Public Speaks out on City Budget
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TONIGHT Few Clouds. Low of 54. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews “ITSearch IS ONLY for The Westfield ON PAPER News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews THAT ONE MORALIZES Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER —CRITIC JUST WITHOUT WHERE TONIGHT ONE SHOULDNAMBITION.”’T .” Partly Cloudy. — RiCHASearchRDJOHN LE for STEINBECKTheGA LLWestfieldIENNE News LowWestfield350.comWestfield350.org of 55. Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY VOL.WEATHER 86 NO. 151 VOL. 87 NO. 143 TUESDAY,THURSDAY, JUNE JUNE 27,21, 20182017 CRITIC 75 75cents CentsWITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 PublicTUESDAY, JUNE speaks 27, 2017 out on city budget 75 cents By AMY PORTER Committee, who urged the council- to the low salaries paid to para-pro- Correspondent ors not to cut the school budget. She fessionals as a part of the program. WESTFIELD – About a dozen said with 80% of the district budget Douglas said she has been working residents came to the public hearing going to employees, chances were hard to get the best education for her on the budget in City Council cham- high that any cuts would mean lay- son that she can, but it has “not been bers on Wednesday, and fewer spoke. offs. easy.” She said Westfield Public City Council president John J. Sharing her personal story, Douglas Schools have great teachers and Beltrandi, III, who said the public said her son goes to Munger Hill administrators, but not enough funds hearing was the only item on the Elementary School, where there are to provide the programs they need to agenda, asked Finance sub-commit- many special education programs provide. ”We need to think about the tee chair Dan Allie if he had any and students on Individualized future, not just for special education, opening comments. Education Plans (IEPS), but only one but for all the children,” Douglas Allie said he preferred to let the board-certified behavioral specialist. said. public speak first, and the invitation “Next year, my son’s behaviorist Resident Donna Vella said she has went out. has taken another position. His para lived in Westfield a long time. She First to speak was Michele is also leaving. There has been no said she remembered Councilor Douglas, a member of the Special SEPAC parent Michele Douglas asks councilors not to cut the school consistency with my son’s team from Education Parent Advisory year to year,” Douglas said, pointing See Public Speaks Out, Page 3 budget at public hearing Wednesday. (Photo by Amy Porter) ‘The Big Reveal’ RUSSELL Sunday noon at Body of missing child the Huntington found in Westfield River Town Commons RUSSELL, Mass. (AP) — Authorities say the body of a child reported missing has been recovered in a Massachusetts river. By AMY PORTER State police say the child’s body was found in the Westfield Correspondent River in Russell at about 7 p.m. Wednesday. The child had been HUNTINGTON – This Sunday (June reported missing from a home in town several hours earlier. 24) from noon to 4 p.m. on the town Emergency responders performed CPR at the scene but were commons will be “The Big Reveal,” the unable to revive the child, who was then taken to Baystate Noble release of the new brand for the Hospital in Westfield. Gateway Hilltowns of Huntington, A spokesman for the Hampden district attorney’s office says Blandford, Chester, Middlefield, the child apparently drowned. Montgomery and Russell. The child’s name, age and gender were not immediately Jeanne LeClair, Economic released. Development Director for the Gateway Hilltowns, said The Big Reveal is the Brian Kelly of Kelly’s Home & Garden in Westfield is offering a free result of a grant of $40,000 for market- six-pack plant for area residents willing to donate a portion of their ing and promotion through the harvest to a local food pantry. Community Compact that the six towns signed with the Baker-Polito Administration two years ago, forming the Hilltown Collaborative. Free vegetable plants LeClair said the collaborative used the funds to hire TSM Design out of Springfield, whose clients have includ- for those who will ed UMASS Amherst, MassMutual, the Community Foundation of Western Mass., Baystate Health, and Westfield share their bounty Gas and Electric. Over the past few By LORI SZEPELAK months, TSM Design held four focus Correspondent group meetings with representatives WESTFIELD-When Brian Kelly saw a Facebook post from the from each town to develop a shared Westfield Food Pantry seeking fresh produce this summer, an “organ- brand. ic idea” immediately came to mind. At The Big Reveal, the public is “We first shared that post with our Facebook followers and over- invited to join in a scavenger hunt at night we had another idea,” said Kelly of