Tuesday, October 28, 2014

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WEATHER TONIGHT Mainly clear. Low of 50.

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

www.thewestfieldnews.com

VOL. 83 NO. 253

“We are continually

faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.” — John W. Gardner

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014

75 cents

Atkinson honored at track dedication By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Coach Richard Atkinson Track & Field Facility is now officially open. A ribbon cutting was held yesterday at the brand new $750,000 track on the grounds of Southwick-TollandGranville Regional High School. Named for the longtime coach and former high school math teacher, the track was made possible through a donation of more than $500,000 from the Steven and Elizabeth Nielsen Gift Fund, as well as funds from the Community Preservation Committee. Steven Nielsen, a 1981 graduate of the school, approached Superintendent John Barry in May of 2013 to help fund the track and was on hand yesterday to celebrate his former See Dedication, Page 8

Members of the Southwick Tolland-Granville Regional High School Cross Country teams celebrate the opening of a new athletic track at the school with a ceremonial run yesterday. (Photo by Frederick Gore)

Both the Dan Allie and John Velis campaigns report that campaign signs have been stolen from the lawns of their supporters. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)

Campaign signs reported missing By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – As the campaigning season draws toward its Nov. 4 conclusion, both candidates for the state representative seat from the Westfield area are reporting that their lawn signs are being stolen in the city. The race is a rematch between Dan Allie and John Velis of their special election contest in April to fill the vacancy created when Don Humason vacated his seat representing the 4th Hampden district in the state house of representatives. Velis won the special election but is now defending his seat against Allie who is again running for the position. Andrew Surprise, Allie’s campaign manager, reports in a press release

issued Sunday that residents of Wards 3 and 4A are reporting “campaign signs being stolen from their yard and their neighbor’s yards, in what appears to be “targeted activity against only one candidate.” Surprise said that the missing signs have been stolen in Wards 3 and 4A on Northwest Road, Bates Road, Lloyds Hill, Western Avenue, Wintergreen Lane, Mockingbird Lane and Marla Circle. He said that one supporter discovered a batch of signs promoting his candidate behind a refuse receptacle on Elm Street and those signs were recovered. He quoted Aliie as saying “Some sign locations have been targeted in certain neighborhoods and have had to be replaced up to 5 times each. Some peo-

Information requests reviewed By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – During a discussion last night of public records requests provided by Town Clerk Michelle Hill, Board of Selectmen Chairman Russell Fox noted that a former town employee made an inquiry about his property. “As an aside, when I was reviewing the documentation I noticed a request from Jeff Neece, former DPW director, for information concerning property at 636 College Highway, which is property my family owns,” said Fox. Fox stated that Neece filed legal action against the town when he left his position last spring. “Some people might interpret this, since I’ve been representing the board, that this is possibly an attempt to intimidate or harass a public official,” Fox said. He added that “it seems

This property at 636 College Highway, owned by the Fox family, was part of a public information request addressed by Board of Selectmen Chairman Russell Fox last night. (Photo by Chief Photographer Frederick Gore)

peculiar to me a request was made about my family property, and I’m asking permission from the board to discuss this with the town counsel.”

Selectmen Joseph Deedy said he had no problem with Fox addressing the issue with counsel. Earlier this year Hill made

a request to the board, which was approved, to ask for upfront payment for certain

ple have been pressured to take down their signs.” John Velis said that his campaign has suffered similar depredations and said “we have had countless, countless, countless lawn signs stolen.” “It’s been a huge problem” he said adding “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten a phone call from an angry supporter saying ‘Your sign’s been stolen again.’” Velis said that the operative word is “again.” City police report that residents have reported lawns signs being stolen twice in recent weeks. In one case the candidate whose signs were stolen was not specified and in the other instance a ‘Velis’ signs was reportedly stolen.

Debate season to end for Baker and Coakley NEEDHAM (AP) — With a week before voters go the polls, Republican Charlie Baker and Democrat Martha Coakley have one more opportunity to debate face-to-face before a television audience. The two major-party candidates are scheduled to meet tonight at the WCVB-TV studios in a debate sponsored by a consortium of Boston media outlets. The three independent candidates — Evan Falchuk, Jeff McCormick and Scott Lively — weren’t invited. While important for both candidates, the final debate could be more critical for Coakley who’s trying to shake off the perception her campaign has lost momentum. A poll released yesterday by the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and WHDH-TV found 45 percent of those polled favored Baker while 41 percent supported Coakley. The telephone poll of 601 likely Massachusetts voters was conducted between Oct. 21 and Oct. 25 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. Eight percent said they are undecided. The independent candidates received a combined 6 percent. A Boston Globe poll released last week showed Baker with the support of 45 percent of those polled compared with 36 percent for Coakley, with a margin of error of plus See Baker, Coakley, Page 3

See Information, Page 3

Dental group recognized with preservation award By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Historical Commission voted to bestow the 2014 Annual Preservation Award to the Baystate Dental PC group for its restoration of the iconic Morgan House at 29 Broad Street. The Historical Commission has issued the Annual Preservation Award since 2004 to recognize those individuals, businesses and groups making contributions to preserve the city history and architectural integrity. The Morgan House was built around 1820 by Major Archippus Morgan (1772-1857). It was maintained as a residence until 1944 when it was purchased by Stanley and Donald Healey and converted for use as a funeral home. In recent years, it served as a rectory for

the First Congregational Church. The Board of Directors of Westfield On Weekends (WOW) nominated the project for the award citing the Morgan House as one of Westfield’s architectural treasures that was rehabilitated and restored to maintain the architectural integrity of the beautiful building. The Morgan House was slated for demolition just two years ago and the city would have lost another gem. The Historical Commission is delighted to honor the efforts of Bay State Dental to maintain the history and graceful beauty of the corner of Broad Street. In the nomination for the award, the Westfield On Weekends Board cited “Dr. Kevin Coughlin and his colleagues (for having) revitalized and maintained the southeastern corner of Park Square, while providing our city with a thriving

new dental practice…” The WOW Board of Directors nominated Baystate Dental because of the renovation of the Morgan-Way House which “now gleams as a beautiful celebration of our city’s historic past and a testament to its vibrant future. “As one of Westfield’s architectural treasures, the structure had fallen into disrepair and as such was slated to be demolished and replaced with a new building, which while very well done, could not match the historic grandeur of the original building,” the directors wrote in their nomination. “As the newest owners of the MorganWay house, Baystate Dental, P.C. preserved the main structure and architectural integrity of the building. Few town See Award, Page 3

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Dr. Kevin Coughlin, a partner of Baystate Dental P.C., right, is congratulated by Mayor Daniel M. Knapik after receiving the 2014 Annual Preservation Award. The award is issued by the Historical Commission for contributions preserving Westfield’s historical integrity. The Baystate Dental group restored the iconic Morgan-Way house located at the intersection of Court and Broad streets. (Photo by Walter Fogg)


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