COVID-19: 11 Western Mass Communities At High Risk For Virus Spread COVID-19: 11 Western Mass Communities At High Risk For Virus Spread
Covid-19: 11 Western Mass Communities At High Risk For Virus Spread More communities in Western Massachusetts are in the COVID-19 “red zone,” while nearly two dozen more have also seen an uptick in cases and have been placed into “yellow zones.” The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released its weekly COVID-19 health report on Thursday, April 1, highlighting the areas of the state that have seen an increase in new cases in relation to the area's population. Under the state’s new criteria, the Department of Public Health is taking population size into account when determining which are deemed “high-risk,” “medium-risk,” or “low-risk.” In the latest…
'Classic' Pizza Place With Four MA Locations Touted For Unique, Tasty Combinations 'Classic' Pizza Place With Four MA Locations Touted For Unique, Tasty Combinations
'Classic' Pizza Place With Four MA Locations Touted For Unique, Tasty Combinations Often imitated, but never duplicated, the toppings at Antonio’s Pizza By The Slice are truly unique and reworked into surprising and tasty combinations. The pizzeria, with 8 locations - including Worcester, Amherst, Easthampton, and Belchertown - has toppings that include nacho chips, black beans, tortellini, potato, Ritz crackers, steak, Alfredo sauce, vegan cheese, and squash. Pizza-makers take these ingredients and turn them into pies like the Avocado Quesadilla, Chicken Bacon Ranch (which may be the most popular pizza on the menu), Honey Mustard Chicken, Don Giovanni, and the Tortellini…
COVID-19: These Five Western Mass Communities At High Risk For Spread, DPH Says COVID-19: These Five Western Mass Communities At High Risk For Spread, DPH Says
Covid-19: These Five Western Mass Communities At High Risk For Spread, DPH Says Five communities in western Massachusetts are in the COVID-19 “red zone,” while nearly two dozen more have also seen an uptick in cases and have been placed into “yellow zones.” The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released its weekly COVID-19 health report on Thursday, March 25, highlighting the areas of the state that have seen an increase in new cases in relation to the area's population. Under the state’s new criteria, the Department of Public Health is taking population size into account when determining which are deemed “high-risk,” “medium-risk,” or “low-risk.” In the lates…
COVID-19: Two Western Mass Communities Placed In Red Zone; New Rundown Of 20 High-Risk Areas COVID-19: Two Western Mass Communities Placed In Red Zone; New Rundown Of 20 High-Risk Areas
Covid-19: Two Western Mass Communities Placed In Red Zone; New Rundown Of 20 High-Risk Areas Two communities in western Massachusetts are in the COVID-19 “red zone,” while nearly two dozen more have also seen an uptick in cases and have been placed into “yellow zones.” The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released its weekly COVID-19 health report on Thursday, March 18, highlighting the areas of the state that have seen an increase in new cases in relation to the area's population. Under the state’s new criteria, the Department of Public Health is taking population size into account when determining which are deemed “high-risk,” “medium-risk,” or “low-risk.” In the late…
COVID-19: Four 'Red' Western Mass Cities At High Risk, Town-By-Town Trends, Rates COVID-19: Four 'Red' Western Mass Cities At High Risk, Town-By-Town Trends, Rates
Covid-19: Four 'Red' Western Mass Cities At High Risk, Town-By-Town Trends, Rates Keeping with the trend of declining COVID-19 infections, the Pioneer Valley has only 4 “red” communities - cities and towns with the highest risk of virus transmission. On Thursday, March 4, Massachusetts unveiled its latest weekly update on COVID-19 incidents by the municipality.  Red communities in Western Massachusetts for the week of March 4 are: Chicopee with a rate of 33.4, Hadley, 32 Ludlow, 33.4, and Springfield, 40.3. Springfield was the only city out of the four that was in the red but experienced a decline in COVID-19 incidents, according to state data. Statewide, the…
Suspected Major Heroin Dealer And Crew Busted In Western Mass Suspected Major Heroin Dealer And Crew Busted In Western Mass
Suspected Major Heroin Dealer And Crew Busted In Western Mass An alleged major supplier of heroin to Western Massachusetts was busted up on Tuesday, March 2, with the arrest of 4 local men. The arrests were the result of a year-long investigation into local heroin trafficking from Springfield to New York. The investigation involved surveillance as well as the controlled purchases of “half packs” - a common form of packaging in Western Massachusetts each consisting of 50 dosage units or 1 gram of the drug, Massachusetts State Police said. Police suspect the ring leader or source of the heroin was Enrique Alicea, 29, of West Springfield. Hu…
