Granby to get federal money for roadwork

The town of Granby will receive additional federal money for improvement projects at two locations on Route 202: at School Street and Five Corners.

The Healey-Driscoll administration and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that MassDOT has received an additional $80 million in funding from the Federal Highway Administration as part of the annual funding redistribution process. These redistribution funds represent federal transportation funds that were unable to be used for the programs to which they were originally allocated. As part of this redistribution, MassDOT will add or increase funding for 12 infrastructure projects across Massachusetts. Granby’s projects are the only funds in Hampshire County to receive additional funding.

HCC fall session II classes start Sept. 25

HOLYOKE — Prospective students have two more chances to sign up for classes at Holyoke Community College for the fall 2023 semester.

Fall session II classes begin Monday, Sept. 25, and run for 12 weeks.

Fall session III classes begin Monday, Oct. 30, and run for seven weeks.

Full fall semester classes at HCC (14 weeks) began Tuesday, Sept. 5. All fall semester classes conclude by Dec. 21.

Students who enroll for HCC’s flexible fall start dates have the opportunity to take a variety of courses both on campus and online in anthropology, biology, business administration, communication, culinary arts, economics, English, English as a second language, geography, human services, Latinx studies, law, management, marketing, math, nutrition, music, psychology, sociology, Spanish, and veterinary and animal science.

To see a full list of courses and sections, please visit hcc.edu/flex-fa23

The HCC Admissions and Advising offices are located on the first floor of the HCC Campus Center and are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. (4:30 p.m. on Fridays).

For more information, please contact HCC Admissions at 413-552-2321, admissions@hcc.edu or visit online at hcc.edu

‘Stories of Exile’ reading group at Jones Library

AMHERST — Explore issues of immigration, displacement, and economic/political upheaval while learning more about Yiddish literature in this book discussion series at the Jones Library this fall, being brought to the community thanks to the Yiddish Book Center’s “Stories of Exile” Reading Groups for Public Libraries program.

Linda Wentworth, head of collections at the Jones Library, will facilitate this book discussion series, using these books to explore questions of identity and belonging in the face of exile. Through these discussions, participants will explore the range of experiences and how these experiences are portrayed in literature.

To register, email programs@joneslibrary.org. The book discussions will be held in the Goodwin Room of the Jones Library on the third Tuesday of the month from September through December. Books are available to participants in this discussion series, thanks to support from the Yiddish Book Center and the “Stories of Exile” program. There are limited spaces available, and registration in advance is required.

Fort River Cleanup & RiverFest

AMHERST — The Fort River Watershed Association is hosting a free community event on Sept. 23 in Amherst to clean-up and celebrate the Fort River.

The Fort River Cleanup, part of the Connecticut River Conservancy’s 27th Annual Source to Sea Cleanup, will take place at Groff Park, 83 Mill Lane, from 10 a.m. to noon; coffee and snacks at 9:30. All ages and abilities are welcome. Bring boots, long pants and a water bottle.

Register online at fortriver.org/cleanup/, selecting Fort River from the drop down menu list of sites.

We are eager to partner with the Connecticut River Conservancy and thousands of volunteers across Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut to remove trash from our neighborhoods.

The Fort River watershed runs through parts of Amherst, Shutesbury, Pelham, Belchertown, and Hadley and the river is the longest tributary of the Connecticut River with free passage for fish and other species. The Fort River is home to several species of freshwater mussel, including one species federally listed as being endangered — the dwarf wedge mussel, and the watershed feeds the drinking water supply for both Amherst and Hadley.

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