john_velis

January 4, 2021

Velis hopeful for a better 2021

January 4th, 2020 – The Westfield News – Hope E. Tremblay

WESTFIELD – Like most people, state Sen. John C. Velis is looking forward to focusing on the positive in 2021.

When the clock struck midnight on New Year’s, Velis had one thing to say: “2020 – see ya!”

“I miss people,” he said. “For most politicians, people are the reason you do the job. I love people and cannot wait to get back to seeing everyone in person.”

Velis won the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District senate seat not once, but twice during the pandemic. Since his first swearing-in in May, Velis has attended every senate session – which were extended through the entire year – virtually.

December 30, 2020

‘Leading the way’: Vaccinations begin at Soldiers’ Homes in Holyoke and Chelsea, offering a crucial step toward reconnecting families

December 29th, 2020 – Greg Saulmon – MassLive, Photo by Hoang ‘Leon’ Nguyen / The Republican

HOLYOKE — When U.S. Air Force veteran Robert Aucoin got his first of two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, he fist bumped a nurse standing nearby.

“Leading the way,” said Aucoin, 78, who was the first resident vaccinated at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke.

Across the state, at the Soldiers’ Home in Chelsea, World War II veteran Dominic Pitella got his shot as vaccinations began at the state’s two long-term care facilities for veterans, both of which saw dozens of residents die in coronavirus outbreaks this year.

It was a milestone in the ongoing effort to keep the virus out of the nursing homes — but family members and advocates said it was also a crucial step toward letting loved ones back in.

For nine months, veterans and their families have had few chances to see each other in person. Outdoor visits resumed in Holyoke in June, only to be suspended in September when an administrator tested positive for the virus. Visits were suspended indefinitely in November as cases and deaths surged.

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State Sen. John C. Velis, a U.S. Army Reserve combat veteran whose district includes Holyoke, said he was glad to see the vaccinations begin — and that it’s critical to ensure the process is swift.

“The visiting hours have continuously been on hold because of the potential cases, for both residents and staff, which has just been tremendously hard for the families and veterans of Western Mass,” he said, describing “heartbreaking” conversations with family members who have been unable to visit the home. He added, “All they want to do is get in there and give dad, mom, brother, sister a hug, and tell them they love them.”

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As families wait for the day when they can visit again — relying on nurses and other staff in the meantime to help set up video chats and calls — Velis pledged to continue working with administrators and advocating for steps to safeguard the veterans’ emotional wellbeing.

“One thing I really need to ensure is that in the absence of these visits, veterans are being emotionally engaged,” he said. “They’ve earned it, right? We’re talking about the most selfless population in the world.”

December 27, 2020December 23, 2020

December 27th, 2020 – Weekly Update

Season’s Greetings everyone!

I hope you and your families are able to enjoy this holiday season while remaining safe as COVID cases are continuing to rise.

The holidays are supposed to be a time where we gather to see family and friends, but as with everything this year, that has sadly become difficult. Following the recent rise in cases, Governor Baker has released new guidelines and restrictions that will take effect this Saturday, December 26th in an effort to slow the spread of this deadly virus. Most importantly, the Governor has reduced gathering sizes and business capacities. Starting today, no more than 10 people are allowed at indoor gatherings and no more than 25 people at outdoor gatherings. I implore everybody to continue to exercise caution this week as we ring in the new year.

On a more positive note, as of Wednesday, almost 200,000 COVID-19 vaccines have arrived in the Commonwealth. Amongst the first recipients of the vaccine will be those at congregate living facilities, like nursing homes, and our brave medical workers on the front lines. While these are positive developments, it is important to remember that we are not in the clear yet and I encourage everyone to remain vigilant.

With the end of the legislative session in sight, this week has been one of our busiest at the state house. This past Wednesday, I was happy to vote on the health care conference committee bill, which requires insurers to permanently reimburse customers for behavioral telehealth appointments at rates they would pay for the same care in person. This cementing of telehealth options in our healthcare system is the first of what I’m sure will be many changes in the way we think about medicine post-COVID. This week I was also afforded the time to celebrate the season with both my colleagues and family, albeit remotely. Along with Mayor Humason and Rep-Elect Pease, I zoomed into WCPC/WSKB 89.5 on Wednesday to spread some holiday cheer to our community.

