WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - State and local lawmakers will gather in Westfield on Thursday to celebrate the new Minuteman main gate at Barnes Air National Guard Base. Gift-ology in Westfield closes its doors, relocates out of city According to Barnes Air National Guard Base, the new gate will bring extra security to the wing. Governor Maura Healey, Congressman Richard Neal, and leaders at the base will all be there to mark the occasion. The 104th Fighter Wing has highly trained personnel that is ready to provide Air Superiority on-demand anywhere with 21 assigned F-15C Eagle Aircraft. They are trained to provide 24/7 Aerospace Control Alert, providing armed F-15 fighters ready to scramble at a moment’s notice to protect the northeast United States from any airborne threat, security for one-quarter of the nation’s population, and over one-third of the Gross Domestic Product. Local News Headlines Ribbon cutting for new Minuteman gate at Barnes Air National Guard Base New York’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree to be cut down in Massachusetts Donovan’s Irish Pub wins Holyoke ‘Battle of the Bars’ Springfield lodge honors 2024 Elk Veteran of the Year WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.