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JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com WTA Aviation VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 Elks Lodge to hold 75 cents senior Jared donation drive for Fournier homeless veterans named By PETER CURRIER Correspondent WESTFIELD- The Westfield and West Springfield Vocational Elks Lodge will hold a donation drive for homeless veterans on Saturday, May 4th at Stanley Park from 8 Technical a.m. to noon. The drive is meant to collect home furnishings that will be donated to the Homeward Vets organization. Student Homeward Vets is a veteran’s support organization that helps formerly homeless U.S. veterans stock their of the Year new house or apartment with appliances, furniture, By AMY PORTER and kitchen supplies. Correspondent “We’re looking at the countertop stuff,” said Chris WESTFIELD – Jared Fournier, a Chistolini of the Elks Lodge, “We’re looking for senior in the first graduating class of things like toasters, microwaves, chairs, tables, and the Aviation Maintenance Technology Friday Night Artwalk utensils.” (AMT) program at Westfield Technical Chistolini said that this is the 5th year that the Elk’s Patty Stephens, right, points out a favorite scratchboard painting to artist Academy has been named the WTA Lodge has held this drive. Each year, a truck is pulled Donna Carmel at Two Rivers Burrito. See additional photos Page 8. (Photo by Vocational Technical Student of the in to Stanley Park and it is filled with the day’s dona- Marc St.Onge) Year, and was honored on April 11 at tions. When the drive is over, the truck goes to a ware- a banquet at Mechanics Hall in house owned by Homeward Vets and unloads. Veterans Worcester which celebrated all of the in need, some of whom have come out of substance state’s award winners. abuse programs, are then allowed to go and choose Peter Taloumis, Career Technical Education Director at WTA, said that Next 350 lecture to discuss See Donation, Page 3 the state awards banquet is for stu- dents who excelled in their academic and technical areas, and is sponsored history of whips in the Whip City every year by the Mass. Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA) By PETER CURRIER Proposed marijuana and the Mass. Vocational Assoc. Correspondent (MVA). Dept. of Elementary and WESTFIELD- The Westfield 350 facility holding Secondary Education (DESE) Historical Lecture Series will continue Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley was Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Scanlon there to hand out the plaques, he said. Banquet Hall with a talk by author and local historian Bruce Cortis about the outreach meeting Taloumis said the qualifications for By GREG FITZpaTRICK history of the whip industry in Westfield. the honor at WTA include a GPA of Correspondent Cortis’ lecture will follow the whip 3.5 or higher, high competency skill SOUTHWICK – As required by the commonwealth, industry in Westfield from the 18th cen- set in their trade area, and attendance Paul Dellatorre of Southwick Greenhouses Inc., will tury to the mid-20th century. He will among other criteria. All the shops hold an outreach meeting on Thursday at Roma’s nominate a student, and the one with discuss the earliest companies, inven- The next lecturer, Bruce Cortis, with his Restaurant at 6:30 p.m. for his proposed marijuana the highest rating in the school tions, and labor issues that accompanied book and the ‘family tree’ of whip compa- growing and production facility. receives the honor. The purpose of the outreach meeting is to allow See 350 Lecture, Page 7 nies behind him. (Photo by Peter Currier) Taloumis submitted the following people in the community to become aware of his busi- description of Jared Fournier for the ness and the details of it. It was also required that awards banquet: Dellatorre send letters to abutters within 300 feet of his Jared Fournier, son of Mark and property. ‘Totally 80s Party’ to benefit YMCA Southwick Greenhouses Inc. at 27 Hudson Dr. has See Aviation, Page 7 been operating in town since 1983 growing roses, is By LORI SZEPELAK “They never disappoint,” looking to grow and produce marijuana in their facil- Correspondent said Allard. ity. Dellatorre is looking to get approval for a special WESTFIELD — For area Allard said the commit- residents who remember tee has set a goal of raising See Outreach Meeting, Page 5 the funky and totally awe- $45,000. some 1980s, an evening to “Last year’s event – celebrate