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  • Spfld Community Complaint Review Board Seeks Public Input

    city-hall022

    The Springfield Community Complaint Review Board will be holding a public meeting this Wednesday, December 9, at 5:30pm in Room 220 at City Hall.

    According to a press release issued by the Mayor’s Office on Monday, the purpose of the meeting will be to allow public input [...]

    Posted: December 08, 2009, 8:58pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • The Springfield Movie Plays On…

    Number of comments: 1
    city-hall022

    The controversy over the springtime hiring of convicted felon Fred A. Swan to oversee development at an already scandal-plagued school is just the latest example of our city’s history of handing out jobs to (and looking out for) friends and relatives of the local power [...]

    Posted: December 08, 2009, 8:35pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • The Biomass Divide

    BIOMASS_GRAPHIC

    Last year when the Springfield City Council approved permitting for a biomass energy plant in East Springfield, the news passed largely unnoticed by residents in the communities surrounding the proposed plant site.

    The Council vote was 7 in favor and 2 against, with city [...]

    Posted: December 01, 2009, 10:20am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • U. S. Census Bureau Seeks Staffers

    2010_census

    The U. S. Census Bureau is currently recruiting part-time, temporary staffers to help out with the 2010 Census. Positions available include supervisor and census takers.

    Anyone interested in seeking a position in their community can contact the Census Bureau for an appointment at 1-866-861-2010. For more [...]

    Posted: November 26, 2009, 10:31am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Quick Hits: 11-25-09

    pins-push

    FREEDOM OF SPEECH – SORT OF
    Recently we had a blowout over at that citadel of leftwing looneydom, UMass, regarding the desire of a few professors and students there who wanted their hero, convicted terrorist Ray Luc Levasseur, to explain to them why it was [...]

    Posted: November 26, 2009, 1:59am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • The Bax & O’Brien Mayflower Marathon is On

    Number of comments: 2
    mayflower

    Morning radio show duo Bax & O’Brien will be hosting their annual Mayflower Marathon from this Monday (6:00am) through Wednesday (10:00am), broadcasting for 52 straight hours.

    Three 48-foot trailers will be located at the Hall of Fame for folks to stop by and fill up with [...]

    Posted: November 23, 2009, 7:48am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Quick Hits – 11-17-09

    beaker1

    ‘MEEP’ BANNED AT HIGH SCHOOL
    DANVERS, MA – In a story that made headlines last week, Danvers High School Principal Thomas Murray has banned the word “meep” from his school because he says students were using the word to interrupt classes.

    In an Associated [...]

    Posted: November 17, 2009, 9:00am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Pity the Terrorists

    Number of comments: 1
    bali-bombing-2004

    The ongoing controversy regarding the on-again, off-again speaking engagement by convicted terrorist Ray Luc Levasseur has struck an emotional chord with many of those critical of the decision to allow Levasseur a platform to speak at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. In the end, Levasseur [...]

    Posted: November 14, 2009, 3:09pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Springfield Elections: Winners & Losers

    sarno-01_small

    Check out my commentary over at Masslive on the biggest winners and losers from last week’s election in Springfield. Dozens of candidates qualified, but only a short list made the cut.

    Click here for my picks.

    [...]
    Posted: November 10, 2009, 1:59pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Quick Hits: The Election Edition

    Number of comments: 3
    vote

    Finally, the 2009 campaign season is behind us. No more political grandstanding, no more quickie handshakes, and no more phony political smiles. No more promises made to be broken, nor campaign signs planted and then stolen. No more name-calling, accusations, or finger-pointing by candidates eager [...]

    Posted: November 05, 2009, 9:43pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Out of Africa: A Photographer’s Journey

    Number of comments: 2
    archer-small

    Sometimes personal journeys can take you not so very far from home while at the same time giving you whole new perspectives on life. Other times, it’s the experience of the expedition itself that becomes a part of the new-found perspective.

    So it was for a [...]

    Posted: November 05, 2009, 8:09am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • UMass Urban Design Center set for Court Square

    Number of comments: 1
    city-hall022

    Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno announced on Thursday that the University of Massachusetts will be establishing an Urban Design Center in downtown Springfield, to be located at 3-7 Elm Street, Court Square.

    Court Square has been in need of tenants and business for the past several years. The [...]

