The Westfield NewsSearch for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 $1.00 TUESDAY,TUESDAY, APRIL JUNE 27, 13, 2017 2021 VOL.75 cents 90 NO. 86 Marijuana dispensary faces uphill permitting battle By AMY PORTER Staff Writer WESTFIELD — A special permit hearing continued City officials and Smithland Garden and Pet employees April 10 celebrate the grand opening of the store at 81 Springfield from February for RC Retail, dba “Red Cardinal,” a rec- reational marijuana shop planned for 265 Union St., Road. (HOPE E. TREMBLAY/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) zoned Industrial A, came before the Planning Board again on April 5, facing a seemingly uphill battle for permitting. Red Cardinal and the City of Westfield entered into a Host Community Agreement on Nov. 9, 2020. Smithland Pet & Garden Bradford Moir, an attorney representing RC Retail, and Jeff Roblyer, construction supervisor, said the site plan had changed due to the required compensatory storage, and that all buildings on the property, including an exist- ing residential house, would be required to be razed. Center celebrates opening “That is how we are proceeding,” Roblyer said. He said Robert Levesque and his team at R. Levesque By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Associates, a land design company, are proceeding with Editor the final grading for the site plan to go before the WESTFIELD — Smithland Pet & Garden Conservation Commission in May. Center hosted a grand opening April 10 in the Moir said taking down the house changes the circum- retail space that has been home to various gar- stances of the special permit, required due to the property den centers for several decades. being within 300 feet of a residential district He said the Smithland CEO John Atkins accepted cita- house that will now be coming down was the closest to tions from Westfield Mayor Donald F. Humason other houses or residences. “Now that has been eliminat- Jr and state Rep. Kelly Pease during the ribbon ed…All other residences are over 500 feet away from cutting ceremony Saturday. City Councilors where this operation is,” he said. Brent B. Bean II, Michael Burns, Cindy Harris, Planning Board member John Bowen asked about the Kristen Mello and William Onyski helped com- residential zoned property across the street. memorate the event. Roblyer said there is a residential district across the “We’re excited to be in Westfield,” said street, but the closest parcel zoned residential is adjacent Atkins. “Everyone seems to be very happy that to the property at 110 feet. “We understand 300 feet, but we’re here and we look forward to a fruitful part of that is as a board you can waive the requirement partnership.” The house across the street is 700 feet from the zoning Store Manager Scott Robbins said Smithland line, and the adjacent zone is Golf Acres with no residen- offers a large assortment of annuals and peren- tial houses. We’re asking for consideration to waive the nials, vegetable plants, trees and seeds, as well buffer to the zone lines,” he said. as garden décor and fountains in its nursery. “We’re asking for your permit, because the dwellings The company also owns Dave’s Soda and Pet themselves are over 500 feet away,” Moir added. Food and Atkins said Smithland combines the Planning Board member Jane Magarian again raised the best of pet and garden products. issue of zoning and residential areas. “As far as I’m con- Robbins said customers were happy to dis- cerned, those are hard and fast boundaries. In my opinion, cover that the Agway tradition continues at it should be a firm guideline,” she said. “They’re not hard and fast, they’re special permit trig- The new Smithland Garden and Pet store is a certified Agway retailer. (HOPE See Smithland, Page 5 gers. In this case, there’s nothing along that corridor that’s E. TREMBLAY/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) residential. It’s a special permit trigger, it’s up to you to look at it,” said City Planner Jay Vinskey, adding that the ordinance talks about pre-existing residences, because Four WSU students test positive for COVID-19 See Dispensary, Page 5 By PETER CURRIER week. The percent-positivity Westfield State officials Staff Writer rating for the campus for the have not identified if the stu- WESTFIELD — Westfield week was just .251 percent, dents who tested positive State University reported four below the current average for were campus residents or new COVID-19 cases this Hampden County, which was commuter students. When a week to bring the semester 4.92 percent on April 8. Westfield State resident tests total to 98. Over the course of the positive for the coronavirus In the weekly report, all semester 17,549 COVID-19 they are sent to Lansdowne four positive cases were iden- ning of the semester. tests have been administered Place on Thomas Street to tified as students. No Eight students had tested at Westfield State. The per- quarantine