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By ALEXA LEWIS and MADISON SCHOFIELD

When he started tapping trees for the 2025 sugaring season, Paul Zononi of Paul’s Sugar House in Williamsburg was shocked to find that the sap came at a trickle — and with only half of its typical sugar content.

By SCOTT MERZBACH,EMILEE KLEIN andALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

Lowering higher education costs, supporting K-12 public education, confronting climate change, creating more housing and protecting and expanding health care and reproductive care are among the priorities this year for the legislative delegation...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN and CHRIS LARABEE

GREENFIELD – It’s been a week full of surprises for the family who welcomed Baystate Franklin Medical Center’s first baby of 2025.Agnes Coakley Cox and Nate Cox, both 38, arrived at the hospital on Dec. 31, as Coakley Cox prepared for induction....

By MADISON SCHOFIELD and ALEXA LEWIS

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and for many one of the most stressful times of the year. As people prepare for holiday feasts with family and friends, food pantries across the region are preparing to stretch donations further and support...

By CHRIS LARABEE, MADISON SCHOFIELD, ANTHONY CAMMALLERI, ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN and DOMENIC POLI

The MCAS scores for 2024 have been released, showing that approximately 30.1% of Franklin County and North Quabbin students met or exceeded expectations, 48.5% partially met expectations and 21.5% did not meet expectations in the math and English...

By CHRIS LARABEE and ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

SUNDERLAND — From extreme weather related to climate change to stronger crop insurance protections and an increase on the cap on lending, area farmers paused their work briefly Tuesday to share their concerns with U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern when he swung...

By MADISON SCHOFIELDand ALEXA LEWIS

An extensive series of safety standards being proposed by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is leading to howls of disapproval from rural fire departments, whose leaders are warning there’s no way they can implement the changes...

By CHRIS LARABEE and DOMENIC POLI

With a $165,000 grant, 18 formerly incarcerated individuals in Franklin and Hampshire counties will be able to participate in a training program with their respective sheriffs’ offices and Community Action Pioneer Valley to prepare them to re-enter...

By DOMENIC POLI andERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

ORANGE — Annual Town Meeting adjourned late Tuesday night after lengthy discussion on the remaining 30 articles that were carried over from Monday, including a $1 million request for a water tower and fire suppression system at the industrial park and...

By JAMES PENTLAND and ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — Sen. Jo Comerford was at home in Northampton on a Zoom call Friday morning when suddenly her home started shaking.“I thought maybe it was ice falling off the roof,” Comerford said. “It was quite jarring.”Leeds resident Jeffrey McLeod,...

By CHRIS LARABEE and DOMENIC POLI

With Super Tuesday in the rear-view mirror, election results show no surprises in Franklin County and the North Quabbin region, as the two presumptive candidates, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, emerged victorious with wins...

By CHRIS LARABEE and JAMES PENTLAND

NORTHAMPTON — Area organizations are welcoming grant awards that will boost the supply of fresh, local food available to those in need and provide support for local farmers.“We’re really thrilled to have been selected,” said Lev BenEzra, executive...

By CHRIS LARABEE and DOMENIC POLI

Local watchdogs of our rivers will have additional tools at their disposal through a state grant intended to provide water-quality monitoring equipment for the Deerfield and Connecticut rivers.The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection...