The head of the Mohegan gaming authority says the $400,000 fee can be paid in the future.

Mohegan Sun

PALMER -- The chief executive officer of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority told local business owners Wednesday that Mohegan Sun is committed and ready to offer what he calls the strongest casino project in the region.

"We are here. We've been here three-and-a-half years, and we are part of the community," said Mitchell Etess, Mohegan's chief executive. "We can present the case why Palmer clearly is the best choice."

Later that night, Quaboag Valley Against Casinos hosted an anti-casino forum at Palmer High School featuring Leslie Bernal, executive director of Stop Predatory Gambling; Robert Goodman, author of "The Luck Business" and John P. Epstein, a Holyoke anti-casino activist. Approximately 30 people attended.

'In order for this government program to work, citizens need to lose," Bernal said. "Why would the government of Palmer . . . create addicts?"

Goodman, also a professor emeritus of environmental design at Hampshire College, discussed the future of the casino industry, and said once Massachusetts opens its casinos, neighboring states, such as New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and New York, will ramp up their casino efforts, escalating "casino wars" and bringing revenues down in the process.

Epstein questioned who would be against a casino if they are told that one would bring in jobs and lower taxes. But that's not the entire story, he said.

"Everybody in this room tonight, and all your friends and all your neighbors, are going to need to make a significant effort to convey the rest of the story. The
biggest thing I learned when working to defeat the incumbent pro-casino mayor (Elaine Pluta), the more people learned about the damage the casino brings to the host community, the more people were opposed to it. Report after report shows casinos negatively affect host communities," Epstein said.

The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority has long proposed a casino off Thorndike Street, Route 32, near the existing interchange for the Massachusetts Turnpike. Mohegan also operates a casino in Connecticut; 10 days ago, the Mohegan Sun casino laid off more than 300 employees at its Uncasville, Conn., operation and replaced its chief executive officer.

Mitchell Etess

Etess discussed the casino plans in Palmer and timetable during a meeting with business and community leaders. The luncheon meeting was hosted by the Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce at the Pathfinder Regional Vocational-Technical High School.

This occurs as at least three operators have proposed casinos in Springfield.

Etess, during a question and answer period, said Mohegan has chosen not to yet pay the state’s $400,000 non-refundable application fee because the company’s commitment is clear and the fee will be paid when it submits its Phase 1 application, scheduled by the state to occur between Oct. 15 to Jan. 5.

“It didn’t seem necessary to pay it early,” Etess said.

Mohegan has been actively lobbying for a Palmer site for more than three years, and is already negotiating a host community agreement with Palmer. Mohegan has made clear that it plans to partner with another entity on the project, but has provided no other details.

Etess said it is hard for him to believe there is a “fix in,” for a Springfield casino, and said he believes the Palmer site will drive the most revenue to the commonwealth and the entire Western Massachusetts region, as well as the Worcester area.

“We really believe we can be the region’s casino,” Etess said.

Etess later said he thinks people from Vermont and New Hampshire would be more likely to visit a Palmer casino than a Springfield casino.

Kristopher Ventura, a local Dunkin’ Donuts franchise owner, asked about the construction timetable. He was told that the final part of the application will be due on Dec. 31, 2013 with licenses awarded by March 1, 2014. If Mohegan is successful in winning a license, it will take the company 18 to 24 months to build the resort casino.

“As a business owner whose business is dependent on traffic and population, I’m 100 percent for it. It’s exciting,” Ventura said.

Richard Rondeau, owner of Rondeau’s Dairy Bar, said he thinks a casino would bring an “economical benefit to the town if everything is the way they say it’s going to be.”

Rondeau specifically cited Mohegan’s comments that they would hire locally and buy locally.

Also in attendance was state Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo Jr., D-Springfield, who said he has long supported the “concept of a suburban casino in the woods.” Puppolo said he was there on a “fact-finding mission.”

The Mohegan project has unique advantages in providing a rural setting, having a philosophy of buying local, would generate more revenue, and has established relationships with tourist attractions such as the Basketball Hall of Fame, the Big E, and Six Flags, Etess said. Furthermore, Mohegan is the only player looking to open a gambling facility in Western Massachusetts that has experience in New England, Etess said.

In addition, he touted the Mohegan project as offering “a tremendous amount” of construction and permanent jobs locally and regionally, and “amazing economic development” opportunities.

Susan V. Trudeau, owner of Colonel Mustard Presents, a dinner theater in Ware, asked about recent layoffs Mohegan made in Connecticut, where approximately 300 people lost their jobs.

“The reality is gaming is dependent on disposable income,” Etess said.

Etess noted that the Connecticut casino was affected by the opening of a new casino in New York. Etess said “adjustments” can become necessary in response to economic challenges such as faced in the state of Connecticut.

In Springfield, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and his top advisors are hoping that the city can enter into community agreements with one or more casino company by April 26, and that a ballot vote can occur by June.

Companies interested in locating a casino in Springfield have until Thursday to submit their qualifications and their initial project plans. The city plans to pre-qualify companies after reviewing their proposals, and then seeking in-depth proposals from each qualifying company.

Companies known to have an interest in a Springfield casino include: MGM Resorts International, proposing a casino in the South End; Ameristar Casinos, planning a site at the former Westinghouse property in East Springfield; and Penn National, proposing a casino that would include The Republican Main Street building and Peter Pan Bus Lines. In addition, Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment is listed as a possible developer at an undisclosed downtown location.

Property in Westfield has also been mentioned as a potential site for a resort casiono.

Mohegan officials have stated they have the financial means to proceed with the project in Palmer.

In Springfield, most residents who gathered for a small South End neighborhood meeting on Wednesday said it makes sense to have a citywide vote on casino gambling, rather than limit it to just the ward vote where casino projects are proposed.

“It seems logical, a citywide vote,” resident Rose Costa said. “It will impact the entire city.”

Just 11 residents and three city councilors attended the nighttime meeting at the Gentile Apartments on Williams Street, with the low attendance blamed on competing events including a debate at nearby Symphony Hall between U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and his Democratic opponent, Elizabeth Warren.

Ten of 11 residents, in a hand vote, said they favored a citywide vote. One of the proposed casinos in Springfield is being proposed in the South End by MGM Resorts International.

The council must decide if there will be a citywide vote or ward vote, after conducting meetings in various neighborhoods.

Staff writer Lori Stabile contributed to this report.

Sen. Scott Brown took media questions at Symphony Hall Wednesday, Oct. 10 after his debate against Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren.

U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel suspended an already lengthy hearing because Fusco needed an additional interpreter.

