Voters in Mass. city approve Wynn casino deal

EVERETT, Mass. — Voters in Everett overwhelmingly approved an agreement between city officials and Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn, who wants to build a $1.2 billion resort casino at the site of a former chemical plant on the Mystic River.

Saturday's vote was the first binding referendum on a casino proposal since passage of the state's expanded gambling law in 2011.

The host community agreement was backed by a better than 6-1 margin, according to the city clerk. Passage was required before Wynn could apply to the state gambling commission for one of the three casino licenses allowed under the law.

"The decision of the Massachusetts Legislature to require community approval of gaming developments was a wise one," Wynn said after the vote in a statement released by his firm, Wynn Resorts. "It is rooted in the common sense notion that for any development to be meaningful, it must have robust support within the community.

"The voters of Everett have spoken clearly and decisively. The vote heightens our enthusiasm and dedication to this fine project," added Wynn, whose prominent Las Vegas properties include Bellagio and The Mirage.

The deal struck with Mayor Carlo DeMaria and other city officials calls for Wynn to make $30 million in advance payments to Everett and more than $25 million in annual payments if the casino is built.

In the agreement, Wynn also promised to mitigate traffic impacts in the city and complete a multimillion-dollar cleanup of pollution at the site, plus give hiring preference to Everett residents for the estimated 8,000 temporary and permanent jobs the project would bring.

Wynn turned his focus to Everett, a city of about 42,000 residents just north of Boston, after an earlier proposal to build a casino in Foxborough ran into opposition from many residents and officials.

City Councilor Michael McLaughlin, whose district includes the proposed casino site, said he was thrilled by the resounding vote of support for the project but acknowledged many hurdles remain.

"This is the first step of many milestones we have to cross," McLaughlin said. "This gives us the momentum and the energy to go forward."

One challenge facing Wynn and Everett officials is convincing neighboring communities to also sign on to the casino proposal. Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone is among those who have expressed major reservations about the plan.

McLaughlin said he hopes to sit down with Curtatone and others in the coming weeks and try to convince them that the proposed development will bring regional economic benefits.

No organized group formed in Everett to oppose the plan, but some residents were wary of a casino bringing traffic gridlock, crime, and other social ills.

"This is just round one of a very long fight," said Evmorphia Stratis, a local artist who emerged as an unofficial spokeswoman against the project, of Saturday's vote. She called casinos a "predatory business."

Wynn's plan could be in competition for the eastern Massachusetts casino license with proposals from Suffolk Downs and Foxwoods Resorts, which is backing a proposed casino in Milford. Host agreements have not been signed yet in those communities and votes have not been scheduled.

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Crowdfunders push SEC for investor OK

The startup community is anxiously awaiting SEC regulations that would allow crowdfunders to invest in a company instead of receiving a reward like a sticker, but some, including one state official, want to make sure the rules are clear and prevent fraud.

"If they're going to have this, the rules need to be laid out," Secretary of State William F. Galvin said.

The regulations, part of the JOBS act, originally were due by Jan. 1, but have been delayed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Title III of the JOBS act, called the Crowdfund Act, will provide an exemption to the current requirement that companies offering stock or other investment opportunities register with the SEC, which can be resource and time intensive. The SEC has not yet written the specific rules to regulate the exemption, although it has said the rule-making process is a top priority.

In the public comments section on the SEC's website, Galvin has submitted several letters outlining potential concerns.

"We want to make sure the potential for misrepresentation is not there," Galvin said. "There has to be some protections there to make sure it wouldn't be abused."

Instead of individual companies registering with the SEC, the funding portal, likely to take the form of a website, would register. The portal would be required to take anti-fraud measures, among other responsibilities.

Once the rules are in place, the potential for new companies will be huge, according to Tanya Prive, founder of RockThePost, an online funding site for startups.

"It democratizes the process of funding for startups," she said. "The power of fundraising is going to be substantially increased."

Still, not everyone is convinced that crowdfunded investments are smart. "I think it's bad for everybody," said Daniel Isenberg, the executive director of the Babson Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Project. "This will lead people to unexpectedly lose more money than they think. It will be lots and lots of people losing small amounts of money."

