Dailey had originally been charged as a habitual offender, which would have made his sentence 20 years.

SPRINGFIELD – Michael Dailey has been sentenced to 12 to 14 years in state prison for a series of housebreaks in Chicopee, Longmeadow and West Springfield.

Dailey, 55, who was listed as homeless when he was charged, pleaded guilty Thursday to housebreaks or attempted housebreaks and larcenies at three addresses in Longmeadow, two in West Springfield and one in Chicopee.

All told he pleaded guilty in front of Hampden Superior Court Judge Peter A. Velis to six counts of breaking and entering in the nighttime, one of attempt to commit a crime and six counts of larceny from a building.

In the case prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick Sabbs, Dailey was originally charged as a habitual offender because of the his record of similar convictions.

If he had been convicted at trial and found to be a habitual offender he would have been sentenced to 20 years in state prison.

Dailey, who was represented by Arthur J. O’Donald III, has been held for 375 days in lieu of $10,000 cash bail after his arrest in July of 2011.

The Chicopee housebreak happened on July 25, 2011, and resulted in his arrest.

After Avery Bradley and Cedric Maxwell finished at the Dill house, the basketball players went to Monson High School, to teach a basketball clinic to the kids participating in the summer basketball program sponsored by the town Parks and Recreation Department.

MONSON - It was a dream come true for Boston Celtics fan Russell J. Kearns on Tuesday.

Ten-year-old Russell, whose favorite sports team is the Celtics, was treated to a visit from Celtics guard Avery Bradley and retired forward Cedric Maxwell at his Main Street home.

As part of the visit, he now has a new basketball court in his driveway, and a bedroom makeover, courtesy of the team and RE/MAX of New England.

It was Kearns' mother, Stacey E. Dill, who entered an essay contest for the home court makeover. She described what the family went through after the tornado blasted through their home more than a year ago.

Surrounded by a crush of media and friends - most of whom were made after the tornado - the Dill family talked about what the event meant to them.

"It's so exciting. At this point I can barely contain myself," Dill said.

"He's just trying to take it all in. He's got a smile as big as I do," she said about her son.

When Dill's friend, Karen King, founder of the Monson Street Angel tornado volunteer team and local RE/MAX Realtor, suggested she enter the contest, Dill at first thought she didn't deserve it.

"But my kids sure do," said the mother of four and grandmother of one. "They've had a tough year."

In the essay, Dill wrote about how the family huddled in the first floor laundry room as the tornado tore through town, pushing their chimney through the roof, blowing out windows and doors, and toppling trees. She said they hauled wood and painted to restore their property and home, and when their workload lightened, two of her daughters joined volunteer crews to help others still recovering from the twister.

"They inspired me to write my essay for the contest," said Dill, a lifelong Celtics fan.
She also wrote that her son always wanted a basketball hoop.

Her husband, Matthew Dill, was in awe that the family won the contest.

"I thought the volunteers who helped us out after the tornado were just unreal. This is just the icing on the cake," Matthew Dill said.

"This is amazing. I've never won anything before. I can't really ask for anything more than this," he added.

Through the home court makeover, their uneven driveway was repaved, and a new basketball hoop and electronic scoreboard was installed. Russell tried it out, taking shots as Maxwell encouraged him.

"That was close, Russell. Keep going," Maxwell urged.

Russell nailed his second shot in the basket.

After the fanfare on the new "court" which included the players signing autographs and posing for photographs, they headed inside the house and upstairs to Russell's room, now decorated in true Celtics style with a team bedspread, bean bag chair, wastepaper basket, clock, pillows, and wall decorations. The players signed the Boston Celtics logo on the wall, and Bradley presented Russell with a team jersey.

"Look what I got just for you, a signed jersey," Bradley told Russell. "This is just for you. Now you can wear it every game you watch."

Stacey Dill sported the "family" jersey that the Celtics gave her - it has the name "Dill" on the back. The entire family, Stacey and Matthew Dill, Russell, and his sisters, Chelsea Fountain, 23; Haley Fountain, 16; Allyson Kearns, 14; and Chelsea's son, Rhys Pelles, 1, posed for photographs with Bradley and Maxwell.

Russell revealed that he thought his mother was kidding at first when she told him they won the contest.

"I didn't think something like that would ever happen," Russell said.

King said a lot has been done for the adult tornado victims over the past year, and noted this was something for the children.

After Bradley and Maxwell finished at the Dill house, they went to Monson High School, to teach a basketball clinic to the kids participating in the summer basketball program sponsored by the town Parks and Recreation Department.

Bradley was limited in what he could do on the court, as he is recovering from shoulder surgery after getting hurt in the playoffs. Before the clinic got underway,
Bradley, 21, said this was one of the "coolest events" he's ever done.

"It was great to be here today. It was a great experience, seeing the smiles . . . Whenever I see a smile on somebody's face, it makes me happy. That's what I'm here for," Bradley said.

The identity of the Celtics players was kept secret, so as to surprise the approximately 25 third- to ninth-graders in the basketball camp.

When Maxwell's name was announced, someone yelled, "Dunk it!" Maxwell led a humorous defensive drill involving five of the mothers, who he told to get "low" and jump and yell.

"I don't think I'd make a good basketball player," one of the mothers, Jessica Buchanan, who has two children in the camp, said after.

As Maxwell instructed the kids ‑ and the Dill family - about defense, Alana Ellis, the youngest basketball camp participant, was recruited to stand with him and Bradley.

"I'm ready to go!" Alana yelled.

Tim Gerry, who coaches the basketball program, said the kids were excited all week for the Celtics visit.

"It's good for the town and good for the program," Gerry said.

Brady and the Patriots offense had trouble moving the ball against the Saints.

