Stepping onto a blank stage: New theater project empowers queer youth to write and perform their own stories

Hampshire Regional's $19.8M budget finalized after member towns approve dues

WESTHAMPTON — Hampshire Regional High School’s $19.8 million budget for the upcoming school year is now official, after each member town approved its share of dues at town meetings this spring. The budget cuts $280,000 in services, including two full-time positions. The budget represents a roughly $1.5 million jump from last year’s spending of $18.2 […]

Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion preps to open second Hadley campus for K-1 grades

HADLEY — A second campus for the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Public Charter School, where kindergarten and first-grade classes will be located, is opening in late August. Principal Kathleen Wang told school trustees at a meeting Thursday that the 300 Venture Way site will have six new classrooms, all of which are 1,200 square feet […]

Chesterfield weighs options for new offices, fire station

CHESTERFIELD — Replacing the town’s aging offices and fire station has been an effort three decades in the making. Now, with at least five scenarios on the table, officials are seeking community input on a project that could cost between $7 million and $10 million. In the town offices at 422 Main Road, town officials […]

Guest columnist Daniel Lyons: The economic reality of net-zero ambition

Concerning Keith Hastie’s July 23 guest column, “Our path to a better energy future,” I agree that if we need to build more solar panels in Massachusetts, then some should be sited in forests. I also agree that the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan is ambitious, but I would not describe it as magnificent. […]

Leverett Select Board leaves roof funding with regional district despite cost concerns

LEVERETT — Even as the ongoing roof replacement at the Amherst Regional Middle School is expected to come in below the original $9.83 million construction estimate, Leverett officials will allow the regional schools to continue holding the town’s appropriation. The Select Board Tuesday voted unanimously to have the school district keep Leverett’s expenditure until the […]