Eesha Williams's Blog, page 80
December 6, 2017
Nurses Win
About 130 nurses in Westfield, Massachusetts voted to approve a new union contract. Westfield borders Holyoke. The nurses work at Noble hospital.
“We are proud of this agreement and what it will mean for our quality of patient care,” said Pam Fournier, one of the nurses. “By standing together, we were able to successfully negotiate a fair contract that values the patient care nurses provide and respects our contribution to the hospital.”
November 29, 2017
Keene Activists Fight Fracking
In Keene, activists marched to stop a proposed fracked gas pipeline. They won last year when the pipeline was canceled. Now the activists are fighting a plan by the corporation that holds the city monopoly for gas used for heating buildings to switch from propane to fracked gas. Both are fossil fuels that cause climate change. “But fracked gas is full of chemicals that are even worse for people's health,” Terry Clark told the Valley Post in a telephone interview on November 25, 2017. He is a...
November 22, 2017
Local News Roundup
Nearly 800 acres of land will probably be protected from development, 74 workers are forming a union, and activists had at least a temporary victory stopping a billion dollar bank from evicting a poor family from its home.
November 21, 2017
Red Molly Northampton Concert
Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner, and Molly Venter, collectively known as Red Molly, will perform at the Parlor Room in Northampton on March 29 at 8 p.m. You can hear one of their songs at www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mM312YYAlw. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door.
November 16, 2017
Blues Concert is November 25
Roomful of Blues will play at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on November 25 at 7 p.m. In a positive review, Down Beat magazine, which has been published every month since 1934, said Roomful of Blues is “in a class by itself.” The band will play concerts next month in Washington, DC and in California in April. You can hear their music at www.roomful.com.
Photos: Snowy Owl in the Valley
These photos of a snowy owl in New Salem, Massachusetts were taken on November 11. New Salem borders Pelham, which borders Amherst. Snowy owls are the heaviest owls in North America. They come to the Valley in winter; in summer they live in the Arctic.
To enlarge a photo, click on it, then scroll down and click "see full size image." These photos were taken by Joe Oliverio. To contact him to buy prints, e-mail him at joeoliverio@comcast.net or visit his web site www.JoeOliverioPhotography.co...
November 15, 2017
Blues Concert is November 25
Roomful of Blues will play at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on November 25 at 7 p.m. In a positive review, Down Beat magazine, which has been published every month since 1934, said Roomful of Blues is “in a class by itself.” The band will play concerts next month in Washington, DC and in California in April. You can hear their music at www.roomful.com.
Workers Win
In a major win for workers' rights in the Valley, 230 school bus drivers and associated workers formed a union. "I support the union. Consistency between five towns and three garages is the main issue. There are five different towns being run five different ways," Annette LeBlanc told the Valley Post. For about five years, she has been a bus driver at the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative. “I am hopeful. But we’ve got a lot of work to do before we are finished.”
