SPRINGFIELD—On Monday, the City Council dispensed with a financial order left over from the last meeting and passed first step to reform an ordinance that regulates tax breaks in the city. Being the last meeting before an election, the Council also formally set the city’s
PITTSFIELD—While attempting to maintain social-distancing along a narrow strip of sidewalk outside the post office here, US Representative Richard Neal and local officials condemned the chicanery of Donald Trump’s Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. Allegedly undertaken to save money, the changes to the United States Postal
SPRINGFIELD—A relatively straightforward Council agenda experienced some delays due technical difficulties rather than legislative loquaciousness. For example, the meeting paused briefly as one councilor’s connection to Zoom was severed. Then there were the pauses between recognition of councilors. Overall, though, the meeting proceeded with little
Injustice had no greater foe in the City of Springfield than Michaelann Bewsee. After co-founding what would become the city’s feistiest community organization, Arise for Social Justice, Bewsee contributed to innumerable battles for equality and fairness. She embraced the city’s cultural mosaic without losing sight
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.
Before there was Jesse Lederman, Marcus Williams and Michael Fenton. Before there was Eric Lesser and Paul Caron. Even before there was Richie Neal. There was Dave Vigneault, a forerunner to Springfield’s undercurrent of electorally ambitious twentysomethings. First elected at the dawn of the Kennedy
About five years ago this blog urged residents of our city, Springfield, to vote with their whole hearts, their whole minds, and their whole souls on the casino subject. Our preferred outcome lost, but the point was to call our fellow residents to speak at
To some, the race for the Democratic nomination for Secretary of the Commonwealth could be the most hotly contested statewide race on the primary. Certainly, this blog thinks so. It pits the current Secretary, William Galvin, who has served since 1995, against Josh Zakim, a
BOSTON—When the Central Artery came down, an old truss bridge that carried I-93 over the Charles joined it in the scrap heap. In its place rose a new structure that has become synonymous with the Hub. The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge has appeared
SOUTH HADLEY—A flurry of progressive organizing, actions and meetings across the country has followed last November’s election. The Pioneer Valley is no different, but there are challenges. Activism is no stranger to college towns like this one, the home of Mount Holyoke. Hampden County, home to