Site Redevelopment Technologies - a Brookline-based company that cleans up brownfields and and sells them off to developers - has sent a letter of intent to the city, saying it would like to take over the property once the final study is done.

AGAWAM -- The contaminated former Games and Lanes site, a longtime town eyesore, is one step closer to getting gussied up.

City Council approved about $12,000 for the final environmental study of the contaminated property at at 346-350 Walnut Street Extension earlier this week. The money will be transferred from the town's reserve fund to a community development account.

And Site Redevelopment Technologies - a Brookline-based company that cleans up brownfields and sells them off to developers - has sent a letter of intent to the city, saying it would like to take over the property once the final study is done.

Manfred Tidor, who has spent more than $1 million in recent years to remove toxins from the land, now owns the building.

"It's my understanding that Mr. Tidor would be happy to give them the land at this point," Agawam Mayor Richard A Cohen said Thursday.

The news comes after years of the city trying to sell the land. The hope is that after it's decontaminated, the developer will turn it into something useful to the community.

Games and Lanes is a integral part of the town's Walnut Street Extension revitalization project, as it's the most noticeably derelict property on the street. The town is working to fill vacant properties along the corridor and encourage new development, and Games and Lanes has become a notorious eyesore in the community.

The first phase of the site's assessment was completed in April 2014 after the city won a $50,000 grant from MassDevelopment to study the property, which is contaminated with a hazardous dry cleaning chemical known as trichloralethylene.

The newly approved $12,000 will fund the second phase of the assessment. The city sought a second grant from MassDevelopment, but the agency didn't have the funds, Cohen said.

The site was owned by the uniform rental business Standard Uniform Corp. from 1969 through until late 1980s. Standard Uniform then moved their headquarters and leased the building to Games and Lanes and a few other indoor entertainment businesses.

The building has been vacant since 2001, when a small fire and malfunctioning sprinkler system caused between $50,000 and $80,000 in damage to the property.

Check out this video footage of the abandoned bowling alley, taken March 2014:

<div class="embed-container-16x9"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AVTcsoeYohM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

One of 351 communities profiled.

This story is a follow on Massachusetts healthy aging report community challenges: Chronic disease, poverty rates, racial health disparities.

MASSACHUSETTS HEALTHY AGING COMMUNITY PROFILE
Palmer (Hampden)

"Palmer is a rural community near Springfield, Massachusetts, with 1,810 residents
aged 65 or older. Palmer is somewhat walkable with a walkscore of 63/100. Compared
to state averages, older residents of Palmer have a lower rate of colon cancer.
However, older residents of Palmer do worse than state average with a higher rate of
Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary), rheumatoid arthritis/osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, more annual hospital stays hospital readmissions, and emergency room visits. They are less likely to take the health promotion step of having a shingles vaccine.Community resources to promote healthy aging include a Council on Aging and a recreation department."

Some data compiled from the profile:

• Population 65 years or older as a percentage of the total population is 14.9 percent, compared to state average of 13.7 percent.


• Percentage of the population 65 years or older that is female is 63.8 percent, compared to state average of 58.5 percent.


• Percentage of the population 65 years or older that is white is 100 percent, compared to state average of 91.5 percent.


• Percentage of older residents with diabetes is 38.3 percent, compared to state average of 32.1 percent.


• Percentage of older residents with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is 28.8 percent, compared to state average of 23.3 percent.


• Percentage of older residents with 4 or more chronic conditions is 67.3 percent, compared to the state average of 61.5 percent.


• Percentage of householders 65 or older with annual income of less than $20,000 is 34 percent, compared to 28.4 percent.

President Barack Obama ordered the federal government on Thursday to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases by 40 percent, as the U.S. seeks to spur other nations to get serious about climate change.

By JOSH LEDERMAN

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama ordered the federal government on Thursday to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases by 40 percent, as the U.S. seeks to spur other nations to get serious about climate change.

Obama's executive order also directs the government to ramp up use of renewable energy sources to 30 percent of the federal government's consumption. The White House said U.S. taxpayers could save up to $18 billion in electricity costs by reducing greenhouse gases 40 percent over the next decade, compared to 2008 levels.

"These are ambitious goals, but we know they're achievable goals," Obama said at the Energy Department, where he toured a rooftop solar panel installation after signing the executive order at the White House.

