Mallett started the game after Tom Brady was given the night off.

APNew England Patriots quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) passes against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game in Foxborough, Mass., Monday, Aug. 20, 2012.

FOXBOROUGH – Ryan Mallett finally feels like he things are coming together for him.

With Tom Brady taking the night off, the second-year quarterback started in Monday night’s 27-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and completed 10 of 20 passes for 105 yards.

There were areas where he felt he could have performed better, but Mallett believes there are plenty of positives to take from the performance.

“It felt pretty good getting in there, getting in a little rhythm,” he said. “Like coach (Bill Belichick) says, we have to go look at the film and evaluate ourselves. I always have high expectations, so I grade pretty hard, but we’ll go look at it and see what to improve on.”

Mallett did get into a groove early in the game. Over his first three series, he completed 8 of 15 passes for 87 yards -- numbers that were hampered by a pair of drops by Danny Woodhead and Jeremy Ebert.

He also led the Patriots to a touchdown on their third offensive series when he found tight end Alex Silvestro, a converted defensive lineman, in the flat for a 7-yard reception.

Silvestro said he was full of nerves on the play, but Mallett delivered a perfect pass that set him up for success.

“When I turn around he threw it right on the money, so it was a good pass by Mallett,” Silvestro said. “I just saw it and had to try to snag it.”

The highlight of Mallett night came when he stood in against the rush and was able to find Deion Branch for a 20-yard strike. The low point came in the first quarter when Mallett stared Branch down on the sideline and threw an interception that was negated by a penalty.

The quarterback fell out of his groove in the second half and completed two of his last five passes for 18 yards.

The growing pains are still there, but Mallett says that he’s more comfortable in the pocket and finally understands what is going on around him.

“Last year I didn’t have a very good base; now I have a good foundation that I can keep working to build on,” he said. “That’s what I’m doing every day is trying to build on that foundation.”

This updates a story posed at 8:52 p.m. WESTFIELD — A husband and wife from Westfield drowned Monday evening after jumping off a pontoon boat at Hampton Ponds to retrieve their small dog that leaped off the craft, police said. The pair was described as a 64-year-old male and 61-year-old female. Westfield Police Sgt. Raymond Manos said the couple...

This updates a story posed at 8:52 p.m.

WESTFIELD — A husband and wife from Westfield drowned Monday evening after jumping off a pontoon boat at Hampton Ponds to retrieve their small dog that leaped off the craft, police said.

The pair was described as a 64-year-old male and 61-year-old female. Westfield Police Sgt. Raymond Manos said the couple was married.

Their names were not released.

Authorities were called to the area at 6:23 p.m.

According to state police, the man jumped off the boat and entered the water to get his dog, and while attempting to reach the dog, the man became distressed. The woman then entered the water to help her husband, and she also became distressed.

The male victim was transported to Noble Hospital in Westfield and the female victim was transported to Holyoke Medical Center.

The dog survived, Manos said.

The drowning remains under investigation by state police detectives attached to the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, Westfield Police Department, Environmental Police Department, Westfield Fire Department and EMS.

This is the second tragic accident at Hampton Ponds this year. Back in June, West Springfield resident Nicolae Ulinici also drowned. It's believed he entered the water from a boat and never resurfaced.

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Disney-ABC Domestic Television has said Ripa will officially announce her new partner on Sept. 4.

ABC photoKelly Ripa and Michael Strahan on the set of "Live! with Kelly" in June.

Michael Strahan is in talks to be named co-host of "Live!" beside Kelly Ripa.

Strahan, 40, a former NFL star and currently a host of "Fox NFL Sunday," was in negotiations to be named as replacement for Regis Philbin, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the source was not authorized to speak about the negotiations.

Broadcasting & Cable, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, said ABC was expected to announce him as co-host in early September.

The syndicated weekday show has left Ripa without a permanent co-host since Philbin left the show in November 2011. Since then, she has welcomed 59 guest co-hosts, some of whom, including Strahan, were under consideration for the permanent job. Strahan has made several guest appearances this year.

A spokeswoman for "Live!" declined to comment on Philbin's replacement.

On Monday, Disney-ABC Domestic Television had said Ripa will officially announce her new partner as he or she joins her on stage for the Sept. 4 broadcast.

Strahan, a former NFL defensive star, also headlined a shortlived Fox sitcom, "Brothers," in 2009.

Philbin, the original "Live!" host, exited at age 80 after presiding more than 28 years alongside several co-hosts.

Ripa became his on-air partner in 2001.

Facebook's stock lost 85 cents to $19.16 after one of its earliest backers, venture capitalist Peter Thiel, sold the bulk of his stake in the social network.

