H.S. Roundup: Amherst cross country sweeps Northampton on Senior Day

Hampshire County teams among state's best in first MIAA power rankings

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) released its first power rankings on Tuesday. While every team in the state makes the lists, several Hampshire County teams ranked high in their divisions across different sports. The top 32 teams plus any team with a .500 record or better qualify for the MIAA playoffs. Two teams in […]

A center of everything: Amherst College’s new hub puts campus life under one playful, sustainable roof

AMHERST — The Boston Globe’s longtime architecture critic Robert Campbell argued that successful public spaces need activity and varied uses: places to sit, eat and drink, replete with opportunities for people to interact. If that’s the criterion, the new Ford Student Center at Amherst College hits the mark. There isn’t a corner of the four-story, […]

Amherst Town Council seeks more UMass money for schools, roads in next strategic partnership

AMHERST — Town councilors want the next strategic partnership with the University of Massachusetts to include more money for public K-12 schools, town roads and public safety, continued advocacy for better payment in lieu of taxes on state-owned land and assurances that Amherst can collect some property tax revenue from campus public-private partnership developments. With […]

Western Mass. senators join Oliveira-led fight against Trump plan to cut 1,400 Head Start standards

A group of Massachusetts state senators is urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to withdraw proposed Head Start program rule changes that could diminish the quality of services used by thousands of children and their families across the Bay State. The federal agency announced in early August sweeping plans to remove 1,400 federal regulations and standards for the early childhood education and health program, including a reduction in required operating hours, larger child-to-teacher ratios and removal of mandated vision, hearing and developmental screenings. The Trump administration said in the Aug. 6 announcement that eliminating administrative oversight would “restore […]

Leverett resident is Warwick's new town coordinator

Lizzie Alwan is Warwick's new town coordinator, replacing David Young. She is focusing on initiatives like a five-year capital plan and supporting the town's elderly population.