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Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Joseph Murphy to take questions on MassLive.com

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Murphy said there have been 1,000 Sandy-related homeowners and business insurance claims filed as of 2 p.m. Tuesday.

11-172-38 & 29 (eyes) Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Joseph Murphy

BOSTON — State Commissioner of Insurance Joseph G. Murphy will answer insurance-related questions from MassLive.com readers on Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m.

Readers with questions can simply visit www.masslive.com and open the article where the live chat with Murphy will be running.

Murphy also will be able to direct folks to state resources if he cannot answer their question or if the problem is too complex to answer on a public forum.

Murphy said there have been 1,000 Hurricane Sandy-related homeowner and business insurance claims filed as of 2 p.m. Tuesday.

“But that number will rise as more people get out and inspect their properties,” he said.

Most claims are for trees or wind-blown debris on homes, sheds or fences, Murphy said.

By contrast, the tornadoes of 2011 generated 11,000 claims. Of those, 98 percent have been settled.

“The remaining ones are probably headed to litigation,” he said. “Those are the complicated commercial claims like SquareOne, Cathedral High School and the former MacDuffie School property.”

For those concerned about Sandy, Murphy said people should inspect their property carefully and make only those repairs necessary to prevent further damage. An example might be tarping over a hole in a roof. Make no permanent repairs unless directed to do so by an insurance company.

Also, homeowners should keep all their receipts for any supplies they used in temporary repairs, like plastic or duct tape.

If you can't make the live chat, you're welcome to leave your questions in the comments section below, and we'll try to get them to Murphy during his time with us on Wednesday.


Stunner! Judges' fave Sabrina Bryan eliminated on week 6 of 'Dancing With the Stars'

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The former Cheetah Girl had the highest combined scores from judges on weeks 5 and 6.

Sabrina.jpg Sabrina Bryan of season 15 of "Dancing With the Stars."

The Brothers Chmerkovskiy and their celebrity partners were saved from elimination by loyal fans on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" on Tuesday night.


Soap opera actress Kelly Monaco and professional partner Val Chmerkovskiy had the lowest judges' score for weeks 5 and 6 – a 78.5 out of 92. "Cheers"star Kirstie Alley and professional partner Maks Chmerkovskiy received a 82 from judges, second from the bottom of the heap.

Instead, viewers turned the competition on its head and chose to show former Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan the door. She had a combined score of 88.5 for routines danced on weeks 5 and 6, the highest of the eight remaining contestants.

"I did my absolute best ... thank you so much," Bryan told the audience


Bryan joins five previously ousted celebrity contestants: reality TV personality Bristol Palin, “Baywatch” beauty Pamela Anderson, former ‘N Sync singer Joey Fatone, former 98 Degrees singer Drew Lachey, and race car driver Helio Castroneves.

Remaining in the competition are Monaco, Alley, Olympians Shawn Johnson and Apolo Ohno, former NFL running back Emmitt Smith, reality TV personality Melissa Rycroft and French actor Gilles Marini

Video: Ray Allen gets the cold shoulder from Kevin Garnett when he checks in for Miami Heat against Boston Celtics

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When Allen tapped Garnett on the shoulder, Garnett refused to acknowledge the gesture.

ray allen lebron james.jpg

When Miami Heat guard Ray Allen checked in during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics Tuesday night, he walked by the Celtics bench to acknowledge his former teammates and coaches.

He received a nice hug from Doc Rivers, cordially embraced with some of the other coaches, and then tried to share a moment with Kevin Garnett.

Except Garnett, who has already declared that he deleted Allen's phone number when he left for the Heat, wasn't having it. When Allen tapped Garnett on the shoulder, Garnett refused to acknowledge the gesture.

We could call Garnett a jerk for failing to recognize the friendly attempts of a former teammate, with whom he won a championship and played five competitive seasons. We could note that Allen, knowing Garnett, probably knew exactly what he was getting into when he tried to enter the lion's den. We could dissect the interaction for hours or days, or we could just sit back and watch the video.

Democrat Mary Olberding and independent George R. Zimmerman seeking Hampshire deeds position

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Both candidates believe they have the background and knowledge for the register's position.

Olberding Zimmerman 2012.jpg Democrat Mary Olberding is competing with independent George R. Zimmerman for Hampshire County Register of Deeds.

NORTHAMPTON - Mary Olberding, a human resources manager, believes her background combined with understanding the future needs of the Hampshire County Registry of Deeds make her an ideal candidate for register.

City Treasurer George R. Zimmerman believes his background in real estate and law make him the better candidate.

Olberding, a Democrat, and Zimmerman, an independent, are vying for the post in the Nov. 6 election.

Long-time register Marianne L. Donohue retired in September 2011, after 23 years. Her assistant, Patricia A. Plaza, has filled the $90,000-a-year post since then. The term ends Jan. 4.

“My experience managing is in transitions. That’s what the registry will be doing,” Olberding said, as it moves to electronic filings. She said she managed such a conversion at Corporate Software in Norwood.

The ability to file electronically will be especially helpful to people who live on the geographic edges of the county, said Olberding who lives in Belchertown and serves on the town Finance Committee.

“All of the property records are a collective history of the county. The important thing to remember is each person’s record is a person’s life. It’s important to use care in the managing of those records,” said Olberding, who has a degree in history and a love for the subject.

But while much of the recording will become electronic, she believes there will continue to be a need for a physical building and a staff to answer questions, provide training and back up documents,” she said.

Olberding who is from Ohio has been a lifelong Democrat. She said she discovered how much she wants to serve from working on Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan’s successful campaign in 2010.

“As a candidate you run on a platform being loyal to the party should account for something.”

She beat two challengers for the party’s nomination in September.

Zimmerman, Northampton’s Treasurer, is running as an Independent because during 40 years as a voter, he’s been an independent for 32, he said. “I thought it reflected who I am more accurately,” he said.

He had considered running for the office about six years ago after he heard rumors that Donohue might not seek reelection, but he decided not to challenge her when she did run again.

“I believe I’m well qualified for it,” he said. He’s a lawyer, experienced in finance and has an extensive background in real estate. “I love real estate and everything associated with it,” he said.

He previously worked at MassMutual, doing national real estate transactions.
“I’m looking at the position, not as what it’s been but what it can be.”

And he sees himself working with the Legislature and law enforcement as a proactive register like John O'Brien, the Register of Deeds for the Southern Essex District who has taken on the mortgage industry for their foreclosure practices. He sees the position as a bully pulpit.