By MATTHEW CRAFT | AP Business Writer

Associated PressA Facebook worker waits for friends to arrive outside of Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. Facebook stock is trading at around $19 and has lost nearly half its market value since its May public offering. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

NEW YORK — The Standard & Poor's 500 index touched its highest point in more than four years Tuesday, helped by more talk that the European Central Bank may buy struggling countries' bonds. But a morning rally faded, and stocks ended lower.

The S&P 500 lost 4.96 points to close at 1,413.17, with bank stocks the only group to record a gain. Earlier in the day, the S&P climbed to 1,426, its highest since May 19, 2008.

Clark Yingst, chief market analyst at the securities firm Joseph Gunnar, said he thought traders were swayed by reports that the ECB may buy bonds to bring down the borrowing costs of Spain, Italy and other countries.

Yingst pointed to currency moves and bank stocks as evidence. JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and other companies with ties to Europe rose more than the overall market. The euro surged 1 percent to $1.246.

"It's very much a news- and rumor-driven market," Yingst said.

In other trading, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 68.06 points to 13,203.58, and the Nasdaq composite index lost 8.95 points to 3,067.26. Crude oil hit its highest price in three months, rising $1.32 to $97.58.

Sean Clark, chief investment officer at Clark Capital Management Group, an investment advisory firm, saw no major news driving the market. Trading volume has been light in recent days.

Clark said that part of the explanation for the stock market's steady climb this month is that money managers are afraid of missing out on the rally.

"A lot of fund managers have underperformed this year, and I think they're feeling pressure," he said. "There may have been some panic buying over the last couple of weeks."

Facebook's stock lost 85 cents to $19.16 after one of its earliest backers, venture capitalist Peter Thiel, sold the bulk of his stake in the social network. Last week was the first time some insiders could sell their shares. Facebook went public in May at twice the current price, $38.

Major European markets edged up amid hints of progress in calming the debt crisis there. Spain managed to raise $5.4 billion from bond investors at sharply lower interest rates than at the last auction.

Germany's DAX gained 0.8 percent, and France's CAC-40 rose 0.9 percent.

Markets have been calm this month. Monday was one of the quietest days of the year, with 2.7 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Tuesday was heavier, 3.2 billion shares, but still below this year's average of 3.8 billion.

Among other stocks making moves:

• Urban Outfitters jumped 18 percent. The clothing retailer reported earnings late Monday that beat analysts' forecasts, thanks to stronger sales. The stock surged $5.70 to $36.98.

• Best Buy fell 1 percent. The country's largest consumer electronics retailer reported a 90 percent drop in net income during the second quarter, dragged down by restructuring charges and weak sales. The chain is waging a public fight with its co-founder Richard Schulze, who wants to take the company private. Best Buy's stock dropped 25 cents to $17.91 and has lost 12 percent this week.

• Barnes & Noble posted a smaller quarterly loss, helped by sales and e-books and surging sales of the "Fifty Shades of Grey" book. The largest traditional bookstore chain still fell 46 cents to $11.88.

EEE-bearing mosquitoes have been found at dangerous levels in several southeastern Massachusetts communities, where aerial spraying has been conducted.

Associated PressIn this photo provided by the Northwest Mosquito Abatement District, lab assistant Carter Sharp sorts mosquitoes Thursday, July 26, 2012, in Wheeling, Ill., that were collected from Chicago's northwest suburbs for West Nile virus testing. Illinois already has seen at least two human West Nile virus infections this year, more than a month earlier than usual. The rate of infected mosquitoes in the state is the highest in a decade and higher than in 2002 when 67 people died. Health officials say the hot, dry weather is a factor. (AP Photo/Courtesy the Northwest Mosquito Abatement District, Michael Szyska)

BOSTON — Massachusetts health officials say they have found mammal-biting mosquitoes infected with Eastern equine encephalitis have been found in the communities of Carver and Kingston.

Health officials have raised the EEE threat level to "high" in Carver and 'moderate" in Kingston. They say the threat in Plymouth, which borders both towns, has been also been raised to "moderate."

Officials are recommending that people avoid outdoor evening events for the rest of the summer. Ground-based mosquito spraying in those towns will be stepped up.

EEE-bearing mosquitoes have been found at dangerous levels in several southeastern Massachusetts communities, where aerial spraying has been conducted.

There has been one confirmed human case of EEE this year, in a Metrowest-area resident believed to have contracted it out-of-state.

Two EEE cases were reported last year, one fatal.

Warren said if Republicans take control of the Senate, women's health and economic security is at risk.

AP File PhotosThese 2012 file photos show incumbent U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., left, and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren, in Boston.

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• Poll: GOP Sen. Scott Brown leads Democrat Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts Senate race
• Missouri congressman Todd Akin renews vow to stay in Senate race
• Democratic fundraiser in Agawam to include visit from former Gov. Michael Dukakis

The Massachusetts Senate race turned to women’s issues on Tuesday, as Democrat Elizabeth Warren attacked Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown for promoting a “Republican agenda” that is hostile to women. Brown meanwhile tried to distance himself from national Republicans, penning a letter to the Republican National Committee urging Republicans to take a more lenient position on abortion.

