Residents Urged to Lock Vehicles
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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 SATURDAY,TUESDAY, DECEMBER JUNE 27, 2017 19, 2020 VOL. 75 cents 89 NO. 304 Residents Switch to remote urged to learning stems lock vehicles from one By PETER CURRIER COVID-19 case Staff Writer WESTFIELD — The Westfield Police By PETER CURRIER Department is urging residents to lock their car Staff Writer doors and keep valuables out of their vehicles WESTFIELD — Westfield Public Schools after a string of vehicle thefts and break-ins in Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski said the deci- recent months. sion to close Westfield’s schools until Jan. 19 stems Police Chief Lawrence P. Valliere sent the mes- from one case. sage to Westfield residents Thursday because of A positive COVID- an unusual number of vehicle break-ins in some 19 case from one stu- neighborhoods. Valliere said that 99 percent of all dent in Westfield High vehicles that were broken into were not entered School triggered 45 stu- by force. The perpetrators only had to open the dents and nine teachers car door because residents frequently leave them to quarantine or isolate unlocked. because they were close “All of the stolen vehicles were taken because contacts, a scenario which Czaporowski said will the keys or the key fobs were left inside the Dashing through the snow make it difficult to keep schools open if it escalates vehicle,” said Valliere. or repeats itself throughout the winter. In some cases, Valliere said that the keys that Makayla Calhoun enjoys a sled ride down the hill at Westfield Technical “I don’t think this is a superspreader event, but I were left in the vehicle were stolen, but not the Academy after Thursday’s snowstorm Gail which dropped about a foot of want to be cautious,” said Czaporowski Friday powdery snow on the region. (MARC ST. ONGE/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) morning, adding that the spike in COVID-19 cases See Vehicles, Page 5 after Thanksgiving leads officials to believe that a similar situation may play out after Christmas and New Year’s Eve. He said that a significant surge in cases after Christmas could cause more individual cases to be detected in schools, which would cause people to have to quarantine, making it exceed- ingly difficult to keep in-person learning. Loved ones symbolized by First Church luminaria display “My responsibility is to make sure we protect By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent See Remote Learning, Page 5 WESTFIELD — A recent fundraising project – a dazzling display of luminaria – will benefit the Deacons Fund at First Congregational Church. “The Deacons Fund has been in place for many years,” said head deacon Carol Southwick Whalen. “In the past we have helped mem- bers pay their fuel bill during the winter months, provided gift cards for food for reports 18 new those who have needed a little help, and other instances that come up as people run into hard times in their lives.” Whalen explained that the project began COVID cases last year at Christmas and continued this By PETER CURRIER year – with each luminaria costing $5. Staff Writer “The First Congregational Church pre- SOUTHWICK — The Town of Southwick sented the display of luminaria on Dec. 12 reported 18 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the Old Town Hall steps next to the this week as the town retains its “high risk” desig- church,” said Whalen, noting the fundrais- nation for the fifth straight week. ing project is sponsored by the deacons of The 18 new cases brings Southwick’s pandemic total to 256 cases. Health Director Tammy Spencer said that one Southwick resident passed away from COVID-19 last week. Five people in Southwick More than 140 luminaria bags were displayed on the Old Town Hall steps recently as the have now died due to the virus. First Congregational Church conducted a fundraising project to benefit the Deacons Public Health Nurse Kate Johnson said during Fund. (CAROL WHALEN PHOTO) the remote Board of Health meeting Dec. 17 that 18 people were in isolation and 13 people were in quarantine. She also said that one person was hos- the church. part of our holiday plans each year,” she pitalized and two other people were transported to “Members and friends of the church had said. emergency rooms in the last week. purchased a luminaria in honor or memory Whalen added that a display will be fea- Though the number of weekly cases remains of a loved one,” said Whalen. tured on Christmas Eve titled “Lighting a high relative to the spring and summer in Last year’s luminaria featured 60 on dis- Pathway to Our Door” and will include Southwick, Johnson said that the number of cases