Thunderstorms were responsible for scattered power outages throughout Western Massachusetts on Saturday night.
A tornado watch for the area was lifted by 7 p.m., and area police departments reported that the storms caused little or no damage.
National Grid is reporting that 295 customers in Granby and 131 in Northampton are without power. Electricity is expected to be restored in Northampton just before midnight, and in Granby, at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.
“We’re primarily seeing trees and or tree limbs coming down on power lines,” National Grid spokeswoman Debbie Drew said.
Western Massachusetts Electric Co. is reporting customers without power in Ashfield, Chester, Conway, Deerfield, Granville, Montague, Springfield, West Springfield and Hadley. Springfield has the largest number of customers without power at 499; Hadley only has one customer without power.
Ashley Duncan, spokeswoman for Western Massachusetts Electric Co., said the Springfield outages are in two separate areas - on Parker Street and on State Street. There is an equipment problem on Parker Street and wires down on State Street. Power is expected to be restored by 10:45 p.m., she said.
Showers end, mostly sunny skies finish the weekend.
Showers will be diminishing overnight as tonight's big weather-maker continues pushing off to the east. There have been reports of some trees down across parts of western Massachusetts, with a quick inch of rain flooding a couple of spots as well.
The cold front that triggered a strong line of thunderstorms this evening will bring in a much more pleasant airmass as we finish out the weekend. Mostly sunny skies will dominate through Sunday afternoon. The humidity levels will also significantly drop, with high temperatures comfortably in the mid-70s.
A large ridge of high pressure will be dominating throughout the week; potentially keeping us sunny all the way into next weekend. Temperatures will be feeling rather autumn-like for the next few days, especially at night. Overnight lows from Monday to Thursday morning will drop into the 40s across much of western Massachusetts (with an upper-30 possible in a few spots in the hilltowns!)
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, rain ending, low 62.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, less humid, high 77.
Monday: Cool morning, sunny and comfortable, high 75.
Tuesday: Cool morning, sunny and comfortable, high 74.
The fact-based film chronicles a joint effort by the CIA and the Canadian government to rescue six Americans from Tehran in 1978.
AP photoActor and director Ben Affleck poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Argo" during the 37th annual Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto
TORONTO (AP) — On behalf of himself and his fellow Americans, Ben Affleck is saying thank you to Canada.
Affleck made his latest return to the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday to premiere his Iran hostage thriller "Argo," for which he does double-duty as star and director.
Opening in theaters Oct. 12, "Argo" chronicles a joint effort by the CIA and the Canadian government to rescue six Americans from Tehran after the U.S. embassy was taken over by Islamist militants in 1978. While 52 others were held hostage at the embassy, the six Americans were hidden by Canadian authorities, who worked with U.S. operatives to concoct an elaborate scheme to get them out of the country.
"The idea they came up with was to pretend they were all on a location scout for a movie," Affleck said in a telephone interview before the festival. "They went to Hollywood and basically put together the back-story for a fake movie. They took out ads, did a read-through, all the real things a real movie would have to do."
Affleck stars as exfiltration specialist Tony Mendez, who teams with a Hollywood producer (Alan Arkin) to dream up a phony Canadian science-fiction flick they want to shoot in Iran, intending to smuggle the six Americans out as part of the film crew. "Argo" also features John Goodman and Bryan Cranston.
"It's really a movie about Canadian heroics and the relationship between Canada and America," Affleck said. "Once you see the movie, you'll see how it resonates, the theme of, `Thank you, Canada.'"
Affleck has reason to give personal thanks to Canada. His bank-robbery hit "The Town" got a warm welcome from Toronto festival crowds two years ago, and he hopes for the same this time.
Along with "Argo," Affleck stars in a second Toronto festival film, Terrence Malick's romantic rumination "To the Wonder." Featuring Rachel McAdams, Javier Bardem and Olga Kurylenko, the film stars Affleck as an American whose relationship to a woman he met overseas turns cold, leaving him drifting back toward a childhood love.
Affleck had crossed paths with Malick over the years and showed him "The Town" while Malick was working on his family epic "The Tree of Life." Malick was casting "To the Wonder" at the time and offered Affleck the role.
"The Tree of Life" flowed from intimate domestic drama to images of the creation of the cosmos and the age of dinosaurs. Yet Affleck said that in "To the Wonder," Malick is "pushing it kind of further in an avant-garde direction. Even less linear. Though there are no dinosaurs, at least in the last cut that I saw."
Unlike the press-shy Malick, who skips interviews, premiere red carpets and other public appearances, Affleck will be on hand for the early screenings of "Argo." Nerve-wracking as it is to put a film in front of an audience, Affleck said he enjoys studying the crowd's response.
"I like to be part of it and be part of the ebb and flow of feeling an audience seeing it for the first time," Affleck said. "You do all this stuff in a vacuum, write the movie, rehearse it, shoot it. It's like being on stage without an audience. When the audience is finally there, I love to see how they react.
"It's exhilarating and it's satisfying and it's terrifying. Luckily, I'm always distracted by the sort of constant evaluation between my expectation of the audience's reaction and how they actually experience it. `Oh, that didn't go over the way I thought it would. Why did they laugh there?' The terrible part is you start to want to recut it as you're watching it."
The patrons at Gator's Dockside, clearly aware of the discredited claims that Obama was not born in the United States, broke up laughing.
