Ludlow elementary school and Baird Middle School will close early Wednesday and Thursday due to the anticipated heat.

SPRINGFIELD -Increasing heat and humidity will make temperatures Wednesday and Thursday feel like they have hit the triple digits, forecasters say..

The National Weather Service has posted a hazardous weather outlook for Western Massachusetts, particularly the lower Connecticut River Valley, for both days.

Maximum heat indices, which measure the combined effect of heat and air moisture on human comfort, are expected to hit 100 degrees both days, according to the National Weather Service.

The steamy forecast has prompted Ludlow school officials to announce the early closure of the town’s elementary schools and middle school Wednesday and Thursday.

The elementary schools, according to an automated message sent out Tuesday to members of the Ludlow school community, will end classes at 1:45 p.m. The middle school, meanwhile, will end classes at 1:15 p.m.

Ludlow High School students are already getting out early those days as a part of final exam week.

The city of Springfield does not anticipate declaring a heat emergency that would precipitate the opening of cooling centers in various areas of the city, said Helen R. Caulton-Harris, the city’s director of health and human services.

The city typically declares a heat emergency whenever heat indices are expected to exceed 105 degrees or nighttime temperatures are expected to remain at 80 or higher for three consecutive 24-hour periods. Neither of those benchmarks are expected go be hit this week, Caulton-Harris said.

In anticipation of the heat, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation will open its various beaches and wading pools, including Chicopee Memorial State Park’s Reservoir Beach, on Wednesday. That’s three days earlier than the anticipated opening.

Actual temperatures should hit 95 on Tuesday and 96 on Wednesday, according to CBS3 meteorologists.

The city has issued a heat advisory, however, and residents, particularly the young and elderly, are advised to say indoors, ith air conditioning if possible.

Residents should also eat well-balanced meals, drink plenty of fluids, wear loose-fitting and light-colored clothing. Those with elderly and homebound neighbors should check in on them from time-to-time, Caulton-Harris said.

Temperatures are expected to hit 86 on Friday. If the mercury rises to 90 degrees on that day, provided of course that it makes 90 or better on Wednesday and Thursday, Western Massachusetts will log its first heat wave of the season.

Brown's refusal came after debate organizers called his demand that Vicki Kennedy refrain from endorsing a candidate 'unprecedented' and 'inappropriate.'

(AP file photos)U. S. Senator Scott P. Brown is seen with Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren.

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown said he will not participate in a debate proposed by Vicki Kennedy, the widow of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, after debate organizers called his demand that Kennedy refrain from endorsing a candidate “unprecedented” and “inappropriate.”

"We respect Vicki Kennedy's decision but we regret that we cannot accept a debate invitation from someone who plans to endorse Scott Brown's opponent,” said Brown campaign manager Jim Barnett. “The Kennedy Institute cannot hold itself out as a nonpartisan debate sponsor while the president of its board of trustees gets involved in the race on behalf of one of the candidates."

Vicki Kennedy had invited Brown, the Republican incumbent, and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren to participate in a debate sponsored by the University of Massachusetts Boston and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate on Sept. 27. Warren accepted the invitation last week. Barnett said on Monday that Brown would accept the debate invitation, but only if Kennedy pledged to remain neutral and not endorse a candidate for the remainder of the Senate race. The seat was held by Kennedy’s husband, Democrat Edward Kennedy, from 1962 until his death from brain cancer in 2009.

Organizers Lisa McBirney, chief operating officer of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, and Christopher Hogan, chief of staff for the Office of the Chancellor at the University of Massachusetts Boston rejected the demand on Tuesday. “This non-endorsement pledge is unprecedented and is not being required of any other persons or entities,” they wrote in a letter to the Brown and Warren campaigns. “To us, such a pledge seems inappropriate when a non-media sponsor issues a debate invitation.”

Debra DeShong Reed, spokeswoman for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate, said in a public statement on Tuesday, “We welcome the opportunity to negotiate specific terms and formats while sitting at the table with representatives of the moderator and both campaigns.”

But in their letter to the campaigns, McBirney and Hogan rejected Brown’s demand that Kennedy remain neutral. They wrote that Kennedy is the president of the board of the institute, which is a non-partisan education organization, and noted that Brown expressed appreciation for Kennedy when he attended the institute’s groundbreaking last spring. “Given the goodwill and understanding of the non-partisan mission of the Institute that Senator Brown has thus far shown, it seems inconsistent that he would now attempt to restrict the activities of Mrs. Kennedy as a condition of accepting a debate that is co-sponsored by an organization with which she is affiliated,” they wrote.

The organizers pointed out that in media-sponsored debates, the editorial boards of the sponsoring media organizations generally do endorse candidates. In this case, they wrote, the sponsors would not be involved in formulating questions. The specifics of the debate would be worked out with representatives of the campaigns and the moderator.

NBC’s Tom Brokaw had agreed to moderate. While Barnett agreed to that, he also said the campaign prefers debates with local media sponsors, rather than “out-of-state cable networks with a reputation for political advocacy.”

The organizers were more open to Brown’s demands involving local media, writing that they are flexible on media coverage and would like to reach the widest audience possible.

McBirney and Hogan wrote that they hope to continue the discussion “in a professional and serious manner.”

The Edward M. Kennedy Institute and UMass Boston also sponsored a debate between Brown and Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley in 2010. Vicki Kennedy endorsed Coakley in that race, days before the debate.

Update: Bob Maginn, chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party, responded to the news with a statement praising Brown's decision not to participate in the debate.

“Scott Brown is right to reject this charade of a debate," Maginn said. "By demanding neutrality from the sponsors, he called the Warren campaign and the Kennedy Institute’s bluff, and exposed this invitation for what it was: a setup.”

The McDonald's Corp. received the lowest customer satisfaction ranking of any full-service or fast-food chain on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index.

Photo by Mary Altaffer / Associated PressEmployees at a McDonald's rstaurant in New York get meals ready for customers. Click on the link, above right, for a report from the Chicago Tribune about the American Consumer Satisfaction Index ranking McDonald's dead last in a survey of restaurants.

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

The former couple has two children, a 9-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter.

