Jennifer Levi, a professor at Western New England University in Springfield, has written a book about transgender family law, a subject nearly in its infancy.

Staff photo by Don TreegerJoy Ladin, pictured here at a cafe in Hadley, made the transition from male to female beginning in 2006 and is advocating for transgender rights.

HADLEY – Jay Ladin took out a two-year life insurance policy in 2006, intending to kill himself and leave everything to his three children.

After he discovered insurers would refuse to pay out on the policy in the event of a suicide, Ladin took out another life insurance policy of sorts: becoming Joy Ladin.

“I was counting the days,” says Ladin, now 50, of her premature end-of-life plan, reportedly common in the life of a transgendered person who, for many reasons, initially refused to make the transition to what he or she believes is his or her true gender identity. “We all spend nights bargaining with God.”

Ladin’s 18-year marriage crumbled in 2008, and her time with her children, who still call her “Dad,” was cut at least in half. Her tenured position as a literature professor at the prestigious Yeshiva University in Manhattan was threatened, and she was marginalized in the probate court system and by prospective landlords.

Gay advocates say Ladin’s tortured transformation is a blueprint for most others – at least those who have been identified.

The National Center for Transgender Equity said in a 2009 report that the numbers of transgenders in the population are hard to define because no central agency keeps track of them and many don’t come out publicly. But the agency estimates a quarter of a percent to 1 percent of the population is transsexual.

Transsexual rights are in their infancy. In progressive Massachusetts, the first state to permit same-sex marriage, in 2003, they were excluded from many civil protections until July 1, when a Transgender Equal Rights bill came into law.

The bill prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity in employment, education, housing, credit and lending and makes violence against transgender individuals a hate crime.

Including Massachusetts, 16 states plus Washington, D.C., have passed laws prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression, according to the Transgender Law and Policy Institute. Rhode Island was the first state to enact such legislation in 2001.

Certain municipalities and counties have passed their own anti-transgender discrimination laws over the years – the first being Minneapolis, Minn., in 1975. There are 142 more cities and counties that have ushered in similar mandates since, according to the institute.

Jennifer L. Levi, a professor at Western New England University School of Law, says family courts are, by many accounts, decades behind.

“We’ve seen courts treat gender identity in the same way courts treated sexual orientation decades ago,” said Levi, also the lawyer for seven gay and lesbian couples who petitioned the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to validate gay marriage nine years ago.

To that end, Levi has co-edited “Transgender Family Law: A Guide to Effective Advocacy.” Levi said there are not many reported cases of transgendered people as litigants throughout the country, but she wanted to pull all the case law together that she could to guide attorneys.

“There’s not a lot, but there are some and most of it was pretty bad ... Being transsexual is often held against someone in a divorce, and many of these (divorce) cases don’t even make it to the courts because the client is so afraid of the outcome they quickly negotiate away everything,” said Levi, also director of the Transgender Rights Project at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders in Boston.

The book covers divorce law, estate planning, key transgender terms, changes in legal name and sex and attorney-client relationships with transgenders, among other topics.

Northampton lawyer Anne T. Margolis said she used the book as a reference when she had a female client who married a transgender man, and the father of the woman’s child challenged her sole custody.

“I found so many answers to basic questions including how to change your name and social security number, to how a lawyer should introduce a transgender client and other basic things like access to bathrooms in the person’s legal office,” Margolis said. “I also found guidance on very complex issues such as division of assets, pensions, guardianships and living wills.”

Margolis, like Levi, likened legal attitudes toward transgenders to “horror stories about domestic partners in the old days” when longtime same-sex domestic partners were completely cut off when their partners grew ill or died.

Transgenders are defined by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation as: “a term used to describe people whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth. Transgender people may or may not decide to alter their bodies hormonally and/or surgically.”

Ladin said she has encountered discrimination from gays and lesbians in addition to heterosexuals. Transgenders refer to themselves as “T-people,” she says, and differ greatly from those who simply are attracted to the same sex, or those who cross-dress as a way of expression.

Ladin said she was among those who essentially bargained away nearly everything in divorce court, and initially had to endure a test by a court-appointed guardian judging whether she posed a danger to her children as a transsexual.

She now has custody of her children three days per week, and commutes back and forth to her job in Manhattan in order to stay close to them.

There is a lot she will do for her children, considering what she could not do, Ladin says.

Her relationships with the three, now 18, 12 and 8, differ, but she describes them as positive.

“My youngest will be with me on the playground and call me ‘Daddy,’ and when people stare she’ll say: ‘I know. He’s my dad but he looks like a girl. Isn’t that funny?’” Ladin says.

They have all found ways to cope.

Levi said that although strides are being made in the transgender rights world, the group still report unemployment rates that are twice as high as the general population and 11 percent of transgenders report being evicted after going public. 

The shooting occurred at approximately 12:15 p.m. on Interstate 495 northbound in Merrimac, near Mile Marker 115.

The Republican file photo

MERRIMAC – The Massachusetts State Police are continuing to investigate the road rage-motivated car-to-car shooting in Merrimac that injured a 16-year-old girl on Sunday, July 1, according to a release from state police. As part of the ongoing investigation, we are again asking members of the public to contact police if they have any information.

To date, despite fairly heavy traffic on the road at that time, we have received very few leads, none of which have led to anything substantial. We are renewing the request for information today with the theory that certain motorists who may have witnessed something important may only travel that route on the weekends for vacation or recreational purposes.

The shooting occurred at approximately 12:15 p.m. on Interstate 495 northbound in Merrimac, near Mile Marker 115. The 16-year-old girl, who was the left rear seat passenger in a 2002 Nissan XTerra, was shot once in her upper arm. Evidence suggests she was shot through the window next to her. In the car with her at the time were her parents and younger brother. The family lives in Maine and was returning home after a conference.

Members of the family said she was shot by the passenger of a white car, believed to be a Honda Accord. The shooting followed a road rage exchange between the drivers of the suspect vehicle and of the XTerra.

The sequence of events as reported by the victim’s family follows, along with descriptions of both vehicles and the occupants of the suspect vehicle. We have also included a photo of the family’s vehicle, and a photo of a generic late model white Honda Accord (not the exact car). We hope that motorists who may have been on Interstate 495 in or near Merrimac around noon or shortly after on Sunday, July 1 look closely at the photos and descriptions, and the sequence of events.

The incident began with the Maine family’s XTerra driving north on Interstate 495 in the town of Merrimac, near Mile Marker 115;

The suspect’s white Accord, while in the center lane, sped up and passed the XTerra and then suddenly cut in front of it, causing the XTerra’s driver to brake hard;

The XTerra then pulled into the center lane, sped up and passed the white Accord, and then pulled back into the left lane in front of the Accord, causing the Accord’s driver to brake suddenly.

The XTerra then pulled back into the center lane and slowed down;

The Accord then pulled up in the left lane, along side of the XTerra, and the passenger fired at least two shots at the XTerra, one of which struck the car, going through the left side backseat window and through the teenage girl’s arm. The Accord sped away.

The XTerra then pulled to the right side of the road and slowed, but did not stop, as the victim’s mother called 911 and the father used a GPS system to locate a nearby hospital.

The family made the decision to drive to a hospital themselves rather than wait for an ambulance. The GPS first directed the family to the site of the old Amesbury Hospital, which is no longer in operation. State Police from the Newbury Barracks re-directed the family to Anna Jacques Hospital in Newburyport. Troopers were waiting for them when they pulled into the hospital lot.

The suspect vehicle was described as a late model white Honda Accord with tinted windows, with a red, white, and blue registration plate, believed to be a Massachusetts plate. The car was clean, and had no stickers, dents, or other distinguishable marks.

