When the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant closed in 2014, 620 megawatts of power generation went offline. Over the next few years, that closure will be followed by Somerset’s Brayton Point Power Station and Plymouth’s Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, taking more than 2,100 megawatts with them.
At first, it might seem concerning for the region’s power grid to lose three major power plants. But the responses to the retirements are signs of a strong energy future for Massachusetts — a path that should be allowed to continue without the intrusion of subsidized Canadian hydro power.
Just a few weeks ago, an auction to commit to be online three years from now saw a record amount of competition. Billions of dollars in new, local investments are being made today to develop the next wave of plants and hire workers to provide reliable and competitively priced electricity supplies. By mid-2019, three new plants are slated to open in Massachusetts alone. New plants being developed in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island will be some of the most efficient in the country, helping us continue to serve as leaders on environmental responsibility.
And this isn’t the beginning, either. The electricity sector has outpaced every other sector of our state’s economy in reducing carbon emissions over the past 25 years. Between 1990 and 2013, carbon-dioxide emissions from power plants dropped 51%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Because of that, Massachusetts today has one of the cleanest and lowest-carbon-producing power-generation systems in the nation. In fact, electricity is the primary reason Massachusetts is on pace to meet its economy-wide mandate for a 25% reduction in emissions by 2020.
Unfortunately, relatively little has been done to curtail carbon emissions from the largest source — transportation. The transportation industry in New England has actually increased its carbon emissions and now emits more than double that of power plants. The next step toward a cleaner environment must be a comprehensive plan to address transportation as the main hurdle to meeting long-term Global Warming Solutions Act mandates.
The great progress made on electricity in Massachusetts should be allowed to continue, ensuring a strong energy future. Power plants are being retired and replaced without the need for state government to step in to subsidize new, cleaner investments. Canadian hydro is already part of our system, competing with all other power-generation sources to deliver the lowest price possible to consumers. But the radical plan to enter into expensive, decades-long contracts with Eversource and Hydro-Quebec will jeopardize that future.
If the Massachusetts hydro power plan is approved, energy bills are estimated to increase by up to $777 million each year for Massachusetts residents and businesses, according to a recent study by the Analysis Group, one of the most respected economics consulting firms in North America. That’s more than $20 billion over the life of the contract.
These costs are primarily driven by two factors. First, Commonwealth ratepayers would be on the hook for the construction of expensive, controversial high-voltage transmission lines, currently proposed through places like the White Mountain National Forest. Second, government-owned Hydro-Quebec, which has its own interests to consider, will not sell power to Massachusetts at a below-market price.
So why make this risky bet? A major concern for this plan is that it will enrich two utilities without a clear analysis of how Massachusetts ratepayers stand to benefit. Eversource is partnering with Hydro-Quebec in pushing to build the hundreds of miles of transmission lines, and the two are the strongest proponents of the subsidies proposal. They stand to earn hundreds of millions of dollars in profits for building these lines if they receive the subsidy from Massachusetts consumers. However, they have yet to produce an economic analysis of the cost of the proposed decades-long contracts. The Analysis Group report, which shows shocking rate increases for consumers, is publicly available and was presented at the legislative hearing on the bill.
Massachusetts is on the right path for a strong energy future. But, while new power plants are being built here through market demand, supporting jobs and contributing much-needed tax revenue to cities and towns, Eversource and Hydro-Quebec want to avoid having to compete. They shouldn’t be allowed to receive a carve-out worth billions of dollars.
This hydro bill is a bad bet for Massachusetts consumers. The Legislature should reject the bill and focus on better ways to reduce carbon emissions. The utilities don’t deserve the subsidy.
Dan Dolan is president of the New England Power Generators Assoc.
In many ways, it’s easy to see why a relationship most often described with the word ‘adversarial’ — and usually with an adverb in front of it for good measure — developed between Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College.
After all, when the latter was established in the mid-’60s, there were many people, including most everyone associated with HCC, which was established 20 years earlier, who wondered out loud if another community college was needed just seven miles away from HCC.
Actually, they did more than wonder. They answered that question with a definitive ‘no.’
But STCC was created anyway, and it’s fair to say that it began its life with a sizable chip on its shoulder. It had to prove it was not only needed, but that it could deliver a high-quality education and effectively serve the region.
It took a while, but this was accomplished. And during the lengthy tenure of President Andy Scibelli, the school rose to national and even international prominence, especially through the emergence of its technology park.
Through all of that, the adversarial relationship prevailed as the schools competed fiercely for students across a number of common programs, but also for funding, capital projects, and recognition.
To their credit, Ira Rubenzahl, who succeeded Scibelli, and Bill Messner, who followed David Bartley as president of HCC, saw that, while the schools would always compete, and that such a rivalry was good for both schools because it helps promote continuous improvement, the animosity between the institutions was unnecessary and, indeed, counterproductive for the region.
‘Counterproductive’ is a strong word, but it’s applicable here because, while both HCC and STCC are fine schools, there are many things they can do if they work together, but not if they remain islands unto themselves.
The best example of this, of course, is that nagging and ongoing challenge known to all as the skills gap. We’ve said it many times before, but it bears repeating: this is probably the most pressing problem facing the business community at present and the largest single impediment to growth for companies, business sectors, and the region as a whole.
Businesses cannot flourish if they don’t have a reliable pipeline of quality workers. Working independently, neither STCC not HCC could create such pipelines. But by working together collaboratively, they can address the problem much more effectively, and they have, through the TWO (Training & Workforce Options) initiative (see story, page 15). It has assisted a number of individual businesses and sectors through creation of programs to provide individuals with the specific skills needed to meet recognized workforce challenges.
And while both schools and both presidents (each set to retire in a few months) are very proud of the Deval Patrick Award for Workforce Development, awarded by the Boston Foundation, which they won together for TWO, they’re far more proud of the way the program has provided answers for the business community.
There are many other examples of how the schools have worked collaboratively in recent years, and together they make a statement — one powerful enough for us to note that, while Messner and Rubenzahl will be recognized for all they did for their individual schools, they may be best remembered for what they, and their institutions, did together.
Located just seven miles apart as the crow flies, Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College have always competed, and in vigorous fashion, for everything from students to press coverage to state funding for capital projects. But when they arrived at their respective campuses in 2004, Presidents Bill Messner and Ira Rubenzahl found the relationship between the schools to be a case not of healthy competition, but unhealthy animosity. So they set about changing that equation. And as both men prepare to retire, they talked about what would have to be considered a stunning new attitude that prevails at both schools.
Neither man recalls which one of them actually picked up the phone and called the other.
What they clearly remember, though, is that a call, the first of many, was made. And, considering all that’s happened since the conversation ended, it could only be described with the adjective ‘historic.’
Ira Rubenzahl and Bill Messner had been at their new positions, as president of Springfield Technical Community College and Holyoke Community College, respectively, for just a few months (Rubenzahl arrived a few weeks earlier) in that summer of 2004. And while they hadn’t learned everything about the challenges that lay ahead, they did know one thing — that the relationship between the two schools, located just seven miles apart, had to change, and soon.
“Let’s just say that the institutions had not been working well together,” said Messner, his tone blending understatement with a dose of sarcasm as he described what he found upon his arrival. “And that was really not productive.”
Added Rubenzahl, “it didn’t take long to figure out that there was this problem. And we basically said, together, ‘we have to stop competing and start working together.’”
Actually, the competition hasn’t stopped, and both presidents agree that it can’t and won’t because, as the old saying goes, it’s good for the parties involved. But the animosity that prevailed a dozen years ago is mostly gone. And it hasn’t been missed.
For evidence of this, Rubenzahl and Messner pointed to a number of initiatives involving everything from workforce development to adult basic education; from legislative get-togethers to initiatives to train workers for MGM’s planned $900 million casino in Springfield’s South End.
They even listed the fact that the two travel together to meetings in Boston and elsewhere, and did so with a note of wonder in their tone that speaks volumes about just how bad things were.
Perhaps the very best piece of evidence, though, is the Deval Patrick Award for Workforce Development, presented by the Boston Foundation, which the schools earned together in 2014 for their collaborative effort known as TWO (Training & Workforce Options); more on that later.
Getting from where relations (if one could call them that) were in 2004 to where they are now didn’t happen overnight and would never be described as easy, both men noted.
“There are areas in which we’re much better off collaborating than we are competing,” said Messner. “But it took us a couple of years to get our arms around what those areas were, and how we could collaborate effectively.”
Also, the mountain to climb in terms of the level of animosity to be overcome was high and steep, said Rubenzahl.
“Bill and I got comfortable very quickly,” he noted. “But it took a while for the troops to line up because it was so inbred.”
Eventually, the troops did fall in line, both men noted, but the movement clearly started at the top.
Which is exactly why BusinessWest met with both presidents in Messner’s office in Frost Hall earlier this month. They’ve both announced that they’re retiring, with Rubenzahl due to exit stage left in June, and Messner a month or two later.
Yes, the presidents who arrived in the Pioneer Valley together will be leaving it together. And they’re leaving behind a track record of collaboration that couldn’t have been imagined a decade and a half ago.
Perhaps the best news is that both believe this pattern of cooperation has become so ingrained — and so welcomed by the schools’ respective boards — that they find it difficult to imagine a scenario in which it won’t continue after they’ve left their respective campuses.
“It will probably change in some ways to reflect the personalities of the two folks who are going to be following us,” said Messner. “But I think it’s grounded enough that it will continue. And my sense is that, if those two folks don’t choose to continue to collaborate, they’ll pay a price of some sort.”
New Course of Action
To put the dramatic change in the relationship between the two colleges in perspective, both Rubenzahl and Messner took a quick trip back to last summer and a press event that was significant on a number of levels.
Gov. Charlie Baker was coming to Western Mass. to deliver good news for both schools: HCC was getting $2.5 million for much-needed renovations of its cramped, antiquated, and leaky campus center, and STCC was getting $3 million for design work on a planned $50 million project to convert the historic structure known as Building 19 — one of the oldest buildings on the Springfield Armory complex later repurposed into the community college — into a new campus center.
He would announce both awards in a single ceremony at HCC, an arrangement STCC quickly signed off on.
“Before we came, they would never have dared to do that,” said Rubenzahl, saying those words slowly for additional emphasis and using the word ‘they’ to mean both the institutions and their presidents. “There would have been huge objections to doing that.”
Messner agreed, and, like his counterpart, treaded lightly, and diplomatically, when asked about the root causes of the sentiments that prevailed when he arrived.
The opening of HCC’s Kittredge Center is one of the highlights of Bill Messner’s tenure, which was defined by improved relations with STCC.
However, it was well-known across the region, and even across the state, that the leaders’ predecessors — David Bartley, previously speaker of the Massachusetts House, at HCC, and Andy Scibelli, former Springfield city official and nephew of powerful state Rep. Anthony Scibelli, at STCC — didn’t exactly get along and were ferociously competitive, to put it mildly. And their institutions followed their lead — with a passion.
To explain the mood, Rubenzahl recalled some dialogue at a meeting he convened with several senior staff members at STCC not long after arriving.
“Someone referred to the ‘enemy,’” he recalled. “I said, ‘what enemy? Do you mean Holyoke?’ And he said, ‘yes, Holyoke.’ I was really taken aback by that, and said, ‘they’re not the enemy.’”
Rubenzahl believes that aforementioned phone conversation with Messner had already occurred by that point, but the chosen terminology cemented in his mind — actually both men’s minds, because similar language was being used in the campus off Homestead Avenue in Holyoke — that change was necessary.
And it came about, they said, partly due to those changes at the top, but also because it simply made sense.
Indeed, both presidents and their staffs had concluded that, while the schools would go on competing — “like Ford and Chevy do,” said Messner — they could also collaborate in many ways and, while doing so, achieve much more together than they ever could separately.
