March 7, 2021 – Weekly Update

Happy March Everyone,

Now that spring has begun and we can be outside for longer than fifteen minutes, I’m looking forward to some more outdoor events in the community.

On Tuesday I presented two Senate citations to members of our medical community, one to Physicians’ Assistant Kenzi Holden and the other to Doctor Sarah O’Shea. During the onset of the pandemic, these two went above and beyond for their clinic, routinely seeing more than twenty patients a day and almost completely giving up time with their families in order to best protect their patients. The Commonwealth is lucky have them working in our healthcare system.

Thursday, I attended the Baystate’s COVID-19 legislative update alongside other legislators from Western Mass. Members of both the public sector and Baystate staff discussed the many issues facing healthcare workers right now, chief amongst them being lack of vaccine supply. Positive test rates are–thankfully–starting to drop across the Commonwealth. However, there are still miles ahead of us and I urge everyone to continue to taken proper precautions.

Later on Thursday I visited the State Police headquarters in Framingham to discuss public safety in the Commonwealth and projects that they are co-opting with the Department of Homeland Security on. I also toured the Massachusetts Fusion Center, which is the operational hub of the Commonwealth’s homeland security efforts. The work these agencies are doing to is paramount to keeping the Commonwealth safe and I look forward to working with them to determine how the Massachusetts legislature can best aid them in their duties.

To finish the week, I sat in on a roundtable for the Connecticut Valley Superintendents. This group is comprised of superintendents from Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin counties as well as officials from local universities and community colleges. Educational institutions have already been left reeling by the pandemic. From declining enrollment to the more intangible learning loss, the complex ways in which schools have been changed will be felt for years if not decades to come. The state legislature needs to be prepared to aid however it can and I will continue to support strong funding for our public school systems in the state budget.

Recently, I also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/ To sign up for my quarterly newsletter, head to 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.

Sincerely,

John Velis

January 22, 2021January 22, 2021

‘We never received that request’: General says Massachusetts National Guard was initially unaware of rising death toll at Holyoke Soldiers’ Home

January 21st, 2020 – Stephanie Barry – MassLive, Photos by Sam Doran (State House News Service)

HOLYOKE — Ten months after the coronavirus tore through the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, the head of the state’s National Guard contingent testified before a legislative oversight committee that he never received a call for help from the facility when the disease took hold in March.

Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard and the new chairman of the Soldiers’ Home board of trustees, said he and 102 members of the guard arrived at the home late that month, when veterans began dying at an alarming rate, encountering carnage many staff have since recounted to a litany of investigators.

…

Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, a committee member and combat veteran who has emerged as an advocate for the facility and families of veterans, challenged Sudders on the hierarchy that includes the Department of Veterans Services.

He pointed to a blistering report commissioned by Baker and authored by Boston attorney Mark Pearlstein that heaped blame for the death toll on upper management at the Soldiers’ Home and middle management for the state.

“Does it make sense to have that added layer of bureaucracy?” Velis asked Sudders. “The more people you have in that chain of command, the more instances of potential breakdown.”

Sudders stood behind the chain of command and highlighted the hasty reforms the state is pursuing, including a “refresh” of the Holyoke facility, staffing changes and a sprint toward a new, state-of-the-art home with a $300 million price tag.

Some of Sudders’ own testimony suggested she was unfamiliar with the culture at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home until the crisis, including haphazard staffing.

“I was frankly stunned that there wasn’t a permanent schedule at the home,” Sudders testified, referring to staffing plans, though she maintained the levels were “adequate.”

Velis suggested Walsh’s call for help may have gotten lost in the tangled chain of command. In response to a request for comment, a spokeswoman for Sudders referred to a page in the Pearlstein report that concluded the call for the National Guard came to a halt with former Veterans’ Services Secretary Francisco Urena, whom Walsh emailed directly. Two days later, the cavalry arrived when other state leaders got wind of the magnitude of the crisis, the report says.

January 22, 2021January 22, 2021

Senator Velis, Legislators, Bring up Concerns during Holyoke Soldiers’ Home Oversight Hearing

BOSTON (1/22/2020)

On Thursday the Legislature’s Special Oversight Committee on the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home held a virtual public hearing for administration officials and staff to directly testify. Senator John Velis, who represents the city of Holyoke and sits on the committee, stated that the hearing was an opportunity to bring up concerns and learn more about how to improve the Home.

“It is clear that staffing and oversight problems at the Home have existed for a long time. I have heard many concerns from families and staff directly, and it was critical to bring these issues up,” said Senator Velis. “The goal is to figure out how we can address these problems going forward so a tragedy like last spring never happens again.”

