Northampton police have yet to publicly identify the driver who died in the crash, which happened on Route 5 near the Easthampton town line.

NORTHAMPTON — A motorist was killed and a second driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a head-on collision on Route 5 late Friday afternoon, Northampton police Lt. Jody Kasper said Saturday.

A fatal crash on Route 5 in Northampton late Friday afternoon prompted officials to close the road from Atwood Drive in Northampton south to East Street in Easthampton. Police have yet to publicly identify the victim, who crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with another driver. David Molnar, The Republican  

The fatal crash happened around 5:30 p.m. Friday along a stretch of Route 5 near the Oxbow of the Connecticut River. Route 5 was closed to traffic from the Clarion Hotel & Conference Center, 1 Atwood Drive, south to East Street in Easthampton, police said.

Authorities said a vehicle traveling northbound on Route 5 crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a southbound vehicle. "It was essentially a head-on," Kasper said.

The northbound driver was rushed to Cooley Dickinson Hospital, where the motorist was pronounced dead, Kasper said. The lieutenant said the victim's identity would not be released until family members were contacted. Police still were not prepared to release the person's identity by late Saturday afternoon, she said.

The southbound driver, a 29-year-old Easthampton woman, was treated for minor injuries at Cooley Dickinson, Kasper said.

The crash triggered a large public safety response that also included Easthampton police and state police from the Northampton barracks. State police closed the southbound ramp of Interstate 91 at Exit 18.

Northampton police, the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section and troopers assigned to Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan's office remained at the crash site well into Friday evening. The incident caused traffic backups along Route 5 and I-91 near Exit 18.

Meanwhile, no one was seriously injured in a rollover crash reported around 3 a.m. Saturday on Bridge Street, Kasper said.

View Clarion Hotel, 1 Atwood Dr., Northampton in a larger map

Whether the military wants to return to the messy business of running a nation torn by divisions and beset by political turmoil and chronic economic woes may be doubtful. However, many, in view of Saturday's statement, see the possibility of a limited and temporary intervention to save the country from civil strife if the need arises.

An Egyptian protester takes a picture with his mobile of another in front of an Egyptian army tank outside the presidential palace, background, in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012. Egypt's military warned Saturday of 'disastrous consequences' if the crisis that sent tens of thousands of protesters back into the streets is not resolved, signaling the army's return to an increasingly polarized and violent political scene. Associated Press  

HAMZA HENDAWI
and SARAH EL DEEB
Associated Press

CAIRO — Egypt's powerful military, sidelined last summer by the newly elected Islamist president, edged back Saturday into a political fray boiling over with tensions between secular forces and a government determined to pass a constitution enshrining a central role for religion.

A military statement warning of "disastrous" consequences should the standoff continue was widely interpreted as pushing President Mohammed Morsi to compromise and meet the opposition halfway over a draft constitution and the near-absolute powers he gave himself.

A direct military intervention to stave off bloodshed would likely enjoy the paradoxical and tacit support, at least initially, of some pro-democracy activists mortified by the authoritarian bent and Islamist ambitions of the freely elected Muslim Brotherhood-backed government.

Egypt's military, which had been the nation's de facto ruler since army officers seized power in a 1952 coup, remains the country's most powerful institution. But it has kept a low profile since Morsi ordered the retirement of its top two officers in August and canceled a constitutional declaration that gave it legislative powers when parliament's law-making chamber was dissolved by a court ruling.

The carefully worded statement appeared designed in part to show the military's growing impatience with the deepening political crisis pitting Morsi and his Islamist supporters against secular and liberal forces, including minority Christians.

It said dialogue was the "best and only" way to overcome the nation's deepening conflict. "Anything other than that (dialogue) will force us into a dark tunnel with disastrous consequences; something that we won't allow," it warned. "Failing to reach a consensus," is in the interest of neither side, it added. "The nation as a whole will pay the price."

Following its return to the barracks in June after a 16-month stint leading the country after Hosni Mubarak's ouster, the military has been busy cleaning up its image and focusing on its core task. Morsi, meanwhile, has since taking office five months ago been going out of his way to assure the generals that he has no intention of meddling in their affairs. The draft constitution hurriedly adopted by Morsi's Islamist backers also leaves the armed forces as an entity above oversight.

Whether the military wants to return to the messy business of running a nation torn by divisions and beset by political turmoil and chronic economic woes may be doubtful. However, many, in view of Saturday's statement, see the possibility of a limited and temporary intervention to save the country from civil strife if the need arises.

A Muslim Brotherhood spokesman, Mahmoud Ghozlan, said he saw the statement as an expression of support for Morsi, but lamented the military's return to the political fray. "We don't accept the interference of the military," he said.

Mohammed Waked, a prominent activist of the National Front for Justice and Democracy and a veteran of last year's uprising against Mubarak's rule, said any attempt by the military to return to power would initially be successful given heightened fear of violence.

"We will oppose it ... but there is a larger segment in society now that is willing to accept it more than before," he added. "It is in Morsi's hands."

Abdullah el-Sinawi, a prominent commentator close to the military, said the statement was a warning to Morsi and his Islamist backers to reach an agreement with their opponents to prevent the country's security from unraveling.

"We don't want a coup, and the military itself doesn't want to return to politics. But if it is forced to interfere to restore security, it will," el-Sinawi said. "The onus is on Morsi."

Mostafa el-Naggar, a former lawmaker and protest leader during last year's anti-Mubarak uprising, speculated that it could not have been easy for the military to issue the statement after the scathing criticism it endured for its running of the country starting from Mubarak's ouster in February, 2011 and June this year when it handed power to Morsi, the country's first civilian and freely elected president.

"It means a return to political life," el-Naggar said of the statement. "The military is saying it is still here and will interfere when necessary."

Egypt's military long enjoyed an aura of invincibility. All four presidents before Morsi hailed from the armed forces, which considers itself the ultimate guarantor of the nation's sovereignty and safety.

Army generals taking powerful jobs on retirement in the state-owned public sector and as provincial governors ensured that the military's influence extended beyond the armed forces, which have over the years built an economic empire above oversight of any kind. But its reputation was shattered in the aftermath of Mubarak's ouster.

Until Morsi came to power in June as the nation's first freely elected president, Egypt's military had been struggling with protesters accusing it of trying to stall the transition to democracy after Mubarak was ousted by a popular uprising in February 2011.

It faced allegations of human rights violations, including torturing detainees, and scenes of elite troops beating up peaceful protesters, including women, on the streets hurt its standing as the defender of the nation.

This week's scenes of Brotherhood supporters armed with sticks carrying out military-type drills on streets close to Morsi's palace in the upscale Heliopolis district have revived suspicions that the fundamentalist group is running militias and made the prospect of an army intervention more palatable.

"The escalation of the conflict into civil strife becomes a risk to the military's interests and the country as a whole," said Michael W. Hanna, an Egypt expert from the New York-based Century Foundation. "So, the statement is a reminder of the potential role of the military and a signal for civilians to manage the political process."

Egypt's ongoing crisis is the worst since Mubarak's ouster, with the two sides repeatedly bringing out tens of thousands of supporters on the streets often fighting with firebombs, sticks and rocks in deadly clashes. Offices of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood have been attacked, sometimes torched, by his opponents. With neither side willing to compromise and a flurry of threats of violence by radical Islamists, the specter of more and widespread violence is real.

The military's role in the ongoing crisis began Thursday with troops sealing off the area around Morsi's Cairo palace — scene of mass opposition rallies and deadly clashes — with tanks, armored vehicles and barbed wire. Images of elite Republican Guards' troops surrounding the palace area were the most high-profile troop deployment since the army handed power to Morsi in June.

