Reading in the Garden Handbook for the Program
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The Westfield NewsSearch for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 $1.00 MONDAY,TUESDAY, AUGUST JUNE 27, 9, 2017 2021 VOL. 75 cents 90 NO. 188 FAA will fund noise study, construction plan at Barnes By AMY PORTER Staff Writer WESTFIELD — The City Council convened for a special meeting on Aug. 4 to give immediate consideration to two Federal Aviation Administration grants for Westfield-Barnes Airport. Airport Manager Christopher J. Willenborg said the two grants are separate environmental planning grants that are 100 percent funded by the FAA, with no state or local contribution. The first grant of $464,531 is to update the airport’s noise compatibility plan. Willenborg said this will be a multi-year study to re-evaluate noise levels at the airport, and what can be done to limit their impact on nearby residents. He said over the last five years or so, the focus was on purchasing and demolishing homes and relocating homeowners. “Now the FAA is looking more at a sound-proofing pro- gram, and allowing residents to stay in their homes,” he said, adding, “We have to do this study in order to get there to make it eligible.” He said they will be updating the policy Reading in the garden handbook for the program. Asked whether the upgrade to the noise mitigation plan Rachel Burke starts a story walk at Amelia’s Garden on Thursday with her sons Gabriel, 5, and Joshua, 3. The Westfield has anything to do with the 104th Fighter Wing’s conversion Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Program sponsored the event for incoming kindergartners. Pages to F-35 or F-15EX fighter jets, Willenborg said the two are from the book “Welcome to Kindergarten,” by Anne Rockwell, were posted along the walkway through the garden, and unrelated. families could walk the path, reading one page at a time. Coordinator Paula Hebert-Pike said 25 families participated, “There will be a whole separate environmental process despite a light rain. (PHOTOS BY MICHAEL BALLWAY/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) when the military will decide on a new fighter jet,” he said. The second grant accepted on Aug. 4 was for $190,700 to conduct an environmental assessment for Runway 15 obstruction clearing; Taxiway B South realignment and wid- ening; and a new taxiway to the southwest quadrant. This grant is also 100 percent funded by the FAA. “This is just an environmental assessment of those three projects to identify environmental sensitivities that the proj- ects will have to address in order to meet federal, state and local requirements,” Willenborg said. The council voted unanimously to accept both grants. Tanner Maruca, 5, collects his prizes — a strip of stickers, a book to read at home and a tote bag — at the end of the story walk. With Coco Crowley, 4, reads a page of the book with Edythe Crowley. him is his nana, Debbie Auclair. WESTFIELD-BARNES REGIONAL AIRPORT Sisters honor retired 3 new board members nurse with ‘little library’ By LORI SZEPELAK she and Arroyo recruited join Southwick Correspondent Nunez’s husband, Art Demas, WESTFIELD — A long- and her brother, Frank Nunez, Historical Commission time connection to Sister to set up the Little Free Elizabeth Oleksak, S.P., came Library on the chosen site. One vacancy remains on board full circle last month when What also makes the little city resident Ana Nunez was library unique is its chosen By PETER CURRIER surprised by family and color — purple — and that Staff Writer friends with a Little Free money raised to build the lit- SOUTHWICK — The Select Board approved the appli- Library in her honor on the tle library benefits the cations of Kirk Sanders, Mark Rankin, and Erik Davidson Mill Street campus of the Pancreatic Cancer Action to join the Historical Commission July 26 after the Genesis Spiritual Life & Network. Historical Commission had dropped to just two people. Conference Center. “I love purple and my pas- The Select Board approved their applications to join the “Reading has always been sion has always been working commission during the same meeting that Historical my escape,” said Nunez, who in the oncology field so I Commission member Barbara Phelps submitted her resig- had been employed at could help others,” said nation. Baystate Noble Hospital for Nunez. Sanders, Rankin, and Davidson will join Lee D. Hamberg many years and retired from On the day of the surprise and Jim Putnam on the Historical Commission, leaving her 42-year nursing career on unveiling, July 17, Demas one remaining vacancy. May 28 at the D’Amour had suggested a motorcycle The Historical Commission’s main topics of discussion Center for Cancer Care in ride around the city to Ana include the preservation of Southwick’s oldest monu- Springfield. and when they arrived at ments, archiving gravestones, and