Search for The Westfield News
WEATHER TONIGHT Mostly cloudy with showers, storms.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
VOL. 83 NO.147
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2014
“... Will is of little importance, complaining is nothing, fame is nothing. Openness, patience, receptivity, solitude is everything.” — Rainer Maria Rilke
75 cents
Council sets special meeting
Attempted murder charged
By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Council on Aging may get approval of its $7.5 million bond to fund the construction of a new 20,000-square-foot senior center on Noble Street before the end of the fiscal year. The City Council is planning to meet on Monday, June 30, the last day of the 2014 fiscal year, to consider several year-end appropriations, and could take up the second reading and final passage of the senior center bond at that meeting. The council approved the first reading of the bond (it typically take two meetings to vote on financial matters such as bonds) at the June 5 meeting, with the expectation that the second reading and final passage would occur at the June 19 council session. There is a state requirement that the second reading, and potentially final approval, be published at least 10 days prior to the second council session. COA Executive Director said the bond
By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A South Hadley man is facing charges including attempted murder following an altercation on the water at the Hampton Ponds Friday. City police and firefighters responded to an 8:05 p.m. call from a person who reported that two male parties in different kayaks were fighting each other with oars. Officer Seth Florek was among several officer who responded and reports that he was told that a man fishing from a kayak had been approached by others and one of the approaching boats bumped his new kayak. The victim reportedly asked the offending boater to stay away and that paddler complied but another boater took offense, striking him with a paddle and punching him causing both boats to spill the occupants into the water. The victim said that the assault continued in the water and the other man attempted to hold his head under the water As a result, Florek reports the second boater, Richard Rovelli, 23, of 43 North Main St., South Hadley, was arrested for assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and attempted murder. Rovelli was arraigned Monday before Judge Philip A. Contant in Westfield District Court and the criminal complaint states “On 6/20/2014 (the defendant) did, by striking victim three times in the head with an oar, punched victim several times, knocked him out of kayak and held victim’s head underwater in an attempt to kill said victim.” Rovelli was released from police custody on $300 cash bail and, at his arraignment, Contant set bail at $350 pending an Aug. 7 hearing. He was held on a detainer requested by the probation department. A check of court records reveals that, on March 11, 2014, Rovelli, then of 107 Berkshire Ave., Southwick, submitted to facts sufficient to warrant a guilty finding for a charge of receiving stolen property valued more than $250 brought by Southwick police and was placed on probation for six months.
See Special Meeting, Page 3
TINA GORMAN
BRENT BEAN II
Friends and family members gathered at the Barnes 104th Fighter Wing last night to greet military personal who returned home after a training mission abroad. (Photo by 104th Fighter Wing SMSgt Rob Sabonis)
Barnes F-15s and personnel return WESTFIELD – More than 100 members of the 104th Fighter Wing assigned to Barnes Air National Guard base in Westfield returned home last night. The three week multi-national exercise in Malaysia saw Massachusetts Air National Guard members conducting exercise operations alongside active duty F-22 Raptor aircraft and multinational Mig-29 and Su-27 aircraft. “Cope Taufan has been an enormously successful exercise for the 104th Fighter Wing A military transport plane touches down at the 104th Fighter Wing last night after a training mission See 104th Return, Page 3 abroad. (Photo by 104th Fighter Wing SMSgt Rob Sabonis)
Conservation board allows projects By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Conservation Commission set minimal conditions on three projects last night because there was no significant threat of harm to wetlands or resource areas within the board’s jurisdiction. Both West Springfield and Westfield requested determination of applicability to wetland protection laws for two projects near resource areas. Mark Noonan, the Conservation Commission’s former coordinator who is now performing similar duties in West Springfield, and Deputy Department of Public Works Superintendent for Water Jeffrey Auer presented the details of the West Springfield project to demolish two houses on Shaker
Road and return that land to habitat. Auer said the city applied for a $400,000 state grant for the demolition project estimated at $475,000 and was awarded $200,000. The West Springfield Community Preservation Act accounts will be used to finance the city’s share of the project cost. The state funding is a grant designed to protect sources of drinking water, Auer said. The two properties at 581 and 578 Shaker Road are within the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Zone II groundwater protection regulations. The DEP’s Groundwater Protection Regulations are intended to prevent contamination of public drinking water sup-
ply wells through regulating the application of pesticide products within primary recharge areas. A primary recharge area is either an “Interim Wellhead Protection Area” or a “Zone II.” “Our Zone II is the southern part and the northern part is the Westfield Zone 11,” Auer said. The plan is to remove the houses and outbuildings, pavement and concrete foundations, then allow the property, more than 6.5 acres, revert to natural habitat. Noonan said that all utilities servicing the two houses, located just south of Great Brook and west of Kellogg Brook, have been disconnected. Noonan said the most significant part of the demolition work is related to removal of a shed on piers which overhangs a resource area.
