Over 160 volunteers participate in Green Clean Athol event

Bankruptcy filings rise nationally while Franklin County sees similar year to last

While nationwide bankruptcy filings rose by 11.4% between September 2025 and September 2026, Franklin County saw a slight decrease to 53 cases during the same period despite rising local unemployment and stagnant wages.

Federal policy changes cast shadow over fourth annual Massachusetts Healthcare Summit

AMHERST — Last year’s federal reconciliation bill, H.R.1, gave sparingly and took dramatically from America’s healthcare safety net. Beginning Jan. 1, new work requirements stipulate that adults between the ages of 19 and 64 qualify for Medicaid Expansion only if they’re working, studying, volunteering or participating in job training for at least 80 hours a […]

Feeling the heat: As winter nears, soaring energy prices have residents bracing for bigger bills

It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to notice that home heating prices are skyrocketing. Like anyone paying their bills, Deerfield resident Marc Dautreuil found that out after filling his oil tank as the winter season nears. “It’s insane,” he said on a recent weekday as he shopped in Thornes Marketplace. Before the war with Iran began […]

Update: FAA says flights can resume

The Federal Aviation Administration says airplane departures can resume after the agency lifted a nationwide ground stop caused by communications problems. The FAA had grounded all flights nationwide Friday afternoon, causing hundreds of flights to be diverted. Officials cited “extraordinary circumstances” caused by communications problems at regional air traffic control centers. Certain U.S. flights had […]

Most Franklin County school districts saw attendance gains in 2025-26 academic year

Most public school districts in Franklin County saw attendance rates increase during the 2025-2026 school year, according to data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.