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West Springfield Town Council passes fiscal year 2027 budget

Jun 5, 2026 | Local News

West Springfield Town Council passes fiscal year 2027 budget

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The West Springfield Town Council has closed out the budgeting season with unanimous approval for fiscal year 2027.

Chris Maza

cmaza@thereminder.com | + posts

Wild foraging walk and talk offered by SHAEC in Chester

Jun 5, 2026 | Hilltowns, Local News

Wild foraging walk and talk offered by SHAEC in Chester

CHESTER — The Southern Hilltowns Adult Education Center is offering a free Wild Foraging Walk and Talk by local wild edible expert Felix Lufkin. The class is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, at 6 p.m., and will meet at SHAEC’s Chester classroom at 26 Main St. in Chester.

Amy Porter

amyporter@thewestfieldnews.com | + posts

Flock cameras cause privacy concerns for Agawam residents

Jun 5, 2026 | Agawam, Hampden County, Local News

Flock cameras cause privacy concerns for Agawam residents

AGAWAM — Picture this: It is rush hour on a weekday. Thousands of vehicles travel city streets to and from their destinations.

Sarah Heinonen

sheinonen@thereminder.com | + posts

West Springfield Town Council passes fiscal year 2027 budget

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The West Springfield Town Council has closed out the budgeting season with unanimous approval for fiscal year 2027.

Wild foraging walk and talk offered by SHAEC in Chester

Flock cameras cause privacy concerns for Agawam residents

AGAWAM — Picture this: It is rush hour on a weekday. Thousands of vehicles travel city streets to and from their destinations.

Westfield skate park contract awarded; construction begins July 1

WESTFIELD — Mayor Michael A. McCabe announced that construction on the long-awaited rebuild of the Westfield Skate Park is set to commence in early July following a successful bid process.

Richards reflects on career before saying farewell to East Longmeadow Town Council

EAST LONGMEADOW — After a career that spanned over 40 years in East Longmeadow town government, Councilor Marilyn Richards is bidding adieu at the end of June.

Northampton Parents Center Tag Sale fundraiser to take place June 13

NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Parents Center Tag Sale fundraiser is back for another round on Saturday, June 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the front lawn of the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence.

Springfield unveils renovated Blunt Park fields, walking track

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield leadership has continued its work to improve the city’s neighborhood parks, with the unveiling of renovated grounds at Blunt Park.

PVTA/FRTA adds new Southwick route to bus schedule

SPRINGFIELD — Fulfilling one of the recommendations in the Master Plan and with the support of the Select Board, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, in partnership with the Franklin Regional Transit Authority, launched a new public transit route that includes Southwick.

Springfield marks 15 years since tornado

SPRINGFIELD — At exactly 4:38 p.m. on a pleasant and sunny June 1, the bell of Old First Church in Court Square rang 15 times, one for each year since a devastating EF3 tornado carved a path of destruction through the city of Springfield and nine other communities.

Westfield City Council approves first reading for electric bike regs

WESTFIELD — Legislative and Ordinance Committee Chair William Onyski brought a new ordinance to regulate electric bikes to the City Council on May 20.

Tina Lesniak

Budget concerns dominate Easthampton City Council meeting ahead of override vote

EASTHAMPTON — As Easthampton voters prepare to decide a proposed tax override on June 9, the city’s ongoing budget challenges remained front and center during the city council’s June 3 meeting.

Sarah Heinonen and Dennis Hackett

Sarno threatens to end free buses after Union Station incident

SPRINGFIELD — In the wake of an incident involving dozens of youth at gathered Union Station and resulting in the arrests of eight teens, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno announced a crackdown on young people using the location as a “meet up.” Seeing fare-free buses as part of the problem, he also announced he would seek to eliminate them in the city. However, elected officials have pushed back on that plan.

Sarah Heinonen

Residents push for rent control, participatory budget process

SPRINGFIELD — City residents crammed into the City Council Chambers for the Public Speak Out portion of the June 1 council meeting.

Sarah Heinonen

Youth Commission structure would leave City Council in the cold

SPRINGFIELD — Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton Harris is hoping to resurrect the city’s Youth Commission.

Peter Tuohy

Longmeadow voters once again say no to fiber through override

LONGMEADOW — The unofficial election results are in for Longmeadow’s annual town election on June 2, which saw no contested races but did make an attempt at a Proposition 2½ override to continue the chance of a town-owned fiber internet network.

Peter Tuohy

Unofficial election results show tight victory for East Longmeadow Town Council

EAST LONGMEADOW — It was a three-way race for two open spots in the East Longmeadow Town Council, and the unofficial results from the June 2 election show a victory by only 15 votes.

Westfield skate park contract awarded; construction begins July 1

By Amy Porter | Jun 5, 2026

WESTFIELD — Mayor Michael A. McCabe announced that construction on the long-awaited rebuild of the Westfield Skate Park is set to commence in early July following a successful bid process.

