GazetteNET - News and Information from Northampton, MA by the Daily Hampshire Gazette

Higgins ekes out win over Bardsley

Dan Crowley — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 01:11:05 -0500

NORTHAMPTON - City voters re-elected Mayor Clare Higgins to a sixth term Tuesday, edging out challenger Michael R. Bardsley in the most competitive race of her mayoral career. The re-election means Higgins, 54, the city's 43rd mayor and only the second woman to hold the office, joins David B. Musante, as one of the two longest-serving mayors in city history.
--Audio: Listen to Northampton Mayor Clare Higgins's victory speech at the Paradise City Tavern

Tautznik notches seventh term as Easthampton's mayor

mpilon — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 00:27:21 -0500

EASTHAMPTON - Voters awarded incumbent Mayor Michael A. Tautznik a seventh term Tuesday after the most competitive mayoral race since the city's first, 13 years ago. Tautznik, 56, of 166 Hendrick St., received 2,542 votes, or 49 percent of the 5,178 votes cast Tuesday, beating out City Councilor James P. Kwiecinski, Margaret M. Prendergast and Albert J. DiCarlo.

Ted Kennedy, Senate's liberal conscience, dies at 77

Daily Hampshire Gazette — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:22:23 -0400

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the last surviving brother
in an enduring political dynasty and one of the most influential
senators in history, died Tuesday night at his home on Cape Cod after a
yearlong struggle with brain cancer. He was 77. In nearly 50 years in the Senate, Kennedy, a liberal Democrat,
served alongside 10 presidents -- his brother John Fitzgerald Kennedy
among them -- compiling an impressive list of legislative achievements
on health care, civil rights, education, immigration and more.

Shriners back keeping Springfield hospital

AP Wire — Wed, 8 Jul 2009 05:00:00 -0400

Six Shriners hospitals targeted for possible closing, including one in Springfield, have won an initial reprieve.

Amherst marks the Fourth -- a photo report

Daily Hampshire Gazette — Mon, 6 Jul 2009 05:00:00 -0400

A photo survey of Amherst's Fourth of July events, from its parade to the evening show at the UMass fields.

Click on each photo to bring up a larger image.

Cost creep: Lax oversight, design errors, changes pushed costs up $19 million on UMass power plant

Kristin Palpini — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:00:00 -0400

First of two parts
AMHERST - In June 2008, with the University of Massachusetts Central Heating Plant months passed its wrap date, project manager John Mathews pondered in an email when it might be done. At the time, no one expected the university would have to wait until April 2009 for the plant's grand opening, or that the pricetag would grow by $19 million - 16 percent of the project's initial cost. Today, the total figure is even $4 million more than what officials touted as the plant's final cost during the April grand opening. Cost overruns, added construction projects, engineering oversight and plan omissions as well as equipment breakdowns all contributed to the escalated price. And no one can say if this is the plant's final price.
--Inside the $137 million price calculation
--Key players in plant project
--UMass heating plant timeline

Photo: Getting ahead of recession's reach

Import — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:02:22 -0400

Traffic flows through Williamsburg center Friday afternoon. In interviews, residents of the area described ways in which they have made accommodations to hard times, a year and a half after the official start of the current recession.

Shelves that speak volumes about new Sunderland store's owners

Ben Storrow — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:00:00 -0400

sunderland - Collect they must.

A random list of items to be found on the shelves of Mount Sugarloaf Treasures includes canceled checks from The Adams National Bank in 1870, a set of quarter inch thick Edison Records, advertising art from Coke, Prince Albert Tobacco and Kodak, a Marvin the Martian Bobble-Head doll and a pair of wooden shoes made by the Dutch beermaker Heineken.

Police ID type of car in fatal Amherst crash

smerzbach — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:00:00 -0400

AMHERST - Police have determined the make and model of the hit-and-run vehicle suspected of hitting two bicyclists on Montague Road the night of Sept. 12, leaving one man dead and the other injured.

Police: Foul play ruled out in two recent city deaths; suicide likely

jlowe — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:00:00 -0400

NORTHAMPTON - Police have wrapped up inquiries into two unattended deaths in Northampton last month, saying clues point to suicide in both cases.

Investigators had ruled out foul play almost immediately, but did not say until now what they believe caused the deaths.

Campaigns gearing up for November elections

Chad Cain — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:00:00 -0400

David Narkewicz officially kicks off his campaign for an at-large seat on the City Council Monday with a make-your-own grinder and sundae party.

The event will include remarks from Narkewicz, outgoing At-Large City Councilor James M. Dostal, and former councilor Marilyn Richards.

John Helems, Korean War veteran, engineer