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Greetings everyone, 

Hope you’re all doing well! The Big E began this Friday, so bunker down the hatches and prepare for traffic! For anyone who may not know, The Big E, formally known as The Eastern States Exposition, is billed as “New England’s Great State fair”. Running for 17 days, it is the largest agricultural event on the eastern seaboard and the sixth-largest fair in the nation. So many local vendors will be at the fair as well and I hope everybody attending has a great time  

It was great to join the Russell Police Department for a lovely Family Fun Day last Sunday at Strathmore Park. Always fantastic to be outside enjoying the weather and talking to so many constituents. Many thanks to the Department for organizing! 

This past Monday I met with mentors for the Veterans Treatment Court.  The goal of Veterans’ Treatment Courts is to divert those with mental health issues and homelessness from the traditional justice system to give them treatment and tools for rehabilitation and readjustment. This court model requires regular court appearances, as well as mandatory attendance at treatment sessions and frequent testing for substance use, while still allowing the veteran to remain in their community. Mentors are a critical support for Veterans in this process and we had a great discussion about how they work alongside court officials and the district attorney’s office to be as effective as possible.  On Monday I also met with Ascentria Care, an organization that provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrants. So many Afghan citizens worked alongside our military forces in Afghanistan over the past twenty years and right now Ascentria Care is focusing their efforts on helping these refugees evacuate and come to the United States. 

On Tuesday my office welcomed Katherine Pinney, a senior at Westfield State University as an intern for this fall. She’s a Political Science and Economics double major, with a concentration in Public Administration and a minor in Policy and Ethics. I’d had the pleasure of meeting Katherine briefly in 2018 and again in 2019 when Westfield State’s Student Government Association invited me to speak at their meetings. We are looking forward to having her on our team! On Tuesday I also had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Linda Thompson, Westfield State University’s new President, to discuss the University’s preparations and plans for this coming year.  

I want to congratulate the Holyoke City Office of Planning and Economic Development on the ribbon cutting of ValleyBike Share in Holyoke this past Friday. ValleyBike Share is designed to promote short bike trips within core communities such as Amherst, Easthampton, Holyoke, Northampton, South Hadley and Springfield. These communities, alongside the University of Massachusetts and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission have contracted a collaboration and partnership with Bewegen Technologies and Corps Logistics to bring bike share to our region. While I couldn’t attend the ribbon cutting, I was able to be a part of constitution day at Roberta G. Doering Middle School in Agawam on Friday. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with the 6^th grade class about our democratic institutions and how to get involved in our public policy process. Plenty of future leaders in our communities! 

On Saturday, my office presented a Senate citation to the Westfield Women’s Club for their grand re-opening. The new club has received a number of handicap accessibility upgrades and I look forward to seeing residents using the building again. Later in the day my office presented a another Senate citation to St. Mary’s for their 2^nd annual Founder’s Day. I was glad Team Velis could help recognize Reverend Creane and Sister Lavoie for all their achievements and work for the Parish and School.  

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter.  

Sincerely,  

John Velis 

Greetings everyone,

While most of my weekly updates are written in a light tone, this week’s comes on a somber one and with a heavy heart.  This Saturday marks the twentieth anniversary of the September 11^th attacks.  Two decades ago, nearly 3000 lives were lost and what it meant to be an American was changed forever.  Our nation is no stranger to conflict but never in our history had there been such a massive and unprovoked attack against innocent civilians.  The attacks were meant to strike terror into our hearts and demolish the sense of security that was so integral to the American way of life. 

Overnight, a new lens of fear was placed over how we see gatherings, our neighbors, and our place on the world stage.  This lens, along with so many sociopolitical after effects, are still felt today.  Only two weeks ago did we formally withdraw from Afghanistan.  Our presence there, which was a direct result of these attacks, will be felt on both sides for decades to come.  I did two deployments in Afghanistan myself.  There were many who did the same and ended up making the ultimate sacrifice.  As we move forward from this tragedy as a country, we must never forget those we lost on September 11^th, 2001, as well as those lost in subsequent conflicts. It is paramount that we honor their memory as we ponder our country’s new place in the world and what it means it means to be an American.

