The panel voted on Friday to approve the transfer to Penn National Gaming of a host community agreement that had been reached between town officials and the current owners of the Plainridge track.

BOSTON (AP) — The state gaming commission has cleared the way for Plainville residents to vote next week on a proposed slots parlor at the state's only harness race track.

The panel voted on Friday to approve the transfer to Penn National Gaming of a host community agreement that had been reached between town officials and the current owners of the Plainridge track.

The move allows residents to vote on the agreement as scheduled on Tuesday. The track's current owners had been disqualified by the commission from bidding for the state's sole slots parlor license after a background check turned up financial improprieties.

Penn National — unsuccessful in two previous bids to enter the Massachusetts gambling market — announced last week it had signed an option to purchase Plainridge and would honor the terms of the previous agreement.

“Country Bank has helped us provide programs for our middle school students that have given them enrichment and academic support, while keeping them engaged in positive ways beyond the end of the school day," Belchertown school superintendent Judith Houle said on Tuesday.

Belchertown school superintendent Judith Houle Jim Russell 

BELCHERTOWN - Many years of quiet philanthropy - $175,000 the past 10 years - by Country Bank to the School Department will be recognized by the district at an upcoming board meeting.

Superintendent Judith Houle said the bank will receive a Friend of Education Award at the Sept. 10 School Committee meeting. The session starts at 7 p.m. in the Swift River Elementary School library.

The committee will formally recognize Country Bank at the meeting.

Paul Scully, president and CEO, and Shelley Regin, first vice president and director of marketing and public relations for Country Bank plan to attend and receive the award, according to Houle.

The bank's support allows expanded after-school enrichment activities at Jabish Brook Middle School, and they underwrite financial aid to the district's literacy programs.

In a statement, the school chief said: “Country Bank has helped us provide programs for our middle school students that have given them enrichment and academic support, while keeping them engaged in positive ways beyond the end of the school day."

Houle said that the "gap between the end of school and the dinner hour is often a difficult time for students of this age with working parents and we appreciate all that Country Bank has done to assist us.”

The superintendent also lauded the bank's help with "literacy programs for our students as well," adding that Country Bank "are also a proud sponsor of the Pioneer Valley Excellence in Education Awards, along with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Their commitment to education is to be commended and the Belchertown Public Schools have been blessed by their support.”

Swift River Elementary School is located at 57 State St.

Because it’s on-line, the Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School can enroll students from across the state. Next year, however, it will likely have competition.

GREENFIELD – The state’s only virtual academy opened its virtual doors to students last month despite the unresolved matter of a contract between Greenfield and K12, the national for-profit company that is collaborating with the town in the venture.

The Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School, which has been in operation since 2010, is currently the only on-line school in Massachusetts serving students from elementary through high school. That will not likely be the case next year. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is reviewing six applications to open other virtual academies in the 2014-2015 school year. Massachusetts hopes to eventually certify up to 10 virtual academies.

Greenfield School Superintendent Susan Hollins is serving as superintendent for the virtual academy as part of the agreement with K12, which is essentially purchasing the administrative services of the town’s school system. J.C. Considine, a spokesman with the state, said the contract, which spells out the relationship between K12 and Greenfield, needs some revisions but is not an obstacle to beginning the school year.

“We’re not holding up the school from starting the school year,” he said. “But they need to get this contract in place.”

The commissioner of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education must also sign off on the virtual academy’s request to expand its board of directors from five to seven.

“That’s a change from the certificate they were granted,” Considine said.

Ed Berlin, the chairman of the academy’s board of directors, agreed that the unresolved contract has not been a hold-up. The academy started its school year on Aug. 28 as scheduled, with more than 400 students enrolled.

“I expect most changes will not be substantive and that we’ll have a contract,” he said.

Last year, The Republican carried a story by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting at Boston University that found student tests scores were lower than average at the virtual academy and the drop-out rate was high. In January, Gov. Deval Patrick signed a law that puts virtual schools under state supervision. Since then, the Greenfield virtual academy has been scrambling to adjust to new regulations and standards, necessitating the increase in board members.

“A lot of work needs to be done and we need more help,” Berlin said.

Because it’s on-line, the Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School can enroll students from across the state. Next year, however, it will likely have competition. Berlin acknowledged that students will have other choices in the 2014-2015 school year but said the academy is undaunted.

“Our focus is on providing excellent education,” he said.

Aaron Hernandez pleaded not guilty to all six counts against him, including a first degree murder charge in a Fall River courtroom Friday.

FALL RIVER — Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez pleaded not guilty to all six charges against him, including the most serious one of first degree murder of Odin Lloyd, in a Bristol County Superior courtroom on Friday afternoon.

In addition to the first degree murder charge, Hernandez, 23, is facing five gun charges that are all related to the Lloyd murder case.

