The EVENING NEWS is published Monday - Friday as well as Saturday mornings.
The News covers Westfield, Southwick and the Hilltowns.
By BERNADETTE JOHNSON Staff Writer WESTFIELD — Ruth LaPrise is among those hoping for “fair” weather over the Labor Day weekend. On Tuesday, LaPrise and her husband, Paul, were busy in the Art Barn at the Blandford fairgrounds hanging what will be the 143rd Blandford Fair’s pièce de résistance, a 92-inch-square queen-size Baltimore album quilt. LaPrise said the quilt was created over the winter months by women who used to call themselves the “Blandford quilters,” but “this year, Mary Harvy from Westfield has joined the group,” she laughed. LaPrise, a Russell artist who has been a fair volunteer for decades and is coordinating the art show with Betty Jordt, said the hand-sewn quilt will be raffled off over a two-year period, with the winner announced during the 2011 fair. “Last time, we hadn’t made enough money in one year — it was a rainy fair — and we asked people how they would feel about a two-year auction. Everyone I talked to said ‘I don’t blame you. There’s too much work in this to let it go for less than it’s worth.’ “We talked to many other quilting groups, and they always do theirs as a two-year raffle.” Proceeds will [...]
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer WESTFIELD — A Westfield woman denied responsibility for the death of a 3-year-old girl in a June 23 car crash, as she was arraigned at Westfield District Court yesterday. Darlene Lloyd, 52, of 37 Elizabeth Ave. in Westfield, entered pleas of not guilty to charges of vehicular homicide and failure to stop or yield. Lloyd is being charged in connection with the car crash death of Veronica Podolyanchuk. Judge Philip Contant set a November 30 pretrial conference date and released Lloyd on her personal recognizance. Police say Lloyd failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Dartmouth and Notre Dame streets at approximately 5:30 p.m. on June 23, and her SUV struck a van carrying the little girl and her family broadside, flipping the van over. As the van spun in the air, the little girl was ejected from the vehicle and was killed on impact with the road. State Police and Westfield Police investigators poured over the vehicles involved and the circumstances before filing charges. A citation was issued on July 9, and a show cause hearing was held Aug. 18. According to police investigators, the 2003 Honda Odyssey van carrying [...]
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer WESTFIELD — The Westfield Gas and Electric may or may not need $1 million, but wants the City Council to approve a bond in any case. G and E General Manager Daniel Howard told the City Council’s Legislative and Ordinance Committee last night that the proposed bond would cover much of the gas portion of the utility relocation work now being done in conjunction with the Main, Broad and Elm streets reconstruction project. The money is being used not only to relocate the utilities for the road project, but to replace old cast iron pipes, Howard said. In fact, the G&E is taking advantage of the in-street construction opportunity to replace all of its infrastructure in one shot, he said. “We are obligated by the state to have a program to replace the old cast iron pipes,” he said. “It takes different criteria into account, like how old they are, how long they have been in the ground, things like that. These areas were next in line. We can replace all the gas services and bring the meters outside, in fact replace all the G&E utilities.” Howard said the Main and Broad streets project will [...]
By BERNADETTE JOHNSON Staff Writer WESTFIELD — The relative quiet of Thomas Street was disrupted yesterday as 86 Westfield State University students and their families converged on Lansdowne Place apartments, the first influx of WSU students into the downtown area. Returning students enlisted parents, friends, even grandparents to help with that end-of-summer ritual — move-in day — toting boxes, bags, multi-packs of water, soda and toilet paper, and packing cases of all shapes and sizes into the lobby of the Thomas Street apartment building after checking in at the door. In the lobby, they waiting patiently for the elevator that would carry them up to their new quarters, moving aside as the doors opened and disgorged other families heading out to the car for yet another load or breathing a sigh of relief — mission accomplished. Gail Bethel, whose granddaughter Samantha “Sam” Frappier, of Hopedale, was moving in, sat reading in the lobby, watching the goings-on. “I rode up with Sam, and my daughter rode up with a truckload,” she said. Frappier, a sophomore, lived on campus last year and decided to sign up for an apartment. “We got the apartment and now we’re here and loving it,” she said. [...]
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer BELCHERTOWN — A Springfield attorney was arraigned yesterday in Eastern Hampshire District Court on charges he struck and killed a Westfield man in South Hadley Saturday. Prosecutors said Craig A. Barton was drunk, and traveling at 75 to 80 miles per hour in his Lexus when he ran down Frederick “Joey” Kareta, 22, of 300 Buck Pond Road in Westfield. Kareta, a longtime Westfield resident and a 2009 graduate of Westfield State College was in South Hadley reportedly doing chores for an aunt. Barton, 43, of 24 Taylor St. in Springfield, entered pleas of not guilty to charges of manslaughter while operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, motor vehicle homicide, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a second offense, driving so as to endanger, marked lanes violations and speeding. He was initially held in lieu of $25,000 surety bail after he was arrested Saturday, but in court yesterday, Judge John M. Payne Jr. increased his bail to $10,000 cash but set conditions for his release, including a curfew and that he wear an electronic monitoring device. Barton was arrested at the scene of the crash shortly after the [...]
By CARL E. HARTDEGEN Staff Writer WESTFIELD — A city man was arrested at gunpoint Monday evening after he threatened to shoot another resident, left the area and then returned with a gun. Westfield police report that the incident started when Tyler E. Bovat, 22, of 1 Milton Ave., arrived at a Union Street address to return his daughter to her mother. A caller at 9:15 p.m. reported a disturbance that began when a neighbor went outside to investigate an argument Bovat was having with someone at his daughter’s residence. The neighbor and the resident Bovat had been arguing with came to the station to report the threat, and Officer Brian Freeman reported that, while the two men were speaking to him, the resident received a call from Bovat on his cell phone. Freeman said that the recipient took the call using the speaker phone feature of his phone, and Freeman heard Bovat make additional threats against the resident’s neighbor. Freeman reports that, after the two complainants left the station and while he was completing his report, a subsequent call reported that Bovat had returned to the scene with a handgun. Freeman responded to the Union Street address and found [...]
By CARL E. HARTDEGEN Staff Writer WESTFIELD — An alert witness foiled a burglary early this morning when he saw a crime as it was unfolding and called police. Westfield police report that a call was received at 1:37 a.m. today from a Chicopee resident who reported a person was in the process of breaking into Meadow’s Market at 45 Meadow St. Officers Jared Rowe and Christopher Coach arrived at the convenience store within seconds of each other, and drove their cruisers to either side of the building, which had a smashed window. Coach reported that he saw a male party holding a screwdriver and attempting to hide next to the building. Coach said that he administered the Miranda warnings to the suspect, who made no statement. The caller identified the suspect as the man he had seen breaking the window and removing large pieces of glass, which he had placed in a nearby flowerpot. The officers reported that a wrench and pieces of window glass were found in the flowerpot the witness had specified. The dispatcher attempted to call the owner of the store, but was unable to make a connection and left a message. No entry appeared to [...]
