UMass Amherst Center at
Springfield to be named after trustee

SPRINGFIELD — The UMass Amherst Springfield Center will soon be named for former UMass trustee and Springfield Urban League President Henry M. Thomas III, a leading advocate for establishing the center in his hometown, and the first person of color to lead the UMass board of trustees.

“Henry’s belief in the ability of young people to change the world for the better has inspired us all,” said UMass President Marty Meehan, who announced the naming at a recent gathering of friends and family celebrating Thomas’s retirement. “His dedication to the UMass mission fit perfectly with his lifelong avocation of creating upward economic mobility for young people. Naming the Center in honor of Henry recognizes his lifelong devotion to Springfield and the distinguished service and leadership he has provided to the University of Massachusetts.”

The 26,000-square-foot center, located at 1500 Main St., opened in 2014 and serves as a portal to the university’s academic programs, cultural offerings, and economic development initiatives. Among the academic programs offered at the center is a teacher certification graduate program to help address a critical workforce need in the area.

Thomas was also an advocate of the UMass Chan Medical School establishing a Springfield campus in 2016 in collaboration with Baystate Health.

Thomas served as a member of the five-campus UMass board of trustees from 2012 to 2020, and as chair of the board from 2012 to 2015.

Sen. Mark to hold office hours

State Sen. Paul W. Mark’s staff will host office hours in Williamsburg on Tuesday, Feb. 13, from 1-3 p.m., at the Town Offices, 141 Main St.

Residents of any of the 57 municipalities in the Senator’s Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire District are encouraged to share ideas on current or potential state legislation, or to ask for assistance with issues involving any state agency.

Appointments are not required.

Baystate to hold free virtual events in February

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Health’s Loyalty Programs will offer four free virtual events in February beginning on Monday, Feb. 5. All events are open to the general public.

During “Navigating the Menopause Transition,” on Monday at 6 p.m., Vanessa Ross, a Menopause Society certified provider at Baystate Midwifery and Women’s Health, will discuss what is menopause, what to expect and how to manage your symptoms.

On Wednesday, Feb. 7, pharmacist Mark Heelon, medication safety officer at Baystate Health, will lead a presentation called “Medication Tips from the Pharmacist” at 6 p.m. Heelon will discuss questions to ask a pharmacist, going to the hospital with medications, parents administering medications to their children and other helpful medication management tips.

On Tuesday, Feb. 13, Drs. Sybille Liautaud and O’Neil Green will present “Persistent Coughing” at 6 p.m. The doctors will discuss coughs that are the result of damaged airways, non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, and non-tuberculosis mycobacteria and how they are treated.

Finally, on Thursday, Feb. 29, from 2-3 p.m., members of a team from Baystate Rehabilitation Care will lead a presentation called “Do This, Not That, To Avoid Falls. ”

Registration is required for each session at BaystateHealth.org/events.

Northampton firefighters graduate leadership program

STOW — Northampton Fire Department Deputy Chiefs Andrew Breen and Michael Hatch are two of nearly three dozen fire service leaders from across Massachusetts to graduate from the 29th class of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program.

The four-month program for new chief officers and chief officer candidates is delivered jointly by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and the University of Massachusetts Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management. Through classroom instruction and out-of-class assignments, the course delivers intensive training in the non-fire suppression aspects of managing a municipal fire department.