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Category Archives: Springfield

Springfield

Take My Council, Please: Learning from Historical Precedent…

SPRINGFIELD—The legislative sausage-making continued for another meeting of the City Council Monday. A veto override, regulations for vehicles of all shapes and sizes, and historic preservation were all on the menu. Virtually all went by without incident or political indigestion, even the much-awaited Election Notification

David Starr

Ink & More, Always by the Barrel: David Starr 1922-2019…

Rising like a monolith above the plains of urban renewal in north downtown Springfield, The Republican stands watch. At one time, David Starr sat atop it all, the representative of the Newhouse publishing empire here in the Valley. But from his office at 1860 Main

Briefings: Impatient Sarno Sinks Police Review Debate with New EO Plans…

On Friday, Mayor Domenic Sarno likely killed efforts to find a compromise in the police oversight debate in Springfield. After introducing an ordinance that would effectively reverse the Council’s efforts to revive the Police Commission—and encountering resistance—the mayor indicated he would act to change the

Springfield

Take My Council, Please: Electoral Dysfunction, Not Normal in Any Age…

SPRINGFIELD—A proposed effort to bolster voter turnout here, if not cure its anemic state, cleared the City Council Monday night. The victory was short-lived. Mayor Domenic Sarno quickly vetoed the measure, offering a garbled explanation. However, it would not be his nonsensical valley this week.

Hail to the Clerk: Cambridge Draws Anthony Wilson from Springfield…

Springfield City Clerk Anthony Wilson will depart later this summer after the Cambridge City Council selected him to be that city’s next top record-keeping official. Cambridge councilors voted Monday to select Wilson. His departure was formally announced Thursday in a release from City Council President

Springfield

Take My Council, Please: Making a City (More) Fully Elect…

SPRINGFIELD—Past, present and future orbited around two major items at the City Council’s Monday meeting. The body passed first step on an ordinance to step up election education notifications. It also reallocated $1.5 million from bonds to finance upgrades to Symphony Hall, nee the Municipal

Springfield Council chambers

Zen and the Art of Making Law (on the Police Commission)…

SPRINGFIELD—For well over a decade, city councilors have grappled with how to structure the Police Department leadership. The Control Board’s abolition of the Police Commission in 2005 was among its most controversial moves. But it took several reform attempts and the Gregg Bigda imbroglio to

Springfield

Briefings: Sudden Springfield Aspirant Surge Ensures Mayoral Preliminary…

UPDATED 6/1/19 12:01AM: Since this posting went live, Yolanda Cancel has been certified for the mayoral ballot. Four days after pulling papers, Linda Matys O’Connell, a journalist, activist and former League of Women Voters official, has made the ballot. Her certification for Springfield’s autumn mayoral

As Nominating Window Closes, Women Rise to Consider Sarno Challenge…

In the twilight of the signature gathering-phase of Springfield’s election, two women have stepped forward to consider a challenge to Mayor Domenic Sarno. On Thursday, Linda Matys O’Connell, an advocate, activist and journalist in the city, announced she was pulling paper for mayor. She follows