Obituaries from The Republican.

Carmino Giannetti

Carmino Eduardo Guiseppi Giannetti, 90, of Springfield, passed away Saturday. He was born and educated in Springfield. Giannetti was a retired mail handler for the U.S. Postal Service, and was well known for his ability to fix washing machines. He was a member of the Springfield Lodge of Elks #61, and served in the U.S. Army.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• 
  Bassett, Laurel Grace (Taferner)
  



• 
  Beck, Roberta K.
  



• 
  Biggins, Anne-Marie (Shea)
  



• 
  Black, William F.
  



• 
  Brock, Rosemary T. (Moylan)
  



• 
  Burke, Thomas J. "Tom"
  



• 
  Bushey, Gayle Ida (Dorman)
  



• 
  Cantwell, Rusty S.
  



• 
  Chaffee, Barbara E. (Brown)
  



• 
  Cislak, Matilda F. "Mickey " "Cioci Mickey"
  



• 
  Croisetiere, Donald R.
  



• 
  Czerniak, Helen A. (Bielecki)
  



• 
  Daviau, Charles E. "Chuck"
  



• 
  Donovan, Jean (Hammond)
  



• 
  Fernandez, Sonia N.
  



• 
  Francis, Kenneth W.
  



• 
  Geoffrey, Donalda (Antaya)
  



• 
  Giannetti, Carmino E.
  



• 
  Gildersleeve, Carmilla "Pinky" (Silvernail)
  



• 
  Hano, Carol H. (Hoar)
  



• 
  Hare, Charles Terrance "Chuck"
  



• 
  Jaworski, Dora E.
  



• 
  Jones, Louise (Trimboli)
  



• 
  Kisiel, Stanislaw "Stanley"
  



• 
  Kumiega, John A.
  



• 
  Malone, Thomas B.
  



• 
  Matthews Sr., Robert A.
  



• 
  McGrath, Genevieve J. (Wojtanowicz)
  



• 
  Middleton, John K.
  



• 
  Mol, Jennie E. (Pytko)
  



• 
  Noble, Gladys Kellogg
  



• 
  Nogueira, Antonio
  



• 
  O'Keefe, Yukiko
  



• 
  Parker, Patricia M. (Alves)
  



• 
  Reed, Evert Carl
  



• 
  Rice, Ruth
  



• 
  Rosa, Joseph P. "Pete"
  



• 
  St. Laurent, Robert "Bob"
  



• 
  Suse, Raymond P.
  



• 
  Torres, Vicenta
  



• 
  Williams, Frederick L.
  



• 
  Young, George E.
  



• 
  Zeno, Edward
  

If money were no option, the mayor said, he would rather see the complex renovated.

File photo by Dave Roback / The RepublicanSome of the buildings that comprise Lyman Terrace housing complex, Holyoke.

HOLYOKE – Mayor Alex B. Morse said he would prefer to have Lyman Terrace renovated, but $24 million to revamp the 74-year-old housing complex is unavailable, so demolition is the viable option.

“If money was available for renovation, ideally, we’d renovate it,” Morse said Monday.

Demolishing the complex and replacing it with updated housing has been the plan of the Holyoke Housing Authority for several years, said Morse, who took office Jan. 3.

“They’ve applied for funds for demolition, which I’m not opposed to,” Morse said.

The authority hopes to file by the end of this month an application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for permission to demolish the complex’ 18, red-brick buildings, Executive Director Rosalie M. Deane said Monday.

The authority administers 2,350 units here, she said.

At the same time, bids from developers to build new housing at the Lyman Terrace site are expected by next month, officials said.

About 400 people live in 167 units at Lyman Terrace. The complex is bordered by Lyman, Front and John streets in the Downtown Neighborhood.

The issue has prompted controversy. Some residents and officials said the plan to demolish and rebuild is the logical step, given the site’s age, noncompliance with current building codes and cost to renovate.

Others want the complex preserved. They say razing is just an excuse to displace a mostly Hispanic population in the city’s urban center and they doubt the authority’s ability to help tenants relocate.

The complex was built to 1930s specifications, which means many of the units are too small by today’s building codes, officials have said.

Morse said that means that whatever is done with Lyman Terrace, at least some demolition and tenant relocation is necessary if only to expand the size of some units, which would result in fewer units in the same number of buildings.

The buildings lack handicap access and new windows, plumbing, heating and other systems are needed. Engineers have said modernizing Lyman Terrace would cost $24 million, Deane said.

An option is to apply to for a Choice Neighborhoods grant, Morse said. Such grants are intended to help distressed neighborhoods by linking housing improvements with appropriate services, schools, public assets, transportation, and access to jobs, according to HUD.

“It doesn’t look like renovation is a viable option, so what do we do? And I’ve said, we can’t keep doing the status quo,” Morse said.

In a commentary in the Sunday Republican, Morse addressed the Lyman Terrace controversy, writing that something has to be done and, “Nor can we continue to engage in the same, worn-out arguments that decry any attempt at revitalization to be veiled racism or attempts at gentrification.”

Meanwhile, the Lyman Street Study Committee continues studying whether to try to make all or part of that street a historic district, Chairwoman Olivia L. Mausel said.

The study began last year before the current controversy over Lyman Terrace. But the study has drawn attention because designation as a historic district could prohibit demolition of structures in the district, she said.

Authorities spoke to a friend of Stearns', who told him that she sometimes goes to an area off Barker Street known as "The Wall" near the Chicopee River. Watch video

This is an updated version of a a story posted at 1:12 this afternoon.

Photo by Don Treeger / The RepublicanRescue personnel respond to steep area off Barker Road in Three Rivers Tuesday morning section to rescue a woman who suffered a possible broken arm and leg after a fall.

PALMER - A 20-year-old Three Rivers woman had a close call after she fell off a cliff and plunged 40 to 50 feet below, possibly breaking several bones.

Danielle Stearns, of High Street, was found by Sgt. Erin Sullivan and Lt. John J. Janulewicz on Tuesday morning, after Stearns's mother called police to report that her daughter had been missing for several days and that she was concerned about her whereabouts.

Police said Stearns also took prescription narcotics with her.

Sullivan spoke to a friend of Stearns', who told him that she sometimes goes to an area off Barker Street in the Three Rivers section known as "The Wall" near the Chicopee River, Police Chief Robert P. Frydryk said.

The officers went to check the area, and found the woman's backpack and purse on a large rock overlooking a steep drop.

"We looked over the edge and there she was," Sullivan said.

Frydryk said the woman was 40 to 50 feet below the rock, and described the area as a vertical drop.

"She may have fallen off the rock," Sullivan said, adding the woman may have a broken left arm and broken right leg.

Police said she had been stuck there since 11 p.m. on Monday night. The officers had to be careful as they made their way down to the woman because they did not want to dislodge any rocks and injure her further.

Three Rivers Fire Department was called, in addition to Palmer Ambulance and Ludlow Fire Department. Frydryk said Three Rivers fire used ropes and pulleys to rescue Stearns.

"They did a good job," Sullivan said.

The chief praised his officers for their follow-up and thoroughness in investigating the mother's report about her missing daughter. If not for their actions, Frydryk said the outcome could have been far worse.

Stearns was brought to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. She was rescued just before noon.

Three Rivers Fire Chief Patrick J. O'Connor said it took about an hour to rescue Stearns because they had to secure cables and pulleys first. He said she could have been sleeping, and rolled off the cliff, or dropped something and fell as she tried to make her way down.