Sadly, this is a time a year when many are reminded of what they lack and this has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. With the new year looming and the housing courts reopening, many will find themselves in dire housing situations. In response to this, the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) has formed the COVID Eviction Legal Help Project (CEHLP). CEHLP is a group that gives free legal help to low-income tenants and owner-occupants living in 2- or 3-family houses in Massachusetts. To find legal help in your area, go to www.evictionlegalhelp.org or call 2-1-1.

As the new year begins, I’m starting a new tradition: a quarterly newsletter from my office right to your email inbox. This newsletter will include more in-depth information on legislation and what is going on in the State house. If you would like to sign up for the newsletter, head to www.senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/

As always if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office. I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and new year,

John C. Velis

December 21, 2020

December 20th, 2020 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all are doing well and staying safe. We had quite a bit of snow this week, and I want to thank all the first responders and public works employees who were on call in our district.

I was lucky enough to begin this past week listening to my good friend Senator Mike Rush sing “The Army Goes Rolling Along” over Zoom. Some of you might remember that me and the Senator, who is also a Lt. Commander in the US Navy Reserves, had a friendly bet on the Army-Navy football game last weekend. Luckily, the outcome was in my favor. In addition to the fun singing, the Senator made a donation to the Holyoke Soldiers Home and I made a donation to the Fisher House of Boston in his district, both great organizations serving our Vets. You can see the recording of the Senator’s performance on my social media, @SenJohnVelis.

On Monday I met with Representative-Elect Pat Duffy via video-chat, who will be the new State Representative for Holyoke starting in January. I also had the honor of speaking with Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou, the Greek Ambassador to the United States. We discussed my recent re-election and other Greek legislators throughout the country.

This past Tuesday, I remotely recorded an interview with Comcast Newsmakers. I went over the recent FY21 budget that the legislature passed and answered questions on my amendments securing funding for the Holyoke Soldiers Home. The interview will be released in the New Year and will be available on YouTube and Comcast on-demand. Later in the day, I had a phenomenal virtual meeting with the Holyoke Rotary Club where we discussed how COVID-19 has affected state finances and in turn how that has impacted municipalities.

During these difficult times it has been incredible to see the ways our community has stepped up to help those struggling, especially those facing food insecurity issues. On Wednesday night, I joined Holyoke community members for the 5^th annual Holyoke Community Dinner Celebration, where we handed out meals and chatted with residents driving through. Friday afternoon I joined the Russell Police Department for their food drive and handed out Christmas Dinner boxes to community members. I’m so grateful for the organizations, sponsors, and volunteers who organized these events!

This week I am also happy to report that Westfield and Chicopee were both selected by MassDOT as grant winners for the Shared Streets and Spaces Program, which provides funds to municipalities to improve public spaces and increase safe mobility. Westfield will be receiving a little more than $225,000 to upgrade and expand existing sidewalks in the City and to improve facilities at adjacent PVTA bus stops. Chicopee will be receiving just above $75,000 to develop a network of mixed-use lanes for pedestrians and cyclists in Chicopee Center.

Sincerely,

John C. Velis

Senator Velis with the Russell Police Department on Friday, 12/18 for the Christmas Food Drive

Senator Velis with the Holyoke Rotary Club on Tuesday, 12/15

December 13, 2020December 14, 2020

December 13th, 2020 – Weekly Update

Hi Everyone,

I can’t believe that it’s already December, it’s getting colder every day!

This week the state released its initial COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan with the hope that vaccine inoculations can begin as early as next week. The distribution timeline is divided into phases, and the first phase will prioritize health care workers and the most vulnerable residents in our communities. The vaccine will be free to all and insurers will not charge co-pays or out-of-pocket costs. These developments are really encouraging, but it’s important to remember that this is not going to be an immediate process. COVID-19 is just as dangerous today as it was before this news, and we need to continue to wear masks and social distance so that we can get through this together. You can find out more about the vaccine distribution at Mass.gov/COVIDvaccine.