The troops, however, have been anything but hostile to the opposition protesters in the area, allowing them on Friday to bypass their lines and surge ahead all the way to the walls of the palace, which they covered with anti-Morsi graffiti. Protesters also have painted anti-Morsi graffiti on the tanks and hoisted banners denouncing the president's Muslim Brotherhood on the palace walls.

The deployment, however, was received with mixed feelings— underlining the tenuous relations between the two sides and the lingering fear of a return to military rule. Some in the crowd posed with army officers for pictures, as soldiers assured them they won't let anyone harm them. But others rejected the military's reassurances, and one female protester shouted to the officers that their tanks had protesters' blood on them, a reference to a violent crackdown by the military on a protest last year.

Many protesters also heckled a small crowd that chanted "the military and the people are one hand."

Omar Abdel-Halim, a 28-year-old veteran of the 2011 uprising, says he and his comrades will reserve judgment on a possible intervention by the military.

If there is large scale bloodshed between the revolutionaries and the Islamists, he added, the army may not even be able to end it. "I think troops will just deploy to protect state institutions. They are not equipped to go after combatants on side streets and in alleys."

A pilot program that will extend by 300 hours the amount of time kids spend in school each year will be tried out in communities in 5 states, including some in Massachusetts.

Minnechaug Regional High School Principal Stephen M. Hale poses with Dylan Sargert, 17, a junior, left, and Jason Kelly, 17, a senior on the first day of school at the new Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham in September. The Republican file / Michael S. Gordon  

If you think that kids who attend public schools in the United States ought to be prepared to compete in today’s global economy, then you’ve got to support a plan to improve our educational system.

If you think that our nation’s schools should be readying youngsters for successes in a broad range of fields – from doctors to tradesmen – then you’d also back a proposal to aid learning. If you believe instead that schools shouldn’t be seen as training grounds but should focus on teaching youngsters to think for themselves, then you, too, would have to get behind a proposal to better public education. And if you think that things are fine and dandy just as they are, you simply haven’t been paying attention.

A pilot program that will extend by 300 hours the amount of time kids spend in school each year is seeking to determine how much better kids will fare. It will be tried out in communities in five states – including some in Massachusetts.

There are opponents, of course. Not surprisingly, the teachers unions have expressed their reservations. And some are pointing to studies that question the relationship between learning and school time.

Does anyone really believe this?

Sometimes a beginning golfer makes a hole-in-one, but such an oddball feat isn’t proof that more time on the practice range isn’t the key to success.

Our nation’s public schools are badly lagging. A program to look into the effects of additional time in school is just one step. But it’s an awfully good one.

Hanukkah, also known as the festival of lights, commemorates the Jewish uprising in the second century B.C. against the Greek-Syrian kingdom, which had tried to impose its culture on Jews and adorn the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem with statues of Greek gods.

Poland's chief rabbi Michael Schudrich, center, lights the first candle celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, on Grzybowski square in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012. Associated Press  

IAN DEITCH
Associated Press

JERUSALEM — Jews around the world ushered in the eight-day Hanukkah festival Saturday evening, lighting the first candles of ceremonial lamps that symbolize triumph over oppression.

In Israel, families gathered after sundown for the lighting, eating traditional snacks of potato pancakes and doughnuts and exchanging gifts.

Local officials lit candles set up in public places, while families displayed the nine-candle lamps, called menorahs, in their windows or in special windproof glass boxes outside.

Hanukkah, also known as the festival of lights, commemorates the Jewish uprising in the second century B.C. against the Greek-Syrian kingdom, which had tried to impose its culture on Jews and adorn the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem with statues of Greek gods.

The holiday lasts eight days because according to tradition, when the Jews rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem, a single vial of oil, enough for one day, burned miraculously for eight.

For many Jewish people, the holiday symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.

Observant Jews light a candle each night to mark the holiday.

Oily foods are eaten to commemorate the oil miracle, hence the ubiquitous fried doughnuts and potato pancakes, known as latkes.

In Israel, children play with four-sided spinning tops, or dreidels, decorated with the letters that form the acronym "A great miracle happened here." Outside of Israel, the saying is "A great miracle happened there." Israeli students get time off from school for the holiday, when families gather each night to light the candles, eat and exchange gifts.

Hanukkah — which means dedication — is one of the most popular holidays in Israel, and has a high rate of observance.

In Ohio, the first public candle lighting on Saturday will be by Holocaust survivor Abe Weinrib, who turns 100 next week. Weinrib, who will light the first candle on a 13-foot public menorah at Easton Town Center in Columbus, said his biggest triumph was surviving the Holocaust, the Nazi campaign to eliminate Jews in Europe.

Weinrib told The Columbus Dispatch newspaper that he was arrested while working in Polish factories owned by his uncle when he was in his 20s. He spent six years imprisoned in camps, including the notorious Auschwitz.

In New York City, Jews are celebrating the holiday's start with the ceremonial lighting of a 32-foot-tall menorah at the edge of Central Park.

Dignitaries, rabbis and a big crowd are expected Saturday evening for the ceremony. The steel menorah weighs 4,000 pounds and stands tall enough that organizers will need an electric utility crane to reach the top. It has real oil lamps, protected from the wind by glass chimneys.

A large menorah is also ready to be lit on the lawn in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The menorah is being put up by the Philadelphia Lubavitch Center, a group dedicated to Jewish education.

In Florida, Gov. Rick Scott celebrated the beginning of Hanukkah with a menorah-lighting ceremony in his office at the state Capitol in Tallahassee. He was joined by a rabbi from the northwest Florida branch of the Chabad Lubavitch outreach organization.

"The story of Hanukkah reminds us that confidence in one's identity and hope for the future are powerful forces that cannot be defeated - even in the darkest of times. Hanukkah is also a time to reiterate our support for the people of Israel," Scott said, adding that he and his wife are "keeping our friends in Israel in our prayers for a future of peace."

Associated Press Writer Jennifer Kay in Miami, Florida, contributed to this report.

Police have yet to publicly identify a 19-year-old Worcester County woman who died in a Route 202 crash in Franklin County.

The Republican file photo  

NEW SALEM — State police have yet to publicly identify the teenage girl killed in a Friday afternoon car crash on Route 202 in New Salem.

"The victim's name is not going to be released at this time, pending the notification of immediate family. Those family members are currently out of state and efforts are being made to locate them," state police at Framingham headquarters said in a release late Saturday afternoon.

Troopers from the Athol barracks responded to the fatal crash, which took the life of a 19-year-old driver from Royalston in Worcester County.

The driver was northbound on Route 202 in a 2003 Saturn ION when she went off the roadway and struck a tree at about 12:44 p.m. Friday, police said. The crash happened just south of Route 2 near the Orange town line and north of Quabbin Reservoir, police said.

The accident remains under investigation by state police detectives assigned to the office of Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan.

Members of the state police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and Crime Scene Services Section were also involved in the probe. Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Orange Fire Department, Orange EMS and the New Salem Fire Department.

Sections of Route 202 were temporarily closed as state police investigators conducted their probe and the damaged car was towed from the scene.

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Though expectations were low for the two-week conference in Doha, many developing countries rejected the deal as insufficient to put the world on track to fight the rising temperatures that are shifting weather patterns, melting glaciers and raising sea levels. Some Pacific island nations see this as a threat to their existence.

