SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) — We’ve all seen those shows where people walk out of the grocery store with $100 worth of items but only pay $0.99, but extreme couponing isn’t only for reality television.

According to a study by GfK MRI, Western Mass. adults are more likely to clip coupons from the Sunday paper than any other area of the country and some of those people are taking coupons to the extreme.

You might call Ashley Ledoux an extreme couponer. She spends hours each week organizing her shopping trips, often saving over $100 per week. So how does she do it?

“My week starts on Sunday. I get all of my inserts together from various places, my Saturday paper, my one Sunday paper my supplier that I have for individual inserts,” explains Ledoux.

After collecting inserts and clipping coupons she checks the weekly sales, comparing the current sales with next weeks to plan how she can save the most money. She will buy many of the same items each week and add them to her stock pile.

“Just because I have 30 in my stockpile doesn’t mean I don’t need more. The idea of a stockpile is to buy something when it’s on sale or free so that when you need it you have it,” says Ledoux.

Ashley says when people run out of an item, that’s when they spend the most money on it. What they need is usually not on sale, they don’t have a coupon and they’ll go to the most convenient place to find it, instead of where the item might be cheapest.

To find out exactly how Ledoux makes it work, we followed her on one of her shopping trips. After exiting the store with 2 carriages full of items, Ledoux admits she spent $12…her savings?

“Today I saved $200 off of sale prices. I have to calculate the savings off of regular prices because $200 off of sale prices is actually probably upwards of $300.”

Even though it’s a hobby that takes about 20 hours a week for her, to Ashley it’s all worth it.

“To me it’s a great thing and it’s given me the opportunity to provide for my family without having to work that part time job because if I worked a part time job I wouldn’t be home with them. This allows me to be home with them and save the money that a part time job would give me,” says Ledoux.

Ledoux says that people’s biggest misconception about coupons is that they are for junk when actually you can find many items for a healthy diet and the extreme couponing doesn’t stop there, she also uses coupons when shopping for clothing.

Ledoux estimates that she saves about $160 per week on groceries and health and beauty items. That works out to a savings of over $7,600 per year.

by STEPHEN SINGER, Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Traffic in southwest Connecticut could be a mess for as much as a week until service is restored to the commuter rail line affected by a derailment that injured scores of passengers, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy warned Sunday.

Malloy used dire language to describe traffic troubles for the work week ahead in an area that even in normal times is a pain for motorists. And the governor warned that the weather will not cooperate as rainy weather forecast will make driving a bit more treacherous.

Malloy even urged commuters to stay out of the state if possible.

“Tomorrow’s commute will be extremely challenging,” he said at a brief news conference in Hartford. “Residents should plan for a week’s worth of disruptions.”

If all 30,000 affected commuters took to the highways to get to work, “we would literally have a parking lot,” the governor said. If a substantial number of affected consumers hit the roads, traffic will be “greatly slowed,” he said.

The state will dispatch more state troopers and tow trucks to respond to car accidents that could come with crowded roads and slipper conditions, he said.

“If you are going to New York and you get to New York or you’re transporting yourself to New York you may decide that perhaps you should stay there for the duration of this disturbance,” Malloy said.

Crews will spend days rebuilding 2,000 feet of track, overhead wires and signals following the collision between two trains Friday evening that injured 72 people. Nine remained hospitalized, with one critically.

“This amounts to the wholesale reconstruction of a two-track electrified railroad,” he said.

Several days of around-the-clock work will be required, including inspections and testing of the newly rebuilt system, Metro-North President Howard Permut said. The damaged rail cars were removed from the tracks on Sunday, the first step toward making the repairs.

Starting with the Monday morning rush-hour, a shuttle train will operate about every 20 minutes between New Haven and Bridgeport and two shuttle buses will run between Bridgeport and Stamford stations, state transportation officials said.

For morning and evening peak commutes, limited train service will operate between Grand Central Terminal and Westport.

State officials said travel times will be significantly longer than normal and trains will be crowded. Commuters are advised to use the Harlem line in New York.

Amtrak service between New York and New Haven was also suspended and there was no estimate on service restoration. Limited service was available between New Haven and Boston.

Jim Cameron, chairman of the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council, said he’s asked officials in numerous towns to suspend parking rules to accommodate what could be tens of thousands of motorists driving to unaffected train stations. Twelve stations are affected by the shutdown.

