Thursday, January 23, 2014 by The Westfield News

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Worthington

Sheriff Ashe bows out

See Ashe, Page 3

Resident nominated for Grammy Award By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Westfield resident Paul Kochanski will walk the red carpet this weekend at the 56th annual Grammy Awards. Kochanski, a bass player, was nominated for his work on the album Singing Our Way Through: Songs For the World’s Bravest Kids with Boston musician and father Alastair Moock. One of Moock’s five year-old twins was diagnosed with leukemia in 2012 and they got through countless hours in the hospital by writing and singing songs. Moock turned those songs into an album inspired by his daughter and other children bravely facing a challenge. Kochanski said he and Moock are part of the “New England folk scene” and teamed up on the album, which is up for a grammy for Best Children’s Album of

is to spread confusion, not eliminate it.” — Salvador Dali

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014

By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Michael Ashe, for thirty years the Hampden County Sheriff, has announced his decision not to run for re-election. First elected in 1974, Ashe has been elected without opposition five times for six year terms but said in a recently released statement that his “time of life has come to step aside MICHAEL and let those who come after me have ASHE the high honor of serving as sheriff.” He said that he chose to make his announcement during the middle of his term to allow those who aspire to the office he is leaving to have the time “to steep themselves in learning the real work of administering a corrections department.” Ashe, who has been a major political player during his career, stated very clearly that he is not supporting any candidate for sheriff and has “chosen no so-called ‘anointed successor’.” He pointed out that he naturally has great interest in the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office and will watch closely the selection process but said that he will “stay open and “let those who seek the office not just demonstrate their political acumen and ambition, but, more importantly, the idea and abilities that they would bring to the job.” He stressed that he will “make myself available in the months ahead to all who are considering seeking the office of sheriff, regardless of party affiliation or non-affiliation, to acquaint them with what I have learned on the job.” Ashe promised to “move swiftly and surely” to counter any “misconception” that, “because I spoke kindly

“What is important

Gateway School Board takes stand Elizabeth Eiss, right, a professional marketing executive, explains various marketing techniques to business owners enrolled in the Westfield Business Improvement District as part of a marketing seminar at the Spiritual Life Center in Westfield last year. (File photo by Frederick Gore)

Business owners look to dissolve BID By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Westfield Business Improvement District was established in June of 2006, when the city council, through the enabling legislation of Mass. General Law Chapter 40O. Now, a nascent movement of business owners is seeking a potential dissolution of the organization. In a letter and petition issued to business owners earlier this month, Wilcox Insurance owner Robert Wilcox, Park Square Realty owner Ted Cassell, and attorney Robert Walker are urging residents to disband the Westfield BID because they feel that legislation imposed by Beacon Hill in an August 2012 ammendment is “unfair and contrary to the initial establishment of the BID”, an organization originally based on volunteer membership. The ammendment, which was supported by numerous elected officials, including former State Senator Michael R. Knapik and was part of a bill to stimulate job growth and boost economic development statewide, eliminated a

MAUREEN BELLIVEAU provision that allows property owners to opt-out of business improvement districts. In addition, the law requires all business improvement districts statewide to hold renewal votes every five years, which require 51 percent in support of the BID for it to continue. A favorable vote would then require all property owners within the BID’s boundaries to be members and pay the organization’s annual fees. According to the letter, the movement to dissolve the Westfield BID sprang up fol-

lowing it’s first renewal vote on October 16 of last year, which passed despite receiving only 36 votes of out of an approximate membership of 105. Non-BID members that originally “opted out” prior to the legislation were not allowed to participate in the vote, but still received a notification from the BID announcing a “retroactive mandated membership”, along with notification that they would receive an invoice for said membership. “Mandating membership is wrong and is contrary to the freedom we enjoy as Americans,” the letter reads. According to Cassell, the organization has evolved into something far different than what it was meant to be. “When it was originally formed, it was a voluntary organization that property owners could opt out of,” he said. “The petition is for property owners who don’t want to be a part of it.” “We believe it’s against private property rights and that it’s unconstitutional,” he said. See BID, Page 5

Northampton lawsuit takes aim at BID By Peter Francis Staff Writer NORTHAMPTON – Several Northampton property owners have filed state and federal lawsuits, claiming the Northampton BID was not only formed in violation of state law, but that the state’s 2012 legislation is unconstitutional. The suit was brought forth by city Attorney Alan Scheinmann and Iron Horse Entertainment Group Owner Eric Suher in 2009, and challenges the city’s adoption of the petition that established that city’s BID. The provisions of Mass. General Law Chapter 40O allow for the formation of business improvement districts, but Scheinman states that the law sets out “very specific criteria” for BID petitions. “The state suits alleges that the Northampton BID petition failed to meet all of the state cri-

teria and should not have been considered or voted upon by the City Council,” he said. Scheinman added that when Northampton adopted it’s BID, Chapter 400 allowed property owners the right to opt out, which he says 60 percent of all downtown property owners chose to do. Following the 2012 ammendment forcing business and property owners who fall within a BID’s boundaries to join their city’s organization, Scheinman and his fellow plaintiffs challenged the law with an additional suit. “Our federal suit challenges the amendment of the state law,” he said. “We say that it’s unconstitutional for the state to force property owners to become members of a private organization against their will.” Elsewhere in the Commonwealth, Christine

By Peter Francis Staff Writer HUNTINGTON – After months of discusion regarding the potential withdrawal of the town of Worthington from the district, the Gateway Regional School Committee took a vote last night to take an official position on the matter. By a 7-5 margin, the school committee voted to take a stand against Worthington’s Home Rule legislation withdrawal, vowing to try and mend the bridge that it set fire to in 2008 when it closed R.H. Conwell, the town’s elementary school, along with two other schools in Blandford and Russell as a result of a $1.8 million budget deficit. “The closing of the elementary schools was not the only issue the people of Worthington were concerned about,” said School Committee Chair Gretchen Eliason, herself a Worthington See Gateway, Page 3

Detective: Oleksak questioned, cleared By BOB DUNN @BDGazette NORTHAMPTON — Prosecution witness Mark Oleksak spent more time in court yesterdy explaining his relationship with Annamarie Cochrane Rintala and his whereabouts the day she was killed. Oleksak’s wife and daughter also testified about his activities on the day the woman with whom he admitted having a “financial” and “emotional” affair was strangled. Annamarie Rintala’s wife, Cara Lee Rintala, 47, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder in connection with her strangulation death in the couple’s Granby home March 29, 2010. Her first trial ended with a hung jury and mistrial last March. Testimony in her retrial began Jan. 9. Jurors also heard from the lead investigator, State Police Detective Jamie Magarian, including observations at the scene, tracing the routes Cara Rintala said she took while out of the house the day her wife was killed, and the couple’s financial records. Magarian also testified that Oleksak and Annamarie’s ex-girlfriend Carla Danielle were interviewed more than a dozen times each, that they turned over DNA fingerprints and other material whenever they were asked, and eventually both were cleared as suspects. Oleksak’s wife, Donna, and daughter, Shannon, both testified that he was with them the entire day at home and shopping for furniture for Shannon after he

See Lawsuit, Page 5

See Grammy Award, Page 3

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Hildack performs at Tavern

Westfield native Taylor Hildack performs at the Tavern Restaurant last night before a full house. (Photo by Frederick Westfield native Taylor Hildack, right, sings at the Tavern Restaurant last night. Hildack earned the right to audition for American Idol after a singing tryout last summer in Gilette Stadium. (Photo by Frederick Gore) Gore)

Odds & Ends

LOCAL LOTTERY Last night’s numbers

FRIDAY

TONIGHT

Mostly sunny. Cold!

14-18

SATURDAY

Mostly cloudy with afternoon snow showers.

26-30

WEATHER DISCUSSION

Scattered clouds.

Expect a few scattered clouds out there this afternoon with highs in the mid-teens. Even though there is plenty of sunshine for tomorrow, temperatures will struggle to make it out of the mid-teens! By Saturday, the mercury will return to the upper-20s, but instead of sunshine, we’ll be tracking cloudy skies with a chance of afternoon snow showers. Expect another chance of snow showers from Sunday night into Monday morning.

0-4

today 7:12 a.m.

4:54 p.m.

9 hours 41 minutes

sunrise

sunsET

lENGTH OF dAY

Gust gaffe: Wyoming road sign warns 355 mph wind CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — It’s windy in Wyoming, but still. Gusts of 355 mph and more? That’s what one electronic road sign said in Casper on Saturday. The Wyoming Department of Transportation says a sign operator working from Cheyenne meant to type “35+” but mistakenly added another 5. The Casper Star-Tribune reports (http:// bit.ly/LU016c) the inflated wind gust message was posted for 17 minutes before the department noticed the mistake and corrected it. The whirlwind on social media lasted longer. One person posted a photo of the sign with the comment “CASPER WY. WHERE TORNADO ALLEY SEEMS PLEASANTLY BREEZY.”

