Construction of the $27 million hospital is expected to take one year.

LUDLOW - HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts Wednesday broke ground on a new $27 million rehabilitation hospital at the site of the Ludlow Mills off State Street.

Construction of the 74,000-square-foot building is expected to take one year to complete.

Ludlow Selectmen Chairman Jason Barroso said the development will mark the “rebirth” of the Ludlow Mills.

Barroso said the town is pleased to have HealthSouth as the anchor of the new redevelopment of the Ludlow Mills site.

Jay Grinney, president and CEO of HealthSouth, said HealthSouth is the largest provider of in-patient rehabilitation care in the U.S.

The new 53-bed all private room hospital will serve stroke victims and victims of brain and orthopedic injuries.

“This hospital will bring rehabilitative care to the next level,” said Scott Keen, CEO of HealthSouth Rehabilitative Care of Western Massachusetts.

Keen said the hospital has great patient satisfaction and great outcomes.

With new technology the care will be taken to the next level, he said.

Keen said the hospital building foundation should be poured by winter and the hospital completed by November of next year.

James Garrant, a former patient of HealthSouth who serves on the patient and family Advisory Council, said that while a regular hospital saves lives, rehabilitation hospitals “give people their lives back.”

State Sen. Gale Candaras, D-Wilbraham, said the new hospital will be “a boon to economic development.’

“We look forward to seeing the mill site fully developed,” she said.

She said that people in the building trades in Ludlow have told her they will “work through the winter and the summer and through a tornado, too.”

State Rep. Thomas Petrolati, D-Ludlow, was praised for championing the $3.7 million in infrastructure improvements for the Ludlow Mills site provided by the state and a $1.5 million environmental cleanup.

Petrolati, who lives in the area of the site, said he jogs by the facility four days a week.

The site is being developed by the Westmass Area Development Corporation.

“This is a prototype of the private and public sectors working together,” Petrolati said. “I know we will be pleased with the end product.”

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, said that with President Barack Obama’s new health care law, there will be 32 million more customers in the U.S. with private health insurance.

Grinney said that with the aging of the population there will be more demand for rehabilitation hospitals.

The junior made two field goals and an extra point in UMass' loss to Michigan.

Brendon Levengood, pictured here in 2011, has taken hold of the UMass placekicking job. Thom Kendall photo

AMHERST — Entering Saturday’s game at Michigan, the University of Massachusetts and Iowa were the only teams yet to kick a successful extra point in the 2012 season. The Hawkeyes, though, had six field goals to their credit, while the Minutemen had none.

Entering Saturday’s game at Michigan, UMass was the only team yet to put a ball through the uprights in 2012.

Junior Brendon Levengood would have none of that.

Levengood banged through a 25-yard field goal 1:06 into the second quarter, and that was that. He went on to hit a 32-yarder and an extra point later in the frame. He just missed a 45-yarder in the second half.

“It was just a huge relief and a huge confidence booster,” Levengood said. “I was a little nervous going in there, the nerves were running a little bit, struck the ball, looked up and saw it was going right through.”

Levengood kicked for much of last season before he suddenly lost his confidence, and soon after, his job. Coming into this season, he believed he had regained that confidence entering 2012.

Unfortunately for Levengood, that didn’t translate into a starting spot to begin the season, as special teams coach Rod Plummer decided to go with true freshman Blake Lucas as the team's placekicker, with Levengood responsible for kickoffs.

“Blake had the best numbers going into the first game. We chart every field goal, every make, every miss, by every kicker, as well as punts and kickoffs,” Plummer said. “It was really numbers that made the final decision.”

Those numbers were rendered useless when Lucas missed his first two kicks — an extra point and field goal attempt against Indiana — and once again the job was Levengood’s.

He hopes not to give it back.

“I knew I had to just go out there and prove myself again,” Levengood said. “It was an important game for my career and everything to prove that I still can do it.”

MILHIM, MICHEL UPDATES

Left tackle Stephane Milhim was out of the boot that he had previously worn in practice on his sprained right ankle, and Molnar said he was optimistic about Milhim’s chances play against Miami (Ohio) on Saturday.

The status of wide receiver Marken Michel, who is still recovering from a shoulder bruise, is still uncertain.

Molnar said that Michel took part in the early part of practice, but “faded away” toward the end. His status is “questionable” for Saturday, according to Molnar.

MINISTERS OF DEFENSE, OFFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS

After Wednesday’s practice, coach Charley Molnar had eight players surrounding him in McGuirk Stadium’s south end zone.

The cadre of media on the sideline joked that it was “his cabinet.”

The joke wasn’t far off from reality.

The Minutemen elected two representatives from each class to serve on this committee.

Seniors Quinton Sales and Darren Thellen, juniors Brandon Potvin and Rob Blanchflower, sophomores Marken Michel and Ed Saint-Vil and redshirt freshmen Randall Jette and Mike Wegzyn make up the committee along with true freshman A.J. Doyle, who Molnar jokingly described as a “non-voting member.”

The group talks to Molnar about things like which uniform color combinations the team wears, signage inside the locker room and other administrative matters.

“I like to get their input on just a few things — nothing earth shaking, but pretty much they’re in line with what I would be thinking,” Molnar said. “But not all the time, so it’s interesting.”

Both candidates have become more aggressive as the race remains tight, heading into the campaign's final stretch.

These file photos from the Associated Press show Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and his Democratic challenger, Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Warren.

More politics news

Poll: Obama leads Romney by 2 to 1 margin in Mass. : 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.

• WBUR poll finds Elizabeth Warren leading Scott Brown by 5 points
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• Elizabeth Warren in new ad: 'Scott Brown's not a bad guy,' but...

Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren will meet face to face Thursday night for the first debate of this election cycle, beginning a new phase of the campaign.

As voters tune in to the race’s final post-Labor Day sprint to Nov. 6, the race continues to be close, and the candidates are becoming more aggressive. Polls show Warren, a Harvard Law School professor, opening up a slight lead against Brown, though Brown continues to lead with the critical voting bloc of independent voters. The debate will give Warren an opportunity to try to build on that momentum, as Brown tries to hold on to the independent voters that gave him his upset victory in 2010.

Anthony Cignoli, a political strategist from Springfield who works for candidates from both parties, said the pressure will be on both candidates to get their messages out – and to score points against the other without damaging themselves.

“People are paying attention to this race, and this is the first time the electorate is going to be able to see these two engage the other directly, not from the safety of doing so from media releases or over the internet,” Cignoli said. “This is raw, this is one on one.”

The debate will be sponsored by WBZ-TV, a CBS affiliate in Boston, and held at the station’s Boston studios. WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller will moderate. It will air live from 7-8 p.m. on WBZ-TV and will stream live on www.cbsboston.com.

Keller will ask the questions and will give the candidates 90 seconds to respond, followed by longer periods of open debate.

The economy has been the central issue throughout the campaign, and will likely remain so. But other issues that have come up recently could also be raised – women’s issues, including abortion, and foreign policy.

Brown is expected to stick with the theme he has pushed throughout the campaign – that he is bipartisan and can work across party lines. That message is necessary in liberal-leaning Massachusetts, where Brown must attract independent and Democratic voters to win, and polling shows that it has resonated. In a poll conducted by The Western New England University Polling Institute for The Republican and MassLive.com, voters said they viewed Brown as a moderate who could work with senators of both sides.

“Sen. Brown will stress his ability to work with both parties, that he’s open to ideas from any quarter, and we know that voters perceive that as well,” said Tim Vercellotti, professor of political science at Western New England University and director of the polling institute.