By BERNADETTE JOHNSON Staff Writer WESTFIELD — More than 200 Westfield State University students, many of them incoming freshmen, took to the streets of Downtown Westfield in blue shirts on Monday in the first “Give a HOOT” cleanup day, organized by WSU’s Circle K student organization in collaboration with Lisa McMahon, executive director of the Westfield BID (Business Improvement District). HOOT (Helping Out Our Town) was the brainchild of Circle K (student organization of Kiwanis) co-president Matt Dellea, a senior from Otis. “It’s a project to get first-year students involved and get (the Circle K) name out there,” said Dellea. With 86 students moving into Lansdowne Place yesterday, Dellea said it was important to get students involved in the downtown community, to help bridge the gap between downtown and the campus. “This is key to the success of the college campus community and the Westfield community coming together as one, because we are one,” he said. “We have to work together for the greater good.” “The college and downtown have wanted to do a cooperative effort for a while, so we came up with this idea, worked on it all summer. We want to make sure that all freshmen know [...]
WESTFIELD — Apparently, local residents have strong opinions about which fast food restaurant chain is better. Westfield police report that two teen-age youths entered the Burger King restaurant at 72 Main Street about 9 p.m. and shouted “McDonald’s rules” then immediately turned to exit the restaurant. Unfortunately for the two boys, as they were leaving they encountered two other young men who apparently had different views and reportedly expressed their loyalty to Burger King by punching the two McDonald’s fans. Officers Michael Chechile, Kevin Swords, John Blascak and William Ullrich responded, and Chechile reported that one of the victims had a bloody nose and the other said that his glasses had been knocked off his face and that his assailant then intentionally stepped on the glasses and broke them. The officers report a search of the area did not yield any suspects. Published Tuesday, August 31, 2010
By CARL E. HARTDEGEN Staff Writer WESTFIELD — A 20-year-old city woman is facing charges of assault with a dangerous weapon after she allegedly attacked a 57-year-old man with a pair of samurai swords she took from his mantelpiece Saturday afternoon. Westfield police report that a call was received at 1:46 p.m. from a Yankee Circle resident who said that a fellow resident had called and said that a woman was threatening to kill him with swords. Officers Michael Bradley, Michael Ruffo and Nathan Osowski all arrived at the same time. Bradley went to the rear of the residence, where he found and detained a young woman leaving a rear balcony via a staircase. Ruffo and Osowski initially went to the front of the residence, where they encountered the victim. Steven Burrell, 57, told police that the woman, Megan Vanveldhuizen, 20, of 83 William St., had spent the night at his residence and became upset the next day when he asked her to leave, saying she thought that they had more of a relationship. Burrell denied that he had a domestic relationship with her. He said that he pushed the woman away when she tried to strike him and she [...]
WESTFIELD — Water Resources Department Director David Billips made his case for a sewer rate increase to the City Council Thursday night, the same case he has tried to make four times over the last eight years. And Legislative and Ordinance Committee Chairman Peter J. Miller Jr. put his fellow councilors on notice that the vote cannot be delayed any longer.
“I’m running out of time on this,” he said, telling councilors that there can be only one more subcommittee meeting to consider possible changes, and the measure has to come out to a vote on September 16.
The proposed increase would boost rates by some 23 percent, with residents paying from the current $262 a year to $322 a year, a $15 per quarter hike. The commercial rate would increase by 90 cents per 1,000 gallons of water used. Senior rates would increase from $35 to $43 per year. …
DAVE CANTON and DAN MORIARTY
WESTFIELD — While the Blandford Fair is marking its 143rd year, the Blandford Historical Society is reminding visitors to the fair that the town itself is celebrating its 275th birthday.
In the “sugar house” at the far end of the fairgrounds, Pat Lucas and Mary Powers were busy Friday afternoon putting the finishing touches to an historical display that highlights its history.
On one wall are photos and news clippings of events from the town’s bicentennial in 1935 and its 250th in 1985, and an adjoining wall displays photos of the “old houses of Blandford.”
“In 1935, the souvenir book for the 200th listed the old houses of Blandford,” said Lucas, a 20-year member of the society’s board, who now serves as treasurer and is in charge of programming.
Using that list, with the help of Jean York, the daughter of Doris Hayden, who had been town historian and served on the board for both anniversaries, Lucas was able to compile a photo display of the “old houses” as they were back then and as they appear today. …
BERNADETTE JOHNSON
WESTFIELD —“El Tiante” is one of the Red Sox’s most enduring heroes. Luis Tiant never failed to pour all his talent and passion into each baseball game he played, and the fans recognized it. Even today, now a quiet, dignified, even shy 70-year-old man, Tiant is still passionate. Just ask Charlie Medeiros.
“Luis Tiant is a true gentleman, who would do anything he could to help anyone,” Medeiros said.
On September 12, Luis Tiant will be in Westfield for more than a visit with his old friend, Charlie. He will be the guest of honor at a special reception at the Tavern Restaurant, a special meet and greet event limited to100 people. The proceeds from the reception will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Westfield, the Noble Hospital Visiting Nurses and the Westfield Babe Ruth League. Tickets for the reception are $20.00 each and available at the Tavern Restaurant at 2 Broad Street. …
DAVE CANTON
WESTFIELD — The City Council last night voted to reverse what it called “an experiment” and separated the Council on Aging, the Parks and Recreation Department and the Veterans Services department into three separate entities.
In 2005, then Mayor Richard K. Sullivan Jr. consolidated the three departments under a Community Services banner, in an effort to make delivery of services more efficient. However, after then Community Services Director Ann Marie Heiser left the city more than two years ago, the top slot remained unfilled, and each of the subdepartments was headed by an interim department director.
“My feeling at this point is we have no money in the budget for a community services director, and things don’t look any better for 2012,” Interim Council on Aging Director Tina Gorman told the Council’s Legislative and Ordinance committee at its meeting on Wednesday. …
DAVE CANTON
BOSTON (AP) — The Westfield facility of a major distributor of propane has been shut down by the state Attorney General’s Office after investigators determined that a special “rotten egg” smelling odorant added to the gas to warn consumers of a leak was missing from as many as six deliveries across New England and New York.
Coakley said at a press conference yesterday that DCP Midstream LLC, of Denver, was ordered to stop sales of propane from its Westfield facility. …
DAVE CANTON
SOUTHWICK — A beaver consultant says the town can eliminate its beaver infestation problems in one easy, but expensive move. But town officials are not fond of that idea.
Conservation Commission Coordinator Dennis Clark said the town will move forward with a plan to establish “no tolerance beaver zones” along Canal Brook leading out of Congamond Lake’s South Pond as a means to prevent beavers from building dams across the pond outlet. The dams are defeating a water level structure that regulates how high the water of South Pond can rise.
