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Month: September 2023

Longtime Girl Scouts CEO Pattie Hallberg Stepping Down

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) announced that the nonprofit organization’s long-time CEO, Pattie Hallberg, is stepping down at the end of 2023, after 16 years of service to GSCWM.

“Pattie’s legacy at Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts is nothing short of extraordinary,” said Nicole Messier, GSCWM board president. “Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping the organization into what it is today. We are profoundly grateful for her unwavering dedication, expertise, and vision, which have empowered countless girls and women to embrace their potential. As we embark on this transition, we remain steadfast to upholding the values and mission that Pattie has championed throughout her tenure. The GSCWM board is committed to finding a worthy successor who will carry on Pattie’s legacy and uphold our mission to nurture the future female leaders of tomorrow.”

The GSCWM board will oversee the process to choose Hallberg’s successor, and has engaged the search firm Find Good People to assist with the transition.

“It has been my honor and a sincere privilege to lead Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, an organization dedicated to the development of a girl’s personal leadership journey,” said Hallberg, who was named by BusinessWest to its Women of Impact class of 2020.

“I am proud of the organization we are today and the impact we’ve made, working with thousands of fabulous girls and adults to further the Girl Scout mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place,” she added. “Our sustainability through a global pandemic and our current growth both in membership and revenue represent the collective effort of an incredibly talented staff, a dedicated board of directors, generous funding partners, and an innovative and dedicated membership. I couldn’t be more excited about what’s next for this important organization.”

Raise a Boot to the Mighty Oktoberfest on Fort Street

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Since 1935, the Student Prince and the Fort Restaurant have celebrated German tradition on Fort Street in Springfield. The city landmark, known for German foods and beer, rolls out the barrel for the Mighty Oktoberfest on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6-7.

The Mighty Oktoberfest kicks off for two nights on Oct. 6 at 5:30 p.m. with the Berkshire Mountain Wanderers on stage and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno on site to tap the ceremonial keg. Oktoberfest food will include bratwurst, knockwurst, and burgers, with a full menu indoors that includes German fare such as sauerbraten, braised lamb, and pork shanks.

Other live music includes Trailer Trash at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by Saturday’s lineup of Berkshire Mountain Wanderers at 5 p.m., American Badass (Kid Rock tribute) at 6 p.m., Jagged Little Pam (Alanis Morissette tribute) at 7:15 p.m., and a Foo Fighters tribute at 8:30 p.m.

“There’s nothing like Oktoberfest to welcome the fall season, and we are proud to keep the tradition alive in 2023 with one of the most authentic Oktoberfest celebrations around,” said Peter Picknelly, co-owner of the Student Prince and the Fort. “Join us for non-stop live music, good times, food and drink, and a barrel of fun in downtown Springfield.”

Single-night and two-night passes are available at the gate and in advance by clicking here. Passes include one complimentary ‘haus beer’ from a list for those who are 21 or older.

Monson Savings Bank’s Wilbraham Branch Hosting Free Shred Day on Oct. 14

By
Daily News

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank’s Wilbraham Branch will be hosting a free community shred day on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon. As in past years, the bank is partnering with PROSHRED of Wilbraham for this event. The bank welcomes the public to dispose of their private documents at the branch, located at 100 Post Office Park.

Storing documents that contain personal information in one’s home can pose a major security risk. Monson Savings Bank is encouraging residents to shred any documents they no longer need, especially those that contain private information. This shred day is an ideal opportunity to properly discard unwanted documents, such as tax returns, bank or credit-card statements, bills, medical records, and more.

“One of our top priorities is protecting the personal information of our customers and community members,” said Carolyn Balicki, Wilbraham branch manager. “Our team is very diligent; we work hard every day to keep personal information from falling into the wrong hands. Our community shred day gives us the opportunity to help everyone dispose of their sensitive documents in a secure way, while also gathering together safely as a community for a fun event.”

Prepackaged refreshments and giveaways will be available, while supplies last.

Max Tavern to Host Fifth Max on Monday Networking Event

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Max Tavern at the Basketball Hall of Fame will host the fifth Max on Monday networking event on Monday, Oct. 16 from 4 to 6 p.m., offering attendees the opportunity to connect with other professionals while enjoying complimentary hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar will be available for beverages.

At each event, Max on Monday will feature a selection of local businesses. In October, the sponsored businesses will include Borawski Insurance, New Valley Bank, Pascoe Workforce, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, and NRG Real Estate. Representatives from these businesses will be able to network with one another and share information about their organizations.

In addition, each event features a local charity. On Oct. 16, the featured organization will be Men Wear Pink of Hartford and Springfield, an American Cancer Society initiative that raises awareness and funds to fight breast cancer. Max on Monday also showcases a local artist.

For more information about Max on Monday or to register to attend, RSVP to AnnMarie Harding at (413) 244-4055 or [email protected].

Wilbraham Emphasizes That It’s ‘Open for Business’

By
mixed-use facility taking shape on Main Street in Wilbraham
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

renovated chapel

An architect’s rendering of the renovated chapel at Wilbraham & Monson Academy, what students are calling the ‘Harry Potter dining hall.’

The students have started calling it the “Harry Potter dining hall,” and with good reason.

That’s the look that will be created by an ambitious initiative to transform the ornate but very much underused chapel at Wilbraham & Monson Academy (WMA) into a next-generation dining commons.

The undertaking, the second phase of a much larger strategic initiative that comes with an $18 million price tag, will enable the school to make far better use of not only the chapel, but the current dining hall, which will be converted into an auditorium and event space.

“This is going to be stunning,” Head of School Brian Easler said. “Because the music department is under the current dining hall, it will be a much more efficient use of space. Right now, we use the chapel once a week for 20 minutes for school meeting; other than that, it stays vacant, which is a shame because it’s the most beautiful building on the campus. So we’ll use the most beautiful building as the heart of the school.”

Perhaps the best part about all this, Easler said, is that the idea for converting the chapel into a dining hall came from a student, who was looking at a 3D scale model of the campus created by the architectural firm handing the project and put forth a powerful ‘what if?’ (more on that later).

Transformation of the chapel, the timing of which is dependent on fundraising — which is off to a solid start, according to Easler — is not the only landscape-altering development taking shape on or just off Main Street in Wilbraham.

Indeed, there’s also new construction just down the road from WMA, where, on the site of three demolished buildings, a mixed-use facility is taking shape, one that will house a brewery, an Italian restaurant, additional commercial businesses, and seven apartments.

This development, called the Center Village project — on top of other emerging and established success stories across town — is expected to spur new development in what is considered the town, or village, center, although it still doesn’t look much like a center, said Mike Mazzuca, chair of Wilbraham’s resurrected Economic Development Committee.

“We want to look at how we can create a true downtown for Wilbraham,” he said, noting that there is real potential for business to thrive beyond the Boston Road corridor.

Jeff Smith, another member of the committee and co-owner, with his wife, Amy, of one of those Wilbraham-based businesses, New England Promotional Marketing (NEPM), agreed.

“Back in the ’80s, there was a lot more going on in the town center, and it was used more,” he explained, noting, for example, that the post office was there before it was relocated to Boston Road. “Things changed, a couple of the buildings became vacant, and there was less and less activity there. Now that there will be more activity, we believe that will spur more development.”

Mazzuca added that, while one of the committee’s primary goals is to bring new commerce, vibrancy, businesses, and especially people to the town center, its larger mission is to send a message, loud and clear, that Wilbraham is ‘open for business.’

It always has been, he said, but it has also always been a mostly residential community and among the region’s unofficial ‘best places to live.’ It can still be that, he went on, while also building on a somewhat impressive portfolio of businesses — most of them small, most of them retail or service in nature, and most of them on Boston Road.

As it goes about its work, the Economic Development Committee will promote all that Wilbraham has to offer, said both Mazzuca and Smith, adding that there are many amenities on that list, starting with a single tax rate and continuing with available tax-increment financing; a vibrant business corridor (Boston Road) that boasts traffic counts of 12,000 cars a day; proximity to Springfield, Ludlow, Hampden, Palmer, and Monson; a diverse existing business base; high-speed internet; and more.

“We want to help out and be a liaison between the municipality, the permitting authorities, and the actual businesses, with the ultimate goal of getting that message across that we are open for business.”

Smith said the committee is working to parlay these assets and the current momentum in the town on Main Street, Boston Road, and beyond into new business opportunities.

For this, the latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at Wilbraham and all that goes into that phrase ‘open for business.’

 

Food for Thought

As he recounted that now-famous session where students and the architects were discussing what should come next — and where — on WMA’s campus, Easler could hardly contain his sense of pride in the fact that one of his students had masterminded what will be the signature component of the largest building initiative at this private school in anyone’s memory.

“The architect was leading them through a brainstorming exercise, focusing on three primary questions: what do we need? Where should it go? And what should happen first?” he recalled. “We were at that part where he was asking them where things should go, and the specific question was ‘is the dining hall in the right place?’

“The kids were chatting and moving blocks around, when one of the boys said, ‘what if we made the chapel into a dining hall?’” Easler continued. “There was a nervous chuckle around the table for about five seconds, and then there was a 10-second pause where you could see the wheels turning in everyone’s head. And then there was just this ‘a-ha’ moment where everyone went, ‘that is an awesome idea.’”

And an idea that will become reality … soon, when enough money is raised to commence construction, said Easler, noting that fundraising, which involves almost exclusively alumni of the school, is progressing well, but there is a good amount still to be raised.

mixed-use facility taking shape on Main Street in Wilbraham

The mixed-use facility taking shape on Main Street in Wilbraham is expected to spur new development in the town center.

As noted earlier, renovation of the chapel is just part of a much larger undertaking designed to enable WMA to make better, more effective use of existing facilities, said Easler, noting that the chapel itself has served the school as a meeting place, and there simply haven’t been many meetings there.

The project also calls for the existing dining commons, on the other side of Main Street from the chapel and most classroom facilities, to be converted into an auditorium with stadium seating, with the existing kitchen to be used for back-of-house functions for that facility.

“This will have a really remarkable impact on the campus, and the town, actually — it will reduce pedestrian traffic on Main Street by about 70%,” Easler told BusinessWest, noting that dining facilities will now be on the same side of the street as classes, dramatically reducing the number of times students will have to cross the street each day.

Beyond that, it will give the arts program a functioning theater (the current dining hall), a dramatic improvement over existing ‘black box’ facilities, and the students will have the ‘Harry Potter dining hall.’

Wilbraham at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1763
Population: 14,613
Area: 22.4 square miles
County: Hampden
Residential Tax Rate: $18.70
Commercial Tax Rate: $18.70
Median Household Income: $65,014
Median Family Income: $73,825
Type of government: Board of Selectmen, Open Town Meeting
Largest Employers: Baystate Wing Wilbraham Medical Center; Friendly Ice Cream Corp.; Big Y; Home Depot; Wilbraham & Monson Academy
*Latest information available

And the school, which is currently at full enrollment, will be in an even better position to recruit young people to the campus, he said.

“Boarding school, and private school in general, is about the experience,” Easler said. “We have top-notch education, rigorous and supportive programs, lots of things people can do outside of academics … but a big reason people choose to invest in us is because it’s an experience they can’t get in a public school or a day school. And a big part of experience is having facilities like these to support it — like that dining room.”

 

Progress Report

There has been considerable momentum at WMA generated by several projects in recent years, including the building of a new athenaeum and conversion of the basement of the science building into a 5,000-square-foot innovation lab, and these advances constitute just some of the positive developments on Main Street and beyond in this community of around 14,600.

Michelle Buck, Wilbraham’s Planning and Community Development director, cited several signs of growth and progress across town.

That list includes several new developments on Boston Road, including a new Starbucks now under construction in front of Home Depot, once the site of a bank branch that was demolished; parking-lot expansion of the Lia Toyota dealership; a new Golden Nozzle car wash; a new fitness center called Cycle & Praise; and an outdoor dining facility for Route 20 Bar & Grille, as well as a large solar farm soon to be under construction on Three Rivers Road.

But the most visible — and most impactful — development, she said, is the emerging home for Scantic River Brewery, the ‘new’ Parfumi’s Pizza (the current version is right next door), seven apartments, and, hopefully, other small businesses. Center Village is an important development for the community, said all those we spoke with, not only because of what is planned for the site, but because of how it might make the town’s center more of a destination and spur additional development.

“It’s an exciting project that could bring more people to Main Street,” Buck said, adding that, while town leaders want to cluster most commercial activity on Boston Road, there is certainly opportunity for development in other areas of town.

Mazzuca agreed, and said bringing new businesses to Wilbraham is overarching mission of what would be called the ‘new’ Economic Development Committee, which has been working on a number of fronts simultaneously.

One has been bringing some of the businesses displaced by the closing and demolition of the nearby Eastfield Mall to the town. The committee helped secure Boston Road addresses for two of them — Mall Barbers and School of Fish — through the use of ARPA funds to help with relocation expenses.

The other major front has been ongoing work to bring more businesses and vibrancy to the downtown area, which, as Smith noted, was more of a destination 30 or 40 years ago, and can be again through developments like the Center Village project and others that might come to the drawing board because of it.

The broad goal, he said, is to create a walkable downtown and an attractive mix of businesses that will effectively serve those living in Wilbraham and surrounding communities.

“Looking north and south on Main Street, we have a farmers’ market now at the church once a week, and some activity at WMA,” he said. “So we want to look at the whole picture of the way vehicles and pedestrians interface, and revamp that. The first concern would be safety, and the second would be convenience — and it’s convenience that attracts people. There’s a snowball effect.”
He said similar efforts to revitalize town centers and downtowns are taking place in communities across the country, and those on the committee are looking at what communities of similar size and demographics are undertaking to do some benchmarking and adopt best practices.

“The ultimate goal of the Economic Development Committee is to be a liaison for businesses locating in Wilbraham,” Smith explained. “We want to help out and be a liaison between the municipality, the permitting authorities, and the actual businesses, with the ultimate goal of getting that message across that we are open for business.”

 

How AIC Minimized Disruptions in Its Health-sciences Programs

By
The top of Courniotes Hall is covered with plastic
Education

After the Fire

The top of Courniotes Hall is covered with plastic

The top of Courniotes Hall is covered with plastic now while AIC leaders discuss both short-term winter preparations and a long-term strategy for the building.

When a lightning strike set fire to Courniotes Hall at American International College (AIC) on July 27, the safety of everyone in the building was the paramount concern; fortunately, no one was hurt.

The longer-term concern is for the future of the heavily damaged building, and that process has only begun.

In between was one key question: what to do with all the health programs based at Courniotes and all the students and faculty who typically work and learn there — and do it before the fall semester, which was only a few weeks away.

That process has not been easy, and it’s far from over, said Karen Rousseau, dean of the School of Health Sciences at AIC. But with no programs or classes curtailed (though many have been relocated), the experience has been a valuable lesson in pivoting — and may pose opportunities to “reimagine” the design of the building once it’s repaired and renovated.

“The night of the fire was pretty devastating, but immediately the next morning, we got to work trying to figure out where to put classes that were housed in that building and how we would function,” Rousseau told BusinessWest, listing challenges from replacing the nursing program’s simulation-lab equipment to relocating cadavers and identifying new space for physical and occupational therapy labs and a large number of classrooms.

Part of the solution was finding temporary space in the Colaccino Center for Health Sciences, across State Street from Courniotes Hall, as well as other buildings on campus. Meanwhile, most of the nearby colleges and universities (and some from across Massachusetts) reached out offering space.

AIC took up one offer: from UMass Medical School – Baystate, located in Tower Square in downtown Springfield, which offered not only classroom and faculty space, but also storage for equipment and free parking for students.

“The night of the fire, we had students come to watch it, and they were concerned and sad. But we said, ‘we’re going to make sure it’s business as usual. We don’t know what it is right now, but we will make sure it’s OK for you.”

“UMass fortunately had this space that they weren’t using a tremendous amount; they use it for their accelerated baccalaureate program, but they’re mostly out on clinical placement in the fall,” Rousseau said. “So it was serendipitous that we were able to work around their schedule; primarily, it’s our junior nursing class that needed labs in the fall.”

AIC also quickly rehabbed the basement of its Amaron Hall to use as classrooms and storage for occupational therapy and physical therapy, and it will begin renovating the Lissa Building, which is attached to Courniotes Hall and also sustained damage in the fire, with the goal of opening it to students this spring; meanwhile, a building next to Lissa will be renovated to become an occupational therapy lab and training room where OT students learn how to work with patients on activities of daily living.

In short, the entire health sciences curriculum felt the weight of the fire and its aftermath, but AIC’s leaders made sure all students were able to continue their education this fall.

“I don’t want to make it sound like it was easy,” Rousseau said. “And it’s not all perfect, but it’s good. I mean, the students are receiving their education, and the faculty are happy they all have their own offices. To be able to say that, when we lost all those offices, is a miracle. And a lot of equipment from the labs had to be replaced.”

Karen Rousseau

Karen Rousseau says it hasn’t been easy, but students have been able to continue their studies following the July 27 fire.

They got creative, Rousseau added, because … well, because they had to.

“All of our [health sciences] students flowed through there. The majority nof the faculty for physical therapy was over there, and occupational therapy, and all of the nursing faculty. So all the nursing, PT, and OT students walked through there all the time. A lot of people were affected.”

 

No Interruptions

The reason AIC had to act quickly, and the reason so many other institutions reached out, was a shared feeling that interrupting the students’ education was unthinkable.

“This was devastating to the students,” Rousseau said. “The night of the fire, we had students come to watch it, and they were concerned and sad. But we said, ‘we’re going to make sure it’s business as usual. We don’t know what it is right now, but we will make sure it’s OK for you.’ That’s what we keep telling students: ‘it’s been OK, and it’ll continue to be OK. It will get better and better as we have more time to roll out our plans.’ But they were really nervous.”

In the longer term, AIC has engaged the services of an experienced project manager to navigate the logistics of assessment and reconstruction of Courniotes Hall.

“We haven’t had a final ruling from insurance, but it’s sounding like we will renovate and restore, maybe not in the same exact configuration, but within that same footprint — but, again, that’s not official,” Rousseau said, noting that the top of Courniotes is now covered in plastic, but some kind of temporary roof will likely need to be erected before winter sets in.

AIC’s much-discussed strategic plan for 2022-27 is called “AIC Reimagined,” and AIC President Hubert Benitez has taken to calling the future of the fire-damaged structure “Courniotes Reimagined,” sensing an opportunity to determine if the building’s current design and layout best serve students and faculty, and making changes as needed.

“He wants to pull faculty together and plan what would be appropriate for the future for that building and whether that means more space, whether we’d look to expand, and address any needs we might have,” Rousseau said. “This was OK when it was built in the ’90s, but if we had to rebuild it, we wouldn’t build it the same way. So, what would it look like? Do we want to replace it exactly the same, or do we need to make some changes? This is an opportunity. You can always use more space than what you had.”

AIC leaders are seeking engagement from students and faculty about what the building should look like for the future, she said, but stressed that the long-term planning process has only begun.

“Our focus right now is on the interim piece for the nursing lab and the occupational therapy lab; that has to come first because we want to get our students back on campus as soon as we can — hopefully for spring. We need more space for OT than what we have right now. We’re making do right now, but we need more.

“And then, with nursing, we don’t want them to have to go downtown to do their simulation and their nursing-practice skills,” she added. “And that is a bigger need in the spring for students. There are a lot more students that have to go through the lab in the spring. It’s important to us that they’re back home.”

This unusual year in AIC’s health sciences programs comes at a time when the medical world is still experiencing staffing shortages in many fields, particularly nursing, Rousseau said, but colleges nationwide have weathered a dip in enrollments in those programs.

“But enrollment across colleges in general is down for all professions, so I think it’s a symptom of the times,” she added. “A lot of people are worried about college debt, and you can go to work right away and still make an OK living wage because unemployment has been so low. There’s also the fact that we’re at that cliff where the birth rate has dropped off, so we’ve just got less people coming out of high school.”

And while nursing opportunities are still soaring — the profession has seen many older entrants who are changing careers to take advantage — there’s also lingering burnout from the pandemic, she added.

“You heard a lot of negativity around anything in healthcare. So I think that’s impacted healthcare. But it’s starting to rebound again — because then people heard about how much travel nurses make.”

 

Grit and Gratitude

Benitez recently expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from the community following the fire. “I want to acknowledge the remarkable resilience and unity displayed by our faculty, staff, and students. It is this collective effort from our community that gives me confidence that we will overcome this adversity together.”

Rousseau agreed. “We wanted to reassure our students that we’re still open for business. We’re going to figure it out. And we’re trying to listen to them when there are issues.

“There are some things we can’t control, you know,” she added. “They don’t really want to be in class in a different building and not having their usual space. And the nursing faculty are farther across campus. The biggest struggle is that we’ve lost a large parking lot, so we’ve got some growing pains around figuring that out, making sure it’s OK before we start having snowbanks to deal with, too.”

But all those issues pale in comparion to the main one: ensuring that life continues at AIC, and so do the college careers of its nursing, PT, and OT students.

“We’ve tried to be thoughtful, to make sure this had the least amount of impact on students,” Rousseau said. “We’ve tried to reassure students that AIC is still here, and that we’re an equal partner in their success.”

Owning Real Estate in Other States

By Contributor
Accounting and Tax Planning

What Does It Mean for Estate-tax Liability in Massachusetts?

By Elizabeth Dougal, Esq.

 

Massachusetts estate-planning clients frequently ask whether they should transfer their vacation property, typically located in Florida or New Hampshire, to a limited liability company. The answer is almost always ‘no.’

Why? Because Massachusetts does not tax out-of-state real estate held individually. However, it does tax out-of-state intangible assets. The transfer of the real estate to a limited liability company would convert that real estate to an intangible asset for purposes of the application of the Massachusetts estate tax.

Elizabeth Dougal

Elizabeth Dougal

Let’s say you are a Massachusetts resident with a vacation condominium in Florida valued at $300,000. You die with $800,000 of other assets in Massachusetts. Massachusetts imposes an estate tax up to 16% on a Massachusetts taxable estate of more than $1 million. Massachusetts does not impose its estate tax on real property held individually outside of Massachusetts. Hence, in this scenario, you would owe no Massachusetts estate tax.

What if you transferred that $300,000 Florida condominium to a limited liability company? You sometimes rent it out and want the limited liability company to decrease any liability exposure. Now, when you die, your Massachusetts estate is $1.1 million, thus subject to Massachusetts estate tax. The transfer of the condominium to the limited liability company converted it to an intangible asset includable for Massachusetts estate tax purposes. You could have managed your risk to limit potential liability through the acquisition of appropriate liability insurance instead of transferring it to a limited liability company.

You might also consider transferring your out-of-state property to an entity for probate avoidance, privacy, or ease of future transferability. For these purposes, the use of a simple ‘living’ or revocable trust might accomplish your goal. Massachusetts cannot impose Massachusetts estate tax on real property located outside of Massachusetts, whether held individually or within an arrangement that is the equivalent of individual ownership. A revocable trust is such an arrangement.

One last caveat on the example involving the Florida condominium mentioned above: Florida has no estate tax. Neither does New Hampshire. You may experience a different outcome in states with an estate tax. You will want to consult an estate tax advisor to determine if the state where the property is located has a higher estate tax rate than Massachusetts. If so, use of a limited liability company or other entity may be warranted.