"Equity crowd-funding can't work," he said.

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Upstarts raise money for startups

Some recent graduates — hoping to escape from student debt, start a business or learn new skills — are using an innovative crowdfunding site to promise a percentage of their future earnings in exchange for cash in the short term.

Rachel Honeth Kim, a Harvard Business School graduate living in San Francisco, is raising $100,000 so she can pay off her loans and jump-start her business. To get the cash, she signed on with the crowdfunding site Upstart.com. She committed to paying back the money over 10 years, through a percentage of her income that will depend on the final amount of money she raises.

"The biggest thing for me was the financial implications of going out on my own," she said. "The only thing that's kind of been holding me back is the debt I have."

Kim quit her job four weeks ago, and started Nailed Kit, a custom nail art kit for parties. "It's so liberating to finally be able to take the plunge," she said.

What makes Upstart different than many other crowdfunding services is the investment in people's future earnings.

"It's actual investment in a person as opposed to stock or companies," said founder and CEO Dave Girouard, a former Google executive.

Unlike Kickstarter, where backers support a specific product, Upstart backers invest in the people behind the business or product. If the first business fails, as many startups do, the relationship between backer and the young entrepreneur, or "Upstart," remains the same, but so does the financial obligation.

This is why, Girouard said, many Upstarts use the money to pay off debt or learn a new skill, such as coding, instead of funding a specific project or product.

"They might be pursuing something where they might not be making money" but it will pay off in the future, he said.

Trina Spear, a Harvard Business grad who successfully raised $20,000 through Upstart, used the money to pay for her move from New York City to Los Angeles, where she started a business.

Her company, Figs Scrubs, a fashionable and tailored line of medical scrubs that donates a set of scrubs to doctors in need for every set sold, was invested in further by some of the backers that supported Spear initially, she said.

"The money wasn't the primary reason I was doing it," she said, adding the partnerships she has made with backers has been invaluable. Girouard calls Upstart one part bank, three parts social network.

Backers must be accredited investors in the eyes of the Securities and Exchange Commission, with a minimum net worth or annual income, but Girouard hopes to open up investments to more people. So far, about 200 backers have invested about $1.4 million in 100 people, Girouard said.

Upstart provides a fundraising goal based on a proprietary income prediction model where higher potential earners can raise more money through the site. A Harvard Business School graduate who finished their MBA in 2012 can raise $43,400 in exchange for 3 percent of their income over the next 10 years, but an art history major who graduated from Boston College can raise $14,700 for the same income percentage, for example.

"Computer science majors from great schools earn a lot of money, it's relatively predictable," Girouard said, in response to concerns about putting a monetary value on people. "We don't try to position things as a judgment on a person. We're sensitive to that."

Spear likened the practice to an advance on a book deal, or a record contract.

"Why is it that companies can finance their growth through both equity and debt, but people can only finance their growth through debt?" she said.

Kim said she's optimistic about the payoff from Upstart.

"The worst case scenario is I pay my student debt," she said. "Anybody who has an idea should have an opportunity."

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Land Rover inherits fleet’s style, power

Renowned for trekking the African Sahara, climbing the Scottish Highlands and working the acreage, Land Rover now easily tames city streets. Having driven and reviewed its big brothers, the LR4 and Range Rover Sport, I found the 2013 LR2 to be a handsome and pleasant sport 
utility vehicle to drive.

The baby of the Land ­Rover fleet, the LR2 slots in with other high-end SUVs such as the BMW X3, the Audi Q5 and the Infiniti JX35, sporting a new 2.0-liter 240-horsepower turbocharged engine, beautiful leather interior and panoramic sunroof. This fine handling all-wheel-drive shares the Terrain ­Response System of the fleet, allowing you to adjust the truck to a wide variety of preprogrammed settings for off-road, wet and snowy conditions with the push of a button. Traction, height and power distribution to the wheels make driving the LR2 on or off the road easy and fun.