Major companies that sell to the federal government like GE, HP, Northrup Grumman and Honeywell will also announce voluntary commitments to cut their own emissions of the heat-trapping gases blamed for global warming, the White House said. IBM, for example, said it will cut its energy consumption 35 percent by 2020 and buy at least 20 percent of its power from renewably sources by that year.

All told, the government pollution cuts along with industry contributions will have the effect of keeping 26 million metric tons of greenhouse gases out of the air by 2025, or the equivalent of what about 5.5 million cars would pump out through their tailpipes in an average year, the White House said. Yet it was unclear exactly how either the government or private companies planned to meet those targets.

While at the Energy Department, Obama also discussed the new emissions targets at a roundtable with federal suppliers that do more than $1 billion per year in business with the government.

The U.S. government is responsible for only a small portion of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, but the Obama administration is hoping that taking aggressive steps at home will increase the political pressure on other countries to do the same.

"Certainly our hope is that we are laying forth template that other countries could also learn from and look at as well," said Brian Deese, a senior adviser to Obama.

A major global climate treaty, in the works for years, is supposed to be finalized in December at a summit in Paris, but most countries have yet to announce what their national contributions to the pact will be. Earlier this month the European Union unveiled its contribution, vowing to cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 40 percent by 2030, compared to 1990.

The U.S. has yet to announce its contribution to the treaty. But in a bid to build momentum last year, Obama set a U.S. goal to cut emissions up to 28 percent by 2025 -- compared to 2005 levels -- in a joint announcement with China that boosted hopes that an aggressive climate treaty may come to fruition.

The president hasn't fully explained how he'll meet that goal, but his aides have suggested that unprecedented pollution limits he's imposing on power plants will get the U.S. much of the way there.

Obama's executive order will direct the federal government to:

-- Cut energy use in federal buildings 2.5 percent every year between 2015 and 2025.

-- Reduce the amount of water used in federal buildings 2 percent every year through 2025.

-- Decrease greenhouse gas emissions from federal vehicles by 30 percent per mile by 2025, compared to the levels in 2014.

-- Ensure federal agencies are getting 25 percent of their energy -- both heat and electricity -- from clean sources by 2025.

-- Put more hybrid and zero-emission vehicles in the federal fleet of cars and trucks.

Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

The company failed to notify the DEP within 2 hours after a 15-gallon fuel spill.

October 25, 2010 - Springfield - Staff photo by Michael S. Gordon - Workers from Western Mass. Environmental of West Springfield sweep up a sand-based drying agent containing #2 heating oil on Tapley St. Monday morning. A fuel truck driver over filled his storage tank at the L.E. Belcher, Inc. petroleum products depot in the background, spilling the oil into an overflow reservoir on the truck which then went onto Tapley St. and St. James Ave. as he drove away. Multiple police, fire and environment agencies responded to the spill.Michael S. Gordon 

SPRINGFIELD - A Palmer trucking company has been fined $2,875 by the state Department of Environmental Protection for failing to notify the agency of a September fuel spill on Tapley Street, officials said.

T.R. Stone Trucking Inc. of Palmer agreed the fine, and to provide new training to its drivers on procedures for reporting fuel spills.

A company driver spilled about 15 gallons of diesel fuel during a fill up at the Irving Service Station, 11 Tapley St., on Sept. 27. The fuel ran off into a city storm drain, and Springfield firefighters and DEP officials responded to the scene to aid with clean-up.

State requires mandate that trucking companies notify the DEP within two hours of any fuel spill of more than 10 gallons.

The city began "hot patch" pothole repairs this week and is working on responding to several pages of repair requests from the public.

SPRINGFIELD - City officials said Thursday that a $30 million fund approved by Gov. Charlie Baker for statewide pothole repairs, including $546,062 for Springfield, is very welcome news after a severe winter.

"I am very appreciative of the Governor's efforts," Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said. "We welcome it. This has been a very challenging winter with infrastructure expansion, contraction, and Arctic cold."

Public Works Director Mario Mazza said the city has been busy with patches for about two weeks, and will seek to use the state funds for reimbursements of past and future efforts. The city has crews assigned to two hot box trailers and dump trucks on two shifts, he said.