The town hired Southampton beaver expert Michael Callahan to survey the situation on Canal Brook, actually the remnant of the Farmington Canal of the early 1800s. In his report, Callahan said he found several active dams and lodges on the Massachusetts side of the state line, as well as several remnants of old structures. Across the line in Connecticut, Callahan said he found numerous old dams, indicating the area is home to many more families of beavers than previously thought. The beavers are very aggressive builders as well. …
DAVE CANTON
WESTFIELD — The Citgo filling station at the top of Clay Hill looked positively Christmassy, with layers of white powder covering everything. Only the powder was not skiable, and it was, after all, 96 degrees and very humid.
“I was just finished filling my truck when, boom, it was like an explosion,” Bob Allen of Westfield said.
The “boom” Allen mentioned was caused by all the fire extinguishers in the gas station overhead fire suppression system going off at once, covering the entire front lot of the gas station, the convenience store and any vehicle parked under the overhang in a bicarbonate shower. The only problem was there was no fire.
“You couldn’t see six inches in front of your face. I walked to the back of the building to find some clean air, and I had to follow the side of the building with my hands,” he said. …
DAVE CANTON
WESTFIELD — Ruth LaPrise is among those hoping for “fair” weather over the Labor Day weekend. On Tuesday, LaPrise and her husband, Paul, were busy in the Art Barn at the Blandford fairgrounds hanging what will be the 143rd Blandford Fair’s pièce de résistance, a 92-inch-square queen-size Baltimore album quilt.
LaPrise said the quilt was created over the winter months by women who used to call themselves the “Blandford quilters,” but “this year, Mary Harvy from Westfield has joined the group,” she laughed.
LaPrise, a Russell artist who has been a fair volunteer for decades and is coordinating the art show with Betty Jordt, said the hand-sewn quilt will be raffled off over a two-year period, with the winner announced during the 2011 fair.
“Last time, we hadn’t made enough money in one year — it was a rainy fair — and we asked people how they would feel about a two-year auction. Everyone I talked to said ‘I don’t blame you. There’s too much work in this to let it go for less than it’s worth.’ …
BERNADETTE JOHNSON
WESTFIELD — All available officers were summoned to Colonial Pine Acres at 50 Southampton Road Wednesday evening after officers responding to a 9:55 report of a man violating a protective order found dozens of people yelling at each other on the grounds of the housing complex.
Community Policing Officer Douglas LaValley responded to the call with officers Richard Mazza, Allen Magdycz and Det. Timothy Grady and reports he found 10 or 15 people outside yelling at the suspect who was sitting on the ground and yelling back at the crowd.
LaValley reports the caller said that she had heard a noise outside and investigated only to find her mother’s former boyfriend, who was the subject a 209A protective order.
The young woman said that she told the man that her mother was not home and introduced him to her new boyfriend. She said that, after a misunderstanding, the suspect had thrown the boy to the ground. …
CARL E. HARTDEGEN
WESTFIELD — Michael Knapik recognizes he may be on a quixotic mission to stop a windmill siting law that will make it easy for companies who wish to build “wind farms” for electricity generation. But maybe, he said, by stalling the final passage of the bill at least until January when the Legislature returns to formal session, some people will take a careful look at it.
The Massachusetts senator has been holding off final passage of the siting bill, even though both the House and the Senate have passed the provisions. As long as the Legislature is in informal session, a single member can stop a bill. Once the Legislature returns to formal session, Knapik said he has no doubt the bill will be passed on to Governor Deval Patrick. …
DAVE CANTON
WESTFIELD — Two city children were taken into custody by the Department of Children and Families after Westfield police tracked them to Cleveland, Ohio, and enlisted assistance from police in five states.
Westfield Det. Susan Figy reported this morning that she was advised by DCF officials Tuesday evening that they had attempted to take custody of two children, ages 13 and 9, but could not locate them.
Figy said that Westfield police then began searching for the children and worked continuously until they were found in Cleveland at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Figy and other officers involved in the search declined to discuss the methods used to track the children and their mother, but said that the group was believed to have been in New York City Wednesday morning.
Figy said that she enlisted the aid of detectives from New York’s 45th precinct to search for the children. “They were great,” Figy said, explaining that the detectives performed a foot search in the area where she believed the children had been. …
CARL E. HARTDEGEN
WESTFIELD — A Westfield woman denied responsibility for the death of a 3-year-old girl in a June 23 car crash, as she was arraigned at Westfield District Court yesterday.
Darlene Lloyd, 52, of 37 Elizabeth Ave. in Westfield, entered pleas of not guilty to charges of vehicular homicide and failure to stop or yield. Lloyd is being charged in connection with the car crash death of Veronica Podolyanchuk.
Judge Philip Contant set a November 30 pretrial conference date and released Lloyd on her personal recognizance.
Police say Lloyd failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Dartmouth and Notre Dame streets at approximately 5:30 p.m. on June 23, and her SUV struck a van carrying the little girl and her family broadside, flipping the van over. As the van spun in the air, the little girl was ejected from the vehicle and was killed on impact with the road. …
DAVE CANTON
WESTFIELD — The Westfield Gas and Electric may or may not need $1 million, but wants the City Council to approve a bond in any case.
G&E General Manager Daniel Howard told the City Council’s Legislative and Ordinance Committee last night that the proposed bond would cover much of the gas portion of the utility relocation work now being done in conjunction with the Main, Broad and Elm streets reconstruction project.
The money is being used not only to relocate the utilities for the road project, but to replace old cast iron pipes, Howard said. In fact, the G&E is taking advantage of the in-street construction opportunity to replace all of its infrastructure in one shot, he said.
“We are obligated by the state to have a program to replace the old cast iron pipes,” he said. “It takes different criteria into account, like how old they are, how long they have been in the ground, things like that. These areas were next in line. We can replace all the gas services and bring the meters outside, in fact replace all the G&E utilities.” …
DAVE CANTON
OTIS — Two years ago, Otis resident and family man Ken Packie said goodbye to his corporate-America job to live his dream.
Packie was employed as a field service technician with a communications firm when he decided that installing and repairing fiber optic communication lines in Maine, New York, Vermont, Connecticut and Washington, D.C., was too much for him to handle.
“I had a huge territory to cover in all kinds of weather. The company would call anytime, day or night, and you had to leave,” he said.
Packie said his wife, Ilona, is the one who encouraged him to leave a secure and stable position to pursue a passion that was locked deep inside his soul.
“I always wanted to create things for a living. So I learned how to create wooden animals with chain saws, chisels and fire,” he said. …
FREDERICK GORE
BELCHERTOWN — A Springfield attorney was arraigned yesterday in Eastern Hampshire District Court on charges he struck and killed a Westfield man in South Hadley Saturday.
Prosecutors said Craig A. Barton was drunk, and traveling at 75 to 80 miles per hour in his Lexus when he ran down Frederick “Joey” Kareta, 22, of 300 Buck Pond Road in Westfield.
Kareta, a longtime Westfield resident and a 2009 graduate of Westfield State College was in South Hadley reportedly doing chores for an aunt.
