Western Mass Gets $13M in Federal Funding

• $1,110,661 for the renovation and expansion of the Jones Library in Amherst.
• $465,000 for Springfield Museum's "Biomes Around the World" to upgrade the wildlife exhibits.
• $150,000 for Red Gate Farm in Ashfield to complete the construction of a new student housing facility and dining hall.
• $2,854,800 to bring Chicopee's wastewater plant in compliance with new nitrogen removal standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state.
• $975,000 for the town of Montague and Turners Falls Avenue to restore an ADA compliant, pedestrian-oriented streetscape to the state-designated Cultural District, a major hub for retail, dining, and entertainment. 
• $450,000 for the Franklin Regional Council of Governments in Franklin County to replace the region's aging analog public safety radio system and another $165,000 to research methods on retaining and recruiting police offers.
• $1,280,000 for Agawam to replace the White Brook culvert under North Street.
• $2,000,000 for Holyoke's River Terrace sewer and stormwater project.
• $640,000 for the Gándara Center in Springfield to increase access to behavioral health services for individuals experiencing substance use disorders and serious mental illness.
• $1 million for Girls Inc. of the Valley in Holyoke to purchase and renovate a new permanent headquarters to ensure more than 1,000 girls from marginalized communities in Holyoke, Springfield, and Chicopee have access to educational resources. 

DiLego Jewelry to Close After Nearly 100 Years in Business

By Daniel MatziBerkshires correspondent
05:28AM / Tuesday, May 07, 2024

Sisters Pamela Costine, left, and Cynthia Lamore have been operating the store since their aunts retired in 1987. Both started working in the business as teens.  Lamore's decided it's time to retire. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — DiLego Jewelery Store, the family-owned business that has been a staple of North Adams for nearly a century, will be closing this summer. 

 

The closure was announced on the store's Facebook page late Sunday night, where it immediately drew comments of remembrance and well-wishing.

 

Cindy Lamore, whose great uncle Frank DiLego opened the store on Main Street in the late 1930s, said the shop will cease operations following her retirement, slated for June 30. A 20 percent off Mother's Day sale will begin immediately, with increasing discounts leading up to the closing date.

 

It took Lamore "a couple of years" to reach the decision to close. Witnessing the passing of lifelong friends or their struggles with debilitating illness prompted her to reconsider her priorities, especially considering the extensive time devoted to running a small business. 

 

"You really question what you're waiting for," she reflected.

 

While recognizing that changing consumer habits have led to a decrease in jewelry and watch sales in recent years, Lamore stressed that her decision to close was a personal one. She and her business partner and sister, Pamela Costine, wanted "to do it on our terms," she said.

 

Comments on Facebook praised the store's customer service, and friends, family, and customers alike reminisced about buying jewelry for special occasions, stopping in for watch repairs, and the perennial rite of childhood for many: getting ears pierced.