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WEATHER TONIGHT Clearing. Cold. Chance of Snow. Low of 10.
The Westfield News
“A fool and his money are soon parted, but you never call him a fool till the money is gone.”
Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
— Author unknown
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2013
VOL. 82 NO. 294
75 cents
School Street
The Hangar prepares for Westfield landing Giving Tree Members of the Westfield High School student council gather around the Salvation Army Giving Tree located in the Westfield High School main lobby yesterday where students and staff donated 125 gifts that will be distributed by the Westfield Salvation Army Service Center. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Storm causes early dismissals, closings By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer Although the season’s first storm did not impact schools, the second storm expected to hit today caused early dismissals and closings. Before a flake flew, Westfield Schools Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Scallion, and Southwick-Tolland-Granville
Regional School District Superintendent Dr. John Barry, made the decision to dismiss students early. Gateway Regional Superintendent David Hopson made the call to close schools today. The national weather service has issued a winter weather advisory for all of western Massachusetts until 7 p.m. Light snow was expected to arrive in
western Massachusetts by 10 a.m. and get a little heavier from mid-afternoon through early evening, which would make for a potentially slippery evening commute. Superintendents anticipated unfavorable road conditions this afternoon and opted not to risk students by dismissing classes early and closing school in the hilltowns.
DPW director makes budget requests By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Preliminary budget discussions continued with the Board of Selectmen last night with Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Randy Brown. Brown went through requests for each DPW division. In the water division, Brown said the priority is leak detection equipment. “Typically we subcontract that at a cost of $5,000-$6,000 every year or two,” said Brown. “I think there will be savings [by purchasing it].” The second request for the water division is a hand-held water meter. Brown said the department has two meters and often has to borrow a third. In the sewer division, Brown said topping the list of requests is Phase II sewer design. “I think it’s time to take the next step,” said Brown. “Let’s get that ball rolling and we need to appropriate some funds toward design efforts.” Another sewer priority is an upgrade to three pump stations at a cost of $570,000.
RANDAL BROWN Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart noted that there may be some funds leftover from the last pump station upgrade that could be applied to the cost. Selectmen Chairman Russell Fox asked about the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system which was discussed last year as part of the pump station upgrade. “The SCADA system was on my wish list but it didn’t make the cut,” said
Brown, adding that he hoped to request it next year. Selectwoman Tracy Cesan said she thought the SCADA software had been purchased. “I think we have an appropriation for SCADA, but we have to fix the stations first,” said Stinehart. Under the highway division, Brown said the priorities included three culvert replacements at a cost of approximately $7,000. “The design is done and has been sitting on a shelf and we have more culverts that are failing,” said Brown. He said the funds would be split among the three culverts. Brown also said he requested $50,000 for road paving, which is on par with previous years. Fox said he wanted to have another discussion next month. “I want to have a work session in January or early February before we go into the budget season and look at some bonding options for roads,” Fox said. The board and finance committee will hold budget sessions with every department in February.
Noble Ball eclipses quarter-million mark By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The results are in for last month’s Noble Ball, the local hospital’s largest fundraiser of the year. The ball, which was held at the MassMutual Center in Springfield on November 9, was the 49th annual event to be held to benefit Noble Hospital, and raised $253,000 that will go toward funding the Hospital’s Oncology unit. Over 700 guests attended the Mardi Gras-themed event, including former New England Patriot offensive lineman Joe Andruzzi, who brought with him the
Minimum Wait. Maximum Care.
sizeable presence of his foundation, The Joe Andruzzi Foundation. The foundations’s mission is to provide financial assistance for cancer patients and their families. The night featured an auction which drew a large portion of the event’s proceeds. “These much-needed funds will improve the patient and family environment here at Noble by offering a more comfortable experience for our cancer patients,” said Jack Sarat, who chaired the fundraiser and auction with his family.
“We are so grateful for your support and commitment to Noble Hospital and our community,” he said of the event’s other business sponsors. “Your generosity enables us to continue providing an outstanding level of care.” “We’re thrilled to have raised these funds to enhance the outpatient oncology area at Noble,” said Allison GearingKalill, vice president of community development for Noble Hospital. “We will begin construction on a comfortable, welcoming environment soon to better service our cancer patients and their families.”
By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A favorite of Amherst’s considerable student population in Amherst, The Hangar Pub and Grill has given folks a place to enjoy a nowfamous menu of burgers, ribs, sandwiches and, of course, chicken wings. The owners of The Hangar are now looking to expand southward to Westfield, potentially landing at 29 School Street, the former home of the School Street Bistro. With a hearing with the City of Westfield’s License Committee scheduled for this evening, Hangar owner Harold Tramazzo is looking to “steer
away from fanfare” at this present time and concentrate on going through the proper channels to make the expansion a reality. “I’ve been talking with Jeff Daley (Westfield Economic Advancement Director) for over a year now,” Tramazzo said yesterday. When asked of how the prospective Westfield location would compare to The Hangar’s Amherst flagship, Tramazzo said the two buildings are very different, but “it’s going to feel like The Hangar.” “I’m interested in the front room,” Tramazzo said, See The Hangar, Page 3
Residents report pot stolen By CarlE. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A West Springfield Man is facing home invasion charges after a city couple alleged that visitors who had come to smoke marijuana with them stole their pot – and more than $1,000 which happened to be on their table. The robbery was reported at 10:01 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, by a female Brookline Avenue resident and Officers Michael Gibbons and Harry Sienkiewicz arrived within seconds of each other six minutes later. Sienkiewicz reports that the woman told him that a person she has known for several years came to her residence to smoke marijuana with her and brought an unknown friend with him. She said that as the two
men were leaving, one took a stack of cash – more than $1,000 – from the dining room table and when the caller and her boyfriend objected the unknown man produced a handgun and told them to stay back. The victims told Sienkiewicz that the men then also stole an ounce of marijuana, two cellphones and a watch before they fled in a vehicle the victims described. The male victim said that he followed the fleeing car but broke off pursuit when he saw the unknown man pointing the gun at him from the car. Det. Sgt. Steven K. Dickinson said later that the actual circumstances of the incident may be a little different that those described by the See Stolen Pot, Page 3
City seeks to expand public access By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Cable Commission is planning to conduct direct negotiations with Comcast officials in early January to expand local cable programming and public access. The city is negotiating a new contract with Comcast and is seeking to include funding requirements that would open local programming to residents of the city. Pursuant to Section 611 of the Federal Communications Act, local franchising authorities, such as the City of Westfield, may require cable operators like Comcast to set aside channels for public, educational, or governmental (PEG) use. PEG channels are not mandated by federal law, rather they are a right given to the franchising authority, which it may choose to exercise. The decision whether to require the cable operator to carry PEG channels is up to the local franchising authority. If the franchise authority does require PEG channels, that requirement will be set out in the franchise agreement between the franchising authority and the cable operator. The commission discussed equipment and programming
Walk-In Express Care is now open in Westfield! Noble Express Care is conveniently located at 57 Union Street. Hours: Mon - Fri 11:00am - 8:00pm | Sat - Sun 10:00am - 5:00pm
See Cable Commission, Page 3
Noble Express Care 57 Union Street, Westfield MA 01085 (413) 642-7200 NobleExpressCare.com Noble Express Care is a DBA of Westfield Medical Corp