire came in at approximately 3:20 p.m. on Saturday.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Wilbraham police investigating fatal motorcycle accident

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The accident closed a section of the road for about an hour and a half.

2008 wilbraham police car partial.jpg

WILBRAHAM - Police are investigating a fatal motorcycle accident that happened Saturday afternoon in the area of Boston Road and Railroad Avenue.

The accident closed a section of the road, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Police said the name of the motorcyclist who was killed is not being released until family members are notified.

Police said the crash involved a motor vehicle, which was traveling west on Boston Road and attempting to turn left into the parking lot of Boston Road plaza at 2701 Boston Road. The motorcycle was traveling east on Boston Road.

The collision occurred between the two vehicles in the eastbound lane, which caused the motorcycle operator to be thrown approximately 40 feet.

The motorcycle operator was treated at the scene for life-threatening injuries and taken to Baystate Medical Center by fire department ambulance. The operator died from the injuries at the hospital.

The crash, reported just before 1 p.m., is being investigated by Officers John Siniscalchi and Jesse Nason.

Saratoga Street fire in Springfield caused by careless disposal of cigarettes

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The fourth floor residents were dropping cigarettes inside a crack in the wall, a fire department spokesman said.

Springfield Fire Dept Patch.jpg

This updates a story posted at 3:21 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD – A fire at 24 Saratoga St., a four-story brick apartment building, on Saturday afternoon was caused by the careless disposal of cigarettes, according to Dennis G. Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant.

Leger said the fire, which was called in at approximately 3:20 p.m., was caused by the fourth floor residents, who were dropping cigarettes inside a crack in the wall.

“It caught the fourth floor wall on fire . . . There were many cigarettes down inside the wall,” Leger said.

He said it took firefighters about 20 minutes to extinguish the fire. He believes the residents can continue to stay in the apartment, which received between $2,000 and $3,000 in damage.

Leger said smoking materials must be properly disposed of, and said they should be put in an ashtray, or under running water to make sure they are out.

“Don’t take hot, lit cigarettes and drop them inside the wall,” Leger said.

Titanic centennial memorial unveiled at Oak Grove Cemetery in Springfield

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A crowd turned out for the unveiling of the memorial for the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking.

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SPRINGFIELD – A centennial memorial dedicated to everyone who sailed on the Titanic, including the 1,517 people who lost their lives, was unveiled Saturday at Oak Grove Cemetery before a crowd of people that included descendants of those who were on the ill-fated luxury ocean liner.

Edward S. Kamuda, president of the Titanic Historical Society, and Paul A. Phaneuf, of St. Pierre-Phaneuf Funeral Home, removed the blue velvet covering to reveal a black granite, 10,000-pound, 9-by-5-foot memorial with a picture of the Titanic etched on the front of it and the words R.M.S. Titanic April 15, 1912 – the date the ship sank.

Two city residents who died in the disaster, Jane Carr, 47, a third class passenger, and Milton C. Long, 29, a first class passenger and son of a Hampden County judge and former mayor, are memorialized on the back of it.

“It’s beautiful. I’m in tears,” said Angela K. Becker, 75, of Long Island.

Becker, who wore a Titanic sweatshirt adorned with pins of the ship, said her mother’s cousin, Thomas Rowland, was 17 years old when, as part of the crew of the Carpathia, he helped rescue the Titanic passengers.

“He never went back to sea after that. He joined the Army,” Becker said.

She said she has always been fascinated by the Titanic’s story, and compared it to a Greek tragedy.

The ceremony featured music from that time period, and a variety of speakers, including U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield; Mayor Domenic J. Sarno; and city historian Frances Gagnon, who discussed Carr and Long, and Abraham Hyman, a city resident who was a Titanic survivor.

Paul Kurzman, chairman of the Straus Historical Society in New York, talked about his great-grandparents, Isidor and Ida Straus.

