■Col. John Marchant, chief of security at the University of Massachusetts, told a gathering of the Massachusetts Trial Lawyers Association last night that he estimated “50 per cent of the students at the university have tried drugs” and that some 15% are regular users.
■Five large plate glass windows in the Amherst Savings Bank were broken early this morning, with damage listed by police as high as $20,000. Members of a group of Amherst students and friends are prime suspects in the breaking of the glass panels.
■The Rev. Eugene D. Honan, pastor of the city’s largest Roman Catholic parish, said again yesterday that he welcomes gay men and lesbians in his church, but he also reiterated his opposition to a proposed ordinance that would recognize their relationships.
■Yesterday more than 100 students learning Chinese gathered and took to a stage to perform skits, read poetry and even sing during the first Pioneer Valley Chinese Festival. The three-hour program, in Stirn Auditorium at Amherst College, was designed to build confidence in students learning Chinese as a foreign language.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood encouraged Connecticut officials on Monday to work with Massachusetts and the federal government to introduce high-speed commuter rail service to the region, saying it will likely be one of the first completed projects in the nation.
■The 29th Northampton Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride March , set for Saturday, boasts 60 contingents featuring dogs, bands and ponies, as well as a synchronized routine with shopping carts. About 10,000 people annually attend the parade and relate events.