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Presidential Search Committee selects firm By PETER FRANCIS Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Westfield State University’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee has selected Diversified Search as the firm it will be recommending to the full Board of Trustees to assist in choosing the school’s next president. Based out of Philadelphia with eight offices around the U.S., Diversified Search was chosen from a crop of four search firms from around the U.S. at a meeting of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee yesterday, edging out Korn/Ferry International of Boston by a final vote of 7-4. Kim Morrisson of Diversified spoke with the 11-member committee via the video conferencing tool Skype, outlining her company’s strategy. “We have a team that focuses on higher education and non-profit work with about 17 people in it,” said Morrisson, adding that a member of that team would fly in See WSU Search, Page 3
Police receive grants to augment programs By CARL E. HARTDEGEN Staff Writer WESTFIELD – City police have new tools to enhance safety on the city’s roads and reduce the availability of liquor to underage drinkers thanks to a pair of grants recently received from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration via the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. One $5,000 grant will be used to make the city’s roadways safer for pedestrian and bicyclists while a second $10,000 grant is earmarked to combat underage consumption of alcohol. Westfield police Capt. Michael McCabe announced in recent news releases that the two grants have been received and wrote that the alcohol See Programs, Page 3
is usually contempt for other people’s
happiness, and is an elegant disguise for
hatred of the human race.”
— BERTRAND RUSSELL
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 006
“Contempt for happiness
75 cents
Sullivan appoints committee members A group students examine a set of documents during a prior Westfield High School Science Fair in the school gymnasium. The documents pertained to an experiment involving a water purification system usng solar energy. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
Westfield High School to hold science fair By PETER FRANCIS Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Westfield High School will once again hold their regionally-renowned science fair this year on Thursday, February 12. It will be the 15th annual event and is expected to draw over 300 participants according to Donna McKay, head of the WHS science department. “We have what I believe to be the largest high School science fair in western Massachusetts,” said McKay, who will be helping run the event with cocoordinators Renee Sweeney and Jon Tyler. “I am proud to say that Westfield High School is consistently recognized as a leader in both the regional and state competitions as well.” Over 100 professionals in the areas of engineering, biotechnology, physics, biology, ecology, chemistry and behavioral science will participate in the judging process for the event, which will be held in the WHS gymnasium from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will be open to the public between the hours of 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. that day. McKay said earlier this
JONATHAN B. CARTER week that the top 12 projects from the fair move on to the Region I fair at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams later this year. She added that last year all of Westfield High School’s participants received awards and moved on to the state competition, held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. “The top projects from the Region I fair compete for over $600,000 in scholarships and prizes at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,” said McKay, adding that one past WHS student received a $20,000 scholarship to attend the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. McKay is proud of her students and says that for the past several years stu-
dents have even gone as far as the International Science Fair, with one student, Maileen Kozak, traveling to Los Angeles to present her project, “The Effect of a Solar Powered Surgical Sterilization System on Bacteria Growth.” “This is truly one of the most authentic learning experiences we offer to our students,” she said. “This process allows them the opportunity to perform research, identify and solve real world problems, carry out and design their own experiments, analyze data, and to communicate orally, visually, and in writing with distinguished scientists.” “We look forward to this day when we can see the culmination of work our amazing students have completed with their mentor teachers,” she said. WHS Principal Jonathan Carter said that this year’s fair will coincide with a prospective student orientation night for current 8th graders. “We are excited to expand our science fair this year. It is one of our showcase events of the school year,” said Carter. See Science Fair, Page 3
Traffic infraction leads to drug arrests By CARL E. HARTDEGEN Staff Writer WESTFIELD – It started out as a simple traffic violation but, when the dust had settled, all three occupants were under arrest and two bags of cocaine had been seized. Officer John Blascak reports that he was traveling northbound on East Mountain Road when he observed a southbound car cross the double yellow center line to pass another southbound vehicle on the road which was wet and icy in spots. He reports that when he stopped the offending car he found that the operator, Megan Phelon, 26, of 150 Hillside Road, had a suspended license. When the car was inventoried in preparation for towing it from the scene, a bag of cocaine was found under a floor mat within reach of the driver’s seat. Phelon was arrested for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, possession of a Class B drug and a marked lanes violation When Blascak asked a passenger, Tyler G. Lyttle, 22, of 140 Russell Road, if he was in possession of any drugs the man surrendered a bag of cocaine which had been secreted
MEGAN M. PHELON
TYLER G. LYTTLE
ADAM J. GERLIP
in his shoe. Lyttle was arrested for possession of a Class B drug. A second passenger, Adam Gerlip, 24, of 56 Grandview Drive, was allowed to leave with his father but returned after a few minutes while officers were still examining the car and attempted enter the vehicle.
By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – At-large Councilor Brian Sullivan said Monday, following his election as City Council President, that he did not plan to make wholesale changes to the memberships of committees which have been in place for the past year. Those committee memberships were significant following the Nov. 2013 election which put six new members into City Council seats BRIAN and challenged then Council SULLIVAN President Brent B. Bean II, who chose not to seek reelection as president this year, to balance committee membership with both newly elected and veteran councilors. Incoming City Council presidents typically poll the council members as to their preference re: committees and try to accommodate those preferences. Sullivan said that he moved several veteran councilors from committees on which they have served for several years to See Sullivan, Page 3
Root Road athletic complex project OK’d By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Planning Board Tuesday night approved permits for construction of an athletic complex that will include both indoor and outdoor fields. The Planning Board members voted 6-0 to approve a special permit, site plan and stormwater management plan petitioned by Frank DeMarinis to construct an 87,400 squarefoot athletic complex on 12.4 acres of land. The building will house three indoor fields measuring 100 by 200 feet, locker rooms and common space with a restaurant and observation area and indoor track. Mechanized skylights over the three fields are designed to open for ventilation. The project also includes construction of two outdoor fields with synthetic turf and parking areas. See Athletic Complex, Page 3
Gateway district receives state technology grant By PETER FRANCIS Staff Writer BOSTON – In one of his final actions as governor, Deval L. Patrick announced Tuesday that 47 schools from 14 school districts – including three schools in Huntington’s Gateway Regional District – were selected to receive a total of $5 million in grants for technology infrastructure that will strengthen digital learning for nearly 25,000 students. Recipients for the Digital Connections Partnership Schools Grant were selected through a competitive application process and will be using the funds from the matching state grant program to improve Wi-Fi and increased broadband access. “Technology is essential in preparing our students for success in the 21st century,” said Secretary of Education Matthew Malone. “The opportunities these students will receive due to these grants will put them at a great advantage when they are preparing for college and the workforce demands of the future.” “I am thrilled that the state is able to help make better technology available to students and teachers,” said Mitchell D. Chester, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “The ability to use technology and harness resources from around the world will broaden students’ horizons and make them stronger scholars, citizens, and, eventually, members of the workforce.” Through the grant, Chester Elementary School, and Gateway Regional Junior High School and Littleville Elementary
See Arrests, Page 3
Coffee & Bagel Shoppe
Where the Coffee is Black as Ink
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See Technology Grant, Page 3