Guest columnist Maureen Sullivan: Solar development shouldn't tear us apart

Ex-physical therapist from South Hadley loses appeal of indecent assault convictions

NORTHAMPTON — The state Appeals Court on Friday upheld the convictions of a 46-year-old South Hadley man who indecently assaulted a patient while working as a physical therapist at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Edward Kostek was convicted of three felony counts of indecent assault and battery in September 2022 after a jury trial in Northampton District […]

Northampton schools post sharp gains on state accountability measures

NORTHAMPTON — Students in third through eighth grades made sharp gains on state accountability measures this year, but the district’s English learners fell well short of their progress targets, Superintendent Annie Azarloza recently told the School Committee. The district’s accountability score for those grades rose from 17% to 77% between 2025 and 2026, according to data from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). After earning zero of 12 available achievement points in English, math and science last year, the district earned 10 this year. “Last year … we actually declined in all three subjects,” Azarloza said at the […]

Holyoke’s Wyckoff golf course to become upscale neighborhood of up to 126 homes

HOLYOKE — The 110-acre golf course at Wyckoff Country Club will soon be converted into an upscale residential community comprising up to 126 homes, Wyckoff owner Cesar Ruiz announced Tuesday. With the country club slated to close Nov. 1, Ruiz said the decision to develop the course into homes came after a “thorough strategic planning […]

Municipalities consider lifting water bans as drought ends in Connecticut River Valley

Municipalities in the region are considering lifting restrictions on outdoor water use now that the state has declared the Connecticut River Valley is no longer in a drought. Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper moved the region from a mild drought into normal conditions on Oct. 9 based on rainfall figures through August. According […]

Stolen Emily Dickinson silhouette found in Amherst woods after theft earlier this month

AMHERST — A metal silhouette of Emily Dickinson, stolen from its perch at the corner of Main and Lessey streets earlier this month, was recovered over the weekend. The silhouette, installed in 1996, is part of “Poetic Dialogue,” depicting an imagined conversation between Dickinson and Robert Frost. According to Amherst police logs, residents of a Seelye […]