Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved Depardieu's application for citizenship, while French President Francois Hollande plans to raise the tax on earned income above €1 million ($1.3 million) to 75 percent from the current 41 percent.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, and French actor Gerard Depardieu, left, at the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg in 2010. Associated Press file photo  

By JIM HEINTZ and LORI HINNANT

MOSCOW — The Kremlin has cast Gerard Depardieu in one of the most surprising roles of his life — as a new Russian citizen.

The announcement Thursday that President Vladimir Putin has approved Depardieu's application for citizenship is almost a real-life analogue to the French actor's 1990 comedy "Green Card," in which his character enters into a sham marriage in order to work in the United States.

But in this version, taxes appear to be at the heart of the matter. Depardieu has waged a battle against a proposed super tax on millionaires in his native country.

French President Francois Hollande plans to raise the tax on earned income above €1 million ($1.3 million) to 75 percent from the current 41 percent, while Russia has a flat 13-percent tax rate.

A representative for the former Oscar nominee declined to say whether he had accepted the Russian offer.

Thursday was a holiday in Russia and officials from the Federal Tax Service and Federal Migration Service could not be reached for comment on whether the decision would require Depardieu to have a residence in Russia.

But it's clearly an image buffer for Russia, calling attention to the country's attractive tax regime and boosting Putin's efforts to show that the economic chaos of the early post-Soviet period has passed.

"The distinctiveness of our tax system is poorly known about in the West. When they know about it, we can expect a massive migration of rich Europeans to Russia," Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin bragged on Twitter.

Others aren't so sure.

Political analyst Pavel Svyatenkov told the state news agency RIA Novosti that the move was "very good, very high-quality PR for Russia" but he didn't think it would ignite a flood of new residents.

"I don't expect a massive movement of rich people to here, for the reason that Russia remains a pretty poor country by Western measurements and here there are bigger problems with crime and corruption," he said.

As Depardieu's criticism of the proposed tax roiled his country, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called him "pathetic."

Depardieu responded angrily in an open letter.

"I have never killed anyone, I don't think I've been unworthy, I've paid €145 million ($190 million) in taxes over 45 years," the 64-year-old actor wrote. "I will neither complain nor brag, but I refuse to be called 'pathetic'."

Depardieu said in the letter that he would surrender his passport and French social security card. In October, the mayor of a small Belgian border town announced that Depardieu had bought a house and set up legal residence there, a move that was slammed by Hollande's newly elected Socialist government.

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the French government spokeswoman, didn't comment directly on Depardieu's tax fight. But she drew a clear distinction between people who have personal or professional reasons to live abroad and "French citizens who proclaim loudly and clearly that they're exiling themselves for fiscal reasons."

She said Putin's offer "is an exclusive prerogative of the Russian chief of state."

Depardieu has had increasingly high-profile ties with Russia.

Last October he visited Grozny, the capital of the Russian province of Chechnya, to celebrate the birthday of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov. And in 2011, he was in Russia's Arkhangelsk region to play the lead role in the film "Rasputin."

He is well known in the country, where he appears in an ad for Sovietsky Bank's credit card and is prominently featured on the bank's home page.

"You have to understand that Depardieu is a star in Russia," Vladimir Fedorovski, a Russian writer living in France, told the Europe 1 network on Thursday. "There are crowds around Depardieu. He's a symbol of France. He's a huge ambassador of French culture."

Depardieu has made more than 150 films and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Cyrano de Bergerac in the 1990 film of the same name.

The Kremlin statement gave no information on why Putin made the citizenship grant, but the Russian president had expressed sympathy with the actor in December, days after Depardieu reportedly said he was considering Russian citizenship.

"As we say, artists are easily offended and therefore I understand the feelings of Mr. Depardieu," Putin said.

Although France's highest court struck down the new tax on Dec. 29, the government has promised to resubmit the law in a slightly different form. On Wednesday, the French government estimated the court decision to overturn the tax would cost the country €210 million ($275 million) in 2013.

In an interview, Depardieu told the newspaper Le Parisien, the court decision made no difference.

France's debt burden is around 90 percent of national income — not far off levels that have caused problems elsewhere in the 17-country eurozone.

Depardieu is not the only high-profile Frenchman to object to the super tax. Bernard Arnault — chief of the luxury goods and fashion giant LVMH and worth an estimated $41 billion — has said he would leave for Belgium.

In order to fill the community development position, Miller resigned as legislative aide to state Sen. Michael R. Knapik, D-Westfield.

Peter Miller The Republican staff file photo  

Peter Miller  

WESTFIELD – Former city councilor and legislative aide Peter J. Miller was appointed Thursday night as the city’s new community development director by a unanimous vote and lauded as a man of integrity and hard work.

In giving his nod to Miller’s hiring, At-large Councilor Brent B. Bean said Miller brings to the position “knowledge of the city and programs.”

“He brought integrity and hard work to this body, and will bring integrity and hard work to the job," Bean said.

Miller served on the council for eight years and resigned from the post in April citing work and family commitments. In order to fill the community development position, Miller resigned as legislative aide to state Sen. Michael R. Knapik, D-Westfield.

Bean also noted that Miller, a graduate of The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, is currently working on his master’s degree in public administration from Westfield State University.

Miller said he is looking forward to the job and working once again with the City Council, and one of his first orders of business will be to develop market rate housing in the downtown area.

“I’m excited about how the progression of downtown provides incentives to business,” he said, which brought him to his second priority – continued small business improvement.

“It’s important to do some extended outreach, not just focus on the downtown area, but make sure that all business owners’ needs are being met.”

At-large City Councilor David A. Flaherty was among those who gave Miller an endorsement, but also cautioned his colleagues on the public perception of Miller’s appointment.

“I’m concerned about the perception of the public of who people know and who gets jobs,” Flaherty said. “In this case it’s a wonderful solution and a home run for the city, but we should all be cautious of the perception of who gets these jobs.”

The post has been vacant since Nov. 30, when Mayor Daniel M. Knapik chose not to reappoint Lawrence B. Smith as city planner/community development director.

Smith’s term officially expired Dec. 5. He was earning $84,500 annually.

The poll, conducted by veteran Boston pollster Tom Kiley for the Campaign for Our Communities, showed 83 percent of Massachusetts residents would disapprove of a proposal to hike the gas tax to 36 cents per gallon, including 68 percent who “strongly disapprove.”

 

By MATT MURPHY

BOSTON - Massachusetts residents would overwhelmingly oppose a 15-cent increase in the gas tax to help pay for transportation needs, according to the partial results of a poll obtained by the News Service and conducted for a coalition that supports raising the income tax to invest in cities and towns.

