News
Mole Hollow Candle building in Shelburne Falls to be converted into apartments
By MARY BYRNE
SHELBURNE FALLS — After years of vacancy, a new use for the former Mole Hollow Candle building — the old candle store overlooking the Glacial Potholes — is beginning to take shape.“It’s a very nice building of great historic significance to the town,”...
New Mexican restaurant in Gill puts longtime family recipes on menu
By MAX MARCUS
GILL — Cielito Lindo opened this week at the town line of Gill and Turners Falls, offering a menu of homemade Mexican staples and family recipes that have been passed down over generations.The restaurant is at the corner of Route 2 and the Turners...
Montague seeks history behind Turners Falls name
By MAX MARCUS
MONTAGUE — As the historical namesake of Turners Falls has again become a point of controversy, the Montague Historical Commission hopes to provide an education on what really happened and who was involved in the incident that the name memorializes.It...
Selectboard backs acquisition, renovation plans for Charlemont Inn
By ZACK DeLUCA
CHARLEMONT — The Selectboard voted this week in favor of pursuing acquisition of the Charlemont Inn through foreclosure, so it can sell the property to a local developer to be turned into low-income elderly housing.Byron Gilchrest, a Charlemont...
DCR renting boats on Quabbin Reservoir starting Aug. 1, but with pandemic-specific guidelines
The three Quabbin Reservoir Fishing Boat Launch Areas are now open for the 2020 fishing season, and as of Saturday, Aug. 1, visitors can rent boats, motors, canoes and kayaks on a first come, first served basis.According to a notice from the state...
Suit filed against NMH for alleged negligence in 2017 incident
By ZACK DeLUCA
GILL — A former Northfield Mount Hermon School student has filed a legal complaint and is seeking a case against the school, claiming negligence and infliction of emotional distress from an alleged 2017 incident involving a current staff...
Early release for ex-officer convicted of vehicular homicide
By DOMENIC POLI
GREENFIELD — The former Greenfield police sergeant convicted in January of vehicular homicide stemming from a 2017 incident has been released from prison early.James B. Rode, 50, was sentenced on Jan. 27 to two years behind bars, with 15 months of...
Under new owner, Montague Village Store looks to rebrand
By MAX MARCUS
MONTAGUE CENTER — Recently under new ownership, the Montague Village Store on Main Street is rethinking its relationship with its community — both in its product offerings, and in the way the store styles and brands itself.Kathy Lynch, who took over...
Residents flocking to redeem bottles, cans
By DOMENIC POLI
Data shows that sales of soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are up as people take to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a lot of empty bottles and cans laying around and consumers looking for a place to bring them.Starting June 5,...
French King Bridge safety barriers off track
By MAX MARCUS
A project to build barriers on the French King Bridge — to address suicides and other safety issues — that was at least five years in the making has apparently been deprioritized by the state Department of Transportation, leaving local officials...
New Salem General Store getting new owners
By DOMENIC POLI
NEW SALEM — It’s the end of one era and the start of another at the New Salem General Store, which is set to have new owners Monday.Natalie and Jeffrey Reynolds are slated to take over from Rick and Lori Oliver, who about a quarter-century ago...
Dedicating a piece of Orange to Hazel Lackey
By DOMENIC POLI
ORANGE — When New Salem resident Susan Arnold moved to the North Quabbin region in the late 1980s, she discovered a friendly face who helped her settle in.Through her jobs with Valuing Our Children, the Montachusett Opportunity Council, Peoples Bridge...
NMH faces $2M suit concerning sexual abuse allegations
By ZACK DeLUCA
GILL — Northfield Mount Hermon School is being sued for more than $2 million in a case alleging sexual abuse of a minor female by a female teacher between 1999 and 2001, according to a complaint filed in Suffolk Superior Court.Received by the court...
Athol superintendent responds to calls for expulsion
By GREG VINE
ATHOL — In the face of calls for her expulsion, Darcy Fernandes this week mounted an impassioned defense of her tenure as superintendent of the Athol-Royalston Regional School District.The matter was discussed at Wednesday’s meeting of the School...
PHOTOS: GCC bids farewell to grads in drive-through celebration
Note: A parade in honor of Greenfield Community College’s Class of 2020 graduates was held Saturday, but a traditional graduation ceremony will not be held until December. At which time, there may be additional graduates to list.GraduatesJoshua L....
Former Greenfield teacher, killed in Vietnam, still loved
By DOMENIC POLI
GREENFIELD — Shortly before he was deployed to Vietnam to serve his country, Army 1st Lt. Bernard James Lovett Jr. had a nice dinner at the house of fellow Greenfield Junior High School teacher Courtney Woodcock and his wife.The three broke bread and...
Hoosac Tunnel in North Adams reopens to trains
By MARY BYRNE
NORTH ADAMS — The Hoosac Tunnel reopened to trains on Saturday after a two-month closure for repairs.The tunnel closed to traffic on Feb. 12 after a “partial wall collapse,” according to Cynthia Scarano, executive vice president of Pan Am Railways, a...
Montague resident designs tour bus to promote Big Brothers Big Sisters
By SHELBY ASHLINE
GILL — When Montague resident Amy Bowse first read about a contest to craft a design for an F.M. Kuzmeskus bus that would honor Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County, she wasn’t sure she should enter.Bowse, a self-employed graphic designer, was...
Following soft opening, His and Hers Comics to start regular hours Wednesday
By ANDY CASTILLO
GREENFIELD — Nishon Morgan, the “his” behind the recently opened His and Hers Comics store, has always enjoyed comic books. “There were always comic books in the house,” Morgan said Thursday, a day after his Bank Row store — which he owns with his...
Quabbin Valley Healthcare in Athol has new owners
By DOMENIC POLI
ATHOL — Quabbin Valley Healthcare is now in its third month of new ownership.Scott Wheeler and several partners from Blupoint Healthcare purchased the facility at 821 Daniel Shays Highway from Cambridge Healthcare Group on Jan. 1. Wheeler said except...