Still, in general, you want to avoid dying as a Massachusetts resident with an estate over $1 million that includes real estate in a limited liability company, unless the real estate is located in Massachusetts or a state with at least an equivalent estate tax.

 

Elizabeth Dougal is an attorney with Bulkley Richardson and a member of the firm’s Trusts & Estates department.

Regular Screening Is Key to Fighting Colorectal Cancer

By
Dr. A. Daniyal Siddiqui
Healthcare News

Critical Catch

Dr. A. Daniyal Siddiqui

Dr. A. Daniyal Siddiqui says screening is the most important factor in preventing deaths from colorectal cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, the incidence of young-onset colorectal cancer is rising globally, with about 10% of patients with a new colon-cancer diagnosis, and 25% of patients with a new rectal-cancer diagnosis, being diagnosed under age 50.

Experts are still debating what that means, but there’s broad agreement that people need to start thinking about colonoscopies earlier than ever.

“One should not get to where cancer is diagnosed by symptoms. At that point, it’s a much more advanced stage; you want to get it when the cancer is not causing any symptoms,” said Dr. A. Daniyal Siddiqui, medical director of the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital and associate professor of Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School.

The statistics bear him out. While treatment of cancer has improved markedly over the decades, so has awareness of the importance of catching it at the earliest stages. In 1975, Siddiqui said, the five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer, across all stages, was 40% to 45%; today, it’s close to 70%.

And the increased incidence in younger people has caused the oncology community to further rethink screening recommendations, pushing them even younger.

The good news, Siddiqui noted, is that colorectal cancer (around 70% of which is colon cancer, 30% rectal) has been declining since the 1980s and declining even faster — between 1% and 1.8% a year — since 2009.

But at the same time, there has been an increase in incidence for younger people. In 1995, 11% of all colorectal cancer diagnoses were in patients 54 or younger; in 2019, it was 20%. For that reason, doctors now recommend starting screening at age 45, instead of the long-recognized guideline of age 50.

Siddiqui says wider adherence to screening recommendations has been impactful over the decades. “If cancers are picked up in the earliest stages, they’re more curable. So the death rate has been going down regardless of age because of better screenings. But the important thing is that incidence is increasing 1% to 1.5% per year in people under age 50. That’s why we should start screening at age 45.”

“One should not get to where cancer is diagnosed by symptoms. At that point, it’s a much more advanced stage; you want to get it when the cancer is not causing any symptoms.”

Why is a colonoscopy so critical? The answer begins with how the disease develops.

Colorectal cancer involves malignant cells that grow in the colon or the rectum, explained Dr. Aparna Parikh, medical director for the Center for Young Adult Colorectal Cancer at the Mass General Cancer Center. Often, colorectal cancers start as polyps, which are non-cancerous, but can turn into cancer over time.

According to the American Cancer Society, when a polyp — a non-cancerous growth in the lining of the colon or rectum — progresses to cancer, it usually grows into the wall of the colon or rectum, where it may invade blood or lymph vessels.

The extent to which cancer has spread at the time of diagnosis is described as its stage. The stages are described as localized (grown into the wall of the colon or rectum but not into nearby tissues), regional (spread through the wall of the colon or rectum and invading nearby tissues or lymph nodes), and distant (spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver or lung).

“Early on, when a polyp is benign, before it becomes cancer, at that point you’re talking a 100% cure,” Siddiqui said. “When you’re in stage 1, localized to the colon or rectum, you’re talking a 90% cure. The rate changes to 70% when the cancer has moved to local lymph nodes.”

And by later stages, the outlook is even worse. In fact, while it’s the fourth-most-common cancer after breast, prostate, and lung cancers, he noted, colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. So it can be critical to undergo regular colonoscopies after 45 — typically once every 10 years.

“There are other screening options, including stool-based tests, but it is important to talk to your primary-care doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of different types of screenings,” Parikh said.

That said, “it’s important to note that these other screening methods are only for patients without symptoms. If you are having any symptoms, it’s important to get a colonoscopy.”

 

Determining the Risk

Siddiqui stressed that the new age recommendations apply only to average-risk individuals. The higher-risk group includes those with a personal history of colorectal cancer or polyp removal, family history of the disease, a history of seed radiation to the abdomen, or personal or family history of endocrine syndromes or inflammatory bowel diseases like colitis or Crohn’s.

Dr. Aparna Parikh

Dr. Aparna Parikh

“To help reduce your risk of getting colorectal cancer, eat healthy foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Exercise regularly, limit or avoid alcohol, and maintain a healthy weight. Finally, quit smoking, or better yet, don’t even start.”

“For those individuals, there’s no black-and-white answer,” he said, explaining that recommendations of when to start screening and how often to go back are determined on a case-by-case basis: what kind of polyp was found, which hereditary factors are present, and so on.

But in general, for the average person, the guidelines start at age 45 and continue until 75, at which time it becomes a more individualized decision between a doctor and patient based on a number of lifestyle factors.

“Screening is the most important thing,” Siddiqui emphasized. “We know now, from prostate cancer and colon cancer and lung cancer, that screening works. That’s the main driving force behind death rates going down.”

The second key factor is improvement in the treatments available after colorectal cancer (CRC) is detected. Options include colorectal surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and access to clinical trials, Parikh noted, adding that “colorectal cancer is largely preventable and, in most cases, curable, especially if it’s detected early.”

As far as prevention strategies are concerned, some risk factors are more easily altered than others. The American Cancer Society reports that 55% of all CRCs are attributable to lifestyle factors, such as an unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity, high alcohol consumption, and smoking.

“People have been more aware of risk factors of various cancers, and if they’re proactive in terms of reducing them through lifestyle changes, that’s the important thing,” Siddiqui said. “Age is an important risk factor, and so is family history. You can’t change those, but you can change your diet. If you’re obese, you can modify that. If you’re a smoker, you can quit smoking.”

Physical activity is an important factor as well, he added. “We know that from multiple studies with thousands of patients. I’m not saying you should start running a marathon, but simply a 25- to 30-minute walk, three to five times a week, significantly reduces the risk of colon cancer, or any kind of cancer.”

However, the strongest risk factor is a family history of the disease; people with a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) who has been diagnosed with CRC have two to four times the risk of developing the disease compared to people without this family history, with a higher risk when diagnosis is before age 50 and when multiple relatives are affected, the American Cancer Society reports.

Meanwhile, up to 30% of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer have a family history of the disease, which is why these individuals should begin screening early, the organization notes. Young people with a family history should have a conversation with their healthcare provider about when to start screening.

“Everyone should know their family history, and not just colon cancer, but any cancer, especially at a young age,” Siddiqui said. “And that should be brought to a doctor’s attention because that may change the screening guidelines about when to start and how frequently.”

 

Changes for the Better

Dr. Xavier Lor, medical director of the Colorectal Cancer Prevention Program at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital, said recently that certain lifestyle habits associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) aren’t by themselves causing the worrisome trend of higher incidence in younger people.

“Some factors have been identified, and these increase risk, especially at older ages. Obesity, sedentary lifestyle, the western diet, and high sugar intake would only explain a fraction of these cases,” he noted.

“Genetic syndromes are also more commonly the cause for younger CRC patients than older ones, but these remain quite stable over the years and can’t explain a sudden raise in cases as we have seen in the last two decades,” he added. “It will likely boil down to environmental and dietary factors that we have not quite identified yet to explain many of these cases.”

Even absent the cancer risk, there’s nothing wrong with some healthy habits, however.

“To help reduce your risk of getting colorectal cancer, eat healthy foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains,” Parikh said. “Exercise regularly, limit or avoid alcohol, and maintain a healthy weight. Finally, quit smoking, or better yet, don’t even start.”

When a CRC does develop, the symptoms can vary, she noted.

“Different people may have different symptoms of colorectal cancer, and some people may not have any signs or symptoms at all,” she said, adding that symptoms may include abdominal discomfort or cramping; bleeding from the rectum or finding blood in one’s stool; changes in how the stool looks or frequency of bowel movement; diarrhea, constipation, or increased gas; or unexplained weight loss.

“It is important to remember that these symptoms can be attributed to things that are not related to colorectal cancer,” she added, so it’s important to consult a primary-care doctor with any concerns.

But, as Siddiqui noted up top, the key is catching problems before symptoms arise at all.

“Colonoscopies can detect cancer before you have symptoms or have advanced disease. Early detection is critical,” Parikh said. “But it’s important to advocate for your own health and well-being if you have any concerning symptoms.”

Cybersecurity Summit to Focus on Workforce, Ecosystem

By
Cybersecurity

Strengthening the Lines of Defense

Peter Sherlock says the numbers certainly help tell the story.

There are roughly 26,000 employed in Massachusetts today in what would be called the cybersecurity sector. And there were, at the precise moment we talked with him, exactly 18,263 openings in that realm, a number that goes up seemingly every day.

That means this sector has about two-thirds the number of qualified individuals it needs, said Sherlock, adding that the dire need to close that gap was one of the motivations behind the creation of CyberTrust Massachusetts, which he now serves as CEO.

Another motivation was to make the state’s businesses, institutions, and municipalities more cyber-secure at a time when the number of victims of cyber and ransomware attacks — like the number of job openings in this sector — keeps going up.

Peter Sherlock

Peter Sherlock

“As we put these students into these SOCs, they’re going to be working under the supervision of cyber professionals. We’re going to put them to work making cities and towns more cybersecure.”

How CyberTrust is going about these assignments, which overlap in many different ways, as we’ll see, will be among the focal points of Sherlock’s presentation at the 11th annual Cybersecurity Summit at Bay Path University, set for Friday, Oct. 13 at the Mills Theatre in Carr Hall on the school’s Longmeadow campus.

Registration for the event, which has been drawing steadily larger audiences because of the importance of the subject matter, is required. Individuals can register at baypath.edu/summit, and attend either in-person or remotely.

The working title for the program is “Who’s Next? How a Stronger Cyber Ecosystem is the First Line of Defense.” And Sherlock told BusinessWest that there are many elements that comprise this ecosystem, including the business sector, government, and education (the state’s colleges and universities, and even its high schools and middle schools). Together, they work on those twin assignments of building the workforce and making entities more cyber-secure.

At the forefront of these efforts is CyberTrust Massachusetts, a nonprofit committed to building both opportunity and security through a consortium of statewide businesses and colleges.

“CyberTrust arose out of a long-running dialogue among business and academic leaders, with some folks in government; these were discussions centered around workforce,” he said, adding that he understands first-hand the challenges of hiring — and retaining — within this sector.

Indeed, he previously served as chief operating officer of MITRE, as well as senior vice president responsible for MITRE’s defense and intelligence business.

“In my roles there, I had to worry about our annual hiring programs; trying to hire 1,000 STEM professionals every year was quite a challenge, as was retaining them,” he explained. “I would talk a lot with other executives in the Massachusetts area about the challenges of growing the pipelines in some of these technologies to keep up with the demand.

“And as the pandemic disrupted the workforce a bit more, those problems have become even more urgent,” he went on, adding that this urgency helped bring business and education together in the CyberTrust Massachusetts consortium to “move the needle,” as Sherlock put it, on not only these workforce issues, but the growing threat — in the form of cyber and ransomware attacks — to businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, institutions, and municipalities.

In his presentation at the Cybersecurity Summit, which will followed by what is expected to be a robust question-and-answer period, Sherlock said he will address a number of issues and initiatives, including the workforce challenges, efforts to activate new pathways for the talent pipeline in order to both grow and diversify and workforce, and cybersecurity approaches for municipalities across the Commonwealth.

While doing so, he will discuss how these problems intersect, and also about efforts to address them jointly, such as the security operation center, or SOC (pronounced ‘sock’ by those within this sector) that is taking shape at Springfield’s Union Station. This SOC, to be established by Springfield Technical Community College, will provide threat monitoring and other cybersecurity services for the state’s municipalities, small businesses, and nonprofits, while also creating learning opportunities for those in or seeking to join this sector at a ‘cyber range,’ a new testing lab that will mirror real-world IT environments to provide hands-on training opportunities to local companies, universities, and other cyber-focused organizations.

“We need to introduce new people to the cyber career field, whether it’s recruiting them from high school or getting adult career changers, and making non-cyber majors credentialed in cyber.”

“While focusing on workforce, we decided we could be serving another purpose at the same time,” he explained. “As we’re training our cyber learners with hands-on experiences, we could actually put them to work securing cities and towns, nonprofits, and small businesses. We put together this rather ambitious plan to set up security operations centers at a number of universities across the Commonwealth and to infuse new cyber-range technology into these colleges and universities and enlist cyber employers from across the state into this activity.

“As we put these students into these SOCs, they’re going to be working under the supervision of cyber professionals,” he went on. “We’re going to put them to work making cities and towns more cybersecure.”

Overall, Sherlock said the workforce issue requires creative, outside-the-box thinking and efforts to encourage individuals to consider this field while they are still in high school or even middle school.

“We need to introduce new people to the cyber career field, whether it’s recruiting them from high school or getting adult career changers, and making non-cyber majors credentialed in cyber,” he said. “There are a lot of different ways to get people into the field that we weren’t working at too much.”

Sherlock said he would go into much more detail at the summit, which grew out of the growing importance of cybersecurity in today’s society, the emergence of that sector, and the need to keep businesses and the community at large informed when it comes to new trends, new initiatives — and new threats, said Tom Loper, associate provost and dean in the School of Management and Technology at Bay Path.

Loper said he hopes, and expects, this year’s summit to be well-attended because of its focus on businesses and municipalities, the efforts to keep them safe from cyberattacks, and the role that they play within the emerging cyber ecosystem.

 

Develop a Strategy Now to Be Tax-efficient In Retirement

By Contributor
Wealth Management

Planning Is the Key

By Barbara Trombley, CPA

Does anyone like to pay taxes? Most of my clients tolerate paying taxes like eating their least-favorite vegetables. They are difficult to calculate and hard to understand, especially with a business generating uneven cash flow or an employed couple with disparate incomes.

But what if I told you there are ways to eliminate taxes in retirement or minimize federal taxes to a palliative 12% bracket?

Tax planning is an important part of retirement planning. When I ask clients what their target monthly spend in retirement is, they never consider the tax effect. For instance, a married couple may say they need to generate $6,000 per month to pay all their bills when they retire. Typically, this means the dollar amount that is deposited in their bank account.

But as a financial planner, I immediately think of the gross amount. How much do we need to generate on a gross level, before taxes, to net them $6,000? Depending on the source of funds, some of my clients may have a tax bill of zero, allowing them to draw only the $6,000 per month out of their investment account(s)!

Barbara Trombley

Barbara Trombley

“When I ask clients what their target monthly spend in retirement is, they never consider the tax effect.”

How can this be? Most retirees rely on Social Security to generate a large portion of their income. Some people pay tax on Social Security, and others do not. Whether you pay taxes or not depends upon your total combined taxable income. Combined income includes your adjusted gross income, any non-taxable interest you receive, and half of your Social Security benefits (adjusted gross income includes earnings, investment income, retirement-plan withdrawals, pension payments, and other taxable income.)

If a married couple has a combined income of less than $32,000, then none of their Social Security income is taxable on a federal level or in Massachusetts. For a single person, the limit is $25,000. Depending on the outcome of this formula, 85% of Social Security benefits could be taxable. The key to paying no federal taxes in retirement is to have other, non-taxable sources of funds.

How can you plan now to possibly pay zero taxes in retirement? A Roth 401(k) or Roth IRA is the best place to start. Most employer 401(k) plans now have a Roth option. This is when your contributions are made on an after-tax basis instead of pre-tax. If you are in a high tax bracket now, you would need to consider the tradeoffs of paying taxes now to not pay later.

In 2023, the limit for Roth 401(k) contributions is $22,500 with a $7,500 catch-up contribution for those over age 50. If you do not have a 401(k) plan at work, you can make a Roth IRA contribution of $6,500 per year, or $7,500 per year if you are over age 50. When you withdraw Roth funds after age 59½, the withdrawals are tax-free and do not impact taxable income.

Another great source of non-taxed income in retirement is investment accounts or savings outside of retirement accounts. If invested efficiently, where capital gains and interest income can be minimized, drawing from these accounts in retirement can have little effect on taxable income. Tax-efficient investing may involve putting interest-generating investments in a Roth IRA and keeping investments that generate long-term capital gains in a brokerage account.

For an example of efficient tax planning, consider client couple A versus client couple B. Both clients are married and file taxes jointly. Each of these couples would like to generate $6,000 per month in cash to spend in retirement. Each client couple generates $3,000 per month in Social Security after paying for Medicare. Client couple A each has a Roth IRA and draws the remaining $3,000 per month out of one of their accounts to meet spending needs. Since withdrawing from Roth accounts is non-taxable after age 59½, they would pay $0 in federal and $0 in Massachusetts state taxes.

Client couple B has only taxable retirement accounts. They draw the needed $3,000 from one of their taxable accounts. If there are no other factors, according to 2022 federal tax tables, they could owe approximately $4,500 in federal taxes and $1,600 in the state of Massachusetts, for a total of more than $6,000 in total income tax!

As a financial planner, I would need to generate an additional $500 per month to cover client couple B’s taxes. If client couple B withdraws a standard 4% from their retirement accounts in retirement, they would need to save another $150,000 during their working years compared to client couple A.

Proper tax planning should be a very important part of retirement planning. Many times, income taxes cannot be avoided, but they can be managed efficiently. Working with your CPA and financial planner is always a good place to start.

 

Barbara Trombley, CPA is managing partner at Trombley Associates. Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Trombley Associates, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking investment advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own, separate from this educational material.

‘Cyber Savvy 101’ Workshop Slated for Oct. 5

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — In an age where cybersecurity vulnerabilities can disrupt even the smallest businesses, knowledge and preparedness are keys to resilience. To that end, a workshop called “Cyber Savvy 101: Your Blueprint for Business Resilience” will take place on Thursday, Oct. 5 at Hilton Garden Springfield, 800 Hall of Fame Ave.

This half-day workshop, designed to help businesses with 10 or more employees, will equip attendees with vital insights to fortify their operations against ever-evolving cyber risks. It will feature a keynote address by Roland Tetreault, cybersecurity advisor for Rhode Island, Region 1 – Northeast, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Starting at 7:30 a.m. with registration and a networking breakfast, the event will feature expert-led sessions from 8 a.m. to noon. Topics include navigating the complex cyberthreat landscape, developing a human firewall, and preparing for worst-case scenarios.

“Small businesses often lack the resources to implement elaborate cybersecurity measures. This workshop focuses on how to take practical steps that can make a significant impact in business risk reduction and resiliency,” said Mike Giovaninni from event sponsor NetWerks Strategic Services LLC of Agawam, one of the expert speakers at the event.

Industry experts, including Tetreault, will dive into defense in depth, strategies against financial fraud, social-engineering countermeasures, and creating robust backup plans. The event will conclude with an interactive Q&A panel, allowing attendees to engage with all speakers directly.

Due to limited seating, early registration is encouraged for small-business owners committed to enhancing their cybersecurity readiness. The event will also be available virtually as well as recorded for later viewing.

For more information and to secure a spot, visit getnetwerks.com/cyber-savvy-101.

U.S. News Ranks MCLA Seventh Among Public Liberal-arts Schools

By
Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) has earned the #7 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for a third year in a row. U.S. News and World Report also ranked MCLA first for Top Performer on Social Mobility in the state, second in the country, and 22nd for National Liberal Arts Colleges.

MCLA has appeared on U.S. News’ list of Top Ten Public Colleges for nine consecutive years. The college has also been acknowledged in the publication’s list of National Liberal Arts Colleges for Social Mobility since the organization adopted this ranking in 2019. This list measures how well institutions graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants, typically awarded to students whose families make less than $50,000, though most Pell Grant money goes to families with income below $20,000.

“Each year that MCLA appears in the Top Ten Public College rankings, I am reminded how incredibly committed our faculty and staff are when it comes to the growth and success of our trailblazers by demonstrating an unwavering dedication to excellence,” President James Birge said. “I am grateful to be part of an institution like MCLA that has made enormous improvements over the last year and its rankings for Top Performer on Social Mobility.”

More than 42% of MCLA undergraduate students receive Pell Grants, and 51% are the first in their families to go to college. Overall, 93% of students receive some kind of financial aid.

“Enrolling at MCLA makes such a difference on student and faculty lives as well as on the community at large,” said Brenda Burdick, chair of the MCLA board of trustees. “I’m truly amazed by the ongoing success of MCLA — an institution that consistently shines as a top-notch provider of high-quality, accessible, and affordable education. Being recognized as a Top Ten Public College affirms this commitment.”

U.S. News ranks colleges based on indicators that reflect a school’s student body, faculty, and financial resources, along with outcome measures that signal how well the institution achieves its mission of educating students.

Country Bank Welcomes Brunilda Demiri

By
Daily News

WARE — Country Bank announced that Brunilda Demiri has joined its Auditing Division as first vice president and director of Internal Audit.

Before joining Country Bank, she worked as a lead auditor for the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. She has more than 14 years of experience in the industry and is currently a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and the Certified Fraud Examiners Community.

“We are thrilled to welcome Brunilda to the Audit team,” said Miriam Siegel, first senior vice president and chief Culture & Development officer, Human Resources. “It was not only her background and experience with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, but her specific interest in community banking and her personal commitment to community service make her a perfect fit for Country Bank.”

Demiri holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Bentley University and is currently enrolled in Babson’s MBA program. Brunilda is also a certified fraud examiner.

“At the Federal Reserve Bank, I managed multiple audit teams responsible for some of the Fed’s most complex and high-risk audit engagements,” she said. “Throughout my career, I have learned how impactful audit can be and look forward to providing valuable audit services and helping Country Bank stay ahead of risks that could impact the success of objectives and strategic initiatives. I have enjoyed getting to know the people here and look forward to continued partnerships and working together.”

Girls Inc. of the Valley Welcomes New Board Members

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Girls Inc. of the Valley recently welcomed two new members to its board of directors. Trishna Mudumbi and Isani Castro will join the current board to support strategic planning to map out the future of the organization.

Mudumbi is an accomplished engineering leader with nearly 20 years of industry experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Drexel University and a master’s degree in management from Stevens Institute of Technology. She is currently the chief engineer for Environmental and Airframe Control Systems products for the Boeing Defense Value Stream at Collins Aerospace. Throughout her career, she has focused on promoting women and underrepresented groups in STEM and beyond.

Castro is an associate attorney at Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, P.C. in downtown Springfield, with a focus on business and corporate law. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Manhattan College, graduating with honors. She graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law in May 2022 with her juris doctor. In her role as associate attorney, she drafts various legal documents related to intricate business needs, provides legal counsel, and manages negotiations.

“Trishna and Isani are fabulous additions to our board of directors,” said Suzanne Parker, executive director of Girls Inc. of the Valley. “Trishna and Isani are leaders in their respective industries and have a firm passion for the Girls Inc. mission. The skill sets they will bring to the board strengthens our organization as we position ourselves to serve more youth throughout the Valley.”