The poll, conducted by veteran Boston pollster Tom Kiley for the Campaign for Our Communities, showed 83 percent of Massachusetts residents would disapprove of a proposal to hike the gas tax to 36 cents per gallon, including 68 percent who “strongly disapprove.”

A total of 17 percent of respondents said they would support such a gas tax increase, with only 7 percent “strongly” approving. The poll sampled 600 Massachusetts voters from Dec. 12 through Dec. 15.

Gov. Deval L. Patrick on Thursday said his administration’s long-awaited transportation financing plan will be rolled out over the next month in two phases, starting with a report due to the Legislature on Monday that will detail a menu of options to pay for infrastructure improvements and maintenance.

By law, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board is required to produce a financing plan by Jan. 7 to address what has been suggested to be a $1 billion a year gap between available resources and need. Patrick said he will be briefed on the MassDOT report later Thursday or Friday, but won’t make specific recommendations until his annual State of Commonwealth address on Jan. 16, or when he files his budget, which is due by Jan. 23.

“We will have a transportation plan which is not just about plugging holes and patching what is broken but really about investing in a transportation system worthy of a 21st Century economy and Commonwealth,” Patrick told reporters.

Asked specifically about a gas tax increase, Patrick said, “I tried the gas tax a couple years ago and it fell with a great thud. I am not certain that a gas tax is going to do for us what needs to be done, but we will see what is proposed in the transportation finance report. I think there are going to be a number of options in that report and that may be one.”

Patrick in 2009 filed a proposal to increase the gasoline tax by 19 cents to forestall MBTA fare increases and make other investments, but faced stiff opposition in the Legislature where the House and Senate ultimately decided to increase the sales tax instead and dedicate a portion of the new revenue to transportation.

Asked about an income tax hike, Patrick said none of the ideas for new revenue “are perfect.” He declined to say whether the report would include an income tax increase.

The Campaign for Our Communities is a coalition of labor groups, local government boards and advocates who have endorsed an increase in the state income tax to 5.95 percent, while also raising the personal exemption level to tamp down the impact of an increase on low- and middle-class families. The coalition has also called for raising the tax rate on investment income to 8.95 percent with an exemption for low- and middle-income seniors.

Both proposals, according to the group, would generate $1.37 billion in additional revenue annually for Massachusetts.

Andi Mullin, director of the campaign, did not return a call seeking comment.

The News Service was not able to obtain information about other revenue proposals included in the poll.

According to the poll done by Kiley, voters would prefer to that any new revenue plan should include investments in areas outside transportation, including public schools and health care.

While 18 percent said the focus of new revenue should be to pay for transportation, 77 percent said lawmakers should look to address all major funding needs, with 45 percent ranking K-12 education above roads, bridges and tunnels on their priority list and 22 percent saying health care should be the top priority. Thirty-two percent of those polled said infrastructure should be the top priority.

The election of Marjorie Wojcik and Adam Lamontagne was unanimous.

Republican file photo  

CHICOPEE - The Chicopee School Committee reelected its vice chairwoman to serve for another term as the leader of the group and voted in Adam D. Lamontagne as the representative to city government Wednesday.

The election of Marjorie A. Wojcik, the representative for Ward 3 and a long-term member, and Lamontagne, who represents Ward 1, were unanimous. Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette automatically serves as chairman.

As representative to city government, Lamontagne will serve as the liaison to the City Council. Member Susan A. Lopes previously held the post but did not ask to be appointed again.

The election went smoothly unlike previous years where the committee was bitterly divided on who should hold the vice chairman post.

After the election member Michael J. Pise told Wojcik that he appreciated her hard work and willingness to continue in the post and thanked Lamontagne for his willingness to serve in the leadership post. He also praised Lopes for her work in the previous year.

The Justice Department says Transocean crew members on the rig, acting at the direction of BP supervisors, failed to fully investigate clear signs that the well was not secure and that oil and gas were flowing into the well.

In this April 21, 2010 file aerial photo, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig burns in the Gulf of Mexico. The Justice Department has reached a $1.4 billion settlement with Transocean Ltd., the owner of the drilling rig that sank after an explosion killed 11 workers and spawned the massive 2010 oil spill in the gulf. On Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, two people with knowledge of the negotiations say Switzerland-based Transocean would pay the money to resolve the department's civil and criminal probe of the company's role in the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Associated Press  

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN

NEW ORLEANS — The Justice Department reached a $1.4 billion settlement Thursday with Transocean Ltd., the owner of the drilling rig that sank after an explosion killed 11 workers and spawned the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The proposed settlement resolves the department's civil and criminal probes of Transocean's role in the Deepwater Horizon rig disaster. It requires the Switzerland-based company to pay $1 billion in civil penalties and $400 million in criminal penalties and plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of violating the Clean Water Act, according to a court filing.

The deal, which is subject to a federal judge's approval, also calls for Transocean to implement a series of operational safety and emergency response improvements on its rigs.

"This resolution of criminal allegations and civil claims against Transocean brings us one significant step closer to justice for the human, environmental and economic devastation wrought by the Deepwater Horizon disaster," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.

Transocean said it believes the settlement is in the best interest of its shareholders and employees and eliminates "much of the uncertainty associated with the accident."

"This is a positive step forward, but it is also a time to reflect on the 11 men who lost their lives aboard the Deepwater Horizon," the company said in a statement. "Their families continue to be in the thoughts and prayers of all of us at Transocean."

Much of the $1.4 billion will fund environmental restoration projects and spill-prevention research and training.

The company has two years to pay the $1 billion civil penalty. Congress approved legislation that dedicates 80 percent of the civil penalty for environmental and economic recovery projects in the Gulf states.

BP PLC, which leased the rig from Transocean, already has agreed to pay a record $4.5 billion in penalties and plead guilty to manslaughter and other criminal charges related to the spill. The deal with BP doesn't resolve the federal government's civil claims against the London-based oil company.

Transocean previously announced it had reserved $2 billion for paying claims related to the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

David Uhlmann, a University of Michigan law professor and former chief of the Justice Department's environmental crimes section, said the $1 billion civil penalty is a record amount for an environmental case. But he expressed surprise that Transocean isn't paying more in criminal penalties or facing manslaughter charges of its own.

"The Justice Department clearly views BP as the most culpable party in the criminal cases," Uhlmann said. "But Transocean's negligence also is responsible for the workers' deaths and the spill."

Transocean also said in a September regulatory filing that it had rejected settlement offers last year from BP and a group of attorneys for Gulf Coast residents and businesses who blame the spill for economic damages. Those claims are still pending.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier in New Orleans gave final approval to a class-action settlement agreement between BP and a team of private plaintiffs' attorneys. BP estimates it will pay about $7.8 billion to resolve these claims, but the settlement isn't capped.