The gunman, the front-seat passenger in the Accord, was described as a light-skinned African American or Hispanic man, approximately in his 20s, with short dark hair and wearing a gray t-shirt and sunglasses. The driver was described as a white, Hispanic, or light-skinned African American young woman with her hair in a “messy” bun with frosted tips and wearing large sunglasses.

Anyone who may have observed a sequence of events like that described above, or a vehicle or vehicles that look like those in the photos below, are asked to please call the State Police Barracks in Newbury at (978) 462-7478. Any information, no matter how inconsequential it may seem, may be in important to us.

Bobby Valentine talks about Beckett's pregame routine, says Beckett is a "dog that is hard to teach a new trick to."

Associated PressIs Beckett's pregame routine hurting his production on the field?

BOSTON – Josh Beckett has a problem and it seems that he may be too stuck in his ways to find a solution.

After giving up a pair of runs to the Toronto Blue Jays Friday night to raise his first-inning ERA to a robust 10.69, manager Bobby Valentine was asked if Beckett should start warming up earlier so he’s ready to go by the time the game starts.

The problem, Valentine said, isn’t that Beckett needs to start warming up earlier. He thinks that the righty needs to start later.

“Josh warms up earlier than anyone in the history of baseball, I think” Valentine said. “The question would be, ‘Should he warm up later?’ Maybe.”

So why doesn’t the team have him make a change to see if it somehow alleviates Beckett’s issues early in games?

“This is a dog that is hard to teach a new trick to,” Valentine said. “He’s been very successful warming up as early as he warms up. I’ve never seen anybody have the break he has in between the time he warms up and in between the time he goes out there.”

Valentine wouldn’t say how early Beckett begins throwing before games, only stating that other pitchers are typically just starting to play catch by the time Beckett is already working in the bullpen.

Valentine said that there have been a lot of conversations about trying out a new routine, but Beckett has not made a change. He’s not sure it would make a difference if Beckett were willing to do so.

“I don’t know if changing the habit is going to do anything other than to give an answer to a question,” Valentine said.

ELLSBURY, AVILES REST: Centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and shortstop Mike Aviles were held out of Saturday’s starting lineup for medical reasons.

Ellsbury’s day off was scheduled, while Aviles is suffering from turf toe. He is considered to be day to day.

With Ellsbury out, Ryan Sweeney started in centerfield, and Daniel Nava started in right field for the first time in his Red Sox career.

Sheehan has been relieved of duty and will receive a duty status hearing during the coming week, state police said.

File photo

ENFIELD – An off-duty Massachusetts state trooper who works out of the Russell barracks was charged early this morning with operating under the influence and marked lanes violation here.

Just before 1 a.m. Saturday, an Enfield patrolman came across a 2002 Cadillac Escalade off the road on Taylor Road, near Shaker Road. There was no damage to the vehicle, no sign of a crash and the driver was not injured, according to a press release from Massachusetts state police.

The driver, identified as Daniel Sheehan, 46, was the only occupant and was passed out or sleeping inside the vehicle, the release stated.

An Enfield patrol supervisor also responded, and officers gave field sobriety tests to the driver, after which they placed him under arrest. Sheehan posted $500 bail and was picked up by a friend.

According to information from the Massachusetts state police, Sheehan graduated from the State Police Academy in 2002. He has been relieved of duty and will receive a duty status hearing during the coming week.

Sheehan will be arraigned in a Connecticut courtroom on July 30. The State Police Internal Affairs Section will monitor the court proceedings.

Varitek was honored prior to Saturday's game.

Associated PressJason Varitek's smack heard around the world was a monumental piece in the New York vs. Boston rivalry.

BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox have bid their final farewells to Jason Varitek.

Varitek announced his retirement March 1 at Fenway South, citing that it was the best decision for him and his family. On Saturday, he was given his proper farewell in an on field celebration at Fenway Park, where he was joined by his family, friends, and various influential figures from his career.

Gone but not forgotten, his teammates spent the afternoon talking about how much Varitek meant to the organization and how his legacy continues to live on.

“I was very fortunate to come up when I did and be part of this organization with him,” Lester said. “He really helped me early in my career. He helped a lot of guys out. I think that kind of sums up ‘Tek.”

Varitek spent 14 years with the Red Sox, helped the team to two World Series, and finished with the most hits, home runs, RBIs, and runs by a catcher in team history. But it was ‘C’ that he wore on his chest and the attitude Lester spoke of that best defines his legacy.

When Varitek was named captain in 2004 he famously talked about how he loved being dirt dog because it reflected how the city felt about the game.

"Being a Red Sox in this city just pulls a lot out of me because I think a lot of my values and a lot of the fans' values and a lot of guys that play here have the same values,” he said. “They like to get dirty; fans like us to get dirty. We want to play hard and leave what we have on the field, and that's what they demand out of you here."

And that’s how he always approached the game. Numbers never mattered to him. He measured his success and failures by how well that day’s starting pitcher performed and if the team won.

Each day he would devour a binder of stats and tendencies of the opposing hitters, then devise a plan on how to best attack them. That level of preparation is reflected in the fact that he caught four no-hitters, the most in history.

The way he prepared for each game rubbed off on Jarrod Saltalamacchia last season, and he pays his respects to the captain by trying to best emulate his approach to the game.

“The importance of the pitchers is obviously No. 1,” Saltalamacchia said. “It doesn’t matter what you do at the plate, it’s more important what you’re doing behind the plate. That’s really helped me out a lot.

“At the end of the day, the win is what matters. You can’t win if the pitchers don’t pitch. I’m not here to create all the offense. I’m being paid to catch and call a good game.”

The Red Sox acquired Varitek and Derek Lowe in a trade with the Seattle Mariners for Heathcliff Slocumb in 1997. He became a mainstay on Boston’s roster the next season and quickly became a favorite of the pitching staff.

Players such as Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett swore by him, and he helped develop other young pitchers such as Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester. He was always there to offer advice or even tackle a charging hitter, and his pitchers always loved him for it.

“I’m probably a little biased. I’m sure there’s guys on other teams who have guys on their teams who they say the same thing about,” Josh Beckett told reporters after Varitek announced his retirement. “Even watching him from afar, you could see other guys on other teams have that respect for Jason and he deserved it.”

While none of the nine incidents caused serious damage, a fire department spokesman said having so many in such a short span in one neighborhood is of great concern to the Fire Department.

The Republican/Michael BeswickPedro Alicea, of Kimberly Avenue in Springfield, stands next to one of his vehicles that was vandalized recently. Another vehicle had graffiti spray-painted on it, and a rag stuffed in its gas tank. While the rag was ignited, the fire did not spread, and caused only minor damage.

SPRINGFIELD – Some residents on Kimberly Avenue in the Forest Park section are on edge after a series of set fires in their neighborhood. Several said they can’t sleep at night, that every sound wakes them. One said she wants to move.

Nine fires have been set since Wednesday, on Kimberly Avenue, Burton Street, Palm Avenue and Allen Street.

Pedro Alicea, of 11 Kimberly Ave., said in the past week, he has had three incidents at his house. First, his work van had a window smashed. Then his truck was targeted with graffiti – “Wolf Gang 666.” The last incident happened Friday, when a burning rag was found stuffed into the truck’s fuel tank opening.

Alicea thinks he’s being targeted, and plans to put up a security camera on his property, to hopefully catch the culprit in the act.

“You can’t ever sleep,” said Alicea, a father of four. “I’m a little nervous.”

Over at 31-33 Kimberly Ave., Matthew M. Przybylski said he thinks kids are responsible for the fires. On Thursday afternoon, grass in his backyard near a fence ignited after someone threw a “bag of something” on it.

“I’ve been in the neighborhood 50 years. It’s usually a pretty quiet street,” Przybylski said.

Another Kimberly Avenue resident who refused to give her name said she wants to move.

