Category: Uncategorized

 Hello Everyone,   

We had a landmark week in the State Senate.  On Thursday the Senate voted unanimously to pass the final Holyoke Soldiers’ Home Conference Committee Bill.  This vote was the final step in the legislative process before the Governor signs the bill. 

The tragedy that struck the Home was fresh when I was elected as state Senator, not two months before the special election.  At that point, all I could do was listen and console.  I met with families and staff.  I heard their stories.  I came as close as I could to understanding their pain. Since then, I have worked diligently to make sure the resources and staff for the Home were strengthened to prevent another outbreak.  When the bond bill to rebuild the Home was put forth, I knew that this legislation had to pass to ensure our future generations of Veterans would be taken care of.  

 I want to thank my dutiful staff, my colleagues in the Legislature, and all the families who were brave enough to share their stories.  Without the hard work of so many Veterans and incredible advocates,  the new Soldiers’ Home would still be nothing more than a hope.  There is still much work to be done in terms of both the physical construction of the Home and in my continued advocacy for our Veterans: tasks that I am very much looking forward to.    

This week the Legislature’s Aviation Caucus also met for the first time this session and I was honored to be elected as co-chair of the caucus.  This group of Senators and Representatives convenes on legislation relating to all things aviation in the Commonwealth, with a focus on making sure that air traffic remains an economic driver while co-existing with the communities who are home to airports.   

On Wednesday I toured the Ferry Street project in Easthampton.  As with many of the towns and cities in the region, Easthampton is home to a number of run down mill and factory buildings.  The Ferry Street Project’s purpose is to rehabilitate these buildings into commercial and residential space.  This project will preserve our history while expanding our community.  Thank you to Mayor Nicole LaChappelle and Rep. Carey for coming along as well.   

A major reform of the unemployment solvency rate passed the House and Senate this week.  Following unprecedented and unwarned spike in the assessment formula, many small business faced huge rate increases. This legislation fixes the problem and will ensure that small businesses do not have to deal with surprisingly large rates. I anticipate that the Governor will sign the bill soon.  

I want to remind everyone that the general population is now eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccine. Many vaccination sites, including the Eastfield Mall and CVS Pharmacy locations, are now offering walk-ins. Head to vaxfinder.mass.gov/ to find locations and appointments near you. 

Recently I’ve started sending out newsletters from my office.  You can sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/newsletter/ to receive the newsletter right in your email inbox.  

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

Hello Everyone, 

After an extended and arduous session in 2020, budget season is officially underway yet again in the State Senate.  This week has been filled with meetings of all sorts from constituents to organizations as well as my elected colleagues in the legislature.  I have filed a number of amendments that will specifically benefit our district and I look forward to advocating on behalf of them during the Senate’s budget debate.   

One such meeting was with Pamela Schwartz, the director of the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness.  She and I discussed many of the housing challenges facing our region from both before the pandemic and those created by it as well many pieces of legislation pertinent to these issues.  Western Mass is lucky to have her working for us and I’m looking forward to continuing to work with her to help curb housing inequity in our area .    

I also had the pleasure of having a similar meeting with David Stephens, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Council on Aging.  He and I talked about the current issues facing seniors and COAs and what the legislature can do to best aid this group that was so severely  affected by the pandemic.   

Friday afternoon, the House-Senate Conference Committee appointed to reconcile differences between versions of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home Bond Bill announced that they reached a compromise. The final conference report authorizes $400 million in bonds for the design and construction of a new facility for the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke and $200 million in general obligation bonds for Veteran housing across the State.

From the very start—after last years tragedy—families and friends of veterans reached out to me with a very clear message: get this done. From listening sessions with families, to standouts at the Home, to the vigil that took place last month to mark the one anniversary, this has been a truly long and enduring process. We fought for this Home reconstruction for months.

I want to thank all the Veterans, families, and community members who have advocated alongside me for a new Holyoke Soldiers’ Home facility for so long. We are one step closer towards making it a reality. Now that differences between the Senate and House bills have been reconciled, the Conference Committee report will head back to each Chamber for an acceptance and enactment vote. If enacted, it will then go to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.

The town of Tolland had their annual town meeting this week to which I was lucky enough to be invited.  Aside from being one of my favorite New England traditions, the town meeting is in my opinion, the cornerstone of our democracy, with residents voting on major municipal matters from town-bylaws to budgets. This is just the first of many town meetings throughout the district as Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, and Southampton will be holding their respective meetings very soon.  

