A Look Back: Sept. 22

50 Years Ago

■The American Party of the Pioneer Valley held its first meeting at the VFW Post in Florence last week. The goal of the American Party, says local chapter chairman Dr. Nicholas Greco, is to present the voters with an alternative to the “liberal Democrats and Republican big government bureaucrats.”

■Incumbent City Treasurer Shirley A. LaRose was the leading vote getter in yesterday’s Democratic primary, capturing 85% of the total vote. Miss LaRose beat opponent Paul D. Burns by a margin of 2,422 to 420 and will face no competition in the November elections.

25 Years Ago

■The Leeds Civic Association is trying to help a village resident whose home was severely damaged by fire. The association has created a fund on behalf of Richard Bontempi, whose uninsured home at 498 Spring St. was rendered uninhabitable by a Sept. 11 fire that was started by an unattended candle.

■Mayor Mary L. Ford will spend the middle of the week in Washington, D.C., meeting with members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation – including those serving on the House Judiciary Committee. Ford flew to Washington this morning and she said she expected to return by Thursday, when she will take part in a live, televised press conference at MediaOne’s Northampton office.

10 Years Ago

■Ray Ellerbrook, a star University of Massachusetts basketball and baseball player who was long synonymous with two beloved Northampton institutions – the Recreation Department and Look Memorial Park – died Wednesday. Ellerbrook served as director of the Northampton Recreation Department for 27 years before he moved on in 2002 to manage Look Park for a decade.

■The Greenfield organization that runs Head Start at the former Vernon Street School in Northampton is here to stay for at least the next decade thanks in part to action taken by the City Council on Thursday. The council unanimously agreed to extend the lease of the building for another decade to Community Action, the nonprofit that operates the full-day, year-round Head Start and other early care and education services for low- and moderate-income families.

]]>