A Look Back, Feb. 27

50 Years Ago

■At least $5,000 worth of equipment was stolen from four stores at the Hill and Dale Mall on King Street last night. The four shops which reported being burglarized were: the Radio Shack, A&P, Hit or Miss, and Pioneer Valley Factory Shoe Outlet.

■The impeachment of President Nixon will be the topic of discussion tonight on WHMP’s Forward Northampton. Those who will appear to explain the impeachment process are: Nadine Gallo, a teacher in the Easthampton school system; John Lawlor, an historian; and Kenneth Mosakowski, a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts.

25 Years Ago

■Northampton Airport co-owner Richard Giusto is seeking a special permit from the Planning Board to allow him to hold several outdoor entertainment events at the airport this year. Giusto said he is hoping to host fireworks shows, craft fairs, a circus, car shows, dances and, possibly, a country and western concert.

■W. Michael Ryan takes the bench in Northampton District Court every day, but he won’t be in the role of a judge on stage Friday night. That part went to Northampton defense lawyer William St. James. Ryan, instead, got the part of a farmer in the play “They’re Irish! They’re Catholic! They’re Guilty!” which is based on a true story about the hanging of two Irish immigrants on the site of what later became the Northampton State Hospital property.

10 Years Ago

■WHMP radio host Bob Flaherty opened a community forum Tuesday at JFK Middle School with a difficult question: “Is there such a thing as a good death?” For the next two hours, panelists and audience members alike shared personal stories, ideas and resources about assisted suicide, care for the elderly, and ways family members can help loved ones navigate the end of life.

■Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan said that while State Police data released Tuesday show 19 heroin overdose deaths in his jurisdiction during the last four months, that does not paint a full picture of how dire the heroin problem is here. “We’re in the midst of a public health crisis,” he said.