All proceeds from the $15 suggested donation go to the town of Wendell’s recreation committee. Runners and walkers may register right up until the 11:30 a.m. start time on Saturday

Jim Russell

Both the run and the walk start at 11:30 a.m. at Deja Brew Café & Pub, located on 57 A Lockes Village Rd., Wendell. The family pub, that prides itself on a wide variety of live music, featuring local artists, sponsors the annual event.

All proceeds from the $15 suggested donation go to the town of Wendell’s recreation committee. Runners and walkers may register right up until the 11:30 a.m. start time.

Last year’s walk and run raised $1,000. The money was donated to the town library’s playground.

Contact Wendell Recreation Committee member Johanna Fitzgerald at (978) 544-2398.

William Newman, Western Massachusetts American Civil Liberties Union director, said he thought it was disturbing for a public event to be closed by the government, in anticipation of a disruption.

This is an updated version of a story posted this afternoon.

Protestors gather outside of Palmer Town Hall Thursday during the auction of a duplex in the Bondsville section owned by Joseph "Jay" Noone, center, holding file. The auction was held for non payment of property taxes. The Republican | Don Treeger

PALMER - During a public auction of town-owned properties on Thursday, only registered bidders were allowed to attend, the media and other members of the public were banned, and a New Hampshire man was arrested.

Town officials took the unusual step of allowing only registered bidders inside the auction, held inside the Town Building on Main Street, to prevent a group of protesters from potentially disrupting the proceedings.

One of the four properties that was auctioned - 3157-3159 Main St. in the Bondsville section - was seized for non-payment of taxes from Bondsville call firefighter Joseph "Jay" Noone, who had approximately a half-dozen supporters at the duplex during the open house held before the auction.

Noone, who was evicted from the property last year, owed approximately $35,000 in back taxes and legal fees. The property sold for $19,000 at the auction.

"I'm making people aware this is stolen property," Noone, 33, said outside his former home.

Noone contends that he shouldn't have to pay property taxes, and said he plans to file a federal lawsuit against the town.

"The lawsuit is going to say the town has violated my right to own private property," said Noone, who is now renting an apartment.

Concerns about Noone and his group prompted officials to restrict who could enter the auction, and to post signs saying videotaping is not allowed inside the Town Building.

Joseph "Jay" Noone, right, stands outside of a meeting room in Palmer Town Hall where an auction of his Main St., Bondsville home was being auctioned for non-payment of taxes. The Republican | Don Treeger

Police were stationed inside and outside the building to enforce those conditions.

William C. Newman, Western Massachusetts American Civil Liberties Union director, said he thought it was disturbing for a public event to be closed by the government, in anticipation of a disruption.

"I don't think you can close an open, government function to the citizens because you might not like what the citizens are going to say," Newman said. "There are all sorts of ways people can be removed . . . They are restricting free speech and restricting the press' right to cover the event."

"We the people of the commonwealth believe in government in the sunshine and not government in the shadows," Newman added.

Ian Freeman, 32, also known as Ian Bernard, was arrested for disorderly conduct for using his video camera inside the building.

Last summer, on the same day another auction of town-owned properties was held, officials attempted to evict Noone from the property, but were greeted by Noone's supporters, some of whom wore shirts saying "Tyranny Response Team."

Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard said lawyer Peter Brown, who is involved in the tax taking, suggested a policy be in place to prevent the use of video cameras. No specific law was cited by Blanchard regarding the restriction on attendance, and banning of video cameras. Still photography was allowed in the building.

Blanchard said he felt the actions were necessary because the protesters were there "to intimidate prospective bidders." He said that according to Brown, a public auction is not a public meeting, and attendance could be limited to qualified bidders only.

"Their goal was to disrupt it," Blanchard said about the protesters.

Blanchard said he concluded that videotaping needed to be banned because he was told Noone's supporters were "sticking cameras in people's faces" last year. Blanchard said he never saw the video and just heard about it.

"That isn't something we need to have when trying to conduct" the auction, Blanchard said.

A designated area for the protesters was set up outside the building. Noone, accompanied again by his supporters, had flyers saying the property was stolen from him by an unsigned judgment in a tax lien case.

Three protesters were allowed to remain in the hallway outside the auction after they agreed to be quiet.

"It's a closed auction for special elite people. It doesn't surprise me," Noone said.

Freeman said he challenged the police when he was told he couldn't videotape inside the hall, and cited the Glik decision, after Simon Glik, who was arrested after videotaping police officers with his cell phone as they arrested a man in Boston; a judge ruled Glik was exercising his First Amendment rights in filming the officers in a public space, and that his Fourth Amendment rights were violated by his arrest without probable cause.

Freeman denied the charge at his arraignment later that afternoon in Palmer District Court before Judge Patricia T. Poehler, where he was released on his own recognizance. He will return to court on Dec. 10. Noone and the group also attended the court proceeding.

Freeman, who has a talk radio program in Keene, N.H., called "free talk live," said he was at the auction as a media member, and to hold government and employees accountable.

Prosecutor Colleen Martin said police said Freeman was "argumentative" and "confrontational" and that his actions were causing a disturbance in the hallway.

"I wasn't causing a disturbance," Freeman said.

Freeman said in his opinion, officials couldn't just put up posters forbidding videotaping because someone was uncomfortable about it.

"Clearly I didn't harm anybody," Freeman said.

Poehler told Freeman that "even if you think that it's wrong for them to stop you, do not fight with them." She said the way to approach a situation like that is to leave and file a court action.

The auction, conducted by The Zekos Group of Shrewsbury, netted $90,000 in revenues for the town.

The other properties that were auctioned included 81 Mt. Dumplin St., which included a 1,276-square-foot single-family split-level home and contiguous vacant land parcel, which went for $37,000 to Sergio A. Dias, of Ludlow, who reported approximately 20 people were in the auction room. A Colonial home at 42 Commercial St. went for $15,000 and a lot at 1532 North Main St. was sold for $1,750, according to Treasurer-Collector Paul Nowicki.

The goal of the auction was to return dormant properties to the tax rolls, officials said.

Blanchard said everyone has to pay their taxes.

"How can you run a government, whether a federal or local government, if everyone doesn't pay their fair share?," Blanchard said.

There are 30 parks and playgrounds covering 212 acres in the city.

People gather in Szot Park for one of the outdoor movie nights held in the summer. It is one of the many uses of the parks. The Republican file | Mike Beswick

CHICOPEE – City officials kicked off what they hope to be a six-month process to develop a master plan for the future of the parks.

About 25 people attended the first meeting Thursday, including school employees and School Committee members, city councilors, the athletic director of Holyoke Catholic High School, members of adult youth leagues and Parks and Recreation commissioners and employees.

“I hope to have a series of meetings to set up a master plan for the parks,” Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said.

A number of issues sparked the move but it started with complaints about basketball hoops removed at several parks and constant littering and vandalism. Issues faced about the 30 parks included how to deal with overuse, a better-organized maintenance plan from all the city departments and a discussion on how to increase funding for the parks.

