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Holyoke officials glad teen pregnancy rate down 14 percent, but with rate still highest in Massachusetts, say more work needed

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Information tables from the agencies working to prevent teenagers from getting pregnant were set up at City Hall.

HOLYOKE — The theme of the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy event at City Hall on Wednesday was the city's rate has dropped 14 percent, but still tops the state, so more work is needed.

"It's incredibly important that we continue to address this issue," Mayor Alex B. Morse said to a sun-splashed gathering on the City Hall lawn.

In 2010, the last period for which figures were available, Holyoke’s rate of teenage births dropped from 96.9 per 1,000 births to 83.6 per 1,000 births, a reduction of 14 percent. In 2010, 126 Holyoke teenagers gave birth.

That marked the sixth straight year in which Holyoke led the state in teen birth rate

Figures were compiled by the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy, a private nonprofit agency.

Statewide, the number of teenage girls who gave birth in 2010 dropped to 3,907 from 4,538 births in 2009. That translates into a rate of 17.1 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19.

The effort to reduce the number of teenagers getting pregnant is based on a campaign to inform young people they have choices other than getting pregnant such as using birth control and attending college or pursuing a career, officials said.

More than a dozen agencies try to spread the word to young people about making smart decisions as they participate in the Holyoke Adolescent Sexual Health and Pregnancy Prevention Accountability Committee.

Agencies include the mayor's office, the public schools, Girls Inc. of Holyoke, Holyoke Boys and Girls Club, Tapestry Health, Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Headstart Inc. and the city health, police and library departments.

Holyoke is in the third year of sharing a five-year, $5.5 million state grant with Springfield to reduce teen pregnancy rates.

The 14 percent drop shows the money and efforts are working, officials said.

"If we continue in this direction, we're going to continue making progress," Morse said.

"We may be number one in the state, but our rates are dropping and our rates continue to drop," said Katherine M. Liptak, a registered nurse and chairwoman of the Board of Health.

Shayla Macomber, 16, a freshman at Holyoke High School, told The Republican and MassLive.com a lot of pregnancies happen because guys talk insecure girls into having unprotected sex.

"Guys can say anything to girls these days to get what they want," Macomber said, sitting near the information tables.



Boston police: Three more arrests made in connection with Marathon bombings

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Three men who attended college with the Boston Marathon bombing suspect removed his backpack from his dorm room at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth three days after the attack, according to charges filed Wednesday. Watch video

By BRIDGET MURPHY and DENISE LAVOIE, Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Three college friends of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were arrested and accused Wednesday of removing a backpack containing hollowed-out fireworks from Tsarnaev's dorm room three days after the attack to keep him from getting into trouble.

In court papers, the FBI said one of them threw the backpack in the garbage — it was later found in a landfill by law enforcement officers — after they concluded from news reports that Tsarnaev was one of the bombers.

Azamat Tazhayakov and Dias Kadyrbayev, who are from Kazakhstan, were charged with conspiring to obstruct justice by concealing and destroying evidence. A third man, Robel Phillipos, was charged with lying to investigators about the visit to Tsarnaev's room.

At a court appearance in the afternoon, the Kazakh men did not request bail and will be held for another hearing May 14. Phillipos was held for a hearing on Monday. Their lawyers refused to comment ahead of the proceeding.

Three people were killed and more than 260 injured on April 15 when two bombs exploded near the finish line. Tamerlan Tsarnaev died after a gunfight with police days later. His younger brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, was captured and lies in a prison hospital.

Investigators have not said whether the pressure cooker bombs used in the attacks were made with gunpowder extracted from fireworks.

Tazhayakov and Kadyrbayev have been held in jail for more than a week on allegations that they violated their student visas by not regularly going to class at UMass. All three men charged Wednesday began attending UMass with Tsarnaev at the same time in 2011, according to the FBI.

The three were not accused of any involvement in the bombing itself. But in a footnote in the court papers, the FBI said that about a month before the bombing, Tsarnaev told Tazhayakov and Kadyrbayev that he knew how to make a bomb.

If convicted, Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov could get up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Phillipos faces a maximum of eight years behind bars and a $250,000 fine.
 
Authorities allege that on the night of April 18, after the FBI released surveillance-camera photos of the bombing suspects and the three men suspected their friend was one of them, they went to Tsarnaev's dorm room.

Before Tsarnaev's roommate let them in, Kadyrbayev showed Tazhayakov a text message from Tsarnaev that read: "I'm about to leave if you need something in my room take it," according to the FBI. When Tazhayakov learned of the message, "he believed he would never see Tsarnaev alive again," the FBI said in the affidavit.

It was not clear from the court papers whether authorities believe that was an instruction from Tsarnaev to his friends to destroy evidence.

Once inside Tsarnaev's room, the men noticed a backpack containing fireworks, which had been opened and emptied of powder, the FBI said.

The FBI said that Kadyrbayev knew when he saw the empty fireworks that Tsarnaev was involved in the bombings and decided to remove the backpack from the room "in order to help his friend Tsarnaev avoid trouble."

Kadyrbayev also decided to remove Tsarnaev's laptop "because he did not want Tsarnaev's roommate to think he was stealing or behaving suspiciously by just taking the backpack," the FBI said in court papers.

After the three men returned to Kadyrbayev's and Tazhayakov's apartment with the backpack and computer, they watched news reports featuring photographs of Tsarnaev.


The FBI affidavit said Kadyrbayev told authorities the three men then "collectively decided to throw the backpack and fireworks into the trash because they did not want Tsarnaev to get into trouble."

Kadyrbayev said he placed the backpack and fireworks along with trash from the apartment into a large trash bag and threw it into a garbage bin near the men's apartment.

When the backpack was later found in a landfill last week, inside it was a UMass-Dartmouth homework assignment sheet from a class Tsarnaev was taking, the FBI said.

Meanwhile, Tamerlan Tsarnaev's relatives will claim his body now that his wife has agreed to release it, an uncle said. The body of Tsarnaev, 26, has been at the medical examiner's office in Massachusetts since he died after a gunfight with authorities more than a week ago.

