Police address plate readers concerns
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
SOUTHWICK — At the Select Board’s meeting on July 20, David Methe perhaps summed up the tension between public safety and individual privacy as the board discussed the police department’s potential deployment of three automatic license plate readers in town.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that this would be a good tool for the police. My concern is that I just don’t want to live in a town where I feel I’m under constant surveillance,” Methe said when the board asked for public comments, which came after Police Chief Rhett Bannish and Sgt. Michael Westcott gave a presentation about the controversial cameras.
“And believe me, my car was stolen out of my driveway in Southwick. I know it would be a good tool for you, but I’ll take my chances on that. [I] feel like I can live in a nice, peaceful area without being watched by Big Brother,” Methe said.
Bannish and Westcott appeared before the board during its meeting to explain why they believed automated license plate readers — or ALPRs — would be important tools for locating stolen vehicles, finding missing people and assisting with investigations. Their appearance and presentation marked the first step in drafting a policy regulating the use of the cameras in town.
Over the last several months, there has been a growing movement to remove the readers from the public square.
Those opposed to the state conducting mass surveillance have often taken matters into their own hands and destroyed the cameras. At least 90 communities across dozens of states, in-

cluding the Connecticut towns of Windsor and Meriden, have cancelled or rejected contracts with Flock Safety, the primary supplier of the cameras, according to deflock.org.
However, recognizing the mounting issues with the Flock cameras and how the company shares its data, Bannish explained why the department chose to purchase ALPRs from Motorola earlier this year by using nearly $30,000 from an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.
“We looked at several different suppliers. We obviously looked at Flock, which is the one most of you have probably seen online,” Bannish said. “We also looked at Motorola, and after exploring each one of those groups, we decided to go with the Motorola cameras.”
Westcott explained why the department chose Motorola.
“Motorola gave us the most
secure [system]. We own the data. We own the cameras. We can delete the data whenever we want. It’s set to automatically delete in 60 days. We can reduce that. We can expand it. So, that’s why we went with them,” Westcott said.
He said, without referring specifically to Flock Safety, other companies have problems.
With Flock Safety, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, when a license plate is read by a Flock ALPR, it is stored in the company’s cloud database and can be accessed by any law enforcement agency that has a contract with the company.
“That’s the other thing with Motorola and Flock. [With] Flock, everybody has access. That is not how the Motorola system works,” Westcott said.
“All the data comes directly to us. Motorola cannot access it … It’s ours,” he added.
In fact, if an officer in the Police Department wants to search
the license plates scanned in Southwick within the 60 days before they are automatically deleted, dual authentication is needed, “so we know who logs in, we know when, and what they run,” Westcott said.
“For us to even search it, we have to have a case number, a reason, and it’s gotta be approved. So, we can’t just have …anybody on the street [that] can log in and say, ‘hey, I want to know where my girlfriend’s been every week?’ They can’t do it. It’s highly restricted. It’s protected information,” he said.
He said the policy that is being drafted will include language that calls for terminating an officer for violating it.
“We are trying to keep it very secure and regulated the best we can,” Westcott said about the information gathered by the ALPRs.
Local municipalities can de-
IN THIS EDITION
WESTFIELD
Paving begins at middle school parking lot
Paving on the Westfield Middle School parking lot has officially begun as part of a complete redesign.
Page 3
SOUTHWICK
Southwick fiber-optic network to start soon
The construction of a fiberoptic network should start soon after the Select Board approved a municipal agreement with Whip City Fiber.
4

Neal, officials announce $1M for water system upgrades
By Amy Porter aporter@thereminder.com
BLANDFORD — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal joined Blandford Town Administrator Christina Ferrera, Select Board Chair Jacqueline Coury, and Water Commission Chair Brad Curry on July 17 to announce $1.1 million in federal funding for water treatment and distribution system upgrades for the town.
The allocation was made through community project funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Small, Underserved and Disadvantaged Communities Grant program.
Neal said he traveled from Washington, D.C. the night before the announcement to join town officials. He thanked the Blandford officials for their vision in applying for the grant, which he said he found reasonable, worthwhile and one that would have a long-term impact.
Neal said he’s long maintained an interest in Springfield’s water supply and continues to believe that water supply is a governmental responsibility to oversee. “Few issues are as transformative as clean air and clean water, but it comes with an investment. What has done more to increase life expectancy on earth than clean water?” he said, adding as an aside that he’s proud to have attended the first Earth Day as a college student.
Curry said the grant will be used for infrastructure upgrades, system storage, computer and SCADA upgrades and water line replacements. “Some of the water lines date from 1909,” Curry said.
Mike McManus of Wright & Pierce spoke about the plans for additional water storage. He said the storage tanks in Blandford were old and obsolete, with only the ones at the water plant available. The plan is to construct
Cameras
cide if records from Motorola cameras can be shared.
When and if the policy is adopted, Westcott said the department will share it with Westfield and with departments in Connecticut as needed.
He said the department can currently access the data collected by the nine ALPRs it has around the city, but Southwick will only access the data from the south side of the city.
The proposed policy can also include dictating the terms under which other departments use it.
“We also can write a policy saying, ‘hey, if you use our data, here’s the terms.’ And they have to agree to that before they can even

