THE WESTFIELD NEWS
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TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 - PAGE 3
GOVERNMENT MEETINGS TUESDAY, MAY 5 WESTFIELD Planning Board at 7 pm
BLANDFORD Assessor’s Meeting at 5 pm Selectmen’s Meeting at 7 pm
GRANVILLE Cultural Council at 7 pm EMTs at 7 pm
A relative of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev leaves federal court in Boston after testifying Monday,, during the penalty phase in Tsarnaev’s trial. Tsarnaev was convicted of the Boston Marathon bombings that killed three and injured more than 260 people in April 2013. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Boston Marathon bomber shows emotion for 1st time at trial By DENISE LAVOIE AP Legal Affairs Writer BOSTON (AP) — For the first time since his trial began four months ago, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev dropped his blank, impassive demeanor and showed emotion as his Russian aunt sobbed uncontrollably and had to leave the witness stand. Tsarnaev, 21, grabbed a tissue and repeatedly dabbed his eyes and cheeks while his aunt became so upset that she was unable to testify on his behalf as his lawyers try to persuade a federal jury to spare his life. Tsarnaev had maintained an uninterested expression since his trial began in January, most of the time staring straight ahead and only occasionally glancing over at witnesses, including people who lost loved ones in the 2013 bombing. His aunt, Patimat Suleimanova, cried as she sat down about 10 feet from Tsarnaev. She was only able to answer questions about her name, her year of birth and where she was born before she stepped down from the witness stand after she was unable to compose herself. Five Russian relatives — three cousins and two aunts — took the witness stand for the defense. As Tsarnaev was led out of the courtroom before the lunch recess, he blew a kiss at the other aunt, who also cried during her testimony. The relatives all acknowledged they had not seen Tsarnaev since he was 8, when he moved to the U.S. with his family. Testimony is scheduled to resume Tuesday. Tsarnaev, who had lived in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan and the Dagestan region of Russia, was convicted last month of 30 federal charges in the bombings, including 17 that carry the possibility of the death penalty. He moved to the U.S. in 2002 and committed the bombings, which killed three people and wounded 260 others, when he was 19. Prosecutors say Tsarnaev and his radicalized older brother, Tamerlan, were equal partners in the bombing, and they have urged a jury to sentence Tsarnaev to death. Tsarnaev’s lawyers say Tamerlan, 26, was the mastermind of the attack and lured his brother into his plan. Tamerlan died days after the bombings following a shootout with police. A cousin testified Monday that Dzhokhar was a kind and warm child, so gentle that he once cried while watching “The Lion King.” “I think that his kindness made everybody around him kind,” Raisat Suleimanova said through a Russian translator. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Weinreb pounced, asking her if she believes a deadly attack on innocent civilians can be considered kind. Tsarnaev’s lawyer objected, and Suleimanova was not allowed to answer the question. Another cousin, Nabisat Suleimanova, said Dzhokhar was loved by the entire family. “He was an unusual child. He was wunderkind,” she said. She said Dzhokhar had a softening effect on an aunt who was very stern and strict with her own children, but not with Dzhokhar.
Supreme Court rejects inmate’s appeal for sex-change surgery By MARK PRATT Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — A nearly two-decade legal fight by a convicted murderer in Massachusetts to get taxpayer-funded sexreassignment surgery ended in failure Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court rejected her final appeal. The justices did not comment in letting stand a lower-court ruling denying the surgery to Michelle Kosilek. “This is a terrible and inhumane result for Michelle,” said Jennifer Levi, director of the Transgender Rights Project for Boston-based Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders. The state Department of Correction, which has fought the surgery, did not immediately respond to a request to comment. State prison officials, who say the surgery could cost as much as $50,000, have said in the past they opposed the surgery because it would create security problems. Kosilek was known as Robert Kosilek when she was convicted of murdering her spouse, Cheryl, in 1990. Kosilek, now 65, said in her legal fight against the state prisons department that her Eighth Amendment right against cruel and unusual punishment was being violated and the surgery is necessary to relieve the mental anguish caused by gender-identity disorder. “The treatment of Michelle has been cruel and unusual, according to two lengthy, thoughtful, and closely reasoned judgments,” Joseph Sulman, one of Kosilek’s lawyers, said Monday. “The DOC’s behavior has been abominable as they have repeatedly defied their own experts in their eagerness to deny her desperately needed medical attention.” The prisons department initially provided hormone treatments, electrolysis to remove facial and body hair, female clothing and personal items, but Kosilek sued again in 2005, arguing that the surgery was a medical necessity and denial of the surgery was making her suicidal. Her lawyers say she has twice tried to kill herself behind bars. A federal judge in 2012 ordered the Department of Correction to grant the surgery, finding that it was the “only adequate treatment” for her gender-identity disorder. It was the first time a federal judge ordered such surgery.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 BLANDFORD Fire Department Meeting at 7 pm Finance Committee at 7 pm Board of Health Meeting at 7 pm Planning Board Meeting at 7 pm
CHESTER Municipal Electric Light Meeting at 7 pm
WESTFIELD Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Advisory Committee Meeting at 10 am Municipal Light Board at 7 pm
SOUTHWICK Powder Mill Road Sewer Project Informational Meeting at 7 pm Agricultural Commission at 7 pm
HUNTINGTON Agricultural Commission at 10 am Council on Aging at 12 pm Selectboard at 5:30 pm Cable Advisory Committee at 5:45 pm Planning Board at 7 pm Conservation Commission at 7 pm Water & Sewer
JDay Races
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THURSDAY, MAY 7 WESTFIELD Housing Authority at 9 am City Council at 7 pm
Film students, professors say state should keep tax credit BOSTON (AP) — Film students and professors from more than a dozen colleges and universities in Massachusetts came to the Statehouse Monday to urge lawmakers to keep the state’s film tax credit, saying helps boost their job prospects. Gov. Charlie Baker has called for the elimination of the tax credit, arguing that it largely helps out-of-state and Hollywood production companies. The students argued that the incentive to make movies would diminish in the Bay State and they would likely be forced to look elsewhere for employment. “I know the job opportunities available to me after graduation won’t exist without the tax credit,” said Malaika Woluchem, a Northeastern University student who has worked at a documentary production company. The tax incentive includes a 25 percent production credit, a 25 percent payroll credit and a sales tax exemption. Baker has proposed doing away with the credit and using the savings to double the state’s earned income tax credit for lowincome families. The administration, citing a state Revenue Department report, has said roughly two-thirds of spending on film production in Massachusetts from 2006-2012 flowed to out-of-state businesses or individuals, including many people who earn more than $1 million per year. “I know this has been positioned as all these fat cats from Hollywood who are getting rich on this tax credit,” said Robert Rosenthal, chairman of the Department of Communications and Journalism at Suffolk University, who was among the educators who joined students in pushing for the tax credit to be retained. He said many “average working people,” including owners of small businesses, benefit when movies are made in Massachusetts.
