TONIGHT Partly Cloudy. Low of 31. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search for The“W WestfieldORK ISNews SOMETHING Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews YOU CAN COUNT ON, Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME ISA TRUSTEDTHE ONLY, LIFELONG WEATHER CRITICFRIEND WITHOUT W HO NEVER TONIGHT AMBITIONDESERTS.” YOU.” — MarGARET Partly Cloudy. JOHN SearchSTEINBECK for The Westfield News Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews BOURKE-WHITE Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHERVOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 centsCRITIC WITHOUT VOL.88TONIGHT NO. 83 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2019 75AMBITION Cents .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com AllegedVOL. 86 NO. 151 stabbing TUESDAY,brings JUNE 27, 2017 charges 75 cents By CARL E. HARTDEGEN ing a knife. He said that he overheard Richards stated that at first she thought that it Correspondent Malone reports that he found that tell the 911 operator that he had was just his hand that he struck her WESTFIELD – A city man who a resident who appeared to be under stabbed his girlfriend. with, however quickly felt blood allegedly stabbed his girlfriend in the influence of alcohol was alone in The resident described Richards’ running down her face.” She said her head, was released upon pay- the house. The man told Malone that vehicle but said that he did not know she thought Richards had stabbed ment of $2,500 cash bail after he he and a friend who had been stay- where Richards and his girlfriend her with a knife but Malone reports was arraigned on assault charges. ing with him had been drinking with went. Malone asked his dispatcher no knife was found when he Southwick Police Officer Ernest the other man’s girlfriend before he to alert police in nearby communi- searched the house before he left to Malone reports in a court document had passed out in another room. ties and soon learned that Agawam go to Agawam. that he immediately observed “what He said he was roused when his police had stopped Richards for a The victim told Malone that appeared to be a large amount of friend (later identified as Scott G. motor vehicle violation. Malone Richards had not been taking her to fresh blood droplets all over the Richards, 34, of 185 Sackett Road, went to the scene where the victim a hospital and said she did not know floor” when he looked into the resi- Westfield) yelled to him to call 911. was already in an ambulance. where he was taking her. dence after he and Officer Michael The resident told Malone that She told Malone that she and The victim was transported to Bridges arrived at an Island Pond Richards said “Oh my god! I stabbed Richards had been arguing “when Baystate Noble Hospital. Richards Way address on April 6 in response her!” before he ran to the phone and Richards walked over to her and hit to a report of a disturbance involv- called 911 himself. her on top of her head. (The victim) See Charges, Page SCOTT G. RICHARDS WHS Marching Band and Alumni Boy Scouts hosting gear up for Westfield 350 Westfield 350 parade and golf geocaching activity By PETER CURRIER Correspondent tournament WESTFIELD- The Westfield Boy Scouts are taking part in the By AMY PORTER Westfield 350 celebrations by hosting a geocaching activity meant Correspondent to bring people to historic parts of Westfield beginning the weekend WESTFIELD – WHS Band Director of April 20th. Patrick Kennedy is asking all march- At 14 locations throughout the city there will be a small cache ing band alumni to mark the weekend containing a log book for those who find it to sign, some historical of May 18 and 19, 2019 in your calen- information about the location and the city, and a small wooden dars. nickel with a logo representing a business or institution in Westfield On Sunday, May 19, Westfield will Ludlow vs. Westfield on one side. The other side of each coin will feature the Westfield celebrate its 350th birthday with a Middle blocker Ryan Rix hits the ball off the Ludlow blocker for 350 logo. parade. Kennedy’s dream is to have a “The geocache wooden nickel activity gives local business a low- 350 member marching band, with as the kill. See additional photos and story in today’s Sports Section. (Photo by Bill Deren) many alumni as can join with the See Boy Scouts, Page 5 Westfield High School marching band, to make it an event for the ages. Kennedy said he is looking for any- body who’d like to be involved who has ever participated in the WHS Teacher shares outdoor adventure Marching Band. Kennedy said in some Local organization cases he may be able to provide harder with Gateway students to get instruments, like sousaphones, HUNTINGTON – Last year, elementary art teacher Amy Thornton for parade participation. formed