TONIGHT Clear Sky. Low of 49. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews “TSearchHE for PROBLEM The Westfield NewsWITH Westfield350.com The Westfield News INTROSPECTION IS Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY THAT IT HAS NO END.” WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT —AMBITION PhiliP K. .”DI CK Partly Cloudy. SearchJOHN for STEINBECKThe Westfield News LowWestfield350.comWestfield350.org of 55. Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY VOL.WEATHER 86 NO. 151 VOL. 87 NO. 146 TUESDAY,MONDAY, JUNE 25, 27, 2018 2017 CRITIC 75 75cents CentsWITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL.Hilltowns 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 Water Bond 75 cents brand is tabled; Fire Pit unveiled ordinance at ‘The addressed By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Due to the absence of two city Big Reveal’ councilors on Thursday, President John J. Beltrandi, By AMY PORTER III asked for a motion to table the second reading and Correspondent final passage of the $13 million water filtration bond HUNTINGTON – Stanton Hall hosted until the Special City Council meeting scheduled for “The Big Reveal” on Sunday, the unveil- K. G. Gervais wishes there was a hose attached. next Thursday, June 28 at 6:30 p.m. in council cham- ing of a shared brand for the six Gateway bers. At that meeting, the council will also vote on Hilltowns of Huntington, Blandford, final passage of the FY19 budget, following a budget Chester, Middlefield, Montgomery and Little River review by the Committee of the Whole City Council Russell. The marketing campaign was on Wednesday, June 27 beginning at 6 p.m. developed through a Community Compact Progress was made on Thursday in the form of a grant; one of several received from the Fire Station first reading to amend the city ordinance on open Baker-Polito administration to advance burning regarding fire pits. economic development and shared servic- reopens Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski brought for- es in the region. The Little River Fire ward the ordinance with a 2-0 recommendation from What the six towns share is the Gateway Station has reopened with the Legislative & Ordinance sub-committee. Onyski Regional School District, along with a rich expanded facilities. A said it represented three years of great work by history and abundant natural beauty. demonstration of the ser- At-large Councilor Dan Allie to modify the existing “Gateway Hilltowns, Naturally” was vices and a peek at the fire pit ordinance; and the new amendment has unveiled on Sunday as the new brand for facilities showed friends, received preliminary approval from the state the region. The logo is in a postage stamp neighbors and firefighters Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). frame, superimposed over a photo of the some of the capabilities. The amendment was crafted after a previous ordi- hills, with an opportunity to feature photos See additional photos Page nance passed by the City Council that exempted of different locations and events going 5. (Photos by Lynn F. Boscher) certain items like fire pits, outdoor fireplaces and forward. The purpose of the campaign is Makaelyn Dills (4 yrs) trys out the ATV. to invite potential homeowners, businesses See City Council, Page 3 and visitors to discover the region. See Hilltowns, Naturally, Page 7 Suspected convenience store burglar charged By CARL E. HARTDEGEN same three suspects are seen on the security occasion, the video evidence shows the sus- Correspondent video from each store – which are separated pects moved back and forth between the two WESTFIELD – A Connecticut man has by only about one tenth of a mile – and in each stores. been brought to the bar of justice to answer 24 case their methods are the same. In the second incident, the suspects wait charges stemming from four burglaries of two These were not unsophisticated ‘smash and more than an hour after breaking into the Russell Road convenience stores. grab’ robberies, Dickinson’s report shows, but Circle K store before they return to ransack it. Alberto M. Amezquita, 35, of 60 Sycamore were obviously carefully planned. The thieves The video on Oct. 8, 2016, shows that two St., Bristol, Conn., has been charged in four used brute force but brought their own tools suspects first broke into the Circle K Gas cases arising from crimes on two dates – – multiple pry bars and corded electrical hand Station at 1:24 a.m. but left in less than five Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016 and Saturday, Feb. 25, grinders – to pry open both exterior and inte- minutes. 