“It is time for the city to look towards the future,” Bissonnette said. “How do we put the best package together.”

The never-ending call for use of the parks was discussed. Currently playing fields are used by about 45 adult leagues, the two public high schools and Holyoke Catholic High School, which has no playing fields of its own, youth leagues and even Elms College has occasionally asked for use of a field, Stanley Walczak, superintendent of Parks and Recreation, said.

“How about the amount of athletic fields?” asked School Committee member Mary-Elizabeth Pniak-Costello. “Our programs have expanded, schools have expanded and I don't know how much our facilities have expanded.”

Several residents also attended. One aired concerns about the condition of the playground at Sarah Jane Sherman park, saying the slide and the see-saw are damaged and only a few swings are usable.

Another said she is worried about the Wisnowski Park, off School Street, saying it is one of the few places children in the downtown neighborhood can play and it is plagued by litter, including broken beer bottles.

Walczak said playgrounds are evaluated for safety every spring and promised to have an employee check on Sherman Park. He said Wisnowski Park is a difficult problem because there is drinking in the park at night and, although parks employees go frequently to pick up trash, they only find it as bad a few days later.

With 18 employees total in the parks department, it is difficult to monitor and maintain all about 212 acres of land the department is responsible for, he said.

The city has received recent grants to improve parks but is constantly seeking other sources of revenue and volunteers, including students from Westover Job Corps and Comprehensive High School, to assist especially in making improvements to the 21 park buildings, he said.

Police Capt. Muise also attended the meeting and discussed the department's plan to increase security in the parks. Patrol officers have been told to drive through the parks more often during their shifts. Since many do paperwork now on laptops in their cruisers, they are encouraged to do so in the parks so there is at least more police presence.

Wisnowski Park will be the first one to get cameras which will transmit to a dispatcher's console. The dispatcher can then see immediately if there is a problem in the park and alert police officers, he said.

Neither Brown nor Warren is Catholic and the state no longer has the Catholic voting bloc it once had. Still, the candidates are vying for votes from among this constituency in one of the most Catholic states in the country.

By STEVE LeBLANC, Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Not so long ago, Catholic voters in Massachusetts were seen as reliably Democratic, helping propel fellow Bay State Catholics like John F. Kennedy and Tip O'Neill into the uppermost echelons of national government.

But in Massachusetts' hard-fought U.S. Senate race, many of those old assumptions are out the window as Republican incumbent Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren battle for votes in the closely-watched contest.

Neither Brown nor Warren is Catholic and the state no longer has the Catholic voting bloc it once had. Still, the candidates are vying for votes from among this constituency in one of the most Catholic states in the country.

Of the two, Brown has made the most direct appeal to Catholics as he seeks to retain the seat held by nearly half a century by the former president's brother — the late Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy.

Central to Brown's pitch is his support for an amendment to the 2010 Affordable Care Act that would allow employers and insurers to refuse health care coverage for services they say violate their moral convictions, including contraception. One of the most high-profile critics of the federal law is the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Brown routinely describes the so-called "Blunt amendment," named after Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, as "a conscience exemption in health care for Catholics and other people of faith."

"(Warren) and her allies on the left are dictating to Catholics and other people of faith that they must do as they are told when it comes to health care or face the consequences, regardless of their personal religious beliefs," Brown said in one fundraising email.

Warren, however, portrays the amendment as an attack on women's health care options that would allow insurance companies or employers to deny coverage for any health care service based on "any vague grounds of moral objection."

The amendment, which failed earlier this year, would allow insurers and employers to deny any service they say is "contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of the purchaser or beneficiary of the coverage."

"The bill that Sen. Brown co-sponsored is not a bill about religious freedom, it was a bill about denying women access to needed health care services," Warren said.

Warren also points to actions taken by President Barack Obama to exempt churches that oppose contraception from covering the service. The law still requires religious-affiliated organizations, such as colleges or hospitals, to provide the coverage for workers.

Brown's appeal to Catholics isn't limited to the amendment.

One of his most vocal supporters is former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn, a Democrat who also served as a U.S. ambassador to the Vatican from 1993 to 1997 and is a staunch opponent of abortion, which the church also opposes. Flynn's endorsement of Brown could help boost his support among conservative Catholic Democrats, even though Brown describes himself as "pro-choice."

Brown also has the backing of groups like Massachusetts Citizens for Life, the state's largest anti-abortion organization.

Groups that favor abortion access like Emily's List, which is dedicated to electing Democratic women who support abortion rights, are backing Warren who also describes herself as "pro-choice."

The two candidates also split on gay marriage, which the Catholic Church also opposes. Brown opposes gay marriage, which Warren supports.

A Warren spokeswoman said she has been reaching out to people of all faiths across Massachusetts.

"Catholics have been leaders in the fight for economic justice for all Americans, and they appreciate that Elizabeth has been a strong advocate for consumers and workers," said Warren spokeswoman Julie Edwards.

A 2010 census published earlier this year by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, found Massachusetts had the greatest percentage of Catholics of any state.

But Tufts University political science professor Jeffrey Berry said that while the Catholic Church helped build the Democratic Party in Massachusetts, a coherent Catholic voting bloc no longer exists.

For many Catholics, their religion is one of many considerations they bring to the voting booth, he said.

"There's no expectation these days that candidates be Catholic, as there is no longer the expectation that the mayor of Boston be Irish," Berry said.

Still, he said, many Catholics agree with their church's views on social issues like abortion and consider those views when they cast ballots.

Residents complain that the noise, smell and dust from the landfill are already impacting their quality of life.

South Hadley residents, who refer to the town landfill as "mount trashmore," protested plans Thursday to expand the dump. The Republican file | Dave Roback

SOUTH HADLEY – A dozen protesters stood on Newton Street across from the Town Common on Thursday afternoon, holding signs that read, “Stop Mount Trashmore,” "Help save what’s left of the Bynan Conservation Area,” and “Vote No on Article 12.”

Article 12 refers to a vote coming up at the special Town Meeting on Monday.

All of the signs referred to the ongoing landfill expansion in South Hadley, which is designed to avoid the shutting down of the facility and the loss of over $1 million in host fees for the town.

The group of protesters, which calls itself SHAME (for "South Hadley Against More Expansion"), is mostly from the Old Lyman Street area and is headed by resident Christine Archambault.

They have been vocal and persistent, and the demonstration is only the latest of the strategies that have drawn attention to their cause.

The town contracted with Interstate Waste in 2009 to expand the landfill, but in the past year and a half those who live near it have been complaining to the selectboard and other committees that the noise, smell and dust from the landfill are already impacting their quality of life.

In May 2011, a half-dozen of residents testified before the selectboard about noxious effects. The following year group member Suzanne Cordes gave a PowerPoint presentation to the selectboard about a crack that had developed in a berm at the landfill..

This August, the Department of Environmental Protection imposed a $20,000 fine on Interstate Waste, the company that runs the landfill, for "willful violations" that were causing nuisance odors..