NEW YORK — A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily suspended a sentencing proceeding for Emilio Fusco, of Longmeadow, a Genovese organized crime family member convicted of racketeering conspiracy and other crimes after a three-week trial in April.

Emilio Fusco

Fusco was acquitted of the 2003 murders of onetime Springfield Mafia boss Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno and low-level criminal associate Gary D. Westerman. Prosecutors have nonetheless continued to argue Fusco was culpable in the slayings along with gangsters in Western Massachusetts and New York, and are seeking a 45-year prison sentence.

Fusco, an Italian native, has been using an interpreter throughout two years of court proceedings. U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel suspended an already lengthy hearing because Fusco needed an additional interpreter.

The sentencing will resume in federal court in Manhattan on Thursday.

Catch up on anything you missed from Wednesday's live broadcast from Springfield's Symphony Hall.

Were you unable to watch our live video stream of Wednesday's debate between Sen. Scott Brown and challenger Elizabeth Warren? Don't worry, we're here to help you out. Watch the complete debate below, courtesy of CBS 3 Springfield.

While you're watching, don't miss our coverage of the debate on MassLive.com's Senate Race page.

• Who won the Scott Brown-Elizabeth Warren debate? Cast your vote

• Have the candidates paid enough attention to Western Mass.?

• Supporters pack streets outside at Symphony Hall

Wallach comes with no strings attached - he is no longer under contract to the Dodgers.

AP fileTim Wallach managed the Albuquerque Isotopes for two seasons.

Los Angeles Dodgers third-base coach Tim Wallach will be interviewed by the Boston Red Sox for their managerial opening, according to multiple sources.

Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times quoted Wallach:

“It’s the Red Sox. It’s one of the top organizations in all of baseball. We all know how last year went. It’s not a picture of who they are. They were a top organization for a long, long time. It’s certainly something I’m not afraid to be a part of.”

Wallach, 55, managed the Dodgers’ Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes in 2009 and 2010. He also served as the Dodgers’ hitting coach in 2004 and 2005. He played 17 seasons in the big leagues

Dilbeck did not report when Wallach would be interviewed. Neither did Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, who reported Thursday that the Sox will interview candidates this week and next. The Herald is being credited as the first to report the Wallach story. Robert Bradford of WEEI.com echoed the Herald report, adding that interviews would go through the weekend.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Farrell, a former pitching coach with the Sox, appears to top the list of candidates to replace Bobby Valentine after the team finished with its worst record since 1965. But the Farrell situation is complicated by the fact that he still has a year left on his contract. Wallach's contract with the Dodgers has expired.

The Syrian Air jetliner was traveling from Moscow when it was intercepted by F16 jets as it entered Turkish airspace and was escorted to the capital's Esenboga Airport, the state-run TRT television reported.

Associated PressPeople gather atop the aircraft steps at a Syrian passenger plane that was forced by Turkish jets to land at Esenboga airport in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012. Turkish jets on Wednesday forced a Syrian Air Airbus A320 passenger plane to land at Ankara airport on suspicion that it may be carrying weapons, Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, amid heightened tensions between Turkey and Syria that have sparked fears of a wider regional conflict.

By SUZAN FRASER

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish jets on Wednesday forced a Syrian passenger plane to land at Ankara airport on suspicion that it might be carrying weapons or other military equipment, amid heightened tensions between Turkey and Syria that have sparked fears of a wider regional conflict.

The Syrian Air jetliner was traveling from Moscow when it was intercepted by F16 jets as it entered Turkish airspace and was escorted to the capital's Esenboga Airport, the state-run TRT television reported.

Hours later, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the Airbus A320 with 37 passengers and crew would be allowed to leave, but its cargo had been confiscated.

"There are elements ... that are not legitimate in civilian flights," the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Davutoglu as saying. He did not provide details but said authorities continued to examine the cargo.

Davutoglu earlier told Turkey's TGRT television that the plane was intercepted on suspicion it was carrying illicit cargo to Damascus.

"If equipment is being carried under the guise of civilian flights or if they are not being declared, then of course we'll inspect it," he said.

"We are determined to stop the flow of weapons to a regime that carries out such ruthless massacres," Davutoglu added. "We cannot accept that our air space be used for such aims."

Hurriyet newspaper's website, citing unidentified intelligence officials, said communications equipment, wireless sets and jammers were found on board. NTV television reported that authorities found "missile parts."

Syrian Information Minister Omran Zuabi declined comment.

Davutoglu said Turkish authorities had also declared Syria's airspace to be unsafe and were stopping Turkish aircraft from flying over the civil war-torn country.

The move comes as tensions between Turkey and Syria are running high. The countries, which were once close allies, have been exchanging artillery fire across the volatile border for days.

Earlier Wednesday, Turkey's military chief vowed to respond with more force to any further shelling from Syria, keeping up the pressure on its southern neighbor a day after NATO said it stood ready to defend Turkey.

Gen. Necdet Ozel was inspecting troops who have been put on alert along the 565-mile (910-kilometer) border after shelling from Syria killed five Turkish civilians in a border town last week. Turkey has reinforced the border with artillery and also deployed more fighter jets to an air base close to the border region.

"We responded and if (the shelling) continues, we will respond with more force," the private Dogan news agency quoted Ozel as saying during a visit to the town of Akcakale.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday that Washington has sent troops to the Jordan-Syria border to help build a headquarters in Jordan and bolster that country's military capabilities in the event that violence escalates along its border with Syria.

The revelation raises the possibility of an escalation in the U.S. military involvement in the conflict, even as Washington pushes back on any suggestion of a direct intervention in Syria.

In Syria's largest city, Aleppo, regime troops and rebel fighters exchanged fire for several hours in and around the historic 13th-century Umayyad Mosque, said local activist Mohammed Saeed.

He said rebels were trying to drive out regime troops holed up in the downtown place of worship, and that by nightfall the shooting had stopped. The mosque is one of the landmarks of Aleppo, along with its medieval covered market, or souk, which was largely gutted last month in a huge fire sparked by the fighting.

Rami Abdul-Rahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said local activists told him fighting was restricted to the area near the mosque, but that no fighters entered the site itself. The Observatory relies on reports from a network of activists in Syria.

Aleppo has been the scene of intense fighting, particularly since rebels launched a new offensive two weeks ago to try to dislodge regime troops. The fighting has devastated large areas of the city of 3 million, Syria's former business capital.

Earlier, Syrian activists also said the rebel units of the Free Syrian Army took control of Maaret al-Numan, a strategic city along the main highway in Idlib province that connects the central city of Homs with Aleppo to the north and the capital Damascus.