Peter Ubertaccio, associate professor of political science and director of the Martin Institute at Stonehill College, said Brown will try not to align himself with the national Republican Party and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Brown this week distanced himself from Romney’s comments that 47 percent of Americans, those who support Democratic president Barack Obama, are “victims” who feel entitled to government assistance.

“He needs voters to enter the voting booth thinking he’s an independent-minded senator who’s not going to vote the party line,” Ubertaccio said.

Warren, however, is likely to continue to tie Brown to the national Republican Party.

After facing criticism for what some Democrats called ineffective advertising, Warren has recently become more aggressive in her critique of Brown – and will likely continue this in the debate. Warren has criticized Brown for his opposition to letting the Bush tax cuts expire on those earning over $250,000, and for co-sponsoring the Blunt Amendment, which would allow employers not to provide insurance coverage for services they find morally objectionable.

Warren previewed her argument in an ad this week, which stated that Brown “is not a bad guy” and has had some good votes. But, Warren said she would fight for the middle class “all of the time,” while Brown voted against Obama’s jobs bills, supported subsidies for oil companies and opposed the “Buffett Rule,” which would raise taxes on the wealthy.

Vercellotti said it is typical for a challenger to make the race about the incumbent’s voting record. “You want to see a candidate…explain why their ideas are better, and when it’s a race where one candidate has a voting record, I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a discussion of the voting record,” he said.

Warren will continue to press her campaign theme – that she is working for the middle class and small business. “She likes to talk about how she feels those who play by the rules can’t get ahead because the system is rigged against them,” said Warren spokeswoman Alethea Harney. “She wants to create a level playing field.”

Ubertaccio said Brown is likely to respond by arguing that Warren is “too radical, too partisan, not a problem solver.” The Massachusetts Republican Party has been tying Warren to the Occupy Wall Street protest movement, while Brown has cast her as a partisan rock-thrower.

Brown spokesman Alleigh Marre said Warren’s ideas are “out of the mainstream.” “This debate offers voters a choice between Scott Brown, a bipartisan bridge-builder, and Warren, the founder of the radical Occupy protests who even leading Democrats have said is ‘catastrophically antibusiness,’” Marre said.

Four polls this week, including one by MassLive.com and The Republican, have found Warren narrowly leading Brown.

Cignoli said Brown must make a stronger case why independent and Democratic voters should support him, and the pressure will be on him to “stop the bleeding.” At the same time, Warren must continue to move the poll numbers in her favor, or the spin from the debate will be that she cannot connect with voters except through paid media.

Ubertaccio said debates are not typically game changers. But they can sway undecided voters, and solidify voters’ preferences. “Voters will look to be reassured that their initial assessment of the candidate is accurate,” Ubertaccio said.

Additional debates will be held Oct. 1, hosted by the University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Oct. 10, hosted by a Western Massachusetts media consortium in Springfield; and Oct. 30, hosted by a Boston media consortium.

It is likely the gaming commission will award operating licenses to casinos in the spring of 2014, the chairman said.

Photo by Elaine DriscollMegan Cleghorn, center, a lawyer from Delaware, speaks on a panel on Wednesday at a public forum by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on the need for casinos to hire minorities and women. To the left is Jodi Baier, program manager for the Women's Business Enterprise National Council, and to the right, Fred McKinney, president and CEO of the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council.

BOSTON – Massachusetts gaming overseers on Wednesday pledged that casino licenses will go to operators with strong plans and track records for hiring women and minorities.

Members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission held a four-hour symposium in Boston that focused on the need for “diversity and inclusion” in upcoming casinos.

Under the state’s casino law, the five-member commission, which will license casinos, must evaluate applicants based on their plans for contracting with companies that are majority owned by women, minorities or military veterans.

Stephen P. Crosby, chairman of the commission, said it will be critical for prospective casinos to demonstrate “diverse” suppliers and work forces.

“We think this is an important value,” Crosby said at the end of the public forum. “It’s the whole organization – top to bottom.”

The state’s casino law, approved 10 months ago, calls for the commission to license up to three casino resorts including one anywhere in Western Massachusetts.

Crosby said it is likely the commission will be awarding operating licenses for casino resorts in the spring of 2014.

People on two different panels offered advice on how the commission can craft regulations to maximize the hiring of blacks, Hispanics, Asians and other minorities as employees at casinos and as suppliers.

During the forum, the sixth in series held by the commission this year, Lisa Berry-Barbosa, a former director of the diversity program at the Foxwoods casino in Connecticut, said it is important for the commission to ensure fair bidding of contracts for goods and services. She also emphasized the importance of training and development and offering English classes to employees who mainly speak another language.

Megan Cleghorn, a lawyer in Delaware with the firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, said it's "a business imperative" for companies to focus on diversity and inclusion, especially with females constituting 51 percent of the Massachusetts population and racial or ethnic minorities, 25 percent of the population.

Crosby said the commission will work to make sure its own workforce is diverse. The commission, whose final members were appointed in March, only has five employees in addition to the commissioners. Eventually, the new agency might have 150 to 175 employees.

One commissioner, Gayle Cameron, is a woman; one, Enrique Zuniga, is Hispanic, and the three others, Crosby, Bruce Stebbins and James McHugh, are white men.

The forum included officials in the administration of Gov. Deval L. Patrick such as Reginald A. Nunnally, executive director of the state’s Supplier Diversity Office, and Ronald G. Marlow, assistant secretary for access and opportunity.

In Springfield, the Rev. Talbert Swan, president of the Springfield branch of the NAACP, met a week ago with James J. Murren, chief executive officer of MGM Resorts, which is planning an $800 million casino in the South End of Springfield’s downtown.

Swan said he is working to persuade Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno to mandate that a casino in Springfield have 25 to 30 percent minorities as employees, both permanent and in construction, and as vendors for goods and services. At least three casinos are competing in Springfield.

In a phone interview, Swan said he was impressed with MGM’s record and commitment to hiring minorities, especially at its casino in Detroit.

Swan said he is planning to meet privately Thursday in Springfield on the issue with leaders of Penn National Gaming, which is proposing a casino in the North End, including property owned by The Republican and Peter Bus Lines.

Troy A. Stremming, a senior vice president with Ameristar Casinos, which is proposing a casino off Page Boulevard in the eastern part of Springfield, said the company stresses “diversity and inclusion” in hiring and contracting with local businesses. “It’s something that is part of our core values,” he said in a telephone interview.

The bad news for Springfield did not discourage Superintendent Daniel Warwick, who said the school will now be eligible for as much as $500,000 in federal grants.

The Republican | John SuchockiStudents study English in the sixth-grade class of Kevin Brown at the East Meadow Elementary School on. The school was recognized for high achievement by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Wednesday.

The state revealed the ups and downs of the latest Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Systems scores Wednesday, praising three Western Massachusetts schools for exceptional achievement while placing a new Springfield school in the Level 4 category for continual low achievement.

Officials from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education unveiled the scores from the exam students in grades three through 10 took in the spring. They praised the state’s 1,587 schools statewide for showing the best grades in the 14-history of the test.

Three Western Massachusetts elementary schools were among the 64 statewide honored for high achievement. Brimfield Elementary, East Meadow in Granby and Sunderland Elementary were all recognized as commendation schools.

On the other side, William DeBerry School in Springfield was one of three schools statewide added to the list of Level 4 schools because of their chronic underperformance. Springfield now has 11 schools which are required to improve within three years or face a state takeover.

The bad news did not discourage Springfield Superintendent Daniel J. Warwick, who said the school will now be eligible for as much as $500,000 in federal grants.

