Jeff Teglia's surprise party ended quickly Sunday night as he was replaced after giving up three first-period goals.

AMHERST – Just two starts ago, junior Jeff Teglia was the euphoric winning goaltender for the University of Massachusetts hockey team in a thrilling overtime victory at Frozen Fenway Jan. 7.

Since then, he started a 5-2 loss at UMass-Lowell Jan. 28 and Sunday's tilt with the River Hawks at the Mullins Center.

There wasn't anything Teglia will want to remember about his latest start after he gave up three goals in the first period and was pulled before the intermission.

Bothered by back problems, the unorthodox Teglia had seen limited action in his first two years with the Minutemen. Sunday was his first start this season. Kevin Boyle has started six games and Steve Mastalerz two.

The Minutemen, however, are in a stretch of three games in five nights, with Vermont visiting Tuesday.

Teglia's career started on a terrific note when he made 33 saves and held host Boston University to a 2-2 tie while subbing for injured Paul Dainton in the 2010-11 opener.

Playing for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL, Teglia was ranked 28th-best North American goalie by the NHL Central Scouting Service. His reputation has always been that he may not be fundamentally sound, but he finds a way to stop the puck.

But after a couple of early saves Sunday night, Teglia let in a soft goal on a shot from the left side by Lowell defenseman Dimitry Sinitsyn at 8:16. The puck appeared to hit his pads and leak through. Then center Riley Wetmore scored from the slot at 10:42 off a pass out front. Joseph Pendenza added a power-play goal at 16:26, and Teglia was pulled in favor of Mastalerz.

He finished with five saves.

OTHER NEW FACES – Junior defenseman Anthony Raiola and sophomore wing Zack LaRue were also playing in their first game this season. Raiola was paired with Oleg Yevenko, while LaRue teamed up with Peter DeAngelo and Patrick Kiley.

PROMOTION – With the students going home for Thanksgiving, UMass is offering a special promotion for Tuesday's game against the Catamounts and Saturday's non-conference contest against Quinnipiac. Anyone redeeming a ticket stub from this season can purchase a ticket for $6.

The robbery happened in the TD Bank Sunday afternoon on Riverdale Street.

Robert Rizzuto, The Republican

WEST SPRINGFIELD - One person is in police custody following a bank robbery at the TD Bank Sunday.

Police released little information about the robbery, referring media inquiries to Captain Daniel Spaulding on Monday.

Officers did confirm that a suspect is in custody but would not release the person's name or any charges the suspect could face.

The robbery happened early afternoon on Sunday in the bank located in the Riverdale Shops on Riverdale Street.

Davis stepped in for Chaz Williams for a large chunk of the second half.

UMass’ Trey Davis pressures Tennessee’s Trae Golden during Sunday's game. Associated Press

BAYAMÓN, Puerto Rico — It looked like all was lost in UMass’ game against Tennessee on Sunday with just under 15 minutes to go in the second half.

Trailing by three, the University of Massachusetts’ start point guard Chaz Williams made two uncharacteristically bad plays that sent him to the bench and appeared to send the Minutemen’s hopes overboard in Puerto Rico.

Guard Jesse Morgan had picked up a steal and threw a pass to Williams, whose ensuing dunk attempt was stuffed spectacularly by Tennessee’s Armani Moore. As Moore headed the other way, Williams tried to make up for his mistake by stealing the ball back, and instead picked up his fourth foul.

“I was really trying to get the ball back because I had got it blocked,” Williams said. “I tripped over his foot, which caused me to run into him.”

But just as UMass fans were contemplating changing the channel from ESPNU to avoid seeing the ensuing Tennessee run, freshman backup Trey Davis entered and helped steer the Minutemen to their first lead since early in the first half.

Though Davis didn’t score, he didn’t turn the ball over, guided the offense to the lead before Tennessee pushed back and had a steal.

“I thought we made a nice run with him in there. He’s somebody I think we can rely on at times as a backup for Chaz,” UMass coach Derek Kellogg said. “I probably should have left him in longer with the amount of minutes Chaz had to play over the last four days or six days, whatever it might be, because he looked fresh and did some really good things.”

Williams had good things to say about Davis as well.

“I’m real proud of Trey. He stepped up and gave us huge minutes off the bench,” Williams said. “He’s a pretty good player, whenever he goes out there on the floor, we expect good things from him.”

Davis, himself, said he was just doing what he does — play basketball.

“When I got in the game, I knew I could just make something happen,” Davis said. “It felt good when I did it.”

HOW TO USE YOUR PRACTICES IN 10 DAYS

The Minutemen have ten days off until they play Nov. 28 at Siena, but Kellogg said he’ll be plenty busy over that period.

“This will be great. I’m going to watch a lot of tape, and get these guys prepared,” he said. “I think we’ve got a good bunch of kids.”

He then went on to be a little more specific.

“The free-throw blockout we gave up once again hurt us. We do that for 20 minutes a day. I do not want to give a free-throw blockout ever again. That’s going to be a pet peeve of mine.

“Offensively I think we’ve got a lot of work to do with sharing the basketball and what’s a good shot or not a good shot. We’ll get back to work. I still think we have a chance to be a pretty good team. We need some post presence. We need somebody down there on the defensive end of the floor to really take up some space and help us out. We’ll spend a lot of time this week working with Cady and Tyler and Izzy and even Sampson some, because I think he’s been our best low-post defender.”

ONE-LINERS

UMass used its patented opening tip alley-oop play for the first time this season… It was followed on the next possession by a bad alley-oop pass from Jesse Morgan that happened to go in for two points… Morgan led UMass in scoring for the fourth straight game with 18 points… Tyler Bergantino had his first collegiate points with a first-half layup… Cady Lalanne hit a three-pointer on his first attempt of the season… The loss dropped UMass to 0-3 all-time against Tennessee… It also dropped Derek Kellogg to 66-67 in his career at UMass.