APTom Brady

FOXBOROUGH – The New England Patriots didn’t execute at a high level during Tuesday’s joint practice with the New Orleans Saints, but the session was deemed a success by all involved.

“You go two weeks straight against your teammates. It’s always great to get a new look,” Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski said of the practice that drew 14,830 fans. “It was very competitive out there today and I believe we got so much out of it.”

This typically is the point of training camp when intensity lags and players begin wear down under the daily schedule of practices and meetings. The Patriots’ level of frustration was put on display last week when three separate fights broke over the span of three days.

But there was nothing even close to dust-up during Tuesday’s practice. Players were warned to be on their best behavior, and both sides said they felt rejuvenated from the increased tempo and intensity that came from playing a new opponent.

For New England, though, that didn’t equate to a great practice. After looking sharp during 7-on-7 drills, where quarterback Tom Brady completed 12 of 15 passes, the wheels quickly fell off for the New England offense during full-team drills.

Brady had trouble hitting his marks, at one point recording four consecutive incompletions, and finished the day 7-for-16 with two touchdowns and an interception.

Meanwhile, Saints quarterback Drew Brees had no issue moving the ball against the Patriots secondary, completing 15 of 21 passes. Safety Steve Gregory recorded New England’s only interception.

“You can definitely go in and make some corrections,” Gronkowski said, though members from both sides were overall pleased to have the opportunity to compete against a different team.

“For us, it’s great to kind of break up the monotony of training camp, practicing against yourself, and come up and have the opportunity to scrimmage against someone else,” Brees said. “There’s not a team that has won more games than the New England Patriots in the last decade.

“To have the chance to come up here, watch the way they work, compete against new personnel and new scheme – it’s good for both sides.”

The Patriots and Saints held joint practices prior to the 2010 season with great success, leading Patriots coach Bill Belichick to proclaim that they were the most productive practices he’s coached in his career.

New England will also hold joint sessions with the Buccaneers prior to their Aug. 24 preseason game in Tampa Bay.

The start of Tuesday’s practice was pushed back from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. to accommodate members of the Saints and Patriots coaching staff that flew to Pennsylvania to attend Garrett Reid’s funeral. Reid, the son of Eagles coach Andy Reid, was found dead in a dorm room at the Eagles’ training camp at Lehigh University Sunday morning.

The group was late arriving to practice and came out onto the field about 45 minutes into the session, just after the teams broke into 7-on-7 drills.

Belichick spent the rest of the practice standing on the field behind his offense and defense, directing orders.

“We know how to handle business. We came in, got right to work,” defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said of Belichick’s late arrival. “We got a team of guys that can step in. Coaches, coordinators, then a team of guys that step right in and get to work.”

The Patriots and Saints will practice together again Wednesday at 10 a.m. They will then play a preseason game Thursday night.

Dyar is on a team of about 40 scientists responsible for a complex instrument called a ChemCam, which is perched on the rover.

File photo | The RepublicanDarby Dyar, professor of astronomy at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, is on a team of about 40 scientists responsible for the ChemCam, one of the instruments to be used by the Mars rover Curiosity, which landed this week on the red planet.

AP Photo/NASAThis image released on Tuesday Aug. 7,2012 by NASA shows the first color view of the north wall and rim of Gale Crater where NASA's rover Curiosity landed Sunday night. The picture was taken by the rover's camera at the end of its stowed robotic arm and appears fuzzy because of dust on the camera's cover. (AP Photo/NASA)

SOUTH HADLEY — It’s a good thing Darby Dyar is able to sleep on planes, because the Mount Holyoke astronomy professor will be shuttling back and forth to Pasadena, Calif., for the next few months as a member of the scientific team studying information sent back to earth from the just-landed Mars rover Curiosity.

Dyar is playing an important role in the NASA mission.

“My job is to look at chemistry,” said Dyar, in a phone interview from Pasadena, where she and 405 other scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory watched Curiosity land on the red planet.

Dyar is on a team of about 40 scientists responsible for a complex instrument called a ChemCam, which is perched on the rover. Equipped with a camera, laser and spectrometer, the ChemCam is designed to collect and send data long-distance on the composition of soil and thousands of rocks on Mars.

Part of her team is back home at Mount Holyoke, creating a database of rocks on earth to compare with those on Mars. Her team includes research lab manager Elly Breves, computer scientist Paul Dobash, UMass graduate student Marco Carmosino, Mount Holyoke student Melissa Nelms, and other students from the Five Colleges area.

NASA awarded Dyar a grant for $476,000 in June.

The data she and her team receive will reveal facts about geology and climate on Mars – and even whether Mars could sustain life.

It’s no joke, said Dyar. “There are some very credible scientists who believe that one day humans will live on Mars,” she said.

In the shorter term, she said, “the work we’re doing on Mars is also going to enhance the abilities of geologists on earth to find minerals that we need to survive.”

But the biggest benefit of the $2.5 billion Mars project, she said, is that it gets people excited about science – an excitement that has long-term effects.

Dyar said all the scientists working on the Mars project have to be in Pasadena for the first three months of the mission. They are meeting twice a day to discuss data and provide support. The rover will be sending back information for years.

“During the first 90 days, I’ll be living on Mars time,” said Dyar. “Daylight on Mars is not the same as daylight on earth. A day on Mars is 40 minutes longer.

“In theory,” said Dyar, “it means I’ll have extra time every day!” In practice, it means the natural cycles of sleep and waking are disrupted.

While scientists in Pasadena make sure the spacecraft remains in good shape after landing, Dyar will return to South Hadley for a few days this week. In September she will begin dividing her time between two coasts so she can keep teaching her classes in South Hadley.

“I have a very big commitment to teaching,” said Dyar, “and I have a very big commitment to this program.”