a new water storage tank at the turnpike, a high point in town, that will also be available to the Fire Department. “It will be a good buffer for residents,” he said.
The grant will also help make upgrades at the pumping station, where there has been difficulty replacing parts that will bring higher water pressure to residents. There will also be improvements at the plant as far as water treatment and a new pipeline into the
look at our data,” Westcott said.
The department’s grant allowed it to buy the ALPRs and use five years of analytics and data.
Westcott said his goal, if a policy is adopted, is to apply for another grant for additional cameras if it’s decided they are a “great tool.”
However, “if we find out, ‘hey, this doesn’t work, it’s caused more headaches than it’s worth,’ then we can drop the program,” he said.
As they finished the presentation, Bannish said he thought the benefits outweighed the negatives.
Residents questioned the daily cost of operating the cameras.
Westcott said, which Select Board member Douglas Moglin confirmed, that the cameras are connected wirelessly to the network, so the department would
Long Pond water source.
“That $1 million is going to go a long way,” said Coury.
The town is currently using approximately $290,000 of the funding for the installation of a new skid-mounted packaged generator system to assist Safe Drinking Water Act compliance.
Ferrera thanked Neal for helping the town to secure the funding. “For a small rural town like Blandford, investments in water
use the town’s data plan.
“It’s a SIM card for the camera,” Moglin said.
Town resident Rachelle Randall said that many of her fears about the cameras were assuaged.
However, she was concerned about a surveillance system called SignalTrace, which is a controversial signal-intelligence and surveillance system developed by defense contractor Leonardo that upgrades ALPRs to track people and their smart devices. It captures ambient Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and RFID signals from their phone, smartwatch, wireless headphones, and car systems to link passing vehicles with specific individuals.
“It raises a red flag, so I just want clarification — there is nothing in your contract that you’re sharing data with the company?” she asked.

infrastructure are not simply capital projects; they are matters of public health, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness and basic municipal sustainability,” she said, adding that Blandford is held to the same public health and drinking water standards as larger communities, but with a fraction of the staffing and financial capacity.
“Thank you for your diligence with us in getting the bill,”
Westcott said he would check on it, but was certain the data generated in town could only be shared with other departments that agreed to the town’s terms.
Bannish, responding to her concern, added that the type of surveillance sounded like a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens from unreasonable government searches and seizures.
Before the presentation by Bannish and Westcott, Kimberly LaMarche made it clear to the Select Board that she was against installing the cameras.
The presentation changed her view.
“I came in very antagonistic because I felt violated, but you guys have eased my conscience a little. I’m glad we’ve had this talk,” she said. However, Joanne LeBlanc

Curry added. Under guidelines issued by the Senate and House Appropriations committees, members of Congress requested community project funding for projects in their state for fiscal year 2026. Requests were limited by federal funding streams, and only state and local governments and eligible nonprofits were permitted to receive funding. This project is one of 15 submitted by Neal.
was not swayed.
“I’m not a fan of this at all, and I’m not buying the sales pitch. I’m 100% in agreement with Mr. Methe. This town is not the same town we moved to. I don’t feel that it’s big enough to get involved with this,” she said.
Moglin said that after the Police Department drafts the policy, it will come before the Select Board for approval.
“I will make this commitment to you as the chair; when that policy is ready to come in front of the board, we will carry it as an agenda item, and we will take a vote up or down,” Moglin said.
Just before the discussion ended, Select Board member Joseph Deedy said he had one last thing to say.
“I am not ready to give up the town’s liberties for this, personally.”






WESTFIELD
Paving begins at middle school parking lot
By Amy Porter aporter@thereminder.com
WESTFIELD — Paving on the Westfield Middle School parking lot has officially begun as part of a complete redesign made possible by a climate resilience grant of $810,200 from the state Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program and an additional $70,000 from the Westfield River Watershed Association.
The redesigned lot will feature bioretention basins that help manage stormwater and improve environmental sustainability. The renovations will also provide safer traffic flow, improved parking, and a better overall experience for students, families, staff and visitors, said WMS Principal Jesse McMillan.
Tighe & Bond is the project manager, and Caracas Construction Corp. out of Ludlow is the contractor. Various departments in the city of Westfield, including engineering, the city planner and Public Works are also involved. “It’s been a great partnership working with the city of Westfield. We received a tremendous amount of support,” McMillan said.
The project includes demolition of existing parking areas, removal of two trees, construction of new parking facilities with one-way circulation, eight new trees, bioretention basins and a reduction in overall impervious
By Amy Porter aporter@thereminder.com
WESTFIELD — The Westfield Technical Academy’s Aviation Maintenance Program showed its appreciation to Mrs. Murphy’s Donuts in Southwick in a way that only it could, by offering a thankyou ride in a 1942 Stearman biplane to owner Shane Murphy. Mrs. Murphy’s Donuts celebrated 50 years in business on July 12.
“Mrs. Murphy’s has been a staple of our community for 50 years, constantly giving back to Southwick, Westfield and the local public schools. Most recently, Shane generously donated all the donuts, pastries, muffins, and coffee for this year’s Westfield Technical Academy Aviation graduation ceremony,” said AMT instructor Scott Hepburn, adding, “This flight is our program’s way of giving them some well-deserved recognition for half a century of community support.”
Hepburn and his brother Ed Hepburn, who was present for the occasion, have a long association with Mrs. Murphy’s Donuts, having worked there for many years in their youth, along with their sisters and nieces.
They originally offered the flight to Rose Murphy, who passed it to her daughter, Shane, who now runs the business with two of her children. Rose was on hand to see her daughter take off.
“I could not do that, but she loved it and thought it was such a great opportunity,” she said, adding, “This is better than Six Flags.”
Ken Dromgold, president of the AMT advisory board and
surface area. The new parking area will improve traffic safety, especially during peak school hours, while reducing localized and regional flooding impacts and mitigating heat stress.
The work being done is also serving as a real-world resiliency demonstration for students by incorporating sustainable infrastructure elements both during and after construction. McMillan said students had the opportunity to review the overall plans, and after they return in the fall, they will have lessons on stormwater improvements and bioretention basins as part of the educational component.
Despite ongoing work, Band Camp will still be held in the school this summer on the weeks of July 27 and Aug. 7.
The transition program for new students will also take place on Aug. 11 and 12.
In addition to the work being done outside, McMillan was thrilled to announce that the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office selected WMS to have the entire first-floor hallway repainted over the summer through its community service outreach. “They’re 75% of the way done, from the main entrance and bus loop all the way around the seventh grade classrooms and back hall,” he said, adding that all the school had to do was supply the paint, for which they got some help from the district.

