The event will begin with a Mass at 2 p.m. and open house from 3 to 5 p.m. Refreshments will be served across the street at Columbia Hall.

St. Patrick's Church is seen in Monson.

The event will begin with a Mass at 2 p.m. and open house from 3 to 5 p.m. Refreshments will be served across the street at Columbia Hall.

Town Meeting voters this year approved spending $83,000 in Community Preservation Act funds for the renovations, which included painting and ceiling repairs.

“This will be a huge celebration for the townspeople,” pastoral associate Wilfred “Fred” J. Fredette said.

Fredette said the church, at 22 Green St., is a National Catholic Historic Site. Built in 1864, last time the interior was painted was in 1979, according to Father Jeddie P. Brooks.

Gone is the yellow paint from the 1970s, and in its place are a “multiplicity of colors,” according to Brooks. He said the sanctuary has been painted a “beautiful blue” with the rest of the interior repainted in “earth tones.” Artech, a Meriden, Conn. firm specializing in church restorations, did the work, Brooks said.

He said the church building committee was responsible for the project. He said they are holding the rededication ceremony because they want the Community Preservation Committee, town dignitaries and residents to see how their money was spent.

Through the Community Preservation Act passed in 2006, taxpayers pay a 3 percent surcharge on their property taxes that is used for open space and recreation, affordable housing and historic preservation, and receives funds from the state for the projects in return.

Brooks said the public also will get the chance to see other completed projects that were done in recent years without community preservation money, such as the restoration of the organ, and re-leading of the stained glass windows.

Fredette said past priests also have been invited to the rededication. The church has approximately 2,500 members. New fans and lighting were donated by David Beaudoin Electric of Monson; Beaudoin also is a parishioner. He added that Griswold Glass of Palmer donated glass as well.

The couple began dating in 2005 but split several years later when Wood started dating singer Marilyn Manson.

Evan Rachel Wood arrives at the 2012 ART + FILM GALA hosted by LACMA on Saturday in Los Angeles.Wood has reportedly married longtime boyfriend and fellow actor Jamie Bell, according to numerous news sources Wednesday. AP File Photo

"True Blood" star Evan Rachel Wood and her British boyfriend Jamie Bell have gotten married, according to several new web sites.

The acting couple was spotted sporting matching rings in Los Angeles' LAX airport.

The couple began dating in 2005 but split several years later when Wood started dating singer Marilyn Manson.

Wood and Bell reunited in 2010.

Along with "True Blood," Wood is best known for roles in films like "Thirteen," "The Wrestler" and "Whatever Works."

Bell played the lead role in "Billy Elliot" and has appeared in films such as "King Kong" and "Jane Eyre."

The candidates clashed over canvassers and whether one candidate has been clear enough about which salary he would accept.

Linda L. Vacon, left, and Aaron M. Vega

HOLYOKE — A state representative candidate said Wednesday an opponent for the seat has been pitching "misconceptions and untruths" about his campaign, but she said she has only highlighted differences between them.

Democrat Aaron M. Vega, a city councilor, and Republican Linda L. Vacon, also a city councilor, along with newcomer Jerome T. Hobert, the Green-Rainbow Party nominee, are competing for the 5th Hampden District seat in Tuesday's election.

Vega and Vacon discussed their disputes in phone interviews and emails. Vega said that Vacon on her website has said the Vega campaign has paid canvassers, which he said is untrue.

Vacon also asserted in a mailing that if elected Vega would accept both a City Council and state representative salary, which also is untrue, he said.

Vega said supporters who have sought votes for him door-to-door are unpaid.

"This is a direct insult to me and all of the volunteers on my campaign. Since the spring we have knocked on over 10,000 doors across the city. We have done this because we share a vision for what this city can be. I am very proud of all my volunteers and would not have been able to do any of this without their support.," Vega said.

But Vacon said Vega is incorrect, and the part of Vacon's website that Vega cited seems to support her.

Neither Vega nor any other candidate is identified as having paid canvassers on the part of the Vacon website in question: "In my travels, I have seen paid staff going door to door for one of my competitors, and paid staff standing out. I am pleased and humbled by the loyal support of those who have steadily and without pay supported me to be your next state representative."

In an email responding to Vega's press release, Vacon wrote, "Please see my website: I did not say he was paying them. I did not even name anyone."

It was unclear how Vacon knew the canvassers she saw were being paid.

"I observed people (two together) with specific lists distributing the literature," Vacon wrote in an email.

She also provided a link to a Western Massachusetts craigslist item in which cavassers were sought at $80 a day to help Democrat Elizabeth Warren's bid for U.S. Senate.

Vega said, "I have no idea who put this ad up, but I know we have never paid people to canvass. From what I understand there was a group paying people called "the league of conservation voters"; they may worked in Holyoke, but I honestly don't know. They have never contacted us and we have never contacted them. But I know they never carried our (literature)."

The holding of both City Council and legislative seats is a distinction between Vega and Vacon. Vega has said that if elected to the Legislature, he probably would stay on the council and do both jobs. But he said he would forfeit the council pay and would not run for re-election when his term as a councilor at large expires after 2013.

Vacon said she would quit the council, as well as her job as health services director for Loomis House, because one person couldn’t devote the time that both the City Council and legislative seats deserve.

Each of the 15 councilors is paid $10,000 a year. The representative’s yearly salary is $61,133.

The Vacon home mailing that Vega cited appears to be ambiguous as far as her assertions about which pay he would accept.

The mailing lists the positions of Vacon and Vega on issues. One listing states, "Will work for one salary and step down as City Councilor in order to give 100 percent as YOUR state representative," with "Yes" under Vacon and "No" under Vega.

"Any person who enters into politics understands that negative campaigning is part of the territory. ...," Vega said. "But I have always been honest about where I stand on issues, I’ve always been accessible to the public and I will continue to be so."

Vacon said, "I did not say what he would do. I said what I would do. "

The candidates are vying to replace Michael F. Kane, a Democrat who held the state representative seat for 11 years until resigning in June to take a job with Columbia Gas of Massachusetts.

Cast members called Seaside Heights their second home.

The house made famous by the cast of MTVs Jersey Shore is empty two days after superstorm Sandy rolled through the coast, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in Seaside Heights, N.J. AP photo

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. (AP) — The shore town that Snooki and gang made famous and synonymous with their show "Jersey Shore" took a heavy hit from superstorm Sandy, with homes splintered and buried in sand, roofs flattened, the boardwalk buckled and amusement rides dumped in the ocean.

Its famous summer residents sent their prayers to those affected.

"Sandy destroyed Seaside — our second home," Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi told MTV News in a statement. "It's devastating to see our boardwalk and favorite spots ruined. My prayers go out to everyone affected by the storm."