"Just trying to walk down there was treacherous," said O'Connor, adding that the wet leaves made it very slippery.

"She was on the verge of shock," O'Connor said about Stearns. "She told the police she tried to get up and couldn't."

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is renewing his advocacy for the fishing industry in Massachusetts as he took aim at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a new radio ad.

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., highlighted his advocacy for the Massachusetts fishing industry in a new radio ad released on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

BOSTON - U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is highlighting his advocacy for the fishing industry in Massachusetts as he takes aim at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a new radio ad.

Brown, who is facing tough competition in his reelection bid from Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Warren, a Cambridge Democrat, has been an outspoken critic of NOAA, which he says has hurt fishermen with crushing fines, unrealistic catch limits and arbitrary enforcement of the rules.

"We have a proud tradition of fishing in Massachusetts. It's been the subject of countless books and movies. It's also been a source of strength for our economy, going back to our earliest days," Brown says in a new radio ad. "But our fishing industry is dying, and Washington is to blame."

Brown previously called for the firing of NOAA's top administrator Jane Lubchenco, for what he described as "indifference" to the industry's struggles.

In February, he called out the agency over a U.S. Inspector General report that revealed NOAA used money collected from fisherman fines to purchase a luxury boat for $300,787 which was also used for employee "booze cruises."

"To this day, no one has been held accountable for these abuses," Brown said. "What does it take to get fired in Washington? Our fishermen and their families deserve better from their government, and I'm going to fight to protect them."

In March, Brown and U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., introduced the Fisheries Investment and Regulatory Relief Act into the Senate in an attempt to help turn the tide for the domestic fishing industry.

The bill, which was read and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, would ensure that a significant portion of the money collected from tariffs on imported fish or fish products is cycled back into the American fishing industry, in accordance with the 1954 Saltonstall-Kennedy Act.

3 businesses reported several electronic items, including laptops, iPods and computer docking stations, were stolen. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD — Police are looking for a suspect in a series of break-ins Saturday in offices of two adjoining buildings at State and Main streets in downtown Springfield.

The break-ins at 95 and 101 State St. occurred between 11:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., said Sgt. John Delaney.

Break-ins were reported to three separate offices, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Hampden County on the sixth floor and Youth Advocacy Department on the second floor of 101 State St., and Peerless Handcuffs Company on the seventh floor of 95 State St. The doors to each business were forced open.

Delaney said security footage in the building shows a man police believed to be the suspect.

He appears to be an older white man. He was dressed in blue jeans and a blue sweatshirt. He is also wearing white and orange sneakers and a blue baseball cap with a white logo on the front.

He enters the front lobby and is seen pressing the button for the elevator in such a way as to not leave a finger print. Later he is seen making repeat trips down a rear stairway carrying boxes of items.

The three businesses reported several electronic items, including laptops, iPods and computer docking stations, were stolen.

Delaney said detectives are looking for help from the public in identifying the suspect.

Anyone with information about his identity is asked to call Sgt. Michael Carney in the Detective Bureau at 787-6255.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to “CRIMES,” or "274637," and then beginning the body of the message with the word "SOLVE."

European indexes closed near their lowest levels in months, and the euro neared a 5-month low against the dollar.

By DANIEL WAGNER | AP Business Writer

Associated PressGreek leader of Coalition of the Radical Left party (SYRIZA), Alexis Tsipras, right, and leader of the Democratic Left party, Fotis Kouvelis, smile before their meeting at the Greek Parliament in Athens, Tuesday, May 8, 2012. Greece's commitment to austerity is no longer valid because voters have rejected those deals, Tsipras declared Tuesday as he tried to form a new coalition government. (AP Photo/Evi Fylaktou)

Political uncertainty in debt-hobbled Europe spread to financial markets Tuesday and pushed stocks lower in Europe and the United States.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down almost 200 points at its low point for the day before recovering most of its loss to finish down 76. It was the average's fifth straight decline.

European indexes closed near their lowest levels in months, and the euro neared a five-month low against the dollar.

Prices plummeted for commodities like oil and copper that depend on the health of the world economy. The turmoil in Europe added to concerns about slower economic growth in China and weaker job creation in the U.S.

Trading throughout the markets is growing more volatile as Europe's debt crisis "accelerates to a point where it's not really controllable with the sorts of Band-Aids they've used," said Daniel Alpert, managing partner at the investment bank Westwood Capital Partners LLC.

Greek voters on Sunday rejected parties that had imposed the deep spending cuts demanded by Greece's bailout lenders. Cuts to pensions and social programs are deepening Greece's crushing recession.

On Tuesday, the left-wing politician struggling to form a new government declared that the country was no longer bound by its promises cut spending sharply in exchange for international bailout loans.

The politician, Alexis Tsipras, also demanded a moratorium on repaying the part of Greece's debt that is "onerous." The main stock index in Greece closed down 3.6 percent after a 7 percent decline the day before.

After a calm finish Monday, benchmark indexes in Germany and France plunged to near their lowest levels this year. Italy's was near its lowest since last November. The main stock index in Britain hit its lowest point this year.

Central banks have injected billions into Europe's financial system, providing temporary support for stock and commodity prices, Alpert said. "If that liquidity is supposed to prime the pump, and the pump doesn't take over, then you've got a problem," he said.

In the U.S., traders dumped risky assets and commodities, partly because of concern that a punishing recession in Europe would hurt economic demand. The price of oil continued its week-long slide. Copper and silver each lost more than 2 percent.

Gold fell $34.60 to a four-month low of $1,604.50. It dipped below $1,600 for the first time since early January. Gold often serves as a safe, stable investment to hold in turbulent times. But in periods of rapid selling, investors sometimes sell gold as a ready source of cash.

The stronger dollar contributed to the fall in commodity prices. Commodities are priced in dollars, so a stronger dollar makes them appear more expensive to traders who use other currencies.

Money flowed into safe investments such as U.S. Treasurys, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 1.85 percent from 1.88 percent late Monday.

A flurry of late-day buying helped the indexes recover from their earlier lows. The Dow closed down 76.44 points, or 0.6 percent, at 12,932.09. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 5.86 to 1,363.72. The Nasdaq composite index fell 11.49 to 2,946.27. The S&P had been down almost 22 points and the Nasdaq almost 58.

Markets have been buffeted for three years by shifting perceptions about the gravity of the European debt crisis. At times, many feared a messy string of government defaults would set off a global credit crunch.

Earlier this year, trading had turned relatively placid as policymakers rolled out a host of measures aimed at reassuring investors.

To shore up the region's shaky banks, the European Central Bank injected billions of euros into the financial system. Governments in Italy and Greece fell last year, replaced by technocrats whom international leaders trusted to navigate the crisis. Leaders of indebted nations agreed to tighten their budgets. They slashed pensions and government jobs, raised retirement ages and eliminated social programs.

The measures were aimed at soothing bond investors and preventing nations' borrowing costs from rising. By striking at voters' quality of life, they provoked angry political opposition to the plans.

Opponents of strict austerity say Europe will be unable to emerge from its recession unless governments spend more to boost demand in the economy.

On Sunday, in addition to the election in Greece, French voters elected a president who has spoken out against austerity and promised to cut France's debt load more slowly.

Uncertainty about Europe's path forward is injecting volatility into global markets. As fears about Europe and the U.S. economy reemerged in recent weeks, traders have returned to frenzied buying and selling that recalls last year's record-breaking market swings.

