Archive
Fenton Takes the Helm
Did you miss today’s inauguration ceremony at City Hall? Fear not; Masslive has a transcript of new Council President Mike Fenton’s speech, which touches on Springfield history (raise your hand if you feel old when you realize that the Council president...Northampton Worried About Casino Competition
Would a Springfield casino affect the entertainment-and-restaurant-heavy downtown of Northampton? Yes, according to a new report by Camoin Associates. (The consultants prudently left out the “duh” many of us would have added to our response to that...MLK Event Wednesday
The national holiday may be next Monday, but this Wednesday, Jan. 15, is Martin Luther King Jr.’s actual birthday. The Greater Springfield NAACP and Mayor Domenic Sarno will mark the day with a celebration and flag-raising ceremony at 11 a.m. at City Hall, room...A Lively Anecdote and Antidote
It’s always pretty thrilling when a local person’s name pops up in the national media. Well, maybe not always. Last night, viewers of “The Daily Show” might have caught the name of Scott Lively, the conservative Springfield minister and...CommonWealth Mag Looks at SPD Shooting Case
The new issue of CommonWealth magazine has an article looking at how cases of deadly use of force by police are investigated—including a recent Springfield incident. In some cases, reporter Jack Sullivan writes, the use of deadly force was clearly justified; he...Read It
• Mike Dobbs makes the case in his latest Reminder column that Northampton won’t be all that badly hurt if MGM is successful in its bid to open a casino in the South End. That’s the case Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz makes in his city’s...City's Graduation Rates Climb
New figures from the Mass. Department of Education show that the city’s high-school graduation rates, while still low, are climbing. According to the DOE, Springfield’s graduation rate in 2012 was 56.6 percent, up from 52.1 percent the year before....Rally Calls for Foreclosure Reforms
Members of the anti-foreclosure group Springfield No One Leaves/Nadie Se Mude and their allies are joining a national day action today calling on mortgage Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to stop foreclosing on homeowners. The group gathered this morning outside the Housing...Battle Over Police Commission Looms
A group of city councilors is proposing the restoration of a Police Commission, whose citizen members would oversee policy, personnel decisions and—this is the one that’s reliably most controversial—discipline in the Springfield Police Department....Puppolo Stays Put; Tosado Aims for Statehouse
Well, so much for Sen. Puppolo: state Rep. Angelo Puppolo Jr. has announced that he’ll be running for re-election to his 12th Hampden seat—not jumping into the race to succeed state Sen. Gale Candaras, who will leave the 1st Hampden and Hampshire seat to...9th Hampden Field Gets Crowded
Another candidate has entered the race for the 9th Hampden state rep seat, soon to be vacated by incumbent Sean Curran, who has decided not to run for re-election. Earlier this week, Robert J. Underwood announced that he’s taken out nomination papers for the...This Weekend: Spike Lee Films; Forest Park Meets
• Saturday is the kick-off of a Spike Lee film series and discussion program-with free popcorn-at the Mason Square branch library. Films will be screened at noon on three consecutive Saturdays (Feb. 8, 15 and 22) in the library’s community room. On the...On the Fates of Union House Hotel and Cathedral High
Would a casino in the South End mean the end of the former Union House Hotel? As Pete Goonan reports in today’s Republican, the city’s Historical Commission is asking MGM to preserve the building, at the corner of Main and Bliss, if its casino application...Allen Joins Senate Race
Oh, boy, is this shaping up to be an exciting election year. As if it weren’t enough that the constitutional offices are on the ballot this year—with the departure of Gov. Deval Patrick leading to an especially packed gubernatorial...Committee Takes Up Police Commission; Mystery Satirist Lets Loose
The City Council’s Public Safety Committee takes up the proposal to reinstate a Police Commission today at 4:30 in City Hall. [Author’s note: I’d just posted this when I spotted a tweet from Councilor Melvin Edwards announcing that the meeting has...Tosado Makes It Official
Former City Council President and 2011 mayoral candidate Jose Tosado officially announced his plans to run for the 9th Hampden state rep seat today. “The residents and business owners of the 9th Hampden District deserve experienced representation,” Tosado...Should Police Cruisers Have Cameras?
As the city grapples with a proposal to restore a Police Commission, a new controversy related to police accountability has emerged, about the installation of video cameras in city police cruisers. City Hall has argued that dashboard cameras, as well as audio...Sarno Cites Review Board on Cruiser Cameras
Following a recent state arbitration ruling that put on ice his plans to install cameras in police cruisers, Mayor Domenic Sarno is reminding the public that the idea originated with the city’s citizens’ police review board. Earlier this week, the Joint...Would Sarno Slow SPD Hire?
