Data center moratorium officially approved
By Amy Porter aporter@thereminder.com
WESTFIELD — Days after the council voted unanimously in favor of a 12-month moratorium on data centers in the city, the body officially confirmed that stance in a second and final vote during a special meeting on July 6.
But before that closing vote, residents once more showed up in force to speak about the proposed moratorium.
During public participation, the residents took no time getting to the point. Richard Labrie of Big Wood Drive started by thanking the City Council for supporting the moratorium on the first reading. He said the moratorium on data centers in Westfield was a necessary and responsible step to protect municipal resources, the local environment and taxpayers. “A temporary pause allows the city to establish ironclad zoning protections and performance guarantees before large-scale energy-intensive technology campuses alter the community landscape.”
Labrie went on to speak about the data centers’ reliance on massive amounts of electricity and vital water resources.
Labrie said the moratorium aligns with actions recently taken at the state level. He said that although the state implemented a sales tax exemption for qualifying data centers for up to 20 years in November 2024, Gov. Maura Healey recently paused applications for the exemptions to enact stronger guardrails.
“Creating permanent and resilient zoning, filling regulatory gaps, the 12-month pause overwhelmingly backed by the Planning Board and City Council [on] first reading, equips the city with the time it needs to draft deliberate, well-researched zoning laws that stand the test of time,”
Labrie said.
Jessica Britton of Casimir Street said she hoped the councilors had seen the constituents show up at three meetings in a row, and asked them to “do the right thing” and vote in favor of the moratorium.
Michael Roeder of Western Avenue questioned the actions that had not been taken to date by the proponents of the proposed Servistar Data Center to justify an extension, which he said included not accepting the permits awarded in 2021, not purchasing property and not applying for formal consideration by ISO New England. “They never did anything to justify coming back here, in my view. But I understand from the Legislature that the law entitles them to do so,” he said.
Roeder also asked the council to bring back the original developers and find out what they spent almost $700,000 on to date, and where it went.
Donna Liese of Shaker Road thanked the councilors for their first vote on the moratorium, and singled out Councilor Kristen Mello for “her dedication, research, and representation, clearly demonstrating the environmental issues already impacting the health of Westfield residents … Based on her findings, the additional research presented to the council by concerned citizens, and the testimony of residents who live near these data centers, it is clear that housing one here would detrimentally impact our community,” Liese said, before asking for a unanimous vote in favor of the moratorium.
Andy Montanaro of Big Wood Drive raised the issue of non-disclosure agreements currently in force or anticipated in the future in respect to the moratorium, which City Council President John Beltrandi III said he couldn’t answer during public
Richard Labrie of Westfield started off a robust public participation before the final vote on a 12-month moratorium at a special City Council meeting on July 6.
Photo credit: Westfield Community TV
POLITICS
Markey, Moulton clash in Chicopee debate
Leadership, policy, and experience headlined the first U.S. Senate debate. Page 2
WESTFIELD
Hampton Ponds celebrates 250th
The community honored the country’s 250th.
3
participation.
Montanaro went on to ask the council, mayor, and all city agencies to formally commit to full disclosure about all the obligations, promises, and commitments that the city will make in reference to data centers. “We have an obligation to transparency in our community, and I see no reason why we cannot obligate ourselves to formally disclose what’s happening. So I’m asking that there be a proposed amendment to this moratorium to prohibit non-disclosure agreements throughout the entire process as a commitment to transparent governance,” he said.
Ann Ripley of Victoria Circle urged the councilors to do their due diligence on any data center applications. “If you’re going to get sold a bill of goods on this without doing your due diligence,
because this city doesn’t have a good record for due diligence, then we’re in a lot of trouble,” she said, adding, “My question is, who do the aggrieved citizens, residents in this city, sue when it comes to that?”
Kathy Labrie of Big Wood Drive made an emotional plea to the council, drawing on her history with many of them as a supporter, Little League coach and church-goer. She said her children and grandchildren live in Westfield, and she asked the councilors to think of their own and not be fooled “by the gold they’re dangling in front of you. So please, look in your heart and do the right thing.”
Suzanne Paquette of Summer Street said over 230 environmen-
Markey, Moulton clash in first U.S. Senate primary debate
By Tyler Garnet tgarnet@thereminder.com
CHICOPEE
— U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and challenger U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton clashed over leadership, policy and experience during their first head-to-head debate on July 8 at the WWLP TV-22 Studios.
The format, which offered voters a preview of the race ahead of the Sept. 1 primary, included a panel of Tony Fay from WWLP, Dave Madsen from Western Mass News, Elizabeth Román from NEPM and Jim Kinney of The Republican-MassLive asking the candidates questions. The debate covered a range of topics, including age and experience, ethics and finances, healthcare, transgender athletes, infrastructure, immigration and the West-East Rail. Markey, the incumbent, is looking to secure another sixyear term. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1976. He has served in the Senate since 2013. If victorious, Markey said this would be his last time running for reelection,
“I need one more term to finish the agenda, this progressive agenda,” Markey stated. “And then I will step down. But we need to complete the agenda. We need Medicare for all, we need a green new deal, we need to make sure that we are fighting for every family who is out there who justifiably feels that they have been left behind.”
