The Drake gets ‘game-changing’ gift

Safe driving law update would target motorists recording themselves

BOSTON — An architect of the 2019 hands-free driving law and the state’s top public safety official say technology may be outpacing the law banning motorists from using handheld electronic devices while driving. “Our phones can do more today, and there are more ways than ever for technology to compete for a driver’s attention. Our […]

Peer review flags gaps with major Southampton solar project

SOUTHAMPTON — A peer review of a large solar array and battery energy storage system proposed for farmland off Pleasant Street above the Barnes Aquifer has flagged numerous gaps, from fire response to water supply protection. Solar giant BlueWave of Boston in January announced plans to construct the 5.49-megawatt agrivoltaic solar array and accompanying battery […]

Hampshire College to map campus’s next life in new master plan

AMHERST — Hampshire College is undertaking a conceptual master plan for its campus over the next three months that will show possibilities for reusing existing buildings and for new construction, along with examples of similar housing developments and cultural destinations. College officials announced last Thursday that they have hired Elkus Manfredi Architects of Boston to […]

‘It makes me so happy’: Ashfield Fall Festival brings tradition and reconnection

Hundreds of residents and visitors gathered in Ashfield on Oct. 10 and 11 for the annual Fall Festival, featuring traditional pumpkin games, an artisans market and improved safety measures through a new main street closure.

Amherst pay-as-you-throw plan could close transfer station to household trash

AMHERST — A request for proposals for a pay-as-you-throw system to collect trash and recyclables, and possibly compost, at the curb of just over 5,000 Amherst homes could mean the end of household trash drop-off at the Belchertown Road transfer station. The Town Council’s Town Services and Outreach Committee, after several meetings, is finalizing what it wants in the request. The bids it draws would show whether it makes financial sense to pursue a new system meant to incentivize homeowners and renters to cut down on the amount of waste they produce. In all likelihood, if the town finds a vendor, […]