On Springfield
Money Changes Everything
Campaign finance reports for the second quarter were due to the Federal Elections Commission this week—and, in a surprise to no one, incumbent U.S. Rep. Richie Neal outraised dramatically his two opponents for the Democratic nomination for the 1st Congressional...Say Cheese
“There are many sound reasons why Senator Scott Brown should be elected over Elizabeth Warren,” my friend Tom Devine recently wrote on his blog, The Valleyist. I will respectfully disagree. But boy, even the most devout Warrenite’s heart would stop...Fighting for Homeless Families
A rally is planned today to protest proposed regulations for families seeking emergency shelter—regulations that Arise for Social Justice calls the state’s “biggest attack on homeless families to date.” Activists will gather at noon outside...Nice Guys Publish First
‘Wherever you live, make Springfield a city you care about,” Nancy Urbschat writes in the inaugural issue of Speaking of Springfield, a new, free, online publication celebrating the city that all too often gets dumped on. Urbschat, the owner of the...Cheap Eats, Valuable Democracy
Will you be chowing down with Michelle Obama at the fundraising luncheon for her husband to be held at the Basketball Hall of Fame today? Tickets start at $1,000 a person—$2,500 if you want your photo snapped with the First Lady. Couples who plunk down $10,000...Problems of Succession
If Ward 3 City Councilor Melvin Edwards wins his race for the Hampden Senate seat this fall, it will be a nice victory for Springfield, giving the city its only hometown member of the state Senate. (Neither of the two incumbent senators who represent the city live in...Remembering Kevin O'Hare
The Valley music scene lost a well-respected voice last weekend with the death of Kevin O’Hare, a long-time music writer for the Springfield Republican. The Republican has published several pieces about O’Hare by his friends and colleagues, including this...Edwards Gets Green Thumbs-up
Ward 3 City Councilor Melvin Edwards has won the endorsement of the Mass Sierra Club in the Sept. 6 Democratic primary for the Hampden state Senate seat, where he’ll face incumbent Sen. Jim Welch. Among Edwards’ pro-environmental credentials: he has been...Can't-Miss Debate Tonight
Tonight, voters in the 1st Congressional District will have a rare chance to evaluate the three candidates for the seat all at once. At 8 p.m., WGBY will broadcast a debate among the candidates competing in the Sept. 6 Democratic primary: Bill Shein, Andrea Nuciforo...So, Did You Watch?
What do you think went through Andrea Nuciforo’s and Bill Shein’s minds when they heard the first question posed to them at this week’s candidates’ debate for the 1st Congressional District? The question, asked by Jim Madigan, host of the WGBY...1st District Debate Goes On—In a Fashion
This evening, voters in the 1st Congressional District were supposed to hear from the three candidates competing in next week’s Democratic primary, at a debate hosted by the Westfield News and Westfield State University. But the debate was scrapped after U.S....Campaign Finance: The Forbidden Topic
Yeesh—and I thought last week’s WGBY debate among the three Democratic candidates for the 1st Congressional District seat was overly incumbent-friendly in tone. Then I read about plans for the second, and final, debate, to be held this evening at WBEC...Newsflash: Republican (Hearts) Neal
The Springfield Republican ran a glowing endorsement of U.S. Rep. Richie Neal this weekend—no surprise there; the Republican would go steady with Neal if it could—while beating the lemon off one of his two Democratic challengers for the 1st Congressional...Results
File under same-old, same-old:Richie Neal remains Springfield’s congressman, after handily winning his Democratic primary. Jim Welch holds on to the Hampden Senate seat, with a strong victory over Melvin Edwards, meaning Edwards will stay on as Ward 3’s...Senate Scraps
While the Springfield Intruder blog is largely the work of Bill Dusty, he’s open to running commentary by other writers, even soliciting contributions on his site. As far as I can tell, the only person who’s taken Dusty up on the invitation is Jerold...WNEU Panel Considers Wilhite Case
Supporters of Charles Wilhite will gather outside Springfield District Court at 6 a.m. tomorrow for a vigil, before moving into the courthouse for a hearing on a motion to dismiss murder charges he faces. Wilhite was convicted of first-degree murder in 2010 for the...Talking Casino
The City Council’s Casino Site Committee meets tonight to discuss some key issues: should the city create a special “casino zone” that would allow casino-specific regulations? And should the entire city vote on whether to approve a casino, or just...Local Families Take on Freddie and Fannie
Tomorrow, a group of Springfield families and their allies will join a mass rally in Washington, D.C., where they’ll protest the foreclosure and eviction policies of the mortgage agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This evening, the Springfield...No Zoning Ordinance for You!