Moulton said he thinks the U.S. Senate could use a bit of a tune-up and argued for a new generation of leaders. Moulton is currently the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’ Sixth District, which is composed of most of Essex County, including Tewksbury, Lynn and Gloucester.
“A lot of people in Massachusetts feel like they don’t have a voice in politics, and they’re struggling to afford basic needs, and we need a fighter,” Moulton said. “We need someone who’s
going to change the playbook, invest in a new generation of the years and start making Democrats win again.”
On the topic of his age and if it could affect his ability to serve the commonwealth, Markey stated,
“This is the most energized I’ve ever been. Fighting [President] Donald Trump every single day, fighting his agenda to undermine families all across our country.”
Moulton stated that the focus should not be on Markey’s age but rather on the fact that the playbook has not been working for the last 50 years.
“We need new ideas and a new playbook because a 50-year-old playbook is just not delivering for our country, for Massachusetts,” Moulton stated.
Moulton spoke about his American Affordability Agenda, a comprehensive plan focused on housing, healthcare and education. He said he believes housing, healthcare and education should be human rights.
Markey said he supports Medicare for all and has supported the Millionaires Tax in 2022 that raised $5 billion to pay for education for kids in schools in Massachusetts. He also opposed
the defense budget seven months ago, giving $1 billion to conduct the wars in Venezuela and Iran.
“My goal is to continue to fight for every day, to make sure every child has a very strong floor and an unlimited ceiling, and we’re going to need the healthcare and education money in order to accomplish that goal,” Markey stated.
The topic that caused the most debate between the two candidates was the issue of transgender athletes. The Supreme Court recently upheld state laws in Idaho and West Virginia that ban transgender women and girls from competing in women’s and girls’ sports at public schools and universities.
Fay noted that Moulton publicly condemned the Supreme Court ruling, but in 2024, he was quoted in the New York Times saying that Democrats “spent too much time trying not to offend anyone” and that he wouldn’t want his daughters “getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athletes.”
At the debate, Moulton said he stands with everyone in the LGBTQ community. “I stand with you because I always stood
with you. I have seen the pain you are going through because of this hateful Trump administration.”
Markey claimed that the LGBTQ community has endorsed him in this race and applauded Fay’s question because “after the 2024 election, Congressman Moulton decided that he was going to throw trans kids under the bus, the political bus, and blame them for the loss of the 2024 election.”
Looking at Western Massachusetts specifically, the candidates discussed the highly anticipated West-East Rail, which Markey said he and his colleague, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, secured $157 million in federal funding for.
Moulton argued that the current proposed speed of the train is too slow, and the funding secured will only pay for “10 miles of rail,” which is not enough to get to Boston.
“No one’s going to ride your train because it’s too slow, and you’ve had 50 years in Washington to get this done, and it’s not done,” Moulton stated. “Meanwhile, the rest of the world is passing us by.”
Moulton argued that if Massachusetts had a high-speed rail between Springfield and Boston, one could get from downtown [Springfield] to downtown [Boston] in 40 minutes, connecting the state and enhancing job opportunities.
The debate also focused on rising healthcare costs and changes to Medicare and Medicaid that are taking place this fall, changes that many say will hurt beneficiaries.
Markey said, “Next year, after we win the majority in the Senate, I will be the chair of the Health Subcommittee in the United States Senate.” He said his first order of business would be to restore all the Medicare
Data Center
Continued from page 1
tal groups are asking Congress for a pause on data centers, which she said has been hampered by the gutting of the Environmental Protection Agency and OSHA.
“It’s the Wild West when it comes to data centers,” she said, while also questioning the amount of water in closed-loop systems, which she said use much more water than is disclosed.
Judy Lamothe of City View Road also thanked Mello for her hard work in presenting the moratorium and to the City Council for voting in favor on the first reading.
Finally, Rachelle Randall of Southwick asked the council to consider the effect of data centers on neighboring towns, especially on the rising cost of utilities. “So I really urge you guys to go with the moratorium. We did in our town,” she said.
With no other speakers coming forward, Beltrandi thanked the residents for their input. “Before I move on, I’d like to thank everybody for coming here tonight and the last time that you were here. It’s very impressive,” he said.
Beltrandi then asked Mello to make a motion to move the vote to item one on the agenda. Before the vote, he asked Mello if there
cuts, including the $1 trillion that the Trump administration cut from the budget. He also wants to restore the $300 billion from the Affordable Care Act.
“And then we have to go beyond that. We have to double funding for community health centers. We have to double the funding for [National Institutes of Health] research,” Markey said. “In Western Massachusetts, I have stood up and have fought. I have met with all the hospital leaders out here, and we are going to deliver beginning of January of next year.”
Moulton said he agreed with Markey’s ideas, but stated, “This doesn’t happen by magic. You have to fight to win the majority.” Both candidates spoke against current immigration laws and agreed that they must continue to fight for those in the minority communities who feel they are under attack.
After the debate, Markey said, “It’s No Kings, it’s indivisible, and I’m a leader of this movement because we have to just have a higher vision for what the Democratic Party stands for, and that’s Medicare, that’s the green new deal, that’s taxing billionaires. That’s not self-enrichment but the enrichment of every family in our country.”
Moulton also provided a final message after the debate.