Major General Gary Keefe, who was recently named the new Chair of the Soldiers’ Home Board of Trustees, was among those who testified in front of the committee. General Keefe is the adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard and was in charge of the guardsmen who were deployed to the Home in March to respond to the outbreak.

General Keefe said that when he first arrived at the Home at the end of March, “it was bedlam.” Responding to a question about the chain of command at the Home, the General stated that a standardization of policies and regulations at the Home is badly needed.

One of the first to testify was the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Marylou Sudders. After a series of questions regarding staffing levels and administration positions at the facility, the Secretary noted that they are continuing to work to improve staffing levels and that recruitment is always a challenge.

In a comment to the Secretary, Senator Velis said that families have continued to report that staffing shortages at the Home have contributed to visitation problems. “All these families want to do is see their loved ones. The isolation that COVID-19 has brought upon these Veterans is terrible, and I am worried about the impact this time period will have on their mental health.”

Secretary Sudders responded that shutting down visitations last spring and then later this fall again were some of the hardest decisions she has ever had to make. She said that she was hopeful that family visits and socialization with other residents will improve with increased vaccinations and new testing models. She also stated that she has asked Secretary of Veteran Services Cheryl Poppe to come up with a new visitation model for the Home.

Another topic discussed was the recommendations the architecture firm, Payette, has made for a new Soldiers’ Home facility. Their plan, which was commissioned by the Baker administration, calls for 180-204 beds for the new Home, a decrease from the pre-COVID capacity of 235 beds.

Senator Velis stressed that the bed projection needs to be increased, mainly because there is no way to accurately predict how many Veterans will rely on the Home in the future. “I would rather be in a position 20 years from now where we’ve got a few vacancies as opposed to waiting lists where constituents can’t get a bed at the Home.”

Kevin Jourdain, the former Chair of the Board of Trustees, also testified on Thursday that the number of beds should not be decreased. “We can’t predict the next war, the next military conflict. We’re supposed to be building a facility for the next 100 years, not for the next 10 years,” said Jourdain.

Mr. Jourdain also emphasized the importance of instituting an ombudsman’s office at the Home to ensure that residents and families have an confidential and independent resource to reach out to when issues arise. In the FY’2021 budget, an amendment by Senator Velis to provide funding for an

ombudsman’s office at the Soldiers Home’ was successfully adopted. Mr. Jourdain stated that such a position would greatly help to improve oversight of the Home.

The hearing, which lasted from 1PM until just before 7PM, is the first the Committee has held in the new year. A report from the Committee, along with possible legislation, is due by the end of March.

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Photos from the virtual hearing with Senator Velis, General Keefe, Secretary Sudders and Secretary Poppe

January 19, 2021January 19, 2021

Sweeping Economic Development Bill Authorizing $627 Million for COVID-19 Recovery Signed into Law

BOSTON (1/15/2021) – On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, the Massachusetts Legislature passed $627 million in funding for a sweeping economic recovery and development bill which will provide much-needed support to businesses, investments in infrastructure, and creation of new jobs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill was signed into law on January 14, 2021.

An Act Enabling Partnerships for Growth provides the residents of Massachusetts a COVID-19 relief and recovery package that will provide support to the restaurant and tourism sectors, small businesses, and those who have been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, while also creating a Future of Work Commission, establishing protections for student loan borrowers, and ushering in zoning reforms that will encourage housing development in our communities.

“This new law will help stabilize our economy and lead us to a strong economic recovery from this pandemic,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “This legislation provides immediate relief to those sectors of the economy hit hardest by the pandemic, while making key policy changes, particularly in housing, that will fuel future economic growth. I want to thank Chairman Michlewitz for his stewardship of this bill and for Chairwoman Ferrante and Representative Wong for their work on the conference committee.”

“I am thrilled this legislation is now law so that we can begin to provide a necessary boost to our economy as it recovers from the dire effects of COVID-19,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “The Legislature recognizes the need to be bold when addressing the challenges facing restaurant and small business owners, cultural attractions and other key sectors that will keep our economy strong. I am particularly pleased this bill includes the long sought-after housing production reforms that the Senate has supported for years. I want to thank Senators Lesser, Rodrigues and my colleagues for their attention to this critical bill and for acting with urgency to move it forward in the legislative process.”

“Tonight, our economic relief package was signed into law by Governor Baker. In a time of crisis for our Commonwealth, the Legislature completed one of the most important economic recovery and investment packages in recent history. With the inclusion of urgently needed small business and restaurant relief, new protections for over 1 million student loan borrowers, and the most progressive and far-reaching housing reform in decades, this legislation will bring needed relief to families, small businesses, and communities hit hardest by COVID-19,” stated Senator Eric P. Lesser, Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies (D-Longmeadow).