Abdul-Rahman said the rebels took control of the city late Tuesday. He said the rebels control the western entry into the city, while the military is massing troops along the eastern outskirts for a possible counter offensive.

Fadi Yassin, an activist in Maarat al-Numan, told The Associated Press on Skype that rebels were in control of the city, although fierce fighting continued around the military barracks on Wednesday, three days after the opposition launched a "liberation battle."

"The city has been liberated," Yassin said. "All liberation battles start with small cities and then move on to the major cities."

Holding onto Maaret al-Numan would be a significant achievement for the rebels, enabling them to cut the army's main supply route to Aleppo and Homs, both of which came under bombardment from the regime's helicopters and artillery on Wednesday, according to activists.

The Anadolu news agency reported fighting between Syrian rebels and forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime around the town of Azmarin, in Idlib province, across from the Turkish border. It said Syrians were fleeing homes in the Azmarin region, some crossing into Turkey by boat over the Orontes River, which runs along the border.

Footage from Anadolu showed women, children and elderly men being transported from Syria to Turkey on makeshift rafts and boats.

Private NTV television reported that explosions and automatic weapon fire could be heard in Turkey's Hatay province, coming from Azmarin. It said rebels were clashing with some 500 Syrian government soldiers, and that at least 100 rebels had been injured, some of whom had been brought to Turkey for treatment.

Some 99,000 Syrians, mostly women and children, have sought refuge in Turkey since the start of the conflict.

Also on Wednesday, state-run news agency SANA said Assad appointed Sattam Jadaan al-Dandah as Syria's new ambassador to Iraq. The report did not say when al-Dandah would travel to Baghdad. His predecessor, Nawaf Fares, defected in July, becoming the most senior diplomat to abandon Assad's regime during a bloody 18-month uprising that has morphed into a bloody civil war.

Meanwhile, the U.N. envoy on Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday on the first stop of his diplomatic tour of the Middle East. His spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said Brahimi would "hold wide-ranging talks on the prolonged crisis in Syria."

Brown and Warren chimed in on issues ranging from speculated closures and cuts at local military bases to the economy and job creation in Massachusetts. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD — During a substantive and spirited debate inside Springfield's historic Symphony Hall Wednesday evening, Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren sparred over a myriad of topics relevant to the voters of Western Massachusetts.

Brown and Warren chimed in on issues ranging from speculated closures and cuts at local military bases to the economy and job creation in the Bay State.

When asked to define the middle class, Brown said it "comes down to incomes."

"When I think of middle class I think of the people with one, two, sometimes three jobs," Brown said. "We know from past experience that professor Warren says she is out there fighting for you, but she is actually fighting for large corporations. It is about whose side you're on."

Warren said that in her view, the middle class is made up of the people "who work hard, who play by the rules."

"Let's face it, America's middle class is just being hammered," Warren said. "That's why I'm in this race ... What I believe is that everybody pays a fair share. That means the millionaires, that means the billionaires, the big oil companies. Then we invest in our future."

Brown told Warren to "put down the hammer," a quip at her popular catchphrase about the middle class "getting hammered," to which the crowd responded with jeers, which led Brown to smile and pause, before going on to charge that Warren's previous legal work is in contrast with her image as a consumer advocate.

The battle over past legal work has been in the spotlight over the past few weeks with Brown charging that Warren's work on behalf of Travelers Insurance was "to deny benefits to victims of asbestos poisoning."

Warren has shrugged off Brown's characterizations of her work and said that she was defending a legal principle involving protecting trusts so future victims could be compensated.

The two candidates sparred over military base closures and cuts, which could affect Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee and the Air and Army National Guard units at Barnes Regional Airport in Westfield.

When asked which federal programs she would make cuts to, Warren said that cutting the defense budget and subsidies to agriculture were on her radar. She said that reducing the size of the standing army and promoting the Air Force's C-5 Galaxy cargo plane as an example of what the military needs going forward as part of a reevaluation of the country's military needs.

Brown argued that she walked herself into a contradiction, saying that she "can't have it both ways."

"You can't protect military and cut defense," Brown said, going on to discuss his and the rest of the Massachusetts delegation's efforts to limit the impact of defense cuts on the Bay State. "The jobs at Westover and Barnes in this area are critical. We have a very strong defense industry in Massachusetts, but it is going to be a challenge."

Warren later explained that when she discussed making cuts to the defense budget, she was alluding to specific cuts that would alleviate the need for base closures and cutbacks.

Brown has also supported targeted defense spending cuts as outlined in his deficit-reduction plan as provided to the Boston Globe.

On the topic of jobs and the overall economy, the candidates reiterated their respective messages.

Warren charged that Brown did the state a disservice when voting against three Democratic jobs bills, and the junior senator defended his votes by saying that raising taxes to create jobs is the wrong way to go.

Brown, aware of his location, came out the gate thanking former Democratic mayor of Springfield Charlie Ryan for his endorsement, and talking up a job fair he held in Chicopee a few months ago.

He said the best way to boost the economy is to keep taxes low for those who create the jobs and to make sure legislators "spend wisely."

When probed about the rising cost of health care, Brown repeated his opposition to the president's Affordable Care Act and charged that Warren was supporting tax increases and Medicare cuts by supporting it.

Warren charged that Brown was making up claims that the health care plan would make cuts from Medicare, an accusation that drew applause and a loud boo.

"There's a lot the Affordable Care Act does and a big part of it is bringing down costs," Warren said. "This is going to be a big driver for the economy in Massachusetts."

A Congressional Budget Office report on the Affordable Care Act released in July did conclude that the legislation will cut $716 billion in Medicare spending, mostly due to lower reimbursement rates for doctors and health care organizations implemented over time.

When moderator Jim Madigan of WGBY-TV asked the candidates what they would do ensure higher education is affordable for future generations, Brown and Warren delivered answers peppered with jabs.

Brown cited Warren's $350,000 salary and a zero-interest loan Harvard University gave her as an employment inventive as reasons for college debt being so substantial in the U.S.

Warren said she is proud of how far she's come, and went on to tout federal investment in local colleges for job training.

"There are four great community colleges in this area. We need to be investing in those institutions," Warren said.

On the topic of the federal government's role in public education, Brown said that unfunded mandates "are what's killing places like Springfield and other communities across the commonwealth."

Warren said that while municipalities come up with the ideas of how to run their community schools, they need "a good federal partner."

"I believe every dollar we invest in Head Start and even pre-Head Start is something that pays off for years. It is our moral responsibility and just good economics," Warren said.

