Latest news with #Holyoke
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wistariahurst Museum showcases new art exhibit hosted by Holyoke Arts League
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – You can celebrate local creativity this month at a new art exhibit at the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke. The exhibition is hosted by the Holyoke Arts League and features local artists with a range of styles that reflect the creative spirit of the Pioneer Valley. Monday night, the organization hosted a reception, inviting the public to experience and enjoy the showcase and connect with the artists behind the work. 'Coming out of COVID, people are looking to have more social engagement,' says Liz Popolo. 'There are a lot of experienced people here that are doing art in ways that others are saying, 'hey, I want to learn how to do that!' Or I want to work on this myself, 'How do I get involved?!' Throughout June, the exhibit is on view during the museum's gallery hours, Mondays and Tuesdays. 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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Holyoke kicks off Pride Month with flag-raising, honoring the LGBTQ+ community
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – June is Pride Month, a time when communities across western Massachusetts celebrate and honor the LGBTQ+ community. A ceremonial flag raising was held in Holyoke on Monday, where residents joined local and state leaders to honor the LGBTQ+ community. 'We celebrate pride because it was born in protest. Not in parades. Not in merchandise. But in defiance. Sparked by the brave black and brown trans women, Queer youth, and drag queen–Who fought back at stonewall in 1969,' proclaimed Devin Sheehan, Holyoke School Committee member, and National School Board Association President. A colorful symbol of pride, protest, and inclusion now flies above Holyoke City Hall, a proud sign of the city's commitment to celebrate and uplift its LGBTQ+ community. Mayor Joshua Garcia proclaimed June as Pride Month in Holyoke Monday night, saying, 'We assure you that in Holyoke, you can be who you are because you belong.' State and city leaders spoke on the importance of visibility and representation in a country that they say is more divided than ever. Juan Anderson Burgos with the Holyoke Pride Committee adds, 'You wear these colors and you stand up for those who feel like they can't.' This year's celebration was more than just a flag raising, but a call to action to protect LGBTQ+ individuals, especially transgender youth. 'We are not going to let anybody in Washington tell us how we treat each other,' adds State Rep. Patricia Duffy. House of Colors member and Youth speaker, Kaycee Valentin, adds, 'In this political climate, we need a lot of support. We are just trying to live our lives.' Keynote speaker Marybel Delgado, Founder of 'Transcending Beyond,' spoke on her journey as the mother of a transgender child and the need for safe spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals. Delgado said, 'It's about being protected, it's about being valued. It's about being free. So let this flag be a beacon to every person questioning their worth. You are powerful.' The city of Holyoke, strengthened by its diversity, equality, and hope. 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
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Holyoke police to cite driver who heavily damaged JFK memorial while driving under the influence
HOLYOKE — A driver who crashed into John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza early Sunday morning, heavily damaging several monuments, will be charged with driving under the influence of drugs and destruction of property. Officers responding to reports of the 4:25 a.m. crash at Suffolk, Sycamore and Appleton streets found the 26-year-old driver and a passenger inside the vehicle. Firefighters arrived shortly after and helped remove the two from the car, Police Chief Brian Keenan said. 'The driver and passenger were administered Narcan and transported to the hospital to evaluate possible injuries,' he said. Narcan is used to reverse opioid overdoses. The driver, who is from Springfield, will be cited for the crimes. His name will not be released until charges are leveled, Keenan said. At least four monuments were toppled, several were smashed, and the lawn and other concrete areas were damaged. The Department of Public Works has been notified, he said. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Threat to Holyoke High deemed hoax; juvenile suspect identified
HOLYOKE — Police have tracked down a juvenile accused of a making a threat to Holyoke High School on social media. Students first saw the threat last week and notified School Resource Officers Manuel Rivera and Juan Cruz about the post, Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan said. They immediately started investigating the threat, made on Instagram, and determined it was not credible. The original post was deleted but has been passed through screenshots by students and the others in the school community, Keenan said. 'Detectives spoke with the juvenile with a parent present to reinforce the seriousness of posting any type of threat online,' Keenan said. Police did not release any information about the suspect because of the accused's age or the nature of the post. 'Our department treats any threat to our community seriously and thoroughly investigates each situation to determine if any threat is credible. In this case, thankfully it was not,' Keenan said. 'The safety and well-being of our students and community is paramount. I appreciate the vigilance of the students who brought this post to our officers' attention, and in doing so, the officers were able to quickly identify the person responsible for the post.' Mayor Joshua Garcia thanked police for their quick action and reinforced that no students or staff were ever in danger. 'I want to assure our community, students, staff and teachers that there is no ongoing threat, and this post was deemed to not be credible,' he said. 'If there was a situation where we received a threat, and it was deemed credible or if it was unclear, we would alert our community immediately.' Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Holyoke police identify juvenile connected to hoax school threat
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – Holyoke police have identified a juvenile in connection with a hoax school threat made on social media. According to Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan, the threat was reported on Instagram and was related to Holyoke High School. Students brought the post to the attention of multiple school resource officers. Multi-car crash in Holyoke damages traffic light, parked cars While the original post was deleted, screenshots of the post are still being shared. Holyoke Police quickly assessed the threat and deemed it non-credible. After identifying the juvenile, officers spoke with them along with their parent about the seriousness of posting any type of threat online. 'I'd like to thank Officers Cruz, Rivera, and our Detectives for their prompt handling of this situation,' said Chief Keenan. 'Our department treats any threat to our community seriously and thoroughly investigates each situation to determine if any threat is credible. In this case, thankfully, it was not. The safety and well-being of our students and community is paramount. I appreciate the vigilance of the students who brought this post to our officers' attention, and in doing so, the officers were able to quickly identify the person responsible for the post.' 'I have full faith in Chief Keenan and his officers to investigate these types of incidents, and I thank them for identifying the source of this post with urgency,' said Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia. 'While it can be uneasy, I want to assure our community, students, staff, and teachers that there is no ongoing threat, and this post was deemed to not be credible. If there was a situation where we received a threat and it was deemed credible or if it was unclear, we would alert our community immediately.' The Holyoke Police Department stated that there was never a credible threat to the community. Officers urge anyone who sees an online threat mentioning a school in the area to contact the police immediately. 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.
