Home - The Reminder

Nov 6, 2024 | Hampden County, Local Headlines, Local News, Wilbraham

Friends of Wilbraham Seniors to celebrate Holiday Bazaar in new center

WILBRAHAM — After years of fundraising, this year’s Friends of the Wilbraham Seniors annual Holiday Bazaar will be hosted in the town’s new Senior Center, located at 250 Springfield St. behind the town offices.

Nov 6, 2024 | Hampden County, Local Headlines, Local News, Springfield, Wilbraham

Springfield art exhibit reflects effort to cope with grief

SPRINGFIELD — The use of art to express feelings of grief is the reason for the second annual exhibit of art made by participants in the peer-support programs offered by Rick’s Place in Wilbraham.

Nov 4, 2024 | Chicopee, Hampden County, Local Headlines, Local News

FunnyRaising Comedy Show to benefit Harmony House on Nov. 9

CHICOPEE — Harmony House of Western Massachusetts, a home for the terminally ill located in Chicopee, will be the beneficiary of a “FunnyRaising Comedy Show,” presented by Jess Miller Comedy Shows.

Chandler honored for helping others reach for the stars

Senator sees affordability as key to state’s economic future

WESTFIELD — At the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce’s Oct. 25 legislative luncheon, hosted at Tekoa Country Club, state Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield) told an audience of businesspeople that data shows 20- to 40-year-olds are leaving Massachusetts, and people who graduate from college are not moving to Massachusetts.

Artist proud of effort, results in West Springfield 250th mural

WEST SPRINGFIELD — When 58-year-old painter Jen Dorgan watched her mural celebrating West Springfield’s 250th anniversary unveiled in the mayor’s office recently, images of the time, tears and ultimate thrill of creating her masterpiece were also flashing in her mind.

School psychologist’s book takes novel approach to anxiety

AGAWAM — There are many books written about how to help kids deal with anxiety, but one of the newest takes a different approach than most.

End date in sight for Holyoke school’s receivership status

HOLYOKE — The end is near for Holyoke Public Schools’ status under state receivership as a provisional decision has been announced by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to give the district back local control by next school year.

Book fair connects community with local authors

Neal, MassDOT announce $36.8M for East-West Rail

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield has moved a little closer to becoming the central hub of a statewide passenger rail system known as Compass Rail.

Fossil fuel free program comes to Northampton

NORTHAMPTON — The state’s Department of Energy Resources announced last week that Northampton became the 10th and final community to join the state’s Municipal Fossil Fuel Free Building Demonstration Program.

Speaker shares journey from mental health issues to addiction, recovery

LUDLOW — Tony Hoffman is many things, including a professional athlete, Olympic coach, author and motivational speaker. He is also a convicted felon and in recovery from an opioid addiction.

Voters disagree over open space purchase during Monson Town Meeting

MONSON — At the Oct. 28 special Town Meeting, Monson residents voted against purchasing two local properties proposed by the Community Preservation Committee after concerns were raised about the impact these purchases would have on residents’ taxes.

Laura Mason

Funds received for East Longmeadow’s Chestnut Street Water Pumping Station

EAST LONGMEADOW — The town of East Longmeadow was recently awarded $1,975,000 through the MassWorks Infrastructure Program to support the town’s work to upgrade the Chestnut Street Water Pumping Station.

Tina Lesniak

Nonprofit serving seniors puts out call for more volunteers

WESTFIELD — Sarah Gillett Services for the Elderly is seeking volunteers to serve as corporators, and potentially board of trustees members, to continue its important work providing grants to local organizations to provide services to the elderly.

Cliff Clark

Consultant to help craft Congamond flood plan

SOUTHWICK — The federal Natural Resources Conservation Service will hire a consultant to survey Congamond Lake in person to settle on a flooding plan.

Tyler Lederer

Marijuana shop plans denied for being too close to another

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Zoning Board of Appeals denied a variance to WS Coliseum Inc. for a proposed Riverdale Street cannabis dispensary, refusing to waive a requirement that marijuana retail stores be at least 1,300 feet apart from each other.

Trent Levakis

Granby search for new administrator continues

GRANBY — The first meeting of the Town Administrator Search Committee took place on Oct. 23 where town officials met to begin the process in hiring a new town administrator with former administrator Chris Martin having retired on Nov. 1.

Trent Levakis

Care Center accomplishes $4M endowment campaign

HOLYOKE — The Care Center has completed its $4 million “Moving Women Forward” Endowment Campaign, ensuring that its growing microcollege program for young mothers and other under-resourced women will remain tuition-free.

Local Headlines

Friends of Wilbraham Seniors to celebrate Holiday Bazaar in new center

Springfield art exhibit reflects effort to cope with grief

FunnyRaising Comedy Show to benefit Harmony House on Nov. 9

Amherst receives grant funding for a roundabout on University Drive

New community-driven hiring startup to host ‘Hiring Therapy’ event

Tyler Lederer

It’s all in details, emotions for local artists in ACAA exhibit

AGAWAM — For Agawam artist Suzanne DiSessa, who has been learning how to paint the past seven years, painting gives her endless problem solving opportunities.