Gronkowski could be shutdown for the foreseeable future.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) hauls in a touchdown pass as Indianapolis Colts inside linebacker Kavell Conner (53) defends in the first quarter of an NFL football game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012.
AP

FOXBOROUGH – What should have been a night filled with celebration quickly turned into a night of fear and uncertainty for the New England Patriots.

It is believed that Rob Gronkowski suffered a broken forearm during Sunday’s 59-24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, and was set to undergo X-rays after the game to confirm the initial diagnosis. Comcast SportsNet New England first reported the break.

The timetable for his return is not yet known since the severity of the injury has not yet been determined, though it is estimated that he will miss four to six weeks. That high end of that timetable would put him back on the field just in time for the playoffs.

Gronkowski had seven receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns during the win. With the second touchdown, Gronkowski became the first tight end in NFL history to score 10 touchdowns in three consecutive seasons.

Gronkowski was last on the field with during New England's final extra point attempt with 3:55 remaining in the game. He was not available to speak to the media after the game.

If he’s absent for any significant period of time, it would be a huge blow to the New England offense. Gronkowski is second on the team with 748 yards.

With Aaron Hernandez out since Week 7 with an ankle injury, it’s possible that the Patriots could be forced to move forward without the two players the offense is built around.

Visanthe Shiancoe, Michael Hoomanawanui and Daniel Fells are next on the depth chart.

Another cold night, followed by a mostly sunny week ahead.

Not much is changing in our weather pattern; a large area of high pressure remains centered over the Northeast. This means clear skies will stay with us for the next few days (and nights). High temperatures got close to 50 degrees once again this afternoon. Those numbers quickly dropped after sunset. This evening's temperature in Springfield fell from 47 degrees at 4 p.m. to 35 degrees by 6 p.m.

On Tuesday, this high will start to exit, allowing a few extra clouds to move into the region. That is all that will happen though, as another area of high pressure will squeeze into the region heading into Thanksgiving. A few days ago, there was some talk about a coastal storm for the middle of the week, but that low pressure system is going to harmlessly stay well out at sea.

To find out how to stay prepared this winter, and how much snow we're expecting in Western Mass., tune in to CBS3 Springfield this Wednesday night at 11:15 p.m. for a special weather presentation, the Pinpoint Weather Winter Outlook.

Tonight: Clear and cold, low 22.

Monday: Sunny, high 50.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy, high 48.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy, high 48.

Thanksgiving Day: Sunny, seasonally mild, high 51.

Nine people were charged in connection with a brawl involving about 60 people at the Fat Cat Bar and Grill on Worthington Street. Four of the five police officers who initially responded to the disturbance were injured, officials said.

The Fat Cat Bar and Grill, 232 Worthington Street, was the scene of a massive brawl involving about 60 people early Saturday morning. Four police officers were attacked and injured, none seriously, while trying to break up a fight at the club in Springfield's entertainment district. Republican file photo

By CONOR BERRY and JEANETTE DEFORGE
Staff Writers

SPRINGFIELD — Mayor Domenic Sarno came out swinging at the suspects accused of attacking city police officers as they tried to quell a barroom disturbance that quickly turned into a melee on Saturday.

"There were 60 patrons of an establishment going after our men and women in blue," Sarno said, referring to the 2 a.m. incident at the Fat Cat Bar and Grill, 232 Worthington St.

The police officers who responded to the call "showed amazing restraint" considering they "feared for their lives," the mayor said.

City officials said five officers working the entertainment district detail came under attack while attempting to break up a fight at the Worthington Street bar, also known as The Cats Alley.

The officers were grossly outnumbered, according to police officials, who dispatched nearly every available cop in the city after the officers issued a distress call. About 20 additional officers quickly flooded the Worthington Street area and arrested nine people, including a man from Texas and another from New York.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno speaks to reporters at a news conference he called on Saturday afternoon outside the Fat Cat Bar and Grill, the scene of a massive brawl involving around 60 people early Saturday morning. Four officers were injured in the incident, which Sarno said was "totally out of control." Neil A. Hawley

Sarno characterized the situation as "totally out of control" and wholly unacceptable, and he vowed to use every legal tool at his disposal to sanction the owner of the bar. Michael Torcia, the Fat Cat's owner, is expected to appear before the License Commission at a future date.

The suspects, most of whom face assault charges, are expected to be arraigned Monday in Springfield District Court, police Capt. William Collins said Sunday.

Christopher Braun, 33, of 172 School St., Manchester Conn.; Joshua Mercado, 23, of 1868 Standhope St., Ridgewood, N.Y.; Gisette Lopez, 25, of 87 Edbert St., Chicopee; and Tiffany Pizarro, 21, of 45 Armory St., Springfield, were all charged with assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and affray.

The common law charge of affray is tantamount to a public brawl involving two or more people, according to Massachusetts General Law.

Braun, Mercado and Pizarro were additionally charged with resisting arrest, police said.

Miguel Ofray, 26, of 35 Willow St., Springfield, was charged with two counts of assault and battery on a police officer and disorderly conduct. He is accused of attacking two officers during the brawl.

Hector Diaz, 24, of San Leizario, Texas, was charged with disorderly and affray, while Allan Wilson, 24, of 45 Willow St., Springfield, was charged with disorderly conduct.

Madeline Lopez, 36, of 77 Central St., Springfield, was charged with assault and battery and being a disorderly person. And Hector Lopez, 21, of 25 Myrtle St., Chicopee, was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest and simple assault.

Four police officers were hospitalized as a result of the melee, with injuries ranging from a concussion to a sprained ankle and broken finger, among others. "To the officers, a speedy recovery," Sarno said Saturday, after calling an impromptu press conference outside the Worthington Street bar.

