State labor director urges UMass and staff union to narrow contract issues

Amherst College receives $50 million gift for new student center

AMHERST — A $50 million gift, one of the largest ever received by Amherst College, will go to support the new student center and dining commons, which is expected to open for the fall semester as the Ford Student Center. The gift comes from William “Bill” Ford, a member of the Class of 1983, his […]

Saying ‘people are afraid,’ Healey lays out ICE guidance

BOSTON — Massachusetts is guiding schools and colleges on how to deny federal immigration enforcement access to nonpublic areas, advising healthcare facilities on how to protect confidential health information, and working with places of worship on ways to interact with officers, as well as posting guidance on state property “to make really clear that ICE […]

As ICE activity rises, Valley advocates mobilize

HOLYOKE — “When we organize, we take our power back.”  That message has guided Ariana Keigan and the Pioneer Valley Workers Center (PVWC) as immigrant advocacy groups across western Massachusetts respond to increased immigration enforcement activity during President Donald Trump’s second term. Speaking Wednesday at Holyoke Community College’s annual Fair Housing & Civil Rights Conference, […]

‘We’ve earned it’: Mahar celebrates 87 graduates in Class of 2026

The Ralph C. Mahar Regional School commencement exercises on Friday celebrated the 87 graduates, with a moment of silence for the 88th graduate who passed away 10 years ago, and a message from the superintendent that a high school diploma is a launching point, not a finish line.

Franklin Tech’s 50th class honors past, embraces future in heartfelt ceremony

The 50th graduating class of Franklin County Technical School honored their past and looked to the future during their commencement ceremony, with speakers honoring the memory of Christian Walker, who was fatally shot in June 2025, and the superintendent reflecting on the meaning of the school's initials FCTS.