His great-grandfather was a co-owner of Macy’s department store, and was a former Congressman. The couple was en route to their home in New York after vacationing in Europe when the disaster happened. Though they both could have gotten on a lifeboat, Isidor refused, because he said there were still women and children on board. Ida wouldn’t leave him.

“Ida left the boat to be with her husband,” Kurzman said, adding that her spot on the lifeboat was taken by a woman with her 7-year-old son.

Kurzman said his great-grandparents demonstrated three things that he feels strongly about – principle, integrity and devotion. Kurzman said he likes to think that he would make the same decision as his 67-year-old great-grandfather, who refused the lifeboat, despite having six adult children and 18 grandchildren at home. He said the fact that they stayed together showed their devotion to one another.

“They are my legacy and I hope that each day I am worthy of it,” Kurzman said.

Julie Williams, of Alabama, discussed her great-uncle, second class passenger Albert Caldwell, his wife Sylvia and 10-month-old child Alden, who tried to get on the Titanic, but were told it was sold out, and to try back the next day.

They did, and got a cabin, in second class.

When the ship struck the iceberg, the family had no intention of getting off, until a stoker - who remembered Caldwell from his brief visit to the engine room – told him, “If you value your life, get off this ship.” They got into lifeboat 13, and later realized they were one of the few families who escaped intact, Williams said.

She said her great-uncle often talked about the Titanic, and felt it was his duty to share his story.

Before the event began, Kamuda revealed that his interest in the Titanic began in 1952 when he was about 14 years old and read “A Great Ship Goes Down.” Then, a year later, he saw the movie “Titanic” with Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck at his father’s theater, the Grand.

He formed the society in 1963, and it boasts more than 600 artifacts related to the disaster; still more are out on loan, to other museums. The $35,000 memorial was funded through contributions from society members.

Kamuda gave the introductory address at the event, where he said he expected 210 historical society members to attend. Some came in period dress, like Judy and Byron Watson of Sedalia, Mo. They are also Titanic Historical Society members.

“We enjoy collecting clothing from this particular area,” said Byron Watson, who looked sharp in a black bowler and suit.

He said they were impressed with the memorial, and called it “tasteful.” He said they also were happy to participate in the 100th anniversary, a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Watergate figure and Prison Fellowship Ministries founder, Charles Colson, dies at 80

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"I shudder to think of what I'd been if I had not gone to prison," Colson said in 1993. "Lying on the rotten floor of a cell, you know it's not prosperity or pleasure that's important, but the maturing of the soul."

charles-colson.jpgOnetime Watergate felon-turned-prison evangelist Charles Colson bears testimony at a conference for 10,000 evangelical Protestants at Amsterdam's RAI congress center on August 2, 2000.
WASHINGTON -- He was described as the "evil genius" of the Nixon administration, and spent the better part of a year in prison for a Watergate-related conviction. His proclamations following his release that he was a new man, redeemed by his religious faith, were met with more than skepticism by those angered at the abuses he had perpetrated as one of Nixon's hatchet men.

But Charles "Chuck" Colson spent the next 35 years steadfast in his efforts to evangelize to a part of society scorned just as he was. And he became known perhaps just as much for his efforts to minister to prison inmates as for his infamy with Watergate.

Colson died Saturday at age 80. His death was confirmed by Jim Liske, chief executive of the Lansdowne, Va.-based Prison Fellowship Ministries that Colson founded. Liske said the preliminary cause of death was complications from brain surgery Colson had at the end of March. He underwent the surgery to remove a clot after becoming ill March 30 while speaking at a conference.

Colson once famously said he'd walk over his grandmother to get the president elected to a second term. In 1972 The Washington Post called him "one of the most powerful presidential aides, variously described as a troubleshooter and as a 'master of dirty tricks.'"

"I shudder to think of what I'd been if I had not gone to prison," Colson said in 1993. "Lying on the rotten floor of a cell, you know it's not prosperity or pleasure that's important, but the maturing of the soul."

