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The Shoestring
Longtime Rep. Angelo Puppolo faces challenge from the left in Michael Lachenmeyer
Voters will decide in the Sept. 1 primary whether they’ll opt for Lachenmeyer’s progressive vision or stick with Puppolo’s decades of experience.
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Establishment allies back Northampton “Information Hub”
With city politics increasingly fraught, critics say the hub — a new nonprofit that won’t name its financial backers — isn’t giving residents the whole picture.
“Ban! Ban! Ban!”: Data-center discontent reaches western Massachusetts
Last month, amid protests from city residents, Holyoke became the first in the state to ban new data centers. Two days later, Westfield moved toward passing a data-center moratorium.
The fight for gender-affirming care in Massachusetts
Healthcare institutions, including Baystate Health, have stopped providing gender-affirming care for minors, leaving families scrambling. In part two of this series, The Shoestring hears from those fighting against those restrictions.
Mass. resident data may train the next generation of AI
The state has little to say about its “data commons” project, which it hopes will make Massachusetts a hub for tech development.
Who cares for trans youth?
As healthcare providers cease gender-affirming care for minors, families are left scrambling. In part one of this series, The Shoestring shares their stories.
ABOUT THE SHOESTRING
The Shoestring is an independent news publication in Western Massachusetts that provides in-depth and accurate journalism covering local politics, culture, and power. We bring you the stories, perspectives, and context that no one else does, from Northampton and across the Connecticut River Valley.