Law on the water: Coast Guard adds Connecticut River trips to enhance safety

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - Area boaters heading out on the Connecticut River this summer can expect surprise boardings by members of the U.S. Coast Guard, who will be regularly patrolling the often-crowded waterway and issuing tickets to boaters who fail to have the required safety equipment onboard.

Commander Tom Morkan, chief of response for the Coast Guard's Boston sector, said his office is stepping up enforcement in response to an article in the Daily Hampshire Gazette last August that analyzed lawlessness on the river and the local Coast Guard Auxiliary's struggle to enforce safety regulations.

"We wanted to make sure we made our presence known on the river early on this season," Morkan said. "The problem is that auxiliary members don't have any enforcement capacity. They can report infractions, do voluntary checks at the boat dock and tell you what the requirements are, but they can't issue citations."

The risk of an accident or emergency on the Pioneer Valley waterway, Morkan said, increases dramatically in the summer as more and more inexperienced operators head out to beat the heat.

Massachusetts and Maine are the only states in New England, and two of six in the nation, that do not require operators to complete a boating safety course before hitting the water. In all other states, to legally operate a boat, residents must complete an eight-hour training program in which they learn the basics of boating safety.

In Massachusetts, any resident over the age of 18, regardless of boating experience, can rent a vessel and launch into the Connecticut, as long as they can provide a valid driver's license.

Seasoned operators like Fran Edwards, of Granby, who has had his boat docked locally since 1971, said increased Coast Guard enforcement on the river is the first step to making the waterway safer.

"The main problem is that the majority of the people out there just don't know what they're doing," Edwards said. "It should be mandatory, like it is in Connecticut, that before you operate a boat you have to take a safety course. You get people out there driving their first boat and they have no clue what to do with it."

Edwards said over the last couple of years he has noticed inexperienced boaters taking advantage of the fact that rules on the river have gone unenforced for so long.

"They've noticed that there is no one out there to stop them," Edwards said. "The auxiliary guys can't even scold them."

Also patrolling the river are members of the state Environmental Police, but recent budget cuts and a regional consolidation have made it harder than ever to perform the department's duties, which include enforcing hunting and fishing regulations, monitoring the traffic of boats and off-road vehicles, patrolling state parks and conducting search-and-rescue operations.

According to Catherine Williams, spokesperson for the Environmental Police, the department's coverage area used to be divided into three regions. Several years ago, the state consolidated two of those regions into one, and now 11 officers must cover an area from Orange to Williamstown, south to Pittsfield and back east to the western edge of the Quabbin Reservoir in Belchertown.

Surprise boardings

As a U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat coasted into the local boat launch on Route 5 in Northampton last weekend, those waiting for their chance to back their boats into the water began exchanging worried glances and asking each other why the Coast Guard would be out on the river.

Some even began giving up their spots in line because their safety equipment wasn't in compliance.

Dressed in official Coast Guard uniforms, Chief David Luczek, of Coast Guard East 7 in Boston, Petty Officer Thomas Cirelli and Seaman Matthew Deglau stepped off their boat and onto the dock, clipboards in hand, to begin a surprise safety inspection of the next boat into the water.

"We're just trying to make ourselves clearly visible out here and for the most part we have been giving out verbal warnings because people aren't used to seeing us on the river," Luczek said. "Later on in the summer, as time passes, we will become more active in regard to writing tickets. For now it's about letting people know that they have to have the necessary safety equipment onboard or they could be fined."

Cirelli and Deglau opened compartments, checked the expiration dates on flares, counted life jackets, checked lights and horns and made sure the boater had a throwable life preserver onboard.

"If the flare they have onboard expired in May of this year, we're not going to tell them that they have to go back to the dock and pull their boat out of the water; that's not the idea here," Morkan said. "We will let them know they are expired and tell them to go out and get another set of flares before they head back out."

Morkan said in a two-day span last weekend, Coast Guard representatives performed 30 boat inspections, issued a handful of tickets for improper safety equipment and stopped about 100 other boaters to fill them in on the state's boating safety guidelines.

Education goal

"We were doing a lot of education rather than ticketing people," Morkan said. "We were looking to see if boats had the necessary lights, life jackets and that their horns were working. Those are the things that people overlook because their intention is to be home by sunset, and they never think an emergency is going to happen."

One rule Morkan said the Coast Guard will be aggressively enforcing is the proper number and size of life jackets onboard compared to the number of adult and child passengers. Often, Morkan said, an operator will make sure to have a life jacket for each passenger but pointed out that "an adult life jacket with a chest size of 40 isn't going to save a child in the case of an emergency."

"We want people to know that during an emergency on the water is the wrong time to start thinking about how many life preservers you have onboard," Morkan said.

Although they are committed to having regular patrols on the Connecticut throughout the summer season, Morkan said state Coast Guard ranks have been stretched thin, as its members are sent to aid cleanup efforts with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

A possible solution, Morkan said, is to send available Coast Guard members to the Connecticut on the weekends. Once in the region, that personnel would link up with Environmental Police boats. "Most Mass E.P. units are boats with single operators, so we thought sending a couple of our people to Northampton to have them travel the river with the Environmental Police might be a smarter way of going about it," Morkan said.

Despite some initial confusion among boaters, Morkan said the units that went out last weekend reported getting a positive response from those they stopped.

"We gathered later on in the week and hands down, everyone from the Coast Guard said it was a success," Morkan said. "After we educated boaters to what our mission is and let them know that we have jurisdiction because of interstate commerce, we got a really positive feeling from the boating public on the river."