Norwegian Environmental Minister BÃ¥rd Vegar, second right, speaks to local and international activists during their protest inside a conference center to demand urgent action to address climate change at the U.N. climate talks in Doha, Qatar, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012. After all-night wrangling, the latest drafts Saturday lacked the strong commitments on climate action and financing by rich countries that poor countries had hoped for. But they did include a text on "loss and damage," a relatively new concept which relates to damages from climate-related disasters. Associated Press  

By KARL RITTER
and MICHAEL CASEY
Associated Press

DOHA, Qatar — Seeking to control global warming, nearly 200 countries agreed Saturday to extend the Kyoto Protocol, a treaty that limits the greenhouse gas output of some rich countries, but will only cover about 15 percent of global emissions.

The extension was adopted by a U.N. climate conference after hard-fought sessions and despite objections from Russia. The package of decisions also included vague promises of financing to help poor countries cope with climate change, and an affirmation of a previous decision to adopt a new global climate pact by 2015.

Though expectations were low for the two-week conference in Doha, many developing countries rejected the deal as insufficient to put the world on track to fight the rising temperatures that are shifting weather patterns, melting glaciers and raising sea levels. Some Pacific island nations see this as a threat to their existence.

"This is not where we wanted to be at the end of the meeting, I assure you," said Nauru Foreign Minister Kieren Keke, who leads an alliance of small island states. "It certainly isn't where we need to be in order to prevent islands from going under and other unimaginable impacts."

The two-decade-old U.N. climate talks have so-far failed in their goal of reducing the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions that a vast majority of scientists says are warming the planet.

The 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which controls the emissions of rich countries, is considered the main achievement of the negotiations, even though the U.S. rejected it because it didn't impose any binding commitments on China and other emerging economies.

Kyoto was due to expire this year, so failing to agree on an extension would have been a major setback for the talks. Despite objections from Russia, which opposed rules limiting its use of carbon credits, the accord was extended through 2020 to fill the gap until a wider global treaty is expected to take effect.

However, the second phase only covers about 15 percent of global emissions after Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Russia opted out.

The decisions in Doha mean that in future years, the talks can focus on the new treaty, which is supposed to apply to both rich and poor countries. It is expected to be adopted in 2015 and take effect five years later, but the details haven't been worked out yet.

U.S. climate envoy Todd Stern highlighted one of the main challenges going forward when he said the U.S. couldn't accept a provision in the Doha deal that said the talks should be "guided" by principles laid down in the U.N.'s framework convention for climate change.

That could be interpreted as a reference to the firewall between rich and poor countries that has guided the talks so far, but which the U.S. and other developed countries say must be removed going forward.

"We are now on our way to the new regime," European Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said. It definitely wasn't an easy ride, but we managed to cross the bridge."

"Hopefully from here we can increase our speed," she added. "The world needs it more than ever."

The goal of the U.N. talks is to keep temperatures from rising more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to preindustrial times. Temperatures have already risen about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit above that level, according to the latest report by the U.N.'s top climate body.

A recent projection by the World Bank showed temperatures are on track to rise by up to 7.2 Fahrenheit by the year 2100.

"For all of the nations wrestling with the new reality of climate change - which includes the United States - this meeting failed to deliver the goods," said Alden Meyer, of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

"At the end of the day, ministers were left with two unpalatable choices: accept an abysmally weak deal, or see the talks collapse in acrimony and despair — with no clear path forward," Meyer said.

Poor countries came into the talks in Doha demanding a timetable on how rich countries would scale up climate change aid for them to $100 billion annually by 2020 — a general pledge that was made three years ago.

But rich nations, including the United States, members of the European Union and Japan are still grappling with the effects of a financial crisis and were not interested in detailed talks on aid in Doha.

The agreement on financing made no reference to any mid-term financing targets, just a general pledge to "identify pathways for mobilizing the scaling up of climate finance."

Tim Gore, climate policy adviser at British aid group Oxfam said the Doha deal imperiled the lives and livelihoods of the world's poorest communities, who are the most vulnerable to shifts in climate.

"It's nothing short of betrayal of the responsibilities of developed countries," he said. "We are now in the red zone in fighting climate change."

Small island nations scored a victory by getting the conference to adopt a text on "loss and damage," a relatively new concept which relates to damages from climate-related disasters.

Island nations under threat from rising sea levels have been pushing for some mechanism to help them cope with such natural catastrophes, but the United States has pushed back over concerns it might be held liable for the cleanup bill since it is the world's second-biggest emitter behind China.

With many survivors still in shock, soldiers, police and outside volunteers formed most of the teams searching for bodies or signs of life under tons of fallen trees and boulders swept down from steep hills surrounding the worst-hit town of New Bataan, municipal spokesman Marlon Esperanza said.

Eddie Jotojot checks the coffin of his son Ejiedev who was killed at the height of Tuesday's typhoon Bopha at New Bataan township, Compostela Valley in southern Philippines Saturday Dec. 8, 2012. Search and rescue operations following a typhoon that killed nearly 600 people in the southern Philippines have been hampered in part because many residents of this ravaged farming community are too stunned to assist recovery efforts, an official said Saturday. Associated Press  

BULLIT MARQUEZ
Associated Press

NEW BATAAN, Philippines — A typhoon that had left the Philippines after killing nearly 600 people and leaving hundreds missing in the south has made a U-turn and is now threatening the country's northwest, officials said Saturday.

The weather bureau raised storm warnings over parts of the main northern island of Luzon after Typhoon Bopha veered northeast. There was a strong possibility the disastrous storm would make a second landfall Sunday, but it might also make a loop and remain in the South China Sea, forecasters said. In either case, it was moving close to shore and disaster officials warned of heavy rains and winds and possible landslides in the mountainous region.

Another calamity in the north would stretch recovery efforts thin. Most government resources, including army and police, are currently focused on the south, where Bopha hit Tuesday before moving west into the South China Sea.

With many survivors still in shock, soldiers, police and outside volunteers formed most of the teams searching for bodies or signs of life under tons of fallen trees and boulders swept down from steep hills surrounding the worst-hit town of New Bataan, municipal spokesman Marlon Esperanza said.

"We are having a hard time finding guides," he told The Associated Press. "Entire families were killed and the survivors ... appear dazed. They can't move."

He said the rocks, mud, tree trunks and other rubble that litter the town have destroyed landmarks, making it doubly difficult to search places where houses once stood.

On Friday, bodies found jammed under fallen trees that could not be retrieved were marked with makeshift flags made of torn cloth so they could be easily spotted by properly equipped teams.

Authorities decided to bury unidentified bodies in a common grave after forensic officials process them for future identification by relatives, Esperanza said.

The town's damaged public market has been converted into a temporary funeral parlor. A few residents milled around two dozen white wooden coffins, some containing unidentified remains.

One resident, Jing Maniquiz, 37, said she rushed home from Manila for the wake of two of her sisters, but could not bring herself to visit the place where her home once stood in Andap village. Her parents, a brother and nephew are missing.

"I don't want to see it," she said tearfully. "I can't accept that in just an instant I lost my mother, my father, my brother."

She said that at the height of the typhoon, her mother was able to send her a text message saying trees were falling on their house and its roof had been blown away.

Maniquiz said her family sought refuge at a nearby health center, but that was destroyed and they and dozens of others were swept away by the raging waters.

"We are not hopeful that they are still alive. We just want to find their bodies so that we will have closure," she said.

Mary Joy Adlawan, a 14-year-old high school student from the same village, was waiting for authorities to bury her 7-year-old niece.

Her parents, an elder sister, five nieces and a nephew are missing.

"I don't know what to do," she said as she fixed some flowers on the coffin.

Esperanza said heavy equipment, search dogs and chain saws were brought by volunteers from as far away as the capital, Manila, about 950 kilometers (590 miles) to the north.

Nearly 400,000 people, mostly from Compostela Valley and nearby Davao Oriental provinces, have lost their homes and are crowded inside evacuation centers or staying with relatives.