Warren lashed out on Brown when women's issues came up. While Brown said that both he and Warren are "pro-choice" when it comes to abortion rights, the differences between the two candidates are starker than the junior senator alluded to.

Brown supports abortion rights, with limitations: He opposes taxpayer funding of abortion, opposes partial-birth abortion, and supports strong laws regarding parental consent and notification. Brown has supported policies that expand women’s access to contraception, but he has also supported wide-ranging conscience clauses protecting those who object to providing contraception.

Warren, on the other hand, has said she disagrees with some of the restrictions on Brown's abortion stances, although she has offered varying degrees of candor when pressed for specifics.

Warren also hit Brown for his vote against the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have required employers to prove that any discrepancies between male and female pay are job-related and not based in discrimination.

Brown said that while he supports the sentiment behind the legislation, it was "just the wrong bill."

Warren also took aim at Brown for his co-sponsorship of the Blunt Amendment, which would have allowed any employer or insurer to deny coverage for any procedure or prescription based on their religious or moral convictions. Brown has said the bill was about religious liberty, but critics, including Warren, have called it wide-sweeping legislation that would have put medical decisions affecting women into the hands of their employers.

"I want to be blunt, we should not be fighting about equal pay and access to birth control in 2012," Warren said. "These battles were won years ago until the Republicans brought them back."

Brown also touted his support for re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which some Republicans are fighting against because it extends domestic violence protections to same-sex couples and Native Americans.

On the topic of Syria, both Brown and Warren said that President Bashar al-Assad has to go, while Brown suggested providing rebel forces with "weapons and support."

When it came to the question of how to deal with Iran, Warren repeated her support for President Barack Obama's handling of the situation, saying that "it's absolutely critical they do not get nuclear weapons. That's why I support the approach of President Obama. He takes nothing off the table, but comes in and works with other countries to apply pressure. "

Brown said that "there is no nuanced approach to Iran."

While recent polls show Warren leading by a heavy margin in this part of the state, Brown has not given up on chipping away at her support. Ahead of the debate, Brown released a TV ad specific to the Springfield market focusing on his part in the recovery efforts from the June 2011 tornadoes.

And on Thursday, Warren will be spending the morning at an event in Holyoke alongside U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and other Democrats, marking the anniversary of a Democratic jobs bill Brown voted against.

A Western New England University/MassLive.com poll concluded that while Warren is maintaining a lead in the western part of the state, Brown has gained some followers in the three weeks that passed since the previous poll. The poll concluded that while Warren has 58 percent support from Western Massachusetts residents, her number has dropped three points. Brown, on the other hand, now holds 41 percent support in this part of the state, an eight-point increase over the late September poll.

Both candidates will square off in one final Senate debate to be held in Boston on Oct. 30.

Stick with MassLive.com for the latest about the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts and all your political news.

The fitness instructor secretly videotaped her encounters. Now the town is on the edge of its seat, waiting to find out who are the more than100 alleged johns.

APAlexis Wright, 29, turns towards her attorney Sarah Churchill, left, during her arraignment Tuesday in Portland, Maine on 109 counts of prostitution, violation of privacy, tax evasion and other charges for allegedly providing sex for money at her Kennebunk fitness studio and office. Wright pleaded not guilty on charges she ran a prostitution business out of her Kennebunk Zumba studio and secretly filmed her encounters.

By CLARKE CANFIELD

KENNEBUNK, Maine — This upscale southern Maine town is known for its ocean beaches, old sea captains' mansions and the neighboring town of Kennebunkport, home to the Bush family summer compound.

But the talk of the town these days is the arrest of a local fitness instructor who's been charged with running a prostitution business out of her Zumba dance studio and secretly videotaping her encounters. Now the town is on the edge of its seat, waiting for the revelation of which of their friends and neighbors are among her more than 100 alleged johns.

"There's still some of that puritanical New England left around," said Will Bradford, who owns a copy shop in town. "There are places in the world that would laugh at this."

Alexis Wright, 29, was dressed conservatively in a jacket, blouse and slacks as she pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Portland to 106 counts of prostitution, violation of privacy, tax evasion and other charges for allegedly providing sex for money at her fitness studio and a nearby one-room office she rented. The man police say was her business partner, 57-year-old Mark Strong Sr., pleaded not guilty to 59 counts of promotion of prostitution and violation of privacy.

Prosecutors haven't detailed why Wright would have been videotaping her encounters. But they gathered more than 100 hours of video and nearly 14,000 screen shots from seized computers, Deputy District Attorney Justina McGettigan said.

"The state's in over its head. This case isn't ready for prosecution," Daniel Lilly, Strong's lawyer, said at the hearing.

Wright's lawyer, Sarah Churchill, has declined to comment, and the defendants did not speak as they left the hearing. Wright, who lives in the nearby community of Wells and is the single mother of a young son, and Strong are free on personal recognizance.

Police have begun issuing summons to Wright's customers and will release the names in the weeks ahead. Townspeople say they've heard that lawyers, doctors, law enforcement officials, a television personality and other well-known people in town are included in a detailed clientele list police found.

A lot of people would rather not see the names made public because it will hurt families, children and careers, said Dan Breton, the owner of a convenience store and deli.

"I think most of my customers were shocked this was going on," Breton said. "But any time something like that happens, people get curious. It's almost like the newspapers are teasing us that there are prominent names on the list. But maybe it'll be nothing."

The superintendent of schools issued a memo to teachers and staff last week, instructing them to be on the lookout for students who have relatives on the list of names and may be teased or have trouble coping.

Wright opened her Pura Vida fitness studio teaching Zumba, a Latin-inspired fitness program that combines aerobics and dance, in 2010 about a block from the downtown business district in this town of about 10,000 people 25 miles south of Portland, the state's largest city. She later rented a one-room office across the street, above a hair salon and a flower store.

That same year, an anonymous blog appeared accusing Wright of not being the sweet, friendly Zumba instructor she portrayed herself to be. "She's living a double life and is a porn star. She may be a prostitute for all I know," the first blog entry reads.

Police began investigating after hearing reports of cars coming to the studio and the office at all hours of the day and night and men going in for a half-hour or hour at a time, according to a police affidavit released when Strong, of Thomaston, was arrested in July.

The landlord who rented the office space to Wright told investigators one of his tenants sometimes heard "moaning and groaning" coming from Wright's office, the affidavit says.

When the landlord checked the office himself, he found a massage table and a video camera set up on a tripod. He told police he later found an online porn video of Wright that was recorded in the office, which he recognized by the walls, the floor and the window.

