TONIGHT Partly Cloudy. Low of 11. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews “TO ESCAPE CRITICISM Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “T—IME DO IS THENO TONLYHING , SAY WEATHER NOTCRITICHING, WITHOUTBE NOTHING .” TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. — ELJOHNBE RSTEINBECKT HUBBARD Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHERVOL. 86 NO. 151 75 cents VOL.87 NO. 294 WEDNESDAY,TUESDAY, DECEMBER JUNE 27, 2017 12, 2018 CRITIC75 CentsWITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com Marijuana Convicted VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents grow facility OUI driver had hearing drinking history continued Sherry Elander with Alec, a former East Mt. Mangal and helper Crystal Hays dis- Road Transition student who is now a paid cuss his photographs of city blocks in By CARL E. HARTDEGEN mentor at Westfield State, at the PhotoVoice Westfield at the exhibit. (Photo by Amy Correspondent exhibit. (Photo by Amy Porter) Porter) WESTFIELD – A review of court records shows that to February a city man who was jailed recently after conviction in By GREG FITZPATRICK Hampden County Superior Court on a charge of involun- Correspondent tary manslaughter while operating a motor vehicle under SOUTHWICK – Prior to PhotoVoice Exhibit gives the influence of alcohol began his path to prison – paved Tuesday night’s Planning Board with alcohol, driving and assault charges – years earlier. meeting, Jon Goddard of R. Ryan A. Pasquini-Pezzini , Levesque Associates informed the expression to student voices 27, of 183 Gun Club Road, Westfield News that Southwick Westfield, pleaded guilty in Greenhouses Inc. has postponed By AMY PORTER Hampden County Superior their continued public hearing that Correspondent court to the manslaughter was scheduled for Tuesday. WESTFIELD – The Rinnova Creative charge and to a charge of leav- Goddard, consultant for the proj- Arts Center on Elm Street hosted a recep- ing the scene of a property dam- ect that Southwick Greenhouses tion on Tuesday evening for PhotoVoice, a age accident and was sentenced Inc. is developing, said that the photographic exhibit by students in the East to an 11-12 year term in state continued public hearing has been Mountain Road Transition program of the prison for the manslaughter requested for February 5. Westfield Public schools, funded by the charge by Judge Mark D. Paul Dellatorre, owner of Westfield Education Foundation. Mason on Oct. 16. Southwick Greenhouses Inc. at 27 Four students from the EMRT program, The charges stem from two Hudson Dr. that’s been operating several of whom are dually enrolled through vehicular collisions which in town since 1983 growing roses, occurred within minutes of each RYAN A. the Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment “I am passionate about Westfield,” said is looking to diversify his business other Nov. 8, 2016. PASQUINI Initiative (ICEI at Westfield State University Ned of his photos of downtown events and by growing and producing mari- Shortly after 7:30 p.m. that -PEZZINI and Holyoke Community College, dis- structures. (Photo by Amy Porter) juana in his facility. played their photographs for the exhibition evening, Pasquini-Pezzini Dellatorre is looking to get and spoke to visitors about them. Sherry where she takes a photography course. Her rammed his vehicle into the rear of another car on Main approved for a special permit by Elander, transition specialist for the EMRT photos featured nature and landscapes at Street at the intersection with Meadow Street. the Planning Board in order to Program, who wrote the original grant for the college and Stanley Park. One photo in Fleeing that accident scene, Pasquini-Pezzini drove move forward with the project. the ICEI program, said of the 27 students in particular, focusing on the raindrops on a east and witnesses reported that he was traveling at a According to Dellatorre, the the EMRT program, 14 attend college window looking onto a landscape, garnered high rate of speed when he approached the traffic light at building has not been in operation classes at WSU and HCC. a lot of comments at Rinnova for its beauty. the intersection with Delmont Avenue. Although he was since he decided to stop growing Mangal, a first-year student in the EMRT Maddie also participated in the Yearbook facing a red light and traffic was crossing Main Street roses. Dellatorre added that import- program took photos of downtown Club at Westfield High School when she from the shopping center parking lot, Pasquini-Pezzini ing roses has become much cheap- Westfield, and the places he likes to go. was a student there. did not stop and plowed into one of the crossing vehi- er than growing them and making One photo showed the city block of Whip Dakota, a former Westfield Tech graphic cles.Pasquini-Pezzini’s car struck the driver’s side of a it tougher to be successful