TONIGHT Mostly Clear, Windy. Low of 8. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search for The Westfield News “ONLY THE MEDIOCRITIES OF Westfield350.com The Westfield News LIFE HIDE BEHIND THE ALIBI “T IME IS THE ONLY Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns ‘IN CONFERENCE.’ THE GREAT WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT OF THIS EARTH ARE NOT ONLY TONIGHT AMBITION .” SIMPLE BUT ACCESSIBLE Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK .” Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com — IsaaC FREDERSearchIC Kfor MAR The COWestfieldSSON News Westfield350.comWestfield350.org The WestfieldNews “TIME IS THE ONLY VOL. 86 NO. 151 Serving Westfield,TUESDAY, Southwick, JUNE 27, and2017 surrounding Hilltowns 75 cents VOL.88WEATHER NO. 48 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019 CRITIC75 CentsWITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com ShowVOL. 86 NO. 151 of unanimityTUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 High winds cause 75 cents at City Council power outages, By AMY PORTER week, which focuses on public safety, Correspondent and this year will highlight seniors in the WESTFIELD CITY HALL damage to city WESTFIELD – The City Council community with Alzheimer’s and other By PETER CURRIER meeting on Monday, which began with a memory impairments. She asked the and remembered Lynn Boscher, who Correspondent moment of silence for the loss of former councilors to assist her in blanketing the served as the liaison between the COA WESTFIELD- Extremely heavy winds caused damage councilors Lynn Boscher and David A. city with flyers. and the Rotary Club on the house num- across the city Monday and into early Tuesday morning Bannish; proceeded at a fast pace to Gorman also said that some smoke bering and other programs. She said prompting Westfield Gas and Electric crews to work through- move all items on the agenda, with little detectors are available at the COA for Board of Health Director Joseph Rouse out the night to restore power to customers. debate and more unanimity than has seniors on limited incomes through the will step into the role that Lynn Boscher In a statement on Facebook, Westfield Gas and Electric been shown in recent months. Senior SAFE program grants, and new had served. listed the areas of the city that were still without power as of During public participation, Council house numbers which the Rotary Club All of the financial requests from the about 6 a.m. Tuesday. on Aging director Tina Gorman will install. She thanked Acting Fire “The following areas are still without power and there is a announced the start of Retire the Fire Chief Patrick Egloff for his assistance, See City Council, Page 8 plan in place to address them in a systematic order which will restore as many customers as quickly as possible,” it said in their statement, “Shaker Road, Glenwood Drive, Hampton Ponds area including Old Stage and Long Pond, Northwest Road, West Rd/Bayberry Rds, Feeding Hills Rd, Beckwith Ave, Eastwood Drive, Southview Terrace, Western Circle, City Council Honey Pot Rd, Valley View Dr, 342 Southwick Rd, Sandy Hill Rd, Linden Drive area.” Stanley Park on Western Avenue suffered damages to the appoints property due to fallen trees. A larger tree fell on the garage of the maintenance building, according to the park’s Managing Director Bob McKean. new Fire McKean said that there were no injuries or damages to vehicles, but wires were down across the park and a couple trees had gone down on the walkway next to the pond. Commissioner “We’re just glad all the people are supporting us like By PETER CURRIER Westfield Gas and Electric and the city,” said McKean. Correspondent WESTFIELD- The Westfield Personnel See Westfield Damage, Page 2 Action Committee and City Council appoint- ed C. Lee Bennett as a new fire commissioner Monday evening to fill the seat left vacant by Carlo Bonavita, who resigned earlier this year. Before the vote took place in the committee, Councilor Harris read off a resume of accolades and achievements by Bennett to highlight her work with law enforce- ment and first responders. “Ms. Bennett’s education, professional background, and community service gives us an excellent choice to appoint to our Fire Commission,” said Harris. Bennett has a master’s degree in criminal justice and attended the FBI National Academy. She had previously been with the Springfield Police Department, as well as A tree fell on top of the maintenance building in Stanley being on their Honor Guard, for over 30 years Park. (Photo submitted by Bob McKean) before she retired. After she retired, she continued her work with law enforcement by being a consultant investigator for Springfield’s Law Department. In addition, she was a police officer in STM vs. Pathfinder High winds cause tree Granville, a Justice of