On Springfield
Pepe Calls for Answers
Whoever was responsible for the embarrassing payroll error that resulted in city school teachers being overpaid by $1.2 million over a five-month period earlier this school year has been identified and disciplined, according to Superintendent Alan Ingram. But if you...We Are One in Springfield
Today is the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., a day that activists across the country will mark with a series of “We Are One” events, including a march and rally this afternoon in downtown Springfield. In an announcement of...It's Your Money
Who hasn’t watched, with great exasperation, politicians fuss and feud over the latest budget, thinking to him- or herself: “Just let me at the damn thing; I could sort it out without all this bickering and drama.” Well, here’s your chance:...Picking a Trash Plan
It’s been almost 20 years since the city of Worcester adopted a so-called “pay as you throw” trash collection system, which charges residents based on the amount of garbage they toss, and allows them to recycle free of charge. And city officials...State Denies Request for Plant Review
Opponents of the wood-burning power plant proposed for East Springfield got some unwelcome news recently: state environmental officials have denied their request for a comprehensive study on the plant’s potential effects on public health and the environment in...Spring Cleaning
While the battle over a city trash-collection system rages on in City Hall, Keep Springfield Beautiful—the non-profit with the rather pleasing slogan “the go-to guys to get clean & go green”—has a couple of events coming up where residents...Pepe Set to Pep Up Mayor's Race
If you’ve found this year’s Springfield mayor’s race to be a little dull thus far, well, that’s about to change. Fearless (some would say fearsome—and mean it as a compliment) School Committee member Antonette Pepe will officially enter...Comments on the Palmer Renewable Energy plant
The deadline is fast approaching to submit comments to the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection regarding the wood-burning power plant proposed for East Springfield. April 29 is the close of the public comment period on a draft air-quality permit for the...A Big Change for ADP
Caroline Murray, the unstoppable long-time executive director of the Springfield-based Alliance to Develop Power, has left the group after 18 years. In its early days, ADP—at the time, the initials stood for the Anti-Displacement Project—worked with...Countdown to Big Biomass Hearing
Two weeks from tomorrow, opponents of the proposed wood-burning plant in East Springfield will finally get what they’ve spent months asking for: a City Council hearing on whether to revoke the special permit awarded to the project in 2008. On Tuesday, May 17, at...Is This How Big Bankers' Mothers Raised Them?
Want to show your support for struggling Springfield families this Mothers’ Day? Tomorrow, May 7, the Springfield No One Leaves Coalition and Bank Tenants Association will lead a march to the downtown office of Bank of America to call on the mega-bank to do its...Keeping an Eye on Scott Lively
When Scott Lively opened a coffeehouse in Springfield a few months back, it generated a lot of controversy. Lively is a minister and pastor of the Redemption Gate Mission Society, which describes itself as a “a multi-denominational, multi-racial, multi-ethnic...Pay Raises and Job Losses
Yeesh—talk about poor timing. A week after the School Committee—well, most of the School Committee; more on that in a moment—voted to give Superintendent Alan Ingram a $12,000 raise, the committee’s budget subcommittee moved forward a new,...Businesses Against Biomass
It’s the day before the City Council will take up the question of whether to revoke or amend Palmer Renewable Energy’s permit to build a wood-burning plant in East Springfield, and a group of local business owners are gathering to voice their opposition to...Senate Hopeful Says No to Biomass
While the City Council continues to mull over the future of the wood-burning plant proposed for East Springfield—councilors closed a lengthy public hearing on the matter yesterday without taking a vote—one would-be elected official is taking a strong stand...Have You Done the River Walk Yet?
Dang, Springfield’s River Walk takes a lot of abuse. And, unfortunately, I don’t just mean from the pounding feet and spinning bike tires of the people who take advantage of the 3.7 mile stretch of pavement that runs along the Connecticut River. First,...Grand Prix Drama
It seems like such an innocuous, feel-good event for the city: a three-day, vintage car race in downtown Springfield, to celebrate both the city’s industrial heritage and the 375th anniversary of its founding. Where’s the controversy in that, you might...A Peek into Neal's War Chest
Today’s Daily Hampshire Gazette has a great article about political fundraising in the Valley, including some intriguing information about who fills U.S. Rep. Richie Neal’s campaign war chest. The article, by Ben Storrow, focuses on Hampshire County, the...Teacher Outreach Program in Danger
When Mayor Domenic Sarno delivered his State of the City address back in February, his speech, as is customary, included a list of good news and accomplishments that have taken place under his administration. On that list: the success of a program that brings city...Are You Safe and Well Today?
Like a lot of people on this morning after the freak tornado hit the city, I’ve made my share of phone calls and sent my share of email messages to check in with Springfield friends and sources today. The gist of the messages: “Are you, and your family,...Sarno's Giuliani Moment?