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Roger Atwood, 88, remembered for his love of flying

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - Lifelong Northampton resident and legendary pilot Roger Atwood, 88, founder of the former Atwood Airport, died Thursday after a life spent sharing his passion for flying with others.

A lifelong friend and former business partner, Richard Giusto, said Atwood's love for flying began at a young age, when he moved at age 7 into his Hubbard Avenue home - just a stone's throw away from Northampton Municipal Airport. Atwood lived there for the rest of his life.

More specifically, Giusto said Atwood traced his interest in flying to when he met Charles Lindbergh at Northampton Airport as a young boy.

"Roger and his buddy showed up to see the landing and Lindbergh bounced on the runway," Giusto said. "Roger said he walked over to him, patted him on the head and said, #I guess I disappointed you with that landing.'"

Atwood was no stranger to famous pilots, Giusto said, having met Amelia Earhart, flown for Howard Hughes and John F. Kennedy and taught Boston Red Sox great Ted Williams how to fly before his famed career as a fighter pilot during World War II and the Korean War.

"Roger always had a passion for flying, that was his life, and he was such a dedicated person and a loving husband and father, I can't even begin to tell you," Giusto said. "He had tons of friends, literally anyone who has ever flown locally has heard of Roger, and always, no matter how bad things got, he always had a smile on his face."

At the age of 19, Atwood became the youngest pilot in the nation to receive his commercial pilot's license. When the United States entered World War II, Giusto said officials determined that Atwood was more valuable to the war effort as U.S. Navy captain flight instructor, so he ended up training military pilots at the Northampton Airport from 1941 to 1944.

"He was just a born natural; he was an extremely talented pilot," Giusto said. "Losing him is losing a very large part of aviation history."

After the war, Atwood founded Atwood Airport in 1946 and operated it until 1966. After closing the airport, he returned to Northampton Airport, working with Giusto as partners in buying and selling airplanes from all over the world.

In 2006, Atwood was awarded the Federal Aviation Administration's Master Pilot Award in recognition of his 50 years of safe flying. He managed the former Pilgrim Airport in Whately before its closing.

Truly young at heart, Atwood continued to fly up to the age of 83, drove his car around Northampton up until his passing and was always full of life, according to his friend and business partner.

"He was so well-liked by everyone he met," Giusto said. "He was just a really special guy."

Funeral services for Atwood will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. from the Ahearn Funeral Home, 783 Bridge Road, followed by burial with full military honors at Spring Grove Cemetery. Calling hours are Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. with a wake service at 7:30 p.m.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

The war at home

City residents confront thorny question of spending on wars

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - As area legislators continue to look for ways to offer residents the programs and services they need during a period of national economic instability, some of those residents came together Wednesday night to discuss funding for the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and its effect on the city's budget.

Whether speaking for or against a resolution endorsed by six city councilors and the mayor calling on U.S. lawmakers to ensure that no more local money be spent to support wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, those who addressed the forum Wednesday night all said they were thankful for the opportunity.

"I support this resolution because these wars are costing our country way too many wonderful young lives," said Marty Nathan. "We are poorer and more at risk now because of these wars and I do not want to risk another life for an unwinnable military action."

Nathan presented city officials with 500 more signatures in favor of the resolution and pledged to collect at least 1,000 before the resolution is taken to a vote.

Col. John Paradis, of Florence, who served in the U.S. Air Force in Iraq in 2004 and Afghanistan in 2006, spoke out against the resolution.

"On my last day in Afghanistan, our Afghan translator turned to me and said, #because of you my daughter can go to school and she will have opportunities that I never thought were possible,'" Paradis said.

More than 150 area residents crowded into the Community Room at JFK Middle School for the public forum called by the council to gather comments before the resolution is discussed by two subcommittees and the Human Rights Commission and their individual recommendations are sent back to the City Council.

Before opening the meeting, co-sponsor Mayor Clare Higgins encouraged those in attendance to use the gathering to find other members of the community who have a different opinion and arrange to discuss it privately.

"This is not structured as an opportunity for an open dialogue between the public and committee members," Higgins said. "I hope everyone here takes the time to talk to other people here they do not agree with. A respectful dialogue doesn't just happen at public meetings. It can happen between all of you."

Speaking in favor of the resolution was East Center Street resident Tyler Boudreau, 39, an Iraq War veteran serving as an infantryman.

"It is not inherently disrespectful to critique or re-evaluate a military operation," Boudreau said, "particularly if that military operation extends over a period of 10 years, as these conflicts have. It is imperative that we do re-evaluate continually, because the ultimate responsibility for American wars lies with the American people. We have to be able to discuss without passion or prejudice the courses of action before us and their costs and their consequences."

Paradis, opposing the resolution, said, "We are at war with a network known as al-Qaida, and its terrorist affiliates who support efforts to attack our country and our allies and to indiscriminately kill American citizens, including, if they were given the chance, right here and now, every person, man, woman, and child in this room without mercy or any remorse."

Andrew Trushaw, of Bridge Street, said he didn't come to the meeting to speak for or against the resolution, but said he felt it should be brought to a citywide vote.

"I think that it is wrong for the City Council to speak on behalf of the whole entire city of Northampton without actually knowing what the real percentage is," Trushaw said.

Kitty Callaghan, 54, of Golden Drive, said that after spending the last 25 years representing the city's low-income tenants as Western Mass. Legal Services attorney, she believed "war dollars should be brought home to address the housing crisis in this community."

