When Agawam City Councilor Tom Hendrickson announced on Jan. 23 he would challenge incumbent state Rep. Nicholas Boldyga to represent the 3rd Hampden District, it was for several reasons, including the fact that Boldyga is not responsive to his constituents.
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Stateline Video Games returns to Agawam with new location
On Jan. 12, Stateline Video Games made their way back home to Agawam with the opening of a new location at 357 North Westfield St.
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WEST SPRINGFIELD
West Side’s 2026 to be filled with infrastructure upgrades
Looking ahead to 2026, West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt said the city has many projects to tackle.
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Six contenders vying to be Agawam colleen
By Mike Lydick Correspondent
AGAWAM — Next month, Julia Nicosia — Agawam’s reigning colleen — will crown one of six young women who are hoping to succeed her for 2026.
In early January, the Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee nominated colleen contestants Zoie Leopardi, Ava Levesque, Samantha Machos, Hannah Newsome, Summer Smith and Madelynn Szemela. One of them will be chosen as colleen at a gala coronation ceremony on Feb. 7. Five runner ups will be become the colleen’s court. Brief biographies of them appear at the end of this story.
They will represent Agawam at the 73nd Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade, which is Sunday, March 22. The colleen and her court also will attend numerous events and functions throughout the year, including Agawam’s Memorial Day Parade.
An important factor in the colleen selection process is a commitment by the contestants to their Irish heritage. A three-judge panel — independent from Agawam and who live and work in surrounding communities — will select the colleen based on interviews with contestants.
Judges, who will be revealed at the start of the event, will ask about academics, athletics, extracurriculars/volunteer activities as well as interest in a contestant’s Irish heritage. Contestants also will be required to write an essay about a person of Irish descent — living or deceased — who made a significant difference in their lives. The winning essay — which will be read during the ceremony — will be selected by the family of the late William Pfau, a founding member of the committee.
Agawam’s 24th colleen coronation will take place at St. Anne’s Country Club in Feeding Hills. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with the program starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are $55 per adult and $30 per child. They can be reserved by emailing agawam-
stpatricks317@gmail.com or on online at zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/24th-annual-colleen-coronation-and-award-ceremony.
The grand coronation also marks the beginning of “Irish Season” — about a six-week period filled with Irish events and
Reminder Publishing submitted photos
celebrations — that ends in March with the St. Patrick’s Parade. “With six applicants this year, all of them can participate in the Irish Season,” said Abaigeal “Abbie” Fiore, president of the
See COLLEEN on page 3
The Agawam Rotary Club brings
We are looking for
• Volunteer locally
• Support meaningful service projects
• Learn from inspiring speakers
• Turn good intentions into real change
• Support local and global causes
• Make lasting friendships while making a
Zoie Leopardi
Ava Levesque Samantha Machos
Hannah Newsome
Summer Smith Madelynn Szemela
Operations Director: Curtis Panlilio
Executive Editor: Chris Maza
Managing Editors: Dennis Hackett, Ryan Feyre
Staff Writers: Sarah Heinonen, Deb Gardner, Amy Porter, Trent Levakis, Cliff Clark, Tyler Garnet, Peter Tuohy
Graphic Design Manager: Beth Thurber
Graphic Design Department: Leigh Catchepaugh, Lorie Perry, Sophia McClellan, Susan Bartlett, Jim Johnson-Corwin, Molly Arnio
Sales Manager: Scott Greene
Account Executives: Matt Mahaney, Paula Dimauro, Lisa Nolan, Jeanette Grenier, Paul Poutre, Andy Shaw, Laura Tassistro
Classified Account Managers: Roxanne Miller-Longtin, Evan Marcyoniak, Shannon Spada
City Councilor Tom Hendrickson announced on Jan. 23 he would challenge incumbent state Rep. Nicholas Boldyga to represent the 3rd Hampden District, it was for several reasons, including the fact that Boldyga is not responsive to his constituents.
“Lack of response from him has been a major issue,” Hendrickson said on Jan. 23. “And that is coming from his constituents.”
The rising cost of health care and Boldyga’s lack of action to reduce the insurance burden on families are other reasons.
