WEST SPRINGFIELD – The leaves have not yet fallen, but Christmas is already in the air. With snow machines whirring and a battery of powerful air conditioners on full blast, the “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” exhibit at the Eastern States Exposition aims to get fairgoers into the holiday spirit. “It’s an idea I’ve had for a few years....

Big E photoWalking in a Winter Wonderland is a new exhibit in the Young Building at the Big E.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – The leaves have not yet fallen, but Christmas is already in the air.

With snow machines whirring and a battery of powerful air conditioners on full blast, the “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” exhibit at the Eastern States Exposition aims to get fairgoers into the holiday spirit.

“It’s an idea I’ve had for a few years. I wanted to bring back the nostalgia days of when I was kid and you’d go see Santa” said James Cicerchia, one of the exhibit’s designers. “It was spectacular. You’d plan your day around it. I wanted to create that feeling.”

Sponsored by Uncommon USA, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” was created by J3T•SET Design Group, a newly established design firm based in Springfield.

“We’ve been working on this concept for a couple of years now and doing all the research. That was a lot of leg work” Cicerchia said.

J3T is comprised of four partners Cicerchia, James Amaceo, James Maher and Tanya Fields, who could be the faces behind some of your favorite displays for department stores like Lord & Taylor and Macy’s. As visual merchandisers, they all met while working at Macy’s.

“We started this partnership and made a company,” Cicerchia said.

Located in the Young Building on the Big E grounds, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” is a 4,000-square-foot forest comprised with 140 Christmas trees and four winter- and Christmas-themed scenes.

The scenes include “Vintage Glamour,” reminiscent of old 1940s-era Hollywood, 1800s “Victorian Romance”, a traditional Christmas dining room scene that Cicerchia dubs “very Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren,” and a candy-inspired scene with an “old candy shop feeling” he said.

Complete with high-powered air conditioners and snow machines that give the exhibit climate appropriate temperatures, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” promises a snowstorm every day.

“I wanted the magic of Disney on a smaller scale,” he said.

And no holiday is complete without the annual Christmas card. As fairgoers exit the exhibit, they will have the opportunity to get their pictures taken, choosing from dozens of backdrops using green screen technology and buying options that will give families one thing to check off their Christmas to-do list.

Looking ahead to the future of J3T•SET Design Group, Cicerchia said they hope to expand “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” and move to a bigger location and have it on display during the holidays.

“This is such a great partnership there’s no way I could’ve done it myself. It wouldn’t have happened without them” said Cicerchia of his team which also includes a team of 32 freelancers throughout the duration of the fair.

For more information on the Big E, visit www.masslive.com/the-big-e 

Although Obama's popularity could be a post-convention bump, if his support translates into votes for Democrat Elizabeth Warren, it could spell trouble for Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and his re-election bid.

President Barack Obama's lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the Bay State has grown significantly since May, a Western New England University Polling Institute poll reveals.

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SPRINGFIELD - Although President Barack Obama is expected to defeat Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in Massachusetts this November, the margin by which the incumbent is edging the one-term Bay State governor is growing, according to a new poll released Tuesday.

A survey by the Western New England University Polling Institute through a partnership with The Republican and MassLive.com revealed that Obama is now edging Romney, 64-32 percent, among registered voters and by 22 points, 60-38 percent, among likely voters.

In late May, the last time the university conducted a political poll, Obama led with registered voters 56-34 percent. At the time, likely voters weren't distinguished since the November election was more than five months away.

While Obama's favorable/unfavorable ratio has become more positive since the previous poll, Romney's popularity has dropped overall, according to the survey.

Obama's present favorable/unfavorable ranking is 64-29 among registered voters compared to 57-33 percent in May. Romney's ratio, on the other hand, is now 31-60 percent compared to 36-50 percent in May.

Additionally, the president's job approval rating has grown to 60 percent among registered voters in Massachusetts, compared to 54 percent in May. His positive job approval number among likely voters is 57 percent, the poll concluded.

So what is causing Obama's popularity to jump so much while Romney's dwindles?

According to Tim Vercellotti, professor of political science at Western New England University and the director of the polling institute, the timing of the Democratic National Convention and current enthusiasm of Democrats may be helping.

"Obama seems to be enjoying a post-convention bounce with these numbers. Of the three polls that we've done so far this year, these results represent Obama's best numbers to date in terms of job approval, favorability, and presidential match-up when looking at our previous data for registered voters," Vercellotti said. "Mitt Romney's favorability is the lowest it has been this year among registered voters."

And although Romney's late summer addition of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, of Wisconsin, as his running mate re-energized his campaign, it didn't do him any favors in Massachusetts, according to the poll.

Of the likely voters surveyed, only 16 percent said Ryan would make them more likely to vote for Romney while 27 percent said the inclusion makes them less likely to support the former governor. Fifty five percent of the likely voters surveyed said Ryan has absolutely no effect on their choice for president.

And in terms of popularity, Democratic vice president Joe Biden's numbers are looking better than Ryan's in Massachusetts. Of the likely voters polled, 51 percent said they have a favorable opinion of Biden while 35 percent said they have an unfavorable view.

Ryan got a thumbs up from 29 percent of the same group while 47 percent see him in a negative light.

The overall support Obama has in the Bay State could prove useful for Democrat Elizabeth Warren, who is challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown to win the seat once held by the late Senator Ted Kennedy until his death in 2009.

Warren, who the poll concluded is leading Brown among likely voters 50-44 percent, is on track to receive a vote from 77 percent of those supporting Obama and eight percent of those supporting Romney.

Brown continues to run strong among his base, with support from 91 percent of Republicans and only four percent of GOP voters gravitating to Warren. Brown holds a healthy 22-point lead among independents, but for now, that is not enough to overcome Warren’s strength among Democrats.

Brown's campaign has worked hard to win over independent voters, who make up more than 52 percent of the commonwealth's electorate. As of August, 35 percent of Massachusetts residents were registered Democrats and 11 percent were registered Republicans.

And with 21 percent of likely independent voters saying they might change their minds, compared to 15 percent of Democrats and 9 percent of Republicans, it is a strong possibility that those voters will be the ones to sway the election.

The new Western New England University poll of 545 registered voters has a 4.2 percent margin of error, while the sample of 444 likely voters has a 4.6 percent margin of error.

While gold jewelry is the preferred item to steal, the Monson police chief said thieves also will take silver jewelry or silver utensils.

Monson Police Chief Stephen Kozloski Jr., left, seen with his counterpart in Palmer, Robert P. Frydryk.

