The East Longmeadow School Committee voted unanimously to reorganize in anticipation for Dr. Joanne Menard’s start date as superintendent on July 1.
Page 4
WILBRAHAM
HasBeen Toys and Comics celebrates two years
Over 3,000 people flocked to Wilbraham’s HasBeen Toys and Comics on March 28 to celebrate the store’s two year anniversary
LONGMEADOW
Page 7
Longmeadow looks at capital improvement plan for FY27
Town Manager Lyn Simmons found that only around $1.5 million can be allocated toward the nearly $18 million requested for capital projects.
Page 8
No Kings III yields dedicated crowd of protestors
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — About 1,000 people, bundled up against the cold, stood shoulder-to-shoulder in Court Square, with colorful signs lifted overhead that read “No Kings,” and “Defend Democracy.” The protesters chanted slogans and booed when speakers recalled actions taken by President Donald Trump, including the widespread detainment of immigrants and launching a war against Iran. This was the scene at Springfield’s No Kings III rally on March 28. Amid the protest songs and chanting, half a dozen speakers took the mic to speak on behalf
of organizers, politicians, legal scholars and everyday people. John Rucci, a retired U.S. Marine who served in Bosnia, Kosovo, Djibouti, Somalia and Iraq, was among those who addressed the crowd from the steps of City Hall.
“I’m here as a veteran who doesn’t recognize his country and what it’s becoming,” Rucci said. He spoke about “radical thoughts” about respecting everyone, welcoming strangers instilled in him by his mother and his Catholic School classes. He said the U.S. Marines taught him to “protect those you are put to lead. Eat last or don’t eat at all.” Using one of Trump’s nicknames, he asked the crowd, “Do you think The Donald has ever eaten last in his life?”
Rucci asked the crowd what radicalized them. “Was it watching your fellow citizens be treated like enemies of our own country? Because if believing in basic rights, if believing that no agency is above the law, if believing that power must answer to the people, if that makes you radical then maybe we aren’t the problem.”
Protestor Fergus Marshall handed out flyers that he hoped would “make it to the hands of someone in the Army National Guard.” On the flyers was the oath that service members swear to uphold the U.S. Constitution. Meanwhile, Andrew Cornick of the Democratic Socialists of America handed out information about the organization, which he
said was “opposed, on a very fundamental level, to the way we’re being left behind.” Personally, Cornick said, “I think the issue that motivates me the most is the wealth inequity in the country.” Massachusetts’s two U.S. senators, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, sent staffers to read prepared statements. Markey said, “Friends, across this nation, we are witnessing a dangerous attempt to concentrate power in the hands of one man, to silence dissent, weaken our institutions and erode the foundations of our democracy.” He remarked on the SAVE America Act, a bill that Trump has pushed for, which
See NO KINGS on page 12
From left: Marie Holmes dressed as a court jester, explaining that historically, they were the one person who could satirize the monarch. The crowd at protestors at No Kings III claps along to live music. A protester wears a leather jacket emblazoned with the opening lines of the “The New Colossus,” a sonnet by Emma Lazarus that is inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.
Reminder Publishing photos by Sarah Heinonen
STRM: Woo Sox, Yard Goats ready to tee up seasons
By Tyler Garnet tgarnet@thereminder.com
On the latest episode of “So That Reminds Me,” hosts Ryan Feyre and Chris Maza sat down with Hartford Yard Goats General Manager Mike Abramson while Tyler Garnet and Dennis Hackett sat down with Worcester Red Sox’s Marketing Vice President Steve Oliveira to talk about their organizations upcoming minor league baseball seasons.
Worcester Red Sox
The Worcester Red Sox, Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, opened its season on March 27 against the Syracuse Mets at Polar Park.
Oliveira said offseason renovations at Polar Park include a new patio area in the Triple Decker Garden and added covering at the Hanover Deck to better accommodate fans in changing weather.
Promotions this season include bobblehead giveaways for former WooSox players Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela, along with Clara-themed giveaways and tri-corner hats in June to mark America’s 250th anniversary. Returning favorites include Friday fireworks, Saturday postgame catch on the field and Sunday kids base running.
Like all minor league teams, Worcester will have alternate identity-themed nights throughout the season. As part of the program, the Worcester Woo Sox will transform into the “Pawtucket Hot Wieners,” the “Worcester Kelley Squares,” and “The Art of the Woo,” for select games during the upcoming season.
“Some good ole minor league fun,” Oliveira said. “The type of things that you don’t necessarily see at the major league level.”
Oliveira also mentioned new offerings that guests can look out for this year, including a “Smiley” meal for kids, which
he described as the WooSox’s version of a Happy Meal; a $5 beer offering 16-ounce beers; and a specialty Battle Burger, themed for the visiting team that week. For example, when the Buffalo Bisons visit Polar Park, buffalo wings will be added to the specialty burger.
Aside from the added beverage and food options, there are plenty of players that fans can look forward to this season, according to Oliveira, including infielder Mikey Romero, and pitchers Jake Bennett and Payton Tolle.
“Our manager, Chad Tracy, was just recently talking in Spring Training saying he thinks this has the chance of being the best WooSox team that he’s been apart of the last five years, which is awesome to hear.”
Oliveira said there’s always the possibility major league players get assigned for their rehab assignments in Triple-A, and prospects are constantly sent down or called up throughout the season.
For more information on the WooSox’s upcoming schedule and offerings, readers can visit woosox.com.
Hartford Yard Goats
The Hartford Yard Goats, Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, will celebrate its 10th season at Dunkin’ Park after relocating from New Britain in 2016.
Abramson said the organization has welcomed over three million fans to the ballpark and has “sort of continuously [shattered] every record for the most number of fans in the shortest period of time.”
The ballpark has repeatedly ranked among the top Double-A venues.
Promotional nights this season include a Negro League celebration on June 24, honoring Hartford School Boys player Johnny “Schoolboy” Taylor,
Jackie Robinson Day on April 15, and multiple Los Chivos de Hartford games celebrating Hispanic and Latino culture, including a Roberto Clemente tribute in August.
“We definitely like to tie back, when we can, to the history through our themes. Obviously, diversity, equity, inclusion, those are all really important initiatives for us here in the ballpark. We want to celebrate things that are reflective of the community that we’re in,” Abramson stated. “You need to serve everybody, so we’re honoring the history of baseball, but we also have Banana Ball coming back, which is the newest iteration, I guess, of so-called baseball. We’ll do anything to get people here.”
Opening weekend features a 10-year celebration, jersey giveaway, fireworks and appearances by Mario, Luigi and Bluey. Other themed events include a divorce party night, Halloween game, Rock Cats throwback nights, and Eras night with DJ Swiftie, a wedding vow renewal night and a Hartford Whalers alumni event.
Abramson also discussed the
viral new food item that the Yard Goats will debut this season on certain nights, which is designed to resemble a friendship bracelet called the “Anti-Hero.” It is a 2-foot all beef hot dog served on an artisan Italian loaf bun, topped with 11 powdered donuts, a mustard-ketchup drizzle with sweet candied pink and blue sprinkles.
Other new food items include munchkin nachos, a frycuterie board and a cinnamon bun burger.
“We marketed ourselves as Connecticut’s largest restaurant,” Abramson said. “We are as much a restaurant as we are a sports venue. The vast majority of people come out here because it’s an entertainment option, not because they have a deep love of baseball in general.”
Abramson talked about a few prospects to look forward to this season, including catcher Cole Messina, pitchers Everett Catlett and Griffin Herring, infielder Roc Riggio and outfielders Cole Carrigg and Charlie Condon, who have a good chance of being called-up to the major league club.
“There’s probably a couple
players you want to come out and see once or twice because I do think you’ll see them perform in the majors,” Abramson said.
Although a good roster and wins are a plus, Abramson talked about the importance of selling entertainment to get fans in the seats, as the roster can constantly change because players are continuously called up or traded.
“Double-A is all about development. They are putting a team together that can play as a team, but they’re also hyper focused on the individuals who are figuring out what their limitations are,” the Yard Goats general manager said, “We don’t sell baseball wins and losses, we sell entertainment, but it does not hurt to have a team that is fun to watch on the field.”