“I think it’s horrible,” she said. “I can’t sleep and I won’t sleep until they find out who’s doing it.”

Maritza Perez, of 30 Kimberly Ave., said she tries to keep an eye on the late-night activity on her street but said it’s hard because of the dim street lighting.

Perez, who also owns 472 White St., which is a street over, said a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the back of the building.

“It’s crazy,” Perez said.

The Republican/Michael BeswickMaritza Perez sits outside her Kimberly Avenue home. The neighborhood has been plagued in recent days by set fires and vandalism.

Joseph F. Rescia, owner of Touch of Garlic on White Street, which is near Kimberly Avenue, said a Toyota Camry parked in back of the restaurant had its window blown out by a Molotov cocktail that didn’t explode. A Molotov cocktail is filled with flammable liquid.

Dennis G. Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, said the Molotov cocktail was found on the ground in the parking lot, and investigators weren’t sure if it was thrown at the building, or at the car.

Rescia said the police were “patrolling like crazy” on Friday night.

“There’s never been anything like this,” Rescia said. Graffiti also was painted on the building that houses the restaurant and other stores.

The Republican/Michael BeswickA car with its back window blown out parked behind the building that houses A Touch of Garlic restaurant and other businesses.

Leger said he is asking the public to be on the lookout for suspicious activity.

“If they see anything call,” Leger said. “Just be vigilant. Don’t confront anybody.”

Leger said just by making noise, or turning lights on, residents can be successful in thwarting a crime.

While none of the nine incidents caused serious damage, Leger said having so many in such a short span in one neighborhood is of great concern to the Fire Department. Members of the city Arson and Bomb Squad are investigating. Leger said it appears the fires are related.

Trash was found on fire outside a gas station at 295 Allen St. on Friday. Burning trash also was found outside 223 Allen St. A Palm Avenue house had as many as five Molotov cocktails thrown at it, with one of them causing minor damage to the exterior of the home and some shrubbery, Leger said.

The Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad can be contacted at (413) 787-6370. 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.”

Andrew Apple will be arraigned Monday in Pittsfield District Court.

PITTSFIELD – A 27-year-old Pittsfield man was charged with possession of a firearm without a license and larceny of a firearm Saturday.

Officer Shaun C. Osborn said police were called just before 4:30 p.m. about a man with a gun who had just left a Belton Avenue residence.

The man, Andrew Apple, was found a short time in his Lincoln sedan at the Cheshire Cemetery in Cheshire, Osborn said.

Osborn said that after a short time communicating with Apple by cell phone, he surrendered and got out of the vehicle. Apple was in custody at 6:45 p.m., Osborn said.

He said Apple would be arraigned Monday in Pittsfield District Court. Bail had not been set for Apple as of 9 p.m. Saturday night.

The crash involved a motorcycle and another vehicle, state police said.

File photo

CHARLEMONT – State and local police were investigating a serious motorcycle accident that happened on Route 2 here on Saturday.

State police said a male motorcyclist and a car collided on Route 2, and the motorcyclist was taken to the hospital, where he was in surgery Saturday night.

The accident happened at 4:30 p.m., state police said. Additional details were not available.

WWLP Channel 22 reported that a helicopter was called in to transport one victim bleeding from the femoral artery.

Clear and comfortable tonight, becoming a touch warmer for Sunday.

High pressure over the Northeast will keep skies mainly clear this evening. Overnight lows drop to a comfortable low-50s, kicking off another reasonably comfortable morning tomorrow.

For Sunday, temperatures and dewpoints will be a couple of degrees higher. An approaching system will kick in a southerly flow, which will put our high temperatures in the mid and upper-80s in the Springfield area, with a little more noticeable humidity (nothing too bad though).

An isolated shower is possible as early as Sunday evening, but most of the scattered thunderstorms will hold off until Monday. Unfortunately, it will not be the widespread day-long rain that the region desperately needs. It will get muggy again with this system, but once it clears out, we'll be back to sunshine and comfortable conditions through the second-half of the week.

Tonight: Mainly clear skies, comfortable, low 53.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, a touch warmer/more humid, isolated mountain shower late, high 88.

Monday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, humid, high 86.

Tuesday: An isolated shower/thunderstorm, partly sunny, high 88.

It is unknown what caused the fire to ignite on Baptist Hill near the old orchard.

PALMER – A stubborn brush fire kept firefighters on Baptist Hill in the Three Rivers section for eight hours on Saturday.

Three Rivers firefighter-private Dan Daigle said the fire was called in around noontime and firefighters didn’t clear the scene until approximately 8 p.m.

“It was deep in the woods,” Daigle said.

Palmer and Bondsville fire departments provided mutual aid. The fire spread due to the dry conditions, he said. The cause is unknown, he said.

Daigle estimated that an acre was burned.

He said calls were coming in about smoke in the area, and smoke could be seen as far away as the Kmart plaza on Route 20.

The fire wasn’t close to any homes.

Daigle described the terrain on Baptist Hill as “rocky and rough,” which made it difficult for firefighters to access the fire.

James Holmes apparently had prepared the attack at the Aurora theater well in advance, receiving multiple deliveries by mail for four months to his home and school and buying thousands of rounds of ammunition on the Internet, Oates said.

View full sizeAP PhotoThis photo provided by the University of Colorado shows James Holmes. University spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery says 24-year-old Holmes, who police say is the suspect in a mass shooting at a Colorado movie theater, was studying neuroscience in a Ph.D. program at the University of Colorado-Denver graduate school. Holmes is suspected of shooting into a crowd at a movie theater killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more, authorities said. (AP Photo/University of Colorado)

AURORA, Colo. — The shooting suspect who went on a deadly rampage inside a Colorado theater planned the attack with "calculation and deliberation," police said Saturday, receiving deliveries for months which authorities believe armed him for battle and were used to rig his apartment with dozens of bombs.

Authorities on Saturday removed dangerous explosive materials from inside James Holmes' suburban Denver apartment a day after police said he opened fire and set off gas canisters in a suburban theater minutes into the premiere of the Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises." The attack left 12 people dead and 58 injured.

His apartment was rigged with jars of liquids, explosives and chemicals that were booby trapped to kill "whoever entered it," Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said, noting it would have likely been one of his officers.

All hazards have been removed from the Holmes' apartment and residents in surrounding buildings can return home, police said.

The exception was Holmes' apartment building, where authorities were still collecting evidence. Inside the apartment, authorities began covering the windows with black plastic to prevent onlookers from seeing in. Before they did, a man in an ATF T-shirt could be seen measuring a poster on a closet that advertised a DVD called "Soldiers of Misfortune." The poster showed several figures in various positions playing paintball, some wearing masks.

Authorities wouldn't discuss a motive for one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent U.S. history, as makeshift memorials for the victims sprang up and relatives began to publicly mourn their loved ones.

Holmes had recently withdrawn from a competitive graduate program in neuroscience at the University of Colorado-Denver, where he was one of six students at the school to get National Institutes of Health grant money. He recently took an intense three-part, oral exam that marks the end of the freshman year of the four-year program there, but university officials would not say if he passed, citing privacy concerns.

In a resume posted on Monster.com, Holmes listed himself as an "aspiring scientist" and said he was looking for a job as a laboratory technician.

The resume, first obtained by The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, paints a picture of a brilliant young man brimming with potential: He worked as a summer intern at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla in 2006 and mapped the neurons of Zebra finches and studied the flight muscles of hummingbirds while an undergraduate at the University of California, Riverside. He also worked as a summer camp counselor to underprivileged children at a Jewish camp in Los Angeles in 2008.

Still, neighbors and former classmates in California said although Holmes was whip-smart, he was a loner who said little and was easily forgotten — until this week.