Police chiefs in Monson and Palmer say recent house breaks in their towns are crimes of opportunity, often fueled by addicts looking for gold jewelry to resell at a high price so they can buy drugs.

Monson Police Chief Stephen Kozloski Jr. had six arrests last week on break-in charges; four individuals were charged with breaking into homes while two were charged with breaking into cars.

Of the six people arrested, four also were charged with heroin possession, and two were out on bail in connection with drug charges from recent arrests in Holyoke.

He said the combination of the price of gold rising and price of heroin falling is the factor behind many of these break-ins.

The thieves take advantage of open windows at homes, and in one instance, pushed in an air conditioner to get inside a residence, Kozloski said.

While gold jewelry is the preferred item to steal, he said thieves also will take silver jewelry or silver utensils.

Kozloski advises residents to shut their windows, lock their doors and get an alarm system.

Tylor Z. Young, 20, who was arrested by Monson police for breaking into a Flynt Avenue home, was awaiting trial on a separate case from Palmer.

In June, Young was charged with receiving stolen property after he was allegedly found with a stolen handgun, ammunition and a safe reportedly taken from a Three Rivers Road home in Palmer's Three Rivers section.

Young and Amanda Charron were arrested after police searched their 49 Washington St. home in Monson and recovered several pieces of jewelry taken from the Flynt Avenue home.

At their Palmer District Court arraignments on Friday, Young was held on $5,000 bail and will return to court on Oct. 2 for a pretrial conference. Charron was released after $250 bail was posted and she will return to court on Oct. 12 for a pretrial conference.

Two Wilbraham men, Thomas R. Taylor, of 384 Stony Hill Road, and Dylan Gray, of 3 Burt Lane, both 22, were arrested in connection with house breaks on Butler, Reimers and Thayer roads, and on Silver Street. They were both out on bail from arrests on drug charges that occurred in Holyoke on Sept. 6.

And two 24-year-old Palmer residents, Jeremy P. Richard, of 1063 Pleasant St., and Amanda J. Kingston, of 23 Robinson Road, were charged by Monson police with heroin possession and breaking and entering after they were seen bicycling through neighborhoods where recent car break-ins occurred. Found on them were credit cards and jewelry believed to be stolen.

Monson police linked the duo to a house break on Allen Street in Palmer, and a vehicle break on Foster Street in Palmer.

In Palmer, Police Chief Robert P. Frydryk said there have been approximately 17 break-ins reported this past summer, which includes residences and sheds. He said thieves are looking for items they can turn in for quick cash, either by selling them to pawn shops or on the street.

Frydryk advises residents to report anything suspicious to police. The break-ins have happened all over town, and the number is "about average for us."

Though residents often tell police "we didn't want to bother you," Frydryk said, "Please bother us."

A phone call regarding suspicious activity means that the department can possibly prevent a crime from happening, he said.

Union delegates voted overwhelmingly to formally suspend the strike after discussing details of a proposed contract settlement worked out over the weekend.

Associated Press | M. Spencer GreenTeachers picket outside Morgan Park High School in Chicago, Tuesday, as a strike by the Chicago Teachers Union continued into its second week. CTU members in the nation's third-largest city agreed Tuesday to return to their classrooms.

By SOPHIA TAREEN
and TAMMY WEBBER

CHICAGO – The city’s teachers agreed Tuesday to return to the classroom after more than a week on the picket lines, ending a spiteful stalemate with Mayor Rahm Emanuel that put teacher evaluations and job security at the center of a national debate about the future of public education.

Union delegates voted overwhelmingly to formally suspend the strike after discussing details of a proposed contract settlement worked out over the weekend. Classes were to resume Wednesday.

Delegates poured out of a South Side union hall singing “solidarity forever.”

“I’m very excited. I miss my students. I’m relieved because I think this contract was better than what they offered,” said America Olmedo, who teaches fourth- and fifth-grade bilingual classes. “They tried to take everything away.”

Said Shay Porter, a teacher at the Henderson Academy elementary school: “We ignited the labor movement in Chicago.”

The walkout, the first in Chicago in 25 years, shut down the nation’s third-largest school district just days after 350,000 students had returned from summer vacation. Tens of thousands of parents were forced to find alternatives for idle children, including many whose neighborhoods have been wracked by gang violence in recent months.

Union President Karen Lewis said the union’s 700-plus delegates voted 98 percent to 2 percent to reopen the schools.

“We said that we couldn’t solve all the problems of the world with one contract,” Lewis said. “And it was time to end the strike.”

Tuesday’s vote was not on the contract offer itself, but on whether to continue the strike. The contract will now be submitted to a vote by the full membership of more than 25,000 teachers.

The walkout was the first for a major American city in at least six years. It drew national attention because it posed a high-profile test for teachers unions, which have seen their political influence threatened by a growing reform movement. Unions have pushed back against efforts to expand charter schools, bring in private companies to help with failing schools and link teacher evaluations to student test scores.

The strike carried political implications, too, raising the risk of a protracted labor battle in President Barack Obama’s hometown at the height of the fall campaign, with a prominent Democratic mayor and Obama’s former chief of staff squarely in the middle. Emanuel’s forceful demands for reform have angered the teachers.

The teachers walked out Sept. 10 after months of tense contract talks that for a time appeared to be headed toward a peaceful resolution.

Emanuel and the union agreed in July on a deal to implement a longer school day with a plan to hire back 477 teachers who had been laid off rather than pay regular teachers more to work longer hours. That raised hopes the contract would be settled before the start of fall classes, but bargaining stalled on other issues.

Emanuel decried the teachers’ decision to leave classrooms, calling the walkout unnecessary and a “strike of choice.”

Almost from the beginning, the two sides couldn’t even agree on whether they were close to a deal. Emanuel said an agreement was within easy reach and could be sealed with school in session. The union insisted that dozens of issues remained unresolved.

Chicago’s long history as a union stronghold seemed to work to the teachers’ advantage. As they walked the picket lines, they were joined by many of the very people who were most inconvenienced by the work stoppage: parents who had to scramble to find babysitters or a supervised place for children to pass the time.

To win friends, the union representing 25,500 teachers engaged in something of a publicity campaign, telling parents repeatedly about problems with schools and the barriers that have made it more difficult to serve their kids. They described classrooms that are stifling hot without air conditioning, important books that are unavailable and supplies as basic as toilet paper that are sometimes in short supply.

As the strike entered its second week, Emanuel turned to the courts to try to force teachers back to the classroom by filing a lawsuit that described the walkout as an unlawful danger to the public.

