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By HANNAH MORIN

GARDNER — Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) introduced its new mascot, Monty the Mountain Lion, during a campus celebration on April 29.

By MIKE ROCHE

Occasionally, as this writer sits down each week to pen my weekly rant, there are several topics which will come to mind. This is one of those weeks and instead of going into any depth on these topics, each will be touched upon.

By GREG VINE

ATHOL — Athol’s Finance and Warrant Advisory Committee on Tuesday began its review of the proposed warrant for June’s annual Town Meeting. While the committee did recommend passage of most of the four dozen articles on the warrant, members decided to wait until its next meeting on May 19 to consider Town Manager Shaun Suhoski’s proposed FY26 town budget of approximately $26.5 million. FWAC chair Ken Duffy explained that Suhoski is currently working to complete negotiations with four unions representing town employees.

By COLIN A. YOUNG

BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey is proposing to repeal a law put in place by voters as part of a worldwide nuclear freeze movement, a bid to open the door to greater deployment of newer nuclear energy facilities as part of a push to save ratepayers $10 billion over a decade.

By GREG VINE

ATHOL – Work on the former Riverbend and Bigelow schools to transform the site into a 53-unit housing complex is underway.

By COLIN A. YOUNG

BOSTON — One representative called it a “wonderful, reefer-smelling bag” and another worried a drug-sniffing dog might alert to him at the airport later as he passed the bundle of products down the Cannabis Policy Committee dais.

By CHRIS LARABEE

GREENFIELD — The White House’s discretionary budget request for fiscal year 2026, released on May 2, proposes slashing two line items that, if approved, could significantly alter Community Action Pioneer Valley’s services.

By ALISON KUZNITZ

Municipal leaders clamoring for greater authority over the number of alcohol licenses available in their cities and towns once again urged lawmakers Monday to adopt reforms previously embraced by top Beacon Hill Democrats.

By ALEXA LEWIS

Western Massachusetts stands to “greatly benefit” from a $1.33 billion spending plan for education and transportation adopted by the state Senate last Thursday, thanks in part to lengthy debates leading up to a vote on the package that sought to reverse an initial proposal that Sen. Jo Comerford called “skewed” and “wildly unfair” to this region.

By DOMENIC POLI

ORANGE — Neither snow nor rain nor heat kept letter carrier David L’Heureux from the swift completion of his appointed rounds. Only retirement could do that.

By DOMENIC POLI

ORANGE — Department heads voiced frustration last week about potentially having to sustain 15% budget cuts as Orange once again grapples with financial woes.

By GREG VINE

ATHOL – Host community agreements (HCA) for three cannabis businesses in Athol were renewed by the Selectboard at its meeting on May 6.

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Federal funding cuts announced earlier this month to National Public Radio and The Public Broadcasting Service would have serious implications for public media viewers and listeners in western Massachusetts, experts in the region say.

By CHRIS LARABEE

With its regional agreement sent off to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for a technical review, the Six Town Regionalization Planning Board is expecting to bring its new school district proposal to voters in the fall.

By CHRIS LARABEE

Across the United States, beekeepers are facing their greatest crisis in decades, with more than 1 million colonies reported lost in the last 10 months.

By GREG VINE

ATHOL – In the wake of recent resignations, town officials are seeking residents willing to serve on the Town Energy Committee or the Municipal Decarbonization Task Force.

By CHRIS LISINSKI

Hundreds of workers and leaders at nonprofits across Massachusetts overwhelmingly agreed that the Bay State will fare worse under the Trump administration, voicing concerns about funding cuts and heightened stress on vulnerable populations.

By EMILEE KLEIN

AMHERST — University of Massachusetts researchers have uncovered rabbit ticks in Maine that harbor a new strain of bacteria related to pathogens known to cause spotted fever in humans.

By GREG VINE

PHILLIPSTON – Voters breezed through Wednesday’s Annual Town Meeting with very little discussion – until they reached Article 32, the final article on the warrant.

By GREG VINE

ATHOL – Town Clerk Nancy Burnham went before the Selectboard at its meeting Tuesday, May 6, to speak on plans for the special election that must be held to replace former member Andy Sujdak.