The typhoon plowed through the main southern island of Mindanao, crossed the central Philippines and lingered over the South China Sea for the past two days. It made a U-turn Saturday and is now threatening the northwestern Ilocos region.

President Benigno Aquino III, after visiting the disaster zone, declared a state of national calamity late Friday to speed up rescue and rehabilitation, control prices of basic commodities in typhoon-affected areas and allow the quick release of emergency funds.

In Bangkok, Thailand, U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said the Philippines had appealed for international aid. She said many countries have already provided assistance, but did not specify the amounts.

Officials say 276 people were killed in Compostela Valley, including 155 in New Bataan, and 277 in Davao Oriental. About 40 people died elsewhere and nearly 600 are still missing, 411 from New Bataan alone.

Davao Oriental Gov. Corazon Malanyaon told the AP that clean water and shelter were the biggest problem in three towns facing the Pacific Ocean. She said she imposed a curfew there and ordered police to guard stores and shops to stop looting.

The Philippines is also counting economic losses. Banana growers reported that 14,000 hectares (34,600 acres) of export banana plantations, equal to 18 percent of the total in Mindanao, were destroyed. The Philippines is the world's third-largest banana producer and exporter, supplying international brands such as Dole, Chiquita and Del Monte.

Stephen Antig, executive director of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association, said losses were estimated at 12 billion pesos ($300 million), including 8 billion pesos ($200 million) in damaged fruits that had been ready for harvest, and the rest for the cost of rehabilitating farms, which will take about a year.

At the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI expressed closeness to the people hit by the typhoon. "I pray for the victims, for their families and for the many homeless," the pontiff said Saturday, addressing pilgrims and tourists from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square.

Associated Press writers Oliver Teves and Hrvoje Hranjski in Manila, Francisco Rosario in Bangkok, Thailand, and Frances D'Emilio in Rome contributed to this report.

Twelve of 13 people arrested at a sobriety checkpoint in Springfield were charged with operating under the influence, state police in Springfield said.

Dwight Shepard, The Republican  

Twelve of the 13 people arrested between Friday evening and early Saturday morning were charged with operating under the influence, the trooper said. The remaining arrest involved "narcotics charges," he said.

Additional information was not immediately available.

All 13 suspects were expected to be arraigned Monday in Springfield District Court.

The checkpoints are funded by a grant from the Highway Safety Division of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Security and Safety. The selection of vehicles is not arbitrary, according to state police officials.

Smith College defeated Trinity for the first time in 10 years.

Sophomore guard Jen Ashton made it four straight games in double figures by registering 10 of her game-high 15 points in the second half, leading Westfield State to a 62-57 victory over Salve Regina in women’s basketball Saturday at Newport, R.I.

Ashton has averaged 14 points over the last four contests, including 16 points against Eastern Connecticut Tuesday.

High School of Commerce graduate Gabby Felix, also a sophomore, hauled down a game-high 12 rebounds, went six for six from the foul line and finished with 12 points for Westfield.

Sophomore forward Brianna Del Valle of Belchertown had eight points and eight rebounds for Salve Regina (1-6)

Ole Miss 71, UMass 59: The Minutewomen led 30-21 at the half and by as many as 15 points, but the Rebels (5-2) staged a 50-point second half to prevent an upset at Oxford, Miss.

Jasmine Watson led UMass (2-8) with 19 points.

Neither team could hit on 3-pointers, going a combined 4 for 31. UMass was 3 for 15, Ole Miss 1-16.

Smith 68, Trinity 47: It looks like another great season for the Lynn Hersey’s Pioneers, (7-1) as they won their fifth straight game, defeating the Bantams for the first time in 10 years.

Smith, which won 23 games last season and finished as the NEWMAC runner-up and ECAC champion, was led by sophomore guard Paulina Solis, who scored 17 points and added six rebounds and six steals.

Co-captain Devon Quattrocchi and Rosa Drummond each contributed 12 points.

Trinity (5-3) is coached by former Western New England coach and UConn player Wendy Davis.

AIC 65, Saint Rose 40: Sophomore guard Alyssa Roach scored a game-high 15 points and pulled down seven rebounds, and freshman guard Ebony Easter contributed 11 points and eight rebounds as the Yellow Jackets (5-4) evened their Northeast-10 record at 3-3.

AIC freshman guard Briana Bishop of Suffield, Conn., came off the bench to score nine points and dish out three assists.

The Yellow Jackets had a commanding 52-30 advantage on the boards.

Sophomore center Mariah Lesure of Amherst led Saint Rose (2-6, 0-6) with 11 points.

Western New England 76, Mount Ida 47: Emily Savino led five players in double figures with 16 points for the host Golden Bears (5-3).

Elena Radzikowski scored 13 points in only 18 minutes for WNE, which out-rebounded Mount Ida (4-5) 46-26.

Regis 66, Elms 58: Sophomore forward Denisha Parks scored nearly half of Elms’ points with 28 and added 11 rebounds, but the Blazers (2-5, 1-1) fell in a New England Collegiate Conference game to Regis (3-2, 2-0) at Picknelly Arena in Chicopee. 

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Westfield State 62, Western New England 52: Lee Vazquez scored a game-high 23 points to help Westfield improve to 7-1 with a non-conference win at WNE.

Sophomore Grant Cooper of Northampton pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds and contributed 11 points for the Owls.

Musa Elsir led the Golden Bears (2-6) with 16 points.

Saint Rose 67, AIC 62: The Golden Knights (6-2, 4-2) scored nine of the last 12 points to hand the Yellow Jackets (4-4, 2-4) a tough NE-10 loss at Butova Gymnasium.

AIC was up 56-49 with 4:10 remaining in the game, but gave it all up in a span of 1:17 as Saint Rose scored seven consecutive points.

Elms 78, Regis 59: The Blazers (3-6, 2-0) used a strong performance from its bench (42-21) to coast to a NECC home win over Regis (0-8, 0-2).

Regis’ Jordan Monts, of Springfield, recorded 13 points to lead all scorers. 

MEN’S HOCKEY

Mercyhurst 7, AIC 2: Ben Meisner became the all-time saves leader for AIC, but Mercyhurst avenged Friday’s 7-3 defeat to the visiting Yellow Jackets.

AIC (4-8-3, 1-6-3) is off until Dec. 29 at the annual UConn tournament, where it meets the Huskies in the first round.

After a menorah-lighting ceremony, more than 100 people packed the Dickinson Street facility for traditional holiday food and activities.

Ron Gabayan, of Shimshit, Israel, lights the menorah to mark the first night of Hanukkah during a Saturday evening ceremony at the Springfield Jewish Community Center on Dickinson Street. David Molnar, The Republican  

SPRINGFIELD — As Jews from around the world gathered to mark the beginning of Hannukah on Saturday evening, dozens of locals flocked to the Springfield Jewish Community Center on Dickinson Street to light the first candles of a large menorah outside the Forest Park facility.

"We're here just to be a part of the community," said Adam Peck, of Longmeadow. "And to welcome the first night of Hanukkah," added his wife, Rhonda Goldberg.

The couple were joined by their children, Alyssa, 11, and Joshua, 9. "It represents the oil that burned for eight nights," said Alyssa, referring to the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights that takes place each December.

Alyssa said she was looking forward to playing with dreidels, or four-sided spinning tops that are decorated with the first letter forming each word in the saying "A great miracle happened there." In Israel, the saying is "A great miracle happened here."

"Attendance is great," said Michael Paysnick, executive director of the Springfield JCC.