Huge piles of sand choked the streets blocks from the beach on the narrow barrier island as construction vehicles entered the ghost town Wednesday.

Police Chief Thomas Boyd described the island scene as one of "total devastation."

An Associated Press photographer who went by the house used to film "Jersey Shore" said it appeared to have come out of the storm unscathed.

Appearing Tuesday on "The Tonight Show," Jenni "JWoww" Farley was asked by host Jay Leno about the house she owns with her fiance, Roger, in neighboring Toms River.

"Fixable, I want to say. It's really, it like hurts the heart a lot. It's really kind of devastating," she said. "But as long as like my dogs, Roger's safe, my friends are safe, we're just all without power."

Vinny Guadagnino told MTV that Seaside Heights had become his second home, while Paul "Pauly D" DelVecchio sent thanks to the "heroes" who were working to help. Sammi Giancola called the impact "devastating."

Guadagnino tweeted that the New York City borough of Staten Island, where he lives, "looks like war zone" and posted a picture of a downed tree.

He, Farley and DelVecchio asked their Twitter followers to donate $10 to the American Red Cross by texting REDCROSS to 90999. Polizzi also said she would donate but was more true to form: "Ugh trying to change my son's diaper while holding a flash light is not easy," she wrote from East Hanover, using the hashtag "nopower."

The Christmas bazaar is free to the public.

LUDLOW - About 40 vendors are expected to participate in the 15th annual St. Nick’s Christmas Bazaar which will be Saturday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in St. John the Baptist Parish Center at St. Elizabeth Church.

The event is sponsored by the League of the Sacred Heart, the men’s organization of the church.

The fund-raiser benefits the League of the Sacred Heart, but the organization is very generous in donating funds to the church and parish school, Patricia Flaherty, a member of the parish, said.

The Christmas Bazaar is free to the public. Parking also is free, Flaherty said.

A light lunch will be served for a nominal price.

Some of the items which vendors will sell at the bazaar are stained glass, photography, locally produced honey, jewelry, framed pressed flowers, baby items, chocolate, baked goods, paintings and scarves.

“There are also luggage tags, blanket throws and pillows,” Flaherty said.

She said shoppers can find items which hand crafted which are difficult to find in stores.

There is also a lottery tree raffle and a vendor raffle.

The Pioneer Valley Chapter, meanwhile, dispatched eight volunteers to New York state, with 20 more scheduled to leave.

SPRINGFIELD – From caravans of volunteer relief workers to a $100,000 donation from MassMutual Financial Group, Western Massachusetts is reaching out to hurricane-ravaged regions along the East Coast.

After dodging the worst of Superstorm Sandy, the area has responded with an outpouring of support to flooded and wind-lashed sections of Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.

Roger Crandall, chairman, president and CEO of MassMutual, announced Wednesday that the company will donate $100,000 to the Red Cross disaster relief fund, and match contributions made by employees for storm relief.

“During this most difficult time, our thoughts are with the people impacted by this epic storm,” Crandall said. “We hope that MassMutual’s support will help bring some relief to those in need.”

MassMutual, three of its subsidiaries and a number of its agencies have operations in the hardest hit areas including New York and New Jersey, according to Crandall, who said the company’s employees, field partners and customers have been extensively impacted by the storm.

Operations at the home office locations in Springfield and Enfield are currently up and running, Crandall said.

Rick Lee, director of the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, expressed gratitude for the MassMutual donation.

“MassMutual has regularly been among the first to support Red Cross relief efforts in the past at major disaster events all across the country,” Lee said.

The Pioneer Valley Chapter, meanwhile, dispatched eight volunteers to New York state Tuesday, with 20 more scheduled to leave Thursday morning at 6:30 a.m.

The local volunteers are part of a national outpouring of support by the Red Cross and other groups for residents along the path of the monster storm.

Crews from Chicopee Electric Light, and several each from Holyoke Gas and Electric and Westfield Gas and Electric are also working to provide assistance to hard-hit areas outside the region, said Chicopee Electric Light general manger Jeffrey R. Cady.

Some crews have been working in the Berkshires, where whole towns lost power during the storm. Others have gone to southern Connecticut, which was hard hit, he said.

The municipal utilities are working with other municipal crews as well as Western Massachusetts Electric Company, Cady said.

“The last thing we want is people to be without electricity for a long time,” he said.

Israel has long been suspected of assassinating al-Wazir. But only now has the country's military censor cleared the Yediot Ahronot daily to publish the information, including an interview with the commando who killed him, at least 12 years after the newspaper obtained the information.

Undated file photograph of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, left, along with his deputy Abu Jihad, right, made available by the Palestinian Authority in Gaza City of the Gaza Strip. Lifting a nearly 25-year veil of secrecy, Israel acknowledged Thursday Nov 1 2012 that it killed the deputy of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in a 1988 seaborne raid on Tunisia. Israel has long been suspected of assassinating Khalil al-Wazir, who was better known by his nom de guerre Abu Jihad. But only now has the country’s military censor cleared the Yediot Ahronot daily to publish the information, including an interview with the commando who killed him, at least 12 years after the newspaper got the information. Associated Press

JERUSALEM — Israel acknowledged Thursday it killed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's deputy in a 1988 raid in Tunisia, lifting a nearly 25-year veil of secrecy and allowing a rare glimpse into the shadowy world of its secret operations.

One of the commandos was disguised as a woman on a romantic vacation, and one of the weapons was hidden in a box of chocolates.

Khalil al-Wazir, who was better known by his nom de guerre Abu Jihad, founded Fatah, the dominant faction in the Palestinian Liberation Organization, with Arafat and was blamed for a series of deadly attacks against Israelis.abu-

Two of those involved in the operation that killed al-Wazir now hold high political office in Israel — Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Vice Premier Moshe Yaalon. At the time, Barak was deputy military chief, and Yaalon was head of the elite commando unit Sayeret Matkal. Their precise roles in the operation were not divulged, and both men's offices declined comment.

Israel has long been suspected of assassinating al-Wazir. But only now has the country's military censor cleared the Yediot Ahronot daily to publish the information, including an interview with the commando who killed him, at least 12 years after the newspaper obtained the information.

"I shot him with a long burst of fire. I was careful not to hurt his wife, who had showed up there. He died," commando Nahum Lev told Yediot prior to his death in a motorcycle accident in 2000. "Abu Jihad was involved in horrible acts against civilians. He was a dead man walking. I shot him without hesitation."

Dozens of similar operations have been attributed to Israel over the decades. But Israel rarely takes responsibility and typically does not comment about covert operations.

Israeli officials did not openly confirm the operation. But the censor's decision to allow publication, after years of stifling the account, amounted in effect to confirmation.

