■The Christmas spirit came to Belchertown State School yesterday. A group of patients from the Veterans Administration Hospital in Leeds, who said they wanted to make Christmas a little brighter for patients at another institution, dressed up as Santa Claus and his elves for a day-long party for residents at Belchertown State School.
■Two men, one of whom police said had an automatic pistol, held up the Heights Grocery Store on Bridge Road Monday night and stole $100. In addition, thieves struck three King Street businesses, smashing two safes and stealing a tape recorder, a camera and a calculator from one business.
■Among the many pieces of advice offered Mary Clare Higgins since she was elected mayor in November, one stands out like a shiny gem. It came, as best she can remember, from North Adams Mayor John Barrett. “He told me, ‘Just don’t ever think you’re the mayor.” I loved that,” said Higgins. “If I start acting mayoral, I’m probably doomed.”
■Running January payroll checks one week early, purchasing battery-operated two-way radios and hiring elevator technicians to work New Year’s Eve are among precautions area colleges have taken for when 1999 roll over to 2000. All area colleges say they are Y2K ready.
■Despite a recommendation from an independent advisory board that calls for eliminating health insurance benefits for part-time elected officials in exchange for nearly doubling their salaries, a majority of the Northampton City Council believes it deserves to retain the health-care benefits along with its first raise in a quarter-century.
■The former Parsons Street School in Easthampton was sold for $10,000 Thursday to developer Kevin Perrier, who plans on investing over $1.6 million into the structure, creating up to 17 rental units, including up to two units of affordable housing.