Amato DeLuca, an attorney for his widow, Katherine Russell, said Tuesday that his client had just learned that the medical examiner was ready to release Tsarnaev's body and that she wants it released to his side of the family.

Tsarnaev's parents are still in Russia, but he has other relatives in the U.S.

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Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Michelle R. Smith in Providence; Rodrique Ngowi in Boston; Lynn Berry in Moscow; Arsen Mollyaev in Makhachkala, Russia; and Eric Tucker, Alicia A. Caldwell, Eileen Sullivan and AP Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier in Washington.

Remains of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev set to be claimed

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The medical examiner determined Tsarnaev's cause of death Monday, but officials said it won't become public until his remains are released and a death certificate is filed.

By BRIDGET MURPHY

BOSTON — The body of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was set to be claimed Thursday.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev horiz mug 2013.jpgTamerlan Tsarnaev 

Department of Public Safety spokesman Terrel Harris said authorities were informed someone would be claiming the 26-year-old's remains Thursday night. He had no more information.

The medical examiner determined Tsarnaev's cause of death Monday, but officials said it won't become public until his remains are released and a death certificate is filed.

Tsarnaev's widow, Katherine Russell, who lives in Rhode Island, learned this week that the medical examiner was ready to release his body and wanted it released to his side of the family, her attorney Amato DeLuca said days ago.

Tsarnaev's uncle Ruslan Tsarni, of Maryland, said Tuesday night the family would take the body.

"Of course, family members will take possession of the body," Tsarni said. "We'll do it. We will do it. A family is a family."

Tsarnaev died after a gunfight with authorities days after the April 15 bombing. The bombing, near the marathon's finish line, killed three people and injured more than 260 others.

Authorities said Tsarnaev and his younger brother got into a gunfight with police following a massive manhunt for them, setting off a pressure cooker bomb and tossing grenades before the older brother ran of ammunition.

Police said they tackled the older brother and began to handcuff him but had to dive out of the way at the last second when the younger brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, drove a stolen car at them. They said the younger brother then ran over his brother's body as he drove away from the scene to escape.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is in a federal prison and faces a charge of using a weapon of mass destruction to kill.

The Tsarnaev brothers' mother says the allegations against them are lies.


Palmer Water Commissioner chairman Charles "Mike" Callahan denies conflict, but says he will abstain from any casino agreement vote

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Charles Callahan said he provided a letter earlier this year, but apparently never brought it to the other commissioners' attention.

march 2013 mohegan sun palmer casino sketch night.JPGAn artist's rendering of the proposed Mohegan Sun Massachusetts casino resort that would be built in Palmer off Massachusetts Turnpike Exit 8. 

PALMER - Charles "Mike" Callahan III, chairman of Palmer Water District No. 1 water commissioners, said he will abstain from any vote that has to do with the Mohegan Sun Massachusetts resort casino project off Thorndike Street, to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.

Though he says he has no role with MGM Resort International, which wants to construct a casino in Springfield, Callahan and two of his family members are listed as having ties to that project.

Callahan, a member of the board for 15 years, is listed as a "qualifier" - along with his brother and sister - for Blue Tarp reDevelopment, MGM Resorts International's development arm. MGM was chosen this week by Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno to build an approximately $800 million casino in the city's South End.

MGM and Mohegan Sun are vying for the lone Western Massachusetts casino license, along with Hard Rock International, which wants to build in West Springfield. The Hard Rock project earned an endorsement from the West of the River Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

MGM last year dropped a plan to develop a casino in Brimfield, on Callahan family land.

Callahan said he gave a letter to his board earlier this year outlining his stance regarding the Palmer project, but one board member said he never saw it.

Water Commissioner Joseph Mastalerz said he has not seen the letter and plans to go to the board office on Friday to try and find it. Mastalerz said Callahan told him about the letter on Thursday, and that he intended to talk to the other commissioners about it three months ago.

Mastalerz said he has concerns about Callahan's name on the Blue Tarp list and was going to ask Callahan about his involvement. He planned to approach him Friday at a commission meeting, but that was rescheduled to Wednesday.

The land in Palmer is served by the Palmer Water District, meaning that eventually the water commissioners would have to vote on an agreement. Water use for the approximately $600 million resort casino has been a topic of discussion over the years, and is one of the lingering issues in the host community agreement between Connecticut-based Mohegan and the town of Palmer. That agreement is expected to be finalized in July.

Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard and Palmer Water Superintendent James Ammann would not get into specifics regarding water use for the casino, citing confidentiality agreements. At one time, when the $775 million project was touted as being in the $1 billion range, the Quabbin Reservoir was discussed as a potential water source. Blanchard said Ammann and the district's lawyer, Henry Rigali, have been involved in water discussions.

"I have no input in negotiations and I don't have any say in how any documents are being drafted," Callahan said Thursday.

Ammann, who answers to the Board of Water Commissioners, said he wasn't aware of Callahan's involvement with MGM, and thought only David Callahan had something to do with that project. David Callahan, president of Palmer Paving, and sister Janet Callahan, also are listed as qualifiers for the MGM project, according to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. David Callahan was with MGM officials last year during the Brimfield announcement.

Gaming Commission spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said the commission's investigators determine who "qualifiers" are, adding they could be officers, board members or key investors with a company. Applicants for casino licenses, along with their qualifiers, are currently the subject of background checks by state police and gaming experts, according to information from the commission.

Charles Callahan, who said he is paid $80 a month as a water commissioner, said it is his way of giving back to the community. He said if people are questioning his role as a commissioner, they should run for the open position on the three-member board. The district's annual meeting and election is May 14. Fellow board member Louis Iadisernia, who is not seeking reelection, could not be reached for comment. Callahan, who is up for reelection next year, said people should vote him off if they do not like the job he is doing.

As for his listing as a "qualifier," Callahan said he has no role with MGM, and has no part of that casino project.

"My name is listed on a number of projects throughout Western Massachusetts," Callahan said.

