50 Years Ago
Hundreds of area young people are working in the tobacco fields. Spokesmen in the tobacco industry claim that an abundance of local young people looking for work this summer has reduced the need to bring in adult migrant workers from Puerto Rico as in past years.
David A. Wampler of 44 Bancroft Road today announced his candidacy for the office of city councilor from Ward 2. Wampler, who is currently chair of the Northampton Bicentennial Committee, will run as a Democrat.
25 Years Ago
In September, some students taking continuing-education courses through the University of Massachusetts will be able to watch television for credit. UMass and WGBY-57, the public broadcasting affiliate in Springfield, are preparing to begin broadcasting on Sept. 11 two new “telecourses” — educational documentaries viewed on public television instead of traditional classroom lectures.
The West Nile Virus has been found for the first time in Massachusetts. The virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, was detected in a dead crow found Saturday near Willow Pond in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood. An outbreak of the West Nile Virus in New York City killed seven people last summer.
10 Years Ago
Nearly two years after the Bank of America closed its branch on 79 King St., Goggins Real Estate relocated its headquarters to the one-acre site last week. The real estate offices were previously located at 8 Main St. in Florence. “We were happy tenants in our Florence location, but when our lease ended it made sense for us to take advantage of the King St. building,” said Patrick Goggins.
The towns of Chesterfield and Cummington will have interim police chiefs until officials can fill the positions left open by the mandatory retirements of longtime police chiefs Gary Wickland in Chesterfield and Dennis Forgea in Cummington.