Upcoming Events

Our next business meeting is Thursday, April 10, 2025 in the South Hadley Library Trustee's Conference Room. Meetings are hybrid-online; participants may attend in-person at the Library or online via Zoom. In months when we meet, we typically do so on the third Thursday of the month. To obtain a meeting link, join our mailing list, or for other information about SHDTC, please email: southhadleydemocrats@gmail.com. 

First Friday Breakfast and Conversation
Plan to join us at our next First Friday gatherings at 8:30am on Friday, April 4 and May 2, 2025 at the Tailgate Picnic Deli (www.tailgatepicnicdeli.com) in the Village Commons, 7 College Street, South Hadley. Conversation is casual, there is no set agenda, just a chance to talk about local, national and international affairs and join in community with others, Democrat or not, South Hadley resident or not. Participants buy their own coffee/snacks (cash preferred), and all are welcome.

On Saturday, April 5 join with Americans across the country at our local HandsOff! standout mobilization. Rain or shine, please carpool.

Make Some Noise! | Be Part of the 3.5%

In our latest SHDTC Updates newsletters authors Jim Bosman and Susan Newton write about the idea of doing something. That concept was ably demonstrated by Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey as he took to the Senate floor at 7pm on Monday to critique the actions of the Trump administration and didn't stop talking for 25 hours and 5 minutes. Near the end of a marathon speech that broke a record set by segregationist Strom Thurmond, Booker spoke movingly of Civil Rights leader John Lewis, whose advice to "do something" helped set his own career path and sparked the idea for his speech.

• SHDTC Updates-Issue 69-Make Some Noise
  
• SHDTC Updates-Issue 70-Hands Off 2025!
  
• NPR, April 2, 2025: Sen. Cory Booker on his marathon, 25-hour speech on the Senate Floor
  

Local Elections, Candidate Information

Annual Town and Fire/Water District Elections
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | Polls open 7am to 8pm
South Hadley High School, 153 Newton Street

• 2025 Annual Town Election
  Election and voting information:
  www.southhadley.org/elections
  Town Election Sample Ballots:
  www.southhadley.org/1088/Sample-Ballots
• 2025 Fire/Water Districts 1 and 2 Elections
  Election and voting information:
  District 1: https://www.shdistrict1.org
  District 2: https://www.shdistrict2.org

Know Your Town* Candidates' Night
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 6:30pm
South Hadley Public Library, 2 Canal Street

• View a recording of Candidates Night:
  https://vimeo.com/1067356250
• Election info and candidate statements:
  www.knowyourtown.org/election-info/meet-the-candidates

*KYT is a local, nonpartisan organization that works to inform residents about local affairs.

Upcoming Events

Business Meetings
Upcoming meetings are at 6:30pm on Thursday, March 20 and Thursday, April 10, 2025 in the South Hadley Library Trustee's Conference Room. Our meetings are hybrid-online; participants may attend in-person at the Library or online via Zoom. In months when we meet, we typically do so on the third Thursday of the month. To obtain a meeting link, join our mailing list, or for other information about SHDTC, please email: southhadleydemocrats@gmail.com. 

First Friday Breakfast and Conversation
Plan to join us at a First Friday gathering! Upcoming get-togethers will be at 8:30am on Fridays, April 4, May 2, June 6, August 1, September 5, October 3, November 7, and December 5, 2025 at the Tailgate Picnic Deli (www.tailgatepicnicdeli.com) in the Village Commons, 7 College Street, South Hadley. Conversation is casual, there is no set agenda, just a chance to talk about local, national and international affairs and join in community with others, Democrat or not, South Hadley resident or not. Participants buy their own coffee/snacks (cash preferred), and all are welcome. 

SHDTC Caucus to Elect 2025 State Convention Delegates
Saturday, March 29, 2025; sign-in opens at 12pm
South Hadley Public Library, 2 Canal Street
Democrats in South Hadley will convene in-person on Saturday, March 29, 2025 to elect 10 delegates and 4 alternates to represent our town at the 2025 Democratic State Convention. The caucus will take place in the Community Room of the South Hadley Public Library. Caucus sign-in opens at 12:00pm and the caucus will start at 12:30pm. 

