North Adams Board Of Health Rules "All Private Clubs" To Be Smoke Free.

The North Adams Board of Health has extinguished the smoking lamp at private clubs in their city. The Board of Health has ruled that all private clubs in North Adams need to be smoke-free by June 1, 2009, a move that many club members - smokers and non­smokers alike - feel infringes on their rights. Members of various clubs say the new no smoking rule won't work but all they have to do is look at the same rule in the City of Pittsfield….where there is no smoking in private clubs either. In Pittsfield…and now in North Adams, patrons will have to go outside for a smoke. The Board of Health said that smoke eaters and other ventila­tion systems aimed at removing smoke from the private bars are not enough and obvious health concerns remain.

Long Time Pittsfield City Councilor Peter Arlos Dead At 82

The City of Pittsfield has lost a longtime public servant. Former Pittsfield At-Large City Councilor Peter Arlos died on Sunday at the age of 82. Arlos served the city of Pittsfield for 28 years. He was the longest sitting city councilor the city ever had being elected for the first time in 1972, eventually defeated for re-election in 1999 and then won a single term in 2001 but was defeated for re-election in 2003 and 2005. Arlos also owned Pace Vending Company in Pittsfield for 35 years. His obituary listing was in the Boston Globe, and according to that publication, memorial services are being arranged at the convenience of his family.

Driver Sustains Minor Injuries After Crashing Into Utility Pole

The driver of a car that smashed into a utility pole on State Road near Price Chopper in North Adams early yesterday morning, was lucky. Police said Susanne Rose of North Adams received only minor injuries during the crash. Police said Rose somehow veered her car off the road and smashed head-on into the utility pole, snapping it off at the base. Traffic on State Road was diverted for several hours so workers could remove and replace the utility pole.

Police Look For Suspect In Attempted Child Abduction

Police in Pittsfield are on the lookout for an unidentified man suspected of trying to lure a Williams Elementary School student into a
van on Doreen Street in Pittsfield Tuesday afternoon. According to the student, an older white male with gray hair and glasses pulled up to him in an older model, dark green, Dodge Caravan - opened the driver's side door and told him to get in the van. The student ran directly home and told his mother what happened. That was approximately 3:15 pm. The mother immediately notified the Pittsfield Police department. Officers responded to the area and were unable to locate the van. Patrol officers in the area have been told to keep a sharp lookout for the suspect vehicle. Police are asking anyone who might have any information on the vehicle, or anyone who may have seen a similar vehicle in the area of any school to call them at 448-9700. Police say that if you see the vehicle in the area of young children, you should immediately call 911.

Fire Departments Need Volunteer Help

Fire Departments in the towns of Williamstown, New Ashford and Lanesboro are in need of some new volunteers. Each department has a good number of volunteers already but more are needed. Williamstown has roughly two-dozen, New Ashford has 12 and Lanesboro has 18 but the fire chief's in each town say that they could still use some additional help. If you live in one of these three towns and are interested, you are encouraged to contact your local fire department. In the meantime, the Massachusetts Call and Volunteer Firefighters are working on a commercial encouraging people to volunteer for their town's volunteer departments.

Bousquet/Jiminy Peak Making Snow.

Local ski areas are not waiting for Mother Nature to bring snow to the Berkshires. Bousquet Ski area in Pittsfield, Jiminy Peak in Hancock and Ski Butternut in Great Barrington are taking advantage of a blast of cold air to create a manmade base of snow on their slopes. Jiminy Peak officials say they are aiming for a November 22nd opening. Ski Butternut officials said they're hoping to open with 10-15 trails during Thanksgiving weekend. Over at Bousquet, they've been lighting up the night ski over Pittsfield while cranking out a good manmade base of snow and according to their webpage, planning to open on Friday November 21st.

