PVTA pilot to expand bus service on Amherst-Sunderland line to Hadley malls

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A year-long trial by University of Massachusetts Transit and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority is expanding weekend bus service on Route 31, bringing riders on the Amherst-to-Sunderland buses directly to the shopping malls in Hadley.The...

Area property deed transfers, Sept. 12

BELCHERTOWN Ralph P. Guisti Jr. to Alison C. Averette and Duane H. Averette, 565 George Hannum Road, $625,000 Claire A Gingras RET and Claire A. Gingras to Belchertown Town Of, State Street, $125,000 CHESTERFIELD Tessier Ft and Melissa A. Betsold...

A Look Back, Sept. 12

By JIM BRIDGMAN

50 Years Ago■Richard C. Carnes, chairman of the Northampton Conservation Commission, announced today that the commission has discussed using railroad rights-of-way as bike paths in the city. Carnes said a meeting would be scheduled soon with the...

Harris, Trump spar in Philadelphia presidential debate

By ZEKE MILLER, MICHELLE L. PRICE, JILL COLVIN and JOSH BOAK

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kamala Harris and Donald Trump showcased starkly different visions for the country Tuesday on abortion, immigration and American democracy as they met for the first time for perhaps their only debate before November’s presidential...

A Look Back, Sept. 11

50 Years Ago ■The construction of an 11-acre shopping center on Northampton Street in Easthampton has apparently been stalled indefinitely by the tight economic situation. A year ago, the Sanland Development Corp. bought a parcel of land off O’Neill...

Police find skimmer at Cumberland Farms in Williamsburg

By SAMUEL GELINAS

WILLIAMSBURG — Another skimming device was detected in the area, this time in Williamsburg, only a day after one had been found mounted to a cash register at a Cumberland Farms in Southampton.Officer Peter Fisher was purchasing a drink on his normal...

Granby marks 9/11 with special memorial made out of piece of NY fire truck, rather than World Trade Center

By EMILEE KLEIN

GRANBY — While making its journey to the Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, a piece of a New York fire truck that melted and warped from the flaming aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks snapped in half from the vibrations from travel.Matt Bail,...

Saving a historic barn: Couple who own former Gurney Farm repurpose antique structure, move it closer to their house

By SAMUEL GELINAS

CUMMINGTON — An over 200-year-old barn at one of the town’s oldest former farms will be entering a new phase of its history, as its owners uplift and outfit the structure into a “functional” space.Built between 1812 and 1818 and originally designed...

Jones Library director earns glowing review in Amherst

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Jones Library Director Sharon Sharry’s dedication to the Jones Library, its staff and patrons, and her continued planning for a renovated and expanded main branch, is being recognized with an exemplary annual performance review from the...

$76K in grants supporting new stretchers, stair chair for South County EMS

By CHRIS LARABEE

SOUTH DEERFIELD — With the help of two grants, South County EMS is able to replace some of its aging equipment with new, modern stretchers, alongside a replacement stair chair.South County EMS received a $71,428 Federal Emergency Management Agency...

Breaking new ground: UMass begins work on $43M ‘hub’ for School of Public Health and Health Sciences

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — As a graduate of the School of Public Health & Health Sciences Kinesiology department at the University of Massachusetts, doctoral student Petra Ypsilantis is aware of the separation and lack of cohesiveness among the school’s six...

Photo: A good run ends

Road work to close Rocky Hill Road in Hadley on Thursday, Friday

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HADLEY — Most of Rocky Hill Road, an increasingly popular route for commuters between the University of Massachusetts campus and Interstate 91, as well as a growing number of commercial vehicles, will be closed to all but a limited number of vehicles...

Amherst Police respond to 200+ calls over weekend, including for a man who ripped pizza out of woman’s hand

AMHERST — Police identified a man acting in odd ways outside the downtown Amherst bars early Saturday morning, grabbing a slice of pizza from one customer and making strange comments toward several women.Police were alerted to the incident, one of 207...

Mount Holyoke researchers unveil interactive archive, story map of US immigration sanctuary policies

By EMILEE KLEIN

SOUTH HADLEY — When Mount Holyoke College researchers Serin Houston and Anatasica Tucker talk about their recently completed database of migrant sanctuary policies enacted across the country, they can’t help but laugh at the sheer amount of work they...

A Look Back, Sept. 10

50 Years Ago ■Harper-Truss and Sons Inc., the owners of The Filling Station restaurant on Pleasant Street, have purchased the former Northampton Junior College Admissions building at 99 Pleasant Street for use as a restaurant. The purchase price was...

Taste of Northampton expects to draw big on Saturday

By NAOMI SCULLY-BRISTOL

NORTHAMPTON — Thousands are expected to visit Main Street downtown on Saturday for a day of food and live music at Taste of Northampton, an annual festival that celebrates the city’s businesses and restaurants.The event, which returned in 2022 after a...

Spigot opens for housing authorities: County leaders excited about what $2B statewide authorization will mean for residents here

By SCOTT MERZBACH

NORTHAMPTON — Maintaining and improving existing public housing properties is an ongoing challenge for local housing authorities with limited resources, an issue that housing advocates and professionals are hopeful the state’s $5.16 billion housing...

Harris will bring a prosecutor’s style to Tuesday’s presidential debate, but risks abound in matchup with Trump

By BILL BARROW

ATLANTA — From her earliest campaigns in California to her serving as President Joe Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris has honed an aggressive but calibrated approach to debates.She tries to blend punch lines with details that build toward a broader...

$290K in CPA money sought for rubber surface at new Hadley Elementary playground

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HADLEY — A poured-in-place rubber surface to be installed for the improved playgrounds and new swing set at Hadley Elementary School, making for a safer space for children, may depend on successfully getting a grant from the town’s Community...