HOLYOKE — Tenants displaced from 811 High St. after the building was condemned gathered with Springfield No One Leaves and Mayor Joshua Garcia on June 10 to call attention to what they described as landlord negligence by property owners Karan and Pooja Verma.
A city inspection on May 11 uncovered serious life-safety violations, including a gas leak, unsafe electrical work, plumbing issues, non-functioning fire protection systems and illegal apartment conversions. Officials found the property had expanded from five units to nine without required permits or inspections, prompting the city to revoke its certificate of occupancy and order the building vacated.
Tenants were forced to leave the building within days. Jordan Corriveau said he paid rent expecting safe housing, but instead found himself living in unsafe conditions. Carmen Pares, whose family was displaced, said they went from having a home to not knowing where they would sleep within 24 hours.
“It wasn’t our landlord who stepped up to help us,” Pares said, noting that housing assistance came from community organizations and that landlords only provided accommodations after being ordered to do so by a judge.
Garcia said that Enlace de Familias, Way Finders, ARISE for Social Justice and Springfield No One Leaves all quickly responded to the concerns reported and supported the displaced tenants.
The next court hearing is scheduled for July 1 to determine whether the landlords must continue paying for temporary housing while many tenants remain in hotels.
Corriveau said, “I’m 26, and like a lot of young people, I’m trying to build a stable life for myself. I work hard; I pay my rent. I wasn’t looking for luxury; I wasn’t looking for anything special; I just wanted a safe place to live. Instead, I ended up in unsafe and neglected housing owned by Karan and Pooja Verma of Archer Built LLC.”
Pares shared her experience as a mother who has spent “the last month living through a nightmare that no family should experience.”
“I’m speaking out because what happened to me should not happen to anyone else,” Pares stated. “No tenant paying their rent should wake up one day and lose their home because of conditions they did not create. No child should miss school because their family
was displaced. No family should have to rely on community donations and court orders just to secure basic housing.”
After going around knocking on doors, Pares found that many tenants who were living in Verma-owned properties faced similar issues.
Among them was Carolyn Holmes, who rents from the owners at a property in Orange. She expressed concerns about what tenants have endured, including overflowing trash that attracts large rodents, ongoing maintenance concerns, safety concerns, and a lack of ice and snow removal during the winter.
She also highlighted a recent problem. Holmes said that for multiple months, her National Grid electric bill exceeded $1,000 a month in a two-bedroom apartment. After asking for an investigation from the electric company due to high electric use, Holmes
said investigators were unable to gain access to the meters when they arrived, and she said the financial burden continues.
“For many of us, these problems go far beyond inconvenience. They impact our safety, our finances, our health and our ability to remain housed,” Holmes stated. “This press conference is not about one tenant, one complaint, one building. It’s about a pattern of concerns many residents have experienced across multiple properties.”
Garcia talked about the situation at the condemned property, stating, “The situation at 811 High Street is one of the most frustrating and unacceptable cases of property owner negligence. You’ve heard a consistent pattern, and to my government colleagues across the commonwealth, I’d be very mind
High Street tenant Jordan Corriveau speaks out against the current conditions and negligent experience at his place of residency.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet
New elementary school project moves forward with design
By Tyler Garnet tgarnet@thereminder.com
SOUTH HADLEY — The South Hadley Elementary School Building Committee has selected a preferred design for a new Mosier Elementary School on the existing site that reorganizes grade levels across the district.
During a June 4 community meeting, project leaders provided updates on the proposed school building project, including the selection of design alternative #8, known as “Mosier on Mosier,” as the preferred schematic design, which was approved by the School Building Committee on May 11. The option was chosen based on educational goals, community feedback, site considerations and long-term value.
Under the proposal, Skala Elementary School would become an early childhood center serving pre-K through kindergarten, Mosier would serve grades 1-5, Michael E. Smith Middle School would serve grades 6-8 and South Hadley High School would serve grades 9-12. The School Committee approved the grade configuration on May 20.
Preliminary design alternatives featured eight different options that ranged from code
upgrades and repairs, addition/ renovation on the existing site, new construction on the existing site or new construction on the middle school site.
