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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
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“It is impossible to write ancient history because we lack source materials, and impossible to write modern history because we have far too many.”
MONDAY, JULY 28, 2014
VOL. 83 NO.174
— Charles Peguy
75 cents
Mom visits kids with stolen car By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A woman who drove a stolen car to the city to keep an appointment for visitation with her children was not arrested Saturday but her companion was. The couple came to the attention of police Friday afternoon when a caller reported that a couple in a bright yellow sports car was seen swapping packages after going in and out of stores at the Westfield Shops. Officer Michael Csekovsky reports he found the car in the parking lot and spoke with the sole occupant, a black man sitting in the passenger seat, who said he was waiting for his friend who was visiting with her children in a nearby fast food restaurant. The officer reports that when the man was advised of the reason for the call the man denied that he had left the car. When the officer asked the man to identify himself he said he had no identification documents with him and identified himself verbally but the social security number he offered did not have the correct number of digits. No record was found. The man said that the car belonged to a friend of the woman and a check of the vehicle’s registration revealed that it was owned by a resident of Hyannis. The man did agree to go to the restaurant with the officer to point out his friend there. The woman he indicated left two children and another woman to speak with the officer and said that she was visiting with her children under the supervision of the other woman, a Department of Children and Families employee. The woman told Csekovsky that the man’s name was not what he had told the officer (and had elicited no response in a records check) and told him what she thought his name was. She also said that the man had arrived at her home with the car (which she said See Stolen Car, Page 3
Town supports Southwick Days By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Southwick Days organizer Joseph Deedy said the three-day carnival was a success, with the Parks and Recreation’s fireworks display drawing crowds Friday night. “It was packed for the fireworks,” Deedy said. “I wish we could have fireworks every night to draw crowds.” Deedy, a Rotarian, business owner and selectman, got the carnival rolling in response to community outcry when the annual Fireman’s Carnival was canceled this year and the Parks and Recreation Commission was concerned about funding fireworks. Southwick Rotary Club stepped in Joseph at Deedy’s urging and the 60-plus Deedy year Southwick carnival tradition continued. “It was great,” said Deedy. “We are looking at making improvements, such as signage for the event, and improved entertainment Saturday, but we are happy . . . it was a success.” Fireworks Friday night kicked-off the event, which continued Saturday afternoon with children’s entertainment, and ended Sunday with the Rotary’s annual Grillin’ Daze competition.
Contractors work on the Westfield Columbia Greenway Rail Trail near the Tin Bridge area off South Broad Street in April. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Rail trail project rolling forward By Dan Moriarty mated $7 million because it involved replacement of Staff Writer bridges over East Silver Street, Main Street, Thomas WESTFIELD – The second half of the Columbia Street, Chapel Street and Orange Street. Greenway rail trail will be completed this fall, The former railroad bridge across Elm Street will extending the multiuse trail from the Southwick not be replaced. However, it will be raised to increase town line to East Silver Street. clearance to 14 feet, 6 inches. The cost of rehabilitatThe contractor, ET&L Corporation of Stow, laid ing and raising that structure is projected at $1.4 milthe first coat of asphalt last week and continues to lion. work on the two bridges in this phase. The Tin Cressotti said the city is looking at all possible Bridge over Little River is being rehabilitated and funding sources for construction of the Central Phase. two observation decks added to the structure. The The high cost estimate is due to the fact that the second bridge over South Meadow Road is also former railroad is a raised structure running through being constructed. MARK CRESSOTTI the downtown. That fact is what makes the trail City Engineer Mark Cressotti said the contractor unique, there is only one other multi-use raised trail in laid the base coat of asphalt and poured an eightthe country, but also creates other issues, such as prifoot-wide sidewalk on East Silver Street linking vacy and funding. the trail access ramp to Coleman Avenue. The North Phase, rehabilitation of the former railroad bridge “The last update is that they do expect to be done ahead of over the Westfield River is currently on the Transportation schedule,” Cressotti said. “They have to put down the second Improvement Project funding list for $2.2 million that would coat of paving and anticipate the start of installing the railings on become available in the fall of 2015, the start of the federal fiscal the two bridges in August.” year 2016. The federal year begins on Oct 1 of the previous The original construction timetable was to complete the trail, calendar year. being funded through a $2 million state Executive Office and The South Phase was divided, again because of funding, into Energy & Environmental Affairs, by November. two parts. The first part completed by Mass-West Construction, “Now it could be done, depending on the weather, toward the Inc., of Granby which submitted the low bid of $1,288,876, end of September,” Cressotti said. included construction and paving of about 4,000 feet of the rail The rail trail, because of the funding requirements, was divid- trail, installation of drainage to prevent erosion and protect adjaed into three phases, the South Phase, from Southwick to East cent wetlands, and construction of a 60-space parking lot abutSilver Street, the Central Phase, from East Silver Street through ting the trail. the downtown to Orange Street and the North Phase, from The second part of the South Phase is now underway by Orange Street across the Westfield River to Women’s Temperance ET&L Corporation which submitted the low bid of $2,297,538 Park. to construct the next three quarters of a mile of the trail, work The Central Phase comes with the highest price tag, an esti- that includes extensive bridge work.
See Southwick Days, Page 3
Westfield State science center Luke Beauchemin, a member of the Cow Pucks BBQ team of Westfield, sprays a fine mist of water on a rack of slow-smoking meat as part of Grill’n Daze in Southwick, Sunday. The annual event is sponsored by the Southwick Rotary Club. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Contractors clear the land where the new $48 million science center will be built on the Westfield State University Campus. The new science and technology building will include programs which include engineering, math, technology and science. The building is essential to the growth of the new health sciences, biology and environment science degree programs. (Photo by Frederick Gore)