Hendrickson, a Democrat, said that in the non-binding referendum held in November 2024 that asked residents if they would support single-payer health care, 51.8% of the voters in the 3rd Hampden District supported it.
Boldyga didn’t, and Hendrickson, 27, said the incumbent “maligned” the proposal.
Before the referendum, Boldyga said, in a statement, the single-payer system would crush market-driven innovations, and that it was a “failed socialist policy being promoted by ultra progressives, self-avowed socialists and other far-left extremists.”
Hendrickson called single-payer a “common-sense approach” that reins in the skyrocketing cost of health care, adding that every industrialized nation in the world uses a single-payer system.
“I would work to support it,”
Hendrickson said.
He also believes that afford-
ability is a key issue in the upcoming election.
“Too often, billionaires and big corporations are able to rig the economy in their favor, keeping wages down and costs high for everyday people. I’m fighting for change,” he said in a statement announcing his candidacy.
He also has a connection to Southwick. His father, David, recently retired after 30 years of teaching AP calculus at Southwick Regional School, and his mother, Laura, is a physical education teacher at Powder Mill School.
Joining the Agawam City Council in 2022, Hendrickson worked to bring Community Choice Energy Aggregation to Agawam. He also supports improving government transparency and the new Agawam High School project.
“I’m running because we deserve an economy and a state government that work for all of us … and fighting to bring real working-class representation to our state Legislature, to challenge corporate special interests, to create a fair economy for working-class families and to restore transparency and democratic values to our state government,” he said.
His policy platform ensures that the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes, so that communities can properly fund things like education and infrastructure, reining in energy prices and holding utility companies accountable.
“And I’ll always stand with organized labor in the fight for fair wages, benefits and working conditions,” he said in the statement. Hendrickson graduated from Agawam High School in 2017, earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Providence College in 2021, and a master’s degree in public policy from the Univesity of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Policy in 2022. He has also worked on several political campaigns over the past seven years, including campaigns for state Sens. Adam Gomez and Jake Oliveira, and state Rep. Leigh Davis. For more information, visitTomHendrickson.org, email THendrickson1313@gmail.com, or call or text 413-654-6958.
DA connects with youth through outreach programs
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — The public may think of the Hampden County District Attorney’s office only when they have an interaction with law enforcement. However, District Attorney Anthony Gulluni has made it part of his mission to introduce himself to young people and connect with them on a variety of issues.
“Public safety is my end goal, but there’s a lot of ways we can get there,” Gulluni said. His office has a robust series of outreach presentations and programs, which Director of Community Safety and Outreach Antonio Simmons said is “unique” to the Hampden County district attorney’s office.
“I started talking about this when I was elected in 2014,” Gulluni said. He took office as the national opioid crisis was worsening into an epidemic. The public health and safety emergency led the office to partner with experts and begin educating young people and families.
“It proved community engagement was important to making progress,” Gulluni said. Since then, engagement, particularly with middle school and high school students, has been a key part of the office’s strategy to reduce crime and increase public safety. It has also allowed the office to pull back the curtain and be transparent about how law enforcement and the legal system work.
In 2025 alone, members of Gulluni’s office engaged with about 14,000 young people at schools and community events. Most of the engagement is done through preventative programs. Just Once explores the dangers of experimenting with drugs and prescription medicines. There is also the 1 in 11: Preventing Dating Violence presentation, and presentations about internet, social media and gaming safety.
Hoop Up Springfield invites youth to American International College Sports Complex “with the lure of a basketball game,” Gulluni said, but provides an opportunity to show them the college’s campus and encourages them to picture themselves going to college, as well as applying for a summer job.
The district attorney’s office recently launched Herizon, a program aimed at teaching girls about leadership and goal setting and giving them a safe space to share their challenges. Gulluni said it “exceeded expectations,” with more than 30 girls taking part in the voluntary program. The program is run by women in the office, providing the girls with a chance to see a potential future working in the legal system. Court tours allow students to see themselves working in the legal system, be it in law enforcement, as a prosecutor or as a judge. “Opportunities are everywhere,” Gulluni said.
Simmons said storytelling is the “key” factor in engaging with
youth because it lets them put themselves in the situations that are discussed. Rather than purchasing readymade presentations, the programs are all designed by the Gulluni’s office. It has allowed them to tailor presentations on the issues affecting particular towns and cities in Hampden County. Videos feature experienced local prosecutors, victims and former perpetrators.
Simmons said it is “getting harder” to present developmentally appropriate material to middle schoolers. He said young people are exposed to swearing, nudity and adult topics at earlier ages than in the past.
The “scared straight” programs that were common in the 1990s and early 2000s are the wrong approach to interacting with students, Gulluni said. Rather than intimidation, he said, “It’s talking to people at their level. There’s a lot of scary stuff out there, but we’ve been able to package it in a way that breaks that down. We’re going into schools all over the county with a fundamental philosophy that every kid can do great things.”
Gulluni shared a story about visiting Chestnut Legacy School. The crowd of 200 eighth graders were restless at the beginning of the presentation, but not long after the program began, they settled down and “they were pretty silent for 45 minutes or so,” he said, adding that the teachers were surprised at their students were rapt by the presen-
tation. He explained, “We’ve got it down to a little bit of a science. Grab these young people’s attention, talk about interesting topics. We’ve gotten many kids to laugh, to cry, to sit there, wide-eyed.” There is no hard data on the efficacy of the outreach programs. Simmons said, “It’s hard to measure whether you prevented somebody from committing a crime.” But he believes they are working. He said, high schoolers tell Gulluni that they still remember him coming to their school in fifth grade. People share the impact the programs have had on them. Young people return week after week for voluntary programs. “Some kids are showing up in our Future Lawyers of Springfield program,” Gulluni said.
Young people are not the only age group Gulluni visits. Outreach programs on elder abuse and scams are popular at senior centers and nursing homes, and there is a presentation for mandated reporters. A Stop the Swerve event is scheduled for April 2 at the Basketball Hall of Fame. People will see video presentations, enter contests, experience sobriety testing and try goggles that simulate intoxication. Such events are aimed at what Simmons called, “prevention before prosecution.”
No matter which program the district attorney’s office presents, Gulluni said, “We work to make sure we’re protecting the most vulnerable.”
Agawam City Councilor Tom Hendrickson looks to unseat state Rep. Nick Boldyga for the 3rd Hampden District seat.
Reminder Publishing file photo
District Attorney Anthony Gulluni speaks to eighth graders at Birchland Park Middle School in East Longmeadow as part of his office’s
Class outreach program.
Stateline Video Games returns to Agawam with new location
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
AGAWAM — On Jan. 12, Stateline Video Games made their way back home to Agawam with the opening of a new location at 357 North Westfield St. Stateline buys, sells and trades all things gaming, from Atari to the modern age, with locations in the Holyoke Mall and Buckland Hills Shops in Manchester, Connecticut, as well.
Owner Frank Bond started the business in 2008, selling video games and movies throughout various flea markets and in his dad’s store, the Feeding Hills Public Market.
“I really wanted to do something more consistent,” Bond said. “That’s when I opened Stateline.”
The name comes from being right on the Connecticut-Massachusetts state line. Bond said you couldn’t get any closer with the store being just a two minute walk into Connecticut. Bond was in the original property at 1775 Main St. until 2011, when he purchased his own property right next to where he started
committee. “They also will help the committee share and promote our Irish heritage with the town. It’s not only an exciting time for our applicants, but the committee also cherishes having these young women celebrate their family and heritage.”
The committee was established 26 years ago by a group of people of Irish descent in Agawam who decided to bring out their Irish spirit. Although Agawam is a predominantly Italian community, they wanted to form a St. Patrick’s committee so everyone could celebrate the “Green Season.”
The committee meets regularly to ensure there’s an annual celebration of Irish culture throughout town while also promoting Agawam — economically, culturally and socially. Taking a page from surrounding communities that celebrate their Irish heritage, the committee also created its own colleen program.
In addition to Fiore, other members of the committee include Douglas Reed, past president; Kris Sills, vice president; Nikolas Fiore, treasurer; Dawn DeMatteo, clerk; Tim McGrew and Todd Arsalanian, directors. Colleen biographies
Zoie Leopardi
Leopardi currently is a student at Westfield High School taking courses in anatomy, physiology, math, English and history. After high school, Leopardi plans on working toward her nursing degree to become a nurse in the
his business, the store his dad owned. In 2021, Bond had the opportunity to open in the Holyoke Mall and closed his Agawam location.