“This bill provides critical relief to those who have been the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. So many businesses and individuals have struggled during these difficult times, and this is really the State Government responding,” said Senator Velis, Assistant-Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development (D-Westfield).

The bill includes the following bonding authorizations and policy changes.

COVID-19 pandemic relief and recovery

Bonding Authorizations

● $30 million for the state’s COVID-19 Payroll Protection Program

● $20 million for restaurant COVID-19 recovery grants

Policy Changes

● Limits fees charged by third-party delivery services for restaurants to 15% during the COVID-19 state of emergency; prohibits third-party delivery service companies from reducing rates for delivery drivers or garnishing gratuities as result of the limitation

● Creates a commission to examine and make recommendations on addressing the recovery of the cultural and creative sector, including the arts, humanities and sciences, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic

Housing

Bonding Authorizations

● $40 million for a program to redevelop blighted buildings

● $50 million for transit-oriented housing developments

● $10 million for climate-resilient affordable housing developments

● $5 million for a Gateway Cities housing program

Policy Changes

● Implements zoning reform to help cities and towns approve smart growth zoning and affordable housing by lowering the required vote threshold for a range of housing-related zoning changes and special permits at the local level from a two-thirds supermajority to a simple majority

● Requires designated MBTA communities to be zoned for at least one district of reasonable size, in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right and requires such housing to be suitable for families with children

● Increases the state low-income housing tax credit program cap from $20,000,000 to $40,000,000

Employee protections, business growth, and equity

Bonding Authorizations

● $35 million for a Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation matching grant program to community development financial institutions for small business loans and grants

● $27.7 million for a new Employment Social Enterprise Capital Grant Program

● $20 million for a Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation small business grant program

● $14M million for travel and tourism grants

● $10 million for regional and community assistance planning grants

Policy Changes

● Enables, via local option, the creation of tourism destination marketing districts (“TDMDs”), made up of hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts, for the purpose of generating local revenue dedicated solely for the promotion and marketing of specific regions of the Commonwealth

● Amends the statutory definition of wait staff employee to include a person in a quick service restaurant who prepares or serves food or beverages as part of a team of counter staff

● Provides that the taking of family or medical leave shall not affect an employee’s right to accrue vacation time, sick leave, bonuses, advancement, seniority, length-of-service credit or other employment benefits, plans or programs

● Exempts natural hair braiding from the definition of hairdressing, and exempts natural hair braiding from rules and regulations pertaining to aesthetics, barbering, cosmetology, electrolysis, hairdressing and manicuring

● Encourages the PRIM Board to use minority investment managers to manage PRIT Fund assets, where appropriate, and to increase the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of Fund investments

● Establishes a commission of experts, industry members, academics, and elected officials to research and propose policy solutions that ensure the future and sustainability of local journalism in Massachusetts

Student protections

● Establishes a Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights regulating the licensing and operation of student loan servicers by the Commissioner of Banks

● Creates a Student Loan Ombudsman within the Office of the Attorney General for the purpose of receiving, reviewing and assisting in the resolution of complaints from student loan borrowers; authorizes the Ombudsman to assist with repayment options, applying for federal loan forgiveness programs, ending wage and tax refund garnishments, resolving billing disputes, and obtaining loan details

Agriculture and rural support

Bonding Authorizations

● $20 million for rural community development and infrastructure grants

● $2 million for an urban agriculture grant program

Policy Changes

● Expands the Food Policy Council to include an expert in healthy soil practices; codifies the definition of ‘healthy soils;’ gives the Commission for Conservation of Soil and Water the ability to establish a Massachusetts Healthy Soils Program and Fund

Technology and innovation

Bonding Authorizations

● $52 million for the Technology Research and Development and Innovation Fund

● $15 million for lottery IT infrastructure

● $10 million for the expansion of the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2)

● $5 million for the Massachusetts Broadband Incentive Fund

Policy Changes

● Creates a special commission on the future of work to conduct a comprehensive study relative to the impact of automation, artificial intelligence, global trade, access to new forms of data and the internet of things on the workforce, businesses and economy.

● Clarifies that carsharing platforms may obtain insurance coverage from non-admitted carrier and that carsharing platforms do not need their own insurance-producer or broker licenses to offer or maintain insurance policies for carsharing vehicles or drivers.