AP file photoJohnny Depp, nominated for an Oscar for best actor in a leading role for his work in "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," arriving with his girlfriend Vanessa Paradis for the 80th Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 24, 2009.

LOS ANGELES — Johnny Depp and his longtime partner, Vanessa Paradis, have split.

A publicist for Depp said in a statement Tuesday that the two “have amicably separated.” The statement requested privacy for the former couple and their two children, 9-year-old son, Jack, and 13-year-old daughter, Lily-Rose.

Depp and Paradis met in 1998 but never married during their 14-year relationship. The American actor and the French model-singer lived together with their children in France.

Depp’s most recent film credits include “The Rum Diary” and “Dark Shadows.” He is set to star as Tonto in the big-screen take on “The Lone Ranger,” due next year.

With temperatures expected to reach the low 100s and upper 90s, Massachusetts is taking steps this week to combat the heat and urging residents to stay cool.

Dave Roback/ Springfield Republican

By SHANNON YOUNG
Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — With temperatures expected to reach the low 100s and upper 90s, Massachusetts is taking steps this week to combat the heat and urging residents to stay cool.

Get the forecast from CBS 3 Springfield >>

Approaching steamy weather prompts National Weather Service to post hazardous weather outlook for Western Massachusetts

The National Weather Service said temperatures in Boston could be around 100 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday, breaking records for those dates. Meanwhile, cities and towns from the Berkshires to Cape Cod could experience temperatures in the mid-80s to upper 90s.

Weather Service spokesman Bill Simpson said the heat also will come with high levels of humidity, making for a summer blast that will likely hit Massachusetts residents hard.

In preparation, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency issued a list of precautions residents should take to avoid heat exhaustion and other health issues. Agency spokesman Scott MacLeod said MEMA encourages people to stay hydrated and avoid strenuous activity. The agency will be on-hand to lend cities and towns help and resources, if needed.

State and local officials also urged residents to stay indoors, in shaded areas, local community "cooling centers" or air-conditioned public buildings.

"In these conditions, we must remember to stay cool and hydrated and keep an eye on our vulnerable neighbors," Mayor Thomas Menino said in a statement.

In Boston, water spray features and air-conditioned community centers will be in operation throughout the day, offering residents opportunities to stay cool. Also, state Department of Conservation and Recreation-run beaches will be staffed with lifeguards, although deep water pools will remain closed until Saturday because of chemical cycles, spokesman S.J. Port said.

Utility companies NSTAR and Western Massachusetts Electric Company said they also were preparing for an increase in electricity use and advising customers to be as energy efficient as possible.

A complete list of events and activities can be found on the city's website.

The Republican | John Suchocki06.11.2012 | WESTFIELD -- A view of the Great River Bridge project.

WESTFIELD -- The official dedication of the $80 million Great River Bridges June 29 will kick off several days of celebrations and activities designed to bring people to the Depot Square and downtown sections of the city.

Hailed as ‘the new gateway to Westfield’, state Rep. Donald F. Humason Jr. and Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said the bridge dedication will involve participation by Westfield restaurants and businesses, Westfield on Weekends, Business Improvement District, Westfield Chamber of Commerce, Westfield Rotary Club and Westfield State University.

“Events scheduled are excellent and designed to bring lots of people to Westfield,” Humason said.

Knapik said the dedication will mark the official opening of the Great River Bridge, its new parks and “launch a huge community celebration that will be spectacular with live entertainment and refreshments.”

The dedication is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. with Gov. Deval L. Patrick officiating. That will be preceded with a hot dog social, courtesy of the North Elm Butcher Block.

Throughout the day a Merchant Marketplace will feature samplings from merchants, organizations and businesses through out the city from those located in Depot Square through the downtown, including Amelia Park Children’s Museum at 29 South Broad St.

Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail, which eventually will travel through Depot Square, will be on hand to discuss its progress. Restaurants will offer specials including an outside block party at Santiago’s on Frank Street. A Downtown District open house and scavenger hunt involving several businesses will be held.

The Boot Hill Band, Katherine Kalill and the Westfield State University Faculty Jazz Quartet will perform a free concert in Depot Square from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The celebration will continue June 30 with the city’s annual July 4 fireworks at Stanley Park courtesy of the Westfield rotary Club. Sunday will feature the re-opening of nearby Chapman Park which has undergone a $1 million upgrade including a new water spray park and playscape.

The celebration will end on July 4 with the annual July 4 parades at Hampton Ponds at 10 a.m. and Wyben at 6 p.m.

A complete list of events, and sponsors, can be found at the city's website.

Humason, noting business and motorists endured travel complications caused by construction during the past five years, said “now is the time for payoff.”

Obituaries from The Republican.

Chiyo Guillotte

WESTFIELD - Chiyo (Hogarth) Guillotte, 51, of Westfield, Massachusetts passed away on Saturday after a courageous battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. She was born in Patuxent River, Maryland on Nov. 4, 1960 the daughter of the late William F. and Chiyo (Tanaka) Hogarth. She graduated from Cathedral High School in 1978 and from American International College with a degree in accounting. She worked for First American Title Insurance Company from 1995 to 2008 as an account representative interacting with the real estate and lending communities. She was a member of the Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association and the Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of Western Massachusetts. The name Chiyo translated from Japanese means "a thousand sparkles forever."

Obituaries from The Republican:

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  Anderson, Mary A.
  



• 
  Bail, Pauline A. (Graffagnino)
  



• 
  Barber, Sylvia L. (George)
  



• 
  Belsky, Laura J. (DeMarco)
  



• 
  Bilodeau, Eleanor E. (Matroni)
  



• 
  Cade, Judith A.
  



• 
  Cardinal, Elaine (Nicodemus)
  



• 
  Devine, Mary M. (Caliento)
  



• 
  Diaz, Donovan A.
  



• 
  Eickelberg, Rolf O.
  



• 
  Escalante, Luis
  



• 
  Gagne, Omar J.
  



• 
  Gilday, Michael Peter
  



• 
  Guillotte, Chiyo (Hogarth)
  



• 
  Hosmer, David F.
  



• 
  Jenkins, Elizabeth P.
  



• 
  Kennedy, Dolores (Parks)
  



• 
  Koziol Jr., Stephen J. "Snaps"
  



• 
  Labrie, Fernand H. "Ferde"
  



• 
  Laliberte, Eloi J.
  



