WILBRAHAM — Many people in Wilbraham rely on the buses operated by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority. And while buses are free to riders right now, the town pays an assessment each year for the service. This year, the assessment has nearly doubled over last year, to nearly $85,000.
EAST LONGMEADOW — “Ask not for whom the bell tolls,” English poet John Donne famously wrote. East Longmeadow’s town bell has not tolled in more than 30 years, as it sits aging in front of the Town Hall. Now, Community Preservation Committee Chair Tom Behan said this piece of town history is in need of restoration.
EAST LONGMEADOW — “The end of one legacy and the beginning of another.” That is how firefighter Ed McCandlish described the Change of Command ceremony hosted by the East Longmeadow Fire Department on March 7, during which retiring Fire Chief Paul Morrisette handed the reins to incoming Chief Christopher Beecher.
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Family. Responsibility. Regret. While these themes are on display in the latest stage production in the Majestic Theater’s 2024-2025 season, “Fences,” at its core, August Wilson’s 1985 play is a story about generational trauma, the lifelong impacts of segregation and racism, and the constant war between the experiences of the past and hope for the future.
WILBRAHAM — Since the Feb. 4 budget roundtable with leadership from both towns and state legislators, placeholder figures have been locked down. While the numbers are becoming clearer, the future is far from certain.