Page 5 - Hal Norman News Today

Last June, Biogen, a drug manufacturer based in Cambridge announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had granted “accelerated approval” for a brand name drug called Aduhelm, the “first and only Alzheimer’s disease treatment” that works...

GREENFIELD — Over the last few weeks, passersby may have noticed red signs beginning to crop up on lawns around the city — an effort by a local campaign committee in advance of the Nov. 2 election.The signs, placed by the Fair Referendum Committee,...

Proposed Greenfield charter changes heading to Appointments and Ordinances Committee "> "> Published: 7/19/2021 5:21:33 PM GREENFIELD — The public will have a chance to comment and provide feedback on the proposed changes to the city charter at an upcoming meeting of the Appointments and Ordinances Committee. The virtual hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 27, at 5:30 p.m. “The Charter Review (Committee) has passed the torch onto A&O,” said Precinct 6 City Councilor Sheila Gilmour, who...

My Turn: Next pandemic will we treat the homebound better? AL NORMAN Published: 6/9/2021 1:13:10 PM Massachusetts began administering COVID-19 vaccines on Dec. 15, 2020. One hundred four days later, on March 29, Gov. Charles Baker announced the launch of a new “Homebound Vaccine Program.” By that point in time, the commonwealth had already administered 3,409,635 doses of vaccine to the public. The Homebound Program was clearly not as high a priority as reaching patients in nursing faci...

My Turn: ‘Let us speak for ourselves’ Published: 6/1/2021 8:34:33 AM I am writing to express my concern and disagreement with the current recommendation of the Greenfield’s Charter Committee. They have put forth a recommendation that will affect the ability for referendums to be placed on the ballot. Currently the Charter states that in order to protest a decision made by City Council or School Committee, the petitioner must bring a petition requiring 10% of the number of total voters th...

My Turn: Biden’s long step towards long-term care AL NORMAN Published: 5/11/2021 6:25:06 PM Back in the early 1980s, I recall meeting U.S. Sen. Claude Pepper of Florida, the elderly rights champion, at a rally of advocates in Cambridge. Pepper told the crowd: “I hope to live long enough to see long-term care become part of the Medicare Program.” Pepper died in 1989 — and his dream has still not come true 32 years later. Federally sponsored health care has been a long time coming. Fra...

Residents, health officials frustrated over vaccine rollout in Western Mass. Registered nurse Sam Stafford of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office gives a COVID-19 vaccine to Rosie Sheppard, 88, in her Highland Village apartment in Shelburne Falls last week. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ Dona Blanchard of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office gives a COVID-19 vaccine to Highland Village resident Ben Collins in Shelburne Falls last week. STAFF PHOTO/...

I recently logged onto the Massachusetts COVID-19 vaccine appointment scheduling website, looking to help a few elderly friends who had been unable secure an appointment. I was greeted with this message: “Your estimated wait time is 7,565 minutes.”I...

Vaccines relief for some, frustration for others Big Y Pharmacy Manager Lee Kimball administers a COVID-19 vaccination to Phil Crafts of Leverett at the Big Y Pharmacy site in the old mattress store next to the supermarket in Greenfield. STAFF FILE PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ Published: 2/19/2021 4:13:45 PM Dozens of seniors throughout the county expressed frustration and anger this week as COVID-19 vaccination slots opened up to people 65 years old and older, and as many of them tried to register, they ...

Committee finishing review of Greenfield’s charter SINGER Published: 2/2/2021 5:28:59 PM GREENFIELD — The city’s Charter Review Committee is finishing its review of the document that guides everything from how many representatives serve on City Council, to how much the mayor makes, to how many signatures a person has to collect to bring forth a citizen’s initiative or referendum. The city reviews its charter every 10 years. This time, former City Council President David Singer is headi...