Barbier also is set to preside over a trial designed to identify the causes of BP's deadly well blowout and assign percentages of fault to the companies involved. The first phase of the trial is scheduled to start Feb. 25.

BP reported profits of more than $25 billion in 2011, but for Transocean the year resulted in a loss of about $5.7 billion, some of it attributed to contingencies for litigation resulting from the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon.

A series of government investigations has spread out the blame for the nation's worst offshore oil spill among BP, Transocean and other partners on the project, including cementing contractor Halliburton.

Halliburton hasn't settled with the Justice Department, BP or Transocean.

The Deepwater Horizon was drilling in water a mile deep about 50 miles southeast of the Louisiana coast when it exploded on the night of April 20, 2010.

The Justice Department says Transocean crew members on the rig, acting at the direction of BP supervisors, failed to fully investigate clear signs that the well was not secure and that oil and gas were flowing into the well.

The rig burned for about 36 hours before sinking.

As engineers made repeated attempts to halt the flow of oil from BP's burst well, millions of gallons of crude flowed out. Marshes, beaches and fishing grounds across the northern Gulf were fouled by the oil.

Two BP employees who worked as well-site leaders on the rig were indicted in November on manslaughter charges stemming from the 11 workers' deaths. The indictment accuses Robert Kaluza and Donald Vidrine of disregarding high pressure readings that should have indicated trouble before the blowout.

No criminal charges have been filed against individual Transocean employees.

One of Kaluza's attorneys, Shaun Clarke, said the Transocean deal is part of prosecutors' efforts to "sell a fiction" about the events leading up to the explosion.

"The companies want to get on with their business. The government wants a scapegoat. Bob and Don just want to get their day in court and have the truth be told," Clarke said.

The Brimfield Board of Selectmen expect to get a clearer picture of the town's financial health after a comprehensive update from auditor Tom Scanlon and a subsequent written report.

 

Brimfield officials had to borrow more than $738,000 to address cash flow problems that had prevented the municipality from setting its fiscal 2013 property tax rate. If the town had failed to set a new rate before Dec. 31, it would have delayed the mailing of property tax bills and resulted in potential revenue shortfalls, making it difficult to sustain town operations.

However, the town received state approval for its new tax rate of $14.84 per $1,000 of assessed valuation – 36 cents higher than the previous year's rate – just days before the deadline. Brimfield officials are now working to address several lingering financial issues that must be resolved, according to Scanlon.

The auditor told selectmen at a meeting Thursday that he has spoken with Kirsten Weldon, the town's treasurer, to "come up with a plan" to tackle the issues, including an unbalanced payroll account with receipts that are still off by $55,000. Scanlon described the discrepancy and other unresolved financial matters as "major issues" that must be addressed.

Weldon, who holds an elected position as Brimfield's treasurer and an appointed position as clerk of the Highway Department, said she's aware of the problems and working to rectify them. "A lot of the issues I have found, and they have been documented," she told selectmen at Thursday's meeting. "I have gotten quite a bit of information ... It should all be done."

Marie Arsenault, the town's part-time accountant, said she has requested information from Weldon regarding "cash issues" and missing bank statements. Arsenault said she needs the statements, and Weldon agreed to provide them by Friday. "I'm running behind," Weldon acknowledged. The treasurer also agreed to forward additional information to Arsenault within the next three weeks.

"It's a whole procedure," Weldon said.

Judith Sessler, a member of the Board of Assessors, inquired about money not showing up in town retirement accounts, prompting Selectman Steve Fleshman to publicly admonish her. "I've asked you to please be quiet," Fleshman shouted, telling Sessler that questions were not allowed at the meeting. "Let us do our job. ... It's our meeting, let us run it," he said.

Fleshman said Sessler's query was among the questions he had for Weldon, and the selectman later asked the treasurer to explain the situation. Weldon said she was only one payroll cycle behind in the retirement accounts.

The board then went into executive session with Weldon. When selectmen emerged about an hour later, Chairman Tom Marino said they would not divulge details of what was discussed. However, he added, the board is "seriously concerned" about the issues raised by Scanlon.

The audit being conducted by Scanlon, a principal in the South Deerfield accounting firm Scanlon and Associates, is Brimfield's first since before the June 1, 2011, tornado that destroyed or damaged dozens of homes in town.

Kruczek will return to Florida to be closer to his family, according to head coach Charley Molnar.

 

University of Massachusetts offensive coordinator Mike Kruczek is leaving the team to be closer to his family in Florida, according to head coach Charley Molnar.

The move was first reported by the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Kruczek had settled in Florida after spending the 1985-2003 seasons at the University of Central Florida — the last six as head coach — and his family did not relocate when he took the job in Amherst as part of Molnar's staff.

Molnar said that Kruczek notified him shortly before Christmas that he would be leaving UMass after spending one year as the offensive coordinator for the Minutemen.

Kruczek's son Garrett will be a senior quarterback at Lake Howell High School in Winter Park, Fla., and the ability to see his son play his final high school season was a major factor in his father's decision to depart Amherst.

Kruczek himself was a quarterback, spending five seasons in the NFL after being selected in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft out of Boston College.

Molnar, who called the plays for the Minutemen this season, said as of Thursday night that he was not sure about a replacement for the elder Kruczek, and was not immediately sure whether he'd fill the position at all.

By carrying both type A and type B strains of the virus, the flu is a good match for this year’s vaccine, according to Skies.

Flu shots are administered at the Greenwood Center in Longmeadow in 2009. The Republican file / Michael S. Gordon  

SPRINGFIELD – The season’s first flu outbreak has arrived sooner and with more severe symptoms than usual.

State public health officials say the number of patients with flu symptoms snowballed last month, suggesting the epidemic will be stronger than last year’s.

A total of 78 confirmed cases of flu were reported in Western Massachusetts for the week ending Dec. 28, more than doubling the number reported last year to 160, according to Department of Public Health survey.

“So far, it’s been coming on strong – we’ve seen a lot of cases,” said Daniel J. Skiest, chief of infectious diseases at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

By carrying both type A and type B strains of the virus, this year's vaccine is a good match for the flu, according to Skiest, who urged the public – especially the elderly or anyone with compromised immune systems – to get flu shots as soon as possible.

“We don’t know how long it will take to run its course – it could be six weeks or two months,” he added.

By Dec. 28, 3,736 flu cases were confirmed through laboratory tests statewide, compared with 126 last year, according to the state survey. The number of confirmed cases represents a small fraction of actual number of people suffering from the epidemic, officials said.

