Planting 2.0 Time Friday Afternoon
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Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.comTheThe Westfield WestfieldNews News 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 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents $1.00 SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2020 VOL. 89 NO. 178 High-speed New Westfield internet could be coming COVID to Southwick By HOPE E. TREMBLAY cases drop Editor By PETER CURRIER SOUTHWICK – The High- Staff Writer Speed Internet Subcommittee WESTFIELD- The rate of coronavirus spread in reported its findings July 21 to the Westfield continues to slow down after a couple of weeks Southwick Select Board. of slightly elevated growth. The group formed in 2019 to The city recorded just five new cases of COVID-19 in research the town’s options regard- the past week, bringing the total number of confirmed ing internet service after being cases to 482 as of Friday afternoon. This is the lowest approached by Whip City Fiber, weekly number of new cases in more than a month in part of Westfield Gas & Electric, Westfield. Health Director Joseph Rouse said that there are on bringing the service to a new eight active cases in the city. development on College Highway. Fifty-five Westfield residents have died due to COVID- Select Board Chairman Douglas 19 since the beginning of the pandemic. Moglin, who served on the sub- The Town of Southwick had not released its weekly committee, said right now the only report on the number of new COVID-19 cases as of press real choice is Comcast/Xfinity. Planting 2.0 time Friday afternoon. The town’s most recent report is “Xfinity is monopolizing Westfield on Weekends, the organization that plants the flowers on the Twin from Friday, July 17 when there were two additional Southwick,” Moglin said, noting COVID cases over the previous week, which brought the that is the case in many communi- River Bridges in conjunction with the Beveridge Family Foundation and City of Westfield, spent time July 24 replanting 20 begonias after vandals pulled the total to 63. ties that only offer Xfinity, Charter The lower weekly case numbers come as Gov. Charlie or Cox. flowers from the planters and tossed them over the bridge. Pictured are Barbara Trant planting flowers and Tom Trant and Bob Plasse. Westfield D. Baker announced Friday that visitors to Massachusetts Moglin said there are some resi- from most other states would be required to produce a dents who have Verizon for inter- Police are investigating and anyone with information on the incident should contact the police. (HOPE E. TREMBLAY/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival. net but the service is not well Otherwise one must self-quarantine for 14 days or risk a received and is being phased out. $500 fine for each day of violation. One of the main takeaways from Exceptions to Gov. Baker’s rule include every New the committee’s online community England state as well as New York. survey was that most residents are satisfied with their current internet provider, however they are dissat- isfied with customer service and the cost. Area realtors describe Committee member Alisha Sullivan presented a powerpoint outlining the findings of the group, a sellers market which met 10 times over the past By AMY PORTER year and also met with town coun- Staff Writer sel, the Westfield Gas & Electric WESTFIELD – Area realtors say there are plenty of (Whip City Fiber) and other inter- buyers out there right now, but a shortage of single-family net/broadband providers. homes and condos for sale. Sullivan said 90 percent of resi- “We’re not having any problem dents who participated in the selling houses, we just need houses online survey stated they would to sell. There’s plenty of buyers out switch to a town fiber internet sys- there,” said Barry Boccasile, director tem if the cost was under $85 per of Park Square Realty in Westfield month. and West Springfield. To offer such service, the town Boccasile said It’s been extremely must become a municipal light interesting, because around the mid- plant, or MLP. Moglin said the dle of March when COVID kicked town cannot run the network but WESTFIELD LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL in, people thought the real estate market would be nega- could hire a company, such as tively impacted. However, he said the supply and demand Whip City Fiber, to run it and pro- just became more intense; a combination of less supply, vide installation and maintenance. Meyers Bros slip past OMG; Westfield more demand, and low interest rates. Moglin said Southwick as MLP “When we put a property on the market at fair market would be “an entity to contract Bank overwhelms Richards Jewelers value, there are multiple offers above market