Search for The Westfield News
WEATHER TONIGHT Clouds with showers developing. Low of 42.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
VOL. 83 NO. 84
Dobelle’s lawsuit advances SPRINGFIELD (AP) — A federal magistrate judge has allowed a lawsuit filed by former Westfield State University president Evan Dobelle against several people to move forward. In a decision filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, the judge allowed the suit against three school trustees and the state’s Higher Education commissioner to move forward, but released a law firm and a group of auditors from the lawsuit. Dobelle resigned in November after a public firestorm over questionable travel and use of university credit cards. Dobelle argued that the spending was to promote the university. After Dobelle resigned, he sued some trustees and commissioner, accusing them of conspiring to ensure his ouster in various ways, including holding secret meetings; conducting unnecessary investigations and railroading Dobelle through press leaks.
than to mistake uncertainty for certainty, falsehood for truth?”
www.thewestfieldnews.com
— Cicero
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014
Local man goes away By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A city man who pleaded guilty to the armed robbery of the Rite Aid drug store on East Silver Street has been sentenced to a 3-5 year term in state prison. Craig Knowlton, 27, formerly of 3 Shepard St., was arrested minutes after a July 6, 2013 robbery at the drug store where he had allegedly borrowed a pen so he could write his robbery note. Because the man was CRAIG wearing gloves on a hot KNOWLTON summer day, the clerk had called a colleague to assist her moments before the suspect handed her a note demanding $200 and claiming to have a gun. The man left after the clerk gave him ten $20 bills but the clerk’s colleague, after learning of the robbery, walked out of the store and watched the man remove his shirt as he walked toward St. Dennis Street. The clerk, meanwhile, had called police and the arriving officers took up positions to cover both St. Dennis Street and nearby railroad berm. They soon took custody of Knowlton. Although he was not dressed as the suspect had been he was found to be in possession of ten $20 bills. A subsequent search of the area, with assistance from a State Police K-9 team, revealed clothing that matched the description of what the robber had been wearing. Knowlton, a young man well known to many police officers who have dealt with him in a wide variety of situations for several years, was arrested for armed robbery District court records show that Knowlton has been arrested numerous times for charges which include shoplifting, receiving stolen property, possession of a Class D drug (marijuana), assault, disorderly conduct and trespass but armed robbery was a departure from the type of crime he had been known for, a fact Knowlton tried to play on when he denied involvement in the crime prior to his actual arrest. Det. Sgt. Steven K. Dickinson said at the time that Knowlton had “graduated” and predicted that he had also “graduated” to state prison, a rather different experience than the county jail Knowlton already had experience with. After arraignment in Westfield District Court, the charges there were dismissed after he was indicted and arraigned in Hampden Superior Court, where much stiffer sentences are possible. Prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Amy D. Wilson, Knowlton appeared before Judge Richard J. Carey where he pleaded guilty to a charge of armed robbery with a handgun. Dickinson was not in court for the trial March 25 but said that Wilson later told him that she had thought that she and Knowlton’s lawyer were going to jointly recommend a sentence of three-and-a- half years to threeand-a-half years plus one day but did not because there is no mandatory minimum sentence for the charge. In the end, the defense recommended a 2-3 year sentence and Wilson said the prosecution countered with a recommendation for a 4-6 year sentence. Carey imposed a 3-5 year sentence and ordered that Knowlton be credited for the 261 days he had been incarcerated before sentencing.
“What is more unwise
An estimated 200 workers at the former National Envelope Company in Westfield were notified that their facility located 70 Turnpike Industrial Road will close sometime within the next two-months. The new owners, Cenveo Envelope Group bought the company in September 2013. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
Plant to close, 200 jobs lost By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A rumor that the former National Envelope plant in the Turnpike Industrial Park has been confirmed by the city’s mayor. Daniel M. Knapik said this morning that a letter received last night informed him that the plant, which employees about 200 people, would close in June. The National Envelope plant was formerly owned by Old Colony Envelope but was purchased by Cenveo, a Connecticut based international company that claims to produce one quarter of the envelopes used in United States, when National Envelope was under bankruptcy protection. Knapik said that although the plant closing is a disappointment, “this wasn’t a complete surprise to us” as “we knew there were some ongoing business problems’ which might affect the plant. “Our first concern is for the employees and families” affected, he said. “The city is working with its state partners to do
whatever it can to mitigate the impact.” “Western Massachusetts has not experienced anywhere near the economic recovery enjoyed by our neighbors on the other end of the state,” he said. He said the city will do what it can to help the displaced workers and said that Cenveo has indicated that some of the workers could be absorbed into positions at other plants. The Uniontown (Penn.) Herald Standard reported in today’s edition that recently laid off workers at the nearby Cenveo plant in Scottdale are being recalled “to expand envelope manufacturing operations” there. Knapik said “there’s a potential for some folks to relocate” for jobs at other Cenveo plants but pointed out that relocating is not a viable option for many workers and said “it doesn’t always mean a lot of people are going to leave.” He said the city “will continue to work aggressively to attract, grow and retain businesses in the city.”