"To show you the magnitude of our housing problem, in 2006 the Northampton Housing Authority opened their waiting list for one week and had 800 applicants. As of today, there are 100 applicants still on that waiting list," Callaghan said. "I would like Congress to bring home our war dollars so we can provide enough housing vouchers so that local people aren't struggling and aren't homeless."

Another U.S. Air Force veteran at the meeting, Col. Gary Keefe, 46, of Avis Circle, said he disagreed with the proposal because he thought many city residents' expectation that Northampton would get any more federal dollars as a result was unrealistic.

"If the council wants this resolution to go forward, I agree with Andy Trushaw, put it on a ballot and let the city vote on it," Keefe said, adding, "The city is not going to receive a big check. That's not how the government's budgeting system works."

Keefe also questioned the American Friends Service Committee's claim that the city of Northampton has collectively paid or become indebted to the amount of $111.7 million in federal taxes over the course of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

"I don't know where they came up with this $111.7 million dollars," Keefe said. "I'd like us to apply that same factor to find out what illegal immigration is costing the city of Northampton."

Elliot Fratkin, 62, of Massasoit Street, said he thought the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq could not possibly end in military victory for the United States.

"Half of the country today feels that they don't know why we are still in these wars," Fratkin said. "I urge the City Council to pass this resolution, bring our war dollars home and send a clear message to our representatives and state senators."

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

South Hadley man indicted in connection with alleged workers' compensation fraud

By OWEN BOSS

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON — The owner of a South Hadley roofing company accused of defrauding his insurance company of over $107,000 in workers’ compensation premiums by misclassifying his workers on insurance policies was indicted Tuesday.

A Hampshire County Grand Jury returned indictments against Thomas Leonard, 33, on four counts of larceny over $250 and four counts of workers’ compensation fraud.

“Mr. Leonard allegedly lied to his insurance company in order to save money on his workers’ compensation policies, thereby risking the health and well-being of his workers if any of them were ever injured on the job,” Attorney General Martha Coakley said. “It is the duty of all employers in the Commonwealth to provide the proper insurance coverage for their employees, and our office will continue to hold those accountable who try to avoid that responsibility.”

In November 2009, Coakley’s Office began an investigation into Leonard’s company after the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau was tipped off to Leonard’s alleged misclassifications by the AIM Mutual Insurance Co. Investigators found that over a four year period between May 2004 and May 2008, Leonard, who owned TLC Exteriors, had allegedly misclassified his workers as carpenters instead of roofers in order to avoid paying higher workers’ compensation insurance premiums.

The proper insurance premiums are calculated by the Workers’ Compensation Ratings and Inspection Bureau which provides these rates based on the risk exposure of work conducted. Authorities allege that Leonard should have paid a higher rate insurance premium because his employees were actually roofing, which is a higher risk job classification.

After being notified of the discrepancy, Leonard allegedly told his insurance company that he had a carpentry business and that any roofing was subcontracted to other businesses. IFB investigators later discovered that Leonard had employed full-time roofers since his first policy with AIM in May 2004 and that as a result of his fraudulent activities, Leonard defrauded AIM of over $107,000 in workers compensation premiums.

Leonard is scheduled to be arraigned in Hampshire Superior Court on July 15, 2010.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Sex offender found hiding outside of Amherst Day Care

AMHERST — A level 3 sex offender who police found hiding in the bushes behind the Mercy House Church while a daycare program was in session was ordered held on $1,000 bail in court Tuesday.

Angelo J. Hensley, 43 Center St., Northampton, pleaded innocent Tuesday to charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of threatening to commit a crime.

At 9:07 a.m., officer Nicholas Chandler reportedly saw Hensley dressed in all black and hiding in the bushes behind the North Pleasant Street Church. From his vantage point, Chandler reported, Hensley could see many young children running around the inside of the church through a series of ground level windows.

When approached by police, Hensley was combative toward arresting officers and Pastor Robert Krumrey, who exited the church when he heard the confrontation from inside.

Judge John Payne Jr. set Hensley’s bail at $1,000 personal surety, an amount he hadn’t posted as of Wednesday afternoon. Hensley is scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing on Aug. 17.

— OWEN BOSS

United Way announces funding for area agencies

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

More than $55,000 in federal funding will be disbursed to support social services organizations throughout Hampshire County as part of the national Emergency Food and Shelter Program's annual distribution of funds.

Area organizations receiving funding this year are in Northampton, Easthampton, Amherst and Huntington and include the Amherst Survival Center; Center for Human Development's Grace House, Not Bread Alone Soup Kitchen and SRO Project; Easthampton Community Center; Northampton Survival Center; Pioneer Valley Assembly of God Food Pantry; The Salvation Army of Hampshire County; ServiceNet's Interfaith Shelter; St. John's Manna Soup Kitchen and Trinity Church's Jubilee Cupboard.

Each county's allotment of dollars is determined by a national formula that is based on the area's unemployment percentage for the most recent 12-month period and recent poverty statistics.

The local board for Hampshire County, chaired by Mark Maloni of Community Action, is responsible for awarding the national funds to local organizations. Funding decisions are based on an organization's ability to distribute aid effectively to those most at risk and also to work within the guidelines of the federal grant.

"After much discussion about the areas of critical need in the county, we designed an allocation plan which we feel distributes the available dollars most effectively to achieve the greatest good for the local community," Maloni said.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Truck fire causes school evacuation

NORTHAMPTON - A recycling truck that caught fire next to Northampton High School Monday afternoon prompted police and firefighters to evacuate the building.