Barton, 43, of 24 Taylor St. in Springfield, entered pleas of not guilty to charges of manslaughter while operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, motor vehicle homicide, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a second offense, driving so as to endanger, marked lanes violations and speeding. …
DAVE CANTON
WESTFIELD — An alert witness foiled a burglary early this morning when he saw a crime as it was unfolding and called police.
Westfield police report that a call was received at 1:37 a.m. today from a Chicopee resident who reported a person was in the process of breaking into Meadow’s Market at 45 Meadow St.
Officers Jared Rowe and Christopher Coach arrived at the convenience store within seconds of each other, and drove their cruisers to either side of the building, which had a smashed window.
Coach reported that he saw a male party holding a screwdriver and attempting to hide next to the building. …
CARL E. HARTDEGEN
WESTFIELD — More than 200 Westfield State University students, many of them incoming freshmen, took to the streets of Downtown Westfield in blue shirts on Monday in the first “Give a HOOT” cleanup day, organized by WSU’s Circle K student organization in collaboration with Lisa McMahon, executive director of the Westfield BID (Business Improvement District).
HOOT (Helping Out Our Town) was the brainchild of Circle K (student organization of Kiwanis) co-president Matt Dellea, a senior from Otis. …
BERNADETTE JOHNSON
WESTFIELD — Apparently, local residents have strong opinions about which fast food restaurant chain is better.
Westfield police report that two teen-age youths entered the Burger King restaurant at 72 Main Street about 9 p.m. and shouted “McDonald’s rules” then immediately turned to exit the restaurant.
Unfortunately for the two boys, as they were leaving they encountered two other young men who apparently had different views and reportedly expressed their loyalty to Burger King by punching the two McDonald’s fans. …
CARL E. HARTDEGEN
WESTFIELD — A city man was arrested at gunpoint Monday evening after he threatened to shoot another resident, left the area and then returned with a gun.
Westfield police report that the incident started when Tyler E. Bovat, 22, of 1 Milton Ave., arrived at a Union Street address to return his daughter to her mother.
A caller at 9:15 p.m. reported a disturbance that began when a neighbor went outside to investigate an argument Bovat was having with someone at his daughter’s residence. …
CARL E. HARTDEGEN
WESTFIELD — The relative quiet of Thomas Street was disrupted yesterday as 86 Westfield State University students and their families converged on Lansdowne Place apartments, the first influx of WSU students into the downtown area.
Returning students enlisted parents, friends, even grandparents to help with that end-of-summer ritual — move-in day — toting boxes, bags, multi-packs of water, soda and toilet paper, and packing cases of all shapes and sizes into the lobby of the Thomas Street apartment building after checking in at the door.
In the lobby, they waiting patiently for the elevator that would carry them up to their new quarters, moving aside as the doors opened and disgorged other families heading out to the car for yet another load or breathing a sigh of relief — mission accomplished. …
BERNADETTE JOHNSON
SOUTH HADLEY — A 22-year-old Westfield man was killed when he was struck by a car police allege was driven by a two-time drunken driver.
Frederick Stanley Kareta III, of 300 Buck Pond Road in Westfield, died Saturday afternoon after police said he was struck down by a Lexus operated by a Springfield man.
Kareta is a longtime Westfield resident and a 2009 graduate of Westfield State College.
Craig A. Barton, 43, of Springfield, was arrested at the scene shortly after the incident.
Northwest District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel said a South Hadley Police and State Police investigation into the 3:30 p.m. Saturday incident indicated that Barton was traveling west on Brainerd Road in South Hadley at a high rate of speed, when his car faded left, crossing the center line and the entire eastbound lane. Kareta was retrieving mail for a relative from a roadside mailbox when Barton’s vehicle continued to veer left onto the front lawns of houses along the street. Kareta was at the roadside mailbox when he was struck. …
DAVE CANTON
WESTFIELD — A Blandford man reported Friday — after state police queried him about his crashed car — that his car had been hijacked in a dramatic incident Thursday night that he did not report.
David B. Holmes, of 37 North Blandford Road, Blandford, reported Friday afternoon that his vehicle had been hijacked by three men when he left an Elm Street bar about midnight Thursday.
Holmes claimed in his account of the event that, as he put the key in the door of his 2000 Chevrolet Impala after having a couple of beers at the bar, a male party put a knife to his throat and forced him into the vehicle. …
CARL E. HARTDEGEN
WESTFIELD — The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a weekend fire that damaged a North Elm Street garage and two cars, and investigators are now saying the fire was intentionally set.
Fire investigator State Trooper Michael Mazza said this morning that he found evidence supporting arson in the fire that burned a corner of the garage and damaged the two vehicles.
According to fire reports, the blaze was first reported at 3:04 a.m. Saturday when a passerby noticed flames coming from the corner of the garage. …
DAVE CANTON
IT’S MY JOB!
WESTFIELD — Although his name is well known in entertainment circles even outside Western Massachusetts, this local impresario has kept his day job.
Dan Kane has been a special education teacher for 27 years, now at Franklin Avenue School.
But it’s unlikely he’d give that up. He comes from a family of educators. His father and brother, both named James, have been teachers as well as administrators. And his wife, Christine, on staff at the Frederick Harris School in Springfield, has been a teacher for 27 years.
“We met at Westfield State College,” Kane said. They both graduated in 1983.
But Kane doesn’t teach music in school. …
PATRICK J. HEALY
Please be aware of the following DETOUR effective Thursday, Sept. 2:
— Subject to change, it appears that Lynch will be closing SOUTHBOUND traffic on Elm Street at the rotary starting on Thursday, Sept. 2 for approximately two weeks during normal working hours. This will also affect EASTBOUND traffic on Court Street. Traffic will be detoured down Pleasant Street to W. Silver Street and back around to Broad Street. Southbound traffic on Elm Street may want to use Bartlett Street, Chapel Street or Thomas Street to continue east through the City.
— Lynch will be working on water lines along Elm Street all week.
— Lynch will continue drainage work along the Main Street corridor all week.
— G&E Kudlic will be working all week in the area of Main and Elm streets.
There are also two reminders: elementary and high schools are back in session and Westfield State University starts classes on Sept. 2.
Finally, there was some great police work last week by Officers Steven Nacewicz, Daniel Gustafson and Michael Garcia and Detectives Todd Edwards and Timothy Grady. They were able to solve thefts involving large screen televisions from local businesses, recovering a $1,500 television for Noble Hospital.
Captain Michael A. McCabe
Officer Michael Gamache
WESTFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Energy Center ground breaking, projected for September, will not occur until next year.
The proponents of the 400-megawatt, gas-fired power plant had projected a September start date for construction at the Ampad Road site off Servistar Industrial Way.
Matthew Palmer, PVEC project manager, said Thursday that construction will not begin until 2011 because of the permitting process, and appeals of various permits have taken longer than expected when the original time line for the project was set.
