50 Years Ago
- Ralph Nader, speaking yesterday at a UMass anti-nuclear teach-in, once against advocated for the dismantling of all nuclear plants. Nader charged the federal government with “recklessly and secretively” endangering the lives of American citizens by suppressing the truth about nuclear dangers.
- One or more thieves broke into the State Street offices of the Hampshire United Way and the Red Cross sometime last night or early this morning, cracked the United Way’s safe and made off with an undetermined amount of cash and checks. They also stole an antique clock that Mrs. Calvin Coolidge had given to the Red Cross.
25 Years Ago
- The fire-safety tips taught to hundreds of city school children by firefighter George LaBarge, who retired in July after 29 years on the force, have earned him an honor awarded for the first time ever: Firefighter of the Year. Chief Brian Duggan said LaBarge was the unanimous choice of a committee composed of the department’s deputy chiefs, who chose him from four nominees from each of four shifts of firefighters.
- The weekend benefit at A.P.E. Gallery on the third floor of Thornes Marketplace will not feature the usual canvases hanging on the freshly painted white walls, but rather 171 sculptures of bras. Show Us Your Bra!, a benefit for the Breast Form Fund, is back for its fourth year under the direction of Judith Fine, owner of Gazebo, a lingerie store on Center Street.
10 Years Ago
- Polish heritage will take center stage in Northampton and Easthampton during Columbus Day weekend, as people gather to celebrate and honor Revolutionary War hero General Casimir Pulaski. The Pulaski Day Parade in Northampton has become one of the largest Pulaski Day events in Massachusetts.
- Legalizing marijuana use in Massachusetts was the topic of an often-heated panel debate Thursday as more than 100 people filled the Greenfield Community College dining commons. Panelists and audience members argued about the addictive nature of marijuana, its effects particularly on teenagers, the tax benefits of legalization and the results of commercializing distribution.