City receives funding for Nashawannuck Brook restoration
The city will receive $154,650 for restoration work on the Nashawannuck Brook from a $1.4 million state grant program supporting priority restoration projects across the commonwealth.
Page 4
Unity Basketball Nights return to Northampton this spring
Unity Basketball Nights will grace the city across five Mondays this spring, as children in grades 5-8 are invited to gather with community responders for evenings filled with athletic fun and pizza.
Page 4
EASTHAMPTON
Gigantic Bar offers tropical experience close to home
As a way to combat the home stretch of the winter season, Gigantic Bar has created a tropical-style setting that allows bar patrons to “Escape the Northeast” when they enter its doors.
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HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
Plays in Progress helps playwrights grow
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
NORTHAMPTON — Play Incubation Collective’s 2026 play development series is underway, giving playwrights the opportunity to receive direct feedback on their ongoing work from theater players and fans.
Play Incubation Collective, or PIC, is a local launchpad for new theatrical work that nourishes the community and fosters civic dialogue. One of the highlights of PIC’s work is the annual Plays in Progress Series, or PIPS, which kicked off on March 1.
Founded by Sarah Marcus and Rachel Hirsch, PIC was created to change the landscape of new play development by eliminating the traditional gatekeepers and letting the playwright spearhead their vision with the support of their collective multidisciplinary theater-makers.
PIC initially began this work in 2019, shortly after its founding, when private gatherings were held for local playwrights and actors to work through their works in progress. As they’ve continued that work over the last seven years, the series has established a unique opportunity for the local theater scene to get, as well as give, firsthand feedback and reception on their work as it develops.
“We saw an opportunity to create more work and more collaboration, and more paid opportunities for the people that live out here,” Marcus told Reminder Publishing. “It was just an opportunity for actors and writers to gather and for writers to get that early stage feedback when they’re working on something that’s still very much in progress.”
These readings at the Workroom inside the Northampton
Above, A look at the audience turnout from the last reading of 2025, “Vashti Says No,” by Tayla Kingston. At right, (left to right) Director and Dramaturg Daniel Goldstein, writer Sean Barry, and stage directions reader Sarah Marcus engage with audience feedback following presentation of Barry’s ongoing work, “Harry Truman and the Volcano” at the PIC’s Plays in Progress series 2026 opening night on March 1.
Photo credit: Play Incubation Collective
Center for the Arts feature brand new work from local playwrights that are read by local actors in front of an audience. Most readings will be followed by a short discussion, where audience members give feedback to the playwrights about their new work to aid its future development.
Six new plays will be given public readings this year, and over 50 local theater artists will be involved throughout the year and paid for their work. The 2026 PIPS dates are as follows:
• April 12, PIC PIPS “Iris,” by Olivia Clement Finch
• May 3, PIC PIPS “Trying,” a
screenplay by Morgan Tabb
• Sept. 6, PIC PIPS “The Voyage of the August,” by Wynn MacKenzie
Oct. 4, Development Workshop “Lucky Strike,” by Foster Finch Schrader Nov. 15, Incubation Residency “The Opheliet Project,” by Maizy Broderick
Each public reading begins at 7:30 p.m. inside the Workroom at 33 Hawley. The series of events is free to the public, but a sliding scale ticket option is encouraged to support PIC’s
work. More information is available at www.playincubation.org/ script-development.
Marcus called the series an exciting opportunity for the community to not only come together in support of the community’s vibrant theater ecosystem, but to participate in the future of theater creation. With direct feedback from an audience made up of fellow writers, directors, actors, and just fans of theater, the setting created through this series has
House gets earful about protecting immigrants
By Ella Adams State House News Service
BOSTON — Between courthouse concerns, public safety obligations and state interaction with federal immigration officials, law enforcement, sheriffs, immigrants, lawmakers and advocates weighed in on March 3 on how they want the state to move on reforms affecting immigrants.
In December alone, there were 87 arrests in the Chelsea District Court, according to state Rep. Judith Garcia, who represents the small city of more than 40,000 just north of Boston.
Brenda Romero, who has lived in Chelsea for 12 years, said her husband was detained by agents while walking out of a courthouse after being approved for political asylum.
“In a matter of minutes, our joy turned into terror. For six months, my daughters have lived without a father,” Romero said in Spanish, translated into English. Black and Latino Legislative Caucus Chair Andy Vargas explained the strife in Massachusetts courts while testifying for the so-called PROTECT Act (H 5158). He was one of a chorus of people who said immigrants are fearful of federal enforcement at courthouses, and so are choosing to not testify or show up as witnesses.
“Violent and unconstitutional immigration enforcement is ravaging our community,” Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez told House members of the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. Close to 400 children have left the Chelsea Public
Schools in the past year, as families “are afraid to leave their homes to go to work and send their children to school,” he said.
President Donald Trump’s administration has increased immigration action over the past year, pursuing the deportations promises he made as a candidate. The increasingly violent tactics of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have caused protests to unfold across the country in recent months.
Some Massachusetts lawmakers rebuked Trump’s actions and ICE’s tactics, but it’s been more than a month since major proposals were offered to protect immigrants. The caucus unveiled its bill in January with safeguards for court proceedings, consistent due process and enforcement authority for the attorney general.
Gov. Maura Healey in January signed an executive order and filed a proposal as part of a spending bill that was sent to the House Ways and Means Committee.
The timeline for a proposal and votes is not clear. House Speaker Ron Mariano on the morning of March 4 said in a statement that the House will vote “this spring.” He said he expects “pragmatic legislative solutions that seek to protect Massachusetts residents from federal immigration agents, within the confines of state law.”
There were 614 federal immigration enforcement arrests in courthouses across Massachusetts last year, Vargas said. Committee member Rep. David Linsky recalled being stopped at the door of Framingham District Court by ICE agents as they were dragging a man out of
the courthouse.
“I don’t know why he was there,” Linsky said. “But because he got brought out of the courthouse, what that means is that somebody else didn’t get justice that day.”
Rep. Priscila Sousa noted that while some immigrants are in federal custody, they miss their immigration appointments that would make them compliant. And speaking of a young pregnant woman in her district who was detained, despite attempting to go through proper legal channels to get charges dropped, Sen. Liz Miranda said, “If this isn’t state terror, I don’t know what actually is.”
While states can’t pass bills directing the conduct of federal immigration officials, “the Legislature can act to make sure the state’s resources, institutions and spaces are not co-opted in ways that are inconsistent with our commonwealth’s values, constitutional guarantees and the protections of our residents,” Deputy Attorney General Abby Taylor said.
Asked by state Rep. Steven Xiarhos about whether she agrees that people should be arrested for violent crimes, Taylor said she did but that the question at hand was about civil immigration enforcement.
“The vast majority we’ve seen since the beginning of the Trump administration has not been about violent criminals at all. It’s been about people who’ve committed no crimes or who committed low level offenses,” Taylor said. She added that she thinks ICE agents are being put “in a very bad posi-
tion,” as they’re not being trained and told to arrest as many people as possible. Under the 2017 Lunn court decision, Taylor added, state agencies can’t hold individuals on the basis of civil immigration detainers.
Barnstable County Sheriff Donna Buckley said that from the sheriffs’ perspective, concern arises when ICE is able to detain immigrants mid-legal process.
“If someone is in our facility, regardless of what the charges are, and they’re eligible for bail, and they post bail and they have a detainer, if ICE takes possession of that person, it trumps our criminal justice process,” Buckley said. “So yes, they may be charged with serious crimes, but we never get to finish the process. And I think that’s part of what we should be considering, because it’s not fair to the victims.”
The Massachusetts Sheriffs Association testified in favor of the bill, but suggested its name be changed. Law enforcement officials also fielded numerous questions about how immigration enforcement is impacting their work and public safety.
Local police have no authority to remove federal officials from a space or to interfere with their job, officers said. State Reps. Michelle Ciccolo and Linsky asked how police would respond to an ICE officer breaking and entering private property while enforcing a civil detainer without a judicial warrant.
“If someone’s being harmed, then we’re going to intervene. If another law enforcement agency is attempting their arrest, then
our body cameras will be on and we’ll document the situation,” Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association President Larry Calderone said.
“I want to be clear that we’re not going to interfere with federal officials in federal law unless there is an absolute crime being committed,” Calderone explained.
“The worry is in the back of everybody’s mind: ‘What if we are charged with a federal crime?’” Calderone continued. “And I need to stress to this panel as strongly as we possibly can, speaking for 20,000 law enforcement officers, that should or when this law is put into effect, please put a piece in there about indemnification for the men and women we represent.”
The caucus proposal bans any creation or renewal of 287(g) agreements that allow local law enforcement to carry out federal immigration officers’ responsibilities. It includes an exception for an agency seeking to work with federal enforcement agents, which Sheriff Buckley said “doesn’t make any sense.”
“There’s no need for us to be doing the work of ICE anywhere in Massachusetts,” Buckley said. The Department of Correction is partnered with federal immigration enforcement through the agreements.
Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald’s facility is the only one holding detainees on behalf of ICE. There are 474 men in ICE custody in his facility, their average length of stay is 20 days, and 243 of them claim an address
See ICE on page 3
Allsport Cup 3-on-3 soccer tourney returns March 28
NORTHAMPTON — On Saturday, March 28, Allsport Arena will host its annual Allsport Cup 3v3
Soccer Tournament, a fast-paced fundraiser that combines high-energy soccer with a simple goal:
raising money so more people can afford to play. Proceeds from this year’s tour-
nament will support the Allsport Community Scholarship Fund, which helps youth and adult players participate when cost would otherwise keep them off the field.
Allsport is a six-month seasonal indoor facility, operating during the long New England winter — a time when opportunities for recreation and community activity can be limited.
“When it’s dark at 4:30 [p.m.] and everyone’s a little stir-crazy, having a place to move, compete and belong matters,” said Jeff, owner of Allsport Arena. “Sports don’t just burn calories — they burn stress. They build confidence. They give kids and adults something positive to plug into all winter.”
Each year, Allsport distributes approximately $17,000 in scholarships and financial assistance so families aren’t turned away for financial reasons. The 3v3 Cup plays a major role in supporting that effort.
In past years, the tournament has raised funds to support the people of Ukraine and a Holyoke nonprofit serving local youth. Re-
cent tournaments have generated about $7,000, and organizers are aiming to raise $10,000 this year to expand the arena’s scholarship program.
What to Expect
• 3v3 Format: Fast games, guaranteed matches, and a single-elimination bracket for top teams.
• Prizes: Jerseys and trophies for youth winners; $600 Allsport credit for Adult Competitive champions and $200 for Adult Recreational winners. Atmosphere: Music, costumes encouraged, high energy, and the kind of controlled chaos that makes people say, “We’re definitely doing that again next year.” Teams consist of 3-6 players. Youth games begin in the afternoon, with adult divisions in the early evening.
Registration closes March 26 at midnight or when its sold out. For registration and details, visit: www.allsportsoccer.com/3v3.
Students elevate on AP exams and Healey celebrates
By Sam Drysdale State House News Service
BOSTON — Massachusetts
continues to grapple with early literacy woes and school budget cuts but its students once again have topped the nation on Advanced Placement exams.
New data released in March 3 by the College Board show that 35.8% of Massachusetts public high school graduates scored a 3 or higher (out of 5) on at least one AP exam — the highest rate in the country and the highest in state history.