The district plans to submit its preferred schematic report to the Massachusetts School Building Authority by the end of June. Updated cost estimates are expected before the report is filed. The project currently carries a preliminary price tag of $113 million, with the MSBA expected to reimburse approximately 61.3% of eligible costs.
Built in 1969, Mosier Elementary School has reached the end of its useful life. If the current proposal does not advance in South Hadley, project officials said renovating the existing building and bringing it up to code would cost an estimated $40.2 million, with costs expected to rise in the future.
Superintendent Jennifer Voyik — who also serves on the Building Committee — Skanska Senior Program Manager Nick Lobick and Chris LeBlanc from Mount Vernon Group Architects gave the presentation about project updates, the selected design option, preliminary cost considerations and upcoming project
milestones.
Following submission, the Building Committee, Mount Vernon Group Architects and Skanska will continue refining the design ahead of anticipated MSBA Board approval in August 2026 to progress to the schematic design phase. The goal is to submit the schematic design to MSBA in October.
Voyik said that once they submit a schematic design, they will have a meeting to find out what the final costs would be, which would then come to the town for a vote after that. A potential vote on the project funding may occur in winter 2027.
If the project is approved by the town, the detailed design phase is scheduled to take place through the end of 2027 into 2028. Construction is not scheduled to take place until 2028.
The new Mosier school is expected to open in fall 2030.
South Hadley was one of 19 districts selected from 63 applicants in 2023 for the MSBA’s competitive grant program, which supports cost-effective, sustainable and educationally appropriate school projects across Massachusetts. The partnership between MSBA and South Had-
ley also provides access to a state reimbursement and a proven, collaborative design process. Each community has a reimbursement rate from the MSBA.
LeBlanc said the design team has been charged with helping the district determine their needs for the new Mosier school. As part of the MSBA process, Leblanc said they were tasked with doing a complete analysis of the existing facility. Through their review, Leblanc found that a lot of the systems have not been updated since 1969.
Voyik explained that if the project moves forward, Mosier students would be temporarily
relocated during construction. Third and fourth graders would move to the first floor of the middle school and follow their typical schedule, while grades 5-7 would be housed on the upper floor. Eighth graders would temporarily be incorporated into the high school schedule, and second graders would move to Skala school. The district is also exploring the possibility of leasing former preschool space from Criterion to accommodate its preschool program during construction. More information and past meetings can be found on the project’s website at southhadleyschools.org.
Forum highlights housing, gentrification concerns at LEAC tour kickoff
By Sydney Wietecha Correspondent
HOLYOKE — Housing affordability, gentrification and the potential displacement of longtime residents were among the issues discussed on June 3 as Gov. Maura Healey’s Advisory Council on Latino Empowerment launched its statewide community tour with a housing-focused forum in Holyoke.
The forum was the first stop on LEAC’s statewide listening tour, which aims to gather community input on issues affecting residents and use that feedback to inform
recommendations to the Healey administration. Housing was selected as the focus of the Holyoke event because of ongoing concerns about affordability, neighborhood change and economic development in gateway cities.
“One thing Holyoke has been doing for a long time is keeping its finger on the pulse on concerns and issues around gentrification,” said Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia. “We have the tools that are in place, the partnerships, the strategies, from the old master plan and the updated comprehensive plan, and also lessons learned from just our history on this issue. It’s very
intentional and strategic in how we make these investments to make sure that the tides are rising together.”
The council’s three Holyoke-based members — Garcia, Planning and Economic Development Director Eric Nakajima, and Holyoke Housing Authority Board Chair Theresa Cooper Gordon — emphasized that the city’s redevelopment efforts are intended to improve neighborhoods without displacing residents who depend on affordable housing.
Addressing concerns about gentrification, Garcia said city officials are mindful of the is-
sue as redevelopment projects move forward.
“When we talk about concerns on gentrification, we are paying attention to that,” Garcia said.
“As we continue to navigate, because it’s a moving target and these projects are complex, the goal is to look at what’s in that neighborhood, what we need to preserve and what’s missing so that we’re creating a mixed economic situation.”