The complaint sought a court order to end the strike, saying it was illegal because it endangered the health and safety of students and concerned issues – evaluations, layoffs and recall rights – that state law says cannot be grounds for a work stoppage.

A judge set a hearing for Wednesday, but the case was likely to be moot if teachers went back to class.

The strike upended a district in which the vast majority of students are poor and minority. It also raised the concerns of parents who worried not just about their kids’ education but their safety. Chicago’s gang violence has spiked this year, with scores of shootings reported throughout a long, bloody summer and bystanders sometimes caught in the crossfire.

The district staffed more than 140 schools with non-union workers and central office employees so students who are dependent on school-provided meals would have a place to eat breakfast and lunch. But most parents refused to leave their children at unfamiliar schools where they would be thrown together with kids and supervising adults they may never have met.

When the two sides met at the bargaining table, money was only part of the problem. With an average salary of $76,000, Chicago teachers are among the highest-paid in the nation. After weeks of talks, the district proposed a 16 percent raise over four years – far beyond what most American employers have offered in the aftermath of the Great Recession.

But the evaluations and job security measures stirred the most intense debate.

The union said the evaluation system was unfair because it relied too heavily on test scores and did not take into account outside factors that affect student performance such as poverty, violence and homelessness.

The union also pushed for a policy to give laid-off teachers first dibs on open jobs anywhere in the district. The district said that would prevent principals from hiring the teachers they thought best qualified and most appropriate for the position. The tentative settlement proposed giving laid-off teachers first shot at schools that absorbed their former students.

Emanuel did not personally negotiate but monitored the talks through aides.

The strike was just the latest and highest-stakes chapter in a long and often contentious battle between him and the union.

When he took office last year, the former White House chief of staff inherited a school district facing a $700 million budget shortfall. Not long after, his administration rescinded 4 percent raises for teachers. He then asked the union to re-open its contract and accept 2 percent pay raises in exchange for lengthening the school day for students by 90 minutes. The union refused.

Emanuel, who promised a longer school day during his campaign, attempted to go around the union by asking teachers at individual schools to waive the contract and add 90 minutes to the day. He halted the effort after being challenged by the union before the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board.

The veteran receiver is coming home after being released in August.

He's back AP

Deion Branch never wanted to leave.

The veteran wide receiver spent the last few weeks waiting for a phone call from the New England Patriots and told every open microphone that he was ready and waiting to return home after being released in August.

The phone finally rang Tuesday. After spending 18 days in limbo, Branch will return to the Patriots.

The news, which was first reported by The Boston Globe, came mere hours after it was learned that the Patriots also signed free-agent tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. to help fill the void created by tight end Aaron Hernandez's low ankle sprain.

Wide receiver Greg Salas, who was acquired in a trade for a late-round 2015 draft pick earlier this month, fullback Lex Hilliard and linebacker Mike Rivera were released from the roster.

The Patriots parted ways with Branch on Aug. 31 as of the final roster cutdown, though it never felt like he left. His locker remained intact and Branch often made it sound like a return was possible during his time away.

He was in attendance at Gillette Stadium for Troy Brown's induction into the team's Hall of Fame over the weekend and told reporters that he was in contact with a few other teams but was holding out hope for a return to New England.

"If I'm there, I'd love to be back," Branch, who caught 51 passes for 702 yards and five touchdowns last season, said. "I'd embrace it and pick up right where I left off at."

It may not be that simple with Brandon Lloyd now in his old role, though Branch could help alleviate some of the burden created by Hernandez's injury, as will Winslow.

The 29-year-old tight end is similar to Hernandez in many ways and should be able to help while Hernandez continues to recover from a ankle injury suffered during the third play of Sunday's loss to the Cardinals, but that's assuming that Winslow is healthy enough to do so.

The Patriots showed interest in Winslow (6-foot-4, 254 pounds), who caught 75 passes for 763 yards and two touchdown last season with Tampa Bay, after he was cut by the Seattle Seahawks, but were uncomfortable with the health of his right knee, which has been operated on at least five times following a 2005 motorcycle accident.

Winslow will likely take the bulk of Hernandez's snaps if he's up to speed in time for Sunday's game against Baltimore, though he lacks Hernandez's position flexibility, which could hurt New England's hurry-up offense.

In many ways, Hernandez, with his ability to line up at tight end, wide receiver and running back, has become the glue of the Patriots offense and his flexibility allowed the team to average 15 no-huddle plays per game last season.

When he was out for two weeks with a knee injury during 2011 that figure dropped to 8.5. In the first of those contests the Patriots threw four interceptions and suffered a 34-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

It remains to be seen if Winslow will have a strong enough grasp on the offense to keep up at an advanced pace and New England will likely be forced to use multiple players to fill Hernandez's various roles.

Winslow averaged 72 receptions, 792 yards and four touchdowns per season over the last four years. His best season came in 2007 when he caught 82 passes for 1,106 yards with five touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns.

Though it only averaged a relatively pedestrian 3.1 yards per carry, the UMass running game showed major improvement against Michigan, and will look to build on that heading to Miami (Ohio).

Michael Cox, pictured here against Michigan, took major steps forward last week. J. Anthony Roberts

AMHERST — Normally an average of 3.1 yards per rushing attempt would be nothing to write home about — and certainly nothing to write in the newspaper about, but if we’ve learned anything about the University of Massachusetts football team this season, it’s that regular “normals” haven’t applied.

UMass averaged 0.1 yards per rush against UConn. That number improved to 2.2 against Indiana, then to 3.1 against Michigan.

It’s easy to chalk the improvement from week one to two up to the difference in defenses — UConn’s is somewhere between above average and very good depending on who you ask, while Indiana’s just gave up 41 points to Ball State last week.

Michigan is most definitely a step up from Indiana, but UMass’ run game and especially running back Michael Cox, who led the way with 18 carries for 76 yards, continued to improve last Saturday.

Coach Charley Molnar said there were a number of factors that contributed to the improvement, the most important of which was the return of tackle Anthony Dima, who started all 11 games in 2011, and helped a young, struggling offensive line get a little stability.

“No. 1, Having Anthony Dima back made a difference,” Molnar said. “We had a slightly more veteran group.”

In the first two games, the running game was severely hampered by a collection of negative plays, mostly resulting from Cox or others trying to stretch the ball too far outside.

With a back like Cox, who said himself Tuesday that his best attribute was his strength and ability to break tackles, the best thing is to run forward, not side-to-side.

