News
Sportsman’s Corner: May, the best month of spring
By Mike Roche Here we are in mid-May and there is so much happening! Turkey hunting is in full swing, and gobblers are definitely active. The issue is hens, and it is hard to compete with the “real thing,” believe me. Trout fishing, however, is never...
Assessment of Phillips Free Public Library does not address “problematic” addition
By GREG VINE
PHILLIPSTON – A structural assessment of the Phillips Free Public Library shows that $263,000 worth of repairs is needed for the building, but it appears the full extent of the work is not yet known.At a meeting of the Selectboard Wednesday evening,...
Extreme weather forces valley farmers to adapt
By TANISHA BHAT
Ben Clark, the owner of Clarkdale Fruit Farms in Deerfield, received $120,000 from the $20 million Natural Disaster Recovery Program created last year after he lost the entirety of his peach crop and 70% of his apples and pears due to sudden cold...
Five Points Project, trash disposal on Athol Town Meeting warrant
By GREG VINE
ATHOL – The Finance and Warrant Advisory Committee met Tuesday evening to review the 34-article warrant which will be decided on by the voters at the June 10 Annual Town Meeting.While the committee voted to recommend passage of 33 articles, it delayed...
Orange Selectboard to review proposal to de-fund town libraries
By DOMENIC POLI
ORANGE – Residents are encouraged to attend or tune in to Thursday’s Selectboard meeting to have their voices heard on the possibility of removing all funding from the town’s two libraries.Orange is in dire financial straits and Town Administrator...
Report urges full reexamination of regional transit authorities
By MICHAEL P. NORTON
MBTA service problems and fiscal dilemmas have commanded significant public attention, but a new report says the regional transit authorities that provided 19 million bus and shuttle rides in 2021 lack connectivity and a “funding bedrock.”The report,...
UMass chancellor defends protest crackdown, arrests
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — University of Massachusetts Chancellor Javier Reyes defended the arrests of 134 people at a campus pro-Palestinian encampment last week, telling a special session of the Faculty Senate on Tuesday afternoon that the decision to break up the...
Phillipston Town Election to decide next Selectboard member
By GREG VINE
PHILLIPSTON – In next Monday’s Annual Town Election, voters will choose the next member of the Selectboard and a Proposition 2 ½ override aimed at handling the town’s expenses.The race for Selectboard between candidates Nicole Gough and Earl Sweat is...
Bike Month event in Greenfield looks at favorite cycling spots in Franklin County
By CHRIS LARABEE
GREENFIELD – In celebration of Bay State Bike Month and in anticipation of a new Franklin County Regional Bike Plan, the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) welcomed cyclists to the John W. Olver Transit Center for breakfast Tuesday...
A Page From North Quabbin History: The story behind the New Salem Museum
By Carla CharterLaura Barletta and her husband Vincent’s connection to New Salem began with Vincent’s grandmother Helen Truman, who attended school at New Salem Academy. After the school closed in 1969, the building, which originally housed the home...
Transfer station starting food scrap compost program
Staff Report
ATHOL – Starting in the next few weeks, Athol Transfer Station will be collecting and diverting food scraps for composting to add to waste collection efforts. Food scrap collection is open during normal transfer station operating hours. This program...
Athol Fire Department receives new pumper truck
By GREG VINE
ATHOL – The Fire Department has taken receipt of a new $825,000 pumper, the purchase of which was approved when voters last year passed a Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion.According to Fire Chief Joseph Guarnera, the new pumper replaces a 26-year-old...
Heath native’s bill honoring fallen heroes introduced in Congress
By DOMENIC POLI
Legislation drafted by a Heath native with the intent of recognizing those killed serving in the U.S. military has been introduced in both chambers of Congress.Keith Sherman, who now lives in North Carolina, worked diligently on multiple drafts of a...
Black Diamond to hold 40th anniversary show in Winchendon
By Max Bowen
WINCHENDON – As they say, the show must go on.William Ladeau, drummer and promoter for the rock band Black Diamond, is hosting an eight-hour music festival this Saturday, May 18, at the Snowbound Club in Winchendon. Originally meant to be a 40th...
Proposal calls for a 70-80-room hotel near North Quabbin Commons in Athol
By GREG VINE
ATHOL – Wednesday evening, Supriya Kelkar, planner for the consulting firm of Innes Associates Ltd., presented the Economic Development & Industrial Corporation with a final draft of the Request for Proposal to find a company interested in developing...
Athol YMCA to open new community center
By GREG VINE
ATHOL – What started out as an effort to establish a teen center in Athol ended up morphing into plans to open the multi-generational Y Community Center.The need for such a facility became clear during the pandemic, when the Athol Area YMCA did its...
UMass student group declares no confidence in chancellor
By CHAD CAIN
AMHERST — A day after 132 people were arrested in pro-Palestinian protests on the University of Massachusetts campus, the university’s student government Wednesday night formally declared it had no confidence in Chancellor Javier Reyes and his...
State Senate budget funds free community college for all
By ALISON KUZNITZ and SAM DRYSDALE
BOSTON — Senate Democrats unveiled plans Monday to make community college free for all students in Massachusetts, starting in the coming fall semester.The “MassEducate” plan, which will be part of the Senate’s fiscal 2025 budget that was to be fully...
Longtime public servant Richard Sheridan dies at 78
By DOMENIC POLI
ORANGE – Richard Sheridan, a longtime public servant whose Selectboard tenure ended in January, died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack on April 29. He was 78.Selectboard members on Wednesday held a moment of silence for their former colleague and...
Cryptozoology exhibits featured at Education Earth Museum
By MAX BOWEN
ATHOL – A new museum is set to open in downtown Athol, but the many of the creatures featured won’t be found in a nature textbook.Located at 475 Main St., the Education Earth Museum is owned and operated by Storm DeFrancesco Plains, who is a certified...
