The e-bike boom: Electric bicycles are giving riders new freedom while fueling safety concerns

Relief in sight for Amherst’s aging DPW ‘Barn’

AMHERST — Inside the main vehicle bay at the Department of Public Works building, often simply referred to as the “Barn,” a puddle on the concrete floor that developed from a recent rainstorm has nearly dried up, even as the underside of the roof in a nearby storage area remains soggy — with tiles were […]

A fresh start: Amherst ready to open first new elementary school since 1970s

AMHERST — Letters spelling “welcome” on the door and the phrase “change your words, change your mindset” on the bulletin board are displayed in the classroom where Catherine Moss will teach second graders at Amethyst Brook Elementary School. As she finished setting up the space last week inside the first new elementary school opened in […]

Keeping Hadley small while thinking big: New town administrator sees opportunities for growth

HADLEY — Even with over one-third of its land area permanently protected and wide expanses of farmland preserved in perpetuity, significant possibilities exist for enhancing Hadley’s tax base, while at the same time maintaining the character of the community. That’s the take from new Town Administrator Nate Malloy’s vantage point. As Malloy settles into the job — in May he became the first person to hold the position on a permanent basis in nearly two years — he is examining ways to stabilize and strengthen municipal finances, preserve existing town services and continue the forward momentum enjoyed by the public schools. […]

1st Franklin Democratic candidates talk state audit, healthcare and ‘loneliness epidemic’ at forum

Democratic candidates Corinne Coryat and Lora Wondolowski debated issues such as the state legislative audit, healthcare, agriculture and education during a forum for the 1st Franklin District seat.

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 created all around the property. I recently took a tour of the gardens with Sara Liberty-Laylin, chair of the Garden Ministry, and longtime Ministry member Mary Hocken, who first began attending the church in 1982 and joined the Ministry soon thereafter. The handsome Gothic Revival church, […]