Happy May Everyone,
This first week of May marks Teacher Appreciation week in the Commonwealth. Our teachers have worked tirelessly over the last two years and are more deserving than ever of this credit. For especially hardworking teachers that parents have chosen to spotlight, I will be sending you a letter of appreciation! We have over seventy nominations so far and if there’s any teacher in your life that you think is deserving of commendation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. Thank you to all our hardworking educators!
In the FY’22 budget I was able to secure $59,800 for the Westfield Police Department to purchase an Apex Virtuality Simulator. On Tuesday, I was proud to present it alongside Mayor McCabe to Chief Valliere and our hardworking officers. This technology will allow our police to simulate high stress scenarios in order to better train at situation de-escalation. A simulator like this is huge asset for the department and would allow much better training for traffic stops, shooter responses, building checks, and domestic violence calls. I look forward to seeing how our officers utilize this new training module.
This week also marked the retirement of Judge Phillip Contant. After almost four decades of distinguished service to the Massachusetts justice system, it’s with a heavy heart that we see off Judge Contant to retirement, although I’m sure he’ll be content to spend more time with his family and less in robes. He was an asset to our courts and someone I am happy to call friend. Thank you, Judge Contant!
Holyoke Community College opened its “Itsy Bitsy Child Watch” program this week. I was able to secure $100,000 in funding for the program and was happy to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony this past Wednesday. Finding childcare is very often one of the biggest challenges to accessing higher education and HCC’s program, which is FREE to students attending the college (the second of its kind in the Commonwealth), will be a huge asset for working parents trying to get an education.
I was able to attend the installation of one of the Easthampton’s new opioid rescue kits. These kits will be placed around the city in strategic locations where there is heightened risk of overdose. Access to these kits can save lives and are another weapon in the arsenal against addiction.
On Friday, I toured Easthampton alongside Michael Bobbitt, executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). We went to the City Space Building, the Cottage Street Cultural District, and the Eastworks building. Our small Western Massachusetts city is revitalizing rapidly and I’m looking forward to seeing how the legislature and the MCC can help.
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