The incident happened as the city continues to grapple with late-night violence in the club quarter, where crime has dropped since Sarno implemented a curfew that pulls the plug on music, dancing and other forms of entertainment at 1 a.m. Establishments hoping to provide entertainment until the regular 2 a.m. closing time must win a special permit from the mayor.

"This (incident) sends a bad perception of the city of Springfield," Sarno said. "You have to fight fire with fire."

An anti-casino group in Springfield is urging the vote on casinos be delayed until next November.

SPRINGFIELD — The city might need to delay its plans for a ballot question on casinos in June.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission last week released a timeline saying the panel will likely not complete its background investigations, hearings and findings on the finances and ethics of casino companies until October. There are three companies proposing casinos in Springfield – Ameristar Casinos; MGM Resorts International; and Penn National Gaming – and a casino is also proposed in Palmer by Mohegan Sun. All are competing for one license in Western Massachusetts.

Springfield has an agreement with the commission that it would not finalize deals with casino companies until the gaming commission determines if a company is “suitable““ for Massachusetts. Those deals, called “host community agreements,“ would go before voters for their approval.

Stephen Crosby

Stephen P. Crosby, chairman of the commission, said the timeline, which is included in the commission’s strategic plan, is guidance, not gospel.

The Springfield-based Citizens Against Casino Gaming, in a statement on Monday, urged the City Council to pass a resolution delaying any referendum until the November 2013 municipal election. The citizens group led by chairman Michael T. Kogut, said there is a history of low turnout at special elections.

The casino companies are scheduled to submit financial and other background material to the state commission by Jan. 15.

Crosby said the plan is relatively conservative in assuming the investigations will take nine months. The commission could get those investigations done three months earlier, he said.

Kevin E. Kennedy, the chief development officer for the city of Springfield, said he was aware that the commission may not complete its background checks until October and that the city may not be able to hold a ballot question in June.

Kennedy said the city is hoping for the fastest timeline possible but that city officials understand the importance of the commission’s process for qualifying companies to do business in Massachusetts.

“That’s the part where we have to go at their pace,“ Kennedy said of the commission’s estimate of an October completion of background checks.

Staff writer Peter Goonan contributed to this report.

Investors seized on hope that Washington will reach a deal on the federal budget and drove stocks to their biggest gain in 2 months.

Lowe's on Monday said its third-quarter profit surged 76 percent, and its stock rose $1.98, or 6.2 percent, to $33.96. Associated Press file photo

By DANIEL WAGNER
AP Business Writer

The stock market finally shook its post-election slump.

Investors seized on hope that Washington will reach a deal on the federal budget and drove stocks to their biggest gain in two months. A pair of strong corporate earnings reports also helped.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 207 points, or 1.7 percent. Since President Barack Obama and a divided Congress were returned to power Nov. 6, the Dow had fallen six out of eight days and slid a total of 650 points.

Obama and congressional leaders are in talks to avoid going over a "fiscal cliff" on Jan. 1, when tax increases and mandatory government spending cuts are set to take effect.

While Obama and Republicans appear at odds on whether tax rates for the wealthiest Americans should rise, lawmakers suggested over the weekend that progress is possible.

"I can tell you that the fiscal cliff is focusing the mind," said Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin, a Democrat, said on CNN's "State of the Union." He said he had heard from Republicans "the beginning of a negotiation."

Comments like those comforted investors, who are grasping for signs that the negotiations might go somewhere.

"It is quite clear that both sides want to come to a compromise and that a reasonable compromise is available," David Kelly, chief global strategist for J.P. Morgan Funds, wrote in a note to clients.

Other financial analysts noted that there have been few substantive developments to drive the market's swings, and suggested the market's surge will be short-lived.

"I don't think anything has changed. It's just the talk from day to day," said Stephen Carl, principal and head equity trader at The Williams Capital Group, an investment bank. "We'll see what happens tomorrow."

This week's market will be tougher to decipher, Carl said, because volume is increasingly light leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. Big price swings are more likely when there are fewer buyers and sellers in the market.

The Dow finished up 207.65 points at 12,795.96. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 27.01 points, or 2 percent, to 1,386.89. The Nasdaq composite average gained 62.94, or 2.2 percent, to 2,916.07.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq were lifted by Apple, which had its biggest one-day gain since April. It rose $38.05, or 7.2 percent, to $565.73. Some analysts cast doubt on a sell-off that had pushed the stock down more than 20 percent from its recent peak.

Corporate earnings reports also boosted the indexes. Lowe's said its third-quarter profit surged 76 percent. That followed a strong report from Home Depot last week. Lowe's rose $1.98, or 6.2 percent, to $33.96.

Tyson Foods, the country's biggest meat company, beat analysts' expectations for its quarterly earnings. Tyson added $1.84, or 10.9 percent, to $18.72.

Materials stocks, a category that includes foresting companies, metal producers and miners, soared, supported by the latest sign that a recovery in the housing market has stabilized.

The National Association of Realtors said sales of previously occupied homes in the U.S. rose in October, helped by a stronger job market and record-low mortgage rates. The pace of sales is roughly 11 percent higher than a year ago.

Stocks fell in each of the past four weeks as traders fretted about the possibility that lawmakers will fail to prevent the spending cuts and tax increases from taking effect.

Economists have warned that the hit to the economy could total $700 billion for 2013 and push the United States back into recession, although the damage from the "cliff" would come slowly, and lawmakers could always reach a deal after Jan. 1.

The indexes turned positive Friday afternoon, breaking a four-day slump, amid signs that Obama and Republicans in Congress were prepared to cede long-held bargaining positions.

House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said they had offered higher tax revenue as part of a deal. That could include limiting tax deductions for the highest earners.

Monday's gain for the Dow was its biggest since Sept. 13.

The S&P 500, meanwhile, is trading near a key technical level, said Randy Frederick, managing director of active trading and derivatives at the brokerage Charles Schwab.

For nearly two weeks, the index has closed below its 200-day average, which on Monday stood at 1,382. It surpassed that marker Monday afternoon. Frederick said that might signal more buying.

