Records measure exposes more tension between lawmakers, auditor

Born of tragedy: New eight-story, $465M Veterans Home opens in Holyoke

HOLYOKE — Every politician who came to Holyoke on Thursday, and there was a gaggle of them, acknowledged two things. First, the new, world-class Veterans Home is a towering accomplishment: a leviathan of a building offering a plethora of on-site services and an eight-story, 234-bed home for those who have given their lives in service […]

Northampton man, 21, killed in Burts Pit Road motorcycle crash identified by DA’s office

NORTHAMPTON — Daemon Ackerman, 21, of Northampton, has been identified as the motorcyclist killed Sunday night when he veered off Burts Pit Road and crashed into a cluster of trees, according to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. According to Ackerman’s obituary, he was known as the “life of the party” by his many family and […]

A Dunkin' Donuts car fire and hay truck blaze hit Northampton

NORTHAMPTON — Firefighters responded to two vehicle fires in the city this week: a car that caught fire in the drive-through of the Dunkin’ on Damon Road on Monday, and a pickup truck loaded with hay that caught fire off Hockanum Road in the Meadows on Wednesday. On Monday, as Northampton Fire Rescue crews were […]

State previews new graduation framework at meeting in Williamsburg

BOSTON — School districts could soon be required to make new coursework and postsecondary planning available as Massachusetts reimagines high school graduation requirements, but some education overseers bristled Tuesday over the timetable for change and other logistical hurdles. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education staff previewed regulatory proposals for a new graduation framework, including two […]

Question 3: Should Massachusetts eliminate party-specific primaries?

Massachusetts voters will consider replacing the current party-specific primary system with a single non-partisan primary via ballot Question 3 on Nov. 3, a measure supported by some former governors and unions but opposed by many local Democratic and Republican organizations.