TONIGHT Partly Cloudy. Low of 52. Search for The Westfield News The Westfield EOPLESearchDON forT TheCHOOSE Westfield News News “P ’ Westfield350.comTODAY IN WESTFIELD HISTORY:The Westfield News THEIR CAREERS THEY ; “TIME IS THE ONLY 1816: Frost every month of Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns ARE ENGULFED BY THEM.” WEATHERsummer, then severe drought, CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT — JOHN DOS PASSOS corn failed and almost no AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. Search for The WestfieldJOHN STEINBECK News Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. crops gathered.The Westfieldwww.thewestfieldnews.comNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 CRITIC WITHOUT 75 cents VOL.87TONIGHT NO. 225 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 75AMBITION Cents .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 Finance looks at $1M 75 cents Recreation Bond By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – The Finance sub-committee met on Wednesday to consider the $1 million recre- ation bond and a proposal by Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise for a new way to share city financ- es with the public. During open participation, a dozen Pickeball players showed up, many wearing Westfield team Nancy Stolpinski represented the t-shirts, in support of the bond, dozen pickleball players present some of which would pay to trans- in speaking on behalf of the form the old clay tennis courts at bond. (Photo by Amy Porter) the Municipal Park into Pickleball courts. awnings over the swings, and Nancy Stolpinski spoke for the swings for wheelchairs. She said Westfield honored at Big E players. She said the group held the one adaptive swing in the city Above, Westfield 350th Anniversary lets loose with a ride on the slide. The City of Westfield was two tournaments in August, one in is often broken, because “dozens honored with its special day at the Big E. Westfield organizations came out in force for the day. See which 50 women participated. and dozens of kids” use it. additional Westfield Day photos Pages 6, 7. (Photos by Lynn F. Boscher) “We’ve got the numbers here,” “It’s not just for my children, it’s Stolpinski told the committee. for all children; to have children What they’re hoping is to create with special needs next to all chil- five Pickleball courts out of old dren. Children will develop com- clay tennis courts that are not passion and love one another. I being used. Stolpinski said they want to see all children play already have the space, fencing together and get along,” Riel said. and lights there. They are also Ward 5 Councilor Robert A. looking to create double lines on Paul, Sr. also spoke, recommend- one of the existing tennis courts ing that the Finance sub-commit- for the shorter Pickleball play area. tee do their due diligence, espe- Stolpinski said there are 150 cially in terms of the maintenance residents on the mailing list for costs. “When we do something games, and 50 to 80 regular play- like this, we want them to stay ers, women and men. beautiful,” Paul said. He recom- At-large Councilor Dave mended the committee look at all Flaherty also spoke in support of of the open bonds, to see whether they might be able to be restruc- Cub Scout Pack 108 has fun marching. Boys and Girls Club Dancers. the bond, which would also pay for an all-access playground and tured for this purpose. basketball courts. Flaherty said he DPW Director David Billips and started playing Pickleball after a Community Development Director challenge at a City Council meet- Peter J. Miller presented the bond ing in the spring, and said he trav- proposal to the Finance commit- els to Agawam courts to play, tee. Billips said he could not speak Granville Fire encouraging homeowners which are busy seven days a week. any more eloquently than the pub- He called the bond “a very good lic had about the bond, which he investment; not a lot of money, a said would include basketball to sign up for smoke alarm program lot of payback.” courts, Pickleball and the all- By GREG FITZPATRICK Speaking for the all-access play- access playground. He called the Correspondent ground was Mandi Riel, the moth- cross section of residents that all GRANVILLE – Homeowners in Granville still have time to sign up for er of two children with different three would serve in the city, the town-wide smoke alarm program that is being organized by the disabilities, who originally raised “amazing.” Granville Fire Department in partnership with the American Red Cross. the idea, three years ago. Riel said Miller gave a brief history of his Any interested resident