Paul Tuthill

A retired Air Force Brigadier  General, Donald Quenneville is going to be managing  the efforts in Massachusetts to protect the state’s defense sector from federal budget cuts.  Quenneville, who is a native of South Hadley,  has  been hired as executive director of  the Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force.  He  spoke with WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief, Paul Tuthill.

First Lady Michele Obama  will be in western Massachusetts Friday to attend three campaign fundraising events.  WAMC’s Paul Tuthill reports. 

   The First Lady will attend a luncheon at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Tickets for it start at $1,000 according to a campaign official. There will be no opportunity for the general public to hear from or even see  Mrs. Obama, according to Springfield Police Sergeant John Delaney

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has signed into law a crime bill with a so-called three strikes provision.     WAMC’s Paul Tuthill reports.

   A spokesman said Gov Patrick signed the bill Thursday morning in a private ceremony in his office.  The bill, which bars parole  after a  person’s third  conviction for a serious violent crime, had been a  point of conflict between the Governor and legislators.  Patrick announced on the last day of the legislative session he would sign the  bill  thus avoiding a veto showdown.

A bill designed to spur economic development in Massachusetts is on Governor Deval Patrick’s desk.   WAMC”s Paul Tuthill reports

   The 115 page jobs bill given final approval by the state legislature on the final day of  its session establishes a $50 mllion dollar research fund for the state’s universities.  UMass Amherst spokesman Ed Blaguszewski says the fund will be a source for researchers to compete for matching grants.

    The Massachusetts legislature has passed a bill designed to spur economic development and create jobs.  It should also provide a boost to the national research profile for the University of Massachusetts flagship Amherst campus.  WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports

The Massachusetts Legislature has approved a roughly $1.4 billion transportation bond bill loaded with election year earmarks. WAMC’S Paul  Tuthill reports.

The bill authorizes the state to borrow for major state highway and public transit projects, along with more than 200 earmarked local transportation projects in every region of the state.

The authorization to borrow does not guarantee that all of the projects will ultimately be built. Those decisions will be made by state officials in the future.

        Massachusetts is going to have a so-called “ three strikes” crime law.  Governor Deval Patrick says he will sign a controversial crime bill aimed at keeping repeat violent criminals off the streets. People working to prevent violence in one western Massachusetts city say the real solution to improved public safety is community partnerships.  WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.

Legislation to expand the bottle bill in Massachusetts won’t make it this year to Governor Patrick’s desk.   WAMC”s Paul Tuthill reports.

   A conference committee stripped the bottle bill from the final version of legislation intended to spur economic development.  James McCaffrey, director of the Massachusetts Sierra Club  said it  was the end of efforts  in this two year legislative session  to expand the bottle.

  Legislation to expand the 30 year old bottle deposit law in Massachusetts to include noncarbonated beverages won’t make it to the desk of Governor Deval Patrick this year..  WAMC”s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.