President Barack Obama, right standing, does the Hawaiian hand gesture the 'Shaka' with Andre Wupperman, far left, and other members of his family, during an unscheduled stop at Gator's Dockside, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. Andre, who will be 7-years old next week, was born in Hawaii but now lives in Orlando. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
ORLANDO, Fla. — It's that birther thing again.
President Barack Obama was at an Orlando sports bar, snapping a University of Florida Gators' sign, sipping a pint and working a crowd when he walked up to a table with five children. One adult pointed to one of the boys, 7-year-old Andre Wupperman of Orlando, and informed the president that the boy was born in Hawaii, the president's native state.
Delighted, the president greeted the boy with a "shaka" sign, the pinky and thumb gesture typical of Hawaiian culture. The boy gestured back.
"You were born in Hawaii?" the president said. Then he asked teasingly: "You have a birth certificate?"
The patrons at Gator's Dockside, clearly aware of the discredited claims that Obama was not born in the United States, broke up laughing.
But it appears that when it comes to birther jokes, there are political rules about who is entitled to make them.
Last month, Obama's presidential rival, Mitt Romney, caught a blast from the Obama campaign when he was campaigning near his own Michigan birthplace and quipped that "no one's ever asked to see my birth certificate."
Romney later insisted the remark was just a joke and not meant to question Obama's citizenship. But Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt denounced the remark.
This time, Obama aides helped flesh the joke out. They made sure reporters with the president knew the young boy's name, age and residence.
A woman in California was in the process of selling her house when she was surprised to learn that her bank, Wells Fargo, had foreclosed on it. The parties are trying to resolve the issue.
Overcome with emotion, Janet Ryan sits on the porch at the Breezy Point Surf Club in the Queens, N.Y., Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, after her cabana sustained damage when a severe weather storm passed through the area. A tornado swept out of the sea and hit the beachfront neighborhood in New York City, hurling debris in the air, knocking out power and startling residents who once thought of twisters as a Midwestern phenomenon. Firefighters were still assessing the damage, but no serious injuries were reported and the area affected by the storm appeared small. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Holyoke's approval of needle exchange could prompt a court fight led by the City Council president.
The Republican | Greg SaulmonA box of syringes at Tapestry Health's needle exchange site on Main Street in Holyoke. The program won approval from the city's board of health this summer.
HOLYOKE – When the Board of Health gave its approval last month, Holyoke became only the fifth city in the state to permit operation of a needle exchange program since a 1993 law began allowing such facilities.
Reaching that step in the Paper City followed years of political fights that still may spill into court if the City Council decides to challenge the health board’s Aug. 14 vote.
The rhetorical elbows flying around needle exchange highlight the controversial nature of an issue that has led communities to shun it even though doctors, nurses and other specialists say it saves lives and limits the spread of disease.
Northampton became the first city in Western Massachusetts to permit needle exchange in 1996.
“I think it speaks to the challenges of a law that requires local approval. It has been some heavy lifting for some communities to even begin considering needle exchange,” said Kevin Cranston, director of the infectious disease bureau of the state Department of Public Health.
Boston became the first to adopt needle exchange in 1994. Cambridge followed the same year, with programs getting approved in Northampton in 1996 and Provincetown in 1997.
The 1993 needle exchange law allows up to 10 program sites in the state. The idea is such programs would open in dense urban areas where intravenous drug users tend to gather, Cranston said.
But the state’s second- and third-largest cities, Worcester and Springfield, don’t have needle exchange, and neither do other cities that have grappled with heroin problems like Pittsfield, Brockton and New Bedford.
Springfield last considered needle exchange in 2005, when the City Council rejected it 5-4.
The Republican | Greg SaulmonIn the supply room at Tapestry Health's Holyoke needle exchange site, program supervisor Liz Whynott shows the locker where the needles are kept.
Below, audio excerpts from an interview with Whynott.
Liz Whynott, Tapestry Health
The Holyoke Board of Health’s 3-0 vote had the support of Mayor Alex B. Morse and Police Chief James M. Neiswanger, with both saying the program can improve public safety.
The Board of Health is Chairwoman Katherine M. Liptak and Patricia A. Mertes, who are registered nurses, and physician Robert S. Mausel.
But President Kevin M. Jourdain and other councilors objected not only to the city having such a program, which Jourdain said essentially displays a welcome sign for heroin users, but they said the approval process ignored the public and City Council authority.
Voters in 2001 rejected needle exchange in a nonbinding referendum.
Councilors and Morse also disagree on the meaning of “local approval” of needle exchange. Morse said that was achieved with the Board of Health vote and his signature. Jourdain and other councilors say such a program requires approval of the City Council, which twice has voted it down.
Jourdain has vowed a court challenge. But Morse said the only entity that can represent a city department is the city solicitor and the solicitor agrees with the mayor. Jourdain has filed an order to amend an ordinance to let the council hire its own lawyer in certain cases.
The Republican | Greg SaulmonAt Tapestry Health's Northampton needle exchange site, assistant director of prevention services Kari Downs, center, talks with harm reduction counselor Stephen Roussel (at right), and Tom, a client of the program (at left).
Below, excerpts from an interview with Tom, who said he first came to the program after over a year of thinking about getting tested for HIV.