Associated PressThis photo made available by NASA shows the Curiosity rover, bottom, and its parachute descending to the surface from the vantage point of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. (AP Photo)

Dyar was thrilled with the picture of the rover landing on Mars by parachute, a picture taken by an orbital camera circling Mars. “It’s amazing,” she said.

She is also glad of the attention her role is focusing on her liberal arts women’s college in South Hadley.

“We do great, world-class research at Mount Holyoke,” said Dyar, “and I am one of many. I have fantastic, wonderful faculty colleagues!”

Dyar has taught at Mount Holyoke for 13 years. She grew up in Indiana, graduated from Wellesley College and got her Ph.D from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“I moved to Massachusetts when I was 18,” she said, “and I never wanted to leave.”

The feeling is mutual. “Oh my goodness, I am SO proud of her,” said Mount Holyoke College president Lynn Pasquerella. “She has provided our students with such an opportunity to transform the way we see the world – and the universe!”

A top labor leader criticized the Massachusetts Gaming Commission for moving too slowly in awarding licenses for casino resorts.

AP file photo/Josh ReynoldsMembers of the Massachusetts Gamign Commission, from left, are: Enrique Zuniga, James F. McHugh, Chairman Stephen Crosby, speaking, Bruce Stebbins, and Gayle Cameron.

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Gaming Commission today reached a crucial point in the effort to approve casinos when members voted to begin accepting $400,000 application fees from gambling companies.

Starting Thursday, casino companies can fill out a form and submit a nonrefundable $400,000 deposit. After they do that, companies will be certified as applicants and will be allowed to meet with state agencies to discuss environmental or transportation permits, for example, said Stephen P. Crosby, chairman of the five-member commission.

"This is when the train really starts to leave the station," Crosby said after today's meeting.

The commission plans to formally announce the application process during a forum to be held from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at Western New England University in Springfield, Crosby said. The educational forum will includes panels on tourism, workforce training for casinos and ways for communities to manage the effects of casinos.

Despite the commission's progress, a top labor leader in Massachusetts criticized the panel for moving too slowly in awarding licenses for casino resorts.

Francis X. Callahan, president of the Massachusetts Building Trades Council, said the commission's preliminary timeframe means that a license for a casino might not be awarded until November 2014, or three years after a law was passed to authorize casinos in Massachusetts.

"It's discouraging," Callahan, whose organization includes 74 local unions representing about 75,000 people, said in an interview. "It just seems like it is taking a long time on this."

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno has also raised questions about whether the commission is moving fast enough to license casinos.

After bids are awarded, it could take one to two years of construction, meaning a casino resort may not open its doors until 2015 or 2016, according to the commission's estimated timeframe.

During its meeting in Boston today, the commission voted unanimously to move forward with a plan for a two-part bidding process for casinos.

The plan would require casino operators to submit extensive material on their finances and ethics as a first step in the process.

If the companies are qualified based on that initial material, they would then be allowed to submit bids for operating licenses at specific sites.

Crosby said companies have the option of providing the $400,000 deposit ahead of submitting a bid during the first phase of the process. Or, companies can pay the fee when it provides material during the initial step of bidding.

Crosby said the commission also can ask companies to pay more than $400,000, which is intended to cover the costs of the commission's investigations of ethical and financial information.

The commission is planning to formally issue requests for the first stage of bids by Oct. 15. Commissioners have set no deadline for companies to respond with financial and ethical information, but have said it could be anywhere from January to May.

Under the commission's tentative licensing schedule, the commission would award bids for casino operating licenses any time between October of next year and November of 2014.

In a letter to Crosby, Callahan cited a consultant's report for Massachusetts in 2008 that estimated it should take 19 months after approval of a casino law to issue a license for a casino. That would mean a license should be awarded in June.

According to data from the American Gaming Association, an industry trade group, all 23 states with commercial casinos issued operating licenses more quickly than the proposed timetable in Massachusetts, he said in the letter.

Casinos opened in most states within two years of passage of a law, he said.

"We're just urging them to move as quickly as possible," Callahan said. "There's a lot at stake in terms of jobs, economic development and revenues."

Crosby said the decision to seek application fees shows the commission is starting to move very quickly.

"If he has some suggestions on ways to speed up, we're more than game," Crosby said of Callahan.

Casino companies can use at least $50,000 of the application fee to reimburse communities for the costs of determining the effects of a gambling resort and negotiating agreements, Crosby said.

Crosby said he is looking forward to Wednesday’s forum because of the strong interest about casinos in Western Massachusetts.

Some executives of casinos companies are also expected at the forum.

Ameristar Casinos of Las Vegas, which is planning a casino for Interstate 91 and Page Boulevard in Springfield, and the Mohegan Sun, which plans a casino in Palmer off the Massachusetts Turnpike, have so far made the only two formal proposals for casinos in Western Massachusetts.

Penn National Gaming in Wyomissing, Pa., reiterated earlier this month that the company is pursuing new gaming opportunities in Western Massachusetts.

Hard Rock Cafe, a Florida-based company, dropped a casino plan for Holyoke, but is still interested in opening a casino in Western Massachusetts.

MGM Resorts, which canceled a plan for Brimfield, "remains 100 percent committed to bringing a world-class casino resort to Western Massachusetts," according to a spokeswoman for the company.

Peter A. Picknelly, chairman and chief executive officer of Peter Pan Bus Lines, is proposing a casino on land in the North End of Springfield that would include the bus station property on Main Street.

Two companies associated with Peter Picknelly last month presented an option to buy The Republican's Main Street building and property, as well as the newspaper's eight vacant acres on the Connecticut River, which is adjacent to property that Peter Picknelly owns.

Jimmy Graham declared himself the best of the trio.

APNew England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) as New Orleans Saints defensive back Roman Harper (41) closes in during a joint NFL football practice in Foxborough, Mass., Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012.

FOXBOROUGH – Jimmy Graham didn’t even have to think about it.

He believes that he’s best tight end in the NFL, and being on the field with the New England Patriots duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez during Tuesday’s joint practice did nothing to deter him.

So when Graham was asked if he was willing to declare himself the king of tight ends, there was no reason to pause or reflect. He just answered.

“Of course,” Graham, a former basketball player who just recently took up the game, said before repeating himself for emphasis. “I’m young, and the thing about me is that I’ve been playing for three years. I know I’m getting better.”

Really, though, choosing between the three is merely a matter of opinion. All three bring different elements to table and are widely considered the best tight ends in the league.

While Hernandez was slowed by injuries last season, Gronkowski and Graham went into the last week of the season locked in a dead heat for the all-time receiving mark by a tight end, with Gronkowski narrowly edging him out, 1,327 yards to 1,310.

Maybe that’s why Gronkowski doesn’t feel like he has anything to prove and took a more diplomatic approach when posed a similar question.

“There’s really no competition,” Gronkowski said. “He’s a great player, a great guy to put the film on and see what he’s doing to get open. He’s doing a great job at it so you can learn from him.”

For defensive coordinators, there is no right or wrong opinion when it comes to the trio. The only thing matters is that all three players are a nightmare to matchup against, and those issues are compounded in New England with both Gronkowski and Hernandez to worry about.

After just one practice, Saints defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo came to understand just how daunting the task is.

“We only have 11 and they have 11,” Spagnuolo said. “You can only double so many guys, so you’ve got to pick your spots, pick and choose, and that’s one advantage they have. I’m sure Tom (Brady), when he sees a double somewhere, he goes to the other guy, and he’s got a guy who can beat a one-on-one.”

And even if Graham thinks he’s the best of the three, his brashness should not be taken as disrespect.

He said he was honored to be in the same class as Hernandez and Gronkowski, and that he consistently watches both players and tries to emulate Hernandez’s precise route running and the way Gronkowski uses his body to his advantage.

“I think all of us work hard,” he said. “I’m definitely proud to be in that group, but I definitely except to be because how hard I work and how hard I continue to work.”

The teams gathered together at the end of practice.

APNew England Patriots running back Brandon Bolden (38) runs into New Orleans Saints' Isa Abdul-Quddus as Patriots coach Bill Belichick watches during a joint NFL football practice in Foxborough, Mass., Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012.

FOXBOROUGH -- The Patriots and Saints came together in a circle at the end of practice to pay their respects to Garrett Reid, who was recently found dead in a dorm room at the Eagles training camp facilities.

Patriots wide receiver Matthew Slater and Saints kicker John Kasay led the teams in prayer as many players dropped to one knee and bowed their heads.

“It was also letting guys know how we truly are blessed to come out here and play football, no matter how hot it is, and how sore you are,” Saints safety Roman Harper said. “To have the opportunity to try to win a job in the NFL, not everyone gets that opportunity.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick flew to Reid’s funeral service prior to practice with members of the Saints staff on New Orleans owner Tom Benson’s private jet.

Upon returning, he reiterated his longstanding respect for the Reid family.

“Kind of heavy heart today,” Belichick said. “Just glad I had an opportunity to be there and see (Eagles coach) Andy (Reid) and his family and the Eagle organization. I have a lot of respect for them. … My heart goes out to Andy.”

The commission and other panelists will discuss key issues associated with the introduction of expanded gaming to the Bay State at Western New England University.

File photo | Associated PressMembers of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, from left: Enrique Zuniga, James F. McHugh, Chairman Steve Crosby, Bruce Stebbins and Gayle Cameron. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will be in Springfield on Wednesday to present a public forum on casinos and related issues.

With several gaming companies showing interest in obtaining the one license to build a casino in the four Western Massachusetts counties, the commission and other panelists will discuss key issues associated with the introduction of expanded gaming to the Bay State at Rivers Memorial Hall on the campus of Western New England University.

The forum is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and The Republican and MassLive.com will have reporters there throughout the afternoon providing live updates on the issues discussed and the comments made by people from Western Massachusetts. Readers of MassLive.com will be able to add their comments in an online discussion of the forum that will include updates from The Republican reporters.

The Republican's Statehouse reporter, Dan Ring, who's been covering the casinos issue, will write separate stories during the afternoon as they develop from the three panels of discussion: tourism; workforce training for casinos; and ways for communities to manage the effects of casinos.

For our readers who can't make the forum, we'll try to ask some of your questions about casinos and how they might affect your city or town. You can leave your questions for the Gaming Commission in the comments section below. Our reporters at the forum will do their best to ask some of your questions.

Forum panelists include the members of the Gaming Commission – Chairman Steve Crosby, Gayle Cameron, James F. McHugh, Bruce F. Stebbins and Enrique Zuniga; Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Executive Director Tim Brennan; State Sen. Gale Candaras, D-Wilbraham, Chair of the Joint Committee of Economic Development and Emerging Technologies; and Holyoke Community College President William Messner.

Other events were held in Chicopee, Palmer and East Longmeadow.

SPRINGFIELD - Hundreds of neighborhood residents attended the first National Night Out party held at Nathan Bill Park in East Forest Park.

Organizer Beth Hogan said she organized the event “to celebrate community and build partnerships with the Police and Fire Departments and state police.”

National Night Out events were held in seven other neighborhoods of the city on Tuesday as well.

East Forest Park has “good community,” Hogan said, adding that she has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years.

Former City Councilor William Foley who said he lives in East Forest Park said last year's tornado devastated a swathe of East Forest Park last year. He said the signs of the tornado are gone, except for some missing trees.

“Neighbors are walking to this event, and they will keep coming,” Foley said. “This is a very strong, neighborhood community.”

National Night Out, which involves all 50 states, started 29 years ago and has spread. Communities gather on Aug. 7 in a show of force against violence, drugs, gangs and crime. Police typically attend to meet residents and demonstrate some of their special units.

