TONIGHT Partly Cloudy. Low of 31. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.comTODAY IN WESTFIELD HISTheTORY: WestfieldNews “PIONEERS 1783 Towne Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns ARE SELDOM“TIME IS THEFROM ONLY WEATHER Celebrated return of THE NOBILITYCRITIC. T HEREWITHOUT TONIGHT peace, 13 guns was WERE NO DUKESAMBITION ON .” THE MAYFLOWER.” Partly Cloudy. the morning salute. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com Search — Ma forC KThe SE WestfieldNNETT News Westfield350.comWestfield350.org The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents VOL.87 NO. 278 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2018 CRITIC75 CentsWITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL.Ethnic 86 NO. 151 aspersion TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 Mayor 75 cents precedes assault presents By CARL E. HARTDEGEN Correspondent WESTFIELD – A Chicopee man said he was set upon and spending beaten in the early hours of Thursday morning after he responded to an ethnic slur while walking on Jefferson Street. City police were summoned to Baystate Noble Hospital emergency room at 4:24 a.m. Thursday by staff who reported reduction that a patient said he had been assaulted. Officer Edward Tosado report he spoke with the victim at the hospital where the man told him that the incident had occurred while he was walking on Jefferson Street abut 2:15 Westfield’s Finance sub-committee Monday, Nov. 26. of $200K a.m., after the bars had closed. By AMY PORTER He told Tosado that the occupants of a passing late-model Correspondent silver-colored Toyota told him to “go back to Mexico”. The WESTFIELD – Mayor Brian P. man said that he responded with a raised middle finger and Finance Committee votes on Sullivan came before the Finance sub- then the vehicle stopped. committee to request acceptance of a The victim said that two men got out of the car and struck Managed Appropriation Reduction of him about the face and head until he fell to the ground and disposition of Cross St. Bond $200,000 for the current Fiscal Year they left. By AMY PORTER expenses from auditor Mary Daley. 2019 budget. Sullivan congratulated all Correspondent Daley told the committee that the of the department heads, who he said dug deep in their budgets for the savings. WESTFIELD – Disposition of city borrowed $3.5 million of the The Mayor said the $36 million Bond Order #2529 bond amount, and received some of the savings originally intended for a new ele- $901,801 in reimbursements from are in salaries of peo- mentary school at Cross St. and the Massachusetts School Building ple who have left, and Ashley St. came before the Finance Authority (MSBA), for a total of whose positions are Home invader sub-committee on Monday. $4.4 million. $3.9 million to date not being filled “in Finance committee chairman Dan entirety or at all.” He Allie asked for a recap of the bond See Cross St. Bond, Page 8 said he also asked every department head to look for sav- robs resident MAYOR By CARL E. HARTDEGEN ings in their pur- chase of services BRIAN P. Correspondent SULLIVAN WESTFIELD – City police are investigating a home accounts. He said invasion and robbery which reportedly occurred Sunday at Westfield Athenaeum most of the POS sav- a Westfield Housing Authority property. ings are in projects, Police report that a resident of the Kennedy Apartments such as in the Engineering Department, which are not slated to be done in this on Kasper Drive called at 3:51 a.m. Sunday morning to fiscal year. report that a man had pushed his way into her home. begins Food for Fines drive By PETER CURRIER Sullivan said the School Department The resident told the emergency dispatcher that the man Correspondent also cut their heating fuel projection by rang her doorbell. She said that when she answered the door WESTFIELD- The Westfield $50,000, due to HVAC upgrades. He he pushed his way into her apartment and demanded her Athenaeum has kicked off its annual said he also cut $8,000 in his own money while threatening her life. Food for Fines drive to benefit the unforeseen account, just to make it to Officer Elijah White reports that the victim said that the Westfield Food Pantry. $200,000. man had asked to use the phone but when she opened the Westfield residents who carry an “There is nothing grand here, but door he threw her to the ground and took her phone, flinging Athenaeum library card and have out- when you add them all up, you come up it aside. standing late fees can bring non-perish- with $200,000,” Mayor Sullivan said. The woman said that her assailant fled when she gave him able foods to the circulation desk and At-large Councilor Matthew