Richards reflects on career before saying farewell to East Longmeadow Town Council

By Peter Tuohy | Jun 5, 2026

EAST LONGMEADOW — After a career that spanned over 40 years in East Longmeadow town government, Councilor Marilyn Richards is bidding adieu at the end of June.

Northampton Parents Center Tag Sale fundraiser to take place June 13

By Trent Levakis | Jun 5, 2026

Springfield unveils renovated Blunt Park fields, walking track

By Sarah Heinonen | Jun 5, 2026

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield leadership has continued its work to improve the city’s neighborhood parks, with the unveiling of renovated grounds at Blunt Park.

PVTA/FRTA adds new Southwick route to bus schedule

By Cliff Clark | Jun 5, 2026

Westfield skate park contract awarded; construction begins July 1

By Amy Porter | Jun 5, 2026

WESTFIELD — Mayor Michael A. McCabe announced that construction on the long-awaited rebuild of the Westfield Skate Park is set to commence in early July following a successful bid process.

Richards reflects on career before saying farewell to East Longmeadow Town Council

By Peter Tuohy | Jun 5, 2026

EAST LONGMEADOW — After a career that spanned over 40 years in East Longmeadow town government, Councilor Marilyn Richards is bidding adieu at the end of June.

Northampton Parents Center Tag Sale fundraiser to take place June 13

By Trent Levakis | Jun 5, 2026

Springfield unveils renovated Blunt Park fields, walking track

By Sarah Heinonen | Jun 5, 2026

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield leadership has continued its work to improve the city’s neighborhood parks, with the unveiling of renovated grounds at Blunt Park.

PVTA/FRTA adds new Southwick route to bus schedule

By Cliff Clark | Jun 5, 2026

Springfield marks 15 years since tornado

By Sarah Heinonen | Jun 5, 2026

Salsa series returns to heat up summer in Northampton

Aurora’s Pizzeria reopens with a new location near previous one

Northampton Juneteenth Celebration set for June 6

Chicopee School Committee approves $139.4M budget for FY27

Roasted Beanery brews community with a side of coffee

Tyler Garnet

Herald communities prepare for Fourth of July celebrations

Chicopee, Holyoke and South Hadley are preparing to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks displays that bring residents together for an evening of festivities, family activities and summer tradition.

Sarah Heinonen

Symphony orchestra to play live at Star-Spangled Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — This July 4, as children play in the grass, families picnic on blankets and fireworks light up the sky over the Connecticut River, Springfield will celebrate America’s 250th birthday with the sounds of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra playing live at Riverfront Park.

Peter Tuohy

HWRSD students attend One8 learning showcase in Boston

WILBRAHAM — Students in the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District recently expanded their STEM knowledge by completing hands-on projects and attending the One8 Applied Student Learning Showcase in Boston with Project Lead The Way.

Sarah Heinonen

Springfield City Council approves $1.04B budget

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield City Council voted 10-3 to approve the $1.04 billion fiscal year 2027 budget, the first budget in the city’s history to top $1 billion.

Tina Lesniak

Enfield Community Market focuses on more than shopping

ENFIELD — On any given Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., visitors to the Enfield Community Market can browse fresh vegetables, locally raised meats, handcrafted wood products, artisan jewelry, baked goods and specialty coffee.

Mike Lydick

West Side man urgently needs living kidney donor

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Fifteen years ago, routine bloodwork revealed that Theodore “Ted” Pinkerman had kidney damage.

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Trent Levakis

Paradise City Arts Festival returns for 31st year later this month

NORTHAMPTON — The nation’s premier destination for lovers of the handmade and high-end is once again gracing the region over Memorial Day weekend.

Trent Levakis

New theater group introduces itself with first production

EASTHAMPTON — In an effort to bring fresh, queer and gender diverse stories to the local theater scene, a new theater group, Why’s It Gotta Be?, has formed here in Western Massachusetts.

Ryan Feyre

Scoreboard oozes traditional sports bar feel at every corner

AGAWAM — No matter the season, an avid sports fan such as myself usually spends my weekends on the lookout for the perfect spot to watch the game.

Dennis Hackett

The Best Damn Sandwich: BBQ panini from Krave in East Longmeadow

EAST LONGMEADOW — Having worked exclusively in East Longmeadow over the past year, I have come to appreciate the town’s many lunch stops. I am happy to report that another excellent spot recently opened its doors.

Tyler Garnet

Historic Deerfield announces schedule for Revolution’s

DEERFIELD — As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, Historic Deerfield’s 2026 season is centered on bringing the Revolutionary era to life as a lived, local experience in Western Massachusetts.

Sarah Heinonen

Forbes Library hosts wide-ranging fiber arts exhibit by The Fiberistas

NORTHAMPTON — The Hosmer Gallery on the second floor of Northampton’s Forbes Library is awash in colors and textures. Nine women have put their heart and soul — and thread — into a fiber art exhibit, “Bits and Pieces.”

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