“Scott Brown can’t just back off, try to have it both ways, to vote against equal pay for equal work, to cosponsor an amendment to block access to birth control, to support the Republican presidential and vice presidential nominee and then say ‘oh yeah don’t count me as part of that bigger Republican agenda,” Warren said at a press conference at the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston sponsored by The Center for American Progress. “He is part of that Republican agenda.”

Brown spokesman Colin Reed responded, “Someone should remind Professor Warren that she is running against Scott Brown, not (Republican presidential nominee) Mitt Romney. Scott Brown is an independent thinker who is rated one of the most bipartisan senators in the country. He has a proven record of working across the aisle to get things done for the people he represents.”

Women’s issues made news nationally after U.S Rep. Todd Akin, a Republican Senate candidate from Missouri, said a woman’s body has a way to avoid getting pregnant from “a legitimate rape.” Akin apologized and Republicans, including Romney, condemned him. Both Romney and Brown called on Akin to quit the race.

But Democrats used Akin’s comments to illustrate what they see as a Republican “war on women.” “The Republicans want to pretend that Rep. Akin is an isolated individual,” Warren said. “But he is clearly in line with a Republican agenda.”

Warren said Akin’s comments “did not fall out of the sky.” “It is part of what the Republicans have been pushing for years now,” she said.

Warren said if Republicans take control of the Senate, women’s health and economic security is at risk.

The Center for American Progress is a progressive, Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group founded by Clinton chief of staff John Podesta and led by Neera Tanden, a senior adviser to President Barack Obama on health care reform and a former policy adviser to now-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Its funders have included liberal billionaire George Soros and bankers Herbert and Marion Sandler. The group is holding events around the country to release a report criticizing Romney and vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan as “bad for women.”

The report attacks Romney and Ryan for wanting to repeal Obama’s Affordable Care Act. It points to the Republican candidates’ support for restrictions on abortion, Romney’s statements that he would defund Planned Parenthood, and Romney’s lack of support for a Democratic-sponsored bill promoting equal pay for men and women and a bill allowing workers to earn up to seven paid sick days annually.

Ryan was one of 227 co-sponsors on a bill that would have narrowed the Hyde Amendment, which bans the use of federal funding for abortions except in cases of rape, incest or the life of the mother. The bill tried to narrow that definition to “forcible rape,” though the language was later removed. Ryan also co-sponsored a bill stating that human life begins at fertilization, which would allow for additional abortion restrictions.

The Romney campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a recent release announcing a pro-Romney women’s coalition, one Romney surrogate called the so-called “War on Women,” “a total myth.” Former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey said Romney, “understands and respects the value of each woman's contribution to American prosperity.”

Brown has tried to distance himself from Republicans nationally. The Republican Party on Tuesday endorsed a platform that includes a constitutional amendment banning abortions with no exception for rape or incest. (Similar language was included in the 2004 and 2008 GOP platforms.) Brown wrote in a letter to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, “Media reports indicate that the Platform Committee will consider draft language opposing a woman’s right to choose and supporting a constitutional amendment banning abortion. I believe this is a mistake because it fails to recognize the views of pro-choice Republicans like myself.”

Brown advocated for a “big-tent” party and wrote, “The Republican Party would be well-served to recognize in its platform that you can be pro-choice and still be a good Republican.”

Brown’s record on women’s issues has been a perpetual argument between Brown and Democrats.

Warren and the Massachusetts Democratic Party have attacked Brown for voting against the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have required employers to prove that discrepancy in pay between men and women was job-related, not discriminatory. Brown said the legislation would harm small businesses. (Brown supported the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which extended the statute of limitations for women to seek back pay for gender discrimination.)

Democrats also criticize Brown for co-sponsoring the Blunt Amendment, which would have allowed insurers or employers to deny coverage for services that violate their religious beliefs, such as birth control. Brown has said he supports abortion rights, but also supports “conscience clauses” that respect religious beliefs.

The Brown campaign points out that Brown broke with Republicans to support reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, opposed Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and supported allowing military women to use federal funds to access abortions in cases of rape or incest.

Brown, who is running to win his first full 6-year term in the U.S. Senate, edged the consumer advocate 49 percent to 44 percent, according to the Democratic leaning Public Policy Polling.

File photos | Associated PressDemocratic U.S. Senate hopeful Elizabeth Warren and Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown.

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Republican vice presidential pick Paul Ryan made his New England debut this week, rallying more than 4,300 people at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire.

