Latest news with #Sarno
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
National initiative to improve financial stability coming to Springfield's Mason Square neighborhood
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The City of Springfield secured a new grant that will help many of its residents improve their financial stability. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said his administration helped to secure this grant through the national nonprofit, Cities for Financial Empowerment. It was a part of their CityStart initiative, which works with local leaders to develop and implement strategies to help families in the community become more financially stable. Springfield's 'X' intersection construction project begins The more knowledge you have, the more power you have in making good financial decisions. which helps with empowerment, which helps with mobility and sustainability,' said Mayor Sarno. Mayor Sarno said this particular grant will help families and community members in the Mason Square neighborhood, but they look to expand in the future to other neighborhoods. Over 40 cities across the country have participated in the CityStart process, helping to empower residents of all ages and backgrounds. 'The CityStart grant is a major step forward in my administration's mission to enhance financial empowerment opportunities for Springfield residents,' said Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. 'This funding will help us create a sustainable plan to improve economic mobility and financial literacy for our community. I want to thank the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund for their support in making this possible.' 'Across the country, leaders are using the levers of local government to deploy financial empowerment strategies that improve their residents' financial stability. Our CityStart initiative provides a platform for deep engagement between governments, residents, and other critical partners to create a community-informed plan for transforming residents' financial lives,' said Jonathan Mintz, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. 'We look forward to working with Mayor Sarno to advance financial empowerment and wealth opportunities in the City of Springfield.' 'Financial empowerment is a critical component of building a strong and resilient community,' said Tim Sheehan, Chief Development Officer. 'With the support of the CityStart grant, Springfield will be able to develop targeted strategies that directly address the financial challenges faced by our residents, particularly in the Mason Square neighborhood.' 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
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Springfield seeks to boost economic sustainability for Mason Square families
SPRINGFIELD – The city will join a national effort to help residents of Mason Square become financially stronger. Springfield was selected to participate in the CityStart initiative through August 2026. The program, designed by Cities for Financial Empowerment, will provide a $100,000 grant and technical assistance, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announced in writing. Sarno said the grant will provide access to 'opportunities for economic growth, with a specific focus on improving wealth equity for the Black community,' the statement said. The grant includes help with research, planning and engagement. Participants will shape plans to serve families over generations, the statement said. 'Financial empowerment is a critical component of building a strong and resilient community,' said Tim Sheehan, Chief Development Officer. 'With the support of the CityStart grant, Springfield will be able to develop targeted strategies that directly address the financial challenges faced by our residents.' Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Springfield readies for busy weekend with triathlon, Pride parade, convention, graduations
SPRINGFIELD — Visitors should buckle up for a busy weekend downtown with tens of thousands of people expected to converge for multiple major events. The Pride parade, block party and You Ball is expected to attract some 10,000 people on Saturday, and the Ironman competition will bring in more than 1,300 competitors, plus family and friends who will watch on Sunday. And that's just a start. The Massachusetts Veterans of Foreign Wars is holding its 105th convention, restaurant week is kicking off, MGM is offering a free concert, the Springfield school district is hosting its third Family Expo for its 23,700 students and their families, and there are multiple graduations and one prom scheduled, said Springfield Police Lt. Brian Elliott, who is part of a team of police who have been preparing for months for one of the city's busiest weekends of the year. Elliott said, yes, there will be traffic, especially with the road closures from the Pride events and Ironman, but the city is prepared, and there will be police in cruisers and on bikes at the ready, and others stationed in key areas to keep vehicles moving. 'It's a good problem to have. Things are beginning to jell in Springfield,' he said. When asked if so many events benefit the city or just cause chaos and turn people off, most agree with Elliott. 'I say, 'Bring it on,'' Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said. 'As long as we can cover it logistically, the more the merrier.' Mary Kay Wydra, president of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she only sees good things coming out of the combination of events. With many athletes coming a day or more early, for example, she said they can take advantage of the city's restaurant week. Neither she nor Sarno said they are worried about parking, especially with the recent opening of the new 817-space parking garage across from the MassMutual Center. There are also multiple other garages and on-street parking spots scattered across the city. 