Serving the city HOLYOKE since 1995 FREE the July 2, 2021 Local news. Local stories. Local advertisers. A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com [email protected] www.sun.turley.com Markey visits Lyman Murphy establishes police community Terrace neighborhood relations board By Shelby Macri city’s local government and the resident Stephanie Gomez. [email protected] state and federal government. Each spoke about the great By Shelby Macri can be addressed there as well,” Markey was joined by work done to the apartments [email protected] Murphy said. “The end goal is HOLYOKE – U.S. Sen. State Sen. John Velis who also of Lyman Terrace, and the abil- that the mayor is going to be Ed Markey paid a rare visit to spoke during the visit; other ity to keep the neighborhood HOLYOKE – Acting meeting with these people and the city at the Lyman Terrace speakers included Mayor in Holyoke and upgrade the Mayor Terrence Murphy my hope is that whoever replac- Leasing Office Wednesday Murphy, Housing Authority affordable housing available. announced the creation of a new es me in four months will be afternoon. He came to cele- Director Matt Mainville, The Markey thanked all those board where Holyoke residents doing the same kind of thing.” brate the Lyman Terrace proj- Community Builders CEO Bart involved in the project from will work alongside police offi- Murphy continued that ect and the work between the Mitchell and a Lyman Terrace community organizers, and cers and Murphy himself. as discussions, concerns, and Lyman Terrace residents to Murphy will be estab- suggestions take place in the other factors like Mainville and lishing a Community Police board meetings he will be meet- Mitchell. Markey noted that Relations Board, and is look- ing with either the community the Lyman Terrace residents ing for Holyoke residents that members or the police depart- poured themselves into the would be interested in taking ment to try to make corrections project of saving and rejuve- part and working with the local or implement suggestions from nating the neighborhood, and government to build better the meetings. pressuring affordable housing relations between the two. The The goal of the board was in downtown Holyoke. board will consist of seven res- to make it small enough to hear “Almost a decade ago idents and three Police Officers, multiple problems and con- plans were proposed to demol- Murphy said he’ll be collecting cerns, but representative enough ish Lyman Terrace, and the applications for a week or two in regard to the community. buildings vital affordable hous- and have the board members be Another goal of the board will ing units with it. But commu- chosen by mid-July. He’s also be to build a bridge between nity organizers and advocates aiming to have the board meet the residents and the city gov- understood that the demolition with him twice a month, as a ernment by creating a space for of this housing meant the dem- way to hear consistent updates respectful dialogue in regards olition to the American dream from the police and the Holyoke to police operations, and to for too many residents here at residents. provide a better understanding Lyman Terrace,” Markey said. “I want those seven people of the police perspective. The “So they did not sit still; they whoever they might be - so far board will be an opportunity for stood up, they joined together I’ve been told somebody already a positive environment where with local and state leaders to applied - that those people will everyone can work together for fight back and because of their also be reaching out to the com- greater public safety. Acting Mayor Terence Murphy speaks about the Lyman Terrace project munity so that those other peo- during a visit that included U.S. Sen. Ed Markey. Photo by Shelby Macri See MARKEY, page 6 ple in the community’s concerns See POLICE, page 11 Neighbor to Neighbor community garden opens up By Shelby Macri supplies to start up the new gar- products the planted. He also can also plant different flow- tained by the group as they have [email protected] den. said they’re late in the season ers is they want to. The garden a volunteer schedule in place. Though Neighbor to for many agricultural options will be kept up by Neighbor to They do encourage people to HOLYOKE – The Neighbor Neighbor bought the land, but they hope to have traditional Neighbor; so if someone plants visit the garden, plant some- to Neighbor group held a block Rivera wanted to make it clear vegetables and spices for people something and doesn’t return party event to introduce and cel- that this space is for the people to use in their homes, people to tend to it, it will be main- See GARDEN, page 12 ebrate a community garden on by the people because everyone the