Hundreds of thousands of people mobbed Brooklyn's seaside amusement district Saturday for the spectacle of outlandish floats, wacky costumes and bare skin that is Coney Island's annual Mermaid Parade.

The annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade progresses along Surf Ave. in the Coney Island section of the Brooklyn borough of New York. Saturday June 22, 2013. The 2013 parade was almost canceled after the recovery from Superstorm Sandy diverted funds normally earmarked for the annual New York City rite of summer, but parade founder Dick Zigun turned to Kickstarter and raised more than $100,000 so the show would go on. 

KAREN MATTHEWS,Associated Press

NEW YORK — Coney Island nearly went the way of Atlantis when Superstorm Sandy swept up the East Coast last fall, but even that couldn't stop Brooklyn's strutting mermaids from hitting the boardwalk on the first weekend of summer.

Hundreds of thousands of people mobbed the seaside amusement district Saturday for the spectacle of outlandish floats, wacky costumes and bare skin that is Coney Island's annual Mermaid Parade.

Billed as the world's largest art parade, the nautical-themed procession along the boardwalk and nearby Surf Avenue almost didn't happen this year.

Coney Island was hit hard by Sandy. Hundreds of homes and businesses flooded. One major attraction, the state aquarium, was badly damaged. The offices of Coney Island USA, the organization that hosts the parade, were inundated, too.

But the beach's famous boardwalk was one of the few on the coast that was spared. Most of the carnival rides, including the historic Cyclone roller coaster, have reopened. Parade founder Dick Zigun turned to Kickstarter and raised more than $100,000 so the show would go on.

Renae Johnson, a 31-year-old art therapist from Manhattan who arrived wearing a seashell bikini top, fishtail skirt and white makeup, said she wouldn't have missed this year's parade for the world.

"I'm not a religious person, so this tends to be my Christmas," she said.

For Seena Ghaznavi, it felt like the storm never happened.

"From the energy, you would not be able to tell that Sandy came through here," said Ghaznavi, 29, who came as a genie in a turban and harem pants.

The parade, which began in 1983 and takes place on the Saturday closest to the first day of summer, is a mix of seedy, raunchy and family fun. This year's version featured dancers, bands, square politicians, people costumed as pirates, octopuses and sailors, and many women wearing fake fish tails on their bottoms and nothing but sequined pasties — or less — on top.

Each year the parade is presided over by a ceremonial "King Neptune" and "Queen Mermaid." This year's king was 30 Rock actor Judah Friedlander. The Queen Mermaid was journalist and "Real Housewives of New York City" star Carole Radziwill.

Ernest Mitchell, who works at a hardware store a block from the parade route, said the parade is a much needed morale booster after a tough year.

"Everybody is looking forward to the weather being nice and people coming back to Coney Island," he said. "It's not like it used to be, but we're happy the parade's still going on and people may come back for the summer and visit the rides."

Wynn has proposed a $1.2 billion casino at a site where a chemical plant once stood

EVERETT – Voters in Everett overwhelmingly approved an agreement between city officials and Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn, who wants to build a $1.2 billion resort casino at the site of a former chemical plant on the Mystic River.

Saturday's vote was the first binding referendum on a casino proposal since passage of the state's expanded gambling law in 2011.

The host community agreement was backed by a better than 6-1 margin, according to the city clerk. Passage was required before Wynn could apply to the state gambling commission for one of the three casino licenses allowed under the law.

"The decision of the Massachusetts Legislature to require community approval of gaming developments was a wise one," Wynn said after the vote in a statement released by his firm, Wynn Resorts. "It is rooted in the common sense notion that for any development to be meaningful, it must have robust support within the community.

"The voters of Everett have spoken clearly and decisively. The vote heightens our enthusiasm and dedication to this fine project," added Wynn, whose prominent Las Vegas properties include Bellagio and The Mirage.

The deal struck with Mayor Carlo DeMaria and other city officials calls for Wynn to make $30 million in advance payments to Everett and more than $25 million in annual payments if the casino is built.

In the agreement, Wynn also promised to mitigate traffic impacts in the city and complete a multimillion-dollar cleanup of pollution at the site, plus give hiring preference to Everett residents for the estimated 8,000 temporary and permanent jobs the project would bring.

Wynn turned his focus to Everett, a city of about 42,000 residents just north of Boston, after an earlier proposal to build a casino in Foxborough ran into opposition from many residents and officials.

City Councilor Michael McLaughlin, whose district includes the proposed casino site, said he was thrilled by the resounding vote of support for the project but acknowledged many hurdles remain.

"This is the first step of many milestones we have to cross," McLaughlin said. "This gives us the momentum and the energy to go forward."

One challenge facing Wynn and Everett officials is convincing neighboring communities to also sign on to the casino proposal. Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone is among those who have expressed major reservations about the plan.

McLaughlin said he hopes to sit down with Curtatone and others in the coming weeks and try to convince them that the proposed development will bring regional economic benefits.

No organized group formed in Everett to oppose the plan, but some residents were wary of a casino bringing traffic gridlock, crime, and other social ills.

"This is just round one of a very long fight," said Evmorphia Stratis, a local artist who emerged as an unofficial spokeswoman against the project, of Saturday's vote. She called casinos a "predatory business."

Wynn's plan could be in competition for the eastern Massachusetts casino license with proposals from Suffolk Downs and Foxwoods Resorts, which is backing a proposed casino in Milford. Host agreements have not been signed yet in those communities and votes have not been scheduled.

Bergeron played only 49 seconds in the second period.

Boston center Patrice Bergeron arrives at the team hotel Friday in Chicago. Associated Press 

CHICAGO – Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron has been taken to a Chicago hospital for observation after being injured during Game 5 against the Blackhawks on Saturday night.

It wasn’t clear what Bergeron’s injury is, or even when he was hurt. But he played only 49 seconds in the second period.

The Boston Bruins said on Twitter that there is “no further update at this time.”

Chicago led Boston 2-1 after two periods. The best-of-seven series is tied at two games apiece.

A new poll released by The Republican/MassLive.com finds that despite recent scandals, 54 percent of registered voters in Massachusetts approve of the job Obama is doing while 40 percent disapprove.

SPRINGFIELD — President Barack Obama’s approval rating remains high in Massachusetts, although it has declined in recent months, according to a new poll released by The Republican/MassLive.com in partnership with CBS 3 Springfield.

The poll, released Saturday night by The Republican/MassLive.com and CBS-3 Springfield and conducted by the Western New England University Polling Institute, found that 54 percent of registered voters approve of the job Obama, a Democrat, is doing and 40 percent disapprove (his disapproval rating was slightly lower among all adults, at 38 percent).

