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Annual Mt. Caramel Society Italian Festa returns July 31

Jul 1, 2026 | Enfield, Local News

Annual Mt. Caramel Society Italian Festa returns July 31

ENFIELD — Enfield’s Our Lady of Mt. Caramel Society is pulling out all the stops for its 100th annual Italian Festa, which takes place July 31 to Aug. 2.

Dennis Hackett

dhackett@thereminder.com | + posts

Eagle Scout project gives new life to Enfield Sharing Shed

Jul 1, 2026 | Enfield, Local News, Somers

ENFIELD — What began as a desire to give back to the community has resulted in a lasting improvement to one of Enfield’s most-used recycling and donation resources.

Tina Lesniak

+ posts

Worthy Brewfest draws crowds to sample beer, cider at The Landing

Jul 1, 2026 | Hampden County, Local News, Springfield

Worthy Brewfest draws crowds to sample beer, cider at The Landing

SPRINGFIELD — Music, food, sun and beer — lots of it — brought hundreds of people out to The Landing on June 27 for the Worthy Brewfest.

Annual Mt. Caramel Society Italian Festa returns July 31

ENFIELD — Enfield’s Our Lady of Mt. Caramel Society is pulling out all the stops for its 100th annual Italian Festa, which takes place July 31 to Aug. 2.

ENFIELD — What began as a desire to give back to the community has resulted in a lasting improvement to one of Enfield’s most-used recycling and donation resources.

Worthy Brewfest draws crowds to sample beer, cider at The Landing

SPRINGFIELD — Music, food, sun and beer — lots of it — brought hundreds of people out to The Landing on June 27 for the Worthy Brewfest.

Wyben Fourth of July organizers announce lineup, marshals

WESTFIELD — The theme for Wyben’s Fourth of July parade is “Let’s ALL celebrate USA’s 250th Anniversary.”

DiFranco family retires from coaching East Longmeadow High School baseball

EAST LONGMEADOW — A 20-year family baseball legacy at East Longmeadow High School has ended as head coach Craig DiFranco, his brother, Kyle DiFranco, and their father, Mark DiFranco, hang up the cleats and close out their time as Spartans baseball coaches.

Westfield’s ‘Pay-As-You-Throw’ trash program start date pushed back

WESTFIELD — Citing logistics challenges, the Board of Health recently pushed back the start of its “Pay-As-You-Throw” program from July 1 to Sept. 1.

Western Mass. lacking is programs to help victims of trafficking

Not every childhood is the same. From the age of 3 until she was 13 years old, Talia, who did not want her last name used for privacy reasons, was trafficked for sex in the Baltimore area.

Hampton Ponds Association to celebrate July 4

WESTFIELD — The Hampton Ponds Association will host its 68th annual Fourth of July parade to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary, featuring decorated floats, clip-clopping horses, a tribute to local veterans and speeches by local officials.

Longmeadow Select Board sets date for fall Special Town Meeting

LONGMEADOW — With Longmeadow’s Annual Town Meeting and town elections complete, attention now turns to the Special Town Meeting.

Cooling centers open to combat heat wave

As of June 30, the National Weather Service had upgraded the Excessive Heat Warning for Western Massachusetts to an Extreme Heat Warning for the period of July 1 to 5, with the worst of the predicted heat to occur Thursday, July 2 into Friday, July 3.

Tyler Garnet

Chicopee City Council approves $283.5 million budget for FY27

CHICOPEE — A generally straightforward budget season officially came to an end in Chicopee after the City Council passed a budget of approximately $283.5 million for fiscal year 2027, a 2.6% increase over FY26.

Tyler Garnet

SOUTH HADLEY — Residents are unable to comment on the town’s social media pages due to Massachusetts public records and fiscal year 2027 budget constraints, according to an announcement by the town.

Trent Levakis

Northampton Arts Council announces that 15 projects will receive ArtsEZ micro-grants

NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Arts Council has announced the recipients of its latest round of ArtsEZ micro-grants.

Tyler Garnet

OneHolyoke hosts event to focus on innovations in public safety

HOLYOKE — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Mayor Joshua Garcia, First Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Fitzgerald, and Ed Caisse were a few of the many who joined the community for OneHolyoke CDC’s second annual “Building & Sustaining Livable Communities” event on June 29.