Council members pointed to several redevelopment projects they said demonstrate the city’s efforts to revitalize neighborhoods without displacing existing residents. Among the examples discussed were redevelopment plans at Lyman Terrace, the decision not to demolish housing in South Holyoke’s Flats neighborhood after residents and activists raised concerns about displacement, investments in the Churchill neighborhood and the conversion of vacant paper mills into housing for residents 55 and older.
Garcia highlighted one former mill building that was preserved and repurposed to help elderly Holyoke residents.
“We took an old mill building
that was about to be demolished completely,” Garcia said. “It’s part of the fabric of our city’s history, around the Industrial Revolution time, that has been redeveloped for housing for 55 and older. So again, that’s the city and its partners thinking intentionally and making sure that we’re not displacing anyone. When there are opportunities to add, what is it that’s missing that we need to add so we can make sure that we’re building an ecosystem that’s living and growing together.”
As housing costs continue to rise across Massachusetts, panelists acknowledged concerns about demographic change and emphasized the importance of ensuring current residents benefit from the city’s growth.
“When we talk about what it costs to live in Boston, yeah, those people are moving out here because it’s cheaper for them to move out here. We have our own municipality in terms of our utilities, so they’re coming in. There’s no doubt about it, but at the same time, we should make sure that those who are here now, that we take good care of them,” said Cooper Gordon. “We did gentrification without displacement.”
Vieau releases $283.5 million FY27 budget proposal
By Tyler Garnet tgarnet@thereminder.com
CHICOPEE — Mayor John Vieau has officially submitted a recommended fiscal year 2027 operating budget to the City Council for review. The proposed budget is approximately $283.5 million, representing an increase of approximately 2.6% from FY26.
“This budget reflects our continued commitment to fiscal responsibility while maintaining essential services and supporting the operational needs of our community,” Vieau said.
The School Department budget reflects the required net school spending amount of about $130.9 million, an increase of $7.8 million that was driven primarily by the loss of approximately $5 million in Chapter 70 funding, increased transportation costs of $2 million, employment contractual obligations and educational programming needs.
For FY27, the number of low-income students decreased by 217 students. This caused the low-income percentage to drop to 69.34%, which is below the group 11 minimum threshold of 70%. This moved Chicopee into low-income group 10, and the difference is about $1,071 per student. Because of this, $5 million will not come to Chicopee because the city went under the 70% threshold when the low-income classification was reevaluated.
The School Committee approved an approximately $139.4 million FY27 budget during its June 1 meeting.
Salaries take up around 75% of the budget, or $106 million, and another $35 million is allocated for expenses. The total budget is approximately $142.5 million due to other income sources.
To support educational operations, the Stabilization Fund for educational purposes will provide approximate-
ly $8.4 million in additional funding. School Committee member Deanna Rousseau said at the June 1 School Committee meeting that the allocation helps create a fully funded and balanced budget. However, referring to the Education Stabilization fund, she added, “that might not necessarily always be there, so I think a lot of hard work went into this, but there will have to be continued eyes on expenses as they continue to grow and also be adjusted to meet the needs of our school system.”
According to the press release, the school budget focused on creating a caring and respectful place to learn, empowering and valuing students, educators and staff, having academics that inspire, focus on family and community connections. The budget also focused on providing effective operations and equitable resources.
Public safety remained a
priority in the FY27. The Fire Department budget increase of $2.1 million is primarily attributable to settled union contracts. The Police Department budget includes $464,750 for the transfer of public safety technology accounts previously under the MIS Department, reflecting a reallocation of expenditures rather than new spending. The city also faces rising costs, including an estimated $1.4 million increase in medical insurance. However, reductions in contingent retirement expenditures and debt-related interest costs help offset financial pressures and support long-term fiscal stability.
Enterprise funds, including water and sewer operations, remain stable and continue supporting critical infrastructure and services while maintaining affordable rates, according to the mayor.
The press release states that federally directed spending from the federal delegation
helped reduce the impact of mandated sewer treatment and nitrogen improvement projects.
This budget also reflects prioritization to protect core services, support Chicopee’s workforce, and position the city for continued financial affordability.
