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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns

“We must not

say every mistake is a foolish one.” — CICERO

www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 84 NO. 231

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015

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WSU presents Vietnam War play ‘The Draft’ WESTFIELD – As part of its guest lecture series, Westfield State University will host a one-night performance of “The Draft,” a new play about personal experiences with the Vietnam War draft, on Thursday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Dever Stage in Parenzo Hall. Admission is free for students and a donation of $10 at the door is suggested for all others. Written by award-winning Boston playwright Peter Snoad, “The Draft” gives voice to the compelling real-life stories of 10 young people (eight of them current residents of the Pioneer Valley) who responded to the draft in different ways. Some fought in the jungles and rice paddies of Vietnam, resisted the draft and served jail time, or chose self-exile in Canada. Others won conscientious objector status and organized for civil rights and against the war, beat the draft and counseled other draftees on their options, counseled traumatized vets, protested with thousands of others on college campuses, or treated the maimed and dying in a military field hospital. Snoad is the recipient of two national new play awards, the Stanley Drama Award and the Arthur W. Stone New Play Award, as well as fellowships from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. His work has been produced throughout the U.S., and in Canada, the U.K., Australia, and Singapore. The first full staging of The Draft is timely: 2015 marks the 50 anniversary of the start of the U.S. ground war in Vietnam, and the 40th anniversary of the end of the war. “I think the stories in the play speak to the intense personal and collective struggles of a generation of young people,” said Snoad. “They challenge us to consider the enduring impacts of war and militarism today.” One of the stories featured in the play is that of Westfield State Professor Tom Gardner. Last year, Gardner taught a seminar on the Vietnam War era and his students read and discussed “The Draft” in class. In 2012, Gardner took a group of students to Vietnam to examine the effects of Agent Orange, the toxic defoliant that U.S. forces sprayed over the countryside during the war. The experience of that visit is incorporated into the play. Gardner said the play will appeal to students and adults alike. “Whether they were part of the Vietnam-era generation or are current college students, or any age in between, they will feel the intensity, the confusion, the anger, and some of the joys of the time,” Gardner said. “I can’t imagine a better teaching tool.” Twelve young actors play more than 70 characters in the play. “The Draft” is a multi-media piece in which personal testimony is interwoven with music, archival photos, video See The Draft, page 3

As part of its guest lecture series, Westfield State University will host a one-night performance of “The Draft,” a new play about personal experiences with the Vietnam War draft, on Thursday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Dever Stage in Parenzo Hall.

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ValID SEpt. 2-30, 2015

Council to consider aviation, athletic funding

had been in the spotlight the past several weeks as Republican and Democratic presidential candidates pitched to the crowds. Tassinari said The Big E will remind fair-goers about the contest through video messaging and over the public address system. In addition, The Big E launched a mobile app, which provide up-to-date information and alerts ticket holders of daily concerts, exhibits, livestock shows and, of course, the contest. The app can be downloaded from Google Play or the Apple iTune store. “The app will have virtually everything

By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The City Council will consider two appropriations tonight related to the new Aviation program at Westfield Technical Academy and a bond to improve athletic facilities in the city. Finance Committee Chairman Brent B. Bean said this morning that he plans to bring the three issues out for discussion as a Committee of the Whole because two members of the Finance Committee are out of town on business. Bean said that Ward 5 Councilor Robert A. Paul Sr., is out of the country and that Ward 6 Councilor Christopher Crean will be returning tonight to attend the City Council session but will not be available before the council meeting begins at 7 p.m. . Bean has tentatively slated a 7:30 p.m. finance committee meeting, but may bring the three finance issues out to the full council for discussion tonight. The two appropriations for the Westfield Technical Academy aviation program are funded through the Community Preservation Act and are being used to rehabilitate Hanger 2 at Barnes Regional Airport where the aviation program will be located. One appropriation is for $225,000 and the second for $45,000. Those are part of the Community Preservation Act allocation to restore the historic hanger which was constructed in the 1930 and is considered to be a historically significant structure in the city. Bean said that City Advancement Officer Joseph Mitchell and Airport Manager Brian Barnes will attend the City Council session to provide further information. Both Mitchell and Barnes, who are both retired Air National Guard officers, have been part of the group advocating for the aviation program. Students who successfully complete the aviation program will be certified by