MassReconnect Is Altering the Paradigm at Community Colleges

By
Cover Story Education

Change of Course

STCC students Sarai Andrades, left, and Destiny Santos

Sarai Andrades is a second-year student at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC). She’s enrolled in the health sciences program, with the goal of starting work toward a nursing degree in 2024. Her ultimate ambition is to become a travel nurse.

To pay for her first year at STCC, she had to take on $5,000 in loans because she and her husband were earning too much to qualify for financial aid. But this year, she’s going for free, essentially, because of the MassReconnect program, which enables individuals 25 and over (she’s 49) to attend one of the state’s 15 community colleges without the burden of having to pay tuition — or even for books.

For Andrades, relief from the burden of debt is, in a word, “huge.”

Indeed, she eventually decided to resign from her job so she could attend school full-time, and the debt she took on for that first year was certainly burdensome.

“Not to take out a loan, not to be in debt when there’s only one income in my family, is a big relief for us,” she said. “Before, there was worry — this is a two-year program, and to become a full-time college student with only my husband working was going to be tough. I’m ecstatic that they’re doing this for us.”

With that, she spoke for hundreds of others in similar situations — and for administrators at the area’s community colleges, who have seen dramatic, and much-needed, increases in enrollment and vibrancy on their campuses this fall, and can attribute those increases, at least in part, to the MassReconnect program.

Jim Cook

John Cook

“When you reduce this cost barrier all the way, people can now find the time and space in their lives to actually imagine themselves back here.”

“When you reduce this cost barrier all the way, people can now find the time and space in their lives to actually imagine themselves back here,” said John Cook, president of STCC, noting that the school has seen its first increase in year-over-year enrollment in more than a decade. “People really do want to make a difference for themselves and their families, and this is that thing that has really grabbed their attention and carved that space back out in their lives.”

Tim Sweeney is back on the campus at Greenfield Community College roughly 20 years after he left school to start working.

Tim Sweeney is back on the campus at Greenfield Community College roughly 20 years after he left school to start working.

MassReconnect is a program created through legislation passed earlier this year, modeled on similar, and thus far successful, initiatives in other states, including Michigan and Tennessee.

For many individuals, the burden of tuition expenses and debt has kept them from attending school or forced them to the sidelines before they could complete a degree or certificate program, said Mark Hudgik, interim dean of Recruitment, Admissions, and Financial Aid at Holyoke Community College.

“We’re definitely seeing an increase in adult students applying and enrolling who had no college before, and we think that’s a direct impact of MassReconnect,” he said. “We also see a fair number who are coming back after a break.”

Linda Desjardins, director of Student Financial Services at Greenfield Community College, agreed.

“For some, coming up with a few thousand dollars for tuition and fees, plus another couple hundred for books, was making it difficult just to get here and get through the door,” she said. “This has just really opened up a new world for these students and new opportunities, which is great for the college and great for our student body because now we all have these diverse and enriching experiences coming into the classroom and on campus.

“And to see the amount of stress that just melts away from a student who was really worried about the cost — they’re thinking, ‘I know I want to come, I’m driven to do this, I want to change my life, but I’m going to have to give up groceries to pay for my books’ — it’s really encouraging,” she went on. “Now they don’t have to do that; they can concentrate on the work at hand in the classroom.”

For this issue and its focus on education, BusinessWest takes an early look at MassReconnect and the many ways it is changing the paradigm at area community colleges. Spoiler alert: you’ll read ‘it’s huge’ more than a few times.

 

Class Act

Tim Sweeney is back at Greenfield Community College, roughly two decades after he spent parts of five years there going to school — sometimes full-time but mostly part-time — in pursuit of an associate degree in liberal arts.

“I almost finished up, but was at a point in my life where I needed to support myself financially and concentrate less on school,” the 44-year-old told BusinessWest. “I never had the inspiration or motivation to go back.”

Mark Hudgik

Mark Hudgik

“We’re definitely seeing an increase in adult students applying and enrolling who had no college before, and we think that’s a direct impact of MassReconnect. We also see a fair number who are coming back after a break.”

But through MassReconnect, he found that motivation, and he’s back on campus, taking the three courses he needs to complete that degree: “Gothic Literature,” “Interpersonal Communications,” and “American History, 1985 to the Present.”

His plan is … well, to graduate and then transfer to UMass Amherst to pursue a four-year degree. Beyond that, he doesn’t know … yet.

“I don’t have a particular direction yet,” he said, adding simply, “just forward — finally.”

Moving lives and careers forward is the basic motivation behind MassReconnect, which is designed to help people like Sweeney who had to put college aside, or who never got started in the first place, for any of several reasons, but often the cost of tuition — or even the cost of a semester or year’s worth of books.

For others, it is the apprehension of taking on debt, especially at a time in their lives when they have many other responsibilities — housing, children, and more — that keep them from taking an important step that might help them trade a job for a career.

But MassReconnect is about more than helping individuals and families cope with the cost of a community-college education, Cook said. It’s also about putting more individuals in a position where they can relieve some of the stern challenges facing employers in every sector of the economy when it comes to finding qualified talent.

And for community colleges, the program comes at a time when they are facing stern enrollment challenges that began before COVID and were exacerbated by the pandemic, to the point where, as Cook said, the schools had essentially reached bottom and “there was no place to go but up.”

It’s only been a few weeks since the start of the fall semester and the introduction of MassReconnect, but already there are signs that it is making an impact, though it will certainly take longer, at least a few years, before its influence on the workforce crisis is known.

For individuals of various ages and in various life situations, MassReconnect represents a chance to continue in school, or go back to the classroom, but without the financial burden. As DeJardins noted, the reduced stress is palpable, and is enabling individuals to focus all — or at least more — of their energy on what’s happening in the classroom.

That’s certainly the case for Destiny Santos, another student at STCC, now in her third semester, who has designs on being a nurse.

Solymar Fraticelli, left, and her mother, Nicole Rodriguez

Solymar Fraticelli, left, and her mother, Nicole Rodriguez, are both attending HCC, while Fraticelli’s daughter is attending daycare there.

“What MassReconnect has done for me is allow me to go into this semester without the financial burden,” she explained. “And now that I’m 26, I have more things to care of; this program has allowed me to go to school knowing that everything will be OK, and I’ll be able to succeed without the burden of paying a school bill.”

Similar tones were struck by Nicole Rodriguez, 43, a second-year student at HCC who wants to advance within the human-services field, and her daughter, Solymar Fraticelli, 27, who returned to the school this fall after a lengthy hiatus.

Without MassReconnect, Rodriguez said, she would be facing a bill of more than $7,000 for tuition, fees, books, and more. And the thought of taking on debt to cover that bill is intimidating.

“That’s a lot for me, and it would likely limit me as I look to further my education,” she told BusinessWest, adding that MassReconnect has enabled her to continue without the burden of debt and, in so doing, helped inspire her daughter and other adults — her sister-in-law and best friend among them — to return to school or get started.

It’s been nearly eight years since Fraticelli first took classes at HCC — she attended for roughly a semester and a half before having to put her education aside — and she now has a daughter as well. The time gap and her parental responsibilities were just two of the factors to weigh as she considered the risks and rewards of attending community college and pursue a career in the healthcare field.

MassReconnect made it that much easier to meet those challenges head-on.

“I thought it was a great opportunity to go back to school,” she said, adding that her daughter attends daycare around the corner from the campus. “It’s free, or almost free, and that makes it that much easier to go back.”

For Sweeney, who has been unemployed for more than a year now, going back to school seemed like a more fruitful course than trying to test the current job market.

“I wanted to advance myself educationally in order to advance myself in my career,” he said, adding that being able to do so without having to pay for those three courses listed above certainly factored into his decision.

 

Degrees of Change

Meanwhile, the college administrators we spoke with said MassReconnect is at least partially responsible for a surge in enrollment they’re seeing this fall.

Cook said current enrollment at STCC has risen to 4,500, up from 4,000 a year ago. That number is still a long way from the 5,000 recorded in the fall of 2019, the last September before COVID, and a long, long way from the high-water mark of 7,000 notched in 2012, just a few years after the Great Recession.

But it is an important step in the right direction.

“For the first time in a decade, we’ve had a meaningful increase in enrollment,” he told BusinessWest. “We’re up 13% to 14%, and there are a number of factors involved with that, including MassReconnect.”

Desjardins agreed. She said the overall student headcount is up by 8.6% over last fall, a significant boost for GCC, one of the smallest community colleges in the state.

At HCC, enrollment had declined close to 30% during COVID, Hudgik said, adding that this fall, the school has seen its first increase year-over-year since 2010, with a 5.5% increase in total students and a 14% climb in new students, numbers that can be attributed at least in part to MassReconnect.

Beyond these soaring enrollment numbers, though, college administrators are buoyed by the stories behind the numbers — individuals who are returning to community colleges, or finding them for the first time years, and in some cases decades, after they graduated from high school.

And they’re attending school without having to borrow money, which removes a financial burden that weighs on individuals while they’re working toward a degree or certificate program.

Desjardins noted that the amount of grant aid Massachusetts residents is receiving has increased by 32% at GCC over last year, which represents more than $243,000. Meanwhile, the amount borrowed has dropped by 35%, or $123,000.

“Applications for federal financial aid have gone up by 16%,” she noted. “It could be for various reasons, but with all the attention that MassReconnect is getting — and the word is spreading — it’s safe to assume that MassReconnect is a good generator of that increase in financial-aid application.”

Like others, she is encouraged by the manner in which the program has enabled many who were not eligible for financial aid because they exceeded wage limitations to now attend community college without the burden of paying for it directly or taking out loans to be paid back over several years.

“The thing that’s most remarkable to me, in my position, is how low- to middle-income wage earners who have been left out of receiving free dollars for college, like grants and scholarship dollars, are now eligible to get this money to attend college,” Desjardins said. “If you were someone who was 25, single, with no children, and you made a little over $30,000 … before MassReconnect, you may have been eligible for just a few hundred dollars for the entire school year; now, you’re eligible for enough free money to pay for your tuition and fees, plus give you something toward the cost of books and course materials. That’s huge. Someone who is a low- to middle-wage earner is struggling already to pay their rent, their mortgage, childcare, groceries, gas, and more.”

Hudgik agreed. “Loans are scary,” he said. “MassReconnect allows them to not have to worry about the income threshold; they know the Commonwealth will support them and minimize the amount of loan they have to take out, and bring it to zero if they want.”

And while community college is essentially free for these individuals, the administrators we spoke with said this hasn’t diminished the value of the education their schools provide or lessened the degree of grit and determination behind the decisions to go back to school or attend for the first time.

“What we know to be true about our adult students is that, when they make the decision to come, it is usually with a lot of thought behind it,” Hudgik said. “It’s a fairly big risk for someone who has been out of school for a while to try to restart their school-going mentality. If they’ve decided to come, they’ve usually been pretty serious about it.”

 

Bottom Line

When asked what it was like to be back on the GCC campus 20 years after he last attended a class there, Sweeney said it was strange on some levels, and there was a period of adjustment, but, overall, he’s comfortable — with both his decision and with being back at school.

“I feel like I’m a different person than I was,” he said, adding that he realizes the importance of a college degree to advancing himself professionally, and just needed some motivation to take this big step.

This is what MassReconnect is all about, and while it will take some time to effectively quantify its impact on many different levels, at the moment, to those surveying the scene, it is a qualified success.

White Hut Brand Expands to Holyoke, with Plans to Continue Scaling Up

By
Peter Picknelly, left, and Edison Yee
Features Special Coverage

Fried and True

Peter Picknelly, left, and Edison Yee

Peter Picknelly, left, and Edison Yee, two of the many partners involved with the White Hut location in Holyoke.

When asked about where they might take the White Hut brand — and when, both Edison Yee and Peter Picknelly took long pauses and then looked at each other as if to say, ‘you first.’

They did so to indicate a few things — first, that they’ve obviously been thinking long and hard about that question, and second … they don’t really know the answer yet.

What they do know is that they will bring the concept beyond Memorial Avenue in West Springfield, the location that was rescued in 2020 by Picknelly, chairman of Peter Pan Bus Lines; Andy Yee, Edison’s brother; and others within the Bean Restaurant Group after founding owners the Barkett family announced it would close. And also beyond 825 Hampden St. in Holyoke, the location — a renovated former PeoplesBank branch — that opened last month.

“Our goal is to build a microbrand from this White Hut concept,” he said, using that term to describe brands with up to 10 locations, adding that locations are being scouted in Westfield and other communities, and if all goes well in Holyoke, there could easily be another location within a year.

Picknelly concurred. “We believe the White Hut is a brand that’s scalable; we’ve had overwhelming success in West Springfield — our customer count continues to grow there — and we think Holyoke is a great location,” he said. “This a solid brand, and we want to expand it out strategically.”

But both said that, at the moment, they and several co-owners in the Paper City venture, including Holyoke natives Jack Ferriter and Mark Cutting, are hard-focused on that location, the success of which might go a long way toward determining where and when this iconic (yes, that word fits here) brand and its red-and-white color scheme might next be seen.

Nathan Yee, director of Hospitality for the Bean Restaurant Group and part of the proverbial next generation of leadership at the company, believes it will do quite well.

“Our goal is to build a microbrand from this White Hut concept.”

Those involved spent considerable time scouting locations, he said, and eventually zeroed in on the Hampden Street location, which lies on a well-traveled road just a few hundred yards from an I-91 exit.

Beyond location, this site offers … well, everything that has made the White Hut brand iconic — its famous hamburgers, hot dogs, fried onions, shakes, and more — as well as new additions, including a salute to Holyoke: a breakfast sandwich called the Paper City Special, containing a scrambled egg with sausage, hash brown, American cheese, and fried onions on a Venetian water roll.

There are other new wrinkles as well, including a self-ordering kiosk for those who prefer that option, as well as a pickup option by which employees bring the customer’s order directly to their car.

Nick Yee cuts a ceremonial ribbon

Nick Yee cuts a ceremonial ribbon of hot dogs at the grand opening of the Holyoke White Hut last month.

In short, the ownership group is taking a brand that has a storied past and a rich history and bringing it into the future — changing what should be changed, and not changing anything that shouldn’t be changed, like those fried onions.

For this issue, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at the institution that is the White Hut, the long-planned move into Holyoke, and those still-evolving plans to bring the brand elsewhere within the 413 — and likely beyond.

 

Relishing the Possibilities

As he talked with BusinessWest in mid-September, Edison Yee had a lot on his plate — and yes, that’s an industry term, sort of.

The Big E was going to start in a few days, and Yee and many others at the Bean Restaurant Group had considerable prep work to do get ready; the group has several locations at the fair, including the White Hut, the Wurst House, and a new addition to the portfolio, a ‘Harpoon Beer hut.’

“We sell a lot of food and lot of beer,” he said, adding that the company probably has 100 or more seasonal employees working at the fair, which has been an ever-increasing part of the business plan for the group since it first started taking part eight years ago.

Meanwhile, Oktoberfest, a huge, nearly month-long celebration at the Student Prince, is coming up fast (Oct. 8 is the official start date), and Yee was deep into the planning stages for that annual happening. And then, there’s ongoing planning and the start of work at the restaurant that will become a linchpin of the redevelopment of the Court Square Hotel on Elm Street in Springfield, another collaboration between Picknelly and the Bean Group.

But on this day, and the days before, the main focus was on the Holyoke White Hut location and making sure everything was in order for the grand opening coming up the next morning. This was an event that was maybe two years in the making, said Yee and Picknelly, noting that, not long after the West Springfield location had been saved and was successfully navigating its way through COVID, talk began to turn to where this iconic brand might go next.

And it wasn’t long at all before the focus turned to the Paper City.

But before we explore this move to Holyoke, we need some background, and some perspective on both the brand and the location in West Springfield, which, to many, has achieved landmark status, figuratively if not literally.

Our story begins in 1939, when Edward Barkett opened a small restaurant on Memorial Avenue and decided to call it the White Hut because that was the principal color.

Suceeding generations of the Barkett family owned and operated the restaurant and eventually took the brand beyond West Springfield — to Amherst, in a venture that met with only limited success, in part, Picknelly believes, because the location was not highly visible.

And while the brand is famous for the loyalty exhibited by its regulars, location and visibility are keys to the success of any restaurant, he went on.

Fast-forwarding a little, E.J. Barkett (Edward’s grandson) announced rather abruptly in 2020 that White Hut would close its doors. Picknelly and Andy Yee, both to be counted as Hut regulars, as well as serial entrepreneurs and part of the group that rescued the Student Prince restaurant in 2015 when its closure seemed imminent, stepped into the breach and saved the White Hut.

And they did so under extreme circumstances. Indeed, that rescue came at the height of COVID, when that restaurant, like all others, had to find ways to do business while also keeping people safe. It already had effective takeout service, said Picknelly, adding that this quality was one of many that enabled it to persevere during those trying times.

Another quality, obviously, was the food itself, he said, adding that another ingredient in the recipe for success was simply not to change much of anything that had made the Hut such a fan favorite.

Such diligence has been rewarded with rankings on a number of ‘best burger’ lists. In 2021, for example, White Hut’s cheeseburger with grilled onions was named the best burger in Massachusetts by Thrillist, and it has been ranked among the best burgers in the country. The Hut was profiled in USA Today in 2019, which said everything about the brand is “frozen in time,” and it’s been included by the Wall Street Journal in its “Essential Guide to America’s Best Burgers.”

That success begs the obvious question — where can this brand go? That query refers to everything from geography to the size of what would have to be called an emerging chain.

 

A Side of Entrepreneurship

The answer to that question begins in the Paper City and the opening of the Hampden Street location, which provides evidence that everything is no longer entirely frozen in time, as we’ll see.

“Holyoke has been on the radar for our group for a long time now,” Edison Yee said, adding that several potential sites were considered before the Hampden Street location, one strongly favored by his brother, Nick Yee, the group’s principal managing partner, became the focus of attention.

the latest White Hut location in Holyoke

From left, Bryan Graham (culinary director and partner), Nick Yee, Peter Picknelly, Edison Yee, and Nate Yee stand in front of the latest White Hut location in Holyoke.

“The traffic counts are great,” he said. “And, growing up in South Hadley, we knew that this was the main street to get onto I-91; you have all the traffic that comes from South Hadley, Granby, parts of Chicopee, and, of course, Holyoke, that are filtering through this road.”

Picknelly agreed, and noted that the traffic count is actually higher on Hampden Street than it is on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield.

Beyond steady traffic, the location provides more convenience to those who travel down I-91, Route 5, or other roads to get to the West Springfield location (and there are many in that category) while also introducing the brand to new audiences.

“We think Holyoke is a great location,” Picknelly said. “Our brand is still strong here, yet it’s far enough away that we won’t be competing against ourselves, and our customers from Holyoke, Northampton, and Granby won’t have to travel as far — that’s the essence of it.”

And while the location is expected to draw people from several area communities and, its owners presume, travelers on I-91, it is a neighborhood restaurant, one that will in some respects replace another iconic eatery, Mel’s Restaurant, which closed recently, just a few hundred feet away.

The location will offer the same menu as the one in West Springfield — and essentially the same food the Hut has offered since 1939 — but with some of those new amenities, such as the self-ordering kiosk, said Nathan Yee, which will bring another layer of convenience to customers.

“With each unit, we’ve identified some of the operational areas that we can improve on, and that’s what we’ve done with this location,” he said. “We’ve added a few new features to make it more customer-friendly.”

Renovation of the former bank branch took more than a year, he noted, and an investment, beyond the purchase of the property, of more than $1 million.

And this may the first of several initiatives to bring the White Hut brand to different cities, towns, and markets, said Picknelly and Edison Yee, noting, again, that Holyoke will be a barometer of sorts for how well the brand may ultimately travel.

“Our ultimate goal is to expand the brand,” Yee said. “This is a great test for us, being in Holyoke, and we feel strongly that, if we can get this unit to operate similarly to West Springfield in terms of metrics, we’re eager to look for another spot.”

Picknelly agreed, noting that expansion, either through owner-operated locations, such as those in Holyoke and West Springfield, or perhaps franchising, is likely if not inevitable.

“There are restaurant groups in Connecticut that have contacted us and want to franchise,” he said. “We want to expand this on our own first; we think it’s really scalable — this is our first venture to do that. Once this gets up and running, I think you’ll see the White Hut brand all over the Northeast.”

“Our ultimate goal is to expand the brand. This is a great test for us, being in Holyoke, and we feel strongly that, if we can get this unit to operate similarly to West Springfield in terms of metrics, we’re eager to look for another spot.”

Elaborating, he said could envision scenarios where there are both owner-operated locations and franchises, and there are plenty of successful models of such operations, including national brands such as KFC, Burger King, and others.

 

Food for Thought

Summing up the current state of this brand, Picknelly said it’s “one that the Barkett family built and the Yee family made better.”

Where can it go beyond West Springfield and Holyoke? Only time will tell, but it’s safe to assume that expansion will continue across Western Mass. and perhaps beyond. A brand that’s been called ‘simple,’ ‘tried and true,’ and, yes, ‘frozen in time’ will continue to be all those things.

But time certainly won’t stand still for the White Hut and its owners.

What’s New in Tax Laws for Individuals and Businesses?

By Contributor
Accounting and Tax Planning Special Coverage

Rolling with the Changes

By Daniel Eger and Cindy Gonzalez

Tax laws are like a constantly shifting landscape, subject to periodic changes that can significantly impact your financial bottom line. Whether you’re an individual taxpayer striving to maximize deductions or a business owner who wants to optimize your financial strategies, staying informed about the latest tax-law changes is paramount.

Daniel Eger

Daniel Eger

Cindy Gonzalez

Cindy Gonzalez

In this ever-evolving tax environment, we’ll explore the essential updates that individuals and businesses need to be aware of to navigate the new tax frontier effectively. We’ll dive into the critical modifications that may influence your financial planning and tax strategies in the coming year.

 

TAX-LAW CHANGES IMPACTING INDIVIDUALS

In 2023, several significant adjustments have been made to tax laws that individuals should be aware of. These changes encompass a wide range of topics, from energy credits to retirement contributions, interest rates, and tax brackets. Let’s delve into some of the key changes that may impact your financial planning.

 

Residential Energy Credits

For individuals looking to reduce their environmental footprint and lower their tax liabilities, residential energy credits are worth exploring. These credits aim to incentivize the adoption of clean and energy-efficient technologies in homes. A notable change for 2023 is the Clean Vehicle credits, which are now effective after April 18. These credits apply to new, used, or commercial vehicles, with qualifying requirements for sellers, dealers, and manufacturers.

 

Interest-rate Changes for Q4 Payments

Starting on Oct. 1, 2023, significant adjustments will be made to interest rates for tax payments. In cases of overpayments, where individuals have paid more than the amount owed, the interest rate will be set at 8%. In instances of underpayments, where taxes owed have not been fully paid, individuals will be subject to an 8% interest rate.

 

Contributions to Retirement Savings

In an effort to help individuals save for their retirement, the IRS has raised the contribution limits for 401(k) and IRA plans in 2023. If you contribute to a 401(k) or 403(b), you can now put in up to $22,500 a year, an increase from $20,500. Those age 50 or older can make an additional catch-up contribution of $7,500. Similarly, traditional and Roth IRA contributors can now contribute up to $6,500 (up from $6,000), with an extra $1,000 catch-up contribution available for those age 50 and older.

