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TONIGHT Showers. Low of 47. The WestfieldNews Search for The Westfield News Search for“W TheE Westfield DO NOT News TALK — WE Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews BLUDGEON ONE ANOTHER WITH Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns FACTS“TIME AND IS THE THEORIES ONLY GLEANED WEATHER CRITICFROM CURSORYWITHOUT READINGS TONIGHT AMBITIONOF NE.”W SPAPERS, Partly Cloudy. MAGAZINESJOHNSearch STEINBECK AND for The DIGESTS Westfield.” News Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews — HeNRY MILLER Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHERVOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 centsCRITIC WITHOUT VOL.88TONIGHT NO. 75 SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2019 75AMBITION Cents .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VeteransVOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 Fire Commission 75 cents organization fined by Superior offering Court Judge wellness By PETER CURRIER Correspondent WESTFIELD – The Fire Commission will hold its regularly event scheduled monthly meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday at the Little River Fire Station following last Monday’s decision by Hampden By GREG FITZpaTRICK County Superior Court Judge Constance Sweeney to fine the Correspondent commission $1,000 for actions taken in an executive session that WESTFIELD – Project New Hope, a she said was held in violation of open meeting law. veterans organization based in Worcester The case is Rebecca Boutin, Kyle Miltimore, David Kennedy, that helps veterans and active duty military Site Plan for new Dunkin Donuts at 95 Main St. (R. Levesque Assoc.) and Marianna Theodorakis (plaintiff-employees), vs. Albert J. with their every-day challenges, is hosting Masciadrelli, Patrick Olearcek, and Carlo Bonavita as they con- a free event at their Hampton Ponds Plaza stitute the Westfield Fire Commission (defendants). The decision office in Westfield on Monday. by Judge Sweeney stated that the Fire Commission was aware Project New Hope is offering free acu- Main Street Dunkin that they had violated open meeting law when they entered puncture sessions to veterans and active executive session. The decision added that they are not excused duty military. Two sessions will be offered, from “Their knowing and intentional violation of the Open one from 10-11 a.m. and another from 11 Meeting Law,” even though they entered the executive session at a.m. to noon. Donuts upgrading, the advice of the city’s lawyers and the City Solicitor. Bill Moore is not only the president and The executive session, which took place on Aug. 6, 2018, was 2010 founder of the organization, but he is held to “discuss strategy with respect to litigation related to also a disabled Air Force veteran who moving next door alleged misconduct,” and that, “an open meeting may have a began offering retreats for veterans, care- detrimental effect on the litigation position,” according to givers, and gold star families. By AMY PORTER Sweeney’s decision. Since an important aspect of the retreats Correspondent Albert Masciadrelli, the Chairman of the Fire Commission is the wellness that can bring a positive WESTFIELD – The Dunkin’ Donuts at 93 Main St. is moving – right who has served on the quorum for nearly 20 years, was the only impact on the individuals, Moore thought next door, to 95 Main St. Last week, the Planning Board approved a site one of the named defendants to testify on their behalf during a offering something like acupuncture plan for owners the Sardinha family of Sao Joao Realty to re-use the hearing in September, said Sweeney’s decision. It states that he would be beneficial to the veterans with former Cork and Bottle building as a Dunkin’ Donuts and drive thru with and the other defendants, Commissioner Olearcek and former whom he works. state-of-the-art equipment. commissioner Bonavita had voted to enter the executive session “Too often medications like opiates are Robert Levesque of R. Levesque Assoc. presented to the Planning to discuss the “reputations, characters, and mental health of the being pushed onto us (veterans and active Board. He said the building and parking lot would be renovated and the plaintiff-employees and to discuss the dismissal of the plaintiff- military),” Moore said. “It only makes façade upgraded as a Dunkin’ Donuts. He noted the current plan is to use employees.” sense to offer wellness not just at my at least two-thirds of the existing building at 95 Main St. for the restau- Sweeney added that neither the plaintiff-employees nor their weekend retreats, but also at my offices.” rant and drive-through, and possibly one-third for a retail space; although legal counsel weren’t given the right to be present at the execu- A type of alternative medicine where he said they