The $400 million project has gone through the local permitting process before the Conservation Commission, Planning Board and City Council, and has been reviewed by the Water, Sewer, Fire, Police and Emergency Management departments. …
DAN MORIARTY
SOUTHWICK — A group of especially industrious beavers is making life difficult for lake managers, as two beaver-built dams on Canal Brook are stopping the flow of water out of South Pond and raising its level.
Conservation Commission Coordinator Dennis Clark said the dams are preventing a water level control device from working properly, and while levels are not yet “dangerous” due to the dry summer, with more rain the water could rise to inundate septic systems and wells on the Suffield side of South Pond.
While two dams and lodges were found along the canal, officials are concerned that a burgeoning beaver population and 3,000 feet of canal could mean many more dams and many more problems for human engineers. …
DAVE CANTON
WESTFIELD — School officials are waiting for official notification concerning a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
The state is receiving $204 million through the federal Education Jobs Funds program approved earlier this month by Congress after it was called back into session from summer recess to approve a $26 billion jobs bill.
School Superintendent Shirley Alvira said that while “nobody anticipated this money” when the 2011 Fiscal Year school district budget was being developed, “we knew something was going on” in Washington, D.C.
“When we were building the budget that was approved by the City Council, we identified priorities” if additional funds became available, Alvira said. …
DAN MORIARTY
SPRINGFIELD — As many as 100 people turned out at last night’s hearing on a proposed Western Massachusetts Electric Company rate increase, as speaker after speaker told state Department of Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy Woolf and a DPU hearing panel that this is neither the time for any increases, nor are these the increases that best serve the needs of the commonwealth’s citizens.
DPU hearing officer Selma Urman said the testimony taken at the hearings will be used to determine if an increase is warranted and if so, how much should be allowed. While the cutoff for written comments coincided with last night’s hearing, Urman said the DPU has extended its written comment period to Sept. 3.
A “what were they thinking” attitude pervaded the Springfield City Hall hearing as business organizations, business owners and regular ratepayers complained that WMECO was insensitive to the economic times and the already overbearing energy costs in New England. …
DAVE CANTON
WESTFIELD — Energy is one of the major cost centers in the municipal budget, and any means of reducing that expense means money for other priorities.
Mayor Daniel M. Knapik is touting a new Westfield Gas and Electric Department program that may not only help the city reduce energy use in its buildings, but help industrial and commercial customers as well.
Knapik said Monday at the School Committee session that a federal grant has funded energy efficiency programs at the Southampton Road, Franklin Avenue and Highland Avenue elementary schools. The federal grant requires no matching local funds, Knapik said. …
DAN MORIARTY
WESTFIELD — City police today are seeking to identify a thief who smashed his way into BG Sporting at 1460 Russell Road early this morning and stole a number of handguns.
Westfield police report that a call was received at 4:33 a.m. from a store owner, Marie Gogol, who reported that the store’s alarm was sounding.
Officer Michael Kane was the first to arrive on the scene and was joined within seconds by Officer Michael Puza. The officers spoke with owner Bill Gogol who was already at the store and found that a window had been smashed. …
CARL E. HARTDEGEN
SOUTHWICK — Jennifer Weston, of Charlotte, N.C., has set what for some people would be a modest goal for herself. She’s training to run a 5K.
But, for the 40-year-old Weston, the daughter of Pete and Nancy Lefebvre of Southwick, the race represents far more. The above-the-knee amputee would never have thought it possible even a year ago, having lived with limitations the past 24 years. …
BERNADETTE JOHNSON
SOUTHWICK — Town agencies responsible for the newly adopted Lake Permitting Process are gearing up to get as many lakeside homeowners registered and permitted as possible before a September 30 cutoff date.
Letters were sent out yesterday to Southwick dock, float and mooring owners on Congamond Lake, Conservation Commission Coordinator Dennis Clark said this morning. …
DAVE CANTON
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer SOUTHWICK — A group of especially industrious beavers is making life difficult for lake managers, as two beaver-built dams on Canal Brook are stopping the flow of water out of South Pond and raising its level. Conservation Commission Coordinator Dennis Clark said the dams are preventing a water level control device from working properly, and while levels are not yet “dangerous” due to the dry summer, with more rain the water could rise to inundate septic systems and wells on the Suffield side of South Pond. While two dams and lodges were found along the canal, officials are concerned that a burgeoning beaver population and 3,000 feet of canal could mean many more dams and many more problems for human engineers. A group of town officials met Thursday to determine what can be done, given that the town has run out of “emergency certifications” for permits to tear down the dams. Now officials must come up with a permanent “maintenance” plan to keep the former Farmington Canal open and free-flowing. Conservation Commission Coordinator Dennis Clark said the commission and the Lake Management Committee have received a number of “emergency certifications” from the Conservation Commission to [...]
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — As many as 100 people turned out at last night’s hearing on a proposed Western Massachusetts Electric Company rate increase, as speaker after speaker told state Department of Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy Woolf and a DPU hearing panel that this is neither the time for any increases, nor are these the increases that best serve the needs of the commonwealth’s citizens. DPU hearing officer Selma Urman said the testimony taken at the hearings will be used to determine if an increase is warranted and if so, how much should be allowed. While the cutoff for written comments coincided with last night’s hearing, Urman said the DPU has extended its written comment period to Sept. 3. A “what were they thinking” attitude pervaded the Springfield City Hall hearing as business organizations, business owners and regular ratepayers complained that WMECO was insensitive to the economic times and the already overbearing energy costs in New England. “This increase is ever more difficult,” Springfield Mayor Dominic Sarno said. “It eats up our municipal budget, affects job creation and retention and makes it even harder to attract new business.” Robert Ruddock, spokesman for the Western Mass. Industrial Group, [...]
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer SOUTHWICK — Town agencies responsible for the newly adopted Lake Permitting Process are gearing up to get as many lakeside homeowners registered and permitted as possible before a September 30 cutoff date. Letters were sent out yesterday to Southwick dock, float and mooring owners on Congamond Lake, Conservation Commission Coordinator Dennis Clark said this morning. “We sent out 176 letters to Massachusetts property owners to remind them of the Sept. 30 date,” he said. “We don’t have the kind of information available about Connecticut homeowners so that will be our Phase 2 outreach.” According to town figures, approximately 100 permits have been issued out of a potential 450 for all three ponds of the lake. The town negotiated a September 30 application due date cutoff with the state Department of Environmental Protection last spring to give local lakeshore property owners plenty of time to get their permits for structures on the lake. The LPP was negotiated with the DEP over an eight-year period to avoid what many feel is an onerous state process to get necessary permits. Using the LPP, dock or float owners can simply buy the necessary permit and stickers at Town Hall [...]
