■Mayor Sean M. Dunphy is being considered for a state cabinet position, aides to governor-elect Michael Dukakis said today. Dunphy’s name has been suggested by “at least a half dozen” groups and individuals, according to David Sugarman of the Dukakis staff. The post most often suggested is that of secretary of Communities and Development, one of ten cabinet positions to be filled by Dukakis.
■Northampton resident Rutherford H. Platt has filed suit in Hampshire County Superior Court, contesting the Aug. 9 agreement by the Hampshire County commissioners to sell 1.3 acres of land off Damon Road to American Legion Post 28 for $1. Meanwhile the county commissioners have asked Sen. John W. Olver to file a bill in the state legislature that would ratify their action, which Platt, a Northampton Planning Board member, contends was illegal.
■The state Registry of Motor Vehicles will move its Northampton office to Hadley next year when a new building on Route 9 is expected to be completed. State officials in March advertised bids for space in Northampton, Easthampton or Hadley that included 78 parking spaces. The Hadley bid was chosen.
■Several Leeds residents passionately pleaded at a public hearing last night for the city to halt a plan to create a paved 2.4-mile bike path along an abandoned rail bed from Look Park to the Williamsburg boundary, which runs through woods in scenic cliffs above the Mill River. Those against the plan say such a “black asphalt road” would destroy the pristine beauty of the section of the trail that is now used by walkers, horseback riders and joggers.
■Crowds of mostly college-aged people shut down main roads in Northampton and Amherst for several hours Sunday afternoon as they protested police killings of unarmed black people elsewhere in the U.S. The protests were peaceful, and no one was arrested, according to police from the two communities.
■Some Pleasant Street property owners and Ward 3 residents say the $20 million affordable housing project proposed by Valley Community Development Corp. for the old Northampton Lumber site would not do enough to strengthen what city leaders call the gateway to downtown Northampton. Many are faulting the proposed building’s “enormous size” and what they believe is a lack of retail space on its first floor.