“I thought it was great. It was a clear contrast between a senator who’s been in Washington for 50 years and is very comfortable bending the establishment and the status quo. Talked a lot about the different things that have been tried over the last 50 years, most of which have failed, and in contrast, I’m putting forward new ideas, a new vision, a new generation of leadership, with a simple acknowledgment that the old plans haven’t worked.”
was anything further to discuss.
“I don’t think there’s anything we could say that was better than what they had to say for themselves,” Mello said, to which Beltrandi agreed. The final vote on a 365-day moratorium on data centers then passed unanimously.
After the meeting, Mello expressed her gratitude for the process. “What an amazing example of community engagement and responsive government working together to address an issue! From the first emails from residents, to Councilor [Karen] Fanion co-sponsoring the original motion, to drafting with the Law Department and City Planner, the overwhelming public participation, unanimous support from the Planning Board and City Council, and a public pledge from the Mayor to sign, everyone has stepped up and worked together on this moratorium to protect our community,” Mello said. The investigation on the ecological and public health impacts of siting a data center in Westfield will now go to the City Council’s Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Mello. “While acknowledging the mountain of work ahead, the dedication, engagement, and co-operation for the common good shown by all involved has really made this process quite a hopeful and humbling experience for me, and I’m very grateful,” she said.
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (left) and U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (right) talk to reporters after their first debate.
Reminder Publishing photos by Tyler Garnet
Armbrook
By Amy Porter aporter@thereminder.com
WESTFIELD — For the third year in a row, Armbrook Village residents teamed up with Westfield High School students at the end of the school year for the “Past Meets Present” initiative.
“This intergenerational program allows today’s seniors and students to connect and learn from one another’s experiences,” said Armbrook Director of Community Relations Jayda Handzel.
This year, 26 freshmen in social studies teacher Nicole Hamel’s AP History class invited 12 seniors from Armbrook to come to the school over several visits and bring objects from their lives that were important to them. The seniors were paired up with students who wrote about the artifacts and the history and importance behind them.
Between high school trophies and keepsakes from the 1994 Paris Olympic Games, the Westfield students were deeply drawn to not only which items each senior brought in, but also the personal meaning that they held, Handzel said.
Students then got their chance to present to seniors, faculty and family in a museum-style exhibit, in which each student shared what they learned from their conversations with the seniors. Not only were students able to enhance their history knowledge, but seniors also learned about their neighbors’ past experiences, contributing to Armbrook Village’s goal of building connection and community, she said.
For example, Armbrook resident George Symborski, originally from Northampton, brought in a basketball, an award he received for winning his Northampton YMCA league championship
when he was in high school. He admitted to the students that he was a good rebounder, but not much of a scorer.
Lori Loiselle from Southampton brought in a fuchsia-colored scarf and a book of memorabilia from the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, that she had attended with her best friend Jane, the aunt of figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, who went on to win a silver medal.
Bea Szenda brought in the American flag that was presented to her at at her husband’s military funeral.
Geraldine Ognibene brought in a Lifetime Achievement Award she had received from President Joe Biden in 2022 for her decades of volunteer work. Among the work, Ognibene knitted 97 chemo blankets and over 1,000 infant hats for Cooley Dickinson babies.
According to the students’ research, to get a Lifetime Achievement Award from the president, you must have 4,000 documented hours of volunteering. The first awards were handed out in 2003 when the President’s Volunteer Service Award was instituted to recognize Americans committed to volunteerism. They were handed out in several tiers: bronze, silver and gold, with the Lifetime Achievement Award being the highest honor. Recipients received a personalized certificate, an official pin, a medallion and a congratulatory letter from the sitting U.S. president.
The Past Meets Present Initiative took off in 2024, when Armbrook Village partnered with Westfield High School’s AP History class, taught by Nicole Hamel, to bring their Dementia Friendly training to younger generations. In an effort to promote understanding and compassion toward those living with Alz-
heimer’s disease and dementia, Armbrook Village worked to make Westfield the first dementia friendly city on the east coast in 2014. Since then, Armbrook has hosted numerous trainings for students, healthcare workers and the general public.
“The Past Meets Present Project cultivates a sense of purpose within our residents. Not only does it positively affect our residents, but it also has a lasting impact on the students, teaching them empathy, patience, and a deeper understanding of how the things that they learn about in textbooks actually were real-life experiences,” Handzel said.
Top row, from left: Members of the Hampton Ponds Association kick off the 2026 Fourth of July parade. Vietnam vets Chapter 219 color guard. Dean Brunelle plays it safe under his cowboy hat. The Hampton Ponds Fourth of July parade marshal is Sean Gaffney. Bottom row, from left: Westfield American Legion Post 124 color guard. August and Mason Pasquini try out the horn on Bob Martin’s ‘30 Model A. State Sen. John Velis, state Rep. Kelly Pease, City Councilor Bill Onyski and Mayor Mike McCabe march in the 2026 Hampton Ponds Fourth of July parade.Bubbles courtesy of East Mountain Country Club.