Kevin Cranston, director of the Department of Public Health’s infectious disease bureau, said the epidemic began in south eastern states and arrived here in early December, several weeks before the usual start of flu season.

“An early start doesn’t necessarily mean an early end; every flu season has its own trajectory,” Cranston added.

Baystate Medical Center, Holyoke Medical Center and Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton have reported new flu cases in recent days, with patients suffering from a sudden onset of fever, coughing, muscle aches, runny nose and other symptoms.

At Cooley Dickinson, nine people have been admitted with flu symptoms so far, and the hospital's lab has been averaging three to five confirmed cases a day, spokesperson Christina Trinchero said.

“Usually we have fewer admissions and we don’t see them until February after students return from winter break,” she added.

Holyoke Medical Center is also dealing with a surge in flu cases, said infection control nurse Carol Wojnarowski.

“We’re getting more than normal, earlier than normal,” Wojnarowski said.

She urged the public to get a flu shot and take normal precautions, such as washing hands after touching door handles, keypads on automatic teller machines or other virus-friendly objects.

“The virus does (survives) fine on these surfaces; these are tough little creatures,” she said.

Limited visibility on that one corner is the reason, according to a state Department of Transportation spokesman.

Send us your questions!

Have a question you'd like answered? Email justask@repub.com or send it to the address below, and we'll try to get you a response.

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Question: Regarding the intersection of Newton and Mosier Streets in South Hadley, why is there a “No turn on red” sign only at the corner where you’d turn right onto Mosier Street from Newton Street?

Also, could anything be done about the duration of these traffic signals when traffic volume is low? These lights seem to have a very long cycle during off-peak hours.

– Anonymous,
South Hadley

Answer: Limited visibility is the reason there is a “no turn on red” sign for the right-hand turn from Newton Street (Route 116) onto Mosier Street, according to Michael Verseckes of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

“Vehicles at the stop line on Route 116 do not have a clear view of the approaching traffic on Brainerd Street in order to negotiate a safe right turn on a red, due to the curvature of road and the vegetation growth on Brainerd Street,” said Verseckes.

In answer to your second question, Verseckes said the intersection is “under full actuation, meaning there are vehicle detections on all approaches.

“If working properly,” he said, “the intersection should be traffic-responsive whether it is during high or low traffic volume times. It sounds like there may be a detection failure issue that will need to be addressed.”

Unlike the classifying and unpacking of craziness, modern science has shied away from unpacking and classifying evil. The two are separable: One can be crazy, evil, neither or both.

By MARTIN E.P. SELIGMAN
Washington Post

Since the massacre of innocents at Sandy Hook Elementary School, calls have rung out for improving “mental health services.” This deflects from actions that would save lives. Such calls blur the distinction – and I now dispense with the euphemisms – between what is crazy and what is evil. Further, they compound our national reluctance to face facts about what can and cannot be changed.

In modern scientific parlance, the label “crazy” centers on delusions, hallucinations and bizarre beliefs. More commonly used technical terms are “insane,” “psychotic” or “schizophrenic.” While less precise, crazy is no more or less pejorative than the scientific terms.

“Evil” is at least as ancient a concept as crazy. Its hallmark is a narrow moral circle in which other people are objects of moral indifference or hatred, people deemed not to deserve to live. In this usage, the label evil is not mysterious nor derived from a belief in “the devil.” Rather, it is clarifying; it denotes people inclined to be violent and to put many other people at risk.

We know evil when we see it: “mean,” “violent,” “full of hate,” “selfish,” “grandiose,” “without a conscience” and “bullying” all signal evil. Whatever mental illness he may have had, Adam Lanza died and, most likely, lived at the extreme end of evil.

Unlike the classifying and unpacking of craziness, modern science has shied away from unpacking and classifying evil. The two are separable: One can be crazy, evil, neither or both.

Plenty of people are both. Crazy people commit somewhat more violent crimes per capita than non-crazy people, but most crazy people are not evil. John Nash, the Nobel Prize-winning mathematician, was certifiably crazy for much of his life: He had an imaginary roommate and pervasive paranoid delusions. But he remained kind and compassionate. His moral circle was broad and undiminished.

Lanza’s alleged autism or Asperger’s syndrome does not explain what happened at Sandy Hook. Focusing on his “crazy” part will not help prevent future tragedies; the craziness of evil people almost never comes close to explaining their crimes. Would Lanza have murdered had he not been full of hate, had he not had a very narrow moral circle? You simply do not shoot 6-year-olds repeatedly unless you are exploding with rage and regard the violent suffering of young children and their parents with indifference or worse.

What our nation really cares about is not what label to pin on Lanza but how to prevent such incidents. To do this, we must face the facts about the possibility of changing what is crazy and changing what is evil.

I have spent most of my life working with mental illness. I have been president of the world’s largest association of mental-illness workers, and I am all for more funding for mental-health care and research - but not in the vain hope that it will curb violence.

While revising five editions of my textbook on abnormal psychology, I have found that drugs and therapy offer disappointingly little additional help for the mentally ill than they did 25 years ago – despite billions of dollars in funding. And there is zero promise that any developments I am aware of will help curb the violence that mentally ill persons commit.

As for progress on restraining or rehabilitating evil people, the past record and future promise are even more dismal. I know of no development that has much reduced recidivism or violence or done more to identify violent offenders in advance than was in place a generation ago.

I conclude from all this that progress in reducing violence through either helping the mentally ill or curbing the impulses of violent, non-crazy people will be very slow in coming, perhaps even fruitless. That is not where the leverage is.

Crazy people and evil people can commit mass murder, and they always do it with guns. Our society’s only real leverage, at least in the near term, lies in reducing access to guns. Our national experience with another lethal menace, cigarettes, shows that government regulation massively saves lives. High taxation on cigarettes and restricting access to them has markedly cut smoking rates and improved health. High taxes on guns and strong restrictions on their availability are the only realistic hope for avoiding many more Sandy Hooks.

Martin Seligman, a former president of the American Psychological Association, is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of “What You Can Change and What You Can’t.”

Saturday was media day for the BCS National Championship.

Saturday was media day for the BCS National Championship. For the uninitiated, media day is when the important people – people like Notre Dame's Manti Te'o and Brian Kelly and Alabama's AJ McCarron and Nick Saban – sit on platforms and pose for the cameras and get serious about Monday night's game for 20 minutes and spend the rest of the day laughing and smiling and answering questions about the stuffed animals they grew up with.

Just kidding on that last bit. Sort of.

The other players and assistant coaches wander around, and eventually you start hearing great stories about people you haven't heard much about yet. Here are some photos and stories from media day, along with some of those stories.

