Hampden

Electric buses on hold in HWRSD until fire cause known

By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 29, 2025

Electric buses on hold in HWRSD until fire cause known

WILBRAHAM — A fire broke out at the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative Bus Garage at 2045 Boston Rd. on Jan. 21. The fire, reported by a passerby at 1:37 a.m., involved four electric buses housed at the site.

Sarah Heinonen

sheinonen@thereminder.com | + posts

By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 29, 2025

Hampden Selectboard discusses tech needs of potential town office move

HAMPDEN — The Hampden Selectboard discussed potential plans for the use of municipal buildings. The board has met with department heads twice so far and plans to have another on Feb. 4.

Sarah Heinonen

sheinonen@thereminder.com | + posts

Mile Tree Elementary School principal leaves following no confidence vote

By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 29, 2025

Mile Tree Elementary School principal leaves following no confidence vote

WILBRAHAM — Mile Tree Principal Allison Petit announced her departure at the Jan. 23 Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee meeting. She said that she was stepping down from the administrative role, and instead, had taken a position as a fifth grade teacher at Soule Road School.

Sarah Heinonen

sheinonen@thereminder.com | + posts

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

sheinonen@thereminder.com | + posts

Upset HWRSD parents ask LPVEC ‘what are we doing?’ about bus delays

By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 15, 2025

Upset HWRSD parents ask LPVEC ‘what are we doing?’ about bus delays

WILBRAHAM — Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District families upset with the tardiness of buses will have to wait until the start of the 2025-2026 school year before a permanent fix is in place. In the meantime, transportation provider Lower Pioneer Valley Collaborative’s Executive Director Alvin Morton was on hand to answer questions at the Jan. 9 School Committee meeting.

Sarah Heinonen

sheinonen@thereminder.com | + posts

Hampden leaders discuss potential town offices move

By Sarah Heinonen | Jan 15, 2025

Hampden leaders discuss potential town offices move

HAMPDEN — Members of Hampden’s town leadership are considering repurposing Thornton W. Burgess School to house the town’s offices. At the second meeting on the topic, on Jan. 7, Selectboard Chair Donald Davenport went over several considerations.

Sarah Heinonen

sheinonen@thereminder.com | + posts

By Sarah Heinonen | Dec 31, 2024

Town evicts resident on public health, sanitary code grounds

HAMPDEN — In its capacity as the Board of Health, the Selectboard voted to order a Scantic Road resident to leave their property due to inadequate housing and a risk to public health.

Sarah Heinonen

sheinonen@thereminder.com | + posts

Students’ view of schools, academic achievement is mixed

By Sarah Heinonen | Dec 31, 2024

Students’ view of schools, academic achievement is mixed

WILBRAHAM — The Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District has made some gains since last year, but there is still work to be done. That was the takeaway from the accountability report presented by Superintendent John Provost at the Dec. 19 School Committee meeting.

Sarah Heinonen

sheinonen@thereminder.com | + posts

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.