More than 100 people packed the lobby of the JCC at 1160 Dickinson St. for the First Light Hanukkah Celebration, which included such traditional snacks as potato latkes and jelly donuts. The celebration also featured activities for children including an indoor rock-climbing wall, basketball in the JCC gymnasium, and a dance with a DJ in the center's auditorium.

Hanukkah commemorates the re-dedication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 164 BC. The Maccabees recaptured Jerusalem and reconsecrated the Temple after leading a successful revolt against Syrian rule. The lighting of the ceremonial candles symbolizes triumph over oppression and recalls the story of a one-day supply of oil that burned miraculously in the Temple for eight days.

For many Jewish people, Hannukah symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. Observant Jews light a candle on each night of the eight-day holiday.

For some, Saturday's ceremony was a chance to share some food and fun with family and friends. Dalia Davis, JCC's Jewish educator, helped her young daughter get a drink of juice after the candle-lighting ceremony, which drew a crowd of at least 150 people.

"I came with my family to celebrate the first night of Hannukah," Davis said.

On Tuesday, the Bobby Levin Nifty 90s Hanukkah Celebration will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the JCC, which straddles the Longmeadow town line. Twelve people who are age 90 or older will be honored at the event.

North Korea announced earlier this month that it would launch a three-stage rocket mounted with a satellite from its Sohae station southeast of Sinuiju sometime between Dec. 10 and Dec. 22. Pyongyang calls it a peaceful bid to send an observational satellite into space, its second attempt this year.

This Dec. 4 file satellite image taken by GeoEye and annotated and distributed by North Korea Tech and 38 North shows snow covering the Sohae launching station in Tongchang-ri, North Korea, including the path where trailers would be used to move the rocket stages from the assembly building to the launch pad in preparation for a Dec. 10-22 launch. North Korea may postpone the controversial launch of a long-range rocket that had been slated for liftoff as early as Monday, North Korean state media said Sunday. Associated Press  

JEAN H. LEE
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea may postpone the controversial launch of a long-range rocket that had been slated for liftoff as early as Monday, North Korean state media said Sunday.

Scientists have pushed forward with preparations for the launch from a west coast site, but are considering "readjusting" the timing, a spokesman for the Korean Committee for Space Technology told North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency.

It was unclear whether diplomatic intervention or technical glitches were behind the possible delay. The brief statement cited "some reasons," but provided no further details.

North Korea announced earlier this month that it would launch a three-stage rocket mounted with a satellite from its Sohae station southeast of Sinuiju sometime between Dec. 10 and Dec. 22. Pyongyang calls it a peaceful bid to send an observational satellite into space, its second attempt this year.

The United States, Japan, South Korea and others have urged North Korea to refrain from carrying out the launch, calling it a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions on nuclear activity because the rocket shares the same technology used for firing a long-range missile. China noted its "concern" and called for calm while citing North Korea's right to develop its space program.

Past launches have earned North Korea international condemnation and a host of sanctions.

Commercial satellite imagery taken by GeoEye on Dec. 4 and shared Friday with The Associated Press by the 38 North and North Korea Tech websites showed the Sohae site covered with snow. The road from the main assembly building to the launch pad showed no fresh tracks, indicating that the snowfall may have stalled the preparations.

However, analysts believed rocket preparations would have been completed on time for liftoff as early as Monday.

The unexpected launch announcement was issued Dec. 1 as North Koreans began mourning late leader Kim Jong Il, who died on Dec. 17, 2011.

An April launch from the same new launch pad was held on April 13, two days before the centennial of the birth of his father, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung. That rocket broke up just seconds after liftoff.

The U.S. and other nations see the launches as covers for illicit tests of missile technology. North Korea has unveiled missiles designed to target U.S. soil, and has tested two atomic bombs in recent years, but has not shown yet that it has mastered the technology for mounting a nuclear warhead to a long-range missile.

Six-nation negotiations to offer North Korea much-needed aid in exchange for nuclear disarmament have been stalled since 2009.

Dickens Days, now in its ninth year, is a community-wide holiday event inspired by Charles Dickens.

Karen A. Carpenter, left, and her sister-in-law, Karen J. Carpenter, both of Granville, enjoy a successful day selling their handmade mittens crafted of old sweaters during Dickens Days Fezziwig's Holiday Faire at the YMCA on Court Street. Manon Mirabelli  

WESTFIELD — Dickens Days festivities were in full swing Saturday with the city's Old Curiosity Shoppe Tour through downtown, as well as the annual Fezziwig's Holiday Faire featuring dozens of crafters.

Most of the crafters at Fezziwig's Holiday Faire enjoyed a successful afternoon selling their wares at the YMCA of Greater Westfield, 67 Court St. That's where shoppers could find a wide variety of handmade items ranging from zucchini relish, baked goods and jewelry to fragrant soaps, and knit hats and mittens made of old sweaters and embellished with crystals, beads and stones.

Gabriella R. Steria, of Montgomery, and her mother, Savilla R. Steria, of Lowville, N.Y., said they were pleased with the foot traffic, which brought better-than-expected sales. "We had a nice group of customers," Savilla said.

Another crafter, Rebecca A. Greene, of Tolland, also had a successful afternoon selling her jewelry, as did Karen A. Carpenter and Karen J. Carpenter, both of Granville.

The Carpenter sisters-in-law use recycled sweaters to make mittens, which are also lined with fleece and decorated with a wide assortment of embellishments. They said they support Goodwill and the Salvation Army by buying sweaters year-round to use for their crafts, which includes scarves. "It's an original idea," said Karen J. Carpenter. "We try to keep an inventory of 500 items."

Wendy A. Caputo, of Westfield, said the sales of her homemade soaps were better this year than last. The natural ingredients she uses make the soaps highly fragrant, and they come in all sizes and shapes, including stars, snowflakes, gingerbread men, seashells and pie slices. They also come in the traditional rectangular shape, with a translucent mixture through which items such as berries and leaves were visible.

Fezziwig's Holiday Faire was part of Dickens Days Ninth Annual Village Stroll, which began at 8 a.m. with a Breakfast with Santa event at Westfield State University and ended with a 7:30 p.m. performance of "Holiday Spirit," an original musical presented by the Westfield Theater Group at the Westfield Women's Club.

A little bit of sun tomorrow, followed by more rain for Monday.

A weak system continues to crawl it's way through the Northeast. Cloudy skies stick around for most of the night, with an isolated shower possible as well. Areas of fog are expected to develop as well, with overnight lows dropping close to the freezing mark.

We catch a break in the dreariness, perhaps even a break in the clouds, for Sunday. A mix of sun and clouds is expected tomorrow afternoon, with temperatures seasonally mild running in the mid-40s. It doesn't last long however, as a large storm system will start moving in for Sunday evening.

Showers will be on and off from Sunday night all the way into Tuesday as a large low pressure system will be moving through the Northeast. It will be warm enough that we don't have to worry about snow with this system. High pressure returns and brings a quieter weather pattern for the second-half of the week.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, areas of fog/drizzle, low 35.

Sunday: Partly sunny, seasonally mild, high 47.

Monday: Rain likely, breezy, high 53.

Tuesday: Scattered showers early, clearing afternoon skies, high 44.

The Armor fell behind early and could never make up the difference.

Coach Bob MacKinnon's Springfield Armor had no answers for the Canton Charge Saturday night. (Christopher Marion Sr)  

SPRINGFIELD - It's not easy playing basketball from behind, and even harder when the game is 2-on-5.

The Springfield Armor were brutally reminded of those lessons in Saturday night's ultra-ugly 118-88 loss to Canton.

This was a game that saw the Charge in charge from the outset. It was never really close, but it got out of hand in the fourth quarter, when Canton outscored the Armor 32-15 in the NBA Development League game.

