'Two Grannies on the Road' explore hidden gems in Williamsburg, Deerfield

Downtown Amherst in flux: closures, openings and a call to shop local

AMHERST — Beers and wines, bread, fresh produce and other kitchen essentials have filled the shelves at Aster + Pine Market in downtown Amherst for the past 2½ years, in what its owners described as a European-inspired market. As July ends, though, so will the store. Bill and Mallory Nurse, a Holyoke couple who opened […]

Guest columnist Jon Weissman: Now is the time for Medicare for All

We celebrate July 30, 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law.  This amended the Social Security Act, which contained no public health insurance provisions when President Franklin Roosevelt signed it Aug. 14, 1935. Led by Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, the New Dealers had proposed “Health Security” as part of Social Security. […]

West Nile virus found in Deerfield, Northfield mosquitoes

Mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus in Deerfield and Northfield have prompted health officials to remind residents to take precautions despite the overall risk remaining low.

Western Mass nursing home operator ordered to pay $2.1M

Joseph Cuzzupoli, co-founder of Blupoint Healthcare, was ordered to pay $2.1 million to lenders after a jury found him liable for fraud and consumer protection violations related to loans for two Massachusetts nursing homes.

Embark on a musical treasure hunt: Contemporary composers strike a chord with the Sound Walk at Look Park in Florence

Look Park is full of the sounds of nature and human life — birds chirping, cars passing by. A new sound installation encourages visitors to consider the park in a fresh way through original musical compositions. The Etchings Festival, a celebration of contemporary music, is hosting the Sound Walk, its first-ever outdoor installation, at Look […]