Athol assistant superintendent among finalists for Easthampton job

By ALEXA LEWIS

ATHOL — The Easthampton School Committee kicked off a series of interviews Tuesday night among finalists for its permanent superintendent post. Cynthia Kennedy, currently assistant superintendent of the Athol-Royalston Regional School District, was...

UMass Stonewall Center provides info on name changes, gender markings in advance of Trump presidency

By ADA DENENFELD KELLY

AMHERST — It didn’t take long after Election Day for students to start visiting the offices at the UMass Stonewall Center seeking advice on how to prepare for another Donald Trump presidency. A significant number of these visitors were seeking...

Sportsman’s Corner: ‘Tis the season

By Mike RocheOnce again it is the Christmas season, and we all get caught up in the traditions and details that define the Christmas and New Years holidays.It is impossible to not reflect on those things that each of us remember about our past. When...

Nomination papers available for Petersham Annual Election

PETERSHAM – The Petersham Annual Election will include open seats on the Board of Health and two school committees.The election will be held on Monday, March 3, 2025. The polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The last day to register to vote is...

Deportation pledge raises question of local cooperation in Massachusetts

By CHRIS LISINSKI

President-elect Donald Trump continues to pledge large-scale deportations of foreign-born residents, stoking concerns about massive economic consequences and reigniting debate in Massachusetts about law enforcement cooperation.Trump spent much of his...

PHOTOS: Learning on display in Warwick

Local officials see future with Northern Tier Rail

By GREG VINE

ATHOL – In November, officials from more than 100 municipalities, community and business organizations, cultural and educational entities signed on to a letter urging state transportation officials to support the Northern Tier Passenger Rail.Athol...

State climate law leaves locals uneasy

By MARA MELLITS

With the new climate and clean energy law changing the permitting process for solar and battery storage projects, western Massachusetts residents are left wondering how the regulations will impact their rural communities.“An act promoting a clean...

Athol, Royalston principals say claims of teacher harassment by students not widespread

By GREG VINE

ATHOL – Following claims that Athol and Royalston teachers face almost constant harassment by students, school administrators have issued a response that the situation is limited to a small number of students.At the Nov. 20 meeting of the Athol...

Franklin County, North Quabbin students honored for success in, out of class

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Ten exemplary students from across Franklin County and North Quabbin region were recognized Thursday night during the Franklin County Area Superintendents’ Association’s annual awards dinner at Franklin County Technical School.These students received...

Athol Woman’s Club sets up Memory Tree at bandstand

ATHOL – On Friday, Nov. 29, members of the Athol Woman’s Club set up the Memory Tree on the bandstand on the Uptown Common in Athol.The tree was donated by Al and Bonnie Benjamin and the swags and roping were provided by MacMannis Florist. The Woman’s...

Two Gardner residents killed in three-vehicle crash in New Salem

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

NEW SALEM — The Northwestern District Attorney’s Office has identified the two Gardner residents who were killed in a three-vehicle crash on Daniel Shays Highway (Route 202) as Gerald and Margaret Patriquin.The Patriquins, ages 89 and 74, were...

UMass Amherst profs pilot new PFAS detection method

By ZICHANG LIU

AMHERST — University of Massachusetts Amherst professors Chang Liu and Xiaojun Wei have discovered a new method to detect per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — “forever chemicals” found in water, soil, air, food and other consumer products — thus...

Athol Police Logs, Oct. 27 – Nov. 12, 2024

Oct. 27 – Nov. 12Sunday, Oct. 2712:49 a.m. Suspicious vehicle reported in parking lot on Pleasant Street. Vehicle checked, was unoccupied, no issues.10:01 a.m. - Caller from Miller Street reporting his vehicle was broken into and a laptop was...

‘Trouble in Toyland’: Unsafe toys flood US market due to loophole in customs rules

By SYDNEY TOPF

Ahead of the holiday season, consumer advocates are warning parents about the dangers posed by toys coming from overseas.International sellers are using “legal loopholes” to ship unsafe toys into the U.S., bypassing inspections and safety standards...

LaunchSpace, Workers Credit Union team up to teach personal finance to 16- to 24-year-olds in Orange

By DOMENIC POLI

ORANGE — LaunchSpace and the central Massachusetts-based Workers Credit Union have teamed up to educate 16- to 24-year-olds on personal finance in the event they want to start their own businesses.“It’s something that LaunchSpace has always really...

Public input sought to inform creation of Road Safety Action Plan for Franklin County

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Backed by a federal grant, the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) is in the process of developing its own Road Safety Action Plan to serve as a guide for future traffic safety investments.To inform the plan’s creation, officials with...

Climate activist Bill McKibben: Solar is light in dark times

By EMILEE KLEIN

AMHERST — The past few weeks have been tough for climate activism, and longtime climate activist Bill McKibben, who makes his home in Vermont, is feeling the heat.This year will be the hottest year on record, breaking the record-setting temperatures...

Massachusetts home care lobby sees crisis in the making

By ALISON KUZNITZ

BOSTON – Thousands of older Bay Staters could lose access to home care services this spring or see support scaled back due to looming funding shortfalls totaling millions of dollars, elder advocates and providers say.Elder services organizations are...