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WEATHER TONIGHT Some clearing. Low of 16.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
VOL. 83 NO. 37
State top-ranked in nationwide AP scores By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Massachusetts ranks fourth in the nation in the percentage of 2013 public high school graduates who scored 3 or higher on Advanced Placement exams. AP exams are scored on a five-point scale with 3 indicating a student is considered qualified of doing the work of an introductory-level course in a particular subject at college. According to a new report by the College Board, which administers the test, nearly 28 percent of Massachusetts 2013 high school graduates scored 3 or higher — up from nearly 17 percent in 2003. That places Massachusetts behind Maryland, which ranked first, followed by Connecticut and Virginia. Nationally, about 20 percent of 2013 public high school graduates scored a 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement exam. Some colleges and universities grant credit for scores of 3, 4 or 5. The report showed that the number of Massachusetts public high school graduates who took at least one AP exam during their high school career has also increased. In 2003, 13,051 high school graduates had taken an AP course compared with 24,610 in the class of 2013, an increase of 89 percent. The number who scored a 3 or higher also increased, from 9,419 in the class of 2003 to 17,616 in the class of 2013. “Today’s results demonstrate steady progress in boosting educational performance,” Gov. Deval Patrick said earlier this week. “I applaud our hard-working students and teachers.” The report also found that the performance of minority and low-income students in Massachusetts improved over the past decade. The number of black students taking an AP exam during high school increased from 423 in the class of 2003 to 1,393 in the class of 2013, with the number scoring a 3 or higher growing from 147 to 555. For Hispanic students, the number taking an AP exam increased from 510 to 1,932 over the See AP Scores, Page 3
75 cents
Gateway board addresses OML violation
Group critical of gun report
See Gun Report, Page 3
a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” — Jack Benny
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2014
By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer BOSTON – An organization representing Massachusetts gun owners is criticizing a new report by a task force that examined state gun laws, saying most of the panel’s recommendations would put more burdens on law-abiding citizens. The Gun Owners Action League, or GOAL, released a critique Tuesday of the report issued by the task force created by House Speaker Robert DeLeo after the school massacre in Newtown, Conn. State Sen. Donald F. Humason (R-Westfield) said he agreed with the GOAL assessment. “The task force missed some opportunities,” Humason said. “As GOAL put it, the task force lacks the expertise needed.” GOAL director Jim Wallace says the report that seeks a more uniform approach to firearms licensing and training fails to recognize that the state’s existing laws have not prevented an increase in gun violence since 1998. “The impact is on law-abiding citizens,” said Humason, who has criticized the push for stricter gun laws in the past. “In the case of Newtown, anybody who would kill his own mother doesn’t care what the law says.” DeLeo plans to use the panel’s recommendations as a basis for new gun control legislation. Wallace’s group has already filed a bill that respects the rights of lawful gun owners. Humason said the House Safety Committee is likely to draft legislation. He said it could be
“Age is strictly
up with the dynamics of society. “In today’s complex society with many intersecting points, we must stay informed about the changing dynamics of our community and world,” she said. “As communicators, we must learn how to engage people in a world that is changing faster than we ever imagined.” Fondon thinks that diversity is crucial to understand those changing dynamics. “Diversity is a value that the college embraces,” she said. “Every member of the college community represents some aspect of diversity on the campus. Our collective diversity is driving the innovation that makes us successful and competitive on the local, national and world stage.” The presentation sought to explore how to plan for the future of the communication industry, navigate the new and emerging diverse communities and multicultural marketplace, and how to boost global literacy. “History teaches us about others, and it
By Peter Francis Staff Writer HUNTINGTON – The Gateway Regional School District is taking the first steps in rectifying an open meeting law violation. After voting down a move to discuss the complaint in executive session, Committee Chair Gretchen Eliason and the rest of the board consulted with Attorney Russell Dupere, counsel for the district, about ways to mend a complicated situation. The complaint, made in writing several months ago by Blandford resident Tony Van Werkhoven, addressed a vote taken by committee members during a meeting on June 26, 2013 for the chair and vice-chair seats. “The meat of the complaint is that we elected chair and vice-chair by ballot, as we understood was the requirement of our policy in Chapter 71, Section 16A,” Eliason said. Eliason posed the question to Dupere in front of a contingent of hilltown residents about whether there was a conflict between Chapter 71, Section 16A, state law and the committee’s actions, along with advice on it’s next step. “My opinion is that there is not a conflict between the two statutes, that you can read them to make sense together,” Dupere said. “The open meeting law specifically says that you cannot vote, in open or executive session, by secret ballot.” Dupere added that the other section of the law states that a board must vote for chair and vice-chair by ballot, just not by a secret ballot. “What other committees have done… was by ballot, writing down who they wanted for chair, give it to whoever was presiding over the meeting, and that person would read aloud how each person voted,” he said, adding that the practice doesn’t occur much anymore. “At this point, most committees vote, in open, about who they want for chair and vice-chair.” Dupere then suggested that, should the committee choose to continue voting by ballot, to do it in the form of the presiding official