“Whether you’re an individual taxpayer striving to maximize deductions or a business owner who wants to optimize your financial strategies, staying informed about the latest tax-law changes is paramount.”

Enhanced IRA Contribution Limits

Traditionally, there have always been strict constraints on contributions to both traditional and Roth IRAs. For the majority of individuals, the contribution ceiling stood at $6,000. However, for those age 50 and above, there was the opportunity to contribute an additional $1,000 as catch-up contributions, bringing the total to $7,000.

The exciting news for 2023 is a boost in these limits by $500, allowing Americans to now contribute up to $6,500 to their IRA. For individuals age 50 and older, this figure escalates to $7,500.

Increased Contributions to Employer-sponsored Retirement Plans

Following a similar upward trajectory, the contribution limits for employer-sponsored retirement plans have also experienced a positive adjustment. In 2022, the threshold for employee contributions stood at $20,500. However, in 2023, this limit has risen by $2,000, providing a new maximum of $22,500. For those eligible for catch-up contributions, the prospects for bolstering retirement savings have become even more enticing, with an elevated contribution limit of $30,000.

It’s important to note that, if you participate in multiple workplace retirement plans, the limitations encompass all salary deferrals and total contributions across these plans. Contributions made to other types of accounts, such as an IRA, remain separate and do not impact these thresholds. These enhanced contribution limits offer individuals and employees greater flexibility and opportunities to secure their financial future.

Health Savings Account Contribution Limits

Health savings accounts (HSAs) have become increasingly popular for managing medical expenses and as an investment vehicle. In 2023, individuals will be allowed to contribute an additional $200 per year to their HSAs, raising the maximum contribution limit to $3,850. For families, the threshold for coverage will also increase by $450, reaching a maximum of $7,750 for the fiscal year. Keep in mind that you must meet the minimum deductibles to qualify for an HSA plan, which are $1,500 for individuals and $3,000 for families.

Tax Brackets for 2023

Lastly, it’s essential to be aware of the changes in tax brackets for 2023. While there are still seven tax rates ranging from 10% to 37%, the income thresholds for these brackets have been adjusted upward by about 7% from 2022. This adjustment reflects the impact of record-high inflation, potentially placing some individuals in a lower tax bracket than in previous years.

These changes underscore the importance of staying informed about tax-law updates to make informed financial decisions and optimize your tax-planning strategy. Be sure to consult with a tax professional or financial advisor to understand how these changes may affect your unique financial situation.

 

TAX-LAW CHANGES IMPACTING BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS REPORTING ON SCHEDULE C

In the dynamic landscape of tax laws, staying informed about changes that affect both businesses and individuals reporting their income and expenses on Schedule C is of paramount importance. In recent years, several noteworthy adjustments have been made, significantly impacting the way deductions are calculated, particularly for expenses like Section 179 deductions, bonus depreciation, and meals and entertainment. Here, we delve into these pivotal changes.

Section 179 Deduction Limits

One of the cornerstones of tax planning for businesses has been the Section 179 deduction. This deduction enables businesses to write off the cost of qualifying property and equipment in the year they are placed in service, rather than depreciating them over time.

In 2023, the Section 179 deduction limit has been raised to a generous $1,160,100 for property used 50% or more for business purposes. This marks an increase of $80,000 from the previous year. This change empowers businesses to invest in capital assets and equipment while enjoying substantial tax savings.

“While there are still seven tax rates ranging from 10% to 37%, the income thresholds for these brackets have been adjusted upward by about 7% from 2022. This adjustment reflects the impact of record-high inflation, potentially placing some individuals in a lower tax bracket than in previous years.”

Meals Deductions

The tax treatment of meals expenses has witnessed a notable transformation, with implications for businesses and individuals alike. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and 2022, the IRS allowed a temporary 100% deduction for such expenses to provide economic relief and support the struggling hospitality industry.

However, starting in 2023, there has been a shift in the deductibility of meal expenses. Any deductible meal is now subject to a 50% deduction under the guidelines outlined in Publication 463. This change underscores the need for businesses and individuals to carefully document and categorize their expenses and adhere to the new rules governing these deductions.

 

Interest-rate Changes

Starting on Oct. 1, 2023, significant adjustments will be made to interest rates for tax payments. Corporations will experience a slightly different rate structure than individuals. For overpayments exceeding $10,000, the interest rate on the excess amount will be reduced to 5.5%. In contrast, large corporate underpayments, representing taxes owed but not fully paid, will incur a higher 10% interest rate. These adjustments in interest rates aim to ensure fairness and compliance within the tax-payment system for both individuals and corporations.

 

Changes to Bonus Depreciation

The window of opportunity for fully benefiting from one of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s (TCJA) most significant provisions is closing rapidly. This provision allows for a 100% bonus depreciation on a broad range of assets categorized as ‘qualified property.’ Initially set to expire at the close of 2019, the TCJA extended these bonus depreciation rules for assets placed in service after Sept. 27, 2017, and before Jan. 1, 2023, increasing the deductible amount to 100%.

However, unless there are changes in the law, this bonus percentage is set to gradually decrease over the next few years, ultimately phasing out entirely (100% in 2022, 80% in 2023, 60% in 2024, 40% in 2025, 20% in 2026, and 0% in 2027).

 

Stay Informed

The evolving landscape of tax laws necessitates vigilant awareness and proactive tax planning for businesses and individuals who report on Schedule C. The changes to Section 179 deductions, the phasing out of bonus depreciation, and the modifications to meals and entertainment deductions can have a significant impact on tax liabilities. As such, seeking guidance from tax professionals and staying informed about these changes is crucial for optimizing tax strategies and ensuring compliance with the latest IRS regulations.

This material is generic in nature. Before relying on the material in any important matter, users should note date of publication and carefully evaluate its accuracy, currency, completeness, and relevance for their purposes, and should obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances.

 

Daniel Eger is a tax supervisor, and Cindy Gonzalez is an associate, at Holyoke-based accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.

Cyber Criminals Exploit Preventable Human Failures

By
Cybersecurity Special Coverage

Easy Targets

 

While the technology used to prevent cybercrime has certainly become more sophisticated over the years, Paul Savas has two simple words when it comes to the human side of cybersecurity.

“Be smart.”

Unfortunately, too many people simply choose not to.

“If it looks like something’s suspect, don’t open it. Don’t click on the links. So many times, these attacks happen to people who are letting their guard down,” said Savas, vice president of Comcast Business’ Western New England Region.

“How many of us get that Amazon text — ‘there’s a question about the order in your account.’ It’s a bogus text, and you should delete it right away,” he continued. “But so many people don’t. They’re curious. ‘There’s a link … I’ll click it.’ But you have to be smarter than that.”

Then there’s the problem of password laziness.

“They keep creating their own passwords. They’ll even keep a file on their desktop that says ‘passwords,’ kind of a spreadsheet. If I’m a hacker, I love that.”

“The biggest problem is common passwords,” said Sean Hogan, president of Hogan Technology in Easthampton. “So many people reuse passwords; they have a password that they’ve used forever, and they’ll do variations of that password. The problem is, once all the bots out there have that password or something close, they will figure out all your passwords within seconds.”

And he’s run into stubbornness when it comes to changing password habits.

“When I go out to see clients, it’s a constant struggle. One of our hardest adaptations is getting them to start going with password management or password vaulting. They keep creating their own passwords. They’ll even keep a file on their desktop that says ‘passwords,’ kind of a spreadsheet. If I’m a hacker, I love that.”

Allen Reed, assistant vice president and Information Security officer at Freedom Credit Union, has run into similar frustrations.

Allen Reed

Allen Reed says ‘trust, but verify first’ is a good rule of thumb for clicking email links.

“At the credit union, I’m always hammering employees: ‘don’t click that link, don’t open that attachment, don’t ever click until you have verified. Trust, but verify first.’ Yes, it’s inconvenient to make a phone call to someone: ‘did I receive an email from you?’ But that’s the world we live in.”

When he talks about cybersecurity with Freedom employees, Reed says he tries to “put a little fear in them” with examples of mistakes other businesses have made, and the financial consequences. “It gets them to think a little more clearly.”

But the topic isn’t just an occasional one at the credit union. “We institute cybersecurity-awareness training on day one of their employment. In fact, we’re audited from the federal financial sector every year to make sure every employee has had security-awareness training — at least annually, but most importantly, on day one.”

Even then, Reed regularly uses his metaphorical hammer.

“We all receive email all day, every day. And the staff has to be trained over and over,” he said. “It’s like when we were young children at the stove, and we were told, ‘don’t touch the stove.’ We had to be told a thousand times before it sunk in.”

And hopefully, the message took root before a serious burn. That’s what companies of all sizes and from all sectors are dealing with today: the possibility of being badly burned by a breach.

For this issue’s emphasis on cybersecurity, BusinessWest examines why even the best-equipped networks can be compromised because of simple human error — and what employers are doing to drive that message home.

 

Growing Threats

One problem, Reed said, is that cyberthreats have changed over the years.

“In 2005, you were worried about your average teenager sitting in the bedroom after school thinking about how hack into the CIA mainframe; they did it more for the joy of it, to be proud of it.

“Today, we’re talking about nation-states attacking. We’re talking about a government providing monetary resources, building out multi-story buildings, hiring their own citizens and providing them with pay, to attack other nations. That’s what we’re dealing with today. They attack 24/7/365.”

And their efforts have become savvier, Savas said.

“Don’t underestimate the bad actors, because they are so far ahead when it comes to social engineering and how to employ technology. They do research on social media, and they know things about you, like your dog’s name. That’s a pretty easy password to figure out. So don’t make it easy to guess.”

Sean Hogan

Sean Hogan

“You know the environment that the client has is pretty darn secure, but when you’re having people from the outside log in from their own equipment that is not secure, you’re really running the risk of a breach.”

Some companies have unknowingly voided their cybersecurity insurance policies because they lacked a certain level of protection — not just hardware and software, but training and compliance. “Every level of protection has a cost,” Savas added, “and some companies are gambling and not being fully protected.”

Indeed, Hogan said many advances in cybersecurity are being driven by insurance companies, which are not happy about paying out for preventable mistakes.

“They don’t want the exposure,” he went on. “And they’re going make it harder to pay off cybersecurity insurance — because that is paying out constantly. They are losing money on that; they’re realizing they sold a lot of policies where people are not doing what they should be doing. And the hackers have caught up.”

Reed noted that, going forward, most businesses will not be able to get cyber insurance coverage until they move to minimum 15-character passwords. “We moved to that four years ago because I knew it was coming.”

And not just longer passwords — or, preferably, pass phrases that are easy for the user to remember but impossible to guess — but two-factor authentication, like a code sent via text or email to the user’s phone. “You have to do that,” Hogan added. “When we install a new environment for a client, they have to do multi-factor no matter what.”

In addition, “there are paid software programs that manage passwords for you and give you different passwords you can copy and paste into the program you’re trying to log into,” Reed said.

For those who choose their own passwords, replacing letters with symbols in a recognizable word — $ for S, ! for I, etc. — makes the password exponentially safer, Savas said, adding that length is still a better safeguard than complexity.

Hogan encourages password vaulting in password generation. “I never generate my own passwords. The client shouldn’t either. So when I go to create that password, I’m going to generate a password that’s going to be random; it’s going to be extremely complex. It’s not the name of my dog. It’s not the name of my car. It’s got nothing to do with me. And it’s going to be a password just for that one website, for that one portal. And then it gets saved to a secure vault.”

 

Common Sense

While all these procedures are smart, Hogan went on, they only work as long as a company’s employees follow them.

“Can I ensure that everybody’s doing this? No. Can it be a procedure that you mandate? Yes, you can mandate it. But tracking it is a little different. So we add a couple more things on top of all this. Besides password management, vaulting, and multi-factor authentication, then we do the dark-web monitoring and security-awareness training.”

But a lot of cyber protection still comes down to common sense. That includes what people choose to share online, Reed said.

“If you have your entire dossier of who you are on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, whatever, once that dossier is out there, that’s what criminals leverage,” he told BusinessWest. “That’s what’s going to convince your grandmother that you need help, because it really sounds like you.”

Or, convince you that your CEO wants you to click a dangerous email link.

“The hackers look at people that can approve wire transfers, ACH batches, you name it,” Hogan said. “They’re looking at owners, they’re looking at CFOs, they’re looking at controllers. We call that ‘whaling’ or ‘spear phishing,’ where they actually target a certain individual. And they’re very sophisticated. They come up with real information.”

Reed agreed. “If they’re going to impersonate the president or the CEO, the only way they’re able to leverage that person, with that crafty email, is if they spend months on social media learning about that person, gathering information to formulate the email. That’s what gets employees to click — because we all want to do what the CEO wants us to do.”

Much of this behavior, from smart password creation to avoiding phishing attacks, comes down to training, Hogan noted. And sometimes, even that’s not enough.

“We can talk until we’re blue in the face, but that doesn’t mean that somebody working at that company is going to follow those procedures properly,” he said, recalling a recent incident when a remote worker for a client used his own laptop to log into the company portal from a remote site, got a suspicious pop-up, and clicked on it, allowing a cyber attacker to navigate the company’s system.

“That’s a big issue. You know the environment that the client has is pretty darn secure, but when you’re having people from the outside log in from their own equipment that is not secure, you’re really running the risk of a breach.”

And many times, Savas said, companies don’t even know they’ve been breached. “The bad actors go in, look around, see if there’s anything worthwhile, then map out a strategy. And that, to me, is scary.”

On the plus side, he believes the message is getting across, and companies are buttoning up with proper training.

“More education is happening within organizations. Attempts are being made, but it all comes down to that individual user being educated, heeding those warnings, and being smart about the things they can control,” Savas explained.

“Confidentiality of the password, not opening attachments, not clicking those links. Those are the three elements that open up an intrusion,” he added. “A lot of it is preventable. The majority is preventable.”

ESG Investing Continues to Be Misunderstood

By Contributor
Special Coverage Wealth Management

Unpacking the Controversy

Presented by Jay Durand

The topic of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing has become increasingly popular over the last two to three years, sparking many discussions and questions. What is, at its core, a simple attempt to make better investment decisions has surprisingly caused quite a bit of controversy. So, what are we talking about when we discuss ESG investing, and what is fueling the debate?

 

The ABCs of ESG

First, let’s start with the basic ESG standards themselves. Environmental, social, and governance standards can certainly all be interpreted as politically oriented, but why? Taking them out of order:

• Corporate governance means being responsive to shareholders. This is what any investor should want.

• Social means taking account of a business’ impact on society. This certainly affects the appeal of that business to customers and, therefore, can also affect the financial results.

• Environmental also has a perception impact, as well as an impact on whether the business can be run sustainably over time. For example, slash-and-burn agriculture may be more profitable in the short run as long as there is always more jungle. But properly managing farmland is more sustainable — and likely more profitable over time.

ESG doesn’t replace the financial metrics, but gives a more complete picture of them. There’s nothing here that implicitly should be a problem, as they are simply analytical tools.

Jay Durand

Jay Durand

“The worry seems to be that asset managers are running their businesses with a goal to change the world in certain ways. This appears contrary to what investors see as the goal: to do whatever is maximally profitable.”

The Debate

Once we understand the basics, the question often raised is, how are these tools being used? The worry seems to be that asset managers are running their businesses with a goal to change the world in certain ways. This appears contrary to what investors see as the goal: to do whatever is maximally profitable.

Investors seem to have two complaints about ESG investing. The first one is that investors are suffering as companies are being forced by institutional asset managers to run their companies in a suboptimal way. On the contrary, asset managers typically get paid based on a percentage of the asset value they manage, so they have a significant incentive to get the highest returns they can. Those same asset managers are, as fiduciaries, subject to legal requirements to do the same. So the asset-management industry is motivated to seek out the best possible financial returns by both potential rewards and potential negative consequences.

To believe that asset managers are not trying to maximize returns is to conclude that they are willing to hurt their own paychecks and take meaningful legal risks to change the world. Does this seem likely? Think about this: with billions of dollars on the table, if there was any real evidence of asset-manager slanting, wouldn’t there already be lawsuits in play?

The second complaint is that institutional asset managers are forcing companies to drive outcomes that the investors don’t support. That’s not to say some fund managers aren’t trying to change the world; some are. But those funds are typically very explicitly marketed as such to investors looking for that kind of impact. Since those funds are looking for a specific type of investor, asset managers have a clear incentive to make their orientation obvious — and their self-interest and fiduciary requirements point very clearly in that direction.

For the remainder of the industry, ESG may be a marketing strategy or simply incorporated in their standard investment practice. This makes sense for purely financial reasons, as we noted when we covered the basic standards. Those products are out there and, for those who want them, are easy to find.

 

Is There Reason to Worry?

ESG investing is a set of analytical techniques designed to further inform the financial analysis and investment decision. Those tools can, of course, then be used to implement value-based judgments and to drive desired impacts from that investment, just as with other value-based investment processes. Investment managers should use all the tools available to improve their results, but they have clear incentives (both positive and negative) to disclose both how they are applying those tools and the results.

Is this something to have on your radar? Yes, for reasons both positive and negative. As always, please reach out to our office to discuss your current plan and any concerns.

This material is intended for informational/educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or investment product. Investments are subject to risk, including loss of principal.

Environmental, social, and governance criteria are a set of non-financial principles and standards used to evaluate potential investments. The incorporation of ESG principles provides a qualitative assessment that can factor heavily into the security selection process. The investment’s socially responsible focus may limit the investment options available to the investor. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Please contact your financial professional for more information specific to your situation.

 

This article was authored by Brad McMillan, CFA, CAIA, MAI, managing principal, chief investment officer, at Commonwealth Financial Network, and presented by James E. Durand, CPA of MountainOne Investments, where he analyzes the financial markets and researches stocks, mutual funds, and other investments. He is also responsible for managing many of MountainOne Investments’s fee-based investment accounts. Durand holds his FINRA Series 4, 7, 24, 63, and 86 securities registrations as an investment adviser representative of Commonwealth Financial Network. He earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2003. He has also served on the board of directors for the Northern Berkshire United Way since 2005; (413) 664-4025; [email protected]

 

The financial advisors of MountainOne Investments offer securities and advisory services through Commonwealth Financial Network, member FINRA/SIPC, a registered investment adviser. Fixed insurance products and services offered through CES Insurance Agency. MountainOne Bank is not a registered broker-dealer or registered investment adviser. MountainOne Bank and MountainOne Insurance are not affiliated with Commonwealth. Insurance and investments are not insured by the FDIC and are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, any depository institution. Funds are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of principal investment.

Reopened Karen Davis Krzynowek Cancer Center Meets Growing Needs

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The infusion spaces at the cancer center were designed to be calming and comfortable.
Healthcare News Special Coverage

A Holistic Approach

The infusion spaces at the cancer center were designed to be calming and comfortable.

The infusion spaces at the cancer center were designed to be calming and comfortable.

ribbon-cutting ceremony

Helen Blake, whose daughter the center was named after, speaks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Deborah Bitsoli, president of Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group, and Dr. Robert Roose.

Sometimes, opportunity is born from a flood of difficulty. Or, simply, a flood.

That was the starting point, anyway, of what has become a $6 million construction and renovation project to renovate and add 5,500 square feet to the Karen Davis Krzynowek Cancer Center at Johnson Memorial Hospital in Enfield, Conn.

“About 16 months ago, as a result of a flood that had occurred in the old cancer center, we took it upon ourselves to set out a vision for what we could do to enhance and expand oncology services for the patients in Enfield and the surrounding towns,” said Dr. Robert Roose, administrative officer for two Trinity Health of New England hospitals: Johnson and Mercy Medical Center in Springfield.

“From there, it became an opportunity for us to create a state-of-the-art facility with infusion bays with natural light, and to bring medical-office infusion, medical oncology, and radiation oncology under one roof in a newly expanded and beautiful space to better meet the needs of the patients receiving cancer care in and around this community.”

Indeed, the project brings all of Johnson’s outpatient cancer services together under one roof, allowing patients to receive multiple facets of their treatment in one location. In addition to improving accessibility for physician appointments, the project also includes new medical oncology infusion bays that feature privacy screening, personal televisions, and space to accommodate a supporting family member or friend.

“Having all those services there, and especially having our partners in radiation next door in that same building, ensures that patients don’t have to go to multiple locations to get different aspects of their care,” said Tory Murtha, director of Ambulatory Oncology.

“I think that is key for this population,” she went on. “They’re already not feeling well, they’re already stressed, and they have a lot of other things going on in their lives. If you’re telling them, ‘well, first you have to go here and here and here and here,’ I think that’s really hard. So if they can just come and see their physician, see their nurse, get their infusion, have some blood drawn, have holistic support staff with the financial navigators and the nurses and the social-work team, that helps them feel like, ‘oh, they’re looking at me from every angle, every aspect of my holistic well-being.’”

This enhanced, multi-disciplinary care will extend even to surgical services, Murtha noted.

“We’re going to be able to bring breast surgeons over to our space within this cancer center to see patients for those diseases, and have the medical oncologist there with them. That makes a huge difference when you’re a new patient and you’re able to have both physicians there from both modalities of care. And the surgical center is going to be next door. That’s huge.”

Tory Murtha

Tory Murtha

“Having all those services there, and especially having our partners in radiation next door in that same building, ensures that patients don’t have to go to multiple locations to get different aspects of their care.”

Indeed, the new Karen Davis Krzynowek Cancer Center is part of a broader, $40 million expansion and renovation project designed to create a comprehensive hub for outpatient services on the hospital’s Enfield campus. Once complete, the S. Prestley and Helen Blake Ambulatory Care Center will include an upgraded surgery center with four state-of-the-art operating rooms, recovery areas, and additional medical office space.

“You’ll notice some of the design elements between the two centers are going to match,” Roose said, “so that there’s some harmony in the appearance, very much elevating the physical space to match the care that’s provided, so that it is top-notch and really delivers on the promises we have made to meet the needs in the community.”

 

Under One Roof

Small changes make a difference in cancer care, medical oncologist Dr. Karishma Mehra said, noting, for example, that patients require a physical examination before they can be cleared to receive chemotherapy.

“It’s important to make receiving care as easy as possible for cancer patients. Now, with physician offices just steps away from the infusion area, patients can begin their treatment more quickly. They also have peace of mind knowing their physician is nearby.”

Other changes in the reopened center are aesthetic, aiming to boost calmness, stress reduction, and peace of mind, Murtha said.

“Having natural light coming in, even if it’s on a cloudy day, is important,” she explained, noting that multiple studies have bolstered the connection between sunlight and a positive mindset. She added that the color scheme and artwork on the walls are intended to be calming, as are amenities like heated seats and blankets in the infusion spaces. And designing large-enough rooms to sit with a family member was also important.

Helen Blake cuts the ribbon for the reopening of the Karen Davis Krzynowek Cancer Center

Helen Blake cuts the ribbon for the reopening of the Karen Davis Krzynowek Cancer Center, which is named in honor of Blake’s late daughter, who passed away after a six-year battle with cancer.