Examples abound, but TWO is clearly the most visible and perhaps the most impactful.
Messner described it as a “mechanism” for collaboration, the initiative that resulted from that somewhat time-consuming process he described earlier of determining in which realms the schools could collaborate, and how.
As the name suggests, the program involves creation of individually tailored programs to help solve workforce problems, specifically those related to the skills gap that has impacted virtually every sector of the economy.
Since its creation five years ago, TWO has assisted large corporations, small businesses, and broad economic sectors, said Rubenzahl, and it’s an example of something the schools could do with some success independent of one another, but to a much greater level of achievement together.
School of Thought
While TWO is the most visible manifestation of the new climate of cooperation between the two schools, there are many others, said the two presidents — starting with the meeting they were at just before sitting down with BusinessWest.
This was a gathering of state legislators to discuss matters involving public higher education, especially funding for the schools and individual initiatives. Years ago, there would have been two of these sessions, said Rubenzahl, one for HCC and one for STCC, because, well, that’s how it was done. (Actually, Greenfield Community College and Berkshire Community College had their own sessions as well.)
Now, there’s a single gathering — a practice that began the spring after the two presidents arrived — and it involves not only those two schools, but all seven public colleges and universities in Western Mass. Thus, the sessions are usually more productive because there are more people in the room, and far more convenient for legislators.
“I called Bill and said, ‘doesn’t it make sense to just have one?’” Rubenzahl recalled. “And for a lot of reasons; you’re more likely to get more legislators, and you can be more effective if you have several colleges saying the same thing as opposed to each one stating their individual needs.”
The legislative get-together is a simple yet effective example of collaboration, said Messner, adding that many others share its basic reason for being: common sense.
STCC President Ira Rubenzahl says his campus now looks for ways to collaborate with its competitor in Holyoke.
That list includes everything from faculty-development programs to the joint hiring of a consultant to create so-called wage grids; from adult basic education — something STCC has become more proficient at thanks to assistance from HCC — to the somewhat daunting task of training hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of the individuals MGM will eventually hire.
When looking back at how the current partnership on casino training came about, both presidents said this is another example of something that wouldn’t have materialized 13 years ago because of the animosity between the schools.
“We have this trust … we have this agreement — we don’t do things separately,” said Rubenzahl, adding that, years ago, the two schools probably would have fought tooth and nail for the entire pie. In this new era of cooperation, they agreed to split the pie long before the Gaming Commission determined the winner of the Western Mass. license.
“It wasn’t clear where the casino was going. Was it going to go to Palmer? Was it going to Springfield? Was it going to go to Holyoke?” he recalled. “But before we knew where it was going, we said, ‘an individual campus is not going to get involved in the training; we’re going to do it together.
“It winds up going in Springfield, but instead of fighting over it, we had already lined up our ducks,” he went on. “We had already figured out that, because Holyoke is really strong in culinary arts, if there’s culinary training, they’re going to get it. They can do it; we can’t do it. And we’re going to do some of the IT training, perhaps.”
Whenever there’s a meeting with MGM officials, the schools go together, said Messner, adding that the casino project is a good example of how the schools work together to meet the workforce needs of the five major sectors of the economy — manufacturing, healthcare, technology, hospitality, and financial services — because neither school can do all that alone.
As still another example of something happening now that wouldn’t have happened years ago — this one involving geography, or territory, as much as anything else — Messner cited initiatives blueprinted by Holyoke schools’ receiver Stephen Zrike for Dean Technical High School.
“He wants two programs connected to college work,” Messner explained. “One is going to be in healthcare, and we’ll do that one, and the other is manufacturing, and we’re going to do that in conjunction with STCC; we’re not going to try to do that alone.”
Added Rubenzahl, “because of this [new relationship], we can do things we couldn’t do otherwise. Before, you couldn’t do that — you couldn’t go into the other college’s hometown and run a public-school program.”
Class Act
As for those shared rides to Boston and other destinations for gatherings of public-school leaders, both men laughed as they talked about how the practice has evolved and how it never would have happened with their predecessors.
“I drive, and he talks,” said Messner, referring to how a typical journey unfolds.
But while they carpool to such meetings, they usually don’t sit together once they arrive — a tradition that is more strategic than any kind of statement about how the schools, and presidents, get along.
“We don’t want to look like a two-headed monster,” said Rubenzahl, adding that the two are usually of a similar mind on most matters and don’t want to appear to be delivering comments in stereo.
Messner agreed. “You can’t cluster your strength all in one part of the room — you have to spread it out.”
In truth, and despite those seating arrangements, the schools have indeed become a two-headed monster — of collaboration.
Marcos Marrero stands across the lower canal from a planned condo project that he says will offer “beachfront property.”
As he talked about Holyoke and the broad economic-development plan he put in place for it when he became mayor just over four years ago, Alex Morse listed a number of key strategic planks in that platform.
They include everything from improving and broadening the housing stock, especially with market-rate options that would attract young professionals, to programs that would encourage entrepreneurship; from public investments aimed at spurring private development to a focus on expanding the creative economy; from public-private partnerships to bolstering the hospitality industry.
And for evidence of progress in all those realms, he pointed (figuratively, although he could also have done so literally from a window in his office in City Hall) to the many developments taking place on — or that can been seen from — Race Street.
Indeed, that north-south artery that runs along what’s known as the lower canal in this gateway city, famous for its legacy of paper making, represents a microcosm of the progress Holyoke has seen in recent years, said Morse, and the promise it holds for the future.
Along a three-block stretch, one can see perhaps the best example of the creative economy in motion in the Gateway City Arts venture, a mixed-use property that will soon feature a new restaurant. Moving south, one encounters the aptly named Cubit building (that’s the shape it takes), which will soon house Holyoke Community College’s Culinary Arts program on the first and second floors and residential space on the third and fourth floors, in an ambitious public-private partnership.
In between those properties is a vacant lot that will become home to the latest expansion effort involving Bueno Y Sano, the Mexican-food chain launched in Amherst two decades ago that now has six locations in Massachusetts and Vermont. The Holyoke facility will be a site for manufacturing some of the food items, but it will also have an eatery.
Across the street, and then across the canal, one can see the sprawling Canal Gallery complex. Once a home to artists and vacant for several years, it is the site of a planned 50-unit condominium complex, one with dozens of windows facing the canal, thus becoming what Marcos Marrero, Holyoke’s economic-development director, affectionately calls “beachfront property.”
From Race Street, one can see the city’s new railway platform, built on the site of Holyoke’s original train station, which is being hailed as one instrument in the city’s efforts to attract new businesses and residents. And one can also see the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, touted as a spark for more technology-related ventures.
Mayor Alex Morse says the developments on — and that can be seen from — Race Street are a microcosm of the progress Holyoke is experiencing.
Also visible, but much further south, is the property at 216 Appleton St., a former mill being repurposed into housing, and still farther south is the former Parsons Paper building, which will soon be razed for a much-needed expansion of Aegis Energy Services, a provider of modular combined heat and power (CHP) systems for a variety of applications.
There are dozens of other developments in various stages of progress across the city, but the view of and from Race Street explains why there is a good deal of optimism and momentum in Holyoke, said Marrero, as well as some challenges that probably couldn’t have been envisioned a half-decade ago, but definitely fall in the ‘good-problem-to-have’ category.
“The progress over the past several years is quite dramatic, and we’re running into problems of success,” he explained. “Four years ago, very few people were saying, ‘our problem is we have too many people who want to be downtown, and we don’t have enough parking for everyone.’
“Four years ago, most people, not just in Holyoke, but across the region, would not have given this city a second glance or perceived it as a place they wanted to be,” he went on. “Now, that’s not the case; there’s a lot of momentum happening.”
For this, the latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at the many forms of progress in the Paper City, and at what the future holds for this historic city on the comeback trail.
It Looks Good on Paper
As he gave BusinessWest a walking tour of the area east of City Hall down to Race Street, Marrero stopped at one point to admire the view as the limited amount of sun light on that warm March afternoon danced on the water in the upper canal near the city’s acclaimed children’s museum in Heritage Park.
Soon — and ‘soon’ is admittedly a relative term — there will be many more people enjoying similar views as residents of the city.
By Marrero’s count, there are approximately 450 units of housing — condos and apartments across a wide mix of price ranges — that are already planned or in the proverbial pipeline.
“There’s more housing in the downtown to be constructed or rehabbed than at any time since the city was first built,” he explained, while listing several projects within a few blocks of one another.
And housing represents a key component of the city’s broad development strategy, said the mayor, adding that Holyoke’s population, which was once at or near 60,000, sank below 40,000 in the ’90s, but is now back above 40,000, with hopes that it will continue to rise.
There are many reasons why the population decreased, said Morse, and, coincidentally, they mirror those economic-development platforms listed earlier, and range from a shortage or jobs to a dearth of attractive housing, to a distinct lack of incentive on the part of the development community to build such housing.
Indeed, until recently, the prevailing sentiment in Holyoke was, ‘you can built it, but will anyone come?’ with enough accent on the question mark to dissuade developers.
Recent interest in those properties on or near Race Street would seem to indicate a more positive attitude, which was effectively expressed by Denis Luzuriaga, who, with his brother, Marco, acquired the Cubit building and blueprinted its mixed-use plans (more on those in a bit).
“I see Holyoke as being not only a great place to live,” said Luzuriaga, who has called the city home for nearly 11 years, “but a place for potentially good returns on real estate as well.”
The basic development strategy for Holyoke is similar to the ones being blueprinted for other Gateway cities, said Morse, noting that, in simple terms, it involves making the community a more attractive place to live, work, and start a business — which Holyoke was until fairly recently.
There are many moving parts within this strategy, he went on, listing everything from job creation to new housing options; from incubator space in which new businesses can take root to rail service that can connect residents to jobs and clients, and connect others with Holyoke.
It will take years, perhaps even decades, for the canvas to fill in completely, but pieces to the puzzle are falling into place. And to see this — although in many cases the assignment requires imagination because projects haven’t started yet — we return to Race Street.
This artery certainly speaks to Holyoke’s past — it is dotted with old mills that manufactured everything from paper to wire, with emphasis on the past tense — but also its present and future.
Regarding the former, many of those properties have been vacant or underutilized for years, if not decades. As for the latter, the projects on the drawing board reflect broad optimism for a more vibrant city.
The Shape of Things to Come
The Luzuriaga brothers are in many ways typical of what could be considered a new generation of investors in Holyoke, lured by attractively priced but structurally sound real estate, but moreso by the city’s potential to reverse its fortunes.
Denis Luzuriaga told BusinessWest that he was a dabbler in commercial real estate, focusing on multi-family homes, when he decided to takes things up a notch — or two. And when deciding where to scale up his activities, he focused on the Paper City because of its attractive opportunities and recognizable momentum.
The Luzuriagas hadn’t officially closed on the 50,000-square-foot Cubit building (purchase price $350,000) when Holyoke Community College put out a request for proposals for a location in the city’s downtown in which to relocate its Culinary Arts program, but they submitted a proposal anyway.
It wasn’t chosen by the school (none of the bids in that round were), but it did garner some attention. And when the winner of the next round of submissions couldn’t make that plan materialize, the school went back to the Cubit building.
Denis Luzuriaga, who, with his brother, Marco, is rehabbing the Cubit building, is among a new generation of investors in Holyoke.
Work on that project is slated to begin in a few months, said Luzuriaga, adding that roughly the same timetable applies to the residential component of the property — 18 units of market-rate apartments. At present, work is ongoing to replace the large windows that pour natural light into the property, which has housed operations manufacturing everything from shoelaces to corsets to wire.