Technical levels are historic averages and other indicators used by some traders to decide if stocks are a good value.

The market is closed on Thursday for Thanksgiving and will close early Friday.

On Monday, stock indexes in France, Germany and Britain closed up 2.5 percent or more as traders monitored Greece's quest for its latest round of bailout cash.

Greece needs international lenders and the International Monetary Fund to release the money so that Greece can meet upcoming payments to creditors. Trading in Europe is still volatile. The region has entered recession.

Finance ministers from nations that use the euro will meet Tuesday. Later in the week, leaders will convene to discuss the European Union's budget for the next few years.

Traders also followed developments in the Middle East as conflict flared between Israel and Hamas. Concerns about instability in the region and hopes for a U.S. fiscal pact pushed benchmark crude up $2.36, or 2.7 percent, to finish at $89.28 per barrel in New York.

Earlier, Asian markets rose more modestly.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.61 percent from 1.58 percent late Friday, a sign that traders are selling low-risk investments. A bond's yield rises as its price falls.

The market's longer-term direction will likely hinge on U.S. leaders' ability to attack the fiscal challenge between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Frederick said.

"If they can put some sort of a plan together, or make us believe they have a plan, or at least that there's some cooperation going on there, that could be a real boost for the market," he said.

Among big companies making news, Intel fell after its CEO of 40 years announced that he will retire in May. The stock rose 6 cents to $20.25.

Diamond Foods hit its lowest price since September 2006 after an analyst cut the snack food company's rating and price target. Diamond restated two years' worth of financial results last Wednesday, effectively wiping away $56.5 million in profit from its books. Diamond fell $1.79, or 11.8 percent, to $13.34.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. rose after an analyst said that the stock could see an "early 2013 bounce." He said investor concerns about the company's solvency were overblown and caused traders to oversell. AMD rose 6 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $1.92.

How is economic growth possible if younger workers can't be found to power the engine of progress?

Ronald Patenaude, president of the United Auto Workers Local 2322, and member of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, speaks during a Save Our Skills press conference held last month at the FutureWorks Career Center. The Republican file / Mark M. Murray

Where have all the workers gone?

It’s a question that employers throughout the region are asking as they note the graying hair of their work force and wonder about the pipeline of younger employees to replace them.

Statistics bear them out. The Pioneer Valley’s working population is aging, and there are fewer working people ages 16 to 24 preparing to take the place of retiring Baby Boomers, setting up a work force crisis that area businesses will have to face in upcoming years.

Some of the problem goes back to the chicken and the egg. Young workers don’t see sufficient economic opportunity around here and hence head off to greener pastures. Then when local employers look for younger workers they’re not around.

Other times, it’s a matter of matching skills to openings. Some younger workers have taken themselves out of competition by not being job ready when opportunity arises. And some employers who previously supplied on the job training find budgets too stretched to take on any but the most qualified employees.

Finally, some experts are pointing to the lasting effects of long-term unemployment as evidence that some young workers have become dispirited about finding jobs and have become used to simply getting by from one low-skilled job to another.

All of which comes down to a dilemma. How is economic growth possible if younger workers can’t be found to power the engine of progress? And how will young workers become trained enough to work their way up the ladder of success if they can’t get a foothold on the very first rung?

Patricia H. Crosby, executive director of the Franklin Hampshire Regional Employment Board, said the answer lies with more youth employment programs and a lot of vocational training. Education and industry must work together if there is any hope to reverse the brain drain of the best and brightest while still supplying the training to match those workers who are available to the skills they need.

Otherwise, the demographic time bomb will keep on ticking. And ticking bombs almost always explode.

The original tree was destroyed by the October snowstorm last year.

Longmeadow- Workers finishing planting the new Christmas tree on the Longmeadow Town Green after it was brought to town Monday. The Republican / Mark M. Murray

LONGMEADOW - Residents will enjoy a beautiful Christmas tree on the Town Green this year courtesy of town resident Dennis Thompson and other local business owners.

Thompson, who owns Oak Ridge Nursery in Feeding Hills, donated the 27 foot balsam fir tree.

"I heard from Mike Wrabel that the town needed a tree since the previous one was damaged in the storm last year and I just wanted to do this for the town," he said.

The former tree which was about 55 feet tall was damaged during the October snowstorm last year and although the Department of Public Works was able to trim it and keep it going for last year's tree lighting ceremony a new tree was necessary to replace the broken one, Wrabel said.

"The town has always made a special effort to take care of its trees and as a longtime resident I wanted to show my appreciation for that," Thompson said.

"We are just really thankful that Dennis offered the tree. A lot of people in town enjoy seeing it lit up during the holiday season,"Wrabel said.

The tree was moved from Feeding Hills to Longmeadow on Monday with the help of Northern Tree Service, based in Palmer, which donated its services.

"We have a long standing relationship with the town and wanted to do this for them," said Mark Lacombe, project manager for the company.

Wayne Ottani, also of Longmeadow, owner of Tree Corp. in Agawam, has volunteered to decorate the tree with holiday lights later this week.

Wrabel said Ottani's family donated the former tree many years ago.

"A lot of people came together to make this happen," Wrabel said.

The tree lighting ceremony is tentatively set for the day after Thanksgiving on the green in front of the First Church of Christ.

The addition of a new single-family home will help improve one of the city's most neglected neighborhoods.

Employees for Associated Building begin demolishing a house at 41 Chestnut St. in Chicopee. Submitted photo

CHICOPEE — Heavy equipment operators demolished an old house on Chestnut Street on Monday so a new single-family home designed for a first-time homeowner could be built in its place.

This is the eighth home Chicopee Neighborhood Development Corporation has purchased and improved for low and moderate income first-home buyers. Typically the non-profit organization renovates run-down buildings to be resold, but this home had too many problems, said Beverly Barry, director of Chicopee Neighborhood Development.

