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Chicopee soccer complex proposed near Westover Air Base rejected by City Council

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The private soccer complex would have indoor fields in a permanent building and under an inflatable dome.

cameron.jpgDon Cameron of Amherst (right) is seeking as principal owner to construct an indoor and outdoor soccer facility at 123 First Ave., in Chicopee. In the center is his son Colby, 14, and on the left is Bill Marconi, who will be the general manager of the facility if their permits are granted.

CHICOPEE – The City Council zoning committee rejected a modified proposal to place an private soccer facility outside Westover Air Reserve Base after military officials said they have still have concerns about its safety.

After an hour-long hearing, the zoning committee rejected the request for a special permit 7-0. The full City Council will consider the proposal at its next meeting in September.

Donald Cameron III, of Amherst, wants to turn the former Post Office warehouse at 123 First St. into a sports facility with indoor and outdoor fields. His original plan was rejected in April because it is located in the Accident Prevention Zone, which is close to Westover runway and is vulnerable to plane crashes.

Thursday Cameron returned to the zoning committee with a modified plan that reduced the number of outdoor fields in the zone from six to one and moved an inflatable dome, which would cover six fields, outside the zone.

“We heard the military, we listened, we went back and we modified our plans dramatically,” said Thomas Murphy, a lawyer representing Cameron.

The biggest change is moving the inflatable dome, where 75 to 80 percent of the business will be, Murphy said.

Recommendations limit the number of people who gather in the zone to 25 per acre. With the property measuring 40 acres and the activities expected to attract no more than 225 people at a time, estimates show it will be well within the limits, Murphy said.

Murphy argued the project is good for the city, especially since playing fields are scarce. It will be a $6 million investment, the business will pay about $100,000 to the city in annual taxes and it will create jobs.

Murphy submitted a petition signed by about 3,000 people supporting the project. About 30 people attended the hearing but no one addressed the board.

He accused Westover officials of trying to scare people, saying plane crashes are rare and no C-5 Galaxy jet has ever crashed in Chicopee.

“We are not against soccer,” said Col. Steven Vautrain, commander of the 439th Airlift Wing. “People need to know this is a hazardous place.”

While the inflatable dome has been moved, the building, which will hold four indoor fields, cannot be moved. In addition people will be parking in the zone.

“We are trying to educate the public. Things do happen and they happen on the take off and landing,” he said.

Maj. Paul Dawson, a Westover lawyer, argued the density does not mean an average over the entire space but the number of people on any one spot. He said the outdoor soccer field, which measures between 1.5 and 2 acres will exceed the density of 25 people after spectators, children and employees are counted.

City Councilors said they like the project, but not in the proposed location.

“They are all legitimate concerns. I cannot recommend this,” Councilor Timothy S. McLellan said.

It is especially a concern at a time when Westover, which is the city’s largest employer, could face federal budget cutbacks including a proposal that could cut the number of planes at the base from 16 to eight in the future, he said.

Councilor John L. Vieau, chairman of the subcommittee, agreed saying his children play soccer, but he cannot support the plan when there are safety concerns.


New England Patriots' offensive line leaves something to be desired in preseason win over Saints

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The issues on the offensive line loomed large throughout the night.

tom-brady.jpegNew England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, talks with teammates on the bench in the second quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the New Orleans Saints in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012.

FOXBOROUGH – Tom Brady stood on the Gillette Stadium sideline after the New England Patriots' second series of the game and proceeded to give an earful to the rest of the offense.

He had seen enough. His first series of the game ended with him on his back watching the New Orleans Saints scurry after a lose ball, and the second never had a chance to get started.

The outcome of the game -- a 7 -6 Patriots' victory -- did not matter by that point. New England entered the game wanting to learn about its offensive line, and by the time Brady finished playing all of his 19 snaps, the 35-year-old quarterback had all the data necessary to make an assessment.

The offensive line is in need of work.

"There's a lot of things that we can learn from tonight," coach Bill Belichick said. "Obviously a lot of things we need to work on, but we'll keep plugging along and hopefully we can build on tonight."

With guards Logan Mankins (knee), Brian Waters (excused/did not report), and tackle Sebastian Vollmer (back) out, the Patriots were forced to go to battle with a patchwork line made up of (from left to right) Nate Solder, Donald Thomas, Dan Koppen, Dan Connolly and Marcus Cannon.

The first hint of trouble on the line came after the Saints were whistled for encroachment while fielding a punt -- a play during which linebacker Dane Fletcher suffered a torn ACL -- that gave the Patriots new life.

But New England was unable to capitalize. Koppen and Brady had an awkward center/quarterback exchange and left tackle Nate Solder was whistled for holding. Two plays later, right tackle Marcus Cannon, who has been standing in for Vollmer, allowed Saints defensive end Will Smith to sack Brady (4-for -7 , 30 yards) and force a fumble.

New England's next drive was submarined before it started after Cannon was whistled for a procedure penalty and Solder was again caught holding.

"It's just learn and move on," Solder said. "I think it's a building process, always trying to get better, work better together and make plays."

Wide receiver Deion Branch, defensive linemen Ron Brace and Jonathan Fanene were among the 20 players who did not dress for the game.

Branch, who is part of the highly contested battle at wide receiver, has not participated in team drills since Aug. 1. Spikes returned to practice on July 31 after missing the early portion of camp while recovering from offseason knee surgery, but he apparently suffered a setback and has not been on the field since Sunday.

As poor as the offensive line appeared at times Thursday, rookies Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower provided enough highlights on the defensive side of the ball to offset any immediate feelings of dread.

Both first-round selections during April's draft, Jones started at defensive end and Hightower began the game at outside linebacker. He slid into the middle after Fletcher's injury.

Jones made an immediate impact and obvious impact. On the second play of the game he chased Saints quarterback Drew Brees (1-for -4 , four yards) out of the pocket and forced him to throw the ball away.

He then singlehandedly killed New Orleans' third drive by drawing back-to-back holding penalties on Saints left tackle Jermon Bushrod.

Jones played most of the first half and finished with two tackles

Hightower's impact was less obvious, but he showed a consistent ability to get to the ball and was always around the action. He finished with four tackles.

"He's like six inches taller than, so he's got the length in his arm. He's got all the tools," defensive end Rob Ninkovich said of Jones. "For him, now, it's just studying who he's going against and fine tuning."

The same could be said for the rest of the Patriots.

Kiss, Motley Crue donate $100,000 to Colorado theater shooting victims

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Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue and Paul Stanley of Kiss said they hoped their gesture would encourage others to give.

APTOPIX_COLORADO_SHOOTING_10880319.JPGPeople gather outside the Century 16 movie theatre in Aurora, Colo., at the scene of a mass shooting early Friday morning, July 20, 2012.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Motley Crue and Kiss are donating money to support those affected by the Colorado movie theater shootings.

The bands said at their concert in suburban Denver on Wednesday night that they would donate $100,000 to the Aurora Victim Relief Fund.

The fund was set up to help victims and families who were hurt when a man opened fire July 20 at a midnight showing of the new Batman movie in Aurora. Twelve people were killed, and 58 were injured.

Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue and Paul Stanley of Kiss said in a written statement that they hope their gesture will encourage others to give.

Chandler Jones impresses in Patriots preseason opener; Saints player calls him 'a specimen'

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Jones was one of the bright spots Thursday night.

chandler-jones.jpegNew England Patriots rookie defensive end Chandler Jones (95) lines up against New Orleans Saints tight end David Thomas (85) during their first NFL preseason football game against the New Orleans Saints in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012.

FOXBOROUGH – It was a bit of a surprise when Chandler Jones was on the field at the start of the Patriots’ preseason opener.

By the second snap it was clear why he was out there. By halftime the rookie defensive end had minds wondering about future possibilities.

Head coach Bill Belichick refused to pump up Jones after the Patriots’ 7-6 victory over the New Orleans Saints, saying only that “he did some good things,” but his teammates weren’t as shy.

“He’s, like, six inches taller than me. He’s got the length in his arms. He’s got all the tools,” fellow defensive end Rob Ninkovich said of the 6-foot-5 Jones. “For him, now, it’s just studying who he’s going against and fine tuning.”

Jones was pretty close to being pitch perfect Thursday night against New Orleans. He finished the game with just two tackles while playing much of the first half, but his impact was felt all over the field.

On the second play from scrimmage, Jones chased Saints quarterback Drew Brees from the pocket and forced him to throw the ball away. During the third series he forced Saints tackle Jermon Bushrod to hold him on consecutive plays to singlehandedly kill the drive.

“He’s a specimen, I don’t have too much else to say,” Bushrod said. “He was excited, just like any other rookie.”

Jones was certainly something Thursday night.

Patriots-Saints, NFL preseason: Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley strong in opener

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Vereen and Ridley averaged more than a combined five yards per touch.

ridley.jpegNew England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley (22) finds some running room as New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Casillas (52) pursues during their first NFL preseason football game in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012.

FOXBOROUGH – There wasn’t much offense to speak of during Thursday’s game between the Patriots and Saints, but the New England running backs still managed to do enough to make their mark.

In their first game since BenJarvus Green-Ellis signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen ran for a combined 104 yards on 19 carries, good for an average of 5.47 yards per touch.

In a game where much was left to be desired on the offensive side of the ball, the pair of second-year backs never once left spectators wishing for Green-Ellis.

The duo shared in those sentiments.

“There’s really no time to be uncomfortable,” Ridley said. “You’ve just got to be out there and make the best out of every opportunity that they give you.”

That, they did.

Ridley started the game and picked up his 40 yards in sporadic bursts throughout the first half. Vereen, meanwhile, bought in bulk.

Down 3-0 entering the third quarter, the Patriots finally put Vereen in the game and turned him loose. He ran seven times for 64 yards during the drive, including an 18 yard run to the left side of the field, to set up a Brian Hoyer touchdown pass to Britt Davis.

“It felt good. It was the first time to really strap it on and go live,” Vereen said. “I think everybody felt really good out there.”

Vereen is hoping that the game is the beginning of a coming out party for him. The bulk of his rookie season was wiped out by a hamstring injury, so he entered the game as a bit of an unknown.

On a personal level, Vereen said it felt good to get on the field and prove that he still has it.

“It’s been so long since I played with the injuries and everything, but I just wanted to go out and perform as well as I could with the team,” he said.

“It felt good. It felt good to be out there running.”

Springfield officials say MGM Resorts International has sights on 3-block area in South End for casino project

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As part of the casino development, City Council President James Ferrera said, MGM would seek to purchase the vacant, city-owned South End Community Center and the former Alfred Zanetti School.

080912 zanetti school.JPGThe former Zanetti School at 29 Howard St. in the South End of Springfield would be among properties MGM Resorts International would seek to purchase for a casino.

SPRINGFIELD — Two city officials said this week that MGM Resorts International is interested in buying both public and private property in the South End, generally between Main Street and East Columbus Avenue, for a proposed casino, hotel and parking garage.

The area, at least three blocks in size, is along Interstate 91 and generally between State and Union streets, said City Council President James J. Ferrera III.

As part of the casino development, Ferrera said, MGM would seek to purchase the vacant, city-owned South End Community Center and the former Alfred Zanetti School, both severely damaged and left in partial rubble by the tornado of June 1, 2011. The city, however, would need to advertise for proposals for the two buildings, and is not yet seeking competitive bids, officials said.

A second city official, asking not to be identified, said he also is aware of MGM’s interest in that area of the South End, and said that even a larger area is being considered.

MGM officials have repeatedly declined comment on any specific site for a casino. On Wednesday, an MGM spokesman said an announcement is expected in a couple of weeks, and there was no further comment Thursday.

Ferrera stated two weeks ago that the South End corridor was being targeted by MGM, but provided some additional details this week. The added information included that the area would be on the west side of Main Street, between Main Street and East Columbus Avenue, but the specific area would be determined by the successful purchase of properties.

2011 james ferrera mug.jpgJames Ferrera

Ferrera said he was told by MGM that they have options to buy most of the private properties in the area. Ferrera, who appointed a Casino Site Committee in Springfield to help evaluate casino proposals, said he has personally met with representatives of MGM, Ameristar Casinos and Hard Rock International regarding their interest in Springfield.

As part of the discussions, MGM revealed an interest in having a skywalk created to link that side of Main Street near State Street with the nearby MassMutual Center, and in having a parking garage on East Columbus Avenue, Ferrera said.

Several property owners in the affected area of the South End were contacted for comment Thursday by The Republican, but did not return telephone calls.

Frank Colaccino, president of The Colvest Group, which owns the Berkshire Bank headquarters on East Columbus Avenue, said he has not been contacted by any casino group regarding any sale agreement for that commercial property.

Paul C. Picknelly, president of Monarch Enterprises in Springfield and a hotel owner and operator who is believed to be collaborating with MGM, has not returned telephone calls.

The city had attempted to find a buyer for the vacant Zanetti School building in fall 2010, and selected a preferred developer planning a charter school, officials said. That development effort failed, and the preferred developer status expired just prior to last year’s tornado.

Ferrera said he was told that the proposed hotel would have roughly 250 rooms and would be on the lower, west end of State Street.

Under state law, up to three casinos will be allowed in Massachusetts, including one in Western Massachusetts.

There are at least four casino proposals in Springfield, including the South End, the North End, the downtown center and in East Springfield.

Peter A. Picknelly, chairman and chief executive officer of Peter Pan Bus Lines, and the brother of Paul Picknelly, is proposing a casino in the North End and was involved with submitting an offer to The Republican for an option to buy The Republican’s 1860 Main St. building and property.

Kevin Kennedy, the city’s chief development officer, recently revealed that there is a proposal for a casino in the middle of the downtown district, but that he could not disclose the specific location, nor the identity of the developers.

The city has one formal proposal for a casino. Ameristar Casinos has purchased the former Westinghouse property on Page Boulevard in East Springfield for $16 million, and has cleared the 41-acre parcel for its proposed casino.

The Mohegan Sun is planning a casino in Palmer off the Massachusetts Turnpike, and there has been talk of casinos in Westfield, Holyoke and Chicopee.

In May, Westfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik reported that two gaming firms had expressed interest in property previously targeted for a $400 million Pavilion Mall project adjacent to the Massachusetts Turnpike in the city’s Northside. Penn National and Hard Rock had expressed interest in the 280-acre site.

MGM and other casino companies on Thursday passed up the chance to file initial applications for a state license on Thursday, the first day the applications were available from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

Only one company – the Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville – wrote out a check for a $400,000 nonrefundable application fee to the commission, along with a two-page certification form and some supporting documents, according to Elaine B. Driscoll, director of communications for the commission. The payment makes a company an official applicant, shows its local community that it is serious and allows it to meet with state agencies to discuss permits.

The commission plans to use the application fee to pay the costs of hiring a private firm to investigate the finances and ethics of the company, its affiliates and close associates.

Also, a minimum of $50,000 of the fee will be used to reimburse municipalities that would host a casino or would surround a casino located in an adjacent community. The $50,000, which would be a total for host and surrounding communities for one project, will help pay for the cost of determining the impact of the company’s proposed development and for negotiating agreements.

Plainridge, which offers live harness racing in the southeast part of the state, is applying for a sole license for a slot parlor, which can have up to 1,250 slot machines.

Companies still have plenty of time to pay the fee and file preliminary applications, which will be much more extensive than just the two-page certification form. No deadline has been set yet to file preliminary applications, but it may not be until the end of the year.

Staff reporter Dan Ring contributed to this report.

Congressional candidate Joe Kennedy III lands endorsement from Human Rights Campaign

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Citing his support for social and legal equality for LGBT people, the Human Rights Campaign officially endorsed Joseph Kennedy III in the race to represent the 4th Congressional District .

Joe Kennedy Elizabeth Warren Barney Frank Boston PrideDemocratic Congressional and Senate hopefuls Joseph Kennedy III and Elizabeth Warren, left and center, stand with openly gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank at the 42nd annual Boston Pride Parade in June 2012. (Photo courtesy of the Joe Kennedy 2012 Facebook page)

Citing his support for social and legal equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, the Human Rights Campaign officially endorsed Joseph Kennedy III on Friday in the race to represent the 4th Massachusetts Congressional District.

Kennedy, the son of former U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy II and a grandson of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, is aiming to win the seat to be left behind when U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Newton, retires at the end of his term. Since declaring his intention to run for Congress, Kennedy has been an outspoken advocate for LGBT equality.

Calling him a "tireless champion for fairness and equality," the president of the HRC compared Kennedy's anticipated approach to LGBT issues to that of the openly-gay Congressman Frank, who has fought to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act which federally defines marriage as being between a man and a woman.

"The 4th District is used to being represented by a leader on equal rights for all and Joe is the right candidate to fill those big shoes," said Chad Griffin, HRC president in a statement.

Kennedy, who was previously endorsed by the Bay State Stonewall Democrats, praised the HRC for working since 1980 to promote LGBT equality and promised to be an advocate for further progress.

“HRC has spent decades at the forefront of this country’s fight for true equality, and I am humbled to have their support in this race,” Kennedy said in a stament. “I believe deeply that each person deserves to be treated fairly, regardless of sexual orientation, race, religion, gender, or anything else. HRC will be an invaluable ally to this campaign moving forward.”

Kennedy is facing Republican competition from Dr. Elizabeth Childs, former state mental health commissioner; Sean Bielat, a U.S. Marine and businessman; and Fall River dentist David Steinhof.

The remaining Democratic challengers include Herb Robinson, the Newton Democrat who dropped out of the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts in December, and Rachel Brown, a Larouche Democrat who believes that President Barack Obama is actually an agent of the "British Empire."

Citing the pending Democratic primary showdown against Robinson and Brown, Kennedy's campaign previously confirmed that he will not be attending the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

2012 London Olympics track and field: US women set 4x100-meter world record, win gold

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Carmelita Jeter crossed the finish line pointing the baton at the clock showing a world record of 40.82 seconds.

carmelita jeter relay.jpgUnited States' Carmelita Jeter reacts as she crosses the finish line to win the women's 4 x 100-meter relay during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Friday, Aug. 10, 2012. The United States relay team set a new world record with a time of 40.82 seconds.

LONDON (AP) — Pointing the baton at the clock showing the world-record time of 40.82 seconds, Carmelita Jeter anchored the United States on Friday night to its first Olympic gold medal in the women's 4x100-meter relay since 1996.

Tianna Madison, 200-meter champion Allyson Felix and Bianca Knight gave the U.S. a big lead heading into the anchor leg by Jeter, who already owned a silver medal from the 100 and a bronze from the 200 in London.

Their final time cut more than a half-second off the old record of 41.37 run by East Germany in 1985.

Jamaica won the silver medal Friday in a national record of 41.41 seconds, with 100 champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Sherone Simpson, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart bringing the baton around.

The bronze went to the Ukraine in 42.04.

With Knight approaching for the final handoff, Jeter took nine strides, reached her hand back and took a perfect exchange. Jeter was staring at the clock as she covered the final 10 meters and used the stick in her left hand to make sure everyone else also had their eyes trained on the bright orange numbers on the trackside clock.

Afterward, the quartet of champions paused to watch a replay of their record performance on the scoreboard at 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium. When Jeter was shown crossing the finish line, Knight punched the air.

The perfect trip around the track ended a string of disappointments for the U.S. in the event. At Beijing four years ago, the Americans didn't even reach the final because Torri Edwards and Lauryn Williams bobbled the last exchange in the semifinals.

That marked the first time since 1948 that the U.S. wasn't involved in the women's 4x100 medal race at the Summer Games.


Suffolk Downs files Massachusetts casino application

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The race track recently unveiled plans for a $1 billion Caesars-brand destination resort that includes a hotel, restaurants, retail shops and an entertainment venue, in addition to a casino.

2012 suffolk downs.JPGSuffolk Downs in East Boston

BOSTON — An East Boston horse track has formally entered the running for one of the state's three casino licenses after filing an application fee and form with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

Suffolk Downs announced Friday that it had submitted a $400,000 non-refundable application fee with the commission to begin the formal process of earning a gaming license.

In June, the race track unveiled plans for a $1 billion Caesars-brand destination resort that includes a hotel, restaurants, retail shops and an entertainment venue, in addition to a casino.

Gov. Deval Patrick has signed a compact with the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe allowing them exclusive rights to develop a resort casino in southeastern Massachusetts. The gaming commission will award casino licenses in two other geographical regions of the state and a slots parlor license.

On Thursday, the first day the commission began accepting application fees, Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville wrote out a check for its $400,000 nonrefundable application fee to the commission, along with a two-page certification form and some supporting documents, according to Elaine B. Driscoll, director of communications for the commission. The payment makes a company an official applicant, shows its local community that it is serious and allows it to meet with state agencies to discuss permits.

The commission plans to use the application fee to pay the costs of hiring a private firm to investigate the finances and ethics of the company, its affiliates and close associates.

Also, a minimum of $50,000 of the fee will be used to reimburse municipalities that would host a casino or would surround a casino located in an adjacent community. The $50,000, which would be a total for host and surrounding communities for one project, will help pay for the cost of determining the impact of the company’s proposed development and for negotiating agreements.

Plainridge, which offers live harness racing in the southeast part of the state, is applying for a sole license for a slot parlor, which can have up to 1,250 slot machines.

Companies still have plenty of time to pay the fee and file preliminary applications, which will be much more extensive than just the two-page certification form. No deadline has been set yet to file preliminary applications, but it may not be until the end of the year.

The Republican Newsroom reports were included in this story

Tornado watch issued for southern New England

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The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for parts of Connecticut, eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island as thunderstorms move across the region from the southwest.

rain.JPGA shopper at the West Springfield Price Rite Supermarket uses a bag on her head to keep dry during an afternoon rainshower as she heads to her car.

BOSTON (AP) — The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for parts of Connecticut, eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island as thunderstorms move across the region from the southwest.

The watch issued Friday afternoon is in effect until 9 p.m. Storms also have heavy rainfall, and a flash flood warning was issued for New Haven and Middlesex Counties in Connecticut after heavy rain caused some street flooding.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for parts of central Connecticut and for Newport and Washington counties in southern Rhode Island.

Special marine warnings were issued for coastal waters off Connecticut, Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.

Massachusetts congressional candidate Andrea Nuciforo's campaign website gets overhaul amid plagiarism accusations

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Political consultants believe the absence of a personal apology or acceptance of responsibility on Nuciforo's part has the potential to hurt his candidacy more than the discovery of copied materials on his website.

Andrea Nuciforo Jr. kicks off Congressional run in HolyokeIn this Republican file photo, Former state Senator Andrea Nuciforo Jr. of Pittsfield kicks off his campaign in Holyoke, as he is seeking the Democratic nomination for the US House of Representatives newly formed 1st Congressional District.

Congressional candidate Andrea Nuciforo Jr.'s campaign website underwent a significant overhaul on Friday, a day after rival Bill Shein pointed out several instances where passages said to be Nuciforo's views were similar to or the same as those put forth by other Democrats.

Nuciforo, who along with Shein and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, are squaring off in a three-way Democratic primary to represent the new 1st Congressional District in Massachusetts, initially called Shein's accusation of plagiarism an instance of "desperate politics." But on Friday, the Nuciforo campaign was busy reworking its stated opinions and blaming the alleged plagiarism on the lack of oversight by a past staffer.

"There is a pretty big team that worked on the website, so it's hard to say exactly who put each of the sections online," said Patrick Tool, a spokesman for the Nuciforo campaign. "The person responsible for oversight of the team has not been with the campaign since June. We feel that all responsibility rests with the person who is no longer with us."

The Republican contacted the past staffer, who asked that his name not be published, and he acknowledged that he was responsible for overseeing the team that crafted and put the candidate's issue sections online.

The ex-staffer said that he worked with John Edwards in the past and offered Nuciforo's team links to position papers from the former presidential candidate, not thinking they would copy and paste them into Nuciforo's website, as was the case with the topics of senior issues and women's rights. The staffer, who has since moved on to another congressional campaign, acknowledged that as a manager, he holds some responsibility for the copied content even though he didn't do it himself.

The sections that were removed from Nuciforo's website on Friday included his purported views on veterans issues, the environment, women's rights and a page talking about issues of importance to older Americans.

By late Friday afternoon, revamped versions of the aforementioned pages began appearing on the campaign website.

In addition to the sections copied verbatim from Edwards, Nuciforo's stated positions and values also contained distinct similarities with former U.S. Senate candidate Alan Khazei, and Stacey Lawson, a Democratic congressional candidate in California’s 2nd district.

The Republican attempted to contact Khazei and Lawson on Friday. Khazei didn't return a request for a call left with his assistant, and Lawson's spokesman was reviewing the content in question before potentially commenting on the topic.

After the news broke on Thursday afternoon of Shein's allegation that Nuciforo's website contained unoriginal material, Nuciforo's campaign initially did not return calls from The Republican. Then at 6:27 p.m., Tool sent out a statement and called The Republican to ensure delivery.

In that statement, Nuciforo said, "Rather than advancing his own candidacy, Mr. Shein has resorted to the desperate politics of a desperate campaign. Voters in the new 1st (Congressional District) deserve better. I stand fully behind the progressive ideas I have put forth in this campaign. The truth is that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Like all policy makers, the ideas advanced by our campaign have been developed and advanced by like-minded Democrats."

Political consultants believe the absence of a personal apology or acceptance of responsibility on Nuciforo's part has the potential to hurt his candidacy more than the discovery of copied materials on his website.

Anthony Cignoli, a political consultant who takes clients from both sides of the aisle but isn't working with any candidate in this race, said that regardless of who should have proofread the issue papers before they went online, responsibility ultimately rests with the candidate.

"Any candidate is always responsible for their campaign staff. You may not be aware of everything they do, but you are the one running for office, not the staffers," Cignoli said. "This is not a Watergate-level of scandal but it is still a big deal. And although the voters may be desensitized to plagiarism, how the candidate is handling it means a lot more."

Matt Barron, a Democratic strategist whose company MLB Research Associates is not involved in the race, also said that Nuciforo should have taken responsibility up front.

"Harry Truman had a sign on his desk that said 'The buck stops here,' " Barron said. "It is a slippery slope to throw staffers under the bus, and now Nuciforo needs to decide how long he wants this to play out. As we saw with Elizabeth Warren's debacle over her Native American heritage, it is better to come clean early on."

Both Cignoli and Barron reflected that with less than a month until the Sept. 6 primary election that will determine who represents the new congressional district in Washington, any scandal is not a good thing.

Additionally, Cignoli questioned how a candidate who declared he was running back in 2009 before the new districts were drawn could not have had the time to put out his own positions.

And although the sections of the Nuciforo campaign website in question were taken down on Friday, as many politicians have learned the hard way, online content has a way of outlasting the news cycle surrounding a controversy.

Shein emailed a document to reporters on Friday highlighting the instances of the same or similar statements shared by Nuciforo and the aforementioned Democrats. That document can be seen below:

Nuciforo's views compared to other Democrats

Nuciforo isn't the first politician to be accused of taking the ideas of another and presenting them as his own, and he likely won't be the last.

In October, Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown's website was found to have a passage that contained several sentences which were verbatim remarks delivered by ex-North Carolina Senator Elizabeth Dole in 2002. At the time, Brown's Senate office in Washington attributed the similarities to his website being based off of the template of Dole's website.

The words were removed and Brown moved on to today, where he is running a close race against Warren.

During the 2008 Democratic presidential primary, candidate Hillary Clinton accused then-candidate Barack Obama of lifting parts of a speech delivered in Milwaukee, Wisc., from Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.

Once the allegations hit the news, Obama said that he and Patrick, a longtime friend, wrote the speech together, and he acknowledged that he should have credited him. But before long, Obama moved past the plagiarism allegation and went on to become president of the United States.

Another incident dates back to the 1988 presidential campaign by then-U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, who was found to have taken without credit portions of a speech by Neil Kinnock, leader of the British Labour Party. When media reports emerged about the similarities between the two speeches, Biden didn't address the controversy head-on, and further reports emerged that he had borrowed without attribution from Robert Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey.

The response to the plagiarism stories are partially credited for ending Biden's 1988 presidential run, although 20 years later, Biden ended up becoming a vice president to serve alongside Obama in the current administration.

Tornado sighted in Glastonbury, Conn.

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Tornado warnings have expired for Hampden and Hampshire counties, according to CBS 3 Springfield meteorologist Nick Morganelli. Tornado watches remain in effect for all of Western Mass until 9 p.m. this evening.

The National Weather Service at 5 p.m. reported a tornado sighting in Glastonbury, Conn., headed toward eastern Hampden County.

Tornado warnings have expired for Hampden and Hampshire counties, according to CBS 3 Springfield meteorologist Nick Morganelli. Tornado watches remain in effect for all of Western Mass until 9 p.m. this evening. Morganelli reports the storm system is weakening.

Heavy flooding also is mentioned as a possibility for urban areas this evening.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno grants late-night entertainment permits to 3 more downtown bars

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Glo Ultra Lounge, Shadow Lounge and Kush High End Complex must each hire 2 to 3 police officers to assist with security during the late evening hours.

2003 shadow lounge.JPGThe Shadow Lounge on Worthington Street was one of three bars on the street granted permission on Friday to have entertainment past the 1 a.m. curfew.

SPRINGFIELD — Mayor Domenic J. Sarno on Friday granted permission to three additional bars in downtown Springfield to keep the music playing past a 1 a.m. entertainment curfew.

Late-night entertainment permits were granted to Glo Ultra Lounge, Shadow Lounge, and Kush High End Complex, all located on Worthington Street, and owned by Paul V. Ramesh.

Ramesh had filed a lawsuit in Hampden Superior Court in April, after the late night permits were denied for Glo and Kush. Based on the new decision, which followed multiple hearings and a detailed plan for bar security, legal action is likely to be dropped, said Ramesh’s lawyer, Daniel D. Kelly.