Hernandez's defense team, led up by Charles Rankin, and the Commonwealth, led by Bristol district attorney Samuel Sutter, came to an agreement to continue to hold Hernandez without bail; the defense was granted rights to request bail at a later time. The two sides agreed to curtail their public comments about the trial as it moves forward. The defense appeared eager to follow this agreement when they spoke to the media outside the courthouse for just over a minute and left without taking any questions.

The two sides also agreed on efforts to preserve evidence collected by authorities in Connecticut and Florida, a normal procedure in a murder case.

"We are not going to try the case in the media and we would encourage everyone to keep an open mind. Not one shred of evidence has been presented yet. We feel confident that when evidence is finally presented in a court of law that Aaron will be exonerated," said Rankin.

Rankin described the day's proceedings as "an opening kickoff."

Sutter dismissed the comments about evidence from Hernadez's defense team.

"Over 500 pages of documents have been released to the press and the public," said Sutter.

Sutter added that those pages include search and arrest warrants, still photographs, and numerous police reports.

Authorities say Hernandez drove in a rental car to an industrial park a mile from his home with Lloyd and two friends, Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz , before shooting him there on June 17. Ortiz and Wallace are both facing lesser charges related to the murder of Lloyd.

Hernandez's cousin Tanya Singleton is facing a contempt of court charge stemming for refusing to testify before the grand jury than indicted him.

Hernandez is due back in court October 9 at 2 p.m. for another hearing.

For complete coverage and more background on the case, visit MassLive.com's Aaron Hernandez page.

It’s part of a national day of protest against the retailer conducted this week.

CHICOPEE — About 120 demonstrators turned out Friday at the Chicopee Walmart store to protest working conditions and employee discipline practices.

It’s part of a national day of protest against the retailer conducted between Thursday and Saturday this week.

At Chicopee, demonstrators sent a delegation inside the store with carnations and a thank-you card for the workers only to be turned away by the store manager, said Jon Weissman, coordinator for Western Mass. Jobs for Justice and a longtime local labor activist. Demonstrators also gathered at the nearby intersection of Route 33 and the Massachusetts Turnpike.

At the Chicopee store, employee Aubretia “Windy” Edick, who participated in a June strike against Walmart, received a warning that she’ll be fired if she goes on strike again, Weisman said.

Supporters, led by Western Mass. Jobs with Justice and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1459, complained to Walmart by phone and email; Windy filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board; and on July 6, 15 supporters met with a manager at Edick’s cash register, but Walmart has not rescinded the disciplinary action, he said.

The group is also calling for a wage floor at Walmart of $25,000 a year, a number Walmart could probably only reach not only by increasing the hourly wage but by increasing the hours a week most people work, Weisman said.

“The schedule at Walmart always changes; it's designed so you don’t form a sense of community with your coworkers,” he said.

Brooke Buchanan, Walmart spokeswoman called the event a union-orchestrated stunt.

“Walmart will continue to serve our customers in over 4,600 locations," she wrote in a prepared statement. "A handful of union orchestrated media stunts, made of up of primarily union members and activists, don’t represent the views of the vast majority of the 1.3 million associates who do work for Walmart.”

Hard Rock has proposed an $800-million casino on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts is urging a "yes" vote on the Hard Rock International casino referendum just as it did on Springfield's MGM casino vote.

Hard Rock has proposed an $800-million casino on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition. The proposal goes up for a referendum before West Springfield voters on Tuesday. Approval by voters is required for the proposal to move forward. The project would also need the approval of the state Gaming Commission.

The council issued a news release Friday saying it believes the agreement between Hard Rock and West Springfield "will result in significant economic benefit to West Springfield, its residents, its businesses and the region."

The Economic Development Council, a regional organization that looks at economic issues and fosters business growth, also promised a review of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority proposal in Palmer. A vote in Palmer is set for Nov. 5.

In West Springfield, the Economic Development Council cited aspects of the proposed agreement: Hard Rock promises to create 3,000 permanent full-time equivalent jobs; make annual payments to the city and impacted communities in excess of $26 million, of which approximately $15 million will be property tax payments; and spend approximately $50 million annually on the purchase of goods and services locally and from within the region.

For the second time ever in the history of the Worcester Police Department, both a father and son hold the title of lieutenant in concert.

For the second time ever in the history of the Worcester Police Department, both a father and son hold the title of lieutenant in concert.

Sergeant Matthew D'Andrea was made a lieutenant at a ceremony in Worcester City Hall Wednesday afternoon. A 12-year veteran of the force, D'Andrea was named a sergeant in 2005.

At the ceremony, Matthew's father, Joseph, pinned the lieutenant badge on his uniform.

“I’ve always wanted to be a cop,” Matthew told Worcester Magazine. “It was probably because of my father. I’m proud to have him pin me.”

The first father-son duo to both serve as lieutenants together was in 1998 when now Deputy Chief Steve Sargent joined the ranks with his father. The two served as lieutenants together for five years.