All the highly engineered mechanicals lead to a great driving experience. Although it does not have the girth or brawn of the LR4, it is highly maneuverable and a breeze on the highway. The engine, which it shares with the Evoque, packs plenty of punch while averaging nearly 22 mpg in mixed driving. I did better than the estimated 24 highway mpg — pushing out nearly 26 despite driving in the Sport mode, one of three available.

Easy on the eyes with a lot of traditional curb appeal, the LR2 sticks with a classic truck-like styling that has subtle textures and allows for a bigger payload, particularly with the rear seats down.

The interior has been revamped for the 2013 and the top-of-the-line HSE. I really enjoyed the butter-soft leather seats, a leather wrapped steering wheel, soft touch surfaces and the chestnut wood trim pieces.

The cockpit is comfortable and the dash display an uncomplicated electronic readout. The infotainment center worked easily, and the 7-inch touchscreen made adjusting the navigation and stereo settings quick and effort­less. Phone pairing was a breeze.

The HSE upgrades, however, quickly run the reasonably priced base MSRP of $36,400 up to $48,050.

If you're looking for a proper English ride without breaking the bank then check out the LR2.

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Administrator opens probe of spill claims lawyer

NEW ORLEANS — For months, BP has complained that a Louisiana attorney who is administering its settlement with tens of thousands of Gulf Coast businesses and residents has made decisions that expose the company to what could be billions of dollars in fictitious claims arising from the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Now the court-appointed administrator himself is investigating allegations that could provide the London-based oil giant with fodder for its argument that it hasn't gotten a fair shake from the claims-processing team.

Lafayette-based lawyer Patrick Juneau confirmed Friday that he has opened an internal investigation of alleged misconduct by one of his staff attorneys, Lionel H. Sutton III.

Sutton resigned Friday morning, Juneau spokesman Nick Gagliano told The Associated Press.

A report outlining the allegations, a copy of which was obtained by the AP, accuses Sutton of "writing polices" that benefited himself and other plaintiffs' lawyers. It does not elaborate.

Prepared by Juneau's office, the report also says a "confidential source" who contacted Juneau's security chief accused Sutton of trying to influence a claim filed by a New Orleans-based law firm. The same firm allegedly paid Sutton a portion of settlement proceeds for claims he had referred to it before he went to work for Juneau.

Juneau provided the report to U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier during a meeting in his chambers Thursday. The administrator has pledged to thoroughly investigate the claims involving Sutton, who started working for his office in November 2012, according to the report.

Both BP and claimants "rightfully expect fairness and objectivity from this claims process," Juneau wrote.

"Our goal is to operate in an efficient, transparent and fair manner. All allegations are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly."

But in its own statement Friday, BP said only a "comprehensive and independent investigation will ensure the integrity of the claims process."

Sutton acknowledged in an email late Thursday that he had been told he was suspended "pending an investigation of an anonymous allegation against me."

"I have not been made aware of the substance of the allegation or the status of the investigation," Sutton wrote. "Once this is resolved, I would be happy to discuss it all with you."

According to the report, Sutton denied the allegations when Juneau discussed them with him.

"Sutton advised Juneau that he did not retain any interest in the claims or clients and the allegations were 100 percent incorrect," the report says.

But the report also cites passages from a string of email exchanges in which Sutton allegedly asks about his cut of nearly $500,000 in settlement payments to an individual who had filed several seafood-related claims.

In response to a lawyer who emailed him in January 2013 and asked him about his fee, Sutton allegedly responded, "They sent you the check for my fee. The total fee on (the claimant) was 10k (+ or -). They sent you 5 for me and kept the other 5."

Jonathan Andry, a lawyer at the firm that allegedly paid Sutton, didn't immediately respond to messages left at his office and with his answering service.

BP attorney Mark Holstein, in a letter to the judge Friday, said it's possible no further investigation into the matter would have happened had the company not pushed the issue with Juneau by requesting a meeting this week.

"It is undisputed that the CSSP first became aware of the Sutton allegations at the end of May 2013, yet it appears that Mr. Sutton's emails were not locked down, searched and reviewed for almost three weeks..." he wrote, referring to the Court Supervised Settlement Program.

