Town’s motion to dismiss water bill lawsuit denied
A Hampden Superior Court judge two weeks ago denied Southwick’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed against the town by the limited liability company of an assisted living facility.
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WESTFIELD Planning Board backs new police headquarters project
A new police station is well on its way in Westfield after the city’s Planning Board unanimously approved the site plan, stormwater permit and special permit for the project.
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DINING & ENTERTAINMENT
Exhibit allows people to experience painting in new way
An exhibit at the Springfield Museums allows people to explore an old painting in a brand-new way—with their hands.
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Bishop named Westfield’s next fire chief
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
WESTFIELD — Marking a new chapter in leadership for the Westfield Fire Department, Eric Bishop was appointed two weeks ago by the Fire Commission as the department’s incoming fire chief. He will replace current Chief Patrick Egloff when he retires in April.
“I’ll be honest with you, the desire to make a difference,” Bishop said when asked why he chose the fire service as a career.
“And I found being a firefighter was the best way to do that.”
Bishop began his career with the department in 1999 as a firefighter/paramedic, delivering advanced life support and responding to a wide range of emergency incidents.
Promoted to captain in 2011, Bishop supervised daily operations and training while serving as president of Local 1111 Union, where he led collective bargaining efforts and strengthened labor-management collaboration.
After being promoted to deputy chief, Bishop expanded his leadership beyond emergency response and began directing community risk reduction initiatives, including the SAFE and Senior SAFE programs. He also chaired the Local Emergency Planning Committee, coordinating citywide emergency preparedness strategies.
In addition to his fire service experience, Bishop earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master of Public Administration from Anna Maria College. He is also credentialed as a chief fire officer through the Massachusetts Fire Academy and is a 2025 graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program at the Na-
tional Fire Academy — one of the nation’s premier leadership programs for senior fire officials.
These credentials, paired with Pro Board Fire Officer certifications and specialized training in fire investigation, hazardous materials response and technical rescue operations, position Bishop as both a tactically skilled and strategically minded leader.
While deputy chief, Bishop worked closely with municipal finance officials to align departmental budgets with operational priorities. He led grant-writing initiatives that secured funding for apparatus upgrades, safety equipment and training enhancements. During his time as EMS director, he modernized billing and rate structures, significantly improving revenue collection and operational efficiency.
Last year, a report commissioned by the city to take an indepth look at the operations of the Fire Department suggested several areas where the department could improve, including hiring additional staff, specifically an assistant chief, and building a training facility.
Bishop said hiring an assistant chief or an assistant fire prevention officer is a priority, but like every city department, it comes down to funding, which includes building a training facility.
He said about 10% of the recommendations were implemented before the report was issued.
“We’re trying to attack another 10% or so to see how far we can make it,” he said, but many of the recommendations required “high resources.”
As for the training facility, Bishop said the department has been studying various options for building a facility.
In a prepared statement, Bishop highlighted the three ar-
eas that have prepared him for his new role: operational leadership, formal education and credentialing, and strategic administrative experience.
“I bring hands-on operational leadership, advanced academic and certification grounding, and administrative and strategic experience — all aligned to the demands of a fire chief role,” Bishop said. “I’m confident I’m ready to lead the department with integrity, efficiency and vision.”
He described his leadership approach as rooted in servant leadership, open communication and empowerment. He said he has also consistently prioritized training, professional development, and fostering a culture of safety and accountability within the department.
In addition to his departmental duties, Bishop has served as
outreach coordinator for Special Olympics Polar Plunge and is an active member of the Massachusetts Fire Chiefs Association.
As chief, Bishop will now guide the department’s strategic direction, oversee personnel and resources and continue strengthening community partnerships.
City officials expressed confidence that his depth of experience and demonstrated commitment to excellence will ensure the department remains prepared to meet the evolving public safety needs of the community.
When Bishop was asked about what he considers his proudest achievement, it wasn’t what one might expect.
“Some of my proudest moments are those small moments of contact with a patient who just needs that reassurance that everything’s going to be OK,” he said.
Eric Bishop, the current deputy chief of the Westfield Fire Department, was recently appointed as the department’s new chief. Reminder Publishing submitted photo
New state graduation framework raises resource questions
By Chris Maza cmaza@thereminder.com
WESTFIELD — With the state’s new high school graduation framework taking shape, funding for staffing and resources to complete the proposed requirements is top of mind for administrators at the local level.
Funding and workload consistently popped up as areas of uncertainty or concern as Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski briefed the School Committee on the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s graduation requirements framework and remaining unanswered questions at the committee’s March 2 meeting.
Gov. Maura Healey unveiled the initial framework, which was made necessary by a 2024 ballot question that eliminated the MCAS as a graduation requirement, in December 2025. The framework includes an end-ofcourse assessment, however, the state says it is not directly tied to graduation.
Czaporowski noted during the meeting that he was part of the “graduation think tank” that provided input and feedback. During his presentation, he laid out a series of framework proposals and shared with the committee some of the feedback, most of which he said he agreed with.
“There’s a lot here, some of which superintendents in our think tank felt a little better than some of the others,” Czaporowski said. “But the end-ofcourse assessments would not be a graduation requirement, so there’s a lot of questions around that one in particular — then why are we doing it? Why are we spending money? I know we spend $30 million-plus on MCAS right now; how much are these end-of-course assessments going to cost, and wouldn’t that money be better in the hands of the districts?”
