Community
In this series, The Shoestring will explore and remember the impacts of COVID pandemic on different aspects of life in western Mass. To speak...
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The Shoestring
- CITY COUNCIL NOTES
Meet the Candidates for Northampton City Council
Northampton City Council Passes Budget over Calls to Reduce Police “Footprint”
Northampton City Council to Vote on Budget Thursday
Northampton City Council Moves on Reparations, Climate Department, and Liquor Licenses
Northampton City Council To Vote on Liquor Licenses
- PODCAST
- TOPICS
- News
New Tax Cuts Prompt Debates about Affordability
Local Rallies, Actions Continue as Israeli Bombardment of Gaza Intensifies
Activists Blockade Northampton Weapons Manufacturer
Redacted: State Withholding Plans for New Women’s Prison
McGovern, Activists Disagree on Strategy for Ending Cuba, Venezuela Sanctions
- Police
Northampton Settles Police Excessive Force Case for $75,000
Police Statewide are Keeping Their Weapons Inventories Secret
Amid sexual harassment scandal, Holyoke police captain retires with pension, PTO payout
“We’re Gonna Cheat”: Northampton Police Accused of “Open Admission of Malfeasance”
State’s Longest Sentences Could Get a “Second Look”
- Labor
- Community
Two Months On, Palestine Solidarity Actions Continue Across Western Mass
Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, and The Shoestring Wants to Give You Art
Grassroots Organizing Sweeps New Faces into Greenfield City Government
The Wired, Wired West: The Collapse of Public Internet in Easthampton and the Struggle to Connect Massachusetts’ Overlooked Communities
A “Progressive Blueprint” for Greenfield
- Education
Easthampton Parent Sues Schools Over Unenrollment of Child by Non-Custodial Parent
Meet the At-Large Candidates for Northampton School Committee
New UMass Group Works to Oust Raytheon From Campus
Longmeadow School Board Candidate Appears to have Scrubbed Far-Right Views From Social Media
UMass Ordered to Pause Privatization of Advancement Jobs for Legal Review
- Culture
- Housing
‘Right to Shelter’ at a Tipping Point in Massachusetts
Springfield Residents Rally for Fair Home Buyback Negotiations with Fannie Mae
Holyoke Residents Rally for Basic Housing Rights, Call for New City Office to Protect Tenants
New Tenants’ Union Co-Hosts ‘Know Your Rights’ Workshop
Northampton Landlord Retaliates Against Renters for Forming Tenants Association
- Environment
- News
Education
As tensions over mediated contract negotiations continue, educators will stop non-essential work By Ben Parra On Monday, February 27, School Committee members of the...
Education
Mediated contract negotiations have reached a standstill, leaving teachers with little bargaining room By Ben Parra On Thursday, February 2nd, the Amherst-Pelham Education Association...
News
By Jonathan Gerhardson A recent report from the state’s Department of Public Health has named Holyoke, Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield and Pittsfield as among the...
Police
Mayor Wedegartner presented an alternative plan Wednesday drawing on ARPA and grant funds. By Jon Magee GREENFIELD — Braving rain and snow on Wednesday...
Culture
By Jon Shina What does it take to be original these days? When two roads diverge on a song writing path, do you take...
Community
During a lively City Council meeting, the public spoke in favor of library funding By Ben Parra and Shelby Lee [Full Disclosure: Ben Parra...
Police
Councilors concluded the meeting with a vote of “no confidence” in the Chief. By Jon Magee On Wednesday, Greenfield City Council convened their regular...
Community
“[If] we do nothing, I guarantee you the library will be nonexistent in five years.” By Ben Parra [Full Disclosure: Ben Parra works as...
Labor
Montague cafe workers join United Food and Commercial Workers Union By Joanna Mae Boody and Spencer Fox Peterson On Wednesday, December 14th, the staff...
News
Missing meeting minutes calls into question the committee’s compliance with Open Meeting Law By Jonathan Gerhardson NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Public School Committee currently...
News
Despite months of debate, the issue of who should decide COVID policy remains tenuous and unresolved By Jonathan Gerhardson NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton School...