He helped run the Committee to Re-elect the President when it set up an effort to gather intelligence on the Democratic Party. The arrest of CREEP's security director, James W. McCord, and four other men burglarizing the Democratic National Committee offices in 1972 set off the scandal that led to Nixon's resignation in August 1974.

But it was actions that preceded the actual Watergate break-in that resulted in Colson's criminal conviction. Colson pleaded guilty to efforts to discredit Pentagon analyst Daniel Ellsberg. It was Ellsberg who had leaked the secret Defense Department study of Vietnam that became known as the Pentagon Papers.

The efforts to discredit Ellsberg included use of Nixon's plumbers -- a covert group established to investigate White House leaks -- in 1971 to break into the office of Ellsberg's psychiatrist to look for information that could discredit Ellsberg's anti-war efforts.

The Ellsberg burglary was revealed during the course of the Watergate investigation and became an element in the ongoing scandal. Colson pleaded guilty in 1974 to obstruction of justice in connection with attempts to discredit Ellsberg, though charges were dropped that Colson actually played a role in the burglary of Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office. Charges related to the actual Watergate burglary and cover-up were also dropped. He served seven months in prison.

Before Colson went to prison he became a born-again Christian, but critics said his post-scandal redemption was a ploy to get his sentence reduced. The Boston Globe wrote in 1973, "If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everyone."

Ellsberg, for his part, said in an interview that Colson never apologized to him and did not respond to several efforts Ellsberg made over the years to get in touch with him. Ellsberg said he still believes that Colson's guilty plea was not a matter of contrition so much as an effort to head off even more serious allegations that Colson had sought to hire thugs to administer a beating against Ellsberg -- an allegation that Colson states in his book was believed by prosecutors despite his denial.

"I have no reason to doubt his evangelism," Ellsberg said of Colson. "But I don't think he felt any kind of regret" for what he had done, except remorse that he had been ineffective and got caught.

Colson stayed with his faith after Watergate and went on to win praise -- including the prestigious Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion -- for his efforts to use it to help others. Colson later called going to prison a "great blessing."

He created the Prison Fellowship Ministries in 1976 to minister to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families. It runs work-release programs, marriage seminars and classes to help prisoners after they get out. An international offshoot established chapters around the world.

"You can't leave a person in a steel cage and expect something good to come out of him when he is released," Colson said in 2001.

While faith was a large part of his message, Colson also tackled such topics as prison overpopulation and criticized the death penalty, though he thought it could be justified in rare cases. He said those convicted of nonviolent crimes should be put on community-service projects instead of being locked up.

He wrote more than 20 books, including "Born Again: What Really Happened to the White House Hatchet Man," which was turned into a movie.

"(W)ho was I to moralize, to preach to others?" Colson wrote. "I'd botched it, was one of those who helped bring on Watergate and was in prison to prove it. Yet maybe that very fact ... could give me some insights that would help others."

Royalties from all his books have gone to his ministry program, as did the $1 million Templeton prize, which he won in 1993.

Colson also wrote a syndicated column, and started his daily radio feature, BreakPoint, which airs on more than 1,000 radio networks, according to the PFM Web site.

While he admitted he'd been wrong to do so much of Nixon's dirty work, he remained embittered at one of the sources who'd exposed the wrongdoing. In 2005, when it was revealed that Mark Felt was the infamous "Deep Throat" responsible for the fall of the Nixon administration, Colson was disgusted, having worked so closely with Felt. "He goes out of his life on a very sour note, not as a hero," Colson said.

Colson, a Boston native earned his bachelor's degree from Brown University in 1953 and served as a captain in the Marine Corps from 1953 to 1955. In 1959, he received his doctorate with honors from George Washington University.

He spent several years as an administrative assistant to Massachusetts Sen. Leverett Saltonstall. Nixon made him special counsel in November 1969.

In the mid-1990s Colson teamed up with the Rev. Richard Neuhaus to write "Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium," calling for Catholics and evangelicals to unite and accept each other as Christians.

In February 2005, Colson was named one of Time magazine's "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America."

Time commended Colson for helping to define compassionate conservatism through his campaign for humane prison conditions and called him one of "evangelicalism's more thoughtful public voices."

"After decades of relative abstention, Colson is back in power politics," Time wrote.

Mark Earley, a former Virginia attorney general who became president and chief executive officer of Prison Fellowship Ministries after his failed gubernatorial run in 2001, said the influence of Colson's work in his ministry is a different kind of power from what he had as Nixon's special counsel.

"Yet, it wasn't until he lost that power, what most people would call real 'power,' that Chuck began to make a real difference and exercise the only kind of influence that really matters," Earley said on BreakPoint.

"Prison Fellowship is possible only because its founder, Chuck Colson, was forced to personally identify with those people who hold a special place in God's heart: prisoners and their families."

In October 2000, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush restored Colson's civil rights, allowing him to vote, sit on a jury, run for office and practice law. Colson had a home in Naples, Fla., and Bush called him "a great guy ... a great Floridian."

Ultimately, Colson credited the Watergate scandal with enriching his life.

God "used that experience -- Watergate -- to raise up a ministry that is reaching hundreds of thousands of people," Colson said in the late 1990s. "So I'm probably one of the few guys around that's saying, 'I'm glad for Watergate.'"

Low water makes Westfield River races more challenging, but just as fun

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A nearly snowless winter and dry spring meant that the Westfield River is flowing well below normal levels. So much so that race organizers the Westfield River Canoe Club consolidated the normally two-day event into one day of racing Saturday at the advice of the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps of Engineers controls the water in the Westfield River from the Knightville Dam in Huntington.

w races 16.jpg4/21/12 Russell - Staff photo by Michael Beswick - The Westfield River Wildwater Races held their 59th annual race Saturday. Due to the low water levels they ran all classes on Saturday...but not before releasing a large amount of water upstream. Here the team of Kyle Felsentreger from Westfield and Todd Whitehead of Westfield (60) slams a rock at the Hill & Dale Rapids in Russell and is eventually overturned.


RUSSELL – For paddlers in the Westfield River Wildwater Races Saturday, success meant never having to hop out of the canoe or kayak and push because the river has too little water in it.

“We hit bottom a few times, but we are able to paddle through it and keep going,” said Joseph Miraglia of Ashfield.

Miraglia said the Westfield River was the lowest he’d seen it in the 30 years he’s participated in the race.

A nearly snowless winter and dry spring meant that the river is flowing well below normal levels. So much so that race organizers, the Westfield River Canoe Club, consolidated the normally two-day event into one day of racing Saturday at the advice of the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps of Engineers controls the water in the Westfield River from the Knightville Dam in Huntington.

Racers go off at timed intervals and race against the clock. Standings are tallied at the end of the day in five professional and 15 novice divisions.

“It’s been a great day,” said race chairman Edward A. Smith of Huntington. “Running it all on one day means you need a lot more volunteers.”

Normally, novices race on Saturday and the experts race Sunday. But this year the two races happened at the same time. Novices start eight miles from the state’s Department of Transportation yard at Norwich Bridge on Route 112 in Huntington and paddle to Strathmore Park in Russell. Experts leave from the Knightville Dam 12 miles upriver from the park.

First run in 1953 with two cases of beer as the prize, this is the oldest continuously run whitewater race in the country, according to the race website, www.westfieldriverraces.com.

Smith said there were 225 boats, either canoes or kayaks, in Saturday’s race. That’s down from 268 who participated last year, a dip Smith blamed on the low water.

“Some people don’t like to get their nice boats all scratched up,” Smith said. “To me, that’s part of the game. I call them battle scars.”