Callahan said he is for a project that brings economic development to Western Massachusetts, and the ripple effect it would have on jobs, revenue and tourism.

"Any community that gets (a casino) will benefit the entire Western Massachusetts area," Callahan said.

Ammann said he is not concerned about Callahan's involvement with another casino project.

"The family is pursuing something. Mr. Callahan has always put the water district in front of whatever developments, projects or contracts. I see him as a strong advocate for the water district. It's not going to hinder the project," Ammann said.

Ammann said Palmer Water District No. 1 serves 4,700 customers with 1,400 accounts, approximately 450,000 to 490,000 gallons of water a day. With that use, Ammann said there is approximately 200,000 gallons a day of surplus water.


Skirmishing between Gabrial Gomez, Edward Markey continues as observers expect Super PAC dollars to be used in Massachusetts Senate race

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Rebuffing outside donors could imperil Gomez's campaign and future with the Republican party, according to an expert.

Gallery preview

SPRINGFIELD - The verbal skirmishing over U.S. Senate hopeful Edward Markey's calls for Republican opponent Gabriel Gomez to take "The People's Pledge" continues, but political observers believe outside special interest dollars will come rolling in as the candidates sprint toward the June 25 special election.

Markey, a Democrat with 36 years in Congress, emerged from the primary lobbing immediate warnings about outside money from the likes of Karl Rove and the Koch brothers. He demanded that Gomez, a young, marketable newcomer, take the pledge coined in the Scott Brown- Elizabeth Warren race in 2012; it blocked Super PAC-financed ads.

Gomez refused, arguing Markey's challenge was the "height of hypocrisy" and that Markey has accepted special interest donations for decades. A Markey spokesman on Thursday said he will keep renewing the call.

"It's laughable that a guy who was the spokesman for a secretly funded public ad criticizing the president's handling of Osama bin Laden to refuse to take the People's Pledge and pretend it's some kind of principled stand. It's not," Andrew Zucker, Markey's campaign spokesman, said.

Gallery preview

Markey has attacked Gomez, a former Navy SEAL, for appearing as a spokesman for a group of veterans who released a video assailing President Barack Obama, stating he publicized sensitive information about the 2011 killing of bin Laden.

A spokesman for Gomez said the candidate stands by his role in the video.

"Gabriel Gomez did two interviews emphasizing the need to curtail security leaks of sensitive military information after the (bin Laden) raid, the same position that even Senator Diane Feinstein took, " said campaign spokesman Will Ritter. "These leaks put our military men and women in danger and Gabriel Gomez was happy to stand up for them."

While it is too early to tell whether this race will get flooded with out-of-state dollars from conservative groups hoping to win the seat vacated by former U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry, experts say it will provide the most likely boost to Gomez's campaign. Rebuffing outside donors could also imperil his future with the Republican party.

"For him to turn down outside money is to burn some national Republican bridges," said John Baick, a history professor at Western New England University.

Election Logo 2013.jpg 

He added that Markey's continued emphasis on the issue is critical to mobilizing Democrats.

"I can imagine that he will use this issue every day until the election ... It’s the idea that Gomez is not his own candidate, he is a front for conservative interests throughout the country," Baick said.

He and other political observers have noted that while the balance of power in the U.S. Senate is not as critical as it was when Brown beat Democrat Martha Coakley in 2010, it's the only political race of the moment and will be closely watched.

Rob Collins, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, sent a mass memo out on May 1, talking up Gomez and noting that surveys have shown only 50 percent of registered voters are even aware of the special election.

Baick said whether the race will capture the attention of a large number of national conservative remains a question.

This race matters more than it might because nothing else is happening, but it also matters less because the balance of the Senate has changed and the healthcare question is no longer on the table," he said.

Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference suspended for Saturday's playoff game

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The penalty came after a hearing on an illegal check to Toronto forward Mikhail Grabovski’s head in Wednesday's Game 1.

andrew ference3.JPGBoston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference (21) tries to cut off Toronto Maple Leafs' Joffrey Lupul during a game March 25.  
NEW YORK – Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference was suspended for one game by the NHL on Thursday for an illegal check to Toronto forward Mikhail Grabovski’s head during Game 1 of their first-round series.


No penalty was called on the hit midway through the first period in the Bruins’ 4-1 victory.

Game 2 is Saturday night in Boston. 

Smith College activists present administrators with petition supporting transgender women applicants

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Students advocating for the admission of transgender women at Smith College said they are encouraged by the fact that the institution's administrators are meeting with them.

NORTHAMPTON — Smith College transgender rights activists said Thursday they were encouraged that college administrators have agreed to continue meeting with them around the issue of admitting transgender women to the female-only school.

Members of Smith Q&A spoke after five of them delivered more than 4,000 signatures seeking admissions policies that are welcoming and supportive of transgender women to Debra Shaver, the college’s admissions director. Smith Q&A is a campus group focusing on raising awareness about transgender issues at Smith.

“They are taking steps to be more accommodating,” Ollie J. Schwartz, a 22-year-old Smith senior and member of the organization, said of the administration.

She and other students said the college has agreed to disregard the gender box on applicants’ Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, something that could pave the way for Calliope Wong, a Connecticut transgender high school senior, to reapply to Smith.

Students started the petition drive through Change.org in reaction to the college’s rejection of the application of Wong, a transgender woman.

Change.org is a website that describes itself as "the Web's leading platform for social change, empowering anyone, anywhere to start petitions that make a difference."

In rejecting Wong, Smith cited the fact that Wong had checked "male" on her FAFSA form, which is near-universally used by colleges in assessing eligibility for loans and needs-based awards.

When the issue became public, the college’s media relations director, Kristen Cole, issue a statement to The Republican focusing on inconsistencies in Wong's application materials.

“It is important to note that an application from a transgender student is treated no differently from other applicants,” Cole stated. “Every application Smith receives is considered on a case-by-case basis. As a women’s college, Smith expects that all of the materials reflect an applicant’s status as a woman.”

“This is an evolving issue,” Shaver said Thursday in accepting two boxes of paperwork with signatures on the steps of the Smith Admissions Office. “We want to be supportive of transgender women.”

