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The Westfield News
“A man does not
know what he is saying until he knows what he is not saying.”
Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
— G.K. CHESTERTON
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 194
75 cents
Man who allegedly robbed barber held on $5,000 cash bail
Variety store beer licenses stalled By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The city’s License Commission began its review of two beer and wine sales applications submitted by the owner of two neighborhood variety stores as a convenience for patrons, but the board will have to wait until at least September to make its final decision. The owners of New Corner Variety on Prospect Hill and the Pleasant Street Market at the downtown intersection of Pleasant, South Main and West Silver streets are seeking a malt and wine license from the commission. That license petition and review delay is due to a zoning regulation, adopted in 1990, which requires a special permit review by the Planning Board for any business selling alcoholic beverages within 500 feet of a school or church. The city under IV., General Use Regulations states: No permit shall be issued for the erection, enlargement or conversion of a structure utilized for the purpose of selling or service alcoholic beverages which is situated within five hundred (500) feet, measured by a direct line from entrance to entrance, of any lot used for a church or a public and/or parochial school primarily intended for the education of students in Grades K through 12, unless a special permit has been obtained from the Planning Board. Said permit shall be obtained from the Planning Board before application is made for any other permit in connection with the proposed erection, enlargement or conversion. (Adopted 02/15/90) License Department Director Denise Carey said the Planning Board requirement has been in place since 1990, but has not been enforced during her tenure with the License Commission and that the issue was recently raised by Principal Planner Jay Vinskey during a round table review of the two variety store applications. Carey said the License Commission had already slated its agenda and have done legal advertising for the two public hearings and that members decided to conduct a preliminary review of the petitions to ensure compliance with state and city alcoholic-license requirements. The New Corner Variety is owned by NCVR, Inc. and the Pleasant Street Market by PSM, Inc., which are owned by Laura L. Parker, who said during the truncated hearing that she is looking at a small area for the beer and wine sales. “I just don’t have the room (at New Corner Variety), I can’t expand because I need all of the parking I have for sandwich and deli sales. I plan to start small: one cooler on the floor for six-packs of beer and one stand for wine,” Parker said.
This year’s recipients of the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke Trustees Scholarship are from left to right: Eric Shilynuk of Westfield, Zachary Beswick of Westfield, Connor Paradis of Florence and Santolo Odierna of West Springfield. (Photo submitted)
Soldiers’ Home awards 2015 scholarships HOLYOKE – The Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke Board of Trustees has named the recipients of its 2015 academic scholarship awards for children of Soldiers’ Home employees. Earning scholarships this year were: Eric Shilynuk of Westfield. Shilyuk graduated from Westfield High School in June and plans to study mechanical engineering at Western New England University. He is the son of Pavel and Galina Shilyuk, a certified nurse assistant at the Home. Zachary Beswick of Westfield. Beswick graduated from Westfield High School in June and plans to study psychology at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He is the
son of David and Lori Beswick, a program coordinator at the Home. Santolo Odierna of West Springfield. Odierna is attending the University of Connecticut School of Law. He is in his third year at the school. He is son of Luigina and Giuseppe Odierna, a cook at the Home. In addition to the three academic scholarships, each worth $1.666, the Trustees this year announced a new $1,250 scholarship for a student pursuing a career in the fine or performing arts. A Florence man was named the recipient of the first-ever Walter J. Zarichak Scholarship Award in honor of longtime
