EASTHAMPTON — An Easthampton man is the latest to hit the lottery, winning a $1 million grand prize as the first winner of a new “50X” instant ticket game offered by the Massachusetts State Lottery.
Bart Trenary chose the cash option on his prize and received a one-time payment of $650,000 before taxes. He plans on splurging his winnings on a new van and a sofa, according to a statement from the State Lottery.
Trenary bought the ticket at Smitty’s Package Store at 16 College Highway in Southampton. The store received a $10,000 bonus for its sale of this ticket.
The odds to win the $1 million prize for the “50X” instant ticket are 1 in 5,040,000, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery. The ticket went on sale Tuesday, June 10, and includes two more instant grand prizes of $1 million, with the amount of second highest possible prize at $10,000.
The Massachusetts State Lottery was created in 1971 to generate local aid revenue for our 351 cities and towns through state-run games of chance. According to the Lottery, since selling its first ticket in March of 1972, it has returned more than $32 billion in net profit to the commonwealth.
In March this year, another Easthampton resident, Diane Brown, won a $100 a week for life prize in the Massachusetts State Lottery’s “$100 a Week for Life” $1 instant ticket game. She bought the ticket at College Highway Variety at 334 Main St. in Easthampton, which is under the same ownership as Smitty’s.
Senior Center Building Committee ready to roll
EASTHAMPTON — Planning for the long-awaited new senior center will begin in September, after members have been appointed by former Mayor Nicole LaChapelle to the Senior Center Building Committee.
Member’s were appointed in July and apart from key city officials and staff that will be involved, the appointments are Council on Aging (COA) Vice Chair Thomas Brown; COA Secretary Leslie Button; COA member Patrick Brough; Daniel Rist; Erika Kuester; Ann Longley; Friends of the COA; Bonnie McLoud; Commission on Disabilities; Tony Karella; David Paquette; and Elizabeth McAnulty.
The committee will oversee the planning of the senior center, putting out requests for proposals asking contractors to conduct feasibility studies on the potential sites for the new center, as well as possible designs.
The committee, created in March, is tasked with building on the efforts of the Ad Hoc Senior Center Building Committee, which completed a 33-page report with a vision for the new center. The ad hoc committee created the report after reviewing new senior centers built in comparable communities, looking at the features a new senior center would need to create a welcoming and inclusive environment.
“For several years, there have been discussions in various city governance groups about the deficiencies of the current Easthampton senior center,” the report reads. “The center has a history of being placed in various locations without much planning about the space’s suitability for residents 55 and older.”
According to the city, about one-third of the city’s population is over 60, and 40% is over 55. The Council on Aging recommended designing a new senior center that accommodates future needs, aiming to sustain the city’s mission to be a community where older adults have a place to rely on for resources.
Outlined in the ad hoc committee’s report, a 2022 feasibility study of the city’s current senior center at 19 Union St. found multiple deficiencies that limit its ability to serve those populations, and likely can’t be fully addressed by costly renovations.
Potential locations for the new senior center have been narrowed down to these spots: city-owned parcels at Highland Avenue, 226 Park St., 154 Holyoke St. and Daley Field, and a privately-owned property at 392 Main St. In the committee report, each property has an outlined list of pros and cons, including proximity to transportation and housing.
The new committee will start meeting in September.
Pomeroy Meadow Road intersection work
EASTHAMPTON — The city will host a public hearing next week to take input on plan to convert a dangerous intersection on Pomeroy Meadow Road into a four-way stop.
The public hearing will take place at the beginning of the next City Council meeting on Aug. 6 at 6 p.m., to hear public comment about converting the four-way intersection at Loudville Road, West Street, Glendale Street and Pomeroy Meadow Road from a two-way stop to a four-way. Several accidents have occurred at the intersection over the years, including in December 2023 when a Southampton man died.
“It’s a fantastic idea,” said City Councilor At-Large Jason “JT” Tirrell at the last council meeting. “As a resident very near to that intersection, I think this is a great step forward. That has always been a daunting intersection and we did some modifications a handful of years ago that didn’t seem to quell the accidents so hopefully this implementation of the four-way stop will help minimize future accidents.”
During its last meeting on July 9, the council made the decision to schedule the hearing. The proposal for a four-way stop was put in front of the council by the Department of Public Works.
Sam Ferland can be reached at sferland@gazettenet.com.