Kelly’s Home & Garden. noon on Sunday, at which assembled “We decided to give a free vegetable six pack (or a single) to those teams will be given two hours to visit local gardeners who would be willing to donate a portion of their all six towns, following clues to a spe- harvest to a local food pantry or charity.” cific location in each and to take a The idea quickly took off and as of Tuesday morning, Kelly said he Congamond Lake. (WNG File Photo) photo. Prizes, including gift certificates has given more than 100 packs away and still has more that can be at area businesses and a commemora- planted. tive poster of the new logo will be awarded to successful teams. See Organic Idea, Page 8 Officials remind Then, at 2:30, the new brand, logo and tagline for the Gateway Hilltowns will be revealed. Representatives from community the towns will read the narrative they helped to write, which has a goal to attract WOW!new families It’s... and businesses to the area. Southwick Police identifying about lake safety By GREG FITZpaTRICK See The Big Reveal, Page 3 shoplifting suspects Correspondent SOUTHWICK – Now that summer is officially here, Southwick By GREG WOW!residents It’s... and people from around the area are heading to A Showcase of Great PerformersFITZpaTRICK Congamond Lake for their enjoyment. While the focus for many Correspondent people on Congamond Lake is to enjoy themselves, town offi- from New York and New EnglandSOUTHWICK – A cials want to remind everyone that safety on the lake is para- shoplifting incident was mount. Saturday, May 19,reported 2018 at 8pmto the A big concern from town officials is making sure people stay Southwick Police safe on the vessels they are operating or boarding on. CANOE: THEDepartment MUSICAL on Tuesday. “You have to know your vessel, no matter what experience you Starring Mary Brown BonacciThe and Big Bob PlasseY on 195 A Showcasehave,” said Southwick of Great Chief of Police Performers David Ricardi. “You still With Michael RheaultCollege and James HomanHighway in have to know the capabilities of the vehicle and treat it with Audiences love this irresistible look at a from New York and New England modern marriage, using theSouthwick songs of Hollywood, did a routine respect.” Broadway and the Americancheck Songbook. through their sur- Ricardi pointed out that people on any type of boat or personal veillance video system The Big Y surveil- watercraft have to know the navigation signs that are out there recently and saw two The Big Y surveillance and what theySaturday, mean. One important May 19, navigation 2018 sign at is 8pm the no- video also captured a lance video also cap- Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 8pm individuals shoplifting tured a photo of the wake zone, in which boats or any other types of vessels can’t Jeanne LeClair, Gateway Hilltowns photo of the male sus- from their store. It was female suspect. (Photo reach higher thanCANOE: a headway speed THE of six milesMUSICAL per hour when in Economic DevelopmentJUKEBOX Director. U. pect. (Photo from Southwick from Southwick Police Starring Mary Brown Bonacci and Bob Plasse (WNGStarring File Photo) Samirah Evans and The Jazz Professors See Suspects, Page 8 Police Department) See Lake Safety, Page 3 A century of great music, re-imagined by an Department) With Michael Rheault and James Homan internationally known jazz and blues artist and a Audiences love this irresistible look at a quintet of musicians with pedigree! Super fun! modern marriage, using the songs of Hollywood, WOW! It’s... BANQUET HALL OF THE SHORTSTOP • 99 SpringfieldBroadway and the Rd, American Westfield Songbook. BANQUET HALL OF THE SHORTSTOP 99 Springfield Road, Westfield RESERVATIONS: 413-579-5967 or online at Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 8pm FOR RESERVATIONS westfieldonweekends.com 413-579-5967 or online at westfieldonweekends.com $ 00 JUKEBOX U. Theatre seating $30 per individual show or both for $55 Theatre Seating 30 A Showcase of Great Performers Starring Samirah Evans and The Jazz Professors Cocktail hour with savory and sweet hors d’oeuvres from 7pm. Showtime at 8pm. from New York and New England PRODUCED BY: Westfield on Weekends, Inc. A century of great music, re-imagined by an (In association with the Shortstop Bar & Grill and internationally known jazz and blues artist and a the Music Department of Westfield State University) quintet of musicians with pedigree! Super fun! Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 8pm Tix Available at: Blue Umbrella Books • 2 Main St. • Westfield PRODUCED BY Westfield on Weekends, Inc. (In association with the Shortstop Bar and Grill and the Music DepartmentCANOE: of Westfield THE State University.)MUSICAL Funded in part with a grant from the Westfield Cultural Council, a program of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.