“Obviously, we are very pleased with the mayor’s decision,” Kelly said Friday. “We submitted what we felt was a very comprehensive security plan. Obviously, the mayor agreed with us. We look forward to working with them in this process.”

Kelly said the bars will resume late-night entertainment effective immediately.

Sarno enacted the 1 a.m. entertainment curfew in April. It allows bars to stay open until 2 a.m., but requires them to shut off all entertainment, including music and television sets, at 1 a.m., unless they obtained the special permits issued by the mayor on a case-by-case basis.

More than a dozen bars have obtained the late night permits to date. Many received the permits after hearings, and after providing security plans and documentation that their food sales exceeded 40 percent of their income.

Alesia H. Days, the city’s director of licensing, said the approval of the permits for Ramesh’s bars “is predicated on your compliance with the conditions outlined in the security plans of the establishments.”

The three bars will hire two to three extra-duty police officers to work at the bars during the late evening hours, along with added security personnel, and take steps to disperse patrons at staggered times and from more than one door, Kelly said.

Sarno said he launched the curfew in April as a means of reducing late-night violence, improving public safety and reducing a drain on police resources.

Critics have said the curfew has hurt business for many bars in the downtown entertainment district and the neighborhoods.

Wishy-washy stock market ends slightly higher; Manchester United goes public

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In a week with no major developments in Europe's debt crisis, and no surprising reports on the U.S. economy, the market struggled to figure out which way to go.

By CHRISTINA REXRODE | AP Business Writer

081012 manchester united stock market.JPGExecutives from Manchester United, including Avram Glazer, fourth from left, and Joel Glazer, third from left, applaud after ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 in New York. Shares of soccer club Manchester United made their public debut Friday, edging up slightly as shareholders' enthusiasm for the celebrated team was offset by worry about its debt load and financial performance. (AP Photo/Jin Lee)

NEW YORK — The market had a wishy-washy Friday, capping an equally directionless week.

Stocks inched down for most of the day. Then, with 45 minutes of trading left, the Dow Jones industrial average turned positive. The Standard & Poor's 500 and the Nasdaq composite soon followed. All ended the day slightly higher.

In a week with no major developments in Europe's debt crisis, and no surprising reports on the U.S. economy, the market struggled to figure out which way to go. The three indexes rose incrementally on Monday and Tuesday and were mixed on Wednesday and Thursday.

In a market that has grown used to triple-digit swings on the Dow, this week brought none — the first time since early May that that's happened. It was a marked change from the same week a year ago. Back then, the Dow swung by triple digits every day, including one plunge of 634 points, after a downgrade of the U.S. debt rating. This week, the biggest move was a measly 51-point rise on Tuesday.

With many money managers on vacation, trading volume was low. "The sound of silence" is how Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist Ethan Harris labeled a note to clients Friday.

Sure, there were piecemeal signs about the world economy for anyone who was looking. But they were less than decisive.

The second-quarter earnings season continued to wind down calmly, with most companies coming in ahead of profit predictions. But China reported a troubling slowdown in its export growth. And the so-called fiscal cliff of 2013, when government spending cuts and higher taxes kick in, looms larger now that earnings season is out of the way.

"There are three big elephants in the room," said Marty Leclerc, chief investment officer of Barrack Yard Advisors in Bryn Mawr, Penn. "A slowdown in Asia growth, the European crisis ... and the U.S. 'fiscal cliff.' "

To be sure, stocks have risen fairly steadily since the U.S. debt downgrade last August. Compared to a year ago, the Dow Jones industrial average is up 23 percent.

Friday, the Dow ended up 42.76 points at 13,207.95. The S&P 500 rose 3.07 to 1,405.87. The Nasdaq composite rose 2.22 to 3,020.86.

But the stock market's relative good cheer doesn't necessarily mean the underlying economy is improving. Instead, the market gains are more a sign that central banks like the Federal Reserve are still willing to artificially prop up the economy, said Bill Strazzullo, chief market strategist at Bell Curve Trading outside Boston.

"You've got every central bank out there saying, 'We're going to print as much money as it takes, we're going to buy as many bonds as it takes,' " Strazzullo said.

Europe, the cause of so much market consternation for so many months, was quiet. Benchmark indexes fell slightly in France, Germany and Spain. Italy's long-term borrowing costs jumped, a sign that investors are nervous about its ability to pay its debts.

Manchester United, the white-hot British soccer club, had a lethargic debut as a public company. The stock closed exactly where it opened, at $14, likely a sign that investors are worried about its heavy debts.

A few stocks did make big moves. J.C. Penney jumped 6 percent, rising $1.30 to $23.40, after CEO Ron Johnson laid out more of his vision for turning around the struggling department store company. Lions Gate, the movie and TV studio, gained 21 cents to $13.46, after reporting a revenue surge thanks to "The Hunger Games."

Chesapeake Energy fell 3 percent, slipping 63 cents to $19.68, after reporting that the government is investigating possible antitrust violations surrounding its purchase of oil and gas land in Michigan. Yahoo fell 5 percent, losing 86 cents to $15.15, after revealing that shareholders might not get a payout that the company had previously planned.

China reported that its export growth slumped to 1 percent in July from more than 11 percent in June, as debt-burdened Europe pulled back on buying Chinese goods.

Dan Heckman, senior vice president at U.S. Bank wealth management in Kansas City, wondered if China's next exports report would show exports shrinking, rather than just growing more slowly.

"You don't have far to go from 1 to zero, or from 1 to negative," he said mid-afternoon, when shares were trading lower. "Frankly, we're a little surprised that the stock market isn't down more."

China is the world's second-largest economy and a major player among world markets. Throughout the recession and its aftermath, as other countries struggled, China kept growing and helped prop up everyone else.

Friday's data was just the latest sign of cracks in the country's armor. Thursday, China said that growth had also slowed in its auto sales and factory output.

2012 London Olympics men's basketball: Team USA dismantles Argentina, will meet Spain in gold medal game

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The U.S. will play Spain for the gold medal — a rematch of the final at the Beijing Games won by the Americans four years ago.

kobe bryant argentina.jpgUnited States' Kobe Bryant, right, and Argentina's Luis Scola (4) scramble for a loose ball during a men's basketball semifinal game at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 10, 2012, in London.

