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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 11
“Never underestimate your power to change yourself; never overestimate your power to change others.” — H. JACKSON BROWN JR.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
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Westfield mother faces drunk driving, child endangerment charges By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A week after the 10-year anniversary of Melanie’s Law, which was created to impose stricter penalties for drunk driving, a Westfield mother faces charges of OUI and OUI with child endangerment. An off-duty Westfield reserve officer was nearly hit by Kimberly Therrien’s 2003 Mercury Mountaineer as he was putting his infant into his vehicle in the parking lot of Evergreen Manor, located at 919 Southampton Road. As Dave Therrien (no relation to Kimberly Therrien) followed her vehicle around 1:15 p.m. Saturday afternoon southbound on Southampton Road, he saw that she had two children in the car. On Springdale Road, Dave Therrien watched as Kimberly Therrien’s SUV almost struck another vehicle head-on. Meanwhile, dispatch received a call from a Michael Leonard who reported he had almost been struck head-on while traveling on Springdale Road. Westfield police officers stopped Kimberly Therrien’s vehicle on Springdale Road where she was arrested a short time later. Kimberly Therrien, 38, faces the following charges: operating a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle child endangerment, marked lanes violation and reckless endangerment to child. The two children in the car were girls under the age of 14, including Kimberly Therrien’s daughter. Melanie’s Law, which passed on October 28, 2005 and went into effect on January 1, 2006, was named after a 13-year-old Marshfield girl who died after being struck by a repeat OUI offender, according to massbar.org. One of the penalties under Melanie’s Law included creating a new child endangerment by OUI offense to be charged when an alleged drunken driver is transporting a minor 14 years of age or younger, according to massbar.org. There are charges added to any penalties resulting from an OUI including additional fines and a mandatory 90-day sentence to the house of correction. A driver charged with OUI “with a child 14 years of age or younger in the motor vehicle or vessel shall also be guilty of child endangerment while operating a motor vehicle . . . and shall be punished by an enhanced penalty of a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000 and by imprisonment in the house of correction for not less than 90 days nor more than 21/2 years,” according to malegislature.gov. Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at christinec@thewestfieldnewsgroup.com
A public hearing on a joint grant application for Southwick and Granville resulted in unanimous approval from the Board of Selectmen this week. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
Joint grant application approved for third time By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Board of Selectmen hopes the third time’s the charm for a Community Development grant application it approved this week. The town, in conjunction with the town of Granville, applied for the same grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development in 2014 and 2015 but was denied. James Mazik of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) said after the first application was denied, the towns worked with PVPC to tweak
the application and was able to gain points. “Last year there was under $2 million available and only two applications were funded,” Mazik said. Southwick fell just short of funding last year and Mazik and the selectmen believe the towns have a good chance this year. The projects include road and drainage improvements to Veteran Street in Southwick, housing rehabilitation in both communities – four in Granville and five in Southwick – and a mobile food pantry to benefit residents of both
towns. Mazik said the estimated cost for Veteran Street is $84,000 and the mobile pantry is estimated at $90,000. Our Community Pantry Director Sally Munson spoke in favor of the application during a public hearing Monday. “Obviously we’ve applied for this before and the only thing that’s changed is we have even more need,” said Munson. The mobile pantry would provide See Grant, Page 5
What to do, not to do, if you win the $1.5B Powerball jackpot they’re (the winner) not someone who might cause themselves other problems.” He said someone with a gambling problem or other addictions might get in trouble. Other problems he foresaw were family problems and relationship problems. “The toughest part for people is family,” he said. “Try to maintain an even keel. Be reasonable. Try to be fair.” He said people should also consider their estate. For example, if they have a family member with special needs, does winning something make a difference to that family member qualifying for certain programs? Pollard said everyone might come knocking on the door. “Do some planning, explain that’s what you’ve done at the advice of professionals,” he said. “As long as it doesn’t cause someone to go beyond their means,” he said. “It’s not a good financial plan, or estate plan or life plan to depend on it to pay the bills.” See Jackpot, Page 5
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Jackson, Miss. resident Crystal Hibbler checks her Powerball tickets after making the trip to Delta Discount Wine & Spirits in Delta, La. Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. (Justin Sellers/The ClarionLedger via AP)
sive changes right away. Small changes, prior planning and consulting with professionals is probably the smartest thing to do,” he said. “I think it’s a wonderful problem to have,” he said. “provided
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By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – The Powerball drawing has reached 1.5 billion as of Tuesday after 19 consecutive drawings without a top prize winner, a world record for any lottery jackpot game, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. A lot of people are asking what they would do with the money if they were to win. “That’s probably what a lot of people are talking about,” said Financial Planner Tim Flynn of Edward Jones in Westfield. “There are a number of things. Don’t rush. Remain quiet about it as long as you can. Try to stay anonymous,” Flynn said. Flynn suggested choosing an attorney, tax CPA and financial advisor that will work together, and maybe even have two teams working for you. He said to redo your estate plan, ensuring your legacy is forever with your family and any charitable organizations that you’ve been involved with or want to become involved with. “Make it a lifetime for all of your family members,” he said. “Don’t spend anything right away. Try to live your lifestyle except for paying off all your debts. There’s nothing like being debt-free, it’s a great feeling.” Flynn advised to invest prudently, which from his perspective is 50/50 stocks to bonds, with no high risk. He also advised against buying a lot of real estate, “because you’re going to have to manage that, whereas stocks and bonds your advisor more or less manages. Make sure you sign your winning ticket right away.” “The first thing I would suggest is to take some time to make some decisions. Seek the advice of a lawyer, accountant and financial planner,” said Attorney Ed Pollard from Pollard & Pollard in Westfield. “Set up a plan right from the beginning, to ensure the longevity of the funds, to keep the future of the funds safe,” he said. “Planning is probably the most important thing.” Pollard said lottery wins are not a common event in his estate planning practice. Gift taxes and estate taxes need to be considered. “Avoid hasty spending, hasty decisions. Avoid making mas-
Director Stanley Park Dr.Executive Suzanne Scallion
Mark Superintendent Boardman & Jennifer Gruzska Wfld. of Schools Westfield Rotary Club
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