The D'Andreas will only serve in the same ranking together for four months before the elder retires.

A father and son working together is “a huge deal,” Sargent told Worcester Magazine. “It’s exciting for us as the son or daughter, but I could see it in my father’s eyes and I saw it in [Joseph D'Andrea's] eyes.”

Duck's Place closed on State Street in the aftermath of a patron being gunned down on the bar patio in July.

SPRINGFIELD – The owner of Duck’s Place on State Street surrendered his liquor license this week in the aftermath of a patron being gunned down on the bar’s patio in July, and a subsequent police report that described the bar’s security as “lackadaisical.”

The bar owner, James Bennett Sr., has chosen to permanently close the business at 1146 State St., but his lawyer, Thomas Rooke, denied any negligence on the owner’s part.

“Unfortunately, it takes one person to ruin a business and the neighborhood,” Rooke said Friday. “And in the unfortunate incident that led to death of a patron, that was beyond his control, and was spontaneous and unpredictable.”

On July 18, Eddiz Walter, 24, of 131 Sargeant St., Holyoke, was shot to death at the bar. The case has remained under investigation with no arrest made.

There was also an incident April 28, when a bar employee brandished a handgun and fired a warning shot while chasing a patron, according to a police complaint.

The Police Department’s Vice Control Unit, following the fatal shooting in July, filed a complaint against the bar for “permitting a disorder, disturbance, or illegality... to wit, indirectly allowing a male subject, armed with a gun, to enter the bar without being searched.”

“The very ineffective or no security plan on July 18, 2013, IE bouncers at the front door not wanding and/or searching people for weapons permitted a male to walk through the front door of this bar, armed with a gun,” the vice unit report stated. “The apparent lackadaisical security plan for this bar, contributed in some way to a man being shot and killed.”

The police report did state that bar management and employees have cooperated with the police investigation.

The bar had only been open a few months at the time of the shooting, but had a long and troubled history under previous owners and names.

Rooke said Bennett had security cameras inside and outside the business. He has fully cooperated with the police and shared the film in the shooting investigation, Rooke said.

Regarding the police report critical of security, Rooke said there were “no prior incidents since he assumed management and ownership of Duck’s Place to suggest the need for a security detail.”

“It appears this was a deliberate attack aimed at a specific individual, and unpredictable,” Rooke said.

Peter L. Sygnator, chairman of the License Commission, said the board voted unanimously to accept the surrendered license.

“I am relieved and I’m sure the neighborhood is relieved in the permanent shuttering of this short-lived establishment," he said.

Rooke said Bennett is a lifelong resident of the Mason Square area where the bar is located, and believes in the neighborhood and its residents.

“At his age, he decided it was not worth his continued financial investment, and for the good of the neighborhood, he decided to turn in the license and close the bar,” Rooke said.

The Stay in School rally at Springfield's Putnam Vocational Academy will include a motivational speaker and instructions for public participation.

SPRINGFIELD – A community rally is scheduled Monday at Putnam Vocational Technical Academy on State Street, aimed at encouraging students citywide to stay in school and graduate.

The “Stay in School” rally is scheduled to be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Putnam school, 1300 State St., and occurs after an improvement in the graduation rate in Springfield, organizers said.

Sue Fothergill, executive director of educationRISING LLC, and coordinator of the Baltimore City Student Attendance Work Group, will give a presentation about her experience as an advocate for education and student attendance.

The “Stay in School’ community initiative was launched in March by the Springfield Public Schools, and is a campaign aimed at motivating students, parents, local business and community leaders, and school administrators to place a greater importance on attendance.

Research shows that daily attendance “leads to high school graduation and offers a pathway to life success,” the Stay in School initiative stated in a prepared statement. In addition, high school graduates are more likely to avoid negative behaviors, have higher incomes and live longer healthier lives,” the release stated

The rally “will celebrate community and business partnerships made around the Stay in School initiative and will share the roadmap for increasing school attendance in Springfield Public Schools, according to Stay in Springfield.

The four-year graduation rate in Springfield rose from 52.1 percent in 2011 to 56.6 percent in 2012.

The goal of the Stay in School initiative is to increase the graduation rate to 77.4 percent by 2015.

During Monday’s rally, representatives of the initiative will also share ways for the public to get involved, the group stated. Stay in School tool kits will be available to participating community organizations at the rally. 

Judge Richard Carey set bail for Hernandez at $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety. If Hernandez makes bail, he will be on a GPS tracking device and must abide by a number of conditions.

SPRINGFIELD — A judge ruled Friday that Heriberto Eddie Hernandez, the Springfield man shot last week by a police officer during a confrontation in Kenefick Park, is a danger to his victims and the community.

Hampden Superior Court Judge Richard J. Carey then said he believed there were conditions under which Hernandez could be released that address the danger.