The citizen group has also filed a complaint with the state Attorney General to protest the silencing of a resident who tried to ask a question about the landfill at a Conservation Committee meeting that included Interstate Waste representatives.

The current focus of the citizen group is the encroachment of the landfill into the Bynan Conservation Area. Article 12 is about delineating what's protected and what's not.

The activists have succeeded in getting results from the town and from Interstate Waste, though not nearly to the degree they want.

The selectboard has created a Landfill Advisory Committee that includes resident members. Interstate Waste has attended selectboard meetings, listened to the residents' complaints and made efforts to correct them.

Several people among the protesters admitted that conditions have been better lately, but said they doubted it would last.

Forecasters predicted there is a 90 percent chance the East /coast will see steady gale-force winds, heavy rain, flooding and maybe snow starting Sunday and stretching past Halloween on Wednesday.

A driver maneuvers his classic American car along a wet road as a wave crashes against the Malecon in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Hurricane Sandy blasted across eastern Cuba on Thursday as a potent Category 2 storm and headed for the Bahamas after causing at least two deaths in the Caribbean. AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa

SPRINGFIELD – Hurricane Sandy, currently sweeping through the Caribbean and heading north, is still days away but forecasters are concerned that by the time it reaches New England, it could turn into a monster storm.

Forecasters predicted there is a 90 percent chance the East Coast will see steady gale-force winds, heavy rain, flooding and maybe snow starting Sunday and stretching past Halloween on Wednesday.

By the time Sandy reaches the Northeast, it could veer inland and combine with an early winter storm in the West, and a blast of arctic air from the North. Forecasters have predicted it will collide and park over the country’s most populous coastal corridor and reach as far inland as Ohio. Some meteorologists say it could cause $1 billion in damage along the East Coast.

The combination of elements and its proximity to Halloween have led some forecasters to call it “Frankenstorm.”

If the storm hits on Monday, it will be on the one-year anniversary of last year’s freak snowstorm that dumped as much as 2 feet of snow and downed tree limbs and wires and caused several hundred thousands of electrical outages across Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Given the severity of the storm last October, Western Massachusetts officials said they are taking nothing for granted this year.

“We’ve learned from last year’s experiences,” said Westfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik.

Across Western Massachusetts, municipal leaders, department of public works heads and utility companies are planning for worst-case scenarios in the event that this year’s storm turns out to be as bad as last year’s storm.

“We’ll be as prepared as we can,” said Agawam Mayor Richard A. Cohen. “We are being very proactive about it.”

Gov. Deval Patrick on Thursday gave the state’s utility companies a Friday deadline for outlining how they intend to deal with the storm and any resulting outages.

Sen. Scott Brown also issued a statement that he has asked utilities to detail the number of repair crews on standby compared to last year. “We are now aware of a hurricane that could create disruptions, and I want to make sure there are proper plans in place to ensure that people of Massachusetts don't endure unnecessary extended outages again.”

Utilities were faulted last year for inadequate preparation going into the storm and for how they handled the massive number of outages, some of which left customers without electricity for as long as nine days.

Attorney General Martha Coakley has sought multi-million dollar fines against three major utilities serving Massachusetts, citing inadequate preparation and response to the October storm and Tropical Storm Irene two months earlier. She has sought fines of $9.7 million against NStar, $16.3 million against National Grid, and $4 million against Western Massachusetts Electric Co.

Gov. Patrick, when asked during an interview on WTKK-FM if the utilities would be ready this year, replied “They’d better be.”

“We’re preparing, yes,” said Charlotte McCormack, spokeswoman for the National Grid. “And we’ve been monitoring and tracking the storm since early this week.”

As of Thursday afternoon, the utility was planning whether to mobilize contract workers who would be needed to work on any outages. The idea is to have them in place before the storm hits, not afterward, she said.

WMECO released a statement on its website that said the company has spent much of the past year trimming tree limbs and removing vegetation that could bring down power lines. It has also improved automated functions for reinforcing the electrical grid and improved communications between the utility and communities.

Company president Peter Clark said “No utility can guarantee a storm free of outage. Our efforts over the past year have made out transmission system less susceptible to tree damage and will allow us to more closely coordinate our restoration progress with communities and better communicate with our customers.”

Chicopee Electric Light general manager Jeffrey R. Cady said the utility is taking no chances and has already started preparing to have equipment, vehicles and workers at the ready.

“We are preparing as if it is going to hit,” he said.

Charter Cablevision is also making preparations to see that any disruptions to cable service is minimal.

"We are hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst," said Gregory A. Garabedian, Charter's vice president and general manager for New England. "We are tracking the storm’s path, and taking necessary precautions to ensure that our employees are prepared, in order to limit service interruptions for customers."

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency issued a statement urging state residents to be prepared. While it likely Massachusetts will see some fallout from the storm, there is no telling at this point what it will be.

“Hurricane Sandy is currently moving through the Caribbean and is projected to move northward off the eastern Florida coast in the next two days. Although it is still too early to determine Sandy’s precise long-term track, there is increasing confidence that the storm will impact Southeastern New England, including Massachusetts. The extent of impact will depend on the storm's track. Potential impacts include damaging winds, associated power outages, and freshwater and coastal flooding,” the statement reads.

With the storm so far out and its exact course still in the air, officials are urging precaution, not panic.

Dawn Leaks, spokeswoman for American Red Cross, Pioneer Valley chapter, said that after last year’s storm, people seem to be taking this year’s forecast more seriously.
“There is a need for preparedness, and there is more openness to it. People are taking it seriously,” she said.

She said she has spoken with several people who have told her that they already have an emergency preparation kit ready for the storm. Until the October snowstorm, it was rare for people to have kits ready, she said.

In Westfield, administration and emergency crews for the city’s Gas and Electric Department met Thursday afternoon to ensure their response will be quick and complete, spokesman Sean P. Fitzgerald said.

Emergency Management director Jimmy D. Wiggs was scheduled to meet with city public safety personnel and volunteers Thursday night to review the emergency management response in the event of stormy weather.

The utility meeting was to focus on standby notification to necessary personnel, inventory review for equipment and supply, emergency communications and status of department vehicles.

“We learned things from last October and have put the necessary response measures in place. The department has also adopted recommendations from federal agencies and we are prepared to deal with the storm,” Fitzgerald said.

Wiggs said he will also reach out to the Westfield Chapter of the Western Massachusetts Medical Corps for standby status should their services be needed.

“The city learned from the events of the last year,” Wiggs said. “We have plans and necessary equipment to deal with emergency situations,” he said.

Cohen said he has called for a meeting with Agawam department heads for 2 p.m. Friday to talk about the storm and ways the community can be prepared. In advance of the meeting, Cohen said Agawam may look to use the National Guard armory in Feeding Hills and the various town school buildings as emergency shelters if necessary.

Michele M. Cabral, West Springfield’s emergency management director, said the various city departments have been asked to ready preparedness plans. As part of that, she said the Department of Public Works is checking out its generators to make sure they can function with regard to providing public water.

An emergency command center will be set up in the municipal building. There is the possibility of using the West Springfield Center Center and schools if emergency shelter is needed, Cabral said.