“I thank the City Council, department heads, School Department leadership, and city staff for their collaboration and dedication throughout this process,” Vieau stated. “We all understand the need of our residents and businesses for affordability, maintaining municipal services, advancing our community together, and our combined approach to the budget reflects these values.”
The FY27 Operating Budget has also been dedicated to the memory of Sharyn Riley, the past city auditor who guided the budget process in the city for over forty years. She recently retired in February and passed away in May.
State grant will upgrade Chicopee’s fiber network infrastructure
By Tyler Garnet tgarnet@thereminder.com
CHICOPEE — Chicopee’s fiber infrastructure just got a much-needed boost thanks to some state funding. The city has been awarded $226,480 through the Community Compact Cabinet’s Municipal Fiber Grant Program to add redundancy to the city’s existing municipal fiber, thereby strengthening the network.
The Healey-Driscoll administration recently announced $10.1 million in grants to Massachusetts municipalities through the program. These grants will help cities and towns build or complete municipal fiber networks, enabling modern, efficient technology infrastructure and stronger cyberse-
curity capabilities.
The Municipal Fiber Grant Program helps communities develop local fiber networks and fill gaps in existing municipal fiber networks to support more secure and reliable technology systems. These networks can improve cybersecurity protections, enable more responsive disaster recovery and make it easier for residents to access local government services online. A shared municipal network can also help communities save money by combining internet service and cybersecurity needs across multiple public facilities, rather than managing them separately.
While Chicopee Electric Light and Crossroads Fiber said they expect to be involved in the planning, construction and ongoing
make sure they’re not doing anything similar to what we’re experiencing here in Holyoke or even in Orange, Massachusetts.”
ful and look into these particular owners in your communities and
Garcia also highlighted and applauded the response of the Board of Health, Building Department,
maintenance of the fiber infrastructure associated with the project, the grant itself was awarded to the city of Chicopee and is being led by the Chicopee Police Department.
Acting Chief Eric Watson told Reminder Publishing that the grant and project will help modernize aging municipal infrastructure with a physically diverse fiber entrance to the Chicopee Public Safety Building at 110 Church St. By establishing a fully redundant, geographically diverse fiber path originating from a separate network direction, the city guarantees continuous operation for its most critical platforms, according to Watson. These systems include computer-aided dispatch, records management, real-time intelligence platforms, camera
Fire Department, Holyoke Gas & Electric, Law Department and Office of Community Development.
He said for anyone going through a similar problem to contact the mayor’s office, an elected official or any organization in town
systems and interagency communication tools that support both internal operations and direct service to the public.
The finished project will protect communications and ensure continuous services, provide system reliability and strengthen overall system protections. According to Watson, the systems are essential to the operation, response and communication between first responders in life-threatening situations. The infrastructure will also reduce the risk of costly emergency repairs and service outages.
According to Watson, a reliable network connectivity directly supports faster response times, improves situational awareness, and creates more effective coordination among police, fire, EMS
that deals with housing for help.
Garcia concluded with a warning to landlords who are neglecting their tenants and ignoring housing and safety regulations.
“If you’re creating apartments without permits, bypassing inspec-
and regional partners.
Since fiscal year 2022, the Municipal Fiber grant program has provided 221 grants to support 176 municipalities or school district projects, totaling $43.8 million in funding.
“Our Municipal Fiber grants are helping cities and towns across Massachusetts build the modern technology infrastructure they need to better serve residents,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “These investments will help communities strengthen cybersecurity, improve emergency preparedness, modernize local government operations, and make it easier for people to access services online. We’re proud to partner with municipalities across our state to support more efficient, reliable, and secure local government.”
tions, converting spaces illegally, or ignoring the life and safety requirements, expect enforcement action,” Garcia stated. “We’re not going to tolerate landlords putting profits ahead of the safety of our residents in this community.”
HOLYOKE
Proposed data center causes heated debate
By Tyler Garnet tgarnet@thereminder.com
HOLYOKE — A proposed data center at the former Hampden Paper Complex on Water Street has sparked debate in Holyoke after the City Council discussed a zoning amendment to ban the facilities during its June 2 meeting. At the meeting, the council had the option to establish a ban and prohibit any data centers from operating within the city of Holyoke.