McMillan said it had to be done, and certain sections of the school had been painted in the last five or six years, but all in different colors. For this project, the school went with a neutral grey with red highlights. The school’s colors are red and black.
“We plan to install artwork by students throughout the building,” he said. Students already completed a mural at the main entrance in May with art teachers and local community partners for donations. “My goal is to highlight student work from the moment our visitors walk into the building,” McMillan said.
“One of the things I wanted to highlight was partnerships with the Sheriff’s office, the city of Westfield and students that made this possible. The fresh new look has completely transformed the feel of our building and will create a brighter, more welcoming environment for everyone who walks through our doors,” he added. “These projects represent a significant investment in our school and community, and we can’t wait to share the finished results. A heartfelt thank you to everyone whose hard work, dedication and partnership are making these improvements possible.”

owner of the vintage WWII trainer, piloted the flight. He said the plane started as a Naval trainer, and after the war, spent some years as a crop duster, as many retired planes did.
Dromgold said he got the plane six years ago and has restored it a few times, keeping everything original, although he did recently put a new wooden propeller on the radial engine. He called the plane pretty rugged, but said it has taught a lot of people to fly.
Now Dromgold’s goal for the plane is to “keep it looking good

and give rides.” He flies veterans and auctions off rides for charities. Hepburn said Dromgold also flies every student in the AMT program every year.
Before climbing into the plane, Dromgold told Murphy that she would sit in the front seat, but would be able to hear him through earphones and see him in the mirror. “If you want to fly it, you’re more than welcome to fly,” he told her, an option she said afterwards that she had declined.
“My flight experience was ab-
solutely amazing. It was a perfect day, and the pilot flew over both my house and Drake Mountain, one of my favorite hiking spots. It was wonderful to see it from the sky, and we even did a little wave over my daughter’s house,” said Murphy, who lives in Granville. She also took some photos on the flight, including a selfie. Dromgold had warned her to hold onto her phone really tightly due to wind shear in the open cockpit.
The 1942 Stearman bi-plane can go up to 2,500 feet and 90 miles per hour, Hepburn said.

SOUTHWICK
Southwick fiber-optic network project to start soon
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
SOUTHWICK — The construction of a town-owned fiber-optic network should start soon after the Select Board approved a municipal agreement with Whip City Fiber during its meeting on July 20.
“So, as the make-ready is done, we can start our construction phase, and it should be probably done within a year,” said Jamie Cincotta, a telecom superintendent for Whip City Fiber, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Westfield Gas & Electric.
The network, which has been in the pipeline for more than five years, will concentrate on installing the fiber-optic cable in what Select Board member Doug Moglin called “the woods.”
“The fern woods, the birch woods. Those woods, because of the density,” he said.
The fiber service areas that will be part of the pilot project will include the neighborhoods along Pineywood, Fernwood, Birchwood and Thurgood roads. Cables will be hung on utility poles along Powder Mill Road.
Moglin said the pilot project will include the installation of service for the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District’s
schools and the Southwick Public Library.
Deedy asked if the rates for the service had been set.
Moglin answered that $89 a month for residential service had been informally agreed to but not formally set.
That prompted Deedy to comment that if the town “can’t get those numbers to work, we’re done.”
He was referring to having the service’s subscribers pay off a $3-million bond authorization approved by Town Meeting in 2023.
“Well, that’s right. We got to show that we can demonstrate the take rate that every other city in town has a competitive incumbent has been able to do. But we have to prove that the Southwick people will also take it at that rate,” Moglin said.
The take rate is also considered the participation rate, which is the minimum number of subscribers it would take to pay off the bond over a period of years.
During the 2025 Town Meeting, the Select Board requested $15 million to build out the network for the entire town over five years. It was determined that the take rate needed to be above 45% for the numbers to work.
The borrowing authorization needed 371 votes of the 557 cast
for the two-thirds needed to be approved. The final vote was 353 voting yes and 204 voting no, just missing the threshold by 18 votes.
At the Select Board meeting, Deedy recognized the project as a “long time coming.”
However, he said there would be some “negativity, because, you know, [it] lost by so many votes anyways the first round.”
Moglin pushed back, reminding him that it was voted down by 20 residents, which prompted a comment by Deedy.
“A vote’s a vote,” he said.
Moglin pushed back again.
“To be fair, it was 20 for the borrowing authorization for all the money. The correlation was that the majority of the town was in favor of the project. Just not [the] two-third that you needed to borrow that much money,” he said.
Moglin then said that if the pilot project is successful in reaching the participation rate and expands into other areas of town, “it’s going to get a lot more expensive … look at the cost of what we’ve seen in this business over the last few years. It has not come down. It’s gone the wrong way.”
While on his “pulpit,” he said, “that’s why we’re doing Fernwood, Birchwood first. That’s the low-hanging fruit.