Richard A. Small, of Chester, said low water made the course more “technical” in whitewater parlance. That means there were more rocks and obstructions, and paddlers had to take greater care choosing their route down the river.

Gallery previewLow water also caused the canoe club to cancel its annual paddling clinics normally held in the weeks prior to each year’s race. That meant that Miraglia’s 11-year-old son, Avery, went into the race having only handled a canoe on flat water.

He said the race was fun, especially because he and his dad had to work together to avoid rocks.

“He did great,” the elder Miraglia said. “He’s learning. Sometimes the answer is not just to paddle harder. You have to have respect for the river. There is a lot of power behind that water and you have to learn that.”

Samuel B. Carpenter, of Worthington, and Linnea Simm, of Salem, N.H., learned the river’s fickle nature the hard way. Carpenter said they got caught going sideways at Turtle Bend and tipped over.

Carpenter said he and Simm also had trouble paddling at the start because there was too little water. Instead, the got out and waded to the center of the river pushing their canoe in front of them.

“Then when we were in deep enough water, we got in and went,” he said.



One victim taken to Baystate Medical Center by helicopter following Palmer rollover

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The victim, who was not yet identified, was taken to meet a the helicopter at the lending zone outside Wing Memorial Hospital in Palmer.

2007 palmer fire truck

PALMER – One person had to be flown to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield following a multi-car crash in the west -bound lanes of the Massachusetts Turnpike near Mile Marker 64.5 in Palmer.

The crash occurred at about 6:30 p.m. Saturday. At least one car overturned off the left-hand lane into the median , said Trooper Michael Butler.

Palmer Fire-Rescue also responded to the scene.

The victim, who was not yet identified, was taken to meet a the helicopter at the lending zone outside Wing Memorial Hospital in Palmer.

Keep checking The Republican and Masslive .com for further updates.


Report: Wal-Mart hushed up bribery campaign to build stores across Mexico

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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. hushed up a vast bribery campaign that top executives of its Mexican subsidiary carried out to build stores across that country, according to a published report.

Mexico Wal Mart BriberyA van covered by a mural sits parked outside a Walt-Mart Super Center in Mexico City, Saturday, April 21, 2012. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. hushed up a vast bribery campaign that top executives of its Mexican subsidiary carried out to build stores across Mexico, according to a published report by the New York Times. Wal-Mart is Mexico's largest private employer. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

NEW YORK (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. hushed up a vast bribery campaign that top executives of its Mexican subsidiary carried out to build stores across that country, according to a published report.

The New York Times reported Saturday that Wal-Mart failed to notify law enforcement officials even after its own investigators found evidence of millions of dollars in bribes. The newspaper said the company shut down its internal probe despite a report by its lead investigator that Mexican and U.S. laws likely were violated.

The bribery campaign was reported to have first come to the attention of senior executives at Wal-Mart in 2005, when a former executive of its largest foreign subsidiary, Wal-Mart de Mexico, provided extensive details of a bribery campaign it had orchestrated to win market dominance.

The Mexican executive, previously the lawyer in charge of obtaining construction permits, said in emails and follow-up conversations that Wal-Mart de Mexico paid bribes to obtain permits throughout the country in its rush to build stores nationwide, the Times reported.

Wal-Mart's growth in Mexico has been so rapid that one of every five Wal-Mart stores now is in that country. It is Mexico's largest private employer, with 209,000 employees there.

The newspaper said that only after learning of its investigation did Wal-Mart inform the U.S. Justice Department in December 2011 that it had begun an internal investigation into possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Under that law, it is illegal for U.S. corporations and their subsidiaries to bribe foreign officials.

Wal-Mart, which is based in Bentonville, Ark., said Saturday that it takes compliance with that law very seriously. It also noted that many of the "alleged activities" in the Times article occurred more than six years ago.

"If these allegations are true, it is not a reflection of who we are or what we stand for," spokesman David Tovar said. "We are deeply concerned by these allegations and are working aggressively to determine what happened."

