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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
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Shelter dogs to be tested By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Dogs at the Westfield Animal Shelter looking for their forever homes may have better chances for adoption now that their breed makeup can be determined by the shelter staff. Kerri Francis, the acting manager of the city’s animal control operations, said Wednesday that the practice of Rigali and Walder Orthodontics of Northampton, Easthampton and Amherst recently made a $600 donation to buy a dozen KERRI FRANCIS DNA testing kits which will allow the shelter volunteers to know what breeds have been blended to make each of the dogs waiting for new homes. “It would be pretty cool to figure out what these dogs are,” Francis said. “It could work against us, it could help us (place dogs),” she said but said that, no matter what breeds are found in the shelter dogs, there are benefits from DNA testing. She explained that the vast majority of dogs which find their ways to the city’s Apremont Way shelter are randomly bred See Dogs, Page 3
‘Stolen’ bicycle recovered By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A two-year-old theft was resolved Tuesday after a Kellogg Street resident spotted the bicycle he had reported stolen in 2012. Officer James Summer responded to an Elm Street address Tuesday afternoon in response to the call and reports that the victim told him that he had found the bike in the possession of another man and, when he inquired, he found that his former wife had sold it to the man. Summers reports that the victim and the man in possession of the bike “reached an amicable agreement” and the bicycle was returned to the caller. Summers points out that, since the woman who sold the bike was married to the owner at the time of the transfer, no crime had occurred.
to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” — Charles Darwin
THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2014
VOL. 83 NO.183
“A man who dares
Massachusetts funeral home oversight lacking
Craig “Doc” Kazin, a Melha clown, will perform in an upcoming fundraiser at The Cove in Southwick. (Submitted photo)
Southwick set to clown around By Peter Francis Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Southwick’s Wendy Hart knew months ago, long before the pieces fell into place, that she wanted to put something together to benefit her community. Now the pieces are in place and her community is ready for a good time. Hart is organizing the 1st Annual ‘Clowning Around For Shriners Hospital”, a fundraiser for the Springfield institution that will be held on Sunday, August 17, at The Cove Banquet Facility on Point Grove Road in Southwick from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the event is free, and there will be an appearance by the Melha Clowns, 35 vendors of all types, music, and activities for the kids, including a mobile arcade, dunk tank, raffle, photo booth and more. “I figured what better way to help the community and the Shriners Hospital than by organizing an event that raises fund for a great organization,” said Hart, who works as a consultant for a direct sales company. “I met some of the (Melha) clowns at the Springfield Camping Show back in February.” Hart caught the bug for organizing when she participated in a Relay for Life event in Southwick. “I got home that night and thought ‘there’s so many different ways to raise money for people, especially for charities, why not do something for a local hospital?’” she said, adding the timeline which she has been working with has been short. “The middle or end of May I started doing this. I’ve put all this
together within less than four months.” Hart said that she has had her vendors onboard for awhile now, and now that a venue has been selected, the show can get on the road. “I just can’t believe all of this is falling into place,” she said. “Everybody I’ve spoken to is really excited. I have the event on Facebook. I keep people up to date as to whats going on.” “It’s going to be fun for the whole family, from two years old up to 90 years old,” she said. Craig Kazin, past chief and current treasurer for the Shriners Melha Clown Unit, said that he has been impressed with the effort put forth by Hart in organizing the event. “Wendy is just a gem. She went above and beyond by approaching Tampa where the Shriners Hospital for Children is located, and got permission to use their names and likenesses in the promotion,” he said. “The quid pro quo for that is that 100 percent of whatever she raises is going to Shriners Hospital in Springfield.” “I don’t think there’s an expectation. I’d say that every dollar that comes in is a good dollar,” he said. “It all goes toward an awesome cause, and the Shriners are dedicated to making sure that people are aware of the services that are provided at Shriners Hospital. The idea that there’s an organization that would provide care like this without regard to a person’s ability to pay is very special to us.” For further information on the August 17 event, call Wendy Hart at (413) 3145909.