This is the map of the Fiber Service Areas of town, also called “fiberhoods.” The town is planning to build out the fiber optic network in areas six, 13, and 14 using existing funds earmarked for the project. The original proposed plan had the fiber optic network service eventually being offered to the entire town.
But the people that live on the west end of town up Granville Road or out that way, they’re going to need this service as much as anyone else.”
“And it was important to me as, as a Select Board member and as a member of the community, to make this a project that would benefit everyone in the town of Southwick, not just a select few,” he said. If not, he added, a company
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
that installs fiber-optic cable would have just “come down College Highway and hit all the businesses and the few residences along College Highway.”
The upfront money the town has used for the project consisted of $900,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds, a $250,000 state grant that must be used for the network’s construction and the $3 million bond.
Select Board approves additional-year contract for CAO
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
SOUTHWICK — In a split vote, the Select Board approved offering Chief Administrative Officer Nicole Parker a one-year contract to go into effect on June 30, 2027, which is the conclusion of her three-year contract because the board did not abide by the contract’s terms.
The cntract included an evaluation of her performance.
“We have certain obligations to the CAO that we need to adhere to, and one of those is to discuss the renewal of said contract, and also, importantly, it’s something that we have not done — and that we need to do — is to conduct a review of the CAO,” said Select Board Chair Douglas Moglin during the board’s meeting on July 20.
According to the contract, the board “shall” review the CAO’s performance each year by the contract anniversary date, which is June 17, and the review will be done using criteria “developed jointly 8 to 12 months ahead of the review.”
Essentially, the board should have started developing the criteria to evaluate Parker almost immediately upon her being hired or at least by September 2024 and completed the review
by June 17, 2025, which means she should also have been evaluated by June 17.
Neither of those evaluations were conducted.
“We just never did get to it,” Moglin said, adding that it would “certainly” be on the goals and objectives for the board this year.
Because the board hadn’t fulfilled its obligation, Moglin said it needed to discuss what actions it should take.
He suggested extending the contract for an additional year, which prompted Select Board member Russ Anderson to comment.
“Well, we didn’t fulfill our end of the bargain for the evaluation. We don’t have a lot of options,” he said.
For nearly 30 seconds, no one spoke.
Board member Joseph Deedy finally broke the silence.
“So, you had two years and you didn’t do [an] evaluation either year?” Deedy asked before glancing over at Anderson and asking, “were you on here for both?”
Anderson said, “no.”
Moglin then said that he had added the evaluation to the board’s current goals and objectives but as a board “we did not get to it.”
“How come?” Deedy asked.
“It’s an excellent question,” Moglin said. “There was a lot on our goals and objectives that we didn’t quite get to and finish. This was one of them.”
With the board required to develop the evaluation criteria eight to 12 months before conducting the review, Moglin said the board was “within that window now.”
However, if the board were to evaluate Parker by June 17, 2027, and decide not to offer her a successor contract, she would still be paid a salary of over $145,000 plus benefits.
That is because the board is required to notify Parker one year before the end of her three-year contract that it wouldn’t be renewed.
Essentially, if the board conducted its evaluation of Parker prior to June 17 and decided it did not want to extend her contract, she would have had a year to secure new employment before leaving on June 17, 2027.
Because they didn’t, the board could tell her they would prefer not to renegotiate the contract, but the town and its taxpayers would be required to pay her the lump sum of $147,518.
“We’re past that period of opportunity now,” Moglin said about the one-year notice.
“My suggestion is to offer [Parker] a contract extension of


at least one year to get through that review period and then get a review done, and then [the board] can entertain a discussion for a longer-term contract, up to a three-years, which is what we would normally as a board is the contract length that we normally negotiate,” Moglin said.
“I think that’s reasonable and fair,” he said. Anderson agreed.
“I don’t disagree with that, but by the same token, we gotta make
sure that we’re getting it done,” Anderson said.
Deedy was not pleased.
“I mean, you had two years and both parties were well aware of it and no one brought it up. I’m not going to support this. Sorry. We hold ourselves to a standard, and now we just move the ball. But I get it. It’s all good as they say,” he said.
Anderson then made a mo-