MASSACHUSETTS MassCash 04-10-24-25-27 Mega Millions Estimated jackpot: $62 million Megabucks Doubler 04-20-21-23-26-38 Estimated jackpot: $1.7 million Numbers Evening 7-1-9-1 Numbers Midday 3-2-7-4 Powerball 01-02-07-09-55, Powerball: 29, Power Play: 3

CONNECTICUT Cash 5 02-13-14-19-25 Mega Millions Estimated jackpot: $62 million Play3 Day 6-5-1 Play3 Night 3-7-3 Play4 Day 6-2-1-2 Play4 Night 2-0-7-7 Powerball 01-02-07-09-55, Powerball: 29, Power Play: 3

TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Thursday, Jan. 23, the 23rd day of 2014. There are 342 days left in the year.

n Jan. 23, 1964, the 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution, eliminating the poll tax in federal elections, was ratified as South Dakota became the 38th state to endorse it.

On this date: In 1789, Georgetown University was established in present-day Washington, D.C. In 1845, Congress decided all national elections would be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. In 1932, New York Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. In 1933, the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the so-called “Lame Duck Amendment,” was ratified as Missouri approved it. In 1937, 17 people went on trial in Moscow during Josef Stalin’s “Great Purge.” (All were convicted of conspiracy; all but four were executed.) In 1944, Norwegian painter Edvard Munch (“The Scream”) died near Oslo at age 80. In 1950, the Israeli Knesset approved a resolution affirming Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

In 1960, the U.S. Navy-operated bathyscaphe (BATH’-ih-skahf) Trieste carried two men to the deepest known point in the Pacific Ocean, reaching a depth of more than 35,000 feet. In 1964, Arthur Miller’s play “After the Fall,” widely regarded as a thinly-disguised account of Miller’s failed marriage to Marilyn Monroe, opened in New York. In 1968, North Korea seized the Navy intelligence ship USS Pueblo, charging its crew with being on a spying mission. (The crew was released 11 months later.) In 1973, President Richard Nixon announced an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War, and would be formally signed four days later in Paris. In 1989, surrealist artist Salvador Dali died in his native Figueres, Spain, at age 84.

Ten years ago: The Illinois Supreme Court upheld former Gov. George Ryan’s powers to commute sentences, keeping 32 spared inmates off death row. The enduring situation comedy “Friends” filmed its final episode in front of an invitation-only audience. Bob Keeshan, TV’s “Captain Kangaroo,” died in Windsor, Vt., at age 76.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama quietly ended the Bush administration’s ban on giving federal money to international groups that performed

abortions or provided information on the option. New York Gov. David Paterson chose Democratic Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (KEHR’-sten JIL’-uh-brand) to fill the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

One year ago: Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered fiery rejoinders to Republican critics of the Obama administration’s handling of the deadly attack on a U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya. Cardinal Jozef Glemp, 83, the longtime head of Poland’s influential Roman Catholic church at a time when it played a key role in the fight against communism, died in Warsaw.

Today’s Birthdays: Actress Jeanne Moreau is 86. Actress Chita Rivera is 81. Actor-director Lou Antonio is 80. Actor Gil Gerard is 71. Actor Rutger Hauer is 70. Rhythm-and-blues singer Jerry Lawson (The Persuasions) is 70. Sen. Thomas R. Carper, D-Del., is 67. Singer Anita Pointer is 66. Actor Richard Dean Anderson is 64. Rock musician Bill Cunningham is 64. Rock singer Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) is 61. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (vee-yah-ry-GOH’-sah) is 61. Princess Caroline of Monaco is 57. Singer Anita Baker is 56. Reggae musician Earl Falconer (UB40) is 55. Actress Gail O’Grady is 51. Actress Mariska Hargitay is 50. Rhythm-and-blues singer Marc Nelson is 43. Actress Tiffani Thiessen is 40. Rock musician Nick Harmer (Death Cab for Cutie) is 39. Christian rock musician Nick DePartee (Kutless) is 29. Singer-actress Rachel Crow is 16.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014 - PAGE 3

Oleksak Continued from Page 1 had gone to physical therapy and did some shopping on his own that morning. Cross-examination Oleksak’s testimony began Tuesday, coincidentally his 30th wedding anniversary. Cross-examination by Cara Rintala’s defense attorney David Hoose began Tuesday and continued into Wednesday’s session. Oleksak said he and Annamarie Rintala met while they were working as paramedics in 2002 or 2003, and became very close friends as time went on. Oleksak testified that Annamarie Rintala rarely took his advice. He had previously advised her not to marry Cara Rintala, not to adopt their daughter, Brianna, and not to move back in with Cara after the two reconciled. Oleksak denied giving the advice out of jealousy, saying it was out of concern. Based on what Annamarie Rintala had told him about her relationship with Cara, he said, he didn’t feel it was healthy to move it forward with marriage, a child and moving back in together. Despite rarely speaking with her between the summer of 2009 and February 2010, Oleksak still agreed to help collect some items from the South Hadley apartment Annamarie Rintala had moved into while separated from her wife, after she decided to move back in with her in Granby around September 2009. One of those items, he testified, was a suitcase containing, among other things, a photo of Annamarie taken during a trip to Las Vegas with the woman she was dating and a card to her with the inscription, “Baby, I love you. You’ve made my life amazing already.” Oleksak said he kept the photo and the card in his locker at work until the investigation into Annamarie Rintala’s death was underway and he turned them over to state police. Despite lending her money and authorizing credit for her that she fell behind on repaying, and her not always being forthcoming with him about her relationships and whereabouts, Oleksak said he didn’t ever feel taken advantage of. In total, he said, Annamarie Rintala owed him about $7,000 at the time of her death. The last significant amount of money he lent her was $350, ostensibly for the purchase of a dog, which she apparently never purchased. Oleksak characterized a text message he sent to her the day she was killed, saying he would come over that Friday night when her wife was at work, as “facetious.” He said it was a pointed, joking reference to a fight the couple had the previous evening about a male friend of Cara Rintala’s coming over while Annamarie was at work. Hoose asked Oleksak why, when questioned by investigators about his whereabouts the day of Annamarie Rintala’s death, he only mentioned a couple of stops and not the more thorough accounting he gave on a subsequent interview, months later. Oleksak testified that his memory on April 2, 2010, was affected by having learned earlier in the day that the cause of Annamarie Rintala’s death was strangulation and her death was ruled a homicide. In testimony Tuesday, he said he authorized her as a user on

Mark Oleksak, a witness for the prosecution in the murder trial of Cara Lee Rintala, is asked by defense attorney David Hoose, right, to look over an exhibit in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton yesterday. (Photo by Kevin Gutting, Daily Hampshire Gazette)

three of his credit cards and assisted her with getting a cellphone account to help her rebuild her credit following a bankruptcy, all of which he tried to keep from his wife. The pair had a falling out in the summer of 2009 when he advised against her rekindling a relationship with an ex-girlfriend while separated from her wife. Detective on stand Other testimony yesterday came from Magarian, who detailed the early stages of the investigation. Magarian said he traveled the two routes Cara Rintala said she took from her Granby home to the Holyoke Mall and back with the couple’s daughter the day of her wife’s death. In two interviews, she gave differing amounts of detail in the paths she took, and Magarian drove both of them himself. The first route took about 54 minutes and covered about 30.7 miles. The second, more elaborate route, covered 43.1 miles and took around 75 minutes. Prosecutors allege Cara Rintala deliberately drove in a haphazard fashion to allow enough time to build an alibi after killing her wife, staging a break-in and cleaning up the scene. Hoose maintains she drove the roundabout route in order to be out of the house long enough to allow her wife to rest before her night shift as a paramedic. Magarian described the lengths to which investigators went to recover evidence related to those routes, checking to see if any evidence might have been dumped along the way, including rooting through dumpsters and digging through a landfill, which turned up nothing. Some rags, apparently from the Rintala house, were recovered from a McDonald’s parking lot in Holyoke. One of them matched other pink cloth diapers in the house, and another had a small stain that was a likely match for Annamarie Rintala’s DNA. Hoose has said investigators made up their minds from the start Cara Rintala was responsible for her wife’s death and ignored any evidence that didn’t fit that theory. Bob Dunn can be reached at bdunn@gazettenet.com.

Kulik speaks on Worthington, mitigation By Peter Francis Staff Writer HUNTINGTON – Prior to a highly anticipated 7:30 p.m. meeting of the Gateway Regional School Committee yesterday evening, residents from several of the towns in the school’s district had the opportunity to hear from and speak to State Representative Stephen Kulik (D-Worthington) at a meeting of the Huntington Selectboard. Around 15 residents sat in folding chairs in Stanton Hall and listened as Kulik, who has represented the Gateway Regional towns of Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, and Worthington for two decades, spoke of the situation and potential avenues which legislators and townfolk alike could take. “I’ve always said that if this bill should move forward, it’s very important that some transitional assistance of some kind be developed in the event that the bill become law,” Kulik said. “It would lessen the impact on the other six communities.”

