The MacLaren brothers are third-generation dairy farmers, but they will likely be the last in their family.

(AP Photo/Toby Talbot)In this May 16, 2012 photo, people watch an auction at the MacLaren farm in Plainfield, Vt. The MacLarens have faced hardships in the family's 70-plus years farming the same land in Plainfield. But another drop in milk prices this spring combined with soaring feed and fuel costs is forcing the third generation to give up dairy farming.

By LISA RATHKE
Associated Press

PLAINFIELD, Vt. (AP) — The MacLaren brothers are third-generation dairy farmers, but they will likely be the last in their family.

After working all their lives on the hillside farm in Vermont that their grandfather bought in 1939, rising to milk cows at 3 a.m., even in blizzards and sub-zero temperatures, they decided to call it quits, auctioning off their roughly 200 cows and equipment ranging from stalls and hoof trimmers to tractors and steel pails.

The sale marked the end of the last dairy farm in Plainfield — a small town that once had several dozen — and the 14th dairy farm to go out of business in Vermont this year. A few small dairies have opened, but overall, the number of farms continues to drop in a state long known for its milk and cheese. Farmers say they can't make ends meet when milk prices are low and feed and fuel costs keep going up.

"The day of the small farms, I think, is gone," said Steve MacLaren, 54. "A lot of people are going to hold on as long as they can, but we decided not to. Why struggle on it any longer?"

Economic issues aside, the MacLarens are tired of being tied to the farm seven days a week. They plan to keep the land and grow feed — corn and grass for hay and silage — on more than 500 acres.

"No matter what, you've got a sick cow or a cow having a calf, you've gotta be around whether it's 1:00 in the morning, or it's whatever time, you've got to take care of them," said Michael MacLaren, 48. "But if you've got a tractor break down, you can walk away from it. It's just a long hard grind, and I decided I'd like a change."

While the number of dairy cows in the U.S. hasn't changed much, the number of dairy farms has been dropping as small farms either go out of business or consolidate to become more competitive and cost effective.

The number of dairy farms nationally has dropped from nearly 92,000 in 2002 to less than 70,000 in 2007, according to the last agricultural census, which is being updated this year.

That's not the whole picture though. The number of small farms, with 100 to 199 cows, fell from about 11,000 to about 9,000 during that time, while those with more than 1,000 cows grew from about 1,300 to almost 1,600.

The shift has affected states like Vermont and Wisconsin, which have strong dairying histories, but tend to have smaller farms than other major milk-producing states like California and Texas.

Wisconsin has lost nearly 200 herds so far this year and now has about 11,600.

The farm closures are likely to continue with milk prices expected to keep falling this summer.

"It's a dying business," said Ron Wright, owner of Wrights Auction Service in Derby. He expects to do twice as many auctions this spring as last — eight to 10 auctions in Vermont and one in New York.

The U.S. had been gradually losing dairy farms for decades, but then milk prices plummeted during the recession and fuel costs soared in 2009. Vermont lost 52 dairies that year, while Wisconsin lost 519.

Prices have rebounded since, although they are expected to sink again to as low as $16.50 per hundred pounds this summer, said Diane Bothfeld, Vermont's deputy agriculture secretary.

"It will be a very difficult year," said Bothfeld, who expects the auctions to continue.

The loss of small farms hurts local economies and the many businesses that rely on them, such as feed and tractor dealers and veterinarians, she said. It also could be a problem for Vermont tourism, which is closely tied to bucolic images of the state's mountains and dairies, although Bothfeld said she thinks much of the land will stay in farming.

Vermont watched the number of its dairies drop in the past 20 years from 2,272 to 977 this May. At the same time, its milk output has stayed relatively the same as surviving farms grow. In the past five years, the average dairy size has grown from 125 to 135 cows in Vermont.

"To succeed in farming it seems like you really have got to diversify or go big," said Jennifer Lambert, 26, of Washington, one of the few new dairy farmers in Vermont.

She and her husband have leased his uncle's farm, where they produce organic milk, which commands a higher and more stable price than conventional. They also grow livestock feed and picked up a $7,500 seeder at the MacLaren's auction on May 16.

"It's very difficult to get started in this," said Jesse Lambert, 30, of the investment. They can't afford to buy the farm — or borrow the more than a half million dollars to do it — so were lucky to lease it, he said.

The MacLarens didn't watch as their cows were led one by one into the auction ring, where bidders sat on bales of hay. Michael MacLaren said he and his brother will miss the animals some.

"But you make the decision and have the courage to go through with it and you do it," he said. "That's the way it's gotta be."

About 500 people packed the Chicopee Knights of Columbus for a spaghetti supper to raise money for two families displaced by a devastating house fire that scorched their Austin Street duplex.

Republican file photo

CHICOPEE – The Couture and Lisee families, who lost their Austin Street home in a devastating fire last month, received an outpouring of support from the community Tuesday evening when hundreds packed the Chicopee Knights of Columbus for a spaghetti fundraiser to help the families get back on their feet.

About 500 people, including neighbors, friends and even strangers, filled the hall at 460 Granby Road, according to CBS3, media partner of The Republican and MassLive.

The April 29 fire, deemed to be accidental, destroyed the two-family home at 78-80 Austin St. Carissa Lisee, a Chicopee assistant building commissioner, lived in one of the apartments with her husband and their 9-month-old child. Her parents, Robert and Linda Couture, the latter of whom is a longtime employee of the Chicopee Municipal Employees Credit Union, lived in the other apartment.

Despite losing everything in the blaze, Tuesday's strong show of support was heartening, according to the fire victims. "It's almost like you stepped into a dream. It says this world isn't as bad as people seem to think it is," Couture told CBS3, referring to the crowd that showed up for the spaghetti supper.