Participation also climbed, with nearly half of graduates taking at least one AP test, and state officials spotlighted steep gains since 2021 among Black and Hispanic students as exam fee subsidies expanded.
The milestone lands as the state faces sobering academic and fiscal headwinds.
Achievement gaps between demographic groups persist, early literacy scores remain deeply concerning with many elementary students off grade level, and districts from Boston to the Berkshires are grappling with educator layoffs and shrinking student enrollment.
With the landmark Student Opportunity Act nearing the end of its scheduled funding rampup, lawmakers are confronting questions about whether — and how — to sustain equity investments that have underpinned recent gains.
“We’ve been really intentional about increasing these AP exam scores,” Gov. Maura Healey said at a press conference. “Now there’s a lot of work left to do. We’re still recover-
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in Massachusetts as their primary residence, McDonald said.
ing from the pandemic, as all states are, and we’re working to close any learning gaps. But for me, the ultimate goal is not the number one ranking, actually, it’s knowing that we have the very best prepared students in the country when they leave high school.”
Massachusetts has been at the top of the metric for the most public high school graduates who scored a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam every year since 2021. Many colleges award students college credit for AP scores above a 3.
Nationally, 24.8% of public high school graduates reached this achievement, compared to Massachusetts’s 35.8%.
“That ranking is being driven because more tests are being taken across the state,” said Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page. “Worcester, Quincy, Springfield. It’s good to see that students are being given the opportunities and taking the opportunity.”
However, achievement gaps remain wide.
Of the 34,870 white students who took AP exams in Massachusetts in the 2024-2025 school year, 82% of them received a 3 or higher, according to data from the governor’s office. That is compared to 63% of the total 10,753 Hispanic or Latino students who took the exams; 57% of a total 4,540 Black students; and 89% of the 9,092 Asian students who participated in the AP in Massachusetts last year.
Asked about these persistent gaps, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Pedro Martinez said that the first step is ramping up partici-
He agreed there’s no need for 287(g) agreements, and said that everyone in his facility has access to resources like medical care, prescriptions and attorneys, though sheriffs don’t have the authority to transport someone in
pation across districts.
“We’re exposing our students to the rigor, and so that is the first step, and the fact that we have AP courses in 86% of our high schools that we’re seeing such significant increases,” Martinez said. “What we’re doing in Massachusetts is all of our students are rising. Yes, there’s some gaps there, but if we keep doing this, and we keep going forward, and you combine this with early college courses, you now have this magic formula.”
Page said these disparities are strongly influenced by the “intersection of class and race,” and persistent challenges despite recent state investment in low-income districts.
“Pushing for better housing and health care and all of those things, that’s a core part of access to opportunities. But clearly, if we continue to invest as we have through the Student Opportunity Act, we can see what happens in communities like Springfield and Worcester, who got a lot of money,” Page said. “This was a very durable problem, and it still is... but we still see clearly, we have a long we to go still, because ideally we’d like to see no gap.”
Gov. Maura Healey’s office promoted gains made among Black and Hispanic or Latino students, who are taking the exams at higher rates and receiving higher scores over the past four years.
Between 2021 and 2025, the number of students of color participating in the AP exam increased by 49%. Massachusetts was the highest ranked state, though still behind Washington D.C., for the percentage
federal custody to hearings without ICE’s signoff.
“This can be problematic, and I think in some other parts of the country may well become problematic, and something that we’re going to have to have some fairly
of Black students who graduated in 2025 and took at least one AP exam.
Between 2021 and 2025, the number of students of color who received a score of 3 or higher grew 93% in Massachusetts.
The number of students overall taking the tests grew by 26% in those four years, “in part because the state expanded fee waivers available to help students afford the tests,” according to the governor’s office.
AP exams cost almost $100 without a fee subsidy. Under the Healey administration, the state has started subsidizing the fees, resulting in low-income students paying $22 per test. It’s paid for through the 4% surtax on high earners.
“Under this administration, Massachusetts has subsidized 90,783 AP exams for nearly 50,000 low-income students. Students who take AP courses in high school are more likely to enroll in a four-year college and perform better in introductory college courses,” it says.
The Student Opportunity Act, passed in 2019, was designed to phase in more than $1.5 billion in additional aid to districts over seven years, aimed at closing gaps between the lowest-income districts and the wealthiest. The budget state budget bill that is under deliberation will carry the sixth and final year of the infusion, with total investments reaching roughly $2.3 billion over its lifespan.
Page raised concerns that milestones like the announcements made on March 3 could be at risk from a fiscal cliff effect caused by the end of the SOA without another long-term
high level discussions about going forward,” McDonald said.
Asked about the potential for virtual hearings for those in ICE custody, McDonald suggested more conversation and said “that’s something that we certain-
plan for reformed education investment.
Many education activists say the Legislature is taking too long to come up with a new plan for K-12 school funding adaptable to current pressures — such as declining enrollment and high inflation.
“I’m worried about our districts having to lay off educators and pull back on programs at the very moment we’re seeing success,” Page said. “It’s incumbent upon the Legislature to build on what the governor proposed and do a lot more to stave off the fiscal crisis.”
The state has also invested heavily in recent years in literacy initiatives for early readers, buoyed by the surtax on high earners. So far, the youngest Bay Staters are still far behind expected reading benchmarks. Lawmakers are currently considering legislation to reform early literacy curriculum across the state.
Healey said her administration has focused on early education investments to start closing the learning gaps reflected in AP exam data at a young age.
“This is why it’s so important that we’ve made investments in child care and early education, investments in literacy and high dosage tutoring, so that, from the start, all students — Black, white, Latino, it doesn’t matter. All students in Massachusetts have the tools, have the training, have the resources from the start,” she said.