To honor those lost, I have been and will be attending various events in the Valley including a ceremony with the Westfield Fire Department, a vigil Friday evening with Veterans organizations, a memorial car show at Liberty Manor, a wreath laying for the families from Westfield who lost members in the towers, and a community ceremony at the Sons of Erin’s memorial. 

This week I also attended another virtual symposium for my National Council of State Legislators Opioid Fellowship.  I, along with medical experts and other state legislators, discussed the different aspects of policy regarding substance abuse and how we can best use legislation to combat this epidemic.  As the Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery, this fellowship is something I take very seriously as the legislature considers opioid related legislation and I’m looking forward to the next round of talks.  . 

The Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee also held a hearing this week.  As Senate Chair of this committee, I presided over the hearing where we heard testimony from both constituents and lawmakers on a myriad of bills.  One bill of note was, S2462, an Act to establish a Medal of Fidelity. This bill, if passed, would establish a Medal of Fidelity to be awarded to the next of kin of Veterans who passed away from deployment related events outside of combat, such as burn pit exposure or mental health issues, after returning home.

There was also a “glendi’ this week and for those of you who are not of Greek descent, it’s a word that translates as “celebration”.  This glendi was held by the Greek Cultural Center of Springfield and was meant to celebrate all things Hellenic. It is typically a weekend long celebration of food, music, and culture, and I was glad to stop by in Springfield to participate.  Εις υγείαν!

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter.

Sincerely,

John Velis

Happy September Everyone, 

It’s hard to believe that fall is just around the corner.  Although I love summer, I’m excited for cooler nights, changing leaves, and most of all, the Big E.  I know a lot of our students returned to school this week as well and I hope all those who did had a great first one back.  It’s good to see our teachers and students back in person after a year of being stuck at home during the pandemic.  

 While this huge milestone is definitely worth celebrating, I do still urge all to remain vigilant against COVID-19.  Massachusetts has one of the lowest hospitalizations rates and one of the highest vaccinations rates.  These two facts are not unrelated and if you have not already gotten vaccinated, I urge all of you to do so as soon as you can.  I also urge those who have COVID-19 or similar symptoms to stay home and talk to your doctor.  Please visit vaxfinder.mass.gov for vaccine locations and mass.gov/covid-19-testing for testing locations.  

This week Governor Baker announced the recipients of the Municipality Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Grants at an event right here in Easthampton alongside myself, Representative Dan Carey, and Mayor Nicole LaChappelle.  These grants fund infrastructure projects for towns in need of upgrades to protect against natural disasters and a changing climate.  For their Cherry Street green infrastructure and slope reconstruction project, the city of Easthampton was awarded two million in grant dollars.  For their Klaus Anderson Road/Johnson Brook Replacement Culvert and Green Infrastructure, the town of Southwick was awarded over seven hundred thousand dollars in grant money.  These funds will help build a resilient and climate friendly infrastructure and I congratulate both communities.  

This past Tuesday was International Opioid Overdose Awareness day.  I attended a vigil sponsored by CORE on the Westfield Green to remember all those that we have lost to substance abuse.  The Coalition for Outreach, Recovery, and Education (CORE) works to ensure that those who are suffering from substance abuse issues are able to seek help and works to increase education resources on how to prevent substance abuse issues.  The opioid epidemic has claimed too many lives and has touched countless more. As the Vice-chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery, I will work my knuckles to the bone to create good policy that will help lift our communities out of this tragedy.  If anyone is need of more information on CORE of Greater Westfield and their programs, please contact Kathi Cotugno at 413-642-9322, or by email  at kathi.cotugno@cityofwestfield.org.  

