Jack Spillane / Columnist
Jack Spillane is a career journalist, working primarily as a government and politics reporter and writer.
He has served as a beat and general assignment reporter, columnist, news editor and editorial page editor at community papers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire for 40 years, including at The Standard-Times of New Bedford, The Portsmouth Herald, The Marlboro Enterprise and Lincoln Journal.
Jack has been the recipient of first-place awards from New England press associations for investigative, enterprise, feature, and beat reporting, as well as columnist, editorial page writing and commentary.
He was the recipient of the 2019 Allen B. Rogers Award for his editorial on New Bedford immigrant children being separated from their parents at the border.
Stories by Jack Spillane
Suburbs get funding for new schools, while New Bedford waits … and waits
New Bedford continues to struggle with its century-old schools — nearly all of them located in low-income neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the MSBA has repeatedly funded the cost of replacing suburban schools built in the 1960s and 1970s.
New Bedford’s Parks and Rec director comes to Chat
Mary Rapoza, director of the Parks, Recreation and Beaches department since 2013, sits down with Jack Spillane this Thursday at 2 p.m. to talk about a division of city government that is perhaps more visible to the public than any other.
What do you say New Bedford? Is it time for a little love for Dias Field?
The swing set has not been painted in years. And the single basketball court, which ostensibly was resurfaced a few years ago, does not appear to have been a high-quality surface because it’s already tattered and worn.
Mayor and New Bedford legislators can’t find a way to work together
After years of fruitless negotiations, the mayor took out a big stick. If he had a better relationship with the delegation, or if he and the delegation were better at communicating with each other or advocating at the state level, it might have been different.
The Light on Radio: Jack Spillane weighs in on Mayor Jon Mitchell’s State of the City speech
Mayor Jon Mitchell’s State of the City speech was the first topic as New Bedford Light columnist Jack Spillane joined Jim Phillips on WBSM’s Townsquare Sunday.
Colleagues finally stand up to New Bedford’s ‘forever councilors’
Recent votes against all three ballot questions was a strong rebuke to longtime obstructionists Morad and Gomes
Watch The Chat with new Sheriff Paul Heroux
In the wake of the first big challenge of his tenure as Bristol County sheriff, Paul Heroux will be the special guest of The Chat on Wednesday, May 3 at 7 p.m. As always, The Chat is free to attend, simply register below.
The Light on Radio: Jack Spillane discusses rooming house sprinkler system laws and more on WBSM
Light columnist Jack Spillane sat down with WBSM’s Jim Phillips on Townsquare Sunday to discuss the need for increased enforcement of sprinkler system laws in rooming houses following a series of three fires in buildings near St. Anthony’s. They dive into why it’s so hard to enforce these laws with landlords before talking about a…
A tale of two sheriffs
The new sheriff got control of the situation and took back the unlocked units the inmates had taken over. He did a good job. … It would also be good if former Sheriff Hodgson gives his successor a chance to do that job, without second guessing everything he does.
Video: Voc-Tech education justice group joins The Chat
Members of the Vocational Education Justice Coalition talk about their concerns that school admissions policies still prevent access to vocational education for many students in New Bedford.
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