Wal-Mart said its latest, ongoing investigation is being handled by outside lawyers and accountants who are experts with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The company also said it has tightened procedures and expanded training in Mexico to ensure compliance with the law.

The Times said its investigation uncovered a lengthy struggle at the highest levels of Wal-Mart, pitting the company's commitment to high moral and ethical standards against its relentless pursuit of growth.

Wal-Mart had sent investigators to Mexico City, where the newspaper report said they quickly discovered evidence that included a paper trail of hundreds of suspect payments totaling more than $24 million.

But according to the Times, top Wal-Mart executives kept quiet about the campaign and were more focused on damage control than on exposing the corruption. Then-CEO H. Lee Scott Jr. reportedly rebuked internal investigators at one meeting for being overly aggressive. Shortly thereafter, the newspaper said, the investigation was turned over to the general counsel for Wal-Mart de Mexico, who himself was alleged to have authorized bribes. He swiftly exonerated his fellow executives.

Groups working to enroll new US citizens on voter rolls ahead of November elections

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The national push comes after Democratic President Barack Obama has failed to deliver on promised immigration reforms in his first years in office and his likely opponent, Mitt Romney, adopted harsh rhetoric on illegal immigration to win support from conservatives while campaigning for the GOP nomination.

Citizenship Push ElectionsIn this photo taken March 16, 2012, immigrant Martha Johnson from Liberia, right, attends and American history and civic class in Chelsea, Mass., in preparation for a naturalization test. Hundreds of volunteers are helping qualified immigrants become U.S. citizens in time to register to vote in the November presidential elections. (AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi)

By RODRIQUE NGOWI, Associated Press

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — A coalition of groups supporting immigrants has recruited teams of volunteers to help push programs they hope will add thousands of new U.S. citizens to the voter rolls in several states in time for the November presidential election.

The national push comes after Democratic President Barack Obama has failed to deliver on promised immigration reforms in his first years in office and his likely opponent, Mitt Romney, adopted harsh rhetoric on illegal immigration to win support from conservatives while campaigning for the GOP nomination.

The Department of Homeland Security says an estimated 12.6 million people were holding so-called green cards given to legal permanent U.S. residents in 2010, including 8.1 million people who already qualify for naturalization but have not applied for citizenship. Latinos, considered a Democratic-leaning constituency, account for the largest immigrant community.

Immigrants and other minority voters helped Obama to a comfortable win over Republican John McCain in the 2008 presidential election.

"The fastest growing segment of the American electorate is the Latino vote, and within Latinos, we are seeing very rapid growth of immigrant voters," said Matt Barreto, a political science professor at the University of Washington. "In the 2012 election there is no doubt that the immigrant community will be incredibly relevant."

The "Become a Citizen Now!" campaign began in March, hoping to help 5,000 immigrants complete the daunting application process to become citizens and register to vote. It is targeting foreign-born residents who have been in the country long enough to qualify for naturalization in Massachusetts, New York, California, Florida, Maryland, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, Tennessee, Illinois, Wisconsin and New Hampshire. Nearly 500 citizenship applications have been completed so far.

Citizenship Push ElectionsIn this photo taken March 16, 2012, Martha Estrella and other immigrants attend an American history and civic classes in Chelsea, Mass., in preparation for a naturalization test. Hundreds of volunteers are helping qualified immigrants become U.S. citizens in time to register to vote in the November presidential elections. (AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi)

Yenith Berrio, a 40-year-old Colombian citizen who has spent half of her life living in the United States, is preparing for her naturalization test and looks forward to becoming a U.S. citizen and registered voter.

The Boston resident said the right to vote allows her to participate in a process that affects her and her family. She said the U.S. is a better place for her and her children who "are happier right here and could get much better education here."

It typically takes just over five months to acquire citizenship.

