This post is the fifth in a series of posts on the new 189th Massachusetts General Court sworn January 7. SPRINGFIELD—Although not Carlos Gonzalez’s first bid for elected office, 2014 was the first time his name appeared on a ballot. In an earlier life as
…And the World: We begin today in Greece, where voters overwhelmingly rejected the latest bailout terms presented by creditors in a referendum held yesterday. However, the result does little to illuminate what happens next in Europe, whose reaction has varied considerably. Great peril could remain
On Wednesday, the commonwealth and its 351 municipalities began anew, as localities closed the books on fiscal year 2015 and began FY2016. The state itself has not delivered a full-year spending plan. Others squeezed it in at the last minute. Springfield did not get its
…And the World: We begin today in Greece, where capital controls and bank closures have been imposed following the utter collapse of talks between the country and its creditors. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has called for a referendum on the creditors’ terms for a renegotiation
SPRINGFIELD—At an small, impromptu gathering on the steps of City Hall, some of the region’s most visible LGBT activists gathered to celebrate the US Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. Although the mood was definitely upbeat members of the LGBT community were cognizant
SPRINGFIELD—Entering another competitive election for his seat in Ward 3, Councilor Melvin Edwards formally touched off his bid to remain in office for another two years. Surrounded by supporters and friends new and old at Samuel’s in the Basketball Hall of Fame Thursday night, Edwards
HOLYOKE—With a banner blaring “a new direction” behind him, Francis “Fran” O’Connell offered a nostalgic appeal to a crowd of supporters and cited his business experience to undergird his case to elect him Holyoke’s chief executive. Although he touched on other issues in his remarks and
…And the World: We begin today in Greece, which teeters again on the edge of default although signs of progress have materialized. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has made a new offer to his country’s creditors, although other European nations want more time to study
SPRINGFIELD—As she arrived at her June 11 kickoff in the heart of the Forest Park Historic District, almost everything about Kim Rivera seemed to befit the office she was seeking. Dressed sharply in a dark jacket and skirt, focusing on hyper-local issues and meeting supporters in a
SPRINGFIELD—With the close of the fiscal year anon, the City Council spent much of its time Monday night approving budget transfers to balance out accounts. There was a fair amount of policy afoot, too, from historic preservation to labor relations, although little of it generated