Mourning the Fallen

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JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 MourningTUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 the fallen 75 cents By PETER CURRIER Correspondent WESTFIELD- The city held its annual Memorial Day Parade Monday morning, with 29 groups representing the branches of the military, elected officials, first responders and other public services. The parade began on North Elm Street near the Mestek property and continued south to their destination at Westfield Middle School. Once there, a ceremony was held across the street at Parker Memorial Park. The ceremony began with State Representative John Velis (left) speaks of his experi- remarks from Master of Ceremony Cindy Lacoste, Past ences as a veteran at the ceremony. Cindy Lacoste (right) Commander of American Legion Post 124 in Westfield. She was the Master of Ceremony for the day. (Photo by Peter introduced Westfield High School band member Madison Currier) Curbello, who sang the National Anthem. Paul Nimchick, Post 124 chaplain, delivered the invocation. Nimchick offered a message of not forgetting those who fought and died at home or abroad. Lacoste then spoke about the sol- Members of American Legion Post 124 perform a 21 gun diers who fought and died in Europe in World War Two. salute near the conclusion of the ceremony. (Photo by Peter “On June 6, the world will observe the 75th anniversary of Currier) the Normandy invasion. Many Americans and citizens around engage in community service. the world will head to France and pay respects to the thousands State Sen. Donald F. Humason was a guest speaker for the of allied heroes who gave their lives to liberate a country and a event. He told of a recent session of the State Senate during continent,” said Lacoste, “We continue to lose heroes everyday which the senators ceased discussions and stood at their desks in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and military training while saying out loud the names of those who died serving the accidents and missions around the world.” country. He reflected on his father-in-law and great-grandfa- Lacoste then turned attention to Scott and Ilka Halliday, a ther, who both lost their lives serving in the Army. Gold Star Family whose son, Christopher, was killed in “Today is Decoration Day, a day that we honor the fallen,” Afghanistan in March of 2007. The Hallidays took part in the said Humason, “whether we go to the cemeteries to place flow- parade and were guests at the front of the ceremony. ers, or to keep a good wish in our heart.” What followed was a reading of Gov. Charlie Baker’s offi- Mayor Brian P. Sullivan followed Humason as a guest Hundreds of people gathered at Parker Memorial Park to cial Memorial Day Proclamation by Allie Masciadrelli, the speaker. Sullivan gave his thanks to those who serve in either Westfield ambassador for Project 351. Project 351 is a program watch the Memorial Day ceremony after the parade. (Photo by Peter Currier) started by former Gov. Deval Patrick that helps young students See Memorial Day, Page 7 Resources abound for those Russell Finance struggling with addiction Committee to By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent RUSSELL-Baystate Noble host forum June 1 Hospital’s community awareness day By AMY PORTER on the opioid crisis had a twofold mis- Correspondent sion – educate area residents on the RUSSELL – Ruth Kennedy, chairman of the local resources available and build Russell Finance Committee has announced a relationships among like-minded orga- town forum to be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, June nizations. 1 at Russell Town Hall. The free event, Overcoming The purpose of the forum will be to answer Obstacles of the Opioid Epidemic, Russell Finance Committee Chairman Ruth questions ahead of the Annual Town Meeting to was conducted Saturday afternoon at Kennedy. (WNG File Photo) Jennifer Panniello of Montgomery be held on June 10. Strathmore Park and was well attend- ed, according to organizers. writes a message on a feather for the Kennedy said the Finance Committee will have approximately $1.40, she said, which the Wings of Hope memorial at Baystate informational handouts for residents that townspeople can’t afford. “Through today’s event, we are building on the relationships we Noble Hospital’s community aware- Committee members will be prepared to explain. ”We had no choice, we didn’t have the ness day on the opioid epidemic on She said this year has been confusing because of money to cover it,” Kennedy said about the already have with local organiza- tions,” said Tracy Clapp, BSN, RN May 25. Panniello is a nurse in the the two different assessment methods for the Finance Committee’s reason for not recom- hospital’s emergency department. Gateway Regional School District, the statutory mending the alternative assessment this year. manager and educator with Baystate or traditional method of assessment, and the However, she said, even if they had supported Noble’s case management department. the Western Mass Recovery Learning alternative assessment which was voted for last it, Montgomery’s vote would have ended it for Clapp added the hospital is committed Community, is by and for people who year by all six towns, a requirement for passage. FY20. to building partnerships to prevent and have struggled with suicidal thoughts The statutory method of assessment requires sup- One item the Finance committee is recom- treat opioid addiction and related sub- or attempts. Mansur noted the gather- port of four of the six towns for passage. mending is $180,000 for a new truck and snow stance abuse throughout the region. ing space on the church’s third floor The statutory assessment bases the amount that plow for the Highway Dept., which they hope Michael Mansur of Westfield, who on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. each town must pay on the town census of stu- to pay for in installments. She said the old truck is a co-facilitator of the Alternatives to allows people to come together to sup- dents in the schools as of March 1. The alterna- is now worth only $12,000 in trade-in value, Suicide group that meets at the port each other, strategize alternatives, tive assessment ties each town to the same per- and next year will have no value at all. Episcopal Church of the Atonement in and talk openly about their despair and centage increase as in the school budget, which is The Finance Committee is also recommend- Westfield, echoed those sentiments. other challenges. 1.97% for FY20. The reason the towns voted for ing increasing the salary line in the Police “After six suicide attempts I was “People showed me how to save my the alternative assessment last year was to try to Department., to allow for full-time hours over lucky I found the help I needed and life,” said Mansur. “The group wants avoid the swings in assessments caused by the the summer. Kennedy said the town has a prob- now want to pay it forward,” said to help people with no judgment.” movement of a relatively few number of students lem with people coming to town, parking any- Mansur. into or out of each town. where and partying by the river, where they The peer-run group, sponsored by See Resources, Page 3 Kennedy said this year, the town of Montgomery also swim in undesignated areas and leave voted down the alternative assessment at their trash behind. She said between the Russell Lourdes Velez of town meeting, which means the towns must Police Department and the State Police, they Chicopee receives a revert to the statutory method. She said the are cracking down on such activities, and packet of information Finance Committee was going to recommend a allowing people who are traveling to stop for during Baystate Noble no vote on the alternative assessment, and a yes lunch instead, which she said they couldn’t do Hospital’s community vote on the statutory assessment, before the before. awareness day on the Montgomery vote. She said this year and last Kennedy said the auction of Strathmore Mill opioid epidemic. Rosa year combined, Russell would have paid $300,000 #2 was disappointing, because the $15,000 sale Feldman, MSN, RN, more to the district in the alternative assessment price did not cover $70,000 in back taxes that director of the hospi- than in the statutory assessment. She said under will now have to be written off. She said the tal’s inpatient care the statutory assessment this year, the increase for sale is not finalized, but she is hopeful the services, and Tracy Gateway in the budget is $21,000 over last year. buyer will invest in cleaning up the property, Clapp, BSN, RN man- Under the statutory assessment, Kennedy said which is a Brownfields site, and make some- ager and educator of they do not have to raise taxes. Under the alterna- thing happen.

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