Sam Drysdale is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro Massachusetts. Reach her at sdrysdale@ statehousenews.com.
ly could accommodate.”
Ella Adams is a reporter for the State House News Service and State Affairs Massachusetts. Reach her at ella.adams@statehousenews.com.
City receives funding for Nashwannuck Brook restoration
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
NORTHAMPTON — The city will receive $154,650 for restoration work on the Nashwannuck Brook from a $1.4 million state grant program supporting priority restoration projects across the commonwealth.
This funding and project are part of ongoing efforts from the city to rehabilitate the former Pine Grove Golf Course into a recreational and wildlife space. This $154,650 will go toward construction work to enhance the Nashwannuck Brook, restore floodplain connection, create new wetland habitat and plant vegetation on the property.
Northampton Director of Planning and Sustainability Carolyn Misch told Reminder Publishing that the ongoing effort to rehabilitate the former Pine Grove Golf Course is part of a long-term plan of increasing recreational opportunities and wildlife activity on the property.
The golf course on Old Wilson Road was purchased by the city in 2020 with the mission of restoring the 100-acre property back to its natural state. This work began with the dismantling of structures that were installed to help create the golf course before nature takes its course.
“All along, the goal has been to restore this golf course to its natural state. So that started several years ago with initially dismantling some of the structures and features that are in the golf course,” said Misch. “That included planting over 100 saplings in different loca-
tions, testing out sort of where they would take off on their own, and then also allowing the native vegetation to grow back. But we facilitated that by having a contractor go out and effectively punch holes in the ground to break open and pull up the clay tiles underneath that were put in as part of the golf course to convey water out. That allowed seedlings to get in, for water to get in. So that was the initial phase of allowing it to rewild itself, by just allowing access to air and water into the natural soils underneath.”
The funding, provided by the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Ecological Restoration (DER), was awarded to 12 communities, including eight projects through DER’s Priority Projects Program, and one project through DER’s Culvert Replacement Training Site Initiative.
DER’s Priority Projects Program supports wetland and river restoration projects that benefit the state’s environment, community and economy. Once designated as a DER Priority Project through a competitive process, projects are eligible to apply for funding opportunities and receive technical support and services from DER.
Misch explained that the city is planning to remove a collapsed culvert that runs under Old Wilson Road next to the property after the culvert unexpectedly collapsed last May due to significant rainfall events, leaving the road closed since then. This is separate from this restoration work and she said that, initially, plans were to focus on the restoration
of the course before pulling the culvert, but the damage to the culvert was too pronounced to ignore.
“There are several pieces of a puzzle coming together in phases. Some of it was planned and some of it not so much, and so we’re happy that we can start putting these pieces together that will continue to facilitate rewilding the golf course,” said Misch.
Misch said the culvert is planned to be removed at some point following this upcoming restoration work, but the DER grant will not fund the removal. The grant funding for the upcoming restoration work has a June 30 deadline to spend.
Digging further into the details of the upcoming restoration work, Misch explained that golf courses are by design made to shed water quickly away from greens, but this requires unnatural structures placed along the stream bank, which negatively impacts water flow. Funding will support the removal of these unnatural structures and restore floodplain connection on the property.
“By rewilding now, this space is basically converting from a parking lot to actual natural absorption properties. We’re also sort of creating more storage capacity by removing dams that were created for the impoundment of water to make a pond feature on the property. By removing that and letting the stream flow and overtop its banks naturally, the water can settle and stay there as opposed to being pushed off site immediately. It becomes a flood storage capacity and has
potential beneficial events on downstream properties,” explained Misch.
Misch said that the replanting along the stream banks itself is necessary because the banks on the stream were packed with rocks and concrete in some areas, making it difficult to transport water off the course.
“That means that the natural organisms and vegetation can’t grow, so that concrete and rock will be removed from the banks of the stream corridor, and that will allow more natural flow and overtopping of the streams. It will allow absorption, allow new growth of species,” said Misch. “They’ll be planting and also placement of features that mimic natural condition. We have these plans for what are referred to as log jams, which in some cases could be natural wood, but these are sort of engineered features to help facilitate the water staying in and pool around these log jams, so that will help facilitate the growth of new organisms.”
Misch said that other phases of restoration work on the property will depend on future grant funding sources, including future trail work and additional restoration activities. But for now, this $154,650 will still support important restoration work on the property.
The total $1.4 million in grants announced by the Healey-Driscoll Administration will support river and wetland restoration projects specifically. These projects aim to help strengthen resilience to climate change, reduce flood risks, improve water quality and public safety and restore vital wildlife habitat.
“Restoring wetlands and streams, removing dams, and replacing culverts make our communities safer and more resilient to the increasing extreme weather events,” said Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Investing in this work benefits all of us now and into the future. That’s why we put forward the Mass Ready Act — to ensure Massachusetts communities are prepared for the storms we are seeing now and the ones we will experience in the future.”
Misch said that while this round of funding will help continue restoration work on the property, state backed grants only further the commonwealth’s commitment to be climate conscious for a greener future.
“It’s hugely beneficial to have the state support this through grant funding, and its mutually beneficial from a climate strategy standpoint for the commonwealth, as well as for the city, because if each community across the commonwealth moved on projects that help create floodplain storage, reforesting areas, permanently protecting land — all of those coupled together really help the commonwealth, and so I think the fact that the commonwealth recognizes that, and supports it through this grant funding is great,” said Misch. “We hope that — and I think the commonwealth hopes too — that this is sort of serves as an example for other communities to start thinking about ways that even on a small scale could be beneficial for their own communities.”
Unity Basketball Nights return to Northampton this spring
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
NORTHAMPTON — Unity Basketball Nights will grace the city across five Mondays this spring, as children in grades 5-8 are invited to gather with community responders for evenings filled with athletic fun and pizza.
