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The Shoestring
Bump, set, spike: Will Holyoke residents block developer’s proposed sports complex?
Despite much initial fanfare, residents have been told that there are no formal plans for the project. But the city’s been busy, and some Holyokers have united in resistance against a developer with close ties to the mayor.
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As rent control campaign talks compromise, some tenant organizers feel “blindsided”
To avoid a grueling fight before November, the campaign for rent stabilization has worked on compromise legislation with developers and other opponents of the ballot initiative. Some tenant organizers see it as a betrayal.
Ripple effects: Connecticut River groups seek lasting funding for conservation
After the Trump administration slashed federal staff and funding for conservation work, the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership is working with federal lawmakers to try to turn the tide.
Healthcare costs squeeze municipal budgets, prompting exodus from regional insurer
As rising healthcare costs bear down on local governments, teachers are losing their jobs, cities and towns are cutting services, and the cash-strapped Hampshire Group Insurance Trust, which provides health insurance to thousands of municipal employees in western Massachusetts, is trying to stay afloat.
A developer built Northampton a soccer field. 20 years later, where is it?
A developer promised a soccer field in exchange for a denser build. But after it was built, the city has punted on completing the project. Why?
“Loss of local autonomy”: With GBH, NEPM merger looming, what’s next for local public media?
The organizations have billed their merger as building a “more sustainable future” amid federal funding cuts. But what comes next remains unclear.
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.