"I think this is going to go a long way in paying for the repairs needed on our streets," Mazza said. " If you've driven on our roads, you can tell this is a bad pothole year for us. This money is going to rectify it."

The city began with the use of temporary patches, but began receiving a "hot patch" mix on Tuesday for permanent pothole repairs, he said.

There are some roads in "desperate need" of resurfacing, Mazza said.

Residents have been calling the 311 Center to report the locations of potholes and Mazza urged them to continue with the notifications. He was aware of several pages of pothole repair requests.

Mazza also urged motorists to give the work crews sufficient space to do their work.

Baler is using money allocated in the existing fiscal 2015 bond authorization for the Department of Transportation for patching potholes, paving cracks, resurfacing , and other road work.

The work must be completed by June 30, and cities and towns must submit for reimbursements by July 31.

City will receive $184,235 in state funding to assist in its pot hole repairs.

WESTFIELD - This city's share of a new $30 million state pot hole fund will be $184,235.

"It is pretty much the same drill as last year," Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said today. "We will set out immediately to identify the real serious problem areas and will be in a position to address those issues as soon as weather permits," the mayor said.

Last year the city was able to fill pot holes on portions of several streets including City View Drive, Route 10 to Valley View Drive and Shaker Road.

Gov. Charlie Baker recently announced the state's pot hole funding allocations to cities and towns.

Pot hole repairs must be completed by June 30 and cities and towns must submit vouchers for reimbursement to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation by July 31.

One of 351 communities profiled.

This story is a follow on Massachusetts healthy aging report community challenges: Chronic disease, poverty rates, racial health disparities.

MASSACHUSETTS HEALTHY AGING COMMUNITY PROFILE
Longmeadow (Hampden)

"Longmeadow is a town in Western Massachusetts bordering Connecticut. It has 2,900
residents aged 65 or older. The walkscore indicates this is a car dependent community
(46/100). Compared to state averages, older residents of Longmeadow do better on
several healthy aging indicators: diabetes, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonar), heart attack, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, colon cancer, hospital stays, hospital readmissions,nursing home stays, emergency room visits, and prescription medication use. However, they do did worse on arthritis, hip fracture, glaucoma, breast cancer, osteoporosis, and are lower than state average rate for getting the shingles vaccine. Community resources to promote healthy aging include a Council on Aging, a recreation department, and Cultural Council. Access to senior transportation, physical activity and lifelong learning resources are limited."

Some data compiled from the profile:

• Population 65 years or older as percentage of total population is 18.4 percent, compared to the state average of 13.7 percent.


• Percentage of those 65 or older who are white is 98.8 percent, compared to the state average of 91.5 percent.


• Percentage of those 65 or older with less than a high school education is 11.2 percent, compared to the state average of 20.4 percent.


• Percentage of those 65 or older who are veterans of military service is 13 percent, compared to the state average of 11.5 percent.


• Percentage of older residents who have had any physical activity within last month is 74.9 percent, compared to the state average of 72.4 percent.


• Percentage of older residents who have had the shingles vaccine is 9.7 percent, compared to the state average of 14.9 percent.


• Percentage of women who have had a mammogram within the last two years is 76.2 percent, compared to the state average of 85.4 percent.


• Percentage of older residents with osteoarthritis/rheumatoid arthritis is 56.1 percent, compared to the state average of 50.2 percent.


• Percentage of older residents with cataract is 73.6 percent, compared with the state average of 65.7 percent.


• Percentage of women with breast cancer is 12.4 percent, compared with the state average of 10.3 percent.


• Percentage of residents 65 to 74 with cognition difficulty is zero percent, compared with the state average of 4.7 percent.


• Percentage of residents 75 or over with independent living difficulty is 31.5 percent, compared to the state average of 24.3 percent.


• Percentage of householder 65 or older, with annual income that is less than $20,000, is 21.7 percent, compared to the state average of 28.4 percent.


• Percentage of household 65 or order, with annual income above $50,000, is 48 percent compared with the state average of 37.5 percent.

These heroes included a firefighter who went into cardiac arrest after giving a man his own oxygen mask during a rescue; a school bus driver and a young woman who administered potentially life-saving medication to a student suffering an allergic reaction, and arranged for transport to a hospital; and a nursing student who happened upon a man lying on a sidewalk and performed CPR.

