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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 clean energy siting practices they think will be more harmful to the environment than helpful.

WENDELL — Adam Feltman collected 87 votes in his uncontested bid for a three-year Selectboard seat during Monday’s town election.

Thank you, Gene Stamell, for a wonderful My Turn column about my favorite punctuation, the semicolon! For many years I have edited my children’s writing and now that of my grandchildren, even friends and colleagues, all along educating them about the use of the semicolon to clarify and dress up a sentence, bringing crispness and elan to prose writing. You provided a great deal of information new to me about the semicolon’s history and current usage. I appreciate your amusing column which I do not find “rather trivial“; I love the semicolon!

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — Adam Feltman has never served on a municipal board or committee. But that will soon change as long as there are no surprises in Monday’s election.

Addressing climate change is a high priority, both for the governor, and for the human family. But how it is addressed is also important. We in western Massachusetts are stewards of a bio-diverse landscape with rich farmland and a treasury of beautiful vistas.

NEW SALEM — Julie Stepanek’s ukulele lessons at the New Salem Public Library last month proved to be such a success that she has been invited back for “Learn Ukulele (Part 2)” on Thursday, May 1.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — The citizens group that formed in 2023 in opposition to a since-withdrawn proposal for a 105-megawatt battery storage facility plans to present clean energy siting suitability findings to state policymakers in Holyoke on May 5.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — With the Selectboard’s approval in hand, the town will use $5,580 from its D.A.R.E. account to replace the police substation’s router.

International Children’s Book Day was celebrated on April 2. “Research shows that children whose parents read to them every day are exposed to at least 290,000 more words by the time they enter kindergarten than kids who aren’t read to regularly.” This fact was found at https://www.earthday.org/libraries-where-books-go-to-party/ as part of that celebration. Former President Ronald Reagan said, “The library is the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life.” Lifelong learning, for free, is available at our public libraries. I remember the words of our dear friend and library supporter, Margo Culley, who called our greatly appreciated local library, the Wendell Free Library, “Wendell U,” for “Wendell University,” as it is the learning place for residents of all ages.

By DOMENIC POLI

ORANGE — With three members absent for various reasons, the Mahar School Committee on Wednesday approved a 4% budget increase for the next school year.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — Walk into Kelly Tyler’s new office at 9 Morse Village Road and you’ll see some large pieces of paper on the wall, serving as a reminder of the short-term and long-term projects handled by the town coordinator.

In response to Nelson Schiffrett’s April 2 letter, “Lead and we will follow,” go to Jessica Craven’s “Chop Wood, Carry Water” website, which is published every day with a list of things that one can do to counteract the Trump administration’s antics. The list includes letters to write, people to call and what to say, petitions to sign and information about public demonstrations. It is very uplifting and inspiring to read these posts and take some small action. It has improved my mental health. And today’s news gives me heart that Schiffett and I are not alone. The tide is just beginning to turn!

WENDELL — Gail Mason will convene the first event in the 2025 “Honoring Elders” series at the Wendell Meetinghouse on Tuesday, April 8, with Karen and Michael Idoine as the honorees. The event is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.

By CHRIS LARABEE

Three Franklin County libraries will offer increased accessibility resources for patrons with disabilities thanks to grants from the American Library Association’s Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities program.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — Have you ever looked back at a crossroads in your life and wondered if you should have handled something differently?

By DOMENIC POLI

ORANGE — Seven positions were poised to be eliminated in Ralph C. Mahar Regional School’s fiscal year 2026 budget until the teachers union agreed to a change in the insurance deductible amount to save enough money to spare two of those jobs.

WENDELL — The Wendell Meetinghouse needs two actors who can play a man and a woman, mid-20s to 50, in a production of “Swamped,” a full-length play written and directed by Court Dorsey.

NEW SALEM — Swift River School has kicked off sales for the 2025 Supermarket Sweep fundraiser.

By DOMENIC POLI

NEW SALEM – The nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to increasing public awareness and appreciation of the Quabbin Reservoir and watershed is soliciting donations to help restore a stone arch bridge erected the year after the Civil War ended.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — The Friends of the Wendell Free Library have agreed to fund $25,000 associated with replacing the damaged play structure removed from its property in September 2023.