The Kiwanis Club of Westfield unveiled a new memorial bench at Stanley Park to honor Veterans.  While the bench honors all Veterans, it has a special intention to those that we tragically lot at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home last spring.  As a Veteran and the Chairman of Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, it was an honor to attend the ceremony. 

I want to remind everyone that the general population is now eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccine. Many vaccination sites, including the Eastfield Mall and CVS Pharmacy locations, are now offering walk-ins. Head to vaxfinder.mass.gov/ to find locations and appointments near you. 

Recently I’ve started sending out newsletters from my office.  You can sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/newsletter/ to receive the newsletter right in your email inbox.  

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 

Hello Everyone, 

It’s been another full week here in the state Senate. I want to remind everyone that the general population is now eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccine. Many vaccination sites, including CVS Pharmacy, are now offering walk-ins. The Eastfield Mall will be accepting walk-ins starting Monday. Head to vaxfinder.mass.gov/ to find locations and appointments near you. 

This  past Tuesday, as the newly appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities, I participated in an oversight hearing on the Office of the Child Advocate’s report investigating the death of Fall River teenager David Almond. David was a kind and caring 14 year old who tragically died in this past October after police found him bruised, emaciated, and living in abhorrent conditions. His death was heartbreaking and preventable.  As Vice-Chair of the committee, I’m going to work diligently alongside DCF and other responsible agencies to make sure that something of this nature never happens in the Commonwealth again. 

This week I also had the pleasure of meeting the greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce’s new Executive Director,  Eric Ouelette.  The Greater Westfield Area makes up most of my district and as we come out of the pandemic, partnering with our local business leaders will be paramount to a true and speedy economic recovery.  I look forward very much to working closely alongside Mr. Ouelette as I have with past Chamber Directors.   

As some of you may already know, I was nominated by Senate President Karen Spilka and subsequently awarded a opioid fellowship through the National Conference of State Legislatures. This week I met with an addiction specialist, Dr. Peter Friedmann and Baystate CEO, Michael Knapik to discuss area efforts and best practices to combat the opioid crisis.  As the Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery, I’m going to learn as much as I can from experts and use that knowledge to create the best policy to help those suffering from addiction.   

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound impacts on the mental health of people of all ages, and now more than ever it is critical to reduce the stigma around mental health struggles that commonly prevents individuals from seeking help. If you are struggling, know that you are not alone and that help is available. Resources like the Massachusetts Network of Care can connect residents with community services and treatments and my office is always available to provide connections as well. 

I would also like to throw a special shoutout to the Westfield State Women’s Lacrosse team for winning the MASCAC conference against Framingham State this week.  We’re all rooting for them as they prepare for the NCAA championship. Go Owls! 

Recently I’ve started sending out newsletters from my office.  You can sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/newsletter/ to receive the newsletter right in your email inbox.  

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 

Hello Everyone,  

Some personal news to start. I’m happy to announce that after almost a year of engagement, my then fiancée and now wife, Emily, and I were finally married! We were able to celebrate our wedding and her birthday this past weekend and I want to thank everyone who has shared kind messages with us. 

Besides the happy news, I was still able to get out in the district and get some work done this week.  I met with President Royal from Holyoke Community College to discuss legislative priorities and to get an update on how the college is doing in general.  HCC is an asset to our workforce and in turn, community as whole.  I look forward to working with President Royale to find new ways to improve and expand higher education in the district.   

I also had the pleasure of meeting with Girls Inc. later in the week.  This is a very social organization whose goal is to empower young women through athletics and academics to prepare them to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers that women so often face.  I can’t wait to see the leaders and innovators that these young women are going to become.    

This was also the first week that all Massachusetts residents were eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations.  I recently had my first vaccination myself and I encourage all those who are eligible to do so as well.  The shots are safe and free. It’s an important way for us to protect ourselves and our loved ones.  Sign ups can be done online at vaccinesignup.mass.gov/#/ or over the phone at 2-1-1. 

Last week the House of Representatives unanimously passed the Holyoke Soldiers Home bond bill that will finance the reconstruction of a new facility. Next week the Senate will vote on its own version of the bond bill. Ensuring that the $400 million needed for the reconstruction is secured has been my priority since day one and I am proud to announce that the full amount is included in the Senate’s version. 

Recently I’ve started sending out newsletters from my office. You can sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/newsletter/ to receive the newsletter right in your email inbox.  

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. 

John Velis 

Hello Everyone, 

I think I called it early when I said, “Happy Spring” a couple weeks ago and while we had a great and productive week over in the State Senate, this last snow was a crumby end to it.   