SPRINGFIELD -- Sometimes we find ourselves in shocking or dangerous situations and, despite the fear that can overtake us, we must act.

Some will wait and see if others run to the rescue. Others will call emergency responders. And a thin sliver of the population will roll up their sleeves and dash head-on in to solve the problem, saving a life with their selflessness.

Several local residents were honored Thursday for doing just that, at The American Red Cross Western Massachusetts' 13th annual Hometown Heroes breakfast and awards ceremony.

These heroes included a firefighter who went into cardiac arrest after giving a man his own oxygen mask during a rescue; a school bus driver and a young woman who administered potentially life-saving medication to a student suffering an allergic reaction, and arranged for transport to a hospital; and a nursing student who happened upon a man lying on a sidewalk and performed CPR.

Other honorees improved the quality of life for homeless people and children with disabilities, volunteering their time and elbow grease to try to end or ease suffering.

Click through the photos above and read the captions to learn of the extraordinary selflessness of the 2015 Hometown Heroes.

One man was injured, two others fled, after a car rolled over on Main Street in downtown Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD— An Agawam man freed three men from a rolled over car Saturday evening, only to see two of them run from the scene.

Jeffrey Fontaine said he was talking with friends near the Stonewall Tavern at the intersection of Main and Gridiron streets just after 10 p.m. when just a few feet away a Hyundai compact car crashed into a parked car and rolled over, trapping three men inside.

"I just heard this huge crash and I turned around," Fontaine said, holding a towel to his bleeding right hand. "I ran over and tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open. I told them to turn away and I punched out the window."

Two of the young males in the car climbed out and fled the scene, running south on Main Street, Springfield Police Sgt. Daniel Reigner said. The rear passenger in the car was apparently the more seriously injured of the three and remained at the scene. Police believe the others may have suffered injuries as well, but were able to walk away. Officers are continuing to search for the young Hispanic males.

Firefighter EMTs stabilized the injured man until an ambulance arrived and the young man was transported to the Baystate Medical Center. His condition is unknown at this writing.

Reigner said the compact, two-door coupe was apparently traveling southbound on Main Street at about 10:05 p.m. when, for some reason, the car went out of control, veered to the right and struck a Fiat parked in front of the Paramount Theater. The impact drove the Fiat into a parking meter post, but the Hyundai was forced up on the smaller car and rolled over.

The incident remains under investigation, Reigner said.

The university used tweets Saturday to confirm junior first baseman Joey Casselberry's dismissal and to distance itself from his remarks.

A baseball player for Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania has been dismissed from the team for an offensive Twitter post about Little League World Series star Mo'ne Davis.

The university used tweets Saturday to confirm junior first baseman Joey Casselberry's dismissal and to distance itself from his remarks. Casselberry was not available for comment, but blacksportsonline.com reports that he has apologized for the tweet.

His Twitter account has been deleted. But screen captures of the tweet show him using an offensive slur about Davis while commenting on news reports that the Disney Channel is making a movie about her.

In the tweet, Casselberry made the slur about her as he described how Davis "got rocked" in a loss to Nevada during the LLWS. A slightly blurred screengrab of the tweet has been posted by Sports Illustrated.

Bloomsburg said it was "deeply saddened" by the player's tweet:

Bloomsburg Univ is deeply saddened by what was written about #MoneDavis by one of our student-athletes. His words do not represent us.

-- BU Huskies (@GoBUHuskies) March 21, 2015

We take matter very seriously; addressed the issue with the student-athlete (who has been dismissed from team), coach, and the team.

-- BU Huskies (@GoBUHuskies) March 21, 2015

Davis of Philadelphia became a national sensation last summer when she became the first girl to earn a win and to pitch a shutout at the LLWS.

USA Today reported this past week that Davis will be a consultant to the film, "Throw Like Mo." No release date was announced.

An Enfield youth will be charged witharson in four more fires set between August and January.

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

Davidson Izzo, 16, is being held on $750,000 bail after a single charge of first degree arson was moved from juvenile court to the adult docket.

Izzo is charged with starting a fire in an Elm Street fire on Dec. 31. He is later charged, along with another juvenile, with the April 2010 fire at another house on Elm Street. All of the fires Izzo has been charged with occured within 400 feet of his home, police said.

