Bulletin Board: Orange Turkey Trot 5K enters its third year on November 7

Athol YMCA food pantry responds to growing need

ATHOL – Starting from a closet with basic items to opening a grocery store-style food pantry; the Athol Area YMCA is growing its reach to help the community at a time when the need is high. “We’re pulling in 10-30 new people per week….” said Laurie Saisa, child care service director and food pantry director […]

Local Republicans, Democrats push back on proposed all-party primary system

Massachusetts voters will consider replacing the current party-specific primary system with a single non-partisan primary via ballot Question 3 on Nov. 3, a measure supported by some former governors and unions but opposed by many local Democratic and Republican organizations.

Quabbin water fight raises questions about state’s dual oversight roles

BOSTON — As the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority deals with resistance to its request to withdraw more water from the Quabbin and Wachusett system, the state’s environmental secretariat is playing a key role at both the water authority and the commission that is vetting the controversial request.  Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper chairs […]

Athol marijuana cultivator agreement extended through 2032

ATHOL – The Select Board has unanimously voted to extend an existing host community agreement [HCA] with Apotho Therapeutics, a marijuana cultivation operation located at 1 Exchange St. Town Manager Shaun Suhoski said the agreement has been reviewed by Apotho’s attorney and town counsel, and runs through March 21, 2032. It was originally granted to […]

Columnist Daniel Cantor Yalowitz: Reconnecting with families

We’re coming upon the time of year when families make concerted efforts to reconnect, hopefully and preferably in person. Whether you’re called to call this “Thanksgiving” or “Friends-Giving” or “Day of Mourning” or something else, what these next weeks have in common is the idea of bringing “family” together, however one construes the notion of family. As humans, we’re all over the map in terms of how we feel about and get along with our families. The cluster of a small group of individuals may be borne out of the traditional notion of parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, or it […]