Visioning session to be held for Athol master plan

Heywood Healthcare purchases South Main Street clinic site in Athol

ATHOL – Heywood Healthcare has purchased the property at 201 South Main St., the former home to North Quabbin Family Physicians. The clinic closed its doors early last year following the death of co-founder Dr. Donald Mruk in February 2025. Mruk had served the North Quabbin area for more than four decades. Heywood purchased the […]

Baystate Health faces growing pressure over transgender care, insurance ties in dueling protests

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Health has come under pressure this week after two protests outside of its corporate offices demanded the hospital system reinstate gender-affirming care for youth and advocate for a public healthcare system. On Tuesday evening, about 25 people joined Nadia Milleron, an independent candidate for Congress in Massachusetts’ 1st District, to object to […]

Athol downtown sign plan moves forward

ATHOL – The Downtown Vitality Committee is moving forward with plans for new wayfinding signs to welcome visitors and help them navigate downtown. At the committee’s Aug. 11 meeting, Director of Planning and Community Development Eric Smith said about $6,000 has been approved through parking meter receipts for two initial signs. “We’ve had this kind […]

UMass football: Minutemen preparing for season-opener against Rutgers

When the UMass football team travels to Rutgers for its season opener on Thursday, Sept. 3, coach Joe Harasymiak will have intimate knowledge of the opponent at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. The gameplan should be simple for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers went 5-7 last season and 2-7 in the Big Ten. The team […]

Local police chiefs weigh in on pitfalls, benefits of AI scanner apps

Law enforcement officials in western Massachusetts are expressing concern over the accuracy of AI-powered police scanner apps like CrimeRadar, which have caused confusion through misinterpretations of emergency radio traffic.