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JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL.Southwick 86 NO. 151 K-9 unit TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents completes training By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – The two members of the Southwick K-9 unit have completed the entirety of the K-9 program and are out and about in the community. K-9 handler officer Michael Westcott and K-9 General finished their narcotics training in late January. For the narcotics phase of the program, Westcott and General WTA freshmen Maxim Pyshnyak and Anatoliy Instructor Wayne Bush said jobs like the shutters endured four weeks of training that Suprunchuk work on the router table to match have to be fit in with regular projects designed to add helped them to learn how to identify pieces of the shutters. (Photo by Amy Porter) skills. (Photo by Amy Porter) different narcotic substances. Previous to that, the two mem- Southwick Police K-9 handler bers of the K-9 unit took part in the Mike Westcott seen with K-9 first phase of the program, which General. (Photo courtesy of Southwick allowed General to become a certi- WTA carpentry helping Police Department) fied police utility dog. After earning that title, General is now certified in Obedience, Article Search, Area Search, Building Search, Tracking, Handler Protection, and Aggression Control. history come back to life Westcott and General are now out on the streets of Southwick patrol- ling and waiting to be called for duty. Observing the training and patrols By AMY PORTER “You’d get to know everybody thus far, Westcott is happy with General’s progress. Correspondent and you’d be with them a long “It’s been going awesome, he’s a great dog,” said Westcott. WESTFIELD – Students in the period of time.” Being a K-9 handler is a responsibility that he’s always wanted to Woodworking Department at Using tables and routers this pursue. Westfield Technical Academy are week, the students were trying to “It’s always what I wanted to do,” said Westcott. “I always tried to get working to re-create five pairs of match the thickness of the origi- into it as much as I could.” window shutters for the Wyben/ nal slats. Sgt. Tom Krutka, who was the previous K-9 handler would get assis- West Farms Schoolhouse Bush said normally, students tance from Westcott during trainings. Restoration Project. The students work on a series of projects from On August 1, it was announced that Westcott would become the next are working from a remnant dis- blueprints that build on sets of K-9 handler after Krutka was promoted to a Sergeant’s position. Krutka covered under the building and a skills. Many of the students in the had been the handler for 10 years, alongside his K-9, Jax, who retired document provided by the group freshmen class this week were and now lives with him at home. seeking the restoration. working on footstools. Bush said On October 3 2017, General was selected as the new K-9. He was Wayne Bush, who runs the car- by the time they finish a project, named after Jack Jeneral, a Southwick resident who gave the Southwick pentry shop side for the program they’ve mastered what they’ve Police Department a donation of $8,000 to go towards the department’s at the school, said that Dick done, all the way up to high K-9 fund. Patterson, project coordinator at advanced skills. the school house, had reached out He said half of the juniors and to them after discovering the old seniors are out on co-ops with shutter, presumably from 1861 general contractors, woodwork- when the school was built. ing companies, and one in interior Bush, who has been at the design. Others are working on the school for six years, said that it house on Pontoosic Street. WSU Hosts Job was an interesting project for “We always try to do commu- them, because it was an opportu- nity service,” Bush said. “We’re nity to learn about old style join- WTA freshmen Anatoliy project-based learning – to fit ery. “They didn’t use power Suprunchuk, Maxim, Pyshnyak something in like this (the shut- & Internship Fair tools,” he said, adding that the and carpentry instructor Wayne ters) is difficult. We’re hoping the By TAYLOR CHOQUETTE students would try to re-enact the Bush are recreating shutters next couple of weeks we’ll be Intern, WSU ’18 hand-made shutters that used for the Wyben one-room done,” he added. On Wednesday April 4, Westfield State University is hosting a Job dowels, and mortise and tenon schoolhouse from a fragnment The Wyben/West Farms and Internship Fair. The fair will be held in Scanlon Banquet Hall from joinery, while still using power that was found under the build- Schoolhouse is located at 605 1 – 4 p.m. tools. ing. (Photo by Amy Porter) Montgomery Road, in the Wyben Free and open to the public, both stu- Bush has freshmen and seniors been working on the shutter proj- section and is one of Westfield’s dents and area residents are encouraged working on the project. He said ect are freshmen Maxim Pyshnyak hidden treasures. Built in 1861, it to attend WSU’s largest career fair. The he went with some of the students and Anatoliy Suprunchuk, who is the last remaining city-owned Job & Internship Fair is open to all to visit the school, and do pre- said they have enjoyed working one room schoolhouse, still in its majors and career disciplines. Attendants liminary measurements of the on the historical rebuild. original location. It closed as a should dress in business attire and bring windows. The fragment that was “It was fun, we learned a lot. school in June 1939. resumes to hand out to potential employ- found had partial sides and top, We learned about the assembly The restoration is a project of ers. and one or two slats, which helped process and the milling process,” the Westfield Historical This year there are over 90 companies to guide the recreation. “That’s Anatoliy said. Commission, with support and scheduled to attend, varying from media better than nothing,” Bush said. “Just to be a part of such a his- funding from the Westfield outlets, financial companies to police He said the students figured out torical building is pretty interest- Community Preservation departments. the materials list, and the materi- ing,” Maxim said. Asked what Commission and members of the Attendees can download a list of als were donated to the school. they thought about a one-room attending agencies, a career fair map, Two of the students who have schoolhouse, Maxim added, See Carpentry, Page 3 and create a free account to upload resumes via the Know.Careers phone application. ‘Westfield Poetry Trail’ coming soon By LORI SZEPELAK will be on display during April at Blue Umbrella Winners will be notified by May 12 and an art- Correspondent Books, Circuit Coffee, Two Rivers Burrito, ist and poet reception will be conducted later in WESTFIELD-A unique “trail” will weave its Mama Cakes, Blended Vintage Marketplace and May to announce the winners, award the pieces way through the downtown in April – encourag- the Skyline Trading Company. Each location of art and read the winning poems. ing poets and writers to compose poems from represents a display station along the Westfield The trail begins at Blue Umbrella Books with works of art by local artists. Poetry Trail. a 8”x10” canvas piece titled “Butterfly with ArtWorks of Westfield, Inc., is hosting its “Poets and writers are invited to visit each sta- Daisy” by Westfield photographer Christopher Images & Words Poetry Contest to celebrate tion along the trail and compose a poem they feel Lyons. The second display station is at Circuit National Poetry Month in April along a “Westfield best reflects the emotions of the piece or best Coffee featuring “Too much for a Hailku” by Poetry Trail.” works with the artwork on display at each sta- Paint & Poetry founder Denise Fountaine- “ArtWorks, in conjunction with local visual tion,” said Westerlind. Pincince. The third station is Two Rivers Burrito artists and downtown merchants, is hosting the Entries should be dropped off at the location of hosting a 20”x24” acrylic on canvas called contest,” said Bill Westerlind, president of each piece of artwork along the poetry trail. The “Curious” by Westfield artist Joli Hamilton. ArtWorks. ArtWorks is a local arts and cultural final day to submit entries is April 30. The artists Mama Cakes is the fourth station showing “Time organization promoting the “rich and talented who created and donated each individual piece of Stands Still in Tuscany,” an 8”x10” image by artistic diversity” of Westfield and the surround- art will select the winning poem and the author of Westfield photographer Susan Williams. ing communities. that poem will win the artwork, according to Pieces of visual art, donated by local artists, Westerlind.