The First Franklin District’s Representative spoke of a “pothole account”, a line item used to address a unique situation or shortfall, in order to assist the other six communities in the district in making up the difference that would be lost in a potential Worthington withdrawal. “The concerns I’ve heard from residents have been fiscal in nature. The people of Worthington just want a public elementary school back in their town,” Kulik said. “But it’s going to be a costly endeavor for the town.” “I saw this as more of a transportation issue,” said Amy Burnham, Huntington’s Selectboard chair. “They were closing their elementary school and didn’t want their children on the bus.” She added that the district’s local aid and budget has gone down in recent years, and that working on the budget has become a much more difficult task. “Our local aid has been going down. I’ve been wrapped up in this for ten years, and it is continuously harder to

budget,” Burnham said. “I don’t know how to come up with a budget with Worthington being out.” Kulik said he is working with colleagues like State Senator Benjamin B. Downing (D-Pittsfield) to help the district stay above water. “It’s a very unique situation, because it’s (Worthington’s) primary focus is wanting to have a school back in their town. They make a compelling case for it. They’re willing to pay more,” he said. “But you can’t allow the other towns to suffer. Worthington is a decreasing presence in the district in terms of students but they’re a significant presence in terms of dollars.” District residents also had plenty to say to Kulik regarding the situation, and expressed their disdain for how they feel the state climbed over the six other towns in the district who voted against Worthington’s departure attempt by deciding on the Home Rule legislation. See Kulik Speaks, Page 5

Gateway Continued from Page 1 resident. “They were surprised and saddened by what they felt was a lack of respect and responsiveness paid by the district’s leadership to their concerns.” To Sue Leverault, the other Worthington resident on the committee, the situation is getting dire for all parties involved. “Right now, almost 70 percent of that town’s students are going somewhere else, to private schools, to charter schools,” she said. “Four years ago, 70 percent of them were coming here. We need to come up with a way for reconciliation, which we should’ve done a long time ago.” According to Stefanie Fisk, the district’s Business and Finance Administrator, Worthington has 48 students in the Gateway District pre-kindergarten through grade 12, with 34 leaving with school choice, three going to charter schools and 13 leaving for vocational schools, along with an unknown number attending private institutions. Earlier in the evening, State Representative Stephen Kulik (D-Worthington) met with a handful of residents from several Gateway communities at a Huntington Selectboard to talk about plans for potential mitigation should Worthington’s effort to leave the district be realized by the legislature. “The only town that can stop this (Home Rule) is Worthington,” said Ruth Kennedy, a committee member from Russell. “Nothing is going to happen (in the Senate) until 2016, so we still have two years to work on this.” An initial motion was made to force Gateway Superintendent Dr. David Hopson, who, according to Eliason, has not taken an official stance on the matter and was not present at last night’s meeting, to meet with Worthington officials and apologize for previous actions of the school committee. The motion ended in a tie and failed, despite considerable vocal support from some of the district residents who packed

the Gateway Regional High School library. “I believe the School Committee should direct Dr. Hopson to go meet with Worthington,” said one woman from Russell, while another woman said that the situation is “the fault of the School Committee who was impaneled in 2008, not Dr. Hopson.” “The school committee isn’t a legislative body,” said Kennedy. “If we vote, it means nothing in Boston.” “I don’t know why there is so much reluctance to take a stand on this issue. The townspeople have asked us to discuss this,” said Committee Member Jeff Wyland of Huntington. Blandford resident Tony Van Workhoven implored the committee to think of their constituents. “You don’t see Blandford or Russell doing the run around… If the district doesn’t speak up, it’s headed for a slow death,” he said, adding that the other six towns in the district already voted against Worthington’s leaving. “Follow what your people voted for.” “The people in Boston need to know how this district is feeling about this situation,” said another woman. “They don’t know that six towns are very upset and one is very content.” The Committee’s differing opinions, especially regarding the validity of Worthington’s fierce desire to maintain it’s own elementary school, made it difficult to get a concensus on the language of a motion. “The state allowed us to redo the schools because they agreed with us that there was going to be a population rise in the next 15 years,” said Committee Member Shirley Winer of Chester. “We fought hard for Worthington’s wooden school to get renovated, and then the population started to drop, the recession hit, and we started having three schools costing over $1 million each to run with 50 kids in them.”

“The days of a school of small numbers of students covering several grades with a limited staff is not the best education,” added Committee Member Ron Damon of Huntington. According to Leverault, Worthington’s deep disdain for the district is rooted in how R.H. Conwell was closed. “The school committee took a vote to close three elementary schools, but prior to that vote, at the hearing in Worthington on the building project, it was said ‘if we do this building project, you cannot close our school until the project has been paid for without the unanimous vote of all seven towns,’” said Leverault. “That vote never happened, because the school committee voted to close the schools. I know how the people of Worthington feel — six towns have voted to not let them go, but when they asked if it was going to take a vote to close their school, they were told ‘yes.’” “When I first started, I compared this district to a weird marriage between seven parties,” said Eliason. “At this point, one of the parties is asking for a divorce, and the other parties are saying ‘no, you can’t have one,’ but they’re not doing anything to mend the relationship… Children have been pushed out of public education.” “My biggest thing is that I just keep thinking how it’ll affect students and extracurriculars,” said Jon Wyand, a Gateway Regional senior who serves as a student representative at School Committee meetings, following the committee’s vote and prior to the meeting’s executive session. “A lot of my friends from Worthington are going to have to use school choice to get back in, and that is expensive.” “I can see things getting cut, and it’s too bad,” said Wyand, who is considering studying communications at Emerson College or Syracuse University. “It’s not fair to the students and it’s bringing a negative feeling to the district.”

Grammy Award Continued from Page 1 the Year. Kochanski said the grammy nod and the album are both amazing. “I’d be thrilled to be nominated for anything, but especially for this,” said Kochanski. “As a parent, when your child is facing something like (leukemia) you feel like ‘what can I do?’ – this was something we could do.” More about Moock’s story and the album can be found at www.singingourway.com. Kochanski, 52, said he is proud to be a part of the album. “There is such spirit and energy in it,” he said. Kochanski and his family have lived in Westfield for 17 years and his three children grew up attending Westfield Public Schools. His sons currently attend the high school while his daughter is in college and is recording in a studio with the producer of Singing Our Way Through. Kochanski said he and his wife are excited to attend the Grammy Awards and he is thrilled that another artist he has performed with, Lori McKenna, is also nominated this year for two songs she co-wrote. Kochanski has been a musician most of his life, starting in middle school in his native Michigan. He moved to Boston where he met and married his wife. The couple owns Artemis Painting company in Westfield and he performs year-long.

Paul Kochanski “I work on 10 or 12 records a year and whenever Big Al Anderson (of NRBQ) is in town I play with him,” said Kochanski. While in California for the Grammy’s, Kochanski will perform with Moock at a benefit concert for the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. When asked the famous red carpet question “Who are you wearing?” Kochanski joked he would be wearing something from his favorite designer – “Sal’s on East Main Street!” Kochanski said the children’s award will be given during the pre-telecast event Sunday afternoon which will stream live from the Nokia Theater from 4-6 p.m. at www.grammy.com/ live.

Ashe Continued from Page 1 of a candidate in the past when he or she ran for, or held, another office, I am supporting them for the office of sheriff”, should such an erroneous impression, “purposely created or not”, arise He did say that if a candidate emerges who he believes has distinguished himself or herself “by their grasp and vision and passion and capabilities for the job” he will make that belief known “to those who may be interested in what I think.” In his statement, the outgoing sheriff offered his “profound and undying gratitude” to the many persons who supported and worked with him during his tenure and especially thanked his brother, Jay Ashe, who, he said, “gave up a promising career … to answer my plea to join me in building the national model of correctional programming we have put in place.” Ashe, a Springfield native, has been innovative in his tenure in office both creating programs to support inmates after their release and to help them contribute to society and by taking decisive action when he thought necessary. A day reporting program started in 1986 has been copied across the nation and helps offenders re-enter the community by allowing them to live at home for the final portion of their incarceration while being closely supervised and supported by correctional staff. In 1990, Ashe drew attention to the overcrowding at the York Street correctional facility when he sent correctional officers to commander the National Guard armory on Roosevelt Avenue in Springfield and used it to temporarily house a number of minimum security inmates, a move which contributed to the effort which resulted in a new Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow. The website of the Massachusetts Sheriff’s Association, which Ashe served as president, reports that a post incarceration program Ashe instituted to help released offenders during their first months of freedom was the first of its kind in the nation. Ashe also introduced several other programs to help offenders return to the outside world including treatment of substance abuse issues at the Western Massachusetts Correctional Alcohol Center, an inmate education program which allowed more than 4,000 inmates earn a high school equivalence certificate, a community service program for minimum security inmates, a prison industries program and even the Armory Street Grille, a restaurant at a local technology park which is staffed by inmates under the supervision of correctional staff.