"Those immigrants that apply for their citizenship before the end of April are likely to be able to vote in this election in November," said Josh Hoyt, a co-chair of the National Partnership for New Americans.

A separate push by the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization, seeks to register 180,000 Latinos to vote nationwide. Organizers say the initiative already has registered more than 10,000 voters. The group is conducting the campaign in Florida, Nevada, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, Texas, North Carolina and online.

When immigrants register, they generally show up to vote. More than 89 percent of registered foreign-born Americans cast ballots in 2008, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.

And their share among voters is growing. Among all voters who cast ballots in the 1996 presidential election, 4.1 percent were foreign-born, according to Pew. Eight years later in 2008, the percentage rose to 6.3.

While Immigrants have historically supported candidates in both major political parties, there's been a recent shift toward Democrats, said Manuel Pastor, director of the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration at the University of Southern California.

"There has been sort of a noticeable spin in the last couple of elections toward the Democratic party — but it seems mostly because of the way most of the Republican Party has moved right on immigration and the impact that has on the perception of new immigrant voters." Pastor said.

Romney has staked out a tough stance on immigration. He favors a U.S.-Mexico border fence, opposes education benefits to illegal immigrants and says he would veto the Dream Act, which would allow some illegal immigrant youths to earn permanent residency and eventually citizenship if they attend college or serve in the military.

Obama had promised during his 2008 campaign to press for a comprehensive immigration policy overhaul that would include providing a path to legalization for millions of illegal immigrants. Yet, more than three years into his term, he has failed to deliver, blaming fiercely divided congressional Republicans who he says are unwilling to work on the issue.

Chaz Bono takes home 2 trophies at GLADD Media Awards ceremony

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Bono, who was the first-ever transgender contestant on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" last year, was also given the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which is given by GLAAD to a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender member of the entertainment community.

Cher, Chaz BonoCher greets her transgender child Chaz Bono at The 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards on April 21, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA. (AP Photo/Vince Bucci)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chaz Bono picked up a pair of trophies at the GLAAD Media Awards.

The 43-year-old transgender activist and author was honored with the outstanding documentary prize and Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 23rd annual Media Awards for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Bono won along with directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato for "Becoming Chaz," the OWN documentary that chronicled his gender transition.

Bono, who was the first-ever transgender contestant on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" last year, was also given the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which is given by GLAAD to a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender member of the entertainment community. Past winners have included Ellen DeGeneres, Rufus Wainwright, Wanda Sykes, John Waters and Melissa Etheridge.

Other honorees at Saturday night's 's ceremony at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles were ABC's "Modern Family" for comedy series, Focus Features drama "Beginners" starring Ewan McGregor and supporting actor Oscar winner Christopher Plummer for wide-release film, and Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva" and TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland" in a tie for individual TV episode.

"The Hunger Games" star Josh Hutcherson won the Vanguard Award, which lauds efforts to increase visibility and understanding of the gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender community. Earlier this year, he began working with the anti-bullying campaign Straight But Not Narrow. The 19-year-old actor is the youngest recipient to ever win the Vanguard Award.

The awards salute fair, accurate and inclusive representation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives in the media. Other winners from among this year's 35 categories were previously honored at a March ceremony in New York, while the remainder will be presented at a San Francisco ceremony in June.

Connecticut to Long Island ferry gets an update courtesy of owners

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The Park City is 290 feet long and can carry 290 cars and two or three larger trucks, as well as up to 1,000 passengers. She can manage about 16 knots, making the cross-sound trip to Port Jefferson in about an hour and seven minutes. Its sister ships are the Grand Republic and the P.T. Barnum, which were both built to be ADA compliant.


By John Burgeson, Connecticut Post

NEW LONDON, Connecticut (AP) — To look at her, one might have serious doubts that the Park City ferryboat will see active service this year, much less be ready for Long Island Sound in time for Memorial Day weekend.