The first framework calls for a core curriculum that aligns with the current MassCore standards as well as Massachusetts public college admissions requirements, including four years of English language arts and math, three years of lab-based science and history or social science, two years of world language, one year of arts and additional
civics, personal finance, health and physical education courses.
“My only pushback would be to that is that if you have no intention of going to college, we’re having you take this college coursework, and it leaves no flexibility within your schedule. It is a tall task to meet at any career technical education school across the state in order to meet all of these. Particularly, the two years of world language becomes problematic,” he said.
He said that there needs to be more clarification from state education officials on the impacts on special populations, including those with specialized learning needs, English learners, and newcomers, among others.
Czaporowski also pointed out that increasing course and credit requirements creates additional budgetary burdens on school departments and districts that may need to add staff to accommodate.
The second framework discussed involved the end-ofcourse assessment, which would be designed, administered and scored by the state. This portion of the plan has drawn criticism from the Massachusetts Teachers Association, which opposes the idea of a capstone project or other assessment as a graduation requirement. Czaporowski said the indication from the state, however, was, while the tests would “measure student mastery,” they would not be used to deny students their high school diplomas.
“Actually, in theory, the EOC is a deeper assessment of actual course content than, say, the current MCAS that we are still administering,” he said. “There hopefully would be alignment with instruction — testing what is taught rather than general grade-level knowledge.”
Czaporowski also said these assessments would create consistency for students who shift from one department or district to another.
However, the superintendent pointed out that questions remain on which courses would be subject to these end-of-course assessments and how much weight they would be given when evaluating graduation readiness. Additionally, there were concerns surrounding accessibility issues and accommodations for those with disabilities, and timing —
namely, what the turnaround time would be for scoring the assessments and whether the assessments would significantly increase testing time.
Other questions involved whether a retake option would be available and what it would cost to develop.
“Again, at a time when budgets are not kind to school districts, that money would be diverted to develop this instead of going where superintendents are asking for these funds to go is a concern,” he said.
The capstone or portfolio proposal would require each student to create a “deep independent project” or a collection of work that would demonstrate their work over time. Czaporowski said that has not been decided. He noted these projects would provide students more agency to select the focus of their work.
Yet to be determined, Czaporowski said, was how these projects would be evaluated. He also noted that these types of assignments usually involve a staff mentor. He raised the question as to whether his and other school departments had the resources to adequately provide them. There were also questions related to the cost and time requirements associated with the proposal.
The framework also maps out a requirement for students to develop and maintain an individual and academic plan, also known as MyCAP. Czaporowski said his department was already implementing it. This is because the state already requires it for middle and high schools engaged in programs such as CTE, innovation pathways and workbased learning programs. The difference in the new framework is, it would be required for all students, not just those in these or similar programs.
“It’s kind of a plan that puts you on track,” he said. “If you want to go to college, this is what you have to do. If you want
to go into a career, these are the things you are going to need to do, and you work with your school counselor.”
Czaporowski admitted it does increase the workload for the school counselors, but also said research shows students with an active MyCAP are more likely to graduate, complete the FAFSA and enroll in college.
Staffing and resources to train and support staff again came up as a significant concern.
“While we have applied for every grant that we have, we still have staff that needs to be trained, so there are some gaps,” Czaporowski said.
Under the new framework, students would also have to complete the federal and state applications for financial aid or opt out. Superintendents, however, felt an opt-in approach was more appropriate and that school departments and districts should not be forcing families to fill out the application. There were also privacy concerns, and the burden of supplying resources to ensure the applications are properly completed would also be absorbed locally.
Mayor Michael McCabe, in his capacity as president of the School Committee, questioned a portion of the framework that noted financial aid applications would be available to “undocumented students.” Asked to clarify, Czaporowski said a student who is an undocumented immigrant could complete at least the MASFA and be eligible for financial aid. “That is a priority of our current governor,” he said, later adding he would urge those students not to fill out the FAFSA.
During a brief, awkward exchange in which McCabe sought a definition of “undocumented,” he said, “I’m not trying to put you on the spot here. There’s a reasonable point that we’re trying to make here, and the reasonable point is it doesn’t seem the federal side and the state side aren’t on the same side.”
He later discussed concerns about funding and grant eligibility, to which Czaporowski responded, “It continues the internal conflict that’s been forced upon us over the last year.”
Czaporowski said Westfield already fulfills the requirement within the framework that involves teaching financial literacy skills.
Finally, there is an optional state-designated seal of distinction, which the superintendent said the School Department already awards in the world language department. However, he said superintendents were confused by its inclusion in the graduation framework.
“But why is this part of the graduation requirements? We don’t think it belongs here if it’s optional,” he said. “It would be nice if the students got this seal on their diplomas, but who decides what it is? What are the criteria? Is there equal access? Is this a graduation requirement — is that why it was included, that every student has to have a seal? These are questions that we have. And if you get a seal, what do you get for it other than a stamp on your diploma?”
Czaporowski suggested that, for example, a seal for world language in Spanish could result in that student not having to take an introductory-level Spanish course in college, which would represent a reward in the saving of time and money.
The superintendent said there was a survey through which they would garner additional feedback. He noted that he had previously shared the survey with the committee and would be sharing more broadly via the department’s website and would also be sending it out.
“We also don’t know when these are going to be finalized, but I’m guessing that the survey will help guide future implementation, so I would encourage you to please take it,” he said.
