Springfield Opens Nominations for 2026 Veteran of the Year

SPRINGFIELD — The city's Veterans' Activities Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Veteran of the Year award, an announcement issued through Mayor Domenic J. Sarno's office and the Veterans' Services department. Elsewhere, new state data show Massachusetts opioid-related deaths have dropped to their lowest level in more than a decade, and Blunt Park hosted the season-opening race of the River Valley Cyclocross Series over the weekend.

TOWN HALL

The Veterans' Activities Committee, working with Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and the city's Veterans' Services department, is calling on residents to nominate a Springfield veteran for the 2026 Veteran of the Year honor. Applications are available through the city, though the announcement did not specify a submission deadline. The award recognizes a veteran who has gone above and beyond in service to fellow veterans and the broader community.

ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS

"Opioid-related deaths in Massachusetts fall to lowest level in more than a decade": New state figures show a sustained decline in overdose fatalities statewide, a shift public health officials have been tracking closely in recent years, according to Western Mass News (read it at https://www.westernmassnews.com/2026/08/31/opioid-related-deaths-massachusetts-fall-lowest-level-more-than-decade/).

"Springfield hosts River Valley Cyclocross Series opener": The multi-week cycling series kicked off Sunday at Blunt Park, drawing riders for the mixed-terrain race format that blends road cycling with off-road obstacles, according to Western Mass News (read it at https://www.westernmassnews.com/2026/08/31/springfield-hosts-river-valley-cyclocross-series-opener/).

Compiled from official town feeds, community organizations, and local press. Outside reporting is attributed inline.