Holmes apparently had prepared the attack at the Aurora theater well in advance, receiving multiple deliveries by mail for four months to his home and school and buying thousands rounds of ammunition on the Internet, Oates said.

"He had a high volume of deliveries," Oates said. "We think this explains how he got his hands on the magazine, ammunition," he said, as well as the rigged explosives in his apartment.

"What we're seeing here is evidence of some calculation and deliberation," Oates added.

Federal authorities detonated one small explosive and disarmed others inside Holmes' apartment after sending in a robot to take down a trip wire, FBI Special agent James Yacone said. Bomb technicians then neutralized what he called a "hypergolic mixture" and an improvised explosive device containing an unknown substance. There also were multiple containers of accelerants, he said.

"It was an extremely dangerous environment," Yacone said, saying anyone who walked in would have sustained "significant injuries" or been killed.

Outside the apartment, police arranged plastic storage boxes and large white plastic bags, possibly for evidence, although no officials were available to confirm the purpose of the containers.

Holmes, 24, was in solitary confinement for his protection at a county detention facility Saturday, held without bond on suspicion of multiple counts of first-degree murder. He was set for an initial hearing on Monday and had been appointed a public defender, authorities said.

Stories of the dead began to emerge, including that of a 6-year-old girl and a man who died on his 27th birthday and a day before his anniversary. Families grieved and waited at hospitals, which reported at least seven wounded still in critical condition Saturday and others with injuries that likely are permanent.

Veronica Moser, 6, had gone to the movies with her mother, who was drifting in and out of consciousness in a hospital intensive care unit, bullets lodged in her throat and a gunshot wound to her abdomen.

"Nobody can tell her about it," Annie Dalton said of her niece, Ashley Moser. "She is in critical condition, but all she's asking about is her daughter."

Veronica had just started swimming lessons on Tuesday, Dalton said.

"She was excited about life as she should be. She's a 6-year-old girl," her great aunt said.

Another victim, 27-year-old Matt McQuinn, was killed after diving in front of his girlfriend and her older brother to shield them from the gunfire, said his family's attorney, Rob Scott of Dayton, Ohio.

Alex Sullivan had planned a weekend of fun, first ringing in his 27th birthday with friends at the special midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" and then celebrating his first wedding anniversary on Sunday.

"He was a very, very good young man," said Sullivan's uncle, Joe Loewenguth. "He always had a smile, always made you laugh. He had a little bit of comic in him."

Oates said Holmes used a military-style semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun and a pistol to open fire on the unsuspecting theater-goers. He had bought the weapons at local gun stores within the last two months. He recently purchased 6,000 rounds of ammunition over the Internet, the chief said.

Holmes also bought an urban assault vest, two magazine holders and a knife for just over $300 on July 2 from an online supplier of tactical gear for police and military personnel, according to the company.

Chad Weinman, CEO of TacticalGear.com, said his company processes thousands of orders each day, and there was nothing unusual in the one that Holmes placed.

"Everything Mr. Holmes purchased on July 2 is commercially available," Weinman said, adding he was "appalled" that the material was sold to Holmes before the shooting.

The Batman movie, the last in the trilogy starring Christian Bale, opened worldwide Friday with midnight showings in the U.S. "The Dark Knight Rises" earned $30.6 million in Friday morning midnight screenings, and, according to industry estimates, roughly $75 to 77 million on that day. That put it on track for a weekend total of around $165 million, which would be the second-highest opening weekend ever, following "The Avengers."

After buying a ticket to the movie, Holmes went into the theater and propped open an exit door several minutes into the film, a federal law enforcement official said. The suspect then returned in protective gear and with high-powered weapons and opened fire, shooting scores of people and picking off victims who tried to flee, officials said.

The shooting was the worst in the U.S. since the Nov. 5, 2009, attack at Fort Hood, Texas. An Army psychiatrist was charged with killing 13 soldiers and civilians and wounding more than two dozen others.

Everything looked good for the Red Sox until it didn't.

APToronto Blue Jays' Edwin Encarnacion, right, celebrates his two-run home run that also drove in teammate Colby Rasmus (28) in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox in Boston, Saturday, July 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

BOSTON – Everything looked good for the Boston Red during the early portion of Saturday’s game. Then it got ugly.

A pair of home runs and a bullpen letdown put Boston on the wrong side of a 7-3 decision against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park.

“They only hit two balls hard against us and they both went over the fence,” manager Bobby Valentine said. “It was a pretty good outing.”

The loss was the Red Sox (48-47) second in a row, and leaves them just one game above .500 heading into Sunday’s series finale.

Everything looked good for Boston as starter Aaron Cook cruised through the first five innings, recording 13 of his first 17 outs on groundballs, but a two-run shot over the Monster in the sixth by Edwin Encarnacion tied the game, 3-3, and began a downward spiral.

Catcher J.P. Arencibia quickly gave Toronto (47-47) the lead on the first pitch of the seventh inning when he drilled a Cook sinker over the Monster and out of the park.

“They were pitches that came back over the plate,” Cook said of the homers, both of which were hit on sinkers. “If I had two pitches to take back the whole game, those would be the only two. Other than that I felt like I was in a really good rhythm.”

Franklin Morales relieved Cook after Yunel Escobar reached base on an error, beginning a carousel of relievers who attempted to get Boston out of the inning.

Morales recorded a strikeout and gave up a single to Rajai Davis before being replaced by Matt Albers. Toronto then executed a double steal, with both runners scoring on a Brett Lawrie single to left.

Albers issued a intentional walk and another walk to load the bases before being replaced by Andrew Miller, who recorded a strikeout to end the inning with the Red Sox trailing, 6-3.

Cook was charged with three earned runs over 6 1/3 innings. He walked one, struck out one and recorded 16 groundouts.

The Red Sox took the lead in the second when Jarrod Saltamacchia shook off the rust from a three-day rest and drilled a three-run homer into the right field seats on a 1-2 slider from Blue Jays starter Carlos Villanueva.

Saltalamacchia, who was marred in a 0-for-14 stretch entering action and is hitting .179 against lefties this season, sat in favor of Kelly Shoppach as Boston came up against a string of southpaws.

“Two days off was nice,” Saltalamacchia said. “Three days off -- I would have liked to have played just to get timing down. I’m not going to complain about days off at this point, because any little extra help is going to help for the long run.”

Boston was unable to generate much offense after that, as Villanueva clamped down and allowed only one more hit before being pulled with one out in the seventh inning. He finished with five strikeouts and two walks.

“We got to add on, that’s for sure,” Valentine said. “We have to put some stuff together. It’s a different mix of guys going out there. Maybe they’ll get used to each other.”

J.A. Happ and Brandon Lyon, who were acquired as part of a 10-player deal with the Houston Astros on Friday, both pitched in relief.

Lyon pitched for the Red Sox in 2003, posting a 4.12 ERA over 49 appearances.

The Red Sox honored former catcher Jason Varitek, who announced his retirement in March after 14 seasons, prior to the game. He met with reporters afterward and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity he was given in Boston and how he struggled with his decision to retire.

“I was faced with a situation where it wasn’t worth the value of going somewhere else compared to the value of what it meant to start and finish my career with one team,” he said.

Darrell K. English of North Adams plans to open his 650-square-foot space at 45 Eagle St. in the coming weeks, displaying as many as 400 artifacts tied to the persecution of the Jews and others by Nazi Germany leading up to and during World War II.

An AP Member Exchange. Story by Trevor Jones, The Berkshire Eagle

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A local antique collector and appraiser is delving into his vast collection of World War II memorabilia to open a Holocaust museum.

Darrell K. English of North Adams plans to open his 650-square-foot space at 45 Eagle St. in the coming weeks, displaying as many as 400 artifacts tied to the persecution of the Jews and others by Nazi Germany leading up to and during World War II. The materials range from pre-war anti-Semitism to the dark days of Nazi concentration camps.