Tom, Northampton needle exchange client
Needle exchange is just what it says: People visit an office, such as the one at 15-A Main St. here run by Tapestry Health, hand over used drug needles and get clean ones in return.
Doctors and specialists like Cranston, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization, said isolating the used needles is vital because the sharing of infected needles is largely to blame for spreading diseases for which there are no cures like HIV-AIDS and hepatitis C.
Needle exchange programs are credited with a statewide 75 percent reduction in HIV infections attributed to injection drug use, dropping from 193 cases in 2001 to 49 in 2009, said Anne Roach, spokeswoman for the Department of Public Health.
“The large indicator of success of these programs is the documented 75 percent reduction in HIV transmissions associated with injection drug use,” Cranston said.
Measuring the success of needle exchange in relation to hepatitis C is more complicated, Roach said. The number of confirmed cases of hepatitis C statewide was 6,405 in 2002 and dropped to 4,706 in 2010, a decrease of 1,699 cases, or nearly 27 percent. Unlike HIV case report data, much of the hepatitis C data are based on laboratory reports of infection, usually antibody test results that indicate past as well as current infection, and contain no risk information on the patient, she said.
“Therefore, these cases cannot be exclusively attributed to injection drug use,” Roach said.
Further, she said, since many, and likely most, Massachusetts residents have not been screened for hepatitis C, officials estimate the actual rates of infection far exceed what is indicated by our surveillance data.
“So we cannot make definitive statements about whether rates among (intravenous drug users) are going up, down, or staying stable,” Roach said.
The Republican | Greg SaulmonStephen Roussel, a harm reduction counselor at Tapestry Health's Northampton needle exchange site, shows a "cooker" in the program's exchange room. In addition to clean needles, the program offers other supplies used by injection drug users in an attempt to reduce other risks associated with use. Cookers, Roussel explained, can transmit hepatitis C if shared among users.
Below, audio excerpts from an interview with Roussel.
Stephen Roussel, Tapestry Health
Any reduction in HIV and hepatitis C cases among injected-drug users is helpful, Cranston said at the Aug. 14 health board meeting, because people with such diseases need treatment.
“These will be not insignificant,” Cranston said.
Cranston said 301 people with HIV-AIDS were living in Holyoke in 2011. And 39 percent of them said they were injected-drug users. Needle exchange can help reduce that, he said.
“This is well-established science,” Cranston said.
Another sign that needle exchange has been effective, officials said, is that between 1994 and 2008, 19,916 clients enrolled in state-approved programs. Those programs took in and safely disposed of 3,677,450 used and possibly infected needles.
In that same period, the programs issued 4,653,255 clean needles, officials said.
The reason nearly one million more needles were issued than submitted from 1994 to 2008 was because needle exchange programs do not operate on a strict one-for-one exchange basis. A user might bring in three days’ worth of needles but need a week’s worth back because of being unable to return to the exchange office for a while, Roach said.
Also, cities and towns have syringe-disposal options, such as the kiosk to be set up here in the Council on Aging office at 310 Appleton St., that are collecting some of the used needles. Those needles wouldn’t get counted at a needle-exchange office, she said.
The Holyoke program operates on a strict "one-for-one, plus one" policy, said program supervisor Liz Whynott. Clients are eligible to receive exactly the same number of syringes they return, plus one additional syringe -- so, for example, a client returning 5 syringes is eligible to receive 6.
Needle exchange, by the numbers
19,916: Number of clients enrolled in state-approved needle exchange programs, 1994-2008
3,677,450: Number of used and possibly infected needles taken in by needle exchange programs during that period
4,653,255: Number of clean needles issued during that time
$150,000: Expected annual cost, paid by the state, for the Tapestry Health's needle exchange program in Holyoke
301: Number of Holyoke residents living with HIV-AIDS in 2011
39: Percent of Holyoke HIV-AIDS patients who are injected-drug users
Approved sites in Massachusetts:
Boston (1994)
Cambridge (1994)
Northampton (1996)
Provincetown (1997)
Holyoke (2012)
Another benefit of the program is it gets into the door drug addicts who use needles and exposes them to counseling, details about treatment to get off drugs and other “harm reduction” steps they otherwise might never see, officials said.
Exposure to treatment and counseling is a big reason why Northampton Police Chief Russell P. Sienkiewicz supports that city’s needle exchange program. It’s run by Tapestry Health at 16 Center St.
“If they hear the message enough, hopefully, someday they’ll make a change,” Sienkiewicz said.
He welcomed needle exchange when it began and supports it now, he said.
“I’ve always said it’s not such much a law enforcement issue, it’s not soft on drugs, it’s a public health issue. You know, we’re in the business of saving lives, and the needle exchange program, which I prefer to call harm reduction programs,” does that, Sienkiewicz said.
Other Northampton officials say the program hasn’t promoted illegal drug use, hasn’t caused more discarded needles and hasn’t stigmatized the city as a drug haven – all common concerns of exchange program foes.
“I always use the analogy that a bartender giving you a clean glass doesn’t make you an alcoholic,” Northampton City Council President William H. Dwight said.
“I’m not speaking for the whole city, but I’m pretty damn proud of the program,” he said.
“I haven’t heard of any problems,” Councilor Jesse M. Adams said. “I’ve known of needle exchange since it came here.”