By BERNADETTE JOHNSON Staff Writer SOUTHWICK — Jennifer Weston, of Charlotte, N.C., has set what for some people would be a modest goal for herself. She’s training to run a 5K. But, for the 40-year-old Weston, the daughter of Pete and Nancy Lefebvre of Southwick, the race represents far more. The above-the-knee amputee would never have thought it possible even a year ago, having lived with limitations the past 24 years. It was June 20, 1986, the first day of summer vacation from Southwick High School, when just shy of her 16th birthday, tragedy struck. “I was going to cut the grass to surprise my dad, have a friend over, then go to work. I only got as far as cutting the grass,” said Weston. “The lawnmower blade bolt broke in half, and the blade dug a hole in the ground, shot up, went through me and kept going.” Next would follow 17 years of surgeries, beginning with the initial attempt to reaffix part of her right foot with screws. “I always had pain, pain in my hip and back, lots of complications,” she said. “It totally affected my life. I couldn’t participate in gym or sports in school. It [...]
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer AGAWAM — Lt. Governor Timothy Murray sat at a small table in front of perhaps 75 onlookers yesterday and signed the orders of conveyance turning the former state Training School and later State Police Training Academy over to Soldier On, as a means to “change the end of the story” for scores of returned veterans who have not received the attention nor services they have needed. “This is about rebuilding lives,” Murray said, “and you can’t begin the process without giving them a stable place to live.” Under a large white tent in front of the now abandoned building, Murray said the vets deserve better than they have received after serving the community as a whole. “It is about rebuilding lives, and this will give them the means. It is not every community who welcomes a facility like this, and I applaud Agawam for opening up to these people,” said Murray. The Agawam site will eventually provide permanent housing in the form of studio apartments for up to 126 now homeless vets. Murray called the move part of our “generational responsibility.” Yesterday’s ceremony culminated 18 months of behind-the-scenes struggles, lobbying and cajoling, after state Rep. [...]
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer SOUTHWICK — Citing morale problems in the town’s volunteer Fire Department, the Board of Selectmen voted to reappoint Fire Chief Don Morris, but for a five-month term rather than the usual one-year. On a vote of 2-to-1, with David St. Pierre holding out, the board reappointed Morris to the position until December 31. The short time frame leaves Morris short 10 months to his mandatory retirement date of Oct. 31, 2011. Selectman Nicholas Boldyga said he had talked loosely with some of the fire fighters and found they were unhappy. “Some of his actions seem to have caused problems within the department. I think some changes are needed. They seem to have issues with morale,” he said. When pressed on specifics, Boldyga said he had had only superficial conversations and planned to have more extensive talks with fire fighters to find out the circumstances contributing to the morale problems. “They said there were a number of things that affected their morale,” he said, “but we did not get into the nitty gritty. I hope to meet with them and schedule more talks,” Boldyga said. Chairman of the Board Arthur Pinell said he voted for the [...]
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer SOUTHWICK — A special public meeting has been scheduled for September 7 before construction on the Southwick Hill condominium development begins, a town official said, after the property purchaser tried to get the Conservation Commission to allow an early start. Developer Rene Lucier, of Russell, told the commission that he wanted to start work on the 59-unit project on Depot Street as soon as possible, but one order of conditions, agreed to on June 18, calls for a publicly advertised hearing before work can begin. Lucier wanted that changed. Rob Levesque, of R. Levesque Associates, a land consulting firm, asked the commission to ignore Special Order of Conditions #20 and call it a “scrivener’s error.” “As provided … the commission may allow changes that are not considered significant enough to require the filing of a Notice of Intent,” Levesque wrote to the commission. Instead, Levesque asked the commission to “strike the following sentence, ‘This meeting shall be advertised as a public hearing for this project.’” That particular condition is one mandated by the state, rather than a local bylaw, Conservation Commission Coordinator Dennis Clark said. Special Order of Conditions #20 calls for the developer to [...]
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer SOUTHWICK — It was an angry challenger in Mark Del Negro, who tried to paint incumbent state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin as fiscally irresponsible and a failure to the Third Hampden District because, among other things, she has yet to remove Bunker Hill and Evacuation days as state holidays. “They are what’s best for Beacon Hill and not what’s best for the Third Hampden District,” he said during the first debate of the 2010 election season. Sandlin and challenger Del Negro faced off last night at a joint Agawam and Southwick Democratic committees debate at the American Legion in Southwick. Some 130 people packed the hall as Del Negro aggressively attacked Sandlin on a variety of issues. He claimed Sandlin had not done enough for veterans, allowed a 1.25 percent increase in the sales tax, tax hikes on cigarettes and taxes on alcohol. For her part, Sandlin said she voted against all the tax increases mentioned, but did vote for the overall budget because of the good measures that it brought to her constituent cities and towns. As for her support for veterans, Sandlin said few in the Statehouse have supported veterans as strongly as she [...]
By FREDERICK GORE Correspondent SOUTHWICK – Everyone knows that an unexpected medical expense can wipe out a savings account with one stroke of the pen. But, for the family pet, it can be a life or death situation. “Many families don’t have the money to ensure their pets have the needed vaccinations and medical tests that veterinarians recommend each year.” said Southwick Animal Control Officer Traci Root. In 2009, the Southwick Animal Shelter placed approximately 75 cats and 100 dogs into new homes as part of their adoption process. With each new adoption comes an added expense to the shelter, that being a complete medical check up from a local veterinarian. Root said, it cost the shelter an average of $200 to have an animal completely checked. This includes any and all vaccinations, heartworm tests, spayed or neutering, feline leukemia aids testing, and micro-chipping. She added, if the cat or dog has an up to date medical record the chance of finding the animal a new home is greatly increased. Root said the adoption fee at the Southwick Animal Shelter is only $75 and that covers everything and that is a huge savings to the family or individual who is [...]
By DAVE CANTON Staff Writer SOUTHWICK — Incumbent state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin will face off with her Democratic challenger, Mark A. Del Negro, in a head-to-head debate August 18, in advance of a September 14 party primary election. The debate is described as a “Lincoln-Douglas” style debate and will be moderated by Attorney Howard Safford of Agawam. The joint Agawam and Southwick Democratic Town Committees event will be held Wednesday, August 18 at the Southwick American Legion #338 on Powder Mill Road. The debate will start at 7 p.m. Sandlin said Wednesday that she has worked hard for the Third Hampden District and in particular worked to help create jobs, and at the end of the debate she said she hopes the people of the Third District understand what she has done for them. “This is all about jobs for Western Mass right now,” she said in an interview. “We are trying to create jobs in all income brackets, not just entry level. That is my primary goal to create jobs at all pay scales” Sandlin said the Southwick debate is the first of two she has agreed to before the primary. A televised debate on Channel 22 is scheduled [...]