English has collected World War II artifacts since childhood and has tried for years to open a space to house his full collection. Until now, his collection of artifacts has been displayed primarily at historical lectures he has given, at temporary exhibits, and to school groups studying the Holocaust and the war.

English decided now was the best time to go ahead with the project alone, after being unable to find a financial backer for a museum he was told would cost millions of dollars to build. He also noted that more and more Holocaust survivors are nearing the end of their lives, so it will be up to others to keep the history alive.

"I'm collecting the largest crime that's ever happened in the world and I'm sharing it with the public," said English. "I hope that people walk away a little more enriched."

During a recent interview in his unfinished gallery, a number of English's items were on display, including posters featuring caricatures of and hate speech against Jews, a datebook given to customers of Oskar Schindler, Nazi uniforms, concentration camp uniforms, microscope slides with human blood and torture devices.

The display appears tied more to informing the public about the hate that fueled the Holocaust than to the intangible stories of the millions of victims and survivors.

So far, English, who isn't Jewish, hasn't reached out to any local Jewish groups or schools. He says he is familiar with many of these groups and intends to contact them once the space is open. The collection will be able to be viewed free of charge, though English will be taking donations to fund his operation.

Arlene Schiff, executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires, declined to comment on the museum, saying she was not familiar with English's project.

English said he is aware that some people will find the subject matter uncomfortable, but he will be at the space nearly every day to provide context to the artifacts and this is a story that needs to be told.

"This history did happen," said English. "This was a very dark time in human history."

English calls the museum "the tip of the iceberg" in regards to his World War II collection, which he says includes roughly 10,000 artifacts. He hopes interest in the museum will allow him to springboard to a larger, more well-funded operation. He said people have long questioned his interest with World War II, noting that he's been called the "collector of nightmares." English says he wants to leave a lasting legacy, and he hopes people will have a better understanding of his collecting ways once they see it on display.

"Once people get their arms around it, then they'll understand," said English. "They will be able to say that, 'Yeah, I can see what you've been doing your whole life.'"

The boy was run over July 6 by a personal watercraft on Lake Lanier, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. He had been hospitalized with a major brain injury.

FILE - Hip-hop artist Usher Raymond takes the witness stand in court in a legal battle with his ex-wife in a custody fight involving their two sons in this May 22, 2012 file photo taken in Atlanta. Willie A. Watkins funeral home in Atlanta confirmed Saturday July 21, 2012 it is handling funeral arrangements for 11-year-old Kirk Glover. He was the son of Usher's ex-wife Tameka Foster. The boy was run over July 6 by a personal watercraft on Lake Lanier, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

ATLANTA — The stepson of the Grammy award-winning pop star Usher has died, two weeks after the child was critically injured in a boating accident.

Willie A. Watkins funeral home in Atlanta confirmed Saturday it was handling funeral arrangements for 11-year-old Kirk Glover. Glover was a son of Usher's ex-wife Tameka Foster.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Kile died Saturday morning at an Atlanta area hospital.

The boy was run over July 6 by a personal watercraft on Lake Lanier, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. He had been hospitalized with a major brain injury. Lake Lanier is about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Authorities said the accident continues under investigation.

Before the accident, Usher, whose full name is Usher Raymond, had been in a legal battle with his ex-wife arising from a custody fight over their two sons.

Condolences flooded social media sites late Saturday, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. It said those who sent tweets of condolences included Justin Bieber, singer Toni Braxton and singer Eric Benet, among others.

Usher, long one of the top-selling singers and songwriters, has won numerous Grammy awards. He gained initial acclaim in the late 90s with albums such as "My Way" and went on to release the 10-million-plus selling 2004 album "Confessions" that firmly established him as a superstar, among several others including "Raymond v. Raymond" in 2010.

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports that a 10-year-old girl is being treated for rabies after she was bitten by a bat in Luther Hill Park in Spencer.

• Colorado's theater shooting brings back memories of Columbine [Los Angeles Times]




• Beijing chaos after record floods in Chinese capital [BBC News]
• Bear spotted inside Pittsburgh Mills mall [WTAE-Pittsburgh]




• U.S. F-16 fighter crashes off coast of Japan [Reuters]




• Massachusetts couple recalls scene at Aurora theater during shooting [Boston Globe]




• 10-year-old being treated for rabies after bat bite in Spencer [Worcester Telegram & Gazette]




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A U.S. Navy veteran who served three tours of duty in the Middle East. A 6-year-old girl excited about her swimming classes. A Target employee who shielded his girlfriend and her brother with his own body. They and nine others were killed in the shooting rampage during a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" in a Denver suburb.

From left, Pastor Mary Lu Saddoris comforts Isaac Pacheco and Courtney McGregor, friends of shooting victim Alex Sullivan, is comforted, Saturday, July 21, 2012, as he visits a memorial near the movie theater in Aurora, Colo. Twelve people were killed and dozens were injured in the attack early Friday at the packed theater during a showing of the Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises." Police have identified the suspected shooter as James Holmes, 24. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, Hyoung Chang)

AURORA, Colo. — A U.S. Navy veteran who served three tours of duty in the Middle East. A 6-year-old girl excited about her swimming classes. A Target employee who shielded his girlfriend and her brother with his own body. They and nine others were killed in the shooting rampage during a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" in a Denver suburb. Here are their stories:

___

Jonathan Blunk had high hopes for the future, with plans to re-enlist in the Navy and the goal of becoming a Navy SEAL.

The 26-year-old served three tours in the Persian Gulf and North Arabian Sea between 2004 and 2009, said close friend James Gill of Brighton, Colo.

"It was guts or glory for him," Gill told The Associated Press. "It always surprised me that he didn't serve in a situation more on the front line. He wanted to be a first responder on the front line."

Blunk was also a certified firefighter and emergency medical technician, Gill added.

He died in the shooting Friday after throwing himself in front of friend Jansen Young and saving her life, she told the Today Show. He told her to stay down.

"That's something he would do," Gill said. "If he was going to choose a way to die, that's how he wanted to go — defending someone from a (person) like that."

Blunk, a 2004 graduate of Reno's Hug High School in Nevada, most recently worked at a hardware store.

His estranged wife, Chantel Blunk, lives with their 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son in Sparks, Nev.

___

Alexander J. Boik, known as AJ, recently graduated from high school and was to start classes at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in the fall, The Denver Post reported.

The family said in a statement that the 18-year-old was loved by all who knew him and was dating "a beautiful young lady" who was with him at the theater and survived. "We want to try and focus on the beautiful lives that were ended and not the evil that is responsible," the family said.

A friend, Jordan Crofter, described Boik as someone who "didn't hold anything back. He was just his own person."

"He was a ball of joy. He was never sad or depressed. He wanted everybody to be happy," Crofter told The Associated Press.

Crofter said Boik played baseball from when he was a child through his junior year in high school.

He said Boik and his girlfriend were the "perfect couple" and people expected them to get married.

"If he were still here, he'd try to make everyone have a positive outlook of the situation and not allow it to affect their outlook of life," Crofter said.

___

Jesse Childress was an Air Force cyber-systems operator based at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.

Air Force Capt. Andrew Williams described the 29-year-old from Thornton, Colo., as knowledgeable, experienced and respectful. "We're going to miss him incredibly," he said.

Tech Sgt. Alejandro Sanchez, a co-worker, told the AP that Childress was his good friend and they were on a bowling team together.

"He would help anyone and always was great for our Air Force unit," he said.

Another co-worker, Ashley Wassinger, said Childress "was a great person fun to be with, always positive and laughing."

"Really just an amazing person, and I am so lucky to have been his friend," she said.