Two people who work near the needle exchange office in Northampton, Kat Kruse, who works at Northampton Chiropractic & Wellness Center, 24 Center St., and Samantha Somtois, patient coordinator at Hampshire Family Dental, 12 Center St., said they hardly notice the needle exchange is there.
One thing Sienkiewicz disagrees with was the 2006 law that decriminalized over-the-counter sales of needles and syringes at pharmacies.
Letting injected-drug users buy needles removes their motivation to get infected needles off the streets and learn about treatment, he said.
Since over-the-counter syringe purchases became legal in Massachusetts in 2006, use of needle exchange programs has shown a drop, “which is understandable,” Cranston said.
The Republican | Greg SaulmonTracy Cheatle, a harm reduction counselor at Tapestry Health's Holyoke needle exchange site, looks for used syringes at a wooded location in South Holyoke where heroin users congregate.Cheatle said that during her initial 'outreach' efforts, in July, she might find up to 90 needles in a single location. The number of used needles she finds at these sites has dropped since the launch of the Holyoke program, she said.
Below, audio excerpts from an interview with Cheatle.
Tracy Cheatle, Tapestry Health
In 2006, for example, 511,267 needles were submitted. That dropped in 2007 to 431,337 and in 2008 to 314,030.
The 2006 act legalizing sales of needles at pharmacies is a good step, but insufficient by itself, according to advocacy groups like the Massachusetts Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition. Many injected-drug users can’t afford to buy needles and others fear the stigma of others knowing of their drug use, they said.
The state agrees to contracts based on providers having filed notices of interest to run needle exchanges. The only one to file such a notice for a Holyoke program was Tapestry Health. That state contract is being finalized, Cranston said.
The state pays a range of costs for such programs, from up to $65,000 a year in Provincetown to $350,000 in Boston. Holyoke’s would cost about $150,000 a year, he said.
A program’s effectiveness is based on a provider meeting conditions in its contract with the state, he said.
Such conditions deal with number of clients seen and number of education programs, public health screenings and substance abuse treatment referrals conducted, he said.
At Tapestry Health’s needle exchange office here, a sign reads, “All services are free and anonymous/confidential.” Hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Brochures about HIV, hepatitis C and many other things are available in English and Spanish.
Across the street, two business owners said they weren’t thrilled a needle exchange has opened, but it was acceptable as long as it doesn’t prompt people to hang around outside.
Janet Kaciak, who runs the Zumba gym on the third floor of 48 Main St., translated for Francisco Ortiz, owner of Ortiz Used Tires at that address.
“I don’t want to sound negative,” Kaciak said. “If they come and go, that’s fine. I want people to be safe. I just don’t like it if they’re hanging around.”
The shelter had to turn people away most nights during the last sheltering season.
Kevin J. Noonan, executive director of Craig's Doors - A Home Association, Inc., in Amherst.
AMHERST — Those running the winter shelter hope to talk to the Select Board Monday night about expanding the shelter after they were told this week they would not be able to expand this year.
Kevin J. Noonan, executive director of Craig's Doors, which provided shelter services at the First Baptist Church last winter for the first time, said the shelter had to turn people away most nights this past year.
He’s particularly concerned about women. “We’re seeing more and more women. That’s our primary concern. We see our program as harm reduction.” He submitted a management plan for eight additional beds, increasing capacity from 16 to 24. Currently there’s space for only four women, he said.
The First Baptist Church was willing to put in a third shower to satisfy state requirements, Noonan said. But Town Manager John P. Musante and other officials nixed the expansion proposal this year, Noonan said. He said officials were concerned thatCraig’s Doors is a new organization and wanted to wait a year or so before allowing for expansion.
The agency ran the shelter last year for the first time, but many involved, like Noonan, have been involved in similar services for years.
Noonan said officials were also concerned about people coming to town for shelter and not having enough services in place during the day to accommodate the need. The town has programs such as the Amherst Survival Center, which provides services four days a week.
But Musante said in an email that he will be updating the board. "I have made no final decisions on shelter contract or capacity issues as of yet," he wrote.
Noonan said the shelter doesn’t open until 9:30 p.m., so he’s worried about having to turn people away at that hour.
“We’re very pleased with the town,” he said, commending the town for devoting block grant money to the shelter that opens Nov. 1 and closes April 30. The block grant provides $90,000 toward the shelter operation. Craig’s Doors raises additional funding to meet budget needs. Last year, the town awarded $100,000 for services that cost $109,000, said Noonan, the former executive director of the Open Pantry Community Services in Springfield.
Noonan said they were planning to raise additional money to hire a third staff person to accommodate the additional people.
Musante, as town manager, is charged with negotiating contracts like this, not the Select Board. But in an email, board chairwoman Stephanie J. O'Keeffe said Musante appreciates board feedback.
The Select Board meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. The manager is slated to present his shelter update to the board at 7:45 p.m.
A beautiful late-afternoon across western Massachusetts as last night's cold front and stormy weather has ushered in a much more pleasant airmass behind it. High temperatures today topped out in the mid-70s under mostly sunny skies.
One thing to mention is more clouds cover and scattered showers back across New York and Pennsylvania. This is associated with an upper-level trough lagging behind the cold front. This activity will diminish with the setting sun, but an isolated shower may sneak into the Berkshires as we close out the day.
Overnight lows will start feeling autumn-like for the next couple of nights. Tonight it will drop down to the upper-40s, with some isolated upper-30s possible in the hilltowns for the next couple of nights.