As I’m sure many of you are aware, there is currently a bond bill to finance the reconstruction of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home making its way through the legislative process.  I met with Board of Trustees of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home to discuss the specifics of the bill and I’m also proud to report that later in the week, the bill was passed by the House.  It’s next step is to pass through the Senate before finally going to Governor Baker’s Desk.  I have been and will remain a staunch advocate for the Home throughout this entire process.  

Speaking of deserving groups and building reconstruction, I also met with the Massachusetts School Board Authority this week to advocate on behalf of new construction projects in Agawam and Holyoke.  Both school districts deserve new buildings to properly serve their hardworking staff and students.  I hope very much that my letter and testimony to the MSBA will help these projects proceed.   

I was also lucky enough to go on a virtual art tour this week and look through the works of two young artists from the Department of Youth services.  Despite their circumstances, these kids still pursued their passion and made some great art.  I’m very much looking forward to what these kids will do in the future.   

On Thursday I met virtually with an advocacy group of constituents out of Granville to discuss climate legislation.  Climate Resiliency is going to be one of the most pressing issues as we move into the mid-century and I will always do what’s best for the Commonwealth when it comes to legislation of this nature.   

I want to remind everyone that the General Public will  be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations starting this Monday April 19^th.  I encourage all those who are eligible to get the vaccine to do so. It’s an important way for us to protect ourselves and our loved ones.  Sign ups can be done online at https://vaccinesignup.mass.gov/#/ or over the phone at 2-1-1.   

Finally, I’d also like to congratulate the UMass Men’s Hockey team on winning the NCAA Championship last Saturday night.  It was a great game and a huge shutout.  They may not be in our district but we are still proud nonetheless that Western Mass’s very own Minutemen took home UMass’s first Men’s’ NCAA Championship ever.  Go UMass! 

I’ve 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/  and you can sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/newsletter/ to receive the newsletter right in your email inbox.  

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. 

John Velis 

Greetings Everyone, 

I hope you’ve all been enjoying this excellent weather.  I almost can’t believe what a beautiful spring we’ve been having.   

To start the week, the bond bill that would finance the reconstruction of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home was the subject of another hearing by the Joint Committee on Bonding, Expenditures, and State Assets.  The Holyoke Soldiers’ Home is an essential service for Veterans in the Commonwealth, a population amongst which I proudly count myself.  I testified strongly in favor the bill and I would like to stress again how important it is that we pass it quickly so that DCAMM, the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, has as much time as possible to work on the design.     

There was also another hearing this week held by the Special Joint Oversight Committee on the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home COVID-19 outbreak.  This week’s hearing was focused on the structure of healthcare at the Home and what failures of this structure contributed to the tragedy in the spring of 2020.  These testimonies are crucial to knowing how we can rebuild the Home to make sure that an outbreak like the COVID-19 never happens again and that Veterans in the Home receive the world class care they deserve.   

This past Tuesday I had a introductory meeting with officials from the Massachusetts Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force, including Executive Director John Beatty. This executive task force works to promote and strengthen the Commonwealth’s six military installations and their impact on local communities and economies at the federal, state and local level. As Chairman of the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, I will be working closely with the Task Force this session on legislative issues.  

On Friday I joined Representative Pease and Westfield City Officials at a ribbon cutting ceremony for three new businesses in Downtown Westfield! Hilltown Chic, Be Bella Boutique, and Boho Hair studio are three new women-owned businesses now open on School Street, and I was honored to help celebrate their grand opening.  

I’d also like to congratulate the UMass Men’s Hockey team on winning the NCAA Semi finals this past Thursday night.  It was a late one but worth the watch for an overtime after midnight win.  They may not be in my district per se but we are still proud nonetheless that Western Mass’s very own Minutemen will be going for the Championship tonight.  Go UMass! 

I’ve 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/  and you can sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/newsletter/ to receive the newsletter right in your email inbox.  

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. 

John Velis 

Happy April Fools! 

I know it’s a little late for that so you can rest assured that everything in this weekly update is accurate and prank-free.  I wish we had time for pranks over here, but it was another busy week in the Second Hampden and Hampshire Senate District.   

This week I met with Bo Sullivan of the Westfield Boys and Girls’ Club to discuss their proposed expansion and how I can help advocate for a federal grant to fund it.  This project would expand their space by 15,000 square feet and allow hundreds of  kids who have not been allowed in due to COVID restrictions to be welcomed back.  The reduction of programs like this will have effects on kids for years to come and getting the kids back into programs such the Boys and Girls club is the first step for many on the path to true normalcy.   

