Latest News
‘Budget buster:’ Spiking health insurance costs burdening local municipal budgets
Amherst councilor to seek revisions to budget guidelines so schools can get more money
Holyoke mayor pitches PILOT policy for tax exempt properties
Trump will order a plan to shut down the US Education Department
Area property deed transfers, March 21
Making News in Business, March 21
Guest columnist Dr. Julia Fischer: Forgotten foes — The return of preventable infections
Jam-packed McGovern town hall calls for resistance to Trump moves, stronger Dem Party
State pilot program puts restaurant takeout meals on food aid menus around region
NORTHAMPTON — More than a half-dozen restaurants in Hampshire County are partnering with survival centers in Northampton and Amherst to provide free meals to those facing food insecurity in the region as part of a larger initiative taking place statewide.
It’s all about the Irish: Holyoke ready for annual St. Patrick’s Day road race, parade this weekend
HOLYOKE — The city’s population this weekend is expected to go from 50,000 to half a million, as the Irish, and those who are Irish for the weekend, get ready to run, march, and drink in honor of Ireland’s patron saint.
Most Read
Northampton woman jailed in dog death
First candidate emerges for Easthampton mayor
UMass diverting money to new fund that will cover federal funding losses
Activists arrested after occupying L3Harris lobby in Northampton
Former Smith College hoop stars turned coaches help team in quest for first national title
Belchertown rolls out welcome mat for businesses
Editors Picks
Real ID takeup growing slowly in Mass. ahead of enforcement
Arts Briefs: Silent film in Florence, McCartney’s music in Northampton, and more
Macbeth, up close and personal: Second annual Montague Shakespeare Festival puts a new spin on the ‘psychological dark power drama’
Inspired by late civil rights activists, Good Trouble Democracy Brigade forms
Sports
UMass Hockey: Standout forward Cole O’Hara in the mix for Hobey Baker Award
I’ll admit it, I didn’t think UMass hockey forward Cole O’Hara would be a legitimate Hobey Baker Memorial Award candidate. When it was announced on Jan. 22 that O’Hara and Aydar Suniev were two of the more than 90 nominees in all of college hockey, I didn’t think much of it at the time.
Smith College heads to Final Four to face familiar foe University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Former Smith College hoop stars turned coaches help team in quest for first national title
Briefs: Smith Academy’s ‘Falcon 5K’ set for April 12
UMass Minutewomen earn WNIT berth
Opinion
Janet Gary: Calling the non-emergency number works
At 4:30 in the morning, my husband was drinking his first cup of coffee, yes, really that early. He heard a sound that wasn’t part of the normal din of an old house. So he went down to the basement to investigate. He found water spraying all over from the outside water service line. It had a hole ahead of the shutoff valve, so there was nothing he could do except seek help.
Mark Paglia: Time for senators to act
Michael Klare and Andrea Ayvazian: Mayor Sciarra a competent, compassionate leader
Douglas Beattie: Raising a stink and beating our drums
Joe Gannon: Like chickens coming home to roost
Your Daily Puzzles
An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."
A quick daily flip. Finally, someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles.
Chess but with chaos: Every day is a unique, wacky board.
Word search but as a strategy game. Clearing the board feels really good.
Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.
Business
Mill River Music jams: Northampton guitar shop relocates to larger digs on King Street
NORTHAMPTON — On an early March weekend, as numerous musicians took the stage at venues across the city for the Back Porch Music Festival, some spent a portion of their downtime at Mill River Music and Guitars, relaxing on the store’s couches, surrounded by hundreds of acoustic and electric guitars displayed on the walls.
The Roost set to close in Northampton after 14 years
Compassionate barbers: Easthampton shop Hero Barber is growing thanks to its inclusive atmosphere 
Area property deed transfers, March 14
Ashfield’s historic Elmer’s Store seeing new life with opening of Wicked Good Café e-Edition
Arts & Life
Speaking of Nature: The bluebird of happiness: Finding solace in the birds at my feeders
As I write this column I am feeling quite under the weather. The flu has come to town and it has me in its grip. I haven’t left the house in days and all I want to do is sleep. That being said, I am also stuck on “teacher time” and I can’t seem to sleep past 5 a.m. With the recent changing of the clocks this puts me in the unhappy position of being awake while it is still dark outside; annoying on a work day, positively miserable when not going to work.
The Oxbow over time: New book, ‘The Oxbow Since Thomas Cole,’ examines how the area has and hasn’t changed in the last 200 years
Amherst Oyster Bar pushes opening day to April 1
From the field to your screens: Two seniors take Frontier Community Access Television’s sports broadcasting to new heights
They ‘don’t come to play around’: Ten local students will compete in Third Annual Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam next monthObituaries
Patricia Ann Squires
Patricia Ann (DeSantis) Squires BELCHERTOWN, MA - On February 24, 2025, six days after her 85th birthday, Patricia Ann (DeSantis) Squires passed away at Cooley Dickinson Hospital following a brief illness. Patty was the daughter of Gaspe... remainder of obit for Patricia Ann Squires
Celine Zimmermann
Easthampton, MA - Celine Ann (Royer) Zimmermann, 65, of Easthampton, MA peacefully passed away Saturday, March 15, 2025. She was the beloved wife of Anthony Zimmermann. Celine was born on March 31, 1959, in Torrington CT, daughter of t... remainder of obit for Celine Zimmermann
Donna Dionne
Southbridge, MA - It is with deep sorrow we announce the passing of Donna (Klerowski)Dionne, 78, of Southbridge, MA. She passed on March 2, 2025, at St. Vincent Hospital Worcester, MA, following a short illness. Donna was born on March ... remainder of obit for Donna Dionne
Edgar Fleury
Edgar "ED" Fleury Fairfield, CT - Celebrating the life of my wonderful father, Edgar "Ed" Fleury, who passed away March 17, 2025 at The Carolton in Fairfield, CT at the age of 88! It's amazing that even after having a stroke over 25 year... remainder of obit for Edgar Fleury
