News
Town manager’s plan shorts Amherst Regional Schools’ budget
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — A $97.3 million town budget for fiscal year 2025, maintaining municipal staffing and programs and promoting climate change and racial equity objectives, is being proposed by Town Manager Paul Bockelman, even as concerns are being raised that...
State Senate budget funds free community college for all
By ALISON KUZNITZ and SAM DRYSDALE
BOSTON — Senate Democrats unveiled plans Monday to make community college free for all students in Massachusetts, starting in the coming fall semester.The “MassEducate” plan, which will be part of the Senate’s fiscal 2025 budget that was to be fully...
Fuller fends off challenge, wins 10th term on Chesterfield Select Board
By JAMES PENTLAND
CHESTERFIELD — In contested elections Monday, voters returned two incumbents to office and elected a newcomer to the local school committee, Town Clerk Sandra Wickland reported.Roger Fuller won reelection to the Select Board over challenger Emma Dee...
Photos: Boat season is here
School assessment, electricity program among items on Pelham Town Meeting docket
By SCOTT MERZBACH
PELHAM — An assessment for the town’s share of the fiscal year 2025 $35.27 million budget for the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools, a final step in approving a three-community plan for electricity to be supplied by green sources, and purchase of a new...
Easthampton native named Whately town administrator
By CHRIS LARABEE
WHATELY — With contract negotiations complete, the community’s newest town administrator will be returning to the Pioneer Valley in June.Swampscott Assistant Town Administrator and Easthampton native Peter Kane will take the reins in Whately on June...
Public gets a look at progress on Northampton Resilience Hub
By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL
NORTHAMPTON — The public got an up-close look at the future Community Resilience Hub last week when officials opened the downtown building currently under renovation for public viewing. A rendering of what the exterior of the former First Baptist...
Police respond to alcohol-fueled incidents in Amherst
Staff Report
AMHERST — Police broke up a large party at a North Amherst apartment complex, with a few hundred college-age people in attendance, as part of a handful of alcohol-fueled incidents late Friday night into Saturday morning.Officers responded at 10:33...
Former Easthampton firefighter to serve 8 months for filming colleagues in women’s locker room
Staff Report
NORTHAMPTON — A former Easthampton firefighter has been sentenced to serve eight months in jail after he admitted using secret cameras to spy on colleagues in the women’s locker room at the fire department where he worked in 2022.The Northwestern...
Bringing the Haitian vibe: Haitian Multicultural Day at Hopkins features Boston dance troupe
By SCOTT MERZBACH
HADLEY — Filling the Hopkins Academy gymnasium with sounds from the Haitian tanbou — the traditional cowskin and goatskin-covered barrel drums — students jumped, waved and did push-ups as they learned various folkloric dances, movements and exercises...
A Look Back: May 7
50 Years Ago■Members of the Living Theater Collective of New York City and area college students staged a combination political demonstration and theatrical performance in front of the Hampshire County Courthouse yesterday afternoon to protest “racism...
Proposed Hatfield pickleball/tennis building raising eyebrows
By SCOTT MERZBACH
HATFIELD — A large indoor tennis and pickleball building, proposed to take up a portion of a nearly nine-acre business-zoned site just north of 253 West St., is raising concerns for neighbors about the potential neighborhood impacts.But the Planning...
Building agricultural resiliency: During tour with Senate leaders, Oliveira shows off research at UMass Cold Springs Orchard in Belchertown
By EMILEE KLEIN
BELCHERTOWN — Among UMass Cold Springs Orchard’s 35 acres of apple trees hang little orange tents at the top of the trees that, despite the blazing color, are discretely managing pesky moths.These prism-shaped moth traps release pheromones to attract...
Rose wins reelection in Worthington
Staff Report
WORTHINGTON — Voters reelected Charley Rose to his fourth term on the Select Board and approved the budget and other articles on the warrant at Town Meeting Saturday, according to information on the town website.Rose received 196 votes, while...
Funding will limit ARHS track/field makeover to cheapest option
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — Widening the existing track from six to eight lanes and rejuvenating the interior grass field appears to be the extent of renovations that can be done to Amherst Regional High School’s track and field because of limited funding.While the...
Northampton bans auto dealerships near downtown; zone change won’t affect Volvo operation on King Street
By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL
NORTHAMPTON — Auto dealerships close to downtown are now banned after the City Council’s recent decision to adopt new zoning that councilor’s say better aligns with the city’s ideals of sustainability.Though the zone change approved at the council’s...
South Hadley man killed in I-91 crash
Staff Report
HATFIELD — A South Hadley man was killed in a crash on I-91 Sunday, state police reported. Daniel Ducharme, 31, was southbound on the interstate in Hatfield and lost control of his 2016 Honda Civic, for reasons that are still under investigation,...
Retired superintendent to lead Hampshire Regional Schools on interim basis while search for permanent boss continues
By ALEXA LEWIS
WESTHAMPTON — An experienced educator who recently led the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District has been offered the job of interim superintendent for the Hampshire Regional School District, giving the district another year to find a permanent...
A Look Back, May 6
By JIM BRIDGMAN
50 Years Ago ■Preservation Week, a nationally celebrated event sponsored by historic preservation groups, will be observed in Northampton by an inventory of buildings and a tour of historic downtown sites. The Northampton Historical Commission will...
‘We can just be who we are’: Thousands show support for LGBTQ community at Hampshire Pride
By ELISE LINSCOTT
NORTHAMPTON — While the focus was on celebrating and supporting the LGBTQ community on Saturday during Hampshire Pride, there were also calls for Palestinian liberation, disrupting the mayoral proclamation with chants calling for a cease-fire and...
