Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council

Featured News
1. Entrepreneurs, college presidents, politicians discuss a better business collaboration between eastern and Western Massachusetts
  
  Explore masslive.com Aug 19 2020 Education , Entrepreneurship
  
  Business leaders, college presidents, politicians and state economic development leaders joined in an online seminar to discuss better ways the entire state can come together to share resources and produce products. More than 350 people signed on to listen to or participate in the first EastWest Exchange on Wednesday. The event covered ways to localize supply chains and better share business and innovation from the eastern part of the state with that being done in Western Massachusetts.
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  Mentions: Holyoke Community College Springfield Technical Community College Springfield
2. The Pioneer Valley Labor Market Blueprint
  
  Explore From the EDC Nov 30 2018 Workforce
  
  As you know, the Workforce Skills Cabinet (WSC) is requiring a Mid-Point Report be submitted to the WSC by December 15, 2018. We have been given a template to follow and are aggressively assembling the required collateral to form our narrative. We are excited about sharing with the WSC the progress that has been made since we began the Implementation phase in the late spring, 2018. As with the Blueprint, we expect the Secretary’s and/or their staff and others will review the Mid-Point Report and share their thoughts with us. We continue to believe that as we begin ...
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3. UMass water technology lab could spur new developments
  
  Explore masslive.com Oct 15 2018 Education
  
  Thirty companies are in the pipeline, waiting to use a $3.9 million water technology demonstration center that could be built at the University of Massachusetts in as soon as two years. About 250 people attended the "Innovations and Opportunities in Water Technologies" conference Monday at the Amherst campus. Now the job is to get the money, already called for in a 2014 state bonding bill, and include it in a state spending budget, said Richard K. Sullivan Jr., president and CEO of the Economic Development of Western Massachusetts.
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  Mentions: University of Massachusetts Amherst Clean Energy Center
4. MassHire: Employment boards, job centers take on new name, statewide brand
  
  Explore masslive.com Sep 7 2018 Workforce
  
  What used to be the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County is now the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board. The former CareerPoint in Holyoke is now the MassHire Holyoke Career Center, and the former FutureWorks is now the MassHire Springfield Career Center. It is all part of a statewide rebranding of Massachusetts' 29 career centers and 16 workforce boards, which used to go by 45 different names. They're now part of the unified MassHire brand, with a consistent logo and themed website addresses and social media handles. It's statewide, so the Franklin Hampshire Regional Employment Board is now ...
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  Mentions: Domenic J. Sarno Springfield Holyoke
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From the EDC
1. Massachusetts COVID-19 Innovation Challenge
  
  Explore From the EDC Sep 2 2020 by Pat Larkin
  
  The Massachusetts COVID-19 Innovation Challenge is the third in a series of innovation pitch competitions to identify and grow innovative solutions to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Companies selected for the Challenge will attend a series of innovation workshops over five weeks, receiving critical mentorship, as well as access to a statewide network of manufacturers and advisors. The program will culminate on October 30th with a virtual pitch event and a $25,000 prize awarded to the winner, funding which will help kick start the commercial development of their products or services.
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2. Baker-Polito Administration revises the Executive Order on gatherings
  
  Explore From the EDC Aug 10 2020 by Mike Kennealy
  
  Effective Tuesday, August 11, the Baker-Polito Administration will revise the Executive Order on gatherings to reduce the cap on outdoor gatherings from 100 to 50 individuals. The inside gathering limit will remain at 25 people. Please note: this will now apply to both public and private spaces. Read the revised Executive Order for more details.
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3. MA Vacant Storefronts Program (MVSP) Webinar
  
  Explore From the EDC Jul 20 2020 by Debra Boronski
  
  The Mass Office of Business Development (MOBD) will be holding a webinar to increase awareness of the Massachusetts Vacant Storefronts Program (MVSP). This program first became available through the Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP) in 2019, and can be used to help municipalities in their efforts to revitalize their downtowns and commercial areas.
  
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  Mentions: Massachusetts Office of Business Development
4. TARGETED FREE COVID-19 TESTING SITES
  
  Explore From the EDC Jul 15 2020 by Mike Kennealy
  
  Last week, the Baker-Polito Administration announced the launch of free COVID-19 testing sites in eight communities from July 10 to August 14 to help stop the spread of COVID-19. This “Stop the Spread” initiative is a data-driven effort to reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 in communities that are above the state average in total cases and positive test rate, and have experienced a decline in testing levels since April. The initiative is being launched in Chelsea, Everett, Fall River, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Marlborough, and New Bedford. Residents of these communities can take advantage of the availability of these new testing ...
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  Mentions: MassDevelopment Massachusetts Department of Transportation
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Western Massachusetts Business News
1. Asnuntuck Graduate Opens 413 Café in Downtown Springfield
  
  Explore BusinessWest Sep 24 2020
  
  Beginning a business at any time is taking a leap of faith, but for Christina Raschi, starting a business during a pandemic could be considered something much bigger. Her journey toward owning her own bakery — a new business in downtown Springfield called 413 Café — began when she attended Longmeadow High School and the Lower Pioneer Valley Career and Technical Education Center in West Springfield and studied culinary arts. She graduated in June 2010 and decided to take a gap year following graduation.
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  Mentions: West Springfield Springfield
2. MassDevelopment Awards $86,415 to Assist Local Economic Recovery Efforts
  
  Explore BusinessWest Sep 24 2020
  
  MassDevelopment awarded $86,415 for 10 projects, three of them in Western Mass., through the Commonwealth Places COVID-19 Response Round: Resurgent Places, a program made available specifically to assist local economic recovery efforts as community partners prepare public spaces and commercial districts to serve residents and visitors. Projects receiving awards include the creation of outdoor dining spaces, sidewalk retail venues, and partitions to support social distancing.
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  Mentions: MassDevelopment
3. Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley to open as day care center during COVID-19 shutdown - masslive.com
  