Hogan thanked State Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo Jr., D-Springfield, for inviting the state police to attend the East Forest Park event.

Hampden County District Attorney Mark Mastroianni also attended.

In Springfield National Night Outs also were held in East Springfield, Indian Orchard, City View Commons at Federal Court, Kenific Park on Plainfield Street in the North End, Allen Park Road, Seniority House at 307 Chestnut Street and Old Hill, Upper Hill and Maple High Six Corners at 721 State Street.

Chicopee held a National Night Out event on Monday, the day before the national event.

Jean Fitzgerald, chair of the National Night Out Against Crime Committee in Chicopee and founder of the event, said 3,000 to 4,000 people attended in Chicopee.

This was the 19th year of the event in Chicopee. Spread out across Sarah Jane Sherman Park were bounce houses, games offered by different community groups, a bicycle and skateboard demonstration and free food.

In Palmer, National Night Out was held in the parking lot of the Divine Mercy Parish on Main Street in Three Rivers.

The event was hosted by the Three Rivers Fire Department which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

“This is great for all the kids,” Town Council President Philip J. Hebert said. “They all love the fire trucks.”

The left-hander is back on track, but his team isn't scoring runs for him.

Associated PressJon Lester had a shutout until the sixth against Texas Tuesday, but left with a 3-0 deficit.

BOSTON - It took only a couple of weeks for Jon Lester to change from hard-hit starter to hard-luck loser.

The Red Sox left-hander had one of his better outings in a mostly discouraging season Tuesday night, only to draw the short straw in a 6-3 loss to the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park.

"A couple of bad pitches out of 111. I'll take my chances with that,'' said Lester, whose pitching was better than his math on a night he actually threw 116.

It was not enough to win, but Lester is convinced he has to move forward and build on positive signs.

"I can't keep talking about being frustrated. Everybody knows we're frustrated - we don't like losing,'' he said.

"The last three starts, though, I've thrown the ball better than I have all year. I feel great physically, and I feel we've made the right adjustments.

"I'm keeping the ball down in the zone. There were not a lot of hard-hit balls.''

Many of those hard-hit balls came after Lester left. The pitching culprits in this one were the relievers, primarily Mark Melancon, who allowed an inherited run in the seventh and coughed up one of his own in the eighth.

That sabotaged a Sox comeback that arose when Will Middlebrooks cut into a 4-0 deficit with a three-run, pinch-hit home run that withstood a long review.

It drove out Texas starter Ryan Dempster, who should have been out of the inning with a shutout. A misplayed single and second baseman Ian Kinsler's error gave Middlebrooks a chance.

Melancon gave one back in the eighth, and Boston's brief two-game winning streak was over.

Hit hard often during the worst season of his career, Lester rustled to life in New York on July 28. He left with a lead the bullpen lost in a game that Boston eventually pulled out.

Building on that performance, Lester allowed three runs in eight innings of a 5-0 loss to Minnesota Thursday. He was sharp again on Tuesday.

The Sox certainly went down fighting Tuesday. Irate at being called out on an eighth-inning checked swing, Dustin Pedroia was ejected in the ninth by first-base umpire Paul Nauert.

That brought manager Bobby Valentine out to argue, and for a few fleeting minutes, the fans were chanting Bobby V's name in a positive way.

It was Pedroia's second career ejection and first at Fenway. He was tossed in Baltimore on Aug. 19, 2008.

The second baseman had left by the time the media entered the clubhouse, but Lester spoke up for him.

"It was a bad call. Petey plays the game so emotionally, and for him to get so fired up ... it was a bad call,'' Lester said.

Nauert will be the plate umpire Wednesday. Lester was asked if there might be repercussions.

"Go ask (Nauert). I don't know,'' the pitcher said.

That Lester is regaining his form is indisputable, but he is still 0-5 in his last seven starts and 5-10 overall.

He allowed four runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He and Dempster matched zeroes until doubles by David Murphy and Kinsler, and then Josh Hamilton's single, gave Texas a 2-0 lead in the sixth.

Murphy, a former Red Sox outfielder who was swapped in the forgettable 2007 deal for pitcher Eric Gagne, made it 3-0 with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Melancon served up Kinsler's second double, letting in a run that was charged to Lester. When Middlebrooks' homer made it 4-3, that run became huge.

Dempster shut out the Red Sox on June 15, when he was still with the Cubs. All three Red Sox runs were unearned.

Brees said he and Brady have a great relationship off the field and worked out together during the offseason.

APNew Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) signs autographs for spectators after the NFL football teams' joint practice in Foxborough, Mass., Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012.

FOXBOROUGH -- Tom Brady and Drew Brees first became familiar with one another when the two were starring in the Big Ten conference and have developed a close relationship over the years.

They worked out together in Southern California this offseason, and came together again Tuesday during the Saints and Patriots joint practice at Gillette Stadium.

The practice was supposed to be a meeting of two of the NFL's two finest passers, both of whom passed for more than 5,000 yards last season, though it fell short of its billing as Brady struggled throughout the afternoon. But that did little to change Brees' opinion of the New England passer.

"I have a great relationship with Tom, not only professionally, but personally," Brees said. "Certainly he’s one of the best, if not the best, of all time.”

Councilors blamed Mayor Alex Morse for pushing for a needle exchange program without allowing a City Council vote.

Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse, left, and City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain are at odds over the approval of the latest needle exchange program in the Paper City.

HOLYOKE – The latest controversy over establishment of a needle exchange program has amounted to a bypassing of proper process that threatens to usurp City Council authority, councilors said Tuesday.

Councilors blamed Mayor Alex B. Morse for pushing for a needle exchange program without allowing a City Council vote.

