By Vicki Smith

Some Democratic members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation now say it’s time to stop delaying action on legislation that could help keep the nation’s coal miners safe.

By Steve Szkotak

A Virginia Tech official on Wednesday defended the delay in alerting students to two shootings on campus hours before the massacre of 30 others.

Obama stumps for his ‘use less oil’ energy policy

By Anne Gearan

President Obama on Wednesday made his most urgent appeal yet for the nation to wean itself from oil, calling it a “fuel of the past.”

The weekend assault left almost 200 soldiers dead in the deadliest defeat the army has suffered in a nearly yearlong campaign against the militant movement in the south.

Triumphant Putin pours scorn on opposition

A jubilant Vladimir Putin on Wednesday shrugged off claims that his presidential election victory was unfair and marred by fraud.

Confessed gunman indicted in Norway massacre

Prosecutors said Anders Behring Breivik will likely get psychiatric care instead of imprisonment for slaying 77 people in a bomb and shooting rampage.

Editorial cartoon: Putin won’t go away

Tom Toles, editorial cartoonist for The Washington Post, offers his view of Vladimir Putin’s long-lived political career in Russia.

Letters

"I have found that the trainers at area health clubs have little knowledge or understanding of the aging body." -- Marsha Gleason

Letters

"Walter Pollard, the Jamaica Plain homeowner suing to prevent a facility nearby to house sick and homeless people, is making a spectacle of himself." -- Peggy Hopper

By Matt Murphy and Michael Norton

The sheriffs of four Massachusetts counties, all Republicans, celebrated after the House on Wednesday joined the Senate in overriding six vetoes from Governor Deval Patrick.

YARMOUTH PORT

Three dolphins stranded Tuesday off Wellfleet, the International Fund for Animal Welfare said Wednesday.

PROVIDENCE

Court hearings have been rescheduled for two reputed mob members who did not go through with plans last month to plead guilty to extorting strip clubs.

MASS. MOVERS

Nuance to acquire speech-technology firm

Nuance, of Burlington, agreed to acquire a speech-technology peer, Transcend Services Inc., in a deal valued at $327 million.

Discovery advanced 8.8 percent to the highest price since January 2011.

The Internet radio pioneer fell the most ever after its quarterly forecast trailed analysts’ estimates.

Milton Stanzler, who founded the Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union in 1959 and helped create the Trinity Repertory Company regional theater, has died.

Ralph McQuarrie; artist drew ‘Star Wars’ characters

By T. Rees Shapiro

Ralph McQuarrie, whose paintings helped persuade film executives to gamble on a young director named George Lucas and his visionary story, “Star Wars,’’ died March 3.

By Henry Fountain

Christopher Lyles, whose cancerous windpipe was swapped in November for a synthetic one seeded with his own cells in only the second operation of its kind, died Monday.

Harvard revels in NCAA Tournament glory

By Mark Blaudschun

The Crimson, in the tournament for the first time since 1946, will spend a few days working on fundamentals and learn their opponent on Sunday.

Celtics notebook

Doc Rivers doesn’t expect a trade

By Gary Washburn

The way the Celtics coach sees it, his team to stand pat at the trading deadline and allow the Big Three one final run.

76ers 103, Celtics 71

Celtics humiliated by 76ers

By Gary Washburn

Coming off two overtime games in three days, the Celtics were asking a lot of themselves to keep pace with the athletic 76ers.

names

‘Style Boston’ producer roots for her brother

By Mark Shanahan and Meredith Goldstein

Terri Stanley is traveling to support her brother, Jimmy Patsos, the eccentric coach of the Loyola University-Maryland basketball team.

names

Aerosmith segment to air on ‘60 Minutes’

By Mark Shanahan and Meredith Goldstein

The show’s segment about the band, which airs Sunday, is apparently quite contentious.

names

By Mark Shanahan and Meredith Goldstein

Dorchester’s own Mark Wahlberg is producing a new reality show, “Teamsters,’’ for A&E.

NAHANT | BRIEFS

Margherita Desy, historian with the Naval History & Heritage Command Detachment Boston, USS Constitution, will speak at the 37th annual meeting of the Nahant Historical Society, scheduled for March 25. Desy will give an illustrated presentation about the decisive role the ship, nicknamed Old Ironsides, played in the War of 1812. The talk is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Serenity Room, Nahant Community Center, 41 Valley Road. The lecture is free and open to the public. As parking is limited, a shuttle van service will be available from the St. Thomas Aquinas Church parking lot at 248 Nahant Road between 1:30 and 4 p.m. For more information, call 781-581-2727. - David Rattigan

MIDDLETON | BRIEFS

The Council on Aging will run a six-week program focusing on healthy eating habits on Wednesdays from April 25 through May 30, noon to 2:30 p.m. Victoria Roberts, a dietitian, will give a free presentation and demonstrations on healthy choices from the grocery store to the dinner table, including tips on reading labels. The free program will meet at 38 Maple St. Town residents will be given sign-up preference through March 30. The program will have a waiting list after 14 people have signed up. For more information, call 978-777-4067.

LAWRENCE | BRIEFS

Several Lawrence taxi drivers recently aided city police in the capture of two carjackers who tried to rob one of their own. Frankie Robinson, 20, and George Cabrera, 19, both of Lawrence, were passengers of Liberty Cab driver Jaime Fernando when they allegedly hit him with a gun and attempted to rob him. According to police, Fernando ran to a nearby cab stand to get help; a fellow cab driver followed the stolen taxi and called dispatch to report its location. By the time the suspects allegedly ditched the taxi and ran, several cab drivers had tracked down Robinson and were holding him for police. The drivers and responding officers then located Cabrera. - Karen Sackowitz

By Emily Sweeney

While much has changed in Quincy over the years, Finland Steam Baths remains a longstanding local institution, and a throwback to simpler times. Family-owned and operated, this steam bath business has been around since 1928, and today is the last of its kind in the city.

WALPOLE | BRIEFS

The Hanover Co. has walked away from its plan to purchase the Walpole Woodworkers property and build a 200-unit apartment complex there. The company had signed a purchase and sale agreement with Walpole Woodworkers last summer, shortly after voters defeated a $4.7 million override that would have allowed the town to buy the land. As part of the purchase and sale agreement, the Hanover Co. was allowed time to investigate the site, which contains some wetlands and could have some contamination from its previous use. According to an e-mail sent by Walpole Woodworkers officials to Town Administrator Michael Boynton, The Hanover Co. decided to take a pass on the land because of costs to get on the town’s water and sewer system. Boynton said the charge for connection, along with a onetime inflow-outflow fee, was estimated at $2.4 million.

MIDDLEBOROUGH | BRIEFS

Selectmen have signed a new 10-year lease with the Soule Homestead Education Center for its use of the town-owned Soule Farm in East Middleborough. The Homestead, a nonprofit organization founded by local resident Karen Dusek more than 20 years ago, teaches organic farming practices and conducts workshops and programs for adults and youth. Executive director Frank Albani currently oversees operations. The town must seek requests for proposals every 10 years for the lease of the town-owned property.

Concord

Orchard House marks 100th year with ‘Little Women Spring’

By Nancy Shohet West

The schedule of events features the eighth special presentation of “Little Women” by The Concord Players, who have been offering a locally written version of the story every 10 years since 1932.

Globe West | Arts

A legacy in song and dance at Bedford High

By Nancy Shohet West

Bedford High School is dedicating its spring musical to retiring superintendent Maureen LaCroix — and the choice of production is no coincidence.

Globe West: Best bets

Best bets of things to do west of Boston March 9-11