PATRICK-GAS TAX
DiMasi: Gas tax hike fairer way to share costs

House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi says raising
the state's gasoline tax "is a fairer way to share our costs"
than nearly doubling tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike and the
tunnels leading to Logan International Airport.
The Boston Democrat issued a statement after Gov. Deval
Patrick said he was willing to consider a gas tax hike but any
discussion wouldn't come in time to prevent toll increases.
Rep. David Linsky, a Democrat from Natick, is planning to
file a bill to get rid of all Pike tolls in exchange for a
6-cents-per-gallon tax hike. And 36 House members have signaled
their support for a bill filed by Democratic Rep. Steven Walsh
from Lynn that would block the toll increases.
The current gas tax of 23.5 cents a gallon has not changed
since 1991. The national average is 30 cents.

WILKERSON CORRUPTION
Mass. Sen. Wilkerson resigns after bribery charges

State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson has resigned from
office one day after being indicted on eight counts of attempted
extortion.
Wilkerson delivered her resignation in a brief handwritten
letter to Senate President Therese Murray, who had repeatedly
called on the Boston Democrat to step down.
Wilkerson left her Statehouse office at about 6 p.m.
surrounded by four men who kept reporters away. She did not
comment on her decision to resign.
Wilkerson was arrested last month after she was
photographed by the FBI allegedly stuffing bribe money under her
sweater. She's accused of accepting $23,500 in bribes from
undercover agents she believed were businessmen.
Murray said on the Senate floor that Wilkerson's actions
had placed a "temporary shadow" over the chamber that is now
lifting.
Wilkerson is the second senator to resign in the past week,
following James Marzilli, who is charged with sexually harassing
four women in Lowell.

GOP LEADER CHALLENGE
Mass. GOP House leader facing challenger

The leader of the rapidly dwindling
contingent of House Republicans is fielding a challenge from
within the party.
Rep. Brad Jones of North Reading currently holds the post
of Minority Leader in the House, where the number of Republicans
shrunk to just 16 after the elections earlier this month.
Jones is up for reelection to the post in January and he'll
face a challenger, Holden Republican Lew Evangelidis.
Evangelidis said he considers Jones a friend, but feels the
party needs changes at the top to help reinvigorate it.
Jones said he's planning to run again in January and
expects to be reelected. He said the party needs to focus on
rebuilding itself rather than getting involved in a leadership
fight.

BRAIN-INJURED GIRL
Prosecutors rest in Mass. stepdad's abuse trial

Lawyers for Jason Strickland will
begin presenting their case today in the trial of the man accused
of severely beating his 11-year-old stepdaughter.
Strickland, a 34-year-old auto mechanic from Westfield, is
expected to take the stand in his own defense.
Haleigh Poutre, now 14, became the center of a right-to-die
case after doctors thought she would never recover from the
severe brain injury she suffered. Her case would lead to a major
overhaul of the state's child welfare system.
Prosecutors say Strickland and his late wife, Holli, both
participated in repeated abuse of the girl.
Strickland's lawyer has told the jury Strickland believed
his wife's claims that Haleigh suffered from a psychological
disorder that caused her to injure herself.

PRISONS-STOLEN FUNDS
Mass. prison employee charged with stealing funds

A Massachusetts Department of Correction
employee has been charged with stealing more than $100,000 in
state money to purchase semiautomatic firearms and other law
enforcement equipment for personal use.
Gary Mendes, a lieutenant in the department's special
operations, pleaded not guilty to larceny and fraud charges in
Greenfield District Court. He was released on personal
recognizance.
Attorney General Martha Coakley said the 48-year-old
Berkley resident was arrested at his home Wednesday morning.
Coakley said Mendes ordered more items than needed from
vendors and use vendor credit to purchase other equipment.
Coakley said he also purchased firearms for other
employees, but she didn't believe any other workers broke laws.
Mendes has been suspended with pay from his $75,000-a-year
job.

