Your weekend read: Easthampton Tenants Union is racking up wins. By Dusty Christensen: theshoestring.org/2026/03/07/e...

With eight months left until Mass voters may decide at the ballot box to implement rent control statewide, some local officials are picking sides. By Jonathan Gerhardson: theshoestring.org/2026/03/03/l...

New from me for @theshoestring.bsky.social theshoestring.org/2026/03/03/l...

Internet outage exposes frayed equipment, relationships in Greenfield — by Jonathan Gerhardson and in collaboration with the Montague Reporter. theshoestring.org/2026/02/26/i...

Signs of the times: local organizers argue a state commission on antisemitism, co-chaired by Westfield Democrat John Velis, could chill free speech around Israel and Palestine in public schools. By Colin Weinstein: theshoestring.org/2026/02/21/s...

Officials and advocates argue relaxing hunting regulations could boost food security and improve public health and local ecology — but not everyone is convinced the changes will be effective. By Dylan Vrins: theshoestring.org/2026/02/20/s...

The Northwestern DA’s office successfully convicted Etel Haxhiaj, a rapid responder to a Worcester ICE raid, of assault on a police officer. Haxhiaj declined a plea offer that would have required her to sign an apology letter. “I chose the truth,” she said. @billshaner.bsky.social reports:

In our latest deep-dive, divina cordeiro digs into the ambitions of Holyoke City Council's new liberal supermajority, and the hurdles they'll have to clear to stay as productive as they were in their first session: theshoestring.org/2026/02/13/h...

Good article by @theshoestring.bsky.social, but it ignores the primary injustice of these wiretaps, which is that I have to go through the voluminous evidence that they produce & figure out what to do with it. 😁

From @binjdotnews.bsky.social: Millions in opioid settlement funds are still sitting idle in Mass municipalities. By Jonathan Gerhardson: theshoestring.org/2026/02/12/m...

I followed @theshoestring.bsky.social because I'm from WMass, but their work is crucial for all of MA, even the whole country. Deeply reported important stories from a part of the country that deserves journalism this good. Fuck ICE and the Northwestern DA. Solidarity w/ @etelhaxhiaj.bsky.social.

Western Mass local Hector Figarella writes from Caracas on the aftermath of the U.S. military's kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro, and the long history of U.S. imperialism in Venezuela: theshoestring.org/2026/02/07/o...

TY to the homies at @theshoestring.bsky.social for getting this important story in front of a western ma audience (and letting me dust off my ‘proper newsman’ voice lol still got it)Trial starts feb 10!!

Northwestern DA David Sullivan promised to prosecute hypothetical criminal activity by ICE in his district. But among his office's current caseload are assault charges against two Worcester rapid responders to an ICE raid in that city. By @billshaner.bsky.social: theshoestring.org/2026/02/03/n...

Staff dissent at the Collaborative for Educational Services has delayed the hiring of outgoing NPS Supt. Portia Bonner as the nonprofit's new executive director, according to records The Shoestring obtained. By Dan McGlynn: theshoestring.org/2026/01/27/s...

For @binjreports.bsky.social, @jeantrounstine.com reports on how Gov. Maura Healey's neglect of the parole system is slowing down access to second chances for incarcerated people in Mass. theshoestring.org/2026/01/23/p...

Cannabis regulations that would allow for on-site "social consumption" aim to give those harmed by the War on Drugs a leg up as new business opportunities roll out — but hurdles still remain. By Jonathan Gerhardson. theshoestring.org/2026/01/21/c...

With two blazes leaving over 100 displaced in Holyoke last month, The Shoestring found that state law requiring the installation of sprinkler systems during apartment building renovations leaves much to be desired. By Joe Douglass: theshoestring.org/2026/01/12/n...

My latest on the Westfield Police Department's relationship with city landlords:

When Westfield police posted on Facebook on Dec. 22, the comment section filled with outrage. WPD had advertised an upcoming “landlord meeting” they're hosting, promising attendees “knowledge that will only help you increase your profit and keep problem tenants away." @dustyc123.bsky.social reports:

My latest on @andrewqmr.bsky.social's push for transparency when it comes to police misconduct disclosures:

#Massachusetts Hello, if you rent an apartment in Massachusetts and your landlord increased your rent in the past ~ 3 months and you'd be open to talking to me about this for a story I'm working on for @theshoestring.bsky.social please DM or email me [email protected]

For years, the Northwestern DA’s Office has declined to release the names of some local police officers accused of criminal offenses. But last week, a judge ruled in favor of journalist @andrewqmr.bsky.social, who sought to make that information public. Our latest from @dustyc123.bsky.social:

Thanks to @theshoestring.bsky.social for interviewing me about my legal victory against the Northwestern District Attorney's Office. theshoestring.org/2026/01/07/j...