"You can't play from behind all the time. We talked about it and thought we had a handle on it,'' said Armor coach Bob MacKinnon, whose team had used a second-half rally to beat Fort Wayne Friday night.

Not this time. Not even close.

"Too many possessions got away. We got crushed on the boards (54-29), we didn't defend, there was no toughness or resistance and no sense of urgency,'' MacKinnon said.

"This is a professional game. We didn't play like professionals.''

The rout came one night after Springfield had tied a franchise record with 63 rebounds, an effort that helped overcome an 18-point deficit in the 108-100 win over Fort Wayne.

With Saturday night's loss at the MassMutual Center, Springfield fell to 3-2.

Ben Uzoh scored 30 points and James Mays had 25 for the Armor, but their production wasn't nearly enough to tip the scales against Canton, which ousted the Armor from last season's D-League playoffs.

Uzoh's previous career high had been 27 in a 2011 game. He could not stop the Charge from avenging an Opening Night overtime loss at home to Springfield.

Forward Kyle Gibson scored 25 points for the Charge, who placed six scorers in double figures. Center Arinze Onuaka not only scored 13 points, but grabbed nine of Canton's 20 offensive rebounds and had 12 boards in all.

The first half was choppy and frustrating for the Armor, who fell into an early hole and trailed 60-47 at the break.

Uzoh scored 18 points with three assists and four steals in the first half. The 6-foot-3 guard has been getting the attention of NBA teams.

Uzoh has 60 games of NBA experience. He came into Saturday's game with averages of 14.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game.

He had help from Mays, a 6-foot-8 forward who scored 17 points in the first half. Canton's defense has been no mystery to Mays, a former Clemson star whose previous season high was 23 points in the season opener at Canton.

Springfield lost forward Carleton Scott, who played only three minutes before suffering an ankle sprain. They were also without center Willie Reed, who sat out with foot problems.

"Willie thought he might be able to play in an emergency, but these are guys' careers we're talking about,'' MacKinnon said.

"I told Willie I'd rather lose by 30 than take the risk. Unfortunately, I was right.''

Seven-foot center Chas McFarland came alive in the second half and had a season-high 13 points for Springfield.

Springfield hurt itself with frosty 38.9-percent shooting in the game, and shot blanks with 0-for-8 shooting on 3-pointers. Canton shot 51.2 percent.

"It was a team effort, from me on down. We need more from everybody - none of us did our jobs tonight,'' MacKinnon said.

Canton improved to 2-4. All four losses have been by single digits.

The win gave the Raiders a two-game sweep at Mullins Center.

UMass forward Kevin Czepiel is pursued by Colgate's Nathan Sinz during Friday night's game at the Mullins Center. The Minutemen lost again Saturday 5-2. J. Anthony Roberts  

AMHERST — The third period was the only one in which the University of Massachusetts hockey team played well Friday night against Colgate.

In the rematch, it was the opposite.

UMass allowed four third-period goals as the Raiders skated to a 5-2 victory to complete a two-game sweep over UMass in front of 2,720 at the Mullins Center on Saturday night.

“The idea is to learn lessons. Some are hard, some are easy. We obviously were taught things that we haven’t learned from because we allowed it to happen again,” UMass coach John Micheletto said. “It’s a movie that we’ve seen before.”

The Minutemen took a 2-1 lead into the third period, but the Raiders tied it early when Robbie Bourdon found Kurtis Bartliff in the slot on the rush. Bartliff’s shot hit UMass goalie Kevin Boyle, who was screened by a UMass defender, then trickled over the line to even the score at two 4:39 into the frame.

“We let a goal in the first four minutes that shouldn’t have gone in impact the way that we continued to play,” Micheletto said.

The Minutemen were dealt another blow when defenseman Joel Hanley was whistled for elbowing with 11:09 to go. Micheletto did not agree with the call.

“It looked like a clean hit from a defenseman with his hands and elbows tucked on a Colgate player who was cutting across the middle,” Micheletto said. “That was an influential call at that point in the game.”

What happened next was a repeat of what went on all weekend. Colgate scored its fifth power-play goal of the series and its second of the game 1:09 later when Tyson Spink put one past a sprawling Boyle, giving the Raiders their first lead of the night with ten minutes remaining.

Spink’s twin brother Tylor and Kyle Baun assisted, giving the trio of freshman, who all came to Colgate from the Central Canadian Hockey League’s Cornwall Colts, a total of 16 points on the weekend.

“We did not react very well,” Micheletto said. “The call (on Hanley) itself is one thing, how we handle it and execute from that point on is completely different.”

Colgate added insurance goals by Billy Rivellini and Bartliff, at 13:31 and 15:52 respectively, to round out the scoring.

Things looked promising for the Minutemen through two periods.

Adam Phillips put the Minutemen on the board 6:06 into the first period, his third straight game with a goal after 30 consecutive scoreless games.

Colgate responded on the power play less than two minutes later. Baun took a pass from Tyson Spink in the slot, spun around and fired a wrister past Boyle’s outstretched glove for his third goal of the weekend, tying the game at one.

Branden Gracel one-timed a slap shot off a Kevin Czepiel rebound past Colgate goalie Spencer Finney to restore the Minutemen’s advantage with 7:19 to play in the first. The goal – Gracel’s team-leading seventh of the season – tied the Calgary, Alberta native’s career high from 34 games in 2011-12.

Even sweeping lineup changes couldn’t fix what ailed UMass in the final period. Micheletto shifted all of his forward lines, and center Steven Guzzo was a healthy scratch for the first time all season.

“We had gotten varied results for periods of time,” Micheletto said. “I didn’t feel like it was for extended enough periods of time to warrant keeping those lines together.”

Micheletto said he wasn’t frustrated with the sweep, just disappointed.

“We’re better than we’re playing. That’s not a good feeling for them. You’re supposed to maximize your athletes’ experience. Right now, we’re not doing that,” he said. “We’ll go through various adversities over the course of the season. This isn’t the first and it won’t be the last, but I’d like to get out of it.”

The Minutemen play again Tuesday at No. 15 Yale.

Jimmy Newton, Billy Swan and Jimmy Punderson used to get together to play pick-up games in a vacant lot at the end of Riverview Street, where 2 of them lived.

From left, Jimmy Newton, Billy Swan and Jimmy Punderson were featured in the Springfield Union in the late 1930s for collecting money for the newspaper's Toy Fund. The caption said, in part: "The Toy Fund salutes you 'little kids' and hopes your fine spirit will inspire other folks to help make this Christmas a happy one for thousands of little girls and boys who depend on the Toy Fund for a merry holiday." The Republican staff file photo  

From left, Jimmy Newton, Billy Swan and Jimmy Punderson were featured in the Springfield Union in the late 1930s for collecting money for the newspaper's Toy Fund. The caption said, in part: "The Toy Fund salutes you 'little kids' and hopes your fine spirit will inspire other folks to help make this Christmas a happy one for thousands of little girls and boys who depend on the Toy Fund for a merry holiday." The Republican staff file photo  

SPRINGFIELD — When James B. Newton died at 84 in August, his obituary said he considered himself the luckiest person in the world for having the friends and family that he did.

Others might say the world was lucky to have had him. Newton was an Amherst College graduate, a veteran of World War II, a father of five, prominent in the electrical industry, honored for his creativity, and an inveterate writer of letters to this newspaper for many years.

He was not always all that. Today a donation to Toy for Joy recalls a time when Newton was just Jimmy, one of a trio of best friends who grew up in the Forest Park neighborhood of Springfield.

The donation is from Wilbur Swan, of Longmeadow, and James Punderson, of East Longmeadow. Newton was living in South Hadley.

