Richard Neal

Suspicious letters, some containing a white powder, were sent to multiple members of Congress and secretaries of state election offices across the country in recent days. In Massachusetts, offices of Reps. Richard Neal, Seth Moulton, Joe Courtney, Lori Trahan, Stephen Lynch, Ayanna Pressley and Jake Auchincloss all reported receiving similar mailings. A letter addressed to Neal's Pittsfield office was intercepted before delivery by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, while a letter opened at Courtney's Enfield office prompted a hazmat-style response; testing found no substances of concern. The FBI and Postal Inspection Service are investigating and working to identify those responsible. Lawmakers condemned the mailings as acts of intimidation amid heightened political tensions.

Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, is bringing online a new $46.5 million hangar built to accommodate the Air Force's C-5M Galaxy cargo planes, the first new hangar built at the base in decades. The facility, set to become operational Oct. 25, will let the 160-member maintenance crew of reservists and civilian employees perform isochronal inspections indoors for the first time, rather than working outside or in a cramped older hangar that could not fully enclose the aircraft's 65-foot tail.

Westover is one of three Air Force bases responsible for these tip-to-tail inspections, performed every two years on each of the 52 C-5s in the fleet, meaning at least 22 aircraft pass through the base annually. Officials say the new hangar improves safety and efficiency by eliminating weather-related delays and reducing setup time for scaffolding and equipment. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, highlighted the project's role in securing jobs and the base's long-term future amid competitive federal defense spending decisions.

Westfield, Massachusetts held two ceremonies on Sept. 11, 2026 to mark the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, honoring first responders and residents lost that day. At a 10 a.m. gathering at the Westfield Fire Department, Fire Chief Eric Bishop led tributes to the 343 firefighters killed in New York, joined by Mayor Michael McCabe, state and federal lawmakers, and department members. Four firefighters present that morning had also been on duty 25 years earlier and took part in bell-ringing, bagpipe, and flag-lowering traditions.

An 11 a.m. service at the city's 9/11 Memorial Park drew U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and other officials alongside families of Westfield residents killed in the attacks: Tara Shea Creamer, Brian Joseph Murphy, and Daniel Patrick Trant, as well as New York firefighter Thomas Holohan, whose family later relocated to Westfield. Relatives spoke of enduring grief and gratitude toward the community for sustained remembrance. The Sons of Erin held an additional evening ceremony. The events reflect broader national commemorations of the attacks' quarter-century mark.

Sen. Ed Markey, 80, has defeated Rep. Seth Moulton, 47, in Massachusetts' Democratic Senate primary, turning back a generational-change challenge to secure his party's nomination for a third full term. Moulton, a Marine veteran and moderate, argued Markey's decades in Washington hadn't delivered results, while Markey rallied progressives by citing his 2022 climate legislation and backing from Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Moulton also faced criticism over 2024 remarks on transgender athletes, which he apologized for; in his concession speech he pledged to support Markey and said his campaign had started necessary conversations. Markey, who beat Joe Kennedy III in 2020, now advances as the favorite against Republican John Deaton, who was unopposed in his primary and previously lost to Warren by about 20 points, and Markey says he won't seek a fourth term if reelected.

Similar generational contests played out down-ballot: Rep. Stephen Lynch, 71, defeated attorney Patrick Roath, 39, in the 8th District, and Rep. Richard Neal, 77, defeated progressive teacher Jeromie Whalen, 39, in the 1st District, with older incumbents prevailing in both races. A crowded six-way race also continues to replace Moulton in the 6th District, led by Dan Koh and state Rep. Tram Nguyen. Because Massachusetts leans heavily Democratic, these primaries effectively decide the general election winners in November.