Jennifer Bautista gets her naturalization certificate from U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson during the July 2021 naturalization ceremony in Northampton. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS

NORTHAMPTON — July 4 will mark a joyous and memorable occasion for 52 immigrants who will be sworn in as U.S. citizens during a ceremony downtown.

At 11 a.m., the Center for New Americans and U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services will host the 14th annual naturalization ceremony on the grounds of the Hampshire County Courthouse at Main and King streets.

As in years past, U.S. Magistrate Katherine Robertson will preside. Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra is scheduled to deliver remarks to the new Americans and vocalist Evelyn Harris will sing the national anthem.

The Center for New Americans, an English language school and immigration resource center in Northampton, said that at least three of the immigrants who will become citizens next Monday used the center’s naturalization services and “are delighted to take their oath of allegiance to the U.S. surrounded by their community of friends, family, and supporters.”

The ceremony will be broadcast on WTCC, the radio station of Springfield Technical Community College, and afterward, the Northampton chapter of the League of Women Voters will register the new citizens to vote.

In the event of rain, the ceremony will move to the inside of the courthouse.

The Northwestern district attorney’s office has launched a new public awareness campaign to provide safety tips for children in the hot summer months.

“We don’t want summertime to lead to tragedies that are preventable. We hope this campaign will remind people to take appropriate safety precautions,” District Attorney David Sullivan said in a statement. “Water and heat can lead to accidents and vigilance is key to child safety.”

The Child Fatality Review Team assesses whether child deaths could have been prevented. The DA’s office said the team identified open windows, bodies of water and hot cars as particular dangers to children in the summer months.

The campaign is timed to educate parents and other caregivers ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend.

There are four brochures available on the DA’s office website, https://bit.ly/3niBXNR, covering car, water, window and sleep safety. To request a poster-sized version to hang in a public place, use the website’s “Send Us a Note” feature at https://bit.ly/3QQS4Qj.

Tips include opening windows from the top down, instead of from the bottom up, and using stops to prevent them from opening more than 4 inches; using active prompts like leaving a bag or food in the backseat to prevent forgetting a child in the car; installing pool drain covers and checking the locks on pool fencing regularly; and keeping in mind the risks beneath the surface of natural bodies of water.

The DA’s office recommends against co-sleeping with babies, and says babies should be placed on their backs to go to sleep.

Northampton will hold its annual household hazard waste collection on Saturday, July 16, and preregistration is required by July 9.

The collection will be held in the parking lot of Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School, 80 Locust St., from 9 a.m. to noon. To pre-register, visit https://bit.ly/3bzOgTu or call 413-587-1570.

Accepted items include “products with labels indicating the need for special handling or disposal … as well as rechargeable, ‘button’ and other non-alkaline batteries, fluorescent bulbs, ballasts, and mercury-bearing thermostats and thermometers,” according to an announcement from the Department of Public Works.

“The city will cover the disposal cost of up to 25 gallons or pounds of material for city households,” the DPW statement reads. “Residential participants will be required to pay a disposal fee for any material above that amount. Disposal fees will also apply for fluorescent bulbs ($1.-$2 each), antifreeze ($4/gallon), and ballasts ($3 each).”

Participants will select a 30-minute window for an appointment. Small businesses and organizations can participate for a fee.

Ammunition, cosmetics, products containing asbestos, water-based paint, medical waste and smoke detectors are among the items that are prohibited. Lists of acceptable and banned items can be found at https://bit.ly/3bxQLFO.

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