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Wilbraham approves FY27 budget, school projects at Town Meeting

May 12, 2026 | Hampden County, Local News, Wilbraham

Wilbraham approves FY27 budget, school projects at Town Meeting

WILBRAHAM — Wilbraham’s Annual Town Meeting is officially in the rearview, but it didn’t leave before sparking conversation and debate amongst residents on multiple articles, including the town’s fiscal year 2027 budget and multiple school projects.

Peter Tuohy

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Judge dismisses DOJ-Springfield Police consent decree

May 12, 2026 | Hampden County, Local News, Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Four years after the Springfield Police Department came under a consent decree by the federal Department of Justice resulting from a lawsuit, a judge has dismissed the oversight agreement.

Sarah Heinonen

sheinonen@thereminder.com | + posts

New district chef brings farm to cafeteria approach

May 12, 2026 | Hampden, Hampden County, Local News, Wilbraham

New district chef brings farm to cafeteria approach

WILBRAHAM — At a time when school cafeterias are being reimagined across the country, District Chef Cynthia Normandin is helping lead that transformation in the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District through fresh ingredients, local partnerships and scratch cooking that introduces students to healthier foods and new flavors.

Tina Lesniak

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Wilbraham approves FY27 budget, school projects at Town Meeting

New district chef brings farm to cafeteria approach

Hampden voters approve budget, vote down HWRSD capital costs

HAMPDEN — The town of Hampden conducted its annual Town Meeting on May 11, approving 18 of the 20 articles on the warrant.

Springfield School Committee chooses new Gerena site

SPRINGFIELD — German Gerena Community School will stay in the North End.

Think you know what a human trafficker looks like? Guess again.

Human trafficking happens in Western Massachusetts. That is the number one message Amber Estelle, deputy COO and clinical director of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, wants to share.

HG&E receives approval for liquefied natrual gas expansion project

HOLYOKE — After three years of deliberation, the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board has approved, with conditions, Holyoke Gas and Electric’s Liquefied Natural Gas Infrastructure and Resiliency Project.

Herald communities prepare for Memorial Day events

Northampton Garden Tour to bloom June 13

NORTHAMPTON — With spring now in full force, the 32nd annual Friends of Forbes Library Northampton Garden Tour will once again bloom for garden lovers across the region.

Festival of Art and Music ‘tent event’ to connect local artists

EASTHAMPTON — Local independent band Elephant’s Eye will lead a festival of art and live music inside CitySpace’s Blueroom in Old Town Hall on Saturday, May 16.

Tyler Garnet

Holyoke School Committee, union reach tentative agreement following yearlong negotiation

HOLYOKE — Following more than a year of back-and-forth discussions, the Holyoke Teachers Association and Holyoke School Committee bargaining teams announced that they reached a tentative contract agreement during their mediation session on May 6.

Cliff Clark

Candidates for Southwick Select Board address issues

SOUTHWICK — Current Select Board member Diane Gale is running for a second three-year term on the board and is squaring off against former Select Board member Joseph Deedy. The election will be held on Tuesday, May 12.

Sarah Heinonen

Agawam City Council supports utility legislation to spur competition

AGAWAM — The Agawam City Council voted unanimously in favor of a resolution supporting legislation to create “One Touch Make Ready” applications in Massachusetts.

Cliff Clark

Residents’ input needed as Southwick reorganizes zoning bylaws

SOUTHWICK — For over six months, the Planning Board has been working with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to reorganize the town’s bylaws, which have been described as awkward due to a piecemeal approach the town has used for over 50 years.

Peter Tuohy

John Ashley School data shows expansive academic growth in students

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The John Ashley School in West Springfield is working hard to ensure academic growth in the young students for the 2025-2026 school year and the data certainly proves it.

Tina Lesniak

Easthampton mayor presents overview of challenging FY27 budget

EASTHAMPTON — At the May 6 Easthampton City Council meeting, Mayor Salem Derby presented an overview of two proposed budgets for fiscal year 2027 — one for if a $6.9 million override passes on June 9 and one for if it does not.