Amy Porter

Westfield council cuts mayor’s budget by $1.5 million

WESTFIELD — During a special budget reconciliation meeting on June 17, the City Council voted in favor of almost all of the Finance Committee’s recommendations to reduce Mayor Michael McCabe’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget by more than $1.5 million,

Tyler Garnet

Shaw, Cote honored for military service and ongoing work in the community

CHICOPEE — Holly Cote and Stephanie Shaw were recognized on June 26 as nominees for the Deborah Sampson award, which honors women veterans with exceptional leadership and continued service.

Wyben Fourth of July organizers announce lineup, marshals

By Amy Porter | Jul 1, 2026

WESTFIELD — The theme for Wyben’s Fourth of July parade is “Let’s ALL celebrate USA’s 250th Anniversary.”

DiFranco family retires from coaching East Longmeadow High School baseball

By Peter Tuohy | Jul 1, 2026

Westfield’s ‘Pay-As-You-Throw’ trash program start date pushed back

By Cliff Clark | Jul 1, 2026

WESTFIELD — Citing logistics challenges, the Board of Health recently pushed back the start of its “Pay-As-You-Throw” program from July 1 to Sept. 1.

Western Mass. lacking is programs to help victims of trafficking

By Sarah Heinonen | Jul 1, 2026

Not every childhood is the same. From the age of 3 until she was 13 years old, Talia, who did not want her last name used for privacy reasons, was trafficked for sex in the Baltimore area.

Hampton Ponds Association to celebrate July 4

By Cliff Clark | Jul 1, 2026

Wyben Fourth of July organizers announce lineup, marshals

By Amy Porter | Jul 1, 2026

WESTFIELD — The theme for Wyben’s Fourth of July parade is “Let’s ALL celebrate USA’s 250th Anniversary.”

DiFranco family retires from coaching East Longmeadow High School baseball

By Peter Tuohy | Jul 1, 2026

Westfield’s ‘Pay-As-You-Throw’ trash program start date pushed back

By Cliff Clark | Jul 1, 2026

WESTFIELD — Citing logistics challenges, the Board of Health recently pushed back the start of its “Pay-As-You-Throw” program from July 1 to Sept. 1.

Western Mass. lacking is programs to help victims of trafficking

By Sarah Heinonen | Jul 1, 2026

Not every childhood is the same. From the age of 3 until she was 13 years old, Talia, who did not want her last name used for privacy reasons, was trafficked for sex in the Baltimore area.

Hampton Ponds Association to celebrate July 4

By Cliff Clark | Jul 1, 2026

Longmeadow Select Board sets date for fall Special Town Meeting

By Peter Tuohy | Jul 1, 2026

LONGMEADOW — With Longmeadow’s Annual Town Meeting and town elections complete, attention now turns to the Special Town Meeting.

Former Powder Mill School principal named superintendent

State to reimburse Westfield, Southwick for snow, ice removal

Arts in the Park concert series set to return this summer

Westfield council supports moratorium to halt new data centers

Holyoke City Council voted to support rent stabliziation before SJC struck ballot question

Ryan Feyre

Easthampton to hold recount of override vote on July 2

EASTHAMPTON — The story of Easthampton’s fiscal year 2027 budget season is still not fully told yet.

Sarah Heinonen

DA, police ‘crack down’ on ‘illegal activities’

SPRINGFIELD — Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni was joined by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and local and state police to announce that law enforcement had undertaken a multi-agency initiative to arrest and otherwise stop people who are threatening the city’s safety and quality of life.

Tina Lesniak

Enfield gears up for biggest Fourth of July celebration yet

ENFIELD — The Enfield Fourth of July Town Celebration is preparing to welcome thousands of residents and visitors for another year of family-friendly festivities, with organizers promising a mix of beloved traditions and special events marking a historic milestone.

Peter Tuohy

Eastern States Exposition presents 2026 donation to West Springfield

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Eastern States Exposition has continued its 32-year relationship with the town of West Springfield by presenting a check for $351,742 to the Eastern States Exposition-West Springfield Trust, providing assistance to a number of local businesses and organizations each year.

Peter Tuohy

School Committee reorganizes, meets Gillen ahead of principal start

LONGMEADOW — Longmeadow Public Schools has officially shut the doors, and the School Committee has completed its final meeting for the 2025-2026 school year, welcoming the summer with new committee and district roles.

Peter Tuohy

Rick’s Place opens expanded Wilbraham facility

WILBRAHAM — Rick’s Place in Wilbraham has officially cut the ribbon on its new and expanded location at 35 Post Office Park, Suite 3501D, ensuring that even more of its participants will have an open door to mental health and grief support when it’s needed.

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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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Tina Lesniak

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