For crying out loud, did the City Council really once again delay action on long-delayed revisions to the city’s zoning ordinance? Why, yes—yes it did. At a public hearing earlier this week, councilors voted to send the proposed zoning ordinance—six...Nurses Rally Before Strike
Nurses and their supporters will walk a picket line outside Baystate Medical Center this afternoon, to show their support as fellow nurses in Greenfield prepare to strike. Nurses at Baystate Franklin Medical Center recently voted to strike in protest of what they call...Shubh Kaamnaayein
It was a sad day last winter when Sitar shut its doors; as Ray Kelly reported at the time in the Republican, the popular Indian restaurant closed due to the bad economy. But good news for lovers of Indian cuisine: last week, a new restaurant, Panjabi Tadka, opened in...Family and Supporters Stop Eviction
An update to the story below: Jack Flynn of the Republican reports here that the eviction of the Mendez family was called off at the last minute, apparently at the request of Aurora Bank. Flynn reports that about 70 people showed up in support of the Mendezes, and...Check Out—and Speak Out on—Casino Plans
The City Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee holds another meeting tonight to hear residents’ thoughts on whether all city residents should vote on a proposed casino plan or just those in the ward where the casino would be located. This...Voices on New Homeless Rules
On Monday, the Mass. Department of Housing and Community Development held a public hearing in Springfield to get feedback on new regulations governing how families qualify for emergency shelter—regulations that critics say are unduly restrictive and are leaving...It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
It’s 11 days until the election, and local bloggers are getting revved up. At the Springfield Intruder, Bill Dusty has a Q&A with Mike Franco, the man who will lose to Mike Albano in the race for the 8th District Governor’s Council seat. Franco talks...Win Some, Lose Some
Early in my time at the Advocate, I wrote an article about the demise of the once-grand Hotel Charles, adjacent to the once-hopping Union Station, despite the valiant efforts by the Springfield Preservation Trust to save it. I visited the hotel site—by that...Rooke Backs Brown
If there’s one thing that’s been made abundantly clear over the course of Tim Rooke’s time on the City Council, it’s this: he really doesn’t care if the positions he takes tick people off. I’ll even venture to guess that sometimes...Casino Talk; Disaster Relief
Want to know more about MGM Resorts’ proposal to build a casino in the South End? Tomorrow evening, Nov. 13, MGM representatives will meet with residents and answer questions at a meeting hosted by the Maple High Six Corners Neighborhood Council. The meeting...“Residents Clamoring for MGM” … Says MGM
The people of Hungry Hill are just dying for MGM to build a casino in the South End. How do we know? Well, the flack for the casino company tells us so. Really, am I the only one to feel a wee bit skeptical of some of the details in this morning’s Republican...Fire Fight
Mayor Domenic Sarno has asked the City Council to lower the necessary requirements for the city’s fire commissioner. Sarno wants to name Joseph Conant, who’s been the acting commissioner since Gary Cassanelli retired earlier this year, but Conant lacks the...New Shelter Regs Expected
A final version of proposed new state regulations governing which homeless families qualify for emergency shelter is expected to be released today. While still not finalized, the new regulations are already being implemented—resulting, say homeless activists and...Mercy, Already
The city of Springfield, of late, seems like a biblical figure, one of those poor, put-upon characters whose patience and endurance are continually being tested by God—in the city’s case, with freak urban tornadoes and pre-season snowstorms and, last...Oh, Right, Springfield's Considering a Casino, Too
Sure, Holyoke might be grabbing all the casino-related headlines these days, but let’s not forget the three gaming companies angling to build in Springfield. The City Council hasn’t; its Planning and Economic Development Committee has two more public...Kidding!
Oh, dear. So after reading this report by MassLive’s Greg Saulmon, on arch-conservative minister Scott Lively’s suggestion that perhaps God caused last week’s strip club explosion as a form of punishment for wickedness, I feel compelled to say that...Sorry to See Him Go
Add me to the list of people saddened—and intrigued—by the news that Tom Walsh has resigned as Mayor Domenic Sarno’s communications director, a job he held for five years. Walsh, as far as I can tell, was generally well liked and respected by local...Battle for the Gavel
Western Mass. Politics and Insight has a juicy piece about the battle for the City Council presidency, which pits at-large Councilor (and incumbent President) Jimmy Ferrera against Ward 8 Councilor John Lysak. If Lysak wins, notes WMPI writer Matt Szafranski,...Families in Need
Arise for Social Justice is planning a march on Wednesday in protest of new state eligibility standards for emergency shelter for families who are homeless. (Click here for a recent Advocate article on the regulations.) The march will begin at noon at Gov. Deval...Got Casino Questions?