Obama’s job approval rating has dropped slightly. In late October, a Western New England University poll conducted for The Republican/MassLive.com found that 58 percent of registered voters approved of the president’s performance and 36 percent disapproved. In early October, a poll found that Obama had a 60 percent approval rating, with 35 percent disapproval.

The Obama administration has been beset in recent months by several scandals. These include the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of conservative groups; questions over the government’s handling of the attack at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya; the Justice Department’s subpoenaing of journalists’ phone records; and the leak of information about the government’s secret surveillance programs of phone and Internet records.

But Tim Vercellotti, professor of political science and director of the Polling Institute at Western New England University, said there is no evidence that the scandals have had a significant negative impact on Obama’s reputation in Massachusetts. The previous poll was conducted at the height of Obama’s reelection campaign. “I think it’s more the natural letdown after an election,” Vercellotti said.

Obama’s continued support in Massachusetts also reflects the state’s Democratic-leaning electorate. The poll found that 85 percent of Democratic likely voters approve of Obama’s job performance. Independent voters are split, with 48 percent disapproving and 44 percent approving. Among Republicans, 89 percent are dissatisfied with Obama.

Cheryl Ewell, 64, a retired bank worker from East Bridgewater, is among those who is concerned about the recent scandals. But overall, Ewell, a Democrat who sometimes votes Republican, said she thinks Obama’s job performance is “fairly good.”

“I believe he saved the car industry and the banks,” Ewell said.

The poll of 717 adults, including 653 registered voters and 566 likely voters, was conducted June 16-20. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points for all adults, 3.8 percentage points for registered voters and 4.1 percentage points for likely voters.

Related:

» Ed Markey leads Gabriel Gomez by eight points in new The Republican/MassLive poll

Methodology Statement by MassLive2

WNE-The Republican-MassLive.com-CBS 3 Springfield Senate Poll Tables, June 22, 2013 by MassLive2

The poll, conducted by the Western New England University Polling Institute, found Markey leading Gomez, 49 percent to 41 percent, with 9 percent of voters undecided. Markey was boosted by a strong showing among Democrats and among women.

SPRINGFIELD — With just days left before Massachusetts voters head to the polls, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Edward Markey is leading Republican Gabriel Gomez by eight points, according to a new poll released Saturday night by The Republican/MassLive.com in partnership with CBS 3 Springfield.

The poll, conducted by the Western New England University Polling Institute, found Markey leading Gomez, 49 percent to 41 percent among likely voters, with 9 percent undecided. Markey was boosted by a strong showing among Democrats and among women.

[See poll tables and methodology at the end of this article]

The poll also found what political observers have noted all along – that voters are simply not engaged in this race in the way they were with the 2012 U.S. Senate race between Republican Scott Brown and Democrat Elizabeth Warren.

“I think the campaigns have a much more difficult task in front of them than they would in a normal election cycle getting people out to vote,” said Tim Vercellotti, director of the Polling Institute at Western New England University and a professor of political science.

The election will be held on Tuesday.

Markey entered the race with an advantage because registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in Massachusetts three to one. The poll found that Gomez is getting some support from Democrats – 12 percent, compared to just 7 percent of Republicans who support Markey. Gomez is also leading by 15 points among independent likely voters.

However, in order for a Republican to win in Massachusetts, he must have a far greater lead among independents to offset the state’s large population of Democrats, Vercellotti said. In the last Western New England University poll before the 2012 Senate election, Brown had a 33-point lead among independent voters – but he still trailed statewide. “It all depends on turnout on Tuesday, but the data here don’t reflect the kind of lead (Gomez) would need to make this a real horse race,” Vercellotti said.

So-called “women’s issues” have played a role in this election, with Markey and his supporters frequently drawing distinctions between the candidates on issues like abortion. Markey is pro-choice. Gomez is personally pro-life. Though Gomez says he does not want to change abortion laws, critics have attacked him for not having an abortion-related litmus test for Supreme Court justices.

Numerous polls have found Markey with a growing lead among women. The Republican/MassLive.com poll found Markey leading by 24 points among women. Gomez leads by 12 points among men.

Jean Stonehouse, a Democratic professor from Weymouth, said Markey holds the same point of view as she does on a whole gamut of issues, but particularly on issues related to women and social justice. Stonehouse says Markey is someone who deals with women respectfully.

“The specific (issue) of abortion is not particularly important to me, but I think it’s a private issue. It belongs in the arena of a relationship between a physician and a patient, and as such is none of my business,” Stonehouse said. “I don’t want to see anyone on the Supreme Court who holds a different view.”

Geographically, Markey’s strongest leads were unsurprisingly in the most liberal parts of the state – the Boston area and Western Massachusetts. In the most conservative part of the state, Central Massachusetts, Gomez and Markey were tied – a dangerous sign for Gomez in a region considered a must-win for Republicans.

Since the last Western New England University poll, conducted in mid-April before the primary elections, Gomez’s name recognition has grown. Then, 38 percent of likely voters had not heard of Gomez, compared to just 7 percent today. But both positive and negative perceptions of Gomez have grown, indicating that Markey’s negative ads have defined Gomez as much as Gomez’s own campaign has.

The poll found that 35 percent of likely voters had a favorable view of Gomez and 30 percent saw him unfavorably. Markey had a 42 percent favorability rating compared to 32 percent unfavorable.

Several responses pointed to a general lack of interest in the campaign. Thirty-three percent of likely voters still either had not heard of or had no opinion of Gomez, while 26 percent said the same about Markey.

Nearly a quarter of respondents (23 percent) said they might still change their minds regarding who to vote for – including 28 percent of Gomez supporters and 18 percent of Markey supporters. This is a clear difference from a similar point in the 2012 race when 90 percent of both candidates’ supporters had made up their minds.

Henry Daley, 77, a retired college professor from Braintree and an independent voter, said Friday that he had not yet decided who to vote for. Daley thinks Markey has been a good Massachusetts representative for years. He thinks Gomez appears to have no understanding of how Congress works. “All he talks about is being a Navy SEAL and a pilot,” Daley said.

However, Daley said, “I can’t stand (Democratic President Barack) Obama, and I might vote for Gomez because of it.”

When all registered voters were asked how much interest they had in the special election, just 42 percent said “a lot,” while 28 percent said “a little” or “none at all.” In comparison to previous polls, 82 percent of registered voters had a lot of interest in the 2012 presidential and Senate election and 58 percent had a lot of interest in the 2010 gubernatorial race. Just 7 percent had a little or no interest in the 2012 race and 15 percent had little or no interest in the 2010 race.

Tammie Marshalewski, 53, an independent voter from Seekonk who runs life enrichment activities at an assisted living facility, said Friday that she has not decided whether to vote. She always votes in presidential elections, and leans Democratic, but she said she is “not that politically minded” and sometimes skips non-presidential elections. She has seen television ads for Markey and knows that Obama supports him. She does not know much about Gomez. “If I voted, I’d be voting Democrat,” Marshalewski said. “If I didn’t vote, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.”