When police raided the studio and office in February, they seized electronic ledgers of sexual acts, video recordings and records of clients and the sexual acts performed by Wright, according to the affidavit. Judging by what they found, police said, Wright's sexual activities generated as much as $150,000.

Investigators said there was both a "business and personal" connection between Strong and the activity at the studio. Video footage showed Wright and Strong having sex, according to the affidavit.

Bee Nguyen, who rented the studio space to Wright and Strong, said Tuesday he often saw cars pulling up to the back of the studio and men going in but didn't think anything of it.

"She had a boyfriend," said Nguyen, adding that Wright and Strong owe him about $10,000 in back rent.

It wasn't clear whether Wright still has custody of her son; the agency that oversees child welfare says it can't comment.

It wouldn't be surprising to hear of a prostitution operation with clients coming and going day and night in a big city, residents say — but not in Kennebunk, a tourist town with traditional white-steeple churches, tree-lined streets and quaint bed-and-breakfasts.

"Still, the fact that it's happening in Kennebunk shows we're not above it all," Greg Patterson said while getting a haircut at a downtown barber shop.

The couple, Maxine and Antonio Cirillo, alleged through their lawyer that Paula Sullivan of 1710 Main St. is illegally running a business out of her home.

Republican file photo

AGAWAM — Zoning Board of Appeals members Tuesday advised a couple complaining about what they say is an illegal parking business run out of a residence on Main Street to send a letter to the building inspector.

The couple, Maxine and Antonio Cirillo, alleged through their lawyer that a Paula Sullivan of 1710 Main St. is illegally running a business out of her home.

Their attorney, Gary B. Liquori, asked the board to make Building Inspector Nicholas Urbinati shut the parking operation down. Liquori argued that Sullivan, who could not be reached for comment, is violating zoning ordinances that prohibit people from operating businesses out of their residences.

“It is hurting a lot of people who run businesses there, including my client,” Liquori said.

The Cirillos have a side business parking cars for Six Flags patrons at their ice cream and pizza shop Tastees Too at 1744 Main St.

Antonio Cirillo said Sullivan parks as many as 60 cars at a time in her yard. He alleged that Urbinati has been told by the mayor to ignore the situation.

Neither Urbinati nor Mayor Richard A. Cohen could be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Board of Appeals Chairwoman Doreen Prouty said that it is hard for the board to force the building inspector to take action without anything in writing before it.

She suggested that the couple write a letter to the building inspector warning him that they will complain to the Board of Appeals if he does not take action within the next 30 days.

Liquori expressed agreement with that course of action and said he would get off a letter the next day.

Prouty then continued the matter to the board’s Nov. 13 meeting.

“One thing is certain. We ought to address this,” Board of Appeals member Richard Maggi said.

The accident occurred around 10 p.m.

Republican file photo

EAST LONGMEADOW — Police late Wednesday night were on the scene of a single-car crash on Prospect Street.

Police said Prospect Street was closed from Pease Road to the Somers, Conn., line. The accident took place around 10 p.m.

No further information was available late Wednesday night.

Approximately 30 people attended the meeting.

Wyatt Aloisio photoPalmer community members gather in the Palmer High School auditorium on Wednesday evening to participate in an Anti-Casino Forum. Left to right on stage: Michael Kogut, Les Bernal, John Epstein and Robert Goodman.

PALMER — Just because casino gambling is legal now in Massachusetts, it doesn't mean that a casino is a done deal for Palmer, those who attended an anti-casino forum at Palmer High School on Wednesday night were told.

"You have ability to pull this thing back," Leslie Bernal, executive director of Stop Predatory Gambling, said to the approximately 30 people in attendance.

Bernal said there is a movement to get a question repealing the gaming law on the ballot next year. He said residents need to be aggressive, and organize their efforts, if they do not want a casino in their town.

"The operative word here is fight. Show up and make your voice loud and clear ... My slogan in Palmer is don't vote for failure. A vote for a casino is a vote for failure," Bernal said to applause.

"Everybody needs to wake up. You can do something about it. It can be done. It's a lot of work. It's getting the message out and sharing it with your neighbors," said John P. Epstein, a Holyoke anti-casino activist.

Bernal and Epstein, along with Robert Goodman, author of "The Luck Business," were the speakers at the event sponsored by Quaboag Valley Against Casinos and the Amherst Chapter of the League of Women Voters.

Bernal said he also doesn't buy into the argument that a casino brings jobs.

"It's phony prosperity. Don't settle for this garbage," Bernal said.

Before a casino can open in a community, a binding referendum must be held.
Connecticut-based Mohegan Sun for years has wanted to build a resort casino off Thorndike Street (Route 32) across from Massachusetts Turnpike exit 8. It is one of several casino operators competing for the lone casino gaming license in Western Massachusetts. The company has started the host community agreement process with Palmer.

Companies interested in a Springfield casino include MGM Resorts International, proposing a casino in the South End; Ameristar Casinos, planning a site at the former Westinghouse property in East Springfield; and Penn National Gaming, proposing a casino that would include The Republican's Main Street building and the Peter Pan Bus Lines property.

In addition, Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment has expressed an interest in downtown Springfield, but has not revealed a location.

"'In order for this government program to work, citizens need to lose," Bernal said.

"Why would the government of Palmer ... create addicts?"

Epstein questioned who would be against a casino if they are told that one would bring in jobs and lower taxes. But that's not the entire story, he said.

"Everybody in this room tonight, and all your friends and all your neighbors, are going to need to make a significant effort to convey the rest of the story ... Report after report shows casinos negatively affect host communities," Epstein said.

Goodman, who spent two years as director of the United States Gambling Study, an experience he used for his book, said the casino industry is moving more toward an automated industry, with fewer jobs for people.

He said the majority of a casino's revenues come from slot machines, which, he was told during his research, cost $7,000 and "never go out on strike and show up every Monday."

"Once people understand the impacts of this they're usually against it," Goodman said.

There was no clear winner in the debate – except for the city of Springfield and organizers of the event for giving Western Massachusetts residents the opportunity to hear the candidates.

With an audience of 2,500 at Springfield Symphony Hall hanging on their every word Wednesday night, Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren kept their debate in the Massachusetts Senate campaign civil, avoiding personal attacks while drawing clear distinctions between their positions on issues including health care, the federal deficit and how best to create jobs.

Thankfully, there were no references to Warren’s Native American heritage and whether she benefited from it, which Brown has cited in previous debates in an attempt to assault her character.

Warren, a Harvard professor and consumer advocate, did a good job differentiating herself from Brown on the question of who will best defend the interests of the average Americans, saying that fighting for the middle-class has been her “life’s work.”

