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EAST LONGMEADOW
LONGMEADOW
EAST
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:
Technology Help Sessions — Tuesday, July 7, from 8-9 a.m. at Pleasant View Senior Center, from 2-3 p.m. at 81 Quarry Hill and from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the East Longmeadow Public Library. The town of East Longmeadow is offering digital technology help sessions Get help from a tech expert! Sign up for a 15 minute time slot to have your questions answered. Please bring your device and any passwords you may need to access your accounts.
Teen programs:
• Teen Karaoke — Monday, July 6, at 1 p.m. Grab the mic at Teen Karaoke! Sing your favorite songs, team up with friends for a duet, or just relax and enjoy the music. Grades 6-12 welcome. Registration requested. Teen Summer Crafternoons — Thursdays at 2:30 p.m.
• Summer Teen Spot — Fridays in July from 2-4 p.m. Children’s programs:
• Little Sprouts @ The Depot — Monday, July 6, at 9 a.m. for ages 3-6 Doodle with Crayons — Tuesday, July 7, at 11 a.m. for ages 4-6
• The Butterfly Guy — Tuesday, July 7, at 6 p.m. For ages 5 and
TOWN EVENTS
up.
Professor Bugman Entomology Adventures — Wednesday, July 8, at 6 p.m.
• Math Everywhere! — Thursday, July 9, at 10 a.m. for ages 2-5.
Nature Storytime at The Apple Place — Friday, July 10, at 9:30 a.m.
• Something Royal! — Saturday, July 11, at 10 a.m.
HAMPDEN
HAMPDEN SENIOR CENTER
The following events are organized by the Hampden Senior Center, 104 Allen St. For more information or to register for programs, call 413-5665588.
National Blueberry Muffin Day and a special Summer Lobby Learning with The Overlook — Thursday, July 9, from 9:3010:30 a.m.
Memory Cafe: Mindful Movement with Lisa — Friday July 10, at 10:15 a.m.
Crafts with Kim: FREE Paint & Make a Turtle Rock for your Garden — Tuesday, July 7, from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration is required.
Foot Care with Kylie – by appointment — Tuesday, July 7. $40 for a 30-minute appointment.
Infinnite Hair by Katie — by appointment Thursday, July 8, from 9 a.m. to noon. Services offered include:
Dry (Spritz) Cut — $15; and Style — $5; Men’s Cut — $12; Waxing Services Available: Brow, Lip and “Nose Detail” — $5 per service. A fast, low-discomfort wax to keep the stray hairs at bay.
LONGMEADOW
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:
• Youth Chess (kindergarten and up) — Monday, July 6, 3:154:15 p.m.
• Stories and Movement (ages 2 and up) — Tuesday, July 7, 9:30-10:00 a.m.
Board Book Baby Time — Tuesday, July 7, 10:45-11:30 a.m.
• Butterfly Art — Tuesday, July 7, 3:30-4 p.m.
Lil Bug Club — Wednesday, July 8, 9:30-10 a.m.
• Jerry Schneider: Discover Our Local Butterflies! — Wednesday, July 8, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Audiences will see wonderful slides of our local butterflies, presented by Jerry Schneider, creator of the award winning Butterfly Game. Butterfly Storytime — Thursday, July 9, 9:30-10 a.m.
• Pinecone Birdfeeders — Thursday, July 9, 3:30-4 p.m.
Book Worms — Friday, July 10, 9:30-10 a.m.
• Pirate Day — Friday, July 10, 2:30-4:15 p.m.
More Than Mom’s Drop in Playgroup — Saturday, July 11, 9:15-10:15 a.m.
Adult programs: VIRTUAL Celebrating America’s 250th: Iron in the Water with Adventurer in History Kiersten Marcil — Monday, July 6, 7-8 p.m.
VIRTUAL: Play Along Ukulele from Home! — Monday, July 6, 7-8 p.m.
• Adult Center Book Club — Tuesday, July 7, 12:30-1:30
p.m. This month’s selection is “The Tobacco Wives” by Adele Myers. Tech Tuesdays — Tuesday, July 7, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
• Fiber Arts Meeting — Tuesday, July 7, 6-7:30 p.m.
Herb Gardening with Blackstone Valley Veggie Gardens — Tuesday, July 7, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
• Music Appreciation with Rob Humberston: Ages of Music History: Middle Ages — 20th Century — Wednesday, July 8, 1-2:30 p.m.
• Bocce on the Lawn — Thurs-
day, July 9, 11 a.m. to noon.
Yankee Stargazing Online w/ Joe RAO — Thursday, July 9, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Storrs Stitchers (Drop-In) — Friday, July 10, 10-11:30 a.m. Dungeons & Dragons — Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m. to 1 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.
• John Adams lecture by Alex Abrams — Tuesday, July 7, at 6 p.m.
WILBRAHAM
OLD MEETING HOUSE
MUSEUM ICE CREAM
SOCIAL
The Old Meeting House Museum invites the community to a sweet afternoon of ice cream and art at its annual Ice Cream Social on Sunday, July 12, from 2-4 p.m. This family-friendly event celebrates summer with free Friendly’s ice cream, live music and good company in the museum garden. Guests can watch a live art demonstration, dig into hands-on kids’ crafts and enjoy an afternoon of live music with their neighbors. The Old Meeting House Museum is located at 450 Main St.
THUNDERBIRDS LIBRARY DONATION — Joe Manning, account executive of the Springfield Thunderbirds, presents a check to Jennifer Sweitzer, chair of fundraising for the Friends of the East Longmeadow Public Library, in recognition of proceeds from the Friends’ group ticket sales for the March 6 game at the MassMutual Center as well as operating the Thunderbirds’ jersey raffle table. Reminder Publishing submitted photo
EAST LONGMEADOW
Elementary school principals present end-of-year data
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
EAST LONGMEADOW — Elementary schools closed out the 2025-26 school year having met most of their attendance and academic growth and achievement goals.
Principals from Mountain View, Mapleshade and Meadow Brook elementary schools presented the end-of-year date to showcase percentage points for each goal at the School Committee meeting on June 22.
Meadow Brook Principal Renee Lodi and Assistant Principal Kathleen Leydon kicked off the presentations.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education had a 95% or greater attendance goal for the 2025-2026 year, and Meadow Brook surpassed it with a 95.2% rate. Lodi said the school set a “pretty lofty goal” of 5% chronic absenteeism but finished the year with a 7% rate, a 0.7% increase from the March midyear report.
“I think a number of things contributed to that,” Lodi said.
“When I was reflecting back on this, we had 28 students in that chronic absenteeism group, eight of those 28 had known health issues impacting attendance. Of those eight, two were in home or hospitalization settings … Another is a student on an IEP attending school on a modified school schedule, so those three things had a pretty significant impact on our attendance rates this year.”
The school sends home month-
ly letters to families with five or more absences and continues to communicate attendance expectations, make referrals to the district care coordinator for students with higher absenteeism rates and state agencies as warranted.
The school utilizes the Devereaux Student Strength Assessment to support students in making academic, social, emotional and behavioral progress and helps find students who may need additional support.
The fall data showed 6% of students needing additional support, 79% were in the “typical range” and 15% were in the social and emotional strength range. The end-ofyear data shows a 2% increase to 8% needing support, but a 13% increase to 28% in the strength range.