In addition to this election falling out at the beginning of the summer, when schools are ending and people are on vacation, Vercellotti pointed out that the news has been dominated by other stories – the Boston Bruins playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the trial of accused gangster Whitey Bulger and the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings.

“These guys have had to compete for attention,” Vercellotti said. “On top of that, it’s a tight campaign schedule, it’s only eight weeks, so that’s not a whole lot of time to really capture the public’s attention.”

The polling also points to the fact that no one issue has dominated the campaign. While economic issues – the economy, jobs, the stock market and unemployment – continue to be voters’ top concerns, just 22 percent of likely voters named one of those as their most important issue, down from 31 percent in April. Another 10 percent said the morals, ethics or integrity of a candidate; 11 percent said either the party of the candidate or party control of the Senate; and 5 percent or less named a whole host of other issues such as cutting the deficit, taxes, health care, gun control and term limits.

The poll was conducted June 16-20. The sample of 653 registered voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. The sample of 566 likely voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.

Related:

» President Barack Obama’s approval rating remains high in Massachusetts

Sunday night:

Look for more results from The Republican/MassLive.com/CBS 3 Springfield Western New England University Polling Institute poll

Methodology Statement by MassLive2

WNE-The Republican-MassLive.com-CBS 3 Springfield Senate Poll Tables, June 22, 2013 by MassLive2

The driver did not see a gun, but the robbery implied he was armed when he took the money.

 

Police Sgt. Charles Monfette said a food delivery driver from the China House restaurant on Appleton Street told police he was robbed of about $600 in cash when he was stopped by a Hispanic male who reached to his waist, implying he had a gun, and told the driver to give him his cash. The driver complied and the suspect escaped on foot in the direction of Adams Street in downtown Holyoke.

The robbery took place on the street in the area of 560 South Summer Street, Monfette said.

The driver described the suspect as a clean-shaven Hispanic male standing approximately five-foot, 10-inches tall, with short dark hair, and dark complected with a tattoo on the back of his right hand. Monfette said he was wearing a white T-shirt and jean shorts. Anyone with information us asked to contact Holyoke Police.


View Larger Map

Any of several ShotSpotter activations Sunday morning may have played into the woman's wounds.

Republican file photo 

Springfield Police Capt. Larry Brown said the woman was brought to the ER by a male family member in a private vehicle at 2:35 a.m. When asked by detectives at the hospital about her injury, she refused to discuss the circumstances of the shooting. Family members on scene also did not talk to police.

Brown said police recorded an activation of the ShotSpotter acoustic gunfire locator just minutes before the woman appeared at the hospital. The activation was centered in the vicinity of 24 Cameron Street at 2:25 a.m., just 10 minutes before the victim arrived at the medical center. Detectives searched the area and found 8 spent shell casings.

The incident remains under investigation.

Police believe they know the identity of the female body but need an autopsy to confirm.

NEW HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut officials are working to identify the body of a woman they pulled from the Farmington River, about three miles downstream from where a New Hartford woman was reported missing after falling out of a raft.

A woman walking her dog reported seeing the body in the river on Saturday morning, near a line separating Canton and New Hartford. Emergency workers who were searching for 33-year-old Rachel Greene responded immediately. Authorities were unable to identify the body at the scene and it will be sent to the chief medical examiner’s office for positive identification.

New Hartford Police say Rachel Greene fell into the water last Saturday after the raft she was in hit a rock and capsized.

She was in a party of two rafts that entered the water at about 2:30 a.m. Three men swam to safety.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Glenn Larivee 

Glenn A. Larivee, 62, of Holyoke, passed away on Wednesday. A lifelong resident of Holyoke, he was educated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary School, Holyoke Catholic High School and Westfield State College. He played both baseball and basketball during high school and college and then coached basketball for many years at Peck School, the Holyoke Boys Club and Holyoke Catholic High School. Starting in 1972, he was employed by the Holyoke Public Schools as an English teacher at Lawrence and then Peck Junior High Schools until his retirement in 2005.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• 
  Bassett, Sarah F.
  



• 
  Brown, Dorothy I.
  



• 
  Bussiere, Agnes C.
  



• 
  Cantin, David G.
  



• 
  Deliso, Eva H.
  



• 
  Dore, Pauline R.
  



• 
  Gagne-LaSalle, Albertine R.
  



• 
  Gajewski, Alice L.
  



• 
  Garvey, Anna M.
  



• 
  Grabowski, Anne S.
  



• 
  Johnson Sr., Elder Buster
  



• 
  Larivee, Glenn A.
  



• 
  Ortiz-Echevarria, Angel M.
  



• 
  Sample, Leo B.
  



• 
  Scanlon, Rita D.
  



• 
  Viecelli, Jean L.
  

Gabriel Gomez made several stops in Western Massachusetts Sunday before the election.

Springfield- U.S.Sen. hopeful Gabriel Gomez speaks with the owner of Latino's Kitchen Aurelio Alberto.Elizabeth Roman, The Republican 

SPRINGFIELD — Republican newbie Gabriel Gomez planned several stops in Western Massachusetts Sunday, including a brief visit to Latino's Kitchen in the North End of Springfield.

Gomez walked into the restaurant, which is a popular destination for Dominican/Puerto Rican food, after shaking a few hands on Main Street.

Owner Aurelio Alberto was busy serving customers when Gomez arrived.

In Spanish Gomez asked Alberto whether he would be voting on Tuesday during the election for the U.S. Senate seat, for which Gomez is competing with U.S Rep. Edward Markey.

"I'm not really much into politics," Alberto responded." And I don' t have a lot of time."

Gomez encouraged Alberto to vote telling him to drop by earlier in the morning. He also said that it would be a chance to get a Latino into the U.S Senate, to which Alberto responded, "Perhaps I will go."

Gomez also spoke with a few customers and ordered a typical Spanish dish including rice.

Gomez said he understands the needs of the Latino community and would like to represent them in the senate. He also said tax and immigration reform will be top priorities for him as well as job creation.

"I'm going to make sure we go down there focus like a lazer on getting jobs here in the western part of the state and that we get this immigration reform bill passed," he said.

"We also have to make sure we have comprehensive tax reform so that small businesses like this one can compete more effectively and they can start investing in their people and hiring more people," he said.

For those on the fence Gomez said all he is asking for is 17 months.

"Markey has had 37 year and he has taken the Latino community for granted and has done nothing to advance immigration reform or comprehensive tax reform," he said. "In 17 months I will keep my word and if they don't think I have kept my word they can vote me out."

Gomez is also scheduled to stop at Sal's Bakery in Springfield as well as Partners Restaurant in Agawam today.

