Search for The Westfield News
WEATHER TONIGHT Clear skies. Low of 38.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
75 cents
MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016
VOL. 85 NO. 110
Man sent to prison for peddling pot in park
Westfield seeks Granville property by eminent domain By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell made a motion on behalf of the Legislative & Ordinance Committee to take the Olsen property in Granville by eminent domain for water supply protection, and to appropriate the sum of $440,000 for that purpose. O’Connell stressed the importance of securing the 82-acre parcel which is between two brooks that feed into the Granville Reservoir watershed, which supplies over 50% of Westfield’s city water. The property was formerly an apple orchard, which used pesticides and caused contamination. The city first sought to acquire the property through eminent domain in 2014, under then Mayor Daniel Knapik, and had plans to clean up the contamination to protect the water source. O’Connell said that it would be an unfriendly land taking. Two hearings have been held on the matter, and the state is in favor of the move. Under state law, Westfield can acquire land in Granville for water supply protection. “What was the objection for?” asked Ward 5 Council Robert A. Paul, Sr. O’Connell said the party that owns the land doesn’t want to give it up. She said he purchased it in February of this year, and stands to make a profit of $100,000 on its sale. She said the appropriation of the $440,000 will come out of the “ever-present fish fund” (Conservation Rights account), which has $700,000 in it, and the state will reimburse the city for $203,000. She added that the reimbursement opportunity runs out on June 30. Paul asked for a timeline of the events that led up to this motion. O’Connell said the city has had their eyes on the property for years, and had a plan to buy it from the Olsen Estate as many as five or six years ago. The plan fell through when state funds became “snagged.” She said everybody in Granville knew that Westfield wanted the property. The individual who bought it was also told that the city wanted it. She said it is not a surprise to anyone that the city needs to secure the property. See Eminent, Page 3
“Life is a series of collisions with the future; it is not the sum of what we have been, but what we yearn to be.” — JOSE ORTEGA Y GASSET
Westfield Technical Academy junior Christian Verdon won the school’s first gold medal at the SkillsUSA state competition last weekend, qualifying him for a spot in the nationals in June. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Technical Academy student wins gold at SkillsUSA state finals By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Westfield Technical Academy has announced its first ever gold medal champion at the SkillUSA State Finals that were held on April 29 and 30 in Marlborough, Mass. Christian Verdon won a gold medal in electrical wiring for Industrial Motor Control, which qualifies him for the national competition in Louisville, Kentucky June 20-24. Verdon, who is a school choice junior from West Springfield, won with his execution of what he called “a regular, motor-control project like any I’d do at a regular day at the shop.” “I’m excited. I’m the only one ever to go to nationals from this school. I’m proud to be the first one to be going,” Verdon said. As a gold medal winner, he was given a ticket to the competition in Kentucky, and a scholarship for the New England Institute of Technology. Verdon said his mother and grandmother will most likely join him on the trip. SkillsUSA club advisor David Tefft said he won’t go if Verdon has family with him, but the school will help to send him. Verdon said he first became interested in electrical wiring through music. His father used to always play electric guitars, and encouraged him to put them together. He continued to play through middle school, but became more interested in the physical aspects than the instrumental.
He said he chose Westfield Technical Academy because it offered the shop he wanted. Now, Verdon’s goal is an electrical journeyman’s license, and to work for an industrial commercial business, or to start his own company. “It’s more of the higher level thinking, which is what I like,” Verdon said. If Verdon wins gold at the state championship, he would then be invited to compete at the international championship to be held in the United Arab Emirates in November. Devon Doiron, who received a gold medal at the regional competition in Collision Repair Technology, won a silver medal at the state finals. Also participating in the states were Amber St. Denis in Commercial Baking, Sam Crevier and Dimitry Kostenko in Carpentry, Sean Crawford in Electrical Construction Wiring, and Duffy Muller and Ben McCann as a team in Web Design. “If you see any of these students throughout the day please congratulate them on a job well done. Watching the competitions I saw students focused, determined, and well on their way to success in their trade area,” said Tefft in an announcement to the school this week. “Westfield Technical Academy is proud of their accomplishments,” said Principal Stefan Czaporowski.