A collaboration between the Northampton Police Department, Northampton Parks and Recreation, Children’s Advocacy Center of Hampshire County, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office and Mass. State Police, Unity Basketball was started to encourage communication between young people and community responders in a fun and competitive setting.
The series begins Monday,
March 16, and will take place every two weeks from 5:30-8:30 p.m. until its finale on May 11. All of the events will take place at JFK Middle School.
Parks & Recreation Assistant
Director Shelby Michna told Reminder Publishing that the first Unity Basketball series in Northampton was held in November 2024 and saw a turnout of 50-60 children during each of the events.
Michna said she wanted to bring the idea to Northampton after attending a similar event in Holyoke.
Coordinating the event became a layup after Michna connected with Police Detective Lauren Bolduc, who informed her she already wanted to establish the
same event in Northampton.
“I didn’t know [she was looking to do the same], so I was like, ‘well, I can help you get the kids, and you can do the other part, and it was a match made in heaven for us,” said Michna.
Bolduc said that they have brought in more partners to sponsor the Unity Basketball event this spring and plan to put on a bigger and better version of the community gathering.
“This year, we have worked on getting the funding to support the program so we could accommodate more kids, which is really awesome. The more kids that can participate and have a safe place to go is the goal,” said Bolduc.
During the series, an introduction session will kick off each
Monday evening to welcome some new children and law enforcement that are volunteering. Then things turn to the first portion of the night, drill and skill sessions.
After that, there will be a break for a pizza dinner. While everyone enjoys the meal, guest speakers will visit to talk to the youth about their careers.
“One week, we have the head athletic director come to speak. Then, we have the Umass sports kids coming to speak about different ways kids can do sports journalism or marketing, or become athletic trainers. Just talking to them about different ways that sports can turn into professions later if they’re interested,” said Bolduc.
Following dinner, participants are split into teams, and pick-up basketball games begin.
Michna said that the experience provides a unique boost to youth and overall community morale.
“I just see everybody leaves happy. Adults and kids. And that’s super positive in a world that’s filled with uncertainties, and so for us, I just think providing that space and those experiences, it’s fulfilling and heartwarming to be able to do that and provide that for our community,” said Michna. “I think community collaborations are awesome and great for the city. It’s great to see different
departments working together toward the common goal. The Police Department and the Rec. Department, we’re both serving people but in very different capacities. I think this is awesome that we can do this with Lauren and the state partners.”
Bolduc said the event has had success because of the ability of sports to bring people together in an unforced way.
“You can just have fun, everyone comes together, they’re sharing activities, and they can express themselves in a way that just takes away all the pressure and stress that is in a typical setting for kids. Especially when everyone’s on the go, and there’s so many outside responsibilities now, it just gives everyone a break to decompress and have fun,” said Bolduc. “Especially from the Police Department, too, we want opportunities to connect with the kids in a way that’s not just a traumatic incident. We obviously respond to emergencies on a whole scale, from minor to larger issues, and we want to have rapport with kids in ways that are fun … we can also be a face that they see in the community and feel safe to just come say hi to.”
The event is free to the public, but those interested in participating are asked to register for Unity Basketball Nights online at www.northamptonma.gov/789/ Parks-Recreation.
WMAS RADIOTHON FOR BAYSTATE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL RAISES OVER $250,000 — This year, the 25th annual 94.7 WMAS Radiothon for Baystate Children’s Hospital was presented by Hyundai Hope on Wheels,
Rome Hyundai, and held at the Naismith Memorial Basketball
of Springfield,
and
Thanks to the generosity of the community, this year’s Radiothon raised a remarkable total of $250,376 for Baystate Children’s Hospital.
Publishing submitted photo
Pro Chamber Music Group present spring concert
NORTHAMPTON — Lyracle will present its spring concert, “The Family Band” in Lyman Hall at First Churches of Northampton at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Apr 18. They will bring you 400-year-old music that connects the 17th and 21st centuries through the timeless theme of family relationships.
In “The Family Band,” they imagine a musical afternoon in a fairytale-worthy German castle
spent with the immensely talented Sophie Elisabeth, August II and their six children. Join them to explore the role that music played in one 17th-century family’s learning from and caring for each other through a program featuring music that they composed together.
Several of the pieces on the program are from unpublished manuscripts in Sophie Elisabeth’s hand, and to the best of
their knowledge, their performance will mark their modern-day premiere!
A Community Sing & Play will immediately follow the 75-minute concert for those who wish to participate.
Stick around for tea and cookies and join the Lyracle musicians to sing/play through a few short pieces composed during Sophie Elisabeth’s lifetime. All voices, instruments and levels welcome.
Information about the event:
• Saturday, April 18, 3 p.m.
• Lyman Hall at First Churches of Northampton
• Please use the Center Street entrance
• Tickets at events.humanitix. com/the-family-band
• $20 general admission
• $10 students and seniors Free for EBT/WIC/Connector Care recipients
Western Mass. Relics registration open to men 50
LUDLOW — The Western Mass. Relics Senior Softball League is officially stepping up to the plate for its 2026 season.
Organizers have announced that registration is now open for men aged 50 and older who are looking for competitive play, exercise and camaraderie.
The 2026 season is scheduled to kick off on April 20 and will run through late summer. Games are held at the Fish & Game Club in Ludlow.
Founded in 1991, the Western Mass Relics have grown from a small group of enthusiasts into a premier regional destination for senior slow-pitch softball. For over 30 years, the league has remained dedicated to its mission of providing a safe, organized environment where seniors can remain active.
The Relics are proud members of the Senior Softball-USA network and have historically
fielded tournament teams that compete at the national level, showcasing the high caliber of talent found right here in Western Massachusetts.