How Much Ice Did You Get? Local Accumulation and Power Outage Update How Much Ice Did You Get? Local Accumulation and Power Outage Update
How Much Ice Did You Get? Local Accumulation and Power Outage Update Ice covered much of Central and Western Massachusetts Tuesday, Feb. 16, morning, creating dangerous road conditions, but few power outages. The ice is thickest in the Berkshires where 0.21-0.23 inches of ice has accumulated, according to the National Weather Service. In Springfield and Worcester, 0.5-0.6 inches of ice accumulated overnight. Northward, in Greenfield and Fitchburg, ice accumulation was between 0.17 and 0.21 inches. About 300 of Eversource's hundreds of thousands of customers lost power momentarily and sections of Westfield were also without power for about an hour st…
COVID-19 Incidents Shoot Up In 3 Pioneer Valley Communities - Town-By-Town Trends and Rates COVID-19 Incidents Shoot Up In 3 Pioneer Valley Communities - Town-By-Town Trends and Rates
Covid-19 Incidents Shoot Up In 3 Pioneer Valley Communities - Town-By-Town Trends and Rates The COVID-19 incident rate shot up dramatically in Amherst where UMass is attempting to tamp down on the virus’s spread. The daily average COVID-19 rate in Amherst per 100,000 people was 26.6 last week, Feb. 4. As of Thursday, Feb. 11, Amherst’s COVID-19 rate is 78.8. Meanwhile, daily COVID-19 new incident rates also went up in two more of the Pioneer Valley’s largest communities - Easthampton and Northampton. On Thursday, Feb. 11, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health released the weekly town-by-town COVID-19 rate report. The numbers showed declining cases in nearly all of the Pio…
COVID-19: Cases Skyrocket In Amherst As UMass Reigns In Partying, Shuts Down Campus COVID-19: Cases Skyrocket In Amherst As UMass Reigns In Partying, Shuts Down Campus
Covid-19: Cases Skyrocket In Amherst As UMass Reigns In Partying, Shuts Down Campus The COVID-19 incident rate shot up dramatically in Amherst where UMass is attempting to tamp down on the virus’s spread. The daily average COVID-19 rate in Amherst per 100,000 people was 26.6 last week, Feb. 4. As of Thursday, Feb. 11, Amherst’s COVID-19 rate is 78.8. The uptick in infections comes on the heels of the University of Massachusetts Amherst shutting down its campus to stop the virus’ spread. The roughly 13,000-member student body has been asked to self-quarantine. A spike in COVID-19 cases in Amherst has been linked to one or more “massive” frat parties thrown over the Feb. 6 w…
What's The Best Sandwich In MA? Each State's Most Iconic Sandwich What's The Best Sandwich In MA? Each State's Most Iconic Sandwich
What's The Best Sandwich In MA? Each State's Most Iconic Sandwich In a celebration of lunch, Food & Wine magazine has come out with a list of the best sandiwches in every state. And, in a move that supports the list’s acumen, the Fluffernutter was not chosen as THE sandwich of Massachusetts. Can you guess what the top sandwich in Massachusetts is? What makes a sandwich the “best” in each state, according to Food & Wine, is how iconic the food is. Visual appeal, trends, and availability were not considered. Also not allowed on the list: burgers, hotdogs, burritos, tacos, and barbecue. Sandwich legends only, the magazine said. New England is known…
Family IDs 25-Year-Old 'Kind-Natured' Victim In Fatal Crash Family IDs 25-Year-Old 'Kind-Natured' Victim In Fatal Crash
Family IDs 25-Year-Old 'Kind-Natured' Victim In Fatal Crash The victim in a fatal, one-car crash has been identified by the family - He was a hard-working Pioneer Valley bartender and star athlete.  The crash happened on Wednesday, Dec. 16, on Southampton Road in Holyoke.  The victim was Samuel “Sammy” Garcia, Jr., 25, of Easthampton, according to his obituary. Garcia was a star athlete in high school and worked at popular bars and restaurants in the Pioneer Valley. The accident happened on Wednesday during the height of a snowstorm that left parts of Western Massachusetts covered in more than a foot of snow. Garcia’s car apparently slid…
COVID-19: Live Music Venue Seeks $40,000 To Survive Pandemic COVID-19: Live Music Venue Seeks $40,000 To Survive Pandemic
Covid-19: Live Music Venue Seeks $40,000 To Survive Pandemic A popular “guitar bar” known for hosting live music is seeking financial help from the community. In November, owners of Luthier's Co-op in Easthampton created a GoFundMe campaign seeking to raise $40,000. The money will be used to pay bills since COVID-19 has led to the closure of Massachusetts bars as well as capacity restrictions for indoor events and restaurants. So far, the intimate venue on Cottage Street has raised $8,700. The owner who created the campaign, Steven Baer, said the fundraising request became necessary due to mounting debt. “For obvious reasons, we have been unable to…