“We are looking at this as a positive for DeBerry School. Our Level 4 elementary schools have made significant gains,” Warwick said.

In 2010, 10 of Springfield’s schools were named Level 4 and some have done well in the past two years. This year Homer Street School saw an average 18 percent increase in English and 19 percent gain in math on the MCAS. Already Homer, Alfred Zanetti, which saw 7 percent gains in English and math this year, and Gerena, which saw a 7 percent gain in English and a 6 percent increase in math, have met the three-year improvement goals in the two years since they were put on the list.

“Our schools, some of the poorest schools in the commonwealth, have made the most gains,” he said.

After-school tutoring, improved use of data, extended days and the addition of social workers to assist families are some things helping. But, he said it is the teachers’ excellent work that make the biggest difference.

Whiles some Level 4 elementary schools have excelled, the two middle schools saw decreases, with Chestnut Street Middle declining 2 percent in math and 2 percent English and John F. Kennedy Middle declining 9 percent in English and 5 percent in math. High School of Commerce showed a 3 percent gain in English but a 4 percent decline in math.

The biggest challenges statewide, especially in urban districts, are in the middle schools. In addition, Commerce just received grant money to fund initiatives in August, he said.

At East Meadow School in Granby the news was all good.

The school was recognized for narrowing proficiency gaps as well as high achievement. The biggest gain was in the fourth grade where students saw a 17 percent increase in English and a 15 percent increase in math.

“I think the fact that we try to keep our class sizes small so we can meet the needs of each student makes a difference,” said Jennifer Champagne, a fifth-grade teacher at East Meadow.

Most classes average 20 students and special education teacher and a reading specialist also assist students. During reading lessons, teachers have about 15 students so they have the time to give children individual attention, she said.

Teachers also plan together, share ideas and help each other solve problems with students, Champagne said.

Baylee Cox, 11, a sixth-grader said it helped that her teacher gave students practice questions from previous MCAS tests last year so children knew the type of questions that they were going to face.

“It really helps to ask questions in class. If you are unsure about something, other people are too,” she said.

She and Joshua White, 11, a sixth-grader, said paying attention in class and studying makes a difference.

“I worked really hard last year and studied a lot for tests,” White said. “If you have time, like in the car and there is a test you can study for it.”

Principal Jonathan Cavallo and Granby Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez said they have used new techniques but in the end the commendation was due to the hard work of teachers, students and the community support that has given the school enough money to keep class sizes low.

“We have professional development in differentiated instruction across the grade levels which helped,” Cavallo said. The method teaches educators how to meet the needs of children of different abilities at the same time.

Last year teachers also started a new program where they spend 20 minutes daily on math drills so students know basic concepts well, he said.

“Among our teachers, they make sure there is an understanding and mastery of material before they move on,” he said.

Rodriguez said there has been a bigger focus on examining test data to see where students need help and where the gaps in instruction are. The school system has been more careful to ensure the curriculum meets state standards.

“I did a survey in the community to ask what our strengths and weakness are,” she said. “A lot of people said there wasn’t a consistency in each level and we have started talking about how to close that gap.”

Most superintendents said the majority of scores remained the same, even if they increased overall in statewide.

“The first thing I can say is flat line,” Holyoke Superintendent David L. Dupont said.

One of the surprises is Holyoke students in the new “high risk” category showed the most improvements.

The category is made up of students who have learning disabilities, don’t speak English well, are low-income or have other risks that make them less likely to achieve academically. In the past, children were put in specific categories but that meant a student could be counted several times in different categories.

But statewide there were a lot of improvements among high-risk students. For example, scores for the 10th-grade English test showed learning disabled students gained 11 points overall, low-income students gained 8 points and the general student population gained 4 points.

There are two Level 4 schools in Holyoke. Morgan stayed the same in English and increased by 2 percent overall in math while William J. Dean Technical High School saw a 2 percent decline in English an 6 percent decline in math.

“When you look at these and consider all the interventions and all the extra professional development we added there is no way I’m going to blame the staff and I’m not going to blame the kids,” he said.

Holyoke, like Springfield, has some of the largest number of high-risk students. More than 83 percent are low-income, 27 percent don’t speak English and 26 percent have learning disabilities.

Dupont said the district is the process of changing the math program and Dean has been going through multiple changes and need time for improvements to work.

A full list of scores can be seen on the state education department's website.

The wide receiver has a foot injury and will miss Thursday’s game against the Panthers. 

New York Giants' Hakeem Nicks (88) runs away from Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Mark Barron (24) for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. AP

UMass president said families are recognzing the system's value

This is an updated version of a story posted at 12:56 this afternoon..

AMHERST - Enrollment at the University of Massachusetts five-campus system is at a record level 70,874 students, a record level for the five-campus system, according to President Robert L. Caret’s office.

Caret presented the figures to the UMass Board of Trustees at its meeting Wednesday in Worcester.

Robert L. Caret

The new enrollment figure represents a 1,204 student or two percent increase over the last year’s enrollment level.

Enrollment at the five-campus UMass system has risen steadily over the past five years, rising from 61,034 to 70,874– an increase of 16 percent, according to the release.

In Amherst, the undergraduate numbers expected to be about 20,400, are actually down by 162 students following nine straight years of growth, to better match faculty and facility to the size of the student body, spokesman Edward F. Blaguszewski said earlier this year.

But, he said Wednesday, overall numbers on continue to rise each year. That includes graduate students, those taking online classes and others enrolled.

This year’s first year class has decreased about 3 percent, or 125 students from the previous year, a reduction that was planned, he said.

“Families across the commonwealth recognize that UMass provides top-quality academic programs at a cost that is significantly lower than you would face at a private university. In many cases, we trump the private schools in the two key areas: quality and affordability,” Caret said in a prepared statement.

He cited the Amherst campus welcoming its most academically accomplished first-year class, enrolling students with a high school grade point average of 3.66 and SAT scores of 1196. On average, students ranked in the top fifth of their high school class.

The SAT scores are up by seven points over last year and the high school grade point average has increased from 3.64 to 3.66.

Hobby Lobby Stores purchased the campus in 2009 from Northfield Mount Hermon.

File photo by Cori UrbanThe future of the former Northfield campus of Northfield Mount Hermon School is to be announced Friday.

NORTHFIELD — Friday is the day Northfield residents have been waiting for to find out who will be taking over the former Northfield campus of Northfield Mount Hermon School.

The announcement will be made at a public meeting at Sage Chapel on the campus at 1 p.m.

Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. purchased the campus in 2009 from Northfield Mount Hermon. It intends to transfer the property to a Christian educational institution that has the financial means to take over and maintain it.

Oklahoma-based Hobby Lobby has selected two finalists for the 43-building campus: Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board and Grand Canyon University Foundation of Phoenix.

Grand Canyon University, a for-profit Christian school in Phoenix, would like to establish a second campus in Northfield with as many as 4,800 undergraduates. Some residents have expressed concern over such an influx of residents.

The North American Mission Board proposes using the campus for training missionaries and church planters and for retreats for pastors.

“Both fit the orthodoxy requirements, that is, traditional Christian beliefs and values,” said Dr. Jerry Pattengale, executive director of Green Scholars Initiative, representing Hobby Lobby. “This is not simply because of the Green (Hobby Lobby owners) family’s personal beliefs, but their desire--and many from around the world--to see the campus return to an organization in keeping with its founder’s beliefs and intentions. Many approached us with claims to be in D.L. Moody’s legacy, but only picked a very tangential aspect and seemed to add-on a Christian component. These two finalists are solidly within the Moody tradition.”

