Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley August Sessions Open

The Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley (HRIPV) has announced the return of its in-person programming with space available for its August two-day signature HealingRacism trainings on Monday, August 16 and Tuesday, August 17; and on Thursday, August 19 and Friday August 20. Dates were also released for HRIPV’s new virtual seminars,currently underway.Sessions are 8:30…

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Baker-Polito Administration to Invest $186 Million in Federal COVID-19 Funding for Critical Health Care and Workforce Priorities

The Baker-Polito Administration today announced it will invest $186 million of the Commonwealth’s direct federal aid from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) toward critical priorities including support for hospitals, health and human services, mental health, and workforce development. Utilizing these federal resources now will help further the Commonwealth’s economic recovery and provide relief for…

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Emergency Broadband Benefit Program Available to Older Adults

As of July 4, more than 34,000 Massachusetts households have enrolled in the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative encourages communities working to become age- and dementia-friendly to raise awareness about this program to help connect older…

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BusinessTalk with Massachusetts State Sen. Eric Lesser

George O’Brien has a lively discussion with Massachusetts State Sen. Eric Lesser, one of five finalists for BusinessWest’s coveted 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award. The two tackle a wide range of topics, including high-speed rail, the new Future of Work Commission Lesser now sits on, and redistricting and what it might mean for Springfield…

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Massachusetts Unemployment & Job Estimates for June

The state’s total unemployment rate in June was down one-tenth of a percentage point at 4.9% following a revision to the May unemployment rate to 5.0%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has revised its model to better capture the effect of the pandemic, resulting in…

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Public Art to Be Installed in Pynchon Plaza

The Springfield Museums and Springfield Cultural Partnership announced the artists chosen to augment the newly renovated Pynchon Plaza. The SPark! Igniting Our Community call resulted in many quality applications. “We were very excited about the strength of the applications to participate in the public art program in Pynchon Park,” said Karen Finn, executive director of…

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Gaming Commission Reports June Revenues; MGM’s Numbers Down from May

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission reported today that the month of June 2021 at MGM Springfield, Plainridge Park Casino (PPC), and Encore Boston Harbor generated approximately $84 million in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) for the Commonwealth. Breaking down the numbers, MGM Springfield generated $16.53 million in slot GGR and $3.67 million in table game GGR, for a total…

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Westfield State University Receives $1.5M Grant to Increase Healthcare Access

Westfield State University’s Department of Social Work has received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for the Integrative Behavioral Health (IBH) Equity Project. The project builds a specialized workforce within rural, medically underserved areas as well as among diverse and historically marginalized populations to address the barriers identified by the Commonwealth of…

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Fontaine Brothers Named General Contractor for Court Square Project

Springfield-based Fontaine Brothers has been named the general contractor for the long-awaited rehab of 31 Elm St. in Court Square into a 74-unit apartment complex. The announcement was made at a press conference at the site on Wednesday. Construction work on the $50 million project is expected to begin in the fourth quarter and take…

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