Western Massachusetts Business News

1. River Valley Co-op, eyeing Easthampton site, plans public info session

   Explore masslive.com 17 hours, 18 min ago Business Development

   

   Those with questions about plans by River Valley Co-op to open a second store on Rt. 10 in Easthampton could gain more information over the weekend. The upscale natural foods market, now located in Northampton, plans an "Easthampton Store Project Open House & Info Session" on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Eastworks building.  Draft site plans will be on display, market management and board members will be on hand, and representatives from Thomas Douglas Architects and The Berkshire Design Group plan to attend, according to a Facebook post, which says public feedback and input will ...

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   Mentions: Northampton Easthampton

2. Dunkin' -- complete with donuts -- unveils store of the future at Springfield College

   Explore masslive.com 21 hours, 47 min ago Business Development

   

   The new store, which opened last week in the Union Station Food Court area of the Richard B. Flynn Campus Union, also features a nitrogen-charged tap system for Dunkin's new cold brew coffees. The new food trend is to charge iced coffee with nitrogen to give at a creamy texture. Think of a Guinness beer. This new Dunkin' also has the latest technology for brewing coffee both hot and iced and for making espressos, including macchiatos.

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   Mentions: Springfield College Springfield

3. To Keep Top Talent, Employers Need to Consider Work-life Balance

   Explore BusinessWest 23 hours, 15 min ago Workforce

   

   In its 2019 National Business Trends Survey, the EEA aimed to determine the top five most important factors prospective employees are looking for, with the goal of assisting employers with recruitment and retention. The top five factors included, in order, competitive pay (named by 82% of respondents), good work/life balance (69.2 %), flexibility in work hours (56.1%), opportunities for advancement (55.4%), and competitive health benefits (49.9%). “The shortage of labor will be a key factor for employers in 2019,” said Phil Brandt, who chairs the EAA board of directors. “How employers will fill those new jobs ...

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4. Cargo rail line running through Western Mass. gets $10.8M from feds, $9.6M from state for modernization

   Explore masslive.com 23 hours, 53 min ago Transportation

   

   The New England Central Railroad will use the federal money along with $9.6 million in state money and its own $9.6 million investment to replace 31 miles of rail and 20,000 cross ties, and to strengthen 20 bridges. The current state of the infrastructure doesn't allow for the movement of today's average freight cars, decreasing the amount of cargo that is shipped on the line. The modernization will specifically be paid for from the $10.8 million from the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program along with $9.6 million in state funding ...

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   Mentions: Palmer Springfield Congressman Richard E. Neal

5. Initiative Aims to Make Individuals Workforce-ready

   Explore BusinessWest 23 hours, 53 min ago Workforce

   

   “We’ve been hearing this for years, but it had just reached a boiling point.” That’s how Kermit Dunkelberg chose to sum up the conversation in this region regarding how many individuals lack the soft skills and the essential skills needed to be workforce-ready. This ‘boiling point’ status helped inspire a regional response to a request for proposals for state funding — and a $247,000 grant aimed at putting more qualified workers in the pipeline.

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   Mentions: University of Massachusetts Holyoke Community College Springfield Technical Community College

6. Charlemont rejects Comcast broadband offer; opts to build $1.4M fiber optic network

   Explore masslive.com Dec 10 2018 Information Technology

   

   Charlemont has decided to build its own fiber optic broadband network instead of accepting a cheaper cable option from Comcast. The $462,123 Comcast proposal, which would have connected 96 percent of households with high-speed internet, was rejected by town meeting voters last Thursday. The defeat means Charlemont will likely advance a $1.4 million project to create a town-owned fiber network, as approved by town meeting voters in 2015. The Hawlemont Regional School auditorium was filled to the brim, around 160 paper ballots were cast, and in an unofficial count, the Comcast proposal failed by 20 votes, according to ...

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   Mentions: Comcast Westfield

7. Hickory Ridge owners plan solar array, end of golf at Amherst course

   Explore masslive.com Dec 7 2018 Energy

   

   The owners of Hickory Ridge Golf Club want to build a solar farm on the golf course property. This is according to the agenda for an Amherst Conservation Commission meeting  set for 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at Town Hall. Course owner Dave Wasenda of Appliedgolf in Millstone, New Jersey, he plans to build a 5.2-megawatt solar array at the 150-acre property sometime next year. "It's no secret that the golf industry has been contracting, he said. "You used to have a steady flow, the working population golfed a little, then when they retired the kept golfing and ...

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   Mentions: Daily Hampshire Gazette Amherst

8. Blame it on the rain: Weather at fault for delay in Springfield Riverfront Park renovation...

   Explore masslive.com Dec 7 2018 Business Development

   

   A $2.5 million renovation project at Riverfront Park is taking longer than expected, with Mother Nature getting the blame. Officials are blaming the extremely rainy weather this fall for the delay, with the project now expected to be done by June 15, 2019, said Peter Garvey, the city's director of Capital Asset Construction. In addition to the near record rainfall this fall, there was a snowstorm in November. When the City Council approved a $1.6 million bond for the project in November 2017, officials said they hoped to have the park ready to coincide with the opening ...

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   Mentions: University of Massachusetts West Springfield Springfield

9. Bay Path University Named Safest College in Massachusetts

   Explore BusinessWest Dec 7 2018 Education

   

   Campus safety is a top consideration for many individuals and their families when it comes to choosing a college to attend. Niche.com compiled a list of the safest college campuses in America, and Bay Path University ranked third out of nearly 1,500 reviewed. The university ranked first for safety in both Massachusetts and New England.  “We do as much as we can to ensure that the Bay Path University campus is a safe place,” said Michael Giampietro, vice president for Finance & Administrative Services. “Campus safety is a top priority here. Our Longmeadow campus, in particular, is well-lit with ...

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10. West Springfield seeks proposals for community block grants

    Explore masslive.com Dec 7 2018

    

    In June, the Baker administration awarded that amount to West Springfield for housing rehabilitation assistance for seven units, Gardner Street infrastructure improvements, code enforcement, creating a master plan for Merrick Neighborhood, support for family self-sufficiency and home-buyer programs, English for Speakers of Other Languages, camp scholarships and Head Start. The projects were among 41 in 59 different communities to receive a total of $32 million in Community Development Block Grants this year.

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    Mentions: West Springfield Springfield
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