NEWSSTAND STRUGGLES
Iconic Harvard Square newsstand may close

The iconic Harvard Square
newsstand, Out of Town News, could soon close as it struggles
along with the rest of the newspaper business.
Laura Samuels of Hudson News, which runs the kiosk, said
the company just received a 60-day lease extension.
That gives the city of Cambridge until the end of January
to find a new tenant or reach a deal with Hudson.
Samuels said Out of Town News is not profitable and no
longer fits the company's business model, which focuses on
airports. But she said there was still a chance Hudson will reach
a new contract to run the stand.
The kiosk, known for having a wide selection of daily and
international papers, is on the national register of historic
buildings.

WORCESTER FIRE
Station opens at site of deadly Worcester inferno

The site of one of Worcester's
greatest tragedies is now a site of hope.
Family members of six city firefighters who lost their
lives in a massive blaze nearly nine years ago were on hand
yesterday to dedicate a new fire station at the site once
occupied by the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse building.
James Lyons Jr., the father of firefighter Lt. James Lyons
III, says the $8 million station will stand as a symbol of the
courage and valor shown by his son and the five other fallen
firefighters.
The Dec. 3, 1999, blaze in the vacant warehouse was started
by a homeless couple. The men became trapped after going into the
building to make sure that no one was inside.
A monument to the firefighters in front of the new station
will be unveiled next month on the anniversary of the blaze.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Home Heating Oil Price Update

Let's take a look at home heating oil prices and it appears that the downward trend for heating oil prices is slowing down. Oil prices in North Adams range from $2.84 to $2.99…down a little from last week. Home heating oil prices in Pittsfield range from $2.89 to $2.97. Dalton has the only heating oil company in the Berkshires still charging above $3-dollars a gallon…$3.05 to be exact. Great Barrington has the lowest home heating oil price in the Berkshires with $2.80 a gallon. Prices are compiled by NewEnglandOil.Com.

Downing Appointed To Relief Commission

State Senator Benjamin Downing has been appointed to represent the Senate on the Special Municipal Relief Commission. The commission examines the feasibility of innovative local revenue-generating measures in an effort to provide revenue relief to municipalities. Senate President Therese Murray said she chose Downing because he understands that every community across Massachusetts is struggling to make ends meet and that she was confident that Downing will bring an important voice to the discussion of how cities and towns can find some economic relief. The commission is made up of 14 members and consists of seven state senators and seven state representatives. Senator Downing represents 48 western Massachusetts communities-more cities and towns than any other member of the Massachusetts Senate.

Troy Ny Man Arraigned On South And North County Sexual Assaults

A former catholic priest from Troy, New York was arraigned yesterday in Berkshire Superior Court on sexual assault charges. 60 year old Gary Mercure had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of rape of a child: with force and one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 in connection with an incident involving a man who is now 33 years of age. The incidents are alleged to have occurred in Great Barrington or Monterey between September 1st and December 31st of 1986. Mercure has also been charged with one count of rape of a child: with force in connection with an incident involving a man who is now 32 years of age. That incident is alleged to have occurred in New Ashford between February 1st and February 28th 1989. Mercure was released on personal recognizance on the condition he have no contact with the alleged victims.

Florida Man Pleads Guilty To Illegally Dumping Sewage.

35-year-old John Duquette of the Town of Florida recently appeared in Berkshire Superior Court and pled guilty to dumping sewage in the North Adams sewer system last year. Duquette was ordered to pay a $2-thousand dollar fine to the state, a thousand dollars in restitution to the City of North Adams and serve two years probation. Berkshire News Network Media Partner IBerkshires.com reports that Duquette was indicted by a grand jury on February 29 and arraigned on March 24 in Berkshire Superior Court where he pled not guilty to the charges. Duquette owns Berkshire County Construction in North Adams and ordered his employees to empty sewage from the company truck into the North Adams sewage system via a manhole cover on the construction company's property on Ashland Street.

Police Heighten Security At Trial Of Gang-Related Incident.

Security at the Berkshire Security Court trial of 21-year-old Marcus Fowlkes was beefed up yesterday but officials would not say why. Security guards confiscated all cell phones and searched people before they entered the courtroom. Normally, you go through a simple scanner and security check before entering the courthouse. Such was not the case yesterday in what police describe as a gang-related shooting trial. Fowlkes is charged with three counts of armed assault with intent to murder in connection with the July 28, 2005 shooting in which three people were targeted outside a Lincoln Street home but only one woman was hit. She later recovered from her wounds.