That’s a trend running backs coach Rod Plummer has tried to emphasize with Cox in the film room.

“Let’s say he bounces it outside when he should have kept it inside and just ran straight, and he sees that on film, “Plummer said. “You say OK, well if I would have kept running straight, look at the hole I would have had as opposed to when I bounce it, here’s the defense and the pursuit angles that they have, and as fast as defenses are, as you’re going east and west, they’re gaining ground on you.”

It’s a common trend for high school running backs as they make the transition to the speed and physicality of the college game.

“In high school, he probably relied on his speed,” Molnar said. “But when you’re on a college football field, especially when you’re playing a team like Michigan, they’re all fast on defense too.”

For the UMass staff, helping teach Cox has been a process not because he’s a slow learner, but because they had to learn his strengths and weaknesses over the course of just three weeks in preseason camp. Being able to watch him in two games allowed Plummer to hone it on which parts of Cox’s game needed the most improvement.

“Now that we’ve had a chance to spend time with him at practice and in meetings, we recognize some of the things he doesn’t do well, and some of the things that are his strengths,” Plummer said.

Now, with defenses that are less skilled awaiting them in MAC play than the ones they’ve faced (beginning this Saturday against Miami (Ohio)), the running game has some confidence to build off of.

Although, don’t tell that to Molnar, who said he was hoping for an even better performance against the then-17th ranked Wolverines last week.

“He didn’t get enough carries because we had so many long-yardage situations where we had to at least try and dink and dunk it to try and make it third-and-manageable,” Molnar said. “It threw us off schedule. Really I wish we could have stayed on schedule because I envisioned him getting 22-25 carries and getting over 100 yards.”

ONE LINERS

Wide receiver Marken Michel had shoulder pads on, but was still limited in practice Tuesday with a bruised shoulder … Left tackle Stephane Milhim practiced minimally because of a sprained right ankle, but Molnar remained optimistic about his chances to return for Saturday’s game … Defensive back Mike Lee is likely to play the role of “nickel back” Saturday against Miami’s spread attack … Reserve offensive lineman Malcolm Speller and tight end Brandon Howard are no longer with the program.

Six bars have offered to stop letting patrons in after 1 a.m., under late-night entertainment permits.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, left, is seen with lawyer Daniel Kelly, who represents several Springfield clubs and bars.

SPRINGFIELD – Six downtown bars, including five strip clubs, have proposed a change in their door entry policy if Mayor Domenic J. Sarno allows them to keep the music and dancing going past a 1 a.m. entertainment curfew.

Daniel D. Kelly, representing the six bars, said during a hearing on Tuesday that all six are willing, as a “good faith” concession, to stop anyone from entering the bar after 1 a.m., if the mayor agreed to give them late-night entertainment permits. The permit would allow the bars to keep the entertainment going up to their regular 2 a.m. closing time.

Under the offer, there would be no entry or re-entry past 1 a.m., Kelly said.

“It was an offer made, we thought, that would be a concession to the city to show our intent and commitment to security at that late hour which we know is a concern to the administration,” Kelly said after the hearing at City Hall. “We would say that is a significant concession.”

In Northampton, bars that are granted special permission to stay open until 2 a.m., must prohibit any patron entry or re-entry after 1 a.m., Police Chief Russell Sienkiewicz said.

Sarno imposed a citywide 1 a.m. entertainment curfew in April, which allows all bars, clubs and bar-restaurants to stay open until 2 a.m., but forces them to stop music, dancing, television, and other forms of entertainment an hour earlier unless they obtain the late-night permit or are exempted due to substantial food sales. Nineteen bars have been granted the late permits.

Bars represented by Kelly have filed suit against the city, challenging the 1 a.m. curfew.

The six bars applying for the permits Tuesday are as follows: Mardi Gras, 87-91 Taylor St.; Fifth Alarm, 775 Worthington St.; Center Stage, 265-267 Dwight St.; Scores, 453 Worthington St.; Xstatic, 240 Chestnut St.; and Oz, 377 Dwight St. Five of the six bars, excluding Oz, are strip bars with adult entertainment, Kelly said.

All six bars were denied the late-night entertainment permits in March, but are reapplying as allowed by the city, Kelly said. Five of the six bars, excluding Scores, have added kitchens in recent months, which was a stated reason for denying their late night permit in March, Kelly said. Scores was not required to have a kitchen, he said.

Kelly resubmitted updated security plans for all six bars, which details their security teams and training, the hiring of extra-duty police officers, door-entry policies including any electronic scanning devices, and video cameras both inside and outside the establishments.

Sarno has stated the curfew is intended to protect public safety. Critics have questioned its effectiveness, and say it hurts business.

City hearing officer Alesia H. Days conducted the hearing, and the city was also represented by Assistant City Solicitor Stephen M. Reilly Jr. Days will submit her findings to Sarno.

Scores and Center Stage are owned by Helen Santaniello of Longmeadow, under the corporate names of Helesant Inc., and Bino Inc., respectively, according to corporate records. The Mardi Gras and Oz are owned by Anthony L. Santaniello under the corporate names of Mardi Gras Entertainment Inc., and Jazzberries Inc.

Fifth Alarm is owned by Sherri-Lynn Via of East Longmeadow, under the corporate name Fifth Alarm Inc., and Xstatic is owned by Michael Brisbois of Springfield, under the corporate name of Buddy’s Pub Inc., according to records.

All 15 community colleges across the state have joined together to form the Massachusetts Community College Casino Careers Training Institute.

FILE - In this March 28, 2012 file photo, craps dealers handle bets for customers at Revel casino in Atlantic City, N.J. during its first invitation-only test night. The main casino workers' union in Atlantic City is trying to force a public vote on whether Revel and other businesses can limit the jobs of some employees to four to six years. Local 54 of Unite-HERE on Thursday, June 7, 2012 filed petitions with the city clerk seeking a November referendum on ordinances that would require that casino workers _ including dealers, valets, cocktail servers, bartenders and front desk clerks _ be terminated only for "just cause" and making sure they get sick leave and partial reimbursement for child care expenses. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry, File)

William F. Messner

HOLYOKE – Community colleges, including Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College, have already started developing programs to get local people trained and certified for casino jobs.

“Our goal is to get this going ASAP,” said William F. Messner, president of the 7,000-student Holyoke Community College. “My advice to people who want to work in this industry is to stay tuned.”

Messner is also president of the Presidents Council of Massachusetts Community Colleges. All 15 community colleges across the state have joined together to from the Massachusetts Community College Casino Careers Training Institute. Locally, the community colleges are working with the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County and with career centers like CareerPoint in Holyoke and FutureWorks in Springfield.