___

Gordon Cowden loved life and his family, and he had gone to the midnight movie premiere with his two teenage children.

At 51, he was the oldest of the victims killed in the shooting. He lived in Aurora, but was described as a "true Texas gentleman" in a family statement. He loved the outdoors and owned his own business.

"A quick witted world traveler with a keen sense of humor, he will be remembered for his devotion to his children and for always trying his best to do the right thing, no matter the obstacle," his family said.

His teenage children escaped the shooting unharmed.

His family declined to be interviewed in their request for privacy, but expressed appreciation for words of concern offered in the wake of the shooting.

"Our hearts go out to everyone that has been harmed by this senseless tragedy," they said.

___

Jessica Ghawi recently wrote a blog post after surviving a shooting at a Toronto mall, saying it showed her "how fragile life was."

Friends say the 24-year-old, who moved to Colorado from Texas about a year ago, didn't let the June 2 shooting in Toronto change her outlook on life as she pursued a career in sports journalism.

"I think she even looked at that like, 'Hey, even after that, I'm able to pursue my dream," said Peter Burns, a radio sports show host with Mile High Sports Radio in Denver, where Ghawi recently interned.

That shooting left two dead and several injured. Her blog post last month said: "I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change.

"I was reminded that we don't know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath."

Former colleagues described her as ambitious and hardworking. She went by the name "Redfield," a play on her red hair, because it was easy to say and remember, both professionally and on her social media accounts.

She was a regular tweeter and her last post to the micro-blogging website stated in all capital letters, "movie doesn't start for 20 minutes."

___

John Larimer was a Navy sailor based at Buckley Air Force Base, where he was a cryptologic technician — a job that the Navy says on its website should be filled by someone with "exceptionally good character, above-average writing and speaking skills, a good memory, curiosity and resourcefulness."

Those who knew him described him in similar terms.

The 27-year-old and another active service member, Air Force Sgt. Jesse Childress, were killed in the shooting rampage, the military said Saturday.

Larimer, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Crystal Lake, joined the service just over a year ago, the Navy said.

"A valued member of our Navy team, he will be missed by all who knew him. My heart goes out to John's family, friends and loved ones, as well as to all the victims of this horrible tragedy," said Cmdr. Jeffrey Jakuboski, his commanding officer, in a written statement.

A family member told the Daily Herald newspaper in Arlington Heights, Ill., that Larimer was the youngest of five siblings. Neighbors in his hometown recalled his sense of humor.

"We love you, John, and we will miss you always," his parents said in a statement.

___

As the attack in the movie theater unfolded, Matt McQuinn dove in front of his girlfriend and her older brother to shield them from the gunfire.

He died protecting them, said Rob Scott, an Ohio attorney retained by the families of McQuinn and his girlfriend, Samantha Yowler. Scott confirmed McQuinn's death to The Associated Press on Saturday. He was 27.

"Unfortunately, Matt McQuinn perished from the injuries he sustained during the tragic events that unfolded in Denver, Colorado, and went home to be with his maker," Scott said in a statement. "As both families mourn the loss of Matt, they ask for everyone to give them distance and time. Again, the families thank everyone for their love, prayers and ask that we respect their families' wishes."

Yowler was recovering from surgery after she was shot in the knee at the theater. Her 32-year-old brother, Nick Yowler, who also shielded his sister, was not injured.

McQuinn and Yowler moved to Colorado from Ohio last fall. A Colorado co-worker told the Springfield News-Sun that McQuinn and Samantha Yowler worked with her at Target.

"They're really fun people. We always go out together," said Melissa Downen.

___

The death of 23-year-old Micayla Medek was heartbreaking, said her father's cousin, Anita Busch.

But Busch said the news also was a relief for the family after an agonizing day of waiting.

"I hope this evil act ... doesn't shake people's faith in God," she said.

Micayla Medek lived in the Denver suburb of Westminster and attended Aurora Community College.

Her aunt, Jenny Zakovich, 57, of South Milwaukee, Wis., said Medek and her father were both huge Green Bay Packers fans.

___

The youngest of the victims killed in the attack was Veronica Moser-Sullivan.

She had just learned to swim, and at age 6, she was a "great little girl, excited about life," her great-aunt Annie Dalton said. "She should be at 6 years old."

Her mother, Ashley Moser, remains hospitalized in critical condition with gunshot wounds to her neck and abdomen. She has been in and out of consciousness and asking for her daughter during moments of lucidity.

"Nobody can tell her about it," Dalton said. "She is in critical condition, but all she's asking about is her daughter."

___

Alex Sullivan's family called him "their real life super hero," and he was at "The Dark Knight Rises" premiere celebrating his 27th birthday and his first wedding anniversary.

"Alex was a gentle giant, known and loved by so many. He always had a glowing smile on his face and he made friends with everyone. Alex enjoyed all sorts of movies, was an avid comic book geek and loved the New York Mets," the family said in a statement.

Sullivan had a warm smile and an innocence that endeared him to people, said Shelly Fradkin, whose son Brian was good friends with Sullivan.

She sat next to a makeshift memorial Friday near the theater where an oversized birthday card with a photo of a smiling Sullivan was displayed.

"He's amazing. He was just a big teddy bear. Great hugs," she said.

She said Sullivan was such a big movie fan that he took jobs at theaters just to see movies.

Fradkin and her son spent an "excruciating" day trying to find Sullivan before learning of his death, she said.

"We're shocked. We're numb. We're sick," she said. "Our hearts are broken, and we're crushed."

___

Alexander C. Teves, 24, of Phoenix, earned a master's degree in counseling psychology in June from University of Denver.

He was a lovable person who made friends quickly and had a lot of them, said his grandfather, Carlo Iacovelli of Barnegat, N.J.

As a boy, Teves moved from New Jersey to Phoenix with his parents. Iacovelli and his wife wintered there and spent a lot of time with him.

"He was what you might call an ideal grandson," Iacovelli said. "He was a fun guy. He loved to eat."

Teves was planning to become a psychiatrist, his grandfather said.

"He had a lot to look forward to," Iacovelli said.

___

Rebecca Ann Wingo had started a job several months ago as a customer relations representative at a mobile medical imaging company. She was 32.

Shannon Dominguez, who worked with Wingo on weekends, said she was friendly with everyone and always seemed to be in a good mood.

"I didn't really know her well but she had a really bubbly personality," Dominguez said. "She was a pretty happy person. She just never really seemed ... like with work, she never got irritated. She was pretty happy to be here."

The Olympic gold medalist went on to shatter records in masters swimming competitions.

Photo by Mark M. Murray / The RepublicanWilliam Yorzyk, of Northampton winner of a gold medal in the1956 Olympics, is seen here with his coach Charles Smith.

When William Yorzyk was a teen-ager in his native Northampton, he tried several sports, but just couldn’t make the high school varsity team in any of them.

What he did show, though, was an admirable ability to put heart and soul into whatever he tried. That dedication to duty served him so well in his Boy Scout troop, he reached its pinnacle – Eagle Scout.

His parents had his Scouting achievements in mind when he was considering where he might go to college. Eventually, the family settled on Springfield College because its mission seem to lend itself to all that the young Yorzyk had learned as an Eagle Scout.

Northampton High School had neither a pool nor a swim team in his time, so when Yorzyk “got to Springfield, I didn’t know how to swim,” he remembers. “But, I soon found out that I’d better learn, because you couldn’t get out of freshman year without passing tests for swimming, diving and life-saving.”

So it was that the young man, who would go on to earn an Olympic gold medal in swimming, took the plunge into little old McCurdy Natatorium, a 20-yard pool that has long since been transformed into a museum on the Springfield College campus. It was replaced by Linkletter Natatorium in 1968.

