TONIGHT Rain Showers. Low of 33. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search“W forHEN The Westfield I DO GOOD News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews I FEEL GOOD, WHEN Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns I DO“TIME BAD IS I THE FEEL ONLY BAD , WEATHER CRITICAND WITHOUT THAT’ S TONIGHT MYAMBITION RELIGION.” .” Partly Cloudy. – AbrSearchAJOHNH forAM The STEINBECK LI WestfieldNCOLN News Westfield350.comLowWestfield350.org of 55. Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER VOL.VOL. 8786 NO.NO. 87151 TUESDAY,SATURDAY, JUNEAPRIL 14,27, 2018 2017 CRITIC 7575 centsCents WITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com Slain Yarmouth VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 Prospective buyer 75 cents K-9 Officer 2007 graduate of Old Town Hall of Westfield State asks for transfer BARNSTABLE, Mass. (AP) — A man described by authorities as a career criminal is heading to court to face a murder charge in the of CPA grant shooting death of a Massachusetts police officer. By AMY PORTER Prosecutors say 29-year-old Thomas Correspondent Latanowich was scheduled to be arraigned WESTFIELD – The Community Preservation Commission Friday in Barnstable District Court in the death (CPC) heard from Robert F. L. MacDonald, executive direc- of Yarmouth Police K-9 Officer Sean Gannon. German food was one of several different cultures that was tor of the Work Opportunity Center (WOC) in Agawam at its Police say the 32-year-old Gannon was shot in on hand for the festival. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick) meeting on Wednesday. MacDonald said his organization, Barnstable on Thursday while he and other offi- which assists individuals with disabilities to obtain employ- cers were serving an arrest warrant at a home. ment in the community, is looking to expand its services, and Gannon’s dog, Nero, was injured. Its condi- is seeking to relocate to Westfield’s Old Town Hall (1839). tion was not immediately known. WHS students MacDonald said they have an agreement on price with the Yarmouth Chief Frank Frederickson said the First Congregational Church, the current owner. He said the 8-year veteran, was a “wonderful young man” sale would be contingent on the transfer of the grant of with a promising career ahead of him. $163,000 awarded to the church by the CPC in 2016 for exte- hold 1st Annual rior renovation and accessibility improvements of the historic See Gannon, Page 7 Old Town Hall. MacDonald said their intention for the grant would be to install an elevator from the basement to the second floor, in International lieu of the lift the church had planned to install from the base- ment to the first floor. He said the first floor would serve his clients, and the agency’s administrative offices would move to the second floor. Festival Their plans for the building include gutting the interior, and By GREG FITZPATRICK replacing walls, floors, bathrooms and electric heating. He Correspondent said the roof is fine, and the building is structurally sound. WESTFIELD – The 1st Annual International Festival at MacDonald said this is a large purchase for the agency. Westfield High School took place in the cafeteria on Friday “This (CPA) money would go a long way toward making this morning. Hosted by the Foreign Language and English deal happen,” he said, adding that they plan to put $1 million Language Learning Departments, along with the music into the building. “I’m sure you’d like to see Old Town Hall department, the festival’s purpose was to initiate cultural return to its prominence,” MacDonald said. He also said the awareness and helping students better understand the differ- cost of the lift proposed by the church was $120,000, while ent nationalities. the elevator cost will be $200,000. Students had the opportunity to make food that represents In response to questions from the committee about the their nationality or another culture and put it on display for grant, City Planner Jay Vinskey said the $163,000 was appro- everyone to experience. According to Mary Ayer, who is a priated for the building and is sitting in an account. He said if French teacher at the high school and helped coordinate the the committee were to approve the request, they wouldn’t be festival, there was anywhere from 800 to 1,000 students that spending anything. assisted with the event. MacDonald said he would refile the same application, and Ayer is glad that students, staff, and parents were all on is in touch with the architects used by the church. He said he This undated photo posted on the official would repoint the bricks on the outside, as outlined in the Facebook page of the Yarmouth, Mass., Police board with the idea as she sees it as a positive benefit for the school and a chance for students to broaden their