He said he wants to call attention to The Mortgage Electronic Registration System, or MERS, which is owned by banks and mortgage finance companies. Filings through that company instead of the register shortchange the county, he said. “It’s the tip of the iceberg,” he said referring to the Wall Street mortgage crisis.

He knows running as an independent isn’t easy. “I consider it to be a formidable endeavor for one individual to take on a party.”
But he said, “I think the message in general of my qualifications is out there.”

About the candidates

Mary Olberding
Position sought: Hampshire Register of Deeds
Age: 45
Address: Belchertown
Political party: Democrat
Occupation: Human resources manager
Education: Bachelor’s degree Xavier University, master’s degree Emmanuel College.

Elective experience: None.

George R. Zimmerman
Position sought: Hampshire Register of Deeds
Age: 57 
 Address: Northampton
Political party: Independent
Occupation: Northampton City Treasurer  
Education: Bachelor’s degree, UMass, master’s degree UMass, Juris Doctorate, Western New England College School of Law.

Elective experience: City Treasurer, four years elected, four appointed.

Handmade With Love Craft & Gift Market returns to Easthampton on Nov. 3

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Shoppers of Handmade With Love Craft & Gift Market can help themselves to a little retail therapy with more than 20 artists, artisans and crafters from Western Massachusetts.

Suriner Display Dolls Karen Shaw Suriner of StargazerStudios.etsy.com and Aviva Seiber of Seiber Designs are co-coordinators and co-promoters of the Handmade With Love Craft & Gift Market.

Handmade With Love Craft & Gift Market returns to Easthampton’s Eastworks on Nov. 3.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., shoppers can help themselves to a little retail therapy with more than 20 artists, artisans and crafters from Western Massachusetts.

“Shopping locally for gifts and other products helps foster the future growth of local arts and culture,” said Karen Shaw Suriner, co-coordinator and co-promoter of the market.

“Our event features exclusively western Mass based vendors, so shoppers are assured that what they spend stays right here in our community.”

Suriner and childhood friend, Aviva Sieber, put together the first Handmade With Love market in February 2011 to give shoppers local options for Valentine’s Day gifts. The best friends, one a woven textile artist and the other a batik quilter, saw their idea become a success so they decided to have the event twice a year.

“We've always been really excited about bringing this idea to the community so we have a lot of fun with it and it gives them the chance to meet the creative people behind the amazing crafts,” said Sieber.

Shoppers will find functional and fine art at Handmade With Love market. From fashion, accessories and home décor to glass and metal sculpture, collage and wood turned items, there’s more a countless options for picky holiday gift lists.

“Jewelry is always a popular present and we’ll have a variety of different styles,” said Suriner. “We'll also have gifts for men and children.”

Customers will be able to chat with returning vendors, like Zoe Ma of Valley of the Doll and Anita Montanez-Barcome of Olimax Soap, and new designers like Kathryn Vooris of Littles Children’s Clothing.

LIttlesCC Kathryn Vooris started her quirky applique-clothing line for infants, toddlers and children after finding out that she was going to be an aunt.

Vooris started her quirky applique-clothing line for infants, toddlers and children after finding out that she was going to be an aunt.

“I began shopping for my new niece. As much as I loved the clothes that I saw in many stores, I wanted to give her something a little more special,” she said. “I was so pleased with how they came out, that I want to share them with all of those people who are looking for special gifts for their little ones.”

Vooris helps make babies chic with applique bunnies, birdies and bow ties but encourages them to steal the show with wrap-around Dachshund dog, coming-and-going Volkswagen Bus, and custom name Etch-a-Sketch designs.

For Anita Montanez-Barcome, this November will be her third Handmade With Love event.

“I love being a vendor at this fair,” she said. “The customers are great and it’s a well-run show. The quality of items available is fabulous and everyone seems to have a great time.”

Her business, Olimax Soap, makes small batches of all-natural bath and body products. Best-sellers are fun glycerin soaps shaped like donuts, crème brulee or Oreos and deliciously flavored vegan lip balms, one gift set even featuring adorable drawings of Star Wars characters.

Olimax Star Wars Anita Montanez-Barcome's company, Olimax Soap (olimaxsoap.etsy.com), makes small batches of all-natural bath and body products.

Also popular are Montanez-Barcome’s organic cold process soaps, lotions, scrubs and bath salts, which are perfect for stocking stuffers, baskets and gifts for teachers and co-workers.

“I am looking forward to the November show. The space at Eastworks is lovely, and Easthampton is such an artist friendly town,” said Zoe Ma.

Ma is a self-taught altered artist who incorporates found objects into jewelry, shrines, and other art oddities. She makes everything one of a kind, and finds joy when her customers are amused by her clever craft.

“It is a pleasure for me to recycle discarded items and to draw attention to the beauty I see in them by giving them new life. Some of my favorite things to use are bottle caps, wire, fabric scraps, and game pieces,” she said.

Ma’s shop, Valley of the Doll, will offer found object pendants, charm bracelets and earrings plus gift packs of bottle cap magnets and push pins at Handmade With Love.

Zoe Ma Keychains Zoe Ma of Valley of the Doll (valleyofthedoll.etsy.com) incorporates found objects into her jewelry.

“The importance of local shopping has become so clear to me in the last few years,” said Ma. “Not only does it keep our dollars here, but it strengthens our connections to other members of the community.”

Northampton Beadery and Artisans of WMass are the local sponsors of free public event with no-charge on-site parking. The first 25 attendees will also receive swag bags full of treats, compliments of the sponsors.

“We try to have something for everyone and it's been a pleasure to see all kinds of people enjoy checking out the show,” said Suriner. “Western Massachusetts is home to a huge scope of talented artisans and we are fortunate to tap into that. In addition to beautiful wares, our vendors are upbeat, positive, and always with a strong sense of being in it together. They put a lot of heart into their products and I think that's reflected in the collective vibe.”

For more information about Handmade With Love and its entire list of artisans, visit www.facebook.com/HandmadeWithLoveMarket.

Former Boston Red Sox outfielder Josh Reddick of Oakland A's wins Gold Glove

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Dustin Pedroia was not picked for the award at second place.

Josh ReddickJosh Reddick was a good outfielder for Boston, but has blossomed into a Gold Glover with Oakland.

The Red Sox knew they let a slugger get away.

Now they have to face the fact they also gave up on a defensive star.

Oakland A's right fielder Josh Reddick was named a Gold Glove winner Tuesday night, as chosen by managers and coaches.

Boston's Dustin Pedroia was a nominee at second base. He lost out to New York's Robinson Cano.

Mark Teixeira of the Yankees was chosen at first base. One of the nominees was former Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who spent his last six weeks with the NL's Los Angeles Dodgers.

