Annual state budgets now just a starting point for spending

Columnist Judy Wagner: Summer's satisfactions

The satisfactions of summer are rich and plentiful. The beds of annuals and perennials begin to flower in earnest, exchanging a tentative start for lush displays. After a slow beginning with a few greens, the garden yields snow peas; tomatoes and peppers and eggplants get their roots down and rally to the business of flowering […]

My Turn: Chablis or merlot? That all depends …

Several mornings a week, I play nine holes with golfing buddies Sean and Chris. We have similar interests, hold similar views on the state of the world, and we appreciate one another’s sense of humor. We get along well, as we hack and chunk and sweat our way through the fairways at Cherry Hill, in […]

My Turn: Two rivers, one overlooked problem

The recent attention paid to sewage spills in the Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers is welcome, and overdue. When a pipe breaks and millions of gallons of untreated wastewater pour into a river overnight, it makes headlines, and it should. Beaches close, fisheries shut down, and elected officials take notice. Friends of Lake Warner and the […]

Legion baseball: Greenfield Post 81 loses to Beverly Post 331, ousted from state tournament

MILFORD — A second loss in as many days ousted Greenfield Post 81 from the Massachusetts Legion Baseball State Tournament on Sunday. Greenfield lost to Beverly Post 331, 2-1, to end its season at sunny Fino Field. Greenfield went to the seventh inning without a hit and down 2-0 against Beverly but loaded the bases […]

Gleaning program led by Rachel's Table gaining ground with addition of new vehicle

Rachel's Table acquired a dedicated gleaning vehicle funded by grants and donations to expand its ability to recover and distribute surplus produce from local farms to communities facing food insecurity.