New England News

Weighing in at more than 265,000 words,  the novel Ulysses by James Joyce is, to say the least, a literary challenge to those who attempt to read it. The book, published in 1904, has 18 episodes, extending over 700 pages, and has been called dirty, blasphemous and unreadable. It is often a college assignment, but for some students in western Massachusetts seeking their GED, or high school equivalency degree, Ulysses is on the reading list.

U.S. Senator Scott Brown is urging JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon to take back bonuses and incentive pay from those involved in risky trading that led to a $2 billion loss. WAMC’s Lucas Willard reports…

Brown said Wednesday that taking back the bonuses, including any money Dimon might have received, would demonstrate the bank is serious about fixing the mistakes that led up to the loss.

Brown's comments came as Dimon told Congress that senior bank executives responsible for a $2 billion trading loss will probably have some of their pay taken back by the company.

            With just two weeks until the new fiscal year, the City Council in Springfield Massachusetts will start holding hearings on a proposed budget that cuts municipal services while calling for higher fees and taxes.  WAMC”s Paul Tuthill reports.

            Springfield City Councilor Timothy Rooke, who chairs the finance committee, says the administration has not squeezed enough savings from city government.

        The state's top elections official wants a stronger system of monitoring the hefty sums of cash likely to be spent on influencing future local casino votes in Massachusetts.  WAMC’S Paul Tuthill reports.

        Secretary of State William Galvin urged a legislative panel on Wednesday to support a bill that would require all campaign expenditures made on casino referendums to be reported to the state office of Campaign and Political Finance.

       Currently, spending on local ballot issues must only be reported to the clerk's office in that community.

An inner city neighborhood once lost to blight and crime has undergone a transformation that officials believe could serve as a model  for the entire country.  The neighborhood revitalization  in Springfield Massachusetts required substantial public financing, without which officials insist it could not have happened.   WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.