By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Following the recent closure of the Ryder Funeral Home in South Hadley, reports have surfaced that the home, which opened in 1953, had failed to properly document it’s pre-paid funeral contract activity for the past three years. The shocking revelation that the home was storing bodies in various forms of decomposition was made all the more unsettling by the lack of proper pre-need documentation which, according to a report by The Daily Hampshire Gazette, is hardly unusual statewide. According to that report, state regulators sent notices to over 200 funeral homes throughout Massachusetts last month informing them of their failure to comply with the state’s June 30 pre-need report filing deadline. The Westfield News has yet to receive a list of those funeral homes from the Division of Professional Licensure (DPL) after filing a Freedom of Information request on July 25. Wednesday, An Act Modernizing Licensing Operations At The Division of Professional Licensure was signed by Gov. Deval L. Patrick to “streamline and improve” the licensing process in the state. A spokesperson for the DPL said yesterday that, while the legislation affects funeral homes in small ways, there is nothing in the new bill, which they said has been in the works for several years, regarding increased pre-need oversight on the Division of Funeral Directors and Embalmers. While the names of the funeral homes who failed to file pre-need reports in 2014 are still unknown, several homes in greater Westfield say they take great care and go to painstaking measures to ensure their filings are up-to-date. “We archive all of our pre-need arrangements in a computer system, and the form goes to the state indicating how many families you’ve made arrangements with on a pre-need basis, that have funded their arrangements, and where the money is,” said Frank A. Forastiere, president of Forastiere Funeral Homes. “We have a realtime database and when it is time to send the report in, we send it in.” Forastiere, who runs the funeral home on College Highway in Southwick, said when he renews his license with the DPL, he has to sign off that he has filed up-to-date pre-need reports. “I don’t know why someone wouldn’t do it. I would imagine they’re busy doing other things, serving families and conducting funerals, and it slips through the cracks,” he said, adding that he believes the Ryder situation to be a “very unique See Oversight, Page 3
Concerns over Point Grove Road home in Southwick continue By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Residents in the Point Grove Road and Country Club Drive neighborhood met with the Southwick Planning Board to discuss a petition to change regulations regarding farm animals and livestock in the Residential-20 (R-20) zone. Dean and Joanne Horacek represented the 27 residents who signed the petition, which was submitted to the board in early July. Residents complained about their neighbors at 13 Point Grove Road back in April and expressed concerns about animals, vehicles, the number of residents there and a large fence. The Horaceks said at that time there were a number of unregistered vehicles on the property, as well as 30 bicycles and animals, including goats and rabbits, roaming in the yard. Building Inspector Denis Gaido said at that time he was aware of the concerns and everything at the home was fine. “They’re doing everything they’re supposed to be doing,” said Gaido. “As far as zoning and everything goes, they’re okay.”
When the petition was presented, the board asked to have representatives of the petitioners come before the board and wondered if Animal Control Officer Tracy Root should be invited. Moglin said that the problem was actually zoning and Root’s hands were tied on the matter. Root said that the homeowners appeared to be within their rights. “They are in the Residential-20 zone, which allows for livestock on properties over 40,000 square-feet,” said Root. “That property is 40,075 square-feet.” Root said the law allows up to 25 poultry on a property that size. This week, the Horaceks reiterated their concerns and hoped the solution would come in the form of a revision to R-20. “What really needs to be done is change R-20 to better meet the requirement for residential living,” said Dean Horacek. Horacek said the current regulations allow one saddle horse and “other farm animals” in the R-20 zone. See Point Grove Road, Page 3
Neighbors near this house located at 13 Point Grove Road in Southwick have expressed concern over how many residents might reside in the home, as well as chickens and at least one goat allegedly roaming the property. The residents filed a petition to modify the zoning law in the neighborhood. (File Photo by Frederick Gore)
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