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By STEVE PFARRER

Continuing their strong run in recent years, a number of Valley writers have won awards or honors in the 2023 Massachusetts Book Awards, the 23rd year of the competition.Belchertown author and Hampshire College fiction professor Uzma Aslam Khan has...

By CHRIS LARABEE

DEERFIELD — With one of the American Arts and Craft movement’s masterpieces on display through March, Historic Deerfield’s annual fall forum is dedicated to exploring how the movement grew and flourished in town.The forum will be held on Friday, Sept....

50 Years Ago ■The Big Beefburger bit the dust at Friendly’s this weekend, the only local indication that food retailers are anticipating trouble with an expected beef shortage before the Sept 12 price freeze thaw on meat. The Big Beefburger was halted...

200 Years Ago ■On Wednesday last, Andrew Judd, aged about 11 years, son of Mr. Samuel Judd of South Hadley, was drowned in a millpond in that town. He, with 12 or 15 men and boys, went into the pond for the purpose of bathing, where he was probably...

50 Years Ago ■It was learned today that the old gas building behind City Hall may be transferred to the city. In an interview yesterday, Mayor Sean M. Dunphy said the city is thinking of using the gas building as added office space as soon as the...

50 Years Ago ■The Northampton Housing Authority has approved final plans for a 192-unit, $3.5 million housing project for the elderly to be built on a six-acre site abutting the old First National Store on Conz Street. Along with the project, the...

By JIM BRIDGMAN

50 Years Ago ■Controversy is growing over which direction Forbes Library should take as its head librarian is leaving. Should it concentrate on building the book collection that formed its highly regarded reputation, or should it expand the non-print...

Staff Report

DEERFIELD — A Deerfield resident and local historian has been tapped to kick off Historic Deerfield’s summer lecture series.Peter Thomas, an independent historian involved in helping plan the town’s 350th anniversary celebrations as well as several...

By CHRIS LARABEE

SOUTH DEERFIELD — Native American history is a standard element of the fourth grade curriculum. However, with Deerfield celebrating its 350th anniversary this year, Jennifer Smith’s class went one step further.Throughout the year, Smith’s students at...

By CHRIS LARABEE

DEERFIELD — For the first time in six years, Historic Deerfield and the Antique Dealers’ Association of America are bringing the annual antique show back to Deerfield.The show will take place in Deerfield Academy’s Hale Family Gym on Saturday, June...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

LEVERETT — A community-led project to preserve and rehabilitate the 263-year-old North Leverett sawmill for future generations, as well as making it an integral part of the community for cultural, educational and recreational activities, is...

50 Years Ago ■Gov. Francis Sargent today nominated local attorney Alvertus J. Morse to be a special justice of the Hampshire County District Court. Morse, a 43-year-old Northampton native and Amherst College graduate, has practiced law in the city for...

50 Years Ago ■Secretary of Human Services Peter C. Goldmark Jr. submitted a report to Gov. Sargent today which criticized actions and procedures of top Belchertown State School administrators during the period late last year when four residents died...

By DOMENIC POLI

ORANGE — Change is brewing at Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Co., which is set to become a worker-owned cooperative on July 1.Dean Cycon founded the business in 1993 and, having recently turned 70, is ready to hand the reins to his 16 employees.“Who...

By CHRIS LARABEE

DEERFIELD — On May 7, 1673, the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony granted the liberty of a township to the inhabitants of the Pocumtuck village, which is now known as Deerfield. Now, on May 7, 2023, this Sunday, folks are invited to...

By CHRIS LARABEE

DEERFIELD — The Selectboard authorized an agreement Wednesday evening to store town records from as far back as the 18th century at the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association (PVMA), nearly ending a year-long process that began with a radiator leak in...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

SHUTESBURY — A member of the Shutesbury Community Church for 30 years, Chris Footit is relieved to be back participating in and attending services, something he can do after a three-stop lift recently was installed at the 1827 meetinghouse on the town...

200 Years Ago ■Brass Foundry! All kinds of brass castings done at the shortest notice. Cash paid for old brass and copper. Wanted, as an apprentice at the above business, an active lad 16 or 17 years of age. – Phelps & Strong, Northampton. ■Early...

By CHRIS LARABEE

DEERFIELD — With the launch of its new mobile app, Historic Deerfield is inviting the public to learn about indigenous history through a walking tour placing the museum’s main street in its original context.Now available on the Apple App Store and the...

By EMILY THURLOW

EASTHAMPTON — City high school students have stepped up to help the community celebrate National Black History Month. Easthampton High School Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator Sindy Mojica has been working with students on how to celebrate the...