In Amherst, town officials had already scheduled a meeting Friday morning to talk about winter preparation, said Guilford B. Mooring, superintendent of public works. They’ll be able to talk more about preparation for the various storm scenarios.

He said in preparation, they bought gasoline and diesel fuel. The generators, meanwhile, for his department and Town Hall have not yet been installed.

People should prepare for a hurricane and remove anything loose from their yard, he said. If they can remove dead branches safely, they should.

He said leaves have fallen unlike last year when snow was trapped by leaves on the branches. But he said, “Branches are already stressed (from the Halloween storm) and might give way.”

In Easthampton, the Department of Public Works is making sure they have fuel as well as checking on chainsaws and brush chippers.

“We’re not worried about snowplows," said Public Works Director Joseph I. Pipczynski. He said they making sure they have their barricades and road closed signs ready to go, because they expect they’ll need them.

“It sounds like something that’s going to be a challenge. It’s not something we like to see. We can handle it. It’s not our first rodeo,” said Pipczynski.

The state is contributing $65 million to the project cost.

Crews are at work on the new $95 million academic classroom building at UMass Photo by Diane Lederman|The Republican

AMHERST – More than 100 University of Massachusetts staff, officials, and guests Friday celebrated the new 171,500-square-foot academic classroom building that is on schedule to open in the fall of 2014.

Construction began in March so the event was billed as a celebration rather than groundbreaking.

“The building was needed many decades ago,” said UMass alum State Sen. Stanley C. Rosenberg, D-Amherst, who spoke at the celebration in the Student Union ballroom Friday.

“Like fine wine, this took time to age,” he said. But he said, “I’m very happy to see the building coming onto the landscape of campus.” At the same time, he talked about the need for the state to carry more of the burden of both capital spending and the operating budget.

The state is contributing $65 million to the $95 million project, with the campus paying $20 million and the UMass Building Authority to cover the remaining $10 million.

UMass President Robert L. Caret is pushing the state to pay 50 percent of the operating costs instead of 45 percent. “We have to recommit ourselves …to get reinvested in higher education.”

The new building, which will provide classrooms for students in communication and linguistics and in the journalism and film studies programs, is located near the campus pond just outside of the ballroom. “It’s a visible manifestation of our values,” said Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy.

UMass Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy spoke Friday at the celebration of the new academic building on campus. Photo by Diane Lederman|The Republican

The new building will offer five classrooms for team-based teaching, which allows students to work together on projects as well as providing the technology to do so.

Teaching critical thinking and teamwork are key to preparing students for a successful future, said Victor Woolridge, a Springfield resident and member of the UMass Board of trustees.

The four-story building will feature 2,000 new classroom seats and is intended to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification standards.

Shane Conklin, interim director of facilities planning, said the project is coming in on time and on budget. He said the building will also feature a green roof with plantings that will be visible on campus.

He said the $177 million Commonwealth Honors College residential complex is also coming in on time and is slated to open in the fall of 2013.

Voters who are still undecided about the presidential election aren’t likely to be swayed by Friday’s mixed report from the Commerce Department.

WASHINGTON – The latest snapshot of economic growth shows the U.S. recovery remains tepid.

Growth in the July-September quarter climbed slightly but was still too weak to stir significantly more hiring. The pace of expansion rose to a 2 percent annual rate from 1.3 percent in the April-June quarter, led by more consumer and government spending.

Voters who are still undecided about the presidential election aren’t likely to be swayed by Friday’s mixed report from the Commerce Department.

“For the average American, I don’t think changes in quarterly GDP” make a big difference in their perception of the economy, said Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center. “It’s certainly good for the president that the number is not bad because that would resonate.”

With 11 days until the election, the economy is being kept afloat by a revitalized consumer and the early stages of a housing recovery. But more than three years after the Great Recession ended, the nation continues to struggle because businesses are reluctant to invest, and slower global growth has cut demand for American exports.

Republican nominee Mitt Romney is telling voters that President Barack Obama’s policies have kept the economy from accelerating and have even slowed growth in the past two years. The 1.7 percent annual growth rate for the first nine months of 2012 remains slightly behind last year’s 1.8 percent growth. And both are below 2010’s growth of 2.4 percent.

The economy contracted at a 5.3 percent annual rate in the first three months of 2009, just as Obama took office during the worst downturn since the Great Depression. Obama says his policies stabilized the economy later that year and argues that the stimulus package and auto bailout helped it grow in 2010.

The White House points to an economy that’s expanded for 13 straight quarters. Yet this year’s third-quarter growth is slightly below the 2.2 percent average pace since the recession ended in June 2009.

The economy’s health is most closely tied to consumers, whose spending drives 70 percent of economic activity.

The latest report showed some progress.

Consumer spending rose at an annual rate of 2 percent in the July-September quarter, up from 1.5 percent in the previous quarter. And a survey by the University of Michigan released Friday found consumer confidence increased to its highest level in five years this month. That suggests spending may keep growing.

Americans spent more on cars, adding nearly 0.2 percentage point to growth. Housing added to growth for the sixth straight quarter.

“Those are the sectors that reflect growing consumer confidence and greater lending,” said Joseph Carson, U.S. economist for AllianceBernstein, an asset management firm.

Still, more jobs and better pay are needed to sustain that growth, he added. After-tax, inflation-adjusted income rose at only a 0.8 percent annual rate in the third quarter. That was down from a 3.1 percent rate in the previous quarter.

Income includes not only wages but also dividends, rental income and government or workplace benefits, among other items.

With businesses nervous about the economic outlook, hiring isn’t likely to pick up soon.

Many companies worry that their overseas sales could decline further if recession spreads throughout Europe and growth slows further in China, India and other developing countries. Businesses also fear the tax increases and government spending cuts that will kick in next year if Congress doesn’t reach a budget deal.

That’s caused them to invest less in new buildings and equipment. Business spending on equipment and software was flat in the July-September quarter, the first quarter it didn’t increase since the recession.

“Uncertainty at home and abroad is holding back the business sector,” Nigel Gault, an economist at IHS Global Insight, said in an email. “How quickly those uncertainties clear up ... will determine how quickly the overall growth rate can pick up.”

One big driver of growth was a sharp increase in defense spending, which rose by the most in more than three years. That was likely a one-time boost.

Growth was held back by the first drop in exports in more than three years. It was also slowed by the effects of the drought that struck the Midwest last summer. The drought cut agriculture stockpiles and reduced the economy’s annual growth rate by nearly a half-point.

In a healthy economy, growth between 2.5 percent and 3 percent is usually sufficient to keep the unemployment rate low. But the unemployment rate is 7.8 percent. Growth needs to top 3 percent to generate enough hiring to lower the rate steadily.

The government’s report covers gross domestic product, which measures the nation’s total output of goods and services – from restaurant meals and haircuts to airplanes, appliances and highways. Friday’s was the first of three estimates of third-quarter GDP.

Analysts were doubtful that the report would sway many undecided voters in battleground states.