of Granville must have a home that was built her daughter is now five, and was efforts on the all-access play- prior to 1975 and their current smoke alarm must be 10-years-old or older. one and a half when she first ground, which he had originally People have until October 14 to sign up for the October 27 installation. brought it to the attention of the envisioned for Hampton Pond, but At this time, only four households have signed up for the program. Tim City Council. was turned down for a state grant Rickis, a member of the Granville Fire Department, noted that the amount Riel said her daughter has hypo- due to the need to clear trees from of people that sign up will be limited since only so many homes in town tonic cerebral palsy, which makes the land there. He said he is cur- were built before 1975. Rickis indicated that homes built before 1975 were The Granville Fire Department and it difficult for her to maneuver on rently looking at the Cross Street not required for smoke alarms to be hardwired. the American Red Cross will install the wood chips normally covering playground, which Miller called smoke alarms throughout the day the ground at city playgrounds. See Recreation Bond, Page 3 See Alarm Program, Page 3 on October 27. (WNG File Photo) Other improvements would be High School seniors get hands-on experience in career-field program By GREG FITZPATRICK Alexander Jackson and Isabel Cheffer lege, Cheffer saw this as a perfect oppor- Correspondent have conducted their internship at the tunity for her. SOUTHWICK – High school seniors Health Simulation Lab at Holyoke “When this opportunity came along, I at Southwick Regional School have been Community College. Featuring four sim- was so excited,” said Cheffer. “There’s participating in the school’s DLE ulation suites, 11 high-fidelity patient something exciting every day.” (Diversified Learning) program this simulators, and a medical-office room, Beginning the experience in early 2018-19 school year, a semester-long the simulation lab is made to look very September, one of the primary tasks that program that allows high school seniors similar to a real hospital. During the Jackson and Cheffer have done is work- take an internship in a career-field they 2017-18 school year, the lab served ing on the patient simulators in order to may want to pursue in college and about 100 nursing students and up to 797 get as close as possible to real-life sce- beyond. non-nursing students. narios. This includes putting intravenous Starting in the 1990’s in the Southwick Jackson, who is interested in comput- catheter’s in simulator infants and adults. school district, the DLE also teaches ers and technology, has been able to The simulator are made of silicon, plas- students how to be successful with apply- learn that technology does play a role in tic, and tubing, with Bluetooth installed ing for jobs, interviewing, and more. the health career field. in the simulator that is connected to a This year, 14 seniors have participated “I get to go out and see what it’s like to computer that allows the simulator to in the program out of the 122 seniors that do other jobs,” said Jackson. “You can make real-life reactions that a person or Isabel and Alexander Jackson are placing a catheter in a will be set to graduate in June 2019. relate to the simulations, it’s also nice to a baby would make. simulation baby at the sim lab at Holyoke Community The students in the DLE are experi- see how procedures are done.” College. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick) encing their own unique internships. Interested in pursuing nursing in col- See Experience, Page 3 SAT, SEPT 29 11 AM-1 PM AT THE ARNOLD ST. PARKING LOT Join us for a FREE event including vehicles from WG+E, the Westfield Fire and Police Departments, and the 104th Fighter Wing! FREE • Fun for Kids of All Ages • Snacks and Giveaways PAGE 2 - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS 5K Dam Run returns to Homecoming Weekend Mark your calendars for Saturday, Oct. 13 Pittsfield, owned by alumnus Kent Lemme. to run the 2nd Annual 5K Dam Run, part of Homecoming Weekend takes place TONIGHT SATURDAY SUNDAY Gateway’s “Homecoming Weekend”. Run Thursday, Oct. 11 through Sunday, Oct. 14. the challenging but scenic home course used Events benefiting the Foundation also by Gateway’s Cross-Country Teams, which include a kick-off dinner at Chester Common includes running up the back of Littleville Table on Thursday evening (GEF will receive Dam and scenic views along Littleville Lake. 15 percent of sales); a family movie night on Runners of all ages and abilities are wel- Friday evening starting at 6:30 p.m. in the come.