On July 1, 1894 the West Village and the East Village of Longmeadow, MA separated into 2 towns- Longmeadow and East Longmeadow. Once again, in early 1894 a petition had been sent to the State Legislature for the division. It passed. Massachusetts Gov. Frederic T. Greenhalge signed the Bill for the separation on May 22nd of that year. It did not require a vote of town voters.

Peter Loizzo, the owner and operator of By Design Landscape Concepts has lived in Longmeadow all his life, and after he received his degree in Environmental Design and Plant and Soil Science, it was only logical that he start his business and further beautify the town he raised his family in.

Since 1989, By Design Landscape Concepts has been transforming landscapes all over the Pioneer Valley, but for Peter, it’s more than a job.

The Storrs name is a recognizable one in the life of Longmeadow’s residents today because of the important role of the Storrs Library in our community. But how did the library come to be called the Richard Salter Storrs Library? It may surprise some to learn that it is a woman, Sarah Storrs, who is behind the founding of Longmeadow’s town library.

5 Important Values to Teach Your Kids

Enjoy every moment. Stop and smell the roses. Count your blessings.

These wise words of wisdom are part of our vocabulary and ingrained in our culture, but when you’re carting kids around town, trying to make a living, and just generally caught up in daily life, the art of practicing mindfulness can quickly take a back seat.

As the mother of a toddler, I always hear “it goes by so fast, enjoy every second.” And trust me, I believe it…the last two years have flown by. But when I’m changing a diaper or chasing my son down the street, I don’t always have my appreciation hat on.

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’d like to share a few tips we can use this time of year, and in our everyday lives, to slow things down just a bit. Full disclosure: these are brought to you via extensive research, err Googling. While I have not yet put all of these into practice, I do plan to give them a try.

Do You Remember The Community Market?

Varna Naik began math tutoring more than a decade ago, and realized how rampant “math anxiety” was in our society - she saw a need to create a space for students to ease themselves into Math - and from there, InfinityEd was born.

“Little ol’ me, at a wee age of 18, didn’t understand that these [Math Anxiety] struggles existed; it burst my bubble and forced me into the real world,” said Naik. “Further, it showed me why folks have so many life problems: poverty, debt, and other financial struggles. My experiences in community college solidified into a conclusion: mathematics, as a core foundational skill that teaches critical thinking and creative problems solving, is neither taught nor learned properly. As such, some people struggle their whole lives with no way of breaking free from their circumstances.”

In an effort to combat the growing concern of youth substance use, the community of Longmeadow began rallying together in 2016 to implement comprehensive prevention measures. Recognizing the critical importance of safeguarding their young population, Longmeadow Public Schools helped to develop CLOSE Community, the Coalition of Longmeadow Organizing Substance Education for the Community—led by caring volunteers including parents, educators, health care providers, grandparents, students, police officers, clergy, business owners & civic volunteers.

With the school year starting, we wanted to share a few tips to help you and your family handle the transition to another year at school. Jeff Londraville is the author of The Filter, and has worked for decades in education.

5 Important Values to Teach Your Kids

Storrs Library gives you access to bunches, boatloads, buckets, and bushels of beguiling books and materials. We can even help you get access to the Boston Public Library (BPL) system. Wait! Drop those car keys and take off those boots. No need to drive across any slushy streets to get to Boston. The BPL is as close as your nearest computer.

Many of us here at Storrs Library love reading before going to bed, and we bet you do too. Did you know Storrs offers a digital resource that will allow you to read thousands of ebooks and digital magazines, or play an e-audiobook on nearly any device? If you’re tired of propping up a copy of A Tale of Two Cities on a pillow, you can instead be lulled to sleep listening to it read aloud. Intrigued? It’s time to download Libby.

Many of us here at Storrs Library love reading before going to bed, and we bet you do too. Did you know Storrs offers a digital resource that will allow you to read thousands of ebooks and digital magazines, or play an e-audiobook on nearly any device? If you’re tired of propping up a copy of A Tale of Two Cities on a pillow, you can instead be lulled to sleep listening to it read aloud. Intrigued? It’s time to download Libby.

There are many patients across the country waiting to receive an organ transplant. Donors can be both living and deceased. It is an incredible act to consider being an organ donor for someone in need. You can truly save a person’s life, in more ways than one. As a patient with chronic liver disease awaiting a liver transplant, please listen to my story and consider organ donation.

Temperature’s rising, skin’s flaky and dry Can’t see Vancouver, can’t barely fly Drumsticks so heavy, go grab some bread I wish I was a baby, or a poult or an egg Dry turkey has got me on the run for some mayo or some mustard or some gravy or some custard.

The April issue offered a discussion of the history of Bliss and Laurel Parks 70 years ago, ending in 1952 with the collapse of “the Pump” as the Town’s summer watering hole and the opening of the Bliss Park Pool. Today, the parklands remain a sanctuary in the middle of our Town.

Sugar rations during WWII landed American snackers to eat three times more popcorn. The salacious scribe, the paradise pear pundit, pasta maker David Bow Tie described this time period as “Corns gold rush” and the golden age of popcorn. Meanwhile, the research and development teams at Hauer Gang brands developed Pelican Briefs, it was rumored that this short form fitting turned the tide.

On any given day, the 81 acres of Bliss and Laurel Parks provide Longmeadow residents with a place for respite and recreation. They are a legacy gift, first envisioned as the community’s water supply district. The district, established by a 2/3rds Town vote in 1894 and advanced by a State Legislative Act in 1895 for land taking, comprises six parcels.

Sprong sprengs as spring sprang and sprung. If you received Richard Quickley’s pamphlet Get Rich Quick in the mail, you’ll receive Got Rich Quick really soon. Every time I go near the monkey cages at the zoo I step in Rhesus pieces. The agony and ecstasy of painting one’s bathroom is like an Edy’s pie, so take a bite. Lemon shark sounds delicious, I wonder if they contain a high level of Vitamin C?

Tattler the Rattler slid while snaking the entire time. In a constant search for a mild rue lullaby, he decided to settle near the bayou. Ophidians do not have outer or inner ear bones so they all have to buy or make mask straps if they want to catch a Blue Heron flight.

The Longmeadow Lathe Masquerade & The Northampton Nail Masticators are the two finalists in the Valentine’s Day Massacre Film Festival. Screening for the The VDMFF will take place on the back of a giant floating tortoise or online. The winner will receive an entry at Cannes and the runner up will receive the corn horned diamond in the ruff eagle nest of distinction.

If you’re unable to enjoy cake by the ocean this winter, enjoy the marshmallow world around you. With snow covered whipped cream days, don’t freeze among the evergreen trees, & bundle up so you don’t sneeze.

December is ripe with many overlooked food holidays. Embrace a healthy lifestyle and Eat a Red Apple Day on December 1st before National Fritters Day on the 2nd. Cotton Candy Day is the 7th and brownies bring in the 8th. Special weapons and tactics; SWAT may be needed to shoo gnats on Fruitcake Day, (Dec. 27). Happy gnats prefer red wine to spiked seltzer or other lower grade libations.