Hasbro’s revenue in the first quarter was hurt by slack demand for its girl’s toys, including Furreal Friends fuzzy animatronic animals.

Associated Press

EAST LONGMEADOW – Two days after posting lowered earnings for the first quarter of 2012, Hasbro Games reportedly will not recall approximately 150 union employees who had been out on temporary layoffs.

Hasbro Inc. posted a first-quarter loss on Monday, weighed down by costs related to staff cuts and weak sales of “My Littlest Pet Shop” miniatures and other girl’s toys. Results from the maker of Monopoly and Transformers missed Wall Street estimates, and its shares fell over 5 percent.

According to the quarterly report, revenue also slumped, sliding 3.4 percent to $648.9 million compared to the first quarter a year ago. International markets increased 14 percent from a year ago, but sales in the United States and Canada, however, dove 16 percent to $329 million.

The first quarter is typically quiet for toy makers, especially compared with the run-up to the crucial winter holiday shopping season. But first-quarter results do indicate how willing Americans are to spend on non-essential items. So far, two of the biggest toy makers, Hasbro and its rival Mattel, have posted disappointing first-quarter results.

Hasbro’s revenue in the first quarter was hurt by slack demand for its girl’s toys, including Furreal Friends fuzzy animatronic animals. But in a call with analysts, CEO Brian Goldner said first-quarter results were in line with the company’s plan, and it estimates more of its revenue will come during the second half of the year.

WWLP-TV, Channell 22 is reporting the company will not bring back some 150 seasonal employees who had been laid off in the fall. The employees received notification earlier this week that their layoffs would now be considered permanent.

The station posted a statement issued by the company, which said the East Longmeadow facility “has been operating very efficiently” with a workforce of about 330 unionized employees. “Hasbro expects this facility will continue to operate at this level of employment, which means that we will not be recalling certain employees who have been out on temporary layoff.”

The Associated Press and Republican contributed to this report.

With Brown set to release 6 years of tax returns sometime today, the Massachusetts Democratic Party released a new video portraying him as "a millionaire under that $675 barn jacket."

(AP File Photo)Republican Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., waves to supporters after voting on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010, ahead of his win over Attorney General Martha Coakley. Democrats are targeting Brown over his wealth as he and Elizabeth Warren, his chief Democratic rival, spar over income taxes in their U.S. Senate race.

With Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown set to release six years of tax returns sometime today, the Massachusetts Democratic Party released a new video this morning portraying him as "a millionaire under that $675 barn jacket."

Brown and his chief Democratic rival, Elizabeth Warren, have been sparring over income taxes for several weeks.

In the video, the 1982 version of "Puttin' on the Ritz" by the musician Taco plays while video clips of Scott Brown conveying his "everyman appeal" in his barn jacket and pick-up truck are juxtaposed by text saying he has six homes. Quotes and a montage of images of Brown at parties and functions also aim to portray him as a VIP Washington insider.

“When Scott Brown went to Washington, Massachusetts families barely knew him,” said John Walsh, chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. “Now, it’s clear there’s a millionaire under that $675 barn jacket, with as much as $100,000 in big oil and big bank stocks and real estate estimate estimated at more than $1.6 million.”

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also took aim at Brown ahead of his tax returns going public. A memo documenting aspects of his wealth based on previous financial disclosure forms included the following five items under the headline "facts we know today":

• "Scott Brown owns SIX houses estimated to be worth a total of more than $1.6 million, including a vacation home near the beach in New Hampshire (Various property assessor's databases).
• "Brown owns as much as $50,000 of stock in Exxon Mobil (May 2011 Financial Disclosure Form).
• "Brown has invested as much as $50,000 in the Bank of America (May 2011 Financial Disclosure Form).
• "The famous Brown pickup truck was purchased to tow a horse trailer (Boston Globe 8/31/11).
• "The Boston Globe estimated that Brown's suede barn coat cost $675 (Boston Globe 1/28/10)."

The debate over taxes began when Brown voted with Republicans against legislation that would have enacted the "Buffett Rule," imposing a minimum tax rate of 30 percent on the wealthiest Americans.

After Warren criticized Brown's position, his campaign questioned whether Warren paid the optional higher Massachusetts income tax rate of 5.85 percent, citing her wealth in equity and investments worth around $14 million.

Before Warren admitted this past Friday that she did not pay the higher rate, The Boston Globe challenged both candidates to release six years of tax returns.

In response, Warren challenged Brown to release two years of income tax returns, saying she would do the same if he agreed.