By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Correspondent WESTFIELD – A Springfield man was sentenced to three months in jail for selling marijuana during the Fireworks for Freedom show in Stanley Park last summer. Tristen Pearson, 21, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to charges of distribution of Class D drug in Westfield District Court Thursday. Westfield District Judge William O’Grady asked the defendant whether “he was pleading guilty because he was guilty and for no other reason,” to which the defendant replied in the affirmative. Pearson is already being held for a February 10 home invasion case involving two young women and a mother out of Hampden Superior Court, Assistant District Attorney Edward Kivari told the judge. O’Grady sentenced Pearson to three months in the house of correction with credit for time served from February 18 on See Peddling Pot, Page 5
Quality, safety of city water showcased By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondnent WESTFIELD-Westfield Technical Academy senior Megan Salvini came to an open house on Saturday, sponsored by the City of Westfield DPW – Water Division, to see where her drinking water originates. “The entire water process fascinates me,” said Salvini. “I wanted to see where our water comes from since having a safe water supply is important.” Ted and Sandra Pennas were at the open house when it started for a different reason. See City Water, Page 3
YMCA plans ‘Comedy for a Cause’
Pathways to Excellence consisted of student presentations on a one-to-one basis in various fields of study and musical entertainment. See additional photos Page 7. (Photo by Lynn F. Boscher)
WSU celebrates Pathways to Excellence
Westfield State University President Ramon S. Torrecilha welcomes all. (Photo by Lynn F. Boscher)
WESTFIELD — The 3rd annual premier fundraiser of the Westfield State Foundation celebrated “Pathways to Excellence.” The university’s program invited attendees to meet students from a wide variety of disciplines, whose enthusiasm and passion for their work reflect the support of their professors, staff and university administrators. The event consisted of student presentations on a oneto-one basis in various fields of study and musical entertainment. The evenings event raised $350,000 which will be used toward purchasing equipment and furnishings for the Science and Innovation Center as well as their scholarship program. After desert was finished Mr. Bryan Stevens and his wife Katherine, for both of whom this was their first visit to WSU, stepped up to match the funds raised by donating an additional $350,000 to make the funds raised by this event $700,000.
By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondnent WESTFIELD-As a youngster enjoying the many offerings at the YMCA of Greater Westfield, every day was an adventure for Andrea Allard – especially during the summer. “I always went to Camp Shepard,” said Allard during an interview in her office last week. Now, as the YMCA’s CEO, Allard relishes the time she has to spend with all of the members, the volunteers and her staff. “I have the best job in the world,” she said. Allard wants to ensure that every child in the Greater Westfield area also has the opportunities she once had, so along with a team of volunteers, she is putting the finishing touches on a major fundraiser slated June 4 titled “The Second City: Comedy for a Cause.” Her team of volunteers working on the fundraiser – from YMCA
members to board members – includes Amy L’Esperance, Lisa Sullivan, Melissa Lambert, Eric Hall, Holly Amanti, Bill Cloutier, Kaitlyn Bruce, Kelly Salls and Emily Amanti. Chicago’s legendary comedy theater comes to Westfield in an irresistible hour of improvise comedy, according to Allard. The Second City is celebrating 55 years of producing cutting edge satirical revues and has launched the careers of Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Gilda Radner and Bill Murray. The Second City actors scheduled to perform include Jo Feldman, Emily Fightmaster, Jeffrey Murdoch, Scotty Nelson, Chucho Perez, and Julia Weiss, accompanied by Lauren M. Batson, stage manager, Mary Mahoney, music director, and Ryan Archibald, director. “This is our fourth large-scale See Comedy, Page 3