The demolition and addition of a new, single-family home in one of the worst neighborhoods in the city helps the long-term efforts to revitalize the west side of Chicopee Center, Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said while watching the demolition Monday.

“In an area that has been neglected for so long we have to do this lot-by-lot,” he said.

Chicopee Neighborhood Development Corporation is using about $50,000 in federal HOME funds to help build or rehabilitate affordable housing received through the Community Development Department, which was mostly used to buy the home for $40,000 and to pay other expenses, said Kathleen A. Lingenberg, project manager for the Community Development Department.

The corporation is eligible for other state and federal grants and has received a loan through Chicopee Savings Bank, said John T. Downs, a board member for the corporation as well as the vice president of commercial lending for Chicopee Savings Bank.

The agency was actually renovating a duplex two doors down on Chestnut Street when the 41 Chestnut St. came up for sale, and it decided it was a good opportunity to continue improving the street, he said.

The family that buys the new house, which is estimated to be sold for $155,000, will be required to take a course on home ownership, make a maximum down payment of $1,000 and will get a mortgage through a traditional lender. When they buy the home, the bank loan from Chicopee Development Corp. will be paid, Barry said.

To be eligible for loans, a single person cannot earn more than $45,500 a year, a family of three cannot earn more than $58,500 and a family of five must earn less than $70,200, Barry said.

The advantage to the city and the neighborhood is that a new three-bedroom, two-bathroom home will be built and owner-occupied where a building would likely sit vacant for some time, she said.

One of the key factors for redeveloping the neighborhood is to have people who own their own homes because they will be more vested in caring for the neighborhood, Bissonnette said.

“The biggest problem we have here is absentee landlords,” he said.

Currently about 25 percent of homes in the neighborhood are owned by the people who live in them, but that number is a little skewed because there are a number of larger apartment blocks, City Planner Catherine L. Brown said.

Nationally, about 43.56 million Americans plan to travel, or about 13.8 percent of the population. That’ll be a 0.7 percent increase from last year.

Heavy traffic is seen in the the eastbound lanes of the Massachusetts Turnpike in the West Springfield area earlier this year. With the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching, traffic jams like this are predicted. The Republican file / Mark M. Murray

SPRINGFIELD – Thanksgiving means travel for 1.9 million New Englanders, that will be a 0.6 percent increase from last year, according to figures released by AAA.

AAA estimates that 13.3 percent of the region’s population will travel. Most of that travel, about 1.71 million people, will be by car with just 190,000 people planning to fly or travel by other means.

Besides travel, the weekend will also feature a number of community holiday dinners and relatively good weather.

Nationally, about 43.56 million Americans plan to travel, or about 13.8 percent of the population. That’ll be a 0.7 percent increase from last year.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has warned drivers to prepare for heavy traffic volumes, especially on Tuesday and Wednesday. Volume is expected to be especially heavy in the area of Exit 9 on the Massachusetts Turnpike, where traffic in the Sturbridge area enters and exits onto Interstate 84, to Connecticut, New York and points south.

Drivers will find gasoline prices lower than they have been in the recent past, but higher than last Thanksgiving. Gas in Greater Springfield was selling for $3.59 Monday, according to AAA. That’s down from $3.60 the day before and $3.84 last month. Gas was $3.43 a year ago.

Approximately 151,000 travelers will avoid high gas prices by traveling on Springfield-based Peter Pan Bus Lines through Nov. 26, according to Kimberly Bolduc, marketing manager. that’s about 40,000 riders more than Peter Pan would carry on a normal week, she said. the company has added 790 additional departures.

Peter Pan’s Thanksgiving business is driven primarily by college students. The company carries nearly 1 million college students a year to and from major hubs in Boston and New York City as well as the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Bolduc said people should plan for the crowds and come to the station 45 minutes before departure.

Air travelers should plan to arrive 90 minutes before their flight, said John J. Wallace, spokesman for Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks. He said people’s best bet is to keep in touch with their airline about flight delays.

The airport has plenty of on-site parking as well as a new cell-phone lot for people driving in to pick up air travelers, Wallace said.

CBS3 meteorologist Nick Morganelli said to expect good weather. The only major storm system anywhere in the country this week will be in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures Thursday and Friday will be in the 50s.

Thanksgiving meals

Here are where Thanksgiving meals will be held for the public in Western Massachusetts. All are on Thursday, except as noted.

Springfield: Open Pantry Community Services, 11 a.m., High School of Commerce, 415 State St. Springfield Rescue Mission, breakfast buffet 7 a.m., Bliss Street.

Chicopee: Knights of Columbus, noon to 2 p..m., Castle of Knights, Memorial Drive, Chicopee.

Holyoke: Kate’s Kitchen, 51 Hamilton St., noon to 1 p.m.

Westfield: Samaritan Inn, noon, Free Street

West Springfield:West Springfield Parish Association, noon to 2 p.m., St. Thomas Church Hall, West´field and Pine streets. 

Agawam: American Classics Restaurant & Take Out, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Springfield Street.

Northampton: Manna Soup Kitchen, noon to 2 p.m., Edwards Church, 297 Main St.

Palmer: St. Paul’s Church of Palmer, regular fourth Saturday free dinner, Nov. 24, 5 p.m., Park and Central streets.

Senior citizens must be at least 60 and live in Holyoke to attend the Bright Nights trip.

Seuss Land is one of the features at the Bright Nights holiday lighting display in Springfield. Staff Photo by Dave Roback

HOLYOKE — Senior citizens who want to attend the Police Department's annual trip to the Bright Nights holiday display at Forest Park in Springfield can begin calling for reservations Nov. 26.

The number to call between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday is (413) 322-6901.

The trip to Bright Nights will take place Dec. 12, with Peter Pan buses picking up senior citizens at locations around the city. Senior citizens will be informed when they call for reservations, according to a press release.

