The Westfield News Search 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, FEBRUARY 1, 2020 VOL. 89 NO. 028 Westfield rejects recycling contract By AMY PORTER Island in Agawam, which is ally for Westfield. Staff Writer owned by the Department of Westfield officials have WESTFIELD – The city Environmental Protection, been meeting for more than a has rejected a three-year con- and leased to Waste month with leaders from tract with the Materials Management. However, in Agawam, Chicopee, Holyoke, Recycling Facility in late fall, they were informed West Springfield and Springfield that would that prices would increase Springfield, who are all facing increase recycling costs up to dramatically due to changes the same increases to different $600,000. in the market for recyclable extents, depending on wheth- The contract deadline was commodities. er they have single-stream or Jan. 31, according to The costs in the new three- dual stream recycling pro- Department of Public Works year contract called for $145/ grams. Director David Billips and ton in year one; $148/ton in For communities that Chief Procurement Officer year two, and $152/ton in retained dual-stream recy- Tammy Tefft. The current year three. Westfield cur- cling, such as Holyoke, costs 10-year contract expires in rently collects 3,200 tons of went from zero to $93 per ton. June. recyclables, and 12,000 tons It was estimated that increases Under the current contract, of trash a year. Billips previ- to the communities around Westfield was not charged for ously said the increase in the the table totaled $6 million. recyclables transported to the contract would amount to Area leaders meet in early January in Westfield to discuss increases in recycling costs. (AMY processing facility at Bondi’s $500,000 to $600,000 annu- See Recycling, Page 5 PORTER/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) Local doctor addresses coronavirus misconceptions By PETER CURRIER unsanitary exotic foods market. sort of precautions I would give The symptoms that are being Staff Writer As of Jan. 31 at noon, there to someone for the flu.” looked for are a cough, short- WESTFIELD- As the Wuhan were 9,782 confirmed cases of One of the notable character- ness of breath, and fever, which Baker on coronavirus: Coronavirus spreads to more the virus in China with 213 dead istics of concern with the Wuhan are similar symptoms to many countries each day, some health from the disease. There are doz- Coronavirus is that it appears to other common respiratory virus- State surveillance professionals have expressed ens of confirmed cases all have an average incubation es. concern over misinformation around the world now, but the period of three to seven days, “At all the Baystate emergen- is ‘really critical’ and reactions to the new disease highest count in a country out- with some fringe cases believed cy departments, communica- By MICHAEL P. NORTON that originated in China. side of China is Thailand with to be as high as 14 days. In that tions have gone out to the triage State House News Service Dr. Megan Gallagher, an 19 cases. Nobody has yet died time, one could be infected but personnel to ask about travel BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker is infectious diseases specialist of the disease outside of China. not yet show symptoms, prompt- history and a symptom screen emphasizing the importance of coronavirus who works within the Baystate As of noon on Friday there ing concern that the disease so that we can try to identify surveillance and federal leadership as Bay Health system said that the fear were just six confirmed cases of could spread from one person to who may require further investi- State residents digest information about the and misconceptions surround- the disease in the United States, another before the first person gation for coronavirus,” said spread of the deadly virus, mainly in China. ing the virus come in part sim- none of which were located in even knows they are sick. Gallagher. The state Department of Public Health on ply because the virus is new and New England. Gallagher said that the major- Since the coronavirus had Thursday set up a new website with infor- unstudied. It doesn’t help that Gallagher said that people ity of similar respiratory viruses been widely reported over the mation about the virus, which causes respi- rumors usually spread faster who are concerned about the are at their most contagious dur- last month, comparisons have ratory infection. According to DPH, there than the virus. Coronavirus in western ing the period where the patient been made to the outbreak of have been five confirmed cases in the “This is still a new and evolv- Massachusetts should treat the is symptomatic. It is unlikely SARS in the early 2000s, a dis- United States, no confirmed cases in ing situation and the informa- situation the same as they would that the disease will spread from ease which also originated from Massachusetts, and the risk to residents in tion is changing really quickly. I treat any typical flu or respira- a person before symptoms China. Gallagher noted that this Massachusetts was considered "low" as of think that’s where a lot of the tory illness season. appear. disease is different in that it 10 a.m. Thursday. misinformation has been com- “The biggest recommenda- “That’s why the screening appears to be much more infec- "The new coronavirus has resulted in ing from is that the information tions are for good, aggressive that has been implemented at tious, but the mortality rate is thousands of confirmed human infections, changes so rapidly,” said Dr. handwashing, staying home airports and emergency depart- much lower so far. primarily in China, with a small proportion Gallagher. when your’re sick, covering ments is really focusing in on a She noted that SARS prompt- of cases resulting in death," DPH says on its The epicenter of the outbreak your mouth when you cough or combination of travel or expo- ed extensive quarentines and site. "Other countries, including the United is a city of 11 million people in sneeze and getting checked out sure to somebody who is under infection control in order to States, have identified a small but growing China called Wuhan, where the when you think you have a investigation for coronavirus, contain the spread, and that it disease is believed to have respiratory virus,” said plus their symptoms,” said See Gov. Baker, Page 2 spread to humans starting at an Gallagher. “It’s a lot of the same Gallagher. See Local Doctors, Page 2 Westfield State President Ramon S. Torrecilha announces retirement plan By HOPE preeminence among regional In that time, I thought about serve and inspire in the fol- E. TREMBLAY public universities, while myself and my career, my lowing ways: Assistant Managing Editor remaining down-to-earth and family, as well as Westfield • Elevated the standing of WESTFIELD – Westfield accessible to students, faculty, State and what makes this Westfield State locally, region- State University President and staff, as well as the university great. ally and nationally, making Ramon S. Torrecilha University’s partners in the During this period of reflec- more people aware of the announced Jan. 31 his intent area, across the state, and at tion, I decided to retire at the great work done on this cam- to retire in August. the national level.” end of August from my posi- pus and our high standards for Torrecilha sent a letter via “I wish President Torrecilha tion as the 20th president of academic success; email to members of the the very best in retirement and our institution. After some 30 • Created The Westfield Westfield State community thank him for his transforma- years in higher education – State Experience, enabling after notifying the University’s tive leadership as the 20th with four and a half at students to formalize their Board of Trustees. Appointed president of Westfield State,” Westfield State – and with a four-year path for academic in December 2015, Torrecilha said Massachusetts five year strategic plan for the and life achievement; began his leadership as Commissioner of Higher University firmly in place, I • Boosted institutional Westfield State’s 20th presi- Education Dr. Carlos E. feel it is time to pursue per- financial aid by over $1 mil- dent in January 2016. Santiago. “I am especially sonal interests, learn new lion; Motivated by his humble grateful to him for his advo- things, and see more of the • Invested in The Westfield beginnings as a Brazilian cacy on behalf of students, world. With a spouse hitting Promise to provide under- immigrant and his own expe- including his partnership with retirement age and both of us served area high school stu- Ramon S. Torrecilha, pictured during his visit to the campus rience as a graduate of public local schools on our early col- fortunate enough to be in good dents with an early college in October 2015, was the unanimous choice for president of higher education in the United lege initiative and his recogni- health, the time is right. experience by immersing Westfield State by the Board of Trustees. Also pictured are States, his leadership as the tion of the need for flexible I am proud of all that we them in our campus culture Justin Connolly, Class of 2016 WSU student trustee, and University’s first Latino presi- scheduling options to meet the have done to advance and exposing them to the rigor Kathy Bradford, director of Alumni Relations.