I had also had the pleasure of meeting with the Shapiro Foundation this week.  For those of you who don’t know,  this group works alongside refugees from all over the world to assist in the long and very difficult process of repatriation.  In the past couple weeks, they have been almost overwhelmed with the influx of refugees from Afghanistan.  These are people who worked directly alongside US and ally forces and are trying to flee the brutal regime of the Taliban.  When I was deployed in Afghanistan, I served alongside many Afghan men and women who have now been put into dire straits because of their association with Western forces.  The Shapiro Foundation is doing the excellent work of assisting these refugees in everything from their departure from Afghanistan, to resettling in their new homes, to even setting up English lessons.  I look forward to working alongside this group in the coming months and years.   

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter. 

Sincerely, 

John Velis

Hello all,

As I am sure you are all aware, the recent events in Afghanistan are heartbreaking. I am devastated for US service members that were killed and their families. I continue to work with our federal delegation to do all that we can to get American citizens and our allies out of harm’s way. This has been a tough time for us all, especially Veterans. If you are looking for resources, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

The Agawam Public Library has started a new initiative to commemorate the 20th anniversary of September 11th. The library is creating a public display of 3,000 US flags to memorialize the 3000+ lives lost on 9/11. Patrons that simply visit, check out books, or get a new library card will receive one flag to contribute to the display.

As Chairman of the Joint Committee on Veteran and Federal Affairs, we have been hosting listening sessions across the Commonwealth to better understand the needs of Veterans. This week, I was fortunate enough to host a roundtable discussion at the Holyoke War Memorial Affairs on Massachusetts Veterans Treatment Courts. It was great to hear from the experts and the people with “their boots on the ground” on what we can do-legislatively. Treatment Courts, like the one in Holyoke, are another avenue to help our service-members and I look forward to supporting them as Chairman.

Later in the week, I met with stakeholders concerning sports betting here in the Commonwealth. I look forward to working on this legislation that will legalize sports betting in a safe way and bring in much needed revenue for the Commonwealth. I also had the chance to tour the Forest Park Zoo. It was great to see my friend and Agawam resident, Nathan, and have him show me around the Zoo.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 is back on the rise due to the delta variant, and we must continue to stay vigilant. I implore that you all take the time to get vaccinated. If you need help with signing up for a vaccine, do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter.

Sincerely,

John Velis

Hello Everyone, 

I hope all is well and that everyone is enjoying the last few weeks of summer we have left. Especially with the COVID-19 delta variant surging, I want to encourage everyone to get vaccinated if you have not done so already. The vaccine is safe, effective, and is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community. Vaccine locations and information can be found at mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine. 

I want to start off this update by recognizing the incredibly heartbreaking situation we are seeing play out in Afghanistan right now. As someone who has served in Afghanistan, I know what a difficult time this is for Veterans, active service-members, and their families. Those who have served our country over the last twenty years in Afghanistan are nothing less than heroes and their sacrifices will never be forgotten. 

 I also know how critical it is for our nation to evacuate all Americans and Afghan allies who are still in danger in Afghanistan right now. During my time in Afghanistan, I worked closely with many Afghan linguists, translators, and guides. These were local residents who signed up to work with the U.S. despite the risks it brought to themselves and their families. As the Taliban regains power and looks for retribution, these individuals now face imminent danger with each passing day. Earlier this week I was joined by legislators across our state on a letter to our federal partners urging them to do everything in their power to safely evacuate our allies. These people were there for us and we cannot leave them behind.  

This week I continued my work as Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal affairs. On Wednesday, I was glad to host and organize a virtual presentation by the Veterans Legal Services organization for committee members. It is so important that we support our Veterans in their civilian life, and VLS is a great organization that provides legal aid to Vets across the Commonwealth. Later in the week, I met with Mike Jones and other board members from Friends of the Springfield Veterans Center to learn how the group supports the center and Veterans across the community. 