You’ve seen their ads, read about their various contributions to city organizations, checked out their “artist renderings” of what their projects would look like—and tonight you’ll have a chance to ask questions of the two casino...Mike Rodgers' Passing
There have been far too many occasion this year to note the before-their-time deaths of Springfield public figures, a list that includes political activist Alan Howard, Republican music writer Kevin O’Hare, New North Citizens Council Director Michael Denney and...Days of Our Councilors' Lives
So Jimmy Ferrera has secured another term as president of the City Council—although it wasn’t the prettiest win. In an informal vote at Monday’s meeting (the formal vote will take place at the Council’s first meeting of 2013, on Jan. 7), a...Labor Leader Brown Steps Down
It’s hard for me to imagine the Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council without Rick Brown; he’s been the president of the group as long as I’ve been covering the Valley. But I better get used to it: last week, the Council announced that Brown was...One Casino, Two Reports
Mike Dobbs’ coverage of the splashy unveiling of Penn National’s North End casino proposal didn’t appear until six days after the Dec. 20 event; thus is the challenge of a weekly newspaper. Still, Dobbs’ report, in the Reminder, was a must...Zoning Ordinance in 2013? Dare We Hope?
It’s been more than 40 years since the city of Springfield enacted its zoning ordinance, and six years since work began to update it. Think of it this way: if the proposed zoning changes were a person, she’d be in kindergarten by now. Carrying a Shaun...Lively Lawsuit Heads to Court
On Monday, a federal court judge will hear arguments in Scott Lively’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed against him by Sexual Minorities Uganda, or SMUG. Last March, lawyers for the Center for Constitutional Rights filed the suit on SMUG’s behalf,...Justice for Charles?
While the persecution lawsuit against Scott Lively comes to federal court today, down the road at Hampden Superior Court a second high-profile case kicks off: the retrial of Charles Wilhite. Two years ago, Wilhite and a second man, Angel Hernandez, were convicted of...Falling Shoes Ahead?
I’ve been waiting all week for City Council President Jimmy Ferrera to announce committee assignments for the new year. Presumably, city councilors have been, too. But looks like we’ll have to wait a bit longer. Ferrera, who was sworn in to his second...News, Big and Small
The big news of the week: supporters of Charles Wilhite are celebrating today, after a jury found him not guilty of the 2008 murder of Alberto Rodriguez. Wilhite and a co-defendant, Angel Hernandez, had been convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death in...Celebrate Winter's Fare This Saturday
If you haven’t yet made it to the winter farmers’ market—well, why haven’t you? But fear not; it’s not too late to get in on the action: the market, which is held the second and fourth Saturdays of the month at Forest Park’s Old...What Do You Want From a Casino?
If a casino does come to Springfield—and the enthusiasm of casino backers notwithstanding, it is still a matter of if—what does the community want from the company? That’s the question on the table at two upcoming meetings. This evening, at 5 p.m.,...Celebrate with No One Leaves
In the little more than two years since its founding, Springfield No One Leaves/Nadie Se Mude has become an important voice in the city, organizing protests at foreclosed homes; advocating for struggling residents about to lose their homes and the neighborhoods that...Lynch Comes Courting in Springfield
With John Kerry officially confirmed as secretary of state, now begins the scramble to fill his Senate seat—and that scramble will include a Democratic primary, between Rep. Ed Markey of Malden and Rep. Stephen Lynch of Boston. And, as Shira Schoenberg reports...ADP Seeks Donations in JobRaising Challenge
Springfield’s Alliance to Develop Power is looking for supporters’ help as it competes for a large prize that would help its job-creation programs. ADP is one of 74 non-profits from around the country competing for part of a $250,000 prize from the Skoll...What Would a Casino Mean for the South End?
There’s a week to go until Mayor Domenic Sarno is expected to announce which of the city’s two prospective casino developers he’ll negotiate a host agreement with. (Or, he could opt to negotiate with both. Or neither—ha, ha.) As we await the...Council Committee Weighs in on Casino Agreement
With a few days to go until Mayor Domenic Sarno announces whether he’ll negotiate with one or both of the city’s prospective casino developers, the City Council’s casino site committee is urging the administration to draft host-community agreements...Really, Is Nothing Sacred?
Yes, I know the big news of the day is Mayor Domenic Sarno’s anticipated announcement about which casino developer, or developers, he’s chosen to negotiate a host-community agreement with. But I can’t stop thinking about another bit of...Snow Woes
Having a bad day at work? Just be glad you’re not Al Chwalek. This afternoon, the city’s DPW head is being called on the carpet by the City Council’s planning and economic development and maintenance committees over the department’s performance...Show Some Love
If you like your Valentine’s Day romance with a nice dose of political activism, here are two events to check out today: • “One Billion Rising,” from noon to 1 p.m. at Tower Square, part of V-Day, an international movement working to stop...Casinos by the Numbers
Having a hard time sorting out the various details of the two casino proposals working their way through City Hall? Here, the Reminder’s Mike Dobbs offers a handy comparison of the two plans, culled from a “Proposal Comparison Matrix,” a somewhat...Our Lady of Hope Back in Court
The battle over the fate of the former Our Lady of Hope parish has been quiet for some time, but it’s not over. As the Republican’s Pete Goonan reports here, the Springfield Diocese is continuing to fight the City Council’s decision, in 2009, to...E-Edition
Best Of 2024
Readers Choice 2024
