Come January, tipped employees in Massachusetts will receive their first raise in over 15 years. The increase will be meager $1.12. The full minimum wage will rise to $11 from $8. Still, this time, the most vulnerable workers affected by minimum wage laws are not
SPRINGFIELD—Only two major similarities exist between Melvin Edwards’s run for Senate in 2012 and his bid for the House this year. In both races, the primary will effectively decide the election and in both races Edwards is a candidate. Then things diverge considerably. While primary
UPDATED 6/22/14 7:22 PM: For clarity & grammar. SPRINGFIELD—By January of this year, it was clear that the area delegation to Boston was in store was some major revisions. Amid retirements, resignations, and a few part-term incumbencies, several high-profile races are due for the districts
SPRINGFIELD—Cheryl Coakley-Rivera may have resigned from the legislature, but she does not want people to think she has stepped away from politics. The same outlook that led her to a 15 year career representing the 10th Hampden House district, borne out of her formative years,
BOSTON—Four new state representatives were sworn into the Massachusetts House of Representative in what will likely be the penultimate ceremony of its kind before legislature’s formal session ends in July. Among those sworn was John Velis, a Westfield Democrat, whose historic win earlier this month
UPDATED 4/5/14 1:28: For clarification of third parties impression of the race. WESTFIELD—In a blistering loss for the Massachusetts Republican party, Democrat John Velis defeated the GOP’s Dan Allie in a special election to fill the 4th Hampden seat vacated by Don Humason last year.
This Tuesday, April 1st, Westfield faces a choice that is no laughing matter. It will choose its next representative in the Massachusetts General Court, filling the seat Don Humason vacated to become State Senator. While Humason still represents Westfield in the Senate, his constitency now
UPDATED 3/30/14 8:07PM: For grammar & clarity. The relative calm of the race in Westfield to fill Don Humason’s rep seat suddenly ended this week as two hit pieces went out against Democrat John Velis, one of which has since been owned by Republican Dan
WESTFIELD—With time running short, the candidates to replace Don Humason in the Westfield-only 4th Hampden House special election have done battle before seniors and the venerable Jim Madigan. Republican Dan Allie and Democrat John Velis traded political jabs, but found a great deal of agreement
UPDATED 11:23PM: To reflect confirmation of details via other news reports and to correctly state a women is running for Gale Candaras’ seat. A previous version of this story said one was not. SPRINGFIELD—State Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera of the 10th Hampden district, Springfield’s only Hispanic