  Explore masslive.com Sep 24 2020
  
  The Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School plans to open its doors Monday as a supervised remote learning and day care site operated by the Hampshire Regional YMCA. It will be at least the second such site in Western Massachusetts, following Interskate 91 South in Wilbraham. Since many school districts offer only remote learning due to the coronavirus pandemic, parents who continue to work are in the market for safe places to drop their children off during the day.
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4. Berkshire Bank Foundation Contributes More Than $1 Million in COVID-19 Relief
  
  Explore BusinessWest Sep 23 2020
  
  The Berkshire Bank Foundation announced that, due to the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has contributed more than $1 million to collaborative efforts supporting nonprofit organizations responding to community-based needs. Guided by the foundation’s mission of investing in those living and working in its local communities, the total relief provided represents an additional $1 million over the foundation’s $3 million total annual grant budget. The organizations supported in the Pioneer Valley through Berkshire Bank Foundation’s contributions include the Mental Health Assoc. Inc., YMCA of Greater Springfield, the SCORE Foundation – Western Massachusetts SCORE, and the Community ...
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5. Bradley to Launch Expanded Service on JetBlue with Four New Non-stop Routes
  
  Explore BusinessWest Sep 23 2020 Transportation
  
  The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announced non-stop service to four new destinations from Bradley International Airport on JetBlue. These new destinations include Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Cancún, Mexico. “One of Connecticut’s best competitive assets is its international airport in such close proximity to so many of our communities and employers,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said. “This strengthening of the partnership with JetBlue shows once again how important Bradley International Airport is to our present and our future. More routes and a strong international airport are key to Connecticut’s success.”
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  Mentions: Bradley International Airport
6. Chicopee to study contaminated land in Willimansett with first grant dedicated to that neighborhood
  
  Explore masslive.com Sep 23 2020
  
  After years of focusing on industrial land cleanups in Chicopee Center, Chicopee Falls and near Westover Air Base, the Willimansett neighborhood is now getting some attention. The city recently received the first federal grant to identify and assess contaminated properties, also known as brownfields, for the neighborhood. Half of the $300,000 grant will be spent on creating a neighborhood brownfields plan and the remaining $150,000 will be used for assessing parcels that would be key for redevelopment, City Planner Lee Pouliot said.
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  Mentions: Chicopee
7. Springfield electrical contractor M.L. Schmitt purchased by two employees
  
  Explore masslive.com Sep 22 2020
  
  The ownership of M. L. Schmitt Electric Inc. was recently transferred from Thomas Schmitt to new co-owners Peter Coppez and Jean Pierre Crevier. Coppez, of Southampton, joined M. L. Schmitt as an apprentice in 2000. He’s a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 7 apprenticeship program and Wentworth Institute of Technology. He graduated this spring with a bachelor’s degree in project management.
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  Mentions: University of Massachusetts Springfield Technical Community College Springfield
8. Hearing set on pending sale of Mount Saint Vincent in Holyoke
  
  Explore masslive.com Sep 22 2020
  
  The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will hold a public hearing Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m. for a change of ownership request for Mount Saint Vincent Care Center. The Connecticut-based iCare Health Network is seeking ownership of the 125-bed skilled nursing facility from Trinity Continuing Care Services, part of the Michigan-based Trinity Health, through a corporate entity, Holyoke Care Center, iCare created for that purpose. Trinity has been operating Mount Saint Vincent through a lease agreement with the Sisters of Providence Ministry Corporation.
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  Mentions: Holyoke
9. BusinessTalk with Amy Allen
  
  Explore BusinessWest Sep 22 2020
  
  Thom Fox Interviews Amy Allen, Partner at BlumShapiro about how Human Resources Departments are evolving into a profit-centers. Amy also shares how businesses are navigating challenges brought about by teleworking and managing a decentralized workforce.
  
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10. Beveridge Family Foundation Boosts Nonprofits, Partners with Innovation Accelerator
  
  Explore BusinessWest Sep 22 2020
  
  The Beveridge Family Foundation provides support to nonprofits within Hampden and Hampshire counties. While continuing that critical work, it has started investing directly into social-impact projects and ventures. By leveraging its endowment, the Beveridge Foundation is significantly increasing the amount of funding it can deploy. Local organizations with proposals for economically sustainable programs can now apply for investments of up to $250,000. These proposals must be at the pilot stage or later and already have significant evidence of demand and viability.
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Picture Gallery

Massachusetts COVID-19 Innovation Challenge From the EDC

Baker-Polito Administration revises the Executive Order on gatherings From the EDC

MA Vacant Storefronts Program (MVSP) Webinar From the EDC

TARGETED FREE COVID-19 TESTING SITES From the EDC

Entrepreneurs, college presidents, politicians discuss a better business collaboration between eastern and Western Massachusetts masslive.com

The Pioneer Valley Labor Market Blueprint From the EDC

UMass water technology lab could spur new developments masslive.com

MassHire: Employment boards, job centers take on new name, statewide brand masslive.com

Asnuntuck Graduate Opens 413 Café in Downtown Springfield BusinessWest

MassDevelopment Awards $86,415 to Assist Local Economic Recovery Efforts BusinessWest

Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley to open as day care center during COVID-19 shutdown - masslive.com masslive.com

Berkshire Bank Foundation Contributes More Than $1 Million in COVID-19 Relief BusinessWest
Western Massachusetts- It's Your Move