Speaking of Nature: Patience rewarded: A perfect pose from a rare fox sparrow

Question 7 lot-size vote still undecided statewide, but Hampshire County split along urban-rural lines

With Question 7’s fate still undecided statewide, voters in the Pioneer Valley have already drawn their lines. Amherst, Northampton and Easthampton backed the measure to allow smaller residential lots, while rural Hampshire County towns rejected it. Question 7 would override zoning in most municipalities to allow single-family homes on residentially zoned lots of at least […]

MWRA withdraws request to take 20M more gallons a day from Quabbin

BELCHERTOWN — The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority on Thursday dropped its proposal to withdraw an additional 20 million gallons a day from the Quabbin Reservoir in response to loud opposition from communities surrounding the watershed. Opposition boiled over in September, when more than 130 people packed Belchertown Town Hall to speak against the request. Commenters […]

MIAA releases state tournament brackets with 25 Hampshire County teams qualifying

Fall sports in Massachusetts have officially entered the postseason as the MIAA unveiled its state tournament brackets for boys and girls soccer, field hockey and girls volleyball this week. Hampshire County had 25 total teams qualify, with nine girls soccer teams counting as the most local squads in a sport. The Granby girls soccer team […]

Seasonal tour guides at Emily Dickinson Museum pause planned strike

AMHERST — Seasonal tour guides at the Emily Dickinson Museum are putting on hold a strike that had been scheduled to start Saturday, an action authorized in a vote by members of the United Auto Workers Local 2110. While the union took a vote for a strike, a preliminary agreement with Amherst College,. which owns […]

Chaos makes a comeback: Easthampton's Cultural Chaos festival to return in 2027

EASTHAMPTON — Cultural Chaos, the city’s popular street festival that draws thousands to Cottage Street each summer, is returning next June after taking a one-year hiatus. Easthampton City Arts, which promotes arts and culture in the city and organizes the festival, announced this week that Cultural Chaos will be held Saturday, June 12, 2027. Going forward, […]