According to Capt. Patrick Curtin, at 3:30 p.m., fire personnel responded to the high school on Elm Street for a report that a fire had broken out in the back of a recycling truck as it attempted to process the cardboard it was collecting from a Dumpster behind the building.

It took firefighters only minutes to extinguish the blaze. Police called for an ambulance and ordered the approximately 20 people inside the building to leave for a short time.

No one was injured, Curtin said, and the truck was driven away from the scene.

- OWEN BOSS

Williamsburg mother and son pair face marijuana, theft charges

By OWEN BOSS

Staff Writer

BELCHERTOWN — A mother and son who police say housed troubled teens and operated a marijuana-growing operation out of their Williamsburg home denied charges in court Monday.
Shirley J. Warner, 47, and her son, Colin A. Warner, 18, both of 93 Adams Road, Williamsburg, pleaded innocent Monday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of possessing a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute and receiving stolen property valued above $250.

On March 18, officers from the Williamsburg and Chesterfield police departments executed a search warrant at the Warners’ home, where police reportedly responded on numerous occasions to reports of criminal activity and loud parties involving juveniles and adults, according to court documents.

During the search, police reportedly found in plain view bags of marijuana, assorted smoking paraphernalia and evidence of a recently dismantled marijuana “grow operation,” including a black trash bag containing nine marijuana plants, a red bin marked “cake mix” filled with marijuana stalks, stems and leaves, fluorescent lighting, potting soil, fertilizer, more than 30 planting pots and several large rolls of plastic.

Also reportedly found during the search were eight street signs from the towns of Gill and Bernardston, 15 small orange traffic cones, four large traffic cones and two large orange traffic barrels marked “Town of Hatfield.”

According to police, the Warners have been known to shelter area teenagers and young adults who have been in trouble, and therefore had given every resident, temporary or not, access to the marijuana within.

Judge W. Michael Goggins ordered both Shirley and Colin Warner to appear in court Aug. 20 for a pretrial hearing.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Wild fox attacks pair of Belchertown residents

BELCHERTOWN - A fox that bit two local residents Friday morning was shot and killed, police said.

At 9:15 a.m., police received a call from Aldrich Street resident Julie Ross who said she and her husband had just been attacked by a rabid fox in front of the couple's two children, according to published reports.

Moments later, police were called again by members of the Eyler family, who live two houses down from the Rosses and reported that a fox had confronted and bitten a woman on the hand.

As he headed to the scene, officer Steven W. Henn Jr. saw the fox running across the street and shot it dead.

Although a possibly rabid animal would usually be turned over to the local animal control officer, police said the gunshot wound was to the head and rendered to fox unable to be tested.

Those bitten by the fox were encouraged to get treatment for rabies at a local hospital, police said.

- OWEN BOSS

Senate proposes new casinos

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

BOSTON - Massachusetts could expect an annual revenue jackpot of up to $460 million by licensing three resort-style casinos, including one in western Massachusetts, according to an economic report released by the state senate Friday.

The report estimates that the casinos would generate up to $1.8 billion in total annual gambling revenue each year while adding 12,000 full-time jobs to the state's battered economy.

Under the Senate version of the bill also released Friday, the state would receive a quarter of those revenues - between $360 million and $460 million each year - in exchange for allowing the casinos to locate in Massachusetts.

State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, an Amherst Democrat, expects that differences between the Senate's casino bill will be easily and quickly reconciled with similar legislation passed in the House earlier this year.

"Right now we have differences in detail but not in principle. The major area of question will be the number and type of licenses that are given out," said Rosenberg. The House had considered only two casino licenses for the state.

As for the chances of one of the proposed casinos landing in the western half of the state, Rosenberg said the Senate's version of the bill calls for one western Massachusetts location.

"Under the Senate bill there are three zones, one of which is designated for the four western counties, which means there would be a competition for one license in the zone representing Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden and Berkshire counties," Rosenberg said. "It's just a matter of whether there is enough interest."

If all goes as expected, Rosenberg said the Senate version will likely be up for debate next week and, if it is passed, a conference committee tasked with reconciling the two bills will be appointed the following week.

In a major change from an earlier version of the Senate bill, one of the three casinos would no longer be guaranteed for an American Indian tribe.

Senate leaders had hope to avoid conflicts by setting aside one of the three casinos for one of the state's two federally recognized tribes.

That proposal almost immediately sparked a contest between the two tribes, the Mashpee Wampanoags and the Aquinnah Wampanoags, both of which proposed building a casino in Fall River.

Rosenberg, who helped write the bill, said the legislation would instead put all three of the casinos through a competitive bidding process.

The overall goal of the bill, he said, is to lure back Massachusetts gamblers accustomed to traveling outside the state.

"We want to bring our players home," Rosenberg said. "We want to compete with those tourism dollars."

Under the Senate bill, casino operators hoping to locate in eastern and southeastern Massachusetts would have to commit to spending at least $600 million in capital construction costs. If they are awarded a license, they'd have pay a one-time $75 million fee.

For the proposed western Massachusetts casino, operators bidding on the license would have to pledge at least $400 million in capital construction costs and pay a one time $50 million fee if they are awarded the license.

If there is more than one eligible casino proposal in a single region, the state would hold an auction before awarding a license.

Unlike the House bill, the Senate bill would not allow slot machines at racetracks.

