Latest News
Beacon Hill Roll Call, Jan. 29-Feb. 2
Indoor track: Maeve O’Neil wins two events, Northampton girls cruise to team title at PVIAC Championships
UMass hockey: Michael Hrabal (35 saves) rises to the occasion again as Minutemen finish sweep of UConn via 3-1 win
Housing among topics under review as Hatfield updates its comprehensive plan
Study for new South County Senior Center yet to be completed as deadline looms
Leeds man sentenced on drug counts
UMass hockey: Michael Hrabal pitches shutout, Minutemen blank UConn 2-0
Region: What’s on the ballot in March 5 primaries
McGovern, House group seek help for unhoused in Biden budget
Two big affordable housing projects in Easthampton land CPA money, 185 homes proposed in 2 projects
EASTHAMPTON — The City Council has signed off on two Community Preservation Act requests that could help bring a combined 185 affordable homes to the city in the coming years, including one project that brings together housing and conservation...
Report examines migrant jobs, earnings prospects
Immigrants who settle and find work in Massachusetts provide “a direct economic benefit to the region in which they are working in both the value of work produced and in added local spending power,” according to a new report that lands as...
Top Picks
Digging out from deluge: Municipal clerks scramble amid flood of ballot requests, paperwork
Photos: The power of puppets
Charges against UMass sit-in protesters downgraded to infractions
Columnist Tolley Jones: Black women rising
Art that traveled far, wide: Smith College exhibit showcases venerable art from the Persianate world
The Beat Goes On: Acclaimed dobro player shows her singer-songwriter side in Northampton, an eclectic duo comes to Florence, and more
A Look Back: Feb. 10
Guest columnist Jonathan A. Wright: All in against Republican project, for Democratic ideals
Sports
Luke Giguere, Belchertown put it all together as Orioles capture Central/West Swimming championship
SPRINGFIELD — Luke Giguere emerged from the water, and his eyes immediately darted to the scoreboard in the Springfield College pool. When he saw “BELCHERTOWN” accompanied by the number one, his emotions took over.Giguere slapped the water and let out...
Six area wrestlers capture titles at sectional championships (PHOTOS)
WILLIAMSTOWN — Mateo Henriques just had to hang on for a little bit longer, and he would be crowned a Western Massachusetts champion.The Smith Vocational junior was clinging to a 5-2 lead in the final minute of the 120-pound weight class title match...
H.S. Roundup: Pioneer boys basketball pulls ahead in third quarter to knock off Frontier (PHOTOS)
Trailing deep into the third quarter on the road in a raucous Goodnow Gymnasium, the Pioneer boys basketball team finally found its footing on Friday night.Frontier held a 23-22 lead at the half on its Senior Night and still held onto a 32-30 lead...
Chesterfield’s Dana Kellogg reflects on impressive start to 2024 luge season with Team USA
Dana Kellogg wore the world’s biggest smile as he stood on the podium – U-S-A letters proudly across his chest – to accept a silver medal following the team relay at the Luge World Championships last month.Kellogg, a Chesterfield native and Smith...
High schools: Northampton’s Keller Mahoney strong again in final PVIAC alpine ski race
The seventh and final race of the PVIAC alpine ski season took place at Berkshire East in Charlemont on Thursday night, with four Hampshire County teams in action once again.After the original meet scheduled for Tuesday was postponed, Amherst,...
Opinion
Columnist John Sheirer: A power in hands that work
Last summer, I asked my boss about taking some time off to address a medical issue. “As the human body ages,” I said, “strange things happen.” We laughed.“You must have lots of sick time saved up after working more than 30 years,” he said. I showed...
Guest columnists Markelle Smith and Ray Ettenger: Big step ahead for watershed, but one looming step back
This July, in the Connecticut River watershed, from northern Vermont and New Hampshire downstream to western Massachusetts, heavy rains brought intense flooding that swelled rivers, turned backyards into ponds, and ravaged agricultural fields....
Lynn Barclay: Catholics’ money and efforts misplaced
If only the Catholic Church focused as much loving attention on the parishioners its priests have raped and sexually molested as it does on its "sacred" stained-glass windows.Lynn BarclayNorthampton
Guest columnist Al Norman: Raising the estate tax on the very richest Americans
‘The greatest threat to our national security is our nation’s debt,” said Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson in his first speech in November after being elected speaker of the U.S. House. “Tough decisions will have to be made, but the consequences if...
