Velis Secures $7.5M for District Roads
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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 18, 2020 VOL. 89 NO. 172 Graduations Westfield’s finalized plans for for city the fall high schools semester are By AMY PORTER Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Graduation ceremonies have taking shape been finalized for Westfield Technical Academy on July 30 at 6 p.m. and Westfield High School By AMY PORTER on July 31 at 6 p.m.; both on the grounds of Staff Writer Westfield High School. WESTFIELD — Superintendent Stefan School Commiittee graduation committee Czaporowski updated the School Committee member Ramon Diaz, Jr. gave an update on the June 16 about plans being developed by the plans at the June 16 Special School Committee district’s leadership team and “Back to School” meeting committees for the start of school in the fall. Diaz said the committee, composed of senior Czaporowski said a draft plan is due to the class officers, class advisers, principals, vice Road improvements on Congamond Road in Southwick are part of a transporta- Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on July 31, and a final plan on Aug. principals, and the superintendent, began look- tion bill approved July 16 in the Senate. (THE WESTFIELD NEWS PHOTO) ing at the possibilities in May. 10. “We listened mostly to the students. We Czaporowski said the talked about what we could do. Their feeling is Board of Health they’ve been through school for thirteen years Director Joseph Rouse Velis secures $7.5M is not supporting or rec- with classmates, and wanted any opportunity to graduate together,” Diaz said, adding that by ommending a full open pushing off the date until the end of July they return to school. He will now be able to graduate together wearing said the committees masks at three feet apart. for district roads have taken that to heart. The stage will be with its back facing “We as a team are look- Montgomery Road, next to the digital sign as By HOPE E. TREMBLAY not support the bill, Minority Leader ing at a phased-in the power source. Families will be able to park Editor Bruce Tarr cited the inclusion of a approach to next year, similar to how the state and stay in their cars, facing the students. The BOSTON — Funding for Westfield, business-opposed provision to allow is doing a phased-in approach,” he said. ceremony will be broadcast on YouTube, so Southwick and surrounding communi- municipalities to increase local taxes Czaporowski said they are talking about hav- families can see it live and watch and listen to ties was included in a $17 billion bor- and use the funding for transportation ing four phases. it in their cars on devices. “This gives students rowing bill approved July 16 by the projects, reports Sam Doran of State Phase one will entail remote learning for the ability to be together, to cheer each other Sente for transportation and infrastruc- House News Service. An amendment by most students, and bringing in students with on,” Diaz said, adding that they couldn’t hold a ture improvements. Democrat Sen. Diana DiZoglio which high needs first, including students in special regular ceremony safely. State Sen. John C. Velis, D-Westfield, would have struck that section was education and English language learners. Also Diaz said that Westfield Technical Academy helped secure $7.5 million for transpor- defeated 8-31. Sen. Susan Moran, who returning for Phase one will be Career Technical Principal Joseph Langone and Westfield High tation projects in the 2nd Hampden and joined the Senate after a May special education students at Westfield Technical School Principal Charles Jendrysik are drafting Hampshire District, which is comprised election, gave her inaugural speech on a Academy, where Czaporowski said there is details on what will and won’t be allowed at the of Agawam, Easthampton, Granville, successful amendment to add $350 mil- adequate space in the shops. He said it is criti- Holyoke, Montgomery, Russell, lion in funding toward replacement of cal for the freshmen to be in the building for See Graduations, Page 5 Southampton, Southwick, Tolland, the Bourne and Sagamore bridges. Also exploratory, when they choose which career Westfield and part of Chicopee. Thursday, the Senate and House worked technical path they will follow. “At the end of the day, what matters in concert to send to Gov. Charlie Phase two will be a “hybrid model, full most to me is being able to bring my Baker’s desk bills addressing mosquito force,” Czaporowski said. “We cannot have all work on Beacon Hill back home,” said control and take-out cocktails during the of the students back with adequate social dis- Velis. “Advocating for our improve- COVID-19 era. tancing,” He said students returning to school ments to our roadways and transporta- Velis secured the following local can be six feet apart and not wear a mask, or tion infrastructure will always be a funds: three feet apart and wear a mask. “We still can’t major priority of mine, and I am proud $2.5M for Northampton St./RT.5 in fit everybody at three feet apart. We’re going to that I was able to secure $7.5 million in Holyoke see some differences in different schools, the Senate Bond Bill for transportation $870,000 for Greenway bikeway in according to their size.” projects across our cities and towns. I Southampton Czaporowski said currently they are thinking am thankful to all the local officials who $600,000 for Congamond Road in of having an A and B Week, or possibly two worked with my office on this bill, and Southwick weeks on and two weeks off, which was sug- hope that the Governor now taps these $1M for roadway improvements in gested by a parent. He said the updated model projects to be included in his capital Westfield will be going out to parents and staff the week plan.” $2.53M to be shared equally in of July 20. He also said they will work to The bill passed 36-4, with the Senate’s Agawam, Easthampton, Granville, ensure that all students in one family will be on four-man Republican caucus voting in Montgomery and Russell for road the same alternating week or weeks. opposition. Explaining why he would improvements. Susan Dargie, director of curriculum and instruction is currently holding focus groups for teachers on technology and on remote teaching and learning. There are also plans to survey teachers on what type of professional development they need for remote learning. Westfield sees drop in new COVID cases Czaporowski said a focus group with parents is also being planned. By PETER CURRIER recorded, there is just one con- Johnson pointed out that by “I am concerned about us coming full in. We Staff Writer firmed active COVID case in her observations, just about know dealing with our union, how much of our WESTFIELD — After multi- Southwick, a 77-year-old woman everyone in Southwick has been staff is over 55 years old. I am very concerned ple weeks of increased numbers who has been critically ill in the complying with the mask man- about bringing everybody in to learn,” said of new COVID-19 cases in hospital for several weeks. Public date and has been following School Committee member Heather Sullivan at Westfield, the number of new Health Nurse Kate Johnson said social distancing guidelines. the meeting. weekly cases fell to just four this during Thursday evening’s Massachusetts as a whole has “That was the same concern Joe Rouse gave week as the rest of the country remote Board of Health meeting remained as one of the only us. One of the things spreading the virus is Despite the low number of new continues to set records for high that it is likely that the woman states without an increasing large groups of people. That’s why we’ll be infections, Westfield recorded daily new cases. contracted COVID from some- infection rate. This is despite bringing in high needs first,” Czaporowski one more death due to COVID- Westfield’s total number of one who came to her home. starting the pandemic as one of said, adding that Phase four, which will bring COVID-19 infections now stands 19 on July 15, bringing the total With just 63 total cases in the everybody back in, will occur after there is a number of deaths to 55 people in the hardest hit states and average at 475. The previous three weeks town, Board of Health members more than 3,000 cases per day. vaccine for the novel coronavirus. had seen a slight bump in the the city. said they were happy with the The superintendent said that even when the In Southwick there were just On July 16, the U.S. recorded number of new infections going town’s response, but warned peo- more than 75,000 new confirmed students return part-time on the hybrid model, from six, 10, and 13 new cases in two new cases, bringing the total ple not to let their guard down. parents will still have the option to be remote to 63 in the town. Four people are COVID-19 cases, the largest that order. Westfield Health “Despite Southwick’s good known single-day jump by any full-time. He said rather than having students Director Joseph Rouse said currently quarantining due to record so far, we have to remain sign up online at another school, Westfield is contact with the two new cases.