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WEATHER TONIGHT Few clouds. Low of 45.
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Participants cross the finish line in the Run Westfield Flat Fast 5K road race in 2016. (Staff File Photo)
was on his heels to finish at 16:31. The current course record is held by Simon Ndirangu, who set the men’s record in 2013 with a winning time of 13:16. The women’s record (14:48) was set by Kim Smith in 2013.
Everyone entered in Saturday’s race should pick up their tee shirts and bib numbers Friday at the Fitness Expo in the Woodward Center on Westfield State University campus between noon and 8 p.m. There will also be an opportunity for tee shirt and
bib pick up on race day at the starting line area between 9 a.m. and noon. Race parking is available in the Westfield State University South Lot and in the downtown municipal parking lots. Start time is slated for 1 p.m.
Activist recognized for commitment to Westfield River By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD-At 90, lifelong city resident Henry Warchol knows the importance of inspiring the next generation of nature enthusiasts to get involved with the Westfield River Watershed Association. “Water is our most important issue in the city,” said Warchol during a social prior to the start of the association’s annual meeting at the Westfield Athenaeum. “With problems in other states like California and Michigan, we have to be vigilant to prevent those same problems.” On Thursday night in the Lang Auditorium, Bill Rose, association president, recognized and thanked Warchol for his decades of service monitoring the river during the meeting. “For close to 60 years, Henry has been an advocate for our watershed and has always brought his concerns to board members,” said Rose. “He can be very persistent in getting his point across.” Warchol’s involvement over the years with the association has included overseeing salmon stocking and the fish ladder. Additionally, he has been a longtime member of the Westfield Flood Control Commission. “Mother Nature is unique
— HONORE DE BALZACA
Drugs found during traffic stop
Race set to whip city into frenzy By ALLY MORIN Correspondent WESTFIELD – Fast race finishes and community pride are on the agenda for this upcoming weekend. On Saturday, the Flat Fast 5K arrives in the Whip City. The race, which begins at Westfield State University’s South Los and finishes on Elm just after Church Street, features cash prizes for the top five men and women winners, the top three winners of men’s and women’s age groups, and the top three Westfield resident men and women. At the conclusion of the race, a block party will be held in Downtown Westfield near the finish line area. Nineteen-year-old Kyle Bean and 25-year-old Sarah Crouch won the race for their respective genders last year. Bean completed the course in 16:19 while Crouch
words is a sure sign of duplicity.”
75 cents
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
VOL. 85 NO. 119
“A flow of
Henry Warchol was recognized for his decades of service during the annual meeting of the Westfield River Watershed Association meeting on Thursday night. Warchol, on left, makes a point to Bill Rose, president, prior to the meeting. and amazing,” said Warchol, noting his “love for the outdoors” has included volunteering for the Appalachian Mountain Club. “She’s given us a beautiful world and we have to find ways to attract younger people to get involved with keeping the environment clean.” Both Rose and Warchol noted that events including the popular Fish Ladder Open House, slated June 5 at the old Southworth Paper Company site in West Springfield, are
once-a-year opportunities for parents to inspire children to care about the river. “Parents should expose their children to educational experiences like the fish ladder,” said Warchol. As Warchol was surrounded by well-wishers celebrating his recent 90th birthday, he said he would like to retire from some of his duties but there is no one to take his place. “I have difficulty walking sometimes but I can still be a pain in the butt when I see an
issue that needs to be addressed,” said Warchol. The Westfield River watershed spans a substantial portion of the eastern Berkshire Hills. The river flows southeast to its confluence with the Connecticut River in Agawam. In the upper reaches of the watershed, hundreds of small tributaries flow into the three main branches of the Westfield River (East, Middle, and West), which join together in Huntington to form See Westfield River, Page 3
By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD – A Lanesborough, Mass. man was arrested Wednesday evening after police found heroin in his vehicle and his pockets following a traffic stop. Police arrested Timothy Kasuba, of 174 Balance Rock Road Lanesborough, Mass., on Southampton Road at Egleston Road, on charges of class A drug possession and class A drug possession with an intent to distribute. Officer Timothy Fanion’s report noted that he found 300 bags of heroin in the vehicle Kasuba was driving TIMOTHY after he pulled him over for KASUBA a traffic violation. In addition to the drugs found in the car, Fanion’s report noted that Kasuba had an additional 23 bags of heroin in his pocket. According to the report, Fanion initially stopped Kasuba after he witnessed him traveling in and out of the breakdown lane. During the stop, the report said that the suspect was observed reaching into the center console in the vehicle. In the report it was said that Fanion, upon observing the suspect reach for the center console, proceeded to direct Kasuba out of the vehicle and then the suspect suddenly lunged toward the center console. Fanion was able to quickly subdue Kasuba. The report went on to state that Fanion then observed the open center console which is where he found 300 bags of heroin. Fanion then proceeded to search Kasuba, and it was said that he found an additional 23 bags of heroin in Kasuba’s pockets. No other information is available at this time. Please follow The Westfield News for more information on the story.
Plastic bag ban discussed by city council By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD – The city council’s public health and safety commission met Thursday to discuss a plastic bag ban for the city. The discussion has been ongoing in city council, and is being spurred by three Westfield State University seniors who presented research and the documentary “Bag It” for the city council May 5. Westfield is looking to join 26 cities and towns in Mass. who have a single-use plastic bag ban. The commission discussed options regarding putting a plan in place, in addition to alternatives to use in place of plastic bags. “The thing is it’s an education and people go through it,” Mary Anne Babinski, city councilor said about the potential ban. “Eventually people realize it’s not good for them. It’s an education process, it’s involving the public.”
Baker releases $2.19B Fiscal Year 2017 capital budget plan BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today released the Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17) capital plan, including a $2.19 billion bond cap on General Obligation Bonds. Significant resources in FY17 will be invested in affordable and workforce housing, transportation projects and various grant programs to support municipalities across the state. The plan also attracts substantial federal, local, private and other sources of funding, maximizing the leverage of the Commonwealth’s capital resources. The FY17 capital plan prioritizes projects that maintain and modernize existing assets, and make targeted investments for the future. The process for reviewing and determining
which projects were included in this plan was refocused this year to better account for our strategic priorities and maximize coordination across agencies with these three core principles as the foundation. “The Commonwealth’s Capital Plan is an important tool for funding construction and maintaining capital assets, infrastructure and program investments,” said Governor Baker. “This capital plan makes substantial investments in maintaining and modernizing our transportation network, preserving thousands of affordable housing units, training an already highly-skilled workforce and supporting programs critical to economic development in cities and towns across
Massachusetts.” “This capital plan continues our administration’s commitment to being a reliable partner for cities and towns across the Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor Polito. “In addition to important capital funding for local issues like Chapter 90 transportation funding, vocational skills grants and cultural facilities grants, the Community Compact Program will build upon a successful first year to continue awarding communities who partner with the state to improve local services, IT infrastructure, and various local projects.” See Baker, Page 3
See Bag Ban, Page 3
MARY ANN BABINSKI
ANDREW SURPRISE