More than 100 institutions have shown an interest in the campus.

Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. purchased the 217-acre Northfield campus for $100,000.
Evangelist Dwight L. Moody founded a Northfield school for girls in 1879 and the Mount Hermon school for boys in Gill in 1881. The schools merged in 1971 to form Northfield Mount Hermon; the Northfield campus was closed in 2005.

Since Hobby Lobby purchased the quintessential New England campus with its rolling green lawns and flowering trees, it has put more than $6 million into improvements and ongoing maintenance and will surpass $1 million in taxes.

The Sept. 21 open meeting at Sage Chapel will be followed by a “National Conversation” on “What is the Future of Christian Higher Education.”

Flores believes a casino in downtown Springfield would bring local jobs as well as attract visitors to the area.

Heriberto Flores

SPRINGFIELD– While some may avoid downtown because of perceived crime and violence, Heriberto Flores is one of those who sees the possibilities of the city.

“I think the city has a lot of potential,” he said. “And, I think things are starting to turn around for the better.”

Flores is president of the New England Farm Workers Council, a nonprofit organization which has purchased several major pieces of property along Main Street, including the Paramount Theater, the Stonewall Tavern, and the block which houses the Fort and Student Prince restaurant.

Flores envisions more restaurants with outdoor seating, the staging of large concerts and theater productions, and more cultural events downtown, especially if a casino locates in Springfield. Several proposals are pending.

“I’m definitely in favor of a casino in downtown Springfield,” he said. “I think there is a lot of potential there.”

Flores believes a casino would bring local jobs as well as attract visitors to the area.

“They will come to gamble, but then they can also take advantage of the many venues available downtown. They could catch a show at the Paramount or the MassMutual Center and eat at a restaurant. There could be a lot of benefits to the city,” he said.

Flores is currently working on renovating the Paramount, including the upper-level floors, which have not been used for many years. On the first floor, a new Indian restaurant will open in several weeks, and Flores is planning a high-end Puerto Rican restaurant on the block as well.

“I don’t mean a cafeteria-style diner, but a sit-down, high-quality restaurant,” he said. “The idea is to have people of all social economic backgrounds feel comfortable coming to downtown, having a nice meal and watching a good show.”

There are several other plans for the nonprofit’s properties, including turning the former Stonewall Tavern into a cigar bar and opening a beer garden near the Fort.

Flores is also hoping to attract theater productions and concerts to the area. He is kicking things off with an Oct. 19 concert at Symphony Hall, featuring the Puerto Rico Philharmonic.

“This is a great collaboration between the city of Springfield and Puerto Rico. This event will be an opportunity for people to see some of the wonderful things about Latino culture, particular the beautiful music,” he said.

Flores said he is not the only one, pointing to businessman Evan Plotkin who has come up with the concept of a public art initiative, featuring artist James Kitchen’s sculptures across the city.

“He gets it. He sees the potential in the downtown area, and I hope more people will too,” Flores said.

The 21-year-old engineering student is a self-professed "Big Brother" junkie, who closely studied 13 past seasons in developing his strategy.

CBS photoIan Terry, a 21-year-old engineering student from Pittsburgh

Ian Terry, a self-proclaimed "Big Brother" fanatic, put years of TV watching to good use and won the $500,000 grand prize on the  popular CBS reality TV series on Wednesday night.

The final three contestants in the season 14 finale were Terry, an engineering student from Pittsburgh; parochial school teacher Dan Gheesling of Dearborn, Mich.; and Danielle Murphree, a nurse from Grant, Ala.

Ian won the final head-of-household competition and chose to eliminate Danielle. A jury of seven previously evicted contestants, including Danielle, voted to give the $500,000 grand prize to Ian.  Dan received the second place prize of $50,000.  The jury voted 6-to-1 for Ian, with Danielle supporting Dan.

Ian told jurors he played a more honorable game than Dan, who lied and blindsided  allies, as well as foes. Dan admitted he did "despicable things," but he added that he played the game hard and deserved to win.

Season 14 kicked off with 16 contestants: 12 newcomers and four past players.

Dan previously competed in season 10 of "Big Brother" and won $500,000.

CBS announced Wednesday that it has renewed the series for a 15th season.

A structural engineer cannot examine the condition of the old library until the asbestos is removed.

The Republican file | John SuchockiThe former Chicopee library now sits vacant.

CHICOPEE – The City Council will continue to debate if it should authorize the money to remove asbestos and gut the former library to determine its structural integrity.

The council voted 11-2 to send a request to spend $250,000 to its finance committee for more study. The money would be spent to do preliminary work on the building so an engineer can examine the library.

The proposal is to eventually renovate the library, connect it to City Hall and use it for school offices. Before any work is done, an engineer has to determine if the structure is solid enough for a second floor to be added in place of the existing mezzanine, Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said.

“I’m suggesting we need to get the information. We don’t have a whole lot of options, we have put it out to bid four times,” he said.

Several restaurant owners have considered buying the library but found the building unworkable. The one serious buyer, who wanted to convert it to a museum, backed out for financial reasons.

Bissonnette asked the City Council several months ago to approve $160,000 for the same project. It rejected the expense and since then construction prices have increased.

The money is to come from the sale of real estate account.

Councilor Jean J. Croteau Jr., spoke in favor of having the work done, arguing the asbestos will have to be removed even if the building is sold or demolished.

“If we sell it, we have to sell it clean,” he said. “At some point we have to deal with this.”

Councilor Gerry Roy agreed saying it is important for the School Department to know if the building is available so they can make plans. The school offices are housed in the Helen O’Connell building, which has structural problems.

But Councilor James K. Tillotson said he feels the $250,000 is the start of a large amount of money the city will have to pay to renovate the building and he is not sure if school officials want to move there.

He said he believes renovations will cost anywhere from $5 to $15 million.

“This is a major enterprise,” he said. “Where we going with this adventure?”

The School Committee did discuss the issue two weeks ago but has not taken a vote to endorse the proposal. Several members said they were concerned about a lack of parking while others said they liked the idea of moving downtown.

Bissonnette said he is expecting to purchase a boarding house next to City Hall and raze it for parking. The property is owned by the Valley Opportunity Council, which is working on a plan to purchase the Kendall Building and eventually vacate the boarding house.

Kimberly Simpkiss, of Monson, said the children are "tired, hungry and antsy at the end of the day" now that the changes have been implemented.

MONSON - A mother of two children at Quarry Hill Community School addressed the School Committee about changes to lunch, recess and physical education that went into effect this school year.

Kimberly A. Simpkiss, whose children are in the first and fourth grades, told the School Committee at its meeting last week that the 45 minute block for lunch and recess has been reduced to 35 minutes, with 20 minutes for lunch, followed by 15 minutes for recess.

Before, students had 30 minutes for lunch, whereas recess was 15 minutes, and held at a different time of day. She is asking that the 10 minutes taken away from lunch be restored.

"The length of time is not appropriate," she said in a follow-up interview.

With the schedule changes, she said students also will go six weeks before they have physical education.

"It's a really long period to have no physical education," Simpkiss said.

She said her children have complained, and she was one of many parents who attended a Parent Teacher Student Association at the school on Sept. 11 which featured a presentation by Principal Paula S. Fitzgerald about the changes.

Simpkiss told the School Committee that she is concerned that children are eating too fast so they can get outside for recess. Through her research, she said she found that other local schools which tried similar initiatives found that behavior deteriorated due to the condensed time. She suggested that perhaps recess should be held before lunch.

