Events for seniors

Amherst

The Amherst Senior Center/COA is located at the Bangs Center in Amherst. For information, call 259-3060. Lunch is served in the center's dining room weekdays at 11:45 a.m. Call 259-3164 by 10 a.m. the day before to reserve a meal.

Friends and Neighbors

Williston Northampton School

The following local students were named to the honor roll for the first quarter of the 2009-10 academic year at the school in Easthampton:

Grade 12

High Honors

Veterans Voice

Medical care for veterans gets boost in Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate on Tuesday adopted the latest in a continuing series of major budget increases to provide medical care for veterans.

The move came as the Senate passed, by a rare 100-0 vote, a $134 billion spending bill for veterans programs and military construction projects.

Getting your news published

The Daily Hampshire Gazette publishes news about weddings, engagements, milestone anniversaries (25th, 50th, 60th and beyond), new babies and adoptions.

Please note: Forms must be received no later than three months after the event.

Whether sheltering industry, victualers, an antique shop or a family, it's all grist for the mill

For two centuries, starting before the Revolutionary War, it was a grist mill, then a popular local restaurant before becoming an antique shop. Now the Grist Mill in South Amherst is a stunning private home. Huge hand-hewn posts support low ceilings above mellow wooden floors, covered with bright Oriental rugs.

Get Growing: Easy and elegant ideas for Thanksgiving decorations

Pumpkins, gourds and chrysanthemums are the traditional decorations for Thanksgiving. You can hollow out a small pumpkin, set a vase inside and arrange flowers for the dining room table. Consider adding some herbs such as rosemary or lavender. An assortment of gourds is a simple alternative. At the CISA dinner earlier this fall, each round table had a centerpiece of an uncarved pumpkin surrounded by artfully arranged carrots, apples, pears and other fruits and vegetables. Simple, easy and effective.

Real Estate Matters: As mortgage rates drop again, is it time to refinance?

Mortgage interest rates have fallen below 5 percent again, according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey. "This comes at a time when house price declines are moderating and consumer demand for prime mortgages at commercial banks has picked up," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist.