The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 25.35 points, or 0.2 percent, to 12,741.82.

Photo by Richard Drew / Associated PressTrader Stephen Guilfoyle, center, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday.

By DANIEL WAGNER

NEW YORK – Crisis-weary investors scoffed Monday at what had appeared to be a hopeful turn in the European debt crisis: a victory for pro-Europe parties in a Greek election. U.S. stocks were little changed, and borrowing costs for Spain surged to alarming levels.

Investors appeared fed up with policy makers’ inability to resolve a crisis that has bedeviled markets for more than three years. Leaders of the most developed countries are meeting in Mexico to discuss the crisis and the slowing global economy.

“Even though we avoided the worst-case scenario in Greece, the crisis has entered a new and dangerous phase, and it doesn’t end with Greece,” said Michelle Gibley, director of international research at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, a division of the Charles Schwab brokerage.

U.S. indexes opened lower then drifted between modest gains and losses. Homebuilders rallied after a measure of confidence among U.S. builders rose to a five-year high.

Spanish borrowing rates spiked Monday above levels that forced other countries to take bailouts, a sign that bond investors fear Spain will default on its debts.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 25.35 points, or 0.2 percent, to 12,741.82. The Nasdaq composite index rose 22.53 points, or 0.8 percent, to 2,895.33. It was lifted by Apple, its biggest component, which rose $11.65, or 2 percent, to $585.78.

Rival tech titan Microsoft was scheduled to make a “major” announcement after the market closed. Many expected it to introduce a tablet computer that would compete with Apple’s market-dominating iPad.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 1.94 points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,344.78. Of its 10 major industry categories, only financials and energy stocks fell. Banks would be hit hard if the European crisis spun out of control. Energy companies followed oil prices lower.

On Sunday, Greek voters elected a party that wants to continue a program of international bailout loans that are conditioned on painful budget cuts. Traders had fretted for weeks that a radical leftist party would prevail and reject Europe’s unpopular bailout plan.

The next step, traders feared, would be Greece’s dropping the shared currency. Anxiety over a Greek exit was so pronounced that many expected bank runs on Monday if political anti-bailout parties had won the election.

Yet Greece’s situation remains precarious. The anti-bailout party got a big chunk of the vote. There’s also no guarantee that the winners will be able to form a government. Elections a month ago failed to produce a governing coalition, leading to Sunday’s do-over.

Many had expected stocks and other risky investments to rally on relief that the conservative party won. But the broader scope of Europe’s financial burdens soon overshadowed whatever breathing room the election provided.

Safe investments rose and riskier ones fell as traders continued their long vigil for a more permanent solution in Europe. Leaders there are considering a centralized system of bank regulation and deposit insurance to complement proposals of closer economic coordination.

“It doesn’t appear that any lasting solution is a possibility any time soon,” Schwab’s Gibley said. “Until we get some kind of coming together, volatility is likely to continue.”

Attention shifted Monday toward Spain and Italy, both of which will require international help if they can’t convince bond investors that their finances are sound. Benchmark stock indexes closed down 3 percent in Spain and 2.8 percent in Italy.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.58 percent from 1.63 percent earlier Monday as demand increased for low-risk investments.

The yield on Spanish 10-year bonds jumped as high as 7.18 percent, the highest since Spain joined the euro. Only a week ago, Europe unveiled a massive bailout of Spain’s banks intended to reassure investors about the nation’s finances.

Greece, Ireland and Portugal needed bailouts after their borrowing costs rose above 7 percent. It looks like tiny Cyprus will need a bailout as well.

The Greek election “should be seen as a significant net positive for markets, but markets don’t always react in a rational manner,” said David Kelly, chief global strategist for JPMorgan Funds.

The ISE Homebuilders index rose 34 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $9.98. Lennar, PulteGroup, D.R. Horton, Toll Brothers and Hovnanian Enterprises all rose strongly.

Giant military contractor SAIC fell 38 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $11.86. The Defense Department said Friday that SAIC had lost its biggest contract to Lockheed Martin, a $4.6 billion deal to run the department’s global network.

Energy prices, which are sensitive to investors’ expectations of future economic growth, fell. Benchmark crude for July delivery slid 76 cents to $83.27 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The annual tournament is among the oldest in the country for youth players.

Republican file photoThe Republican's Sheldon M. Rosenthal Memorial Junior Tennis Tournament is one of the oldest such events in the country.

SPRINGFIELD – Sign-ups will begin this week for The Republican’s Sheldon M. Rosenthal Memorial Junior Tennis Tournament, scheduled July 11-15 at the Forest Park hard courts.

The Rosenthal family sponsors the tournament in memory of Shelly Rosenthal, who directed the event for nearly 30 years until his passing in 2000.

The tournament is open to all children who reside full-time in The Republican’s circulation area. There are draws in boys and girls 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-and-under singles, 14- and 18-and-under doubles and 14- and 18-and-under mixed doubles. Individuals are limited to one singles and one doubles draw.

There is no entry fee, and balls are provided. Starting times are: boys 16s and 18s singles, July 11, 2:30 p.m.; girls 16s and 18s singles, July 12, 2:30 p.m.; boys and girls 12s and 14s singles, July 13, 2:30 p.m.; boys and girls doubles, July 14, 9 a.m.; mixed doubles, July 14, 11 a.m.

Finals are scheduled the morning of July 15, with an awards ceremony to follow.

Entries open Wednesday. Starting that day, enter online anytime at www.masslive.com/sports, or call Joe Deburro at (413) 788-1117 and leave a message that includes the following information about the entrant: name, age, phone number and address. Entrants must be at least 13 to enter online. The Republican and its predecessor, The Springfield Daily News, have offered the tournament annually since the 1930s, making it one of the, if not the, oldest youth tennis tournaments in the United States.

The gaming commission might provide some upfront money to help communities negotiate and plan for casinos.

FRAMINGHAM – Many communities are ill-equipped to negotiate deals with casino companies that might be setting up within their borders or nearby, regional planners and municipal leaders told state gaming commissioners at a forum Monday.

Stephen P. Crosby, chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, said the forum on “community mitigation” underscored the need for the commission to provide financial and other resources to cities and towns to allow them to structure comprehensive agreements with casino developers.

Crosby said that especially smaller communities need help in dealing with big casino companies.

“We know there is no level playing field,” Crosby said after the event at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center. “That’s not good, bad or indifferent. That’s a reality we have to deal with.”

Stephen Crosby

The state’s casino law anticipates that gambling companies would pay for a city or town’s costs of negotiations, but it is unclear how the communities would get that money, Crosby said.