• 
  Lewis Jr., Arvin A.
  



• 
  Miller, Robert B.
  



• 
  Nagle, Elizabeth Rudd
  



• 
  Nowlan, A. Elizabeth "Betty"
  



• 
  Pate, Susan M. "Sue" (Carlos)
  



• 
  Pelletier, Alice P. (Posnick)
  



• 
  Podlasek, Stanley H.
  



• 
  Racicot, Robert H.
  



• 
  Russis, N. Anita
  



• 
  Snow, Charles R.
  



• 
  Stallone, Cosmo
  



• 
  Tanona, William W.
  



• 
  Todd, Edward L.
  



• 
  Torres, Andy C.
  

Egypt's state news agency said Tuesday that Hosni Mubarak has suffered a stroke, and prison officials said he is likely to be moved out of his prison hospital to a military facility nearby.

AP Photo, FileIn this Saturday, June 2, 2012 file photo, Egypt's ex-President Hosni Mubarak lays on a gurney inside a barred cage in the police academy courthouse in Cairo, Egypt. An Egyptian prison official says Hosni Mubarak’s health has taken a turn to the worst and is likely to be moved out of his prison hospital to a military facility nearby. The official said Tuesday doctors reported that the 84-year old former president has fallen unconscious. He said they have used a defibrillator to restart his heart, and have been administering breathing aid.

By SARAH EL DEEB
Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's state news agency said Tuesday that Hosni Mubarak has suffered a stroke, and prison officials said he is likely to be moved out of his prison hospital to a military facility nearby.

State TV said the 84-year-old ousted president, who is serving a life prison sentence, was in a "critical" condition and has been placed on a respirator. The state news agency MENA said earlier Mubarak's heart stopped and a defibrillator was used to restart it.

It later reported that the prison authority has called in his doctors to treat his stroke in "a fast deterioration of his health" and that they were giving him medications to break up blood clots.

A prison official said doctors reported that Mubarak has fallen unconscious. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. He said the prison authorities are considering moving him to the military hospital nearby in Maadi, a suburb near Torah Prison where he is held.

MENA also reported he will likely be moved in the next hours if his health deteriorates. It denied Mubarak has fallen unconscious and said he has not yet been moved out of the prison hospital.

Moving Mubarak out of prison would likely anger many in the public, where there is a widespread suspicion that security and military officials sympathetic to their old boss are giving him preferential treatment. The public is already stirred up over recent decisions by the ruling military council that have stripped the incoming president from most of his powers, further enshrining the powers of the military. Tens of thousands gathered in Tahrir Square on Tuesday to protest the new decisions.

Mubarak was sentenced to a life in prison on June 2 for failing to stop the killing of protesters during last year's uprising against him. He was transferred to prison after spending months in a military facility in detention. Officials have since repeatedly reported his health was deteriorating.

Since his arrival at the prison directly after his sentencing, Mubarak has been suffering from high blood pressure and breathing difficulties and deep depression, according to prison officials. His lawyer said he didn't trust the doctors and appealed for his transfer to a better equipped hospital.

UMass will begin a national search immediately for its next coach with Yale's Kyle Wallack and Merrimack's Mark Dennehy mentioned as possibilities.

Photo by J. Anthony RobertsUMass hockey coach Don "Toot" Cahoon during a December, 2011 game against Harvard.

By Tuesday afternoon, the school was looking for a new head coach as well.

Don “Toot” Cahoon stepped down as head coach after 12 seasons at the helm of the Minutemen’s hockey program, UMass announced Tuesday.

The circumstances surrounding Cahoon’s departure were described by a source close to the program as “a perfect storm.”

“There’s a broad perceived lack of support from the administration behind the program,” the source told The Republican and MassLive.com. “With one year left on his contract, and how (Cahoon) was feeling supported, it came down to an ultimate moment where it was going to go in one direction or another, and this is the direction it ended up going in.”

UMass Athletic Director John McCutcheon said Tuesday that discussions between him and Cahoon about the program’s future began in the middle of last week.

“It just started to get to that point,” McCutcheon said. “In the end we both came to the same conclusion.”

Cahoon will be paid the approximately $200,000 remaining on his contract.

It had been heavily speculated that Cahoon, who posted a sub-.500 record (166-225-42) in his 12 seasons and recently turned 63, would not return when his contract expired after this season, but Tuesday’s announcement surprised both UMass fans and other coaches around the hockey community because of how late in the year it came.

According to the source, there was no proverbial “last straw” that caused the departure, but rather, “a conglomeration” of things.

Charles Krupa/The Associated PressUMass Athletic Director John McCutcheon, pictured here at Gillette Stadium with MAC Commmissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, told The Republican the school's move to FBS football had no impact on the hockey program.

Much of the talk about the hockey program’s future was fueled by UMass’ commitment of resources toward its newly minted FBS-level football program, but McCutcheon said the Athletic Department supports its hockey program “100 percent,” and that what went on in other sports did not change how it viewed hockey.

“Hockey was unaffected by what we were doing elsewhere,” he said, adding that the sport’s funding hadn’t been cut at all in recent years.

One theory that made its way through the Internet on Tuesday was that the school’s recent radio agreement with WEEI's Springfield affiliate, WWEI, was what drove Cahoon and McCutcheon’s to the discussion table, but both the source and McCutcheon debunked that line of thinking.

“That would be inaccurate,” McCutcheon said, when asked about it.

Former assistant coach Blaise MacDonald, who was announced as the new head coach at Colby College on Friday, said that he had no knowledge of Cahoon and UMass’s plans when he accepted his new position, and that it wouldn’t have affected his decision if he had.

A national search will begin immediately, according to the UMass release, and McCutcheon said a committee would be formed in the next couple of days.

One name that has circulated the rumor mill is Merrimack coach Mark Dennehy, who was an assistant at UMass under Cahoon from 2000-2005 and has led the Warriors to unprecedented success in his seven seasons in North Andover.

However, Dennehy signed an extension last season that would keep him at Merrimack through the 2018-19 season, and it would likely require a sizable buyout from the Minutemen to return Dennehy to Amherst. With Cahoon already on the books for $200,000 this season that could potentially be a tough sell.