PAGE 4 - THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014

I am assuming that Mr. Berry is the one that wrote the response to the person asking about the Hot patch machine aka HOT BOX. First of all you should get the correct information before answering the question. I saw last year you did the same, this year I have to respond. How it works. In the summer or fall you get mix and put it into manageable chunks and stack them. In the winter when you need to patch you start the hot box and put the chunks in and they heat up and are just like mix that you buy all summer. They are for use all winter. Second where in the PURCHASING LAWS do you find where you can only purchase $ 5,000 worth of asphalt? Maybe a city law NOT STATE LAW. Look up Chapter 30 B. I can bid as much or as little as I want where I work, and I can assure you that I have to use these laws. I am not trying to slam you but please get you facts straight first. This is response is to the PulseLine article pertaining to the person asking the question on where the tar machine that the city bought years ago is. Where is it? Why isn’t it being used? The response from Friday’s paper was that you had to wait for Lane to open up for asphalt. Well that answer is incorrect. You don’t need asphalt for this machine. You use blocks of tar, which is then placed in the machine and heated up. Then it is sprayed in the hole, lightly, then you put cold patch in there and tap it down, then spray a light coat on top which will hold the repair until a permanent repair can be made. Your response was wrong. I don’t know who gave you that information. It would be nice to find out where the machine is. A lot of taxpayers’ money is being wasted and vehicles are being ruined because this machine isn’t being used. It might be a good idea to ask the DPW where this machine is. In the past, other pieces of equipment have been purchased with our tax dollars, but they are no longer seen being used, and we don’t know where they went either. It would be good to have the truth about where our stuff is going.

Getting to the bottom

How potholes form

Water from melting snow and ice seeps into the pavement and softens it. During repeated cold spells, the water in the pavement refreezes and expands, breaking up the pavement, on and below the surface.

www.thewestfieldnews.com

THE WESTFIELD NEWS

COMMENT

Hot vs. cold An asphalt hot box machine sits in the rear of the Westfield Department of Public Works. (Photo by Frederick Gore) Your reply to the blacktop issue is crap. Southwick, like Westfield and other communities in the region, is trying to control its pothole situation. “We have new ones popping up every day,” said Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Randy Brown. “We’re out there patching whenever we can.” Southwick DPW generally uses a cold patch process in winter. The town has a “hot box,” which is a machine that takes used pieces of asphalt, such as old curbing, and heats it. Brown said the

hot box product is not working well and cold patch does a better job. “We’re looking into using the hot box but the cold patch, although not ideal, is holding up better,” he said. The hot box is used throughout the year. “We do use it during the rest of the year – we get a better product putting a hot mix in it – but when trying to use used asphalt the product doesn’t hold up,” said Brown. Brown said the biggest concern with filling potholes is moisture. “The real issue is making sure the hole is dry and has no snow inside it,” he said. “If it has water in it and you put a patch in it, that water will break up the patch.”

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Citizens of Westfield Hopefully you all had a great Holiday Season and I wish you all a happy New Year. First, I would like to wish Bo Sullivan good luck, the support of family and friends is so vital. Bo, if I can help in any way give me a call. My families thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Secondly, we are faced with another special election on April 1. Please get out and vote, the winner of this election has some very big shoes to fill. We have enjoyed full time dedication from our State Rep over the years and I think we need a person who will continue this full time commitment. This is a full time job in itself and takes total commitment of the elected official. I have spoke with John Velis on several occasions and

I have to say he could fill the shoes quite nicely. John Velis is aggressive and committed to our cities needs. So, please get out and give him the kind of support you have given me over the years. I truly believe he can do the job for us. I am still collecting bottles and cans with the money going to the Domestic Violence program of the Westfield Police Department. If you have any you would like to donate, as always give us a call we will pick them up. Again, help John win this important election for the benefit of our city. Thank you, Kevin Medeiros

Critcally Thinking In January 2012, the Westfield Education Association (WEA) was asked by the neighborhood group challenging the 96,000 square foot/600 student elementary school design proposed at Ashley St. and Cross St., how the union felt about the project. The union informed us that it was shocked when hearing of the school plan, and its location, during a WEA meeting in November 2009. At that meeting, City Councilor-elect, Brown, described mayor-elect Knapik’s plan for a 600 student school . Needless to say, the people of the Ashley St. School and Cross St. playground neighborhood were shocked and stunned when they realized they had helped to elect a Ward 2 councilor and mayor that willfully hid this agenda from the Ward 2 citizens prior to the Nov. 2009 election day. When the School Building Committee’ plans were made public in June, 2011, many neighborhood residents attended the public meetings to voice legitimate concerns for the enormous negative impacts the school would impose on the neighboring homes including; lack of ownership of on-site parking; massive increases in vehicular traffic - just 20 side-of-street drop off spaces; no turn around areas for busses; the faculty and staff having to use St. Peter and St. Casimir’s parking lot; and especially the loss of open space and ball fields from the Cross St. playground. That December we discovered the City of Westfield was breaking state and federal open space laws – laws Westfield already knew of - protecting the Cross St. playground. Documents show the City of Westfield acknowledged these laws when it sought $500k in matching funds from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEA) in 2010 when seeking funds to refurbish the Chapman playground. Our efforts turned to the City of Westfield’s improper actions, which led us to learn of those we believe helped allow the city’s process to undermine state and federal open space

laws. These state laws are to be monitored by the EOEA, and it’s Secretary, Richard Sullivan, Jr. The state’s Environmental Justice Policy, adopted from the Federal E.J. policy by EOEA in 2002, affords poor and disadvantaged neighborhoods numerous protections for their cultural and recreational environments, and emphasizes the rights of the E.J. neighborhoods to participate in the planning of state or Federally funded projects in their neighborhoods. The Massachusetts E.J. policy is the EOEA’s policy. For over two years, Secretary Sullivan was an advisory member of this project’s School Building Committee. In a School Committee meeting in the spring of 2011, the mayor announced the tentative opening of the proposed school for the fall of 2013. His prediction was made well before the disadvantaged neighborhood residents were ever made aware of impacts, size, and scope of this school plan. After successful and costly legal complaints made by the neighborhood’s residents against the City of Westfield, Mr. Sullivan decided to recuse himself from the School Building Committee. In the June 25, 2012 Westfield News article ‘New School too Big?’, Mr. Sullivan says he doesn’t know where all the Article 97 protected land is in Westfield. Well his subordinates did. In the same article, they said Westfield has to get National Park Service approval and state approval before doing any construction work that physically alters the use of the Cross St. playground. Right before the superior court placed an injunction on the project in September 2012, the City of Westfield destroyed the Cross St. playground. Go see for yourself. Visit www.savetheneighborhood.org if you wish to learn more regarding the massive size of this project, the skewed process that bore it, and how it is planned to reduce the number of neighborhood elementary schools in Westfield. Sincerely, Thomas Smith

Poll: Martha Coakley beating challengers When the ice melts, it leaves gaps inside the paveBy Tal Kopan ment, and the moisture further softens it. The soft, fracPolitico.com tured asphalt cannot support the weight of passing vehiMassachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley leads cles, and begins to break up. potential challengers in the race to be the state’s next governor, according to a new poll. The Democrat leads Republican businessman Charlie Baker, considered the GOP front-runner, 39 percent to 29 percent, according to a WBUR poll released Wednesday. Two other independent candidates failed to register even 5 percent of the vote. Coakley’s primary challengers, however, did not fare as well, with Baker leading by double digits over four other Democrats in the race to replace Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat who is not running for reelection. By far the best-known of the candidates, Coakley also had the highest favorability ratings of anyone polled, including Patrick. Voters viewed Coakley favorably 53 percent to 28 percent, compared with Patrick’s 52 percent to 38 percent. Just 3 percent of voters said they hadn’t heard of Coakley. Baker was viewed favorably 32 percent to 14 percent, but a full 25 percent of Massachusetts voters hadn’t heard of him. Massachusetts’s primary election is in September, followed As vehicles continue to pass over the weakened by a November general election. MassINC Polling Group surveyed 504 Massachusetts regisspot, pieces of roadway are kicked out, creating the hole tered voters from Jan. 16 to 19 for the poll for the Boston in the highway.

public radio station. The poll has an error margin of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

