■Russell W. Carrier of Ryan Road has been appointed chairman of the McGovern-Shriver election campaign for the Hampshire Franklin Senatorial District. Carrier predicted that the McGovern-Shriver ticket would sweep Richard Nixon out of the White House in November, “because of the great potential of George McGovern and R. Sargent Shriver to unite our party, and to offer constructive solutions to America’s problems.”
■The water in the Connecticut River is cleaner than it has been in years, and it is going to get even cleaner. Robie Hubley of the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary said, “It’s improved quite a bit over five years ago. And if some of the upstream communities start cleaning up their sewage, we can expect it to improve more.”
■Warren Beatty and Annette Bening have reportedly rented a house at 1350 South East St., in South Amherst, owned by William Stepchew and Lisa Barstow. The family, including three children, reportedly is arriving tomorrow, along with a security guard to maintain the family’s privacy.
■A Florence business property that once housed a concrete block manufacturing business will go up for sale at a public auction later this month. An approximately 2½-acre parcel on Nonotuck Street, formerly Tobin Brothers Inc., is scheduled to be sold at a public auction on Aug. 29 at noon.
■Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity is selling its collection of Emily Dickinson-inspired “Little White Houses,” donated to them by Peter Krasznekewicz, who created the miniature cottages. The 40 houses are adorned with the hand-stenciled works of Dickinson’s poetry.
■Lauren Howe of Easthampton, a 2009 Hampshire Regional graduate and senior at Hamilton College, will serve as a U.S. delegate to the 2012 International Slow Food Congress, taking place in Turin, Italy, in October. Slow food is an international organization that has chapters worldwide, as well as on several campuses, operating under the slogan “good, clean and fair.”