Kindergarten students underwent a universal screener for number sense to assess how the youngest learners develop foundational number concepts, such as counting, comparing and combinations. Around 84% of students showed proficiency.
The school also met their firstand second-grade typical growth goal for math with 66%. The stretch growth fell just short at 33%, 2% less than the 35% goal.
Typical growth in iReady is average national progress, while stretch growth sets higher growth expectations for grade-level proficiency.
Sixty-eight percent of students are performing at or above grade level, a 54% increase from the beginning of the year. Only 1% of students are performing below
grade level, a 15% decrease.
Mountain View Principal Elaine Santaniello said the school exceeded its 95% attendance goal with a 96.3% rate and chronic absenteeism is at 3.7%. Ninety-four percent of students said they feel happy and welcome at school.
Mountain View’s iReady data shows an increase of student reading achievement at or above grade level, starting the year with 38% and finishing with 63%. Math achievement began at 34% at or above grade level and ended with 69%.
Santaniello said all three grade levels are placed in the high performance, high growth quartile for reading with 67% typical growth and 37% stretch growth. Third- and fourth-grade students are in the high performance, high growth quartile for math while fifth-grade students placed in the high performance, low
growth quartile.
“Our goal was 65% of students reaching typical and 35% reaching stretch,” Santaniello said. “We were at 54% typical and 27% stretch, so this is the area that we need to continue to work on next year.”
She added that losing the math interventionist position could be a reason for not meeting the goal because of the number of students who were receiving additional support in math in previous grades. The school also lost the Gifted and Talented Enrichment Program for math, which Santaniello said included a lot of math enrichment.
Students, families and staff underwent wellness and climate screenings as well to foster an inclusive and supportive culture and climate. Ninety-five percent reported they are happy, feel safe, respected and treated fairly.
Ninety-five percent of students also reported they have at least one trusted adult at school.
Mapleshade Principal Conor Martin was unable to attend the meeting, so Superintendent Gordon Smith and Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Heather Brown presented the data in his place.
The school closed the year out with a 95.6% daily attendance rate. The typical and stretch growth goals for iReady reading were set at 70% and 40%, and 65% and 35% for math. Thirdgrade reading and fifth-grade math, the only iReady data supplied in the presentation, exceeded each goal.
Around 90% of students reported they have at least one adult to talk to at school, 93.5% said they keep trying when school work is hard and 86.4% said they feel safe at school.
Local students recognized for earning academic honors
This spring, many local students received academic awards from being named to the dean’s list or receiving their degrees.
Their names, achievements and schools are listed below.
Univiersity of Alabama gradutes
Degrees were awarded during the University of Alabama’s spring 2026 commencement at Coleman Coliseum in May 2026.
Local graduates include: Aidan Duquette of Wilbraham received a Bachelor of Science and John Robinson of Wilbraham received a Bachelor of Arts.
Saint Anselm College
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 MCL (HAA5 MCL) exceedance in the second quarter of 2026. HAA5 MCL exceedance was at the Harkness Avenue Pump location (IDSE06) of 61 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.
Nurse Pinning Saint Anselm College nursing student Colleen O’Neill from East Longmeadow, was recognized at the 2025-2026 Nurse Pinning Ceremony at Saint Anselm’s Abbey Church. This annual ceremony honors seniors who have successfully completed the nursing program and marks an important milestone as they prepared to enter the nursing profession.
Saint Anselm College dean’s list Saint Anselm College recently released the dean’s list of high academic achievers for the second semester of the 2025-2026 school year.
To be eligible for this honor, students must earn a grade point average of 3.4 or better in the semester with at least 12 credits of study which award a letter grade. This semester, a total of 721 students from 25 states and five countries were recognized. The following local students were named to the list: John Fitzpatrick, Grace Howard and Colleen O’Neill of East Longmeadow; and Grace Fallon of Wilbraham.
Meadow Brook Elementary School Principal Elaine Santaniello presents end-of-year data.
Photo credit: ELCAT01028
Campaign plans to counter cannabis ballot measure
By Alison Kuznitz State House News Service
BOSTON — Cannabis entrepreneurs, municipal leaders and health experts joined forces on June 25 to launch a campaign against the ballot measure to repeal legalized recreational marijuana, comparing their push to the American Revolution.
“Two hundred fifty years ago, we had to chase some stuffy dudes with red coats out of the city, and today we’re going to chase some stuffy folks from red states out of this city,” said Tito Jackson, a former Boston city councilor and owner of a Boston cannabis dispensary. “They don’t have our vision, they don’t have our voice, and in the words of Kendrick Lamar, they are not like us, ladies and gentlemen.”
The Stop the Repeal campaign will rely on grassroots efforts to encourage Bay Staters to “vote no” against the ballot measure funded by “out-of-state” interests, said Chair Ryan Dominguez, the executive director of the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition. The ballot question seeks to roll back commercial marijuana legalization that voters authorized a decade ago.
The Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts that’s advancing the measure received $1.55 million last year from Virginia-based SAM Action, Inc., according to campaign finance reports. The nonprofit is “dedicated to promoting healthy marijuana policies that do not legalize drugs” and is affiliated with Smart Approaches to Marijuana that aims to educate the public about the “harms” of legalized cannabis.
“First and foremost, we’re dealing with SAM, which is Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a national prohibitionist group that has over $20 million in the bank,” Dominguez said at a press conference on the State House steps. “They’re also the ones that are suing the federal government to stop rescheduling.”
A Coalition for Healthy Massachusetts spokesperson did not respond to a News Service request for comment. The campaign web-
site says marijuana legalization has contributed to rising rates of impaired driving, and points to heightened risks for children, teens and pets.
Dominguez made a donation plea, and detailed a strategy in which cannabis retailers, cultivators and licensees should share campaign materials with patients and customers. He urged supporters to call friends and family, and keep the public informed during community events this summer.
“I need you to call everyone you know and ensure that they understand how serious this is,”
Jackson added. “This is very real, and I actually also need you to speak to everybody in the cannabis industry because I’ve been talking to some folks that are like, ‘Na, that can’t happen, that won’t happen.’”
A University of New Hampshire poll in February found 63% of Massachusetts voters somewhat or strongly oppose the ballot measure.
Dr. Benjamin Caplan, founder of CED Clinic that provides “medical cannabis care,” said cannabis, which was prevalent before legalization, will not disappear if the ballot measure passes.
“It will make cannabis less regulated, less visible, and harder to control,” Caplan said, as he pointed to the existing regulatory framework that ensures cannabis products are tested and labeled, and are legal for people ages 21 and older.
“I’d rather counsel a patient using a tested labeled product than a mystery product from an illegal market,” Caplan added. “The alternative is an illegal market with no required testing, no standardized labeling, no licensed seller, no recall pathway and no meaningful public accountability. That is not public health — that’s going back.”
Since legalization, cannabis sales have grossed more $9 billion, according to the Cannabis Control Commission. In fiscal year 2024, Fitchburg Mayor Samantha Squailia said the city collected nearly $700,000 in cannabis excise tax revenues.
“These dollars help support
speaks during a press conference on the State House steps on Thursday, June 25.
State House News Service photo by Alison Kuznitz
the broader local revenue picture at a time when cities and towns are facing steeply rising costs for health insurance, infrastructure, public safety, solid waste, education and just basic services,” Squailia said. “Removing this regulated industry would have major fiscal consequences for all of us: licensed businesses would be affected, people losing their jobs, local revenue would cause service disruptions or disinvestment in our communities.”
