HADLEY — The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation will close Skinner State Park Road at Skinner State Park in Hadley to pedestrians to accommodate construction work.

The closure begins Friday and continues through Friday, Dec. 13. The road is closed for vehicles for the season. Traffic patterns will be clearly marked.

HOLYOKE — The Mass Cultural Council on Wednesday designated a new Puerto Rican Cultural District in Holyoke.

Since the early 1980s, the Puerto Rican community in Holyoke has created memorable work, influences, and community building resulting in meaningful change and economic and cultural enhancement of the city. As a result, Holyoke has the largest per capita Puerto Rican population of any city in the United States outside of Puerto Rico. From art installations to nonprofit innovations, the Puerto Rican community continues to be a compelling asset to the city.

The Cultural District will serve as an outlet or extension of Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rican-identifying residents and everyone who lives in and visits Holyoke. The district will serve as an encanto for the city, working to ensure a livable, navigable, and safe place for all to enjoy its enchantment, through many different forms of cultural expression.

The Holyoke Puerto Rican Cultural District begins at the first decommissioned tower on Lyman Street to the Interstate 391-underpass tower. Its Main Street corridor is filled with colorful banners highlighting Holyoke community heroes, vibrantly lit towers, and booming locally owned businesses, mirroring the strong culture of the surrounding neighborhoods, enhancing neighborhood perceptions, and catalyzing economic opportunity for the local community.

WESTFIELD — Girls on the Run Western MA will host its 5K event on Sunday, Nov. 24, at Westfield State University and is expecting 3,000-3,500 people.

Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based, positive youth development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls in third to eighth grade. During the 10-week program, girls participate in lessons that foster confidence, build peer connections and encourage community service while they prepare for an end-of-season celebratory 5K event.

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This fall season Girls on the Run WMA is celebrating it’s 10th year. They have served over 11,000 girls since the start in 2015. This fall the program has 750 participants in 56 sites around all four western Massachusetts counties, with 250 volunteer coaches that bring the curriculum to life.

The 5K is the culmination of a 10-week, 20-lesson social emotional program, bringing together all participants, coaches, running buddies and families. The run starts at 10:30 a.m., but the group warm up will begin at 10 a.m., with participants arriving for fun events at 9 a.m. 

Participation is open to the public and all proceeds will benefit Girls on the Run WMA. Registration is $25 for adults and $10 for youth under 12 and includes an event 5K shirt for the first 700 registered. Early arrival is suggested.

For more information about the event, how to register, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.girlsontherunwesternma.org.