TONIGHT Clear Sky. Low of 73. Search for The Westfield News TODAY TheIN WESTFIELD HISTORY: WestfieldNews “THE MAN WHOSearch VIEWSfor The Westfield THE News Westfield350.com The Westfield NewsWORLD AT FIFTY THE SAME 1895 Every Towne Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns AS HE DID“T IMEAT T ISWEN THETY ONLY WEATHER in County, except one, HAS WASTCRITICED THIR WITHOUTTY TONIGHT represented at YEARS OF HIS LIFEAMBITION.” .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK community picnic on Search— for Mu TheHA MMWestfieldAD AL I News Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. The www.thewestfieldnews.comWestfield the Westfield Green. News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHERVOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 CRITIC WITHOUT 75 cents VOL.TONIGHT 87 NO. 199 TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2018 75AMBITION Cents .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL.Barnes 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 School Committee 75 cents Airport prepares for gets $2.6M opening changes By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – The School grant Committee hit the ground By AMY PORTER running at its first meeting Correspondent back after summer break. WESTFIELD – Congressman With one week to go before Richard E. Neal was at Westfield- classes start, the list of bus Barnes Regional Airport on Monday drivers, substitutes and moni- morning with Mayor Brian P. Sullivan tors were approved, as was Melanie Chasse began as and Airport Manager Eric Billowitz, the YMCA before and after Paper Mill Elementary to announce the awarding of a U.S. school contract, and one with School Principal on July Futures Educational, Inc. for Department of Transportation 1, 2018. (Photo submitted) Discretionary Grant of $2,657,142 to speech and language patholo- improve drainage at Barnes Airport. gists. Westfield Public School Superintendent Stefan This follows a vote by the City Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport Manager Eric Billowitz, Congressman Council on August 16 to accept a Czaporowski said that 43 new teachers will be attending an Richard E. Neal, and Westfield Mayor Brian P. Sullivan announced a $2,657,142 orientation Wednesday at Westfield Intermediate School, Federal Aviation Administration grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Monday for the local airport grant of $162,720 for the design adding that he still has four spaces left to fill. He also intro- to help improve drainage issues. (Photo submitted) phase for airport drainage improve- duced two of the new hires; Melanie Chasse, the new princi- ment. pal at Paper Mill, and Dan Trudeau, new athletic director for “Federal funds provide critical sup- year, including security perimeter fenc- looking at Barnes as their next best Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy, to port to the City’s efforts in making ing valued at $365,000 from MassDOT option, but that he couldn’t say any the School Committee. Barnes Regional Airport an economic with no local share. “We had a good more. “Thank you for appointing me. I’m extremely excited to driver for our community,” Mayor year in that regard. We had a wish list, “The regional airport in Westfield is be in Westfield,” said Trudeau, who started August 1. Sullivan said. “Congressman Neal’s and they pretty much gave us every- increasingly playing a larger and more Chasse said she is “very much looking forward to meeting assistance will allow us to more thing on it,” Billowitz added. important role in our local transporta- the students, and having all of the teachers return.” She also effectively manage storm water to At that same meeting, Billowitz also tion infrastructure. It is also helping to thanked School Committee member Diane Mayhew for both protect our natural resources and said Air Methods air medical transport create good jobs and economic develop- coming over and spending the day at Paper Mill. extend the life of the runway,” he had just finished construction at Barnes, ment here in western Massachusetts. Czaporowski said that Transportation Director Pamela added. and was expected to be fully operational Today’s federal grant is an investment Kotarski has been working hard on bus routes and schedules During this year’s budget reviews by the end of June, adding to airport in the airport’s future and will help to be ready for opening day. He reminded the School in June, Billowitz ran down some of revenues. He also said at least two enti- improve drainage issues,” said the grants received by the airport this ties operating at other airports were Congressman Richard E. Neal. See Changes, Page 3 Drainage system North Loomis being installed on Street reopens By GREG FITZPATRICK Congamond Road Correspondent By GREG FITZPATRICK School Committee members attend a workshop with Atty. Russ Dupere SOUTHWICK – The