On every positive trait surveyed in a new poll released by The Republican/MassLive.com, Markey came out ahead of Gomez - a bad sign for Gomez heading into Tuesday's election.

In a U.S. Senate race where questions of experience have been central to both candidates’ campaigns, Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly believe that Democratic U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, more than Republican private equity investor Gabriel Gomez, has the experience to effectively represent Massachusetts in Washington, a new poll found.

The poll, conducted by the Western New England University Polling Institute and released Sunday night by The Republican/MassLive.com in partnership with CBS 3 Springfield, also found that voters think Markey is better able to work with senators from both parties and has the best plan to reform gun laws. In fact, on every trait polled, Markey came out ahead of Gomez.

This is not a good sign for Gomez as voters prepare to head to polls in Tuesday’s special election. Gomez was behind by eight points in a The Republican/MassLive.com poll released Saturday. The latest poll indicates that even in areas where Gomez has focused his campaign – his bipartisanship, his character, his ability to create jobs and reform the tax code – he still lags behind Markey.

“The messages that (Gomez) has tried to get across to the voters in this campaign, they just don’t seem to be sinking in,” said Tim Vercellotti, director of the Polling Institute at Western New England University and a professor of political science.

Much of the race has focused on the candidates’ Washington experience, or lack thereof. Markey has been in Congress since 1976 and has stressed his legislative record and ability to push policies that help Massachusetts. Gomez, who has no political experience, has criticized Markey as an ineffective Washington insider, and has played up his own status as a fresh face, not a career politician.

But Gomez’s message apparently has not resonated. On the question of who had the experience to effectively represent Massachusetts in Washington, 55 percent of likely voters said Markey while only 22 percent named Gomez. Democrats and independents generally preferred Markey on experience, while Republicans mostly preferred Gomez.

Alan Emmet, 85, a writer from Westford and a Democrat, said she thinks Markey would be more respected as a U.S. Senator because of his experience, and therefore better able to work across the aisle. “I think Markey knows what’s going on,” Emmet said. “I don’t think Gomez knows what he’s getting into. He doesn’t have the experience or the knowledge.”

Markey also held a nine-point lead, 41 percent to 32 percent, on the question of who “can work with senators from both parties to solve problems” – even though a core tenet of Gomez’s campaign has been that he can break through the gridlock in Washington and work across the aisle. Markey led among Democrats and women on this question; Gomez led among Republicans, independents and men.

Alek Diaz, 67, a Republican retiree from Longmeadow who supports Gomez, said he would like to replace the entire Congress.”The underlying atmosphere that prevails in Washington D.C. requires fresh, new blood,” Diaz said. “Someone willing to listen, initiate action, and if needed, to compromise. We’ve seen none of it…I don’t think Markey’s done anything that merits reelection.”

Another area where Markey had a large advantage was on gun control, where 47 percent of voters thought Markey had the best ideas to reform gun laws and 26 percent said the same of Gomez. Markey even led among men and independent voters on this question – key parts of Gomez’s base. Markey, who frequently talks about gun control on the campaign trail, supports banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines. Gomez opposes those bans, though he has broken with his party to support expanded background checks for gun buyers.

Political observers have compared Gomez to Republican Scott Brown, who won a 2010 special election to become Massachusetts’ junior senator, but lost his seat to Democrat Elizabeth Warren in 2012. But the poll shows that in key areas, voters see Gomez less favorably than Brown. A poll conducted by Western New England University for The Republican/MassLive.com in September 2012 found that on the question of experience, Brown led Warren by 15 points. On working with senators from both parties, Brown led Warren by 21 points.

Vercellotti said one difference between Gomez and Brown is that voters were able to look at Brown’s record during his nearly three years in the Senate, and Brown did side with Democrats on a few key votes. Gomez is not nearly as well-known as Brown, so voters have a harder time judging his ideology. “For Gabriel Gomez, it’s all theoretical at this point,” Vercellotti said. “So that makes it harder for him to convince voters he’ll vote in a way that makes sense for Massachusetts as opposed to along party lines.”

Markey had a nine-point lead, 43 percent to 34 percent, on the question of who “cares more about people like you.” Vercellotti said Democrats typically rank higher on this question.

With the economy and jobs continuing to be a top issue for voters, Markey led Gomez, 37 percent to 30 percent, on the question of who has the best ideas for creating jobs in Massachusetts.

The candidates were closer on several issues Gomez has focused on during his campaign. Gomez has stressed his credentials as a former Navy SEAL, and has said repeatedly that he will tell voters the truth. On the question of which candidate is honest and trustworthy, Markey led Gomez by just three points, 35 percent to 32 percent.

Gomez has talked about the need to reform the tax code, generally by lowering tax rates and eliminating special interest tax breaks. Markey led by just two points, 34 percent to 32 percent, on the question of who has the best ideas to reform the federal tax code. At least 20 percent of voters did not know enough to have a preference on tax policy, jobs or gun control.

Francis Lyons, 75, a retired engineering manager and independent voter from Sudbury, said he agrees more with Markey on issues like gun control. He does not know what Gomez will be able to do in Congress. But, he said, he plans to vote for Gomez. “I don’t think Markey’s done much,” Lyons said. “He’s a rubber stamp for (Democratic president Barack) Obama.”

Cynthia Carson, a retired nurse and independent from Tewksbury, said she is split on economic and defense issues. She was swayed toward Markey because Gomez is pro-life and Markey seems to care more about women’s health. “I wish I could get them to sit down and talk to each other,” she said.

On every question, Gomez led among Republicans while Markey led among Democrats.

Although Gomez has stressed his breaks with the Republican Party on issues such as gay marriage and immigration reform, he is still perceived as conservative. The poll found that more than half of likely voters (51 percent) consider Gomez somewhat or very conservative. Only 27 percent see Gomez as moderate or liberal. In contrast, when Brown ran as a moderate Republican, 49 percent ranked him as somewhat or very conservative while 38 percent said he was moderate or liberal.

Vercellotti said that is not a good sign for Gomez. “For Gabriel Gomez and any Republican running statewide in Massachusetts, you’ve got to bring home that image, the idea that you’re moderate and will vote against your party leadership sometimes,” Vercellotti said. “Otherwise, it’s a tough sell in Massachusetts.”

Markey, who almost always votes with Democrats in Congress, is seen as somewhat or very liberal by 62 percent of likely voters and moderate or conservative by just 18 percent. Warren, before her 2012 victory, was seen as liberal by 65 percent of likely voters and as moderate or conservative by 17 percent.

The poll was conducted June 16-20. The sample of 566 likely voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.

Gabriel Gomez visits several local businesses in Western Massachusetts Sunday morning before the special election.