“It’s kind of just grown since then, to the Buckland Hills shops in Manchester, and then ironically now, back to where it started,” Bond said. “I wanted to have an investment. Being in the mall is great, but there are certain things about the mall that make it hard for a smaller business sometimes, so I wanted to have my own space.”
Bond said he grew up a little unorthodox, selling at flea markets with his dad to make their living until his dad owned his own store. He said he always had an interest in media, varying across movies, music and video games.
“I had this stuff in collections and sometimes I wouldn’t use it,” Bond said. “At the time there was a place called Fantasy Realms, they were kind of a big deal for a very long time. They had a very similar setup to as I do, buying, selling and trading media, specifically video games. I grew up going in there … it
NICU or pediatrics. A varsity cheerleading team member, she won the winter 2024 award for most improved cheerleader. She currently works at McDonald’s and has volunteered with Wreaths Across America and open pantries. Leopardi wants to be the 2026 colleen because it’s a fun and interesting way to explore and celebrate Irish traditions.
Ava Levesque
Levesque currently attends Quinnipiac University’s School of Nursing and is a graduate of Agawam High School. At Quinnipiac, she’s the treasurer-elect for the Nurses Association, and job shadows in the Pediatric Procedures Unit at Baystate. In spring 2025, she studied abroad at the Universidad de Sevilla in Spain. Ava currently works at A Place to Nourish Your Health in New Haven, Connecticut, as a receptionist. She volunteers for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and with the Massachusetts Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. Levesque wants to be the 2026 colleen to serve the community, and use her voice to promote Irish pride in Agawam.
Samantha Machos Machos currently is a senior at Agawam High School where she’s taking honors courses in history, chemistry and AP language. After high school, Machos plans on majoring in criminology and psychology with a dream of joining the FBI. She recently received the 2025 Certificate of Excellence in Forensics. At AHS, she is a member of the Peer Leadership Club and Chiefs. Machos currently is a hostess at Storrowton Tavern and a security guard
was a really cool place to go.”
Bond said he thinks he saw Fantasy Realms and just started doing it on his own terms, referring to Stateline as a little flea market booth that evolved over time. He said he is very passionate about keeping retro gaming alive, citing that he doesn’t like how media companies alter and edit content after its release and that he prefers physical content.
“When you buy a game digitally, you don’t own the game,” Bond said. “They can pull it from the virtual store at any time … buying a physical item, it is in your collection, you can access it anytime you want and I think that’s very important for the preservation of these things.”
Bond said he understands that everyone has a different taste in what media they consume, but when new mediums come out, whether it be movies, television, music or video games, it’s a moment in time.
“For me and my business, and this is kind of what drives my business, it’s nostalgia,” Bond said. “I always make a joke but it’s true, I don’t sell video games, I sell nostalgia. I
at Six Flags New England. A colleen contestant in 2025, Machos wants to be the 2026 colleen to encourage young ladies to have fun, show respect and to not be afraid to try something different and step out of their comfort zone.
Hannah Newsome Newsome is currently a senior at Agawam High School. She is part of the National Honors Society, French and History National Honors Societies as well as captain of the varsity swim and dive team. Newsome represented AHS at the Massachusetts Celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day 2025. Newsome works at the Springfield Country Club as a head lifeguard and swim coach. After high school, she plans to attend a four-year university or college and swim at the collegiate level. Newsome wants to be the 2026 colleen to embrace her Irish heritage, represent her town and make her Irish Nana proud.
Summer Smith Smith, a graduate of Agawam High School. currently attends the University of Florida she’s majoring in psychology and premed. At the university, she has taken a variety of behavioral and psychology classes. She is a fourtime Scholastic All American, a member of the USA National Team, and a member of the 2022 FINA World Championships. Smith works as an Ocular Technician at New England Retina Consultants with hopes to be a retinal surgeon. Smith wants to be the 2026 colleen to embody the resilience associated with her Irish heritage.
sell that feeling and that experience of going back to enjoy something you enjoyed when life was simpler.”