"As far as we know, they lost everything. What the fire didn't do, the water and smoke did. It is horrible," Cindy Brown, Lisee's aunt and a longtime clerk in the city assessor’s office, told The Republican earlier this month.

The Chicopee Municipal Employees Credit Union is accepting donations for the family. Checks can be made out to the Couture/Lisee Family Fire Fund and mailed or brought to the credit union at 923 Front St. The mayor's office at City Hall also is accepting donations, including gift cards, for the family.

The Coutures are staying with friends, while their daughter and her family have been offered temporary housing through Holy Name Parish, where Alan and Carissa Lisee do a lot of volunteer work.

Oklahoma oil billionaire Harold Hamm didn't wait long to make a nearly $1 million donation to a group supporting Romney after he became one of Romney's top energy advisers in March.

The Associated PressIn this Dec. 6, 2010, file photo, Harold Hamm, chief executive officer of Continental Resources Inc. of Enid, Okla., speaks during an Associated Press interview in Bismarck, N.D. Hamm didn'™t wait long to make a nearly $1 million donation to a group supporting Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney after he became one of Romney'™s top energy advisers in March. Just weeks after Hamm joined the Romney campaign, he gave $985,000 to a pro-Romney super PAC, according to campaign reports. Hamm'™s company, Continental Resources Inc., oversees oilfield stakes in North Dakota and Montana, and Hamm has been disdainful of President Barack Obama'™s energy policies. (AP Photo/Dale Wetzel, File)

By STEPHEN BRAUN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Oklahoma oil billionaire Harold Hamm didn't wait long to make a nearly $1 million donation to a group supporting Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney after he became one of Romney's top energy advisers in March. Just weeks after Hamm joined the Romney campaign, he gave $985,000 to a pro-Romney super PAC, according to campaign reports.

Hamm's company, Continental Resources Inc., oversees oilfield stakes in North Dakota and Montana, and Hamm has been disdainful of President Barack Obama's energy policies. On his personal website, Hamm complained that Obama and his administration "have done everything in their power to stop fossil fuel usage."

Hamm, whose company did not return telephone calls from The Associated Press, is among a group of energy tycoons who have made lucrative donations to Restore Our Future, a super PAC supporting Romney. Unlike the others, Hamm has matched his contributions with his role personally advising Romney on energy policy — blurring the line between the campaign and the super PACs that support them but are legally barred from coordinating with candidates.

"Given the idea that super PACs were supposed to be independent, it seems odd when you've got someone working for the campaign who turns around and gives large contributions to the independent group," said Lawrence Noble, a Washington attorney and former general counsel for the Federal Election Commission. "That's not what most people's idea of what independent is."

Such contributions are legal, said veteran elections and ethics lawyer Jan W. Baran.

"It may be an appearance problem, but it's not a legal problem," Baran said.

Romney's campaign said Hamm's contributions to the super PAC supporting Romney were unrelated to his policy advice.

The overlaps between super PACs and presidential campaigns take other forms as well. Former Obama and Romney officials play key roles in the operations of major super PACs. Bill Burton, a former Obama press official, co-founded the pro-Obama Priorities USA Action. Carl Forti, Romney's 2008 national political director, co-founded Restore Our Future.

Hamm, whose personal holdings are worth $11 billion, according to Forbes, was named chairman of the Romney campaign's Energy Policy Advisory Group on March 1. A promoter of the oil industry and a skeptic of Obama's emphasis on low-pollution "green" energy, Hamm is fiercely protective of his firm's majority stake in the Baaken formation, a 15,000-square-mile tract strewn with deep-rig wells and hydraulic fracturing sites, where natural gas and oil are extracted in a process also known as "fracking."

Hamm has complained about federal rules, permit delays and the refusal to build the Keystone XL pipeline to carry oil from Canada to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast. "All of these actions are designed to result in higher costs at the pump for the consumer," he said. He also criticized what he said were billions of dollars in subsidies being given to solar, wind and other alternative sources of energy.

Continental has repeatedly objected to proposed Environmental Protection Agency rules for oil and gas fields in North Dakota and Montana. Last April, the EPA gave oil and gas producers in those states until 2015 to comply with toughened anti-pollution standards.

Hamm also complained about a federal misdemeanor prosecution last year that targeted his firm and several other energy companies in the deaths of 28 migratory birds found near oil fields — a case dismissed by a federal judge.

"Producers need regulatory stability, not threats and lawsuits by the Department of Justice nor increased regulations from all governmental agencies," Hamm wrote on his CEO Insights blog just weeks before he gave $985,000 to Restore Our Future.

Other oil executives also support Romney's campaign. William Koch, who heads the Oxbow Corp. energy conglomerate, has given at least $2 million to the super PAC, either personally or through corporate subsidiaries. Joseph Craft, whose Alliance Holdings is a major coal producer, gave $500,000. There are smaller but sizable donations from other coal and oil producers.

On his campaign website, Romney advocates for more pipelines and opening U.S. oil and gas reserves for more development, and he opposes what he describes as over-regulation of shale gas stakes. Romney's campaign also warned that "we should not be in the business of steering investment toward particular politically favored approaches."

Police believe the incident may have been sparked by a drug deal gone bad.

Republican file photo03.09.11 | Photo by Julian Feller-Cohen – A West Springfield Police Department cruiser.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – A report of a gun shown during a dispute in a parking lot a short distance away from the police station one night last week led to the arrest of two Springfield men on marijuana charges.

Police Capt. Daniel Spaulding said the incident, described as a possible drug deal gone bad, was reported shortly before 8 p.m. last Wednesday.

A police officer, who happened to be leaving the police station on Central Street at the time saw a white male without a shirt on flailing his arms at two men in a Jeep in the lot at Advance Auto Parts on West Street.