Registered and pre-registered Democrats in South Hadley who are 16 years old by March 29, 2025 may vote and be elected as delegates or alternates during the caucus. Qualified Democrats who are unable to attend the caucus in person may apply in advance to be nominated for delegate and alternate slots in the event three are not enough nominations among those present in person. 

2025 Democratic State Convention
Saturday, September 13, 2025 in Springfield, MA
The state convention will be held in-person on Saturday, September 13, 2025 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. This year, delegates will gather to decide our party platform. Convention and delegate information is available at: massdems.org/massdems-convention.

Sixty Years Ago Today: "Bloody Sunday" in Selma

“When You Pray, Move Your Feet.” Charles White(?), photographer, Selma, Alabama, March 7, 1965. Photo courtesy of Representative John Lewis. John Lewis (on right in trench coat) and Hosea Williams (on the left) lead marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

 

On Sunday March 7, 1965, about six hundred people began a fifty-four mile march for African American voting rights from Selma, Alabama to the state capitol in Montgomery. After crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, in plain sight of photographers and journalists, state and local police attacked the marchers with billy clubs, whips, and tear gas.

• Library of Congress: Today in History-March 7*
• Heather Cox Richardson: Letters from an American, March 7
• National Museum of African History & Culture: On This Day*
• Equal Justice Initiative-A History of Racial Injustice: March 7
  

*In these times of disappearing information and important content being wiped from government websites, finding resources like the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Museums still (so far) providing information about our history is a rare bit of good news. Let's hope these resources will still be there next year.

Today! February 28 Economic Blackout

A new grassroots movement calling for a 24-hour, nationwide consumer "Economic Blackout" of large and online retailers on February 28 has been gaining traction and a fair amount of media attention. Arising from a series of Instagram videos, the organizer recently launched a new website (The Peoples Union). Plans have also been announced for follow-up boycotts of Amazon from March 7-14, Nestle from March 21-28, and Walmart from April 7-13.  

• Forbes, Feb. 26, 2025: Boycott in a "Feb 28 Economic Blackout"
• USA Today, Feb. 26, 2025: Consumers are planning a one-day economic blackout 
  

Sen. Jake Oliveira, a strong voice for western MA

Today's newsletter continues our series about those elected in November to represent and serve South Hadley. Jake Oliveira was re-elected to his second term as State Senator, representing twelve towns in Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester Counties. Jake is advocating for western Massachusetts every day. We congratulate Jake on his re-election and appreciate all he does for South Hadley and the communities in his district. 

• SHDTC Updates--State Sen. Jake Oliveira_Issue 68-022625
  

A Dire Distress Call

Yosemite National Park rangers recently unfurled an upside-down American flag atop El Capitan. As a symbol of distress signaling extreme danger, it highlighted the cruel threats to National Parks nationwide, as well as to important government services and workers across the country.

New York Times, February 24, 2025 (no paywall):
Protesters display upside-down flag at Yosemite

We the People Rally for Democracy in Springfield

On Presidents Day people across the country turned out in all 50 states in support of democracy and against actions by the new Trump regime and "advisor" Elon Musk. Despite wind and bitter cold in Massachusetts, crowds gathered in Boston, Framingham, and Springfield (above). The nationwide action was initiated by the 50501 movement and other organizations. See: Rise Up Western Mass Indivisible on Facebook

Dan Carey, our new Clerk of Courts

Today's newsletter continues our series about those elected in November to represent and serve South Hadley. Dan Carey is well-known to residents as South Hadley's state representative, but beginning in January, he took on a new role serving as Hampshire County's Clerk of Courts. In this issue Dan describes his new position and duties.

• SHDTC Updates--Dan Carey, Hampshire County Clerk of Courts_Issue 67-021825