Meet Jeremy Pruitt

You don't get to be one of the top defenses in the country without a great secondary coach, and Alabama's Jeremy Pruitt certainly fits the bill. He's great enough, in fact, that he's accepted the defensive coordinator position at Florida State, but he's stuck around to finish the job of trying to win a national title.

Read about Pruitt at AL.com »

Meet Jesse Williams

Crimson Tide nose guard Jesse Williams is 6-foot-4, weighs 320 pounds, and is covered in ink, including a tattoo on his hand that says, "I stopped checking under my bed for monsters when I realized the monster was me." Williams hails from Australia and was both a rugby and a basketball standout.

Read more about Williams at ESPN »

In this Sept. 22, 2012 photo, University of Notre Dame senior Bryce Burton, who serves as the Fighting Irish's leprechaun mascot, performs during Notre Dame's NCAA college football game victory over Michigan, in South Bend, Ind. Burton has become a minor celebrity in demand for media appearances, alumni parties, hospital visits and pep rallies in Miami ahead of the BCS National Championship Game between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Alabama, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. The 5-foot-7, 145-pound redhead, who sports a little green suit to transform into one of sports most recognizable mascots, says he's "definitely" getting a lot of attention in Miami. James Brosher / South Bend Tribune, AP  

Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt's football career started with a 4-hour walk in the Georgia heat. He wanted to attend the first day of summer conditioning camp with the Monroe Area High School team, and didn't realize how far the school was from his house. He missed camp that day, but through determination, wound up making the team and will play for a national championship Monday.

Reed more about Tuitt on ESPN.com »

Meet Gunner Kiel

You've heard plenty this season about Everett Golson, Notre Dame's redshirt freshman quarterback. His backup is true freshman Gunner Kiel, who was all set to go to LSU, but decided at the last moment to head to South Bend to join the Fighting Irish.

See video of Kiel at AL.com »

Meet Manti Te'o

OK, so you've heard plenty about Manti Te'o so far. But do you know why the Notre Dame linebacker is playing for a college title instead of in the NFL? It's because he's more about experience than money.

Read more from MLive.com »

Meet Eddie Lacy

You've probably also heard a bunch about Alabama running back Eddie Lacy. In his position, though, he knows he has a lot to live up to when his name is tied in to the phrase "Crimson Tide running back."

Video of Lacy talking about the Tide at NOLA.com »

More from Media Day

Here are some media day photos and videos to whet your appetite.

• Photo gallery from USA Today
• Notre Dame video from ESPN
• Alabama video from ESPN
• Notre Dame meets the press: Photos from AL.com
• Alabama meets the press: Photos from AL.com
• AL.com video: Players lighten up

The photos were taken during the rock band's 1964 visit to the U.S., when color film was expensive and most images of the group were in black and white.

In this photo taken Dec. 29, 2012, auctioneer Paul Fairweather holds four colour transparencies of The Beatles taken during their first tour of the USA in 1964. The rare colour transparencies, taken by Dr. Robert Beck, are to be sold along with the copyright at Omega Auctions in Stockport, England, AP  

LONDON (AP) — Unpublished early color photographs of the Beatles' first U.S. tour will be sold at a U.K. auction.

The photos were taken during the rock band's 1964 visit to the U.S., when color film was expensive and most images of the group were in black and white.

The collection of 65 slides contains many stage shots, including George Harrison with his legendary red Rickenbacker guitar and close-up portraits from a Las Vegas Sahara Hotel press conference and Las Vegas Convention Centre gig.

The images were taken by Dr. Robert Beck, who died in 2002 and left them in an archive of photographs and slides in his Hollywood home.

Omega Auctions said Sunday the images will be sold March 22 — exactly 50 years after the Beatles released their first album.

Here are six things to watch -- three for each of Sunday's wild card games -- as four more teams battle to get one step closer to the Super Bowl.

Here are six things to watch -- three for each of Sunday's wild card games -- as four more teams battle to get one step closer to the Super Bowl:

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. EST

1. The return of Ray

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis announced this week that he will retire at the end of the season. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)





 

All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis will be back on the field for Baltimore this week after missing the final 10 games of the season with a torn triceps. As if that weren't enough to get the Ravens fired up, Lewis also announced this week that he will retire after the season. Knowing that the likely Hall of Famer could be playing in the final game of his career is sure to charge up both the team and the Baltimore crowd.

The return of their emotional leader could provide just the boost that the slumping Ravens need. The Colts enjoyed a similar wave of emotion last week when head coach Chuck Pagano returned to the sideline following his treatment for leukemia, and they rode it to a 28-16 win over the Houston Texans and a playoff berth. Baltimore will be looking for comparable results.

2. Will Ravens stay grounded?

Baltimore closed the season with four losses in its final five games, thanks in part to an offense that was maddeningly inconsistent. Those struggles cost offensive coordinator Cam Cameron his job, and he was replaced by former Colts head coach Jim Caldwell in mid-December.

To get back in rhythm, the Ravens would be wise to get back to their smash-mouth running style of years past, letting running back Ray Rice carry the offense against a Colts team that ranked 29th in the NFL in rush defense this season. Indianapolis is surrendering 137.5 yards per game on the ground, and opposing running backs average 5.1 yards per carry against them.

Rice, one of the top all-purpose running backs in the league, finished the season with 1,143 yards rushing and nine touchdowns on the ground. Unless Baltimore finds itself in a big hole early, expect the Ravens to commit to the running game and for Rice to have a huge day.

3. Colts need more than just Luck

Quarterback Andrew Luck has been everything that the Colts hoped he would be when they drafted him No. 1 overall in the offseason. But he's not Superman. To win in the playoffs, he'll need help from a running game that has been decidedly mediocre.

Indianapolis had the league's 22nd-ranked rushing attack this season, averaging just 3.8 yards per carry. Top running backs Vick Ballard and Donald Brown combined to score just two rushing touchdowns. That kind of production won't cut it in the postseason.

Indy has leaned heavily on Luck, who throws an average of 39 passes per game. Not surprisingly, he's tossed 19 interceptions - tied for third-most in the NFL. If the Colts ask Luck to drop back 40-45 times against a Ravens defense that still prides itself on forcing turnovers – and still has ball-hawking safety Ed Reed roaming the middle of the field – bad things will happen. It may be easy to forget that Luck is just a rookie, but it's something that the Colts must keep in mind when they're deciding how much to put on his shoulders in his first postseason start.

