Serving the city HOLYOKE since 1995 FREE the July 23, 2021 Local news. Local stories. Local advertisers. A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com [email protected] www.sun.turley.com City helps celebrate Col om bia Independence Day By Shelby Macri [email protected] HOLYOKE – The city celebrated Colombia Independence Day by raising the Colombian Flag in front of the City Hall Tuesday as well as pronouncing it a holiday in the city. The event was put together by Stefany Garcia as well as the city, she said this is the fifth Allison Garcia reads a poem in Spanish, joined by the kids of the Uribe family. Photos by Shelby Macri year the celebration has been held with the exclusion of last they’ve given a lot of support Holyoke and recently opened year. Garcia said there was a these last two weeks.” a business in town. During small group of residents that Garcia said the celebra- the Pandemic Gilberto Uribe put together a ceremony for the tion was a bit last minute as opened El Paraíso Colombiano, holiday over the last five years, she and the city only started a Colombian restaurant on High the other members moved planning the event two weeks Street in Downtown Holyoke away and Garcia picked up the ago, and tried to get the word which brought the culture to the responsibility for a ceremony out as much as possible. They city in a new way. this year. always honor a Colombian “That is why we chose the “We usually hold an event family in town and this year Uribe family as our honorees in Heritage Park and invite the they honored the Uribe fami- for this year,” Acting Mayor community, expecting 30 to 40 ly. The Uribe family came to Terence Murphy said. “They people to attend,” Garcia said. Holyoke in 1985 after immi- are living proof that coming “We couldn’t do that this year grating to New York from to this country even as immi- Stefany Garcia and Mayor Terry Murphy watch as Ethan Garcia, Heroindo but I still wanted to do some- Colombia in 1977, the family Morales, and José Santos aise the Colombian flag as the Columbian thing. The city helped a lot, found a generational home in See COLOMBIA, page 12 national anthem plays. Team of veterans gears up for boat races Sewer rate By Shelby Macri es all year, although they Now that restrictions event on Saturday, July 17, [email protected] stop going into the water have been lifted the team of where the team took attend- increase in October they continue to just over 20 people are able ees out on the water to show HOLYOKE – The train indoors during the win- to practice on their boats in people what they do and how Veteran’s Dragon Boat Team ter months. The team was the water until they transfer they do it. proposed USA is proud to be based in impacted by the virus and to indoor equipment when The event was to bring Holyoke and the only all-vet- pandemic of last year among the water freezes over. The attention to the team and By Gregory A. Scibelli eran’s team competing in the everyone else, they got used team will be competing in a highlight the group locat- [email protected] boat races. to training outdoors and race in Burlington, on Aug. ed right in the city, Acting They’re also one of the socially distant to keep up 7 and again in October in Mayor Terence Murphy spoke HOLYOKE – While serving only teams who practic- their routine. Springfield. The team held an highly of the event and team. as acting mayor, Terence Murphy He said the team is a great has kept quite busy since taking source of comradery and he’d office in April. Though Murphy like to see more people either will only serve for around eight join or acknowledge the full months by the time his tenure is veteran team, Murphy attend- finished, he will have done so ed the event and although with a lot of activity. he didn’t go on the boat he His latest pursuit was to file showed his support to the an order with the city council team. seeking to raise the sewer fee in During the event the the city. team took some people out Murphy, who also has the on the boat twice for a short ability to act in his capacity as 10 minute or so ride, show- the Ward 2 city councilor, filed ing people what they do and an order on June 15 seeking that encouraging other vets to sign the city council raise the sewer up for the team. Members fee to a minimum of $8.05 per said people don’t need to 1,000 gallons of wastewater use. have experience with a pad- The order states the increase is dle boat, they can teach any- being done “in order to make one what to do and adjust as certain that the enterprise fund The Holyoke Vets Dragon Boat team, back from left; Leila