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Academy of Music names Dumont as new executive director

Jun 19, 2026 | Hampshire County, Local News, Northampton

Academy of Music names Dumont as new executive director

NORTHAMPTON — The Academy of Music Theatre’s Board of Trustees has announced that Raymond Dumont will take over as executive director of the theater on July 1 after current executive director, Debra J’Anthony, announced she will step down after 18 years in the role.

Trent Levakis

tlevakis@thereminder.com | + posts

Nye named new Northampton veterans’ services director

Jun 19, 2026 | Easthampton, Hampshire County, Local News

Nye named new Northampton veterans’ services director

Daniel Nye was appointed by Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra as the next director of veterans’ services following the retirement of Steve Connor after 22 years in the role.Photo credit: Daniel Nye, Central Hampshire Veterans’ Services NORTHAMPTON — Mayor Gina-Louise...

Easthampton petitioners trigger override vote recount

Jun 19, 2026 | Easthampton, Hampshire County, Local News

Easthampton petitioners trigger override vote recount

EASTHAMPTON — The city will officially hold a recount of votes from the June 9 Special Election override after petitioners collected enough signatures to trigger such a situation.

Trent Levakis

tlevakis@thereminder.com | + posts

Academy of Music names Dumont as new executive director

Nye named new Northampton veterans’ services director

Easthampton petitioners trigger override vote recount

EASTHAMPTON — The city will officially hold a recount of votes from the June 9 Special Election override after petitioners collected enough signatures to trigger such a situation.

Easthampton City Council approves two tax relief orders after override vote

EASTHAMPTON — A little over a week after Easthampton voters decided to adopt a $6.9 million override, the City Council passed two action items that aim to alleviate some of the burdens Easthampton residents face when property taxes eventually rise.

STRM: East Longmeadow July 4 celebrations are bigger than ever

EAST LONGMEADOW — With the United States celebrating its 250th anniversary this July, East Longmeadow is pulling out all the stops with one of its biggest Fourth of July celebrations to date.

Westfield Police captain updates City Council on department

WESTFIELD — At the request of Westfield City Councilor Brent Bean II, Police Capt. Steve Dickinson attended the council meeting on June 4 and spoke about the department’s activities in several areas, including community policing, retail store shoplifting calls, the size of the force and the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail.

Cross outlines vision as new Chicopee fire chief

CHICOPEE — For the first time since 2019, Chicopee will have a new fire chief after former Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Cross was sworn into the position on June 16.

Westfield patrol officers will soon wear body cameras

WESTFIELD — The Westfield Police Department now has nearly $300,000 to fit its officers with body-worn cameras, which was one of Police Chief Jerome Pitoniak’s goals when he was appointed in 2024.

Bumpa Built: A 3D creation of the imagination

SOMERS — Bumpa Built’s mission is to help people bring their ideas to life, inspiring creative confidence through 3D-printed fidget toys and collectibles.

Freedom Truck canceled after losing parking spot

WESTFIELD — The Westfield Police Department decided not to host the Freedom Truck Mobile Museum last week after Westfield State University rescinded its initial decision to allow the tractor-trailer to park in the south parking lot on its campus.

Peter Tuohy

Smith wraps up 16 year career as East Longmeadow Public Schools superintendent

EAST LONGMEADOW — East Longmeadow Public Schools is closing a nearly two-decade chapter at the end of June with the retirement of Superintendent Gordon Smith as it prepares for a new era under Dr. Joanne Menard.

Cliff Clark

Winter’s snow cover contributes to explosion of ticks

SOUTHWICK — It may sound counterintuitive, but the amount of snow the area got this winter has contributed to the dramatic increase in the number of ticks being reported by area health departments, including in Southwick.

Sarah Heinonen

City Council, organizers support free buses, but youth are split

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield City Council passed a resolution supporting far-free buses with a vote of 10-0 at its June 15 meeting, overwhelmingly rejecting Mayor Domenic Sarno’s June 2 call for an end to the program, a statement he has walked back in the two weeks since.

Sarah Heinonen

Community Legal Aid receives $200k to battle housing discrimination

SPRINGFIELD — Seven Massachusetts organizations that work to expand access to fair housing...

Sarah Heinonen

Springfield City Council supports proposed rule to appear in person

SPRINGFIELD — A month after Springfield Ward 7 City Councilor Gerry Martin proposed limitations on remote participation in meetings and faced significant pushback from colleagues, the council voted 10-2 to approve the resolution.