Southwick DPW announced Correspondent on Level 3 grievances. (Photo by Amy Porter) that North Loomis Street had re-opened on Friday. SOUTHWICK – Pereira Construction, from The central location of the Shurtleff Brook Bridge Ludlow, Mass., is continuing to make improve- project, North Loomis Street is now open with one ments with the Congamond Road project this sum- School Committee gets special lane and a police officer on scene to assists oncom- mer. ing traffic. According to Southwick DPW Director Randy In an interview on August 19, Dick Grannells, Brown, Pereira is currently working on the drainage training on Level 3 grievances Special Assistant to the DPW Director,said that the system as well as utility work. Once that aspect of By AMY PORTER training. In a Level 3 grievance, an road was expected to re-open on Friday, with the the project is complete, the next phase will be wid- Correspondent employee may be heard before the paving taking place on Thursday. ening and reconstructing Congamond Road. WESTFIELD – Prior to the School Committee, following a The Southwick DPW closed North Loomis Street Brown pointed out that there had been some School Committee meeting on hearing with the principal (Level 1) from July 30 to August 1, and then again on August delays early in the construction process with the Monday, members attended a work- and superintendent (Level 2). 6 until the paving was finished. drainage aspect. There has been an abundance of shop with Attorney Russ Dupere on School Committee chair Kevin This week the contractor has to loam and seed the the committee’s role in Level 3 See Drainage, Page 2 grievances, as part of their ongoing See School Training, Page 3 See Street Reopens, Page 2 World Art Drop Day September 4 WESTFIELD – World Art Drop Day and keep the creation free of charge. ArtWorks Westfield. According to will take place on Tuesday September Artists are encouraged to take a photo information on their Facebook page, 4, 2018. This is the third year that it of their creation or the hiding spot, or “ArtWorks Westfield is a local organi- has taken place in Westfield and the a combination of both, and use social zation promoting the artistic diversity 2018 version is expected to grow on media to offer clues of where the pub- of Westfield and the surrounding com- the success of the last two years. lic can search. munities. Our Mission is to create and Similar to previous years, it is part Richard Cowles, a retired 40-year promote Cultural Arts, Literary Arts, of a larger international project that Adjustment Councilor and respected Musical Events, and Performing Arts, began in 2013, and has taken place in amateur photographer from Westfield, and to support local Artists.” New York City, Seattle, Tokyo and had been the organizer of Westfield’s Any artist can participate by contact- several other cities around the world. ArtDrop the first two years but as this ing ArtWorks Westfield at andrewksur- Art Drop is a campaign to connect event has grown it has needed more [email protected]. people with artists and spans the full volunteers and a more cohesive orga- If you’re interested in finding some day, beginning at 12:01am and ending nizational effort which is why local art, monitor the ArtWortks at 11:59pm. ArtWorks Westfield has taken the Westfield Facebook page throughout Artists of various skills: photogra- reigns. the day, Tuesday September 4th, to phy, paint, scratch, multi-media and Since the first Articulture in 2016, learn where you can get a piece of “Holy Trinity in the snow” by Westfield photographer others, will “hide” some of their work the Westfield arts scene has grown local art for your home if you’re the Richard Cowles will be one of the many pieces residents and provide clues for the public to find exponentially due to the creation of first to find it. can find and keep for their personal collection. PAGE 2 - TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2018 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Drainage North Continued from Page 1 Loomis Street is rock and ledge in the ground and has Pereira’s contract allows them until the end now open caused Pereira to use their on-site equipment of 2019 but they are on schedule to provide to oncom- to chip away at the rock and ledge in order to the final paving on Congamond Road in April ing traffic. remove it. of 2019. (Photo from Despite the setback, Brown noted that the Mass DOT is funding the $4.1 million proj- Dick construction is still progressing at a positive ect and has complete oversight. The project Grannells) pace. includes a new drainage system, a sidewalk “Within the overall schedule of the project, on the south side of the road, and new bike they’re (Pereira) where they need to be,” said lanes. Brown. Street Reopens Pereira Continued from Page 1 Construction is seen continuing roadside and put a special guardrail in for the Shurtleff Brook Bridge.