Shaver said the college has started a dialogue with the students that will continue in September.

Sarah B. Fraas, a 19-year-old Smith freshman, said the situation initially caused her to become disillusioned, but she feels better now that administrators are meeting with students.

She and Emily L. Coffin, an 18-year-old freshman, were among students who met with administrators Wednesday. Coffin said administrators had been worried that accepting a transgender woman would jeopardize the college’s legal and traditional status as a women’s college and might force it to admit men.

Coffin said administrators learned from their lawyers that that would not be the case.

“Coeducation is not going to be an issue. Smith will not be co-ed ever,” Coffin said. “It does not threaten Smith’s status as a women’s college.

“I think it’s wonderful that people are expressing their opinions,” Cole stated in her e-mail to The Republican. “This is a complex and evolving issue on which people of good intent, at Smith and other places, hold a range of views. The petition is part of the larger, ongoing conversation in which Smith is involved. The Dean of the College has been meeting recently with a student diversity group about gender identity and gender expression at Smith.”

Cole went on to state that the Resource Center for Sexuality & Gender along with the Student Government Association co-sponsored a discussion between students and representatives of the offices of admission and student life on the topic.


Remains of Tamerlan Tsarnaev, suspect in Boston bombing, claimed by funeral home retained by family

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Department of Public Safety spokesman Terrel Harris said a funeral home retained by Tsarnaev's family picked up the 26-year-old's remains. He had no more information.

Updates a story posted Thursday at 6:21 p.m.


By BRIDGET MURPHY

BOSTON — The body of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was the subject of a massive manhunt and died in a gunbattle with police, was claimed on Thursday.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev horiz mug 2013.jpgTamerlan Tsarnaev 

Department of Public Safety spokesman Terrel Harris said a funeral home retained by Tsarnaev's family picked up the 26-year-old's remains. He had no more information.

The medical examiner determined Tsarnaev's cause of death on Monday, but officials said it wouldn't become public until his remains were released and a death certificate was filed. It was unclear on Thursday evening whether the death certificate had been filed.

Tsarnaev's widow, Katherine Russell, who has been living with her parents in North Kingstown, R.I., learned this week that the medical examiner was ready to release his body and wanted it released to his side of the family, her attorney Amato DeLuca said days ago.

Tsarnaev's uncle Ruslan Tsarni, of Maryland, said Tuesday night the family would take the body.

"Of course, family members will take possession of the body," Tsarni said. "We'll do it. We will do it. A family is a family."

Tsarnaev, who had appeared in surveillance photos wearing a black cap and was identified as Suspect No. 1, died days after the bombing.

The April 15 bombing, near the marathon's finish line, killed three people and injured more than 260 others. Authorities said Tsarnaev and his younger brother later killed a Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus police officer and carjacked a driver, who escaped.

Authorities said the Tsarnaev brothers during the gunfight with police set off a pressure cooker bomb and tossed grenades before the older brother ran out of ammunition.

Police said they tackled the older brother and began to handcuff him but had to dive out of the way at the last second when the younger brother, 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, drove a stolen car at them. They said the younger brother then ran over his brother's body as he drove away from the scene to escape.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was captured later, wounded and bloody, hiding in a tarp-covered boat in a suburban Boston backyard. He is in a federal prison and faces a charge of using a weapon of mass destruction to kill.

The Tsarnaev brothers' mother insists the allegations against them are lies.

Three of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's friends, college classmates, were arrested and were accused of helping after the marathon bombing to remove a laptop and backpack from his dormitory room before the FBI searched it.

A top Republican senator on Thursday asked President Barack Obama's administration to explain how one of the students, who's from Kazakhstan, entered the United States without a valid student visa.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, in a three-page letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, asked for additional details about the student visa applications for Azamat Tazhayakov and Dias Kadyrbayev, college roommates from Kazakhstan charged with obstruction of justice in the marathon bombing case, and how Tazhayakov was allowed to re-enter the United States in January.

Tazhayakov was a student at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth when he left the country in December. In early January, his student visa status was terminated because he was academically dismissed by the university.

The third student arrested, Robel Phillipos, was charged with willfully making materially false statements to federal law enforcement officials during a terrorism investigation.

The lawyers for the Kazakh students said their clients had nothing to do with the bombing and were just as shocked by it as everyone else. Phillipos' attorney said the only allegation against him is "he made a misrepresentation."



Massachusetts U.S. Senate hopefuls Ed Markey, Gabriel Gomez spar on debates, bin Laden raid

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Markey hoped to focus attention on Gomez's role last year as a representative for the group Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund Inc., which produced a 22-minute video during last year's presidential election criticizing Obama.

By BOB SALSBERG
and STEVE LeBLANC

BOSTON — Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Edward Markey spotlighted GOP rival Gabriel Gomez's ties to a group that faulted President Barack Obama for taking too much credit for the raid the killed Osama bin Laden Thursday even as Gomez continued to press Markey to agree to three debates.

The sparring came as a government watchdog group urged Markey and Gomez to agree to a deal discouraging spending by outside groups on campaign ads. Gomez has rejected the deal, arguing Markey already has a fundraising edge from his decades in Congress.

Markey hoped to focus attention on Gomez's role last year as a representative for the group Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund Inc., which produced a 22-minute video during last year's presidential election criticizing Obama.

During an interview last year on MSNBC, Gomez both praised Obama for giving the green light for the special operation that targeted bin Laden but also said Obama should have given more credit to the troops and taken less credit for himself.

"The only time that these presidents, Lincoln and Eisenhower and other wartime presidents, ever used the word 'I' was when they said 'I thank you' to the troops," Gomez said during the interview.

In announcing bin Laden's death, Obama credited "the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals" for disrupting terrorist attacks and strengthening homeland defenses.

More recently OPSEC has tried to raise money pointing to the Sept. 11 Benghazi assault that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. The group is also pushing for a special select committee in Congress to investigate the attack.