Reminder Publishing photos by Marc St. Onge
Seniors participating in the Past Meets Present initiative included, front row, from left, George Symborski, Marcia Rogers, Bill Duffy, Bea Szenda, Geraldine Ognibene, Kristine Furkey, Joseph Christenson, Maryanne Christenson, Cathie McCoy, Lois Bailey, Lori Loiselle and Wendell Phillips. In back, left to right, are Jayda Handzel and Rebecca Fondakowski of Armbrook Village and Nicole Hamel and Patricia Healy of Westfield High School.
photo
Staff Writers: Sarah Heinonen, Deb Gardner, Amy Porter, Trent Levakis, Cliff Clark, Tyler Garnet, Peter Tuohy
Graphic Design Manager: Beth Thurber
Graphic Design Department: Leigh Catchepaugh, Lorie Perry, Sophia McClellan, Susan Bartlett, Jim Johnson-Corwin, Molly Arnio
Sales Manager: Scott Greene
Account Executives: Matt Mahaney, Paula Dimauro, Lisa Nolan, Jeanette Grenier, Paul Poutre, Andy Shaw, Laura Tassistro
Classified Account Managers: Roxanne Miller-Longtin, Evan Marcyoniak, Shannon Spada
Sales Support: Carolyn Napolitan
Financial Department: Nancy Banning
Circulation Department: Nate Halla, Holly Mulligan, Whitney Conlon
SOUTHWICK
Purchase order policy discussed at Select Board meeting
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
SOUTHWICK — While a proposal to have town departments create a purchase order for any expenditure, no matter how small, wasn’t decided on by the Select Board at its meeting on July 6, Select Board member Joseph Deedy may have unwittingly streamlined the purchasing policy.
“I think that this discussion is really good in that it helped identify this problem at its core,” said Select Board Chair Douglas Moglin during a nearly 10-minute deep dive at the end of the discussion into the purchase order policy and ways to make it more efficient.
At the board’s June 22 meeting, Deedy proposed to have all town departments revert to a purchase-order policy that had been abandoned over a year ago to make operations more efficient and to reduce the workload for department heads and the Accounting Department.
“I think we need to bring them back,” Deedy said at that meeting.
His proposal was immediately challenged by Select Board member Russ Anderson.
“It slows down the system terribly … there’s no added value to it,” Anderson said to Deedy.
Before the town’s chief administrative officer, Nicole Parker, changed the policy, department heads who wanted to buy anything for operations costing between $1 and $10,000 had to fill out a purchase order and submit it to the Accounting Department either by hand or by email.
The Accounting Department would check to ensure
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
SOUTHWICK — Art Ribinskas,
the owner of Crepes Tea House, is nearing the end of his fiveyear quest to use one of three outbuildings on his property for outdoor dining.
“The Crepes Tea saga is near completion. All we need to do is get this ramp [installed] and to put the little walkway in to get to the pirate ship,” said Stephen Salvini during the July 6 Conservation Commission meeting.
The business is seeking the commission’s approval to install a ramp compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Salvini of Salvini Associates Inc. has been representing Ribinskas during the entire process and, in a memorandum sent to Conservation Commission Chair Norm Cheever last month, recounted when the saga began.
“On June 28, 2021, Crepes Tea House recorded the Order of Conditions for the approved notice of intent to construct three gazebos on their property at 157 Feeding Hills Road. At the time, Crepes Tea House did not have a corresponding special permit to occupy the gazebos for their intended use. That special permit was granted this year,” Salvini wrote. Those outbuildings, which Salvini refers to as gazebos, have been unused since being built.
It wasn’t until June 2025 that Ribinskas applied to the Planning
there were sufficient funds in the department’s budget for the purchase. The purchase order would be submitted to Parker for approval. Parker would sign it, return it to the department head, and the department would make the purchase.
As the discussion on Deedy’s proposal wound down, Moglin deferred a decision, saying, “I want to talk to some folks about it.”
Anderson didn’t talk to the department heads, but he surveyed them, which appeared to irritate Deedy.
“When did we decide to do a survey?” Deedy said to Anderson.
Answering Deedy, Anderson said, “Who’s we?”
“You did the survey?” Deedy asked.
“Yes,” Anderson said.
“Nobody knew about it, or everybody knew about it?” Deedy asked.
Anderson said Parker did.
“I vetted it through her first, and when we had our meeting, you said, ‘Well, I got to talk to a few people …’” Anderson was saying until he was cut off by Deedy.
“Can you let me finish?” Anderson said.
Deedy continued, “I just didn’t know who authorized [it]. That’s all I’m asking. All I’m saying is [you] took it upon yourself to…”
Anderson finished, “I took it upon myself to have a neutral thing done with everybody, not a select few.”
At that, Deedy picked up a copy of the survey, held it up, and said, “Your questions,” before tossing it onto the conference table.
Before the exchange with Deedy, Anderson gave a brief explanation of the survey and results.
“I tried to get a pulse of what folks, department heads, were thinking when it came to the purchase orders … it’s pretty clear that 70% of the department heads really are negative or very negative of moving forward or going backwards to processing purchase orders,” Anderson said.
The survey consisted of four questions, two of which specifically asked the department heads: “Please share your thoughts on returning to purchase orders for all department expenditures,” and “Was the past purchase order process convenient?”
On the convenience question, nearly 60% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that the past purchase order process was convenient.
When asked about returning to the old policy, more than 70% of respondents gave negative or very negative responses.
Anderson guessed that before the policy change, there were 3,000 to 5,000 invoices a year.