The commission might provide some up front money to communities if it is clear the commission will eventually receive that money back from developers, Crosby said.

“ I think we need to get moving on getting resources out to those prospective communities, host and surrounding, as well as get to them some sense of a timeline, so they know what is coming when and don't feel an undo sense of pressure to negotiate when they are not really ready,” Crosby said.

Under the casino law, companies will need agreements with communities where casinos would locate and with "surrounding" communities. The deals could include payments or other ways to mitigate the effects of a casino on certain areas such as traffic, education, water and sewer and public safety.

Kathleen Norbut

One panelist, Kathleen C. Norbut of Monson, a founding member of the Western Massachusetts Casino Task Force, which is neutral on casinos, told commissioners that communities need certain help such as funds or technical and legal assistance. Monson is a small town that would be affected by a casino planned in neighboring Palmer.

Norbut has long opposed casinos but she said she was representing the task force at the event.

Norbut said it is crucial to develop a template for a “memorandum of understanding” that could be signed by a community and a casino company.

Norbut said there is a lot of deficiencies in the casino law including a lack of tools for communities.

People in a so-called “host community” would vote in a referendum on a proposed casino deal before a company applies for a state license. However, people in surrounding communities do not get to vote, according to the casino law.

The gaming commission would also need to intercede to ensure fair agreements with surrounding communities if negotiations break down between casinos and those communities in a certain amount of time. Commissioners would also have the final say on designating a surrounding community to a casino.

The state's three most populated cities, including Springfield , would have to hold a ward vote on a casino unless the governing body of a city chooses to put the question to all voters. Leaders in Springfield are expecting a city-wide vote.

One panelist, Mary Kay Peck, former city manager in Henderson, Nevada, which has several casinos, said sharp expertise is needed at the local level to match the gaming industry.

“They are expert negotiators,” Peck said of casino developers. “Make sure you are ready. As we say in the West, “Don't bring a knife to a gun fight.’

Timothy W. Brennan, executive director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, said “the sooner, the better” for communities to start planning for casinos.

“The communities are to some extent scared,” said Brennan, who was in the audience. “They are concerned with being swamped with the impacts to come.”

In Western Massachusetts, the Mohegan Sun is proposing a casino for Palmer and Ameristar Casinos of Las Vegas is proposing a casino for Springfield.

Two members of Springfield's 15-member Casino Site Committee attended including City Council President James J. Ferrera III and former Police Chief Paula C. Meara.

Ferrera said that Springfield plans to work with surrounding communities such as Agawam, Wilbraham and West Springfield.

It was the third in a series of educational forums planned by the gaming commission.

The $18.4 million is being used for energy upgrades and building improvements.

Daniel M. Knapik

WESTFIELD – The city’s strong financial position allowed it to borrow, on short-term, $18.4 million earlier this month at a cost of about $69,000.

The six-month note was sold at .75 percent which city finance officers say is ‘like borrowing from yourself’.

Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said the $18.4 million represents energy conservation and school green repair projects. Many of the projects, like $8 million in roof, window and heating repairs at Westfield Vocational-Technical High School and $3.4 million at City Hall for roof, facade and windows, are already underway.

Moody’s Investors Service gave the city a ‘one’ rating for the short term notes and continued its A1 bond rating for future bonding needs, which allowed the favorable rate for the six-month notes, Knapik, Treasurer Gregory I. Kallfa and Auditor Deborah A. Strycharz said.

The $18.4 million will address needs at several schools and municipal buildings and Knapik noted, that while the city must bond the total amount, the actual amount of the overall project for the city will be less because school projects will receive 62 percent reimbursement through the state School Building Authority.

“The cost of this short term borrowing, and the anticipated cost of bonding the total project, is borrowing from ourselves. We did very well,” the mayor said.

Knapik, Kallfa and Strycharz said favorable rates are the result of conservative spending and financial operations in the city and stable finances.

Kallfa said the short-term rate “is the best rate the city has ever received. He said five financial institutions competed for the bid on June 6. FTN Financial Capital Markets of Tennessee was the low bidder, he said.

Moody’s, in extending the A1 bond rating for Westfield said “it reflects the city’s healthy financial operations, stable and diverse tax base and moderate debt burden.”

The city currently has $6.2 million in its stabilization fund and another $1.2 million in free cash.

The veteran Springfield educator said he has fulfilled a long-time dream to be schools superintendent of his hometown

SPRINGFIELD – Daniel J. Warwick, who rose through the ranks of the Springfield school system over a 35-year career, was chosen Monday night as the city’s new superintendent of schools.

The School Committee, after a review process that ended with 75-minute interviews of both Warwick and the second finalist, Jesus F. Jara of Key West, Fla., voted 5-2 to select Warwick subject to negotiation of his contract.

“I just couldn’t feel any better,” Warwick said following the vote. “I lived in this city, grew up in this city, served the district my whole life. My dream was to become superintendent of schools. Now, we are going to move the district forward.”

Voting for Warwick were committee members Peter Murphy, Norman Roldan, Antonette E. Pepe, vice chairman Christopher Collins and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who is chairman.

Jara, who is superintendent of the Monroe County School District in the Florida Keys, and a former principal in Springfield, gained votes of support from committee members Denise Hurst and Barbara Gresham.

The vote was followed by a standing ovation from most of the people in the audience. Nearly 100 people attended the interviews.

Warwick, 57, will replace Alan J. Ingram as superintendent, who is stepping down June 30, at the end of his four-year contract.

Warwick has served as deputy superintendent since April of 2011, and became assistant superintendent in July 2004. He previously served as principal of Glenwood School for 13 years, and as a special education supervisor, as well as a general education and special education teacher.

Jara, 42, has served as superintendent of the Monroe County School District in the Florida Keys since August of 2011, and previously served as the chief operations officer of that school district, beginning in February of 2010. He previously worked with the College Board in Florida, and is a former principal in Springfield at the High School of Science and Technology.

The committee interviewed both candidates at the Van Sickle Middle School auditorium, soon followed by a discussion of the two finalists and the vote.

Committee members praised both finalists. Those voting for Warwick praised his long career and accomplishments, and said they believe the school system has made progress and would continue to do so under his leadership.

Warwick said his top priority would be to reduce the dropout rate in Springfield, a goal that he said is tied to improving student achievement numbers. His plan will include launching ninth grade academies this year to help struggling new high school students succeed, and to implement “research-based best practices.”