For more information on the Yard Goats upcoming season, readers can visit milb. com/Hartford.
To hear the full episode, visit thereminder.com/our-podcast or search “So That Reminds Me” on your favorite podcasting platform.
Worcester Red Sox’s Marketing Vice President Steve Oliveira (left) sit down with “So That Reminds Me” hosts Dennis Hackett and Tyler Garnet.
Reminder Publishing photo by Debbie Gardner
EAST LONGMEADOW
East Longmeadow School Committee assigns new chair, vice chair
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
EAST LONGMEADOW —
The East Longmeadow School Committee is beginning a new chapter as it voted unanimously to reorganize in anticipation for Dr. Joanne Menard’s start date as superintendent on July 1. Current Superintendent Gordon Smith will be retiring at the end of the school year.
The committee nominated Antonella Raschilla Manzi to become the new chair, filling Greg Thompson’s seat, and Kerri Jarzabski as vice chair, filling Aimee Dalenta’s seat at the meeting on March 23.
Thompson told Reminder Publishing he is not seeking reelection to the School Committee this time around. He has been on the committee since 2008 and was reelected to a three year term in 2023.
Committee member William Strother introduced the motion to nominate Raschilla Manzi as chair. She has served on the School Committee since 2019 and began a three year term in 2025. Jarzabski was chosen to fill a vacant position in August 2025
and was nominated by Dalenta to fill her seat as vice chair. Dalenta began a three-year term in 2025 and will continue to serve as a committee member.
Thompson said the School Committee is allowed to reorganize mid-cycle with a super majority vote, which requires four of the five members of the committee to approve. The reorganization meeting after July 1 will still occur to reaffirm the chair and vice chair or “however the committee at that point decides to move forward,” according to Thompson.
He added that serving with the School Committee has been the “privilege of a lifetime” for him, and that he’s not in a “super rush” to leave. He thought reorganizing as soon as possible would be best and that the time left with Smith would be valuable, stating, “it’s the right time that we start making that transition.”
“The new chair and vice chair would have some time to work with Gordon, [Assistant Superintendent for Business Pamela Blair] and [Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Heather Brown] in the agenda setting meetings,”
Thompson said. “That way, when [Menard] comes on board, it won’t be three new people, necessarily, it just may be one.”
Thompson also said that reorganizing now is a unique situation, but gave the committee the opportunity as a group to have an open discussion about it.
Strother said he was “ripping the band-aid off” and that the committee should go for it and get it done now, rather
than waiting for the next meeting or the reorganization meeting in July.
“I think it would be better to, not trying to push [Thompson] out obviously,” Strother said.
“I do agree with, you know, having an opportunity with the chair, having the opportunity to be able to sit in that seat working with Gordon, working with the staff, really trying to get things going prior, makes a
lot of sense.”
Thompson did propose that he stay with the School Building Committee for the new high school because he’d “really like to see that through.” The committee would potentially need to add another School Committee member to that committee in his replacement. Menard will also be joining that committee and relieving Smith of his duties.
Christensen voices optimism during FY27 budget presentation
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
EAST LONGMEADOW — East
Longmeadow Town Manager
Tom Christensen said the town is seeing a full budget increase of 2.3% for fiscal year 2027, citing it as “good planning and budgeting,” rather than unfortunate.
He presented the current state of the budget at the Town Council meeting on March 24.
Total revenue for the town in FY27 is estimated at $99.6 million with the general fund budget at $80.97 million. The schools take up the largest portion of the general fund by far at $38.01 million, with town departments behind it at $19.25 million.
Other expenses in the general fund are town debt at $761,876, excluded debt at $5.6 million, town insurance at $1.07 million,
town benefits at $9.81 million and the town retirement fund at $6.5 million.
The town funds more than 70% of its general fund budget from taxes, with the remaining percentage from state aid and local receipts. The presentation stated “historically, the town has not taxed up to its levy capacity.”
A levy is the amount of revenue the town can raise through real estate and property tax and is estimated at $61.4 million The excess levy capacity is estimated at $1.59 million, which is the gap between the actual levy and the maximum levy allowed. The excess levy in FY26 was $1.93 million, and Christensen said the town is working to get back to that number.
“Due to the rising costs of retirement, health insurance,
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FALL ELIGIBILITY PERIOD
EAST LONGMEADOW — The East Longmeadow Community Preservation Committee is pleased to announce the fall eligibility period for Community Preservation projects. The eligibility period runs through April 15. The application can be found on the town of East Longmeadow’s website on the Community Preservation page.
special education and the constraints of Proposition 2½, the FY27 budget proposes, again, to tax below the full amount allowable under Proposition 2½, but to rely on approximately $400,000 in excess levy to aid in funding these rising costs,” the presentation said.
Christensen added that the town is looking at a 50-cent increase in the water rate and said it is “unfortunately, a sign of things to come.” He said the town is exploring a “tiered” system so the rate for single family homes isn’t the same for “larger users.”
“What that’s going to look like, I don’t even want to say right now,” Christensen said. “We’re trying to figure out ways to, sort of, stop these large increases from hitting our smaller users because they’re the ones that are impacted the most.”
The town is projecting $5.4 million in local receipts for FY27, with a majority of that number being $2.94 million in motor vehicle excise tax. This tax is paid annually by residents with a registerd vehicle and is calculated at a rate of $25 per $1,000 of a vehicle’s value.
The investment income, esti-
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON EAST LONGMEADOW’S WATER
The East Longmeadow Water Department (PWS ID # 1085000) reports that there was a Haloacetic Acids Maximum Contaminant Level (HAA5 MCL) exceedance in the first quarter of 2026. The Harkness Avenue Pump location (IDSE06) had a first quarter sample of 49 micrograms/Liter (µg/L), which resulted in an HAA5 MCL exceedance with a running annual average of 66 µg/L. This concentration exceeds the Massachusetts drinking water standard, or (MCL) of 60 µg/L for HAA5s. Disinfection is used in the treatment of drinking water. Disinfectants combine with organic and inorganic matter present in water to form disinfection byproducts, such as HAA5s. This is not an emergency. If it had been an emergency, you would have been notified within 24 hours.
Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
In addition, young children (including infants), pregnant women or those who may become pregnant may be potentially more susceptible to risks from exposures to chemicals, such as HAA5. If you would like more information about DBPs, please visit the following link: https://www.mass.gov/media/2532591/download
The full public notice with additional information for actions that East Longmeadow customers can take to reduce exposure is found at the Town of East Longmeadow website at www.Eastlongmeadowma.gov
The East Longmeadow Water Department is working with the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission on its water treatment methods and will evaluate options for East Longmeadow’s operations to reduce disinfection byproducts. For more information, contact Felix Vachon at (413) 525-5400, ext. 1204 or felix.vachon@eastlongmeadowma.gov
mated at $400,000 for FY27, has “really been amazing for us,” according to Christensen.
“The benefits of borrowing that amount of money and investing it properly … FY24 was over $1 million, last year, obviously, was almost $3.4 million and this year so far, in FY26, we’re over $1.5 million,” Christensen said. “It’s just, sort of, that prudent investing thing that we talked about all those years ago, and
how good our treasurer is and our finance team is to put that money to use for us in the right way. Obviously, that just gets put right back into the community in all the best ways possible.” Christensen added that he wishes there were more funds from more places, which would allow the town to do more, but that the town can “continue what we’ve been doing and not break the bank doing it.”
Town Manager Tom Christensen presents the fiscal year 2027 budget.
Photo credit: ELCAT01028
The East Longmeadow School Committee votes unanimously to assign a new chair and vice chair.
Photo credit: ELCAT01028
TOWN EVENTS
Please email your community listings to: dhackett@thereminder.com Items are printed on a space available basis.
EAST LONGMEADOW
EAST LONGMEADOW PUBLIC LIBRARY
The following events are organized by the East Longmeadow Public Library, 60 Center Square. For more information or to register, head to eastlongmeadowlibrary.org or call 413-525-5420.
Adult programs:
• Board Game Night for Adults — Wednesday, April 8, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Gluten Free Cooking: Salads — Saturday, April 11, at 12:30 p.m. Jennifer from Gluten Free Marks the Spot will be back to show us tasty Gluten Free meals.
Teen programs:
• Paws & Pencils — Monday, April 6, at 2:30 p.m. Homework got you overwhelmed? Drop in after school to de-stress with a certified therapy dog. For grades 6-12.
Teen Writing Group — Tuesday, April 7, at 2:30 p.m. Attention teen writers! The group will use writing prompts to create short stories and poems, and then practice sharing and giving each other positive feedback.
Children Programs:
Preschool Storytime — Monday, April 6, at 10 a.m.
• Wiggles and Giggles — Wednesday, April 8, at 10 a.m.
PLEASANT VIEW SENIOR CENTER
The following events will be hosted
PFLAG event was a success
We attended the PFLAG East Longmeadow Art Festival and Kick Off on March 29 at the Norcross Historical venue. We would like to acknowledge the
at the Pleasant View Senior Center, 328 North Main St. For more information or to register, call 413-5255436.
Movie or Documentary — Every Tuesday at 12:45 p.m. In April the center will be showing “The Lincoln Lawyer” Season 4.
Reiki II Class (Okuden) — Monday, April 6, 9 a.m. to noon. This class is for those who have completed Level I Level II focuses on mental and emotional healing through the use of 3 Sacred Reiki symbols. You will learn how to draw, pronounce and invoke these 3 Sacred Reiki symbols and how to practice Reiki with others using these symbols. Attendees will receive a certificate. Registration required by calling 413-525-5436. Use of Computers and Phones for People with Vision Impairments Accessibility Functions, Apps, and Tips — Tuesday, April 7, at 10:30 a.m. Learn simple ways to make your phone and computer easier to use. You’ll learn how to enlarge text and images, increase contrast and enable text-to-speech and voice-to-text features as well as other functions. There will be a demonstration on how to use your phone as a magnifier
• Davis Bates — Thursday, April 9, at 11 a.m. As we celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary, come enjoy vibrant story-telling from Award-winning Singer & Storyteller, Davis Bates as he presents “This Land is Your Land: Songs and Stories that Celebrate the Diverse Cultural Heritage of the United States.”
HAMPDEN
HAMPDEN SENIOR CENTER
• The following events are orga-
nized by the Hampden Senior Center, 104 Allen St. For more information or to register for programs, call 413-566-5588.
Crafts with Kim: Special Make & Take Spring Album — Tuesday, April 7, from 10 a.m. to noon. Create a Spring-themed paper album to take home. Please bring 4-6 photographs no larger than 4-by-6-inches. All materials will be provided. This is a free event. Registration is required.
Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc. — Tuesday, April 7, 9:30-11:30 am. Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc. is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to placing well-trained certified therapy dog teams in meaningful programs that provide comfort and caring through the human-canine bond. Our special volunteers serve in a wide variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries, and other facilities where therapy dogs are needed. Stop in and meet Tripp, Hampden Senior Center’s therapy dog.
National Pet Month Celebration Breakfast — Wednesday, April 8 at 9 a.m. Cost is $3 per person. Join the Senior Center as it celebrates National Pet Month with a delicious homemade breakfast! The menu will consist of Fruit, French Toast Bake with delicious local syrup from Ferrindino Maple, Sausage, and Juice.
Lobby Learning: Quail Run — April 9
• Memory Café: Music with Rennee — Friday, April 10, at 10:15 a.m.
LONGMEADOW
LETTERS
organization and efforts of Erin and the entire committee for this wonderful day! There were activities for all ages; information to educate the public; and, friendly and engaging supporters to welcome everyone who attended. For a first time event,
it seemed a great success. It was an opportunity to roam though the Norcross House and enjoy an exhibit in every room. There were artists, crafts people, live entertainment and good food. It is highly likely that this successful day will lead to others for
RICHARD SALTER STORRS LIBRARY
The following events take place at the Richard Salter Storrs Library, 593 Longmeadow St. For more information or to register for programs, call 413-565-4181, or head to longmeadowlibrary.org.
Youth programs:
• Mario Obstacle Course — Tuesday, April 7, 3:30-4:15 p.m. Use different materials help build an obstacle course and try to navigate the Mario car around the room!
• Salt Art — Wednesday, April 8, 3:30-4 p.m. Come and paint on 3D salt creations! Watch as the paint blend with the salt to make magic. Shaving Cream Art — Thursday, April 9, 3:30-4 p.m. Come paint using shaving cream as your paint! Get messy and creative!
Gaming Zone: Mario Party Mini Games — Friday, April 10, 3:30-4 p.m. Explore the worlds of wild Mario Party Mini Games on the Nintendo Switch. Cheer on your friends and try your best at the wild and wacky challenges.
More Than Mom’s Drop in Playgroup — Saturday, April 11, 9:15-10:15 am A drop-in playgroup for parents with kiddos up to 18 months, hosted by More Than Mom Inc., a nonprofit group providing support to area parents. The library will have a story, bring out some toys and everyone (parents included) will make some new friends! Come when you can and stay as long or as short as you like and even the fussiest of babies are welcome! Fathers, family members and siblings welcome too.
many years to come. Congratulations to Erin and everyone who worked to make this day possible. They should be proud of this Pride event.
Nancy and Jeff Hayes Longmeadow
APRIL 19th – 25th, 2026
COMPLIMENTARY
Prosthodontics The Dental Specialty of Tooth Replacement
— Over 3,000 people flocked to Wilbraham’s HasBeen Toys and Comics on March 28 to celebrate the store’s two year anniversary, being greeted by Optimus Prime from the “Transformers” series and getting the chance to sit in a DMC DeLorean, the 1980s sports car famously featured in “Back to the Future.”
Rik Alvarez has owned the Frame and Picture Shoppe since 2021 and split it in two to open HasBeen in 2024, mainly for his
lifelong dream of owning a collectible toy store and the joy that collecting brings. What initially began as a “side hustle” is proving that nostalgia has a special place in many hearts.
“When I started the store, I thought it would make $100 or $200 a week, you know, I do frames, that’s my main job,” Alvarez said. “In the last two years, HasBeen has outperformed my frame shop by about three times, and so HasBeen has become my main thing and the frame shop, which I trained for, I apprenticed for, it’s been in Wilbraham
for 40 years, is now kind of the side hustle.”
Alvarez worked at Play With This Toys and Collectibles in Merchantville, New Jersey, throughout high school and college, intending to name his store Play With This Too in honor of his mentor, Scott Talis. Alvarez was also the creative manager at Hasbro for the “Transformers” and “G.I. Joe” brands, and instead went with the current name after being called a “has been” online for booking a convention appearance.
He said one of the things he loves about collecting and what
inspired him to open HasBeen is the way it unifies people and brings communities together.
“No matter where you come from, no matter who you are, what you believe in, all those barriers that divide us all kind of fade away when we’re all celebrating pop culture,” Alvarez said. “We all collect different things in different ways, but we all have an understanding of what it’s like to collect and the joy that it brings us.”
The 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am K.I.T.T. from “Knight Rider,” a GMC Vandura van from “The A-Team,” a “Ghostbusters”
inspired car and various cars from the “Transformers” series were also at the event, including a custom built Optimus Prime semi-truck and Bumblebee Volkswagen Beetle. Alvarez added that he booked several cars to be at the event but was surprised when people were showing up with their own, such as those from “Jurassic Park.” He said that this event showed him that next year can be even bigger, maybe with a couple more cars, food trucks and parking, adding that he apologizes to Wilbraham for all of the traffic.
Top row, from left: Shoppers wait outside HasBeen Toys and Comics its anniversary sale, at points becoming nearly two hours just to get into the store. The DMC DeLorean and owner John Dowd. A custom built Optimus Prime semi truck by “Optimus is
Reminder Publishing photos by Peter Tuohy
LONGMEADOW
Longmeadow looks at capital improvement plan for FY27
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
LONGMEADOW
— While presenting her recommendations for fiscal year 2027’s capital improvement plan at the Longmeadow Select Board meeting on March 23, Town Manager Lyn Simmons found that only around $1.5 million can be allocated toward the nearly $18 million requested from town departments on capital projects.