'A lot of activity shows the city is vibrant, which is good,' Wydra said. 'People will say, 'Wow, I want to come back here.'' Sarno urged people to be patient with the traffic, but added police, fire, Public Works and parks employees all have been working together for weeks and even months to develop a logistical plan to ensure everything goes smoothly, so people have fun first. On Thursday, about 75 people from area police and fire departments, state police, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, emergency medical personnel and others gathered in West Springfield to go over the final details of the Ironman competition on Sunday. Some of the biggest road closures on Sunday will be the Memorial Bridge from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Hall of Fame Avenue between the bridge and State Street from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Main Street between Hall of Fame Avenue and Longhill Street between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Court Street will be closed on Saturday and Sunday, but there will be one travel lane left open to give people attending graduations easy access to Symphony Hall, Elliott said. The race will go through seven communities, including Agawam, Southwick and Suffield, Connecticut. Public safety officials said they already have posted no parking signs along the route, and letters have been mailed to residents who live on the streets where cyclists will ride. There were some concerns about cyclists' safety in the past, so race officials rode with police to review the route. They identified potential trouble spots, and those will have extra personnel to ensure everyone is safe. There will be additional road closings in Springfield on Saturday because of the Pride parade and block party. State and Main streets will be closed a little before noon for the parade, which will begin at Springfield Technical Community College, travel down State, turn onto Main Street and end on Worthington. The block party will follow at Stearns Square with a short section of Worthington and Bridge — between the park and Main Street — to be closed for the free event, said Taurean Bethea, president and founder of the Springfield Pride Parade. Pride also has spent countless hours with city officials to develop a plan to ensure people can get in and out without problems. 'We have a great partnership with the Springfield Police Department, and we bring in our own security team,' he said. 'We are in trying times, and we want to make sure everyone is safe and protected.' Like many, Bethea said he sees the busy weekend as more of a plus than a minus and said Pride is welcoming to everyone, so he hopes people who come to Springfield for the Ironman or the other events also will check out the wealth of entertainment at the block party. He said he thinks there is plenty of places to park for all the events, especially with the new parking garage. He also hopes those coming to the city to attend Pride will consider stay an extra day to watch the triathlon. 'I think it will be amazing,' he said. 'People get to see a weekend full of events from Pride (to) Ironman, and they get to see how great this city is.' Ironman is owned by Advance, which also owns The Republican, and Reminder Publishing. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Sunday marks 14 years since tornado hit in W. Mass.
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Sunday, June 1, marks the 14th anniversary of the June 1st Tornado. It's something many people still remember well after it caused extensive damage across the area. The EF-3 Tornado first touched down in Westfield, then it made its way to the most populated city in western Massachusetts. The tornado moved from West Springfield, then over the Memorial Bridge and into the South End of Springfield, causing major damage and destruction as it moved through the Island Pond section of the city. Mayor Domenic Sarno is asking the community to take a moment on Sunday to remember the exact time the tornado passed through the city. 'You don't celebrate this, you mark it,' Sarno says. 'I asked religious institutions, the houses of worship, if they have bells and chimes to ring them at 4:38 p.m. And then I asked everybody to take a moment of silence.' The June 1st tornado was on the ground for almost an hour and carved a 38-mile path of destruction. Three people were killed as a direct result of the tornado, and 200 people were injured. 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
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DoorDash stops offering restaurant linked to drug trafficking — after MassLive ordered lunch
A Coca-Cola, chips and a footlong breakfast sandwich landed on a MassLive reporter's doorstep on Wednesday afternoon. It wasn't the glossy New York-style sandwich pictured on DoorDash — but that was expected. What was surprising is that a sandwich arrived at all. Only 24 hours before, Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni announced there had been 52 arrests in connection with three drug trafficking investigations. One of them involved Garcia Market, which officials described as a drug trafficking front. It was also the Forest Park bodega where the DoorDash order had been placed. For two years, as people continued to order sandwiches, hamburgers and snacks from Garcia Market, officials investigated the market for possibly being involved in another kind of business: drugs. The task force, Gulluni said, had a 'highly successful' and 'complicated' investigation 'focused on sophisticated operations.' 