MASS COMPETITIVENESS
Report: MA returns to top spot in competitiveness

A new study claims Massachusetts is the most
economically competitive state in the nation.
The Bay State moved from second place to first in the
latest edition of the Beacon Hill Institute's Competitiveness
Report. Throughout the report's eight-year existence, the state
has never ranked lower than third and usually has been first or
second.
The state improved its ranking in part through its strong
showing in human resources, technology, business incubation and
security. It also rose from ninth to first in the number of
residents with health insurance coverage.
Gov. Deval Patrick will discuss the findings at a news
conference later today.
The report's author, Suffolk University Economics Professor
Jonathan Houghton, said Massachusetts does have plenty of
weaknesses -- including expensive housing and electricity.

WILKERSON-CORRUPTION
Sen. Wilkerson indicted on attempted extortion

State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, photographed by
the FBI allegedly stuffing bribe money under her sweater, has
been indicted by a federal grand jury on eight counts of
attempted extortion.
Prosecutors filed a criminal complaint in October alleging
Wilkerson accepted cash payments between June 2007 and October
2008.
The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of the more than
$23,500 in payments allegedly made to the Boston Democrat by
undercover agents and a cooperating witness during the 18-month
investigation.
If convicted, Wilkerson faces up to 20 years in prison,
three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on each of
the eight charges.
Wilkerson, who is free on a $50,000 unsecured bond, has
said there is "more to this story."
Wilkerson lost her re-election bid in the September primary
to fellow Democrat Sonia Chang-Diaz.

BRAIN-INJURED GIRL
Mass. jury sees video of brain-injured girl

A girl who was at the center of a
right-to-die case in Massachusetts has been shown in a videotape
writing her name and feeding herself.
The video was shown to jurors at the trial of Haleigh
Poutre's stepfather, Jason Strickland, who is accused of
participating in a beating that left her with a severe brain
injury.
The video was the first public glimpse of Haleigh since she
was hospitalized in 2005.
The 14-year-old was shown using her left hand to write her
name, feeding herself with a spoon and pointing out letters and
symbols on a board.
Prosecutors say Strickland and his late wife beat Haleigh
so severely that doctors thought she would never recover.
The state was criticized for seeking to remove her from
life support. The case sparked a massive overhaul of the child
welfare system.

MIT CUTS
MIT announces spending cut for next year

The Massachusetts Institute of
Technology says it will cut next year's budget by 5 percent,
about $50 million, because of the declining global economy.
MIT President Susan Hochfield and Provost Rafael Reif said
in a letter to the university community Tuesday they also plan to
cut spending by 10 to 15 percent over the next two or three years
and delay a dormitory renovation.
Similar moves also have been announced by other
universities as the economic downturn hits endowments and is
projected to reduce income from tuition, donations and grants.
Hochfield and Reif said MIT remains committed to need-blind
admission and need-based undergraduate financial aid.
Last week, Harvard announced possible spending cuts.
Stanford also is slashing its budget by $45 million.

DRIVING WHILE SNEEZING
Driver loses control after sneeze, end up in river

An untimely sneeze nearly cost Andrew Hanson
his life.
The 42-year-old Weymouth man told authorities that a sneeze
caused him to lose control of his pickup on Soldiers Field Road
and plunge into Boston's Charles River.
Hanson was able to wade to shore after escaping from the
truck, which was partially submerged in 4 feet of water. He was
not seriously injured but was taken to a hospital as a
precaution.
Lawrence Callahan of the Massachusetts Department of
Conservation and Recreation said Hanson told him that after he
sneezed, "the next thing he knew he was in the river."

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

North Adams Unions File Complaints With State Labor Department.