the decade is ZBTB – was a smashing planned as a fundraiser for success,” said Allard, not- the YMCA of Greater ing that close to 275 area Westfield on June 1. residents attended the Environmental Billed as a “Totally 80’s party. “Over $43,000 was Party,” the event commit- raised and all who attended study set for North tee prefers to keep most of had rave reviews. This year the details of the “premier programs are specifically will prove to also be fun party” under wraps to designed to develop the and entertaining.” Pond property ensure delightful surprises whole person in spirit, While a silent auction By GREG FITZpaTRICK for attendees. mind and body.” and live auction will be Correspondent “Funds raised from this The seventh annual pre- highlights of the evening SOUTHWICK – The Franklin Land Trust has a goal event will support the mier event begins at 6 p.m. affair, what everyone will to purchase the 146-acre North Pond property that sur- important work of the and will be conducted on be talking about is the rounds Congamond Lake in late May and is in the YMCA and the programs it the campus of Westfield entertainment, also under process of completing the purchase for the remaining provides to our communi- State University with a wraps at press time. 60 acres. WTA senior Jared Fournier is a ty,” said Andrea Allard, menu of “delicious choic- “The entertainment will On March 19, Southwick voting residents voted in member of the first-ever Aviation CEO, YMCA, adding, es” provided by Westfield favor of a total of $1.7 million which will preserve the graduating class. (Photo submitted) “These signature YMCA State Dining Services. See Totally 80s, Page 5 remaining 60 acres of the North Pond land. A combina- tion of two warrant articles, the first warrant article was to see if the town would allow the CPC (Community Preservation Committee) to allocate $500,000 out of their account. The second article was to see if the town Nonprofit seeks to build ‘villages’ across area could bond the remaining $1.2 million, which will affect the tax rate. By LORI SZEPELAK Village, a nonprofit based in Cummington. Before the Franklin Land Trust can complete the Correspondent The May 11 event, free and open to the purchase of the remaining 60 acres, they needed a 21e WESTFIELD — Building bridges and “vil- public, is slated from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the environmental site assessment to be conducted. lages” to assist families in the region is part of Boys and Girls Club of Greater Westfield, 28 Franklin Land Trust is hiring Environmental Risk an overall strategy for one hill town organiza- West Silver St. Advisors of Wilbraham to conduct the 21e. The duty of tion. Clothing and supplies are free to everyone, the environmental consultant service is to see if there’s “We are hosting our first Village Closet regardless of income or town of residence, any contamination or hazardous materials on or under- Pop-Up and Westfield Family Resource Fair and bags will be available, noted Hartford. neath the property. so local families can get the baby gear they “We realized families were coming to us Environmental Risk Advisors began by conducting a need without the long drive to Cummington,” from the Westfield area and mentioned they phase-one process, which involves doing a records said Mollie Hartford, co-executive director and development manager for It Takes a See Villages, Page 7 See North Pond Property, Page 8 PAGE 2 - SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2019 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Where is The Westfield News? Paige Stomski and her friend Brianna Reiser made sure to bring a copy of The Westfield News while on a spring break cruise to Belize and Mexico. Remember, when you’re traveling take a copy of The Westfield News with you and show us where you’ve been. E-mail the photo with a brief description to pressreleases@ thewestfieldnews.com. ODDS & ENDS New study says TONIGHT SUNDAY MONDAY universe expanding faster and is younger By SETH BORENSTEIN Associated Press Rain Likely. Sunny WASHINGTON (AP) — The universe is expanding faster than it used to, meaning it’s about a billion years younger than we thought, 52-54 57-59 a new study by a Nobel Prize winner says. And that’s sending a shudder through the world of Today: A slight chance of showers between 2pm and 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. West wind 8 to 15 mph, with physics, making astronomers re-think some of gusts as high as 26 mph.