Looking back to when he arrived in Holyoke, Luzuriaga said he liked what he saw — an old mill city with history, character, and potential. And now, he likes the picture that much more.
“There was something about this city, beyond the people and the way it looked, especially in the downtown area, that was very attractive to me,” he said. “I could see the potential for all kinds of positive change.”
So could Lori Divine, when she and fellow artist Vitek Kruta created Gateway City Arts in 2012. The venture has grown over the years, and now puts under one roof everything from learning areas to co-working space; from an event facility to incubator facilities for food-service businesses.
Actually, it’s two roofs (there are adjoining buildings along Race Street), and the expansion process is ongoing.
Indeed, the venture now includes Gateway City Live, which, as that name suggests, hosts a wide variety of live entertainment and events ranging from ‘tango nights’ to weddings. Coming next is the Gateway City Bistro, set to open in June, which will bring another much-needed eatery to the downtown area.
Divine and Kruta were so intrigued by the possibilities downtown that they acquired the Steam Building further down Race Street, so called because it once housed a steam-equipment manufacturer, and renamed it the STEAM (Sustainability Technology Entrepreneurship Art Media) building, with intentions for more mixed-use activity. It currently hosts a few businesses, including a web-design company and an alternative education program called Lighthouse, and will soon be home to a karate studio.
Assessing the scene along Race Street, and Holyoke in general, Divine sees momentum accumulating at a solid pace.
“It’s really exciting,” she said. “The Canal Walk is beautiful, the area is safe — and I know safety is a big issue for people — and it’s fun. It’s just a great place to be.”
Looking forward, the obvious goal is to prompt more residents and business owners to say just that, said Morse, adding that there is progress on both fronts.
The Parsons Paper demolition and cleanup, a long-awaited development after fire extensively damaged the site two years ago, will enable Aegis Energy Services, one of Holyoke’s fastest-growing companies, to expand in the city, he said.
Meanwhile, programs such as the SPARK (Stimulating Potential, Assessing Resource Knowledge) initiative, launched by the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, helps residents develop ideas into businesses.
“We want to encourage entrepreneurship, and we’re been recognized as one of the leading cities in that regard,” he explained, citing the city’s presence on a listing in Popular Mechanics. “This is a city with a history of entrepreneurship and innovation, and it continues today.”
Building Momentum
Luzuriaga believes Holyoke can and will attract more investors, turn its fortunes around, and become a true destination. And that optimism stems from the fact that he’s seen such a reversal of fortune up close and personal.
That was in Jersey City, N.J., a community across the Hudson River from Manhattan that had fallen on hard times and was making progress with the hard work of getting back on its feet while Luzuriaga lived and worked there.
“When I moved there 20 years ago, you could see that it had seen better days,” he explained. “It took a lot of effort by developers and city officials to get a steady pace of growth going, and I see the same type of thing happening in Holyoke; all the indicators are there.”
Luzuriaga says Jersey City was just starting to hit its stride by the time he relocated to Holyoke nearly 11 years ago. But he visits friends there often and marvels at the turnaround.
In Holyoke, he expects to not only witness the turnaround, but be a real part it. And he’ll have a front-row seat — right there on Race Street, at his beachfront property.
Year Incorporated: 1850
Population: 40.135 (2012)
Area: 22.8 square miles
County: Hampden
Residential Tax Rate: 19.12
Commercial Tax Rate: 39.86
Median Household Income: $33,242
Family Household Income: $39,130
Type of government: Mayor, City Council
Largest employers: Holyoke Medical Center, Holyoke Community College, ISO New England, Universal Plastics, Marox Corp. * Latest information available
The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
ASHFIELD
339 Norton Hill Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Brian Farrell
Seller: Michael S. Noetzel
Date: 02/04/16
BERNARDSTON
132 Merrifield Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $186,500
Buyer: Joseph J. Morin
Seller: Pollard, Gertrude E., (Estate)
Date: 02/19/16
BUCKLAND
124 North St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Elijah L. Gwynn
Seller: Mauricia Alvarez RET
Date: 02/12/16
DEERFIELD
365 River Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Joseph W. Bysiewski
Seller: Kathleen N. Belanger
Date: 02/12/16
GREENFIELD
16 Arnold Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: John Marchefka
Date: 02/12/16
96 Columbus Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Chelsea A. Ratta
Seller: Randy W. Magin
Date: 02/05/16
29 Highland Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Carl G. Burwick
Seller: Capilano LLC
Date: 02/19/16
83 Lunt Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Ralph P. Mroz
Seller: Donald P. Tarr
Date: 02/17/16
64 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Amy S. Penna
Seller: Pamela Ossorio
Date: 02/19/16
HEATH
77 Route 8A S.
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Jacob A. Churchill
Seller: Blackmore FT
Date: 02/09/16
LEVERETT
33 Lead Mine Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: John Klier
Seller: Norman D. Aitken
Date: 02/19/16
LEYDEN
240 Eden Trail
Leyden, MA 01337
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Pedro J. Borgos
Seller: Robert T. Henry
Date: 02/12/16
MONTAGUE
69 5th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Pamela A. Gilmore
Seller: Pioneer Coop
Date: 02/04/16
88 East Taylor Hill Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $176,900
Buyer: Nathan R. Aldrich
Seller: Niels W. Cudnohufsky
Date: 02/05/16
1 Kingsley Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Kelly A. Thayer
Seller: Thomas Shiner
Date: 02/09/16
61 Montague St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Adam T. English
Seller: Jane R. Drury
Date: 02/05/16
316 Wendell Road
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Randy W. Magin
Seller: Neill L. Bovaird
Date: 02/05/16
NORTHFIELD
32 Aldrich St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $244,242
Buyer: Pamela T. Hodgkins
Seller: Julie A. Craig
Date: 02/16/16
ORANGE
27 Riverside Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Ryan W. Mailloux
Seller: Pamela J. Kingsbury
Date: 02/19/16
SHELBURNE
1000 Mohawk Trail
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Anna C. Foster
Seller: Gordon E. Taylor
Date: 02/19/16
SHUTESBURY
235 Wendell Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: Lincoln B. Allen
Seller: Charles D. Santos
Date: 02/08/16
33 Wendell Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $278,300
Buyer: Herbert L. Hoyack
Seller: Gail P. Nelson
Date: 02/12/16
SUNDERLAND
59 Howard Hepburn Dr.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Brian J. Misterka
Seller: Paul M. Curran
Date: 02/17/16
414 Russell St.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Kipa Realty Inc.
Seller: Valley Building Co. Inc.
Date: 02/17/16
332 South Silver Lane
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $364,000
Buyer: Kipa Realty Inc.
Seller: Valley Building Co. Inc.
Date: 02/17/16
HAMPDEN COUNTY
AGAWAM
4 Alfred Court
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $123,700
Buyer: Sabrina M. Brizzolari
Seller: Michael F. Diroma
Date: 02/16/16
35 Arbor Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Jeremy M. Cleveland
Seller: Moore Thomas A., (Estate)
Date: 02/17/16
579 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $307,000
Buyer: Daniel A. Arventos
Seller: David J. Brown
Date: 02/09/16
11 Hendom Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $280,000
Seller: Kathleen J. Hanson
Date: 02/12/16
69 Kensington St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Jeannette T. Dupuis
Date: 02/05/16
717 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $185,324
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Thomas M. Wiater
Date: 02/12/16
143 South St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Steven M. Ferrisi
Seller: South Street Holdings LLC
Date: 02/12/16
12 Stanley Place
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Shannon L. Ondras
Seller: Tracey A. Stanlewicz
Date: 02/17/16
23 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Route 75 Main St. AGA LLC
Seller: CH Corp
Date: 02/10/16
344 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Walz Realty LLC
Seller: Ilmie I. Preniqi
Date: 02/12/16
955 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Randall S. Housman
Seller: Cleveland, Redwing, (Estate)
Date: 02/12/16
36 Vadnais St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Carrington
Seller: Nancy Malone
Date: 02/19/16
57 Valentine St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Adam Desmarais
Seller: John E. Morse
BRIMFIELD
64 Champeaux Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $392,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Stewart
Seller: Kevin P. Kirrane
Date: 02/16/16
66 Champeaux Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: James P. Chew
Seller: John P. McCarthy
Date: 02/05/16
13 Saint Clair Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Heather J. Archambault
Seller: Debra A. Lamoureux
Date: 02/10/16
CHICOPEE
23 Ashgrove St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Antonio Colon
Seller: Antoinette Keily
Date: 02/09/16
After years in a Nepalese refugee camp, Gokul Budathoki and Mena Tiwari found a new life — and business — in Springfield.
If all Ascentria Care Alliance did for refugees was help them get established in the U.S. and find jobs, it would be important work. But, thanks to an initiative launched in 2010 called the Microenterprise Development Program, Ascentria is actually putting many of its clients on the road to business ownership, through education, assistance with permitting and other hurdles, and small loans. The result, so far, is a patchwork of intriguing startups across the Pioneer Valley owned by people who truly appreciate their new opportunity, and have their sights set on continued growth.
Mena Tiwari’s story begins much like that of many refugees.
She was born in Bhutan, but, at age 2, her family fled that country’s inter-ethnic conflict, and she wound up in a refugee camp in Nepal, where she spent the next two decades.
While growing up there, owning a business — in the United States, no less — was the furthest thing from her mind.
“Back in the refugee camp, we didn’t get the chance to do anything like that,” Tiwari said, noting that her family ran a little shop in the camp, but it resembled in no way the complexity of opening a store in the U.S.
“Basically, we had a lot of love, but we didn’t have money,” she said, recalling how people would work with their hands — carving sandalwood into sticks for incense, for example — to make a little profit, and if they were able to scrape up enough for, say, a picnic outing, they appreciated it. “I always look for happiness in the little things. They made me happy because I worked for it.”
Tiwari met Gokul Budathoki in the camp, and after they immigrated to the U.S. — she in 2009, staying with family in Buffalo, N.Y., and he to New Hampshire in 2011 — they reconnected, and eventually married in late 2011; a year later, to the day, their son was born.
Tiwari worked in a salon as a hairdresser before moving to New Hampshire after the wedding, and Budathoki had been working at a Walmart, gaining a knowledge of retail he would put to use when the couple started talking about opening a business.
“Nobody was here to support us; her parents were in Buffalo, and my parents were back in country, so we had to support ourselves,” said Budathoki, who eventually enrolled at a community college and landed a new job with a mental-health nonprofit. “We said, ‘why don’t we open our own thing?’ So, after the baby was born, we put him in the carseat and drove around the countryside, looking.”
“We’re a resettlement agency,” Emil Farjo said of ACA, which has offices in Westfield and Worcester and was previously known as Lutheran Social Services. “We have refugees come from overseas, and we help them get an apartment, furniture, their first IDs, benefits from welfare and MassHealth, Social Security numbers, and ESL classes.”
Beyond those basic services, however, is the microenterprise program, which was created in partnership with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement in 2010, with the goal of helping refugees launch businesses and reach economic self-sufficiency.
Nazar al Khaled was a famous singer in Iraq; now he hawks his wife’s authentic cuisine in West Springfield.
Farjo was hired to lead the program in 2012, leveraging his education, background in computer science, and experience as a business owner in Iraq, where he’d owned three very different enterprises, in engineering and HVAC, food distribution, and wholesale.
After fleeing Iraq in 2004 for the safety of his family and spending six years in Syria, he immigrated to the U.S. and connected with what was then Lutheran Social Services, working with other refugees on computer classes, vocational training, and other skills before being tapped to lead the business-startup program.
“I was very successful in my business, but when we fled our country, we left everything behind,” he told BusinessWest. “My experiences help me understand how these people think. I can be a bridge from their former country to the American system. This is my passion. I find everyone’s success is my success. I love what I’m doing, and I want to help them make their dreams come true.”
