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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
VOL. 83 NO. 40
www.thewestfieldnews.com
“The lack of a sense of history is the damnation of the modern world.” — Robert Penn Warren
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2014
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Assault and chase case to end in superior court
Heavy equipment from the Southwick Department of Public Works was dispatched early this morning to remove high snowbanks which interfered with drivers visibility. More snow was predicted for today. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Snow piling up By Dan Moriarty trucks. At one time the city dumped Staff Writer snow on the banks of the Westfield WESTFIELD – As more snow fell River, but that practice is prohibited across the area this morning, most by the state Department of Department of Public Works crews Environmental Protection. were dispatched to sand and salt “I can’t bring it here (to the DPW roadways again, and to plow as the yard on South Broad Street),” accumulation continued to mount. Mulvenna said. “Right now we’re Some crews were taking a differdumping it in the back of City Hall ent approach to dealing with the and at the old Newberry’s site. In snow dumped by recent storms, the past I’ve dumped it at the Cabot snow that has been piled up along Road property owned by the city.” the roads, causing problems espeMulvenna said he plans to “hit JIM cially at intersections. the downtown area to clean snow off MULVENNA “People are having a tough time sidewalks up to the curb” tomorrow seeing oncoming traffic at intersecand deal with complaints about snow tion,” Public Works Superintendent banks and sidewalks. Jim Mulvenna said this morning. “I’ve had “The police do a really good job in reportcrews going around knocking down snow ing problems with uncleared sidewalks while banks on corners so people can see at inter- they’re out patrolling,” Mulvenna said. “If it sections.” is at private property, they speak with the “We got a bunch down this morning,” resident or business owner. If it’s the city’s Mulvenna said. “The plan was to have all of responsibility, they let us know. the crews doing that, but I had to put them out “The BID has done a pretty good job of sanding and plowing. The latest I’ve heard is keeping sidewalks clear downtown along Elm that this will be a six to eight inch snowfall.” and Main streets,” Mulvenna said, “and I plan The problem with snow bank removal is to send crews down there Wednesday to clear where to dump the snow after its loaded onto the banks.”
Latest storm to bring more snow PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A quick-moving storm brought several inches of snow, as well as rare “thundersnow” to parts of the winter-weary East Coast, prompting speed restrictions on Pennsylvania highways, days after the Southeast and Northeast were paralyzed with heavy snow, ice and massive power outages. By the morning rush hour, the National Weather Service had reported 4.5 inches of snow in Mercer County in western Pennsylvania and 3.5 inches in Berks County in eastern
Joe Albano of Southwick shovels his driveway after last Thursday’s snowstorm. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
Pennsylvania. In Philadelphia, between 2 and 3 inches was reported. The storm brought “thundersnow,” an area of heavy snow with embedded thunder, from near downtown Pittsburgh to Dubois. Forecasters said moderate to heavy snow would follow with snowfall rates over 1 inch per hour. The storm led Pennsylvania Turnpike officials to reduce speed limits to 45 mph along the entire 360-mile highway system. State transportation officials followed suit on some interstates and other roads. Last week, a series of crashes on the turnpike outside Philadelphia injured 30 people and left cars stranded in a miles-long backup for hours. Forecasters predicted many East Coast states would see 3 to 6 inches of snow today after a storm moved in overnight from the Great Lakes and through the Mid-Atlantic. Some areas were getting rain, sleet or a snow-rain mixture. “We’re looking at a relatively short duration event,” said the weather service’s John Cristantello. Temperatures above freezing today should move up to the 40s to mid-50s for the remainder of the week, he said, giving people a reprieve from shoveling and shivering. Coastal areas in Maine and Massachusetts See More Snow, Page 3
By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – While apparently intent on his quest to keep his paramour way from her irate-with-cause husband, a city man’s blatant disregard for police officers’ orders – and their safety – has landed him, not just in court, but in superior court. The incident which left him on the pavement of a motel parking lot, shocked by a Taser and under arrest, may have begun for Scott A. Deschaine, 40, of 11 Fowler Ave., on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013 when his landlord found him in flagrante delicto with his landlady in the basement apartment of the Fowler Street building where all the parties reside. At than time, Deschaine’s landlord reported to police that the man assaulted him but, since neither the officer nor anybody else had witnessed the alleged assault, the officer advised the landlord to seek a criminal complaint himself in Westfield District Court which the man apparently did on Wednesday. On Thursday, the police involvement began with a 6:47 p.m. call from Deschaine complaining that he was threatened via a text message by his landlord. Officer Richard Mazza, who was dispatched to respond to the complaint, reports that as he approached the house and asked parties present who had called police, Deschaine immediately began to yell obscenities and threats and ordered him from the property. “The caller appeared to snap and I was unable to communicate anything to him before he cursed me and screamed at me to leave” Mazza wrote in his report of the incident. A city emergency dispatcher reported that a few minutes later she received a call from the state police dispatcher who reported that Deschaine had called E-911 “screaming at their dispatcher to be transferred to the Westfield police supervisor.” The State Police dispatcher reported that, when Deschaine was advised to call the Westfield police business line to reach a
supervisor, Deschaine continued yelling that he was being denied 911 services and began to threaten the dispatcher. Sgt. Jeffrey Baillargeon, a shift supervisor, went to the house where he spoke with Deschaine, the basement tenant, and the first floor tenants. Baillargeon was told that Deschaine had a previous relationship with his landlady and her husband (who had left the area) “is aware of it and suspects they are re-kindling it.” About an hour after Baillargeon left, at 9:39 p.m., a police dispatcher again took a call from 11 Fowler Ave., a report by the landlord who said that Deschaine had threatened him with a knife. When officers arrived at the house, they found Deschaine in his car with his landlady who disregarded police orders to stop and instead drove off, without regard to the officers around him, forcing Officer Michael Gibbons to leap for safety to avoid the fleeing vehicle. Officers gave chase to the vehicle which did not stop until Deschaine pulled into a Southampton Road motel. In the parking lot, Deschaine ignored orders to shut down the car and show his hands, revving the engine instead until an officer smashed a window with his nightstick and reached inside to turn off the ignition. Still, Deschaine refused to exit the car or cooperate in any way and officers employed a Taser, which did not elicit compliance. Deschaine was manually removed for the car and subdued. During the booking process, a knife which fit the description of the weapon his landlord had said was used to assault him was found in Deschaine’s back pocket. Charged with three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, failure to stop for police, intimidation of a witness, resisting arrest and carrying a dangerous See Superior Court, Page 3
104th honors its own By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The 104th Fighter Wing recently held its 40th Annual Awards Ceremony to honor its own. “On this night we gather to honor our outstanding performers for their hard work and dedication to service,” said Col. James Keefe. “It is here that we recognize those individuals that stand out among the best, demonstrating all aspects of the Air Force Core Values by serving above and beyond.” In 2013, Barnes ANGB undertook a runway project that took its airmen to a new
challenge – operating simultaneously from three locations. “The decision to deploy aircraft to Otis ANGB and Westover ARB was not easy, but very siuccessful,” Keefe said. “Many hours and sacrifices went into this project to ensure victory, and the 104th came through shining, once again.” The 104th at the same time deployed members to Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Delaware, Kyrgyzstan, and Guam. Wing Level Award recipients included See 104th, Page 3
Col. James P. Keefe, left, commander of the 104th Fighter Wing, points to an F-15 aircraft as Brian Barnes, Barnes Regional Airport manager, celebrates the newly reconstructed 9,000-foot runway. (File photo by Frederick Gore)