Regarding the lack of physical education for six weeks, Simpkiss said, "With obesity on an epidemic rise, we feel a shorter recess and lunch and a lack of physical education for such long blocks of time really isn't healthy for our kids . . . They need to blow off steam so they can focus better."

Her comments were taken under advisement.

Fitzgerald, through her presentation, showed parents that every elementary school student is instructed to receive a minimum of 900 hours structured learning time; that does not include breakfast and lunch, recess, or passing between classes. The schedule changes mean that students will have more physical education than before.

Last year, students had 60 hours of gym time, while this year they are projected to have 88 hours, she said.

Fitzgerald said later that she is considering "flipping" recess and lunch. She said the changes were made this year to create uninterrupted instructional blocks of time for students, and to reduce transition times.

She said that physical education is being rotated with other "specials," such as art, library and enrichment, all of which will be held for two week periods. She said the two week rotation will give instructors "the opportunity to begin and end a meaningful project."

Simpkiss said she will be writing a follow-up letter to the School Committee. She said the children are "tired, hungry and antsy at the end of the day" now that the changes have been implemented.

"We really want what's best for our kids," Simpkiss said.

The proposal has already passed a vote and will become official as soon as the appeals process is over. For those schools that decide not to appeal and those whose appeals are lost, the proposed divisions will stand.

Republican file photoFormer Northampton player Jarrod Neumann blocks a shot in 2011.

SPRINGFIELD -- A new MIAA proposal for divisional realignment would push three of the past four Division I Western Mass. boys basketball champions to Division II beginning with the 2013-14 season.

The proposal has already passed a vote and is just pending an appeals process before it becomes official. For those schools that decide not to appeal and those whose appeals are lost, the proposed divisions will stand.

As the new divisions are currently devised, Northampton, East Longmeadow, Cathedral and Longmeadow will all be among the teams relocating to Division II. The MIAA is realigning Western Mass. into a four-division format in order to resemble the systems used in the North and South.

Some schools with less successful basketball reputations, including Agawam and Chicopee Comp, are slated to remain in Division I. Additionally, certain Central Mass. schools have been shifted so they will participate in Western Mass. postseason brackets.

According to state basketball tournament director Lou Conte, the changes have been proposed with an eye on fairness.

"It's more for equality in terms of school sizes to compete against," he said. "There's a Division IV tournament in the North and South. To be fair, we're trying to make it the same way in the Central and the West."

Divisional changes will also go into effect in other sports and genders and impact schools across several divisions as the MIAA shifts all regions to a four-division format, but the biggest impact is likely to be felt in boys basketball. Northampton (the 2011 Western Mass. champion) and Cathedral have developed reputations as regular contenders, and Longmeadow and East Longmeadow both won regional D-I titles within the past five years.

Other factors went into the realignment decision-making process, but Western Mass. MIAA school chair Sarah Shaw said the primary focus was on school enrollment.

“Success is cyclical. Teams go up and down. The MIAA has always made decisions based on enrollment. Some teams are going to be upset like always, but we’ll give them a chance to be heard through the appeals process,” Shaw said.

With regards to enrollment, she added, “We have to start with a basis. The basis we start with every year is numbers.”

Cathedral basketball head coach Justin Dalessio thinks numbers should help to keep his squad in Division I. The Panthers have qualified for the playoffs in each of the past two seasons and boast one of the proudest histories of any Western Mass. high school program with seven regional titles, one state title and 10 Lahovich Award winners.

Republican file photoMIAA director Lou Conte honors coach Dan Dulchinos for his 50 years of coaching in Western Mass before the Boys Division I Baseball Final between Minnechaug and Westfield in June.

“I understand why they’re doing this. It’s based on the size. Our enrollment is down. But no knock on D-II, we’ve always been a Division I team. We’ve competed, we’ve won titles, we do a nice job competing even during our off years,” Dalessio said. “I told my AD (Joseph Hegarty) this is something we need to appeal. I don’t care if we have 120 guys in our school; 12 of them can always play basketball.”

For Cathedral especially, realignment could mean lasting damage to the basketball team. Students aren’t forced to attend Cathedral because of their home’s location. They choose to pay for a Cathedral education because of many factors, including academic, social and athletic opportunities. If the Panthers are moved to Division II as the plan stands, talented basketball players in the Springfield area could be more likely to attend another high school.

“Obviously, basketball shouldn’t be the most important part of the school decision. But one of the school’s selling points for basketball players is having a great schedule, having a great league, playing Commerce and Central twice each,” Dalessio noted.

It's unclear exactly how the realignment will impact leagues in Western Mass. It's possible that Cathedral will remain in a league with Commerce and Central despite not being slotted for the same postseason bracket.

Northampton coach Rey Harp took over the Northampton program when it was still in Division II, but guided the Blue Devils as they transitioned to Division I and ultimately became a power in it.

"We've had a really short and successful record in Division I. We've spent seven years competing, I think, at a very high level. Wherever we land, we want to test ourselves against the best," he said.

Longmeadow coach Patrick Murphy agreed that his Lancers will continue to play as many top-notch opponents as possible during the regular season regardless of the realignment.

"Longmeadow will play the toughest schedule allowed regardless of the divisional status brought forth by the MIAA to make its playoff schedule more balanced," he said.

One of the coaches whose team is slated for a move from Division I to Division II called the MIAA proposal, “Crazy. Just crazy.” Another said he told his athletic director he plans to step down from his position if the proposal is enacted as is.

“I’m not quite sure there are enough teams in the Western Mass. part of the state to have four divisions,” said Central coach Mike Labrie, whose team was not directly impacted by the proposed changes. “It’s unfortunate that we’re likely to lose such quality teams to D-II. If they’re trying to crown more teams as champions, then they’re probably accomplishing that goal.”

As Labrie noted, a major issue with the realignment has been the number of schools in Western Mass. It's more difficult within the region to field so many divisions, because there just aren't enough high schools to do so. To address that problem, the MIAA’s proposal has certain Central Mass. teams moving to Western Mass. for the playoffs.

Republican file photoCathedral coach Justin Dalessio calls for a charge during a game against Central this past season.

An example is Leominster, which has competed in its natural Central Mass. region for years. Conte explained that teams switching regions won't be required to play full schedules in their new region, and will still be expected to field essentially the same regular-season schedules they've played for years.

The switch would almost solely impact the postseason. The problems with the proposal include that certain teams from Central Mass. will have to travel an hour or more to Western Mass. for postseason games, or vice versa.

There’s also the issue of unbalanced schedules: If a Central Mass. team plays a Central Mass. regular-season schedule, the .500 intra-divisional record it needs to qualify for postseason play might not reflect the same level of achievement a .500 record does with a Western Mass. schedule.

“The biggest argument against that we’ve heard so far is for tradition. Traditions are good, but they aren’t always the best way of doing things,” said Shaw.

She added that she looks at all issues from a broad perspective: “Some Texas schools have to travel four or five hours for games.”

Asked whether it's fair to Leominster and other teams to participate in postseason play outside of their own regions, Conte replied, "I'm not sure fairness is the right word. What's really not fair is the Division II and Division III teams in Central Mass. and Western Mass. playing schools two or three times their size in the state tournament."

Conte’s response referenced the biggest driving factor in the realignment, which, according to Shaw, is leveling the playing field across all regions.

“Right now, I don’t think it’s fair for Western Mass.,” she said. “The Western Mass. finals has always been seen as the prize. When teams from Western Mass. get to the state semifinals and finals, they’re often outmatched by schools that are significantly bigger.”