“You start putting $25 or $35 an hour to those hours [spent getting a purchase order] you’re looking at over $100,000 we’re wasting for just touching a piece of paper for a purchase order,” Anderson said.
Anderson and Deedy were largely silent while Moglin provided his perspective.
His main point was that the town’s department heads need access to the town’s MUNIS system, which integrates core administrative operations like fund accounting, human resources, payroll and purchasing
into a centralized database to eliminate data silos.
“I think we need to present to the department heads access to MUNIS such that they can see those numbers in real time and also be able to put in a PO request even beyond the limit that we have right now (the current minimum is $3,000) so that they don’t have to have four different colors of paper and triple carbon and drive it over to there to get it approved,” Moglin said.
Allowing department heads access to the MUNIS system “would pretty much solve all of this,” he said.
At the June 22 meeting, Parker said she was working on getting the department heads access to the system.
Anderson and Deedy generally agreed, with Deedy adding that if the department heads had access to MUNIS, “they could probably write [purchase orders] for everything.”
In other board business, during a joint meeting of the board and the Planning Board, Giovanni Allsop, who has been serving as an associate member of the board, was appointed as a full board member until next May’s municipal election. Diana Juzba, who was elected to the board in 2025, resigned her seat.
The Select Board also reappointed the members of the Fire and Police departments.
While the majority of those serving on boards and committees have indicated they would like to stay, one full member seat and two associate member seats on the Finance Committee are vacant. Those members are appointed by Town Moderator Celeste St. Jacques.
Board for a special permit to allow dining in one of the outbuildings. He proposed hosting 20 diners in the outbuilding without changing the restaurant’s seating capacity of 93.
Between then and May, public hearings were scheduled — some held, some continued — but it wasn’t until November that the effort to approve the application began in earnest.
After reservations about various aspects of the application were addressed, including the Fire Department’s concerns about emergency vehicle access and about monitoring the movement of seats between the restaurant and the outbuilding, the Planning Board approved the special permit. The final permit allowed dining in the outbuilding from 9
a.m. to 9 p.m. between May 1 and Sept. 15, with 10 seats kept there at all times and the option of bringing in 10 additional seats from the restaurant. Getting the commission to sign off on the ADA-compliant ramp is the last chapter in the saga. The commission’s approval is needed because the ADA ramp is
Once Art Ribinskas, the owner of Crepes Tea House at 157 Feeding Hills Road, Southwick, gets approval from the Conservation Commission to install an American with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp on the outbuilding on the far left, he will be able to use it for outdoor dining.
WHS grad awarded $10K scholarship in shoe design competition
By Amy Porter aporter@thereminder.com
HAVERHILL — As part of the public opening for the new Historic New England Center in Haverhill, scholarships were awarded to students from across the commonwealth for their winning footwear designs in the Heart + Sole Teen Shoe Design Competition. The event coincided with the ribbon-cutting for the center and a historical shoe exhibit celebrating the city’s industrial past.
The Heart + Sole competition invited juniors and seniors from Massachusetts’ 26 Gateway Cities — midsize urban centers that historically served as economic engines for the state’s manufacturing industries — to explore contemporary social issues through footwear design and to use footwear as a medium for storytelling. Across two categories, High Fashion Shoe and Sneaker, participants submitted thoughtful and imaginative designs addressing topics such as mental health, environmental stewardship, affordable housing, kindness, resilience, and inclusion, organizers said.
Westfield High School 2026 graduate Alec Piepergerdes was one of two grand prize recipients of a $10,000 scholarship for winning in the Sneaker category.
Piepergerdes’ sneaker design was intended to help children release stress or improve their focus in school. “I wanted to prioritize those with early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder, a cause to which I have grown connected,” he said in his submission to the contest.
He began contemplating sensory tools and chose to use small circular squishies on each sneaker. “I chose squishies because I knew parents would not buy a shoe with fidget spinner feet or laces that could stretch and twist
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in a Great Brook floodplain and must be securely attached to the ground in the event of flooding, which was an issue for commission Chair Norm Cheever.
“If a flood really hits that area, that ramp, because it’s in the floodplain zone, whereas the gazebo is not, because it’s raised up, will rip off and become a torpedo,” Cheever said at the commission meeting on July 6.
Salvini assured Cheever that that wouldn’t be a problem because helical or screw piles
all over, and because squishies help emotional regulation, tactical simulation, and keep the hands busy to improve focus [something with which kids with ASD tend to struggle],” Piepergerdes wrote.
To decide each squishy’s placement, he pretended as if he were a kid. “I jumped around and sat crisscross apple sauce. I noticed that in this arrangement, my hands fell to my ankles and laces. This made Velcro a perfect spot for squishies, right where a kid could use them while listening from the carpet. The other location I chose was the upper heel, best for a child seated at a desk. They can easily bend one leg backwards, keep their toes on the ground, and reach the squishy, all while drawing with the other hand.”
Piepergerdes said he first learned about the Heart + Sole competition from his WHS art teacher, Karen Kane, who pushed him to complete it.
“I was inspired to support those with ASD because last March. I did an online internship with Let’s Talk About It — The Autism Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. My job was to work with a group to create a social media campaign that could spread awareness, educate and pull people towards the Center. To make the posts, I learned a lot about autism and realized that I enjoyed using design in such a positive manner. Before then, I never thought I could help make the world more understanding through what I create,” Piepergerdes said.