He set bail for Hernandez at $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety. If Hernandez makes bail, he will be on a GPS tracking device and must abide by a number of conditions.

Assistant District Attorney Anthony Gulluni had argued there were no conditions under which Hernandez could be released without posing a danger to the victims or community.

City police officer Roberto Matos testified at the dangerousness hearing Friday that Hernandez came at him with a knife and would not obey his commands to drop the knife and get on the ground.

Matos said Hernandez repeatedly said he was going to kill him.

Defense lawyer Daniel Bergin said police never found the knife alleged to be used. They just found the sheath of the knife in Hernandez's hand.

Gulluni said it is the prosecution's position there was a knife with a blade, but whether or not there was, Matos had reason to believe Hernandez' had a knife in this hand.

Hernandez pleaded innocent in Hampden Superior Court Friday to three charges of assault with a dangerous weapon (with Matos as victim), and a charge each of threat to commit a crime and malicious damage to a motor vehicle.

Cindy Vazquez, the mother of two children with Hernandez, testified Friday she was not afraid of Hernandez and he was not a violent person.

Hernandez is accused of breaking two of her car windows with a bat.

It was Vazquez who approached Matos, a school resource officer at Chestnut Middle School, on Aug. 28 to tell him Hernandez had smashed her car windows.

She testified she followed Matos as he tried to get Hernandez to stop, and heard Matos tell Hernandez repeatedly to drop the knife and get on the ground. She said she also kept telling Hernandez to comply.

Hernandez had denied charges in District Court and became eligible for release under a number of conditions set Tuesday by a judge on a joint recommendation by the prosecution and defense.

But Hernandez was indicted late Thursday after Hampden District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni's office presented the case to a Hampden Superior Court grand jury.

After the grand jury indictment Thursday, Bergin agreed to bring Hernandez into Hampden Superior Court this morning. Bergin and Hernandez arrived at the courthouse shortly before 9 a.m. with Hernandez using crutches.

Hernandez, 49, of Springfield, was shot in the leg by Matos.

Mastroianni said Wednesday he takes responsibility for his staff not pushing harder to revoke Hernandez's right to bail during District Court proceedings.

District Court Judge Mark Mason ruled that Hernandez could be released on a $5,000 personal surety, providing he was fitted with a GPS monitoring device, stayed away from both the Chestnut Accelerated Middle School and Brightwood School as well as two other Springfield addresses, and had no contact with Matos.

The judge signed off on what Mastroianni said Wednesday was an agreement made between the prosecuting and defense attorneys before the dangerousness hearing.

That agreement, Mastroianni said, should not have happened. He said it was "a failure within my office" to recognize the serious nature of the charges against Hernandez and the potential impact of his release on the community.

The Hampden Superior Court indictment allowed the prosecution to have a dangerousness hearing there where Gulluni argued Hernandez should be held without right to bail for the 90 days allowed by law.

Police did find a small folding knife in Hernandez's pocket when Matos got Hernandez to the ground.

Matos said hundreds of children were coming out of the school when Marquez approached him and pointed out Hernandez, telling Matos about Hernandez smashing the car windows.

Matos said Hernandez was telling him to "get the f... away" and pulled something up from his waistband. Matos said he saw a blade.

He said Hernandez ran and then reached into his waistband and pulled out a long knife with a sheath on it.

Gulluni asked Matos if he is fearful now. "A little bit," Matos said.

Carey adopted the conditions of release set by Mason, but added the $5,000 cash bail.

Vazquez testified Hernandez was angry at her because she was "talking to someone" on Facebook. She said he had been depressed and suicidal but said he did not have the courage to kill himself.

An unattended hair dryer that was left running fell onto a chair and started it on fire.

SPRINGFIELD - An unattended hair dryer that was left running started a Friday afternoon fire that caused an estimated $10,000 damage to a home at 41 Boyer St. in the city's Pine Point neighborhood, according to Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant.

The fire, reported just after 5 p.m., was extinguished quickly by firefighters but not before it caused damage to a second-floor bedroom, Leger said.

No one was injured.

In addition to fire damage, the second floor sustained heavy smoke and water damage, he said.

The hair dryer was left running and it apparently fell into a chair, causing it to catch on fire and spread to other parts of the room, he said.

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A vote on the Millbury slots parlor proposal had been scheduled for Sept. 24, but Mass Gaming & Entertainment, an affiliate of Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, said in a statement that voters were unlikely to give the proposal a thumbs-up.

MILLBURY — Mass Gaming & Entertainment announced Friday that it will no longer pursue a license for a slots parlor in Millbury.

A vote on the proposal had been scheduled for Sept. 24, but the company, an affiliate of Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, said in a statement that voters were unlikely to give the proposal a thumbs-up.

“We think Millbury is a great community and we were impressed with the professionalism of the town officials and the enthusiasm we were welcomed with by so many,” Neil Bluhm, Chairman of Mass Gaming & Entertainment, said in the statement. “We spent a lot of time in Millbury and recently it became clear to us that a majority of residents do not support a casino.