Westfield Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski discusses the state’s graduation framework at the March 2 School Committee meeting.
Photo credit: Westfield TV
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — A Hampden Superior Court judge two weeks ago denied Southwick’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed against the town by the limited liability company of an assisted living facility.
The facility, Southwick Care, was seeking to recoup over $300,000 for being erroneously overcharged for water usage, according to the lawsuit.
“In sum, the town has not established that Southwick Care had administrative remedies available to it under [state law] where there was no need to request a water meter test and where Southwick Care paid the water bills and did not claim that another person should have paid them.
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
SOUTHWICK — When the owner of Pioneer Valley Trading Co. agreed to a host agreement with the town to open a recreational marijuana dispensary, he said that he would eventually return to ask for permission to start a grow operation, which he did during the Select Board meeting on March 2.
“The time has come,” said PVTC owner Michael Albert.
He reminded the board that when he opened the dispensary last August, he let them know that he wanted to “vertically integrate” the company to produce its own products to sell at his store in Southwick and the other PVTC in Westfield and to other marijuana retailers, but with a caveat.
“What we’re not proposing is being a massive facility to go statewide,” Albert said. “We want to keep it in-house so it’s just Pioneer Valley Trading Co. and our partners in other stores.”
To keep the operation small, Albert proposed using three acres of a 24-acre parcel he owns on Granville Road to install three 35-by-100-foot greenhouses and use half of those three acres to grow outdoors.
Albert said a lot of companies are now moving their grow operations to greenhouse productions, “using the power of the sun, rather than pumping in a ton of electricity [at an indoor operation].”
“So, you’re starting to see a shift in the industry for outdoor production, which is my background,” he said.
The greenhouses are unique in that the amount of sunlight can be reduced during the long days of spring, summer and early fall with black curtains.
He explained that’s because the cannabis plant is photosensitive, and it needs to be “tricked
Accordingly, the town’s motion to dismiss must be denied,” wrote Superior Court Judge Amy L. Karangekis in her ruling.
In December, Lauren F. Olanoff of the Springfield-based law firm Egan, Flanagan & Cohen filed the lawsuit on behalf of Southwick Care LLC, alleging the town overcharged the company $333,393 for water and that its demands for reimbursement “had gone unanswered.”
Southwick Care wrote in its civil filing that for nearly five years, the town overcharged the company $333,393 by adding a “0” to the end of the actual water meter readings, which caused it to be charged for an extra 10 million gallons per bill, totaling 40 million gallons, according to the lawsuit.
The facts presented in the
lawsuit by Southwick Care indicated that between November 2020 and April 2025, it used 5.1 million gallons of water for its 58 residential rental units.
It alleges it should have been charged $40,798 between those dates.
However, between April 2021 and April 2025, the town charged Southwick Care $374,191, “which corresponds to 46.1 million gallons at the tier 3 rate,” which was $8.75 per 1,000 gallons for most of that time.
The $333,393 represents the difference between the $374,191 and the $40,798 it believes should have been charged.
The town answered the lawsuit by asking the court to dismiss it because the company hadn’t sought to use two “administrative avenues” to challenge
the overcharges. The first was to have the town check the accuracy of the water meter after it issued a bill for the usage and before the end of quarter or period it was required to be paid.
The second avenue was for Southwick Care to apply for an abatement by filing a petition with the Water Commission by the end of the six-month billing cycle, according to the town’s motion.
If the outcome didn’t satisfy the applicant, it could be appealed to the Appellate Tax Board within three months.
Southwick Care didn’t elect to follow either procedure and “as a result, it failed to exhaust its administrative remedies,” according to the town’s motion.
Southwick Care countered
the town’s motion, arguing that it wasn’t required to challenge the accuracy of the water meter or that it owed any money on its bill that required a request for an abatement, according to Southwick Care’s opposition to the town’s motion.
“In fact, [the town’s] claim for breach of contract arises not from a claim of a faulty or inaccurate meter, but rather, a billing error whereby the town incorrectly overcharged [Southwick Care] for its water usage and charged [Southwick Care] at a higher rate in violation of the town’s own rate tiering policy,” according to Southwick Care’s opposition to the town’s motion. With the town’s motion being denied, it has until April 16 to file a response unless it requests an extension.
into thinking it’s fall,” which is the way it grows buds for pollination.
While the property is now used to grow vegetables, he told the board he purchased the property in 2019 to grow hemp after it was allowed in the 2018 Farm Bill.
“It was hemp, so it was CBD plants. If you’re looking at it, it smells the same, looks the same, and has the same characteristics [of a marijuana plant]. It just does not have that THC cannabinoid byproduct in the flower. You can only have 0.03%,” he said.
What he was proposing during a March 2 board meeting is “kind of what we did back then, just the real stuff now,”
Albert said.
If approved, he also plans to build a 4,800-square-foot metal building that will be used to dry the plant, trim it, process it and
for the extraction of oils, which will be used for vape pens, often referred to as weed vape pens, and other products like gummies and tinctures, which are all tested. “It’s very stringent,” he said.
The extraction room will be designed and constructed in accordance with applicable fire, building and safety codes. The room will be physically separated from other processing areas and equipped with appropriate ventilation, gas detection and explosion-resistant features as required, Albert wrote in his proposal for the grow operation.
“There are evacuation alarms … if [the equipment] senses any gas, it will purge the whole room for safety purposes,” he said, adding its “high-tech” equipment that is widely implemented throughout the cannabis grow industry.
