Westfield350.com WEATHER Westfield350.com TONIGHT WEATHER WEATHER Partly Cloudy. TONIGHT
The Westfield Westfield News News The Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns
Low of 55. TONIGHT Clear Skies. Partly Cloudy. Low VOL. Lowofof40. 55.86 NO. 151
www.thewestfieldnews.com www.thewestfieldnews.com TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017
VOL. 86 86 NO. NO. 259 151 VOL.
TUESDAY, JUNE 27,30, 2017 MONDAY, OCTOBER 2017
Search for The Westfield News
Search for The Westfield News
ime The N only TSearch he“T W estfield ews for Theis Westfield News will run its masthead criTic wiThouT in pinkime , in isrecognition The only.” ambiTion ofcriTic October being JOHN STEINBECK wiThouT Breast Cancer ambiTion Awareness Month. JOHN STEINBECK
“T
.”
75 cents
75 75cents cents
Cowles Bridge stalemate continues
Above and at right, Southwick's Tree 413 workers were called in early Monday morning to service this Westfield home on the corner of West School and Charles Street. Tree 413 specializes in difficult tree removal. (Photo by James Johnson-Corwin)
Storm knocks out N.E. power to 700K HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A severe storm packing hurricane force wind gusts and soaking rain swept through the Northeast early Monday, knocking out power for more than 700,000 and forcing hundreds school closures in northern New England. Locally, Westfield G+E dispatch reported, only a few minor outages this morning. While, other utilities throughout the state have warned customers that power could be out for a few days.
National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Dellicarpini said there were reports of downed trees and power lines around the region and roads that were impassable in spots due to flash flooding. The New England area appeared to get the brunt of the storm, which brought sustained winds of up to 50 mph in some spots, with a gust of 82 mph reported in Mashpee on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. In southern New England, Electric utilities National Grid and Eversource combined were reporting more than 300,000 customers without power in Massachusetts as of about 7 a.m. Monday. About 152,000 Eversource customers were without power in Connecticut, while United Illuminating reported about 5,700 customers in the dark. National Grid had more than 140,000 customers without power in Rhode Island. Maine and New Hampshire also got pounded. The Portland International Jetport in Maine recorded a wind gust of 69 mph, and the Amtrak Downeaster service canceled a morning run due to down trees on the tracks. In Maine, about 240,000 power outages were reported and downed trees closed a number of streets. More than 200,000 customers were without electricity in New Hampshire, where hundreds of school districts canceled classes Monday and others delayed openings. "We need about 24 to 48 hours to really get a good handle on what the scope of the damage is," Seth Wheeler, a spokesman for New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, told WMUR-TV. "We'll be making restorations along the way, but this is going to be a multiple-day event." He added, "I think if you're without power at this time, you A tree down at South Middle School, outside a breezeway, due should expect to remain without power, possibly for a number of days." to overnight storms. (Photo by Team 81 student Maxwell Zelazko)
SMS students, staff answer the call to help hurricane victims By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD-Whenever 12-year-old Abbie Balser sees a need in her community – or around the globe – she wants to answer the call. “When I looked at pictures of people who didn’t have food or shelter after the hurricanes, it broke my heart,” said Balser. “I knew people needed help so I created a pamphlet with an idea for my school.” Balser, daughter of Amy and Todd
Balser, is a seventh grade student at South Middle School. Since she was four, Balser has raised funds for causes including cancer research and animal shelters in the city. “Every year she raises funds for causes that are important to her,” said Amy Balser. “She makes us proud.” Since time was short to raise funds, Balser met with the school principal, Paul Newton, and her teachers shortly into the See Hurricane Victims, Page 3
