Latest news with #HampdenCounty
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Big E, big business, big opportunity: Expo's CEO highlights $1.17B in economic ripples to region
WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Big E and its sister events held at the Eastern States Exposition grounds generated $1.167 billion in economic activity last year. That translates into more than 8,000 jobs — 5,140 in Hampden County alone — and more than $439 million in personal income. The Eastern States Exposition generates more than $6.2 million in income taxes, too. 'We stand here in this historic space to draw attention to an historic and important cultural and economic asset in our region,' Eugene J. Cassidy, The Big E president and CEO, said. 'We are the fourth-largest public event that takes place in North America. And I think that's something that all who are members of the community should take pride in and celebrate. And I think it's something that oftentimes gets overlooked.' The $1.167 billion measures total sales attributed to The Big E, spread out over participating companies across New England and New York. About a third of the earnings, $485 million, is generated just in Hampden County, according a new report. Both numbers are likely an undercount, said Billy Leung, an economist and senior vice president for REMI, Regional Economic Models Inc. of Amherst, authors of the report. 'What we didn't model in this particular scenario is the businesses that come here and market themselves, so they continue to grow, when they're back in Pennsylvania, when they're back in Maine,' he said. The Big E, along with REMI, and state and local leaders, released Tuesday the results of the new economic impact study. The fair reported a $750-million-a-year annual impact prior to the COVID shutdowns in 2020. Leung, who grew up in Agawam and often visited the fair, said he and his team arrived at the $1.167 billion number by calculating not only visitor spending at The Big E, but also Storrowton Village, an RV show, home show, the Poultry Congress and myriad other events. REMI also took into account the effect those dollars have as they move through the local economy. It's not just the carpenter who sets up the trade show booth, but the hardware store, the coffee shop and everyone else that the carpenter does business with, officials noted. John Robison, vice chairman of The Big E's board of trustees, said the $1.167 billion also represents the effects on people's lives. 'That number is too big a thing, really, for any of us to grasp. But I would wager that every single one of you knows somebody who has become wealthy by taking part in this fair,' he said. 'Look at the people who are out there selling swimming pools, who are in our local communities selling snowmobiles, selling cars, selling sweaters, selling hats.' Read more: Big E leader: Weekend crowds will be managed with fixes to fair chokepoints, new weekday ticket deal Food vendors at the fair are all small businesses, he said. Many are owned locally. 'You think, 'How well can you do as a food vendor?' Well, out there we have people who have delivered millions of hot dogs and hamburgers and funnel cakes over the years,' Robison said. 'They have more economic power by operating at our fair than any stand-alone restaurant in this area.' The Big E itself takes in about $30 million a year, Robison said. Of that, it keeps about 20% or 30% each year to maintain and improve its grounds. The Big E — a nonprofit institution — pays West Springfield 1% of its gross revenue each year, funding a community grant program. Last year, the total was $249,013. West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt said that fund, along with other miscellaneous taxes generated on the grounds, makes the Expo the fifth largest taxpayer in West Springfield. West Side benefits in other ways, too, the mayor noted. 'The businesses and the hotels, the extra Dunkin' Donuts and gas stations, those things wouldn't exist on (Memorial) Avenue without the fair driving people down here ... to spend their money in these areas,' Reichelt said. 'And it's also important, because it brings people from outside the region into the region to spend their money, whether it be here in West Springfield, in Springfield, in the neighboring communities.' Cassidy said The Big E has five full-time employees, but during fair season, it has about 1,000 employees on its payroll and about another 3,500 on the grounds. Big E leader: Weekend crowds will be managed with fixes to fair chokepoints, new weekday ticket deals Iconic, giant 'Uncle Sam' moving to plaza that's home to Nathan Bill's pub 58,000 personal care attendants in Massachusetts get raises Read the original article on MassLive. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
Man charged in connection with April double slaying in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Police detectives investigating an April double-slaying obtained a warrant to arrest a Springfield man on a charge of carjacking while they continued to investigate the killings. Police arrested Bobby Rivera on May 30. Days later, law enforcement officials served Rivera, 34, with a murder warrant while he sat detained at Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow, the Hampden District Attorney's Office announced Friday. The charges — two counts of murder, a count of larceny under $1,200 and some firearm-related charges — were in connection with a shooting on Hebron Street on April 2. That morning, police responded to a report of two people who were shot, and they found two injured men inside a house. Noe Martin and Justin Santiago were taken to Baystate Medical Center, but both died of their injuries. Martin was 55; Santiago was 36. 'As detectives continued their investigation, they identified Rivera as a suspect in the murders,' the District Attorney's Office wrote in a statement. 'On July 8, detectives applied for and were granted a warrant for Rivera's arrest in connection with the Hebron Street homicides.' The Hampden District Attorney's Office said its murder unit and the Springfield Police homicide unit continue to investigate the incident. Meanwhile, Rivera is being held without the right to bail. His next court date, a preliminary hearing, is scheduled for Aug. 12. Time for non-voters to look in the mirror (The Republican Editorials) Nyxie's Whimsies opens doors Saturday in Indian Orchard The wacky world as seen by rulers of the universe | Paul Chiampa Mass. casino winner: Jackpot won off of slots machine Wednesday Garden talk: Western Mass. green-thumbed experts share something for everyone Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Springfield courthouse not coming soon enough for employees