Those job centers are the best place to connect job-seekers with training, Messner said.

Massachusetts community colleges have already started cooperating with Atlantic Cape Community College near Atlantic City, N.J.

“They have been in this business since casinos came to Atlantic City,” Messner said. “They have helped with training programs when gaming came in to Delaware, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.”

Some training would be for dealers on the gambling floor, he said. But much of it would be for other support positions in hotels, restaurants, customer services, bookkeeping and other support functions.

Messner said he’s already met with the state Gaming Commission and several of the casino operators competing for each of the three casino licenses the state is making available. The scope of the training needed is daunting.

“We’re talking about three casinos and approximately 10,000 employees,” he said.

Many of the jobs will require licenses, so many of the trainees will have to be pre-screened before they even take their first class.

“It may be necessary to generate two to three times as many candidates as jobs given the screening that has to go on for most, if not all of these jobs,” Messner said.

The community colleges will present a formal plan to the Gaming Commission in October, Messner said. He’ll brief the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County Wednesday.

J. William Ward, executive director of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, said he fears that the casinos will just draw their hotel and restaurant staffs from existing hospitality employees. Siphoning those workers might hurt the rest of the region’s hospitality industry.

Both Ward and Messner said they have been warned to expect fly-by night casino training programs to set up anyplace where a casino is imminent. These operations take advantage of people desperate for employment by charging big money for training programs of questionable value Ward said it is important that any training offered through the community colleges lead to a career pathway, from entry-level to supervisory and into the ranks of management.

Dopler radar has picked up a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing winds in excess of 60 mph heading into Western Massachusetts Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Western Massachusetts, beginning at 8:11 p.m.

Dopler radar has picked up a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing winds in excess of 60 mph. The storms were located along a line extending from Great Barrington to Danbury, Conn. and were moving northeast at 50 mph. Areas covered in the warning include Greenfield, Northampton and Springfield.

The warning notes that this type of storm can produce a tornado however that is not considered likely. In any event, it advises people go into interior rooms and stay away from windows during the storm

A tornado warning was also issued for the New York City area and southern Connecticut.

High winds also caused power outages in parts of Vermont with nearly 9,000 customers without power on Tuesday evening.

Most of the outages occurred in Chittenden County. Customers also were in the dark in Orange, Windsor and Rutland counties.

A wind advisory remained in effect for the state until midnight.

In Western Massachusetts, there were reports of trees down throughout the Pioneer Valley.

In Northampton, a tree fell on a house on Fort Street but no one was injured.

The downed trees and limbs cause multiple power outages across the region.

Outages were reported throughout the area, the largest being in Northampton which had more than 2,000 customers without power because of an outage in the area of State Street. Many of the outages were located in the downtown area. Electricity was restored to most within an hour.

As of 8 p.m., Western Massachusetts Electric had every available crew working to restore power for dozens of outages across the region.

Spokesman Mitch Gross said in all some 1,900 customers throughout Western Massachusetts had no electricity. He said crews were working as best they could to restore power as soon as possible.

The outages were the result of winds knocking limbs down onto power lines, he said. “It’s the typical damage you see from high winds,” he said.

The same storm caused more than 20,000 customers to be without power in Connecticut.

The National Grid was reporting more than 4,000 customers without power across Massachusetts, although most of them were in the eastern part of the state.

In Western Massachusetts, the utility was reporting about 1,500 customers affected, with 1,000 in Berkshire County, and more than 300 each in Hampshire and Franklin counties.

The forecast on Wednesday calls for a chance of showers before 8 a.m. before it gradually becomes sunny. High temperatures should be in the upper 60s.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke is looking at the whole picture.

Associated Press | Manuel Balce CenetaFederal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks during a news conference in Washington, Thursday following the Federal Open Market Committee meeting to present the FOMC’s current economic projections and to provide additional context for the FOMC’s policy decision.

It isn’t easy being Goldilocks. Especially in a nation full of amateur cooks and food critics, all of them believing that they know the secret to making the perfect porridge.

But it’s Goldilocks that the chairman of our nation’s Federal Reserve Bank is always trying to be, managing to keep the economy not too hot, not too cold, but just right.

The Fed, of course, has a dual mandate: keeping a lid on inflation while maintaining a growing economy. In traditional times – which these most decidedly are not – a booming economy would bring with it some degree of inflation. As businesses grew and jobs were added, the standard laws of economics would force wages up. Prices would soon enough follow, and inflation would risk becoming a problem. Keeping interest rates artificially low in such a situation might well create a bubble — in stocks, in commodities, in housing. Anyone old enough to be reading this knows all about that.

On the other side of the ledger, failing to keep an eye on the need for growth, focusing entirely on inflation no matter the situation, might well end with a stagnant overall economy. Low inflation, but little growth. And high unemployment.

Everyone knows that story, too.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke wants to see some growth. By coaxing his fellow regulators to enter into an open-ended bond-buying operation – to the tune of $40 billion per month – Bernanke announced – loudly and clearly – that the Fed is looking at the whole picture.

Reactionaries and Republicans and the party nominee, Mitt Romney, acted as though the Fed chief was making up new rules as he went along. In fact, he’s doing his job as best as he can – given the difficulties of our time. In our current economy, only a bit more tepid than ice cold, using the tools he’s got only makes sense.

Residents will be notified immediately when the advisory is lifted.

WALES - The Wales Board of Health has issued a boil water advisory for the residents of the Brookside Village retirement community on Route 19.

This notice was issued after the board learned that one resident in the community has been diagnosed with an E. coli infection. One additional individual in the same household has become ill and will be tested for this pathogen.

Out of an abundance of caution and considering recent water supply issues at the community, the board issued the boil water advisory on Tuesday, according to a press release from the Board of Health.

The Board of Health recommends that residents should bring water to a rolling boil for one minute, allow the water to cool before using, and store cooled water in a clean container with a cover.

The board said residents should use cooled, boiler water or bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, preparing food and baby formula, making ice and feeding pets.

The advisory is in effect until water testing indicates that no E. coli is detected in the water supply at this location and the board is confident that there is no longer a public health concern.

Water testing results will be available within two to three days. Residents will be notified immediately when the advisory is lifted.

In August, Brookside Village residents were without water for four days, prompting an investigation by the Board of Health and state Department of Environmental Protection.

The mayor says he wants to offer the city's next new police chief a contract rather than Civil Service protection.