'A lot of these folks have been doing this for a while, and they know how to do it and not get caught,' Gulluni told the Republican. The investigation into the two neighboring businesses, Garcia Market at 344 Orange St. and Angel's Used Appliances at 167 White St. in Springfield, yielded more than 12,000 grams of cocaine, 530 grams of fentanyl and 15 firearms, Gulluni said. Parts of the investigation went across state lines into New York. And it was all centered around money. 'People involved in these kinds of investigations are making hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars on people's destruction and death,' Gulluni said. Gulluni believes the arrests will have an impact on the drug scene in Hampden County, deterring others from trying to do the same thing. However, the arrests haven't stop Garcia Market completely. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno began calling for the closure of the bodega Wednesday night after an inquiry from MassLive. 'Mayor Sarno States Garcia's Market Take Down Warrants a Shut Down!' a press release headline read. Sarno particularly called the market a 'den of iniquity' that he will task his legal staff to hit with a cease-and-desist order to stop ongoing business. 'I spoke with both District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and Police Superintendent Larry Akers earlier today to commend them and our State Police law enforcement officials for their continued brave and dedicated efforts to shut down this major drug and gun operation,' Sarno said. 'As you know, I have no patience nor tolerance with these poison dealing, gun-toting violent offenders and their business fronts are not welcomed here in Springfield.' The business has also since been shut down on DoorDash. MassLive alerted DoorDash to the restaurant's operations and use of fake photos Wednesday afternoon. By Thursday morning, DoorDash confirmed the bodega was removed from the platform. 'We have deactivated Garcia Deli from our platform, and encourage anyone who becomes aware of potential fraudulent activity to reach out to our Support team as we strive to promote a safe environment for the DoorDash community,' a DoorDash spokesperson told MassLive in an email. The store did not have accounts on GrubHub, Uber Eats or Instacart. Overall, the bodega had 3.7 out of five stars. MassLive would've rated the $8.99 bacon, egg and cheese slightly lower at a 2.7. It wasn't bad. But you're not missing anything by not being able to order it. Hot Table is better. The reviews were wide ranging, which included 50 public reviews on DoorDash. 'Amazing steak and cheese grinder especially the price for how big it is,' Jose V. wrote, giving it five stars. 'Highly disgusted, what a disappointment, after reading such positive reviews. I didn't recognize the bacon as it was shredded chopped up in small pieces and rubbery instead of crispy??? ... Hopefully I caught the cook on a bad day, but I won't order again,' Cindy C. wrote, giving it one star. 'Bread and egg was good, but there was more chunks of bacon lard than bacon meat. AND I MEAN CHUNKS. ... Food was hot,' James G. wrote, giving it two stars. The reviews weren't wrong either. There were chunks of bacon lard and the bacon was in small pieces. This probably would've felt like a completely acceptable sandwich if normal bacon had been used. Additionally, while the sandwich is not as beautiful as the photo the store used on DoorDash, a photo of the actual sandwich likely still would've attracted customers. Again, it wasn't terrible. Instead, Garcia Market used a photo widely shared on the internet, including on Reddit, of a completely different sandwich. Taking photos from other places was common marketing for Garcia Market's sandwich options on DoorDash, including its Tripleta Sandwich, a chicken sandwich and its hamburger. However, it appears to have taken its own photos of drinks, which were placed in front of a roll of paper towels (a paper towel was also included in the order). This type of fake marketing isn't allowed on DoorDash. An option at the bottom of each restaurant's page gives users the option to report a restaurant for using fake photos, which then gets reviewed by DoorDash. The area around Garcia Market and Angel's Used Appliances drew an inordinate level of police attention over the years, with 12 calls about people with guns, two calls for gunshot victims, 24 activations of the city's gunshot detection technology and 46 calls from the public about gunfire. For unsuspecting DoorDash drivers, there are safety measures in place. 'We take the safety of our entire community extremely seriously, and have put robust safeguards in place to help prevent bad actors from abusing our platform, including enhanced real-time monitoring technology and multi-layer verification processes for merchants,' a DoorDash spokesperson wrote in a statement. Some of the safety measures built into DoorDash's system includes a 'SafeDash Check-In' for if an order is taking longer than expected, safety reassurance calls to quickly connect to an ADT agent if needed and an emergency assistance button to silently request emergency assistance. DoorDash also uses Samdesk to alert drivers to real-time incidents. If something happens near a restaurant, operations will be suspended in that area. 'This includes canceling any active deliveries so Dashers can avoid the impacted area and stay out of harm's way,' DoorDash said in a statement to MassLive. 'We will also proactively check-in on Dashers near any impacted area to make sure they are okay.' CVS to close over 250 stores nationwide, including in Mass., Northeast Cause detailed for February train derailment in Wendell Tandem Bagel Co. bucks current business climate, opens 6th location in Ludlow Boston Police ID suspect in connection with hospital lobby stabbing Harvard commencement speaker says it's fitting to 'hear from an immigrant like me' Read the original article on MassLive.
