News

Two men dump milk, orange juice over themselves at Amherst convenience store

AMHERST — A Monday morning incident in which two customers fled from a Belchertown Road convenience store after pouring milk and orange juice over themselves is being investigated by police.At 4:25 a.m., police were called to the Cumberland Farms at...

All about conviction: PVPA team wins state, heads to nationals of Mock Trial Championship

By EMILEE KLEIN

SOUTH HADLEY — Prepare, prepare, prepare.That’s the motto that mock trial coach Gary Huggert passes along to each new mock trial team at Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School, a motto that took the team to the state finals for the past three...

Three Amherst Regional Middle School counselors absolved of Title IX offenses

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Even with complaints that their actions and behavior, including intentional misgendering students were likely offensive, three counselors at the Amherst Regional Middle School have been cleared of violations of the federal Title IX law in...

Photos: Hearts and arts

Springfield man charged with murder in Holyoke stabbing

HOLYOKE — A Springfield man has been charged with murder in the stabbing death of a 48-year-old Chicopee woman on South Water Street early Sunday morning, according to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office.Authorities identified the suspect as Jason...

Lawmakers, Jewish groups accuse Massachusetts Teachers Association of bias

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Two Massachusetts state senators and several Jewish-affiliated groups are calling on the Massachusetts Teachers Association, led by an Amherst resident and University of Massachusetts professor, to distance itself from recent actions that...

Homeless man gets three years for Northampton rape

By JAMES PENTLAND

NORTHAMPTON — Days before he was due to go on trial, a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in his tent in Northampton in 2022 agreed to plead guilty Wednesday to two counts of rape with threat of bodily injury.Hampshire Superior Court Judge...

Tea Guys of Whately owes $2M for breach of contract, judge rules

By DOMENIC POLI

WHATELY — Tea Guys LLC must pay more than $2 million to a Baltimore tea company due to a breach of contract, a Franklin County Superior Court judge has ruled.The small business in Whately was sued last summer by Zest Tea LLC and had two bank accounts...

Shutesbury Elementary School principal leaving in June after 10 years

By SCOTT MERZBACH

SHUTESBURY — After 10 years as principal at Shutesbury Elementary School, Jacqueline Mendonsa is leaving the position at the end of June to relocate to the Boston area.“It is very hard for me to put into words my true love and appreciation for our...

Area briefs: Hadley cleanup; Mini golf in Holyoke; Dash and Dine race at UMass; HCC president inauguration

Cleanup event to take place in Hadley on April 20HADLEY — The Hadley Climate Change Committee will hold a fourth annual community cleanup on Saturday, April 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants can meet in the parking lot at Hopkins Academy at...

A Look Back: April 15

By JIM BRIDGMAN

50 Years Ago ■Some 25 members of War Tax Resistance, a group of Amherst and Northampton area residents, were to march on the Internal Revenue Service’s Holyoke office today, protesting the use of income tax revenues to finance military projects and to...

Venus venture: Mount Holyoke professor among leaders for first mission to planet in 30 years

By EMILEE KLEIN

SOUTH HADLEY — A planetary scientist has a mix of expertise in history, science and politics.But it took more than 300 papers and 40 years in astronomy research for Mount Holyoke Chair of Astronomy M. Darby Dyar to tackle the latter.Dyar is the deputy...

Photos: Magnolia maintenance

‘Our hearts were shattered’: Moved by their work in Mexico soup kitchen, Northampton couple takes action

By ARIA MARTINELLI

NORTHAMPTON — Jamie and Ginny Elkin have seen a lot during their volunteer work at soup kitchens at far-flung places over the years, but nothing quite like what they recently experienced during a six-week stay in the southern Mexican city of...

Amherst-Pelham schools look to address school absences with new plan

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Understanding that chronic absences affect the ability of students to learn and contributes to achievement gaps among some school populations, the Amherst-Pelham Regional schools are developing steps to reduce absenteeism as part of its...

Report flags equity, income in free college debate

By SAM DRYSDALE

BOSTON — Moderate-income white students could gain the most under a proposal that top Senate Democrats are weighing to make community college free for all Massachusetts residents, according to a report, which urges lawmakers to make adjustments with...

Hampshire County youth tapped to advise governor’s team

By XINYI YANG

Three Hampshire County students are among 60 young people statewide who will advise Gov. Maura Healey and her administrative team on issues important to young people as members of the newly minted Youth Advisory Council.The young people, ages 16-21,...

Next 5-story building cleared to rise in downtown Amherst

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A five-story mixed-use building to be attached to the historic Hastings building at 45 South Pleasant St. can move forward following final site plan review and special permit approvals from the Planning Board.Board members unanimously...

Photo: Spring spruce up