Brown's campaign hesitated but eventually agreed to release six years of income tax returns while Warren said she would only release four years of tax returns to cover her time in public roles as as an adviser for the Troubled Asset Relief Program and as the architect of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The explanation didn't fly with Brown's campaign manager, Jim Barnett, who fired off a scathing email earlier this week in response to the statement from Warren's camp.

"It doesn't take a Harvard Law degree to see through Elizabeth Warren's game of cat and mouse and know she has something to hid," Barnett said previously. "Whether she is concealing other big corporate clients like Travelers Insurance, which paid her enormous sums to fight against victims of asbestos poisoning, covering up sketchy financial transactions, or simply masking that she may take advantage of tax breaks she criticizes others for, Warren's nuanced refusal to disclose the tax years 2006 and 2007 exposes her hypocrisy when it comes to transparency in government."

Warren is expected to release her income tax returns in the coming days.

The cast and crew of "This Old House" were expected to drop by Springfield's EcoBuilding Bargains on Warwick Street to do some on-site filming and to celebrate completion of a project to be featured in an upcoming episode.

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

1) Springfield police: 2 men stabbed in knife fight outside Forest Park pizzeria [Conor Berry]

2) Concord, Mass. bans sale of plastic water bottles [Associated Press]

3) 'This Old House' to film at Springfield's EcoBuilding Bargains on Warwick Street [Conor Berry]

4) Emilio Fusco murder trial jurors in New York hear details of arrest from Italian investigator [Stephanie Barry] Photo gallery at right.

5) 35-year-old Holyoke resident Brett Waddell injured in rollover on Interstate 91 in Hatfield [George Graham]

Here are the average energy prices in the Pioneer Valley for the week ending today.

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Obituaries from The Republican.

Alex Keefe

Alex Krawczyk Keefe, 27, of Westfield, died Tuesday. He was a member of the Westfield High School class of 2003, and earned a certificate in music performance and an associate's degree in liberal arts from Holyoke Community College. In 2008, he graduated cum laude from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a bachelor of science, and recently earned a certificate in biotechnology from Springfield Technical Community College. Keefe was a talented musician who played a variety of musical styles from punk, rock, alternative and jazz. During his high school years he toured with his Dragnet band members, Mike Wynn, Tim Swaber, and Dustin Cote, on the East Coast and later on a cross country tour. Alex was a member of various other bands, including Electric Moon and Still Rhythm. He also spent a year in Los Angeles playing drums as a member of Costa Nova, which played various venues on the Sunset Strip, including several shows at the Viper Room.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• 
  Caporale, Elvira C. (D'Amato)
  



• 
  Drilling, Victoria B.
  



• 
  Felio, Richard J.
  



• 
  Ferrando, Mary C. (Cole)
  



• 
  Gomez, Maria M. "Magda"
  



• 
  Green, Bonnie L.
  



• 
  Hibbard, Helen L.
  



• 
  Jackson, Raymond Thomas
  



• 
  Keefe, Alex Krawczyk
  



• 
  Kelleher, John S.
  



• 
  Kusek, Walter J.
  



• 
  LaFleur, Robert E.
  



• 
  Langevin, Dorothy C. (Senecal)
  



• 
  Mac Mahan, Barbara A. (Horton)
  



• 
  Maguire, Cheryl A. "Tiny" (Dodge)
  



• 
  Moraczewski, Irene (Wapner)
  



• 
  Skura, Marguerite (Leclerc)
  



• 
  Syrek, Robert V.
  



• 
  Troie, Anna S. (Stolarz)
  



• 
  VanKeuren, Gerald T. "Jerry"
  



• 
  West, Bradford C. "Brad"
  

The suspect had one gun in his pants and the other in a pocket.

Antonio Correa

SPRINGFIELD – A report of seven shots fired in the Bay neighborhood Thursday afternoon, followed by another round of shots in the same area less than an hour later, led to the arrest of a 24-year-old city man and the confiscation of two illegal guns.

Police were initially summoned to College and Shattuck streets for a report of shots fired at about 3:42 p.m., Shortly after 4:20 p.m., more shots were reported a short distance away at 131 College St., Sgt. John M. Delaney said.

Witnesses said that a white BMW was involved and investigators recovered spent shell casings, Delaney, aide to Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said.

A patrol, in the Cambridge Street area for a recent increase in reports of shots fired, spotted the BMW parked near 131 College St.

A suspect, near the BMW, was acting nervous and police could see that he had a handgun tucked into his belt. Police arrested the man, recovered the weapon in his belt. a .38 cal., and recovered a .380 automatic in his pocket, Delaney said.

