A Look Back, June 13

50 Years Ago

■The first letter to be received by the city from a business interested in developing in the Pleasant/River Urban Renewal Project area was read at a meeting last night of the committee which has overseen the project. Peter Picknelly, president of the Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc., proposed in his letter to construct a modern bus terminal at the base of Crafts Avenue and Old South Street.

■Barbara King of Blackberry Lane has been appointed chairman of the towns and residences division for the fall Hampshire United Way fundraising drive. Mrs. King is treasurer of the Woman’s Fellowship of Edwards Church and assistant treasurer of The Cooley Dickinson Hospital gift shop.

25 Years Ago

■With the federal courts zeroing in on the swapping of copyrighted music over the Internet, two of the five area colleges have decided to block Napster, a computer program that allows students to share pirated music files. Smith and Hampshire College students will be unable to access the Napster Web site from the colleges’ networks and will not be able to download Napster software.

■Alice and Rick LaFond of Woodsong Farm in Easthampton will ask the City Council on Thursday for a license to operate a horse and carriage in downtown Northampton. The LaFonds are seeking permission to operate seven days a week, but for now contemplate service only on weekends. They haven’t set prices for the rides.

10 Years Ago

■Local supporters of Hillary Clinton willing to pony up the cash will have a chance to meet the presidential hopeful when she comes to Holyoke in July. A “Conversation with Hillary” will be held at the Log Cabin at a cost of $1,000 to $2,700 per person. Clinton will stop by the banquet facility for about 90 minutes.

■Granges across America have seen membership decline in recent decades. That is true in Williamsburg where members decided in May that they could no longer afford to keep the Grange Community Hall at 10 Main St. Grange members hope to sell the building to a community group, organization or cooperative so that it can continue to serve the needs of the town.