50 Years Ago
Another reminder of the good old days has passed, falling victim, like so many other things, to modern times and taxes. The soda fountain, where you could get fresh lemonade and sit for hours on a hot summer afternoon, has been removed from the State Street Fruit Store.
A fire in a closet at the Hampshire Regional High School today forced an early closing of the 1,000-student facility. No injuries were reported and apparently damage was limited to one closet and part of a ceiling on the third floor of the building, according to school Superintendent Donald J. Buss.
25 Years Ago
The holiday wreath that hangs over Main Street in Florence got a boost from the Cummington Fire Department Friday when it was discovered that the Northampton ladder truck was being repaired and not available for the high-wire work. The Cummington department was called by Dave Alvord, treasurer of Florence Mercantile, and the wreath was put up just in time for today’s Florence holiday parade.
A national conservation organization named the Mount Holyoke and Mount Tom Ranges as one of 10 “last chance landscapes” nationwide. Scenic America, based in Washington, D.C., annually selects endangered landscapes of great beauty or community character facing a pending threat with a potential solution.
10 Years Ago
A sluggish computer system at Northampton Fire Rescue is due for a major tune-up, city officials say, so the department’s 12-year-old server will be replaced with state-of-the-art technology. The City Council last week approved spending $34,645 from the city’s stabilization fund for a new server.
With 40 turkeys, 17 hams and four cases of cranberry sauce, the annual Thanksgiving meal at Edwards Church in Northampton made a holiday celebration possible for many who say they would have gone without. One local resident said she would never have been able to afford a turkey dinner on her own.