A newly paved entrance will greet Littleville fairgoers Aug. 7-9
By Amy Porter aporter@thereminder.com
CHESTER — Visitors of the 104th Littleville Fair at 15 Kinnebrook Road will immediately notice the newest improvement to the fairgrounds when they arrive.
In preparation for the event, which runs from Aug. 7-9, the entrance has had new drainage installed, and the road has been paved from the gate all the way up to the exhibit hall and craft barn, thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
“We did that this spring, right after the pancake breakfast. We started putting in drainage lines,” said Littleville Association Treasurer Jim Burke, adding that the breakfast served a record 367 people.
He said two years ago, a huge rainstorm on the last day of the fair caused a foot of water at the entrance at the bottom of the hill, where people were trying to drive through.
“That should be totally eliminated. We got it all squared away, and now have a paved road on the fairgrounds ... It’s all paved between the craft barn and exhibit hall, and the food booth to the dining hall, making it easier for elderly people to move around,” Burke said.
A lot of the work was done by volunteers, including Littleville Fair Association President Moe Boisseau, Sr., his son Moe, Jr., and brother Teddy from Double M&T Excavation out of Westfield. Paul and Randy LaPointe from Down to Earth Excavation in Huntington also pitched in.
“We rented a paver from Taylor Rental — they did it all,” Burke said.
The fair also has a new bathhouse completed two years ago with up-to-date accessible bath-
CHESTER — Chester High alumni and friends gathered on June 28 at the restored Chester Train Station with arrangements by the Chester Foundation. Like past years, he annual reunion and meeting drew people associated with the former Chester High and Gateway Regional schools, including Chester Residents who attended or graduated from Gateway after Chester High School closed in 1968.
Special recognition was given to William Giles and Nancy Pease Salvhus, who recently celebrated the 72nd anniversary of their high school graduation. While unable to attend, alumni Fay Piergiovanni was recognized as holder of the Chester Boston Post Cane awarded to the oldest citizen of Chester.
Rick Sakaske from Georgia was recognized for traveling the farthest distance to attend. Giles made the first reservation.
Scholarship Custodian Diane DeMoss presented the Amelia Jones Scholarship to graduating
room facilities for fair patrons and showers for overnight guests. That project commenced thanks to a Massachusetts Cultural Council grant of $110,000, and the remaining funds were raised by the Littleville Fair Association through annual events and donations, and from the Hampden County Improvement League.
Burke said over the past few years, over $200,000 was spent to upgrade fair facilities, including the bathhouse, craft barn, exhibit/ dining hall foundation and siding. The money was also used for a handicap ramp for the dining hall, rehabilitation of the food booth and exhibit hall interior, as well as for the storm drain installation and paving.
Hours for the 104th Littleville Fair are 4-10 p.m. on Aug. 7, 7
a.m. to 10 p.m. on Aug. 8 and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 9. Admission is $10 (cash only), with free admission for children ages 12 and under.
Children also receive a free ticket for the bicycle raffle at the fair, which will give away a total of ten bikes — two on Friday, four on Saturday and four on Sunday. The only requirement is to be present during the giveaway.
There is also free face painting, a petting zoo, the Family Jungle, Ed Popielarczyk’s Magic Show & Balloon Sculpting, Janoah the Jester, and other games and activities for kids throughout the weekend.
Burke said all of the most popular events are returning. Some of the highlights on Friday include oxen draws at 5 p.m., the truck pull at 6 p.m., Bingo in the dining hall at 6 p.m. and Line Dancing with Stompin’ Boots from 6-9 p.m.
The popular Demolition Derby will occur at 5 p.m. Registration for that event is from noon to 3
senior Jake Marchbanks and the Permanent Scholarship to Kathryn Harding. Alumni continuing their education Dalton Savoy (Ames Pierce Scholarship), Jackson Harding (Ray and Pearl Chouffet Scholarship), and Isabella LeBarron (Kent Alexander Scholarship) had their scholarships renewed. Scholarship Custodian Diane DeMoss noted that it was great to support so many alumni and all recipients are now considered life members of the Association.
Association President Walter Boomsma noted that these reunions are “becoming as much a town event as a school reunion.”
Boomsma also pointed out that the Historical Society supports the occasion by offering special hours for alumni to visit the museum during reunion weekend.
“I think this is proof that smalltown America is alive and well, at least here in Chester,” he said.
The association reelected Walter Boomsma as president for his 21st year. Treasurer Robert

p.m. There will also be a diesel truck pull, oxen draws, the dairy & beef cattle show and an ox teamsters challenge.
Saturday fairgoers can enjoy a barbecued chicken dinner in the dining hall, and on Sunday, a turkey dinner with all the fixings. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be available all weekend in the food booth.
Performing on the stage on Saturday will be Chris Merenda & the Wheel from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m and the October Mountain Band from 5-9 p.m. On Sunday, the Pitoniak Bros. will perform from 9-11:30 a.m. and the Whiskey Traveler Band from
Goewey announced his retirement. Boomsma noted, “Bob has been an amazing supporter of our association and has held every office except president, occasionally two at the same time.” David Proctor was elected as treasurer. Kate Blanchard was reelected vice president, and Donna Willadson Harris was reelected secretary.
The Association’s Board of Directors includes Janice Leone Brown, Jack Young, Jackie DeMoss Conklin, Brenda Budreau, Judy Olson, Bruce Cooper, Edith Whitaker and Robert Broga. Scholarship Custodians are Diane DeMoss, Linda Casper and Annette LaMountain.
The Chester Foundation hosts the annual event at the restored Train Station. Dave Pierce, president, noted that the annual reunion is “one of our favorite traditions” and that the foundation appreciates and supports more than the tradition of railroading in Chester. Many alumni toured the recently acquired dining car,
noon to 3 p.m.
Featured on Sunday will be antique pulls, a sheep show, a horse pull and the kids mini-horse pulls. Throughout the weekend, there will be popular country fair events such as the women’s fry pan toss, a pie-eating contest and a beard competition. There will be a 50/50 raffle all three days, and winners for the 70-quart Pelican cooler, folding picnic table, Stihl 20-inch chainsaw and Savage Arms Axis 2 Pro will be drawn on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Burke said the Littleville Fair Association raised its prizes this year in order to draw more en-
tries. “We basically doubled our premiums — went up 50%, to increase the incentive for people to come and participate in the fair.”
More information and a complete schedule of all of the activities over all three days may be found at littlevillefair.com or by contacting thelittlevillefair@gmail.com.
“It’s incredible to see how much progress we’ve made, and it’s all thanks to our amazing volunteers and the generous donations we receive. Your support truly makes a difference, and without it, the fair wouldn’t be what it is today. So, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you,” said Burke.

speculating how that might contribute to next year’s event.
The Association has already started planning for the next annual meeting, scheduled for June 26, 2027. Those associated with or connected to Chester or Chester and Gateway Regional High School are encouraged to ensure that the Association has current mailing information. The Association also maintains a website (https:// chesterhigh.wordpress.com/) and Facebook presence (@ChesterMassachusettsSchools) where alumni can gather information and post comments.

