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WEATHER TONIGHT Scattered t-storms. Low of 64.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
— LOUIS KRONENBERGER
www.thewestfieldnews.com FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 191
75 cents
Local barber robbed twice in two weeks By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Correspondent WESTFIELD – A local barber was robbed for a second time in two weeks by the same person. David Munoz, owner of County Barber Shop, located at 61 School Street, said Encarnacion Alvarado came into his shop around 4:15 p.m. Thursday afternoon demanding money. “He put a razor on my neck,” Munoz said Friday, “and was screaming I’m high as hell–I’ll f-ing kill you!” Alvarado 40, stole $750, Munoz’s rent money, from Munoz’s pocket and pushed him to the ground. Munoz ran after Alvarado, who according to police records was on a bicycle, in the direction of the Westfield Police Station, where a police officer exiting the back door joined the chase, according to Munoz. Alvarado, who is listed as homeless, was arrested in front of 16 Washington St. and charged with armed robbery (razor knife), threat to commit crime crime (murder) and on an outstanding warrant, according to police records. Westfield Police Capt. Michael McCabe said that after he was arrested, $926 in cash was found in Alvarado’s back pocket. According to Munoz, Alvarado is still on probation after serving two years in Ludlow for armed robbery of a Dunkin’ Donuts in Springfield three years ago. Additionally, Munoz said that Alvarado is supposed to have an outstanding warrant from Pittsfield. Munoz said he has known Alvarado for 10 years and used to consider him a friend, but that Alvarado has always had a problem with drugs, namely heroin. “He’s a functioning addict,” said Munoz, who used to work with Alvarado at A Cut Above the Rest at 37 Elm St., where the defendant was recently employed. According to police records, an employee at A Cut Above the Rest told police on Thursday that Alvarado “has not worked at this location for about three weeks.” Two weeks ago, Alvarado entered Munoz’s shop asking for a job. When Munoz stepped out of the room, he returned to find $280 and his cell phone had been taken, allegedly by Alvarado. Alvarado will be in arraigned in Westfield District Court today.
“Individualism is rather like innocence; there must be something unconscious about it.”
Decisions pending for potential candidates
COLONEL BRIAN S. HALLORAN
City native Halloran on a brand new mission By AMY PORTER skills that makes you the effective Correspondent leader of a sales team, and teach WESTFIELD – Westfield native leadership competencies,” he said. Colonel Brian S. Halloran, Chief of One thing Halloran is certain of is Strategy, Plans and Policy Division in that the Army will make the most of G-8 Force Development for the what he learns. Some of the issues United States Army, is about to the previous Fellows have addressed embark on a different type of misare force structure and size – how sion. He will be representing the big the Army’s going to be, both Chief of Staff of the Army as the active Army and National Reserves, Chief’s Fellow at Northwestern and also strategic issues on the University’s Kellogg School of Army’s future. Halloran expects to Management in Evanston, Illinois. be bringing back information on Halloran, who has served overseas resourcing and procurement of in Afghanistan, Korea and Germany, equipment. COLONEL BRIAN will be the fourth Fellow from the “The Army does a good job of S. HALLORAN Army to attend the Kellogg’s utilizing the skills you get,” he said. Executive Education Program (EEP). Born in Westfield, Halloran While at Kellogg, he will be taking courses in attended Westfield Public Schools until 9th grade. finances for executives, branding and strategic His father, J. Brian Halloran, who passed away in leadership. He will then bring what he has learned 2010, was the Superintendent of Schools in to the Army to help impact its future course. Westfield from 1975 to 1984, and then It was Halloran who first approached Kellogg to Superintendent of Minnechaug Regional High accept Army colonels into the EEP. Halloran said School in Wilbraham. Halloran graduated from that the other fellowships the Army has focus on Minnechaug in 1987, and attended West Point issues of international security or international where he received a bachelor’s in 1991 and was relations, such as at the Harvard Kennedy Center commissioned a Second Lieutenant. Halloran also for Executive Education. received a master’s of science in Workforce “When you peel back the onion on these issues, Training and Development from the University of a lot of it is economic,” Halloran said. Southern Mississippi, and a master’s of arts in “We were looking for a couple of things,” he National Security and Strategic Studies from the said. “The higher up you go in the Army, the less Naval War College, where he said he was “the guidance you get when somebody tells you what to token Army guy.” do.” During his 24 years of service, Halloran has Halloran said they wanted a fellowship to focus served in operational assignments in the Third on the strategic or business side, i.e., with an Army Infantry Division (both in Bamberg, Germany and of 980,000 soldiers and a $120 billion budget, how Ft. Benning, Georgia), the Second Infantry Division do you put systems in place to manage the money, in the Republic of Korea and in the Combined and be good stewards of the resources. Security Transition Command, later NATO Halloran will be interacting with a lot of people Training Mission Afghanistan. He assumed his curin the corporate world on the executive education rent duties as Chief, Strategy, Plans and Policy side who also have to move equipment, personnel, Division in G-8 Force Development in July 2013. food, and fuel all over the world. He is looking Prior to this posting, he served as the Chief, Force forward to being able “to sit in the same classroom, Integration Branch in the Army G-3, Force and be able to exchange how we do things. Then Management, and as the Director of Requirements, take it back to the Army, to apply what makes sense NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, & Operation to apply.” Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He said one main difference between the Army Halloran said he still tries to make it back to and these corporations will be their customer base. Massachusetts as often as he can, because of his For corporations, the customers are the sharehold- many relatives and friends here, mostly in ers. Westfield. Among them, he mentioned Westfield “For the Army, they’re the soldiers, the American High School Basketball Coach Billy Daley, who he people and Congress,” he said. “We will apply called “his cousin and his best friend.” He also said what will work, and make sure people understand that Kevin, Brian and Rick Sullivan lived five we can’t do other things.” houses down from him on Highland Avenue when While at Kellogg, Halloran will also lecture he was growing up. MBA students and undergraduates on how the Halloran is also still an avid Massachusetts Army does leadership development. “How do you sports fan. Besides Bomber basketball, he follows take someone in the corporate environment who’s the Bruins, Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots, adding, great in sales, which may not be the same set of “I’ve been defending Tom Brady in the Pentagon.”
By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Candidates have 12 days left before having to submit nomination papers for certification and the majority of hopefuls in the mayoral and City Council races have yet to submit the nomination petitions signed by 50 registered voters in the city. A total of 29 possible candidates have pulled nomination papers, but only 12 of those potential candidates have returned the document for certification by the City Clerk’s office. The deadline for returning nomination papers is Tuesday, Aug. 11. Three candidates have taken out nomination papers for both the At-large contest and a ward race, including two City Council incumbents, David A. Flaherty and Christopher Keefe, and a new contender, Mark Butler, who had taken out papers for both an At-large contest and the Ward 4 seat as well. Flaherty, presently an At-large councilor is considering jumping into the Ward 6 race, while Keefe, currently holding the Ward 1 City Council seat is considering the option of campaigning for an At-large seat. Flaherty won reelection two years ago by a slim margin in the crowded field of 14 candidates in the At-large contest, a contest that could be as equally crowed in the election this fall if all 14 potential candidates return nomination documents. Keefe won the Ward 1 seat in a contest with Mary Ann Babinski in a race that was so close it required a ballot recount which Keefe won by 11 votes. Keefe would face Babinski again this fall if he decides to run for the Ward 1 seat. If Keefe decides to enter the At-large contest, Babinski, who has already returned her nomination documents which See Decisions, Page 3
Velis: Noble earmark to remain in state budget By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Baystate Noble Hospital will receive $150,000 from the state despite a veto by Gov. Charlie Baker. State Rep. John Velis (D-Westfield) and State Sen. Donald F. Humason (R-Westfield) urged their colleagues to override the veto Thursday and were able to secure the twothirds vote needed in both the House and Senate. The funds will help create a new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant entrance on West Silver Street. “When the governor vetoed it I immediately set to work speaking to the Ways and Means Committee,” said Velis. Velis said securing every dollar for Westfield is more important than ever because of major cuts to local aid across the Commonwealth. “These earmarked funds are now the local aid funds,” said Velis. See Noble Earmark, Page 3
Legislature passes sales tax holiday bill
WILLIAM “SMITTY” PIGNATELLI
BOSTON – This week the Legislature approved a bill creating a sales tax holiday on August 15 and 16, 2015. The legislation is designed to provide relief to consumers and increase sales for local businesses. “The sales tax holiday is a shot in the arm for individuals, families and businesses alike,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “While the Massachusetts economy is continuing to improve, folks are still facing tough fiscal times. By passing this legislation, we reaffirmed our commitment to helping
hardworking families, particularly as the school year begins.” “The sales tax holiday has become an annual event in our state and today the Legislature voted to give a small tax break to consumers and businesses alike,” said Senate President Stanley Rosenberg (D-Amherst). “I hope that we will soon review this policy to determine if, after more than a decade, the desired impact is being achieved.” “Historically, we have seen people from neighboring states with higher tax rates come into southern Berkshire and
Hampden counties to shop during the sales tax holiday weekend,” said Representative Pignatelli. “While they’re here, they eat at our restaurants and make a day of it. That’s money coming into these small towns that wouldn’t be there otherwise.” As in previous years, the sales tax holiday will apply to purchases under $2,500. It excludes vehicles, motorized boats, tobacco, meals and utilities. The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
SPEAKER ROBERT DELEO