Since the recovery began more than three years ago, the U.S. economy has grown at the slowest rate of any recovery in the post-World War II period. And economists think growth will remain sluggish at least through the first half of 2013.

Some analysts believe the economy will start to pick up in the second half of next year.

By then, economists hope the tax and spending confrontations that have brought gridlock to Washington will be resolved. That could encourage businesses to invest and hire.

The Federal Reserve’s continued efforts to boost the economy by lowering long-term interest rates may also help by generating more borrowing and spending by consumers and businesses.

But the economy is still being slowed by consumers’ efforts to spend less, increase their savings and pay off debts, economists say. And banks remain cautious about lending in the aftermath of the financial crisis. That’s why recoveries after financial crises are usually weak.

“There’s just a reality here,” said Paul Edelstein, an economist at IHS Global Insight. “You don’t recover from these types of events as quickly as you’d like.”

The distraught hunter was charged with assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, a gun.

File photo

HOLYOKE — A standoff ended peacefully Friday after a hunter who was armed with a pistol and distraught in the woods off Apremont Highway walked out on his own, police said.

The man, whom police wouldn't identify, was charged with assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, the gun, and threatening to commit a crime, Sgt. Kevin Thomas said.

Asked why police wouldn't release the man's name, Thomas said, "We're just not doing it at this moment. We have some other investigative issues to take care of."

The man was being held at the police station lockup, 138 Appleton St.

No injuries were reported, Thomas said.

Police were called by other hunters about 7 p.m., and the incident was resolved by 8:15 p.m., he said. Apremont Highway is in the Rock Valley Neighborhood in West Holyoke.

A Federal Emergency Management Agency team is expected to arrive at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee on Saturday in preparation for the storm.

SPRINGFIELD — As Hurricane Sandy continues charging up the East Coast, state and local agencies and individual property owners are taking steps to prepare for the worst that the supposed super storm can dish out when it enters New England sometime Sunday evening.

Sandy, as of 8 p.m., was approximately 74 miles north of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas and 400 miles south-southwest of Charleston, S.C. It is heading north at about 7 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

It was producing maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph, which according to the hurricane center is a decrease for earlier in the day. It remains a category one hurricane. On Thursday, it was a Category 2 hurricane with winds of up to 115 mph.

As it leaves the Bahamas, the death toll from the storm so far is 40 people, according to the Associated Press.

The storm’s general northward direction is expected to continue for the remainder of Friday night. Sometime Saturday it is expected to turn north-northeast and pick up forward speed on Saturday. By Sunday it is expected to be heading northeast. The hurricane center is projecting it will show no significant change in strength over the next few days.

CBS3 meteorologist Nick Morganelli said a warm front will push through the area in advance of the storm. Saturday’s temperatures should be close to 70 degrees.

“Enjoy the weather through Saturday as it goes down hill after that,” he said.

“We continue to monitor what is now Hurricane Sandy, which some computer models have tracking close to the outer banks of North Carolina and impacting New England late Sunday night through Tuesday,” he said.

“At this time it appears it will impact us here in Western Mass. with 3 to 6 inches of rain and enough wind to perhaps bring some scattered powers outages. The coast will have a much greater impact with wave action and tropical storm force winds. We'll be tracking it through the weekend.”

Up and down the East Coast, states are mobilizing emergency resources in preparation for the storm, which because of its proximity to Halloween has led some to calling it “Frankenstorm."

A Federal Emergency Management Agency team is expected to arrive at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee on Saturday in preparation for the storm.

From Sunday through Monday, 77 tractor-trailers will arrive at the base loaded with meals, cots, bottled water, generators, tarps and other emergency supplies.

Westover is a Federal Emergency Management Agency Incident Support Base. An emergency plan has been in place for eight years, and this will be the third time the base is being used as a staging point for FEMA Region I, which encompasses all of New England, said Bob Perreault, Chief of Emergency Management for the 439th Airlift Wing at Westover.

Westover was chosen as the staging site because of its size, location, and support network. "This event is unique because of the number of trailers and the FEMA presence, but this is also another facet of what we do best: stage and move massive amounts of cargo anywhere in the world," said Lt. Col. James Bishop, chief of Public Affairs at Westover.

In Massachusetts, Gov. Deval Patrick outlined preparations the state is taking in anticipation of the storm arriving as early as Sunday night.

In a press conference in Boston, Patrick said “We’re watching very carefully and we’re doing our role to ask lots of questions.”

According to the State House News Service, Patrick said forecasters are currently predicting the hurricane will hit somewhere near Delaware and New Jersey. Due to its size, high winds and heavy rain and surf are forecast for states from the mid-Atlantic up through New England.

“There are so-called astronomical high tides because of the full moon, so tides are going to be high anyway. The seas are expected to be 30 and 35 feet – I mean above normal – before the waves, so that’s a pretty serious condition,” Patrick said. He said 4- to 6-foot storm surges, 6 to 10 inches of rain and “damaging winds” are expected.

Boat owners are advised to take them out of the water, and homeowners with lawn furniture are advised to pack it away.

Patrick said the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency is monitoring the storm, coordinating with local public safety officials. The Department of Public Utilities has been in frequent communication with the utility companies, and Patrick reported that each utility company has submitted an emergency response plan.

“We have been in close contact with the National Weather Service, and are coordinating with MEMA, all of our state agencies and the utility companies to make sure we are ready for Hurricane Sandy’s potential impact here in the commonwealth,” Patrick said.

With the potential for widespread power outages, much of the focus of the state's preparations remained on power companies that were harshly criticized for their response to two major storms last year that, in both cases, left some customers without electricity for a week.

"It's the weather. It's mother nature. It's not entirely predictable," Patrick said. "But the things that we observed from the last two storms should be lessons we are planning
against."

Utilities face the threat of stiff fines if their response falls short of expectations, officials
said.

Attorney General Martha Coakley has recommended a combined $30 million in fines against National Grid, NStar and Western Massachusetts Electric Co. for problems after Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011 and a surprise snowstorm last October. The Department of Public Utilities is expected to rule on those penalties next month.

Richard Sullivan, the state's Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary, said utilities will be under strict scrutiny this time around. He said each has filed emergency plans with the state and are contracting with crews as far away as Washington state to deal with expected outages.

"It would appear that the number of crews they have put on call is sufficient, but we are measuring this response in terms of the results on the ground and not necessarily the numbers," he said.

To improve communications with cities and towns, utilities have assigned a liaison to each community for the duration of the storm and restoration efforts, Sullivan said.
State officials urged utilities to synchronize the activities of crews assigned to repair lines with those assigned to clear trees felled by high winds, citing that as a major obstacle after last year's storms.

"Though there were a lot of crews, the tree crews and the line crews were not necessarily well coordinated. A line crew would go someplace where the power was down, but because there wasn't someone there to remove the tree that had caused the power line to come down, they couldn't deal with it," said Patrick.

Patrick urged residents to take precautions in advance of the storm, including making sure their homes are equipped with working flashlights, food and water, extra medications and pet supplies.