LONDON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 19 points, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James added 18 apiece and the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team pushed aside Argentina 109-83 on Friday in the semifinals.

The U.S. will play Spain for the gold medal — a rematch of the final at the Beijing Games won by the Americans four years ago.

With James doing a little of everything, the Americans finally pulled away in the third quarter from the Argentines, whose strong outside shooting had them within six points at halftime. But the defending bronze medalists eventually cooled off and the U.S. team moved into Sunday's final — as expected.

Spain rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to beat Russia 67-59 in the first semifinal.

James added seven rebounds and seven assists before taking a seat in the fourth quarter.

Manu Ginobili scored 18 to lead Argentina, which will play Russia on Sunday for the bronze medal.


Tornado warning lifted; severe thunderstorm, flash flood warnings issued for parts of Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties in Massachusetts

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The flash flood warning was issued for a large area of Massachusetts, and is in effect until 8:30 p.m.; a tornado watch is in effect until 9 p.m. for Hampden and Hampshire counties.

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A National Weather Service tornado warning issued for parts of Hampden and Hampshire counties in Massachusetts was lifted at 5:41 p.m., but a thunderstorm warning was subsequently issued.

The thunderstorm warning is in effect until 6:30 p.m.

The thunderstorm was sighted in Monson, nine miles east of Springfield. The thunderstorm warning was issued for west central Worcester County and southeastern Franklin, eastern Hampden county and southeastern Hampshire counties in Western Massachusetts.

Affected towns include Brimfield, Palmer, Warren, Ware and West Brookfield.

A flash flood warning was issued for a large area of Massachusetts, and is in effect until 8:30 p.m. Eastern Franklin, eastern Hampden and southeastern Hampshire counties in Western Massachusetts are affected. Also, all of Worcester County in central Massachusetts and Norfolk, Suffolk and Middlesex counties in eastern Massachusetts were under the flash flood warning.

A tornado watch remains in effect for Hampden and Hampshire counties until 9 p.m.

The storm created intense downpours, heavy winds and a reported sighting of a tornado in Connecticut. Connecticut Light & Power reported 13,677 customers had no power, and United Illuminated reported 877 customers lost power.

Who are Marco Rubio and Rob Portman? A guide to Mitt Romney's potential VP picks

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MassLive.com has compiled background reading on some of the politicians subject to the most intense speculation: Rob Portman, Tim Pawlenty, Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio, Kelly Ayotte and Bob McDonnell.

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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney told NBC that he is looking for a vice president with a “vision for the country.” So who might that be?

To get you up to speed as Romney mulls over his choice, MassLive.com has pulled together background reading on some of the politicians subject to the most intense speculation.

Ohio Senator Rob Portman is considered a leading contender. The Washington Post printed a profile of Portman, portraying him as disciplined and self-effacing. In response to a newspaper story remarking that he was boring, Portman responded in the Post story, “I told my staff that I’m so boring that I didn’t even know I was boring.” CNN reports that Portman comes with significant strengths, among them his hometown in the swing state of Ohio, foreign policy and national security experience, and work under both Bush administrations.

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is himself a former 2012 presidential candidate who got in the race early and dropped out early after failing to gain traction. The Washington Post notes that Pawlenty was passed over once before for the VP spot, by 2008 Republican nominee John McCain. Pawlenty’s hometown paper, the Star Tribune, recently ran a story about Pawlenty’s work on seven corporate boards. The Star Tribune previously reported that Pawlenty’s “lack of pizzazz” may be just what Romney is looking for.

Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan is one of the most well-known Republican leaders in the U.S. House, thanks to the budget proposal he put forth as chairman of the House Budget Committee. U.S. News and World Report details the impact of some of those budget proposals, and how they might affect Ryan as a VP pick. Politico writes that Ryan has little background in the private sector. The National Review reports on the positive chemistry between Romney and Ryan.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio could bring a crucial swing state into the Romney camp. Rubio is Cuban-American and one of his most well-known policy positions – which could hurt him with some conservative Republicans – is his decision to push for a modified version of the DREAM Act, which would allow students who are children of illegal immigrants to remain in the country legally, the New York Times reports. Fox News published a profile of Rubio, noting his hawkish foreign policy – and the scrutiny given to Rubio’s story about his immigrant parents. The Miami Herald reports on the unlikelihood of a Rubio pick, noting the coolness between Romney and Rubio.

New Hampshire Senator and former attorney general Kelly Ayotte has been floated as the most likely woman to be picked for the ticket. New Hampshire political observers told MassLive.com that Ayotte may not have enough experience to be picked for the job. But, NPR points out Ayotte’s conservative credentials on issues such as the death penalty and abortion could give Romney a boost.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who earlier said he was not being vetted, is now stumping for Romney and refusing to comment on the vice presidential selection process. ABC News provides McDonnell’s bio. “A popular pro-life battleground state governor, McDonnell's credentials include military service, stints as a prosecutor and state attorney general as well as overseeing a major drop in unemployment in his state during his term,” ABC’s Arlette Saenz writes.

Southwick mom, 39, faces multiple drug charges

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Joshua Burnham, 22, of Southwick also faces charges in relation to an alleged morning drug deal in the McDonald's parking lot.

SOUTHWICK — A 39-year-old mother of two was arrested Friday morning and charged with conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act when police observed her allegedly buying cocaine from a man who is now facing a drug distribution charge.

Southwick Police Sgt. Robert D. Landis said Darlene Pereira, of 12 Klaus Anderson Road, who was also charged with possession of a Class D substance and assisting in setting-up a narcotics transaction, and Joshua Burnham, 22, of 50 College Highway, were observed in the parking lot of the McDonald’s restaurant engaged in an illegal drug deal at about 10:30 a.m.

Landis said Pereira was attempting to purchase from Burnham one gram of cocaine with a $60 street value. He added that the Department of Social Services was notified of Pereira’s arrest and that her children, 13 and nine, who were home alone at the time of their mother’s arrest, are now in the care of family members.

