Weekday Wanderings

What else to do with some of the photos of my wanderings around the City of Springfield (and beyond) than plop them all down here in one post…. As I walked by my street corner, I noticed a couple of fire department vehicles parked in front of an eternally-closed, former “HAPCO” auto parts store. Two [...]

Written on June 28, 2008 | Posted in Cities & Towns | 8 comments

A Commuter Rail Alternative

Efforts to revitalize commuter rail service in the Pioneer Valley continued on Wednesday as members of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) met with City and regional planners and elected officials to announce their findings in an analysis done comparing this year’s tax rebates to the estimated $1500 spent on gasoline by Massachusetts households. [...]

Written on June 26, 2008 | Posted in Cities & Towns | 10 comments

City to Host Housing Design Forum

In response to concerns from neighborhood groups about local housing designs that are not reflective of a community’s historical style, the City of Springfield will be holding a public forum to discuss guidelines for building designs in what it termed “infill” housing – that is, construction of housing in vacant lots or properties in already-established [...]

Written on June 25, 2008 | Posted in City Hall,Feature Stories | 3 comments

Local News Briefs & Tidbits: 06-25-08

FERRERA IN THE CROSSHAIRS: Rarely missing the opportunity to spank Springfield City Councilor Jimmy Ferrera on its editorial page, the Republican took Ferrera to the woodshed on Tuesday for championing budget cuts in the city’s Personnel Department – specifically targeting a payroll consultant fee of $260,000 per year.

Written on June 25, 2008 | Posted in Cities & Towns,City Hall,Politics | 6 comments

At “Kalinka 2008″

The Russian festival “Kalinka 2008″ was held at Riverfront Park on Saturday, June 21, 2008, on a sunny, warm day that brought folks from all over the region.

Written on June 23, 2008 | Posted in Society | 1 comment

Hometown Political Shenanigans

Standing atop the ruins of Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno’s failed attempt to slip a “Pay-As-You-Throw” (PAYT) trash collection system onto the citizens of Springfield, I’ve come to wonder how it could be that the Mayor ever thought he could slip this by a populace that had so recently been promised an abolition of the trash [...]

Written on June 20, 2008 | Posted in Cities & Towns,City Hall,Elections,Feature Stories,Politics | 4 comments

6-19-08: Reader Mail

Things are a little busy here at Intruder Headquarters as I continue work on a secret project, so I thought I’d open up the mail bag and give folks a look-see of what’s inside.

Written on June 19, 2008 | Posted in Opinion | Comments Off

Springfield Library Summer Events (June-July)

From Joan Canosa Albano, Manager of Youth & Outreach Services at the Springfield City Library: Hello! School’s out and you are looking for activities for your children and teens for this summer. Summer Reading Club starts next week! Or maybe you’d like the opportunity to learn more about local history, your family tree, or the [...]

Written on June 18, 2008 | Posted in Cities & Towns,Feature Stories,Society | 2 comments