First Steps
The microenterprise program provides business planning, financing, and training to refugees in the Bay State. Applicants receive guidance in budgeting, marketing, finance, and obtaining permits and licenses. Typically, refugees lack sufficient credit history or loan collateral to receive traditional business loans, so the program provides small startup loans, typically in the range of $500 to $15,000.
To date, the program has helped spawn 32 businesses in Greater Springfield and 12 more in Worcester, ranging from child care to cleaning services; web-based services to landscaping and farming; delivery services to auto repair. Most owners are Iraqi or Bhutanese, with a smattering of refugees from Liberia, Lithuania, and Burundi.
“They’re new to the system, so we provide classes in financial literacy and money management, how to write a business plan, how to budget,” Farjo said. “We’re also a microlender; we don’t ask for credit, we just want them to take their first steps in business loans, and prepare them for the next step, which is traditional loans from traditional lenders.”
Mike Garjian, a serial entrepreneur who has been working with Farjo in the program, added that these classes tend to be full. “There’s a thirst for knowledge; they’re fully engaged. And that translates to business success.”
Farjo also works one on one with participants on hurdles such as site selection, licensing, and permitting. “They would be lost without us. We’re dealing with surrounding cities, and each city is different. It’s a hassle for them.”
For Tiwari and Budathoki, the hassles since opening almost 10 months ago have been worth it. Their store sells both American and ethnic food products, as well as an impressive array of Bhutanese clothing. Their customer base has been steadily growing, and they’re looking to establish a space for community gatherings in additional space at the back of the store.
“It began with a little stress,” Tiwari said, “but we can say we are happy.”
Nazar al Khaled is also pleased with his new business. He was a famous Iraqi singer — “very famous, not normal famous,” he noted — whose life, like that of so many countrymen, was turned upside down after the U.S. invasion in 2003. He caught a bit of a break when the New York Times and other sources reported him dead in an airstrike in 2004, as some Muslim groups that rose up after Saddam’s fall were targeting singers and other artists, and the report took some of the pressure off.
In 2009, he arrived in the U.S. with his family and stayed for a couple of years in New York before moving to Western Mass. in 2011 for a quieter lifestyle.
From left, Mohammed Najeeb, program director at Ascentria, with Emil Farjo and Mike Garjian.
Recently — recognizing the culinary skills of his wife, Asmaa Mohammed, and wishing to go into business for himself — al Khaled connected with Farjo and opened Ahalna Foods on Main Street in West Springfield, a multi-ethnic neighborhood where eight of Ascentria’s refugee clients have launched enterprises. To hear him tell it, he definitely needed Farjo’s help.
“In America, there are many ways to start work, but no one tells you the right way,” he said of his earlier dealings with banks and municipal officials. “There are many rules, and nobody answers you, nobody smiles at you, nobody does anything for you. I say, ‘I want to open this business.’ They say, ‘OK, come back next month.’”
Ascentria, on the other hand, “brings us together and teaches us how to work with the banks, how to start a business,” he went on. “Any license or anything else we need, they help us with that.”
Iraqi cuisine, al Khaled said, is based on tradition that extends back 8,000 years, adding that his wife’s creations — which lean heavily on beef, lamb, and chicken — are meant to be savored by all the senses and demand the diner’s entire focus, as opposed to American “technology food” (his term for heavily processed fare) swallowed quickly in front of the TV.
Currently, Ahalna prepares meals for takeout, but also caters events, and aims to eventually move into wholesale distribution. So far, his clientele is mainly people who have already experienced and enjoy Iraqi fare, but he hopes to attract Americans who seek an authentic culinary experience.
“Americans don’t want to change,” he said, “but some Iraqi families have friends and neighbors, and when they bring them our food, they give it a taste and find it’s something different, and after that, they come here to buy it.”
Untapped Potential
Garjian believes Ascentria’s success helping refugees launch businesses should receive more attention than it does.
“This is a sector that’s been really invisible, but it’s a very powerful and interesting component to the region’s economic vitality,” he said. “They are competent, highly energized people.”
He recalled hiring a Vietnamese refugee from Lutheran Services 20 years ago for one of his businesses. She had been a mathematician in her homeland, but had never worked with computers. After he introduced her to one and showed her how to operate Excel, she was quickly running complex equations. What Ascentria’s microenterprise program does, he noted, is help people with these types of skills — or at least the potential to quickly attain them — achieve business success in a very different environment from where they began.
Take the three Iraqi refugees who operate Chicopee Auto Service & Sales Center on Front Street, for example. “We did not want to work for anybody,” said Ahmed Mustafa, who partnered with his brother, Abraheem Mustafa, and a friend, Omar Abdul Razzak, to establish the business early in 2015. They arrived in the U.S. by way of Syria after fleeing their homeland a few years after the invasion.
From left, Abraheem Mustafa, Ahmed Mustafa, and Omar Abdul Razzak are partners at Chicopee Auto Service & Sales Center.
“It was the war,” Ahmed Mustafa said when asked why they left. “It’s always the war.”
But he credited Ascentria and Farjo for helping the partners navigate the permitting process to launch the business, on the site of a former, then-closed used-car dealership. They started with 13 cars for sale and now have 25 on the lot, and typically service about 15 cars at any given time. They recently installed a second repair bay to conduct alignments, and do state safety inspections as well.
Mustafa said there are challenges to starting a business, but he welcomes some of them, like the gradually growing presence of other auto-related businesses in the Chicopee Falls neighborhood. “Having more than one dealer is better for the business that has better prices and better quality,” he said, already speaking the language of a businessman who embraces competition.
Growing the business will bring other benefits as well, he added, not the least of which is being able to hire other immigrants, especially those who struggle with the English language and, therefore, find it challenging to land a job.
Farjo has high hopes for all the businesses his agency helps launch, but he always cautions against overly optimistic expectations.
“They need to be patient. They might not be successful right when they open. Taking a risk is not easy. Starting a business is not easy, even for Americans,” he said. “But when they find someone who will speak with them as a person, someone who cares, that makes a difference. I just want to go the extra mile to see these people be successful, and at the end of the day, they thank me for helping them out.”
Credit Where It’s Due
Budathoki and Tiwari say they have qualities that complement each other: his fortitude and her business mind, for starters. But both say Ascentria was a key element in their success.
“I cannot thank them enough,” Tiwari said. “We wanted to find a way to find success and feed our family, but we went to City Hall and and so many places before we met with Emil. Back in my country, I didn’t know the meaning of a business plan.”
But Farjo says his agency is merely helping them open doors. “They have our support, but it’s their skills and ambition and effort that makes them succeed.”
In a country that accepts some 70,000 refugees a year, Garjian said the microenterprise program serves a social purpose even beyond raising the standard of living for its handful of participants and boosting economic development region-wide. At a time when so many Americans look suspiciously at immigrants and refugees, these small-business owners (who are, like anyone who receives Ascentria’s services, thoroughly vetted and screened) might well be changing a few perceptions.
“Many of them are coming from areas of tyranny and loss of hope,” Garjian told BusinessWest. “To them, each breath is a gift. I’ve seen people walk off the elevators here and take their first breath of freedom. That’s so profound to me.”
Peter Picknelly calls it the right property — and the right project — at the right time. He’s referring to Historic Round Hill Summit, a luxury-apartment complex being created at the former Clarke School for the Deaf complex in Northampton, an initiative that will bring the past, present, and future together in intriguing fashion.
Peter Picknelly says he understood, when he submitted what would eventually become the winning bid for the former Clarke School for the Deaf property in Northampton, that there would be some significant challenges standing in the way of developing the various buildings on the campus for commercial and residential purposes.
As things turned out, he didn’t know at the time just how stern those hurdles would be. But he told BusinessWest that those challenges are the same things that make the property — and his project — so unique and attractive.
Indeed, this complex of buildings is historic — Calvin Coolidge, the nation’s 30th president, and before that, governor of Massachusetts, and before that, mayor of Paradise City, once lived in one of the buildings — and most of the structures are a century or more old. Meanwhile, the views of the surrounding area are stunning, and Northampton’s eclectic, bustling downtown is about 10 minutes away by foot.
The challenge? Blending the old (while at the same time preserving it) with the new, as in modern amenities and liveability in the luxury apartments that Picknelly and several partners will carve out of two former classroom buildings.
The preserving part of that equation is the most demanding, said Max Hebert, project manager for this $10 million endeavor, noting that these two properties, Hubbard Hall and Rogers Hall, like most others on the campus, are on the National Register of Historic Places — which means each nuance of the plans must be approved by the National Park Service before work can proceed.
“That process in itself was very complicated and very lengthy — it was an educational experience and it took much longer than we thought,” said Picknelly, but overall, work is progressing on an ambitious project that be believes represents the right product at the right time, and in the right location.
The Clarke School property has a number of unique buildings being converted for residential and commercial development.
“Apartment living is becoming increasingly popular — people want to get out of their home and live in a vibrant community,” he said, noting that it has become an attractive option for both young professionals and empty nesters looking to downsize but still enjoy luxury.
As for the location, he said it’s ideal for both of those constituencies he described. Northampton is one of the region’s most walkable communities, and Historic Round Hill Summit is just minutes from a bike trail, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Smith College, and everything downtown has to offer.
“The location is ideal, and there’s nothing else on the market like what we’re going to build here,” he said. “We think it’s an incredible mix.”
For this issue and its focus on commercial real estate, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at that mix and how Picknelly and his partners are writing an intriguing new chapter to the already-rich history of this property.
Taking Things to New Heights
Picknelly, CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines and the third-generation owner of that Springfield-based company, has — like his grandfather and father before him — always been entrepreneurial.
He’s picked up several businesses over the past few decades, with Springfield’s iconic Fort Restaurant, which he acquired with several partners from the Scherff family in 2014, the latest example. And, again, like his father, who famously acquired Monarch Place in 1994, he has been an aggressive player in the commercial real-estate realm.
He was a player in the bid to locate a casino in Springfield’s North End, on the Peter Pan property and adjoining parcels, for example, and the Opal Real Estate Group, which he also owns, is advancing plans to convert the former Court Square Hotel property in Springfield into a mixed-use complex blending retail, office space, and market-rate housing.
Max Hebert is seen here outside Rogers Hall, phase two of the Historic Round Hill Summit project.
The plan for Historic Round Hill Summit is much the same, but the project is moving forward more quickly, with one of the old Clarke structures, Coolidge Hall, already home to several commercial tenants, and phase one of the ambitious residential component of the work already underway.
That would be the renovation of Hubbard Hall into 22 apartments — a mix of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units — which should be ready for occupancy by summer.
As he offered a hard-hat tour of the work in progress at the 36,000-square-foot Hubbard Hall, Hebert talked about that challenge of enabling the historic elements of the property to co-exist with modern needs, building codes, and a focus on energy efficiency.
As an example, he pointed to the windows — specifically a few in one unit that offer views of downtown Northampton and the Holyoke Range well beyond.
They are large (eight feet in height), in keeping with the original design, but the glass being looked through is an energy-efficient, double-paned product.
“You still have the historic charm of the window, but you don’t get the cold draftiness,” he explained, adding that, whenever possible, the historic integrity of the property has been maintained.
Beyond the windows, there are many other examples of maintaining many of the original historic features, said Hebert, who listed everything from the chalkboards that graced the classrooms to the wood trim; from fireplaces to the original Clarke School president’s safe.
But the past will also be blended with the present and even the future in the form of transitional-style fixtures, granite and quartz countertops, in-unit laundries, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, and a commodity that has become a luxury item in Northampton — on-site parking.