• Elizabeth Warren says Scott Brown promoting 'Republican agenda' on women's issues while Brown urges GOP to take more lenient position on abortion
• Missouri congressman Todd Akin renews vow to stay in Senate race
• Democratic fundraiser in Agawam to include visit from former Gov. Michael Dukakis

Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is holding a five-point lead over his Democratic rival Elizabeth Warren in a new Public Policy Polling survey released on Tuesday.

Brown, who is running to win his first full six-year term in the U.S. Senate, edged the consumer advocate 49 percent to 44 percent, according to the Democratic leaning organization.

In a June poll by PPP and another conducted by Western New England University's Polling Institute in conjunction with The Republican and MassLive.com, the candidates were statistically tied.

Brown's lead, according to the results of the PPP survey, can be attributed to the fact that he's shored up Republican support, cut into Warren's Democratic support, and maintained support from independent voters, which make up nearly half of the electorate in Massachusetts.

According to Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling, as well as other political strategists consulted recently by The Republican, Warren must continue to leverage Democratic control of the Senate as dependent on her victory and chip away at Brown's image as an independent-minded Republican.

“Scott Brown’s been able to hold up his image as a moderate and that has him in a good position right now,” Debnam said in a press release. “Democrats will have to convince voters who like him to vote against him anyway to keep the Senate from going Republican.”

The debate in the race this week has centered on women's issues due in large part to U.S. Rep. and Senate hopeful Todd Akin, R-Mo., making comments about a woman's body physically preventing pregnancy when she is a victim of a "legitimate rape" as part of his argument against abortion, under any circumstance.

Brown and Warren have joined their party colleagues across the country in pushing their views on the topic to win over women, who statistically have a good chance of swaying the results in the Massachusetts Senate race considering they make up 51.6 percent of the Bay State population, according to the latest U.S. Census figures.

While both candidates denounced Akin's statements, Warren has cited other Republican stances against abortion, even in the case of rape, to paint Republicans as out of touch with women.

At the same time, Brown has taken bold steps to break party ranks on the issue, even going as far as writing the chairman of the Republican National Committee to ask that he consider Brown's "pro-choice" views when considering the GOP's official 2012 platform.

The survey, which was finishing up before the controversy over Akin's comments made international headlines on Sunday, concluded that Brown's job approval rating climbed modestly from 51 percent in June to 53 percent while Warren's favorability rating dipped slightly from 47 percent to 46 percent.

In the general horse race question, eight percent of those polled signaled they were still undecided, a margin large enough to sway the race in either candidate's favor.

As far as voter perceptions of the candidates' ideologies is concerned, 41 percent of those surveyed said they see Warren as too liberal with 30 percent saying Brown is too conservative. The participant's opinions about the two major political parties were split, with 56 percent saying the GOP is too conservative and 45 percent saying the Democratic Party is too liberal.

The automated phone survey of 1,115 likely Massachusetts voters was conducted between Aug. 16 and 19, and holds a 2.9 percent margin of error, according to the polling institute.

PPP Release MA 0821121

No charges are pending at this time. Watch video

This updates a story posted at 4:19 p.m.

HADLEY -- A 26-year-old man operating a motorcycle suffered severe injuries to his right leg and facial lacerations in an accident with a farm tractor on Route 47 north of Stockbridge Street Tuesday afternoon, police said.

Police did not release the man's name or where he's from.

He was last reported in stable condition at Baystate Medical Center, police said.

The Hadley Fire Department and Amherst Fire Department treated the man at the scene.

The tractor had damage to one of its rear wheels; its operator was uninjured.

No charges are pending at this time.

The accident was reported at 3:19 p.m. Route 47 between Stockbridge Street and Comins Road was closed for a time.

Sarno wants to hear each casino operator's plans for the city and will hold closed-door meetings with representatives from each casino on Monday.

For more CBS 3 videos visit the CBS 3 website.

Some opponents of a proposed ordinance allowing the Town Council to override the mayor on dismissing members of a city body have questioned if it runs counter to the city's charter.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — A proposal to allow the Town Council to override the removal of a member of a unelected city board by the mayor drew impassioned comments during a public hearing by the council Monday night.

Kathleen Bourque

Much of the commentary was against the proposal initiated by Town Council President Kathleen A. Bourque and massaged by the council’s policy and ordinance committee. Bourque said the proposal was brought forth last year.

Several opponents contended that the change, if implemented, would violate what they called the community’s strong mayor city charter. Town Attorney Simon J. Brighenti Jr., asked if the proposal would violate the charter, said he needs time to study the latest version of the proposed ordinance change.

“He was elected fair and square,” Irene R. Schuh of King’s Highway said of Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger. “He has the power under our charter to make these decisions.”

Chester A. Zymroz of Old Barn Road spoke in favor of the proposal.

Not allowing people to appeal dismissals to the council “is not in the best interests of our community,” Zymroz said.