to help reduce embarked on a 20-day, 226 mile adventure down the Colorado River A website has been set up for march- and through the Grand Canyon. Last month, Thornton shared photos, ing band alumni to fill out the interest stories and videos with form and download the music they will members of Gateway’s be playing at www.WHSAlumniBand. political polarization Outdoor Club, also attend- com. “Go to the website – We’re really ed by several faculty mem- hoping people will take the next step By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent bers. and download the sheet music,” “I was on a non-commer- Kennedy said. He said once people fill GRANVILLE – A group of local citizens have such concerns with the current political climate cial trip so we were self- out the interest form, with the date guided,” she explained. graduated and instrument played, he in the United States of America that they are tak- ing steps locally to effect change. “The National Park Service can start to source needed instruments. tells us when we can start The “uniform” for the 350 Parade is Granville resident, John Meiklejohn, along with his wife Sarah, felt that it was time to take Better Angels is a on the river and when you white top and black pants, black socks must be off. Aside from the initiative to help stop the polarization that nationwide, grassroots Gateway art teacher Amy Thornton organization that that, it’s all up to the pad- See WHS Band, Page 3 they believe is occurring in America. As a result, on her 20 day trip down the Colorado the Meiklejohn’s began the idea of forming a encourages alliances dlers/rowers on the trip.” Thornton traveled to River. Thornton gave a presentation Better Angel’s group in Granville. to be formed at the to the Gateway Outdoor Club on (Photo from Arizona and put in at Lee’s Better Angels is a national, grassroots organi- local level. March 22. (Photo submitted) zation, made up of a bipartisan network of lead- Better Angels) Ferry, spending much of ers that are focused on decreasing polarization. nearly three weeks in a cat- A division of two sharply and contrasting groups that have their own araft—a two-person inflatable paddle raft—on the river. The route opinions or beliefs, polarization is an issue that John Meicklejohn thinks could be solved with the emergence of a Better Angels group. See Adventure, Page 3 “The spirit of it is a recognition that America has really lost its way to Westfield High School Marching Band. (WHS Photo) See Better Angels, Page 3 Gateway’s hometown hero By KILEE HOLMES Senior Intern Southwick student has success with HUNTINGTON – Heroes are often depicted as characters with spandex suits, superhuman abilities, and an impressive ability to maintain several identities; but what about the heroes in our local Project 351 community service project community? What do they look like? While our local hero doesn’t By GREG FITZPATRICK Patrick in 2011, is a non-profit youth- ambassador for Project 351, the guid- prance around in costume or lift cars, she does possess numerous Correspondent driven Massachusetts organization ance counselor speaks with all the identities: math teacher, Mrs. Borsella; Reverend Susan Borsella; and SOUTHWICK – Ryder Pieczarka, that allows eighth graders to make a teachers of the grade and has them to the residents of the town of Chester, the founder of a food pantry an eighth grader at Southwick difference in their community. Every put in recommendations. The guid- stationed in the First Congregational Church. Regional School, has found great school district in the state is required ance counselor then takes the top Every year the Western Massachusetts American Red Cross recog- success thus far as an ambassador for to have an eighth-grade student be nominees to the administration for a nizes individuals who have made an impact on their local community Project 351. selected for Project 351 to represent discussion on which student would Project 351, first launched by for- their community. See Hometown Hero, Page 2 mer Massachusetts Governor Deval In order for a school to select an See Project 351, Page 5 PAGE 2 - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2019 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Hometown Hero Continued from Page 1 through service, initiative, and unselfishness. An annual breakfast is held in honor of all of the heroes’ accomplishments. On March 21, at MGM in Springfield, the Annual American Red Cross Hometown Heroes Breakfast doubled as homage paid to local heroes and a fundraiser for disaster relief in Hampden, Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin counties. Out of the 70 nominations the Red Cross received for Hometown Hero recognition, only seven were chosen – one of them being our own high school mathematics teacher Mrs.