TONIGHT Scattered T-storms. Low of 66. Search for The Westfield News The Westfield Search for The Westfield News NewsREEDOM ITSELF WAS “F Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns ATTACKED“TIME THIS IS MORNINGTHE ONLY WEATHER BY A FACELESSCRITIC COWARD WITHOUT, TONIGHT AND AMBITIONFREEDOM .” Partly Cloudy. WILL BE DEJOHNFENDED STEINBECKSearch.” for The Westfield News Low of 55. Westfield350.comWestfield350.org Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews — PresIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY VOL. 86 WEATHERNO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 centsCRITIC WITHOUT VOL.87TONIGHT NO. 210 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 75AMBITION Cents .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com BannedVOL. 86 NO. 151 speaker still seekingTUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 In lieu of 75 cents answers from school district convocation, By GREG FITZPATRICK Reyes would be uninvited as a guest speak- Correspondent er at the veteran’s memorial foyer dedica- SOUTHWICK – Kyle Reyes of Silent tion ceremony on May 21 at the regional Partner Marketing published an article on school. VFW Post 872 spearheaded the Central his website, The Whiskey Patriots, on veteran’s memorial foyer in the regional Sunday about his displeasure with the school to help honor veterans who had Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional attended the Southwick, Tolland, or Office team School District’s handling of, and policies Granville high school and were killed in for, scholarships for graduating high school combat or in a hostile attack while serving seniors. their country. There are currently four ser- vice members being honored. visits every According to Troy Henke, Chairman of the VFW, Superintendent Jen Willard told him that the administration didn’t feel com- school fortable with Reyes speaking to the students A truck caught on fire on Jensen Lane on By AMY PORTER at the ceremony, due to some of his political Monday afternoon. (Photo courtesy Southwick Correspondent positions possibly making some of the stu- Fire Department) WESTFIELD – Superintendent Stefan dents feel unsafe or unincluded. Czaporowski and the Central Office leader- Reyes, a 2002 graduate of Southwick ship team tried something new at the start of High School, said that the speech that he this school year. Instead of holding a convo- was going to deliver to students and faculty Wires down cation, and inviting all of the faculty from all at the regional school was to specifically of the schools to gather, the team went to center on the terrorist attacks of September each school last week and met with the fac- 11, 2001 and about his experience of being in Granville, ulty and administration in class when the news of the attacks came on their home turf. out and the effect that had on him person- “What I like about it is ally. I had face time with every Despite not being able to be a guest vehicle teacher in the district,” speaker at the Southwick Regional School, Kyle Reyes speaks during the community Czaporowski said. Reyes was a keynote speaker for the veter- The visiting team also portion of the VFW pre-dedication cere- an’s memorial dedication ceremony that mony in May. (WNG File Photo) catches fire included Chief Financial VFW Post 872 hosted on May 13. By GREG FITZPATRICK Officer Ronald R. Rix, Reyes claims that after continued attempts Correspondent Director of Human Resources Paula The central focus of the article by Reyes to reach the school district to find out if a GRANVILLE – Granville first responders Ceglowski, Director of Curriculum Susan was to continue his disgust with the school decision was going to be made on the schol- received a call at approximately 2:30 p.m. Dargie, Administrator of Special Education committee not accepting two scholarships arships, no answers were given to him from Monday about multiple wires down on Rt. Martha von Mering, Director of Assessment that his company offered to seniors at the the district. 57 near Jensen Lane, causing a fire. Denise Ruszala, Administrator of Student regional high school. This summer, Willard informed the When arriving on scene, police and fire Interventions Christopher Rogers, Director Both valued at $750, one of the scholar- Westfield News that the school committee saw multiple wires arcing and an abandoned of Transportation Pamela Kotarski and ships was for a student going to a trade has recognized that there is no policy for vehicle on top of the downed wires along school or college, and the other is for a accepting scholarships and that one would with a small fire that was just off the road. See School Visits, Page 3 student joining the military. The latter $750 need to be created before thinking about The truck that was abandoned began to scholarship would help that individual accepting any outside scholarships includ- catch on fire, but was put out once Eversource cover the costs of