Guest columnist John K. Bollard: Seventy years after the arrest of Rosa Parks, Dec. 1, 1955

Musante Beach gets floating beach wheelchair for disability community

NORTHAMPTON — Accessibility efforts at Musante Beach are going swimmingly after the disability nonprofit Small Miracles in Life Exist (SMILE Mass) gifted the Parks and Recreation Department a new floating beach wheelchair. SMILE Director of Operations Todd Civin joined Parks and Recreation Director Ann-Marie Moggio, beach staff and Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra to unveil the gift […]

South Hadley considers lifting eight-year marijuana facility ban

SOUTH HADLEY — South Hadley will consider lifting an eight-year ban on marijuana facilities in hopes of bringing in more business to town. “With the economic times and the fact that new growth in South Hadley has stifled, if there is a person who wants to establish a cannabis business in South Hadley, then we’d […]

Amherst officials debate dispatch numbers for unarmed responders

AMHERST — Six months after the Emergency Communications Center began dispatching some emergency calls to the town’s unarmed community responders, questions continue about whether too few are being directed to them. In response to a concern from Town Council Vice President Ellisha Walker about the level of dispatching for Community Responders for Equity, Safety and […]

TD Garden to host UMass men's basketball for rematch with Boston College this fall

The UMass men’s basketball team announced it will take on in-state rival Boston College on Friday, Nov. 6 at TD Garden, on Friday. The matchup will be part of the Hall of Fame Series Boston, with both teams making their return to the Garden hardwood for the first time since facing off against each other in 2014. “What an incredible opportunity to once again play Boston College in our own state,” Minutemen head coach Frank Martin in a news release. “Thankful to the Hall of Fame for making it happen last year in Springfield and obviously this year at TD Garden in […]

Senators pad $575 million economic development bill

BOSTON — Senators stamped their approval on a $575.4 million economic development borrowing package just after midnight Friday, hitching to it a controversial change to a voter-approved tax rebate law and artificial intelligence regulations as the sprawling package moves toward negotiations with the House. Senate President Karen Spilka’s office described the authorizations as “investments to boost every aspect […]