Black bears on the move recently near Main Street in Hatfield, a common sight throughout the Valley at this time of year. State wildlife experts advise that it’s best to leave wildlife alone: “Young animals may seem helpless, but oftentimes they are neither abandoned nor orphaned and don’t require assistance.” If an animal needs intervention, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator on the state website at mass.gov/info-details/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator.
Black bears on the move recently near Main Street in Hatfield, a common sight throughout the Valley at this time of year. State wildlife experts advise that it’s best to leave wildlife alone: “Young animals may seem helpless, but oftentimes they are neither abandoned nor orphaned and don’t require assistance.” If an animal needs intervention, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator on the state website at mass.gov/info-details/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator. Credit: CONTRIBUTED/AARON GOLDMAN

Northampton Elks to salute veterans at Cruise Night

FLORENCE — The public is invited to the Northampton Lodge of Elks No. 997 for Cruise Night on Thursday, for its second annual salute to veterans of all branches of the United States of America’s Armed Forces.

Veterans from the VA Central Western Massachusetts Medical Center will be featured guests at the event, which will be open to all area veterans and the general public. A free raffle of service pins and other memorabilia for veterans will also be held.

The event is the major summer fundraising function for the Elks, and helps pay for its ongoing philanthropic support of local veterans programs and services, youth programs and educational scholarships.

With a wide variety of cars ranging from new Corvettes to vintage muscle cars and classic street rods, Cruise Night will run from 5:30 p.m. to dusk in the Elks parking lot at 17 Spring St. Admission is free to area veterans, the general public, and to enthusiasts wishing to display their cars, trucks and motorcycles.

In case of rain, the event will take place July 11.

Running from early May to Sept. 28 (weather permitting), the typical Cruise Night starts with plenty of cars and car enthusiasts along with food, drink and music.

13 firefighters graduate from Fire Academy

SPRINGFIELD — Thirteen firefighters from Hampshire County and southern Franklin County communities graduated from the Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Program this week. The graduates received certificates of completion at a ceremony held at the Department of Fire Services’ Springfield campus.

Graduates include:

Granby Fire Department: Jonathan Delgado, Myranda Goveia, Erin Kerdavid, Chris Towne.

Hadley Fire Department: Max Arvidson, who also received the Martin H. McNamara Outstanding Student Award for his academic and practical skills, testing, and evaluations over the course of the program.

Huntington Fire Department: Anthony Golembeski, Nicholas Perry and Cole Torres.

Leverett Fire Department: Jeremy Rice.

South Hadley-District 1 Fire Department: Briana Cote and Nora Newman.

■Whately Fire Department: Sean Kirkendall.

The Call/Volunteer Firefighter Recruit Training Program is unique in that it delivers a standard recruit training curriculum, meeting national standards, on nights and weekends to accommodate the schedule of firefighters in suburban and rural areas.