Rosenberg said the Senate wanted to invest in resort casinos that will appeal not just to local gamblers but to tourists from outside the state, who would be drawn in by hotels and entertainment venues included in the casino developments.

The jobs and revenue report was completed by The Innovation Group, which bills itself as the "premier provider of consulting and management services for the gaming, entertainment and hospitality industries."

The report doesn't try to quantify the social costs associated with casinos, but recommends that a small percentage of gaming revenues be set aside to offset community costs and "potential negative social impacts."

Critics have faulted the push for casinos, saying the state has yet to conduct an independent cost and benefit analysis, but instead has only focused on the potential revenue.

A portion of revenue under the Senate bill would be dedicated to help problem gamblers.

Rosenberg said the Senate chose The Innovation Group in part because it doesn't have any direct ties to any of the casino proposals being floated in Massachusetts. He said the Senate didn't ask for social cost estimates because those are tied too closely to other factors, including where a casino is located.

The Senate paid $80,000 for the report.

The Senate is scheduled to debate the bill next week. Gov. Deval Patrick supports casino gambling and said he prefers destination casinos over racetrack slots.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

Local fans had faith in the Celtics

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

AMHERST - The atmosphere inside The Hangar Pub & Grill Thursday night was similar to what you might encounter moments before a severe thunderstorm hits, when you can almost feel in your bones that something powerful is about to happen.

Fans eagerly waiting for the deciding game of the 2010 NBA finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers were quietly stoic and focused on the television, seemingly saving their energy for a climactic finish to a championship series that had more than lived up to the hype.

Dressed in his Celtics green, Rocky Gove, 71, of Turners Falls, met with friends from his office to watch the game and said he was ready to see the Celtics hang their 18th banner in the rafters of TD Garden.

"I remember the days of Jo Jo White and John Havlicek," Gove said. "I was there to see the John Havlicek's last game in the last row of the original Boston Garden."

Gove was optimistic about the Celtics' chances of bringing home another championship.

"I'm a little excited and I'm ready," Gove said, "but I'm still a little disappointed that they didn't put it away the other night in Game 6."

The rivalry between the two franchises is unmatched in the NBA and dates back to 1959, when the Celtics swept the then-Minneapolis Lakers for their first title. After the Lakers relocated to Los Angeles in 1960, they were defeated by the Celtics six times in eight years - three times in a deciding Game 7.

Down the street at Rafters Sports Bar & Restaurant, more than 100 fans watched together as the starting players were introduced before tip-off. Wearing their Celtics jerseys, longtime Celtics fans Keith Toffling and Chris Snyder, both 28 and of Hadley, said they expected it would come down to which of the two teams wanted it more.

"These teams have been so well matched so far that I don't expect to see anything but the best of both teams in the seventh game," Toffling said. "When it all boils down, it's going to be about which team comes to play with the most energy."

Sharing Toffling's optimism, Snyder said although the statistics show that when an NBA championship series goes seven games the home team usually wins - this is the Celtics team to break that pattern.

"We were solid on the road throughout the entire regular season," Snyder said. "If there is one team that can go into Los Angeles and come out with a win it's Boston."

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

UMass alum Feinberg named to head Gulf spill fund

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

In an attempt to ensure that Gulf residents affected by the BP oil disaster are fairly compensated for their losses, President Obama has named Kenneth Feinberg, a graduate of UMass-Amherst, to head up the victim compensation fund.

"This is about accountability. At the end of the day, that's what every American wants and expects," Obama said, in announcing Wednesday that BP would set aside an initial $20 billion for disaster relief.

Feinberg, 64, who graduated with UMass Amherst's class of 1967, is a national expert in criminal law and evidence and was a chief of staff for the late U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

Feinberg has been called on by the federal government in the past to distribute money to the victims and families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, ground zero workers who inhaled toxic dust, Agent Orange victims and the families of those killed during a 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech. Last year, in the wake of the financial meltdown, he became the Obama administration's "pay czar," setting compensation packages for top executives at the banks and auto companies that received the biggest bailouts, and pay guidelines for other top earners.

"Ken Feinberg is among our eminent alumni, and he is an excellent choice to administer the compensation fund for victims of the BP oil spill," said UMass Chancellor Robert Holub. "Ken has distinguished himself as the world's leading expert on compensation issues, and he will bring a sharp mind and extraordinary experience to this vitally important matter."

At the request of former Chancellor John V. Lombardi, the Feinberg Institute was created at UMass in 2006 to promote the study of how human life is valued. The institute has presented lecture series and other events in the years since.

Named to head the Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund after the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, Feinberg had to weigh applications from victims' families and distribute awards from a $7 billion-plus pot based on an estimate of what each victim would have earned in a lifetime.

Family members complained that he was cold and aloof in the initial weeks after the attacks.

"At the beginning he was telling families #My way or the highway,"' said Charles Wolf, whose wife died at the World Trade Center. "He had a very poor bedside manner."

But Wolf said Feinberg grew in the job and ended up "bending over backward" to get victims' families to apply to the Sept. 11 fund. In the end, 97 percent of the families applied to the fund; the average payout was $1.8 million.

"He'll approach this thing with firmness," Wolf said. "I'm very pleased."

Sally Regenhard, whose firefighter son earned far less than the financial industry professionals who died at the trade center and received a lower payout, said the process Feinberg used was unfair.

"It really created a kind of caste system for human beings," she said. "I know that (Feinberg) kept on saying that he had to go by the guidelines, but don't accept guidelines if there's inequity in there."