SPRINGFIELD — Before senate hopeful Gabriel Gomez visited Sal's Bakery, owner Salvatore Circosta, wasn't excited about the race or the candidate.

Circosta invited both Gomez and his opponent, U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, to stop by the bakery in Forest Park in Springfield to meet with voters. Gomez accepted the invitation.

"I think him coming to Springfield to a small business shows that he wants to get to know the common person. Us Springfielders are often made to feel like second class citizens and I think it's cool that he came out here to shake hands and answer peoples questions," he said. " I wasn't that enthusiastic before, but now I am. I guess all it takes sometimes is for a candidate to be willing to come out and meet you in person."

The Republican candidate made several stops in Springfield including an early morning visit to Latino's Kitchen in the North End of Springfield and a visit to Partners Restaurant in Agawam.

Supporters crowded the bakery, among them 14-year-old Jonathan and 11-year-old Nicholas Torica, of East Longmeadow.

The boys have been following Gomez's campaign and asked their father Joseph Torcia to bring them to the event.

Nicholas Torcia even asked Gomez a question.

"What's your opinion on banning assault weapons?" he said.

" That's a very good question," Gomez told the 11-year-old. " I think we need to ban all weapons to people who don't pass the background check. I want to make sure our kids, our schools and our communities are as safe as possible and I am ashamed that only four Republicans voted for this bill," he said referring to the bi-partisan Manchin-Toomey amendment. Gomez does not however support a ban on assault weapons.

If elected Gomez said he will work with Republicans and conservative Democrats to get the bill passed.

"I want the same thing for my kids that I want for everybody else's kids, that they are safe," he said.

The Torcia brothers were satisfied with the response.

"I just think with everything that has happened with Newtown and an places like Columbine that we really need to ban guns. I don't think a person should have an AK-47 in their basement," Nicholas Torcia said.

His brother Jonathan Torcia agreed stating that if he was old enough to vote he would definitely vote for Gomez.

Gomez finished the visit by telling listeners that it's time to make a change.

"We should able ale to trust our government and believe that what they are doing is what's right for us. We have to send people down (to Washington) who will change the cultural of D.C.," he said.

Authorities continue to investigate, but not talk about, the killing of a semi-pro football player whose body was found a mile from New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez.

NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH — Authorities continue to investigate, but not talk about, the killing of a semi-pro football player whose body was found a mile from New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez's house.

A spokeswoman for the Bristol County district attorney's office said Sunday that officials are not releasing details. Spokeswoman Yasmina Serdarevic says officials also are not talking about the cause of death of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd, whose body was found on Monday. His death was ruled a homicide.

Hernandez has been questioned and his home has been searched as part of the police investigation into the Dorchester man's death.

State police officers and dogs searched Hernandez's North Attleboro home for more than three hours on Saturday.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday urged fast-growing India to work with the United States on global warming before it's too late.

View full sizeU.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gestures while making a speech that was in part about climate change at the India Habitat Center in New Delhi, India on Sunday, June 23, 2013, on his first visit to India as secretary. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool) 

NEW DELHI — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday urged fast-growing India to work with the United States on global warming before it's too late. "The irreversible climate challenge is speeding towards us, crying out for a global solution, " he said.

Kerry spoke on climate change in a speech in New Delhi, the second stop on his two-week swing through the Mideast and Asia, just two days before President Barack Obama is to unveil his long-awaited plan for the United States on the issue.

"The world's largest democracy and its oldest one must do more together, uniting not as a threat to anyone, not as a counterweight to a region or some other countries, but as partners building a strong, smart future in a critical age," Kerry said in a reference to how India is often viewed as a counterbalance to China.

People consulting with White House officials on Obama's plan say they expect the president to put forth regulations on heat-trapping gases emitted by coal-fired power plants that are already running. Environmental groups have been pleading with Obama to take that step, but the administration has said it's focused first on controls on new power plants.

More than half of India's power comes from coal and while the U.S. has emission issues of its own, it wants to see India and other nations in the region rely less on old, coal generation facilities. The U.S. is backing a Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline that would bring energy to a power-starved region.

Speaking at a convention center to a crowd of several hundred businessmen, students and others, Kerry noted that federal scientists in May reported that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere passed 400 parts per million — a level never before experienced by man.

"When the desert is creeping into East Africa, and ever more scarce resources push farmers and herders into deadly conflict ... then this is a matter of shared security for all of us. ... When the Himalayan glaciers are receding, threatening the very supply of water to almost a billion people, we all need to do better," he said.

During his first trip to India as secretary of state, the top U.S. diplomat was expected to discuss a myriad of other topics, including enhancing security in the region and prospects for finding a political resolution to the war in Afghanistan.

As NATO troops leave, India fears the country could fall into the hands of a Taliban-led regime, endangering many of India's interests there. Kerry reassured India, which has invested more than $2 billion to reconstruct Afghanistan, that the U.S. commitment to the Afghan people will not end at the close of next year when NATO-led combat troops complete their withdrawal.

In meetings before Kerry heads to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the U.S. expects Indian officials will want to query Kerry about prospects for peace talks with the Taliban. U.S. talks were scheduled to begin in coming days, but a last-minute diplomatic rift over how the Taliban rolled out their new political office in Doha, Qatar, has threatened to scuttle the talks.

"Obviously, we are very realistic about the difficulties of making progress. Making peace is never easy, and a final settlement may be long in coming," he said.

"And let me be clear: Any political settlement must result in the Taliban breaking ties with al-Qaida, renouncing violence and accepting the Afghan constitution, including its protections for all Afghans, women and men. Afghanistan cannot again become a safe haven for international terrorism."

Kerry also spoke about India's archrival, Pakistan.

There is widespread hope that Pakistan's new President Nawaz Sharif will try to improve relations with its Indian neighbor, thus reducing the chance of a fourth major war between the nuclear-armed foes.

But India has been frustrated by Pakistan's failure to crack down on Islamic extremists, which have strong historical links with Pakistani intelligence. Kerry called on Pakistan to continue normalizing trade relations with Pakistan. "Just last year, bilateral trade increased 21 percent," he said.

Washington wants New Delhi to speed up economic reform to increase U.S. business and trade opportunities with India. In the past decade, bilateral trade has increased five-fold, but Kerry is expected to share the concerns of the U.S. business community about trade and about other problems American businessmen are facing in India.

More than 150 U.S. lawmakers teamed up with American business groups last week to press the Obama administration to further press India to ease policies they claim are bad for American exports, jobs and innovation.

Admitted leaker Edward Snowden took flight Sunday in evasion of U.S. authorities, seeking asylum in Ecuador and leaving the Obama administration scrambling to determine its next step in what became a game of diplomatic cat-and-mouse.