The military censor's main task is to block publication of material deemed a threat to national security. Israel has a longstanding policy of preventing publication of any information that would expose agents, tactics and intelligence gathering methods or put anyone still alive who was involved in harm's way.

In the al-Wazir case, though, it appears that after years of rumors and foreign reports claiming to expose the operation, along with the death of the triggerman, the censor's office decided to drop its objection to publication. Many of the details and identities of those involved still remain classified.

The Yediot report, coupled with a more detailed account in the military affairs magazine Israel Defense, described a well-planned operation months in the making.

According to the Yediot report, the operation was a joint effort by the Mossad secret service and the Sayeret Matkal.

At the time of the raid, the Palestine Liberation Organization, headed by Arafat, was based in the North African nation of Tunisia.

From a command post on an Israeli boat in the Mediterranean Sea, 26 Israeli commandos reached the Tunisia's shores on rubber boats.

Lev, the commando, approached Abu Jihad's home in the capital, Tunis, with another soldier, a man dressed as a woman. The two pretended to be a vacationing couple, with Lev carrying what appeared to be a large box of chocolates. Inside the box, however, was a gun fitted with a silencer.

According to Israel Defense, the fighter dressed as a woman carried a map and distracted the bodyguard by asking for directions, which allowed Lev to shoot him dead. Israel had tested the disguise earlier at an Israeli mall, and after the "women" received random cat calls the outfit was deemed sufficient, it said.

Another team killed a separate bodyguard and a gardener before entering the expansive villa. Lev's partner was the first to fire at the Palestinian leader. When Lev noticed al-Wazir reaching for a weapon, he shot and killed him.

Other participants then "verified the kill" by shooting the body several more times before the forces retreated to sea and back to Israel, the Yediot report said.

"I felt bad about the gardener," Lev told Yediot. "But in an operation such as this you have to make sure that any potential resistance is neutralized."

The Palestinians have long accused Israel of being behind the assassination.

Abbas Zaki, a top official in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, said the Palestinians and Tunisia should now "work to bring Israel to justice."

Zaki said the Palestinians hope their bid to gain upgraded observer status at the United Nations next month will enable them to join the International Criminal Court where they can "pursue Israel for its crimes against our people."

Al-Wazir's son, Jihad al-Wazir, who currently heads the Palestinian central bank, said the family had no comment.

On the surface, Wazir was a quiet, soft spoken figure in an organization replete with flamboyant characters. He eschewed the high-living that tainted some PLO figures during the organization's years in Beirut, with its night clubs and cafes. That enabled him to maintain the respect of all the factions within the often deeply divided PLO.

But behind the mild, non-threatening facade was a man capable of using brutality and bloodshed to advance the cause of Palestinian independence. He was largely responsible for organizing PLO underground cells within the West Bank and Gaza. He maintained close ties to Soviet Bloc countries that were a source of weapons and political support, even as Arafat himself was reaching out to the West.

Al-Wazir had long been wanted in a series of deadly attacks against Israeli civilians. Among them, he masterminded a 1975 hostage taking at a Tel Aviv hotel in which 11 Israelis were killed, and a 1978 attack on an Israeli bus that killed 38 Israelis.

At the time of his death, he was a main organizer of the first Palestinian uprising against Israel, which began in December 1987, four months before he was killed.

Israel has carried out similar assassination operations in the past, including the killing of top leaders of Black September, the Palestinian group that carried out the massacre of 11 members of the Israeli delegation to the 1972 Munich Olympics.

It is also suspected of a series of other plots it has never confirmed or denied.

Among the most prominent:

— In 1995, the founder of the Islamic Jihad group Fathi Shikaki was gunned down in Malta by a man on a motorcycle in an attack widely attributed to Israel.

— In 2008, Imad Mughniyeh, a top commander in the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, was killed by a bomb that ripped through his car in Damascus, Syria. Hezbollah and its primary patron, Iran, have blamed Israel for the killing.

— In 2010, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a top Hamas operative, was killed in a Dubai hotel room in an operation attributed to Israel's Mossad.

Iran also blames Israel for covert plots against its nuclear program and the killing of top scientists. In turn, Iran and Hezbollah have been blamed for various attacks on Israelis abroad.

Ameristar Casinos is planning an advertising blitz for its planned Springfield casino.

A new company is entering the competition for a casino license in Massachusetts.

Chicago casino and real ­estate developer Neil G. Bluhm will pursue a casino in Massachusetts and will send a company official to meet with consultants for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission next week, said an executive in Bluhm's company.

Greg Carlin

"We think Massachusetts is a great market for gaming," Greg Carlin, chief executive officer of Rush Street Gaming, told a reporter Thursday. "We're excited to pursue one of the licenses."

The new entrant in the Massachusetts casino competition comes as Ameristar Casinos of Las Vegas is planning an advertising blitz for its planned Springfield casino.

At a reporter's request, Stephen P. Crosby, chairman of the gaming commission, on Wednesday released the name of Bluhm's Massachusetts company, which is called Massachusetts Gaming & Entertainment, LLC.

Crosby declined to provide contact information or an address for the company.

Carlin said he could not say where in Massachusetts the company would seek a gaming license. He said they have not gone public with a site.

The Chicago company might provide the extra competition being sought by the gaming commission. The commission has been seeking more competition in the Boston area, which so far has only one bidder.

"We haven't decided what we are going to do yet," Carlin said on Thursday, when reached after several attempts.

Bluhm's company has several casinos including projects in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Des Plaines, Illinois.

Troy A. Stremming

As part of its ad campaign, Ameristar is placing a two-page advertisement in the Sunday Republican called "Ameristar Offers More." The company, which is planning a casino on 41 acres off Interstate 291 and Page Boulevard in Springfield, also is planning to place ads on the buses of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority and to finance several billboards, said Troy A. Stremming, a senior vice president with Ameristar, said Thursday.

Stremming said Ameristar has "a good story" and wants to tell it.

In Springfield, Ameristar is competing with MGM Resorts International, which is proposing a casino for 10 acres in the South End of the city's downtown.

MGM has also worked on public relations in Springfield by donating $50,000 to the South End Community Center and $15,000 to July 4 festivities in Springfield. MGM is also sponsoring the Springfield Falcons Hockey Team.

Penn National Gaming, working in partnership with Peter A. Picknelly, the CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines, is also planning a casino in Springfield along Main Street in the North End including on property owned by The Republican and the bus company.

Ameristar's push comes as the three casino companies face a Dec. 14 deadline for submitting materials under a final phase of the city of Springfield's effort to solicit bids.

While Springfield has a bidding process for the city, the gaming commission is moving forward with its own process.