Antonio J. Correa, 24, of 200 College St., was charged with two counts of carrying a firearm without a license and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, Delaney said.

Fitchet will continue to have extra uniformed officers in marked vehicles patrolling Cambridge Street to address the increase in gunplay there, Delaney said.

The dinner, sponsored by the Iowa Democratic Party, serves as a chance for Iowa leaders to size up political candidates.

BOSTON — Gov. Deval L. Patrick in June will give a high-profile speech in a battleground state for this year's presidential election.

Patrick has accepted an invitation to be the keynote speaker on June 15 at the Iowa Democratic Party's Annual Hall of Fame Dinner in Des Moines.

Deval Patrick

"Governor Patrick has been speaking to Democrats in Massachusetts and across the nation in recent months about what is at stake in this critically important election, and why the President needs four more years to continue to keep the American dream within reach for all Americans," said Alex Goldstein, executive director
of Patrick's Together political action committee. "He looks forward to the opportunity to attend."

The dinner, sponsored by the Iowa Democratic Party, serves as a chance for Iowa leaders to size up politicians.

The Together PAC has raised more than $700,000 since being formed last March. Officials say the money pays for Patrick's travels and events in support of President Barack Obama, but does not go directly to the president's campaign, according to an Associated Press report.

Mayor David Narkewicz has asked all departments to submit level-funded budgets that account for mandated step increases for union employees.

Northampton City Hall

NORTHAMPTON — A discussion of the School Department budget at a joint meeting of the City Council and School Committee went from earnest to somber Thursday when someone dropped the “O” word.

As in “override.”

School Superintendent Brian Salzer and the School Committee made their case for a “best educationally sound” budget, which would require about $2.5 million more than the city appears willing to offer. Salzer appeared at a City Council meeting the previous Thursday to present that budget, along with two other budget scenarios.

Mayor David J. Narkewicz has asked all departments to submit level-funded budgets that account for mandated step increases for union employees. Because those increases were not represented in last year’s budgets, departments will have to make cuts to account for them in fiscal 2013.

Salzer is arguing that such a budget will require deep cuts in personnel. The “best educationally sound” budget, on the other hand, preserves those jobs and includes a wish list of other items requested by the various school councils. Chief among those is funding to upgrade and expand the school system’s technology, which Salzer says is aging woefully behind other local school systems.

Councilors explained to Salzer and the School Committee that they cannot add money to budget items but can only propose cuts in the mayor’s budget.

“Then (Ward 3 City Councilor) Owen Freeman-Daniels used the word ‘override,’ ” Council President William H. Dwight said.

Northampton voters have approved several Proposition 2½ overrides in recent years and rejected others. As recently as 2009, they voted for an override that added $1 million to the School Department budget, enabling it to save jobs that would otherwise have been cut.

A Proposition 2½ override allows a community to raise taxes by more than the 2½ percent annual maximum allowed by state law.

“Once the evil word was brought up, a number of people discussed the possibility, but no one was calling for one,” Dwight said.

According to Dwight, Freeman-Daniels asked Salzer, who is in his first year as superintendent, if he would be willing to stake his reputation on such an override. Salzer said he would. Other councilors advised the School Committee on how to go about rallying community support for the measure. City Councilor David A. Murphy cautioned that even if the campaign to put the measure on the ballot is successful, it won’t go to voters in time for the money to be factored into the fiscal 2013 budget.

Salzer said Friday that an override was “the furthest thing on my mind” when he walked into Thursday’s meeting. He hopes to speak with Narkewicz and the School Committee in the upcoming days to gauge the course of action.

“I’m not sure where we’re going to go with this,” he said.

The Federal Communications Commission voted Friday to require broadcast TV stations to post online the advertising rates they charge political candidates and advocacy groups.

The Associated PressIn this June 16, 2009 file photo, Federal Communications Commission Chairman (FCC) Julius Genachowski testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. The FCC has voted to require television stations to post online the advertising rates they charge political candidates and advocacy groups. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission voted Friday to require broadcast TV stations to post online the advertising rates they charge political candidates and advocacy groups.

The vote came despite strong opposition from many broadcasters, who have argued that making sensitive advertising rate information so publically available will undermine stations' competitiveness and give advertisers unfair leverage over how much they are willing to pay. A coalition of broadcasters put forth a compromise plan that would have required TV stations to put public files online while shielding information about political spending.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski rejected the compromise, noting stations already make available paper records of what they charge political advertisers. He said there was no reason such information should be "stuck in a filing cabinet" in an online world.