Yale associate head coach Kyle Wallack was in the running to replace MacDonald, but has now been reported by Joe Meloni of the College Hockey News as a potential “front runner” to replace Cahoon. Wallack played at Springfield College in the mid-‘90s and has helped the Bulldogs reach as high as No. 1 in the USCHO.com polls during his tenure.

McCutcheon said he was not limiting the search to coaches with head coaching experience.

“In general I never set up an ideal candidate,” he said. “You limit yourself by doing that.”

There is no specific timetable for the hire, according to McCutcheon, who only said “We’ll move it along as quickly as we can.”

Cahoon, through a UMass spokesperson, declined to comment.

Hodge wrapped several items in aluminum foil and stashed them in his pants, apparently to slip past the anti-theft devices by the front door. He didn't realize store security were already watching him.

Republican file photo

HADLEY - A Georgia man’s elaborate plan to steal more than $16,000 in electronics and computer software from Walmart by wrapping it in aluminum foil and walking past the anti-shoplifting scanners at the front door was itself foiled by overhead surveillance cameras, police said.

Anthony S. Hodge, 40, of Doraville, Ga., was charged with three counts each of larceny of more than $250, possession of burglary tools and receiving stolen property of more than $250.

Store security at Walmart on Route 9 watched Hodge the whole time and called police as he made his way toward the exit. Hadley police stopped him in the parking lot by his car, which was found to have several stolen idems in the trunk, said Hadley Police Chief Dennis Hukowicz.

“WalMart security did an excellent job on this one,” he said.

Hukowicz said the initial estimate on the stolen merchandise is $16,000 but it is likely to be a good deal higher.

“We’re still putting it all together. There was stuff without price tags on it that we’re trying to track down.”

Hukowicz said store security told Hadley police they noticed Hodge inside the store on Sunday acting suspiciously. They watched him carry several items from the store’s computer and electronics section and then stash it in area of the store where luggage is displayed. After that he left, but security maintained a close eye on the luggage area, he said.

“They were observing, watching for him to come back,” he said. “And he did.”

Hodge retrieved the items he stashed, wrapped them in aluminum foil and hid them in his pants, Hukowicz said.

He apparently did this to circumvent the electronic anti-shoplifting scanners by the front door. Hukowicz said he was not sure if foil is effective in getting by the scanners “but it really doesn’t matter when (store security) is watching you the whole time.”

He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown. Information on the arraignment was not available.

MassMutual Financial Group returns as the lead sponsor of Star Spangled Springfield.

Anthony Abdelahad, a representative of MGM Resorts, speaks at the Star Spangled Springfield announcement at Riverfront Park in Springfield on Tuesday.

SPRINGFIELD – MGM Resorts International, which is searching for a site in Western Massachusetts to build a casino, has provided a significant donation to the city’s Fourth of July festivities and fireworks, according to Spirit of Springfield.

At a press conference on Tuesday at Riverfront Park, Spirit of Springfield, the host organization, announced plans for the “Star Spangled Springfield” event taking place on July 4. MassMutual Financial Group returns as the lead sponsor.

MGM Resorts is a new sponsor this year, but the amount of the contribution was not disclosed by either an MGM Resorts spokesman, nor Spirit of Springfield President Judith A. Matt. Matt said MGM Resorts gave the third largest corporate donation behind MassMutual and Tower Square.

MGM Resorts dropped plans for a casino in Brimfield in March, but continues to search for a casino site in the region, said Anthony Abdelahad, representing MGM at the press conference.

Ameristar, which is proposing a casino at the Westinghouse property in East Springfield, also gave funds to the fireworks program this year, Matt said.

Balise Motor Sales is also a new sponsor this year.

The July 4 festivities will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Riverfront Park’s Festival Field. Dan Kane’s Rising Stars, with more than 100 singers ranging in age from 6 to 15, will perform a patriotic program at the park along with pop, country and Broadway.

At 9:30, Fireworks by Grucci will launch from the Memorial Bridge. An estimated 100,000 people are expected to watch the fireworks.

The festivities and fireworks cost approximately $60,000, covered by private contributions.

Abdelahad said MGM Resorts is “thrilled” to be one of the sponsors joining existing sponsors like MassMutual, Tower Square and others.

“Responsible corporate citizenship is a key pillar of MGM’s core values, and we’re honored to stand alongside these companies that really set the gold standard in Western Massachusetts,” Abdelahad said. “As part of our commitment to bringing a world class destination resort to Western Massachusetts, we believe it is important to partner with organizations like Spirit of Springfield that enrich the lives of so many people not just in this city but throughout the region.”

John A. Vaccaro, senior vice president with MassMutual Financial Group, said MassMutual is proud to have served as lead sponsor of the Fourth of July event since 2006.

“This event always creates a true sense of community by bringing together dazzling fireworks, outstanding music and people from across the region,” Vaccaro said. “Giving back to our community has always been part of our heritage and stilll remain a top priority for all of us at MassMutual.”

The Fourth of July is an important time to recognize the country’s history and the community’s history, Vaccaro said. MassMutual is proud to be celebrating its 161-year history in Springfield, he said.

Other sponsors are: The Republican, Elegant Affairs, Friendly’s, Michael’s Party Rentals, 90 Meat Outlet, WWLP-22News, Mix 93.1 FM, Charlie Arment Trucking, Joseph Freedman Co., United Tractor Trailer School, the Springfield Parking Authority, and the city of Springfield.

For more information about Star Spangled Springfield, visit spiritofspringfield.org or contact Spirit of Springfield at 413-733-3800.

The three Democrats campaigning to represent the newly drawn 1st Congressional District in Massachusetts are working to highlight what they believe makes them the candidate of choice, while each faces unique challenges.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, Andrea Nuciforo Jr. and Bill Shein are all competing for the Democratic nomination to represent the new 1st Congressional District from Massachusetts in the House of Representatives. (Republican file photos)

In a race with no Republican competition, the three Democrats campaigning to represent the newly drawn 1st Congressional District in Massachusetts are working to characterize their opponents and highlight what they believe makes them the candidate of choice, while each faces unique challenges.

U.S. Rep Richard Neal, D-Springfield, represents the current 2nd Congressional District, as he has since 1989. And for the first time since the former Springfield mayor won national office, he now has to introduce himself to thousands of new voters, thanks to redistricting.