Swan provided the archival photo that shows the little troika when they were still living in Springfield in the late 1930s.

The caption identifies them as Jimmy Newton, Billy Swan and Jimmy Punderson, known as the “three little kids.” They were about 10 years old.

The buddies had gone door-to-door raising money to buy toys for underprivileged children. The caption of the old photo reads: “The ‘three little kids’ ... again came to the help of the Toy Fund Santa Claus this year, bringing in $12.30 and a box of toys.”

Their contribution was worth a lot in those days. Some 75 years later, two of the friends would donate 25 times that amount to Toy for Joy to honor the third.

Swan tells how the three boys used to get together to play pick-up games in a vacant lot at the end of Riverview Street, where two of them lived.

Kids found ways to amuse themselves in those days, said Swan. They would play kick the can and set off fireworks. They didn’t wait for adults to organize activities for them, and parents didn’t have to worry the way they do now.

The three buddies also frequented Porter Lake, which was full of lights and skaters and a big warming hut in winter. Swan used to walk over after dinner. “I would walk through the park in the middle of the night and nobody thought a thing about it,” he said.

Punderson became head of Punderson Oil and a volunteer pilot for AirLifeLine. He still skis at Okemo Mountain.

Swan moved to Chicago, moved back to Springfield and founded United Chemical and Plastics. He volunteers twice a week at the information desk at Baystate Medical Center.

In later years, Newton would arrange for the old friends to keep in touch over lunch.

Swan has had the picture from the Springfield Union on his desk for years. He used to think about having another photo taken of the trio, this time as octogenarians. Then Jimmy Newton died.

The end of Newton’s obituary read: “In lieu of flowers, Jim would love it if you would take a friend to lunch.”

For more information, call 733-7581. To make a contribution to the Toy for Joy fund, write: Toy for Joy, P.O. Box 3007, Springfield 01102. Contributions may also be dropped off with the coupon at The Republican, 1860 Main St., Springfield, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. until Dec. 21.

Here’s a list of the latest contributors:

• In memory of Jimmy Newton from Jimmy Punderson and Billy Swan, $300
• Have a wonderful holiday, $25
• In loving memory of the six Worcester firefighters, $25
• In memory of our Grandpa Bob Wheeler, love Ryan, Nicole, Brandon and Bobby, $25
• With gratitude for our beautiful granddaughter Delilah from Grampa and Nana Lord, $25
• Merry Christmas to all, love Paul and Deb, $25
• Happy Holidays, Reina, Nikki, Emmy Louise and Beeger, $50
• In memory of my husband Horton from Marion, $10
• Anonymous, $60
• In loving memory of George and May Burgess, $25
• From the ACL Residential Support Administration Team, $50
• Grammy, love you and miss you, Marissa, $33
• In loving memory of the Smith and Dudek family, $10
• In memory of Shane and George, $5
• A blessed Christmas to everyone, $25
• In loving memory of my dear sisters Arline, Roberta and Dorothy, $10
• In memory of Mae Egan, $10
• Remembering Elda, Red and Gary Duncan from Bruce, Mars, Dan and Maryanne, $25
• Nancy, $50
• Jacqueline, $25
• Anonymous, $25
• Merry Christmas from Jack and James, $10
• In loving memory of my parents Stanley and Angela Skorka, $100
• Anonymous, $20
• In memory of our dads and Bob, $25
• In memory of our children, $25
• Memories…, $100
• James and Barbara, $40
• In loving memory of Erm from your wife Chris, $15
• In loving memory of David and Martha, $100
• In memory of my husband Randolf Robinson and son-in-law Ernest Tetreault, $50
• In loving memory of Joe-Maureen and Danny, $15
• Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season, $25
• In memory of Anne M. Warren, $50
• Happy Holidays from Meme and Papa Wands, $20
• Claudia and Harry McElhattan, $20
• In memory of Skip Foresti, we miss you from his wife and children, $25
• In loving memory of my husband Frank Orszulak, love Shirley, $25
• Merry Christmas to all the little ones, $25
• In loving memory of Ellie Mae, $25
• In memory of Frank and Olga Boda and Bill Grady, $25
• In memory of our dear son David, from Mom and Dad, $10
• Blessed Christmas to the Logan nieces and nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews from Aunt Marilyn, $50
• In loving memory of my husband John Lenilko, $20
• In memory of Manook, $150
• Loving memory of Jimmy and Theresa Chechile from Tom and Fran, $25
• In loving memory of Harding J. Stewart, $50
• In memory of the Blanchot family and Rob and Bobby, $20
• In memory of Edwin, Edna, Chris, Tom and Therese Leary, $30
• For all our many blessings, $50
• From Kenn and Kathy, $100
• Merry Christmas and God bless us all, $20
• Wishing all a healthy, happy holiday and 2013 from George and Joan, Wales, $25
• In thanks for the most generous, loving families, love Lynne and Alan, $25
• In memory of our dads and uncle, $50
• In memory of Thomas and June Bailey, Patrick and Catherine Long and Harry and Helen Galletti, $100
• From the Dugan family, $200
• In memory of Memere and Pepere Boissy, Meme and Pepe Wheeler and Steve Boissy from the Wheelers, $50
• In memory of my Doggie Butch, $10
• In loving memory of my parents Sotiri and Potoula from Sue, $20
• In loving memory of my dad Kenneth B. Chapin Jr, my son Kenneth B. Chapin and Michael O. Miller, love and miss you so very much, always in my heart, Ken, $40
• In loving memory of my mother Mrs. Marjorie Chapin, Mom it is my greatest wish that I will see you again someday, love Kenny, $20
• Harriette, $10
• Anonymous, $25
• Anonymous, $10
• In memory of our deceased parents, love Ray and JoAnn, $50
• In memory of Jane Spiewak, miss you Mom, love Joni, Ray and family, $25
• David, $80

RECEIVED: $2,843
TOTAL TO DATE: $19,884
STILL NEEDED: $130,116

Both teams are looking to see how they measure up against the league's best.

As far as New England's Super Bowl hopes go, the last six weeks have served to alleviate doubts and put things back on track. But the Patriots haven't seen a measuring stick quite like this.

No one will have an easy job Monday night. The Patriots' offensive line will have to deal with the Houston Texans' daunting pass rush. The defensive line will have to deal with a zone-blocking scheme that has been nearly impenetrable this season. The linebackers will have to deal with everything. And the defensive backs will go up against a passing attack that can inflict considerable damage.

In other words, it's a big game. Many members of the typically tight-lipped Patriots let it be known throughout the week there will be something extra behind this matchup, and that feeling will be even greater in the visitor's locker room at Gillette Stadium.

"You know how big it is?" Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson told the Houston Chronicle. "The biggest game in the history of this franchise. As long as we keep winning, every game is going to get bigger and bigger.

"When you've been somewhere you've never been, everything gets bigger."

That comment took some New England players by surprise. Considering the Texans made the playoffs last season, and at 11-1 have essentially assured themselves of one of the AFC's top two playoff seeds this year, the Patriots feel it's a bit of leap to go that far.

But they do agree the stakes are a little bit higher this week.

"I didn't know they said that. I know that they were in the playoffs last year. I would have thought that was a pretty big game," Patriots guard Logan Mankins said. "It's 'Monday Night Football,' I'm sure everyone is going to be juiced up – two of the top teams in the AFC, so it's going to be a good game."

From New England's perspective, to feel good moving forward, the defense needs to prove it can stop one of the league's top offenses (Houston ranks fifth in total offense). More specifically, newly acquired cornerback Aqib Talib will be looking to show he has the ability to shut down a top receiver, which will be his assignment matched up with Johnson.

