Elm Street Corridor Selected by Governor As 'Opportunity Zone'
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JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL.Elm 86 NO. 151 Street corridor selectedTUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017by 75 cents Governor as ‘Opportunity Zone’ By AMY PORTER to investing in low-income areas called ‘Opportunity Zones.’ Correspondent The zones themselves are comprised of low-income commu- WESTFIELD – On Thursday, the Baker-Polito administra- nity census tracts and designated by governors in every state. tion announced its selection of the 138 low-income census In the award letter, Jay Ash, Secretary of the Executive tracks in Massachusetts submitted as “Opportunity Zones” to Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED), the U.S. Treasury Department to encourage long-term invest- said applications were evaluated based on the opportunities for ment in eligible Massachusetts communities. Created as part economic development, the planning and preparation work of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the Opportunity communities have undertaken, and the demographics of both Zone program presents an opportunity for private, tax-free the census tract and the larger community. Elm Street captured by photographer Danny Nason, 2017. investment into areas of economic need, benefiting both resi- “Here in Massachusetts, our communities have proven that dents living in the zones and private investors. planning, site readiness, and community engagement are City Advancement officer Joseph Mitchell said Westfield major factors in successful development. The tracts identified The Commonwealth’s only formal role in the Opportunity had two tracts up for consideration; the one that was chosen by the nominating communities reflect these characteristics Zone Program is to designate census tracts as opportunity was the downtown Elm Street corridor. and are worthy of consideration by the federal government,” zones. Governors were allowed to designate a number of “It’s an investment opportunity that encourages people to Ash said. census tracts equal to 25% of the low income community invest in census tracts in low to moderate income neighbor- “We are very happy to have our downtown designated as an tracts in their state. Massachusetts had 547, and designated hoods, like Elm Street downtown,” Mitchell said in speaking Opportunity Zone. It will allow for unique investment possi- 138. The U.S. Treasury has committed to responding to state about the grant potential earlier this month. bility for developers and investors in Westfield. It will help our submissions within 30 days. The Opportunity Zone program provides a federal tax incen- community stand out when compared to some of the surround- While the designation is an incentive for investors, it does tive for taxpayers who reinvest unrealized capital gains into ing cities and towns and we look forward to what the future ‘Opportunity Funds,’ which are specialized vehicles dedicated holds,” said Mayor Brian P. Sullivan about the designation. See Opportunity Zone, Page 6 Bear meets Public hearing on subdivision scheduled for Tuesday cruiser By GREG FITzpaTRICK the subdivision, conducting a presen- Correspondent tation of the project to show all of the By CARL E. HARTDEGEN SOUTHWICK – The Planning details involved. After the presenta- Correspondent Board will be holding a public hearing tion is finished, the Planning Board WESTFIELD – A bear was struck by a on Tuesday night at 7:15 p.m. to dis- will ask questions before the hearing city police cruiser on Russell Road early cuss the proposed subdivision on 454 is opened up to the public. Friday morning and was eventually dis- College Hwy. The 110-acre property A public hearing was scheduled for patched by an Environmental Police offi- was last used as the Southwick the last Planning Board meeting on cer. Country Club, which was purchased April 17 but due to certain reasons it Officer Francis Gaulin reported at 2:42 by Fiore Realty on February 22 for had to be moved to April 24. According a.m. Friday that he had struck a bear with Maps of the study area were laid out for input at the $1.9 million. to Town Planner Alan Slessler, people his cruiser. working group in February. The public hearing will start with R. An ambulance was dispatched but Gaulin Levesque Associates, the engineer for See Subdivision, Page 3 said that he was not injured in the crash and declined medical attention. He said that the bear was injured and was