The original order was filed on January 20, and the first public hearing took place Feb. 4. The second and final public hearing took place and eventually closed on April 14. It was then voted out of committee and sent to the full council for a vote, which happened on June 2.
The Committee on Ordinance referred an order that the Holyoke zoning ordinance be amended to
By Tyler Garnet tgarnet@thereminder.com
HOLYOKE — The Holyoke School Committee approved an approximately $128.7 million operating budget for fiscal year 2027, which “puts students first” and invests in strategies that support all children, according to interim Superintendent Anothony Soto.
“It positions the district to weather uncertain fiscal realities anticipated in the coming years,” Soto stated.
The FY27 budget was approved during the School Committee’s June 8 meeting, and a public hearing was hosted before the meeting occurred. No major layoffs are part of this year’s budget, according to the superintendent’s presentation.
Soto provided the School Committee with the FY27 budget document, which will also be available online at holyoke.org. It outlines the balanced budget, strategic investments and key takeaways.
The recommended budget of $140 million represents a spending increase of approximately $5 million or a 4.1% increase from FY26.
The budget that the city of Holyoke published for schools is less because it does not include fringe benefits for the School Department or any additional funding used to support the general operating budget. The budget the city published is $128.7 million, which represents an increase of $4.8 million, or 3.9% over FY26.
add a definition of “Data Center” as a use, and to clarify that this use is not allowable in any zoning district in the city. The recommendation was that the order be adopted.
After a lengthy debate, the zone change amendment was voted to be sent back to the City Council Ordinance Subcommittee. City Councilors voiced that they wanted to send it back to ordinance to further discuss the language and its potential impacts on data centers that are currently operating in the city and weigh in on other options such as a moratorium, which was discussed at a previous subcommittee meeting.
City Councilor Mimi Panitch said that the item should be sent back to the subcommittee to allow more people to express their opinions in a future public hearing.
Other city councilors, including Anne Thalheimer and Richard
Soto argued in his presentation that Holyoke Public Schools has invested in systems and structures to support the success of each student.
“Our schools are equipped with the resources necessary to support the academic, social-emotional and behavioral needs of their students. Each year, I see more areas with positive gains, and I anticipate this positive trajectory will continue into the future,” Soto stated. “The district has strong teachers who are receiving high-quality professional development and coaching. HPS offers a robust array of enrichment opportunities for students including sports and afterschool clubs. We follow inclusionary practices to ensure students are getting what they need in the classroom to the greatest extent possible.”
He continued, “Our facilities and outdoor spaces are in great shape and will continue to be well-maintained. Although this is my last year as the leader of HPS, I look forward to additional opportunities for collaboration and growth. Now is the time for the community to come together and collectively support Holyoke Public Schools.”
Holyoke Public Schools selected Assistant Superintendent Jackie Glasheen as its next superintendent, starting July 1. In February, the Holyoke School Committee granted a three-year contract to Soto that allows him to begin his tenure as the School Department’s chief of finance and
Purcell, spoke out against the idea of a data center altogether.
“We became a green community in 2010. This will ruin our green community,” Purcell stated. “It sucks your energy, it sucks your water, it causes noise, and as
operations on July 1.
Despite declining enrollment, the district continues to experience rising operational, transportation, and special education costs that are contributing to the overall increase in the required appropriation. Major budget drivers include average teacher salary, employee health insurance, retiree and unemployment costs and out of district tuition.
There were some uncertainties expressed in the budget presentation, including rising costs and lagging state funding. The rise of insurance, transportation, charter assessments and salaries, flattening of revenue, the decrease of enrollment, and the end of the Student Opportunity Act mean that “tradeoffs” will need to be made in future years, according to Soto. From FY26 to FY27, salaries increased by $1.1 million, charter and School choice tuition increased by $1.9 million or 10.8%, transportation increased by about $426,000, and health and life insurance increased by 8% or $704,000.
Holyoke Public Schools enrollment is estimated to decrease from 4,818 students to 4,755 students from FY26 to FY27. The three-year projections show that the number of students will continue to decrease.
Given that other factors stay consistent, Soto stated that he anticipates that Holyoke’s’ will flatten at the beginning of the FY28 school year and beyond.