A witness later told police that the Jeep had driven directly at the shirtless man, Spaulding said.

Police stopped the stopped the Jeep and arrested the two suspects after they discovered a large amount of marijuana inside, he said. Police also recovered cash and handgun-style BB gun.

The third party involved in the altercation left the scene and could not be located by police, Spaulding said.

Michael Dise Jr., 33, 14 Manhattan St,, 2nd floor and Kytle Stewart, 31, of 88 Cherry St., both of Springfield, were charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, police documents state.

Dise was also charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (motor vehicle).

Police will obtain arrest warrants for the suspect, according to Springfield Police Detective Capt. Peter J. Dillon.

Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD – A local man fled the scene after attempting to steal a pair of air conditioners from the Walmart store on Boston Road Tuesday morning, according to city police.

Officers were dispatched to the Walmart Supercenter‎ at 1105 Boston Road at about 9:45 a.m. for a report of a larceny in progress, but the suspect managed to escape before police could apprehend him.

Springfield Police Detective Capt. Peter J. Dillon said detectives know the identity of the man and will obtain warrants for his arrest. "It looks like he was shoplifting," Dillon said of the suspect, whom police declined to identify.

Dillon said the suspect attempted to leave the store without paying for several items in a shopping cart, including the air conditioners, toilet paper and motor oil, among other things. Authorities said store employees interrupted the attempted theft. The man apparently pushed someone while making his escape, but it was unclear if that individual was an employee.

A folding razor was recovered at the scene, police said.

The Massachusetts Democrat says he was driving alone to a meeting in Pittsfield on Tuesday morning when his car went off Route 9 in Williamsburg, over an embankment and into a stream.

Michael S. Gordon / The RepublicanRep. John Olver

WILLIAMSBURG, Mass. (AP) — U.S. Rep. John Olver says he was not hurt when he was involved in a single-vehicle car crash.

The Massachusetts Democrat says he was driving alone to a meeting in Pittsfield on Tuesday morning when his car went off Route 9 in Williamsburg, over an embankment and into a stream.

He tells The Daily Hampshire Gazette (http://bit.ly/KT2NS0 ) he had planned on passing another vehicle in a legal passing zone when he changed his mind because of an oncoming vehicle and lost control on the wet road.

His car was towed to a body shop.

Firefighters responded but Olver signed a release saying he refused medical treatment.

The 75-year-old Olver has announced that he will not run for re-election so he can take care of his sick wife.

___

Information from: Daily Hampshire Gazette, http://www.gazettenet.com

Officers arrested Marcus N. Aponte, 23, following a disturbance call near the corner of Sargeant and High streets.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE – Officers responding to a 1:42 p.m. Monday report of a disturbance near the intersection of Sargeant and High streets ended up arresting a homeless man and removing an illegal firearm from city streets, according to Holyoke police records.

Police took 23-year-old Marcus N. Aponte into custody and charged him with firearm and ammunition possession without an identification card; drug possession; drug possession with intent to distribute; drug violation near a school or park; disorderly conduct; resisting arrest and assault and battery on a police officer.

Police said Aponte also had two Holyoke District Court warrants at the time of his arrest.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges at his District Court arraignment Tuesday and was ordered to return for a June 13 hearing.

Additional details were not immediately available.

Americans bought more new homes in April, the latest signal that the U.S. housing market is steadily improving.

(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)The National Association of Realtors said Tuesday, May 22, 2012 that home sales rose 3.4 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.62 million.

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER
AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans bought more new homes in April, the latest signal that the U.S. housing market is steadily improving.

The Commerce Department said Wednesday that sales increased 3.3 percent in April from March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 343,000.

Sales were up in all regions except the South. The median price rose to $235,700, a slight increase from March.

Even with gain, the pace of new-home sales is well below the 700,000 annual rate that economists equate with healthy markets. Still, the broad-based gains across the country contributed to growing evidence that the home market could finally be rebounding nearly five years after the housing bubble burst.

Separately, U.S. homebuilder Toll Brothers said home deliveries and signed contracts on new homes rose in its latest quarter. Its shares rose more than 2 percent.

The homebuilder earned $16.9 million, or 10 cents per share, for the three months ended April 30. A year earlier it lost $20.8 million, or 12 cents per share.

A pickup in hiring and cheaper mortgages, combined with lower home prices in most markets, has made home buying more attractive. Builder confidence has increased steadily since the fall.

On Tuesday, the National Association of Realtors said sales of previously owned homes increased 3.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.62 million. That nearly matched January's sales pace of 4.63 million, which had been the best in two years.

Though new homes represent less than 20 percent of the housing market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates about $90,000 in tax revenue, according to statistics compiled by the National Association of Home Builders.

Builders have grown more confident since last fall, in part because more people are expressing interest in buying a home. In May, builder optimism rose to the highest level in five years, according to a monthly index compiled by the builders' group.

Homebuilders reported improving sales and higher traffic from prospective buyers, the survey showed. A gauge measuring confidence in sales over the next six months also increased.

Recent job gains have likely made it easier for more Americans to purchase a home. Employers have added 1 million jobs in the past five months. And unemployment has dropped a full percentage point since August, from 9.1 percent to 8.1 percent in April.

Mortgage rates, meanwhile, have fallen to record lows, making home-buying more affordable. Still, many would-be buyers are having difficulty qualifying for home loans or can't afford larger down payments required by banks.

Obama campaign releases new ads targeting seniors and veterans, and announces LGBT coalition.

The Associated PressThis composite image of Associated Press photos shows President Barack Obama and Republican presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

As Republican presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney returns to Boston, polling shows danger signs for Democratic President Barack Obama’s campaign. Obama's also going on the air with new advertising. Here’s a roundup of the latest developments in the presidential campaign.