At the University of Massachusetts, officials are preparing for heavy rain, wind and possible power outages, said Thomas O’Regan, emergency preparedness and business continuity planning manager with Environmental Health & Safety.

UMass is taking steps to secure buildings, stockpile supplies of food and water, and ready its emergency communications systems. Updates were sent to all students Friday afternoon to make them aware of the approaching storm and to advise them to make appropriate preparations.

All employees and students are urged to monitor the weather situation as it develops over the weekend. Currently, all classes are meeting as scheduled and the campus will operate as usual.

The university will provide updates on the status of the campus through social media and web-based and other electronic communications. Staff and faculty may also check the campus’ status by calling the Emergency Closing Line at (413)545-3630.

“As last year’s Halloween snowstorm demonstrated, prior planning and preparation can help all of us cope with a severe weather emergency,” said O’Regan. “Community members are advised to use good judgment when travelling and avoid dangerous situations. We are working to protect your safety, but we also need your cooperation as conditions evolve.”

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno urged residents to pay attention to the weather reports in the local media and to be as prepared as they can.

"There is the potential for rain and wind which could cause power outages should the storm move in our direction early next week. As we have shown before with weather disaster situations, if needed, city departments working with all emergency partners will respond in an efficient, effective and compassionate manner," he said.

He urged people to take some steps in advance, including:

• cleaning out storm drain covers and catch basins in the street in front of your home to prevent flooding;
• filling up the gas tank in your automobile in the event of power outages that may prevent gas pumps from working;
• keeping cell phones and other mobile devices fully charged and have a car charger for these devices;
• and keep non-perishable food items on hand.

City Emergency Response Officials urge residents to view the city’s website for a list of precautionary measures residents can take so that they are always prepared for any type of natural disaster. Residents can also view the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website at www.ready.gov for preparedness information.

In Northampton, Mayor David J. Narkewicz is setting up the city’s Emergency Operations Center in anticipation of the storm. The mayor and other city officials participated in a conference call Friday with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to plan for Hurricane Sandy.

Greenfield Deputy Fire Chief Robert Strahan said his community has been checking emergency generators, moving equipment to higher ground and looking at emergency staffing as the storm approaches.

In Holyoke, the emergency shelter for residents will be the War Memorial, 310 Appleton St.

Mayor Alex B. Morse held a conference call with department heads at noon Friday. Public safety officials will run the city's response from the emergency operations center at Fire Department headquarters, 600 High St, he said.

"We'll be tracking the storm all weekend," Morse said.

Holyoke Gas and Electric Department officials will be watching water levels in the Connecticut River and the three canals in the city that power the hydroelectric dam. If the water gets too high, tailgates will be closed at certain generating facilities along the canals to prevent river flow from backing into the facilities, Manager James M. Lavelle said.

All of the department's 140 full-timers are on stand-by and additional lineworkers and tree crews will be in Holyoke by Monday if necessary. At least 17 linemen will be ready to fix downed power lines, he said, up from the 10 normally on duty.

"Everyone will be ready and willing to do whatever it takes under the circumstance," Lavelle said.

Since the Oct. 29, 2011 storm, the department removed trees, branches and other vegetation in areas considered to be possible problems in terms of interfering with power lines, he said.

"We doubled the amount of tree-trimming work over this past year, and we plan to do the same over the next year," Lavelle said.

Holyoke Conservation Director Andrew Smith advised homeowners to secure lawn furniture, trash receptacles and yard clippings, as well as gas cans or fuel oil containers,to keep them from blocking stormwater catch basins.

Also, since waterways are critical for capturing and directing stormwater, it is imperative residents not deposit yard waste in a stream or wetland, he said.

The city runs a yard waste collection facility off Berkshire Street, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. week days, he said.

The American Red Cross is also urging people to be ready.
Dawn Leaks, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, Pioneer Valley, said people should restock emergency preparedness kits, and update family disaster plans.
She encouraged people with smart phones to download the Red Cross’ Hurricane App to have real-time weather information and recommendations on what to do before, during and after the storm.

“We want everyone to be to be ready for the possible effects of a hurricane,” she said.

“The American Red Cross has resources to help people plan for emergencies and prepare their households and workplaces.”

Thanks to a stout rushing attack, Longmeadow prevailed over Westfield in a hotly contested game at Billy Bullens Field.

Frankie Elder, seen here earlier this season, had two touchdowns for Longmeadow.



-

(Republican File Photo)

The Amherst Hurricanes hung on in overtime after the Putnam Beavers forced an extra session with a touchdown late in regulation.

Justin Carey, seen here during a game last year, helped Amherst to an overtime win Friday night.



-

(Republican File Photo)

The Minutemen outshot and outpossessed the Terriers for long chunks of Friday's game, but still came out on the losing end of the score line.

J. Anthony Roberts UMass hockey coach John Micheleletto watches from the bench during a game last week.

BOSTON — In the end, they had no one to blame but themselves.

Whether it was lack of awareness during a line change one minute, a bad penalty the next, or the lack of ability to convert on opponent’s mistakes, the University of Massachusetts hockey team (1-2, 0-2) can point the finger inwards at what went wrong in Friday’s 5-2 loss to No. 13 Boston University (2-1, 2-1) at Agannis Arena.

“I thought our guys were good for 90 or 95 percent of the time. That’s real good as a student, but it’s not good enough in this league,” UMass coach John Micheletto said. “We had critical mistakes at critical times, and they wound up in the back of our net.”

Picking out which mistake was the most egregious in a game where UMass outshot the Terriers 30-25, and out possessed the Terriers for large chunks, but still lost by three goals isn’t easy.

On Boston University’s first goal, captain Kevin Czepiel, who was moved up to the Minutemen’s first line from its fourth for Friday’s game, was headed off for a line change. As Czepiel approached the bench, Boston University’s Cason Hohmann came swooping right behind him with the puck, skating right by an oblivious Czepiel.

Seconds later, Hohmann dropped the puck off for Wade Megan, who made UMass goalie Steve Mastalerz look silly with a beautiful deke to give the Terriers a 1-0 edge just 51 seconds in to period number two.

Defensive Oleg Yevenko made critical error number two. Trailing 2-1 in early in the third period and already killing a penalty, Yevenko unnecessarily cross checked and knocked down the Terriers Evan Rodrigues to give the home side a five-on-three

Thirteen seconds later, Terriers forward Danny O’Regan deposited the puck past a helpless Mastalerz, who stood no chance on an textbook five-on-three pass across the ice from Matt Grzelcyk to O’Regan.

Trailing 3-1, the Minutemen got an opportunity in the middle portion of the final period to get even. The Terriers took two penalties within six seconds of each other, giving UMass 1:54 of five-on-three time.

But as the Minutemen began to move the puck, Terriers goalie Matt O’Connor lost his stick. As it lay there in front of the crease, UMass forward Michael Pereira decided it was in the way, and swept it into the corner to create space.

Except that, in the opinion of the officials, that constituted unsportsmanlike conduct, sending Pereira to the box for two minutes.

