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By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Improving pedestrian access and parking near Kendrick Park, where a downtown playground is located, and beginning predevelopment on a housing development at the former VFW site on Main Street that will include space serving homeless individuals, are projects being recommended for Community Development Block Grant funding.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

NORTHAMPTON — Collective Copies, a worker-owned, union copy shop, is in the midst of expanding and renovating its production facility at 93 Main St. in Florence, a project that will accommodate the consolidation of its longtime site at 71 South Pleasant St. in Amherst when that storefront closes on May 1.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Eliminating the reading intervention program, cutting five special education instructors and three paraprofessionals, and reducing hours for specialist instructors and band teachers, are among changes that could be implemented at Amherst’s three elementary schools beginning in the fall.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Even with the late start on constructing a new $97.5 million elementary school on South East Street, indications are that the building will still be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2026.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A full team of five teachers at Amherst Regional Middle School, who provide instruction in English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies and special education to seventh and eighth graders, would be eliminated as part of at least 18 staff cuts, saving around $1.39 million, at the regional schools if a proposal under consideration is adopted for next fiscal year.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Amber KaCey, a participant in Senior Center programs for almost 20 years, is pleased with the town’s plans for undertaking $2.8 million in upgrades to the Bangs Community Center building, beginning this summer.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Moving to ranked-choice voting for local elections, imposing a real estate transfer fee on some property transactions, and allowing permanent legal residents to vote in town elections are measures Amherst officials are continuing to support.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Less than two years since taking the helm as chancellor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Javier Reyes interviewed as a finalist to become the next president of West Virginia University.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A one-month extension is being sought from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners so Amherst officials have time to hire a general contractor to handle the $46.1 million expansion and renovation of the Jones Library.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — An investigation has cleared Amherst Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman of allegations of threatening harm to a district employee, creating a hostile work environment for an employee and retaliating against employees who are part of a protected class.

When presidential candidate Donald Trump was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, he jumped up and shouted “Fight, fight, fight!” and was immediately accused of trying to incite violence.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — An Orchard Valley home was destroyed, and a cat living at the residence likely killed, by an early Saturday morning fire, with the initial attack by firefighters compromised by a fire hydrant covered in snow and ice and frozen shut, and a second fire hydrant only working after being forced into operation.

By ELAINE FRONHOFER

By CAROLYN BROWN

Paulina Stark, a professor emerita of voice at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1985 to 2005, died earlier this month at the age of 88.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

Famous for its giant popovers, Judie’s was a mainstay of Amherst’s dining scene, a popular place for people to go to on graduation, alumni and homecoming weekends and to celebrate special events for more than 40 years.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A zoning change aimed at slowing the development of new apartments and townhomes, especially in neighborhoods close to the University of Massachusetts and where students are most likely to be tenants, is being sought by the Planning Board.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Town leaders continue to reaffirm its status as a sanctuary community, even as the Trump administration is threatening to cut off funding to any city or town not complying with the federal government’s immigration efforts.

By RUSS VERNON-JONES

There is a coup underway in our country. We are in danger of losing our democracy.

By MONICA MORAN

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

Eggs are pricey these days. And eggs aren’t the only thing costing more. Those of us who heat our homes with gas are paying more than twice as much for the same amount of energy as we paid five years ago.