UPDATED 12/15/14 5:44PM: For grammar and clarity. LONGMEADOW—Sometimes, life imitates art. The Lesser Committee campaign manager Michael Clark said he had recently finished up the seventh season of The West Wing and noted the episode after fictional US Representative Matthew Santos won the presidency. All
…And the World: We begin today in Israel, where the Knesset, in a flurry of pre-election activity, has voted to formally dissolve itself ahead of an election planned for March 17, upending rumors Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was seeking a new coalition. Last week, Bibi sacked
SPRINGFIELD—A Monday déjà vu agenda consisting largely of repeats from the last meeting made for a relatively prompt hearing. Items that returned either were dispatched with remarkable speed compared to the pace that sent them to committee two weeks ago. Both the agreement between the
…And the World: We begin today in Iraq, where new Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has dismissed 24 senior officials as his government investigates claims of 50,000 ghost soldiers in the army. Who is Moshe Kahlon? The former Likud minister left Israeli frontline politics and is prepared
On January 7 when Representatives-elect Carlos Gonzalez and Jose Tosado and Senator-elect Eric Lesser formally join the Massachusetts legislature, a lot of pomp and circumstance and celebration will be the order of the day. The next day, perhaps after locating legislator hangouts 21st Amendment and
…And the World: We begin today in Austria, where the world powers negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program have announced an extension of talks with the Persian nation until July. US Secretary of State John Kerry has said new ideas have arisen and the
SPRINGFIELD—Pulling into the parking lot of St Anthony’s Church and its connected Ceders Banquet hall, even in the dark of night, a ghastly void hangs in the background. The 2011 tornado that ripped through affluent East Forest Park neighborhood did not lay waste to any
SPRINGFIELD—With a light agenda primarily of grants, routine ordinance updates and some borrowing, the City Council trudged through its meeting, although disposal of the items seemingly hit a few snags, limiting what could have been a more expeditious meeting. A bond for school infrastructure and a
…And the World: We begin today in Israel, where between the rioting in Jerusalem and political maneuverings in the government, events appear to be hurtling the tiny nation to new elections. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition appears close to toppling. Netanyahu, the leader
UPDATED 11/16/14 1:57 PM: To clarify Lesser was consistently an LDTC member since joining as a teenager. This week his status changed from “associate” to full “elected” member once again. Longmeadow Daze is an occasional series reporting on and analyzing Longmeadow government and politics. LONGMEADOW—Eight days after voters