The Hartford Courant reported that Police Chief Carl Sferrazza said Friday that the four warrants cover arson fires between Aug. of 2014 and Jan. 2015.

Enfield detectives gathered evidence, including video of a person running from a fire and K9 tracking to Izzo's parent's home, they say links him to the fires.

Sferrazza said there have been 10 suspicious fires during the six month period, and Izzo is a suspect in all of them.

A Holyoke man suffered a gunshot wound to the leg in a Sunday morning shooting on LInden Street.

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

Holyoke Police Lt. Joseph Garcia said the victim was transported to the Baystate Medical Center with a non-life threatening injured.

The wounded man told police he was walking through an alley from Oak Street to Linden just after 1:30 a.m. when he said he heard shots being fired, then realized he had been wounded in the leg.

Police received citizen calls reporting shots fired at 1:43 A.M. Minutes later the wounded man called police seeking medical help.

Witnesses said four black men, all wearing dark clothing, were in the street when the shooting started. All four ran to a copper or gold colored SUV and made their escape after the gunfire. Officers searching the area, however, said they found no spent shell casings.

After he was shot, the victim said he went to an apartment at 463 Appleton St., and called police.

Garcia said the investigation is ongoing.

Shots were fired in the Liberty Heights neighborhood early Sunday morning. damaging a Melha Avenue home.

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

Springfield Police Lt. Richard LaBelle said the city's ShotSpotter acoustic gunfire location system activated at approximately 3:05 a.m. indicating nine shots had been fired in the area of Chapin Terrace and Melha Avenue. Responding officers said they found shell casings at the site.

A house at 82 Melha Avenue was evidently hit by the gunfire, LaBelle said. The glass in an exterior door was shattered by several shots. No one was injured in the incident.

Witnesses reported seeing two cars leaving the area just after the shots were fired. A white sedan and a tan small SUV were seen driving away.

The incident remains under investigation.

St. Patrick's Parade 2015 kicks off at noon Sunday with thousands of spectators and marchers.

HOLYOKE — The 64th Annual Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade is just hours away and while many are setting up their lawn chairs at the perfect spot some have yet to plan their day at the parade.

Wondering where to park? Who's in the parade? Where to get the best view? The Republican and MassLive have you covered. Here's a rundown of all things St. Patrick's Parade:

> 2015 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade facts: Route map, start time and TV details

> Holyoke St. Patrick's events draw thousands, but parking available if patient and early

>2015 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade Line of March

> Holyoke St. Patrick's Grand Marshal on parade: 'We really put on our best suit that day'

> Photos: Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade of yesteryear

> Award winners to march in 2015 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade

> Greeting from 2015 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade President Jacqueline Reardon

> St. Patrick's Committee of Holyoke asks what the parade means to community, offers cash prize

> Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade highlighted by USA Today as place to celebrate

The City Council will consider a non-binding question if the council, asking voters in November if the council term should change from two years to four years.

SPRINGFIELD - A casino overlay district, stipulating the boundaries of the MGM Springfield project, will be forwarded for City Council review on Monday, but the council will await final site plans before scheduling a public hearing and vote, according to council President Michael Fenton.

In other action on Monday, the council will consider approving a non-binding ballot question that asks voters if they support expanding the council from the current two-year term to a four-year term in future elections.

The council meeting is at 7 p.m., at City Hall.

Regarding the casino project, the council will receive the Planning Board's unanimous recommendation to approve the three-block, 14.5 acre casino overlay district.

The council and MGM are in agreement that the hearing will take place once the site plans are finalized, while the project continues to move forward, Fenton said.

MGM is building an $800 million casino project in the downtown-South End area, as approved by the city and Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

The casino district is already part of the host community agreement between Springfield and MGM, and been reviewed by the Gaming Commission and discussed with the City Council, said Kevin Kennedy, the city's chief development officer.

The formal vote to approve the district, formally establishing the boundaries and related guidelines, is another very important step in the process, he said.

Several councilors led by Kateri B. Walsh are proposing a non-binding ballot question on the Nov. 3 election ballot that would ask voters the following question: "Shall the term of office of City Council of the city of Springfield be four years and conterminous with the Mayor?"

The mayor's term was changed from two years to four years beginning in the election of 2011, while the 13-member council has remained an elected body up for election every two years.