    Posted: October 31, 2009, 11:03am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • 2009 Springfield Election Endrosements

    Number of comments: 6
    Elections-Balloons

    The practice of issuing political endorsements has been a time-honored tradition in the newspaper industry for generations. Not all newspapers offer endorsements, however, while others have done so only intermittently. (Check out this blog for a brief history of newspaper endorsements.) It’s not really [...]

    Posted: October 28, 2009, 8:26pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Stemming the Violence: Springfield’s Search for Answers

    Number of comments: 1

    If violent crime wasn’t the number one political issue before last weekend, it certainly has thrust itself into first place these past few days. Last weekend’s bloodbath, which resulted in the city’s 15, 16 and 17 homicides of the year, has been followed by a series of shootings this past [...]

    Posted: October 24, 2009, 4:55pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • At the Ward 6 Candidates Forum

    - -


    Springfield City Council Ward 6 candidates Amaad Rivera and Keith Wright appeared at a candidates forum hosted by the Ward 6 Democratic Committee at the Forest Park Middle School on Wednesday, October 21, 2009.

    [...]
    Posted: October 22, 2009, 10:34am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Ward 6 Holds Candidates Forum

    Number of comments: 6

    Springfield City Council Ward 6 candidates Amaad Rivera and Keith Wright squared off at a candidates forum hosted by the Ward 6 Democratic Committee on Wednesday night at the Forest Park Middle School. About 80 people showed up for the debate between the two candidates, which was moderated [...]

    Posted: October 22, 2009, 10:32am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • At the “Safe Neighborhood Night”

    Number of comments: 1
    [...]
    Posted: October 21, 2009, 7:47am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Sarno vs. Williams: Something Old, Nothing New

    fcb-day

    With the election just two weeks away, voters in Springfield are faced with a hard choice: A career politician or… a career politician?

    Check out my little write-up over at Masslive – click here.

    *

    [...]
    Posted: October 20, 2009, 6:10pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • “Safe Neighborhood Night” Coming to Springfield

    SNN

    “Safe Neighborhood Night” will be coming to Springfield on Tuesday evening, October 20, at Western New England College’s Rivers Memorial Building, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.

    Representatives from local law enforcement, including Springfield Police Commissioner William Fitchet and Hampden County Sheriff Mike Ashe Jr., will be on [...]

    Posted: October 19, 2009, 7:47am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • For Ward 8, New Politics a Lot Like the Old

    Number of comments: 2
    mindcontrol

    In last month’s preliminary elections in Springfield, the Ward 8 race was whittled down to candidates Orlando Ramos, who pulled in first, and John Lysak, the runner-up. Ramos raked in over 100 more votes than Lysak, and his supporters are probably pretty happy about his [...]

    Posted: October 18, 2009, 3:29pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Video: Paramount Theater Redux

    The owners of the Paramount Theater, in Springfield, MA, announce their 80th Anniversary restoration and re-opening of the historic theater.

    Also, see a video of an inside tour of some of the lesser-seen areas of the theater here.

    * *

    [...]
    Posted: October 18, 2009, 6:28am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Gov. Patrick Announces “Communities Count” Initiative

    Governor Patrick announces program to help homeowners.

    [...]
    Posted: October 18, 2009, 6:25am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Spfld Parks Dept. and United Way Team Up

    The Springfield Parks Department and United Way teamed up this summer to clean up park space in the city.

    [...]
    Posted: October 18, 2009, 6:22am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • River Walk Assessment – North End

    A walk along the North End section of the CT River Walk & Bikeway, in Springfield, MA.

    [...]
    Posted: October 18, 2009, 6:19am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Finance Control Board Leaves Springfield

    The final day of the Final Control Board’s rule in Springfield, MA.

    [...]
    Posted: October 18, 2009, 6:16am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Video: At the Hoop City Jazz and Arts Festival

    Scenes from the 2009 Hoop City Jazz and Arts Festival, held on the campus of Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield, MA.

    [...]
    Posted: October 18, 2009, 6:14am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Control Board Leaves Spfld.

    Ceremony at City Hall celebrating the departure of the state-mandated Springfield Finance Control Board.

    [...]
    Posted: October 17, 2009, 4:32pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • A Look Inside the Paramount Theater

    Paramount Theater owner Mike Barrasso shows me around the lesser-seen areas of the 80-year-old theater.