the best use of Community Preservation Act funds. The idea of the Little Free Genesis, Nunez noticed a Sister Elizabeth Oleksak, S.P., founder of the Genesis One of the major projects the Historical Commission has Library as a gift came to frui- group of people standing in Spiritual Life and Conference Center in Westfield, stands been involved in is the documentation and preservation of tion when Nunez’s daughter, the lush grasses adjacent to next to Ana Nunez, who was honored with a Little Free the Hampshire and Hampden Canal. They have been Alisa Arroyo, called Oleksak the side door of the main Library by her family. Also pictured are Lenox Greene, Alisa working on the project with the Pioneer Valley Planning seeking input on how to honor Genesis building. Arroyo, Nia Arroyo and Sofia Arroyo. (NUNEZ FAMILY Commission, which has been trying to get the canal on to her mother’s retirement. When Demas drove the PHOTO) Oleksak is the foundress of motorcycle on the grass clos- the National List of Historic Places. Genesis. er to the people, Nunez was in part of the festivities. unveiling also brought a On June 21, the Historical Commission voted unani- Since Nunez was an avid shock, since she didn’t want “I didn’t know anything,” book to donate to the library. mously to approve $15,000 in funds for the PVPC’s efforts reader, the idea of the Little to interrupt the gathering. said Nunez, adding that some “There is a real eclectic to fully document the canal. Westfield and Easthampton’s Free Library quickly blos- To her surprise, she soon family and friends also range of works here,” said historical commissions voted to do the same. somed. noticed familiar faces of fam- jumped out from behind the Oleksak. The Historical Commission meets somewhat irregularly. “We kept it a fantastic ily members and friends who trees to yell “surprise.” When it does meet, it is typically Monday evenings at 7 secret,” said Oleksak, noting had surprised her by being a Everyone who attended the See Sisters, Page 5 p.m. in Town Hall. PAGE 2 - MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2021 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS ROBERT MARTIN ALI SALEHI LYDIA MARTINEZ- THERESA WILLIAM CHLOE MADELINE ALVAREZ JASMIN REICHELT SANFACON LANDRAU WSU trustee board has new members, leaders WESTFIELD — The Westfield academic affairs and one year as first Latina to serve as assistant William Reichelt, a 2009 Westfield sultant for the university’s Reading State University Board of Trustees interim president at Framingham superintendent of Springfield Public State alumnus, was elected mayor of & Writing Center, a programming recently elected former university State University. He holds a bache- Schools, a role she has held since West Springfield in November 2015 assistant in the Office of Student administrator Robert Martin to serve lor’s degree in psychology from 2012. She holds a bachelor of science at age 29, after serving as its town Activities, a new student orientation as its chair, while trustees Ali Salehi Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in business management and attorney for two years. He previously leader, and a member of the and Lydia Martinez-Alvarez and Ph.D. in clinical psychology a certificate of advanced graduate was a law clerk and attorney for the University’s Honors Program. (Springfield Public Schools) were from the University of Rochester. studies from Westfield State, a mas- town of Agawam. Reichelt is serving Madeline Landrau has worked at elected as vice-chair and secretary, Ali Salehi, a Westfield resident, ter of arts in teaching from Elms his second term as mayor. He holds MassMutual for 25 years, most respectively. Additions to the board serves as chief executive officer and College, and is a doctoral candidate an associate’s degree from Holyoke recently as program engagement include senior financial executive president of Westfield-based at American International College. Community College, a bachelor of manager on the community respon- Theresa Jasmin, West Springfield Columbia Manufacturing Inc., an Theresa Jasmin has served since science degree in business adminis- sibility team. In her current position, Mayor William Reichelt, and student industry leader in the production of 2020 as chief financial officer of Big tration and management from Landrau oversees MassMutual Chloe Sanfacon. Massachusetts Gov. school furniture. A former board Y Foods Inc., which she joined in Westfield State, and an MBA and Foundation’s anchor institution port- Charlie Baker appointed all three, member of the Greater Westfield 2005. She previously worked for 14 J.D. from Western New England folio and associated relationship and reappointed MassMutual’s Chamber of Commerce, the Westfield years in the finance area of Friendly University and its School of Law, management, working with nonprof- Madeline Landrau.