SPRINGFIELD—Ahead of its summer slowdown, the City Council ripped through a potpourri agenda featuring new ordinances, support for added rail service and derailment of a labor contract. Earlier in the evening, the City Council had unanimously passed Mayor Domenic Sarno’s budget without any cuts. Similar
Scripture says God gave humanity dominion over the Earth, but not license to irresponsibly exploit it. Quite the opposite, as Pope Francis observed in his encyclical on climate change, Laudato Si. “Each community can take from the bounty of the earth whatever it needs for
NEWTON—Along a hilly street, one of many here, a crowd of all ages scarfed down ice cream and waited. It was a warm spring day, but a canopy of tree shaded much of the block party below. Perched on the undulating landscape was a podium
UPDATED 9:04PM: The Massachusetts Senate adopted Sen. Lesser’s amendment. The rail study will go to the House-Senate conference committee. State Senator Eric Lesser’s East-West rail study appeared ready to leave the station last year. It survived House-Senate negotiations and passed both chambers. But then, in
WEST SPRINGFIELD—Although the campaign war chest of Governor Charlie Baker bursts with cash, the Republican is not the first major party candidate to declare his candidate for 2018. That title goes to Jay Gonzalez, a former Deval Patrick cabinet secretary who launched his campaign in
On Monday afternoon the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority proposed ending weekend commuter rail service and certain services for disabled riders. Ostensibly, the “saved” money would be put toward maintenance, which the system desperately needs. However, such a dramatic step would cripple attempts to build out mass
For the City of Springfield, 2016 proved notable on multiple fronts. It briefly saw itself as the center of attention in the presidential contest. MGM evolving complexity dodged for at least another year a threat from Connecticut. A bevy of police controversies throttled City Hall
Governor Charlie Baker, an arm hoisted skyward, smiled and merrily snapped one of his famous selfies with the pols and construction workers at the CRRC railcar plant topping-out. The August scene was classic Baker, happily schmoozing and riding high on heady polling numbers that yielded,
CAMBRIDGE—With federal action on climate change frozen, at best, for the next four years, activists in the commonwealth are turning inward for the resources necessary to finance infrastructure improvements, reduce greenhouse gases and support the growth of the Boston area. But with this drive comes a recognition
It is arguably the most competitive election in the Pioneer Valley, but it has not been like the national election. Apocalyptic, dark ads are not carpet-bombing television. Debates are not soaked in tension and wrath and indeed, are a bit dry. The 1st Hampden &