I also had the pleasure of meeting with the Mass Forest Alliance this week to discuss how forestry and land management can be a way to both fight the effects of climate change and be a regional economic driver.  Massachusetts is the tenth most forested state in the Union, and for those us in the Western part of the Commonwealth, our outdoor recreation and natural beauty are a point of pride. I look forward to working with the Forest Alliance to expand and protect the ways in which we interact with our natural resources.   

Wednesday night I attended a Candle Light Vigil at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home to honor those who were lost during the COVID-19 outbreak over a year ago.  This tragedy will never be  forgotten and I’ve been working very hard with my fellow legislators to investigate this tragedy and pass the pending bond bill so that we can build a new Soldiers’ Home to ensure that something like this can’t happen again.  Our Veterans are the best of us and therefore they deserve the best from us.   

A couple weeks ago, Senate President Spilka nominated me for an Opioid Policy Fellowship through the National Conference of State Legislatures, which officially kicked off this week.  I, along with other state legislators from across the nation, will be meeting with opioid and addiction experts to learn what policies and regulations work best to combat the opioid crisis.  As the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery, this fellowship will be crucial to the way that I and the Legislature tackle the Opioid Crisis.   

This week I joined almost thirty other State Senators on to a letter to the Governor Baker asking him to postpone the MCAS testing requirement until the fall.  With the logistics of holding this test and the complete overhaul in teaching that happened this year, it would be unfair to both students and school districts to have to take these exams and then hold school districts to the same level of financial accountability that we usually use these tests to benchmark.   

I was also able to attend the Montgomery Town Select board meeting this week and I was ecstatic to be able to get out into the district and interact with my constituents face to face.  The select board and city council meetings are where I can learn in person what is going on the communities I represent.  Finding ways for the State to help is the core of my job as a State Senator and is the thing I’m looking forward to most as we move out the pandemic.   

I’ve 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/  In a few weeks, the second issue of Quarterly newsletter will be going out as well, and you can sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ to receive the newsletter right in your email inbox.  

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. 

John Velis 

Hello Everyone, 

It’s the end of another long week here in the State Senate.  I’m happy to announce all the new eligibilities for the vaccine rollout.  Starting this week, anyone 60 years and older is now eligible, as well as workers in many sectors of the economy.  I encourage everyone to review these categories on mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine. 

I’m also thrilled to announce that the Commonwealth has launched a plan for at-home vaccinations for those who are eligible and homebound.  This particular population has struggled so much during this pandemic and we finally have the infrastructure in place to aid them. Available in Spanish, English, and almost 100 other languages, the at-home vaccination booking line can be reached at 1-800-983-0485, Mondays through Fridays 9am to 5pm.      

Finally, Westfield now has its own vaccination site in the CVS on East Main Street.  This a particular point of pride to have finally gotten a site in Westfield, as I’ve been advocating for one since the beginning of the vaccine rollout.  I know that many of you have reached out to my office and your voices have not gone unheard.  Although appointments may be somewhat scarce to start, this is an important step.  I am also excited to announce that the Big E has been approved by the state as a regional vaccination site, with more details coming soon. As our vaccine supply continues to expand, I will continue to advocate for more local and regional sites to help residents better access the vaccine.  

This week I had the pleasure of attending the raising of the Greek flag at St. George’s Orthodox Church in Springfield.  This last Thursday marked the 200^th anniversary of Greece’s Independence from the Ottoman Empire.  I’m very proud of my Greek heritage and was honored to have been invited to such an event.   

I’d also like to highlight one of the bills that I’ve filed this year, SD1372, The Speed Act.  This bill would speed up the process for reapplying for professional licenses when spouses of military move to the Commonwealth.  The act also eases the transition for service members’ children to their new schools by allowing pre-enrollment and online attendance before actually moving to the district and by also creating a “Purple Star” campuses designation.     

Speaking of Veterans’ affairs, this week also marked the first meeting of the Joint Committee on Veteran and Federal Affairs.  As the newly appointed Chairman, I will always do my best to advocate for our current servicemembers and Veterans.  I look forward to a productive legislative session with my fellow officials on the Committee.   

This week the bond bill that would finance the reconstruction of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home was voted on favorably by the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.  Its next stop is the Joint Committee on Bonding.  The Holyoke Soldiers’ Home is an essential and venerable service for Veterans in the Commonwealth, a population amongst which I proudly count myself.  We’re at the thirty yard line here with this bill and I will continue to do my best to push this over into the endzone so that Veterans for decades to come will be able receive care from the Home with the dignity and honor that they deserve.   