Among U.S. stocks making moves Tuesday:

• Burger chain Wendy's fell 4.1 percent after it cut its forecast and said its first-quarter profit missed Wall Street analysts' expectations.

• Watchmaker Fossil plunged 37.6 percent after saying weak sales in Europe caused its first-quarter revenue to fall far short of expectations. The company also lowered its 2012 earnings forecast.

• Casino operator Wynn Resorts reported a disappointing drop in first-quarter earnings, sending its stock down 4.8 percent.

AP Business Writer Sandy Shore in Denver contributed to this report.

The proposal calls for a new 21,000-square-foot station to be built behind the existing Town Building/Police Station on Main Street.

The Republican | Lori StabileOne of the holding cells for men at the Palmer police station.

PALMER — Residents will have the opportunity to vote on a $7.4 million debt exclusion for a new police station at the June 12 election, and the police chief is offering tours to anyone who wants to see the current conditions that his officers work under.

Police Chief Robert P. Frydryk said they can make an appointment by calling his assistant, Tammy Piechota, at (413) 283-3554, ext. 113.

The proposal calls for a new 21,000-square-foot station to be built behind the existing Town Building/Police Station on Main Street.

Town officials and police have long made the case for a new station. The current facility, built in 1964, is small, outdated and plagued with mold problems in the basement, where evidence is kept.

The current building is 2,000 square-feet, and what was supposed to be a temporary trailer that was added a decade ago accounts for 900-square-feet of that space.

The Brimfield Antiques Show runs through Sunday.

BRIMFIELD - Antique collectors were out in full force on Tuesday for the first day of the Brimfield Outdoor Antiques Shows - despite overcast skies and rain in the afternoon.

Rosemary Warren, of Santa Barbara, Calif., who was selling her handmade decorative wares using vintage materials at Shelton's field, said she thought the first day of the show was going well.

"I sold so much today," she said.

Despite economic uncertainty and high gas prices, she said she thinks people are "more optimistic."

Therese M. Podoyak, of Pennsylvania, sells vintage toys at her booth at the Sturtevant's field. She specializes in highly collectible items. She started off as a collector herself, then got into the business of selling. One unusual item she was featuring was an Elastolin farm set from the 1800s featuring 40 animals. Its price was $2,850. She bought it from a dealer who found it in Germany.

There were also toy soldiers in their original packaging, bang caps and a space explorer ship from the 1960s for $115.

Podoyak also said she thought the show was going well, for the first day.

"I think the economy is a little better. I think people realize (buying antiques) is an investment, and a great way to have fun," Podoyak said.

First-time Brimfield shopper Holly R. Burns, of Marshfield, was with a friend, Brimfield regular Tania J. Keeble, of Cohasset. They started at 9 a.m. and were making their way around the fields - there are 21 that line Route 20 and they feature thousands of dealers.

"It's awesome. There's a little bit of everything," Burns said.

She said she was able to score a tin reproduction shelf for $45, $10 less than the asking price. Keeble bought a print featuring grasshoppers for $55.

At "Buddhas & Beads" at Shelton's, there was everything from a 1910 barber chair from China for $400 to an assortment of beads, Buddhas and mermaids. Owner Linda Walsh said she's been coming to Brimfield for 25 years, and has two tents on the field.

"I love watching what people buy and asking them what they're going to do with it," Walsh said. "It's been a great day.”

She said the Buddhas are popular with restaurant owners. Green buoys from China, used in tuna fishing, also were selling well for $20 each, she said.

There is everything from antique furniture and housewares to jewelery and clothing and more at Brimfield. There is always the unexpected - along Route 20, a giant silver pirate skull overlooked traffic, along with gnomes, and a life-sized stuffed tiger and lion.

Jonathan Price Totaro and Phil G. Bassis were collecting items for their New York City store, Reason Outpost. Bassis held a deer head for $97 (he promised the seller he would return with another $13 next year), and Price Totaro held a wooden Indian they bought for $30.

“It’s just fun to check everyone’s stuff out,” Price Totaro said.

The antiques show continues through Sunday. Some shows charge admission, generally $5. There are also parking fees. There also will be antiques shows in July and September.

Mattoon, who, like Neffinger, is an architect, will have oversight of such related areas as the Planning Department, the Building Department and the Conservation Department with regard to permitting processes for developments, businesses and residents.

The Republican | Sandra E. ConstantineWest Springfield Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger, left, announces his appointment of Building Inspector Douglas P. Mattoon to the newly created post of director of planning and development.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — West Springfield Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger has hired city Building Inspector Douglas P. Mattoon to fill the newly created position of city director of planning and development.

Neffinger made the announcement during a press conference Tuesday with Mattoon, a West Springfield resident, at his side. Mattoon’s appointment will become official Monday.

The mayor said Mattoon, who, like Neffinger, is an architect, will have oversight of such related areas as the Planning Department, the Building Department and the Conservation Department with regard to permitting processes for developments, businesses and residents.

“He will guide people through the process,” Neffinger said.

Creating such a position to streamline the permitting process was one of the Neffinger’s promises made during his mayoral campaign last year.

However, Mattoon, who has been building inspector since last fall, was quick to say the work will be a team effort.

“We are going to use the term ‘working with’ not ‘underneath’,” Mattoon said.

The position carries a salary of $75,000 a year to $100,000 annually. However, Mattoon is still negotiating the amount of his pay, something Neffinger said he expects will be in the low $80,000s.

About 30 people applied for the new position, four of them in-house candidates. Other than Mattoon they were Planning Administrator Richard A. Werbiskis, Conservation Commission Officer-Assistant Planner Mark Noonan and James Czach, senior project manager in the Engineering Department.

Neffinger has yet to fill the his newly created position of economic development director, an employee who will report to the director of planning and development.

Mattoon said his first priority will be coming up with a plan. The mayor said he also expects to fill the building inspector’s post to be vacated by Mattoon.

Mattoon, 55, grew up in West Springfield and is a graduate of West Springfield High School. He attended Keene State College in New Hampshire and holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Pratt Institute in New York City.

Mattoon has been an architect with Associated Builders Inc. of South Hadley, Alderman and MacNeish Architects and Engineers of West Springfield and George B. Post & Sons Architects of Huntington, N.Y.

Mattoon has served on the city’s Planning and Construction Committee and Planning Board. He is a former Town Meeting member. Mattoon has also been a coach with the Park and Recreation Department as well as a member of the Youth Sports Association Board of Directors.

Szlosek was serving a state prison sentence for an assault and battery in a Chicopee case.

The Republican / File photo

SPRINGFIELD – A defense lawyer argued that a woman wanted Michael Szlosek to have sex with her while her hands were restrained by plastic grip ties, and that she was a willing participant in a series of acts which left her injured.

Hampden Superior Court Judge Constance M. Sweeney did not agree – and since the 44-year-old Szlosek had opted for a jury-waived trial – it was Sweeney’s job alone to pronounce a verdict.

By late Tuesday afternoon Szlosek was sentenced to 25 to 30 years in state prison after Sweeney found him guilty of kidnapping, three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of indecent assault and battery and four counts of assault and battery.

Szlosek, of Holland, was convicted in a Dec. 29, 2009, attack on the woman in Holland.

Defense lawyer William T. Walsh Jr. argued that the victim had written to Szlosek when Szlosek was in state prison, and had initiated contact with him and wanted to have a relationship with him when he got out.

