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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
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In observance of Labor Day, Monday, September 1, The Westfield News will not publish.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2014
VOL. 83 NO.203
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Pilot identified in fatal crash By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Massachusetts Air National Guard has identified the pilot killed in a crash Wednesday morning as Lt. Col. Morris “Moose” Fontenot Jr., 41, of Longmeadow. He was a highly decorated combat veteran. Col. James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing Commander, said in a press release late Friday morning that the family has asked that the unit “share with the public the name of the pilot who was fatally injured Wednesday” in the crash which occurred in the rugged mountainous terrain of the Washington National Forest near Deerfield Valley, Virginia. “On behalf of the family of our fallen pilot and with a sense of profound sadness, I am sad to share that Lt. Col. Morris “Moose” Fontenot Jr., was killed tragically in Wednesday’s F-15 crash,” said Keefe. “We all continue to keep the Fontenot family in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.” Keefe said Thursday night that crash investigators were hampered by the terrain and the fact that fires were still burning at the crash site.
Fontenot was flying the single-seat plane to New Orleans for a radar system upgrade when he crashed Wednesday in western Virginia. Officials say he reported an in-flight emergency before losing radio contact. “On-scene crash investigators notified (the 104th) at 1700 Hours (5 p.m.) that the pilot was deceased, that the pilot did not survive the incident,” Keefe said at a press briefing held outside the gate of the base at Barnes Regional Airport at 10 p.m. Thursday. “Investigators were able to enter the crash site (Thursday) afternoon,” Keefe said. “The pilot did not safely eject from the aircraft. The pilot had died as the result of the crash.” The pilot had declared an in-flight emergency just before 9:00 a.m. Wednesday morning. The F-15C Eagle crashed at approximately 9:05 a.m. Radio contact with the pilot was lost about 5 minutes earlier. The Washington Center Air Traffic Control in Washington, D.C. lost radio contact with the F-15C aircraft stationed at the 104th Fighter Wing, Massachusetts at approximately 9:05 a.m. Wednesday and at 9:30 a.m. the 104th Fighter Wing learned that the aircraft had crashed in a remote site near Deerfield Valley,
See Hampton Ponds, Page 3
Westfield’s Premier 55+ Active Adult Community
Va. Fontenot served with the 104th Fighter Wing as the full-time Wing Inspector General, responsible for the implementation of the Air Force Inspection System and as an F-15 instructor pilot with more than 2,300 flight hours. A 1996 Air Force Academy Graduate, Fontenot was additionally a Weapons School Graduate with more than 17 years See Pilot Identified, Page 3
Bus stops on L&O agenda
Grant awarded for Hampton Ponds By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has approved a $9,000 matching grant for removal of an aquatic invasive plant in Hampton Ponds. The DCR’s Partnerships Matching Funds Program is providing $6,000 with a local matching grant of $3,000 for the Hampton Ponds Association invasive species control program which was first initiated in 2009. The Conservation Commission approved an order of conditions to allow the application of the herbicide Reward to control Milfoil, an invasive species which was clogging the waters of the Hampton Pond systems. The Hampton Pond Association’s consultant presenting the proposal to remove the invasive aquatic plants to the commission in 2009 was Aquatic Control Technologies, Inc. of Sutton, Massachusetts. “The Matching Funds Program is a great example of responsive government,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Maeve Vallely Bartlett. “Our communities and nonprofit partners sent us their ideas and will now work side-by-side with DCR. This public-private partnership will help improve parks and facilities that are important to the public, their families and communities.” “With these investments, DCR continues its commitment to protect, promote and enhance our natural, cultural and recreational resources,” said DCR Commissioner Jack Murray. “DCR is fortunate to have a broad base of active, dedicated partners throughout the Commonwealth who are committed to our vision of shared stewardship. We look forward to strengthening our existing relationships and cultivating new opportunities to partner with the public.” Program awardees will be recognized at an event with Secretary Bartlett and Commissioner Murray at the State House on Thursday, September 4, 2014 at 10 a.m. in the Great Hall. The Partnerships Matching Funds Program accepts applications from friends groups and other park advocacy groups, civic and community
Lt. Col. Morris Fontenot
Former Celtics star Chris Herren will speak about his rise to fame, fall into addiction, and his recovery during a public speaking engagement Sept. 15 at Longmeadow High School.