reading the ballot off after the votes have been cast. When asked by committee member Shirley Winer whether or not the committee used a “secret ballot” to conduct the vote, Dupere merely replied “that’s my understanding.” “The votes were read, but they just weren’t attributed to a person,” Winer said. Conversation then transitioned toward mending the error, which Dupere outlined for the committee. “You have 30 days to file a complaint,” he said. “I read the complaint, I understand why (VanWerkhoven) feels that they’re within the 30 days, because that’s when they found out about it.” “The reality is, if you read your minutes and what was online, it didn’t indicate who voted which way. That alone is an indication that you didn’t do it correctly.” Dupere added that, while the complaint itself wasn’t timely, it did have merit, but righting the wrong in a traditional manner may prove difficult. “The usual remedy, under the ‘Elks decision’, would be to redo that portion of the meeting, revote, and do it in the open,” he said. “The difficulty here is that you don’t have the same members, which is why you’re supposed to do it within the 30 days. The second step would normally be that you indicate in the future we’re going to
See Black History, Page 3
See OML Violation, Page 3
Jonathan Whitty of Southwick, rear, attempts to clear his driveway of yesterday’s snowfall as a cross-country skier passes by. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Storm remnants linger BOSTON (AP) — The main blast of the latest winter storm to strike the region is over but parts of Massachusetts are still getting sleet and snow, which could make for a messy commute. Sleet and wet rain fell in eastern parts of the state early Friday, adding to already slushy roads covered with in many areas with deep puddles and icy patches. The town of Southwick got 13 inches of snow Thursday, according to unofficial observations from the National
Weather Service, while Ludlow got a foot. Farther east, Worcester received 11.5 inches, while Sudbury and Acton reported 11 inches. A foot fell in the Berkshire County towns of Savoy and Becket. Some Massachusetts schools remained closed on Friday, while some have delayed openings. The good news is that power outages were minimal
Black history intersects with modern world at WSU By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – “From History to New Success”, held yesterday in the Ely TV Studio, was the latest in a month-long series of events celebrating Black History Month at Westfield State University. Billed as an interactive, multi-media presentation, and a cross-cultural, intergenerational workshop experience about the intersections of history, career success and life in a diverse, digital world, it seemed to hit the mark with the diverse group of around 30 students in attendance. The workshop was led by Janine Fondon, adjunct professor of communication and the president and CEO of Unityfirst.com, an online network servicing two million diverse readers across the country that engages users in ‘real-world’ topics and events regarding diversity and inclusion. Fondon also teaches a public relations writing course, as well as Principals of Public Relations, at WSU. She said she organized the event to help teach students the importance of keeping
Historic Granville house still standing after fire By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer GRANVILLE – An historic house is still standing on Main Street in Granville despite a fire which broke out Wednesday afternoon and kept firefighters working until the wee hours Thursday morning. Granville Fire Chief Scott Loomis reported in an interview Thursday morning that a fire was reported at 1755 Main Street about 4:26 p.m. and, in accordance with established protocol, the fire departments from Southwick, Tolland and East Hartland, Conn., immediately responded to assist their Granville colleagues who were already fighting the fire. He said that the Russell firefighters also responded with their mobile system to refill the high pressure air tanks firefighters use in order to be able to breathe while in smoke-filled environments. Loomis explained that the equipment was paid for by a grant “with the understanding that it would be a regional resource.” He said the blaze was “a very very difficult fire to fight” because of a variety of factors. “Everything that could work against us was
working against us,” he said and explained that the problems began with the “balloon construction” of the building which meant, he said, that “virtually no part of the structure (was) designed to stop a fire.” He said that the house is very old and the construction style allowed the fire to spread through the house very quickly. He said that he does not know exactly when the house was built but said that it dates from “at least the 1800s. It’s an old house,” he said, “possibly the 1700s.” In addition to the issues created by the age of the house and the many renovations and additions which have been added over the decades, he said that there was “a significant amount of clutter” in the house. “We were unable to enter via the normal entrance because it was barricaded by furniture,” he said, so the firefighters were forced to fight the fire from the outside, making it harder to douse the foundations of the fire. Despite the roadblocks encountered, Loomis said that the house is not a total loss. “The structure will likely be rebuilt,” he said and added “We were actually able to salvage
most of the living area.” He said that “85-90 percent” of the living area is “salvageable” but said that the house in not currently inhabitable due to cuts into the structure the firefighters were obliged to make in order to get at the flames. State Trooper Michael Mazza of the Massachusetts Fire Marshal’s office, responded to investigate the fire and reports “The fire departments did a terrific job in saving that house under the direction of Chief Loomis.” He said that his investigation found that “the homeowner emptied out the wood stove into a metal bucket which is the proper thing to do.” But, Mazza said, “after a short time” the woman thought the ashes had cooled and transferred them to a flammable container which she left outside against the side of the house in a protected corner. There, the embers eventually ignited the side of the house he said. Mazza said “The ashes from a wood stove can potentially stay hot for up to ten days.” See Granville Fire, Page 3