Bond said it has been humbling and emotional to see customers who would come in with their parents 20 years ago, come into the store now with children of their own.
“It’s amazing and it makes me feel really good that I’ve
Madelynne Szemela
Szemela is currently a senior at St. Mary’s High School in Westfield where she’s taking college prep courses. An honor roll student, she’s dual enrolled at Elms College. After high school, Szemela plans on obtaining a degree in animal science with the goal of owning her own business in
been able to build something that I’ll call successful,” Bond said. “Those words make me uncomfortable but for me, it’s been the test of time. I’m really big on consistency and equality, those are very important aspects for anyone who comes into my stores. I want them to have a good experience and I want them to be satisfied with what they’ve bought.”
Equine Rehabilitation Therapy. Szemela is part of the varsity basketball team and is a competitive equestrian rider. She has worked with the Epilepsy Foundation and has been an Irish Step Dancer. Szemela wants to be the 2026 colleen because she has a deep appreciation of her Irish culture and community.
Stateline Video Games owner Frank Bond with his children Phoenix and Frankie.
Photo credit: Stateline Video Games
WEST SPRINGFIELD
West Side’s 2026 to be filled with infrastructure upgrades
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
WEST SPRINGFIELD —
Looking ahead to 2026, West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt said the city has many projects to tackle. Some of them focus on infrastructure to move people and water, others on where people will learn and work.
Over the past decade, West Springfield has invested in its water and sewer systems, and Reichelt explained that the levees have received “significant” investment, largely through the Army Corp of Engineers. “We have one of the largest levee systems in the state,” he said. West Springfield is bordered on the east and south by the Connecticut and Westfield rivers, respectively.
Now, the city’s stormwater management system needs attention. “When we have these storms that drop three inches of water in an hour, they can’t handle that,” Reichelt said of the storm drains and pipes. There are areas of West Springfield that routinely flood and, in some cases, roadways must be closed. Without upgrades to the stormwater system, those issues will spread.
The city plans to pursue grants and is in talks to partner with Agawam, which has similar stormwater needs. However, the upgrades will require a regular source of funding. Reichelt said the plan is to assess residents $25 per quarter to be added to an enterprise fund. He acknowledged that many people are already struggling financially but said that more frequent storm
events have forced the issue.
“It’s not sexy to fix a culvert,” Reichelt said, but added, “A lot of it is asset protection. Making sure that you can get where you want to go and places are safe.”
Road safety is also on the schedule for upgrades, including a project to reconstruct Main Street with traffic calming measures, including bump outs and raised bike lanes.
Like other major intersections in recent years, the junction of Piper and Amostown roads is slated to receive a roundabout. In this case, it will be a peanut-shaped loop, allowing for slower traffic and limited opportunities for crashes. There are plans to install a sidewalk on Birnie Avenue between Morgan Road and Kelley Drive. With several subdivisions located in the area, Reichelt said the sidewalk is needed for children to walk to nearby Fausey and West Springfield Middle schools.
Taking a longer view, the city is planning to update its Master Plan, a document that lays out priorities in land use, economic development, and otherwise serves as a roadmap for the future. The last Master Plan was created in 2009. Reichelt said many of the items in that document have been pursued, but he pointed out that there are factors now that did not exist in 2009, such as frequent extreme weather and artificial intelligence. In the process of creating the new plan, residents will have the opportunity to give input on what they want to see in West Springfield over the next 25 years.
West Springfield has recently entered a phase of major build-
ing renovations and construction. In March 2025, the Walgreens at 99 Westfield St. closed its doors and the municipality purchased the 1.6-acre property for $1.99 million two months later. The property will become the city’s new police station. Reichelt said it is too soon to know if the project will include a renovation or new construction. Then, there are the schools. On Jan. 13, the School Commit-
tee voted to adopt the recommendations of the Enrollment Advisory Committee, including the controversial decision to shutter Mittineague Elementary School.
“It was one of the hardest decisions the School Committee has had to make,” Reichelt said. While people are fond of neighborhood schools, he said it is not sustainable to operate several small facilities. He also
shared his philosophy that it is the teachers, not the building, that “bring the school to life.”