“This tornado is going to win Sarno the election,” someone said to me the other day. As history shows, disasters—natural and man-made—often favor the incumbent. Consider, for instance, then-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s meteoric rise in...Get Your Pride On
One bit of bright news in a city that’s had more than its share of bad news over the last week: today is the kick-off of Springfield’s revived LGBT Pride week. Actually, make that week-plus-one; Pride starts today and runs through next Thursday, the 16th....Tell the Governor What's On Your Mind
Got questions about just what will happen to the many parts of the city that need to be rebuilt after the June 1 tornado—or even some suggestions about what that rebuilding process should involve? Then get to the Basketball Hall of Fame tomorrow (June 21) at 3...Budget Battles
With the deadline for the city to get its budget in place for the next fiscal year, proposals by Mayor Domenic Sarno to balance the budget through personnel-based costs are getting the most political attention. Last night, the City Council addressed Sarno’s call...Patrick Asked to Help Hold Off Foreclosures
On Monday, the City Council unanimously passed a resolution urging banks and mortgage companies to hold off on foreclosures in the city in the wake of the June 1 tornado. Now, the Springfield No One Leaves Coalition—which advocates for residents facing...Protecting Springfield's History
As City Hall moves forward with rebuilding efforts after the June tornado, a group of volunteers is focusing specifically on preserving significant parts of the city’s past. The non-profit Springfield Preservation Trust, working with Preservation Massachusetts,...An Early Independence Day
Today is the second annual “CORI Independence Day,” where people with criminal records can learn what they can do to move forward with their lives, without forever being held back by their pasts. The event, organized by the Springfield Health Disparities...And Now, a Few Words from Your Mayoral Candidates
Last week, the City Council took a fairly unusual step: it actually made some cuts to Mayor Domenic Sarno’s proposed fiscal 2012 budget. By law, the Council has the power to make cuts (but not additions) to a mayor’s proposed budget. Typically, however,...Standing Up Against Homophobia
June began with celebration for Springfield’s LGBT community, with the return of Pride Week, but ended with sadness, after a man was badly beaten by a group of kids who allegedly targeted him for being gay. Today, the Stop the Hate and Homophobia Coalition...The Council Strikes Back
Last week, Mayor Domenic Sarno took a hard swing at city councilors for cuts they’d made to his fiscal 2012 budget. This week, the councilors swung back, holding a press conference where they defended their cuts as fiscally responsible. They also invited Sarno...Pepe Not Excited About Real Estate Deal
The recent announcement that City Hall has found a buyer for the old School Department building on State Street can’t help but bring to mind one of the more contentious political issues in recent years: the disposal of the former federal courthouse on Main...Foreclosure Mediation Program Up for Vote
Last month, the City Council passed a non-binding resolution urging mortgage lenders to impose a moratorium on foreclosures and foreclosure-related evictions in the city, to cut a break to already struggling homeowners in the wake of the June 1 tornado that hit the...Get Out of the A/C
I’ve dropped the ball miserably when it comes to helping promote a fascinating event today: an “Environmental Justice Bike and Walking Tour,” put together by the Springfield Institute with the assistance of a number of local community groups. The...Everyone's Talking Public Safety
Mayor Domenic Sarno will be leading another of his “neighborhood walks” this evening, this time in Mason Square. Interested residents can meet up with the mayor and representatives from City Hall and the Springfield PD at 7:30 p.m. at the AIC parking lot...Ward Rep: Breaking My Heart
Is it just me, or is ward representation shaping up to be a disappointment? Let me clarify: I think the current City Council is one of the better groups we’ve seen in years, thanks in no small part to the addition of ward reps. I think the larger group (there...Weigh In On Tornado Recovery
Got an opinion about how the city should rebuild after the June 1 tornado? This evening, at 6 p.m. at the Milton Bradley School, the Rebuild Springfield Advisory Committee, the 15-member group put together by Mayor Domenic Sarno, kicks off a four-stop “listening...Pepe Responds to Ingram Ruling
Earlier this week, the city Law Department released an opinion finding that School Superintendent Alan Ingram does not have to repay the city money he got as part of his eyebrow-raising employment contract. Specifically, according to the opinion by City Solicitor Ed...What I Missed
It’s not easy catching up on Springfield news after a vacation. I miss the days when MassLive had a special section just for Springfield news; now, I have to slog through a generic “news” section, skimming an endless string of stories I don’t...Pickets and Preservation
Two happenings this weekend: • On Sat., Aug. 20, labor union members and their allies will be picketing at the four Verizon Wireless stores in the region, including the one at 1420 Boston Rd. in Springfield. (The others are in West Springfield, Hadley and...Not Quite Done With Ingram
Schools Superintendent Alan Ingram’s announcement last week that he’ll leave the city at the end of the coming school year didn’t exactly bring an end to the dust-up over his employment contract—specifically, a provision that gave him $30,000...Pepe Calls in Auditor on Ingram Contract
School Committee member and mayoral candidate Antonette Pepe is asking the state auditor to take a look at the controversial deal that gave Superintendent Alan Ingram an additional $30,000 to buy a house in the city—something Ingram never did. In a letter dated...Are You Freaking Kidding Me?
