STATE REP. DONALD HUMASON JR.
The newest installment of my cable show “From the State House to Your House” is now on air. My guests this month are Susan West and Lee Mendoza.
Susan West is the executive director at the Carson Center for Human Services and Lee Mendoza works at the Carson Center as a peer counselor. During the show, we discuss the important mental health services that the Carson Center provides to those who live in the Greater Westfield area.
The half hour program airs on Westfield’s Community Programming Channel, Channel 15, on Sundays at 4:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m., Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., and Fridays at 2:30 p.m.
The annual Westfield Fair is this weekend up at the fairgrounds on Russellville Road. It’s a great Westfield traditional that brings in people from all over western Mass. I go every year. I’ll be there on Saturday afternoon. Maybe I’ll see you there, too.
A month ago, on Saturday, July 13, I did a column called “TRIVIA CONTEST.”
I asked people to “Please email your answers to me at [email protected] or snail mail them to me by July 31 at my Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085.” I said I would pick at random from all the correct entries I receive and the winner will get a new Massachusetts state flag that has been flown over the State House.
Only 8 of you submitted responses. I was kind of disappointed. Maybe the questions were too hard or maybe folks were too busy enjoying their summer vacation to want to strain the brain and answer the questions.
I got some very good answers but there was only one person who answered every one of the questions correctly. The winner of the Massachusetts state flag is Robin Yelle. I will send Robin an email with the good news and set up a time to deliver the flag.
Below are the questions with the answers printed in bold. See how many you know.
1) What is the largest body of water within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts?
The Quabbin Reservoir.
2) Bay State native Samuel Morse invented the electric telegraph based on Morse code, a simple pattern of “dots” and “dashes”. Samuel Morse was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts. What year did he invent the Morse Code?
1835 or 1836.
3) Voters recently elected a new United States Senator by a special election here in Massachusetts. What is the name of that person? Who was the interim Senator?
Senator Edward Markey, a former Massachusetts Congressman.
The interim senator was appointed by Governor Deval Patrick and was Patrick’s Chief of Staff William “Mo” Cowan.
4) Old Ironsides is the nickname for what object that can be found near the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, Massachusetts?
The USS Constitution, America’s oldest commissioned warship.
5) Who was the first Governor of Massachusetts elected by the citizens of the Commonwealth? And who is the only Governor who was from Westfield?
While John Winthrop was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, it was John Hancock who was the first to be elected governor by the people after Massachusetts became a state of the fledgling United States of America.
The only governor from Westfield was Joseph Buell Ely. I wrote my column about him a few years ago.
6) Under the Missouri Compromise of 1820, Massachusetts and this state became two separate states. Before then, the other state was considered part of Massachusetts. Which state is it?
Maine. The original Bulfinch State House contained columns carved from Maine pine trees.
7) Back in 1998, in preparation for the 200th anniversary of the State House that was designed and built by Boston architect Charles Bullfinch, what renovation to the capitol building cost $300,000?
The re-gilding of “the Golden Dome” with 23k gold.
8) What animal is the mascot of the Massachusetts House of Representatives?
I received a number of answers including whale. But my favorite was “the weasel.” The correct answer is “The Sacred Cod.”
9) It opened its doors in Westfield in 1910. It celebrated its 100th birthday in 2010. It was originally built as a place where tuberculosis patients went to recuperate and to prevent outbreaks of the disease. What is it?
Western Massachusetts Hospital on East Mountain Road in Westfield.
10) In the year 2019, what event will be celebrated by the city of Westfield?
The 350th anniversary of the founding of the town of Westfield in 1669.
Bonus Questions:
11) My first Legislative Aide, Joe Wynn, recently opened a business in downtown Westfield. What is it?
Two Rivers Burrito Company at 36 Elm Street. Telephone number 579-5469.
12) Which legislator recently tied with fellow Western Mass Representative Peter Kocot for Second Place in the Best Beard in the Massachusetts state legislature? Two hints: The legislator is a guy, thank goodness, and he writes a weekly column for the Westfield News.
The answer, of course, is me, Representative Don Humason! The first place winner was Boston Representative Byron Rushing.
Hope you are enjoying your summer. Have a great week!
Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Maura Cassin McCarthy may be reached at their Westfield District Office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, (413) 568-1366.
Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803.
Email address: [email protected]
Website: www.DonHumason.org
