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WEATHER TONIGHT Becoming clear. Low of 26.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 31
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2016
Chief gives Station #2 rehab ‘high priority’ By DENNIS HOHENBERGER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Fire Chief Mary Regan called rehabbing Station #2 on Little River Road a “high priority” this week, an ongoing request that dates back to 2001. The City of Westfield revisited renovation and expansion plans in 2007. “Things seem to fall off and go to the back burner,” said Regan. In 2015, the department put together renovations plans to finally “clean up” the station. Built in 1973, the station must undergo extensive repairs and updates. “Since that time there really hasn’t been any money put into it,” she said. The facility lacks a functioning air conditioner, and the bathrooms, windows, roof and antiquated heating system need replacement. The living area contains substandard installation and the generator is too small for the building. “It’s in a pretty sad state of affairs at this point,” she said. Another concern: the station lacks separate living quarters for male and female firefighters, both of whom are regularly assigned to the station. The neighborhood has experienced substantial growth with roads and housing in the past few decades. Since 1985, according to Regan, 806 houses were constructed. In addition, Munger Hill Elementary School was built and has seen an increase in businesses and industry. “It’s in very poor condition. There’s no way to skirt around it. I encourage councilors, and even the media, if they want to go down there and take a walk through and see what state the building gotten into,” she said. See Station, Page 7
MARY REGAN Fire Chief
“Life is just one
grand sweet song, so start the music.”
— PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN
75 cents
WG&E ramps up Whip City Fiber Optics expansion
KEVA M. CLAY, JR.
Charges against WSU defendant continued without a finding By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – At Thursday’s scheduled hearing in Westfield District Court on assault & battery and serious bodily injury charges against a Westfield State student in September, Keva M. Clay, Jr., 21 receiving a continuation without a finding for one year, according to his attorney Christopher D. Parker of New Britain, CT. If Clay meets all conditions, after a year the charges are dismissed, Parker said. The hearing for the other defendant, Ryan S. Wilson, 21 is scheduled for Feb. 19. The cases are separated because the two representing attorneys didn’t coordinate dates, Parker said. According to the Westfield police incident report on September 1, Willis, 21, a Westfield resident, was arrested on charges of armed assault in dwelling and assault and battery
with serious injury (accomplice) and Clay, of Wethersfield, Ct., was arrested on charges of assault and battery with serious injury and armed assault in dwelling, male victim transported to Baystate Noble Hospital. Both defendants and the victim were Westfield State students at the time of the arrest. Subsequent to the arrest, Willis withdrew from the University for unrelated reasons, according to a statement that he made to The Westfield News after a November 5 hearing on the matter. Clay, a senior, is due to graduate this year with a degree in business marketing. At a December 18 hearing for Clay, Parker told the court that his client was waiting for medical records from the victim as there were “supposed to be serious injuries.” The court clerk said they did not have the medical records. The case was then continued by agreement until Friday’s date.
Court reporters could be replaced by technology By BUFFY SPENCER The Springfield Republican SPRINGFIELD (AP) — When a criminal trial is about to kick off in western Massachusetts, the action doesn’t start until the court reporter takes her seat below the judge’s bench. That’s because she (36 of the 40 court reporters employed by the Massachusetts Trial Court statewide are women) is responsible for making an accurate record of the trial. That record is crucial because it will be used in appeals of murders and other serious cases as well as for other purposes by lawyers and judges. The long history of having human court reporters may be ending soon, replaced by technology. The move has proponents confident, but opponents are very wary of the change and rue the expected loss of court reporters in the courtroom. The Trial Court is in the process of implementing a new digital recording system, For the Record (FTR), in 455 courtrooms across the state — first slated for the Superior Court and other courtrooms in buildings that house a Superior Court, according to a Trial Court spokeswoman. The contract is $5 million for equipment and installation in the 455 courtrooms. The 40 court reporters employed by the state Trial Court haven’t been told their fate by the Trial Court. They have been told — indirectly from the Trial Court via their union — their jobs are not guaranteed after June, the end of the state fiscal year. It’s a nervous time for court reporters, many of whom have done their job for decades. In addition to the demographic regarding gender, all but three of the 40 court reporters state-
wide — who make $82,000 per year — are over 40 years old. A Trial Court spokeswoman provided the following statement: “FTR is now operational in Plymouth and has been installed in Salem, and installation is under way in Worcester. All work is being done on weekends, so as not to disrupt court business. “The Trial Court Human Resources Department has been working with the union that represents Court Reporters regarding the impact of the new digital system on Court Reporters. No final decision about employment status has been made.” The spokeswoman said the transition to digital recording represents a significant change for the Trial Court and will also allow for court transcripts to be produced more quickly. In an email to “Colleagues in the Superior Court” last month, state Trial Court Administrator Harry Spence wrote, “Discussions by judges or other court officials with individual Court Reporters on their employment status are to be avoided, as those discussions may constitute direct dealing, which is not permitted by the collective bargaining law. Court reporters who have such questions should be directed to contact Local 6.” The move from people to technology has many worried, although Tony Douglass, the head of FTR, said there is nothing to worry about — whatever the concern, they have it covered. There is another level of concern too, and that is personal. Many court reporters, including the five women who work as court reporters primarily in Hampden Superior Court, are considered See Court Reporters, Page 7
By DENNIS HOHENBERGER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Westfield Gas and Electric (WG&E) announced the expansion of the Whip City Fiber Optics Network. WG&E launched the pilot gigabit Internet service in October, which immediately caught the attention of customers. WG&E launched a new website www.whipcityfiber. com at noon on Friday. The fiber optic network offers a speed of light Internet connection into homes and businesses. When compared to traditional cable or dial-up Internet service, a single strand of fiber can deliver 1,000 times as much information as a copper-based cable. The new service means enhanced download times and better live streaming of video, music, photos and other digital content. WG&E General Manager Dan Howard said the pilot program confirmed a strong demand for a robust fiber optic Internet service. He said fiber optic lines offer a continuous streaming while traditional copper or coaxial cables can experience a degradation or a slowed down electrical signal. A fiber optic strand is a thin piece of glass that transmits light waves at 186,000 miles per second. “The distribution of the signal is guided by the electronics on both ends, whether it’s the customer or the Internet service provider,” he said. Whip City Fiber is offering the monthly service at $69.95, which includes free Wi-Fi installation. The initial pilot website generated a significance amount of responses from residential and business customers interested in the service. The new website offers more information about the service and expansion. The Municipal Light Board (MLB) approved expanding the service to 1,500 potential customers in 2016. The demand for the service and where that demand is coming from will dictate the growth over the coming months. “The website is an important medium we will be using to gauge that,” said Howard. “Providing the wishes and responses to the service is what we anticipate it being, we will continue beyond 2016.” After the launch in October 2015, WG&E began to assemble data and construct a business plan for review by the MLB. WG&E will conduct a further review at year’s end and make adjustments to the rollout. He added customers will be able to tap into live streaming services like Hulu and Google Chromecast. “This gives the customer, with the bandwidth available, options to their current cable TV programming,” he said. “The service we’re providing at the speeds we’re providing gives people many options in streaming video or phone service that they choose.” “WG&E is committed to bringing the same high level of service, reliability, and competitive pricing to our new high-speed internet customers that our electric and natural gas customers are accustomed to receiving,” MLB Chairman Thomas Flaherty said in a statement. “It’s another added-value service that our locally owned and operated utility can provide to the community.”