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NO. 151 302 MONDAY,TUESDAY, DECEMBER JUNE 27, 18,2017 2017 75 75 cents cents Westfield Mitten One-vehicle accident and hat tree at WPS shut down East student Central Office, one of Mountain Road musicians many drives in the Sunday morning schools chosen for that will By DAN DESROCHERS help the Correspondent families. WESTFIELD—A one-vehicle accident on East Mountain (Photo sub- Road shut down a portion of the road for several hours early district Sunday morning and sent one person to the hospital. mitted) According to Westfield Police, a one-vehicle accident on East Mountain Road was reported at 1:47 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 17. The vehicle had reportedly struck a utility pole and competition “snapped” the pole, according to the police log, with wires on By AMY PORTER the ground. Correspondent The road was shut down following the accident from WESTFIELD – Westfield High School and Springfield Road to Springfield Hill Road according to the Westfield Technical Academy Band Director log. The road was shut down for several hours. Patrick Kennedy announced on Friday that 38 The only occupant of the vehicle was the operator and was Westfield Public School student musicians have reported injured. They were transported to Baystate Noble been chosen by audition to participate in the Hospital via Westfield Fire ambulance and personnel. Massachusetts Music Educators Association The accident is at least the second accident to happen on (MMEA) District Music Festivals. East Mountain Road over the past several days that shut down Some of the students will be participating in the portions of East Mountain Road. On Thursday morning, a Junior Festival, which is open to grades 6-9, and two-vehicle accident resulted in two people being injured, some will be participating in the Senior Festival, including one who was listed in critical condition as of Friday open to grades 9-12. The festivals take place at Organized effort afternoon at Baystate Medical Center. the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Senior Districts on Saturday, January 13 and Junior Districts on Saturday, March 17. Some Westfield underway to help High School students are also eligible to audition for All State, which takes place at Boston House Numbering Symphony Hall. “I am proud of the work that our students and influx of families music staff have done to represent our school and program for seniors community and wanted to share it with you. This is the first year that every WPS secondary school has participants in the festivals!” Kennedy said. from Puerto Rico officially launches Students chosen to participate include: By AMY PORTER By GREG FITZPATRICK JUNIOR CHORUS NORTH MIDDLE Correspondent Correspondent SCHOOL WESTFIELD – City Hall, Westfield Public Schools and the SOUTHWICK – In an announcement on Friday, Southwick Kerry Turok, Director Westfield Spanish American Association (WSAA) are all work- Fire Chief Russ Anderson stated that the town House Emma Avery, Grade 6, Voice ing together to help the influx of Puerto Rican families who have Numbering program has officially launched. Ryan Beattie, Grade 8, Voice arrived in Westfield after losing everything to Hurricane Maria in The House Numbering program announced in May 2017 Katie Breck, Grade 7, Voice September. revolves around having 6 inch by 18 inch reflective signs placed on the mailboxes of senior citizens homes. The pro- Lauren Carnes, Grade 7, Voice “Nobody was really prepared,” said Maria Sotolongo of the WSAA. She said families continue to arrive, with the number gram, which is free of charge for the seniors, was the brain- William Flynn, Grade 7 Voice child of Council on Aging Director Cindy Sullivan and Ashley Kane, Grade 6, Voice changing week by week. Some families are being placed by FEMA in the Quality Inn on Southampton Road in Westfield, Chief Anderson. Pratham Makonahally, Grade 8, Voice The reason behind having the reflective signs is that the Caroline McKenzie, Grade 8, Voice some are doubled up and staying with family members or friends. fire department discovered that they commonly find numbers Elena Silvia, Grade 6, Voice Most have lost everything, she said. either missing on the mailboxes or clustered together. If there JUNIOR CHORUS “The consensus is they don’t have that much to go back to. A is an emergency that first responders need to attend to, it can SOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOL lot of them just really want to work; they want to contribute,” make it difficult for them to know which residence is the cor- David Gomes, Director Sotolongo said. Calling herself the “boots on the ground,” she rect one and can be the difference between life and death. Camille Bruno, Grade 7, Voice and her husband, Josh Sotolongo, who is the president of the “This allows emergency workers the ability to find an Nathahlie Diaz, Grade 7,Voice WSAA, have been contacting every source possible to help the address easily in an emergency,” said Anderson. Gage Elderkin, Grade 7, Voice families to stabilize, and to become a part of the community. “Our goal is to number 100 homes of senior citizens free Melody Latshaw, Grade 8, Voice Initially, she said many of the families go to Enlace de Familias of charge,” said Anderson of the program’s initial intentions. Brayden Leary, Grade 6, Voice “Funding for this project was made possible by a combina- Shane McCarthy, Grade 7, Voice See Helping Families, Page 3 tion of senior and fire safety grants.” According to Anderson, he and Sullivan are looking to See District, Page 3 open up the program to the entire public for a small fee next spring. On Sept. 18, Anderson and Sullivan hosted a kickoff event for the program at the Council on Aging center to allow seniors to sign up for the program. If any seniors are interested in signing up for the House Past comes to the present at Amelia Park Children’s Museum Numbering program, contact the Southwick Fire Department By DAN DESROCHERS at 413-569-6363 or email Anderson at chiefanderson@ Correspondent southwickfire.net. WESTFIELD—A new exhibit will soon be making its way from prehistoric times to modern times at the Amelia Park Children’s Museum. An interactive dinosaur dig will be coming to the Children’s Museum beginning on Jan. 4, 2018, which will allow children to uncover fossil castings inside a portion of the museum and learn about dinosaurs and other prehistorical features. “From an educational standpoint it’s a great interactive activity for children and families,” Kate Daly, Executive Director of Amelia Park Children’s Museum, said. As a board we’re very excited to bring a high-end exhibit to the museum,” Chuck Kelly, Chairperson for the Amelia Park Children’s Museum Board of Directors. “Very educa- A small-scale version of the dinosaur dig. tional, very interactive with kids and parents.” The main attraction to the new exhibit will be the chance the animal inhabitants of the times. for children and families to try and find the fossils that are The fossils that the children will uncover are actually cast- located at the museum. ings made from real fossils. The fossils come from places as “They’ll be uncovering fossils with paint brushes,” Grace far as Europe, but also as local as the Connecticut River Bergeron, staff member at the museum, said “The fossils are Valley. related to various periods, ranging from the Precambrian The fossils that can be uncovered will include trilobites, a period to present day.” type of aquatic arthropod from as early as the Precambrian Southwick Fire Chief Russ Anderson and Council on There will be different worksheets available for those par- period, an allosaurus, a dinosaur that stood on two feet during ticipating as well, which will help children learn about the Aging Director Cindy Sullivan are seen installing a new many different timeframes in prehistory, as well as some of reflective sign on a resident’s mailbox. (Photo courtesy of See New Exhibit, Page 3 Southwick Fire Department) PAGE 2 - MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS 1669 1770 1775 1775 1792 1783 1741 1780 1810 WESTFIELD SOUTHWICK HUNTINGTON GRANVILLE RUSSELL CHESTER BLANDFORD MONTGOMERY TOLLAND AROUND TOWN Submit your Around Town News to [email protected] WSU Students Honored by St. Vincent dePaul Society The Westfield St. Vincent DePaul Society honored its volunteer graduating students from Westfield State University. The stu- dents have donated many volunteer hours helping the Society in meeting its goals. The society seeks to help the less fortunate, homeless and families by Respecting the dignity of each person, St. Vincent de Paul Westfield brings hope and help to those in need so they may find stability and move toward self-sufficiency. Pictured are Julia Lahaie, Justin Schneider, Philip Sheehy, Kristen Keefe, Julie Mulcahy, Westin Cohen. (Photo by Lynn F. 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