    [...]
    Posted: October 17, 2009, 3:57pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Inside the Paramount Theater

    theater-01-small

    Last week I was invited by Paramount Theater owner Mike Barrasso to go on a tour of some of the lesser-seen parts of the old theater. I took along my camera and camcorder – though I wasn’t optimistic about how any video would come out [...]

    Posted: October 17, 2009, 11:26am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Photo Gallery: – Storm Over Eastfield Mall

    From last summer: I saw a storm approaching in the distance, and it ended up coming right at me.

    (This is part of a series of photos being uploaded in preparation of the new design at SI.)

    [...]
    Posted: October 17, 2009, 8:26am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Photo Gallery #4 – Sunset

    Posted: October 16, 2009, 3:07pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Quick Hits: October 16, 2009

    *

    FORECLOSED HOME DEADLINE
    The City of Springfield announced this week that homeowners and banks have until November 1st, 2009, to register vacant or foreclosed properties with the City.

    The Vacant and Foreclosing Property Registration ordinance, which was adopted in April of this year by the now-defunct Springfield Finance Control [...]

    Posted: October 16, 2009, 3:04pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Photo Gallery #3 – Hampden Home, 1875

    Posted: October 16, 2009, 2:47pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Photo Gallery #2

    Heritage Park Pond, East Longmeadow, MA

    [...]
    Posted: October 14, 2009, 6:10pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Edwards Interview @ Masslive

    I just finished up my writeup on Ward 3 City Council candidate Melvin Edwards. I posted it over at Masslive, and you can check it out here. I’ll be splitting time between here and Masslive on a pretty even basis, at least until I get caught up with the website [...]
    Posted: October 14, 2009, 1:11pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Photo Gallery Images

    - In preparation for the design switch-over at the Intruder, I unfortunately have to publish a few image-only posts (with cutlines) to get things started with the new design’s photo gallery feature. I can’t think of any other way than to just put up the posts, so bear with me This [...]
    Posted: October 13, 2009, 12:24pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Quick Hits: October 12, 2009

    Number of comments: 2
    ["Quick Hits" is a new weekly digest of news and commentary that will be replacing the Intruder's recurring "Local News Briefs & Tidbits" following the SI's upcoming design conversion. That re-design should be introduced by the middle of October.] - QUOTES, CLIPPINGS AND NOTES FROM AROUND THE WEB - - - THOSE TROUBLE-MAKING [...]
    Posted: October 12, 2009, 4:09pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • â€City Thinks 2009′ Events Coming to Tower Square

    SPRINGFIELD – Tower Square will be the locale for three events scheduled for Friday, October 16, 2009, as part of a collaborative effort between the Pan African Historical Museum (PAHMUSA), the Springfield Public Forum, and Springfield City Library. The ongoing discussion series City Thinks 2009: Education, Poverty and a Call [...]
    Posted: October 10, 2009, 12:28pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • City Spending: Build New, Build Now

    Number of comments: 6
    With MassDevelopment’s purchase of the former federal building on Main Street in downtown Springfield, so begins a redevelopment of that property that will consume millions of dollars and eventually bring in a new list of tenants, including the School Department, Baystate Health, and the federal government’s General Services Administration. The move [...]
    Posted: October 09, 2009, 9:08am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Fenton Receives Endorsements

    On Monday, Ward 2 Springfield City Council candidate Michael Fenton announced that he has received the endorsement of Springfield City Councilor Rosemarie Mazza-Moriarty. Mazza-Moriarty, a city councilor since 2001, opted not to run for re-election this year as the city prepares to hold its first elections for ward representation. Under [...]
    Posted: October 06, 2009, 8:21am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Quick Hits - October 6, 2009

    ["Quick Hits" is a new weekly digest of news and commentary that will be replacing the Intruder's recurring "Local News Briefs & Tidbits" following the SI's upcoming design conversion. That re-design should be introduced by the third week of October.] * QUOTES, CLIPPINGS AND NOTES FROM AROUND THE WEB… - - POT HEADS The subject [...]
    Posted: October 06, 2009, 6:01am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Now Appearing on Masslive

    In case you aren’t on my email list, the news has been passing around about my recent decision to partner up with the folks at Masslive. Over the past couple of years, I’ve had a friendly, if distant, unofficial relationship with Masslive. This new arrangement simply expands upon that relationship. [...]
    Posted: October 02, 2009, 7:35am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • City Shocker: Hot Dog Guy Endorses Williams for Mayor

