■Vandals were reportedly responsible for the partial submersion of a front-end loader in the Florence ice pond on Saturday. The vehicle had been driven approximately half a mile from its storage location to its resting place in the shallow water.
■The state Senate yesterday killed the House-approved bill to lower the legal drinking age in Massachusetts to 19 years, voting 21-15 against giving the legislation initial approval. Opposition included Sens. John Barrus of Goshen and Roger Bernashe of Chicopee, representing Hadley, Huntington and Southampton.
■The Lions Club of Northampton celebrated its 60 years of serving the community at a gathering last night. “It’s just an old get-together,” said Stephen Moos, who organized the bash at the Depot Restaurant. “It’s just to say, ‘Hey, we’ve been here for 60 years. We’re going strong.’”
■About 1,000 people were certified in adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation yesterday thanks to a joint effort of the Hampshire County Chapter of the American Red Cross and the University of Massachusetts Environmental Health and Safety Department. The event, called UMassive CPR Day, fell short of its goal — to break the record for the number of people trained in CPR in one shot.
■Venus Restaurant closed its doors this week after doing business on Main Street in Easthampton for nearly two years, bowing to a tough economy. Lisa Fusco, co-owner of Venus and the Cellar Bar and owner of the building, said the Cellar Bar below the restaurant will remain open, although food will no longer be served.
■To make way for pending construction on Northampton’s new $17-plus million police station, the parking lot behind the station on Gothic Street is now closed — and likely will be until the project’s completion next year. The city has hired Barr & Barr Inc. of Springfield as the general contractor to build a 31,500-square-foot station next to the current one.