Watch Fox Sports analyst Curtis Conway break down the Colts-Ravens matchup:

Seattle Seahawks at Washington Redskins, 4:30 p.m. EST

1. RGIII's mobility

Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin was sidelined for Washington's Week 15 win over the Browns with a knee injury and has looked gimpy at times since his return. The rookie sensation completing just nine of 18 passes for 100 yards and no touchdowns against Dallas last week, but looked more comfortable running the ball and finished with 63 yards rushing on six attempts.

The Redskins will need much more of that this week against a Seattle defense that is stout against the pass. The Seahawks yield only 6.2 yards per pass attempt to opposing quarterbacks and have allowed only 15 touchdowns through the air this season. Cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner have combined for 11 interceptions and play a very physical style that could prove troublesome for a Redskin's receiving corps devoid of a truly elite pass catcher.

The Redskins read-option offense is predicated on RGIII's mobility and elusiveness. If he is a running threat and can use his legs to buy time for receivers to get open, then Washington is incredibly difficult to defend. But if Griffin is not fully healthy and his scrambling ability is limited, the Redskins offense becomes much less dynamic.

2. Seattle defense vs. Alfred Morris

Seattle Seahawks defenders, including, from left, strong safety Kam Chancellor, cornerback Richard Sherman and linebacker Heath Farwell before Sunday's win over the St. Louis Rams in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)





 

If the Seahawks have a weakness defensively, it's against the run. And it just so happens that the Redskins boast the No. 1 rushing attack in the NFL. Seattle surrenders 4.5 yards per carry to opposing running backs, among the NFL's worst in that category, while the Redskins gain an average of 5.2 yards per tote and better than 169 rushing yards per game.

While it's true that Washington's numbers are somewhat inflated by RGIII's 815 rushing yards, rookie running back Alfred Morris poses a considerable threat on his own. Morris has been a revelation for the Redskins, finishing the regular season as the NFL's second-leading rusher with 1,613 yards.

Morris turned in career highs with 200 yards and three touchdowns in last week's win over Dallas and looks to be at the top of his game heading into the playoffs. The Seattle defense may very well stymie the Redskins' passing attack, but it's Morris who could prove to be the Seahawks' undoing.

3. Home field advantage

Playing at home is always important in the playoffs, but home-field advantage could be especially significant in this case. The Seahawks thrived when playing on their own turf this season, going undefeated in games played in front of the raucous crowd at CenturyLink Field. If this game were being played in Seattle, they'd be the clear favorite. But the Seahawks went just 3-5 on the road, including losses to the Lions, Rams and Dolphins.

The Redskins, meanwhile, should enjoy quite a boost from a fan base overjoyed to host its first home playoff game since 1999. The FedEx Field crowd will no doubt serenade the Seahawks with fervor from the opening kickoff, creating what should be a very difficult atmosphere for Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson. Though the rookie has played with the poise of a veteran for most for the season, he's not immune to pressure. Eight of Wilson's 10 interceptions this season came on the road, and none of those games were played in the kind of nerve-rattling atmosphere he'll experience Sunday.

Watch Fox Sports analyst Curtis Conway preview the NFC wild card game between the Redskins and the Seahawks:

Two female inmates at York Correctional Facility in Conn. escaped the minimum security prison.

A full scale search is underway for Melissa Riley, left, and Jessica Rivera, inmates who escaped from the York Correctional Institution in Niantic, Conn., on Saturday night. Connecticut Department of Correction  

NIANTIC, Conn. — A full-scale search is underway for two female inmates who escaped from the York Correctional Institution in Niantic on Saturday night.

Jail staff noticed that the pair was not accounted for as a group of inmates who live at Davis Hall were returning from the gymnasium around 8:15 p.m. The facility was placed on lockdown and an emergency count was ordered, which identified the two missing offenders.

Niantic is a village in the coastal Connecticut town of East Lyme, just west of New London.

Police identified the women as Connecticut residents Melissa Riley, 30, from Willimantic and Jessica Rivera, 34, of Waterbury.

Riley last entered the system on July 18, 2011, on a charge of possession of narcotics. She was serving a sentence of three years and three months. Rivera last entered the system on July 12, 2011, on a charge of conspiracy. She was serving a four-year sentence.

Officials said the escape is considered a walk-away because the offenders were housed in the minimum security side of the facility, which is not totally secured by a fence.

Emergency notification to local and state officials and members of the public was made late Saturday night via the state's CT Alert system.

Anyone with information about the inmates is asked to notify their local police.

A 16-hour marathon negotiating session helped forge the 10-year pact.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, left, and Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHL Players' Association, announced a tentative agreement Sunday to end the lockout. AP file  

By IRA PODELL
NEW YORK — Hockey is back, and it took nearly four months and one long night to get the game back on the ice.

With the season on the line, the NHL and the players' association agreed on a tentative pact to end a 113-day lockout and save what was left of a fractured schedule.

Commissioner Gary Bettman and union executive director Donald Fehr ceased being adversaries and announced the deal while standing side by side near a wall toward the back of the negotiating room and showing a tinge of weariness.

"I want to thank Don Fehr," Bettman said. "We went through a tough period, but it's good to be at this point."

A marathon negotiating session that lasted more than 16 hours, stretching from Saturday afternoon until just before dawn Sunday, produced a 10-year deal.

"We've got to dot a lot of Is and cross a lot of Ts," Bettman said. "There's still a lot of work to be done, but the basic details of the agreement have been agreed upon."

Even players who turned into negotiators showed the strain of the long, difficult process.

"It was a battle," said Winnipeg Jets defenseman Ron Hainsey, a key member of the union's bargaining team. "Gary said a month ago it was a tough negotiation. That's what it was.

"Players obviously would rather not have been here, but our focus now is to give the fans whatever it is — 48 games, 50 games — the most exciting season we can. The mood has been nervous for a while. You want to be playing. You want to be done with this."

The collective bargaining agreement must be ratified by a majority of the league's 30 owners and the union's membership of approximately 740 players.

"Hopefully within a very few days the fans can get back to watching people who are skating, not the two of us," Fehr said.

All schedule issues, including the length of the season, still need to be worked out. The NHL has models for 50- and 48-game seasons.

The original estimate was regular-season games could begin about eight days after a deal was reached. It is believed that all games will be played within the two respective conferences, but that also hasn't been decided.

The players have been locked out since Sept. 16, the day after the previous agreement expired. That deal came after an extended lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season.

"Any process like this is difficult. It can be long," Fehr said.

Time was clearly a factor, with the sides facing a deadline of Thursday or Friday to reach a deal that would allow for a 48-game season to start a week later. Bettman had said the league could not allow a season of fewer than 48 games per team.

All games through Jan. 14, along with the All-Star game and the New Year's Day Winter Classic had already been canceled, claiming more than 50 percent of the original schedule.