Reddick was traded from Boston to Oakland for closer Andrew Bailey and outfielder Ryan Sweeney after the 2011 season. He hit 32 home runs with 85 RBIs for the AL West champion Athletics.

Denise Andrews seeks challenge from Susannah Lee, Richard Schober for 2nd Franklin District state representative seat

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The race became personal in August when Andrews went to the Police Department in Athol to report that a source had told her Lee made a cocaine buy at her Athol home.

Andrews Lee Schober 2012.jpg Denise Andrews, state representative from the 2nd Franklin District, is facing a challenge in her bid for reelection from Susannah Whipps Lee and Richard F. Schober Jr.

FRANKLIN COUNTY – The three candidates for the 2nd Franklin District seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives all put jobs and the economy at the top of their list of campaign issues. The disagreement is over who is best equipped to get the job done.

Democratic incumbent Denise Andrews is being challenged by Republican Susannah Whipps Lee of Athol and Richard F. Schober of Templeton, who is running as an Independent. Andrews won the seat formerly held by Christopher Donelan two years ago and staved off three challengers in this fall’s Democratic primary.

Andrews’ priorities include education, leadership and services for seniors and veterans. Despite the tough economy, she is optimistic about Franklin County.

“What is true is that we’re making good solid progress,” she said.

Her opponents disagree heartily. Lee, who chairs the Athol Board of Selectmen, points to Andrews decision to take a consulting job with a New Jersey company as proof.

“The lack of employment opportunity for people in Massachusetts is displayed perfectly,” she said. “Andrews had to go to New Jersey to find a second job.”

Schober, a graphic designer, is not an admirer of Andrews’ work, either.

“When I checked out the incumbent’s record, I wasn’t impressed,” he said. “Things are worse economically than when she was sworn in.”

The race became personal in August when Andrews went to the Police Department in Athol to report that a source had told her Lee made a cocaine buy at her Athol home. The police found no basis for the story, but Lee, who runs Whipps, Inc. an Athol company that makes equipment for sewage treatment plants, was outraged. Massachusetts Republicans demanded that Andrews name her source, but she has declined to do so publicly.

Lee called the incident an example of poor judgment by Andrews.

“This is why normal, hard-working folks like myself steer clear of politics,” she said.

Andrews characterizes the incident as a “distraction” from the real issues, but has not backed down. She is hoping the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office investigates both the allegations concerning Lee and how the incident became public.

Schober, who has four children in public school, maintains that both his opponents are out of touch with reality.

“The other candidates are very successful businesswomen,” he said. “I don’t think they really can understand what most people in the district have to go through on a daily basis.”

About the candidates

Denise Andrews
Position sought: State representative, 2nd Franklin District
Age: 53
Address: Orange
Political party: Democratic
Occupation: Corporate consultant
Education: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, University of Massachusetts. MBA, Xavier University
Elective experience: Incumbent

Susannah Whipps Lee
Position sought: State representative, 2nd Franklin District
Age: 43
Address: Athol
Political party: Republican
Occupation: Owner of Whipps., Inc.
Education: Degree in culinary arts, Johnson and Wales University
Elective experience: Athol Board of Selectmen

Richard F. Schober, Jr.
Position sought: State representative, 2nd Franklin District
Age: 55
Address: Templeton
Political party: Independent
Occupation: Web and graphic designer
Education: BA in engineering, University of Massachusetts
Elective experience: Narragansett Regional School Committee

William Pignatelli faces repeat challenge from Lee Laugenour for 4th Berkshire District state representative post

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Issues dominating the campaigns of each are similar: the economy, specifically jobs, state investment in infrastructure and education, and reducing college graduates' debt.

Pignatelli Laugenour 2012.jpg Incumbent state Rep. William Pignatelli, left, is being challenged for his 4th Berkshire District seat by Lee Scott Laugenour.

LEE – It will be deja vu Nov. 6 when voters in the 4th Berkshire District cast their ballots for state representative.

Incumbent state Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, a Democrat, is again facing opposition from Green-Rainbow Party candidate Lee Scott Laugenour. It is Laugenour’s second consecutive attempt to replace Pignatelli, who is seeking his sixth two-year term.

Issues dominating the campaigns of each are similar: the economy, specifically jobs, state investment in infrastructure and education, and reducing college graduates' debt.

“The state’s income is growing so I think Massachusetts is positioned to move forward,” said Pignatelli. “But, this district, like the state in general, is seeing jobs decrease,” he said.

“Continued state efforts to rebuild our infrastructure will create jobs. That is our potential jobs bill. Roadwork and bridges will employ lots of people,” he said.

Pignatelli said the state is addressing the physical needs in education. “Probably every state college campus has some kind of work being done. We now need to address student debt and help our students with financial aid. We need to provide resources to our state colleges that will help students with the financial burden after graduation. Student debt ranging from $80,000 to $100,000 after graduation is unacceptable,” he said.

Laugenour has an additional priority issue; tax relief, especially for “anyone earning less than $90,000 a year. We pay 10 percent in taxes while those earning higher incomes pay only five percent. We need fair taxation and the Legislature is responsible for budgets and taxes,” he said.

Laugenour advocates for more state spending on education and health “to help keep people solvent.

“Jobs, jobs and jobs is again the main issue facing the state but the Legislature must also consider a change in our progressive tax system and ways to help people secure adequate health insurance at an affordable price and ways to help our college graduates,” the challenger said.

As a veteran Legislator, Pignatelli is the ranking Democrat on committees on higher education and cultural development. He is also a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Pignatelli is a former Lenox selectman and planning board member and a former Berkshire County commissioner.

Laugenour, an artist and former teacher and former executive for Marriott International, is a member of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority and Lenox Environmental Committee.

The 4th Berkshire District represents 17 communities in Berkshire County along with Blandford, Russell and Tolland, in Hampden County.

About the candidates

William Pignatelli
Position sought: State Representative, 4th Berkshire District
Age: 53
Address: Lee
Political party: Democrat
Occupation: State representative
Education: Babson College, 2001
Elective experience: State Representative since 2003. Previously Berkshire County commissioner, Lenox selectman, Lenox Planning Board member. Ranking member House committees on higher education and cultural development. Member House Ways and Means Committee.