Suspects arraigned for Easter ‘prank’
and his design team; Filas; Westfield State staff members Allyn Hall, Mark Videto; and others. The beginning line-up of shows for WSKB’s Community Radio is: MondayThe Community Organization/Not-forProfit Hour, a rotating host week to week made up of directors, CEOs, and presidents of community based organizations. TuesdayWOW It’s Tuesday hosted by Bob Plasse, president of Westfield on Weekends (WOW), offering a potpourri of entertainment, guests, and surprises for the Greater Westfield community. Wednesday-
By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – When two delivery drivers admitted, in April, that they had perpetrated a gruesome Easter ‘prank’ only two of the five rabbit heads they claimed to have left in mailboxes in the city had been discovered. Since then, the other three rabbit heads have been reported and investigated, and charges have been filed. And the two men – Joshua A. Balise, 26, of 87 Cochran St., Chicopee and Christopher R. McHugh, 24, of 78 Corona St., Springfield – have had of what is likely be the first of their several days in court. The first two of the five rabbit heads eventually discovered were found on the day after Easter in mailboxes on Pinehurst and Willis streets which, apparently coincidently, belonged to two sisters. Det. Brian Freeman was assigned to investigate and reports in a court document “After The Westfield News and other media outlets ran the story, the Westfield Police Department received another report of a similar event” and eventually five rabbit heads were found to have been deposited in mailboxes for residents to find. After the bizarre story was repeated by a multitude of media outlets, both locally and nationally, Freeman also received word from a witness who reported that he had seen two acquaintances “with rabbit heads early in the morning of Easter Sunday. He stated that both parties were talking about their ‘Easter Prank’ and told him that they had five rabbit heads and that they were going to put them in mailboxes on Easter as a joke.”
See Radio, Page 7
See Suspects, Page 3
MARK CRESSOTTI The commission added two conditions to its decision, that either Noonan or Auer have to be present during demolition and that the piers supporting the overhanging shed also be removed. Auer said the city is assessing its options to seek a conservation restriction on that See Projects, Page 3
Westfield State launches community radio WESTFIELD – Westfield State University’s radio station WSKB 89.5 FM is launching a series of community radio shows daily from 6-8 a.m. starting on Monday. The expanded format is due to the increased frequency provided from the station’s new antenna. The new antenna that was acquired in March enables listeners to hear the station to the Connecticut border to the south, Northampton line to the north, Chester State Forest to the west, and Massachusetts Turnpike Exit 6 (Interstate 291) to the east. The station is also available to stream on the Tune In Radio App. “It’s exciting to see Westfield State add-
ing community radio programming to its excellent college radio lineup of music and talk radio shows,” said Dr. Michael Filas, faculty advisor for WSKB. “It is great to see the upgraded station become a locus for interaction and shared interests between students and Westfield community members, groups who are otherwise out of touch with each other.” Receiving funding for, acquiring, and setting up the new antenna was a collaborative effort which included the city of Westfield led by Mayor Daniel M. Knapik; Westfield State’s Department of Student Affairs, Kurt Jackson and the staff of Hampden Communications; Curt Robie, Ron Jackson