GCC announces balanced FY27 budget, without cuts to teaching positions

Primary care fix may wait until after November election

BOSTON – Massachusetts residents scrambling to find a primary care doctor may not see a legislative intervention for months — potentially after the November election. House and Senate negotiators tasked with hashing out legislation aimed at pumping more money into the under-invested primary care sector and shoring up the workforce met for the first time Thursday, […]

Orange Selectboard faces three Open Meeting Law complaints

The Orange Selectboard voted Wednesday to accept three Open Meeting Law complaints regarding unequal access to a Sept. 5 meeting and an unlisted leadership reorganization during a Sept. 1 meeting.

Home rule bills filed to increase Athol alcohol license numbers

ATHOL – Two bills to increase the number of all-alcohol and beer and wine licenses available to local businesses are now before the legislature, according to Town Manager Shaun Suhoski. At the Select Board’s meeting on Sept. 8, Suhoski addressed the ongoing matter, which began at June’s Annual Town Meeting, when voters approved two articles aimed at increasing the number of both types of licenses. For all-alcohol licenses, this would go from three to eight and for beer and wine, the number would double, from five to 10. The licenses for both types that the town has now are all taken. […]

Athol school superintendent presents three-year goal plan

ATHOL – Athol-Royalston Regional School District Superintendent Matthew Ehrenworth has presented his goals for the next three years, outlining how progress will be evaluated through 2029. The School Committee voted to accept the goals at its meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 16, which Ehrenworth said are tied to several of the district’s existing priorities, including its […]

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 […]