Skillsusa Regional Competition by Amy Porter the Regional Competition Consists of Schools Will Be Competing
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TONIGHT Mostly Cloudy. Low of 41. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search for The Westfield News “ACHIEVING LIFE Westfield350.com The Westfield News IS NOT THE “TIME IS THE ONLY Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns EQUIVALENT OF WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT AVOIDING DEATH.” TONIGHT AMBITION — Ay.” N RAND Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.comWestfield350.org The WestfieldNews IME IS THE ONLY VOL. 86 NO. 151 Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “T75 cents WEATHER TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 CRITIC WITHOUT VOL.88TONIGHT NO. 61 THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 75AMBITION Cents .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL.WTA 86 NO. 151 takes home 28TUESDAY, medals JUNE 27, 2017 in 75 cents SkillsUSA regional competition By AMY PORTER The regional competition consists of schools will be competing. The state Correspondent three multiple choice tests. The first test competition is hands-on, during which WESTFIELD – Westfield Technical is fifty questions on the student’s trade students will complete five-hour tasks Academy SkillsUSA members attended area. The second test is fifty questions in their trades. the District Leadership and Skills on leadership; and the third is an OSHA The winners are: Competition on Tuesday, March 12 at test, which is only used if needed for a CNC Technician: Rheal Labrie- Gold McCann Technical High School in tie-breaker. CNC Milling Specialist: Alice North Adams. Fifty-one students com- Gold and Silver medalists at the Mosijchuk- Gold, Mason Washington- peted against nine area CTE schools, regionals are eligible to compete at the Silver, Joshua Faunce-Bronze and took home 28 medals – eight gold, state competition in April, hosted by Additive Manufacturing Team: Students from Westfield Technical Academy earned 28 med- eleven silver, eight bronze, and a state Blackstone Valley Technical High als in SkillsUSA District competition Tuesday. (Photo submitted) officer candidate medal. School in Marlboro, where 54 CTE See SkillsUSA, Page 3 Gov. Baker WSU faculty nixes alum union gives vote treatment of no-confidence funding for in university’s Congamond By GREG FITZpaTRICK president Correspondent SOUTHWICK – Recently, Rep. Nick By PETER CURRIER Boldyga was informed by Governor Correspondent Charlie Baker and Secretary of Energy WESTFIELD- The Westfield State University Chapter of and Environmental Affairs, Matthew Left to right: Denise Quinn, Mark Hanrahan, Paul Sawyer, and Jack Quinn. The four of them have volunteered many hours to build the float behind them the Massachusetts State College Association gave an over- Beaton, that Southwick won’t be receiv- whelming vote of no-confidence to WSU’s President, at the Westfield Gas & Electric headquarters. (Photo by Peter Currier) ing funding for alum treatments on Ramon Torrecilha last week following contract negotiations Congamond Lake. between the faculty and librarian’s union and the Council of Despite not receiving the funding, Presidents, which consists of the Presidents of all of the Southwick town officials are planning Sons of Erin St. Patrick’s Massachusetts state colleges and universities. to secure the alum treatment funding The vote took place over the for the fall of 2019 so the treatment can course of a week. 219 WSU fac- be done in the spring of 2020. Day float unveiled ulty members, both full and Dick Grannells, Chairman of the part-time, took part in the vote. Lake Management Committee, said By PETER CURRIER Sicard, and Fionnuala Matthews. Of the 219 votes, 211 were to that the longer Congamond Lake does Correspondent The theme and design of the float was assert that they had, “No confi- not receive alum treatment, the higher WESTFIELD- The annual Saint conceptualized and created by Denise dence in President Torrecilha’s the potential of bringing a negative Patrick’s Day parade is Sunday, and one and Jack Quinn, who began working on leadership skills and fiscal stew- impact to the lakes. of the largest floats by the Sons of Erin the project in June. The construction of ardship of the institution.” Six “It all depends on the weather, water Irish heritage organization has been the float and its pieces took place faculty members voted that they temperature, and whether you get a lot revealed. largely in the headquarters of the had confidence in the president, Westfield State of wind,” said Grannells. The Sons of Erin float, which will be Westfield Gas and Electric, who has and two abstained from casting a University President The threat to the lake comes from the a part of Westfield’s segment of the been a major sponsor of the float for 30 vote, according to a statement Dr. Ramon Torrecilha desperate need to restore the water parade, is called, “Tell Me a