All this comes with a steep price. Indeed, these units represent the very high end of the luxury-apartment market, with units going for between $1,500 and $2,900 a month.
Picknelly believes there is sufficient demand for such a product, and the early levels of interest, and even a few deposits on units, would seem to bear that out.
“We believe there is going to be a solid market for these units given the location, the views, the amenities — the whole package,” he said, listing professionals at Smith College, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, and other companies, as well as the growing number of retirees eyeing Northampton as a suitable landing spot, as potential tenants.
The Final Word
Time will tell if he’s on target with that assessment, and if Historic Round Hill Summit becomes a sound investment.
But, at the moment, Picknelly believes he has a winning proposition.
And in a nod to Calvin Coolidge and his legendary frugality with words, Picknelly was brief and to the point when asked if he was optimistic about the next life for this historic property.
BOSTON — Confidence among Massachusetts employers weakened for the fifth time in seven months during February, but businesses remain optimistic overall about the ability of the Massachusetts economy to ride out uncertainty abroad and an increasingly curious election season in the U.S. The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index shed 0.7 points to 55.1 last month, still comfortably above the 50 mark that denotes a positive economic outlook. However, the reading was 4.7 points below its level of a year earlier, weighed down by growing concern about the slowing U.S. economy. That concern was confirmed Friday when the government said U.S. economic growth slowed to 1% during the fourth quarter of 2015. “We’re seeing some ambivalence among employers as they look at the economy, especially the turmoil in some overseas markets, but all within the range of general optimism about 2016,” said Raymond Torto, chair of AIM’s Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) and lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Design. “Ambivalence indeed seems to define most views of the U.S. economy, as we saw last week when the annual economic report of the president noted the strong rebound since 2008 while acknowledging that economic forces, including the rapid pace of technological change, are weighing on American industry.” The AIM Index, based on a survey of Massachusetts employers, has appeared monthly since July 1991. It is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. The index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009. The index has remained above 50 since October 2013.
Governor Signs Landmark Opioid Bill into Law
BOSTON — Last week at the State House, Gov. Charlie Baker signed landmark legislation into law to address the deadly opioid and heroin epidemic plaguing the Commonwealth. He was joined by a group including Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders, Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Attorney General Maura Healey, Auditor Suzanne Bump, members of the Legislature, law enforcement, healthcare providers, community leaders, individuals in recovery, and others. The bill, titled “An Act Relative to Substance Use, Treatment, Education, and Prevention,” passed with unanimous votes in both legislative chambers and includes numerous recommendations from the Governor’s Opioid Working Group, including prevention education for students and doctors and a seven-day limit on first-time opioid prescriptions. “Today, the Commonwealth stands in solidarity to fight the opioid and heroin epidemic that continues to plague our state and burden countless families and individuals,” Baker said. “I am proud to sign this legislation marking a remarkable statewide effort to strengthen prescribing laws and increase education for students and doctors. While there is still much work to be done, our administration is thankful for the Legislature’s effort to pass this bill and looks forward to working with the attorney general and our mayors to bend the trend and support those who have fallen victim to this horrific public health epidemic.” Added Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, “today, we take another step forward by passing landmark legislation that will help the individuals and communities affected by the deadly opioid and heroin epidemic. We are grateful for the Legislature’s progress and for the partnership of Attorney General Healey, our mayors, and several others as we continue pursuing aggressive reforms to combat this crisis from the Berkshires to the Cape.” The bill includes the first law in the nation to limit an opioid prescription to a seven-day supply for a first-time adult prescriptions and a seven-day limit on every opiate prescription for minors, with certain exceptions. Other provisions from the governor’s recommendations include a requirement that information on opiate use and misuse be disseminated at annual head-injury safety programs for high-school athletes, requirements for doctors to check the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) database before writing a prescription for a Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 narcotic, and continuing-education requirements for prescribers, ranging from training on effective pain management to the risks of abuse and addiction associated with opioid medications. Several measures were passed to empower individuals and update current prevention efforts. Patients will receive access to non-opiate directive forms and the option of partially filling opioid prescriptions in consultation with doctors and pharmacists. Schools must annually conduct verbal substance-misuse screenings in two grade levels and collaborate with the departments of Elementary and Second Education and Public Health (DPH) around effective addiction-education policies. To reduce the prevalence of unused medication, manufacturers of controlled substances in Massachusetts must participate in either a drug stewardship program or an alternative plan as determined by DPH. This bill strengthens access to insurers and the bed-finder tool website; requires that patients receive information on FDA-approved, medication-assisted therapies after being discharged from a substance-use treatment program; and ensures civil-liability protection for individuals who administer Narcan. The opioid epidemic continues to impact every community in Massachusetts. According to the most recent data, it is estimated that there were nearly 1,200 unintentional and undetermined opioid deaths in 2014. The estimated rate of 17.4 deaths per 100,000 residents for 2014 is the highest ever for unintentional opioid overdoses and represents a 228% increase from the rate of 5.3 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2000. And the trend isn’t slowing. Preliminary data estimations show there were over 1,100 opioid deaths between January and September 2015.
United Way Wins Veteran Financial-literacy Grant
SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Treasurer Deborah Goldberg announced that the United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) was one of five recipients of a grant that supports financial education to veterans and military families. Known as the Operation Money Wise: Financial Education Opportunity Grant and funded through the Office of Economic Empowerment, these grants aim to increase the scope of financial education for military families by providing them with the tools they need to achieve financial stability. Many of these workshops will include strategy sessions on managing money, planning for college, preparing for retirement, and monetary decision making. “These financial-literacy grants will further empower our military community to make informed financial decisions,” Goldberg said. “I am honored to support organizations that work to bring economic stability to the men, women, and families who help keep our country safe.” With three Thrive financial-literacy centers up and running in Holyoke and Springfield, and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program flourishing throughout the region, UWPV is already a leader in improving fiscal education and responsibility among those it serve. The Thrive centers have served hundreds of student and seniors, helping them improve their credit ratings and open their first bank accounts. Last year, VITA helped 4,594 working families keep $2,462,549 through the Earned Income Tax Credit.
State Issues $9.3 Million in Workforce Skills Grants
BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announced $9.3 million in workforce skills equipment grants to 35 high schools, community colleges, and vocational training providers across the Commonwealth for vocational-technical education and training equipment purchases that connect Massachusetts students and residents to economic opportunities in high-demand industries. “Workforce skills education and training plays an enormous role in economic and personal development by helping residents acquire the skills they need to connect with promising careers,” Baker said. “These vocational-technical education equipment grants will help build stronger communities and a more competitive business environment that ensures more residents have the skills they need to succeed in and support the Commonwealth’s economic future.” Added Polito, “these workforce-development grants will build bridges between residents seeking careers to build a future on and the employers who need a skilled workforce to grow the state’s economy. Today, too many good-paying jobs are going unfilled because employers are struggling to find skilled employees. This investment in training equipment will enable high schools and community colleges across the Commonwealth to equip students with the skills they need to secure a bright future.”
The Workforce Skills Capital Grant Program is a new initiative of the Governor’s Workforce Skills Cabinet, which seeks to align education, workforce, and economic-development strategies across the state. Western Mass. recipients of the new round of grants include:
• Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, $465,119 to upgrade and modernize its manufacturing and engineering program, utilizing new hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical controls, materials testing, CNC, and 3-D printing equipment to train students and adult learners for careers in advanced manufacturing, engineering, and biotechnology;
• Dean Technical High School, Holyoke, $393,156 to transform its existing machine technology shop into an advanced-manufacturing shop that aligns with current industry practices and technologies, in order to connect Holyoke students to career opportunities in the Pioneer Valley’s skilled manufacturing workforce;
• Franklin County Technical School, Montague, $52,500 to revamp its computer programming and web-design programs and expand the programs’ capacity to reach adult learners;
• Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative, West Springfield, $257,100 to expand the capacity of its recently-founded high school Machine Technology Program, and to extend programming to adult learners, including unemployed and underemployed individuals facing barriers to employment;
• McCann Technical School, North Adams, $121,128 to revamp its welding and metal-fabrication equipment to train students for careers in Berkshire County’s aerospace, defense, commercial, medical-device, and power-generation industries, and enable re-training for unemployed workers;
• Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, Springfield, $441,500 to launch a new program to equip students with the skills to enter the construction workforce, including training with heavy equipment; and
• Springfield Technical Community College, $499,785 to enhance training in its Laser Electro-Optics and Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology programs by creating an advanced-laser-machining laboratory and a one-year Laser Materials Processing Certificate of Completion, in order to meet the needs of the Commonwealth’s rapidly growing laser-manufacturing industry.
GREAT BARRINGTON — Robert Harrison, principal architect and founder of Harrison Design Associates, announced that Mark Eichorn and Robert Viel Jr. have joined the firm as both architectural designers and project managers.
“I am pleased to welcome Mark and Robert to our team. They each bring a wide range of experience in residential and commercial design and detailing,” said Harrison. “In their new positions, they will enhance and carry forward Harrison Design’s tradition of architectural innovation and our singular focus on creating structures that tell a story and that inspire, delight, and surprise our clients.”
Eichorn brings more than 20 years of experience in the design and building industry. His expertise encompasses all phases of work for residential and commercial architectural-design projects, from drafting and code compliance to design and construction administration. His prior experience as an architectural project manager includes eight years with Pamela Sandler AIA in Stockbridge and three years at William Caligari Interiors/Architecture in Great Barrington. He is a 1992 graduate of Vermont Technical College, where he studied architectural and building engineering technology.
Viel joins Harrison Design with more than 19 years of experience in the architectural and interior-design professions. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1999 from the Wentworth Institute of Technology’s School of Architecture in Boston. He most recently served for five years as sole designer/draftsman at Kohl Construction in Hadley, while also managing his own architectural-design studio in Springfield. Prior to that, he was employed for 10 years at Pamela Sandler AIA as senior designer, job captain, and draftsman.
The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.
Aguirre, Betsabe
a/k/a Cruz, Betsabe
63 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/16/16
Bachand, Priscilla Joan
25 Coles Meadow Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/19/16
Baker, Herbert M.
1 Hollywood St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/19/16
Bittner, Bethany Ann
28 Madison Circle
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/16/16
Bouchard, Marcus J.
135 Slate Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/24/16
Butler, Lisa M.
53 Melrose St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/19/16
Cadoret, Shaun T.
Cadoret, Mandi B.
155 Old Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/18/16
Colon, Ana D.
9 Ivy Ave., Apt. 1L
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/18/16
Dansereau, William
3 Mill St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/16/16
Davis, Sarah D.
98 Calley St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/29/16
Diaz, Rosa
a/k/a Diaz-Burgos, Rosa
101 Lowell St., Apt. 7
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/16
Dominguez, Debra L.
88-90 Beacon Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/29/16
Fairly Twisted
Butler, Kevin P.
53 Melrose St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/19/16
Figueroa, Maria D.
310 Pine St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/17/16
Forte, Ronald
61 West St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/22/16
Frangioso, Timothy E.
25 Cross St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/16
Gilbert, Dianna M.
Cook, Dianna M.
134 College Highway, Apt. G4
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/29/16
Girard, Nancy
71 Federal St.
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/19/16
Hanouille, Edward W.
107 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/22/16
Hardy, Dana Leigh
a/k/a Lauber, Dana L.
10 Nina Pierce Circle
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/28/16
Houghtlin, George A.
Houghtlin, Mildred E.
49 Wilson St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/16
Jarrell, Ryan
51 Connecticut Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/22/16
Kelley, Joanne M.
110 South Park Terr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/16
Knechtel, Katie Louise
149 Bartlett Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/28/16
Lamica, Michael A.
301 B East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/26/16
Lemoi Erectors, Inc.
54 Main St.
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/16
Lewis, Lisa M.
