Lunchtime with Lesser

If you live in Western Mass, you’ve seen the large grey planes in the sky – or if you haven’t seen them you certainly have heard them. Westover Air Force base in Chicopee and the C-5 plane that calls the base home are intrical parts to the U.S. military’s operations – but the base and the thousands of reservists that come to it every month are also major economic drivers for the Western Mass economy. In honor of Veteran’s Day I sat down with Colonel Joseph D. Janik, Commander of the 439th Airlift Wing, and Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) Rosaline R. Ratliff, Command Chief at Westover to discuss how important Westover is to our region. This is that conversation.

If you follow this podcast, you know that the constant theme is the inequality between Western Mass and Eastern Mass -- and now a new report from Massachusetts Auditor Suzanne Bump shows in dollars and cents how Western Mass continues to get left behind, especially when it comes to infrastructure spending. Eric spoke with Auditor Bump about the report and the changes we need to make to state law to ensure that all regions of our Commonwealth can grow together. This is that conversation.

If you are listening to this podcast, you’ve probably heard Eric talk once or twice -- or a million times about the need for East-West rail connecting Boston to Springfield. When Eric first ran for office many called this idea impossible, but we’ve come a long way since then. Last week he spoke with Kimberly Robinson of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission & Lyle Wray from the Capitol Region Council of Governments in Connecticut the new East-West Rail Ridership Forecast and what it means for the project going forward. This is that conversation

The Spirit of Springfield is an organization build around bringing people together in the spirit of community celebration, but like everything else that had to do with the convening of people, COVID-19 put the organizations very existence at risk. Eric spoke with Spirit of Springfield President Judy Matt about how the organization survived the worst of the pandemic and how Bright Nights and the many other events they put on made a roaring comeback, with just a few precautions in place. This is that conversation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended everything we thought we knew about education. From quickly being thrust into remote learning in March of last year, to a return to the classroom in a new normal this fall, it’s been a challenge for students, teachers, and parents alike.

Now imagine you’re in charge of figuring all of this out for one of the largest school districts in Western, Mass. Oh – and you’re a new Superintendent whose only been on the job a month. That’s what happened to Chicopee Superintendent Lyn Clark. We talked about that and what the road looks like ahead in a very different world than when she started in February of 2020. This is that conversation.

For the longest time, student loans and services perplexed borrowers with terms that constantly changed and practices designed to put borrowers at a disadvantage. That’s why I’m 2017 I authored the Student Loan Bill of Rights, and after years of trying to pass it, this spring, Massachusetts was finally able to make the Student Loan Bill of Rights law. It regulates borrowing services and establishes a position designed to help students now and in the future. I spoke with Attorney General Maura Healey, whose office is hosting the position, about It and what we can expect of the bill of rights going forward and how borrowers can get help -- this is that conversation.

Juneteenth marks the day enslaved people in Texas learned of their emancipation, the last occurrence in the United States to mark the end of slavery within the country. As a holiday, it is a remembrance of historical inequalities and should officially acknowledge the continuing commitment being made towards achieving true equality. Eric spoke this week with Janine Fondon, chair of undergrad communications and President/CEO of unityfirst.com about her push to make Juneteenth an official state holiday -- this is that conversation.

In recent years, we’ve seen an alarming rise in hate crimes affecting people across all communities and regions. In Western Mass, there have been three separate large-scale attacks alone in the last year. Through their programs, advocacy, and community relations, organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League work to make sure no member of any community has to fear for their lives now or in the future. Eric spoke with Robert Trestan, Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League of New England, about continuing to ensure the safety of our communities through initiatives and increased funding – this is that conversation.

In June 2015, America rejoiced as the Supreme Court ruled in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage across the nation. But such a history came with the knowledge of battles long fought and many lost without the opportunity to see such a victory. In reality, the issue of same-sex marriage has been debated for over 25 years, a cyclical argument of the legitimacy of its legalization. Eric spoke with political reporter and author Sasha Issenberg about the history he chronicles in his latest book The Engagement: America’s Quarter-Century Struggle Over Same-Sex Marriage and the role Massachusetts played in being the first state to legalize same-sex marriage – this is that conversation.

For so many other countries, rail travel is mainstream – you can get inexpensive train tickets in the blink of an eye, get to your destination at practically any time of day, and in some places, just going to the station itself is an experience. We’ve long talked about the benefits of East-West rail, but an equally important relationship for Western Mass is the Connecticut Valley. The Hartford line on CT rail has been a big success and if we do it infrastructure improvements right, we can build on its success and seize the economic opportunity improved rail service across New England could bring. This week, I sat down with my friend and Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin to talk about what all that could mean for our region – this is that conversation.