In addition, he said he is ready to “raise the bar” for all students. He also pledged strong communication with the school board, parents, businesses and other stakeholders, as well as strong collaboration with staff.

A community screening committee had selected Warwick and Jara from 18 initial applicants.

Sarno said it was clear that Warwick’s “heart and soul” was in the city, describing him as “very impressive, a problem solver, and walking encyclopedia.”

Hurst, in supporting Jara, said he “feels like a breath of fresh air.”

There was a “meet and greet” for Warwick on Friday, at Central High School, and a similar event conducted Monday for Jara at Van Sickle just prior to the interviews.

Jara is currently a finalist for superintendent for his own job in Florida. He had been appointed by the governor, but the Monroe County School Board took over appointment powers, which lead to Jara needing to apply for the position.

Jara is also a semifinalist for superintendent of schools in Santa Fe, N.M.

Jara said Monday he was ready to take the job in Springfield and move his family here if chosen, in response to questions regarding how committed he was to the Springfield job.

Warwick presented a multi-year plan for improving the school system at the start of his interview.

He said that while serving as a principal at Glenwood, he helped turn it around from one of the lowest performing schools in Massachusetts to one of the best performing urban schools in the state.

Both issues are scheduled to be voted on in the next session of the annual Town Meeting.

SOUTH HADLEY – A six-wheel dump truck with plow gets a thumbs-up from the Capital Planning Committee, but replacement computers in the Information Technology Department can wait a little longer.

These are among the recommendations that will be made when Town Meeting members gather for a second session Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Town Hall.

The meeting is a continuation of the annual Town Meeting last month.

The Selectboard has approved the recommendations of the Capital Planning Committee, which divides these projects into “strongly recommended,” “recommended,” “deferred until funds are available” and “not recommended.”

This time around there are only two categories: “Strongly recommended” and “deferred.”

At the Selectboard meeting that approved the recommendations, Capital Planning chairman Ted Boulais said that, because interest rates are very low at the moment, this is a good time to borrow.

For example, the committee recommends borrowing to buy a new backhoe and the six-wheel dump truck for the Department of Public Works.

Borrowing is also recommended for several projects at the Middle School in 2013, including replacing the roof and the pool water heater, air conditioning and dehumidifier.

Borrowing is also recommended for several High School projects, including replacing floor tiles, and making repairs to the roof and the chimney.

Altogether, the committee recommends borrowing between $2.2 and $3.1 million for 2013.

Other sources of funding are also specified for the “strongly recommended” projects. The Waste Water Treatment Enterprise Fund was the recommended source for several DPW projects, while taxation was recommended for other DPW and Information Technology projects.

The purchase of two new patrol cruisers for the police is also strongly recommended, with payment coming out of ambulance receipt funds.

Some projects coming up at the Special Town Meeting fall into the “it would be nice to have” category, said Boulais.

These include new toilet partitions in Smith Middle and Mosier Elementary Schools and document preservation storing and shelving components for the vault in the Town Clerk’s office.

The Capital Planning Committee recommends putting them all off.

The special Town Meeting on June 19 will also vote on whether to move forward on an energy cost-cutting project with Siemens, Inc.

Police said the driver was injured when his vehicle went off the road and hit a pole.

Republican file photo

SOUTHWICK - An unidentified driver was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield following a one-car accident Monday evening on North Longyard Road,

Police were releasing limited details about the accident, which was reported at about 7:30 p.m.

According to Southwick police, the vehicle was traveling on North Longyard when it went off the road and struck a pole in the area of 48 North Longyard.

The driver was the only person injured, police said.

The accident remains under investigation.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

View Larger Map

The vote came after town officials had agreed to add $300,000 to the proposed school system budget last week.

LUDLOW -Voters at Monday’s annual Town Meeting approved a town budget of $54,134,517 for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

The budget includes a fiscal 2013 school budget of $25,708,208, an increase of 1.8 percent over the prior year’s school budget.

A week ago the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee agreed to add an additional $300,000 to the original recommended school budget, bringing the total recommended school budget to $25.7 million.

School officials had said that with the original recommended school budget they would have had to cut 15 staff positions next year, including 10 teachers, a guidance counselor, two teacher aids and two tutors.

With the passage of the fiscal 2013 school budget, school officials at a future meeting will discuss what positions can be added back.

Selectman Manuel Silva has stated that he does not want to see Portuguese teachers cut at the middle school or high school due to spending cuts.

Monday’s session of the annual Town Meeting was the second session.

Approval of the budget was by a majority show of hands.

The second session of the annual Town Meeting took just over half an hour.

Last week selectmen and the Finance Committee after hearing from the School Committee reached agreement on the budget amounts they would recommend.

Town Meeting member Christine Davis at the Town Meeting questioned the salaries for the selectmen, asking how often selectmen’s meetings are held.

Town Moderator Jason Thompson ruled that Davis’ question was not pertinent because selectmen are paid on a salary, not by the number of hours they meet.

The chairman of the Board of Selectman is paid an annual salary of $4,350. The other members of the Board of Selectmen are paid an annual salary of $3,404.

The City Council delayed taking action on a proposal to increase the hotel-motel tax from 4 to 6 percent.

File photo / The Republican

SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Domenic J. Sarno’s proposed trash fee increases died during Monday’s City Council meeting when only three of the 13-member board voted to support the hikes.

City Councilors Kenneth Shea, Bud L. Williams and Thomas A. Ashe voted in favor of increasing the annual per household fee next year from $75 to $85, with $5 increases for each of the next four years. The rest of the council opposed that move and Councilor E. Henry Twiggs was absent.

That leaves Sarno the option of refiling the proposed ordinance change to bring the increases about.

Sarno had sought the trash fee increase to raise about $400,000 he has said is needed to help fund his $551.8 million budget for fiscal 2013, which begins July 1. That spending plan calls for 12 layoffs, the elimination of 96 vacant positions, the closings of three branch libraries and the end of mowing and maintenance in 10 neighborhood parks, among other reductions.

The mayor has said that if the City Council does not approve the trash fee increase or raise the hotel-motel tax by 2 percent as he has proposed there will be additional layoffs and cuts in services.

The council Monday also made short work of Sarno’s proposal to increase the local hotel-motel tax from 4 percent to 6 percent, opting to keep it in committee to await more information from the Visitors and Convention Bureau. City Councilor Timothy J. Rooke said Finance Committee members want to get information on how much business the city could lose if the tax is increased.

City Councilor Michael A. Fenton complained that the council has gotten “inconsistent communications” from the mayor and called the trash fees proposal “a really bright example of bad fiscal policy.”