Neal, with a campaign war chest that is hundreds of thousands of dollars larger than challengers Andrea Nuciforo Jr. and Bill Shein, has decided to spend some of that cash on a series of ads currently airing in Berkshire County, which will be incorporated into the new district.

The ads all show Neal talking with Berkshire County residents at locations familiar to the locals.

“I have been a fixture in Berkshire County over the past several months visiting with thousands of people,” Neal said. “However, I know there are still voters who have been unable to attend one of my public appearances. I wanted to use these ads to introduce myself.”

Neal has also been on the campaign trail shaking hands and talking with voters in the new district, just like Nuciforo and Shein are doing.

Nuciforo, the Berkshire Middle District register of deeds and a former state senator, has worked to paint himself as a political outsider taking on Neal, who he characterizes as a "career politician" with questionable Democratic credentials.

In a campaign email to supporters this week, Nuciforo included a video of Neal talking positively about U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., while aligning himself with Brown's Democratic rival Elizabeth Warren.

"While Elizabeth and I are making our respective campaigns about standing up for consumers, Rep. Neal and Sen. Brown are fighting to protect their Wall Street contributors like JPMorgan from regulation," Nuciforo wrote, while pointing to a MassLive.com report detailing campaign contributions Brown and Neal have received from JPMorgan employes and executives.

In an effort to reach more voters with his message, Nuciforo has also launched a mobile version of his campaign website which was built to work well on phones and tablet computers. The mobile site allows supporters to check out all of his positions and view pictures and video as they are uploaded from the campaign trail.

"Ever since Howard Dean's online revolution in 2004 and then-Senator Obama's in 2007, voters are more tech-savvy," Nuciforo said. "They're more connected to, and involved with the campaigns that energize them, so it's imperative we reach every voter in every way we can."

But Nuciforo, with a decade of political experience in the state senate, faces complications in his quest to be the "outsider" as Shein, a Berkshire County political activist and writer, has worked to monopolize the title.

Shein, who lives in the small town of Alford, has taken outspoken positions against the influence of corporate money in elections and government and pointed out that both of his opponents have received at some time in their respective political careers taken money from political action committees and the financial industry. While committing to his pledge to only accept contributions of $99 or less from individual citizens, he is fighting with much less cash than either of his rivals.

Still, he has spent time traveling throughout the new district, where he has found many people who feel like electoral politics is pointless to engage in, an idea he is working to counter.

He said that while on the campaign trail throughout the new district, he has come across many people who feel like electoral politics is pointless to engage in, an idea he is working to counter.

"This is quite true in Springfield where voter turnout has been very low for a number of years now," Shein said. "People tell me they just don't feel their vote makes a difference."

Shein said he believes it is a "chicken and the egg" type problem. On the one hand, he says, politicians tend to not spend much time speaking to people who don't vote but at the same time, the argument could be made that they don't vote because they don't receive the political attention.

He said that by engaging the voters one-on-one and working to make it easier for people to register to vote, more people would participate in government.

"I'm a longtime supporter of election day registration," Shein said. "In states where it is allowed there are substantially higher voting rates and no reported increase of voter fraud. Overall, I'm an advocate for broadening participation."

Although nothing is finalized at this point, the three candidates have all be invited to debate in at least three forums, with active proposals from media outlets in Springfield, Westfield and Pittsfield.

The debates will take place ahead of the September 6 Democratic primary where the winner will be the presumed representative of the new 1st Congressional District.

The only change in Neal's finances between 2010 and 2011 was in his wife's employment, according to a newly released financial disclosure form.

Richard E. Neal

The personal financial situation of U.S. Rep. Richard Neal remains largely unchanged since last year, according to his personal financial disclosure form from 2011, which was released last week.

Neal, a Springfield Democrat, listed assets valued at between $68,000 and $201,000, including a handful of investments and bank accounts and his retirement fund with the city of Springfield. Neal was the Springfield mayor before he was elected to Congress in 1988.

By law, members of Congress currently earn $174,000 a year. In addition, Neal reported annual compensation of $21,900 from the University of Massachusetts, where he teaches classes on politics and journalism. He received a retirement allowance of $19,500 from the Springfield retirement system.

Both the assets and compensation were nearly identical to what Neal reported in 2010.

The Neals also have a mortgage, valued at between $50,000 and $100,000, on their Springfield home.

The only difference since 2010 was in the employment of Neal’s spouse, Maureen Neal. Maureen Neal was laid off from the Massachusetts state auditor’s office in January 2011 and received unemployment compensation.

Maureen Neal had worked for the state auditor’s office since 1996 as a staff analyst/ specialist in Chicopee, earning $20,100 in 2010, according to a state salary database. She was laid off at the same time as State Auditor Suzanne Bump laid off 31 employees as part of an office-wide reorganization.

A member’s spouse is not required to disclose the amount of income they make, only its source. Neal spokesman William Tranghese said, “Maureen Neal was laid off from her job with the state last year and she collected unemployment compensation for a period of time while out of work. She has since returned to work in the private sector.”

The Dow Jones industrial average rose nearly 96 points to 12,837, its highest close in a month.

Photo by Rene Macura / Associated PressSteve Ballmer, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer, reveals Surface, a new tablet computer, for Windows Monday in Los Angeles. Shares of Microsoft rose 3 percent Tuesday following the announcement of the new product.

By PALLAVI GOGOI

NEW YORK – Stocks rose sharply on Wall Street Tuesday as traders turned their focus back to corporate news from the U.S. and hopes that the Federal Reserve will come up with a plan to jump start the economy. Banks and materials stocks led the market higher.

The Dow Jones industrial average soared 95.51 points to 12,837.33, its highest close in a month. Microsoft was one of the biggest gainers in the Dow. The stock jumped 3 percent after the company announced a new tablet computer called Surface to compete with the immensely popular iPad from Apple. Microsoft was up 86 cents at $30.70.

Stock traders are also latching on to recent signals from the Federal Reserve that the central bank may reveal plans to stimulate the economy at the end of its two-day meeting Wednesday.

“A good portion of today’s strong market action is from a hope factor that we’re going to get more easing from the Fed,” said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital.