Tonight, city councilors will debate whether to formally ask Mayor Domenic Sarno to hold off on appointing a new police commissioner until the Council has the chance to vote on a proposal to restore a city Police Commission. But would that formal request even matter?...So That Would Be a No
“Would Sarno Slow SPD Hire?” I asked in this space a couple of days ago. The answer: nope. On Monday, the City Council approved a non-binding resolution asking Mayor Domenic Sarno to hold off on selecting a replacement for Police Commissioner William...Friday Odds and Ends
As the battle over the Police Commission proposal and the hiring of a new SPD head rages on (in a nutshell: a group of city councilors is proposing a revived five-member commission and calling on Mayor Domenic Sarno to hold off on hiring a successor to Commissioner...Circosta Joins Gonzalez in 10th Hampden Race
State Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera had barely finished confirming that she is, indeed, leaving office for another job before she named the person she’d like to see succeed her. Coakley-Rivera, who’s held the 10th Hampden seat since the 1998 election,...As Sarno Nears SPD Hire, McFarlin Comes Under Fire
When will Mayor Domenic Sarno announce his pick to replace soon-to-retire Police Commissioner William Fitchet? The mayor’s not saying. But a decision seems to be soon on its way; as Pete Goonan reports on MassLive, Sarno has now finished interviewing the three...Sarno Appears Poised to Announce New SPD Leader
Mayor Domenic Sarno will hold a press conference at 10:30 this morning, when, according to a press release from his office, “A Significant Announcement regarding Public Safety Personnel Will Be Made.” Presumably, this won’t be about the hiring of new...Sarno Hires SPD Head; Fenton Vows to Push for Commission
So Springfield has a new police commissioner, and efforts to revive a Police Commission are on ice, at least for the time being. Yesterday, the protracted battle between Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and a group of pro-Police Commission city councilors over...City Councilors Want to be Your Friend
Or at least some of them do. Last night, councilors sent to committee a proposal by freshman Councilor Justin Hurst to start up a City Council Facebook page. Hurst had suggested the page as a way for councilors to connect with their constituents. What initially might...Edwards Enters 10th Hampden Race
Ward 3 City Councilor Melvin Edwards is the latest candidate to join the race to replace state Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera in the 10th Hampden district. Edwards—whose name has been circulating heavily in the city’s rumor mill as a possible candidate since...Love Your City Schools
Sometimes it seems like all you hear about the Springfield schools is bad news: poor test scores, high drop-out rates, safety concerns. So tomorrow’s fifth annual United in Hope celebration is a much-welcomed reminder of the good things going on in the city...Important Casino Hearing Tomorrow
Want to weigh in on MGM’s South End casino proposal? Then be sure to make it to the Mass Gaming Commission’s final community meeting on the matter, to be held tomorrow—Tuesday, April 1—from 4 to 6 p.m. (or later, if necessary) at the Mass...Tonight: Meet the Next SPD Head
Want to know what John Barbieri has planned for the Springfield Police Department? Tonight, the city’s incoming police commissioner will make a public presentation of his top priorities in his new position. Barbieri, an SPD deputy chief who was recently selected...Sarno Takes Another Swing at Lux
Mayor Domenic Sarno is continuing to put pressure on Lux nightclub, the site of a shooting last weekend. This afternoon, the city Law Department issued a cease-and-desist letter to Lux’s manager ordering it to shut down an event planned later this month. A flyer...Today: Job Resource Fair at Central Library
As of January, 26,527 residents of the metro Springfield area (or 7.9 percent of the population) were unemployed, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While that’s better than it had been— last summer, the rate hit 8.5...Friday Odds & Ends
On the off chance you’re running down the work-week clock by poking around the web, here are a few places to click your mouse: In this week’s Reminder, managing editor and columnist Mike Dobbs considers the tricky question of how to end violent crime in...Follow Your Money
They may not be thrilling, but they’re sure important. City departmental budget hearings continue this week, with representatives from numerous city departments on deck to present their spending plans for the coming fiscal year to the Sarno administration. While...Allen: Limit National Influence on Senate Race
Tim Allen has called for his fellow candidates for the First Hampden/Hampshire state Senate seat to just say no to (most) out-of-state contributions—a pledge that would presumably affect one of his competitors more dramatically than the others. In a campaign...Circosta Opts Out of State Rep Race
A month after announcing that he would run for the 10th Hampden state rep seat being vacated by Cheryl Coakley-Rivera, Sal Circosta has decided not to pursue the race after all. I talked to Circosta earlier today about his decision for a story in next week’s...MGM Requests Delay on Casino Award
What to make of MGM’s effort to slow down the awarding of the casino license the company has been working—and spending—so hard to obtain? Earlier this week, Michael Mathis, head of MGM’s proposal for the South End, asked the Mass. Gaming...Channel 40 Takes on Albano. Boy, Does it Ever
It’s nothing to be proud of, but every time I see one of these rearview-mirror takes on the rottenness of the Albano administration—like Channel 40’s week-long series, which kicked off last night, with the juicy title “Crime and Corruption: the...The Albano Strikes Back
Fours days into Channel 40’s retrospective series on his administration—bearing the colorful name “Crime and Corruption: the Albano Years”—former Mayor Mike Albano is swinging back. Yesterday on Facebook (and no, Albano and I are not...Clear the Air
“This is how racist your air is,” reads the headline of a recent piece on Mother Jones’ website. The story addresses a recent study by University of Minnesota researchers that found that “different demographic groups are exposed to drastically...Friday Odds & Ends: Politics & Casinos
• In a year thick with contested elections, the race for the 1st Hampden/Hampshire state Senate seat is a particularly lively one, attracting a crowded field of Democratic contenders and a Republican challenger (something, alas, we don’t always see in state...Do You Feel a Chill?