Morse said the local approvals for such a program were the ones that happened on July 9, which was a 3-0 Board of Health vote and the mayor’s approval.

Councilors disagreed, saying that local approval on such an issue must include a City Council vote.

They said the mayor should have heeded previous City Council votes in the past 16 years against needle exchange and a nonbinding referendum in 2001 in which voters did the same.

“I want to make sure the council doesn’t lose its authority to vote on those things. Our local approval power has been usurped for us,” council President Kevin A. Jourdain said.

“We really have to hold onto the strings of power that we hold,” Councilor Daniel B. Bresnahan said.

Councilor Todd A. McGee said Morse gave false information when he said at the July 9 health board meeting that the City Council was aware needle exchange would be voted on.

“That didn’t happen,” McGee said, in remarks outside the meeting. “That’s the whole problem, there is no transparency here.”

Ward 7 Councilor Gordon P. Alexander said the process that transpired with the needle exchange July 9 vote was a joke.

Councilor at Large James M. Leahy praised Jourdain's handling of the opposition to how Morse's actions on the needle exchange program..

"It's not good for the city," Leahy said of needle exchange, before the meeting.

Councilors were debating an order from Jourdain. The order called for the City Council to contest implementation of the needle exchange program. It also called for the council to authorize the council president to retain legal counsel to contest such a program.

The council passed the order 13-2.

Morse said the Board of Health will reconsider its needle exchange vote Tuesday at 5 p.m. at City Hall.

“My administration has taken the steps to be transparent,” Morse said of the councilors criticism.

The debate at City Hall came hours after City Solicitor Elizabeth Rodriguez-Ross issued a cease and desist order to halt the needle exchange program. Tapestry Health has been running the program at its office at 15-A Main St. since the health board vote and approval of the mayor last month.
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Rodriguez-Ross’ opinion that the needle exchange program must shut down at least temporarily comes in contrast to a comment she made Friday to The Republican and MassLive.com She said then she agreed that the Board of Health vote July 9 authorizing needle exchange was done in a meeting that violated the state open meeting law, as Jourdain had contended in a complaint.

The open meeting law was violated July 9 because the health board failed to list specifically on the agenda that a discussion and vote on needle exchange would be held.

Rodriguez-Ross had told a reporter Friday she believed the needle exchange program could continue operating despite the open meeting law violation. But in a letter Wednesday to Commissioner John Auerbach of the state Department of Public Health and Tapestry Health President Leslie Tarr Laurie, she said the needle exchange program “must be suspended immediately.”

In needle exchange, people submit used intravenous-drug needles and get clean needles in return. The goal is to reduce the spread of AIDS and hepatitis C, diseases for which there are no cures and which can be spread through the sharing of infected needles.

Supporters have said needle exchange is valuable because it can save lives.

Foes have said allowing needle exchange risks making the city a haven for drug addicts who know they can get needles to shoot up heroin.

Needles Exchange Suspend Order

A few takeaways from the premiere episode.

APMiami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin, center, talks to Karlos Dansby, right, as Cameron Wake, left, smiles during a stretching exercise at NFL football training camp in Davie, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012.

HBO just finished airing the premiere episode of Hard Knocks starring the Miami Dolphins, and from the early moments it was clear that there is going to be plenty of storylines of interest to Patriots fans.

Here are a few takeaways from the episode:

PHILBIN’S WAY: Dolphins head coach and Longmeadow native Joe Philbin may run the most interesting camp in the NFL. Most teams typically have their offense going against their defense and take time to reset after every play. Not Philbin. Instead of doing things the traditional way, he has two teams lined up against each other, facing opposite directions on the field. When one play wraps, the other begins immediately. This approach, as HBO said, allows him to run more plays per minute than any team in the NFL. Several players were caught on camera complaining about the pace.

CHAD’S TALKING: You already knew that Chad Johnson was going to be hamming it up for the cameras, and he didn’t disappoint. In his first on-field appearance, he was shown dropping a pass in a montage. The next time we see him he’s all over the field making incredible catches. His best moments came, of course, when he was talking. Here is Johnson’s explanation for last year’s failures:

“I took a year off to give everyone else a chance to catch up.”

Humorous, sure, but later on Johnson was a bit more introspective.

“I drifted away from what got me where I was. I got comfortable. I felt I had arrived,” he said. “Or I made it, I got it. It somewhat caught up to me. I got exposed. One year. But so many people forget that I handled my business for a decade straight. You know how long that is to play up here?”

COLD REALITY: The show opened with an emotional reminder of how brutal the business side of the NFL can be by documenting the release of undrafted guard Derek Dennis. Now a member of the Patriots, Dennis’ fate was written before he was given the chance to go through his conditioning test. “I just hope to make the 53-man roster,” Dennis said before being released.

Massachusetts’ sales tax holiday is expected to amount to $20 million in savings for consumers.

Photo by Don Treeger / The RepublicanDoug Guertin, sales manager at Allpower in Granby, says he expects generators to be a big seller during the upcoming tax free day in Massachusetts.

This is an updated version of a story posted at 2:53 this afternoon.

GRANBY – From freezers to futons, the state’s annual tax-free weekend has shoppers out looking for big-ticket items.

Some are shopping for back -to-school and back-to-college gear, like a dorm room futon. Others are getting ready for fall and winter.

“Snowblowers are a big item for us on tax free day,” said Doug Guertin, sales manager for Allpower in Granby. “It’s something that no one likes to buy. So not paying taxes on it softens the blow.”

People also snap up portable generators during tax-free weekends in anticipation of fall and winter power outages, Guertin said.

“We definitely see a spike,” he said .

Gov. Deval L. Patrick signed legislation Tuesday making the two-day tax holiday Saturday and Sunday official even though the dates were included in a state budget passed at the end of July. For those two days , the state will not collect its 6.25 percent sales tax on most items. There are exceptions. State sales tax will be collected on restaurant meals, tobacco and single items that cost more than $2,500.