All seven North Adams unions have filed complaints with the state's Division of Labor Relations after their attempts to negotiate entry into the Group Insurance Commission were turned down. Berkshire News Network Media Partner, IBerkshires.com, reports that union officials have been trying to get the mayor and the city to talk about Group Insurance since last march and that they city's attempt to offer different insurance options is also in violation of state law. Mayor John Barrett told IBerkshies.com that the action by the unions was unhelpful and that what they are doing and what they have done has critically injured their relationship with the city administration and the School Committee. The GIC…the insurance organization the unions want to join, serves nearly 300-thousand state employees and retirees and would save the city more the a million dollars. Mayor John Barrett is skeptical over the savings claim.

Berkshire Museum Festival Of "Green" Trees Now Open.

The Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield has opened their 24th annual Festival of Trees and so far, quite a few people have made the trip to the South Street museum to enjoy over 200 trees creatively decorated with natural materials and reused, recycled, repurposed, and reclaimed objects. Visitors said they were uplifted by the festive atmosphere and were amazed to see earth-friendly decorations and designs. Designers of trees used post consumer paper and plastic, recycled steel, and even bamboo. The Festival of "Green" Trees will run through January 4, 2009.

State Ethics Commission Schedules Ruberto/Duquette Hearing For December 4th.

Remember the claim earlier this year by the state's ethic commission that Pittsfield Mayor James Ruberto allegedly violated state law when he purchased two 2004 Red Sox World Series tickets from Dan Duquette while the city was negotiating with Duquette about his use of Wahconah Park? The State Ethics Commission has posted a notice on their webpage saying it has scheduled a pre-hearing in the case for Thursday December 4th. According to the Ethics Commission, Ruberto accepted two tickets at $190 dollars each to game 2 of the World Series…a price that Ruberto claims was a face value price for the tickets. The Commission says World Series tickets were selling to the general public for between $600 and $2000 dollars. Both men face civil fines of up to $2000 if the commission rules against them. Both men say they did nothing wrong.

Congressional Black Caucus Meets In Williamstown.

Chapin Hall at Williams College in Williamstown was the scene last night of a meeting of eleven members of the Congressional Black Caucus. The meeting focused on the election of Barack Obama and the significance of the historical election and its ramifications for all Americans and the world. Caucus members came to the agreement that the election of Barack Obama is a tidal shift in the history of the United States and race relations. The caucus was moderated by "60 Minutes" correspondent Leslie Stahl.

How Good Are You At Bagging Groceries?

Congratulations are in order for a Pittsfield employee of Price Chopper, who has won this year's New York State "Best Bagger" competition. Vanessa Marrs won $250 dollars and a trip to the Best Bagger finals in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was video taped and recently broadcast on the Rachael Ray CBS television show. And you thought bagging groceries was easy! Price Chopper Supermarkets has competed in this competition for the last five years and has sent four out of five competitors to the national finals in Los Vegas. In the Berkshires, Prices Chopper operates stores in Great Barrington, Lenox, Pittsfield, Lee and North Adams.

DIMASI-ETHICS
DiMasi: Ethics changes will be "fully considered"

House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi says any
proposed changes to the state's ethics laws will be "fully
considered."
DiMasi said the state already has some of the toughest
rules in the country, but acknowledged calls for stricter
standards by Gov. Deval Patrick and legislative leaders.
DiMasi is facing ethics questions over payments close
associates received from a computer company that won state
contracts.
He made the comment after supporters of a potential
successor to his seat, House Majority Leader John Rogers,
unveiled an ethics package that would limit the Speakers' terms
to three.
A second potential rival, House Ways and Means Chairman
Robert DeLeo, met with about 70 House members at a Worcester
restaurant on Thursday night.
DeLeo's office issued a statement saying he welcomed the
ideas and looked forward to working with the Patrick and
lawmakers on ethics reforms.