the Peace, and has taught college and police academy criminal St. Mary’s Jessica Crosby, right, goes up strong for a rebound justice courses covering a wide range of top- in Monday’s West Division 4 girls basketball preliminary damage, spark fire ics. round tournament game at Pathfinder. See story and photos in today’s Sports Section, Page 9. (Photo by Chris Putz) By GREG FITZPATRICK “Over the course of being a police officer, Correspondent her association with fire departments led her SOUTHWICK – The extremely high winds throughout naturally to having a great rapport with that Western Massachusetts Monday caused damage in numerous sister-brother group, as well as having a communities including Southwick and Granville. brother who is a firefighter,” said Councilor According to Southwick Emergency Management Director Harris, “So she understands this related sector Board of Appeals again addresses Charlie Dunlap, there were about 95 residents without power very well.” in Southwick at one point yesterday. Areas without power Bennett’s term on the Fire Commission variance for tractor trailer included Mort Vining Road and Charles Johnson Road. expires on the first Monday in February of Power has now been restored to those areas. 2021. By GREG FITZPATRICK Working and staying in communication with the National The Personnel Action Committee met with Correspondent Weather Services in Norton, Mass., Dunlap recorded the just Harris and William Onyski. Councilor SOUTHWICK – The Zoning Board of Appeals held a continued highest gust of wind in Southwick at 63 mph (miles per hour). Brent Bean II was in the Finance Committee public hearing on Monday night for an issue of a parked tractor trailer “That’s the highest wind gust that I’ve ever seen here in meeting that occurred at the same time. truck at 2 Klaus Anderson Rd. Southwick,” said Dunlap, who’s been a part of Southwick The issue involves a tractor trailer that’s parked on part of the 65-acre Emergency Management since 1992. property for Blossoming Acres farm. The concern for the Board of Multiple trees and wires came down throughout the day on Appeals is that the truck is owned by an employee of Blossoming Monday. At 11:13 a.m., trees were reportedly down across the Acres, but the board is unsure if the tractor trailer is considered to be a area of 67 Klaus Anderson Road, blocking the roadway. At Early Monday fire farm truck. The tractor trailer is driven home by the employee who 11:50 a.m., a tree came down near 149 Mort Vining Road and owns it and it doesn’t stay on the property. According to Nicholas hit a wire that caused a fire. The Southwick Fire Department Cannon, who works at Blossoming Acres, he uses the tractor trailer for arrived on scene and put out the fire while Eversource came at Tolland DPW farming operations, especially during the weekend. to tackle the wire. Mort Vining was closed from 12:30 p.m. After a complaint was made that the tractor trailer was parked on the until 3:30 p.m. By GREG FITZPATRICK property, the town’s Zoning Enforcement Officer, Art Lawlor, who is Correspondent Less than two hours later, at about 1:35 p.m., a tree hit a TOLLAND – At 2:30 a.m. Monday morn- See Board of Appeals, Page 8 ing the Tolland Fire Department were dis- See High Winds, Page 2 patched to the DPW headquarters for a report of a smoke detector being activated. Upon arriving at the scene, crews found an audible alarm sound and discovered that one of the plow trucks in the DPW garage had a Senator Humason Receives Committee Appointments fire occurring in the battery compartment and BOSTON – Senator Donald F. cies that make our state govern- serves on will benefit from his extending into the entire vehicle. Humason Jr. (R-Second Hampden ment more efficient and cost-effec- insights and balanced approach.” According to Tolland Deputy Fire Chief and Hampshire) has received notice tive. His hard work and determina- The Senate committees include: Jeff LaCasse, the fire extended into the wires from Senate Minority Leader Bruce tion ensure that the interests of his the committee on Ways and Means and was heating up pretty good. Firefighters E. Tarr of his appointment to eight constituents are never forgotten and which deals with tax writing and were then able to move the truck out of the committees for the 191st General that practical approaches to solving the fiscal year budget, the commit- garage and extinguish the fire. Court session. Senator Humason problems aren’t overlooked,” said tee on Bonding, Capital Neither the garage nor anything in it has also been re-appointed to the Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr. Expenditures and State Assets received any damage. The truck suffered bat- position of Assistant Minority “I’m confident that Senator which handles all matters relative tery and wiring damage but expected to be Leader.