Briefs

Hatfield posts new property assessments

Around Hatfield: Smith Academy awards scholarships to students

Smith Academy principal Scott Goldman happily announced the following students eligible to receive the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship: Davis Bannister, Jackie Chase, Liz Gelotte, Lindsay Gondek, Luke Longstreeth, Megan Lowry, Max Morrisey-Tarburton, Angie Sassi, Stephanie Slysz, Mae Williams and Kaitlyn Yarrows.

Report: Need for assistance rises in region

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts reports a rise in food assistance requests over last year, evidence of a growing need also cited Monday by the U.S. Agriculture Department.

Executive Director Andrew Morehouse said Monday his nonprofit agency saw a 12-percent rise in families seeking assistance at sites around the region over last year.

MCAS offers new gauge of a student's progress

For nearly 10 years, school officials, teachers and parents have repeatedly voiced a particular reservation about the Massachusetts Comprehension Assessment System test: it doesn't measure how individual students progress over time.

Review of closings continues for Easthampton, Hatfield

Catholic church closings remain under review in Easthampton and Hatfield, as the Springfield Diocese awaits recommendations from parishioners in those communities.

The diocese has members of Easthampton's three Catholic churches to submit a report at the end of this month indicating a desired course of action for consolidating the three churches into a single new parish.

Hatfield voters approve new taxes

HATFIELD - After moderator Joseph Lavallee publicly thanked 75 voters for coming out a second time in the same year, Hatfield Town Meeting members breezed through the 11 items on the agenda in 40 minutes at Smith Academy Thursday night, voting to hike local meals taxes and room occupancy excise taxes, while appropriating funds to repair the Memorial Town Hall roof.

Hatfield TM will consider meals, hotel tax

HATFIELD - Eleven articles will be voted on at a special Town Meeting Thursday night, including the imposition of a local meals tax; amending the town's local room occupancy tax to the rate of 6 percent; and transferring money from a Community Preservation Act account for the restoration of the roof of Memorial Town Hall.