The September 21 meeting of the Springfield City Council concluded a lingering drama that had split the body for weeks. By a 9-2 vote, councilors finally approved a Community Preservation Act (CPA) grant for a housing subsidiary of the New North Citizens Council (NNCC).
Less than two weeks after oral arguments on August 26, Hampshire Superior Court Judge Charles Groce dismissed a suit filed over the Northampton City Council’s resolution that called for the city to divest from Israel-connected assets. It was never clear what the originators of the
The September 8 Springfield City Council agenda was straightforward. There were grants. The body took initial steps on several ordinances. Things were moving along swimmingly. The only odd thing about the meeting was it was on Tuesday, thanks to Labor Day. Then an item that had been languishing in committee was summoned.
Just over two weeks ago, Superior Court Judge David Hodge refused to enjoin lease negotiations between DCAMM and Liberty Junction, the winning bidder for the new courthouse in Springfield. The unsuccessful bidders who brought the suit were clear that the case was not over.
NORTHAMPTON—Last Wednesday, a judge in Northampton heard dueling motions in a rather strange case. On the surface, it may be another political, legal and cultural battle waged over Israel. The roots of the case plainly reach there. Yet, the case has an odd feature. The plaintiffs, 10 residents of Paradise City, are seeking to overturn a nonbinding resolution.
SPRINGFIELD—The Democratic primary in Massachusetts left the federal delegation’s deans in place. Congressman Richard Neal and US Senator Ed Markey, both facing primary challenges, beat back their opposition, depriving younger and often leftier challengers before primaries conclude this month. Down ballot, however, incumbency was less effective as tool for reelection.
WEST SPRINGFIELD—A rapid fire set of stops, cramming in as much as possible in the final hours of a campaign is classic. Salem Congressman Seth Moulton was here, at the Irish Cultural Center, after stops at two churches across the river in Springfield and a stop at Memo’s, a breakfast joint. With some brief remarks, he exhorted supporters to work the phones and, above all, to vote.
Perhaps against better judgment, one scrolls through Facebook or Instagram. Amid the stunning vistas and global miseries and AI swill, a user in Springfield may find a video. The MTA paid for it and they’re plugging a candidate. Public records show the union has dropped at least $30,000.
CHICOPEE—The first and only face-to-face debate in the 1st Congressional District’s Democratic primary saw some heat and a bevy of accusations. US Representative Richard Neal and challenger Jeromie Whalen, an educator from South Hadley, traded blows on healthcare, Social Security and, arguably, the very essence of the democratic process itself.
The Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAMM) and Liberty Junction, the developer selected to build the new courthouse in Springfield, can keep talking—and negotiating. That was the ruling from Superior Court Judge David Hodge, who refused to enjoin the process, as the plaintiffs in a suit had requested.
As skeptical as the ruling was, it might not have gone far enough to given DCAMM and Liberty Junction confidence the case is ending soon.