The state's expanded gambling law authorizes casinos in three regions of the state including one for anywhere in the four counties of Western Massachusetts.

The company that owns the Mohegan Sun is proposing a casino for Palmer. The Mohegan Sun would compete for the Western Massachusetts license with whatever company or companies emerges from the Springfield competition, which is being led by Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.

Suffolk Downs and its partner, Caesars Entertainment of Las Vegas, are planning a casino in Boston. The Plainridge Racecourse is seeking a license for a single slots parlor allowed in the state law.

Representatives of all seven companies are scheduled for meetings on Monday and Tuesday with consultants for the gaming commission, Crosby said.

The commission, which would license and regulate casinos, is holding the meetings to decide which officials in a company will face background checks.

"There might be a debate about how far into an organization our background checks have to go," Crosby said. "If there is a debate, that's what we would debate in a private meeting with each of the bidders. In the end, it is up to us to decide, but we are happy to hear people out and talk about it."

The Wampanoag tribe of Mashpee is seeking to open a casino in Taunton. The tribe is not part of next week's meetings with the gaming commission since it was given special rights to a casino license in the southeast part of the state.

Permits can still be issued on a day to day basis.

LUDLOW - The Department of Public Works will cease issuing permits for construction within public ways as of Nov. 15.

Permits for work in the public ways can still be issued on a day to day basis, weather permitting and for emergencies as approved by the DPW.

Emergency permits issued under these circumstances will be monitored and inspected as work is underway and may include special provisions relative to the work.

Issuance of these permits will resume on April 1.

A gas station was once located on the parking lot, and the property contains hazardous waste.

Workers rebuild sidewalks on Exchange Street as part of Chicopee Downtown improvements last year. The Republican file photo / Michael S. Gordon

CHICOPEE — Confronted with a variety of complicated questions about a privately owned parking lot in downtown, the City Council has rejected a proposal to spend $10,000 to have the property appraised.

The property, owned by the Ferris family and located between Chapman, School and Center streets, has been identified as a key parcel of land in the redevelopment of the downtown area, especially because there are complaints about a lack of parking, Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said.

“What we would like to do is acquire it and get grants to clean it up,” he said.

The lot is currently blocked off. Bissonnette said he would like to eventually use it as a city parking lot.

But the transaction is not a simple matter of taking the land by eminent domain. A gas station was once located on the property; underground tanks have never been removed, and the site is identified as being contaminated with hazardous waste by the state Department of Environmental Protection, Bissonnette said.

“Historically parcel 78-32 included a gas station (1930s-1960s) with underground tanks ... The soil and groundwater at this location have been determined to be impacted by oil,” according to a written report from City Planner Catherine L. Brown.

The site has also been identified in several studies on downtown improvement as an ideal spot for a two-story parking structure that would be accessed on one level on Center Street and on the second level at Chapman or School Street, she said.

City Councilors first proposed to study the issue more in its finance subcommittee, but that was rejected 7-6. It then voted 13-0 against approving spending the $10,000 to assess the land.

Several councilors, who have real estate experience, said they believed more information about the contamination needs to be discovered before any assessment can be done.

“Let's find out what the problem is before we appraise it,” said Councilor John L. Vieau, who is a real estate appraiser.

Councilor Gerry Roy, who is a real estate broker, agreed more information is needed.

“Sometimes properties like this have less than zero value,” Roy said. “If I owned this property, I would want to give it to the city, and I think the city would be a sucker to take it.”

Other councilors cited the cost of demolishing the former Market Square Billiards building on Springfield Street. The original anticipated cost of $350,000 to raze the structurally compromised building and turn it into a parking lot nearly doubled after hidden asbestos and hazardous waste were discovered later.

“It doesn’t make much sense to me now,” Councilor Frederick T. Krampits said. “The mayor can always refile it after we get more information on the contamination.”

he boys, 2-year-old Brandon and 4-year-old Connor Moore, were sucked into the swirling floodwaters as their mother, Glenda Moore, tried to escape her SUV after it stalled Monday in the deluge on Staten Island.

Damian Moore, reacts as he approaches the scene where at least one of his childrens' bodies were discovered in Staten Island, New York, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012. Brandon Moore, 2, and Connor Moore, 4, were swiped into swirling waters as their mother tried to escape her SUV on Monday amid rushing waters that caused the vehicle to stall during Superstorm Sandy. Police said the mother, Glenda Moore, was going to her sister's home in Brooklyn when she tried to flee the vehicle with the boys, only to have the force of the rising water and the relentless cadence of pounding waves rip the boy's small arms from her Associated Press

By EILEEN CONNELLY

NEW YORK — Two young brothers swept from the arms of their mother by the violent sea at the height of Superstorm Sandy were found dead in a marsh Thursday, a tragic exclamation mark on an epic storm.

The boys, 2-year-old Brandon and 4-year-old Connor Moore, were sucked into the swirling floodwaters as their mother, Glenda Moore, tried to escape her SUV after it stalled Monday in the deluge on Staten Island, one of the areas hardest hit by the storm that has claimed 90 lives.

"Terrible, absolutely terrible," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said as he announced that the bodies had been discovered on the third day of a search that included police divers and sniffer dogs.

"It just compounds all the tragic aspects of this horrific event."

Police said the 29-year-old mother had driven from her flooded home toward her sister's house in Brooklyn when the car became stuck about 6:10 p.m. Monday, forcing her to confront the rising water and the relentless cadence of pounding waves as she clung to her boys' arms.

"As the water swelled she lost her grip of her children and they were swept away," police said in a release.

Kelly said the mother "was totally, completely distraught. She started looking for them herself, asking people to help her look."

After the boys disappeared, police said, Moore fled and in a panic climbed fences and went door-to-door looking in vain for help in a neighborhood that was presumably largely abandoned in the face of the storm.

Police said she flagged down an emergency vehicle about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and authorities began their search. Police said she told them she tried to find help and eventually gave up, spending the night trying to shield herself from the storm on the front porch of an empty home.

The search continued in the days that followed, with numerous emergency personnel joining the march through Staten Island marshland. The bodies were found about 100 feet from each other at the end of a narrow dead end street.

Television video later showed the water-logged SUV, two children's car seats visible through a window.

Damian Moore, the boys' father, reached on his cell phone, said he had no comment about the tragedy.

The boys were among 19 storm victims found on Staten Island, out of nearly 40 who died in New York City's five boroughs. Those identified Thursday included a couple who apparently drove away from their home as the storm struck.

The 89-year-old man and 66-year-old woman were found lying next to a car in a vacant lot. Police believe they drowned after climbing out to escape rising water.

