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WEATHER TONIGHT Mostly Cloudy. Low of 64.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
“Never explain, never complain.” — WALLIS SIMPSON
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 209
75 cents
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2016
North Elm St. project nearing its completion Patti O’Neill of Blandford enjoys the chicken barbecue meal at the Blandford Fair on Sunday.
Renzo Battaglia of Boy Scout Troop 23 in Great Barrington and Gage Laurie of Boy Scout Troop 120 in Chester sell French fries to Tim Wientzen and his daughter Lila on Sunday at the Blandford Fair. The Wientzen family of New York was visiting friends in the hilltowns and included the fair as one of their stops.
Blandford Fair remains tradition for many in region By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent BLANDFORD-For area residents seeking a piece of Americana – the Blandford Fair did not disappoint the thousands who attended each day during the four-day run on Labor Day weekend. Now in its 149th year, Bruce Wyman, president of the Union Agricultural and Horticultural Society which sponsors the Blandford Fair, said the exceptional weather has been a boost to the attendance. “The weather has been gorgeous and we are on par for matching last year’s attendance numbers,” said Wyman on Sunday morning. “Our grandstands have been full especially for our horse draws.” During the day on Sunday, the crowds grew and by lunchtime, the midway was open and attendees were seeking out the multitude of options for lunch. “We came for the Polish din-
ner at The Polish Hut and are never disappointed,” said Peggy Bannish of Southwick, noting her mother Gail Beaudoin of Springfield also came along for the festivities. Just after noon the dining hall doors also opened for the popular home-style dinners and soon there was an influx of patrons lined up for the chicken barbecue meal which included a large chicken breast, baked potato, corn on the cob, French bread, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, beverage, and a choice of either blueberry or apple pie. “I could make three meals out of this,” said Patti O’Neill of Blandford as she started to tackle her dinner. Another popular food booth was the Blandford Boy Scout Troop 112 which was serving French fries, American chop suey, corn on the cob and clam chowder. See Blandford Fair, Page 3
Gail Beaudoin of Springfield and her daughter Peggy Bannish of Southwick enjoy a polish dinner from The Polish Hut at the Blandford Fair on Sunday.
Sharell Hunt of East Granby, Conn., and "Not That Sleepy," won the Quarter Horse Halter Challenge at the Blandford Fair Sunday. Hunt and her horse won the same award last year.
Jessica Ripley of Blandford received first place for her farm products display at the Blandford Fair. Judges noted on her scorecard - “most eye catching; most elaborate.”
Charity Walk set to remember Tom Flanagan By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD-When Angela Flanagan received a fateful call on the evening of May 22, her family’s world changed in a split second. “On the day of Tom’s accident he went to work like he normally did on Sundays,” said Flanagan, noting she was attending a birthday party with their children, Liam and Gianna. “I received a phone call around 7:40 p.m. that Tom had been in a serious car accident.” In police reports a driver crossed the
By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent WESTFIELD – Road work being done on North Elm St. is nearing its end. The paving is already down on the road and the markings are in progress of being completed. With the constant construction work that has been done on North Elm St., it has increased traffic as well as disrupting travelers, residents, and businesses. As North Elm St. has always been four lanes, part of the project involves installing a fifth lane. The hope for the fifth lane is to help reduce traffic and make it easier for oncoming vehicles to make left turns heading down North Elm St. Travelling south through the intersection with Notre Dame St., the fifth lane will surely accommodate that intersection. Three medians on North Elm St. have also been created to help pedestrians to cross the street and be able to see the oncoming traffic. All three medians sit up about six inches with a beveled curbing and landscaping in the center. The landscaping is kept low and is expected to be finished before January 2017. Westfield City Engineer Mark Cressotti addressed the many parts to the North Elm St. project on The Westfield News Radio Show on WSKB 89.9 FM Thursday Sept. 1 with Westfield News President Patrick Berry. The progress with the medians is certainly moving forward with the main priority still being targeted. “We added the medians to give the pedestrians a safe haven,” said Cressotti. “Those medians need to be addressed.” The North Elm St. project started about a year ago and was locally funded from a bond that was passed several years ago. With the project being an important issue for the City of Westfield, there are positive steps forward. “We’re just about done, we still got some things to wrap up,” said Cressotti. “I think the project is going to be a success.”
center line on College Street in South Hadley and hit Flanagan’s car head-on. By the time she arrived at Baystate Medical Center, Flanagan said the ER physician was waiting for her. “My heart was pounding,” she said. “The doctor said the man whom we presume to be Thomas Flanagan has passed away tonight. Those words play over and over and over in my head.” As we reported earlier this year, a meal train was established for Flanagan and her children who reside in the city and now on Sept. 11, “A Walk To
Remember Tom Flanagan” has been planned at Brunelle’s Marina, 1 Alvord St., South Hadley. Ray Morin, president of the Leprechaun Plunge that is conducted at Brunelle’s each year and his wife Rudy Morin, along with Thomas Convery of the Westfield State University Alumni Department, are organizing the fundraiser with all proceeds being donated to The Flanagan Memorial Fund. Tom Flanagan was a 2008 graduate of See Tom Flanagan, Page 5
North Elm St. is one of several roads that are being worked on in Westfield. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
PUBLIC NOTICE Construction Advisory - I90 Bridge Work The MA DOT will begin bridge work on all bridges over I90, starting September 6. Work will begin West to East and will start at the West Road overpass, followed by Montgomery Road, the Westbound I90 on-ramp in Westfield and Southampton Road. Roadwork may be concurrent depending on nature of repairs. They will then proceed with I90 bridges over PVRR and Lockhouse Road. Please be aware of these possible traffic concerns.