Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders took the stage at the Mullins Center Monday night for his largest political rally in Western Mass.
The Vermont Senator tackled a number of issues — about a week ahead of the state’s primary.
Western Mass. Remembers Victims of 9/11
REGION (WGGB) — Thirteen years later, and the memory of 9/11 remains strong.
Thursday night — all over Western Massachusetts — those who lost their lives, were remembered.
“It doesn’t get any easier,” explains Mary Trant, who lost her son in the tragedy. “And, not a day goes by that I don’t think of him.”
Trant was playing cards with her friends, when she found out that the Twin Towers had been struck.
“As it turns out, [Daniel] was above where the plane hit,” states Trant. “And he had called his wife and said that he loved her and the children. And, that he was going to try and get down, but he didn’t think there was any way. The smoke was horrendous. And as it had happened, he wasn’t able to get down.”
The Sons of Erin, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Irish heritage, has held an annual memorial to honor Daniel, as well as two other members of the community — Tara Shea Creamer and Brian Murphy.
Family members of all three victims were at Thursday’s memorial in Westfield.
In East Longmeadow, the Fire Department hosted its annual Candlelight Vigil.
Everyone was asked to bring their family and friends — as well as a candle — to join together in a moment of remembrance. Set on the Fire Department’s front lawn, officers and firefighters stood proud as individuals spoke about why this country means so much to them.
This was an emotional tribute to those who served and sacrificed, thirteen years ago.
For the full story and video, click HERE.
40 Force: Parvovirus Clinic Draws-In Hundreds of Dogs & Their Owners
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) — Hundreds of dogs and their owners lined up Wednesday to get the parvovirus vaccination.
40 Force teamed up with the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center to help dogs combat this highly-contagious — and often deadly — illness that has stricken dozens of dogs in the area.
“A dog can get [parvovirus] just walking down the sidewalk or on a park. But you can also carry it on your shoes and clothing. Your dog walks through your footsteps, licks its paws, and ingests the virus,” explains Pam Peebles, Director at T.J.O.
Peebles explains that parvo attacks the intestinal track — this is followed by vomiting and excessive diarrhea. Peebles stresses that once these systems do occur, it is important to see a vet right away.
“I just had him for like a week,” says dog-owner Josie Andino. “And [the previous owner], they didn’t give me the papers, so I’m not sure if he had parvo or not. So when I went to get some information, they told me that around there was parvo… a couple of dogs died already and I said, you know what? I better go and make sure he gets that vaccine.”
Dogs should get a parvo vaccine every year. And for some, this was their first shot.
Despite all of the whimpering and whining, the shot is a simple process. The vaccination is administered under the skin, in the hind leg.
According to the T.J.O., to get rid of the virus, dogs must go through supportive therapy to get fluids back into their system, as well as take antibiotics.
But, the vaccination is the most effective way to protect your dogs against the disease.
For the full story and video, click HERE.
Greek Glendi Kicks-Off This Weekend in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) — St. George Cathedral’s annual Glendi kicked-off Friday night in Springfield.
Glendi — which is a festival that celebrates Greek culture and tradition — is the church’s largest outreach event of the year.
“Preparing for the Glendi really begins the day after Glendi ends,” explained Father Christopher Stamas, the parish’s priest.
The Glendi Committee meets nine months prior to the event. This gives the church time to pick a date and hire necessary help.
This year, over 200 members of the community have volunteered. Many of them, inherited this tradition from their families.
Stephany Scliopou was raised in Springfield, and has been involved with St. George’s Glendi for 29 years.
“We’re kind of born into the Glendi,” Scliopou says.
Greek food and delicacies, traditional jewelry and accessories — all part of the festivities. And for those who want a true “Greek experience,” live music and dancers perform daily.
The parish estimates this year to be the largest, with 10,000 people expected to walk through the doors.
Father Stamas says everyone looks forward to the event every year because it lets everyone feel “a little bit Greek for the weekend.”
For the full story and video, click HERE.
W. Springfield Man’s Inspiring Fight with Rare Form of Muscular Dystrophy
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) — Wayne Cardillo was only a child when he realized the muscles in his feet, all the way up to the tops of his toes, weren’t working the way they were supposed to.