Authorities stressed that the death toll was preliminary, and that the total could change if the medical examiner determines any deaths were not storm-related.

Another solid waste subcommittee appointed by the former mayor, laid out options for household trash disposal once the landfill closes.

NORTHAMPTON – The solid waste subcommittee of the Board of Public Works will continue the dirty job of calculating the city’s future trash needs when it meets at Department of Public Works headquarters at 8 a.m. Friday.

Just as investors have to deal with the uncertainty of the stock market, the three-member committee is hindered by the fluctuating nature of waste disposal. A major factor in the cost to Northampton residents of disposing their waste is the closing of the city’s municipal landfill on Glendale Road. However, that will not happen until next year and the repercussions, while expensive, have not yet been figured in dollars and cents.

Board of Public Works chairman Terry Culhane, who is not on the subcommittee, said its more likely topics for discussion will be issues such as whether to keep the transfer stations on Locust Street and Glendale Road both open to the public and how much this will cost. Residents currently pay $2 to dump a 36-gallon bag of trash at those locations. The operations would have to be self-sustaining, Culhane said.

“The city clearly wants us to not take money from the tax base,” he said. “We’re working through what’s fiscally possible.”

The transfer station on Locust Street is convenient for a greater number of residents and should remain open, Culhane said. However, the Glendale Road facility has loads of room for leaf disposal and yard waste.

Although the city stresses waste reduction, in order for the transfer stations to prosper, the volume of both recyclables and household waste has to be high. Recyclables such as paper have dwindled in recent years, in part because newspapers are thinner, Culhane said.

Looking ahead, another solid waste task force appointed by former Mayor Mary Clare Higgins, which has since disbanded, has laid out options for household trash disposal once the landfill closes. These include curbside pick-up by the city. In order for this to work, Culhane said, a majority of residents must participate.

“If people opt out, it’s not worth it,” he said.

Currently, about half of all city households use private haulers, according to Culhane.

The Solid Waste Subcommittee is not expected to come up with formal recommendations Friday but is working in that direction. Culhane said he does not expect the full Board of Public Works to take up the matter until next year.

Some of the nuggets in the recall were distributed to stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Perdue Foods LLC of Bridgewater, Va., is recalling more than 1,400 pounds of chicken nuggets after it was discovered the product was improperly labeled by not listing milk among the ingredients, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday.

Some of the nuggets in the recall were distributed to retail stores in Massachusetts.

The recall applies to bundled packages of Perdue Original Chicken Breast Nuggets containing 3 12-ounce trays packs. Each package bears the establishment number "P.369" and is marked with a sell-by date of Dec. 16, 2012.

The nuggets were made on Oct. 16.

In addition to Massachusetts, the product was also distributed to stores in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

According to the Department of Agriculture's Food and Safety Inspection Service, the problem was discovered by the company and occurred as a result of an ingredient reformulation and a labeling error.

There have been no reports of anyone with milk allergies having adverse reactions to the consumption of the nuggets. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

The problem was discovered by the company and occurred as a result of an ingredient reformulation and a labeling error. FSIS and the company have not received reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Purdue Consumer Relations at 1-877-727-3447.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov.
The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m.Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it doesn't yet know the significance of the bacterial contamination discovered in recalled New England Compounding Center products.

In this photo made available, Oct. 9, 2012, by the Minnesota Department of Health shows shows vials of the injectable steroid product made by New England Compounding Center implicated in a fungal meningitis outbreak that were being shipped to the CDC from Minneapolis. On Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the fungus was in one lot of vials made in August, 2012 by the New England Compounding Center of Framingham, Mass. The specialty pharmacy has been at the center of a national investigation into more than 250 fungal meningitis cases, including at least 20 deaths. Associated Press

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By JAY LINDSAY
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Federal regulators said Thursday that they've found contamination in more drugs made by a pharmacy tied to a deadly meningitis outbreak.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it doesn't yet know the significance of the bacterial contamination discovered in recalled New England Compounding Center products. Some of the bacteria found are rarely cited as a cause of disease in humans. And no NECC products have been tied to reports of infection from the bacteria, the FDA said.

But the agency said the findings bolster concerns about a lack of sterility at the now-closed company. Investigators there have already found standing water from a leaking boiler, filthy floor mats and records indicating drugs were shipped before sterility tests were returned.

The FDA test results were released hours after an announcement Thursday by U.S. Rep. Ed Markey that he'll introduce legislation to strengthen the federal oversight over compounding pharmacies, which custom-mix solutions that generally aren't commercially available. They aren't regulated by the FDA.

Also Thursday, Massachusetts enacted emergency regulations that, like Markey's bill, aim to prevent compounding pharmacies from being regulated like mom-and-pop drug stores if they're actually large drug-making operations.

"Somehow, the New England Compounding Center fell into a regulatory black hole, until it caused the worst public health disaster in our country in recent memory," Markey said.

Markey announced his legislation in a parking lot outside the NECC building in Framingham. A tainted steroid made there, and used to treat back pain, has caused a fungal meningitis outbreak that's spread to 19 states, sickening 377, 28 of whom have died.

The FDA tests results released Thursday found bacteria in three separate batches of betamethasone, a steroid used to treat joint pain arthritis that's different from the steroid implicated in the outbreak.

The agency also noted finding bacteria in cardioplegia solution, a drug used in open heart surgeries. Earlier FDA tests had found one type of fungal contamination in the same product.

The company had no comment on the findings.

Under Markey's legislation, to be introduced Friday, compounding pharmacies would be regulated by the FDA if, like a drug manufacturer, they produce bulk quantities of a medication for general distribution. Officials say that's what NECC was doing, though its state license allowed it only to produce drugs for individual patients with valid prescriptions.

Markey, who sits on a committee with oversight over the FDA, said the company was posing as something it was not to avoid more stringent oversight.

A spokesman for NECC said the company intended to follow the law in whatever state it was licensed in. He didn't comment on Markey's legislation.

The bill also prevents compounding pharmacies from producing copies of commercially available drugs. It requires pharmacies to label compounded drugs to show they haven't been tested by the FDA. And it requires the FDA to compile a list of drugs that aren't safe or effective when compounded.

The legislation is modeled on a 1997 law that was struck down after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled its restrictions on how the companies marketed their drugs violated First Amendment rights.

Markey said his bill avoids that problem by not addressing any marketing restrictions, though he said he still expects the compounding industry to fight it.

David A. Ball, a spokesman for the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists, said the group was still reviewing the legislation.

"We plan to work closely with members of Congress and their staff in the development of new legislation and/or regulation that will ensure the safest possible practice of compounding," he said.

In Massachusetts on Thursday, the state Board of Registration in Pharmacy passed emergency rules focused on ensuring that compounding pharmacies produce drugs only for patient-specific prescriptions.