The initiative petition recently survived a legal challenge that sought to prevent it from reaching the November ballot.
A handful of participants in a social equity program for entrepreneurs disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition and enforcement argued Attorney
General Andrea Campbell’s constitutionally required summary was “grossly deficient,” and that the ballot measure contained multiple subjects that are not related or mutually dependent. The Supreme Judicial Court ruled Campbell’s summary was fair and that the petition’s provisions are related.
“I think we had some very valid points in our SJC challenge,” Dominguez told the News Service. “It was a little sad to see, I think, with the rent control and the tax initiative getting thrown out. I think we had just as strong of a case.”
Alison Kuznitz is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro Massachusetts. Reach her at akuznitz@ stateaffairs.com.
Ryan Dominguez, chair of the Stop the Repeal campaign that opposes the ballot measure to roll back legalized commercial marijuana,
School Committee reorganizes, meets new middle school principal
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
LONGMEADOW — Longmeadow Public Schools has officially shut the doors and the School Committee has completed its final meeting for the 2025-2026 school year, welcoming the summer with new committee and district roles.
The School Committee reorganized for the 2026-2027 school year and officially met Longmeadow Middle School Principal Peter Gillen ahead of his July 16 start date at its meeting on June 23.
This marked the first meeting for School Committee members Bisrat Abebe and Matthew Casale after their election wins on June 2. Former Chair Michaela Fitzgerald and School Committee member Adam Rosenblum did not run for reelection and had their final meetings on May 26. School Committee member Kate Bean nominated member Nicole Choiniere to become the 2026-2027 chair. Choiniere won reelection to her third three-year
term on June 2. School Committee member Emily Hanson received the vice chair title and Bean kept her clerk title.
Superintendent Martin O’Shea welcomed Gillen in and stated he was “very pleased and very excited” to introduce Gillen to the committee and the community.
“[Gillen] will go down in history as the first principal of the new Longmeadow Middle School,” O’Shea said. “We’re really excited to have you join us.”
O’Shea said that the committee had Gillen’s resume and knew his professional experience, but having him at the meeting was a way to get to know him beyond the job titles.
“He comes to us with a successful experience as the principal of the West Springfield Middle School,” O’Shea said. “It’s a large complex, very successful middle school just across the river, and we’re excited to have Pete join us.”
O’Shea said this position is unlike any other traditional po-
sition that he’s had an opportunity to hire for and that it will be involved in creating an entirely new identity for a brand new school.
“With that new identity comes potentially new curriculum, new programming, new schedules, new identity, new mascot, new school colors, on and on and on,” O’Shea said. “There’ll be certainly plenty to keep Dr. Gillen busy over the next couple of years.”
Until the school’s estimated fall 2028 opening, Gillen will be the school-based liaison for the construction, which O’Shea said is occurring “just feet away” from Williams Middle School.
“Thank you everyone for the warm welcome,” Gillen said. “I mean that sincerely and wholeheartedly. I’m thrilled to be here … I am elated to be a part of this community, a part of this project that takes two of the gold standard of middle schools and merges them into one in what really will be the blink of an eye and joining you in what
I know will be a very successful construction project.”
He said the opportunity to build “the best middle school that the region has seen” is the driving reason for his interest in the position.
“I am grateful and excited and also appreciative,” Gillen said. “I cannot tell you how kind and warm the welcome has been from the Longmeadow community. Admittedly, I was a
touch nervous in taking on the process of interviewing and going through all of the steps that it took to get here, but at every step of the way, there’s been warm smiles and kind words.”
O’Shea said Williams Middle School Principal Nicole Forys and Glenbrook Middle School Nikcole Allen will remain part of the administration will and the primary site leaders at their respective schools.
President and CEO of Willie Ross School for the Deaf retires
LONGMEADOW — Bert Carter’s retirement became official on June 30, ending a 13-year tenure as head of Willie Ross School for the Deaf . Carter led the school after serving as the top executive at the Austine School for the Deaf in Vermont. He succeeded former president and CEO of Willie Ross School for the Deaf, Lou Abbate. According to Claire Sanders,
chair of the Willie Ross Board of Trustees, “We want to celebrate all of Bert Carter’s accomplishments as we announce his retirement from the school. We appreciate all that Bert has done for the students, staff and the larger Willie Ross School community over the past 13 years. We are on a sound footing and the school is strong, largely due to the efforts of Bert and his leadership. Under
his tenure our school population has grown, he successfully led two capital fund drives that improved our facilities and student areas, and the school’s Outreach program that serves public school districts dramatically grew. He also maintained the strong relationship we have built with the East Longmeadow Public School system where many or our students are based as part of our
mainstreaming program. “Bert also diversified the Board of Trustees, adding the first Deaf Chair of the Board George Balsley, II, who served until his passing in early 2025.
As a Deaf person myself, now serving as Chair, I appreciate that Bert brought the voice of the Deaf community into all that we do in support of the Willie Ross School,” said Sanders.
According to Carter, “This was the best job I have ever had. My first impression of the school was that the school and staff were great and the partnership with the East Longmeadow Schools was excellent. One of my goals coming into leadership at Willie Ross was to strengthen the relationship with the Deaf commu-
Longmeadow Middle School Principal Peter Gillen meets with the School Committee.
Photo credit: LongmeadowTV
See CARTER on page 17
HAMPDEN/WILBRAHAM
Rick’s Place opens expanded Wilbraham facility
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
WILBRAHAM — Rick’s Place in Wilbraham cut the ribbon on its new and expanded location at 35 Post Office Park, Suite 3501D, ensuring that even more of its participants will have an open door to mental health and grief support when it’s needed.
Rick’s Place opened in 2007 to provide free support to children, teens and families through facilitated peer activities, school-based programs and community outreach after a loved one has died. It is named after Rick Thorpe, who grew up in Wilbraham and died in the World Trade Center’s south tower on Sept. 11, 2001.
Executive Director Therese Ross said Rick’s Place first opened because Thorpe’s friends and family recognized that there wasn’t a place of support after the death of a loved one.
The website states, “Our goal is to provide a trusting environment in which participants who are grieving the death of someone significant can share their experiences, receive support and find community. No child should have to grieve alone.”
“The goal is to reduce the isolation that grief often creates,” Ross said. “We have kids who come on-site here two evenings a month and while the kids are in their peer-support groups, the
grown-ups are also in a caregiver support group, and that is really focused on ‘how do you parent a child who is grieving, often while you, yourself, are grieving?’... The goal is to really help build a greater understanding of the impact of loss on youth and families.”
Ross said Rick’s Place provides support to families across 25 different Massachusetts and Connecticut towns. Participants increased by 25% this past year, and Rick’s Place had to utilize extra space at Wilbraham & Monson Academy just to fit everyone.
“We were outgrowing our old space and our landlord generously moved us to a larger space,”
Ross said. “Now we can hold larger groups in a more comfortable setting … it’s a really important milestone for us to have moved to a larger location.”
With the larger space comes the potential for a wider variety of support programs as well.
Ross said adding certain programs, such as a death by suicide or a substance-use loss support group, could create a safer-space and allow participants to know they’re surrounded by people who have experienced a similar kind of loss.
Rick’s Place also recently piloted a new “grandparent as caregiver” program, designed for grandparents who are raising and have guardianship of their grand-
children because the parents are unable to.