On Tuesday I was fortunate enough to join Representative Carey for a tour of the Treehouse Foundation community in Easthampton, which was founded to support foster and adoptive families. Since its inception, 95% of Treehouse Youth have graduated high school and 100% have attended college or vocational training. We had a great discussion about the vital work the foundation does for children in foster care and how there are still gaps in social services within our communities. 

I strongly believe that we must continue to increase access to mental and behavioral healthcare in our communities, and on Friday I had a great meeting with Baystate Medical Center’s Vice President of Government Relations, Mike Knapik, and Dr. Barry Savert. We discussed the Behavioral Health Wing at Baystate and the needs of Western Massachusetts more generally.  

This weekend is the Westfield Fair! It should be a great time to get outside and attend some fair festivities. I hope that everyone who is around will come out and enjoy all that our community has to offer. 

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter. 

Sincerely, 

John Velis 

Hello Everyone, 

I hope with the extremely warm weather this week that everyone was able to stay cool and safe. Exposure to high temperatures for extended periods of time can be very dangerous and I encourage you to check out heat safety tips at mass.gov/mema/heat 

As a part of my continued work as Chairman of the Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee, this week I met with the Veterans group BRAVE (Business Resources for American Veterans, Employment and Enterprise). We discussed an ongoing issue in our Commonwealth where Veterans struggle to get certain credits from military training accepted for course credit at Massachusetts colleges. We need to ensure that we are supporting our Veterans during their transitions to academic institutions and I look forward to working closely with BRAVE as Chairman to address these issues.  

On Wednesday I started my morning in Westfield at the newly renovated Dunkin’ on Elm Street to present them with a Senate citation and enjoy a cup of coffee. Later that day I was fortunate to attend a retirement celebration in Holyoke for four of the original founders of the Homework House. The Homework House is an incredible academic support program for students in our community and I was proud to help recognize these exceptional mentors for all their hard work over the years.  

On Friday I attended a  community event at the Log Cabin in Holyoke in honor of the families of those lost last spring at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. We must never forget the tragedies that took place at the facility and the impact that has been felt by so many families throughout our communities. I am grateful to have been a part of the event. 

I started off my Saturday morning by joining Mayor Humason and Westfield community members for the ribbon cutting ceremony of Tiny Toes Learning Center on Mainline Drive. Congratulations to Fran and Laura Hastings on the opening and welcome to Westfield! Later on in the day I drove over to Southampton for the Southampton Town Picnic at Conant Park Pavilion. My favorite part of the job is always speaking directly with constituents, and it was great to see so many neighbors and friends in person. 

Especially with the COVID-19 delta variant on the rise, I want to remind everyone that COVID-19 vaccines are widely available. The vaccine is safe, effective, and is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community. I encourage you to talk to your doctor about any concerns and questions that you may have. Vaccine locations and information can be found at mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine 

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter. 

Sincerely, 

John Velis 

Hello Everyone,

We have reached the month of August and I am hoping we get a few more weeks of sunshine before the fall begins. I am looking forward to more outdoor events and meeting with constituents: its my favorite part of the job!

Especially with the COVID-19 Delta variant, I want to remind everyone to please get their vaccine. The vaccine is safe, effective, and is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community. Vaccine locations and information can be found at: mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if you need help setting up an appointment.

It has been busy as ever in the legislature. Many of you are undoubtedly aware that Massachusetts, like other states, has received a significant amount of Federal COVID Relief Funding through the American Rescue Plan Act. This one-time aid of $5.3 billion will be absolutely critical as we return from the pandemic and continue our economic recovery. The Legislature has started holding public hearings to determine how to best utilize these funds. As economy recovery from the pandemic gets underway, hearing from my communities of what is sorely needed will be imperative in determining where the funding is distributed.

