SPRINGFIELD—Tucked between passage of the House’s budget and the Senate’s introduction of its version was a briefing on Beacon Hill happenings from the legislative delegation for the commonwealth’s third city. Last Tuesday, Springfield’s five reps, one senator and staff for the other, took turns describing their priorities.
With the much-delayed Census figures in hand, the Massachusetts legislature set to drawing new maps for the state House and Senate. On Tuesday, the Joint Committee on Redistricting released its drafts. The new lines are not wholly without controversy. The Committee will hear from the public Friday even as a constitutional deadline begins to bear down. In the 413, the process may have delivered as well as it could.
EAST LONGMEADOW—Results in Massachusetts produced few surprises even as less than stellar results came in for Democrats nationwide. The election changed almost nothing in terms of partisan control in Massachusetts. However, a host of transformations lie before the region. The only competitive races in the
There are only a handful of legislative races with general elections this year in the Pioneer Valley. There are so few it hardly feels unfortunate that we were unable cobble together our election guide for the general. Most of what races there are feel uncompetitive
MONSON—Every seat in the stuffy auditorium near the center of town was filled. A few crowded along the walls or near the open side door bringing in some welcome cool air. Angry and concerned residents were there to learn what they could about their defective
UPDATED 7/11/18 7:25: To include news out on Wednesday that now both Register of Deeds candidates have suspended their campaigns. Longtime Hampden Register of Deeds Donald Ashe passed away Tuesday morning, ending an era and scrambling the ongoing race for his seat. A fixture of
The Pioneer Valley’s first legislative contest formally began today with a Republican announcing her bid for a Democrat-held seat. Allison Werder, the former President of Masslive, launched her campaign for the 2nd Hampden House District Thursday. The move comes several weeks after opening a campaign
EAST LONGMEADOW—The whir and hum of machines sorting, folding and packing markers, die and tokens hovered over every station. Different board games boxed for shipment, were packed together in bricks of Sorry, Monopoly, Connect Four and more, to be sent off to retailers or intermediary distributors
UPDATED 11/16/14 1:57 PM: To clarify Lesser was consistently an LDTC member since joining as a teenager. This week his status changed from “associate” to full “elected” member once again. Longmeadow Daze is an occasional series reporting on and analyzing Longmeadow government and politics. LONGMEADOW—Eight days after voters
UPDATED 7/21/14 3:14 PM: For grammar and clarity. EAST LONGMEADOW—Nik Nadeau was not sure if everybody was clearly in the frame as he took a picture of Eric Lesser supporters lined up in front of the sign-filled windows of the campaign office. “I need everybody to