“The need greatly outweighs what we have available for funds,” Simmons said.
This plan is a revised version of what was originally sent to the Capital Planning Committee in January to balance the FY27 budget.
The town reduced the capital plan in FY26 in an attempt to balance the budget, intending to bring back $782,035 in FY27, but could not find a way to allocate it.
“When we started building the FY27 budget, we had the hole from FY26 to fill if we wanted to meet the full capital planning policy, which was 3% of general fund revenue, which was about $2.3 million,” Simmons said. “As the budget came further into focus, we realized that it would not be possible to present a balanced budget without the use of reserves, while meeting that increase in capital.”
The DPW requested $500,000 for sidewalk replacements, with only $190,000 being met in the plan. Select Board Chair Josh
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
It is a milestone for any company to stay in business for 100 years. It is even more impressive when that business is family-owned and an institution in more than 50 communities.
On March 6, 1926, Rocco “Rocky” Falcone opened a hardware store at the corner of Main and Union streets in Springfield. His great-grandson, John “Johnny” Falcone, director of acquisitions and part of the fourth generation of Falcones operating Rocky’s Ace Hardware, explained that when the Great Depression broke out, the store became “Rocky’s Rental,” because people largely could not
Levine asked how many miles or feet of sidewalk that would be able to cover, and Simmons said it would depend on the extent of work needed to be done.
Levine asked if there were any areas that the money was planned for, and DPW Director Sean Van Deusen said funds would be allocated to finish a project on Forest Glen Road, and that there was also a “significant backlog” of sidewalk work that needs to be done.
Van Deusen said he would send a list of the backlog to the Select Board, and Levine said “we could allocate more, if there is more,” depending on how big the list is.
Levine asked Simmons if there were any late cuts that might be brought back “next time around,” and she said the maintenance and reconstruction of the Center School parking lot, which was requested for $300,000.
“This was one that we did want to address,” Simmons said. “With the upcoming work that’s about to take place there for the roof replacement and windows, this was one that we felt like we could defer, but this is one that we want to get done in the next couple years.”
The school received a $150,000 allocation for front entrance architecture because the work wasn’t eligible under the current Massachusetts School Building Authority accelerated repair program.
The Police Department also received funding for exterior
wood and trim design and upgrades, with $175,000 allocated from the $500,000 requested.
Simmons said a design is in process, which will “dictate the extent” of what can be done. She added that she’s looking for legislative help for funding and potentially “making an ask of the capital stabilization” at the fall Town Meeting once the town knows what kind of funding is available and how far the work needed should go.
The remaining projects recommended by Simmons are a chiller at Blueberry Hill School for $198,000, project development for DPW engineering at $25,000 and election tabulators at the town clerk’s office for $36,400.
afford to buy tools. A rental business was particularly well-suited to the customers’ needs.
Over the years, the business continued to evolve to meet the needs of its customers. In the 1950s and 60s, the stores became neighborhood hardware stores where people could buy what they needed and get advice from the employees. By the 1990s, the company had pivoted to a more expansive view of home improvement, with showrooms so people could envision how their project might look.
In the 1970s, Rocky’s became part of the Ace Hardware cooperative of 5,800 independently owned retailers in 50 states and 60 countries. By joining with Ace, Rocky’s was able to take ad-
vantage of the buying power of a national entity.
Today, Johnny said, the stores offer convenience, not just in what products they sell, but in how people can access those products, whether it is through the company’s app, website or in-store.
“The journey is not linear anymore,” Brian Bowler, head of marketing and sales, said of how people shop. Some customers come to the store and then compare prices online. Others start online to get an idea of what they need and then pick it up in the store so they can see what they are buying. Customers who are mid-project can even have items delivered to their home via DoorDash. And when customers are tackling projects, Johnny said the
Apart from the projects paid for by the general fund, an additional $735,000 is also being recommended to be used in free cash for a few items, such as a fire alarm panel at the Richard Salter Storrs Library for $200,000, Williams Middle School alternative field usage maintenance for $200,000, along with $335,000 going toward IT for network equipment, projection equipment and Longmeadow Police Department network enhancements.
The alternative field usage maintenance is to deal with the overuse of fields across town as Williams becomes offline and to start work on some “necessary redesign of some of those fields as a result of that overuse,” ac -
team of up to 850 Rocky’s Ace Hardware employees is always available to help. He said, “We have incredible, smart people on our team.”
Through it all, Rocky’s Ace Hardware has remained a family business. In 1966, Rocky’s son, James “Jim” Falcone, became president and expanded the business to seven stores. Since Jim’s son, Rocco Falcone — named for his grandfather — became president in 1992, the number of stores has exploded to 50, stretching across New England, with stores also in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and New Jersey. Two additional stores — in Manchester, Connecticut, and Kennebunkport, Maine — will be opening in the year ahead. Rocco owns the com-
cording to Simmons. She added that the network equipment is for the schools and the projection equipment is for both the town and schools. A five-year plan was made and Simmons said it’s for her to keep track of the town’s assets, inventory, facilities and infrastructure.
“We’ll have to have some conversations about what is the priority and how we’re going to tackle it,” Simmons said. “I think that, all in collectively, between the work of the Select Board, my office, the departments, we’ve done a really good job prioritizing and going after different buckets of money, because if we just relied on capital, it wouldn’t get done.”
problems
pany alongside his aunt Clair Falcone. Johnny’s sister, Melissa Falcone, is a marketing specialist and their cousin, Anthony DeLiso is the company’s promotions coordinator.
Johnny said the key to Rocky’s Ace Hardware’s success is putting customers first, satisfying their changing needs and solving problems. For the next 100 years, Johnny said he envisions Rocky’s Ace Hardware will “continue to be who we are at our core; that is helping others,” Johnny said. Brian agreed. “We don’t sell hardware. We don’t sell nuts and bolts. We help people solve problems,” he said. “We’re rooted in the community. We’re not going anywhere.”
The Longmeadow Select Board hears the reccomendations for the FY27 capital improvements from Town Manager Lyn Simmons.
Photo credit: LongmeadowTV
St. Patrick’s Parade goes on despite soggy weather
New path on sheriffs’ spending may come with pain
By Colin A. Young State House News Service
BOSTON — Buckle up.
That was the message on March 24 from the Legislature’s budget-writing committee to the state’s county sheriffs, a group that attracted the attention and ire of lawmakers with their latest request to cover budget overruns last year. Nine of the state’s 14 sheriffs sat shoulder-to-shoulder and both defended their work and pledged to be partners in reforming the system.
“We agree that corrective action is needed to rectify the sheriffs’ budget process, to make the sheriffs whole and eliminate the supplementary funding exercise as much as possible. We do understand a lot of effort will be needed between the sheriffs, the administration and the Legislature to work collaboratively to a resolution for our situation,” Hampshire County Sheriff Patrick Cahillane said. “As the inspector general’s preliminary report clearly indicated, the funding of the sheriffs is problematic and this situation has been longstanding and widely known, if not openly recognized.”
Last fiscal year, county sheriffs collectively presented the Legislature with a $110 million end-of-year deficit to make up. Lawmakers balked at covering the full amount of the deficiencies, and tasked Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro with assembling a detailed accounting of sheriffs’ expenditures in fiscal year 2025 and an analysis of sheriffs’ offices’ compliance with state finance laws among other issues.
Some sheriffs have argued, as Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi did before the Joint Ways and Means Committee at a hearing in Foxborough, that “we’re not overspending. We’ve been underfunded.” He said he was hurt by the way “people stood up and said, ‘We’re shocked.
We are shocked at the sheriff’s spending.’”
“That wasn’t a year, one fiscal year. That has been a compounding of fiscal year after fiscal year. And we probably should have done — no, we should have done, as sheriffs, a better job of pulling back rather than continuing to spend. We should have done a better job,” Cocchi said. He added, “There’s work to be done, and we’re ready to do it. But I was hurt when people looked at us and said, ‘Shame on you people.’”