An aide to Gomez said he has no affiliation to the group, but "did an interview or two for them." The group is "not part of our campaign in any way," the aide said.

"Republicans, Democrats and Independents all agree with Gabriel Gomez and Senators like Democrat Dianne Feinstein and Republican John McCain: America cannot afford national security leaks that jeopardize the lives of our men and women in combat," Gomez aide Lenny Alcivar said in a written statement.

"If career politician Ed Markey supports security leaks that jeopardize the safety of our men and women in uniform, he should say so," he added.

A spokesman for Markey charged Gomez with "doubling down on these false and ridiculous fringe attacks" from a "secretly-funded special interest group."

"Unfortunately for Gomez, his cliché attempts to rebrand himself as 'a new kind of Republican' are entirely inconsistent with his role as the public face for a third-party attack group whose sole purpose was 'swift boating' President Obama," Markey spokesman Andrew Zucker said in a written statement.

Gomez, meanwhile, accused Markey of 'radio silence' on the Republican's challenge to engage in three debates before the June 25 election.

In a statement released by his campaign, Gomez suggested that Markey was trying to avoid talking about issues such as "out of control spending in Washington" and putting people back to work.

Markey's campaign said the Democrat has already committed to participating in a number of debates and has already reached out to the Gomez campaign to discuss details.

Common Cause Massachusetts, a government watchdog group, called Thursday for Gomez to reverse his position and negotiate with Markey over a plan to limit the influence of outside spending in the campaign.

The group said a similar "people's pledge" between Democrat Elizabeth Warren and Republican Scott Brown in last year's U.S. Senate race proved an "overwhelming success" in reducing the amount of undisclosed cash that was pumped into the campaign and resulted in far fewer negative ads than would otherwise have run.

"The people's pledge greatly increased transparency, accountability and fairness in our electoral process," said Tyler Creighton, assistant director of Common Cause Massachusetts. "We feel it is absolutely critical that the candidates in this year's election do the same."

A report by Creighton released on Thursday compared the 2012 Massachusetts U.S. Senate race — won by Warren — to three other highly competitive Senate races in the country. While the Massachusetts race ranked overall as the most expensive in the nation, only 9 percent of the spending came from outside groups.

By contrast, the report said outside groups accounted for between 62 percent, 64 percent and 47 percent in the campaigns in Virginia, Wisconsin and Ohio, respectively.

The study said the overwhelming majority of the ads run by outside groups in those states were negative.

Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, said without an agreement there would be a surge in negative ads and major donors would have "a lot more chips to call in."

Gomez has called Markey's call for a spending pledge hypocritical, pointing to outside groups that spent more than $1 million to help Markey in his primary race against U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch.


Holyoke police to increase volunteering at Boys and Girls Club, resurrect Police Athletic League

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The plan is to resurrect the Holyoke Police Athletic League and include golf trips and other activities.

HOLYOKE — Police Officer Brendan Boyle figures young people who play dodgeball or go hiking with police officers are more likely to see them as friends than foes.

Boyle was part of an announcement Thursday that a dozen officers will volunteer every third Wednesday at the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club.

The idea is the community would benefit if more such associations or even friendships are formed, he said.

"Often we have to go to these calls and deal with these children, and it's not always in a positive light," said Boyle, 38.

"It's just an environment where they don't feel threatened. We're just trying to create an environment where they feel safe and can enjoy themselves," he said.

Playing sports and games at the Boys and Girls Club, which is at 70 Nick Cosmos Way around the corner from the police station, is a starting point. The goal is to include off-site activities like rock climbing, hiking, golf, softball and other things, Boyle said.

Businesses and others who want to donate can contact Boyle at (413) 322-6900, Ext. 321.

Police have been volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club. But the announcement establishes a schedule and is the first step in a plan that Boyle, a five-year veteran, is leading to resurrect the Holyoke Police Athletic League, Lt. Matthew F. Moriarty said.

The officers participating in the program will be doing so on their days off and other free time, he said.

"They want to reach out to the community and do more," Moriarty said.

"I think it's a fantastic opportunity for our kids to personally interact with our law enforcement," said Eileen Cavanaugh, Boys and Girls Club president. "To me, it is really the epitome of community policing."

The Boys and Girls Club deals with 350 young people people daily. That's at the main facility and satellites at Holyoke Housing Authority locations: Toepfert Apartments, Lyman Terrace, Beaudoin Village and the Churchill Homes, she said.

State Rep. Aaron M. Vega, D-Holyoke, noted the police officers and the seven girls seated in the bleachers in the Boys and Girls Club gym where the announcement took place.

"This is exactly the kind of partnership that works here," Vega said.

The "3rd Annual Holyoke Police Foot Pursuit" run and walk this year will raise money for the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club and the Holyoke Police Officers Ball on May 11. The 3.5-mile event will begin at noon at the Holyoke Elks Lodge, 250 Whitney Ave. The entry fee is $25. For an application, information about sponsorships and other details, visit holyokepolicefootpursuit.com.

Also on May 11, Moriarty will be available in a water dunk tank – $5 for 3 throws – after the race at the Elks Lodge to raise money for the One Fund Boston Inc. That was set up to help people most affected by the bomb explosions at the Boston Marathon April 15.


Fire outside Chicopee Lanes bowling center confined to building exterior

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The fire was confined to the exterior of the at 291 Burnett Road.

CHICOPEE — A fire at the Chicopee Lanes bowling center on Burnett Road opposite Massachusetts Turnpike Exit 6 was extinguished by Chicopee firefighters Thursday night.

The fire was confined to the exterior of the structure at 291 Burnett Road. A 20- by 30-foot section of the building's exterior paneling near the front door was damaged. The building was evacuated, apparently as a precaution.

Deputy Fire Chief Joseph R. Crevier said the fire never made it inside the building. Firefighters quickly extinguished it. He estimated the damage at less than $3,000.

The cause could not be immediately determined. The Chicopee arson investigator was expected on scene shortly to determine a cause.

Crevier said the building was evacuated before firefighters arrived. Somebody pulled the fire alarm inside to evacuate, he said.

