The Westfield NewsSearch for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews 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, NOVEMBER 9, 2019 VOL. 88 NO. 265 McCabe concedes to Humason By HOPE day that was not true; in had many opportunities in from day one to run a “posi- E. TREMBLAY Massachusetts, candidates both the public and private tive” campaign. Assistant Managing Editor must petition for a recount. sector. Humason said it would be WESTFIELD — Mayoral McCabe worked with City “I think you’ll be hearing almost business as usual in candidate and Westfield Clerk Karen Fanion, whom from me again later on,” said the coming weeks. He said he Police Capt. Michael A. he said did “yeoman’s work,” McCabe, adding he was “not would begin the transition McCabe conceded Nov. 8 to and was satisfied with the sure what that looks like yet.” from senator to mayor and his opponent state Sen. votes. Both men thanked their discuss with his senate lead- Donald F. Humason Jr., three There were reports of vot- supporters, volunteers and ers when to officially resign. days after the election. ing machines not working family. A special election will be In the end, just 90 votes properly, but McCabe said his Humason, a veteran of planned to elect the next sen- separated the two men, touted concerns were addressed and elections, said McCabe ran a ator and state Rep. John C. for running “a gentleman’s he accepted the 90-vote dif- great race, especially for his Velis has expressed his intent race,” with each candidate ference. first election. He commented to seek the seat. receiving almost half of the “I don’t want Don’s admin- on the race and the philoso- Current Mayor Brian P. nearly 10,000 votes. istration to start out this way phy of the candidates and Sullivan’s last day in office McCabe said during a joint and I don’t want to cost the their teams. was Nov. 8 and City Council press release in mayor-elect city money,” McCabe said. “I “We communicated with President Ralph J. Figy will Humason’s Westfield district simply don’t like to spend the each other throughout – that’s serve as Acting Mayor until office that he had been told on taxpayers’ money.” two Westfield guys and that’s Humason is sworn-in Jan. 6. Election Day there was an When asked about his how we get it done,” Humason Sullivan is leaving office Mayor-elect Donald F. Humason Jr and Police Capt. Michael automatic recount when there future plans, McCabe said his said. early to take a position in the A. McCabe, a candidate for mayor, speak Nov. 8 during a was 1% or less separating the tenure with the police depart- McCabe agreed and said Baker administration. joint press conference where McCabe conceded to Humason. votes. He found out the next ment would soon end and he his campaign team decided (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay) State Rep. Velis seeks Senate seat By HOPE Velis, an attorney, was fight for Western Mass.” nonpartisan politics. E. TREMBLAY elected Westfield’s state rep- Velis said he has been lis- “What people have told me Assistant Managing Editor resentative in 2014 in a spe- tening to residents. is that they are sick of the WESTFIELD – State Rep. cial election. He plans to run “I have been door-knock- partisan politics at all levels John C. Velis, D-Westfield, is for the senate seat in another ing, going directly to people’s of government and need officially running for the 2nd special election which will be homes to meet them and learn someone to go beyond that. Hampden and Hampshire determined after Humason more about their concerns They are focused on electing State Senate seat. resigns. and what they will expect out someone who is willing to The announcement fol- Velis, a Major in the U.S. of their next state official,” compromise to the 2nd lowed a joint press confer- Army Reserves, has twice said Velis. Hampden and Hampshire ence where mayoral candi- been deployed to Afghanistan. “This is a large and diverse District. I have demonstrated date Michael A. McCabe con- The 2nd Hampden and Senate district and I have bipartisan leadership through ceded the election to state Hampshire District includes been openly speaking with my voting record and time in Sen. Donald F. Humason Jr. Agawam, Westfield, Holyoke, community and business the legislature in order to get The two candidates were sep- Easthampton, Southampton, leaders as well as with elected things done and I intend to do arated by just 90 votes and Tolland, Montgomery, officials. I have learned a the same as a senator,” said McCabe considered a recount Granville, Russell, Southwick great deal about what is Velis. but announced Nov. 8 he and parts of Chicopee. important to the people of this Velis, a democrat, has would concede. According to a press district. I am overwhelmed crossed party lines numerous Humason will officially release, “for the past eight with the pledges of support times in the House and he State Rep. John Velis and state Sen. Donald F. Humason Jr. resign his senate seat before months, Velis has been out in that I have received, not just will continue to do so, he has representation at the State to be heard,” said Velis. being sworn-in as mayor in every city and town listening for the campaign, but more said. January. When Humason extensively to what residents importantly, to work with me House for any length of time. “Like many people in the “This Senate seat is too We all know that in Western state senate district, I am announced his candidacy for want from their state senator. if we are able to earn the right important to the people of the Westfield mayor late last win- People have made it clear to represent this district,” said Massachusetts we have to looking forward to the date of towns and cities in it to leave fight so much harder and lift the special election,” he ter, Velis said he would run they’re looking for someone Velis. the seat open without fierce for his seat. to go down to Boston and Velis said constituents want our voices higher and louder added. Brian Fanion’s story was inconsistent, said prosecutors By PETER CURRIER arrived at the scene, they through, from above and Fanion had kept a diary in Staff Writer found Fanion next to his wife, behind the right ear according which the final entry was SPRINGFIELD- Retired with a single gunshot wound to prosecutors, was also written six days before her Westfield Police Det. Brian to the side of her head. inconsistent with a suicide. death. In it she wrote a pas- Fanion is being held without “Upon arrival, detectives Sandstrom said that Brian sage from the Bible that bail while awaiting a pretrial received initial information Fanion was having an affair Brown said is often associat- hearing Jan. 9 on charges of that Brian Fanion, a Westfield at the time with another ed with one’s impending murder in connection to his Police detective at the time, woman. An investigation into death. Sandstrom later point- wife’s death. was on-duty and went home text messages and Brian ed out that her diary was Fanion, 55, was indicted for lunch. While home on his Fanion’s search history filled with religious passages. for murder Nov. 6 in the death lunch break, he claimed, his revealed a pattern in which he Brown then said that Amy of his wife Amy Fanion, 51, wife used his service weapon expressed concern over Fanion’s hair would have pre- who died May 8, 2018. Her to inflict a fatal wound upon divorcing his wife because of vented residue from the gun- death was reported by Fanion herself. The Westfield Police how that may affect his police shot from being detected near as a suicide. and Fire Departments arrived pension and retirement. the bullet wound, but Investigators with the on scene after Brian Fanion She continued by saying Sandstrom said that hair is Massachusetts State Police placed a 9-1-1 call. First that Brian’s search history typically not thick enough to found inconsistencies with responders immediately revealed that he had been make that sort of difference. the gathered evidence and determined Amy Fanion to be looking up the state medical She said that the lack of resi- Fanion’s statements, and deceased,” said a Hampden examiners office, apartments began investigating her death County District Attorney for rent in the area, common due from the gunshot is as a homicide almost immedi- statement. poisons, and common sources almost certainly due to the ately. District Attorney Anthony of radiation just hours before distance at which it was fired. Fanion retired from the Fanion Nov. 7 pleaded not Gulluni’s office later was the time of his wife’s death. BRIAN FANION guilty to the charge in granted a warrant to search Sandstrom said that the Westfield Police Department Hampden Superior Court and Fanion’s home for evidence Commonwealth was seeking shortly after his wife’s death, sexual. devastating to learn of her his attorney, Jeffrey Brown, and “for a high definition sur- to have Brian Fanion held at the time citing that his own Sandstrom responded by death and now witness the requested an immediate bail vey scan for various digital without bail as he was a flight service pistol was used.