A Look Back, June 25

Amherst native Ryan Leonard inks massive extension with NHL's Washington Capitals

Less than two years after cracking into the NHL, Amherst’s own Ryan Leonard is set to become one of the highest-paid players in the game. The Washington Capitals announced on Tuesday that Leonard, who is 21-years-old, signed an eight-year, $84 million contract extension with an average annual value of $10.5 million per season. Leonard posted […]

Sports Briefs: Western Massachusetts Golf HOF announces 2026 induction class

The Western Mass. Golf Hall of Fame has announced this year’s inductees as part of the Class of 2026. Headlining the class is the Perez family, the owner and operator of East Mountain Country Club in Westfield. Ted Perez Sr. founded the club in 1963. Other selections include Jim Cline (media), Dr. Bill Dupont (amateur), […]

Connecting the economic dots: WMass EDC charts path from innovation to jobs

NORTHAMPTON — In South Deerfield, florrent, an energy storage research and development company focused on supercapacitors, continues to grow after investor demand pushed its second seed funding round past its target, closing at $9.5 million. In Holyoke, Clean Crop Technologies uses electricity to generate cold plasma that removes microbes and other contaminants from seeds. Both […]

Pioneer Valley forestland: 1,200-plus acres across six towns permanently conserved

AMHERST — More than 1,200 acres of forestland throughout the region, including over 200 acres in Pelham, Westhampton and Williamsburg, are being donated to the Kestrel and Mount Grace land trusts for permanent conservation by an affiliate of The Lyme Timber Company. The timberland properties are on 12 parcels that Lyme bought from W.D. Cowls […]

Names not forgotten: Donor restores 157-year-old Civil War memorial at Easthampton’s Old Town Hall

EASTHAMPTON — It was like any other day, when Silas Kopf was walking down Main Street. A streak of white stone caught his eye protruding from the dark, brick side of Easthampton’s historic Old Town Hall. Upon further investigation, Kopf was struck by what he saw. The marble plaque, built in 1869 to memorialize all […]