Ross said the biggest thing participants say when they come to Rick’s Place is that “everybody there gets it.”
“They don’t have to explain what their loss is like because it’s already understood,” Ross said. “When kids come and they look around the room, they have the feeling that they were the only ones this happened to. They realize now they’re not, that there are other kids like them managing after a significant death … Loss is a permanent absence, and learning to grow around it is very important”
State Sen. Jake Oliveira and state Rep. Angelo Puppolo, whose support has been able to
secure $775,000 in state funding, attended the expanded Rick’s Place ribbon cutting on June 18.
“Rick’s Place has become an invaluable resource for our region,” Puppolo said in a press release. “The dedicated staff, volunteers, board members and supporters have created a place where children and families find comfort, connection and hope. I congratulate everyone who made this expansion possible and look forward to seeing Rick’s Place continue changing lives for years to come.”
Ross said the elected officials “recognize this is a topic that is not well supported, and yet it has an incredible impact on people’s lives.”
“We need to bring it more
out in the open, and we need to have more support for it,” Ross said. “Research shows that unexamined grief can have negative impacts on kids, particularly on academic experiences. The dropout rate has increased for bereaved youth, and there’s actually a statistic that almost 86% of incarcerated youth had experienced the death of someone significant prior to being detained. When kids are expected to just go back to who they were, it doesn’t work that way. They’re someone entirely different the day after a death than they were the day before.”
More information on Rick’s Place’s services can be found at ricksplacema.org or by calling 413-279-2010.
Wilbraham resident named a 2026 Commonwealth Heroine
BOSTON — State Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo Jr. recently announced that his nominee, Xiomara Albán DeLobato of Wilbraham, has been recognized as a member of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women’s (MCSW) 23rd Annual Commonwealth Heroines Class of 2026. The celebration honoring this year’s award recipients took place in Gardner Auditorium at the Massachusetts State House. Each year, the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women partners with state legislators across the commonwealth
to recognize extraordinary women whose leadership, service, and dedication have made a lasting impact on their communities. Legislators are invited to nominate one woman from their district whose contributions exemplify the spirit of civic engagement, leadership and community service.
Puppolo selected Albán DeLobato in recognition of her exceptional leadership, commitment to expanding economic opportunity and unwavering dedication to strengthening communities throughout Western
Massachusetts.
DeLobato currently serves as a commissioner for the Cannabis Control Commission, where she combines her experience in leading economic initiatives, business partnerships, and workforce development efforts to implement and administer the laws enabling access to medical and adult-use marijuana in the commonwealth safely, equitably and effectively.
During the ceremony, Puppolo presented DeLobato with an official Massachusetts House of Representatives citation recognizing her outstanding achievements and service to the commonwealth, along with his official challenge coin in appreciation of her exemplary leadership, dedicated public service and lasting contributions to the region.
“Xiomara is the embodiment of what it means to be a Commonwealth Heroine,” said Puppolo. “I was honored to nominate her for this recognition because of her remarkable dedication to public service, economic development and community leadership. Throughout her career, she has worked tirelessly to create opportunities for others, strengthen our region and uplift those who need a voice at the table. Her
impact can be felt across Western Massachusetts, and this recognition is well deserved.”
With more than a decade of experience spanning the public, private, and higher education sectors, DeLobato has built a distinguished career focused on expanding access to economic and educational opportunities.
The daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants, she has often spoken about how witnessing her parents overcome challenges has
inspired her lifelong commitment to breaking down barriers and helping others achieve success.
Her professional experience includes leadership positions at several institutions of higher education and a distinguished career in public service and economic development. In addition, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to civic engagement through her service on the boards of Girls, Inc. of the Valley and the Springfield Public Forum, as well as her role as a trustee of Veritas Prep Charter School.
“Xiomara has consistently brought people together to address challenges, foster collaboration and create pathways to opportunity,” Puppolo added.
“She is a respected leader, mentor, and advocate whose work has strengthened countless lives. Her dedication to public service and economic advancement makes her a truly deserving recipient of this honor, and I am proud to recognize her achievements as one of the commonwealth’s outstanding heroines.”
The Commonwealth Heroines program celebrates women whose efforts often take place outside the spotlight, but whose contributions have profoundly enriched their communities and improved the lives of others across Massachusetts. Through her leadership, service, and commitment to empowering others, Albán
that
DeLobato exemplifies the very qualities
the Commonwealth Heroines program was created to honor, according to Puppolo.
State Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. presents an official Massachusetts House of Representatives Citation to Commonwealth Heroine Awardee Xiomara Albán DeLobato.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
Rick’s Place President Bill Scatolini cuts the ribbon on its new and expanded facility.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
Time capsules to reveal yesterday, capture today
By Debbie Gardner dgardner@thereminder.com
EAST LONGMEADOW
—
What would you want people in 2076 to know about life in East Longmeadow today?
What things and information do you think people felt were important back in 1976?
The answer to both questions involves the same mechanism — a community time capsule — one buried by townspeople during the 200th anniversary of America’s founding, the other being created now.
In the spirit of ‘76
“There were a lot of things going on back then, and this was one of them,” Historical Commission Chair Christine Devlin said of the original time capsule. She added that much like the current time capsule project, the 1976 project was a joint effort between the East Longmeadow Rotary Club and the Historical Commission.
The town unearthed its homage to life in 1976 on May 31, extracting it from the spot in Heritage Park where it was buried on July 18 of that year.
“We dug it up a few weeks back so we could get a jump on getting the contents out,” Devlin told Reminder Publishing in late June. “We are planning to reveal the contents to the public on Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Pleasant View Senior Center.” Plans are still in the works for the unveiling, Devlin said, with the hope that ELCAT will be able to project the contents on a screen so all attendees will be able to see the items from 1976 as they are revealed. More information about the event, including whether people will need to register to attend, will be forthcoming, she added.
Devlin said there’s been a lot of excitement about the contents of the 1976 time capsule.
“Many people know someone who put something in there for them, or they remember putting something in there, and it’s been fun to hear from everybody,” she said.
Capturing a picture of 2026
Devlin said the Historical Commission is excited to be working again with the Rotary Club for the new time capsule project, which was spearheaded by former Historical Commission Chair Tom Behan.
“Tom Behan passed away very sadly in January of this year,” Devlin shared. “Something he was very passionate about was the old excavation and the new capsule.”
Devlin said Behan, who was chair of the commission for four years, brought up the capsule projects at the end of 2024.
“He wanted to get a jump on things, and it was smart to do so,” she added.
The new time capsule for 2026 measures 5 feet by 2 feet, providing the commission and Rotary Club with ample room to include important and interesting memorabilia and submissions from this historic year, Devlin said. She added that, as donations have been coming in slowly, the deadline to submit items for inclusion in the capsule has been extended to July 11.
The 2026 time capsule is slated to be buried in Heritage Park at 6 p.m. on July 16.
Donations for inclusion can be dropped off at the Pleasant View Senior Center auditorium, the East Longmeadow Public Library or the town manager’s office.
“We originally said items that were 11 inches by 17 inches maximum, but we are open to cool things, and it will be at our discretion what we will put in,” Devlin said.
To help spark interest in participating in the time capsule, she said the Historical Commission will have a float in the town’s Fourth of July parade.
“We’re in the grouping with the Rotary Club float,” Devlin said. “Some of us will be walking and some riding. I will be out there handing out some fun things to the kids.”
