Mathew Biadun | News-Editor “Love Coffee, Love People.” That’s the slogan of Silk City Coffee, and the philosophy that drives one of its founders, Tammy Gerhard. A member of Eastern’s Class of ’92, Tammy majored in psychology and went on to spend twenty-two years as a guidance counselor. Helping others was always at the heart of her work, in and out of school. Beyond counseling, she wrote children’s books and helped develop support programs for survivors of human trafficking

Megan Hayes | Editor-in-Chief The Denise Reis Trio performing on September 12, 2025 at the River Room in Willimantic, CT. On a Friday night in downtown Willimantic, the glow of soft light spills from the River Room’s front windows. Inside, gentle chatter mingles with the sound of clinking glasses and the hum of soft background music. Then, the show starts -- Brazilian singer and guitarist , Denise  Reis and her band come to the stage, and the room is immediately filled wi