Outside the bowling alley, groups of bowlers huddled together. Many were still wearing bowling shoes. They said they hope to be allowed back inside to finish their game and to retrieve their shoes and their car keys.

One woman who did it not wish to be identified said she was inside bowling with friends when the staff started the evacuation. She heard somebody yell there was a fight inside, but later realized the person actually said there's a fire outside.

Crevier said he expected the building to be reopened sometime Thursday night.


Taste of Wilbraham to be held at Wilbraham & Monson Academy in celebration of town's 250th anniversary

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Ten restaurants in Wilbraham will bring samples of their cuisine.

Wilbraham 250 logo.jpg 

WILBRAHAM - The Taste of Wilbraham in honor of the town’s 250th Anniversary will be held Sunday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Wilbraham & Monson Academy gymnasium.

Ten restaurants in Wilbraham will bring samples of their cuisine. A nominal fee will be charged by the restaurants. Dinners can be purchased directly at the restaurant booths.

The school will be holding an open house featuring tours and entertainment at various Academy sites during the event.

Testimony: Family tried intervention for Michael Jackson

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Detective Orlando Martinez said Katherine Jackson told him her son refused any help, saying he didn't have a drug problem.

5213_michael_jackson.jpgThis 2009 photo shows Michael Jackson announcing his concerts at the London O2 Arena. Michael Jackson's mother sat in court Thursday as a police detective testified that she told him the family had tried drug interventions for the singer, believing he was addicted to painkillers. 

By LINDA DEUTSCH

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson's mother sat in court Thursday as a police detective testified that she told him the family had tried drug interventions for the singer, believing he was addicted to painkillers.

But detective Orlando Martinez said Katherine Jackson told him her son refused any help, saying he didn't have a drug problem.

The testimony came under questioning by lawyers for concert promoter AEG Live LLC, which is being sued by Katherine Jackson for negligence in the star's death.

Martinez, who took the lead investigating the death of Michael Jackson on June 25, 2009, said he first interviewed his mother at the hospital. But six months later, he decided to go back to her and check out "some things regarding family meetings about addiction." He said it was then that she told him about several attempts by the family to hold interventions and get Jackson into rehab.

"Mrs. Jackson said the family tried to help him but he would have nothing to do with it," Martinez said. "She had asked Michael if he was taking any drugs, and he denied it."

Martinez said Katherine Jackson told him she believed her son was taking medicine for back pain and might have become addicted.

"What did Mrs. Jackson tell you?" asked AEG attorney Marvin Putnam.

"The family attempted several interventions," said the witness. "She had talked to her son about drugs herself."

She said the efforts produced no results, Martinez said, because "he denied having a problem."

Katherine Jackson also told the detective the first time she ever met Dr. Conrad Murray was at the hospital the day her son died. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter after giving the anesthetic propofol to the pop star. Bottles containing pain killers also were found in the singer's bedroom.

Martinez said he also interviewed Jackson's son Prince at the hospital. But his handwritten notes of that interview were not allowed in evidence because the interview was not recorded.

Earlier, Martinez said that five days before Jackson died, his manager called the singer's doctor, told him Jackson was sick, and implored him to have blood tests done, according to a voicemail played in court.

The message left by Frank Dileo was retrieved by police from Murray's cellphone.

"I'm sure you're aware he had an episode last night," the message said. "He's sick. ... We gotta see what he's doing."

Plaintiff's lawyer Brian Panish acknowledged outside court that the episode occurred on the day Jackson was told by Kenny Ortega, the director of his "This is It" concert, to go home from a rehearsal because he was pale and shivering.

Panish suggested that if Dileo was aware of the incident, so were AEG executives. Jurors were not given any further details on the episode.

Katherine Jackson's lawsuit claims AEG didn't properly investigate Murray.

AEG denies it hired the doctor, and it is likely to blame Jackson for insisting on having Murray as his doctor because of his dependence on propofol, which Jackson used to sleep. The company alleges Jackson was addicted to numerous drugs.

Internet site CollegeHumor.com rallies to aid of Henry Gribbohm, New Hampshire man who lost 'life savings' at carnival game

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The website offered to pay Gribbohm the money he lost if enough people "liked" their Facebook post.

The Internet site CollegeHumor.com is offering to recoup Henry Gribbohm the $2,600 he lost at a Manchester, N.H., carnival game – but only if he sells them the giant banana with dreadlocks.

Gribbohm, 30, of Exeter, N.H., rose to Internet prominence this week with his tale of woe about blowing his life savings in one afternoon at a traveling carnival. He had been hoping to win an Xbox Kinect, valued at about $100, but instead quickly lost $300 and then went home to get $2,300 more, which he also lost at the same game.

For his troubles, he left the carnival with a consolation prize, a large yellow banana with dreadlocks. (After complaining the next day about the game being rigged, the operator refunded him $600.)

The pictures of Gribbohm, wearing a sleeveless T-shirt and clutching his consolation prize, rocketed around the Internet at light-speed, leaving a trail of tweets, Facebook likes and assorted LOL's and OMG’s in its wake. If you haven’t seen it, chances are your Internet connection was on the fritz this week.

The comedy site, CollegeHumor.com, announced on Tuesday it would recoup Gribbohm his $2,600 if its post got 26,000 likes on Facebook, and would even toss in a new Xbox Kinect if it got 30,000 likes.

“We here at CollegeHumor were so touched by this story – and also, we really want that giant banana with dreadlocks – that we've decided to launch a campaign to buy back Henry's banana for the exact cost of the life savings he lost,” read the statement on the site. “So everybody do their part and LIKE THIS POST! Henry gets his money back, we get to look like good Samaritans when really we just want a giant stuffed banana with dreads sitting in our office, commenters can be like 'How Stoopid waz this guy SMH,' etc., so everybody wins!"

As of about noon Thursday, the people at CollegeHumor.com posted on Facebook that the 26,000-like benchmark had been eclipsed and it was now seeking to contact Gribbohm about a cash-for-banana quid pro quo.

