Left to right, Richard J. Trusty, Adjutant, Mayor Daniel M. Knapik, and Benjamin J. Surprise, Commander, Post 454. (Photo by Don Wielgus)
The American Legion Whip City Memorial Post 454 announced today that it will be accepting unserviceable United State Flags. A decorated box is in place on the first floor at the main entrance at the City Hall. Each year, the Legion Post 454 will be hosting a flag burning ceremony putting to rest the American Flags that have been destroyed by the weather. Anyone wishing to drop off their flags may do so, or keep them for the flag burning ceremony that will be announced in the future.
Please be advised that Governor Deval L. Patrick has ordered that the United States flag and the Commonwealth flag be lowered to half-staff at all state buildings from sunrise until sunset today in honor of United States Army National Guard Sergeant First Class Stephen Policarpo of New Bedford, Massachusetts who died on August 12, 2012. This gubernatorial order applies to: 1. The main or administration building of each public institution of the Commonwealth, e.g. town and city halls. 2. Other state-owned or state-controlled buildings. 3. All state military installations.
When I see people walking their dogs that is a good thing. However, dogs do not wear shoes to protect their bare paws on hot concrete or blacktop sidewalks. Please give them a break and whenever possible let them walk on grassy areas.
I’m curious to know what that dirty water is that gets pumped into the pond by the Springfield waterworks. Is that water safe for wildlife and the aquatic life that may reside in it?
As I read about the trials of the dog lovers trying to establish a dog park in Westfield, I can only conclude that Westfield officials do not appreciate, or even like, dogs. The plan to locate the park at the far northern boundary of the city is inconvenient and absurd… and now there are more officials complaining about that location! Perhaps they would be happier if it was located in Southampton or Montgomery! I use the Granby (CT) D.O.G.G. Park located within Granby’s major town park… Salmon Brook Park. This is a 116 acre public town park, run by their Park and Recreation Department but similar to and with all the amenities of Stanley Park. In addition it has a man made pond and beach, an area for exercising horses and separate playgrounds for very young children. This park is conveniently located in the center of town and hosts concerts, community activities and youth sports. I would suggest the Westfield city officials borrow a dog (people going to a dog park must be in the company of a dog) and spend a few hours at the Granby D.O.G.G. Park. They would observe, as I have, that dog owners are exceptionally vigilant in the care of their dogs. They always are aware of where their dog is, who and/or what he is playing with and if there is any aggression or dominance (bullying) being displayed. Can the same be said of parents who take their children to a playground? By and large the dogs are very well behaved. I did not take my five-month-old puppy to the park until I was sure that no matter what he was doing, he would immediately respond to my command to “come.” Do children at playgrounds obey that well? The dogs (and their owners) are respectful of the park as a whole. The general rules of the park are observed. The D.O.G.G. Park is always immaculate, and the rules obeyed.
Hi, PulseLine. When I was a student at Westfield State College many years ago, both Prof. Ken Taylor and Prof. James Phillips taught there! Prof Taylor believed in Wise Use of Our Natural Resources and Prof. Phillips taught Aquatic Biology! The dog park and renewed interest in Arm Brook could fill both of these needs. At one time Arm Brook was a famed Brook Trout fishery and baseball great Ted Williams as well as Ted Janes who was Westfield’s most famous author loved to fish it! In one of his stories in Field and Stream Magazine, Mr. Janes told of a friend that took him fishing in Arm Brook and caught and released a prize winning Brook Trout. A senior citizen told me of fly fishing Arm Brook and having Ted Williams stop and talk fishing with him. He was so nervous that he could hardly speak until asked if he liked baseball. From being a great trout fishery Arm Brook became a fair bass fishing hole that was enjoyed by Westfield’s youths as a swimming spot in the 1970s! Sadly vandalism caused the city to close this area to the public as well as fishermen. This is a shame when there are many young people as well as dog owners and fishermen that would benefit if this natural resource was used wisely in the future! Westfield State University could even use this area as an aquatic lab and maybe restore the Brook Trout? In our new age of trail cameras and cell phones with cameras, people who vandalize this area will soon be enjoying our police station and court house! Please let us be positive rather than negative in this matter!
I couldn’t agree more with the other person who wrote in about the very annoying noise and traffic the motocross presented this past weekend. People speeding up and down the side streets, ATVs on the side of the roads, people walking in the middle of the roads, and people parking anywhere they felt like it. What a mess!
This is going out to Mr. Broderick at Westfield High School. We have a beautiful school with intelligent students but you could make it better if you would do something about the dress code. Make it more professional. I mean, let the City of Westfield have a decent school where the kids are dressed alike and not going there for modeling shows that is disgusting for the girls. It would be great to see them all in one uniform; all standard with everyone looking alike and not caring who’s who, who has the most money and who doesn’t. Springfield has uniforms and they look nice going to and coming from school. Also, I haven’t seen the honor rolls for Westfield High or Voke. Do you know if it’s been put in the paper and if it was, when? I haven’t seen them yet. You’re a wonderful principal and I’m sure you can do better with that high school. Keep control. Thank you for your assistance. Bye.
Good morning. I’m calling about the new roofing and siding at Westfield City Hall and there’s one question I have. There’s copper flashing up there rather than the regular aluminum. They roughly look like they’re two feet wide going all the way around the building. Can someone tell me how expense is copper in comparison to aluminum flashing? My God, they said the price of copper is out of sight. Could someone give us a quote for copper over aluminum? Thank you.
While Holyoke Community College can become smoke-free, maybe Westfield can become the first city in Massachusetts to become smoke-free? Wouldn’t that be fun?
On the corner of Cross Street and Ashley Street, there is a tarp propped over a stockade fence. It looks like the slums or a tent city. Makes you wonder what they’re trying to hide.
I’m doing my best because I don’t have a computer or e-mail but I think that we have heard enough about Mr. Torres. He was a good man, did his job and has been in the paper enough. Tonight’s paper is about the Russell bio-mass coming up again. There must be someone in Russell who thinks the word “bio-mass” is deaf. If someone wants to start something at the Strathmore Mill, let him or her do it. That plant ran for years and years and there are probably many people who made their living there. And now Russell is complaining about hiring a woman police officer. Evidently they have lots of time up of there in the hilltown of Russell. Thank you. Have a good day.
Good morning. I wanted to call to say how beautiful the picture of the new Hundred Acre Woods was on the front page of Monday’s paper. I thought it was exceptionally beautiful. I’d also like to say that even though I live in Granby, Conn., I very much enjoy the Westfield YMCA Kids Page. I thought the pictures were delightful. Also, I agree with the caller about the comments in the PulseLine being way too long. I think its better when people call in and make a short comment where they have to combine their thoughts into a smaller amount of space. I just wanted to say that I enjoy the paper even though I live a little way out of the area. So thank you very much and good job.
If you wanted to put some of the people out of work back to work, why don’t some of the construction companies, Verizon, and power companies hire them as flaggers at the sites? Massachusetts passed a law; you don’t have to have a police officer there. The police officers have jobs and they’re making extra money doing road details. Hire the person out of work to be flaggers for these jobs instead of hiring someone who already has a job and probably banks another 50,000 or 60,000 thousand dollars a year doing road work like the police do.