Zymroz went on to say the mayor should be able to give input into the appeals process.

The proposal would allow that “If at a council meeting a majority of the council present feels the member was removed without cause, the member shall not be removed.”“

Currently, city ordinances allow the mayor to remove a member of a multiple-member board for a cause. That person must be notified in writing by certified mail within 10 days of the date of the notice. The official may request a meeting with the mayor to discuss the removal within 10 days of the date of the notice.

The proposed change calls for deleting the reference to meeting with the mayor and putting in its place “the Town Council president, vice president and chair of the Human Resource Committee.”

The proposal also calls for the addition of the following language: “Should any one of the councilors present feel the member has been removed without cause, the council president will schedule a discussion and vote of said removal for the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Town Council.”

Councilors continued Monday’s public hearing on the proposal to its meeting set for 7 p.m. Sept. 4.

Republican file photo

The manager of the Pride said it was a baby boy 8 to 10-months old.

The Republican | Michael BeswickA baby was left Tuesday night at the Pride gas station at 77 West St., Springfield, shown here.

UPDATE, 10:25 p.m.: Springfield police say the baby has been reunited with his family.
» A new story has been posted

SPRINGFIELD — A baby in a stroller is OK after being abandoned at the Pride gas station at 77 West St. Tuesday evening, police say.

Police have the baby and are trying to locate family members. A police sergeant could not say whether it was a boy or girl, nor provide the child's age.

The manager of the Pride said it was a boy 8 to 10 months old. He was left on the sidewalk outside the store's entrance, according to the manager.

"It wasn't crying; very very calm," said the manager, who declined to give her name.

A customer alerted a cashier to the baby's presence, and then they called police, the manager said.

The incident was reported at 7:19 p.m.

The Department of Children & Families will be contacted, police said.

The Safe Haven Act, passed in 2004, allows a parent to legally surrender an infant 7 days or younger at specific locations without facing criminal charges. The locations include a hospital -- preferably an acute care emergency department -- police or fire department.

The baby must be given to an appropriate person, that is, an individual at one of the approved locations who is capable of ensuring that the newborn is safe.

The act protects the parent as long as there is no evidence of abuse or neglect.

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Republicans on Tuesday decided they will call for a constitutional amendment outlawing abortion without specific exceptions for rape or incest, a position at odds with GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney listens as vice presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., speaks during a campaign rally on Monday, Aug. 20, 2012 in Manchester N.H. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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• Elizabeth Warren says Scott Brown promoting 'Republican agenda' on women's issues while Brown urges GOP to take more lenient position on abortion
• Missouri congressman Todd Akin renews vow to stay in Senate race
• Democratic fundraiser in Agawam to include visit from former Gov. Michael Dukakis

By TAMARA LUSH & THOMAS BEAUMONT, Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Republicans on Tuesday decided they will call for a constitutional amendment outlawing abortion without specific exceptions for rape or incest, a position at odds with GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Republican Party leaders decided to include that position during a party meeting Tuesday, two GOP officials confirmed to The Associated Press. The language is the same as it's been since 1984, and the platform is set to be officially adopted Monday. But this year, it comes as GOP officials are calling on Missouri Rep. Todd Akin to quit his Senate bid after he made inflammatory comments about rape. Akin, asked in a local TV interview aired Sunday if he opposes abortion in cases of rape, said a woman's body is able to prevent pregnancy in what he called "a legitimate rape."

In a Sunday statement condemning Akin's remarks, Romney said his administration would not oppose abortion in cases of rape. That puts him at odds with his party's official line.

Romney is set to be nominated for president at the Republican National Convention that kicks off Aug. 27 in Tampa, Fla.

"The details of some of these things, like an exception for rape or life of the mother, these are not uncommon differences that candidates have and don't share some of the detail on those exceptions," RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said Tuesday on MSNBC. "But as far as our platform is concerned, I mean, this is the platform of the Republican Party. It is not the platform of Mitt Romney."

The party's platform says members of the GOP "assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution."

Romney's position on the question is also at odds with his running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, who opposes abortion except in instances where the life of the mother is at risk. That's closer in line with the Republican Party's official position.

A Ryan aide downplayed the difference. "He knows he is joining the Romney ticket and the Romney administration will reflect the views of the nominee," Ryan spokesman Michael Steel told reporters traveling with Romney's no. 2 from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.

Ryan has voted for legislation that has included exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, another spokesman said.

The decision might have passed with little notice if not for Akin, whose weekend comments drew intense criticism and quick calls for him to step aside.

"It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, that's really rare," Akin said when asked about abortion in cases of rape. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

Romney did not call for Akin to leave the race until about two hours before a state-imposed deadline for him to drop out without going to court. Akin was still in the race at 6 p.m. EDT Tuesday, and now has until Sept. 25 to seek a court order to take his name off the ballot. After that date, there is no way for Akin to leave the race.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who RNC's Platform Committee, called it a "document that transcends time."