Genachowski and another Democratic commissioner, Mignon Clyburn, voted in favor of the new disclosure rules. Commissioner Robert McDowell, a Republican, voted in favor of an overall measure requiring stations to move their public files online but dissented on disclosing the political file.

By law, television stations offer political candidates the lowest available advertising rates. Stations also allow the public to review paper records of what they charge political advertisers.

But disclosure advocates say the process of retrieving the information is far too cumbersome, requiring someone to show up at the station during office hours and photocopy many pages of records. More important, advocates argue the public should have easy access to information about how much candidates and other groups are spending on television to lure voters.

The new rule will require stations to digitize and upload the information, in real time, to the FCC's website, http://www.fcc.gov.

Network-affiliated stations in the top 50 markets will have six months to comply. For all others, the deadline is 2014.

The city has paid about $5.8 million in storm cleanup.

Republican file photo

CHICOPEE — With all bills from the October snowstorm finally paid, city officials are hoping to start receiving federal reimbursement money before October.

Last week the City Council voted to allocate another $300,000 to pay final bills for the storm cleanup. It earlier has spent $5.5 million mainly on removing brush that people placed on curbsides after the storm and cleaning up parks, the golf course and other city property.

In total the city has paid about $5.8 million cleaning up after the storm. It is applying to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for reimbursement of $4.5 million of the money spent, Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said.

The city is eligible for 75 percent reimbursement, but there is a clause that allows cities to apply for 100 percent reimbursement for money spent on primary roads. Bills show about $800,000 was spent on those roads so the city is requesting total reimbursement for that amount.

“All-in-all it is a huge project. Hopefully it is the last we will see of it here,” Councilor Jean J. Croteau Jr. said when approving the last $300,000.

The city cannot submit bills for reimbursement until all of them have been paid. Multiple city hall employees have scrutinized each bill and have been working on the paperwork, which carefully documents each expense, so the city can apply for federal money this month, Bissonnette said.

The city ended the last fiscal year with a large surplus it had budgeted but did not use. The state certified nearly $6 million in available funds just days before the storm hit. That money, which was originally slated to be put in the city’s reserves, instead was spent on the storm, he said.

Any reimbursements the city does receive is expected to be deposited in the reserves. Bissonnette said he is hoping for at least partial repayment before the tax rate has to be set in October.

In addition to the $5.8 million, the Department of Public Works is also submitting a request for reimbursement for equipment costs related to the storm.

“That is tens of thousands of dollars, not millions,” Stanley W. Kulig, public works superintendent said.

Chicopee Electric Light is also submitting a request for reimbursement for about $500,000 in storm related expenses, Bissonnette said.

While approving the additional expenditure, Councilor James K. Tillotson said he is not optimistic Congress will approve the reimbursements, especially considering the amount of devastating storms that have happened across the county.

“This is a nightmare in my opinion,” he said. “I think we all need to be cautiously optimistic about it.”

Former Vice President Al Gore is scheduled to speak at the inauguration of Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash, which is set to start at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Republican file photoAl Gore

Former Vice President Al Gore is scheduled to speak at the inauguration of Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash, which is set to start at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Gore served as Bill Clinton's vice president from 1993 to 2001, lost his bid for the presidency in 2000 and won a Nobel Peace Prize with the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007.

You can watch a live stream of the event put together by Hampshire College below or follow along on Twitter by searching the hashtag #jlash.

By the time Lisa McCue stepped down from the podium, a good number of the more than 100 professionals at the Baystate Education Center in Holyoke were shedding tears.

The Republican| John SuchockiLisa McCue speaking at victim rights conference

HOLYOKE — By the time Lisa McCue stepped down from the podium, a good number of the more than 100 professionals in the room were shedding tears.

McCue, a victim witness advocate at the Hampden District Attorney’s Office, had just told – through power point, recorded music and her own words – the story of her brother’s fatal stabbing at age 17 in Florida.

She talked about what her family went through, and still feels, about their loved one’s violent death. She talked about how important the compassion of people who work with victim’s families is to those who are grieving.

The occasion was a victim rights conference titled “Violent Death, Creating Order from Chaos” held at Baystate Education Center in Holyoke.

The conference was sponsored by Hampden District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni’s office, Baystate Continuing Education and the Family Advocacy Center.

An educational grant from the Daniel A. Larson Foundation was provided for the program, and Nancy Larson spoke to participants who work as victim witness advocates or other posts in law enforcement, the courts, social services and education.