The event, which will include a meal and band music after Bright Nights, is free thanks to donations, Mayor Alex B. Morse said.

Seniors must be at least 60 and live in Holyoke. No reservations will be accepted by voice mail or before Monday. Space is available for more than 250 seniors, the press release said.

City and state police will escort the buses to and from Bright Nights, the press release said.

Police Chief James M. Neiswanger and Morse thanked volunteers and donors who are contributing to the event.

Arson investigators spent the day trying to determine the cause of the fire. They are scheduled to return on Tuesday to continue investigating.

This is an updated version of a story originally posted at 7:26 a.m.

WESTFIELD -- A 92-year-old man who was rescued by firefighters from a burning house at 26 Noble Ave. Monday morning has died of injuries related to the fire, Deputy Chief Patrick Kane said.

The man, whose name was not being released Monday night pending notification of his family, was pronounced dead at Noble Hospital, Kane said.

He was found unconscious in a second-floor bedroom by firefighters during the fire and carried outside. After being treated at the scene by firefighters, he was rushed to the hospital.

The fire, which was reported sometime after midnight, caused heavy damage to the 2-1/2 story home.

The fire climbed up through the walls into the attic, and firefighters cut holes in the roof to vent smoke.

Firefighters were on scene for several hours before controlling the fire.

Neighbor Antonio L. Luis said he saw firefighters carry an older man, wrapped in blankets, from the home. They administered first aid at the scene and then took him away in an ambulance.

Luis, who lives almost directly across the street at the corner of Fowler and Noble Avenues, said his wife woke him up shortly after 12:30 a.m. and said something was going on outside.

Luis said he saw flames coming out of the basement windows of the home. He watched the scene for several hours as the blaze intensified and ultimately reached the roof.

As of about 3:30 a.m., the blaze was still going pretty strong, Luis said.

Arson investigators with the state Department of Fire Services were at the scene for much of the day and are planning to return on Tuesday, Kane said.

Much of their focus appears to be in the basement in the area around the oil furnace, Kane said.

Although no cause of the fire has been determined, Kane said it appears to be accidental.

No one else was home at the time of the fire, Kane said.

According to city records, the home -- built in 1895 and most recently assessed at $178,200 -- is owned by Raymond E. Megaro.

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Seveny-five percent of the nation's 39 million people between the ages of 17 and 24 do not meet the standards for being accepting into the country's military services.

Robert H. Dugger

Robert H. Dugger

SPRINGFIELD – A retired hedge fund partner and other speakers Monday told leaders of the local business and educational community about the need for early childhood education they said is critical for future success.

They spoke before about 50 people at a session at the Basketball Hall of Fame sponsored by the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts; the Chicopee, Holyoke and Springfield chambers of commerce; and the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County.

Robert H. Dugger, the retired hedge fund partner, explained how social impact bonds, an idea in development in this country, can pay investors a 4 percent to 5 percent annual return on putting money into programs that improve education. Although no such bonds have been floated in this country, there is interest in Boulder and Denver, Colo. and they have already been implemented in England around the cause of decreasing recidivism among ex-convicts, according to Dugger.

Dugger is the advisory board co-chair for ReadyNation, a business partnership promoting investments in early education as a foundation for the nation’s economic success.

“We used to be the leader in the world, but we aren’t anymore,” Dugger said of American students’ achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Dugger and other speakers talked about how readiness for school among young children is a predictor of later success and failure.

“We know that early childhood education matters,” Dugger said. “We can’t afford not to have it....We need to have every piston in our engine firing.”

Allan W. Blair, the president of the regional economic development council, and J.D. Chesloff, executive director of Massachusetts Business Roundtable, spoke before Dugger and gave out many statistics about how the country is lagging in educational achievement.

Chesloff talked about how 75 percent of the nation’s 39 million people between the ages of 17 and 24 do not meet the standards for being accepted into the U.S. military services. More than half of students enrolled in post-secondary education drop out of school, according to him.

Blair spoke about how business leaders considering locating in the region now ask about what the local work force is like before making a decision about moving here.

“It used to be the first question was about real estate. Now it’s all about the work force,” Blair said.

By 2018, 68 percent of the jobs in the state will require a college degree, according to him.

The program was run by Read! Reading Success by 4th Grade, a group of leaders working to increase reading proficiency to 80 percent by 2016. Currently, only 40 percent of Springfield’s children read at grade level by the end of third grade.

The state rulings were released the same day the city council was to discuss qualifications for the city fire commissioner.

SPRINGFIELD – In three separate rulings issued Monday, the state Civil Service Commission ruled Springfield Fire Department Deputy Chief Jerrold Prendergast improperly disqualified applicants for an entry-level firefighter position while his own son was a candidate.

Jerrold Prendergast File photo | The Republican

The commission ruled the three applicants, Christopher Benevento, Gelson LaGuerre and William Torres Jr., are each entitled to be placed at the top of the next Civil Service list when the city prepares to hire any new firefighters.

The rulings were dated Nov. 15, but not released to the public through the state Department of Civil Service web page until Monday morning.

The rulings were released on the same day that the City Council is meeting to consider revising the city’s required qualifications for the post of fire commissioner, currently held on an acting basis by Joseph Conant. Prendergast is interested in the permanent job.

The commission’s rulings are the latest to find fault with the Fire Department – and in particular with Prendergast – for improper procedures used to disqualify candidates for entry-level firefighter positions in 2010. Prendergast has been criticized for being involved in the screenings while his son, Zachery Prendergast, was a finalist.

Zachary Prendergast was eventually hired.

Deputy Chief Prendergast, reached for comment Monday, expressed disappointment with the latest rulings.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed. I disagree with the ruling. The city has the right to appeal,” Prendergast said.

He disputed any suggestions that that his role in any of the candidate screenings cleared the way for his son to be hired. He also said the latest rulings from state Civil Service should not disqualify him from being a candidate for the permanent fire commissioner job.

