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By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Following an overall decline in teacher retention in 2023, Franklin County and North Quabbin school districts saw a mix of increased and decreased retention rates in the 2023-2024 school year, according to data from the state Department of Elementary...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

MONTAGUE — The Conservation Commission has scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday, July 23, at 6:30 p.m. in which it could potentially place an enforcement order on Falls Farm in the wake of wetlands violations and erosion that stemmed from tree...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

GREENFIELD — When the traveling youth circus troupe Circus Smirkus comes to the Franklin County Fairgrounds this weekend, the roster of performers includes one Franklin County resident.The Greensboro, Vermont-based troupe, made up of youths ages 11 to...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

GREENFIELD — The Karuna Center for Peacebuilding hosted a virtual discussion on Wednesday during which activists reflected on the state of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and shared ideas for community building and future peace efforts. Karuna Center...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

TURNERS FALLS — U.S. Sen. Ed Markey visited the Strathmore mill complex alongside Environmental Protection Agency representatives and local officials on Thursday to celebrate the combined $10 million in funding for the complex’s demolition and site...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

GILL — In the two decades since the Wagon Wheel Restaurant opened its doors, owners Carolann Zaccara and Jon Miller have seen both the positives and negatives of starting a business full-time.“There’s been a lot of positive things,” Miller said. “The...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

GILL — After serving a combined 18 years as an officer and sergeant, Police Sgt. Jason Bassett plans to retire from full-time work at the end of August.Bassett, 52, first began working as a part-time officer for Gill in 2006 and left in 2008 to serve...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

ORANGE — No residents or firefighters were injured following a fire at 133 South Main St. on Monday evening that likely started due to a power line malfunction, according to Fire Chief James Young.Emergency personnel responded after dispatchers...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

ASHFIELD — Voters are asked to convene at Town Hall on Monday at 7 p.m. to consider three Special Town Meeting warrant articles pertaining to 911 infrastructure at the schools and a tennis court rehabilitation project.Articles 2 and 3 ask for $6,812...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

ERVING — The Selectboard this week got a glimpse at four potential design plans for partial demolition and restoration of the International Paper Mill property.The $1.49 million property at 8 Papermill Road, which was seized by the town for back...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

ORANGE — Addressing a lengthy agenda on Wednesday, the Selectboard approved the creation of a new subcommittee to curb dock issues at Lake Mattawa, a plan to dissolve the Armory Commission and a motion to task Town Administrator Matthew Fortier with...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

TURNERS FALLS — After decades in business, Jarvis Pools and Spas on Unity Street is diving into a new service for customers by becoming an authorized UPS shipping site.Corey Fitzpatrick, one of the three in-store managers of Jarvis Pools and Spas,...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

MONTAGUE — Representatives from Flower Power Growers LLC attended Monday’s Selectboard meeting to continue discussions on how to respond to odor complaints stemming from the marijuana grow facility and their plans to investigate the effectiveness of...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

COLRAIN — The Selectboard began considering implementation of a hybrid meeting structure on Tuesday, while also floating ideas for online community surveys that would be posted on the Colrain town website. New Town Administrator Diana Parsons said...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

ORANGE — State Sen. Jo Comerford met with area residents on Monday to answer questions and provide updates pertaining to bills that she and state Rep. Aaron Saunders have put forward to study the feasibility of giving western Massachusetts...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

MONTAGUE CENTER — Inspired to further its community outreach, the First Congregational Church of Montague started a summer concert series eight years ago.“It’s a nice, no-cost event in town and you don’t have to be a member of the church to join it,”...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

GREENFIELD — After being postponed from its original date due to inclement weather, the annual Independence Day celebration rang in America’s belated birthday on Sunday. Due to rain on Saturday, the event was postponed a day. People carrying tents,...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

GILL — After two consecutive years of weather-related cancellations, organizers of the Gillbilly Paddle are hoping for fair weather to take to the water on Saturday, July 13. The Gillbilly Paddle has been a summer tradition since 2018 when Gill...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

MONTAGUE — The Gill-Montague Regional School District has a few positions that will see new leadership beginning in the fall.Turners Falls High School and Great Falls Middle School Principal Christopher Barnes is leaving the district after a...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

MONTAGUE — As part of a national effort to assess the accuracy of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) map of broadband access, local residents are being encouraged to provide insight through a survey between June 20 and July 20. According...