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Oct 28, 2024 | Hampden County, Local Headlines, Ludlow

Hampden County Sheriff’s Office awarded traffic safety grant

LUDLOW — The Hampden County Sheriff’s Office was recently awarded $17,140 through the State Agency Traffic Safety Grant Program for use toward supporting traffic safety initiatives by local police departments.

Oct 23, 2024 | Hampden County, Hampshire County, Hampshire Hilltowns, Local Headlines, Local News, Westfield

Candidates for 4th Hampden District make appeal to voters

As the election for the 4th Hampden District of the House of Representatives nears, Kelly Pease and Bridget Matthews-Kane are not taking any votes for granted. Two-time incumbent Rep. Kelly Pease, a Republican, was speaking before heading to Framingham for a...

Oct 23, 2024 | East Longmeadow, Hampden County, Local Headlines, Local News

East Longmeadow Planning Board approves outdoor dining for Mazatlan Mexican Restaurant

EAST LONGMEADOW — During its regular meeting on Oct. 15, the East Longmeadow Planning Board unanimously approved an amendment to a special permit to allow Mazatlan Mexican Restaurant to utilize outdoor dining each year from April to October.

Hilltowns vigil commits to making domestic violence a thing of the past

HUNTINGTON — The annual Hilltown Domestic Violence Awareness Vigil was observed inside Stanton Hall on Oct. 16. As community members entered, they were encouraged to sign a banner and write a message on a prayer flag to victims of domestic violence, which were then attached to clotheslines across the stage.

Prepare for a scare at the Hilltown Hikers Sinister Saw on Oct. 26

Agawam high schoolers working to improve academics, behavior

Marlene DeJesus, the district’s director of social emotional learning, and Sadie Petta, an English teacher at Agawam High School, told the School Committee at its Oct. 15 meeting that the project, Caught in the ACT, is an initiative centered around giving students a voice and being involved in some decision making.

Oktoberfest supports East Longmeadow’s Brown Farm Recreation Area

EAST LONGMEADOW — East Longmeadow’s third annual Oktoberfest celebration took place on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Brown Farm Recreation Area in support of increased usage and improvement of the park’s nature trails. Organized by the East Longmeadow Recreation Commission with support for East Longmeadow Recreation Foundation, the town’s Oktoberfest featured food and activities for children and adults alike.

‘Endless’ benefits to fiber, says Longmeadow task force, provider

LONGMEADOW — Cities and towns across Western Massachusetts are exploring municipally owned internet networks. Chicopee, Westfield and South Hadley operate networks, while Hampden, East Longmeadow, West Springfield, Wilbraham and Southwick are at various stages of municipal fiber projects with different internet service providers.

House of Koolada’s welcomed to Chicopee with ribbon cutting ceremony

CHICOPEE — On Oct. 1, Chicopee welcomed a new business to the community with a ribbon cutting ceremony for House of Koolada’s, 738 Chicopee St.

Holyoke Health celebrates jumpstart to careers training center

HOLYOKE — U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Malden) visited the Paper City on Wednesday, Oct. 16 to tour and share remarks at Holyoke Health Center in a highlight of the $1 million he secured in fiscal year 2024 to jumpstart the Holyoke Health Careers Training Center.

Officials break ground on new water treatment facility

WESTFIELD — For years, the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission has been developing a vision for improving operations at its West Parish Water Treatment Plant, but as U.S. Sen. Ed Markey noted, “A vision without funding is a hallucination.”

Basketball legends,‘SuperFans’ honored during enshrinement weekend

SPRINGFIELD — The rain could not dampen the spirit in Springfield on Sunday, Oct. 13 as some of the world’s biggest and brightest basketball stars shined in a gathering and celebration at Symphony Hall for the 2024 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony.

Smith College educators officially unionize

NORTHAMPTON — The early childhood educators at Smith College Center for Early Childhood have officially unionized, joining five other groups of Smith College workers that have unionized over the past 10 months.

Amy Porter

Leaders commit to diversity in wake of court pushback

WESTFIELD — Top-ranking leaders in state education came to Westfield High School on Oct. 16 to...

Cliff Clark

Bond for fiber-optic network in Southwick Select Board’s hands

SOUTHWICK — At the last meeting of the High Speed Internet Committee, its members agreed the...

Cliff Clark

Mark, Rosa making final push in state senate campaign

With less than two weeks before the general election on Nov. 5, Reminder Publishing reached out...

Laura Mason

Senior Center, new Town Hall space among Hampden Town Meeting warrant items

HAMPDEN — Hampden’s fall special Town Meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at Thornton W. Burgess School. At this meeting, residents will have the opportunity to vote on 21 articles.

Tyler Garnet

Mac the therapy dog showing positive results at South Hadley High School

SOUTH HADLEY — Assistant Principal Patrick Lemieux met with the School Committee on Oct. 3 to discuss the early impacts of South Hadley High School and the introduction of Mac the therapy dog.

Trent Levakis

Eagle Eye’s Equity Walk celebrates nature for all youth

HOLYOKE — The Eagle Eye Institute is inviting the public to its Step Up For Equity In Nature Walk and Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Ashley Reservoir.