In his 2005 book, "What Is Life Worth?: The Inside Story of the 9/11 Fund and Its Effort to Compensate the Victims of September 11th," Feinberg wrote that the Sept. 11 fund was "the single most difficult challenge I had ever confronted in my 30 years as a lawyer." He wrote he wanted everyone to participate in his fund's payout "rather than have them pursue a costly, time-consuming, and emotionally wrenching remedy through the courts."

The oil-spill fund could be more complicated to administer than the Sept. 11 fund, which had a finite number of potential claimants. The eight-week disaster in the Gulf is jeopardizing the environment as well as the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people across the coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Consultants present designs for Exit 19 improvements

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - Residents had the opportunity to weigh in on several proposed designs for improvements at Interstate 91's Exit 19 as a consulting firm presented its most recent findings at a public meeting Monday night.

The meeting, which drew more than 80 people to Bridge Street School's cafeteria, involved a brief presentation of 12 different designs being considered by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and drafted by TranSystems, a company from Kansas City, Mo., that has spent the last six months reviewing and updating traffic studies conducted in the last decade.

"We wanted to make sure that throughout the course of this study that the public had access to all of the information that we had available and to make sure that information was made clear," said Marcy Miller, of TranSystems. "This is the first of what would be four neighborhood meetings ... and while 12 alternatives may seem like a lot to digest, this is just our effort to remain transparent. We didn't want you to think a decision has already been made."

Proposals presented Monday range from no change to the exit's current layout through a simple two-lane roundabout to a three-story flyover ramp, but all are aimed at improving traffic congestion at Exit 19, which connects I-91 to Damon Road and Route 9.

According to Gary Bua, of TranSystems, the key difference between Monday's meeting and past study presentations was that the 12 possible designs were ranked based on a host of criteria, including impacts on traffic flow, the environment, abutting agricultural land, surrounding properties and safety.

"We've carefully analyzed the current conditions and we've also projected the future conditions, and we are here to get more comments from you," Bua said. "And from your input, we will choose three or four (designs) and advance those through another study and arrive at a preferred alternative."

Many of those who spoke voiced concern that most of the designs would be too costly and wondered if the funding could rather be used to address other problems facing the city.

"I can't believe that they are thinking of spending this kind of money to further our dependence on cars - it makes no sense," said Northampton resident Susan Lantz, drawing a round of applause from the audience. "One of the alternatives here is to do nothing and I so strongly support that. Let us use this funding to address the changes that are coming at us in the next 20 years."

Also presenting findings at the meeting was a Project Advisory Committee consisting of representatives from the Ward 3 neighborhood association, environmental interest groups, local colleges and universities, transit agencies, bicycle advocacy groups and state legislators. The committee has worked closely with the study team since its formation in November 2009.

Before revealing its recommended design choice, PAC member Frank Werbinski said the committee's aim was to find an alternative that closely matched the interchange's current footprint, required the use of as little land as possible, was safest for pedestrians and cyclists and did not disrupt the floodplain or nearby agriculture.

Although he said the PAC supported an alternative that scrapped the idea of new construction and rather used funding to increase the number and frequency of PVTA shuttles and improved Norwottuck Rail Trail connections, the group recommended concepts 12 and 13, the two cheapest designs.

Concept 12 would convert the Route 9-Damon Road intersection to a two-lane roundabout. Concept 13 would require the construction of another left turn lane from Bridge Street onto I-91's southbound on-ramp, an extra northbound through lane to Damon Road from the northbound off-ramp, among other improvements.

Monday's slide presentation and a wealth of background information is available on a specially created website, www.mass.gov/massdot/interchange19. The site also has a page for residents to submit written comments or suggestions that will then be relayed to MassDOT officials.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Easthampton teacher takes state history honors

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

BOSTON - Easthampton High School social studies teacher Kelley R. Brown was named the states 2010 Preserve America History Teacher of the Year Friday.

The annual award ceremony, held at the State House, allowed Gov. Deval Patrick and other state legislators the opportunity to recognize the tireless work of several area educators, including Amherst Regional Middle School teacher Floris Wilma Ortiz-Marrero, who was named the states Teacher of the Year.

As the Preserve America History Teacher of the Year, Brown will represent Massachusetts in the national program and is automatically a candidate for the national award.

Teachers are our most valuable resource in preparing children for success, Patrick said at the ceremony. I congratulate Mrs. Ortiz-Marrero and Ms. Brown on their accomplishment and extend our deepest gratitude to them and to their peers for their outstanding service to students across the commonwealth.

Also offering congratulatory remarks to the pair of Hampshire County teachers was state Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester.

Massachusetts is lucky to have many fine educators, and these two individuals exemplify the commitment to high standards and high expectations that we hold for all children, Chester said. To build on our successes of the past, it is critical that we continue to recruit and build a world-class teaching corps who share the skills, training and passion of the educators we are honoring here today.

Brown, a resident of Montgomery, has taught social studies at Easthampton High School since 2001 and now works just a doorway away from her brother, Brian Brown, who also teaches social studies.

She sees her U.S. History class as an adventure that allows students to reach outside their comfort zone and really think. Her classes are based on five core principles: authentic application, critical thinking, rigor and writing, innovation, and student-centered exploration.

Each year, Browns sophomore students participate in a project called A Local Lens: Histories of Easthampton, in which students make their own original contribution to history by producing a 15-page research paper that is archived in the local historical society.