"Current events regarding who said what at any given time don't affect this document," McDonnell said.

__

Associated Press writer Kasie Hunt in Washington contributed to this report.

Every year, the club names a citizen of the year, but after the tornado struck on June 1, 2011, so many people came to town to help that they could not single out just one person.

Wyatt Aloisio photoMembers of the Monson Rotary Club provide food during the Concert on the Lawn in downtown Monson on Tuesday. The concert was held to dedicate a memorial plaque and give thanks to those who aided in the recovery from the June 1, 2011 tornado.

MONSON — The Monson Rotary Club on Tuesday night honored the hundreds of volunteers who helped rebuild the town of Monson after the 2011 tornado.

Every year, the club names a citizen of the year, but after the tornado struck on June 1, 2011, so many people came to town to help that they could not single out just one person, Monson Rotary Club Michael O'Grady told the crowd that gathered downtown at Dave Grieve Park.

"All nominations received this year were related to the tornado relief effort. A number of individuals were nominated and in a normal year, the efforts and contributions of each of these individuals would have made them likely winners. We all know this has not been a normal year ... While much has gone into the rebuilding of Monson, the collective efforts of all the volunteers provided the glue that helped rebuild the community," O'Grady said.

A granite stone – found on Rotarian Jeanne Bailey's Ely Road property after the tornado – was dedicated in the volunteers' honor "so that we and future generations never forget," O'Grady said.

View full sizeWyatt Aloisio photoThis granite plaque was dedicated honor of the volunteers who helped in recovery efforts in Monson following the 2011 tornado.

It reads: "Forever Grateful to all the Volunteers who Participated in Monson's Recovery from the Tornado of June 1, 2011."

Geri Laferriere, who was with her husband Michael, benefited from volunteer help at their tornado-damaged Ely Road property.

"We could not be where we are today without the volunteers," Geri Laferriere said.

She said they wanted to see the volunteers who helped them, volunteers like Timothy White of Palmer, Alison D. Hill of Monson and the Chase & Sons chainsaw team, based in Ludlow, which features teens Shane and McKinley Chase.

"They're like family now," Laferriere said.

White called the event – which featured free food courtesy of Bailey and Monson Village Pizza – "great for volunteers."

"It was a tremendous group effort on everyone's behalf," White said.

Pastor Robert Marrone of First Church of Monson delivered the invocation. Bishop Anthony Maffeo gave the blessing. State Rep. Brian M. Ashe, D-Longmeadow, also attended. Entertainment was provided by the Dan Kane Singers.

Rotary District Gov. Eileen Rau said there is nothing "more frightening than the fear of losing one's home or one's town." She commended the volunteer efforts, and noted rotary's commitment to "service above self."

State Avenue resident Thomas Gilman, who had volunteers help rebuild his pool cabana, called the event "wonderful."

Karen C. King, who founded the Street Angels tornado volunteer group, said "it's definitely a night to remember."

Capt. William Collins said the 7-month-old was with his grandmother and that she "unintentionally" left the child at the store.

The Republican | Michael BeswickA baby was briefly left Tuesday night at the Pride gas station at 77 West St., Springfield, shown here.

This updates a story posted at 8:53 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD -- A baby boy in a stroller was briefly left at the Pride gas station at 77 West St. Tuesday evening, police said.

Capt. William Collins said the 7-month-old was with his grandmother. She "unintentionally" left the child at the store, and only realized what happened when she returned home, Collins said.

The baby's grandfather hurried to the store to claim the child, Collins said. Police were still on the scene when he arrived. Collins said it's believed the child is with his mother.

The manager of the Pride said the baby was left on the sidewalk outside the store's entrance.

"It wasn't crying; very very calm," said the manager, who declined to give her name.

A customer alerted a cashier to the baby's presence, and then they called police, the manager said.

The incident was reported at 7:19 p.m.

Town meeting overwhelmingly approved borrowing $1 million to fund a proposed $4.5 million upgrade for the aging wastewater treatment plant

Catherine Buelow-Cascio

WARE — Town meeting on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved borrowing $1 million to fund a proposed $4.5 million upgrade for the aging wastewater treatment plant.

Kanzaki Specialty Papers, the largest employer in town, and a heavy user of the municipal system, has agreed to contribute $1 million to the project.

The 178-18 vote also means the town can apply for a state MassWorks grant to cover $2.5 million of the costs -- because Kanzaki says the upgrade will allow them to add about a dozen more jobs.

Residents will also have the option to vote on whether the town's portion of the borrowing should be funded via a tax increase. A proposition 2-1/2 debt exclusion vote is on November's election ballot.