Other school recommendations include upgrades to Memorial and Tatham elementary schools, as well as the consolidation of John Ashely School and Fausey Elementary School.
Considering all the changes ahead, Reichelt said, “It’s going to be a busy year.”
Baseball, softball and tee ball sign ups open for spring 2026
WEST SPRINGFIELD — The West Springfield Park & Recreation Department is pleased to announce the launch of baseball, softball and tee ball leagues for spring 2026. All leagues are semi-competitive with an emphasis on having fun. Teams will be formed according to the grade the child is currently in for School Year 2025-2026. To avoid being placed on a waitlist, registrations must be received by Friday, March 27. Proof of age and residency is required for new participants. Fi-
nancial assistance for registration fees is available for qualifying West Springfield residents. Games and practices will be held outside at various West Springfield town fields from the end of April until mid-June (unless otherwise noted.) Participants are to bring the following items labeled with your child’s name: their own baseball/softball glove, water bottle, cleats (recommended)/sneakers. Bats, balls and helmets are provided. Uniforms will vary between age groups.
Robert N.
Denise M. Egan
Dora Sonja Hawley
Charles B. Barker
Elena M. Moore
If you are interested in volunteering to coach a team, visit: townofwestspringfield.org/files/ content/town/v/21/community-resources/park-recreation-department/youth-programs/ baseball/coaching-application-and-cori-2025.pdf for our Coaching Application. When completed, email to parkandrec@ tows.org. If you are interested in sponsoring a Baseball, Softball, or T-Ball team, visit: drive.google.com/file/d/1i46hnGDURP3mUmNbDR4yCy49xM4eGcoD/view for the sponsorship
application. When completed, email it back to parkandrec@ tows.org along with an image of your company/organization logo. To register for baseball, softball and tee ball leagues use this form: townofwestspringfield.org/files/ assets/town/v/1/departments/ park-and-recreation/documents/ baseball-softball-t-ball-registration-form-2024_1.pdf. The completed form with payment must be mailed to West Springfield Park & Recreation Department, 26 Central St. — Suite 19, West Springfield, MA, 01089.
Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt talks
Sam Machos from Agawam earned 10th place in the 55 hurdles with a time of 10.53 seconds.
The Terriers Londyn Mar battles Putnam’s Jayleen Velasquez at the finish of the 55-yard dash.
Agawam’s Chris Bates (305) edges West Side’s Javier Ferrer-Ramos( L) and Putnam’s Joseph Brown to win the 55 meter dash in 6.79 seconds.
Mikayla Dunphy ran 7th in the girls 2-mile with a time of 15:08.35.
The Brownies Terceira Vaughn long jumps 13.08.25.
Agawam’s Hayden Gebo clears 4-04.00 in the high jump.
Jaedyn Sizer from West Springfield throws the shot 28-02.25.
Abigail Lozinski was West Side’s top finisher in the girls 55 meters with a mark of 8.43.
West Springfield’s Javier Ferrer-Ramos high jumps 5 feet 8 inchesgood for fifth place.
West Side’s Connor Knowland breaks from the start of the boys 55.
The following events are organized by the Agawam Public Library, located at 750 Cooper St. All events are
TOWN EVENTS
free and open to the public. Some programs require registration. For more information or to register, head to agawamlibrary.org or call 413789-1550 ext. 3. Game Night for Adults — Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m.
The library have games like Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Munchkin, and more. Have a favorite game you’d like to share? Bring it along! This is a drop-in event for adults ages 18 and older, and light refreshments will be served.
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A Perky Pairing: A Coffee and Chocolate Tasting — Thursday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m. At this fun and educational workshop, Kim Larkin will uncover the histories of both coffee and chocolate while participants sample different pairings. Each person will receive a coffee-chocolate tasting wheel to help throughout the workshop.
