Behind college closures, future of public transit

Springfield courthouse controversy, U.S. Senate debate, sherrif budget

The proposal [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/07/state-picks-cheapest-site-for-new-600m-springfield-courthouse.html] for Springfield’s new $600 million courthouse sparks conversation and controversy [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/07/springfield-court-officials-disappointed-with-courthouse-pick.html] over its planned location. We unpack the details of a lawsuit filed [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/07/springfield-developers-file-lawsuit-to-block-courthouse-selection.html] to block the selection. Meanwhile, western Mass. was the location for the first Democratic U.S. Senate debate earlier this week, and our panel will breakdown the candidates’ performances [https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2026-07-08/first-u-s-senate-debate-between-markey-and-moulton-here-are-five-takeaways].  And, should [https://commonwealthbeacon.org/opinion/its-time-to-act-on-the-states-pfas-problem/] Massachusetts ban so-called forever chemicals? We weigh in on how to mitigate toxic PFAS contamination. Plus, we debut a new segment, The Rundown Rewind! We look back on the Inspector General’s report [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/06/time-for-the-chaos-to-stop-inspector-general-releases-final-report-on-sheriffs-budget.html] on the sheriff’s budget. We’re running down all of that and more this week with our panel: G. Michael Dobbs [https://focusspringfield.com/govmatters/], host at Focus Springfield; Greta Jochem [https://www.masslive.com/staff/greta-jochem/], investigations editor at The Springfield Republican; and reporter emeritus Paul Tuthill [https://www.wamc.org/people/paul-tuthill].

Data centers & more

Holyoke becomes one of the first cities in the state to ban [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/06/holyoke-becomes-1st-city-in-state-to-fully-ban-data-centers.html] data centers, while another 413 city considers a moratorium [https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2026-06-17/holyoke-bans-future-data-centers-as-westfield-mulls-a-moratorium] on them – we’ll unpack why communities in western Mass. are having concerns about their impact.  Meanwhile, municipalities in Berkshire County face difficult decisions as they struggle [https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/southern_berkshires/aging-communties-impact-berkshire-county/article_ac7ae957-d330-4a7c-82bf-00f1e9b2896d.html] to find enough volunteers to fill government positions.  And, new standards are being considered by the state for high school graduation requirements [https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2026-06-17/mass-k-12-graduation-council-urges-long-runway-to-introduce-new-standards].  Plus, Mass Audubon has developed a new wildlife preserve [https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/southern_berkshires/mass-audubon-wildlife-preserve-becket-palmer-brook/article_058a4c00-4c6f-4408-b7b1-4b6e417bb154.html] in the 413.  We’re running down all of that and more this week with panelists Berkshire Eagle reporter Clarence Fanto [https://www.berkshireeagle.com/users/profile/clarence%20fanto/]; Aprell May Munford [https://www.masslive.com/staff/amunford/], reporter for The Springfield Republican Newspaper; and former State Senator Adam Hinds [https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/AGH0/].

Deep dive into higher ed.

In this special edition of The Rundown, we take a closer look at higher education.  The 413 is a hotbed of higher education in the state. Massachusetts already ranks number one as the most [https://www.businessinsider.com/massachusetts-most-educated-us-state-per-degrees] educated state for adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher, and now two [https://www.wgbh.org/news/education-news/2024-12-27/free-community-college-faces-growing-pains] and four year college degrees are free or low cost [https://www.mass.gov/info-details/fair-share-is-making-higher-education-more-affordable] for many people here. We examine what impact [https://www.mass.gov/news/mass-degrees-deliver-new-report-highlights-economic-impact-of-governor-healeys-college-affordability-investments]that’s having, for better and for worse. And, with rising tuition [https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/05/20/business/college-costs-in-massachusetts-new-england/] costs, what new federal loan caps could mean for college students here in western Mass. and beyond. Plus, the job market is thawing [https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/06/08/newsletters/massachusetts-job-market/] a bit; what does that mean for recent and future grads? We’re running down all of that and more this week with our panel: Laura Colarusso [https://commonwealthbeacon.org/about/people/laura-colarusso/], editor for the Commonwealth Beacon; Phil Bishop [https://www.nepm.org/people/phillip-bishop], reporter for NEPM news; and recent UMass Journalism and Public Policy graduate Lucy Postera [https://dailycollegian.com/staff_name/lucy-postera/].

Rising sewer costs, license plate surveillance, remembering the 2011 tornado

Our panel explores the hidden reason why [https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/northern_berkshires/pfas-concerns-drive-up-sewage-sludge-disposal-costs-berkshire-county/article_9b52920b-fb3d-479b-a9a6-718d0c729b41.html] your sewer bill is getting more expensive, and what, if anything, can be done about it.  And, General Electric outlines the final pages of its plan to clean up [https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/central_berkshires/ge-rest-of-river-cleanup-reach-5a-pittsfield/article_b272e74e-6ed0-44f1-b562-e8da3adc0397.html] PCBs in the Housatonic River.  Then, license plate cameras raise privacy concerns [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/06/after-residents-raise-concerns-agawam-councilors-question-new-license-plate-cameras.html] in Agawam.  Plus, a look back [https://medium.com/@gordonmdobbs/heres-hoping-we-don-t-need-fema-assistance-this-summer-dd69e496801f] as we mark the 15th anniversary [https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2026-06-01/15-years-after-a-tornado-tore-through-springfield-mayor-sarno-reflects-on-the-citys-past-present] of the devastating tornado that touched down in western Massachusetts on June 1, 2011 [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/05/springfield-to-commemorate-15th-anniversary-of-tornado.html].  We’re running down all of that and more this week with our panel: G. Michael Dobbs [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLolIYDZfz1YJdfXhvKQiI9igy3Ls5En3Z], host of “Government Matters” at Focus Springfield; Greg Sukiennik [https://www.berkshireeagle.com/users/profile/greg%20f.%20sukiennik], news editor for The Berkshire Eagle; and Elizabeth Román [https://www.nepm.org/people/elizabeth-roman], executive news editor at NEPM.

Behind college closures, future of public transit

Our panel takes a deep-dive into the reasons why two Massachusetts colleges [https://www.masslive.com/education/2026/05/inside-the-demise-of-2-closing-mass-colleges-as-they-tried-to-survive.html], including one in the 413, are closing their doors. And fare-free transit in the Pioneer Valley was a big hit, so how will the PVTA follow up [https://theshoestring.org/2026/05/27/after-success-of-fare-free-transit-whats-next-for-pvta/]? Plus, we look back at the impact and legacy of two pioneering leaders that we lost this past week in western Massachusetts, former State Rep. Benjamin Swan [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/05/civil-rights-icon-and-former-state-rep-ben-swan-dies-at-92.html] and Henry M. Thomas III [https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2026/05/henry-thomas-who-led-urban-league-of-springfield-for-52-years-dies-at-77.html], former president and CEO of the Urban League of Springfield. We’re running down all of that and more this week with our panel: Aprell May Munford [https://www.masslive.com/staff/amunford/], reporter for the Springfield Republican; former state senator and senior counsel at WilmerHale, Eric Lesser [https://www.wilmerhale.com/en/people/eric-p-lesser]; and Dave Eisenstadter [https://www.masslive.com/staff/deisenstadter/], state editor for MassLive.