Officials: Appeals process leads to backlog at state agency BOSTON (AP) — Officials say the appeals process at the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families for those found to have committed child abuse or neglect has led to a backlog of cases. A May 1 preliminary report by an outside consultant also found that people bringing appeals are not receiving their agency files before hearings. The child welfare agency says there are currently 2,614 pending fair hearings, down from 3,429 in 2010. The agency says there were 1,916 fair hearing requests out of 24,517 substantiated cases of abuse or neglect in 2014. The report says the backlog problem has improved since 2010. Agency officials either could not be reached for comment or declined to discuss the findings until the final report is released. The report was prepared by the Boston-based Ripples Group.
Early Retirement
JDay race in Southwick was a concern from a traffic standpoint because it was a big draw for crowds and only one officer was working the detail. Selectman Joseph Deedy and Ricardi both said the traffic concerns could be alleviated with pre-planning and having enough officers on-hand. “It’s probably on the heels of the National as far as attendance,” Deedy said. “That, we can take care of. On the public safety side, I think we could clear up some of those spectator issues.” Ricardi met with Motocross 338 promoter Keith Johnson, who took Ricardi’s concerns seriously. Ricardi said he planned to meet again with Johnson. “We will set up a meeting and come up with a game plan,” said Selectman Russell Fox.
Special Permit Hearing Continued from Page 1
Aaron’s store which is being relocated from East Main Street to 64 Main St. at the intersection of Mechanic Street. The board closed that hearing and indicated that the internally illuminated sign is not consistent with the character of the CORE district. The vote was delayed until Principal Planner Jay Vinskey prepares the documents supporting the board’s decision which have to be accepted to become part of the decision. Ironically the Planning Board will have another opportunity to assess a request to erect an internally illuminated sign in the CORE district. Berkshire Bank is seeking to change the sign in front of the office at 31 Court Street, replacing the present sign with a new sign reflecting the bank’s newer corporate brand.
Seats
Continued from Page 1 She works as the administrative assistant for the Board of Assessors. She was not at Town Hall when the polls closed Monday. Reached at home, Larson, 51, said she’s “thrilled” at the opportunity to get more involved in the school system. She said she’s eyeing the chance to work in the budget process. With a goal of making that often complicated process more transparent, Larson said she hopes to “bridge the divide” between Southampton residents with school-aged children and those who don’t have children. “I have an understanding of the need to reach out to those different constituencies and get them involved to an extent that’s reasonable and possible,” she said. Walunas, 47, said she’s looking forward to attending both School Committee and Select Board meetings, something she’s already made a habit of doing. “I’m very happy that I’ll actually be able to sit at the table now and voice my opinions,” she said. One of the first things on her agenda is helping the high school raise money for events like its senior class breakfast. “With my previous history of being part of the PTO at Norris School, I have a lot of connections with different businesses in Southampton,” she said. Joanne Alderman won a seat on the Personnel Policy Procedure Board through a sticker campaign, getting 78 votes. All other races were unopposed: cemetery commissioner, town moderator, constable, water commissioner, Edwards Public Library trustees, Finance Committee, Housing Authority, Planning Board, park commissioner, William E. Norris School Committee and tree warden. Domina is still taking final counts on those races. Chris Lindahl can be reached at clindahl@gazettenet.com.
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after a meeting with legislative leaders. Passage of the bill marked another early victory for Baker in his dealings with the solidly Democratic Legislature on the state’s finances. Baker proposed the early retirement incentives as part of a broader plan to close what his administration projected as a $1.8 billion gap between revenues and spending in the fiscal year starting July 1. Employees must be at least 55 years old and have 20 years of service in state government to apply for early retirement. They can boost their pensions by adding five years to their ages or to their lengths of service. Not all of the vacated jobs will go unfilled. The plan allows
the administration to hire replacements until reaching a threshold of 20 percent of the salaries of those opting for the early retirement. Some lawmakers questioned why the proposal was restricted to executive branch workers and not offered to other state employees such as those in the court system. Baker explained that he did not have control over the judicial branch. Concerns also were raised about the ability of the state retirement board to handle thousands of applications in a short period of time and the possible impact on the plan on the state’s unfunded pension liability.