The majority of the district’s
far as I’m concerned, its destructive and it turns our city away from what it is.”
City Council President Tessa Murphy-Romboletti said that
foundation budget comes from state aid, 88.2%, which is combined with local funds and appropriated by the city. According to the latest data published on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s website, Holyoke is one of 16 communities in the state that spent at or below minimum new school spending requirements.
On average, across the state, districts are funded 30% above the net school spending requirement. If this were possible in Holyoke, this would mean an additional $37.6 million would be added to the school’s budget. Although there were no major layoffs or programmatic reductions, according to the presentation, when the district first began to put together its FY27 budget, it faced a $2.6 million budget gap that grew to $2.9 million. The gap was closed by allocating $597,000 of general funds and a combination of $1.7 million in cabinet level budget reductions.
The reductions included the elimination of an assistant superintendent, the elimination of the chief of strategy full-time equivalent, and other budget reductions from supplies and stipends from academics, language access and enrollment, pupil services and finance, operations and human resources.
The School Committee unanimously approved the FY27 school budget. The approved budget will now go before the full City Council.
Starting pitcher Alex Hill fires one in.
Valley Blue Sox starting pitcher Alex Hill delivers a pitch at their June 9 game with the Marthas Vineyard Sharks at Mackenzie Field in Holyoke.
Chris Carson (4) gloves a long fly ball just before the fence.
Nick Tomasetto (1) flies in to score a Blue Sox run.
Jack Myers (3)
Nick Tomasetto (1) dodges a low ball in the dirt.
Lucas Alberti makes the steal at second base.
Blue Sox pitcher Alex Hill (33) with Trevor Harmon (21) tries for a pickoff at first on Will Hampton (8).
Blue Sox' Nick Tomasetto (1) tags the ball.
Scott Donahue (15) and Trevor Harmon (21) vie to catch a foul ball.
The start of a double play at second base.
YMCA receives state earmark to upgrade locker rooms
By Tyler Garnet tgarnet@thereminder.com
HOLYOKE
— A $75,000 state earmark has enabled the Greater Holyoke YMCA to significantly enhance its locker room facilities, resulting in important renovations that improve the overall experience for members and visitors alike.
The funding was celebrated at the YMCA on June 10 with a presentation and a glimpse at the new locker rooms. State Sen. John Velis joined members of the Holyoke community to celebrate a $75,000 state earmark secured in the fiscal year 2026 state budget last summer for the YMCA.
During the announcement, Velis was joined by Greater Holyoke YMCA CEO Conor Bevan, several YMCA Board members, and representatives from Mayor Joshua Garcia’s and state Rep. Patricia Duffy’s offices.
Velis talked about the importance of a YMCA and how the success of one can highlight how the country is doing. “The Greater Holyoke YMCA serves as a vital hub for the Holyoke community, providing important resources to individuals regardless of membership. Whether it’s early education for preschoolers or athletic programs tailored to teens, adults, and seniors, the YMCA is supporting the well-being of our community throughout all stages of life,” Velis shared.
“The success or failure of our government is in large part going to be predicated on whether or not years into the future places like the YMCA and the boys and girls clubs are functioning.”
The YMCA currently serves more than 6,000 people per year and prides itself on never turning anyone away in need of health, wellness, or family enrichment programs, according to the organization. Bevan said their locker rooms have not been restored in decades, and the investment will help with the overall mission of the nonprofit.
“Our community deserves to have a state-of-the-art wellness facility,” Bevan said. “The earmark investment reflects the Greater Holyoke YMCA and Senator Velis’s collective commitment to helping all in the Greater Holyoke community achieve their full potential in spirit, mind and body.”
Bevan also talked about the importance of a locker room and how it should be a place that is peaceful and clean.
“An ideal locker room should feel private and clean, almost like a sanctuary,” Bevan stated.
“It should be a transition space where you can mentally prepare or wind down from a workout, balancing a peaceful environment with atmosphere of polite and community-based conversation where relationships will flourish.”
Above, State Sen. John Velis talks about the state earmark he helped secure for the Greater Holyoke YMCA facility. At right, a look at the newly improved locker rooms at the Greater Holyoke YMCA.