But Cameron said he doubts many commuters will use three modes of transportation to get to work: driving their cars to catch a bus to get to a train station for the final leg.

He suggested that local and regional officials post highway signs directing motorists to available parking so motorists “don’t get off the highway and drive in circles looking for where to dump their cars.”

About 700 people were on board the trains Friday evening when one heading east from New York City’s Grand Central Terminal to New Haven derailed just outside Bridgeport. It was hit by a train heading west from New Haven.

Dan Solomon, a trauma surgeon who lives in Westport and was headed to work at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, was on the train that derailed. He said he treated several injured passengers, including a woman with severely broken ankles.

He said he was in a front car that was not as badly affected as cars in the rear of the train.

“I hardly lost my iced tea,” Solomon said in an interview.

Solomon said walls were torn off both trains and he quickly checked injured passengers to separate the most badly injured from others.

“When the EMS arrived, I was covered in everyone’s blood,” he said.

Investigators are looking at a broken section of rail to see if it is connected to the derailment and collision. Officials said it wasn’t clear if the rail was broken in the crash or earlier.

NTSB investigators arrived Saturday and are expected to be on site for seven to 10 days. They will look at the brakes and performance of the trains, the condition of the tracks, crew performance and train signal information, among other things.

The MTA operates the Metro-North Railroad, the second-largest commuter railroad in the nation. The Metro-North main lines – the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven – run northward from New York City’s Grand Central Terminal into suburban New York and Connecticut.

The last significant train collision involving Metro-North occurred in 1988 when a train engineer was killed in Mount Vernon, N.Y., when one train empty of passengers rear-ended another, railroad officials said.

© 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

The performances which began on Friday featured a double cast of over 100 children representing more than 30 communities throughout the Pioneer Valley.

Starlight’s Youth Theatre is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing quality education and production of children’s theatre.

The event marks Longmeadow’s celebration of their colonial history on the Town Green. Antiques, music, food and activities like the community campfire Saturday night and the parade that was held this morning.

Long Meddowe Days is the towns primary fundraiser for the Longmeadow Historical Society.

(AP Photo/The Connecticut Post, Christian Abraham)

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — The transit agency that runs the Metro-North commuter rail line says trains damaged in a Friday crash are being removed in the first step to making repairs and restoring service.

Aaron Donovan, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said the trains will be removed Sunday. The National Transportation Safety Board, which has been investigating, gave Metro-North the OK to remove the trains.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation will announce jointly with Metro-North on Sunday a plan for the rush-hour commute beginning Monday.

Investigators are looking at a broken section of rail to see if it is connected to the derailment and collision outside Bridgeport that left dozens injured.

Seventy-two people were sent to the hospital Friday evening after an eastbound train from New York City derailed and was hit by a westbound train.

Those include the IRS targeting of conservative groups and lingering questions about last year’s terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.

The troubles could make it harder for Republican candidate Gabriel Gomez to turn the focus of the race back to jobs, the economy and the budget as he tries to tie his rival, longtime Democratic Congressman Edward Markey, to the nation’s sluggish recovery.

But the episodes could also prove problematic for Markey and other Democratic candidates if the public begins to blame President Barack Obama for the perceived overreach of the Democratic administration.

The special election to fill the Senate seat formerly held by Secretary of State John Kerry is June 25.

(AP Photo/The Connecticut Post, Christian Abraham)

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — The commuter train derailment and collision that left dozens injured outside New York City was not the result of foul play, officials said Saturday, but a fractured section of rail is being studied to determine if it is connected to the accident.

National Transportation Safety Board member Earl Weener said Saturday the broken rail is of substantial interest to investigators and a portion of the track will be sent to a lab for analysis.

Weener said it’s not clear if the accident caused the fracture or if the rail was broken before the crash. He said he won’t speculate on the cause of the derailment and emphasized the investigation was in its early stages.

Seventy-two people were sent to the hospital Friday evening after a Metro-North train heading east from New York City derailed and was hit by a train heading west from New Haven. Most have been discharged.

Officials earlier described devastating damage and said it was fortunate no one was killed.

“All of the injured people described the really harrowing experience of having the train jolt to a stop, the dust, darkness, other kinds of factors that made it particularly frightening,” said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who visited several patients in the hospital.