The preliminary report Shapiro released in early March found that many sheriffs overspend their budgets annually, possibly in violation of state finance law — but that fault laid both in appropriations and spending.
The Legislature routinely underfunds what they know the sheriffs will need, expecting to later fill in gaps with supplemental spending, the IG said. But the county offices also overspend and do not wait until they have the additional dollars in hand to spend that money, putting budgets in a deficit and forcing the Legislature’s hand.
“It is apparent that the role of the sheriffs’ offices may not be as narrow as some legislative leaders expect, nor as expansive as some sheriffs believe. While the creation of the sheriffs’ office date back to the origins of this country, the work of the offices is set by statute. The Legislature has an opportunity to clarify such
roles and responsibilities while also reforming a fundamentally broken budget process,” Shapiro wrote in the report, which is due to be followed by a final report by May 31.
Key lawmakers in both chambers have indicated that the appropriations and spending process for sheriffs is an area ripe for reform. But with report due just after the Senate is expected to have passed its fiscal year 2027 budget and one month before the start of that new budget year, the timeline for reform remains unclear.
“We’re going to get what that final recommendation looks like, and buckle up. I guess we’re all going to have to be prepared together,” said state Rep. Todd Smola, the committee’s top Republican. “I think one of the things that’s extremely clear is that our system for funding sheriffs is poor at best. And I think we have as much of the blame as anybody, because we’ve kind of perpetuated it over time, and that’s problematic. I think most of us see this as a structural problem.”
While independently elected, the sheriffs were run jails and houses of correction around the state rely on state funding for their operations, and the Legislature has traditionally filled in funds to cover county budget gaps.
State Sen. Paul Feeney, the Foxborough Democrat who chaired the hearing, said he was
“hearing a lot of this renewed spirit of collaboration on trying to figure this out, and I hope that’s the case among everybody.”
Cocchi held a press conference on March 25 to announce a budget reduction plan that will see about 50 jobs under his office eliminated or redefined, and external law enforcement partnerships that have sheriff’s deputies conducting traditional policing for surrounding towns cut back. Cocchi said the first phase of this plan is expected to save between $3.6 million and $4 million.
Cocchi’s office said that while the sheriff believes the partnerships he will scale back “go hand-in-hand with good correctional practices, it is clear that his view is not shared by everyone on Beacon Hill.”
“In light of that perspective, and in the absence of clear direction about how those activities should be funded going forward, we believe the responsible course is to begin scaling back those external operations,” Cocchi said in a statement. “If the financial situation in the Commonwealth improves, we will request prior approval of funding through the legislature to again support the public safety gaps and deficiencies in Hampden County. But as of now, this is the sad reality we are facing.”
The sheriff alluded to his budget-cutting plan at the hearing.
“I may have had initiatives that aren’t in the scope of everyday work. They’re being reeled back as of today. When I mean as of today, I put 50 layoff notices out. And we can live to fight another day on that front,” he said. “Today, we need to get in compliance with a number that makes sense to each of these sheriffs and their sheriff’s offices, and we need to be respectful to the process. We’re willing to do that.”
Cocchi’s March 25 announcement said his deputies have been providing “full patrol coverage on two shifts, seven nights per week” in Palmer, with deputies handling calls for service, patrol duties and community policing. His deputies also maintain a continuous presence at Springfield’s Union Station, conduct targeted speeding details and traffic patrols for West Springfield’s police department, assist with large-scale events in Holyoke, patrol the Connecticut River, and “act as force multipliers” when Chicopee has low police staffing. Those efforts will all come to an end unless the costs are paid
A rainy day couldn’t dampen the spirits of the crowd gathered for the 73rd Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade on March 22. More photos are available at thereminder.com. Top row, from left: Springfield Parade Marshal Beth Hawley. Paul G. Caron Award winner Joe Christofori. John Boyle O’Reilly Club Color Guard. Botttom row, from left: Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence E. Akers leads the department’s contingent. Springfield Fire Department. Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Marching Unit.
Reminder Publishing photos by Marc St. Onge
Neighbors oppose development of wooded land for housing
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — A proposal for a zone change that would allow a developer to turn a wooded area of Indian Orchard into multifamily housing met opposition from a group of neighbors at the Springfield City Council meeting on March 23.
A 1.21-acre parcel on Hampshire Street abutting Long Pond and Goodwin Park was purchased with the intent of building four two-family homes. To do so, the property must be changed from Residence B to Residence C, which allows for a higher density of units.
Petitioner James Ferrera said the zone change is only the first step in the process. If the zone change is approved, the Planning Board would need to approve a site plan or special permit, and the Conservation Commission would have to review the project before the project could be built.
Ferrera said his team is working with the Indian Orchard Neighborhood Council and is “hopeful” that he can continue to work with “neighborhood groups.”
“We look forward to bringing some much more needed housing to the city of Springfield,” Ferrera said.
A group of four residents attended the meeting to oppose the development and express concerns that the land is too steep, and wet to be buildable. They were largely concerned with environmental issues. Residents Barbara Footman and Denise Hudson insisted the site was a wetland.
However, Deputy Director of Planning Philip Dromey explained that nearby Long Pond is the wetland and that there is a 200-foot buffer around it. As the plan was presented, the Conservation Commission would decide whether to approve the developer or to build within the buffer. Ferrera said his team is willing to work on any environmental issues with
the Conservation Commission.
The opponents were not persuaded. Hudson noted that the lot was heavily wooded, and the project would cut down the trees. “There’s no place for the birds. There’s no place for nature anymore,” she said. Mike Pietras of Engineering and Land Solutions, the engineer on the project, countered that the plan covers less than 24% of the site, leaving 76% “open and green.”
Pietras said the site has sandy soil and is buildable. He refuted comments from Footman that the basements of the homes would flood, noting that the footing for the homes would be eight feet above the water level. He quipped, “We’d have bigger problems than these basements flooding if it was rising eight feet.”
Dromey addressed comments by the abutters that the land “used to be” unbuildable, but now it is buildable. He explained that the lot had been labeled with an assessors’ code used for unbuildable
lots. “Just because the assessors assess it as unbuildable, does not mean it is unbuildable,” he said.
Hudson said Indian Orchard home prices are depreciating and worried that higher density housing would add to that trend. She gave the councilors copies of a petition signed by neighbors who opposed the development.
Ferrera assured the council that he was willing to work with abutters to address their concerns. He and the lawyer for the project, Rachel Fancy, had already spoken to the abutters several times regarding their apprehension. He said many of their concerns would be addressed in the Planning Board’s and Conservation Commission’s processes.
Hudson expressed frustration that Ward 8 Councilor Zaida Govan, who represents Indian Orchard, was absent from the meeting, but Ward 7 Councilor Gerry Martin defended his colleague as “a woman of extreme integrity” who “is always responding to her constituents.”
Ward 6 Councilor Victor Davila questioned whether the road would be continued. Dromey explained that the public way of Hampshire Street would stop at the property line, and the developer would need to continue it into the parcel. He confirmed that the DPW would require that it meet public way standards so it can be plowed. The driveways would branch off of the private portion of the road. Because only nine councilors were present — the minimum number needed to approve a zone change — the council, Dromey and City Attorney Kenneth Shea discussed a relevant state law under which a failed vote would prohibit the zone change from being resubmitted within two years. Considering that, the petitioner said he would prefer the full committee to decide the matter. The council voted to continue the item to the April 27 hearings meeting.
Future Lawyers of Springfield participate in mock trial
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — A few dozen high school, college and law school students recently had a chance to demonstrate their skills in the courtroom, taking on the roles of prosecutors and defense attorneys in a mock trial as part of the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office program, Future Lawyers of Springfield.
Hosted in the Moot Court Room of Western New England University’s Blake Law Center, the mock trial allowed students to deliver opening statements, question witnesses and present closing arguments in an authentic setting. Participants tried a case in which a person had been arrested and charged with operating under the influence, but as is often the case in real life, the details showed that there is no such thing as an open and shut case.
The mock trial is the culmination of the Future Lawyers of Springfield program, in which students learn from working professionals about the various roles within the criminal justice field and the details of legal proceedings.
