Granby fire destroys barn, contents

By EMILEE KLEIN

GRANBY — A fire tore through a barn on Morgan Street Sunday afternoon, ultimately resulting in a complete loss of the structure and its contents.

Bill aims to remove barriers for physician assistants

By ALEXA LEWIS

NORTHAMPTON — Physician assistants and health care advocates are hopeful a bill being considered on Beacon Hill could help to address a statewide shortage in primary care providers.

At special TM, Southampton voters OK $3.2M to launch planning for public safety complex

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — Over 100 Southampton voters elected to pass all but one article at a special Town Meeting held on Saturday morning.

Route 9 widening in Hadley to resume Tuesday

By Staff Report

HADLEY — Drainage work on South Maple Street, near the entrance to the Popeye’s restaurant, marks the resumption of the ongoing Route 9 widening project Tuesday morning.

At urging of constituents, Easthampton council backs state legislation calling for rent stabilization

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — After hearing impassioned testimony from residents, the City Council has adopted a resolution in favor of legislation designed to stabilize rents.

A Look Back, March 24

Home construction in Hampshire County has come to a virtual standstill because of the economic recession, and there are few signs that the industry will pick up during spring or summer. In Amherst and Northampton, only three building permits for new homes have been requested and issued in each community over the first three months of 1975.

Photos: Celebrating all things Irish at Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Booster group aims to ease disruptions during Northampton’s downtown makeover

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — A coalition of leaders affiliated with the city and its major business associations have come together to advocate for the Picture Main Street project, currently on pace to begin construction next year to dramatically remake the city’s downtown.

Destination Hampshire County: Experts discuss ways to boost, advocate for tourist economy

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Visitors from Lexington and Marblehead were among those who came to see “Generic Male,” the off-Broadway physical theater performed at Northampton’s Academy of Music in early March.

Families raise concerns about assault, other incidents at Fort River School in Amherst

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Some Fort River School families and staff are faulting district leadership for failing to address a physical and verbal assault of a parent in the school’s lobby on Feb. 10, along with other incidents of bullying and harassment by parents, that have occurred over the course of the school year.

Photo: Condo project set to begin in Amherst

State doles out green grants to Northampton, Westhampton for school buildings

By ALEXA LEWIS

Northampton and Westhampton have been awarded Green Communities competitive grants that they plan to put toward enhancing the energy efficiency of school buildings.

Hadley officials worry about costs to transition to town-run ambulance service; fire chief makes case for idea

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HADLEY — Even as some members of the Hadley Fire Department are training to become paramedics and others are preparing for a transition to a fully town-run Advanced Life Support ambulance service, those serving on the Select Board and Finance Committee are cautioning that this effort may not be realistic.

South Hadley election on April 8 to feature few contests

By EMILEE KLEIN

SOUTH HADELY — It’s shaping up to be a quiet election season in town this year, with a host of incumbents or newcomers running unopposed and only two contested races in District 1.

Area briefs: Mount Holyoke’s immigration discussion; Forbes to honor Szlosek; Amherst Young Feminists to screen film; HCC Culinary Arts open house

SOUTH HADLEY — Mount Holyoke College will host a conversation, “Protecting the Unprotected: Making Change in Today’s Immigration Landscape,” between Camille J. Mackler, immigration attorney, and David Hernández, associate professor of Latina/o studies and critical race and political economy.

A Look Back, March 22

By JIM BRIDGMAN

We are informed that at a late meeting of the trustees of Amherst Academy, it was voted that the trustees consent to and approve of the act to establish a college in the town of Amherst; and that all the property of every description pertaining to the Collegiate Institution be transferred and delivered to the trustees of the college.

Multi-town contingent organizes education funding appeal for UMass legislative hearing

By EMILEE KLEIN

SOUTH HADLEY — South Hadley and Ludlow are organizing municipal and school leaders, students and community members from at least eight communities to attend a hearing Monday at UMass to persuade the state Legislature’s House and Ways Means Committee to support altering the state’s municipal education funding formula.

Strapped for school funding, Valley schools eye lagging state aid

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL,EMILEE KLEIN and SCOTT MERZBACH

In a state that prides itself on its educational prowess, Massachusetts school districts across the commonwealth are facing a crisis of ability to adequately fund their schools. Hampshire County has proved to be no exception.

Land trusts eye purchasing Beaver Brook Golf Course, plan on ‘rewilding’ 288-acre property

By ALEXA LEWIS

WILLIAMSBURG — The Trustees of Reservations and its affiliate Hilltown Land Trust are working to raise $1.5 million by June 30 to purchase Beaver Brook Golf Course in Williamsburg and Northampton with the ambitious goal to “rewild” the 288-acre property, turning it into an area for both recreation and conservation.

Social Security fears foremost at McGovern town hall stop at retirement home

By SAMUEL GELINAS

AMHERST — U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern continues to tour the state, holding town halls across his district, and will again appear in Hadley on Sunday to rally farmers facing losses of federal aid as grants are put on hold or canceled by by the Trump administration. But his stop Friday brought him to the Applewood Retirement Living community in Amherst, where residents were especially concerned about President Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s unpredictable, potentially disastrous tinkering with Social Security.