value,” he service” and would not be a sepa- said, adding that his business has been doing well over the rate department with employees of By CHRIS PUTZ past four months. He said for Westfield, sales were the twon. It would simply exist to Sports Editor $26,545,460 as of July 1, 2020, compared to $22,945,082 contract with an outside vendor. on July 1, 2019, an increase of 15.7 percent. ‘The idea is to not put the town July 19 Boccasile said some realtors may have stopped showing in the business of being a provid- 12U Division due to COVID-19, but they can work safely and abide by er,” Moglin said. Meyers Brothers 9, OMG 8: the rules. He said at first they were doing virtual 3D show- To do this, the town would incur Meyers Brothers scored a run in the bot- ings, although they began doing open houses a couple of the cost of purchasing its utility tom of the sixth inning to capture a hard weeks ago, limiting the showing to a few people at a time. poles, now owned by Eversource fought game against OMG. “The Board of realtors is saying we’re 19 percent down, and build out the network. Cost for Meyers Brothers started fast and was out to but the truth of the matter is the average sales price is up. the project is just over $8 million. an 8-2 lead before OMG mounted a come- If we had more houses, we’d sell more houses,” Boccasile Moglin said at first, he was back to tie the game in the top of the sixth. said, which makes for one happy person and a bunch of skeptical but after doing research Caitlyn Arooth started the inning with a base buyers that are backed up and looking. with the committee, he believes it hit and promptly stole second base and then Boccasile said the number of sales may be down a little could offer the town “more cost scored on a game winning hit from Hayley Meyers Brothers' Caitlyn Arooth bit, but the average sale price is up a little bit. “We’re not advantages.” Krupienski. having any problem selling houses, we just need houses to cracks a smile. (DAVE HOSMER PHOTO) To begin the process, Sullivan Sophie Svantesson pitched four strong sell,” he said. said two Town Meeting votes are innings and Gianna Capua pitched two for longest outing of her career and Sydney Sales of condos are in a similar place. Boccasile said one required. Once positive votes are the victorious Meyers Brothers. LaPanne pitched the remainder of the of his agents just put a $150,000 condo listing on Facebook received, the town would establish The hitting stars for Meyers were: Caitlyn game for OMG. Julia Bonfitto scored two and on a few other platforms, and already has multiple the MLP, hire a designer and con- Arooth, who reached base four times and runs, including the game-tying run in the showings, “I know she’ll get multiple offers above that structor and contract services. scored three runs, and Hayley Krupienski, top of the sixth and Emma Nelson, who price,” he said The Select Board will take up who had a double along with her game-win- reached base four times and scored one Boccasile also said he understands that sellers may be the discussion again under old ning single. She also scored a run. Mia run to pace the offense. Lily Clark, Katie hesitant to put their houses on the market at this time, due business. The committee members Houser scored two runs, Gianna Capua, Bouchard, Hazel Olsen, Syndey LaPanne to the shortage in inventory if they are looking for them- are Moglin, Sullivan, Marlene Shannon Wall and Charlie White all contrib- and Emma Callen each scored a run. selves. However a clause may be put in that the sale is Quinlan, James Johnson, Pari uted a run scored. Hoxia and Annie Hanson. Emma Callan threw three innings in the See Little League, Page 6 See Realtors, Page 5 PAGE 2 - SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2020 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Police Logs Major crime and incident report 10:25 p.m.: noise complaint, Russell Road, a caller reports 10:05 a.m.: larceny, Christopher Drive, a caller reports her Saturday, July 18, 2020 persons near the river are yelling and disturbing his peace, the car was stolen overnight and her husband’s unlocked car was WESTFIELD responding officer reports the noise was coming from a gather- entered and his wallet was stolen, the caller said that her keys 12:37 a.m.: officer wanted, East Main Street, a caller reports ing on the other side of the river, the officer was able to speak had been in her vehicle, the responding officer reports the sto- a group of 10 or more youths playing games and music in the with the host who agreed to ask his quests to be quieter; len car was found to have been abandoned in West Springfield parking lot of a fast-food restaurant are drinking and smoking 10:50 p.m.: animal complaint, Briarcliff Drive, a caller and it was towed to the police impound