■Two Sisters of St. Joseph made history this week when they became flying nuns by enlisting in the Air National Guard, marking a first for Massachusetts, the religious order, and the entire country. Sister Judith Rosenthal of Northampton and Sister Sheila McGuirk of South Grafton were sworn in Wednesday by Gov. Sargent as members of the 104th TAC Fighter Group, Massachusetts Air National Guard, Westfield.
■“Ideally, Northampton would have six new elementary school buildings and additions, two new junior high schools and either a new high school or an addition by 1990,” Richard Ball has told the Planning Board. Ball, a planning consultant, said that, of course, cost was a factor, as was timing.
■After more than a year of dreaming, working, and planning, a new school for Jewish children, the Solomon Schechter Day School of the Pioneer Valley, opens tomorrow. To celebrate opening day, the school is hosting an open house at Congregation B’nai Israel, where seven children are enrolled in the inaugural kindergarten class.
■An investigation is continuing into the death of a jockey who was killed during a horse race Sunday at the Three County Fair when he fell from his horse and was trampled. Because an unnatural death occurred, the district attorney’s office and the state police are investigating.
■The United Way of Hampshire County’s board of directors voted unanimously Wednesday to appoint James R. Ayres leader of the agency, to succeed John Ebbets, who stepped down as executive director in July to take a job with the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts.
■City councilors past and present bid Mayor Clare Higgins adieu Thursday as the six-term incumbent presided over her last council meeting before officially resigning next week. Higgins’ last day is Sept. 9, when she officially exits City Hall to lead Community Action, the anti-poverty agency in Greenfield.