“If I had to do it over again, I would have done the same thing,” Pereira said. “I just pushed it away. It’s almost like a five on four with that stick there.“

Micheletto also disagreed with the call.

“We felt that our player had every right to move it away from his area so that he could make a play to score a goal,” he said. “You see it all the time with random sticks that get knocked out.”

The play would give UMass a brief four-on-three power play, on which Joel Hanley would score to pull the Minutemen within one at 3-2.

But the Terriers struck quickly afterward, when UMass defensman Conor Shea got caught up ice. As a four-on-four turned into a Terriers power play, Cason Hohmann streaked down the left side and wristed one off the glove of Mastalerz and in, giving the Terriers the chance to ice the final ten minutes of the game away.

Hohmann would add an empty net goal in the waning moments, but by that point it was too late.

The mistakes had sunk the Minutemen.

“We certainly have positives to take away from it,” Micheletto said. “But we need to realize that our individual decision making has got to be better if we want to win more games in this league”

UMass has a chance to redeem itself Saturday, when the Terriers visit the Mullins Center for a 7 p.m. faceoff.

Pereira said it wouldn’t take long for the team to shift its focus from Friday to Saturday.

“On the bus ride home, that’s all it takes,” he said. “Everyone in this building knew who was bringing it all night … I think we’ll plan accordingly, and we’re going to be ready for tomorrow.”

ONE LINERS

Brandon Gracel scored his second goal of the season in the second period ... The combination of Gracel, Rocco Carzo and Steven Guzzo has scored five of the six even-strength goals for the Minutemen this season ... UMass had killed 11 straight penalties before O'Regan's goal in the third period ... UMass had not trailed in regulation during a game this season until Megan's second-period tally ... Boston University's Jack Parker coached from the booth because of a back problem.

Ben Sheehan eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season with 103 yards rushing for Minnechaug.

Ben Sheehan, seen here during a game earlier this year, eclipsed 1,000 yards for the season Friday night. - (Republican File Photo)

WILBRAHAM – From the very beginning it was clear how this game was going to pan out. Justin White was dragged down for a strip sack on Holyoke’s first possession and Minnechaug’s Ben Sheehan and Anthony Roughgarden converted on their first play from scrimmage, getting the wheels turning for the Falcons en route to their 42-0 win over the Purple Knights.

In what was Minnechaug’s homecoming game, the Falcons gave their parents, friends and alumni a performance to be proud of by jumping out to a 24-0 lead in the first quarter on the back of some solid defense and effective offense. Roughgarden ran Coach Steve Allosso’s offense to perfection connecting on seven of his first passes for 48 yards and two touchdowns.

“I believe balance is a myth,” said Allosso. “Some games I’ll throw the ball 80 to 100 percent of the time, sometimes I’ll run more. I was a fullback so I like to run the ball but I find throwing the ball to be more fun for the kids and the fans.”

The defense was opportunistic and took advantage of mistakes made by Holyoke’s offense. Kevin White made the first big play, nabbing his first of two interceptions on a fade throw by Justin White when Holyoke was on the three yard line.

John Ostrikas was the next to step up, picking up an interception after White’s pass was tipped by linebacker Dylan Roda. Ostrikas went 60 yards for the touchdown on the return.

It was a night to remember for Sheehan as he passed the 1,000 yard mark with 6:45 to play in the second quarter on a 27-yard run that set up a two-yard score by Carter Champigny. Champigny’s score stretched the lead to 30-0 in favor of the home team.

Sheehan finished with 103 yards on 13 carries and the touchdown. Champigny and Dan Naumac added some balance in the second half, racking up 44 and 22 yards respectively.

After stalling Holyoke again – the Purple Knights managed only 149 yards of offense on the night – Roughgarden took to the air, finding Tim Spafford twice for 27 yards and a touchdown on the final scoring drive of the half. Spafford’s tally with 3:36 left in the half made the score 36-0 going into the half.

Sheehan would add a score early in the third quarter, punching in from one yard out. The touchdown came after a long delay after Justin White left the field in an ambulance following a goal line play.  He was conscious when he left in the ambulance, but nothing else is known at this time.

With the lead, Allosso was able to get several of his younger players involved in the game, something he valued.

“I love it,” said Allosso of getting young guys in. “Especially here on homecoming, the crowd is great and it’s just a cool atmosphere.”

East Longmeadow quarterback Dan McGuill threw three touchdown passes to Sam Blake during a 38-28 win over Northampton Friday night.

East Longmeadow quarterback threw three touchdown passes to Sam Blake during a 38-28 win over Northampton Friday night.



-

(The Republican file photo)

McGuill and Blake connected for three touchdowns to lead East Longmeadow to a 38-28 win at Northampton. And yes, they think the Spartans are underrated.

Dan McGuill, seen here making a handoff last season, forms an explosive duo with wide receiver Sam Blake. - (Republican File Photo)

NORTHAMPTON -- East Longmeadow senior Sam Blake’s father, George, introduced himself.

His shirt had the number 2, Sam’s number, on the front, and the number 52 on the back for his other son, also named George. Mr. Blake was proud of Sam’s three-touchdown performance during East Longmeadow’s 38-28 win against host Northampton Friday night, but one got the feeling he would have been proud anyway.

“Both my kids are very good,” he said, “but Sam just had the big game today.”

He spoke about Sam earning everything he gets, about how the senior wide receiver played in passing leagues over the summer to hone his football talent, about how he’s a better person than he is a football player. He discussed Sam’s work ethic and his humble attitude. He continued as his son’s biggest salesman, as if anyone who watched Sam catch six passes for 116 yards on the road against a strong Northampton defense needed any more convincing.

At the root of George, the father’s passionate sales pitch, it seemed, was a desire for more people to recognize his son’s elite football talent.

As head coach Scott Raymond explained later, in an unrelated conversation, “Sam’s not even in the top 10 (player rankings on MassLive), and I laugh about it because people haven’t seen what he can do. As far as I’m concerned, he’s as good as or better than anybody. Coaches mention, every time we play a game, he’s the best player they’ve seen out here.”

Indeed, Northampton coach Pat Sledzieski could only marvel at Blake’s three touchdown catches. Blake doesn’t just have size and speed, but exquisite body control to adjust while the football is in the air. (“That’s the thing college coaches comment on the most,” said Raymond.) His package of skills makes him incredibly difficult for opponents to stop, especially with senior quarterback Dan McGuill throwing an accurate ball his way.

“Twice, we had our guy in perfect position and (Blake) just made a perfect play. He’s just a fantastic player and athlete,” Sledzieski said.

Blake caught touchdown passes of 5 and 41 yards in the second quarter and added another of 34 yards in the third. He also intercepted Northampton quarterback R.J. Ramsden in the second quarter to spur the Spartans to two touchdowns within the last three minutes of the first half, a flurry that turned a tight game into a 17-0 affair by intermission.

For the season, Blake now has 29 catches for 537 yards and nine touchdowns through seven games, averaging 18.5 yards per catch. He holds four 100-yard receiving games already, and even added a 58-yard touchdown run for East Longmeadow’s only score in a loss against Central.