may use the entire space. tive session. According to her, Masciadrelli testified that he was thin needles are inserted into the body, During the presentation, Levesque said all of the impervious surfaces aware that Open Meeting Law requires that an employee may be Acupuncture has been around for at least exist right now and would be improved and upgraded but not increased. present if their own reputation, character, or mental health are 25 years. Karen Adams, a licensed acu- He said a total of 19 parking spaces, which exceed the requirement, are being discussed. puncturist from Greenfield who will be in the plan for the building. “Remarkably, he insisted that he did not know that the reputa- conducting the sessions on Monday, is a The property borders Main, State and Taylor streets. Levesque said tions, characters, and mental health of the plaintiff-employees major proponent of acupuncture for veter- they would bring people into the restaurant on State and Taylor streets, were going to be discussed,” Sweeney said in his decision. ans and active duty military. and out onto Main Street or into the drive-thru, with the parking angled “Despite having provided advanced notice of the executive ses- “It’s such a simple protocol, it strength- one way. He said a guard rail and planting buffer would separate the sion to the City Clerk for posting and despite convening and ens the human,” Adams said. “They begin restaurant from 93 Main St., which is not a part of the plan and has a presiding over the closed meeting, the sole purpose of which was to take care of themselves the way they different owner. See Commission, Page 7 See Veterans, Page 7 See Dunkin, Page 7 Rep. Velis’ update History of Hello Westfield – hope you have all had a wonderful week. With yesterday, March 29th, being National Vietnam War Veterans Day, I wanted to use this week’s update to pay tribute to Westfield’s approximately 1200 Vietnam War Women’s Clubs Veterans. By ALYSSA MATHIESON I have often said that the way Intern, WSU ’20 Vietnam Vets were treated when they Almost everyone has heard of a “Gentlemen’s Club” returned from war is one of the worst before, but what about a Women’s Club? At the turn of the black marks on American history. 19th Century, women’s clubs began to take form. Many of After months or years fighting a these clubs, including the Westfield Woman’s Club in bloody stalemate in the depths of the Westfield, Massachusetts, served as a safe space for women jungle, Vietnam War Vets often came to learn and work alongside other women. These clubs home to protests and demonstrations. were, and still are, a place for women to simply get out of A photo was submitted of what downtown Southwick the house and socialize with each other. The Westfield They were spat on, yelled at, and looked like in 1902. (Photo from Celebrate Southwick 250th) generally disrespected. Their treat- Woman’s Club allows women to take part in many different ment by the public and the govern- activities that benefit them as well as their community. ment were a far cry from how their The Westfield Woman’s Club, organized in 1914, origi- fathers were treated following World 250th committee looking nally held meetings in the homes of various club members War II. These men fought bravely or at rented locations throughout Westfield. After a decade and served their country, but their for historic photos of not having a space of their own, their dream clubhouse was built and opened in 1926. The construction of the service often went punished or By GREG FITZpaTRICK ignored in the years following. building was made possible by generous donations from Correspondent two members, Mrs. Lucy Gillett and Mrs. Fred Parker. REP. JOHN VELIS When I think about my own expe- SOUTHWICK – The Celebrate Southwick 250th riences returning home after war, it They provided a collective total of $20,000 while smaller Committee is looking for photos that represent the his- donations came from other club members and businesses in gives me a heavy heart to think that the warm welcome and tory of Southwick. support my fellow post-9/11 Vets and I have received was Westfield. Once completed, the building was worth With Southwick being incorporated as a separate $45,000. The Westfield Woman’s Club is a three story club- not available to our Vietnam Vets. Nowadays, servicemen community on Nov. 7, 1770, the 250th Committee has and women are offered welcome home bonuses, military house that has many useful features, but the most popular worked on planning monthly events from December is the auditorium which sits approximately 250, including discounts, and countless “thank you”s – something they all 2019 to November 2020 in order to commemorate the deserved, as well. However, even in the wake of so much the balcony with seating of about 100.

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