Guertin said anything a consumer has to register is also still taxable

Massachusetts no longer collects a sales tax on alcohol sold in stores. The state also doesn’t collect sales tax on most clothing items.

It would be the state’s eighth sales tax holiday in the past nine years. The holiday returned in 2010 after an absence during a state fiscal crisis in 2009.

Connecticut will have a sales tax holiday on during the week of Aug. 19 -25. Connecticut will suspend its 6.35 percent sales tax only on sales of clothing and footwear costing less than $300.

Massachusetts’ sales tax holiday is expected to amount to $20 million in savings for consumers.

“The fact of the matter is the government is not getting some of you money. They already are getting enough of it,” said Geoffrey Webb, a spokesman for Rocky’s Ace Hardware. “Here is your chance to make a large purchase and not worry about the sales tax. “

Hot-sellers for sales tax weekends include power tools, outdoor grills and patio sets. the patio sets are already on sale, Webb said.

At target, the focus is on back-to-school and back to college, said Dawn Buonocore, store team leader at Target at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside. That’s where the futons, and electronics come in.

“What we are seeing a lot of is that people are in here shopping this week, just window shopping in preparation for tax -free shopping,” Buonocore said.

She also notices people stocking up on taxable staples, like laundry detergent.

“They are buying a greater quantity of the staples they would normally buy because there is no tax,” she said.

Manny D. Rovithis, owner of Manny’s TV & Appliance said his sales people have already quoted prices for about $500,000 worth of merchandise. Customers will close those sales over the weekend.

“We are straight out from early in the morning until late at a night,” Rovithis said.

A lot of those sales are for kitchen ranges and refrigerators , freezers and air conditioners.

When the victim left his car to speak with Briggs, Briggs hit him in the head with a level, knocking out some of the victim's teeth, police said.

Timothy Briggs

SPRINGFIELD — Police on Wednesday charged Timothy Briggs, 54, of 17 Belvidere St., with assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (a level), after he allegedly came up to a man who was stopped in his car in traffic and started yelling at him, claiming he was driving improperly.

When the victim, a 35-year-old city resident, left his car to speak with Briggs, Briggs hit him in the head with a level, knocking out some of the victim’s teeth, police said.

Police said the victim was struck several more times. Police charged Briggs when they came upon the scene at the intersection of Roosevelt Avenue and Alden Street.

Briggs was arraigned in Springfield District Court and the case was continued until Sept. 20.

Timothy Briggs

The land is a vacant parcel bordered by West Main, Grove and Oak streets; it was being considered as a location for a new police station.

CHICOPEE — Citing concerns about potential lawsuits and possible contamination, the City Council has rejected a proposal to purchase a 2.5-acre parcel of land next to the former Uniroyal factory campus for a second time.

Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette proposed spending $280,000 to take the land bordered by West Main, Grove and Oak streets by eminent domain. The property was being considered as a location for a new police station.

The property, once owned by Facemate Corp., was acquired by Yves Demers as part of a tax settlement. Demers has since had it zoned for residential use, subdivided it into building lots and recently applied for a building permit to construct one duplex on the land.

When the City Council initially rejected the proposal, it was mainly over concerns about the cost, since it had been turned over to Demers for $90,000. But Karen T. Betournay, the city lawyer, explained the property was appraised at $280,000 by professionals, but has been assessed at $435,100 for tax purposes. The assessed value is higher because it was subdivided.

City councilors rejected the proposal in a 9-4 vote in June. It since met in closed session to discuss the issue with Betournay and this week it rejected it 10-1.

“I don’t have any appetite for taking any other contaminated property. I say let them build,” said City Councilor Timothy S. McLellan.

The property, which has no buildings on it, is believed to have been used as a parking lot for the Facemate or adjacent Uniroyal property. The land has not been tested by the city, so it is uncertain if it is contaminated. The city has been trying to clean up contamination from the Uniroyal factory campus and have the buildings demolished so the property can be redeveloped.

Councilor John L. Vieau said it has to be contaminated in some way because there are some limits now on how the property can be used, including that it cannot be farmed.

Councilor William M. Zaskey, who cast the sole vote to buy the land, said the land once belonged to the about 72-acre parcel that includes the Uniroyal and Facemate property.

“I think the 2.5 acres is an important part of the redevelopment of Uniroyal,” he said. “I think it is a good investment for the city, and I think it will be an asset for the city.”

Councilor James K. Tillotson disagreed. He said he is especially concerned that the city is planning to take the parcel for $280,000 while Demers has been paying taxes on land assessed at $435,100.

“I think it will end up going to court,” he said.

Tillotson also argued there are other 2.5-acre parcels in other spots in the city that could be used for the new police station and could be taken by eminent domain for the same amount or less and would be less problematic.

Police said the driver of the car was extremely drunk and unable to talk or perform a sobriety test.

Robert Dalby

SPRINGFIELD — Robert Dalby, 21, of 180 Pinewood Drive, Ludlow, was charged Wednesday by Springfield police with destruction of property, trespassing, and driving under the influence of liquor after he allegedly drove a black Volkswagen Jetta through two Smith & Wesson security gates at 2100 Roosevelt Ave.

Police said the driver of the car was extremely drunk and unable to talk or perform a sobriety test.

Dalby was arraigned Wednesday in Springfield District Court and his case was continued until Sept. 20.

Robert Dalby

Associated Industries’ Business Confidence Index rose 3.9 points last month, up from 48.3 points to 52.2 points on a scale of 1 to 100 where 50 is considered neutral.

SPRINGFIELD – Employers across Massachusetts gained confidence last month, but the hiring picture still looks lukewarm at best, according to survey results released Tuesday by Associated Industries of Massachusetts, a Boston-based business lobbying group.