Town Manager Stuart Beckley said the tax increase would average $20 per homeowner for the estimated 15 to 20 year life of the bond.

Opponent Bill Jackson was recognized many times by the moderator. He said Kanzaki should also fund the town's $1 million portion. The company began paying the town an extra $6,000 per month in January to accept its heavy metal-laden waste water at the treatment plant.

"I think that kanzaki can well afford to put in their own pretreatment plant that they should have done many years ago," Jackson said.

Kanzaki was told by state and federal regulators it must treat its waste before sending the slurry to the Ware plant. But a company-funded $20,000 study completed by the Andover engineering firm Wright-Pierce determined that $4.5 million in upgrades would allow the company to continue to dump its waste in the Ware system.

Although the company had agreed to construct a $2.5 million pre-treatment facility to satisfy the government, the Wright-Pierce solution would make more sense, Stephen P. Hefner, Chief Executive Officer and President of Kanzaki Specialty Papers, Inc. told selectmen in June when the idea was first made public.

"Tonight is a no-brainer -- let's get some money into this town," resident Cathy Buelow-Cascio said at Tuesday's town meeting. "Yes, Kanzaki might have gotten away with some things in the past, but let's go forward.

Kanzaki has 227 employees and paid $140,500 in taxes to the town last year.

The Olympian claimed she was manhandled and mistreated by the dancer during her appearance last year on the ABC reality show.

ABCMaksim Chmerkovskiy and Hope Solo of Season 13 of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

"Dancing With the Stars" professional partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy and ABC are reportedly considering legal action against Olympic star Hope Solo for  comments contained in her controversial new memoir, "Solo: A Memoir of Hope."

Solo, who was a contestant last year on the ABC reality series, was highly critical of dancing partner Chmerkovskiy. 

In the book, the soccer star says of Chmerkovskiy, "He was often nasty, swearing at me and being harshly critical... He manhandled me in rehearsals from the start, pushing me, whacking my stomach, bending my arms roughly."

During season 13 of the hit show, Chmerkovskiy was fiercely loyal to Solo. He famously clashed with lead judge Len Goodman over criticism he made of Solo's footwork.

ABC and Chmerkovskiy have declined to comment on Solo's book, however, Huffington Post reported that the network and the dancer are weighing legal action against Solo.

Chmerkovskiy made veiled remarks on Twitter about Solo. "Always hated hypocrites and liars...but when someone is both AND an opportunist, I just feel bad for them. Can't win at someone's expense."

The outspoken Solo has drawn considerable media attention in recent weeks.

Prior the start of the London Olympics, she spoke candidly to ESPN magazine about sexual hookups and partying with celebrities at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

She tweeted criticism of NBC game analyst Brandi Chastain and network coverage of the U.S. soccer team during the London Olympics.

As the campaign heats up, we hope Brown and Warren will continue to resist the pull of third-party cash.

File photos | The Republican (Brown) and The Associated Press (Warren)U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., left, and Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren.

We don’t blame voters for greeting politicians’ campaign pledges with a healthy dose of skepticism.

But every once in a while, they surprise us.

Take incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and his Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren, who swore back in January that they would keep super PACs and other interest groups out of the Massachusetts Senate race.

Six months later, the candidates have been as good as their word.

While viewers across the nation have been bombarded with negative ads financed by shadowy third-party groups and super-wealthy PACs, Brown and Warren have stood steadfast against the tide with their "People's Pledge." Instead, the Bay State rivals have taken responsibility for their ads and, so far, have confined their messages primarily to their personal stories and their philosophical view of governing.

The pact works like this: If a third-party ad runs in violation of the pact, the candidate who would benefit from the ad has to pay to charity an amount equal to half the cost of the advertisement. The agreement was tested early on when two outside groups spent relatively small amounts on Brown’s behalf. Following the breach, Brown donated $1,000 and $34,545 to the Autism Consortium following the breach.

Even without outside help, Brown and Warren are raising plenty of money on their own and the widely watched race between the two is shaping up to be one of the costliest in the nation.

As the campaign heats up, we hope Brown and Warren will continue to resist the pull of third-party cash.

And as they continue to hone their television, radio and online advertisements, we hope they’ll offer begin to offer some specifics about legislation they would support and propose if elected.

We also hope the voters will make a pledge to pay attention when the candidates meet one-on-one in a series of upcoming televised debates. Those forums will offer voters a better chance to size-up the candidates.

Brown and Warren made their bargain; now it’s our turn.

Select Board chairman Enrico "Jack" Villamaino II is the subject of a state ballot-tampering probe.

EAST LONGMEADOW — For the first time since an election fraud scandal erupted here two weeks ago, the town Select Board meets – with or without chairman Enrico “Jack” Villamaino III, the subject of a state ballot-tampering probe.