Shea said that the mayor’s budget gives the average property owner a $146 break and that the city would just be asking for $10 back next year if the trash fee were increased.

“Every year we keep asking for more and more,” City Councilor Melvin A. Edwards said, calling an increased tax fee a “burden.”

City Councilor Timothy C. Allen said he generally agrees with hiking the trash fee, but disagrees with the way Sarno figured it into his budget as anticipated revenue.

Williams said the councilors need to see the mayor present his trash proposal in person, “eyeball to eyeball.”

“He should be here,” Williams said.

Town meeting also approved a request for $25,000 to fund a wage and classification study of non-union municipal personnel.

GRANBY – A motion to add $155,432 to the school budget for the year 2013 was approved at Granby’s special town meeting Monday night.

The vote followed the recommendations of both the Selectboard and the Finance Committee, which commented that schools had already made $600,000 in cuts in a good-faith effort to balance their budget.

The schools have cut one full-time science teacher and one custodian, reduced hours of paraprofessionals and nursing staff and made cuts in supplies and technology. The school committee warned that more teachers would go if they had to cut any more.

The assembly applauded when one member of the audience rose to say that the cuts were already too deep.

Town meeting also approved a request for $25,000 to fund a wage and classification study of non-union municipal personnel.

The purpose of the study would be to check on whether employees are being treated fairly from a financial standpoint.

“Over the years, duties and responsibilities change,” said former town moderator Albert Bail.

Some members said the amount requested for the study was excessive, and asked why the town didn’t conduct its own in-house survey of who was doing what work and how much they were getting paid. One man even suggested splitting up the sum 19 ways and giving it to highway department workers who had saved the town thousands of dollars after last October’s storm.

Proponents of the measure said the last such study was done 13 years ago, although it’s recommended that towns conduct them every 10 years.

Town meeting member Ed Parker said he was on the Selectboard the last time a study was done. “The results of that study were amazing,” he said, adding it found job descriptions that didn’t fit the jobs and classifications that didn’t exist.

Finance committee chairman John Libera said that having an outside, independent agency do the job would preclude accusations of politics.

Among the requests that passed unanimously were $15,000 in protective gear for the Fire Department and $400,0000 for the municipal buildings construction renovation stabilization fund.

A request for a “sally port,” or secure garage entrance, for the Police Department was approved by a majority, 86-34.

Public records requested by The Republican and MassLive.com show Warren spent at least $1.85 million and Brown at least $1.35 million on TV and radio advertising in 2012.

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., and his Democratic rival, Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Warren. (AP & Republican file photos)

By Shira Schoenberg and Robert Rizzuto

Massachusetts voters who want to enjoy summer vacation without hearing from Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown or Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren have only one option: turn off the TV and the radio.

The Massachusetts Senate race is on track to be the most expensive race in the country and in Massachusetts history – and local advertising buys are reflecting that. Brown and Warren have started advertising earlier and more consistently than any other candidates in recent memory in Massachusetts, and the advertising is only expected to escalate as election day draws closer.

“This was a Democratic seat for years and years, and Democrats nationally, as well as Warren’s team, are looking to get that seat back,” said Tracie Chinetti, associate director of broadcast at Blitz Media in Waltham, who is not working for either campaign. “It’s a seat both parties want bragging rights on.”

An analysis by The Republican and MassLive.com found that the candidates are shaping their own unique strategies. Brown is focusing heavily on radio so far, while Warren is placing more emphasis on television. As is common among challengers, Warren has spent more money than Brown overall and started advertising before him.

Brown and Warren do not have to disclose their latest spending to the Federal Election Commission until July 15. But information on political ad buys is made public through files kept at individual TV and radio stations.

The Republican and MassLive.com collected records detailing spending by both campaigns in the Boston and Springfield media markets, including: the local affiliates of the NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX TV networks; Comcast cable channels; and 14 radio stations including CBS’s WBZ-AM and all local stations owned by Greater Media, Clear Channel Communications, Saga Communications and Entercom. The information was collected between June 6 and June 15 and reflects the latest figures available from each station, so some buys from May or June may not be fully included.

The records show that Warren spent at least $1.85 million and Brown at least $1.35 million on TV and radio advertising so far in 2012. Warren also spent $932,000 in 2011.

Of the total spending, 85 percent was in the Boston market, an imbalance that reflects demographics. According to an analysis done by the Smart Media Group advertising agency in 2010, 79 percent of registered voters in Massachusetts live in the Boston media market, and 10 percent live in the Springfield market. Brown outspent Warren more than nine to one on radio – $313,800 to $33,800. Warren outspent Brown on TV, $1.81 million to $1.04 million in 2012. Counting 2011, Warren has spent $2.74 million on TV advertising, more than double Brown’s total.

This graph shows information collected on U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic rival Elizabeth Warren's TV and radio ad buys in 2012. Data was collected from June 6 to June 15 and may not be complete for May and June. Numbers were rounded to the nearest $100. (MassLive.com | Mandy Hofmockel)

Analysts said the most striking thing about the advertising is how early it is starting. Typically, even in the most competitive races, the earliest candidates start advertising consistently for a general election is July 4. Warren started making weekly TV ad buys the last full week in April, and Brown followed the second week in May. Brown has been making regular radio ad buys since the end of January.

“This is probably the earliest I’ve ever seen candidates spend consistently for any election that I’ve been involved in,” said Andy Hoffman, general sales manager for WCVB-TV in Boston, who has been at the station for 30 years.

Warren started running her first TV ads for four weeks beginning in mid-November 2011. At the time, Crossroads GPS, the conservative super-PAC backed by Karl Rove, launched two TV ads, one tying Warren to the Occupy Wall Street movement and another tying Warren to the banking industry. Warren’s campaign responded with an introductory spot stressing her biography and campaign themes.

John Carroll, assistant professor of mass communication at Boston University, said it is typical for a challenger to advertise before an incumbent, since the challenger lacks name recognition. In addition, Warren had to respond to the attacks. “She needed to go up early to one, establish herself as a candidate, and two, try to define herself before Scott Brown defines her,” Carroll said.

The pace of the advertising has helped fuel speculation that the race will be one of the most expensive Senate races in U.S. history. David Heller, a national Democratic strategist and president of Main Street Communications with no ties to the Massachusetts Senate race, said the high cost of advertising in the Boston media market, which ranks among the 10 largest media markets in the country, is a significant contributing factor.