The emergency rules require compounding pharmacies to submit biannual reports on how many prescriptions they dispensed and where. They're also required to sign, under the penalty of perjury, affidavits stating that they are only mixing and dispensing prescriptions for individual patients.

Sanderson has written and illustrated 12 books, all fairy tales.

Children's author Ruth Sanderson, of Monson, is seen with some of her books at the Mountain View Elementary School in East Longmeadow, where she recently spoke to a group of students. Stassi Heropoulos photo

Sanderson spoke recently to students at Mountain View Elementary School, and, while her appearance was real, there were magical moments for children who read her stories about enchanted forests, magic rings, and kings.

“Her books are really good, and what I mean by that is she gives a lot of good word choice. I’m getting one of her books and I’m so excited,” said fourth-grader Mackenzie Richards. “What I enjoy most about fairy tales is anything can happen.”

Sanderson now lives in Easthampton where there is a thriving arts community. She has written and illustrated 12 books, all fairy tales. She says they’re as much for adults as children. “I don’t think there’s an upper limit for fairy tales; they’re for all ages,” she said.

Sanderson retells classic fairy tales like “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” Each night when the princesses go to bed they have new shoes, yet each morning when the king wakes his daughters their shoes are worn out. The king can’t solve the mystery so he appeals to his subjects – offering a daughter’s hand in marriage to the sleuth who can solve the mystery. Sanderson reads several versions of a fairy tale before settling in to tell it her way.

“I change the names and faces and write it in a slightly more modern style. The older style doesn’t have quite as much dialogue so you make it a little more interesting for today’s child,” she said.

Sanderson also bases her fairy tales on the reality of her childhood. “The story takes place in the fifteenth century in Europe because that’s where the castles are, but the setting is inspired by the woods of Monson,” she said. “I loved playing in the woods. They are magical woods with golden trees. That always appealed to me.”

Sanderson says she was born to love fairy tales they way other people are drawn to different genres. She says that while modern stories and movies can leave people frustrated and angry, fairy tales usually don’t do that.

“Often it’s the underdog that wins and we all love rooting for the underdog. It’s always the youngest son or someone who’s a simpleton. The helpers are magical and the animals talk. That is so appealing to children and people of any age,” said Sanderson.

There will be likely a time when fourth-grader Julia Peteros cries when her hero dies or gets angry when the villain wins. But for now she’s content to get lost in a fairy tale. “I like reading fairy tales because most of the time they end happily. In the middle sometimes it can get bad or sad but then it ends happily.”

Some 630,000 homes, businesses and buildings in the city and Westchester County remained without electricity Thursday.

The New York skyline remains dark Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, as seen from the Williamsburg neighborhood in the Brooklyn borough of New York. In an attempt to lessen damage from saltwater to the subway system and the electrical network beneath the city's financial district, New York City's main utility cut power to about 6,500 customers in lower Manhattan. But a far wider swath of the city was hit with blackouts caused by flooding and transformer explosions. Associated Press

By JENNIFER PELTZ

NEW YORK — Manhattan residents without power after Superstorm Sandy generally will have it back by Saturday, but many outages in the city's other boroughs and northern suburbs will last another week and some as long as two weeks, utility officials said Thursday.

Some 630,000 homes, businesses and buildings in the city and Westchester County remained without electricity as utility Consolidated Edison pumped water out of flooded underground vaults in Manhattan and grappled elsewhere with wind-downed overhead power lines.

While Con Ed has restored power to 280,000 customers since the storm, officials warned that it would be until Nov. 10 or 11 before most of the damage to overhead lines was repaired and a week longer before all of it was fixed. The utility initially said it would take at least a week to fix the damage from the monster storm, which struck Monday night.

The timeframe grew longer after Con Ed got a look at the damage, operations Vice President John Miksad said.

"We don't want to blow smoke on this," he said. "We want to make sure that folks can plan their lives accordingly. We're doing our damnedest ... but it is what it is, and it's a long, hard slog to get this restoration done."

Still, residents and local officials grew increasingly frustrated.

In stricken parts of Brooklyn, "it's unimaginable that these communities may have to wait more than two weeks to have power back," Borough President Marty Markowitz said.

His counterpart in Queens, Helen Marshall, said residents of devastated areas there "want to make certain that we are getting our fair share of resources."

While prospects were brighter in Manhattan, politicians and residents alike worried for disabled and elderly people stuck in tall buildings where the power outage means elevators, heat and often running water aren't working.

In Stephen Weisbrot's still-dark lower Manhattan neighborhood, "a lot of people are living in high-rises who haven't been able to come down because they're so high up," the 21-year-old said. "I feel like it's slowly turning into a humanitarian crisis."

The diverging timelines for getting power back in Manhattan and elsewhere reflect the different ways power is supplied in the city, Con Ed says.

The Manhattan outages involve flooded underground lines and a transformer fire at a substation during the storm. The outages are numerous — about 220,000 customers are without power — but they're more concentrated and faster to fix than are the 100,000 downed overhead power lines around the city and Westchester County, some in areas where trees are down and roads are blocked, Miksad said.

While Con Ed aims to turn the power back on throughout Manhattan by Saturday, that doesn't mean the lights will go on in every blacked-out building. About 130 buildings, many of them in the financial district, suffered so much flooding that their own electrical equipment is damaged or still underwater, Miksad said.

And some large buildings and apartment complexes will still be waiting for heat, hot water and other services that come from Con Ed's underground steam system. The system was shut down south of midtown during the storm and will probably take about another week to put back into service in some places, Miksad said.

Con Ed doesn't have a detailed estimate of the costs of fixing the outages but expects the bill to run hundreds of millions of dollars.

Five days before the election, Republican challenger Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama vied forcefully for the mantle of change.

President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign event at Cheyenne Sports Complex in Las Vegas on Thursday. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

DOSWELL, Va. (AP) — Five days before the election, Republican challenger Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama vied forcefully for the mantle of change Thursday in a country thirsting for it after a painful recession and uneven recovery, pressing intense closing arguments in their unpredictably close race for the White House. Early voting topped 22 million ballots.

Republicans launched a late push in Pennsylvania, long viewed as safe for Obama. The party announced a $3 million advertising campaign that told voters who backed the president four years ago, "it's OK to make a change." Romney and running mate Paul Ryan both announced weekend visits to the state.

The Obama campaign was increasing its ad buy in Pennsylvania following the RNC's move, an aide said while declining to cite how just much the campaign planned to spend.