Other bonding authorizations include

● $102,304,000 for local economic development projects;

● $12.5 million for the Commonwealth Zoological Corporation;

● $15 million for trial court virtual mediation services;

● $6 million for Massachusetts Cultural Council grants;

● $5 million for Mass Cultural Council public school grants;

● $20 million for Mass Cultural Council cultural facilities grants;

● $15 million for vocational technical school expansion grants; and

● $15 million for higher education workforce grants

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January 12, 2021

Local officials react to FBI warning of possible armed protests

January 11th, 2020 – 22 News WWLP – Lindsey Kane, Amanda Callahan

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) — The FBI is warning of plans for armed protests across the nation beginning this week and leading up to the presidential inauguration.

The FBI said armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitol buildings. Local state leaders said no violent protesters will be tolerated.

The FBI released a statement, saying they are aware of plans for armed protests in all 50 state capitol sites on, before, or after the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.

Western Mass News reached out to the FBI Boston division. They said they are “not in possession of any intelligence indicating any planned, armed protests at the four state capitols in their area of responsibility (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island) from January 17-20, 2021.”

Massachusetts State Police said in part, “MSP are aware of many general statements that have been made online regarding potential protest activity, including one posting calling for ‘peaceful armed protest’ in all 50 state capitols that was the basis for an FBI bulletin. Today we are aware of no specific threat to government venues or to public safety generally in Massachusetts.”

State Senator Eric lesser said while people have the right to peacefully protest there are limits.

“Frankly, I think any open display of weapons is far beyond what a civilized conversation about politics should be about, in this country, and frankly in our state, in Massachusetts that will not be tolerated,” Lesser said.

State Senator John Velis said the whole world is now watching after the events on Capitol Hill last Wednesday.

“The ones that are laughing harder than everybody are our adversaries out there in the world; there couldn’t be a worse showcase to the world than what happened,” Velis said.

He said the First Amendment will not protect people who are anything but peaceful.

“Anybody who goes beyond that and enters the realm of a violent protest should be arrested and should be prosecuted,” Velis said. “There’s absolutely no place for that.”

January 10, 2021February 12, 2021

January 10, 2021 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all are doing well and staying safe. Many of our communities are still in the high-risk category for COVID-19 cases, so it is critical that we continue to curb the spread while vaccinations roll out. First responders across the state will begin to receive their first doses of the vaccine this coming Monday.

Wednesday marked the start of the new 192^nd legislative session. Although the senate swearing-in session was remote, it was a great experience to be sworn in while being at my district office in Westfield. I’m so honored to continue working on behalf of the Second Hampden and Hampshire district. The night before, the Senate held its last session of the 191^st legislative session, which went until just before 5AM. Two of the major pieces passed were the Economic Development bill and the Transportation Bond bill.

The Economic Development bill will provide much needed relief to businesses that have suffered due to COVID-19. Among other things, the bill includes $20 million in grants to restaurants, $30 million for payroll protection, and over $100 million for local economic development projects. The bill also prioritizes workforce development initiatives and includes $15 million for vocational technical schools and $15 million to support career-oriented programs at community colleges. There are also a number of strong policy initiatives in the bill to protect consumers, including establishing a Student Loan Ombudsman’s office within the Attorney General’s office to assist students with loan servicer issues. I was proud to vote for such a multifaceted bill that is much needed during these dire times.

The $16.5 billion dollar Transportation Bond bill passed by the legislature is an authorization of funds for transportation projects and maintenance all over the Commonwealth, including in our district. It was critical that the authorization was made before the end of session so that projects can continue during the spring and summer construction seasons. I am glad to report that the gas tax that many were contemplating was not included in the final transportation bill. As many of you know, I strongly opposed an increase to the gas tax during my time in the House as I believe it disproportionately affects our communities in Western Mass. I have continued to advocate against such a tax in the Senate and am glad that it was not included in this final piece of legislation.

As the new legislative session begins, I am feverously researching, drafting, and filing bills. Part of that work includes meeting with organizations and constituents in our communities and across our state. On Friday I met with Jeff Hayden, Vice-President of Business and Community Services at Holyoke Community College, to talk about ways we can develop our workforce and increase vocational training in our communities. Preparing our next generation with the workforce skills they need is a strong focus of my legislative agenda. Other focuses of my legislative research include substance use programs, education requirements, animal rights protections, and veterans affairs issues. As the bill filing process moves along, I encourage you to reach out to my office if you have ideas on potential legislation.

In this new legislative session, I will also be putting together quarterly newsletters from my office that can be sent right to your email inbox. You can sign up here.

