East Longmeadow
Oliveira to continue work on education, transportation, health care
Massachusetts’s new legislative session has begun, and state Sen. Jake Oliveira has his eye on several issues he plans to address over this two-year term. Oliveira, who was first elected to the state Senate in 2022 and reelected in November 2024, said he wants to continue to tackle education, transportation and healthcare.
East Longmeadow School Committee shares budget concerns with Town Council
EAST LONGMEADOW — A contingent from the School Committee and School Department met with the East Longmeadow Town Council on Jan. 14 to discuss budget challenges.
Puppolo says he plans to ‘fight for every penny’ for region
State Rep. Angelo Puppolo (D-Springfield) is entering his 19th year in the state Legislature, and he said his primary goal for 2025 is the same now as it has ever been: “fight for every penny” for the people of Western Massachusetts.
East Longmeadow School Committee agrees to add more full-day preschool
EAST LONGMEADOW — The East Longmeadow School Committee approved a plan to attract more students to the preschool program at Meadow Brook Elementary School by offering another full-day class.
East Longmeadow Planning Board hashes out accessory dwelling bylaw
EAST LONGMEADOW — Tiny homes, in-law apartments and other sub-separate living structures, known as accessory dwelling units, will be allowed by right in Massachusetts as of Feb. 2. The Affordable Homes Act, passed in the summer of 2024, prohibits municipalities from outlawing the living arrangements. However, towns can implement reasonable restrictions, which has left them scrambling to put bylaws on the books by the deadline.
East Longmeadow uses state grants to encourage recycling
EAST LONGMEADOW — Recycling is more common than ever, with 69.1 million tons recycled in 2018, the latest year for which there is data from the federal Environmental Protection Agency. However, recycling is expensive for cities and towns. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection offers grants as part of its Recycling Dividends Program. This year, East Longmeadow was awarded $17,600.
Committee approves proprietary system for high school
EAST LONGMEADOW — In another step forward for the East Longmeadow High School project, the School Committee approved six proprietary items, only available from one vendor, to be included in the building design.
Change is the theme of this year’s Year in Review
Change — or resistance to it — was a common theme in the area in 2024. Reminder Publishing took a look back at some of the stories that took precedence over the past year in East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Hampden and Wilbraham.
Board OK with assisted living in East Longmeadow’s industrial garden park
EAST LONGMEADOW — The East Longmeadow Planning Board heard a request on Dec. 17 to change the town’s bylaws to allow assisted living facilities in the Industrial Garden Park zone, a use already permitted in residential zones.
East Longmeadow Town Council creates town buildings account, discusses illegal ‘club’
EAST LONGMEADOW — East Longmeadow owns 16 buildings, many of which need upgrades. “We can’t replace every old building at once,” Councilor Jonathan Torcia said at the Dec. 10 Town Council meeting. To address this, the council voted to create a Capital Stabilization Account.