“Before, we really didn’t have that, and many times, especially going through COVID, there was not an opportunity for patients to have a family member with them,” she said. “Even if situations arise where we have to be judicious with how many people we allow in, there’s still enough space to allow caregivers and family members to be with them in their space.”

In addition, Murtha said, “it was important to ensure that, in the nursing station for the infusion area, there’s line of sight to every patient. It’s a big space, but you can still see everything, and that’s from a safety perspective, because we give a lot of medications that can have lots of reactions. So ensuring that the nurses have a line of sight to everybody was really important.”

Also, “one thing I love about the Trinity standards is making sure that everything you need is in the exam room,” she added. “So I can do your vital signs, I can take your weight, I can take your height, all in the exam room. You don’t have go to three different rooms to do different things.”

Murtha added that the employees at the cancer center, many of whom have worked there for 15 or 20 years, were gratified to return. “The people who work there, they stay because it is a family, and they do feel very dedicated to this location and to each other and to their patients.”

Enfield has been an important location for Trinity Health Of New England, Roose noted, sitting between its hospitals in Springfield (Mercy) and Hartford, Conn. (St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center).

“We recognize the needs of this community,” he told BusinessWest, “and we have prided ourself on providing great care in this community and very excited about some of the strategic expansions of services that are happening there, which include the renovation and the expansion of the Karen Davis Krzynowek Cancer Center.”

The idea, he added, was “ensuring that each individual has an environment that is comfortable, state-of-the-art, and beautiful, so that we can fully meet the biological, medical, psychological, spiritual, and social needs of each individual patient in this new space. Our mission is to be a transforming, healing presence in the community.”

Murtha added that Enfield is the health system’s fastest-growing market in the region.

“This is not a generalist model, like some smaller cancer centers. We have doctors that are dedicated to specific diseases to ensure that patients get that same level of high-level service that they would get at a large, academic cancer center.”

“Unfortunately, as people get older, we are seeing more and more cancers, and we’re also seeing a lot more cancers earlier on,” she said, partly due to more ambitious early screening recommendations.

“Even with our GI and our lung-cancer patients, we are seeing some of those a lot earlier now than we have historically. So I think it’s really important that ensure that we provide some specialized care. This is not a generalist model, like some smaller cancer centers. We have doctors that are dedicated to specific diseases to ensure that patients get that same level of high-level service that they would get at a large, academic cancer center. That’s another thing that we’ve really worked on to ensure that our patients get everything that they need in this location.”

 

Bottom Line

At the end of the day, Murtha said, while the building might be impressive, it’s really about the people.

“We want to make sure we’re holistically managing every patient that walks through the door, and their family members, because there’s a lot of burden on the caregivers, too. So we really do take a holistic approach when we meet each of them and ensure that we’re supporting them at every step of the way.”

Roose agreed, noting that “we are confident that these improvements will ease the cancer journey for many individuals in the greater Enfield community.”

Liberty Bank Opens New Loan Production Office in Downtown Springfield

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Liberty Bank, headquartered in Middletown, Conn., will cut the ribbon to its new loan production office (LPO) on the 22nd floor of One Monarch Place in downtown Springfield this afternoon.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno will join Liberty Bank President and CEO David Glidden, Western Mass. Market President Tony Liberopoulos, and Liberty Bank teammates, customers, and community stakeholders in officially opening the new office. The event is slated for 5 to 7 p.m., with the ribbon cutting around 5:45 p.m.

The Western Mass. banking team originally opened an LPO at 94 Shaker Road in East Longmeadow in 2021. However, they wanted further penetration and exposure in the Western Mass. market, which precipitated the move to downtown Springfield.

Among the amenities of the new Springfield LPO includes a reception area that leads to 15 offices, eight workstations, and hoteling workspace. The new office also includes a large conference room with additional team collaboration areas and a complete kitchen. Liberty’s ‘Be Community Kind’ brand and colors are displayed throughout the space.

Underscoring its commitment to the Western Mass. community, the Liberty Bank Foundation will grant donations totaling $20,000 to three area nonprofits at the ribbon cutting: Boys & Girls Club of West Springfield, Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

“Expanding our presence in Western Mass. and moving the team to downtown Springfield is a natural extension of building our market footprint along the I-91 corridor that starts in New Haven and ends in Springfield’s financial district,” Glidden said. “In just a short period of time, we witnessed significant growth in this market. This team is not only well-known among their customers, prospects, and partners in this community, but together they impressively have nearly 200 years of banking experience in this region. That’s why I’m so optimistic about the future of Liberty Bank in Western Mass.”

Liberopoulos added that “opening a loan production office right here in Springfield’s financial district says a lot about our dedication to the strength of the city, our commitment to building new customer relationships, and positioning Liberty as a strong downtown partner. The bank might be new to downtown Springfield, but our team of bankers is not new to this area. We have one of the most experienced teams who have the size and scale to make commercial and business loans of all sizes and complexities while delivering swift, local decision making on the spot.”

Liberty has also identified a strong demand to establish a branch to support customers’ needs and the bank’s continued growth in Western Mass. Therefore, Liberty will be opening a full-service banking branch at 94 Shaker Road in East Longmeadow later this fall.

“My administration is excited to welcome Liberty Bank to our city as they continue to expand into Western Massachusetts,” Sarno said. “This new loan production office right here in the heart of our downtown Springfield will help to connect our Springfield-area businesses of all sizes with the key services and products Liberty Bank has to offer.”

Bay Path University Ranked as Safest Campus in Massachusetts, Third-safest in U.S.

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Daily News

LONGMEADOW — Bay Path University is the safest college in Massachusetts and the third-safest in America, according to a recent list compiled by niche.com, which reviewed 1,400 schools and ranked the safest campuses in America for 2024.

The website’s 2024 Safest College Campuses ranking is based on key statistics and student reviews using U.S. Department of Education data.

The site states that these top-ranked colleges offer a safe and healthy environment with little or no campus crime, drugs, or alcohol usage. Specific factors considered include campus crime rate, local crime grade, student surveys on safety, residence-hall date violence rate, residence-hall rape rate, alcohol-related arrests, and drug-related arrests.

“Campus safety is a priority for us,” said John Stankiewicz, Bay Path’s director of Public Safety. “We work very hard to make our on-campus population, which is quite small and tight-knit, feel like this is a protected, comfortable, and safe place to be. It’s part of Bay Path’s culture.

“From a facilities perspective, our main campus in Longmeadow and the Philip H. Ryan Center in East Longmeadow are well-lit and equipped with emergency call boxes and security cameras,” he added. “Our Public Safety staff performs routine patrols of our facilities 24/7, and we maintain an excellent relationship with the local fire and police departments. And we’ve recently implemented a new communications system, which, in addition to fostering a close, connected community, allows us to more efficiently and immediately share important safety messages with all students, staff, and faculty.”

Timothy Murphy Included in Best Lawyers in America

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a leading labor and employment law firm serving employers in the Greater Springfield and Worcester areas, announced that one of its partners, Timothy Murphy, has been recognized once again by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America list for 2024. He is listed in three fields: employment law – management, labor law – management, and litigation – labor and employment.

Focusing his practice on labor relations, union avoidance, collective bargaining and arbitration, employment litigation, and employment counseling, Murphy has been included in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013 and was Lawyer of the Year in 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022.

Murphy is very active within the local community, sitting on boards of directors for several area organizations, such as the Human Service Forum and Community Legal Aid. He also is a member of the World Affairs Council.

Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based on a rigorous peer-review survey comprising more than 12.2 million confidential evaluations by top attorneys.

North Brookfield Savings Bank Hosts Annual Food Drive

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Daily News

NORTH BROOKFIELD — North Brookfield Savings Bank’s annual food-drive fundraiser, held from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31, helps provide much-needed food items to local neighbors and families in need.

For every item collected through the community, the bank will contribute $1, for a total of up to $3,000, to help fund the pantries’ operations. The bank’s goal is to collect at least 3,500 items in total, but the bank will also be contributing monetarily and is issuing a challenge to the community.

Community members are encouraged to drop off non-perishable food items, paper goods, toiletries, or any monetary donations at any of NBSB’s branches anytime throughout the month of October, with the proceeds going directly to local food pantries.

The branch locations are 9 Gilbert St. and 35 Summer St., North Brookfield; 100 West Main St., East Brookfield; 128 West Main St., West Brookfield; 40 Main St., Ware; 4 Daniel Shays Highway, Belchertown; and 2060 Main St., Three Rivers.

Examples of non-perishable and non-food items that pantries can use are paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, diapers, and baby wipes; deodorant, soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste; dry and canned pasta and soups; canned meats, tuna, and salmon; peanut butter, jelly, tea bags, and ground coffee; canned vegetables and fruits; hot and cold cereals; rice; cake mixes, pancake mix, syrup, powdered milk, and granulated sugar; canned juices; baby food and baby formula; and granola and cereal bars.

“The unfortunate reality is that there are people who struggle with hunger close to home in our local communities. The food drive is a great opportunity for local community members and North Brookfield Savings Bank to work together to make a real difference in our communities by helping our neighbors,” said Nicole Syriac, Digital Marketing strategist at the bank. “It is always heartwarming to see the kindness and generosity displayed through this drive by our communities, and we are so grateful for the contributions they make each year.”

Picture This

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Gary Rome (right) presents the check to Timmons (center) and HCC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Amanda Sbriscia (left).
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

Warm Welcome

Holyoke Community College (HCC) President George Timmons received a warm community welcome during a reception on Sept. 12 at Gary Rome Hyundai in Holyoke. It was the first public reception for Timmons, who began his tenure as HCC’s fifth president on July 13. The reception included the presentation of a $5,000 check from the dealership to the HCC Foundation to benefit the college’s Thrive Student Resource Center.

 

Gary Rome (right) presents the check to Timmons (center) and HCC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Amanda Sbriscia (left).

Gary Rome (right) presents the check to Timmons (center) and HCC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Amanda Sbriscia (left).

 

Timmons shakes hands with Robert Gilbert, chair of the HCC board of trustees.

Timmons shakes hands with Robert Gilbert, chair of the HCC board of trustees.

 

Collaborative Effort

TommyCar Collision Center announced a collaboration with Hampshire County TRIAD seniors and law enforcement to provide a customized Jeep Wrangler for the organization’s community-outreach efforts. TRIAD is dedicated to improving quality of life for seniors in Hampshire County by fostering collaboration between law-enforcement agencies and senior organizations. TommyCar Collision Center performed bodywork and applied graphics to transform the Jeep Wrangler into a visually striking vehicle that embodies the TRIAD mission.

Pictured, from left: Hampshire County Sheriff Patrick Cahillane, Carla Cosenzi and Brice Herrick of TommyCar Collision, and Deputy Dave Fenton of the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office.

Pictured, from left: Hampshire County Sheriff Patrick Cahillane, Carla Cosenzi and Brice Herrick of TommyCar Collision, and Deputy Dave Fenton of the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office.

 

What’s on Tap

More than 70 Franklin County business and nonprofit leaders gathered at Cameron’s Winery and the Back Room Brewing Company in Northfield on Sept. 14 network and celebrate the unveiling of the winery’s new outdoor beer and wine gardens. Owned by Leslie and Paul Cameron (pictured, center, with Jessye Deane, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce & Regional Tourism Council), Cameron’s Winery and the Back Room Brewing Company features nine families of wine, beer, hard cider, and a charcuterie and cheese shop.

Leslie and Paul Cameron (pictured, center, with Jessye Deane, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce & Regional Tourism Council),

Agenda

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Agenda

Difference Makers Nominations

Through Dec. 8: Do you know someone who is truly making a difference in the Western Mass. region? BusinessWest invites you to nominate an individual or group for its 16th annual Difference Makers program. Nominations for the class of 2024 must be received by the end of the business day (5 p.m.) on Friday, Dec. 8. Difference Makers was launched in 2009 as a way to recognize the contributions of agencies and individuals who are contributing to quality of life in this region. Past honorees have come from dozens of business and nonprofit sectors, proving there’s no limit to the ways people can impact their communities. So let us know whom you think deserves to be recognized as a Difference Maker in our upcoming class by visiting businesswest.com/difference-makers-nomination-form to complete the nomination form. Honorees will be profiled in an upcoming issue of BusinessWest and celebrated at a gala in the spring.

 

Forest Park Zoo Wine Safari

Oct. 5: The Zoo in Forest Park invites guests on a trip around the world at Wine Safari from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The fundraiser, which supports the care of the 225-plus animals that live at the zoo, pairs wines from around the world with animals from the same region, allowing guests to ‘travel’ from country to country, sampling the wine and meeting the animals that hail from that area. Guests must be age 21 or older to attend. The $50 ticket includes wine samples from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. (while supplies last), hors d’oeuvres, and coffee; animal encounters; and keeper talks from members of the zoo’s animal care and education teams. There will also be a raffle with prizes from the Boston Bruins, Spirit of Springfield, Max Hospitality, and other local businesses and organizations. Advance tickets are required to attend, and IDs will be checked at the door. Tickets are limited and are on sale at www.forestparkzoo.org/winesafari.

 

‘Transforming Stress’

Oct. 11: Berkshire-based stress expert Julie Haagenson will lead a virtual Dulye Leadership Experience wellness workshop called “Transforming Stress: An Interactive Workshop for Improving Your Well-being and Mental Fitness.” This one-hour, interactive session, which begins at 5:15 p.m., will deliver valuable insights into the physiological and psychological aspects of stress. Haagenson has more than two decades of experience as a counselor, facilitator, educator, consultant, and coach. As the founder of New Pathways Coaching & Consulting, she will provide tools and strategies to increase well-being and improve performance. Through the underwriting of the Dulye & Co. management consultancy, there is no fee to attend. Advance registration is required. To ensure an intimate and interactive learning experience, only 45 spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit www.dle.dulye.com/upcoming-events to reserve a virtual seat.

 

Healthcare Heroes

Oct. 26: BusinessWest and the Healthcare News will honor nine individuals as 2023 Healthcare Heroes at a celebration dinner at Marriott Springfield Downtown. The Healthcare Heroes class of 2023 was announced and profiled in the Sept. 18 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. They include Jody O’Brien of the Urology Group of Western New England (Lifetime Achievement), Cindy Senk of Movement for All (Community Health), Ashley LeBlanc of Mercy Medical Center (Emerging Leader), Ellen Ingraham-Shaw of Baystate Medical Center (Emerging Leader), Dr. Mark Kenton of Mercy Medical Center (Healthcare Administration), Kristina Hallett of Bay Path University (Health Education), Gabriel Mokwuah and Joel Brito of Holyoke Medical Center (Innovation in Healthcare), and Julie Lefer Quick of the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System (Healthcare Provider). Tickets will be on sale beginning Friday, Sept. 15. Tickets cost $90 per person, and reserved tables of 10 are available. Current event sponsors include presenting sponsors Elms College and Baystate Health/Health New England, and partner sponsors Holyoke Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health, and the Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation and the Institute for Applied Life Sciences at UMass Amherst. Congratulatory advertisements and additional event sponsorships are available.  For more information, call (413) 781-8600 or visit businesswest.com/healthcareheroes.

 

Super 60

Nov. 9: Ashley Kohl, owner of Ohana School of Performing Arts and an entrepreneur with an inspiring story to tell, will be the keynote speaker at the Springfield Regional Chamber’s Super 60 lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. The Super 60, a program that traces its roots back to the late ’80s, when it was the Fabulous 50 before being expanded, is being revamped for 2023. In addition to the two traditional categories — Total Revenue and Revenue Growth — there will be three new categories recognizing nonprofits, startups, and giving back to the community. There will be 12 winners in each category. Tickets will be available for purchase at the chamber’s website, springfieldregionalchamber.com. For more information on Super 60, call (413) 787-1555.

 

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Mae Stiles

Mae Stiles

Sadie Reynolds

Sadie Reynolds

Fierst Bloomberg Ohm recently announced a promotion and a new hire. Mae Stiles has become a partner of the firm after joining the firm as of counsel in 2019. A Northampton native, she has more than 15 years of experience and has worked for major New York and San Francisco law firms in complex commercial litigation, including anti-trust and intellectual-property matters, as well as a wide variety of business, corporate, and licensing transactions. She returned to practice law in Northampton in 2017 and is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Massachusetts, New York, and California. Sadie Reynolds has joined the firm as a litigation associate. Previously, she was the Legal Clinic director at the Hampden County Bar Assoc., where she assisted pro se litigants in a variety of matters, including housing and civil litigation; represented parties in Western Division Housing Court; created and developed programs to assist the underserved in Western Mass.; and expanded access to justice and legal services. She is a trained mediator with experience assisting litigants in Springfield District Court, mediating small-claim and summary-process matters.

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April Parsons

April Parsons

Greenfield Community College President Michelle Schutt announced the appointment of April Parsons as the next vice president of Academic Affairs. Parsons brings more than a decade of leading academic teams, as well as more than 20 years of experience in teaching in classrooms, including in high schools, community colleges, and universities. Parsons holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature with a certificate in women’s and gender studies, as well as an master of education degree in language education. Most recently, she taught as a professor of English at Northwestern Connecticut Community College (NCCC) and chaired the Department of Arts and Humanities. She also led a redesign of NCCC’s English curriculum and was a faculty lead through the NECHE regional accreditation process. Beyond Parsons’ professional roles, she’s also active in the community. She volunteers time at her local library working to expand literacy programs, and has helped the institution acquire and implement National Endowment for the Arts grant funding to conduct these efforts. She also works closely with incarcerated individuals, both in a professional and volunteer capacity. She recently served as the lead faculty member on a partnership between NCCC and the Connecticut Department of Corrections that helped bring college education to incarcerated individuals. She is a volunteer for the Prison Yoga Project, which brings yoga lessons into the prison community.

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Susan Levine

Susan Levine

Jewish Federation of the Berkshires announced the appointment of Susan Levine as the new Food Service director for its Connecting with Community kosher meals program that provides free, nutritious meals for the community (in-person, takeaway, and meals on wheels) year-round. Levine received a culinary arts degree at Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School in Lower Manhattan before interning at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Ariz. There, she learned healthy ways of using her culinary skills, which she applied during a long career in catering and corporate dining that included a recent stint working at the Executive Mansion in Albany, N.Y. A 20-year resident of the Berkshires region, Levine first learned about the federation’s kosher meals program when her parents stayed at her home in New Lebanon, N.Y. and attended federation-sponsored programs and lunches at Knesset Israel in Pittsfield. Now, she is taking over the kosher meals program that was helmed by Cindy Bell-Deane for the past 25 years.

•••••

Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed Sean Buxton, Christa Calabretta, Allison Laughner, and Yevgeniy “Gene” Pilman to the firm. Buxton will practice in the Litigation department. He earned a juris doctorate (JD), summa cum laude, from Western New England University School of Law in 2022. He also earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Princeton University. He spent the last year as a judicial law clerk for Judge Ariane Vuono of the Massachusetts Appeals Court and previously was an intern at the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office and the Superior Court of New Jersey. Calabretta will focus her practice on Business and Healthcare matters. She is a 2023 graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law and also earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University and an associate degree from Suffolk County Community College. Laughner will split her time between the Trusts & Estates and Family Law departments. She graduated from Western New England University School of Law in 2023, where she was on the Law Review staff. She also earned an MBA at Western New England University and a bachelor’s degree from Smith College. Pilman will practice in both the Business and Real Estate departments. He earned a JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2015, where he was a Cordozo Scholar, and a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Hunter College City University of New York.

•••••

Eric Padelford

Eric Padelford

Pittsfield Cooperative Bank announced the hiring of Eric Padelford as senior vice president and chief technology officer. In this role, he will oversee the Information Technology department and work closely with leadership on modernizing technology and platforms to increase efficiency and better serve the institution’s customers. Padelford joins the bank after serving as vice president, integration architect, and developer at Berkshire Bank for the last six years. He has more than 22 years of systems-architecture and development expertise, serving in IT and development roles at McGlinchey Stafford and Tech Valley DataPro LLC. He received his associate of applied science degree from Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, N.Y. and a bachelor’s degree in IT from SUNY Empire State College in Saratoga, N.Y.

•••••

Kathy Martin

Kathy Martin

Glenmeadow, a provider of senior retirement lifestyle options, announced the appointment of Kathy Martin to the position of president and CEO, effective Oct. 1. She succeeds Anne Thomas in that role. Martin brings more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience. She is currently assistant provost for Accreditation and Administration at UMass Amherst and previously served Springfield College in several roles, most recently chief of staff. Her experience in higher education includes prior posts at Bay Path University, Susquehanna University, and Bucknell University. Her volunteer leadership experience includes membership on the board of directors of Glenmeadow and Link to Libraries. She is also a corporator of Square One. Martin earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education (sport management) from Keene State College and her master’s degree in physical education (athletics administration) and doctor of physical education degree (with a specialization in sport psychology) from Springfield College.

•••••

The Wealth Transition Collective (TWTC) recently announced two additions to its firm. Ashley Hopkins has joined the firm as director of Client Services & Operations. In her role, she will be responsible for new business implementation and five-star concierge service to firm clients. She has more than six years of experience in the financial-services industry. Jennifer Cooke joined the Wealth Transition Collective as a retirement-plan advisor. In her role, she is responsible for all 401(k), 403(b), cash-balance and defined-benefit plan business, including employee education. She helps her clients stay in compliance with ERISA standards for employer-sponsored retirement plans. With more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of the retirement-plan business, she acts as a co-fiduciary on retirement plans for business owners throughout New England. Cooke is a certified retirement-plan specialist, a certified plan fiduciary advisor, and an accredited investment fiduciary.

•••••

Gina Barry

Gina Barry

Earlier this summer, the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF), the only organization approved by the American Bar Assoc. to offer certification in elder law, announced that Bacon Wilson, P.C. attorney Gina Barry has successfully completed its examination leading to such certification. Certification in elder law — one of the fastest-growing fields in the legal profession — will assure the public that the attorney has an in-depth working knowledge of the legal issues that impact the elderly. Barry is now one of two Bacon Wilson attorneys to pass this certification exam. Attorney Hyman Darling earned his certification in elder law in 2008.

•••••

Pittsfield Cooperative Bank recently hired Joseph Maffuccio II as vice president, branch administration. Maffuccio joins the Co-op after an accomplished 16-year career with Greylock Federal Credit Union. While at Greylock, he held several retail, market, and business-development supervisory and manager positions, most recently as vice president, market manager. Maffuccio received his bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. He is the past president of Tyler Street Business Group and currently coaches Pittsfield youth sports.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

Prominent Holyoke Venues Announce Ownership Change

HOLYOKE — Michael “Mick” Corduff announced that he is stepping into the role of chief operator and executive chef of the Log Cabin, Delaney House, and D. Hotel & Spa, all in Holyoke. He is replacing Peter Rosskothen, who has sold all his shares in the company to Corduff and his new business partner, Frank DeMarinis. Both Peter and Linda Rosskothen will step down from their day-to-day activities within the company. The business focus for Peter will be Delaney’s Market, an independent company with stores in South Hadley, Westfield, Longmeadow, and Wilbraham. The couple will stay involved in supporting Mick and Dana Corduff, as well as their new partner, in any way needed. DeMarinis is the president of Sage Engineering & Contracting Inc. in Westfield, and is a local developer, builder, owner, and manager of more than 25 commercial real-estate properties in Massachusetts and Connecticut. He is also the founder and owner of Roots Sports complexes in Westfield and East Longmeadow and Roots Learning Centers. Corduff and DeMarinis plan to combine their skills to develop and grow the business to new locations.