travel expenses when ing the one offered by Reyes’ company, arrived to kill the power to the lines. Tim returning home to see their friends and fam- Silent Partner Marketing. Rickis of the Granville Fire Department ily. Superintendent Willard and members of believes that the operator of the vehicle According to the Reyes article, he and his the School Committee would not comment drove over the wires after they were down. fellow employees at Silent Partner to The Westfield News but did issue the fol- There was a single passenger in the truck Marketing sent out “dozens” of emails and lowing statement on Monday afternoon: before it was abandoned and there were no phone calls before they were told by the “The decision to accept or reject pro- injuries from the incident. The vehicle was school district that approval of the two posed student scholarships rests with the extinguished, removed, and considered a scholarships would be voted on at a school Southwick Tolland Granville Regional total loss. Emergency personnel left the committee meeting this past May. School Committee. The Committee is in the scene around 5:30 p.m. A week later, on April 25, the Southwick- process of adopting a standardized policy Along with Granville first responders, Tolland-Granville Regional School District Tolland emergency personnel were also on informed Southwick VFW Post 872 that See Banned Speaker, Page 8 scene to assist with the incident. Mike Knapik readies himself to make his Cub Scout recruitment presentation to the visitors of the annual underway for boys, girls Ghost Tours last year. (WNG file photo) By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent Tickets on sale WESTFIELD – Libraries across Western Massachusetts will be among the sites for “Rocketing into Scouting” recruitment drives for Ghost Tours on Sept. 12 for boys – and now girls – interested in joining the Western Massachusetts Council of Boy Scouts of America. In the Greater Westfield area, special at Old Burying events are planned from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Westfield Athenaeum, the Chester Library, and the Southwick Public Library, hosted by Ground unit leaders as well as district and council- Members of Westfield Cub Scout Pack 820 celebrate earlier this By AMY PORTER level volunteers. summer during a “crossing over to their new ranks” ceremony. Correspondent Every new youth member who completes fits with your family values and busy schedules,” said WESTFIELD – Tickets went on sale an application and pays registration through McNamara. Saturday at the Westfield Athenaeum for the December will receive a voucher redeemable McNamara said her “pretty active pack” conducts weekly Haunted Ghost Tours at the Old Burying for a free rocket kit at the Sept. 29 District meetings where various skills are learned while having fun, and Ground on Mechanic Street on September 28 Rocket Day or the council Rocket Launch on Oct. 20. participates in outings that complement each “adventure” to and 29, and by Monday morning 23 of the Cubmaster Melanie McNamara, who oversees Westfield Pack reinforce the skills learned. 420 available spots had been sold for the 820, based at Highland Elementary School, said she encourages Additionally, McNamara noted that the pack plans multiple event, which sells out every year. The tickets parents to sign up their children for scouting because it can open camping trips and activities. are $10 each, and available only at the up a world of activities and adventures they might not experience “There is something for everyone,” said McNamara. “In Athenaeum. on their own while learning real life skills and values. This year’s ghost tour will be special, “There are many different packs and you can easily find one that See Cub Scouts, Page 3 according to Cynthia Gaylord of the Historical See Ghost Tours, Page 8 PAGE 2 - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Superintendent’s Corner Our summer weather pattern continues with and we’ll be watching weather forecasts care- know the towns and our school committee an unusually warm start to our school year. fully to try and predict whether it will be safe worked collaboratively to pass this year’s bud- Despite the warmer weather, our staff and stu- to run buses due to the potential for inclement get on the first try as well as changing the dents continue to work, remain pleasant, and weather. At least we’ve been very fortunate in method of assessing towns. We are continuing make some minor adjustments in our warmest not facing erupting volcanoes, hurricanes, this model of success in working together to rooms during the hottest days. Another benefit large scale forest fires, damaging floods or the update the regional agreement and move for- to living in this area is that it’s usually much other challenges nature seems to be unleashing ward with a positive attitude in developing a cooler than in the valley and cities during the in many other places throughout our country.