The team also competes in the Massachusetts Senior Olympics.
To ensure fair play and safety, the league is divided into two primary brackets based on age and skill level:
• Silver Division (Ages 50+):
Designed for a faster pace of play. Registration is $95, which includes the cost of paid, sanctioned umpires for games.
• Gold Division (Ages 65+):
Focuses on safety and fun, featuring specific rules such as “no sliding” and the “over rule” at second and third. Registration is $60.
Age eligibility is determined by the age the player will reach by Dec. 31, 2026. Prospective players can
Support: Carolyn Napolitan
Financial Department: Nancy Banning
Circulation Department: Nate Halla
Balise Hyundai
Country Hyundai
Gary
Hall of Fame in Springfield.
Reminder
EASTHAMPTON VS MCCANN TECH
HOCKEY
The Easthampton Boys Hockey team beat out McCann Tech to win the Western Mass Class B Finals with a final score of 4-3.
REMINDER SPORTS PHOTOS TAKEN BY SAM BLAKE
Grayson Catrambone skates into the enemy zone and skates between the two players.
Easthampton players celebrate with fans after scoring a goal.
Parker Christy takes the puck and shoots it up the boards for a teammate.
Tommy Bixby makes a great leg kick save.
Easthampton celebrate with the fans after scoring a goal.
Wyatt Hunter skates past the blue line into McCann’s zone.
Easthampton poses for the camera after winning the Western Mass Class B hockey finals.
Grayson Catrambone flips the puck forward into the opposing team’s zone.
Wes Thompson skates around the net and passes the puck to his teammate.
Cal Gworek skates down the ice with the puck.
Gigantic Bar offers tropical experience close to home EASTHAMPTON
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
EASTHAMPTON — As a way to combat the home stretch of the winter season, Gigantic Bar has created a tropical-style setting that allows bar patrons to “Escape the Northeast” when they enter its doors.
Happening now until the end of March, Gigantic’s “Escape the Northeast” seasonal effort was conceived to not only bring in some business during the slower months of the year, but also to offer a unique bar experience on Cottage Street.
“It’s a blast, I love these two months. It’s my favorite time of the year,” said Gigantic partner and Bar Manager Ned King.
The Escape the Northeast menu includes a variety of tropical drinks that are “Made the Gigantic Way,” from classics to new twists. The menu primarily contains tiki drinks founded between the 1930s and the 1970s, served in special cups to add to the tropical presentation, while the bar itself is covered in tropical decor.
Each item on the menu also contains historical background on the drink’s history. For a classic like The Zombie (1934), the menu shares, “The cocktail that started the longest drink fad in American history, from the depression to disco. Lost for nearly 70 years, the original recipe was discovered in the 1937 notebook of Beachcomber Maître d’Dick Santiago, who had marked the
recipe “old.”
The history of The Skull and Bones (1960) is shared, as well:
“This tropical delight would have been lost forever if it weren’t for ex-tiki bartender, Tony Ramos. Ramos was one of the original bartenders who worked at Don the Beachcomber in the 1930s. In 2001, while dining at a Chinese restaurant, he wrote the recipe down from memory on a cocktail napkin.”
The bar also specializes in vintage rum offerings, including aged options from the 1900s, and one item dating back to the 19th century.
“My approach to cocktails has basically always been the same, which is I like knowing why a drink is on our menu. More than just being creative and coming up with interesting flavors and stuff, I really do like to draw a lot of stuff from historical references or old drinks, or [I] like trying to work on things that I’ve seen before in the past and make them different or interesting,” said King. “That’s always been my approach; we’re definitely a historically-minded cocktail bar, and that feeds into the vintage spirits, too. I’ve just been collecting that stuff for a long time.”
The tropical theme will continue until March 28, where a final celebration for this year’s run will be held at the bar.
Opened in 2018, Gigantic was founded by partners James Stillwaggon and King. King told Reminder Publishing the bar world
and this opportunity came to him spontaneously.
A Western Massachusetts native who’s originally from Orange, King was working as a Stop and Shop gas station attendant while studying history in college over a decade ago. During his shifts, he said he would use the gas station computer to kill time when things were slow. It was then when he first came across a YouTube channel called, “The Cocktail Spirit with Robert Hess,” which King described as a PBS style show that informed his inspiration.
“They were educational. He was really good at tying history to the drinks, so he would talk about where the drink came from and give it context, and I was already doing history and archaeology stuff at UMass at the time,” said King. “I wasn’t even much of a drinker but all of a sudden, I realized there was all this kind of historical stuff for the drinks, which is really what drew me to cocktails.”
King said this exposure led him to begin making cocktails from home. Soon enough, King was inviting people over consistently to try his creations.
What was still just a hobby eventually morphed into a job opportunity at Amherst Coffee’s Whiskey Bar. For several years, King worked there until he eventually met Stillwaggon.
Stillwaggon had just purchased the property that was formerly additional space for Amy’s Place Bar & Grill with hopes of opening a bar with a business partner. By the beginning of 2018, the two became partners and took on the new endeavor.
“I was not intending on opening a bar,” said King. “Most of the time, it doesn’t happen that way, but I just got lucky and took advantage of the opportunity. It was really opportune timing.”
Gigantic officially opened by December 2018.
“I had been to Easthampton a ton over the years, but I didn’t know what was going on here either. And it wasn’t a forgone conclusion that it was going to work,” added King, saying it was great to be part of the growth on Cottage Street.
Then the pandemic, like it did to most parts of the day-today life, caused the bar to take a step back, closing their doors for 15 months before they reopened sometime in 2021. King said that time allowed them to find different ways to evolve the bar.
