Posts by DIFDESIGN
Gaming Commission Approves Safety Requirements for Casino Reopening
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) voted 5-0 on Tuesday to approve detailed guidelines outlining the minimum requirements for the reopening of the state’s two resort casinos and single slots facility. During a remote public meeting, the five gaming commissioners adopted health and safety rules that MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor, and Plainridge Park Casino must…
Read MoreValleyBike Share Launches 2020 Season
ValleyBike Share — the electric-assist bike-share program of the Pioneer Valley that includes Amherst, Easthampton, Holyoke, Northampton, South Hadley, Springfield, and the UMass Amherst campus — has launched the 2020 season in select locations. Remaining stations will be opened over the following weeks. ValleyBike boasts more than 40,000 active members, who have ridden more than…
Read MoreBusiness Talk With Rick Sullivan
Thom Fox interviews Rick Sullivan, President & CEO of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts. Thom and Rick discuss the unique opportunities COVID presents for WesternMA’s future, local employer’s approach to the region’s unemployed, and resources to support small business owners. Read the source article at BusinessWest
Read MoreMASSACHUSETTS – PHASE II, STEP 2 BEGINS MONDAY, JUNE 22ND
On Friday, the Baker-Polito Administration announced that Step Two of Phase II of the Commonwealth’s four-phase reopening plan, Reopening Massachusetts, begins Monday, June 22 to allow additional industries to resume operations under sector-specific guidelines. Businesses and sectors set to begin operating in Step Two of Phase II are subject to compliance with all mandatory safety standards. The following are…
Read MoreChef Wayne’s Big Mamou restaurant in Springfield closing; takeout kiosk will remain open
Wayne Hooker, known to thousands as “Chef Wayne,” announced Monday that he is retiring on July 1 and closing his popular Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou restaurant on Liberty Street. He made the announcement on his Facebook page. While he is closing the main location that he has operated for 25 years, Hooker said he will…
Read MoreState Launches Step Two of Second Phase of Economic Reopening
The Baker-Polito administration announced that the second step of phase 2 of the Commonwealth’s four-phase reopening plan will begin today, June 22, to allow additional industries to resume operations under sector-specific guidelines. The following will be eligible to reopen today: indoor table service at restaurants; close-contact personal services, with restrictions; retail dressing rooms, by appointment…
Read MoreCommunity Foundation’s $35,000 Grant Boosts HCC Student Emergency Fund
After COVID-19 broke, applications to the President’s Student Emergency Fund at Holyoke Community College (HCC) soared. The fund, established by President Christina Royal through the HCC Foundation, is meant to assist students facing unanticipated financial burdens, such as a lack of affordable housing, childcare expenses, and transportation. For the 2019-20 academic year, 93% of student…
Read MoreNorthfield Drive-In’s opening night brings moviegoers ‘a little bit of normalcy’ amid coronavirus pandemic
Even in the 1980s drive-in theaters were already relics — fading love letters to the early days of America’s romance with the automobile. “Nationwide, drive-ins sputter along,” said the headline of a 1988 Associated Press story that described the number of theaters falling by half over 30 years, from a peak of just over 4,000…
Read MoreBusiness Talk With Christina Royal
We are excited to announce that BusinessWest, in partnership with Living Local, has launched a new podcast series, Business Talk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times. Read the source article…
Read MoreMassMutual $500,000 donation to Urban League of Springfield will help promote equality
A $500,000 donation made by the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. to the Urban League of Springfield will be used to support the Black community through scholarships and upgrades to Camp Atwater. Henry M. Thomas III, president of the Urban League of Springfield, said the funding is an investment in the community. Read the source…
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