OPINION

Chris Maza

Chris Maza

Senator is right — it’s time for Legislature to reassess priorities

Food, housing (both cost and inventory) and heating costs are among basic living expenses putting a squeeze on middle class families. Meanwhile, school districts and departments are threatening significant reductions and funding for roads has remained stagnant while inflation has not.

New opportunity has me reflecting on the past

This is all a very longwinded way of introducing myself as the new executive editor for Reminder Publishing. It’s hard to explain what I plan to do without first explaining where I’ve been. I suppose a much simpler way to put it is I’m a news man and I always have been, whether I knew it or not.

Disney’s briar patch was too thorny to go unpruned

As I write this column, my family and I are in the final days of preparation for our trip to Walt Disney World. In the...

The case of the missing reporting: a mea culpa

By now we’ve all seen the Saturday Night Live bit. We’ve seen the national news article shared on social media forums...

As access to information deteriorates, what’s our ‘Plan B?’

A few years ago, there was a brief period of time during which I left journalism as a full-time vocation. While I still...

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Dennis Hackett

Change is hard but I’m trying to embrace it this time

For me, this move really represents a homecoming, as my entire life has been spent between Springfield, Hampden and Wilbraham.

I’m voting no on Question 5 on this year’s ballot

Normally I don’t find myself becoming invested in many of the ballot measures that are proposed to Massachusetts voters come election season. This year however, several of the questions caught my eye.

What is going on with Northampton Public Schools?

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.

Saying goodbye to a legendary creator in animation

As I was going to bed on March 7, I came across a Tik Tok that I thought was somebody trolling, claiming that legendary...

Saying goodbye to the greatest coach in NFL history

Twenty-four years as the head coach of the New England Patriots. Six Super Bowl titles. Nine AFC Championship victories. Seventeen AFC East titles. Bill Belichick is no longer the head coach of the New England Patriots.

The NFL playoffs have me thinking about time passing

Back when the NFL Wild Card playoff round wrapped up several weeks ago, I saw an article noting that the oldest...

Lauren LeBel

Lauren LeBel

New role, new area, new beginnings for me at The Reminder

Since starting at The Reminder, I dreamed of one day having my own opinion column in the paper. Well, it looks like that day is finally here and I could not be more excited!

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Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

Treatment of Board of Assessors members

The past three editions of the Reminder contained letters from Longmeadow residents about the shameful treatment two...

Letters to the Editor

Questions about HWRSD asking for more money

This is in regards to “HWRSD pleads case for more ed funds.” I would like to remind everyone that this is the very same school department that IMMEDIATELY after giving us not one, not two, but three override votes they wouldn’t even initially close Thornton Burgess to save money.

Letters to the Editor

Thanks from the Senior Center

The Friends of Hampden Senior Citizens would like to thank everybody for the wonderful donations that came in for our Holiday Shop til you Drop Sale and all of you who did Shop our Holiday Sale – you helped raise over $1,350 for the benefit of our Senior Center; we are so grateful.

Letters to the Editor

Laurel Street MassDOT project

I am writing this letter to bring community awareness to the MassDOT/Longmeadow project. I am one of the few residents...

Letters to the Editor

Questions about Zeller’s resignation

The recent resignation of Longmeadow Board of Assessors Chairperson Michael Zeller in his letter to The Reminder raises...

Letters to the Editor

Vote of no confidence

Mr. Michael Zeller recently posted a letter explaining why he resigned from the Longmeadow Board of Assessors after...

Letters to the Editor

Concerns over safety of ‘clean energy’ battery storage facilities

Massachusetts should be proactive as new concerns over the safety and environmental impacts of “clean energy” battery storage facilities after numerous fires at these facilities have led governors in California and New York to call for investigations into the safety and risks associated with this new technology.

Letters to the Editor

DPW workers help with sidewalk cleanup

I live at Brownstone Gardens and I frequently walk on the Pleasant Street sidewalk. One cold day recently I was walking...

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