Huntington Launches Emergency Drone Program Granville
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TONIGHT Showers. Low of 48. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search for “PThe WestfieldERFECT News Westfield350.com The Westfield 1792 — Miss Polly News ORDER IS THE Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TFORERUNNERIME IS THE ONLY WEATHERAshley invited to “Dancing Assembly” OFCRITIC PERFECT WITHOUT TONIGHT HORRORAMBITION.”.” Partly Cloudy.in Northampton. JOHN STEINBECK —Search Carlos for The Fuentes Westfield News Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. The Westfieldwww.thewestfieldnews.comNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 CRITIC 75 WITHOUT cents VOL.TONIGHT 88 NO. 97 FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019 75AMBITION Cents .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com OfficialsVOL. 86 NO. 151 address concerns withTUESDAY, Congamond JUNE 27, 2017 Road 75 cents By GREG FITZPATRICK According to Southwick DPW to the scene of the issue after receiv- As a result, the Massachusetts Correspondent Director Randy Brown, the contrac- ing calls from concerned residents. Department of Transportation, SOUTHWICK – The rainy con- tor for the project, Pereira “It was downright dangerous out who’s overseeing the project, had a ditions this past weekend caused Construction is hoping to put there on Saturday,” said Moglin. “It meeting with Brown, Southwick concern from Southwick town offi- asphalt on that section of was just the recipe for a bad time.” Police, and Pereira Construction cials about the Congamond Road Congamond Road in the next two When assessing the situation, earlier this week. project. or three weeks. Moglin noted that the water was “We’re really trying to make sure On the roadway in front of busi- “Once the asphalt is in, the road deep and vehicles traveling through that we’re all on the same page and nesses like Saunders Boat Livery is going to drain much quicker,” were trying to seek higher ground this doesn’t happen again,” said and Red Riding Hood’s Basket, rain said Brown. as well as opposing traffic driving Brown. “I’m hopeful we’re not Parts of Congamond Road near was pooling on the portion of The conditions this past weekend close to each other in attempt to going to see that again.” Saunders Boat Livery was completely Congamond Road that hasn’t been raised some concerns as Select avoid the parts of the road with flooded this past weekend. (Photo from paved yet. Board Clerk Doug Moglin went out more water. See Congamond Road, Page 3 Doug Moglin) Granville Huntington discussing launches bylaw Emergency for dogs Drone By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent Program GRANVILLE – The Select Board had a discussion this week about the possibility of By AMY PORTER implementing a leash law for licensed dogs in Correspondent town. HUNTINGTON -Thursday evening, Currently, the Town of Granville doesn’t Huntington Emergency Management Director have a leash law, which means licensed dogs Dennis Nazzaro demonstrated a new public safe- in town are allowed to roam freely in public ty drone and WMLEC (Western Mass Law without without being tethered by a leash yet, Enforcement Council) Mobile Command Pod to over the years, the Select Board has received firefighters, police officers and town officials feedback from residents on this topic. from Huntington, Blandford, Montgomery, and “There have been some citizens concerned Westfield. about dogs being frequently unleashed,” said The town-owned drone, a DJI Mavic Enterprise Select Board member Nicole Berndt. Dual, was obtained two months ago through a Berndt added that unleashed dogs have grant of $3,200 from the Massachusetts brought concerns as they could be a hazard to Emergency Management Agency. Nazzaro said other dogs or animals, people, or themselves. he sought the grant after an incident at the The Select Board is now working with Chesterfield Gorge, where a man jumped in the Interim Chief of Police Rick Rindels to write river to save his dog, and couldn’t be found. Area up a bylaw to go to the annual town meeting responders searched on foot and asked for aerial on May 13 that would ask voting residents to backup, but no pilots were available for the only see if they’d allow all licensed dogs to be on a two drones in region. Nazzaro said they realized leash in public. they needed something out in the hilltowns that According to Berndt, the only bylaw in they could get to right away. Granville for dogs is that they’re supposed to The drone has already been used on a missing be licensed within six months, which is a state person case at Littleville Dam, during training at law. Dogs in Granville must also have a proof the Blandford Ski Patrol and when some roads in of a rabies vaccination