This past Monday, I hosted a Zoom forum with legislative colleagues and Commissioner Jane Ryder of the Department of Developmental Services. We discussed challenges that Adult Day Programs in our region are facing and how to improve communications and financial supports from DDS to these organizations. Tuesday night I joined the Holyoke Democratic City Committee for their virtual meeting honoring State Representative Vega as Democrat of the year. Representative Vega has been an incredible advocate for Holyoke during his time as a legislator, and I was proud to speak about my friendship with him and our work together.

Wednesday and Thursday were full of meetings in the community. I joined Holyoke’s Public Safety Committee meeting Wednesday night and had another informative meeting with Southampton Town Administrator Ed Gibson on Thursday afternoon. On Wednesday I also met with Jay Kumar, the owner of Universal Plastics in Holyoke, to hear about challenges businesses like his have been facing.

This Saturday Army and Navy played 121^st football game in their historic rivalry. One of my colleagues, Senator Mike Rush, is a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy and we realized that this is the first time in modern history that the Senate has a sitting Senator enlisted in each of the branches. Considering this, we decided to make a friendly wager on the game: loser must post a video singing the opposing branch’s fight song. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to hearing Senator Rush’s beautiful rendition. For updates on our wager, feel free to visit my social media channels at @SenJohnVelis.

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office. I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.

Sincerely,

John C. Velis

December 9, 2020December 9, 2020

Organic recycling facility in Agawam provides nutrients to local farms

December 9th, 2020 – Sarah Heinonen – The Reminder

AGAWAM – In a nondescript, green building on Main Street in Agawam, food that would once have been sent to an incinerator is getting a new life as it takes its first steps on the road to becoming fertilizer.

The Vanguard Renewable Organics Recycling Facility was “powered up” on Dec. 3 with help from Chairman and CEO John Hanselman, Agawam Mayor William Sapelli, state Rep. Nicholas Boldyga, state Sen. John Velis, and City Councilors Mario Tedschi, George Bitzas and Rosemary Sandlin.

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Velis noted, “At a fundamental level, this is about taking something that’s bad and turning it into something that’s good and green.”

December 7, 2020

December 6th, 2020 Weekly Update

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a great week and are staying safe and healthy during these difficult times.

It is clear from this week’s data reports that the rate of COVID-19 cases in our communities is rising. Currently Southwick, Chicopee, and Holyoke are designated as red communities, while Westfield, Agawam, and Easthampton are designated as yellow communities. It is imperative that we continue to stay vigilant as we move into these winter months. While news surrounding a vaccine is extremely promising, we are not there yet, and we need to be mindful of the interactions we are having with others.

This past Friday, the Senate and House came to agreement on a final FY2021 budget after differences between the two chambers were worked out in conference committee. I was proud to vote for this final legislation, which provides critical support and investments to our community while remaining fiscally responsible. I am also glad that my amendments providing funding for the Holyoke Soldiers Home, the Holyoke and Westfield Boys & Girls Clubs, Baystate Health and the Agawam Police Department survived the conference process and are included in the final bill. Now the budget will go before the Governor for his consideration.

Tuesday morning I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony of Compass Recovery in Agawam, where I was honored to present them with a Senate citation in recognition of their opening. The treatment center will provide partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient services for those struggling with substance abuse disorders.

On Wednesday I attended the services for Staff Sergeant Mark Johnson, a 2015 graduate of Agawam High School who recently passed away while stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. Sgt. Johnson served as a Squad Leader in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Romania and was a recipient of numerous military honors. His service inspires us all, and his passing is a tragic loss for our entire community.

Thursday morning I was in Agawam for the grand opening of Vanguard Renewables’ new Organics Recycling Facility. The recycling facility’s innovative process converts expired and unsafe food waste into renewable energy. Vanguard Renewables is the largest organics recycler in the Northeast and will process nearly 500,000 tons of organic waste into renewables energy in 2021. It was truly incredible to tour the facility and learn more about how this process works firsthand.