    SPRINGFIELD - One of the more controversial episodes in the Sarno administration has come back to haunt him - if the word “haunt” is not an overly dramatic word to use in this instance. John C. Verducci, better known as The Hot Dog Guy, was nearly forced out of business, he [...]
    Posted: October 01, 2009, 7:46am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • At The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival - 2009

    Each year my brothers and I venture westward into the hinterlands of New York’s Catskill Mountains - where hundreds of Buffalo Bills jerseys roam - for our annual pilgrimage to the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival. And while this little personal crusade doesn’t exactly fit into the category of local news [...]
    Posted: September 28, 2009, 7:45pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Spfld. Candidate Updates - 09- 24-09

    News updates from the Springfield City Council race… Springfield City Council candidate John Lysak, running for the ward 8 seat on the council, has announced the opening of a new campaign headquarters on Boston Road. The grand opening of the office is set for September 25. Lysak said in a press release [...]
    Posted: September 24, 2009, 7:54am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • The Unintentional Candidate

    When Thomas Walsh was asked about his write-in candidacy for the Ward 6 City Council seat in this past month’s preliminary election (held on Sept. 15th), he explained that the effort was started without his prior knowledge. When I went on to ask him about the write-in campaign that was [...]
    Posted: September 22, 2009, 9:50am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Time gets Tight at the Intruder

    Panasonic HVX200A Above is the latest version of the video camera I am being trained on in my Video Production class at STCC. It’s about $6,000 after sales tax. The memory cards alone will cost you $400 a-piece. It’s so pricey that the class only uses one, which we all take [...]
    Posted: September 21, 2009, 12:29pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Maple High Gets a Little Greener

    Maple High Six Corners Neighborhood Council President Melvin Edwards accepts a grant from WMECO officials last June. Last June, the Western Massachusetts Electric Company awarded a $1,000 grant to the Maple High Six Corners Neighborhood Council for the planting of four trees in their community. This past week, those trees began [...]
    Posted: September 17, 2009, 7:35am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • In Springfield, Preliminary Survivors Look Ahead to November

    For the surviving candidates running for office in Springfield, November 3rd is now the day of reckoning following Tuesday’s preliminary election that whittled down the candidate field to two challengers for each available seat on the City Council and School Committee. (There are only two candidates running for mayor.) There were [...]
    Posted: September 16, 2009, 5:04pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Extreme Makeover: Springfield City Council, 2009

    When Springfield City Councilor Patrick Markey announced last June that he wasn’t interested in running for a second term, his decision turned a lot of heads – this one included. ‘What the hell is he trying to prove?’ I told myself. Markey’s shocker came just after another favorite councilor, Bruce Stebbins, [...]
    Posted: September 14, 2009, 12:09pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Fact-Checking Obama’s Speech

    That was a great speech on health care reform by President Obama, wasn’t it Happy Valley? I could hear the collective sigh of admiration coming from his tens of thousands of fawning followers here in Western Massachusetts, all nodding their heads in agreement with, well, everything He said - some [...]
    Posted: September 10, 2009, 8:44am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Quick Hits: 09-04-09

    SPRINGFIELD LIBRARY TO HOST STORYTELLING EVENT: In collaboration with the Springfield Museums, the Springfeld Library will be hosting the annual “LittleFest of Storytelling V” on Saturday, September 12, at the Central Library and Quadrangle in downtown Springfield. According to a press release issued by the Springfield Library, “the multi-cultural festival of storytelling [...]
    Posted: September 04, 2009, 12:58pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • At Mittineague Park, West Springfield

    A few shots of the picnic area in Mittineague Park, West Springfeld, located just off of Route 20. * * * SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "At Mittineague Park, West Springfield", url: "http://springfieldintruder.com/?p=2730" }); [...]
    Posted: September 03, 2009, 11:28am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Tower Square, USO Team Up for Troops

    Tower Square and the USO Council of the Pioneer Valley will be joining forces to help support local military personnel with collection drives throughout the second week of September. The local USO chapter will be sending out donated items in care packages to troops serving overseas, while also supporting families at [...]
    Posted: September 02, 2009, 11:01am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • River Walk Talk Keeps Riverfront in Springfield Redevelopment Picture