To date, there have been several opportunities for town folk to create items for inclusion in the time capsule. Devlin said on May 30, the Historical Commission had an event at the Norcross House where they invited children to do coloring pages for the capsule and offered questionnaires for attendees to fill out for potential inclusion.
Those interested in submitting
something to the time capsule who missed the Norcross House event will also find the questionnaire on the Historical Commission’s Facebook page. Devlin said the commission also worked with Greg Thompson from the School Committee to connect with several classrooms for submissions from students.
“We have some really cute notes about what they think things will look like in 50 years, so those are going in the capsule,” Devlin said.
Even the Pleasant View Senior Center got in the act. Program and Volunteer Coordinator Alicia Mattsson-Bozé shared that on March 20, the Spirit Squad from Mountain View Elementary School teamed up with members of the Senior Center to create
original puzzles for inclusion in the time capsule.
“We gave out small blank puzzles,” Mattsson-Bozé said, explaining that each pairing of student and elder created their own unique design. “It was a good time, and it was fun to watch the interaction between our older adults and the students.”
Mattsson-Bozé said the names of the students, their school, and the name of the elder they worked with were added to each puzzle, and the puzzles will be sealed for preservation before being placed in the time capsule.
“We put the names of the students and school and hope, when the new capsule is opened, we can find the students,” Mattsson-Bozé said.
East Longmeadow Fourth of July Parade Lineup
The following is a list of participants in this year’s Fourth of July parade. The parade steps off at 10 a.m. from St. Michael’s Church and will continue along traditional route from Maple Street to North Main Street to Maplewood Street to Elm Street
This list was provided by parade organizers and is up-to-date as of June 30.
Unit 1
• Grand Marshal George Kingston
• Past Grand Marshals
State Representative Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.
• Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno
• East Longmeadow Town Council
• East Longmeadow Town Manager
• East Longmeadow School Committee Hampden Selectmen
• Lenox/Stanley Black & Decker
• Hampden County
Sheriff’s Office Rotary Club of East Longmeadow
• East Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee and Friends
• Historical Commission
• Frank B. Paige Plumbing & Heating Services Inc.
• Devs Mac N eats
• East Longmeadow Lions Club
• Totally Adaptive North Star Athletics
• Polish American String Band
• Body works unlimited
Springfield Elks Lodge 61
• Whispering Horse Therapeutic Riding Center
• Maybury Material Handling
• Maybury Material Handling
• East Longmeadow
Girls Lacrosse East Longmeadow
Boys Lacrosse
• East Longmeadow
Youth Softball
• East Longmeadow Baseball Association East Longmeadow Soccer
• Trailer Trash Corvette Club of western mass
• PFLAG East Longmeadow
• Windsor Fife & Drum Corps East Longmeadow Football
• East Longmeadow Youth Cheer
• ELHS Cheerleaders
• Arbortech Tree Services
• East Longmeadow Marlins Swim Team
• Girl Scouts Fazios Ristorante & Pizzeria
• National Ambulance
• Michele Martinelli~Willow Barn Designs Unit 2
• Kelly Fradet Lumber
• Texas Roadhouse
• Springfield Thunderbirds
• King Gray Coach Lines
• Sweet Memories
All States Materials Group
• East Longmeadow Campus of Care Scags Enterprise LLC
• Maple Dental Associates • star dance studio
• Greater Springfield Credit Union
• Park Rangers
• Pioneer Valley Arms
Massachusetts Senior
Pageant Club
• Miss Western Massachusetts
Organization
• Great American Marching Band
• The Meadows Lodge • Alliance Dental Care
Jurassic Park Motor Pool
• Springfield St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and Colleens Chicopee St. Patrick’s Parade Committee
• The Car Club New England Inc.
• Glenmeadow
• Stand Out Truck
• Polish National Credit Union
• reserve at eastlongmeadow CJ’s Towing
• Springfield College Police Department Oompa Meisters
• Ace Asphalt • The Q 99.7
• Todd Mongeon
• Bluebird Estates
• Allied Flooring Paint and Design Hampden County Hexenbruts
• Tim’s Turf Property Maintenance BinGo Wash
• Eds Tree Service
• Northbreed Auto Club
• Weldon’s Landscaping Unit 4
• Shriners Advance Unit David Kern
• Fire Departments
• ELPD Military
• Yankee Doodle
These puzzles, put together by members of the Senior Center and Spirit Squad at Mountain View Elementary School, will be included in the time capsule set to be buried in Heritage Park on July 16.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
2025 Fourth of July
Residents and city officials attend the Fourth of July parade in 2025.
Reminder Publishing photos
Kingston named East Longmeadow parade marshal
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
EAST LONGMEADOW — East Longmeadow Historical Commission member George Kingston is set to ride in style as this year’s parade marshal for the annual Fourth of July parade, one of the largest Independence Day celebrations in Western Massachusetts.
The Fourth of July Parade attracts thousands to East Longmeadow, with 1,500 marchers and an estimated 20,000 spectators in 2024 alone. A parade marshal is assigned each year to a community member who goes above and beyond for the town.
Kingston moved to town in 1979 while working as a researcher at Monsanto. He joined the town government in 1988 and spent two decades with the Conservation Committee.
He spent 15 years with the Planning Board while also serving on the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and the Charter Commission, where he helped write the town charter. He joined the Historical Commission just a few years ago.
Kingston is an engineer by trade but said history has always fascinated him. He has spearheaded the process of making sure the town’s archives and historic materials are properly preserved since joining the commission.
“It’s a great honor,” Kingston
said. “I was really somewhat surprised when I was told that I had been selected. I knew that I was going to be nominated, someone had told me that, but I didn’t expect to get it. There are a lot of other people who’ve done a lot for the town as well and maybe better known than me, and their time will come too.”
Kingston said that he looks forward to “sitting back and enjoying” the parade this year.
“I’ve marched in the parade before with various other groups over the years, so I know what the parade is like,” Kingston said. “I’ll be happy that I’m not marching this year, because I’m up there in years now and walking over the hot blacktop is not something that I would like to do at my age.”
He said that East Longmeadow has held parades since the town’s founding in 1894, and records show the Fourth of July parade has always been a big deal. He said the kids love it, people from other towns can come enjoy it and that local businesses are able to promote their stores in it.
He also gave a preview of the Historical Commission’s parade float, which will be toting both the 1976 and 2026 time capsules. Historical Commission and Rotary Club members will march with the float, referring to themselves as the “time capsule keepers,” according to Kingston.
down Maple Street, North Main Street, Mapleshade Avenue and Elm Street to Birchland Park Middle School.
East Longmeadow Historical Commission member and 2026 Parade Marshal George Kingston. Reminder Publishing photo by Peter Tuohy
Springfield takes center stage for Jazz & Roots Festival
By Miasha Lee Correspondent
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival is returning to the historic Court Square. On July 10-11, get ready for an unforgettable weekend of music, culture and community. This year’s festival has an artist lineup spanning New Orleans funk, Afro-Cuban jazz and global roots.
Executive Director Kristin Neville of Blues to Green, the nonprofit organization that presents the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival, said, “Attendees can expect an exciting mix of nationally acclaimed artists and outstanding local talent, along with youth performances, family-friendly activities, local vendors, and a welcoming downtown atmosphere full of energy and discovery.”
