■Furniture craft, rug braiding and basic machine tool operation were among 16 courses tentatively approved last night by the Smith’s Vocational School trustees for the adult evening school. Excluding the furniture craft course and a Know Your Car course, all other courses offered are sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Education, Occupational Division.
■Samuel B. August, 70, of Greenfield, well known merchant in that town, died Wednesday in Franklin County Public Hospital. He was born in Poland, son of Mr. and Mrs. Morris L. August, and was brought up in Northampton where he attended the local schools and graduated from Northampton High School in 1922.
■For anyone who didn’t realize college students were back in Amherst, weekend police and fire reports provided some disturbing evidence: two stabbings and a number of other assaults, 22 arrests, numerous noise complaints, and 41 requests for ambulance service.
■Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will visit Smith College this week to receive an award honoring her achievements on behalf of women. Accompanied by her 6-year old granddaughter, Clara, Ginsburg will stay at the home of Smith College President Ruth Simmons.
■Human resources manager Mary Olberding defeated two challengers in the Democratic primary for Hampshire County register of deeds Thursday, setting up a general election race pitting her against independent George Zimmerman.
■U.S. Reps. James McGovern and Richard Neal swept to victory in a pair of Democratic primaries on Thursday, effectively punching their tickets to Congress in an election that marked the beginning of a new era in western Massachusetts politics.