A three-day lull that followed Superstorm Sandy ended abruptly, the president campaigning briskly across three battleground states and Romney piling up three stops in a fourth. The Republican also attacked with a tough new Spanish-language television ad in Florida showing Venezuela's leftist leader, Hugo Chavez, and Raul Castro's daughter, Mariela, saying they would vote for Obama.

The storm intruded once again into the race, as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed the president in a statement that said Sandy, which devastated his city, could be evidence of climate change.

Of the two White House rivals, Bloomberg wrote, "One sees climate change as an urgent problem that threatens our planet; one does not. I want our president to place scientific evidence and risk management above electoral politics."

The ever-present polls charted a close race for the popular vote, and a series of tight battleground surveys suggested neither man could be confident of success in the competition for the 270 electoral votes that will decide the winner.

The presidential race aside, the two parties battled for control of the Senate in a series of 10 or more competitive campaigns. The possibility of a 50-50 tie loomed, or even a more unsettled outcome if former Gov. Angus King of Maine, an independent, wins a three-way race and becomes majority-maker.

Obama's aides left North Carolina off the president's itinerary in the campaign's final days, a decision that Republicans trumpeted as a virtual concession of the state.

Yet Romney's team omitted Ohio and Wisconsin from a list of battlegrounds where they claimed narrow advantage.

The Republican National Committee ad in Pennsylvania aired earlier in other areas of the country. Far less aggressive than many of the GOP attacks on the president, it said Obama took office promising economic improvement but had failed to deliver. "He tried. You tried. It's OK to make a change," says the announcer.

Republicans said the decision for Romney and Ryan to campaign in the state reflected late momentum, while Democrats said it was mere desperation.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks at a campaign stop at Meadow Event Park, in Richmond, Va., on Thursday. AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

"It is an improbable uphill climb for Mitt Romney to win a state where he has never been up in a single poll, he has no ground game and we have a voter registration advantage of more than 1 million people," said Jennifer Psaki, an Obama spokeswoman.

Romney and his allies also made late investments in Minnesota and Michigan, states that went comfortably for Obama in 2008 but poll much closer four years later.

In a possible boost for Obama, government and private sources churned out a spate of encouraging snapshots on the economy, long the dominant issue in the race. Reports on home prices, worker productivity, auto sales, construction spending, manufacturing and retail sales suggested the recovery was picking up its pace, and a measurement of consumer confidence rose to its highest level since February of 2008, nearly five years ago.

Still, none of the day's measurements packed the political significance of the campaign's final report on unemployment, due out Friday. Joblessness was measured at 7.8 percent in September, falling below 8 percent for the first time since Obama took office.

Unemployment alone explained the competition to be the candidate of change, the slogan Obama memorably made his own in 2008 and struggles to hold now.

"Real Change On Day One," read a huge banner at Romney's first appearance of the day, in Roanoke, Va., and the same on a sign on the podium where he spoke in Doswell.

"This is a time for greatness. This is a time for big change, for real change," said the former Massachusetts governor, a successful businessman who says his background gives him the know-how to enact policies that will help create jobs. "I'm going to make real changes. I'm going to get this economy going, from day one we're making changes."

He and his running mate also poked at Obama's proposal to create a Department of Business by merging several existing agencies, including the Commerce Department, and the Republican campaign released a television ad on the subject.

"I don't think adding a new chair in his Cabinet will help add millions of jobs on Main Street," jabbed Romney.

To dramatize his economy-based appeal, the Republican challenger also stopped by Bill's Barbecue, a decades-old restaurant in Richmond that closed its doors during the long recession. Walking inside past the "Do Not Enter" signs, he asked owner Rhoda Elliott what had happened.

"Usually when we have a small hiccup in the economy, they go from the white cloth, which is Morton's and those, and then they — we're the next step, and so we usually fare pretty good. But this one lasted so long they went down the next step, and that's where it is right now," said Elliott.

"Yeah. Yeah. Taco Bell," Romney interjected, offering an example of a more down-market option.

Obama seemed intent on making up for lost campaign time after a three-day turn as hands-on commander of the federal response to Sandy, although aides stressed he remained in touch with the administration's point man, FEMA Director Craig Fugate, and local officials.

One day after touring storm-battered New Jersey with Republican Gov. Chris Christie, he walked off Air Force One in Green Bay, Wis., wearing a leather bomber jacket bearing the presidential seal and promptly lit into Romney.

In the campaign's final weeks, his rival "has been using all his talents as a salesman to dress up" policies that led to the nation's economic woes. "And he is offering them up as change," Obama said.

"What the governor is offering sure ain't change. Giving more power back to the biggest banks isn't change. Leaving millions without health insurance isn't change. Another $5 trillion tax cut that favors the wealthy isn't change. Turning Medicare into a voucher is change, but we don't want that change," he said.

The president's campaign went up with a new ad featuring Collin Powell endorsing the president. "I think we ought to keep on the track we're on," says the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who was secretary of state under President George W. Bush.

Officials said the ad would run in 10 states, including Minnesota, one of the states where Romney and his GOP allies launched late advertising.

A separate Obama commercial had a more limited exposure — and a harsher message. Aimed at voters in Michigan and Ohio, it cites independent fact-checkers and top executives from Chrysler and General Motors to rebut Romney's recent ads that suggest auto jobs are moving to China from the United States.

Both campaigns invested heavily in early voting, and more than 3.1 million had already been cast in Florida alone. None will be counted until Election Day.

We understand the impetus for questions aimed at relieving and ending human suffering, but the proposed laws need more study.

We have long argued on this page that legislation by the ballot box is no way to run a government. While the idea of voting on laws piece by piece has its appeal, it’s a practice that should be used sparingly. After all, that’s why we elect representatives and seat them in legislatures. The presumption is that by offering a forum for debate and compromise, along with judicial review, complicated issues can be studied and decisions rendered while still protecting minority rights from the passions of the day.

Nonetheless, ballot questions persist. There are three questions on Tuesday’s ballot.

Question 1 would make manufacturers’ repair data and diagnostic codes for vehicles, available to independent auto mechanics and big retailers. We wholeheartedly agree with the principle at stake in the so-called “right to repair” issue. Under the threat of the ballot question, the auto industry agreed to compromise legislation that calls on auto makers to make repair data available through a standardized system, giving them until 2018 to comply. Officials at AAA of Pioneer Valley in West Springfield and AAA of Southern New England disagree with the measure and are seeking a “yes” vote on Question 1.

We favor skipping Question 1, and allowing the Legislature to do its job in crafting the bill with input from both sides.

Questions 2 and 3 concern much more serious issues – the right of terminally ill patients to seek the help of a physician to end their life and the medical use of marijuana. We understand the impetus for ballot questions on both of these issues. Anyone who has watched a loved one suffer from afflictions such as Lou Gehrig’s disease or any other debilitating and fatal conditions would want them to have the option of ending their own suffering. And few would begrudge a patient medical marijuana if it would dull the their pain and suffering.

