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The Westfield News
“We think
too much and feel too little.”
Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
— CHARLES CHAPLIN
www.thewestfieldnews.com
75 cents
SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2016
VOL. 85 NO. 91
Boston marks anniversary of deadly marathon bombings By PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Boston marked the third anniversary of the deadly 2013 marathon bombings Friday with subdued, silent remembrances. Victims’ families laid wreaths at the spots where two pressure cooker bombs detonated near the Boylston Street finish line, killing three people and injuring more than 260. The father of 29-year-old bombing victim Krystle Campbell, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and Baker’s wife, Lauren, placed one of the white flower wreaths. Mayor Marty Walsh and the families of 8-year-old Martin Richard and 23-year-old Lingzi Lu — the other two killed — placed another wreath at the site of the second bomb blast. No one spoke. A bagpipe played softly before the occasion, which was observed by nearly 100 people including survivors, their families and supporters. A multicolored banner with a peace sign, a heart and words Martin Richard had written before his death — “no more hurting people ... peace” — hung on an empty storefront. Two men placed crosses on a tree honoring the victims, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Officer Sean Collier, who was killed by the attackers in the ensuing manhunt. Scott Weisberg, a 46-year-old Birmingham, Alabama, physician who finished the 2013 marathon seconds before the first bomb detonated, said he comes back each year for the anniversary and to run the race. He wears hearing aids now because he suffered hearing loss and recently closed his medical practice because he continues to deal with memory loss and speech processing problems from head injuries he sustained in the blast. “This is a special time to connect. I have a second family who understands what I’m going through,” Weisberg said. “The first year, a lot of us were just trying to figure things out. I think the focus now for many of us is where we’re going, what we’re going to do with the second half of our lives.” Throughout the day, residents took part in blood drives, food and clothing collections and other community service projects as the city has proclaimed April 15 “One Boston Day,” a day to celebrate the city’s resilience through acts of See Boston, Page 3
A delegation from American Legion Post 124 marches in the 2014 Westfield Memorial Day parade. (WNG File Photo)
Westfield Memorial Day Parade route changed WESTFIELD – Mayor Brian Sullivan announced that this year’s Memorial Day Parade, which will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 30, will have a new route. The parade that had started at North Elm Street where it intersects with Notre Dame Street for many years will now originate at Stanley Park yet still culminate at Parker Memorial Park across from South Middle School. All groups marching in the parade will begin assembling at 9:00 AM in Stanley Park. The staging area is best accessed by entering Stanley Park through either Gate 3 or Gate 4 on Kensington Ave. Authorized Parade Vehicles are asked to enter at Gate 4 for pre-parade staging. The parade will begin promptly at 10:00 AM. The parade route will be as follows: beginning at Stanley Park Drive, the marchers will march out of Gate 3 onto Kensington Ave, turn left towards Western Ave, and then right onto Western Ave. The parade will continue down Western Ave onto West Silver St, terminating at Parker Memorial Park, which is across from Westfield South Middle School. Memorial Day Ceremonies will take place in Parker Memorial Park. Following the Parker Park Ceremonies, American Legion
Post 124 will march from Parker Memorial Park towards East Silver St, turning Left onto Broad St toward the post home on Broad St, where additional ceremonies will be held.
WESTFIELD FIRE DEPT. PARAMEDICS
Drug related medical calls WESTFIELD — From Friday, April 8 to Friday, April 15, the Westfield Fire Dept paramedics responded to the following drug related medical calls: 2 PATIENTS GIVEN NARCAN 4 POSSIBLE OVERDOSES 0 POSSIBLE OD DEATHS
Group says Baker, Walsh hypocritical in opposing legal pot
Munger Hill ‘Wax Museum’ Left to right are Carlos Quiles, Kaymani Marshall, Abby Jemilo, Jack McGrievey, and Jayden Johnson. Second graders at Munger Hill School participated in a “Wax Museum.” Students chose a character to honor and highlighted that person by studying about them, preparing a brief report about them and speak to their classmates about what they had learned. See additional photos Page 8. (Photo by Lynn F. Boscher)
BOSTON (AP) — A group supporting legalized use of recreational marijuana in Massachusetts said Friday that Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh are being hypocritical by supporting more liquor licenses while opposing the pot initiative. The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol leveled the charge one day after Baker, Walsh and other top officials announced formation of a committee to fight a likely November ballot question that would allow Massachusetts residents 21 and older to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana. The group unveiled a poster outside the Statehouse showing the faces of Baker and Walsh, who is a recovering alcoholic, with a speech bubble that read: "Our Health Policy: Drink More Alcohol." Will Luzier, campaign manager for the pro-marijuana group, said pot was less toxic and less addictive than alcohol "and does not contribute to violent or risky behavior." Lizzy Guyton, a spokeswoman for the governor, said Baker believes voters should get more than "unfortunate and insensitive attacks from those seeking to open a new billion-dollar commercial marijuana industry in the Commonwealth." Luzier said Baker and Walsh have backed legislation that would relax the state's liquor licensing rules to potentially allow more See Baker, Walsh, Page 3