HCC accepting scholarship applications for 2025-2026

HOLYOKE — The Holyoke Community College Foundation has begun accepting scholarship applications for the 2025-2026 academic year. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 14, 2025.

Last year, the HCC Foundation awarded 388 scholarships worth about $350,000 to 323 incoming, current, and transferring HCC students. Some students received multiple scholarship awards. The average scholarship award is typically around $900.

Students must be currently enrolled at HCC or have been accepted for the upcoming academic year to be eligible for scholarships.

Applicants only need to fill out a single online form to be automatically matched with the scholarships they are most qualified to receive. There are scholarships for new students, current students and students transferring to other institutions, scholarships based on financial need, scholarships for students in specific majors, scholarships for residents of certain communities, and scholarships that recognize academic achievement.

To view scholarship opportunities and begin the application process, visit www.hcc.edu/scholarships.

Concert for refugee resettlement program

SPRINGFIELD — Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts will sponsor a concert to benefit the organization’s New American Refugee Resettlement Program.

Student-led groups from the Longmeadow High School Music Department are performing the free concert – donations are encouraged at the door – on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 6:30 p.m., at The First Church of Christ, 763 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow.

All money raised at the “A Little Knight Music” event, conceived by Longmeadow High School student Nick Christoforakis, will go toward helping recently resettled refugee families already in western Massachusetts for whom promised federal funding was recently withheld.

Soto appointed Holyoke interim superintendent

HOLYOKE — The Holyoke School Committee last week in a unanimous vote appointed Anthony Soto as interim superintendent, pending contract negotiation and the district exiting state receivership.

The School Committee will continue its efforts to hire a permanent superintendent — the first step of which is currently in process through the Community Advisory Team meetings.

Soto’s appointment is an important step in the district’s capacity building plan. Stable leadership is a critical component of the district’s transition out of receivership and into local control.

Hadley lands grant for design work at Mt. Warner wells 

HADLEY — The town of Hadley has landed a $159,440 state grant to develop 50% design drawings and specifications to treat Mt. Warner Wells No. 1 and No. 2 for manganese and to evaluate potential interconnection locations with a neighboring town. Additional manganese sampling will be performed as necessary to complete permitting for a proposed water treatment facility.

The grant is one four across Massachusetts totaling $560,528 to help public water suppliers with water management, streamflow restoration, and stormwater-related projects. The grants are part of the Water Management Act Grant Program, an effort by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to maintain healthy rivers and streams and restore degraded water resources over time.

Granby Library to mark Library Lovers’ Month

GRANBY — The Friends of the Granby Public Library are holding a Library Lover’s basket raffle that includes library merchandise such as a library mug, T-shirt, canvas tote bag and chocolate. Raffle tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5.

Additionally, the crocheted Library Gnomes are back for Valentine’s Day. This is a great calorie-free Valentine gift for $5. All proceeds benefit the Friends of the Granby Library and library programming.