News
Whately extends conditional job offer to Swampscott assistant admin
By CHRIS LARABEE
WHATELY — After interviewing both town administrator finalists last week, the Selectboard voted to conditionally offer the role to Swampscott’s current assistant town administrator, pending a background check and successful contract negotiations.Peter...
Sunderland voters OK battery storage bylaw, agree to ask Legislature to lower municipal voting age
By CHRIS LARABEE
SUNDERLAND — Nearly 90 voters overwhelmingly approved 18 articles on Friday’s Town Meeting warrant, including battery storage and structure conversion bylaws, as well as a citizen’s petition seeking to ask the Legislature to lower the municipal voting...
Leverett residents back Gaza cease-fire resolution at Saturday’s Town Meeting
By AALIANNA MARIETTA
LEVERETT — Residents elected town officials, signed off on a $7.56 million budget for fiscal year 2025 and passed a resolution calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza during their Annual Town Meeting on Saturday.After uncontested elections, the...
Formed 25,000 years ago, Millers River a historic ‘jewel’
By CARLA CHARTER
The Millers River meanders through both Athol and Orange, carrying with it not only the beauty on its surface, but a long history stretching back to when the river was first formed 25,000 years ago.The first people known to be living near the river...
Shutesbury voters back battery storage bylaw at Town Meeting
By SHELBY BROCK
SHUTESBURY — Voters gave their blessing to a new bylaw regulating large-scale battery storage and 27 other articles at Saturday’s Annual Town Meeting, with votes on adopting a specialized energy code for buildings and enacting a solicitation bylaw...
‘I have found great happiness’: The Rev. Timothy Campoli marks 50 years as Catholic priest
By DOMENIC POLI
GREENFIELD — The Rev. Timothy Campoli was ordained on April 6, 1974. There is little way he could have predicted he would mark his 50th year in the Catholic priesthood by celebrating Mass exactly a half-century later, but that’s precisely what...
Regional Notebook: April 29, 2024
Volunteers sought to help transport people to medical appointments GREENFIELD — LifePath has a program to help older people get to medical appointments that matches local volunteers with individuals in need of transportation or medical advocacy. The...
Conway seeks approval of Festival of the Hills fund at Town Meeting
By CHRIS LARABEE
CONWAY — After working with town counsel and the Department of Revenue, a revised proposal to bring the Festival of the Hills’ organizing committee into the town’s roster will head to the June 1 Annual Town Meeting.The Selectboard and festival...
McGovern, Gobi visit development sites in Greenfield, Wendell
By DOMENIC POLI
Though they lay dormant now, the former Wilson’s Department Store in downtown Greenfield and the former depot store and post office in Wendell were once bustling hubs of thriving communities.On Friday, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern and Director of Rural...
Greenfield Notebook: April 27, 2024
Greenfield Farmers’ Market opens for season GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Farmers’ Market, celebrating its 50th year, opens for the season on Saturday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Court Square.The market sells locally grown produce, plants and...
Turners Falls third graders share vision for new or expanded library
By GRACE LEE
TURNERS FALLS — A student art exhibit created by Sheffield Elementary School third graders provides insight into what they’d like to see from a new or expanded library.The exhibit, called “Designing My Library,” is a collection of blueprint drawings...
Vehicle replacements, petition on tax rate on tap for Bernardston Town Meeting
By LIESEL NYGARD
BERNARDSTON — Residents will convene Monday to consider the 40 articles on the Annual Town Meeting warrant, including a series of vehicle replacements and a citizen’s petition expressing concern over rising tax rates.The meeting will be held at The...
Personnel bylaw, tax bill change on Deerfield Town Meeting warrant
By CHRIS LARABEE
DEERFIELD — A new personnel bylaw, a shift to quarterly tax bills and the rescinding of $5 million in borrowing authority for road repairs are on the table Monday evening for Deerfield’s Annual Town Meeting.The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in Frontier...
What are the protocols for emergency transport of infants?
By LIESEL NYGARD
When it comes to protocols for providing emergency medical transportation to infants, the Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and ambulance manufacturers voice similar expectations.But...
Hawley selling military dump truck
By DOMENIC POLI
HAWLEY — Want a military dump truck? If you’ve got the money, one could be yours.Hawley is using municibid.com, an online auction site for government surplus, to sell a 1990 BMY-Harsco M9229A2 6x6 military dump truck. The acceptance of bids from...
State records show Northfield EMS chief’s paramedic license suspended over failure to transport infant
By LIESEL NYGARD
State regulators suspended Northfield EMS Chief and Orange EMS Capt. Mark Fortier’s paramedic license over his alleged failure to properly assess a 2-week-old infant during a house call and for refusing the child transportation in an ambulance,...
West County Notebook: April 27, 2024
Hilltown Draw-Around features 12 hours of artistic opportunities SHELBURNE FALLS — Join The Art Garden on Saturday, April 27, from noon to midnight for its 12-hour Hilltown Draw-Around event in the historic Cowell Gymnasium.Participants of all ages...
Montague Notebook: April 27, 2024
Working group will consider Farren redevelopment MONTAGUE — In an effort to redevelop the former Farren Care Center site into a residential “Village Center” neighborhood, officials met virtually with the Selectboard on Monday to continue discussing...
South County Notebook: April 27, 2024
Residents clean Upper Road in Deerfield DEERFIELD — Ahead of Earth Day’s town cleanup, a group of eight folks set out on Upper Road to help Greenfield Community College student Tom Alber complete his final project for the Outdoor Leadership Program.In...
Beacon Hill Roll Call: April 15 to April 19, 2024
By BOB KATZEN
There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week.This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senators’ and representatives’ votes on bills that are currently in separate House-Senate conference committees, which are trying to hammer out a...