Guest columnist Mariel E. Addis: Terrified about what Trump win would mean
It was 2016, the last year of the Obama administration. It was an election year with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on the presidential ballot. I don’t have to remind you who won.Most of us, at least here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, had...
UMass
UMass basketball: Minutemen hold off Rhode Island despite free throw woes 81-79
It seems that no matter what happens during a UMass men’s basketball game, all roads lead to a photo finish in the end.Such was again the case on Sunday at the Mullins Center in Amherst.The Minutemen trailed Rhode Island for almost the entire first...
UMass basketball: Minutemen look to shake off another last-second loss with Rhode Island in t
AMHERST — It’s become quite clear that regardless of the opponent or location of the game, this year’s UMass men’s basketball team is going to be ready to play.The Minutemen have been right in every single Atlantic 10 game late in regulation with a...
Colleges notebook: UMass spring season kicks off this weekend for lacrosse, softball programs
Believe it or not, the spring season begins this weekend for the UMass athletic department, and it’s a busy time of year with the overlap of the winter and spring sport teams all in action. Even with weather warming up this weekend, the temperatures...
UMass hockey: Weekend Hockey East set with UConn on tap for Minutemen
While the UMass hockey team’s defense has been on point in its last three games since surrendering four goals to Merrimack, the Minutemen have hit a cold spell on the offensive end of the ice. UMass tallied twice to knock off Northeastern and followed...
UMass basketball: Minutemen stumble late, drop another close game to St. Bonaventure 79-73
Trips to Olean, N.Y. have rarely been kind to the UMass men’s basketball team.Such was the case once again Wednesday night. The Minutemen led for most of their Atlantic 10 game with host St. Bonaventure, but struggled to make plays in crucial moments...
e-Edition
Arts & Life
‘O’ is for Oman: Northampton man completes mission of traveling the alphabet of countries
More than 60 years after he crossed his first foreign border, Gerard Simonette this month completed a mission of sorts: He checked off the last remaining letter of the alphabet of countries he has visited with a trip to Oman.Simonette, 80, who...
Best Bites: Where to eat dinner right now: The top 35 Valley spots for dinner and what you should order
If I were writing the Pioneer Valley chapter of a travel guide to New England, this would be its section for “dinner with table service.” I list restaurants first that I feel are most essential to the local dining scene, the ones we can’t live...
Taking up long-form fiction: Acclaimed short-story writer Kelly Link is set to debut her first novel
Kelly Link has piled up quite a few accolades and honors over the years: a MacArthur “genius grant,” a Pulitzer Prize nomination, several awards for fantasy fiction — a Hugo, a World Fantasy, and three Nebulas — and the kind of praise writers dream...
Still harmonizing after all these years: Silver Chord Bowl marks its 40th anniversary
The 1980s witnessed the start of what have become some longstanding artistic landmarks in Northampton: the Young@Heart Chorus, the downtown New Year’s Eve festival called First Night Northampton, and a good-natured competition involving collegiate a...
Get Growing with Mickey Rathbun: A garden is a canvas: “Painting the Modern Garden: From Monet to Matisse” comes to Amherst Cinema
As the calendar page flips to the short but cruel month of February, I suspect that many gardeners, like me, are getting tired of the somber palette of gray and brown.Just in time to rescue us from seasonal ennui, a wonderful documentary, “Painting...
Obituaries
Stearns Anthony Morse
[IMAGE]Stearns Anthony "Tony" Morse Pelham, MA - Stearns Anthony "Tony" Morse died on January 9, 2024, six days after his 93rd birthday. Tony was born in 1931 to Stearns Morse and Helen (Wa... remainder of obit for Stearns Anthony Morse
Bob Boutilier
Amherst, MA - Dr. Robert F. Boutilier, 86, formerly of Amherst, MA, Bridgewater State University Professor of Geology, Emeritus, died Feb. 5, 2024, from complications of Lewy Body Dementia,... remainder of obit for Bob Boutilier
Paul Gazillo
Paul W. Gazillo St Charles, IL - 6/28/1947 ~ 9/20/2022 Paul Gazillo passed recently after waging a five-year battle against ALS. His wife Donna the love of his life - died within hours, on... remainder of obit for Paul Gazillo
Eleanor M. Russell
Easthampton, MA - Eleanor Russell, formerly of Easthampton, died December 29th at the Norway Health and Rehabilitation Center in Norway, Maine. She was 98. She was born in South Deerfie... remainder of obit for Eleanor M. Russell