“This was a long time ago, and I think nobody really didn’t know what it was then,” Cardillo recounts. “My mother took me to the doctor, and they never had a real diagnosis.”
After being referred to a specialist in Connecticut, Cardillo learned that he has Laing Distal Myopathy.
“It’s very rare. Apparently there’s only like 25 [people] who have been diagnosed with it in the world,” Cardillo adds.
Laing Distal Myopathy is a form of Muscular Dystrophy — a group of hereditary disorders that cause weakness, due to structural problems with the muscles.
“The weakness can involve their arms, their hands, their legs, their feet, even their neck sometimes. But the weakness can also involve their breathing muscles, their heart, and their swallowing,” explains Doctor Anant Shenoy, a Neurologist at Baystate Medical Center who also helps run the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Clinic.
The MDA Clinic at Baystate meets once a month, and provides patients with the opportunity to see all of their doctors — in just one appointment.
“It’s a multi-disciplinary clinic, meaning we have the neurologist here, we’ll also have physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, we’ll also have nutrition here. And, we call it the one-stop shopping because people can come in, and stay in the same room.”
Doctor Shenoy says this “one-stop shopping” is important — especially for someone with mobility issues, who may not be able to visit the hospital several times a month.
Cardillo has not needed to utilize all of the services provided by the MDA Clinic, but he does attend physical therapy once a year for one month.
“It kind of helps me maintain more than anything else because this condition is slowly progressive,” says Cardillo.
Doctor Shenoy calls Cardillo’s story an “inspiration” because of his resilience and positive attitude.
Cardillo only recently stopped working in August 2013, after being a Librarian in the Springfield Public Schools for many years. Cardillo had to retire due to challenges with his balance.
For the full story and video, click HERE.
“Ask Alex” Column for I’mperfect Magazine
In this week’s Ask Alex, I give advice (and words of encouragement) to one “Unmotivated” reader.
I’mperfect is an up-and-coming online magazine, focused on promoting healthy lifestyles for women. I am the writer behind “Ask Alex,” a column designed to answer all reader questions about self-confidence and inner beauty.
Dear Alex,
This summer I decided that I was finally going to get in shape. I have never been the athletic type, but I want to keep my body healthy and that includes regular exercise. I decided to start running, but I’m having trouble motivating myself to actually start. Honestly, it’s very difficult for me to “be my own boss.” This problem extends into other areas of my life too. How can I motivate myself to do difficult things that are important to me?
Hoping you can help,
Unmotivated
Dear Unmotivated,
The idea of working out can be completely nauseating. And to be honest, the act of working out can also be nauseating. You can’t help but ask yourself, “Why on earth do people do this?” You become exhausted, sweaty, and sore (especially in the beginning). But I promise, once you start becoming more active, the more quickly you’ll realize why getting in shape is so vital to our well beings.
I first want to commend you for taking the initiative to get healthy. That, for real, is the hardest part – just getting those sneakers on, pushing yourself to get out the door, and fighting those inner thoughts telling you that you can “just run tomorrow.” Because one day won’t kill you, right? But the truth is, the more you enable that “lazy” mentality, the less likely you are to accomplish your goal.
There are many things in life that are important, but insanely difficult to achieve. I want you to find your pieces of motivation – whether it’s a picture of rock-hard abs or a vision of this outstanding career and future. The more you can visualize and physically see your goals, the more you will be willing to fight for them. Always remember, dreams are only intangible when we’re not willing to put in the effort to make them a reality.
So, define those goals. “I want to start running.” But, how far do you want to be able to run? Do you want to run a mile without being out-of-breath; do you want to run a 5K with friends; etc.? Set expectations for yourself. Because once you do, you will be more likely to succeed. No one ever wants to let him or herself down – that can be one of the worst feelings in the world; but if you use that as motivation, you will only work harder to ensure that it won’t happen.
Being your own boss is never an easy feat. It’s always way more convenient to keep status quo and live an ordinary, normal life. But, why not be extraordinary? Why not set out to accomplish everything you could ever want and more? What’s really stopping you from being the smartest, the fittest, and the most gorgeous (on the outside AND the inside)?
I get it. It’s hard. But, we can’t sit back hoping that things in our life will just magically happen. Because one day, we’ll wake up and realize that all we ever did was a whole lot of waiting. Get up onto your feet. Hit that pavement. Become the “athletic” type. Prove to yourself (and everyone around you) that putting your mind to something, maintaining a positive attitude, and working hard every single day, is the key to success.