Lee Scott Laugenour
Position sought: State Representative, 4th Berkshire District
Age: 55
Address: Lenox
Political party: Green-Rainbow Party
Occupation: Former 20-year executive at Marriott International, artist
Education: University of Hawaii, 1980
Elective experience: None. Current member Berkshire Regional Transit Authority Board, Lenox Environmental Committee.002 gubernatorial candidate


Ballot question to update Hampshire Council of Governments charter

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The question is on the ballot in the following towns: Belchertown, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Granby, Hadley, Hatfield, Huntington, Middlefield, Pelham, Plainfield, South Hadley, Southampton, Westhampton and Williamsburg.

2012 election logo.JPG

NORTHAMPTON – The member towns of the Hampshire Council of Governments will be asked to approve revisions to the council’s charter in a special ballot question on Nov. 6.

Although Hampshire County dates back to the 1600s and is celebrating its 350th anniversary this year, its administration has undergone significant changes. In the 1990s, the state abolished the county form of government. The Hampshire Council of Governments subsequently formed to take over some of the county’s previous functions. Since then, several communities, including Northampton and Easthampton, have opted out of the council.

The ballot question asks voters in the 15 member communities to approve a number of changes to the charter that reflect the current administration and responsibilities of the Hampshire Council of Governments. Among those proposed changes is clarification of the procedure necessary for a community to join the council and a change in the terms of councilors from two to three years.

The ballot question also asks voters to alter the system of representation so that towns with more than 10 percent of the population of the entire council will have two councilors. In addition, the new charter deletes all references to Hampshire Care. In 1999, the county sold Hampshire Care, a nursing home it operated in Leeds, to the Masons.

Eileen Stewart, who represents the town of Williamsburg and sits on the Council of Governments’ executive committee, said the revised charter needs to reflect the current operation of the council.

“Things have changed,” Stewart said.

The question is on the ballot in the following towns: Belchertown, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Granby, Hadley, Hatfield, Huntington, Middlefield, Pelham, Plainfield, South Hadley, Southampton, Westhampton and Williamsburg.

Sen. Scott Brown rejects rescheduling final Massachusetts Senate debate with Elizabeth Warren

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The 4th and final debate between Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren will not take place, as Brown rejected the rescheduled date late Tuesday evening.

By Robert Rizzuto & Shira Schoenberg

Scott Brown Elizabeth Warren Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren will not participate in a 4th televised debate as Brown pulled out late Tuesday evening.

The fourth and final debate between Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren, postponed by both candidates because of Hurricane Sandy, will not take place, as Brown rejected the rescheduled date late Tuesday evening.

Around the time when the candidates would have been taking the stage at WGBH's TV studios in Brighton had the storm not come, debate organizers and then the Brown campaign confirmed that the event has been cancelled as Brown rejected Thursday as the proposed date, citing his busy campaign schedule.

"It is unfortunate that nature intervened in a way we all agreed made it inappropriate to carry on with the scheduled debate. With only days remaining in the campaign, and with a long-planned bus tour kicking off Thursday through Election Day that will take Scott Brown to every corner of the Commonwealth, our calendar simply cannot accommodate a rescheduling of this fourth debate and the planning and preparation that would go into it," said Colin Reed, a Brown campaign spokesman in a statement emailed to reporters just after 7 p.m. "Senator Brown is pleased to have participated in three major televised debates, and regrets that Professor Warren refused two additional earlier debate opportunities that he accepted."

The jab at Warren, peppered with Brown's rejection of the final debate, refers to two radio debates which Warren declined as the two began to duel over debate engagements after the Harvard Law School professor was officially nominated as the Democratic candidate at the state party's convention in Springfield.

Brown also rejected a debate sponsored by the University of Massachusetts-Boston and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate after issuing demands including one that Vicki Kennedy, the widow of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, refrain from endorsing a candidate in the election.

Following Brown's rejection of the final debate, Warren's campaign struck back, saying that the junior senator was "ducking questions about his record."

"It is unfortunate voters will not have the chance to hear from both candidates on the important issues facing Massachusetts. Elizabeth was working with the debate organizers to move forward on Thursday," said Mindy Myers, Warren's campaign manager in a statement. "Elizabeth agreed to additional debates that Brown refused in Worcester and the South Coast as well as a forum hosted by the NAACP. Scott Brown doesn't want to have to talk about his record - plain and simple."

After the duo suspended their campaigning on Monday as the storm approached, Brown and Warren both toured the hard-hit South Shore of the commonwealth on Tuesday. In the afternoon, Warren announced that the rescheduled date debate organizers proposed, Thursday, worked for her.

When asked about the debate by reporters outside Quincy Mayor Tom Koch's office later in the afternoon, Brown referred questions to his campaign, which did not respond to a request for comment on the proposed shift to Thursday until Reed issued his statement.

“If you want to talk about campaign stuff, call the campaign,” Brown said. “I’ve already put out statement that we’re dealing with, obviously, the storm and the aftermath.”

The organizers of the ill-fated debate released a statement Tuesday evening reflecting on their disappointment in the fact that despite months of planning, the event would not take place.

“This is very disappointing for all the citizens who will not have an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates a week before this important election,” said WGBH executive producer Linda Polach, who has been coordinating the effort for the consortium.

Brown and Warren have sparred in three debates, with what has ended up being the final showdown taking place at Springfield's Symphony Hall on Oct. 10.

Brown is planning a bus tour, which is scheduled to kick off on Thursday with an evening rally in Wakefield with Republican 6th Congressional District candidate Richard Tisei.

The storm effectively paused the campaign at the beginning of the week, but a new poll released on Tuesday showed Warren widening her lead over Brown.

A Suffolk University/7News poll found Warren leading Brown, 53 percent to 46 percent, with just over 1 percent undecided. However, a Boston Globe/University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll released on Monday concluded that Brown holds a slight lead over Warren, 45 percent to 43 percent, a difference withing the poll's 4 percent margin of error.

Brown spent Tuesday morning visiting the South Coast, with visits to Rehoboth, Westport and South Dartmouth. He stopped briefly to meet with the mayor of Quincy – which received relatively little damage – before heading to the coastal towns of Newbury and Gloucester. Warren toured Westport and Scituate.

Midway through his tour, Brown said the biggest storm-related concern was getting power turned back on for all Massachusetts residents. Brown also pointed to the needs of residents in areas like Westport, where he said some houses were devastated, roads were impassable and wires were down.

“It’s just getting people back on their feet,” Brown said.

NYC Marathon goes on despite city still dealing with aftermath of Superstorm Sandy

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Race organizers were still trying to assess how damage from the storm might affect plans, including getting runners into the city and transporting them to the start line on Staten Island.

10-31-12-new-york-city.JPG People shop in a candle-lit deli in New York's Tribeca neighborhood, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. In lower Manhattan, some stores are open even though their power is still out.