in the City Music, where he likes to go and play arts student, could not attend the reception Toyota Tacoma pickup truck operated by David business. guitar. Another is of the Central Baptist because she was participating in a choral Matyseck, 68, of Westfield. Matyseck was fatally injured. About four years ago, Dellatorre altar, where students have lunch after cre- club performance at Holyoke Community Officer Bradley White reports that after the second noted that an individual was inter- ative art classes at Rinnova. Mangal is also College, where she is dually enrolled. Her crash Pasquini-Pezzini was slurring his words so badly esting in using his greenhouse to interested in cooking, and the restaurant photographs focused on college life, and he was hard to understand and displayed the classic grow medical marijuana when the Alo Saigon is featured in one of the photo- one on a dog, showing her love of animals. symptoms of alcohol intoxication. When asked how substance first became legal in graphs. Ned, another former Westfield Tech much he had to drink, Pasquini-Pezzini replied “Not Massachusetts in 2012. Despite Maddie is dually enrolled at EMRT and graphic arts and EMRT student is now fully enough”. taking the proposal to the Planning Westfield State University’s ICEI program, matriculated into the HCC communications Although Pasquini-Pezzini’s reckless driving that Board, Dellatorre didn’t receive department. “I was one of those kids who night was the direct cause which sent him to prison, his enough votes to move forward. didn’t want to go to college. Sherry journey to get there began much earlier. Dellatorre added that he’s open (Elander) said she had one spot at HCC. Westfield police had been dealing with Pasquini- to having an investor or a profes- You start from square one, and you work Pezzini – as a juvenile – for years by 2009 when, at 17, sional grower join the project, but your way up,” said Ned. Pasquini-Pezzini had his first appearance in Westfield for now, he will be conducting the Ned said he enjoys photographing struc- District Court as an adult. growing and producing process of tures and various events in downtown marijuana, along with six to 10 Westfield. Included in his featured photos See OUI Driver, Page 8 employees. were ones of a Westfield on Weekends con- The existing greenhouse fea- cert and of the Pumpkin Fest on the green. tures 21,000 sq. ft., along with two Another photo featured the newly-refur- Maddie’s photos featured landscapes at outhouse buildings that are 2,000 bished railroad bridge on the Columbia Westfield State, where she studies pho- Greenway Rail Trail. Ned said the bridge Kids Night Out ideal See Facility, Page 8 tography, and at Stanley Park. (Photo by Amy Porter) See PhotoVoice, Page 8 for parents juggling holiday commitments By LORI SZEPELAK Sidewalk account Correspondent WESTFIELD-For parents seeking a date night or needing now in effect time for a last-minute holiday shopping trip, the YMCA of By GREG FITZPATRICK Greater Westfield will offer a Correspondent Kids Night Out on Friday, Dec. 14. SOUTHWICK – After a series of reviews by the Attorney “We offer a monthly gathering for children to meet General’s Office, including an appeal process, a revolving account tons of other children in all age groups,” said Patrick for sidewalks was formed into a bylaw on December 6, according Lusteg, camp/program director. to DPW Director Randy Brown. Lusteg noted that YMCA memberships are not Passed by the voting residents at the annual town meeting in May required to attend the Kids Night Out program which is of 2018, the sidewalk revolving account allows developers in town conducted on the second Friday of the month from 5:30 to deposit money into this account if they don’t need to put side- to 9:30 p.m. Town Counsel Ben Coyle (left)speaks to the Select Board walks at a certain area of a subdivision they’re building. This would “It’s a good night for children, ages 4 to 11, to inter- while DPW Director Randy Brown (right) looks on during allow the money to be used to maintain other sidewalks in town that act with other kids and put away the electronics,” said an October 2018 Select Board meeting on the sidewalk desperately need it. revolving account. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick) See Kids Night Out, Page 8 Prof. GeorgeSee Sidewalk Michael Account, Page 7 WSU Terrorism Expert RADIO FOR THE WESTFIELD MASSES THE WESTFIELD FOR RADIO The Westfield Westfield scouts ready News Radio Athenaeum holds 4th annual Show Thursday Hat and Mitten Tree drive to take cookie orders By PETER CURRIER By LORI SZEPELAK Line-Up Correspondent Correspondent 6am-8am WESTFIELD- The Westfield Athenaeum is displaying its WESTFIELD-Girls from Westfield were among hundreds fourth annual Hat and Mitten Tree to collect warm winter who gathered at the Mass Mutual Center on Saturday night to clothes for charity.