A large ridge of high pressure will be dominating throughout the week, potentially keeping us mostly sunny all the way into next weekend. High temperatures will be in the mid-70s through Wednesday before jumping back into the lower-80s for the second-half of the week.
Tonight: Mainly clear and much cooler, an isolated mountain shower early, low 48.
Monday: Cool morning, sunny and comfortable, high 75.
Tuesday: Chilly morning, sunny and comfortable, high 74.
Wednesday: Chilly morning, sunny and comfortable, high 78.
It was one of the worst weekends at the box office in a decade.
AP photo/Lionsgate Natasha Calis stars as Em in the film, "The Possession."
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "The Possession" occupied the top spot at a nearly comatose box office.
The fright flick with Kyra Sedgwick and Jeffrey Dean Morgan playing the parents of a girl possessed by a demon earned $9.5 million in its second outing, the lowest grossing weekend for the box office this year and one of the worst weekends at the box office in a decade. It marked the first time since 2008 that no film managed to crack the $10 million mark.
The weekend after Labor Day is typically the slowest of the year, but this weekend's grosses were down 20 percent over last year when "Contagion" opened in first place with $22.4 million. Total box office revenues are estimated at $67 million, which would make this the worst weekend at the box office since the weekend after 9/11 when revenues were $59.7 million.
"There just wasn't a strong opener," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. "We came off a summer that ended with a whimper. There wasn't any momentum. It just comes down to the movies and the marketplace. There's wasn't some extraneous force keeping people out of the theaters. This crop of movies just didn't have that solid draw."
The bootlegging tale "Lawless" starring Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy and Jessica Chastain kept a lock on the No. 2 position in its second weekend with $6 million, bringing its total haul to $23.5 million, while "The Words" featuring Bradley Cooper as an aspiring writer and Zoe Saldana as his girlfriend debuted in third place with $5 million.
A pair of action sequels rounded out the top five films. The ensemble flick "The Expendables 2" earned $4.7 million in its fourth weekend, while "The Bourne Legacy" captured $4 million in its fifth outing at the box office. "Expendables 2" also won $14 million internationally in 23 territories, and "Bourne Legacy" nabbed $13 million in 49 territories.
"2016: Obama's America," a conservative film exploring the roots of President Barack Obama's political views, raised its total to $26 million in its ninth week of release, earning another $3.3 million this weekend. That now makes "2016" the second highest grossing political documentary of all time behind director Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," which holds the top spot with $119.1 million.
"The Cold Light of Day," the weekend's only other new major release, wasn't able to see the light of the top 10. The drama starring Henry Cavill and Bruce Willis earned just $1.8 million in the No. 13 spot.
Below "The Cold Light of Day," an IMAX re-release of 1981's "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" collected $1.7 million in the No. 14 position. The film starring Harrison Ford as the iconic archaeologist is playing a limited engagement in 267 theaters.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Possession," $9.5 million ($3.5 million international).
2. "Lawless," $6 million ($1.4 million international).
3. "The Words," $5 million.
4. "The Expendables 2," $4.7 million ($14 million international).
5. "The Bourne Legacy," $4 million ($13 million international).
6. "ParaNorman," $3.8 million ($2.4 million international).
7. "The Odd Life of Timothy Green," $3.6 million.
8. "The Campaign," $3.5 million.
9. "The Dark Knight Rises," $3.3 million ($13 million international).
MassMutual has been a builder since its founding in 1851, earning the company worldwide industry recognition for its steadfast growth strategy.
The Republican file | Mark M. MurrayThe MassMutual Financial Group's headquarters is seen on State Street in Springfield.
News item: SPRINGFIELD – The MassMutual Financial Group is buying The Hartford’s retirement plans business for $400 million. (The Republican, Sept. 5).
In the scheme of things, it’s not blockbuster news. But the deal underscores the sure and steady way Springfield’s largest private employer keeps on growing and prospering – and that’s very good news for the company and the region’s economy.
When it combines with The Hartford, MassMutual’s retirement business will have $120 billion in assets, making it the 11th largest retirement services business in the country, according to company CEO Roger W. Crandall.
MassMutual doesn’t yet know how The Hartford’s 1,200 retirement services division employees will integrate with the 1,100 workers in the company’s retirement services business at its State Street headquarters.
“This, from our perspective is a growth opportunity,” Crandall said. “The Hartford’s markets are different than our markets. This is something we want to build, not something we want to prune aggressively.”
Indeed, MassMutual has been a builder since its founding in 1851, earning the company worldwide industry recognition for its steadfast growth strategy.
MassMutual has consistently appeared on the Fortune World’s Most Admired Company list, a survey that assesses “reputation drivers” crucial to a company’s global success. Those include: financial soundness, long-term investment value, people management, innovation and global competitiveness – and social responsibility.
Throughout the company’s history, MassMuual has remained one of the region’s finest corporate citizens. Time and again, MassMutual has stepped up to advance Springfield’s revitalization efforts – from improvements to the State Street Corridor to its investment in the downtown civic center and from tornado relief to scholarship aid for city students.
So we salute MassMutual for its continued success. It’s comforting to know that this Springfield-based financial giant – one we often take for granted – remains an economic bulwark of Western Massachusetts.
The 4,200 athletes from 164 nations competed over 11 days.
The Associated PressPerformers carry torches at the closing of the Paralympics ceremony.