Industry roundtables

Romney is returning to his home turf of Boston this week for “industry roundtables,” according to a list of fundraising events obtained by Politico.

But the Romney campaign is not giving out any details on who is attending the roundtables – or even which industries are participating.

The Democratic National Committee pounced on Romney when he held roundtable discussions at an event in Washington, D.C. in February. Then, guests paid $10,000 for access to policy roundtables in education; energy; financial institutions and markets; defense; and other industries. Attendees included lobbyists and industry executives.

Romney held roundtables in Arlington, Va. earlier this month on topics of tax reform, trade, and technology, with tickets ranging from $2,500 to $20,000.

Jack Gerard is the contact person for this Thursday’s event, according to the Politico document. Gerard is president of the American Petroleum Institute (API) and a Romney supporter and donor. The API is a major political player in trying to shape energy policy in support of the oil industry. An API spokesman said the roundtable fundraiser is not an API event, and anyone attending will not be doing so in an official capacity.

An email sent to Gerard asking about the roundtables was forwarded to Romney spokeswoman Sarah Pompei, who said the fundraiser is closed to the press and no background information is available.

New polling: Americans disapprove of Obama’s handling of the economy

A new poll released by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal finds Obama leading Romney by just four points nationally – a tiny lead for an incumbent president.

The takeaway, as reported by NBC News, is this quote: “Obama’s chances for re-election ... are no better than 50-50,” says Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican Bill McInturff.

The sticking point for Obama is likely to be the economy. Approval of Obama’s handling of the economy is at 43 percent, down two points from last month, the poll found. While voters approve of Obama’s handling of foreign policy, they are less happy with his handling of economic issues – which are likely to be the dominant factor in the election.

Meanwhile in the key swing state of Florida, a new Quinnipiac poll finds Romney pulling ahead of Obama, 47 to 41 percent. Florida voters have an increasingly unfavorable view of Obama. And they believe, 50 percent to 40 percent, that Romney would do a better job handling the economy.

Targeted campaigning

Trying to revive his image, Obama is reaching out to specific voting blocs: seniors, veterans and the gay community.

Obama previously announced a $25 million ad buy this month. Two 30-second TV ads released Wednesday will be part of that ad buy. One ad, targeted at seniors, promotes Obama’s commitment to Medicare. The ad says Obama sees Medicare as “personal,” and cites his record targeting Medicare fraud.

The other ad, focused on veterans and timed for Memorial Day weekend, highlights Obama’s work funding veterans’ health benefits, giving tax credits to businesses that hire veterans and expanding veterans’ education benefits.

Coming off Obama’s recently announced support for same-sex marriage, the Obama campaign is also announcing the launch of “Obama Pride: LGBT Americans for Obama.”

The group, like other pro-Obama coalitions, will help Obama reach out to the gay community through grassroots events like house parties and phone banks organized by volunteers around the country. The Obama campaign has a national staffer, Jamie Citron, dedicated to the LGBT vote.

NORTHAMPTON – Harry Delmolino, the 18-year-old cyclist from Hadley who was struck by a car in Northampton Saturday evening, has died from his injuries, according to Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan. Delmolino collided with a car at the intersection of Main and Pleasant streets at about 7:11 p.m. Saturday. He had remained in critical condition at Baystate Medical...

Republican file photoHarry Delmolino, the 18-year-old Hadley resident struck by a motorist in Northampton on Saturday, has died, according to authorities.

NORTHAMPTON – Harry Delmolino, the 18-year-old cyclist from Hadley who was struck by a car in Northampton Saturday evening, has died from his injuries, according to Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan.

Delmolino collided with a car at the intersection of Main and Pleasant streets at about 7:11 p.m. Saturday. He had remained in critical condition at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, where he died Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

"We send our deepest condolences to the Delmolino family as they grieve the tragic loss of their loved one," Sullivan said in a statement.

Northampton police, the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and troopers assigned to Sullivan's office are handling the probe, which has yet to produce any charges against 43-year-old Northampton resident Celso Avelar, the driver of the vehicle that collided with Delmolino.

Police said Delmolino was not wearing a helmet as he rode eastbound on Main Street and reached the intersection of Pleasant Street. Avelar was making a left turn onto Pleasant Street from Main Street when he and Delmolino collided, police said.

For a customer using 600 kilowatts a month, the monthly bill would be reduced by about $5.90, according to a news release issued by WMECO.

SPRINGFIELD – Residential customers and small commercial and industrial customers of Western Massachusetts Electric Co. can expected to see electric supply rates decline 13 to 15 percent for the second half of 2012, as approved by the state Department of Public Utilities.

For a customer using 600 kilowatts a month, the monthly bill would be reduced by about $5.90, according to a news release issued Wednesday afternoon.

From July 1 to December 31, residential customers on basic service will see a supply rate of 6.733 cents per kilowatt hour compared to 7.741 cents per kilowatt hour for the previous six month period.

Small commercial and industrial customers will see a supply rate of 7.014 cents per kilowatt hour , compared to 8.264 cents kilowatt hour for the previous six month period. Large C&I customers will see a slight increase in rates for the next quarter, with the new rate at 5.751 cents per kilowatt hour, compared to the current rate of 5.624 cents.

Medium and large commercial and industrial customers will see a slight increase, according to the news release. Under Massachusetts law, WMECO is required to procure energy supply, known as basic service, for customers who do not purchase service through a competitive supplier. Basic service is bid twice a year for residential and small C&I customers and four times a year for medium and large customers.

Natural gas prices have been falling. Since most electricity is generated with natural gas, electricity prices have fallen with it.