Heller has coordinated ad campaigns for several national politicians including U.S. Rep. John Olver, an Amherst Democrat, for whom he created the well-known “I’ve been everywhere” ad.

The most expensive Senate race in history was the 2000 race in New York between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Rick Lazio. In that race, the candidates spent a total of $70 million.

The average Senate candidate in 2010 spent $5.3 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Travis Ridout, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project, which tracks election advertising, said typically 33 to 40 percent of spending in a Senate race is on advertising.

When Brown won his seat in the 2010 special election that followed the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy, Brown and Democrat Martha Coakley spent a little over $20 million between them. Of that total, $6.2 million went to broadcast ads, according to FEC filings and the Smart Media Group.

The candidates’ choice of media reflects their priorities. Anthony Cignoli, a political consultant from Springfield unaffiliated with either campaign, said campaigns typically make advertising decisions after polling voters about where they get their news.

Warren has focused on television, which reaches far more households. Chinetti said a candidate can cover the entire state with TV buys in Boston and Springfield, while radio also has markets in Worcester, Cape Cod, Greenfield and the Berkshires.

“There’s much larger exposure with TV,” Chinetti said.

Television is also more expensive. For example, the week of May 7, Brown spent between $50 and $500 for each of his 60-second spots on the CBS-affiliated radio station WBZ-AM – and between $100 and $1,800 for his 30-second spots on the CBS-affiliated TV station, WBZ-TV 4.

While both candidates have plenty of money, Warren had raised more money during this election cycle than Brown as of their last FEC filings on March 31 -- $15.8 million compared to $11.9 million. Brown, however, still held an advantage in terms of total cash on hand, with a war chest of $14.9 million to Warren's $10.9 million.

Heller said Brown's preference of radio ads “could be a resource decision to hold onto the money for later in the campaign." Brown could also be using polling data and targeting a particular demographic, which is easier to do through radio.

“You learn if you need to reach men or women, black or white, affluent or lower income people," Heller said.

In Boston, Brown spent more than $20,000 on the sports radio station WEEI, more than $26,000 total on two talk radio stations (WRKO and WTKK), around $40,000 on the country music station WKLB-FM, and $38,000 on WROR, a 60s, 70s and 80s music station. Warren did not advertise on any of these stations.

Chinetti said stations like WRKO and WEEI have predominantly Republican listenership. The audience of WBZ, where Brown spent more than $100,000 and Warren just over $10,000, also skews slightly Republican. “That’s Brown speaking to his base,” Chinetti said.

One factor that distinguishes the Massachusetts race from others around the country is the “People’s Pledge,” a pact signed by both candidates barring advertising by third party groups such as Super-PACs. Brown and Warren signed the People’s Pledge in January, essentially banning third party advertising. The pledge says if a third party group advertises for either candidate, that candidate must contribute 50 percent of the cost of the ad buy to a charity of the other candidate’s choice.

The agreement is already affecting the race, requiring both candidates to take responsibility for their messages, without relying on the super-PACS. The super-PACS -- political action committees that can accept unlimited donations but cannot coordinate with candidates -- have dominated political races across the country this year.

Carroll said the People’s Pledge has already changed the race – and has probably hurt Brown. While Warren has faced persistent questions about whether she used her Native American heritage to advance her career, Carroll said Brown could not aggressively attack Warren on the issue without hurting his own image.

“But could you imagine what Karl Rove could have done with it?” Carroll said. “He and other super-PACs probably would have spent significant money to amp that issue up.”

The Brown and Warren campaigns both declined to comment on their advertising strategies. But Warren spokeswoman Alethea Harney said super-PAC spending in other states has shown that Warren was right to sign the People’s Pledge. “The People's Pledge means that here in Massachusetts, the candidates will make their best case to the people and not shadowy third party groups with secret funders paying the bills,” Harney said.

There has been some speculation that national groups will ultimately ignore the pledge, given the closeness of the race and the potential that control of the U.S. Senate could hinge on any single seat.

"This race is very close and there are a lot of folks who have specific interests in getting one candidate or another elected," Cignoli said."I have no doubts that as it gets closer to Election Day, they will blow past the agreement and start pumping money into the race.”

MassLive.com associate producer Mandy Hofmockel contributed to this story.

Students from Comprehensive High School are expected to do some of the renovation work at the garage.

Repbulican file photoA truck is parked in front of the Department of Public Works on Baskin Drive preparing for a past snowstorm.

CHICOPEE – The city is beginning to begin the process of building offices on the vacant second floor of the Department of Public Works headquarters and is hoping to move employees there for next summer.

This year some of the water department employees were moved to the building on Baskin Drive, joining Department of Public Works and engineering workers in an attempt to reduce the number of buildings the city uses and to better coordinate offices which work together.

“We all have gotten closer since everyone moved in,” Stanley W. Kulig, the Department of Public Works Superintendent said.

Kulig said the city has hired the architect firm of Caolo & Bieniek Associates, Inc. to do a space analysis and preliminary design so at least some of the second floor can be converted to offices and storage space.

Because the city is also considering moving the building and health departments into the building, they are also looking at the needs of those department, Kulig said.

“This will make the second floor useful finally. I call it the bowling alley. It needs to be used eventually,” City Councilor James K. Tillotson said.

The cost of the study is about $50,000 and the design work is estimated at between $100,00 and $122,000 and construction is expected to cost between $1 and $1.2 million, Kulig said.

The City Council last week approved spending $50,000 from the sale of real estate account to fund the design.

But teachers at Comprehensive High School have agreed to have students studying in the carpentry and electrical departments to do some of the work to give the teenagers a new way to get learning experience. Students are expected to save the city about $250,000.

The city will still have to hire plumbers, heating and ventilation experts since the high school does not teach either trade. A company will also have to be hired to install an elevator to make the second floor handicap accessible, Kulig said.

“We will do some work in-house with out staff as well,” he said.

Kulig said he expects the design to be completed by the fall and construction work to last most of the school year. The offices are not expected to be ready until the summer or next fall.

The Select Board plans to continue the discussion about town manager candidates later this week/

LONGMEADOW – After months of searching, the Select Board has narrowed down the town manager search to three semifinalists. But some members of the board are not happy with the selections.

Up for consideration are Thomas Guerino, the town administrator in Bourne, Mark Stankiewicz, the former town manager of Plymouth, and Peter Graczykowski, city manager for East Providence, R.I. Former Holyoke Mayor Michael Sullivan, currently the town administrator for Maynard, was also a semi finalist, but withdrew his name.

During its meeting Monday several board members expressed concerns about the semifinalists and said they would like to consider other applications.