Former Celtics star to speak on addiction By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer LONGMEADOW - Former Celtics star Chris Herren took his game as high as he could go, then fell as low as a person could go. The basketball legend from Fall River will be sharing the story of his harrowing descent into addiction and miraculous recovery in an evening event at Longmeadow High School (LHS) on Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Herren lived the dream of every high school athlete. He broke scoring records, was courted by top colleges, featured in Sports Illustrated, became the focus of an acclaimed book Fall River Dreams, and played for the Celtics in the NBA. He lost it all to addiction: first alcohol, then cocaine and oxycontin, and finally heroin. Herren has been clean and sober since 2008 and has refocused his life to put his sobriety and family above all else. Since 2009, Chris has trained over 200 basketball players through Hoop Dreams with Chris Herren, Inc., including some of the top basketball prospects in New England. In 2011, Chris founded The Herren Project, a nonprofit foundation that educates at-risk populations and helps others in taking the first steps toward recovery. Several LHS students and parents heard Herren speak at the Basketball Hall of Fame last fall and were inspired to bring him to LHS. He will be speaking to all high school students during two daytime assemblies on Sept. 15. Then he See Addiction, Page 3
PUBLIC NOTICE Labor Day Rubbish and Recycling Notice WESTFIELD — The Department of Public Works announces the following rubbish and recycling schedule for the Labor Day holiday: Due to the Labor Day holiday, Monday, September 1st, rubbish and recycling curbside collections will be cancelled with make-up collections one day later thus Friday’s collections taking place on Saturday. Recycling is on the “B” week schedule.
By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Legislative & Ordinance Committee of the City Council has slated a public meeting to discuss a proposed ordinance to move downtown bus stops and eliminate parking on Elm Street in front of the Westfield Athenaeum and United Bank. L&O Chairman Brian Sullivan slated the public meeting for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3. The meeting, which is open to residents and stakeholders affected by the bus stop plan, will be held in the City Council Chambers. “This will be an opportunity for members of the public to weigh in on these proposed changes and to ask questions,” Sullivan said. “The city has requested the PVTA (Pioneer Valley Transit Authority) to send a representative to provide information to council members
BRIAN P. MARY L. SULLIVAN O’CONNELL and members of the public. Sullivan said that the proposed ordinance was requested by the PVTA because of modification in their service from downtown to the campus of Westfield State University and between Westfield and Springfield. See Agenda, Page 3
Scrap metal swindler ordered to repay By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A Springfield man was ordered to pay a local construction company $47.05 in restitution, among other fines, in Westfield District Court Friday. Jesus Medina-Viera, 23, of 50 Windsor Street, Springfield, submitted to facts sufficient to warrant a guilty finding on charges of larceny under $250 and trespassing brought by Westfield Police after the owner of a local construction company came
upon a man and a Chevrolet pickup truck on Fuller Construction’s Union Street property. In the court’s statement of facts, the owner of the property, Don Fuller, said he confronted the individual shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 17. The man said he had permission from the owner to take scrap metal from the property, which is adorned with a “No Trespassing” sign. See Scrap, Page 3
Board to use overlay to lower tax rate By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Board of Selectmen met with Town Accountant Carol DellaGiustina during a scheduled public hearing on the tax classification Thursday night. DellaGiustina told the board before it could set the classification, which it is set to do at its next meeting, the board had to decide whether or not to use overlay funds to lower the rate. DellaGiustina said the board could use about $100,000 to lower the rate – which was set at $16.99 per thousand dollars of valuation. “We can use overlay from 2015, which would bring it down to $16.89,” DellaGuistina said. “My suggestion is to leave a little in the overlay account for refunds and abatements.”
DellaGiustina said there is typically about $200,000 in the overlay account. If not used to reduce the tax rate, it must remain in the account. DellaGuistina said it can take several years to resolve an abatement and the funds need to be available. Board Chairman Russell Fox suggested a compromise. “Why don’t we split the difference at $50,000?” Fox said. DellaGuistina said that would lower the rate to approximately $16.94. The board unanimously approved the measure, made into a motion by Selectwoman Tracy Cesan, and will decide whether to have a single or split rate at its next meeting. Historically the town has had a single rate due to the small number of commercial business in Southwick.
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