    These days, activists supporting the upkeep and further development of the Springfield segment of the Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway can’t help but be encouraged by the commitment shown by local city officials in seeing their vision of a vibrant riverfront come true. From the Parks Department to the City’s Planning [...]
    Posted: September 01, 2009, 10:41am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Quick Hits

    Well, the fall semester for my proper schoolin’ is almost here and I’ve just about got everything ready to go. I’ve also been a bit pre-occupied developing content ideas and design options for a possible replacement for this website. I haven’t had much free time to write very much, but [...]
    Posted: August 31, 2009, 3:45pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Paramount Theater Redux

    Springfield’s downtown district has been the backdrop for some pretty depressing news in the past couple of years - from gun fights and murders to restaurant closures, just about all of the media of late has been bad. But every so often, something good pops up on the news radar. Last [...]
    Posted: August 25, 2009, 10:55am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Chief Scott Continues to Strike Legal Nerves

    The counter-offensive against Holyoke Police Chief Anthony R. Scott has continued into the heat of August with a feature story that appeared in the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly this past week. Scott has been the target of the Hampden County Bar Association (HCBA) for the past couple of months for his outspoken [...]
    Posted: August 21, 2009, 1:26pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Signs of Life: Keene, NH; Brattleboro, VT

    Last week while up in New Hampshire on vacation, I decided to take the scenic route back home in a drive along that state’s countryside. My journey took me first through Keene, in the southern/central part of the state, and then on to Brattleboro, VT, where I then hooked onto [...]
    Posted: August 20, 2009, 9:19am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Bundle O’ News

    As I prep to take a week’s break from The Intruder (while on vacation up in New Hampshire), I’ll leave visitors with a bundle of news bits from my inbox and elsewhere… * MAGIC SHOW AT LIBERTY STREET BRANCH LIBRARY Short notice - set your skepticism meter on low and stop by the [...]
    Posted: August 07, 2009, 11:49am EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • One Door Closes, Another Opens

    For Brian Santaniello, it’s all about choices. He’s been given plenty of them through the years - from a career on the Springfield City Council to, after tiring of that routine, getting hand-picked for a job on the Elections Commission. With the Springfield Finance Control Board in town these past few years, [...]
    Posted: August 05, 2009, 5:50pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Ceasefire Declared in Hot Dog War - Conflict Looms on Other Front

    SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield City Council brought the volatile Hot Dog War to a ceasefire the other night after agreeing to allow vendors to sell their treats until an updated ordinance is worked out. Meanwhile, all is not so rosy for Mayor Domenic Sarno after a judge delayed a civil [...]
    Posted: August 05, 2009, 3:05pm EDT
    by Bill Dusty
  • Motor Vehicle Revenue Enforcement Goes High Tech

    For government, tough economic times mean finding news ways to create revenue. Sometimes that effort involves raising taxes and fees - or creating new taxes altogether. Other times, however, politicians may turn to finding new ways to collect already owed taxes and fees. In Massachusetts, Governor Deval Patrick has been looking [...]
    Posted: March 04, 2009, 10:42am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Local News Briefs & Tidbits: 02-27-09

    “We Didn’t Burn Them” - First National Women’s Conference, Houston, TX 1977 Copyright © Diana Mara Henry WOMEN’S HISTORY EVENT COMES TO WESTFIELD WESTFIELD - The Feminist Movement comes to Westfield State College on March 2, 2009, as photographer Diana Mara Henry stops by to talk about the First National Women’s Conference, [...]
    Posted: February 27, 2009, 3:24pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Chinese Dance Comes to Hartford

    A touch of Chinese culture visits New England this coming March as the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) is set to put on three shows at The Bushnell, in Hartford, CT. The DPA is a non-profit dance and music company based out of New York and comprised of artists from all over [...]
    Posted: February 23, 2009, 11:32am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • “March Mingle” Comes to Springfield

    Looking for something to chase away those wintertime blues? The parent support group Parents of Longmeadow Advisory Council for Education (P.L.A.CE.) has just the thing to warm you up. The First Annual “March Mingle” Wine and Food Tasting event, hosted by P.L.A.C.E., will be held on Friday, March 6, 2009, [...]
    Posted: February 21, 2009, 3:01pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Pessimism Reigns at South End Revitalization Meeting