Story.” It is years, and is one of four current major from the MSCA Union. (Photo courtesy WSU) quality in certain sections of the lake themed with characters and likenesses sponsors. “Westfield faculty made clear and curtail the increase of toxic of classic children’s and fantasy books “We are very thankful for their help,” that their concerns were not sin- Cyanobacteria algae blooms. In the let- such as Harry Potter, The Hobbit, said Hanrahan. gularly nor primarily about the recent bitter contractual ter sent by the town officials to Beaton Madeleine, Rapunzel, Dumbo, and The other three sponsors include the fight between the MSCA statewide union and The Council on January 10, it indicates that there Where the Wild Things Are, among Sons of Erin Ladies Auxiliary, Sarat of Presidents (Presidents of the nine state universities) – have been several blooms of toxic others. Ford, who donates a pickup truck to even though some of the concerns of the Westfield faculty “We’re doing this for the kids,” said pull the float through the parade route, resulted from that battle,” said the statement sent by Margot See Congamond, Page 3 Mark Hanrahan, chairman of the Float and the members of the Sons of Erin Hennessy, President of the MSCA’s WSU chapter, “Faculty Committee, “This is not for the who donate to the organization. insist that the alarming issues that led to this serious vote of 20-somethings hanging out and watch- Hanrahan said that between Denise no confidence are the president’s lack of cooperative lead- ing from their balcony.” and Jack Quinn, and the other volun- ership and his authoritarian and bullying style, all of which Each float in the parade falls under teers such as Paul Sawyer, more than has created a campus culture of dismissing faculty and staff one of four categories of general 1,500 man hours have gone into the input and concerns.” themes: Irish, patriotic, religious, or construction of the float. Several parts President Torrecilha has not personally made a comment open. Despite being an organization of the float can move via compressed on the matter, but Chairman of the WSU Board of Trustees dedicated to Irish heritage, the Son’s of air and motors as well. The parts include Kevin Queenin released a statement on behalf of his board Erin float falls under the broader ‘open’ the wings of the dragon and the arm of and the university. category. However, their float does fea- the wizard in the back, among others. “It is immensely disappointing and puzzling to learn of ture a Leprechaun and a primarily green Denise was given the wooden and the Massachusetts State College Association’s Westfield floor as an homage to the holiday. motorized frames of each of these piec- State Chapter’s move to call a vote of confidence or no Southwick town officials will now look On the float will be the Sons of Erin’s es to begin creating the characters that confidence in Westfield State University’s president. An to do the alum treatment on 2019 Colleen Contest winner, Hannah will be seen on Sunday. effective and transparent leader, President Torrecilha has Congamond Lake in the spring of Jury, and her court, Shaunessey 2020. (WNG File Photo) Lambert, Maura Wurster, Kaitlin See Float Unveiled, Page 3 See WSU Faculty, Page 8 Teens who embody ‘good citizens’ sought for awards By LORI SZEPELAK each spring varies Sposito, Geana Delisle and a check for $500.” Correspondent from year to year, and Daniele Sturmer Abar added that the Westfield Kiwanis Club WESTFIELD-For more than 70 years, the traditionally the are serving on the com- encourages the youth of Westfield to become Westfield Kiwanis Club has been awarding committee receives mittee. active in service to the community. Currently, high school students for being “good citi- anywhere from 25 to “All identifying the club supports Kiwanis K-Kids Clubs at zens.” more than 40 applications. information on the applications is redacted,” Franklin Avenue Elementary School, Paper With a deadline of April 15 fast approach- Applications can be downloaded at www. said Abar. “If, however, a member realizes Mill Elementary School, Munger Hill ing to apply for an award, high school stu- westfieldkiwanis.org or can be acquired from they may know an applicant, they recuse Elementary School, Southampton Road dents – not just seniors – are encouraged to guidance counselors at Westfield High School, themselves from voting on the applications School, and the Boys and Girls Club of complete an application. Westfield Technical Academy, St. Mary High from that particular school.” Greater Westfield. Also, the club sponsors “The Kiwanis Good Citizen Award is School, and the Southwick Regional School. On the single page form, students are asked Kiwanis Builders Clubs at the Westfield unique because it focuses on service to com- Additionally, applications are distributed to to detail meaningful community service activ- Intermediate School and Westfield Middle munity, school, and church rather than aca- the advisers of the Kiwanis Key Clubs.