Happy April Everyone,
Mother Nature gave us the ultimate April Fool’s prank this week with warm temperatures on Monday followed by snow, sleet, and ice just a couple of days later. I hope everyone was able to stay safe in the conditions out there.
This past Monday my staff and I held a roundtable on substance use disorders in rural communities at the Russell Town Hall. The substance use epidemic is one of the most pressing issues of our time, an alarming report was published late last year by the Department of Public Health which showed increasingly high rates of opioid overdose deaths in Massachusetts rural communities compared to urban areas. As the Senate Chair for the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery, roundtables such as these are crucial to finding out how the legislature can create policy that best supports folks living in all of our communities struggling with addiction. This discussion focused on how this crisis is specifically impacting rural communities across Western Massachusetts and brought together those in recovery, counselors, healthcare providers, as well as fellow elected officials.
This week I had the pleasure of touring the construction efforts of Holyoke Veterans’ Home alongside Congressman Neal. It is incredible to see this project take life after our years of advocacy. One of my proudest moments as legislator was shepherding the $400 million bond bill through the legislature to Governor’s desk to fund this very construction project for our veterans. Our veterans deserve the very best that the Commonwealth can provide, and I cannot wait for construction to be completed and the day that Veterans are welcomed in to call the new building home.
Back here in Westfield, I had the honor of attending the Westfield Boys and Girls Club’s Youth of the Year Celebration on Wednesday evening where I presented citations to this year’s Youth of the Year candidates Olivia Jannakas and Emily Frangie. Both Olivia and Emily are outstanding young women who have stood out for their dedicated service to our community as well as their exemplary leadership skills. Congratulations, Olivia and Emily!
I had the best time joining Mrs. Price’s second grade class at Coburn Elementary School in West Springfield on Friday. The class selected a wonderful series of books that I read aloud to them, and it was great to hear their enthusiasm about all that have learned this year. Thank you to Mrs. Price for having me!
This week my office hosted office hours at the Agawam COA on Monday. Next week, we will be at the Chicopee COA on Tuesday from 10:00am to 11:00am and at the West Springfield COA on Wednesday from 11:00am to 12:00pm. If you can’t make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.
Sincerely,
John Velis