Olivia Hickey
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Olivia joined the Western Mass News team as a content producer in April 2021. Currently, she works as a content producer and multimedia journalist. Olivia regularly appears in the station's newscasts covering varying topics such as the Chester water emergency, the Springfield Thunderbirds, and even a local father rescuing his daughter from the war-torn country of Ukraine.
Before joining the Western Mass News team, Olivia was an intern-turned-freelancer for NPR-affiliate Connecticut Public Radio, where she gained hands-on experience covering topics in the Connecticut Capital.
Olivia earned her BA in communication and journalism from the University of Connecticut in 2020.
Described as a "triple threat" by one of her professors, Olivia reported for UCTV Channel 14, 91.7FM WHUS, and the Daily Campus, UConn's independent newspaper during her college career. She covered topics for the news outlets, including former basketball coach Jim Calhoun's Title IX lawsuit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the famous HuskyTHON dance marathon. Olivia also lead an investigative team to highlight UConn voting trends for the 2020 presidential election.
During her time at UConn, Olivia was also a freelancer for the New London-based Newspaper, The Day, covering faith communities in the city for an independent study. The project won first place in "Excellence in Newsroom Collaboration and Partnerships" at the 2022 New England Newspaper & Press Association awards.
When Olivia isn't reporting, she is working out, spending time with friends, or continuing her hunt for the best bacon egg and cheese in western Mass. Olivia would love hear from you! For story ideas and questions, shoot her an email or reach out on Facebook.
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The Springfield Police Department remember the life of Officer Kevin Ambrose. He was killed in the line of duty 11 years ago on Sunday.
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An Amherst family has been left to assess the damage and pick up the pieces after a fire Friday destroyed their dairy barn.
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A Southampton man pleaded not guilty Friday morning to a manslaughter charge in connection to the shooting and death of a Northampton man.
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The Northampton Fire Department has promoted their first female captain.
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Animal shelters across the nation are in crisis as dog euthanasia rates are spiking largely due to a slowdown in people adopting pets.
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Two wild animals in our area tested positive for rabies this week.
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The Northampton Fire Department has now revoked their cease-and-desist order for the Bombyx Center -- which prohibited music events at the center.
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Police have located the body of a Springfield man who went missing while jet skiing on the Connecticut River over the holiday weekend.
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Western Mass News wanted to know what the impact the debt ceiling agreement could have on your wallet.
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Firefighters are on scene for a brush fire in the area of Springdale Park in Holyoke Sunday night.
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On Friday afternoon, many travelers got a head start to their Memorial Day weekend destinations.
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Fire crews responded to a large fire on Exposition Avenue in West Springfield Saturday morning.
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The Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity in Florence has been hit with a cease-and-desist order for hosting certain events. This has left the nonprofit with more questions than answers.
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The first Lyme disease vaccine licensed for mice has been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help prevent the disease’s spread and a local exterminator will be one of the first to give it a try.
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The federal government has approved additional pandemic EBT food benefits in the Bay State. This would be the final round of the school year and summer P-EBT benefits.
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Holyoke residents of Bemis Road ask drivers to slow down.
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The city of Springfield could be preparing for the possible arrival of new students to the public school district from places outside the city.
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Town by town is taking you to Holyoke and Chicopee.
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Everyone has been talking about getting tickets to see global pop super star Taylor Swift at Gillette Stadium this weekend for some time now.
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Many chose to spend Mother’s Day morning walking or running for a good cause in Whately. The 13th annual western Mass. Mother’s Day half marathon gave athletes of all ages the chance to celebrate mom, and enjoy the springtime weather while supporting community members impacted by cancer.
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With the warmer weather, you may have been spending more time outside and may have noticed more parasites like ticks.
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They’re back! Bird brand electric scooters have left their winter hibernation and returned to the streets of West Springfield.
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Two cars were broken into overnight in Longmeadow and police believe those incidents are connected to a string of car break-ins in Enfield, CT.
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A West Springfield woman is looking to get her smile back. After undergoing chemotherapy treatment for a year, her teeth are slowly fading away.
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Maifest in Springfield is back at Student Prince and the Fort this weekend.
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The Westfield International Airshow is next weekend. Western Mass News stopped by to see what spectators could expect.
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A new study shows 92 percent of small business owners are having serious trouble finding qualified applicants to fill open positions.
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A rebranding of a department name at Smith College has attracted attention. They’ve taken the word “field” out of a title to achieve more inclusivity.
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Police cruisers flooded the parking lot of the McDonald’s on Center Street in Ludlow on Tuesday night.
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School officials told Western Mass News that, while they acknowledge the presence of the coronavirus, the pandemic is in a different place.
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The mix of heavy rain and gusts of wind could make for a more difficult commute. A local towing company advises residents to take extra caution if stepping behind the wheel.
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A special military ceremony was held at the Westover Airbase in Chicopee on Saturday morning.
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A quarter of the design phase of a $19.2 million overhaul to the Main Street and downtown area is complete and plans were shared with the public in a virtual meeting this week.
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Police in Granville and surrounding communities are warning residents to keep an eye out after multiple home break-ins overnight.
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New research finds that some sleeping aid gummy supplements can contain a dangerous amount of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep.
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The Chicopee community gathered to continue expressing their support for Officer Mark “Shrek” Wilkes after he suffered a major heart attack last month.
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Abortion medication Mifepristone continues to be accessible in the United States, for now, as the Supreme Court placed a halt on the Texas federal judges’ ruling to make the drug inaccessible.
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Its that time of year again, as the weather warms up, drivers are preparing for vacations, trips to the gas station. We spoke to experts to find out what gas prices can look in the coming weeks and months and how you can save money.
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Thursday is 420, a day recognizing the consumption and use of the marijuana plant with the adult use of cannabis now legal in Massachusetts.
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Hundreds come together to support mother of Chicopee boy, died from injuries sustained in house fire
A five-year-old Chicopee boy died from injuries he sustained from a fire on Christmas Eve morning. On Sunday, the community came together to support his mom with a fundraiser.
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In Springfield, hockey lovers from Connecticut and our area flocked to the Thunderdome to watch the Thunderbirds and the Hartford Wolfpack battle it out on the ice.
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One Boston Day, honors the strength and resiliency of Boston after the deadly bombings near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013.
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After their first superintendent offer was rescinded and now the second offer refused, the Easthampton school committee is still searching for a superintendent.
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UMass students are holding a sleep-in tonight to protest what they’re calling a housing crisis at the university.
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On Sunday, many gathered to celebrate Easter Sunday and took part in different traditions throughout our region.
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A special tree in Wilbraham was cut down and it has gained a lot of attention from the community.
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e have learned that cooking was the cause of a deadly fire in Holyoke on Friday.
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Several elementary school students in Orange were rushed to the hospital after chewing hot gum known for being part of a TikTok challenge.
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Western Mass News stopped by the Chicopee Police Department to find out how they are acknowledging the month and improving their response procedures when working with autistic people.
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If you’re planning to travel outside of the country this summer, getting a passport right now could take weeks longer than you think.
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