Bad Business the Motive to Pull the Fire Alarm Is Unclear
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TONIGHT Partly Cloudy. Low of 26. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT TAMBITIONHE WESTFIELD.” NEWS Partly Cloudy. WILL NOJOHNT PUBLISH STEINBECK CHRISTMAS Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com DAY. TUESSearch., D forEC The. 25, Westfield 2018. News Westfield350.comWestfield350.org The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHERVOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents VOL.87 NO. 306 MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2018 CRITIC75 CentsWITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com Mike Tirrell of Westfield MyersVOL. 86 NO. 151 Information Systems taps Tirrell as COO has joined 75 cents TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 Myers By AMY PORTER will play a vital role in advancing Myers’ ing the company’s existing Business Information Correspondent next generation broadcast management Intelligence and Data Services plat- Systems as NORTHAMPTON – Myers solutions, the company announced last forms. Prior to working with their new Information Systems, a pioneer in broad- week. NBCUniversal, he served WideOrbit, Chief cast management solutions, has “We’re super excited to have him join Inc. as Director of Integrations where he Operating announced Westfield resident Mike Myers. He has a lot of expertise in our facilitated integrations between internal Officer. Tirrell as their new Chief Operating domain, and will be a wonderful addi- systems and over 70 media industry ven- (Photo Officer (COO). Tirrell, a media industry tion to our company,” said Crist Myers, dor products. submitted) veteran with over 20 years of technical President and CEO of Myers Information Tirrell is a Westfield High School and leadership and innovation expertise, will Systems. Westfield State University graduate, drive the company’s corporate, strategic, Tirrell most recently served where he earned a bachelor’s in mathe- and operational initiatives forward. His NBCUniversal Media, LLC as Senior matics with a minor in computer science. proven track record for Systems Director, Data Services where he was Integration and Data Transformation responsible for building and moderniz- See COO, Page 8 Last minute shoppers evacuate Wal-Mart By PETER CURRIER Correspondent WESTFIELD- The Wal-Mart on Springfield Road had to be evacuated Sunday afternoon after somebody acti- vated a fire alarm. The alarm was pulled just before 1 p.m. prompting the busy store to evacuate. The Westfield Fire Department responded to the alarm and arrived quickly before clearing the scene. Westfield’s Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Kane said that it is believed to be a malicious false alarm. Being just two days before Christmas JONATHAN C. HOUSTON OMAR E. MALDONADO when the call happened, the store was quite crowded with last minute holiday shoppers. There is no known suspect, and The City of Westfield’s fire department Bad business the motive to pull the fire alarm is unclear. headquarters on Broad St. (WNG file photo) By CARL E. HARTDEGEN two assailants had “a beef” During the day, the boy was Correspondent with him because he had previ- apparently able to replace his Gateway junior interns WESTFIELD – An enter- ously sold them “fake drugs”. cellphone since he called again prising city youth had a bad The victim said that he had later that same day, at 9:08 day in the marijuana business been holding his cell phone in p.m., to report that he had been Thursday. his hand before the attack and robbed at knifepoint during a at Hilltown Community He was assaulted in the dropped it when he was assault- marijuana purchase. morning while he was trying to ed. He said his assailants must He again identified his buy marijuana and assaulted have taken it when they fled assailants by name and said again in the evening while he since he could not find it after that they left on foot and he Ambulance was trying to sell marijuana. the attack. was following them. HUNTINGTON – At first glance, City police report that a State Police were asked to Officer Bradley White Bandon Lanpher might seem like the aver- 16-year-old Exchange Street check the Russell residence of reports that as he was approach- age high school kid from the hilltowns. But resident called at 1:14 a.m. one of the persons the victim ing the scene of the robbery at he very well might save your life some day. Thursday to complain that he identified and found Jonathan the intersection of Main and Gateway junior Brandon Lanpher has had been mugged by two male C. Houston, 18, at his 961 Cross streets, he saw two per- been AHA (American Heart Association) parties he identified by name. Blandford Road, Russell, sons walking and recognized certified and working with first responders Officer Elijah Wolfe reports