"As we continued our outreach, we decided that for this particular project, we should move forward only if community support was overwhelming. It is not our style to campaign aggressively and win a referendum narrowly. We prefer to join together with our host community and build something collaboratively.”

There was no word on whether Mass Gaming & Entertainment would pursue a license in another Massachusetts community.

MGE's Millbury plan included a 110,000- to 115,000-square-feet complex with the state-maximum 1,250 slot machines, at least one full-service restaurant and other food venues, a live music area and day spa.

The company had been in negotiations with Worcester on a proposed $240 million slots parlor in that city before negotiations on a host community agreement broke down in June. MGE then turned to Millbury, with Gregory Carlin, Chief Executive Officer, saying in a press release, “We have gotten to know Massachusetts over the last two years and are bullish on Millbury and the central area of the commonwealth. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has established a comprehensive process and we believe we have identified the best area for the category 2 license."

Alex the dog immediately detected the presence of marijuana in the trunk of the car.

STURBRIDGE - A 26-year-old man from Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested on a drug possession charge early Friday after a traffic stop on Interstate 84 led to the discovery of 26 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of his car, police said.

Jiarui Liu was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, failure to use a directional signal when changing lanes and a license plate violation, according to state police.

Trooper Robert Ryan of the Sturbridge barracks made the initial stop just after 2 a.m. but after talking with Liu, he became suspicious and requested a state police K-9 unit come to the scene.

Trooper Jeff Johnson and his dog Alex arrived a short time later, and Alex immediately signaled the presence of drugs in the car, police said.

A search of the vehicle found the marijuana, wrapped in large plastic bags, inside the trunk, police said.

Lui was scheduled to be arraigned in Dudley District Court.

The judge also set release conditions including a curfew, GPS monitoring and avoiding alleged victims and witnesses.

PITTSFIELD – A judge has found that a Boston-area teenager charged with the broomstick rape of a younger teen at a sports camp in the Berkshires isn’t a danger to the public and was later released on $100,000 bail.

Galileo Mondol,17, of Somerville, appeared at a hearing Friday in Pittsfield. Judge Fredric Rutberg also set release conditions including a curfew, GPS monitoring and avoiding alleged victims and witnesses. According to the Berkshire Eagle, he would also have to withdraw from Somerville High School.

Prosecutors say Mondol is one of three soccer players charged in connection with the alleged assault Aug. 25 in a cabin at Camp Lenox in Otis, which the school had rented. The names of the others have not been released because they are 16.

Prosecutors say they raped one freshman with a broom and tried to rape two others. Mondol has pleaded not guilty.

His lawyer, William Korman, says Mondol had nothing to do with the alleged rape and shouldn’t have been subjected to the dangerousness hearing. Korman said the evidence against Mondol is thin. Korman said Somerville High School is in the process of expelling Mondol, and has banned him from school athletic events.

Prosecutor Rachel Eramo argued Mondol should be held because of his “cruel conduct,” including carrying out the crimes in a crowded room and warning those present not to talk.

She said witness accounts vary slightly, and that the rape victim said Mondol wasn’t physically involved in attacking him. She said only one victim who was assaulted but not raped told investigators Mondol helped another defendant physically rape the victim with a broomstick. She said others said Mondol was present and encouraging the abuse.

Mayor Domenic Sarno is proposing a part-time work program to give seniors up to a $500 tax break on their property tax.

Domenic SarnoFile photo / The Republican

SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Domenic J. Sarno on Friday announced the details of a proposed “Senior Citizen Property Tax Work-Off” ordinance that would provide tax relief for up to 20 senior households in exchange for part-time work.

The City Council will consider the ordinance on Monday, during its 7 p.m. meeting at City Hall.

While sponsored by Sarno, he said some city councilors have pursued the idea, particularly At-Large Councilor Timothy J. Rooke and Ward 5 Councilor Clodovaldo Concepcion.

Under the provision of Sarno's proposal, up to 20 qualifying households will be selected through a lottery to work in a city department at minimum wage. The maximum property tax credit would be $500, Sarno said. The credit would then be deducted from the annual property tax bill. The Mayor specified that the Department of Elder Affairs will be responsible for administering the program.

Some of the program guidelines include:

• Acceptance is based on the ability of the applicant to perform tasks required in available positions.
• Placements are drawn by random lottery. Requests for certain positions by applicants will be considered; however, applicants must be willing to accept a position when an offer is made by the Regional SHINE Director or her/his designee.
• Applicants have the right to refuse placements, but each lottery winner will be taken on an interview.
• Applicants must certify that their income does not exceed the limits set by the Massachusetts Circuit Breaker Tax Credit.
• To start, the program will be limited to no more than twenty (20) participants. Positions will be offered on the basis of qualification, availability, location and physical limitation. The program will be evaluated before continued implementation in FY 2015.
• Applicants are not eligible to participate in two consecutive fiscal years.