 

Whittlesey Named a 2023 Best of the Best Firm

HARTFORD, Conn. — Whittlesey, an accounting, advisory, and technology firm, has been named a Best of the Best Firm by INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA), an award-winning newsletter for the public-accounting profession. Whittlesey is the only Connecticut- and Western Mass.-based firm to make this list. IPA’s annual Best of the Best list ranks top accounting firms with superior financial and operational performance in the most recent fiscal year. The firms are selected from nearly 600 firms across the U.S. and Canada. Selections for the list are based on more than 50 metrics related to firm growth, productivity, staff development, and more. Along with being named a Best of the Best Firm, Whittlesey was also named a 2023 Top 200 Accounting Firm in the nation. There are more than 46,000 public accounting firms in the U.S. Founded in Hartford in 1961, Whittlesey is one of the largest regional CPA and consulting firms in New England. With offices in Connecticut and Massachusetts, it provides a comprehensive array of advisory, assurance, tax, and technology services to a broad range of businesses and individuals.

 

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. Recognized by Accounting Today

HOLYOKE — Each year, Accounting Today conducts a comprehensive assessment of the largest practices in tax and accounting across 10 major geographic regions in the U.S. Leveraging a wide range of benchmarking data, it meticulously evaluates firms’ growth strategies, service offerings, and specialized client niches. Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. earned distinction as a top-tier firm within the New England region. MBK is the largest independently owned and operated CPA firm in Western Mass. As a member of CPAmerica, one of the world’s largest networks of independent CPA and consulting firms, it offers a spectrum of services encompassing business strategy expertise, tax services, and accounting services. Its primary focus lies in serving closely held businesses and high-net-worth individuals, with notable concentrations in sectors such as healthcare, employee benefits, real estate, construction, manufacturing, and not-for-profit organizations.

 

Berkshire Named Among Most Charitable Companies

BOSTON — The Boston Business Journal named Berkshire Bank an honoree at its annual Corporate Citizenship Awards reception in Boston that recognizes the region’s top corporate charitable contributors. The publication annually celebrates companies that promote and prioritize giving back to their communities. Berkshire Bank was listed 43rd of 100 on the top charitable contributor list with $1,419,322 in 2022 Massachusetts charitable giving.

 

Renaissance Development Begins State Street Revitalization Project

SPRINGFIELD — On Sept. 15, Springfield-based Renaissance Development LLC commenced redevelopment of the Kavanagh Building at 443 State St. across from Springfield Technical Community College (STCC). The 28,000-square-foot building, vacant for 15 years, will be the future home of 35 one- and two-bedroom apartment units and approximately 10,000 square feet of rentable office and retail space. Redevelopment will take place in two phases, with the first involving the demolition of the unstable rear portion of the building and renovation of the façade and front lower and street levels. Once completed (slated for summer 2024), phase one will comprise 10,000 square feet of retail space for several commercial tenants ranging in size and use, coupled with 15 units of housing and 43 parking spaces. Phase two (slated to commence in winter 2024) will complete 20 additional one- and two-bedroom units throughout the entire second floor. These units will be set aside as permanent supportive housing units for people who have experienced homelessness. Through partnership with the nonprofit Mental Health Assoc., tenants who qualify will receive a variety of support and wraparound services.

 

Elms College Receives Work-based Learning Grant

CHICOPEE — The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) selected Elms College to participate in the inaugural cohort of the CIC’s Work-based Learning (WBL) Consortium. Elms College is one of 25 member colleges from across the country to participate in the first-ever WBL Consortium. For its participation, Elms has been awarded a three-year grant of approximately $65,000 from CIC, effective starting in the spring of 2024. The WBL Consortium will provide a national community of practice to support institutions in easing student barriers to internship access and job-market preparation, particularly for students from underrepresented groups. This experiential learning platform, in partnership with Riipen, will integrate real-world, employer-designed projects into existing courses to equip students with skills, real-world experiences, and professional connections to support their future careers. This CIC initiative is made possible thanks to funding from Ascendium Education Group and Strada Education Foundation.

 

Rice Fruit Farm Supports Suicide Awareness, Prevention

WILBRAHAM — In partnership with Holyoke-based MiraVista Behavioral Health Center, Rice Fruit Farm in Wilbraham supported National Suicide Prevention Week last month by selling beverages with a sticker reading 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support 24/7 to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress who dial or text 988. Farm owner Anthony Maloni said Rice’s sells about 12,000 beverages monthly, with cider from native apples particularly popular this time of year. For more information on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which routes calls to the center nearest the individual’s area code, visit 988lifeline.org.

 

The Mount to Host Residency for Emerging Writers

LENOX — The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home, is once again collaborating with the Western Mass. Straw Dog Writers Guild to offer a unique residency experience for nine emerging writers. Genres include poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and plays. Residencies will be for one week and include lodging at a neighboring inn, a workspace at the Mount, breakfast, lunch, and a $500 stipend. The residencies begin on March 3, 10, and 17, and three writers will be selected for each week. Applications are now open and are limited to the first 270 submissions. Visit edithwharton.org for more information and to access the application form. This will be the tenth year the Mount has offered writers an opportunity to create at the Mount, and its third year partnering with Straw Dog Writers Guild. The revamped residency now focuses on writers who are developing their craft. There is no prerequisite of being published. Submissions are reviewed anonymously and ranked based on the following criteria: quality of writing, originality of voice, the potential for growth as a writer, and strength of the statement of purpose. The $25 application fee will be waived for financial hardship and for Mount and Straw Dog members.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of September 2023.

AMHERST

Celebrity Cab Co.
35 Fruit St., #54E
John Santaniello

Fisher Auto Parts Inc.
205 University Dr.
Kevin Quinn, David Clymore, Ken Cox

Five College Realtors
190 University Dr.
Gregory Rogers Haughton

Greenleaves Realty Group
27 Greenleaves Dr.
James Kane

The Haffey Center
433 West St., Suite 5
Mark Haffey

MVP Strategies
25 Sunset Ave.
Jackson Katz

Red Door Salon
835 Main St.
McKenzie Cooke

Sprouting Readers
7 Strong St.
Taryn Shea La Roja

Stangl Associates
65 Wentworth Manor Dr.
Mitchel Stangl

EASTHAMPTON

First Cut Tree Service
10 Industrial Parkway
Philip St. Laurence

Loveszy Woodworks
43 Parsons St.
Rafael Loveszy

Square One Thrift
22 Bayberry Dr.
Susan Redmond

HOLYOKE

A Plus Convenience Store and Smoke Shop
301 High St.
Naila Akram

American Muffler & Brake
2237 Northampton St.
Mony Tith

Correa & Sons
98 Lower Westfield Road
Rafael Correa

Domino’s
341 Appleton St.
Augusto Garcia

Hoppy Mustard
98 Lower Westfied Road
Justin Peritore

Mont Marie Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center
36 Lower Westfield Road
Quinton Guardian LLC, URK Consulting LLC

Tony Digital Music & Media
619 South Summer St.
Antonio Bermudez

Uber Skills
176 Pleasant St.
Lyle Delmolino

Vivid Dreams Photo Booth
56 Suffolk St.
Jazmin Ortiz

Walgreens #4967
1588 Northampton St.
Walgreens Eastern Co. Inc.

LENOX

6 Jennifer Street LLC
14 David Road
Andrew Tanner

East Coast Cashmere Inc.
36 Walker St.
Peter Dictenberg

ESK Consulting
126 Cliffwood St.
Ellyn Kusmin

Lillian Lennox, LMHC
195 Old Stockbridge Road
Lillian Whitehead

Ludlow Cottage
73 Main St.
Cornelia Gilder

New England Grounds
135 Housatonic St.
Timothy Bellamy

Young Deer Ventures
14 Hutchinson Lane
Brian-Logan Reid

MONSON

Alexis Pools
37 Thayer Road
Michael Murray

Arthur J. Stevens Fine Furniture
510 Old Wales Road
Arthur Stevens

Cruz Management Inc.
320 Wilbraham St.
Carlos Cruz

Details Full Service Interiors
14 Zuell Road
Wendy Woloshchuk

Fry’d Guys
3 Green St.
Derek Belisle

Girlie’s Cakes
13 Flynt Ave.
Alysse Davis

Granite Valley Electric LLC
247 Stafford Road
Jaime Gilbride

Gregoire Excavation
93 Maxwell Road
Thomas Gregoire

Hamm’s Welding & Trailers
8 Waid Road
Joseph R. Hamm

King Group Realty Inc.
11 Longview Dr.
Karen King

Mass RVT
12 Maple St.
Mary Hull

New England Naturalscapes
23 Cote Road
Derek Castonguey

PAW’s Asphalt & Construction Services
11 Bogan Road
Prescott Watson Jr.

Plumley Falls Stock Farm
30 Moulton Hill Road
Phillip Plumley

Quinkoowasett Farms
39 Bunyan Road
Ken Gagne

Richard Mayoski Excavating
103 Maxwell Road
Richard Mayoski

S-L Plumbing and Heating
96 Brimfield Road
Samuel Lowney

Tom’s Vintage Electronics
290 Wilbraham Road
Thomas Scrivner

Veterans Power Wash
22 May Hill Road
Michael Putala

PALMER

9 to 5 Business Solutions
2260 Main St.
Arthur Rodrigues Alves

Enisde Salt Therapy
1372 Main St.
Denise Pelletier

Finesse Garage and Fabrication
21 Wilbraham St.
Jason Methe

The Fixers
3118 Main St.
Monica Rucker

Hebert Home Improvement
9 Country Lane
David Hebert

Massachusetts Field Services
16 Fletcher St.
Norma Camara

McCormack Cleaning Services
33 Belanger St.
Heather McCormack

Palmer Pro Bike Corp.
1438 Main St.
Jeffrey Soja

Tempco Fly Fishing
95 State St.
Matthew Tempco

PITTSFIELD

Berkshire Barred Owl
1774 East St.
Dawn Shamper Schecter

Holiday Inn & Suites Pittsfield-Berkshires
1 West St.
Berkshire Hospitality Group LLC

KJ’s Used Auto Sales
768 East St.
KJ’s Used Auto Sales and Service LLC

Meghan Burden LMT
75 South Church St.
Meghan Burden

RecruitingStuff LLC
7 Vin Hebert Blvd.
Nathan Saldo

Subway
457 Dalton Ave.
Amsterdam Subway LLC

Subway
502 East St.
Amsterdam Subway LLC

Subway
555 Hubbard Ave.
Amsterdam Subway LLC

Subway
370 Pecks Road
Amsterdam Subway LLC

Subway
179 South St.
Amsterdam Subway LLC

Tweenbrook Construction
356 East New Lenox Road
Andrew Noble

WESTFIELD

All Green Pest Control
30A Beckwith Ave.
Daniel Morin, Elizabeth Morin

Clean Club Detail
110 Lockhouse Road
Eric Elliott

Fudge This!
17 Westminster St.
April Lewis-Krol

Ink Busters
16 Union Ave.
Tonya Skwira

Kelly’s Kids
321 Montgomery Road
Kelly Labonte

Lynsgrims
91 Riverside Dr.
Lyndsay Grimsley

Memories on Elm Banquets and More
89 Elm St.
Shannon Sutherland

Microcut
15 St. Pierres Lane
Jeffrey Dunlop

Serenity Dog Spa
22 Church St.
Tracy Durkee

T Cuts Decals & More
30 Sackett Road
Tracey Beaulieu

Valley View Property & Management Services
65 Deborah Lane
Steven Morse

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Albuquerque, Carlos C.
37 Erline St., # 39
Chicopee, MA 01013-4107
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/31/2023

Badillo, Ramon
Badillo, Theresa
11 Noble St., Apt. 3
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/22/2023

Barraza, Jerry
Barraza, Melissa J.
342 Southwick Road, Apt. 132
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/26/2023

Brockington, Anthony T.
81 South Maple St., Apt 23
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/31/2023

Brown, Marc A.
151 Prouty St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/28/2023

Brown, Susan C.
61 Stebbins St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/31/2023

Converse, Scott A.
17 Frink St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/24/2023

Elias, Christine M.
17 Perry Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/22/2023

Gizli, Hasan Huseyin
9 Walnut St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/28/2023

Hasperg, Sharon A.
119 Daniels Ter.
Cheshire, MA 01225
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/22/2023

Hedegaard, John I.
164 Ellsworth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/25/2023

Holder, Rodney W.
PO Box 297
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/28/2023

Knight, Deborah L.
950 Blandford Road
Russell, MA 01071
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/24/2023

Kruslak, Peter Michael
96 Pleasant St., Apt. 305
Northampton, MA 01060-3970
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/28/2023

Lacus, John Keith
PO Box 6523
Holyoke, MA 01041
Chapter: 7
Date: 09/01/2023
Lafosse, Jason S.
Lafosse, Maggin E.
245 Park St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/26/2023

Lagacy, Joseph Richard
Lagacy, Barbara Anna
11 Berkshire Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 09/01/2023

M & M Improvements
Milanczuk, Michael S.
Milanczuk, Melissa A.
a/k/a Albrecht, Melissa A.
P.O. Box 287
Russell, MA 01071
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/30/2023

Mastalerz, Dean E.
31 Cedar Lane
Wales, MA 01081
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/25/2023

McClain, Ashley
15 Chestnut St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/30/2023

Miller Brandon J.
476 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/19/2023

Nowak, Kevin M.
36 Raymond Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/31/2023

Ortiz-Rivera, Lourdes
27 Bancroft St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/24/2023

Ostolaza, Alexis
71 Bloomfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/28/2023

Raney, Brian A.
Raney, Dawn R.
11 Linda Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/30/2023

Ranger, Marilyn
33 Grandview St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/31/2023

Rice, Betty Jean
169 Pineywoods Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/29/2023

Roman, Isisdro
29-31 Brown Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 1`3
Date: 08/23/2023

Sousa, Sandra P.
2 Laurence Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/28/2023

Thibodeau, Ronald J.
84 Spencer St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/24/2023

Torres, Luz G.
95 Brown Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/25/2023

Wendling. Alba M.
1450 North St., Unit 204
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/28/2023

Wood, Kelli
43 Bell St., Apt. 2R
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/19/2023

Worcester, Mary L.
PO Box 403
Leeds, MA 01053
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/25/2023

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

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

83-F Bear Mountain Dr.
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Pasha Realty LLC
Seller: Christina A. McQuade
Date: 08/21/23

BUCKLAND

57 Clesson Brook Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Gavin B. Scott
Seller: Susan D. McDonald
Date: 08/29/23

1 Crittenden Hill Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $238,500
Buyer: Tyler D. Franklin
Seller: Paul J. St Martin
Date: 09/01/23

10 Fox Road
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $561,000
Buyer: Satto R. Rugg
Seller: Dean, Gordon Joy (Estate)
Date: 09/01/23

47 School St.
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Sean P. Geary
Seller: Daniel T. Smith
Date: 08/25/23

ERVING

2 Flagg Hill
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Julianne Vaccaro
Seller: David K. Grunwald
Date: 08/25/23

66 Mountain Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $331,500
Buyer: Devin Boudreau
Seller: Linda L. Brouillette
Date: 08/25/23

GILL

76 Main Road
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Paul D. Lawn
Seller: Maria S. Koenigsbauer
Date: 08/30/23

12 West Gill Road
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $675,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Jones
Seller: David Edelman RET
Date: 08/25/23

GREENFIELD

10 Congress St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $9,300,000
Buyer: Ten Congress Acres LLC
Seller: Greenfield Acres LLC
Date: 08/25/23

313-315 Davis St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $369,000
Buyer: 313 Davis St. RT
Seller: 313-315 Davis St. RET
Date: 08/30/23

38-40 Devens St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $297,500
Buyer: Shawn Telega
Seller: Robert W. Glabach
Date: 08/22/23

200 Elm St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Todd Sullivan
Seller: Homestead Connections LLC
Date: 09/01/23

47 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: John Speers
Seller: Sund IRT
Date: 08/25/23

30 Lovers Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Jennifer Liebel
Seller: Silas Cutler
Date: 08/30/23

111 Meadow Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $531,000
Buyer: Waynelovich TR
Seller: Amy D. Dwight
Date: 08/31/23

91 Norwood St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: K. A. Zaltzberg-Drezdahl
Seller: Colleen S. Chapin
Date: 08/22/23

288 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Daniel A. Cloutier
Seller: Tina A. Michel
Date: 09/01/23

452 South Shelburne Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: Ryan S. Jarvis
Seller: John H. Howland
Date: 08/23/23

18 Walnut St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Joanna Moest
Seller: Lopatka, Helen J. (Estate)
Date: 08/31/23

LEVERETT

26 Teawaddle Hill Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Lle Brando
Seller: Leah H. Roth-Howe
Date: 08/23/23

MONTAGUE

154 Montague City Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Geoffrey Kabteles
Seller: Devin T. Boudreau
Date: 08/25/23

23 North Leverett Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: David L. Bunting
Seller: Cynthia J. Weir
Date: 09/01/23

NEW SALEM

394 Daniel Shays Hwy.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Michael Welsch
Seller: Goddard, Else (Estate)
Date: 08/25/23

60 North Main St.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jason D. Rocheford
Seller: Jeannette L. Tibbetts
Date: 08/31/23

ORANGE

58 Benham St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Suzanne Swenson
Seller: Stephen J. Oliver
Date: 08/30/23

20 Burrill Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Julianne Sisson
Seller: Morgan A. Sisson
Date: 08/23/23

258 North Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $317,500
Buyer: Ryan Freitas
Seller: Rebekah J. Southworth
Date: 08/21/23

23 Pleasant St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $247,500
Buyer: Lance Budka
Seller: Matthew Tarlin
Date: 08/31/23

24-26 Summit St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Roxanne M. Melanson
Seller: Eliss Fifield
Date: 09/01/23

61 West Myrtle St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Mary Donovan
Seller: Barry R. Martin
Date: 08/22/23

91 West Myrtle St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $201,000
Buyer: Roger Dirth
Seller: Brenda S. Woodbury
Date: 08/29/23

157 West River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Randy Pinard
Seller: Thomas Ward
Date: 08/24/23

SHUTESBURY

120 Bridge St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $662,120
Buyer: Paul W. Hannan
Seller: Evan F. Angus
Date: 08/30/23

371 Locks Pond Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: David R. Bernard
Seller: Rodovich, Sandra J. (Estate)
Date: 08/22/23

94 Patten Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Laura Mitchell
Seller: Hitor LLC
Date: 08/31/23

20 Pine Dr.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Jennifer M. Orifice
Seller: Judith L. Remmel
Date: 08/29/23

SUNDERLAND

410 Hadley Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Jeffrey V. Bronke
Seller: Adam J. Dahl
Date: 08/21/23

357 Montague Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $670,000
Buyer: Linda J. Cutler TR
Seller: Lawrence S. Hepburn
Date: 08/29/23

224 River Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Meaghan J. Ahearn
Seller: Helen V. Sidur IRT
Date: 08/25/23

 

WHATELY

Masterson Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Timothy M. Nourse TR
Seller: Randall G. Baker
Date: 08/25/23

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

29 Beverly Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Samantha A. Tucker
Seller: James Ollari
Date: 08/28/23

608 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Anthony Muskus
Seller: Barbara J. Cox
Date: 08/23/23

86 Forest Hill Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $421,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Montano
Seller: Dominic Costanzi
Date: 08/25/23

102 Glendale Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Kyle J. Partridge
Seller: Yevgeniy Reznichenko
Date: 08/29/23

107 Homer St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc
Seller: Wilmes, Marjorie V. (Estate)
Date: 08/21/23

59 Horsham Place
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Elbis Del Rio
Seller: Westfort, Gertrude C. (Estate)
Date: 08/23/23

43 Hunters Greene Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Arynn Mundorf
Seller: John W. Gillen
Date: 08/31/23

34 Jasmine Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Maksim I. Loboda
Seller: Tatyana Kot
Date: 08/30/23

124 School St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Simon Tsyganenko
Seller: Haskel, David E. (Estate)
Date: 08/30/23

64 Simpson Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $293,000
Buyer: Alexander Cramphorn
Seller: Carey G. Sheehan
Date: 08/24/23

205 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $285,900
Buyer: Christian Ryder
Seller: Michael A. Remy
Date: 08/25/23

BRIBMFIELD

23 Lyman Barnes Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Stephen P. Sandstrom
Seller: Loconto, Judith A. (Estate)
Date: 08/25/23

 

CHESTER

1 School St.
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $655,000
Buyer: Chester Commons LLC
Seller: Hilltown Community Development Corp.
Date: 08/21/23

CHICOPEE

16 Asinof Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: DMD Trucking LLC
Seller: Richard Torres
Date: 08/28/23

34 Auburn St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $288,000
Buyer: Jose Davila
Seller: Suzanne M. O’Neil
Date: 09/01/23

42 Beech St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Nicholas Wiebel
Seller: John P. Sullivan Sr. LT
Date: 08/31/23

107 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Timothy D. Corser
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 08/23/23

48 Dunn St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Steve B. Washington
Seller: Tracy, Judith Ann (Estate)
Date: 08/29/23

127 Falmouth Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: James G. Wiernasz
Seller: Judith A. Pride
Date: 08/25/23

61 Fuller St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Michael Santos
Seller: Dawn Bourbeau
Date: 08/24/23

36 Garland St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Carlos R. Sanchez
Seller: Germain, Etta C. (Estate)
Date: 08/28/23

588 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jordan Miller
Seller: Anthony N. Frasco
Date: 08/29/23

73 Hilton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Austin Mahrt
Seller: Karmelo L. Banks
Date: 09/01/23

93 Lachine St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Evans D. Roache
Seller: Kulig FT
Date: 08/24/23

108 Langevin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Gabriel L. Fagen
Seller: Joselito Ortiz
Date: 08/25/23

63 Lauzier Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $332,000
Buyer: Gary W. McFadden
Seller: Andrew D. McElwain
Date: 08/31/23

1869 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Memorial Drive Holding LLC
Seller: Ansh Arya Inc.
Date: 08/25/23

101 Monroe St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Alethea Tschetterwood
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 08/31/23

203 Montcalm St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $287,250
Buyer: Feliciano A. Bonilla
Seller: Harborone Mortgage LLC
Date: 09/01/23

1198 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Cristonfer Cruz
Seller: Adriyan L. Pagan
Date: 09/01/23

36 Montvue St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Shawntea N. Crudup
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 08/30/23

563 New Ludlow Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Kevin Offerrall-Rivera
Seller: Timothy P. Sullivan
Date: 08/22/23

67 Pervier Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Grant Drain
Seller: Melphy Antuna
Date: 08/21/23

75 Saint Jacques Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Joselito Ortiz
Seller: John C. Brault
Date: 08/25/23

39 Sampson St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Luis A. Santiago
Seller: Jeanne Delmonte
Date: 08/31/23

157 South St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Leah V. Cheney
Seller: John M. Feudo
Date: 09/01/23

101 Telegraph Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Baneen Al Kasalani
Seller: Megan Konieczny
Date: 09/01/23

