News
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...
Athol Royalston Middle School Honor Roll Term 3
Fifth Grade Gold Honor RollAbigail Bouchard, Natalia Campion, Camden Destefano, Colt Gallant, Klara Guilmette, Leighann Gunderman, Maya Hamilton, Grace Kelley, Luna Luna, Shania Luna, Brielle McCorquodale, Noah Porcal, Isabella Tarara, and Sabrina...
Valley lawmakers seek shorter license for FirstLight hydropower projects
By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI
TURNERS FALLS — Area lawmakers are asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to limit the relicensing of FirstLight’s hydropower projects from 50 years to 30 years, and to mandate the company disclose more data to the public about its...
Federal funding for victim assistance drops, state support tries to help
By SAM DRYSDALE
Dollars coming from Washington to support survivors of violent crimes have dried up in recent years, and state funds to prop up struggling service providers are held up in a spending bill awaiting legislative action.Federal funding through the Crime...
Sportsman’s Corner: The quest for the Super Slam
By Mike RocheIt is the middle of turkey season and for some, the pursuit of wild turkeys becomes much more than a casual hunting activity. If this writer were honest, he would look at the impact of chasing gobblers and realize that my first turkey – a...
Annual ‘Food-A-Thon’ returns
By MAX BOWEN
ATHOL— North Quabbin residents can look forward to seeing pickle jar collectors on the street and hearing the 12-hour Food-A-Thon drive on the air to help combat a growing need.The fundraiser and food collection drive, now in its 20th year, will be...
Erving Town Meeting voters back Care Drive housing project
By DOMENIC POLI
ERVING — The town is one step closer to affordable housing on Care Drive after residents voted Wednesday to authorize the Selectboard to lease, convey or otherwise dispose of the property eyed for the development.Voters at Annual Town Meeting also...
Athol Police Logs: April 12 to April 19, 2024
Athol Police LogsApril 12 - 19Friday, April 124:25 p.m. - Caller from Tower Road reporting he deposited over $1,000 in $100 bills into the ATM and the ATM only counted $900. When he canceled the transaction it gave him $1,000 back. Advised to contact...
North Quabbin Notes, May 9
North Quabbin Garden ClubATHOL – On Saturday, May 18, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m, at the Millers River Environmental Center, the North Quabbin Garden Sale is holding a plant sale. The plants come from members’ gardens and many of the plants are natives. The...
$700K debt exclusion would fund repairs to Raymond Hall
By GREG VINE
ROYALSTON – A last-minute addition has been made to the warrant for Royalston’s Annual Town Meeting seeking $700,000 through a Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion. The new article, authored by the town’s Building Committee, would pay for improvements to...
Erving voters say ‘no’ to $3.7M debt exclusion
ERVING — Monday’s election saw incumbents reelected to their roles, including Highway Superintendent Glenn McCrory, who fended off Anthony Cunha for a one-year tree warden position, as well as the rejection of a debt exclusion to pay to demolish the...
Lawyer argues Joshua Hart’s 2018 conviction for Orange murder had inconsistent verdicts
By DOMENIC POLI
GREENFIELD — Spurred by a state Supreme Judicial Court opinion that pointed to inconsistent verdicts, the Franklin County Superior Court judge who oversaw Joshua Hart’s murder trial in 2018 has taken under advisement a defense attorney’s motion to set...
More than 130 arrested at pro-Palestinian protest at UMass
By SCOTT MERZBACH
Editor’s note: This story will be updated.AMHERST — More than 130 people were arrested on the University of Massachusetts campus Tuesday night after those who set up a pro-Palestinian encampment on the South Lawn of the Student Union refused to...
Franklin County reps speak to House budget amendments
By TANISHA BHAT
Franklin County representatives got about half of what they asked for in amendments to the House version of the fiscal year 2025 state budget.After two separate votes, 11 of the 21 amendments proposed by Franklin County representatives were adopted by...
Employee pay, real estate top Erving Town Meeting warrant
By DOMENIC POLI
ERVING — Employee compensation and real estate transactions are expected to be the most discussed topics at Annual Town Meeting on Wednesday, according to Town Administrator Bryan Smith.Articles regarding private property are clumped at the end of the...
‘Arrive Alive’ shows Athol High School students the dangers of impaired driving
By MAX BOWEN
ATHOL — As the school year winds down, Athol High School students got a realistic look at the dangers of impaired driving. “Arrive Alive” showed a mock two-car crash on Monday, with five Athol High School students portraying the drivers and...
Work on Pinedale Avenue Bridge connecting Athol and Orange to resume
By GREG VINE
ATHOL – Closed for a year and a half, work on the Pinedale Avenue Bridge is set to resume next week, according to Public Works Director Dick Kilhart.Kilhart explained that work has been on hold recently as the project’s contractor, Construction...