Local Headlines

Hampden County Sheriff’s Office awarded traffic safety grant

Candidates for 4th Hampden District make appeal to voters

East Longmeadow Planning Board approves outdoor dining for Mazatlan Mexican Restaurant

Chicopee Halloween Spooktacular returns to Szot Park on Oct. 24

Youth key to better relations between Springfield police, community

Mike Lydick

New astrology shop is Agawam’s first in decades

AGAWAM — It’s been decades since Agawam has had someone practicing astrology as a business. But that is no longer the case now that the Agawam Astrology Shop is open in the center of Feeding Hills.

Mike Lydick

Conference in Agawam offers opportunities to enhance writing skills

The “yWrite! 2024 Writers’ Conference” is an all-day, in-person conference designed to enhance the skills of beginning and seasoned writers. There will be morning and afternoon sessions that will give participants the choice of classes and workshops presented by professional and experienced facilitators.

Tyler Lederer

Health care question on ballots in Agawam, Westfield, many Hilltowns

AGAWAM — Voters in the districts currently represented by state Reps. Nicholas Boldyga (R-Southwick) and Kelly Pease (R-Westfield) will decide...

Sarah Heinonen

After outrage over process, X Improvement Project easements approved

SPRINGFIELD — The X Improvement Project, a roadway initiative 10 years in the making, was nearly derailed on Oct. 7 when members of the City Council objected to finding out in the eleventh hour that they would need to vote on land taking and easements that evening or risk losing the $16 million state-funded project.

Tina Lesniak

Bub’s BBQ Trunk or Treat builds community

SUNDERLAND — With its first-ever trunk-or-treat event on Oct. 25, the owner of Bub’s BBQ in Sunderland hopes to build community for both the children and local businesses.

Tina Lesniak

Get ready for the Rag Shag Parade in Easthampton

EASTHAMPTON — The annual Rag Shag Parade is set to return to Easthampton’s streets on Oct. 29, bringing with it all sorts of ghouls, goblins and assorted characters.

Magazines

Dining & Entertainment

Ryan Feyre

The Big 3: A Halloween candy bag of R&B and rap

The last column I wrote featured a limited scope in genre, but with Halloween just around the corner, I want to provide a mixed bag of treats this time around. Below are some of my favorite R&B and rap songs I have been listening to over the past couple weeks.

Miasha Lee

New restaurant, The Black Sheep, out to prove it fits right in

HAMPDEN — The Black Sheep Cocktail Bar & Kitchen, located at 5 Allen St. in the Hampden Plaza, is a new craft cocktail bar and scratch kitchen that just opened, serving a diverse selection of cocktails and cuisine.

Provisions

Provisions’ Picks: taking another look at merlot options

This month we’re showcasing California merlot for the anniversary of that 2004 wine country film, “Sideways.”

Tyler Lederer

Shah’s Halal Food brings the heat to West Springfield

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Shah’s Halal Food in West Springfield makes itself clear it’s from the streets of New York. As in, it says, “from the streets of New York” in embossed lettering by the counter.

Matt Conway

What I’m Eating: A New Haven pizza showdown

I always dreamed of venturing to New Haven, Connecticut, one day to indulge in what many consider the world’s pizza capital. New Haven boasts a rich pizza history, with the narrow Wooster Street roadway housing two indelible icons — Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana and Sally’s Apizza.

Ryan Feyre

New arcade to enter lower level of Thornes this November

NORTHAMPTON — Fans of classic and modern gaming have reason to celebrate this fall when an eastern Massachusetts arcade opens a new spot in Northampton.

Opinion

G. Michael Dobbs

What determines how you vote in an election?

What goes into your process of determining how you are going to vote? Now, I realize many people instantly would talk about party or their self-described political status such as conservative, liberal, libertarian or other, but it’s historically clear that many factors come into play.

Letters to the Editor

Why not 40 hours for Senior Center?

Here’s a scenario: Suppose you want to start a school because you believe you have courses that people would like and benefit from. So, you build a school and conduct courses during the hours of 8 a.m. to noon. People (young and old) come and like the courses. You consider it a success!

Letters to the Editor

Yes to fiber

At our Nov. 12 fall special Town Meeting, Longmeadow residents will have the chance to vote on two articles to bring fast, reliable, affordable, town-owned fiber internet to our community. One article will be the second of two necessary votes to create a Municipal Light Plant, which will allow the town to build and own its own fiber network. The first vote passed at our May annual Town Meeting with 96.5% of the vote. The second article will be to provide funding for the initial steps of the project.

Letters to the Editor

Yes on Question 2

I am writing in support of voting yes on Question 2 on the Massachusetts state ballot. Elimination of MCAS as a high...

Dennis Hackett

I’m voting no on Question 5 on this year’s ballot

Normally I don’t find myself becoming invested in many of the ballot measures that are proposed to Massachusetts voters come election season. This year however, several of the questions caught my eye.

Letters to the Editor

Vote ‘no’ on Senior Center project

I support renovation of the Hampden Senior Center, but the current proposal of millions of dollars is not a prudent use of Hampden’s resources. I am concerned that this proposal does not respect the wishes of the residents who voted “no” at both the 2024 Annual Town Meeting and the spring override election, and is simply a way around the will of the people.

Letters to the Editor

Middle school issues for voters to consider

Town committee members made judgments on two separate issues, coupling their decisions as the basis for state funding.

Letters to the Editor

Group of residents opposes middle school location

Over the last few months, we have tried to point out the numerous issues related to placing a combined middle school capable of accommodating 700 students in the Williams athletic field.