See The Big E, Page 3

See Council, Page 3

PHOTO COURTESTY OF THE BIG E

The Big E vies for top spot among nation’s state fairs By DENNIS P. HOHENBERGER Correspondent WEST SPRINGFIELD — Votes continue to pour in for the nation’s top state fair, including regional powerhouse The Big E in West Springfield. The Big E, held annually at the Eastern States Exposition, was nominated for USA Today’s 2015 Ten Best Reader’s Choice Travel Award contest. An expert panel chose the Big E for the Best State Fair category. The online contest ends before midnight on Sept. 28. To cast a vote, visit the contest’s website at WWW.10best.com/awards/ travel/best-state-fair/. The Big E, the Northeast’s largest fair, faces competitors from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, Western Idaho, Wisconsin and Texas. As of Tuesday, The Big E stood in fifth place, up from the 17th spot, among the 20 participating fairs. The Indiana State Fair holds at fourth place. While the Iowa State Fair attracts a slew of presidential candidates, The Big E’s famed cream puff, circus, daily Mardi Gras inspired parade, New England State Buildings, and national acts attract nearly1.5 million visitors annually. Noreen Tassinari, The Big

E’s Director of Marketing, said the contest’s website will continually post standings. “We certainly had a number of votes from all of our fans at The Big E. We would love to have people vote more,” she said. Fans can vote by computer, mobile phone or tablet. The website allows one vote every 15 hours per device. To drum up support, The Big E contacted fans through traditional and social media, including FaceBook and Twitter. “Fans are definitely voting for us,” she said. “It’s helpful The Big E is coming up and people are excited about the fair.” The Iowa State Fair is currently in first place. The fair

Handicapped parking issue revised By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The city ordinance establishing three handicapped parking spaces on King Street Extension along the south side of Bullens Field may be revised following construction of American with Disabilities Act (ADA) facilities as part of the baseball field upgrades. The City Council’s Legislative and Ordinance Committee discussed the issue on Tuesday, but decided to wait for a recommendation from the Traffic Commission which met last night. L&O Chairman Ralph Figy said he “put the cart before the horse” when he included elimination of the three King Street Extension handicapped parking space before the Traffic Commission could provide a recommendation to his committee.

Figy has been a vocal advocate of handicapped parking, initiating adoption of the ordinance establishing dedicated handicapped parking in the city, especially along Elm Street. That same legislation, approved last year by the City Council, established the three handicapped parking spaces along Kind Street Extension. “The City Council will have to amend the handicapped parking ordinance,” Figy said. “We’re not going to use those three spaces, so we’ll have to take them out of the ordinance. “I was at the Traffic Commission last night,” Figy said this morning, “and the commission is recommending we eliminate those spaces on King Street Extension because there will be handicapped parking in the upper parking lot (of the old high school) and there will be an ADA compli-

RALPH FIGY ant ramp from that lot to Bullens Field. “So we’re going to leave that issue in our committee until it comes out of the Traffic Commission,” Figy said. The L&O will recommend to the City Council tonight to approve a resolution to allow the city to enter into an inter-

municipal agreement with the town of Southampton for animal control services. “So this will be the fourth community which has come on board, it’s the same type of inter-municipal agreement we already have with West Springfield, Agawam and Easthampton and it’s favorable to Westfield because it generates revenue,” Figy said. Southampton will pay a base rate of $3,000 to use the city’s animal shelter, as well as fees for shots and veterinary services. Westfield will also provide an animal control officer (ACO) if the Southampton ACO is not available on a $50 an hour fee during the week and a $100 hourly fee on Weekends. “It’s a good deal for Westfield because of the income and it’s the vision of that shelter becoming a regional facility,” Figy said.


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