• Virtual Author Talk: “Fire Sword and Sea” — Thursday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. February’s Virtual Author Talk series begins with a discus-
sion of Vanessa Riley’s newest book, “Fire Sword and Sea.” AGAWAM ROTARY CLUB SPEAKER SERIES
On Feb. 3, the Agawam Rotary Club is inviting the public to hear Kimberly Haidinger, author of a couple of middle school kid books on climate activism and her teen daughter, Luna, who illustrated the books speak on their book. The event will be held at the Agawam Library, 658 Cooper St. from 4-5:15 p.m. FUN & GAMES AT CATHOLIC
WOMEN’S CLUB
Fun and games will be enjoyed by members and guests of the Catholic Women’s Club of Agawam at its Feb. 9 meeting. It will be held in the Fr. Joyce Room in the St. John the Evangelist Parish Center, 833 Main St. The evening will begin with refreshments at 6:30 p.m., followed by the club’s monthly business meeting at 7 p.m.. Members will then break into smaller groups to play the game Left, Right, Center. Those attending are reminded to bring quarters which are needed to play.
Wary parents divided over AI use in schools, poll shows
By Sam Drysdale State House News Service
BOSTON — As artificial intelligence shifts from novelty to routine in classrooms, Massachusetts parents are divided over whether it’s helping or hurting their children’s education, a poll shows.
The survey of 1,351 Massachusetts parents of K-12 students, conducted last fall by education research firm EdTrust in Massachusetts in partnership with The MassINC Polling Group, found opinion on AI in education split
into thirds. About 33% of respondents expressed a positive view of AI’s use in K-12 education, 34% reported a negative view, and the remaining parents said they had mixed feelings or were unsure.
The results underscore the unsettled place AI occupies in the minds of parents, even as student use of the technology has become widespread.
Fifty-nine percent of parents said their child has used AI for schoolwork, with usage increasing as students get older. Thir-
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ty percent said their child has not used AI, and 11% said they did not know.
“This poll confirms what we’re hearing anecdotally — families are wary about how quickly AI is entering classrooms,” EdTrust Massachusetts State Director Jennie Williamson said in a statement. “Parents want their children to use AI thoughtfully — not depend on it.”
The survey was conducted between Oct. 21 and Nov. 12, 2025, and included parents with children across grade levels, from kindergarten through 12th grade. Most respondents had children enrolled in traditional district-run public schools, though charter, private, parochial and homeschooling families were represented.
The poll found mixed expectations about AI’s impact on learning. Forty-eight percent of parents said they believe AI will have a positive effect on how children learn, including 13% who expect a “very positive” effect. Forty-three percent anticipated negative consequences, with 17% saying the impact would be “very negative.”
ment loomed large.
Large numbers of parents said AI could hurt students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills (53%), collaboration (44%), creativity and innovation (43%), writing and communication (43%), and math and analytical thinking (41%). At the same time, parents were more optimistic about AI’s role in strengthening digital literacy, with 57% saying it would help in that area, and nearly half saying it could help students research and judge information sources.
There was broad agreement on the need for guardrails.
More than 70% of parents said they were “very” or “somewhat” concerned about biased evaluations of student work, threats to student data privacy, unequal access to AI tools and the possibility that some students could gain unfair advantages.
cy, academic integrity and human oversight.
“AI already surrounds young people. It is baked into the devices and apps they use,” the DESE guidance says, arguing that understanding how AI systems operate is increasingly essential to students’ lives beyond school.
At the same time, the department cautioned that AI “is designed to mimic patterns, not to ‘tell the truth,’” and can produce responses that sound convincing but are factually wrong.
Concerns about skill develop-
Those concerns mirror themes raised in recent state guidance on AI released by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In August, education officials rolled out an AI literacy module and generative AI policy guidance urging schools to prioritize equity, transparen-
The state guidance was developed in response to recommendations from a statewide AI task force launched in 2024, which includes educators and others tasked with helping schools navigate ethical use, bias, data privacy and academic integrity issues. DESE has stressed that the guidance is “not to promote or discourage the use of AI” but rather to help educators decide “if, when, and how it might fit into their professional practice.”
The poll suggests many parents are unsure how schools are handling those questions.
