‘Without us, there is no UMass’: Unions representing staff decry bargaining tactics by administration at campus rally

07-16-2025 5:57 PM


Easthampton forms committee to explore permanent Sept. 11 memorial; idea came in wake of flag controversy over pond

07-16-2025 5:01 PM

EASTHAMPTON — Nearly 24 years after the Sept. 11 attacks, the city is forming a tribute committee to develop a permanent memorial to honor the lives of those who served that day — an idea that emerged from a recent debate about flying the American flag over Nashawannuck Pond.


Sports


Local baseball: ’Hamp falls, Belchertown Post 239 locks up No. 1 seed
07-16-2025 9:21 PM

The Northampton Post 28 Senior American Legion baseball team is slumping at the wrong time after dropping its third straight game following its 16-8 loss to the Wilbraham Falcons at Minnechaug Regional High School on Wednesday night.

Opinion


Rutherford H. Platt: First Baptist Church project a foreshadowing of Picture Main Street?
07-16-2025 8:59 PM

Regarding the news article “Picture Main Street groups mobilize,” (Gazette, July 2), rather than repeating the many flaws in Picture Main Street, let’s consider a specific example of City Hall fallibility that happens to border Main Street. Whenever I am stuck at the Elm-West Street intersection (frequently), I glare at the “Hulk on the Hill” (aka the former First Baptist Church) behind its chain link fence and forbidding signage. It is outwardly unchanged since June 8, 2023 — over two years ago — when the city paid Eric Suher $3.175 million, promising to convert it into a community “resilience hub.”  Great concept; but wrong property, location, and price.In a letter dated Nov. 17, 2022, the city informed its selected appraisal firm in East Longmeadow that “We have signed an option to purchase the building for $3.3 million.” Actually, Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra did not sign an option until Dec. 9, 2022 after the city received the appraisal for exactly that price on Dec. 1 and Mr. Suher’s bid was opened the next day.  No evidence appears that the city — the only buyer on the horizon — tried to negotiate a lower price for the benefit of its taxpayers.In April, 2024, a group of concerned citizens  commissioned an independent reappraisal by Colliers Valuation and Advisory Services in Boston that determined that the property's fair market value as of the date the city bought it was actually $1.6 million, or less than half what the city paid. The city now owns a very expensive white elephant  at the most hazardous intersection in downtown — with no elevator and only four off-street parking spaces.The city administration responsible for that fiasco is still in office. Should there be any confidence that Picture Main Street won't be a much larger disaster for downtown and the city’s tax base and reputation?Rutherford H. Platt

buzz logo

Your Daily Puzzles

Cross|Word

An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."

Flipart

A quick daily flip. Finally, someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles.

Really Bad Chess

Chess but with chaos: Every day is a unique, wacky board.

SpellTower

Word search but as a strategy game. Clearing the board feels really good.

Typeshift

Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.

Business

Arts & Life

Obituaries

Obit photo for Margaret M. Mohr Margaret M. Mohr

Easthampton, MA - Margaret M. Mohr (Kessler) 104 (Easthampton's oldest resident) passed away peacefully at Cooley Dickenson / Mass General Brigham Hospital on July 12th, 2025, surrounded by her family. She was born at home on East Green... remainder of obit for Margaret M. Mohr

Obit photo for Brooke Wiig Lynes Brooke Wiig Lynes

Ludlow, MA - Brooke, age 89, lately of Ludlow, MA, died peacefully on July 1, 2025, following a long illness. She was born in 1935 in Pyramid, Nevada, the only daughter of Francesca and Beverly Blackmer and the only white child ever bo... remainder of obit for Brooke Wiig Lynes

Obit photo for Elizabeth Saint Wilson Elizabeth Saint Wilson

Leverett, MA - Elizabeth Saint Wilson Born December 21, 1925 to James and Amelia Saint in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Our beloved, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother, Betty, passed away peacefully in he... remainder of obit for Elizabeth Saint Wilson

Obit photo for Catherine Kelley Catherine Kelley

Hadley, MA - On Saturday, July 12, 2025, Catherine A. Kelley, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and friend to many, passed away peacefully four days before her 95th birthday. Cathy was born on July 16,1930 in H... remainder of obit for Catherine Kelley

Contribute

Submit Obituary Submit News Tip

Submit Letter to the Editor

Your contact info

In case we need to contact you - we do not publish these in print or online