In the News

EAST LONGMEADOW, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- Congressman Richard Neal speaking on the effects of coronavirus on western Massachusetts today.

The congressman spoke while taking a tour of Cartamundi and Hasbro in East Longmeadow earlier today.

Neal toured the facility, which has been transformed into a PPE manufacturing location, churning out 50,000 face shields a week.

Neal spoke today on how lawmakers are tackling both the health and economic sides of the virus.

East Longmeadow’s Cartamundi factory is known for board games, but with some adjustments, it’s now making plastic face shields for front-line workers in the coronavirus pandemic.

Congressman Richard Neal, who watched the production in action, told Western Mass News the face shields will go to the hardest-hit communities.

"We’ve encouraged that we make sure that the localities are prioritized," Neal said.

Local hospital officials said this week that western Mass may be able to open earlier than eastern Mass.

While Neal told us the decision lies with Governor Baker, his stance is that science and health still need to be prioritized above the economy.

"You can’t get to the economic issue until you establish the necessary confidence that people will have about their well-being and then going back to the workplace," Neal noted.

But Neal said he’s doing his part with the federal stimulus legislation - to include as much money for hospitals as possible and said their work is directly tied to reopening the economy.

"That goes to the people on the front-lines which will help get people on the front-lines of Cartamundi working again in that confidence," Neal explained.