Search Results

Keyword search: amherst

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL,EMILEE KLEIN and SCOTT MERZBACH

In a state that prides itself on its educational prowess, Massachusetts school districts across the commonwealth are facing a crisis of ability to adequately fund their schools. Hampshire County has proved to be no exception.

By SAMUEL GELINAS

AMHERST — U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern continues to tour the state, holding town halls across his district, and will again appear in Hadley on Sunday to rally farmers facing losses of federal aid as grants are put on hold or canceled by by the Trump administration. But his stop Friday brought him to the Applewood Retirement Living community in Amherst, where residents were especially concerned about President Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s unpredictable, potentially disastrous tinkering with Social Security.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Site work related to construction of a five-story, mixed-use building at the corner of Amity Street and University Drive is expected to begin before summer, following final approvals from the Planning Board last week.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A series of fee increases for school-related activities, which cover participation in athletics and parking at the high school, are being considered by the Amherst Regional School Committee.

By RUSS VERNON-JONES

There are many ways to describe and to analyze what is happening in the federal government since Donald Trump was inaugurated. But the clearest and most consistent pattern is that the billionaires have taken over and have started to destroy anything that interferes with them becoming richer and richer. Their greed appears to know no bounds. I find this truly frightening.

By RYAN AMES

AMHERST — A week of rest and recovery should help the No. 2 Amherst College women’s hockey team in its quest for the Division III NCAA Tournament Championship title, which begins with a quarterfinal round matchup against No. 8 Colby on Saturday at Orr Rink.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Best-case scenarios for the Amherst elementary and Amherst-Pelham Regional schools, in which the budgets are around $2 million short of providing level services for the 2025-2026 school year, are leading a member of Amherst’s Town Council to suggest town officials find a way to get more money to local public education.

Talk is cheap. It is clear to many that there are only two ways to stop Trump. One is the courts, the other is massive civil disobedience.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Money for projects to improve access to buildings and ensure more public amenities for residents with disabilities could be directed by a new Commission for Persons with Disabilities, which will begin meeting monthly in April.

By EMILEE KLEIN

BELCHERTOWN — When Town Manager Steve Williams goes on the road to advertise Belchertown as a viable, business-friendly community, business owners admit to him that they never considered the town as a potential home for their company.

By LEE WICKS

By SHALINI BAHL

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Money targeted for both strategic investments and deferred maintenance on the University of Massachusetts campus is being temporarily diverted to a new account that will ensure research continues uninterrupted, should federal grants and contracts be paused or ended.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Mold and mildew that may be developing at the Amherst Regional Middle School, possibly related to the poor condition of the roof that could be fixed as part of the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s accelerated repair program, will be examined by school district officials.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee is putting forward a $37.08 million fiscal year 2026 budget that would limit some anticipated staffing cuts at the middle and high schools, a proposal that would significantly increase assessments for the four member towns.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A draft housing production plan with a series of strategies to ensure there are sufficient housing options in Amherst for people with a range of income levels is suggesting Amherst produce 265 to 715 new housing units by 2030.

Members of the Amherst Regional indoor track and field team earned the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to strong showings throughout the season, as a handful of ‘Canes competed in the New Balance Nationals in Boston over the weekend.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Five years ago, Amherst became one of the first communities in Massachusetts to adopt a Percent for Art bylaw, ensuring that school and town building projects priced at $1 million or more would incorporate permanent art installations 

By EMILEE KLEIN

AMHERST — Peanut butter jars, takeout containers and soft plastic wrap often end up in the recycling bin, contaminating viable plastic, cardboard and paper for recycling and resulting in more garbage in landfills.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Alleging there has been antisemitic discrimination and harassment at 60 colleges and universities across the country, including at the University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is warning of potential enforcement actions, according to a letter sent on Monday.

Several Amherst Regional indoor track and field athletes kicked off what is to be a busy weekend for the Hurricanes on Thursday and Friday afternoon at New Balance Nationals in Boston.