Western Massachusetts
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is struggling with the high prices of food and gas.
Mental Health
Grief took over a small community in Texas after a gunman opened fire at a local elementary school this week. The town of Uvalde has around 15,000 residents and is predominantly Latinx.
Regional news
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Thomas Belton, a former marine who served in the Vietnam War, reflects on his service at annual wreath laying ceremony in Springfield.
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The long-debated proposal to expand driver's license access to undocumented immigrants awaits Gov. Charlie Baker's action.
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Despite high gas prices, AAA says it expects busy roadways for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
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Attorney General Maura Healey is suing 13 manufacturers of firefighting foam containing toxic PFAS compounds, also known as "forever chemicals."
Learn how to craft your own custom made guitar at Berkshire Stringed Instruments
El Puerto Rico
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The rhythms of the bomba, Puerto Rico’s traditional dance music, are the underpinnings of composer Johanny Navarro’s work, "Belén: Un Canto Sagrado a mis Ancestros" (“A Sacred Chant to my Ancestors”).
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Composer Christian Quiñones, who participated in El Puerto Rico IV, said his music channeled a dichotomy between beauty and the fear of letting go.
More Regional News
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An independent pharmacy in Springfield, Massachusetts has launched a COVID-19 rapid test center in the city's South End neighborhood.
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The casino reported 1,203 employees — a 23% increase from a year ago. The rise was fueled by the hiring of more part-time and on-call employees. MGM has just 35 more full-time workers on staff than a year ago.
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Tama Lang, from Litwin Elementary School in Chicopee, has been named counselor of the year in Massachusetts.
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The state of Connecticut is giving millions of dollars to houses of worship so they can protect themselves from potential hate crimes or other attacks.
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"Ghost guns" are firearms that do not contain a serial number and can be manually constructed from parts.
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Connecticut legalized adult-use cannabis last year, but it’s still unclear when recreational marijuana will be available to buy without a prescription.
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While many states use civil commitment, Massachusetts is believed to be the only state that, under the law known as Section 35, court-orders some men to treatment inside jails and prisons even if they haven't committed any crimes.
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'Mattering is the minimum': 2 years later, western Mass. organizers reflect on George Floyd protestsLocal organizers reflect on what they think has been accomplished — and what hasn’t — two years after organizing Black Lives Matter protests in western Massachusetts cities and towns.
Who will win the coveted Collamore Cup?
Stories about LGBTQ+ identity and experience in western New England.
NEPM celebrates the AAPI community.
New music inspired by Puerto Rico and performed by the Victory Players.
44 Hampden St. Renovation
Saturdays at 1 p.m. on NEPM 88.5
National & World News
The massacre in Uvalde, Texas, was yet another grim reminder that in the U.S., children are more likely to die from gun violence than in any other wealthy nation. And it's getting worse.