Sincerely,

John C. Velis

November 30, 2020

November 29, 2020 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all were able to safely celebrate Thanksgiving with your loved ones, whether that be in-person or virtually!

I want to first update you all on the status of the FY2021 budget. As you might remember, last week the Senate passed our final FY2021 budget after two days of debating over 450 amendments. The next step is for the Senate and House to meet in conference committee to resolve differences between the two versions, before sending a finalized budget to the Governor for his consideration. This week the Senate and House each appointed members to the budget conference committee.

I also want to shout out the annual Monte’s March, which took place earlier this week to benefit the Western Massachusetts Food Bank. This two-day, 43 mile walk from Springfield to Greenfield raises awareness and funds to prevent hunger in our region. While the march this year looked different than past years, people really stepped up—the March raised more than $600,000 in donations. These donations will benefit the Food Bank and our communities in countless ways and I’m inspired by everyone who participated or made a donation.

Tuesday morning I had a virtual meeting with constituents from Holyoke to discuss some of the challenges that residents are facing regarding their unemployment benefits and other state resources. As a result, my office is creating some easily accessible information for our communities, both in print and digital forms, on what resources are available to them and how to receive such benefits. In addition my office is always available to assist anyone who is having difficulty with their benefits or unemployment claim.

Tuesday afternoon I met with Pat Beaudry at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. We discussed a variety of challenges that our communities in the Pioneer Valley are facing, and it was great to get his input. Later on Tuesday, I drove over to MGM Springfield where I had an introductory meeting with President Chris Kelley.

On Wednesday I joined Congressman Neal and community members in Holyoke for the ribbon cutting of Harper’s Haven playground, which is dedicated in memory of Harper Violet, a young Holyoke resident who we tragically lost this past spring. I’m grateful to all the businesses, donors, and community members who pitched in to make this playground come to fruition.

Wednesday afternoon I joined the Forum house in Westfield for their annual Thanksgiving Lunch. It was great to help pass out Thanksgiving meals and talk with residents about how they’re doing. The holidays can be a challenging time for many, and it’s so important that we continue to reach out and provide support to those in our community who are struggling.

Sincerely,

John C. Velis

November 24, 2020

After victory, Velis prepares for first full term in state Senate

November 11, 2020 – The Reminder – Dennis Hackett, Reminder Publishing File Photo

WESTERN MASS. – After securing the Second Hampden and Hampshire District state Senate seat during the Nov. 3 election, state Sen. John Velis discussed his goals and challenges ahead of his first full term in office.

Before getting into anything, Velis said one of his top priorities was helping the area recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“First and foremost has to be COVID-19 recovery; it’s going to be an immediate and all-consuming issue in terms of how we recover. Small business, the hardships people are facing in the Second Hampden and Hampshire District, it’s absolutely critical to advocate for them,” he said.

While the Senate and House are facing difficult budget seasons, Velis said he is going to make sure his constituents have a seat at the table.

“We’re entering a difficult budget season with the House releasing theirs next week and then the state Senate releasing theirs the following week. Every lawmaker is going to be asked to do more with less. I need to zealously advocate for the constituents that elected me to ensure we have a seat at the table,” he said.

One of the ways Velis said he wants to stand out in legislature is by providing a bipartisan voice in the state Senate.

“One thing that is a priority of mine is continuing to be that voice in Massachusetts politics that doesn’t look at things just through the lens of the political party that happens to be next to my name. I think that’s critical to our nation, the healing and the working together,” he said.

November 24, 2020

‘A real commitment… to right this ship:’ State Senate passes $1.4 million in budget increases for Holyoke

November 19, 2020 – MassLive/The Republican – Stephanie Barry

HOLYOKE — The state Senate is working to bring a budget cavalry to the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, passing a $400,000 amendment Wednesday night to finance a new ombudsman’s office and better equipment and services for the long-term care facility ravaged by a COVID-19 outbreak this spring.

State Sen. John Velis, a Westfield Democrat, sponsored an amendment to boost the state-run home’s budget by $200,000 for an ombudsman’s office plus an additional $200,000 for better supplies and services. The measure passed 39-0.