Blumenthal said a Metro-North conductor helped passengers despite her own injuries.

“Her story is really one of great strength and courage helping other passengers off the train in spite of her own very severe pain,” Blumenthal said. “She eventually had to be helped off herself.”

The crash damaged the tracks and threatened to snarl travel in the Northeast Corridor. The crash also caused Amtrak to suspend service between New York and Boston.

“The damage is absolutely staggering,” Blumenthal said, describing the shattered interior of cars and tons of metal tossed around. “I feel that we are fortunate that even more injuries were not the result of this very tragic and unfortunate accident.”

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said it was “frankly amazing” people weren’t killed on scene.

Both said new Metro-North Railroad cars built with higher standards may have saved lives.

Metro-North said train service will remain suspended between South Norwalk and New Haven until further notice. Railroad officials said rebuilding the two tracks and restore train service “will take well into next week.”

“We want our customers to know that while you travel on Metro-North, you can remain confident that your safety, and the safety of our employees, is always the first priority in everything we do,” said Howard Permut, President of MTA Metro-North Railroad.

NTSB investigators arrived Saturday and are expected to be on site for seven to 10 days. They will look at the brakes and performance of the trains, the condition of the tracks, crew performance and train signal information, among other things.

When the NTSB has concluded the on-site phase of its investigation, Metro-North will begin to remove the damaged rail cars and remaining debris. The process requires specialized, heavy equipment that will be in place by Sunday, officials said. Only after the damaged train cars have been removed can Metro-North begin the work of rebuilding the damaged tracks and overhead wires.

“It is a significant undertaking that could take days to complete,” MTA said in a statement.

The NTSB has allowed Metro-North to begin removing some of the track and wire from the scene.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said commuters should make plans for alternative travel through the area and urged them to consult the state Department of Transportation website for information.

Weener said data recorders on board are expected to provide the speed of the trains at the time of the crash and other information.

“Our mission is to understand not just what happened but why it happened and determine ways of preventing it from happening again,” Weener said.

About 700 people were on board the Metro-North trains when one heading east from New York City’s Grand Central Terminal to New Haven derailed at about 6:10 p.m. just outside Bridgeport, transit and Bridgeport officials said. Passengers described a chaotic, terrifying scene of crunching metal and flying bodies.

A spokeswoman for St. Vincent Medical Center said late Saturday that 46 people from the crash were treated there, with six of them admitted. All were in stable condition, she said.

A Bridgeport Hospital spokesman said 26 people from the crash were treated there, with three of them admitted. One was in critical condition and two were in stable condition, he said. The other 23 were released.

Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch said the disruption caused by the crash could cost the region’s economy millions of dollars.

Passenger Frank Bilotti said he was returning from a business trip in Boston on the westbound train when it crashed.

“Everybody was pretty much tossed around,” said Bilotti, 53, of Westport, who wasn’t injured other than a sore neck.

Firefighters used ladders to help people evacuate after the derailed cars dug into the banks of the tracks, Bilotti said.

“There were people on stretchers,” he said. “There were people lying on the ground.”

Blumenthal credited first responders, saying their “quick reactions and heroic efforts undoubtedly saved lives.”

The MTA operates the Metro-North Railroad, the second-largest commuter railroad in the nation. The Metro-North main lines — the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven — run northward from New York City’s Grand Central Terminal into suburban New York and Connecticut.

At Grand Central, Frances Liu and her family were trying to get to New Haven, where Liu is graduating from Yale. A train could get them only as far north as Stamford.
“And then we’ll rent a car and drive,” she said.

Liu’s parents had flown in from China for her graduation and were touring the country around her commencement. But the car-rental plan could face a snag — Liu never got a driver’s license, although her parents had their Chinese licenses.

“My mom can drive. So I hope it’ll be OK!” Liu said as she rushed off to decide on a train.

The last significant train collision involving Metro-North occurred in 1988 when a train engineer was killed in Mount Vernon, N.Y., when one train empty of passengers rear-ended another, railroad officials said.

___

Associated Press writers Michael Melia in Hartford, Conn., Susan Haigh in Fairfield, Conn., and Verena Dobnik in New York City contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

All the money raised from the event goes towards buying care packages for local troops who are deployed as well as other local veteran initiatives.