Juneau's office determined that "the Andry Law Group/Andry Lerner L.L.C., had 675 claimants, businesses or individuals that had at least completed a claims form and/or registration form" with the claims database, the report said.

The report indicates that Juneau's security head, David Welker, notified the FBI's New Orleans division about the lawyer's alleged misconduct. Welker until recently was the special agent in charge of the FBI office in New Orleans.

An FBI spokeswoman in New Orleans declined to comment Thursday.

Before the allegations even surfaced, BP PLC had sued to block what could be billions of dollars in settlement payouts to businesses over the spill. The company has accused Juneau of trying to rewrite the terms of the deal and asserts that he has made decisions that expose the company to fictitious losses that were never contemplated in the settlement.

Barbier, who is overseeing the massive settlement, appointed Juneau last year and has upheld his decisions for calculating payments. BP has appealed, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear the case in July.

It's unclear how much influence Sutton had over the process of evaluating and paying scores of claims spawned by the deadly Deepwater Horizon disaster, which killed 11 rig workers and led to the nation's offshore oil spill.

The report prepared by Juneau's office Thursday doesn't elaborate on the allegation from the confidential source that Sutton was "writing policies within the (settlement program) that ultimately may benefit his friends who are attorneys and himself."

But the revelation could strengthen BP's position as it forges ahead with a high-stakes challenge to Juneau's interpretation of the settlement terms.

"If I'm Judge Barbier, I've got to worry about this," said Howard Erichson, a Fordham University law professor specializing in complex litigation. "Any claims settlement relies on a reliable claims process. If the integrity of the claims process is challenged, the judge is going to take that very seriously."

The spill began in April 2010 after the BP-leased drilling rig Deepwater Horizon exploded off the Louisiana coast. Roughly 200 million gallons of crude oil were released from the Macondo well a mile under the Gulf surface. Marshes, fisheries and beaches from Louisiana to Florida were fouled by the oil until a cap was placed over the blown-out well in July 2010.

BP set up a compensation fund for individuals and businesses affected by the spill and committed $20 billion. The claims fund initially was handled by lawyer Kenneth Feinberg but Juneau took over the processing of claims after the settlement was reached last year.

Juneau's office announced in May that it has determined more than $3 billion in claims are eligible for payment through the settlement agreement. More than 162,000 claims were filed and more than $2 billion had been paid to claimants as of May 6.

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New England better on primary care than most of US

PLAINFIELD, Vt. — Ronald Pitkin, 84, remembers the day in the early 1960s when his brother Belmont got a gash in his leg while the two were cutting firewood. They went to the office of the town physician, Dr. Frank Corson.

Corson worked alone, and Pitkin was drafted to be his assistant. "He told me 'You're going to have to scrub up.' I was the operating room nurse that day."

Now Pitkin gets his health care at The Health Center, sleek, modern clinic that houses primary care, dentistry, psychiatry and other specialties under one roof. It's one of eight facilities in small towns around Vermont that charge based on patients' ability to pay. They provide primary care to about 25 percent of the mostly rural state's residents, and experts say they're a key part of the reason why Vermont leads the country in primary care doctors per capita.

"This is a terrific health care center," Pitkin said recently as he waited for a checkup with the center's senior physician, Dr. John Matthew. "It's more care, and help in general, for less dollars than just about anywhere."

With Vermont leading the way, five of New England's six states rank in the top six for primary care doctors per capita, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. The sixth, Connecticut, ranks 12th. As the national shortage of primary care doctors expected to increase after the federal Affordable Care Act takes full effect next year, some are looking to New England's states with an eye to what they've been doing right.

Several factors contribute to New England's relatively strong position. Among them: strong public health programs ensuring that high percentages of residents have health coverage, meaning fewer doctors deliver uncompensated care. Massachusetts, which enacted a universal health care program in 2006, has about 97 percent of its residents carrying health coverage. In Vermont it's about 94 percent.

The high rates of people already insured means "we will not experience the same (influx of newly insured patients) in Vermont as in other states that have very high rates of uninsured people or low Medicaid eligibility," said Mark Larson, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health Access.

