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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
“Sometimes you have to be silent in order to be heard.” — SWISS PROVERB
www.thewestfieldnews.com MONDAY, MAY 23, 2016
VOL. 85 NO. 121
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Manhunt in police officer’s slaying comes to violent end AUBURN, Mass. (AP) — The man accused of killing a Massachusetts police officer during an early morning traffic stop was later shot to death after exchanging gunfire with police and wounding a state trooper, officials said. The suspect, identified as 35-yearold Jorge Zambrano, burst out of a bedroom closet and opened fire on officers Sunday evening as they approached him inside a duplex apartment in Oxford, investigators said. Oxford is about 7 miles south of Auburn, where the police officer was fatally shot hours earlier. "The suspect appeared from inside JORGE a closet and fired on the troopers, ZAMBRANO striking one of them," State Police Colonel Richard McKeon said. "The STOP (State Police Special Tactical Operations) team returned fire and struck the suspect." Zambrano, who authorities said had a criminal history, was taken to a hospital, where he died. The injured trooper suffered a gunshot wound to his left shoulder and underwent surgery late Sunday night. He is recovering in the hospital. The name of the 18-year veteran and former U.S. Navy Seal wasn't released. "I'm extremely proud of the work done by every trooper and officer involved in today's investigation and tactical operation," McKeon said. "My pride is outweighed only by my sorrow for the Tarentino family and the Auburn police, and my concern over our injured trooper." The violent end to the manhunt came nearly 18 hours
Westfield Flat Fast 5K Above, for some it’s a fun ride, for othersnot so much. At right, Westfield’s Hillary Jellison takes son Levi for more than a stroll. See additional Photos Page 11. (Photos by Marc St. Onge)
American Legion Post 124 awards its first American Legion School Medals WESTFIELD – Friday afternoon at Saint Mary’s Church, the American Legion Post 124 awarded its first American Legion School Medals to students at St. Mary’s of Westfield. Four students, one male and one female each from grades 5 and 8, were selected for the award. The 8th grade award recipients are Aynsley Davidson and Jack Watson and they will be attending St. Mary’s High School in September. The 5th grade award recipients are Amelia Willenborg and Everett Stec and they will be attending St. Mary’s Middle School in September. These American Legion school award medals represent the highest honor given to any civilian by The American Legion. The students were chosen by teachers and staff at Saint Mary’s Parish School based upon the six principles upon which these awards are made: 1. COURAGE – Bravery in the face of opposition and danger; determination and force to do right without public applause and regardless of personal advantage. A quality of intellect. 2. HONOR – Highly developed moral character; moral excellence; strength and stability of character; high standards of conduct; devotion to duty; adherence to truth; a keen sense of what is right; practice of clean speech and thoughts 3. LEADERSHIP – Ability to lead and to accomplish through group action; ability to work in harmony and in unison with other leaders in accomplishing group results; desire and ability to fill voids in the lives of others caused by timidity, illness and other handicaps. See Post 124 Medals, Page 3
See Manhunt, Page 3
The cost of an overdose in Mass.
American Post 124 awarded its first American Legion School Medals to four Saint Mary’s Parish Students during the Saint Mary’s Parish School Memorial Day Assembly. Receiving medals were 8th graders: Aynsley Davidson and Jack Watson who will be going to the High School in September and 5th graders: Amelia Willenborg and Everett Stec who will be going to Middle School in September. Pictured left to right: Aynsley Davidson (8th Grade), Gene Theroux, Past Commander, Amelia Willenborg (5th Grade), Lynn Collins – Principal Saint Mary’s Parish School, Everett Stec (5th Grade), Jack Watson (8th Grade) & George Fahey, Past Commander. (Photo by Don Wielgus)
Chester On Track The Gateway Regional Middle School Band serenades attendees of Chester On Track. See additional photos Page 7. (Photo
By BRAD AVERY The MetroWest Daily News FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (AP) — It all starts with a $20 to $30 purchase. That's the average street price of heroin today, according to Framingham Police. But if that one purchase is a bad batch, too strong, or if the user injects too much, that's all it takes to cause an overdose. Although the proliferation of the overdose-reversal drug Narcan— the market name for naloxone —has saved innumerable lives, more than 1,000 people are dying a year in Massachusetts from heroin and other opioid overdoses. When you crunch the numbers, that overdose costs a whole lot more than $20. As Framingham Police Chief Ken Ferguson can attest, emergency workers in every community are responding to more and more overdoses. Gov. Charlie Baker recently announced a new $250,000 "Make the Right Call" initiative— a campaign to encourage people to call 911 if somebody is overdosing. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, in 2015 emergency personnel statewide responded to 11,884 opioid-related incidents, up from 6,315 in 2013. Of those incidents, naloxone was used 9,127 times. In 2,976 of those incidents it had to be given to the patient more than once. "Addiction to heroin is a sickness and we respond when people are sick," Ferguson said. Framingham Police recently announced a partnership with the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative, which will include the addition of a full-time clinician to the department. When police respond to an overdose, the clinician will follow up with the patient or the patient's family to encourage and help them to get treatment for addiction. So what happens when the 911 call comes in that a person is overdosing? According to Ferguson, police and EMTs don't always know if it's an overdose or not. Frequently, calls come in as generic "medicals" where first responders are unsure what they'll find. Police tend to be first on the scene. All 132 Framingham officers now carry Narcan whenever they are on patrol and they are all trained to use it. In Framingham's case, the department funded its Narcan stock with a $15,000 grant from the Department of Public Health. Although some police departments in the state have not yet made the leap to carrying Narcan, more are getting on board. In March, Hudson Police were among the most recent in MetroWest to announce they would begin stocking it. For a typical response call, two officers will be present, along with three or four firefighters and at least one ambulance with two EMTs, plus two additional medical staff. Framingham Police are paid about $35 an hour, on average, $45 an hour with overtime. A single fully-staffed ambulance costs about $150 per hour, according to Chris Stawasz, regional director at American Medical Response, which supplies ambulances for Framingham and Natick. According to Stawasz, emergency personnel may spend about an hour on a single overdose scene, from resuscitation to hospital transport. Framingham Police Lt. Stephen Cronin estimates about an hour and a half. Emergency workers are never sure what they are going to encounter at a scene either, Cronin said. Often, when a patient is taken out of the overdose by Narcan he or she will become angry, combative and may immediately go into withdrawal— meaning police must stick around to provide security. In 2015, many cities nationwide saw prices of a single dose
by Marc St. Onge)
See Overdose Costs, Page 3