The victim testified she was on a website called “The Big House Crew, Support Hells Angels” and saw a picture of Szlosek, who she said he had met before years ago, and wrote to him.

“This woman was seeking out someone like my client,” Walsh said.

Assistant District Attorney Jane E. Mulqueen said in her opening statement and closing argument, “Every person has the right to say no. She told you she said no and the defendant didn’t listen.”

The woman testified she allowed Szlosek to come into her home Dec. 29, 2009, to talk, but he grabbed her by her throat, dragged her into the bedroom, threw her on the bed and bound her hands with grip ties to the bed.

She said Szlosek bit her hard a number of times, and choked her neck, then raped her in different, painful, ways.

Sweeney had been given pictures taken by a detective when the woman went to the hospital later on the day of the incident.

Those included pictures of marks and swelling around the woman’s neck, bites to different parts of her body, and bruising on her wrists. Swabs taken from the rape sites matched Szlosek.

Mulqueen said all the evidence shows clearly the woman did not consent.

“The defendant would have you believe she consented to being injured,” Mulqueen said.

Mulqueen said the woman may have made some mistakes, but she had the right to say no.

Szlosek was serving a six to seven year state prison sentence when the woman began writing to him.

A jury found him guilty in 2004 of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a Springfield Water Department employee during a motorcycle club event at American Legion Post 275 in Chicopee in August 2001.

The preferred developer, Raipher Pellegrino and Lustra LLC, say construction is slated this summer.

File photo | The RepublicanThe former Springfield Visitor Center.

SPRINGFIELD — Local developer Peter Pappas asked the Springfield Redevelopment Authority on Tuesday to consider disqualifying the current “preferred developer” of the former Visitor Information Center property off Interstate 91, saying the plans for a restaurant bar have idled too long.

Pappas met with the authority board on Monday, and followed up with a letter on Tuesday, criticizing the amount of time it is taking for the favored developer, Lustra LLC, to move forward with the project. Lustra, led by local developer Raipher Pellegrino, was chosen in December by the authority to locate a LUXE Burger Bar at the long-vacant building.

The authority chose Lustra’s plan over a competing restaurant proposal submitted by Pappas.

The visitor center property, located on Hall of Fame Avenue, also known as West Columbus Avenue, has been vacant since the center moved to the nearby Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Some authority members and representatives told Pappas on Monday that they are satisfied with the efforts by Lustra at this time.

Under its proposals, Lustra will pay the authority $450,001 for the property and invest $2.3 million. Pappas and his company Alliance Converting Machinery Inc., offered $223,024 for the property.

Pappas, in the follow-up letter Tuesday, asked the redevelopment authority to disqualify Lustra at its next meeting June 4, unless Lustra finalizes the purchase of the property and demonstrates “irrevocable proof of all financing to redevelop the project,” as proposed.

Pellegrino said Tuesday that financing is in place, and construction is planned this summer. Lustra is “shooting for” a fall opening of the LUXE Burger Bar, which is patterned after a successful Rhode Island restaurant, he said.

“There is no delay,” Pellegrino said. “We have been working cooperatively with the city in a joint enterprise to bring a quality restaurant to the city of Springfield, to restore a building vacant for a number of years.”

Lustra was granted preferred developer status for a 120-day period in December, and was granted a 30-day extension last month. The board can choose to extend or not extend that time period, authority Executive Director Christopher Moskal said.

“Often, extensions are given based on progress,” Moskal said, declining comment on the ongoing discussions with Lustra.

Pappas, who redeveloped the former Basketball Hall of Fame on West Columbus Avenue, a $14 million project that includes the LA Fitness and Mama Iguana’s Restaurant, said he has full financing ready for the visitor center building.

Under the Request for Proposals for the visitor center site, it called for a 60-day preferred developer agreement, while the current timetable is five months and counting, Pappas said.

Authority members said the board has the power to extend or not extend the time period.

Pappas said he would have opened a restaurant by now, bringing tax revenue and jobs to the city.

Authority Chairman Armando Feliciano told Pappas at Monday’s meeting that the board would take his comments under review, but not take any action at this time, as advised by its lawyer, Thomas Moore.

“Everyone on the board is committed to make Springfield a better place to live,” Feliciano said.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said it is good to see the gaming commission is moving to speed the casino siting process.

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Gaming Commission advanced a plan today to expedite the timeline for opening casino resorts by as many as six months.

During a meeting in Boston, the five members of the commission agreed to pursue design of a two-part bidding process that would require casino operators to pass financial and integrity checks as a first step. If the companies pass that initial step, they would then be allowed to submit bids for operating licenses.

File photo | The Associated PressMembers of the five-person Massachusetts Gaming Commission attend a news conference in Boston. From left the members are: Enrique Zuniga, James F. McHugh, Chairman Stephen Crosby, Bruce Stebbins, and Gayle Cameron.

Stephen P. Crosby, chairman of the commission, said the proposal could cut between two and six months from the commission's estimate that it will be three to five years before a casino resort is up and running following a lengthy bidding and licensing effort. Crosby said the proposal could also save time and money for communities where casinos might locate.

"We're talking about a pretty substantial savings of time," Crosby said.

Commissioners first discussed the idea last week. Today, a consultant provided commissioners with sample disclosure forms and briefed them on what the process would include. Commissioners asked the consultant, Guy Michael, a lawyer with Michael & Carroll of Atlantic City, N.J., to come back in two weeks with a specific plan for a possible vote to proceed.

"It would show people — like your mayor — that we are sensitive to this issue and we're trying to think of everything we can think of to expedite the process without compromising anything material," Crosby said in an interview.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno had said he hoped the commission could reduce the number of years it estimates for casinos to open. Saying the city needs jobs and revenues, Sarno said on Monday that it is good to see the gaming commission is working to speed the licensing process.

The consultant said background investigations could take about six months, depending on the complexity of the application. Applicants who clear the first step could then move to the local approval process and to the process of submitting a comprehensive bid for a license.

The commission might need to subcontract the background investigations because it still needs to staff its own investigative bureau.

Sarno said a couple of other casino companies could also propose projects for Springfield.

In the only proposal so far for Springfield, Ameristar Casinos of Las Vegas is proposing a resort with 4,000 slot machines and a 600-room hotel on Page Boulevard in Springfield on 41 acres it purchased for $16 million in January.

Sarno said the competition among casino operators is going to be cut throat. The mayor said he plans to seek bids from possible consultants to advise the city on negotiating the best deal with a casino company.

Communities are allowed to negotiate agreements with casino companies that can include job guarantees, business for local vendors, road improvements and other items.

Voters in a potential host community must approve any casino deal before it can submit a bid to the gaming commission. In Boston, Springfield and Worcester, only a host ward must vote. The law does say a city's "local governing body" can vote to opt out of the provision for only a ward vote in the three most populated cities.

Bruce W. Stebbins of Springfield, a member of the commission, said the proposed two-step bidding could shorten the process. "I want us to beat expectations but be diligent about the process," Stebbins said.

Other commission members include James F. McHugh, Gayle Cameron and Enrique Zuniga. The commission was created to regulate, license and oversee expanded gambling in Massachusetts.

The state's casino law, signed in November by Gov. Deval L. Patrick, authorizes up to three casino resorts in different zones, including one within the four counties of Western Massachusetts.

The law also authorizes a slot facility that could be anywhere in the state.