They’re also excited about special offerings beyond the stage, including a talk with Etienne Charles about Gullah culture and history and its connection to America’s 250th; a Stories & Songs event with All the Rivers and the First Gen Ensemble, sharing immigrant experiences through music and theater; an Afro-Cuban music and jazz workshop led by Zaccai Curtis; and a mural paint party lifting up the stories of youth, families and immigration in Springfield.
The festival will also screen short films, including a Blues to Green project focused on the Puerto Rican community in Western Massachusetts and climate justice and resilience, so people can expect not only great performances, but a fuller cultural experience rooted in music, storytelling and community.
The Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival is a free annual music and arts festival in Downtown Springfield that celebrates jazz, roots and the cultures of the African diaspora. It brings together nationally acclaimed artists, outstanding local performers, youth ensembles, family arts activities, educational programming, local vendors and community organizations for a public gathering in the heart of the city.
From the beginning, Neville said the vision was to create a free, high-quality cultural event that would honor Black and diasporic musical traditions while also helping transform how people see Springfield. She wanted it to be a place where residents could feel pride in their city, where local artists and businesses could be uplifted, and where people from different backgrounds could come together through music in a spirit of joy and shared humanity.
“It also felt important from the start to celebrate Springfield’s cultural diversity and reflect that richness through artists from near
and far,” Neville said. “Part of the inspiration behind the festival was to spotlight the extraordinary contributions that Afro-descended communities have made to our shared culture, including so much of the music we listen to today, while also honoring the many cultures that shape Springfield itself.”
And for her, especially through her late husband Charles Neville’s life in music as a touring artist with the Neville Brothers from New Orleans, it was important not just to present the art, but to create opportunities for people to better understand the social, cultural and historical contexts out of which the music comes. “There are stories in this music,” Neville said. “There are joys and struggles. And there is artistry and creative excellence that deserve to be recognized and honored.”
In an upcoming episode of “So That Reminds Me,” Neville also talked about her inspiration in organizing the festival.
“I felt inspired to try to work with music as a vehicle to bring people together, foster unity, healing and awareness, and action around social and environmental issues,” she said.
Neville’s hope is that this year’s festival will once again bring thousands of people downtown for a joyful, inspiring experience and leave them feeling more connected to the music, to one another and to Springfield itself. She wants the festival to be a place not only of celebration, but also of recognition: a place where people can experience beauty and enjoyment while understanding more about the histories, communities and lived experiences carried in the art.
“This year feels especially meaningful because we’re returning to Court Square, where the festival first began,” Neville said. “I want the legacy of the festival to be that it helped show what’s
possible when a city invests in culture, community and joy. If it has helped people feel more pride in Springfield, more connection to one another, and more belief in a joyful, creative, just, and compassionate future, that would be a legacy I’d be very proud of.”
For more info and updates, go to springfieldjazzfest.com.
Neville will also talk about the Jazz & Roots Festival on the July 3 episode of “So That Reminds Me” with hosts Ryan Feyre and Tyler Garnet. To listen to the episode when it airs head to thereminder.com/ourpodcast or search “So That Reminds Me” on your
favorite podcasting platform.
The 2026 lineup includes:
• Dumpstaphunk: The legendary New Orleans funk powerhouse carries forward the Neville family legacy with explosive live energy.
Omar Sosa: The visionary Cuban pianist blends Afro-Cuban roots and global jazz into a rich, rhythmic sound.
• Etienne Charles: Gullah Roots: The Trinidad-born trumpeter connects jazz with the history of the African diaspora.
• Zaccai Curtis: Cubop Lives!: The Grammy-winning pianist leads an ensemble at the
intersection of bebop and Afro-Cuban jazz.
• Global & Local Standouts: From the immigrant-led ensemble All the Rivers and Uganda-rooted Zikina to Springfield favorites like Malado!, Chestina Thrower, and the vintage swing of Dan Gabel and the Gabeltones.
• David Rivera y La Bámbula: The Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and drummer blends tropical rhythms, R&B, hip-hop and Caribbean dance traditions into a bold, rhythm-forward sound. Managing Editor Dennis Hackett contributed to this report.
From left: Endea Owens & the Cookout performing at last year’s festival. The crowd dancing and jamming along to the music.
Photo credit: Sophie Markham
DA, law enforcement ‘crack down’ on ‘illegal activities’
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — Hampden County District Attorney
Anthony Gulluni was joined Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and local and state police to announce that law enforcement had undertaken a multi-agency initiative to arrest and otherwise stop people who are threatening the city’s safety and quality of life.
Gulluni, backed by a cadre of state and local police, called a press conference on June 25 to explain that law enforcement had made dozens of arrests, motor vehicle stops and ordinance violation citations the previous night and would continue to have an enlarged presence on the streets citywide throughout the night.
During the operation, law enforcement engaged in traffic enforcement, targeted investigations, quality-of-life enforcement and code enforcement efforts. Some of the quality-of-life issues included drug activity, reckless driving, illegal dirt bikes and motorcycles, gang activity, nuisance properties, code violations and sex work.
“At its core, today is about responsiveness, visibility, partnership and public service. It’s about showing residents that when they raise concerns, their government, public safety officials, we’re listening and we act,” Gulluni said.
“Today’s mission focused on addressing concerns related to gang violence, illegal drug activity and other criminal behavior that negatively impacts those who call Springfield their home,” said Massachusetts State Police Maj. Mark Wheeler. “The mission is straightforward. To support efforts that make neighborhoods safer, strengthen pub-
lic confidence and ensure that those who choose to break the law are brought to justice.”
Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers thanked the various law enforcement agencies, including Amtrak Police, for their collaboration.
“Because of their partnerships, the city and the citizens are safer and supported in a confident place,” he said. “Because when we stand together and when we share information, we combine our strengths. We make the community safer and stronger.”
Akers described the initiative as a “crack-down on ... illegal activities and bad actors.” He said, “We know as a police department that we cannot arrest our way out of everything and every challenge that happens in this city,” he acknowledged.
“But I do want you to know we stand with you. We stand for you. Our officers will be out there working very hard every single day to keep you safe,
supported and confident in the Police Department. The police are the people, and the people are the police. Police cannot do it alone.”
Akers advised residents that they would see a higher than usual police presence over the next few months. “We’re going to be out there doing our job. Not to harass, not to necessarily arrest everyone,” he assured. “But we’re going to be there for you, the residents and the visitors of the city of Springfield so you can feel safe.”
Sarno addressed the public, saying, “For those individuals that are going to go out and terrorize our neighborhoods or our streets. We’re not going to accept that type of behavior,”
Sarno said. Gesturing to the city and state police behind him, he added, “And that’s why the cavalry is here. And they made some massive arrests and raids that occurred this morning. They’ll continue tonight and there’ll be waves of these future
engagements going on, all for the good of the citizens and the business community in the city of Springfield, no matter what creed, color or background.”
He later added, “We’re sending a message” to people committing crimes. “You don’t rule the streets.”
The mayor also asked the state’s courts not to release “repeat, violent offenders.”
Sarno said the initiative is the result of two weeks of planning. Springfield police officers, investigators, prosecutors, city personnel and public safety partners, more than 80 state police were involved in the operation. Despite it being a difficult fiscal year, Sarno said he would fund the city’s portion of the initiative.
Asked why the operation was launched now, Gulluni said, “We’re at the front end of the summer. There’s obviously been some incidents of late that certainly drew my concern and the concern of my colleagues.”