In other action on Monday, the council will consider approving proposed home rule bill that would require the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority to clear snow and ice from all its bus stops in Springfield.

The home rule bill, if passed by the council, will also need approval from the mayor, state Legislature and Governor Charlie Baker.

Follow live coverage of the 64th annual Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade here.

HOLYOKE — It's here: The 64th annual Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade.

The United States' second-largest St. Patrick's Day parade behind New York's, according to Holyoke parade organizers, will step off at 11:45 a.m. from the Kmart Plaza on Northampton Street. Preparations are under way and will continue until the march begins.

The Republican and MassLive have reporters and photographers from the beginning to the end of the 2.6-mile parade route. Throughout the morning and the parade, they'll be posting updates, photos and reaction from the crowd and marchers.

You can follow their live updates below (if you're on a mobile device, you can follow the updates here »)

THE REPUBLICAN FILE 

Before the sun rose on Sunday morning, most of the Craven household was awake, with hairspray, mascara and combs at the ready.

SOUTH HADLEY -- Before the sun rose on Sunday morning, most of the Craven household was awake with hairspray, mascara and combs at the ready.

The family helped Allyson Craven get ready for the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade as this year's Grand Colleen. Her mother, Beth Szostkiewicz Craven, served as her hairstylist, with one of her sisters, Stephanie, on hand to help with makeup.

The 17-year-old South Hadley High School student said it has been a blur between the many St. Patrick's events she has attended since she was named the 2015 Grand Colleen.

Allyson, who goes by Ally, said she decided to enter the pageant a week before the deadline.

She entered this year before she leaved Western Massachusetts to attend college. While she hasn't enrolled yet, Ally was recently accepted at Boston College and is considering the offer, though she'd prefer to be in school in a warmer climate. She plans to study in a pre-medical program.

Currently the 17-year-old stays busy as her class president, with the National Honors Society and dancing.

"I've wanted to be a Colleen since I was a kid, sitting on the curb with my sisters watching them in the parade," Ally said.

"We always talked about doing it," said her sister, Stephanie, as she helped Ally with her makeup.

The 16-year-old is not eligible for the competition this year, but is considering entering next year. "We'll create a Craven dynasty," Stephanie said, getting a laugh out of her sister and mother.

Stephanie joked that her sister has set the bar too high and she only hopes to win Miss Congeniality, if she applies. The 16-year-old kept the mood light throughout the morning. While their mother did Ally's hair, Stephanie put on a fur coat her sister was to wear Sunday and paraphrased lyrics from the song "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. "Walk into the club like, whatup, I'm a Colleen."

Ally also has a twin sister, Brianna, and a younger brother, Noland.

Prior to this year's event, Ally had never entered a pageant before.

"She's very involved in dance and I think that helped her on stage," her mother, Beth Szostkiewicz Craven said.

Ally was crowned the 61st Annual Grand Colleen at the coronation ball last month.

Among the gifts received as the Grand Colleen - a $500 scholarship, a grand colleen portrait, a book on Ireland travel, a 61th anniversary claddagh ring, a tartan necklace, and a floral arrangement - she is most excited for the trip for two to Ireland.

On her first trip abroad, Ally is going to take her father Mike, from whom she gets her Irish heritage.

She said being named Grand Colleen is allowing her another opportunity to be proud of her Irish heritage, in addition to her mother's Polish family.

"Right before the contest we were all making perogi as a family," Beth said. "It's nice she can celebrate being both Polish and Irish."

Every year hundreds of participants create imaginative, colorful floats for the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade.

HOLYOKE— As the doors of the DeLorean lift an Irish flag will be revealed along the parade route.

The Springfield Lodge of Elks is going "Back to the Future," with their tribute to the film which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

From mechanical elements to flashy design the parade floats created by participants in the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade are always a highlight of the event.

Civic organizations and businesses start prepping months in advance from coming up with a color scheme to making the floats shoot out smoke, streamers, bubbles, you name it.

For the 64th Annual St. Patrick's Parade the Elks decided to do something unlike any other float in the parade.

"We always look for something .a little different," said Tommy Kelly, a member of the Elks who has been working on the float for the past three months along with 20 or so other volunteers.