Tues., Sept. 7 BOYS’ SOCCER Belchertown at Southwick-Tolland, 4 p.m. Gateway at Smith Academy, 3:30 p.m. GIRLS’ SOCCER West Springfield at Westfield, 3:30 p.m. St. Mary’s at St. Joe’s, 4 p.m. Southwick-Tolland at Northampton, 4 p.m. Granby at Gateway, 6 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY West Springfield at Southwick-Tolland, 3:30 p.m. GOLF West Springfield at Westfield, Tekoa Country Club, 3 p.m. St. Mary’s at Westfield Voc-Tech, 3 p.m. Smith Academy at Southwick-Tolland, Edgewood Golf Course, 3 p.m. Wed., Sept. 8 BOYS’ SOCCER Putnam at St. Mary’s, Westfield South Middle School, 4 p.m. GOLF Longmeadow at Westfield, Tekoa Country Club, 3 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 9 BOYS’ SOCCER Westfield at Ludlow, 4 p.m. South Hadley at Southwick-Tolland, 4 p.m. Gateway at Holyoke Catholic, 4 p.m. GIRLS’ SOCCER Southwick-Tolland at Holyoke, 6:30 p.m. GOLF Westfield at Belchertown, Mill Valley Country Club, 3 p.m. Westfield Voc-Tech at Southwick-Tolland, Edgewood Country Club, 3 p.m. GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL Westfield at Dean Tech, 5 p.m. Fri., Sept. 10 FOOTBALL Westfield at Chicopee Comp, 7 p.m. BOYS’ SOCCER Westfield Voc-Tech at Commerce, 4 p.m. St. Mary’s at Smith Voke, 4 p.m. GIRLS’ SOCCER Sci-Tech at Westfield Voc-Tech, Jachym Field, 4 p.m. St. Mary’s at Pathfinder, 4 p.m. Westfield at Ludlow, 6:30 [...]
This Saturday, September 4 BY MARK McKEON WESTFIELD, MA – Open cockpit all star Jim Maguire will come out of retirement to race a Quad 4 Midget at Whip City Speedway this Saturday, September 4. Maguire won numerous USAC races, was the 1963 URC Sprint Car Champ and has 14 ARDC Midget wins to his credit. Among the drivers Maguire raced against – and defeated – were A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Roger McCluskey, Don Branson and Earl Halaquist. Maguire was scheduled to compete in the 1964 Indianapolis 500, but was involved in a terrible accident during a USAC Sprint Car race at New Bremen, OH, which resulted in the amputation of his right arm at shoulder. The car he was supposed to drive went instead to a young Italian immigrant living in Nazareth, PA by the name of Mario Andretti. After an intensive period of physical therapy, Maguire learned to race with his one remaining arm, and racked up victories in the ARDC Midgets and the ATQMRA TQ Midgets. When Maguire visits Whip City this week, he’ll be piloting the Skip Matczak owned Quad 4 Midget usually wheeled by Indy 500 rookie of the Year Denny Zimmerman. Whip City Speedway [...]
By Greg Cameron Correspondent WESTFIELD — After losing their first game of the 14-year-old Babe Ruth tournament, Westfield was looking to regain some momentum. On Saturday and Sunday, they certainly found it in their bats by piling up a pair of mercy-rule shortened victories at Billy Bullens Field. Yesterday’s game was keyed by some pretty big offensive pyrotechnics from the Westfield lineup en route to a 14-4 victory over Simsbury (Conn.). Westfield got off on the right foot sending their first six hitters to the plate without registering an out. Neil Parrow socked a single followed by a Ben LaPlante double. Noah Parker provided a single which brought home Parrow for the game’s first run. Matt Irzyk then reached on an infield error to keep things chugging for Westfield. Nate Barnes followed up a two-bagger of his own. Jeff Tobias flew out to right, but brought home Irzyk in the process of the play. Simsbury pitcher Jesse Sodoti induced the next two Whip City hitters, Mike Santaniello and Nate Summers on groundouts. Westfield added to their lead in the third inning which saw them send eight hitters to the dish. Those first five hitters all reached base and four of [...]
By GREG CAMERON Correspondent WESTFIELD – It isn’t an everyday occurrence in American hockey towns like this one, when a professional hockey prospect and an Olympic Silver Medalist team up to host a week-long hockey camp. Then again, not every hockey family is like the Bellamy’s of Westfield, who have produced that NHL prospect and Olympic medalist running this week’s camp at Amelia Park Ice Arena. Rob and Kacey Bellamy have returned to the Whip City to tutor the next generation of potential future hockey stars. This week’s camp brings together 18 players in total, ranging from the mightiest of mites to pee-wees. “Today was a great day for us,” Rob said of yesterday’s session at the rink. “I thought the kids were great and they were all eager to learn.” The small size is a good thing in the eyes of the camp’s two instructors. Most often, camps offering similar instruction will lack the close rapport that the Bellamy camp is able to provide. “It’s good for us because we’re able to control it and teach the kids one-on-one,” Rob said of the small class size. “They were all great today and there are a lot of good players [...]
By Greg Cameron Correspondent PITTSFIELD – As the weekend came to a close on the Westfield North 10-11 Little Leaguers, the prevailing thought had a Dickensian feel to it. It was the best of times and it was the worst of times as the team garnered a win and loss by the time the sun set on a sweltering New England weekend. On Saturday, Westfield North beat Holden 18-8 in mercy rule fashion to advance to yesterday’s Massachusetts Sectional final against Pittsfield South at Deming Field. Yesterday, the abundance of runs tacked on by the Whip City’s lone Little League entrant still alive in the later days of the summer, simply were nowhere to be found as Westfield North fell to their Berkshire County hosts 6-3. Yesterday’s game was keyed by the play of the brothers Nasff, Jordan and Simon. Jordan cranked a solo home run as the game’s third hitter and Simon went yard on a grand slam in the fourth inning to power Pittsfield South. Westfield North would not go down without somewhat of a fighting spirit, as Westfield North tallied their trio of runs in the fourth. Scott Walsh got it started by advancing on a Pittsfield [...]
Westfield Babe Ruth 13s headed to regionals By GREG CAMERON Correspondent LEOMINSTER — Westfield’s 13-year-old Babe Ruth Squad returned to the Whip City last night with some pretty hefty hardware. After a razor-thin advantage for most of the game, Westfield came away with a 3-2 victory over Leominster at McLaughlin Park in Leominster. With the win Westfield moves on to the New England Regional tournament in Winooski, Vt., next month. “It was a tight game and a well-played tournament the whole way through,” Westfield manager Brian Sullivan said. “Our guys played good fundamental baseball.” Westfield got the scoring going in their first trips to the plate. Leadoff man Craig Lacey drew a walk and then stole second shortly thereafter to get the ball rolling in the first inning. Cody Neidig then grounded into a fielder’s choice which tagged Lacey. Chris Sullivan then drew a walk before Houle was given an intentional pass to load the bases for Westfield. Colin Dunn then drew a walk of his own to score Neidig for the game’s first run. However, Dunn would get picked off trying to lean off of first base. However, Leominster would not be denied on their home turf. In the [...]
