NORTHAMPTON — In celebration of Earth Day, the city of Northampton will plant 28 trees at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Florence. The event will take place on Saturday, April 12, 2025, starting at 8:30 a.m.
Also joining in the event is the Department of Public Works, Northampton Public Schools, the Northampton Urban Forestry Commission, volunteers from Tree Northampton, and the Northampton Rotary Club.
Additionally, the city will celebrate Arbor Day with the 22nd annual tree whip giveaway in front of City Hall on Friday, April 25, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, April 26, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The city will provide 700 free tree whips for residents to plant on private property.
Volunteers from Tree Northampton will staff the event and provide illustrated tree fact sheets specific to each species offered, together with tree planting and care information. Participants can choose from seven tree species, including Eastern Redbud, Paw Paw, American Sweetgum, Dawn Redwood, Holly Winterberry, Serbian Spruce, and Swamp White Oak.
SHUTESBURY — Shutesbury Democrats will hold their annual caucus on Saturday, April 19, at 11 a.m., at the Shutesbury Town Hall (1 Cooleyville Road) to elect three delegates and three alternates to the 2025 Massachusetts Democratic Convention.
Any registered Democrat residing in Shutesbury may attend the caucus to vote or to run for delegate or alternate. The convention will be held in person at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield on Saturday, Sept. 13, and will be to decide on the Massachusetts Democratic Party platform for 2026.
NORTHAMPTON — The Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden Agricultural Society, the nonprofit organization that manages the Three County Fair and fairgrounds, will be conducting its 2025 Food Drive on Saturday, April 19, outside of the main office at 54 Fair St.
The Three County Fair has collected over 2,000 pounds in food donations each year to contribute to local food banks.
The fair is seeking non-perishable, non-expired foods such as canned fruit, soup, tuna, and vegetables, plus cereal, pasta, sauce and peanut butter for area food pantries that have partnered with the fair, including the Northampton Survival Center, the Easthampton Community Center, the Helping Hands Cupboard Food Pantry at BUCC in Belchertown and the Westhampton Food Pantry at the Westhampton Congregational United Church of Christ.
Donors can give at least 10 items in exchange for a pair of complimentary tickets to the 2025 Three County Fair, Aug. 29-Sept. 1. Donations can be dropped off at the fair’s main office between the hours of 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on April 19. The fair requests that donations be compiled in disposable bags or boxes for volunteers to easily accept them from vehicles. Limit one pair of tickets per vehicle.
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College is enrolling students for a free, four-week program to train workers for jobs in the clean energy sector.
The Green Construction, Electricity and Clean Energy Systems program runs from July 7 through Aug. 1, Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Classes meet both at Dean Technical High School and at Holyoke Community College.
During 80 hours of hands-on training, students will earn their OSHA 10 safety credentials while learning the basics of green construction, hand and power tool use, and electrical concepts and circuitry, and learning how these skills are applied in solar photovoltaic installation and electrical vehicle charging stations.
Students who complete the program will be eligible for work in construction, can apply for a paid electrician apprenticeship program, or enroll in further training as a clean energy technician.
The program also covers energy efficient materials and design, measurements and diagrams, basic framing, wall installation and maintenance, foundation construction and pouring, workplace safety, and job readiness.
It is funded through a two-year, $832,000 state grant HCC received in 2024 for climate-related workforce training initiatives. HCC’s partners in the grant include the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Springfield Works, Dean Technical High School, and the Coalition for an Equitable Economy.
To be eligible, students must be at least 18, authorized to work in the United States, have a high school diploma or equivalency, be able to start work after the training, and pass a background check.
For more information or to enroll, please go to: hcc.edu/cleanenergy or contact career counselor Mike Blasco at mblasco@hcc.edu / 413-552-2801.