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Ko 

By PHILIP ELLIOTT

WASHINGTON — Admitted leaker Edward Snowden took flight Sunday in evasion of U.S. authorities, seeking asylum in Ecuador and leaving the Obama administration scrambling to determine its next step in what became a game of diplomatic cat-and-mouse.

The former National Security Agency contractor and CIA technician fled Hong Kong and arrived at the Moscow airport, where he planned to spend the night before boarding an Aeroflot flight to Cuba. Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said his government received an asylum request from Snowden, and the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks said it would help him.

"He goes to the very countries that have, at best, very tense relationships with the United States," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., adding that she feared Snowden would trade more U.S. secrets for asylum. "This is not going to play out well for the national security interests of the United States."

The move left the U.S. with limited options as Snowden's itinerary took him on a tour of what many see as anti-American capitals. Ecuador in particular has rejected the United States' previous efforts at cooperation, and has been helping WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, avoid prosecution by allowing him to stay at its embassy in London.

Snowden helped The Guardian and The Washington Post disclose U.S. surveillance programs that collect vast amounts of phone records and online data in the name of foreign intelligence, but often sweep up information on American citizens. Officials have the ability to collect phone and Internet information broadly but need a warrant to examine specific cases where they believe terrorism is involved.

Snowden had been in hiding for several weeks in Hong Kong, a former British colony with a high degree of autonomy from mainland China. The United States formally sought Snowden's extradition from Hong Kong but was rebuffed; Hong Kong officials said the U.S. request did not fully comply with their laws.

The Justice Department rejected that claim, saying its request met all of the requirements of the extradition treaty between the U.S. and Hong Kong.

During conversations last week, including a phone call Wednesday between Attorney General Eric Holder and Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen, Hong Kong officials never raised any issues regarding sufficiency of the U.S. request, a Justice spokesperson said.

A State Department official said the United States was in touch through diplomatic and law enforcement channels with countries that Snowden could travel through or to, reminding them that Snowden is wanted on criminal charges and reiterating Washington's position that Snowden should only be permitted to travel back to the U.S.

Those officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the case.

The Justice Department said it would "pursue relevant law enforcement cooperation with other countries where Mr. Snowden may be attempting to travel."

The White House would only say that President Barack Obama had been briefed on the developments by his national security advisers.

Russia's state ITAR-Tass news agency and Interfax cited an unnamed Aeroflot airline official as saying Snowden was on the plane that landed Sunday afternoon in Moscow.

Upon his arrival, Snowden did not leave Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport. One explanation could be that he wasn't allowed; a U.S. official said Snowden's passport had been revoked, and special permission from Russian authorities would have been needed.

"It's almost hopeless unless we find some ways to lean on them," said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.

The Russian media report said Snowden intended to fly to Cuba on Monday and then on to Caracas, Venezuela.

U.S. lawmakers scoffed. "The freedom trail is not exactly China-Russia-Cuba-Venezuela, so I hope we'll chase him to the ends of the earth, bring him to justice and let the Russians know there'll be consequences if they harbor this guy," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

With each suspected flight, efforts to secure Snowden's return to the United States appeared more complicated if not impossible. The United States does not have an extradition treaty with Russia, but does with Cuba, Venezuela and Ecuador. Even with an extradition agreement though, any country could give Snowden a political exemption.

The likelihood that any of these countries would stop Snowden from traveling on to Ecuador seemed remote. While diplomatic tensions have thawed in recent years, Cuba and the United States are hardly allies after a half century of distrust.

Venezuela, too, could prove difficult. Former President Hugo Chavez was a sworn enemy of the United States and his successor, Nicolas Maduro, earlier this year called Obama "grand chief of devils." The two countries do not exchange ambassadors.

U.S. pressure on Caracas also might be problematic given its energy exports. The U.S. Energy Information Agency reports Venezuela sent the United States 900,000 barrels of crude oil each day in 2012, making it the fourth-largest foreign source of U.S. oil.

"I think 10 percent of Snowden's issues are now legal, and 90 percent political," said Douglas McNabb, an expert in international extradition and a senior principal at international criminal defense firm McNabb Associates.

Assange's lawyer, Michael Ratner, said Snowden's options aren't numerous.

"You have to have a country that's going to stand up to the United States," Ratner said. "You're not talking about a huge range of countries here."

That is perhaps why Snowden first stopped in Russia, a nation with complicated relations with Washington.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is "aiding and abetting Snowden's escape," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

"Allies are supposed to treat each other in decent ways, and Putin always seems almost eager to put a finger in the eye of the United States," Schumer said. "That's not how allies should treat one another, and I think it will have serious consequences for the United States-Russia relationship."

It also wasn't clear Snowden was finished with disclosing highly classified information.

"I am very worried about what else he has," said Rep. Loretta Sanchez, a California Democrat who sits on the House Homeland Security Committee.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said she had been told Snowden had perhaps more than 200 sensitive documents.

Ros-Lehtinen and King spoke with CNN. Graham spoke to "Fox News Sunday." Schumer was on CNN's "State of the Union." Sanchez appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press." Feinstein was on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Associated Press White House Correspondent Julie Pace and Associated Press writers Matthew V. Lee and Frederic J. Frommer in Washington, Lynn Berry in Moscow, Kevin Chan in Hong Kong and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report.

Defense attorneys in James "Whitey" Bulger's high-profile racketeering trial filed a motion Saturday saying a gag order is infringing on their client's Constitutional rights of free speech effective assistance of counsel.

This courtroom sketch depicts James "Whitey" Bulger during the first day of his racketeering trial in U.S. District Court in Boston, Wednesday, June 12, 2013. At right is defense attorney J.W. Carney, Jr. Bulger faces a long list of crimes, including extortion and playing a role in 19 killings. 

BOSTON — James "Whitey" Bulger wants to tell his side of the story — outside the courtroom.

Defense attorneys in Bulger's high-profile racketeering trial filed a motion Saturday saying a gag order is infringing on their client's Constitutional rights of free speech effective assistance of counsel.

The defense asks federal Judge Denise J. Casper to lift the gag order, citing "personal attacks" against their client in the media and "an enormous degree of media attention and public discourse."

"The defendant has no voice in this discourse. He is a prisoner of the federal government," Bulger's attorneys wrote.

"The defendant is a mere bystander in the heated public conversation surrounding his life and trial."

The 83-year-old Bulger is accused of playing a role in 19 murders during the 1970s and '80s while allegedly running the Winter Hill Gang. He has pleaded not guilty.

In a response filed Sunday, prosecutors called Bulger's request strange and note he is free to tell his story by testifying.

Bulger can "exercise his actual voice from the witness stand if he so chooses — subject of course to cross-examination," prosecutors wrote.

The response notes that Bulger spent considerable time before the trial trying to bar some reporters from the courtroom but now complains he has no voice in the media.