By GREG CAMERON Correspondent WESTFIELD — Even with an exciting tooth and nail comeback, Westfield did everything they could to muster up a victory over visiting Jesse Burkett in the Little League softball tournament. In the end, the comeback victory wasn’t meant to be as the visitors from Worcester took to the Massachusetts Turnpike to bring home a 5-4 eight-inning victory over Westfield at Sadie Knox Playground. The defeat knocked the Whip City squad out of the Massachusetts Little League Softball tournament. “It was a heck of a comeback,” Westfield skipper Mike Minicucci said of his team’s efforts. “We convinced them that they’re never really out of it until the game was over and they responded.” In the home half of the seventh inning, Westfield was down 4-1 as leadoff hitter Olivia Florek strode up to the plate. Florek reached on an infield error to give Westfield a spark in what would have been the final frame had the initial results held. Two hitters later, Victoria Camp hit a single to give Westfield multiple base runners and a hope that a comeback could be more reality than theory. Ellen Ferst then drew a walk to load the bases for Annalise [...]
By GREG CAMERON Correspondent WESTFIELD — On a night where Major League Baseball’s brightest All-Stars convened in Anaheim, Westfield’s 15-year-old Babe Ruth All-Star squad found themselves in an unfamiliar position taking on Franklin County in a loser’s bracket tilt at Billy Bullens Field. The Whip City squad bowed out of the tournament after dropping an ugly 10-0 mercy rule loss to Franklin County in the Massachusetts Babe Ruth tournament. From start until the abrupt finish, Westfield’s bats were suspiciously quiet. Franklin county pitcher TJ Meyer struck out four, surrendered just a quartet of hits, and kept the Westfield hitters off-balance. “He did a good job,” Westfield manager Paul Chapdelaine said of his opposition’s hurler. “He threw a lot of curveballs, and that kind of took our heart out,” he added. Meyer had yet to surrender through 2 2-3 innings of play until Kyle Murphy rapped a single in the third. In an effort to ignite some kind of rally for his team, Murphy was caught stealing shortly thereafter. Westfield’s second and third hits came in back-to-back fashion from Connor Sas and Aubrey Partyka in the fourth inning. Luc Zayac registered a base hit of his own in the fifth. In [...]
BY CHRIS PUTZ Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Something has to give. On Friday, two undefeated area teams will battle for the chance to advance in the Little League Baseball tournament. While a spot on ESPN may be a long ways off, Westfield South and Agawam are set for a prime-time game Friday evening at 6 at Memorial Field in Agawam. John Murray pitched a one-hitter and delivered the game-winning hit, a third-inning liner, to lift Westfield South into the 11-12 District 2 championship with a 1-0 win over Belchertown at Cross Street Field on Monday. Agawam knocked off Westfield North 3-0. “Agawam is always a solid club,” Westfield South coach Steve Brochetti said. “They shut out Westfield North so they must have good pitching.” “It’s going to be another struggle.” After averaging close to 10 runs a game through the first four games of the tournament, Westfield South struggled to put runs on the board for the first time. The lone run came in the third inning when Murray ripped a first-pitch strike off stout, hard-throwing Belchertown pitcher Jim Kusnierz to center field. The hit scored Mike Diamond, who reached on a one-out single. Murray dominated on the mound. The [...]
By GREG CAMERON Correspondent WESTFIELD – There will not be a cross-town Little League championship in the Whip City this summer. Westfield North’s title game hopes were dashed after dropping their District II semifinal 3-0 against Agawam Monday evening at Memorial Field. Agawam’s Griffin Gadreault was stellar on the mound for the hosts, tossing four strikeouts and inducing numerous ground balls. The Agawam hurler surrendered just a pair of singles and a pair of walks against the Westfield North bats. However, the Whip City bats made contact last night on numerous pitches. However, where the ball went after contact with Westfield’s aluminum, it seemed to find a player clad in an orange jersey. “We hit the heck out of the ball, we just hit it right to them,” Westfield North manager Tom Flaherty said. Westfield North’s two hits came from Matt Hannoush in the second inning, and Colin Blake in the fifth. Agawam first got on the board during the second inning, a frame which was most stressful for Westfield North hurler Jared Iglesias. Agawam’s Dominic Grasetti was first aboard in the inning by drawing a walk after Gadreault flied out to shortstop. Iglesias then got Chris Gage looking at [...]
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A 36 inch sand shark was recently found on Dowses Beach, a Cape Cod beach Sunday, July 18, 2010. (Photo by Romani/Westlund)
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Jul 19, 2010Shark discovery
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Apr 08, 2010Saint Mary High School Short Stories, Friday, April 9, 2010, at 7pm.
SOUTHWICK β€” The Southwick Cultural Council will stage its 11th annual juried Fine Art Exhibition and Sale from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, and Sunday, April 11, at the Southwick Town Hall.
Approximately 40 talented artists from Northern Connecticut and Western Massachusetts will display their art in the form of oils, photography, watercolors, pastels, acrylic, wood, pottery, soapstone carving and more.
The show also will include live demonstrations, non-juried student art, a book signing and
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Apr 08, 2010Cultural Council art show this weekend
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Mar 19, 2010Wax Museum
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Mar 19, 2010Hang time!
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Mar 19, 2010Is this your dog?
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Mar 19, 2010Westfield North Band
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Mar 18, 2010News Archive
Ohio State University police guard the scene at a campus maintenance building, left, after an employee opened fire at the building, killing a co-worker and wounding another Tuesday, March 9, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio. The suspect also was wounded and is in custody, according to authorities. (AP Photo/The Columbus Dispatch, Tom Dodge)
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Mar 09, 2010tate University
The sandwich board at the Panera store shows the calorie count for each item in Brookline, Mass., Monday, March 8, 2010. Panera bread company is announcing that they will become the first chain to post calories on menus nationally. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
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Mar 09, 2010Posting Calories
Free Weekend for Military Children at Boys and Girls Club
WESTFIELD - On Sept 11 and 12, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Westfield will be running Military Kids Club (MCK) free to children ages 5 to 18 of any military personnel. Under the watchful care of the Boys and Girls Club's State Licensed Childcare...
Crafters Sought for Fezziwig Faire
WESTFIELD - Applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Fezziwig's Faire, sponsored by Westfield on Weekends, Inc., The Business Improvement District, and the YMCA of Greater Westfield, Inc. The fair will be held on Saturday, December 4th from 9:...
WESTFIELD - The Westfield Woman’s Club offers beginner bridge lessons to interested adults. The lessons are offered to all, regardless of prior knowledge and experience. All are welcome including men, women, non-members and members of the Westfield Wom...
WESTFIELD - St. Mary’s Church is offering its first afternoon of reflection on Sunday, Sept. 26th, from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. at Genesis Spiritual Life Center in Westfield. Entitled, Embracing Forgiveness, it will focus on forgiveness as a process and an es...
Tee Off For Kids Golf Tournament
WESTFIELD - In past years a small, nine hole golf tournament was held by the YMCA for women only. This year we are expanding the event, renaming it, and changing its location. This year we will be holding the Tee Off For Kids Golf Tournament (open to ...
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