News
Greenfield Notebook: May 8, 2024
Daytime closure of Route 2 westbound ramp continues through ThursdayGREENFIELD — The state Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has closed the ramp from Route 2 westbound to Interstate 91 southbound through Thursday, May 9. The closure, in effect...
Montague Notebook: May 8, 2024
MassHire staff to talk job searchingTURNERS FALLS — The Brick House Community Resource Center at 24 Third St. will host staff from MassHire on Thursday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to noon. Attendees can learn about how MassHire can help in preparing for a...
New Salem election ushers in new Selectboard member
NEW SALEM — The town has a new Selectboard member following Monday’s annual town election. Mailande DeWitt, a University of Connecticut School of Law graduate who currently serves as a New Salem Public Library trustee, will fill a two-year vacancy on...
Slew of write-ins elected in Hawley
HAWLEY — With only three candidates listed on the ballot, write-ins filled many of the positions during Monday’s annual town election.With no one on the ballot for town auditor or moderator, the incumbents were written in, along with a write-in...
West County Notebook: May 8, 2024
Historical Society program focusing on GriswoldvilleCOLRAIN — The Colrain Historical Society’s May program will be a photographic journey through the village of Griswoldville as it was in 1920.The free program will be held Thursday, May 9, at 7:30...
Gill voters OK road discontinuance, change of 2 positions from elected to appointed
By CHRIS LARABEE
GILL — Voters overwhelmingly approved the seven warrant articles in the first leg of a two-part Annual Town Meeting on Monday, giving the initial go-ahead to change the treasurer and tax collector positions from elected to appointed.More than 30...
Bernardston election ushers in new Selectboard member
BERNARDSTON — While there were no contested races on the ballot, voters ushered in a new Selectboard member at the polls on Monday.Brian Hervieux, 54, who’s lived in Bernardston for roughly 15 years, was elected with 49 votes to fill the seat vacated...
Serious barn fire averted due to quick response in Shelburne
SHELBURNE — What could have been a devastating blow to a local farm was averted Sunday night due to quick reporting and a quick response from area firefighters. The Shelburne Fire and Police departments responded to a fire at Gould farm’s dairy barn...
Employee pay, real estate top Erving Town Meeting warrant
By DOMENIC POLI
ERVING — Employee compensation and real estate transactions are expected to be the most discussed topics at Annual Town Meeting on Wednesday, according to Town Administrator Bryan Smith.Articles regarding private property are clumped at the end of the...
Western Mass school leaders rally for funding at State House
By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI
BOSTON — Western Massachusetts school committee members and educational leaders took to the State House Monday morning to advocate for policy changes and increased funding for the region’s school districts. At the Massachusetts Association of School...
Franklin County reps speak to House budget amendments
By TANISHA BHAT
Franklin County representatives got about half of what they asked for in amendments to the House version of the fiscal year 2025 state budget.After two separate votes, 11 of the 21 amendments proposed by Franklin County representatives were adopted by...
North County Notebook: May 7, 2024
Selectman to speak at community lunch LEYDEN — This month’s community lunch at Leyden Town Hall, to be held Wednesday, May 8, will include a talk by Selectboard member Glenn Caffery.Caffery, who has covered thousands of miles running long distances...
No surprises in uncontested Sunderland races
By CHRIS LARABEE
SUNDERLAND — With no contested races, there were no surprises in Sunderland’s annual town election on Saturday, as everyone on the ballot was elected to their positions.Of the 2,493 registered voters, 301, or roughly 12.1% of voters, cast their...
Colrain voters to decide Selectboard, moderator races
By DIANE BRONCACCIO
COLRAIN — Both a Selectboard seat and the town moderator position are contested as voters head to the polls on Tuesday, May 7, from noon to 7 p.m. in Town Hall.Katie Korby and Howard Phelps are vying for a three-year Selectboard term to fill a vacancy...
Longtime moderator retains position in Ashfield election
By DIANE BRONCACCIO
ASHFIELD — Longtime Moderator Stewart “Buz” Eisenberg handily defeated opponent Evan Barth by a vote of 164 to 31 during Saturday’s town election.The race for a one-term term as moderator was the only contest on the ballot. Voters also supported a...
Buckland backs short-term rental bylaw
By LIESEL NYGARD
BUCKLAND — Roughly 70 voters passed all 28 articles at Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, most notably adopting a new bylaw to better regulate short-term rentals and approving budget requests totaling nearly $5.88 million for fiscal year 2025. The...
‘We are among the leaders’: Ashfield Town Meeting voters pass bevy of clean energy proposals
By DIANE BRONCACCIO
ASHFIELD — When Bill Ryan moved to town 25 years ago, an old-timer told him, “In Ashfield, we only have two seasons: winter and the Fourth of July.”“In my first year here, we had 120 inches of snow,” Ryan mused. “Not now.”On Saturday, Ryan was among...
Greenfield Notebook: May 6, 2024
Peck leading workshop on iris paper folding GREENFIELD — Margot Peck will lead a free iris paper-folding workshop at the Greenfield Senior Center on Wednesday, May 8, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.Iris folding is done by arranging and layering strips of...
PHOTO: River runway
Regional Notebook: May 6, 2024
Peacemaker Awards ceremony planned for May 8 GREENFIELD — The Interfaith Council of Franklin County and the Traprock Center for Peace and Justice have worked together for the 24th year to identify youth who are working for social justice and to award...
