News
Service with a smile: Amherst College community puts heart into MLK observance
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — Her class in Amherst College’s Science Center over, first-year student Zalia Salley pulled up a chair at a table set up near the building’s cafe, took some of the available blue, purple, violet and white yarn, and began crocheting.
Sharing life lessons: Local college athletes, others participate in Wildwood School’s annual African-American Read-In day
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — Before local and school celebrities took time out of their day to read stories to classes at Wildwood School last week, two sixth graders reflected on the power of dreaming and the importance of self expression.
Chance Encounters with Bob Flaherty: Trauma in the midst of strangers
HADLEY — The way this column generally works is that I ride around on my bicycle looking for interesting people to talk to. Since it’s a year-round column, many of my victims, err, subjects will be encountered in dead of winter.
Embracing used clothing: UMass students finding success with new thrift, consignment shop
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — A consignment store to serve college campuses, offering inexpensive clothes and low-priced household items, was an idea hatched by students in a University of Massachusetts classroom.
UMass Downtown launches retail, event space in downtown Amherst
Staff Report
AMHERST — A retail, event and satellite meeting space for the University of Massachusetts is open in Amherst center.
Families alerted about middle school student’s Nazi salute
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — Families of students at Amherst Regional Middle School are being notified about an antisemitic incident that occurred Monday when a student gave a Nazi salute during class — the latest in a series of incidents that have occurred at area schools in recent years.
Hadley boards settle on parcel for pickleball next to Hopkins Academy
By SCOTT MERZBACH
HADLEY — Approvals from the Select Board and School Committee to use a portion of land along Route 9 next to Hopkins Academy could set the stage for the construction of up to four outdoor pickleball courts and a full-size basketball court.
Around Amherst: Eight days of Winterfest kicks off in North Amherst
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — WinterFest Amherst, being called eight days of frosty fun, is beginning with cold-weather games and activities at Mill River Recreation Area and the Mill District in North Amherst on Saturday afternoon.
Amherst man pleads guilty to child porn charges
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — An Amherst man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston on Wednesday to distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Massachusetts.
Amherst school budget best-case scenario: 17 positions gone
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — Unless state aid increases, other sources of funding are found or member towns can contribute more, a fiscal year 2026 budget that eliminates around 17 positions may be the best-case scenario for the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools, according to information presented at a “Four Towns Meeting” Saturday.
Valley leaders weigh effect of Trump’s trans orders, from sports to gender-affirming care
By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL
The administration of President Donald Trump continues to target transgender individuals through a string of executive orders, with a more recent order likely to not just affect individuals but educational and athletic institutions in Massachusetts.
20-plus job cuts coming as Belchertown school board told the cupboard’s bare
By EMILEE KLEIN
BELCHERTOWN — The School Committee is pushing back against a potential $2.1 million cut to its proposed $36 million level-services school budget that would result in the loss of more than 20 positions, a blow to the schools after the committee’s proposed budgets have been cut $4 million in the past five years.
Hadley backs completion of 104-mile rail trial to Boston
By SCOTT MERZBACH
HADLEY — Hadley officials are endorsing the complete build-out of the Mass Central Rail Trail, a 104-mile long trail that would link 26 communities across the state, extending the 11-mile Norwottuck Rail Trail that already connects the town with Northampton, Amherst and Belchertown.
A fire to remember: 50 years on, firefighters recall bad Amherst College fraternity blaze
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — Printed the day after an early morning fire gutted an Amherst College fraternity house, a headline in the Feb. 3, 1975 Daily Hampshire Gazette quoted the Amherst fire chief describing the incident as the “worst Amherst blaze in 15 years.”
New Deerfield yoga practice seeks to ‘tend to the soul’
By CHRIS LARABEE
DEERFIELD — Eternal Life Yoga & Wellness is putting down roots in the valley.
Sackrey Construction Co. of Sunderland celebrating 35 years in business
By CHRIS LARABEE
SUNDERLAND — In December 1989, one of the coldest on record in the region, John Sackrey was in Conway with a small team building an addition onto a home.
UMass to give student $10,000 after half-court shot contest controversy
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — The rules were rather simple to Noah Lee, who stepped onto Jack Leaman Court inside the Mullins Center at halftime of the Feb. 5 women’s basketball game between the host Minutewomen and St. Bonaventure. Make four baskets — a layup, free throw, 3-pointer and half-court shot — and he’d be $10,000 richer.
Amherst College giving $2.5M to the town over next three years
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — A $2.5 million donation from Amherst College will support the Amherst and regional schools, the town’s emergency services, and infrastructure work downtown over the next three years, as well as one of two municipal building projects the town is undertaking.
UMass launches federal actions webpage to inform community of Trump administration actions
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — A briefly considered White House federal funding freeze order and other possible changes in how federal money is disbursed, including for grants related to diversity, equity and inclusion projects, is prompting University of Massachusetts leaders to keep researchers regularly updated about possible funding shortfalls and disruptions to their ongoing work.
Taylor Davis Landscaping & Construction faces $42K in fines from MassDEP
By SCOTT MERZBACH
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has fined a South Amherst landscaping and construction company for various hazardous waste and wetlands violations at its facility.