Soon, swimming became more than a necessity to Yorzyk. He quickly learned to love it, and his dedication to the sport eventually enabled him to complete a remarkable transition – from non-swimmer to Olympic competitor.

It happened for him in 1956, when he went to Melbourne, Australia, as part of a U.S. swimming team coached by Bob Muir, of Williams College. Coach Red Silvia, Yorzyk’s mentor at Springfield College, served as Muir’s assistant.

“We had a terrific team, but I was the only one to win a gold,” Yorzyk recalled.

Now 79 years old and living in quiet retirement in East Brookfield, Yorzyk does not have that gold medal in his possession.

“You’ll find it nailed to the wall (at Linkletter Natatorium),” he said. “I gave it to the college out of gratitude because Springfield and Red Silvia did so much for me. Besides, I feel that seeing the medal might inspire some of the young athletes on campus.”

No question about it, his alma mater and coach Silvia meant everything to Yorzyk’s life as a swimming champion. His talent in the dolphin butterfly stroke – taught to him from his first day by Silvia – stayed with him for years after, as he shattered records in the U.S. Masters Swimming Association.

“I think I held them all at one time, but they’re being broken right and left now,” he said.

Springfield College archivesWilliam Yorzyk is seen competing in a dolphin butterfly race during his Springifeld College days.

Speaking of records, Yorzyk’s victory in the 200-meter Olympic butterfly event was accomplished in an astounding time.

“Bill won in 2:19.3 and took 20 seconds off the world record. Can you imagine that?” said one of Yorzyk’s longtime friends and coaches, Charlie Smith.

In winning the gold, Yorzyk trounced Takashi Ishimoto, of Japan, and Gyorgy Tumpek, of Hungary, both of whom had been world record holders in the event.

“I have footage of Bill’s race, and you can see the crowd exploding with cheers as he took off to win that race. With 50 meters to go, he just turned into a sprinter and left everybody way behind. It was as if he turned on the after-burners,” Smith said.

As a Springfield College coach in the 1960s and ¤’70s, Smith worked with Yorzyk during his time as a masters champion. But, it is what Silvia and Yorzyk accomplished together at Springfield that makes Smith most proud.

“The dolphin butterfly stroke is, in a sense, comparable to basketball,” Smith said. “Both basically were invented at Springfield College.”

Actually, the dolphin butterfly stroke had been around for years before Silvia and Yorzyk became interested in it. Until then, many coaches shunned the event because it relied so heavily on upper body strength.

“Red Silvia was a remarkable guy, with expertise in mathematics and exercise science. He studied the dolphin butterfly stroke, and concluded that it could be done much more efficiently,” Smith said.

Silvia brought about that efficiency by changing the method of kicking during the stroke. Simply put, he concluded that the swimmer should do two kicks within each arm cycle. That was vastly different from the accepted method, in which swimmers would do one arm cycle followed by five or six kicks.

“The thinking was that the shoulders couldn’t take it unless there was kicking time in between,” Smith said. “Red proved that by changing the kicks, the arm cycle became all the more efficient.”

In effect, Yorzyk was the first swimmer in the world to be taught the proper dolphin butterfly stroke. He had never done it any other way, so adapting to Silvia’s teaching was easy for him.

“We came together at the right time – serendipity,” Yorzyk said.

With the proper stroke in place, it now was Yorzyk’s job to train for the Olympic trials. And, what a training regimen that was.

“I worked mainly in the college’s 20-yard pool. I did 18 to 20 miles a day – morning, noon and night. I lived in that pool. It was like I was a Ping-Pong ball, bouncing back and forth,” Yorzyk said.

Doing 20 miles day in a 20-yard pool?

“I think it comes out to 88 laps,” Yorzyk said, and he is correct.

Every so often, he would get a break from the 20-yard pool by driving to New Haven for his workouts. “Yale had the only 50-meter pool in New England at that time, and I was able to use it now and then,” he said.

In the Olympic trials, and in the Olympic heats and final, Yorzyk never lost a race.

“That doesn’t mean I wasn’t scared,” he said. “When you’re up there, in the start position, it comes down to one race, one chance, so you’d better do it right.”

What was it like when Yorzyk stepped onto the podium and heard “The Star Spangled Banner” playing for his gold medal ceremony?

“A feeling of exhilaration that I never had before and haven’t had since,” he says. “I knew I was representing my team, my college, my sport and my country.”

Homecoming didn’t quite match that exhilaration, but it came close.

“They met me at Bradley (International Airport), and I rode an open convertible through Springfield, up to the college campus, and then it was on to Northampton for a parade,” he said.

Yorzyk’s gold medal was the first for an American swimmer since 1932, when Buster Crabbe won one. Before him, Johnny Weissmuller had earned three golds in swimming in 1924, two more in 1928.

Both Weissmuller and Crabbe went on to Hollywood to star in a series of “Tarzan” movies.

“I could have had the role, too,” Yorzyk dead-panned, “but I couldn’t do the Tarzan yell.”

Garry Brown can be reached at geeman1918@yahoo.com

Those who interacted with Romney during his time as a church leader in Massachusetts give differing answers.

AP Photo/Charles DharapakIn a photo made July 1, 2012, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney arrives at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Wolfeboro, N.H. Romney, the first Mormon to clinch the presidential nomination of a major party, attended services Sunday with his wife, Ann, five sons, five daughters-in-law and eighteen grandchildren.

Lani Gerson left the Mormon Church long before Mitt Romney came to excommunicate her.

Gerson, 65, grew up in Arizona and left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a teenager. When she moved to Cambridge, she began getting aggressive visitors from the church, urging her to return. She wrote to church officials asking them to stop contacting her.

One Sunday in 1982, she recalled, Romney, then a young bishop, and an assistant showed up at her doorstep inviting her to her excommunication trial.

“I was dumbfounded,” Gerson said. “I said to him, ‘I have already quit - you can't fire me.’” Gerson said she had never before met Romney, and he did not try to engage her in conversation or discover her story.

“There was no curiosity on his part about who I was and what this was about,” Gerson said.

Typically, excommunication in the Mormon Church is rare and reserved for someone who fundamentally violates church tenets. At times, excommunication was used when a person wanted to withdraw their name from church records, to make sure they knew the serious consequences of withdrawal: a complete dissociation from the church.

Gerson, a Democrat, said her mother interceded with a church authority in Utah, and she does not know if the trial went forward.

The incident raises the question about Romney, the Republican presidential nominee, that has frequently come up in his campaign: Can Romney relate to the average person? Those who interacted with him during his time as a church leader in Massachusetts give differing answers. Critics, often women, say Romney was insensitive, particularly on controversial issues like abortion and gay rights. Yet Romney’s close advisers say he showed enormous compassion, particularly to teenagers and those in need.

“When you say how did he respond to issues of abortion or same sex marriage or any other thing, he handled that in a very compassionate and loving way,” said Kenneth Hutchins, a retired Northborough police chief who took over as stake president after Romney.

There has been much speculation about whether Romney’s faith will hurt him in the election. If elected, Romney would be the country’s first Mormon president. Romney struggled to get support from white evangelical Christians during the Republican primary. But a November 2011 study by the Pew Research Center showed that while evangelical Christians may be hesitant to back a Mormon candidate, those same voters are also the strongest opponents of President Barack Obama. The study found that Romney’s faith would likely not be a factor during the general election. Similarly, a Brookings Institution study released in May found that Romney’s religion may actually increase his support among conservative voters, including evangelicals.

Though Romney talks little about his faith on the campaign trail, he grew up in the Mormon Church and spent years as a top church leader in Massachusetts. From 1986 to 1994, he was president of the Boston stake, an entity similar to a Catholic diocese. Before that, Romney was bishop, similar to a lay pastor, of congregations in Belmont and Cambridge. Each job included both organizational work and counseling.

