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WEATHER TONIGHT Partly Cloudy, Cold. Low of 10.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
— Adela Rogers St. Johns
www.thewestfieldnews.com FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2014
VOL. 83 NO. 277
By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – An alleged thief who returned to the scene of the crime was arrested Tuesday. A caller from Rocky’s Hardware on Main Street called police Monday morning to report that a man had stolen a backpack leaf blower the day before. The caller told the responding officer, Steven Carrington, that a chain securing the blower had been cut and a man was captured on security video as he walked out of the store with the leaf blower, priced at $499, and got into a black car but the registration plate on the vehicle was not legible on the video. On Wednesday, a caller from the store called police to report that the suspect had returned to the store and that there was a black Ford Fusion car parked in the parking lot with the trunk open. A short time later, Officer Megan Bartlett reported that she had seen and stopped a car which fit the description of the suspect vehicle in an East Main Street parking lot. The operator, David L. Sims, 42, of 214 Spear Road, Springfield, was found to have a suspended license and was arrested. His passenger, Keith Dwayne Ashwell, 57, of 33 McKnight St., Springfield, was identified as the thief both by the security video images and by staff from the store. He was arrested for larceny of property valued more than $250. Sims, who is believed to have been the person operating the car after the theft captured on security video, was also charged with the same crime.
DAVID L. SIMS
75 cents
Dead motorist identified
Two arrests follow alleged thief’s return
KEITH D. ASHWELL
“Happiness is a sort of atmosphere you can live in sometimes when you’re lucky... ”
Joe Deedy, rear right, owner of the MooLicious Farm & Ice Cream in Southwick, is joined by Adriane Riley, Arianna Deedy and Aiden Riley during a Secret Santa and Angry Elf Toy Drive for needy children. Residents are encouraged to bring a new unwrapped toy with a maximum value of $10 to the collection box located at the MooLicious Farm & Ice Cream 258 Feeding Hills Road in Southwick. The toys will be distributed to the children December 21. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Drive seeks toys for needy local children By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – While checking names off your Christmas shopping lists this year, the Deedy family and Southwick’s Community Table food pantry hope there’s room for one or two more. Joseph Deedy, owner of Moolicious Farm Ice-Cream, has teamed up with the pantry to help make the holidays brighter for families in need in Southwick, as well as Granville and Tolland. Moolicious is hosting a toy drive now
through Dec. 16 for new, unwrapped toys, as well as wrapping paper. Helping in collection efforts are the high school honor society and Lifestyles Salon in the Grist Mill Plaza on College Highway. Toys can be dropped off at Moolicious daily from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. as well as at the salon during business hours. This is the first year to collect toys for the pantry. ‘Last year Sally (Munson, pantry director) said there are families looking for gifts but See Toy Drive, Page 7
Conservation Commission members (from left) Thomas E. Sharp. James Murphy, Chairman David A. Doe and Henry Bannish listen to a resident during the public participation portion of their meeting Tuesday night. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
Multi-use rec trail project discussed By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A presentation was given by City Engineer Mark Cresotti, assisted by Allary Braitsch, a senior wetlands scientist for Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) to the city’s Conservation Commission on Tuesday night on a project that would construct a multi-use recreational trail connecting Sackett Street with Elm Street. “This is the next effort toward the comple-
tion of the Columbia Greenway in the city of Westfield,” said Cresotti. Cresotti informed the Commission that the Columbia Greenway has been broken up into three distinct phases within the city, with the southern-most phase having already been completed and funded by state grants. “The north (phase) is about to be undertaken in the fiscal year 2016 and we’re fortunate See Trail Project, Page 3
executive branch decisions in all areas of state government. Patrick signed the order Tuesday, even as Republican Gov.-elect Charlie Baker prepares to take office in January. Patrick said the order is part of his administration’s ongoing commitment to environmental justice in urban neighborhoods and older, financially strapped municipalities known as Gateway Cities. “Today we reaffirm our commitment to providing the whole commonwealth with
Wife dragged by car, husband arrested By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A city man was held without right to bail after his arraignment Tuesday on charges stemming from an incident in which he allegedly dragged his wife on Wyben Road with his vehicle. Officer Timothy Fanion reports that he responded to a Wyben Road address Monday evening and spoke with a resident who said that she had been trying to stop her husband of 37 years from leaving their home when the incident occurred. The woman said that her husband, George S. Hultay, 59, of 45 Wyben Road, had been backing out of their driveway when she grabbed the handle of his passenger side door. The woman said that her husband looked directly at her while backing into the road but drove away. Fanion reports “the victim’s hand became stuck in the door and the victim stated that the defendant was aware that her hand was stuck but he continued to drive away.” He reports that the woman was dragged “a short distance” until her hand became free when she hit the ground. The victim was treated for facial abrasions at Noble Hospital, Fanion reports. Hultay was arrested and arraigned in Westfield District Court Tuesday before Judge Philip A. Contant on charges of assault and battery on a family or household member, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and reckless operation of a motor vehicle. He was held without right to bail pending a pretrial detention hearing which is scheduled for Dec. 1.
Casino seeks law exemption to serve booze longer
better quality of life through parks, open space and sound environmental policy,” Patrick said in a statement. “This order will ensure these principles are integrated into decision making across state government.” It will be up to Baker to decide whether to let the executive order stand — or to rescind or make changes to it — once he is sworn in.
By MICHAEL MELIA Associated Press HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — At Connecticut’s casinos, you can gamble around the clock, but state law cuts off cocktail service soon after midnight. The CEO of the Foxwoods Resort Casino says that puts them at a disadvantage in the region — and he wants the state to revisit the policy. Atlantic City casinos serve alcohol at all hours, liquor is served until 4 a.m. at New York’s gambling facilities, and Foxwoods chief Felix Rappaport said he expects casino developers in Massachusetts will lobby for changes to the law cutting off service there at 2 a.m. A proposed exemption to Connecticut liquor laws is among the topics Rappaport is looking to raise with the newly re-elected Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
See Open Spaces, Page 3
See Exemption, Page 3
Gov. Patrick pushes for more urban open spaces By STEVE LeBLANC Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — With less than seven weeks left in office, Gov. Deval Patrick has signed an executive order that he says will help develop parks and open spaces in urban neighborhoods across Massachusetts where green areas have typically been in short supply. The outgoing Democratic said the order would require that those open space goals are taken into consideration in
By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A motorist found dead after a vehicular crash near the intersection of Root Road and North Road Wednesday morning has been identified but investigators are still working to determine what happened. Alexander Schultz, 23, believed to be from a Coolidge Avenue address, was pronounced to be deceased after he was found in a car, reportedly a Volkswagen Jetta, in a farmer’s field near the intersection. The farmer reported about 7 a.m. that he had found the heavily damaged vehicle in his field on its roof. The man said that he could not see inside and believed it to be unoccupied as he had been shouting in an effort to rouse any occupants. He said that it appeared as if the car had been driving all over the field. Both police and firefighters were dispatched and the first responding officer reports that an unresponsive person was found to be inside the vehicle. Sgt. Paul Beebe reports that the field where the car was found is a short distance north of the intersection. He said that the vehicle “didn’t make the corner” and proceeded forward into a field where it came to rest on its roof. McCabe said that the car had traveled about 400 feet into the field before it overturned. Beebe said that the victim was pronounced to be deceased at the scene. McCabe said that police are attempting to determine when the crash occurred but added that investigators’ best guess currently is that it occurred about 2 a.m. The accident remains under investigation by officers of the department’s Traffic and Safety Bureau.