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 new year,

John C. Velis

January 8, 2021

State legislators condemn violence in Washington calling acts ‘disgraceful’

January 7th, 2020 – 22 News WWLP – Jodi Reed

BOSTON (WWLP) – Reaction continues to pour in from state lawmakers after that breach in Capitol building by rioters.

Several local legislators told 22News that they are disgusted by the events that unfolded Wednesday and they’re hoping that a peaceful transition of power is still possible.

As state lawmakers took the oath of office for a new legislative session, violence was erupting in our nation’s Capitol. This caused legislators to begin questioning the political motives of the president’s supporters and anyone who threatened the security of our democracy.

“And that’s what we saw yesterday, we saw anarchy where there was just a complete lack of respect for anything and everybody that is now who we are, and it’s not a place we want to go to,” Sen. John Velis of Westfield said.

Senator Velis, who’s been deployed to Afghanistan twice, reflected on the time he spent overseas saying he and many others fought for the rule of law and for election security.

He told 22News that it’s devastating to have to also fight for that here in America.

January 8, 2021January 8, 2021

U.S. Capitol attack reminds Velis of Afghanistan deployment

State Sen. John C. Velis, a U.S. Army Reserve major, is pictured in the Zabul courthouse for the first prosecution of an insurgent in Afghanistan during a deployment where he helped establish rule of law. The faces of Afghanistan officials have been blurred.

January 7th, 2020 – The Westfield News – Hope E. Tremblay

WESTFIELD – As state Sen. John C. Velis, watched the attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Wednesday, he was taken back to his deployments to Afghanistan.

Thousands of people descended on the Capitol lawn and extremist supporters of President Donald J. Trump interrupted the confirmation of President-elect Joe Biden Wednesday afternoon, breaching the Capitol building and the Senate chambers. On Thursday morning, four people were reported dead from the violence, including a woman who was shot inside the Capitol building.

The events unfolded live on television and social media. Velis, a U.S. Army Reserve major, said he thought of the mantra of his first deployment to Afghanistan in 2012: “Yow mumlakat, bey la qanoon tsacka de dzangal haysiat laree,” which Velis said is an old Pashtun proverb that means “a country without law is a jungle.”

Velis, an attorney, was deployed to Afghanistan to help establish rule of law. He said what he saw in Washington Wednesday was similar to what he saw in Afghanistan – people who no longer believed in their government resorting to violently taking matters into their own hands.

“I was on a rule of law task force because people in Afghanistan had lost faith in the rule of law,” he said. “They lost faith in their government.”

With a lack of leadership, the Taliban rose to power in Afghanistan. Citizens had nowhere else to turn.

“The Taliban, in a way, filled that void. This is what happens when people take matters into their own hands,” Velis said.

While establishing rule of law there, Velis said the Taliban took action against anyone it thought was supporting a new government and they worked to counteract any communication to citizens. Velis said he and the task force set up a radio program and invited the attorney general and other officials to encourage people to vote for a new president.

To prevent voter fraud, Velis said everyone who made it to the polls had a finger marked with ink to show they had voted. Unfortunately, many had that finger cut off by the Taliban.

“For those who voted, it was extremely important, and they risked their lives,” Velis said, noting that many citizens were kidnapped while on their way to the polls.

Following the election of President Ashraf Ghani, his opponent Abdulah Abdulah cited fraud, votes cast by the dead and other complaints that mirror the 2020 U.S. election.

“He would not accept the results,” Velis said of Abdulah, who was eventually named prime minister to keep the peace and continue the momentum of the rule of law.

Velis said he was present at the first court case in Zabul Province where the first prosecution for insurgence took place. He said the Capitol attack was a step backward for America.

“The very heartbeat of democracy was attacked,” he said. “There is a lack of faith in the rule of law, and that’s one of the first signs that a nation is imploding.”

Velis said while watching the live coverage, he wanted to see what other countries, such as China and Russia, had to say about what was happening.

“They were laughing at us,” he said. “When we get laughed at as a nation, it’s a bad, bad thing.”

Velis said the country now has a “real opportunity to conduct introspection and think long and hard” about the future.

“If you go back and look at the greatest empires, states and countries of the world, one thing they have in common is they were not defeated from abroad, they collapsed from within.”

Velis said he was proud that those elected officials who spent much of Wednesday hidden in offices, under desks and chairs but ready to fight back if necessary, came back together at the end of the day to finish the work they had started.

“The most important thing was for them to get back to do the job they’re supposed to do,” he said. “Hats off to them.”

Congress officially certified Biden as the new president just before 4 a.m. Thursday.

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.

…

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.”

…

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 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.

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