Over the past 15 years, Western Mass. boys basketball teams have won four state titles in Division I, two in Division II and three in Division III.

Every school has an opportunity to appeal its placement in the divisional hierarchy, but one coach of an impacted team said his athletic director told him any appeal would likely prove fruitless.

Longmeadow athletic director Michael Capotosto added that while he hasn’t begun to think about what the changes mean or whether the Lancers will appeal, problems could arise for schools looking to test the process.

“From what I understand, there could be major scheduling issues if just one team appeals,” he said.

Shaw refuted the notion that any decision would be made based on scheduling difficulties, saying that “any team will be able to appeal based on its situation.”

“As always, we’ve made the proposals early to give schools a chance to state their cases,” she said. Explaining the appeals process further, she added, “(Schools) send a letter to the MIAA. A committee of representatives across the whole state will hear the appeals.”

Each appeal will be heard as its own individual case.

"As with any appeal, hopefully you have a good case. Some schools can make good arguments, but not all can,” Conte said.

There are several horse shows coming up at the Big E. Watch video

Eastern States Exposition photoA rider participates in the hunter and jumper horse competition last weekend at the Big E in West Springfield.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Horses have gained some popularity in the press since presidential hopeful Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, had a mare named Rafalca participate in the Olympics in London this summer.

While Romney's interest in horses may have attracted some new followers to horse shows and competitions, the annual Eastern States Exposition Horse Show is always a crowd pleaser.

“It’s a long standing tradition at the fair,” said Jim LaHood, manager of the show. “There are top trophies, top money and top competitions here.”

The hunter and jumper competitions happened earlier during the fair, but a horse show will kick off Thursday at the Coliseum featuring Hackney, Morgans, Friesian and Percheron horses.

“We always get a good crowd for the horse shows,” said Carol Keller, coordinator of the show.

There will be about 300 horses competing in three days worth of events.

This year’s horse show will be dedicated to Grace Brooks Knibb, the granddaughter of the Eastern States Exposition’s founder Joshua L. Brooks.

“She was an avid horsewoman and she always came to the shows,” Keller said.

Brooks Knibb was a trustee of the Eastern States Exposition for more than 50 years and she owned, trained and showed horses.

A perpetual trophy with a copper horse designed by California sculptor Douwe Blumberg will be presented in her honor during opening ceremonies today.

“The trophy represents a Hackney cobtail pony which was one of her favorite horses,” Keller said.

While the smaller horses get their fair share of attention it’s the draft horse competitions that get large crowds.

The draft horse shows, which will start Sept. 27, have more than 20 six-horse hitch teams which compete for a $30,000 grand prize.

“The crowds love seeing the draft horses,” Keller said.

LaHood said a big part of the attraction is the tradition.

“You get to see something you don’t see anymore. It’s a look at the past,” LaHood said.

Generations ago draft horses were often used for heavy lifting and according to Pamela Rickenbach, of Blue Star Equiculture, they still need to work.

“These are very large animals that require daily activity and exercise,” said Rickenbach, director of the draft horse sanctuary and organic farm in Palmer.

The volunteer organization cares for draft horses that have been abandoned due to the high cost of maintaining them or some disease or illness.

Blue Star Equiculture has a booth behind the state houses where they encourage people to stop, learn about the group and consider coming out to the farm to meet the animals.

“We have found homes for more than 100 horses in just four years. We retire horses that can no longer work and place them with families that will spoil them and we also put horses back to work,” she said.

Some of the jobs include pulling hayride wagons or pulling equipment on small farms.

For more information on the various horse show schedules visit www.thebige.com. 

The Massachusetts Nurses Association filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Baystate charging that it has been bargaining in bad faith both at Baystate Franklin and at Baystate Visiting Nurses Association and Hospice in Springfield.

This is an updated version of a story posted at 6:30 this evening.

The Republican file | John SuchockiA union representing 209 nurses at Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, shown above, is has scheduled a one day strike for Oct. 5.

GREENFIELD – Nurses at Baystate Franklin Medical Center on Thursday set Oct. 5 for a one-day strike after negotiations Wednesday showed little movement toward a resolution of a nearly year-long contract dispute with Baystate Health Systems.

Also Thursday, the Massachusetts Nurses Association filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Baystate charging that it has been bargaining in bad faith both at Baystate Franklin and at Baystate Visiting Nurses Association and Hospice in Springfield.

Both units of registered nurses have been attempting to negotiate new contracts.

Massachusetts Nurses Association spokesman Charles Rasmussen said with nurses voting last month to authorize a strike at Baystate Franklin, they knew much depended on what happened at the scheduled negotiations Wednesday.

“What happened was nothing,” he said. “There was a little tinkering on the edges.”

He said nurses felt they had to call for the strike “to really put pressure on Baystate.”

This was the 26th negotiating session.

Deborah Palmeri, chief nursing officer for Baystate Franklin Medical Center, said in an email, “We presented a fair, comprehensive package of wages and benefits, which we had hoped would contribute to significant progress in our negotiations.”

She said that the center “pays wages and benefits that are fair and in line with the market. Our proposals reflect what we are able to provide to the nurses at BFMC within the context of the present market, economic environment and the outstanding unknowns presented by health care reform.

“We are disappointed that the MNA was not more receptive to the proposals we made.”

Thursday’s labor filing was the second set of charges filed by the union. Two months ago Baystate entered into a settlement agreement with the labor board to resolve similar bad faith bargaining charges from last spring.

The nurses’ new charges, according to a union press release, allege “regressive bargaining, failure to meet at agreed upon times and places, and refusal to provide information necessary to conduct negotiations.”

The nurses, many of them part-time, have been without a contract since the spring.

Salaries, health care insurance expenses, overtime and sick-time rules are some of the contract issues.

The strike vote authorized last month requires the union provide the hospital with 10 days notice before actually striking. The action includes the 209 nurses at the medical center in Greenfield only.

The strike is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. on Oct. 5 and will conclude at 6:59 a.m. on Oct. 6.

Palmeri said, “We are developing a contingency plan with our focus first and foremost on assuring the continued safe care of our patients.”

One of the finalists is Kathleen Deviny, of Westfield, director of the Great Barrington Libraries.

File photo | The RepublicanPalmer Public Library.

PALMER – Two finalists will be interviewed on Saturday afternoon for the position of Palmer Public Library director, according to the president of library’s Board of Directors.

John B. DiNuovo, board president, said the finalists, Dorene Miller, of Johnstown, Penn., and Kathleen Deviny, of Westfield, are presently working as library directors. Miller is head of the Highland Community Library in Johnstown, and Deviny is director of the Great Barrington Libraries.

DiNuovo said 17 people applied for the director position, which was advertised at a salary between $58,000 and $65,000.

The 10-member search committee, composed of members of the Board of Directors and three library staffers, then interviewed six applicants, settling on Miller and Deviny as finalists.

He said they were looking for someone who had experience running a library, and that Miller and Deviny were the unanimous choices of the search committee. He said a decision may be made next week regarding which candidate will be named director.

The library has been without a director since Nancy E. Menard, of Charlton, stepped down in June. She was hired in 2009 and left for personal reasons. DiNuovo said the staff has been continuing with their regular duties and reporting to him on a regular basis.

Three temporary library employees, hired through BibioTemps, an employment service from the Massachusetts Library System, have been working at the library this past summer, filling in during vacations and helping with the staff shortage. There are 11 full-time employees.

DiNuovo said he is “anxious to have someone in place and turn the reins over to somebody.”