STEVE DOUGLAS,AP Sports Writer
LONDON (AP) — Coldplay and Rihanna rocked the Olympic Stadium to give the biggest-ever Paralympic Games a rousing send-off Sunday night, wrapping up an unforgettable summer of sports in London.
Jay-Z joined the three-hour party at a packed 80,000-seat arena that has played host to memorable moments across both the Olympics and Paralympics.
Honoring the spirit of festivals throughout British history, the show gave the world a chance to celebrate 11 days of Paralympic competition that have shifted perceptions and shattered stereotypes.
Central to the ceremony — called the "Festival of the Flame" — were the 4,200 Paralympians from 164 nations who encircled the field of play from the start, waving flags and taking in the extraordinary atmosphere.
"I think it's been an absolute triumph from start to finish," said British Prime Minister David Cameron, whose disabled son Ivan died in 2009. "I think back to Ivan. As every parent, you think about all the things they can't do, but at the Paralympics they are superhuman, you see all the things they can do.
"It's been a golden summer of British sport."
The 2012 Paralympics have broken all records, with 2.7 million spectators cramming into venues and more than $70 million raised in ticket sales — both unprecedented figures as the British public displayed a previously unseen enthusiasm in the 52-year history of the Paralympics.
The games were broadcast in more than 100 countries.
The wide exposure introduced the world to Paralympians such as Dutch wheelchair tennis player Esther Vergeer — who extended her nine-year unbeaten streak to 470 matches by winning the women's singles — and David Weir, a wheelchair racer who won four golds. It also cemented the reputation of iconic double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius.
In total, 251 world records were broken over the 11 days.
"I think people are going to look back at this Paralympic Games and for the first time really, truly believe that Paralympic sport is not just inspirational, it's hard-core sport," said Pistorius, a South African who became the first athlete to compete in both games and won two golds in the Paralympics.
A moving tribute to wounded British servicemen and members of the British army opened the show. Luke Sinnott, a captain who lost both legs from above the knee in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2010, hung the Union Flag at the top of flagpole in the middle of the stadium and the extravaganza kicked off.
Proud flag-bearers from all competing nations marched in before a motorcade of 25 trucks, in a variety of shapes including peacocks and fish, stormed the stadium and kick-started Coldplay's set list.
Top-selling hits like "Clocks," ''Viva La Vida" and "Paradise" were belted out by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, with artistic director Kim Gavin keen to reflect the four seasons at the heart of the show.
"Being asked to play at the Paralympic closing ceremony in our hometown is a huge honor," Coldplay said. "We can't actually imagine a bigger honor."
White confetti rained down as snow, black crows on stilts encircled the stage, flaming butterflies swirled in the air and a flying motorbike driven by highwire artist Laszlo Simet with disabled dancer Lyndsay Adams powered across the stadium.
"Being at the Paralympics is the biggest honor," said Rihanna, dressed in a flowing orange gown. "These athletes are gladiators and are a true inspiration to me."
She sang "We Found Love" while swinging high above the stage, a performance sure to give her insurer a heart attack.
Such was the global attraction of performing at the closing ceremony that organizers were able to turn down approaches to appear. Rihanna, Jay Z and Coldplay — acclaimed artists who have sold millions of records among them — were being paid a nominal one pound ($1.60) to play.
The ceremony was to finish with the cauldron — made up of 200 petals — being extinguished, ending the games in London and passing the baton to Rio de Janeiro for 2016.
"On Aug. 29, we opened with the theme of 'Enlightenment,'" said Sir Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee. "Tonight, we are enlightened and armed with a superior knowledge of what can be achieved. The legacy of these games will be long-lasting."
Mary Zakayo, a Kenyan javelin thrower and shot-putter credited with changing the face of Paralympic sport in Africa, and Michael McKillop, an Irishman who won two middle-distance golds in the Olympic Stadium, were chosen as the athletes who best exemplified the spirit of the games. They earned the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tom Brady agrees that he looks a little too perfect.
He's a football player, has been his whole life, but he still has a face that screams Hollywood. There's no scars, cuts, scratches -- nothing at all. So he wasn't mad when Kamerion Wimbly busted open his nose during Sunday's 34-14 win over the Titans.
In fact, he seemed glad that it happened.
"I need some of that," Brady said with a bandage over his nose. "A little blood doesn't bother me."
The play happened in the second quarter when Wimbley flushed Brady out of the pocket and collapsed on him for a sack near the sideline. It appeared that Wimbley's shin made contact with Brady's nose as they fell the grass.
Brady immediately received attention from the medical staff on the sidelines as they worked furiously to stop the bleeding. Backup quarterback Ryan Mallett began preparing on the sidelines, but defensive end Chandler Jones recorded a strip sack on Titans quarterback Jake Locker that resulted in a touchdown for linebacker Dont'a Hightower to buy some time, though Brady said he didn't need it.
He was also unwilling to say whether he suffered a broken nose on the play.
"I have no idea what a broken nose feels like," Brady said.
He was then asked if he ever suffered a broken nose before.
"In my life? No," he said. "In a previous life? I'm not sure."
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Stevan Ridley was just hoping to get a few touches and make a couple positive plays.
He never thought that he'd end up serving as the catalyst of the offense during the Patriots' 34-13 win over the Titans Sunday and end up carrying the ball 21 times for 125 yards.