Indoor air quality director, Michael Feeney, is tentatively scheduled to attend the School Committee meeting to discuss his visits to the school and his findings.

PALMER - The indoor air quality program director for the state Department of Public Health paid a second visit to Old Mill Pond School on Friday, to check out the school now that it is occupied with 600 students.

"He went into every room, checked every closet . . . Overall, he said the building was as normal as any building he’s seen," Superintendent Thomas A. Charko said.

Charko said the report from the latest visit is not expected to be ready for a few weeks. He said the indoor air quality director, Michael Feeney, is tentatively scheduled to attend the School Committee meeting on Oct. 17 to discuss his visits to the school and his findings.

Feeney arrived at the school armed with air quality assessment tools. He checked all 46 classrooms with air quality program regional inspector Kathleen Gilmore, Palmer Health Agent Joshua Mathieu, Finance Director Brad Brothers and Principal Jacqueline A. Haley and Charko.

Feeney's last visit was Aug. 21. At that visit, which was requested by Mathieu, he checked air quality due to concerns about mold, and cleared the school for occupancy. Mold was discovered in July in some of the rooms, a problem Charko blamed on an unusually hot and humid summer.

Before the assessment began, Haley said, "This place has never been cleaner."

Feeney told the group that the Palmer school was not the only one this year to have a mold problem, and that he would check areas susceptible to mold growth.

"We want to see what is in each classroom under different conditions," Feeney said.

Charko said school officials already had removed outside vegetation next to the building on the recommendation of Feeney and will fix some "weep holes" that are supposed to drain moisture between the brick and main wall. A few of the ventilators were not working and also will be fixed, he said.

"The rooms, in his opinion, were greatly improved," Charko said. "All the numbers are well within normal regions."

"I'm very pleased," Charko said.

One of the recommendations was to remove the old carpet from 1991 when the school was built. Charko said he is working with the town manager on that initiative, but nothing has been finalized.

Before Feeney came out, Charko said a company called "ACT" was hired to perform three air quality tests - the tests did not show acceptable air quality levels.

Charko said Feeney is the expert on air quality issues, and he relies on his opinion.

Lingering concerns about the mold issue prompted Rebecca and William Heilman to home-school their daughter Morranda this year, instead of sending her to kindergarten at Old Mill Pond. The parents of six said they finally received a copy of Feeney's mold assessment report from his August visit from state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer's office.

William Heilman, a former town councilor, said he appreciated the effort being done so far in regard to the issue, but feels the whole process was not fully communicated to the public at the Aug. 22 School Committee meeting. It was at that meeting that Feeney's visit was discussed.

School officials had mentioned the possibility of moving all of Old Mill Pond's students to other town schools due to the mold. After hearing about Feeney's results, the committee instead opted to open school a week late, so cleaning could continue and teachers could prepare the classrooms.

Heilman took issue with the "limited assessment" done.

"BEH/IAQ staff conducted a limited assessment of the building focused on sources of water vapor/moisture and respiratory irritants. The overall function of the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system was not accessed during this visit because the building was largely unoccupied," the report states.

Heilman said he also wanted to see the differences in readings from when the mold was first discovered compared to the August report, something that has not been made available to him.

"I have two older children and at least one younger child who have mold allergies. I am concerned that not just my own children, but other children and adults who enter the school could still be potentially affected by the residual effects of mold in the building," Heilman wrote in an email to school officials.

Heilman said he felt the carpet removal needs to be a priority, and would have felt better if school officials decided to start the year with the Old Mill Pond pupils in other schools.

"While not an ideal situation, it would have been the more cautious approach and I am sure would have been appreciated by all involved," Heilman wrote.

Breaking from Democrats' long history of being the party typically opposed to military conflict, Obama is pushing for a limited military strike in Syria in response to President Bashar Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons.

By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's pursuit of a military strike in Syria has put congressional Democrats and party leaders around the country in a tough spot.

They face loud opposition from war-weary constituents at home and are wary of being pulled into another foreign conflict. But they also are confronted with grim images from Syria of gassed children and the pleas of a president from their own political party to consider the consequences of inaction.

Breaking from Democrats' long history of being the party typically opposed to military conflict, Obama is pushing for a limited military strike in Syria in response to President Bashar Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have rallied behind him.

But some liberal and moderate Democrats, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan fresh in their minds, have begun joining dozens of conservative Republicans registering their opposition. And many rank-and-file Democrats are undecided on whether to support a congressional resolution for military action, questioning whether it would turn the tide in a bloody civil war, whether it's in the U.S. national interest and whether it would prompt Assad to retaliate with more chemical weapons.

