In the News

PITTSFIELD — Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced Tuesday that he is "suspending" belt-tightening measures and will leave mail processing equipment alone until after the election, but a union president said Tuesday that two mail sorting machines have already been taken offline at a regional processing facility. The announcement comes as the U.S. House of Representatives moves… Read more »

Business leaders, college presidents, politicians and state economic development leaders joined in an online seminar to discuss better ways the entire state can come together to share resources and produce products. More than 350 people signed on to listen to or participate in the first EastWest Exchange on Wednesday. The event covered ways to localize supply chains and better share… Read more »

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A virtual conference focused on technology industries was held in Springfield on Wednesday. The inaugural EastWest Exchange Conference was created, even before the pandemic, as a way to bridge the economies of eastern and western Massachusetts. Meeting in person was not possible due to Covid-19 so the conference was held virtually. With disruptions in… Read more »

Reps. Lori Trahan of Massachusetts and John Joyce of Pennsylvania led a bipartisan effort this week to urge President Donald Trump to honor substance use disorder victims by lowering American flags to half-staff on Aug. 31, which is International Overdose Awareness Day. The Democratic Trahan and Republican Joyce on Monday drafted a letter making the request to the… Read more »

Democratic Congressman Richard Neal of the 1st House district visited Pittsfield, Massachusetts as part of a party-wide effort to emphasize the importance of the post office Tuesday. Neal made the trip as Democrats around the country prepare to reconvene in Washington this weekend to vote on measures they say will protect the post office from the Trump administration. “So I want… Read more »

PITTSFIELD—While attempting to maintain social-distancing along a narrow strip of sidewalk outside the post office here, US Representative Richard Neal and local officials condemned the chicanery of Donald Trump’s Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. Allegedly undertaken to save money, the changes to the United States Postal Service have delayed deliveries, reduced capacity and… Read more »

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling the House back to Washington this weekend over the crisis at the Postal Service. The House is expected to vote Saturday on the ‘Delivering for America Act,’ which includes $25 billion to support the agency. Congressman Richard Neal held a news conference outside of the United States Postal Service in… Read more »

Pittsfield's Bill Sturgeon relies on the U.S. Postal Service to keep him healthy.  "I’m a disabled veteran, and I get all of my medications through the mail, so I really do depend on the post office," he says. Potential cuts at post offices are of particular concern in Berkshire County, where nearly a quarter of the population are seniors who rely on the mail for… Read more »

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal used the U.S. Postal Service facility on Fenn Street as a background to underscore the vote he plans to make on Saturday to ensure reliable voting by mail.   "Ballot access in a representative democracy is fundamental and some of the proposed changes ... seem to me to as though they hint strongly at voter suppression," Neal said,… Read more »

CHICOPEE — Local officials on Wednesday announced plans to use a recent $300,000 federal grant to expand assessment of contaminated properties to include key brownfield sites in Willimansett. Mayor John Vieau and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, were among officials gathered to discuss the grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The details were presented at the… Read more »