Trent Levakis

Musante Beach lands floating beach wheelchair after city receives grant

NORTHAMPTON — Musante Beach will soon have a floating beach wheelchair after the Northampton Parks & Recreation Department was awarded one through the SMILE Mass 2026 Floating Beach Wheelchair Grant Program.

Easthampton City Council approves two tax relief orders after override vote

By Ryan Feyre | Jun 19, 2026

STRM: East Longmeadow July 4 celebrations are bigger than ever

By Dennis Hackett | Jun 19, 2026

EAST LONGMEADOW — With the United States celebrating its 250th anniversary this July, East Longmeadow is pulling out all the stops with one of its biggest Fourth of July celebrations to date.

Westfield Police captain updates City Council on department

By Cliff Clark | Jun 18, 2026

Cross outlines vision as new Chicopee fire chief

By Tyler Garnet | Jun 18, 2026

CHICOPEE — For the first time since 2019, Chicopee will have a new fire chief after former Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Cross was sworn into the position on June 16.

Westfield patrol officers will soon wear body cameras

By Cliff Clark | Jun 18, 2026

Easthampton City Council approves two tax relief orders after override vote

By Ryan Feyre | Jun 19, 2026

STRM: East Longmeadow July 4 celebrations are bigger than ever

By Dennis Hackett | Jun 19, 2026

EAST LONGMEADOW — With the United States celebrating its 250th anniversary this July, East Longmeadow is pulling out all the stops with one of its biggest Fourth of July celebrations to date.

Westfield Police captain updates City Council on department

By Cliff Clark | Jun 18, 2026

Cross outlines vision as new Chicopee fire chief

By Tyler Garnet | Jun 18, 2026

CHICOPEE — For the first time since 2019, Chicopee will have a new fire chief after former Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Cross was sworn into the position on June 16.

Westfield patrol officers will soon wear body cameras

By Cliff Clark | Jun 18, 2026

Bumpa Built: A 3D creation of the imagination

By Miasha Lee | Jun 18, 2026

SOMERS — Bumpa Built’s mission is to help people bring their ideas to life, inspiring creative confidence through 3D-printed fidget toys and collectibles.

Chicopee City Council appropriates funds to provide tax relief

Enfield Girl Scout receives Gold Award

Longmeadow Select Board reorganizes, approves borrowing for four town projects

Hampden County Sheriff’s Department participates in Flag Sojourn 250

Springfield City Council votes to support state rent control legislation

Tyler Garnet

Holyoke bans future data center developments

HOLYOKE — Future data centers are banned in the city of Holyoke after the City Council voted 9-4 in favor of a zoning ordinance amendment during its council meeting on June 16.

Peter Tuohy

East Longmeadow Town Council approves Fire Department’s pursuit of staffing grants

EAST LONGMEADOW — The East Longmeadow Town Council unanimously voted to support the Fire Department’s pursuit to obtain a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant that helps increase staffing after a “particularly difficult” fiscal year, according to Fire Chief Christopther Beecher.

Tyler Garnet

Holyoke School Committee approves $128.7 million FY27 budget

HOLYOKE — The Holyoke School Committee approved an approximately $128.7 million operating budget for fiscal year 2027, which “puts students first” and invests in strategies that support all children, according to interim Superintendent Anothony Soto.

Tyler Garnet

State grant will upgrade Chicopee’s fiber network infrastructure

CHICOPEE — Chicopee’s fiber infrastructure just got a much-needed boost thanks to some state funding.

Sarah Heinonen

Biodiversity in our backyard: Robinson Park’s Science and Nature Day

AGAWAM — People living in the Greater Springfield area may think they have to travel far to experience a wide array of nature and wildlife, but Robinson State Park may be the area’s best kept secret in biodiversity.

Peter Tuohy

Youth behavior study gives data on mental health struggles, substance use in HWRSD students

WILBRAHAM — Results from a 2025 Youth Risk Behavioral Study administered to Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District students show a staggering percentage of Wilbraham Middle School students struggling with their mental health.

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Trent Levakis

Thunder in the Valley returns with fireworks, music festival

EASTHAMPTON — In celebration of the Fourth of July and the 250th anniversary of America, the Thunder in the Valley concert and fireworks festival returns to Easthampton to provide the community with its biggest celebration yet.

Peter Tuohy

‘La Casita Experience’ to transform MassMutual Center

SPRINGFIELD — The MassMutual Center will soon host one big celebration of community, blending music and dance, live performances, DJ sets and interactive visuals to represent the high energy nightlife experience rooted in Puerto Rican culture.

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.

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