UPDATED 1/12/15 1:20AM: For grammar & clarity. Since Senator Edward Kennedy’s death in 2009, Massachusetts has endured a near endless election cycle that at last ended last November. While countless cities like Holyoke and Springfield will hold municipal elections this year, young candidate running in
SPRINGFIELD—Lighting a menorah on Court Square in downtown, a 35 year tradition, seemed unlikely to make world news. Local rabbis joined city officials, the mayor and US Rep Richard Neal to mark the first of eight days the temple menorah burned with only a day’s
UPDATED 12/30/14 12:44 AM: For clarity as to the length of US Rep Richard Neal’s political career. A Planned City is a new series on planning and development in Springfield and its impact on the fabric of and life in the city. Last weekend, The Republican
SPRINGFIELD—As it capped off 2014, the City Council formally and narrowly approved the tax rates for residential and commercial property following the annual deliberation over which group of tax payers were more in greater need of relief. On a 7-6 vote, the Council approved rates that
SPRINGFIELD—A Monday déjà vu agenda consisting largely of repeats from the last meeting made for a relatively prompt hearing. Items that returned either were dispatched with remarkable speed compared to the pace that sent them to committee two weeks ago. Both the agreement between the
SPRINGFIELD—Pulling into the parking lot of St Anthony’s Church and its connected Ceders Banquet hall, even in the dark of night, a ghastly void hangs in the background. The 2011 tornado that ripped through affluent East Forest Park neighborhood did not lay waste to any
SPRINGFIELD—With a light agenda primarily of grants, routine ordinance updates and some borrowing, the City Council trudged through its meeting, although disposal of the items seemingly hit a few snags, limiting what could have been a more expeditious meeting. A bond for school infrastructure and a
SPRINGFIELD—With the latest election cycle concluded, eyes are beginning to turn to 2015. While it is too early to know exactly what to expect from next year’s elections, the City Council appears set to reelect Ward 2 Councilor Michael Fenton as its president for another
The question of whether casinos are coming to Massachusetts and Springfield in particular is decided. Voters last week, as expected, retained the law establishing the “resort-style” facilities by a margin more or less consistent with polling. We opposed the law, opined against MGM Springfield and
Charlie Baker may be the next governor of Massachusetts, but the commonwealth remains solidly Democratic country. Unlike Bill Weld who for a time had a veto-proof majority or Paul Cellucci who had something to gain—ambassadorship to Canada—Baker has little reason not play ball with Beacon Hill