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Western Mass Politics & Insight News and Commentary on Springfield and the world... Watch for These Series:
Take My Council, Please: Springfield City Council Coverage.

Boston Beat: The Occasional Story About/On Boston

Our 100th: The US Senate Election News & Commentary

Longmeadow Daze: An Occasional Series on politics and government.

The administrator of the trial courts in Massachusetts retired last month. It had been expected for months, but Thomas A...
10/12/2026

The administrator of the trial courts in Massachusetts retired last month. It had been expected for months, but Thomas Ambrosino was among the parties that swore out a declaration to defend the state's choice for a new courthouse on Liberty Street.

The battle over the courthouse in Springfield is as much a battle with the Trial Court’s administration as it is with executive branch agency that manages the Commonwealth’s real estate. Thomas Ambrosino, in his capacity as administrator for the Trial Court, had sworn out a

ANALYSIS:Many predicted that MGM Resorts would sell and leave . What was not predicted--and perhaps it should have been...
10/06/2026

ANALYSIS:
Many predicted that MGM Resorts would sell and leave . What was not predicted--and perhaps it should have been--was how failures around and since the opening and mishandling of the city-casino relationship would lead to the city suing MGM to stop arbitration over the city's right to approve a sale. Darker still was how this all seems to be in service to the mayor's political needs.

After years of rumors, MGM officially wants out. Contrary to what Sarno might claim, too many of the city’s eggs were in the MGM basket.

's longtime HR and Labor Relations head Bill Mahoney retired this week. The mayor and CAFO Cathy Buono appointed the ma...
10/02/2026

's longtime HR and Labor Relations head Bill Mahoney retired this week. The mayor and CAFO Cathy Buono appointed the mayor's chief of staff to lead the city's personnel office.

William Mahoney, long Springfield's HR/Labor Relations Director, has retired. A top mayoral aide shall replace him as HR director.

The drama over a Community Preservation Grant going to an oragnization whose board the City Clerk sits on appears to be ...
09/29/2026

The drama over a Community Preservation Grant going to an oragnization whose board the City Clerk sits on appears to be over. However, a larger story may be unfolding around the issue and broader questions about the state of the Council.

The September 21 meeting of the Springfield City Council concluded a lingering drama that had split the body for weeks.

The suit against Northampton's divestment resolutionw as dismissed earlier this month after a judge found the plaintiffs...
09/29/2026

The suit against Northampton's divestment resolutionw as dismissed earlier this month after a judge found the plaintiffs lacked standing.

Less than two weeks after oral arguments on August 26, Hampshire Superior Court Judge Charles Groce dismissed a suit filed over the Northampton City Council’s resolution that called for the city to divest from Israel-connected assets. It was never clear what the originators of the

Just weeks after a judge refused to halt the process that would let Liberty Junction build Springfield's new courthouse,...
09/12/2026

Just weeks after a judge refused to halt the process that would let Liberty Junction build Springfield's new courthouse, a lot has happened. The Commonwealth moved to dismiss and the plaintiffs have revised their complaint. This is not ending anytime soon.

A judge refused to enjoin the selection of Liberty Junction to build the new courthouse. Since then, plaintiffs have revised their complaint.

Incumbents won across the board in Western Mass's Democratic primary, as did Senator Ed Markey who had faced a primary c...
09/04/2026

Incumbents won across the board in Western Mass's Democratic primary, as did Senator Ed Markey who had faced a primary challenged, too. Congressman Richard Neal's Greater Springfield firewall (with backup from the Berkshires) also held up against a stiff challenge from Jeromie Whalen.

SPRINGFIELD—The Democratic primary in Massachusetts left the federal delegation’s deans in place. Incumbents also prevailed elsewhere.

LISTEN: Our editor-in-chief joins WAMC Northeast Public Radio to discuss Tuesday's results up and down the ballot in Wes...
09/03/2026

LISTEN: Our editor-in-chief joins WAMC Northeast Public Radio to discuss Tuesday's results up and down the ballot in Western Massachusetts, including the congressional and state legislative races.

Amid statewide contests, like Sen. Ed Markey besting Congressman Seth Moulton in the Democratic Senate primary, western Mass. was home to a number of primaries over seats on Beacon Hill.WAMC kept track of those races Tuesday night, as did Western Mass Politics and Insight Editor-in-Chief Matt Szafra...

Despite a huge cash advantage heading into the primary, one of State Rep Bud Williams's primary challengers, Johnnie McK...
08/31/2026

Despite a huge cash advantage heading into the primary, one of State Rep Bud Williams's primary challengers, Johnnie McKnight and his allies, have largely matched the incumbent in overall spending. Meanwhile, debate within one of the district's core constituencies is spilling out into public view, which may not auger well for Williams.

Records show Mass Teachers have dropped at least $30K on one candidate in the 11th Hampden primary. They are among many players in the race.

There will be only one debate the First Congressional District's Democratic primary--and it already happened. US Rep Ric...
08/28/2026

There will be only one debate the First Congressional District's Democratic primary--and it already happened. US Rep Richard Neal and his challenger, Jeromie Whalen, traded blows on a range of issues. However, the dominant theme was how one framed the other.

CHICOPEE—The first and only face-to-face debate in the 1st District’s Democratic primary saw some heat and a bevy of accusations.

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