State rethinks support of wood-burning power plants

BOSTON - The Patrick administration is rethinking its support of wood-burning power plants, a key element of its long-term strategy to wean Massachusetts off fossil fuels.

Wood, also known as "biomass," has long been part of the state's portfolio of renewable energy sources, along with solar, wind and geothermal.

State rethinking emphasis on wood-burning plants

BOSTON - The Patrick administration is rethinking its support of wood-burning power plants, a key element of its long-term strategy to wean Massachusetts off fossil fuels.

Wood, also known as "biomass," has long been part of the state's portfolio of renewable energy sources, along with solar, wind and geothermal.

Area property deed transfers

For the week ending November 6, 2009:

Amherst

Woodlark Properties LP, Woodlark Enterprises Inc. General Partner to Belchertown Road Partners LLC, 10 Belchertown Road, 12 Belchertown Road, Amherst, $1,600,000

Amherst

P. Gonsalves, Priscilla Gonsalves to George N. Ngugi, 223 North Liberty St., Belchertown, $1

Google digital book hinges on settlement

SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc.'s plans to add millions of copyright-protected books to its digital library are riding on a new legal settlement addressing the objections of government regulators who don't want Google to gain too much power over a new market.

New York Times to lay off news service workers

NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Times News Service, which repackages Times stories for other media outlets, is laying off at least 25 employees.

Those cuts are in addition to the 100 newsroom jobs the Times plans to eliminate by the end of the year, according to New York Times Co. spokeswoman Diane McNulty.

FDA finds bits of steel, rubber in Genzyme drugs

WASHINGTON - Federal health regulators have found tiny particles of trash in drugs made by Genzyme, the second time this year the biotechnology company has been cited for contamination issues.

Hilltown farmers pool resources on biodiesel manufacture

HAWLEY - On a brisk November morning, farmer Lisa Turner harvests seeds from the last of her sunflower crops.

"They have to be pretty dry; with all this rain, we have two fields left," said Turner. "We do have a lot of seeds here in the truck. This is something new." If the seeds are too moist, it gums up the machine, she said.