Click here to register for the October 6 session. Click here to watch the recorded September 22 session on-demand.

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via Zoom registration page:

Springfield City Councilors Tracye Whitfield and Justin Hurst are hosting two virtual information sessions to inform city residents about the over $127 million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that the City of Springfield was recently awarded. The purpose of these webinars is twofold; one, it is an opportunity for residents to learn about what ARPA money can be spent on, and two, it will provide a platform for residents to convey to their local elected officials what they see as the most pressing needs, in Springfield, to spend the funding on.

In addition to City Councilors Whitfield and Hurst, members of the City of Springfield’s Finance Division, led by CAFO TJ Plante, and Thomas Moore – the new Director of Recovery and Business Continuity will be available to answer questions as well as listen to and record feedback from residents on behalf of the administration.

The webinars are scheduled to take place on September 22nd and October 6th from 6:00-7:15pm. We encourage residents who would like to participate in the webinar to sign up below. All individuals participating in the webinar will be limited to 2 minutes to make a comment or ask a question.

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What YOU need to know about the COVID vaccines (Español)

This event has concluded. Please click here to watch on-demand.
Tuesday, April 20, 5:00 – 6:00
Click here for Facebook event
featuring Esteban DelPilar-Morales, MD
• Internal Medicine Physician and Infectious Disease Specialist, Baystate Health

What YOU need to know about the COVID vaccines: Fertility and Pregnancy (English)

This event has concluded. Please click here to watch on-demand.
Thursday, April 22, 5:00 – 6:00
Click here for Facebook event
featuring Lauren Westafer, DO, MPH, MS
• Emergency Medicine Physician, Baystate Health
and Oscar Martinez, MD
• OB/GYN Physician, Baystate Health

What YOU need to know about the COVID vaccines (English)

Wednesday, April 28, 5:00 – 6:00
Click here for Facebook event
featuring Durane Walker, MD
• Internal Medicine Physician and Infectious Disease Specialist, Baystate Health

Audience Q&A will follow each presentation. Click here to submit a question in advance.

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Four ways to join in live:

• Zoom Webinar (best option for participation)
• Call in with phone number: 646-558-8656 and meeting ID: 818 9424 0568
• YouTube Live
• Facebook Live

All programs will be available for on-demand viewing following the event’s conclusion.

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Left: link to join Zoom meeting
Right: submit a question to our experts

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Resources:

• Event flyer and program (Español)
• COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy
• Preregister for COVID-19 vaccine appointment
• Baystate Health COVID-19 main page

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This year’s annual celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has gone virtual! We miss being able to get together with all of you at the MassMutual Center, but we hope you enjoy the program we’ve created.

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MLK Day House Band, Billy Arnold, drums; Jason Schwartz, bass; Scott Sasanecki, guitar Ralph Whittle, piano 

Invocation, Reverend Catharine Cummings, Wesley United Methodist Church, Springfield 

“Lift Every Voice and Sing”, James Weldon & J. Rosamond Johnson, Springfield CommUnity Chorale and MLK Festival Orchestra,  Directed by Vanessa Ford and Knieriem

Reflection: The Dream is Calling You, Waleska Lugo-DeJesus

“Glory” by John Legend and Common, Sonido Musica Symphonic Youth Orchestra, Directed by Eleni Yalanis, Karl Knapp, and Chris Moehringer

Greetings from the Commonwealth: The Honorable Charlie Baker, Governor of Massachusetts 

MLK Festival Bucket Drummers, Sonido Musica Program, Directed by Rick Marshall

Greetings from the City, The Honorable Domenic Sarno, Mayor of Springfield 

Dramatic Selection, D.R.E.A.M. Studios, Directed by Benjamin Smith

Greetings from the Senate, State Representative Adam Gomez 

“You’ll Never Walk Alone”, Springfield CommUnity Chorale Gospel Choir, Directed by Vanessa Ford

Oratory Performance, Djongo-Allen Tchaatchouang, Winner of 2019 Senator Edward W. Brooke III Oratorical Competition, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity

Freedom’s Reflection, Enchanted Circle Theater, Directed by Amina Jordan-Mendez

“Adoration” by Florence Price, MLK Festival Orchestra, Directed by Marty Knieriem

Charge of the Day, Ronn Johnson

“We Shall Overcome” by Charles Albert Tindley, Musicians and Singers from Springfield and Beyond

Special Thanks to our MLK Day 2021 Sponsors and Springfield & Holyoke Music Teachers, Principals, and Administration 

Special thanks to Julie Jaron, Springfield Public School Director of Visual & Performing Arts, Mark Todd and Cassi Stewart, Co-Department Chairs, Visual and Performing Arts, Holyoke Public Schools 

CMSS Sonido Musica Teaching Artists, Eleni Yalanis, Director, Ava D’Agostino, Justin Esiason, Jeff Fennell, Joe Jewett, Rachael Jones, Karl Knapp, Yoonhee Ko, Rick Marshall, Olivia Min Noh, Chris Moehringer, Tara Murphy,, Rachel Rivard, Zachary Robarge, Dean Yalanis 

MLK Day 2020 Planning Committee 

Ronn Johnson, Eileen McCaffery, Benjamin Smith, Calvin Hill, Brendon Holland Marty Knieriem, , Lenise Williams, Vanessa Ford, Patricia Bernard, Rick Marshall, Amina Jordan-Mendez, Priscilla Kaye Hellweg, Sierra Simmons, Tye Melendez 

A message from Focus Springfield Executive Director John Abbott:

“To the Viewers and Friends of Focus TV,  we’d like to bring to your attention the Proclamation issued by Governor Baker declaring October 20 as Community Media Day in Massachusetts, saluting the efforts of Community Media stations like Focus and our peers throughout the state for providing information about their Communities that is often unavailable from commercial television news.  This Mission has taken on additional importance during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Since early March of 2020, COVID-19 guidelines have required Focus to restrict access to the studio for our Community Producers, our Staff has been tasked by City Government to provide the Citizens of Springfield with information about the work of City Government Boards and Committees that have continued unabated, despite the COVID-19 restrictions.  Using the Livestream meeting tool on the Internet, Focus has presented over a hundred interactive public meetings, hearings, and public briefings. These events include City Council and School Committee meetings, as well as a variety of less well-known City agencies like the Community Preservation Commission, the License Commission, the Historic Preservation Commission, the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Springfield Parking Authority.

The COVID-19 restrictions on the size of public gatherings eliminated High School graduation ceremonies this Spring. In an attempt to mitigate this damage, Focus worked with the Shcool Department and each of the City’s eight High Schools to produce Virtual Graduations,each ofwhich included a  roll call and a photo of each graduating senior, speeches by class valedictorians, and Greetings from Springfield’s.  Focus placed these virtual graduation ceremonies on our website, where they have been viewed by thousands of Graduates, their families, and friends.”