Special events, like the opening of the new “Goliath” roller coaster at Six Flags New England and the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton, will draw crowds.

File photo by Damian Dovarganes / Associated PressTravelers fill up at a gas station for an early start on the Memorial Day weekend traffic in Valencia, Calif., about this time last year. Cheaper gas is not expected tot be enough to spur many more road trips this summer. Economists and tourism experts are expecting only a small uptick in summer travelers.

Gasoline prices are falling, but apparently not enough to get more people traveling this holiday weekend.

AAA is predicting that 1.54 million New Englanders plan to travel over Memorial Day weekend, up 0.4 percent from the number of people who traveled over Memorial Day weekend last year. Of those, 1.39 million, or 9.5 percent of the region’s population, plan to travel by car, that is a slim 0.6 percent rate of growth from 2011. Nationally, 34.7 million Americans plan to travel over during the traditional start of summer.

A gallon of regular gas averaged $3.71 Wednesday, according to AAA. That’s a penny lower than the $3.72-a-gallon average recorded Tuesday. The price was $3.77 a week ago, $3.89 a month ago and $3.94 a year ago.

The record highest price for a gallon of regular in Greater Springfield was $4.08 a gallon July 7, 2008, according to AAA.

Mary Kay Wydra, president of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the bureau has seen increases both in traffic to its website, www.valleyvisitor.com. The Visitors Bureau worked with its counterpart in Hampshire County and in Franklin County and spent $90,000 in state-granted marketing money for electronic billboards both on Interstate 84 near Hartford, Conn., and on Interstate 93 in Medford.

“A high gas price actually works in our favor,” she said. “We know our feeder markets are close by. People can make it here without spending a lot on gas.”

Special events, like the opening of the new “Goliath” roller coaster at Six Flags New England and the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton, will also draw crowds.

Timothy J. O’Brien, marketing director at Kringle Candle Co. in Bernardston said Memorial Day is a traditional time for folks to take a road trip.

“They are going to be looking for a lot of new things to see and do,” he said.

it also looks like the weather might hold.

Nick Morganelli, a meteorologist with CBS 3 Springfield, said in general that there will be more rain to the north of our region than to the south of it. So visitors to New Hampshire’s White Mountains or Lake George, N. Y., have a better chance of wet weekend than people who stick close to Springfield.

“It doesn’t look like it will be totally sunny,” Morganelli said. “But there is hope for a very nice weekend in Southern New England.”

Peter Pan Bus Lines is expecting to transport 150,000 to 160,000 people over the weekend, about 20 percent more than it transported over Memorial Day weekend in 2011, said Frank T. Dougherty, vice president of operations for Peter Pan. Memorial Day will also tell Peter Pan how busy it will be all summer.

Dougherty said business is up because of the new Northeast Service, rolled out about a year ago, has newer buses, WiFi Internet service, electrical plugs at the seats and a better boarding procedure.

“We’ve got a better product in the field,” Dougherty said. “I’m sure the gas price doesn’t hurt, either.”

Warwick is deputy superintendent of Springfield schools; Jara, a former principal in Springfield, is superintendent for the Monroe County Public Schools in Florida.

Daniel Warwick, left, and Jesus Jara have been named finalists to succeed Alan Ingram as superintendent of Springfield schools.

SPRINGFIELD — A special screening committee has selected two finalists for superintendent of schools – Springfield Deputy Superintendent Daniel J. Warwick, and Jesus F. Jara, the superintendent for the Monroe County Public Schools in Florida.

The School Committee received the names and resumes of the two finalists during a special meeting Wednesday night, as selected by a 13-member screening committee.

The School Committee will schedule site visits and public interviews followed by its choice of a new leader for the Springfield public schools.

Current Superintendent of Schools Alan J. Ingram is leaving the job, effective June 30, marking the end of his five-year contract. He announced months ago he was not seeking reappointment.

Warwick, 57, has been deputy (assistant) superintendent in Springfield since July of 2004, and previously was a principal at Glenwood School, a special education supervisor, and a teacher in regular and special education. He began working for the Springfield public schools since 1976.

Jara, 42, who has served as schools superintendent in Monroe County the past nine months, is a former principal of the High School of Science and Technology in Springfield. Jara left Springfield in November of 2005, to work for The College Board becoming a program supervisor in Florida.

Both men, reached by telephone after the announcement, said they are excited by the opportunity.

“I am absolutely thrilled,” Warwick said. “I have lived in Springfield all my life and spent my whole career in Springfield. I think I bring a wealth of experience in urban education of over 35 years, and a great record of success at every level of the school system.”

Jara said he was excited to have the opportunity to return to Springfield.

“It was a great opportunity and great times when I was there. I can return with a skill set to develop a college readiness system for the minority and underserved student population.”

Initially, there were 18 applicants for the superintendent job by the April 27 deadline, said Jose F. Claudio, chairman of the screening committee.

The number was reduced to seven candidates during the screening process, meeting minimum qualifications. Two candidates later withdrew, leading to five candidates that were interviewed by the screening committee, Claudio said.

Three were chosen as finalists by majority votes of the screening committee, but one withdrew on Tuesday, leading to the final two, Claudio said.

The only names of candidates revealed publicly were the finalists, in accordance with the search committee’s guidelines.

“The screening committee worked real hard to pick this,” Claudio said. “We did our due diligence. Now, it’s up to the School Committee to decide who is the next superintendent.”

One screening committee member, Charles H. Rucks, sought to speak before the School Committee, but was denied permission as advised by School Committee lawyer Melinda Phelps. She and committee members said they were concerned about the chance that something discussed in executive session could be revealed, and did not want to risk jeopardizing the process.

Rucks was told he could speak to committee members individually, but was not to reveal confidential matters.