WESTFIELD VS LONGMEADOW
The Westfield Little League Baseball 10-Year-Old All Stars defeated Longmeadow 6-1 in the District 2 Finals held July 12 at Ralph E. Sanville Memorial Field.
REMINDER SPORTS PHOTOS TAKEN BY MARC ST. ONGE










Lovely bullish about support for child sexual abuse bill
By Katie Castellani State House News Service
BOSTON — Supporters of legislation aiming to improve remedies for survivors of child sexual abuse are hopeful that increased advocacy and similar laws passed in other states will help push the bill across the finish line in Massachusetts.
“We’re certainly hopeful, but we don’t want to get survivors’ hopes up because we’ve been disappointed in the past,” said Kelly Guagenty, a Justice Law Collaborative partner. “But we really feel that because so many other states have made good rulings and good laws this past year. We’re hoping Massachusetts, which should be a beacon for justice issues, we really hope Massachusetts finally does the right thing by survivors this year.”
The bill (H 4539) eliminates the statute of limitations for civil suits alleging sexual abuse of a minor and for claims that someone “negligently” supervised an abuser or contributed to the abuse. It also gives survivors two years to revive claims that are prohibited under the current statute of limitations, including those that were previously dismissed because they were filed too late.
Massachusetts’ current statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims is 35 years after the victim turns 18. Eliminating the statute of limitations would align Massachusetts with 19 states “that have already recognized the need for survivors to seek justice on their terms,” state Sen. Joan Lovely said
in a 2025 press release announcing a similar bill she filed (S 1169).
The bill also removes certain caps on damages that survivors can receive. Current law caps damages a survivor can get from a charitable organization at $20,000 and damages for claims of medical malpractice against nonprofit health care providers at $100,000.
“What we’re doing here is trying to work with the Legislature to make sure that children have access to justice and people who have been sexually assaulted have access to justice, and the institutions that harbor pedophiles can’t get away with it anymore,” Kim Dougherty, a founding partner of the Justice Law Collaborative, said during what supporters called a “peaceful protest” in support of the bill on July 14.
The bill, a Joint Committee on the Judiciary redraft of several bills, has been pending in the House Ways and Means Committee since September. Similar legislation to eliminate the statute of limitations cleared the Senate at the end of last session and died in the House.
Lovely, sponsor of the bill that passed last session, said she is working with Senate leadership to bring the legislation she filed this term to the floor before scheduled formal sessions end on July 31. That bill has been in Senate Ways and Means since July 2025.
“My colleagues, who I’ve spoken to — better than half the Senate — are absolutely ready for this to go to the floor and vote in favor,” Lovely said. “So, it’s got a
way to know if she had met the board’s expectations because they hadn’t been established.
tion to extend Parker’s contract through June 30, 2028.
Parker, who remained quiet during the discussion, asked if she could say something.
She said she had been reviewed many times and didn’t think it would take between eight months and a year to come up with criteria, but there was no
“It should be very transparent, and everybody should know what their town administrator is doing, and the things that we’re accomplishing collectively,” she said about the review.
Parker also said she had asked to be reviewed because she wanted to conduct evaluations of the town’s department heads.
“Then I can review the department heads, but [I] felt that I
lot, a lot of support in the Senate and I’m sure it has a lot of support in the House and we’re ready to vote in favor.”
Lawmakers have until July 31 to get most controversial bills into conference committees for potential action later this year, and supporters of numerous bills are pushing for votes over the next two weeks to keep their hopes alive.
Guagenty didn’t shy away from the possibility that the bill could die again this session.
“If we were confident that this bill was going to pass, we wouldn’t have needed to be standing on the steps with our clients,” she said, referring to the protest. “The reality is that survivors have heard promises before and they deserve honesty about the challenges ahead.”
Guagenty said her hopefulness is based on the rising number of survivors, advocates and community members backing the issue.
“I think it’s been a really strong year in terms of survivors really coming forward, and I think that’s part and parcel of the fact that they see other states doing the right thing,” she said.
Lovely agreed.
“A dozen years ago, people, you just didn’t want to say anything. The stigma of being sexually abused, even though it’s no fault of the child — absolutely none — but there’s so much stigma to it,” said Lovely, who has been open about her own experiences with childhood sexual abuse. “And we’ve been chipping away at that for a dozen years and now we’re here and we’re meeting the moment.”
should have mine and have that standard [established] because historically in the town it hasn’t been done,” she said.
She also said she hoped to be offered another three-year contract, but said if the board preferred extending the contract through June 2028, “we can take our time and do [the review] very methodically.”
Deedy said the contract required that any action regarding whether she would be offered a new contract be taken a year in

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Supporters of a bill (H 4539) aiming to improve remedies for survivors of childhood sexual abuse hold a “peaceful protest” outside the State House on Tuesday, July 14.
Other states have recently passed laws aiming to improve remedies for survivors.
In June, Rhode Island lawmakers passed a bill opening a two-year window for survivors to present claims that had expired, according to the Rhode Island Legislature’s website. The bill’s passage came after Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha issued a report in March finding the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence did not properly protect children from clergy sexual abuse for decades. Among the legislative recommendations included in the report was changing the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse so survivors can present claims that were previously timebarred, according to a press release issued by Neronha’s office.
Laws amending the statute of limitations have been met with constitutional challenges and concerns in several states.
Two weeks ago, Michigan’s
advance. “You have to do something with a year in advance, either way.”
“Right,” Parker said. “And that was not done by June 17 of this year.”
She later added that offering her a contract extension would allow the board to decline a renewal of her contract.
Deedy then said that if the board decided not to renew her contract now, she would still be paid for an additional year.
There was some confusion after Parker spoke about what she was trying to get across.