    Enclosure: [download]
    “Why are you doing this?” That was the question posed by a pessimistic business owner in response to plans by the city to invest up to $12 million to redevelop the long-suffering South End community. The South End of Springfield has been a sickly patient ever since Interstate 91 carved the [...]
    Posted: February 18, 2009, 5:05pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • MCDI Offering Spring Programs

    The Massachusetts Career Development Institute (MCDI) is currently offering programs for those seeking training in the precision machining field. The deadline for applications is February 25, 2009. Classes start in March. MCDI has teamed up with the members of the Western Mass. Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association, the [...]
    Posted: February 15, 2009, 12:01pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Parkhurst Enters Race for Springfield Mayor

    Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno will not be running for re-election unopposed this year - and the name of the first challenger to formally announce his candidacy to replace him is not Williams or Tosado. David Parkhurst, 32, will be running for political office for the first time in his bid to [...]
    Posted: February 13, 2009, 10:34am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Critics Pan School Dept. Suspensions

    SPRINGFIELD - The 5-day suspension of Springfield School Transportation director John Maloney for his alleged role in the Transport Department’s $7.5 million deficit didn’t sit well with at least one city councilor and two school committee members. Springfield City Councilor Timothy Rooke told the Intruder that according to what he had [...]
    Posted: February 06, 2009, 11:00am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Around the World in a Bunch of Seconds…

    Springfield Budget Cuts - Reminder Publications editor Mike Dobbs reports on Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno’s response to state budget cuts totaling $4.6 million. Sarno said he will not layoff any police or firefighters as the city prepares to trim its budget. But the Mayor’s lack of details raised questions from [...]
    Posted: February 06, 2009, 10:45am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Local News Briefs & Tidbits: 01-31-09

    REMINDER PUBLICATIONS LAUNCHES HOME IMPROVEMENT SITE: Reminder Publications announced in their latest issue the launching of a new Web site featuring home improvement tips, local contractor listings, and design ideas for folks living in the 413 area code. The site, called HG413 Home Improvement, has categories ranging from kitchens and bathrooms [...]
    Posted: January 31, 2009, 3:42pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Longhill Gardens Opposition Heats Up

    State Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera Joins Opposition SPRINGFIELD - Opposition to the redevelopment of a low-income housing project that has been long-considered a done deal has mounted considerably in recent days. A Springfield civic group, two city councilors, and a state Representative have all let it be known that the fight to [...]
    Posted: January 31, 2009, 1:09am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • City Councilor Williams Making Headlines

    Springfield City Councilor Bud L. Williams has been ruffling feathers for several weeks now leading up to his announcement on Friday via CBS-3 News that he is close to declaring his candidacy for Mayor of Springfield in this fall’s election. Williams has already voiced dissent over the planned redevelopment of the [...]
    Posted: January 24, 2009, 1:24pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Flyer Mailed Out to Springfield Residents

    This past week a flyer was mailed out to a number of Springfield residents detailing grievances against the City government. The single-page document, a photocopy of an original and sent out anonymously, compared tax rates, crime rates, and education rates between Springfield and seven other surrounding towns. The document, entitled “Common [...]
    Posted: January 23, 2009, 5:05pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Keep Springfield Beautiful Gearing Up for Cleanup Day

    Number of comments: 2
    On Thursday, January 8, 2009, members of Keep Springfield Beautiful (KSB) met at the offices of the Maple High/Six Corners Neighborhood Council to plan for this year’s city-wide Cleanup Day, scheduled for May 2, 2009. The event is on a Saturday, and will run from 8:00am to 1:00pm. On the agenda [...]
    Posted: January 15, 2009, 9:07am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Rooke Critical of Some Provisions in New Law

    Number of comments: 3
    Springfield City Councilor Timothy J. Rooke said on Saturday that he was concerned about several aspects of the “Springfield Bill” - a loan extension bill that became law on Friday after Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed-off on it in a ceremony in downtown Springfield. The new law gives the City [...]
    Posted: January 11, 2009, 12:01pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Patrick Visits Springfield to Sign Extension Bill

    Politicians gathered at the State Office Building in Springfield on Friday, January 9, to attend a signing ceremony for the “Springfield Bill” - a bill passed by the Statehouse this past week that, among other things, extends the repayment period on a $52 million state loan by ten years. Massachusetts [...]
    Posted: January 10, 2009, 4:50pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Local News Briefs & Tidbits: 01-07-09

