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 $1.00 THURSDAY,TUESDAY, JUNEJUNE 27, 24, 2017 2021 VOL. 75 cents 90 NO. 147 Superintendent’s performance rated ‘exemplary’ By AMY PORTER Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Chairman of the School Committee, Mayor Donald F. Humason Jr., read the results of Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski’s performance review for the 2020/21 school year into the record at the meet- ing of June 21. He said the committee rated the superintendent as exemplary overall and in all four key areas of instruc- tional leadership, management and operations, family and community, STEFAN and professional culture. CZAPOROWSKI In the report, which was compiled Westfield Public by Committee Member Diane Mayhew Schools Superintendent from individual assessments by all of the members, the school committee Volunteers paint mushrooms on the “Westfield is Edmund LeClerc fills in the background on the down- pointed to 1:1 technology for students, his work on the elementary Fantastic” mural. (SHANNON CHIBA PHOTO) town mural. (SHANNON CHIBA PHOTO) school building committee, and moving forward with a plan for a virtual school as some of the accomplishments of the past year. “The school committee recognizes the challenging year . Stefan did not hesitate to get students and staff what they needed.. Mural project underway at bridges Most impressive was his ability to get a 1:1 device with technology which has been a goal of this district’s for eight years,” were among By HOPE E. TREMBLAY retail workers and more – were recog- “Targeted completion is mid-Sep- the comments. Editor nized. ArtWorks members spearhead- tember,” said Chiba. “Additionally The committee said Czaporowski has shown “extraordinary WESTFIELD – The Esplanade by ed the mural effort, depicting the the boys and girls club’s mural club the twin bridges is about one-quarter heroes of the time. Chiba said the will be painting with us every Tuesday See Performance, Page 3 into a beautification project by second mural continues the spirit of starting in July. They will be filling- ArtWorks Westfield and the commu- beautifying the city. in, adding texture and adding crea- nity. “This mural is fantastic in three tures to the wall.” A mural, titled “Westfield is ways — first, the fantasy creatures on Chiba said ArtWorks would love to Fantastic,” is being painted and was the wall represent fantasy in a literal continue adding color to Westfield. inspired by children. sense. Next, the natural flora and “We are always open to suggestions “When we were painting the fauna in the mural depicts the fantas- for more murals,” she said. “Some Convicted defendant ‘Heroes are Everywhere Mural,’ kids tic natural elements we have in ideas are to paint under more bridges, were coming up to us and the mural Westfield and the surrounding area the backs of dilapidated buildings and begging to paint,” said Shannon Chiba — as well as where the mural is situ- to replace the old Steed mural that gets eight jail terms of ArtWorks. “We let them as long as ated – and the third fantastic element was on the north side years ago. With a caregiver was around, and some are the kids and the community that community, the city and Artworks, we returned with homemade cards, flow- help to paint it,” said Chiba. “Some of can add beautiful art wherever we By CARL E. HARTDEGEN ers and encouraging words.” the kids from the boys and girls club’s have a mission to beautify, uplift and Correspondent That first mural, located at the tun- mural club actually designed some make better a space.” WESTFIELD – A troubled young city man will serve eight nine- nel entrance to the Rail Trail on creatures and elements that will be on Anyone who wishes to participate month jail terms — all at once – after pleading guilty to offenses Taylor Street, was created last sum- it.” should sign-up for community paint- ranging from breaking and entering to disrupting court proceeding. mer when the COVID-19 pandemic ArtWorks members and community ing days by following the signup link The changes stem from three apparently senseless incidents in shutdown many businesses and heroes participants paint every other Saturday on the Westfield is Fantastic- The February and May of 2020 which landed Vladislav Khomichuk, – first responders, nurses, doctors, and will continue to do so until Aug.7. Mural Facebook page. 21, of 31 Western Circle, Westfield, in Westfield District Court. The first of the incidents was on Feb, 20, 2020, when Westfield Police Officer Zachary Coderre responded to a burglar alarm at Toomey Associates on Russell Road. Coderre reports he arrived to find the back door of the business had been forced open and Khomichuk was inside the business. When asked what he was doing there, Coderre reports, Khomichuk said “I was looking for cigarettes” but the busi- ness is not a retail establishment and has no inventory of cigarettes