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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 84 NO. 282
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015
“An American who can make money, invoke God, and be no better than his neighbor, has nothing to fear but truth itself.” — MARYA MANNES
75 cents
Southampton man prevails in public records case
Students, local community members attend a prayer vigil at Westfield State University in the Albert and Amelia Ferst Interfaith Chapel to remember those who lost their lives or were injured in Friday’s attacks in Paris.
Paris prayer vigil held at WSU WESTFIELD – A prayer vigil was held last night at Westfield State University in the Albert and Amelia Ferst Interfaith Chapel in rememberance of those who lost their lives and those injured in the recent attacks in Paris. It was hosted by Fr. Warren Savage. University students and community members came together to offer their prayers for France and the promotion for peace throughout our world. Those in attendance reflected on how much the tragedy has affected them despite it being so far away. “Our hearts are broken and we in America can identify with how terrorism affects us and makes us hurt,” said Rev. Nancy Webb-Stroud. Music was also played during the vigil by a guitar and a piano, in remembrance of those who were lost Friday night. The vigil also included Taize prayer, which originated at the ecumenical monastery in Taize, France. Its format has been adopted worldwide and is an elegantly simple service that offers thel opportunity for quiet, personal meditation in the context of song and word.
Flags ordered to half-staff BOSTON — Please be advised that in accordance with the Presidential proclamation and as ordered by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, the United States flag and the Commonwealth flag shall be flown at half-staff at all state buildings beginning immediately until sunset on Thursday November 19, 2015 in honor of the victims of the attacks in Paris, France on November 13, 2015. This gubernatorial order applies to: 1. The main or administration building of each public institution of the Commonwealth, e.g. town and city halls 2. Other state-owned or state-controlled buildings 3. All state military installations
By GREG SAULMON Daily Hampshire Gazette NORTHAMPTON — A Hampshire Superior Court judge has ruled in favor of a Southampton man seeking information on which Massachusetts schools and districts participated in a 2012 international student assessment study. Judge Bertha D. Josephson on Friday ordered state education officials to release the information — a list of the 49 schools and districts where students took the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test — within 10 days. The state education department’s argument that the records are covered by the confidentiality exemption to the Massachusetts Public Records Law “defies logic,” Josephson wrote in her decision. The ruling is the latest develJAMES PALERMO opment in the fight for public records that James Palermo has waged since April 2014, when he made a verbal request by phone to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education seeking assistance with filing a request for the information. Since then, he has been stymied in his efforts to obtain the names of the schools and districts — despite the fact that state Supervisor of Records Shawn A. Williams has twice ordered education officials to turn over the information. Even after Josephson’s ruling, Palermo wrote in an email to See Public Records, Page 3
Verizon seeks telecommunication antenna permit
Springfield teacher gets probation after allegedly sending nude pic to sixth-grader By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A Springfield man had his case moved to Westfield District Court after he was charged with distributing obscene matter. Michael Cieboter of 53 Ashley Street in Springfield was charged by Springfield Police, meaning his case would have been disposed of in Springfield District Court, but there was a conflict of interest. The conflict involved “a relative (within the third degree) of an employee assigned to this court division or his/her spouse or domestic partner,” according to court records. Therefore, Cieboter, 49, had his case heard in Westfield. On February 7, a sixth-grade student of Van Sickle Middle School reported
that she received a message on Facebook from a former teacher (Cieboter) at Mary O. Pottenger Elementary School in East Springfield, according to Springfield Police Department records obtained through Westfield District Court. In the message, Cieboter allegedly told the sixthagrade student that her brother was receiving poor grades. The sixth-grade victim ignored the message because she did not want to talk to a teacher on Facebook, according to the police statement. Approximately two minutes after receiving the message on Facebook, she received a naked picture of Ciebotter, which was of him exposing his buttocks to the camera. A few seconds later, Ciebotter allegedly texted the victim asking her to
delete the picture saying “it was not meant for her,” according to the police report. The victim immediately reported the incident to adults. In Westfield District Court on November 9, the Commonwealth amended the charges to open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior as part of a plea agreement, which included discussions with the victim and other involved parties, according to court records. Ciebotter was placed on 18-months probation, ordered not to teach students anywhere from ages kindergarten through grade 12 and ordered to receive sex offender evaluation/treatment. Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at christinec @thewestfieldnewsgroup.com
By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Planning Board will conduct a public hearing Tuesday to hear details of a petition submitted by Verizon Wireless to enhance its 4G LTE service in Westfield. Verizon is seeking a special permit to erect a transmitter at 1029 North Road, the Hampton Ponds Plaza, which is zoned Business A and which is in the Water Resource overlay zone. Verizon currently has a transmitter in Westfield off Turnpike Industrial Road, as well as transmitters in Southampton off College Highway, in Holyoke off Apremont Way, and in West Springfield off Prospect Avenue. “These sites currently provide 4G LTE data service to our customers,” Verizon Engineer Juan F. Latorre III stated in the application. “Our objective is to provide additional 4G LTE capacities and coverage to Westfield, which will improve the experience of our customers.” “The proposed Westfield NE2 installation will deliver 4G LTE service along approximately 3.3 miles of Route 202 (North Road) and along approximately 2.2 miles of East Mountain Road,” Latorre said. “The installation of 4G LTE equipment at 1029 North Road would bring additional 4G LTE service and capacity to the above mentioned areas. The proposed site (at the Hampton Ponds Plaza), being centrally located to our existing cell sites in the area, makes it the optimum location for 4G LTE data service,” Latorre said. The antennas will be located on the roof of an existing buildings within the plaza and the equipment to operate the antennas will be erected inside that building. The proposed transmitter will connect with the current transmitters in Westfield, Southampton, Holyoke and West Springfield to “provide optimum enhancement of 4G LTE See Verizon, Page 3