■Mayor Sean Dunphy give his support to the fund raising drive of the Northampton Banks by purchasing the first boy of candy from junior high school musicians, George Menousek of the Hawley Junior High School Band and Roger Finck of the Kennedy Junior High School Band.
■The children at The Clarke School for the Deaf are rejoicing once more, over the news that they have a new foster parent. The officers and men of the aircraft USS John F. Kennedy —all 5,2000 of them — have “adopted” the 223 deaf boys and girls at Clarke.
■A study committee will be established to consider making downtown Northampton a historic district. The City Council last night voted unanimously to create the seven-member committee, which will be appointed by Mayor Mary L. Ford.
Mayor Mary L. Ford last night said between four and 12 city workers will lose their jobs after July 1, as she crafts an austere budget for the next fiscal year. Addressing the City Council, Ford said the city is facing a $1.3 million deficit that she hopes to eliminate gradually by fiscal year 1998.
■Smith College is considering unloading up to 20 of its buildings near downtown as one of many cost-cutting measures on the table. A planning firm has identified 20 buildings — including some the college now rents out and some that are student housing Ð that could be taken off the college inventory to save Smith money.
■Lenelle Moise, a Smith College alumna and traveling performance artist, will be Northampton’s fifth poet laureate. The Northampton Arts Council announced it had selected Moise, 30, of Williams Street, on Wednesday. Her term officially begins May 1, and last two years.