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“Make voyages. Attempt them. There’s nothing else.” — TENNESSEE WILLIAMS
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 077
Domus raises funds to fill ‘community need’ By LORI SZEPELAK Contributor WESTFIELD – As painting parties continue to grow in popularity, a group of women in the city hope their twist on the creative endeavor will help raise funds to purchase furnishings for a new project on Broad Street. Janet Gravel, a site coordinator for Domus Incorporated’s Prospect Hill School, came up with the idea of a “Sip and Paint with a Chocolate Twist,” featuring local artist Melissa VanHeynigen. Gravel is being assisted with logistics by Ann Lentini, executive director, Domus, and Catherine Tansey, a social worker at Westfield High School. “Our evening event on April 15 is painting the koi pond at Stanley Park using mixed media including watercolors,” said Gravel during an interview with the Westfield News on Tuesday afternoon at the Domus headquarters at 4 School St. The cost for the 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. class is $25 and includes all materials, hot chocolate, coffee and teas, and a host of chocolate desserts. “All chocolate goodies are made and donated by friends,” said Gravel, noting desserts will range from strawberries dipped in chocolate, chocolate raspberry cheesecake and pretzels drizzled in caramel and chocolate, to homemade fudge and double mint fudge brownies.
ON THE STREET
‘Are you excited about MGM breaking ground for a Springfield casino?’
DOLPH FUSCO I don’t think the government should be doing this for tax revenue. I would prefer no gambling place.
CHRISTINA DEMERS Not really, I don’t have any money and I don’t gamble.
JOHN ARNOLD I’m not excited or disappointed.
BOSTON – The Commonwealth’s Economic Assistance Coordinating Council (EACC) this week approved 13 projects for participation in the Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP). These projects are expected to create 998 new jobs and retain 1,602 jobs throughout Massachusetts, while leveraging approximately $178 million in private investment. “These economic development projects will help build the framework for a new wave of growth and revitalization in our local communities,” said Jay Ash, Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and See Development, Page 3
Town caucuses slated for this weekend By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The town’s political parties will meet this weekend to nominate candidates for the May 12 town election. The Republican party will hold its caucus Friday at Town Hall from 5:30-7:30 p.m., while Democrats will caucus Saturday at Town Hall from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. A three-year term on the Board of Selectmen and one three-year term seat on the School Committee are two of the seats available. Town Clerk Michelle Hill said the deadline for returning nomination papers for unenrolled candidates was March 24 at 5 p.m., however, she did not receive any papers. Other elected positions on the May 12 ballot include the Board of Assessors, Cemetery Commission, Dickinson Trust, Library Board of Trustees, Parks and Recreation Commission and Water Commission. Selectwoman Tracy Cesan opted not to run for re-election, as did School Committee member Daryl Cass. Planning Board Chairman Douglas Moglin has indicated he would accept the Republican nomination for selectmen.
Residents return favorable opinion on keeping CPA
See Domus, Page 3
State approves Westfield development projects
75 cents
DIANE BOISJOLIE KATHY JOHNSON No, I’m not excited. I can’t wait, I love the It’s going to cause a lot slots. of traffic and I’m not into gambling.
LUTHER HOSMER Not really excited, I’m not a gambler.
