■Plans submitted by Van Tech Associates of Whitinsville have been accepted for a new building for the Assembly of God Church to be located on Bridge Road in Northampton. The site, which is approximately three acres, was formerly owned by the Ludolph H. Nehring estate.
■High school classes were dismissed at 9:23 this morning after a student found an “unidentified object” in his locker which officials feared might contain explosives. The student reported the finding to Principal John Feeney who ordered the building evacuated and rang the fire alarm.
25 Years Ago
■As the squeals and laughter of children attest, the “Tots Lot” in Pulaski Park seems to be living up to its intended function as a place where parents can enjoy downtown — in a family sort of way. “There are kids there all of the time,” said At-Large City Councilor Mary Clare Higgins. “I think that’s great.”
■The John F. O’Connell Funeral Home on King Street, founded in 1961 by the late John F. O’Connell himself, is for sale. Funeral directors from both the immediate area and beyond have reportedly bid to become its new owner.
10 Years Ago
■Mayoral candidates Michael R. Bardsley and David J. Narkewicz squared off in the first of several debates on Tuesday, though the pair seemed hard-pressed to differentiate themselves before a large audience at Northampton High School.
■Adrienne Pascucci was in fourth grade the last time the Northampton field hockey team reached the postseason in 2004. On Tuesday, the now-junior made sure the streak stopped this year. Pascucci scored two first-half goals and the Blue Devils cruised to a 2-0 victory over Greenfield at Smith College.