The New York Times puzzles are the easiest to solve on Mondays and get more difficult as the week goes on.

The Republican | Dave RobackNew York Times puzzle editor Will Shortz speaks at the Springfield Public Forum at Symphony Hall on Tuesday evening.

SPRINGFIELD - When New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz graduated from the University of Virginia Law School he didn’t want to be a lawyer.

He wanted to solve and create puzzles.

The crossword puzzle aficionados who attended his presentation Tuesday night as the first speaker in the 2012 Springfield Public Forum also like solving puzzles.

They didn’t let the heavy wind and the rain in the forecast keep them from attending the forum held at Symphony Hall.

Crossword puzzles at the New York Times are submitted, accepted and edited by Shortz.

Shortz said he receives 75 to 100 proposed puzzles per week.

The puzzles which appear on Mondays and Tuesdays are the easiest. By Wednesday they may contain some puns and by Thursday there is probably a trick or gimmick to solving the puzzle, he said.

Puzzle creators are paid $200 if a puzzle is accepted. Anyone who creates one of the large Sunday puzzles is paid $1,000.

When he took the job of puzzle editor in 1993, puzzle makers were paid $40, Shortz said, and $150 for Sunday puzzles.

“I’m trying to get the price to go higher,” Shortz said.

Puzzles are accepted based on adherence to the rules, the quality of the theme, originality and lively, colorful vocabulary, Shortz said.

Shortz said he prefers that they have as few obscure word answers as possible.

The New York Times puzzle which elicited the most response was on Election Day, 1996, when both “Clinton Elected” and “Bob Dole Elected” fit the clue.

“Some readers were outraged when we predicted that Clinton would win, calling it the typical New York Times liberal bias,” Shortz said.

Others claimed the New York Times had made a big mistake in predicting that Bob Dole would be the winner, he said.

Crossword puzzles are only 99 years old, Shortz said.

The first crossword puzzle was published in the New York World in December, 1913.

Now, he said they appear in many languages, even Chinese, a language without letters.

Town resident Andrew Fox, son of former police Chief Thomas Fox and a state trooper out of Lee, asked Select Board members Jason Boyer, Pandora Hague and Chairman Keith Cortis the process by which they selected Dubiel for the position.

RUSSELL – Town officials were questioned last night regarding the recent appointment of a new police chief and were criticized for failing to interview a candidate with 25 years of experience and instead hiring one with three years in law enforcement.

Resident Andrew T. Fox, son of former police Chief Thomas Fox and a state trooper out of Lee, asked Select Board members Jason Boyer, Pandora Hague and Chairman Keith Cortis the process by which they selected Chief Jennifer Dubiel for the part-time position.

“The process was not fair by any stretch of the imagination,” he said when speaking in support of job candidate John “Jack” Godfrey, 61, of Montgomery.

Godfrey, contacted at home after the meeting Tuesday evening, said he learned of the opening from a posting at Town Hall and submitted his application materials by the closing date of July 9. The board, consisting of Hague and Boyer in Cortis’ absence, appointed Dubiel the following evening at its July 10 meeting without interviewing Godfrey for the job, the only other candidate.

Godfrey retired as a trooper at the Russell State Police barracks after 25 years, was the head of security at Stanley Park in Westfield for two years, holds a bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice, is a graduate of the police academy and a former United States Marine and Vietnam veteran.

Dubiel, a Westfield resident, is a full-time police officer at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, graduated from a special state police academy for campus police, has been a Russell police officer for the past three years, rising to the rank of sergeant, and is currently studying for an associate’s degree in criminal justice at Holyoke Community College.

Fox asked the Board of Selectmen to rescind its decision to appoint Dubiel and start the process over again in a fair manner.

“How do you justify not rescinding your decision in the name of a fair process,” Fox said.

Hague and Cortis questioned Godfrey’s commitment to the position in light of the fact that he did not attend the meeting to speak on his own behalf.

“How badly does he want it if he’s not willing to come to the meeting,” Hague said.

Fox said that because Godfrey is not a Russell resident he did not feel comfortable addressing the Select Board, a point that Godfrey confirmed.

“I’m not a resident of Russell, but I will be more than happy to speak with them,” he said.

Godfrey said he would like to see the position reopened and governed by an independent evaluation system because Boyer and Hague “have already expressed they don’t want me.”

“I can’t get a fair and impartial interview from those two,” he said. “I’d like to see two fair and independent people interview me and my references and look at my qualifications, and if they still want her, I’ve got to accept that.”

Godfrey said he has no hard feelings against Dubiel personally, but “the bottom line is that I am vastly more qualified for that position than she is, and I was wronged by an unfair appointment of that person. In my heart of hearts, I do not believe that Jason (Boyer) and Pandora (Hague) actually read my resume. I find it hard to believe.”

Dubiel, who was at Town Hall at the time of the meeting, declined to comment.

Harry is joined by Rick Cassano of Cox Media Group to talk Miami (Ohio) football and more.

Download the MassLive UMass podcast with Harry Plumer now!

Rick Cassano of Cox Media Group Ohio joins us to talk about Saturday's game at Miami (Ohio). Topics include RedHawks quarterback Zac Dysert's flowing locks, the soap opera of wide receiver Nick Harwell, the best name in the MAC and a second straight lame dinner offer.

Letter writer: “Gasp!”was my reaction when I came upon the picture accompanying Associated Press article, “Furor fades a year after military’s gay ban lifted” in the Sept. 17 issue of The Republican.

Scott Brown’s ads at odds with voting record

File photo | The RepublicanSubmit your letters to The Republican at letters@repub.com. All letters must include the writer's name, address and telephone number or e-mail address, and are subject to editing.

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is airing a new ad targeted to women that implies positions completely at odds with his documented voting record. One can only assume that Brown believes the women of the commonwealth are uninformed nincompoops who have not been paying attention.

Brown joined Republicans in blocking the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation that supported equal pay for women. He voted with his party for the Blunt Amendment to limit women’s access to birth control.

Prior to August 2011, before Elizabeth Warren got into the race, Brown voted in support of Republican obstruction measures nearly 94 percent of the time (30 out of 32 times).

Please, Sen. Brown, it’s your record: You can run on it, or run away from it, but lying about it does not go unnoticed.

– LUCIA FOLEY, South Hadley

Washington needs fewer academics

According to one New England news source, “In this administration, only about 6 percent of President Obama’s advisers have firsthand business experience, as compared to an average of more than 50 percent in all previous administrations, Democratic and Republican alike. Academics imposing their untested theories on the world’s greatest economy have had disastrous results.”

