East Longmeadow

Oliveira to continue work on education, transportation, health care

By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 22, 2025

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.

Sarah Heinonen

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By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 22, 2025

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.

Sarah Heinonen

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Puppolo says he plans to ‘fight for every penny’ for region

By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 22, 2025

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.

Sarah Heinonen

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By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 15, 2025

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.

Sarah Heinonen

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By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 15, 2025

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.

Sarah Heinonen

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By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 8, 2025

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.

Sarah Heinonen

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By Sarah Heinonen | Dec 31, 2024

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.

Sarah Heinonen

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By Reminder News Staff | Dec 31, 2024

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.

Reminder News Staff

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By Sarah Heinonen | Dec 23, 2024

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.

Sarah Heinonen

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By Sarah Heinonen | Dec 18, 2024

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.