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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 213
1-year anniversary for Community Radio By KEN STOMSKI, JR Contributor WESTFIELD – Something strange – something different happened in Westfield last summer. For the first time since the days of WDEW or WLDM the Whip City once again had a radio station broadcasting to the community. Westfield State University and the City of Westfield joined forces to update the radio transmitter and tower of WSKB as a final step to the Ely Hall renovation, which made sense because the public access cable channel 15 studios were relocated to Ely a decade ago. Michael Knapik, Executive Director for University Advancement and the Westfield State Foundation says “they raised the antenna, and then nothing happened”. The students were worried that local people were going to take over, as WSKB 89.5fm was always a student-run radio station. “We knew the signal was much stronger, and we knew there was an opportunity to serve the community from a multi-media perspective” Knapik said. “We believed we could solicit underwriters, and we knew there was some great homegrown talent in town, such as Bob Plasse, (people who enjoy the art of talking and who can communicate well) and we found a way to go about this without interfering with the students in the radio club at the University”. And thus, Westfield Community Radio was born. The first transmission was on Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 6 a.m. with Mayor Daniel M. Knapik and Council on Aging Executive Director Tina Gorman. This pair occupied the Wednesday and Friday morning time slots, with Bob Plasse and other local talents occupying the other slots. This was the “test phase” as to how community radio was going to work. There were only five slots per week, each from
6-88 a.m. “If I had the time I would have taken all five time slots,” said Mayor Knapik. “I have always enjoyed being on the radio“. Mayor Knapik and a few of the other WSKB talents may have had some experience with radio, but Gorman didn’t. “I asked Mayor Dan what we would talk about,” said Gorman, “and he said we will just wing it”. During this part of the summer the WSKB personalities honed their skills. Shortly after the summer radio experiment began, WSKB Community Radio programming was simulcast live on public access channel 15 thanks to the hard work of Mark St. Jean at Westfield State. So, not only did our new hosts have to sound good in the morning, they had to look good, too! Producer Peter Cowles has played a huge part of the success of community radio. At the very beginning, Westfield State University student and prior station manager Jake Lehan was operating the board and producing the show. After the first week he was informed that a position he was waiting for had opened up and could no longer produce the shows. Mayor Knapik called Peter Cowles, who works with the IT department for the city, and asked “You used to work in radio. How would you like to come in and produce some morning shows”. Cowles replied with “do I have a choice?” From then on, Cowles has been fine-tuning the operations of the community radio broadcasts, and has mastered the art Cleef Milien, Nick Wyman, James Keedy, Harry Cliff, and of remote broadcasts. Affectionately referred to as the Peter Cowles during the Gala fundraiser event at Westfield Chairman of the Board or just Producer Pete, he has been State University. See Community Radio, Page 7
Resident hopes to host music festival By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Resident Diana Flynn is hoping the Board of Selectmen will approve her request to host a music festival at her Mort Vining Road farm. Flynn is hoping to hold the event Oct. 3 with up to 250 people in attendance and said it could include about 100 guests camping on her property overnight. Flynn said a friend previously held the event in Otis, but she offered to host it and plans to expand it and open it to the public. All three selectmen voiced concerns about it being a public event and the number of people on site. Flynn originally said she was considering opening the event up to more people but the selectmen encouraged her to keep the numbers down. “You need to walk before you run,” said Selectman Douglas Moglin, adding that if it goes well with that size crowd,
she could expand next year since Flynn said she hopes it becomes an annual event. Fox was also concerned. “This could turn into a problem,” he said. “My concern is turning this from a private function to a public one.” Flynn said the majority of people in attendance would be friends and family and she was going to advertise it through word of mouth and personal social media. A group of town officials, including Health Inspector Thomas Fitzgerald and Police Chief David Ricardi, met with Flynn and the Board this week. Fitzgerald asked about food vendors and portable potties. Flynn said she had Mort Vining Road resident Diane Flynn discusses her request to host a music festival in her farm during the Southwick Board of Selectmen meeting as Police Chief David Ricardi listens. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
