James Paleologopoulos

Top federal officials have announced new dietary guidelines for the nation, bringing back the food pyramid and even flipping it. The elevating of certain food groups has drawn scrutiny from some health experts and advocates.The 2025-2030 dietary guidelines bill themselves as part of the "Make America Healthy Again" campaign championed by U.S. Health and Human Services head Robert F. Kennedy Jr.They rally hard against highly-processed food and added sugar, but also suggest beef tallow as a viable option to “incorporate healthy fats in their diet.”

At the first regular council meeting of the year Monday, a new face as well as a returning, familiar one took their seats in the Springfield City Council chambers.A former council president who tried running for mayor is once again a councilor at large, while a new addition hopes to bring a new perspective to City Hall.

A team of lawyers say they have secured a massive settlement for a child victim's family, following a sex abuse case involving a former Springfield, Mass. teacher and a middle school student.It was one of two settlement sums announced this week — both the result of apparent systemic failures on the part of the school district.

Sworn in for another term, the mayor of one of the biggest cities in western Massachusetts says keeping things affordable as well as supporting new developments are priorities in 2026.

Springfield, Mass., has new leadership in its council chambers. Both the new president and vice president say they’re focusing on a few key issues this term, including the local economy.

Following U.S. actions in Venezuela, lawmakers in western Massachusetts are demanding answers over the raid that led to President Nicolas Maduro’s capture. They’re also scrutinizing the Trump administration’s plans for the Latin American country and its oil reserves.The Pioneer Valley’s two U.S. representatives tell WAMC that they condemn the actions and brutality of Maduro’s regime, and also have strong words for the White House over bypassing congress to capture the dictator and his wife over the weekend.One congressman also plans on refiling a special war powers resolution to rein in military actions against Venezuela.

For the first time in its history, Springfield’s City Council will be led by a Black woman. During its first gathering of the year, councilors officially picked Councilor at Large Tracye Whitfield to lead as president, succeeding Ward 2 Councilor Mike Fenton.

Within hours of the United States capturing the head of Venezuela, and as questions emerged over what comes next, “emergency protests” came together across the country, including in western Massachusetts.Standing in the cold, many denounced the Trump administration, with many calling out the President’s rationale, including interests in Venezuelan oil reserves.

Aaron Vega, a former Holyoke city councilor and state representative, is departing his current city role. The longtime community advocate will begin 2026 as the new president and CEO of the Western Mass. Economic Development Council - a job that will see him foster and support economies throughout the Pioneer Valley. This, after serving five years as Holyoke's Director of Planning and Economic Development. He sat down with WAMC Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief James Paleologopoulos to talk Paper City - both its progress and ongoing issues - as well as his new position.

At the end of December, New York saw one of its worst single weeks for flu hospitalizations in years, while states like Connecticut have seen a similar surge. In Massachusetts, the latest numbers show the Commonwealth could surpass last flu season's record hospitalization rate. WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief James Paleologopoulos spoke with experts who say the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better — and that there’s still time to get a flu shot.