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www.thewestfieldnews.com www.thewestfieldnews.com TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2017 TUESDAY, JUNE 27,10, 2017
WSU student reports physical, verbal assault By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—According to a Westfield State University (WSU) representative, a female minority student was allegedly verbally and physically assaulted on campus Tuesday, including “racist comments” made toward the student. According to a statement provided by WSU, a female minority student reported that on Tuesday, Nov. 7 around 4:30 p.m., she was allegedly assaulted by three males while walking between Bates Hall and Wilson Hall on the WSU campus. According to the statement, the three males had reportedly approached the student from behind and a shoulder of one of the males had allegedly made contact with the female student, which caused her backpack to fall to the ground. Then, it was reported that a second male had reportedly kicked the bag and a third male had “made a threatening racist comment to her.” In the statement, WSU President Dr. Ramon S. Torrecilha addressed the alleged incident: University President Ramon S. Torrecilha has condemned this assault as a cowardly, hateful deed on a campus that has redoubled its commitment to diversity, empathy, tolerance, and inclusion. If a student or students are found responsible for this incident, they will be expelled from the University, which is consistent with the University’s zero tolerance policy regarding hate crimes.” WSU and Massachusetts State Police are both investigating the matter. A description of the three suspects is as follows: All three are male, race or races unknown, one suspect was said to have dirty blonde hair and all three were wearing black hooded sweatshirts and blue jeans. If there is any information that you have that may be of some help with the investigation, you are asked to contact the WSU Police at (413)5725262.
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Westfield Public Schools announce enhanced lockdown drills
Ruth West presents Rebecca Austin with an iPad for winning the Best Game Character at Springfield College’s “Game Lab” November 4. (Photo submitted)
Gateway sophomore takes first prize at Game Lab HUNTINGTON– Tenth grader Rebecca Austin enjoys art. A LOT. She especially enjoys creating digital art– the kind used in the computer gaming industry. So it was no surprise to her mother, Madelyn, when Rebecca asked to attend Game Lab—a free workshop for high school students offered at Springfield College on November 4. Rebecca’s video production teacher, Chris O’Malley, had received a Game Lab flyer in the mail and shared it with Austin. “She was the first person I thought of,” O’Malley said. “She is always the first student I think of for something like this.” The full day event included workshops with industry experts, a tour of Springfield College, and a Q & A with a panel of industry experts. Madelyn agreed to bring Rebecca, who then registered and uploaded her latest digital art sample for a contest to win a free iPad, with the winner to be announced at Game Lab. Austin enjoyed the many workshops and demonstrations held in the morning, which focused on artificial intelligence and games, simulators, virtual reality, photo shop, 3D models, navigation, and putting color and texture into digital artwork. She enjoyed touring the campus, and having lunch, and listening to the panelists—game developers, a college professor and a college student—field questions about the gaming industry and its future. And then came the first prize announcement. And it was Rebecca. She reflects on how it felt to hear her name announced as the winner. “It was very surprising to me. All of
the submitted art was displayed on the wall and there was another work that I thought would win,” she said. “When she ever said ‘Rebecca Austin’!” exclaimed Madelyn, who had stayed for the day. “It was so exciting. I was just dumbfounded!” Organizer Ruth West, Director of Computer Graphics and Digital Arts at the college reported, “Rebecca’s work showed a professional level understanding of designing a character for a game. She has the makings of a great character designer.” Rebecca certainly works at it. Over the last few years, she has filled notebook after notebook (hard cover, about an inch thick) with characters for the games she envisions. She typically fills a notebook a month, but her sketching has recently taken a more serious turn. “This notebook has taken me 3 – 4 months. My other notebooks consist of half-finished ideas and characters. My goal with this notebook is to finish every drawing.” She won the award for portraying her main character, Astrid, a shape-shifter who is the heroine in a game Rebecca would name “Star Child” if it is ever made. Astrid is half-alien and is working with her allies, who include Evilyn and Blythe, to keep aliens from taking over their world. She has also developed the antagonists—Poppy and Sadie. Austin says her inspirations are Pokemon, Steven Universe and the new reboot of Duck Tales. She studies character designs and looks at player reviews to learn what they liked and didn’t like about the characters. See First Prize, Page 8
