Hello Everyone!
What a hot week! I hope everyone has been able to stay cool and busy. There was a variety of events taking place in the district this week, and I have some COVID-19 updates to share as well.
Monday morning, Chief Christopher Norris was sworn in as the new Fire Chief of Easthampton at a ceremony alongside Mayor LaChapelle and State Representative Carey. Chief Norris most recently was the deputy Chief in Northampton, and was the Fire Chief in Westhampton before that. I look forward to working with Chief Norris to support the Easthampton community.
On Thursday, I met with the President of Holyoke Community College, Christina Royal. Among other things, we discussed the importance of preparing students for the workforce. Many students in our communities are making the choice to invest in their education through specific courses and training classes, and it’s crucial that we support this kind of development. So many industries have been hurt by COVID-19, and it is clear that community colleges are going to be at the forefront of our recovery, as there is going to be a need to train and retrain people who want to start a new field. As Assistant Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, I look forward to making these issues a priority. Saturday Morning, I attended Southampton’s Annual Town Meeting. It was great to listen to some of the priorities in the community, and phenomenal to see democracy in action.
As a local infrastructure project update, I wanted to share with you all that the Cowles Bridge Replacement project has moved along this week, as the opening for bidding for the project took place on Tuesday. Both of the design and construction of this project will be completely funded by MassDOT, and I look forward to having a new bridge to carry Southwick Road (Routes 10/202) over the Little River.
Earlier this week, the MA Department of Agriculture announced the launch of the MassGrown Exchange Program, which was created to help the Massachusetts food system by facilitating business-to-business connections. This online platform will connect suppliers, such as farms and fisheries, with buyers including grocery stores, restaurants, and foodbanks. I encourage businesses and suppliers in the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire to explore the MassGrown Exchange and register at https://massnrc.org/farmexchange.
Also this week, the Baker-Polito Administration released additional data on the community level spread of COVID-19 in order to target resources through community specific strategies. While Massachusetts has seen an overall decrease in COVID-19 Cases and hospitalizations since May, there has been a slight uptick in certain communities recently, including in Holyoke and Chicopee. These communities, among with others, will receive additional intervention support from the Commonwealth to help stop the spread of the virus. Last week, the Governor also announced stricter rules for public and private gatherings and enhanced enforcement of safety standards. Among other things, this order 1)Reduces the limit on outdoor gatherings from 100 to 50 people (indoor gatherings limit will remain at 25 people), 2)Requires face coverings where more than 10 people from different households will be mixing, and 3)Updates restaurant rules to state that alcoholic beverages may only served for on-site consumption if accompanied by orders for food. I will continue to keep you all updated as things change.
Last Friday was National Purple Heart Day, a day where we honor those in the US armed forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart for their sacrifices and courage. I thank all the brave men and women who have received the Purple Heart for their service in protecting our country.
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 phone: (413) 572-3920.
Sincerely,
John C. Velis