Local briefs: IAABO Board 28 opens recruitment for basketball officials in Franklin and Hampshire Counties

Scammers intercept $47K from Ashfield meant for solar installers

The Ashfield Selectboard met on Wednesday to discuss the discovery of a $47,198 payment to scammers who intercepted funds intended for Solect Energy via a fraudulent email scheme.

H.S. football: Smith Voc overcomes injury setbacks to sink Ludlow, 38-20

NORTHAMPTON – The Ludlow football team pulled within two scores of Smith Vocational with less than 6 minutes remaining, Thursday night. The Lions were rolling, while the Vikings, despite leading the entire game, were scuffling due to mounting injuries. Smith Voc rallied at the right time. A 54-yard run by freshman Kaden Shearer on the […]

A Constitution Day oath: 34 newly minted citizens soak up positive energy in naturalization ceremony

AMHERST — Amherst College professors and married couple Daniel Kojo Schrade and Anna Schrade came to the United States in 2007. When they tell their friends back in Germany about their decision to become American citizens, their friends pity the couple. “Oh my God, you live in the United States, I’m so sorry,” they hear […]

Town hits pause on $1M grant for Tadgell School redevelopment

BELCHERTOWN — The Select Board is considering refusing a $1 million state grant to turn the Tadgell School into a mixed-use resilience hub and business space so the town can still sell the building later. Belchertown received a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness 2.0 grant on Aug. 13 to continue preconstruction design and community outreach for redeveloping […]

Easthampton's pick for Town Lodging House draws ire

EASTHAMPTON — City residents didn’t hold back Wednesday night when the City Council endorsed Renewal Initiatives to claim ownership of the city’s historic Town Lodging House property on Oliver Street, much to the dismay of its competitor who believes the process was not fair. The council’s recommendation was sent to Mayor Salem Derby, who told the Gazette in an interview Thursday that he will be moving forward with the Renewal Initiatives proposal. “My job is to make the best decision for Easthampton,” Derby said. “One proposal stood out to me as more prepared and ready to handle the level of difficulty […]