Enrico P. Villamaino III

The board on Wednesday night will offer its first public statement on the investigation by the Secretary of State and the Hampden District Attorney’s office into a surge in absentee ballot requests and party affiliation changes for the Sept. 6 primary, according to Selectman James D. Driscoll.

Beefing up security at Town Hall will also be discussed, Driscoll said. The session will be at 6:45 p.m., at the Council on Aging, 328 North Main St.

“We want to reassure people that we’re continuing with the town’s business, and that this incident was the result of a few people, not anything widespread,” said Driscoll.

Villamaino, a three-term selectman, has kept a low profile since Secretary of State William F. Galvin launched a probe into “brazen” ballot tampering, creating doubts whether he will appear at Wednesday night’s meeting.

The 35-year old Republican did not attend Sheriff Michael Ashe’s annual clambake or the basketball fundraiser that drew U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., and other politicians, according to Driscoll, who said he phoned Villamaino last week but did not get a return call.

“He’s usually very visible at town events, especially during an election time,” Driscoll said.

The election fraud probe was triggered by a four-fold increase in absentee ballot requests, combined with an unusually high number of requests by Democrats to change their party affiliation to Republican.

By Aug. 1, the town clerk’s office had received 445 absentee ballot requests for the Sept. 6 primary – 150 less than in Springfield for the same period.

The only local race in the Sept. 6 primary pits Villamaino against Longmeadow Selectwoman Marie Angelides for the Republican nomination in the 2nd Hampden District.

The race is a rematch from 2010 when Angelides defeated Villamaino, a staff assistant at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, before losing to Brian M. Ashe, D-Longmeadow, in the general election.

Villamaino has refused to comment on the probe; Angelides said she is awaiting the outcome.

The town’s governing board has three members – Villamaino, Driscoll and Paul L. Federici. In July, Driscoll announced plans to step down in September, citing his employment with a Minnesota-based firm.

Last week, Driscoll said he agreed to delay his departure, pending outcome of the ballot fraud probe.

In another development, town resident Bryan Doe announced plans for a rally at Town Hall Friday at noon to call attention to the importance of voting security.

Enrico P. Villamaino III

The men will be charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle and various traffic violations, police said. The incident occurred around 5 p.m.

Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD -- Two men have been arrested after fleeing police on foot following an attempted traffic stop at the intersection of Armory and Liberty streets, police said.

WGGB reports that the incident began when an officer attempted to pull over a stolen car at the intersection of Carew Street and St. James Avenue. A chase ensued when the driver wouldn't stop.

The chase ended near Armory and Liberty when the two men got out of the car and tried to run. The foot pursuit ended quickly, police said.

Police radio communications reported one of the subjects was a black male who was not wearing a shirt.

The men will be charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle and various traffic violations, police said.

The incident occurred around 5 p.m.

No further information is being released at this time.

The event sells out weeks in advance and pulls in politicians lured by the knowledge seniors will vote.

Some of those at Holyoke Senior Fest had meals served by U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, D-Amherst.

HOLYOKE — Robert Peloquin just moved back to the area from Florida, and thanks to Wednesday’s Senior Fest, an upcoming Sunday is already booked.

Peloquin, 73, a Springfield native, was surprised to hear his raffle number announced scoring him a brunch with 15 people of his choice in the Open Square loft of Mayor Alex B. Morse.

“I never win anything. It happened to be the final raffle prize that they had,” said Peloquin, who is getting an apartment at Pulaski Heights here.

Morse was one of numerous politicians at the Senior Fest at the Mater Dolorosa Pope John Paul Social Center on St. Kolbe Drive. It drew more than 600 people, organizers said.

The annual celebration of senior citizens is a crowd magnet, selling out weeks in advance and pulling in incumbents and challengers for federal, state and local seats who know seniors can be counted on to vote.

U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, D-Amherst, who is not seeking reelection, helped serve the seniors hamburgers and hotdogs from big trays carried between rows of tables.

“It was a wonderful time,” said Teresa M. Shepard, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, which arranges Senior Fest.

Morse, who praised the department and the volunteers who made the event happen, was master of ceremonies. He said he was eager to provide brunch for Peloquin in September or October.

“It was a great time, just a wonderful event,” Morse said of Senior Fest.

“Nobody’s more surprised than I am,” Peloquin said.

Nearly $5,000 in gift certificates and other prizes were raffled off.

Betty Robertson, 78, set her blue tote bag down and rested against a wall.

“I think I have about 35 pens from local politicians in there. I think I’ll expire before I run out of pens,” said Robertson, a retired secretary at Blessed Sacrament Parish.

Frank Radon, 89, held the door open as seniors left the event. It was a “mighty fine” time, he said, despite going prize-free in the raffles.

“I didn’t win, but that’s all right. Better luck next time,” said Radon, a retired school custodian.

John Olver