Open house on turnpike in a nearby backyard. Police contacted the Environmental exit study slated for Police but they said that they would not be Serial shoplifter sentenced responding to the scene. Blandford Town Hall By CARL E. Shop and Big Y stores in Lt. Kevin Bard did not accept that HARTDEGEN the city, in separate inci- response and, at 3:03 a.m., ordered the dis- By AMY PORTER Correspondent dents on Jan. 24 and 28. patcher to advise the Environmental Police Correspondent WESTFIELD – A Westfield Police dispatcher that an environmental police BLANDFORD – On Monday, April 30, MassDOT Holyoke man has been Officer Andrew officer would have to respond because city will host a public Open House for the I-90 Interchange found to be guilty for his Cekovsky wrote in a police were not going to approach the Study at the Blandford Town Hall, located at 1 Russell ninth and tenth shoplift- court document support- injured bear. Stage Road. The event will run from 4:30 PM to 7:00 ing charge and has been ing Disco’s arraignment An Environmental Police captain spoke PM. The public is invited to stop by during that time to sentenced to jail. for the theft from Stop & with Bard, at 4:51 a.m., and agreed to dis- learn about the Study and talk with MassDOT and proj- Lawrence Disco, 54, Shop that he had been patch an officer, at 6 a.m., to deal with the ect team members. There will be information on the of 72 Essex St., Holyoke, found guilty for seven injured bear. study background and goals, planning process, maps of was arraigned in previous shoplifting Bard advised Westfield State University the Study Area, the criteria for siting an interchange Westfield District Court charges. Cekovsky also Police of the situation and a WSU cruiser location, and the project schedule. after allegedly stealing noted, at the time, that was stationed at the top of the hill near the The open house follows a working group meeting held 20 12-packs of soda LAWRENCE from both the Stop and See Sentenced, Page 3 M. DISCO See Bear, Page 3 See Open House, Page 3 Reconstituted St. Mary’s school board meeting tonight WESTFIELD – It’s been a little more following year. than three weeks since the announce- One parent who is involved in saving ment that Bishop Mitchell Rozanski of the school and knowledgeable about the Diocese of Springfield would be enrollment, but who could not speak on giving St. Mary’s Parish High School a the record, said there are currently 17 one year non-renewable educational freshmen signed up and the parent felt assistance grant of $300,000, on top of very confident that fall freshmen enroll- its normal allocation, to keep the St. ment would exceed 20. Mary’s High School open for the 2018- In the announcement, Fr. Frank 2019 academic year. Lawlor, Pastor of St. Mary’s Parish, Some of the Bishop’s stipulations stated that he would be looking at about the future of the high school, building a reconstituted Parish School aside from the grant, are that it must Board. That school board is scheduled have a minimum of 20 freshman this to meet tonight at 7pm. coming fall for the 2018-2019 school The crowd gathers on Saturday April 7, 2018 in the gymnasium of St. Mary’s High School for the year, then a minimum of 30 for each See Meeting Tonight, Page 3 annual auction. (WNG file photo) PAGE 2 - MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS CSF Westfield shredding event On Saturday, Valley Green Shredding Company came to Westfield setting up at the local Senior Center, from 9:00 am until 1:00pm. Many residents took advantage of the opportunity to shred unwanted paper. This event raised over $1000 for Westfield Student Scholarships. Volunteers Dick Holcom, Ann Mello, Anne Tyler, Gabrielle Tyler, Blake Tyler, Meghan Clark, Kit Milligan, Lauri Lambardini, Mike Rockwal, and Shawn Dufresne from Valley Green Shredding. (Photo by Don Wielgus) ODDS & ENDS LOCAL LOTTERY LAST NIGHT’S NUMBERS Police try to MASSACHUSETTS MassCash TONIGHT TUESDAY WEDNESDAY 04-09-13-14-20 unlock phone Mega Millions Estimated jackpot: $96 million Numbers Evening with dead man’s 5-2-6-5 Numbers Midday 7-2-6-7 finger in Florida Powerball LARGO, Fla. (AP) — Florida authorities Estimated jackpot: $158 million Partly Cloudy. Rain Showers. went to a funeral home and used a dead man’s finger to try to unlock his cellphone as part of their investigation. Thirty-year-old Linus Phillip was killed 63-66 53-56 by a Largo police officer last month after WEATHER DISCUSSION authorities say he tried to drive away before an officer could search him.