or VLADISLAV anything else likely to tempt thieves. KHOMICHUK The next day, while Khomichuk was in a holding cell at Westfield District court awaiting arraignment on charges of breaking and entering and malicious destruction of property (the business’s alarm panel had been torn from the wall), he dug himself into a deeper hole by flooding his cell and other areas of the court house. Court Officer Felix Otero reports that Khomichuk and been com- pliant but a short time after he left him in cell #6, “I observed on camera that the sprinkler system and alarm had been activated in lockup cell #6. Mr. Khomichuk had broken the sprinkler head off, triggering the alarm and sprinkler system, flooding his cell and the lockup area.” The water, contaminated with oil from the system, leaked through the walls into the front lobby, Courtroom One and a hallway. The courthouse was closed and charges of malicious destruction of property valued more than $1,200 and disrupting court proceed- ings were added to Khomichuk’s list of offenses. These not-so-grumpy trolls were painted by the twin bridges’ Esplanade by artist Shannon Chiba, one of the organiz- ers of the Artworks Westfield’s “Westfield is Fantastic” mural project. (SHANNON CHIBA PHOTO) See Jail Terms, Page 3 Historical Commission sets tentative date for Ghost Tour revival By PETER CURRIER “I think people are ready to see it again after a Diana Mclean, Staff Writer year hiatus,” said Gaylord. left, tells her story WESTFIELD — The Historical Commission The dates for the tours are tentative because it as the former will tentatively host its annual Ghost Tour at the will depend on the availability of Jay Pagliuca, Mary Ashley dur- Old Burying Ground on Mechanic Street this fall who usually provides the lighting and sound ing a past Ghost after taking a year off. equipment used during the tours. Tour at the The commission tentatively agreed to host the The Ghost Tours are an annual event in which Mechanic Street tours on Sept. 24 and 25. Historical Commission local residents dress up as historically significant Cemetery. Chair Cindy Gaylord said that the tours were figures in Westfield’s 351 year history while Listening is Bob typically held on the last weekend in September standing near the figure’s gravestone. The volun- Plasse, right, as in the past. teers talk about the lives and contributions of the character Gaylord said that this year’s script for the tours figures such as Isaac Phelps, who was played by Josiah Dewey. may be similar to the one they used in 2019. She Historical Commission member Michael (THE WESTFIELD said she is excited to bring the tours back. Ingraham in 2019. NEWS PHOTO) PAGE 2 - THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2021 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Mass. Sheriffs Re-affirm Free shredding event Southwick Public Library commitment to family contacts WESTFIELD —Westfield Bank is pleased to announce that it will be holding a free document shredding event at its 1650 offers June programs SPRINGFIELD - The 14 Massachusetts County SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Public Library offers sev- Sheriffs recently re-affirmed their unanimous support Northampton St. office in Holyoke on June 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sponsored by ProShred Security®, the event is free eral teen programs in June, including: for one of their highest collective priorities -- provid- Teen Franken-Stuff Lab, June 30 ing strong support for communication and interaction and open to the public. There is a limit of two boxes of docu- ments per person. Artist- nstructor Molly Shaughnessy-Encarnacion of Greater between justice-involved individuals and their fami- Hartford Academy of the Arts will be at Southwick Public lies. Library to guide you through this fun creation lab. Mix and Solidifying their mission to ensure that these cru- match stuffed animals of your choice to create your own cute cially important links to family and support systems GED/HiSET registration scheduled or creepy creature. The possibilities are endless. These make a remain not only intact, but fortified, the 14 Sheriffs of cool gift or keepsake. All materials are provided. Meet in- Massachusetts have agreed to provide, at a minimum, WESTFIELD — Westfield Community Education Program person at the library June 30 from 1:30-3:00. Sign- up required ten minutes of free phone calling per week to all will be hosting its bi-annual GED/HiSET Registration Nite in advance. Email [email protected] to RSVP. incarcerated individuals. Additionally, the Sheriffs for the Fall 2021 Session. For students in 7-12 grade. have committed to reducing the cost of subsequent Classes will be in-person and following all safety protocol Summer Reading Program phone calls by charging no more than $.14 per min- at the Westfield Athenaeum located at 6 Elm Street in The Summer Reading Program at the Southwick Public ute.