One of applicants whose appeal was upheld by the state disagreed.

Reached for comment, Benevento, 50, of Springfield said the city “broke the law” when it disqualified him from being a firefighter.

“I don’t understand how Deputy Chief Prendergast can break the law when he is in charge of hiring in the Fire Department and there are no consequences,” Benevento said.

“If I break the law in my job, there are consequences, but he is still on the fire department to this day.”

Monday’s rulings are the latest step in a year-long saga involving the fire department and its hiring practices under then-Fire Commissioner Gary Cassanelli. Cassanelli retired in January.

Last December, the Civil Service Commission ruled Deputy Prendergast's involvement while his son was a candidate compromised the department's ability for a fair process, that he inappropriately conducted background investigations, and that there was "strong circumstantial evidence to suggest improprieties in the process tipped the scales" to benefit his son.

The same ruling ordered that Prendergast is not to have any role in background checks or interviewing of applicants in the next round of hires. Also the city must hire an independent review panel with no ties to the Fire Department to process applications, evaluate applicants and make recommendations to the fire commissioner.

In September, the commission voted in favor of an appeal by Louis Shelton of Springfield, ordering that he also be placed at the top of the next Civil Service list. Shelton was initially passed over because he admitted to one-time marijuana use in 2004, six years before he was a candidate to be a Springfield firefighter.

In two of the most recent rulings, concerning Benevento and LaGuerre, the commission found fault with the Fire Department’s long-standing policy of not hiring any applicants with felony convictions. The commission ruled the “no felony conviction” policy is too rigid and unyielding to have much value in candidate screenings.

As the commission noted in LaGuerre’s ruling, while a felony conviction may be grounds for disqualifying a candidate for a police position, “there is no such statutory prohibition relating to felonies regarding firefighter candidates – and the city has erred in effectively creating one.”

Benevento pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property in 1985. LaGuerre pleaded guilty to a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after he hit a man with an automobile anti-theft device in 1996. Neither served any jail time and each has avoided trouble since.

Benevento, 50, honorably served in the Navy, owns a house in Springfield and has worked for the last 16 years as a custodian with the city schools.

LaGuerre, 34, resides in Springfield and has been a decorated veteran of the Air National Guard since 2000, and served two tours in Iraq. The ruling notes that when the city sent him written notice to tell him he was not fit to be a firefighter because of the 1996 felony conviction, LaGuerre was on active duty in Iraq serving on a Black Hawk helicopter team.

He could not be reached for comment.

Benevento said he has been fighting the “no-felony” policy since 2001, when he was first rejected for the same reason. He said it was illegal then too.

He said that in 1985 he accepted a plea for two counts of receiving stolen property and received a six-month suspended sentence. He went on to serve in the Navy, earning an honorable discharge, and then worked the last 16 years with the city schools.

He said when he owned up to doing wrong, and accepted the plea in 1985, he had no idea that the case would dog him for 27 years and block him from his goal of joining the fire department.

Interim Springfield Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, left, and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno The Republican staff file photo

Prendergast, who has served as deputy chief since 1999, remains a candidate for fire commissioner in Springfield, currently filled on an acting basis by Deputy Chief Joseph Conant.

The City Council on Monday night was scheduled to consider Mayor Domenic Sarno’s proposal to revise the city’s required qualifications for the fire commissioner.

Currently, the requirements call for the commissioner to have a master’s degree in fire science and seven years experience as a deputy chief. Conant does not meet either qualification. Sarno is seeking to lower the minimum to an associate’s degree and two years experience as a deputy chief, which would clear the way for Conant to win the permanent appointment.

Sarno has said he sees no reason to consider other candidates or conduct a nationwide search for commissioner when the current job holder, Conant, is the right man for the job.

As it stands now, the only person in the department who meets the qualifications is Prendergast.

William Mahoney, the city’s director of human resources and labor relations, said the Civil Service rulings were just received Friday, and no decisions have been made yet regarding any appeal.

Mahoney said he will confer with the administration of the Fire Department and the labor relations attorney for the city, before decisions are made on any appeal.

The decisions could be appealed to Superior Court, or there could be a motion for reconsideration by the Civil Service Commission, he said.

In related news, the Springfield chapter of the NAACP has stated, in a letter to Sarno, that his proposal to lower the qualifications for the next permanent fire commissioner is “a disservice to our city.”

The Rev. Talbert W. Swan II, president of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, criticized the mayor’s proposal to change the ordinance for hiring a commissioner.

“This decision smacks of nepotism and sends the wrong message to the entire city,” the NAACP letter states. “What message does watering down the requirements for the sake of a single preferred candidate send to the rank and file within the fire department, our youth, and city residents?”

The Republican reporter Peter Goonan contributed to this report.

Springfield Fire Department v. Benevento, Christopher

Springfield Fire Department v. Gelson LaGuerre

Springfield Fire Department v. William Torres, Jr.

Within 10 minutes after photos of the suspect were publicized in the press, action on Text-a-Tip "was blowing up," police said.

Michael A. Wallace

Sgt. John Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William Fitchet said members of the police Warrant Apprehension Unit arrested Michael A. Wallace, 47, at his home at 77 Drexel St. Monday morning.

He was charged with larceny from a building.

Wallace was arrested after police last week issued to the press an advisory about the crime complete with pictures of the suspect taken by surveillance cameras. The suspect jumped a counter and took two laptop computers, Delaney said.

"Ten minutes after the press displayed the pictures to the public, the police department's Text-a-Tip line was blowing up," Delaney said. Several of the tips identified Wallace by name, he said.

"It was great work by the police, the press and the public. Thank you," Delaney said.

The city's lawmakers are slated to vote Tuesday on an ordinance that would prohibit nudity in most public places.