He had been waiting for a similar opportunity as the one he experienced in North Carolina until he found the Heart + Sole competition. “I knew I could use what I learned about autism and what I have learned from my experience with kids to create a shoe that could assist with the little things they struggle with,” he said.
Over the summers, Pieperg-
would be used to anchor not only the ramp but also the pirate ship playscape on the property.
“I’d like to know how big they are going to be,” Cheever said, referring to the diameter of the piles.
Salvini said he didn’t know, but whatever is used must be signed off on by the town’s building inspector.
“He doesn’t have the knowledge of the floodplain zone,” Cheever responded.
Salvini said he understood that, but “when something is put into the floodplain, it has to meet certain requirements for building code; that he does know.”
Cheever wanted to know the
erdes worked with Parks & Recreation in camps for kids and through the National Honor Society at WHS, and participated in reading to students at Westfield River Elementary School and in other elementary school events. “I always enjoy it when I get the opportunity to help kids or work with them,” he said.
This fall, he will attend North Carolina State University to study graphic and experience design.
The Heart + Sole competition was judged by acclaimed footwear designer Stuart Weitzman, who grew up apprenticing under his father Seymour Weitzman at the Mr. Seymour shoe factory in Haverhill, and Olympic gold medalist and activist Aly Raisman. The judges selected three finalists in each category based on creativity, concept and execution. Two grand-prize winners were chosen to receive $10,000 scholarships, and the remaining four finalists received $1,000 scholarships at the June 27 opening of the Historic New England Center. Unable to attend the ceremony, Alec’s mother, Maria Piepergerdes, received the award in his place.
The Heart + Sole competition coincided with the first exhibit in the new Historic New England Center, “Shoe Stories: Past, Present and Future.” Haverhill, known as the Queen Slipper City, once produced tens of millions of pairs of shoes a year. An important part of the shoe industry, both regionally and nationally, Haverhill’s history is intrinsically linked to footwear.
The exhibit explores over 400 years of shoemaking, design and life in New England and spotlights the history of Haverhill and the distinctive part Historic New England’s Burgess and Lang buildings play in the city’s narrative. Using objects, photographs, and ephemera, along with oral histories and digital storytelling,
diameters of the screw piles, how deep they would be screwed into the ground, and how many would be used.
Salvini said he didn’t have that information, but that answer didn’t satisfy Cheever.
“I want to know the depth,” he said, sounding irritated.
With that, commissioner Andy Reardon intervened.
“I think Norm’s looking for the engineered plan,” he said.
Salvini said he could get the plans, but he wanted the commission’s approval.
“I’d like to get this passed and move on … this ramp was approved prior to this as part of the original notice of intent, and
the exhibition takes an expansive approach to the history and the future of footwear. Shoe Stories also emphasizes the work and histories of makers of color, contemporary New England designers, Indigenous
we are now just coming back because they couldn’t use [the outbuilding] before these were put in,” he said. Reardon said he heard Salvini’s “aggravation” and understood “that you just want to get it done.”
He then addressed whether the outbuilding should be referred to as a gazebo.
“First off, that’s not a gazebo, it’s a sea shed. Gazebos have screens and the wind blows through,” Reardon said, adding that the plan was always “problematic pretty much from the outset.”
“So, make it easy. Give Norm the number, and then we’ll ap-
artisans, the sustainable future of footwear and the global impact of the sneaker.
For more information on the Historic New England Center in Haverhill and its shoemaking past, go to haverhillcenter.org.
prove it,” Reardon said.
Salvini said he didn’t have the “magic number” in front of him, but added that if the piles were an inch in diameter, four should hold down the ramp.
“Quantity and depth [are] what I need to know for my vote,” Cheever said.
Salvini said the company that will install the piles would probably have equipment specifications.
“That’s probably exactly what Norm wants to see,” Reardon said. With that, Cheever said the discussion will continue in the next meeting.
“Just supply us with the information, OK,” he said.
Alec Piepergerdes at the 2026 WHS National Honor Society graduation ceremony.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
VS EASTHAMPTON
a hit so bad he can almost taste it.
BASEBALL
Westfield beat Easthampton 22-1 in the Little League Baseball 9-Year-Old All Stars District 2 tournament game July 9 at Ralph E. Sanville Memorial Field.
REMINDER SPORTS PHOTOS TAKEN BY MARC ST. ONGE
Bryan Champiney wants
Brody Caban tags the ball early in the game.
Ian Quimper slides safely into home plate.
Charlie Lucas dodges an inside pitch.
Michael Milliagan puts his all into his swing.
The 2026 Westfield Little League Baseball District 2 9-Year-Old All Stars at their July 9 game with Easthampton.
Brody Caban slides safely into second base.
Parker Csekovsky brings in an early Westfield run.
Dante Smith strides across home plate for a Westfield run.
Westfield starting pitcher Parker Csekovsky.
Wyben Fourth of July parade honors the country’s 250th birthday
name Narcan.
By Katie Castellani
State House News Service
BOSTON — State Rep. Kate Donaghue hears stories all the time about someone saving another person’s life with naloxone.
