Athol, Winchendon food pantries brace for impacts of SNAP loss

Pioneer Valley forestland: 1,200-plus acres across six towns permanently conserved

AMHERST — More than 1,200 acres of forestland throughout the region, including over 200 acres in Pelham, Westhampton and Williamsburg, are being donated to the Kestrel and Mount Grace land trusts for permanent conservation by an affiliate of The Lyme Timber Company. The timberland properties are on 12 parcels that Lyme bought from W.D. Cowls […]

Amherst gets $175K boost to reenvision Hampshire College campus

AMHERST — MassDevelopment is providing Amherst a $175,000 grant to support the future redevelopment of Hampshire College’s land and continue an ongoing zoning study on the approximately 860-acre campus. The money supplements a $75,000 grant MassDevelopment awarded in May, through its Real Estate Services Technical Assistance Program, that is going toward technical assistance for the […]

Committee considers Mill Brook Crossing sign ideas

ATHOL – The Parking Benefits District Oversight Committee voted Tuesday night to explore a hybrid design for a new Mill Brook Crossing sign after reviewing several proposals for the project. Director of Planning and Community Development Eric Smith presented two options from Lyman Signs for the entrance to the plaza. Both included an electronic display, […]

Eyes on the road: License plate cameras spark privacy concerns

Sometimes, it feels hard to escape technology these days. That may feel particularly relevant to those concerned about cameras set up on the side of the road in different Hampshire County communities, constantly capturing drivers’ locations, license plates and vehicle details. The AI-powered cameras known as automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), often operated by police […]

Ribbon cut for Mill Brook Crossing in Athol

ATHOL – Local and state officials cut the ribbon to Mill Brook Crossing, formerly Lord Pond Plaza, the final step in a project that began in 2020. The event marked the completion of the years-long, $3 million effort to transform the center’s parking lot from six acres of moisture-impervious, heat-reflecting blacktop into “a greener, safer, […]