By RACHEL COHEN

NEW YORK – The New York City Marathon is a go for Sunday, and while logistical questions persist one thing is certain: The 26-mile route will have a disaster for a backdrop.

And a debate.

“I think some people said you shouldn’t run the marathon,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a news briefing Wednesday. “There’s an awful lot of small businesses that depend on these people. We have to have an economy. There’s lots of people that have come here. It’s a great event for New York, and I think for those who were lost, you’ve got to believe they would want us to have an economy and have a city go on for those that they left behind.”

Race organizers were still trying to assess how widespread damage from Superstorm Sandy might affect plans, including getting runners into the city and transporting them to the start line on Staten Island. Easing their worries a bit was news that 14 of the city’s 23 subway lines were expected to be operating by Thursday morning - though none below 34th Street, an area that includes the terminal for the ferries that go to the island.

And there were runners like Josh Maio who felt torn about whether the race should go on.

“It pulls resources and focus away from people in need,” said Maio, who dropped out due to an injury but is coaching about 75 runners.

He agrees the race is a boost to local businesses hurt by the storm – it brings an estimated $340 million to the city. But he is uncomfortable with devoting so much to an “extracurricular” event.

Top American Meb Keflezighi, the 2009 men’s champion, regards the marathon as “something positive ... because it will be motivation to say, ‘Look what happened, and we’ll put on the race, and we’ll give them a good show.’”

New York Road Runners President Mary Wittenberg said organizers planned to use more private contractors than past years to reduce the strain on city services. Many people have offered to work as volunteers and could fill in gaps, and many runners and fans plan to raise money to help victims of the storm.

She compared this year’s race to the 2001 marathon, held seven weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as a way to inspire residents and show the world the city’s resilience.

Jonathan Cane ran in that race, working for the police department at the time as a fitness instructor, and it was “an amazing experience.” But like Maio, he had mixed feelings about holding this year’s marathon.

“I think if they do pull it off, the city will get behind it,” said Cane, who is coaching more than 200 runners signed up for the race. “It’s already a unique event, and this will make it more so.”

Wittenberg expects the field will be smaller than the 47,500 who ran last year because some entrants can’t make it to New York, but said so far organizers had received no more cancellations than normal. New York’s three major airports were expected to be open Thursday morning with limited flights, leaving the nearly 30,000 out-of-town runners with hope that they can fly in but no guarantees.

Race organizers were rescheduling the elite runners’ flights to get them into New York on schedule, with many rerouted to Boston. Number pickup for entrants is scheduled to open Thursday morning at the Javits Center.

Meanwhile, traffic choked city streets as residents tried to return to work and limited commuter rail service resumed. Utilities say it could be days before power is fully restored in the city and on Long Island.

The course mostly avoids areas hit hardest by flooding. Getting everyone to the start on Staten Island could be the biggest challenge if two usual methods – the ferry and Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel – are still closed. Organizers are working on contingency plans.

Runners always had to rise in the wee hours of the morning to make it to the start in time, and now they may need to get going even earlier.

Once under way, runners will cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn. The route then winds through the borough and over the Pulaski Bridge into Queens. The Queensboro Bridge will bring the runners into Manhattan’s East Side. After a brief swing through the Bronx, they finish in Central Park, which was closed Wednesday. Some 250 mature trees inside the park were felled by the storm.

The 43rd edition of the marathon is set to include three Olympic medalists and the reigning women’s world champion.

Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang won bronze in the Olympic men’s marathon. His challengers include 2011 Chicago Marathon champ Moses Mosop of Kenya and 2010 New York winner Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia’s Tiki Gelana won gold and Russia’s Tatyana Arkhipova was third in the women’s race in London. Edna Kiplagat of Kenya won a world title a year earlier.

“Already what we’re hearing from people is we went through the 9/11 marathon, and there was never a more moving marathon, and what that marathon did was it unified this city and brought people back to the streets for the first time in weeks,” Wittenberg said. “What was most striking about that marathon to me was it was not about running and it wasn’t about the runners. It was about the city. And on that day, instead of the fans being there for the runners, the runners were there for the city. And this marathon already has that same feeling.”



Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren courts Democrats in closing argument to Massachusetts voters

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For Warren, this election is not just about her and Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown – it is about the party affiliation that follows their names.

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CONCORD — For Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren, this election is not just about her and Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown – it is about the party affiliation that follows their names.

“The Republicans have given us their vision,” goes a line in Warren’s stump speech, which she repeated over and over on the campaign trail on Wednesday. “Cut taxes for those at the top and let everybody else take their lumps. They have said that I got mine, the rest of you are on your own.”

As both Massachusetts Senate candidates deliver their final messages to voters, Warren is drawing on one major advantage she has in the state: demographics. According to the Secretary of State, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans in Massachusetts by a more than a three to one margin. As the race remains close, Warren and her supporters are using a partisan argument to rally the Democratic base, and encourage activists to turn out the vote on Warren’s behalf. Elect Brown, Warren and her supporters argue, and Republicans will control the U.S. Senate.

Introducing Warren to a crowd of volunteers and activists at Warren’s Haverhill field office on Wednesday, Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said he came from a Halloween party. “Everyone was dressed up in really scary costumes, so I was going to dress up as (Republican Senate Minority Leader) Mitch McConnell,” he said, to laughter. “Because can you think of anything scarier than (Republican House Speaker) John Boehner in the House of Representatives or Mitch McConnell in the Senate?”

“There’s only one vote that counts and that’s the vote about which party is going to control the United States Senate,” Fiorentini continued. “We know which way Scott Brown is going to vote.”

The argument is one that Brown has worked hard to counteract. Brown’s closing television ad, released Wednesday, is titled “People over Party.” It includes a shot of Brown with Democratic President Barack Obama and says Brown would be a senator who is independent from his party, who chooses people over politics. Brown has tried to portray Warren as an overly partisan Democrat.

National groups on both sides of the aisle have gotten involved in the Massachusetts race, largely because it is one of the few in the country that could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. And Warren and her supporters have tried to nationalize the race, tying Brown to Republican policies that are unpopular in Massachusetts.

Asked by a reporter about how to address climate change, Warren said she believes in having a strong Environmental Protection Agency, cutting subsidies to big oil and supporting offshore wind and clean energy alternatives. She then pivoted to her argument about Senate control. “Scott Brown’s going out to the other 49 states raising money saying help me get reelected because that increases the chances the Republicans are going to be in charge of the Senate,” Warren said. “And that means that Jim Inhofe would be the person who oversees the Environmental Protection Agency. This is a man who has written a book calling climate change a hoax…. Scott Brown is out there trying to get reelected in order to put those people in power.”