In another possible entry in the Western Massachusetts casino sweepstakes, Westfield Mayor Daniel Knapik said this week that Penn National Gaming is eyeing a 280-acre plot of land near the Massachusetts Turnpike for a casino resort.

Chicopee Mayor Michael D. Bissonette has also said that he expects a casino proposal for his city.

The Mohegan Sun of Connecticut is planning a casino for 152 acres in Palmer off Exit 8 of the Massachusetts Turnpike. Hard Rock International of Florida proposed a casino in Holyoke, but was opposed by Mayor Alex Morse.

MGM Resorts International of Las Vegas recently dropped plans for a casino in Brimfield, but said it is looking elsewhere in Western Massachusetts.

Romney won the GOP presidential primaries in Indiana and North Carolina and was all but certain of victory in West Virginia, drawing close to the 1,144 delegates he needs to clinch the nomination.

U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar's loss in Indiana's primary after nearly 40 years in the Senate tented to overshadow Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romeny's win in three states Tuesday. Lugar, left, is seen outside a polling place earlier in the day, while Romney is seen at Lansing Community College in Michigan..

By KASIE HUNT
and TOM LoBIANCO

WASHINGTON – Veteran Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar lost a bitter challenge from the right flank of his own Republican Party Tuesday night, his nearly four-decade career in the Senate ended by a tea party-backed GOP foe.

Also Tuesday, North Carolina voters weighed a gay-marriage ban and Democrats were picking a nominee to challenge Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in a June recall election, contests that overshadowed Mitt Romney’s unstoppable progress toward the GOP presidential nomination.

Romney won the GOP presidential primaries in Indiana and North Carolina and was all but certain of victory in West Virginia, drawing close to the 1,144 delegates he needs to clinch the nomination.

Even Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, was essentially ignoring primaries that were likely to hand him 100 or so delegates of the 288 he still needed heading into Tuesday’s contests. He spent the day campaigning in Michigan, where he castigated President Barack Obama as an “old-school liberal” whose policies would take the country backward.

The outcomes of Tuesday’s far-flung voting were certain to give clues about the state of the electorate – and highlight the political minefields facing both Republican and Democratic candidates – six months before the general election.

In the biggest race of the night, Lugar lost to tea-party backed state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who will face Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly in the November general election. Before the polls had closed, Democrats were promising to compete hard against Mourdock. Republicans need to gain four seats to take control of the U.S. Senate, and a Lugar loss “gives Democrats a pickup opportunity,” said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

With voting under way, Lugar, 80, made clear he would stand by Tuesday’s outcome, ruling out running as an independent.

“This is it,” he said.

Playing out in a conservative state, the race illustrated the electorate’s animosity toward many incumbents and anyone with deep ties to Washington. That was clear when Lugar, who hasn’t faced questions about his residency in decades, found himself on the defensive over whether he lived in Indiana or northern Virginia. Lugar also was cast as too moderate for the conservative GOP in Indiana, and he took heat for his work with Democrats on issues such as nuclear nonproliferation, underscoring deep polarization in the country as well as a split in the GOP between the establishment wing and the insurgent tea party.

On Capitol Hill, Republicans braced for Lugar loss throughout the day.

“It says if you’re an incumbent, you better not lose touch with home,” said South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.

The Mourdock vs. Donnelly match up could develop into a hotly contested race with the potential to affect the White House contest.

Obama carried Indiana in 2008, partly because of his ties to the populous northwestern part of the state neighboring his hometown of Chicago. Democrats acknowledge it will be difficult to win Indiana again this year. Still, the state could become more hospitable to Obama if the Democrats, believing they have a better chance with Lugar out of the race, spend heavily to compete against Mourdock. The state now is on the Obama team’s watch list.

Elsewhere, North Carolina voters weighed in on whether to pass a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as solely between a man and a woman. Should the gay marriage ban pass, the state would be moving in an opposite direction from a string of states – Democratic-leaning places such as New York and Vermont as well as conservative Iowa – where same-sex marriage is now legal. Six states and Washington, D.C., now recognize gay unions.

North Carolina law already bans gay marriage, but the amendment on the state ballot would effectively slam that door.

In the days before the North Carolina vote, two top administration officials – Vice President Joe Biden and Education Secretary Arne Duncan – expressed support for gay marriage. Obama supports most gay rights but has stopped short of backing gay marriage.

The Biden and Duncan comments sent the White House into damage-control mode as gay rights advocates pressed for him to come out in support of same-sex unions before November. Aides also tried to use the focus on the issue to criticize Romney’s equivocations on gay rights over the years.

Romney, in turn, emphasized his position that marriage should be solely between one man and one woman. He has said that he supports a federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

In Wisconsin, voters were deciding whether to give Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett – one of four Democrats on the ballot – a rematch against Gov. Walker in the June 5 recall election or whether to back one of Barrett’s fellow Democrats.

Union rights are dominating the recall.

Walker effectively ended collective bargaining rights for most state workers and, since then, has emerged as a national conservative hero. The recall effort, mounted by opponents of his actions, has dominated the state political landscape, even overshadowing Romney’s primary victory there that essentially ended the nomination fight.

Now the presumptive nominee, Romney had no serious opposition in Indiana, West Virginia and North Carolina on Tuesday.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who gave Romney a tepid endorsement Monday night via e-mail, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich have dropped out of the race. Texas Rep. Ron Paul is still contesting the nomination, but he lags far behind in the delegate count.

AP writer Donna Cassata contributed to this report.

Cesan and outgoing selectman Fred Arnold both supported the school Proposition 2½ debt exclusion, which voters passed by a vote of 1,380-1,296.

Photo by Dave Roback / The RepublicanDifferent viewpoints on different sides of the street are displayed outside the polls in Southwick's annual town election Tuesday.

SOUTHWICK – The second vote was the charm for the $70 million makeover for the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District.

Voters in Tuesday’s annual town election also voted in a political newcomer to the Board of Selectmen. Tracy L. Cesan won a three-year term over incumbent Fred B. Arnold.

Arnold, 59, and Cesan, 39, supported the school Proposition 2½ debt exclusion, which voters passed by a vote of 1,380-1,296.

"Yea" was Cesan initial response to her victory over Arnold. She received 1,274 votes to Arnold"s 1,250.

"I am proud of my family and the people who stood with me. I will work really hard to support the town. I am very happy," said Cesan.

Arnold said "The people wanted a change. I can respect that. It is what it is." Arnold, a veteran member of the Board of Selectmen 11 years total on the board along with eight previous years as a member of the Planning Board, said he does not plan on requesting a recount.

"I was always here for the town and I don't think the cost of a recount will be worth it," he said.

There were other surprises Tuesday but they were blamed on the failure of the Democratic Town Committee to properly certified candidates for the ballot. As a result Democrat incumbents for School committee, Library Trustee, Park and Recreation Commission, Board of Health and Housing Authority had to request voters to write their names in the appropriate ballot boxes.

At least two, School Committee veteran Charles R. Condron and Housing Authority incumbent J. Patrick Ayotte lost. Condron lost his seat to newcomer Darrell E. Cass, an unenrolled candidate, for the three-year school board seat. Ayotte lost his seat on the Housing Authority to Republican candidate Joanne E. Horacek. Cass picked up 1,193 votes to Condron's 618 while Horacek received 1,497 votes to Ayotte's 332.

Other Democrats were successful with Jeffrey R. Houle and Jean M. McGivney-Burelle each re-elected to two-year terms while James E. Vincent and George A. LeBlanc returned to the school board for one year terms each. There were no other candidates for those seats.