The interviews will begin at noon in the library’s community room, and are expected to end at 3:30 p.m.

The report is the first comprehensive look at where the state’s public higher education system stands in comparison to other states on a number of key indicators.

Richard Freeland, left, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Education, is seen with S. Paul Reville, the state's education secretary.

BOSTON - A third of the students who enroll in the state's public colleges and universities are not prepared for college-level work, and many students fail to graduate, according a new report by the state Board of Higher Education.

The report, called “Time to Lead: The Need for Excellence in Higher Education,” provides the first comprehensive look at where the state’s public higher education system stands in comparison to other states on a number of key indicators including graduation rates, student learning and workforce development, according to higher education officials who released the report on Thursday at the Statehouse.

Richard M. Freeland, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, said the report shows areas where the state can be proud of its system of 29 campuses and other areas where improvement is needed.

Freeland said the state needs the best education system, workforce and research in the nation.

In a speech, Gov. Deval L. Patrick said, "We know we have more work to do."

The report said 65 percent of community college students, 22 percent at state universities and 7 percent at the University of Massachusetts take at least one remedial class before they can tackle college-level work, the report said. The statistics include recent high school graduates who enrolled in remedial courses in the fall of 2011.

In college completion, Massachusetts trails national leaders by 6 to 13 percentage points, the report said.

In the state's 15 community colleges, within six years of initial enrollment, 45 percent of students receive a two-year degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year campus or are still enrolled with at least 30 credits earned. The report said Massachusetts trails Texas, the leading state in this category, by 13 percentage points.

At the nine state university campuses, including Westfield State University, 52 percent of students graduate within six years, compared to 61 percent for five other leading states.

At the five campuses of the University of Massachusetts, including the flagship Amherst campus, 60 percent of students graduated within six years, compared to 66 percent in leading states.

However, Massachusetts graduation rates exceed an average of comparison states for community colleges and national averages for state universities and the University of Massachusetts.

Transfer students are not included in the six-year graduation rates. By including students who transfer from a state university or a campus of the University of Massachusetts and graduate at a different institution, the graduation rates increase by 12 percentage points at the state universities and 14 percentage points at the University of Massachusetts, the report said. No national comparisons were available for graduation rates of transfer students at four-year colleges.

The report does not include statistics for individual campuses.

The report shows other areas where the state is on its way to national leadership.

A total of 77 percent of recent high school graduates in Massachusetts enrolled at a public or private college anywhere, compared to the 65 percent national average and 78 percent average of leading states.

The report also notes that research expenditures -- an indicator of research capacity and accomplishments -- have jumped by 68 percent over the past six years at the University of Massachusetts. Expenditures totaled $587 million in 2011.

At the same time, the report warned that the state ranked No. 30 nationally in higher-education per student funding. State appropriations for each full-time student is an average $5,600, below the $6,300 national average and $8,300 for leading states.

The low ranking reflects "historic complacency" in a state with many private colleges, the report said.

William F. Messner, president of Holyoke Community College, told the Statehouse audience that the state and private business must be partners with higher education.

Messner said Beacon Hill "needs to truly view public higher education as a priority for this state."

State funding for campuses has been flat or reduced in recent years during a fiscal crisis in state government.

The report outlines the first two years of work under the so-called Vision Project, the Patrick administration’s strategic plan for public higher education in Massachusetts, and lays out the administration’s statewide strategy for achieving the goal of national leadership in certain areas.

"The Vision Project has set a clear leadership goal for Massachusetts,” said Education Secretary S. Paul Reville in a prepared statement. “We are doing well already, but doing well isn't good enough. Our aim is to be the best, and the benchmarks set forth in the Vision Project give us a clear path leading there.”

During a heated exchange with Democrat Elizabeth Warren at the WBZ-TV debate Republican Sen. Scott Brown said that he supports a conscience exemption to the national health care law just like his predecessor, the late Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, but the claim is somewhat misleading.

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BOSTON - During a heated exchange with Democrat Elizabeth Warren at the WBZ-TV debate Thursday evening, Republican Sen. Scott Brown said that he supports a conscience exemption to the national health care law just like his predecessor, the late Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, but the claim is somewhat misleading.

In January, Brown joined Republicans in supporting a piece of legislation called the Blunt Amendment, named after Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., which would have added a sweeping provision to the president's health care law to, in the words of Republicans, "protect religious liberty."

The Blunt Amendment, which failed in a Senate vote along party lines, would have allowed any insurer or employer which administers an insurance plan to deny coverage of any procedure or prescription which is in contrast to their own religious or moral convictions.

Critics said the amendment would have put health care decisions, such as those relating to abortions and female preventative care, into the hands of peoples' bosses.

And in late February, Brown unearthed old legislation pushed by Kennedy and said he found language that was the same as that included in the Blunt Amendment.

The "Health Insurance Bill of Rights Act of 1997," sponsored by Kennedy, shares the words "religious or moral convictions."

But a Kennedy staffer who helped draft the legislation said that although the two bills shared some words, the commonalities between the bills stop there.

In section 2787c of the 1997 bill which never passed into law, the language says, "A health insurance issuer may fully advise licensed or certified health care providers at the time of their employment with the issuer or at any time during such employment, or enrollees at the time of their enrollment for health insurance coverage with the issuer or at any time during which such enrollees have such coverage, of the coverage's limitations on providing particular medical services (including limitations on referrals for care provided outside of the coverage) based on the religious or moral convictions of the issuer. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the rights and duties of a health care provider to determine what medical communications are appropriate with respect to each patient, except as provided for in subsection."

The clause was also included in similar legislation considered in the House of Representatives the same year.

Brown's staff interpreted this to mean that Kennedy was in support of a broad conscience exemption to health care laws.

Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and the late Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy.

"The conscience clause supported by Ted Kennedy re-affirms that insurers with a religious or moral concern are free to offer coverage that are consistent with the teachings of their church," said Colin Reed, a spokesman with Brown's reelection campaign, at the time. And in Thursday's debate, Brown echoed the statement when pushed by Warren for his support of the Blunt Amendment.

But the Kennedy staffer who helped draft 1997 health care legislation, said the section's wording means nothing of the sort.

"The bill wasn't about mandating any benefits," the staffer, who asked not to be identified, told MassLive.com. "It was really about making sure patients got a fair shake with their insurance companies and health care providers."

The staffer said the clause was included to ensure communications between insurers, providers and patients weren't hindered by any conscience exemption which may have existed at the state level. He said it was never meant to endorse or support such exemptions.

At the time of the initial report, others including a law professor from Pennsylvania who specialized in health care law said Brown's claims were a stretch at best.

Brown's campaign declined to comment on the topic further following the Boston debate.

Health care and women's issues were among the many topics traversed in the hour-long showdown, which was the first of four scheduled before the Nov. 6 election.

Brown and Warren are set to square off at a debate hosted by the University of Massachusetts-Lowell on Oct. 1; a debate in Springfield hosted by a Western Massachusetts media consortium on Oct. 10; and a Boston media consortium debate to be held on Oct. 30.

Penn National, based in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, is planning a casino on land that includes the Peter Pan Bus Lines and the property of The Republican.

A couple of leaders of Penn National Gaming were in Springfield on Thursday as part of the company's planning for a casino resort in the North End of the city's downtown.

D. Eric Schippers, senior vice president of public affairs for Penn National, said the company is getting closer to unveiling its casino plans for Springfield but is still working on final details. He declined comment on details, saying he didn't want to release specifics in a piece-meal fashion.

AP file photoKaren Lingermuth, of Niles, Ill., plays the slots during a special event at the Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Ill.

