WESTFIELD—In one sense, the State Representative John Velis’ kickoff for State Senate was a formality. He had been running unofficially since last spring and officially since Don Humason announced his resignation, shortly after winning the mayoralty here. Still, the launch was both a show of
UPDATED 1/14/20 1:07PM: To correct a previous version of this story that called Michelle Wu a former Boston City Councilor. She is still on the Council, but is its former President. CLAREMONT, N.H.—Despite the drizzly weather and half-frozen slush last Saturday, a bus load of
UPDATED: 1/1/2020 3:53PM: To note the passing of the mayor’s father. Cities around the Pioneer Valley inaugurated their governments elected in last November’s election. For many communities, it heralded a new start. On Monday, Chicopee and Westfield both took on new mayors with varying degrees
NORTHBOUND ON INTERSTATE 91, Vt.—These days, highway travel, not constituent work, dominates outgoing Ward 4 Holyoke city councilor Jossie Valentin’s time. The Saturday before her successor would take office, she was leading Pioneer Valley supporters of US Senator Elizabeth Warren to New Hampshire on a
At the beginning, 2019 felt like it had all the fixings of a great year for the City of Homes. The Council was resurgent. The East-West rail study was (finally) moving. The region’s congressman ascended to one of Congress’s top posts. MGM was entering its
November brought a familiar election to Springfield. Once again, there was little resolution about the schism between the mayor and the City Council. Mayor Domenic Sarno won reelection and a Council still capable of overriding his vetoes was elected. This came despite three seats opening
HOLYOKE—Alex Morse was ending his 2019 in the same location he radically shifted his year. At the Unicorn Bar here in downtown shortly before Christmas, Morse gathered with friends and supporters, just as he had in July to announce his bid for Congress. This time,
When incumbents start a new term, they often shift their staff. For the second new term in a row, Domenic Sarno is changing his comms staff. Both this time and four years ago, however, it was not entirely the mayor’s decision. In 2015, James Leydon
UPDATED 9:53AM 12/20/19: To note Sarno’s veto of the order on the X intersection. UPDATED 8:39PM 12/18/19: To clarify Councilor Ryan’s comments about the X project and to include comment from MassDOT. SPRINGFIELD—In the final meeting of the year, City Councilors saw off their retiring
WASHINGTON—One day in October, the House Ways & Means Committee chairman, Springfield Congressman Richard Neal, exited a stately conference room in the Capitol. A swarm of Capitol Hill scribes were waiting, buzzing him with questions about impeachment, Donald Trump’s tax returns and pending legislation. A