Economists say that even if the Fed does not act after its meeting, it will send a clear message that it is standing by to do so if needed.

Financial companies were among the best performing stocks as investors hoped for Fed action: Bank of America soared 4.5 percent, Citigroup gained 3.5 percent, JPMorgan Chase was up 2.2 percent and Morgan Stanley rose 3 percent.

Bank investors were also pleased to learn that a federal housing agency will clarify the process under which home lenders are forced to buy back soured home loans. The buybacks have cost banks billions of dollars. The uncertainty surrounding how much loans they will have to repurchase from the government has led them to reduce lending.

The agency’s statement comes just as the housing market is showing signs of healing. American builders broke new ground on more single-family homes in May and requested more permits to build homes and apartments than they have in the past three and a half years.

The Commerce Department also said April was much better for housing starts than first thought. The government revised the figures up to 744,000, the fastest building pace since October 2008.

Material stocks rose on the prospect of demand from home construction. US Steel rose over 9 percent and Freeport-McMoran Copper rose over 3 percent.

In other trading, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 13.20 points to 1,357.98. Seven of the 10 industry groups in the S&P rose. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index rose 34.43 points to 2,929.76. The Dow Jones Utility average touched the highest level since August 2008 before closing slightly lower.

In Europe, borrowing costs eased for Spain: its benchmark 10-year bond yield fell below the key 7 percent level to 6.99 percent.

Spain raised $4.28 billion in an auction of 12- and 18-month bills, more than analysts had expected. However Spain’s cost to raise the money skyrocketed. The Spanish government had to pay an interest rate of 5.07 percent for the 12-month bills, up sharply from 2.98 percent at the last such auction on May 14.

Still, investors were heartened to see that people were willing to lend Spain money.

“Even though it cost Spain dearly and yields rose to a record, the fact is that it was not shut out of the markets,” said Cardillo.

Major European stock markets rose: Spain’s IBEX 35 index rose 2.7 percent. Germany’s DAX added 1.8 percent and France’s CAC-40 rose 1.7 percent.

The dollar and Treasury prices fell as traders moved money out of low-risk assets. The dollar fell about a penny against the euro to $1.27 and the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.62 percent from 1.58 percent late Monday.

Among other stocks making big moves:

• Oracle soared 84 cents, or about 3 percent, to $27.96 after the software maker surprised investors with the early release of its fourth-quarter earnings. The results beat Wall Street’s forecasts, and the company said new software licenses increased sharply.

• J.C. Penney plunged $2.08, or 8.5 percent, to $22.25 after the chain store announced that Michael Francis, the former Target executive brought in to help redefine the company’s brand, was leaving the company. It was the biggest loss of any stock in the S&P 500.

• Barnes & Noble fell 61 cents, or 4 percent, to $14.63 after the book store chain reported a wider loss than Wall Street was expecting. It also reported that its Nook e-reader sales fell 11 percent in the quarter.

• Walgreen plunged $1.87, or 5.85 percent, to $30.09 after the company said it is buying a $6.7 billion stake in European health and beauty retailer Alliance Boots. Investors worried about a deal that would expose the biggest U.S. drugstore chain to a continent beset by worries of a recession.

Vega is in his second term on the council and seeking to replace Michael Kane, who quit the Legislature June 8.

Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse, left, is seen with Councilor Aaron M. Vega, right, as he endorsese him for state representative.

HOLYOKE – Mayor Alex B. Morse Tuesday endorsed City Councilor Aaron M. Vega, a Democrat, in his campaign for state representative.

“He has demonstrated himself to be a leader and an independent voice,” Morse said.

Morse also thanked Michael F. Kane, D-Holyoke, who resigned as the 5th Hampden District representative June 8, for Kane’s 11 years in the seat.

Vega, who is in his second term as a councilor at large, is co-owner with wife Debra Vega of Vega Yoga and Movement Arts, 4 Open Square Way.

Vega said he appreciated Morse’s willingness to work together on issues like getting ordinances enforced.

“When I look around at the people who are making a difference in this city, I see the important legacy of families who have been here for a long time. I also see the energy and vibrancy of the new residents who have chosen to make a life in Holyoke. It is the fusion of these two great forces that will help Holyoke succeed,” Vega said.

“Let’s seize this opportunity to move forward as one Holyoke and remain focused on the bright future Holyoke can have,” he said.

That, he said, is a city where every school child has a path to success and residents in all parts of the city have an excellent quality of life.

Kane is out, but his name still will be on the ballot in the primary election Sept. 6 with Vega’s. They both filed nomination papers with signatures of registered voters to qualify as candidates by the deadline of May 1.

The representative’s yearly salary is $61,133.

Councilor at Large James M. Leahy and newcomer Miguel A. Vasquez said they are leaning toward mounting campaigns for the seat by asking voters to write in their names on the ballot. Such a candidate must be the top vote-getter and have at least 150 write-in votes to win the election.

Springfield had the seventh-highest unemployment rate in the state.

This is an updated version of a story posted at 9:58 this morning.

File photo | Associated PressFILE - In this April 24, 2012, file photo, job seeker Alan Shull attends a job fair in Portland, Ore. . (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

SPRINGFIELD – The city’s unemployment rate rose slightly in May from 9.2 percent in April to 9.5 percent.

But that rate still remains below the 11.5 percent unemployment rate the city recorded a year ago in May 2011, according to statistics released Tuesday by the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

At 9.5 percent, Springfield had the seventh-highest unemployment rate in the state. Holyoke was the next highest at 8.7 percent, up from 8.4 percent in April but down from 10.4 percent a year ago in May 2011.

Local unemployment rates are not adjusted for seasonal changes in the economy. The statewide unadjusted average is 5.8 percent, down from 5.9 percent in April and 7.l2 percent a year ago. Unadjusted for seasonal changes, the state’s unemployment rate was 6 percent in May, 6.3 percent in April and 8.2 percent in May 2011.

“We’re still caught in this vicious cycle. Companies are not going to hire unless they can sell the stuff they produce,” said Karl J. Petrick, an assistant professor of economics at Western New England University. “Consumers are not going to start spending until they see better jobs and companies hiring.”