The greenhouses and auxiliary building will be installed at the
very back of the property.
While growing hemp there for several years, Albert said he never had any issues with abutting property owners, who had to be notified when he started the hemp operation.
“Everyone was really cool,” he said of the abutters, adding that the operation will not be visible from Granville Road.
A security fence will also be installed around the operation with a sliding gate with pin-pad access. The Police Department will have to sign off on the operation’s security procedures as part of the special permit process the company will need to begin operations.
“That’s all governed by the [Cannabis Control Commission]. They’re really, really strict on these things for access,” Albert said.
He said having the grow op-
eration will expand the business’ profit margins.
“That means I’m not buying it from Worcester or Boston …there’s a ton of growers out east,” he said.
Albert also said that any revenue generated by this grow operation, which will produce between 3,000 to 4,000 pounds a year, is still subject to the 3% excise tax paid quarterly to the town.
The board members didn’t have any objections to modifying the existing host agreement the town now has with PVTC, which board Chair Diane Gale said would be amended by a formal vote at the board’s next meeting.
“Then I can get the ball rolling, and then I can start talking to the Planning Board,” he said.
The grow operation will need a special permit from the Planning Board.
Pioneer Valley Trading Co.’s location at 660 College Highway, Southwick.
Reminder Publishing photo by Cliff Clark
WESTFIELD
Planning Board backs new police headquarters project
By Ryan Feyre rfeyre@thereminder.com
WESTFIELD — A new police station is well on its way in Westfield after the city’s Planning Board unanimously approved the site plan, stormwater permit and special permit for the project.
The new 25,000-square-foot facility, which will be located at 6 Union St., will have two stories and cost around $45 million to build.
“This project has been in the planning stage for almost two decades. I’m very happy to see that it will be completed in September 2027 to the benefit of our community,” said Mayor Michael McCabe in a recent statement about the project.
According to the project proposal, the new station will have a one-story auxiliary building on site, which will be approximately 4,700 square feet, and associated parking lots, sidewalks, landscaping, stormwater infrastructure and utilities. The proposal states that 111 new parking spaces are included with the new station.
At the March 3 Planning Board meeting, a civil engineer from Fuss & O’Neill and representatives from Tecton Architects — the designer of the project — outlined the logistics of the project in front of the board.
Josue Valdez, the civil engineer from Fuss & O’Neill, explained to the board that an electronic sign and a “mini plaza area” will accompany the proposed new police station.
“[The] proposed electronic sign … will be used pretty much for information pertaining to police safety that the Police Department will want to relay to the city overall, “ Valdez said.
The proposal calls for a main driveway that has three lanes, one lane that vehicles will use to enter the police station, one for a left turn out the station and one for a right turn out the station.
“That’s pretty much to avoid any queuing as vehicles are coming out that could [cause] a significant delay on police safety responses,” Valdez explained.
In addition to that entrance, the proposed plan includes a secure gated entrance that will be constructed from the Columbus Street side, and Valdez said that visitor parking will be available at the front of the station. Meanwhile, the parking area east of the proposed station will be fenced and gated to provide a secure area for the department that can only be accessed by authorized vehicles.
Valdez said that the proposed fence will be metal instead of a typical chain link fence, given the proximity of residen-
tial neighbors.
“Once you get into that area, [that’s] where you get into the operations of the actual Police Department,” Valdez said, of the fenced-off area.
The site also includes sidewalks, concrete walls for vehicle protection, covered patrolled vehicle parking, signs and landscaping, according to the proposal.
Aside from those amenities,
the new site will have an improved stormwater management system, utility service and electric vehicle-ready parking spaces.
During the March 3 meeting, the Planning Board offered a few logistical questions before unanimously approving the project.
The board said that the DPW and city engineer had already OK’d the stormwater plans. No one from the public spoke during the meeting.
The process for building a new station, including securing the funding, began in 2022. According to previous Reminder Publishing reporting, when the current station on Washington Street was built in 1972, it was designed for a force of about 40 people. The department’s force has now more than doubled, and the current station doesn’t have separate locker room facilities for men and women.
Chair waves caution flag as Eng promotes new transportation plan
By Ella Adams State House News Service
BOSTON — A multi-year transportation bill before lawmakers could help local towns and commuters with roadway issues ranging from pothole fixes to culvert repairs.
The Gov. Maura Healey proposal (H 4987) would authorize $1.2 billion in Chapter 90 municipal road and bridge funding over four years. In places like Yarmouth, that funding has helped the town make safety improvements to roads and sidewalks, Public Works Director Jeff Colby said, calling it “a lifeline” for essential infrastructure.
Yarmouth has 240 miles of road, 168 culverts, a population of 25,000 and an annual operating budget of $74 million, Colby said. It faces a backlog of repairs, including road repairs that would require an investment of at least $10 million to address.
“This predictability is essential for committing to large-scale
projects, which sometimes we have to take multi-years’ worth of Chapter 90 bonds to complete one project,” Colby said. Yarmouth would receive $1.25 million in year one under the proposal and a total of $5 million over four years, he said.
The proposal would maintain an annual funding level of $300 million for local road aid. Of that, $100 million would be allocated based on lane miles, which the administration says will increase resources for rural and small communities. Beyond Chapter 90, the bill allocates $500 million for MassDOT’s road and bridge lifecycle asset management programs, $200 million for DCR transportation infrastructure, $200 million for an MBTA rail reliability program and $200 million for transportation infrastructure to support new housing development.