This past week consisted of a lot of planning for the last month of the summer. I spent part of my week planning a Veteran court listening session in Holyoke. I proud to be the Senate Chair of Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs and have made supporting Veterans and their families a major priority of my legislative agenda this session. Over the past couple of months, the Committee conducted listening sessions at Veteran Centers across the Commonwealth to hear about the various issues Veterans are facing across our great state. In a couple of weeks, I will be holding a listening session to discuss Veteran Courts and how the legislature can ensure the best possible outcome for our Veterans. I’m excited for my colleagues to come to Holyoke and meet with major Western Massachusetts stake holders to see the unique issues our Veterans face.

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter.

Sincerely,

John Velis

Hello everyone and happy August! 

I hope that we can all make the most of our final month of summer. I wish any of you taking trips or breaks this month a very relaxing time.  

I want to remind you all that the COVID-19 vaccine has been proven to provide a strong degree of protection against the new variant, and I ardently hope that anyone in our community who has not yet received a vaccination will chose to get one. You can find locations and appointments at vaxfinder.mass.gov/ at no financial cost to you. Our community will thank you! 

Last weekend, I had a great time serving as an official volunteer pitch counter at Westfield’s New England Regional Babe Ruth Tournament. While I was a little nervous about messing the count up, I think I did alright. Congrats to all the players who participated! 

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of accompanying Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, Mike Kenneally, Representative Duffy and Acting Mayor Murphy on a walking tour of Holyoke. Together, we visited The Plan Beauty Salon, Crave Food Truck, City Sports Bar, and El Paraiso Colombiano Restaurant. It was great to connect with these small business owners and learn more about how our state government can support them. I believe that businesses such as these constitute an integral component of Holyoke’s community, and I look forward to having similar conversations in other communities in our district. 

On Wednesday, I met with Holyoke officials to discuss several affordable housing projects throughout the city. I believe we should strive to support residents of our communities, and it was great to hear the officials’ thoughts on the matter. 

I would also like to share great news about the Baker-Polito Administration’s recent announcement of MassTrails Grants for communities across MA. These grants will provide funding for trails across the district, with some funding coming from municipality pledges as well. Westfield received $61,500 from the state to conduct a feasibility study and conceptual design for a Columbia GreenWay multi-use trail connector to Southampton Road. Southampton received $50,000 from the state for phase II of the Manhan Meadows trail restoration project and also received $100,000 for a rail corridor acquisition from the Easthampton town line to Southampton Center. Lastly, Granville and surrounding towns received $42,452 for maintenance of the Lake District trail system. These sums will certainly do a great deal for the trails in our communities, and I am excited to see them be put to use. 

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. I have also started sending newsletters out from my office, and I invite you to sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/newsletter/ to receive the letter via email. 

Sincerely, 

John Velis 

Hello Everyone, 

As I write to you, we are entering the final week of July, and I am reflecting on all that our team has accomplished over the first two summer months. I have had the pleasure of meeting with constituents and elected officials alike, attending and speaking at various community gatherings, and advocating for causes and bills that I believe to be essential to our Commonwealth. Although some of these meetings have been held virtually, I have been thankful for the opportunity to attend many in-person gatherings as well. With patience, we will eventually return to a state of everyday life uninhibited by the pandemic. 

I began this past week by meeting with MassDOT administrators and Southwick officials for a discussion of the current state of transportation systems in Southwick. On Tuesday, I joined state legislators for a meeting with Judges and Officers at the Roderick Ireland Courthouse in Springfield to discuss the courthouse’s need for repairs. The deficiencies in the building, which include ventilation problems and mold, are putting the health of those in the building in jeopardy. It is completely unfair to expect members of our community to work under these concerning conditions, and we must devote time and attention to rectifying this problem. 

On Wednesday, the Senate voted unanimously to pass a supplemental budget which will provide much-needed additional funding to programs across the Commonwealth. This week the Baker-Polito Administration also announced construction grants to municipalities through the Shared Streets & Spaces program. I am happy to announce that Holyoke received $73,100 to install pedestrian safety beacons to better serve recreational and open spaces. Southampton also  received $123,644 for new sidewalk to improve safety and walkability among key locations, including Town Hall, the Senior Center, and the library. 

