■Four exceptional birds, chosen from among hundreds, were awarded trophies by the New England Poultry Association Sunday at Northampton’s Three County Fair. The selection of the four, judged best in a show which included about 1,000 entries, was featured on opening day of the weeklong fair.
■The dynamite contained in a bomb found in the woods of Burts Pit Road in Florence two weeks ago came from a local construction firm’s storage site outside the center of Northampton. It is not known whether a company employee or someone from outside the firm took the dynamite.
■Citing a potential danger to students from falling acoustical ceiling tiles, Northampton’s building inspector yesterday ordered the gymnasium at Northampton High School closed until all the tiles are removed. Loose tiles have fallen in the past, though none have landed on a student.
■Over the past nine years, an increasing number of immigrants from Cambodia, Vietnam, Puerto Rico, Tibet, China, South America, and the former Soviet Union have sought a home in the Pioneer Valley. To meet their needs, an organization called the Center for New Americans has been formed. In addition to teaching English, the center helps immigrants comprehend American culture and establish links with their respective communities.