Brown was named the Disney Teacher of the Year in 2006, an award given to teachers across the nation for creativity and innovation in teaching.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

'Keep an open mind and a curious heart'

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - Their name was on the marquee, the lights were set and graduating seniors from the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School were ready to take to the stage as classmates one last time.

Before a booming capacity crowd at the Calvin Theatre Thursday night, PVPA faculty and staff said farewell to the schools first crop of students to have matriculated all the way from seventh grade to graduation.

They also said goodbye to Bob Brick, one of the schools co-founders and longtime executive director, who received a commemorative plaque and several standing ovations. Brick, after 15 years with PVPA, is resigning on June 30 with plans to start a new charter school, called the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School. The site is expected to be in Amherst.

Before electrifying the audience as a tap-dancing Frankensteins monster in a surprise performance of Frankie Does the Calvin, a scene pulled from Mel Brooks 1974 classic Young Frankenstein, Brick compared lifes obstacles to learning how to surf and encouraged students to have the courage to paddle back out into the waves even if they get tossed a few times.

No, Ive never ridden a wave on a surfboard, but I have experienced the most amazing 15 years of my life fashioning and working at PVPA. I thank you all for riding with me because the ride would not have been so special without each and every one of you, Brick said, before allowing graduates one minute to scramble through the theater, find their families and give them a big hug.

Tonight I leave PVPA with great sadness and a broken heart, Brick said, a broken heart that is held together and strong as ever because of all of your love.

Also sharing a message of resiliency was Beth Graham, PVPAs director of curriculum and instruction, who compared her struggle to learn the piano score with a hand injury for the schools performance of Peter Pan to the unexpected tests life presents.

Learning involves taking risks, and the greater the risk the deeper the satisfaction, Graham said. Dont be in a hurry to erase your pencil marks, take the time to reflect and then end well.

On a lighter note, senior class speaker Maisie Dolan described her classmates as pioneers and shared a story about being stung by a stingray on a family vacation and the conflicting advice she received from those at the scene.

After being continually misinformed on the beach with solutions to the sting, including ice and urine, Dolan said she arrived at a solution when a passing homeless man suggested putting her foot in hot water.

Old fixes may not work in new situations. You need to take risks and go out on that shaky limb where more often than not youll find an unthinkable horizon. So keep an open mind and a curious heart for they will serve you well as the unexpected strikes, she said.

So we have to ask ourselves this: Did our education at PVPA encourage us to search widely and joyfully and with open minds and hearts? Dolan said in closing.

And the answer is a strong and unmistakable yes.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

'You've done us all proud'

Smith Voke class of 2010 persevered through tragedy

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - Not even a brief power failure could keep graduating seniors from Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School from reflecting on four years spent growing together - and from honoring the memory of a classmate who couldn't be there.

When the lights and microphones went out during the singing of the national anthem, Smith Voke teachers Marion Groves and James Anspach found themselves joined by the crowd of more than 1,000 friends and family members at Smith College's John M. Greene Hall who cheered wildly and kept the tune going through the darkness.

And a moment later, when the lights came on, it was time for Superintendent Arthur Apostolou to congratulate the 103 members of the high school's class of 2010 and to leave them with some encouraging words to live by.

"Whether you are going to college or a career it is our hope that we have prepared you well, but please don't be fooled: There is a gap between having credentials and being prepared," Apostolou said, adding, "Your commitment to learning, your positive values, your social competencies and your positive identity will permit you to be successful in your given fields, to advance through hard work and to be the leaders and innovators of tomorrow."

Also addressing the students was Mayor Clare Higgins, who joked that she was the last thing standing between the seniors and their diplomas.

"On behalf of the city of Northampton, for those of you who live in Northampton and for those of you who come from all across western Mass, you've done us all proud," Higgins said, adding that before they leave they should be sure to thank their teachers and parents.

"They're very proud of you and I am very proud of them for being people who really care about students and providing them with an excellent education," she said.

As she addressed her classmates, senior class president Ashley Beckwith asked each of them to think back to when they were young enough to believe they were superheroes.

"As children, we picked the cartoon characters we saw every day as our heroes because we didn't know yet who our real heroes were," she said, adding a quote from the late Christopher Reeve: "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."

Among the obstacles she and her classmates overcame in their four years together, Beckwith said, was the tragic death of 15-year-old Tyler Hewes, who was killed in a car accident in November 2007.

"On November 24, 2007, we all lost a great friend, and now I look at all of you tonight and see a family that overcame a terrible tragedy together. To the Hewes family, I want you to know that Tyler's seat may be empty but it occupies a special place in all of our hearts."

As Hewes' sister Erica took to the stage to accept her brother's diploma, the audience rose to its feet and gave her and her family a lengthy standing ovation.

Continuing with her theme of heroism, Beckwith fought back tears as she shared the story of her grandfather, who overcame being severely injured in a tractor accident to see her walk across the stage.

"He went from being in a medically induced coma with two broken femurs to walking here tonight for me, and that is what makes him my hero," she said.

And she reminded classmates to "Set your sights high and work toward those lofty goals. It would be nice if you could achieve them. But remember that the important thing is how you get there."

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

Picric acid barrel finally removed from Hadley barn

HADLEY — After closing off part of Route 47 for more than nine hours Thursday, members of the local fire and police departments, with the assistance of a regional hazardous materials team, were able to safely remove and dispose of a 5-gallon barrel of picric acid found inside a Hibbard Lane barn.

