Easthampton City Council joins regional push to hold ICE agents accountable

A smoother road ahead: State officials launch new Unpaved Roads Program in Hatfield

HATFIELD — Washouts, mud and a surface that washboards, with parts so rough that drivers will choose to travel on the grass at the edge rather than on the dirt, often affect the gravel section of Straits Road. The main cause of these problems is evident to Highway Superintendent Duane Meehan, who points to a sub-base made up of silt and sand, materials that are not stable, and which cause even truck loads of gravel, used to maintain the road, to be swallowed up each year. Sometime in 2027, those long-standing issues will be fixed, as stone is added to the […]

Designers explore three sites for temporary DPW headquarters in Amherst

AMHERST — A designer is exploring three options for a temporary Department of Public Works headquarters: relocating to the Wildwood School site on Strong Street, moving to the Ruxton site on Pulpit Hill Road, or remaining at the current 586 South Pleasant St. building while a new $35 million facility is constructed there. But even […]

Mount Holyoke to close language center amid budget cuts

SOUTH HADLEY — A study spot. A movie theater. A cozy lounge area. A tutoring center. A classroom. One room at Mount Holyoke College’s Ciruti Language Center encompassed it all. The Language and Cultural Commons is the only language center in the Five College Consortium. It helps students fulfilling their language requirement find tutors, introduces […]

Amherst seniors gather at local venues to foster community connection

AMHERST — Monthly gatherings of senior citizens, organized in part by the Council on Aging and Friends of the Amherst Senior Center, are taking place at locations around town. On Wednesday from 10 to 11 a.m., the next Meet & Greet will be held on the patio at Atkins Farms Country Market, 1150 West St., while on July 30, from 4 to 6 p.m., the Inn on Boltwood Tavern, 30 Boltwood Ave., will be the site of the next Senior Sips. “The purpose of both of these things is to foster a sense of community among seniors,” says Dennis Vandal, president […]

Area Briefs: New pastor joins United Methodist Church in Northampton

New pastor joins United Methodist Church in Northampton NORTHAMPTON — A new pastor has been appointed to lead Christ United Methodist Church in Northampton. Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton appointed Rob Powell as pastor of the 271 Rocky Hill Road church in June. Prior to this appointment, Powell served as the director of family ministries and connections at Trinity United Methodist Church in Springfield. While at Trinity, Powell worked closely with children and youth ministries, developed a silent retreat ministry for adults and supported worship by providing weekly children’s messages and occasional preaching. Raised in Columbus, Georgia, Powell began a career in […]