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The Westfield News The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com www.thewestfieldnews.com TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017
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VOL.86 86NO. NO.151 276 VOL.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2017 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 20, 2017 Montgomery resident Mary Brady reads The Westfield News every Thursday at 11 a.m. on Valley Eye Radio. (Photo submitted)
Valley Eye Radio keeps visually impaired residents abreast of local news By AMY PORTER Correspondent SPRINGFIELD – For about forty years, Valley Eye Radio, located at 44 Hampden Street in Springfield, has been broadcasting local news, information and special programming to reading impaired listeners throughout Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties. Formerly Valley Radio Reading Service, the non-profit uses approximately 50 volunteers to read the news in an effort to connect people with the community, and to fight isolation.
“The interesting thing, we’re a broadcast service you can’t hear on the radio,” said programmer Harold Anderson. Anderson said they have a few different radio stations, including WTCC, WFCR and WHHI that allow Valley Eye Radio to piggyback on their signals through side bands. The main signal is for most listeners, he explained. If someone wants to listen, they contact Valley Eye Radio, who does a computer analysis of the person’s location to determine the best signal. They then provide a specially tuned radio to that
side band frequency. “All they have to do is turn it on,” Anderson said. The station will then make arrangements to deliver radios to listeners. There is no cost for the service, but they do request a donation for the radios, which are valued at $65. Anderson said if somebody is in a position where they’re able to pay for it, “Great. Otherwise, it’s up to the individual. If they can’t pay, we say, here’s your radio,” he said. “We want to make sure See Valley Eye Radio, Page 6
Louie’s Lakeside sued by music company By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – On Wednesday, Nov. 9, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) announced that they have filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 11 separate bars and restaurants across the country. ASCAP is a non-profit membership association that represents more than 625,000 independent songwriters, composers, and
music publishers. One of the 11 establishments being sued is Louie’s Lakeside, a drinking and eating establishment located on Congamond Lake in Southwick. According to Jackson Wagener, who is the Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for ASCAP, they have made over a dozen attempts in the last five years to reach out to Louie’s Louie’s Lakeside. See Sued, Page 6
(Photo courtesy of
Greg Fitzpatrick)
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Blue lights coming to notify of snow clean-up By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—In order to better notify residents who utilize downtown-area parking lots, the city is looking to install a lighting notification system in several city off-street parking lots for use during snow emergency parking bans. The city is looking to install six blue lights with signage in municipal parking lots that residents use for regular parking as early as next month. The lights will be used in conjunction with the robocall system the city currently uses to notify parking permit holders of any parking lots that may be closed during snow emergencies. “For people we aren’t able to contact we will have blue lights out there so they are aware that there will be snow removal,” Peter Miller, Director of Community Development in Westfield, said. “People rely on those lots for their primary parking but we need to A snow emergency parking sign effectively remove located in a Westfield mnuicipal parking lot. (WNG file photo) snow,” he said. Miller said that they will start by installing a total of six units in lots on Franklin Street, Thomas Street, the Depot Square lot and a lot between School Street and Church Street, with the aim of having the devices and signs installed by mid-December. Then, they may look to expand afterward to other lots. “I think as time goes on we will look to put them into all the lots. We need to communicate that the lots need to be clear,” Miller said. “It’s difficult on police and [the Department of Public Works] people who are out there.” The city is still in the process of gathering final quotes for the cost but Miller estimated that they will cost about $6,500 each with installation. The funds, according to Miller, will be coming from the Off-Street Parking Account, which he said is a revolving account that garners funds from those who purchase monthly and yearly parking permits.
DCR Commissioner tours closed state parks in hilltowns By BRYAN FARR, Jacob’s Ladder Business Association and The Historic Route 20 Association HUNTINGTON – Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Leo Roy and Dom Sacco, Western Regional DCR Director met in Huntington on Friday morning with invited civic organizations and community leaders to have an open discussion on issues facing the areas in the hilltowns over which the DCR has control. The meeting was secured as the result of a year of planning by Derrick Mason of Russell. Commissioner Roy began the morning discussing his role, coming to the job from a rural town, and the current state of the DCR. The represented organizations followed with respective introductions at Huntington Town Hall. The initial discussion focused on the now closed CM Gardner State Park in Huntington and campground at Chester Blandford State Forest and their impacts on tourism, the local economy and the future of the hilltowns. Reference to Windsor State Forest was addressed to act as a model, where community nonprofit organizations are seeking a shared partnership of services. The entourage then embarked on a tour of Gardner State Park, where parking issues, public safety and operating costs were
addressed. After the tour of Gardner State Park, a luncheon, catered by the Chester Common Table, was held at Stanton Hall where a round table discussion led by Commissioner Roy asked specifically what valuable assets were most important to the hilltowns. Commissioner Roy shared the same passion as the hilltowners and diligently listened to the concerns, as well as informing the group that the state will be investing more dollars in Western Mass in 2018. He recapped the statements and addressed the issues directly related to the DCR. Addressed were: a potential partnership with the Town of Huntington or other nonprofits and CM Gardner State Park to share operating costs; the identification of former trails and creating a connecting trail network throughout the hilltowns; identifying Fish and Game Lands as potential DCR transfer of ownership for better use of land; the opening of the Chester Blandford State Forest Campground with an operator, and attracting an outfitter on Route 20 along the Westfield River with bike, ski, kayak and canoe rentals. Open spaces, recreation areas and existing resources were addressed as a key to attracting tourists and boosting economic development in the hilltowns. Commissioner Roy stated that in this age,
from our family to yours
the commonwealth cannot act alone, nor can the individual towns and organizations, but a shared action plan can be successful. The autonomous organizations in attendance agreed that input, partnering and networking together to help solve the problems that are now faced will help with the future of the hilltowns. Non DCR issues addressed were the implementation of broadband, attraction and retention of young people and businesses to further attract tourists and future residents. In attendance were representatives from the Town of Huntington, Huntington Police Department, Hilltown Collaborative, Wild & Scenic Westfield River, Jacob’s Ladder Scenic Byway Trail, Jacob’s Ladder Business Association, Highlands Footpath, The Historic Route 20 Association, and Western Mass Hilltown Hikers. Following the discussion, Commissioner Roy toured Sanderson Brook Falls and the closed campground at Chester Blandford State Forest to round out his six-hour visit to the hilltowns. “The beauty of this meeting was the fact that all of these hilltown organizations were working together for a common goal and creative solutions to the challenges we’re facing in the hilltowns,” said Michele Kenney, president of the Jacob’s Ladder Business Association.
L to R: Jed Mason, Jeff Penn, Derrick Mason, DCR Commissioner Leo Roy, Liz Massa, Bryan Farr, Jeanne LeClair, Dom Sacco, Western Region DCR Director at CM Gardner State Park on Friday. (Photo submitted)
for more information about our community contact Julie Waniewski at jwaniewski@armbrookvillage.com
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