If textbook economics worked, why is our economy in so much trouble under the Obama administration? Voting another academic, Elizabeth Warren, into the U.S. Senate will only add to the economic woes of this country.

Do we really need more government and trillions more in debt? And can anyone earning over $400,000 in Harvard salary and over $500,000 in total income, not including her husband’s earnings, have empathy for the middle class?

Scott Brown was elected to change the system and be bi-partisan in his votes. He has co-sponsored bills to help small businesses and eliminate inside trading by United States senators and representatives, and, at last count, was either first or second in bipartisan voting.

He deserves your vote to continue because he represents hope that this nation can return to prosperity through less government intervention in our lives.

– JAMES RASCHILLA, Chicopee

‘Good old boys’ give support to Brown

With fewer than 60 days remaining before the general election I’m experiencing some concern for our candidate, Elizabeth Warren, here in Massachusetts. The endorsement of her opposition candidate by another Democrat, former Mayor, Charles Ryan of Springfield. U.S. Sen. Scott Brown already had former mayor Flynn’s approval.

Who comes next? Women voters, AWAKEN! The “good old boys” are at it again. It would seem the current question surrounding any election is, “Who would you rather have a beer with?” That question is not only grammatically incorrect but it’s also evading the issues and the record.

As I have read the record of the interim Republiccan Center senator, it is clear that he voted with the “other” party when it didn’t matter one way or the other, but always voted with his party on issues that thwarted President Obama’s and women’s agenda. Elizabeth Warren’s agenda is made repeatedly clear in her speeches and ads. She will fill a much needed spot in our United States Senate to promote fairness in the governing of our nation and support of our 99 percent, but also bring the voice for women closer to the ears of decision makers, be they men or women.

I would appeal to women (and open-minded men) voters to let their voices be heard and NOT let the “good old boys” commandeer another election of a most worthy candidate.

– LEE S. TONET, Northampton

Gay soldiers’ photo in poor taste

Associated Press file | David LewisSgt. Brandon Morgan, right, kisses his partner Dalan Wells in a helicopter hangar at a Marine base in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, upon returning from a six-month deployment to Afghanistan in February.

“Gasp!”was my reaction when I came upon the picture accompanying Associated Press article, “Furor fades a year after military’s gay ban lifted” in the Sept. 17 issue of The Republican.

It is bad enough knowing the perversions that occur in “the real world” without also having to view it.

I object being subjected visually to a shameful behavior, and therefore rebuke The Republican for running the photo.

I did not read the article, but certainly one’s own imagination, without the demonstration, would have been sufficient.

– HAZEL A. ANDERSON, Palmer

Atkins will take the stage at the Eastern States Exposition on Sunday.

APRodney Atkins

When country singer Rodney Atkins was starting out, handlers at his first record company wanted him to change his name, fearing it was too close to country starts such as Chet Atkins and Trace Adkins.

"I told them that I was adopted and that I was lucky to have that name and I wasn't about to change it," he said in a recent telephone interview.

That story represents perfectly the type of authenticity Atkins tries to bring to his music. Atkins will take the stage at the Eastern States Exposition on Sunday.

This pursuit of authenticity didn't stop at refusing to change his name. Later, when Atkins signed to Curb Records, his manager looked at his publicity shots, in which he wore a cowboy hat and other country accoutrements, and told the singer it looked wrong.

"He told me he had never seen me in anything but a baseball cap and jeans, or cargo shorts," Atkins said. "So we went out and had new shots taken."

Then, when they were deciding which songs for Atkins to perform, they would first decide if it was a good song, but then added a second criterion: Did the song match the guy in the picture?

"He said, 'Would you believe this guy in the picture singing this song?' and if the answer was 'no,' then I wouldn't do it, even if it meant not doing some really good songs," Atkins said.

When citing influences on his music career, Atkins lists everyone from Willie Nelson to Charlie Daniels to Garth Brooks. Then he notes a particular aspect about everyone he mentions.

"If you write all those people down and look at it, it all makes sense," he said. "They all do songs like I'm trying to do. Songs to touch peoples lives."

One somewhat surprising name Atkins mentions during the interview is Bruce Springsteen. Along with admiring him as a songwriter with a unique and authentic voice, Atkins really revers The Boss for his legendary live shows.

"As far a performing, performers like Garth Brooks and Springsteen are huge for me," he said. "That's one of my goals, to build a show with as much energy as those guys."

Performing in front of an audience was not something that came easily to Atkins, who describes himself as "really shy as a kid."

"When I first got to Nashville a couple buddies my grabbed me and threw me into a car and made me go to a songwriters' night," he said, chuckling. "I remember trying to get up and play in front of the audience, and I had a glass of water in my hand, and I couldn't get in my mouth because I was shaking so bad and had shaken out all the water out because I was so nervous."

But for Atkins, interest in writing songs preceded his interest in performing.

"For me it was always about the writing first. As i said, I was very shy as a kid but I always loved music. By the time I got to college, I had really started paying attention to how songs were written. I started writing songs because I wanted to see if I could do it."

Atkins interest in music started very early as a child via via his parents' record collection.

"They had a huge gospel collection out the garage, which had been converted into a den. We had a wood burning stove out there and that's where you spent most of your time in the winter, he said with a laugh. "'Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music' (by Ray Charles) was the first album I listened to  over and over and over as a little kid. I didn't know who was singing the songs I just knew I loved it and loved the way they sang."

Eugene Cassidy jokes that he supports the diary industry any way he can.

Eastern States Exposition photoEastern States Exposition President Eugene Cassidy, center, heads down the giant slide, with Elizabeth R. Benoit, marketing department assistant, left and Greg Chiecko, director of sales at the Big E Monday.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Not many people are stirring at 6 a.m. when Eugene J. Cassidy, president and chief executive officer of the Eastern States Exposition, arrives at the Big E grounds to start his workday.

But invariably he’ll spot the Future Farmers of America members on the way from their dormitory to the sprawling Mallary Complex where their livestock are housed. Those animals need to be fed, watered and cleaned up after just like they were home on the farm.

“I’ll just see all these blue jackets,” he said.

Cassidy, a 50-year-old father of two who lives in Longmeadow, said think about those early-morning encounters later each day as he watches those same young people show their livestock under the scrutiny of judges.

“I try and come over and watch the judging every morning, sometimes in the afternoon,” Cassidy said. “It’s my favorite part of the fair.”

Other favorites include the thick, rich milkshakes from the dairy bar a few steps away from the show ring and the deep fried cheese curds available from a food trailer a few hundred feet away.