Larson, whose 19-year-old son Daniel was robbed and killed in Holyoke in 1991, said, “Never underestimate your importance to us. ... Please don’t let us down, we need you.”

She said it may appear “our gratitude may be overshadowed by our grief,” but those who help family members who have lost a loved one to violence are never forgotten.

McCue said to add to the family’s pain, a jury acquitted Rene Echevarria, the man charged with second degree murder in her brother Kevin Nowak’s stabbing in Merritt Island, Fla. It could not reach a verdict on a charge of aggravated battery against Echevarria.

“This is a big day for me because this is the first time I’m speaking specifically about my brother’s story,” McCue said.

“It’s always been something that I wanted to do, but it’s been very difficult for me to find the words, the right words, because I don’t want to just get up here and talk about it, I want to inspire people, move people,” she said.

McCue said she hoped her message helped people “feel a little bit closer in getting into a survivor's shoes.”

Elena Cherepanov, a clinical psychologist and trauma specialist, talked to conference participants about how to tell family members about a violent death.

Don’t deliver the news by telephone or computer unless there is no option, she said.

She said interviews showed the “notifiers” didn’t like to use “the D word,” instead substituting other words, which is confusing.

When someone clearly has bad news “they want this waiting time to be as short as possible,” she said. “Use the word 'dead.' ”

Notifiers may have to repeat the news several times. Cherepanov said the person will search for meaning: “Why me? Why is this happening to me?”

A survivor can feel revenge, which is considered to be a bad feeling.

Cherepanov said, “They feel, ‘I know someone whose fault it is. Then I just need to make the person pay for it.’ ”

“We need to accept that’s how survivors feel. They have the right to feel that. We can’t just say, ‘Don’t feel like that,’ ” she said.

Farmers in the Northeast are preparing orchard heaters, irrigation systems and frost alarms to protect their fruit crops from temperatures that are expected to dip overnight to near freezing.

AP Photo/The Star Tribune, Bruce BispingIn this April 10, 2012, photo, Craig Schaper, son of Lowell Schaper, owner of the Minnetonka Orchard, in Minnetrista, Minn., checks the buds on apple trees for signs of damage due to the overnight freezing temperatures at the orchard. Early spring warmth means that Minnesota apple crops are especially vulnerable to recent below-freezing temperatures. Apple growers are using everything from wind machines to a sugar water spray to protect their budding orchards from the cold. Despite such efforts, some still worry they won'€™t have a crop come apple season this fall.

By MICHAEL MELIA
Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Farmers in the Northeast are preparing orchard heaters, irrigation systems and frost alarms to protect their fruit crops from temperatures that are expected to dip overnight to near freezing.

While the cold weather is fairly typical for late April, farmers say fruit crops are more vulnerable this season because they blossomed early as a result of a March warm spell.

Some farmers say the forecast for Friday night poses the biggest threat yet for crop damage. The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for parts of several New England states and much of New York and Pennsylvania.

It is a frustrating but now familiar drill for farmers like Don Preli, of Glastonbury, Conn. He says he has had to take measures against frost many times this month.

Browse the pictures appearing in today's edition of The Republican.

From Springfield's peregrine falcon tending her eggs to Melha Shrine Clowns or a school principal kissing a pig, our photographers are documenting life in the Pioneer Valley from every angle.

Browse photos from today's edition of the newspaper in the gallery at right.

TV actor Denis Leary joined a contingent of firefighters at Worcester Fire Department headquarters for the dedication of the latest addition to the department's fleet.

• Franklin police to charge student shown on video throwing 'sucker punch' at other student [Milford Daily News]


• Amherst police prepare for busy weekend as local college students face last weekend of semester before exams [WGGB-TV, abc40/Fox6, Springfield]


File photo by Jason DeCrow / Associated PressActor Dennis Leary, center, takes a break with other cast members during filming for an the television show "Rescue Me" in 2009 in New York. Click on the link, above right, for a report from the Telegram & Gazette about Leary's appearance in Worcester Friday as the Fire Department there dedicated a new truck.
• 'Rescue Me' actor Denis Leary joins Worcester firefighters for truck dedication [Telegram & Gazette]


• Hockey fans scolded for racist tweets against Joel Ward following Boston Bruins' Stanley Cup loss [WWLP-TV, 22News, Chicopee]


• United States economic growth slows to 2.2 percent, puts President Obama in 'gray zone' [Christian Science Monitor]


• Trial scheduled for Westfield man accused in boating death of 10-year-old Gus Adamopoulos of Ludlow [Daily Hampshire Gazette]


• Northampton Fire Chief Brian Duggan responds to union vote of no confidence [NorthamptonMedia.com]


• Delectman's decision to skip 'Pledge of Allegiance' draws reaction in Falmouth [Cape Cod Times]


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


• Read more News Links »


• Do you have News Links? Send them our way or tweet them to @masslivenews

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

Defense lawyer Keith Minoff told jurors that Harper’s complaints to her superiors at the registry about the actions of an auditor were ignored, and Harper was ultimately asked to resign in 2007.

