■Ted LaFleur has returned from Scotland more convinced than ever the Loch Ness monster lives. LaFleur, vice president of Northampton National Bank, has studied the sea creature for many years. This year he decided to throw caution to the wind and do what he yearned to do for a long time — search for the legendary monster. Ten days before he arrived in Scotland, LaFleur was told a major sighting occurred. Two creatures were seen swimming side-by-side and two humps were noted.
■When the old Florence fire station was torn down two weeks ago to make way for a new $400,000 facility with an added bay, the small contingent of firefighters and their two trucks were very nearly left without any building in which to move. Finally, through the efforts of Matthew Pitoniak, the department was able to secure temporary quarters in the former International Silver Co. building in Florence center.
■The Northampton Rotary Club has honored Frank E. Tudryn Jr. with the club’s Paul Harris Fellow medallion. The award honors people who have worked for the good of children. Tudryn is vice principal and head football coach at Northampton High School.
■By building a new parking garage, Smith College officials say they could partially solve a 20-year problem. But neighbors and city councilors claim that even with a new garage, there will continue to be too few parking spaces for too many cars.
■The Northampton Police Department announced Monday that three recent graduates of the Western Massachusetts Regional Police Academy will be joining its ranks. Brendan K. McKinney, Andrew S. McGrath and Jeffrey L. Staples all graduated from the academy on June 22, and all are assigned to the department’s 15-week Field Training and Evaluation Program.
■Despite a forecast of rain, well over 6,000 spectators turned out for Chesterfield’s 65th Fourth of July parade, which proceeded under warm and sunny skies. Normally the parade has five or six floats, but this year a total of 46 floats turned out for the festivities.