As I write this column the Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival is just a few days away. It will draw thousands of people to downtown Springfield — as long as the weather holds — making a sizable economic development impact on the region through restaurant and hotel use.
Another bank in East Longmeadow!
I would like to address the issue surrounding the potential location of the new proposed Longmeadow Middle School.
When I first lived in Springfield from 1957 to 1962, I attended kindergarten, first and second grades. I remember the school days starting for the first and second grades with the Pledge of Allegiance, singing a patriotic song and then a prayer, often accompanied with a reading from the Bible.
On June 20, the Northampton City Council voted down the fiscal year 2025 budget after three councilors voted against it because it did not include a requested 14% budget increase for the schools, as approved by the School Committee at a meeting in April. The 14% budget increase would have ensured a level-service budget and no cuts to positions.