Search for The Westfield News
WEATHER TONIGHT Mostly cloudy. Muggy. Low of 68.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
“A man must be both stupid and uncharitable who believes there is no virtue or truth but on his own side.” — Joseph Addison
MONDAY, JULY 14, 2014
VOL. 83 NO.162
75 cents
City hall elevator down again
Evidence seized when city detectives executed a warrant on Collins Street Friday evening includes a spoon with cocaine residue and a small screwdriver apparently used as a spatula for fill tiny ziplock bags with narcotics. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
Narcotics seized, suspect arrested By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The city’s newest detective got his feet wet Friday evening when he executed his first search warrant and arrested his first alleged drug dealer. Det. Sgt. Stephen K. Dickinson reports that Det. James Renaudette wrote an application for a warrant to conclude a month-long narcotics investigation and the warrant was granted. A team of detectives, assisted by the neighborhood’s community policing officer, Douglas Lavalley, set up surveillance on the object of the warrant, Adeny Santiago, 23, of 25 Collins St. and the apartment complex where he lives. The officers made their presence known when he returned to his home and the officers approached him to serve the warrant. After serving the warrant, Santiago, who had reportedly sold narcotics the an undercover officer earlier in the investigation, was searched and he was found to be
in possession of $107 including currency which had been recorded before it was used to pay for the narcotics purchased by the undercover officer, Dickinson said. Inside the apartment where Santiago lives with his mother (who was not home) the detectives began their search and Santiago told Renaudette that what he was looking for would be found in his sock drawer. Dickinson reports that the detectives found, in the sock drawer and elsewhere in the suspect’s bedroom, a healthy marijuana plant growing under artificial light in the closet with two seedlings, four cellphones, a single bag of heroin stamped with the same logo found on the heroin which had been sold to the officer, more cash and a jar of rice. Inside the jar with the rice (which Dickinson said is routinely used by narcotics dealers to keep contraband dry) were 24 more bags of heroin.
By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The City Hall elevator will be shut down today to allow repair of a pump which is leaking, creating a safety concern which city officials hope is addressed by Wednesday, with the elevator back in service by Thursday. The elevator, the only one in city hall, is needed by people who are mobility or COPD challenged and who need to reach the business offices on the upper three floors. The elevator, with handicapped access in the basement, was closed for nearly three weeks, beginning on March 24, after failing a state certification inspection. Building Superintendent Jon Flagg said the custodian foreman Tom Curran discovered the oil leaking from the pump and called in the technician who determined that the pump needs to be replaced. “This is something we found after the state inspection when Tom was cleaning up,” Flagg said. “None of the things cited in the noncompliance notification by the state inspector were safety issues.” “This is a safety issue. A pump that sprung a leak and needs to be replaced,” Flagg said. “The pump replacement work is being done by Baystate Elevator.” Flagg said that the prior threeweek shutdown was because the city’s elevator contractor, ThyssenKrupp “took that long to
get the paperwork to Boston to get an inspector back here. That was part of their contract, but they just dragged their feet.” Flagg said the corrective steps were completed the day after the state inspection, but the city would not return the elevator to service until the inspector signed off on the recertification. The elevator is located on the east side of City Hal, adjacent to the parking lot. There is clear wheelchair access to the entire first and second floors, but the third floor has an elevated section. The building was brought into compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) when two wheelchair lifts were added to either side of the elected third floor section but that system requires the elevator to function to get people to the third floor. Ward 4 City Councilor Mary O’Connell raised the ADA issue in April while the City Council conducted two public hearings while the elevator was out of service, preventing people who need that service from attending the hearings. Three meetings slated for today have been rescheduled or cancelled. The License Commission rescheduled its meeting, while the Council on Aging and the Police Commission cancelled their meetings. The Commission for Citizens with Disabilities, slated for Tuesday night, also cancelled their meeting.
See Narcotics Arrest, Page 5
Governor celebrates interns HOLYOKE – Governor Deval Patrick on Friday joined staff and former and current interns to celebrate the successful internship and fellowship opportunities in his Western Massachusetts Regional Office. Since forming the office six years ago, 85 students have gained valuable experience and an important understanding of civic engagement and public service through hands-on learning. The office addresses public concerns and provides a vital link between the State House and the Western region.
“I want to thank all our past and current interns for making the decision to become active participants in their government and for helping us to make the Western Massachusetts Regional Office an important resource for constituents in the area,” said Patrick. In addition to the fall and spring internship programs, the Springfield office manages a summer intra-agency program. This year’s intra-agency collaborative began June 2 and runs through See Interns, Page 3
Westfield City Hall (File photo by Frederick Gore)
GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK
Manny’s returns to Westfield Manny’s TV & Appliances has returned to Westfield with their new store located at 623 East Main Street. The business is located in the Little River Plaza near the intersection of Little River Road and (Rt. 20) East Main Street. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Wine lovers raise a glass to direct shipping law By BOB SALSBERG Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Whether it’s pinot noir, merlot, chardonnay or cabernet sauvignon, wine lovers in Massachusetts will soon be able to have some of their favorite bottles shipped straight from the vineyards to their homes. A provision in the new state budget lifts a long-standing prohibition on direct deliveries from wineries to consumers. It follows a spirited campaign by out-of-state producers and customers that recently received a major endorsement from former New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who operates a winery in Washington state. The law won’t take effect until Jan. 1, but connoisseurs in a state with one of the nation’s highest per capita wine consumption rates are anxious to enjoy the convenience of ordering brands that are currently difficult or impossible to find on local store shelves. “It definitely opens the door to us wine geeks to have, right on our doorsteps, these cool, funky, small-producers’ wines,” said Lorraine Martinelle, of Worcester. Although she’s made frequent trips to wine country in California and abroad, the best Martinelle said she could do was to have her favorites shipped to her friend’s home in neighboring Connecticut. According to Free the Grapes, an industry-backed group based in Napa, California, direct wine shipping occurs in all but nine other states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, See Wine Laws, Page 8