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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016
VOL. 85 NO. 29
is the habit of having habits, of turning a trail into a rut, that must be incessantly fought against if one is to remain alive.” — EDITH WHARTON
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Local man to address Phoebe Prince bullying case at Westfield State University WESTFIELD – The Westfield State University Department of Communication in partnership with the Guest Lecture Series will host South Hadley resident and advertising executive Darby O’Brien. O’Brien will present his lecture “Anti-bullying and the Media,” a conversation focusing around the bullying acts that occurred before the widely publicized suicide of South Hadley High School student Phoebe Prince in 2010. The lecture is scheduled for Thursday, February 11 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Loughman Living Room in Scanlon Hall. The event is free and open to the public. O’Brien gained national recognition when he broke the story of South Hadley teen Phoebe Prince’s suicide to the Boston Globe and highlighted the town’s silence about the bullying she received. His presentation will address how to use advertising and public relations tools to address difficult topics, such as bullying. His main message is simple: “We do not have to be silent about issues impacting our communities.” The National Center for Educational Statistics states that one out of every four students reported being bullied during the school year. According to the Center for Disease Control, students who are bullied are at an increased risk for anxiety and depression and students who engage in bullying are at an increased risk for substance abuse and violent behavior in adulthood. The event was organized by Dr. Susan Leggett, chair of the communication department and Suzanne Boniface, adjunct professor of communication. While bullying is a large problem in elementary and high school, Boniface said conversations around bullying are important to all age groups. “Bullying not only occurs in schools but in the workplace and in other areas of our lives,” Boniface said. “We all need to be aware of that and whether we are the victim or the observer, we need to address it.” Boniface said she’s heard O’Brien’s lecture before and was struck by how powerful his messaging was. “We as communities need to address these issues when they occur and Darby did not think her community was doing that,” Boniface said. “There was too much silence
“Habit is necessary; it
Voter registration deadline nears for March 1 primary
about it. He broke that silence in a way we should all learn about. He stood up for the action that should have been taken.” Boniface said that she hopes O’Brien’s presentation will inspire audience members to fight for causes that are important to them. “There is much need in our world today for discussion,” Boniface said. “Whether the discussion is in person or through the media, there are issues that need to be brought to the forefront so real change can occur if needed. He was not timid about starting the discussion in person and through the media. His talk will inspire others to speak to causes they believe in.” O’Brien is the founder of Darby O’Brien Advertising, an agency located in South Hadley. He frequently uses his advertising and public relations skills to serve underdog causes, which range from opposing the quarry at the Mt. Tom Ski Area to defeating Springfield casino developers to fighting to open local reservoirs to kids for fishing. He has been profiled
By DENNIS HOHENBERGER Correspondent WESTFIELD – City Clerk Karen M. Fanion said a Feb. 10 registration deadline looms for the March 1 presidential primary. The Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office also issued a clarification for independent or unenrolled voters. Eligible voters can register through a link on the City of Westfield’s website, in-person at the clerk’s office or online through the Secretary of State’s Office at www. sec.state.ma.us/ovr. For the upcoming presidential primary, voters must choose a party affiliation or register as an independent or unenrolled. Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin cautioned independent voters not to confuse their unenrolled status with the United Independent Party, which lacks a candidate in the primary. KAREN FANION “To vote in another party primary City Clerk on March 1 (Democratic, Republican or Green-Rainbow), you must be a member of that party or registered as ‘UNENROLLED,’ which is commonly referred to as ‘INDEPENDENT,’” wrote Galvin. The Commonwealth sent all United Independent Party members a letter to lessen the confusion. On primary day, unenrolled voters can choose among the party choices on the ballot. For voters who wish to change their party affiliation must do so by Feb. 10. “You want to be unenrolled if you don’t want to be affiliated with any particular party,” said Fanion. She said her office has received a steady stream of absentee ballots. Voters who cannot vote on primary day can submit absentee ballots by noon the day before the primary. The absentee ballot is mailed to the voter. The ballot can be hand delivered to the clerk’s office. “You can also vote right here in the office as long as it’s the day before,” she said. “We’ll do it right up until the end.” The 33,050 registered Westfield voter will receive postcards from the clerk’s office informing them of their polling location. Changes for the presidential primary must be made no later than February 10, 2016. In January, the City Council approved merging the polling
See Bullying Case, Page 3
See Registration, Page 3
Advertising executive and South Hadley resident Darby O’Brien.
Westfield State gets $18k to help curb gang violence BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, and Secretary of Public Safety and Security Dan Bennett announced the release of $6.7 million in competitive grant funds to communities and local partners to bolster their efforts to combat gang violence. The awards, made to 15 communities and 10 Local Action Research Partners (LARPs) through the Shannon Community Safety Initiative, are available specifically for the purpose of combatting gang violence in the Commonwealth. Westfield State University received $18,032.10 as a LARP to assist Shannon Community Safety Initiative sites by provid-
ing strategic, analytic, technical, and research support. These partners received grants totaling $470,000. “The cities and local partners selected for these grants have demonstrated commitment and creativity in combatting the gang violence that threatens the safety and well-being of the residents of their communities,” said Baker. “By using a multidimensional approach that employs a full range of diverse and effective techniques these communities have empowered themselves to make a serious impact on youth violence and gang activity.” The $6.3M awarded to the CSI sites provides funding to communities that demonstrate high levels of youth violence and gang
problems, a comprehensive plan to work with multi-disciplinary partners, and a commitment to coordinated prevention and intervention strategies. Funded strategies include social intervention and opportunity provision programs, as well as gang task force personnel costs and overtime. “This funding will allow cities and local partners to further enhance community outreach to at-risk youth and provide them with positive opportunities that divert them away from gang activity and toward a brighter future,” said Polito. “This effort is coupled with programming that provides education, training, and employment direction for young people at high risk for either youth violence or
involvement in a gang.” “Monitoring the activity of gang-involved youth and other high impact players by police, prosecutors, probation officers, and other officers of the court can result in significant disruption of criminal activity,” said Bennett. “This funding has been a critical component to the City’s strategy in addressing youth, gun and gang violence in Boston,” said Boston Police Commissioner William Evans. “With this funding we can provide involved youth with direct services through all our local partners,” said Commissioner Evans. “I thank Governor Baker and Secretary Bennett for continuing to support the great work being done in Boston and across Massachusetts.”
Southwick to bridge schools funding gap, expects budget draft next week By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Southwick-TollandGranville Regional School District is going to bid for a short-term bond anticipation note. Business Manager Stephen Presnal told the regional school committee this week that the department needs $1.8 million until it receives Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) reimbursements for the Southwick school campus renovation. Presnal said the funds would come “closer to the closing of the project.”
“This will bridge the gap,” Presnal said. “This will take us from Feb. 12 to the end of April,” he said. Presnal also updated the committee on the FY17 budget process, which he admitted was a bit behind schedule this year. “The governor did release the House 1 budget and there are modest increases in Chapter 70 and local contributions from the three towns of the district,” Presnal said. “Tolland’s share is the largest percentage increase.” See Budget Draft, Page 3
Southwick Tolland Granville Regional School District Business Manager Steve Presnal gives a budget presentation during a school committee meeting last year. (File photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
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