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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
VOL. 83 NO. 1
the journey that matters, in the end.” — Ursula K. Le Guin
www.thewestfieldnews.com THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2014
75 cents
Cultural Council gets grant
Careless crook caught By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – One of the problems facing users of stolen credit cards which would seem to be manageable would be remembering not to attempt to pay a debt to the owner of a stolen credit card with the credit card stolen from him. Allegedly, one Westfield woman found that chore too much of a challenge when she attempted to pay her bar tab at a local watering hole. City police report that the manager of a downtown bar called police at 7:39 p.m. Monday to report that a customer had attempted to use a stolen credit card and Officer Sean Smith responded. Smith reports that the manager said that the female customer had presented one of the bartenders with a credit card to pay her bar bill and the bartender realized that she had given him his own credit card – which he had not known had been stolen. The bartender said that he didn’t know his credit card had been stolen until the woman handed it to him and said that he customarily leaves his jacket in an area which is accessible to customers. He said that the credit card had been in his wallet which was in a pocket of his coat. The manager told Smith that he confronted the woman – about both her unpaid tab and the stolen card – but she was able to exit the bar and flee. However, the manager recorded the registration number of the vehicle in which she fled and Smith showed the bartender a Registry of Motor Vehicles picture of the registered owner who was identified as the suspect. The bartender also said that, in keeping with the bar’s policy, he had both scanned the woman’s license and showed it to his manager when the 29-year-old woman ordered alcohol. Smith sought the registered owner at her Leonard Avenue address but he reports that there was no answer at the door. He did, however, see someone peeking through the window blinds, he reports. Criminal complaints were filed for larceny of a credit card, using a stolen credit card and for fraudulently obtaining food from a restaurant.
“It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is
From left to right: Katherine Robinson ’15, Brittany Moniz ’14, Meaghen Chalmers ’14, Josephine Lannon ’14, interim President Elizabeth Preston, Melissa Stello ’13, Casey Anne Dupelle ’14, Jessica Lindsay ’15.
Westfield State honors student leaders By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Westfield State University President Dr. Elizabeth Preston has named seven students as winners of the University’s prestigious Presidential Award. Prior to a meeting of the University’s Board of Trustees earlier this month, two of the winners, Josephine Lannon and Brittany Moniz, seniors from Amesbury and Leominster, respectively, were brought before the board by Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Carlton Pickron to be recognized for their achievements. According to Pickron, the key criteria for earning Presidential award honors include “high academic standings plus leadership”. “You must be in leadership roles throughout your academic career,” he said. Pickron explained that the university had an association with the “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities”, but that the school’s Student Government Association voted to pull out of that system because of it seeming ike a “popularity contest” and “trying to sell a product instead of truly valuing the great works of and honoring our students.” This led to the establishment of the Presidential Award at the University in 2007. This year’s crop of award winners included the two present at meeting, who both received
special recognition from the Board. Lannon is a nursing major with 3.63 grade point average, a mark which prompted Pickron to refer to her as “extremely special” for what she represents to the new nursing program and the institution. “This is the first time any board of trustees has had a senior nursing major stand before them,” he said proudly. Pickron added that Lannon is also active with the university’s nursing faculty, is a class rep for the nursing club, tutors students with major coursework, organizes health-related events such as blood drives, and works with the psychiatric unit at Noble Hospital. The cheery senior also gave the board a sneak peek at what is in store next semester. “I recently found out I have my nursing capstone (project) coming up with the pediatric unit at Bay State Hospital, so I’m very excited about that — that was my number one choice,” she said, adding she would like to pursue pediatrics. “This opportunity is so invaluable and I’m looking forward to it.” Lannon also said she will be heading to Guatemala in March with a group of around 20 students where she will be performing 100 of her clinical hours the week after spring break. See Student Leaders, Page 3
By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – As part of a statewide network of the over 350 communities in the Commonwealth which receive funds from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Westfield ‘s Cultural Council received a grant of $16,640 for the 2014 cycle. The 10-member council also raised additional funds to raise the final tally to a total of $17,096 heading into January. These grants will work to support a wide array of artistic projects and activities within the city, including exhibits, festivals, short-term artist residencies or performances in schools, workshops and lectures. These funds will go to 16 of the over 30 applicants from in and around the Greater Westfield area. Applicants receiving funds are Abner Gibbs Elementary School ($1,000), Chester Theatre’s 25th Anniversary Season ($500), Ed Cope’s Math Is Magic! ($375), Episcopal Church’s Music Concert Series ($1,000), Franklin Avenue Elementary School ($300), the Young Singers of Westfield ($500), Denis Cormier’s Hands On History ($1,000), Novi Cantori’s Christmas Concert at the First Congregational Church ($500), Paper Mill Elementary School ($800), two programs at the Southampton Road Elementary School ($1,000), the Springfield Symphony Youth Orchestra ($500), the Volunteers In Public Schools ($750), three programs at the Westfield Athenaeum ($1,171), the Westfield Creative Arts Center ($700), Westfield On Weekends ($2,500), and Westfield State University ($4,500). The Westfield Cultural Council will also be holding a grant-writing seminar in the Spring of 2014 for applicants interested in “ensuring greater accuracy and a greater opportunity of being accepted for funding.” In a statement issued earlier this month, the WCC is “confident that the children, as well as all art, music, and theatre lovers within our community will enjoy these wonderful programs.”
Board paves way for moratorium By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Board of Selectmen is moving forward with a Planning Board recommendation for a moratorim on common driveways. Planning Board Chairman Douglas Moglin said the board has viewed common driveways as any other accessory use because there are no bylaws specific to driveways. See Board, Page 3
Hunters fire on Walmart Being prepared Randy Wynglarz, an employee of the Southwick Department of Public Works Sewer Division, attaches a plow to a John Deere tractor this morning in preparation for today’s snowstorm. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Walmart shoppers in the store’s Springfield Road parking lot Saturday may have thought they were under attack when a caller advised police that he saw a bird fall from the air and heard pellets land on parked vehicles. Police report that at 10:07 a.m. Saturday a caller reported that he saw a bird fall and subsequent callers reported that duck hunters were shooting near the store and See Walmart, Page 3
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