Bulger's attorneys said the gag order should be lifted so their client can more easily respond to negative coverage.

"Prominent local newspapers have launched personal attacks against him on a regular basis," they wrote.

Meanwhile, press conferences involving prosecution witnesses have become a common occurrence, according to Bulger's attorneys, including one featuring a retired Massachusetts State Police colonel, Thomas Foley.

"Colonel Foley was one of the lead investigators pursuing Mr. Bulger and is for all practical purposes a member of the prosecution team," they wrote.

The government's response said lifting the gag order would foster a "carnival atmosphere" during trial. It also noted that the website for Bulger's lead attorney, J.W. Carney Jr., calls him an expert in using enhanced media attention for his client's benefit.

"The jurors in this case have been repeatedly warned by the Court to avoid media accounts of the pending trial," prosecutors wrote. "Yet Bulger's motion essentially seeks to influence the jury by creating positive press coverage — something the jurors are duty bound to ignore!"

It was not clear when Casper would rule on the request.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has disappointed some of her liberal base with her defense of the Obama administration's classified surveillance of U.S. residents' phone and Internet records.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. was booed by activists attending the annual Netroots Nation political conference Saturday, June 22, 2013. The activists interrupted the San Francisco Democrat when she commented on the surveillance programs carried out by the National Security Agency and revealed by a former contractor, Edward Snowden.  

SAN JOSE, Calif. — House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has disappointed some of her liberal base with her defense of the Obama administration's classified surveillance of U.S. residents' phone and Internet records.

Some of the activists attending the annual Netroots Nation political conference Saturday booed and interrupted the San Francisco Democrat when she commented on the surveillance programs carried out by the National Security Agency and revealed by a former contractor, Edward Snowden, The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The boos came when Pelosi said that Snowden had violated the law and that the government needed to strike a balance between security and privacy.

As she was attempting to argue that Obama's approach to citizen surveillance was an improvement over the policies under President George W. Bush, an activist, identified by the Mercury News as Mac Perkel of Gilroy, stood up and tried loudly to question her, prompting security guards to escort him out of the convention hall.

"Leave him alone!" audience members shouted. Others yelled "Secrets and lies!," ''No secret courts!" and "Protect the First Amendment!," according to the Mercury News.

Perkel told the newspaper that he thinks Pelosi does not fully understand what the NSA is up to.

Several others in the audience walked out in support of Perkel.

"We're listening to our progressive leaders who are supposed to be on our side of the team saying it's OK for us to get targeted" for online surveillance, said Jana Thrift of Eugene, Ore. "It's crazy. I don't know who Nancy Pelosi really is."

Netroots Nation is an organizing and training convention for progressive political leaders. Pelosi was Saturday's keynote speaker at the event, which opened Thursday at the San Jose Convention Center and was scheduled to conclude Sunday.

Her remarks criticizing the Republican majority in the House and encouraging powerful women brought applause, cheers and laughs.

Nelson Mandela's health has deteriorated and he is now in critical condition, the South African government said Sunday.

Police officers stand outside the main entrance of the Mediclinic Heart Hospital where former South African President Nelson Mandela is being treated in Pretoria, South Africa Sunday, June 23, 2013. Mandela's health has deteriorated and he is now in critical condition, the South African government said Sunday.  

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA

JOHANNESBURG — Nelson Mandela's health has deteriorated and he is now in critical condition, the South African government said Sunday.

The office of President Jacob Zuma said in a statement that he had visited the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader at a hospital Sunday evening and was informed by the medical team that Mandela's condition had become critical in the past 24 hours.

"The doctors are doing everything possible to get his condition to improve and are ensuring that Madiba is well-looked after and is comfortable. He is in good hands," Zuma said in the statement, using Mandela's clan name.

Zuma also met Graca Machel, Mandela's wife, at the hospital in Pretoria and discussed the former leader's condition, according to the statement. Zuma was accompanied on the visit by Cyril Ramaphosa, the deputy president of the country's ruling party, the African National Congress.

Mandela was jailed for 27 years under white racist rule and released in 1990. He then played a leading role in steering the divided country from the apartheid era to democracy, becoming South Africa's first black president in all-race elections in 1994. He was hospitalized on June 8 for what the government said was a recurring lung infection.

In Sunday's statement, Zuma also discussed the government's acknowledgement a day earlier that an ambulance carrying Mandela to the Pretoria hospital two weeks ago had engine trouble, requiring the former president to be transferred to another ambulance for his journey. Pretoria, South Africa's capital, lies about 50 km (30 miles) from Johannesburg, where Mandela has been living.

"There were seven doctors in the convoy who were in full control of the situation throughout the period. He had expert medical care," Zuma said. "The fully equipped military ICU ambulance had a full complement of specialist medical staff including intensive care specialists and ICU nurses. The doctors also dismissed the media reports that Madiba suffered cardiac arrest. There is no truth at all in that report."

Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is seen by many around the world as a symbol of reconciliation, and Zuma appealed to South Africans and the international community to pray for the ailing ex-president, his family and the medical team attending to him.

The ruling party expressed concern about the deterioration in Mandela's health.

"We welcome the work being done by The Presidency to ensure that South Africans and people of the world are kept informed on the state of Madiba's health," the party said. "The African National Congress joins The Presidency in calling upon all of us to keep President Mandela, his family and his medical team in our thoughts and prayers during this trying time."

In Washington, the White House National Security Council spokeswoman noted the latest reports from the South African government about Mandela's worsening condition.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and the people of South Africa," said spokeswoman Caitllin Hayden.

Prior to Zuma's statement late Sunday, reports from the government, former President Thabo Mbeki and a grandson of Mandela had indicated that the health of Mandela was improving, even though he has been in the hospital for treatment several times in recent months. In the days following his latest hospitalization, Zuma's office described his condition as serious but stable. Family members have been seen making daily visits to the hospital where Mandela is being treated.

Mandela, who has become increasingly frail in recent years, last made a public appearance at the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament, which was hosted by South Africa. He didn't deliver an address on that occasion and was bundled against the cold in a stadium full of fans.

On April 29, state television broadcast footage of a visit by Zuma and other leaders of the African National Congress to Mandela's home. Zuma said at the time that Mandela was in good shape, but the footage — the first public images of Mandela in nearly a year — showed him silent and unresponsive, even when Zuma tried to hold his hand.

Between hospital stays in recent months, Mandela has been staying at his home in the Johannesburg neighborhood of Houghton, where he has received what the government described as "home-based high care" by a medical team. On April 6, he was discharged from a hospital after treatment for pneumonia, which included a procedure in which doctors drained fluid from his lung area.

Mandela has been vulnerable to respiratory problems since contracting tuberculosis during his imprisonment under apartheid. Most of those years were spent on Robben Island, a forbidding outpost off the coast of Cape Town.