Paul Santaniello, who was voted in as chairman of the Select Board, said he would not support any of the three current candidates.

“They all had their strengths and their weaknesses, but I cannot see myself working with any of them,” he said. “When it comes to this process I will not settle for mediocrity, especially for the amount of money the town will be paying this person.”

The position will be available July 1 and will pay between $115,000 and $135,000 per year.

Select Board member Mark Gold said that while he is willing to choose from the current candidates he would prefer to see the 17 resumes the selection committee narrowed the search from.

“I would feel more comfortable looking through them and making sure we have the very best,” he said.

The town manager search began in March after the board hired the Collins Center for Public Management to do the preliminary search. Select Board member Marie Angelides was selected as the board’s liaison with the center and has been the head of the search committee. She did not attend the meeting Monday night. Gold said she was delayed at the airport.

New members Mark Barowsky and Richard Foster said they are willing to select a town manager from the current candidates. Barowsky said his top two candidates are Graczykowski and Guerino.

Barowsky said the town hired the Collins Center and helped establish the selection committee that presented the final candidates, to help narrow the search. The town paid the Collins Center $14,000 to conduct the initial search.

“These people brought to us what they believed were the top four candidates and for us to go back and say we don’t care or don’t have regard for their decisions would be a mistake,” he said.

Foster also selected Graczykowski and Guerino as his top two candidates.

“I think any of these three men could do the job,” he said. Foster said he would not be opposed to looking at more candidates if the board voted to do that.

Gold said he would consider Guerino for the job, but did not list a second pick. The board will continue their discussion Friday.

Ground for the new police station could be broken in March, and the facility could be ready in May 2014.

Here is a rendering of what the new police station would look like.

PALMER – Now that voters approved a new police station, the next step is to appoint a Building Committee, according to town officials.

Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard said he is seeking four residents who would like to serve on the seven-member committee. This committee will require a commitment to serve for the 24 month duration of the design and construction period of the project. Meetings will be held in the late afternoon at least monthly and more frequently during various stages of the project.

Letters detailing related experience and qualifications can be sent to the town manager's office, 4417 Main St., Palmer, MA, 01069, by July 6. They also can be sent via email to townmgr@townofpalmer.com.

Blanchard said he also hopes to have a project manager designated by the end of August.

A request for proposals for this position has already been drafted, he said. If everything goes according to plan, bids for the project contractor could be accepted in January, he said.

Executive assistant Andrew Golas said ground could be broken for the project by March, and the new $7.4 million police station could be ready by May 2014.

Blanchard, who was charged by the Town Council to gather information about the cost of building a new station last summer while he was still the interim town manager, said he was pleased that voters backed the project in Tuesday's election.

"It was certainly needed," Blanchard said. "The need was so overwhelming. Chief Frydryk put a lot of effort into this."

Police Chief Robert P. Frydryk had long advocated for a new station to replace the one attached to the Town Building on Main Street. Previous attempts to have a new station built failed at the polls in 2001 and 2002.

"I'm very, very happy," Frydryk said on Thursday. "Morale's through the roof."

Frydryk said he's received many congratulatory messages. As he walked through the Town Building, two residents stopped him to voice their support for the project.

Frydryk said the department outgrew the 1964 facility, which was plagued by leaks and mold. The temporary trailer, attached 10 years ago after a failed vote for a new station, eventually will be demolished, according to Golas. The space occupied by the police will be used for the town offices.

The new station, which features a sally port to allow officers to securely drop off prisoners as well as a training room, will be built behind the current station. The project will reconfigure parking at the Town Building, creating a main entrance with handicapped accessibility at the now closed exit by the treasurer and collector offices.

The police will have a new entrance on Sykes Street, and exit on Main Street. The white house between the Town Building and Country Bank would be demolished as part of the project.

Blanchard said he plans to do everything he can "to get the most cost effective project as possible." Depending on the interest rate he is able to obtain, the project will have a first year tax impact of between 66 cents and 74 cents per thousand. Blanchard said that means for every $100,000 in property value, the tax bill in the first year will be either $66 or $74.

The debt exclusion that the voters approved will last 20 years; the project will raise taxes only for that time period.

Letters of interest for the vacant School Committee position must be submitted no later than June 22 to the Board of Selectmen's office.

MONSON – Holly D. Battige has resigned from the School Committee, and residents interested in filling the remainder of her term are encouraged to contact the selectmen’s office.

Battige, a lawyer, was elected two years ago to the committee.

She said on Thursday that she has loved being a School Committee member, but that she has personal matters to attend to that prevent her from continuing on the board.

At the School Committee meeting on Wednesday, Chairman Jeffrey D. Lord announced that Battige had resigned.

“On behalf of the School Committee, I want to thank Holly for her service and her time and her effort as a valuable member of the School Committee,” Lord said.

Any registered voter in Monson can serve on the School Committee.

The Board of Selectmen and the remaining School Committee members will meet in a joint session on June 26 at 7 p.m. to appoint a new member, who will serve until the next town election in 2013, according to Town Administrator Gretchen E. Neggers.

Those interested in serving can send a letter of interest to the Board of Selectmen, 29 Thompson St., Monson, MA or via email to townadmin@monson-ma.gov no later than June 22.

For information about the position, contact the Board of Selectmen’s office at (413) 267-4100.

The garden, located on the grounds of the Amelia Park Ice Arena, serves as the setting each Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. through Aug. 28. When the weather doesn't cooperate, the concerts move inside.

Photo by Manon MirabelliAislin Farris, 7, Enfield, plays with the Pioneer Valley Fiddlers Tuesday at Amelia Park in Westfield in the park’s first “Musical Moments Series

Photo by Manon MirabelliRobert Perry plays guitar while his daughter Colleen Perry plays fiddle Tuesday at Amelia Park in Westfield.

WESTFIELD – Back for its 10th year, Musical Moments will bring free music to the public this summer at Amelia’s Garden.

The garden, located on the grounds of the Amelia Park Ice Arena, serves as the setting each Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. through Aug. 28. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, the concerts move inside.

The musical acts all donate their time, playing for free at the concerts, which run for about 90 minutes. The Pioneer Valley Fiddlers performed recently, and the lineup for the rest of the summer includes something for all ages and genres of music lovers.

“It’s our gift back to the community,” said Carole L. Appleton, executive director of the Amelia Park Ice Arena. “In September or early October, we host a dinner for them in appreciation.”

A special Thursday concert, featuring the 215th Army National Guard Band, will be held July 19 in the South Middle School auditorium, located nearby off West Silver Street.