“A lot of what that does is it improves, immediately, the local day-to-day condition of
pavements on local roadways. So, if you’re a roadway commuter, that’s a huge benefit that you need on a day-to-day basis,” State Highway Administrator and interim Transportation Undersecretary Jonathan Gulliver said.
“Broadly speaking, and obviously a little bit more of a longer lead time, it enables us to really tackle some of these bigger capital projects by allowing us to have matching funds for federal aid,” he added.
Healey proposed $3.2 billion in authorizations, including for federal and non-federal highway programs.
“If you have a road that has potholes and it is in disarray or disrepair, or a bridge that’s closed, or train station that does not have full accessibility, things of that nature, it really almost makes the, you know, the feeling of ‘no one’s listening to us,’” interim Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said.
“The Chapter 90 money, and the flexibility that it gives us and the municipalities, is actually able to turn that around and let the public start to realize that public agencies and government can work and does work,” Eng added.
Industry groups including the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Construction Industries of Massachusetts, Metropolitan Area Planning Council and A Better City are urging lawmakers to follow through on the proposed multi-year authorization. Healey in 2025 proposed that the lawmakers sign off on a five-year authorization for Chapter 90. They opted instead to move forward with a one-year plan.
CIM Executive Director Jeff Mahoney wrote to lawmakers that there are more than 400 structurally deficient local bridges and culverts in Massachusetts.
Considering the bill will likely not be passed until early summer, he wrote, “A multi-year bill will smooth the local planning process and allow cities and towns with stressed public works budgets to move forward with road projects at the very start of the construction season.”
Strengthening the program can help localities weather the challenges presented by shifting federal policies, MMA Executive Director Adam Chapdelaine wrote in testimony.
“Over the next four years of this proposed authorization, climate change and an expanded freeze-thaw cycle will place significant strain on local infrastructure,” Chapdelaine wrote. “More frequent and severe weather events are shortening the infrastructure lifespans and increasing long-term maintenance costs.”
State Rep. David Linsky of Natick questioned whether the state will have enough money in four years, citing uncertainty about federal funding and a ballot question that could cut the state’s income tax revenue.
The Office of Administration and Finance is “very aware and very concerned about those headwinds,” A&F Undersecretary Jen Sullivan said. The bonds are financed with the Commonwealth Transportation Fund, she added, which collects registry fees, gas tax revenue and some income surtax revenue.
“This Chapter 90 bill would be financed, backed by CTF rev-
enue, which is not impacted by any of those pressures that you’re talking about. It’s not that it is exempt from the general economy, but that it is relatively cordoned off to those resources of revenue, which we view as pretty reliable at this point,” Sullivan said. Those pressures “aren’t impacting the CTF as much,” she added. Towns might make a different decision on how to address pavement or drainage upgrades if funding is only available for one year, Eng added, “but if you also know that there’s future funding, then you can actually start to think about doing a much more appropriate care that actually will save dollars in the future.”
Asked about the concern surrounding a four-year authorization, House Chair Rep. Jim Arciero of Westford said that “with the lack of a federal partner, it’s been concerning for state governments across the nation.”
“We’re going into a very uneasy time. From what I’ve seen with the consensus revenue and heard and read, it’s going to be a sobering budget,” he added. “I think we’ll continue to move forward with caution. We’re going to have conversations here, it’s in committee now. The Legislature typically moves with caution.”
Senior policy, government and community affairs advisor at A Better City Tom Ryan, and Transportation for Massachusetts Policy Director Pete Wilson suggested lawmakers add policy into the borrowing bill.
Ella Adams is reporter for the State House News Service and State Affairs Massachusetts. Reach her at ella.adams@statehousenews.com.
Josue Valdez, the civil engineer from Fuss & O’Neill, explains the new Westfield Police Department proposal to the Planning Board during its March 3 meeting.
Photo credit: Westfield TV
House gets earful about protecting immigrants
By Ella Adams State House News Service
BOSTON — Between courthouse concerns, public safety obligations and state interaction with federal immigration officials, law enforcement, sheriffs, immigrants, lawmakers and advocates weighed in on March 3 on how they want the state to move on reforms affecting immigrants.
In December alone, there were 87 arrests in the Chelsea District Court, according to Rep. Judith Garcia, who represents the small city of more than 40,000 just north of Boston.
Brenda Romero, who has lived in Chelsea for 12 years, said her husband was detained by agents while walking out of a courthouse after being approved for political asylum.
“In a matter of minutes, our joy turned into terror. For six months, my daughters have lived without a father,” Romero said in Spanish, translated into English. Black and Latino Legislative Caucus Chair Andy Vargas explained the strife in Massachusetts courts while testifying for the so-called PROTECT Act (H 5158). He was one of a chorus of people who said immigrants are fearful of federal enforcement at courthouses, and so are choosing to not testify or show up as witnesses.
“Violent and unconstitutional immigration enforcement is ravaging our community,” Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez told House members of the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. Close to 400 children have left the Chelsea Public Schools in the past year, as families “are afraid to leave their homes to go to work and send their children to school,” he said.
President Donald Trump’s administration has increased immigration action over the past year, pursuing the deportations promises he made as a candidate. The increasingly violent tactics of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have caused protests to unfold across the country in recent months.