I’ve 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/  In a few weeks, the second issue of Quarterly newsletter will be going out as well, and you can sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ to receive the newsletter right in your email inbox.  

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. 

John Velis 

Hello Everyone, 

Spring is finally in the air.  I don’t know about you all, but the beautiful weather this week has me excited to get outside.   

This week was a busy one.  Early on in the week I had the unique opportunity of joining a radio show based in Greece.  My family and I are very proud of our Greek heritage and I was honored that the “Voice of Greece” invited me to be a guest on their show.  We spoke at length about the Greek Diaspora, the contributions of Greco-American immigrants, and the hardships of the immigrant experience.  It was a great discussion and I would love to be a guest again.  S’ efharistó! 

This past Tuesday I took part in a great virtual Twitter conversation about the impact Covid-19 has had on mental health in our communities.  This event was hosted by Mass Support Network and I was joined by colleagues from across the state.  Sadly, this topic is not talked about enough and I look forward to continuing to work on these issues as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. 

This week Westfield was awarded a $60,000 grant from the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development to help invest in downtown and commercial projects. This “Downtown Initiative” grant is a part of Local Rapid Recovery Planning (LRPP) program and will help the city invest in projects that will boost the recovery of local businesses.  

On Friday I met with Representative Duffy of Holyoke and the interim Receiver-Superintendent of Holyoke Public Schools, Anthony Soto.  It was a productive meeting and I’m fully confident that Superintendent Soto will do an excellent job serving the students of Holyoke.  It has been great working with him so far.  

Friday also marked three years since the tragic passing of Brian Donaghue Simpson of Westborough.  Brian struggled with and eventually succumbed to opioid addiction in 2018.  I gathered virtually with members of his family, Attorney General Healey, Senator Markey, and Dr. Lipi Roy, an addiction specialist, to commemorate his passing and talk about how we can lift the stigma around opioid addiction.  Through committee work and my own legislation, I plan to take on the opioid crisis head first.  In matters of addiction, silence so often leads to death which is why we must all work to stop the stigma surrounding it.    

This week the State also launched a preregistration system to sign up for vaccine appointments at mass vaccination sites. Individuals who preregister will receive weekly status updates, and will be contacted to book an appointment when available instead of constantly checking the website. You can preregister at vaccinesignup.mass.gov/#/ 

I am hopeful that implementing this pre-registration system will improve how our vaccine rollout is organized. Although mass vaccination sites will be the only sites you can preregister for to start, the Governor has stated that other sites will added to the system soon which will be especially important in our region. As our vaccine supply continues to expand, it is critical that our vaccination sites expand as well and I will to continue to advocate. 

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 

Hello Everyone, 

The last week of February is upon us.  It seems to be thawing, so fingers crossed that Spring is coming a bit early this year and we can start to enjoy some warmer weather.  This week was just as busy as ever and I’m sure my staffers are starting to doubt me when I say, “Things should slow down next week.”  

To start it off, I had a very productive meeting on Monday with Mayor Nicole LaChapelle of Easthampton and Congressman Richard Neal, who represents most of Western Mass and all of my district in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Among other things, we discussed how the next federal stimulus package will be dispersed.  Federal aid is vital to ensure that our communities can recover from the pandemic.  

I also attended the Russell town meeting this past week.  Our hilltowns have had their own unique challenges both before and now during the pandemic.  This meeting’s purpose was to address these and determine how the State legislature can best help as we move forward in the new legislative session.   

This week the legislature also held its first oversight hearing on the state’s vaccine rollout and heard directly from Administration officials, including Governor Baker himself.  My colleagues questioned the Administration on vaccination sites and the appointment website among other issues, and pushed for improvements and more equitable vaccine distributions.  Last week I also joined colleagues on a letter to Governor Baker calling for more municipal and community sites, which I believe will improve vaccination accessibility as our supply expands.  

On Thursday I was lucky enough to get out to the Westfield Council On Aging to hand out some bagged lunches.  After one too many virtual meetings, it felt invigorating to get out in the community and tangibly help our seniors.  It was a great afternoon for it and it was so nice to see so many familiar faces.  I just can’t wait for the day when I can start calling bingo games at the Senior Center again.   

To finish my week on a high note, I had a meeting Friday morning with Girls’ Inc.  This is an organization that I think deserves special merit this week.  Their mission is to empower young women and forge the next generation of female leaders through both academic and extracurricular programs.  I was invited alongside Representative Patricia Duffy of Holyoke to host this meeting and we discussed how we as elected officials can bolster the young women of the Pioneer Valley.   

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