Springfield offered a little bit of the pomp and circumstance it rarely, but effectively, mustered Monday when the new City Council, the new School Committee, and a reelected Domenic Sarno took the oaths of office. The tone of the inauguration seemed a pinch more upbeat
Another year is upon us, which means, quite obviously, that another year has ended in the Pioneer Valley. The year 2009 has been quite full of news from the Pioneer Valley. Politically and historically, the City of Springfield has undergone transformation and controversy. From the
This evening the first of two meetings will take place that could define the city of Springfield’s efforts to rehabilitate, redefine, and rebuilt itself for a new decade. Tonight the City Council Finance Committee will discuss the recommendation from the Board of Assessors and Mayor
Merry Christmas, friends, readers, countrymen (and women). WMassP&I took most of the month of December off to settle some matters, however, we are back once again to deliver our Christmas message. Before year’s end expect at least two postings about local and state issues, the
The last few weeks of the 2009-2010 Massachusetts US Senate campaign have not amounted to an October surprise in November, but they have been fodder for some edutainment. Yes, edutainment. People have berated long campaigns, but this one has given the electorate of Massachusetts an opportunity
Well, for once WMassP&I is happy at least some of its endorsements made it into office. In fact, where the ward races are concerned, of the 6 races we formally endorsed, all but one won. Of the ward races that had preliminaries in September those
Well, the plot to rope in candidates with some tough questions went over like a lead balloon with only one councilor candidate contacted responding. Admittedly, WMassP&I is no austere journal of opinion, but we are disappointed. So we move on to the task of selecting
Ward 6 City Council candidate Keith Wright is the first City Council candidate to respond to WMassP&I’s inquiries for a survey. It is all together possible that Wright responded because he knew he was dealing with a potential constituent (your webmaster is a Ward 6
Returning West for a moment, we remember the historic Ward elections underway. Yes there is a Mayoral race underway, too. However, the contest between Mayor Sarno and City Councilor Bud Williams is decidedly soporific. Bill Dusty summed it up best with the title of a
So why would a Springfield, MA area oriented blog focus so much attention on the mayor of Boston? Well, first of all, Boston as the largest city in New England is a center of internal migration for the region. More than a few Western Mass