The drum, which was discovered by Beverly Rhodes at about 2 p.m. Thursday, was surrounded by containers holding several other dangerous chemicals and was labeled “picric acid - do not disturb,” according to a statement issued by Hadley Fire Chief James E. Kicza.

Picric acid is a highly sensitive explosive compound, similar to TNT, that was used to trigger controlled explosions during demolitions and was used in artillery shells by the U.S. military during World War I.

Kicza said that in the evening hours Thursday the haz-mat team conducted air monitoring and sampling in an attempt to identify the contents of the bottles and containers surrounding the picric acid to determine whether they were safe to be moved.

Then, after the other chemicals were removed from the vicinity of the picric acid and packaged in hazardous-materials containers, a state police bomb squad unit determined the contents of the barrel, safely packaged the picric acid and transported it to a safe location for disposal, according to the statement.

“Ms. Rhodes, who is in charge of the Hibbard Lane property, did the right thing by contacting the Fire Department after uncovering the dangerous chemicals,” Kicza said.

If you come across items that may be unsafe, the Hadley Fire Department advises contacting them immediately at 413-584-0874 or the Department of Environmental Protection at 888-304-1133.

— OWEN BOSS

‘Life is much easier when you can accept who you see in the mirror’

By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer

EASTHAMPTON — A brother-and-sister pair of Easthampton High School teachers had the crowd of 1,000 at the school’s commencement laughing Friday night as they delivered a speech that was part inspiration and part stand-up comedy.

Social studies teachers Kelley and Brian Brown, standing side by side, each at a podium, traded one-liners like “I learned that male Browns go bald and female Browns don’t.” (Brian Brown)
They argued about who was really the graduation speaker and ultimately decided to share with graduates a variety of life lessons they’ve learned from each other.

Kelley informed the audience that she was at EHS first — and that she got Brian his job by vouching that he “would be more than able to loosen up” around the students.

Her prediction was correct: her brother is now known to sing rap songs and allow break-dancing in class.

The pair also challenged seniors to remember what they’ve learned from each other and to appreciate what a caring community they grew up in.

“Whether you are going far or staying close after you graduate tonight, Easthampton will always be there for you,” Brian Brown said.

His sister said seniors should “make it easy to be yourself and appreciate who you are because life is much easier when you can accept who you see in the mirror.”

Easthampton High School’s class of 2010 commencement ceremony marked the end of four long years spent growing together both inside and outside of the classroom — and the beginning of the next step in their lives as family members and friends crowded into the school’s gymnasium.
Wearing the school’s traditional colors, the boys in maroon and the girls in white, the 110 graduating seniors came together for the last time as classmates. They took time to praise their teachers and parents for preparing them for what the future may hold.

As he addressed his fellow classmates, Jared Post, 2010’s class president and valedictorian, urged them to expect the unexpected and never to be afraid of changes in a constantly changing world.

“You never know what may happen in life, so live your life to the fullest each day,” Post said. “Realize that life can be very unpredictable ... and that you need to make the best of your experiences and constantly live in the moment.”

Class salutatorian Kelsey Dadmun broke into tears as she shared fond memories forged in the Williston Avenue high school.

“We now know how important it is to make the right decisions in life and how making those decisions can really affect the rest of our lives,” Dadmun said. “We can be certain that we’ve made the right choice when it is something that we want with all of our hearts.”

Before Superintendent Deborah Carter presented seniors with their diplomas, School Committee Chairman Peter Gunn thanked them for advocating for the construction of a new high school.

“You inspired this community and sent a message that Easthampton emphasizes its commitment to education by voting for a new high school, and we thank you for that,” Gunn said. “Each year Easthampton witnesses what can be accomplished by a wonderful mix of human potential and hard work, and we catch a glimpse of a brighter future.”

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

Bomb squad summoned for Hadley acid discovery

By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer

HADLEY — When Beverly Rhodes decided it was high time to clean out the 200-year-old barn behind her Hibbard Lane home Thursday afternoon she had no idea she’d uncover a five-gallon container labeled Picric acid — a highly unstable explosive compound.

The discovery, made at about 2 p.m., prompted Rhodes to call the local police and fire departments, who in turn summoned a State Fire Marshall’s Bomb Squad Unit and closed off Rte. 47 from French Street to Mount Warner Road.

“I had a guy over here helping me clean out the barn and as we went along we found an old drum labeled Picric acid and he said he wasn’t sure if he could haul it away because it may be hazardous,” Rhodes said. “So we both went upstairs and looked up what it was on the internet.”

What the pair found, Rhodes said, was shocking.

According to James McNalley, a field officer for the Boston Division of the state’s Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Picric acid is a highly sensitive explosive compound, similar to TNT, that was used to trigger controlled explosions during demolitions and was used in artillery shells by the U.S. military throughout World War I.

“The state police bomb squad unit is on scene and they are making sure there’s nothing else dangerous in there they have to worry about,” McNalley said Thursday night. “They may have to put another compound in there to blast it or just burn it off safely, but they’ll be the ones to take care of it.”

Rhodes said the barn was left to her by longtime Hadley resident Alfred I. Szarkowski, who passed away at the age of 80 in October and for whom she had been a in-house caregiver.

“That drum could have been sitting in there for decades without anyone even seeing it,” Rhodes said. “It was under a huge pile of stuff and some of the things in that barn have been in there forever.”

Although he didn’t say whether emergency responders had determined that the drum contained the highly volatile substance, Hadley Fire Capt. Michael Spanknebel said area residents should stay away from the barn and surrounding buildings until further notice.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com