Gulluni referred to violence that had occurred at Union Station at the beginning of June, while Wheeler recalled that State Police Gang Unit came under gunfire while conducting an investigation in Mason Square. Over the course of the enforcement initiative that ran June 24-25, law enforcement completed 51 arrests, 274 motor vehicle citations, six firearms seizures, the removal of four illegal dirt bikes from city streets and the recovery of a stolen motor vehicle.
“People deserve to feel safe where they live, work and raise their families,” Gulluni said. “This initiative reflects our commitment to addressing the concerns residents bring to us every day and ensuring that public safety resources are visible, responsive and present in the neighborhoods that need them most. When agencies work together, we can have a greater impact and better serve the community.”
Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, backed by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers, Massachusetts State Police Maj. Mark Wheeler and local and state law enforcement, announces operation to arrest criminals and address quality-of-life issues in the city.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
Hurst alleges city clerk involved in potential corruption
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — A run-ofthe-mill City Council hearing on community preservation projects took a turn June 22 when At Large City Councilor Justin Hurst declared that he had “serious concerns” about one project that he said City Clerk Gladys Oyola-Lopez was involved with. According to Hurst, it “reeks of corruption” and was “possibly criminal.”
Community Preservation Committee Chair Robert McCarroll presented the full list of 21 projects that the committee recommended to the council. Springfield uses a tax, under the Community Preservation Act, to fund projects related to housing, historical properties and open space or recreation. Among this year’s projects was the redevelopment of the former Brightwood Elementary School into the Bella Apartments. The applicant for the project, which would turn the 1889 school building into affordable housing and add a wing onto the building, is the preferred developer, MPZ NNCC Plainfield Street LLC.
Hurst pointed out that the company owns Brightwood Elderly Living Loving Assistance LLC, of which Oyola-Lopez is one of two listed managers. He said Brightwood Elderly Living Loving Assistance had requested a waiver from the Zoning Board of Appeals. Oyola-Lopez is also the president of the New North Citizens Council Board of Directors, and Hurst claimed the organization would “benefit directly” from the redevelopment of the city-owned property. Further, Hurst said that because the city clerk has a hand in creating the City Council agenda, with the input and oversight of the City Council president, Oyola-Lopez was able to exert influence on the matter.
Summing up, Hurst alleged that the clerk, as one of the managers of a subsidiary of the preferred developer, was “intimately entangled” with the project. He wondered aloud if Oyola-Lo-
pez had declared a conflict of interest and said she should have recused herself from the meeting. “Were there inside dealings?” he asked. He motioned for the matter to be sent to committee for further examination. He also called for a legal opinion from City Solicitor Stephen Buoniconti, adding, “I know our solicitor has gotten good at reporting things to the Ethics Commission.” This was a reference to a controversy this spring in which City Council President Tracye Whitfield partially oversaw the discussion of a matter that she and her son were financially involved in. Buoniconti had referred the matter to the state Ethics Commission.
“Through all the turmoil that this council has been through recently, nobody that I’m aware of has used the word that was just used now: corruption. Nobody has used that word here in this chamber,” said Ward 6 City Councilor Victor Davila, who had called for Whitfield to step down as council president in May. He chided his colleague, “You spit up in the air, and it will come back and hit you.”
At Large City Councilor Brian Santaniello said that criminal and corrupt are “strong words.”
He took exception to Hurst making the declaration in an open meeting, broadcast on live TV.
At Large City Councilor Kateri Walsh said Hurst’s comments were getting close to character assassination, and the City Council rules do not permit that. Councilor after councilor expressed full confidence in Oyola-Lopez but agreed that the matter should go to committee, “just to clear the air,” as Walsh put it. Ward 8 City Councilor Zaida Govan said, “Questions need to be answered.”
At Large City Councilor Jose Delgado said, “These are serious allegations that we’re throwing here. And to being the president of a nonprofit organization or asked to be stepped in, I don’t know how someone would benefit that. I don’t know if you’re supposed to recuse or not, but that is one thing.” He continued,
“I want to make sure that we do our proper vetting before we put this out publicly because... you’re essentially saying somebody did something.”
Hurst said, “I don’t take these things lightly ... I’m also an attorney. I know something is wrong. I know it’s wrong. Now, to the depth of which it is wrong, I’m not sure. But at the very least, somebody’s got to look into it.”
Walsh asked to end discussion and vote on sending the matter to committee “before we all say things we regret and cannot take back.” With a unanimous vote, it was sent to the General Government Committee.
of corruption.”
Throughout the entire discussion, Oyola-Lopez sat silently, recording the motions of the councilors. After the item was sent to committee, Whitfield asked if the clerk needed a break. She declined, and the council carried on with the city’s business. Reminder Publishing reached out to Oyola-Lopez but did not hear back by press time.
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
Stanley Bator
Eileen A. Davis
Daniel G. Forest
Ronald G. Fournier
Pastor Patricia Marie Gibson
Suzanne C. Keating
Carol Ann Maroon
Aline A. Scheehser
Robert J. Slattery
EAST LONGMEADOW
Frances J. Anthony Dino Graziano
HAMPDEN
Robert P. Doty Sr. HOLYOKE
Patricia F. Gagnon
Lorraine L. Perreault
Helen M. Wytrych
LONGMEADOW
Elizabeth A. Hammett
LUDLOW
Denis L. Houle
SOUTH HADLEY
Harvey L. Cook
Donald R. Dausch
Judith A. Higgins
SPRINGFIELD
Richard G. Dooley
Henry F. Fuss
Mark W. LaBonte
Denis W. LaMari
Arlene A. Mackie
Viola L. Moore
Wilhelmina C. Siracuse
Gary S. Thompson
WILBRAHAM
Richard Boswoth
Gloria E. Tomassetti
Springfield At Large City Councilor Justin Hurst alleges City Clerk Gladys Oyola-Lopez is involved in “potentially criminal” matters that “reeks
Photo credit: Focus Springfield
Nodding to history, Governor’s Council returns to Old State House
By Katie Castellani State House News Service
BOSTON — As the state gears up for a slew of celebrations of the nation’s 250th anniversary, the Governor’s Council nodded to its own history on June 24 by meeting at the Old State House.
The council regularly met at the historic building from 1713 to 1789. On June 24, present-day councilors — who usually meet in a cramped chamber within the State House — gathered there again.
“Given the 250th anniversary of democracy and being able to hold this meeting in the place that witnessed so much of it is really important,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, who chairs the council, said with the balcony where the Declaration of Independence was first read to Boston citizens in the background.
“Our authority comes not from a crown, but from the people of Massachusetts and from the Constitution,” Driscoll continued. “And so it’s fitting that this chamber can still remind us of the truths that we hold so dear, that our commonwealth is strongest when we work together, when we deliberate, when we take issues seriously and justly. It benefits the public trust today as much as it did 250 years ago.”
During the meeting, councilors voted 8-0 to approve three nominations from Gov. Maura Healey: Zachary Hillman as an associate justice for the Appeals Court;
Sarah Joss as an associate justice in the Superior Court; and Mark DeFrancisco, who Healey reappointed to the Apellate Tax Board and redesignated as its chair.
Hillman is the first justice of the Worcester District Court and regional administrative justice for the Trial Court’s Region 5. Before that, he was general counsel in the District Court’s administrative office, where he advised the chief justice, justices and clerks on legal issues. He was also an assistant district attorney in the Appeals Unit in Suffolk County.
