This is a special feature of the panel “Journeys Home: Perspectives on Immigration”, recorded on Wednesday, June 7th at Heritage State Park Visitors Center.

The panelists are: Attorney Megan Kludt, an immigration lawyer from Curran & Berger, LLP, in Northampton. Professor Raul Gutierrez, a local Professor of Spanish at Holyoke Community College and a Mexican immigrant. Marikler Toensmeier, manager at the WayFinders office in Holyoke and an honoree of Immigrant Heritage Month. Lastly, Eduardo Samaniego is an undocumented immigrant who is attending Hampshire College and is working for the Pioneer Valley Workers Center in Northampton.

Mayor Alex Morse has partnered with Wistariahurst Museum to bring a month-long series of events to the City of Holyoke for Immigrant Heritage Month.

Holyoke Herald staff reporters Feroze Sibdhanny and Owen Lavelle, report on some of the most relevant topics of this week at Holyoke High.

Immigration makes Holyoke. June is Immigrant Heritage Month in Holyoke, MA and the City is celebrating its people, diversity, and multi-cultural heritage. Marikler Giron Toensmeier is from Guatemala, and also, one of the honorees by the Mayor at the opening event of this month long celebration. On this conversation recorded in the streets of Downtown Holyoke, during her Monday-noon walk, we got to know more about Marikler's story as immigrant.

Lighthouse Holyoke is a special place. A place to inspire, guide, explore, experiment, learn, share, engage with the community, and giving back.

After two years of a successful development, Josiah Litant, Co-Director of Lighthouse Holyoke, shares the story of how this alternative for education started.

Holyoke Herald Staff Reporters Owen Lavelle and Feroze Sibddhany, report on the winners of the MelvaAwards Ceremony, celebrated at Holyoke High School on May 23rd, recognizing the best work by staff reporters of the Holyoke Herald, and their achievements in journalism.

The Great Holyoke Brick Race is a unique event, like no other in the world. It's simple: using a brick, participants have to add wheels and figure out ways to make it run the fastest possible, using gravity, and the combination of aerodynamics, engineering, physics, design, art, and most important, having fun. Our guests are Bruce Fowler and Dean Nimmer, creators of the Holyoke Brick Race, talking about the race story and development.

The City of Holyoke celebrates Immigrant Heritage Month during June of 2017. Mayor Alex Morse shares the details of the activities planned for this celebration, in collaboration with the Wistariahurst Museum.

The City of Holyoke Office of Planning and Economic Development, celebrated a Public Engagement Session to present the plans for the development of the Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway - Cabot Street Connector. This public meeting took place at El Mercado in 413 Main St. on May 18th, 2017. This is the recording of the session.

For more information and contact regarding this project, you can visit: www.holyokeredevelopment.com

Feroze Sibdhanny and Owen Lavelle, from The Holyoke Herald, interview Tessa Murphy-Romboletti, Manager of the SPARK Program, an entrepreneurial series of classes, workshops, tools, and network of business-oriented support for the community in Holyoke.

Marcos Marrero is the Director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development for the City of Holyoke. He is our guest on this session, sharing information about the Connecticut RiverWalk and Bikeway - Cabot Street Corridor, that will connect the Willimansett Bridge in South Holyoke, to the Canal Walk on Race St. Also, he invites the community to participate in a Public Engagement Session, and bring their ideas, suggestions, concerns, questions, and feedback.