Reminder Publishing photos by Tyler Garnet
Bevan said that from January to April, the YMCA has welcomed 400 new members, and as of last year, hit its pre-pandemic visitor numbers.
“What that equates to is more than 650 people tapping into Greater Holyoke YMCA health and wellness resources,” Bevan said. “This investment in what I believe is one of the most critical nonprofits in our region will allow us to do more goodwill for
our community.” Bevan said the organization is always looking for new members to enjoy its programs and other amenities. Readers can learn more at holyokeymca.org.
Velis stated, “CEO Conor Bev-
an, and really the entire YMCA team, are making such lasting and significant positive impacts, and I was beyond proud to have secured these funds last summer to enable them to improve their facilities.”
TheReminder.com
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.
CHICOPEE
Brinda Adkins
Helen C. Banas
Lorraine I. Babij
Shirley A. Brow
Robert B. Forster
Jose Antonio Lopez
Jeannine M. Martell
Phyllis J. Murdock
EAST LONGMEADOW
Priscilla Gagner
Stanley P. Garstka
Walter J. “Joe” Krol HAMPDEN
Jon P. Abrahamson
HOLYOKE
Helen G. Cadigan
Linda Duckworth
Kevin J. “Nipper” Fitzgibbon LONGMEADOW
Kenneth Norman Kinsley
Elizabeth Vartanian
LUDLOW
John “Jack” Alves Maria Diniz
Robert “Bob” Long J. Cameron McNeill
Stanley Joseph Sambor
Florence Shea
SOUTH HADLEY
Susan E. Beer
Joan Casavant
Harvey L. Cook
Sheila A. DeRosier
Albert E. Hayes
SPRINGFIELD
Angelina A. Braica
Barbara Candage
Geoffrey E. Donovan
Henry F. Fuss
Philip Harris
Mark W. LaBonte
Mary Postell
Sylvia Gheno Sullivan
Margaret Trase
Jerome Thomas Weldon Sr.
DINING ENTERTAINMENT
Thunder in the Valley returns with fireworks, music festival
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
EASTHAMPTON — In celebration of the Fourth of July and the 250th anniversary of America, the Thunder in the Valley concert and fireworks festival returns to Easthampton to provide the community with its biggest celebration yet.
The concert and fireworks event will take place on Saturday, June 27, at Molitoris Orchard on 95 Park Hill Road in Easthampton. The festivities celebrate the Fourth of July holiday and raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital at Baystate Children’s Hospital.
Advance tickets cost $20, while tickets purchased at the gate will cost $25. Children ages 6-15 can get tickets for $10, and children 5 and under get in for free. For tickets and more information on this year’s event, visit thunderinthevalleyma.com.
The festival is organized by nonprofit organization Unbroken Wings, whose work is committed to supporting children who have experienced physical or emotional trauma by providing comprehensive programs that nurture the mind, body and spirit of children recovering from trauma. The annual fireworks celebration has been a consistent supporter of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital at Baystate Children’s Hos-
Data Center
Continued from page 5
making a decision to ban something outright seems drastic. She said she would like to see another solution if that is what the body wishes.
Mayor Joshua Garcia released a statement on his Facebook after seeing residents and the City Council engage in conversation and debate on the proposed data center.
He acknowledged the concerns people have expressed due to stories about massive hyperscale data centers that drive up electricity rates for families,
pital over the last five years.
Unbroken Wings Board Director Mike Perrier told Reminder Publishing that the event has become a beloved community celebration for the Fourth each year, and the jam-packed day is filled with great vibes, great music and is capped off with a great fireworks show.
“It’s definitely the fireworks, people love fireworks, that’s the big draw, but we try to make it so much more, and each year we’ve gotten bigger and bigger artists to come in who don’t usually play this area,” said Perrier. “We just have a great community around us, granted, a lot of people come from outside this area to see the show. I would say this is more like an old-fashioned festival. It has that feel to it. People are all friendly, they take care of the grounds, they don’t trash nothing, it’s all respectful people. It’s cool and has a great atmosphere.”