SPRINGFIELD – A West Springfield woman has been awarded a total of $445,000 in a sexual harassment and retaliation suit against the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

A Hampden Superior Court jury deliberated about 2½ hours in the six day trial before awarding Colleen Harper $375,000 in punitive damages and $70,000 in back pay April 17.

Defense lawyer Keith A. Minoff told jurors in his closing argument Harper’s complaints to her superiors at the registry about the actions of an auditor were ignored, and Harper was ultimately asked to resign in August 2007.

The suit named Thomas W. Manning, a state Executive Office of Transportation auditor; the Registry of Motor Vehicles; and the Executive Office of Transportation, which oversees the registry.

Cindi Roy, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation (the current name of the former Executive Office of Transportation), declined comment Friday on the jury’s verdict.

Minoff said Harper’s complaints of sexual harassment were about Manning’s behavior, and the registry’s non-action when she brought it to the attention of superiors.

But, he said, Harper settled with Manning previous to the trial for an undisclosed sum, so the trial was against the state registry and transportation department.

The jury also awarded Harper attorney’s fees.

Harper worked as a supervisor of clerks in the Chicopee office and Manning visited regularly in his job to audit regional registry offices, Minoff said.

Harper said beginning in early 2006 and continuing until mid-February, 2007, Manning began making a series of crude and vulgar comments to Harper about his sex life.

Harper said ultimately Manning stopped making the sexual comments but retaliated by giving increased scrutiny to her work which result in her being asked to resign.

Kerry David Strayer, who represented the state in the trial, argued Harper’s allegations against Manning were unfounded and her statements about reporting Manning’s comments to superiors were false.

Fyntrilakis remains co-chairman of Rebuild Springfield and chairman of DevelopSpringfield, both involved in community revitalization efforts.

Nicholas A. Fyntrilakis

SPRINGFIELD – Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company on Friday announced the promotion of Nicholas A. Fyntrilakis as its vice-president of community responsibility.

Fyntrilakis continues to serve as co-chairman of the “Rebuild Springfield” effort in the aftermath of last June’s tornado. In addition, he is chairman of the Board of Directors of DevelopSpringfield, a private nonprofit group leading post-tornado efforts to revitalize Springfield in conjunction with the Springfield Redevelopment Authority.

Fyntrilakis began working for MassMutual in 2002 as a communications consultant and was promoted to the position of director of community relations in 2005. In 2008, he was promoted to assistant vice-president leading up to his new appointment, which is effective immediately.

“Nick has demonstrated strong leadership of MassMutual’s philanthropic, civic and local government relations efforts,” said John Chandler, senior vice president and chief marketing office of MassMutual. “His collaborative relationships with community and government leaders and organizations have been instrumental in creating increased awareness of our innovative outreach programs, helping to underscore MassMutual’s corporate citizenship locally and nationally.”

Fyntrilakis’ responsibilities include managing MassMutual’s more than $7 million of charitable giving that supports educational, economic development and community vitality efforts, its LifeBridge free life insurance program and employee and field community engagement initiatives.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this recognition,” Fyntrilakis said. “It is a privilege to work for such a great corporate citizen like MassMutual, which is recognized across the country for its commitment to the communities where we do business.”

Fyntrilakis said he looks forward to working with DevelopSpringfield, city officials and stakeholders to help implement the newly released “Rebuild Springfield” master plan. The revitalization effort, aided by public funds and private investment, is expected to take three to five years to complete, addressing tornado-damaged areas and citywide improvements.

Fyntrilakis was loaned to the city by MassMutual to assist in the tornado recovery efforts, but the loan has ended.

Fyntrilakis was a member of the Springfield School Committee from 1997 to 2005. Prior to MassMutual, he was president of Resources Advantages Inc. from 1999 to 2002, and was chief of staff for former state Rep. Dennis M. Murphy from 1996 to 1999.

He is a member of local boards including the local chapter of the United Way.

Fyntrilakis has a masters degree in business administration from Western New England University and a bachelor’s of science from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

“Nick’s creative problem solving skills, passion for his work, and strong leadership confirm his role as a valued leader both within our company and our community,” Chandler said.

