New England News

Anne Skinner, President of the Williamstown League of Women Voters says that in New England, it’s a long-standing tradition for towns and town residents to make big decisions together at the yearly event.

Because of the tradition and gathering of people, Anne Skinner says that town officials are often chosen in May, rather than November, unlike cities in New England, or adjoining states.

Berkshire County is home to many communities classified as towns and many new positions were filled.

The federal “Secure Communities” program requires that fingerprints be taken from arrested individuals and compared to immigration and FBI databases. Proponents are saying the program is the most effective tool for detecting illegal immigrants. Opponents argue the system leads to racial profiling, or targets low-level offenders.

About 200 people are expected to lose their jobs when TD Bank closes a customer call center in Springfield at the end of the year.

The workers learned at a meeting Tuesday night that the 24/7 customer support center will close in December as part of a decision to consolidate call centers to locations in Maine, New Jersey and South Carolina.

The branch at the location will remain open.

Bank spokesman Jimmy Hernandez tells WWLP-TV it was a difficult decision and did not reflect job performance.

Plans to bring a $1 billion resort-style casino proposed by Las Vegas casino developer Steve Wynn to the New England Patriots' hometown have been suspended.  WAMC’s Tristan O’Neill reports…

Tuesday's announcement from The Kraft Group and Wynn Resorts came after Foxborough voters elected two selectmen who opposed negotiations with Wynn.

He had planned to build the resort on land leased from Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

Under a Massachusetts law legalizing casino gambling, casino developers must negotiate an agreement with the city or town where they hope to build.

Massachusetts' only nuclear power plant is seeking permission to operate another 20 years. But as a decision nears, some high ranking state officials say a record-long federal review of the request by the owners of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station hasn't been long enough.  WAMC’s Tristan O’Neill reports…

The Plymouth plant's license expires June 8. Its owner, Entergy, is asking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to renew the license until 2032.

Connecticut has taken the first step requiring corporations and other groups that independently spend money or run ads for political candidates to identify top donors. WAMC’s Lucas Willard has more…

The House of Representatives approved legislation 94-to-54 on Tuesday intended to bring more transparency to political financing.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has notified state officials that they plan to launch the federal Secure Communities program in Massachusetts over the objections of Governor Deval Patrick and immigration activists.  WAMC’s Tristan O’Neill reports…

Massachusetts Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan described Secure Communities as an information sharing program between federal agencies that can only be implemented by the federal government.

The city of Springfield Massachusetts is facing serious financial problems, again. The city's mayor and members of his finance team met in Boston Monday with the Speaker of the Massachusetts House and the State Senate President to appeal for help.  WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.