    Number of comments: 5
    UMass Men’s Basketball head coach - and Springfield native - Derek Kellogg (left) and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. UMASS VS. DAYTON FLYERS AT MASSMUTUAL CENTER SPRINGFIELD - The UMass men’s basketball team will be taking on the Dayton Flyers on Saturday, January 10, 2009, at the MassMutual Center. The start time [...]
    Posted: January 07, 2009, 1:42pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Benjamin Button: A Story of Growing Young

    F. Scott Fitsgerald’s 1921 short story, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, comes to life on the big screen with this 2008 adaptation directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt (Ocean’s Eleven, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) and Cate Blanchett (Lord of the Rings). Overall, the film achieves its goal [...]
    Posted: January 05, 2009, 12:22pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Protest Continues Over Northampton Panhandling Ordinance

    Number of comments: 5
    The poverty awareness group Poverty is Not a Crime (PINAC) is preparing for another demonstration in Northampton, MA, on Tuesday, January 6, 2009, to protest an amended panhandling ordinance that is currently going through Northampton’s City Hall. The demonstration will precede a meeting at City Hall of the Public Safety [...]
    Posted: January 04, 2009, 4:44pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Returing Fire: Swan Tells Accusers to “Go To Hell”

    Number of comments: 2
    After a week of criticisms following a recent trip to Liberia, where he said America was partly to blame for that country’s years of political turmoil, state Rep. Benjamin Swan (D-Springfield) finally fired back. In comments perhaps more resembling a Liberian politician than an American one, Swan reportedly told the Boston [...]
    Posted: January 03, 2009, 1:54pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Ben Swan Disses U.S., Misses Vote

    Number of comments: 5
    On a recent trip to the West African country of Liberia, Massachusetts state Representative Benjamin Swan put the political lash to America for its alleged role in that country’s political instability. In a story from the news agency AFP and reported on Breitbart.com, Swan, speaking of Liberia, is quoted as saying [...]
    Posted: December 31, 2008, 1:17pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Crunch Time for the Dailies

    Number of comments: 1
    News that the Boston-based Christian Science Monitor (CSM) would be ceasing its daily print edition early next year in order to focus on its Internet incarnation hit the headlines just this past fall, but the downward spiral of our nation’s traditional newspaper industry has been old news for several years, [...]
    Posted: December 30, 2008, 4:22pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Spirit of Giving in Time for the Holidays

    Number of comments: 1
    Spreading holiday cheer to children in need at the Sumner Avenue Elementary School, the Springfield non-profit group Springfield Forward donated boxes of coats, gloves, sweaters, and other donated goods this December, according to a press release issued by the group. “Knowing this school is at the 70% poverty level, and recognizing [...]
    Posted: December 26, 2008, 10:58am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Connecticut River Walk Planning Continues

    On Tuesday, December 16, 2008, Springfield Parks Department manager Michael Tully met up with several activists who are promoting the Springfield section of the Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway. The River Walk currently includes completed sections in Agawam and Springfield. There are plans for the path to eventually continue north [...]
    Posted: December 25, 2008, 12:00am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Longhill Gardens Redevelopment Discussed at Monday Meeting

    Number of comments: 6
    Representatives of Boston-based WinnCompanies met with City Councilors and members of the local community on Monday to go over Winn’s management plan for its soon-to-be acquired Longhill Gardens properties, located on Longhill Street in Springfield’s Forest Park neighborhood. The meeting was held at the Winn-owned Museum Park apartments, located on [...]
    Posted: December 22, 2008, 5:49pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Longhill Gardens Meeting Brings Opposing Sides Together

    Number of comments: 6
    On Wednesday, December 17, the real estate management company, WinnCompanies, held a presentation at Forest Park Middle School, in Springfield, MA, to further detail their plans to redevelop the currently-vacant Longhill Gardens condominium complex. Gilbert Winn was on-hand to present an overview of Winn’s design and management plans for the [...]
    Posted: December 19, 2008, 11:16am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • City Tax Rate Increases for 2009