SPRINGFIELD — During heavy rains, Hampden County Register of Probate Rosemary Saccomani is forced to line the window in her office with buckets to catch the water that seeps through. While not the chief concern for employees of the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse, the persistent leaks leave her and her staff with a feeling of neglect by state officials. Known by many in the legal community as the 'sick courthouse,' the building has high rates of certain illnesses, like Lou Gehrig's disease, also called ALS, which led employees to conclude there were environmental hazards lurking in the walls and vents in the building. An outbreak of mold in 2021 forced the temporary closure of the courthouse and prompted several large departments to relocate indefinitely. A series of environmental studies and voluntary health surveys found that, aside from a slightly higher rate of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among 226 respondents, the little data an environmental consulting firm could gather in 2023 showed normal to less-than-normal frequencies of other types of cancers. Mental health and heart disease were reported as 'slightly higher than local prevalence rates.' Surveys included questions about employees' health concerns and diagnoses, alcohol and tobacco use, physical activity and the number of hours they typically worked in the building. Of neurological disorders, such as ALS, which killed at least five employees who worked in the same part of the building, four respondents or their proxies reported diagnoses of ALS and one with neuropathy. Analysts also reported a number of limitations. 'The study was limited by data which was self-reported and could not be verified for accuracy. The identity, employment status and time spent in the courthouse could not be verified. The health experience of the 226 respondents cannot be compared to the population of non-respondents, limiting extrapolation to the entire employee/occupant population,' a November 2023 report said. The report says respondents disclosed depression and anxiety rates as slightly above average; stroke and heart disease was reported at slightly higher than local prevalence rates; no cancer cluster was detected; asthma was reported as slightly higher than the reference data (18% versus 16.6%); and reports of breast and lung cancer were lower than the national average. Many employees remain skeptical of the results and are disappointed over the glacial pace of the siting and construction of a new courthouse. 'I understand that the state wants to follow the correct protocols for the request for proposals from developers, (but) it seems lost on them that we're still working here,' Saccomani said. The Department of Capital Management and Assets published a request for proposals on June 30, which will remain open for three months as consultants market the development both locally and nationally, according to an email sent to Springfield stakeholders by Trial Court Administrator Thomas G. Ambrosino. Saccomani noted a recent $10 million line-item veto by Gov. Maura Healey affecting the Trial Court has halted any major facility upgrades, including the construction of new courtrooms for the Family and Probate Division. 'One area of the fourth floor now looks like a quasi-construction site,' she said. 'For these reasons and more, we feel like things are not happening quickly enough.' Earlier in her tenure, Healey made $106 million available for startup costs for a new courthouse — a move heralded by employees and local lawmakers who were frustrated by inaction following strong rhetoric from the previous administration. But more than two years later, state officials have yet to even identify ground to break. 'We thought with the change in the administration, things would move quicker,' said Cheryl Coakley-Rivera, Hampden County Register of Deeds and among the lead plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit filed in 2021 over the mold flare-up. Coakley-Rivera, along with Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni, evacuated employees on the same day in August 2021. Most employees of both divisions have yet to return to the courthouse. Coakley-Rivera's employees relocated to Westfield City Hall and to offices in the basement of the 'little State House' on Dwight Street in Springfield, while Gulluni commandeered office suites at Tower Square on Main Street. Asked whether she felt the courthouse was safe for return, she said: 'Absolutely not,' citing a high percentage of employees calling out sick and coughing incessantly while they were there. 'Ever since we moved, that stopped. Very few sick calls now and very little coughing,' she said. With dozens of employees one floor down from Saccomani, Hampden County Clerk of Courts Laura S. Gentile said she and several of her employees suffer from dry eyes, repeated infections and sinus problems. 'I don't have any direct causation, but my staff says if they're away from the building for a number of days, all those symptoms stop,' said Gentile. She added that she has faith that the Trial Court is trying to move as quickly as possible, but DCAMM 'isn't really the speediest.' For example, the agency changed its strategy a year into the first request for proposals cycle and rethought its original plan to construct a state-owned building. State officials instead decided to invite private developers to build a new courthouse to lease to the state for up to 60 years. DCAMM Commissioner Adam Baacke said in 2024 that the revised plan would save the state time and money. But it reset the clock in the short-term. The project is still several years away from being completed. Rank-and-file employees at the courthouse were reluctant to talk about the courthouse, but one spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the topic. 'People say their allergies are worse and make comments that they feel like crap when they enter the building. But I think everyone knows it's a state building, and nothing will happen,' the longtime employee said. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Local leaders and addiction recovery organization advocates for change