Court of Appeals ruled that a 2018 law allowing people who were sexually abused as a minor to present claims until they turn 28 also applies to claims that were active when the statute was enacted, according to reporting by State Affairs Gongwer Michigan. In October, the New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled that a 2020 law eliminating the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases can’t be applied retroactively, concluding that would violate the state constitution which bans retrospective laws and grants defendants a “vested right” in invoking a statute of limitations defense.
Lovely did not have a comment when asked by the News Service about the constitutional concerns surrounding proposals to expand the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims.
Katie Castellani is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro reach her at kcastellani@statehousenews.com.
“So, I guess I’m confused no,” Anderson said, with Moglin agreeing. Anderson asked Parker if she wanted to be evaluated before June 17, 2027.
“I would,” Parker said. She then pointed out that, according to the contract, it couldn’t be extended.
Because of that, Anderson amended his motion to offer Parker a one-year contract that will end on June 30, 2028. Anderson and Moglin voted for the new contract. Deedy voted no.
African Community Festival returns to Marshall Roy Park
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — Marshall Roy
Park will be filled with the sights, sounds and aromas of African traditions on Saturday, Aug. 8, as the African Community Festival connects cultures and generations.
The festival began four years ago as a community cookout to bring together members of the African diaspora living in Western Massachusetts. A year later, Naefia Padi founded the nonprofit Unity Hearts Foundation and rebranded the event as a festival.
“People typically see Africa as one place, not as a collection of different countries and cultures,” said Event Coordinator Evelyn Ansah. However, the continent is composed of 54 countries, each with unique aspects of its culture.
Padi added, “Our aunties, our uncles, our parents, they wear a rich cloth.”
Ansah said there will be food from a variety of different African cultures, as well as American food, and include a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. The festival will feature a friendly tasting competition around jollof rice, a common dish in many African countries, which is prepared differently depending on the cultural tradition. In the “Jollof Wars” contest, versions of the dish from Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Gambia will compete to be crowned the best.
The festival will provide music from Orchestre Moto, a live Congolese band specializing in rumba, soukous and ndombolo rythyms. Entertainment will include a Ugandan dance ensemble
by AfroDiamonds, a Senegambian Kankourang masquerade dance and an afrofusion fashion show. There will also be free face painting, family-friendly activities, cultural games, virtual reality experiences, a raffle, a marketplace and resource vendors. Additionally, Unity Hearts Foundation is hosting a backpack giveaway while supplies last for students ahead of the start of school. This year, the free festival will run from noon to 7 p.m. at the park, 162 El Paso St. It is sponsored by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, Spark Good, Mass Cultural Council and Springfield Community Resources.
Referring to the region’s African diaspora, Ansah said, “We kind of live in tiny little pockets.”
Because people live in those pockets, she said the festival provides a
sense of wider belonging for many.
“It is a time we can come together and share our culture. It is very important to educate our children in this. We can bring our culture for them to see,” Padi said. Among the cultures represented at the festival are those from Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia and South Africa. “Last year, there was somebodies from Uganda. We didn’t even realize there was that many Ugandans in Western Massachusetts,” Ansah said. Ansah, who was born in Ghana, but whose siblings were born in the United States, said the festival allows young people to connect with their heritage. “It allows them to know their cultures. I can see how attending the festival year after year, they have pride in their cultures,” she said.
While children may have grown up hearing stories about their family’s culture, it has a different impact when they can taste the food and listen to the music, Ansah said. “For a lot of young adults, it is a way to better understand where their culture comes from,” she said.
“It’s so beautiful,” Padi said. She said she knows Black Americans, who do not identify as African, who were inspired to take a vacation to an African country after attending the festival. She said she would like to invite everyone in Western Massachusetts to attend the festival, regardless of whether they are of African descent.
“Experience different cultures,” said Padi. “One community, one love. That’s what Unity Hearts Foundation is about — to bring everyone together.”
Big E partners with local high schools for design contest
WEST SPRINGFIELD —
The
Big E has recruited five local high schools from the Pioneer Valley and tasked their students with designing and executing a creative reimagining of the fair’s agricultural mascot, Chick-E, minding the 250th anniversary of the United States’s independence. The patriotic Chick-E statues, which have each been carefully hand-painted by high schoolers, will be on display during The Big E, Sept. 18 to Oct. 4, where fairgoers can vote for their favorite design.
Participating high schools include Agawam High School, Holyoke High School, Westfield High School, West Springfield High School and Pope Francis Preparatory School in Springfield. Fair organizers contacted the heads of each school’s art department to coordinate and provide detailed instructions for weather-proofing student designs, a stipend for supplies and expectations given the mission of fair presenter and host site, Eastern States Exposition, and the America 250 motif.
Agawam High School’s Chick-E is titled “Agawam HER-story.” A total of 18 students contributed to the completion of the statue, which they designed as a “visual representation of the women who have, are and continue to be the foundation of our community,” explained Amber Waters, an art teacher at Agawam High School.
“This includes farmers, teachers, artists, coaches, veterans, entrepreneurs, students, innovators and mentors,” said Waters. “The women of Agawam are always striving to make our community great, and the work of these strong women has created a thread that is woven into the diverse tapestry of our great country. We acknowledge and applaud them as the United States celebrates 250 years.”
Holyoke High School’s painting team consisted of 12 students. Their Chick-E, “Peep,” was inspired by their city’s own history.
“Holyoke was originally home to the Nonotuck, an Algonquin-speaking people,” said Giuseppe Duran, a fine arts teacher at Holyoke High School North. “To honor the Native Americans who first lived in our city, Peep’s wings are painted with feathers traditionally worn by indigenous peoples, and Peep is depicted as a bald eagle, one of America’s most recognized symbols of freedom.”
Additionally, Peep’s tail is painted to resemble an American flag, painted with broad stripes and white stars. A peace sign shines in the statue’s left eye, and fireworks are reflected in the right eye, inspired by the National Anthem’s mention of “the rocket’s red glare.” The entire design is bursting with symbols of independence to celebrate the courage it took to earn our country’s

