Area Briefs: Velis delivers $20K for Magic for Maddie Foundation

Southampton Senior Center faces moisture issues after mold discovery

SOUTHAMPTON — The town is trying to identify the cause of excess moisture inside the Senior Center connected to Town Hall on College Highway, a development that forced the center to recently close for two weeks. Town Administrator Scott Szczebak said the center closed Sept. 28 “out of an abundance of caution” because two mold spots […]

Jones Library trustees call on Friends to continue supporting fundraising efforts

AMHERST — The Friends of the Jones Library Inc. is being called on to continue serving as a fundraising arm for the library, amid pressure on the Jones Inc. endowment to support annual operations and a shortfall in the capital campaign to expand and renovate the library building. During a discussion at a meeting Thursday, […]

Amethyst Brook trailhead to undergo accessibility and infrastructure improvements

AMHERST — Already a popular spot for walkers, many with dogs in tow, the Amethyst Brook Conservation Area trailhead will undergo improvements to improve access to hundreds of acres of permanently protected land in Amherst, Pelham and Shutesbury. With Kestrel Land Trust and The Trustees for Reservations last year placing a conservation restriction on the […]

14 local collection sites available on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Fourteen communities in Hampshire and Franklin counties will host medication collection sites on Saturday, Oct. 24, as part of a coordinated effort to promote safe prescription drug disposal.

Speaking Of Nature: Patience pays plenty — Reunited and it feels so good

October of 2025 was a difficult time in my life. I was home all month as I recovered from abdominal surgery, and I was definitely out of sorts. My first brush with mortality had me feeling a bit untethered and I was also in a lot of discomfort. Basically, all I could do with myself […]