Westfield Is Moving Forward with Lawsuits Against Fire-Fighting Foam
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TONIGHT Rain. Low of 36. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews “WHAT THIS COUNTRY NEEDS Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns IS A “TGOODIME IS FIVETHE ONLY-CENT CIGAR.” WEATHER CRITIC— Thomas WITHOUT R. maRshall TONIGHT U.S. viceAMBITION president.” (1854-1925). (To which American humorist Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECKSearch for The Westfield News Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews Franklin P. Adams replied, “What this country Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns really needs is a good“T five-centIME IS THEnickel.”) ONLY WEATHERVOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 centsCRITIC WITHOUT VTONIGHTol. 88 N o. 110 MONDAY, MAY 13, 2019 75AMBITION Cents .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27,Westfield 2017 is moving 75 cents forward with lawsuits against fire-fighting foam manufacturers and USAF By AMY PORTER nation in Barnstable. Last summer, 3M Correspondent filed a motion to dismiss the suit, an WESTFIELD – The city is moving Intentional Tort Claim forward on a lawsuit against manufactur- that is based on product liability and ers of firefighting foam cited as the cause unfair and deceptive practices. Phillips of contaminated water in city wells. said the companies took steps to protect Mayor Brian P. Sullivan and City their employees from the dangerous Solicitor Susan Phillips met last week to chemicals, well before they ever alerted talk about the status of the lawsuits filed the public. “The motion to dismiss was in February, 2018 by the City of Westfield. heard last summer. The judge took it The suit was filed in U.S. District Court under advisement. Barnstable was also Some green grass is surprised by a coat of snow in Blandford’s Watson Park. against three manufacturers of aqueous there, along with 3M and their 17 law- film forming foam (AFFF) containing yers,” Phillips said. perfluorinated compounds (PFAS), iden- Meanwhile, a motion was made by 3M tified by the U.S. Environmental to consolidate all AFFF cases, currently First Snowfall of...Spring? Protection Agency as a health hazard. numbering more than 90 from around the A light snowfall Sunday morning gave Blandford a coat of white for Mothers’ Day. The defendant manufacturers are 3M country, according to Phillips, for pre- Company, Chemguard, Inc. and Tyco Fire trial discovery. On advice of counsel, Products L.P. Phillips said they were not opposed to a According to the city’s complaint, the consolidation, believing that there might foam sold by the defendant manufactur- be a district more understandable, such as ers was used for decades by the Air in the Ohio – Dupont case. National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing at The court decided to consolidate for Barnes Air National Guard Base, includ- pre-trial discovery in December and ing for firefighting training, and knew or moved the cases to the Southern District should have known that the chemicals are in South Carolina. Phillips said they cre- persistent when released into the environ- ated groups of lawyers for the 90 plus ment and harmful. lawsuits, and are now putting together The complaint states the use of defen- teams of lawyers, who have asked for dants’ products at Barnes Air National sharing of discovery when the court Guard Base and Westfield-Barnes deposes an expert. Blandford’s Old Burying Ground gets a A little early for skiing, snow decorates Regional Airport has forced the City of Phillips said this is not a class-action light coat of snow Sunday. Blandford Road near the Blandford Country Westfield to incur substantial expense to lawsuit. Kennedy and Madonna and S.L. Store. provide clean, safe drinking water to its Environmental have partnered with three residents. The lawsuit against the fire- other law firms with different expertise fighting foam manufacturers is part of the for Westfield, which has unique claims. city’s ongoing efforts to pursue all options She said the aquifer is different, and the to make itself whole. base being city-owned is different. Phillips said the city hired New York- “The lawsuit is chugging along,” Dying art of based Kennedy & Madonna, and S.L. Phillips said. Environmental Law Group out of San Meanwhile, the city also filed a Federal Francisco, firms representing multiple Tort Claim against the United States Air whip making other communities and districts dealing Force. As part of