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By ALEXA LEWIS

BELCHERTOWN — Protesters who were arrested at the May 7 pro-Palestinian rally on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus filed out of the Eastern Hampshire District Courthouse Wednesday morning after pretrial proceedings to gather with...

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — When veterans return home from service, they often find that they’ve missed out on valuable family time, and struggle with feelings of isolation that can be hard to reconcile.With this issue in mind, a new summer tradition is coming to...

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — After almost three weeks of community collaboration and searching, Kiwi and Bandit, the “wild cows” of Easthampton, have made their way home safely.For weeks, photos, reports of sightings and comments of worry and support flooded...

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — Myrna West has been bringing music and movement into the lives of her line dancing students for decades. Now in her 35th year of teaching, she has a loyal group of “Dancing Queens” who attend her classes at the Southampton Senior Center,...

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — As the city’s three former elementary schools are turned into affordable housing complexes in the next few years, the city had initially planned to maintain the Pepin Elementary School gymnasium as a public recreation space. The plan...

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Springfield nonprofit Home City Development Inc. has long been planning an affordable housing project on Ferry Street. Now, they are close to finalizing a construction plan, and could be breaking ground this time next year.Peter...

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Filing through the main hallway of CitySpace, community members stopped to read the stories of One Cottage Street tenants that line the walls, detailing their relationships to the former mill building where they run their art studios....

By ALEXA LEWIS

Thousands of new affordable housing units will be built in western Massachusetts in the next few years, but local housing advocates say this still will not be enough to meet the massive regional demand for housing relief.The lack of affordable housing...

By ALEXA LEWIS

NORTHAMPTON — For over 25 years, Tina Champagne has been a pioneer of change and research in the occupational therapy sphere. Now, she has been awarded the highest honor the profession has to offer.“It’s my passion,” she said. “If it takes even more...

By ALEXA LEWIS

NORTHAMPTON — Cooley Dickinson Hospital and Highland Valley Elder Services will expand the state’s Hospital to Home Partnership Program thanks to a nearly $200,000 grant announced by the governor’s office last month. The program will involve providing...

By ALEXA LEWIS

HOLYOKE — Urbanist Development has secured $2 million through the state’s Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) for the construction of 19 new apartments on High Street. The Wrights Block development resides on one of the oldest contiguous...

By ALEXA LEWIS

When Shellie Stone went to Nashville two years ago, she was intoxicated with the city’s quintessential culture of  music and dancing, and immediately took to the dance floor. Stone, who had been line dancing for fun since attending her first class...

By ALEXA LEWIS

Local policymakers and affordable housing advocates and developers are welcoming a bill that cleared the state Senate unanimously late last week authorizing $5.4 billion in state borrowing to spur housing production amid a mounting housing supply...

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — A new Democratic candidate for state representative will challenge Republican Rep. Kelly Pease in this year’s election for a seat representing the 4th Hampden District on Beacon Hill. Currently serving in her third term as the Ward 3...

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — As election season draws nearer, state Rep. Kelly Pease says he is using his position to advocate for Westfield and Southampton, and says he would be “honored and humbled” to continue doing so for a third term as the 4th Hampden...

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — The city is preparing to take its commitment to combating climate change to a new level now that the City Council has signed off on two key measures that will qualify Easthampton for a Climate Leader Community designation. Councilors...

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — Voters approved a $2.2 million override to buy land for a new public safety complex at a special election this week, allowing the town to move into the initial planning stages for the lengthy project. Community members approved the...

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — A galvanized arts community worried about looming rent hikes for artists who rent space at Cottage Street Studios downtown secured the backing of the City Council on Wednesday.At an emotional meeting featuring crying and shouting, the...

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — A day of music, fireworks, food and fun awaits Pioneer Valley residents as Thunder in the Valley returns to Easthampton for its ninth year on Saturday. Thunder in the Valley is a beloved Fourth of July celebration featuring booming rock,...

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Nonotuck Pool has been a prominent facet of Easthampton summer fun for over 60 years, and now it’s better than ever. Children splashed about in the blue water and community members applauded as Mayor Nicole LaChapelle and Andrew Hunter...