Area briefs: I-91N to close at Exit 14 in Holyoke; Mount Holyoke panel to discuss election; Paper City Food Festival coming up

Students walk to the Mount Holyoke College.

Students walk to the Mount Holyoke College. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

Published: 10-14-2024 3:34 PM

I-91N to close overnight at Exit 14 in Holyoke

HOLYOKE — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing that Interstate 91 northbound will be closed at Exit 14 in Holyoke on Tuesday, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for lighting work. During this time, all vehicles will be required to exit at Exit 14, cross Cherry Street, and re-enter I-91 northbound via the on-ramp at Cherry Street.

Appropriate signage and messaging will be in place to guide drivers through the detour route. Drivers traveling through the affected area should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution.

All scheduled work is weather dependent and subject to change without notice.

Mount Holyoke panel to discuss 2024 election

SOUTH HADLEY — Mount Holyoke College is hosting a panel, “What to Expect in the 2024 US Elections,” that will offer diverse perspectives on this November’s elections from the global to the local level and their implications for the future of politics and policy. The event will be held Tuesday, Oct. 22, 5 p.m., in Gamble Auditorium.

The panel, which is free and open to the public, features scholars and practitioners of law, politics, international relations and the policy process. Panel members include Mount Holyoke President Danielle R. Holley, Massachusetts state Sen. Jacob Oliveira, Mount Holyoke Professor of Politics Adam Hilton and Professor of Politics and International Relations Christopher Mitchell and Cyrus Vance, and visiting professor in international relations Asha Castleberry-Hernandez.

The panel is sponsored by the Department of Politics and the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives and co-sponsored by the Office of the President, Office of the Provost and Dean of Faculty, the Weissman Center for Leadership, and the Department of International Relations.

Paper City Food Festival coming up

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HOLYOKE — The Greater Holyoke Chamber and Invertir Holyoke welcome back the Paper City Food Festival for its fourth year, promising a weekend filled with delicious cuisine, local businesses and community spirit. Set to take place this weekend, Oct. 19-20, this year’s festival will showcase the rich culinary diversity of the region, featuring a wide array of food vendors, live entertainment and family-friendly activities.

Local chefs, artisans and food enthusiasts will gather in a family-friendly environment on High Street at High and Suffolk. With over a dozen food vendors offering everything from gourmet street food to artisan desserts, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Enjoy performances by local bands and artists, providing the perfect soundtrack to your culinary adventure.

Proceeds from the event will go directly to a family in Holyoke impacted by cancer. The event will honor Rich Perez, a dedicated community leader for youth, who has been battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. There will be a walk in support of the Perez family.

For more information, or to register as a vendor, sponsor, or walk, visit holyokechamber.com/pcff.

PVPA to hold supplemental lottery

SOUTH HADLEY — Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School (PVPA) has reopened the application for the current 2024/2025 school year for Grades 7, 9, 10 and 11. A special lottery will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 17, with accepted students beginning to attend PVPA at the beginning of the second semester, on or around Jan. 23, 2025.

PVPA offers an arts-focused, college preparatory education, with over 70 arts classes in dance, music, theater and visual arts available to students in grades 7-12. As a public charter school, enrollment in PVPA is free and open to all Massachusetts students, no audition is required.

Applications can be submitted until the deadline on Dec. 15 at 11:59 p.m. Applications are available at pvpa.org/admissions.org. The lottery will be open to the public via a Zoom link that will be shared on the PVPA website, and emailed to all applicants.

All interested families are welcome to visit the school for a tour. Available dates and registration can be found at www.pvpa.org/admissions.