Democratic Board of Health member Jerome M. Azia earned another three-year term on that board. There was no other candidate for that post. Democrat Daniel D. Call was re-elected to a three-year term on Park and Recreation along with Republican Li-Ling L. Waller.

Democrat Suzanne Davis was also successful in her write-in quest for another three-year term as Library Trustee. Also re-elected was Republican incumbent richard R. Hauff.

The write-in process delayed the final election results until 1:15 a.m. Wednesday.

The school vote will allow the town to exclude the cost of bonding for the overall school construction and renovation project. Tolland and Granville voters approved the school project in January, but Southwick voters rejected the measure then by a 1,141 to 1,390 margin.

Since then, school officials have revised the plan’s financing formulas and other aspects of the project for Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School, Powder Mill Middle School and Woodland elementary School.

The early project was estimated to cost the average homeowner here about $400 annually in property taxes. The revised plan calls for property taxes on average to rise about $209 annually.

The project includes an addition at the high school and the assignment of grades seven and eight at the facility. Powder Mill Middle and Woodland schools will receive needed repairs and updating. There will also be changes in class assignments in those buildings with grades three to six at Powder Mill and kindergarten through grade two at Woodland.

Vincent, a retired principal at Southwick-Tolland Regional High School, said project planning will now move to final design. "It has been a long process and I am very pleased with the outcome of this vote. The school administration, project manager and a devoted group of parents and other volunteer supporters of the project deserve the credit," he said.

Project manager Jonathan Winikur of Strategic Building Solutions of Madison, Conn., said he expects a ground breaking for the start of construction by mid-2013. "It has been a three-year effort. This is a terrific outcome and voters gave the project serious consideration."

The state's School Building Authority has agreed to finance about 60 percent of the overall project cost, leaving Southwick, Tolland and Granville to finance about $29 million of the cost.

In other election results incumbents Paul M. Connolly, assessor; Diane L. Mason-Arnold, Cemetery Commission; Dean M. Rankin, Dickinson School Trustee; and Rosalyn Terry, Planning Board, were unchallenged. Also, Joseph J. Deedy was elected to a two-year term on the Planning Board without opposition.

Water Commissioner Peter Jakobowski easily won re-election to a three-year by defeating challenger John J. Cashman, 1,435 votes to 637.

Town Clerk Michelle L. Hill said 2,769 of the town's total 6,221 registered voters cast ballots Tuesday for a 45 percent voter turnout.

Gov. Deval Patrick and immigration activists object to the program.

File photo | Associated Press09.28.2011 | BOSTON — Protesters wearing handcuffs holds up signs urging the stop of the "Secure Communities" program, or "S Comm", at a news conference held by Massachusetts county sheriffs at the Statehouse. The program is designed to immediately check the immigration status of those arrested for crimes. Opponents say it will lead to profiling. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security notified state officials Tuesday that despite the objections of Gov. Deval Patrick and immigration activists, they plan to launch a federal program aimed at identifying illegal immigrants arrested for crimes.

Massachusetts Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan described the Secure Communities program as an information sharing program between federal agencies that can only be implemented by the federal government.

Heffernan said the program will have no practical effect on how Massachusetts handles fingerprints and information sharing.

"We already send all fingerprints to the federal government and have been doing so for years," Heffernan said. "That practice will continue so we can protect public safety and meet our local law enforcement needs."

Patrick said last year that Massachusetts wouldn't participate in the federal program, which checks the immigration status of people who are arrested.

"I'm persuaded that here in the commonwealth, we will give up more than we get," the Democratic governor said at the time. "We run a serious risk of ethnic profiling and frankly fracturing incredibly important relationships in communities that are necessary for law enforcement."

Supporters of Secure Communities, including Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, say the program is important to help identify illegal immigrants arrested for crimes in Massachusetts.

Brown applauded the move Tuesday, calling it "an important tool in keeping our citizens safe and giving our law enforcement officials, especially the sheriffs, the tools and resources they need to do their jobs."

"The people of Massachusetts will finally have the protection they deserve from violent criminals who have entered our country illegally," Brown said.

Federal officials said the activation of Secure Communities doesn't change a local jurisdiction's existing law enforcement or fingerprinting policies or practices. The only new development is that once the FBI receives the fingerprints, they will send them to the Department of Homeland Security.

The fingerprints will be compared to biometric information in the department's immigration databases. When there is a match, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent will determine whether immigration enforcement action would be appropriate.

Federal officials said the program doesn't authorize local law enforcement agencies to enforce immigration law or give them any other responsibilities.

Immigration officials say all determinations about whether to remove illegal immigrants identified through Secure Communities are made on a case-by-case basis, considering the unique circumstances of each case.

Officials say they consider a number of factors such as criminal record, immigration history, family ties, duration of stay in the U.S., and significant medical and mental health issues.

Immigration activists say the Secure Communities program seeks to criminalize people just because they don't have the proper documentation to live and work in the U.S.

Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis hailed the decision, pointing to the case of an Ecuadorean man charged with dragging a motorcyclist to his death with his pickup truck in Milford last summer.

Nicolas Guaman pleaded not guilty in Worcester Superior Court to a variety of charges including second-degree murder, manslaughter by motor vehicle and motor vehicle homicide while driving negligently and under the influence of alcohol. He was ordered held without bail.

Authorities say Guaman is an illegal immigrant who was behind the wheel of a pickup truck that struck a motorcycle driven by 23-year-old Matthew Denice.

Police allege Guaman drove a quarter of a mile with Denice stuck in the truck's wheel well, even as witnesses banged on the vehicle begging him to pull over.

"Following the tragic death of Matthew, I made a promise to his family that I would do everything in my power to bring this program to Massachusetts so that other families would not have to endure the pain they suffered," Evangelidis said Tuesday.

Mayor Alex Morse decided to use $450,000 of the $1.07 million Community Development Block Grant for the 2 projects.

File photo | The Republican — This could be a scene in Holyoke sometime next year as plans proceed for a skateboard park.

HOLYOKE — The city would build a skateboard park for $250,000 and fix $200,000 worth of sidewalks among other items Mayor Alex B. Morse has chosen to fund with a federal grant.

“I’m very excited about this year’s recipients,” Morse said Tuesday.

“It’s important to support our city’s young people. This has been a project on the Youth Vision Map for over a decade. Furthermore, young people are forced to skateboard in public parking facilities and other locations that aren’t designed for skate boarders, which puts both the young people and the city at risk. I look forward to working with our city’s youth to pick a location and construct a good design,” he said.

The city’s share of the Community Development Block Grant for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is $1,066,087, he said.

That’s down from the current year’s $1.2 million, which dropped 16 percent from the previous year’s $1.4 million.

“The needs of the city and its residents have increased, yet the funding has decreased. The city received more than double the amount of requests than the funding available. Difficult choices had to be made,” Morse said.

The money can be used to improve housing, the living environment and economic opportunities, primarily for low- to moderate-income people.

Young people have been asking for a designated area to use skateboards since the late 1990’s, said Teresa M. Shepard, director of the Parks and Recreation Department.

A skateboard park site has yet to be determined. The plan is to have a public hearing, design the park by fall, seek bids from developers in the winter and begin construction in a year, Morse and Shepard said.

“We’re hoping whoever gets the contract (to design) will hold some public hearings and help us find the best site,” Shepard said.