Demonstrators gather at a protest against a proposed nudity ban outside of City Hall in San Francisco. Marcio Jose Sanchez | Associated Press

By LISA LEFF

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco may be getting ready to shed its image as a city where anything goes, including clothing.

City lawmakers are scheduled to vote Tuesday on an ordinance that would prohibit nudity in most public places, a blanket ban that represents an escalation of a two-year tiff between a devoted group of men who strut their stuff through the city’s famously gay Castro District and the supervisor who represents the area.

Supervisor Scott Wiener’s proposal would make it illegal for a person over the age of 5 to “expose his or her genitals, perineum or anal region on any public street, sidewalk, street median, parklet or plaza” or while using public transit.

A first offense would carry a maximum penalty of a $100 fine, but prosecutors would have authority to charge a third violation as a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine and a year in jail. Exemptions would be made for participants at permitted street fairs and parades, such as the city’s annual gay pride event and the Folsom Street Fair, which celebrates sadomasochism and other sexual subcultures.

Wiener said he resisted introducing the ordinance, but felt compelled to act after constituents complained about the naked men who gather in a small Castro plaza most days and sometimes walk the streets au naturel. He persuaded his colleagues last year to pass a law requiring a cloth to be placed between public seating and bare rears, yet the complaints have continued.

“I don’t think having some guys taking their clothes off and hanging out seven days a week at Castro and Market Street is really what San Francisco is about. I think it’s a caricature of what San Francisco is about,” Wiener said.

The proposed ban predictably has produced outrage, as well as a lawsuit. Last week, about two dozen people disrobed in front of City Hall and marched around the block to the amusement of gawking tourists and high school students on a field trip.

Stripped down to his sunglasses and hiking boots, McCray Winpsett, 37, said he understands the disgust of residents who would prefer not to see the body modifications and sex enhancement devices sported by some of the Castro nudists. But he thinks Wiener’s prohibition goes too far in undermining a tradition “that keeps San Francisco weird.”

“A few lewd exhibitionists are really ruining it for the rest of us,” he said. “It’s my time to come out now to present myself in a light and show what true nudity is all about so people can separate the difference between what a nudist is and an exhibitionist is.”

Because clothes are required to enter City Hall itself, demonstrators who try to disrobe at the Board of Supervisors meeting will be escorted out by sheriff’s deputies. That is what happened last Monday when Gypsy Taub removed her dress at a committee hearing where the ban had its first public hearing. Taub, a mother of two, said she got her start as a nudist while hosting a local cable program devoted to the theory that the government was behind the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

“I thought if I take my clothes off, I bet they are going to listen,” she said.

San Francisco lawyer Christina DiEdoardo filed a federal lawsuit last week on behalf of Taub and three men that seeks to block Weiner’s ordinance, if it passes and is signed by Mayor Edwin Lee. The complaint alleges that the ban infringes on the free speech rights of nudists and discriminates against those who cannot afford to obtain a city permit.

While it may seem strange that going out in the buff is not already illegal in San Francisco, most California cities do not have local nudity laws, Wiener said. Instead, they are adequately covered by state indecent exposure laws and societal mores. But indecent exposure technically only applies to lewd behavior, so city officials have had to craft a local solution, he said, adding that the cities of Berkeley and San Jose already have done so.

“I suspect there are a lot of places that maybe don’t currently have a local law (and) that if people started getting naked every day would quickly see a local law,” Wiener said.

The 3 celebrities headed to the November 27 finale will be revealed on Tuesday night.

ABC

As the all-star edition of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars" nears the end, five celebrity contestants remain.

Next week, the season 15 champion will be handed the tacky, but coveted, mirror ball trophy on the November 27 finale.

On Monday night, the dance floor welcomed the remaining contestants – reality TV star Melissa Rycroft, Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, "General Hospital" actress Kelly Monaco, former NFL running back Emmitt Smith, and Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno.

Each celebrity and their professional partner had to perform two routines. The first was an offbeat fusion dance, the second a routine set to a Michael Jackson song. (ABC is hyping a Spike Lee documentary on Jackson airing later this week).

Judges scores and viewer votes will determine which TWO contestants will be eliminated on Tuesday night.

Rycroft: A "caveman hustle" sounds goofy, but somehow Rycroft pulled it off and earned 27.5 out of 30 points from judges. A sexy Argentine tango, set to MJ's "Dirty Diana," brought a perfect 30, for a total of 57.5 points.

Johnson: An Indian folk dance set to the theme from "Knight Rider" was an other fusion mashup. The judges loved and awarded it a perfect 30. A "Bad" Argentine tango was anything but bad. It earned a 29 for a total of 59 points

Ohno: Big top jazz brought the circus to the dance floor for 27 points. A rumba set to "Man in the Mirror" earned a perfect 30. Ohno ended the night with a total of 57 points.

Smith: A cartoonish Lindy hop set to the theme from "Secret Agent" garnered a 27.  A ballroom tango set to "Leave Me Alone" earned a 27. Smith received a total of 54 points.

Monaco: A sloppy surfer flamenco earned the soap star 25.5 with judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli complaining the routine was light on flamenco.  A romantic rumba set to "I Can't Stop Loving You" grabbed 28.5 points for a total of 54 points.

Smith and Monaco had the lowest scores of the night, but the previous eight weeks have demonstrated that audience votes often decide the outcome.

Eight celebrity contestants have  been eliminated in recent weeks: Cheers" actress Kirstie Alley, French actor Gilles Marini; former Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan; 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.

SPRINGFIELD – The City Council’s finance and special tax rate committee has scheduled a public hearing at 6 p.m., Tuesday, at City Hall, to discuss the proposed tax rates for the current fiscal year. It is the first hearing of three scheduled this month.

SPRINGFIELD – The City Council’s finance and special tax rate committee has scheduled a public hearing at 6 p.m., Tuesday, at City Hall, to discuss the proposed tax rates for the current fiscal year.

It is the first hearing of three scheduled this month.