The Shoestring

Funding, police presence divide Greenfield School Committee candidate slates Six candidates are running for three seats after a year of contentious discussions over the school district's budget.

In Greenfield, a battle is brewing over the future of the city’s public schools ahead of Tuesday’s election in which three four-year terms on the School Committee are up for grabs. The race has pitted a progressive-backed slate of candidates against another group of three.

By Dusty Christensen.

“There’s a lot of money in death”: Funeral home consolidation hits western Mass One private equity-backed firm recently bought more than 10% of funeral homes in western Mass, where corporate consolidators now own a quarter of mortuaries — part of a nationwide trend in the death i...

Quoted in this interesting piece on consolidation and private equity in the funeral industry.

theshoestring.org/2025/10/28/t...

“There’s a lot of money in death”: Funeral home consolidation hits western Mass One private equity-backed firm recently bought more than 10% of funeral homes in western Mass, where corporate consolidators now own a quarter of mortuaries — part of a nationwide trend in the death c...

One private equity-backed firm recently bought more than 10% of funeral homes in western Mass, where corporate consolidators now own a quarter of mortuaries — part of a nationwide trend in the death care industry. Reporter @jongerhardson.bsky.social investigates: theshoestring.org/2025/10/28/t...

Springfield’s “zombie plant” is reanimated once again A proposal for a wood-burning power plant may now move forward despite over a decade of community opposition, thanks to what activists are calling a “Frankenpermit”

New illustration in @theshoestring.bsky.social
theshoestring.org/2025/10/22/s...

“There’s a lot of money in death”: Funeral home consolidation hits western Mass One private equity-backed firm recently bought more than 10% of funeral homes in western Mass, where corporate consolidators now own a quarter of mortuaries — part of a nationwide trend in the death i...

Check out my latest article for @theshoestring.bsky.social

theshoestring.org/2025/10/28/t...

Facebook boost sparks torrent of hate towards West Springfield mosque The social media giant promoted Open Mosque Day to bigoted site users as local experts warn Islamophobia is on the rise in Massachusetts.

Earlier this year, the Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts decided to “open up” its communications to the broader community by launching a Facebook page. A post intended to promote "open mosque day," accumulated a sudden spark of harmful and threatening comments.

By Joe Douglass.

Springfield’s “zombie plant” is reanimated once again A proposal for a wood-burning power plant may now move forward despite over a decade of community opposition, thanks to what activists are calling a “Frankenpermit”

Springfield residents are once again facing the revival of a proposed wood-burning "zombie plant" that has been stalled for over a decade by community opposition. Irina Costache and Regine Spector report: theshoestring.org/2025/10/22/s...

Meet the candidates: Northampton City Council Ward 2 One-term incumbent Debby Pastrich-Klemer faces a challenge from Al Simon, a former town councilor in Windsor, Connecticut.

There are currently two candidates running for one City Council seat to represent Ward 2 in Northampton. The Shoestring asked each candidate an identical set of questions in preparation for these profiles, which are listed in the same order as they’ll appear on the ballot.

Reported by Haley McQuick

“An avenue for kids”: Franklin County police tout nonprofit-run cadet program Law enforcement agents discussed targeted youth recruiting efforts at the

Last week, those in Greenfield may have been curious about the drones and helicopters flying over the fairgrounds.

The event’s purpose was simple: to recruit children into law enforcement careers, and to meet other public safety employees.

Reporting by tommy lee.

Meet the progressive organizer eyeing Amherst Town Council A veteran of local Palestine-solidarity and school funding campaigns, Jill Brevik spoke with The Shoestring about the leap from grassroots to electoral organizing.

Jill Brevik, community organizer and mother of two, running for one of District 1’s seats on Amherst’s Town Council, discussed her campaign, and her leap from community organizing into politics, with The Shoestring's Dan McGlynn.

The left looks to the ballot box Across western Mass, leftist and progressive candidates believe that their platforms will resonate with voters.

Across western Mass, leftists and progressives are looking for victory at the ballot box, reflecting a faith that local voters are ready to fight for progressive platforms.

By Dusty Christensen and Melanie Duronio. theshoestring.org/2025/10/08/t...

Western Mass tenants are getting organized New efforts have taken aim at specific local landlords, like Smith College, and at state law itself.

Tenant organizing is on the rise across the region. New efforts have taken aim at specific local landlords, like Smith College, and at state law itself. The Shoestring's Sarah Robertson has our latest dispatch on the festering housing crisis in western Massachusetts.

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Cooley Dickinson nurses to hold strike authorization vote Nurses at the Northampton hospital say they're facing “unsafe staffing conditions, uncompetitive wages, and potential hikes to health insurance costs.”

Unionized nurses at Northampton's Cooley Dickinson Hospital say they will hold a strike authorization vote next month — the first step toward possibly walking off the job.

Our latest from the labor beat, by @dustyc123.bsky.social:

Parole Board Questions Dying Prisoner On 30-Year-Old Murder, Not His Health For James Ware, an extremely ill Department of Correction prisoner, a final chance at release after medical parole denial.

From @binjreports.bsky.social comes the story of James Ware, a terminally ill incarcerated man serving a life without parole sentence he was handed at age 20. Eliza Dewey chronicles his efforts to secure his release for his final months on Earth: theshoestring.org/2025/09/19/p...

Voters narrow the field in Northampton election Incumbents were the top two vote-getters of the night. All five candidates backed by the Our Schools and Services Political Action Committee also advanced to the general election in November.