12 Lenox St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/24/16
Luciano, Maria L.
44 Pelham St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/22/16
Lysik, Carol A.
5 Rogers Ave.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/17/16
Mancini, Francis A.
a/k/a Mancini, Frank A.
Mancini, Sarah A.
a/k/a Forester, Sarah A.
a/k/a Carotenuto, Sarah A.
73 Klaus Anderson Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/29/16
McCabe, Kevin Donald
McCabe, Victoria Latona
a/k/a Gosine, Victoria L.
56 Old Farm Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/29/16
McConnell, Kimberley Anne
a/k/a Arroyo, Kimberley M.
a/k/a McConnell – Arroyo, Kimberley A.
840 Lenox St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/29/16
Mitchell, Sara A.
a/k/a Willard, Sara A.
49 Bardwell St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/16
Moran, John Dennis
42 Sheridan Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/19/16
The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.
AMHERST
Christopher Blount Designs Inc., 6 Lawrence Circle, Amherst, MA 01002. Christopher Blount, same. Manufacturing of medical instruments.
Holla Magazine Inc., 441 West St., Amherst, MA 01002. Ingrid Claudia Akkew, 33 Kellogg Ave. #2, Amherst, MA 01002.
CHCIOPEE
DVM Electric Corp., 18 Whittier Place, Chicopee, MA 01013. Denis Mikha Ylichenko, same. Electrical installation, repair, maintenance to the general public and commercial entities on a for-hire basis
Enso Inc., 491 Chicopee St., Chicopee, MA 01013. James Lowe, same. Import and export of goods
FEEDING HILLS
Cold Spring Academy Inc., 926B Springfield St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Katherine Marian Anderson, same. The specific purposes for which the corporation is organized are to manage, operate, guide, direct, and promote Cold Spring Academy. The corporation is organized and operated exclusively for educational and charitable purposes pursuant.
HOLYOKE
DC Remodeling Co., 3 Overlook Dr., Holyoke, MA 01040. Ana C De Alba, same. Home remodeling services.
LONGMEADOW
Fairway Corp., 785 Williams St, Suite 352, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Louis Masaschi, same. Real estate services.
Fred Astaire Dance International Corp., 10 Bliss Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. John Rothweiler, same. Dance studio with instruction classes.
PERU
First Congregational Church of Peru, 2 West Main Road, Peru, MA 01235. Charlene Steele, 25 South Road, Peru, MA 01235. Church shall be to provide for and maintain the public worship of God; to promote the spiritual welfare of its members; and to extend the kingdom of Christ in the world.
PITTSFIELD
Explore Leadership & Coaching Inc., 78 Glory Dr., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Michael J. Schroth, same. Oganization provides education, training, consultation and other related services.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Dillon Bodley & Associates, P.C., 63 Myron St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Brian Dillon, 22 Pomeroy St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Provides personal accounting and tax services to business owners, executives, independent professionals and households.
WILBRAHAM
Fairway Morgans Inc., 25 Cypress Lane, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Kelly Gilmartin, Same. Promote the Morgan Horse through amateur showing and breeding in addition to fostering and rescuing Morgan Horses. The amateur showing will take place in regional and national competitions including but not limited to New England regional horse show and the Morgan Grand Nationals.
SPRINGFIELD — Carol K’s Added Attractions, a women’s clothing boutique at 180 Shaker Road, East Longmeadow, will host the Professional Women’s Chamber bimonthly Ladies Night on Tuesday, April 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. The boutique offers personalized attention and affordable clothing and accessories for women of all ages.
Ladies Nights provide chamber members with opportunities to meet socially with other members after hours. Reservations are preferred and include complimentary beverages and refreshments. To reserve a spot, e-mail Debra Chamberland at [email protected].
CHICOPEE — The Greater Chicopee Chamber will host a bus trip to New York City on Saturday, May 21.
Tripgoers will be on ther own in the city to take a tour, go shopping, see a show, or anything else. The bus will leave the chamber parking lot at 7 a.m. and return around 9:30 p.m. The cost is $55 per person. Seats can be purchased by calling (413) 594-2101.
HOLYOKE — As part of Wistariahurst’s spring workshop series, “Getting to the Stories,” Sam Redman, a professor in the UMass Oral History Lab, will introduce participants to the basics of oral-history interviewing on Monday, March 28, at 6 p.m. in the Wistariahurst Carriage House.
This workshop will explore several key questions: what is oral history? How does one conduct an oral-history interview? How is an oral-history project managed? What can one do with completed oral-history interviews? Those with a project in mind or just curious to learn more will find a starting point in this workshop. No prior experience in oral history is required, and the public is welcome. The fee is $7, or $5 for Wistariahurst members. Space is limited, so pre-registration at www.wistariahurst.org is recommended.
“This workshop is for all those who have heard someone tell a story about their past and thought, ‘someone should record that,’” said Holyoke City Historian Penni Martorell. “This workshop will give anyone the tools needed to make sure all the great stories in our families and communities are not lost.”
Redman is an assistant professor in the Department of History at UMass Amherst. He recently founded the UMass Oral History Lab, an initiative to bring together students, scholars, and communities to improve oral history projects of all kinds. Before coming to UMass, he served as lead interviewer for the Rosie the Riveter/World War II American Home Front Oral History Project, a partnership between the University of California and the National Park Service. He authored grants to launch new oral-history projects including the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Oral History Project and the Japanese American Confinement Sites Oral History Project. His reviews and essays on oral history have appeared in Oral History Review, Western History Quarterly, and the New York Times.
SPRINGFIELD — Michael Schneider has been named a shareholder at Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, P.C. His practice is focused on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions (including international business transactions), land use, and commercial real estate. He is a member of the Massachusetts and Connecticut bars.
Schneider is a past member of the Longmeadow Conservation Commission and past vice president and director of the Children’s Chorus of Springfield Inc. He was also a BusinessWest 40 Under Forty honoree in 2014 and a judge for the 40 Under Forty class of 2015. He earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School in 2007. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College in 1997.
Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, P.C. is one of the largest law firms in Western Mass., providing a wide range of legal services including litigation, corporate, probate, real estate, taxation, estate planning, and intellectual property law.
BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker recently announced changes to the state’s administration of technology services, establishing the role of executive director of MassIT, the state technology office, and elevating the position to report directly to the governor.
The changes come after an eight-month review of current practices across state government with an immediate focus on improving and upgrading how the Commonwealth’s citizens interact with key state systems over the internet. Mark Nunnelly, current commissioner of the Department of Revenue and special advisor to Baker for technology and innovation competitiveness, will begin as executive director of MassIT on April 4.
“As so much of our lives become increasingly digitized, it is important state government keep up with the daily needs of our constituents,” Baker said. “Information technology is an important priority for this administration, and our ability to provide secure essential services and execute projects in an efficient and fiscally responsible manner is key to a better state government for Massachusetts. This is an important step that not only addresses some of the problems we have, but is an essential way forward to a better future.”
The executive director of MassIT will lead an effort to revamp and improve how end users interact with the Commonwealth, from improving licensing to answering the latest questions on healthcare services, and help filing taxes. He will also focus on procuring services, managing projects using more readily available technology, and streamlining duplicative IT applications currently in place.
WESTFIELD — MarketingWorks, a series of educational programs for business owners, marketing professionals, and entrepreneurs hosted by Stevens 470 in Westfield, announced two upcoming programs.
“Online and Offline Marketing Strategies” meets weekly for three Friday morings, April 1, 8, and 15. This program covers the latest online and offline marketing channels, including brand presentation, advertising, PR, web, social media, and mobile technologies. Participants in this group program will develop a plan to utilize the channels aimed at their target audience.
“Maximize Your Website for Business Growth” meets weekly for three Friday mornings, May 13, 20, and 27. Customers, prospects, and associates make an immediate assessment of a business based on the content of its website. Participants in this group program will evaluate their current website and clarify the steps needed to make it the company’s most valuable marketing channel.
For program details, visit www.stevens470.com/educational-programs.html or call Tina Stevens at (413) 568-2660.
SPRINGFIELD — As part of its 10th annual 40 Under Forty program, BusinessWest is taking nominations for its second annual Continued Excellence Award, the winner of which will be unveiled at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 16. The nomination deadline is April 1 at 5 p.m., no exceptions.
Last year, BusinessWest inaugurated the award to recognize past 40 Under Forty honorees who had significantly built on their achievements since they were honored. The five finalists for that award last year were Kamari Collins, Jeff Fialky, Cinda Jones, Kristin Leutz, and the eventual winner, Delcie Bean IV.
“So many 40 Under Forty honorees have refused to rest on their laurels,” said Kate Campiti, associate publisher of BusinessWest. “We wanted to honor those who continue to build upon their strong records of service in business, within the community, and as regional leaders. Last year’s five finalists have certainly done that, and we expect this year’s nominees to be equally inspiring.”
Candidates must hail from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award, in this case, classes 2007-15. The nomination form is available at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40-under-forty-continued-excellence-award. For your convenience, a list of the past nine 40 Under Forty classes may be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40-under-forty-past-honorees.
SHEFFIELD — Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced the second round of deadlines for competitive grants in 2016. Covering the period from April through June, the spring cycle of deadlines is open to regional nonprofits, students, schools, and community members.
The Wassermann-Streit Y’diyah Memorial Fund supports projects and programs that encourage people to learn about Judaism with an aim to dispel religious prejudice, bias, and intolerance. Grants of $500 will be awarded. Applications are due April 1.
The Fund for Williamstown’s DeMayo Bright Futures Innovation Award recognizes organizations, institutions, businesses, or individuals who are passionate about solving community challenges with innovative practices in Williamstown. The award recipient will receive $1,000. Nominations are due April 15.
Berkshire Taconic administers 30 individual scholarship funds for students in Berkshire County who plan to attend an accredited college, university, or graduate program. Scholarships generally range from $1,000 to $10,000 and support a variety of academic interests, including engineering, history, nursing, and more. Many scholarship funds offer annual grants to students throughout the course of their undergraduate or graduate careers, provided that the recipient continues to meet the fund’s requirements. All scholarship applications are due April 1, unless otherwise noted. To see a full list of Berkshire County scholarships, visit www.berkshiretaconic.org/berkshirescholarships.
Eight education enrichment funds will award grants to individual schools and school districts in Berkshire County this spring. Grants of up to $5,000 will support extracurricular projects to inspire and engage students: field trips, artists in residence, travel grants, robotics and nutrition programs, and more. Application deadlines are from April 1 to June 30. To see a full list of education enrichment funds and their deadlines, visit www.berkshiretaconic.org/berkshireeducationenrichment.
The William J. & Margery S. Barrett Public Service Award for Adams, Cheshire & Savoy celebrates individuals who make a significant contribution to the well-being of these towns through paid or volunteer work. Nominations are due May 1. The selected nominee will be allowed to designate a nonprofit organization to receive a cash award of $1,000 in his or her name.
For the grant-application process, visit www.berkshiretaconic.org/searchgrants. For the scholarship-application process, visit www.berkshiretaconic.org/searchscholarships.
WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond recently hired Principal Engineer Wayne Bates to better serve its clients in the Greater Boston area. He will work out of the firm’s Westwood office.
Bates specializes in water and wastewater treatment technologies with a focus on industrial wastewater treatment, process improvement, waste minimization, EH&S compliance, and sustainable manufacturing strategies. He has almost 30 years of engineering and environmental, health, and safety consulting experience, and is also a certified Envision sustainability professional. He holds licenses in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
Bates is also an adjunct professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and serves on the board of directors for the Center for Business Sustainability at WPI. In addition, he serves on the town of Ashland’s sustainability and water-policy committees, and is a sustainability facilitator for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts.
