■Many area residents came to downtown Northampton today to take advantage of the opening day of Sidewalk Sales. The sales, sponsored by the Downtown Merchants’ Association, will continue through Saturday.
■The six-year-old Northampton branch of Del Padre Music Stores will be closing within two months, making it the fifth downtown store in the city in a little more than a month to terminate its operations. The closing of Del Padre’s will follow the closing of Todds, the Globe Market, LaFleur Paint Store, and Alberts Inc. Reports that a sixth store, the Hampshire Bookshop on Crafts Avenue, will also shut its door for good were neither confirmed nor denied by the owner, Ralph Intorcio.
■People who rent movies from Pleasant Street Video can now take home a handful of condoms, or a bleach kit, to go with their favorite films. The business has joined three others downtown that are offering free contraceptives, hypodermic needle cleaning kits and other items meant to help prevent the spread of the HIV virus and to aid in pregnancy prevention.
■Wendy Kohler, instructional director at Amherst Regional High School, will take on the added tasks of principal until a permanent leader for the school is found. Kohler’s interim assistant principal will be Athletic Director Christopher Collins, Superintendent Gus Sayer has announced.
■Greenfield Savings Bank plans to add its first Northampton branch next year, bank President Rebecca Caplice said Tuesday. The bank hopes to be part of the redevelopment of the former Hill and Dale Plaza on King Street.
■Owners of electric automobiles will have an easier time hooking up to the juice with the state’s announcement that 25 cities and towns, including Northampton, will have charging stations. Touting it as part of the state’s clean energy revolution, Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan made the announcement on Lexington’s Battle Green last week.