TONiGhT: Showers. Low of 69. The Westfield Search for The Westfield News News Search for The Westfield News “LIFE IS A LOT Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THELIKE ONLY JAZZ — WEATHER CRITICIT’ SWITHOUT BEST WHEN TONIGHT YOUAMBITION IMPROVISE.” .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. Search— Ge forOr TheGe Gersh WestfieldWiN News Westfield350.comWestfield350.org Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHERVOL. 86 NO. 151 VOL. 88 NO. 162 TUESDAY,THURSDAY, JUNE JULY 11,27, 2019 2017 75CRITIC cents75 WITHOUTCents TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK InputLow of 55. from www.thewestfieldnews.com publicVOL. 86 NO. sought 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 Homeless 75 cents on Athenaeum man’s tent 5-year plan By LORI SZEPELAK burned Correspondent By CARL E. HARTDEGEN WESTFIELD-The last phase Correspondent of creating a “solid” five-year WESTFIELD – City police are seeking strategic plan for the Westfield a homeless man who allegedly burned Athenaeum takes place July 31 another homeless man’s tent – for no in the Lang Auditorium. apparent reason. An open forum is planned for Officers responded Tuesday to a 12:04 area residents, beginning a.m. report of two men fighting in the promptly at 6:30 p.m., and wooded area behind the Westfield Shops should last just over an hour. on East Main Street and found a homeless Light refreshments will be pro- man who reported that another homeless vided. man had just burned his tent. “The Athenaeum asks patrons The victim told police that he and the and citizens to give us their suspect had set up a camp in the brushy ideas of where the library area. He said that the other man had been should be headed for the next highly intoxicated when returned to the five years,” said Kate Deviny, encampment minutes earlier and, before archivist and acting director. his eyes, lit his tent on fire for no discern- “This open forum will be a time ible reason. to describe our strengths, oppor- All-Stars District 2 championship Officer Sean Smith requested at 12:25 tunities and expectations for the a.m. that the fire department respond. Athenaeum.” Tyrus Traska (2) scores a run early in Wednesday night’s Little League Baseball Majors All-Stars Fire Capt. Jonathan Starr report thats Deviny and Becky Blackburn, District 2 championship game at Memorial Field in Agawam. See game story and photos Page 9. firefighters carried water cans about a who oversees adult program- (Photo by Marc St. Onge) half mile into the brush to get to the camp ming, will lead the forum which site where they found the smoldering will include a brief overview of remains of a 12 by eight foot tent. The creating a five-year plan and firefighters soaked the charred area thor- what input has been compiled oughly and raked it to ensure that the fire to date. They will also highlight was completely extinguished. recent achievements which will Capt. Michael McCabe reports that the include a summary of the Rise Summer opening planned suspect had left the area before the offi- to Knowledge campaign. cers arrived but has been identified. He In recent weeks, a “commu- said that charges are pending. nity survey” has been available online for area residents to for new Crepes Tea House complete. For persons who pre- fer completing the survey on By HOPE E. TREMBLAY paper, copies are available at Correspondent the Athenaeum. SOUTHWICK – Crepes Tea House is rolling Architect “Athenaeum employees and through the approval process and hopes to have a board members have also par- soft opening at its Feeding Hills Road location ticipated in a SOAR exercise to before summer ends. selected garner input,” said Deviny. Owner Arturs Ribinskas received unanimous A SOAR exercise focuses on approval Wednesday for a Common Victualler’s “strengths, opportunities, License from the Southwick Select Board, includ- for WSU ing an entertainment license for a jukebox, televi- See Athenaeum, Page 3 sions and live music. “It will be background music, not a concert,” Arturs Ribinskas, at right, owner of Crepes Tea Parenzo Hall Ribinskas assured the Board. House, speaks to the Southwick Select Board July Ribinskas owns Crepes Tea House in West 10, 2019 about his new restaurant on Feeding Hills Springfield and said he and his business partner Road. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay) renovation wanted to expand to Southwick and make the res- By HOPE E. TREMBLAY taurant “a destination.” Chai tea offerings include vanilla, spiced masala and Correspondent “We want to bring Eastern European food to hot cinnamon spice. Oolong and herbal teas complete WESTFIELD – Westfield State Southwick,” he said, noting he is from Lithuania. the list, which include both hot and iced tea. University has partnered with the com- “It will be the same menu as our West Springfield New to the Southwick location is a liquor license, munity since it was founded in 1838 and location.” which came with the sale of the building, which was a renovation of the campus’ oldest build- Crepes Tea House offers a variety of crepes and most recently D’Georgio’s and was the Brew Too ing, Parenzo Hall, will further those Public input is sought about Eastern European specialties. And, of course, tea. prior to that. relationships. the future of the Westfield Crepes boasts more than 100 teas, including Ribinskas said he did not plan to get into the bar WSU announced Wednesday that Athenaeum on July 31 at 6:30 black, white, green and red teas. Fruited teas architectural firm Miller Dyer Spears p.m. (Lori Szepelak photo) include apricot, ginger peach and mango sorbet. See Crepes Tea House, Page 3 (MDS) will design the $40 million, multi-year renovation of Parenzo Hall. “As we observed through the site visit and fuller Slight delay in recycle assessment pro- Second largest Scottish festival cess, MDS demon- strated innovative pickup schedule in New England has strong ties strategies to lever- age space to meet By PETER CURRIER the vision of the project. And, we were Correspondent to Hilltowns, Westfield particularly impressed with the quality of WESTFIELD- The Department of Public Works By AMY PORTER sub-consultants proposed for the project (DPW) announced that recycling pickups will be delayed Correspondent and the firm’s background with state slightly over the next few days due to mechanical issues FLORENCE – The 26th projects and construction management with two recycling trucks. Annual Glasgow Lands projects,” said Westfield State University Francis Cain, assistant director of the DPW, said that a Scottish Festival, held this Vice President for Administration and combination of the July 4 holiday and the age of the year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Finance Stephen Taksar. trucks lead to them needing repairs, which will impact July 20 in Look Park, A Request for Proposal was made by some residents’ recycling pickup schedules. Florence, has grown from the Massachusetts Division of Capital Cain said that one truck was returned from the shop on humble beginnings in Asset Management and Maintenance and Tuesday, and the other will be returned on Thursday. He Blandford to becoming the was reviewed by the 11-member added that the two trucks are nearing the end of their life second largest Scottish festi- Massachusetts Designer Selection Board. cycle and will have to be replaced in the near future. He val In New England, and the Boston-based MDS was selected from said they had already been plagued with problems with Celtric harpist Rosie Caine entertains festi- three finalists among more than 20 appli- those trucks. A line item in the DPW FY20 budget is for See Festival, Page 2 val goers. (Photo submitted) cants. See Recycle Pickup, Page 3 See Architect, Page 3 Exclusions apply. Valid on regular priced items. Cannot be combined with any other offer. In-store only. No cash value. One coupon per person. See Make Your Own Sale store for details. Coupon good July 9–31, 2019. Take $5 off your next $25 purchase or more rockys.com 10.875x2 WEST NEWS 1906298_ROCKYS-JulyMakeYourOwnSalePrintAd.indd 2 6/27/19 8:57 AM PAGE 2 - THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2019 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Festival Continued from Page 1 only one in Massachusetts. years at this event and it is something that people looks forward to The first year of the festival, which was intended to be a one-time every year. Our members set-up tents the day before the event and event to benefit the restoration of the town’s historic White Church, we run the pub, selling cups, tickets, and water, the day of the was held in 1994 at the Blandford Fairgrounds. Continuing on due event,” English said, adding, “One of the goals of our program is to to popular demand, the festival outgrew the space after five years, support our members in being involved in the community and moving first to Stanley Park in Westfield, and then in 2004 to Look developing positive relationships. This event allows our members Park in Florence. to do both; we are involved in something fun and meaningful and The Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival is now a 501 (c)(3) non- in working together to complete the tasks we get to really know one profit organization whose purpose is to promote the Scottish cul- another.” ture, to raise funds toward local non-profit organizations and to “They provide many volunteers on the day before and day of the award Scottish cultural scholarships for Highland dancing and Festival, to help with setup and to run the Pub.