He said consumers have recently stepped up spending on durable goods meant to last six months or longer like appliances. That might be a result of pent-up demand finally breaking through or consumers are replacing broken necessities.

Rena Kottcamp, economic research director for the state Department of Unemployment Assistance pointed to year-over-year job gains.

“It’s slow progress.,” she said. “I know it is not the progress that people want to see.”

As a region, Greater Springfield gained 2,000 jobs, or about 0.7 percent, last month. On the year, the number of jobs has only increased by 700.

Four sectors of the economy gained jobs from April to May, Kottcamp said: leisure and hospitality, government, trade and transportation and other services.

Manufacturing jobs were unchanged from April to May, but are up 100 since May 2011.

Petrick said there are new jobs becoming available, but just not enough of them.

“Not to fall into the same trap Obama laid for himself, but the private sector has been adding jobs,” he said. “It’s just going to be a lot of competition for those jobs. That’s going to be the challenge.”

People are counted in unemployment statistics if they are looking for work, even if they are no longer looking for unemployment.

The statewide unemployment rate is 13.6 percent if people who have stopped looking for work and those who work part time but would rather be working full-time are counted.

Once people who have stopped looking are counted a long with those working part-time who would rather be working full-time, the statewide unemployment rate averaged 13.9 percent in last quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of this year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Elizabeth Grilli of Hadley was heading east on Route 9 when she hit a parked car, causing her car to flip over, police said.

NORTHAMPTON - A Hadley woman escaped serious injury Tuesday afternoon when she drove into a parked car on Bridge Street, causing her car to flip onto its roof, police said.

Elizabeth Grilli of West Street, Hadley, was taken by ambulance to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, said Northampton Police Lt. Michael Patenaude. Her age was not available.

No one else was injured. The car she hit was not occupied, he said.

The accident happened at about 5:10 p.m. near 131 Bridge St., also known as Route 9. Grilli was heading east toward Hadley when she drove into the left rear of a parked 2008 Honda Civic, Patenaude said.

Grilli's 2009 Subaru Outback flipped onto its roof, but she was able to climb out of the wreckage before police and fire arrived on scene, Patenaude said.

Both vehicles sustained heavy damage and had to be towed from the scene.

The accident remains under investigation, and no citations have been issued.

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While senators debated in Boston, about two-dozen protesters from various community groups gathered Tuesday in Springfield to speak out against proposed Pioneer Valley Transportation Authority fare hikes.

This is an updated version of a story posted at 7 this morning.

The Massachusetts Senate voted to use an obscure surplus fund to eliminate a budget deficit for the public transit system in Greater Boston, the same day protesters in Springfield rallied against proposed fare hikes for Pioneer Valley's public bus and van system.

The Senate vote came after senators on a voice vote rejected an amendment -- cosponsored by Democratic Sens. Gale D. Candaras of Wilbraham and James T. Welch of West Springfield -- to create a Springfield-like financial control board for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

Candaras and Welch said a five-member control board would assume the powers of the current MBTA board and might be able to end repeated bailouts and bring some accountability to the agency.

Gale Candaras

"For too long, we have been forced to bail out the MBTA," said Candaras, whose amendment was cosponsored by three Republicans from the MBTA's service area. "We have shared in that sacrifice over and over again."

The Senate bill, approved by 26-9, would transfer to the MBTA a total of $49 million from a state fund made up of surplus automobile inspection fees paid by motorists.

Some lawmakers from communities far outside the Boston area criticized the plan to give the transit system inspection fee money that is collected statewide.

"This is an extremely bitter pill to swallow for the citizens of the commonwealth," said Sen. Michael R. Knapik, a Westfield Republican.

As a compromise, regional transit authorities would also receive $3.5 million, including $2 million from the trust fund and $1.5 million in surplus snow removal funds.

The state House of Representatives approved the bill last week.

While senators debated in Boston, about two-dozen protesters from various community groups gathered Tuesday in Springfield to speak out against proposed Pioneer Valley Transportation Authority fare hikes.

“A lot of our members are on fixed incomes and cannot afford it,” said Vanessa N. Jameson of the Alliance to Develop Power.

If approved at a PVTA Board of Advisors meeting set for June 27, bus fares would go from $1.25 to $1.50 in July. An adult fare with a transfer from one bus route to another would go from $1.50 to $2.50 and a fare for a child ages 6 to 12 could go from 75 cents to $1. A 31-day pass would jump from $45 to $52. A one-day pass would go from $3 to $5, according to documents.

Click here to view the proposed fare increases in a chart.

For a time, the adult basic fare will remain unchanged at $1.25 if a rider uses a new smart card system. PVTA Administrator Mary L. MacInnes said Tuesday that two state budget measures now pending before the state Legislature could result in the PVTA receiving enough money to wipe out the $800,000 budget deficit the fare hike is meant to address.

But nothing from Beacon Hill is assured at this point and the PVTA has to move forward with its budget.

The Pioneer Valley authority provides fixed-route bus service and paratransit service to 24 communities, including Amherst, Chicopee, Holyoke, Northampton, Palmer, Springfield and Westfield. The service is used by elderly people, college students, the disabled and people without cars.

As current state subsidies, the MBTA currently receives about $770 million a year, or 20 percent of the state sales tax, Candaras said.

In addition, it receives another $160 million a year from the general fund, approved following a hike in the sales tax to 6.25 percent in 2009, according to Candaras.

Candaras said the nearly $1 billion in state subsidies for the MBTA is higher than state subsidies for similar transit agencies around the country. The MBTA's budget is $1.7 billion.

The proposed control board would have consisted of the secretary of transportation, the MBTA board chairman and three members who live outside the agency's service area.
Legislators said a control board worked in Springfield and it can work for the MBTA. A control board was in place in Springfield between 2004 and 2009.

The MBTA board voted in April to raise fares an average 23 percent and cut some service. But state transportation officials said the bailout was needed to close the remainder of the agency's budget deficit and prevent deeper service reductions on July 1.

Senate President Therese Murray said the MBTA cannot keep coming back and asking for more money. “These measures will get us through the end of the fiscal year, but they are only a temporary solution,” Murray said in a statement.

Staff writer Jim Kinney contributed to this report.

Atkinson was the first president of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.