the process, they sent a with PFAS pollution, including most letter to the USAF, who had six months to is still alive in recently Fairbanks, Alaska. respond. After six months, the city The suit was moved from the U.S. reached out again and asked whether they District Court in Springfield to Boston the Whip City before a judge dealing with the contami- See Lawsuit, Page 5 By PETER CURRIER Correspondent The water WESTFIELD- The Westfield Whip treatment Museum held a whip-making demon- plant on stration Saturday morning outside the Owens Elm Street building as a way to dis- District play the nearly lost art for which the Carol Martin demonstrates the handmade whip-making Road begins Whip City is best known. techniques that were passed down to her by her father to take during an event May 11, 2019 at the Whip Manufacturing shape. (Photo See Whip Making, Page 5 Co. (Photo by Peter Currier) courtesy Westfield Water Dept.) Blandford has a new selectman following town elections By AMY PORTER • Stephen Jemiolo, incumbent, assessor Correspondent for three years BLANDFORD – Town elections were • Jennifer Girard, board of health for held on Saturday, drawing a lower than three years, to fill an unexpired term expected turnout. According to Town • Brett Hartley, board of health for three Clerk Mary Kronholm, 163 votes were years, to fill an unexpired term cast out of 875 registered voters, approx. • Charles Benson, incumbent, library 18.6%. of electorate. trustee for one year Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Ackley won • June Massee, incumbent, municipal the selectman’s contest, defeating incum- light board bent William Levakis, 120 to 41, for a • Paul Martin, planning board. three-year term. There were no nominees for the follow- Doris Jemiolo won the office of town ing positions: Cemetery commissioner for clerk, defeating Staci Iglesias, 86 to 70, three years; fence viewer for one year; for a one-year term. field driver for three years, and planning 350 Parade float preview The sole ballot question, shall the town board for five years. From left: Cindy Gaylord, Tanya Vancini, and Frank Vancini built the float in Lawry vote to have its elected town clerk become By statute, Kronholm will be in office Trucking’s garage in Westfield. The three wanted to give mention to Steve and Carly an appointed town clerk, was defeated one more week. She served several years Bannish, who also helped with the float but are not pictured. Construction of the float began 59-94. as assistant town clerk, was elected to a full term, then stepped down. Laurie in March. All Westfield public school kids who show up, as well as their parents and teach- In the only other contest on the ballot for water commissioner, incumbent Brian Boucher succeeded her and resigned after ers, will march with the canal on the parade route. Students from Westfield Technical Champiney defeated William Levakis, a year, and Kronholm was appointed for a Academy made banners with information about the canal that will be hung on the sides of 111 to 41, for a three-year term. year until this election. the float. See additional photos Page 7. (Photo by Peter Currier) Uncontested slots were elected as fol- She will be swearing in the newly lows: elected officials this week. PAGE 2 - MONDAY, MAY 13, 2019 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Mothers’ Day Tea offered at Stanley Park Rainy weather didn’t deter the 80 attendees at the annual Mothers’ Day Tea Sunday at Stanley Park. Held in the carillon tower the event featured tea, cookies, and a gift plant for the mothers who ventured forth in the inclement weather. One feature of the day was the new carillon system installed this year that allowed an enhanced musical tone to the day. (Submitted photos) ODDS & ENDS LOCAL LOTTERY LAST NIGHT’s numBERS MASSACHUSETTS Sooey! Pig named MassCash TONIGHT TUESDAY WEDNESDAY 04-06-15-23-25 Hamilton bringing Mega Millions Estimated jackpot: $316 million Hurricanes Numbers Evening 1-1-3-6 playoff luck Numbers Midday By JOEDY McCREARY 5-9-3-3 Associated Press Powerball Rain. Partly Sunny. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Estimated jackpot: $250 million Carolina Hurricanes have been rolling at home ever since their newly acquired 46-48 57-62 grunter named Hamilton started hog- Today: Rain likely, mainly after 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near ging the corner. 51. Tonight: Rain. Patchy fog before 3am. Low around 38. North Not defenseman Dougie Hamilton wind around 8 mph. 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