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
…And the World: We begin today in Australia where a standoff at a café in Sydney has ended with several dead. The gunman holding upwards of 30 people hostage was an Iranian refugee and self-proclaimed “sheik.” Muslim authorities in the Land Down Under say he is nobody of
Two events struck the City of Holyoke like earthquakes this week. Though of entirely different natures—one political, one, quite literally structural—they could ripple through the city’s politics. Their only common trait is one man: City Council President Kevin Jourdain. On Tuesday, Jourdain announced, to nearly everybody’s surprise,
UPDATED 12/15/14 5:44PM: For grammar and clarity. LONGMEADOW—Sometimes, life imitates art. The Lesser Committee campaign manager Michael Clark said he had recently finished up the seventh season of The West Wing and noted the episode after fictional US Representative Matthew Santos won the presidency. All
…And the World: We begin today in Israel, where the Knesset, in a flurry of pre-election activity, has voted to formally dissolve itself ahead of an election planned for March 17, upending rumors Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was seeking a new coalition. Last week, Bibi sacked
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
…And the World: We begin today in Iraq, where new Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has dismissed 24 senior officials as his government investigates claims of 50,000 ghost soldiers in the army. Who is Moshe Kahlon? The former Likud minister left Israeli frontline politics and is prepared
On January 7 when Representatives-elect Carlos Gonzalez and Jose Tosado and Senator-elect Eric Lesser formally join the Massachusetts legislature, a lot of pomp and circumstance and celebration will be the order of the day. The next day, perhaps after locating legislator hangouts 21st Amendment and
…And the World: We begin today in Austria, where the world powers negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program have announced an extension of talks with the Persian nation until July. US Secretary of State John Kerry has said new ideas have arisen and the