The screening committee was assisted by a hired consultant, Patricia Correira, field director for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.

The committee consisted of various representatives for the community, business, parents, students, teachers, school administrators and a student.

Romney took a harsh line against teachers unions in his speech, calling them "the clearest example of a group that has lost its way."

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney addresses the Latino Coalition's 2012 Small Business Summit, Wednesday, May 23, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Republican presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Wednesday laid out a plan to overhaul the country’s educational system, proposing a voucher-like system that would give parents of low-income students and students with disabilities more choice over where to send their children.

In a speech at the Latino Coalition’s Annual Economic Summit in Washington, D.C., Romney framed the issue as one of increased choice for parents.

“For the first time in history, federal education funds will be linked to a student, so that parents can send their child to any public or charter school, or to a private school, where permitted,” Romney said, according to his prepared remarks. “And I will make that choice meaningful by ensuring there are sufficient options to exercise it.”

Romney called education “the civil-rights issue of our era,” arguing that “millions of kids are getting a third-world education. And, America’s minority children suffer the most.”

But even if Romney is elected president, the plan is likely to run into strong opposition, particularly from teachers unions. Paul Toner, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, said Romney is “pitting one family and children against another family and children” with his school choice proposal. “We’re opposed to having people being able to take money away from their local community schools,” Toner said. “We should be working together, not trying to divide and conquer different populations of students by offering them gimmicks that aren’t going to be successful.”

Romney, anticipating the backlash, took a harsh line against teachers unions in his speech, calling them “the clearest example of a group that has lost its way.”

Romney’s proposal would allow low-income and special needs students, who get federal money through Title I or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), to use that money to attend any school in their state — including public schools, charter schools and private schools where permitted by state law, as well as for tutoring providers and digital courses.

Romney would require states to have open enrollment policies for these students at all public schools and to eliminate caps on attendance at charter or digital schools. The program would allow charter schools to receive more federal money to expand their programs.

Title I and IDEA together provide more than $25 billion a year to the educational system, according to a Department of Education statistic cited by the Romney campaign. Romney did not address the impact such a program could have on public schools, which could lose a significant portion of that money.

Several states or cities, including Florida, Cleveland and Milwaukee, have school choice programs, but Washington, D.C., is the only one with federal involvement.

Romney pointed to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which gives scholarships to low-income students to attend private schools as a model. President Barack Obama signed the program into law in 2011. But, in a move that angered Republicans, Obama did not request funding for it in his 2013 budget proposal, citing concerns about its implementation.

James Kvaal, director of policy for the Obama campaign, said in a conference call with reporters that Obama has worked to expand school choice in public schools through the expansion of charter schools. But he said Obama opposes the use of vouchers for private schools.

“We know private school vouchers have failed to raise achievement, and they drain resources from public schools that serve the vast majority of children,” Kvaal said. Kvaal said Obama believes vouchers might serve a small number of students, but “they’ll do nothing for the vast majority of students who are left behind in public schools.”

John Portz, professor of political science at Northeastern University, said despite some support for school choice in local communities, implementation could be difficult nationally. “The political possibilities are fairly slim of something like that passing,” Portz said, noting that many Democrats support charter schools but few support vouchers.

“Part of it is a concern that it takes education away as being a public function, something that is a public responsibility,” Portz said. “You end up with a situation where schools gravitate and develop their own clientele of like-minded parents of students.”

Portz said Romney’s focus on parental choice illustrates a contrast with Obama, who has focused on dealing with education at a state and federal level. Obama implemented the Race to the Top program, which gave states financial incentives to reform their educational systems in ways that include adopting standards, measuring student performance, retaining effective teachers and turning around failing schools. Obama has also been granting states that implement reforms waivers from rigid requirements mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act, which was passed by President George W. Bush but which Congress has been unable to renew.

The school choice proposal was a centerpiece of Romney’s larger education plan. He would also get rid of federally mandated interventions required by the No Child Left Behind Act for failing schools. Instead, he would require states to publicly grade each school, based on standardized test scores. (Federal law already requires public reporting of some school achievement data.)

A Chance for Every Child

Murray's ruling took 13 amendments off the table for debate, including amendments to gradually reduce the state income tax from 5.25 to 5 percent and the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 5 percent.

File photo | The RepublicanMassachusetts Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, on Wednesday called it her “duty” to refuse consideration of amendments to the $32.3 billion Ways and Means budget proposal that would either increase or decrease tax rates or fees because she said the state constitution requires such policy changes to originate in the House.

By MATT MURPHY

BOSTON — Senate President Therese Murray on Wednesday took a broad swath of tax issues off the table for debate at the outset of the Senate’s annual budget debate, ruling such amendments out of order despite objections from Republican leaders and opening herself up to criticism from a political opponent.

Murray called it her “duty” to refuse consideration of amendments to the $32.3 billion Ways and Means budget proposal that would either increase or decrease tax rates or fees because she said the state constitution requires such policy changes to originate in the House.

Under advice from counsel, Murray cited provisions in the state Constitution that prohibit the Senate from altering tax policy unless the House does so first. The Plymouth Democrat said that because the House budget bill did not include any new taxes or fees, it should be considered an “appropriations bill” and not a “money bill.”

The distinction dictates whether or not the Legislature is simply appropriating tax revenues to functions of state government, or considering policy changes that would impact the amount of revenue the state collects.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr challenged Murray’s ruling at the start of the Senate’s budget debate on Wednesday, citing a 1958 ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court that he said considered “money bills” to be those that increased tax collections, not decreased rates.

“It is not true that the Supreme Court has consistently ruled on this,” Tarr said, referencing the second-to-last Republican president of the Senate Richard Furbush, who presided over the chamber from 1951 to 1956 and considered “money bills” to be those that increased taxes.