arrangements for porta-potties and did not have plans for vendors at this time. “We’re thinking about bringing your own drink and food,” said Flynn. “But I do have a kitchen license and may do pre-wrapped cookies and things like that.” Flynn also planned to have bottled water. The bands – which Flynn described as bluegrass Americana – would perform on a small stage with a tent overhead and would use electricity from her garage. Fire Commissioners noted that the electrical inspector would need to sign-off on using the electric on site. Ricardi deferred most of his questions to Safety Officer Sgt. Kirk Sanders who was also concerned about crowds, security and traffic. Flynn said she did not anticipate any problems with the crowd of mostly friends. See Resident, Page 7
Expansion of Community Action programs announced
— GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS
75 cents
Public hearing on demolition takes place without public input By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Historical Commission last night conducted a public hearing “concerning the proposed demolition of the Flahive Building” on Arnold Street to satisfy the requirements of city ordinance, but apparently not to satisfy the curiosity of members of the public as the board opened the meeting in an empty room at City Hall. Co-Chairwoman Cindy Gaylord said the commission gave its approval for the demolition earlier this summer after considering the advantages of the proposed Pioneer Valley Transit Authority 2,700-square-foot Westfield Transit Pavilion project. “We, as a commission, decided that this building did not contribute to the historical character of the downtown and that its demolition would have a significant financial impact on the city,” Gaylord said as she closed the public meeting. City ordinance requires a public hearing prior to the demolition of any building to allow members of the public to make comments and raise concerns about proposals to demolish structures and to determine if the structure has historical or architectural significance. The Code of Ordinances, Chapter 6, Article IV, Historic Buildings and Structures, Section 6-75, Intent and Purpose states “This article is adopted for the purpose of: “Preserving and protecting historically significant buildings and structures, their individual features/components, or portions there See Public Hearing, Page 3
Contractors from Truck Crane Service raze city-owned property on Elm Street in Westfield in April of 2013. The Elm Street project will be home to a new intermodal transportation center. (WNG file photo)
Flaherty to seek At-large council seat By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – David A. Flaherty withdrew from the Ward 6 City Council race Tuesday, citing the cost to taxpayers in having to conduct a preliminary election in September to narrow that field to two candidates for the November election. Flaherty had submitted nominations papers for both the At-large and for the Ward 6 City Council races. The deadline for withdrawing from a DAVID A. race is at 5 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 27, FLAHERTY but Flaherty submitted a letter withdrawing from the ward campaign early Tuesday afternoon. “My purpose in taking out nomination papers for Ward 6, after Councilor Crean decided not to run for re-election, was to ensure that the seat did not go to a write-in or unopposed candidate,” Flaherty said in a statement. “As of today, there are two other candidates running for the Ward 6 City Council seat, and I’m comfortable that the voters of Ward 6 will choose the best candidate to represent them. I am also quite mindful of the budget and do not want the city to have to pay for a preliminary election for this one race,” Flaherty said. “I’ve been honored to serve as a City See Flaherty, Page 3
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WESTFIELD – Community Action is announcing changes to the Parent-Child Development Program (PCDC) that will be effective as of the beginning of our new program year. In addition to 20 Head Start preschool classrooms, the Pioneer Valley’s largest antipoverty agency will operate new programs to serve infants, toddlers, and pregnant women in Westfield and surrounding areas. Community Action’s PCDC 390 Southampton Road center in Westfield already holds 6 preschool classrooms for Head Start students and will now offer an additional extended-day Early Head Start toddler classroom for the school year. During the summer, when the classroom closes, the Lead Teacher will continue the program by visiting each child’s home once per week as a Home Visitor. “Every year we assess the needs of our region. It is painfully clear that there is a need for more services for infants and toddlers” said Clare Higgins, Community Action’s Executive Director. “The classroom in Westfield will create opportunity for parents to work or go to school secure in their knowledge that their young children are in a nurturing, high-quality early education and care setting.” MARY CLARE HIGGINS The program provides two meals, snacks, diapers and wipes at no cost to parents. advocacy, and resources for enrolled families. In addition to the new toddler classroom, Community Action Parents and families interested in enrolling their children are will also offer a home visiting program for pregnant women and encouraged to contact the PCDC Enrollment Office as soon as children through age 3, which provides enrichment activities, possible at 413-654-1770.
“While we read history we make history.”
Mark Boardman & Jennifer Gruzska Academic Dean for the White Oak School Westfield Rotary Club Download WSKB from your Tune In Radio App or watch on Comcast Cable CH. 15