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By EMILY THURLOW

SOUTHAMPTON — The town will soon have around the clock paramedic service and police coverage after voters narrowly approved a $332,500 Proposition 2½ override at Tuesday’s municipal election.The approval, by a vote of 441-352, will give the town the...

By EMILY THURLOW

SOUTHAMPTON — The leader of the town’s Finance Committee has resigned after a rocky budget season, saying that the panel doesn’t have enough volunteers to meet its obligations and that even if it did, the town often provides out-of-date or inaccurate...

By EMILY THURLOW

SOUTHAMPTON — As one of the smaller municipalities in the region, the town relies on part-time employees to maintain police, fire and emergency medical services.However, in the last decade, Southampton’s call volume has nearly doubled and finding...

By EMILY THURLOW

SOUTHAMPTON — Residents who question the town’s portion of Hampshire Regional School District’s budget succeeded in convincing a majority of voters at last week’s annual Town Meeting to vote down that section of the $20 million annual operating...

By EMILY THURLOW

EASTHAMPTON — Whether it’s swastikas and “gas the Jews” messages appearing along the summit of Mount Tom, racist and antisemitic slurs spray-painted on trees at a conservation area, or racial comments on social media directed at a city councilor,...

By Maddie Fabian

SOUTH HADLEY — The Board of Health has adopted a new regulation that will require every landlord to obtain a rental registry permit with the town.The regulation works to protect the health and safety of tenants by ensuring safe and sanitary...

By EMILY THURLOW

SOUTHAMPTON — A section of Labrie Field could soon be carved out to immortalize the memory of the late Madeline “Maddie” Schmidt, who died to a rare pediatric cancer in December.Last February, the Southampton youth was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HADLEY — A new ambulance service run by the Fire Department will begin serving Hadley later this year, the first time the town will have municipally operated medical care.A used ambulance acquired from Northampton for $20,000 can start rolling after...

By EMILY THURLOW

EASTHAMPTON — When children first start attending school, surveys across the country show that students are highly engaged. Those numbers drop off by the time students reach middle school and dip even lower in high school, according to state...

By EMILY THURLOW

EASTHAMPTON — Mayor Nicole LaChapelle is proposing a “very prudent” $52.2 million budget for next fiscal year that calls for the addition of staff positions and an increase in expenses in every city department.The budget proposal for fiscal 2024...

By EMILY THURLOW

EASTHAMPTON — Construction of a new raised crosswalk for the Manhan Rail Trail on Payson Avenue begins this week.The crosswalk is part of a larger collaborative effort among the city’s Planning Department, Department of Public Works and mayor’s office...

By EMILY THURLOW

EASTHAMPTON — The deluge of public records requests during the continued saga in the city’s search for a new superintendent had grown so large in recent weeks that it often crashed a software system that handles such queries — a problem city officials...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HATFIELD — The town election on May 16 will feature contested elections for three-year seats on the Select Board and Board of Health, and the three-year position as town clerk.With nomination forms due late last month, the ballot will feature a...

By SAM DRYSDALE

BOSTON — After a federal judge in Texas suspended FDA approval of abortion pill mifepristone, Gov. Maura Healey issued an executive order on Monday that is meant to clarify that a state law passed last year to protect abortion access from out-of-state...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A $15 million low-interest loan will be provided to Amherst by the state’s Clean Water Trust so the town can move forward with rebuilding the Centennial water treatment plant in Pelham.Trustees for the Clean Water Trust last week announced...

By EMILY THURLOW

EASTHAMPTON — The city has partnered with a Somerville electric vehicle technology company to help convert its fleet of municipal vehicles from gas to electric over the next decade, an initiative that will also involve helping employees navigate the...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HADLEY — Voters at Town Meeting this spring will get their say on the future of the historic Russell School building in town center.The Community Preservation Committee on Monday voted 5-1 to recommend that the town spend $1.25 million from the CPA...

By COLIN A. YOUNG

BOSTON — From fish being reeled in by anglers in Taunton to the drinking water at an elementary school in New Salem, so-called forever chemicals known as PFAS are everywhere, the questions and comments from lawmakers from various corners of...

SOUTH HADLEY — Know Your Town of South Hadley will host a candidates’ night Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Main Public Library.The town election is April 11. The following candidates for public office have agreed to appear:Andrea...

By EMILY THURLOW

EASTHAMPTON — In nearly nine months since being sworn in as a city councilor, David Meunier has missed eight of 16 council meetings. No other councilor has missed more than two in that timeframe.The at-large councilor has missed four of the council’s...