Fisher Hill Elementary School students design game, bringing 19th-century westward expansion to life

Municipalities consider lifting water bans as drought declaration ends in Connecticut River Valley

Following Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tipper's announcement that the Connecticut River Valley is no longer in a drought, local municipalities like Belchertown and Amherst are considering lifting their seasonal water restrictions.

South County Notebook: Oct. 15, 2026

Deerfield Cultural Council accepting grant applications DEERFIELD — The Deerfield Cultural Council has kicked off its funding cycle for fiscal year 2027 and is on the hunt for cultural activities to support in town. The council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils under the Massachusetts Cultural Council, according to Deerfield Cultural […]

Guest columnist William Lambers: National School Lunch Week inspires free meals for hungry kids

For National School Lunch Week (Oct. 12-16) let’s remember America’s proud history of using school meals to reduce child hunger. Back in the early 1900s it was a Cincinnati school teacher, Ella Walsh, who started penny lunches for needy kids. If children could not afford the penny they would get the meals for free. Walsh’s […]

Greenfield Notebook: Oct. 15, 2026

Warming Homeless Hearts collecting sleeping bags GREENFIELD — Members of Warming Homeless Hearts Inc. will be at the Greenfield Public Library on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. to collect sleeping bags to be distributed to people experiencing homelessness. Warming Homeless Hearts Inc. is in its third year of providing sleeping bags to people experiencing homelessness in Greenfield while building pathways to long-term housing. Last year, more than 120 sleeping bags were collected and distributed. Workshop to teach seed saving GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library will host a seed-saving workshop with Paulina Borrego of the Mass Aggie Seed […]

Sounds Local: New music keeps coming in the Pioneer Valley

Upcoming local musical highlights include Low Lily's performance in Shelburne Falls this Friday, Buzzard's new album release and The Suitcase Junket's record release show at the Iron Horse.