By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A judge ruled Monday that a man who allegedly robbed and threatened to murder a local barber can be released on $5,000 cash bail – if he can come up with the money. Encarnacion J. Alvarado, 40, of no known address, was arraigned in Westfield District Court Friday on charges of armed robbery and threat to commit a crime. Initially, Alvarado was held without the right to bail A Facebook picture from A until Monday’s hearing. Cut Above the Rest Alvarado’s attorney, Barbershop’s profile, of Thomas F. McGuire of Encarnacion J. Alvarado, Springfield, said his client’s who was charged Friday with family will be “hard-pressed” armed robbery and threat to to come up with that kind of commit a crime. money. McGuire asked for $1,000 cash bail saying his client is homeless and has no money. “He is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” McGuire said. Alvarado allegedly stormed into the County Barber Shop located at 61 School Street around 4:15 p.m. Thursday demanding money. Owner David Munoz said, “He put a razor on my neck,” and “was screaming I’m high as hell–I’ll f-ing kill you!” Alvarado took Munoz’s money from his pocket and pushed him to the ground. Munoz ran after Alvarado in the direction of the Westfield police station where a police officer exiting the back door joined the chase, according to Munoz. According to Assistant District Attorney Michael Wallace, Alvarado was arrested an hour and a half later in his girlfriend’s apartment on Washington Street. See Bail, Page 3
Lost then Found: The misadventures of ‘Tukker’ the mini-poodle WESTIELD — Tukker was adopted by Merilyn Thomas of Westfield in March of 2015 from The Westfield Animal Shelter. He’d had a hard life, as he appeared to have been abused and abandoned. Because of his background and experience, Tukker was a very timid little guy. While Merilyn was away from home for the day, he managed to escape from his home, and hit the road. Animal control was contacted, and immediately began a search and rescue operation, not quitting until after midnight on that first night. He was spotted many times, but he is a smart and cunning little poodle. Over 200 flyers were distributed
throughout the area and The Westfield News posted his photo. He was sighted as far as Hillside Rd. in Southwick. Merilyn takes him on The Rail Trail on daily walks, and he walked over 5 miles on the trail one day. Ponders Hollow Rd, Birch Bluffs, Drive, Colony Drive and Colony Circle were some of the neighborhoods where he was spotted. A trap was set in hopes of containing this wiry little guy…but being one of the smartest breeds on the planet, he pulled the blanket with the food bowl to the front of the trap, ate the food and drank the See Tukker, Page 3
TUKKER
See Licenses, Page 3
Southampton ambulance rollout delayed again By CHRIS LINDAHL @cmlindahl Daily Hampshire Gazette SOUTHAMPTON — A relaunch of the town’s paramedic-level ambulance service has been pushed back for a third time since May after officials last month promised to have it up and running by Aug. 1. Those services were suspended after a May 28 inspection by the state Department of Public Health Office of Emergency Medical Services revealed “serious deficiencies” in the Fire Department’s ambulance operations. State, town and Cooley Dickinson Hospital officials agreed that the department would resume its paramedic-level ambulance services after the problems were rectified.
The issues included a lack of a paramedic coordinator, lapses in drug record-keeping procedures and expired drugs found on both of the department’s ambulances. Cooley Dickinson doctors supervise treatment of patients by
Southampton paramedics through a state-licensed affiliation agreement. “While tomorrow is August 1 and we did not meet that deadline, we are all working collaboratively and diligently to review the necessary documentation as soon as possible,” Dr. Raymond F. Conway, the hospital’s medical director of emergency services, said Friday in an email. Fire Chief John Workman says he expects services to be up and running by the end of next week. Since May 28, the department has been operating a basic-level ambulance service that is licensed to provide first aid, but not to administer drugs or perform advanced medical procedures. Emergency calls that require a paramedic-level ambulance are answered simultaneously
by the Southampton Fire Department and another ambulance from a surrounding community. Officials initially said services would resume by June 10 while paramedics were retrained and practices overhauled. That was quickly pushed back to July 1 to allow for a more comprehensive review of policies and procedures. After officials met on June 31, Workman said he was given the OK to restart services, but chose to hold off while he hired new personnel. He predicted then that everything would be operational by Aug. 1. On Friday, Workman said there would be a third — and what he expects to be a final — delay in the rollout of paramedic-level ambulance services.
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Workman and Conway plan to hold their final meeting to iron out details of the relaunch next week, Workman said. He chalks this delay up to communication and scheduling issues. Conway wanted to discuss something concerning the Fire Department’s food and drug license with state officials, Workman said. Workman himself spoke with an official about the license on Thursday. “I know that there’s not an issue, but (Conway) needs to hear that himself,” Workman said. He added, “It’s really just a matter of sitting down and having our meeting that we need to have.” Chris Lindahl can be reached at clindahl@gazettenet.com.