Columnist Joanna Buoniconti: An unexpected week in the intensive care unit

'Energy emergency': Healey moves to blunt soaring heating costs

Gov. Maura Healey declared a “state of energy emergency” Monday as she announced increased home heating assistance for tens of thousands of Bay Staters in the midst of rising oil costs this winter.  Healey said an executive order will also remove the SMART program charge from residential electric bills for three months and cut the Alternative Portfolio […]

Pelham voters face $80K request for Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity homes at special Town Meeting

PELHAM — An $80,000 appropriation to help Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity complete ongoing construction of two single-family homes is one of three articles residents will decide at a special Town Meeting Tuesday. The session begins at 5 p.m. at the Old Town Hall at the intersection of Route 202 and Amherst Road. The building, […]

Amherst Dems to hold public forum on three statewide ballot questions

AMHERST — Three statewide questions on the Nov. 3 election ballot will be discussed during a public forum hosted by the Amherst Democratic Town Committee this Wednesday. Held at the community room at the police station, the conversation will address the referendums on state revenue, single-family home construction and firearm regulations. There will be a […]

City Briefing: Manna Community Kitchen celebrates 40 years

The Manna Community Kitchen will celebrate 40 years of serving meals to the community on Oct. 14 at the Smith College Conference Center with its event “Mannaversary: Honoring Our Past, Feeding the Future.” In 1986, the “Manna Project” began as a weekly gathering for free community meals at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Elm Street. […]

Westfield woman, 21, ID'd as crash victim

EASTHAMPTON — A 21-year-old woman who was killed in a single motor vehicle crash early Friday has been identified as Lexani Velasquez, of Westfield. Velasquez, a passenger, was one of two occupants of the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene after the vehicle hit a guardrail by the Park Street rotary near Mountain […]