Search Results

Keyword search: LAW

By DOMENIC POLI

A new Franklin County clerk of courts will take the oath of office in January and barring some miraculous write-in campaign, that person will be Benjamin Simanski.The first assistant clerk magistrate for the past 11 years, Simanski is running...

By Mike RocheThere are many famous quotes about opinions. Everyone has them. The question is about value as compared to facts and it seems to me like too few people form opinions based on facts. But that is my opinion.After returning from my odyssey...

By CHRIS LISINSKI

Gov. Maura Healey said Wednesday that she plans to immediately implement a sweeping gun reform law, in the process blocking opponents who appear to be on the verge of suspending the law for more than two years until voters get the final say.A...

By Mike RocheTomorrow, Sept. 28, young hunters with a Youth Deer Permit will be able to hunt deer for one day in an exclusive deer hunt. Hunters aged 12 to 17 who possess the required free permit must be accompanied by a licensed adult. Youth hunters...

By CHRIS LISINSKI

Opponents of a major new gun law say they have collected a bit less than half of the signatures they need by early next month to suspend the measure until voters would potentially get a chance to decide its fate in 2026.A group of gun owners and...

By Mike RocheThe weather always provides plenty to talk about and the recent prolonged dry spell is getting a lot of attention. According to recent reports, we are approaching 30 days without measurable rainfall. That makes this event, or lack of...

By DOMENIC POLI

Area gun enthusiasts and experts have their criticisms of the new state firearms law, but most appear on board with the prohibition of 3D-printed and unserialized “ghost guns,” saying they have no place in Massachusetts or the United States.Gov. Maura...

By Mike RocheMy weekly training trips to Hedgerow Hunt Club with Tessie include shooting chukars over her. Her staunchness has been excellent. She is great at finding downed birds and bringing them back, almost all the way. What we are working on is...

By Mike RocheAs more details of the new Massachusetts gun law come to light, the opposition to this action passed by the legislature and governor grows.It is a long and complicated law and the Gun Owners Action League (GOAL) has already mounted...

By ALISON KUZNITZ

Gov. Maura Healey said Monday she would oppose gun owners’ potential effort to suspend a new firearm safety law as part of their longer-term strategy to repeal the legislation through a ballot question in 2026.The governor has the authority to file an...

By Mike Roche This writer has long been considering making a change from 12-gauge to 20-gauge for deer hunting in Massachusetts. Since Mass does not allow the use of rifles, shotguns have always been the firearm used for deer hunting. It must be noted...

By MAX BOWEN

GREENFIELD — After receiving rave reviews during public hearings, Alexandra Flanders of Greenfield has been appointed by the state’s Governor’s Council as an associate justice of Probate and Family Court.Wednesday’s appointment, which followed a...

STAFF REPORT

ROYALSTON — The Office of the Attorney General has found that the Select Board violated the Open Meeting Law when an email was sent among a quorum of the board outside a public meeting regarding a town employee’s resignation.The board has acknowledged...

By Sam Drysdale

BOSTON— The Senate on Thursday night approved a sweeping overhaul of state firearms laws, setting up talks with the House that could lead to a major new law later this spring or summer.The Senate bill seeks to rein in untraceable ghost guns, bans...

By CHRIS LISINSKI

BOSTON — Reining in gun violence, increasing access to housing and health supports for migrant families, and studying the health effects of decommissioning the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station are among the policies the Massachusetts Medical Society...

By ALISON KUZNITZ

BOSTON — Drivers who fail to slow down and change lanes to accommodate stopped first responders or tow truck drivers on roadways could face stiffer penalties under legislation backed by the State Police Association of Massachusetts (SPAM), as well as...

By Mike RocheMore than ever, the weather has become the main news story. That is true here in the North Quabbin Region, Western Mass, across the state, throughout New England, New York, down the Eastern seaboard and across the United States. A...

By Sam Drysdale

BOSTON — Technology’s new frontiers present unique regulatory challenges for government systems that often lag behind the rates of change in fast-developing tech sectors.But some in the Legislature are trying to help orchestrate a response. Several...

By DOMENIC POLI

GREENFIELD — The local sheriff and the U.S. magistrate judge assigned to Springfield served as panelists Monday morning for a discussion about the justice system and the “workings of government” before dozens of local students and the public....

By CHRIS LISINSKI

Under the terms of a new law, Massachusetts car dealerships and sellers can now start issuing temporary registration plates to out-of-state residents who purchase vehicles here.Rep. Smitty Pignatelli of Lenox, who co-filed the original version of a...

By GREG VINE

ATHOL – On April 12, 2018, Yarmouth Police Sergeant Sean Gannon and his K9 partner Nero were shot while serving a warrant in Marstons Mills.Tragically, Gannon died of his injuries while undergoing treatment at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. Because of...