Day: September 16, 2020

Massachusetts Announces Extension of Administrative Tax Relief for Businesses

By
Daily News

BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Senate President Karen Spilka, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo announced an extension of administrative tax-relief measures for local businesses that have been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, especially in the restaurant and hospitality sectors.

This includes the extension of the deferral of regular sales tax, meals tax, and room-occupancy taxes for small businesses due from March 2020 through April 2021, so they will instead be due in May 2021. Businesses that collected less than $150,000 in regular sales plus meals taxes in the 12-month period ending Feb. 29, 2020 will be eligible for relief for sales and meals taxes, and businesses that collected less than $150,000 in room-occupancy taxes in the same 12-month period will be eligible for relief with respect to room-occupancy taxes. For these small businesses, no penalties or interest will accrue during this extension period.

“Our administration is committed to supporting local businesses and Main Street economies recovering from the impact of COVID-19, and we’re glad to work with our legislative colleagues on this additional measure to provide administrative tax relief,” Baker said. “Extending the tax-relief measures we put into place earlier this year will help support companies across Massachusetts, including small businesses in the restaurant and hospitality industries.”

For businesses with meals tax and room-occupancy tax obligations that do not otherwise qualify for this relief, late-file and late-pay penalties will be waived during this period.

Big Y Expands Legacy of Helping Farmers and Small Businesses

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — In 1936, Paul and Gerry D’Amour were passionate about providing fresh local food to their customers at the Y Cash Market in Chicopee. Today, close to 85 years after its founding, Big Y World Class Markets have more than 500 partnerships with local farmers like Meadowbrook Farms and local food producers like Millie’s Pierogi. The passion of its founders continues with Big Y announcing the Fresh & Local Distribution Center name and logo.

“One of my earliest memories was going around with my uncle to the farms in the summer months and buying peppers and tomatoes and corn,” said Charlie D’Amour, president and CEO of Big Y (see video here). “You could just feel the camaraderie and the connection. I’m proud to say that that connection is still with us today.”

Big Y’s Fresh & Local Distribution Center provides local farmers and food producers with an efficient, one-stop location that saves them the time and cost of delivering to individual stores. It also features state-of-the-art technology and temperature controls to help Big Y maintain and deliver food at the peak of freshness to customers. Corn picked in the fields in the morning can be in Big Y stores by the afternoon. Big Y supplies each of its stores with fresh fish six days a week. Fish may have been swimming in the ocean one day and be in stores by the next morning.

Currently, through Big Y’s Fresh & Local Distribution Center, 70 farmers — accounting for more than 9,000 acres of farmland in the region — supply Big Y’s stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut with 1,200 types of native fruits and vegetables each year. For many farmers, this partnership helps them grow their business and preserve farmland and open space in area communities.

“Big Y has been so instrumental in the local community,” said John Burney of Meadowbrook Farm in East Longmeadow. “They have enabled me to continue to grow my business and put 99% of my profits back into the farm to keep providing customers with locally grown produce.”

More that 3,000 different products from local food producers can be found at a typical Big Y supermarket. Big Y actively searches for new craft-food artisans to bring into their stores and can provide them with support for marketing and packaging, help with barcodes, or even advice on business matters like insurance. “It gives us great pride and honor to be able to help these young businesses, these young farmers, these young producers, to grow their business and become successful,” said D’Amour. “That’s part of the role we can play in the community. I would encourage folks out there who want to explore an opportunity to work with us to contact us through bigy.com.”

The new Fresh & Local Distribution center has close to 425,000 square feet of space and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is located adjacent to Big Y headquarters at 2145 Roosevelt Ave. in Springfield.

Western New England University to Host Undergraduate Open House on Sept. 27

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Western New England University will host high-school students and their parents in a virtual open house on Sunday, Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to noon. The event is free, but advance reservation is required by clicking here or calling the Admissions Office at (413) 782-1312.

Kerri Jarzabski, assistant vice president for Enrollment Management and Retention and dean of first-year students, will lead guests on a live virtual tour of the campus; introduce them to the university’s new President, Robert Johnson; and show them what life is like as a Golden Bear. Along the way, prospective students and their families will learn about academic opportunities within the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, and Engineering; the new 4U Advising Program and options for academic support; living on campus and commuting; student activities; athletics; and more.

“I am so excited to have a chance to meet our prospective students at this event,” Jarzabski said. “Even though we are not able to have large numbers of students on campus, I am confident that those that attend will get a true sense of the Golden Bear spirit that exists on our campus.”

To wrap up the event, Jarzabski will host a live panel with student leaders, where guests will be able to ask questions directly to students. After the formal event, prospective families will be able to join academic breakout sessions, watch a video overview, and join a Zoom session for each college.

For a complete list of 2020-21 Virtual Open House dates and times, click here.

Attorney Amelia Holstrom Joins Board of Directors at ERC5

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Attorney Amelia Holstrom, a partner at Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., has joined the board of directors for the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce (ERC5).

Holstrom has been with Skoler Abbott since 2012 and was named a partner last year. She focuses her practice on labor law and employment litigation, including representing employers before state and federal agencies and in state and federal courts, providing counsel to management regarding litigation-avoidance strategies, reviewing and revising personnel policies and practices, wage-and-hour compliance, and separation and severance agreements.

A seasoned employment-law attorney, Holstrom brings a unique perspective to the ERC5’s board. The mission of the ERC5 is to promote an environment that fosters the economic growth of the towns of East Longmeadow, Hampden, Longmeadow, Ludlow, and Wilbraham through the creation and expansion of businesses and jobs.

Holstrom’s skills and community involvement have been recognized many times by outside organizations. She was selected to the Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list in 2018 and 2019, and was a Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly “Up & Coming” honoree in 2017. In addition, she received the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. Community Service Award in 2016, and was selected by BusinessWest as a 40 Under Forty honoree in 2015.

In addition to the ERC5, Holstrom is also on the boards of directors for Clinical & Support Options and Girls Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, and is an ad hoc member of the personnel committee for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. She previously served as clerk of the board of directors for Friends of the Homeless. She frequently speaks about employment-related legal topics for a wide variety of associations and organizations and is a regular contributor to the Massachusetts Employment Law Letter.

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