Medical schools in New England, including the University of Vermont College of Medicine and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, have increased their emphasis on educating doctors for primary care in recent years, officials said. Vermont and New Hampshire augment a federal program that offers partial loan forgiveness for doctors willing to work in under-served areas with a similar state program.

In rural northern New Hampshire, Edward Shanshala, executive director of Ammonoosuc Community Health Services, said he tries to use the lifestyle as a lure when recruiting new doctors. "If you like to hike, bike, ski, fish and things like that — great!" he said.

Doctors also have time to see more patients because physician's assistants and nurses deliver some basic care to patients, said Brian Rosman of the Boston-based consumer group Health Care for All.

"The goal is to have everybody working at the top of their license," Rosman said. "Doctors should do things that really need doctors."

Even in New England, though, the picture is "far from rosy," said Dr. Joseph Gravel, president of the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians. Starting family physicians at his Lawrence office make $130,000 a year; specialists can make three or four times that much, Gravel said. With many new doctors facing student loan debts in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, the incentives are clear.

A physician workforce study by the Massachusetts Medical Society reported that even a state ranking third in primary care doctors per capita had experienced a shortage for eight consecutive years. Half of all primary care physicians were not accepting new patients, with others reporting long wait times.

MMS spokesman Rick Gulla said the per-capita numbers may overstate access. "Many physicians in the state are teaching, doing research, or other activities. Some of those physicians only see patients a day a month, and this also affects patient access to care."

And the need for care is increasing, too, as the general population ages. Maine has the nation's highest median age; Vermont is second.

"It seems like not only is Maine's general population aging, but a significant percentage of primary care practitioners is also getting to an age of retirement," said Vanessa Santarelli, CEO of the Maine Primary Care Association, which promotes and supports 20 federally qualified health centers across the state.

And sometimes the hiking, skiing and fishing just aren't big enough attractions, Shanshala said. He described some of the lengths to which he's gone to recruit physicians. When doctors in training leave after brief stints, he invites them to return for the company picnic and tries to keep in touch in case they ever want to come back.

Still, the picture New England is better than elsewhere, Gravel said. He cited a 2007 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association saying that among new medical school graduates just beginning their residencies, just 3.3 percent nationwide were going into family practice.

Strong support from the community and from Vermont's political leadership were among the chief satisfactions of Matthew's 40-plus-year career, he said. Good primary care leads to good overall health, he said, noting Vermont has been ranked the healthiest state for several years running — six, according to the United Health Foundation.

"Vermont is a good society," Matthew said. "Everyone is concerned about the least amongst us."

____

AP writers Holly Ramer in Concord, N.H., and David Sharp in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report.

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Cambridge property turned into stylish, upscale apartments

A little more than two years ago, the Wyeth in Cambridge was an aging Roman Catholic school in need of a complete down to-the-studs demolition.

Enter Broder Properties, a Boston–based developer, with plans to open the Wyeth this September, a 44-unit luxury apartment building at 120 Rindge Ave.

The four-story, LEED Platinum building near the MBTA's Porter Square Station, has raised environmental sustainability to a high-end level of living.

With a multitude of successful developments under his belt, Eric Svenson co-founded Broder in 2006 with his brother, Ben Svenson, and partner Dana Nielsen.

Prior to founding Broder, Eric Svenson and Nielson worked together at The Abbey Group, a prominent real estate development firm.

In an adaptive reuse project with a steadfast focus on sustainability, Svenson said, "We were faced with a unique construction question. What's to be done with all the demolition material? Partnering with a local Cambridge company named Green Goat; our contractor was able to recycle 88 percent of the materials once destined for a landfill. The 330 existing windows, for example, were carefully removed and shipped to Haiti to assist in their rebuilding effort."

Svenson believes that sustainability and luxury can not only coexist, but also enhance one another. From the oversized triple glazed windows that offer hours of natural light to the state of the art HVAC system that circulates fresh, clean air; private balconies or patios in every rental unit, to clean, contemporary finishes and open plan layouts — nearly every square inch has been designed and executed to exceed the highest standards.

