Athol committee formed to review private road bylaw

Lieutenant governor gets inside look at Franklin County food system

Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll visited the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center and Clarkdale Fruit Farms to see how state investments in local food systems are benefiting the region, and to emphasize the importance of agriculture to the state's economy.

Playground at Fish Park in Athol nears completion

ATHOL – The town’s Department of Public Works are putting the finishing touches on a brand new playground at Fish Park. The playground, which is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), was installed by Site Specifics, located in Rochester. DPW Director Paul Raskevitz said that the company has done a lot of […]

Local officials, lawmakers make voices heard on Quabbin inequity

At the first local meeting of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority's board of directors in years, town officials and state legislators pleaded for fairness and equity regarding the Quabbin Reservoir, advocating for more local representation and compensation for the region's stewardship and sacrifice.

National Grid's multi-year project to enhance transmission line capacity

National Grid has started a $470 million project to upgrade a high-voltage transmission line from Vermont to Massachusetts, which will involve replacing structures and foundations, adding new conductors and improving right-of-way access. The infrastructure in place is approaching the end of its useful life, and the work will be reflected in consumers' utility bills over the next several years.

Massachusetts lawmakers push for strict data center rules

State lawmakers have proposed a legislative change that would hold data centers responsible for their environmental and financial impact on communities, requiring them to use their own sources of clean energy, pay their own gas infrastructure costs, meet water protection and cumulative impact standards, and forfeit the state tax exemption if not in compliance.