There have been issues in Talib's coverage and technique the last few weeks – which he openly admits is something he's attempting to rectify – and Johnson has the ability to expose any of those shortcomings if they show Monday night.

One of the top receivers in the league, Johnson ranks fifth with 1,114 yards and 17 receptions of 20 or more yards. In his last three games, he has racked up 517 yards.

"He's definitely one of the most talented guys in the NFL," Talib said. "He really can do it all: from short routes, deeper routes, running with the ball in his hands, going up and getting the ball downfield. He can do it all."

So can the Texans. And by Tuesday morning, both of these AFC powers should have a better understanding of who they really are.

Cheating has been going on in baseball for centuries. Where do you draw the line?

In this Aug. 24, 2007, file photo, San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds, right, hits his 761st career home run, a solo effort off Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Chris Capuano. Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa are on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time, and fans will soon find out whether drug allegations block the former stars from reaching baseball's shrine. Associated Press  

Now that the maddening and ever-evolving Most Valuable Player debate of Mike Trout vs. Miguel Cabrera has finally subsided (and for the record, I would have voted for Trout), we're all free and clear to yell and spit in each other's faces while kicking around the Hall of Fame credentials of recently retired stars tainted by the suspicion of performance-enhancing drugs.

There aren't easy answers here, and it seems impossible to say, "I understand both sides of each argument, but it isn't a black and white situation" – trust me, I know. People want you to choose sides. Either you support cheating or you need to grab a pitchfork and force into exile those willing to soil our holiest sports cathedral.

I just don't see it that way. Or maybe I just don't see the holes in my logic. But my short answer is this: Cheaters infiltrated baseball long ago, and a stunning amount of people enshrined in Cooperstown, N.Y., have accomplishments that reside in the shadows.

Pitcher Whitey Ford cut the ball with his wedding ring and loaded it up with mud. He later admitted he "used enough mud to build a dam" during the New York Yankees' 1963 World Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Gaylord Perry won 314 games throwing a "Vaseline ball." Ty Cobb turned his spikes into small shanks so people wouldn't tag him out. John McGraw took advantage of the fact there was only one umpire on the field and would physically hold players or trip them as they attempted to round third base.

George Brett loaded his bat with illegal amounts of pine tar. Rogers Hornsby once said he "cheated, or someone on my team has cheated, in almost every game I've been in."

Hank Aaron admitted he took greenies, and plenty of people carry doubts about Rickey Henderson's purity.

So where do you draw the line? Is it OK that Ford cheated throughout his career, but not OK for Roger Clemens to find an edge later in his? Was it OK for Aaron to use the substance of choice during his era, but not for Barry Bonds to do the same decades later? All of these players made conscious decisions to operate outside the lines and cheat those who took the field alongside them.

To be clear, I'm not OK with any of it and am smart enough to know there are different levels of cheating – trust me, I realize Ford cutting a ball isn't the same as Clemens pumping up his biceps – but I can also look at things and understand that each player, one way or another, manipulated the playing field by using the unnatural advantages available at the time.

In other words, they all committed baseball crimes. Integrity went on vacation a century ago. The difference is, there was a period in baseball where cheating was celebrated and romanticized because, hey, if you weren't cheatin', you weren't tryin'.

Those who spout that mantra will say Ford did whatever it took to win, while in the next breath calling Bonds the worst human to ever live. It doesn't work like that.

The Hall of Fame is about judging a player against his era. The system isn't as perfect or as romantic as we'd like to believe. Sometimes you need to apply a little perspective to put those accomplishments in context.

I think that's where we are now. You can compartmentalize things however you wish, but there's just no way you can turn a blind eye to an entire era.

Showers stick around overnight, slick spots possible in the Berkshires.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY has been issued by the National Weather Service for Berkshire County from 7 p.m. this evening until 6 a.m. Monday ... as well as Franklin and western Hampshire County until 8 a.m. Monday.

A large low pressure system will be heading into the Northeast this evening, bringing rain showers to the region. Most of the rain is expected to arrive in western Massachusetts after 8 p.m. While this will all be in the form of rain for Springfield and most of the Pioneer Valley, there is the potential for it to mix with sleet and/or freezing rain in the hilltowns. Travelers tonight and for the early Monday morning commute should use caution.

Monday will be a rather dreary day as this frontal system crosses through the region. First, a warm front will lift through western Massachusetts, which will help bump our high temperatures into the mid-50s despite the rain. Showers will be on-and-off all day long, and rainfall totals are expected to be around a half-inch for the Springfield area through Monday night.

A cold front then crosses through the region for Tuesday, which will sweep out all the moisture, but bring our temperatures back down into the lower-40s (Tuesday will be one of those afternoons where temperatures struggle to rise any during the daytime). After that it's smooth-sailing for the rest of the week ... partly cloudy skies and seasonal temperatures dominate all the way into next weekend.

Tonight: Rain, mainly after 8 p.m., mixed with mountain sleet/freezing rain, low 36.

Monday: Periods of rain, mild, high 56.

Tuesday: Decreasing clouds, cooler, high 41.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy, high 40.

Radar | 5 Day Forecast

It's a battle between two AFC titans.

Texans (11-1) at Patriots (9-3)

When, where: Monday at 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) at Gillette Stadium

Forecast: Temperatures in the 40s, chance of rain

Last meeting: Jan. 3, 2010: Texans 34, Patriots 27

Series history: Patriots lead 2-1

Spread: Patriots by 3.5

Five things to watch

Punt returner: With Julian Edelman out for the season with a foot injury, New England has to find a new man to return punts. Wes Welker would seem a likely candidate, but the Patriots may not want to risk injury with the wide receiver position already dangerously thin. Brandon Bolden returned some punts during the preseason and could slide back into that role, while Donte' Stallworth and Danny Woodhead are also possible candidates.

Stopping play-action: The Patriots marveled all week at how balanced Houston is on offense, and about how that balance makes it extremely difficult to defend the Texans' play-action passes. New England's linebackers and defensive backs are going to have to be extremely disciplined and careful not to bite too hard on those plays. Houston has the ability to turn the smallest mistake into a huge gain, as it's shown in recent weeks.

Stopping Watt: There has been endless chatter this week about J.J. Watt, and it's all been justified. The Houston defensive end has been an unstoppable force this season with 16.5 sacks and 15 passes defensed. Stopping him isn't going to be an easy task. New England players noted he often moves around the line, and it typically takes a pair of men to stop him – not always available since Houston likes to send five pass rushers after the quarterback.

Welker's pursuit: With 92 catches, Welker is on the brink of becoming the first player in NFL history with five 100-catch seasons. It would take a hefty haul for him to reach that figure against Houston, but with Texans slot corner Brice McCain out (foot), it could conceivably happen. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph is also battling a hamstring injury that could potentially keep him out of action, so things may slant favorably for the Patriots across this board.

Stallworth's involvement: With the stakes so high for this week's game, the newest addition to New England's roster has kind of been lost in the hoopla. Stallworth will likely serve as the third option at wide receiver behind Welker and Brandon Lloyd, but the player in that role has seen a fair number of opportunities. It will be interesting to see how Stallworth responds after sitting out the whole year to this point.

Prediction: This is the hardest pick of the season (until next week when the Patriots play San Francisco), and the hardest since we were forced to settle on Baltimore in Week 3 after much deliberation. This game carries the same kind of feeling. There are plenty of things that could break right for New England, but just as many things could easily go wrong. While there's been improvement in recent weeks, it's unknown if those Patriots strides were a result of the level of competition or due to actual growth – can't justify putting faith in something that may or may not be real. So, with little conviction behind this one, the pick is Houston. Texans 28, Patriots 24