The Wyeth also works with local vendors for a concierge service that lets residents have groceries delivered to their units, their cars washed on site, and pets walked.

All units have private parking spaces just steps from their doors, plus visitors spaces. There will be grill stations on the front lawn and on-site bike racks — with visitor bikes. There's a gym and private conference rooms. There will even be a specialty juice bar charging station for electric cars.

The market apparently likes the combination of luxury and sustainability. After less than a month, the Wyeth is almost 40 percent leased for the fall. One-bedrooms range from $3,300 to $3,500, while two, three- and four- bedroom units range in price from $4,400 to $5,000 per month.

Jennifer Athas is a licensed real estate broker. Follow her on Twitter @jenathas.

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Tokyo court backs Apple against Samsung on patent

TOKYO — Apple Inc. has won a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co. in a Japanese court, one of dozens of legal battles around the world between the technology giants.

The Tokyo District Court issued a partial verdict Friday in favor of Apple. Damages were not announced.

The court said in a summary that further examination is needed to determine if Samsung must pay compensation, and if so, how much. A final verdict is expected later.

Apple and Samsung are embroiled in similar battles in the U.S., South Korea, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Britain, France and Australia.

The latest was over "bounce-back" technology for scrolling on devices. Samsung was found to have infringed Apple's patent on previous models of the Galaxy phone and tablet series. Samsung has since changed its smartphone design to show a blue light, instead of bouncing back.

The two companies are competing fiercely in global markets, and accuse each other of illegally using various technologies.

Samsung said it will study the ruling before deciding whether to appeal.

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New England better on primary care than most of US

PLAINFIELD, Vt. — Ronald Pitkin, 84, remembers the day in the early 1960s when his brother Belmont got a gash in his leg while the two were cutting firewood. They went to the office of the town physician, Dr. Frank Corson.

Corson worked alone, and Pitkin was drafted to be his assistant. "He told me 'You're going to have to scrub up.' I was the operating room nurse that day."

Now Pitkin gets his health care at The Health Center, sleek, modern clinic that houses primary care, dentistry, psychiatry and other specialties under one roof. It's one of eight facilities in small towns around Vermont that charge based on patients' ability to pay. They provide primary care to about 25 percent of the mostly rural state's residents, and experts say they're a key part of the reason why Vermont leads the country in primary care doctors per capita.

"This is a terrific health care center," Pitkin said recently as he waited for a checkup with the center's senior physician, Dr. John Matthew. "It's more care, and help in general, for less dollars than just about anywhere."

With Vermont leading the way, five of New England's six states rank in the top six for primary care doctors per capita, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. The sixth, Connecticut, ranks 12th. As the national shortage of primary care doctors expected to increase after the federal Affordable Care Act takes full effect next year, some are looking to New England's states with an eye to what they've been doing right.

Several factors contribute to New England's relatively strong position. Among them: strong public health programs ensuring that high percentages of residents have health coverage, meaning fewer doctors deliver uncompensated care. Massachusetts, which enacted a universal health care program in 2006, has about 97 percent of its residents carrying health coverage. In Vermont it's about 94 percent.

The high rates of people already insured means "we will not experience the same (influx of newly insured patients) in Vermont as in other states that have very high rates of uninsured people or low Medicaid eligibility," said Mark Larson, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health Access.

Medical schools in New England, including the University of Vermont College of Medicine and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, have increased their emphasis on educating doctors for primary care in recent years, officials said. Vermont and New Hampshire augment a federal program that offers partial loan forgiveness for doctors willing to work in under-served areas with a similar state program.

In rural northern New Hampshire, Edward Shanshala, executive director of Ammonoosuc Community Health Services, said he tries to use the lifestyle as a lure when recruiting new doctors. "If you like to hike, bike, ski, fish and things like that — great!" he said.

Doctors also have time to see more patients because physician's assistants and nurses deliver some basic care to patients, said Brian Rosman of the Boston-based consumer group Health Care for All.

"The goal is to have everybody working at the top of their license," Rosman said. "Doctors should do things that really need doctors."

