New England News

Vermont Congressman Peter Welch was at Vermont’s largest university Monday to hear students’ debt and loan concerns.
The federal Stafford Student Loan interest rate will double on July first if Congress does not pass a measure to stop the increase.  Vermont’s sole Congressman was at the University of Vermont to compile stories from students about their debt.

At a recent gathering of Nobel Laureates in Chicago, a report was released detailing the danger facing the world from a limited nuclear war between India and Pakistan.  The author of the report is a western Massachusetts physician. Dr. Ira Helfand,  vice president of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, spoke with WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill.

State insurance regulators have approved a 1.2 percent quarterly increase in small group health insurance rates in Massachusetts.  WAMC’s Tristan O’Neill reports…

The state Division of Insurance also said Monday that two of the state's largest insurers — Tufts and Fallon — actually plan to lower rates for the three-month period beginning July 1.

Several top law enforcement officials in Western Massachusetts met Monday to explore new strategies for crime prevention.  WAMC’s Paul Tuthill reports…

At a conference in Springfield, the retired police chief of High Point North Carolina, James Fealy said his department implemented a strategy of strong community partnerships and focused deterrence to shut down open air drug markets.   The result, violent crime over the last decade is down 47 percent in High Point.

“There’s been dramatic impact.”

Law enforcement officials and community leaders from the greater Springfield Massachusetts area met Monday to consider ways to deter crime.  WAMC”s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports

      Hampden County District Attorney Mark Mastroianni  believes a policing model that employs strong community partnerships and focused deterrence can be a successful strategy  to reduce violence in high crime areas of Springfield and Holyoke.

The new regulations now up for a public comment for the next 30 days come after two years of study commissioned by the state Department of Energy and Resources. DOER Commissioner Mark Sylvia…

Biomass energy production comes from the generation of power by burning organic materials, most notably wood. Opponents of the practice say that unregulated biomass energy production can lead to overharvesting of timber, increased air pollution, and the excess release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

The Merrimack River Valley Flood Control Compact is at the center of an argument between the two New England states.  The 1953 agreement was approved by Congress after Massachusetts requested help from New Hampshire in managing the Merrimack River flood plain.

18 New Hampshire Towns gave up a portion of their communities to build a flood control system, and in exchange, the State of New Hampshire agreed to reimburse the towns for the lost property tax values. According to the agreement, 70 percent of that funding going to the towns would come from payments made by Massachusetts.