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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
VOL. 86 NO. 52
“It is almost impossible to state what one in fact believes, because it is almost impossible to hold a belief and to define it at the same time.” — WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS 75 cents
SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 2017
Land near airport possibly changing zoning
Community remembers Chief LaBombard
By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–A city council subcommittee is attempting to tidy up the area around Barnes Regional Airport after giving an affirmative vote for a zoning change to a parcel of land near the airport. The city council’s legislative and ordinance subcommittee gave a positive vote to changing the 6.7-acre parcel of land located at 89 Sgt. Dion Way from industrial A to airport district zoning, following the positive vote that was presented by the city’s planning board recently. The change, according to airport manager Eric Billowitz and others, has been considered something that should have occurred several years prior. If approved, the change could open up
Barnes Municipal Airport Manager, Eric Billowitz (WNG File photo) the parcel to potentially easier development, barring that the development is related to aviation. “Ideally, we want to market to aviation interest, hangar development, anyone who could develop,” Billowitz said. See Land, Page 7
By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – The community of Southwick lost a fondly remembered emergency services individual early this past Monday morning. Henry LaBombard, a former Southwick Police Chief, passed away after a battle with Alzheimer’s. Serving as the Chief of Police from 1990 until 2004, LaBombard spent many years with the department. Given the nickname, “Bomber,” LaBombard started his career at the Southwick Police Department in 1968 and in 1976, he was promoted to Sergeant. Prior to joining the police department, “Bomber” served as a K-9 handler for the United States Army from 1964 to 1967. LaBombard also spent time as an officer for the Hartford Police Department and was also a Vietnam Veteran. With 34 years of serving the community he grew up in, LaBombard will be missed by many, including those in the department who said “Bomber” has impacted them greatly. “I always thank him for giving me the opportunity to come back,” said Southwick Police Lt. Kevin Bishop. Bishop briefly left the police department from 1987 to 1990, but once LaBombard became Chief in 1990, he shared his ideas
Retired Southwick Police Chief Henry LaBombard passed away on Feb. 27. (Photo courtesy of Southwick Police Department’s Facebook Page)
with Bishop and encouraged him to come back to the department. Bishop also remembers the kind of person LaBombard was off duty as he recounts See Chief LaBombard, Page 7
Westfield construction update It’s that time of the year again
on two of their more popular items; the Moo Nut and the blueberry pierogi sundae, which is also called the Polish Sundae. At this past year’s Big E, the Moo Nut won the 2016 Most Creative Food. According to Deedy, the Moo Nut is a dessert that shies away from the normal. The Moo Nut is a donut that is
By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—As the snow melts, the earth gets warmer, the sun sets later with every passing day and some familiar sounds of spring will fill the air—construction equipment. The spring construction season is coming soon and the city will once again have its roads full with construction vehicles and roadwork. There are several projects that are expected to begin as early as later this month, including two that are carry-overs from last year’s construction season. The first of the two carry-over projects is the ongoing pavement management program. The program, according to Westfield’s city engineer Mark Cressotti, was originally proposed by Mayor Brian Sullivan to help improve the road infrastructure throughout the city. The project has a computing program attached to it that helps city officials determine which streets to work on based on condition and financial factors. Cressotti said that this construction season, the city is expected to continue to work on Montgomery Street and to a lesser extent Lockhouse Road, with an intent to work on Granville Road, as well as begin work on Franklin Street and Southwick Road. Additionally, Cressotti said that they will be looking at Avery Street and St. Dennis Street for possible pavement renovations this season, as well. Another ongoing project is the Little River Road improvement. This state run project is aiming to widen the road due to increased traffic, as well as improve pavement condition and drainage. It is a project that has been overseen by the
See Moolicious Farm, Page 7
See Construction Update, Page 8
A camera man from the Travel Channel was seen filming part of the segment that will air this Sunday at 8 p.m.
(Photo
from Moolicious Farm)
Moolicious Farm to be featured on the national stage By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – A popular summereating destination has been recognized nationally for its continued success. Moolicious Farms on Feeding Hills Rd. will be featured on the Travel Channel this Sunday at 8 p.m. Last fall the Travel Channel filmed a series in which they traveled to several eateries in New England, as well as
Oklahoma, called “Feasting at the Fair.” With the Big E being a major spectacle in Western Massachusetts every fall, Moolicious has been a consistent food vendor at the iconic fair. It was at the Big E where the Travel Channel featured Moolicious and spent about two days doing the filming. Owner Joe Deedy, says that the show being televised on Sunday, will focus
Legislators discuss special education at White Oak School By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD– The White Oak School on North Rd. hosted local legislators and their aides at their “Invite Your Legislator to School Day” Friday, in an attempt to bring awareness to the needs of special education and its funding. The event presented several students, families and educators and highlighted the benefits of the White Oak School’s special education programming, as well as its struggles due to funding. In attendance was Rep. John Velis, while an aide of Sen. Don Humason attended in place of the senator, who had a family matter to tend to. The White Oak School is a private school that works primarily with students that have language-based disabilities. According to the
school’s website, the institution “provides effective research-based instruction for students with specific learning disabilities and related learning differences,” and students come from many different locations throughout the state, from Westfield to Westborough, to attend the school. “This is a population of kids with great hearts and great minds but the they don’t believe in themselves,” David Drake, headmaster of White Oak School, said of the students. “These kids fight hard.” Drake said that the school helps those with learning disabilities become better students through individualized and specialized programming, leading to higher MCAS scores and “85 to 90 percent of the students” attending See White Oak School, Page 7 Rep. John Velis talks with White Oak School students and faculty.