Tyler Garnet

Chicopee honors Italian Heritage Month with flag raising

CHICOPEE — In its tradition of recognizing and honoring the different cultures that make up Chicopee and Massachusetts, Chicopee hosted a flag raising ceremony on Oct. 28 to celebrate Italian Heritage Month.

Sarah Heinonen

Forest Park grandstand reno, horticultural center fundraising underway

SPRINGFIELD — The noise of construction filled the air in Forest Park during an Oct. 28 press conference with U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, but this spring those sounds will be replaced with the crack of a baseball bat and the cheer of the crowd.

Sarah Heinonen

Residents, officials urge Parker Street drivers: ‘Check Your Speed’

SPRINGFIELD — A steady flow of vehicles streamed along Parker Street in both directions. It was rush hour on Oct. 28 and drivers were pouring past the Greenleaf Community Center.

Ryan Feyre

GOMBO Nola Kitchen & Oyster Bar under new ownership

NORTHAMPTON — Northampton resident Cassidy Bowman sees the purchase of GOMBO Nola Kitchen & Oyster Bar, the Cajun and creole staple on 159 Main St., as a classic tale: boy and dog eat at restaurant so much; they buy restaurant.

Hope Murray Tremblay

Westfield Puerto Rican group honors 2 educators

WESTFIELD — The Westfield Puerto Rican Association recently raised the flag of Puerto Rico at City Hall and recognized two city residents in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 annually.

Magazines

Dining & Entertainment

Sarah Heinonen

Bright Nights heading into 30th year as Springfield tradition

SPRINGFIELD — It may be hard to remember for many, but there was a time before lights adorned Forest Park each holiday season, before carfuls of families inched along the wooded, winding roads, oohing and ahhing and pointing out their favorite illuminations.

Ryan Feyre

The Big 3: A Halloween candy bag of R&B and rap

The last column I wrote featured a limited scope in genre, but with Halloween just around the corner, I want to provide a mixed bag of treats this time around. Below are some of my favorite R&B and rap songs I have been listening to over the past couple weeks.

Miasha Lee

New restaurant, The Black Sheep, out to prove it fits right in

HAMPDEN — The Black Sheep Cocktail Bar & Kitchen, located at 5 Allen St. in the Hampden Plaza, is a new craft cocktail bar and scratch kitchen that just opened, serving a diverse selection of cocktails and cuisine.

Provisions

Provisions’ Picks: taking another look at merlot options

This month we’re showcasing California merlot for the anniversary of that 2004 wine country film, “Sideways.”

Tyler Lederer

Shah’s Halal Food brings the heat to West Springfield

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Shah’s Halal Food in West Springfield makes itself clear it’s from the streets of New York. As in, it says, “from the streets of New York” in embossed lettering by the counter.

Matt Conway

What I’m Eating: A New Haven pizza showdown

I always dreamed of venturing to New Haven, Connecticut, one day to indulge in what many consider the world’s pizza capital. New Haven boasts a rich pizza history, with the narrow Wooster Street roadway housing two indelible icons — Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana and Sally’s Apizza.

Opinion

Letters to the Editor

Wrong location for middle school

Article 6 is a wakeup call to Longmeadow residents signed by over 300 citizens who agree that the current Williams Middle School site is the wrong location. At the Nov. 12 Town Meeting, voters will get to decide whether they support a new consolidated middle school to be built on the current (WMS) property site despite some major disadvantages which threaten long term consequences for the town.

Letters to the Editor

Things to consider before voting on middle school

Here are some things for Longmeadow residents to consider before voting on Article 6 at the Nov. 12 Special Town...

Letters to the Editor

Find a better solution for middle school

I would like to address last weeks Letter to the Editor, asking Longmeadow residents to vote yes on Article 6. Contrary to the opinion of the MSBC, we are not trying to derail the process, we are trying to find a better solution and location for the proposed new combined middle school. Let me address each of their points.

Letters to the Editor

Williams Street is best location for school

The town of Longmeadow, with its excellent public school system, has the immediate need of a new middle school as the current two, Glenbrook and Williams, are in deplorable and outdated condition and repeatedly need maintenance and costly repairs.

Letters to the Editor

Concerned about combined middle school

I’m writing you to express my concern regarding combining Williams and Glenbrook Middle School at the Williams site....

G. Michael Dobbs

Oh, I can dream about winning Powerball, can’t I?

I don’t know about you, but twice a week when I go to Buckeye Brothers in the South End of Springfield to buy Powerball tickets and receive wisdom from my friend Dave Glantz, I play a little mental game.

Letters to the Editor

Vote yes on Article 6

At the Nov. 12 Town Meeting, Longmeadow’s progress toward building a much-needed middle school could be put in jeopardy by an article seeking to derail the work of the Middle School Building Committee (MSBC). Show your support for a new school by voting yes on Article 6.

G. Michael Dobbs

What determines how you vote in an election?

What goes into your process of determining how you are going to vote? Now, I realize many people instantly would talk about party or their self-described political status such as conservative, liberal, libertarian or other, but it’s historically clear that many factors come into play.