When Tarr challenged Murray to cite case law backing up her decision, Murray initially declined, but later cited cases before the state’s highest court in 1958 and 1985that supported her interpretation that all tax changes are out of order unless initiated by the House.

After Tarr doubted the ruling of the chair, the Democratic majority supported Murray’s decision in a 33-4 vote along party lines.

Murray’s opponent in the November election – Republican Tom Keyes – immediately seized on Murray’s ruling and sent out a fundraising appeal to boost his candidacy.

“Only in the Massachusetts Senate, under the leadership of Murray, would a budget not be a money bill. Once again, this shows how much they are running amok on Beacon Hill. Two weeks ago, it was banning bake sales. Now budgets are not money,” Keyes said in an email to supporters.

Murray’s ruling took 13 amendments off the table for debate, including Tarr’s amendments to gradually reduce the state income tax from 5.25 to 5 percent over three years and the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 5 percent over two years.

“The reason Murray made this formal ruling was to avoid taking up amendments to the budget that would have reduced taxes. Talk about ruling with an iron fist. This is not democracy when Senate members cannot debate ways to reduce your taxes,” Keyes said.

Both the House and Senate in recent years have prided themselves on balancing budgets without increased taxes or fees after voting in 2009 for sales tax hike from 5 percent to 6.25 percent.

Sen. John Kerry Wednesday continued his efforts to spur federal action to assist in repaving the crumbling airstrip at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Mass.

Republican file photoTwo F-15 jets from Barnes Air National Guard in flight over Western Massachusetts. jets.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. John Kerry, of Massachusetts, Wednesday continued his efforts to spur federal action to assist in repaving the crumbling airstrip at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Mass.,one day after the deployment of two fighter jets from the 104th Fighter Wing to escort a US Airways plane forced to make an emergency landing.

The F-15 fighter jets were scrambled under the direction of North American Aerospace Defense Command Tuesday after a passenger on board a flight from France to North Carolina began to exhibit disturbing behavior.

John Kerry, D-Mass.

“With this fresh reminder of the contributions made by the resources at Barnes, I’m writing to you today to request your assistance in maintaining Barnes as a critical defense and homeland security asset by repaving the aging airstrip.”

At Town Meeting, residents also voted on measures affecting restaurants, the 4th of July parade and running for 2 offices at the same time.

Republican file photoEast Longmeadow Town Hall

EAST LONGMEADOW — It’s back to the drawing board for residents and the Department of Public Works as they figure out a way to manage catch basins in town.

Voters during the annual Town Meeting Monday repealed a storm-water bylaw approved during the special Town Meeting in 2011 that set guidelines for the maintenance of the basins.

The petition was brought forward by resident Peter Cokotis, who said he does not feel it should be his responsibility to pay for the maintenance of a basin that the town benefits from.

The bylaw required the owner of the property where a basin is located to maintain it. If the basin is the responsibility of a homeowner’s association, the association would have to sign a contract agreeing to care for the basin. Care includes maintenance and repair of the basin when necessary.

Board of Public Works Chairman John Maybury said the town worked very hard to identify all of the catch basins in town that were in disrepair and has attempted to work with individual homeowners.

“We are not trying to make money off this. We want to work with homeowners to clean up the basins, that is why the bylaw was created,” he said. “If you repeal this we have nothing in its place and the responsibility once again falls solely on the homeowner.”

Residents rejected Article 22, which would have allowed restaurants to bypass the Planning Board if they wanted to make any changes to their business that did not change the building structure or the number of seats in the establishment.

Planning Board Chairman George Kingston said it is important for restaurant owners to meet with the board about any changes to their business because most are in residential neighborhoods and changes can affect the residents who live near the restaurant.

Residents rejected Article 21, which would have prevented a resident from running for seats on two separate boards during the same election.

The article was placed on the warrant by the Board of Selectmen and suggested by member James Driscoll after resident Angela Thorpe ran for both School Committee and Board of Selectmen at the same time this past April. Thorpe did not win either seat.

Residents also approved $17,500 for the 4th of July parade committee to be used to hire bands and pay for the parade costs.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Enrico Villamaino said he is glad residents supported the parade because it is an important tradition in town.

“Money for the parade was coming from a larger celebration fund in the budget. In an effort to be transparent we made it a separate item so residents know how much is being spent on this,” he said.

The 14-class course will run on most Wednesdays from June 20 to Oct. 17.

Staff photo by Michael S. GordonSpanish classes will be taught to city employees for free here at Pickenelly Adult & Family Education Center, Holyoke Transportation Center.

HOLYOKE – Municipal employees of this city with a large Hispanic population can take free conversational Spanish classes in partnership with Holyoke Community College, Mayor Alex B. Morse said Wednesday.

“This is an important step in my administration’s goal to serve all residents of the City of Holyoke and to make City Hall more welcoming and accessible to all constituents, no matter their language,” said Morse, who is fluent in Spanish.

The 14-class course will run on Wednesdays from June 20 to Oct. 17, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Classes will be at the Pickenelly Adult & Family Education Center, 206 Maple St., he said.

No classes will be held on July 4, July 25, Aug. 1 and Aug. 22, he said.

Holyoke Community College is teaching the classes for free, though employees who sign up must pay $49 for a textbook and cd, he said.

Employees are asked to reserve class space by June 5 by contacting mayoral aide Theresa Vincent at vincentt@ci.holyoke.ma.us , he said.

The population of about 40,000 is 48 percent Hispanic, according to the 2010 U.S. Census.

The class is voluntary, he said.

“Those who have concerns don’t have to take the class, as it’s not required. This is for those employees who want to take the initiative and challenge themselves. Employees are very lucky to have this opportunity, as the class would typically cost upwards of $500,” Morse said.