“It wasn’t easy. We had to find ways to make stuff more affordable because alcohol was really expensive right after the pandemic. A lot of the stuff we were able to source before wasn’t there anymore or it was way pricier, so we made changes and we had less staff, and we sort of slowly built it back,” said King. “Once 2022 came around, that was a great year, because everyone wanted to go out again. That was actually the first year we did ‘Escape the Northeast,’ too.”
While Escape the Northeast was created post-pandemic, King said it also partially stemmed from his time at the Amherst Coffee Whiskey Bar.
“We used to do a tiki night on Sundays before the pandemic, which is something I did at Amherst Coffee too, because I really like tropical cocktails. We didn’t decorate or anything like this, we just had a separate menu, and I would roll out those drinks on Sundays. It wasn’t easy because it meant that every Sunday, we had to change out the well, we had to change all the syrups and everything. It was fun, but it was definitely time-consuming,” said King.
With this in mind, King thought maybe there was an opportunity to reincorporate the tiki night themes into the general bar experience, potentially though a seasonal option.
“That eventually became like, why don’t we take the slowest time of year for the bar, which is January through March, and see if we can do something fun with it to get people to come in. So I ended up buying a bunch of netting and tropical stuff, and it sort of slowly accumulated over time. It was definitely a risk, it also wasn’t a forgone conclusion that it was going to be a success,” said King. “At the time, I think it was surprising. And still, in kind of the opposite way, sometimes people don’t even know that we’re a regular bar. They only come for this. So, the reaction has been awesome. It’s the most popular thing the bar does, and it’s our busiest two months out of the year now.”
King gave credit to his bar staff, adding that an effort like this would not be made possible without a staff that can handle these complicated drink options in a busy bar setting.
King added that while they have plenty of unique offerings, the menu still maintains the classics that people come to expect with tropical cocktails, like Mai Tais, Zombies and Painkillers. He hopes the public considers the tropical escape offered right in their own community before the end of its run.
“Specifically, with the tropical drinks, these drinks tend to be slightly more expensive than others because there’s more alcohol and things going into them, but we spend a lot of time making sure that each drink has its own look and everything, and tiki drinks in particular have garnishes, mint bouquets and flowers and all this stuff. So, this is more fun than I think the standard, in terms of presentation,” said King. “If people want to come for this specifically, the last day of it is March 28, and we will have a big party that last day.”
The menu, and more information about Gigantic, can be found at www.giganticbar.com.
Top row, from left, Ned King, one of Gigantic Bar’s founding partners and Bar Manager, poses inside the “Escape the Northeast” makeover given to the bar to provide an escape for the public during the home stretch of the winter months. Gigantic Bar’s “Escape the Northeast” seasonal makeover transforms the bar into a tropical hideout tucked on Cottage Street. Bottom row, from left Gigantic Bar offers special tropical drink offerings during its “Escape the Northeast” transformation, and also offers vintage rum. Gigantic Bar’s “Escape the Northeast” lasts until March 28.
Reminder Publishing photos by Trent Levakis.
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — An exhibit at the Springfield Museums allows people to explore an old painting in a brand-new way — with their hands.
The name of the exhibit, “Please Touch! A Tactile Exploration of Sante Graziani’s Mural,” a play on signs reading “Do Not Touch” that are commonly found in museums. An interactive exhibit, it allows people to physically explore a three-dimensional recreation of an artwork that is usually only experienced through the eyes.
The mural, an enormous 25foot by 7-foot plaster fresco, came about when the Museum of Fine Arts in Springfield, now the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, hosted an international mural contest in 1943. At the time, mural art was popular in the United States, spurred on by works commissioned by the federal Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression. More than 80 artists from the United States, Mexico and Canada submitted designs to the contest that celebrated culture and art, but Graziani’s vision was unanimously chosen by the jury of judges. The fresco was painted in 1947.
The figures depicted in the work represent the arts scene of Springfield in the 1940s, highlighting painters, sculptors, photographers, architects, musicians, actors and dancers. Many of the individuals in the mural are not simply generic artists, but rather, are based on Graziani’s contemporaries and friends. These include sculptor Leonard Baskin, who was Graziani’s college roommate, and Springfield’s own soprano vocalist Adele Addison. Also included in the crowd were then-museum director Frederick Robinson and a depiction of the artist himself, as a child.
Meanwhile, in the mural, two walls are being erected, reflecting the growing, evolving nature of the museum. The walls visually divide the painting into three sections. In the background
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums is proud to announce the debut of a bold new permanent exhibition at the Springfield Science Museum, Dinosaurs Still Live: The Story of Archosaurs, opening March 13. This dynamic, 1,400-square-foot gallery invites visitors of all ages to uncover the surprising connections between dinosaurs, birds, crocodilians and pterosaurs.
Dinosaurs Still Live blends hands-on discovery, immersive environments and engaging storytelling to spark curiosity and inspire learning across generations. With a contemporary design, a vibrant color palette, and family-focused interpretation, the exhibition marks an exciting new chapter for the Science Museum and reflects its commitment to inclusive, innovative education.
“Dinosaurs are one of the most popular topics at Springfield Museums! Our visitors have asked to learn more about animals that were alive at the same time as dinosaurs, and this exhibit illustrates the process of evolution while highlighting two other important reptile families,” said Jenny Pow-
of the painting, there are well known Springfield buildings, including Old First Church and the Alexander House. The Van Norman Tool Company, which sponsored the mural contest, is seen on the right side of the mural.
The interactive exhibit presents museum goers with a three-dimensional recreation of the artwork laid flat on a table in front of the mural. The layered relief adds a realistic quality to the art. Every bumpy rock, sharp-edged stair and rippled fabric is brought to life, making it feel as though the viewer just interrupted the movement of the scene’s subjects.