DR. RAMON TORRECILHA Westfield State University President
Bid awarded for Shurtleff Brook bridge project By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – DPW Director Randy Brown has awarded a bid for the Shurtleff Brook project to Gill Engineering out of Needham, Massachusetts. The Shurtleff Brook crossing is a 100-year old bridge on North Loomis Street that is 16 ft. long and 20 ft. wide. According to Brown, the current bridge is not salvageable for several reasons, including that the bridge is so narrow that it can’t accommodate two travel lanes without putting vehicles or pedestrians in danger. The design of the new bridge will be 19 ft. long and 32 ft. wide and the road will be realigned and widened, allowing proper accommodation for vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. On March 27, the town received a $500,000 grant from Mass DOT’s Municipal Small Bridge program. The Mass DOT Small Bridge program accepts bridges that are municipally owned, 10 to 20 feet in length, and are being replaced or trying Shurtleff Brook bridge. (WNG File Photo) to be preserved. Brown also pointed out that another $325,000 will be used rest of the proper permits in order to progress with the projtowards the project from money approved by the town at the ect. last annual town meeting. “Our hope is to have this under construction next year,” Brown will be working with Gill Engineering to acquire the said Brown.
WESTFIELD – Superintendent of Schools, Stefan Czaporowski, announced a joint lock down training event with the Westfield Police and Fire Departments. The Westfield Public Schools, in conjunction with the Westfield Police and Fire Departments, continues to update the district’s comprehensive safety plan, a plan that aligns with the recommendations from the Governor’s Office. A team of Westfield Administrators representing every educational level from elementary to high school, has been working collaboratively with the Westfield Police and Fire Departments to make sure students, staff, and families have a current, research-based, and educationally sound safety plan. As part of the school’s continued work with Westfield Police Department and the ongoing training for students and staff, both city departments working together will conduct lockdown drills within the schools the week of November 13-17. These drills will utilize the enhanced lockdown procedures known as A.L.I.C.E. (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate). If you have any questions regarding our drills please contact Mr. Christopher Rogers, Administrator of Student Interventions for the Westfield Public Schools at 413-5726397.
Police report level 3 sex offender in city By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–Police have reported that a level 3 sex offender has moved to the city. Abraham Kasparian, III, 44, is a registered level 3 sex offender and a notice was sent by Westfield Police. Kasparian lives at 77 Mill St. in Westfield, is 5 feet 11 inches tall, 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes, according to the notice sent by police. Kasparian was convicted on a charge of rape and A picture of Abraham abuse of child on Nov. 17, Kasparian, III, provided by 1994. Westfield Police. According to the notice: “The individual who appears on the following profile has been finally classified as a Level 2 or Level 3 sex offender by the Sex Offender Registry Board. The Board has determined that this individual has a moderate or high risk to reoffend and that the degree of dangerousness posed to the public is such that public safety interest is served by public availability of registration information.”
Westfield State University awarded several sizable grants WESTFIELD —Westfield State University recently received several grant awards to support programs in social work, mathematics and science, as well as critical dual enrollment initiatives. $1.8 million awarded to support MSW and addiction counselor and recovery programs The university received two awards from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for both professional and paraprofessional program development and support. The professional grant award in the amount of nearly $1.3 million spans over four years, providing students enrolled in the Master of Social Work program financial support for fieldwork placements in the area of integrated healthcare services. This grant also provides opportunities for comprehensive integrated behavioral health training for Westfield State students and faculty across disciplines, field supervisors and professionals working to improve health outcomes in medically underserved areas. Dr. Nora Padykula, associate professor in the Department of Social Work, is the principal investigator for the professional grant. The paraprofessional grant award, in the amount of more than $550,000, spans over four years and allows for the expansion of the Addiction Counselor Education non-credit See WSU Grants, Page 8