In observation of Search for The WestfieldNew News Year's Day The Westfield News Friday, Jan. 1, 2021 Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews IME IS THE TheONLY Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “T will not publish. WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 $1.00 THURSDAY,TUESDAY, DECEMBER JUNE 27, 2017 31, 2020 VOL. 75 cents 89 NO. 311 L&O Committee recommends Host Community Agreement By AMY PORTER and their plan had been approved by Safetiva Labs, said as an indepen- Staff Writer the Planning Board in October. dent testing lab the principals are WESTFIELD – Another in a series Miller said after researching test- excluded from being involved in any of Resolutions to authorize the mayor ing labs in the Commonwealth, the other marijuana business. He also to sign a Host Community Agreement city did not include a 3 percent com- said that the volume of product (HCA) went before the Legislative & munity impact fee in the HCA. There going through the facility is low Ordinance committee on Dec 29, this are only two other testing labs in compared to a grower or retailer. one for a marijuana testing laboratory. Massachusetts, in Framingham and Mensing said the Cannabis Control Community Development Director Salem. Miller said he spoke with Commission reviews testing labs on Peter J. Miller said that over the past former Westfield Councilor an expedited basis. He said the busi- four to six months, he has been work- Chistopher Keefe in Framingham ness is also woman-owned, which is ing with Megan Dobrow and her team about the lab in their town, who also expedited. He said the group at Safetiva Labs for the siting of a verified a zero community impact expected to submit their application marijuana testing lab at 109 Apremont fee, as did the town of Salem. He to the CCC within a week or two, Way, formerly Berkshire Industries. said the HCA included a 24 month and would expect a provisional He said the lab will occupy a 5,000 to The site of the former Berkshire Industries at 109 Apremont Way. (THE start provision. 6,000 sq. ft. building on the grounds, WESTFIELD NEWS FILE PHOTO) Blake Mensing, an attorney for See HCA, Page 3 Westfield gearing up for January practices, tryouts By CHRIS PUTZ January 11th,” Dunphy stated Sports Editor in a recent e-mail circulating WESTFIELD – The game within the school communi- must go on. ty. As it stands now, high While tryouts/practices for school sports for the boys and girls basketball, Westfield Bombers will boys and girls swimming, begin in a matter of days. boys ice hockey and skiing Art work by Elly, age 9. (SUBMITTED PHOTO) Artwork by Evelyn, age 7. (SUBMITTED PHOTO) Westfield High School ath- begins Jan. 15, girls ice hock- letic coordinator Ryan ey tryouts/practices start Jan. Dunphy reached out to stu- 4. dent-athletes and their par- Registration is open for Local online art show captures ents and guardians recently, winter athletics. Student- reassuring them that winter athletes are urged to sign up sports will still begin as on Family ID. planned in the first couple Before students can partic- unique styles of young people weeks of January (barring ipate in tryouts, he or she any setbacks, of course). must have completed the By LORI SZEPELAK the community.” “With remote learning Family ID registration, have Correspondent Westerlind added that the youth art continuing through January an updated physical on file WESTFIELD – Young artists were show allowed ArtWorks members and 15th, we are still planning on not intimidated by a tight deadline, and the community to see what kids were starting tryouts/practices on See H.S. Sports, Page 3 close to 50 city children entered the creating at home. 2020 Online Westfield Youth Art Show “As we were planning the online presented by ArtWorks of Westfield, event, we were convinced the kids Inc. would be so sick of screen time in “The response from the parents was school and at home that few if anyone overwhelmingly supportive, apprecia- would participate,” said Westerlind. tive and joyous,” said Bill Westerlind, “We were so wrong! With just under 50 ArtWorks president. “They appreciated entries in a very short period of time, the opportunity for their children to we were awed and amazed. The talent, express themselves through art and a creativity, ingenuity and initiative of platform to share that expression with the children of Westfield is truly Artwork by Renée, age 8. (SUBMITTED PHOTO) remarkable.” Shannon Chiba, a city artist and board member of ArtWorks, shared a similar sentiment. “I got a sense that this show and more like it are needed at this time,” said Chiba, who has been the principle driver behind the ArtWorks youth events. “Parents and caregivers enjoyed sharing their children’s art, and the children loved seeing others ‘likes’ and ‘hearts’ under their pictures.” Chiba said there were 48 submis- sions received with eight show winners and an additional eight winners who will receive prizes for “their amazing works.” “Judging was done completely online and by ‘likes’ and ‘hearts’ under Westfield’s Chandler Pedolzky (10) lets a jumper fly over the submitted pictures,” said Chiba, Northampton’s Emily Sledzieski during a high school girls adding the completed works are posted basketball game in 2018. Tryouts and practices for the 2020 season are set to begin this January at WHS. (THE WESTFIELD Artwork by Lily, age 11. (SUBMITTED PHOTO) See Online Art, Page 3 NEWS FILE PHOTO/CHRIS PUTZ) Chamber of Commerce collecting winter clothes for Westfield students By PETER CURRIER collecting coats, hats, mittens, and throughout Westfield. One can drop Westfield Athenaeum, Walmart, Staff Writer scarves for students in Kindergarten the clothing off at the Westfield Pottery Cellar, and the Amelia Park WESTFIELD – The Greater through 12th grade for a winter in Public Schools offices, Anytime Arena. Westfield Chamber of Commerce’s which many families may be strug- Fitness, Betts Plumbing, Cannabis Fran Zampini of the Greater Share the Warmth Coat drive is now gling to provide everything they Connection, Rehab Resolutions, Westfield Chamber of Commerce ongoing to benefit students in need for themselves. Results in Wellness, The Carson said that the Share the Warmth Coat Westfield Public Schools. There are more than a dozen drop- Center, Westfield Barnes Regional Drive will be ongoing through the The Chamber of Commerce is off locations for the winter clothing Airport, Richards Grinders, the end of January. PAGE 2 - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Business groups seek certainty on unemployment insurance hikes percent -- from $544 per employee to $866 -- but legislators can -- and have several times in ing the legislation, instead urging lawmakers Labor unions say starting in 2021 that could remain in place at the past -- intervene to freeze the rate sched- to keep attention on what it described as least through 2024. ule. broader structural issues with the state's unem- more systemic Baker's bill would soften the blow, keeping Business leaders argue that the automatic ployment system and on preventing misclas- the increase to a more modest 17 percent by increases would disrupt an already-tenuous sification of workers. UI changes needed freezing rates at their current schedule in 2021 economic recovery in the first few months of Steven Tolman, president of the By CHRIS LISINSKI and 2022. 2021, making it more difficult to hire new Massachusetts AFL-CIO, wrote in his testi- State House News Service The governor said at a Dec. 18 press confer- workers after widespread layoffs or keep mony that the current structure has a low tax- BOSTON - When he unveiled legislation ence that "we could do this in January or existing ones on payroll. They also note that able wage base, which places too much burden this month to limit sharp increases in the taxes February or March," even as he pushed for the new year will bring several other new cost on businesses with lower-wage workers. He Massachusetts businesses pay to fund the more prompt action. But he gave a more time- drivers, such as a $0.75 increase in the mini- suggested lawmakers raise the taxable wage unemployment system, Gov. Charlie Baker sensitive pitch to the Legislature's Labor and mum wage and the start of most paid family base and adjust it annually to keep up with encouraged lawmakers to act soon but con- Workforce Committee. and medical leave benefits. wage growth. ceded that they could wait up to three months "Time is of the essence," Baker wrote in tes- "Freezing the unemployment insurance "The disproportionate share of the UI fund- to make the change. timony, which the committee collected schedule will avoid an average increase of ing borne by smaller businesses has also Business groups do not share the same feel- remotely Monday. "In years past, our team has more than $300 per employee at a time when served as justification for multiple past legisla- ing of flexibility. worked diligently to deliver rate notices to small businesses are dealing with a recession, tive freezes of the UI rate schedule, contribut- Leaders of several industry organizations Massachusetts employers prior to the end of an increase in the minimum wage, and the ing to an inability to forward fund the Trust to and chambers of commerce urged the the calendar year. Normally, this allows start of paid family and medical leave bene- adequately deal with inevitable periods of high Legislature to make Baker's proposal (H 5206) employers ample time to plan and account for fits," Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce unemployment," Tolman wrote.