Latest News



State legislators mulling fund for school resource officer training
BOSTON — State legislators are considering the value of school resource officers and whether to create a grant fund to support their training.

Fresh numbers show sharp decline in opioid overdose deaths in Massachusetts
BOSTON — Massachusetts experienced a more than 36% decrease in opioid-related overdose deaths in 2024, the state Substance Addiction Services Bureau reported Wednesday.
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Sports

Bulletin board: Raine Wonsey, Menace advance in Franklin County Summer League
Raine Wonsey struck out 14 in six innings of work, helping sixth-seeded Menace edge No. 3 Magic, 3-2, in a Franklin County Summer Softball League quarterfinal round playoff contest on Wednesday at Murphy Park.



Opinion

My Turn: Regionalization benefits health of students
For close to 40 years, I have spent almost my entire adult life working with teenagers. My work for the past 20 years has been in public, private and residential schools focusing on students’ mental health as a clinical social worker. As a resident of Northfield, I have worked to support our local public school district and have had a daughter, two nieces and a nephew graduate from Pioneer. For years, I have fundraised, written letters, protested, spoken at town and school committee meetings and engaged with administration and teachers, all in support of the success of this district.





Your Daily Puzzles

An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."

A quick daily flip. Finally, someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles.

Chess but with chaos: Every day is a unique, wacky board.

Word search but as a strategy game. Clearing the board feels really good.

Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.
Police Logs

Athol Police Logs, May 11 - June 9, 2025
2:01 a.m. - Male party in the lobby to speak with an officer about a cable box missing from his apartment. Male also stated he noticed the mat at his door has been moved.




Arts & Life

Sounds Local: Discover ‘the best band you never heard of’: The Samples perform at the Shea Theater Arts Center in Turners Falls on Friday
“The Best Band You Never Heard Of” is the name of a 2011 documentary about The Samples, a rock group that was part of the jam scene in the late 1980s and 1990s and went on to experience a career with more twists and turns than your favorite mystery novel.
Obituaries

Athol, MA - Patricia Ploof, 76, died on Saturday, July 12, 2025. She leaves behind her husband of 54 years, Timothy Ploof, their son, David Ploof, and his wife, Keila, and her grandchildren, Michel Ploof and Fletcher Sheinheit. She also... remainder of obit for Patricia A. Ploof

Plymouth , MA - Chad Ray, 53 of Plymouth Massachusetts passed away unexpectedly in his home on July 1, 2025. Chad was born and raised in Athol, MA. Chad attended Athol schools and graduated Class of 1991. After graduating Chad served i... remainder of obit for Chad R. Ray

San Marcos, TX - Eugene Richard Rice of San Marcos, TX passed away on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at the age of 96. Born in Islip, NY, he was the son of the late Erwin and Alice (Glassett) Rice. Gene grew up in Athol, MA and graduated f... remainder of obit for Eugene Richard Rice

Phillipston, MA - It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Donald Robert Schlicke on July 3, 2025. Born on May 10, 1953, in Gardner, MA, and a lifelong resident of Phillipston, MA, his presence will be deeply missed. His... remainder of obit for Donald R. Schlicke