Aqua String Band to kick off St. Patrick’s weekend in Springfield
As St. Patrick’s Day festivities are approaching, the renowned Aqua String Band, hailing from Philadelphia, known as the Mummers, is set to enchant residents and staff at Independence House on Friday. This performance marks the beginning of a series of community appearances leading up to the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke’s parade weekend activities. Read…
Retrofit Program to Expand High-speed Internet Access in Affordable Housing Statewide
The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) at MassTech announced the launch of the Residential Internet Retrofit Program, a $22 million statewide initiative to equip public and affordable-housing units across the state with high-speed internet for current and future residents. MBI will bring together internet service providers (ISPs) and property owners to upgrade in-building telecommunications wiring, equipment,…
Baystate Health Names Peter Banko Its Next President and CEO
The Baystate Health board of trustees announced it has appointed Peter Banko as Baystate Health’s new president and CEO. He succeeds Dr. Mark Keroack, who previously announced his plans to retire after serving as the system’s leader for 10 years. An executive experienced in leading multi-faceted health systems in markets throughout the country, Banko was…
$175-million for Mass. from Feds for critical projects statewide
Western Massachusetts communities will be getting a boost from the Federal Government with funding for dozens of projects. An estimated $175 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) will support 159 community projects statewide including more than $106.1 million for transportation, infrastructure, community development and affordable housing, $47.6 million to support public infrastructure including clean drinking…
Common Threads to Celebrate Women Supporting Women on April 11
Common Threads, the signature event of Dress for Success Western Massachusetts (DFSWM), is coming up on Thursday, April 11 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Tickets are on sale until April 1. Common Threads will feature networking, a sit-down dinner, and a silent auction leading into a program that will…
STCC Helps Non-traditional Students Access Jobs
It’s called the IT Academy. Launching on March 12, it’s a new program within Springfield Technical Community College’s (STCC) Workforce Development Center that focuses on cybersecurity, a growing field with a constant need for new talent. “We’re really excited about this one,” said Ian Noonan, STCC’s director of Instruction and Asssessment for Workforce Development, noting…
Sublime Systems Advances Manufacturing Tradition in Holyoke
It’s called the Justice40 Initiative, also known as Section 223 of Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” It was issued by President Biden his first week in office back in 2021, and it directs 40% (hence the name) of the overall benefits of certain federal investments — including those in…
D1 Hockey Regional Comes with Risks, High Expectations for the Region
Jeff Smith acknowledged that, at this time of year, he’s certainly plugged into the NCAA Division 1 hockey rankings, standings, and something called … bracketology, a science of sorts whereby an analyst, starting several weeks in advance, projects which teams will wind up in the season-ending tournament and where they will play. Most of his…
Holyoke Wants to Move ‘Way Beyond Potential’
As he talked about Holyoke and its many marketable assets, Mayor Joshua Garcia listed everything from its location — on I-91 and right off a turnpike exit — to its still-large inventory of old mill space and a few available building lots, to its “green, clean, and comparatively cheap” hydroelectric energy. And all of these…
Agric Organics offers mobile grocery store to help with food access
After announcing a store opening in early 2024 at 10 Chestnut St. at Sky View Tower in Springfield, Agric Organics will also be taking their products and more on the road with the introduction of the 99 Farm Mobile Store. The year-round, full-service mobile grocery store will offer fresh fruits, veggies, bread, milk, eggs, rice…
BusinessTalk with HBRAWM Executive Director Andrew Crane
For seven decades, the Home & Garden Show presented by the Home Builders & Remodelers Assoc. of Western Massachusetts (HBRAWM) has been a much-anticipated annual event, where people come to check out what’s new in home improvement, maybe book a project or two, and have fun with friends and family. On the next episode of…
InFocus: Regional employment outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the country’s economy is expected to add nearly five million jobs from now through 2032, especially in the health care and social assistance industries. Does that reflect what’s happening in western Massachusetts? This week on 22News InFocus we’re going look into the current situation of our state’s…