Sheriff Cuts
Continued from page 9
or reimbursed by other agencies or municipalities, the sheriff announced.
Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis, a former state representative, told committee members the Legislature should more clearly define the job of a sheriff’s office and then
Kiara DeJesus is in her last year at Western New England University School of Law. After graduating in May, she plans to work as a criminal prosecutor. This was DeJesus’s fourth year participating in the Future Lawyers of Springfield program. Reflecting her career ambitions, DeJesus served in the role of a prosecutor in the trial.
“I think it’s a great program to attend,” she said. As someone who grew up in “the projects as the daughter of a single mother,” she said, “I think it’s great for inner city kids. Sometimes, when you grow up in these neighborhoods, it can feel like your options are really limited. This gives you a chance to see what options are out there.”
Alexandra Sophia Rivera was one of the students defending the accused. Last year, she participated in a Law School for a Day program offered by Central High School, where she is a senior. She said it made her realize she had an interest in the field of law, so in fall 2025, she signed up for the Future Lawyers of Springfield program. She said the program taught her more than she thought she would learn.
determine budgets that recognize the differences among the 14 sheriffs.
“Everyone agrees with our core mission of care, custody and control of the inmate population. And then you have the additional services that I’m sure you all support, the idea of mental health services, substance treatment, education, reentry services, all those things. So I think what we’re gonna have to do is take a look at — you’re gonna
Rivera said she found it “fun” to participate in courtroom proceedings. “I think everyone feels a bit of pressure,” Rivera said. “Being able to step into this position makes me feel like I have what it takes for the future. I feel that government is in my future.
have to give us the guidance. You have to determine what do you want us to do,” he said, describing himself as a “core mission guy” while mentioning that other sheriffs offer more programs.
“And then the hard part is going to be come up with a reasonable budget for each of us, and they’re going to be different.”
Gov. Maura Healey’s fiscal year 2027 budget (H 2) proposed about $759.5 million for the sheriffs, up from roughly $738.4
Being a lawyer is in my tops.”
Rivera said she would advise other students to “take a chance and take this program because it’s fun and you might find you have an interest you didn’t know you have.”
Having experienced crimi-
million in projected spending this fiscal year.
Though not all spoke, the following sheriffs were present for the budget hearing in Foxborough: Cahillane, Cocchi, Evangelidis, Dukes County Sheriff Robert Ogden, Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger, Franklin County Sheriff Lori Streeter, Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick McDermott, Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald, and Suffolk County Special Sheriff
nal proceedings, the students are scheduled to visit the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in Boston to observe oral arguments and meet with an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court.
Mark Lawhorne.
Absent from the hearing were Barnstable Sheriff Donna Buckley, Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Bowler, Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux, Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian and Nantucket County Sheriff James Perelman. Colin Young is the deputy editor for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro Massachusetts. Reach him at colin. young@statehousenews.com.
Alexis Perez cross examines Victim Witness Advocate Alyssa Cafaro, who played a defendant in a Future Lawyers of Springfield mock trial.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
Expert calls retreat from GLP-1 drugs ‘bordering unethical’
By Ella Adams State House News Service
BOSTON — The health of state employees and MassHealth members “is on the line,” clinicians and patients warned on March 24, due to diminishing coverage for GLP-1 drugs for weight loss.
The cries come against a backdrop of surging health care costs in Massachusetts tied to the popularity of GLP-1 drugs, and concerns from insurers about the rising costs of premiums as a result.
A chronic disease management specialist and president of the New England Obesity Society, Dr. Giovanna Leddy says obesity has been recognized as a chronic disease by the American Medical Association since 2013.
“Without treatment, it is a chronic and relapsing chronic disease that leads to substantial morbidity and mortality,” Leddy said at a briefing. GLP-1s not only show meaningful weight loss long term, but marked improvements in weight-related metabolic conditions, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease, she explained at the discussion about obesity management treatment.
For GLP-1 users like Michael Donnelly-Boylen, who was able to get off of antidepressants and blood pressure medication and stave off longer-term medical care as a result of using GLP1s for weight management, the drugs are a “lifeline.” He said since the age of eight, everything he had tried to address his weight had failed.
“Two years ago, I was prepared to die,” Donnelly-Boylen said at the briefing. “I had reached almost 400 pounds. I couldn’t walk two blocks without being in excruciating pain. I started getting all the documents together so that my spouse would be okay when I wasn’t here anymore.”
The Health Policy Commission found last year that GLP-1 prescriptions grew from 3,000 per 100,000 commercial members in 2018, to 22,000 per 100,000 in 2023. Demand for the drugs, which were initially designed to treat type 2 diabetes, increased since the Food and Drug Administration approved Wegovy for weight loss in 2021.
“The diabetes versions of GLP-1s are well-covered by most plans. So why is it that obesity medications are stigmatized and not covered for the exact same molecule? It’s not covered for obesity, but it’s covered for diabetes,” physician assistant Joe Zucchi said.
“We have patients who, sadly, are hoping their panel comes back from their lab work and shows that they have diabetes so that they can get coverage for
“Just like any other chronic disease — diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis — treatment with medication is intended for long-term use,” Leddy said. “We would never consider withdrawing effective treatment for any of these other chronic diseases. Discontinuing obesity medication for patients with demonstrated benefit is bordering unethical.”
FOSTER MEMORIAL CHURCH QUARTER AUCTION
SPRINGFIELD — Foster Memorial Church is holding a Quarter Auction on Friday, April 10. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the auction begins at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited to bring quarters and friends for a fun evening and a chance to win some great items from our vendors! There will also be a raffle! Admission: $5 for two paddles. A portion of our proceeds will go to One Call Away Vereans Support Center. Bring a non perishable food item for OCA’s pantry and receive a free third paddle! Dinner food and snacks will be available for purchase. The church is located at 1791 Wilbraham Road.
medication,” Zucchi added.
The Alliance for Patient Access, the American Diabetes Association and the Obesity Action Coalition hosted the discussion and said that one in four adults in Massachusetts live with obesity. Each year, untreated obesity drains $11.8 billion from the state’s economy and adds $757 million to state health care spending, according to the groups. They are urging the state to “treat obesity like the chronic disease is it,” and suggested that the state adopt utilization management strategies and clinical guidelines to maintain coverage and manage costs. They also suggested it “leverage” federal opportunities like opting into the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ “BALANCE Model,” which aims to improve access to some GLP-1s.
The advocates did not outline legislative ideas, though Reps. Rob Consalvo and Thomas Stanley attended the panel discussion, both sharing that they use GLP-1 drugs and asking clinicians questions about treatment.
Beginning April 1, people participating in Group Insurance Commission open enrollment will start picking their coverage plans that don’t include GLP-1 coverage for weight loss. The GIC voted in February to eliminate that coverage, following suit with a benefit change that commercial insurers and the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association have also pursued. The GIC provides insurance for more than 460,000 public employees and retirees, and some 22,000 GIC members take GLP-1 drugs for weight loss at a total cost of $46 million.
Though costs tied to GLP-1s have been straining the agency’s budget, some GIC commissioners say the decision could increase health disparities and lead to higher costs should chronic conditions worsen. The vote
followed Gov. Maura Healey’s suggestion that commissioners consider the recommendation to scrap coverage for GLP-1 drugs for weight loss.
“I think the hardest part of the GLP-1 journey for any patient right now is the constant worry about whether they’re going to have to go back into their disease state and lose their coverage,” Donnelly-Boylen said. His husband is a board-certified obesity medicine doctor, with patients on MassHealth and coworkers on state employee insurance coverage.
“All of them right now, who have been treating their disease, are literally thinking about whether or not the state is going to make the decision to let them get sick,” Donnelly-Boylen said.
“As a person not on the state insurance right now, I can tell you, I’m scared all the time. But right now, state employees and people on MassHealth are petrified.”
All carriers with the Massachusetts Health Connector decided to stop covering GLP-drugs for 2026 strictly for weight loss, and additional GLP-1 cost pressure could come from MassHealth. In her fiscal 2027 budget, Healey proposed funding MassHealth at $22.7 billion, compared to $22.1 billion in fiscal 2026. As part of cutting costs, MassHealth wants to eliminate coverage for GLP-1 weight loss drugs.