Later on Wednesday, my colleague Senator Finegold met with me to talk about Holyoke Medical Center. Senator Finegold has several community health centers in his Lawrence district, and we discussed how we can collaborate to support these smaller health centers in our respective districts. 

On Thursday, I attended the Easthampton Fire Department swearing in ceremony for new firefighters. I want to extend my congratulations and appreciation for these new firefighters. You provide a vital service for your community, and we are extremely grateful for your decision to serve. 

Lastly, I would like to provide an update on the work I have been doing as Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery and as part of my Opioid Policy Fellowship with the National Council of State Legislatures. It is very important to me to be as informed as possible on every aspect of fighting the opioid crisis, from both a medical and legislative standpoint. To further this goal, I have been meeting with experts in their field in order to learn all that I can.  

On Tuesday, I met with the RIZE Foundation to discuss Opioid Use Disorders. It was great to be able to learn from this admirable foundation and exchange ideas with regards to how we can take more steps to promote harm reduction practices in Massachusetts. On Wednesday, I conversed with Dr. Robert Valuck from the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention. We discussed steps that Colorado has taken in order to make medically assisted treatment more available and ways in which our own state could learn from them. I am always thankful for these conversations as well as for the experts’ willingness to take time out of their days to share their thoughts and knowledge. I am hopeful that Massachusetts can continue to increase accessibility to resources for those suffering with substance use disorders. It will truly save lives. 

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter. 

Sincerely, 

John Velis 

Hello Everyone, 

It’s hard to believe that we’re already halfway through the summer. While the weather sure has tried to put a damper on things, my office and I have continued to stay busy. This week involved quite a bit of driving across the state and district and has made me appreciate even more how great our region is. 

This week began with a trip out to Central Mass. As many of you may know, I have the privilege of serving as the Chair of the Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee. I had the pleasure of joining Representative Pease and other committee members as we began the first of several tours/listening sessions across the Commonwealth. We toured the Montachusett Veterans Outreach Centers in Gardner and Winchendon. These centers do a great job assisting Veterans in finding housing as well as different counseling and mental health services. 

As Vice-Chair of the Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities, I spent some time this week with SEIU Local 509 caseworkers in the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to better understand their roles and how they communicate with DCF in Boston. As we transition out of the COVID-19 Pandemic and optimistically move forward to how things used to be, it is important for policy makers across the state to have a better understanding of how difficult situations with DCF evolved over the past year and what we should be doing to meet the new challenges that have arisen as a result. 

On Thursday the Senate passed its Chapter 90 Transportation Bill to provide direct support for roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure in our communities. Westfield is set to receive over $1.2M, Southwick is set to receive over $400K, and all municipalities in the district are receiving substantial funds as well. These funds will help communities invest in projects to improve local infrastructure and transportation systems. Related to transportation services, I am happy to announce that the Easthampton RMV will also be reopening for in-person services on August 2^nd. 

I did get the chance to spend some time in the district with constituents this week as well, which is always some of my favorite moments of the week. On Thursday I was in Westfield to meet with a constituent about legislation regarding the creation of a new suicide prevention hotline number in Massachusetts, an important initiative that the Legislature is pursuing.  

On Friday I had the honor of attending the graduation ceremony at Westfield Tech for their Aviation Maintenance Technology Class. This course is such a tremendous program that prepares students with the tangible skills they need to succeed in the aviation industry. Congratulations to all the graduates! 

Friday afternoon I was able to drop by the law firm of Bacon and Wilson to welcome them to their new Westfield office with a citation from the Senate. Unfortunately I was unable to join them at their ribbon cutting event a few weeks ago, however it is important to me to celebrate all of our local businesses and organizations! Afterwards I swung over to Southwick to join residents at the Southwick Village Retirement Community for a fantastic meet and greet coffee hour and to share Senate updates.  

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter. 

Sincerely, 

John Velis