unless they can Westfield State employees positive the prior week. cent-positivity rating for the make arrangements to quar- have tested positive for There were 1,594 COVID- full semester stands at just antine back at their own 19 tests administered last COVID-19 since the begin- .558 percent. homes. ROBERT LEVESQUE Job Corps offers varied career options for young people By LORI SZEPELAK Americans every year. cian, plumber), finance and between nine and 24 months. stipend, and a child care Correspondent For students ages 16-24, business (office administra- Auxiliary aids and services allowance. CHICOPEE — A virtual the Job Corps offers an alter- tion), health care (certified are available upon request to A background check is open house for young people native to college with gradu- nurse assistant, medical individuals with disabilities. conducted on all applicants to interested in Westover Job ates either entering the work- administrative assistant, The TDD/TTY telephone confirm the student is not on Corps Center opportunities is force or an apprenticeship, pharmacy technician), hospi- number is (877) 889-5627. probation, parole, under a slated for April 21. moving on to higher educa- tality (culinary arts), manu- For students accepted into suspended sentence, under “Our open house will be tion, or joining the military. facturing (welding), and the educational program, supervision of any agency as from 10 a.m. to noon,” said While the tuition is free for advanced training options there are a variety of opportu- a result of court action, or Yvonne Lomax, outreach and students, applicants must (advanced HVAC, preventive nities ranging from work- institutionalization, unless admissions manager. demonstrate they are com- maintenance technician, pre- based learning and intern- the court or appropriate agen- The WebEx link to attend mitted to their education, and apprentice). ships, free meals, residential cy certifies in writing that it the open house is https://job- lounge with televisions, a abide by the program’s strict Pre-apprenticeship pro- living, career technical train- will approve of the appli- corpsclassroom.webex.com/ store with snacks and other zero tolerance policy for grams offer students the ings, and career counseling, cant’s release from its face- jobcorpsclassroom/j.php?MT essentials, and health services drugs, alcohol, and violence. hands-on training and educa- to basic medical and dental to-face supervision and that ID=m1a50639c84fa7c06677 for basic medical needs. As part of the open house, tion needed to qualify for care, job placement assis- the applicant’s release does 0abce8782c4b1 Job Corps, administered by Job Corps representatives apprenticeships. tance, and recreational activi- not violate applicable laws The Westover Job Corps the U.S. Department of will discuss the various high Although the length of ties. In addition, participants and regulations. Center encompasses a 43-acre Labor, is the nation’s largest growth career fields open to time needed to complete a can receive advanced leader- For more information on campus at 103 Johnson Road federally funded residential, applicants – automotive and program varies according to ship training, advanced col- Job Corps and the open featuring three dormitories, a educational, and vocational machine repair (maintenance the abilities of the student and lege/career training, driver’s house, as well as eligibility full-service cafeteria, com- training program, serving – light repair), construction the vocation chosen, the aver- education, mentoring and requirements, call (413) 593- puter labs, gymnasium, close to 65,000 young (bricklayer, carpenter, electri- age length of time enrolled is tutoring services, a clothing 4018. PAGE 2 - TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS ABC flagship TV station names WSU graduate Chad Matthews as new president WESTFIELD — WABC- has been appointed as presi- television station in the nation He has certainly made the dent and general manager of TV Channel 7 of New York dent and general manager of for the 17th consecutive year. most of his Westfield State the TV station with the largest City has promoted Westfield WABC-TV, building on a Matthews started his degree. audience in the country.” State University graduate and long record of achievements WABC career in 2000 and “Chad Matthews’ brilliant Matthews also stands tall Emmy Award-winner Chad at the station,” said Emily was promoted to senior exec- career shows a communica- among the University’s alum- Matthews to be its president Todd, interim dean of the utive producer in 2002. He tion degree from Westfield ni community. and general manager. University’s College of Arts, spent 12 years in senior roles State can take you to the “Chad is emblematic of a Matthews earned a bachelor’s Humanities, and Social for Eyewitness News and stars,” said Professor Thomas Westfield State alumnus: degree in mass communica- Sciences.