Pitoniak Appointed Police Captain by Peter Currier Camacho
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
TONIGHT R a i n s h o w e r s . Low of 39. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The Westfield “THE FAMILY YOU 1917 — World War News COME FROM ISN’T I Liberty Loan Drive Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER AS IMPORCRITICT WITHOUTANT AS in Westfield nets THE FAMILY YOU’RE TONIGHT $470,850. AMBITION.” GOING TO HAVE.” Partly Cloudy. Search forJOHN The WestfieldSTEINBECK News Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. The Westfieldwww.thewestfieldnews.comNews — Ring LaRDNER Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 CRITIC 75 WITHOUT cents VOL.TONIGHT 88 NO. 111 TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2019 75AMBITION Cents .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com AnimalVOL. 86 NO. 151 bylaw TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents created by Granville voters By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Correspondent GRANVILLE – Granville Town Meeting voters May 13 approved all 26 articles on the warrant, including the town’s $3,944,550 budget. The budget was an increase of 4.32% over last year and included $7,850 for emergency management, $679,390 for the highway department and $1.8 million for schools. With a vote of 62-25, residents also approved the creation of an animal bylaw. Selectboard member David K. Ripley said the bylaw was in direct response to issues with certain dogs. “We’re having issues with particular animals and several owners,” he said. “We haven’t been able to do anything about Polls open it because we have no animal bylaws.” The polls are open at Southwick Town Hall until 8 p.m. tonight. The election ballot includes positions on the Select Board, School Committee and more. (Hope E. Tremblay Photo) See Animal Bylaw, Page 3 Pitoniak appointed police captain By PETER CURRIER Camacho. Parmeggiani was interviewed Correspondent briefly first where she told the commission WESTFIELD- The Police Commission about herself. She is originally from Taunton met Monday evening at City Hall to vote on and graduated from Westfield State the appointments of two special police offi- University in 2015, where she now works for cers and to fill the soon-to-be vacant captain’s the campus police department. She is also Granville Selectboard members Theodore R. Sussmann position that will be left by Lawrence Valliere pursuing her Master’s degree in public Jr., Nicole M. Berndt and David K. Ripley listen as Town when he takes on the role of police chief in administration and criminal justice. Administrator Matthew Streeter speaks May 13, 2019 dur- June. Camacho then stepped forward for a brief ing the Granville Annual Town Meeting. (Hope E. Tremblay Lt. Jerome Pitoniak was the only eligible interview. He said he has worked at Westfield Photo) Westfield Police Officer on the captain’s list. State University for 12 years and as a police Commissioner Leonard Osowski only asked officer in Granville and the town of Wales. one question on behalf of the commission — Camacho is currently the interim police chief if Pitoniak was ready to assume the responsi- in Wales until a permanent replacement can bilities of captain. Osowski said they stuck to be found. Both candidates were approved to a single question because the commission had be special officers, effective May 14. St. Mary’s shows interviewed Pitoniak, “at least eight times,” At the end of the meeting Chief John already. “I’m ready to go,” said Pitoniak, “I’ve been Camerota announced that there are only trying to learn as much from both captains as three officers that are still out from the Police community pride Department’s staffing crisis earlier this year. Lt. Jerome Pitoniak was appoint- I can.” The two people who were listed on the At the height of the problem, there were at ed to be one of two Police least 15 officers that could not work due to Captains effective June 22nd. agenda to be appointed a sspecial 0fficers with parade float were Marisa Parmeggiani and Dario injury, illness, and various types of leave. (Photo submitted) By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Correspondent WESTFIELD – St. Mary’s Parish and schools have been part of the community for more than one-third of Westfield’s 350 years. Rural school funding To honor those ties and show St. Mary’s is here to stay, the parish will join thousands of others in the Westfield 350th birthday parade May 19. tops priorities For the past several weeks, volunteers and staff of the par- ish schools have worked to create a float depicting what the at Huntington See St. Mary’s Float, Page 3 Town Hall event The once-abandoned railway bridge over the Westfield By