Robert B. Atkinson

LONGMEADOW - Robert B. Atkinson, 91, the first president of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, died Sunday at home.

Atkinson’s law career began in 1948 when he joined the Springfield law firm, Mallary and Gilbert, which eventually merged to become Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas LLP, where he remained a partner.

Atkinson was a director of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, a trustee, chairman and first president of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, a director and chairman of the executive committee of the Eastern States Exposition and president of Wesson Memorial Hospital which joined Baystate Medical Center.

He also was a director and first president of the Western Massachusetts Health Planning Council, a director and president of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, a trustee and director of Hampden Savings Bank, a director of the Executive Committee of Springfield Central Business District, a director of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts and a member of the Board of Assessors of Longmeadow.

David Starr, president of The Republican Co. and a charter trustee of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, called Atkinson “a tireless worker for good community causes, always ready to take on another chore if it promised to help make Springfield a better place to live.”

Starr called Atkinson “a model for the rest of us, universally respected for deep wisdom coupled with a splendid sense of humor.”

Born in Hartford, Conn., Atkinson graduated from the Loomis Chaffee School in 1938. He also graduated from Dartmouth College in 1943 and served in the Army Intelligence Service during World War II. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1948.

In 1991 Atkinson announced the formation of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.

He said its goal was to improve the quality of life in Western Massachusetts through improvements in education, the arts, social services, housing and the environment.

In announcing the formation of the Community Foundation, Atkinson said it was his hope and the hope of fellow trustees that some day grant recipients would be able to say: “Because of the foundation, we are better educated, enjoy better health and access to life’s necessities, are surrounded by better air and water and recreational facilities and feast upon a smorgasbord of the arts and sciences.”

According to his obituary, there will be a private memorial service at a later date.

The forecast calls for a high of 97 on Wednesday - but the high humidity will make it seem like 102 degrees.

View full sizeThe Republican | Michael BeswickThe dog days of summer are here as an English Bulldog takes a breather from chasing his ball at the Michael T. Downey Fields in Forest Park.

This is an update to an article posted at 2:43 p.m. Tuesday

SPRINGFIELD - A combination of high temperatures and high humidity on Wednesday and Thursday are expected to create oppressive conditions throughout the region and people are being warned to limit strenuous midday activity outside.

The National Weather Service has posted a hazardous weather outlook for Western Massachusetts, particularly the lower Connecticut River Valley, for both days.

Temperatures on Wednesday are expected to climb as high as 97 degrees but with the high humidity, the heat index is expected to be 102 degrees. It will back off a little on Thursday; temperatures will be as high as 97 but the heat index will be around 100 degrees.

The weather service has also issued a heat advisory that will be in place from noon until 7 p.m. Wednesday. The combination of high temperatures and high humidity will create dangerous conditions for people who have to spend extended time outside.

The city of Springfield does not anticipate declaring a heat emergency that would precipitate the opening of cooling centers in various areas of the city, said Helen R. Caulton-Harris, the city’s director of health and human services.

The city typically declares a heat emergency whenever heat indices are expected to exceed 105 degrees or nighttime temperatures are expected to remain at 80 or higher for three consecutive 24-hour periods. Neither of those benchmarks are expected go be hit this week, Caulton-Harris said.

Springfield has issued a heat advisory, however, and residents, particularly the young and elderly, are advised to stay indoors, in air conditioning if possible. Residents should also eat well-balanced meals, drink plenty of fluids, wear loose-fitting and light-colored clothing. Those with elderly and homebound neighbors should check in on them from time-to-time, Caulton-Harris said.

In Belchertown, plans by the National Grid to replace a power transmission pole will cause the Belchertown Housing Authority site at Everett Acres to be without electricity for much of Wednesday. The work is expected to begin at 8 a.m. and be completed before 4 p.m.

The 50 residents, mostly elderly and disabled, will be allowed to go to the town Senior Center, 60 State St., for the day.

View full sizeThe Republican | Don Treeger Liza Kelleher, age 4, of Springfield puts her best foot forward as she tests the water at the spray park at Kenefick Park in Springfield. With the forecast calling for oppressive heat on Wednesday and Thursday, people are advised to stay cool anyway they can.

National Grid spokeswoman Charlotte McCormack said the utility company notified the Housing Authority about a week ago about the project.

She said as concerns grew about the weather forecast, they were told by the Housing Authority that arraignments would be made to find a cooling shelter for the residents.

In a post on the Belchertown Facebook page, Matt Charrette, chairman of the town Housing Needs & Assessment Committee, writes the senior center will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Everett Acres residents and meals will be provided.

If more space is needed, the high school or town hall could be opened, he said.

The steamy forecast has prompted Ludlow school officials to announce the early closure of the town’s elementary schools and middle school Wednesday and Thursday.

The elementary schools, according to an automated message sent out Tuesday to members of the Ludlow school community, will end classes at 1:45 p.m. The middle school, meanwhile, will end classes at 1:15 p.m.

Ludlow High School students are already getting out early those days as a part of final exam week.

In anticipation of the heat, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation will open its various beaches and wading pools, including Chicopee Memorial State Park’s Reservoir Beach, on Wednesday. That’s three days earlier than the anticipated opening.

Meteorologist Nick Morganelli of CBS3 Springfield said conditions will be uncomfortable in just about every respect.

Temperatures will be in the mid to upper 90s, and the humidity as measured by the dew point will be 65 to 70 degrees and maybe as high as 72 degrees, he said.

There won’t even be any relief at night as the heat and humidity will make it uncomfortable for sleeping, he said.

No relief is expected until Friday, he said.

“For the two days people should take precautions. Stay hydrated. Stay out of the midday sun. If you’re going to exercise, exercise in the morning when the temperatures will be lower,” he said.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency issued an advisory on Tuesday that warned the air quality in the southern portions of Connecticut and Rhode Island and the southeast part of Massachusetts including Cape Cod will experience unhealthy air quality due to high amounts of ground-level ozone.

In the Pioneer Valley, the air quality is expected to be moderate, meaning levels of pollutants in the air could be a problem for some people with respiratory issues or who are sensitive to air-borne pollution.

The EPA has a website offering real-time air quality information and forecasts. The site is called www.airnow.gov

Republican reporter Patrick Johnson contributed to this article.