“Some acts have been with us for all 10 years – the Pitoniaks, the Charlie Galvin Band and the Dan Kane Singers,” Appleton said.

Many of the acts are very popular, and guests arrive early to ensure a good spot, she said.

“There have been a couple concerts where we had 400 to 500 people in the garden,” Appleton said. “We can certainly accommodate that. The parking gets tight, but they can draw some serious crowds.”

The setting for the concerts can’t be beat, according to Appleton.

“The garden looks so stunning this year,” she said. “We had such damage from the (October) storm, but the way things came back, it’s amazing.”

The garden has a special children’s garden, a gazebo where the musicians play, a rose garden and a small fountain.

“A lot of it is dedicated to Amelia Ferst, who passed away before the whole creation of the park was to happen,” Appleton said. “There are a lot of plaques that show the love that (her husband, the late philanthropist Albert) Ferst had for his wife throughout the garden.”

This concert series is dedicated to Albert Ferst, who died in December. Appleton said she also expects there to be a memorial planting in the garden in memory of Patti A. Andras, a city councilor and member of the park’s board who died in late May.

Guests are invited to bring blankets and chairs, and a picnic dinner if desired. The rink’s Subway franchise will also make its full menu available for sale.

Concerts are held rain or shine. In the event of rain, the concerts are moved inside to the arena lobby.

“We try to have something for everyone because we want to have all music fans come down and enjoy an evening, and just enjoy the garden,” Appleton said. 

With Community Preservation Act money, the tablets were restored in 2010.

Republican file photoDudley J. Bridges wanted to see the Civil War tablets restored and in 2001 began raising money. He died before the project was funded but Amherst officials are hoping to see the tablets displayed within a year.

AMHERST – The more than decade long mission to bring the six marble Civil War tablets back to Town Hall could be nearing the end.

The last step in this journey is the hiring of a consultant to look at how the Town Room might support the weight of them and how they could be hung.
Some of them weigh about 1,000 pounds.

The tablets were donated in 1893 by a local civil war veterans’ organization- the E.M Stanton Post 147 of the Grand Army of the republic and bear the names of more than 300 residents including 21 African-American soldiers. Seven of those soldiers served in the 54th Regiment, the first all black regiment to serve.

Five of the plaques bear the names of men who served, and one of them bears the names of those who died during the Civil War including five African-American soldiers.

“They’re essentially (a look) at the community,” said Planning Director Jonathan Tucker. “This is a listing of so many people who were pivotal in Amherst at the time.”

The tablets had been displayed in Town Hall until the building was renovated in 1962 and then moved to the basement before being set in storage in 1997.

In 2000, Dudley J. Bridges wanted them properly displayed and began working to see they were restored and displayed. He couldn’t begin raising money though until the town established a site for them. The then Select Board in 2001 approved the possibility of the Gates lot at the east end of Sweetser Park with the understanding that restoring and displaying them would be paid for privately. Bridges began raising money. But he got sick and died in 2004 at 80.

“They were always on the radar screen, one of the priorities of the Historical Commission,” Tucker said.

After Bridges died, no one took up the fund-raising.

But then with the adoption of the Community Preservation Act, money was available.
In 2009, Town Meeting approved spending $65,000 from preservation money to begin the restoration. In 2010, restoration was finished. Once the tablets were restored though there were questions about where to display them.

Amherst Civil War Memorial Tablets, Cleaning and Conservation

Town Hall had been renovated since they were last displayed and they could not be hung in the same locations, Tucker said.

Former Town Manager Lawrence R. Shaffer considered the Town Room but determined the tablets could only be hung horizontally and there would no space for them all.

But Town Manager John P. Musante suggested they look at the room again to see if they could be hung vertically and determined they could fit with some mounted in sets of two on the south wall, Tucker said.

Musante said he believes what better place to hang them than in the town room in the historic Town Hall. “They’ve been part of the town history. They’re pretty cool.”

So now the town is drafting a request for proposal to hire a consultant to look at what kind of support the room would need to sustain the display and how to hang them. Musante said that state Sen. Stanley C. Rosenberg, D-Amherst, is also looking to obtain some money from the state's Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission to assist with the project

“We have them and they’re restored. They’re wonderful,” Tucker said. Both Musante and Tucker are hoping the tablets will be hung within the next 12 months.

Amherst's Civil War Black Veterans

The fire, sparked by overheated brakes, caused traffic to back up by as much as five miles.

Submitted photo | Greg Labonte06.19.2012 | PALMER -- The scene of a truck fire on the Massachusetts Turnpike Tuesday morning.

This updates a story originally filed at 8:08 a.mm.

PALMER — The blackened remnants of a meat truck fire, which broke out in the eastbound lanes of the Massachusetts Turnpike early Tuesday, have been hauled away and traffic is now flowing smoothly.

“Traffic is back to normal,” said state police Sgt. Jonathan Swift who is attached to the Charlton barracks.

No injuries were reported in the blaze which was reported about 4:45 a.m. Swift said the driver had time and presence of mind to detach the trailer from his tractor and drive a safe distance away.

The trailer was fully involved when firefighters arrived on scene a short time later.

The blaze, sparked by overheated brakes, caused eastbound traffic to back up as much as five miles, according to the state Department of Transportation.

State police initially closed both eastbound lanes for about 30 minutes. The was moved to the side of the turnpike shortly after noon and police were then able to reopen the second lane.

The trailer collapsed on itself and whatever remained of it and its contents were hauled away about 20 minutes later, Swift said.

Swift said a health inspector was summoned to the scene to declare the meat unfit for human consumption.

The judge sent the jury home with instructions to resume deliberations Wednesday morning.

Update: Judge Daniel Ford sent the jury home at 4:35 p.m. Tuesday with instructions to resume deliberations when jury members return to court at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

NORTHAMPTON -- The jury in the Steven Morse boating fatality trial has reached verdicts on all but one of the charges against him, but has been sent back to the jury room by the judge to finish the job.

The jury made it known to Hampshire Superior Court Judge Daniel Ford at about 2 p.m. that it cannot come to a unanimous agreement on one of the counts against Morse.

Morse, 37, of Westfield, is charged with manslaughter, boat homicide by reckless operation while under the influence of alcohol, boat homicide by reckless operation, child endangerment while under the influence and lying to police in connection with the Aug. 17, 2010, death of 10-year-old Augustus Adamopoulos. The Ludlow boy was fishing with his father on Norwich Lake in Huntington when the power boat driven by Morse ran over their kayak.