She argued that the Republican philosophy of cutting taxes for top earners and hoping it filters down to folks with more modest incomes hasn’t created jobs.

While Warren argued that “millionaires and billionaires” should pay more in taxes, Brown stood firm on his across-the-board “no-taxes” pledge signed by congressional Republicans.

In their third face-to-face debate, Warren said the Republican promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act would have devastating consequences for all Americans – especially seniors who have come to rely on prescription drug benefits. As she has done in previous debates, Warren criticized Brown for voting against jobs bills.

Brown, who touted his bipartisan philosophy throughout the debate, said the jobs bills were flawed.

When the one-hour debate wrapped up, there was no clear winner except for the city of Springfield and organizers of the debate for pushing for a live debate in Western Massachusetts, which is all too often overlooked by candidates for statewide office. Kudos, too, go to moderator Jim Madigan of WGBY-TV (Channel 57) for his carefully calibrated control of the action. With one debate to go, it’s up to the voters to choose the winner.

Pinch hitting for Alex Rodriguez, Ibanez hit home runs in the 9th inning and the 12th inning for the New York, who now has 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

APNew York Yankees' Raul Ibanez (27) celebrates with teammates as he reaches home plate after hitting the game-winning home run during the 12th inning of Game 3 of the American League division baseball series against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday in New York. The Yankees won 3-2.

By HOWIE RUMBERG

NEW YORK — Raul Ibanez lined a tying home run while pinch hitting for slumping Alex Rodriguez in the ninth inning, then hit a leadoff homer in the 12th, giving the New York Yankees a stunning 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night for a 2-1 lead in their AL division series.

Batting for baseball's highest-paid player, Ibanez homered to right-center with one out in the ninth inning off major league saves leader Jim Johnson to make it 2-all. He connected on the first pitch from Brian Matusz in the 12th.

Ibanez became the first player to homer twice in a postseason game in which he didn't start, STATS LLC said.

Phil Hughes will try to clinch it for the Yankees on Thursday night in Game 4 of the best-of-five series. Joe Saunders will start for Baltimore.

Baltimore had won 16 straight extra-inning games, and had been 76-0 when leading after seven, before the Yankees stung them.

"It was a great experience. We do it as a team. We stay after it," Ibanez said. "I'm blessed to come up and have the opportunity like that. We do it together. it's about a team and about winning."

Ibanez got that chance after Yankees manager Joe Girardi made the decision to bat for Rodriguez — the first time A-Rod had ever been pinch-hit for in a postseason game, according to STATS.

Yankees fans had been calling this week for Girardi to get Rodriguez out of the No. 3 spot in the batting order. But Girardi was reluctant to move his fading slugger down in the lineup.

Until he toook him all the way out.

"You have to make some decisions sometimes that are tough decisions. I just had a gut feeling," Girardi said.

Rodriguez has 647 career home runs — he's chasing the all-time record of 762 by Barry Bonds — but was just 1 for 12 with no RBIs and seven strikeouts in this series when Girardi pulled him.

"He said, 'Do what you got to do,'" Girardi said, recalled Rodriguez's reaction.

"You're going to be asked a lot of questions if it doesn't work," the manager said.

The brash, young Orioles appeared poised to move within a game of their first trip to the AL championship series since 1997.

But Ibanez hit a 1-0 pitch into the seats in the ninth, setting off a raucous celebration in what had been a demoralized Yankee Stadium crowd. Rodriguez led the cheers, raising an arm in the dugout and high-fiving injured star Mariano Rivera.

"He said great job. A-Rod is a great teammate and great team player," Ibanez said. "He's the first one on the top step congratulating you. It's about winning. It's about the Yankees and continuing."

After their 10-game July lead was cut to zero in early September, the Yankees repelled every Orioles charge. The teams were tied 10 times in the final month but New York ended up atop the division.

New York won the opener in Baltimore scoring five runs in the ninth off Johnson. The Orioles won Game 2 and rode Miguel Gonzalez's pretty performance to a 2-1 lead in the ninth.

But the Yankees limited Baltimore to one hit after Manny Machado homered in the fifth. Ryan Flaherty homered earlier for the Orioles.

Robert Andino was doubled off second after leading off the Baltimore ninth with a single and advancing on a sacrifice.

Boone Logan got one out in relief of Hiroki Kuroda, who gave up two solo homers in 8 1-3 innings. Closer Rafael Soriano pitched 1 1-3 innings and David Robertson went two, finishing off his outing by bumping into and tagging Andino to end the top of the 12th.

Derek Jeter tied the score with an RBI triple in the third for the Yankees. Jeter, limping because of a sore ankle, came out after eight innings.

NOTES: Rivera threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Mostly, the 2 camps mixed without problems, though some shouting back and forth occurred. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD — Sizing up the two competing rallies staged by supporters of U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren outside Symphony Hall Wednesday night, Keira O’Driscoll offered this assessment of her first political event.

“It’s very awesome,” the 11-year old Chicopee resident and Warren supporter said.

With hundreds of sign-waving loyalists jockeying for space on sidewalks, and hundreds more arriving in tour buses, the scene outside Symphony Hall seemed more like a street festival than political event.

An almost unbroken line of sign-holding, horn-blowing, slogan-chanting Warren supporters lined Court Street for several hours before her debate with the Republican incumbent, the third of four scheduled for the campaign.

While outnumbered perhaps 10 to 1, Brown supporters maintained a presence in the throng, wielding their own signs and messages that Warren is wrong for the state.

Standing along East Columbus Avenue, where squads of Warren and Brown supporters stood should-to-shoulder, Marion VanArsdell marveled at the sheer fervor displayed by both sides.

“There’s no shortage of partisanship,” said VanArsdell of Northampton, a Warren supporter who first met the candidate at a house party in 2011.

“The momentum (for Warren’s campaign) has just blown up,” she added.

For Warren supporters, the size advantage made perfect sense. ““This is a huge election. This is a huge opportunity to make history, so I think Western Massachusetts labor understands the significance of it,” said Rick Brown, president of the Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

Mostly, the two camps mixed without problems, though some shouting back and forth occurred. Some Brown supporters complained that Warren workers tried to block out their signs, and people on both sides were struck by the excessively vocal crowd during the debate.

“It was sickening,” said Keith Sikes, of Springfield, a political independent. “Too much cheering and booing – it was nothing like the Obama and Romney debate last week.”

In the hours leading up to the debate, supporters on both sides had plenty of opportunity to express their preferences.

Adriana Torres, 23, of Springfield, holding a Warren sign, and Carolyn Price, 69, of East Longmeadow, with a sign for Brown.