The festival and music kick off at noon, and concerts run all through the afternoon and night. The celebration eventually culminates in the fireworks show.
Before the festival kicks off, the Children’s Miracle Kruze, which starts at Metro Jeep in Chicopee, will lead Jeep-driving attendees to Molitoris Orchard right in time for the start of the festivities. Registration begins at 9 a.m., and the Jeep rides begin by noon. Tickets for the ride will cost $20 per per-
consume vast amounts of water, create constant noise for nearby neighborhoods and deliver fewer local benefits than promised.
son and include admission to the Thunder in the Valley. According to Perrier, they can be purchased on the event’s website.
“It’s all Jeep people who love their Jeeps. We have the Sheriff’s Department that comes and helps us, and it’s a nonstop right through lights and intersections from Metro in Chicopee all the way to Thunder in the Valley,” Perrier added.
Starting things off on the event grounds at noon is Change-Up, which performs pop, rock and dance music. At 2:30 p.m. Traveler, a Chris Stapleton tribute group, alongside Bluebird, a Miranda Lambert tribute singer, will perform together on stage, followed by Shania Twin, a Shania Twain tribute band at 5:30 p.m.
Closing the night of perfor-
“Those concerns are valid, and I sympathize with residents who worry about similar impacts here in Holyoke,” Garcia stated. “This project, however, is fundamentally different. At just 21 [megawatts], this is a small, right-sized facility, comparable to the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center that has operated responsibly in Holyoke since 2012 without negatively impacting our water or electric supply. It is nothing like the massive gigawatt-scale projects proposed by billionaire developers elsewhere.”
He added that the project will have no strain on residents’ electricity bills or supply as Holyoke Gas and Electric has confirmed Holyoke has the electric capacity needed. Garcia said the water impact is also minimal.
According to Garcia, unlike the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center that is a non-profit facility and pays a PILOT of just $90,000 annually, it is believed that this proposed $200 million private investment will generate $2 million plus annually in real property taxes. It will also put a long-vacant property back on the tax rolls and help improve a section of Water
mances will be Bruce in the U.S.A., the world’s No. 1 Bruce Springsteen tribute band. Perrier said the musical acts have evolved over the years, and organizers are always looking to give audience members a great bang for their buck.
“We wanted to make sure people are getting more than their money’s worth. Each of these artists, if you go to see elsewhere, they’re like $65 a ticket to go see each one separately, so we’re trying to keep it at one price level as cheap as we can and still be able to pay for everything, and still have those donations,” he added.
The festival will have vendors of all types, including food trucks, beer and wine available to go along with the event. Lawn chairs and blankets are allowed,
Street that is blighted. Garcia also talked about the assumption that the mayor has the power to choose what company comes into town and where they can set up shop. He explained, “I do not have the authority to hand-pick projects and do not control what investors want to do in town. What we do is enforce the ordinances, advise developers of potential opportunities, and disclose any limitations that may exist under the laws; zoning, permitting, etc. Whether I like a particular project or not, my commitment to the residents of Holyoke is to the process and enforcement of the laws.”
Recently, state Sen. John Ve-
but no easy-ups or tents of any kind are permitted.
Limited free parking is available, but carpooling from the center of Easthampton is recommended to combat parking woes. There will be an ATM on site, and the event will also feature many raffle prizes.
With another action-packed celebration set for June 27, Perrier said the fireworks are poised to be better than ever, and he added that it will be great to see people and their families enjoying the celebration of America.
“We want to thank the community, the people that volunteer and help, and the people that support it because it’s been a good cause and it keeps us going. Gives us old people something to be proud of,” Perrier said.
lis, who represents Holyoke, demanded that data centers, not residents, should pay for any energy and water strain.
“I firmly believe that Massachusetts needs to continue to be a leader of technological innovation and advancement; in fact I think it is vital for Massachusetts to remain a competitive with other states however, these advances cannot be born on the backs of residents,” Velis shared. “Today’s costs already put enough strain on residents’ wallets, and that is why I firmly believe that any costs associated with Data Centers should fall squarely on the facilities that are directly responsible for the increased usage.”
Photos from previous Thunder in the Valley festivals.
