A Look Back, April 3

50 Years Ago

■Adolph A. Pipczynski of North Hadley was last night appointed chief of police by the selectmen in a unanimous vote. Pipczynski, who is 42 years old and has been on the force for 10 years, was one of four department members who submitted applications for the post.

■The state Housing Appeals Committee today announced that it has sustained the decision of the Northampton Zoning Board of Appeals in denying a permit for the proposed Baker Hill housing project in Bay State. The appeals committee’s ruling is the latest development in a nearly four-year legal battle by nonprofit sponsors to build housing for low- and moderate-income families on the Baker Hill site.

25 Years Ago

■South Hadley residents voted Monday to keep the Town Meeting tradition alive, rejecting a mayor-council form of government by an 8 percent margin. Linda Young, co-chairwoman of the pro-charter Citizens for a Representative Town Government, said the next step will be getting more residents involved in the decision-making process.

■Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel will launch the Northwestern District Attorney’s Children’s Advocacy Center at a kickoff breakfast at the Inn at Northampton Thursday. The center will provide a formal point of coordination for the many people in the Valley who work with abused and threatened children.

10 Years Ago

■The University of Massachusetts Amherst is in discussions with the Dalai Lama to have him speak at the university this fall. The Dalai Lama, Tibetans’ exiled spiritual leader, last came to the region on May 9, 2007, to speak at Smith College and receive an honorary doctorate from that institution.

■Nearly three months after Faces owner Peter Vogel announced that the downtown landmark will close early this year, the face of the popular shop remains uncertain. Though no closing date has been announced, the store’s shelves are gradually clearing of merchandise.