Fit to Play with Jim Johnson: Old-school football

Leverett property tax bills to rise nearly $500 as levy cushion shrinks

LEVERETT — A typical homeowner could see their property tax bill go up by nearly $500 this year, even as town officials advise that fiscal discipline will be needed in fiscal 2028. At the recommendation of the Board of Assessors, the Select Board voted Monday to set a single tax rate, which is estimated to […]

Around Amherst: Trivia Bee raises $14K for schools

AMHERST — During World War II, a recruiting slogan stated, “She’s a WOW.” For those playing for the East Amherst Eggheads team, knowing that WOW stood for “Woman Ordnance Worker” earned five points. It also crowned Tim Hope, Josh Polak and Kurt Sundeen as champions at the recent Amherst Trivia Bee. In what organizer John […]

Guest columnist Rob Okun: Democracy won, authoritarianism 0

The astonishing blue tsunami that swept across the country in last week’s midterm elections was undeniable proof that democracy is still, overwhelmingly, the preferred form of government in the United States. It was a total repudiation of Trump and Trumpism. We didn’t just run the table; we ran the chairs, the plates, the glasses, and […]

Jonathan S. Watling

<html><head></head><body>Jonathan S. Watling<br /><br />Easthampton, MA - Jonathan S. Watling, age 35, passed away on Sept 29. He was born in Northampton MA, on Feb 26, 1991, the son of Kevin Watling and the late Denise Ann LeBeau.<br /><br />Jonathan ...

Janice Button Shafer

<html><head></head><body>Janice Button Shafer<br /><br />Pasadena, CA - The Shafer family is deeply saddened to announce the death of Janice Button Shafer on October 13, 2026, one month after her 95th birthday. She died peacefully from natural causes ...