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Addiction recovery providers around Hampden County came together Thursday evening to share resources and advocate for change. The Western Mass Policy Forum held at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield filled an auditorium as advocates shared the value of recovery and what it often looks like. 'If you ask anybody who's an addict, they didn't want to be an addict, you know, they became addicted. They became addicted to a drug or to alcohol. Nobody wants to live in that cycle,' shares Noel Sierra, Executive Director, Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery. Overdose prevention centers treat those in need and keep addicts alive across the country. However, in Massachusetts, there are currently no such facilities, and legislation is needed to put them in place. Since 2010, Massachusetts has seen 23,000 people die alone due to overdose. If you ever find yourself in a situation where a person has overdosed, there are five steps you can take to help them. First, you'll want to check their breathing and verify if they are experiencing any type of discoloration, such as blue or gray. Next, you'll want to call 911 immediately. During that time, you can also give the individual Narcan using a push pump in their nose. It's important you stay with the person overdosing until help gets there to assist. Policy makers were also in attendance at the forum, advocating for change. Others, like a local director and producer, are using her recent documentary to contribute to the movement. 'Recovery is possible, and also the stigma of recovery is real, and people recover when they are supported and not judged,' says Lisa Olivieri. If you're interested in viewing her documentary 'Recovery City', visit here for local screening dates and times. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Update: Damaging winds foreseen with thunderstorms in 3 Massachusetts counties Saturday
On Saturday at 7:26 p.m. the National Weather Service released an updated severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 8 p.m. for Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties. Residents should prepare for wind gusts of up to 60 mph. "At 7:25 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located over Williamsburg, or near Northampton, moving east at 25 mph," states the weather service. "Expect damage to trees and power lines." Locations impacted by the warning include Holyoke, Amherst, Northampton, Greenfield, Deerfield, South Hadley, Easthampton, Belchertown, Montague, Granby, Hadley, Sunderland, Hatfield, Northfield, Williamsburg, Huntington, Conway, Shelburne, Leverett and Erving. The weather service adds, "For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building." Each year, lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times, with the majority of these electrifying events occurring during the summer months. Unfortunately, lightning is responsible for claiming the lives of approximately 20 people annually, as reported by the weather service. The threat of lightning becomes more pronounced as thunderstorms draw nearer, peaking when the storm is directly overhead and gradually waning as it moves away. To ensure your safety during a thunderstorm, keep these recommendations in mind: Lightning safety plan: When venturing outdoors, it's vital to establish a clear plan for seeking shelter in case of lightning. Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it's an indication that lightning is nearby. Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors. Indoors safety measures: Once you're indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors. These precautions help reduce the risk of electrical surges, as lightning can follow conductive pathways. Wait for the all-clear: After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities. It's important to remember that lightning can strike even when a storm seems to have passed, so exercise caution. When indoor shelter isn't available: If you find yourself outdoors with no access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety: Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, which expose you to greater lightning risk. Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In wooded areas, stay close to lower stands of trees. If you're in a group, ensure that individuals are spaced out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people. Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. Remember that a tent offers no protection against lightning. Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. Although water and metal do not attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks. In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, preparedness and vigilance are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of lightning-related incidents and prioritize your safety. When heavy rain sets in, the risk of flooding and hazardous driving conditions rises. Whether it's prolonged rainfall or rapid runoff, being prepared is essential. Here are some valuable safety tips from the weather service to ensure you stay safe in heavy rain: Beware of rapid water flow: Avoid parking or walking in close proximity to culverts or drainage ditches, as the swiftly moving water during heavy rain can potentially carry you away. Maintain safe driving distances: Use the two-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you and allow an extra two seconds in heavy rain. Slow down and stay cautious: If it is raining and the roads are wet, slow down. Take your foot off the accelerator and let your speed drop gradually. Never use the brakes suddenly because this may cause the car to skid. Choose your lane wisely: Stick to the middle lanes on multi-lane roads to minimize the risk of hydroplaning, as water tends to accumulate in outer lanes. Prioritize visibility Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights. Watch out for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them. Watch out for slippery roads: Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins. Grime and oil on the road surface mix with water to make the road slippery. Keep a safe distance from large vehicles: Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely. Mind your windshield wipers: Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas. When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position. In the face of heavy rain, these precautions can make a significant difference in ensuring your safety on the road. Remember to stay informed about weather conditions and heed guidance from local authorities for a secure journey. Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service. Read the original article on MassLive.
