New chief nurse at Cooley Dickinson

NORTHAMPTON — Earlier this month, Cooley Dickinson Hospital welcomed Cynthia Ann Marlin as the organization’s new vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer.

Marlin joins Cooley Dickinson from Falmouth Hospital where she served as the vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer. Previously, Marlin was the vice president of Perioperative and Surgical Services for Cape Cod Hospital. Both Falmouth and Cape Cod hospitals are members of Cape Cod Healthcare.

A hands-on leader throughout her career, Marlin earned certification as a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, led process improvement, and oversaw more than 100 projects at Cape Cod Healthcare. She also has significant experience as a nurse manager and nurse educator. She previously served in nursing leadership and administrative roles including associate chief nursing officer of professional development in the Southcoast Health System, in New Bedford.

Marlin received a Master of Science in Management and Healthcare Administration degree from New England College and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Maine. She is certified in orthopedic nursing and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses, and the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses.

HCC announces cannabis job training programs for spring

HOLYOKE — The Cannabis Education Center at Holyoke Community College will begin its spring schedule of industry training programs Jan. 21-22 with Cannabis Core: Foundations of the Industry, a two-day, introductory cannabis course.

Additional Cannabis Core programs are set forFeb. 11-12, March 11-12,April 22-23, and May 20-21. All classes meet over Zoom on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The spring calendar also includes multiweek training programs for jobs as culinary assistants, patient services associates, cultivation assistants, and extraction technicians.

The Cannabis Core program provides an overview of the cannabis industry in Massachusetts and is geared for people looking for general knowledge as they consider a cannabis career. The program is a foundational course and a prerequisite for the center’s four career track courses:

Culinary assistants are responsible for preparing cannabis or cannabidiol-infused products using a variety of cooking, baking, and infusion techniques.

Patient service associates work behind the counters at cannabis dispensaries, interacting with the public, answering technical questions, and providing information to registered cannabis patients, caregivers, and recreational customers making purchases.

Cultivation assistants provide the daily care of the crops from seed to harvest and may be involved in cracking seeds, soil mixing, potting, defoliation, watering, pest control, and trimming.

Extraction technicians work in labs assisting production managers in all aspects of extraction, purging, oil manipulation, winterization, distillation, solvent recovery, and quality control.

The cost of the Cannabis Core training is $599 and career track programs are $799, but scholarships are available to those who qualify.

To register, visit hcc.edu/cannabis-core or contact Lanre Ajayi, HCC director of Education and Corporate Learning, at lajayi@hcc.edu / 413-552-2324.

First-time homebuyers talk

EASTHAMPTON — Canon Real Estate will present a free first-time homebuyers seminar on Thursday, Jan. 26, from 5:30-7 p.m., at Abandoned Building Brewery. Real estate agents will answer questions about the homebuying process and provide resources.

Peoples Bank helps OneHolyoke freeze rents

HOLYOKE — OneHolyoke Community Development Corporation has received a $20,000 donation from PeoplesBank to support its Working Families — Rent Stabilization initiative. The lead grant from PeoplesBank has allowed the organization to freeze rents for those in OneHolyoke housing units.

Executive Director Michael Moriarty said, “At a time when housing costs are spiking and rents are becoming unaffordable for many, OneHolyoke has maintained our rents without any increase over the past year. We are able to accomplish this due to the community partnerships we have formed leading to grants such as this $20,000 gift from PeoplesBank.”

OneHolyoke has over 160 units of nonsubsidized housing it manages in the Holyoke neighborhoods of The Flats, Churchill and South Holyoke.

Microenterprise grants for Holyoke businesses

HOLYOKE — Microenterprises in Holyoke have a new funding opportunity through the city of Holyoke Microenterprise Grant Program. A microenterprise is a small business with five or fewer employees, one of whom is the business owner. The city is soliciting applications for microenterprise grants between $1,000 and $10,000. The grant program opened Jan. 23, and will take applications on a rolling basis as funds are available.

The Microenterprise Grant Program is funded by Community Development Block Grant funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Eligible business owners must be from low- or moderate-income households. The program is currently funded at over $300,000.

Grants funds can be used for small equipment purchases; PPE supplies and cleaning costs; rent and utilities costs; staff payroll; and other operating expenses. Grants are reviewed and awarded on a revolving basis. The application will remain available to local businesses until all funds have been awarded.

The application form is available at www.holyoke.org and on Facebook @HolyokeOCD. Paper copies can be obtained at the Office for Community Development. All questions can be directed to the Office for Community Development at 413-322-5610.

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