corner of Dwight and Pine is a neighbor in some way even street, hoping that residents if they’re not in the group. will embrace the garden as their During the kickoff event own. and introduction of the garden The land the garden con- to the community there was a sists of was the city’s property table set up for people to write but it wasn’t being maintained, suggestions and to sign up as Neighbor to Neighbor bought volunteers for either the garden the space from the city and or Neighbor to Neighbor. There with be paying for the land for were activities for the event as two to three years. Neighbor to well; including coloring flower Neighbor member John Rivera pots, making seed bombs for the said the garden boxes were garden or for home, helping to already here as it used to be weed the garden beds or plant a garden years ago, the group new plants and seeds. There wants to bring it back to its for- was also a grill for a barbecue, mer glory. a table with homemade foods, Rivera said the group start- fruits, and coolers with drinks ed reclaiming the land two for all those attending. months ago, setting out logis- Rivera said there are tics, payments, and taking out already sprouts in the garden applications to take care of the beds because people have been land. They cleaned up the gar- planting things before Neighbor den, connected water to the gar- to Neighbor bought the land, den, set up a locked box of gar- they’re hoping to get in touch dening supplies, and received with these growers in order to Community members and those involved with Neighbor to Neighbor showed up to the kickoff party for the new donations of different plants and give them a fair share of the Community Garden last Saturday. Photo by Shelby Macri ◗ In The News Holyoke Soldiers’ Home Coalition meets with state legislators HOLYOKE – The Holyoke Soldiers’ Berthiaume, Natalie Blais, Daniel Carey, care experts with direct oversight by a the Coalition’s complete presentation and Home Coalition this week met with leg- Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Michael Finn, health care institution, DPH, with a clear corresponding talking points). islators representing districts in western Mindy Domb, Pat Duffy, Jacob Oliveira, reporting line, and with governance that Our Coalition also strongly supports Massachusetts to provide key information Kelly Pease and Lindsay Sabadosa. Staff includes representation from the Veteran retaining local authority of the Board of before legislation is crafted for changes to members from the offices of Senators community it is obligated to serve,” said Trustees and allowing the Board to hire the oversight and governance structures Adam Gomez, Adam Hinds and Sen. Eric the Coalition. the superintendent of the Soldiers’ Home for the state’s two veteran homes. Lesser also participated. The Coalition believes that had the in Holyoke. The Coalition briefed the legislators In virtual meetings over Zoom, the two homes been under the oversight of The Coalition also proposed a new on the Coalition’s recommendations for Coalition called for legislation to place the state Department of Public Health, structure and model for the Trustees that the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke and the the two homes under the Department of they would have been much better pre- retains the sovereignty of the Trustees Soldiers’ Home in Chelsea. Public Health and proposed a new struc- pared for the COVID-19 outbreak. In while also ensuring the powers and Senators Jo Comerford, Anne Gobi, ture and model for the governance of the fact, the fatality rate for COVID-19 for authorities vested with the Trustees truly and John Velis were scheduled to par- two homes. DVS was 9 times higher than DPH (see represent the interests of the Veteran com- ticipate in the discussions along with “The Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke Coalition white paper with correspond- munity, to include residents and family Representatives Brian Ashe, Donald must be managed day-to-day by health ing chart in attached PDF, along with members at the Soldiers’ Home. Public invited to B-17 Memorial HCC announces Spring 2021 Dean’s List HOLYOKE – Each semester Gonzalez, Adam Gutierrez, Christian anniversary to be held July 10 Holyoke Community College recognizes Haley, Rozer Harfoush, Adalia Samara superior scholarship through the Dean’s Heal, Jaymie Lynn Hession, Brooklyn HOLYOKE – The B-17 Memorial the 25th anniversary of the B-17 mon- List. A student is placed on the Dean’s Rose Ingellis, Imma Kayzakian, Blair Committee cordially invites the general ument unveiling. We ask that attendees List if their G.P.A. is 3.2 or higher. The Kelly, Laney Madison Kleszczynski, public to join us on July 10, as we com- arrive at 8:30 a.m.