"It's a dream come true to be out there playing on Sunday -- like I said, I'm very blessed," Ridley said. "To just get out there and play is all I want to do. (21) carries is more than I was expecting."
Ridley showed good burst in his first performance since BenJarvus Green-Ellis took off for Cincinnati during the offseason during free agency, but his best work came during a third-quarter scoring drive where he accounted for 35 of New England's 48 yards.
The second-year running back bounced outside the left tackle for a 15-yard gain on his first carry of the series, then took the ball to the right for a gain of five. On the next play, he ran up the gut for a gain of 14 and capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.
Head coach Bill Belichick was pleased with Ridley's performance but gave credit to the offensive line.
"It always starts up front. The offensive line did a good job. We had some good holes, the backs ran hard," Belichick said. "Stevan ran hard, broke some tackles. Our tight ends, our offensive line and our receivers blocked so it was good. A good complimentary game. We had good balance offensively."
Ridley, who ran 87 times for 441 yards last season, agreed with Belichick's assessment of the offensive line, though added that getting in a zone early put him in a position to succeed.
"When you get days like today and you're running the ball well you can definitely feel it," Ridley said. "There were some runs that were there and there some that weren't. The coaches just did an exceptional job of finding the ones that were doing well and they just kept calling them until they stopped them. ... I didn't do anything out of the ordinary, I was just the player that I was and went out there and played ball."
The McGuire Sisters earned six gold records for hits including 1954's "Sincerely" and 1957's "Sugartime."
APDorothy McGuire Williamson
PHOENIX (AP) — Dorothy McGuire Williamson, who teamed with sisters Christine and Phyllis for a string of hits in the 50s and 60s as the popular McGuire Sisters singing group, has died. She was 84.
Williamson died Friday at her son's home in the Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley, daughter-in-law Karen Williamson said. She had Parkinson's disease and age-related dementia.
The McGuire Sisters earned six gold records for hits including 1954's "Sincerely" and 1957's "Sugartime." The sisters were known for their sweet harmonies and identical outfits and hairdos.
They began singing together as children at their mother's Ohio church and then performed at weddings and church revivals. They got their big break on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts show in 1952 where they continued to perform for seven years.
The group made numerous appearances on television and toured into the late 1960s, making a last performance together on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1968. Dorothy stepped back to raise her two sons, Williamson said. Christine also raised a family while Phyllis pursued a solo career, according to a 1986 profile in People Magazine after the trio reunited and began doing nightclub and Las Vegas performances again.
The sister last performed together in the mid-2000s, and are featured on a 2004 PBS show called "Magic Moments - Best of 50s Pop."
"They were a talent at a time when you had to have talent — it couldn't be done as it is now," said Williamson, who is married to McGuire's son, Rex. "Truly, their harmonies were some of the best and God-given and they always knew that and never took that for granted."
The group performed for five presidents and Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. They were inducted into the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.
Christine and Phyllis, 86 and 81 respectively, live in Las Vegas.
"They were just hard working professionals and they took every aspect of the career very, very seriously," Williamson said of the sisters. "And when they put on a show you were going to get a great, great show."
McGuire was married for 53 years to Lowell Williamson, a wealthy oilman. The couple had two sons, Rex and David.
In addition to her husband and sons, she is survived by two step-children and nine grandchildren.
A memorial service is set for Sept. 15 at Valley Presbyterian Church in Paradise Valley.
Things looked different when the duo got into the end zone Sunday.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Rob Gronkowski loves getting into the end zone for no other than to spike the football as hard and violently as a human possibly can.
So it was a little dissatisfying for him when he got into the end zone in the second quarter of Sunday's 34-13 win over the Tennessee Titans and the ball slipped out of his hand when he wound up to slam it the turf.
"The thing just slipped right out," Gronkowski said. "I wasn't going to go grab it. I played it off pretty well."
Gronkowski finished with six receptions for 60 yards. Brandon Lloyd led the team with five receptions for 69 yards, including an incredible sideline catch during the second quarter for a gain of 27 yards. Wes Welker, meanwhile, caught three passes for 14 yards, his lowest total in a Patriots jersey since he suffered a torn ACL in the 2009 finale against Houston.
Aaron Hernandez (six receptions, 59 yards) also called an audible on his touchdown celebration. After getting into the end zone in the first quarter on 23-yard play-action pass, a play during which Tom Brady side-stepped a rush and slid up in the pocket, Hernandez opted to go for a bow instead of his usual "make it rain" celebration.
"It wasn't good enough to make it rain," Hernandez said.
Our first of several clear and cool nights for the upcoming workweek.
A light shower briefly skirted by the southern Berkshires and parts of Litchfield County in Connecticut as nn upper-level trough lagging behind yesterday's system pushed through. All of this activity will fizzle out as we go through the overnight hours.
Other than that, it has been a mainly clear evening across the region. Overnight lows will start feeling autumn-like for the next couple of nights. Tonight it will drop down to the upper-40s, with some isolated upper-30s possible in the hilltowns for the next couple of nights.
A large ridge of high pressure will be dominating throughout the week, potentially keeping us mostly sunny all the way into next weekend. High temperatures will be in the mid-70s through Wednesday before jumping back into the lower-80s for the second-half of the week.
Tonight: Mainly clear and much cooler, low 48.