No one, and nothing, is stopping you. Just the voice inside your head saying it’s okay to stop. Or, to not try. Unmotivated, I know you can do it. It’s a matter of letting yourself believe that you really can, too.
xoxo Alex
Have a problem? Ask Alex!
Alex is here to give you the advice you need to help you feel more confident, healthy, and gorgeous. Email your question/letter to ask.alex@aol.com for Alex’s answer to appear on i’mperfect magazine.
WJPZ-FM Weekend News Updates
This past weekend, I did two live news updates for WJPZ-FM in Syracuse.
For my “89 Seconds of News” spot on Saturday, I chatted about the scandals surrounding U.S. Olympian Tyson Gay and Los Angeles Clippers Owner Donald Sterling, as well as the upcoming releases on Netflix and (of course) the Kentucky Derby.
On Sunday, I reported on “Nerd Prom,” Condoleezza Rice’s recent Facebook post, the latest on the General Motors recalls, and the newest update to Snap Chat.
The George Plavocos Award, Newhouse Undergraduate Awards
It is an honor to have won the George Plavocos Radio Achievement Award. This award, presented by the Newhouse School, recognizes a student who has made the most significant creative contribution in the field of radio.
I could not feel more humbled by this award. George Plavocos was an influential leader in the world of broadcasting, and I am thrilled to follow in his footsteps.
Reporter & Anchor Reel
My official reporter and anchor reel is complete.
I have included within this reel breaking news stand-ups, packages I have produced, and anchor spots.
New Girl’s Schmidt Returns to His Alma Mater
He has this smile that’s contagious.
His presence has this ability to light up a room. While he’s only a character, Schmidt was very much alive at last night’s “Schmidt at S.U.” event.
Actor Max Greenfield, from the hit Fox sitcom “New Girl,” visited Syracuse University to deliver a premature – err, commencement – speech to the class of 2014. “You can try and plan, but it never works out the way you think it will,” Greenfield joked. “Aren’t you guys good at that broadcast thing?”
Greenfield kept up this dysfunctional commencement-style of speech for about twenty minutes, trying to impart as much wisdom upon the students as possible. “I don’t think there’s an answer to any of it.” While his remarks garnered laughter from the student body, his words actually carried some weight. “It all works out.”
Not bad advice for seniors entering the real world in a matter of weeks, right?
In all seriousness, the character of Schmidt is particularly important to the Syracuse University community. Why, you might ask? Because Schmidt attended S.U. as a Television, Radio, & Film major and often makes Central New York references throughout the show.
So, naturally, it was exciting to host “one of our own” back at their alma mater – despite being completely rooted in fiction.
After hilarious, breath-grasping banter, Greenfield wanted to hear from the students. For forty minutes, he answered questions about the show’s plot line (trying to not reveal too much, of course); his own personal life, which eventually led to him singing parts of “Let It Go” from “Frozen”; and even took a selfie with one lucky fan. “Now all of you can’t ask for selfies too, okay?” Greenfield remarked.
With every question, came a very familiar, Schmidt-like answer. One fan, who openly admitted to how nervous she was, meekly asked: “What’s it like being so devilishly handsome?” This was quickly followed by a smile and a subtle laugh behind the podium in Goldstein Auditorium. “It’s the burden I have to bear,” Greenfield said. “I wake up every morning and say, how am I going to live like this?”
But one of the most interesting answers came from the most ordinary question. “What drew you to the character of Schmidt?” In an unaffected tone, Greenfield replied: “It was a job.” That’s it, nothing more.
Greenfield went on to explain that he “didn’t work much” leading up to “New Girl,” so just landing a role, was more than enough. “But now, this has been my life for the past three years.”
Through the way he spoke, the audience could sense his unyielding gratitude towards the opportunities “New Girl” has afforded him. In a very humble tone, he stated: “[Speaking at S.U.] has to be one of the coolest things I have ever done.” And this, was possibly one of the coolest things Greenfield (and Schmidt) could have done for Syracuse University.
It felt as though, even just for one night, that he was part of the campus family. And to us, it was so good to welcome him home.
EVA ZYMARIS 