“I tell people I’m supporting the dairy industry in a number of ways,” Cassidy joked.

He took some time on a recent afternoon to show off some of his fair favorites. Other stops included a ride down the giant slide and a stroll through the commercial offering in The better Living Center.

For Cassidy, there is always plenty of work back at the office especially during fair week. but he finds it important to try and experience the fair from the visitors perspective, be that at the slide or the food concessions.

“It lets you see the fair from their perspective,” he said. “I like the people. I know a lot of professional, lawyers and accountants, don’t work in places where people smile. People don’t go the bank or the hospital to smile. But if you look around the Big E, everyone is smiling.”

Cassidy took over from G. Wayne McCary who retired after a 36-year career with the fair in various capacities. McCary became CEO in 1991.

He said sometimes agriculture can get lost in promotion and advertising needed to draw people and dollars to the fair. But he watched as crowds gathered for a sheep-sheering demonstration in the Mallary Complex. Those people, mostly families with children, will learn something during their day at the fair, he said.

“It’s all about improving Agriculture and farm technology,” Cassidy said. “We are here to help people learn and to promote new industries and new ways of doing things.”

The Big E added an area focused on wines from New England a few years ago. With a resurgence of hop growing in the region, the Big E will add new England beer in a few years.

“I’d also like to add at least two more show rings,” he said.

Those rings would make livestock judging easier to see and they would have multimedia displays to better explain what is happening to the general public.

Money is always the issue though. The Big E has an annual budget of $18 million. Of that, it takes $16.4 million just to put on the fair.

The 17 day fair is also responsible for 80 percent of the entities income.

“We are dependent on weather, just like the farmer,” Cassidy said.

He’s also dependent on watching every penny. That means the fair has had to tighten up on free admissions over the past 20 years or so. A West Springfield native, Cassidy said he never paid to get in. “In order to d generate that revenue you can’t have little Gene Cassidy hopping over the fence every day,” he said “It just can’t work that way.”

The announcement Wednesday came three days after Winslow was hurt on the Patriots’ third offensive play of their 20-18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. The Patriots have not said how many games they expect him to miss.

In this Aug. 24, 2012, file photo, New England Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch (84) watches the action from the sidelines during an NFL preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Fla. The New England Patriots re-signed Branch on Wednesday, September 19, 2012. AP File Photo

FOXBOROUGH – The New England Patriots have signed tight end Kellen Winslow and re-signed wide receiver Deion Branch to add depth to a pass-catching group that lost Aaron Hernandez to a right ankle injury.

The announcement Wednesday came three days after the tight end was hurt on the Patriots’ third offensive play of their 20-18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. The Patriots have not said how many games they expect him to miss.

“I just met Kellen (Tuesday) for the first time, so I’m excited to get out there and practice with him,” quarterback Tom Brady said Wednesday. “Aaron has been a huge contributor for us and every time he’s in there, he seems to be making plays. We’ll see how it goes without him or with him, I don’t know. It’s just a matter of him feeling well enough to go out there and play.”

Winslow was released by the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 1 after spending the past three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following five seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He had 75 receptions last season and has 437 in his career since being taken with the sixth pick of the 2004 draft out of Miami.

“We’ll see how Kellen fits in,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said before Wednesday’s practice. “I’ve never coached him before, don’t have any background with him, but (we) feel like he might have a chance to help us so that’s why he’s here.

The Patriots released Branch on the final roster cutdown after he caught 51 passes last season but kept his nameplate above his locker and his possessions inside it.

Branch said he drew interest from other teams but for family and other reasons he preferred the Patriots, although he wouldn’t say if there was an understanding that New England would bring him back.

“The days I was off I was still working out,” he said. “My agent was busy on the phone doing his job and I was doing my job. It was just all about the right time and the right place.”

Branch is confident he’ll fit right back into the offense.

“That’s the goal and I’m sure the coaches are expecting it out of me and that’s what I’m going to deliver,” he said. “There’s a couple of new plays. It shouldn’t take long. It’ll take a day or so. I’ll be all right.”

New England also re-signed linebacker Niko Koutouvides and released running back Lex Hilliard, linebacker Mike Rivera and wide receiver Greg Salas, who was obtained from the St. Louis Rams after Branch was cut.

Among the positions the arbitrator said must be reopened are the acting chief probation officers in both Hampden Superior Court and Hampshire Superior Court.

SPRINGFIELD – The state Trial Court will now move forward with reopening 10 Probation Department jobs, including one each from Hampshire and Hampden Counties, a spokesperson said Tuesday.

Joan Kenney, speaking for the Trial Court, said, “The Trial Court will move forward with a re-selection process and will ensure that it is totally merit-based.”

An arbitrator on Monday ordered the state Probation Department to reopen 10 jobs after determining that former leaders of the agency improperly promoted less qualified, but politically connected candidates.

Among the positions the arbitrator said must be reopened are the acting chief probation officers in both Hampden Superior Court and Hampshire Superior Court.

But since Stephen P. Ashe left the position of acting chief probation officer at Hampden Superior Court to become Chief Probation Officer at Chicopee District Court a month ago, he will not be at risk for losing the Superior Court position in a re-selection.

Kenney said the arbitrator found that the process followed in hiring for the 10 positions was not consistent with the collective bargaining agreement. The arbitration award limits the re-selection to the individuals who previously applied for the position, she said.

Christopher Hoffman is on unpaid leave as action chief probation officer in Hampshire Superior Court.

Hoffman was removed from his job in October 2011 and arrested two months later on one charge each of intimidating and harassing a witness in an attempt to obstruct a federal investigation. A criminal complaint alleges Hoffman made threatening and intimidating remarks to a woman whom he formally supervised.

Regional Supervisor Francine Ryan is currently overseeing operations at the Hampshire Superior Court Probation Department in addition to her other duties, Probation Department spokesperson Coria Holland.

Holland said Orlando Zayas, first assistant chief probation officer, is overseeing the Hampden Superior Court Probation Department. Holland said because there is no acting chief probation officer in that office, no one will risk losing a post in the re-selection.

Kenney said, “In its submission to the arbitrator the Trial Court indicated that its ‘overriding interest is in the effective operation of the court system, including the Probation Department, and the fair treatment of those who work in the system.’”

“The Trial Court does not condone and will not defend any improprieties in hiring or promotion practices. With this decision, we are still addressing well-documented issues of impropriety and injustice that occurred in the Probation Department and we support the arbitrator’s decision,” she said.