Fyntrilakis serves as co-chairman of Rebuild Springfield with Gerald W. Hayes.

As Bouchard passed the Granby schools on Route 202, schoolchildren cheered him on from the side of the road, holding up signs that said, “Welcome home, Josh!” and “Super Trooper!”

File photo by Dave Roback / The RepublicanFormer Marine Sgt. Joshua J. Bouchard is seen at the opening of the Original Western Mass Home & Garden Show in West Springfield last month. Construction began Friday on a new home being built for Bouchard in Granby.

GRANBY – In a clearing beside a wooded road in Granby, a sea of red T-shirts bearing the words “Homes for Our Troops” mingled on Friday morning with black motorcycle jackets, hoodies, camouflage, uniforms and hardhats.

Hundreds of people had come for the official start of a long-awaited project – the building of a new home for Marine Sergeant Joshua (“Josh”) Bouchard, a war veteran who was severely injured in Afghanistan in 2009.

It took a year to bring all parts of the project together, but the home, adapted to Bouchard’s disabilities, was scheduled to be completed in three days.

Homes for Our Troops, a Taunton-based non-political organization, has produced such homes for wounded post-9/11 veterans in 36 states across the nation.

They do it by marshaling donors, volunteers and other supporters to the cause. For the Granby house, they partnered with the Homebuilders Association of Western Massachusetts.

In the crowd was Niels Christiansen, of Amherst, who has raised about $700,000 by selling specially-designed bracelets. Also present was A.J. Crane, whose Chicopee construction company is overseeing the Granby project.

Veteran Neil Frustaglio, missing both legs, came to the event from Marion, Texas, to lend his support. He lives in a house built by Homes for Our Troops.

Bouchard himself was led to the Chicopee Street site in Granby by a police escort with flashing blue lights. He has been at the military hospital in Bethesda, Md.

Now 30, Bouchard has gained back some of the weight he lost during his long ordeal of surgeries and rehabilitation. With his dimpled chin and thatch of dark hair, he looks downright handsome.

As he passed the Granby schools on Route 202, schoolchildren cheered him on from the side of the road, holding up signs that said, “Welcome home, Josh!” and “Super Trooper!”

Photo by Don Treeger / The RepublicanVolunteers raise a wall into place Friday at a home being constructed for former Marine Sgt. Joshua Bouchard in Granby. Home for our Troops, a national non-profit group dedicated to housing severely injured veterans, is overseeing the construction of the house.

At the building site, his entrance was heralded by bagpipers from Holyoke and the Marine Corps League Color Guard. Major William Lee, looking sharp in a formal Marine Corps uniform, brought good wishes from Westover Air Base.

Finally Bouchard spoke. “Thanks, everyone, for doing this,” he said from his wheelchair. “I don’t every know what to say. I’m speechless right now, trying not to cry.”

In fact, Bouchard was unable to continue. But that was enough for the crowd, which burst into applause. Most were standing outdoors in a cold April wind, but those who had found a seat inside the ceremonial tent rose in a standing ovation.

The event ended with the ceremonial raising of a wall, as cameras and other digital devices lit up.

For more information, go to www.homesforourtroops.org.

Tamara Favazza, now a 26-year-old wife and mother, claimed that she only became aware of her appearance in the "Girls Gone Wild" video when a friend of her husband pointed it out.

File Photo

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The company that makes "Girls Gone Wild" DVDs is seeking to overturn a verdict awarding nearly $6 million to a St. Louis-area woman who claims her bare breasts were recorded without permission.

St. Louis Circuit Judge John Garvey last month sided with Tamara Favazza in her suit against Mantra Films Inc. and MRA Holdings LLC, awarding her $5.77 million. She was a 20-year-old college student in 2005 when someone lifted her tank top during a party at a St. Louis bar, exposing her breasts. Another person filmed it. She later discovered the recording was part of the "Girls Gone Wild Sorority Orgy" DVD series.

Favazza claimed in the suit originally filed in 2008 that she did not give consent and the resulting DVD damaged her reputation. A St. Louis jury sided with the DVD makers in 2010, but a retrial was granted.

Garvey issued his ruling on March 5. On Wednesday, the defendants filed motions asking that the judgment be set aside and a new trial granted.

Jeffrey Medler, an attorney for Favazza, said he will "vigorously oppose" any effort to overturn the ruling.

Several messages left with David Dalton, the last listed attorney for Mantra Films and MRA Holdings were not returned. Phone calls to Mantra Films' office in California went unanswered.