home. one of them as a person the boy for nearly a year. Lanpher’s work began that the victim told him that he He was taken into custody had named. The officer with the Montgomery Fire Department, had been leaning into the win- and transported to Westfield by detained the two male parties under Chief Stephen Frye. Now, he is dow of a parked pickup truck Officer Francis Gaulin where and reports that the victim interning with the Hilltown Community while negotiating a purchase of he was arrested for assault and approached him, yelling at the Ambulance, advised by Cate Santos under marijuana when he was battery, assault and battery with two suspects. Service Director Angela Mulkerin. attacked from behind. The boy a dangerous weapon (a shod The boy told the officer that This internship with Hilltown said that he knew the two male foot) and unarmed robbery. he had spoken with one of the Community Ambulance has given Lanpher parties from prior drug dealing Houston was arraigned later suspects, Omar Maldonado, hands-on experience that he can apply to and other encounters and that Thursday in Westfield District 20, of no fixed address, earlier his future career in emergency medicine, they punched and kicked him Court and released on his per- about selling him “weed” and which will include trauma assessments and before they fled. sonal recognizance pending a initial treatment,such as controlling bleed- The boy explained that his Feb. 2 hearing. See Bad Business, Page 8 Gateway Junior Brandon Lanpher ing, administering oxygen, splinting bro- interns under the supervision of men- ken bones, and transporting an ill or injured tor Cate Santos at Hilltown person to the hospital. Community Ambulance as he pre- pares for EMT certification See Gateway Juniors, Page 8 Newly formed coalition benefits tobacco enforcement in Southwick By GREG FITZpaTRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – According to Board of Health Director Tom FitzGerald, a compliance check was held last week for all tobacco vendors in Southwick. FitzGerald was happy to announce that all 15 tobacco vendors passed the com- pliance check. “The board is very pleased that the tobacco enforcement was so successful,” said FitzGerald. “We hope for continued success as we try to decrease the amount of underage people both developing smoking habits and getting nicotine.” TOM FITZGERALD In the Holiday Spirit The compliance check involves a Board of Health Director health official who has individuals that Health. The Accounting Department at the main office of Westfield Bank on Elm Street gets into are under 21-years-old buy him or her “We appreciate the grant and we look the holiday spirit. Kelli Wood and Paula Young show off their work space that they have cigarettes and see if the vendor allows it. forward to continuing these compliance transformed into a colorful cottage complete with a chimney, a snowy roof, fireplace and The Southwick Board of Health was checks in the future,” said FitzGerald. even an Elf on a shelf. The entire department has been festively decorated by bank employ- able to have this compliance check occur Part of the grant from the Department ees. (Photo submitted) by receiving a tobacco grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public See Coalition, Page 8 PAGE 2 - MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2018 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS The True Spirit of Christmas Christmas is a time of giving and reaching out to those less fortunate. In this spirit, parish- ioners from St. Peter's and St. Casimir's Church gathered over 60 gifts for battered women and their children who are sheltered in local safe places. Pictured near the collection box which is overflowing with packages are parishioners Paul and Peg Carbonneau (back row), chil- dren Jenna and Jaden Lakoma (front row), and Father Wallis. ODDS & ENDS LOCAL LOTTERY LAST NIGHT’s numBERS MASSACHUSETTS TUESDAY WEDNESDAY Man finds a MassCash TONIGHT 01-02-08-19-21 Mega Millions $10,000 surprise Estimated jackpot: $321 million Numbers Evening inside designer 4-3-9-9 Numbers Midday 7-4-9-5 bag on subway Powerball NEW YORK (AP) — A Chanel purse Estimated jackpot: $294 million Sunny Partly Sunny. left in a Manhattan subway station held a $10,000 surprise for the man who found it. 34-37 36-38 Richard Taverna was at the West 66th Today, scattered snow showers during the morning. Then Street and Broadway stop earlier this partly to mostly cloudy this afternoon. High 38F. Chance of week when he spotted the purse by a plat- snow 30%. Tonight, partly cloudy. Low 26F. Winds WNW at form wall. Partly Cloudy. 5 to 10 mph. Tuesday, sunny. High 37F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Tuesday Night, clear skies. Low 23F. Winds NW at He tells the West Side Rag online blog 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday, sunshine and some clouds.