Huge list prices charged by hospitals are drawing increased attention, but a federal law meant to limit what the most financially vulnerable patients can be billed doesn't seem to be making much difference.

In this photo taken Wednesday, June 5, 2013, Justin Farman, a nursing student from Watertown in upstate New York, poses for a portrait at his Watertown apartment. Farman was diagnosed with a blood cancer last fall, when he was uninsured, and is now fending off collection agencies pursuing some of the approximately $50,000 in bills he has accumulated thus far due to his illness. Huge list prices charged by hospitals are getting increasing attention, but a federal law meant to limit what the most financially vulnerable consumers can be billed doesn’t seem to be making much difference.  

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

WASHINGTON — Huge list prices charged by hospitals are drawing increased attention, but a federal law meant to limit what the most financially vulnerable patients can be billed doesn't seem to be making much difference.

A provision in President Barack Obama's health care overhaul says most hospitals must charge uninsured patients no more than what people with health insurance are billed.

The goal is to protect patients from medical bankruptcy, a problem that will not go away next year when Obama's law expands coverage for millions.

Because the Affordable Care Act doesn't cover everyone, many people will remain uninsured. Also, some who could sign up are expected to procrastinate even though the law requires virtually everyone to have health insurance.

Consumer groups that lobbied for a "fair pricing" provision are disappointed. A university researcher who's studied the issue says the government doesn't seem to be doing much enforcement, and at least one state, Colorado, enacted a stricter rule since the federal statute passed.

Critics say the law has several problems:

—It applies only to nonprofit institutions, which means about 40 percent of all community hospitals are exempted. By comparison, the Colorado law also covers for-profit hospitals.

—It lacks a clear formula for hospitals to determine which uninsured patients qualify for financial aid, and how deep a discount is reasonable. A California law spells out such a formula for that state's hospitals.

—More than three years after Obama signed his law, the Internal Revenue Service has not issued final rules explaining how hospitals should comply with the federal billing limits. Delay doesn't signal a high priority.

"We still hear the same stories about patients who are being sent to (debt) collection," said Jessica Curtis, director of the hospital accountability project at Community Catalyst, a Boston-based advocacy group that led the push for billing limitations. "It's the same behavior that we were seeing before the passage of the Affordable Care Act."

The Obama administration responds that fair pricing is the law of the land, and that hospitals are expected to comply even if the IRS has not finalized the rules. The agency has begun compliance reviews, a spokeswoman said.

The health law "helps to protect patients from hidden and high prices and unreasonable collection actions," said Treasury Department spokeswoman Sabrina Siddiqui.

The American Hospital Association says it urges members to limit charges to the uninsured in line with the federal law. But neither the administration nor the industry has statistics on how many hospitals are doing so.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently took on hospital pricing policies when she released federal data that document wide disparities in what different hospitals charge for the same procedures.

Most patients never face those list prices because private insurers negotiate lower rates and government programs such as Medicare get to set what they will pay. The burden of paying list price falls on the uninsured and people with skimpy policies. It's unclear that the federal requirements are helping at all.

Justin Farman, a nursing student from Watertown, in upstate New York, was diagnosed with a blood cancer last fall, when he was uninsured.

Going without health insurance is a calculated risk taken by many young people starting out their careers. Farman, 26, said the $120 his employer charged monthly for premiums was too much for his budget. Besides, he was in good shape and an avid weightlifter. But months of deep tiredness and unexplained weight loss led him to consult doctors, and he was eventually diagnosed with lymphoma.

Treatment at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse was successful, but Farman faced more than $54,000 in medical bills, between the hospital and doctors.

"After I went into remission, the bills started to roll in," said Farman. The hospital did not tell him that financial assistance might be available, Farman said.

He had to fend off collection agencies. "That's not too fun," he added.

A spokesman for Upstate said the federal fair pricing law does not appear to apply to the hospital because it is publicly owned and not incorporated as a nonprofit under federal law. Spokesman Darryl Geddes said he could not discuss individual cases, but the hospital does not decline care to anyone based on the individual's ability to pay. Upstate maintains a financial assistance program that complies with state law, he added.

Part way through his treatment, Farman was able to get on Medicaid. With the help of a community agency, he also applied for assistance under New York law to help pay for his medical care during the period he was uninsured. On Friday, he received a letter saying his application had been approved and his debts would be greatly reduced.

Such discounts should be taken up front, advocates say.

Congress needs to take a second look at the federal law, says University of Southern California health policy professor Glenn Melnick.

As written, the law leaves it up to hospitals to determine which uninsured people qualify for discounted bills, and that could create a whole new set of disparities.

"One hospital could say it applies to people at 100 percent of the poverty line, and another could say 200 percent," Melnick explained. He called the enforcement provisions were "very weak."

A California law could serve as a model, he said. It defines the patients who qualify for assistance as those who are uninsured or making at or below 350 percent of the federal poverty line — $40,215 for an individual and $82,425 for a family of four. Those patients cannot be charged more than the hospital would receive from Medicare.

"This issue will not go away," said Melnick. "Even when the (Affordable Care Act) is fully implemented, there will be millions and millions of people without insurance."

Online:

Health care law: http://www.healthcare.gov

White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/healthcare-overview

Several teams from across western Massachusetts participate in 5th annual Jeremiah Hurley Jr. tournament.

WESTFIELD —State Trooper Christopher Dolan was moved when dozens of letters from firefighters and police officers started coming in for the widows of officers Jose Torres and Kevin Ambrose, both killed last summer in the line of duty.

Dolan, who organizes an annual Wiffle Ball tournament, on his own personal replica of Fenway Park at his home in Westfield, said he was overwhelmed by the support.

Proceeds from the event go jointly to benefit Westfield's Community Christian School and to scholarships of children of fallen police officers from Massachusetts.

"This year I asked area officers to write letters and send patches from their departments to the widow of Westfield Officer Jose Torres who died in an accident and to the family of Officer Kevin Ambrose, who died in the line of duty, and I received so many donations and letters and cards. People wanted to show their support for these families and to honor our fallen heroes," he said.

The three-day Jeremiah Hurley, Jr. Tournament includes games between various Wiffle Ball teams including two Westfield Police Department teams, a Springfield police department and fire department team, and a Hampden County District Attorney's Office team, which played on a quarter-scale replica of the iconic Boston venue.

There was food, music and raffles at the event as well.

Hurley, Dolan's uncle, was a Boston police detective killed in 1991 when a homemade bomb went off in Roslindale. There are more than 25 plaques on the side of Dolan's shed on the property off Western Avenue, including names of local and state police and federal agents who have died in the line of duty.

Dolan said the event is an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate the lives of these fallen heroes.

"It's a moment for people to pay respect to these officers who served our community," he said.