“I’m out here for Elizabeth Warren because I feel she is for the middle class. I think she’s with us,” Torres said. Standing on the traffic island near the Hall of Justice, Vern Miller, 48, of Westfield, said he cared enough about Brown’s bid to staff his phone bank in 2010.

But he wishes Brown shared more of his conservative views.”

He’s pro-choice, I’m not,” said Miller, a carpenter.

Still, Miller said, given the often liberal political reality in Massachusetts, he appreciates the conservative views Brown does hold.

“He’s definitely the lesser of two evils,” Miller said.

Outside Symphony Hall, meanwhile, the huge gathering dispersed once the debate began at 7 p.m., leaving a few small groups and large stacks of campaign signs.

An hour later, the crowd came out, buzzing with analysis.

“Great debate, raucous audience,” Holyoke School Committee member Michael J. Moriarty said. “I support Scott Brown. I thought he did a good job.”

Claire O’Brien, of Springfield, mother of four daughters, was pleased to hear Warren pledge to speak for women. “Clearly, Elizabeth Warren won,” O’Brien said.

The view was shared by Therese DiMuzio, of Boston, who said she has two daughters.

“She did great. I mean, she’s so poised. You know, being a woman, I felt she’s such an advocate for us,” DiMuzio said.

Chicopee Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette, a Warren supporter, offered a more balanced assessment.

Warren emphasized her support for women’s issues, while Brown offered lucid explanations off his tax policies, Bissonnette said.

“I thought it was a great night for democracy,” the mayor said, before adding: “If I had to score it, I’d probably say to Warren, on points.

For many Brown supporters, the next stop was Samuel’s Sports Bar on West Columbus Avenue, where the debate unfolded on more than a dozen television screens.

Compared to Symphony Hall, the reaction was less boisterous, with occasional applause as Brown parried Warren’s points or offered his own.

Sunderland resident Mark Zinan said both candidates were intelligent and well-prepared, but Brown had a stronger grasp of real-world realities.

“I’ve got a problem with professors going into politics,” Zinan said, referring to Warren’s tenure at Harvard University.

For Republicans, the gathering offered more than post-debate analysis.

“It’s gives people a chance to socialize instead of going out and knocking on doors; it’s not the usual grind,” said Tim Buckley, the state Republican party’s communication director.

Warren supporters gathered at Theodore’s Blues Booze & BBQ on Worthington Street.

The normal bar chatter was much lighter under the high-volume coming from the 10-foot-high television screen in the corner and numerous other TV’s perched above the crowd and showing Warren and Brown at podiums.

When Warren arrived, she was treated like a rock star. Supporters surrounded her as she signed autographs, shook hands and laughed in the packed bar.

Former Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan, 84, a Democrat who announced his support for Brown in September, had a front-row seat for the debate. Sitting next to Ryan in Symphony Hall was another Brown supporter, Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy, a member of the nearby Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Cousy endorsed Brown in September on the Holy Cross campus in Worcester.

Brown mentioned Ryan and Cousy during the debate.

Staff reporter Mike Plaisance contributed to this report

Jury selection for the arson and murder cases against Baye will start May 6.

File photo | The Republican01.20.2011 | NORTHAMPTON -- Elaine Yeskie listens to court proceedings during a 2011 hearing for accused Northampton arsonist Anthony Baye.

NORTHAMPTON -- Anthony P. Baye now faces a wrongful death lawsuit in addition to a criminal trial for murder, arson and other charges filed in connection with a string of 15 fires that terrorized the city and left two dead in the early hours of Dec. 27, 2009.

The Daily Hampshire Gazette reports that Elaine Yeskie, seeking monetary and punitive damages, filed the suit Wednesday. Yeskie's husband, Paul W. Yeskie Sr., 81, and her son, Paul W. Yeskie Jr., 39, were killed in the blaze that destroyed the family's home at 17 Fair Street. Elaine Yeskie and another woman, Carol Lapointe, escaped the fire.

Baye faces 48 charges involving 28 fires in and around Ward 3 over a period of three years, including the fire at the Yeskie's home.

Elaine Yeskie's eight-count wrongful death suit alleges the deaths of her husband and son were the result of the “malicious, willful, wanton or reckless conduct of Baye.” The suit also claims that the fire left Yeskie to live with severe emotional distress.

Yeskie's attorney, Mark A. Tanner, told the Gazette that the suit was filed with the three-year statute of limitations for such complaints on the horizon.

Jury selection for the arson and murder cases against Baye will start May 6.

Police arrested the suspect shortly before 2:30 a.m.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE - Police arrested a 46-year-old Easthampton man early Friday after responding to a vehicle break-in on Dwight Street.

John P. Shea, 8 Cottage St., 2nd floor, Easthampton, was charged with breaking into a motor vehicle for felony, malicious destruction of property over $250 and possession of burglarious tools. Police arrested the shortly before 2:30 a.m. at 1081 Dwight St.

Police were not immediately available for comment.

JPMorgan Chase, the country's biggest bank by assets, reported a record quarterly profit Friday, helped by a surge in mortgage refinancing. CEO Jamie Dimon said he believed the housing market "has turned a corner."

(AP Photo/dapd,Timur Emek)This July 28, 2012, file photo, shows JPMorgan Chase office in London. JPMorgan Chase, the country's biggest bank by assets, reported a record quarterly profit Friday, Oct. 12, 2012. The bank said it made $5.3 billion in earnings for common shareholders, a widely used measurement, from July through September, up 36 percent from the same period a year ago.

BY CHRISTINA REXRODE
AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — JPMorgan Chase, the country's biggest bank by assets, reported a record quarterly profit Friday, helped by a surge in mortgage refinancing. CEO Jamie Dimon said he believed the housing market "has turned a corner."

The bank made $5.3 billion from July through September, up 36 percent from the same period a year ago. It worked out to $1.40 per share, blowing away the $1.21 predicted by analysts polled by FactSet, a provider of financial data.

Revenue rose 6 percent to $25.9 billion, beating expectations of $24.4 billion. Earnings were also helped because the bank set aside less money for bad loans. It set aside $1.8 billion for potential loan losses, down 26 percent from a year ago.

Revenue from mortgage loans shot up 29 percent. About three-quarters of that was from people refinancing, rather than buying new homes. Low interest rates and government help encouraged homeowners to refinance.

Dimon noted that the bank was still seeing a high level of souring mortgage loans, and said he expects high default-related expenses "for a while longer." And he noted the homeowners still struggling under mortgages they can't afford, saying the bank was working to modify such loans.