Voters should vote their conscience on Questions 2 and 3. But we are worried about concerns that medical experts have raised about flaws in both measures. For that reason, we recommend skipping question 1 and voting “no” on Question 2, physician-assisted suicide; and Question 3, on legalizing the medical use of marijuana.

Gregory Kallfa plans to retire later this month after nearly 30 years as Westfield city treasurer.

WESTFIELD – Meghan C. Miller says she is prepared and ready to begin her new duties as Westfield’s new city treasurer later this month.

Miller received the appointment on a 10-2 vote of the City Council Thursday night to succeed the retiring Gregory I. Kallfa.

She received the unanimous support of the council’s three-member Personnel Action Committee last week as having the educational background and enthusiasm to master the job as the city’s top financial officer.

Miller, a Westfield resident, was one of four finalists for the position. Other finalists were Springfield Treasurer-Collector Stephen J. Lonergan, Palmer’s Treasurer-Collector Paul A. Nowicki and Kathleen Cooley, a fiscal manager at the New England Farm Workers’ Council.

The three year appointment will begin as soon as Miller completes negotiations with the city’s Human Resources Department on salary. Kallfa plans to retire later this month after nearly 30 years as treasurer. Miller currently is an assistant controller at Appleton Corporation in Holyoke, a position she has held since June. Previously, she worked as a senior auditor at Wolf & Company in Springfield.

Personnel Action Committee chairman Councilor Brent B. Bean II said “all four finalists were very highly qualified to succeed Gregory Kallfa. Her experience gives her the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in this position.”

PAC member Anne W. Callahan said Miller will “bring fresh ideas to this department.”

Councilor Brian P. Sullivan said “Meghan brought real enthusiasm for this job with her during the interview process. She will master her new position.”

But, Councilor David A. Flaherty said while Miller “has the educational background and is very bright” he could not ignore the experience other candidates brought, specifically Lonergan and Nowicki. “She is very smart and has the talent to get there in the future but a couple other candidates would have been better,” he said.

Council President Christopher Keefe also voted against Miller’s appointment. Last week when the PAC voted to recommend Miller for the job, Keefe also pointed to positions currently held by Lonergan and Nowicki.

Lonergan told a reporter last week that although he was disappointed he did not receive the PAC’s endorsement, the selection process was fair.

Church won the prestigious Country Music Association Awards honor for his breakthrough record, "Chief."

Eric Church performs onstage at the 46th Annual Country Music Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on Thursday in Nashville, Tenn. AP

By CHRIS TALBOTT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After years of feeling like an outsider, Eric Church found a home Thursday night at the Country Music Association Awards.

Church won prestigious honor album of the year for his breakthrough record "Chief," signaling his complete acceptance by the country music community.

"I spent a lot of my career wondering where I fit in — too country, too rock," Church told the crowd. "I want to thank you guys for giving me somewhere to hang my hat tonight."

The North Carolina native was this year's leading nominee, breaking through in prestigious categories for the first time. Yet no one was more surprised than Church, who said he certainly had no expectation of winning.

"Never, especially with our journey," Church said. "I mean our path's been a little bit different. I distinctly remember playing for eight people in Amarillo, Texas, four years ago, and to go from there to here is quite surreal."

It wasn't the surprise-filled night's only surreal moment. In one of the awards' most emotional moments in recent memory, husband and wife stars Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert won song of the year.

As Lambert openly wept on stage, Shelton recounted for the ABC television audience how the loss of his older brother, Richie, and father, Dick, spurred the couple to write the heart-rending song.

"My dad always told me, 'Son, you should write a song about your brother,'" Shelton said. "I lost my dad in January, and it's so amazing to me that tonight, even after he's gone, he's still right. I just needed the right person to write this song with and the right person to sing it."

The awards went off-script early as Little Big Town and Thompson Square earned unexpected wins.

Beloved veteran quartet Little Big Town won single of the year for "Pontoon," knocking off some of the most popular acts of the last year in doing so. And Thompson Square ended Sugarland's five-year run in the vocal duo category, an award that's gone to either Sugarland or Brooks & Dunn 19 of the last 20 years.

"Ever since I was 5 years old, I used to practice in the kitchen with one of my Meemaw's Mason jars for this moment here," Shawna Thompson said.

Hunter Hayes won new artist of the year while Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw won musical event of the year for "Party Like a Rock Star" and Toby Keith won video of the year for "Red Solo Cup."

Church helped kick off the show by combining forces with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. Playing with a large American flag behind them, the trio of performers teamed up on Aldean's new single "The Only Way I Know" from his new album "Night Train" and earned a standing ovation.

Co-hosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley opened the show with a country version of Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger": "We got moves like Haggard." They also did their own version of Psy's "Gangnam Style" and riffed on Swift's hit single "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," noting she is rumored to have recently broken up with boyfriend Conor Kennedy.

Hosts Brad Paisley, left, and Carrie Underwood dance onstage at the 46th Annual Country Music Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on Thursday in Nashville, Tenn. AP

They also poked a little fun at the night's honored guest, Willie Nelson, who was due to receive a lifetime achievement award and perform with McGraw, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum and Blake Shelton.

"Tonight we are honoring the great Willie Nelson," Paisley said, "and also simultaneously we are going to strip you of all your CMA Awards. Sorry."

"Because Willie," Underwood said, "it appears there's been some doping charges."

"Guilty!" said Nelson, a noted marijuana advocate.

Most of country's top stars were on hand at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena for the celebration, with many slated to perform. Swift performed somber new single "Begin Again" on a set with a picture of the Eiffel Tower and falling leaves in the background. She received an ovation of her own.

McGraw debuted the single "One of Those Nights" from his new album "Two Lanes of Freedom." Lambert, dressed in a multi-colored bustier and leather pants, spun around on stage while playing her rockin' song "Fastest Girl in Town." The Band Perry delivered an energetic version of "Better Dig Two," complete with laser light show.

Taylor Swift performs onstage at the 46th Annual Country Music Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on Thursday in Nashville, Tenn. AP

That song's hard edge reflects country's changing face and fan base.

From Swift's army of empowered young women to the power-drinking party boys who prefer Church and Jason, country's audience is much different than it was 10 years ago and that's reflected in the awards. Church benefited with a leading five nominations, including first-time appearances in the album and male vocalist of the year categories. Album of the year is arguable the CMA's second most prestigious award and it was a win that fit right in with Church's philosophy.

"I still think in this day and time the only way to really get a fan base is you've got to give them more than one chapter of a book," Church said. "They've got to read the whole book."