91 Watson St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Leilani Paniagua
Seller: Jean Deresienska
Date: 08/31/23

EAST LONGMEADOW

21 Alvin St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $401,000
Buyer: Justin Alejandro
Seller: Susan C. Bertrand
Date: 08/28/23

246 Canterbury Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Kate E. Burby
Seller: Brian S. Wroblesky
Date: 09/01/23

252 Chestnut St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Adriyan Pagan
Seller: Allyssa M. Burby
Date: 09/01/23

45 Dawes St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Andres M. Rodriguez-Munoz
Seller: Beth A. Keet
Date: 09/01/23

159 Elm St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $344,000
Buyer: Timothy Thomas
Seller: Anicia N. Marshall-Roman
Date: 08/31/23

388 Elm St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Chad E. Borden
Seller: Lori A. Bousquet
Date: 08/24/23

23 Nottingham Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $679,900
Buyer: Yao Agbemordzi
Seller: Thomas S. O’Connor
Date: 08/31/23

33 Pondview Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $1,010,000
Buyer: Jacqueline A. Schmidt
Seller: Douglas G. Mcadoo
Date: 08/23/23

1 Schuyler Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Caira Berly
Seller: Steven M. Buckley
Date: 08/28/23

52 Schuyler Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Sarahi A. Perez
Seller: Timothy R. Shink
Date: 08/24/23

518 Shaker Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Tung M. Le
Seller: Jennie Venne
Date: 08/29/23

GRANVILLE

198 Silver St.
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: David Meyer
Seller: Lawrence, Elizabeth M. (Estate)
Date: 08/23/23

HAMPDEN

43 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Zachary W. Allen
Seller: Lauren Johnson
Date: 08/28/23

41 Fernwood Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Edward J. Brunton
Seller: Beth E. Burger
Date: 08/28/23

HOLLAND

10 Hamilton Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Gevorg G. Paytaryan
Seller: Jordan D. Bird
Date: 08/31/23

6 Harold Lane
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $314,900
Buyer: David S. Patterson
Seller: Casvant FT
Date: 08/30/23

40 Over The Top Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $533,000
Buyer: Samantha Gadoury
Seller: Arthur H. Skalski
Date: 08/22/23

1 Vinton Lane
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Douglas N. Bachand
Seller: Randy J. Romitelli
Date: 08/25/23

11 Vinton Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Daniel Macera
Seller: Douglas N. Bachand
Date: 08/25/23

HOLYOKE

948 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,062,500
Buyer: M. Tran Properties LLC
Seller: 948 Dwight St. RT
Date: 08/25/23

75 Ely St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Wendelys S. Diaz
Seller: Ariel Ruiz
Date: 08/25/23

426 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Bryan Santiago
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 08/25/23

8 Liberty St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $334,900
Buyer: Kanon Karys
Seller: Alexandra J. Rowland
Date: 08/22/23

74 Meadowview Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $367,500
Buyer: Robert L. Keach
Seller: James E. Taylor
Date: 08/30/23

906 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $272,900
Buyer: Ashley McDaniel
Seller: Yanni, Annirene O. (Estate)
Date: 08/21/23

18-20 O’Connor Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Jesus Candelario
Seller: Thomas B. Cook
Date: 08/23/23

50 Saint James Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Hannah Harris
Seller: Donald Vershon
Date: 08/23/23

147-149 Suffolk St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Henry Eliza
Seller: Carmen J. Martinez
Date: 08/21/23

Whiting Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,062,500
Buyer: M. Tran Properties LLC
Seller: 948 Dwight St. RT
Date: 08/25/23

5-7 Worcester Place
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: 23 Place LLC
Seller: Couture Partners LLC
Date: 08/24/23

9-11 Worcester Place
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: 23 Place LLC
Seller: Couture Partners LLC
Date: 08/24/23

13-23 Worcester Place
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: 23 Place LLC
Seller: Couture Partners LLC
Date: 08/24/23

LONGMEADOW

17 Andover Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $599,000
Buyer: Bryan Hagen
Seller: James M. Minnix
Date: 08/31/23

162 Blueberry Hill Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $698,000
Buyer: William R. Maybury
Seller: David G. Kayiatos
Date: 08/22/23

128 Eton Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $809,900
Buyer: 128 Eton Road Land TR
Seller: Johnson FT
Date: 08/25/23

1118 Frank Smith Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Emily J. Hansen
Seller: Iris L. Siegel
Date: 08/23/23

108 Greenacre Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $508,450
Buyer: Craig A. Marcks
Seller: Thomas Weldon
Date: 08/25/23

149 Lincoln Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Radixon LLC
Seller: Kathleen M. Allen
Date: 09/01/23

476 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Derek M. Strahan
Seller: Bay Path University
Date: 08/30/23

46 Longview Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Joseph Holstead
Seller: David M. Guthrie
Date: 08/25/23

365 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Dana M. Hartigan
Seller: Robert F. Miklaski RET
Date: 08/30/23

31 Meadowlark Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $387,500
Buyer: Lets Rendezvous LLC
Seller: Leone, Rio P. (Estate)
Date: 08/21/23

174 Meadowlark Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Diego Saavedra
Seller: Edward Ryan
Date: 08/25/23

215 Pinewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $588,000
Buyer: C. E. Dourountoudakis
Seller: Herstel N. Ben-Naim
Date: 08/28/23

84 Riverview Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Amy O’Neil
Seller: Residential Credit Opportunites
Date: 08/30/23

29 Terry Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Kapil Chauhan
Seller: Mashrafi Ahmed
Date: 08/25/23

513 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $740,000
Buyer: Ion Drocioc
Seller: Lester C. Chua
Date: 08/31/23

179 Wimbleton Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Alexander D. Ostrom
Seller: Bryan P. Travers
Date: 08/22/23

LUDLOW

87 Haviland St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Fortunate Mbabazi
Seller: Antonio Patullo
Date: 08/28/23

164 Lyon St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $669,900
Buyer: Alyse Enderle
Seller: Mark D. Simonds
Date: 08/23/23

577 Lyon St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Sergio Dacruz
Seller: Todd Ely
Date: 08/21/23

Nash Hill Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Lupa Real Estate LLC
Seller: Benjamin N. Michalski
Date: 08/21/23

230 Prospect St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: David C. Bull
Seller: Edward J. Perlak
Date: 08/30/23

21 Stebbins St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Michael T. Puffer
Seller: John J. Galvin
Date: 08/28/23

Sunset Ridge
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $141,000
Buyer: Kurt Verteramo
Seller: Raymond L. Belden
Date: 08/24/23

290 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: John N. Manos
Seller: Cathy A. Jameson
Date: 08/25/23

355 West Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Ali Alribayawi
Seller: Anthony Rogers
Date: 08/31/23

875 West St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Brenda L. Cordova
Seller: James H. Guyer
Date: 08/31/23

MONSON

19 Harrison Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Louise I. Barber
Seller: Aaron K. Rittlinger
Date: 08/25/23

34-1/2 Paradise Lake Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Autumn Smith
Seller: Yan T. Li
Date: 08/25/23

MONTGOMERY

350 Main Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Alexander Maerko
Seller: Dale M. Rogers
Date: 09/01/23

67 Pineridge Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Scott M. Szpila
Seller: Matthew A. Frye
Date: 08/25/23

PALMER

21-23 Arnold St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Nexus Apartments LLC
Seller: Alan Gregoire
Date: 08/24/23

2 Carter St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $276,900
Buyer: Darrick T. Kustra
Seller: Timothy M. Brault
Date: 08/25/23

136 Flynt St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Benjamin Bubar
Seller: Carl L. Benson RET
Date: 08/24/23

7 Jim Ash Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $366,000
Buyer: Leslie A. Glista
Seller: Shaw Development Inc.
Date: 08/30/23

163 Juniper Dr.
Palmer, MA 01095
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Denise Crosier
Seller: Elizabeth A. Duggan
Date: 08/31/23

2022-2026 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: 2022 Main Street LLC
Seller: Mike Henry Construction LLC
Date: 08/24/23

2342 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Kimberley Symonowicz
Seller: Stephanie J. Luyssaert
Date: 08/31/23

3016 Pine St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Robert A. Auger
Seller: Kristine L. Hougaard
Date: 08/30/23

4038 Pleasant St.
Palmer, MA 01079
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Steven Phillips
Seller: Christopher Loud
Date: 08/31/23

4024 School St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $340,400
Buyer: Natalie A. Long
Seller: Richard A. Lavigne
Date: 08/21/23

3030 South Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Meghan Gokey
Seller: Jacobs, Christina M. (Estate)
Date: 08/30/23

RUSSELL

12 Highland Ave.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Christopher Brown
Seller: Deanna Ridgway
Date: 08/31/23

SPRINGFIELD

62-64 Alderman St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: AJN Rentals LLC
Date: 08/21/23

110-112 Almira Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Mabel Peguero
Seller: Horace L. Smikle
Date: 09/01/23

30 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Marcos Perlera
Seller: Jose R. Vargas-Gonzalez
Date: 08/24/23

76 Athol St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Appleton Grove LLC
Seller: Sharon Y. Taylor-Brown
Date: 08/22/23

92 Barrington Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Lahoussine Akanour
Seller: Sinan Hastorun
Date: 08/25/23

100 Bellwood Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $248,500
Buyer: Andres Rosario
Seller: Mary A. Smus
Date: 09/01/23

70-78 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,650,000
Buyer: HP Rum LLC
Seller: 70-78 Springfield Gardens LP
Date: 08/28/23

17 Belvidere St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Ingrid Collins
Seller: P&R Investments LLC
Date: 08/29/23

81 Bessemer St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Tyheshia Williams
Seller: Alonzo Williams
Date: 08/22/23

215 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Sammy Huynh
Seller: Myra R. Shaw
Date: 09/01/23

48 Blueberry Hill St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Marangely Richiez
Seller: Harris, Sylvester S. (Estate)
Date: 08/25/23

106 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Aniello Gisolfi
Seller: Francesco Ferrentino
Date: 08/29/23

71-73 Bristol St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Luis G. Lopez-Taveras
Seller: Amy Taranto
Date: 08/30/23

43 Brunswick St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $262,720
Buyer: Christopher H. Gross
Seller: Dennis M. Hayden
Date: 08/25/23

81 Cherokee Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jezreel Quinones
Seller: Dnepro Properties LLC
Date: 09/01/23

15 Churchill St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Jonathan S. Hermanson
Seller: Jennifer M. Sandova
Date: 08/29/23

39 Clifton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Myia Misisco
Seller: Springfield Futures RT
Date: 08/30/23

569 Cooley St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Lyle Douglass
Seller: Luy Nguyen
Date: 08/30/23

43 Crest St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jane Maye
Seller: Jets Property Development LLC
Date: 08/22/23

66 Dartmouth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Alexandra Rowland
Seller: Linda G. Singer
Date: 08/22/23

31 Denton Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Black Rock Capital Investments LLC
Seller: Federal National Mortgage Assn.
Date: 08/23/23

20 Drexel St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Stephen A. Hilbert
Seller: Dnepro Properties LLC
Date: 08/30/23

52 Drexel St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Leopold Kyendrebeogo
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 08/31/23

62 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Carlos Aponte-Roque
Seller: Slc Associates LLC
Date: 08/23/23

43 Eddywood St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $382,800
Buyer: Erin M. Perry
Seller: 43 Eddywood LLC
Date: 08/25/23

239 Ellendale Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: Cynthia L. Curtis
Seller: Michael C. Paul
Date: 08/22/23

51-53 Eloise St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Junior Properties LLC
Date: 08/21/23

52 Embassy Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Julymar M. Vazquez
Seller: Quinton Dodge
Date: 08/31/23

45 Eton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Reina Y. Landaverde
Seller: Mercy Jenkins
Date: 08/24/23

12 Fallston St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Diane M. Mcnamara
Seller: Deborah Patterson
Date: 08/28/23

103 Federal St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,850,000
Buyer: Hp Rum LLC
Seller: 99-103 Springfield Gardens LP
Date: 08/28/23

71 Fenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Melanie Salvaggio
Seller: Molly D. Peabody
Date: 08/30/23

161 Florida St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Kristina Fox
Seller: Jaime A. Addington
Date: 08/28/23

21 Forest St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Ahmad Yaqhubi
Seller: Nick Recchia
Date: 08/30/23

194 Gifford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Beacon Home Buyers LLC
Seller: James Bullock
Date: 08/21/23

242 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Crystal R. Woodbury
Seller: Jean A. Torres
Date: 08/25/23

94 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $357,500
Buyer: Benjamin T. Poynter
Seller: Lahoussine Akanour
Date: 08/25/23

91 Glenmore St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Lee Owens
Seller: Jamison Sanders
Date: 08/29/23

63 Grandview St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: NRES LLC
Seller: Linda F. Clark
Date: 09/01/23

21-23 Grove St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Christopher E. Pink
Seller: Advanced Aesthetics Medical
Date: 08/29/23

208 Groveland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Jose Aponte
Seller: Ralph J. Cocchi
Date: 08/23/23

431 Hancock St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Carlos Collazo
Seller: Briell E. Pierce-Stone
Date: 08/21/23

185 Hartford Ter.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Angela K. Doyle
Seller: Andres M. Rodriguez
Date: 09/01/23

40 Ingersoll Grove
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $429,900
Buyer: Angel E. Blas
Seller: Laura Rando
Date: 08/24/23

74 Judith St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Tara A. Bressette
Seller: Patricia A. Sullivan
Date: 08/23/23

95 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Omar A. Galva
Seller: Damian A. Gawle
Date: 08/28/23

399 Kent Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $357,000
Buyer: Elva E. Talavera
Seller: Lucas R. King
Date: 08/31/23

25 Kirk Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Timothy J. Saloio
Seller: 25 Kirk Drive Partnership
Date: 09/01/23

54 Kittrell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Fumi Realty Inc.
Seller: Latoya A. Clarke
Date: 09/01/23

198 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: Angela Jenkins
Seller: Chaching Co.
Date: 08/31/23

30-32 Lebanon St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Jose A. Ayala
Seller: Yariza Santana
Date: 08/22/23

110 Lorimer St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Steven Noska
Seller: Cheryl A. King
Date: 08/25/23

182 Lucerne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Tonya Burks
Seller: Sareen Properties LLC
Date: 08/29/23

21 Luden St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Marlene A. Gilling-Fong
Seller: Andrea M. Bushman
Date: 08/31/23

398 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $357,500
Buyer: Oleg Sevastyanov
Seller: 2020 Pereira RT
Date: 09/01/23

76 Mapledell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $315,127
Buyer: Allerlaroo L. Bessette
Seller: Round Two LLC
Date: 08/31/23

42 Marengo Park
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $349,000
Buyer: Shawn Beaudoin
Seller: David J. Simpson
Date: 08/29/23

40 Marshall St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Anthony R. Molina-Popol
Seller: Clarence E. Baymon
Date: 08/31/23

12-20 Mattoon St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $3,025,000
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: 12-20 Springfield Gardens LP
Date: 08/28/23

66 Mattoon St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $2,225,000
Buyer: Winners O. LLC
Seller: 66 Springfield Gardens LP
Date: 08/28/23

139 Maybrook Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Eddie Pumarejo
Seller: Residential Credit Opportunities
Date: 08/29/23

155 Nagle St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Truelove Allah
Seller: Kevin Saez-Rodriguez
Date: 08/31/23

54 Norfolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Brigely Nieves
Seller: Eich Estates Inc.
Date: 08/24/23

39 Olmsted Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Karen Roos
Seller: Frank Stefanik
Date: 08/23/23

43 Ontario St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Sareen Properties LLC
Seller: Luis A. Torres
Date: 08/22/23

431 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Gui Zeng
Seller: Leonard Desmarais
Date: 08/24/23

336-338 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Carol M. Mateo
Seller: Posiadlosc LLC
Date: 08/29/23

1150 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $128,300
Buyer: Posiadlosc LLC
Seller: Steven E. Zeimbekakis
Date: 09/01/23

96 Pasadena St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Joseph Bouthiette
Seller: Jose A. Ortiz-Malave
Date: 09/01/23

1363 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Nicole Leblanc
Seller: Margaret F. Ryan TR
Date: 08/28/23

34 Portulaca Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Shanaya Crapps
Seller: Anthony F. Geary
Date: 08/23/23

83 Prospect St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Carlos W. Gonzalez-Santos
Seller: Crystal M. Everett-Torres
Date: 08/23/23

45-47 Quebec St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Ronald Balthazar
Seller: Ana L. Arocho
Date: 08/29/23

22-24 Radner St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Anthony Cianflone
Seller: Nathan Jones
Date: 08/31/23

18-20 Searle Place
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: 18-20 Searle Place Springfield
Seller: Leon H. Jenkins
Date: 08/31/23

115 South Tallyho Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Kelsey M. Coughlin
Seller: Ryan C. Mickiewicz
Date: 08/23/23

235 Starling Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Rosa Hernandez
Seller: Abigail N. Alejandro
Date: 08/31/23

89 Sylvester St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Magalie Eugene
Seller: Chhon Horl
Date: 08/31/23

85 Trafton Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Mark S. Smith
Seller: Mary A. Kasunick
Date: 08/29/23

115 Venture Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Leila Hernandez
Seller: Cambel M. Berk
Date: 08/31/23

209-211 Verge St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Junior P. Swaby
Seller: Dias Properties LLC
Date: 08/22/23

24-28 Wilcox St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,375,000
Buyer: Forest Park LLC
Seller: Courageous Lion LLC
Date: 08/24/23

218 Wollaston St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Juan R. Rivera
Seller: Derek M. Strahan
Date: 08/30/23

SOUTHWICK

23 Gargon Ter.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Ashley Boudle
Seller: Jennifer M. Forest
Date: 08/29/23

9 Tall Pines Trail
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $660,000
Buyer: William Whitcher
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 08/24/23

158 Vining Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jeffrey A. Dunlap
Seller: J. P. Ayotte
Date: 08/22/23

192 Vining Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Alicia Calderon
Seller: Denise Crosier
Date: 08/30/23

TOLLAND

302 Fox Den Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $402,500
Buyer: Richard Duquette
Seller: George P. Damico
Date: 08/25/23

6 Upper Otter Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Jeremy J. Shafer
Seller: Thomas L. Buchter
Date: 08/28/23

WALES

3 Reed Hill Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Frederick J. Rogers
Seller: Robbins, Niles N. (Estate)
Date: 08/30/23

19 Shore Dr.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Paola V. Tierinni
Seller: Shore Drive RT
Date: 08/21/23

15 Sichols Colony Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Dawn D. Gilliatt
Seller: Joseph A. Boyle
Date: 08/25/23

WESTFIELD

323 Buck Pond Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $306,500
Buyer: Jason M. Cisek
Seller: Ronald M. Cisek
Date: 09/01/23

85 City View Blvd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Andrew L. Holbrook
Seller: William D. Wright
Date: 08/29/23

21 Cleveland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: John Brodeur
Seller: Robert J. Chelli
Date: 09/01/23

5 Hickory Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Joyce E. Keller
Seller: Nickolas F. Soto
Date: 08/29/23

99 Kane Brothers Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $421,000
Buyer: Christopher Coach
Seller: John D. Colapietro
Date: 08/21/23

11 Kellogg St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Dayton Ducharme
Seller: Muradbek Usmonov
Date: 08/25/23

46 Kittredge Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Emily K. Gauger
Seller: Geoffrey Parenteau
Date: 08/24/23

18 Livingstone Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Brett Geissler
Seller: Stephen A. Hilbert
Date: 08/30/23

North Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $330,600
Buyer: Allen Tree Farm LLC
Seller: Robert S. Allen Funding TR
Date: 08/31/23

36 Pleasant St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Kyrylo Malov
Seller: Irene J. Flahive
Date: 08/31/23

46 Radisson Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: James Kelley
Seller: Christopher M. Coach
Date: 08/21/23

439 Rider Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Charlene Leinonen
Seller: Johnson, Richard J. (Estate)
Date: 08/31/23

372 Russellville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Kaitlyn Camp
Seller: Silver Snake Property LLC
Date: 08/31/23

10 Shadow Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Debora L. Stein
Seller: Glenn E. Miemiec
Date: 08/21/23

52 Steiger Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Nicholas J. Langone
Seller: Shirley M. Bigelow
Date: 08/31/23

291 Steiger Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Michael S. Cianciola
Seller: Stephen J. Gonglik
Date: 08/25/23

70 Westwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Matthew R. Bishop
Seller: Alexis A. Morse
Date: 08/31/23

WILBRAHAM

23 Bittersweet Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Jeffrey M. O’Connor
Seller: Lianne E. Azevedo
Date: 08/28/23

7 Circle Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $454,000
Buyer: Hope Chayer
Seller: Freeman, Robert R. (Estate)
Date: 08/28/23

1 Lebel Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Livia L. Pontes Costa
Seller: Wayne H. Dennehy
Date: 08/25/23

20 Leemond St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Gynn S. Silva
Seller: Piper Lowe Real Estate Group LLC
Date: 09/01/23

Monson Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $505,000
Buyer: Usmaan M. Farooqui
Seller: Natalie A. Long
Date: 08/21/23

32 Soule Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Sean Murphy
Seller: Allen FT
Date: 08/25/23

WEST SPRINGFIELD

86 Albert St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Tanya L. Lyon
Seller: Kathleen Murray
Date: 08/25/23

153 Bonnie Brae Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Brian J. Kolodziej
Seller: Lorraine B. Zaleski
Date: 08/24/23

14 Burke Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $402,000
Buyer: Guidewire Inc.
Seller: Abdul K. Khider
Date: 08/24/23

8 Cataumet Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $620,000
Buyer: Dominic Costanzi
Seller: Muhammad D. Sabir
Date: 08/25/23

201 Circle Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: 1987 Brital LLC
Seller: Judkins, Lisa S. (Estate)
Date: 08/30/23

292 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Cheryl King
Seller: Michael J. Budri
Date: 08/25/23

571 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Alyssa A. Danilow
Seller: Robert C. Kelly
Date: 08/25/23

114 Edgewood Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Garrett L. Welker
Seller: Edward P. Welker RET
Date: 08/22/23

73 Forest Glen
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Michael Chandler
Seller: James A. Roy RET
Date: 08/31/23

81 Greenleaf Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Edward Knowlton
Seller: Bridget M. Barnes
Date: 08/30/23

203 Hannoush Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,020,000
Buyer: Abdul K. Khider
Seller: David J. Bryson
Date: 08/25/23

65 Herrman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Millicent R. Suarez-Oviedo
Seller: Suk Tamang
Date: 09/01/23

121 Herrman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Steliano Properties LLC
Seller: Mary Rita Thomas RET
Date: 08/31/23

260 Jeffrey Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Aziza Radzhabova
Seller: Michael A. Stasack
Date: 08/25/23

262 Kings Hwy.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Roberto Lopez
Seller: Schuh, Irene (Estate)
Date: 08/29/23

401 Kings Hwy.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Gabriella Schreiber
Seller: Margaret E. Caplette
Date: 08/31/23

85 Lancaster Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Evan A. Haynes
Seller: Roger Rogalski
Date: 08/29/23

465 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Sean Coyne
Seller: Jake D. Breton
Date: 08/28/23

528 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Ryan P. Donah
Seller: Daniel E. Sullivan
Date: 08/31/23