The bank gave few details on the surprise $6 billion trading loss that dominated its previous earnings report. It did mention that a credit portfolio moved to the investment bank from the chief investment office, which was responsible for bad trade, "experienced a modest loss."

The bank set aside an extra $684 million for legal expenses. Chief financial officer Doug Braunstein said the reserves were related to "a variety of issues," and not just a lawsuit filed last week by the New York attorney general over mortgage-backed securities sold by Bear Stearns. JPMorgan bought Bear Stearns as it veered toward collapse in 2008.

Dimon said he couldn't predict how much the bank would have to spend in the future.

"Obviously we're in a litigious society," he said on a call with reporters. "We have a lot of mortgage suits coming and others. ... Hopefully it will come down over time but we can't promise you that."

The number of employees was up about 1 percent over the year. But it fell about 1 percent compared with the previous quarter. The bank shed about 3,300 jobs to about 259,550 workers.

Dimon said he believed the number of workers would continue to come down, partly because the bank will need fewer people to handle problem mortgages but also because the company would continue to look for efficiencies.

He declined to give specifics on how bonus season might play out early next year. "The company's doing quite well, and we want to pay our people fairly and properly as we always have," he said.

Dimon also declined to answer a question about what the board of directors might decide about his own pay. "I would never tell you what our board of directors does, OK?" he said. Dimon was paid $23 million last year, mostly in stock awards.

JPMorgan's investment banking unit earned more in fees for underwriting stock offerings and debt offerings, which could signal that wary companies and investors are more willing to get back into the market.

Debit card revenue fell, which the bank blamed on new rules crimping the fees that banks charge stores whenever customers pay via debit card.

JPMorgan stock was down 22 cents in premarket trading at $41.88. 4 cents at $42.14 in premarket trading. The stock was as low as $31 in early June, after the bank announced a surprise trading loss that ballooned to $6 billion.

The bank's revenue was slightly lower, $25.1 billion, when adjusted for a special accounting rule. The rule requires banks to take a charge when the value of their debt increases because they would have to pay more to buy it back on the open market. The rule has been criticized as punishing banks when they do well. It could be phased out as early as next year.

Police were summoned to the scene by an abandoned 911 call.

Republican file photo

CHICOPEE – Police arrested a 25-yearold McKinistry Avenue man after he allegedly assaulted a pregnant woman during a domestic altercation Wednesday night.

Police were alerted to the assault by an abandoned 911 call shortly after 5:30 p.m., documents state. Joel Williams, of 535 McKinistry Ave., was charged with assault and battery on a pregnant woman and domestic assault and battery.

Additional information was not immediately available.

A Rasmussen poll conducted Wednesday finds Warren leading Brown by two points among likely voters, while the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling finds Warren leading Brown by six points.

The Associated PressThese September 2012 file photos show Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren, left, who is challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., right, in the November 2012 general election. (AP Photos/File)

More politics news

Scott Brown, Elizabeth Warren define 'middle class,' talk economy and military base closures in Springfield debate : During a substantive and spirited debate inside Springfield's historic Symphony Hall Wednesday evening, Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic challengerElizabeth Warren sparred over a myriad of topics relevant to the voters of Western Massachusetts.

• Fact check: Birth control, Medicare cuts, jobs bills - What were Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren talking about?
• Elizabeth Warren-Scott Brown Springfield debate sets stage for battles over jobs, military spending
• Vice presidential debate: Joe Biden, Paul Ryan disagree early and often in contentious, interruption-filled debate

Two new polls find Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren holding onto a small lead over Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown.

A Rasmussen poll conducted Wednesday of 500 likely voters finds Warren leading Brown by two points, 49 percent to 47 percent. The last Rasmussen poll, conducted Sept. 24, found the candidates tied at 48 percent. Warren’s lead still falls within the poll’s 4.5 percent margin of error.

A separate poll by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning group, finds Warren leading Brown 50 percent to 44 percent. Warren has grown her lead by four points since a PPP poll done last month, when she led 48 percent to 46 percent.

The poll finds that voters are growing less satisfied with Brown’s job performance. Just 49 percent of those polled approved of Brown’s job’s performance and 42 percent disapproved. (In the Sept. 16 poll, 55 percent approved and 34 percent disapproved.) Warren has been attacking Brown on his voting record, which could be making a difference. However, on ideology, 51 percent of voters still think Brown is “about right,” compared to 33 percent who think he is too conservative and 8 percent who think he is too liberal.

At the same time, voters also have a slightly less positive view of Warren than they did a month ago – illustrating that Brown’s attacks could also be having an effect. The poll finds that 49 percent of respondents viewed Warren favorably and 45 percent viewed her unfavorably, compared to 51 percent favorable and 43 percent unfavorable in September. Ideologically, 49 percent of voters think Warren is “about right,” while 42 percent think she is too liberal and 3 percent think she is too conservative.

The PPP poll found Democratic President Barack Obama leading Republican presidential nominee Romney in Massachusetts by 14 points, 55 percent to 41 percent. That is Obama’s smallest lead so far in the state, and likely reflects his drop in the polls nationally after Romney’s strong debate performance last week.

The poll of 1,051 likely voters was conducted Oct. 9-11 and has a margin of error of 3 percent.

A poll conducted by the Western New England University Polling institute for MassLive.com/The Republican last week found Obama with a 30-point lead in Massachusetts, but that poll was conducted before the presidential debate. That poll also found Warren holding a 5-point lead over Brown.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Arwen M. Curto

Arwen Marie Curto, 42, of Springfield, died Monday, Oct. 8, 2012 at her home. She was born on Nov. 3, 1969 in Berkeley, Calif. Raised in Springfield, she graduated from Central High School. She resided in Springfield most of her life and in Tucson, Ariz. for two years while she took care of her grandmother Jeanne Joyce. Curto was an avid reader and craftsperson and active in many political campaigns.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• Akins, Mella Lee
• Bumbaca, Carmela F.
• Carvalho, Celeste M.
• Curto, Arwen M.
• Dias, Antonio M.
• Fongemie, Paul E.
• Grey, Susan
• Kozaczka, Edward S.
• Livingstone-Mann, Irene D.
• Martin Jr., Edward J.
• McCarthy, Mary
• McGrath, Irene B.
• McGuane, Martin A.
• Milkiewicz, Edward
• Oleskiewicz Jr., Joseph
• Pelczarski, David M.
• Petrucelli, Julia E. M.
• Plaza, Alphonse A.
• Rosario, Eusebio Jauridez
• Sullivan, Timothy
• Swiderski, Jane T.
• Waystack, Grace B.