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

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

WILLIAMSBURG — Think a summer getaway means packing the car and burning gas, or getting on a plane and burning money? Think again, said Beth Sobiloff and Marcia Rothwell, hosts of “Two Grannies on the Road,” who said Pioneer Valley residents can just go in their backyard and find troves of hidden gems. Their latest […]

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 […]