Connolly, Phil Levy, Steve Connor, Dan Shaw, Stan needed. Members said Donna no longer operates with deficits, Hilton, Herb Colon, Jacqueline Owens and Rick Purcell. Front from left; Coach Alan Symington, Gloria Pires, and Netshari Ortiz-Alicea. Photo by Shelby Macri See BOAT, page 6 See SEWER, page 11 ◗ In The News Duffy issues update on state house activity HOLYOKE – State Rep. Pat Duffy vices they need, be it housing, health or Community College, Holyoke Medical tion passed through the first, second, and issued an update on her time so far as unemployment benefits, assistance with Center, and our traditional industries and third readings in one day), and getting state representative: the RMV, or questions about pending innovative entrepreneurs. And supporting $50,000 in the State budget for a manu- What a start! I’ve been serving as legislation. There are many wonderful, public education, access to health care, facturing training program at HCC. I had Holyoke’s State Representative through dedicated people working in our state and small businesses must be any gov- the extraordinary privilege of making my the peak and waning of a global pandem- government but sometimes the size of ernment’s priorities. This is work that I maiden speech on the Chamber floor on ic. That has put me in the State House that government can be daunting. I am believe in and that I am proud to do. April 15 urging passage of the $400 mil- for the unanimous passage of a $400 mil- here to be your advocate. Highlights from the legislative ses- lion Soldiers Home bond bill. This Fall I lion bond bill funding the renovation of I always say that I’m so lucky to rep- sion have included protecting business- will be advocating for Holyoke’s interests our Soldiers Home, the disbursement of resent Holyoke because, as we devel- es from unemployment insurance hikes, as the legislature oversees the American federal relief funds, and the passage of a op policies that are good for Holyoke, making sure Holyoke did NOT have Rescue Plan funds. $48.1 billion budget. they’re also good for the whole to hold a special election mere months I hope you can support me in my With all that, my top priority is help- Commonwealth. Some of our key insti- before our Fall general elections (I was work for keeping Holyoke central to the ing the people of Holyoke access the ser- tutions are our public schools, Holyoke proud to have gotten a home rule peti- debates to come. Holyoke Boys & Girls Club HCC welcomes Mathis as VP receives state grant of Academic & Student Affairs HOLYOKE – Holyoke Community inclusive leader with over 15 years of BOSTON – Attorney General to our grantees for making important College is pleased to welcome Sharale higher education experience in both aca- Maura Healey today announced that adjustments to their programs to ensure W. Mathis of Simsbury, Conn., as its vice demic and student affairs with a central her office is awarding nearly $300,000 employed teens are safe as we recover president of Academic and Student Affairs. focus on holistic student success,” said in grant funding to 74 organizations from the pandemic.” Mathis holds a doctorate in HCC president Christina Royal. “She is across the state to fund summer jobs for This summer, the AG’s Community Educational Leadership from the dedicated to her work in diversity, equity young people that are focused on pro- Engagement Division will be provid- University of Hartford and was most and inclusion and creating a ‘one team’ moting health and wellness. ing webinars and in-person trainings recently the dean of Academic and Student dynamic to increase student outreach, This is the seventh year that the on workers’ rights to teens employed Affairs at Middlesex Community College retention, and success. That is exactly the AG’s Office is running the Healthy through the grant program. in Connecticut, where she was previous- kind of person we wanted to fill this posi- Summer Youth Jobs Grant Program, Examples of jobs funded through ly a tenured professor of biology, course tion at HCC.” which enables teens to have a direct this year’s grant program include: coordinator, department chair, and STEM Mathis started her job at Holyoke impact in their communities by work- • Building and maintaining a com- Division director. Community College on July 1. ing in jobs that promote good nutri- munity garden or urban farm; A Hartford native, Mathis earned a “I am extremely honored to step into tion, physical fitness and healthy liv- • Addressing food security and bachelor’s degree in biology from Eastern the role of vice president of Academic and ing.