SPRINGFIELD—The City Council here Zoomed into its first regular meeting of 2021 armed with a light agenda. However, the body also had to approve its rules for the term’s new session. That matter had not been settled at its organizational meeting last week and the
BOSTON—Under the cloud of the coronavirus, Massachusetts legislators took the oath of office marking the start of the 192nd General Court. Some reps and senators—all returning incumbents—took the oath of office through the miracle of Zoom. Others, universally masked, did so in person albeit in
The complete dominance of the coronavirus in Springfield, as with the world, almost compressed 2020 as much as it stretched it out. There were other happening afoot in the City of Homes and its state and nation. Many, however, the virus took over, like the
SPRINGFIELD—For the first time in many years, the result of the year-end vote to nominate the next Council President was not a foregone conclusion. No contender had previously declared sufficient votes to be president in 2021. After their regular meeting, Councilors ultimately chose their colleague
SPRINGFIELD—The City Council approved a multimillion settlement to conclude ongoing litigation that stemmed from a wrongful imprisonment dating back decades. Mark Schand had claimed that four city officers, in effect, framed him for a crime 30 years ago, resulting in a prison sentence. Upon his
UPDATED 12/7/2020 8:07PM: A previous version of this post incorrectly identified Williams as vice-president this year. He was vice-president in 2019. The conclusion of the 7th Hampden House race means an end to the 2020 cycle in the Pioneer Valley. However, part of that district,
SPRINGFIELD—The City Council here rejected a Police supervisors labor pact Monday, primarily due to a provision that limits when officers can face discipline. The offending clause is not new. However, in the aftermath of this summer’s social justice protests, the were fears that some officers
Former Vice-President Joseph Biden will be the 46th President of the United States and Senator Kalama Harris will be Vice-President. Four days after polls closed across the nation, Biden and Harris accumulated votes in enough states to win in the Electoral College. Their victory is
SPRINGFIELD—On Monday, the City Council dispensed with a financial order left over from the last meeting and passed first step to reform an ordinance that regulates tax breaks in the city. Being the last meeting before an election, the Council also formally set the city’s
SPRINGFIELD—For only the third time since the city adopted the Community Preservation Act (CPA), the City Council here thumbed through and approved the recommendations. Councilors love the program as it lets them approve projects beyond the ambit of mayor. Meanwhile anybody—including some city organs—can suggest