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard the phrase “tip of the iceberg” since Stephanie Barry broke the news yesterday that the FBI is looking into city construction contracts, well, I’d have a lot of dollars—but nowhere near the $4.6...Sanctuary City, a Decade Later
It’s been 10 years since scores of homeless people set up a community called Sanctuary City on the edge of downtown Springfield. The group lived in tents, first on the lawn of St. Michael’s Cathedral then, later, on a lot further up State Street owned by...NAACP Banquet Tonight
The Greater Springfield NAACP chapter holds its annual banquet tonight at Chez Josef in Agawam. The banquet’s theme is “All in for Justice and Equality.” In an announcement of the event, the local chapter notes its work in area including...Library Event Looks at Girls, Education & Empowerment
It’s a question that resonates all the more in the wake of the recent kidnapping of more than 300 schoolgirls in Nigeria: “Despite advances, mothers, women, and girls still face obstacles to achieving all they are capable of, worldwide and here at home....Globe Weighs in on Springfield Casino
Did you catch the pretty pro-casino story in today’s Boston Globe? Pretty pro-Springfield casino, that is. “Springfield betting on MGM for downtown turnaround” reads the headline of the article, by Mark Arsenault. The piece starts with a predictable,...Poll: Yes to Casino Repeal Vote; Yes to Casinos
Last summer, Springfield voters indicated, by a split of 58 to 42 percent, their approval of MGM’s proposed South End casino. But should all Massachusetts voters get a say on whether casinos come to the commonwealth? According to a new poll from WBUR and...Book Group Looks at Study of Springfield Family
If you’ve never read sociologist Tim Black’s 2009 book When a Heart Turns Rock Solid: The Lives of Three Puerto Rican Brothers On and Off the Streets, well, you really ought to. The book chronicles Black’s 20-year relationship with a Springfield...Rooke Pushes for More Vets Funding
So much for the idea that this year’s budget process might turn out to be pretty smooth sailing. At-large City Councilor Tim Rooke is threatening to vote against Mayor Domenic Sarno’s proposed budget unless there’s an increase in funding for the...Rise Together
Arise for Social Justice holds its annual meeting this Saturday, June 14. “We’ll get reports from our campaigns, elect a board of directors, sing, learn a dance for a flashmob, unite!” organizers say. Topics for discussion include criminal justice,...Casino Decision This Week
Friday’s the big day for MGM. That’s when the Mass. Gaming Commission will be in town to announce whether the company will be awarded the sole casino license to be granted in western Mass. Spoiler alert: It will, at least based on earlier comments made by...It's Me, Your Friendly, Neighborhood Wedding Planner
Hi! My name is Lisa, and I am a wedding planner. There are many movies and television show out there right now that portrait wedding planners and their personalities. There is the glamorous Jennifer Lopez in "The Wedding Planner"; the pretentious and...I'm Engaged! So now what?
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 You just got engaged to the love of your life. You’re happy, excited, thrilled! Until you realize that now you have to plan a wedding. Suddenly fear takes hold, your face pales and your...Bridal Expo Mania
Fall has arrived. The kids are back in school, the evenings are cooler, and the trees are changing color. But there is another phenomenon that happens this time of year: The Bridal Expo. If you are planning a wedding or even considering getting married you may be...Let Them Eat Cake
I love wedding cake. I don’t just like it; I LOVE it! The soft, moist cake and smooth, creamy frosting are what I consider a perfect treat. Every wedding I attend, whether as a guest or for work, I have to have a piece. It doesn’t matter how good the food...Think Outside the Vase
Open any bridal magazine and you will see dozens of photos of gorgeous centerpieces. There will be large towering arrangements and short compact ones. Some will be monotone and some will be pop with color. Their shapes will all be different, and they include every...Let's Get This Party Started
Showers, parties, and gatherings; it seems as though the minute you become engaged the fun never stops! And why should it? Your family and friends are so happy for you that it’s no wonder they want to honor the occasion by celebrating with you. These events...Music to My Ears
Music is a big part of any wedding. It sets the mood for the day and expresses who you are as a couple. It helps with the flow of the ceremony and can keep your guests dancing until midnight. As a matter of fact the two things people usually remember about a wedding...Bridal Emergency Kit
Most brides spend months planning the perfect wedding and taking care of all the details involved. Unfortunately, no matter how well prepared you are, you will likely encounter a snag or two on your big day. Don’t worry, these are usually minor; I’m not...E-Edition
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