By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—In spite of pressure, The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) still has not made a determination on the waiver regarding the Westfield Fire Department’s use of Cowles Bridge along Southwick Road. The Westfield Fire Department is still awaiting a determination from MassDOT for a waiver to allow certain vehicles to utilize the bridge. The waiver request was sent in early August, after the department received a request from MassDOT to not utilize the bridge, which is state-maintained, with vehicles that exceed the posted weight limits. Questions linger though, about when or if a waiver may be granted. “We’re in a holding pattern, at the mercy of MassDOT,” Westfield Fire Chief Mary Regan said. REP. JOHN VELIS The request has prompted the department to not use most of their vehicles on Cowles Bridge. The vehicles that can still utilize the bridge because they are under the weight limit include the ambulances and rescue trucks. The waiver, which Regan said was sent on Aug. 8, is still being evaluated by MassDOT, according to Patrick Marvin, spokesperson for MassDOT. “We’re rating the bridge, that’s what happening right now,” he said, adding that there is no timeline for the results. The initial timeline however, was about three weeks. Meanwhile, Regan said that the department has been creative in attempting to lessen the impact of response times from not using the bridge by staffing at another fire station and utilizing different routes. She said that about 35 calls have occurred where the department would normally utilize the bridge with their vehicles, with most of them being medical calls. During these calls, according See Cowles Bridge, Page 3
Medical district zoning public hearing this week By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—The Westfield City Council will be continuing their public hearing this Thursday on the proposed medical district zoning and residents are urged to participate. The City Council will be holding a special meeting Thursday, Nov. 2, at 5:45 p.m., to continue the public hearing for the proposed medical district zoning in the area of Baystate Noble Hospital. The meeting will be occurring before the regularly scheduled City Council meeting at 7 p.m. the same evening, and is expected to enter subcommittee following the closing of the hearing. “We’re just kind of hitting the reset button on it, to make sure everyone had ample opportunity to say what they want to say,” At-Large Councilor and City Council President Brent Bean, said Ward Two Councilor Ralph Figy, who initially proposed the district, encourages residents to attend the meeting and make their opinions and questions known. “I encourage anybody who has not previously attended or previously attended and has new or additional concerns to
ABBIE BALSER
Candidate Feeding Hills Road ForumS reconstruction update
Hosted by The Westfield News, Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and The Westfield Senior Center
WEDNESDay, NOV. 1 6:30 INFORMAL FORUM
Mayor: Brian Sullivan Ward 1: Councilor Mary Ann Babinski Ward 2: Councilor Ralph Figy Ward 6: Councilor William Onyski At the Westfield Senior Center, 45 Noble Street, Westfield. Doors open at 6:00 for Candidate Meet and Greet.
By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – According to Southwick DPW Director Randy Brown, the Feeding Hills Road project is continuing to progress. The contractor for the project, Baltazar Construction, is still working on paving the road and finishing off the sidewalks and curbing, and installing left-hand turn signals that will be placed at each intersection. Brown believes that the final elements of the project will fall into place once the paving is complete. “It’ll be clearer once the paving markings are done,” said Brown. See Update, Page 3
October 31—Your Last Chance for a FREE MONTH! If you live in the Meadow Street area from Miller to George Streets, this is your time! We’re installing in your area NOW. You’ll get a free month of high-speed internet if you sign up by October 31. Don’t wait—sign up today! www.whipcityfiber.com | 413-485-1251
See Zoning, Page 3
Candidate ForumS
Hosted by The Westfield News, Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and The Westfield Senior Center
Monday, oct. 30
6:30 City CounCil at large
Dan Allie; Brent B. Bean II; John J. Beltrandi III; Jeffrey Chagnon; Steve Dondley; Matt Emmershy; Dave Flaherty; Cindy Harris; Matthew VanHeynigen, Muneeb Mahmood; Nicholas Morganelli; Gary D. Wolfe At the Westfield Senior Center, 45 Noble Street, Westfield. Doors open at 6:00 for Candidate Meet and Greet.
Whip City Fiber Info Events Tuesdays 5:00-7:00 pm (no event 10/31) Saturdays 10:30 am-12:30 pm (no event 11/25) Amelia Park Ice Arena, 21 South Broad Street
FREE STREAMING WORKSHOPS | AP Ice Arena November 4, 10:30 AM-Noon November 14, 5:30-7:00 PM Please register at: http://bit.ly/WCF-NOV-event
Come see Whip City Fiber in action!