It's tied up to a busy shipyard that's just upriver from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, its car deck filled with structural steel, plastic buckets of paint and all manner of construction materials. A large chunk of the lower passenger deck is missing, and sparks fly from a shipwright's grinding wheel.

"Oh, it'll be ready in time for Memorial Day," said Fred Hall, vice president and general manager of the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamship Co. "I need it by Memorial Day."

The Park City is the oldest of the three ferries the company operates. Constructed in 1986 in Palatka, Fla., it's now at the Thames Shipyard and Repair Co. for what's described as a major $2 million refit.

The most important phase of the project is the installation of a second elevator, which is being welded in place near the stern to put the boat in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The refit began in mid-February, and ferry officials hope to have it back in service by mid-May. In the meantime, they're running a two-ferry schedule.

"When this boat was built in '86, we knew that we'd soon be having the ADA, and we knew that there would be an elevator requirement," said Hall. "So, we put in an elevator. But was it the correct configuration? No, because we didn't know what those specifications would be at the time."

He said that the old elevator will be used only for freight. Unlike the old one, the larger new elevator will access all three decks, including the sun deck up top.

The Park City is 290 feet long and can carry 290 cars and two or three larger trucks, as well as up to 1,000 passengers. She can manage about 16 knots, making the cross-sound trip to Port Jefferson in about an hour and seven minutes. Its sister ships are the Grand Republic and the P.T. Barnum, which were both built to be ADA compliant.

This is not the first Park City. The first one was built in 1898 and was steam powered.

"People liked it at the time because it burned clean coal," Hall said.

The refit also includes an all new passenger seating area and a new bar. New seats, flooring and ceiling were installed and the air-conditioning system was improved as well. There are new walk-in refrigerators, and the snack bar has a different set-up.

"This is a new business model for us," Hall said of the new food arrangements. "It's worked well in other boats."

The bar was also completely redecorated.

"This will be Long Island Sound's largest floating sports bar," Hall said, motioning to several flat-screen TV sets with a wave of his hand. "Satellite TV. No one will miss any baseball, any hockey, any basketball, any soccer ..."

The bathrooms were completely redone as well, and they are also in compliance with ADA regulations. And, although the passengers will never see them, there are new sewage-holding tanks.

The interior improvements are now nearly complete, but the elevator work will occupy welders, machinists and mechanics in the coming days and weeks.

The Thames Shipyard has been in business for more than a century. In the early days it mostly refitted wood-hulled sailing vessels and steamships, but now it only accepts steel-hulled boats such as ferries, tugs, barges and larger fishing vessels. The Coast Guard requires that ferries be inspected in dry dock every 30 months, mostly to keep track of the thickness of the hull. New panels are welded in place as needed, barnacles are power-washed off and the hull is repainted.

"It usually takes about two weeks," said Thames superintendent Kyle Shaugnessy of the time a ship spends in dry dock. "Once you reach a 25 percent decline in thickness, the plate has to be replaced. Outside, it might look fine, but you really have to inspect the hull from the inside. That's where the Coast Guard goes."

Today, testing of hull thickness is done by ultrasonic sensors, he said, although gauging thickness by tapping with a hammer remains a skill used by inspectors.

Thames has two large dry docks, which in three hours can lift a large ferryboat out of the water. The Park City didn't go into dry dock for this refit; it's not yet due for its next hull inspection.

At some point, the ferry company hopes to make the move from downtown to the East Side of Bridgeport.

"It's no secret that we have acquired about eight-and-a-half acres over there, and we're going down the long permit road to make that happen," Hall said. "There will be shorter travel time, less slow-speed travel in the harbor, easier access for our passengers and so forth."

As for the Park City, Hall recalls that he was there when it first launched in Florida.

"It entered the water sideways, creating a huge wave," he said. "I wish I had my camera because when the wave hit the other side of the channel -- don't forget this was Florida -- it made alligators fly. I'm not kidding. The alligators really did go airborne."

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