"Girls Gone Wild" videos and DVDs, featuring young women exposing themselves on camera, have made a fortune for founder Joe Francis. But he has been targeted with dozens of lawsuits from women who said they were upset at being filmed. Francis was originally named in Favazza's suit but was dismissed from the case in 2009.

The video was made at a bar then known as the Rum Jungle near the St. Louis riverfront. Earlier court testimony indicated that a woman acting as a contractor for "Girls Gone Wild" pulled down Favazza's shirt at the shoulder strap, exposing her breasts.

Favazza, now a 26-year-old wife and mother, claimed that she only became aware of her appearance in the video when a friend of her husband pointed it out. She sued soon after learning she was in the video.

Three months after a jury sided with "Girls Gone Wild" in 2010, the judge in that case, John J. Riley, ordered a new trial, ruling that the verdict didn't reflect the weight of evidence. He wrote that it was clear in the video that Favazza was an "unwilling participant," saying she is seen mouthing the word "no" as her shirt is pulled down.

But attorneys for Mantra Films and MRA Holdings said at the first trial that signs posted at the bar explained how the video would be used.

The case took another twist in January when Dalton withdrew as counsel. When the judge heard the case on Feb. 17, Favazza's attorneys presented their case, but there was no representative for Mantra Films or MRA Holdings.

In asking for the judgment to be set aside, Dalton wrote that the defendants "reasonably and rightfully believed they were still represented by counsel and that the cause was being defended."

On a day of conflicting signals, as investors weighed disappointing economic news against reports of higher profits at big companies, stocks inched higher.

By BERNARD CONDON | AP Business Writer

File photo | Associated PressAmazon jumped 16 percent after the online retailer reported a big increase in shipments. (AP file photo)

NEW YORK — It took a while, but the Dow Jones industrial average finally gained back all its losses for the month.

On a day of conflicting signals, as investors weighed disappointing economic news against reports of higher profits at big companies, stocks inched higher. All three major indexes were up Friday, though barely.

The Dow climbed 24.69 points to 13,228.31, a tiny 0.2 percent gain. That was enough to push the index into the black for April. It's now 16 points higher than where it began the month.

The Standard & Poor's 500 edged up 3.38 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,403.36. The Nasdaq composite rose 18.59 points, or 0.6 percent, to 3,069.20.

Amazon jumped 16 percent after the online retailer reported a big increase in shipments. Online travel agency Expedia Inc. surged 26 percent on higher profits from its hotel-booking business.

Companies in the S&P 500 are now on track to report a 6 percent rise in earnings for the first three months of 2012 compared with a year ago, according to FactSet, a financial data provider. Last month, Wall Street analysts had expected earnings this quarter to be flat.

The stock gains Friday came despite a government report earlier in the day that the U.S. economy grew at annual rate of 2.2 percent, below the 2.5 percent that economist had expected. It grew at a faster rate, 3 percent, in the final three months of 2011.

David Rosenberg, chief economist at money manager Gluskin Sheff, said investors may have bid up stocks on the weaker report because they now think the Federal Reserve is more likely to embark on another round of bond buying to stimulate the economy.

"(Fed Chairman) Ben Bernanke has created the impression that if the economy stumbles, he'll be there to hold your hand," he said.

European stock markets also rose as investors shrugged off a second downgrade this year by S&P of Spain's debt. Spain also reported its unemployment rate rose to nearly 25 percent, its highest in 18 years.

Spain's IBEX rose 1.7 percent, France's CAC-40 1.1 percent and Germany's DAX 0.9 percent.

However the yields on Spanish and Italian government bonds rose, a sign that investors are still uneasy about the ability of those countries to service their debt. The yield on Spain's benchmark 10-year bond rose 0.08 percentage point to 5.87 percent. Italy's 10-year yield rose 0.11 point to 5.64 percent.

The Dow hit its high for the year on April 2. It fell fast soon after, then bounced around. With Friday's gain, the index is now just 36 points away from that level.

In corporate news, Procter & Gamble fell 4 percent after the consumer products giant reported a 16 percent profit slump for the first three months of the year on higher costs for raw materials and restructuring charges. The maker of Bounty paper towels and Luv diapers said it would be rolling back price increases on some products where it was losing market share. It also lowered earnings forecasts for the year.

Starbucks slid 5 percent after the coffee company reported a slowdown of sales in Europe.

For the week, the Dow is up 1.5 percent, the S&P 500 is up 1.8 percent and the Nasdaq is up 2.3 percent.