A Look Back, Nov. 18

50 Years Ago

■Reports of a general rise in the amount of vandalism against businesses and public buildings in Hampshire County appear to be unfounded, according to a Gazette survey. With some notable exceptions, most of the law enforcement and town officials questioned said that there was no more vandalism this year than there had been in past years.

■Pro Brush Division of Vistron, Inc., will drop its compression molding production beginning Jan. 1, as sales from that division have been declining over recent years. Some 40 workers in the division will be transferred to other jobs in the plant. No jobs are expected to be lost because of the change.

25 Years Ago

■As more than 500 people rallied at the University of Massachusetts Tuesday to condemn three violent acts against women on campus, a fourth assault occurred less than a quarter of a mile away. A woman with facial injuries ran up to a police officer and said she had been grabbed from behind and attacked by a man with a knife as she was getting out of her car in Parking Lot 63.

■Students at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School could play on Northampton High’s football team if informal talks now under way take off. Superintendent Raymond Cooke told Smith Vocational trustees Tuesday he has discussed the possibility with Frank Tudryn, the high school’s assistant principal and coach of the Blue Devils football team.

10 Years Ago

■A company that manufactures vitamins is planning to construct a 24,000-square-foot facility in the Hadley University Park off North Maple Street. American River Nutrition, which has its headquarters at 31 Campus Plaza Road, is bringing the project before the Planning Board Tuesday evening.

■At a somber meeting of the Northampton Business Improvement District’s board Friday, members spent most of the time trying to interpret last week’s decision by a judge to disband the BID immediately. Charles Bowles, chairman of the BID board, said First Night fireworks and the holiday lighting program downtown remain in question.