    Number of comments: 1
    The Springfield City Council voted 6-3 this past Monday on a tax rate hike for both residential and commercial properties in the city. Councilors Jose Tosada, Bruce Stebbins and Timothy Rooke voted against the increases, as written. The increases for Fiscal Year 2009 would bring the residential rate from $16.03 [...]
    Posted: December 18, 2008, 3:25pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • City Rivalries Delay Financial Relief Bill

    Number of comments: 3
    Republican writer Dan Ring reported on Tuesday that state Representatives Benjamin Swan (11th Hampden) and Cheryl Coakley-Rivera (10th Hampden) are holding up a state financial relief bill currently going through the statehouse. The bill was introduced by Governor Deval Patrick last June, and would extend the city’s repayment period on [...]
    Posted: December 18, 2008, 11:26am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Northampton Serenades

    Number of comments: 1
    Visiting downtown Northampton on a Saturday afternoon always bring on a show… * What visit to Northampton would be complete without a civic protest against the Evil Empire (aka: us)? Here, folks are protesting the sinister Guantanamo Bay prison, where a number of misunderstood folks are being held. In Northampton, even the graffiti [...]
    Posted: December 14, 2008, 1:14pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Save an Appetite for Chefs for Jimmy

    Number of comments: 1
    Hey! Prepare yourself for a special night out with your spouse, your family, or your friends. On January 23, 2009, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm, the 19th annual “Chefs for Jimmy” benefit will be held at Chez Josef, in Agawam, MA. The event will feature dishes from around the world, served [...]
    Posted: December 12, 2008, 2:16am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Of All the Humanities

    Two recent news stories on Man’s best friend, the pooch, have highlighted their “human-like” qualities and caused many commentors in one case to shame our own species for not being more “dog-like.” The first story came by way of a video clip that hit the Internet a couple days ago, and [...]
    Posted: December 10, 2008, 11:46am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Foley to lead City Council in 2009

    In an uninspiring turn of events, this past weekend city residents were graced with the news that long-looooong-time Springfield City Councilor William T. Foley announced that he had garnered enough votes on the Council to be that body’s president for the coming 2009 session. Foley’s ascension to the presidency for [...]
    Posted: December 08, 2008, 1:38am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Visiting Monson

    Number of comments: 1
    Monson, Massachusetts, is a town of about 8,000 people (2000 census) nestled in the hinterlands of Western Massachusetts [map], east of the city of Springfield. It was first settled in 1715, and has an Open Town Meeting-style government that is made up of three town selectmen and a town moderator. Check [...]
    Posted: December 06, 2008, 11:36am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Habitat for Humanity Women Build

    Number of comments: 2
    While the rest of the city is mired in crime news and assorted tales of woe about economy, construction work continues on a new home on White Street in Springfield. According to a recent press release sent in by a volunteer, the work is being performed by “a group of [...]
    Posted: December 05, 2008, 11:05am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Local News Briefs & Tidbits: 12-01-08

    Number of comments: 3
    December is here! Jingle bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All The Way….. MAYFLOWER MARATHON RESULTS: This year’s edition of the Bax & O’Brien Mayflower Marathon reportedly netted $77,000 worth of food donations from folks who stopped by the Basketball Hall of Fame during the November 24-26 event. The marathon filled nearly four trailers-worth of [...]
    Posted: December 01, 2008, 12:37am EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • The Parade of the Big Balloons

    Springfield’s annual Parade of the Big Balloons kicked of at 11:00am on Friday, November 28th. The weather was perfect for marching and for watching, as thousands of people lined either side of Main Street to catch the parade as it made its way from Lyman Street to the city’s South [...]
    Posted: November 29, 2008, 2:31pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Northampton Panhandling in the Spotlight

    Number of comments: 5
    On Monday, November 24, 2008, the civic group Poverty is Not a Crime (PINAC) held a mock Ordinance enforcement demonstration and parade in downtown Northampton, MA, as a part of their effort to bring down a proposed city ordinance that would greatly restrict where panhandlers could ply their trade. (See [...]
    Posted: November 25, 2008, 4:37pm EST
    by Bill Dusty
  • Movies: A Quantum of Solace

    School has kept me busy this past week, so I’ll keep things going here with a little review of the latest James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace: Actor Daniel Craig reprises his role of the famous Ian Flemming British super-spy, James Bond, in this semi-sequel to Craig’s debut appearance as Bond [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2008, 1:42pm EST
    by Bill Dusty

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