“We are happy to welcome Wayne to our growing team of experts,” said David Pinsky, president and CEO of Tighe & Bond. “His expertise will benefit our Greater Boston-area clients greatly as they seek process improvements, EH&S compliance, and sustainable-manufacturing strategies.”
Bates earned his Ph.D in environmental/civil engineering from WPI. He also holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Northeastern University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UMass Dartmouth.
PLAINVILLE — Gambling revenue at Plainridge Park Casino jumped in February, the second consecutive monthly increase, the Boston Globe reported yesterday.
The slot parlor brought in $12.6 million last month, about $100,000 more than in January. On a daily basis, revenue rose nearly 8%, according to figures from the state Gaming Commission. Over the past two months, the casino’s revenue averaged $12.5 million, up from $11.5 million in November and December. A 12% increase in January followed five months of declining numbers since a strong opening early last summer.
Plainridge was expected to collect as much as $300 million in revenues in its opening year, but has fallen short of those projections, and is on pace to take in about $160 million for the year.
WESTFIELD — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) and its ReStore in Westfield recently received a donation of lighting products from Luminance USA, headquartered in Commerce, Calif. The product will be used in GSHFH’s construction projects as well as sold at its ReStore retail outlet.
Products received include chandeliers, bathroom vanity lights, lightbulbs, wall sconces, ceiling-fan replacement parts, and table lamps, and are available for purchase at the Habitat ReStore located at 301 East Main St. in Westfield, with prices from 30% to 50% off regular retail prices.
“Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity and our ReStore in Westfield rely on the generous support of our partners such as Luminance to provide strength, stability, and self-reliance to our partner families through our home-ownership and home-preservation programs. We have made an investment in ourselves with the opening of our ReStore, and with the support of partners such as Luminance, we know it was worth it,” said Jennifer Schimmel, executive director of Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity.
GSHFH’s ReStore opened last April. Habitat for Humanity ReStores are nonprofit home-improvement stores and donation centers that sell new and gently used furniture, home accessories, building materials, and appliances to the public at a fraction of the retail price.
WESTFIELD — The Western Mass Knights sled hockey teams will host the sixth annual Cammer Cup game at Amelia Park Arena, 21 South Broad St., Westfield, on Saturday, March 19, starting at 5 p.m.
The event will feature a celebrity face-off at 5 p.m. vs. the Western Mass Jr. Knights (18 and under), and at 6 p.m. the Western Mass Knights (adults) will take on the Charter Oak Men’s League team. The games celebrate the memory of the Knights’ late teammate Alex Camerlin. Tickets cost $10 each, and proceeds will benefit the Knights adult and junior sled-hockey programs.
“This is the event we mark on our calendars each year,” said Carole Appleton, executive director of Amelia Park Arena. “I knew Alex personally, and everyone misses him so much. This game gives the sled-hockey athletes the opportunity to show the community that they are so much more than a physically challenged team, that they are hockey athletes who work hard and want to win, just like Alex always did.”
The celebrity face-off game will feature local media and political celebrities getting in hockey sleds and experiencing the game first-hand against the Western Mass Jr. Knights team. The celebrities scheduled to appear include Shaggy (KIX 100.9), Bob Kester (Rock 102), Pat Kelly (Lazer 99.3), state Rep. John Velis, state Rep. Brian Ashe, and Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan.
According to the Northeast Sled Hockey League, sled hockey is the fast, exciting, rough-and-tumble version of ice hockey played primarily by people with lower-limb mobility impairments. The game is essentially the same as ‘stand-up’ ice hockey, the major difference being that the players use a sled with two hockey skate blades mounted under a seat. Among sports for disabled athletes, sled hockey is different because able-bodied athletes can play, and they have no advantage over disabled athletes.
The Knights and Junior Knights teams include players ranging in age from 8 to 63 on teams of both mixed gender and mixed ability. The junior team is organized by Disability Resources, a program of Center for Human Development (CHD), a nonprofit organization that delivers a broad array of critical social and mental-health services to more than 18,000 people each year in Western Mass. and Connecticut. Both teams are based out of Amelia Park Ice Arena.
Tickets for the sixth annual Cammer Cup game are available through local players, from CHD, and at the door the day of the event.
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Regional Chamber will hold its bimonthly Lunch n Learn with a new twist — speed networking — on Wednesday, April 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at La Quinta Inns & Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield.
“We have had so much interest in our speed-networking events that we have added an additional event at lunch,” said Sarah Mazzaferro, member services director. “Participants have an opportunity to network during lunch and then really get down to the business of learning about each other and pitching their companies during the speed networking portion of the event.”
The core concept to speed networking is the ‘elevator speech,’ a short summary of an individual, business, organization, product, or service — a summary that a person could deliver in the time span of a short elevator ride. Attendees will be divided into two groups, seated across from each other. Each group member will have 60 seconds to give his or her elevator speech to the person seated directly across. Once each member has given their elevator speech, they will change seats, and the process will begin again with a new partner. The round-robin format of networking will continue until the event is over.
The event will begin with lunch at 11:30 a.m. To accommodate the event, no admittance will be allowed after noon, and lunch will no longer be served. Reservations cost $25 for members, $35 for general admission. Reservations must be made online and in advance at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com or by contacting Mazzaferro at [email protected].
SPRINGFIELD — The Student Prince is a German institution, but that hasn’t stopped it from establishing a long-time St. Patrick’s Day tradition at the restaurant. The tradition continues today when Bishop Mitchell Rozanski will be on hand to preside over a blessed luncheon, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Colleens from Springfield, Chicopee, Agawam, and Holyoke will be present at the ceremony. Members of the Holyoke Caledonian Pipe Band and the Brian Elliot Trio will provide music and entertainment.
The St. Patrick’s Day luncheon is part of a week-long celebration at the Fort. Tonight, Philadelphia’s famous Aqua String Band will begin its traditional march at the restaurant, and will be back on Friday, alongside the Holyoke Caledonian Pipe Band, for an evening of revelry and live music. A special menu featuring Irish favorites will be served through Sunday.
“St. Patrick’s Day is a great week on Fort Street,” said Managing Partner Andy Yee. “You can really feel the energy and the history. We’re honored to have Bishop Rozanski and the Colleens here for this traditional event, and we’re looking forward to some great music as well.”
BOSTON — Local unemployment rates in January went down in all 24 labor-market areas in the state compared to January 2015, according to data measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
However, over-the-month comparisons show seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates went up in 23 areas of the state from December 2015 to January 2016 and remained the same in one area, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported.
From January 2015 to January 2016, 14 areas added jobs, with the largest-percentage gains in the Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Haverhill-Newport-Amesbury, and Barnstable areas. One area recorded a loss. The statewide, seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 2,500 job loss in January and an over-the-year gain of 48,900 jobs.
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Central Cultural District recently welcomed 15 new organizations to its membership. They include the Armory Quadrangle Civic Assoc., Bay Path University, the Bing Arts Center, Blues to Green, the Drama Studio, Classical Condominiums, Enchanted Circle Theatre, Martin Luther King Family Services, New England Farmworkers Council, Panache Productions, Partners for a Healthier Community, the Performance Project, Springfield Public Forum, Springfield Technical Community College, and SilverBrick Lofts. They will join the ranks of 25 current members, mostly comprised of downtown arts and culture organizations.
The Springfield Central Cultural District (SCCD) is an independent nonprofit that attained the designation of cultural district from the Massachusetts Cultural Council in 2014. Its mission is to foster civic engagement and arts education in the city of Springfield by creating and sustaining a vibrant cultural environment that positions the city as the cultural capital of the region.
“We are honored to have such amazing members join the fold,” said Morgan Drewniany, executive director of the SCCD. “Increasing the size of our membership only increases the possibility of work we can do in making Springfield more friendly to arts and culture. Having a connected network of not only arts organizations, but businesses and higher ed, helps the district grow stronger together.”
For more information about current and new members, how to become a member, or the work the SCCD is doing, visit springfieldculture.org or contact Drewniany at [email protected] or (413) 781-1592.
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Community College Foundation’s 2016 annual campaign, Opening Doors to the Future, will kick off on March 31 with campaign co-chairs Rich Fahey and Nicole Fahey at the helm. Rich Fahey is returning as co-chair, while daughter-in-law Nicole is joining the campaign for the first time this year.
Greenfield Community College serves 5,500 students in five locations throughout Franklin and Hampshire counties. The 2016 campaign has established a goal of $825,000 by May 31 in support of students and programs at the college.
“Our nation’s higher-education system is increasingly replicating the great divide of our nation’s economic system. Social and economic mobility has all but disappeared — so too the middle class,” said GCC President Bob Pura. “But GCC, our foundation, alumni, and community have created a contradiction to that national narrative. We all help keep the doors to education and a better life open for all who are eager to work hard to achieve it.”
Rich Fahey, retired Advertising director for the Greenfield Recorder, noted that “many believe the cost of a higher education is becoming too expensive for many families. What we are doing in support of GCC is helping keep the doors open for all who come to the college to better themselves and enter into the middle class. I didn’t hesitate when I was asked to return for a third year helping out with the GCC Foundation annual campaign. My wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law are just a few whose lives were changed by GCC, and many generations into the future will continue to benefit from our work today.”
Nicole (Duprey) Fahey, a clinician at the Franklin County House of Corrections, enrolled at GCC at age 16 as an early-entrant student from Pioneer Valley Regional School in 2000, marking the start of a focused and accelerated educational journey from high-school sophomore to recipient of a master’s degree in just five years.
“My GCC experience laid the groundwork for a career that I love,” she said. “Everybody at the college — teachers and classmates — opened their doors and were so welcoming. And attending classes at GCC, with the range of ages and experiences each classmate represented, was humbling and inspiring. Witnessing their hard work to effect positive change encouraged me to direct my life’s work to helping do the same for others.”
For more information about the GCC Foundation and supporting the annual campaign, visit www.gcc.mass.edu/give or contact Regina Curtis, executive director of Resource Development and the GCC Foundation, at (413) 775-1600.
WARE — Country Bank will honor 15 high-school seniors who exemplify a commitment to community spirit and volunteerism through its Country Bank for Higher Education Scholarship Program. Fifteen awards of $2,000 each will be presented to high-school seniors who will be attending a two- or four-year college in the fall.
Applications and complete rules are available at guidance offices of public high schools in the Country Bank market area, as well as at www.countrybank.com/about-us/community-scholarship-program, or at any of the bank’s 14 branches.
A selection committee will review each entry, and winners will be notified by mid-May. Any questions should be referred to Deb Gagnon, Corporate Relations officer, at [email protected] or (413) 277-2236.
BOSTON — Yesterday at the State House, Gov. Charlie Baker signed landmark legislation into law to address the deadly opioid and heroin epidemic plaguing the Commonwealth.
He was joined by a group including Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders, Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Attorney General Maura Healey, Auditor Suzanne Bump, members of the Legislature, law enforcement, healthcare providers, community leaders, individuals in recovery, and others.
The bill, titled “An Act Relative to Substance Use, Treatment, Education, and Prevention,” passed with unanimous votes in both legislative chambers and includes numerous recommendations from the Governor’s Opioid Working Group, including prevention education for students and doctors and a seven-day limit on first-time opioid prescriptions.
“Today, the Commonwealth stands in solidarity to fight the opioid and heroin epidemic that continues to plague our state and burden countless families and individuals,” Baker said. “I am proud to sign this legislation marking a remarkable statewide effort to strengthen prescribing laws and increase education for students and doctors. While there is still much work to be done, our administration is thankful for the Legislature’s effort to pass this bill and looks forward to working with the attorney general and our mayors to bend the trend and support those who have fallen victim to this horrific public health epidemic.”