Even in New England, though, the picture is "far from rosy," said Dr. Joseph Gravel, president of the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians. Starting family physicians at his Lawrence office make $130,000 a year; specialists can make three or four times that much, Gravel said. With many new doctors facing student loan debts in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, the incentives are clear.

A physician workforce study by the Massachusetts Medical Society reported that even a state ranking third in primary care doctors per capita had experienced a shortage for eight consecutive years. Half of all primary care physicians were not accepting new patients, with others reporting long wait times.

MMS spokesman Rick Gulla said the per-capita numbers may overstate access. "Many physicians in the state are teaching, doing research, or other activities. Some of those physicians only see patients a day a month, and this also affects patient access to care."

And the need for care is increasing, too, as the general population ages. Maine has the nation's highest median age; Vermont is second.

"It seems like not only is Maine's general population aging, but a significant percentage of primary care practitioners is also getting to an age of retirement," said Vanessa Santarelli, CEO of the Maine Primary Care Association, which promotes and supports 20 federally qualified health centers across the state.

And sometimes the hiking, skiing and fishing just aren't big enough attractions, Shanshala said. He described some of the lengths to which he's gone to recruit physicians. When doctors in training leave after brief stints, he invites them to return for the company picnic and tries to keep in touch in case they ever want to come back.

Still, the picture New England is better than elsewhere, Gravel said. He cited a 2007 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association saying that among new medical school graduates just beginning their residencies, just 3.3 percent nationwide were going into family practice.

Strong support from the community and from Vermont's political leadership were among the chief satisfactions of Matthew's 40-plus-year career, he said. Good primary care leads to good overall health, he said, noting Vermont has been ranked the healthiest state for several years running — six, according to the United Health Foundation.

"Vermont is a good society," Matthew said. "Everyone is concerned about the least amongst us."

____

AP writers Holly Ramer in Concord, N.H., and David Sharp in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report.

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Icing on cake: ’EEI brass back stunt

WEEI-FM's brass is standing by their hosts despite an X-rated stunt, saying the sports talk station won't discipline yakkers Mike "Mut" Mutnansky and Lou Merloni for sending a porn­ographic cake with the words "Welcome to Boston" to a Chicago sports talk station.

"There will be no discipline," Entercom Boston Vice President Jason Wolfe told the Herald about the controversial cake, which featured 'EEI's call letters within an image of female genitalia, and was covered in male and female genitalia-shaped candy.

"This was done all in good fun. It was a simple, humorous bit 
between two sports stations," Wolfe said.

It was all a big joke, "Mut" and Merloni insisted on their 
show yesterday.

"It was a prank, OK? We like to bring you in a locker room once in a while," one of the yakkers said. "We've been there before, we've done a lot of stupid pranks before, and we've brought you in a locker room before.

"Why does everybody want to take away our fun?" he continued. "The intention was to take you inside the locker room and have fun."

Mutnansky and Merloni sent the cake, containing the words "Go Bruins!" in addition to sexually suggestive terms, to talk show hosts Dan McNeil and Matt Spiegel at Chicago's WSCR 670 The Score, in an effort to taunt their counterparts in Chicago as the Boston Bruins battle the Chicago Blackhawks for the Stanley Cup.

The WEEI hosts then circulated photos of the cake over Facebook and Twitter, gushing to followers, "We just sent them this lovely cake welcoming them to Boston."

The WEEI cake was delivered just a week after Wolfe told his peers at a talk show industry conference that talk radio exists "to produce content that entertains and informs, and we do that to the best of our ability of a regular basis."

Images of the cake on Facebook ignited a social media firestorm among listeners who didn't 
appreciate the gutter humor.

"Really??? ...That's supposed to be funny??" one person posted.

"That's the most inappropriate thing I've seen in a long time," added another.

Talkers Magazine publisher Michael Harrison, a radio industry expert, said the raunchy stunt is an example of what needs to change in talk radio.

"The media certainly has to do a lot of soul searching and self-evaluation in dealing with matters of taste, morality and maintaining an image we can all be proud off," Harrison said. "I'm a big believer in the right to artistic expression, but I also believe in people's right to react."

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