PHOTOS BY FREDERICK GORE
Southampton man goes to court to obtain records on PISA tests By DAN CROWLEY Staff Writer Daily Hampshire Gazette NORTHAMPTON — A Southampton man’s yearlong public records battle with state education officials has moved to the courts, where he hopes to learn which Massachusetts schools participated in an international student assessment study. The complaint filed Tuesday in Hampshire Superior Court by James Palermo seeks a court order to compel the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to release the names
House backs Governor Baker’s early retirement plan for state workers BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts House gave overwhelming approval yesterday to Gov. Charlie Baker’s plan to offer early retirement packages to thousands of state employees. The governor and lawmakers expect about 4,500 executive branch workers to take advantage of the program, saving the state about $173 million in the next fiscal year that starts on July 1. The savings estimate was about $5 million less than what Baker originally GOV. BAKER projected. Under the plan, state agencies would be allowed to “backfill” 20 percent of the salaries of the workers who opt for early retirement — meaning the agencies could hire replacements for departing workers until they reached 20 percent of the salaries of the total salaries of those who left. Baker, a Republican, offered the proposal as part of a broader plan to close what his administration projected as a $1.8 billion budget shortfall. Some members of the Democratic-controlled House were uneasy about offering early retirement to executive branch workers, but not to other employees such as those in the state’s judicial system. “I think we should afford all of our state employees equal protection under the law we want to put on the governor’s desk,” See State Workers, Page 3
of the Massachusetts schools and districts that participated in the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) testing. “I’m glad it’s going to go before a court. I think this is so important,” said Palermo. State education officials have declined to release the information to Palermo despite twice being ordered to do so by state Supervisor of Records Shawn A. Williams, who earlier ruled on two appeals in the case. See Public Records, Page 8
CISA meeting on food plan slated for Friday NORTHAMPTON – CISA, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, is holding its annual meeting and potluck on Friday form 6-9 p.m. at the Northampton Senior Center. It is open to all Local Hero members, CISA Community Members, and CISA donors. CISA will share the past year’s successes and look ahead to upcoming challenges. In addition, newly appointed state Agricultural Commissioner, John Lebeaux, will be in attendance. Commissioner Lebeaux was appointed by the Governor in early February and this will be his first trip to the Pioneer Valley. At the annual meeting, attendees will be asked to review the emerging Massachusetts Food System Plan. “Every year, we ask the community to share their expertise on a current topic and we thought the time was ripe for us all to weigh in on Massachusetts’ first food plan since 1974″, said Philip Korman, executive director of CISA. We will also celebrate the recipients of the Local Hero awards — Squash Trucking, Inc., Maple Corner Farm, and Adams Farm — for their contributions to the buy local movement. “Our awardees represent a slice of the local food economy throughout the Valley. They share a long-term commitment and a willingness to work hard to bring local food to our tables,” said Margaret Christie, special projects director. CISA is a nationally recognized organization of farmers, community members, and advocates working together to strengthen farms and engage the community to build the local food economy. Working in western Massachusetts and the region for over 20 years, CISA offers assistance to farmers, provides farm shares for low-income seniors, and runs the nation’s oldest agricultural “buy local” campaign – Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown®. Find out more about our work to double the amount of local food in our diets at buylocalfood.org or call 413-665-7100.
By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – A first-ever survey sent with this year’s census yielded 1,141 responses to questions about the town’s Community Preservation Act funds. Town Clerk Michelle Hill said she was happy with the return, although many people returned the census without filling out the survey. Hill sent about 4,500 census forms with surveys and received nearly 4,000 census responses. “I was really pleased with the number of census responses,” said Hill. The survey asked each household whether the town should keep the CPA program as is, eliminate the CPA as is, modify the program, and approve the same exemption for business as residential. Hill said 500 respondents wanted to keep the CPA as is, 380 wanted to eliminate it as is, 225 said they would modify it, and 248 approved the business exemption. Hill was the only person who opened the census and surveys. About .05 percent of opinions came to Hill from means other than the census, and many surveys included written opinions. One opinion was allowed per household. The CPA law passed in 2000. It enables adopting communities to raise funds to create a local dedicated fund for open space preservation, preservation of historic resources, development of affordable housing, and the acquisition and development of outdoor recreational facilities. Funds are raised locally for these purposes through imposition of a voter-authorized surcharge on local property tax bills of up to 3%. Several exemptions to the CPA surcharge can also be authorized by voters at the time of adoption. Local adoption of CPA by a community triggers annual distributions from the state’s Community Preservation Trust Fund, a statewide fund held by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, which the law also establishes.
Police identity suspect in fatal stabbing SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Springfield police have issued an arrest warrant for a man they say fatally stabbed a 29-year-old woman and injured two other people earlier this month. Police on Wednesday identified 46-year-old Erick Buchanon as a suspect in the March 11 stabbings, including the death of Salina Merritt, a mother of three. The warrant is for charges of murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and other offenses. The other victims were a man and another woman. Sgt. John Delaney described Buchanon as “armed and dangerous” and said police think he is still in western Massachusetts. Anyone who knows of the suspect’s whereabouts is asked to call police.