As she toured downtown Gloucester businesses with Democratic State Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, Warren received gifts from local businesses – a framed photo of a Gloucester fishermen’s memorial and a necklace with a pendant of Rhodonite, the Massachusetts state stone.

Then there was a stuffed Big Bird, matching one held by Lilliana DiMercurio, the 16-month-old granddaughter of City Councilor Bruce Tobey. “We care about Big Bird,” Warren quipped as she posed with Big Bird for the cameras, referring not to Brown, but to Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s comments that he would cut federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The danger for Warren in making a partisan argument is in alienating independent voters. Polling has found Warren consistently trailing Brown among independents, and voters rank Brown as more likely to be an independent voice than Warren. But at the same time, polling has found that more Massachusetts voters want Democratic control of the Senate than want Republican control – a statistic that largely reflects voters’ party affiliation.

Several voters attending Warren’s campaign events on Wednesday said party was important to them. “If you elect someone, you’re not only electing them, you’re electing that party,” said Marty Koenig, a lifelong Democrat and retired social worker from Acton.

Carol Crowell, an editor and Democratic voter from Haverhill, said, “When Obama’s re-elected, he needs a Senate he can work with.”

The Republican/MassLive.com will be reporting from the campaign trail with Brown on Thursday.

FDR campaign pin, JFK vice presidential button highlight political memorabilia collection for Wilbraham's Glen Clark

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Kennedy lost out on the vice-presidential bid to Estes Kefauver.

Glen Clark 103112.jpg Glen Clark stands with a small portion of his collection of political memorabilia, dating back to 1863.
By STAASI HEROPOULOS

EAST LONGMEADOW – Wilbraham Police Sgt. Glen Clark remembers the day he got hooked on collecting political memorabilia. His father came home with an old box full of nuts, bolts and washers – 50 pounds worth that he bought for a buck at a tag sale.

At 9, Clark was the youngest of five brothers. As the baby of the family, he was stuck rooting through the crate and helping his father sort everything out – and, baby, did he score.

“Inside this crate with all the nuts and bolts and rusted items was a 1932 Roosevelt pin. My father pulled it out and handed it to me,” Clark recalled recently. “I held it in my hand. and I was awestruck. I was awestrick.”

Clark’s passion for pins has stuck.

What began with a button mixed among rusted bolts has grown into a vast collection of political memorabilia – thousands of items including pins, posters, ribbons, tickets, receipts and other items, with the oldest piece dating back to 1863 and Abraham Lincoln.

Clark says he’s in awe not just of his collection, but the history that each piece represents. It’s also stirred emotions for the men and women who would take on the immense job of leading the world.

“The respect and admiration of all people, in an idealistic way, who ascend to the presidency, who make it a goal to go after it and achieve it,” he said.

Clark could very well take his collection on the road, making stump speeches in ways similar to his favorite candidates – Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Reagan. Although he appeared recently at the East Longmeadow Council on Aging, it is rare to get a glimpse of this man’s political cache, vestiges of a time when politicians knocked on doors, handed out pins and pined in public.

Now it’s all done electronically, making most political memorabilia just a memory.

“With the computer and electronic age campaigns are reaching out to voters through the media and the internet - through paid commercials. That’s very expensive so they’re diverting money away from buttons, ribbons, posters and bumper stickers,” said Clark.

Even as the Internet is driving bumper stickers and other political trinkets close to obsolescence, collectors like Clark are using online services to find their choice items. But while the Internet is making it easier to become a collector, Clark says there is nothing like finding a rare item on your own.

“I went into this antique shop just on a whim and there was this (John F. Kennedy) button that’s worth $700 to $1,000, depending on condition. I picked it up with three other buttons for a total of $20. Amazing,” he said.

What made the button so valuable and rare is that it was from JFK’s vice presidential bid in 1956. Adlai Stevenson had secured the Democratic nomination for president, but he threw the vice presidential nomination to convention delegations. Kennedy ran for it, but came in second to Estes Kefauver who was Stevenson’s eventual running-mate.

Clark’s collection may end up being a good investment, but for now the real value is intrinsic.

“It isn’t the value; it’s the rarity of holding a piece of JFK’s 1956 vice presidential run during the Democratic National Convention. It’s holding a piece of history,” he said. 

Pedestrian struck, seriously hurt in Northampton accident

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New South Street remained closed 3 hours after the accident as police investigated the scene.

cbs3 pix.jpg New South Street in Northampton is blocked off Wednesday night as police investigate the scene of an accident where a 35-year-old man was struck while crossing the street.

NORTHAMPTON - A 35-year-old man was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield Wednesday night with serious injuries after he was stuck by a car while crossing New South Street, police said.

The man's identity was not being released.

Sgt. Robert Powers said the accident occurred at about 4:40 p.m.

Police were still at the scene more than 3 hours later investigating the accident. Traffic on New South Street was being detoured.

Powers said the accident happened along a section of the road between the Center for the Arts building and the rear of the Academy of Music.

It was not clear yet if the man was hit while in a crosswalk. Powers said he had yet to hear specifics about the investigation from officers who were still at the scene.

No information was available on the driver of the car or any charges, he said.


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Superstorm Sandy prompts NBA to cancel home opener for Brooklyn Nets

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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged the NBA to postpone the game due to many subway lines impacted by Superstorm Sandy. 

10-31-12-barclays-center.JPGThis Sept. 28, 2012 file photo shows people arriving for the first of eight Jay-Z shows at the Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York.
 By BRIAN MAHONEY

NEW YORK – Barclays Center sits right above a major mass-transit hub, an ideal destination for fans throughout New York.

Not right now, though.

With those subways knocked out by Superstorm Sandy and no way of knowing how fans would get there, the city’s mayor decided this isn’t the time for a game.

So Michael Bloomberg asked the NBA to postpone Thursday’s highly anticipated opener between the Knicks and Nets, and the league agreed Wednesday.

“It’s a great stadium, it would have been a great game, but the bottom line is: There is not a lot of mass transit. Our police have plenty of other things to do,” Bloomberg said at a news conference.

Barclays Center sits above the Atlantic Avenue subway station complex which hosts nine subway lines and a Long Island Rail Road station, and was expanded as part of the $1 billion arena’s construction. The Nets believe that will be a major selling point in drawing fans to the games after they were plagued by poor attendance during their years in New Jersey.

But without knowing what – if any – subways would be available and with city officials still preferring people not drive into New York, the Nets agreed with the decision.