Board mulls tobacco purchase age hike By Dan Moriarty hearing. Staff Writer “Currently 12 communities, WESTFIELD – The Board through their boards of health, of Health is considering hiking have adopted the 21 and older the age patrons can legally purtobacco purchase policy,” Rouse chase tobacco products as a said. “And there are eight commeans of combating use of munities presently considering those products by teenagers. adopting local regulations.” Currently state law limits Currently the Tobacco 21 sale of tobacco products to percommunities include: Needham, sons 18 years of age or older, JOSEPH A. Arlington, Sharon, Canton, but health boards in a dozen ROUSE Ashland, Dedham, Dover, Baystate communities have hiked Norwood, Scituate, W. Boylston, that age to 21, while another eight, Hudson and Westford. including Westfield, are considering In other business, Rouse reported that adopting local regulations to further the city has placed a purchase for a prerestrict tobacco product sales. Local scription drug kiosk that will be located health boards have the authority to set in the lobby of the Police Department standards that are more stringent than headquarters at 15 Washington Street. state law. “It has been ordered and there is a Health Director Joseph Rouse said four- to six-week delivery time,” Rouse that he began investigating the option said. “The city has obtained approval after receiving communication from a from the DEP (state Department of pediatrician, Lester J. Hartman, MD Environmental Protection) which has a MPH FAAP, about the Tobacco 21 pro- special prescription drug kiosk applicagram. tion.” “One community which adopted this Part of that application is how those regulation in 2005 has seen a 50 percent medications are disposed of after being reduction in tobacco uses by high school collected. students,” Rouse said. “Data show that “The disposal process is very strict, 90 percent of underaged tobacco users with controls requirements to account get tobacco from people between the for destroying all of the collected mateages of 18 and 21.” rials,” Rouse said. “We’re using the Rouse said that if the Health Board facility at Bondi’s Island. decides to proceed with the local regulation it would have to conduct a public See Tobacco, Page 3
75 cents
Turmel selected new STGRHS principal By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Joseph Turmel was named the new principal of Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School (STRGRHS) yesterday. Turmel was selected by the regional school committee following interviews with four candidates Tuesday night. Superintendent Dr. John Barry said all the candidates were well qualified, but Turmel has a combination of experience, vision and commitment the committee and Barry were looking for. “He rose to the level of JOSEPH TURMEL coming in first,” Barry said. “His references spoke very highly of him and he wants o make a commitment to the school and community.” Turmel is currently the principal of the Lee combined middle and high school. He held the assistant principal position there from 2006-2012 when he became principal. Prior to that he was an English teacher and athletic director at St. Mary High School. Turmel received his Bachelors degree from Assumption College and his Masters in Education from Endicott College. He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Other finalists interviewed this week were the current STGRHS Assistant Principal William Metzger, Minnechaugh Regional Assistant Principal Nicole Smith, and Agawam High School Assistant Principal Sheila Hoffman. Each candidate was asked the same series of questions by the committee in a public session. The candidates were all given two questions prior to the interview and were asked to be prepared to discuss their answers at the interview. The first See Principal, Page 3
State to boost local pothole repairs By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – City officials are attempting to determine how much of a $40 million state allocation it can secure as the city continues to mend its winterravaged roads. The state Department of Transportation is making $40 million available for pothole repair work, with about $30 million earmarked for cities and towns, JIM but how those funds will be MULVENNA issued remains a question. Public Wo r k s Superintendent Jim Mulvenna said this morning that the cost of repairs to city streets, following one of the worst winters in terms of damaged pavement, continues to escalate. “I was running out of money and thinking about letting the private contractor go, but now I’ll keep going and try to get every street, every pothole, done,” Mulvenna said. “I don’t really know how we’re actually going to get our hands on that state money. It’s probably going to be a reimbursement program,” Mulvenna See Pothole Repairs, Page 3
Patrick to unveil development plan BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Deval Patrick is unveiling a $100 million economic development proposal he says will better train Massachusetts’ workers while promoting development in struggling cities and offering incentives to create new jobs. Patrick says he wants to revamp the state’s research and development tax credit program, encourage more high tech companies to hire interns, and expand the state’s international marketing efforts to increase tax revenue related to foreign travel and business for tourism-related industries. The plan would also invest in the state’s
older, financially strapped cities known as Gateway Cities, he said. Patrick wants to boost training to help students and workers get jobs in advanced manufacturing and IT, promote market-rate housing in Gateway Cities, and contribute to the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund which cleans up old manufacturing properties to make them suitable for new development. The plan also gives cities and towns greater control over the number liquor licenses in their communities by ending existing statutory limits. Patrick planned to detail his legislation at
an Economic Development Summit today in Newton. The plan also calls for a “Global Entrepreneur in Residence Program,” which Patrick said would retain and attract entrepreneurs dedicated to creating jobs in Massachusetts. The program would allow qualified, high skilled, international students currently in Massachusetts to stay here after graduation if they are starting or growing a business, the governor said. See Patrick, Page 3