■Thousands of area children and grown-ups flocked to the giant canvas tent of the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus yesterday at the Tri-County Fair grounds for an extravagant event held under the sponsorship of the Northampton Lions Club. Lions Club President Francis Horan said the event netted the Club some $1,000, which will be used for Lions Club charities.
■After a 21-hour search, the wreckage of a single-engine airplane and the body of its pilot were found Sunday morning in woods around Quabbin Reservoir. The plane had disappeared Saturday while attempting to land in low-lying clouds at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee Falls.
■Stan Schapiro, an at-large membuer of the cuity’s School Committee, said today he has decided not to seek re-election in November, citing duemands on his time. Schapiro was elected in 1993 in a three-way race for two at-large seats that included incumbent James M. Dostal and Richard Maloy.
■Wally Byam Caravan Club International members exited the Valley in droves today, their Airstream travel-trailers creating a morning-long traffic jam on Route 9 in Hadley. Muster ‘95, the trailer club’s annual rally, which began June 28, ended last night.
■Long-held dreams became reality Sunday morning for 30 people from 20 nations. In a ceremony on the lawn of the Hampshire County Courthouse, each raised his or her right hand and swore to defend the U.S. Constitution, that hallowed document that came into being 234 years ago on July 4 when 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence.
■Sunday morning’s annual Fourth of July Parade drew an estimated crowd of 6,000 spectators, including locals, not-so-locals and even international visitors. “Everything went great,” said parade organizer Carol Jolly. “I think it was a better turnout than ever before because we had such gorgeous weather.”