Search Results

By Line search: By ALEXA LEWIS

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — As the town election nears on Tuesday, uncertainty is brewing among many residents over a town proposal to construct a new public safety complex.

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — As part of a coalition of educators, school districts and unions, the Easthampton School Committee won a preliminary injunction Thursday against the Trump administration’s dismantling of the Department of Education.

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — The former Notre Dame du Bon Conseil Church at 35 Pleasant St might be finding new life as a housing development.

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — Voters rejected two tax overrides at Tuesday’s town election that would have provided funds to pay for preconstruction costs for a new public safety complex, and to cover unexpected costs at Norris Elementary School.

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Digital equity efforts are taking off in Easthampton, with new digital education opportunities in the works, technology lending opportunities and more.

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Robert Laferriere has emerged as the third candidate for mayor of Easthampton, with hopes of enacting change in his community.

By ALEXA LEWIS

WESTHAMPTON — At a five-hour Town Meeting last weekend, Westhampton voters approved a $7.6 million operating budget, gave the town permission to acquire and preserve more than 200 acres, approved borrowing for a solar array on the public safety complex and more.

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Standing between Nashawannuck Pond and a ring of dozens of supporters, JT Tirrell announced his candidacy for Easthampton mayor Tuesday afternoon.

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Unlike neighboring communities struggling with significant funding gaps for next fiscal year, Easthampton is heading into fiscal year 2026 on solid financial footing that will enable it to avoid layoffs or wage cuts.

By ALEXA LEWIS

Western Massachusetts stands to “greatly benefit” from a $1.33 billion spending plan for education and transportation adopted by the state Senate last Thursday, thanks in part to lengthy debates leading up to a vote on the package that sought to reverse an initial proposal that Sen. Jo Comerford called “skewed” and “wildly unfair” to this region.

By ALEXA LEWIS

HADLEY — Food, drinks and motorcycles await all who attend the third annual Jesse’s Ride at the Hadley Young Men’s Club this Saturday. But this day of community fun didn’t begin as such a joyous occasion.

By ALEXA LEWIS

WESTHAMPTON — At the annual Town Meeting this Saturday, voters will be asked to approve a $7.6 million operating budget, give the town permission to acquire and preserve 235 acres, borrow $230,000 for a solar array on the public safety complex and more.

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Three Easthampton farms have been recognized by The Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation as recipients of this year’s Local Farmer Awards. Underline Farm, Mountain View Farm and Park Hill Orchard are among the 116 recipients of the community-funded grant initiative, which aims to support farm improvements across western Massachusetts.

By ALEXA LEWIS

HOLYOKE — Unperturbed by the rain that pelted their colorful signs, dozens of impassioned community members hailing from cities and towns across the region gathered in song and frustration to protest state “green energy” infrastructure siting practices they think will be more harmful to the environment than helpful.

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — Town Meeting voters approved an $897,000 general override to cover unanticipated costs at Norris Elementary School on Tuesday night, a decision that will prevent the elimination of 10 full-time school positions if it passes at the Town Election on May 20.

By ALEXA LEWIS

As the cardinals in Vatican City prepare to begin a conclave to select a new pope on Wednesday, Bishop William Byrne of the Diocese of Springfield said that local Catholics are in a period of prayer as they eagerly await the election of “a joyful shepherd who will lead the 1.4 billion Catholics in the world.”

By ALEXA LEWIS

WESTHAMPTON — When Joseph Shrand visited Hampshire Regional High School this week, he wasn’t trying to scare kids away from using drugs. Instead, he sought to change their perceptions around drug use, and give them knowledge they might use one day to save a life.

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — A city native who has spent his entire 23-year career in law enforcement with the Easthampton Police Department was named police chief on Friday morning.

By ALEXA LEWIS

SOUTHAMPTON — At the annual Town Meeting on May 6, residents will weigh in on the town’s roughly $24 million fiscal 2026 budget – including whether to approve an $879,000 override to cover unexpected costs at Norris Elementary School. 

By ALEXA LEWIS

EASTHAMPTON — Under the watchful eye of Michelle Prindle, 10-year-old Carya Verson worked on perfecting a short song on the piano on a Monday afternoon. She began by playing a lilting melody with her right hand before moving onto some deeper notes with her left. When she combined the two, music filled the small room to the brim.

By ALEXA LEWIS

WESTFIELD — Jupiter Power has withdrawn its plans for a lithium battery energy storage system (BESS) in Westfield, over the Barnes Aquifer, after months of resistance from area residents.