BRAIN-INJURED GIRL
Babysitter testifies in MA abuse trial

A babysitter has testified in the
Springfield trial of a man accused of causing brain injuries to
his stepdaughter that she saw his late wife push the crying girl
down stairs at least three times.
Thirty-four-year-old Jason Strickland is accused of hurting
Haleigh Poutre or allowing his wife to do so. Haleigh was 11 when
she was injured so badly in 2005 that she fell into a coma.
Twenty-six-year-old Alicia Weiss testified tearfully on
Monday that she never told anyone about the abuse because she
considered Holli Strickland, Haleigh's adoptive mother, her best
friend. Holli died in what police say was a murder-suicide with
her grandmother after Haleigh was hospitalized.
Strickland's lawyer asked Weiss why she didn't help
Haleigh. She said "I didn't think to."
The case led to a right-to-die battle and a change in state
child welfare laws. Haleigh is now in a rehabilitation hospital.

WOODS HOLE
$15 million grant awarded to marine laboratory

The Marine Biological Laboratory
is receiving a major grant from the Howard Hughes Medical
Institute.
The $15 million award will allow the facility to make major
renovations to its three-story Loeb Laboratory, which houses lab
space for graduate and postdoctoral-level courses.
Gov. Deval Patrick and Senate President Therese Murray were
on hand to make the announcement in Woods Hole.
The grant comes on top of $10 million in promised state
funds for the renovations. The state funds were included in the
$1 billion Massachusetts Life Sciences Act, signed by Patrick in
June.
The cost of the renovation will total more than $25
million.

PIT BULL-WARRANT
Mass. high court rules in pit bull, warrant case

The highest court in Massachusetts has ruled
that police can't use a general fear of pit bulls to enter a home
without knocking.
But the court said if police have additional reasons to
fear for their safety, they can still get a no-knock search
warrant.
A divided Supreme Judicial Court ruled yesterday in the
case of Luis Santiago, a Springfield man accused of receiving
stolen property.
The court found that police had more reasons than just
Santiago's pit bull to fear entering his home without knocking
and announcing themselves. They also were concerned because of
his violent arrest record and the use of his home for drug deals.
The court overturned an order granting his motion to
suppress evidence seized during the search.

PUTNAM INVESTMENTS-RESTRUCTURING
Putnam Investments to cut 47 jobs, merge funds

Putnam Investments will cut 47 jobs and merge
six of its stock mutual funds into larger funds under a
restructuring by the Boston-based company.
President and CEO Robert Reynolds says individual fund
managers will be assigned more responsibility, rather than
putting small groups in charge of each fund. Putnam also will
revamp bonuses for fund managers and financial analysts to more
closely align pay with performance.
Reynolds insists the changes would have been made
regardless of economic conditions. He says they're designed to
simplify processes, and provide ownership and accountability.
The former Fidelity Investments executive took over in June
at Putnam, which manages $116 billion in assets.
Among the jobs being cut are those of 12 portfolio
managers.

Monday, November 17, 2008

North Adams RMV Getting Ready To Move To New Location

The state Registry of Motor Vehicles is gearing up for the move of its North Adams branch from 420 Curran Highway to 33 Main Street. Opening day for the new office is Monday, November 24 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. that day. Customers will find it much easier to reach and allow the registry to operate much better. Just a reminder that as a cost-saving measure, the Registry will no longer let you know when you should renew your drivers license and all Registry branches in North Adams and Pittsfield will be opening at 9am in the morning instead of 8:30. The Registry has also reduced by one hour the extended hours for the 18 state branches that were open late on Thursdays.

Congress Members And The Gov. Gather At Williams College Tonight

More than a dozen members of Congress are gathering at Williams College tonight to discuss Race and the New Congress. The roundtable of members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Governor Patrick - who will also be in attendance - was spearheaded by Bernard Moore, a visiting lecturer and policy advisor of caucus member, Danny K. Davis - an Illinois Democrat. The forum will be moderated by "60 Minutes" correspondent Lesley Stahl and will be held in Chapin Hall at 8:00 tonight.