2017 – on which he is alleged to have burglar- rior doors and cut their way into the safes and Minutes later, video at the Four Mile Economic Development Director Jeanne ized both the Four Mile Country Store and the ATMs in the two stores. Country Store shows the suspects breaking LeClair and Hilltown Collaborative Circle K Gas Station and Convenience Store In each of the four burglaries, cable and into that store at 1:33 a.m. before leaving Chairman Andy Myers with the new with at least two confederates. phone wires were cut in an apparently suc- (laden with cartons of cigarettes) less then Gateway Hilltowns brand. (Photo by Amy Westfield Police Det. Sgt. Stephen cessful attempt to neutralize the stores’ alarms. Porter) Dickinson reports in a court document that the The intruders were not hurried. On the first See Suspected Burglar, Page 3 State program offers outdoor activities to those with disabilities By GREG FITZPATRICK her left leg, Tanner acknowledges that she can only feel her Correspondent toes from the waist down, by quickly wiggling the toes on HOLYOKE – Having been diagnosed with polio at just her left foot. nine months old, Bo Tanner has had to deal with the virus Despite having a disability, Tanner has never let that that settles in the spine. Tanner says that she’ll have com- bring her down. It’s bright and sunny days like last plete feeling in her body, but it can be spotty. Pointing at Thursday where Tanner can be seen powerfully gliding through the waters of the Connecticut River. Almost every Thursday, Tanner is at Holyoke Rows, a summer youth program located on the Connecticut River, rowing on the water while also volunteering to help others. Using a racing shell type of rower that is both fast and stable, Tanner enjoys the challenge of this kind of rower. She is a competitive rower and has competed in the Bayada Stephanie Moore is seen helping Miles Raynor row on the Regatta numerous time. the Bayada Regatta is the oldest Connecticut River on Thursday. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick) all-adaptive rowing competition in the United States for athletes that have disabilities. “I have a secret competitive side so I’d be interested, but I’ll need “I judge my speed by looking at the shore,” said Tanner. a lot of practice,” said Cook. “I found it to be much more stable.” Along with Tanner and Cook, Holyoke Rowing gives people with Having a spinal cord injury since she was three-years- disabilities the opportunity to row, kayak, and canoe every Thursday. old due to a car accident, Carlie Cook rowed for the first This opportunity is due to a partnership between Holyoke Rowing and time last week and has enjoyed the experience thus far. the Massachusetts DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation) “I like trying new things,” said Cook. “I thought rowing Universal Access program. was so much fun, a great experience, and something I’d Offering 450,000 acres of forests, parks, conservation areas, and Bo Tanner is a competitive rower and can be seen on the like to pursue.” bodies of water, the DCR allows people with disabilities of all ages, Stephanie Moore, who works at Holyoke Rowing, would Connecticut River on most Thursdays. (Photo by Greg love to get Cook in a racing rower, called the Resolute. Fitzpatrick) See Outdoor Activities, Page 3 PAGE 2 - MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2018 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Review: ‘The Cake’ at Barrington Stage By MARK G. AUERBACH Berkshire Theatre Group’s Church & State. days onstage, than on screen or TV, possibly Correspondent Debra Jo Ruff’s character, Della, is caught because theatre audiences expect their enter- How ironic that a play about a baker between what she feels is right, and what tainment to be entertaining and provocative, deciding whether or not to bake for a gay traditions she was raised with, i.e. “I was and because there’s a direct link between wedding would open at Barrington Stage on brought up that way”. Rupp is a superb actor and audience. I credit theatres like PRIDE weekend, barely a month after the comedienne and character actress, and she Barrington Stage who can present material Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Colorado gives on of the best performances I’ve seen on important topics like this, but who never baker, who refused, on religious grounds, to in a long time. forget that the theatre has to be well-present- bake a wedding cake for a gay couple. And, To the credit of Jennifer Chambers, ed, and the energy between stage and audi- earlier this week, a Virginia restauranteur Rupp’s performance is balanced by the other ence nurtured. refused to serve Trump spokesperson Sarah members of the company, all equally fine. Debra Jo Rupp’s outstanding perfor- Huckabee Sanders. There’s nothing funny Douglas Rees plays Della’s husband, who mance may be icing on The Cake, but the about the divisiveness of both sides, who tries to understand Della’s frame of view; ingredients and the chefs would get a top have lost their reason and compassion in Virginia Vale is her friend’s daughter, caught Michelin set of stars, if Michelin reviewed their blind march to support their side, right up in her southern roots, yet conflicted by theatre.