41 Nelson Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Jason A. Twining
Seller: Jean M. Dexter
Date: 08/28/23

64 New Bridge St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Alicia Rivera
Seller: RM Blerman LLC
Date: 08/22/23

125 Orchardview St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Charles Romboletti
Seller: Liam M. Browne
Date: 08/25/23

33 Woodmont St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Aislynn Rosario
Seller: Molly M. Panek
Date: 08/25/23

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

22 Arbor Way
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $442,000
Buyer: Amy Hunter
Seller: Mercer, Aura E. (Estate)
Date: 08/30/23

90 Belchertown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: NP Amherst LLC
Seller: Alexandra Barlow
Date: 08/21/23

24 Berkshire Ter.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $382,000
Buyer: 452 River Dr. LLC
Seller: Berkshire Terrace Partners LLC
Date: 08/29/23

34 Carriage Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Gregory E. Caruso
Seller: John T. Finn
Date: 08/31/23

18 Foxglove Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Lincoln Ward
Seller: Amir Mikhchi International
Date: 08/21/23

15 Hazel Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $723,000
Buyer: Karunamurti LLC
Seller: Arthur W. Hebb
Date: 09/01/23

21 Hazel Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $482,000
Buyer: Karunamurti LLC
Seller: Jason T. Hebb
Date: 09/01/23

29 Hazel Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $505,000
Buyer: Karunamurti LLC
Seller: Arthur W. Hebb
Date: 09/01/23

35 Hazel Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Karunamurti LLC
Seller: Arthur W. Hebb
Date: 09/01/23

56 Hunters Hill Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Greg Priest
Seller: Paula A. Frant
Date: 08/21/23

373-375 Montague Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Junaid Ijaz
Seller: Kenton Tharp
Date: 08/28/23

19 Nutting Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: 452 River Dr. LLC
Seller: Berkshire Ter. Partners LLC
Date: 08/29/23

12 Poets Court
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $692,900
Buyer: Susan M. Flint RET
Seller: Hani Karaouh
Date: 08/22/23

41 Shumway St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: 452 River Dr. LLC
Seller: Berkshire Ter. Partners LLC
Date: 08/29/23

47 Shumway St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $396,000
Buyer: 452 River Dr. LLC
Seller: Chestnut St Rlty Partners
Date: 08/29/23

42 Southpoint Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $41,000,000
Buyer: Consolidated Amherst Holdings
Seller: VA7 Amherst LLC
Date: 08/29/23

745 Station Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Mary Martinez
Seller: Benjamin Inanchenko
Date: 08/30/23

176 Triangle St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $377,000
Buyer: 452 River Dr. LLC
Seller: Berkshire Ter. Partners LLC
Date: 08/29/23

24 Trillium Way
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $638,000
Buyer: Benjamin Nelson
Seller: Katherine J. Atkinson
Date: 08/23/23

BELCHERTOWN

2 Cadwell Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Zhu Chen
Seller: Christine R. Nolan
Date: 08/22/23

9 Everett Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Delaney I. Selanis
Seller: Heather F. Sicard
Date: 08/31/23

16 Maplecrest Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: 23618 Exeter Way LLC
Seller: Yosef Nimni
Date: 08/30/23

110 Munsell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: Collen A. Matte
Seller: Orin L. Bracey
Date: 08/23/23

Oasis Dr., Lot A
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Tang Properties LLC
Seller: Laura Madden
Date: 08/29/23

32 Rita Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Mark R. Lewandowski
Seller: Hebert, Carol A. (Estate)
Date: 08/25/23

South Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Kevin R. Dill
Seller: Snab LLC
Date: 08/31/23

13 Stadler St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Luis M. Sousa
Seller: Stadler St. Realty LLC
Date: 09/01/23

140 Stebbins St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Nicholas Trudell
Seller: Michael A. Catalano
Date: 08/28/23

41 Warner St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Patrick Egar
Seller: James G. Labell
Date: 08/29/23

CUMMINGTON

45 Stage Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Jonathan G. Cranston
Seller: Sandra Streeter
Date: 08/21/23

EASTHAMPTON

6-8 Federal St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $280,840
Buyer: Casey J. Mumblow
Seller: Sandra Mumblow
Date: 09/01/23

10 Fox Run
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $776,000
Buyer: Amy Perrier
Seller: Kevin R. Day
Date: 08/28/23

90-92 Maple St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $487,500
Buyer: Sarah D. Prall
Seller: Elephant Shoes LLC
Date: 08/24/23

10 Newell St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: John Black
Seller: Theresa L. Dufour
Date: 08/30/23

12 Steplar Xing, Lot 12
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $579,900
Buyer: Richard P. Bangham
Seller: Loudville Condominium LLC
Date: 08/29/23

74 Williston Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $620,000
Buyer: Nicole Jacobson
Seller: Corbin H. Chicoine
Date: 08/31/23

GOSHEN

100 Aberdeen Road
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Kristin Holloway-Bidwell
Seller: Keith A. Orcutt
Date: 08/28/23

GRANBY

129 Aldrich St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $599,900
Buyer: Michael Johnson
Seller: Richard W. McGravey
Date: 08/31/23

Center St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Michael A. Hatch
Seller: Nathan A. Boutin
Date: 09/01/23

40 High St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Lora Premontos
Seller: Paelowski IRT
Date: 08/25/23

Morgan St., Lot 1
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Robin Giroux
Seller: Bruce W. Pelletier
Date: 08/31/23

158 Taylor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: George J. Welly
Seller: Laura Jackson
Date: 08/28/23

West State St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: John E. Duda
Seller: Patricia Darcy
Date: 08/31/23

8 Woodside Ter.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jarrett A. Hauschild
Seller: Sharon A. Quesnel
Date: 08/31/23

HADLEY

258 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: Leann R. Leake
Seller: Walter Ammon
Date: 08/28/23

HATFIELD

113 Depot Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Michael Packard
Seller: Valerie Caro
Date: 08/22/23

9 Pine Edge Way
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $795,000
Buyer: Hannah Smith
Seller: Julie R. Goldman
Date: 09/01/23

HUNTINGTON

113 County Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Nicholas Perry
Seller: Slarter Jr., Ralph F. (Estate)
Date: 08/31/23

107 Norwich Lake
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Charles H. Tobin
Seller: Walter O. Schorer
Date: 08/22/23

NORTHAMPTON

68 Blackberry Lane
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: Thomas Novack
Seller: Patrick Livington
Date: 08/25/23

174 Bridge Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $461,000
Buyer: David Eisenstadter
Seller: Angela M. Ditaranto
Date: 08/31/23

78 Cahillane Ter.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Rodman Capital Group LLC
Seller: Bell, Janice M. (Estate)
Date: 08/29/23

11 Chestnut St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Peter Ryan
Seller: Margaret D. Laselle
Date: 08/24/23

32 Hayes Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: Renato P. Bartoli
Seller: Karen M. Jackowski
Date: 08/31/23

Lawn Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: John T. Thorpe
Seller: Arnold B. Zar-Kessler
Date: 08/25/23

28 Longview Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Veteran Stan LLC
Seller: Chiminello RET
Date: 08/22/23

202 North Main St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: David M. Vidman
Seller: Aiswerya M. Sampath
Date: 08/25/23

118 Overlook Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Pauline David
Seller: Abigail M. Dolinger
Date: 08/30/23

200 Prospect St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Si C. Zhu
Seller: Carrie A. Shelffo
Date: 08/24/23

215 Prospect St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: John T. Thorpe
Seller: Arnold B. Zar-Kessler
Date: 08/25/23

25 Redford Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $377,025
Buyer: Christopher C. Stratton
Seller: Lesley A. Gray
Date: 08/25/23

141 State St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $905,000
Buyer: William Scher
Seller: John R. Noviello
Date: 08/30/23

3 Tyler Court
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $1,635,000
Buyer: Peter Duggan
Seller: Jennifer W. Chrisler
Date: 09/01/23

33 Winthrop St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Ellen Vollinger
Seller: James F. Vollinger
Date: 09/01/23

52 Woodbine Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Samuel W. Craig
Seller: Dunn, Kathleen E. (Estate)
Date: 08/23/23

PELHAM

7 Pine Tree Circe
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: James E. McGinniss
Seller: Nancy E. Doherty
Date: 08/28/23

SOUTH HADLEY

15 Central Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Rebecca J. Rivenburgh
Seller: Gail S. Bielizna
Date: 08/25/23

31 East Red Bridge Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $632,500
Buyer: Adam Kobialka
Seller: John C. Kane
Date: 08/29/23

5 Enterprise St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $353,500
Buyer: Celia Almeida
Seller: Mark J. Burton
Date: 09/01/23

313 Granby Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $166,400
Buyer: Matthew A. Sexton
Seller: Oscar Real Estate LLC
Date: 09/01/23

1 Hillside Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Sarah Gubala
Seller: Norman Rademacher
Date: 08/25/23

284 Morgan St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: James M. Morgan
Seller: Michael D. Lamontagne
Date: 09/01/23

15 Ranger St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $347,500
Buyer: John B. Stewart
Seller: James Bloom
Date: 08/25/23

98 Willimansett St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $349,500
Buyer: Benjamin C. Nyzio
Seller: John M. Nizio
Date: 08/25/23

SOUTHAMPTON

20 Coleman Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $518,700
Buyer: Megan M. Whalin
Seller: Brian J. Ford
Date: 08/24/23

7 Kylene Circle
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $712,500
Buyer: Gregory Garvey
Seller: Daniel A. O’Connell
Date: 08/31/23

66 Rattle Hill Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Estelle Kasal
Seller: Bean RET
Date: 08/25/23

56 Russellville Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $497,700
Buyer: Kelli M. Soto
Seller: Julie A. Leblanc
Date: 08/29/23

WARE

35 Bacon Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Christine Stochlinski
Seller: Donald E. Rice
Date: 08/29/23

81 Beaver Lake Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Ryan Hazzard
Seller: Jacob Fossati
Date: 08/30/23

103 Shoreline Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Daniel Murch
Seller: Gary A. Davis
Date: 08/31/23

WESTHAMPTON

Chesterfield Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $154,000
Buyer: Kestrel Land Trust Inc.
Seller: Joan C. Sarafin
Date: 09/01/23

266 Southampton Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Carolyn M. Monteriro
Seller: Marilyn C. Theroux IRT
Date: 08/23/23

12 Turkey Hill Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $1,210,700
Buyer: Patrick Livingston
Seller: Kenneth L. Richard
Date: 08/25/23

WILLIAMSBURG

5 Valley View Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Stevenson Ramsburgh
Seller: Milkowski, Sheila A. (Estate)
Date: 09/01/23

WORTHINGTON

615 Old North Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Gregory Schadel
Seller: Dewey FT
Date: 08/24/23

91 Radiker Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Kevin Lennon
Seller: Cold Creek Farm LLC
Date: 09/01/23

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of September 2023.

CHICOPEE

Kor Realty LLC
939 Chicopee St.
$51,000 — Roofing

Richard Peloquin
155 East Main St.
$3,500 — Rebuild second-floor egress

S&V Mart
659 Grattan St.
$43,340 — Spray polyurethane foam on flat roof

TFO Properties LLC
633 Pendleton Ave.
$34,000 — Repair truss, replace floor, kitchen cabinets, paint and decorate, remodel bathroom

EASTHAMPTON

Easthampton Mahadev LLC
334 Main St.
$5,000 — Roofing

HADLEY

Mill Valley Commons LLC
1 Mill Valley Road
N/A — Sign to hang off existing sign structure

LEE

Ryan Davis, Emmy Davis
62 Main St.
$3,000 — Install six windows

LENOX

Town of Lenox
18 Main St.
$16,500 — Install doors, side lights, and transoms in two existing cased openings at Lenox Library

Toole Properties Inc.
461 Pittsfield Road
$5,000 — Siding

NORTHAMPTON

American Tower Corp.
114 Glendale Road
$140,000 — Shelter with diesel generator

Blue Mountain Properties LLC
76 Maple St.
$18,000 — Replace exterior stairs, add laundry room on ground floor

Colvest/Northampton LLC
325 King St.
$15,000 — Illuminated wall sign for Baystate Health

Coolidge Northampton LLC
249 King St.
$3,200 — Wall sign for My Dental Studio

Northampton Montessori Society
51 Bates St.
$18,500 — Roofing

Oxbow Professional Park LLC
8 Atwood Dr.
$128,700 — Tenant improvements to first-floor space for new pharmacy

Rankin Holdings LLC
115 Conz St.
$2,000 — Replace existing sign for Fairfield Inn

Smith College
2 Tyler Court
$235,000 — Create IT storage area and kitchenette room in McConnell Hall

Valley Millbank LLC
34 Michelman Ave.
$6,125 — Attic insulation

Valley Millbank LLC
34 Michelman Ave.
$4,870 — Attic insulation

PITTSFIELD

Berkshire Hospitality Group LLC
1 West St.
$1,000 — Remove antenna, mount, and telecom cabinet from side of building

Berkshire Medical Center Inc.
777 North St.
$25,000 — Install two temporary construction office trailers

Kidzone Child Care Educational
699 Dalton Ave.
$42,500 — Install 17 energy-recovery ventilation units for new building

SPRINGFIELD

1277 Liberty Street LLC
1355 Liberty St.
$25,000 — Remove six antennas and associated equipment from T-Mobile telecommunications tower

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$803,253 — Erect three concrete slabs for battery storage system

Commonwealth Academy Holdings LLC
241 Maple St.
$3,500 — Roofing

Carlos Dias
724 Page Blvd.
$6,825 — Repair broken cement block

Five Town Station LLC
344 Cooley St.
$600,000 — Remodel existing tenant space for new Snipes retail store

Francisco Gonzalez
2924 Main St.
$49,000 — Roofing, repair block wall, and install stucco to front wall

Archimede Jerome
97 Alderman St.
$57,275 — Install 29 solar panels to roof

KAGR2 Springfield 3550 LLC
3550 Main St.
$393,000 — Alter interior tenant medical office space, Suite 203, for First Fertility

New England Farm Workers’ Council Inc.
32 Hampden St.
$6,000 — Repair water-damaged areas of the Whitcomb Building

Ana Ramos
111 Savoy Ave.
$52,000 — Install 10 solar panels on garage roof

Revitalize Community Development Corp.
240 Cadwell Dr.
$14,500 — Roofing

Smith & Wesson Inc.
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
$470,000 — Roofing

St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral
2309 Main St.
N/A — Repair fire-alarm system

Western New England University
1215 Wilbraham Road
$4,000 — Repair plumbing in Berkshire Hall

Western New England University
1215 Wilbraham Road
$4,000 — Repair plumbing in Franklin Hall

Western New England University
1215 Wilbraham Road
$4,000 — Repair plumbing in Hampden Hall

Westfield State to Present ‘Conversation with Values Practitioners’ on Sept. 27

By
Daily News

WESTFIELD — On Wednesday, Sept. 27, Westfield State University will host a “Conversation with Values Practitioners,” an evening dedicated to celebrating the work and life stories of individuals who, through the practice of values, build inclusive communities, inspire more equitable institutions, and contribute to a more just world.

Featured speakers include Janine Fondon, chair of Undergraduate Communications at Bay Path University and exhibit curator; Rhonda Anderson, an Iñupiaq-Athabascan woman from Alaska and commissioner on Indian Affairs in Western Mass.; and Ben Boyd, senior vice president of Global Communications at Peloton.

In bringing together community members across the diversity spectrum, including identity, thought, talent, and lived experience, the program will recognize and appreciate that identities are interconnected; celebrate the equity and inclusion efforts by faculty, staff, and students; and encourage opportunities for continued action.

Following the speaking program, the “Voices of Resilience” exhibit will be launched at Westfield State’s Arno Maris Gallery, on the second floor of the Ely Building. The display panels will showcase the stories of women and men who have worked to create change as well as untold narratives that reframe history. The exhibit will represent these achievements both visually and through inclusive storytelling. A panel is dedicated to Linda Thompson, president of the university.

The speaking program will run from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. and take place in the Scanlon Banquet Hall, followed by the exhibit opening and its reception in the Arno Maris Gallery, which runs from 6 to 7 p.m. Both are free and open to the public.

Sponsors include the university’s Office of Human Resources, the Office of the President, the Values Working Group, the Ethnic and Gender Studies Department, and numerous collaborators throughout campus. External sponsors include the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Peloton.

Webinar on Sept. 27 to Tackle Export Compliance Basics for Business

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Any U.S. business that sends products, services, or technology or technical data to foreign countries is subject to export control regulations. Having a compliance program that ensures compliance in all areas of the business will help avoid export violations.

Bulkley Richardson invites business leaders to join Dan Sacco for a webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at noon via Zoom. Topics will include U.S. export control regulations (how they regulate the release of critical technologies, information, and services to foreign countries and, in some cases, to foreign nationals in the U.S.), developing and implementing an export compliance program (avoiding major challenges arising from export control violations), and avoiding export control violations (penalties can be severe and may include significant fines, the denial of export privileges, and criminal prosecution).

Register at bulkley.com/export-compliance to receive a confirmation email with a link to join the webinar.

Pickleball Classes at Holyoke Community College Starting Oct. 3

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will run a series of pickleball clinics this fall for beginners and other players who want to improve their game all the way up to tournament-level play.

The group classes will be led by pickleball coach and racquet sports instructor Kelly Canniff, who has 25 years of experience educating children, adolescents, and adults.

Starting Oct. 3, the sessions run on select Tuesday and Thursday mornings on the indoor pickleball courts at the Bartley Center for Athletics and Recreation on the main HCC campus, 303 Homestead Ave. The cost for each 90-minute session is $90.

“We try to offer something for all abilities, all ages, and all levels, whether you’re a beginner or more advanced player,” said Tom Stewart, HCC’s director of Athletics.

“Pickleball 101” will run Oct. 3 and Oct. 5, with sessions at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. These sessions are geared toward people who have played a few times and cover topics such as serving, developing a forehand, scoring, basic rules, positioning, and strategy.

“Pickleball Intermediate Level” will run Oct. 24 at 8 a.m. and Oct. 26 at 10 a.m. and is designed for players who have taken beginner classes or already have some familiarity and experience with the game and want to advance their play by improving their groundstrokes, overhead shots, volleys, and serves, while adding direction, control, and accuracy.

“Pickleball Tournament Ready Prep” runs Nov. 28 and Nov. 30, with sessions at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. These are designed for players who want to prepare for tournament-level play, with practice that will help them improve shot variety and accuracy and develop better strategies for playing doubles.

Slots are limited. To register, visit hcc.edu/health-and-fitness.

Hazen Paper Brings Focus to Basketball Hall of Fame Yearbook with Fresnel Lens

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Hazen Paper’s 11th enshrinement yearbook cover for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, created with Hazen HoloJet paper, projects an amplified refractive three-dimensional image of a basketball symbolizing the Hall of Fame dome.

“Once again, the Hazen holographic team has raised the bar, amplifying the special effects each time to ensure the cover is more exciting than ever,” Hazen Paper President John Hazen said.

For 2023, this includes Fresnel Lens technology and a new holographic element Hazen calls “Metal-Morphosis,” utilizing a new deep-groove system for sharper images and greater dimensionality. Appearing to move and change with the angle of light, the holographic treatment induces engagement and interaction with the book.

Hazen originated the holography completely within its vertically integrated Holyoke facility. The custom holograms were created in Hazen’s holographic laser lab, then micro-embossed and transfer-metallized onto smooth, 12-point WestRock Tango C2S using Hazen’s environmentally friendly Envirofoil and HoloJet process. The holography is created with an optical structure that is imparted on the surface of the paper (underneath the printed graphics) with an ultra-thin polymer layer that is less than 2 microns in thickness. Envirofoil is a non-plastic paper that is as recyclable as paper.

The limited-edition yearbook cover was designed by agency GO of Hartford, Conn., and printed and individually numbered for authenticity on an HP Indigo digital press by Starburst Printing of Holliston. Mohegan Sun Casino also once again used a custom hologram on the back cover to create a high-voltage graphic that radiates energy.

Opinion: Time to Adjust to a New Reality in the Office

By
Daily News

“I think that ship has sailed.”

That’s what JD Chesloff, CEO of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, said in response to a question from the Boston Globe recently about why companies, even those like Google, Meta, and Amazon, who have made headlines with stringent return-to-the-office policies, are not asking employees to come in five days a week.

He’s right: it has sailed. The hybrid work schedules that so many companies have adopted, not out of choice, but more because they don’t really have a choice, are now the new norm and, from all accounts, will be the norm for at least the foreseeable future.

Indeed, it appears to be time to stop asking when everyone is going to return to the office and realize that not everyone is going to return to the office. And for many reasons.

Most of them have to do with the current labor market and the fact companies remain far too desperate in their efforts to attract and retain talent to make demands on where people can work. In some cases, employees are simply more productive working at home. And in still other cases, companies have been able to dramatically reduce their square footage (and, therefore, their annual costs) by having some or most of their employees working remotely.

Add it all up, and what we’re seeing in the workplace now is what we’re going to be seeing, unless some of those factors above change dramatically in the near term, and we just don’t see that happening. In short, employees who have been given a taste of remote work, like what they’ve tasted, will not want to go back to the office five days a week. And if employers try to force them to, they’ll find a new employer that won’t. Meanwhile, business owners will continue to be reasonable and cost-conscious, traits that, at this moment, don’t lend themselves to forcing people back to the office.

So instead of asking when workers will return the office, employers, managers, property owners, and leasing agents alike need to adjust.

Employers and managers need to find new and creative new ways to build teamwork and employee engagement, such as by requiring all employees to be in certain days of the week and then maximizing that time together.

As for property owners, the adjustment is more difficult. They may have to find other uses for their square footage other than office, a real challenge at a time when retail is also in retreat and conversion to residential is expensive and, in some cases, not realistic.

But adjustment, on the part of all those concerned, is necessary, because Chesloff is right.

That ship has sailed.

Westfield State University to Host Job Fair

By
Daily News

WESTFIELD — Westfield State University will host its annual Government, Criminal Justice and Nonprofit Career Fair on Thursday, Oct. 12 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. in the Woodward Center, 395 Western Ave.

The fair offers a convenient opportunity for Westfield students and residents to network with employers and learn what it would be like to work for area nonprofits and government agencies.

Representatives from police departments throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire will be available to answer questions and showcase their agencies to prospective employees. Some of the registered city and town agencies include Amherst, Holyoke, Northampton, and Westfield, as well as Enfield, Conn. Registered state police agencies include Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York.

Registered nonprofits and government agencies include May Institute, Center for Human Development, Gándara Center, Match Education, Peace Corps, ServiceNet, Wellpath, and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.

The job fair is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the South Lot off Western Avenue. Shuttle service will run continually throughout the event.

Hometown Mortgage to Host First-time Homebuyer Workshop

By
Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — Hometown Mortgage will host a first-time-homebuyer workshop on Thursday, Oct. 5 from 4 to 6 p.m. via Zoom.

Experienced lending professional Deborah O’Rourke will lead this certified course organized by NeighborWorks Housing Solutions. The workshop will help attendees qualify for special mortgage products, provide tips to improve their credit, and prepare them as they approach this important life decision.

This hybrid workshop (four online hours and four class hours via Zoom) costs $45 per person or household (two people). Click here for more information and to register.