Operation Troop Support Kicks Off Today

The Red Cross is launching its annual "Operation Troop Support". Starting today, the Red Cross Chapter House in Pittsfield is accepting items that will be sent to troops overseas. Operation Troop Support collects donated items from area residents and sends them to local servicemen serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait in time for the holidays. Kate Hubley, Coordinator of Service for the Armed Forces, is coordinating Operation Troop Support in the Berkshires. She says that any items donated in the Berkshire will go to a soldier from the Berkshires. Items can be dropped off at the Red Cross Chapter House on West Street in Pittsfield.

Gasoline Prices Continue To Fall.

Gasoline prices continue to fall in most areas of the Berkshires…but not all. According to GasBuddy.com, the lowest price for unleaded regular gasoline in the Berkshires is in Adams where the price of $2.13 a gallon was seen yesterday. Pittsfield has the next lowest price with a gas station on the Pittsfield-Lenox Road selling regular gasoline for $2.15. GasBuddy.com reported this morning that the lowest price for gasoline in North Adams was $2.21 but that may have gone lower since yesterday. Gasoline prices in the southern Berkshires continue higher then the rest of the area…case in point… in Stockbridge regular gas is selling for $2.43 a gallon.

Berkshire County Federal Loan Disasters For June & August

Federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses that sustained damages from June 1 thru August 31 as a result of excessive rain, flooding, flash flooding, high winds or hail. These loans are available to Berkshire County businesses including small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes. The U.S. Small Business Administration says eligible small businesses and non-profit organizations may qualify for loans up to $2 Million dollars with a 4% interest rate. The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. Disaster victims should contact the SBA's Customer Service Center by calling 1-800-659-2955.

Flags At Half Staff This Past Saturday And Today

Flags flew at half staff on Saturday in Massachusetts, as Governor Patrick ordered that all U.S. flags at all state buildings be lowered from sunrise to sunset in honor of Army Sgt. Scott J. Metcalf of Framingham. Sgt. Metcalf died in Iraq on October 29th. The governor has also ordered flags at half staff today from sunrise to sunset, in honor of firefighter John Clasby of Hull, who died on November 11th from injuries sustained in the line of duty on June 29th, 1999.

MUSIC DOWNLOADING
Law professor fires back at song-swapping lawsuits

The music industry's courtroom campaign
against people who share songs online is coming under
counterattack.
A Harvard Law School professor has launched a
constitutional assault against a federal copyright law at the
heart of the industry's aggressive strategy, which has wrung
payments from thousands of song-swappers since 2003.
The professor, Charles Nesson, has come to the defense of a
Boston University graduate student targeted in one of the music
industry's lawsuits. Nesson hopes to challenge the basis for the
suit, and all others like it.
Nesson argues that the Digital Theft Deterrence and
Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999 is unconstitutional
because it effectively lets a private group -- the Recording
Industry Association of America -- carry out civil enforcement of
a criminal law.

MASS. REPUBLICAN BLUES
Battered Mass. GOP searching way to stem bleeding

After losing three more legislative seats on
Beacon Hill this election, Massachusetts' beleaguered Republican
Party is casting around for new blood and a new message.
They may even have found a new political role model in
Barack Obama.
Although they disagree with him on policy initiatives, many
in the state Republican Party say one way out of their political
wilderness is to adopt the tactics and even some of the themes
used by the Democratic president-elect.
Some in the party say that like Obama they need to reinvent
their message and make better use of new technologies to appeal
to younger voters.
But others say they may have to wait until Democrats
stumble before they can start winning back seats.

CROWDED PRISONS
Soaring inmate population sparks calls for reforms

Massachusetts' soaring prison population is
renewing calls for changes to the state's mandatory minimum
sentences.
Many of the sentencing laws were passed in the 1980s and
1990s, part of a national crackdown on drug crimes. One result is
that inmates are remaining behind bars longer, driving up the
prison population.
In 2003, there were less than 10,000 inmates in
Massachusetts. The estimated population could top 12,000 next
year. That's for a prison system with a capacity of less than
8,000.
Department of Correction Commissioner Harold Clarke said
the steadily rising population of prisoners, many with no history
of violence, will force the system to double-bunk inmates.
He said sentencing reforms could help ease the problem.