Associated Industries’ Business Confidence Index rose 3.9 points in July, from 48.3 points to 52.2 points on a scale of 1 to 100 where 50 is considered neutral. In June, business confidence Business confidence was slightly lower, 50.5 points, a year ago in July 2011.

“I think the overwhelming factor we have to look at is the level of uncertainty,” said Andre Mayer, senior vice president of communications and research at Associated Industries of Massachusetts. “There are good reasons for employers to feel there is a lot of uncertainty.”

Troubles with European debt lead to a sharp fall in confidence in June 2012, Mayer said. Trade with the Eurozone accounts for 2.5 percent of the Massachusetts economy. Massachusetts is second among all U.S. states in terms of European trade behind Delaware.

Associated Industries’ employment index, a measure of hiring sentiment, rose to 53.9 points in July from 49.3 points in June. Twenty-eight percent of respondents reported having added staff in the last six months. compared with 15 percent who reported staff cuts. In the next six months, 22 percent of employers predict adding staff with 11 percent predicting cutbacks. That means somewhat less new hiring predicted but fewer layoffs, Mayer said.

“It’s a hunkering down,” he said. “It is a deteriorating situation for people looking for work,” he said . It’s discouraging not to see more dynamism in the economy.”

Confidence was higher in July among manufacturers at 53.2 points, up 3.6 points from the month before. That’s compared with all other companies at 50.9 points in July, up 4 points. Confidence was lower outside of metropolitan Boston, 51.6 points, up 4.5, than it was in Boston where it was 52.7 points, up 3.8 points.

Mayer received 140 surveys back after sending them out to a sample of 1,000 Associated Industries members. The group has a total membership of about 6,000.

The buildings have been vacant for at least 15 years.

Republican file photo by Mark M. MurraySome of the vacant apartment buildings which were former Westover Air Reserve Base housing units, these are off Stephens Street.The City of Chicopee is seeking a developer interested in reusing the property.

CHICOPEE — The city is starting to take requests from developers who are interested in redeveloping a 25-acre parcel of land with 128 housing units on it that was once owned by the military.

The city acquired that land off Kelly Drive and a separate four-acre parcel with five single-family homes off Fredette Street near Westover Air Reserve Base from the U.S. Navy in April. All 133 buildings have been empty for at least 15 years but maintained by the military.

The City Council voted Aug. 2 to sell the property on Fredette Street to Waycon Inc. developers, who will renovate the homes and sell them as single-family homes. The larger parcel was more complicated to handle, so it has taken more time to prepare it for development.

Over the past year the city has had multiple meetings with residents of condominiums who live near the 25-acre parcel to discuss how the property should be used. It could be for residential, business or a combination, Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said.

“At one point that complex had 600 people and 200 cars. That will not be acceptable for the renovation,” he said. “We may see a mixed bag of some demolition and some renovations.”

In the first meetings with the condominium associations, people were happy to tell officials what they did not want, but it was harder to get them to focus on what they would like to see on the property, said Kathleen A. Lingenberg, project manager for the Community Development Department, which has been working on the project for more than a year.

At least one member of each condominium association will now sit on the board that will evaluate the proposals when they are submitted.

The group has worked out a system that will score the developers’ proposals based on the neighbors’ and city’s interests and priorities, she said. The deadline is not until November, but an open house for the buildings is being held this week for interested developers, Lingenberg said.

City Councilor William M. Zaskey asked if it will be possible for a developer to simply come in and renovate all the units and turn them into a condominium or rental property.

“To just renovate it will be impossible,” Lingenberg said, explaining those proposals would score very low on the scale.

Bissonnette said the city is under no obligation to sell the land if an acceptable project is not submitted by any developer. Improvements to the roads and other infrastructure also will be required.

“We may get something unique and interesting. You are not tying someone down with this,” Councilor James K. Tillotson said.

The second phase of the rail trail will extend from the Westfield River to Orange Street.

WESTFIELD – Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail are planning a celebration later this summer or early fall to mark the completion of the first of three phases of the trail in Westfield.

The group is also turning its focus now on construction of a second phase of the project and to an educational campaign on the importance of both motor vehicle and bicyclists sharing public streets.

“The first phase of Westfield’s trail is simply spectacular. One has to experience it for themselves,” Friends president Jeffrey J. LaValley said.

“We have a committee engaged in planning for a dedication or event that will mark the opening of this initial phase,” said LaValley. ‘It will be late summer or early fall,” he said.

The first phase is all but complete with the city and contractor now engaged in the ‘punch list’ mode that identifies any addition work or corrective action needed to complete the project.

Earlier this year Westfield received a $1 million grant from the state Department of Environment and Conservation to help finance the project. Overall, when all three phases are complete the Westfield phase of the bike trail that extends south to Farmington, Conn. will cost an estimated $7 million.

“We are excited the initial project is done and will officially open soon to the public,” LaValley said, noting the public is already using the trail.

The next phase of the project is expected to be the northern section of the city that includes crossing the Westfield River. The final phase, the downtown section, will connect the northern section with the southern section. Funding for the next phase has been earmarked for 2014, project manager John J. Bechard, said earlier this year.

The completed section connects the downtown, off Broad Street in the Tin Bridge and Ponders Hollow area to Southwick which completed their stretch of the trail last year.

Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail formed about three years in support of the Westfield’s trail but planning for it started many years earlier.

LaValley said the group plans to distribute literature about trail safety, including public road safety, via kiosk’s stationed along the trail. They are also planning on scheduling several workshops on motor vehicle and bicycle safety.

Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., design engineers of Worcester is working with the city on the rail trail design and Mayor Daniel M. Knapik and City Engineer Mark s. Cressotti have said the plan is to proceed on an annual basis until Westfield’s trail is complete.