News
Deerfield businessman being sued in federal court by former employee
By DAVID McLELLAN
SPRINGFIELD — A Deerfield businessman and stonemason is being sued by a former employee for allegedly underpaying for years. Wednesday was the first day of the federal court trial of Sonam Rinchen Lama, a Tibetan immigrant and master stonemason who...
Turners Falls shop finds niche in vintage motorcycle repair
By MAX MARCUS
TURNERS FALLS — As one of very few motorcycle shops that can work on almost any bike regardless of its make, model or year, Nova Motorcycles draws customers from throughout New England, and sometimes from as far away as New York City.“If it’s got two...
Greenfield and Orange District Court Logs: Nov. 7 to Nov. 13, 2019
Judge Laurie MacLeod Greenfield, Nov. 7Misty Jacques, 34, of 13th Street, Turners Falls. Charge of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, in Montague by State Police from the Shelburne barracks, was dismissed upon the request of the...
A&B charges dropped for Deerfield man
Adam Luker, 38, of Deerfield, had all charges against him dismissed on Sept. 18, court documents indicate. The Greenfield Recorder accurately reported in June that Luker had been arraigned in Greenfield District Court and placed on pretrial probation...
Greenfield and Orange District Court Logs: Oct. 28 to Nov. 6, 2019
Judge William Mazanec IIIGreenfield, Oct. 28 Jason L. Clark, 40, of Zoar Road, Charlemont. Charge of larceny under $1,200, in Charlemont by State Police from the Shelburne barracks. Released on personal recognizance. Pretrial conference set for Dec....
Wedegartner pulls off narrow victory for Greenfield mayor
By MELINA BOURDEAU, DOMENIC POLI, MAX MARCUS and DAVID McLELLAN
GREENFIELD — An unexpected problem with Precinct 8’s ballot machine as well as write-in candidates led to poll workers counting many ballots by hand late Tuesday night. Nonetheless, Roxann Wedegartner was declared the new mayor of...
Greenfield and Orange District Court Logs: Oct. 21 to Oct. 28, 2019
Judge William Mazanec III Greenfield, Oct. 21Nathaniel Newton, 34, of Grape Street, Fair Haven, Vt. Charges of possession of a burglarious instrument, a marked lanes violation, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, registration not in possession,...
Case of threatening journalist dismissed after probation, treatment
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — A charge against an Amherst woman who allegedly threatened a newspaper journalist in summer 2018 has been dismissed after more than a year of court cases, jail time and mental health evaluations.The misdemeanor charge of threatening to...
Greenfield and Orange District Court Logs: Oct. 15 to Oct. 18, 2019
Judge William MazanecGreenfield, Oct. 15Kevin K. Smith, 34, of Oak Grove Avenue, Springfield. Charges of resisting arrest, intimidating a witness/juror/police/court official, a marked lanes violation, failure to stop or yield, improper operation of a...
Man flees from police following Bernardston traffic stop
By DOMENIC POLI
BERNARDSTON — A Holyoke man has not been found since fleeing after the vehicle he was riding in was pulled over just north of Exit 28 on Interstate 91 northbound in Bernardston at around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.Lakeam A. Bennett, 27, provided false...
Greenfield and Orange District Court Logs: Oct. 9-15, 2019
Holly A. Boisvert, 49, homeless of Greenfield. Charge of possession of a Class B drug and possession of a Class E drug. Released on personal recognizance. Pretrial conference set for Dec. 6. The counsel fee was waived.Judge William Mazanec III...
New Hampshire man sentenced to 10 to 12 years for stabbing
By DAVID McLELLAN
GREENFIELD — The New Hampshire man who stabbed Massachusetts State Police Trooper Mark Whitcomb last year was sentenced to 10 to 12 years in prison on Friday, after changing his plea to guilty.Nghia Le, 19, of Manchester, N.H., pleaded guilty to eight...
Greenfield and Orange District Court Logs: Sept. 13 to Sept. 20, 2019
Judge Laurie MacLeod Orange, Sept. 13Hayden M. Manson, 25, of Orange Road, Warwick. Charged with OUI-liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, possession of a Class B drug and OUI-drugs. On the first three counts, sufficient facts were found,...
At 92, orchard owner starts a new hard cider business
By DAVID McLELLAN
Editor’s Note: This story is part of a week-long series about the state of farming in Franklin County.People thought she was crazy.At 92 years old, Carol Hillman, owner of New Salem Preserves & Orchards, 67 South Main St., has started a new business...
Dairy farming a labor of love, but not financially sustainable for farmers
By ANITA FRITZ
Editor’s Note: This story is part of a week-long series about the state of farming in Franklin County.Sixty-five-year-old David Duprey has been a dairy farmer almost his entire life. It’s the life he has built, the life he knows, and the life he’s not...
Farm stands a way to supplement income
By ANITA FRITZ
Editor’s Note: This story is part of a week-long series about the state of farming in Franklin County.Drive along many of the major routes and back roads of Franklin County and you’re bound to run into a farm stand or ice cream/food stand.Many of the...
Valley has rich history of growing tobacco
By DOMENIC POLI
Editor’s Note: This story is part of a week-long series about the state of farming in Franklin County.Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. But, other times, that smoke you’re holding is wrapped in a tobacco leaf grown along the Connecticut River — in...
Greenfield and Orange District Court Logs: Sept. 3 to Sept. 10, 2019
Judge William Mazanec III Greenfield, Sept. 3Rayshawn Yarde, 28, of Old Ferry Road, West Chesterfield. Charge of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, in Bernardston by State Police from the Shelburne barracks, was dismissed upon the request of the...
Former teacher pleads guilty to indecent A&B
By DOMENIC POLI
GREENFIELD — An Ashfield man and former teacher was sentenced Wednesday morning to three years’ probation after changing his plea on charges related the 2017 inappropriate touching of his friends’ daughters.Douglas J. Forbes, 53, pleaded guilty in...
DA alum David Koch dies
By DOMENIC POLI
DEERFIELD — Deerfield Academy is, for the second time this month, mourning the death of a former student who came from a powerful American family.David Koch, the libertarian billionaire businessman who graduated from the prestigious institution in...
