TONIGHT Cloudy, Showers late. Low of 60. Search for The Westfield News The Westfield Search for The Westfield News TODAY IN WESTFIELD News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews HISTORY: Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT 1830 Hampden Society for IN HONOR OF MEMORIAL D AY, TONIGHT Promotion of Temperance THE WESTFIELD NAMBITIONEWS .” Partly Cloudy. WILL NOT PUBLJOHNIS STEINBECKH formed in Westfield. Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. The www.thewestfieldnews.comWestfieldNews MONDAY, MAY 28, 2018. Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHERVOL. 86 NO. 151 VOL. 87 NO. 120 SATURDAY,TUESDAY, MAY 26, JUNE 2018 27, 2017 CRITIC75 CentsWITHOUT 75 cents TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL.Westfield 86 NO. 151 350 celebrationTUESDAY, planningJUNE 27, 2017 ‘well underway’ 75 cents By AMY PORTER Great Britain. For the children’s Correspondent celebration of New Year’s at First WESTFIELD – With the 350th Night, the committee has connected anniversary of the founding of with the parish of Westfield, Westfield on May 19, 1669 now less England, and will celebrate New than one year away, “the planning is Year’s with them at 7 p.m., when well underway,” said Harry Rock, there will be a “ball” raising (Rock chairman of the Board of Directors said the details are secret), and fire- of Westfield 350, which became a works will go off. 501(c)3 non-profit last June. After that families will make their Rock said the city’s birthday will way home, leaving time for the Members of the Westfield 350 marching in last year’s Memorial Day officially launch on New Year’s Eve adults to celebrate their New Year’s. Parade. Look for them to march in this year’s parade. (Photo submitted) 2019, at the first-ever First Night in “It will be a free, family-based Westfield. Planned as a free, family- event, with no drinking and no alco- Square Green. night. friendly event, First Night will be hol,” Rock said. The birthday weekend of May 17, Saturday, May 18 will begin with held December 31, 2018 in the Westfield 350 Chairman Harry First night starts a whole set of 18, and 19, 2019 will begin on a pancake breakfast on the green at Amelia Park complex, beginning at Rock representing at the recent activities leading up to the actual Friday night, May 17 with a 4 p.m. First Congregational Church outside 4 p.m. with a family parade fol- Run Westfield 5k. (Photo submitted) birthday weekend in May. There proclamation and signing ceremony their community room from 7 to 9 lowed by numerous other activities will be a lecture series of thirteen with invited dignitaries and politi- a.m., assisted by the two Westfield scheduled until 7 p.m. There will be and a Battle of the Bands for older talks starting in November held at cians, followed by a ticketed dinner Boy Scout troops. ice sculptures, hot chocolate, bounce kids. Westfield State University, the at the Athenaeum, a thank you to At 9 a.m. outside of Stop & Shop houses, and free ice skating at the The actual celebration of the New Westfield Athenaeum, and the First donors and supporters. on the ramp entering the Columbia Amelia Park Ice Arena. The Amelia Year will not be at midnight but Congregational Church, with differ- Kathleen Palmer, a playwright for Greenway Rail Trail, the Friends of Park Children’s Museum will have come five hours early. Rock said ent speakers speaking about the his- the Westfield Theatre Group is writ- the Rail Trail will host a Bike Rodeo, balloon entertainers, and the Boys & that when Westfield was founded in tory of Westfield. There will also be ing a play on the history of Westfield Girls Club will offer face painting, 1669, they were still colonists to historical walks centered on Park which will also premiere on Friday See Westfield 350, Page 7 Memorial Assistant Teacher Torrie Day events Hodovanec receives a gift from the offered in preschoolers and student teachers at Southwick, the gradua- tion ceremo- ny. (Photo Vice President Ron Queipo and President Ken Granville submitted) By GREG FITZpaTRICK Lafreniere of Vietnam Veterans of America Correspondent Westfield Chapter 219 stand with the banners at SOUTHWICK/GRANVILLE – Parker Memorial Park. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick) Southwick and Granville are host- ing events this weekend in recogni- Graduation held at WHS tion of Memorial Day. On Sunday, Banners the town of Corner Laboratory Preschool Granville will By AMY PORTER be having a Correspondent honor veterans Memorial Day WESTFIELD – Thursday was graduation service at the day for some of Westfield’s littlest graduates Granville Federated Church at at the Children’s Corner Laboratory Noon. After the service concludes, at Parker Preschool at Westfield High School. Eleven everyone in attendance will cross students ages 4 and 5 and wearing caps and to the town green where a wreath gowns received their diplomas, are well- will be placed on the memorial prepared for starting kindergarten in the fall. Memorial Park stone. The event will then end with “The preschool graduation is one of my By GREG FITZpaTRICK a three-gun salute. favorite events each year. Mrs. Auclair and Correspondent Just one day later, on Memorial our student leaders make such incredible WESTFIELD – Vietnam Veterans of America Day, Southwick will have their connections with the preschoolers. It’s Westfield Chapter 219 has completed a project in annual Memorial Day parade. The really heart-warming and a special event for time for Memorial Day to honor veterans from lineup for the parade is at 9:30 at everyone involved,” said WHS Principal Westfield that were killed in action. the Southwick Plaza on College Charles Jendrysik after the event. Preschooler Cordelia Berndt beams Working on the project for the last three years, four Highway with the parade set to banners are now hanging up from flag poles at Parker begin at 10 a.m. after receiving her diploma. (Photo See Graduation, Page 7 submitted) All veteran’s organizations in See Banners, Page 7 town will be represented in the parade, including both the Southwick Police and Fire Associations. The cub scouts, boy scouts, and girl scouts will be marching along with the Southwick Westfield Memorial Day services announced Regional School band. Southwick American Legion Westfield WESTFIELD – Mayor Brian P. Sullivan participants, and other parties interested in par- Post 338 hosts the parade and all veterans announced that groups marching in the ticipating in this year’s parade to contact the individuals and organizations are organizations Memorial Day Parade will begin assembling at committee by e-mail at parades@cityofwest- free to join the march. and city offi- 9:00 AM near the Mestek Company property field.org. “All citizens are welcomed and cials gathered on North Elm Street. The committee will no longer mail out paper encouraged to parade with us,” said at the conclu- The parade will begin promptly at 10:00 AM. invitations, and will use the e-mail registration Russ Pike of Post 338. sion of a parade and the parade route will be as follows: begin- as the primary means of registering for parade The parade will go south on hosted by the ning at Mestek, the marchers will march south participation. College Highway, and then stop at American down North Elm Street, continuing across the As in the past, please remember that the the town green at the First Legion Post 454 Great River Bridge onto Elm Street, continuing parade is a means of recognizing the sacrifices Congregational Church, where the at Parker south to Broad Street, turning right at the inter- of those who gave their lives in defense of our veterans monument is, and a cere- Memorial Park. section of Broad Street and West Silver Street country, and as such, is intended as a solemn mony will then be conducted at that Here, a vetran to Parker Memorial Park for the Memorial Day event to be so conducted by the parade partici- monument. Following that, the places a wreath ceremony. Following the Parker Park pants. parade will continue south on as part of a Ceremonies, American Legion Post 124 will No floats or commercial vehicles will par- College Highway and end at the memorial march the route in reverse to the post home on ticipate in the parade. Only authorized city New Cemetery. ceremony. Broad St, where additional ceremonies will be vehicles and veteran transport vehicles may If there is rain or bad weather the (WNG file photo) held. participate. No dancing, acrobatics, or other ceremonies will be moved to the The Memorial Day Parade Committee of the celebratory activities are allowed. No animals Southwick Town Hall. Westfield Veterans Council invites all previous may accompany participants. PAGE 2 - SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2018 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS WESTFIELD HIGH SCHOOL Bronze Tablet Joe Mucha with Certificate. Veterans with Heroes from the Soldiers Home in Holyoke. finalists WESTFIELD — Congratulations to the three finalists for the Westfield Franklin Avenue Elementary High School Bronze Tablet. The Bronze Tablet is awarded annually at the Senior Class Assembly to that Memorial Day Assembly member of the graduating class "Who has done the most for the welfare, good name, and progress of Westfield High School." The three finalist are: FIONA CIOCH KOHL LUNARDINI Mrs. Tolpa at Assembly. Mrs. Tolpa with Grandfather Charles Allard. GABRIEL SANTOS PHOTOS BY MICHELLE HILL Gene Theroux Presents Joe Mucha Certificate of Appreciation. FERRER ODDS & ENDS LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION ... TONIGHT SUNDAY MONDAY Tiny cottage on market for just under $1M LAGUNA BEACH, Calif.