Some Massachusetts lawmakers rebuked Trump’s actions and ICE’s tactics, but it’s been more than a month since major proposals were offered to protect immigrants. The caucus unveiled its bill in January with safeguards for court proceedings, consistent due process and enforcement authority for the attorney general.
Gov. Maura Healey in January signed an executive order and filed a proposal as part of a spending bill that was sent to the House Ways and Means Committee.
The timeline for a proposal and votes is not clear. House Speaker Ron Mariano on the morning of March 4 said in a statement that the House will vote “this spring.” He said he expects “pragmatic legislative solutions that seek to protect Massachusetts residents from federal immigration agents, within the confines of state law.”
There were 614 federal immigration enforcement arrests in courthouses across Massachusetts last year, Vargas said. Committee member Rep. David Linsky recalled being stopped at the door of Framingham District Court by ICE agents as
they were dragging a man out of the courthouse.
“I don’t know why he was there,” Linsky said. “But because he got brought out of the courthouse, what that means is that somebody else didn’t get justice that day.”
Rep. Priscila Sousa noted that while some immigrants are in federal custody, they miss their immigration appointments that would make them compliant. And speaking of a young pregnant woman in her district who was detained, despite attempting to go through proper legal channels to get charges dropped, Sen. Liz Miranda said, “If this isn’t state terror, I don’t know what actually is.”
While states can’t pass bills directing the conduct of federal immigration officials, “the Legislature can act to make sure the state’s resources, institutions and spaces are not co-opted in ways that are inconsistent with our commonwealth’s values, constitutional guarantees and the protections of our residents,”
Deputy Attorney General Abby Taylor said.
Asked by Rep. Steven Xiarhos about whether she agrees that people should be arrested for violent crimes, Taylor said she did but that the question at hand was about civil immigration enforcement.
“The vast majority we’ve seen since the beginning of the Trump administration has not been about violent criminals at all. It’s been about people who’ve committed no crimes or who committed low level offenses,” Taylor said. She added that she thinks ICE agents are being put “in a very bad position,” as they’re not being trained and told to arrest as many people as possible.
Under the 2017 Lunn court decision, Taylor added, state agencies can’t hold individuals on the basis of civil immigration detainers.
Barnstable County Sheriff
Donna Buckley said that from the sheriffs’ perspective, concern arises when ICE is able to detain immigrants mid-legal process.
“If someone is in our facility, regardless of what the charges are, and they’re eligible for bail, and they post bail and they have a detainer, if ICE takes possession of that person, it trumps our criminal justice process,” Buckley said. “So yes, they may be charged with serious crimes, but we never get to finish the process. And I think that’s part of what we should be considering, because it’s not fair to the victims.”
The Massachusetts Sheriffs Association testified in favor of the bill, but suggested its name be changed. Law enforcement officials also fielded numerous questions about how immigration enforcement is impacting their work and public safety.
Local police have no authority to remove federal officials from a space or to interfere with their job, officers said. State Reps. Michelle Ciccolo and Linsky asked how police would respond to an ICE officer breaking and entering private property while enforcing a civil detainer without a judicial warrant.
“If someone’s being harmed, then we’re going to intervene. If another law enforcement agency is attempting their arrest, then our body cameras will be on and we’ll document the situation,” Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association President Larry Calderone said.
“I want to be clear that we’re not going to interfere with federal officials in federal law unless there is an absolute crime being committed,” Calderone explained.
“The worry is in the back of everybody’s mind: ‘What if we are charged with a federal crime?’” Calderone continued. “And I need to stress to this panel as strongly as we possibly can, speaking for 20,000 law enforcement officers, that should or
when this law is put into effect, please put a piece in there about indemnification for the men and women we represent.”
The caucus proposal bans any creation or renewal of 287(g) agreements that allow local law enforcement to carry out federal immigration officers’ responsibilities. It includes an exception for an agency seeking to work with federal enforcement agents, which Sheriff Buckley said “doesn’t make any sense.”
“There’s no need for us to be doing the work of ICE anywhere in Massachusetts,” Buckley said. The Department of Correction is partnered with federal immigration enforcement through the agreements.
Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald’s facility is the only one holding detainees on behalf of ICE. There are 474 men in ICE custody in his facility, their average length of stay is 20 days, and 243 of them claim an address in Massachusetts as their primary residence, McDonald said.
He agreed there’s no need for 287(g) agreements, and said that everyone in his facility has access to resources like medical care, prescriptions and attorneys, though sheriffs don’t have the authority to transport someone in federal custody to hearings without ICE’s signoff.
“This can be problematic, and I think in some other parts of the country may well become problematic, and something that we’re going to have to have some fairly high level discussions about going forward,” McDonald said.
Asked about the potential for virtual hearings for those in ICE custody, McDonald suggested more conversation and said “that’s something that we certainly could accommodate.” Ella Adams is a reporter for the State House News Service and State Affairs Massachusetts. Reach her at ella.adams@statehousenews.com.
Focus on fraud has AG girding for another lawsuit
By Alison Kuznitz State House News Service
BOSTON — Attorney General
Andrea Campbell says she’s prepared to lodge yet another lawsuit against the federal government should the Trump administration’s crackdown on Medicaid fraud in Minnesota shift focus to Massachusetts, where public benefits fraud is getting fresh attention.
President Donald Trump hinted at a looming clash last week, when he put a spotlight on fraud in Massachusetts and other Democrat-led states during his State of the Union address.