Hampden voters approve budget, vote down HWRSD capital costs

By Chris Maza | May 12, 2026

HAMPDEN — The town of Hampden conducted its annual Town Meeting on May 11, approving 18 of the 20 articles on the warrant.

Springfield School Committee chooses new Gerena site

By Sarah Heinonen | May 12, 2026

SPRINGFIELD — German Gerena Community School will stay in the North End.

Think you know what a human trafficker looks like? Guess again.

By Sarah Heinonen | May 12, 2026

Human trafficking happens in Western Massachusetts. That is the number one message Amber Estelle, deputy COO and clinical director of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, wants to share.

HG&E receives approval for liquefied natrual gas expansion project

By Tyler Garnet | May 12, 2026

Herald communities prepare for Memorial Day events

By Tyler Garnet | May 11, 2026

Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia speaks on the importance of Memorial Day during the 2024 ceremony. Reminder Publishing photos by Trent Levakis. Communities across Western Massachusetts and the country are ready to honor their deceased service men and women. Memorial...

Hampden voters approve budget, vote down HWRSD capital costs

By Chris Maza | May 12, 2026

HAMPDEN — The town of Hampden conducted its annual Town Meeting on May 11, approving 18 of the 20 articles on the warrant.

Springfield School Committee chooses new Gerena site

By Sarah Heinonen | May 12, 2026

SPRINGFIELD — German Gerena Community School will stay in the North End.

Think you know what a human trafficker looks like? Guess again.

By Sarah Heinonen | May 12, 2026

Human trafficking happens in Western Massachusetts. That is the number one message Amber Estelle, deputy COO and clinical director of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, wants to share.

HG&E receives approval for liquefied natrual gas expansion project

By Tyler Garnet | May 12, 2026

Herald communities prepare for Memorial Day events

By Tyler Garnet | May 11, 2026

Northampton Garden Tour to bloom June 13

By Trent Levakis | May 11, 2026

NORTHAMPTON — With spring now in full force, the 32nd annual Friends of Forbes Library Northampton Garden Tour will once again bloom for garden lovers across the region.

Westfield Earth Day cleanup collects over 100 bags of trash

City Council approves Johnson’s capital improvement plan

Southwick Select Board approves MassDOT program that monitors car speeds

Workers’ rights groups honor those who died on the job

Bow Bow Bash benefit concert to showcase young musical talent, support scholarship

Amy Porter

Blessed Buys Thrift Shoppe readying to open new space

WESTFIELD — Blessed Buys Thrift Shoppe has been busy this winter preparing a new space in the basement of the First Congregational Church at 18 Broad St., directly behind its current store in Old Town Hall.

Tyler Garnet

South Hadley eyeing September for another tax override vote

SOUTH HADLEY — Residents may once again be asked to pay more in taxes in light of the fraught budget situation that the town is currently facing.

Amy Porter

HUNTINGTON — Several dozen Hilltown service providers gathered in Stanton Hall on April 30 to share information and look for ways to work together in the face of funding cuts and rising costs.

Ryan Feyre

So That Reminds Me: Gonzalez reacts to Baystate’s merger with Mercy

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Health’s recent acquisition of Mercy Medical Center, set to become official on Nov. 1, is making waves throughout the region as people scramble to prepare for what this will mean for health care in Western Massachusetts.

Peter Tuohy

Longmeadow student wins Congressional Art Competition

LONGMEADOW — A Longmeadow High School student’s artwork is slated to hang on the walls of the U.S. Capitol for the next year after her victory in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition.

Tina Lesniak

Enfield Town Wide Tag Sale returns May 16

ENFIELD — The annual Enfield Town Wide Tag Sale is set to return on Saturday, May 16, offering residents and visitors alike a day filled with bargain hunting, community connection and charitable giving.

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Dining & Entertainment

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.”

Trent Levakis

Academy of Music’s ‘Let’s Hear It!’ campaign aims to secure assisted listening device system

NORTHAMPTON — Those with auditory and visual disabilities may soon have the necessary equipment to fully enjoy live performances at the Academy of Music Theatre.

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Tina Lesniak

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