News

Amherst neighbors balk at duplex conversion of old farmhouse

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — The possible conversion of a home at 180 North Whitney St. into a non-owner-occupied duplex is prompting residents who live near the circa 1900 farmhouse to oppose granting a special permit to renovate the existing building and add a second...

Plans to overhaul Amherst’s War Memorial Pool site questioned

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A preliminary vision for breathing new life into the 2-acre area around the War Memorial Pool shows a new bathhouse building anchoring the site, along with play areas, a spray park, walking paths and a memorial area.While Kuth Ranieri...

Hadley Elementary School cited for STEM focus

HADLEY — A national nonprofit organization, Project Lead the Way, is recognizing Hadley Elementary School for a focus on making every child successful in science, technology, engineering and math.The school recently was named as a 2023-24 Project Lead...

Photos: Rootin’, Tootin’ Good Time

Southampton takes key step toward new public safety complex following TM vote

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — Stepping over fire hoses and wires, Southampton Fire Chief Richard Fasoli opened the driver’s door to one of the fire engines as far as he could on a recent afternoon during a tour of the aging and cramped public safety complex. The...

State OKs Valley Green Energy program for Amherst, Northampton, Pelham

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A program offering Northampton, Amherst and Pelham residents more electricity supplied by green sources should be ready to launch by this fall.Amherst officials announced Wednesday that the state’s Department of Public Utilities recently...

Southampton Town Meeting adopts noise nuisance bylaw, rejects unregistered vehicle rules

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — In addition to approving the purchase of 52 acres for a new public safety complex, more than 130 residents at last week’s annual Town Meeting OK’d a $21 million budget for fiscal 2025, adopted a new noise nuisance bylaw and rejected...

‘Working towards peace’: Lander-Grinspoon Academy engages kids in learning about conflict, peace activism

By ALEXA LEWIS

NORTHAMPTON — Navigating the complex violence between Israel and the Palestinian peoples is a difficult task for anyone. For children, the conflict can seem even more daunting and inaccessible. These days, community members at Lander-Grinspoon Academy...

Northampton man held without bail in December shooting

By JAMES PENTLAND

NORTHAMPTON — A city man facing four counts of assault to murder and four felony weapons charges after allegedly trying to kill his neighbors by firing an assault rifle through a shared interior wall at their Wright Avenue home in December will remain...

Hadley eyes smart growth zoning district

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HADLEY — Of seven area communities with smart growth zoning districts, Northampton has been among the most successful at developing new homes and apartments, bringing on 211 housing units, 151 of which are affordable, since the district was approved...

Hatfield Town Meeting to consider $1.4M for plant upgrades as part of 28-article warrant on Tuesday

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HATFIELD — An additional $1.4 million for wastewater treatment plant upgrades, special legislation to allow golf carts on the town’s public ways and zoning amendments to promote cluster housing developments and permit detached accessory dwelling units...

Extreme weather forces valley farmers to adapt

By TANISHA BHAT

Ben Clark, the owner of Clarkdale Fruit Farms in Deerfield, received $120,000 from the $20 million Natural Disaster Recovery Program created last year after he lost the entirety of his peach crop and 70% of his apples and pears due to sudden cold...

Area briefs: Hadley candidates forum slated for Monday

Candidates forum to take place in Hadley on MondayHADLEY — A forum for candidates running for elective office at the town’s May 21 election will be held by the Hadley Mothers’ Club on Monday.The Hadley Mothers’ Club, turning 80 this year, has...

A Look Back, May 11

200 Years Ago ■Luke Sweetser has taken the store recently occupied by Strong and Heath, a few rods south of Boltwood’s Hotel in Amherst, where he has just opened an extensive assortment of British, French, India, and American piece goods. Having...

‘None of us deserved this’: Community members arrested at UMass Gaza protest critical of crackdown

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — An Amherst resident with two children in the public schools, Jill Brevik made her way to the University of Massachusetts campus Tuesday evening to offer protection to students at a pro-Palestinian encampment, by bearing witness and...

Northampton school budget: Tensions high awaiting mayor’s move

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — As the deadline for Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra to a submit a budget proposal for the city draws near, an entrenched battle over the city’s public school budget is coming to a head.The Northampton School Committee defied the mayor’s...

A rocky ride on Easthampton’s Union Street: Businesses struggling with overhaul look forward to end result

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Outside of Small Oven bakery on Union Street, customers walk carefully around puddles, leaving footprints in the muddy strip where the sidewalk had been just days before. Inside, a line still forms at the register, but according to owner...

Two-part Town Meeting in Granby begins Monday night

By EMILEE KLEIN

GRANBY — Town Meeting members will consider capital purchases, money transfers to stabilization accounts and a handful of operational budgets for ambulances and sewer, for a total of $5,019,193, at the first of a two-part annual Town Meeting on...

Four-way race shapes up for Granby Select Board

By EMILEE KLEIN

GRANBY — Candidates in the coming town election — including the seven candidates in contested races for Select Board and Housing Authority — recently outlined their views at a candidate night forum in hopes of swaying residents to vote for them when...