Indeed, the Westborough Democrat largely credited the dip in the number of opioid-related overdose fatalities — which fell below 1,000 last year in Massachusetts for the first time since 2013 — to increased access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone as well as awareness and testing for fentanyl. Naloxone is often referred to by the brand
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Thunderbirds will continue to be a busy presence in the Greater Springfield community
A Happy Birthday cake for America’s 250th celebration. Tractors line Montgomery Road for the
The number of opioid-related fatalities has steadily decreased since Donaghue began hosting naloxone training sessions at the State House, she said. In 2022, there were 2,364 deaths and the number fell below 2,000 in 2024, Donaghue said on July 7 during this year’s training session, which drew dozens into the State House’s Great Hall.
“Harm reduction, a focus on compassionate care, access to overdose reversal agents like naloxone and educating the public on overdose relapse have saved,
throughout the offseason, as the team has announced its summer event calendar. The T-Birds Community Car-
and will continue to save, many lives every year,” Donaghue said. Her son, Brian, died in 2018 as a result of an overdose.
Even though the number of overdose deaths is falling, it’s crucial to continue addressing the issue, said Stephen Murray, the associate director of overdose prevention at Boston Medical Center who ran the training. And he said this is especially true as the state’s drug supply continues changing. Recently, the concentration of fentanyl has dropped, which means there is a lower risk of fatal overdoses, but
avan, with support from MassMutual, will host three more dates of fun throughout the summer months:
the drug supply can still “change on a dime and go the other way again,” he said.
“Part of the problem is when the numbers go down, we have a loss in interest in sort of keeping our eye on the target here, which is to reduce this down further. So, our reductions are only just bringing us back to pre-COVID,” Murray, who is also the director of the SafeSpot Overdose Hotline, told the News Service. “A lot of us were doing this work pre-COVID. So, the bump was a terrible bump, but also not the starting point or the ending point
• Friday, July 24 at The Landing outside the MassMutual Center, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featuring live music, local farm stands, artisans, food vendors, face painters and balloon artists. The daravan will coincide with the Thunderbirds Tag Sale (noon to 6 p.m.) inside MassMutual Center at T-Birds Merch Store — Game worn jersey sales & special merchandise offerings and savings only available in person!
TheReminder.com
Every week we will provide you with a complete listings of deaths from the preceding week from throughout Greater Springfield. We are doing this as a convenience to our readers in case you miss an obit in the daily paper. We hope you find this useful and that you will refer to it weekly.
AGAWAM
Sally Daboul Mitson (Hanna)
Joanne Marie Simone
FEEDING HILLS
Estelle A. Brinegar
Robert Cecchi
Solange B. Gaudreault Suzanne Marie Long
Alba “Carla” Veronesi
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Sylvia DeMaio
Raymond D. O’Connor
Mitchell J. Salamon
Maria E. Serra
WESTFIELD
Penilee H. Lam
Carmel Ann Lariviere
Robert L. Larose
• Friday, July 31, at the Basketball Hall of Fame, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kids dressed in T-Birds gear receive free admission to the Hall of Fame museum; parents will receive discounted admission. Benefiting Foundation for TJO Animals — fans are encouraged to bring dry/wet dog & cat food for donation; everyone who donates will be entered to win four T-Birds game tickets and a T-Birds prize pack
• Saturday, Aug. 22, at Amelia Park Arena (Westfield), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Caravan will coincide with T-Birds Street Hockey Tournament (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) Ages 9-12; games to be played 3-on-3. Registration includes one ticket to Opening Night and
for the work that we’re doing. So, let’s not let the COVID adjustment get us distracted.”
Earlier this year, the Commission on Public Health Effects of Xylazine — created in 2024 in response to the proliferation of xylazine, a cheap veterinary sedative sometimes found cutting illicit drugs — recommended the state create a new standing group to monitor illegal drug supplies and boost education on adulterants. Commissioners found the presence of xylazine is declining while other contaminants are cropping up in the drug supply.
T-shirt for each player. There will be public ice skating inside Amelia Park Arena (skate rental available) Additionally, the Thunderbirds are proud to collaborate with the Springfield Hockey Heritage Society to be part of the Heritage Society’s annual HockeyDay on Saturday, July 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Better Living Center at the Big E. The annual event will kick off a celebration of 100 Years of Hockey in Springfield, dating back to the original Springfield Indians of the Canadian-American Hockey League in 1926. Numerous past Springfield Indians, Kings and Falcons are scheduled to appear as part of the celebration, which is open to the public. Tickets are available here: tinyurl.com/mrnwjtuu.
Thunderbirds’ 2026-27 season tickets are available now — fans can reserve their seat by visiting SpringfieldThunderbirds.com or by calling 413-739-4625.
Top row, from left: 2026 Wyben Fourth of July parade celebrant. Tim Elliot and Sadie enjoy the Wyben Fourth of July parade. Wyben 2026 Fourth of July parade celebrant. The 2026 Wyben Fourth of July parade marshals LaRee and Joe Collingwood. Bottom row, from left: Members of the Westfield High School band perform at the Wyben parade. Ryan Karolides celebrates the Fourth of July at his smoker.
Wyben Fourth of July parade.
