News

A Look Back, April 27

By Jim Bridgman

200 Years Ago ■For sale, that valuable farm and buildings which Martin Burt formerly owned, situated in the westerly part of Southampton. This farm, which contains 150 acres, and three years ago was appraised for cash at $3,200, will be offered and...

Homeless camp in Northampton ordered to disperse

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — People living at a homeless encampment behind the closed Speedway gas station on King Street were told by police that they have until Monday to leave the area and find elsewhere to go.The encampment, situated between the gas station and...

Final pick for Amherst regional superintendent, from Virgin Islands, aims to ‘lead with love’

By SCOTT MERZBACH

Editor’s note: The third of three finalists for the job of superintendent was interviewed Thursday. A decision could be made as soon as Monday. AMHERST — Collaboration, empathy and communication are being emphasized as traits Ericilda Xiomara Herman,...

Reyes takes helm of UMass flagship amid pro-Palestinian protests

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — On a Friday morning filled with music, ceremony and speeches by state leaders to inaugurate Javier Reyes as the 31st leader of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and the first Hispanic chancellor of the flagship campus, protesters...

La Veracruzana, PHO-keh Bowl launch returnable container program

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — Amid the annual commemorations of Earth Day, Pioneer Valley eatery La Veracruzana is launching a new kind of takeout container meant to be given back after it’s used. The restaurant, which is known for its Mexican cuisine and has three...

Photo: Peach Protectors

Beacon Hill Roll Call, April 15-19

By BOB KATZEN

THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week.This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senators’ and representatives’ votes on bills that are currently in separate House-Senate conference committees which are...

Amherst officials eye 2026 for 6th Grade Academy’s launch

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Sixth graders from Amherst’s three elementary schools will relocate to a stand-alone 6th Grade Academy housed at the Amherst Regional Middle School in fall 2026, at the same time as the new 575-student, K-5 elementary school opens at the...

Amherst Regional School Committee proposes new budget that lowers assessments for towns

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — The Amherst Regional School Committee agreed on Wednesday to a new budget proposal for the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools next year that is nearly $500,000 less than a spending plan approved in March. The new budget means smaller 6%...

Is Steam Mill Road in Deerfield a public way? Land Court to decide as trial begins

By CHRIS LARABEE

GREENFIELD — The long-running saga of seeking to determine the status of Steam Mill Road in Deerfield has reached the courtroom, as the 2021 lawsuit began its bench trial at the Franklin County Justice Center on Wednesday, with opening statements and...

Around Amherst: Town cleanup day being organized for Saturday

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A townwide cleanup day, organized by Amherst’s community participation officers and University of Massachusetts work study students, is taking place Saturday.Rain or shine, volunteers will fan out in town to remove trash and debris beginning...

Photos: Roofing Rigger

A Look Back, April 26

50 Years Ago ■A lecture and question period on Transcendental Meditation (TM) will be presented Tuesday night at Northampton High School by the Students International Meditation Society to acquaint the community with TM and discuss the possibility of...

Police report details grisly crime scene in Greenfield

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

SUNDERLAND — Police located a cabin in the woods around Clark Mountain Road Thursday afternoon believed to belong to Taaniel Herberger-Brown, the suspect accused of murdering a man at 92 Chapman St. and storing his body in a plastic barrel for an...

Haydenville residents resist Greenway trail plan, float alternative design

By JAMES PENTLAND

WILLIAMSBURG — With decision time nearing on the first section of the long-planned Mill River Greenway that will one day create a trail connection from Northampton to Williamsburg, a dispute over the project’s design through Haydenville’s residential...

Super defers Amherst middle school principal pick to successor; one finalist says decision is retaliation for lawsuit

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Interim Superintendent Douglas Slaughter has opted against hiring a permanent middle school principal despite a search that yielded three finalists, a decision one of those finalists says is retaliation against her because she recently filed...

Federal probe targets UMass response to anti-Arab incidents

By JAMES PENTLAND

AMHERST — Federal civil rights officials are investigating the University of Massachusetts for allegedly dragging its feet over complaints of anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian harassment on campus amid the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.An official...

Supreme Court seems skeptical of Trump’s claim of absolute immunity but decision's timing is unclear

By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday appeared likely to reject former President Donald Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from prosecution over election interference, but it seemed possible Trump could still benefit from a lengthy trial delay,...

Hatfield eyes reserves to cover unexpected spike in payments to Smith Vocational

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HATFIELD — Town officials are recommending the use of free cash to cover a significant and unanticipated increase associated with the cost of tuition and transportation for Hatfield students attending Smith Vocational and Agricultural School in...