There was no word if Gribbohm had been contacted about the offer or if he would accept.


Northampton area sporting goods stores compete for customers

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Gleason said every retailer, whether on-line or down the street, is competition and that his store is constantly trying to remain competitive.

SPORTS.JPGMichael Zabre is retiring and shutting down Adventure Outfitters after 32 years. 
NORTHAMPTON – The Mountain Goat has closed and Wildwater Outfitters is soon to follow, but the sporting goods business remains viable and competitive in the Northampton area, according to other store owners.

Don Gleason's Camping Supply, Inc. on Pearl Street and Eastern Mountain Sports, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters in Hadley still bring in a wide range of customers, depending on their needs and how much money they want to spend. The Hadley stores are all part of chains with other outlets. Dick’s and EMS have stores all across the country. Sam’s has stores in Brattleboro, Vt., and Keene, N.H.

The owners of The Mountain Goat have said that on-line companies offering similar goods have cut into their business. They could not be reached for comment for this story. The husband-and-wife owners managed the store on Main Street in Northampton for 24 years. The remaining inventory, including clothes racks and shelves, is scheduled to be auctioned at the store on May 3.

Adventure Outfitters at 451 Russell St. in Hadley is preparing to go out of business after 32 years. Owner Michael Zabre said business is fine, but it was simply time for him to retire. He even had someone who was planning to continue the store.

“We had two buyers, but they couldn’t come up with the financing,” he said.

Zabre said his customers were loyal because he knew his merchandise, spending some $40,000 a year to train his staff.

“Hundreds of people told us they were sad (about the closing) because we were the only ones who knew anything,” Zabre said.

Although so-called "big box" stores threatened to cut into his sales, Zabre said discerning customers knew that his wares, especially larger items like canoes and kayaks, were higher quality.

“People buy products that are low end quality and not really right for them,” he said. “They don’t really think about it.”

Like Zabre, John Gleason is often at the store he owns on Pearl Street in Northampton. Gleason’s itself has been there for 55 years.

“There’s no one else in the Valley like us,” Gleason said.

In a business where clothes and gear have become increasing high tech over the past few decades, Gleason’s carries a wide range of products both new and old. Depending on the buyer’s need, Gleason might recommend an external frame backpack, which some consider a dinosaur.

“People get conned into glitzy appearances,” he said.

Gleason said every retailer, whether on-line or down the street, is competition and that his store is constantly trying to remain competitive. He suggested that The Mountain Goat might have suffered from the two snowless winters prior to the last one, as his store did. Even late winter snows are not enough to compensate for a slow Christmas season, he said.

“Seventy-five percent of winter business is done by Dec. 24 at midnight,” he said.

Like Dick’s, EMS and Sam’s referred calls to their corporate offices out of state. An EMS spokeswoman declined to comment for this story. Sam’s owners could not be reached.


Boston Marathon suspects reportedly had Fourth of July festivities in their sights

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After building the bombs faster than expected, the suspects reportedly drove around Boston and Cambridge looking for other targets.

The surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings reportedly told the F.B.I. that he and his brother considered suicide attacks and striking on the Fourth of July as they planned an assault, the New York Times and Boston Globe reported Thursday night.

But the suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev told investigators that he and his brother, Tamerlan, who was killed in a shootout with the police in Watertown, ultimately decided to use homemade explosive devices.

"The brothers finished building the bombs in Tamerlan’s apartment in Cambridge, Mass., faster than they had anticipated, and so decided to accelerate their attack to the Boston Marathon on April 15, Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts, according to the account that Dzhokhar provided to authorities. They picked the finish line of the marathon after driving around the Boston area looking for alternative sites, according to this account," the Times reported."

After building the bombs faster than anticipated, they drove around Boston and Cambridge sometime before Patriots Day, casing police stations, with an alternative plan to launch an attack on law enforcement officers, one of the officials told the Boston Globe.

"The fresh details from the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev interrogation with the FBI further enhances the notion of an oddly haphazard plot, one that ultimately focused on the homestretch and finish line of the Boston Marathon, the city’s most iconic sporting event," the Globe reported.

Some law enforcement officials expressed skepticism about Tsarnaev’s account, saying that the complexity of the bombs made it unlikely that the brothers could have completed them as fast as he claimed.

“Maybe we will never know,” one of the officials, who has been briefed on the interrogation, was quoted in the Washington Post as saying. “This is the story that he is telling us.”

Meanwhile, Boston radio station WBZ reported that the bombings are going to affect the way the city plans security for this year's Fourth of July festivities.

“We’re heading to New York City to learn about the Times Square plan that they’ve put in place for New Year’s,” said Police Superintendent Paul Fitzgerald told the radio station. “Because clearly, that’s a very high risk event that they run there, but they’re so helpful to us we’re gonna go down and see how they run that event.”

Westfield fire apparently destroys industrial structure on Apremont Way

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A reporter on the scene observed the structure of what appeared to be a roofing business essentially gone.

WESTFIELD - Firefighters were apparently unable to save a two story barn on Apremont Way Thursday night as a blaze broke out in an industrial complex.

A reporter on the scene observed the remains of what appeared to be a roofing business essentially gone.

MassLive and The Republican's media partner, CBS3, reported that the fire was in a storage garage attached to the business. While Westfield police could not immediately identify which business it was, property owners were on the scene.

Firefighters from West Springfield and Holyoke were called to assist.

CBS 3 Springfield, WSHM-TV

Springfield Chamber of Commerce recommends $40,000 pay increase for mayor, citing job responsibilities and salaries elsewhere

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The Springfield Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors said the mayor's salary should increase to $135,000 after going unchanged for 16 years.

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Chamber of Commerce is recommending that the salary for mayor be increased to $135,000, saying the $40,000 pay raise is justified given the responsibilities of the job, the size of the community and the lack of any raise in 16 years.

The Chamber’s Board of Directors forwarded the recommendation by way of a prepared statement, saying the current $95,000 salary has remained stagnant since 1997 and has not kept pace with the times nor with the responsibilities.