AMY PORTER River that is now the site of Columbia Greenway-North. Correspondent HUNTINGTON – State Sen. Adam G. Hinds and Rep. Natalie M. Blais held an informal town hall meeting in Columbia Greenway’s Stanton Hall on Monday evening with 20 constituents from around the hilltowns. One of the pressing topics discussed North Bridge officially opens was relief for rural schools and the Gateway Regional School By PETER CURRIER District in particular. Correspondent Hinds said that the Foundation budget, or Chapter 70 local WESTFIELD — The North Bridge of the Columbia aid, which the senate has increased by $50 million for FY20 Greenway Rail Trail is officially open for use after a ribbon does not do much for rural schools. He said out of the four cutting event Monday evening held in lieu of the annual areas which have increased — including Ch. 70, circuit Mayor’s Bike Ride. breaker funds for special education, charter school reim- Mayor Brian Sullivan, City Engineer Mark Cressotti, and Volunteers, including St. Mary’s High School Principal bursement and regional school transportation — Gateway is Matthew Collins, at right, work on the parish float for the See North Bridge Opens, Page 3 Westfield 350 parade. (Photo courtesy of St. Mary’s Parish) See Town Hall, Page 8 Wag-a-thon underway to help Guiding Eyes By LORI SZEPELAK employee of Walmart on Springfield when he came over, there was an lunch goers leave. Correspondent Road, explained she has been legal- instant bond and a lot of tears.” “I enjoy visiting the senior center WESTFIELD-Irene Lansing is ly blind for five years. Yoshi, a Labrador retriever, and because I like meeting different grateful for Yoshi, her guide dog, “I was fortunate that through the Lansing were inseparable from that people,” said Lansing, adding and in her quest to pay it forward, Massachusetts Commission for the moment on. After three weeks of senior center staff and friends have she is sponsoring a “wag-a-thon” Blind, they gave me information training at the Guiding Eyes facility already contributed to her wag-a- this month to raise funds for the about Guiding Eyes,” said Lansing. in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Lansing thon benefit. organization that has given her so After Lansing was accepted into and Yoshi were ready to begin their “I am the only one walking for much. the Guiding Eyes program, she par- life together in Westfield. the wag-a-thon,” said Lansing, not- Lansing, who is legally blind, ticipated in mobility training over “It’s a big process,” said Lansing. ing her FitBit assists her in measur- was given a “gift” by Guiding Eyes the course of three years with a “I was confident but also nervous ing her daily miles. “Sometimes I for the Blind two years ago when trainer from the Massachusetts when we were going to be by our- walk four miles, some days a mile, Yoshi became a part of her life. Commission for the Blind so she selves.” it depends how I feel or how the “My goal is to raise $2,000 this would be ready for the day she Fast forward two years and most weather is.” month for Guiding Eyes for the would meet her new partner. That days Lansing and Yoshi stop by the Lansing is confident she will sur- Irene Lansing has a “wag-a-thon” Blind,” said Lansing, adding she day arrived on Feb. 8, 2017 when Westfield Senior Center – for exer- pass last year’s money raised benefit underway to raise funds for wanted to surpass the $1,440 she she met Yoshi for the first time. cise, bingo, and lunch. Lansing also because all of the proceeds will Guiding Eyes for the Blind. She is raised last year during her first wag- “The first time I met him it was assists the kitchen staff prior to assist in the breeding, raising and seen with her beloved guide dog a-thon. amazing,” said Lansing. “I had lunchtime by setting up trays and “Yoshi.” Lansing, a former longtime some special treats in my hand and then collecting table items when See Wag-a-thon, Page 3 PAGE 2 - TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2019 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS WEDNESDAY TONIGHT THURSDAY Rain. Chaance of Showers. 57-62 63-66 Today: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 48. North wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Tonight: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. precipitation Chance of rain. is 20%. Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 62. North- west wind 8 to 10 mph.Wednesday Night: A chance of showers, Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Thursday: A chance of show- 39-40 ers. Partly sunny, with a high near 66. West wind 3 to 6 mph. Julie Crevier and Julio Hernandez stand next to one of the many truckloads of food col- lected for the Westfield Food Pantry at 101 Meadow St.