Schippers said the company feels good about its chances for winning the casino license for Western Massachusetts.

"We have a very good site we think will have positive ripple benefits across Springfield," he said.

Penn National, based in Wyomissing, Pa., is planning a casino on land that includes the Peter Pan Bus Lines and the property of The Republican.

He said lawyers are "putting the finishing touches" on an agreement for the company to obtain an option to buy The Republican's Main Street building and property and the newspaper's eight vacant acres on the Connecticut River. A sale would hinge on whether Penn National wins approval for a casino from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

MGM Resorts, the largest casino operator on the Las Vegas strip, in August formally announced that it plans to build an $800 million casino in the South End of the downtown of Springfield. Ameristar Casinos of Las Vegas is planning a casino in Springfield off Page Boulevard and Interstate 291, on 41 acres that it bought for $16 million. The Mohegan Sun is planning a casino for Palmer.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno is also planning a process for the city to select a casino or casinos. Sarno would negotiate agreements with a company or companies and eventually put the agreements up for a vote by city residents. If voters approve those agreements, those deals would be sent to the gaming commission as part of a company's bid to compete for the Western Massachusetts license.

The city on Friday will be releasing the first phase of its request for bids, according to Thomas Walsh, the city’s communications director.

Sarno, City Solicitor Edward M. Pikula, and Chief Development Officer Kevin E. Kennedy will be conducting a press briefing at 11 a.m., at City Hall, to discuss the first phase of requests for bids.

Schippers met on Thursday met with the company's partner in Springfield, Peter A. Picknelly, chairman and CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines. Penn National now has an office in Peter Pan's building, he said.

Schippers praised the partnership with Picknelly, citing the family's long business history in Springfield, it's record of support for charities and Picknelly's deep roots in the community. Schippers was in Springfield with Jeffrey Morris, director of public affairs at Penn National.

The Rev. Talbert Swan, president of the Springfield branch of the NAACP, said he met with Morris on Thursday to advocate for hiring 25 to 30 percent minorities as employees and suppliers at a Springfield casino.

Schippers said Springfield "is a terrific market and fits the successful pattern" of Penn National establishing urban casinos, including those in Bangor, Toledo and three communities in Illinois -- Joliet, Aurora, Alton. Springfield is also strategically located to stop the flow of gambling dollars to Connecticut casinos, Schippers added.

Staff writer Peter Goonan contributed to this report.

The candidates sparred about everything from tax and fiscal policy to women’s issues to each other’s character. Watch video

Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., left, and his Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren, right, stand on the set before their first debate along with moderator Jon Keller, center, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

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BOSTON - Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic Harvard Law School Professor Elizabeth Warren both went for the jugular, in a feisty and at times personal debate Thursday night.

The debate was held in the WBZ-TV studios in Boston, with political analyst Jon Keller moderating, and no live audience. The candidates sparred about everything from tax and fiscal policy to women’s issues to each other’s character.

The debate turned personal at the first question, when Brown was asked about the controversy over whether Warren used her alleged Native American heritage to advance her career. “Professor Warren claimed that she was a Native American, a person of color,” Brown said. “And as you can see, she’s not.”

“When you are a U.S. Senator, you have to pass a test, and that’s one of character and honesty and truthfulness. I believe…she’s failed that test,” Brown said. Brown urged Warren to have Harvard University release her personnel files.

Warren responded that growing up, she heard stories about her heritage, including about her father’s family rejecting her mother because her mother was part Delaware and party Cherokee. “I believed my mother and my father, and my aunts and my uncles, and I never asked anybody for any documentation,” Warren said. “I don’t know any kid who did.” Warren said she did not use her heritage to get into college or law school, and those who hired her did not know about her heritage until she was hired.

Brown again got personal later on when he attacked Warren for earning a $347,000 salary from Harvard, saying that contributed to the high cost of education. Warren responded that she is proud of having made it to a top teaching position.

The candidates continued to spar on fiscal policy, as Warren took Brown to task for voting against three Democratic-sponsored jobs bills.

“When I talk to people here in the commonwealth who are really struggling, I don’t understand how Sen. Brown could vote against one jobs bill, another one to protect teachers, firefighters, police officers, and a third for construction workers,” Warren said. “We can put people back to work, we have work that needs to be done. But Sen. Brown is lining up with the Republicans to vote no.”

Brown responded that each bill would have raised taxes. Brown said it is Warren’s tax proposals that would “take more money out of your pocketbooks” and cost the U.S. 700,000 jobs. (Brown was referring to a study commissioned by the National Federation of Independent Business and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which criticized Democratic President Barack Obama’s tax plan.)

Brown said he was “guilty as charged” of not raising taxes. “If you want someone who’s going to spend your tax dollars, give it to Professor Warren, she’ll spend them,” he said.

Warren said Brown would “permit taxes to go up for 98 percent of families” to give tax breaks for the top 2 percent. Brown, who supports extending the Bush tax cuts for all Americans including those making over $250,000, responded that he would not raise taxes on job creators.

After Warren criticized Brown for voting to “protect billions of dollars in subsidies to big oil companies,” Brown said he is a friend to motorists who would have to pay higher prices. He said he would be open to a comprehensive discussion about energy policy, and already opposed subsidies for ethanol.

Brown attacked Warren for her role in a Supreme Court case representing Travelers insurance company in its attempt to gain immunity against lawsuits from asbestos victims by establishing a trust. Brown said Warren was paid $225,000 to effectively deny benefits to asbestos poisoning victims. Warren, after the debate, told reporters she was defending the legal principle of protecting trusts so people who were injured could be compensated.

On social issues, Brown supports abortion rights, with some restrictions, and Warren has tried to tie Brown to national Republican opposition to abortion. Keller asked the candidates whether they would vote for a Supreme Court nominee who opposed Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case legalizing abortion. Warren said she would not. “Roe v. Wade is settled law. Women should be able to count on this,” she said. Warren said she was surprised Brown voted against pro-choice Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan.

Brown said he too would reject a judge who would overturn Roe v. Wade. “If a judge is up there and they’ve made it very clear that they’re going to try to change Roe v. Wade, I will oppose that judge,” he said. On Kagan, Brown quipped, “I’m sorry I didn’t vote for your boss.” Kagan and Warren both worked at Harvard. Brown said he opposed Kagan because of her lack of judicial experience.

Warren went on to criticize Brown for co-sponsoring the Blunt Amendment, which would allow employers to not pay for insurance coverage for services they find morally objectionable.

“You should stop scaring women, Professor,” Brown responded. He said he has the “same position as Sen. (Ted) Kennedy” on supporting conscience clauses to protect the rights of religious groups.

The intentions of Kennedy, the late Massachusetts Democrat, have been debated. Warren said it is “inappropriate to characterize Sen. Kennedy’s work that way.”

As she has in the past, Warren tried to tie Brown to Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who is unpopular in Massachusetts. On foreign policy, Warren said she is working to keep Obama as commander-in-chief, not Romney. Brown praised Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for work relating to the recent attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya. Brown did not mention Romney.

Brown tried to stress areas where he disagrees with the Republican Party. On climate change, for instance, he said, “I absolutely believe climate change is real,” and is caused by a combination of man-made and natural factors.

Warren argued that the control of the Senate is up for grabs. If Brown wins, she said Oklahoma Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe – who has called global warming a hoax – could control the committee overseeing the Environmental Protection Agency. Brown shot back, “You’re not running against Jim Inhofe, you’re running against me.”

Staff writer Robert Rizzuto contributed to this report.