Photo: Bike shelter takes shape at Pulaski Park in Northampton

Chipotle to open at old Papa Gino’s spot in Northampton

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — After years of going without one, it appears a Chipotle Mexican Grill is finally headed to Northampton. Chipotle, expected to be completed in the late spring to early summer, will be located at 301 King St., the site of a former Papa...

Wastewater treatment expenses climb in Amherst

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — The Department of Public Works is seeking money to pay for a study to determine if gaseous chlorine should continue to disinfect wastewater, as a growing number of discharge violations at the town’s wastewater treatment plant occur.The Town...

Grow Food’s winter market returns on Saturday for season

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — Grow Food Northampton’s winter market returns this weekend looking to provide locally grown produce and crafts as well as live entertainment to kick off the holiday season. The market will open on Saturday at the Northampton Senior...

Area briefs: St. Nicholas Bazaar at Amherst church; Holyoke’s annual tree lighting; New Amherst fire chief to attend Cuppa Joe; WestMass ElderCare changes name

Amherst church to hold St. Nicholas Bazaar on SaturdayAMHERST — Collectibles, food, holiday decorations, wreaths, books and a white elephant room will be part of Grace Episcopal Church’s St. Nicholas Bazaar on Saturday.The annual event runs from 9...

Getting their vegetables: Farm Lab supplying elementary students with lots of produce while piloting innovative farming methods

By SAMUEL GELINAS

CHESTERFIELD — In its first year, the Farm Lab in Chesterfield not only has produced more than $80,000 worth of produce using experimental methods of crop production that can help local growers, but that harvest has provided a community cornucopia...

A Look Back, Dec. 4

50 Years Ago■State Department of Natural Resources officials today confirmed reports that DNR Commissioner Arthur W. Brownell has turned down all sites he has viewed in...

Climate activist Bill McKibben’s light in dark times: Solar

By EMILEE KLEIN

AMHERST — The past few weeks have been tough for climate activism, and longtime climate activist Bill McKibben, who makes his home in Vermont, is feeling the heat.This year will be the hottest year on record, breaking the record-setting temperatures...

DiZoglio, advocates plan legislative audit newsmaker

By SAM DORAN

BOSTON — Auditor Diana DiZoglio plans to hold a press conference Wednesday marking a month since her legislative audit ballot question cruised to victory. But the victorious Question 1 will be staying on ice for at least another month.The Methuen...

Data shows a historic dry fall for western Mass

By CHRIS LARABEE

With bodies of water receding and brush fires throughout the state, it was clearly a dry fall for the Pioneer Valley and new data analysis confirms the season was historically dry for western Massachusetts.Preliminary National Weather Service data for...

Easthampton Parks and Rec Commission punts Nashawannuck Pond flag issue to City Council

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Dozens of Easthampton residents filed into the Easthampton High School auditorium on Monday night for discussions on the U.S. flag over Nashawannuck Pond amid shifting reasons from the mayor’s office for calling for it to be taken down....

Intrepid NHS journalists find stories in city, grill state inspector general for video news mag The Transcript

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — Cameras and stage lights face Jane Harrison-Millman as she sits in front of a live audience. Across from her sits Massachusetts Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro, responsible for leading the independent agency responsible for detecting...

World Affairs Council chapter quietly building international bridges

By ALEXA LEWIS

SPRINGFIELD — Since 1926, the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts has had one main goal: to connect the region with the rest of the world. Through informational talks, events, visitation programs, partnerships with local educators and more,...

Amherst’s Merry Maple lighting Friday kicking off holidays downtown

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A traditional celebration that has been part of Amherst’s holiday season since the 1960s, the Merry Maple lighting is back at its usual location on the North Common on Friday, with a newly lit maple tree.A year after continued construction...

A Look Back, Dec. 3

50 Years Ago■Donald Graham of Nonotuck Street, Florence, has been named Newspaper Boy of the Month. Don, son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Graham, has been in the news delivering business for four years. He has 36 customers along Nonotuck, New Street and...

Area Briefs: Fundraiser for Sudanese Civil War victims in Hadley; benefit for 11-year-old boy in Holyoke; Northampton public forum on ending war in Ukraine

Hopkins Academyfundraiser to aidSudanese Civil War victimsHopkins Academy is hosting a community fundraiser to support those impacted in Sudan and South Sudan by the Sudanese Civil War who are in need of humanitarian aid, which is over 25 million...

Photos: Here comes Santa

Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund: ‘A little sunshine’ for the holidays

By ALEXA LEWIS

NORTHAMPTON — Each year, the R.K. Finn Ryan Road School donates a portion of their Sunshine Fund to the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund, with hopes of brightening the holiday season for children and families in need.“We have a lot of children here who might...

Doula changes draw support at hearing

By ALISON KUZNITZ

BOSTON — MassHealth recently expanded access to its doula services program, and regulatory changes that state officials made on an emergency basis yielded scant public feedback Monday.During a roughly 10-minute hearing, only a state health official...

State overrules Shutesbury bylaw limiting grid batteries

By SCOTT MERZBACH

SHUTESBURY — A general town bylaw creating a licensing process for large-scale battery storage in Shutesbury has been struck down by the state attorney general’s office, for both unreasonably regulating renewable energy and improperly regulating...