“He’s unstoppable,” McGuill said. “Any time I throw the ball, I know he’s coming down with it.”

McGuill’s the other half of WMass’ most underrated big-play duo. Proper stats were not kept during East Longmeadow’s loss to Central, but McGuill has completed 53.2 percent of his passes for 1,043 yards and 12 touchdowns against just three interceptions in the Spartans’ other six contests.  Together, he and Blake lead an East Longmeadow offense that has averaged 41.3 points during its current three-game winning streak.

Explained Blake of his connection with McGuill, “Last year, we got really close on and off the field. And we just know each other’s little tendencies. We make that eye-to-eye contact sometimes, and we’re like, ‘Let’s go. Let’s do it.’ It’s just natural now.”

“I think people have let them go a little bit unrecognized because of some of the things we do offensively. I think people have seen the last three weeks how good they can be,” Raymond said. “They’re just outstanding kids on and off the field. They’re best friends. They know what the other one’s thinking and we’re really proud of them. They’re great senior captains and they do a great job leading us.”

The Spartans were largely written off after beginning the year 1-3. But the losses – to Foxboro, South Hadley (by three points) and Central – all came against respectable foes. For a young roster, the early defeats were especially useful as teaching lessons. Raymond still hasn’t seen what he would characterize as a “complete effort,” but he likes the growth his team has shown.

“We still have to get better defensively, but offensively we feel like we can score whenever we want. That’s kind of the confidence level we have,” he said.

"I think we're underrated," Blake said when prompted on the subject. "People think we're still young. We do have a lot of young players, but we have a lot more skilled players than people think. We have a lot more people that make plays this year. People from last year weren't stepping up like we needed to, and this year we have that and it's totally different. So we're a little underrated, but people are starting to open their eyes. We have a nice little streak going."

Entering Friday’s tilt against Northampton, the Spartans were sixth in the latest D-II MIAA WMass rankings. They will have to move into the top 4 in order to qualify for the playoffs, but Raymond said reaching the postseason has never been his No. 1 priority. He said he would rather “become as good a football team as we can,” and his schedule can be used as evidence. Even after their brutal early-season slate, the Spartans still have bouts with playoff contenders Minnechaug and Longmeadow left on the schedule, with their other remaining game coming against Agawam.

With their remaining schedule, making the playoffs is still a tall task. But the Spartans remain confident.

“They’re all winnable games if we do what we’re supposed to,” Blake said.

And then the explosive wide receiver looked toward his partner in crime and laughed.

“If Dan and I keep hooking up like that, it definitely makes it easier.”

Tropical Storm Sandy's present location is about 350 miles southeast of Charleston, S.C., according to the weather service.

Beachgoers venture out to the end of Minutemen Causeway in Cocoa Beach, Fla., around lunchtime to see the waves, getting sandblasted from the wind and sand, due to the effects of the outer bands of Hurricane Sandy, Friday, Oct. 26, 2012. Sandy was downgraded to a tropical storm early Saturday. (AP Photo/Florida Today, Malcolm Denemark)

The National Weather Service has downgraded Sandy to a tropical storm as its maximum sustained winds have dropped to 70 mph.

In the weather service's latest public advisory posted at 5 a.m. Saturday, it says Sandy "is expected to remain a large storm with widespread impacts into early next week."

The storm could regain strength by Sunday night, however, the AP reports.

Tropical Storm Sandy's present location is about 350 miles southeast of Charleston, S.C., according to the weather service.

Tropical storm watches and warnings remain in effect for Florida's east coast and points north.

CBS 3 Springfield meteorologist Nick Morganelli's latest forecast from Friday afternoon predicts Tropical Storm Sandy will begin affecting New England late Monday through Tuesday, with 3 to 5 inches of rain and windy conditions here in Western Massachusetts.

This is a developing story. Stay with MassLive.com as our reporting continues.

Shaker Pines Lake Fire Chief Charlie Macsata, who is also the fire district's fire marshal, said no foul play is suspected in the blaze, which heavily damaged the family's home at 50 Hassmar Road, the Hartford Courant reports. "We think it was accidental," Macsata told the paper Friday. "We're pretty sure it was accidental."

In this file photo from Aug. 26, 2011, Colin Tillett and Deborah Allen of the Federal Emergency Management Agency check trucks with generators and supplies at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee in preparation for Hurricane Irene. CBS 3 Springfield, The Republican and MassLive.com's media partner, reports the base will again become a staging area for FEMA as the region gets ready for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy. (Dave Roback/The Republican

• Enfield fatal fire was accidental, fire marshal says [Hartford Courant]




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The pair made away with about $1,200. Police are looking at surveillance video in the hope of identifying them.

Conor Berry, The Republican

SPRINGFIELD -- Two men robbed the City Cyber Cafe on Liberty Street early this morning, WWLP reports.

Police say two black men entered, and one pointed a handgun at a clerk as he demanded money.

The pair made away with about $1,200. No injuries are being reported.

Police are looking at surveillance video in the hope of identifying the men.

The robbery took place around 2 a.m.

WGGB reports the clerk said one of the men was wearing a red and gray sweatshirt, while the other was in all black. Both had masks.

The fiscal cliff is a completely artificial construct created by lawmakers who knew exactly what they were doing -- putting off difficult choices because they didn't feel like dealing with them at the time

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke makes his way past reporters on Capitol Hill after meeting privately with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., and members of the committee about the looming economic crisis, often called the "fiscal cliff", on Capitol Hill in Washington one day last month. Associated Press file | J. Scott Applewhite

No one can claim to be surprised by the fiscal cliff. We’ve been heading right for it, and everyone knows where, when, why it’s there.

The fiscal cliff is not like some natural formation — the Grand Canyon, say.

The fiscal cliff, which our nation will plunge over at year’s end, is a completely artificial construct. It was created by lawmakers who knew exactly what they were doing – putting off the difficult choices because they didn’t feel like dealing with them at the time.

The fiscal cliff, given its appropriately frightening moniker by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, is a combination of budget-busting tax increases and deep spending cuts that will automatically go into effect at the start of 2013. Unless Congress acts, and the president agrees.

No one wants the across-the-board tax increases. And no one wants to see all the spending cuts — half of which will hit the Pentagon – enacted. And virtually everyone agrees that if nothing is done, the nation will quickly sink into another recession.

Which leaves action as the sole course, right?

Unless some in Congress get their backs up.

President Barack Obama has said that he is open to a grand bargain on the fiscal cliff. What this would mean, in effect, is changes in taxes and spending that would not only pull the nation from the precipice, but would also go some way toward lowering our deficit.

Who could argue with that?

Fanatics, that’s who.

If Obama is re-elected, he will almost assuredly find himself working with a Republican-led House. And there are many among the GOP caucus who won’t even talk about taxes. Period. No matter what.

Like petulant teenagers, they just cover their ears and spout nonsense – la la la la la – if the topic is broached. Even when we are racing toward a cliff.