Part of downtown Amherst road to close Tuesday

AMHERST — Crews from the Department of Public Works will install new water and sewer service to Kendrick Park Tuesday, requiring part of North Pleasant Street next to the downtown site to be closed.

The road will be closed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. just north of the intersection with McClellan Street and at the beginning of the one-way section next to the playground at Kendrick Park.

Access to all homes will be maintained, but traffic will be detoured throughout the day.

Amherst has set aside $175,000 in American Rescue Plan Act money to begin the process for building a public bathroom downtown.

Anyone with questions or seeking additional information about the upgrades should contact the DPW at 413-259-3050 or at publicworks@amherstma.gov.

Car dealer to host welcome reception for HCC president on Tuesday

HOLYOKE — Gary Rome, owner of Gary Rome Hyundai, will host the first public reception for George Timmons on Tuesday, welcoming him to the community as the fifth president of Holyoke Community College.

The reception will be held at Rome’s Holyoke dealership at 150 Whiting Farms Road beginning at 5:30 p.m., following the quarterly meeting of the HCC Foundation board of directors, on which Rome and Timmons both sit.

The reception will also include the presentation of a $5,000 donation check from Rome to the HCC Foundation for the benefit of HCC’s Thrive Student Resource Center and Food Pantry.

In attendance will be members of the 27-member Foundation Board.

Old Country Road takes the North Hall Stage on Sunday

HUNTINGTON — Old Country Road will perform vintage country and bluegrass music at the historic North Hall on Sunday, Sept. 17, in Huntington. The show, which starts at 2 p.m., is presented by the North Hall Association. Admission is free, with donations accepted.

This local band will take the audience back to days of the Grand Ole Opry with songs by Hank Williams, Carl Smith, Kitty Wells, and a performing tribute to Willie Nelson’s 90th year. Old Country Road features Dan Pilchowski (flat picking guitar), Mark Leveille (mandolin and vocals), Dave Helman (upright bass), Ron Jackson (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Chris Boucher (banjo).

All program updates will be listed on northhallhuntington.org. The North Hall is located at 40 Searle Road in Huntington.

The seven-program series is sponsored by the Westfield Bank, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Cultural Councils of Chester, Cummington, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Russell, Westhampton and Worthington.

3rd human case of West Nile virus in state identified

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) on Friday announced the third human case of West Nile virus in a Massachusetts resident this year. The individual is a male in his 50s who was exposed in Hampden County.

The risk of human infection with West Nile is moderate in the Greater Boston area (Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk counties), and in parts of Berkshire, Bristol, Hampden, Hampshire, Plymouth, and Worcester counties. There are no additional risk level changes indicated at this time.

“It continues to be important for people to take steps to prevent mosquito bites, including by using a mosquito repellent with an EPA-registered active ingredient, draining standing water around their homes, and repairing window screens,” said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robert Goldstein. “Risk from mosquito-borne disease will continue until the first hard frost.”

In 2022, there were eight human cases of West Nile infection identified in Massachusetts. The virus is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.

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