“MassHealth members are disproportionately impacted by
ALLEN
BIRD
obesity. They have the most to gain from effective treatment and the least ability to absorb costs if coverage is withdrawn,” Leddy said. “Withdrawing coverage does not create a level playing field. If anything, it widens an already devastating gap.”
In a change that began in January, GIC enrollees now must participate in a new program through Vida Health to maintain coverage for GLP-1 prescriptions. A GIC official said last November that the agency determined that using a vendor to manage GLP-1 drugs for weight loss more closely “was the most responsible next step to achieve savings and maintain GIC coverage for GLP-1s for weight loss.” Zucchi called the new program “infuriating” because he’s been treating patients, like state employee Deb LaValle, for several years with obesity medications. LaValle hadn’t been able to get knee replacement surgery due to a high body mass index. That changed with GLP-1s, she said, which made her feel like she’s “finally progressing to a better quality of life.”
The new program is “creating more issues,” Zucchi said. “What other disease state would they require the medication to be prescribed by a provider through one organization?”
Ella Adams is a reporter for the State House News Service and State Affairs Massachusetts. Reach her at ella.adams@ statehousenews.com.
CLUB OF SPRINGFIELD PRESENTATION
On Monday, April 6, at 7 p.m., the Allen Bird Club of Springfield invites the public to attend the presentation, Nature Odyssey East: Vermont to Florida by Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary naturalist and nature photographer, John Green. In his presentation, Green will guide his audience on a visual tour of the wildlife, birds, and beauty of America’s vibrant east coast. This presentation will be held, free of charge, in the Tolman Auditorium of the Springfield Science Museum, 21 Edwards St.
No Kings
would have required proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The bill failed a recent vote in the Senate. Markey said, “This isn’t about protecting democracy; it’s about deciding who deserves to participate in it.”
“What they truly fear most is the power of the people when we come together,” Markey said. “The story of America has never been about those who seek to rule. It has always been about those who rise up to be heard.” He went on, “You affirm our belief in a democracy where every eligible voter can cast a ballot without barriers.”
Mark Antonio Williams, Warren’s regional director, read a statement from the senator: “Each and every day that Donald Trump is president, I’m reminded why we don’t have kings in America. Today, reason number one is that the United States should not be dragged into war by one man.
U.S. service members should not have their lives sacrificed on the whims of a single person.
“Instead of building schools and hospitals here at home, he’s bombing them abroad. Instead of putting money toward helping people afford groceries and health care, he’s shoving the global economy off a cliff.”
State Sen. Jake Oliviera stood in the crowd, wearing a pin that read, “Democracy is not a spectator’s sport.” Referring to a protest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s tactics that he attended on the steps of City Hall a month before, he said, “Last time we were here, Iran hadn’t even happened. We were here protesting the way our country was less safe. Now, the world is less safe. It’s just getting worse and worse.”
Meghan and Martin Lynch, and their neighbor Sarah KofkeEgger, brought their respective children, Henry Lynch, Aisha Mandhry, Sakina Mohamed and Ilyas Mohamed. Asked why it was important to have young people at the protest, Sarah KofkeEgger said, “So, they can learn
from a young age to stand up for what’s right.” Meghan Lynch added, “Kids have a voice, too.” Henry Lynch said, “I came because nothing’s going to stop” unless “we’re here all together and to support democracy.” Ilyas Mohamed wanted to “stop what Trump is doing. He’s being racist and making brown people move away.” Mandhry added, “It’s just really sad. It’s not what the country should be.”
Organizer Joseph Bonilla spoke about being a 13-year-old when Trump was first elected in 2016. At 13, he said, “You are taught that truth matters, that cruelty disqualifies and that fairness is not optional. At 13, you should be worried about school, about friends, about who you are becoming, not about whether your country views your community as a threat.”
Bonilla said the Holocaust was only possible because of “the vast majority of those who did not interrupt it.” He added, “If we are truly honest with ourselves, we can see the same patterns now, maybe not identical but recognizable. Because today in this country, we are normalizing systems that detain and disappear people. Bonilla said, “Silence is not passive. It is a system. It is how harm perpetuates.”
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
Germaine G. Beger
Theodore J. Beauregard
Edward Brayley
Marion J. Grenier
Helen M. Kulig
Peter A. Lizak
Jeannine M. Martell
Irene E. Radomski
EAST LONGMEADOW
Joan M. O’Shaughnessy
HOLYOKE
Eric S. Boruch
Marie E. Cohen
LONGMEADOW
Mary M. Brunton
Michael S. Cohen
Maximilian A. Winkler LUDLOW
Harvey L. Fontaine
SOUTH HADLEY
Emery F. Filarsky Jr.
Thomas Norman Hazen
Kendall M. Johnson-Smith
John P. “Jack” Leonard SPRINGFIELD
Michael Joseph Rejean Belanger Geremia Botta
Corado “Nino” Bracci
Allene Begley Curto Jessie Desmarais
J. Aurora Fleming
Jerald “Jay” Griffin Sr.
Peter B. Hogan
Christian L. Hinshaw
Margaret Kazalis
Adelia Kordzikowski
Richard N. LaPierre
Dianne Evelyn MacLure
Nancy L. Martin
Joan C. Ruane
Jerrilynn C. Weller
Ralph J. Valenti
WILBRAHAM
Thomas F. Landers Jr.
About 20 members of South Congregational Church attended the protest, including Dionne Raines, Kim Figueroa, Brett Sandman and Jan Burdwik, who stood together on the sidewalk. Asked what brought them out, Figueroa said, “Our Christian faith, love your neighbor as yourself.” Raines said the Trump administration had only grown “bolder” since the last No Kings protest.
When asked if displays like the No Kings protests have an impact, Donna “Dee” Fellows, an organizer with Defending Democracy in Hampden County, said, “That’s a really good question. I think it has an impact for creating energy for the people who are fighting for democracy. It just shows that there’s other people as well as them, so it just gives them the feeling of being
involved and having people who support with them.”
Fellows agreed that the actions of the Trump administration have become more intense, since the first No Kings rally. “Their response to protestors has been violent, and more violent, and it will probably continue to get even more violent. The government has changed. Trump has only made things worse and worse. His actions are getting more radical, like starting a war overseas when they weren’t anywhere near harming us in any way over here.”
Fellows said, “That’s why we want people to show up.” She said fewer people registered to attend this rally than the past two. Nationwide, five million people came to the first No Kings protests in April 2025. For No Kings II, six months later, seven million people came across the country. “We’ll see for No Kings III. It’s a freezing cold day. So, I’m glad that we had about 1,000 people here. We call that a success,” Fellows said.
“People are getting afraid to speak out and to show up. They’re seeing the push back, the violence. But that’s what we don’t want to happen because that is what authoritarianism wants. Authoritarianism wants people staying home, being comfortable in their chairs.” She said, “If people stay comfortable and don’t fight back, that’s how authoritarianism takes over. That’s how it happens all over the world.”
From left: Three people operate an effigy of the Statue of Liberty. A protestor wears an inflatable dinosaur costume to drive home their point.
Reminder Publishing photos by Sarah Heinonen
DINING ENTERTAINMENT
Provisions’ Picks: Light white wines from Muscadet
As winter wears on and spring seems closer than ever, I like to put aside the robust reds that we tend to favor during the cold months and start exploring warm weather wines ahead of the season’s change. It’s not so much a change of necessity, it’s still quite chilly here in Massachusetts, but rather a sort of optimistic look towards spring and summer just around the corner. Perhaps there is also a degree of palate fatigue from enjoying so much rich food and drink during the winter months. So let us look at something markedly different from the winter’s hearty reds and turn our attention to one of the most refreshing of light white wines: Muscadet.