We're a little over a week away from our film screening at Visions Video of the new documentary THE STRINGER, to be followed by a conversation with photojournalist Ben Brody. We hope to see you there! More info and ticket reservations here: fundrazr.com/thestringer

We have just over 24 hours left in our year-end campaign, and we're still short of maxing out our matching grant. Stories like today's revelatory investigation are only possible with the support of our community, and we need all the help we can get. Learn more and donate at theshoestring.org/give

Also, you know the deal, please donate to The Shoestring so they can continue to keep bringing you coverage such as this. theshoestring.org/give/ Please donate or they're going to make me do short form content.

Here's my personal favorite line from this story for the afternoon folks

AI hallucination? The Shoestring’s investigation into the status of the proposed hyperscale data center in Westfield uncovered signs the project’s developers have abandoned it, even after officials spent years arranging for tax breaks. By @jongerhardson.bsky.social theshoestring.org/2025/12/30/a...

New from me for @theshoestring.bsky.social theshoestring.org/2025/12/30/a...

The Shoestring and Visions Video are screening a new documentary investigating the origins of the Napalm Girl photo on Jan. 15, followed by a conversation with photojournalist Ben Brody on covering war from up close and afar. Tickets and more information here: fundrazr.com/thestringer

Local peace protestors are hoping a local court will recognize the "necessity" of their disruptive action against defense contractor L3 Harris. By Colin Weinstein: theshoestring.org/2025/12/21/p...

The state Department of Labor Relations said members of the Professional Staff Union and the university must keep trying to resolve contract negotiation issues before a state-appointed mediator can step in. Union members have been negotiating a new contract for 18 months now. By Sarah Robertson.

Northwestern DA maintains stance against police misconduct record release — by Brian Zayatz. theshoestring.org/2025/12/10/n...

Thanks to @theshoestring.bsky.social for interviewing me about my public records lawsuit against the Northwestern District Attorney's Office. theshoestring.org/2025/12/10/n...

West Springfield Police are part of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement task force, according to documents obtained by The Shoestring. Reporting By Jonathan Gerhardson.

According to a federal class-action lawsuit, Baystate’s website transmitted patients’ health care-related activity, including clicks, search terms, and appointment requests, to the tech companies for more than two years. Reporting by Joe Douglass.

With an endowment of more than $2.5 billion and around 100 rental units in Northampton, Smith College is the wealthiest landlord in Northampton. Since June, tenants in the West Street neighborhood have been getting organized, demanding repairs, increase caps, and more. Reporting by Stacey Zhang.

For more than 500 days, unionized staff members working for the University of Massachusetts Amherst have been negotiating a new contract, but disagreements over pay increases and working conditions continue. They say that the university has requested a state-appointed mediator. By Sarah Robertson.

In the past few months, MassLive has published hundreds of articles that were computer generated. This was first noted by journalist Andrew Quemere last month. At the time of writing, there appear to have been about 200 such pieces published on MassLive. Reported by Jonathan Gerhardson.

The Shoestring found that state police and Boston police still participate in a federal task force that the Trump administration has directed to focus on "anti-capitalism" or "extremism" on race, gender, and migration as indicators of terrorism. By Brian Zayatz: theshoestring.org/2025/11/15/c...

Now in its fifth year of operation, the Massachusetts Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund (ORRF) Advisory Council spent more than $60 million in Fiscal Year 2025. A review of the fund expenditures by @binjreports.bsky.social found $13 million in discrepancies. Reported by Jonathan Gerhardson.

About 300,000 low-income Massachusetts residents could lose their health coverage in the next decade as a result of federal policy changes. This story originally appeared in the Montague Reporter. Reported By Sarah Robertson.

We've gotten the message loud and clear: our readers want more municipal government coverage, and we want to provide it by hiring a reporter dedicated to just that next year. And right now, tax-deducible donations to The Shoestring are matched 4x. Can you give today? theshoestring.org/give

After municipalities faced budget crunches and educator layoffs in recent years, candidates across the region ran on similar messages: increase school funding. Overall, school-funding candidates saw mixed results on Tuesday evening. Reported By Dusty Christensen.

already anticipating municipal post election anxiety? join The Shoestring on Dec 10th at 7pm for trivia night at the Marigold Theater to look back on the year in local news and politics and laugh with your community about the wild ride we've been on. this is a fundraising event for western MA news

In the days leading up to Tuesday’s general election in Northampton, campaign finance reports shed light on who is financially supporting each candidate and how candidates are spending donations to their political campaigns. By Brian Zayatz and Julia Pretsfelder.

In Greenfield, a battle is brewing over the future of the city’s public schools ahead of Tuesday’s election in which three four-year terms on the School Committee are up for grabs. The race has pitted a progressive-backed slate of candidates against another group of three. By Dusty Christensen.

Quoted in this interesting piece on consolidation and private equity in the funeral industry. theshoestring.org/2025/10/28/t...

One private equity-backed firm recently bought more than 10% of funeral homes in western Mass, where corporate consolidators now own a quarter of mortuaries — part of a nationwide trend in the death care industry. Reporter @jongerhardson.bsky.social investigates: theshoestring.org/2025/10/28/t...