LONGMEADOW—In the shadow of the 2002 recession, each community felt cuts to local aide—inevitable as acting Governor Jane Swift ruled out new revenue—in their own way. During an assembly in January that year, students, faculty and staff at the high school gathered and learned what
UPDATED 7/21/14 3:14 PM: For grammar and clarity. EAST LONGMEADOW—Nik Nadeau was not sure if everybody was clearly in the frame as he took a picture of Eric Lesser supporters lined up in front of the sign-filled windows of the campaign office. “I need everybody to
UPDATED 9:13PM: For clarity. BELCHERTOWN—The pitch begins easily enough for Chip Harrington. He enters one of the businesses facing the Historic center of this sprawling Hampshire County town and strikes up a conversation. “Hi, I’m Chip Harrington, running for state senate,” he says greeting a
Some of the winners from Friday’s State Ballot Law Commission decision are obvious, starting with Eric Lesser, the former White House aide running in the contest to replace retiring senator Gale Candaras. The voters and indeed other contestants in the race are winners, but the
The State Ballot Law Commission ruled unanimously this morning to overrule an objection to Eric Lesser‘s candidacy for the 1st Hampden & Hampshire Senate district. In doing so the commission rejected the challenge from Springfield City Councilor Tim Allen, another candidate in the race, and
This post has been re-dated to bump it to top of page. Its original timestamp was 6/16/14 1:08AM BOSTON—In a five-way race, it was about as close as to mano-a-mano as the Democratic primary for the 1st Hampden & Hampshire Senate district would get before
SPRINGFIELD—The day before his hearing to object to the qualifications of one of his opponents, Ward 7 Councilor Timothy Allen secured some political reinforcements in his quest to matriculate from the City Council to the State Senate. Allen, representing the ward that includes the city’s
Next week the State Ballot Commission is expected to take up ballot challenges ahead of the Fall races. Among the things on its plate is the objection to Eric Lesser’s eligibility for the 1st Hampden & Hampshire Senate seat. One of Lesser’s opponents, Springfield City
Longmeadow Daze is an occasional series reporting on and analyzing Longmeadow government and politics. LONGMEADOW—Stretching along the Town Green, the preeminent social, creative and civic event (after Town Meeting) of one of Springfield’s most prominent suburbs offered a view, if at times an ironic one, of
UPDATED 5/4/14 11:07PM: For clarity, grammar and additional links. Three months after Senator Gale Candaras said she would retire from the 1st Hampden & Hampshire Senate seat, the Democratic primary has descended into a slugfest. The target: Eric Lesser, the former White House aide from Longmeadow.