Adamopoulos suffered fatal injuries and died shortly afterwards.

In response to the inquiry by the jury, Ford said that its failure to reach agreement on the one count would not nullify their verdicts on the others. However, he instructed the jurors to keep trying to come to a unanimous agreement on the remaining charge. The jury did not say which charge is the source of its disagreement.

On Monday, the jury asked Ford for the legal definitions of "recklessness," "negligence," and "under the influence."

Ford gave them a transcript of his jury instructions, which contains that information.

The Republican file photo | Michael S. GordonSteven J. Morse appearing in Hampshire District Court in Dec. 2010.

The pitcher's tarnished legacy is still a roadblock to election.

Photo by Haraz N. Ghanbari / Associated PressRoger Clemens has been exonerated by a Federal jury, but the court of baseball opinion might have a different verdict.

In the immediate aftermath of Roger Clemens' acquittal on charges of lying to Congress, I have been asked many times whether this means I would cast my Baseball Hall of Fame vote in his favor, when the time came.

The questions surprised me a bit, since I never looked at this Federal jury trial as a binding referendum on the Rocket's Cooperstown prospects. But others apparently do, and they are entitled to my answer.

The answer is no.

A few years ago, the Baseball Writers Association of America (whose 10-year veteran writers cast the Hall of Fame vote) engaged in debate over whether all voters should treat the steroid issue with the same brush.

Either all of us would have to entirely rule out steroid suspicions or even proof as a factor, or all of us would have to consider the issue when making our choices. It never got the point of which side of the issue we would have to take.

Overwhelmingly, the feeling was to let each individual voter continue to make his or her own decision on whether to factor the steroid issue into the vote or not.

This may seem inconsistent and unfair to many people, but not to me. Any vote involves some personal viewpoint, whether it be for President of the United States or for a sports plaque in a building in central New York.

Had I been ordered to ignore steroids as a factor, I would have respectfully turned in my ballot and said I would no longer participate. This is also why I cannot vote for Clemens, just because a jury says the prosecution did not prove its case against him.

This is less about my view of Clemens than my view of Cooperstown. The Baseball Hall of Fame is more - far more - than a BCS of baseball or a simple collection of stats

It is special, almost spiritual in its meaning. Such institutions once flourished in this country, but as one after the other has been tarnished, they are now in precious short supply.

We once looked at political leaders, business tycoons, jurists and religious leaders with reverence. Today we view those people with more awareness of their warts and flaws than of their attributes and strengths.

The nation is older and wiser, but the respect for those we once admired has been lost. Where have you gone, Oliver Wendell Holmes?

One of the few institutions left with its intangible, almost pristine reputation reasonably intact is the Baseball Hall of Fame.

It is why I consider it an honor to vote, even in an era where baseball judgment is all too tangled up with moral and ethical issues.

Cooperstown is special, even among halls of fames and certainly in comparison to other, more damaged American institutions. Its place on a cultural pedestal is worth protecting as best we can, as far as I'm concerned.

That's why an acquittal does not wipe the slate clean on Clemens, nor make his future election a fait accompli or even acceptable.

For one thing, the jury vote came on charges that were related to performance-enhancing drug use, but it was not a direct judgment on that issue.

Nor does it erase the confusing and often contradicting sets of evidence about what Clemens did or didn't do.

A place in the Hall of Fame is an honor. It is not an entitlement, nor is it a mere collection of numbers.

The question with Clemens, as it will be with Barry Bonds and many other luminous but scarred candidates, comes down to this;

Did their careers and their presence enhance the sport of baseball? Or does their legacy detract from it, leaving a miserable memory and not a cherished one?

And if it's miserable, why are we required to honor it and pretend to treat it with reverence?

With Clemens, you have 354 wins on the one hand, and a stain on the other that is not eradicated by the jury's decision.

The statistics make him worthy of a high place in the record books - which, by the way, I do not think should be altered based on steroid issues.

If Bonds hit 762 home runs, he hit 762 home runs. Nobody hit more in baseball history.

He holds the record and that's a fact. No asterisk needed, and please, no effect to take the number out of the record books like those 762 home runs never happened.

That gives him a huge head start to Cooperstown, but it does not entitle him to a plaque.

I feel the same way with Clemens.

Critics of voters like myself, who factor subjective character issues into the discussion, accuse us of either taking revenge on players we didn't like or trying to play God.

I understand that criticism, but I don't think it's fair.

If players we didn't like were kept out, Jim Rice would not be in. As for playing God, I will speak for myself when saying it offends me that a pure analysis of baseball talent has been denied the voters of this generation by players who complicated the issue by taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Trust me, most of us would rather look at the statistics and the ballfield contributions, and make our votes based only on those factors.

Instead we're stuck sifting through court evidence or trying to read the candidate's soul. Hall of Fame voting is no longer fun, if ever it was.

For all my talk of Cooperstown's magical status, I am fully aware that some very questionable, controversial or disreputable characters have found their way in. Any number of current Hall of Famers do not hold well to the character test upon close examination.

To that, my answer is the same answer Mom gives to a 6-year-old: Two wrongs don't make a right. Electing nine bad apples does not justify opening the door to welcome in No. 10.

This is a crucial part of the issue surrounding PED-stained candidates. The entire controversy has left voters with no-win choices and ambiguities at every turn.

For example, I have voted for Jeff Bagwell, whose name has surfaced often in rumors of steroid use.

But rumor is as far as it has gone. Bagwell's name has never shown up on any report, list or document indicting him as a user.

Should I leave him out purely on rumor and speculation? My decision is no, but Bagwell has yet to be elected, which tells me the suspicion of many other voters is having an impact.

The accusations against Clemens went much further, though not far enough to convict him on the charges before the jury.

I was not surprised by the outcome. The prosecution's handling of this case has been debatable at best from the outset.

But let us accept the verdict as truth. Let's say Clemens is elected to Cooperstown, and there he is on the podium.

Will that moment be one of celebration for baseball, or one of regret? Will the other elected players that year get their fair credit, or will they be treated as props to the circus surrounding the Rocket?

I still believe that when the name "Roger Clemens'' is uttered, it leaves a sour taste in the mouths of baseball historians and fans, not a sweet and savory one.

Adding him to the rolls of Cooperstown will do little more than to bring down the reputation of one of our few remaining iconic institutions. I think that's an unnecessary price to inflict on baseball, and one too high to pay.

That's why my vote on Clemens will still be no, even if a jury has left an opening to say yes.