"We've been to this dance before and we saw what happened in Iraq," said Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, who says he is leaning against supporting the resolution. "And I have a solemn responsibility to understand what the risks are before I vote to authorize the use of force. What's the risk to the U.S. and the president's standing in the world if the Congress votes against the resolution?"

Emerging from a closed-door briefing on Thursday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, an Iraq war veteran, said she wanted answers about what would happen after a U.S. attack but her own military experience was giving her "great pause" before making a decision.

Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., was resolute in his opposition. "It's simply not our responsibility," he said, wearing a tie covered with 1960s peace symbols.

In the Senate, Democrats Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Tom Udall of New Mexico opposed the resolution to authorize a strike when it was up for a committee vote while recently elected Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, who succeeded Secretary of State John Kerry, voted present. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, one of the party's most moderate members, said he would oppose the resolution. More than a dozen Democratic senators are supporting it.

Obama captured the Democratic nomination in 2008 in part because of his opposition to the Iraq war, a position that he used effectively against primary opponent Hillary Rodham Clinton, who as senator voted in October 2002 to authorize the war but then stumbled among anti-war Democratic voters.

Many Democrats in the House first won their seats in the elections of 2006 and 2008, when the party was fueled by voters who blamed President George W. Bush for the enduring conflicts. It is difficult for many of those Democrats to authorize U.S. intervention in a new conflict — even as Obama and Kerry assure them that it will be narrowly focused and not include U.S. ground troops.

"Members are trying to really listen and hear and understand," said Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., who said he was undecided after emerging from a private briefing on the issue Thursday night. "They don't want to make the same mistake that was made before."

The deliberations extend into households. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., who opposed the 2002 Iraq war authorization, is undecided this time but has said a failure to hold Syria accountable for the chemical weapons attack would set a "terrible precedent."

Schakowsky's husband, Democratic strategist Robert Creamer, supports the plan. He wrote in a Huffington Post column last week that the U.S. needs to punish Assad for using chemical weapons, writing, "The world cannot afford an iconic use of chemical weapons to go unpunished."

The Syria vote has generated an intense lobbying effort by the left to pressure Obama to stay out of the civil war.

Liberal activists are planning candlelight vigils across the country on Monday night to urge members of Congress to oppose the resolution, and they suggest those who support military action risk political punishment in the future.

"Everyone who positions themselves as a progressive needs to think very hard about what their vote will mean down the road," said Anna Galland, executive director of MoveOn.org. Galland said the vote "could impact how our members view future votes, future primaries."

At the same time, a large delegation of members representing the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the pro-Israel lobbying group with strong ties to congressional Democrats, plans to press lawmakers on Capitol Hill next week. The organization has urged the House and Senate to approve the resolution, saying, "Barbarism on a mass scale must not be given a free pass."

The vote could carry implications beyond this year. House Democrats who represent liberal districts might face primary challenges if they support the resolution. The votes could figure prominently in several key Senate races crucial to Democrats' effort to maintain control of the chamber during Obama's final two years.

Incumbents in three closely watched races — Sens. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Mark Begich of Alaska — remain undecided. Braley, who is running to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin, noted that in 2006 he aired an ad in his first congressional bid that said "serving in Congress is a solemn responsibility because only Congress can authorize going to war."

Among potential 2016 presidential candidates, Clinton said through an aide that she supported Obama's efforts in Congress. As secretary of state she urged the administration to intervene in Syria, and a speech in Philadelphia on Tuesday could give the former first lady the opportunity to discuss a potential U.S. response. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley told reporters last week that there was a need for a "clear understanding of what it is exactly this mission would hope to accomplish."

Wrapping up a trip to Sweden and Russia, Obama will try to make a full-court press next week, addressing the nation on Tuesday while his administration fans out to briefings and meetings with wavering lawmakers. The president said Friday he understood the difficulty of the vote and posited that it was "conceivable" he would not persuade a majority of the American people to get behind him.

"Ultimately, you listen to your constituents, but you've also got to make some decisions about what you believe is right for America," Obama said. "And that's the same for me as President of the United States."

The crash was reported just after 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Update: The closed lane reopened around 2:30 p.m.

Photo by Don Treeger / The Republican [file] 

WEST SPRINGFIELD - A rollover crash involving a car and a tractor-trailer shut down one lane on I-91 northbound in the area of exit 14 by the 11 mile marker for two hours Saturday afternoon, state police said.

State police said the accident was reported at 12:41 p.m. Saturday, and that the lane reopened at 2:30 p.m. The operator of the car, Shelby Livingston, 18, of Springfield, suffered minor injuries, as did her two passengers, and all were brought to Baystate Medical Center for treatment, Trooper Jonathan Bray said.

Bray said Livingston was operating a Toyota Camry and attempted to change lanes at the last minute as she approached the construction zone on I-91 northbound. Her car was hit by a tractor-trailer, and flipped over. Information on seat belt use was unavailable.

The truck was driven by Joshua Mercier, 30, of Vermont. Bray said no citations were issued at this time, and the accident remains under investigation.