After leaving the stake president position, Romney taught Sunday school for a year, then oversaw the church’s programs for teenagers for around two years. Romney continues to tithe – giving 10 percent of his income to his church. In accordance with Mormon teachings, he does not drink alcohol, tea or coffee. He attends church services when he can. Romney's campaign did not respond to requests for comment on this story.

As a church leader, Romney ran the church with business-like efficiency. “He was very serious about doing an excellent job about things and he didn’t suffer fools,” said Helen Claire Sievers, executive director for the Harvard-affiliated WorldTeach, who was active in the church when Romney was stake president. Grant Bennett, a church leader who worked closely with Romney, said the volunteer jobs could take 20 hours a week. Romney would meet with advisers at 6 a.m. on Sundays and parishioners at 9 p.m. during the week.

In 1984, the church was building a new chapel in Belmont. After the church’s nearly-complete new building burned down, the church was flooded with offers to help. Romney accepted them all – and the community met at three different churches while repairs were made. A Mormon magazine at the time said the arrangement improved relations between the Mormons and other Christian congregations.

When the church tried to expand with a temple in Belmont in the mid- to late-1990s, Romney served on a committee to help build it, and hosted neighborhood meetings in his home. When neighbors took the church to court over zoning issues, Romney spoke out at local meetings. The temple was completed in 2002.

But it is in his ability to relate to church members, particularly in areas touched by Mormonism’s strict ethical and moral code, that some find fault.

Carolyn Caci first spoke to Romney when he was a young bishop and she was a divorced mother of five in her 50s. Caci told Romney she was dating someone. “He went into his spiel about sex before marriage,” Caci said. “I said you’ve got to be kidding me. That’s none of your business.”

Caci does not hold it against Romney – she later heard that he regretted his words.

She was not the only woman upset by Romney. A 1994 article in the Boston Phoenix told the story of an anonymous woman (who has since been identified) who wrote an article in a feminist Mormon magazine claiming Romney, as bishop, discouraged her from having an abortion even though her health was at stake. Romney later said he could not remember the incident.

In the Phoenix story, Judy Dushku, a professor of government at Suffolk University, and church member Evelyn Harvill said they urged Romney to speak out about domestic abuse, but Romney brushed off their concerns. Harvill, who did not respond to an emailed request for comment, told the Phoenix that Romney was an “elitist” who “surrounds himself in church with rich, powerful white men.” Dushku said in an email that she found Romney “insensitive on many levels,” but declined to comment further, citing numerous media requests.

In their book, “The Real Romney,” Boston Globe reporters Michael Kranish and Scott Helman document one instance when a Mormon single mother got pregnant with her second child. Romney tried to convince the woman to give her future child up for adoption because the church encourages adoption in cases when a successful marriage is unlikely. The woman, who refused, said she was “deeply insulted.”

Another area where Romney was criticized was his attitude toward homosexuality. In July 1994, during Romney’s U.S. Senate campaign, the Boston Globe published a story saying that Romney, in a speech to a congregation of single Mormons, said he found homosexuality “perverse and reprehensible.” The story cited one named and three unnamed sources.

Romney denied the comments. "I specifically said they should avoid homosexuality and they should avoid heterosexual relations outside of marriage," Romney told the Globe then. "I did not use the words perverse or perversion. I just said it was wrong. . . . That is what my church believes."

Democrats attacked Romney. The month after the story broke, Romney told a Boston gay and lesbian newspaper that he would be a stronger advocate for gay rights than his opponent, Democrat Ted Kennedy, a sentiment he repeated in a letter to the Log Cabin Republicans that fall.

But other church colleagues paint a different picture of Romney. Sievers said she convinced Romney to hold an evening for church women to talk about practices they felt could be changed. For example, male church leaders typically went on monthly visits to speak at other congregations. The women suggested that female leaders could do the same. “Mitt actually said yes, I don’t see why not,” Sievers recalled. “He was thoughtful about what’s practice and doctrine, what do I have authority to change… I felt like Mitt cared more about the congregation than he did his potential career in the church.”

Sievers’ first interaction with Romney was when a member of the congregation owed her money. Romney helped her get the money back – and offered to give her money himself. “He spent an enormous amount of time talking to each of us that needed help,” Sievers said.

Bennett said Romney had extensive experience counseling people through challenges from unemployment to finding spiritual meaning. Romney counseled self-sufficiency, a theme he brings up today on the campaign trail.

Advisers said Romney had a particular interest in the congregation’s youth. Once, mid-week, he found an opening in his work schedule and called Bennett to arranged a weekend overnight ski trip to Vermont with the congregation’s teenagers.

Romney was also concerned with making immigrants feel comfortable, helping establish branches of the church in urban, immigrant-filled areas.

Former parishioners say Romney organized efforts to help needy families. In one instance, documented in “The Real Romney,” two boys from the church were paralyzed in an accident. Romney visited the family on Christmas Eve and gave the boys a stereo system and VCR. He offered to pay for the boys’ college tuitions, and continued to help the family for years.

Kranish and Helman reported that Romney was seen within the church as “warm, accessible, and a good listener.” “The Real Romney” records numerous instances where Romney helped church members: cooking for sick parishioners, organizing a brigade of people to save a family’s possessions from a house fire, knocking down a hornet’s nest for a friend with a broken foot.

Hutchins said when Romney was confronted with parishioners’ problems, Romney spent a “lot of prayer and introspection and pondering over those kinds of things. They weren’t taken lightly or dealt with lightly.”

Sunshine finishes the weekend today, but scattered storms return tomorrow.

It will be a great finish to this mid-July weekend for the Pioneer Valley. High pressure will keep skies mostly sunny for a majority of the day. An approaching system for the west will bring the temperatures and dewpoints up a couple of degrees as it kicks in a southerly flow (although nothing too unpleasant). Highs will be in the upper-80s for the Springfield and Westfield areas, with mid-80s for Northampton and low-80s for the hilltowns.

An isolated shower is possible this evening across the Berkshires. Skies will start to cloud up tonight, but most of the scattered thunderstorms will hold off until tomorrow. The humidity levels will continue to climb as well.

Unfortunately, Monday will not be the widespread day-long rain that the region desperately needs. Showers and thunderstorms will be scattered in nature, and while a storm may produce a brief heavy downpour, it won't do much in the long run to help the drought we're in.

An isolated shower sticks around for Tuesday, and then we will be back to comfortable, sunny weather for the second half of the workweek. We're keeping our fingers crossed, but early looks at next weekend may provide a batch of slightly steadier rain for Saturday.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, a touch warmer/more humid, high 88.

Sunday night: Increasing clouds, an isolated mountain shower, milder and more humid, low 65.

Monday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, humid, high 86.

Tuesday: An isolated shower/thunderstorm, partly sunny, high 88.

Police arrested 24-year Kevin Silgar of Springfield following the crash.

Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD - A city man has been charged with unlicensed possession of a gun and assault after police say he pointed a handgun at someone and then later, when police tried to pull over the car he was in, drove off, running a stop sign and hitting another vehicle.

Police arrested 24-year Kevin Silgar of Springfield following the crash.

The incident happened around 9:40 p.m. Saturday, when an officer attempted to stop a Dodge Neon at the intersection of Main and Montgomery streets, according to WWLP-22News. Police say Silgar's car - it's not clear whether he was a passenger or the driver - then sped off, blowing a stop sign and then crashing into another vehicle.

22News says the crash occurred at Oak and Worcester streets, about 1/2 mile west.

There were four people in the Neon.

Dennis Leger, aide to Springfield Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, said firefighters were called to use the Jaws of Life to extricate a female passenger from the car.

It's unknown the extent of any injures suffered in the crash, but police don't believe any are serious.

Further details about the incident are not available.