Added Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, “today, we take another step forward by passing landmark legislation that will help the individuals and communities affected by the deadly opioid and heroin epidemic. We are grateful for the Legislature’s progress and for the partnership of Attorney General Healey, our mayors, and several others as we continue pursuing aggressive reforms to combat this crisis from the Berkshires to the Cape.”
The bill includes the first law in the nation to limit an opioid prescription to a seven-day supply for a first-time adult prescriptions and a seven-day limit on every opiate prescription for minors, with certain exceptions. Other provisions from the governor’s recommendations include a requirement that information on opiate use and misuse be disseminated at annual head-injury safety programs for high-school athletes, requirements for doctors to check the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) database before writing a prescription for a Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 narcotic, and continuing-education requirements for prescribers, ranging from training on effective pain management to the risks of abuse and addiction associated with opioid medications.
Several measures were passed to empower individuals and update current prevention efforts. Patients will receive access to non-opiate directive forms and the option of partially filling opioid prescriptions in consultation with doctors and pharmacists. Schools must annually conduct verbal substance-misuse screenings in two grade levels and collaborate with the departments of Elementary and Second Education and Public Health (DPH) around effective addiction-education policies. To reduce the prevalence of unused medication, manufacturers of controlled substances in Massachusetts must participate in either a drug stewardship program or an alternative plan as determined by DPH.
This bill strengthens access to insurers and the bed-finder tool website; requires that patients receive information on FDA-approved, medication-assisted therapies after being discharged from a substance-use treatment program; and ensures civil-liability protection for individuals who administer Narcan.
The opioid epidemic continues to impact every community in Massachusetts. According to the most recent data, it is estimated that there were nearly 1,200 unintentional and undetermined opioid deaths in 2014. The estimated rate of 17.4 deaths per 100,000 residents for 2014 is the highest ever for unintentional opioid overdoses and represents a 228% increase from the rate of 5.3 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2000. And the trend isn’t slowing. Preliminary data estimations show there were over 1,100 opioid deaths between January and September 2015.
HOLYOKE — On March 14, Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse was joined by city and state officials to mark the official start of the demolition and cleanup of the former Parsons Paper in preparation for the expansion of Holyoke manufacturer Aegis Energy Services.
The announcement capped a multi-year effort to remediate the site and make it ready for development. The expansion of Aegis Energy Services will entail a private investment of approximately $7 million, the retention of 65 job,s and the creation of at least 30 new jobs, as well as the creation of up to 4 megawatts of renewable energy, making it the city’s largest manufacturing expansion in years.
“This is a significant milestone in our city’s revitalization that should be celebrated and praised. Redevelopment of the Parsons site has been an extremely difficult challenge, bringing with it significant legal, environmental, and financial constraints that have impeded progress for years,” Morse said. “The staff in the Office of Planning and Economic Development and the Law Department should be applauded for their efforts as they’ve worked diligently with the Redevelopment Authority and a cross-collaboration of public and private partners to make this project a reality. I’d be remiss if I did not offer my sincere appreciation to Lee Vardakas of Aegis Energy for his commitment to Holyoke; we are fortunate to have this innovative company stay and grow in our city, and I thank him for his investments and contributions.”
Located at 84 Sargeant St. between the first and second level canals, the 4.7-acre Parsons Paper site has been unused and vacant since 2004. In 2008, a fire significantly destroyed a majority of the structures, and the city officially foreclosed on the property and took ownership in 2012 for failure to pay taxes. In 2014, the Redevelopment Authority engaged Tighe & Bond to undertake environmental assessments, specifications for demolition and cleanup, and project permitting to prepare the site for reuse.
Many sources of funds are being used to make the demolition and cleanup phase of the project possible and have been amassed through the HRA, including $250,000 in funds from an agreement with Eversource Energy (formerly Northeast Utilities) as part of a mitigation payment associated with cleanup of contaminants in the Connecticut River; $2 million from the state Brownfield Fund through MassDevelopment; $1 million in capital investment by Holyoke Gas & Electric, which secures an easement on the site for potentially 2.5 MW of hydroelectric generation; and a $400,000 capital loan from the Holyoke Economic Development and Industrial Corp., to be paid from the sale proceeds of the land to Aegis Energy Services. The city also provided its most aggressive tax-incentive schedule in its history: a 100% property-tax exemption for 10 years.
“This is an incredibly challenging site and a costly endeavor, one that would have been very difficult for the city to do by itself,” said Marcos Marrero, director of Planning & Economic Development for the city, as well as executive director for the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority. “Consequently, the financing framework for this project is probably the most complex that Holyoke has seen in decades. The implications a year from now will be significant: blight reduction, building reuse, job creation, expansion of manufacturing, more renewable energy, and improved property values in the neighborhood.”
Added MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones, “cleaning up and redeveloping this highly visible site in downtown Holyoke will positively impact surrounding businesses, residences, and the city’s innovation district. This project illustrates the vital role the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund plays in transforming parcels around the Commonwealth, and I applaud Holyoke for its commitment to this property.”
The contractor for the work is McConnell Enterprises Inc., which will begin work on the site immediately in order to take advantage of the regularly scheduled canal draw-down on Maech 22-24. Demolition and cleanup is projected to be completed by August, after which the site will be taken over for redevelopment by Aegis Energy Services, rehabilitating one 40,000-square-foot building — a 200% expansion of the company’s square footage — and adding at least 30 new jobs, an approximate 50% growth in the company’s employment.
SOUTH DEERFIELD — Many area businesses are hiring, and that’s good news for job seekers. On Wednesday, March 16, the ninth annual Franklin Hampshire Career Center Spring Fling Job Fair will be held at Frontier Regional High School in South Deerfield from 4 to 6 p.m.
The job fair is free and open to the public. Job seekers are encouraged to bring a résumé and be prepared to interview. A record number of employers — 45 — are scheduled to attend, representing major industry sectors including healthcare, accommodation and food Services, manufacturing, administrative and support services, construction, arts, entertainment and recreation, and transportation and warehousing.
For more information about the fair, call (413) 586-6506 or visit www.fhcc-onestop.com.
LONGMEADOW — Glenmeadow Retirement will partner with the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts in offering panel discussion on charitable giving as a critical piece of a well-rounded estate plan.
Moderated by Katie Allan Zobel, president of the Community Foundation, the talk — the first in the spring Glenmeadow Learning series — will be held Wednesday, March 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Longmeadow Country Club, 400 Shaker Road.
As part of “Informed Giving: A Look at Philanthropy’s Role in Estate Planning,” a panel of experts will help participants identify their philanthropic values and outline the legal and financial mechanisms through which gifts can be made. Several community members will discuss their philanthropic inspiration.
In addition to Zobel and select donors, panelists will include George Keady III of Keady Montemagni Wealth Management Group, and attorney Todd Ratner of Bacon Wilson, P.C.
Established in 1884, Glenmeadow is a nonprofit, accredited, continuing-care retirement community that provides independent and assisted living at its campus at 24 Tabor Crossing in Longmeadow and expanded Glenmeadow at Home services throughout Greater Springfield. To learn more, visit www.glenmeadow.org.
SPRINGFIELD — Raj Parikh has joined American International College (AIC) as executive vice president for Academic Affairs. Prior to joining AIC, he was professor of Accounting and Finance and dean of the Walker College of Business and Management at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pa.
Parikh has more than 30 years of experience as an academic executive and five years as a financial executive. Prior to joining AIC, he served as a senior-level administrator at several universities, including Mercyhurst, Southern Oregon University, Delaware State University, Wilmington University Delaware, and St. Bonaventure University. He also served as the commissioner for academic accreditation for the government of the United Arab Emirates. In addition to expanding programs and increasing enrollments, he has led or been actively involved in strategic planning, budgeting, and academic prioritization. He has led accreditation efforts at several institutions.
Parikh co-authored World Accounting, a three-volume treatise on international accounting which is updated semi-annually. He has presented his research in accounting, finance, and organizational leadership at several regional and national conferences, in addition to being an invited guest speaker.
Parikh is passionate about higher education, international education, and improving access to traditional students and working adults. As an academic entrepreneur, he has successfully engaged in a variety of ventures, such as establishing and enhancing branch campuses, increasing enrollments and retention, creating new academic programs, and establishing programs in international locations in partnership with local institutions.
“In coming to AIC, I was intrigued by the opportunity to use my experience as a dean to help the college climb to even higher levels of academic excellence,” he said. “I am sincerely honored to join President [Vincent] Maniaci’s leadership team and look forward to this opportunity to make a difference.”
A graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Parikh completed graduate work in chemical engineering. He received a Ph.D. in accounting and finance at the State University of New York at Buffalo. In addition, he is a certified managerial accountant (CMA), a certified financial manager (CFM), and a chartered financial analyst (CFA). For obtaining the highest score in the nation on the CMA examination, he was awarded the Robert Bayer Gold Medal.
SPRINGFIELD — The Museum School at the Springfield Museums has announced its spring and summer schedule of classes and experiential learning opportunities for both children and adults.
Registration is now underway for all upcoming trips and classes, particularly the week-long summer courses for kids to keep the learning going during school vacation. All courses are led by experienced and supportive instructors in topics tied to the Museums’ collections and traveling exhibits. Full listings are available at springfieldmuseums.org under ‘programs,’ or by calling (413) 263-6800, ext. 377 or 382.
For young people, the school offers instruction in traditional topics like drawing, as well as more unusual and eclectic courses. For example, students taking week-long summer classes like “Ancient Treasures & Woodworking” will draw inspiration from the “Cabinets of Curiosity” exhibit at the D’Amour Museum, while those taking “Wildlife Adventures” will explore wildlife science in the field at the Stebbins Wildlife Refuge and in laboratory spaces at the Springfield Science Museum. There are also classes for teens interested in furthering their interest in painting, sculpture, and fabric design.
Offerings for adults during the coming months include a wide range of courses in drawing, painting, and creative writing for all skill levels, plus genealogy, birding, culinary arts, and astronomy. Many courses are one-day offerings, allowing even the busiest adults to participate.
Adult travel opportunities, from day trips to multi-day excursions, are also available. Highlights include day trips to hear Glimmerglass Opera perform La Boheme on Aug. 9, and an excursion to the Newport Art Museum on Aug. 31. Extended trips include a 10-day tour of Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Badlands National Parks in July, and a memorable journey to France to visit the Rhone Valley, Provence, and the Riviera in October.
EASTHAMPTON — On Sunday, April 17, Eastworks on Pleasant Street in Easthampton will play host to a Spring Fling vendor event that will benefit the Easthampton Community Center food pantry. The event will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 2 p.m.
The public is invited to attend. Participating vendors currently include How-Charming, Magnabilities, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Pure Romance, Rodan & Fields, Scentsy, Waldorf Natural Gifts – Hedge Hog Farms, Young Living Essential Oils, and Younique, with more vendors expected to be added.
For more information about Spring Fling, e-mail Mary Ann at [email protected].
NORTHAMPTON — Richard Venne, president and CEO, invites the public to join Community Enterprises Inc. in celebrating 40 years of empowering individuals with disabilities to live, learn, work, and thrive in the community.
A luncheon will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on Thursday, May 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $50 per person, a reserved table for eight is $400, and tickets for clients and staff of Community Enterprise are $30. For more information about tickets, sponsoring the event, or placing an ad in the program, e-mail Krystle Bernier at [email protected] or call (413) 584-1460, ext. 120.
Community Enterprises is a human-service organization that provides employment, education, housing supports, and day supports for people with disabilities. Headquartered in Northampton, it maintains 27 service locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Kentucky. Massachusetts offices include Gloucester, Greenfield, Holyoke, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Salem, Somerville, Springfield, Wakefield, and Worcester.