Thirty-seven percent said
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DINING ENTERTAINMENT
A delectable breakfast style pizza comes to Indian Orchard
By Ryan Feyre rfeyre@thereminder.com
The diabolical blend of mushrooms on a pizza is about as common as snow this winter, but a breakfast style pizza is somehow rarer than witnessing a polar bear crossing the Massachusetts turnpike. Eggs, cheese and bacon on any kind of crust is a breakaway layup, a meatball down the middle, a 75-yard touchdown with nothing but green grass in front of you. But for whatever reason, the scrumptious concoction is typically nowhere to be found. Truth be told, I kind of understand why. There are many factors restaurant owners must reckon with, including demand, price of ingredients and if the style of pizza even makes sense within their brand or hours of operation. Maybe everything does make sense for them to have the item on the menu, but they’d rather be 2012 Nick Young than 2018 Jayson Tatum dunking on LeBron in Game 7. I don’t know, maybe I’m just clueless and there is a plethora of locales that serve it.
In any event, my lamenting recently ceased when one of my colleagues sent me a press release about a newly minted restaurant in Indian Orchard called “Taste of Traditions.” My interest in the establishment piqued when I was apprised of their win at the Latino Economic Development Corporation Cook-off competition, but my curiosity reached its apex when I saw that the new diner-style restaurant featured the coveted breakfast pizza on its menu. My head perked up like a dog that just heard its owner lock their car.
The item’s original makeup is scrambled eggs with melted provolone and mozzarella on naan bread, topped with arugula and tomatoes. But my eating habits are questionable, so I substitut-
Parents
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they did not know whether their child’s school has an academic integrity or classroom policy governing AI use, and another 27% said no such policy exists. Similarly, 37% said they were unsure whether their school has a policy describing how it uses AI.
Andrea Cote, assistant director of EdTech at DESE, discussed the policy guidance Wednesday at a webinar about the poll results and AI in education.
She outlined five guiding principles for AI in classrooms: data privacy and security; transparency for students, families and educators to know when AI is involved in learning; bias awareness and mitigation; human oversight and judgement; and academic integrity.
“We are saying loudly that AI should be used in ways that reinforce learning, not short circuit it,” she said. “You’ve reached the goal, but you’ve missed the point of the exercise. So this is where we need to help our students know when to use AI for the up-
ed the tomatoes with bacon. My short-term memory isn’t always sharp, but it was probably the best decision I made that day.
The texture clash was what I wanted. The eggs’ fluffy perfection runs up against the tantalizing crisp of the bacon bits; the melted provolone and mozzarella counterbalances that texture dichotomy by offering a buttery
hill parts of a lesson and when they actually need to be doing the heavy pedaling.”
Only about one-third of parents said they would feel “very comfortable” with teachers using AI in the classroom, depending on the task, though most said they were at least somewhat comfortable with uses such as creating lesson plans or assisting students with disabilities or English language learners.
“I cannot overstate this one enough, AI should only support but never replace educators.
Teachers are always going to provide the context, empathy and moral reasoning that machines cannot replicate,” Cote said.
When it comes to student use, parents largely rejected blanket
sweetness to the dish’s base. And although the naan bread could’ve maybe been a tad crispier, I found the flatbread to be the ideal canvas to buttress the flavors above it. Hunger abated, I had finally found the coveted breakfast style pizza I’ve been looking for.
As for the ambience, Taste of Traditions provides an extremely welcoming space, as evidenced
prohibitions. Sixty-five percent said using AI for schoolwork is sometimes cheating, depending on how it is used, while 19% said it is always cheating and 14% said it is not cheating.
There was also clear support for preparing students to navigate AI responsibly. Two-thirds of parents said schools should require students to complete a digital literacy course prior to graduation.
As Massachusetts rolls out its AI guidance and continues the work of its task force, the poll highlights the tension facing educators and policymakers, as AI is already embedded in classrooms.
Sam Drysdale is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro. Reach her at sdrysdale@statehousenews.com.
by the bevy of plants and many puzzles available for customers to ostensibly solve. The spot, located at 174 Main St. in Indian Orchard, invokes a classic diner feel, but there’s an added tranquility and warmth to how everything is presented. When I have the time, I’ll have to bask in its glow a little more.
And when I do, I’ll also have
to explore its menu. Aside from the pizza, Taste of Traditions serves a breakfast sandwich, Cuban sandwich, a brisket biscuit, grilled cheese, kafta and much more. The restaurant is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the weekends. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner all day and also cater for larger events.
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