Without an agreement, the NHL faced the embarrassment of losing two seasons due to a labor dispute, something that has never happened in another North American sports league. The 2004-05 season was lost while the sides negotiated hockey's first salary cap.

Under the new CBA, free-agent contracts will have a maximum length of seven years, but clubs can go to eight years to re-sign their own players. Each side can opt out of the deal after eight years.

The pension plan was "the centerpiece of the deal for the players," Hainsey said.

The actual language of the pension plan still has to be written, but Hainsey added there is nothing substantial that needs to be fixed.

The players' share of hockey-related income, a total that reached a record $3.3 billion last season, will drop from 57 percent to a 50-50 split. The salary cap for the upcoming season will be $70.2 million and will then go down to $64.3 million in the 2013-14 season.

All clubs must have a minimum payroll of $44 million.

The league had wanted next season's cap to fall to $60 million, but agreed to an upper limit of $64.3 — the same amount as last season.

Inside individual player contracts, the salary can't vary more than 35 percent year to year, and the final year can't be more than 50 percent of the highest year.

A decision on whether NHL players will participate in the 2014 Olympics will be made apart from the CBA. While it is expected that players will take part, the IOC and the International Ice Hockey Federation will have discussions with the league and the union before the matter is settled.

After the sides stayed mostly apart for two days, following late-night talks that turned sour, federal mediator Scot Beckenbaugh worked virtually around the clock to get everyone back to the bargaining table.

This time it worked — early on the 113th day of the work stoppage.

George Cohen, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service director, called the deal "the successful culmination of a long and difficult road."

"Of course, the agreement will pave the way for the professional players to return to the ice and for the owners to resume their business operations," he said in a statement. "But the good news extends beyond the parties directly involved; fans throughout North America will have the opportunity to return to a favorite pastime and thousands of working men and women and small businesses will no longer be deprived of their livelihoods."

Before the sides ever came to an understanding regarding a 50-50 split of hockey-related revenues, the NHL first tried to cut the players' share from 57 percent to 46 percent.

A series of talks in the first couple of weeks of September don't bring the sides any closer, and the board of governors gave Bettman the authority to lock out the players at midnight on Sept. 15.

There was optimism about an end for the lockout when the sides held talks in New York on Dec. 5-6. The roller coaster took the participants and the fans on an up-and-down thrill ride that ended in major disappointment.

Fehr painted a picture that the sides were close to a deal, and Bettman chastised him for getting people's hopes up. Negotiations broke off, and the NHL announced it was pulling all offers off the table.

It wasn't until Beckenbaugh's determined effort in the final two days of the prolonged negotiations that the sides finally found common ground.

"We were making progress continually and to make a deal you have to continue to make progress until it's over," Hainsey said. "That finally happened today."

A Holyoke fire killed one teen and injured a woman and a firefighter.

Holyoke- A make shift shrine of candles, flowers and stuffed animals are set-up outside by friends and family at the burned home on Glen St. where 15-year-old Holyoke High School freshman Halee Hilton died after an early Saturday morning fire distroyed her home, killing the young teen and injuring her mother and a Holyoke firefighter. Staff photo by David Molnar  

HOLYOKE — A fire on Glen Street Saturday, which killed a 15-year-old girl, has been ruled accidental, said Holyoke Fire Department Lt. Thomas G. Paquin.

Public safety officials have yet to publicly identify the victim of the predawn fire, but family and friends attending a Saturday evening candlelight vigil confirmed that 15-year-old Halee Hilton, a popular freshman at Holyoke High School, was the victim.

Paquin said the fire started near a wood-burning stove on the first floor.

The fire injured an unidentified woman and her dog as well as a firefighter, according to officials.

A fire in the basement of a home on Highland Lane in West Springfield left three homeless.

03.09.11 | Photo by Julian Feller-Cohen – A West Springfield Fire Department truck.  

CBS3 News, media partner of The Republican and MassLive.com, is reporting that crews were called to 14 Highland Lane shortly after 6:30 a.m.

Deputy Chief Steve Manchino said the fire, which started in the basement, spread to the first floor of the house.

The fire is not considered suspicious, but it remains under investigation, officials said. There were no injuries. The family is being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Team Andre kept in mind one question: “What would Andre want?” and the answer that kept coming was: “A real home.”

Andre M. Lebel Submitted photo  

Before I met Andre Lebel nearly 25 years ago, the only Andre I had ever heard of was Andre the Giant.

At 7 feet, 4 inches and 500 pounds, Andre the Giant couldn’t have looked any more different than the 5-foot, 1-inch, 100-pound Andre Lebel who stood before me that day. Yet the professional wrestler and scene stealer who played Fezzik (“Anyone want a peanut?”) in the “Princess Bride” movie might have shared some stories about being born into a world that was in no way prepared for them.

Andre the Giant suffered from acromegaly, a disease that results in an overabundance of growth hormones, but his problems would have paled ahead of Andre Lebel’s whose medical history started with the words “severely mentally retarded” and went downhill from there.

Club feet, cleft palate, cauliflower ears, aortic valve disease, aneurysms, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. And, there were a lot of et ceteras.

I first came to know Andre Lebel through marriage. My wife’s sister, Jo Anne O’Neil, had been working as a physical therapy assistant at Monson Developmental Center, a hillside institution of last resort on resort-like grounds far away from where anyone but a caring staff might see the 1,700 lost souls who wound up there.

A residence building at the Monson Developmental Center that will soon be closing.
File photo by DON TREEGER




 

For Andre, who arrived at Monson from Salem at his doctor’s urging when he was not yet 2, it was the only home he knew. There, for more than two decades, he won hearts left and right with a simple smile and gaze of wonder that made him pretty much irresistible to everyone.

While Andre lived a somewhat sheltered life at Monson, the winds of change swept over the way society came to view the mentally retarded citizens among us. Class action lawsuits and court orders were emptying institutions into communities which were often unprepared for them, creating success stories and resentment in about equal numbers.

As Andre approached the age of majority, it was clear that someone would be needed to help him navigate the shifting mental-health landscape. As a Monson employee, Jo Anne was prohibited from assuming guardianship so she asked her husband, Steve O’Neil, to “take a look.”

“Andre stood out in the ocean of faces as cheerful, friendly and loving,” Steve recalls. “Everyone knew Andre.”

Steve admits that at first he was a bit apprehensive, but the smile and Andre’s look of wonder were infectious and irresistible.

And, the hug from Andre sealed the deal.

“It was classic Andre,” he said.

