Former Days Inn in Greenfield to become City Express by Marriott

Get Growing with Mickey Rathbun: Hidden in plain sight: The secret gardens of Grace Episcopal Church

Sometimes the loveliest gardens can be right under our noses and we don’t even know they’re there. The gardens at Amherst’s Grace Episcopal Church are such a hidden gem. The Spring Street garden, enjoyed by everyone who walks down the street, is just a small taste of the plantings that the Church’s Garden Ministry has […]

Travel with Max: Deep-dish, 'The Bear' beef and bites of air: Discovering the best of Chicago in three days

Sometimes spur‑of‑the‑moment travel delivers the best surprises. A few years ago, on a random Wednesday, my partner asked if I wanted to go to Chicago for the weekend. Sure. Why not? Three days in the Second City turned into a fast-paced, invigorating escape — architecture tours, deep-dish pizza, art museums, comedy clubs and all the things you simply can’t do in little old Deerfield or Greenfield. It felt good to be in a real city again. It’s only a two-and-a-half‑hour flight west from Boston, and before long we were stepping off the plane at O’Hare and onto the CTA Blue Line. […]

Don’t mail it now, Galvin tells voters as primary turnout climbs

BOSTON — Massachusetts will see higher turnout in Tuesday’s primary elections than it did in 2022, Secretary of State William Galvin predicted Thursday while urging voters who have not yet returned their mail-in ballots to avoid putting them in the mail and instead vote in person or use a drop box. Speaking at a press conference […]

Public Safety Commission supports Fire Department promotions

The Greenfield Public Safety Commission unanimously supported the recommendations to promote William Kimball to permanent captain and Matthew Parody to lieutenant.

Outgoing town administrator Fortier thanks Orange

ORANGE — The outgoing town administrator expressed his gratitude to town officials and volunteers for their support a couple of weeks after being passed over for the newly created town manager position. Matthew Fortier used time designated for his town administrator’s report at the Aug. 26 Orange Selectboard meeting to explain that he will continue […]