Regarding concerns employees might have about taking the class at night instead of as part of their work shifts, Morse said, “I can’t afford to have my employees out of City Hall during the day, as residents rely on their hard work and customer service throughout the work day. This is a win for the City, our employees, and most importantly, our residents.”

Teresa M. Shepard, director of Parks and Recreation Department, said an employee in her office plans to take the course.

“I think it’s a nice thing for the city to offer. Any time you can get training to improve how you do your job is a good thing,” Shepard said.

The course will be organized around basic departmental topics like taxes, licenses, payments, safety and park recreation, zoning codes, inspections and compliance, trash, street repairs and voter registration, Morse said.

The focus is on learning basic terms and useful phrases to help government employees provide services to Hispanic residents. The course will include practice conversations and role-playing, and weekly out-of-class speaking and writing homework will be required, he said.

The Classical High School Class of 1958 and its supporters have raised slightly more than $100,000 for the mural restoration project.

The Classical High School Mural Restoration Committee was recently awarded a $22,000 state grant to help preserve a century-old, historic mural.

SPRINGFIELD — The effort to restore a century-old mural from the former Classical High School received a tremendous boost recently with a $23,489 donation in memory of Theodor S. Geisel, Springfield’s Dr. Seuss.

Audrey Stone Geisel, the widow of Theodor Geisel, and the Dr. Seuss Foundation made the gift in his memory.

The amount of the donation was the precise amount needed to bring the fundraising drive to $100,000, said Ellen M. Gordon, of the Classical High School Class of 1958, which is leading the charge to restore the mural. Additional donations have come in to now exceed the $100,000 goal, she said.

Theodor Geisel was a 1921 graduate of Classical and was one of the last speakers to appear before the student body prior to the school closing in 1986, Gordon said. The school was converted into the Classical Condominiums.

“We are just thrilled, excited to have it,” Gordon said. “We are glad it came from him (Geisel). He loved Classical.”

“We were more than overjoyed,” said William G. Duquette, mural fundraising committee chairman from the Class of 1958.

The “Light of Education” mural by Robert Lewis Reed depicts Springfield founder William Pynchon and other colonial figures. Once restored, the 22- by 13-foot mural will be mounted at the Central Library on State Street, which is across from the Classical building, and adjacent to the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden.

The alumni committee in conjunction with the Springfield Council for Cultural and Community Affairs, hired Gianfranco Pocobene, noted conservator at the Elizabeth Stewart Gardner Museum Boston, to restore the mural.

The restoration process has been extremely complex and long, class members said.

It is expected to cost $89,600 to restore the mural, and the fundraising group says there will be related costs to mount and preserve the historic art piece.

It is expected that the restoration will be completed in December or January, and will be ready for mounting early next spring, Gordon said.

“It has been a great experience,” Duquette said. “It’s a wonderful thing for the city.”

The Class of 1958, at its 50th reunion, voted to find, restore and return the lost mural, as its class gift. Once restored, it has an estimated value of $1.5 million.

Donations are still being accepted payable to SCCCA/CHS Mural Restoration to: Anthony Pellegrino, 2357 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01129-1837.

Everyone has been very supportive of her in her new job, Kristi Chadwick said.

Photo by Diane Lederman / The RepublicanNew Emily Williston Library Director Kristi Chandwick began working in the Easthampton Library April 9.

EASTHAMPTON - Kristi Chadwick the new Emily Williston Library director said her first month in the job has gone well and she is excited to be here.

“Everybody has been nothing but supportive,” she said. And everything is also going well with the Public Library Association of Easthampton, the board that oversees the library. While the city contributes to the library budget the library is supervised by the private Public Library Association of Easthampton.

The former technical services librarian for the Central/Western Massachusetts Automated Resource consortium was hired in March to be the new director at the same time Donald L. Cykowski long time corporator resigned amid charges of sexual harassment.

Former library Director Rebecca Plimpton told the board that Cykowski had harassed her for years before she left the position in 2007. She said the board needed a clear sexual harassment policy and raised concerns recently that the association had not addressed the issue, prompting concerns from residents and calls for Cykowski's resignation.

Cykowski, a city council, has been criticized for a remark made about Puerto Ricans in December but he has not resigned.

Concerns were also raised about the board as well not being as open as some in the community wanted. Corporators said that would change.

Chadwick, who replaced Francis Dimenno who was not reappointed when his contract expired last July, said she is looking to the future, not back.

That future includes listening to patrons about what they want. “My door is open. I like to hear what ideas are out there,” she said during a recent interview.

She said she, staff and corporators are “looking at reestablishing Saturday hours. That’s a high priority.” Currently the library is open Monday through Friday.

They will figure out whether to replace long-time youth librarian Barbara Diamond Goldin who left to become director of the Edwards Library in Southampton in January.

Also, she sad “we’re looking at our friends group get reestablished.” The group that holds fund-raisers and supports the library in many ways had been dormant for some time. And she said they are planning to reestablish the very popular fall book sale.

She wants to hear what programs people want as well.

In her first month on the job, Chadwick has been busy preparing for the transition to a new online catalog and circulation system called Evergreen that will be live May 29.

Chadwick, who had worked in Western Massachusetts including in East Longmeadow before working for Central/Western Massachusetts Automated Resource consortium, said she was excited to come back to the area. “My long range plan was to move back to Western Massachusetts,” she said. She loves the diversity of the city.

Chadwick, 41, studied accounting and finance at the State University of New York at Oneonta and has a degree in business, accounting and theater.

When she was thinking about a new career she took a class in library sciences at the University of Albany in 2002. “I fell in love with it and kept going.”