Joss was confirmed to the District Court bench in 2022 and mainly sits in Lynn, according to Healey’s office. She is also a member of the District Court’s Appellate Division. Before her appointment, Joss was the deputy commissioner for legal services and legal counsel for the Massachusetts Probation Service.
According to his resume, DeFrancisco was first appointed to the Appellate Tax Board in 2020 and has served as its chair since 2022. He was also chief counsel to previous board chairs from 1995 to 2004, and again from 2006 to 2021.
Hearings for both Joss and Hillman took place minutes before the council voted on their nominations and councilors spoke highly of both. Indeed, Councilor Terrence Kennedy told Hillman he is the “perfect judge.”
“You do a great job, you’re really thoughtful in every one
of your decisions, you are very attentive, you show a lot of empathy for everybody: defendants, victims. You’re kind to everybody in the courthouse,” Kennedy, a defense attorney, said.
Hillman told councilors that as he hears each case he wants to give everyone the “confidence that they were fairly heard” and will have “their case justly resolved.”
“The parties that come into court are not simply names on a docket, they are people who may be having the worst, scariest, or
most heart-wrenching day of their life. The court’s decisions can profoundly impact a person’s freedom, family, housing, and livelihood, as well as the interest of the community,” he said.
Hillman added that he tried to remain “curious, open-minded and receptive” and would bring that mindset to the Appeals Court.
Joss told the council that she would make sure anyone who appears before her feels heard.
“Our justice system only works when the people who interact with it trust and believe that
it works. Even if a case does not turn out the way someone hopes, the ability of the judge to make sure that the person is heard and believes that they have been heard is critical to establishing that trust and credibility,” she said.
Councilor Joseph Ferreira praised Joss’ work and said it’s unusual for an applicant to be “equally learned in civil and criminal law.”
Katie Castellani is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro reach her at kcastellani@statehousenews.com.
Insurance, concrete fees eyed to help address crumbling foundations
By Katie Castellani
State House News Service
BOSTON — Homeowners struggling with crumbling concrete
foundations are looking for hopeful signs after years of pleading for state intervention.
State Sen. Peter Durant, a Spen-
cer Republican, has filed legisla
tion (S 3091) that would create a Crumbling Concrete Assistance Fund to help homeowners replace foundations damaged by pyrite or pyrrhotite. The legislation implements recommendations from the Crumbling Concrete Stakeholder Working Group’s March report, Durant told the Joint Committee on Financial Services during a hearing June 22.
The bill establishes a $6 fee on homeowner and condo insurance policies as well as a $6 surcharge on each cubic yard of ready-mix concrete used in residential and commercial projects, and fee revenues would be deposited into the new fund. Fees would be collected by the Department of Revenue every April 1 and Oct. 1. The fund could also be credited with state
and federal funds and donations.
Durant said there are about 1.7 million homeowner insurance policies in the state and the proposed $6 fee is expected to generate $10 million per year. Also, charging $6 per cubic yard of concrete would bring in around $19.5 million per year, based on an estimated 3.25 million cubic yards sold each year, according to the group’s report.
“What this does is it ties a small, predictable contribution to the product that happens to be at the center of this crisis,” Durant told members of the Joint Committee on Financial Services on June 22.
After a group of homeowners shared their stories with crumbling foundations, committee co-chair Sen. Paul Feeney apologized to them for having to repeatedly testify on the topic, telling them “it seems like there’s some momentum behind getting something done.”
“So, certainly this committee, I know, is committed to trying to figure it out,” he said.
More than 50 municipalities and counting, are affected by crumbling concrete foundations, Durant said. For years, homeowners have shared their sto-
ries with lawmakers, asking for help but watching bills stall out in committees.
One of these homeowners is Russell Dupere who learned his concrete foundation was falling apart and it would cost $325,000 to replace it. Nearly a decade later, Dupere says he is still swimming in debt on top of new financial challenges including paying for his kids’ college tuition and managing his wife’s rare blood cancer.
“We really need your help and I know this isn’t an ideal way to fund it, but I don’t know what else can happen,” Dupere told the committee during testimony where he fought back tears. “It’s impossible for us.”
According to Durant’s office, the legislation also creates a Massachusetts Crumbling Concrete Assistance Program to oversee “eligibility, inspections, contractor approval and, and distribution of aid, with limits on administrative costs and requirements for transparency and reporting.” It also updates professional education requirements and regulations to improve “identification and awareness of risks related to pyrite and pyrrhotite in concrete foundations.”
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll stands with members of the Governor’s Council in the Old State House on June 24. State House News Service photo by Katie Castellani
Carter
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nity. I am proud of the work we accomplished over the past 13 years, including the launching of a strategic plan, and feel the Willie Ross School is in a better place and well positioned for future success.
“As I retire to spend more time with my family and to enjoy my beloved Cape Cod, I can say without hesitation that I have been fortunate to work in the world of the Deaf. After 45 years in the field of Deaf education, I can say that I am eternally grateful for the Deaf community allowing me to be in their world.”
Carter’s road to a career in deaf education started with an internship at the Boston School for the Deaf while in graduate school at Lesley College in Cambridge. While pursuing a Ph.D. in Deafness Rehabilitation from New York University, he accepted a position as program director at the Connecticut-based Family Services Woodfield, now known as Lifebridge, as director of Deaf
Services. There, he grew the program from one full-time employee to 90 employees during his tenure. Carter then went on to become president and CEO of Austine School for the Deaf, where he served until his hiring at Willie Ross School for the Deaf in 2013.
During his tenure at Willie Ross School for the Deaf, the school’s Outreach Program has more than doubled; an over $2 million renovation of the school’s Longmeadow campus was completed, transforming its Sidney M. Cooley Administration Building; and a partnership with Bay Path University was formed, where the university houses Willie Ross School for the Deaf’s early education programming in renovated former student dorm space to address the needs of a growing early childhood education program.
Sanders said the Board of Trustees has engaged outside executive recruitment counsel to work with the board and in identifying a new leader for the school. The process is expected to conclude in the spring of 2027.
Bert Carter retired after 13 years leading Willie Ross School for the Deaf. Reminder Publishing submitted photo
The Mutiny’s Mila Lee (R) competes for the ball with Ashley Connolly of Maine.
Caitlin Driscoll scored the Mutiny’s first goal.
Ludlow High School stand-out Valentina Molinari (L) vies
the ball with Ashley
Aida Name (from Belchertown) receives the New England throw-in.
Ludlow native Mia Carvalho boots the ball out of the Mutiny end.
On 6/14 the Cubs rallied in their last at-bat to defeat the Tigers 15-14 in the first game of a Valley Wheel Over-28 Baseball triple header played at Forest Park. In the second game the Twins defeated the Orioles 8-4.
O’s shortstop Dan Benoit shows the ball to the ump after tagging out Twins base runner Todd Bergstrom.
The Orioles’ Adam Strain receives the throw too late as Geoff Oldmixon steals second.
The Twins’ Todd Bergstrom reacts after connecting with the breaking ball.
With a runner on third base Tigers batter John Sullivan swings at the fastball.
Rob Smart leads from third as Tigers batter Dave Eyerman takes the pitch.
The Twins’ Matt Cartwright belts the ball to left center.