Both Pereira and Burnham were being held in the Southwick jail as of late Friday afternoon and were expected to be released on $40 bail each and on personal recognizance to appear Monday morning for arraignment in Westfield District Court.

Landis said police were alerted to the impending drug deal by a confidential informant and “based on the information provided by the source we set up surveillance, and as a result were able to find these two as they were attempting to make a sale.”

Andrea Nuciforo's congressional campaign taking 'full responsibility' for policy positions copied from other Democrats

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A spokesman for Nuciforo's campaign said the campaign didn't mean to blame a past staffer in a previous interview and is taking full responsibility for the situation.

Andrea Nuciforo Jr.jpgPittsfield native and 1st Congressional District candidate Andrea Nuciforo Jr. and his campaign took full responsibility Friday evening for policy papers published on his website which were copied or borrowed without attribution from other Democrats.

This is an update to a story posted Friday afternoon on MassLive.com.


The campaign of Andrea Nuciforo Jr., a former state senator and the current Berkshire Middle District Register of Deeds, is now taking full responsibility for policy papers published on their website that were copied or heavily borrowed from other Democratic politicians without attribution.

In a phone call to The Republican following a report published at 4:57 p.m. Friday, Patrick Tool, spokesman for 1st Congressional District candidate Nuciforo, said the campaign didn't mean to blame a past staffer in a previous interview and is taking full responsibility for the situation.

"We're taking full responsibility for the oversight as a campaign and have made changes to the website to reflect that," Tool said in a phone interview. "The responsibility rests entirely with us."

Earlier in the day, the campaign had told the newspaper that a past staffer who was charged with overseeing the staff that crafted and put the positions online held responsibility for the apparent plagiarism. The past staffer, who asked that his name not be published, was tracked down and said that he previously worked on the John Edwards presidential campaign and had given Nuciforo's staff links to the published papers, not expecting them to go so far as to copy whole sections and present them as Nuciforo's own ideas. He took responsibility for not double checking their work.

Nuciforo's website was revamped on Friday with the questionable entries being taken down, reworked and republished.

The controversy began on Thursday afternoon when Bill Shein, one of Nuciforo's rivals in the race, sent an email to reporters pointing out six sections of Nuciforo's campaign website that he said were plagiarized from other Democrats, including Edwards, a former presidential candidate, former U.S. Senate candidate Alan Khazei of Brookline and Stacey Lawson, a Democratic congressional candidate in California’s 2nd district.

Nuciforo, who is in a three-way Democratic primary against Shein and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, to represent the new 1st Congressional District, initially brushed off concerns that sections on his website were copied from Edwards' positions published during his 2008 campaign and other sections of his site were quite similar to those published by Khazei and Lawson.

The about-face Friday evening comes as the campaign prepares for two debates with less than a month before voters decide which man will represent the new district, which incorporates all of Berkshire County, all but one precinct of Hampden County and parts of Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester counties. No Republican challengers emerged in the race.

Nuciforo's campaign isn't the first to be accused of taking the ideas of another and presenting them as their own, and it likely won't be the last.

In October, Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown's website was found to have a passage that contained several sentences which were verbatim remarks delivered by ex-North Carolina Senator Elizabeth Dole in 2002. At the time, Brown's Senate office in Washington attributed the similarities to his website being based off of the template of Dole's website.

The words were removed and Brown moved on to today, where he is running a close race against Warren.

During the 2008 Democratic presidential primary, candidate Hillary Clinton accused then-candidate Barack Obama of lifting parts of a speech delivered in Milwaukee, Wisc., from Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.

Once the allegations hit the news, Obama said that he and Patrick, a longtime friend, wrote the speech together, and he acknowledged that he should have credited him. But before long, Obama moved past the plagiarism allegation and went on to become president of the United States.

Another incident dates back to the 1988 presidential campaign by then-U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, who was found to have taken without credit portions of a speech by Neil Kinnock, leader of the British Labour Party. When media reports emerged about the similarities between the two speeches, Biden didn't address the controversy head-on, and further reports emerged that he had borrowed without attribution from Robert Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey.

The response to the plagiarism stories are partially credited for ending Biden's 1988 presidential run, although 20 years later, Biden ended up becoming a vice president to serve alongside Obama in the current administration.

Tornado touches down on Long Island before storm pushes through Connecticut and Massachusetts

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A tornado warning was issued briefly for parts of Western Massachusetts.

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Updates a story posted Friday at 6:02 p.m.


Remembering the 2011 tornado, residents of Western Massachusetts took seriously a tornado warning issued at 5 p.m. Friday by the National Weather Service.

The tornado warning was lifted at 5:45 p.m., although tornado watches remained in effect until 9 p.m. for Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties.

The National Weather Service reported a tornado sighting in Glastonbury, Conn., around 4:45 p.m., and reported that the tornado was moving toward eastern Hampden County, including the towns of Monson, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow, Hampden and Ludlow.

The tornado warning was downgraded to a severe thunderstorm warning by 5:45 p.m.

There was also a flooding advisory in effect until 9 p.m. for Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties.

At 6 p.m. the sun broke through in Springfield.

Glastonbury, Conn., deputy emergency management director Michael Roberts said “a good amount” of trees and power lines wee down in eastern Glastonbury. He said he wasn’t aware of any structural damage. Scott DeVico, state emergency services spokesman, said he expects the National Weather Service will assess whether a tornado touched down, but there were no confirmed reports.

About 17,000 customers were reported without power in Connecticut.

Also in Connecticut there were reports of flooding in Bridgeport, Fairfield, New Haven and Middletown, as heavy rain moved across Long Island Sound and pushed into the state.

The National Weather Service said a tornado touched down on eastern Long Island during a storm that uprooted trees and damaged homes.

The tornado was moving at maximum wind speeds of about 85 miles per hour in Suffolk County Friday afternoon. The National Weather Service said it touched down near Great River and traveled north across Ronkonkoma and Bohemia.

The worst damage occurred in Bohemia at about 2 p.m. Several trees were uprooted and fell onto cars, power lines and houses.

Eyewitnesses reported the tornado moving north along the Connequot River.

There were no reports of injuries.

Material from the Associated Press was included in this story

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