“We’re disappointed that we can’t play, but there’s a lot more important things going on right now, a lot of people displaced from their homes, a lot of people lost loved ones. So in the grand scheme of things, a basketball game really doesn’t mean much right now,” Nets point guard Deron Williams told reporters after practice. “I think it’d be hard for a lot of people to even get to the game in the first place, with public transportation being shut down. I guess it makes sense to not have the game.”

The Knicks are now scheduled to open their season at home Friday night against the Miami Heat. The Nets are scheduled to host Toronto on Saturday night.

Bloomberg said the city will work with the league to provide extra buses to Saturday’s game in case the subways are not yet operational. Brett Yormark, the Nets’ CEO, said in a statement that there would be food and beverage specials starting at 5:30 p.m.

The usual NBA policy on the status of a game is to play it if both teams and the three referees can make it to the arena. That wouldn’t have been a problem, one of the reasons the league originally planned to play as scheduled.

However, the league also wanted to be sensitive because it was the Nets’ first game, televised to a national TV audience on TNT, and didn’t want the team’s big event to be one that was largely empty.

“Mayor Bloomberg informed us this afternoon that after further analysis of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy that he felt it was in the best interests of the city of New York, the teams and our fans that we postpone the Knicks-Nets game scheduled for Thursday night,” NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver said. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this devastating storm.”

The Nets are still practicing in New Jersey this season, yet moved practice to Barclays Center after their facility in East Rutherford suffered damage from the storm. Rookie Tyshawn Taylor was unable to make it, stuck in his Hoboken home.

The NBA had said Tuesday night that the game would go on as scheduled, and fans were eager for what would have been the first major sports game in Brooklyn since the Dodgers left for Brooklyn in 1957. Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, a Brooklyn native, called it a “monumental” event for the borough.

Bloomberg said he planned to attend with his daughters and girlfriend and said players wanted to play, but he and the Nets agreed that it was better to wait.

“The right thing to do,” Nets coach Avery Johnson said. “We all would have loved to play, to bring, hopefully, the people that have power or some of the fans that could’ve made it to the building, we would have loved to have brought them some sense of entertainment or joy or whatever, but, at the same time, all of the people who were responsible for making this decision, it was the right thing to do.”

The Nets are working with the league to find a makeup date. Tickets for Thursday’s game will be honored for the rescheduled game.




West Springfield Mayor Gregory Neffinger endorses Scott Brown in Massachusetts Senate race

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In a letter announcing his endorsement, the mayor said Brown's ability to work across the aisle is what is needed at every level of government and the reason for throwing his support behind him.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — With less than a week left in the highest-profile Senate race in the country, Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown bagged another Western Massachusetts endorsement on Wednesday.

West Springfield Mayor Gregory Neffinger, also a Republican, is throwing his support behind Brown in the incumbent's bid to defeat Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren. In a letter announcing his endorsement, the mayor said Brown's ability to work across the aisle is what is needed at every level of government and the reason for throwing his support behind him.

West Springfield's Mayoral Inauguration 01/03/12 1/3/12 West Springfield - Staff photo by Michael Beswick - The West Springfield Mayoral Innauguration for Honorable Gregory C. Neffinger was held at the Municipal Building Tuesday night. Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger addresses the crowd Tuesday night.

"This attitude of consensus building is what Scott Brown has brought to Washington and for me is long overdue. He has continued fostering this attitude by meeting with the president and the leaders of the Senate to discuss ideas that will move the country forward," Neffinger wrote. "Massachusetts has a long tradition of sending legislators to Washington that were able to negotiate and build consensus. Tip O'Neal, the Speaker of the House from Massachusetts, worked with President Ronald Reagan. Scott Brown has been working in that tradition espoused by President Kennedy ... With congressional approval at just 10%, we need senators willing to rebuild respect by working together for the country."

Neffinger went on to cite Brown working with Democrats in Boston as a state representative and state senator as an example of putting people over political party, a theme which defined Brown's closing TV ad in the Senate race, which was released on Wednesday.

In the ad, Brown reminded voters of his reputation as a moderate Republican, citing the Congressional Quarterly study which concluded that based on his 2011 voting record, he was the second-most bipartisan senator in the U.S.

Neffinger became the second mayor of West Springfield in 2011 after defeating Town Councilor Gerard B. Matthews.

This past weekend, Warren was endorsed by Springfield's Democratic Mayor Domenic Sarno, who said "She's consistently been a fighter for the middle class, and I believe she will be a good federal partner to the city of Springfield."

Both candidates were scheduled to spar in one final debate this week, but after Hurricane Sandy led to cancelling the Tuesday showdown, Brown declined to reschedule the debate, citing a busy campaign schedule including a state-wide bus tour.

A Suffolk University/7News poll found Warren leading Brown, 53 percent to 46 percent, with just over 1 percent undecided. However, a Boston Globe/University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll released on Monday concluded that Brown holds a slight lead over Warren, 45 percent to 43 percent, a difference within the poll's 4 percent margin of error.

Holyoke City Clerk Susan Egan still recovering from illness and will miss presidential election

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The clerk has been battling an illness and out of work since June.

HOLYOKE — City Clerk Susan M. Egan said Wednesday she will miss another election next week as she recovers from an illness from which she hopes to return early next year.

egan.JPG Susan Egan

Egan, 63, who has been clerk for 20 years, has been out of work since June.

"The doctor said another month, probably the beginning of the year," Egan said over the phone.

She won't be there to oversee the Holyoke results Tuesday of the elections for president, state representative and other seats. She speaks daily with Assistant City Clerk Louise K. Bisson, who is in charge in her absence, she said.

Egan missed the previous city election, which was the primary election for state representative on Sept. 6.

Egan is approaching the final year of what she said will be her last, four-year term, and said she has no plans to resign before the term expires in January 2014.

"I'll come back as soon as I can. I'm coming along good," Egan said.

She declined to discuss her illness in detail. In July, Egan told The Republican and MassLive.com that on July 4, she felt what seemed to be severe heartburn. She went to the hospital, and while her heart was fine, an ulcer in her stomach was determined to be the cause of the pain. She said she was being treated for that and that her weak left leg was improving with therapy.

Asked for a comment about Egan, Mayor Alex B. Morse wrote in an email, "I have not spoken to her. I do not supervise other elected officials and her performance should be judged by the voters. Assistant Clerk Louise Bisson has done a great job leading the office in Susan's absence."

The city clerk is the official keeper of municipal records. This includes birth, death and marriage certificates. Newly formed businesses are supposed to register with the clerk’s office. The clerk also issues dog licenses.

