NORTHAMPTON — The city has opened warming centers for individuals needing a safe, warm space over the next few days as temperatures are forecast to drop significantly across the region.

The warming centers opened on Wednesday and will remain open until Sunday, Jan. 25, with varying hours of operation. “The city encourages residents and visitors experiencing houselessness or needing a safe place to stay during extreme cold weather to take advantage of these facilities,” the city said in a statement.

The centers are located at the following spots:

  • Clinical & Support Options, 29 Industrial Dr. East. The center is open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with an overnight shelter available starting at 6 p.m., if beds are available.
  • St. John’s Episcopal Church Emergency Shelter, 48 Elm St., when temperatures are 15 degrees or below. Access to the shelter is by referral only and must go through the Division of Community Care at 877-322-0413.
  • Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz St., Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Forbes Library, 20 West St., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Northampton Police Department, 29 Center St., open 24 hours a day. Individuals can warm up in the lobby.
  • Lilly Library, 19 Meadow St., Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
  • Manna Community Center, 48 Elm St., open Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Division of Community Care, 1 Roundhouse Plaza, Community Space open Wednesday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Activist Judy Richardson to speak at Mount Holyoke

SOUTH HADLEY — Mount Holyoke College’s annual Martin Luther King commemorative keynote will feature Judy Richardson, activist and filmmaker, in conversation with President Danielle R. Holley. The event will be held on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 4:45 p.m., in the Great Room in the Community Center. This event is free and open to the public. 

Richardson was on the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) staff in Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama from 1963–66. Her experiences in SNCC continue to ground both her film and education work. She most recently produced the Frederick Douglass visitor center film for the National Park Service’s site at Cedar Hill in Washington, D.C. She is currently working on four museum films, including for the civil rights museums in both Memphis and Atlanta.

In 1968, she was a co-founder of Drum & Spear Bookstore, once the country’s largest African-American bookstore. She was on the production team for the seminar PBS series “Eyes on the Prize,” first as the series associate producer, then its education director. With Northern Light Productions, she continued to produce documentaries for PBS, the History Channel and for museums.

This event is sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. For more information, including a campus map, visit events.mtholyoke.edu. 

Mayor Sciarra to hold office hours

NORTHAMPTON — Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra is launching her 2026 Office Hours program, offering individual residents the opportunity to meet with the mayor.

Beginning in February, Mayor Sciarra will have a two-hour block for individual meetings with community members. Appointments will be scheduled in 15-minute time slots, allowing a resident to discuss any topic of their choosing.

Office hour appointments will open 30 days in advance of each month’s scheduled date. To make the most effective use of this time, participants are asked to submit their topic(s) for discussion in advance. This will allow Sciarra to come prepared and, when appropriate, invite relevant department heads to join the meeting to help address questions or concerns.

Residents who are unable to secure a time slot for a given month are encouraged to check back when scheduling opens for the following month. In order to ensure fair access and availability for all residents, appointments are limited to one (15-minute) office hour session per person. 

In addition to office hours, residents may submit questions for the Mayor’s Q&A feature in the city’s bi-weekly newsletter. Questions can be submitted through a brief online form, and residents can sign up to receive the newsletter on the city’s website.

For information on signing up for office hours once the new date is announced, visit the website. As always, questions may also be directed to the Mayor’s Office at 413-587-1249 or mayor@northamptonma.gov.