The event boasts live bands, food, raffle prizes, beer a cash bar and more. The cost of attending the event is a $15 dollar donation. Festivities will be continuing until 8 pm tonight.

It’s organized by the American Heart Association as a way to raise money to end heart disease and strokes.

More than 1,500 volunteers and stroke and heart attack survivors walked the 1, 2, or 3 mile route.

Adult survivors wore red caps while children survivors wore red capes.

“Heart disease is the number 1 killer of men and women in America,” said Mary Ann Burns of the American Heart Association. “So it’s important to raise funds so we can do research and educate people on their risk for heart disease.”

Today’s Heart Walk also featured health screenings, music, entertainment for kids, and refreshments.

The American Heart Association says walking is a great way to help prevent heart disease and stroke.

Gloucester state Sen. Bruce Tarr is offering the proposal as an amendment to the Senate version of the state budget.

It would allow the attorney general to recover “any and all money” from anyone convicted of the terrorist act “who has previously collected public assistance, financial assistance or received any other direct financial benefit from the state.”

The money would go to benefit any victims of the attack.

State official have confirmed that Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, his wife and toddler daughter received welfare benefits. Tsarnaev was killed in a police chase. His 19-year-old brother, Dzhohkar, was arrested.

The brothers also received welfare benefits as children through their parents.

Their week long celebration came to it’s finale today at North Riverfront Park with a Family Fun Day and Open House. The event included food, activities and a small parade.

Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club’s mission is to promote river-based sporting activities, to develop river access, and encourage recreation in the Greater Springfield metropolitan area.

Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and other Connecticut officials will also participate in the tour, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. EDT Saturday near Bridgeport. The delegation will update journalists with the latest details of the crash after surveying the area.

Three people remain in critical condition following the rush-hour crash Friday between two commuter trains that serve the northern suburbs of New York City.

Connecticut residents can drop off unwanted firearms at the Community Renewal Team’s office on Windsor Street in Hartford between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

This is the first of three buybacks for planned for 2013. The others are scheduled for August and December.

Organizers say the last buyback, held two weeks before the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, collected 181 unwanted working firearms, a 53-percent increase over the year before.

Organizers say removing the guns from the community will prevent them from being used by criminals. They say the buyback helps raise community awareness of the city’s gun problem.

According to event organizers the only thing Eddie loved more than the outdoors was children, the derby was created with that in mind.

The event included prizes for first, second and third place as well as the fastest fish caught. Participants had to be 15 and under to qualify for the derby and all those who participated left with something.

The event also included appearances by the Shriners clowns and raffle prizes. And the mom’s weren’t forgotten either. Each mom in attendance received a carnation and a raffle ticket for the opportunity to win a spa day and Hampden House gift certificate.

All proceeds from the event benefited Shriners Hospital for Children and The American Cancer Society.

Two cars collided at the intersection of Cabot and Beech Street. One vehicle rolled over and a passenger was ejected from the car. In total 3 people were transported to the hospital. None of their injuries appear to be life threatening.

Connecticut State Police attributed the delays to a disabled vehicle along the side of the highway. They expect that the vehicle will be removed off I-91 shortly.

(AP)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Police say the bodies of a woman and a 13-year-old boy have been found after a days long standoff in New Jersey, and a suspect was killed in the rescue of three children inside the home.

Authorities said at a news conference Sunday that officers stormed the house and shot 38-year-old Gerald Tyrone Murphy because he was threatening one of the children. Murphy later died of his injuries.

The standoff ended at 3:45 a.m. Sunday, about 37 hours after it began. Murphy had been holed-up in a two-story red brick house in South Trenton since Friday afternoon.

Police say they were called to the home on reports that a man had barricaded himself inside. Authorities say police entered the home and found the man brandishing a gun.

A group of mostly Republican lawmakers has sent a letter to Patrick, specifically urging him to reverse cuts that hit local aid programs for cities and towns.

The letter says communities around the state have been negatively impacted by the cuts, which the governor ordered in December after lower than expected tax collections in the first five months of the fiscal year.

At the time, officials were projecting a $540 million budget gap.

Since Patrick’s order, however, revenues have rebounded and now stand $510 million above the state’s year-to-date benchmark.

The current fiscal year ends July 1.