perspective grant, and install the elevator in lieu of the lift. Department shows officer Sean Gannon, shot “We love the Old Town Hall,” said CPC chair Thomas E. to death on Thursday, April 12, 2018, while he See International Festival, Page 7 Sharp, adding, “You complicate things by not owning the and other officers were serving an arrest war- building.” rant at a home in Barnstable, Mass. (Yarmouth “I’m not a stand-alone guy. My Board of Directors is not Police Department via AP) See CPA Grant, Page 7 ATI Foundation ‘boosts’ spirits of local children SPRINGFIELD – The ATI dance, wheelchair basketball and a or the winning goal in a game of Sled Foundation will present CHD’s whole host of additional programs and Hockey. Funding from the ATI Disability Resources program with a services designed for individuals with Foundation is making all of those expe- $5,000 check during an event sched- physical and/or intellectual disabilities riences real for our children, youth and uled for Monday, April 16 at 11:00 am are offered to more than 500 children, adults. The impact is life-long.” at ATI Physical Therapy’s 300 Birnie youths, and young adults each year. According to Sharon Franceschini Avenue, Springfield, MA location. For “For those we serve, this funding will from the ATI Foundation, when the those served by CHD’s Disability mean more physical exercise, improved possibility of funding CHD’s Disability Resources program, that means a whole physical abilities, greater self-esteem, Resources program was presented, it new world of opportunity. peer interaction and social skills,” said was a quick decision. CHD’s Disability Resources offers Kimberley A. Lee, Vice President of “The CHD Disabilities Resources barrier-free recreational and competi- CHD’s Development Office. “It’s an program was brought to our attention tive opportunities for people of all skill incredible experience to witness the by the therapists and staff who live and levels and age groups, as well as their increased self-confidence, self-direc- work in the greater Springfield com- family and friends. The program tion and independence of our program munity. The mission of the ATI emphasizes access and ability. Rock participants when they make it to the Westfield’s Old Town Hall at 20 Broad St. was built in climbing, water skiing, sled hockey, top of a rock wall, score a three-pointer See ATI Foundation, Page 7 1837. (WNG file photo) Flamingo fundraiser benefits students at SMS By LORI SZEPELAK students leave for the school trip which are families of eighth grade students. Correspondent is scheduled May 29 to June 1. “After 24 hours the flamingos are WESTFIELD-Flocks of flamingos are Each flocking assignment is $10 and removed under darkness so the next dis- once again gracing the lawns of many consists of 15 flamingos on one’s lawn play can be set up.” city residents and all for a great cause – (or as a surprise to someone on their Thielen said that family participation to help support a long-standing tradition lawn). For persons who prefer not to be makes the fundraiser “fun and lends – assisting eighth grade students at South flocked, an insurance fee is set at $20. itself to some silliness.” Middle School who visit Washington, Flocks must be set up within city limits “Our families enjoy hanging out D.C. in the spring. but cannot be displayed on public prop- together and have banded together to Jen Thielen, coordinator for this erty or at apartment complexes and trail- make this a success,” said Thielen, not- spring’s “You’ve Been Flocked” fund- er parks. ing that 60 flamingos are set up each Jen Thielen is coordinating the third “You’ve Been Flocked” raiser, is hopeful that the remaining flock “The flamingos arrive after dark which night. fundraiser to benefit a school trip for eighth grade students assignments will be sold soon ensuring allows for some mystery,” said Thielen, at South Middle School. that funds will be in place before the noting the crews setting up the displays See Flocking Fundraiser, Page 7 THE BLANDFORD SPRING SPECIAL APRIL OFFER!* FULL PRIVILEGE GOLF AND TENNIS GOLF AND 2018 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP TENNIS CLUB ONLY $450.00!** Download your application at *Only new & returning members are eligible for this offer. www.theblandfordclub.com ** Limited to the first 50 applications received. PAGE 2 - SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Some local dogs, Bailey, Grace, Kruger and Tucker are showing their team spirit in support Boston Bruins support of the Boston Bruins during the Stanley Cup playoffs. (Photos submitted) ODDS & ENDS TONIGHT SUNDAY MONDAY Substitute teacher charged with running student ‘fight club’ MONTVILLE, Conn. (AP) — A for- mer substitute teacher is charged with supervising a student “fight club” at a Mostly Cloudy.