The Westfield News A publication of the Westfield News Group LLC

Jim McKeever Director of Content

James Johnson-Corwin

Dan Moriarty

Multi-Media Manager

Managing Editor

Marie Brazee

Diane DiSanto

Business Manager

Classified Manager

Lorie Perry

Director of Ad Production

Chris Putz

Fred Gore

Sports Editor

Chief Photographer

Patrick R. Berry President

62 School Street, Westfield , MA 01085

(413)562-4181 www.thewestfieldnews.com

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City of Westfield, Downtown Business Improvement District 0

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BID Continued from Page 1 “It shouldn’t be imposed on all property owners.” Cassell added that the BID would be on track to dissolve if 51 percent of the organization’s membership sign the petition, at which time it would appear before the City Council and the Mayor, who will have the final say. “A lot of property owners in the BID are privately investing in their businesses,” he said. “It’s going to give people more money to invest instead of paying BID fees. They’re like additional taxes.” Wilcox, who opted not to join the BID in 2006, questions why it took the organization over a year to hold a vote after the state passed the legislation. “I don’t know why it took them 15 months to hold a vote, but the membership

Lawsuit Continued from Page 1 Carey, owner of Gringo’s Restaurant in the village of Hyannis, filed a federal lawsuit against that municipality’s BID in July 2013. Due to the costs of legal representation (Scheinman and his fellow plaintiffs have exceeded $120,000 in legal fees for their two suits), the Hyannis woman attempted to represent herself, but a court said that, since she owned her property in a corporate name and is not herself a lawyer, she could not represent the corporation. According to Scheinman, Carey chose not to hire legal counsel, which led to the case’s eventual dismissal.

voted to force opted-out members in without their consent,” he said, adding that he had heard that the organization proxied votes and solicited support from BID members to pass the vote. “Chapter 238 has 100 sections, and sections 19 through 24 deal with business improvement districts, which may have goodies stuffed in that our legislators didn’t know were there. I don’t think our City Council would’ve instituted the BID if they knew this is what would happen.” Wilcox estimates that he pays around $3,600 in annual fees to the BID, which go towards assisting the city in cleaning the BID’s physical district, a large swath of the city extending from Orange Street as far south as Bliss Street, along with “providing business development and marketing services to it’s members.” “I don’t have an issue with business improvement districts. If anyone wants to organize, have at it,” he said. “I chose to opt out in 2006

and thought ‘if the BID does great, well, that’s a business risk I take everyday.’” BID Executive Director Maureen “Mo” Belliveau has held her position since May of 2012, four months before the controversial legislation was enacted, and said that she didn’t believe at the time that it would become the issue it has grown into. “It added to our membership,” she said. “But I can’t recall at that time if people were upset or not. I would think some people would be.” Belliveau said that she hasn’t spoken to Cassell, Walker, or Wilcox since the renewal vote, and that the circumstances of the situation are obscuring the value of the organization. “It is a positive thing,” she said of the BID. “We do help businesses with their maintenance, marketing, and development.” When asked of why the BID’s board chose to wait as long as it did to take a renewal vote following the legislation’s passing, Belliveau said

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014 Angella M. Vazquez, 30, of 216 Walnut St., Agawam, was released on her personal recognizance pending a March 12 hearing after she was arraigned on a charge of shoplifting by asportation brought by Westfield police. Jevon V. Burrell, 21, of 11 Ozark St., Springfield, submitted to facts sufficient to warrant a guilty finding for a charge being a person younger than the legal drinking age in possession of liquor brought by State Police and the charge was continued without a finding with probation for two weeks. He was assessed $50 and found to be not responsible for a charge of possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Mateusz P. Rybak, 26, of 84 Woodsong Road, was released on his personal recognizance pending a March 12 hearing after he was arraigned on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon brought by Westfield police. Jacob J. Williams, 26, of 10 Olin Ave., Chester, was placed on pretrial probation for three months after he was arraigned on a charge of leaving the scene of a property damage accident brought by State police. A charge of using a motor vehicle without authority was not prosecuted.

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WESTFIELD - Melvin J. Gould, 75, of Westfield died Friday, January 10, 2014 in Berkshire Medical Center. He was born in Tarrytown, NY and has lived in Westfield for the last thirty years. He was employed as a machine operator at International Paper Co. for over twenty years. Melvin was predeceased by his loving wife, Sheila (Lynds) Gould in 2011. He is survived by his brother-in-law, Richard Lynds of Webster; a niece, Allison LaFlamme of Pittsfield; a nephew, Joshua Lynds of East Granby, CT. Melvin also leaves three grand-nieces and two grandnephews. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 25th at 2:00 p.m. at Firtion-Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad Street, Westfield. Burial at Middle Farms Cemetery will be in the spring. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105. firtionadams.com

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Owner HAVEN PLAZA EAST ASSOCIATES LUMBER CENTER INC THE AMERICAN RED CROSS OF WASHINGTON DC WESTFIELD HOUSING AUTHORITY ST JOHNS LUTHERAN CHURCH AGE INSTITUTE OF MASSACHUSETTS, INC. CITY OF WESTFIELD AMERICAN LEGION OF WESTFIELD POST 124 CITY OF WESTFIELD WESTBANK 2 BROAD STREET REALTY TRUST WESTBANK FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH MENTAL HEALTH ASSOC OF GREATER SPFLD BEAUDRY, DOUGLAS J LUNA-CARTAGENA MARCOS + IRMA 82 BROAD STREET REALTY TRUST ADAMS, JAMES F ADAMS, JAMES F. WESTFIELD MASONIC ASSOCIATION DAMOUR GERALD E. + ET AL D'AMOUR, GERALD E., CHARLES L. DAMOUR GERALD E CHARLES L + DONALD H CHEKHOVSKIY, VASILIY BARCROSS PARTNERS, LLC WESTFIELD WOMANS CLUB INC FISHER, TOBIAS & TINA A TRUSTEES OF HUMAN RESOURCES UNLIMITED INC. FIRST METHODIST SOCIETY OF WESTFIELD RUSSOLILLO, GARY E BUTLER, ROGER W. JR. BUTLER ROGER W. JR. TRS OF FIRST METHODIST CHURCH THOMAS, BARBARA A FLYNN HUGH J. + KATHLEEN M. FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH EDEM INC SECURITY MANOR DHC LLC MORIZIO, JOHN P. MASCIADRELLI, LISA A & GREGORY E GAMBLE CLIFTON W. JR + CLARK E. GAMBLE TRACY W. FLERON, JULIE A THOMAS RICHARD S. WILCOX, ROBERT R KASPEROWSKI ALAN M. EASTHAMPTON SAVINGS BANK CITY OF WESTFIELD CITY OF WESTFIELD UNITED STATES OF AMERICA POST OFFICE CITY OF WESTFIELD CENTURY PROPERTIES LLC FLOWERS BY WEBSTER, LLC DOUGLAS CLINIC INC CHURCH OF THE ATONEMENT CHURCH OF THE ATONEMENT WESTFIELD ASSISTED LIVING KALTER JOSHUA O. ABORJAILY KAREN C. SCHEIP, JUNE M & ET AL PESTO, RICHARD M & CHERYL A TRUSTEES BRIARWOOD TEN LLC H & H COUNTY RE, LLC 76 COURT STREET REALTY, LLC W G W ASSOCIATES SILVERMILL REALTY CORPORATION SILVERMILL REALTY CORP TRUSTEES OF NOBLE HOSPITAL SILVERMILL REALTY CORP CURRAN, JAMES J. ORSZULAK, DANIEL & WENDY A VELIS, PETER A. TRACY, GERALD E & SUZANNE A WESTFIELD SAVINGS BANK SUMMER MANAGEMENT SERVICE, INC. SUMMER MANAGEMENT SERVICE, INC. MORIZIO, JOHN P. CITY OF WESTFIELD SNOW-HAYS CORPORATION ELM STREET APARTMENTS LIMITED WESTFIELD GROUP LLC BOSCHER, LYNN F. & MARY J. MARTH, PAUL J. LARAWAY, CLIFFORD W. MORNINGSIDE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS LLC 142-144 ELM STREET LLC COLTON, DAVID C. JR. J&F MANAGEMENT LLP BACON, EVERETT G. UNITED BANK ELM STREET APARTMENTS LIMITED GUOC, YI ZHEE CLOVERLEAF REALTY GROUP INC MANTEGNA, JOSEPH J CITY OF WESTFIELD B SLAYTON LLC WESTFIELD SAVINGS BANK WESTFIELD SAVINGS BANK UNITED CO-OP BANK WESTFIELD ATHENEUM, THE BERKSHIRE BANK ROMANI, BERNARD J III WESTFIELD ATHENAEUM BERKSHIRE BANK BELISLE, DONALD J -- TRUSTEE MADEN JOYCE M. BELISLE, DONALD J -- TRUSTEE CITY OF WESTFIELD WESTFIELD NEWS PUBLISHING INC WESTFIELD NEWS PUBLISHING INC BEAN DAVID L. + COLLEEN A. BERKSHIRE BANK BERKSHIRE BANK ADVENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH BERKSHIRE BANK RICHMOND REAL ESTATE ADVISORS LLC POWELL, STEPHEN F & CATHERINE A DENARDO, CHERYL A DENARDO, CHERYL A MORIZIO BROTHERS MANAGEMENT LLC ADAMS, RICHARD K. & CASSANDRA L.