Reminder Publishing photos by Marc St. Onge
DINING ENTERTAINMENT
Glasgow Lands Festival to celebrate the spirit of Scotland for 31st year
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
NORTHAMPTON — The spirit of Scotland will once again take over Look Park for the 31st annual Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival on Saturday, July 18.
As the only festival of its kind in the state and the second largest in New England, the day-long rain-or-shine celebration offers attendees an immersive journey into Celtic culture through worldclass music, heavy athletics and authentic traditions, according to organizers.
“It’s so rewarding, and every year we worry about so many things, but everything always comes together in the end, and the end result is that we have 5-6,000 people and there is something for everyone. It’s a family event,” festival Chair Peter Langmore told Reminder Publishing
The Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival was founded in 1994 at the Blandford Fairgrounds. Originally intended by its founding committee — which included Langmore — to be a one-time fundraiser to restore the historic White Church in Blandford, the event was so successful that it became an annual tradition that’s lasted over three decades.
The festival’s name honors the history of Blandford itself, which was originally settled in 1735 by Ulster Scots and known as “Glasgow Lands,” or “New Glasgow.” As the event grew, it moved to Stanley Park in Westfield in 1999 before finding its permanent home at Look Park in 2004. According to organizers, it has remained a premier celebration of Scottish arts, supporting local nonprofits and providing scholarships for piping, drumming and dance students.
Festivities will kick off at 9 a.m., and the Ceilidh Tent will be the go-to spot for high-energy Celtic music, continuing all day until the event’s closing at 8:30 p.m. Headliners will include Glasgow-based Albannach, Pipe Dream, and Celtic-rock bands Seven Nations and Haggis x-1. The festival will also feature popup music performed by Young Folk and a performance by the Pioneer Valley Harpers Guild. Grand opening ceremonies are set for 11:30 a.m. and will once again feature over 30 competing pipe bands and nearly 700 pipers and drummers. This year, the festival will once again host the EUSPBA Northeast Branch Amateur Drumming Championships. Also returning will be Irish Dance demonstrations from two local
dance academies. Pipers will be featured in the event’s closing ceremony with their annual performance of “Amazing Grace.”
“At the closing ceremonies, it’s really, really exciting when those bands come out, and then they have the Pipers come out front, and they play ‘Amazing Grace.’ It’s very difficult to not get emotional and get a little teary listening to ‘Amazing Grace’ with those pipers,” said Langmore. “When they all play together, it is so amazing. It’s a wonderful tradition that we have.”
The festival will offer attendees more authentic Scottish heritage and family fun, including the Highland Games, where “tree-tossing giants” compete in traditional heavy athletics.
There will also be a Stone Lifting Try-It Station, where attendees of any age can challenge themselves by attempting to lift different weighted stones in a test of strength. One stone, all the way from Glasgow and weighing 266 pounds, will offer one of the toughest challenges at the festival. Plans are to secure a heavy stone from Blanford and have it on site at the festival as their very own version of the rock and cultural connection.
Langmore added that these “gentle giants” are deeply tied to Scottish culture and bring great entertainment for all attendees.
“They [these games] exist because, historically, the clans in Scotland; they fought, if you
know enough about history. Each clan had a chief, so somebody had to fight for him and protect him. The one who would do the best in the ultimate strength test would become the chief’s protector,” said Langmore. “The athletes absolutely love Glasgow Lands. Everybody loves it.”
Attendees will also experience living history by exploring the historic Highlanders encampment, watching sheep herding demonstrations, and learning from the Weaver’s Guild of Springfield. For those looking to learn more about the Scottish ancestry or their own, onsite genealogists and clan representatives will be on site to help trace family trees.
Throughout the day, guests can enjoy the live shows while quenching their thirst at the Celtic Pub, which features local microbrews from New City Brewery, and Wine and Mead. Another option will be a curated Whisky tasting presented by The Whisky Pirate. Tickets for this specific portion of the festival can be purchased at glasgowlands.org.
The food onsite will reflect a taste of Scotland, including a smorgasbord of authentic bridies, meat pies, scones and shortbread. According to organizers, a dedicated “Kids’ Corner” will offer a space for children for athletic games and access to the Look Park water spray park during the festival.
Funds raised during the event
will support River Valley Counseling Center and the Forum House, a service of Viability Inc. The former provides vital mental health services to children and adults in Hampden County, while Forum House supports disabled and disadvantaged adults in Western Mass.
“I don’t think there are very many nonprofit organizations in this area who are able to donate $40,000-43,000 to other nonprofits,” Langmore said. He added that it feels rewarding to give back to these commu-
nity partners through the Scottish festival and said he hopes to see another great turnout for this year’s celebration.
“When I’m able to stand up there at closing ceremonies, and thank everybody, and then have those pipe bands play ‘Amazing Grace,’ that’s just rewarding,” Langmore said. “There’s so much going on that it’s hard to explain. You have to experience it.”
For more information on this year’s Glasgow Lands Festival, its history, or to purchase tickets, visit glasgowlands.org.
Photo credit: Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival
EAST
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68 Papers: Woolworth St., Woodside Dr., Blokland Dr., Wilkin Dr., Grassy Gutter Rd. 57 Papers: Park Dr., Brittany Rd., Normandy Rd., Partial-E. Greenwich Rd.,