Beyond giving the mural more depth, the exhibit allows people with limited vision to experience the artwork, allowing fingertips
ers, director of the Springfield Science Museum. “The most requested new dinosaur was velociraptor, and I am proud to say that this exhibit will also fulfill that request. I hope that our visitors will consider this new exhibition as educationally rich as it is fun.”
Archosaurs are a group of animals that includes all birds and crocodiles, as well as their extinct relatives like dinosaurs, pterosaurs (flying reptiles) and some ancient reptiles that lived in the oceans or on land during the age of dinosaurs. Scientists define archosaurs as all animals that come from the most recent common ancestor of today’s birds and crocodiles.
Dinosaurs Still Live unfolds as a journey guided by four characters, each introducing a different chapter of the archosaur story: Hoot, Keeper of the Flock, introduces modern-day birds as living dinosaurs, featuring rotating displays of birds, along with their nests and eggs.
• Spike, Your Prehistoric Pal, leads visitors through the feathered dinosaurs and early evolutionary roots of flight, showcas-
to explore the people and their contributions to the arts. Buttons are set into the tactile recreation. When one runs their hands over a figure or object, it triggers an audio commentary about the painting, the art forms depicted, the mural competition and the artist.
The exhibit was made possible with support from FedEx, the National Federation of the Blind, MassCultural Council and Tactile Images, an organization that creates three-dimensional art to allow people living with limited sight to expand their enjoyment of art.
“Please Touch! A Tactile Exploration of Sante Graziani’s Mural” is on display in the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts through July 26.
ing sculpted models and tactile learning experiences.
• Snap, King of the Crocs, brings mighty crocodilians to life — from the massive prehistoric Sarcosuchus to today’s American alligator — through climbable sculptures, skull replicas, and dramatic size comparisons.
• Breezy, Queen of the Skies, explores the awe-inspiring world of pterosaurs, including full-scale silhouettes of Que zalcoatlus, a suspended Pteranodon, nesting scenes and a dramatic volcanic horizon.
Throughout the space, scenic elements and hands-on components encourage active learning, discovery and playmaking complex science approachable and exciting for children and caregivers alike.
Presented in both English and Spanish, Dinosaurs Still Live ensures accessibility for a wide audience and reflects Springfield Museums’ dedication to inclusive community engagement. Rotating displays, tactile features and interactive learning stations offer repeat visit value and fresh expe-
riences year-round. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Additional support was provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, with funding secured through the efforts of Senator Adam Gomez; and generous contributions from Harry and Lynne Ahern, Laurence and Barbara Derose, Bill and Patti Kelliher, and Susan Piccin.
“We are deeply grateful for the generous support that made this project possible,” says Kay Simpson, president and CEO of the Springfield Museums. “Funded in part by federal and state sources, along with the contributions of dedicated supporters, this initiative reflects a shared commitment to strengthening our ability to serve the community and provide enriching cultural experiences for all.”
The interactive layered relief of Sante Graziani’s painting, with the mural in the background.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
paid dividends for playwrights during the creative process.
“Something that is really important to us is that we’re really providing a very accessible space for writers at a lot of different stages. So, we’ve worked both with very emerging writers, writers in college, or [those] who are writing their first or one of their first plays, and having them in that sort of safe space to really experiment,” said Marcus. “We also bring other people in so that they can have a dramaturg, because that’s somebody who helps work with the playwright and asks important questions to help the development of the play. We’ve brought stage managers, directors, designers, sometimes theater professors in the area, that can help shed light on a certain subject matter.”
The audience feedback component has also helped expand the program, creating an opportunity for community gatherings over a shared community passion for the arts. Since joining the Workroom Cooperative at 33 Hawley, where different artists and organizations — including PIC — share the space at a subsidized rate, the setting for the Plays in Development Series has only grown as part of a healthy arts environment.
“Some audience members are just people from the community who really enjoy being in the room and getting to be a part of new plays, and so we see that just as an opportunity, honestly, for civic dialogue and engagement, to be together and be talking in a way that builds connection and community for the people that come,” said Marcus.
Following the presentations of their plays in progress, participants ask the playwright specific questions that are meant to aid the development process. The dramaturg helps lead the questions around areas that will help the playwright in their next phase of development, based on initial
discussion and feedback following the presentation.
“We’ve heard, sometimes the best thing is just being in the room with the audience. The writers are there noticing what the audience is laughing at, when are they getting distracted or confused? When are their minds wandering? When is everybody kind of collectively holding their breath and super engaged?” said Marcus. “That gives the writer so much information, just watching an audience watch their play.”
Marcus said the first event of the series on March 1 was another success, and the evening saw about 50 people come out. Looking ahead to the rest of the PIPS 2026 schedule, Marcus said there are more exciting and creative nights still to come.
“It can be a lonely endeavor to just be writing on your own and kind of sending your plays out into the world and not getting to hear anything back, and so we’ve heard from many playwrights
Above, March 1 was the date for the first Plays in Progress reading for the 2026 season, and the event saw an audience of about 50 people turn out. At right, Actors Ray Birk and Ron Domingo led the run through of an ongoing work during PIC’s Plays in Progress series that began its 2026 on March 1.
Photo credit: Play Incubation Collective
that PIC really provides them a creative home where they really feel like this is their space to be kind of surrounded by creative peers, and to have the benefit of time and to be paid for the time to just be working on it in the early stage,” added Marcus. “There are writers who have said their play wouldn’t have been able to be written or put out into the world if someone else didn’t say, ‘yes, we’re giving you the time, the money, the space, the resources to work on it.’”
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Every week we will provide you with a complete listings of deaths from the preceding week from throughout Greater Springfield. We are doing this as a convenience to our readers in case you miss an obit in the daily paper. We hope you find this useful and that you will refer to it weekly.
