HCC to host free legal clinic and CORI-friendly job fair April 6

HOLYOKE — Western Mass CORE at Holyoke Community College, in partnership with Western New England School of Law’s Center for Social Justice and MassHire Holyoke, will host a criminal record expungement and sealing clinic and CORI-friendly job fair at HCC on Thursday, April 6.

The clinic and job fair will be held from 3-6 p.m. in HCC’s Bartley Center for Athletics and Recreation on the main HCC campus, 303 Homestead Ave.

The event is free and open to the public and will provide an opportunity for people with criminal records to get free legal advice, learn about the criminal record expungement and sealing process, obtain a free copy of their CORI report (criminal offender record information), and connect with potential employers and community and college resources.

Western New England School of Law’s Center for Social Justice is sending about a dozen legal volunteers, including CSJ staff attorney Gladys Vila-Carreras and attorney Crispin Birnbaum, an Access to Justice fellow focusing on clients with criminal records, who will supervise local attorneys and student volunteers from the law school.

MassHire anticipates that representatives from more than 30 area employers will attend the job fair along with 15 or so support service organizations.

The Center for Social Justice will be sending the Justice Bus, its free mobile legal clinic, which will be parked outside the Bartley Center during the event.

Pre-registration for the event is recommended but not required. To register, please go to: hcc.edu/CORI

Lussier named managing director of Open Pantry

SPRINGFIELD — Nicole Lussier, a Northampton native who lives in Westfield, has been named managing director of Open Pantry Community Services Inc., an affiliate of South Middlesex Opportunity Council.

Lussier began her career at OPCS in 1995 as a case manager in the agency’s social services program after graduating from Regis College in Newton, where she received a bachelor degree in social work. She later earned a master’s degree in social work from Springfield College and is now a licensed clinical social worker. For 26 years, Lussier has served as the program director of the Young Parent Living Program, a residential and social services program funded by the MA Department of Children and Families, specifically for teenaged parents and their children.

Lussier succeeds Terry Maxey, who was recently named SMOC’s chief development officer.

2011 NHS grad to lead Burlington Children’s Space

NORTHAMPTON — Molly Scaife, a 2011 graduate of Northampton High School, was recently hired to serve as director of the Burlington Children’s Space, founded in 1985 with support from Sen. Bernard Sanders — then mayor of Burlington — and his wife, Jane.

Hired in September 2022 by the publicly funded nonprofit child care center and preschool, Scaife first served as a mentor teacher and then program director before she was named director in December. She has seven years’ of experience in early childhood education and has worked in an elementary school in the Marshall Islands and served other nonprofits that support early childhood education with a focus on meeting families’ needs and goals.

Scaife, who lives in Burlington, holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Plymouth State University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Vermont (UVM). She also holds a certificate of graduate studies in resiliency-based approaches with family, school and community.

Business association to host legislative breakfast

SPRINGFIELD — New England Business Associates will host local politicians for a legislative breakfast on Monday at 9 a.m. at Memorial Commerce Center, 66 Industry Ave.

The breakfast will give business owners, town officials and lawmakers a chance to to discuss issues and concerns among community stakeholders, while presenting development efforts that have been made.

NEBA will also reveals a new website, business logo, and community development efforts.

The following representatives will be in attendance: Angelo Puppelo, Carlos Gonzales, Patricia Duffy, Mindy Domb and Sen. Adam Gomez.

NEBA works toward ending social injustice through strategic work with employment agencies and businesses looking to expand their workforce.

The event is not open to the general public, however, press is invited to attend.

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