“We believe that increasing the salary of the mayoral position in Springfield is a strategic investment in the leadership of the city,” said Jeffrey S. Ciuffreda, executive director of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce. “This increase will allow the city to be able to effectively draw and compete for the highest caliber of mayoral candidates – experienced individuals with a proven talent in solving the most complex problems and making critical and, at times, unpopular decisions.”

Jeffrey S. Ciuffreda horiz mug 2012.jpgJeffrey S. Ciuffreda 

The business chamber said its recommendation is based on the position, rather than the person. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno was re-elected in November of 2011 to a four-year term.

A City Council ad hoc committee studied a pay raise for the mayor more than two years ago, and recommended a $110,000 salary. The council took no action.

Councilor John A. Lysak, who was chairman of that study committee, said he favors some raise for the mayor position, but not as high as the chamber’s recommendation, and sees no urgency.

Under state ethics law, it appears that any raise in the salary could not take effect in the current term, according to City Solicitor Edward M. Pikula. The mayor’s term ends in January 2016.

The Chamber of Commerce surveyed salaries of mayors in many communities in the region and around the state and New England, saying Springfield’s was significantly low when evaluating factors such as population, unemployment, per capita income, total revenue, state aid and poverty.

In addition, the chamber said it believes that 113 city administrators in Springfield, including school, police and fire officials, have higher salaries than Sarno.

Sarno, in a prepared response Thursday, said there are “major discrepancies” when comparing the salary in Springfield and mayoral salaries in smaller communities such as Westfield and Newton ($125,000), and Agawam, Chicopee, Holyoke and West Springfield ($85,000).

051611 domenic sarno mug.jpgDomenic Sarno 

“While I’m deeply humbled and honored to be mayor and know that I love and live this job, there is never a good time for any elected official when it comes to giving consideration to a potential pay raise,” Sarno said. “However, any mayor, he or she deserves to be fairly compensated for this very difficult and demanding 24/7 job.”

Sarno said the issue is one within the realm of the City Council and “I will abide by their decision.”

Ciuffreda said the mayor manages a city with a $551 million budget and more than 6,000 employees, including the School Department.

“That is akin to running a multi-million dollar corporation, and we believe the compensation that is paid should attempt to be somewhat commensurate,” the chamber said in its statement. “The Chamber simply wants the ability to compete for the best candidates and for the compensation to be consistent with comparable communities.”

mayoral salaries chart.jpgView full size 

Council President James J. Ferrera III said he is aware of the chamber’s recommendation but has no comment at this time because he is focusing his attention on the proposed host community agreement with MGM Resorts International to build a casino in Springfield.

Council Finance Committee Chairman Clodovaldo Concepcion said he is aware of the proposal and believes the council “has to look at it with an open mind.” The process ahead is up to the council president, Concepcion said.

Lysak’s study committee conducted public hearings two years ago and got a mixed response to increasing the mayor’s salary. He said it is always difficult to consider a raise, but agrees with the Chamber’s goal of attracting the best candidates.


West Springfield Mayor Gregory Neffinger's proposed $82.9 million budget for coming fiscal year reflects 3.3% increase

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The mayor says his proposed fiscal 2014 budget calls for no layoffs and allows for the hiring a new firefighter and a new elementary school vice principal.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger has proposed a fiscal 2014 municipal budget of $82,902,037, an increase of 3.3 percent over this year’s spending plan of $80,230,772.

Neffinger on Wednesday sent his proposed budget to the Town Council, which has the power to make reductions, but not additions, to line items. The council will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget May 20 at 7 p.m. with a vote by the council expected sometime in June. The budget will be effective July 1.

In releasing the proposed budget, Neffinger said that it should offer an 8 cents per thousand dollars of valuation tax break to home owners. The mayor said his proposed budget does not have any layoffs and contains money to hire one new firefighter and an elementary school vice principal.

“My feeling is I think we did a job in that we were able to lower taxes for another year,” the mayor said Friday.

The proposed School Department budget maintains the current level of services plus a vice principal at Coburn School at about $90,000 a year, for a total increase of 3.07 percent to a total of $39,034,365, according to the mayor.

The Police Department proposed budget is up 1.59 percent to $6,747,143 and the Department of Public Works proposed budget is up 0.62 percent to $5,261,710.

Among the highlights are a 5.86 percent reduction to $355,053 in the Council on Aging budget, a 13.06 percent increase to $8,939,081 to the Human Resources Department to cover increased health insurance costs, a 16.74 percent increase to $760,839 to the information and technology systems budget to cover new equipment and a 16.56 percent increase to $56,697 in the planning account.

There is a cut to the proposed Town Council budget of 8.71 percent to $192,376 as well as a proposed cut of 10.97 percent to the Veterans Department to $683,487.

Among the changes in the mayor’s proposed budget are the cutting of the pay of the clerk to the Town Council from $36,943 a year to $18,749 annually with that employee making up for the decrease by working in the Town Clerk’s Office and getting a $5,000 stipend for attending night meetings.

It also calls for increasing the pay of the planning administrator from $45,240 a year to $55,477 annually, increasing the conservation officer’s pay to $54,831 a year from $49,788 and increasing of the pay for the economic development administrator slot from $34,295 a year to $65,000 a year.

Holyoke race for mayor grows to 4 with Daniel Boyle taking out papers for 3rd bid at seat

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Boyle made two previous unsuccessful bids for mayor.

boyle.JPGDaniel C. Boyle 

HOLYOKE -- Daniel C. Boyle, who writes for the Holyoke Sun and was co-owner of the former Diamond Fiber Products Co., in Palmer, has taken out nomination papers to run for mayor again.

Boyle finished third among four candidates in the preliminary election for mayor in 2011 and lost the general election for mayor in 2009 to then-city councilor Elaine A. Pluta.

Mayor Alex B. Morse, who won the 2011 election, is set to announce his reelection bid Tuesday. Newcomer Jim Santiago has filed nomination papers to run for mayor and former Mayor Daniel J. Szostkiewicz has taken out papers for the seat.

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