50 Years Ago
- Florence merchants, irate over the “surprise” installation of 27 no-parking signs yesterday in the downtown area, plan to take their case to the City Council. Area businessmen fear that trade will be seriously affected with the loss of on-street parking.
- A school breakfast program is expected to be available to all Northampton students in mid-April. The finance committee of the Northampton School Committee recommended 2 to 1 last night that the school committee approve the implementation of the breakfast program. The full board will consider the program, which is required by the federal government, next week.
25 Years Ago
- The elder William “Bill” Dwight, longtime publisher of the former Holyoke Transcript-Telegram, who earned a reputation as a champion of constituents’ rights as a political aide to the late Congressman Silvio Conte, died early this morning, following a two-week illness. He was 71 years old.
- An innovative project funded by the Mellon Foundation to digitize Smith College’s art collection is transforming how students study art. For the next two years, while the Smith College Museum of Art is closed for major renovations, Smith’s art history students can instead see the inaccessible artworks in a most modern manner — on their computers.
10 Years Ago
- Longtime Easthampton City Clerk Barbara L. LaBombard was unanimously reappointed to that position Wednesday amid high praise from the City Council. Assistant City Clerk MaryAnn Giza was also unanimously reappointed.
- A new downtown store dedicated to dogs and dog lovers grew out of a simple pleasure: a couple’s early-morning walks with their pooch. The Grateful Hound, which opened Thursday at 114 Main St. in the former Deals & Steals space, offers an array of natural treats, eco-friendly chew toys, patterned leashes and more.