Monday: Cool morning, sunny and comfortable, high 75.
Tuesday: Chilly morning, sunny and comfortable, high 74.
Wednesday: Chilly morning, sunny and comfortable, high 78.
The Republican / Michael BeswickFirefighters extinguish a blaze at 101 Beech St. Sunday night.
HOLYOKE – About 35 residents of a 10-apartment building in downtown were displaced Sunday night after the back porches of the building caught fire.
The fire at 101 Beech St. was first reported at abut 8:30 p.m. when someone at least a mile away at Croiser Field saw smoke and reported it. The fire department investigated and found the back of the five-story brick building on fire, said Fire Department Lt. Thomas Paquin.
“When we got there it was blowing out windows in the building and it got up in the cock loft (attic) and in the upper floors,” Paquin said.
The Fire Department cut holes in the roof and sprayed water from outside and in the exterior. They could be seen working on the roof as well. By 9:30 p.m. , the blaze was mostly extinguished.
The cause was not immediately known. A number of roads including parts of Beech and Dwight streets were closed as firefighters battled the blaze, he said.
The management company and the American Red Cross were called to assist because no one was allowed to return to the apartments.
Gregory Virgilio, manager of the building owned by Phoenix Properties, stood by the building talking to residents and trying to arrange temporary housing for the tenants.
He said eight of the 10 apartments were occupied at there were about 35 adults and children living in the building.
Preliminary reports from the Fire Department showed that damage was limited to the back porches and the roof where holes were cut. Virgilio said he was hoping the roof could be patched and other repairs could be made quickly so tenants can return within a few days.
He and Paquin said everyone living in the building did escape safely.
“I'm told one of the residents had the presence of mind to get everyone out,” Virgilio said.
Zulier Marquez, 9, who lives on the third floor with her mother and father said she was concerned that the family's pet birds may have been hurt in the fire.
“We heard a knock on the door, a knock on the door and a neighbor said let's go there's a fire,” she said.
Aliah Rivera, 14, said one of her friends lives on the second floor. Her family also got out safely.
“She said it was on the porch in the back. She saw a couch on fire,” she said.
A look at how a few players saw their stock change following the Patriots' 34-13 victory over the Titans.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A look at how a few players saw their stock change following the Patriots' 34-13 victory over the Titans.
RB Stevan Ridley -- Any concerns about the departure of BenJarvus Green-Ellis and the release of Joseph Addai were alleviated Sunday night as Ridley ran 21 times for 125 yards. When was the last time you saw a Patriots running back with legitimate burst and home-run ability? It's been a while. Just wait a little bit before you fill out your Pro Bowl ballot. Tennessee allowed an average of 128.3 rushing yards per game last season.
WR Brandon Lloyd -- Things started out poorly for Lloyd after he failed to hook up with Tom Brady on an awkward deep pass on the opening drive, but he quickly turned things around and made a spectacular 27-yard grab on the sideline during the second quarter. Not a bad start for the newest weapon in the arsenal.
The defense -- The Patriots held the Titans under 300 yards, held Chris Johnson to just four rushing yards and the rookies were all over the place making plays. You couldn't have asked for a better performance.
In the doghouse
CB Ras-I Dowling -- Dowling gave up a big third-down reception and was whistled for pass interference in the first quarter.
WR Wes Welker -- He allowed a pass to bounce off his helmet in the first quarter and was limited to 14 yards, his lowest total in Patriots' jersey outside of the 2009 finale when he suffered a torn ACL.
P Zoltan Mesko -- He had a 28-yard punt and a touchback. Not a good start to the season for Mesko.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Patriots right guard Dan Connolly is not expected to miss extended time after suffering a head injury that knocked him out of action against the Titans Sunday.
Connolly left the field late in the third quarter and did not return to New England's 34-13 win. He was given and passed a concussion test after the game, according to The Boston Globe.
Connolly missed two games with a concussion in 2010. A serious injury could have been problematic with last year's starting right guard, Brian Waters, yet to report for action.
State police said they received a call about a wrong-way operator approximately 2 to 3 minutes prior to the fatal crash.
Republican file photo
LUDLOW — Massachusetts State Police, investigating a wrong-way head-on crash that claimed two lives on the Massachusetts Turnpike on Friday night, said Sunday night that evidence indicates the wrong-way driver made a U-turn on the highway minutes before the accident.
According to a statement issued by David Procopio, spokesman for the
Massachusetts State Police, their investigation also indicates Clarence Lux, 84, of New Britain, Conn., had a medical condition that potentially might have been a contributing factor to the crash. State police on Saturday identified Lux as the wrong-way driver.
According to state police, evidence they've compiled indicates that Lux, while traveling west, suddenly took a U-turn and began driving east in the westbound lanes, causing one vehicle behind him to take immediate evasive actions. State police said they believe Lux struck Magee's vehicle shortly thereafter.
State police would not comment on Lux's medical condition, citing medical privacy laws.
On Saturday, state police said their barracks in Westfield had received numerous calls for a wrong-way operator prior to the fatal crash, and that patrols were dispatched but were unable to locate the reported vehicle. Procopio on Sunday said state police received the first call about a wrong-way operator approximately two to three minutes before the fatal crash.
Two other cars were unable to stop and collided with the initial pile-up. State police said there were no injuries reported from anyone occupying the other two vehicles involved in the crash, and neither one was towed.