Under federal guidelines, money can be used to fix sidewalks in neighborhoods that meet certain income levels, Morse said.

Among other areas getting the federal money, Morse has approved $200,000 to Olde Holyoke Development Corp. to provide rebates to income-eligible homeowners for repairs; $9,014 for a Freddie the Firetruck, an animated robot used to teach youngsters fire safety; and $10,000 to the Latino Chamber of Commerce to help small businesses with business plans and counseling, he said.

Also, $213,217 of the federal grant will pay for salaries and other administrative costs in the Office for Community Development at City Hall.

The process of determining which groups and projects get funding consists of leaders of such areas filing applications and the City Council Redevelopment Committee holding hearings, with the final decision the mayor’s.

Longmeadow residents voted on 26 warrant articles during the annual Town Meeting.

The Republican | Elizabeth RomanResident David Gustafson speaks during Longmeadow's annual Town Meeting held Tuesday night at Longmeadow High School.

LONGMEADOW — Residents voted on more than 25 warrant articles during the annual Town Meeting Tuesday at Longmeadow High School, including a $56.2 million budget and nearly $900,000 to pay for the clean-up of the October snowstorm.

Residents approved Article 2, which will allocate $890,000 to pay a portion of the nearly $12 million cost of the clean-up. The town will use $100,000 of the approved funds toward paying the interest on a $9.2 million bond taken out to pay for the storm costs.

Select Board Chairman Mark Gold said the Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse the town for a large portion of the storm clean-up costs, but the town has to pay the cost up front and will still have to pay $2.8 million.

Residents voted in favor of Article 6, a balanced budget of $56.2 million for fiscal year 2013, which was amended on the Town Meeting floor by about $105,000.

Town Manager Robin Crosbie said in order to pay for collective bargaining agreements, the budget had to be amended to include $29,669 for the fire department and $75,000 for the school department.

Crosbie said there was a lot of collaboration between the Select Board, School Committee and Finance Committee to present a balanced budget for the town.

No action was taken on Article 8, which was a tax rebate intended for seniors over the age of 70. Council on Aging Board of Directors Chairman John Bowen said while the council feels this proposal is a good one, it may need to be revised in order to get approval by the state.

The article proposed a tax break for residents over the age of 70 who have lived in town for more than 10 years and who have an income no greater than $35,000 for a single person or $39,000 for a two-income family.

Bowen said the town modeled its proposal on the town of Sudbury’s proposal that was passed last year. He said the state, however, has not approved that town’s proposal.

Bowen hopes to present the proposal again during the fall special Town Meeting.

Article 11 was approved, allocating $20,000 for tree services. The money will go toward dealing with tree damage from the October storm that will not be covered by FEMA.

Voters approved Article 12, which will allocate $872,048 for capitol projects, including $300,000 for road reconstruction and pavement and $200,000 for sidewalk and guardrail replacement.

Capitol projects also include $40,000 for electrical upgrades at Williams Middle School, $25,000 for alarm systems at both Williams and Glenbrook Middle School, $55,000 for a heating unit replacement at Greenwood Center, $75,000 for a storm water drainage system evaluation and more.

Crosbie said there are a lot of storm drainage problems in town. The evaluation would allow an engineer to identify the lines that need to be repaired in order of priority.

Department of Public Works Director Michael Wrabel said while some emergency repairs have been done on sidewalks, he is hoping to do a more thorough and permanent job with the allocated funds.

Voters also approved articles 13, 14 and 15 totaling nearly $2 million for replacement of sewer and water lines and repairs to the Emerson Road sewer pumping station. Wrabel said about $30 million is necessary to repair all of the sewer lines in town, and the work will take more than a decade to complete.

Voters also approved articles 21 and 22, which will allocate $156,500 from Community Preservation Act funds to replace a boiler, repair a driveway and replace a sewer lateral outside the Community House.

Residents approved Article 27 to place $258,464 in the Other Post Employment Benefit Liability Trust Fund.

Voters did not approve Article 28, which would have provided $10,000 to evaluate allocation of Public Works personnel and operating costs.

With most of the precincts reporting Tuesday, unofficial returns showed the amendment passing with about 61 percent of the vote to 39 percent against. North Carolina is the 30th state to adopt such a ban on gay marriage.

Signs display messages about gay marriage in front of the Devon Park United Methodist Church polling site on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, in Wilmington, N.C. North Carolina could be the next state to pass a constitutional amendment defining marriage as solely between a man and a woman. Voters are casting their ballots Tuesday. (AP Photo/The Star-News, Ken Blevins)

By MARTHA WAGGONER, Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment Tuesday defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman, becoming the latest state to effectively slam the door shut on same-sex marriages.

With most of the precincts reporting Tuesday, unofficial returns showed the amendment passing with about 61 percent of the vote to 39 percent against. North Carolina is the 30th state to adopt such a ban on gay marriage.

Tami Fitzgerald, who heads the pro-amendment group Vote FOR Marriage NC, said she believes the initiative awoke a silent majority of more active voters in the future.

"I think it sends a message to the rest of the country that marriage is between one man and one woman," Fitzgerald said at a celebration Tuesday night. "The whole point is simply that you don't rewrite the nature of God's design based on the demands of a group of adults."

In the final days before the vote, members of President Barack Obama's cabinet expressed support for gay marriage and former President Bill Clinton recorded phone messages urging voters to oppose the amendment.

Supporters of the amendment responded with marches, television ads and speeches. The Rev. Billy Graham was featured in full-page newspaper ads backing the amendment.

North Carolina law already bans gay marriage, but an amendment effectively seals the door on same-sex marriages.

View full sizeSeth Keel, center, is consoled by his boyfriend, Ian Chambers, left, and his mother Jill Hinton, during a concession speech at an Amendment One opposition party Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at The Stockroom at 230 in downtown Raleigh, N.C. North Carolina voters approved the constitutional amendment Tuesday defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman, becoming the latest state to effectively slam the door shut on same-sex marriages. (AP Photo/The News & Observer, Travis Long)

The amendment also goes beyond state law by voiding other types of domestic unions from carrying legal status, which opponents warn could disrupt protection orders for unmarried couples.

The campaign manager for the group that opposed the amendment said the nation watched North Carolina on Tuesday night, wondering how the anti-forces came through.

"I am happy to say that we are stronger for it; we are better for it; our voices are louder now," said Jeremy Kennedy of Protect All NC Families. "We have courage like we never had before, and we have strength to continue on."

Supporters had run their own ad campaigns and church leaders urged Sunday congregations to vote for the amendment. The Rev. Billy Graham, who at 93 remains influential even though his last crusade was in 2005, was featured in full-page newspaper ads supporting the amendment.

Both sides spent a combined $3 million on their campaigns.

Six states — all in the Northeast except Iowa — and the District of Columbia allow same sex marriages. In addition, two other states have laws that are not yet in effect and may be subject to referendums

The North Carolina amendment was placed on the ballot after Republicans took over control of the state Legislature after the 2010 elections, a role the GOP hadn't enjoyed for 140 years.

Joe Easterling, who described himself as a devout Christian, voted for the amendment at a polling place in Wake Forest.

"I know that some people may argue that the Bible may not necessarily be applicable, or it should not be applicable, on such policy matters. But even looking at nature itself, procreation is impossible without a man and a woman. And because of those things, I think it is important that the state of North Carolina's laws are compatible with the laws of nature but, more importantly, with the laws of God."