If you were hoping that a City Hall audit of Schools Superintendent Alan Ingram’s controversial employment contract might result in some bucks flowing back into the city coffers, well, today you might feel like the joke’s on you—and all Springfield...Throw Nana Under the Bus
First, it was Amaad Rivera and Tommy Ashe taking heat for not getting their reports filed properly on time. Now, John Lysak and Jimmy Ferrera have joined their City Council colleagues in the uncomfortable spotlight over their campaign finance accounts. As Pete Goonan...With Character Witnesses Like That, Who Needs Enemies?
Among the people who wrote to the judge in the public corruption trial of Sal DiMasi, asking for leniency for the convicted House Speaker? None other than former Springfield Mayor Mike Albano, reports Channel 22. Given the number of Albano’s pals and former...Election Action
It’s a week and a day until the preliminary election, the day when the field of candidates for mayor will be narrowed down from three to two, and the field of at-large Council candidates from 12 to 10, with the lucky winners going on to the Nov. 8 general...And More Election Action…
Make that four days until the preliminary election—and yes, things are heating up. Yesterday, City Council President Jose Tosado announced a rather nice coup: he’s scored the endorsement of the Springfield patrol officers’ union. “We believe...The Big Day, Part I
Tomorrow’s a big day for the city—at least for the candidates, and those residents who care enough to show up and vote. And those residents are the ones who don’t need to be reminded that Tuesday is the preliminary election, the day that the field of...Sarno Whups the Competition
Well, it looks to Jose Tosado has a busy seven weeks ahead of him. While Tosado was, technically, one of the winners of yesterday’s mayoral preliminary election, the City Council candidate can’t be too happy with his numbers at the polls. As the...Cranky Banks
As expected, the Mass. Bankers Association is protesting two new anti-foreclosure ordinances passed last month by the City Council. Pete Goonan reports in the Republican that the banking group has written to the city Law Department questioning the legality of the...Hearing Indian Orchard
When Antonette Pepe opened her mayoral campaign office in Indian Orchard this summer, her campaign said she chose that neighborhood in part because it’s not typically a hot bed of political activity. “Indian Orchard often ends up as a forgotten...Whose Springfield?
This evening at 5:30, a group of community activists will hold a Take Back Springfield rally on the steps of City Hall, to express frustration with some recent developments in the city. The organizers cite two specific controversies: the apparent new push by Palmer...Shifting Lines
Proposed new legislative districts released yesterday could mean significant changes for Springfield—including creating a state Senate seat that a candidate of color would have a strong possibility of winning. Right now, Springfield is represented in the Senate...Councilors Call for Biomass Permit to Be Denied
A group of city councilors is calling on the city’s Building Commissioner to deny a new special permit sought by the developers of the wood-burning power plant proposed for East Springfield. In May, the City Council voted 10-to-2 to revoke a permit granted for...School Department Lease Wars, Part II
It is a mathematical fact that the closer Election Day gets, the more prolific city councilors become, shooting out media releases and holding press conferences on whatever issue they can dredge up for a quick sound bite—just in case, you know, voters need some...To Campaign, or Not to Campaign?
Election Day is one week from today, and no freak snowstorm can slow down candidates and their supporters. Today, the newly formed group SEIU Community Action—an offshoot of the Service Employees International Union, open to non-union and union workers as well...Election Countdown: The Endorsement Wars
With five days until Election Day, mayoral candidate José Tosado has announced that he’s won the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union Local 1199—which claims 6,200 members in Springfield—while reminding voters of the other...Election Countdown: Stormy Weather
The freak tornado that hit Springfield June 1 had one bright side, at least for Mayor Domenic Sarno: it created lots of opportunities for him to show up in the media, reaching out to affected residents and vowing to help them get back on their feet. And while...Not Much New in Election News
So the voters have spoken—at least, the 22 percent who showed up at the polls—and their message, apparently, is a simple one: We’re pretty happy with the way things are. Incumbent Mayor Domenic Sarno, of course, held on to his seat handily, with 72...City Council Takes On Incinerator Permit
On Monday, the City Council will take up two resolutions in response to the recent news that City Hall has issued a building permit for the controversial wood-burning power plant proposed for East Springfield. City Building Commissioner Steven Desilets issued the...E-Edition
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