News

Amherst Reparation Assembly launches anonymous survey

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Amherst residents’ attitudes about race and reparations are being collected through an anonymous survey, the first time the African Heritage Reparation Assembly is aiming to get input from a large segment of the community in advance of...

Tuition on rise at UMass as state weighs reforms, financial aid levels

By SAM DRYSDALE and SOPHIE HAUCK

BOSTON — The University of Massachusetts has agreed to increase tuition, room and board next academic year, as leaders on Beacon Hill disagree over creating a “tuition lock” system and how much to invest in public higher education.The UMass board of...

School officials investigating racist incidents at Jabish Brook Middle School in Belchertown

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

BELCHERTOWN — School officials at Jabish Brook Middle School have opened an investigation into alleged antisemitic incidents at the school, including the use of the Nazi salute, by a large number of students. The investigation was announced by Brian...

Middle school principal search falls apart in Amherst 

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A search for a new Amherst Regional Middle School principal may have to start over after the lone remaining finalist for the position withdrew from consideration, even though she had been invited for a site visit.Gabrielle Jackson, resident...

Soccer star Briana Scurry named UMass commencement speaker

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — National Soccer Hall of Fame goalkeeper Briana Scurry, a 1993 University of Massachusetts graduate who led UMass to a Final Four that year, will be the keynote speaker at the UMass commencement next month.Considered a trailblazer for African...

‘Servant leader’ Javier Reyes ready to take helm of UMass flagship

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Incoming University of Massachusetts Chancellor Javier Reyes is aiming to keep the flagship campus — which he said was already excelling under its current leadership — a place students want to attend for its strong academics and an...

Amherst council puts $5M in reserves toward new school tab

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — The Town Council has approved a financing plan for a new $97.5 million Amherst elementary school that will reduce the increased property tax burden on homeowners and tenants, while preserving a plan for undertaking three other capital...

‘A room of your heroes’: Longtime Amherst College coach Dave Hixon will be enshrined in basketball Hall of Fame

By KYLE GRABOWSKI

Dave Hixon knew he was a Hall of Famer a week ago Monday. He couldn’t say anything about it until the class was officially announced last Saturday.“This has been a hard week because I’ve had a lot of people asking me,” Hixon said.When an Adrian...

Cafes get closer: Esselon buys downtown Northampton’s Woodstar Café

By JAMES PENTLAND

NORTHAMPTON — A seamless transition is underway at Woodstar Café as Esselon owner Mark Krause takes over from Woodstar founder Rebecca Robbins and her husband, Dmitri, according to both parties.“We have been Esselon’s baker for 17 years, and they’ve...

UMass officers accused of excessive force in restraining student cleared

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Two University of Massachusetts police officers who arrested a student on Commonwealth Avenue near the Mullins Center last November, an action that came under scrutiny by the campus administration for potential use of excessive force and...

‘You don’t even need a man’: UMass Building Authority recognizes D.A. Sullivan for creating opportunities for women in construction

By MADDIE FABIAN

AMHERST — Growing up, Holyoke resident Carolyn Diaz Rodriguez preferred helping her grandfather with building projects in lieu of doing regular chores. Originally from the Dominican Republic, she has always loved using a hammer and working with her...

Amherst may put $5M in reserves toward new elementary school

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Amherst’s Finance Committee is recommending that up to $5 million from the capital stabilization fund be directed toward the $98 million elementary school project to pay the initial costs of installing geothermal and photovoltaic systems.But...

Amherst, UMass authorities regroup after mass partying

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Classes running later into the spring at the University of Massachusetts and graduation at the end of May for the first time in 14 years means many students will be staying in Amherst for more warm weather weekends.Since the change in the...

UMass astronomers help bring to life Webb telescope’s latest images of deep space

By JAMES PENTLAND

AMHERST — Astronomers from the University of Massachusetts played a key role in revealing the latest deep-field image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, including some of the universe’s most distant galaxies.“With these pictures, we’re looking...

Around Amherst: Drive for food co-op grows toward 1,000-member goal

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A long-planned effort to bring a cooperative grocery store to town remains in the planning stages, with 900 member-owners already signed up.To get to the next stage of development, and the 1,000 member-owner plateau, the Common Share Food...

Record warmth in January raises concerns of environmental impacts

By CHRIS LARABEE

With last month marking the warmest January on record for Massachusetts and New England, updated data from the University of Massachusetts is also putting the region on pace for one of its warmest winters ever.The average temperature in Massachusetts...

Affordable housing plans for EconoLodge divisive

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HADLEY — A proposal to turn a Route 9 hotel into housing for up to 63 low- and moderate-income individuals is receiving both support and skepticism from residents and municipal officials as Valley Community Development begins the permitting process...

Olver left indelible mark: Colleagues, constituents, friends remember longtime politician, who died Thursday at 86

By SCOTT MERZBACHand BELLA LEVAVI

AMHERST — John Olver of Amherst, who served as a U.S. congressman for 22 years and was on the local and national political stage for more than 40 years, died last Thursday, leaving a legacy of progressive advocacy and achievements that continues to...

Arts Briefs: Book launches in Amherst, jazz in Goshen, collage art in Holyoke and more

Launch those books by writers from the areaAMHERST — Spring is still more than three weeks away, but the days are lengthening, temperatures are mostly creeping up, and it’s not too early to think about what you might plant in your garden this year —...

‘Rising star’ Javier Reyes confirmed as next UMass chancellor

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Moments after a unanimous vote Thursday morning by the University of Massachusetts board of trustees naming him the chancellor-elect for the flagship campus, Javier Reyes offered his appreciation for being selected in both English and then...