money she had, less than $100. have up to ten dollars of their fines Emmershy asked about the full-time sal- White requested an ambulance so that the victim’s minor waived. The drive runs from Nov. 19 to ary savings in the Mayor’s office. injuries could be evaluated but she declined transport to the Dec. 31. In years past, the Athenaeum Sullivan said that the Outreach hospital. has held the drive for just a week, this Coordinator (Amber Danahey) has left Officer Chris Coach and his K-9 partner, Aires, were dis- year they opted to run it for over a for another job. “After budget time last patched to help with the investigation and Det. Richard Westfield Athenaeum employee month this year. year, she did not feel comfortable stay- Mazza came to examine the crime scene. He reports that Taylor Figueroa with part of the very ing here, so she sought another job,” he “This year we decided because the some evidence was recovered and the investigation is first donation for this year’s Food added. The Finance committee had rec- ongoing. for Fines drive. (Photo by Peter Currier) ommended the elimination of the See Food for Fines, Page 8 Outreach Coordinator’s position in June as one of its $2 million in proposed cuts, none of which passed the City Council. Sullivan said he would not fill the posi- Student food drive to aid food pantry Public hearing on tion this fiscal year, but hoped to include it in the budget next year. By GREG FITZPATRICK Emmershy also asked if there were Correspondent Arm Brook Dam savings in the Fire Department due to the SOUTHWICK – Nora Reilly, a retirement of the Chief. The Mayor said freshman at Southwick Regional that there may be some savings at the School, has organized a food drive to findings Thursday end of the year, but he is required to benefit the Our Community Food By AMY PORTER budget a full-year’s salary even if some- Pantry that serves Southwick, one leaves mid-year. Correspondent “I want to thank you for doing this Granville, and Tolland. WESTFIELD – On Thursday, Nov. 29 at The food drive is a part of Project every year. It’s definitely helpful,” said 5:30 p.m. in City Council chambers, the Flood Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise. 351, a non-profit and youth-driven Control Commission is holding a public hear- organization in Massachusetts that “It’s $200,000 being cut, so we’re not ing at which representatives from the U.S. taxing people for that,” the Mayor allows eighth graders to make a differ- Dept. of Agriculture National Resource ence in their community. Project 351 responded. Conservation Service (NRCS) will address Finance Committee chairman Dan was first launched by former residents, businesses and city officials on their Allie agreed, saying there are some Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick in initial assessment of the Arm Brook Flood things that can’t be predicted in June. 2011, and has been continued by Gov. Control Dam and Reservoir. The committee then voted 3-0 to recom- Charlie Baker. Every town in the state FCC Chairman Albert G. Giguere, Jr. said the mend the appropriation to the full City is required to have a student be select- Council for a vote at a Special City ed for Project 351 to represent their See Arm Brook Dam, Page 8 Council meeting on Thursday, Nov. 29. community. Following the meeting, Allie said that Students are required to do three the Mayor had stated that he will recom- projects in order to be an eighth-grade mend moving Free Cash into the budget ambassador of Project 351. Reilly did for more tax savings, which he did not a clothing drive this past spring, a address at the Finance meeting. tribute service during the summer, and The agenda for Thursday’s City now the food drive. Despite needing Council meeting, which was published to be in eighth grade to be a Project later in the day on Monday, includes a Reilly is organizing the food drive to benefit 351 ambassador, Reilly applied to be a request from Mayor Sullivan for imme- the Our Community Food Pantry of Southwick, diate consideration to transfer $1 million Granville, and Tolland. (Submitted photo) See Student Food Drive, Page 8 Flood Control Commission Chairman Albert from certified Free Cash to reduce the G. Giguere, Jr. Fiscal Year 2019 tax levy. AHoliday CELEBRATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8 AT 7:30 PM • SPRINGFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Join us for a special Holiday Celebration featuring Brynn Cartelli, 2018 winner of NBC’s The Voice, Mary Lambert, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, and many more! This unforgettable holiday concert is the perfect way for families to start their seasonal festivities early.