View full sizeDr. Patrick Wooden Sr. pastor of the Upper Room Church of God In Christ and his wife Pamela Wooden celebrate early returns that show strong support for Amendment One during an election night party at the N. Raleigh Hilton in Raleigh, N.C., on Tuesday May 8, 2012. North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment Tuesday defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman, becoming the latest state to effectively slam the door shut on same-sex marriages. (AP Photo/The News & Observer, Robert Willett)

Linda Toanone, who voted against the amendment, said people are born gay and it is not their choice.

"We think everybody should have the same rights as everyone else. If you're gay, lesbian, straight — whatever," she said.

North Carolina is the latest presidential swing state to weigh in on gay marriage. Florida, Virginia and Ohio all have constitutional amendments against gay marriage, and Obama's election-year vagueness on gay marriage has come under fresh scrutiny.

Obama, who supports most gay rights, has stopped short of backing gay marriage. Without clarification, he's said for the past year and a half that his personal views on the matter are "evolving."

Education Secretary Arne Duncan broke ranks with the White House on Monday, stating his unequivocal support for same-sex marriage one day after Vice President Joe Biden said he is "absolutely comfortable" with same-sex married couples getting the same rights at heterosexual married couples.

One fault line that could determine the result is generational. Older voters, who tend to be more reliable voters, were expected to back the amendment.

State House Speaker Thom Tillis, a Republican from a Charlotte suburb, said earlier in the day that even if the amendment passed, it would be reversed as today's young adults age — within 20 years. "It's a generational issue," Tillis told a student group at North Carolina State University in March about the amendment he supports.

"Also, that amendment is against women, I believe, because also underneath the amendment, other laws are saying that people who aren't married at all, they can't file for domestic abuse cases, if they're living with their significant other. Which is wrong," Toanone said.

In North Carolina, more than 500,000 voters had cast their ballot before Tuesday, which was more than the 2008 primary when Obama and Hillary Clinton were fighting for the Democratic presidential nomination. Both sides said that bodes well for them.

___

Associated Press writers Allen Reed, Allen G. Breed, Emery P. Dalesio and Gary D. Robertson contributed to this report.

More than four days removed from a violent assault on Belmont Avenue, Nguyen said she is still scared. Several times during an interview about the incident she said it happened so fast, she did not know what to do. Watch video

The Republican | Dave RobackDiem Nguyen, the victim of an attack on Belmont Avenue that was captured on security video, said it happened so quickly and she did not know what to do.

Springfield police photoA screen capture from surveillance footage shows an unidentified man approaching Diem Nguyen and her daughter, seconds before attacking them outside a Belmont Avenue store. Police are seeking public assistance in identifying the man.

SPRINGFIELD – What Diem Nguyen saw first was the knife.

After working late at her nail salon on Friday and picking up her 4-year-old daughter at the baby-sitter, Nguyen stopped for groceries at Ben Thanh Market on Belmont Avenue at around 8:15 p.m..

And that’s when she was attacked by an unknown man with a knife.

“I was just getting my daughter out of the car and the guy came up. I didn’t see his face; all I could see was the knife.”

Nguyen, 43, is the woman much of Western Massachusetts was talking about over the last few days.

Video of the assault, recorded by the store’s security camera, was released by Springfield police with the hope that someone would recognize the assailant. There was no arrest as of Tuesday evening, but the video itself has gone viral over the Internet. It is being shown on multiple websites, including MassLive.com.

The video shows Nguyen running off camera, leaving her 4-year-old daughter alone with the assailant. For a brief moment, he has his hands on her.

Seconds later, the man follows Nguyen off camera. Seconds after that they both appear as she makes a run for the entrance of the store and he grabs her in the door. It was during this time that Nguyen suffered a slight stab wound to the collarbone area.

More than four days removed from the assault, Nguyen said she is still scared. Several times during the interview she said it happened so fast, she did not know what to do.

A common response from people who have seen the video, once they process the
brutality of the attack, is to criticize Nguyen for running away and leaving her daughter. She said she never ran away, and did not abandon her daughter.

Nguyen said when she saw the knife and the man demanded her purse, she backed away “4-5 steps” into the road, where she began to yell for help.

There was no one out on the street to hear her, she said.

She remembers her attacker yelling “If you run, I’ll kill her.”

Nguyen said it was happening so fast that she did not know what to do. There was no one to hear her screaming in the street, and there were people in the store but they could not hear her. That’s when she kicked off her shoes and ran for the front entrance to the market.

“I ran to the door to get help,” she said.

She described the struggle in the doorway with the assailant as a battle for survival.

She was holding onto the door frame and screaming for people inside the store to come help her, and her attacker is trying to pull her outside. Nguyen said she held on with all her strength because she feared if she was dragged outside, she would be killed.

As she talks, a large bruise is noticeable on her left arm, and a small bandage is visible at her right collarbone. Both are from the struggle in the doorway. She also said she had a large bruise on her upper right thigh.

The Republican | Dave RobackDiem Nguyen describes fighting her her attacker in the doorway of a market on Belmont Avenue. She held onto the doorway with all her strength and yelled inside for help as the attacker tried to pull her outside

“I don’t know what would have happened if I didn’t get to the door,” she said. “It happened so quickly.”

Her husband, Mot Nguyen, said he was at home waiting for his wife when the owner of the market called him to say she had been attacked.

“I quit everything and immediately got there,” he said.

He said he arrived to find his daughter screaming hysterically, and his wife wearing a blouse that was covered with blood. The daughter was so scared that she did not recognize him when he tried to comfort her at the scene.

He said he asked the store owner to call for an ambulance, and they spent the rest of the evening in the emergency room where Diem was treated for her injuries.

He said has seen the video and it left him terrified.

“It was unbelievable,” he said. “For it to happen to my wife and family was unbelievable.”

He said their daughter could not sleep for a couple of nights, that she would wake up in a panic. Diem Nguyen said their daughter is doing fine now.

The attacker was described by police as wearing a dark-colored jacket over a white T-shirt. He was also wearing white sneakers, a dark baseball cap and jeans with white embroidering on the rear pockets.

People with information are asked to call the Springfield Police Detective Bureau at (413) 787-6355. Anonymous text messages may be sent to CRIMES (274637); begin the message with the word SOLVE.

Diam Nguyen said she hopes the man is apprehended.

“I hope they catch that guy. That guy is really dangerous,” she said.

The inmate, Keith Judd, is serving time at the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution in Texas for making threats at the University of New Mexico in 1999.

Federal inmate number 11593-051, or Keith Russell Judd as he is also known, has run for president on several occasions, most recently taking votes away from President Barack Obama in the Democratic primary in West Virginia. (Associated Press file photo)

By LAWRENCE MESSINA, Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Just how unpopular is President Barack Obama in some parts of the country? Enough that a man in prison in Texas is getting 4 out of 10 votes in West Virginia's Democratic presidential primary.

The inmate, Keith Judd, is serving time at the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution in Texas for making threats at the University of New Mexico in 1999.

Judd has run for president in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008, according to Project Vote Smart.

Voters in other states showed their displeasure with Obama in Democratic primaries last March.

In Oklahoma, anti-abortion protestor Randall Terry got 18 percent of the primary vote. A lawyer from Tennessee, John Wolfe, pulled nearly 18,000 votes in the Louisiana primary.

In Alabama, 18 percent of Democratic voters chose "uncommitted" in the primary rather than vote for Obama.