Tuesday's preliminary election in Northampton saw wins for incumbents and candidates backed by the Support Our Schools PAC, who will move on to November's general election. Read our full coverage: theshoestring.org/2025/09/17/v...

Northampton City Council to consider Israel divestment resolution

Northampton City Council will consider a resolution instructing the city treasurer and retirement board to divest city resources with entities complicit in violations of human rights and international law in Israel and Palestine. Stacey Zhang reports: theshoestring.org/2025/09/16/n...

Can tiny nonprofit news outlets survive the current financial flux? - INN News A recent survey of INN members indicates that nonprofit news outlets are facing short-term financial uncertainty.

Managing editor Brian Zayatz spoke to INN News about the difficulties of being a tiny nonprofit news outlet in 2025. We love giving people a chance to look under the hood of a small operation like ours — give it a read! news.inn.org/can-tiny-non...

Who’s spending on Northampton City Council races? Some candidates self-funded, others have dozens of donors from near and far.

With just four days left until a preliminary election in Northampton, newly published campaign finance reports offer a peek at the donors spending to elect candidates in the city.

Reporting by Brian Zayatz and Dusty Christensen.

Meet the Candidates: Northampton City Council Ward 5 Current Ward 5 Councilor Alex Jarrett isn't running for re-election. Three are seeking to replace him: Vincent “Luke” Rotello IV, David Murphy, and Aline Davis.

Northampton City Council Ward 5; Current Councilor Alex Jarrett isn’t running for re-election. Three are seeking to replace him: Vincent “Luke” Rotello IV, David Murphy, and Aline Davis.

Reporting by Stacey Zhang.

Meet the candidates for Northampton mayor Incumbent Gina-Louise Sciarra faces off against challengers Dan Breindel, Dave Dombrowski, and Jillian Duclos. Two of the candidates will be eliminated in Tuesday's preliminary election.

There are four candidates running for mayor: one-term incumbent Gina-Louise Sciarra and challengers Dan Breindel, Dave Dombrowski, and Jillian Duclos. Two of the candidates will be eliminated in the upcoming preliminary election.

Reporting by Brian Zayatz

Q&A: Jeromie Whalen, the teacher running against 36-year incumbent Richard Neal Whalen has launched the latest campaign against Springfield’s influential congressman. The Shoestring asked him about his platform, his chances, and his thoughts on the Democratic Party.

Q&A: Jeromie Whalen, the teacher running against 36-year incumbent Richard Neal. Whalen, is the latest in a procession of left-leaning candidates to challenge Neal in recent years. We asked about his platform, his chances, and his thoughts on the Democratic Party.

Reporting by Dusty Christensen.

Mount Holyoke College workers go on strike Nearly 200 workers took part in the multi-union strike Tuesday. They include the school's dining workers, facilities staffers, and housekeepers.

Nearly 200 workers went on strike early Tuesday at Mount Holyoke College as part of a multi-union action, calling for fair wages and better working conditions. They represent a wide section of the college’s workforce.

Reporting by Dusty Christensen and Melanie Duronio

Meet the candidates: Northampton City Council at-large Six candidates, including one incumbent, vying for two at-large City Council seats and will face off in a September preliminary election.

Meet the candidates: Northampton City Council at-large;
Six candidates, including one incumbent, vying for two at-large City Council seats and will face off in a September preliminary election.

Reporting by Brian Zayatz

Opinion: Federal library funding cuts will hit rural areas the hardest Cuts are already limiting Mass. residents’ access to research and educational tools, but there is still time to oppose them.

Massachusetts researchers and students returning to classrooms in the fall will be facing a lack of access to electronic resources which will disproportionately hurt small, rural communities and their schools due to President Trump’s unprecedented cuts to social support services.
OpEd by Eric Poulin

A high-stakes test: What comes next for Holyoke after receivership? After 10 years under state control, officials have lauded the progress the district has made. But others have questioned the metrics the state has used to measure that success.

Holyoke’s school district has finally regained some local control after a decade of state management — something several city officials have greeted with excitement. Not everyone, however, is expecting the coming school year to be a smooth ride.

Reporting by divina cordeiro.

Amid divides, local Jewish groups protest Israel’s starvation of Gaza The demonstration comes as more of Israel's political allies break with the country over the starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.

On Thursday evening, amid pouring rain, over 100 people from various local Jewish groups gathered inside the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, demanding an end to Israel’s U.S.-backed, “ongoing forced starvation in Gaza.”

Reporting by Dan McGlynn

“Transparency, accountability, and respect”: Foster youth advocate for a bill of rights of their own Earlier this month, youth who have experienced the Massachusetts foster care system spoke out on Beacon Hill.

On July 8, the Massachusetts Legislature held hearings on several acts pertaining to the well being of youth in foster care. Among them was a bill that would establish a bill of rights for children in foster care.

Reporting by divina cordeiro.

Case dismissals likely as bar advocate pay negotiations at standstill Lawyers representing indigent defendants have drawn the ire of legislators and the governor as they refuse low-paying work

Case dismissals likely as bar advocate pay negotiations at standstill.

Lawyers across Massachusetts who stopped taking on new indigent clients this spring over a pay dispute say that a statement put out by Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday set back negotiations.

Reporting by Brian Zayatz.

Surveillance state comes to Chicopee A network of hundreds of cameras, accessible to police at any time for any reason, is concentrated in the city's poorest areas.

Just about anywhere somebody goes in Chicopee — from public parks or city buildings to even their own homes — there’s likely a surveillance camera nearby that police can access. At the time of writing, there are 532 cameras in the network.

Reporting by Jonathan Gerhardson.