Executive Office of Veterans Services Announces Statewide Logo Redesign Contest

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BOSTON — The Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS) announced the launch of a statewide logo redesign contest to visually represent the mission of the recently elevated Cabinet Secretariat.  
 
On March 1, Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kimberley Driscoll unveiled the formation of the Commonwealth's new Executive Office of Veterans Services. This elevation raised the Department of Veterans' Services to a Cabinet-level Secretariat. Over the past six months, the Executive Office of Veterans Services has undergone a significant transformation with regard to departments and programs under its umbrella, including overseeing our two Massachusetts Veterans Homes. 
 
These changes call for a logo rebranding effort to match a new vision, mission, and set of core values. As a result, the Executive Office is seeking input from the public.  
 
EOVS Secretary Jon Santiago, a US Army Reserve Major who has served two tours overseas, explains: "We are at a pivotal juncture where our logo needs to mirror the diversity of today’s veterans, whose service spans eras from World War II to Afghanistan. The new EOVS logo should embody transparency, accountability, and our mission to 'honorably serve those who served us.'" 
 
The current EOVS logo features a minuteman, symbolizing the Massachusetts militia dating back to the mid-18th century. The contest, launching on September 6, 2023, invites participation from all Massachusetts residents aged 18+. All designers are encouraged to channel their creativity into a logo that encapsulates the camaraderie, resilience, and sacrifices of veterans, both past and present. 
 
All designs must be submitted by Oct. 4, 2023. 
 
"We are eager to witness the outpouring of talent and dedication as Massachusetts residents contribute to shaping a symbol that embodies the true essence of our veterans and their families," said Secretary Santiago.  

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Big Lots to Close Pittsfield Store

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two major chains are closing storefronts in the Berkshires in the coming year.
 
Big Lots announced on Thursday it would liquidate its assets after a purchase agreement with a competitor fell through. 
 
"We all have worked extremely hard and have taken every step to complete a going concern sale," Bruce Thorn, Big Lots' president and CEO, said in the announcement. "While we remain hopeful that we can close an alternative going concern transaction, in order to protect the value of the Big Lots estate, we have made the difficult decision to begin the GOB process."
 
The closeout retailer moved into the former Price Rite Marketplace on Dalton Avenue in 2021. The grocery had been in what was originally the Big N for 14 years before closing eight months after a million-dollar remodel. Big Lots had previously been in the Allendale Shopping Center.
 
Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September. It operated nearly 1,400 stores nationwide but began closing more than 300 by August with plans for another 250 by January. The Pittsfield location had not been amount the early closures. 
 
Its website puts the current list of stores at 960 with 17 in Massachusetts. Most are in the eastern part of the state with the closest in Pittsfield and Springfield. 
 
Advanced Auto Parts, with three locations in the Berkshires, is closing 500 stores and 200 independently owned locations by about June. 
 
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