2 Vermonters arrested for drugs, alcohol, fireworks

GREENFIELD — Speeding through a construction zone early Sunday morning resulted in the arrest of two Vermonters for charges related to drugs, alcohol and fireworks.Victoria Thompson, 28, of Cavendish, Vt., and Marshall Gagne, 41, of Springfield, Vt.,...

New Northfield police chief excited for shift to small-town policing

By SHELBY ASHLINE

NORTHFIELD — Growing up in a low-income family in Brattleboro, Vt., and later Turners Falls, Jon Hall remembers the positive interactions he had with local police officers. That experience, coupled with wanting to help people, shaped his decision to...

DA: Multi-agency investigation brings arrests linked to cocaine trafficking operation

GREENFIELD — After a seven-month investigation involving more than a dozen law enforcement organizations, police last week broke up an alleged cocaine trafficking syndicate that investigators believe distributed between 100 and 200 grams of cocaine a...

BHN, Community Health Center launch opioid treatment program in Orange

By DOMENIC POLI

ORANGE — Behavioral Health Network has partnered with the Community Health Center of Franklin County to start the state’s first rural methadone clinic, which opened this past week.The new Orange Opioid Treatment Program is located at 119 New Athol...

Greenfield City Council OKs new precinct map to send state

By MARY BYRNE

GREENFIELD — Councilors have voted to accept the reprecincting map for the city, following a request for the state to review it again in hopes of better aligning it with the House of Representatives district map that legislators approved in October,...

Greenfield Police Logs: Nov. 8 to Nov. 21, 2021

Monday, Nov. 8 10:51 a.m. — Hit-and-run reported at Applebee’s on the Mohawk Trail.3:57 p.m. — Vandalism reported at the intersection of River Street and the Mohawk Trail.4:05 p.m. — Assaults and/or battery reported at Clinical & Support Options on...

With new surgeon on staff, Baystate Franklin resumes orthopedic surgeries

GREENFIELD — Baystate Franklin Medical Center has resumed orthopedic surgeries after nearly a year, thanks to the addition of board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Colin S. Cooper to its medical staff.Cooper has joined Baystate Franklin as part of...

Real Estate Transactions: Nov. 26, 2021

ASHFIELD Bailey Road. $46,500. B: Three Peaks Land Stewardship LLC. S: Marsha A. Gray and Brian A. Willis. West Road. $30,000. B: Robert J. Wigmore and Mary K. Wigmore. S: Habersaat Family Trust, Barbara W. Habersaat, trustee.ATHOL 668 Lenox St....

Jury awards $10M, largest in county history, to sexual assault survivor

By DOMENIC POLI

GREENFIELD — A Franklin County Superior Court jury on Friday awarded a $10 million verdict, the largest in county history, to a sexual assault survivor.Jampa Gonpo, a former Tibetan monk now in his early 50s, was employed by the victim’s father as a...

Greenfield Police Logs: Oct. 24 to Nov. 7, 2021

Sunday, Oct. 244:44 p.m. — Kellie J. Rameau, 52, of 4 Armory Street Apartments in Greenfield, was served an arrest warrant.4:57 p.m. — Accident reported on Conway Street.Monday, Oct. 25 12:21 a.m. — Justin R. Page, 28, of Stonewall Drive in Ashfield,...

Real Estate Transactions: Nov. 19, 2021

ATHOL 127 Benwoods Drive. $340,000. B: Christine M. Fucile and Bradley J. Fucile. S: Benwoods LLC. 932 Brickyard Road. $305,000. B: Alexander M. Bickford and Erin M. Bickford. S: 73 Willard Road LLC. 406 Fairview Ave. $270,000. B: Michael A. Wilber...

Greenfield mother charged with battery of baby

By DOMENIC POLI

GREENFIELD — A Greenfield woman is being held on $5,000 bail after allegedly abusing her baby to the point of causing injuries that include a skull fracture, bite marks, a jaw fracture and a brain bleed.Alexis C. McClure, 24, of School Street, pleaded...

Former NMH dorm head admits to having sex with minor; charge stems from 1975

By DOMENIC POLI

GREENFIELD — A photographer best known for his pictures of nude adolescents was sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty in Franklin County Superior Court to an unnatural and lascivious act with a child under 16 when he was a dorm...

Pelican Products to be acquired by global investment firm

By CHRIS LARABEE

SOUTH DEERFIELD — Pelican Products Inc., which operates a manufacturing facility in South Deerfield, has been acquired for an undisclosed amount by a California-based investment company.Platinum Equity, a private equity investment firm based in Los...

Restaurateurs buy The Alvah Stone in Montague Center, look to carve out their own niche

By JULIAN MENDOZA

MONTAGUE CENTER — After eight years operating alongside The Montague Bookmill, The Alvah Stone’s owner is handing the keys to the iconic location to a new set of restaurateurs.Partners Melissa Stetson and James Fitzgerald are opening a restaurant...

Turners Falls murderer dies in prison

By DOMENIC POLI

SHIRLEY — Gregory Martino, the former Greenfield man sentenced to life imprisonment for what turned out to be the first of four unrelated domestic violence killings in Montague over a 20-month period in the late 1980s, died of cardiac arrest on July...

Former Buckland chief pleads not guilty to new sexual assault charges

By DOMENIC POLI

GREENFIELD — The former Buckland police chief facing a sexual assault charge in Northampton District Court pleaded not guilty in Greenfield District Court on Friday to three additional counts of the same charge, indecent assault and battery on a...

Real Estate Transactions: Oct. 29, 2021

ASHFIELD 90 Buckland Road. $110,000. B: Kersey K. Norris. S: Yetter Revocable Trust, Jane Yetter-Lunt, trustee. 371 Creamery Road. $110,000. B: Manfred J. Gabriel and Christina E. Gabriel. S: Curtis E. Pichette and Judy M. Pichette.ATHOL 555...

Former Athol man pleads not guilty to sexual assault charges in Superior Court

By DOMENIC POLI

GREENFIELD — A Springfield man formerly of Athol was arraigned in Franklin County Superior Court on Wednesday on more than two dozen charges related to the alleged sexual assault of two children.Jose Oquendo, 49, pleaded not guilty to seven counts...

Q&A: Greenfield School Committee candidate Susan Hollins

Editor’s note: This questionnaire was completed by Susan Hollins, one of five candidates on the ballot for three School Committee seats with four-year terms in the Nov. 2 election. Look for more questionnaires from City Council and School Committee...