their
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
liberation from the British crown.
Westfield High School’s Karen Kane supervised the creation of their Chick-E, “Bomber,” whose name is a nod to their school mascot, but the design takes the reference a step further; Bomber is painted like a pilot in a display of appreciation for the National Guard that works at Barnes Airport in Westfield. Karen Kane of the school’s Art department oversaw the four students — Rylee Rumplik, Kara Sweeney, James Thompson and Eric Villafane — who worked diligently to complete their school’s statue.
West Springfield High School said they had a lot of fun naming their Chick-E when students opened the decision to a schoolwide vote. The winning name? Ben Chick-man Franklin, named




for one of the country’s Founding Fathers.
However, the democratic feedback did not end with the naming of the statue; the painters and larger Art department polled students to find out where their families hail from. Ben Chickman Franklin was designed to ensure that the more than 20 nationalities represented by the student body each had a place on the statue.
“Ben Chick-man Franklin embodies West Springfield High School’s superpower: the many cultures and languages of our school,” said Anne Charron, fine and applied Arts department head at West Springfield High School. “His superhero cape was painted by a dedicated crew of more than 20 students from countries like
Rwanda, Ireland, Syria and Kyrgyzstan. Our hope was to make Ben a friendly, welcoming representation of The Big E while celebrating the 250th anniversary of America’s founding.”
Jacqueline Boudreau-Kinsey, Art department head at Pope Francis Preparatory School in Springfield, Mass., is the point person for their school’s Chick-E.
The statue was designed and started upon by the rising upperclassmen in Boudreau-Kinsey’s Advanced Placement Art class at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year, and their vision
will be executed and expanded upon by the juniors that remain as seniors and additional AP Art students at the start of the 20262027 year. The statue is sure to be a shining example of creative collaboration.
The statues will be on display in the New England Center among other Creative Arts contest entries throughout The Big E, Sept. 18 through Oct. 4. Follow us on social media, @TheBigEFair, for more details about how you can cast your vote for your favorite design.
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Paul L. Rigoli and Antonio J. Borges to James Troiano, 0 Curtis Hall Road,
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Amy M. Dowers to Rebecca Skiba and Chris Robinson, 302 Middlefield Road, $335,000. HOLLAND
Jay P. McGlone Jr., to Anthony J. Roche, 3 Evelyn Drive, $150,000.
HOLYOKE
ABKG Enterprises LLC, to Sharon Ann Farmer and Roxana Farmer, 67 Columbus Ave., $320,000.
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Jean Carlos Pizarro Morales and Karla Alvarez Heyliger to Ana Maria Leonardo Ulloa, 253 Oak St., $380,000.
Nelson O. Ramos and Jennifer S. Ramos to Ronald King, 3 Park View Terrace, Unit 3, $213,500.
Timothy W. Britton and Mary T. Britton to Sheyda M. Westbrook, 61 Cleveland St., $330,000. Yarida Cruz to Betty Kaplowitz and Kristen Bachler, 101 Cabot St., Unit 402, $221,900. MONTGOMERY
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Adam Hart and Katie Hart to Jennifer Marie Nolasco, 17 Congamond Road, $378,027. Dennis Wylder, Francine M. Wylder and Frances Marie Wylder to Justin Devine and Erin Devine, 3 Logie Lane, $485,000. John Gonet to John C. Gonet Jr., 4 Judy Lane, $480,000.
Kathleen Williams and Kathleen Laughlin to Carrie Buss and Nicholas J. Buss, 6 Bungalow St., $130,000. Paul M. Erlandson and April M. Erlandson to Ariana Weinstein and Deven Houle, 12 Knollwood Road, $360,000.
WESTFIELD
Anjanette Kelso, trustee, Michelle Ann Dame, trustee, and Richard L. Kelso Jr. Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, to Gary Beekmann, 0 Montgomery Road, $100,000. Ashley Reidy, Ashley Landry and Kevin Landry to Mason Richard and Gina Richard, 238 Prospect St. Extension, $550,000. David S. Dimare and Susan Dimare to Richard Eben Day, 112 Shannon Lane, $410,000.
Dawn Murie Ray-Novak and Meagan Ray-Novak to Kelsey L. Gagnon and Dacota Durkee, 400 Loomis St., $425,000.
Dorothy A. Kleis to William P. Dow Jr., trustee, and William P. Dow & Christine M. Dow Family Trust, trustee of, 150 City View Road, $355,000.
YMS Property Leasing & Management LLC, to Joseph Sychev and Pamela Sychev, 508 Granville Rd, $310,000.
Francis X. Powers and Karen A. Powers to Timothy Durham, 46 Woodcliff Drive, $537,000.
Gabriel Francis Crane and Regina Marie Crane to Russell Lepage and Barbara Lepage, 1045 Shaker Road, $435,000.
George Estee to Matthew T. Strycharz, 1430 Russell Road, Unit 22,
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