The clerk is clerk of the City Council, preparing the agenda and keeping records of council meetings, such as recording votes. The city clerk also is clerk of elections and the city’s registrar of voters.

Former home health aide Rose-Marie Amaker of Chicopee admits stealing over $90,000 from female client, 91

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The prosecutor said sentence should be a deterrent to people planning similar crimes.

SPRINGFIELD – A prosecutor asked a judge Wednesday to send Rose-Marie Amaker to state prison for four to six years because she stole over $90,000 from a 91-year-old woman for whom she was a home health aide.

The prosecutor said such a sentence would also serve as a deterrent for people who consider stealing from elderly clients.

Amaker pleaded guilty to stealing more than $90,000 – the life savings – of the 91-year-old woman.

Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center Chicopee This is the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center in Chicopee.

Amaker’s case was one example cited in a recent story by a team from the New England Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit newsroom based at Boston University.

The team reported Massachusetts is among a handful of states that do not license or regulate the burgeoning private-pay, home-care industry. She cited increasing cases of theft from elderly clients.

Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara sentenced Amaker, 27, of Chicopee, to 2½ years in the Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center in Chicopee, with one year to be served.

The rest is suspended for five years, a probationary term during which she must pay back $8,000 a year and use no illegal drugs.

Assistant District Attorney Melissa G. Doran told Ferrara she was not asking that Amaker be made to pay any money back, because the bank involved had returned the money to the woman.

She said the bank has means, such as insurance, to cover such losses. She said she doubted Amaker could pay enough restitution to make a dent in the loss.

Ferrara ordered Amaker to pay $40,000 restitution to the bank over the five years.

Doran said the victim’s nephew, who was her guardian, was contacted by the Peoples Bank in Chicopee in January saying there were suspicious withdrawals and an ATM card had been activated.

She said Amaker had taken the victim to the bank to deposit an $80,000 annuity check and had the victim sign papers. The victim thought she was just signing a deposit slip, but she was in effect authorizing Amaker to use the account.

In a three-month period, through withdrawals as well as purchases on the ATM card Amaker activated, Amaker spent more than $90,000, Doran said.

Store and ATM videos showed Amaker using the card, she said.

Then Amaker called police to report her house was broken into and five televisions were stolen, as well as a new computer and gaming systems. Police responding found items and receipts using money from the victim’s account.

Doran said Amaker’s crime was calculated and took preparation and planning.

She said Amaker’s husband, Richard Sorrell, is charged with the same crime – larceny over $250 from a person over 60 years old or disabled – and his case is pending. Doran said Amaker was clearly the “mastermind” of the crime.

Doran said Amaker took advantage of a 91-year-old woman who needed someone to take care of her.

Defense lawyer Kathleen Cavanaugh Whitley asked for the same jail sentence as Ferrara gave.

She said Amaker’s children, ages 5 and 10, need her. Amaker had a six-year work history with no problems, and has no criminal record, Whitley said.

The reason – but not an excuse–for the crime, was that Amaker and Sorrell were addicted to cocaine and pills at the time, Whitley said.

Retired Massachusettts Appeals Court Judge Kent Smith of Longmeadow dies at age 85

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Smith was appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Court by Gov. Francis Sargent in 1972, and associate justice of the Appeals Court by Gov. Edward King in 1981.

kent.JPGKent B. Smith

LONGMEADOW - Colleagues remembered retired Massachusetts Appeals Court Justice Kent B. Smith who died Wednesday.

Smith, 85, retired from the Massachusetts Appeals Court at age 70, but continued to serve as a recall judge on the Massachusetts Appeals Court. He last presided in August.

Retired Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Justice John Greaney of Westfield, 73, a law professor at Suffolk University, said Smith was a mentor to him.

“He helped acclimate me to the Massachusetts Superior Court,” Greaney said.

In 1972 Smith was appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Court by Gov. Francis Sargent. He served on that court until 1981, when he was appointed an associate justice of the Appeals Court by Gov. Edward King.

After reaching mandatory retirement age in 1997, Smith remained with the Appeals Court as a recall justice.

Smith was always “compassionate, fair and understanding,” Greaney said. He added, “He was still working.”

Smith was born in Burlington, Vt., on March 11, 1927. He received a B.A. from American International College and graduated from Boston University School of Law in 1951.

In August of 1954 Smith became the first attorney appointed to represent indigent criminal defendants in Western Massachusetts.

Smith is the author of Criminal Practice and Procedure, a three-volume work in the Massachusetts Practice series. The work has been issued in three editions and more than 20 supplements since its original publication in 1970.

Arthur Wolf, of Wilbraham, a longtime law professor at Western New England University, remembered Smith as “a tall, husky mountain of a man.”

“He was funny, and he brought humor to the court,” Wolf said. “His questions were always right on the mark.”

Many lawyers consulted his work on criminal law, Wolf said.

Greaney said one of Smith’s more noteworthy trials in Superior Court occurred in Franklin County in 1974 when Samuel Lovejoy, as an act of civil disobedience, toppled a tower in Montague that was to be used for a nuclear power facility. At the close of the prosecution’s case, Smith ordered that a required finding of not guilty be entered for Lovejoy, who went on to become an attorney.

“Civil disobedience in those days was quite common,” Greaney said. He added, “Maybe the judge’s finding caused Lovejoy to think law a noble career.”

“Smith had many notable findings while on the Appeals Court,” Greaney said. “He was known for his correctness, clarity and fairness.”

Smith’s daughter, Barbara Carra, of Longmeadow, said her father inspired her to go to law school.

“His love for the law was second only to his love for his family,” she said.

She added that “Western Massachusetts meant so much to him.”

Carra said her father had “an encyclopedic mind” and remembered cases from years ago. She said he also had a wonderful sense of humor.

When he was seriously ill in the hospital, he continued to lighten the situation, even to the end, she said.

Smith leaves his wife, Marguerite Irwin Smith, and two daughters: Carra, of Longmeadow, and Margaret Kennedy ,of East Longmeadow; a grandson and a granddaughter.

Springfield police investigate Indian Orchard shooting; woman critically injured from self-inflicted gunshot

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The victim was rushed to the hospital with what were described as life-threatening injuries.

SPRINGFIELD - Police investigated Wednesday night a shooting at a Homestead Avenue residence that appeared to be self inflicted.

Police were called to Homestead Avenue, located off Berkshire Avenue in Indian Orchard for a report of a woman with a gunshot wound to the head.

She was rushed to the hospital with what were described as life-threatening injuries to her head.

Her name was not disclosed.

Detectives determined the shooting to be self-inflicted.

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