Over the years Andre would become a regular in the O’Neil household and a frequent guest at family birthday parties and holiday gatherings. On many Sunday afternoons, it would be quite common to ask where Jo Anne and Steve were and find that they were “out with Andre.”

Behind the scenes, Steve would meet with a team of health-care providers, social workers and mental-health service coordinators to make sure Andre’s interests were looked after.

“It was pretty clear that love was not going to be enough,” he said. “He needed an advocate to navigate the system that he was incapable of understanding.”

The system needed plenty of navigating that was for sure. But Team Andre kept in mind one question: “What would Andre want?” and the answer that kept coming was: “A real home.”

“A staff can be loving, but in the end it’s always a staff with varying degrees of commitment,” Steve said. “Andre had so many needs, yet the dream was always about finding him a real home.”

After many years in group homes, he at last found that home with Sharon Huckins, of East Longmeadow. She had grown up with a disabled brother and was prepared to take Andre into her own home and provide for his needs.

“I knew what I was getting into; but I also knew the joy,” she said.

And, so, Andre joined the Huckins family and, along with it, an extended network of children, grandparents, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.

“Andre and I, we’re the same age, but the only word he could really say was, ‘Mama,’” Sharon said. “So, I was two weeks older, but still his ‘Mama.’”

Steve said he felt some sadness at the loss of regular contact with Andre but was immensely happy for him.

“Sharon was like a dream come true for all of us,” Steve said. “Here was someone who could take on this job as a labor of love and give Andre what he always wanted – a real home.”

Andre stayed with Sharon Huckins and her family for 13 years, during which he watched countless ball games with his grandfather, helped make tapioca pudding by stirring it in a mixing bowl, listened to stories, went on long walks. He fed the birds, and went to BMX bicycle races and Monster Truck rallies. He saw George Jones and Lorretta Lynn in concert, ate ice cream at the beach and went to Santa Land in Vermont. He loved the Big E and Bernie’s train restaurant in Chicopee and Dunkin’ Donuts and the quarter slots at Foxwoods. His room was decorated with Coca Cola posters, pictures of Santa Claus and wrestling memorabilia, and he helped out at home by loading the dishwasher, wiping the table and cleaning his bedroom.

“Andre brought more love and joy into my family than I could ever have dreamed,” Sharon said. “His smile could brighten the world.”

When Andre Lebel was admitted to Monson Developmental Center, the doctors said he was unlikely to see his 25th birthday. When he arrived at the Huckins home, they warned he might not be there long. And, over the years, he certainly saw the inside of far too many doctors offices, clinics and hospitals.

October was rough for both Sharon and Andre. They were both in the hospital to be treated for pneumonia, but both were home for Thanksgiving and looking forward to Andre’s favorite holiday, Christmas.

It wasn’t to be. On Nov. 30, he woke up, drank his coffee, went into the bathroom and collapsed. The family called 911, the ambulance arrived and took him to the hospital, but Sharon believes Andre died at home.

His home.

Andre Lebel lived until he was 54, and there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the love and attention he received over the years extended his life. He is buried in the family plot, next to his grandfather, and someday, next to his ‘mama.’

Steve spoke at the funeral, which was attended by more than 100 relatives, family friends, caregivers, social workers and lots of people that Sharon didn’t even know, yet who had nevertheless been touched by Andre.

It was a long and often difficult road for Andre, but far from a one-way street. Ask Steve O’Neil, or Sharon Huckins, or Sharon’s mom, Nancy, or just about anyone he ever met.

In his eulogy, Steve O’Neil recounted Andre’s life story to the assembled mourners. He said that in the end Andre got what he always wanted, “a real mom, a real family, his own bedroom and super grandparents.

“He was in all ways,” Steve said, “a little angel, who lived a wonderful life.”

In his way, it turned out that with his oversized heart and big smile, he, too, was Andre the Giant. 

Robert Chipkin is a production editor with The Republican; he may be reached at rchipkin@repub.com. 

Most of the material is from the collection of Agawam resident Frank J. Andruss.

“The John F. Kennedy Experience,” a new exhibit of rarely seen photos and memorabilia covering various periods in the lives of John and Jacqueline Kennedy, is now open at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. Submitted  

"The John F. Kennedy Experience," a new exhibit of photos and memorabilia covering various periods in the lives of John and Jacqueline Kennedy, is on view at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History.

The exhibit, which runs through April 28, was planned to coincide with the upcoming 50-year observance of Kennedy's assassination on Nov. 22, and includes rare photos from John and Jacqueline's early years, and artifacts along with collectibles from Kennedy's political campaigns.

The majority of the materials are from the collection of Agawam resident Frank J. Andruss, author and Kennedy-era collector.

The exhibit is divided into six sections, beginning with "The Kennedys and the Fitzgeralds," Kennedy's early years growing up in Brookline through his enrollment at Harvard College. The "PT Boat Skipper" section includes examples of uniforms and equipment used by PT boat shipmen, and an actual PT boat engine displayed in the museum's entryway.

One of the men on Kennedy's PT-109, Harold Marney of Springfield, is also highlighted in this portion of the exhibit.

"Jacqueline Bouvier: Grace and Beauty" provides a glimpse into the first lady's early life through her time in college spent studying in France. "Political Dreams" covers JFK's first foray into politics in 1947, but it is the section titled "The Presidency" that includes the majority of political memorabilia.

Items from the 1960 presidential campaign include buttons, stickers, and inaugural invitations highlighting Kennedy's popularity amongst young people. The final section, "The End of Camelot," includes photos from John and Jacqueline Kennedy's arrival at Dallas' Love Field on Nov. 22, 1963, as well as the aftermath and presidential funeral.

"As we mark the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination, this exhibit provides us with a rare opportunity to look back on a key time in American history and take stock of one of America's great leaders," Guy McLain, museum director, said in a release.

The Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History is located at 21 Edwards Street in downtown Springfield. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Quadrangle admission is $15 for adults; $10 for seniors and college students with ID; $8 for children ages 3 to 17; free to children under age 3 and members; Springfield residents are free with proof of residency. For more information, visit http://www.springfieldmuseums.org/

A dry and quiet week, mid-40s by Wednesday.

A scattered dusting of snow moved through western Massachusetts this morning, but we will be dry for the afternoon. Clouds will also gradually exit today and into this evening.

The seasonal weather continues as well, with high temperatures expected to be very similar to yesterday's. The last real chilly night may come Monday night under mainly clear skies, but other than that it looks to remain seasonally mild for a majority of next week. No major snowstorms are on the horizon.

Today: Partly sunny, high 37.

Tonight: Decreasing clouds, low 23.

Monday: Sunny, a little chillier, high 32.

Tuesday: Sunny, a light breeze, high 41.