…And the World: We begin today in Iraq, where a strategic city has fallen to ISIS. Despite gains against the radical extremist group, the city of Ramadi is now under their control. The move represents a grave setback for the countries new prime minister Haider
Longmeadow Daze is an occasional series reporting on and analyzing Longmeadow government and politics. LONGMEADOW—Last Monday the School Committee here, meeting in a still new-smelling conference room off of Longmeadow High School, approved new elementary school districts on a 6-1 vote. Yet that vote came
Today the jury in the Boston Marathon bombing made its decision as to the fate of convicted bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. In a unanimous recommendation, the jury sentenced Tsarnaev to death. Although the Commonwealth of Massachusetts does not have the death penalty, the case was tried
…And the World: We begin today in Great Britain, where the Labour party is undergoing soul-searching as Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron unveils the first all-Tory cabinet in 18 years. Cameron’s party won a surprising majority in last week’s election and the heads rolled in
SPRINGFIELD—In a rather subdued press conference for the fairly good news, Mayor Domenic Sarno flanked by Chief of Staff Denise Jordan and Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Timothy Plante formally released the municipal budget for fiscal year 2016. Measuring in at just a few million
UPDATED 5/7/15 4:03PM: To reflect a correction. A previous version of this story indicated that local aid formulas from the state were affected by property values. While this is true, the implications upon Proposition 2 ½ and property taxes, and not local aid, is the
SPRINGFIELD—Following a more scintillating conversation with the city’s State Senators on the budget, the City Council held its first full meeting in nearly a month clearing end of fiscal year transfers, committee reports and somewhat embarrassing special act. Following one of the bigger WTF moments
…And the World: We begin today in Israel, where the announcement that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman would not join Prime Minister Benjanmin Netanyahu’s government has potentially epic consequences for the Middle Eastern democracy. Leiberman said the decision came amid the other deals Bibi has cut
SPRINGFIELD—In a lavish ceremony last year featuring city vehicles festooned with flags and all the pomp and circumstance the City of Homes can muster, Springfield swore in John Barbieri as its top cop. Some observers likened it to a coronation, and Barbieri, possessing a humble mien, probably would have
SPRINGFIELD—Following his defeat in 2013 at the hands of his longtime rival, Orlando Ramos, it was quite possible John Lysak would not seek to take back the seat he had held since 2010. Yet, after three similarly casted elections, two of which he did win,