WESTFIELD—January 14, 2020 was an eternity ago. Yet, to the untrained eye, then-Rep John Velis’ first kickoff for Senate looked much like his reelection launch on Tuesday night. No one in 2020 knew Velis’ special election would be moved and the only celebration of his victory would be a coronavirus-safe gathering in a backyard here.
SPRINGFIELD—Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe may have retired, but some of his traditions, if in a different form, live on. What would have been Ashe’s 40th clambake had he not retired was, in fact, not a clambake. But his successor Nicholas Cocchi has not allowed
LUDLOW—After a rollicking primary, Assistant Superintendent Nicholas Cocchi seized the Democratic nomination for Hampden County Sheriff, setting him on a path to succeed, Michael Ashe, the nationally recognized 42-year incumbent. Cocchi triumphed over Springfield City Councilor Thomas Ashe and Governor’s Councilor Michael Albano in a
To hear Michael Albano remember the past and plan for the future, how he revived the city and is the most qualified sheriff candidate statewide, it almost feels believable. Even thirteen years after he left 36 Court Street, one can see how the intense ex-Springfield
UPDATED 9/6/16 8:26: For clarity and accuracy. SPRINGFIELD—For Michael Ashe, 2016 has become the omega to his alpha in 1974, when he stunned the Hampden County political world by winning the Democratic nomination—the real contest—for sheriff. The sheriff’s latest and greatest campaign, however, is also
SPRINGFIELD—Fairly or not, Thomas Ashe’s political scorecard perhaps invites charges of being a political climber. An ambitious run for mayor and a stab at Clerk of Courts were unsuccessful. But unlike those other bids, the four-term councilor appears to have many of the goods voters Hampden County
The High Sheriff in the Valley This post is the second in a series about the end of Michael Ashe’s 42-year tenure as Hampden Sheriff. SPRINGFIELD—This year’s sheriff’s clambake may not be the last in Hampden County ever, but it is Michael Ashe’s last at
Sitting on nearly $100,000 accumulated via stingy spending, Governor’s Councilor and ex-Springfield Mayor Michael Albano appears poised to open the floodgates on behalf of his bid to become the Democratic nominee for Hampden Sheriff. Much like his mayoralty, Albano’s campaign has been suspenseful, colorful and over-the-top.
The High Sheriff in America This post is the first in a series about the end of Michael Ashe’s 42-year tenure as Hampden Sheriff. PHILADELPHIA—Imposing, 30-foot walls separate the Gothic Eastern State Penitentiary from the charming, adjacent residential neighborhood. When built nearly two hundred years ago,
Events rocked the Hampden Sheriff’s race once again Friday as Jack Griffin, a retired substance abuse specialist with Connecticut’s prison system, abruptly withdrew from the Democratic primary race and endorsed Springfield City Councilor Thomas Ashe. Councilor Ashe’s entry alone shook the race up creating a