Amendment seeks relief for regional schools

AMHERST - An amendment designed to relieve some pressure on regional school districts struggling beneath the weight of cuts to state transportation aid passed the state Senate Tuesday night, although questions remained over how those districts would make up for this fiscal year's $18 million cut in transportation funding.

Shutesbury woman hurt in crash

SHUTESBURY - A West Pelham Road woman was taken to the hospital Tuesday morning following a one-vehicle crash.

According to Shutesbury Police Chief Thomas E. Harding, Regina C. DeMarco, 43, was driving west on Leverett Road around 11 a.m. when she lost control of her 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix and skidded some 200 feet before running into a birch tree.

Shutesbury woman's condition listed fair after crash into tree

SHUTESBURY - A West Pelham Road woman was listed in fair condition Wednesday, a day after crashing her car into a tree.

Regina C. DeMarco, 43, was driving west on Leverett Road around 11 Tuesday morning when she lost control of her 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix and skidded some 200 feet into a birch tree, according to Shutesbury Police Chief Thomas E. Harding,

Shutesbury ponders split from longtime elementary district

SHUTESBURY - Some bones of contention between Shutesbury and Union 28 have the town wondering if it should stay in the school district or move on to greener educational pastures.

At a meeting Thursday night in the elementary school gymnasium, school and town officials joined a group of about 15 Shutesbury residents to debate the future of education in the town.

Union 28's founding documents nowhere to be found

SHUTESBURY - Union 28 is an old school district. So old, in fact, that no one can locate the district agreement binding Erving, Leverett, New Salem, Shutesbury and Wendell in the supervisory union.

As Shutesbury recently began exploring the possibility of leaving Union 28, officials discovered that the actual agreement was nowhere to be found.

Bracing for state aid cuts: Cash-strapped area fears the budget ax

News that Massachusetts is facing a $600 million to $800 million budget deficit in the current fiscal year brought a sense of dread - and deja vu - in Franklin and Hampshire counties this week.

Panel doubts value of new school region

Amherst - The creation of a regional elementary school district makes little financial sense for the towns of Amherst, Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury, according to a new report.