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the board had until 2018 to vote on a renewal, but wanted to be thoughtful of the BID’s current and new members. “We asked our membership, and they wanted to take it then (in October),” she said. Regarding Wilcox’ statement about proxy voting, Belliveau said that any member can vote by proxy, and when asked of how the new, formerly opted-out members were shut out of the renewal vote, she added that the BID was following state law, for better or worse. “They technically were not members,” she said. “State statutes dictated that, which is what guided us through the process.” “It would seem to me, if another renewal vote didn’t pass, we’d begin the dissolution process, which would be unfortunate,” she said. “Currently, we’re moving forward on a daily basis, but I can’t see the future.”

Continued from Page 3 Burnham also spoke of a conversation between the Selectmen and Sen. Downing in which they discussed the situation and regional agreements. “That’s something to look at — How long does a regional agreement stay true? This was an agreement signed 50 years ago,” she said. “He brought up a good point, that just because you sign a contract doesn’t make it evergreen forever. It needs updates.” Russell Selectman Pandora Hague expressed her displeasure with Kulik regarding his bringing the approved Home Rule before the the House in an informal session despite the other six towns voting against the withdrawal and said, as a Worthington resident, he should’ve recused himself from the vote. Kulik responded that the bill only needed to be approved by Worthington, and while he is a resident of the town, he still represents them in addition to other towns in the district. “I can’t disenfranchise the voters of Worthington or those three other communities,” he said. “It was a good conversation. People spoke their hearts and minds on this issue, and it’s not an easy one. It’s a complicated one with a lot of different dynamics,” he said after the meeting. “My colleagues and I want to make this work, if it (Worthington withdrawing) is going to happen. We don’t know the outcome of this effort by Worthington.” “These conversations are important ones to have,” he said. “We’re very committed to minimizing the financial impact on the other towns.”

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PAGE 6 - THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014

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ARTSLEISURE The Arts Beat By Mark Auerbach

Cast Change at Goodspeed

Jenny Leona as the wife who suffers a wardrobe malfunction in Steve Martin’s “The Underpants” at Hartford Stage. (Photo by T.

Didi Conn as an eavesdropping neighbor in Steve Martin’s “The Underpants” at Hartford Stage. (Photo by T. Charles Erickson.)

Charles Erickson)

Review: ‘The Underpants’ at Hartford Stage By Mark G. Auerbach Correspondent

sizzle to keep audiences warm for the rest of the winter. This co-production from two of Connecticut’s major theatres, New Haven’s Long Wharf and Hartford Stage, has settled into its Hartford run through February 9. Brilliantly staged, designed, and performed, “The Underpants” is superb enter-

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tainment that jam packs multiple smiles, countless laughs, giggles, snickers, and delicious gags into 90 minutes of total fun. At a parade honoring the king, Theo (Jeff McCarthy), a mid-level government manager is shocked and appalled, when his young wife’s bloomers inadvertently drop to the ground, giving the king and many others, a glimpse of her underwear. Wife Louise (Jenny Leona) shrugs it off as an accident, but Theo worries about losing his job over this bad family publicity. Upon returning home, a stream of gentlemen come to rent a spare room in Theo’s apartment–a pompous poet (Burke Moses), a high-strung barber (Steve Routman), and an uptight scientist (George Bartenieff,). An upstairs neighbor (Didi Conn) eavesdrops on the tenants, who all want the room to be closer to the wife they observed having a wardrobe malfunction. “The Underpants” is farce at its finest which races towards its conclusion with hilarity. Steve Martin may be best

Michael Price, executive director of the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT, has announced that he’ll retire after 46 years as the theatre’s leader at the end of the 2014 season. “I have had the honor and the privilege of leading Goodspeed Musicals for more than 45 years but believe with my whole heart, that the time has come to pass the reins onto someone new who will lead the institution into its next phase”, says Price. “The greatest joy is working with the most incredible theatrical team ever assembled, a team that together will take Goodspeed to even greater heights. I look forward to working with our Board of Trustees and staff during the transition period,” added Price. Among his accomplishments, Price has produced over 235 classic and new musicals, including 75 world premieres. He supervised the transfer of 19 shows to Broadway, and accepted 2 special Tony Awards for Goodspeed Musicals. Price

Goodspeed Musicals’ Michael Price. (Photo by Diane Sobolewski.) founded the League of Historic American Theatres. He’s been involved with the American Theatre Wing, The Tony Awards Management Committee, and the Connecticut Commission on the Arts.

which played at area movie theatres in 2011, but the stage version, which came out before the film, is altogether different. The National Theatre (Great Britain) and Lincoln Center co-production of “War Horse”, adapted by Nick Stafford, took the London theatre world by ‘War Horse’ storm in 2009, transferred to Lincoln Center with rave Gallops into reviews 2011, and became one of Broadway’s biggest The Bushnell hits. “War Horse”, which You may have seen Steven ended a triumphant 700+ perSpeilberg’s film adaptation of formance Broadway run last Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 January, is now on national best-seller, “War Horse”, tour, and it stops at Hartford’s

War Horse (Photo by Brinkhoff/Mogenburg)

See Review, Page 7

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Bushnell (January 28-February 2). “War Horse” nabbed five well-deserved Tony Awards in 2011, including “Best Play”, Best Direction” (Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, who have staged the national tour), “Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting Design, and Best Sound Design. So many theatregoers today equate entertainment with spectacle, as they devour Cirque du Soleil or Broadway offerings like “Spiderman: Bring On The Dark”. The “bigger is better” entertainment model charmed audiences when The Hippodrome Theatre opened on Broadway in 1905. Billy Rose produced “Jumbo” there, complete with splash pool, elephants and circus. The stage shows at Radio City and the Roxy kept the theatre largesse alive. “War Horse” is a spectacle created by a theatregoer’s imagination, stirred to action by deft staging, puppetry, exquisite lights and sound. When I saw the Broadway production, I was completely drawn into the magic that is theatre. If you have a limited entertainment budget, splurge for “War Horse” tickets. For tickets: 860-987-5900or http://bushnell.org/. Oh, and while you’re there, get tickets to the recent Broadway hit, “Peter and the Starcatcher”, which visits Hartford’s Bushnell February 18-23. It’s a swashbuckling prequel to “Peter Pan”, and another multiple award-winner.

Keep in Mind… ***Amherst Leisure Services Community Theatre is performing “Les Miserables” at Bowker Auditorium on the UMASS/ Amherst campus through January 26. Dave Grout See Arts Beat, Page 7

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014 - PAGE 7

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Hellpop tour rawks Hartford

In This Moment Prayers and Next Life, then a full version of Daddy’s Falling Angel. All three of these songs are from their first release as a band entitled Beautiful Tragedy. The band ended the set with their most recent single and controversial release, Whore. The lights stayed down while the crowd chanted for more. In This Moment didn’t disappoint, coming back on stage to close out the night with the title track of their current release, Blood. Check out In This Moment while they are still playing fairly intimate clubs. With Maria Brink’s stage presence, a talented band and catchy heavy metal songs, it won’t be long before we see this band headlining bigger venues. Los Angeles-based shock rockers Butcher Babies opened the show with a high energy set that had most of the crowd pumping their fists and singing the songs. Fronted by Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey, Butcher Babies are touring in support of their 2013 release, Goliath. Clearly the group has a large following as they had the crowds full support. The band plowed through a number of songs off Goliath including, I Smell a Massacre,