Springfield Lodge of Elks displays DeLorean, "Back to the Future," inspired car during the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade.Elizabeth Roman/ The Republican 

"We work every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, with some people putting in extra hours," he said. The group has displayed a float at the parade each year for more than 30 years.

Chris Liquori said the group gets donations from local businesses to put together the float which features the DeLorean's Gullwing-hinge doors and rotating tires.

"It's a lot of work, but a lot of fun too," Liquori said. Sponsors for the float include The Bottle Shop in Longmeadow, GMH Fence Co. in East Longmeadow and Dot Lortie Realty Landmark Co. in Springfield.

This is the second year entering a float for McLadden's Irish Publick House in Northampton. While they went with a more traditional design featuring an Irish castle, the float still includes a working draw bridge and mechanical cannon, said the restaurant's general manager Steven Campbell.

The castle was created by Chagnon Building and Remodeling in Hadley and representatives from both businesses are riding the float.

"We had a great experience last year and are excited to be participating again this year," Campbell before heading back to the outdoor grill to cook up more food before the parade.

"We learned from last year that it's a lot of waiting beforehand. I figured I can manage a restaurant, so why not bring some food," he said.

Leading the float down the parade route will be "Poutin Machine," a band playing Irish drinking sons, Campbell said.

Sons of Erin of Westfield float for the 2015 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade.Elizabeth Roman/ The Republican 

As they put some final touches on their massive toy train volunteers from the Westfield Sons of Erin worried the strong winds could damage the float before the parade.

"We want to make sure it looks great," said Mark Hanrahan, chair of the organization, which has been displaying floats at the parade for decades.

This year a group of more than 15 volunteers spent about 10 weeks working on the float which features a bright green train engine with a waving conductor flashing a big grin and bright red hair.

"We try to always think about the kids watching the parade and what they would like," he said. The float will feature the Westfield Colleens.

Watch live stream video of the 64th annual Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade.

HOLYOKE — The 64th annual Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade steps off at 11:45 a.m. today. If you can't make it to the parade, you can watch right here, courtesy of WGBY-TV57's live stream of the parade.

The live stream from WGBY, the Springfield PBS station, will begin at noon.

The 2.6-mile parade steps off from the Kmart Plaza on Northampton Street, continuing north to Beech Street, east to Appleton Street, southeast to High Street and north to Hampden Street.

The parade annually attracts about 400,000 spectators, and organizers say it's the second-largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the country behind New York's.

Ray Feyre, who has served on the Holyoke St., Patrick's Parade Committee for more than four decades, will lead the parade as Grand Marshal, the highest local honor given to a person of Irish ancestry and either a resident of Holyoke or a member of the Parade Committee.

John Maguire, president and chief executive officer of Friendly's Ice Cream LLC, is this year's John F. Kennedy Award honoree. The annual award is presented to Americans of Irish descent who have distinguished themselves in their chosen field.

The parade marks the finale of a weekend of St. Patrick's Day-related events in Holyoke, including Saturday's Holyoke St. Patrick's Road Race and Saturday evening's JFK National Award Dinner.

 

Hours before the 2015 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade began on Sunday, member of the parade committee Daniel E. Tierney died.

HOLYOKE -- Hours before the 2015 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade began on Sunday, parade committee member Daniel E. Tierney died.

He was walking into the Yankee Pedlar Inn to attend the St. Patrick's Ambassador's Award Breakfast when he had a heart attack, parade organizers say.

Barbara Bernard, a member of the parade committee and columnist for The Republican, said emergency services were called and Tierney was rushed to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Tierney died Sunday morning. He was 87 years old. 

Tierney is survived by his wife, Marion F. Tierney.

"Dan was absolutely the greatest guy in the world," Bernard said Sunday afternoon. "He was a wonderful friend to everyone."

Tierney is one of the original organizers of the parade, serving on the committee for over six decades. Much of that time Tierney spent planning and building floats for the 64-year-old parade, ensuring there were exciting features to draw hundreds of thousands of parade goers to the city.

He also organized a popular raffle every year that offered the winner a trip to Ireland.

He was thanked for his many years of service in 2012 by the South Hadley Parade Committee. They surprised Tierney with a float in his honor for him and his wife to ride in the 61st annual parade.

Though he was unable to attend Sunday's event, Bernard said she hopes Tierney is "looking down at the parade and enjoying the wonderful event he helped create."