New England News

Western Mass. Tourist Sites Promoted In Pennsylvania

Paul Tuthill — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:49:11 +0000

A first ever collaborative effort is under way to jointly promote tourist attractions in the Berkshires and the greater Springfield area in Massachusetts.

A bus carrying two dozen people representing many of the top tourist attractions in western Massachusetts departed from the Big E fairgrounds in West Springfield Tuesday morning bound for Pennsylvania. The group has meetings scheduled over the next three days with 17 tour operators to sell the region as an ideal destination for group bus trips.

Conn. MTA Train Crash Highlights Need For Rail Investment in Berkshires

Lucas Willard — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:34:02 +0000

The MTA train collision near Fairfield that injured 72 last Friday is still under investigation.

Connecticut Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat from the 5^th District, said that investigators are still attempting to determine if the derailment was caused by track in disrepair or another factor. Esty, who said that a Congressional hearing will be held on railway safety later today, also said that funding to maintain one of the busiest railway corridors in the Northeast has been “an issue.”

Esty spoke on WAMC’s Congressional Corner…

Vermont Governor Signs First Legislatively Approved Death With Dignity Law

Pat Bradley — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:30:00 +0000

Supporters, and a few opponents, crowded into the Governor’s Ceremonial office on the second floor of the Vermont statehouse Monday afternoon to witness the signing of the landmark End-of-Life Choices bill into law.

Hearing Scheduled on Vermont Yankee Challenge

Pat Bradley — Tue, 21 May 2013 01:30:00 +0000

A federal court judge has scheduled a hearing on June 4 on a challenge by the owner of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.

End of Life Choices Bill Signed by Vermont Governor

Pat Bradley — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:15:00 +0000

Vermont’s Governor signed a bill Monday that will allow Vermont physicians to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients that request it.

"Born Learning Trail" Opens To Promote Early Literacy In Pittsfield

Lucas Willard — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:11:00 +0000

Monday’s ceremony marked the installation of the Born Learning Trail, a series of signs along a pathway through a playground at Springside Park in Pittsfield, aimed young children and their families to encourage outdoor activity and reading.

The Born Learning Trail comes from efforts by Pittsfield Promise, a city-wide coalition that is working through a variety of projects with a goal of boosting reading proficiency levels among Pittsfield third-graders to 90 percent by 2020.

Community Corner: David Hastings, Next Superintendent of Southern Berkshire Regional School District

Lucas Willard — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:45:08 +0000

The Southern Berkshire Regional School District, which operates in the Berkshire County towns of Sheffield, Alford, Egremont, Monterey, and New Marlborough, recently chose its next superintendent. WAMC’s Berkshire Bureau Chief Lucas Willard spoke with David Hastings, who is currently employed as the district’s Curriculum and Professional Development Coordinator, about his transition into his new role as superintendent that will happen this summer.

Conn. Derailment Causes Slow Commute

Jaired Crofut — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:28:47 +0000

Commuters who manage to make it from southwest Connecticut to New York City should consider staying in the Big Apple all week as crews begin rebuilding 2,000 feet of track following a commuter train collision and derailment.

But that advice isn't coming from New York's mayor. Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy is urging commuters to consider staying out of their home state to avoid what could be a week of major traffic headaches.

Vermont's Welch, Sorrell, Testify About Elder Fraud

Pat Bradley — Sun, 19 May 2013 13:15:00 +0000

Vermont Representative Peter Welch and Attorney General William Sorrell are warning about scams to defraud the elderly.

Vermont Court Says Man Can Sue Hospital for Blood Draw

Pat Bradley — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:30:00 +0000

The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that a man who has multiple drunken driving convictions can sue the state's largest hospital for drawing his blood at the request of police.