In Our Opinion: County vision quest

Twelve years after county government went the way of the dodo, its remnants are looking for ways to bring valuable services to residents of the region. It's a search for a will - as well as a way.

Yes, there still is a Hampshire County, and a Franklin County, but beyond providing shapes for a TV weatherman's map, the counties are relics, of a sort.

In Our Opinion: Pothole nation

On Hinckley Street in Northampton, a man walking his dog the other day noticed an approaching car weaving from side to side. Alarmed, he stepped out of the way. The driver stopped when she drew close to him to tell him she wasn't impaired - she was just steering around potholes.

In Our Opinion: Easthampton's decisions

With final drawings due Monday, and a vote not far off, advocates of a new high school for Easthampton are struggling with the price. On Wednesday, the city's School Building Committee must make tough but necessary choices to avoid exceeding one cost already presented to taxpayers.

In Our Opinion: Urgent care for Amherst

In June, Northampton's Cooley Dickinson Hospital is expected to significantly expand its presence in Amherst, when an urgent care center opens in the building the hospital owns at 170 University Drive.

In Our Opinion: A court's accounting

On Jan. 4, eight days after Northampton saw more than a dozen blazes set in less than two hours, Anthony Baye was charged with setting the fire that killed two city men and demolished their Fair Street home.

In Our Opinion: Make campus safe for women

One in five women will be raped or experience an attempted rape during their college career, according to a 2000 U.S. Department of Justice report. Fewer than 5 percent will report the attack to police. For the few who report rape to the police, the response they receive can leave them feeling victimized all over again.

In Our Opinion: Education, not mandates

It's supposed to be one of life's most joyous times, but the birth of a baby can often trigger dramatically different emotions. In a survey by the Centers for Disease Control, more than half of new mothers reported feeling low to moderate depression. For a smaller number, 7 percent, the depression was severe. The woman, of course, isn't the only person affected.