play and this year’s event had 142. some luminaria on the church doorstep. are trending down week-to-week. She said that The money raised is deposited in the “Last year our first display was at the Southwick has a positivity rate of 6.54 percent Deacons Fund which is used to help mem- same time as the Christmas Choral Concert while Hampden County as a whole is at 8.55 per- bers and friends in the time of need. which coincided with the Lantern Parade cent. “We do this at Christmas time because we and Tree Lighting on the Green event,” said “The county is creeping up and we are creeping all have loved ones we think of and want to Whalen. “While we could not conduct the lower,” said Johnson. remember at this time of year,” said Whalen. concert this year due to the COVID-19 pan- She said there is no particular age group or “This gives the donor an opportunity to demic, hopefully, that will all happen next demographic that is being infected more than oth- express that love in a unique way.” year.” ers. Most of the time it is whole families being Kailey and Karenna Downs, members of Each luminaria has a label with the name On a related note, Whalen said the church infected at once. First Congregational Church in Westfield, of the person remembered or honored and continues to present Sunday services online, Westfield State University reported zero new prepared the luminaria bags for display on the name of the donor. led by Pastor Julie Olmsted. Services can be the Old Town Hall steps Dec. 12. “We began this project last year and we viewed by visiting churchonthegreen.org or (SUBMITTED PHOTO) continued it this year and hope to make it on Facebook. See Southwick Cases, Page 5 Southwick history book preorders available now By HOPE E. TREMBLAY “The photos have been carefully restored in February. Editor with state-of-the-art technology, and many There are several options for pre-sale book SOUTHWICK — The Southwick 250 have never been previously published,” said packages, including a single sale with a dona- Committee has a last minute gift for residents, Hamburg. “I’ve created narration that is accu- tion of #21.99 to the Southwick Civic Fund and former residents, or anyone who loves the rate, enjoyable and crisp, and it will greatly and a gift package that includes a numbered town or history – "Southwick Revisted," a expand the reader’s knowledge of our edition signed by the author plus a 250 decal book chronicling Southwick’s history. Southwick heritage while triggering fond for $30.00. There is a $5 to mail a book Advance sales of "Southwick Revisited," memories.” within the United States. curated and narrated by historian Lee There will be 100 copies officially num- The order form is available on Facebook at Hamberg, are now available to preorder. The bered and signed by the author. Numbers will Celebrate Southwick 250. Payment options book is expected to arrive from Arcadia Press be assigned to the pre-purchasers starting include cash at The Southwick Florist, checks in February. The 128-page book contains 209 with #8 based on when the cash or credit card payable to Southwick Civic Fund with images celebrating Southwick’s 250-year his- confirmation is received on a first come, first Southwick 250th Celebration in memo line, tory. serve basis. Based on pre-paid orders as of pay by credit card or PayPal at Anyone who preorders the book as a holi- midnight Dec. 31, 2020, there will be a ran- SouthwickCivicFund.org using the donate day gift will receive a certificate for the dom drawing for two winners to move up to button and be sure to designate Southwick recipient. the #2 and #3 books. 250th Celebration under “Use This Donation By purchasing the book through Southwick Southwick 250 Committee members said to for,” then email the receipt and order form to 250, 100% of the proceeds will go towards order quickly because supplies are limited. [email protected]. supporting future 250 town events. According to a press release, an attractive gift Books will be delivered within three weeks Hamburg put labor and love into the book certificate will be sent to those ordering the of when the Southwick 250 Committee and the selected images. book as a gift for the holidays, to be redeemed receives them from the printer. PAGE 2 - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2020 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS ‘Cocoa on the Go Go’ at Southwick Regional Reiley Young and Heather Ramsey get some hot cocoa from Southwick Regional principal Joseph Turmel. (MARC ST. ONGE/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) Southwick Regional assistant principal Michael Pescitelli hands a cup of hot cocoa to Lauren Kowal at Wednesday’s “Cocoa on the Go Go” event at the high school.