The incident was reported at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday,

Update 6 p.m. The scene was cleared at approximately 5:30 p.m.

03.09.11 | Photo by Julian Feller-Cohen – The Agawam Fire Department's patch. 

AGAWAM - A resident unwittingly touched off a hazardous materials scare that brought an emergency response after an attempt to bring old chemicals to the town’s waste recovery collection at the Public Works Department on Saturday.

Fire Department Lt. Kenneth J. Sagendoph said the call came in at 12:34 p.m. about the resident, who brought petroleum ether and picric acid, volatile and explosive chemicals, to the collection sponsored by Clean Harbors. The chemicals were turned away, and public safety officials were alerted to the situation, and responded to the resident’s address at Avalon Place.

Sagendorph said the resident took a box of old chemicals from an elderly relative to dispose of them.

“The residents were surprised. They didn’t expect the response they got,” Sagendorph said.

A section of North Street was closed, from Ridgeway Drive to Wilbert Terrace, for the investigation. In addition to police and fire, the state police bomb squad was called to help remove the chemicals because they could explode if combined. He said there were also unidentified chemicals in the box as well.

Public safety officials were on scene for five hours, he said. No one was evacuated.

Sagendorph advises those who have items such as old chemicals in their home to call the Fire Department first for advice on disposal.

The 17-day fair will kick off on Friday in West Springfield.

DJ Pauly D of "Jersey Shore" fame will appear at the Big E on Friday, Sept. 13, 2013  

With the songs of Elvis Presley and a dance party by “Jersey Shore’s” DJ Pauly D, entertainment at the upcoming Big E will span decades of pop culture.

On Friday, opening day of the 17-day fair, DJ Pauly D – one of the world’s highest paid DJs – will put on a romping, standing room only dance party around the Court of Honor Stage.

“This is something very different for us. Dance parties are all the rage now, and as far as I know, I haven’t seen or heard of him performing at any other fair,” said John Juliano, the fair’s special events director.

Turning back the clock more than 50 years, the Big E celebrates the music of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll when Elvis’ longtime musical director, Joe Guercio brings his “Symphonic Sounds of Elvis” along with the Imperials, who toured and recorded with Presley” to the fair on Sept. 21.

“This is going to be an incredible night for all Elvis fans, and even for those who aren’t. It’s so very different from an impersonator show as you listen to orchestrated versions of many of Elvis’ biggest hits from a conductor who has written music for Celine Dion and many other stars,” Juliano said.

Much of the entertainment at the Big E is free with admission to the fair, which runs through Sept. 29.

However, if you’re hoping to still get tickets to see country singer Hunter Hayes at the fair’s only paid concert on Sept. 20, forget it. The concert is sold out.

“I’m excited to have been able to book Hunter Hayes on his way up for our xfinity Arena, and I believe this is his last show before going big time and headlining his own tour,” Juliano said.


Other xfinity Arena shows include former Eagle Don Felder on Saturday, the “Hanky Panky” sounds of the ¤’60s from Tommy James & the Shondells on Sunday, and country artists Randy Houser on Sept. 22 and Kix Brooks on Sept. 27.

Also, 17-year-old teen pop sensation Austin Mahone, whose singing and songwriting talents caught the attention of YouTube viewers, will be performing for his fans, referred to as “Mahomies,” on Sept. 28.

The Court of Honor Stage this year will play host to a popular Western Massachusetts favorites – the Diamond Collection featuring Kenny LaBelle on Sept. 21.

There will be an oldies revival at the Court of Honor Stage when Darlene Love, whose “He’s a Rebel” and other popular hits from the ¤’60s were part of Phil Spector’s booming Wall of Sound, performs Friday through Sept. 16; Mike Pinder of The Searchers from the British invasion plays his hits like “Needles and Pins” from Sept. 17-20; and the Soul Survivors perform Sept. 22-25 followed by the Ides of March on Sept. 26-29.

But the music will stop at the Court of Honor Stage several times a day when Hilby, the Skinny German Juggle Boy balances and manipulates objects from potato chips to bowling balls.

And, remember the chills up the spine performances by Galaxy Girl who appeared at the Court of Honor State two years ago delighting fairgoers with her trapeze tricks from atop a pole some 127 feet in the air? This year she has her own home along the Avenue of States where she will thrill audiences several times a day.

All the entertainment comes to an end on Sept. 29 when America’s favorite Beach Boys – Mile Love and Bruce Johnston – take to the stage at the xfinity Arena with their bandmates to close out the fair with a beach party filled with a trip down memory lane playing all their hits from “Surfer Girl” to “Kokomo.”

“The group usually just works the West Coast at this time of year, where it’s usually warmer. Of course, we know it’s going to be warm on the night they’re here,” Juliano said with a laugh.

The Big E 2013: Music from Elvis Presley to DJ Pauly D