News
UMass diverting money to new fund that will cover federal funding losses
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — Money targeted for both strategic investments and deferred maintenance on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus is being temporarily diverted to a new account that will ensure research continues uninterrupted, should federal grants and contracts be paused or ended.
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...
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...
Redistricting could result in 19 staff cuts, Greenfield superintendent says
By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI
GREENFIELD — Although the mayor announced last week that the city could not fund the School Department’s nearly $25.59 million budget proposal with a $1.89 million increase, a key driver of which was redistricting measures, the School Committee voted 6-0 with one abstention to continue with its redistricting plan in September.
Students, staff sign petition seeking to keep Gill-Montague SRO
By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN
MONTAGUE — More than 100 students and staff members at Turners Falls High School and Great Falls Middle School have signed a petition advocating to keep School Resource Officer Dan Miner, whose position is being eliminated as part of fiscal year 2026 budget cuts.
PHOTO: Concert comes to class
State Legislature plans to again extend remote meeting authority
By COLIN A. YOUNG
BOSTON — Two weeks before the policies are set to expire, the House and Senate took the first steps Monday to once again temporarily extend pandemic-era laws allowing remote access for public meetings in Massachusetts.
Inspired by late civil rights activists, Good Trouble Democracy Brigade forms
By CHRIS LARABEE
SOUTH DEERFIELD — As protests against the Trump administration proliferate across the U.S., a new group of voices is rising in South Deerfield, on the corner of Route 116 and Sugarloaf Street.
Greenfield Police Logs: March 3 to March 7, 2025
12:34 a.m. — Report of suspicious activity investigated at Clinical & Support Options on Arch Place.
Shelburne Cultural Council awards nearly $7K to 23 projects
SHELBURNE — The Cultural Council has awarded $6,955 in grants to fund a range of projects and programs in the arts, humanities and sciences in 2025.
Federal cuts inspire demonstration in Orange
By DOMENIC POLI
ORANGE — Dozens of people convened at Memorial Park over the weekend, and are planning to gather again next Saturday, to protest the federal government’s wide-ranging cuts, perhaps most notably those involving the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Proposed bylaw changes would amend Buckland Town Meeting date, revise plastics regs
By MADISON SCHOFIELD
BUCKLAND — Annual Town Meeting voters will be asked to consider three bylaw amendments to change the date Annual Town Meeting is held, remove exemptions for the single-use plastics bylaw and update Buckland’s dog license regulations to be consistent with state law.
Agreement with teachers union saves two positions in Mahar budget proposal
By DOMENIC POLI
ORANGE — Seven positions were poised to be eliminated in Ralph C. Mahar Regional School’s fiscal year 2026 budget until the teachers union agreed to a change in the insurance deductible amount to save enough money to spare two of those jobs.
New Bernardston Fire Station is up and running
By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN
BERNARDSTON — It’s official. Bernardston’s new Fire Station at 167 Northfield Road is operational and ready to serve the community.
‘A catalyst to a vibrant downtown’: Ja’Duke opening Greenfield location next week
By CHRIS LARABEE
GREENFIELD — The transformation of 270 Main St. is complete, as Ja’Duke Inc. is ready to open its downtown Greenfield location next week.
McGovern calls on voters to resist federal cuts to food services
By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI
GREENFIELD — In his address to food cooperative members at the 14th annual Neighboring Food Co-op Association meeting, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern rallied his constituents to fight back against federal cuts to food and agriculture programs under the Trump administration.
North Quabbin Notebook: March 18, 2025
WENDELL — The Wendell Meetinghouse needs two actors who can play a man and a woman, mid-20s to 50, in a production of “Swamped,” a full-length play written and directed by Court Dorsey.
Health care cost surge adds to Mass. affordability woes
By CHRIS LISINSKI
BOSTON — Health care costs in Massachusetts surged at “unsustainable” levels in 2023, adding more pressure to strained household budgets, according to new state data.
Montague Police Logs: March 3 to March 8, 2025
5:13 p.m. — Caller reports a dog is wandering around in the area of Crescent Street. He went to the house at 3 Crescent St. and saw a dish with food and a tether, but the owners weren’t home. Officer advising the dog was just hanging out at his own property.
Franklin County’s YMCA sets $160K fundraising goal for annual campaign
By CHRIS LARABEE
GREENFIELD — Ahead of the kickoff event for its annual fundraising campaign to raise money for membership, child care services and youth programming, representatives from Franklin County’s YMCA shared how increasing access to its programs benefits the whole community.