Review

Continued from Page 6 known as stand-up comic, movie actor, and banjo player, but George Bartenieff is a masterful character actor, and Jenny he’s written books, successful comedies for the stage, and ter- Leona, a recent Juilliard grad, sparkles. rific film scripts. Martin’s adaptation remains faithful to its “The Underpants” is well-written, staged with a beat, persource, but he infuses the play with contemporary sensibilities formed with finesse, ably-designed, and downright funny. (despite being set in Dusseldorf in the early 20th century). Don’t miss it. The show runs through February 9. Martin’s dialogue is an explosion of sexual innuendos, double Hartford Stage presents “The underpants” by Steve Martin, entendres, and fast-paced wit. Gordon Edelstein’s staging, and adapted from the play by Carl Sternheim. Directed by Gordon Tim Acito’s brilliant fight staging and ensemble choreography, Edelstein. Scenic design by Lee Savage. Costume design by if you will, bring every ounce of zing and zany comedy to the Jess Goldstein. Lighting design by Robert Wierzel. Sound surface without ever becoming overdone. design by David Budries. Wig and hair design by Charles Lee Savage’s set design is functional with the requisite Lapointe. Fight consultant: Tim Acito. Cast: George Bartenieff, slamming doors for farce and multiple playing areas; Jess Didi Conn, Jenny Leona, Jeff McCarthy, Burke Moses, Steve Goldstein’s costumes are appropriately period with some Routman. A co-production of Long Wharf Theatre and funny flourishes. Robert Wierzel’s lighting designs and David Hartford Stage. Through February 9, 2014. For tickets: 860Budries sound designs are great. 527-5151 or www.hartfordstage.org. “The Underpants” is very much the ensemble play, and all ——— of the actors bring out the humor in their characters and Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at Martin’s writing with split-second timing. Jeff McCarthy, American University and the Yale School Burke Moses, Steve Routman and Didi Conn come from the of Drama. He’s worked for arts world of musical theatre, and they navigate Martin’s dialogue, organizations and reported on theatre Edelstein’s direction, and Acito’s staging with musicality. for newspapers and radio. AT THE ORIGINAL

Teen Writing Group

SOUTHWICK - Are you a writer in 7th – 12th grade? Would you like to improve your writing skills? Would you like to share your writing with other young writers? If this sounds like you, then we would like to invite you to showcase your writing skills by becoming a member of the new Teen Writers’ Group at the Southwick Public Library. The group will meet for the first time on Wednesday, January 29 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. (7th and 8th graders may join us at 3 p.m.). If you have something that you are working on, please bring it if you’d like to share an excerpt with the group. It is not necessary to have a piece to share in order to join. The goals of the group are to exercise your imagination, hone your writing skills, share your writing with others if you wish and to have fun with other teens that are interested in developing their authorship talents. You do not need to register in advance for this program. F R I DAY, JA N UA RY 3 1 s t 7 : 3 0 P M AT C I T YSTAG E

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Continued from Page 6 directs the community theatre production. E. Wayne Abercrombie is Musical Director, and Mary Ann Holmes provides the choreography. For tickets: 413-2593065 or http://www.alsct.org/ index.html ***”Seussical” Auditions. Berkshire Theatre Group is holding local auditions for its 9th annual children’s theatre production, “Seussical”, which will play The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield next August 7-17. Travis G. Daly will stage the musical. Auditions will be held on Monday, January 27 from 7pm-10pm and Saturday, February 1 from 10am-6pm at The Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield. To schedule an audition time slot or for further information, call 413448-8084 x23. Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.

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Magnolia Blvd, The Mirror Never Lies and Axe Wound. The band ripped through their set with the girls never stopping, even stepping off the stage and bravely standing on the barrier that separates the fans from the stage to sing a song. The band closed out their lively set with the crowd looking for more. They definitely had won over the fans as I haven’t seen an opening band get that kind of crowd support in a long time. They have it all, a great sound, great looks and, most of all, a ton of energy. Butcher Babies are another band to keep an eye/ ear out for. This band has gained a large fan base in a short time due to some of their outfits or lack of, but they also have the songs and stage presence to back up the looks. Watch out for the Butcher Babies… they’re coming to get you! The Hellpop tour not only featured these two up-and-coming bands, In This Moment and Butcher Babies, but also had on the bill Devour the Day and All the Hail the Yeti. Both bands are also getting some great press and seem to be destined for bigger things.

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By Mike Augusti Correspondent HARTFORD – The Hellpop Tour’s 2014 edition came rolling into the Webster Theater in Hartford, Connecticut on Saturday night. This year’s version of the Hellpop tour featured two female-fronted bands, In This Moment and Butcher Babies. In This Moment, at this moment, seems to be headed towards bigger and better things as they seem to be popping up on every major tour to hit this area. ITM is currently touring in support of their 2012 release, Blood. As the lights went down a very ominous sounding recording of Type O Negative’s song, Black No. 1, was piped in as smoke rose from the stage. The stage consisted of two 10-foot high wrought iron fences on each side of the microphone along with a sculpture of hands, faces and other body parts at the front of the stage. Two female backup dancers (for lack of a better phrase) were positioned on stage wearing non-descript white masks which they wore throughout the show while intermittently changing outfits. The Butcher Babies band took the stage and got the crowd into things right away with the song Rise with Me, which is the opening track off of Blood. Four out of the first five songs are off the Blood release, with the song, Blazin’ coming from their 2010 release The Star Crossed Wasteland. As the band left the stage, the ballad Into the Light came next, with lead singer Maria Brink taking a chair to the front of the stage to sing this piano-backed song. The band returned to the stage for a vicious cover version of Nine Inch Nails’ Closer. That cover song led directly to most of the band taking a break while the drummer had his five minutes for a pulse pounding drum solo. Rounding out the show were a combined version of songs

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WHS solid in defeat WHS’ Isaiah Headley splits the Central defense Wednesday evening. (Photo by Chris Putz)

By Chris Putz Staff Writer WESTFIELD – For several minutes in Wednesday night’s high school boys’ basketball game, the Westfield Bombers’ style of play conjured up memories of championshipcaliber play from former players such as Jordan Santiago, Alex Garstka, Aaron Rogers, Adam Rivera, Alex Frazier, and Joe Meade. Westfield rallied from a big deficit only to lose to Central late, 59-50, Wednesday night at home. The Bombers received big time efforts from Isaiah Headley (15 points), Demetrius Rogers (9), Richard Barnett (7), and several others. Ju’an Williams and Chris Baldwin led the Golden Eagles with 19 and 16 points, respectively. Westfield fell behind from the outset as Central opened the game with a 19-5 run. Williams made an and-one 3-pointer for a not-so-typical 4-point play, and a traditional and-one for three more with 2:22 remaining in the first quarter. Headley hit a key buzzerbeater to close out the quarter and pull Westfield within 21-10. In the second quarter, the Bombers hung tough with key plays from Alex Brown (a solid post move for 2 points), Headley (an acrobatic layup along the baseline), Rogers (a reverse layup), and Aric Laplante (3-pointer). Westfield, which easily

Westfield’s Demetrius Rogers, left, soars to the hoop. (Photo by Chris Putz)

Bombers’ Alex Brown attempts a free throw as Central’s Jamal Douglas (11) looks on Wednesday night at Westfield High School. (Photo by Chris Putz) Westfield’s Richard Barnett attempts a jump shot.

(Photo by

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could have thrown in the towel early, trailed at the half, 31-21. “I told (our players) at halftime, ‘We could have been this close – inches apart – from getting embarrassed, but we showed some true character,’” Bombers coach Bill

Daley said. Westfield cut Central’s lead to single digits in the third quarter with two free throws from Rogers, and then again with a corner three from Barnett. A three from Isiah Pizzaro gave Central another double digit lead though,

36-26. Westfield made it a 38-35 ballgame with two free throws from Headley, a Rogers’ trey, and a steal and lay-up from Headley with 3:30 left in the third quarter. Central extended the lead to seven points to begin the fourth quarter, 44-37. Central opened the last

quarter with a two-point bucket from the 6-foot, 8-inch Baldwin, his fourth basket in the team’s last five makes. Westfield responded with an 11-0 run. Brown made a 2-point shot. Headley converted successive 3s, and Laplante added another shot from beyond the arc to give the Bombers a 48-46

advantage with 4:54 left in the game. Although Manny Golob did not shot up in the scoring column, Daley said the Westfield junior forward was also a crucial factor in the team’s successful run Wednesday. Over the course of the next few minutes, Central turned to its shifty guard, Williams, who scored a quick five points. A free throw and a put back from Baldwin completed an 8-0 run. The Golden Eagles led 54-48 with just over a minute remaining. Westfield was forced to foul in the final minute. Williams made 5-of-6 from the free throw line to seal the game for Central. “Every time we were right there, our inexperience showed a little bit,” said Daley, whose team failed to box out and rebound the ball, turned it over, and managed to get to the free throw line just once over the final eight minutes. The Bombers (3-7, 0-1) return to action Thursday against the Terriers at West Springfield. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. GIRLS’ HOOPS St. Mary 38, Dean Tech 10 Lauren Chapdelaine (11 points) and Elizabeth Lincoln (10) led St. Mary to its first victory of the season. Saints’ Karissa Foley (6), Elisa Kosinski (3), Tessa Kielbasa (2), Alison Stanlewicz (2), Francesca Depergola (2), and Casey Rutledge (2) also scored for the Saints. Dean Tech’s Elba Rodriguez scored a team-high six points.

Westfield Youth Hockey Report Amherst 14, Westfield Jr. Bombers Red 9 Sunday, January 5, 2014 at Smead Ice Arena Division: Mite 3 The Westfield Junior Bombers Red matched up with Amherst on Sunday at Smead Arena in Springfield. After falling behind 7-2 early, the Bombers rallied to tie the score 7-7 before eventually falling 14-9. In an entertaining game from start to finish, Westfield was led in goal by Gavin Connors and his impressive 36 saves. Evan Michelucci led the comeback attempt with a hat trick and was greatly helped by two goals apiece from Spencer Roy and Brandon Houle. Joe Roselli and Jacob Hanselman scored goals as well for the Bombers. Despite coming up short in recent outings, this is a group that continues to develop. Amherst 8, Westfield Jr. Bombers White 6 Saturday, January 11, 2014 at The Mullins Center Practice Rink, Amherst, MA Division: Mite 3 Westfield Junior Bombers played a great

game in Amherst on Saturday, January 11, 2014. The Junior Bombers had six goals scored by Ryan DeFalco, Brannon Miele, and Kaitlyn Ondrick all scoring two goals. Owen Colbath, Nicholas LaComb,Jacob Millard, Richard Moritko, Quinn O’Brien and Gavin Trzepacz did a great job on defense. Paul Lawry did a great job in goal with over ten saves. Westfield Jr. Bombers White 7, Holy Name 7 Sunday, January 12, 2014 at Smead Arena, Springfield, MA Division: Mite 3 Westfield Junior Bombers kept the pressure on as they played Holy Name at Smead Arena. The game ended with a tie and each team scoring 7 goals. Owen Colbath and Gavin Trzepacz each had a goal during the game. Ryan DeFalco had two goals and a hat trick for Brannon Miele. Paul Lawry played in the goal with more than ten saves in the net. Nicholas LaComb, Jacob Millard, Richard Moritko, Quinn O’Brien and Kaitlyn Ondrick all played a great game.

Brattleboro Hawks 5, Westfield Jr. Bombers 3 Saturday, January 11, 2014 at Amelia Park Ice Arena, Westfield, MA Division: Squirt 2 This Westfield team proved they can run with the big dogs, as they gave one of the best teams in their division a run for their money. The Bombers came out shooting and got on the board first with a breakaway goal by Drew Glenzel. Brattleboro responded right back with wicked top shelf goal that got past Westfield goalie Sean Rowbotham. Westfield kept the pressure on and it paid off with their 2nd goal of the game. Kayla Russ had a sweet pass to Aidan Jubb, who hit the post, but Gage Sperlonga was there to follow up the shot and put the puck in. The Bombers were able to tack on a 3rd goal when Russ set up Sperlonga for his second goal of the game. The second period had serious back and forth action, and Brattleboro was able to get a rebound shot in past Rowbotham. Westfield’s defense was solid as usual with great play by Harrison Klein, Olivia Lawry, Brody Fitzgerald and Jake Marcoulier. Marcoulier was exceptional on the penalty kill in the second period, shutting down any offensive attacks by the Hawks. Brattleboro

started to pull away in the 3rd period, but the Bombers would not go away without a fight. Rowbotham had 2 phenomenal breakaway saves, and Russ, Jubb and Glenzel broke up multiple plays, but Brattleboro proved to be too much. The Hawks added 3 goals in the final period to seal the game and lock up a hard fought victory.

Additional photos and reprints are available at “Photos” on www.thewestfieldnews.com

Coming Soon To WeSTfield!

Indoor BattIng Cages • Professional Instruction • • Fully Stocked ProShop • Hitting Leagues • • Birthday Parties • Membership Packages • • HitTrax - First & Only Baseball Simulator • • Shortstop Bar & Grill •

99 Springfield Rd • Westfield (Next to Walmart) For More Info Contact: Extra Innings - Agawam 413.789.9200 • www.extrainnings-agawam.com or Expert Fitness 413.568.2200 • www.expertfitnesshc.com

www.thewestfieldnews.com

PAGE 10 - THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014

THE WESTFIELD NEWS

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS SCHEDULES THURSDAY January 23

FRIDAY January 24

SATURDAY MONDAY January 25 January 27 WESTFIELD HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING at Bert Berger Invitational, Chicopee High School, 8 a.m. GIRLS’ HOCKEY (Cathedral/WHS/ Long.) at Matignon, Stoneham Arena, 11 a.m. BOYS’ V HOCKEY at East Longmeadow, Olympia Ice Center, West Springfield, 4 p.m. ***Sunday, January 26*** BOYS’ JV HOCKEY vs. Cathedral, Cyr Arena, 8 p.m.

SKIING – PVIAC Race, Berkshire East, 5 p.m. BOYS’ JV HOOPS at West Springfield, 5:30 p.m. GIRLS’ JV HOOPS vs. Minnechaug, 5:30 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS at West Springfield, 7 p.m. GIRLS’ V HOOPS vs. Minnechaug, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY January 28

WEDNESDAY January 29

BOYS’ JV HOCKEY vs. Agawam, Amelia Park Ice Arena, 4 p.m. SKIING – PVIAC Race, Berkshire East, 5 p.m. GIRLS’ JV HOOPS at Agawam, 5:30 p.m. SWIMMING at Minnechaug, 6:30 p.m. GIRLS’ V HOOPS at Agawam, 7 p.m. WRESTLING vs. West Springfield, 7 p.m. BOYS’ V HOCKEY at Ludlow, Olympia Ice Center, West Springfield, 8:30 p.m.

BOYS’ JV HOOPS vs. Northampton, 5:30 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS vs. Northampton, 7 p.m.

BOYS’ JV HOCKEY at Longmeadow, Cyr Arena, 5 p.m. BOYS’ JV HOOPS vs. Putnam, 5:30 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS vs. Putnam, 7 p.m.

SOUTHWICK-TOLLAND REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ JV HOOPS vs. Renaissance, 5:30 p.m. GIRLS’ JV HOOPS vs. Cathedral, 5:30 p.m. GIRLS’ V HOOPS vs. Smith Academy, 7 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS at Granby, 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS’ JV HOOPS at McCann Tech, 6 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS vs. Renaissance, 7 p.m. GIRLS’ V HOOPS at McCann Tech, 7:30 p.m.

SKIING – PVIAC Race, 5 p.m. BOYS’ JV HOOPS at McCann Tech, 5:30 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS at McCann Tech, 7 p.m.

GIRLS’ JV HOOPS at Commerce, 5:30 p.m. GIRLS’ V HOOPS at Commerce, 7 p.m.

BOYS’ JV HOOPS vs. St. Mary, 5:30 p.m. GIRLS’ JV HOOPS at Ware, 5:30 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS vs. St. Mary, 7 p.m. GIRLS’ V HOOPS at Ware, 7 p.m.

WRESTLING vs. South Hadley, 7 p.m.

SKIING – PVIAC Race, 5 p.m. GIRLS’ JV HOOPS vs. Pathfinder, 5 p.m. GIRLS’ V HOOPS vs. Pathfinder, 6:30 p.m.

BOYS’ JV HOOPS vs. Smith Voke, 5 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS vs. Smith Voke, 6:30 p.m. WRESTLING at Hampshire, 7 p.m.

GATEWAY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING at The Mounty, All Day

BOYS’ JV HOOPS vs. Holyoke Catholic, 5 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS vs. Holyoke Catholic, 6:30 p.m.

WESTFIELD VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ JV HOOPS at Pioneer Valley Christian School, First Baptist Church Community, 5:30 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS at Pioneer Valley Christian School, First Baptist Church Community, 7 p.m.

GIRLS’ JV HOOPS vs. Putnam, 4 p.m.

SAINT MARY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ V HOOPS vs. Franklin Tech, Westfield Middle School North, 5:30 p.m.

BOYS’ V HOCKEY at Chicopee Comp, Fitzpatrick Arena, 3:30 p.m.

BOYS’ V HOCKEY at Taconic, Pittsfield Boys’ & Girls’ Club, 7:30 p.m.

BOYS’ JV HOOPS at Southwick-Tolland, 5:30 p.m. GIRLS’ V HOOPS at Smith Voke, 6 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS at Southwick-Tolland, 7 p.m.

BOYS’ JV HOOPS at Whitinsville Christian School, 5:30 p.m. BOYS’ V HOOPS at Whitinsville Christian School, 7 p.m.

WESTFIELD STATE UNIVERSITY SCHEDULES

Ice Hockey DAY Thursday Saturday Thursday Saturday

DATE OPPONENT Jan. 23 at Fitchburg State Jan. 25 at UMass Dartmouth Jan. 30 WORCESTER STATE Feb. 1 PLYMOUTH STATE

Thursday Saturday

Feb. 6 Feb. 8

TIME 7:00 4:30 7:35 5:35

at Framingham State at Salem State

Men’s Basketball DAY

DATE

OPPONENT

TIME

Saturday

Jan. 25

MCLA