■Ten and 11-year-old students at the Smith College Campus School took an overnight camping trip last Thursday and Friday at Norwich Lake in Huntington, to get a first-hand look at how early settlers in this area lived. The trip was part of a social studies unit the group is taking on the initial Northampton settlement, combining physical education, social studies, literature and math.
■The Northampton Historical Commission Monday held a work session to begin to pinpoint buildings of historical architectural significance in the projected Pleasant-River redevelopment area. Among the “historically important” buildings cited by the commission were the Graham building on Pleasant Street, the railroad station, some buildings on Strong Avenue, and the old jail off Pleasant Street. Buildings will be rated on a scale of zero to 10 as to their historical significance.
■There will be a musical at Amherst Regional High School next spring — but it won’t be “West Side Story.” Bowing to protests from Latino students and parents and their allies, school officials announced this morning that “West Side Story” is canceled. Opponents had said the play was demeaning to Puerto Ricans and promoted violence and racism.
■A city businessman plans to buy and renovate the Elks Lodge on Center Street at a cost of $1.2 million, preparing the historic property for a slew of new uses. William Muller, who owns the Guild Art Center, has made an offer on the building which the Elks membership has accepted.
■Smith College professor Robert Dorit has been teaching an AP biology class at Northampton High School. Dorit and several colleagues stepped up to teach for five weeks after a teacher left early in the semester. A new teacher started this week.
■Some 14 months after putting a hold on approval of large-scale residential projects close to downtown, the City Council is expected to decide Thursday whether to adopt new zoning regulations and lift the moratorium. If approved, the rules would guide the future development of several key sites, including the Smith College Fort Hill property and the former Shaw’s Motel on Bridge St.