Muscadet is the westernmost edge of the Loire, surrounding the city of Nantes near the Atlantic coast. The region works with only one grape, Melon de Bour-
gogne, and specializes in the dry, white and sea food friendly wine that bears the region’s name. This is not to be confused with the similar-sounding Muscat grape that is grown all over the world to produce fruity, floral wines, often of substantial sweetness. Muscadet is a fairly neutral grape with more notes of minerality than of fruit as a result of the local soil’s richness of calcium and potassium. These wines are often richly textured and long lived as a result of a practice known as “lees aging” wherein the wine is rested or aged on the yeast sediment left over from fermentation to create a richer mouthfeel and more savory aromas. Lees aging may last as little as a few months but in top cuvees can go on for as long as five years. The region has historically produced oceans of simple, high acid white wine meant to be paired with seafood,
however, the tide is turning in Muscadet, and today you can find a number of excellent producers making superb, thirst quenching wines of both enjoyment and terroir. Check out some of our favorites below:
Claude Branger Le Fils des Gras Moutons Muscadet Sevre et Maine ($16.99): Claude Branger and his son Sebastian are meticulous farmers focused on working entirely by hand, lowering yields to improve quality and organic farming (the estate has been certified organic by the EU since 2019). Le Fils des Gras Mouton is produced from a single vineyard containing the familly’s younger vines grown on shallow granitic soil, and the wine spends six to seven months on the lees before bottling. Notes of citrus peel, salt and crushed sea shells. An outstanding value! Jo landron Amphibolite
Muscadet Sevre et Maines ($23.99): The Landron family have proven to be true stars of the region, a reputation they have surely earned through their meticulous yet minimal intervention winemaking and comittment to biodynamic viticulture. In fact, Jo Landron was an early pioneer of natural farming in the largely conventional region, converting to organic in 1999 and biodynamics in 2011. Amphibolite is a blend of multiple parcels of 35to 40-year-old vines grown on the regions green amphibolite soils, and the wine spends six months on the lees. Slightly riper and more textured than many other entry level Muscadets with notes of citrus, apple and minerality.
Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Mise Precoce ($22.99): Widely regarded as one of the top domaines in the region, Pepiere’s wines are not to be missed. Led
by the Olivier family, the estate was one of the first to focus on single vineyard expressions back in the 80s, fighting an uphill battle for recognition in a region better known for bulk production. This focus on terroir led them to acquire some of the best vineyard sites in what are now the formally recognized cru zones of the region. As a result of this investment in terroir, they are able to source 50% of the fruit for their entry level Muscadet from the higher-tier cru sites with the remainder coming from good vineyards in the greater Muscadet-Sevre-et-Maine appellation. The Muscadet Mise Precoce is a special early bottling produced only in certain vintages to showcase a lighter and more acid driven style of Muscadet. Linear and very bright with savory notes of sea breeze, lemon and crushed rock.
Wistariahurst Museum presents: ‘Fans, Fashion and Feminism’
HOLYOKE — Wistariahurst Museum has announced that on April 21, it will exhibit, reveal and demonstrate the secret language of the Victorian hand fan.
The event will feature an exhibit of beautifully crafted fans and a live demonstration of how “fan
language” was used to communicate without speaking a word. Although hand fans were a “must-have” fashion accessory for women of the time, they also marked the beginning of women’s determination to free themselves from the oppression of the
patriarchy and the overzealous eyes of chaperones during the Victorian era.
Attendees will learn how the simple hand fan helped energize women to pursue greater independence… walking without a male escort, riding a bicycle, re-
designing fashion and demanding control of their everyday lives.
A live demonstration of fan language will be held during the opening reception by historic performer Kandie Carle. What began as a simple cooling device evolved to a symbol of status and
wealth, then became an instrument of change to human relationships and social codes. Fans are a tangible record of art, history, and the ongoing connection among cultures.
The event is on April 21 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Holyoke Pride to host screening of acclaimed documentary April 16
HOLYOKE — The Holyoke Pride Committee is presenting a special screening of the acclaimed documentary “1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture,” followed by a live Q&A with the film’s composer, multi-platinum artist and LGBTQIA+ advocate Mary Lambert. The event will take place on April 16, 7 p.m. at the Holyoke Senior Center. The film explores how the word “homosexual” was first in-
Continued from page 5
Adult programs:
LHS Presents: Emily Dickinson’s Springfield w/Melissa Cybulski — Tuesday, April 7, 6:307:30 p.m.
LONGMEADOW ADULT CENTER
The following programs are organized by the Longmeadow Adult Center, located at 211 Maple Road. For more information or to sign up for programs, call 413-565-4160 option 1.
troduced into the Revised Standard Version of the Bible in 1946 — a translation decision that helped shape decades of misunderstanding, stigma and harm toward LGBTQIA+ people. Through the work of researchers, historians and faith leaders, the film traces the origins of this mistranslation and its lasting cultural impact.
The screening is part of Holyoke Pride’s ongoing commitment to fostering inclusive, communi-
• TED Talk: Government Changes in the Age of Technology — April 7 at 1 p.m.
The Battle of Britain: Medical Advances Forged in Aerial Combat — April 7 at 6 p.m.
• Longmeadow in the Civil War — April 8 at 6 p.m. Rendezvous with Rachel Revere: Heroine of the Revolution — April 9 at 6 p.m.
WILBRAHAM
WILBRAHAM WOMENS CLUB
APRIL MEETING
A special general meeting featuring an engaging presentation on
ty-centered programming that encourages dialogue, education and connection across diverse audiences.
Following the screening, attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with the film’s composer, Lambert during a live Q&A, offering deeper insight into the film’s themes of faith, identity and resilience.
“Bad theology has been used as a justification for discriminating against queer people for
beekeeping will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at noon at the St. Cecilia Parish Center. Local expert Sue Kendrick will lead an informative session exploring the
generations”, said Lambert, “and the religious trauma for so many of us in the queer community is incredibly painful. I loved composing this music. It was life-changing from the beginning — just learning about this documentary that actually found concrete evidence for what so many of us already knew — that God’s love is universal and is not restricted to straight people, and anything that contradicts that truth is the work of human error
fascinating world of bees. Following the presentation, guests will have the opportunity to browse and purchase handmade products created by Kendrick, including items made
and bigotry. Can’t wait to share it with you all!”
The event also serves as a fundraiser supporting Holyoke Pride’s year-round programming, which continues to grow in scope and impact each year.
Tickets are available on a sliding scale with a $25 minimum. Senior and student tickets are available at a reduced cost. Get tickets at holyokepride.org/1946.
from her own honey and beeswax. The event will also feature a lighthearted “Make Your Own Sundaes” activity, adding a fun and social element to the gathering.
BASKETBALL
On March 1, Longmeadow’s boys basketball team defeated Bishop Stang 74-66 in an MIAA D-2 preliminary round state tournament game played at Longmeadow High School.
Longmeadow’s Brody Harrington muscles his way to the hoop.
Alex Sverisson goes up between two defenders and draws the foul.
LONGMEADOW VS BISHOP STANG
Jackson Passonno nails the 3-pointer, putting the Lancers ahead 40-37.
Jesse Rosemond ignites the Longmeadow fast break.
‘Meadow’s starting 5 (L-R) Jacob Millet, Sam Tyson, Jackson Passonno, Alex Sverisson and Brody Harrington stand together during the national anthem.
Noah Morrin fakes left and then slices right through the defense.
Trey Jackson (L) and Sam Newton discuss strategy.
Alex Sverisson drives to the basket and gets fouled.
Trevor Devine and Lauren Devine to Dennis Henriques and Jessica Henriques, 101 Dearborn
Jane A. Corriveau and Gail M. Hickland to Seth Finley
and Ross Domingos, 205 Parker Lane $100
Sherry Carroll and Sherry Ann Carroll to Aldo Properties LLC, 56 Glenwood St.
PALMER
Crystal M. Pan to Raymond W. Hastings, 3078B Main St.
Darrick T. Kustra to Pamela Southam, 2 Carter St.
Naples Home Buyers Inc., to Alexander Cramm and Josephine Garland, 22 Crawford St.
Sarah M. Morcom and Clifford B. Morcom III, to Trever Heffernan, 2064 Oak St.
SPRINGFIELD Aclesia L. Scotland to Oakland Street Properties LLC, 131 College St.
