Report of funnel cloud prompts tornado warning
BOSTON (AP) — In another day of severe weather in New England, strong thunderstorms produced hail and vivid lightning in some areas — along with a report of a funnel cloud in western Massachusetts.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning shortly after 2:30 p.m. yesterday after trained weather spotters saw a funnel cloud near the town of New Salem. Witnesses also reported a funnel cloud in Sunderland, but police said there were no reports of a tornado touching down or causing serious damage.
The warning was lifted about 45 minutes after it was posted.
Earlier yesterday, flooding from torrential rain forced state police to close a ramp leading to I-391 in Holyoke.
A severe thunderstorm watch remained in effect for much of Massachusetts through 8 p.m.
Report shows casino projections hit, miss the mark
BOSTON (AP) — A new study says building three casinos in Massachusetts would allow the state to recapture up to $700 million of the $1.1 billion Bay State gamblers already spend in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
But the analysis released yesterday also shows the casinos would create about 15,000 permanent jobs, not the 20,000 projected by Gov. Deval Patrick.
The report also found that the casinos would generate 9,000 construction jobs, far fewer than the 30,000 once projected by the governor.
The study by the Spectrum Gaming Group of Linwood, N.J., was conducted for the Patrick administration. The Legislature killed Patrick's casinos plan earlier this year, but the governor has spoken about reviving it.
"I believe that this analysis will prove valuable for future policy deliberations if the issue of expanded gaming in Massachusetts re-emerges," Economic Development Secretary Daniel O'Connell said in a statement. "The analysis provides a comprehensive response to the many thoughtful questions raised by legislators and other interested groups, and reflects the integrity and financial expertise for which Spectrum Gaming is widely regarded."
The governor filed legislation last September proposing to license three casinos he said would generate $600 million in licensing fees and $400 million in annual tax revenues. The report doesn't estimate licensing fees, but it said tax revenues might be as high as $600 million.
Middlesex County official pleads not guilty to theft
CAMBRIDGE (AP) — Middlesex County Register of Probate John Buonomo was placed on unpaid administrative leave yesterday after pleading not guilty to charges he stole thousands of dollars from copy and cash machines at the Registry of Deeds.
Buonomo was released on personal recognizance following his arraignment in Cambridge District Court on eight counts of larceny under $250, 18 counts of breaking and entering into a depository and eight counts of theft of public property by a county officer.
Middlesex District Attorney Gerald Leone said video surveillance cameras caught Buonomo removing money from the machines numerous times in June, July and August. The surveillance began after the Registry of Deeds — which is located in the same building as Buonomo's probate office — noticed shortages in monthly receipts from the copy machines.
"This is a brazen violation of public trust," said Leone.
Cahill nixes pension investment in education loans
BOSTON (AP) — Treasurer Timothy Cahill said yesterday he would not grant Gov. Deval Patrick's request to invest $50 million in state pension funds for bonds that would be sold to provide tuition loans to cash-strapped college students.
Speaking in his capacity as chairman of the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board, Cahill said making such a direct investment for social reasons and not financial ones would set a bad precedent.
"We would not be investing because we thought it was a good investment; we would be investing because we want to help a certain part of the population," the Quincy Democrat said during a hastily called Statehouse news conference. "Our job is to protect the assets of retirees, which is separate from helping students accessing college."
Instead, the treasurer said he would support the Legislature signing a note of credit guaranteeing the state would repay $450 million in bonds so the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority can get the money it needs. The nonprofit authority, which serves about 40,000 families annually, hopes to make such a bond sale within the next two weeks.
Cahill had opposed a similar, $800 million guarantee issued last week by the House and Senate for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. He said that while the Turnpike had mismanaged its finances and was at risk of using the guarantee, MEFA had been victimized by the collapse of a specific bond market and that students and parents were likely to repay their loans.
Cahill urged the Legislature, which has wrapped up formal sessions for the year, to return next week to approve a guarantee for the educational authority. The treasurer said he had been unable to reach Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray or House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi to discuss the idea, however.
"We are pleased that the treasurer has responded to the Governor's call to action on this issue. It is important that we all work together to try to solve this crisis for students and their families," said Patrick spokesman Kyle Sullivan.
