A Look Back, March 28

50 Years Ago

■Four young people from Northampton High School will be participating this weekend in two concerts in Hyannis, sponsored by the Massachusetts Music Educators’ Association. The four are: Lauress Wilkins, David Laband, Claire Murphy and Sarah Cohen.

■The former McCallum’s Department Store building on Main Street is still unsold, although a real estate agent says, “we’re working on some leads.” Abraham I. Allen, a Round Hill Road real estate agent, said today that he has sent letters to 50 large department stores asking if they are interested in opening a branch here, but so far has received no definite responses.

25 Years Ago

■Plans to open a civilian emergency dispatch center at the city’s new fire station in June are proceeding on schedule, with the center’s new boss requesting $46,000 to hire a staff and foot the bill for other start-up costs. That money will go toward hiring 11 dispatchers.

■In a ceremony marked by levity, gratitude and praise, Lt. Gov. Jane M. Swift Friday swore in W. Michael Goggins as the newest Northampton District Court judge. Hundreds of family, friends and community members gathered in the auditorium of Northampton High School to celebrate Goggins’ appointment to the bench.

10 Years Ago

■The top prosecutor in Hampshire and Franklin counties hailed Gov. Deval Patrick’s decision Thursday to declare a public health emergency in Massachusetts in response to the state’s growing epidemic of heroin overdoses and opiate addiction. Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan said Patrick’s announcement is “a big step forward” in addressing a crisis that has caught up to western Massachusetts at an alarming rate.

■This August, the longtime director of the Pioneer Valley chapter of the American Red Cross will say goodbye to the best and most challenging job he says he could imagine. Richard Lee, 64, said he will step down from his post on Aug. 6, exactly 30 years after he joined the organization. “I decided 30 years is the right number for this career,” Lee said.