Federal health officials two weeks ago paused $259.5 million in quarterly Medicaid matching funds in Minnesota to “prevent payment of questionable claims while further investigation is completed.” The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it may withhold up to $1 billion over the next year should Minnesota “fail to clean up its significant program integrity vulnerabilities or demonstrate that the expenditures are allowable.”
During a television interview that aired on March 1, Campbell was asked whether a similar Medicaid funding freeze could unfold here. MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program, accounts for nearly one-third of the budget.
“Well, if they come for our resources, we will file suit like we have been,” Campbell said on WCVB’s “On the Re-
cord” program. The attorney general said her office has filed nearly 50 lawsuits against the Trump administration in hopes of protecting more than $3 billion.
Senate Republicans in Massachusetts recently called for an oversight hearing into public benefit fraud in the SNAP program. In their request to Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight Chairman Mark Montigny, the Senate GOP Caucus pointed to $34 million in public benefit fraud identified by Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s office over a three-year period as well as two cases brought by U.S. Attorney Leah Foley.
In fiscal year 2025 alone, the Bureau of Special Investigations within DiZoligo’s office identified roughly $12 million in public benefit fraud. Nearly half of that figure was attributed to MassHealth.
DiZoglio’s Medicaid Audit Unit last week released a report identifying nearly $8.5 million in potential cost savings at MassHealth, based on probes into dental services, transportation services, durable medical equipment providers and inpatient maternity services.
MassHealth paid about $521,500 for “DME that could not be verified as having been ordered by an eligible provider” and about $31,700 for DME ordered by providers who are excluded from MassHealth. The report said
MassHealth also paid providers $27,400 for equipment ordered for deceased members.
MassHealth said it plans to investigate the report’s claims and recoup overpayments, and the agency said it offers training for providers to comply with state and federal laws, according to the report.
“MassHealth emphasized that due to the delay in how it receives information about deceased members, it relies on the postpay process to recoup payments for its members who had passed away,” the report continued.
Trump discussed fraud allegations in Minnesota during
his State of the Union address when he declared a “war on fraud,” and he also name-dropped Massachusetts.
“California, Massachusetts, Maine and many other states are even worse,” Trump said. “This is the kind of corruption that shreds the fabric of a nation, and we are working on it like you wouldn’t believe.”
Campbell said Trump called out those states as part of a “blueprint” to “weaponize” the federal government across Democratic strongholds.
Gov. Maura Healey proposed a $3.5 million increase for the attorney general’s ’s office in FY27.
Campbell is seeking an additional $2.7 million to keep up with the federal legal battles and to tackle accountability voids she sees in Washington.
“They’re not doing some of the public health work we’re doing, or the health care work, or the Medicaid fraud we’re doing,” Campbell said. “So, we have to fill the gap. That means I have to expand my team in order to ensure that folks here in Massachusetts are not defrauded.”
Alison Kuznitz is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro Massachusetts. Reach her at akuznitz@ stateaffairs.com.
WMAS RADIOTHON FOR BAYSTATE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL RAISES OVER $250,000 — This year, the 25th annual 94.7 WMAS Radiothon for Baystate Children’s Hospital was presented by Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Balise Hyundai of Springfield, Country Hyundai and Gary Rome Hyundai, and held at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Thanks to the generosity of the community, this year’s Radiothon raised a remarkable total of $250,376 for Baystate Children’s Hospital. Reminder Publishing submitted photo
Robert
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — An exhibit at the Springfield Museums allows people to explore an old painting in a brand-new way — with their hands.
The name of the exhibit, “Please Touch! A Tactile Exploration of Sante Graziani’s Mural,” a play on signs reading “Do Not Touch” that are commonly found in museums. An interactive exhibit, it allows people to physically explore a three-dimensional recreation of an artwork that is usually only experienced through the eyes.
The mural, an enormous 25-foot by 7-foot plaster fresco, came about when the Museum of Fine Arts in Springfield, now the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, hosted an international mural contest in 1943. At the time, mural art was popular in the United States, spurred on by works commissioned by the federal Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression. More than 80 artists from the United States, Mexico and Canada submitted designs to the contest that celebrated culture and art, but Graziani’s vision was unanimously chosen by the jury of judges. The fresco was painted in 1947.
The figures depicted in the work represent the arts scene of Springfield in the 1940s, highlighting painters, sculptors, photographers, architects, musicians, actors and dancers. Many of the individuals in the mural are not simply generic artists, but rather, are based on Graziani’s contemporaries and
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums is proud to announce the debut of a bold new permanent exhibition at the Springfield Science Museum, Dinosaurs Still Live: The Story of Archosaurs, opening March 13. This dynamic, 1,400-square-foot gallery invites visitors of all ages to uncover the surprising connections between dinosaurs, birds, crocodilians and pterosaurs.
Dinosaurs Still Live blends hands-on discovery, immersive environments and engaging storytelling to spark curiosity and inspire learning across generations. With a contemporary design, a vibrant color palette, and family-focused interpretation, the exhibition marks an exciting new chapter for the Science Museum and reflects its commitment to inclusive, innovative education.
“Dinosaurs are one of the most popular topics at Springfield Museums! Our visitors have asked to learn more about animals that were alive at the same time as dinosaurs, and this exhibit illustrates the process of evolution while highlighting two other important reptile families,” said Jenny Powers, director of the Springfield Science Museum. “The most requested new dinosaur was velociraptor, and I am proud to say that this exhibit will also fulfill that request. I hope that our visitors will consider this new exhibition as educationally rich as it is fun.”
Archosaurs are a group of animals that includes all birds and crocodiles, as well as their extinct relatives like dinosaurs, pterosaurs (flying reptiles), and some ancient reptiles that lived in the oceans or on land during the age of dinosaurs. Scientists define archosaurs as all animals that come from the most recent common ancestor of today’s birds and crocodiles.
Dinosaurs Still Live unfolds as a journey guided by four characters, each introducing a different chapter of the archosaur story:
• Hoot, Keeper of the Flock, introduces modern-day birds as
friends. These include sculptor Leonard Baskin, who was Graziani’s college roommate, and Springfield’s own soprano vocalist Adele Addison. Also included in the crowd were then-museum director Frederick Robinson and a depiction of the artist himself, as a child.
Meanwhile, in the mural, two walls are being erected, reflecting the growing, evolving nature of the museum. The walls visually divide the painting into three sections. In the background of the painting, there are well known Springfield buildings, including Old First Church and the Alexander House. The Van Norman Tool Company, which sponsored the mural contest, is seen on the right side of the mural.
The interactive exhibit presents museum goers with a three-dimensional recreation of the artwork laid flat on a table in front of the mural. The layered relief adds a realistic quality to the art. Every bumpy rock, sharp-edged stair and rippled fabric is brought to life, making it feel as though the viewer just interrupted the movement of the scene’s subjects.
Beyond giving the mural more depth, the exhibit allows people with limited vision to experience the artwork, allowing fingertips to explore the people and their contributions to the arts. Buttons are set into the tactile recreation. When one runs their hands over a figure or object, it triggers an audio commentary about the painting, the art forms depicted, the mural competition and the artist.
The exhibit was made possible with support from FedEx,
living dinosaurs, featuring rotating displays of birds, along with their nests and eggs.
• Spike, Your Prehistoric Pal, leads visitors through the feathered dinosaurs and early evolutionary roots of flight, showcasing sculpted models and tactile learning experiences.
• Snap, King of the Crocs, brings mighty crocodilians to life — from the massive prehistoric Sarcosuchus to today’s American alligator — through climbable sculptures, skull replicas, and dramatic size comparisons.
• Breezy, Queen of the Skies, explores the awe-inspiring world of pterosaurs, including full-scale silhouettes of Que
the National Federation of the Blind, MassCultural Council and Tactile Images, an organization that creates three-dimensional
art to allow people living with limited sight to expand their enjoyment of art. “Please Touch! A Tactile Ex-
zalcoatlus, a suspended Pteranodon, nesting scenes, and a dramatic volcanic horizon.
Throughout the space, scenic elements and hands-on components encourage active learning, discovery and playmaking complex science approachable and exciting for children and caregivers alike.
Presented in both English and Spanish, Dinosaurs Still Live ensures accessibility for a wide audience and reflects Springfield Museums’ dedication to inclusive community engagement. Rotating displays, tactile features and interactive learning stations offer repeat visit value and fresh experiences year-round.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Additional support was provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, with funding secured through the efforts of Senator Adam Gomez; and generous contributions from Harry and Lynne Ahern, Laurence and Barbara Derose, Bill and Patti Kelliher, and Susan Piccin.
ploration
“We are deeply grateful for the generous support that made this project possible,” says Kay Simpson, president and CEO of the Springfield Museums. “Funded in part by federal and state sources, along with the contributions of dedicated supporters, this initiative reflects a shared commitment to strengthening our ability to serve the community and provide enriching cultural experiences for all.”
of Sante Graziani’s Mural” is on display in the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts through July 26.
of Sante Graziani’s painting, with the mural in the background. Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
WESTFIELD STATE UNIVERSITY VS ANNA MARIA COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
Westfield State Owls women’s basketball team faced the Anna Maria College AMCATS in the MASCAC quarterfinal round Feb. 25, losing 96-70.
Westfield’s Alexa Davis (Springfield) and Kayley Downie (Easthampton) guard Anna Maria’s Tiffany Salazar (Webster, MA).
Alexa Davis (Springfield) puts up a basket with Tavi Williams (Springfield) looking on.
Owls’ Caroline Galvani (Framingham) takes a shot over AMCAT Sarah O’Connor (Leicester).
Tavi Williams (Springfield) cuts through Anna Maria defenders on her way to the basket.
Andrea Bertini, Owls’ women’s basketball coach, advises the team during a timeout.
WSU senior Morgan Berthiaume (Webster) works to get past Arianna Saladini (Fitchburg).
REMINDER SPORTS PHOTOS TAKEN BY MARC ST. ONGE
Sophia DeAngelis (Braintree) shoots over Kimani Wilburn (Oakland, CA).
Westfield State cheerleaders add excitement to the game.
Kayley Downie (Easthampton) shoots for a 3-pointer.
Ashley Ames (Valatie, NY) focuses at the free throw line.
Owl Gianna Strange (Westfield) takes a shot over Anna Maria defenders.
Introducing the Park Square Realty FirstKey Program
goal is to help 100 First Time Buyers purchase a home in the next 12 months utilizing Mass Housing Down Payment Assistance.
First Time Buyers can get $25,000 to go towards their down payment and their closing costs. Please contact one of our offices for details.
Michael McHugh to Edward McHugh, 71 Reservation Road
F. Whiting and Matthew E. Whiting to WMass Land Acquisitions