that must be provided town became inaccessible due to muddy condi- with the dog license application. Berndt added that the town has been look- St. Mary’s vs. Hoosac Valley tions. ing at Southwick’s dog leash law as well as Paighton Ramos (21) battles a Hoosac defender. See story and additional The drone can be used in conjunction with the other surrounding communities and seeing if photos in today’s Sports Section. (Photos by Marc St.Onge) Mobile Command Pod, a regional emergency they want to have a similar bylaw. operations center housed in Huntington, that can be brought by trailer onsite, patch together local police, fire, highway and EMS radio dispatch signals, and show video from the drone on its screens. The command pod was purchased last year on a grant from the Western Region Tree crews work in Pine Hill Cemetery for Arbor Day event Homeland Security Advisory Council with funds received from the U.S. Department of Homeland By PETER CURRIER He added that the numbers were meant to mark the priority of each tree. They factored Correspondent See Drone Program, Page 3 WESTFIELD- Pine Hill Cemetery was in the visible health of the tree itself, its the host of an Arbor Day program on location relative to any walking paths, and Thursday in which tree removal companies if they were encroaching on any grave and crews volunteered their time to trim, markers. prune, and cut down problem trees. Another survey was also done by WSU Crews from Lewis Tree Service and Geography and Regional Planning students Northern Tree Service arrived at the ceme- last year. They determined the meaning and tery at 8 a.m. and began working on trees usefulness of having a garden cemetery in a that had been previously marked for them. community. The students were led by Dr. Last year, a group of Westfield State Dristi Neog, a WSU professor who was University Environmental Science students recently a co-lecturer for the Westfield had come to the cemetery and done a survey 350th Historical Lecture Series. In part of on which trees needed work, according to her lecture, Neog spoke about the survey Chip Colton, President of the Friends of Pine A stump grinder was on site to remove the and the experiences of her students. Hill Cemetery. remains of dead tree stumps by grinding Fittingly, Pine Hill Cemetery is 175-years- old, exactly half the age of the 350-year-old “They came in and they labeled each tree them into a pulp. (Photo by Peter Currier) with a number one through four,” said Westfield Firefighter Randy Quarles was drone Colton. See Tree Crews, Page 5 pilot for the demonstration. (Photo by Amy Porter) Rep. Velis secures money for Westfield in state budget BOSTON – Representative John Velis (D – able to get $100,000 in funding to continue the County has been hit particularly hard by the opioid Westfield) has secured funding for Westfield in the opioid and substance abuse prevention grant epidemic and we need all the help we can get from state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. So far, he administered by Baystate Noble Hospital in the state to combat the problem. People are losing has managed to bring money back to the district Westfield. This marks second year in a row that he loved ones – this is an emergency. I’m thankful to every year since first taking office during budget has secured this funding in the House budget, Baystate Noble for administering this grant pro- season in 2014. which benefits local organizations such as the gram and I’m hopeful that this funding will con- “Since I started knocking on doors in the winter Westfield Drug Taskforce, the Hilltown Community tinue to affect change in Westfield and the of 2013, I have pledged to aggressively and zeal- Health Center, and the Behavioral Health Network Hilltowns.” ously advocate for anything and everything that in their efforts to combat opioid abuse. Nearly 60% In addition to the opioid grant monies, would benefit the City of Westfield and Western of the money used for the grant program comes Representative Velis also secured funding for Mass at-large. Local aid from the state is by far one directly from the tax on recreational marijuana in improvements to the playground at Highland of the most important sources of money for our the Commonwealth. Elementary School to supplement the fundraising city, and I’m proud that I have been able to deliver “The opioid epidemic has caused the death of work being done by the Parent Teacher Organization. again for our residents,” said Velis. over 40 Westfield residents in the last 5 years REP. JOHN VELIS Velis says is his particularly proud that he was alone,” continued the Representative. “Hampden See Rep. Velis, Page 5 PAGE 2 - FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS TONIGHT SATURDAY SUNDAY Mostly Cloudy. Showers 52-54 52-54 Today: Showers.