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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 32
By STEPHANIE McFEETERS @mcfeeters Daily Hampshire Gazette WESTFIELD — After Noble Hospital staff members corrected a safety breach in April 2013, one or more of them failed to take the important next step — notifying senior hospital officials, according to the results of an internal investigation released Friday by Baystate Health and Baystate Noble Hospital. Baystate officials on Friday apologized for that communication breakdown, which left nearly 300 patients unaware until last month that they faced a small risk of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C because equipment used in their colonoscopies had not been adequately cleaned. Hospital officials stressed that they have taken steps to ensure the problem does not happen again. “All indications are that this was a failure of process, and not one of ill intent, but it is a failure nonetheless,” Jennifer Endicott, the Baystate Health senior vice president for strategy and external relations, said in the statement. “And we genuinely apologize for it.” On Jan. 20, Baystate Noble notified 293 patients who had colonoscopies between June 2012 and April 2013 that they faced a small risk of HIV,
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City man dies from heroin overdose
Lily Anderson with her friend Jeff Champagne at last year's Westfield Voc Tech prom. (Photo used with permission of Jeff Champagne).
Arrest made in overdose death of Westfield High School junior
By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Skyline Hop Shop is planning a move this summer to a downtown Westfield location. The new space, at 124 Elm St., will allow owners Daniel Osella and Lisa Pac to expand their offerings. “Due to the limited space at our current location, we have found it difficult to keep up with the demand for our fresh baked pretzels and bread,” said Osella, Skyline’s chef. The business partners opened their eatery and home brew shop in 2014 and are happy to bring thir business to their hometown. “Expanding now will be great asset to downtown Westfield,” said Osella. “We look forward to being a part of the growth of the city we grew up in.” With more space and expanded bakery offerings, Skyline will be able to serve more customers. The company is also exploring options for product distribution.
By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Police arrested a city man Saturday who allegedly provided heroin that caused the death of a Westfield High School junior. Westfield High School reported by robocall Saturday evening that 11thgrader Lillian (Lily) Anderson, 16, had passed away. Public and Media Information Director for the Hampden District Attorney’s Office Jim Leydon said in a statement Monday morning that Seth LombardHawthorne, 22, of 5 Meadow Street, Apartment 1, was arrested by the Westfield Police Department and Massachusetts State Police assigned to Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni’s Office on charges of distribution and possession of heroin. Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office were called to investigate the unattended death of Anderson on Saturday, according to Leydon. Westfield police logs show a medical emergency call was received at 10:09 a.m. Saturday morning when Anderson was found unconscious and not breathing. CPR was administerd, according to the logs. Leydon said that during the course of the investigation both the Westfield Police and Massachusetts State Police became aware of Lombard-Hawthorne as the potential individual who provided heroin to Anderson. Lombard-Hawthorne was arrested at 5:41 p.m. Saturday on charges of distribution of Class A drug and possession of Class A drug, according to police logs. “After the arrest of Lombard-Hawthorne by the Westfield Police Department, a subsequent search of his car yielded several bags of heroin leading to possession charges,” Leydon said. Seth Lombard-Hawthorne is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Westfield District Court. “First, my thoughts are with the Anderson family during this difficult time,” said Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni. “I would like to thank both the Westfield Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police detectives who are assigned to my office for their quick and thorough investigation leading to the arrest of a suspect.” “With this tragic loss of life, I would like to highlight the ‘Good Samaritan Law’, which ensures that those who call 911 to report an overdose for themselves or others will not be charged with the possession or use of opiates,” said Gulluni. “In addition, Naloxone or ‘Narcan’, the drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, is available over the counter in most pharmacies.”
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Skyline Hop Shop to expand, relocate
an argument an exchange of ignorance.”
— ROBERT QUILLEN
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2016
Baystate Noble apologizes for communication lapse
“Discussion is an exchange of knowledge;
By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A 27-year-old city man died from a heroin overdose Thursday night. Police were called to 7 Avery Street at 9:04 p.m. Thursday night for a medical emergency. Kathi Cotugno reported that Adam Cotugno was unconscious and not breathing, according to police logs. Adam Cotugno was transported to Baystate Noble Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:45 p.m., according to police logs. Westfield Police Capt. Hipolito Nunez said he could not comment on this case since it is being handled by the District Attorney’s office. Jim Leydon, public and media information director for the Hampden District Attorney’s Office, said that he cannot comment on ongoing investigations. Adam Cotugno’s Facebook page states that he was “co-owner at C&C Home Improvements and Home Imp Installation at A&J Home Improvements” and studied at Holyoke Community College. He graduated from Westfield High School in 2006, according to classmates.com. Apparently, Adam Cotugno was struggling with addiction. Chicopee police logs show that Adam Cotugno was arrested August 24 at CVS, 235 Center St., in See Heroin, Page 3
Two women get drug trafficking cases moved to Superior Court By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The two women arrested in September on drug trafficking charges have also had their cases moved to Hampden County Superior Court. Angelina G. Pagano, 22, and Selina M. Hine, 22, each face charges of cocaine trafficking in 36-100 grams and conspiracy to violate drug law along with Jacob A. Lisheness, 32, who had his case moved to Superior Court last month. Pagano and Hine were due back in Westfield District Court on February 2, but instead their bail was transferred to Superior Court. See Trafficking, Page 3
ANGELINA G. PAGANO
SELINA M. HINE
Russell’s Weltlich crowned 2016 Sons of Erin Colleen
Victoria Lynn Weltlich of Russell was crowned 2016 Sons of Erin Colleen on Friday at the 35th annual Colleen Ball at Chef Josef in Agawam. (Photo by Amy Porter)
By AMY PORTER Correspondent AGAWAM – Victoria Lynn Weltlich of Russell was crowned the 2016 Westfield Sons of Erin Colleen during the 35th Colleen Ball at Chez Josef in Agawam on Friday. Selected to serve in her Court were Samantha Lee Dolan, Anna Catherine Grady, Alyssa Marie Manna, and Grace Marie Silva, all seniors at Westfield High School. Weltlich, who goes by Tori, is 22 years old and a 2015 graduate of Plymouth State University in New Hampshire where she graduated summa cum laude, and earned her bachelors of science in nursing. She is employed full-time as a registered nurse on the medical surgical team in Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in NH, where she works three day shifts, and commutes from Russell. Eventually,
she plans to go back to school to become a nurse practitioner in a hospital setting. She decided to enter the contest at her mother’s prompting. “I had never done anything like this before,” Weltlich said. “I thought it was a good opportunity. It made me more excited as I learned more about my Irish heritage, the Colleen and her duties.” In order to be a contestant, a girl must be 17-22 years old from Westfield, Southwick, or the surrounding hilltowns, and have a parent or grandparent who is a member of the Sons of Erin, or be of Irish descent. Weltlich, who is Irish on her father’s side, said she didn’t know any of the nineteen contestants going in. “Everybody was super friendly – we all got along really well. They were a very accepting,
great group of girls,” she said. The contest is based on four categories judged over two nights, each earning 25 percent of the score: intellect, personality, poise and appearance, according to Sons of Erin Colleen committee member Tracy Oleksak, a former Colleen Court member herself. Oleksak said none of the judges are affiliated with the sons of Erin, or live in the Westfield area. “I wouldn’t want to be a judge, I can tell you that,” Oleksak said. “It would have been tough for me. That’s why we don’t have judges from around here.” Weltlich said she was nervous going into the judge’s interview on Thursday night, but said the judges were “awesome, super-friendly.” They asked her why she decided to enter the See Colleen, Page 3